The zodiac signs exist on the four lower sub-planes of the Mental Plane corresponding to the four elements, Fire, Air, Water and Earth. The higher three sub-planes have too subtle an influence to cause any response directly in humans, except through the medium of the lower four sub-planes. Instead, they work as the Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable triplicities of the zodiac, which colour these lower four sub-planes. This functions through the astrological system of Cardinal Fire in Aries, Fixed Fire in Leo and Mutable Fire in Sagittarius, representing the higher three sub-planes working through the fourth sub-plane of Fire, and so on.

This already gives a definite relationship between astrology and the Seven Rays, by saying that as Aries is a Cardinal Fire sign it exhibits qualities of the First and Fourth Rays. This doesn't alter what we know of to be typical Aries influences; it just helps us to understand these influences in a new way.

The Sun's annual journey through the zodiac signs demonstrates the twelve divisions of the individual's conscious awareness. Human consciousness is centred primarily on the Fifth level or Mental Plane, and a person's natural condition of consciousness is shown by the placing of the Sun at birth, which is adjusted by the position of the planets and personal points through the zodiac signs.

An individual's Sun sign will show how he or she will naturally respond in a conscious way to the variety of life experiences as indicated by both the sign's quality and element. The fact that a particular Ray will be working through the Sun sign will not change anything about what we already know of the Sun sign influence, although it may help us to understand it better. It does help to see how various Ray energies may be stronger than others in a horoscope because of the signs occupied with planets and personal points. In particular, besides the Sun sign, the Rays working through the Ascendant, M.C. and Moon sign will be of special interest.

In TABLE 3, you have the relationship between the Rays and zodiac signs, and although it is at variance with the established correspondences, I have used and tested this information for many years and found it extremely helpful. The important point is that the relevant strength of any sign in a horoscope has no significance in the determination of the individual's Ray type.

(see TABLE 3 - THE ZODIAC SIGNS & THE SEVEN RAYS)

You will notice that five of the Rays relate to two signs, which shows different aspects or qualities of the Rays. The two Rays that relate to just one sign, the Fourth and Seven Rays, do not have these different qualities, merely because of their natural functions of linking and independence, which gives a clue to the demonstration of these Rays in individuals.

There are some interesting observations to these correspondences that will take on a deeper meaning when they are studied in depth. For example, the First and Second Rays, related through their Primaries to the qualities of Cardinal and Fixed, are still diametrically opposed: the two First Ray signs being Cardinal Fire and Fixed Fire compared to the two Second Ray signs being Fixed Earth and Mutable Earth. Both the Fourth Ray and Seventh Rays have a single Cardinal sign, Earth as would be necessary for the Seventh Ray, and Water for the Fourth Ray, the element which has the property of finding its own level.

The Third Ray signs are both Mutable through their relationship with the Third Primary and subsequent connection to angles, and as they are of Fire and Air this could be an indicator of the heat involved in angular creation or destruction. This leaves the two Rays that could easily be termed the mental and emotional Rays, and so the Fifth Ray is Cardinal Air and Fixed Air, and the Sixth Ray Fixed Water and Mutable Water.

This relationship between Rays and signs is very important, because the signs do function as links between Ray energy originating in the depths of the universe and the influence this energy has on life as a whole within the solar system. However I do not want to give the impression that using normal astrological techniques we can judge the strength of Ray energy by lining up stars and planets as they pass through the signs of the zodiac, or that because a certain Ray works through a certain sign then both the sign and Ray have similar qualities.

Another point is that although the Rays generally work through particular zodiac signs as set out above, they are also tuned to a certain vibration which enables a normal planetary influence to act as a carrier wave for various Ray energies. Therefore we find that it is possible for each planetary body to transmit, in addition to its own energy, either one or even several Rays depending on whether certain configurations are operative, i.e., if they are part of a particular aspect pattern denoting a harmonic relationship between planets. This can have the result in apparently changing the Ray influence working through a particular zodiac sign.

Planets are angles in their own right, and function in two natural ways, through the activating and formulating principles each planet traditionally represents, and as transmitters of the Ray energy of the zodiac signs they occupy. In this way, planets are dynamic angles that always work according to their individual characteristic principles. These principles affect the consciousness through the zodiac sign they inhabit, because they use the conscious energy of the zodiac signs to produce angular effects.

If you think of the planets as centres in the body of the solar system you will get a better understanding of their function. The Ray energies they utilise come from beyond the solar system and just as each person's centres perform functions on several layers within his body, so do the planets. Therefore, it is too easy to say a planet only works with the energy of one Ray.

Obviously certain planets, like the centres in Humans, do appear to exhibit the qualities of one type of energy, but this is due more to their role in the composition of the solar system life. Their individual roles are not precise but they do work efficiently with some Ray energies and inefficiently with others: Humans feel these differences as good and bad planetary influences.

Every planet has its own character that has been well documented and tested by wise men all over the world and through countless centuries. With the introduction of a different concept such as the Seven Rays, we are able to say that the planets act in accord with the Rays in various ways. What a knowledge of the Rays cannot do, is to change the meanings of the planets in an astrological context from what we already know and have used successfully into something entirely different. So unless you say the meaning of each Ray equates exactly with the meaning of each planet, which is not the case, the two concepts must remain separate, and at best have certain conditional correspondences. This simple axiom is a good guide when exploring new territory.

What we can say, is that if the Rays are regarded as scales of vibrations, a planet will use its angles to modify the Ray energy and adapt it for efficient use, by aligning its own energies with those of the particular angle in question. It then acts as both a transformer and a capacitor, transmitting its stored energy along the angular connections it makes with other planets. The only noticeable difference this will make to the traditional planet's influence will be through its strength, quality or area of influence.

Although the planetary energy we feel on Earth is derived from the Seven Rays, the true Ray influences we are affected by are those that manifest through the aspects between planets and the personal points in the zodiac. These are higher manifestations of angles, and influence Humanity through harmonic resonance; in other words, human angles change their rate of vibration in response to their higher counterparts, the aspect angles. This is the key to incorporating a knowledge of Rays into astrology.

To quote from an excellent booklet by Manly Palmer Hall, The Philosophy Of Astrology:

"Pythagoras sounded the keynotes of the aspects when he declared that divine energies flowed not through planets directly but through the interval between them. Aspects are intervals."

Aspects between planets and personal points on a horoscope are one representation of angles, and these angles exist below the level of man's Higher Self, who was partly responsible, before his birth into matter, for fashioning his own life to give him the greatest opportunities to evolve. This is the real key to angular astrology: that aspects are a manifestation of angles ~ because this information can help us to assess an individual's angular structure from a survey of their natal horoscope.

Aspects are formed by the movement of the planets, and this natural process allows them to manipulate Ray energy. Aspects are the angles of the universe symbolising Archetypal Man, but an individualised blueprint of them is superimposed on our potential ego before incarnation. When the time is ripe and this blueprint fits the angular formation that corresponds to the aspect pattern found in the real universe, we are physically born into this world. In this way, aspects formed by the planets are imprinted on us at birth and become our personal angles.

As the planets continue to interact during our lifetime, their movement affects our own personal aspects or angles. Both aspects and angles share the basic two ingredients of life, substance and intent. Both need the application of consciousness or love from the Second Primary to manifest and become aware in a person's life. This Second Primary energy is actually Ray energy, the power that turns latent angles into manifestation, and the relevance here is that the harmonic number of each aspect relates directly to the Ray energy that activates and has influence through them.

The theory behind harmonic aspects is that any two points on the circumference of the horoscope circle are related by the number that is the result of the amount of degrees between them as a division of 360. Therefore an opposition aspect of 180 degrees is a Second Harmonic aspect, abbreviated to 2H, because 360 divided by 180 gives the answer 2. Similarly, a semisquare aspect of 45 degrees is an 8H aspect as 360 divided by 45 gives the answer 8.

All conventional aspects are also harmonic aspects, but equally the division of 360 by any number of degrees will give a harmonic number that is an aspect between two points and therefore represents a potential angle.

Harmonic aspects have a simple numeric relationship with the Seven Rays:

CONJUNCTIONS are first harmonic aspects and their influences are First Ray;

OPPOSITIONS are second harmonic aspects and their influences are Second Ray;

TRINES are third harmonic aspects and their influences are Third Ray;

SQUARES are fourth harmonic aspects and their influences are Fourth Ray;

QUINTILES are fifth harmonic aspects and their influences are Fifth Ray;

SEXTILES are sixth harmonic aspects and their influences are Sixth Ray; &

SEPTILES are seventh harmonic aspects and their influences are Seventh Ray.

In this way, harmonic aspects are related to Rays of the same number. The difficulty comes once we reach eight, but again the solution is simple: an 8H aspect relates to the First Ray in the next octave, as in the simple sum 7 + 1, and 8th harmonic midpoints do have the potential of creating events. Similarly, 9th ,10th , 11th and 12th harmonics can be viewed as Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Ray effects using the same system.

Harmonic astrology can also give us a different perspective on aspects by looking at them graphically as a cyclic journey round the circle of a horoscope chart, which shows that an 8H aspect will complete eight whole cycles before returning to its natal position, and will have numerous sub-harmonic influences surrounding this harmonic journey.

Harmonic charts, based on the conventional horoscope, graphically represent the structure of each harmonic aspect under consideration. They are calculated by converting each planet's position to absolute longitude and multiplying the result by the harmonic number under investigation. Any planets that form 5H aspects in a conventional horoscope will have the same planets conjunct in a 5th harmonic chart, and every other major point will show a new relationship giving a broader scope for interpretation. By using harmonic charts we can subject every horoscope to a detailed survey of how each Ray will work through it.

Just as the Rays work through the harmonics of each aspect, archetypal human angles manifest through midpoints. The idea of midpoints is very simple. Between every pair of planets on a horoscope there is a point that is exactly halfway between the two, as measured around the circumference of the horoscope. This is called the midpoint between the two planets, and has a special significance as an aspect point. If there is a planet at this position, it will be considered to be in aspect to the two planets that form the midpoint, and the three planets will 'mix' their influence to affect the subject through this point, in regard to its house and zodiac position. Even if the midpoint is vacant on the horoscope, any planet that makes an 8H aspect to this point will also be considered as being an 'indirect' midpoint and have a similar, though weaker, influence.

Midpoints show that every planet is aspected to every other planet through their midpoint relationship; and the midpoint is a place where their combined energy exerts a potent angular force. Planets, as we saw earlier, are points of energy themselves as well as transmitters of energy, and like chakras in the etheric shell of man are power points where many angular forces criss-cross. Planetary effects vary as they progress around the horoscope or across the sky. These differing effects are like layers of influence, and the clue to this variety of their workings lies in a deeper study of their symbolism in ancient myths and legends.

The system used in midpoints in based on the idea that every planet during its apparent revolution around the Earth will have a direct but varying relationship to every other planet. The easiest way we can think of this ever-changing interrelationship is to take each planet as one half of a pair, and compare these two planets with any others they relate to through aspects during their revolution.

With our new way of looking at things, we can say that at the midpoint between every pair of planets there is an angle or aspect that will be a potent force in the life of the subject if it is occupied or if it makes a close aspect to any other planet or point that is a multiple of 45 degrees away. In addition, it will assume a more prominent importance when the point is accentuated through a transiting or progressing aspect made to it. So every midpoint has seven positions around the chart that influence the subject if triggered by planets or personal points: its opposition, its two 4H or square aspects, and its four 8H aspects or two semisquares and two sesquiquadrates.

We can further say that, irrespective of whether the midpoint is occupied or accentuated by aspect, it will still function as an angle in the life of the subject; therefore as we are talking about midpoints between EVERY pair of planets we can say these angles are common to every chart. Thus we can elevate their importance by considering them as essential angles that are operative in every life on Earth. As we all have these 78 midpoint angles, they must represent a significant part of the basic angular picture of every person. Not only that, by becoming aware of the planets transiting over these points we should be able to verify their meaning and learn to work with their natural rhythms.

Although there is no way of determining a person's Ray from the horoscope, we can use a knowledge of the Rays directly with astrology to give a better interpretation from a spiritual perspective. This can only be achieved by looking at astrological effects in an unconventional way, and by realising that planets affect us differently to how the Sun affects us, because the only way planets can exert their influence over life on Earth is through their motion. The Sun has direct influence over Humanity because it is a point of energy associated with light and consciousness, two Second Primary manifestations, and so its power is also applied directly; but because the planets are associated with the Third Primary their effect is indirect, and a consequence of their cyclic motion. The planets are not so much responsible for the variety of Human functions, they ARE those functions. If Mars is responsible for the circulation of our blood through our veins, this is because the blood and its movement are a part of the planet Mars. If Mars did not exist, we would have bodies that could survive without the need for a bloodstream.

We can take this point further and say the planets only affect Humans as they themselves are affected, through the constantly changing relationship they have with each other as they progress around the zodiac. In this way, the planets use the medium of angles to relate us to the effects they themselves are undergoing, rather than conveying an effect through a connecting angle, as the Sun does. So, if a planet becomes conjunct to another in the sky, and on Earth we have parts of both planets in our make-up, then these parts will receive an effect through a sympathetic response via the planetary angles. Also, the angles that form aspects through transits and progressions to natal positions or midpoints have already existed since birth ~ and have only been activated, not created, by planetary movement. These anchor points of angular energy came into existence at the moment of our birth, and it is up to us to use them or ignore them: because they owe their existence to us, not the other way round!