The Role of the Planetary Archetypes

Archetypes are symbolic images that we unconsciously understand.

The Role of the Planetary Archetypes in Esoteric Astrology

The Vedic Elements of Archetypes

Everything that exists in nature, according to The Vedic Tradition, is structured by three primary attributes, or Gunas. Gunas is understood to be the natural impulses and principles of life that condition all matters.

These attributes or Gunas manifest themselves as Sattwa (or the principle of superior intelligence, fluidity, smoothness, and harmony); like Tamas (or the law of inertia, density, resistance) and Rajas (the principle of rational mental energy, turbulence, impulsiveness).

We can make an analogy comparing the behavior of the Gunas manifesting as a wave, where Sattwa balances an action, Tamas maintains this action and Rajas unbalances it, changes the status and generates the conditions for a new Sattwa to start a new equilibrium initiative.

There is also another principle governing the manifestation of life which is the Principle of Polarity.

According to this principle, two complementary forces make up everything that exists, and in this dynamic equilibrium, all movement and mutation arise. This law covers the world of duality. These forces are composed of two elements:

1. – passive, feminine, nocturnal, dark, cold, having a negative character, also called Yin and

2. – active, masculine, diurnal, bright, warm, positive role, also named Yang.

These dual elements are in truth complementary in nature, and there is no hierarchy between them. In electricity, the positive and the negative are necessary to produce energy and therefore the manifestation of light.

Starting from these two principles (Gunas and Polarities) and through the combination of the different factors, the result is the manifestation of the primary 12 archetypes.

From the one (Divinity) is made the two (Polarity) and this is manifested in number three (Trinity). From the combination of number three (Trinity-Gunas) is made the four (Elements), making the seven (3 + 4) and the combination of these results the 12 (3 × 4), as we can summarize in the Archetypes, constellation’ symbols and their meaning in Astrology.

Archetypes and patterns of thought and behavior

Many schools of psychology that use the interpretive method tend to pay attention to the meaning of the events that have occurred to the patient to decipher the conflict they involve according to their symbolic contents. Most of these schools only observe past conflicting events in the patient’s experience. However, Analytic Psychology, developed by Carl G. Jung, acknowledged that there are forces that produce specific patterns of thought and behavior housed in the impersonal part of the psyche that constitutes the Collective Unconscious. These patterns gave them the name of Archetypes.

All esoteric schools (inner knowledge), including Hinduism and Buddhism, adopted and established astrology as the proper method for observing, studying, analyzing and interpreting the nature of these energies that underlie the psyche of every person.

Astrology has been made a bad name by the determinist and dogmatic interpretations of the past; the little seriousness with which many “apprentices of sorcerer” are dedicated to predicting the future of naïve individuals; and the proliferation of daily generic horoscopes that are no more than, at best, just that, generic rather baseless interpretations.

Astrology is an invaluable tool to access this dark territory of planetary symbols as manifestations of these archetypal energies lodged in our unconscious. We must also consider that in our natal chart each planet has a fixed position that is “activated” about the planetary transits that happen in the course of our life.

Sun: Represents the essence that is familiar to us and that we can trust. Thus, water signs will rely on their emotional nature; those of earth in the concrete and objective; those of air in their intellectual and mental capacity; and, those of fire, in their will and expression of their being.

Moon: It represents the mother, or our emotion, and the need to be protected in our vulnerable areas. It also describes what nourishes us and our impulsive unconscious response.

Mercury: Represents our mental activity, the way we communicate with others and our ability to learn, how we structure and mentally develop our life experience.

Venus: Represents our ability to love and establish meaningful relationships with others. Also, the kind of environment we need to feel comfortable and the scope of our sensuality and sensitivity.

Mars: It is the impulse of the ego and our need to affirm ourselves in front of the world and others: our self-determination. It also expresses our sexual drive and our ability to overcome the challenges that come our way in life.

Jupiter: Expands and instills faith to grow in that area of the letter you are in. Like a second sun, generously sprinkle lucky occasions to stimulate our confidence.

Saturn: It’s your turn to play the role of the villain in the movie. It is our principle of mundane reality. The time and space that limit our existence. However, even though it confronts us with an inescapable truth, it helps us to test ourselves and recognize our actual capacities. It also represents the austere father figure.

Uranus: Represents the unusual and unconventional. Its nature is to produce abrupt change so that we find alternative ways of interpreting our reality. Uranus is the father of all inventions and innovations.

Neptune: It is related to our ideals and our connection to our spiritual and transcendent nature, as well as our ability to be compassionate and the activities that help mitigate the suffering of others.

Pluto: The planet of regeneration. It implies that for something to be born, something must die. Prevents stagnation and represents the inexorable force of change and the instinctive drives of Eros and Thanatos.

There is much that this concept of Archetypes as references that can contribute to the knowledge of the energies that could influence our human behavior. Archetypes are beyond this plane of reality, but that they end up manifesting in this plane of existence. In such a way, that by recognizing them, we can realize our weaknesses and know how to take advantage of our strengths.

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