The 3 crosses in esoteric astrology
The diagram shows how the three crosses are expressed through the cycle of activity—intensification-synthesis (in Esoteric Astrology change, crisis, synthesis) and how the planets fit into this triple cycle. Although the actions of the three crosses differ slightly between the archetypal (the cosmos), the global (humanity as a whole) and on the path of individual development or discipleship, this cycle also evokes the power of the primary three rays of attribute and their related principles of life—consciousness—form that underpin the entire philosophy of Esoteric Astrology. It shows how the three essential states of synthesis, intensification and activity are expressed respectively by Jupiter-Saturn-Mercury in the individual horoscope. The roles of the connected “veiled” planets Uranus, Neptune and Vulcan are shown behind each of the three principles.
In the new astrology… of the soul, the paramount consideration of the twelve houses … will be less emphasised and the consideration of the three Crosses will emerge in their place. …it is the energy flowing through the twelve arms [of the three Crosses] and their place in the soul horoscope which will assume the major importance. … The twelve houses concern the personality. The four arms of the three Crosses concern the soul and it is these twelve and their appearance in the horoscope or their failure to appear which will govern the horoscope of the soul.
[they] will take the place of the 12 houses when casting the horoscope of the soul. (EA 464, 480)
A summary, with the key signs of importance for humanity on each cross in bold:
- Cardinal
- Life: points of crucial synthesis leading to breakthrough
- Axis one: Aries–Libra Equinoxes representing critical turning points of balance
- Axis two: Cancer–Capricorn Solstices representing peak points of abundance
- Fixed
- Consciousness: conflict or intensification leading to harmony
- Axis one: Taurus–Scorpio Self-worth and shared worth: clearing emotional resistance to growth
- Axis two: Leo–Aquarius Defining the self; locating that self within the group/society
- Mutable
- Form: periods of change and re-orientation
- Axis one: Gemini–Sagittarius Relation of the personal to the transpersonal self: personal integration
- Axis two: Virgo–Pisces Love and nurturing of the self, strength to care for others
The crosses are central to the esoteric horoscope. They indicate the predominant emphasis of an individual life—the dominant cross reveals the overall purpose or specific area of focus for a life to have a successful psychological and spiritual outcome. While an individual horoscope will often have one predominant cross that represents the developmental emphasis for that lifetime, this emphasis can shift for a time to to another cross as required by the growth process (e.g. by progression or transit) and as the personal change-crisis-synthesis cycle moves through each phase during a lifetime (EA 350)
The idea is that we cycle backwards around the zodiac, under the general influence of the Mutable Cross, entering through Pisces, and ending repeatedly in Aries, which ends each cycle with the “word of destruction”, until the experience of change and of mutability
(EA 119) have done their work and there is a yearning for stability and a sense of a more enduring selfhood…
Then comes a great process of polarisation and a moment of transference, after which the influence of the Fixed Cross causes reversal and the lessons gained upon the Mutable Cross have to be worked out and the effects demonstrated upon the Fixed Cross. It must not be thought that, in the early stages of unfoldment, experience is gained only through the Mutable Cross. The [individual] lives in and experiences in all the signs, but the influences pouring through the Mutable Cross have a more potent effect … than those pouring in the early stages through the Fixed Cross. It is only when the soul is becoming more alive within the form and the [individual] is aware of… duality that the energies of the Fixed Cross supersede in effectiveness those of the Mutable Cross, just as after the third initiation the energies of the Cardinal Cross begin to control the man and are of more insistent incentive than those of the other two crosses. EA 119-120 (emphasis added)
The three crosses generally underlie our overall experience throughout the process of inner evolution, no matter which signs we are born under. In esoteric astrology, the four signs of each cross eventually become merged in their influence as we progress under so that symbolically the Cross must always become the line and then the point
(EA 130)—first, the two pairs of polar opposite signs are blended, then all four on each cross work as one. This is why it is crucial to determine which cross is dominant in any individual horoscope; not just by numerical analysis, but by the strength of its influence over a person’s life.
The three paths ⇧
In the widest sense, each cross symbolises a specific kind of human response to three sets of cosmic influence (EA 57-58, 144, 415) along the broad long-term sweep of evolution:
- Cardinal
- Path of Initiation or full human potential
- Integrative, consolidation and expansion
- responsiveness to the three major constellations
Transcendence
: freedom from the purely personal life; the personality, form life, and planetary life no longer control.- Fixed
- Path of Growth and integration (conscious development or “discipleship”)
- Active, conscious engagement with growth
- responsiveness to the twelve zodiacal constellations (and corresponding signs)
Transmutation
: desire becomes aspiration… selfishness is transmuted into selflessness.- Mutable
- Path of Evolution and gradual development
- Passive, gained through experience
- responsiveness to planetary influences
Experience
: changing and absorbed action and reaction, karmic control and response to impacts, leading to the awakening of consciousness to the nature of the goal ahead.
Although these paths suggest distinct stages of human development—which is generally true for humanity as a whole—as individuals we tend to experience them cyclically, moving through each area via the signs on each cross until they are all blended and balanced: over a life, throughout lifetimes, or via generations. Ultimately, for humanity (and evolved individuals) on the Cardinal Cross the three rays of aspect and their major constellations are received as behind the influences of both signs and planets. This simplifies the entire process for the initiate who has transcended the purely personal life.
The triple cycle on each cross ⇧
The cycle of Change, Intensity and Synthesis will be familiar to anyone who has chosen—or finds themselves living—a life path that expands consciousness and increases self— and group—awareness, either from deliberate choice or through compelling circumstances. Three key planets—Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter—are indicators of the individual experience on each cross. The three planets “veiled” by the Sun and Moon—Vulcan, Neptune and Uranus—also symbolise the human arena affected by that cross (material, emotional, mental). In a wholistic esoteric interpretation, these six planets focus the overall strength of a cross—and phase within the triple cycle—primarily by placement in the natal chart, but also during transits and progressions. To summarise:
- Mutable—evolution, change
- The Mutable cross represents the day-to-day and largely unconscious process of learning through experience—the phrase “from bitter experience” describes well how this can be unpleasant until we learn to avoid causing pain, or has been repeated often enough for us to start thinking about our actions.
…changing and absorbed Experience … action and of reaction, …karmic control … response to impacts leading to the awakening of consciousness to the nature of the goal ahead.
(EA 144)- Action-Consequence-Knowledge : mutation
- Immediacy—short-term view: if I do/think/say that, there is a result, which I will either avoid if the outcome causes pain, or repeat if the outcome is beneficial. Actions have specific outcomes.
- Indicator: placement of Mercury—response to fluidity
- Veiled planet: Vulcan—refinement of physical life, the body
- Sign Rulerships: orthodox/traditional
- Fixed—learning, crisis
- The Fixed cross represents the conscious development of awareness and the growth process; the path of intentional psychological development where we learn to understand the deeper consequences of our emotions, their impact on relationships with others, and causes within ourselves. Throughout the process we dip in and out of the Mutable (more experience) and Cardinal (breakthroughs in realisation).
Transmutation. Desire becomes aspiration, and selfish behaviour becomes less rewarding than selflessness.
(EA 144)- Challenge-Crisis-Understanding : direction
- Tension—mid-term view: my feelings and reactions have caused a crisis/conflict, which I can only resolve and change in future if I understand why this has happened and learn to moderate or focus my responses honestly.
- Indicator: placement of Saturn—opportunity through challenge
- Veiled planet: Neptune—refinement of feeling life, the emotions
- Sign Rulerships: esoteric/developmental
- Cardinal—wisdom, synthesis
- The Cardinal cross represents the awareness to take deliberate action that may “break the symmetry” of a stable state that has outlived its usefulness, causing transition to a new state, a process summed up well by the phrase “ponder long, then act swiftly” (Roman historian Sallust, 86-34 BC, paraphrased). This can be carried out swiftly and dramatically, or over time with steady persistance until there’s a breakthrough.
Transcendence. Personality life… form life and planetary life no longer control. The [individual] stands free.
(EA 144)- Change-Intensity-Synthesis : initiation
- Persistence—long-term view: intentional changes can cause tension between existing and emerging states, which I resolve by either breaking current patterns, unifying them with new ones, or undergoing a significant paradigm shift.
- Indicator: placement of Jupiter—inclusive unification
- Veiled planet: Uranus—refinement of thought life, the mind
- Sign Rulerships: hierarchical/transpersonal
Exoteric astrology [popular or psychological] deals with the characteristics and qualities of the personality and… the form aspects, and also with… events, happenings, circumstances and the conditioning environment… in the personal horoscope, indicative of planetary control and not of solar control. Esoteric astrology concerns itself primarily with the unfoldment of consciousness, …the impacts which awaken it to the peculiar “gifts” of any particular sign and ray endowment and with the reaction of the individual and their consequent enrichment through… response to the influence of a sign, working through the esoteric planets from the angle of humanitarian awareness, discipleship and initiation. This deals basically with experience from the angle of the three Crosses: first, mutation, then direction, and finally initiation. Increasingly, these three Crosses will take a prominent place in astrological delineation. (EA 145 edited)
The personal points and the crosses ⇧
Alan Leo connects the three personal points (Asc-Sun-Moon) to the Cardinal-Fixed-Mutable crosses (Leo, A., The Art of Synthesis, p167) and while this can be seen as an overall correspondence, each personal point is experienced in different ways on each of the crosses until after the third initiation, at which point the kind of “lunar influences” that pull us into habitual and reactive behaviours are more or less behind us, and its influence on our behaviour wanes.
Esoteric Astrology: 350, 480