Level Five is the plane of the planets. This is the sphere around the Earth starting at the Ionosphere and extending to the edge of our solar system. The order used is based upon the planets being placed in the order of their cycles length as they circle the Earth. At present this pattern goes out to the orbit of Pluto, however when dealing with manifest life it is common to use only the 'traditional' planets we can see with our eyes. This is the Sun plus the six planets, which includes our Moon, out to Saturn.
The outer three planets were consciously discovered in recent history and are associated with areas of extra sensory perception and the collective unconsciousness. The 'original' seven planets, are connected to the physical manifesting streams of the universe. Saturn is seen as the limit or boundary giver in life.
The natural expansion of the vortex spiral sees the elements of Air and Water from level four continue to divide forming a third polarity. Again at this level the planets are devided into several patterns. We can initially identify the same divisions we found at the 4 fold level. These being macro and internal polarities.
As we are dealing with life
on planet Earth. We observe the solar system as if we, the Earth,
are its centre. From this position as we look out we see there
are three planets closer to the Sun than us, and three further
away. These inner planets are the Moon, Mercury and Venus, while
the outer planets are Mars Jupiter and Saturn. The macro polarity
of the solar system is immediately obvious from this image.
The outer planets are considered assertive and 'worldly'. Traditionally
these three planets have been associated with Mars being actions
taken in the world, Jupiter with the cultural and philosophic
condition of any group. While Saturn governs the rules and bureaucracy
of any social grouping.
The inner planets are personal and retiring in nature. Venus governs the receptive side of relating and what makes you feel good. Mercury generally covers communication , while the moon covers the personal emotional response, instincts and nurturing needs.
The outer planets are concerned with entities that endure beyond the first cycle of any impulse . While the inner planets are associated to more transient phenomena. Each planet has its own individual quality, but also functions as an 'organ' in the body of the solar system. Indeed medical astrology ascribes each planet the ruler ship of specific organs in the human body.
The micro polarities patterning continues in the same way as we saw in earlier levels, as a development between an outer planet and an inner planet. These individual polarities form creative harmonies which can be identified in many different areas of life.
The Moon and Saturn.
The moon is the closest 'planet' to the earth, and is associated with the primary nurturing and uncontrolled development of life. If left to itself, the moon forces would create life as an amorphous mass. Existing only to multiply as in primary cell division. Hence creating the concept of 'The Blob' It is emotional and 'watery' in quality and associated with a primary stage of intuition, through unconscious reaction to sensation. The first few ( especially months ) years of a babies life are very much moon years.
Saturn is the wise old man, with an authoritative image who brings structure and form to the Moons growth. It brings form, manifesting as the human skeleton and skin , responsible action and bureaucracies, to name a few. Left to itself it would continue until we and its other forms, become sclerotic stalactites. It is only through the balanced interplay of the Moon and Saturn ( the child and the adult ) that life finds form and maturity, at their allotted optimum time.
This polarity is - the will to manifest.
Jupiter and Mercury
Traditionally, both Jupiter and Mercury are considered to govern intelligence. Mercury is quicker in nature, and scurries about collecting all the facts. Jupiter is the philosopher who examines, balances and gleans wisdom from mercury's information.
The image of Jupiter is of the well rounded mature entity, governing the cultural life of a community and the middle years of life from 30 till 50 years. This is the period when one has accumulated experience and wisdom and still has the health to act consciously. It shows in plants as well as humans. It governs the deciduous trees that often form well rounded spheres. E.g. English Oak, and fruit trees of all kinds.
Mercury on the other hand
governs climbing and creeping plants that need a supporting tree
to hold them upright. The adolescent with their endless stream
of unfocused energy personifies Mercury. The key thought here
is that both planets expand whatever they touch.
These two can be seen as - the thinking planetary polarity.
Mars and Venus
This is the polarity of the feelings.
Venus epitomise all that is
beautiful and harmonious in the environment. It can be said that
its sole aim is pleasure, and being an inner planet, it gains
pleasure through attraction. By its beauty it attracts. It is
concerned with an easy interchange between any two objects and
aims to achieve harmony. It creates the milieu for social interaction
to occur. Romance and foreplay are both Venus' environments
Mars, on the other hand, takes action to get what it wants, and
is prepared to achieve its aims at any cost. With Mars there
is always some loss in the process of gaining the prize. It is
gross compared to Venus but in their intermingling a harmony
is reached and Mars happily gets for Venus anything she wants.
In so doing these are the planets of relationship and feeling.
The Sun
The Sun is symbolically the central spiritual individual who mediates and harmonies the creative tension set into play through the planets. As such it is a balance of all the above energies.
It is interesting to note that there are three planets on either side of the polarity. One would expect level 3 to be functioning here also. While the exact associations of the planets to the modes may not seem apparent at this stage, the associations will become clearer once we look at the Zodiac.
Can you anticipate which of the three modes relates to the planets on each side of the polarity?
While these two arrangements might be considered the archetypal structures of the planets there are a few other patterns of the planets used in Astrology . See Spiral Astrology - The Planets.
The "far out" Planets
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, being collective influences generally work in areas beyond the individual, in group phenomena. Uranus governs Group Ideologies. Neptune, Group Faiths while Pluto governs Group Movements. If an individual has personal planets closely related to these outer planets it gives them the opportunity to connect with collective impulses more closely. Telepathy and psychic perception arises from this situation. Uranus creates the Occultist, Neptune the Mystic and Pluto the Shaman.
They do indeed create 'far out' individuals, some even " beyond the fringe ".