Astrology is usually considered a divination tool. However, if you know how to use it, it can actually help you with your spiritual growth and be a powerful self-help tool.
Your birth chart is essential for your spiritual growth. The astrological houses, the planets and their aspects, as well as the related zodiac signs guide and help you discover which are your weaknesses and strengths. You will not need any self-help books after reading this article!
Spiritual growth through astrology
The birth chart provides a series of starting points that can be quite useful when it comes to self-exploration and personal development. Each planet releases a type of energy and all of them as a whole have an influence over every human being that is born. Their relationships, as well as their houses and the zodiac signs to which they are related, provide the keys to self-discovery. Planets represent archetypes.
None of this is a coincidence. These energies, which influence you in different ways, lead you to overcome challenges and also become your shelter. This unique combination of energy is perfectly created for your personal development.
The problem with all this is that the birth chart provides so much information that sometimes it sets against each other. With all these elements to consider, you may wonder how astrology will help you with your spiritual growth. How can it provide the self-help that leads you to explore your spiritual path?
- You may be interested in: Natal Chart or Birth Chart: Components and How to Read It
You must know how to match the meaning of the astrological house with the planet and its corresponding zodiac sign. If you draw a parallel between astrology and a play, the birth chart represents the setting of your life, where the planets are the characters of the play and their related zodiac signs, the clothes used for their characterization.
The astrological houses
The 12 houses of the zodiac point out spheres of life. Therefore, the spheres with more planets acquire more importance and meaning on aspects of your life.
Here you can find a quick guide to the houses and their meaning:
- First House: Self, self-esteem, personal values;
- Second House: Talents, skills, belongings;
- Third House: Communication, short distance travels, siblings;
- Fourth House: Home, past, roots;
- Fifth House: Recreation, creativity and children;
- Sixth House: Work, food, healthy habits;
- Seventh House: Relationships, partnerships, types of people you attract;
- Eighth House: Death, sex, inheritance, taboo matters;
- Ninth House: Ideology, system of beliefs, long distance travels;
- Tenth House: Career, successes or failures, authority figures;
- Eleventh House: Friendships, associations;
- Twelfth House: Sacrifice, altruism, hidden talents.
If you want to know more about the 12 houses of the zodiac, hereyou can find the meaning of each one of them.
The planets and keys to spiritual growth
When you explore the entire “role” played by the planets (or “actors”) and accept the experience provided by the planets’ energy, you grow and develop, and reach the true essence of your Self, so you can create your reality in a more conscious way. Here you can find the main teachings of the planets from the birth chart.
The Sun’s influence on spiritual growth
To assimilate the energy of the Sun is to learn to shine, to express your ego. It also teaches you to be faithful to your personal values. The zodiac sign that is ruled by the Sun gives you a clue about what you value most in life. There is nothing better for an Aquarius than friendship and altruism, or comfort and luxuries for a Taurus. The house which the Sun visits is that sphere of life in which you intend to stand out in some way. The Sun in Libra and in the third house is probably a person with great communicative skills, who will know how to create a harmonious atmosphere during gatherings.
The Moon’s influence on spiritual growth
The Moon rules emotions, so it is important to learn how to control them. The zodiac sign ruled by the Moon represents your inner child and the emotional needs you must fulfil in order to feel good. The Moon in Leo, for example, provides a great creativity, brings warmth to your personal relationships, but, at the same time, you must overcome a certain tendency to create unnecessary drama.
Mercury’s influence on spiritual growth
You must learn to focus your intelligence on your interests. Mercury in Aries will tell you about your great initiative and the tasks that involve a certain risk, so you must openly take on a challenge. Mercury in the houses shows you the sphere of life that arouses most intellectual curiosity in you. For example, Mercury in the sixth house makes people be dedicated to their work, while in the eighth house, it makes people be passionate about the occult, even about esoteric skills.
Venus’s influence on spiritual growth
In your birth chart, Venus is related to the sense of taste and the feminine. The zodiac sign ruled by this planet reveals what you enjoy in life. This is one of the most important energies to assimilate! Many people set aside those things that give them pleasure, and they do not understand why they are unhappy. Venus in an earth sign like Taurus puts a lot of value on aesthetics and sensuality, while Venus in Virgo is happy when the environment is under control. The house visited by Venus indicates your comfort zone. Moreover, when it comes to men, Venus points out the type of woman who attracts them, while in a woman’s birth chart, it indicates her type of femininity.
- Find out what goddess you are: Female Archetypes And Your Venus Sign
Mars’s influence on spiritual growth
The planet Mars shows your ability to fight, the dedication to your work, or the way of channelling your anger constructively. Mars in Gemini makes people use words cleverly, so they achieve their goals through communication, while in Scorpio, it gives people that air of “I do not need anyone” and a martial and tireless character. In a man’s birth chart, it shows his type of masculinity (if he is a sensitive, tough or versatile man) while in a woman’s birth chart, it represents the type of man who attracts them.
Jupiter’s influence on spiritual growth
Jupiter talks about your ability to develop in life, the kind of unexpected events that appear in your life, as well as your vision of reality. Jupiter in an air sign suggests that the intellectual growth will be noticeable and you must focus on that path, while in an earth sign, such as Taurus or Virgo, you benefit from working with matter.
Saturn’s influence on spiritual growth
Saturn often provides the toughest but also the most valuable experiences. This planet shows your greatest frustration and, in order to grow spiritually, you must face the test with patience and determination. In some cases, your flaws become your greatest virtues, as with Saturn in Capricorn, or it helps you delve into your scepticism until you find your inner god, as when it is housed in Sagittarius.
Uranus’s influence on spiritual growth
This planet, eccentric in its orbital movement, teaches you to be independent, to believe in your ideas and to develop a healthy insanity. Uranus in Aquarius tells you that standing out in a crowd is what you need most, while in Capricorn, it makes you creative at work and thanks to this energy, it is possible to carry out your work successfully even if you use unconventional methods. Assimilating Uranus into your life brings out the genius we all carry inside. But that genius has different faces!
Neptune’s influence on spiritual growth
Neptune, the planet of mysticism, teaches you the means by which to reach enlightenment. But you should be careful! It also reveals your tendency towards daydreaming. Neptune in Pisces is in exaltation, the imaginative skills become unlimited, but you should be careful, because it tends to depend on lies. There is some difficulty in distinguishing what is real from what is not. Neptune gives a touch of idealism to the house it visits. For example, Neptune in the first house, the house of the ego, makes the natives compassionate and approachable.
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Pluto’s influence on spiritual growth
Pluto tests you through renunciation and sacrifice. The house visited by Pluto represents a side of your life that you have silenced, in which you have to try harder. It is the essential karmic lesson that you have to experience on earth. Pluto defines aspects of your character that you unconsciously reject. This planet in Cancer indicates that you should pay more attention to feelings, unlike in Capricorn, where it points out a lack of discipline and passion for hard work.
The planets as self-help tools
In astrology, planets do not function as separate entities, isolated from each other. In the birth chart, you can see how they are linked with each other through different aspects. These aspects will make the planet’s task be carried out more or less easily. Do these energies strengthen each other or do they block each other? Let’s have a look at the relationship between these interactions and spiritual growth and how they can help you.
Conjunction
Conjunction occurs when the degree of separation between planets is from 0 to 10 degrees. Planets in conjunction indicate a blending of energies. They act together to activate the deepest part of your being. The zodiac sign and the house in which the position occurs will also be of great importance. There will be a great energy flow that you can use to achieve great things, but it can easily turn against you if you do not control your passion. It is considered a generally harmonious aspect. Mars in conjunction with the Sun provides vitality and endurance even though the risk of injury also increases exponentially with this aspect.
Trine
A trine occurs when there is 120 degrees of separation between planets, in other words, 4 signs of the zodiac. The nature of trine is harmonious. This aspect of planets can indicate gifts, natural talents, sympathy and support, among the functions of the planets. The people with many trines in their birth chart achieve things easier while others have to sweat to get the same.
Opposition
An opposition occurs between two opposing planets, which are 180 degrees apart. Opposition brings the ability to achieve an objective knowledge. The planets involved in an opposition aspect tend to reflect on each other. There is a strong magnetism of attraction and rejection. The planets are as distant as they can be and they must commit to work with each other, even though they look different. Mercury in opposition with the Moon makes thoughts wander easily, but this can also be a source of great creativity.
Square
The planets are involved in a square when the distance between them is 90 degrees. The planets involved in a square aspect represent dynamic points. They are apparently conflicting energies that make people or situations find their liberation. A person with Mars in square with Venus in his birth chart is likely to cause some rejection during his teenage years, but by being aware of this aspect, that person is able to control this tendency and develops an attractive personality.
In conclusion, the study of the birth chart can help you develop your spiritual and personal growth according to the information provided by planets, archetypes, houses and aspects. Having an astrological view of life, that is, being able to elaborate a concise way of thinking with all the aspects of a birth chart is not something easy and it takes time. However, the reward is a deep and meaningful understanding of yourself.