Planets & the subconscious

Planets in Astrology are modules of the subconscious. One must not mistake them as influencers of subconscious dispositions, pulling the strings from somewhere far and away in space. Neither should you harbour the impression that the inner modules direct our behaviours while the outer ones determine our unchangeable destiny. Think of them as mutual extensions or doubles, almost like twin electrons in physics, whose behaviours are inexorably correlated. Things tweaked on the outside alter what’s inside, and changing what’s inside changes the projections for what’s outside. Little wonder that astrological solutions to some of life’s worst conundrums reside in behavioural and mindset change.

In Astrology, planets are categorized into two broad groups: benefics, those with an innately auspicious and positive disposition, and malefics, ones that are primarily negative and disruptive. And these categories are directly traceable to human emotions. Benefic planets relate to positive emotions: love, joy, certitude, gratitude, and the like. Malefics, on the contrary, connote negative emotions, say fear, anger, dejection, frustration, guilt, urgency, impatience etc. It takes little contemplation to decipher the main area of difference between the two – that of ‘want’. Negative emotions signify an unfulfilled, unmet want, while positive emotions denote fulfilment and satisfaction.

It is obvious that each of these categories of emotions have crucial roles to play in life. Deprive man of all negativity and it strips him of vigilance, initiative, and resilience, which are central to survival. Similarly, let too much of negativity preside and the mind goes unhinged in no time. The corollary, therefore, is that what’s negative isn’t all bad, neither is positivity all good. It’s about striking the correct balance. And the same extends to planets – malefics don’t necessarily imply all evil, neither do benefics denote unreserved goodness. All of man’s vigilance, initiative, and resilience are owed to malefic planets, and while benefics do confer a certain natural auspiciousness, poor placements in the horoscope can portend more harm than good.

The only problem, as we all know, is that balance is an ever-elusive entity. And negative emotions have a far easier time proliferating than positive ones, thanks to human loss aversion. But there’s a catch. Central to negativity’s proliferation in our psyche is the way we react to it. React to negative emotions with negativity, and you only add to the negativity. And thus negativity grows unfettered. And this is more often than not the case – we respond to worry with fear; to fear with impatience; and to impatience with anger. Malefic planets in astrology are linked to deceit and trickery, and human negativity is no different. Negativity tricks by convincing us that we need to be negative to drive our negativity away. And every time we fall for it, negativity only further solidifies its position, only making it harder to be driven away.

The solution is cut the fuel of negativity. And you do that by changing the way you react. React to negativity with positivity; to fear with acceptance; to worry with hope; or to anger with gratitude – and negativity, deprived of fuel, starts dissipating. And this, when confirmed into our habit, amounts to nothing short of reforming our inner astronomy – which not only transforms the way we ourselves behave but also how life at large unfolds.

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