• Author / Uploaded
• Hamida Eugenia Gabrielli

Citation preview

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

ZODIAC CLASSIFICATIONS/ BINARY AND BY ELEMENT 1. BINARY CLASSIFICATION POSITIVE SIGNS (MASCULINE) / NEGATIVE SIGNS (FEMININE) Taking into account the concept of masculine-feminine polarity, we can divide the zodiac into two groups: six masculine or positive signs and six feminine or negative signs. In astrology, masculine and feminine does not refer to what we typically understand by these terms, rather it refers to the characteristics of the energy.



Positive signs (masculine): these are associated with extroversion. liveliness, light, day, the mind, activity, “yang” energy, the objective world and the future. The positive signs are: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. Jung states the following with regards to the extroverted psychological type (fire and air): these are people whose interest is generally focused on social life and the external world and not on their internal experiences. They are comfortable with social and external reality. Extroverted people are directly oriented towards objective reality, and they adapt easily to new situations.



Negative signs (feminine): these are associated with introversion, isolation, darkness, feelings, night, stability, orientation towards the subjective world and the past. The negative signs are: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces. Jung defines the introverted type (earth and water) as “a person who is generally focused on their thoughts and inner feelings. The subjective world is crucial for the introverted type, and they tend towards self-analysis and criticism.

2. TRIPLICITIES CLASSIFICATION BY ELEMENT - DESCRIPTION This is the most important classification of the zodiac signs. This division separates the zodiac into four groups of three signs, each group of three being called a triplicity. Each triplicity corresponds to an element. So, we have four triplicities: fire, earth, air and water. We can define the four elements as ways of perceiving reality, of seeing the world, of evaluating experiences. They are vital forces that make up creation: Each element comprises three signs:

FIRE: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius EARTH: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn AIR: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius WATER: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI Primitive attributes The origin of the four elements can be found in the four primitive attributes. Where do they come from? Ancient people wondered what the world was made of, and in their attempt to understand and explain the workings of the nature surrounding them, they discovered that absolutely everything was made up of four elemental principles or primitive attributes: hot-cold; wet-dry. These attributes come from the beginning of all forms of life where heat and wetness are involved, and from the lack or negation of these: coldness and dryness. In themselves, such principles are not absolute substances, nor can they exist as separate entities or without the manifestation, to some extent, of their opposite. These primitive qualities are present in every particle of the Universe, whether it is a physical, psychological, energetic, or organic manifestation, etc. AS PURE MANIFESTATION IN HUMAN LIFE Dynamic principle, centrifugal Initiative, conquest, HOT force (externalisation). expressiveness, extroversion, There is movement, action, optimism, enthusiasm, heat, stimulus, expansion. happiness, impulse into the The energy goes outwards, future, will, ardour, fever, etc. upwards and forwards. This is the lack or negation of Introspection, contemplation everything previously of own actions, pessimism, mentioned: a static principle depth, control, reserved COLD leading to immobilisation, character, inhibition, fixation, stiffness, strength depression, reflexion, centripetal (inward), nostalgia, decline, bitterness. absorption. The energy goes inwards, downwards and backwards. Fluidity, easing of tension, Flexibility, adaptability, elasticity, fusion, softening, plasticity, contact, confusion, diffusion, receptivity, dilution, mixing, empathy, connection, WET fertility, refreshment, sensitivity, subtleness, lack of permeability. limits, indulgence, submission, It is the complement to “hot” round forms, laziness, rest, for the formation of life. swelling, integration, loosening Negation or lack of wetness. Limit, isolation, coarseness, Drying, aridity, rupture, inadaptability, extremism, DRY retraction, impermeability, hardening, individualism, hardness, solidity, asperity, autonomy, shrinking sterility, retention, separation, in, resistance, etc. heterogeneity, etc.

COLD

WET

AIR

EARTH

DRY

HOT FIRE

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI ELEMENT

SYMBOL

PRIMATIVE ATTRIBUTES

SYMBOLISES

IDEAL FIRE

HOT

DRY

EARTH

COLD

DRY

MATERIAL

INTELLECT AIR

HOT

WET

WATER

COLD

WET

EMOTION

REPRESENTS

Uncensored spontaneity (no lines)

Horizontal line: caution and conservatism The horizontal line is a filter placed before the ideal (the intellect). It can perfect an ideal or cancel it out. It has no lines, no previous limits: sensitivity to nature and vulnerability

SYMBOLISES THE IDEAL AND THE ABSTRACT FIRE-AIR: Idealism or lack of concreteness SYMBOLISES THE CONCRETE AND MATERIAL WATER-EARTH: what is material and concrete

The relationship between the four elements and other theories This philosophy of the four elements in nature is very old. We can relate the elements to the theory of the Four Humours (Hippocrates) and the theory of the Temperaments (Galen). According to the this last theory, it is understood that the temperament of a person is the basic structure from which the personality, with all its details and particularities, is created. This theory defined four types of basic temperaments: melancholic, choleric, sanguine and phlegmatic. We can assign an element to each one of these temperaments: the choleric temperament would be fire; the phlegmatic temperament, water; the melancholic temperament, earth, and the sanguine, air.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI EARTH - THE SENSORY TYPE SYMBOL

CHARACTERISTI C

COLD AND DRY

FLAVOU R

ACIDIC

TEMPERAMEN T

MELANCHOLIC

PSYCHOLOGICA L FUNCTION

TO PERCEIVE

PSYCHOLOGICA L TYPE ACCORDING TO JUNG

SENSITIVE

SIGNS

TAURUS VIRGO CAPRICOR N

ENERGETIC QUALITY - Reality for earth is what is perceived with the senses. - Earth is associated with the concrete, material world. - It has to do with perception through the body’s senses: through the senses we relate to the world of objects. - It is the physical plane, organic substance. What is solid, has weight, gravity. - Earth is objective, concrete, demonstrable. PSYCHOLOGY - Reality for an earth person is based on what is in front of them. - They analyse any situation based on cost-benefit. They are concerned with results and are practical. - What is important in life is what can be objectified. - Proof is what is important, not hypotheses. They need to confirm, verify, objectify, evaluate. - They never act because of beliefs. Earth sees objectively. It lives in the world of forms. - Time is very important for earth. - Physically, an earth person tends to contraction. - They are not believers, they know how to go step by step, confirming and verifying. - The earth type is practical, efficient, analytical, full of common sense, realistic, cautious, careful. They have the capacity to make something concrete. - The earth type is hardworking and disciplined. - Earth does not have much tolerance for making mistakes, that is why they never take risks. A new venture is never a good business for an earth person. - It is difficult for an earth person to question their own perception because it is endorsed by the current system. - Earth is prudent, methodical, hardworking, diligent, practical. - Generally, earth is not able to recount what they feel, what is emotional is not explicit. You cannot expect them to “suspect” something, because you would be indirectly asking them to identify with “water”. - There is a physical way of looking at things, corporeal and material. They express their affection in tangible ways, for example, giving you a gift, cooking. - Earth needs to go through experiences. The energy is objectified. An earth person cannot accept anything that is not supported by their own senses. - Earth is afraid of poverty. - They are critical of themselves and others, and are prone to feeling persecuted. - When negative, they are fearful, do not change, stingy, are intimidated.

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI - When positive they are good at planning, achieve what they set out to do, are disciplined, reliable. When earth is a lesser function: (when it the least predominant element in the birth chart) it is likely that we will find that matters related to the body will have to be worked on, for example, sexuality and sensuality. Also, food, physical contact, and all kinds of oral gratification. Usually there is difficulty related to money, objects, concrete things, nature, and also perseverance, concreteness and planning. The West loves earth. Hard science is based on this. Reality is observable and verifiable. What we call “reality” is the view of earth. This would be a western way of looking which is quite old and rather positivist. FIRE - THE INTUITIVE TYPE

SYMBOL

CHARACTERISTI C

FLAVOU R

TEMPERAMEN T

PSYCHOLOGICA L FUNCTION

HOT AND DRY

BITTER

CHOLERIC

TO INTUIT

PSYCHOLOGICA L TYPE ACCORDING TO JUNG

INTUITVE

SIGNS

ARIES LEO SAGITTARIU S

ENERGETIC QUALITY - The fire element is associated with the world of vitality, energy. - It is the most volatile element of the four, it is light and changing. - It is etheric energy, that gives vitality, what is most connected to life, to pure energy. Fire is vital force, the energy of the Universe. - Fire gives us hope, enthusiasm, happiness, creative force. - It has to do with perception through the sense of transcendental, concise, comprehensive understanding. - Fire is comprehensive, it does not accept details because it is automatically connected to a project. - The reality of fire is a vision. PSYCHOLOGY - They tend towards action and fighting with willpower and courage. They are good leaders and know how to lead others. - Reality for fire is seen as forces, as desiring wills. - They do not take details into account because they understand them as fragmentation. - The fire type has a strong need to give their experiences a mythological air, relating them to an inner world that has more in common with fairy-tale worlds than reality. - Fire is independent, a visionary, determined, a leader. - The behaviour of a fire type is usually exaggerated and dramatic. - Fire is subjective, it does not rely on external, demonstratable elements to sustain itself; not because it is as personal as water, rather it has to do with its vital centre. - They develop great independence and confidence in themselves, even leading to self-centeredness. - You have to acknowledge a fire person first and foremost, they make you revalidate their energy. Fire always is always looking for more “sticks” for the fire.

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI -Fire sees reality as a whole, as an image, with clarity, it has such visible power that it is undoubtable. It is a vision based on certainties. - There is a tendency to form relationships with others based on expectations, fantasies. So for example, for an extreme fire type a romantic situation can start like a fairy tale and end up turning into a prison. - Fire always looks in relation to its desire, they do not register what is straight ahead, or on the side, what is seen is what is manifested, that's why fire misses things, what is not seen. It is a visibility problem, they pay attention to what is manifested. - They do not care about obstacles, they care about possibilities. - The last thing they would do is betray themselves. - When negative they can be dominant, cruel, irascible, impetuous, insensitive. - When positive, they are good leaders, know how to motivate others, take risks, are not afraid. - How do we show a fire person their energy? It is important to show them clear and highly visible things. For example, to show them their energy in shadow, it is good to clearly point out an "other" that plays the role of the shadow. When fire is a lesser function (there is little or no fire in the balance of elements): there is a lack of vital energy, it can also translate as a lack of confidence in life itself. There is a lack of faith, optimism. Self-confidence can be low and often there is a lack of enthusiasm for facing life’s challenges. There is a lack of hope. WATER - THE SENTIMENTAL TYPE

SYMBOL

CHARACTERISTIC

FLAVOUR

TEMPERAMEN T

PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION

PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPE ACCORDING TO JUNG

COLD AND WET

SWEET

PHLEGMATIC

TO FEEL

SENTIMENTAL

SIGNS

CANCER SCORPIO PISCES

ENERGETIC QUALITY - Reality is what is felt. - It has to do with perception through sensitivity, emotion. - It refers to the astral plane, to contact that is empathetic and resonates with the Universe. - Water notices what is sensitive, it perceives the needs of others and has a tendency to protect what is vulnerable. - Water is subjective, it connects us with the deep inner aspects of human nature. - It is connected to the world of emotions. - Water also connects us to what was, with emotional memory. - Water is sensitivity, receptivity, creativity, imagination, fantasy. PSYCHOLOGY - A water person interacts on a personal level, by empathising. - Nothing is as important as personal relationships and human values. - For water there are no defined limits or edges. - Verbal communication is burdensome, hurtful, they highly value communication that is empathetic. - They do not conceptualise, use the body or gestures, they want to spread an emotion, there is a feeling that they want others feel.

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI - Empathy stands out, protecting the weakest. - Water is very sensitive to the "atmosphere". - Water people tend to live for others, often depending on others. Independence is difficult for them. - Extensive imaginary and fantasy worlds. - When negative they have no motivation, are overprotective, indecisive, cowardly. - It is difficult for them to act, to define, they remain enveloped in "what they feel". - They suffer inside, it is not easy to enter the emotional world of water people. - When positive: water is calm, reliable, sensitive, loving. If there is little water in the chart: it could mean a lack of empathy and compassion towards others. It is usually difficult to connect with one’s own emotions. There is a fear of the emotional world and there is barely any understanding of one’s own emotional needs, as well as those of others. A lack of water could also mean distrusting the intuitive world and other realities. AIR - THE THINKING TYPE

SYMBOL

CHARACTERISTI C

HOT AND DRY

FLAVOU R

SALTY

TEMPERAMEN T

SANGUINE

PSYCHOLOGICA L FUNCTION

TO THINK

PSYCHOLOGICA L TYPE ACCORDING TO JUNG

THINKING

SIGNS

GEMINI LIBRA AQUARIU S

ENERGETIC QUALITY - It is the vital energy associated with breathing, with “prana”. - It has to do with perception through thought and intellect. - Air tends to move upwards in all possible directions. - It is associated with the mental, ideational world. - It is the second subtlest element after fire. - It works using theoretical frameworks, judgments and previous explanations. This is what is energetically defined as their distance from reality in the sense of being outside it in a more objective position. - Air is what is abstract, what is capable of objectifying reality in an ideal order of fair proportions. - It is objective, rational and explainable. PSYCHOLOGY - Ability to associate, connect, conceptualise. A highly developed mind. - Their field of action is in ideas, creativity, imagination, reflection. - "Talkative", verbal communication is the most dominant. Communicating is easy. - Ability to observe, distance themselves from a situation and see it "from the outside". - Objectivity, rationality. - Restlessness in the search for knowledge. They are natural collectors of information. - They like many variants, having options and not knowing which one to choose. Indecisive. - Abstract thought (unlike earth characterised by concrete thought). - Capacity for dissociation and association. - Ability to detach themselves from immediate experience, thus allowing them to obtain objectivity, perspective and a rational focus of situations.

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI - Emphasis on theory, concepts. - They open a lot, they doubt, they do not make things concrete, have poor time management. - They place a lot of emphasis on hypotheses, not on proving them. - When negative they are undisciplined, unstable, unproductive. - When positive they are attentive, friendly, sociable, communicative. Those who lack air: will rarely see this as an issue in their lives as they are immersed in action (fire), emotion (water) or material interests (earth). This translates as a lack of objectivity in any situation in which they find themselves involved. This lack of more objective perception stops them from reflecting on life and themselves. It is difficult for them to separate themselves from their own actions. They are not objective at all. It is very difficult for them to put themselves in other people’s shoes. FEAR

LOVE

ELEMENT

INNATE FEAR

FIELD OF EXPERIENCE

SECURITY THROUGH

DETACHMENT

STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

VIRTUE

FIRE

Failure

Adventure

Action

Vital

Faith

EARTH

Poverty

Performance Material

AIR

Stupidity

Concrete Material Culture

WATER

Loneliness Family

To leave everything in God’s hands That the result does not matter To trust in the soul’s wisdom That emotion does not affect them

Knowledge

Mental

Feeling of belonging

Emotional

Perseverance Service Emotional clarity

How do the elements relate to one another?

ELEMENTS FIRE (+)

EARTH (-)

COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENTS CHARACTERISTICS Masculine AIR (+) activity, opening, movement, expression, (opening up) expansion, lightness, communication, freedom, future, renewal, detachment, manifestation Feminine WATER (-) passiveness, slowness, gravity, depth, (drawing back) attachment, introversion, awareness of needs, tradition, past, conservation

- Fire and air have manifestation and activity in common (positive, masculine signs). - Earth and water have absorption and receptivity in common (negative, feminine signs).

ELEMENTS FIRE (+)

Subjectivity

KINDRED ELEMENTS CHARACTERISTICS WATER (-) Subjectivity, intuition, susceptibility, anxiety,

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

EARTH (-)

Objectivity

AIR (+)

self-reference, extreme, emotional, warmth Objectivity, practical intelligence, logic, coldness, discriminating, rationality

- The fire-water pairing represents a subjective way of addressing reality. - The earth-air pairing represents reality seen in objective terms. OPPOSING ELEMENTS FIRE (+) in opposition to

AIR (+)

in opposition to

IF THEY ARE INTEGRATED EARTH (-) Management, willpower, perseverance with action, performance, achievements, dynamism, extremism, intolerance, rigidity WATER (-) Interconnectedness, flexibility, change, relativisation, psychology, exchange

From all this it can also be deduced that the FIRE-EARTH and AIR-WATER pairings are qualitatively OPPOSED. The descriptions of each element shed light on the four ways of seeing and assessing reality. None of these are found exclusively or in their “pure” form in humans since no one is completely made up of just one element. All of us possess the four elements in greater or lesser quantities. There will be some that are more developed, others that are less so, and this will change throughout one’s life. By around 30 years old, it’s likely that most of us will have developed at least two of these elements to some extent, one of these being the “primary” element and the other the “supporting”. The supporting element helps and enriches the primary one in order to broaden the vision. This secondary element will never be opposed to the dominant element, at least at the beginning of one’s life. With time it is possible to integrate two opposing elements. For example if the primary element is AIR (thought), the supporting element will be either FIRE (intuition) or EARTH (sensation), but not WATER (emotion). So we can talk about birth charts that are AIR-FIRE dominant which would give us intuitive thinkers; or AIR-EARTH dominant which would give us practical thinkers. We can also see the combination of FIRE-WATER which expresses intuitive emotion and EARTH-WATER which portrays sensory emotion.

If a birth has two opposing

chart

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI elements as the most predominant (fire-earth or air-water), the person probably won’t integrate them together to start with, but with time and internal work these combinations are very powerful when they act together in reality. 3- BALANCE OF ELEMENTS IN THE BIRTH CHART The balance of elements of a birth chart aims to show how the person perceives the world. What imbalances and lessons that this perception can bring with it. Thus we gain an idea about the way in which the person observes the world around them and how they interpret this information. Using certain factors of the natal chart we can carry out a quantitative analysis of the elements and determine which element predominates, which is absent and which is a lesser function (there are few planets in this element). Defence mechanisms: a way to balance out Every system naturally tends towards balance. That is why, the lack of one element will mean that, through conscious or unconscious actions, the lacking element which is causing imbalance is obtained. This could happen in the following five ways: - Denial: an extreme rejection of admitting the possibility that this energy exists. For example, “What anger? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never get angry.” - Repression: is accepting the energy without the possibility of demonstrating it. “Yes, I know what’s going on inside me but I’m not going to let it out because it’s dangerous.” Both denial and repression tend to be experienced more seriously in the sphere of health and events of destiny - incidents that symbolise the repressed or denied energy. For example, a robbery or car crash as events related to Mars in shadow. - Projection: here the individual attributes their virtues or defects, and even what they lack to others. Projection can be positive or negative. It is negative when feelings, impulses or thoughts that aren’t accepted by the individual are attributed to other people or objects. Positive projection takes place when an individual attributes admired, beloved or envied characteristics to another person. It is a common, even necessary, component of falling in love. - Sublimation: consists of recognising the energy but channelling it wherever you want it to go. It diverts the energy to another purpose. For example, a person recognises their sexual desires but rather than giving free reign to their sexual appetite, they meditate and do yoga or a martial art. Freud himself pointed out new directions for sexual drive, towards art, intellect and religion. - Overcompensation: You feel so insecure faced with a lack or inferior function that you develop it in excess as a reaction. For example, you have no air but still you become a great intellectual (because deep down you are really scared that you don’t handle the mental sphere very well). These five mechanisms don’t only arise when there is a complete lack of an element, but also when an element has an inferior function (there are few factors in this element) or when there is an isolated planet in one element.

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

4 - HOW TO CALCULATE THE BALANCE OF ELEMENTS The balance of elements consists of taking the signs of each planet and classifying them according to whether they are in a water, earth, air or fire sign. This general analysis serves as an initial idea of how a person sees the world. It is very valuable to pay attention when an element is lacking or there is an excess of it, and also the inferior function. And how all this can be manifested in the life of the person. How do we proceed? We take into account the following factors: Factors to take into account The luminaries (Sun and Moon) Personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) The ascendant The planet ruling the ascendant Social planets (Jupiter and Saturn Total

Points 2 points each 1 point each

Total 4 3

1 point 1 point ½ point each

1 1 1 10

When calculating the balance of elements, not all the planets are given the same number of points since we don’t identify with all the planets in the same way. For our consciousness, it is easier to identify firstly with the luminaries (Sun and Moon), then the personal planets (Mercury, Venus and Mars), after that the social planets (Jupiter and Saturn), then the transpersonal planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) which are much further from our consciousness. So that’s why each planet is not awarded the same amount of points. We don’t use the transpersonal planets in the balance of elements unless it’s to do with the ruler of the ascendant in which case they would have a more personal function. This would be the case if you have an Ascendant in Scorpio (Pluto, Aquarius (Uranus) or Pisces (Neptune). Only in case of these three ascendants would we assign a point to Pluto, Uranus or Neptune depending on the ruling planet in question. 5- HOW WE ANALYSE THE BALANCE OF ELEMENTS THE FOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPES Some more “psychologically-inclined” astrologers (Liz Green, Richard Idemon) have combined the classification of personalities by element with what Jung terms as psychological types. They divide people into four basic types based on four psychological functions. The four functions that Jung mentions are: thinking, feeling, sensation and intuition. The fire element is related to the function of intuition; the Earth element to the function of sensation; the Air element to the thinking function and the Water element to the feeling function. Primary function/Distant function/Supporting function/Mask function Jung indicates that for each person one function predominates and is consciously identified with. This is known as the “primary function”. Each primary function has an opposing function that will be far-removed from consciousness to begin with. As we have already seen: Fire (intuition) is opposed to Earth (sensation). Air (thinking) is opposed to Water (feeling).

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI Once the primary function is defined we will automatically know the predominant “psychological type” and the opposing function which will remain in shadow. The second most predominant function will be the “supporting function” and this will also have an opposing function which is called the “mask function”. The supporting function: helps the primary function and is usually quite accessible for the consciousness. The mask function: is usually deceptive as it “appears” in the person, but it is not a genuine trait only an appearance. If you pay special attention and delve deep you realise that it is something that is superficial and the person does not really see reality this way. With all this information we can create the following diagram:

Primary element

Element opposed to primary element

Primary function

Distant function

Supporting element

Element opposed to the supporting element

Supporting function

Mask function

When intuition is the primary function, sensation is the distant function and vice versa. When thinking is the primary function, feeling is the distant function and vice versa. Steps to follow to analyse the balance of elements: 1- Find the primary and distant element We calculate the quantitative balance with the instructions given above to find out how many planets are in each element. If a person has more fire, we will put this as the primary function and earth will automatically be designated as the distant function (as it is opposed to fire). So we can say that this person sees the world in terms of action, movement, initiative etc, and to begin with, details and a sense of reality can be difficult for them. The primary element generally manifests as “identity”: I am active, daring, etc (in the case of fire).

Primary element

Element opposed to primary element

2- Find the supporting and mask element We have already defined two functions (primary and distant) which correspond to the most predominant element and the opposing element respectively. What remains is to find the supporting function. Jung says that this function supports the primary one. The supporting function corresponds to the second most predominant element in the chart (as long as it is not opposed to the primary function).

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

The element opposing the supporting element (mask element) will correspond to the “mask function”.

Supporting element

Element opposed to the supporting element (mask)

3- If two element have an equal amount of planets, we weight them both up When counting, if there is a tie between two elements, to form a hypothesis regarding which of the two elements is most likely to be more “in light” for the person, we have to take into account the criteria for the consciousness’ “probability of identification”. How would we do this? The consciousness identifies with the planets in this order: 1. The Moon and the Sun 2. Then with Mercury, Venus, Mars and the Ascendant, 3. Finally with Jupiter and Saturn Also, for this analysis it may be useful to bear in mind that the planets that are in Houses XII, VII and VIII are usually experienced more unconsciously, so they are projected or expressed through one of the defence mechanisms mentioned above. In summary, to work out the balance of elements we follow these steps: 1) We carry out a quantitative balance of elements - See what element each of the factors we use for this step are in (see table above to remind yourself of the factors used), water, air, fire or earth. - Give each factor its corresponding score (2 points, 1 point or a ½ point). 2) Draw a diagram with four boxes:

Primary element

Distant element

Supporting element

Mask element

- Take the most predominant element and put it in the primary element box. - In the distant element box we will put the element that is opposed to the primary element (we will always know what this is in advance) For example, if the primary element is fire, in the box next to it you’ll put earth, and if water is the primary element, you’ll put air as the distant element. - Find the second most predominant element and put it in the supporting element box. - In the box next to the supporting element, put the element opposing this one (this will be the mask element).

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

Example of a balance of elements In order that the concepts mentioned are clear, we are going to calculate a balance of elements of a birth chart. We’re going to work with the birth chart of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Birth information: Date and time: 26/08/1910 14:25 Place: Skopje, Macedonia

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI We draw a cross with the four elements at each end and we fill in the diagram with the planets according to the elements they are in.

FIRE

- We only put the factors that are used for the balance in the AIR diagram (planets and WATER ascendant). - Jupiter appears twice as it is the ruler of the ascendant. EARTH Then we add together the points, bearing in mind the previous table. Fire: 2 points Earth: 6 and a half points Air: One and a half points (1 point is given to Jupiter for being the ruler of the ascendant and half a point for being a social planet). Water: None Then we form the hypothesis:

Primary element

Opposing element

Supporting element

Opposing element

Earth

Fuego

Air

Water

ASTROLOGY - BEGINNERS LEVEL COURSE TAUGHT BY HAMIDA EUGENIA GABRIELLI

The primary element would be earth, pointing to someone who is practical, concrete, that acts from an earthly, bodily perspective, in the world of forms. Someone who is efficient, realistic, has common sense and needs to see tangible results to their actions. There is a lot of capacity to achieve concrete things and persevere with long-term goals. This can be seen perfectly in Mother Teresa’s work during her life in Calcutta. The supporting element (that supports earth) is air: that would point to someone who relies on the mental sphere to carry out their objectives. They have the ability to detach themselves from situations and see them more objectively. There is an ability to move in many different circles. Good management of information. Earth gives the touch that is necessary to be able to make ideas concrete and not be scattered. The lacking element in water (mask element), that in shadow could refer to someone who finds it difficult to connect with their emotional world, with their emotional needs. People close to her stated on more than one occasion that she was very reserved, she never outwardly expressed her personal worries and all her emotional attention was focused on helping those most in need. Here we see a conscious effort to work with something that to start with could be seen as “lacking”, a mask, but putting it in the service of something greater, it flourishes from another place. And this way she developed extraordinary empathy towards the most needy and vulnerable.