Esoteric Astrology simplifies the complexity of contemporary astrology via three fundamental divisions and seven qualities—based on the symbolic meanings of first seven numbers and the fundamental properties of the first three. These primary three aspects and successive four attributes appear as the seven rays. This structure also offers an overview that highlights the overall learning process rather than details of personal events and traits (already covered well by psychological astrologers), enabling us to place our experiences within a big picture and reveal a sense of direction—a purpose that extends the personal into the universal. (Download an Introduction to Esoteric Astrology).
Exoteric and Esoteric astrology ⇧
On the Morya Federation website, the late Michael Robbins offered a very clear explanation of the distinction between conventional (exoteric) astrology and the esoteric approach:
Exoteric Astrology is the more traditional astrology we may be more familiar with, and describes our outer, personality-based lives; it focuses around our Sun sign and describes other planetary roles that impact our everyday lives. Esoteric Astrology, on the other hand, helps us understand the energies of our inner, spiritual self. The Ascendant, or rising sign, indicates our soul purpose and shows us how we might be able to use the planets in our natal chart to help fulfill that higher, soul purpose.
The above page on that website explains how the signs symbolise archetypes (a theme outlined in Alice Bailey’s interpretation of the Labours of Hercules) and illustrate the inner journey we travel in the development and expansion of consciousness. In Aries there is the initiating seed of mind, then Taurus brings desire and the will to push forward; Gemini highlights the interplay beteen the inner (soul) and outer (personality) selves, while in Cancer we are born into the essential everyday life lessons. The individual emerges from the crowd in Leo, while in Virgo the inner self gestates, until the balance shifts towards inner development in Libra, followed by the challenge of internal conflict and the overcoming of illusion and fear in Scorpio. As archetypes (rather than in a personal interpretation) the last four signs represent the culmination of human development, with Sagittarius providing clear focus of the immediate goals ahead and—while in Capricorn we see initiation into full human potential—Aquarius and Pisces as archetypes respectively represent the world server who aids the development of humanity, and those who return to human life in order to help raise others to the same state they have achieved.
Deeper complexity, simpler methods ⇧
This website takes Alice Bailey’s seminal book Esoteric Astrology as a departure point. The research behind it was encouraged by a group of astrologers who met to exchange ideas and develop new methods of implementation. In any serious study of esoteric astrology, it is advisable to collate and summarise the information provided, so it becomes knowledge and hopefully fosters wisdom, by applying this knowledge to interpretations and readings. This is the aim that inspired and generated this very website.
Gather together, as you read, the statements I make anent any particular sign, planet or major constellation. You will then have right under your eye the information needed on any specific point and can study successfully this complicated transitional astrology. Alice Bailey, Esoteric Astrology 133-134
The website (and allied book, in progress) helps refine the ideas and attempts to complete the picture first outlined in that book by:
- identifying elements of the most practical use to contemporary astrologers;
- discarding concepts that have become culturally redundant;
- interpolating information missing from Bailey’s original work;
- clarifying problematic issues and ambiguous information.
Finding your way ⇧
Complex information is best embodied in concise symbolic maps that depict at a glance the interwoven relationships between rays, signs and planets within esoteric astrology. The main geometric diagram of relationships on the home page (link top left, every page) is the primary navigation aid, and maps esoteric astrology itself.
Areas that expand upon information missing in the original book include a simplification system for the esoteric use of aspects, and an exhaustive directory containing details of all triangles mentioned in Esoteric Astrology. Some central tenets of esoteric astrology which may be unfamiliar to astrologers are outlined under key concepts.