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Astrologer's Notes:
AstroDPsychology:A Synthesis |
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Planets As
Psychological States
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by Glenn Perry, Ph.D., MFT |
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In last month's column, we explored how sign-planet motivational systems refer to specific affects that are experienced on a range of intensity. Each sign-planet system has a target state, or preferred feeling, which is experienced as a varying reference signal. Negative feelings occur when events create a disturbance from the target state. For example, an insult is experienced by the Leo-Sun system as "wounded pride". This, in turn, stimulates a corrective action that is calculated to restore the desired solar-state of self-esteem. A person might defend his or her honor by disparaging the insulting party or by simply avoiding that person.
In this month's column, we'll explore how planets not only symbolize a range of affects that are evoked in response to specific events; they also represent enduring psychological states. According to Horowitz (1987), a psychological state is characterized by a recurrent pattern of experience as reflected in mood, attitude, internal dialogue, facial expression, posture, voice tone, and what a person says and does. In other words, a state is reflected in virtually every aspect of a person's inner life and observable behavior.
States common to most persons include those moments dominated by strong expression of emotions, such as anxiety, anger, guilt, sadness, shame, sexual excitement, surprise, and joy. However, a state is more complex than its emotional component, for it also includes an underlying motive, associated beliefs and self-talk, all of which can be summarized by the term "attitude." A person's dominant states, or attitudes, are manifestations of his character structure, which is reflected in the way specific planets are constellated in the birthchart.
In our astrological model, each planet can be associated with a range of states (Perry, 1998). Remember, a state is characterized by a recurrent mood, belief, internal dialogue, and behavioral pattern. Of these, belief is the most important, for it underlies and generates mood, self-talk, and behavior. Consider the planet Saturn. Wherever Saturn is located in the chart, we find a tremendous drive for perfection. But perfectionism can manifest along a continuum of states from suicidally depressed to supremely successful. Since perfection represents an absolute that can never be attained, it can result in perpetual anxiety if carried to a negative extreme.
This sort of mood is what we often find in people who are strongly saturnine, meaning gloomy, pessimistic, cold, or depressed. A negative Saturnian attitude, as evidenced by melancholy behavior, is usually generated by a fear (belief) that one will never be good enough. Good enough for what, we ask? For anything with which Saturn happens to be involved. To determine the specifics, we would have to look at Saturn's sign, house, and aspects. If it is connected to the Sun by aspect, there is a greater likelihood that one's sense of personal identity will be bound up with Saturn; thus, Saturnian states will be more strongly felt in the personality.
A strong possibility with an unintegrated Sun-Saturn aspect is an inferiority complex, fears of inadequacy, expectations of failure, depressive tendencies, and the like. The internal dialogue tends to be self-deprecating and predictive of failure. "I don't have what it takes. It's too hard, I'm going to embarrass myself," and so on. Often there is a fear of limits and authority, which emerges as a cynical, hostile, or defeatist attitude, e.g., "my boss is holding me down. What's the point of trying?" Note especially how a negative self-belief and internal dialogue underlies the depressive mood.
Of course, this is but one way, albeit a common one, which Sun-Saturn expresses itself. Just as often, however, Sun-Saturn goes to the other extreme by overcompensating, thus producing the chronic achiever. Through a combination of discipline, perseverance and hard work, the Saturn-dominated individual pushes himself to the top of his field. No matter how much status and honor is conferred, however, he will not be satisfied. Since perfection can never be attained, he can never stop striving to excel, to surpass himself, to be perfect. This Saturn mood is stressed, driven, relentless; the attitude is ambitious and superior, "I am (have to be) the best." Self-talk focuses on setting the next goal, formulating plans, pressuring the self to improve, e.g., "you should have gotten the promotion; you can do better."
In both instances, Saturn is overfunctioning and unintegrated. In the first scenario, a fear of failure produces a defeatist attitude; in the second scenario, the fear of failure produces a compensatory, driven attitude. Although one cannot predict how an aspect will manifest in terms of states, the nature of the underlying belief will determine whether the manifest state will be negative or positive. In both examples cited, the underlying belief was the same: personal inadequacy and an expectation of failure. Although the subjective mood and outward behavior was different in each instance, neither state -- defeatist or driven -- was conducive of enduring satisfaction.
When Saturn is operating in a balanced, harmonious manner, the individual is more relaxed, patient, and flexible in pursuing aims. He or she respects limits and authority, is less driven, and more capable of achieving and enjoying success. Underlying beliefs tend to be more positive and the functions of Saturn are more effectively utilized to achieve its goal state of mastery and success. All of this will be reflected in a person's mood (serious), attitude (determined and authoritative), internal dialogue ("I will succeed"), facial expression (focused), voice tone (calm and deep), and what he or she actually does (accept responsibility and work systematically toward the achievement of long-term goals).
Such a state will be constant to the extent that the person has integrated his or her Saturn. Integration is not something that can be determined merely by looking at the chart, although soft aspects from Saturn to the Sun certainly are more indicative of a relaxed, integrated flow between these two faculties. Hard aspects, however, are also capable of integration, and although this may require more effort, the rewards tend to exceed those that accrue from soft aspects. Oprah Winfrey, who has Sun square Saturn, is a good example here. How to integrate hard aspects is a topic we'll take up in later columns.
Suffice to say here that a person's enduring states, or attitudes, are manifestations of his or her character structure, which is reflected in the way specific planets are constellated in the birthchart and the degree to which they are integrated. Chronic states emerge from deep, core beliefs symbolized by dominant planetary configurations. To the extent that a planet is integrated into the self-system, positive beliefs result. These, in turn, produce positive states that will be evidenced in virtually every aspect of the person's life: mood, attitude, self-talk, body language, facial expression, and outward behavior.
In next month's column, we'll explore the concept of integration further by articulating the difference between under modulated, well modulated, and over modulated planetary functions.
References
Horowitz, M.J. (1987). States of mind: Configurational analysis of individual psychology. New York: Plenum Medical Book Company.
Perry, G. (1998) Introduction to AstroPsychology. San Rafael, CA: APA Press (Available only through www.aaperry.com).
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"Astrology is a religion inasmuch as it reveals the anatomy and psychology of God."
~ Manly Palmer Hall
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Glenn Perry,
Ph.D., MFT
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Glenn Perry, Ph.D., MFT
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Director of the Association for Psychological Astrology
Board Member of the International Society of Astrological Research
Glenn Perry lectures and conducts workshops throughout the world on the application of astrology to the fields of counseling and psychotherapy.
He has written six books, including "Essays In Psychological Astrology".
Dr. Perry is the founder and president of the Academy of AstroPsychology, a masters and doctoral degree program.
For more information:
www.astropsychology.org
Information on Glenn's books, tapes, and on-line mentorship program can be obtained at:
www.aaperry.com.
E-mail: glenn@aaperry.com
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