by Robert Wilkinson
In Astrology, we have two important concepts about how planets not in aspect or separating in aspect can be brought back into active relationship. Today will be a short exploration of the title topics.
I’ll begin with the definitions of these terms from The Encyclopedia of Astrology by Nick DeVore. He got these from older sources.
Collection of light - When a planet is in aspect to two other bodies which are not within orbs of each other, a collection of light results through the action of the intermediary planet. It denotes that the affairs represented by the two bodies whose light has been thus collected, will be forwarded by a third person, described by the intermediary planet, providing both bodies receive the intermediary in one of their dignities. Used in Horary Astrology. Other authors confine it to a larger planet aspected by two smaller, with the interpretation that if the smaller do not receive the larger in one of their dignities, the intermediary will feel no interest in the affair, nor will it prosper.
Translation of Light - The conveyance of influence which occurs when a transiting planet, while separating from an aspect to one planet is found to be applying to an aspect to another, in which event some of the influence of the first aspected planet is imparted to the second aspected planet by a translation of light. For example, assume an Horary Figure in which Jupiter or Saturn, the Significators of the parties to the negotiation of an agreement, are in no aspect to each other; but Venus while separating from Jupiter is applying to an aspect of Saturn. There results a translation of light from Jupiter to Saturn, which is a powerful testimony that Venus represents a person or an idea that will bring about a settlement. The nature of the aspect, and of the aspecting and aspected planets through which the translation is accomplished, determines whether the outcome will be fortuitous.
While these were mostly used with Horary and Electional charts, these concepts are important to understand how a transiting separating aspect can be brought back into play via another planet. I tend to ignore stipulations about “dignities,” since traditional astrology had some very negative attitudes about certain placements. One thing to consider is the speed of the planets collecting or translating the Light, since the faster always collects or translates for the slower planet, just as a forming aspect always translates the light of a separating aspect.
I have found many are confused about these terms, and with good reason! Take a look at “Collection of Light.” What does it state? Two planets not in aspect can have a COL through a third planet, which “forwards” the “light collected.” An “intermediary” collects the light as a “third person” to the original two not in aspect. It seems obscure, but I can see how it would work in terms of the business world.
”Translation of Light” is a more commonly used term. It gives us the concept that even if two planets are no longer in aspect, a third can bring the separating aspect back into active play if it forms the same aspects and is closing on a conjunction with the planet whose aspects are separating. It also implies that any planet making two consecutive aspects "translates the light" of the first aspected planet to the second aspected planet. Again, ignoring the Horary stipulations, we have an example of the first possibility going on in the skies right now.
We have a stellium in Virgo, with Mercury at 3, the New Moon at 7, Mars at 8, and Venus at 12 Virgo. Even though the Sun, Venus, and Mars are in a separating trine to Uranus at 7 Taurus, Mercury “translates the light” since it is forming a trine to Uranus AND is forming a conjunction to the Sun, Venus, and Mars. This translates the light of the separating trines to active trines via Mercury.
So remember that simply because an aspect is separating doesn’t necessarily mean the influence is done. In another example, even though Venus and then Mercury will both square Jupiter and oppose Neptune soon, making Mutable T-squares, as the Sun makes its T-square, it will “translate the light” and re-activate the separating squares from Mercury and Venus.
Adding another layer of meaning, it also implies that the Virgo trines to Uranus somehow translate into an effect on the Virgo trines to Saturn, and vice versa. So even though Saturn and Uranus are not in trine, because the planets trine Uranus and then trine Saturn somehow it translates into a Saturn trine Uranus!
All of this seems to be an antique way of seeing the ongoing dance of the planetary cycles relative to each other. Using our examples, I view it as we had our Venusian “Uranian awakening” when it made its trine, which was followed by the activation of that Venus-heralded “Uranian awakening” when Mars trined Uranus. That Venus/Mars awakened energy is now being powered up by the New Moon trine Uranus, and Mercury making the final trine indicates that the Venus awakening followed by a Sun/Mars awakening will result in a Mercury awakening. And all of these are tied together by the forming trines to Saturn, which translate to trines to Uranus!
The reason we have a “Translation of Light” occurring in Virgo is because Mercury is faster than the Sun, Mars, or Venus, and so as it forms aspects, it “echoes the data” of the earlier aspects made by the Sun, Mars, and Venus. Again, the Venus-activated T-square will then be vitalized by the Sun, then activated by Mars, before the Mercurial comprehension or “weaving and coordinating” principle expresses the integrative energies of the T.
I know this is somewhat obscure, but the concept of Translation of Light is essential to understanding why certain transits reactivate transits already separating. The past can be activated by the present and even the future. Just another facet of the infinite Wisdom Jewel of Astrology!
See you soon with part 2 of the current New Moon in Virgo series.
© Copyright 2019 Robert Wilkinson
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