Astrology Charts and Division of Labor - Are You an Activator, Stabilizer, or Distributor?

by Robert Wilkinson

The answer to the title is probably all of the above, just at different times. Knowing your particular astrological "formula" is key to understanding your strengths and how you naturally play life's choices and changes. Today we'll take a brief look at the way energy cycles through our lives and interactions with others.

First, some basics. In the zodiac, there are 12 signs. We all have all the signs somewhere in our chart. Not only that, even when we don't have a planet in a sign, a sign is still active in the area shown by the house with that sign on the cusp, or edge, of that house. The sign on a cusp shows us both how we approach the affairs of that house, as well as what lessons we're learning about those life affairs. When we don't have a planet in a house, the planet that rules the sign on the cusp is the primary significator of what and how we're relating to those life affairs.

Thus we always have at least two signs at work influencing how we do what we do in any life area; the sign on the cusp, and the sign of the planet that rules the sign on the cusp. The only exception is when the planet is in the sign it "rules" or its "home." Then the sign on the cusp is the sign the planet rules. This is a very powerful influence, and usually exerts an influence on other planets and houses as well through dispositorship.

Each of the twelve signs has an energetic quality of being an activator, consolidator, or distributor. One initiates, one stabilizes, one transforms. In the Vedas these three energy forms are called Gunas. They are considered qualities of the Three-In-One "Godhead" that pervades our system. Sort of like "God the Father," "God the Mother," and "God the Creative Offspring." They infuse all types of behavior, activity, and processes.

In Astrology, the activating, initiating, Rajasic signs are known as Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. These signs initiate activity, are self-reliant in their movement, and show how we approach the new in the material, emotional, mental, and inspirational levels of life. These signs are said to be "moveable" and thus can be destabilizing and disruptive even as they open new doors and directions through new focus.

The stabilizing, consolidating, Tamasic signs are known as Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. These signs stabilize conditions, organizing any process into concrete self-perpetuating forms that are resistant to change. Though Tamasic energy is given a very bad rap in Hinduism, they are also the signs governing the 4 "Holy Creatures" of the ancient prophets, the Ox, Lion, Eagle, and Angel, and show the way to liberation for all disciples on a path to Truth.

The distributive, fragmenting, Sattvic signs are known as Mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. These signs distribute the energies stabilized by the Fixed signs that will eventually be picked up by the Cardinal signs in new forms. Though Sattvic energy is considered most "spiritual" in Hinduism, they can also be deflective, dissolving, and unfocused. However, they do show the way to fracture old inert forms to achieve movement, and mark the end of the old.

By seeing which planets you have in which signs you can understand how that planet naturally expresses itself. A Sun in Gemini is illuminated by distribution, multiplicity, and fragmentation, as are Virgo, Sag, and Pisces, each in their own way. A Mars in Leo efforts in stable consistent ways, and can be annoyed by too much resistance. A Jupiter in Aries finds opportunity in new beginnings, and initiating some self-reliant pioneering expansion in whatever house it's in.

By knowing where the transits are working in your chart, you can see whether you're initiating, stabilizing, or fragmenting any given area of your life. This can help explain why we are letting go of some things while other parts are moving along smoothly and other things are emerging. The trick is to see the whole picture so you cooperate with your natural process rather than resist it or fear it. A more thorough analysis of how things work in your specific chart can be discovered by studying the qualities of the signs and/or scheduling a session with a professional astrologer.

This is fairly basic knowledge, but crucial to understanding our place in the larger scheme of things, as well as knowing whether to begin something or not, hold on to something or now, or redistribute what has been to recombine the pieces in a new initiative to come. Sometimes we do have to "break up to unite," as our old friend the I Ching puts it. Other times we must leap empty handed into the void, knowing the pieces will be there when we arrive. It all depends on us knowing what's up in general and what's up in our charts as shown by whether we're initiating, consolidating, or distributing in any area of our life. A small but important piece of our reality puzzle.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[chris]

Robert, thank you for pointing out this piece of the puzzle. I am confused about my own chart, though. If my ASC is calculated at 26 degrees of the 12H, well, how is this possible? Shouldn't the ASC be in the 1H? If you have the time to take a quick peek:
00:20 7 may 1977
prince george bc canada

if not, no worries. thanks for just being your lovely self!

[Robert]

Hi chris - Your Ascendant is 26 degrees 10 minutes Sagittarius. It marks the beginning of your first house. According to the Porphyry system of house division which I use, your 1st house begins then and goes through 9 Aquarius, with Capricorn intercepted, as is your Moon at 10 Cap. Glad this clarifies.

[Stevo]

Hi Robert, it's Stevo. With so many interesting-if not curious transits hitting my chart today I just had to make contact. This article is fascinating! It sends my Virgo planets scattering. LOL. And I plan to just let them go and give Saturn something to do at the end of the year-lol. Mars and I have just finished our flight through Aquarius and have now hit the water. We spent several days with my Aquarian Moon. She's quite the Queen bee. So, I guess with her residence in my 8th house at 27 Aquarius, she's my stability. Would you agree?

Mars is now trining my Scorpio Sun and I plan to watch my Scorpio sector closely. My Neptune is in Scorpio but in the 5th implying Leo. With this squaring my Moon, would Neptune really offer itself as a stabilizer? Also, I have reason to believe that my Scorpio Sun is somewhat lost. Does this mean that it's 4th house residence offers itself more as Cancer/Cardinal energy.

10/29/68 10:44 pm ET

Thanks in advance, Stevo

[Robert]

Hi Stevo - Moon in Aquarius is a very stabilizing influence. Even if no one else particularly finds it warm and fuzzy it's great for making friends and keeping the focus on bigger, more altruistic things. Great for a group worker who can TCB, whatever the biz is. Mars trine your Sun is opening early Cancer. Neptune in 5th isn't Leo, it's creative. Great for theater, movies, etc. Neptune never stabilizes, unless you find stability in living in the deep blue vastness. Scorpio Sun only gets lost when it cannot find the light in the darkness. Sun in the 4th shows you need a stable base of operations where your discontent is diminished and the light is increased. Hope this helps. Aum and blessings.

[chris]

Thank you for yor help Robert! This has been driving me crazy for months and months.

[Stevo]

Thanks Robert! And I can't wait to ask my Libra wife (who also has moon in Aquarius)if she finds me warm and fuzzy. But on second thought, I need to be prepared to answer that question coming from her. D'oh.....lol.

All this has me pegged. Stabilizing Aquarian moon, Sun in H4. I'm self-employed, working at home and writing music. I will take your comments about my Neptune in Scorpio as a warning. It would seem that when Mars in Pisces last trined my Scorp Nept in 2005 it left me there. A few months later, Saturn hits Leo squaring my Sun and I had no idea what was going on. And last year when Jupiter was in Scorpio it was the usual 12th year death.

I've signed on with Mars for 2 years. And we are quickly approaching where I may have screwed up the last time. It's nice to know that I can always put my feet on the Aquarian moon. Neptune may actually be a creative trap door or bottomless pit for me. We'll see. Thanks again!!!

Stevo

[Wendall]

Hi Robert,
A question about "the sign on the cusp" of a house. . . Does an orb apply here? My midheaven is at 29 Aries 37. Should I regard my H10 cusp as Aries, Taurus or a mix of the two?

Many Thanks,
Wendall
(dob March 28, 1958, 1:45pm Toronto, Canada)

[Robert]

Hi Wendall - We have an almost identical MC - mine is also 30 Aries, with early Gemini on the 11th. Your cusp is most definitely Aries. My own tenth house is about 33-34 degrees wide (as is my 4th.) Yours is larger or smaller, depending.

[Wendall]

Thanks for the clarification Robert. It's all in the details. I'm glad it's an Aries cusp. My tenth (and fourth) houses are 36 degrees wide - also Gemini for H11. Ours are nice sizes for a house. I hope to contact you for a consult later in the year. Right now my cats want to be fed, and I must answer.

Namaste

[Robert]

Hi Wendall - From one who has found his "duck pond" and is merrily "disporting" on it, glad to meet another duck who will also find time to play publicly with other ducks. (The 30 Aries Sabian Symbol, for those who haven't figured out what I'm talking about!) And of course, glad you have your priorities straight. My owner-teacher has me hopping several times a day. At least he's on very low-carb, which has done more for his health than anything else I ever did for him. Now if I could just give him opposable thumbs, he'd be one happy tuxedo!

[chrispito]

HA HA!!! My little cat likes to meow until I go to pet her, then she leaps up on her rear paws like a little pony to meet my hand. Ah, cats. To think I used to be deathly afraid of them. Deathly, deathly afraid, really quite bizarre.

[Mike]

Hi Robert,

Tonglen, the powerful Tibetan meditation practice where one 'actively' breathes in with conscious focus the negative ions in the atmosphere, 'fixates' or transmutes it in the furnace of the heart jewel, and then releases it as refracted light on the exhale runs many parallels with the ideas mentioned in this article. Earlier this week while riding on the subway I started combining Tonglen with what I've learned here, and the three 'lights' dancing together significantly enhanced the minfulness of the intention.

Many Thanks.

Mike

[Mike]

Re: Tonglen
Instead of beneficial negative ions, I meant positive ions, but what works even better is a visualization of black smoke.

[Robert]

Hi Mike - You comment reminds me of when I used to ride the subways in NYC in the early 80s, and made a practice of doing "the Great Invocation" over and over until the entire car took on a strange sheen. It was interesting to see the astral strata of thoughtforms above the commuters. Same thing used to happen when we who attended Hilda Charlton's Thursday night gatherings were discharged into the streets. Too many smiles along with too many astonished faces from hardened New Yorkers compelled to witness a greater Love/Light in the hundreds who spread out on the streets. Glad you're out there doing beneficial thoughtforms. I have tried to clean up the astral pollution we all move through the best I'm able, and it's great to know you're generating astral oxygen instead of more pollution.

[Isabel Nobre]

Hi! Robert.

It is very interesting what you describe about visualization in order to "cleanse" the atmosphere and about your experience at the underground. I often had the same sensation whenever I had to ride the underground and did either active prayer or visualization. Atmosphere did improve a lot! I also do it all the time at the end of meditation, in order to give out positive, bright and beautiful energy to the world and its many Beings, and as I walk in dark, sad streets or anywhere where I may pick up a need.

To your knowledge, if one has all the planets bu one in one type of cross, does it not give the one that is outside that cross a special role too? As if it balanced and quizzed all the others?

One day we may talk about horoscopes... do not ant to bother you now. Suffice it to say that I have six Aquarius planets and the Ascendant at the 26th. Sagitarius(Center of Galaxy). I have had, in recent times, the experience of Pluto on my Ascendant during a long time and Neptune on the Sun Venus.

Well, do not mean to take your time.

All the Best,

Isabel

[Robert]

Hi Isabel - It's okay to "take my time," since that's part of what this site is about. We who show up here are community, motivated by whatever turns us on about what goes on at this cantina. I set up comments so we can connect with each other, and break down the spacial barriers that seem to separate us. Glad you're moved to contribute. The power of visualization and thoughtform building can be used to serve our world in obscure but important ways. There is a lot of astral pollution out there, and to the extent we participate in the cleanup, we assist the world and cultivate a positive Pluto function in our charts for all time. As an aside, Pluto rules trains and subways, so they are perfect places to practice such things.

Don't quite know how one can have all the planets but one in a type of cross, since I don't know when you were born and that would be a very unique time, but of course it is possible. In any case, yes, the planet outside the cross would have a special function, but how powerful it is would be entirely determined by its position, sign, what it disposits or is disposited by, and aspects to it. Neptune is certainly opening you to higher, wider energies at present! And of course, with Pluto involved you're an agent of the Grand Irrationality, being moved by a larger destiny into pathways you probably never imagined not that long ago.

[Isabel Nobre]

Dear Robert,

I am sorry to thank your kind and interesting comment only today. During Easter we as a Familly went to Spain (we live in Portugal) to participate in a spiritual gathering - with long time friends and co-searchers for the Light...

Only today did I get the chance to come back to your site and I had trouble finding the comments, as so many other posts had been introduced in the mean time.

Just to answer your comment, yes, it is rather interesting, when I was born there were six planets in Aquarius, Moon in Taurus, Neptune in Scoprio and Uranus in Leo - and Pluto was already in Virgo, and that is why I wonder (and feel pretty sure) that it has a definite IMPACT on my way of getting the fixed cross to MOVE!!! and, with an Ascendant in 26 Sagitarius, spirituality feels as a "predestined" reality in my life...

Would love to hear your comments (or rather, read them).

This is such an interesting site, and I am sorry that my time does not always allow me to comment or even read.

I totally agree with you that one has, if at all aware or at least interested in COMMON GOOD, the obligation to do something. If nothing else, at least transforming ourselves, praying and meditating can make a (little) difference in the world.

This Easter, as all the usual friends and co-seakers gethered in Spain (and there were 72 of us) once more it was so WONDERFUL to feel the effect of Brotherhood in Action! As Blavatsky would put it, there is no grater heresy than separatness.

Greetings to you,

Isabel

[Robert]

Hi Isabel - Glad you had a good Easter with your Spiritual family. Often comments drop off the sidebar due to sheer numbers, but a hint - if you need to find an article you commented on, just put your name in the sitegoogle box at the upper right of the front page. You'll get a list of every time your name shows up on the site.

You were born in one of the most important periods of human history. I did an article on it years ago, and plan to do another in the near future. However, to point out something special about the planetary lineup then, while you definitely have a T-square with a Leo void if your Moon is in early or mid-Taurus, or a T-square with a late Scorpio void if your Moon is in late Taurus, in your chart Uranus is quintile Neptune.

So your Sun/Venus is opposed Uranus, but Venus is biseptile Neptune and Sun is trielftile (98+) to Neptune. If your Moon is in late Taurus, then you also have lots of biseptiles and tredeciles with your Aquarius planets. These are subtle but powerful influences that release through the natal squares.

And of course, transiting Pluto has been trine your Uranus and septile your Pluto, which is in the Virgo zone of the Grand Irrationality. Neptune conjunct your Sun and Jupiter also place these in the Aquarius zone of the Grand Irrationality, so your life is in major motion with your decisions influencing self and others for years to come. The larger tide of transpersonal influences is activating your natal Sun-Jupiter biseptile Pluto. That's why this time feels "predestined" to you. In fact, 2007-2008-2009 is one of the most important periods in your life.

[Isabel Nobre]

Yes, Robert, you are right. My Moon is at 2....Taurus (between 2 and 3, cannot reproduce the exact figure) which means I almost have (or really have a grand cross... Uranus in Leo opposes my Sun and Venus, Pluto trines my natal Moon, Moon squares Planets in early Aquarius, Neptune (at 13 Scorpio) does not exactly oppose the Moon (at less than 3 Taurus) but it does give the "sense" of that unattainability too... Well, ever since Pluto went through my Ascendant at 25.45 Sagitarius, it changed a lot. I feel more "empowered" if I can use that word...

Thanks a lot for your words, Robert. All the best to you too.