Five Pillars of Fate: Fortune and Destiny in Astrology

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Antoine Garth, astrologer presents:

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE HOW THIS STARTS : THREE FATBLOWS TO THE MODERN HEAD

The study of fortune and destiny in the chart has been recovered fromthe works of Vettius Valens. In this study we consult the second century astrologer to return to an astrology not known since his time.This will force three major traumas upon us as astrologers:

Hard Hit #1

First, we are working within a deterministic system wherein we are seeking to be privy to the inscrutable workings of Fate. At first blush wemodern thinkers may protest such a domination of symbol over lifestyle, and may wish to reject this idea as insufficiently allowing us toproperly assign "Free Will" to our ego nature. Ironically, this system is useful for also pointing out how the Ego can prevent a morefortunate fate from occurring. In other words, the system of these five additional, calculated "lots" creates an astrological universe of itsown. It reveals a hidden aspect of the chart, our own role in it, and what indicators we must follow in order to fulfill our destiny. Findingthis spot can be the "Aha!" moment for clients as well. But we must first subject our modern astrological stance to three traumas in order tofully comprehend this perspective.The modern astrologers' problem with determinism revolves around adding man and his ability to choose into the cosmic equation, whichincludes unforeseen events and their impact. All of the twists and turns in the story of life are either predetermined or up for grabs. I sayfate and free-will can peacefully coexist, but we must also equal in the Law of Karma. Karma, the sanskrit word for action, not onlyincludes the grand and all encompassing but also the mundane and every day. By understanding primarily that the planets are theinstruments of fate, the astrologer can witness and make known each native's karmic "lot" or portion.The Lot of Fortune is the first key to revealing the native's hidden universe of apportionment, or, more simply stated, the native's lot in life.

Hard Hit #2

The second trauma is to our charts (etched forever in our brains as "My chart!") is the trauma of disfigurement when (for example) our 10thhouse stellium becomes a 9th house stellium due to the positional adjustments that happen when using a whole sign chart.Where once our identities were perfectly secure in the comfort of our personal mandala, we are now forced to adjust to a new whole signformat that initially makes no sense to those of us who know what we know about astrology. We will use no house cusps, no degrees andwill usually only speak of aspects in relation to the planets that rule the 6 places. There are many discrepancies that show up as a result of forcing ourselves to view this most familiar of all the charts (ours) through the lens of the second century astrologer. The benefit of allowingthe Deterministic View and the Whole Sign House System to permeate our learning will be to provide us with our Bearings: the True Northof any chart. We may find hidden talents or indicators which, by following them, eventually or actually produce the events of Destiny. Wemay find our previous feeling of purpose not related to our Fortune. In the chart, a hidden point may in fact be well-configured, butbecause it is hidden from view, it is not discussed: it has become Unconscious. Thus we have a duty as astrologers to live our ownDestinies, and show clients how it is done.

Hard Hit #3

Lastly, because we are losing reference to the exact degrees and working exclusively with whole signs, we must move out of the roundwheel, to become comfortable with the square East Indian chart.

The Five Pillars of Destiny: 1. Your Place of BASIS

This approach as represented by Vettius Valens leads us, initially, to various charts in search of money, fame, position and power.However, the attainment of these things is just the beginning. The "one-hit-wonder" in the music industry usually has to wait at least 20years for the retro movement to provide him with royalty checks again; 20 years he may not live to see. Of vital importance is the ability to"stay at the top" and sustain fortune via good mental and physical health and a solid financial foundation. For example, compare the howor why someone like Judy Garland, who attained the very pinnacle of fame, became financially destitute and drug-addled, dying asqualid, premature death, while someone else, like Mae West, also attained the pinnacle of fame yet sailed unharmed by self-destructioninto her autumn and winter years as one of the richest women in America, resting on her laurels and ending her life contentedly at age 89.The Lot of Basis represents the native's ability to produce and/or sustain the apportionment of fortune allotted to the native. It is also themain motivational foundation of the Lot of Spirit, and thus is the basis on which the native chooses his/her path of action. Spirit and Basis

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Antoine Garth, astrologer presents:

must always be used in conjunction. By observing the intersection of these two pillars we can get a very clear picture of why Judy Garland'sactions in relation to her career were led by self destruction and Mae West's by self preservation.

How long can fortune hold?

Many a millionaire made by the lottery have also lost their fortunes and returned to or worsened their previous situation. Bonatti describedThe Place of Basis as "the fiduciae ascendantae," meaning roughly "the faith in or confidence of the ascendant."By naming it so, it begs theimportant question: How much faith can one have in fortune? Any gambler will tell you, "None." How solid is the (emotional, physical or financial) vehicle? Does anything threaten the well-being of the Vehicle from within or without? On what BASIS shall the native choose apath of action to success? The Place of Basis may be illusive, establishing whether or not the native can hold up under the full weight of his fate.In the chart of Elizabeth II, the lot of Basis is in Gemini in the 6th place of servants and servitude. The ruler, Mercury is in the 4th house of ancestral bearing. Her ancestral heritage being the Basis of her position in life makes Elizabeth II a servant to the Crown and to her ancestral obligation. (see p. 10)Mae West had a long, circuitous journey to "American Icon" status. She experienced equivocal success as a Vaudevillian of the "low andraunchy" type and in Broadway during the 1910s. In the '20s West's fortune started changing for the better shortly after she began writingand starring in her own material, which led to scandal, notoriety and fame on the Broadway stage. (chart on p. 8)The Lot of Basis occupies the sign of Virgo in the 5th place of "Good Fortune" with Mercury present. Mercury rules the tongue andMercury is with Saturn a cold, dry planet in Virgo a cold dry sign, indicative of her dry, understated delivery and deliberate languor in her movement, in contrast to the other players.Paulus Alexandrinas says of the Place of Basis, "It is like Breath. It is a contributing cause to one's ALL, it has governance over the Entirety."Note that Paulus Alexandrinus uses the word "governance." Using this logic it becomes clear that Basis contributes to and governs all thatmotivates decision,speech and action.

The Five Places of Destiny: 2. Place of EXALTATION

The exaltation indicates the level at which the native operates in society. This place and the position of its ruler are the primary indicatorsof fame and exalted status in the chart. When auspiciously placed it indicates an important life, an historic figure or a household name.The effectiveness of the place of Exaltation relies on the position of its ruler. The place of Exaltation can describe the area of life that willexalt the native, but the ruler of the Exaltation must be well placed to reap the full benefits of notability and high status. If the ruler is notwell positioned, the full potency indicated by the place of Exaltation is prevented.Since it is used specifically to delineate status, the Exaltation will not be used as extensively as the other 4 pillars within this system. Whenthe ruler of the exaltation is placed in such a way to indicate prominence, then the qualities and signs of that planet apply and can beincorporated into the delineation of the chart, When the ruler does not indicate prominence, the place of exaltation and any planets on itwill indicate the area of life that exalts the native as per the status determined by the ruler.The Place of Exaltation is also an indicator of the native's inherent talents.

The Five Places of Destiny: 3. Place of ACQUISITION

This place, the 11th whole sign from the lot of Fortune, represents financial and material acquisition. It indicates what we gain through our actions and the measure of it. Planets in this place can indicate the nature of the substance acquired. Thus, an exalted Venus in the placeof acquisition could indicate fine jewels, a world class art collection and the most expensive haute-couture, Saturn in Capricorn couldrepresent vast land-holdings, Mercury in Virgo, rare and expensive documents and books. Planets in the Acquisition can also indicate howwe acquire our booty: Mars through robbery or sports, Saturn through government, farming or the corporate culture, Jupiter through lawor by nature of one's spiritual gifts, such as indian gurus who are supported by their disciples.In Vedic Astrology, the 11th house has been the indicator of gain for the last three millennia, showing an important linkage of housemeaning between the Vedic Tradition and the early Hellenistic tradition. The 11th house is called Upachaya (Sanskrit -meaning "growing").Upachaya houses grow and improve with time.The natal 11th has historically been considered one of the most fortunate houses of the chart. Some in the Hellenistic era even consideredit better than the tenth house, as planets inhabiting this pinnacle represented by the midheaven can only progress in one direction viadiurnal motion: Down.The Vedic tradition makes a distinction between the 2nd house, representing our "moveable assets" and belongings, or that which we own(excepting land or homes, which are immoveable assets). The 11th house represents "how we gain what we have and how much of it willbe gained."The place of Acquisition is specifically related to this concept of gain whereas the radical 11th is called "Good Spirit", confirming thehighly positive nature of this house. Valens makes a very specific distinction between the "accumulating pile of goods" represented by the

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Antoine Garth, astrologer presents:

Acquisition and "the spirit of beneficial patronage" that is represented by the "Good Spirit". Of course, the role played by a benevolentpatron or "guardian angel" can be a contributing factor to personal and material gain.

Just think of Cinderella and her Fairy GodMother.

The Five Places of Destiny: 4. LOT of FORTUNE

The Lot of Fortune is the gateway to this system of delineation. Fortune operates as an ascendant, becoming the "new east" and providingan invisible second chart, placed upon the first, having all the houses related to it, as if it were a new chart. All of the angular, succedentand cadent houses from the Lot of Fortune have the same potency and meaning as their radical counterparts.From Valens: "In another manner, when you have come to know the place allotted for Fortune, also consider the squares to it and theremaining figures to be, as it were, upon the genethlialogical pivot points. That is, the Lot itself will possess the power of the Horoskopos(Ascendant), that of life; the tenth zoidion(zodiac sign) from this, the power of the Midheaven, that of reputation; the 7th, the power of theDescendant; the 4th, of the subterraneous zoidion, and the remaining places will possess the power of the 12 regions. For some havemystically established the universal Horoskopos and its squares to be the cosmic pivot points, but the Lot and its squares to be thegenethlialogical pivot points."Genethlialogy is defined by Nicholas Devore in his Encyclopedia of Astrology as "that department of Astrology which deals with the birth of individuals whereby one forms a judgment of the characteristics of a person from a map of the heavens cast for his given birth moment." Valens clearly believed that delineation derived from the Lot of Fortune (as the ascendant) more relevant than the radical ascendant tojudge the characteristics of a person. Fortune, like the Horoskopos (ascendant), represents our physical body, health and inclination. Italso points to the kind of work we do.

The Five Places of Destiny: 5. LOT of SPIRIT

Spirit is the animating and directive force behind existence. If the Lot of Fortune, by virtue of its correspondence with the ascendant, can beused to represent the body, then the Lot of Spirit would represent the directive and animating force inhabiting that body. Since Fortunealso connotes unforeseen accidents (events) that affect our well-being, whether for ill or good, then Spirit can be seen as the actor of thecosmic drama who must adjust to the circumstances thrown at him by the fates.The Lot of Spirit and its ruler represents the vitality and passion (or lack thereof) with which the native acts upon the world.

Join the discussion and classes. Antoine offers the first hour free.Enrolllment is $10.00 per class. Four classes, $35.Antoine Garth, instructor and scholar (with a hilarious Sagittarius Ascendant)email: agarth@ancientsky.com