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Absides (Absis)

The points where the major axis of an elliptical orbit meets the orbital path. See Apsides.

Abscission of Light

Prevention of the culmination of an aspect by the intervention of another. Used in Horary Astrology. See Frustration.

Abscissor

Killing planet; cutter-off of light

Accidental Dignity

Planet dignified by favourable position, motion or aspect, but not in Essential Dignity. See Dignities, Accidental and Essential.

Acronychal

Rising or setting of a star at nightfall.

Adverse Aspect

Unfortunate aspect between planets, or other chart factors. See Malefic Aspects.

Aether (Ether, Æther)

1. Alchemical quintessence: the fifth and highest element after air, earth, fire and water; once believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies. See Akasha, also Quintessence.
2. A medium that was once supposed (originally by Leibniz) to fill all space and to support the propagation of electromagnetic waves. See Dark Energy. Read more on the Aether.

Affinity

When planets or other factors are similar, in harmony, or have a mutual compatibility.

Affliction

An adverse aspect, or position, creating problems in the expression of the relevant energies. Aspects from malefics are almost always adverse, so the aspected planet is said to suffer affliction, or be afflicted.

Age, Astrological

The location of the vernal point in the sidereal zodiac defines the current Astrological Age. An Astrological Age has a duration of some 2,160 years, as the vernal point (0° Aries in the Tropical Zodiac) precesses through the sidereal zodiac at a rate of something over one degree every 72 years. The two zodiacs coincided in approximately 200 AD (depending on your ayanamsa, q.v.) marking the end of the Age of Aries and the beginning of the Age of Pisces. It has now precessed to around 5° Pisces, so we are gradually approaching the end of the Age of Pisces and have entered the transitional phase towards actualisation of the Age of Aquarius.

Age of Aquarius

The Astrological Age that begins when the vernal point precesses beyond the first degree of sidereal Pisces and into the last degree of sidereal Aquarius. The exact year of this cosmic event is in dispute, but is most likely to be sometime around the mid 2300's AD. One argument in favour of the Age of Aquarius having already begun is the cusp argument promoted by Ptolemy and others that the actual cusp of a house is effective up to five degrees before the actual cuspal degree, but this is shaky insofar as it applies to houses rather than to signs. However, it is supported by the experience of the deaths of millions in the twentieth century under, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, the World Wars etc (marking the ending of the Age of Pisces) and the emergence of the individualistic, technological culture that arrived during the 1960's. This issue was of intense interest to early "New Age" astrologers in the twentieth century (and indeed still is), as it was supposed to introduce a new age of brotherhood and harmony and the coming "sixth race" of advanced humans. You can draw your own conclusions on that.

Affliction

Adverse aspects between planets, or between a planet and a cusp or other sensitive point. A planet can also be said to be afflicted if it is debilitated by chart position (for example if in fall or detriment).

Air Element

One of the four astrological elements. A masculine element, it stands for intellect, media, matters to do with communications and so on. The other elements are, Fire, Water and Earth.

Air Signs

Libra (cardinal), Aquarius (fixed) and Gemini (mutable).

Airy Triplicity

The Air Signs: Libra; Aquarius; Gemini. These signs are hot and moist by nature.

Akasha (Akasa)

The mystical fifth element, or quintessence. The cosmic spiritual essence that pervades and underpins the material elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water. A sanscrit word meaning "shining", it is also known as the Astral Light, or collective unconscious.

Akashic Records

The "Book of Life"; interactive cosmic storehouse of karmic impressions made by every thought, word and deed in the Akasha, or cosmic mind, the collective unconscious.

Albedo

In astronomy, the fraction of sunlight reflected by a planet or satellite. It has no astrological connotations.

Alcocoden (Alchochoden)

Alchochoden, "the giver of the years", meaning the planet which in the natal chart reveals the number of years that the person is going to live.

Aldebaran

A malefic Fixed Star in the 10th degree of Gemini. One of the four Royal Stars.

Alfridaria

Derived from the mixed Arabic and Persian "al firdar", the alfridaria, or alfridaries, are a system of planetary periods of Persian origin first described as far as we know by Abu Mashar. Originally intended for the long term forecasting of historical events, they can also be used in predicting for individual charts. More about Alfridaria.

Algol

Caput Algol, a malefic fixed star in the 27th degree of Taurus. More on Fixed Stars.

Alien Signs

Signs in Aversion. See also Disjunct.

Almuten

A planet which, because of its placing, dignities, fortitudes and aspects, comes to have more importance than the ruler, be it of the whole chart or of any particular House of the chart.

Alpheta

Giver of Life. The alphetical places correspond with the places of Hyleg.

Anabibazon

Dragon's Head (north lunar node).

Anareta

A planet severely afflicting the Hyleg at birth and by direction. Usually a malefic, but any planet can be the Anareta. It is believed to portend the cause of death.

Anaretic Degree (Anaretic Place)

The 29th degree of any Sign. It is also known as the degree of fate. Planets and other factors that occupy the anaretic degree reveal deep issues that generate significant trials in life.

Angles

In order of power:

• First House (Ascendant – East Angle)
• Tenth House (M.C. – South Angle)
• Seventh House (Descendant – West Angle)
• Fourth House (I.C. – North Angle)

The Angles are the most important houses. Planets in angles are the strongest and most significant.

Angles of a Malevolent

Tenth, Seventh and Fourth signs counted in relation to a malefic planet (Mars or Saturn) as if it were the Ascendant. Also when in corporeal conjunction (i.e. as if in the First House of the Malevolent). Planets placed here are unfortunate, but the negativity is cancelled by reception.

Angular

Pertaining to the Angles. Angular houses are the strongest and angular planets must be especially noted.

Antares

A benefic Fixed Star in the 10th degree of Sagittarius. One of the four Royal Stars.

Antipathy

Inharmonious relations between planets, particularly those which rule or are exalted in opposite signs.

Antiscion

Equal distance from one side of the equator as from the other side, or from a house cusp. The midpoint of a planet's position and its antiscion is always the point of the solstice (0° Cancer, or Capricorn). For example, when the Sun is in the tenth degree of Taurus, he is as far distant from the first degree of Cancer as he would be if placed in the twentieth degree of Leo, his Antiscion, so energising any planet in that degree or which casts an aspect to that degree. Once held to be a fortitude equivalent to sextile or trine, this is rarely considered by modern astrologers. See Contrascion.

Aphelion

The place in a planet's orbit which is farthest from the Sun. See Perihelion.

Apheta

Giver of life. See Alpheta, q.v.

Apoapsis (Apoapse; Apapsis)

The outermost point of an ellipse (as in a planetary orbit). The innermost point is called the Periapsis.

Apogee

The place in a planet's orbit which is farthest from the Earth. See Perigee.

Apparent Motion

The celestial bodies appear to rise in the east and set in the west, but this is nowadays considered an illusion created by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

Application

The approach of one planet to another, or to a sensitive point in the chart, such as a cusp. See Separation.

Applying

See Application.

Apsides

Plural of Apsis. According to The Aphorisms of Cardan, "changes of the Absides of the Planets cause mutations in governments and laws, which is a point very much to be regarded".

Apsis

The point of greatest (apoapsis; apapsis) or least (periapsis) distance of the elliptical orbit of a celestial body from its centre of attraction (the centre of mass of the system). The points where the major axis of an elliptical orbit meets the orbital path. The Line of Apsides is the major axis of the ellipse, the line passing through the longest part of the ellipse.

Aquarius

The eleventh sign of the zodiac. Aquarius, the Water-bearer, is a fixed, air sign. More about Aquarius.

Aquarian Age

Age of Aquarius, q.v.

Arabic Parts

Significant points on the ecliptic, derived from the relationship between other significant points or planets. Parts are also known as Lots. See Pars Fortunae (Part of Fortune). More about Arabic Parts.

Arc

Distance as measured in degrees, minutes and seconds along the circumference of a circle. There are 360 degrees of arc in the circumference of a circle; a minute is one sixtieth of a degree and a second is one sixtieth of a minute. One sign describes 30 degrees of arc along the circumference of the zodiac. Some scientific authors are now using decimal fractions, instead of minutes and seconds, though curiously they are still using degrees from the ancient Babylonian sexagesimal (base-60) mathematical system.

Archetype

Original pattern, model, prototype, or blueprint. According to modern, psychological astrology, archetypes are the primordial images that form the structural basis for our subconscious motivations, expressed symbolically by planets, signs and other astrological motifs. Though the self-actualisation ideals of modern astrology were conceived in the theosophical schools of the 19th century, using archetypes as motivators derives from the 20th century psychoanalytic theories of Jung.

Aries

The first sign of the zodiac. Aries, the Ram, is a cardinal fire sign. More about Aries.

Aries Point

The first degree of Aries (but also by aspect the other three cardinal points, the beginnings of Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). Where these points fall in the chart is held to be highly significant in terms of the way an individual is pushed into the spotlight. It is used mainly by practitioners of Uranian astrology (aka Cosmobiology), but also has ancient references. It is more widely known as the Vernal Point.

Ascendant

1. The sign and degree on the cusp of the First House, the eastern horizon of the chart. See Rising Sign.
2. In Horary, the cusp of the house that represents the party: e.g. the cusp of the 5th is the ascendant for a child of the querent.

More about the Ascendant.

Ascending

A planet is said to be ascending (rising), when moving via the ascendant between the fourth and tenth cusps, i.e. in the eastern hemisphere of the chart.

Ascending Node

North Node. See Nodes.

Ascension

See Long Ascension and Short Ascension.

Aspect

Particular angular distances between planets, or planets and other sensitive points, measured in degrees (°), minutes (') and sometimes seconds (") of arc.

Minor Aspects Major Aspects Malefic Aspects Benefic Aspects

Ptolemaic Aspects Keplerian Aspects Conjunction Aversion

Aspects can be Zodiacal (read along the Ecliptic) or Mundane (read along the Equator). See Mundane Aspects.

Asterism

Smaller constellation. See Lunar Mansions.

Asteroids

Small planetoids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. There are many of them, but recently a small number have managed to get themselves considered useful in astrology, notably Ceres, Juno, Pallas Athene and Vesta. These are all considered to be feminine influences, or "goddess planets". More about Asteroids.

Astral

Starry. Often used as a shorthand for the Astral Plane, or Astral Body.

Astral Body

Subtle, interpenetrating body, or level of the human energetic field (aura), primarily concerned with processing information and prana (chi) at the emotional level.

Astral Light

Material expression of the Akasha, or self-luminous collective unconscious.

Astral Plane

Intermediate level between the spiritual and the physical worlds; the emotional level of the body-mind. The soul of the world-being. Lower level of the Akasha.

Astral Travel

Separation of the Astral Body from the phyical and visiting other locations. This mainly happens unconsciously in sleep, but some adepts can consciously control and direct the movement of the astral, whether in the sleeping or the waking state.

Astrolabe

A mechanical device, predecessor to the sextant, whereby mariners determined the time of day by the Sun, of the night by the stars, and the height and depth of mountains and valleys. – Source: The Encyclopedia of Astrology

Astrologer

One who practices Astrology.

Astrological Age

See Age, Astrological.

Astrologist

1. Astrologer (rare)
2. Believer in, or follower of, astrology – though not necessarily an actual astrologer

Astrology

The science of the stars, astrology seeks the meaning and application of the planets, stars and other celestial phenomena in our lives. A very ancient, yet still vital discipline.

Astrometeorology

Meteorological Astrology. Weather prediction, including prediction of storms, floods etc. using ancient astrological methods.

Astronomer

One who practices Astronomy.

Astronomy

The science of the observation and material origins of stars and other celestial phenomena. Of relatively recent origin, this discipline has become separated from and generally hostile to astrology.

Atma (Atman)

Spiritual essence.

Atmakaraka

Soul indicator in a Vedic astrology chart. Reveals strongly ingrained tendencies and affinities, providing the greatest opportunities for soul progress. There are two, the Sun, the natural atmakaraka and the temporal (charaatmakaraka), which is determined by placement of the planets in the signs, also defined as that planet with the highest degree of longitude.

Aura

A luminous spiritual atmosphere or halo made up of subtle energy fields: patterns of energy, vibrating at interwoven frequencies and intensities. These comprise, surround and interpenetrate the body-mind through several levels of consciousness. The energetic planetary signatures affect us via the aura.

Avatar

1. Powerful spiritual incarnation.
2. According to Vedic Astrology, there are nine planetary Avatars, one for each of the visible planets, plus Rahu and Ketu, the Moon's Nodes.

Avatar Point

The potent 15th degree of each of the Fixed Signs. Held by some to mark the entry point of divine energy via the planetary Avatar into the cosmos.

Average Daily Motion

The average motion of a planet over a 24 hour period. Travelling slower than average is held to be a debility. See Mean Daily Motion.

Aversion

A lack of acknowledgement between zodiac signs based on aspects of 30 and 150 degrees. Some hellenistic astrologers thought aversion to be cancelled by like-engirding, equal power, or commanding and obeying relationships. This aspect was considered very unfortunate by the ancients, but is not held to be unduly evil by modern Western astrologers.

Ayanamsa

The difference between the starting points of the Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs, due to the precession of the equinoxes. There are several in use in India today, but the official government-sanctioned Lahiri ayanamsa (22°27'37.7") is the most widely used. The other popular ayanamsas are Krishnamurti (22°21'50") and Raman (21°00'52") though it should be mentioned that there are at least 3 different versions of Lahiri, plus other lesser-used models.

Ayurveda

Traditional Indian holistic healing system, based in the humoral relationships of plants, oils, gems etc to the human body. Ayurveda (ayur: "life" & ved: "knowledge") is a spiritual discipline as well as a medical one, seeking balance of the body, emotions, mind and spirit. Strongly rooted in astrology, the method employs herbs, diet, exercise, yoga, massage, aromas, gems, tantras, mantras, and meditation to overcome excesses or deficiencies in elemental life energies. More on Ayurveda.

Azimene

Deficient or "Weak" degrees that are traditionally held to cause tendency to lameness, deformity, or other disability such as blindness. See Table.