by Robert Wilkinson

Today we take a brief look at the order of the signs and how they relate to the cycles of self-transformation.

This will not be an exhaustive study, since it would be a book in itself. That said, we’ll begin by seeing how the 12 signs are progressive steps in the “whole cycle.” Each sign has its specific qualities within its place in the order, with each sign leading naturally to the experience of subsequent signs.

So why do the various signs follow each other? Why are some signs more “open” while others are more “closed?” Why are some signs more Self-oriented while others are more interactive? Today’s discussion may provide some clues.

We begin by stating the order of the signs demonstrate the three great areas of human experience and growth. The first 4 signs deal with the development of “The I.” The second 4 signs deal with the development of interactivity, or the antithesis of “The I,” a.k.a “The Not I.” The third 4 signs deal with the development of harvests, both individual and interactive, which synthesizes “The I” with “The Not I.”

As I see it, the first 4 signs are the personal realm of existence, the second 4 signs are the interpersonal realm of existence, and the third 4 signs are the transpersonal realm of existence. In the first 4 signs we begin the work; in the second 4 signs we see the cooperation with and/or resistance to the work; in the third 4 signs we see the harvest of the work. These are obvious when we examine the basic keywords for the signs:

DEVELOPMENT OF “THE I”
Aries – I am
Taurus – I have
Gemini – I think
Cancer – I feel

DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVITY – ANTITHESIS OF “THE I”
Leo - I express
Virgo – I refine
Libra – I weigh and judge
Scorpio – I eliminate and attract

DEVELOPMENT OF HARVESTS – INTERACTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL – SYNTHESIZING “THE I”
Sagittarius – I am free to explore
Capricorn – I accept power responsibly
Aquarius – I use power to achieve the collective ideal
Pisces – I see the whole and release the old

HEMISPHERES

We also have an interesting distribution in terms of the sign elements in the hemispheres which provides another facet in understanding the place of each sign within the “Whole Cycle:”

The Eastern hemisphere (10th to 3rd houses) deal with the Self. This hemisphere has 2 Earth and Air signs, and 1 sign each in Fire and Water. The Western hemisphere (4th to 9th houses) are Interactive in the world of “not Self.” This hemisphere has 2 Water and Fire signs, and 1 sign each in Earth and Air. So you can see there is a distinct emphasis in which elements are dominant in the hemispheres since Earth and Air are twice as prevalent as Fire and Water in the hemisphere of “self,” with these reversed in the hemisphere of the “not self.”

Taking it further, we see the first 4 signs, involving the development of “The I,” show the common elemental sequence of Fire, Earth, and Air signs in the hemisphere of self, with Water in the hemisphere of interactive non-self. This first sequence of signs are all below the horizon.

The second group of 4 signs of the same elemental sequence shows all 4 signs in the hemisphere of interactive non-self. In this group the Fire and Earth signs are below the horizon (private) and the Air and Water signs are above the horizon (public).

The third group of 4 signs of the same elemental sequence shows all 4 signs above the horizon. In this group we have culminating Fire in the interactive hemisphere, with the others moving back into the hemisphere of Self via culminating Earth, Air, and Water signs.

It is easy to see the multiple dimensions of expression each sign has, since it has its particular quality relative to the other signs, but adjusts its field of expression depending on which sign is on a given house in our charts. In any case, meditation on these qualities may make it easier to understand why the signs act or interact the way they do. Enjoy exploring the many possible qualities of expression for each of the 12 zones of reality we call “the signs.”

© Copyright 2021 Robert Wilkinson