I have not been a fan of the “later
planets” such as Uranus, Pluto, and Neptune because they tend to
stuff up everything when it comes to Cabalah etc. In my view the
more traditional “seven planets” work fine for magical work and I
had doubts as to whether the three new ones had much of an
influence. Besides Pluto was not a planet and there might be lots of
Pluto like planets out there which have not been discovered yet.
Recently I have been reading Astrology,
Karma & Transformation: The Inner Dimensions of the Birth Chart
by Stephen Arroyo. Given that I don't believe in re-incarnation
either, this should have been a tricky read.
However he pointed out that the three
outer planets are ambassadors for galactic forces which mediate their
influence upon humanity. But there was also the implication that
they were the planetary forces on a higher arc and are responsible
for evolution of a human.
Reading the attributions, I twigged
that they made snug fit for the Alchemical principles of Mercury,
Salt, and Sulphur and the three-fold actions of the Higher Self. Again this is an idea in progress and nothing official.
In the Golden Dawn these are attributed
to the pillars of the Tree of Life rather than any sphere or path.
They are also concerned with the three Second Order chiefs on the
dais – the Praemonstrator, the Cancellarious and the Imperator.
Thus their position in the ritual as being behind it starts to make
sense
Thus Uranus is attributed to Mercury,
Air, Thoth, and the Middle Pillar. Neptune is attributed to Salt,
Water, Isis and the pillar of severity while Pluto is Sulphur, Fire
and Horus. This all tallies with the Enochian chess set where
Nephthys represents the Earth piece, the Rook and Isis the Water
piece and the Queen. Attribution to the pillars adds a whole range
of meanings to the trans-saturn planets. It also clears up a few
problems I had with these three.
If these three planets are cosmic
ambassadors they fit into the realm of the Higher Self. Indeed in
Gnostic Terms once you have passed through the seven doors of the
Archons (which are human limitations) you enter into the divine
realms. The fact that the Higher Self is three-fold should be no
real surprise as they fit to the three alchemical principles of Salt,
Mercury, and Sulphur – the very principles which the Creator used
to build the universe and thus trapped spirit into creation.
Sulphur is our soul. It is our
individuality, our true nature or essence. Pluto is seen as a
change-agent. It is like the death card in that it burns away lies
so that truth can rise force as an eagle and then as a Phoenix. But
what is being destroyed is not what we are but what others have made
us. Pluto changes are very specific and controlled. It is also Mars
on a Higher Arc.
Pluto transits then are the soul
adjusting itself to its correct destiny so that we can “be real”.
Pluto/Sulphur transforms us to the needs of our Soul and its destiny
rather than the lesser life that had before. In plant alchemy,
Sulphur is its volatile or essential oil. Sulphur smells very strong.
Salt is the crystallization through
which the other two principles things work through. On the Tree of
Life, this is expressed through Chesed which brings all things into
order. Neptune is Venus on a higher arc but would appear to be the
opposite of what the Alchemists attribute to Salt. Modern
astrologers call Neptune, the planet of deception, delusion,
derangement, guilt, persecution and mutter about drugs and alcohol.
On the plus side they give spiritual enlightenment, and mystical
experiences to this planet. This implies then that all spritual or
mystical experiences are escapism. So how is this salt which gives
the impression of matter and materialism? Salt is not placed on the
middle pillar and neither is it attributed to Malkuth. It is placed
on the Pillar of Cloud.
In Plant alchemy Salt is not the plant body,
but the mineral matrix of the plant which is found by an extraction
method. Humanity's destiny as seen by the trans-saturnian planets is
not matter related, but rather to understand matter at an abstract
level. Humanities real realm is the abstract astral kingdom of
dreams. Isis liberates the spirit from matter and releases it into
the astral world. It does this by abstracting matter so that its
truth can be seen.
Mercury is a mediator between Sulphur
and Salt. Mercury is the animating spirit whereas Sulphur is the
soul. It brings the soul down into the physical world. Modern
Astrologers say that it's sometimes liberating, and other times
you're thrown into chaos. Uranus is unemotional change which is
needed. Uranus will change you whether you think you want it or not.
Mercury is a trickster and messes with what you think is true and
important. There are close connections with the Fool tarot card
because it is mostly to do with clearing obstructions for the spirit
to move.
In plant alchemy, Mercury is the spirit
that rises from the plant during the process. In chemistry Mercury
is a liquid metal and it is solid, yet liquid at the same time. It
turns into a gas easily. Uranus's force changes all aspects of a
person's life.
With the trans-saturnian planets we
start too see the sorts of cycles that were so beloved of the
Ancients. Since the planets move so slowly we cant start to see each
generation as part of a big Alchemical experiment on humanity by a
three-fold God.
When we come to life transits by these
planets we can see them as Alchemical experiments on our life.
Someone who is going through a rough pluto transit can know what
alchemical force is being dealt with and start to co-operate with it.
What will be interesting is when a
tenth planet turns up and what this will mean to humanity.
