Considerations of a Seasonal Zodiac, by Robin Armstrong
The path of the Sun (earth around the sun) marks the parameters of a year. Of all the lights in the heavens above us, the Sun is the most important and predominant one. Without light shining down on the earth there would e no life!
The lights fixed in the heavens gained their prominence as a background to the solar presence. Approximately 10% of the light to reach this dark earth comes from the accumulated light of the stars. Approximately 90% of the light to reach the earth originates from the Sun and indirectly from the other moving lights (Moon and planets) which reflect some of the Sun’s light back to earth.
The Sun is verily the life giver or source of life on earth. The Sun is the primary factor of our being in existence.
Without considering the factor of solar light radiating and warming the earth, most astrological deductions is relegated to the realms of mathematical association and mental abstraction. While this is seemingly the foundation and essential core of modern scientific thinking, it is the living relationship of the light and warmth of the Sun and its effects, that bring an affirmation to mathematical deduction and not the other way around.
The heavenly creative light and warmth of the Sun and its influence on the dark receptive earth is observed in the cycle of the Zodiac or the year, and in the cycle of the moon phases or month, and in the cycle of hours or houses of the day.
The horoscope is a map of these factors of solar influence. It is a living picture rather than a word. If it were to be considered a word, it would be the word of God, the source of life, and we would, therefore, be created or born in the image of our creator.
Before anyone considers the twelve divisions of the Zodiac or year, or the three divisions or modes (Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable) of each season, or the four elemental associations, one must first observe whether light is increasing or decreasing. This increasing and decreasing of light represents the primary pulse of birth, growth, decay and death – the pulse of life! Secondly, one must observe whether there is more daylight than darkness. Life is distinctly different when there is more daylight than darkness (Mar. 21 to Sept. 23), than when there is more darkness than daylight (Sept. 23 to Mar. 21).
From these two primary observations, the four season clearly and experientially present themselves. Following this there is a light and a dark half to each season.
For those of numerological inclination this marks out an eightfold cycle or path. For others, also numerologically inclined, this path of the Sun was divided into four seasons with three divisions or modes which make up the number of twelve zodiac signs or divisions.
Assessing the phenomena of light and darkness is a vital observation of the life process. It stands as an affirmation of the meaning of life and of the zodiac or the orbit of the earth, the moon phases and the rotation of the earth with its hours or houses.
If astrology is to be experientially valid and relevant, it cannot be done by mathematical deduction alone (as that leads to abstraction). It must be based on the pulse of life and the very fabric or essence of nature. It must be based on the influence of the Sun on the earth.