When the human Hierarchy is fully awakened to spiritual and not simply material possibilities, then the work of Jupiter will immediately intensity and this beneficent ruler will lead the human family into the ways of peace and progress.

—Alice A. Bailey
Esoteric Astrology, p. 264

In this Sagittarius issue we shall examine the esoteric function of the “greater benefic”, in order to see how Jupiter functions when in aspect to the other planets in the solar system.

The Tibetan Master, D.K. who along with Alice Bailey, wrote “Esoteric Astrology”, tells us that astrology is the science of “effective energies”. What this Teacher means by this is that the planets, signs, houses, and aspects represent fields and forces that are alive! Astrology is the study of how the living substance of the universe is at work in your life. In this respect, astrology shows us that each of us is an integral part of the cosmos. You are an expression in human form, of the one Life in Whom “we live and breathe and have our being”, as it says in the Ancient Wisdom. When you look at your horoscope, you are therefore seeing a moment of Divine Manifestation (your birth!) through the lens of this ancient science.

There is a very good set of general guidelines to follow in a Soul-Centered interpretation of a chart:

1. Planets in square, opposition, and inconjunction are indicative of karmic patterns and energy interchanges in need of reorientation and/or balance.
2. When planets are in sextile or trine with one another, their energies (including the particular facets of the Rays which work through the planets) are harmoniously linked.
3. A profound understanding of the planets is necessary to understand the degree of harmony or disharmony indicated by the variable nature of the conjunction. What is important to notice is that if the faster moving of the two planets is direct and ahead of the slower planet (a “separating conjunction”), a karmic cycle between those bodies is beginning in this incarnation. When this occurs, the conjunction gives an opportunity to fuse, blend, and consequently birth some new pattern of relationships between the planets in question. If the faster moving of the two bodies is direct and behind the slower one (an “applying conjunction”), a karmic cycle between these two planets is ending in this incarnation. All possible patterns of planetary interconnectedness, i.e. all possible geometric aspects, have already been expressed. This so-called “balsamic conjunction” thus points to the synthesis and results of this planetary voyage of relationship. The full karmic implications of retrogradation are best left for another article, but one thing can be said at this time: when one (or both!) of the planets in a conjunction is in retrograde, the work and implications of those planets must be more consciously reviewed by the individual in question. and efforts intensified in this incarnation for their positive expression.
4. In this and in every facet of soul-centered astrology, the nature of the Rays involved have to be taken into consideration.
5. As the nature of one’s orientation to the soul and its goals and purposes increases, the influence of the aspects themselves decreases and the presence of the Rays themselves are more clearly perceived and experienced.

In traditional astrology, we learn that the function of Jupiter when in aspect to any of the other planets is to expand. We have read that the positive aspects of Jupiter bring breath and scope of vision, give material and other forms of abundance or when in a water sign, add depth and compassion to one’s nature. We also know that the difficult aspects of Jupiter indicate waste, over idealism, and the tendency to squander resources. All of this is certainly true and should be understood to be functioning in a soul-centered interpretation as well. But we should also understand that from the soul.-centered perspective, the primary purpose of Jupiter is to fuse and unite all of the dualities existing in the lower self, or between the lower and the Higher Self, into a unity of focus. This fusion, this unification produces wisdom, and wisdom is Jupiter’s greatest gift. Jupiter is pure Second Ray, and its influence adds cohesiveness and heart qualities to whatever planet it touches and in what ever area of the chart it may be found. As it bestows wisdom, Jupiter also seeks to fuse wisdom with love, thus fulfilling the nature and karma of the Ray of Consciousness.

As you read the following paragraphs, please note that the symbols (+) indicates the trine and sextile, (-) points to the effects of the square, opposition, and the inconjunction, and (c) speaks about the conjunction.

Jupiter and the Sun: This is a very potent combination in the horoscope of a soul-centered individual. Both these bodies emanate the Second Ray and thus aspects between them result in its dynamic expression. This combination, especially the (c), indicates a person who would tend to serve humanity as a teacher or a counselor. In some cases, especially when this combination were in earthy signs, the field of economics and finances would be the arena of service. No matter what the element of the sign or signs involved, Jupiter/Sun aspects reveal a person with a profound love of knowledge and it is the love that turns this knowledge into wisdom. The (+) as well as the (c) usually endow the individual with abundant physical vitality as well as a generous and compassionate nature. Jupiter and the Sun work to blend and fuse any differences in human belief systems into a single expression of Love/Wisdom. When these spheres are in the (-) aspects, there is a tendency to become blinded by the urge for unity and those become blind to the importance of recognizing the differences one is seeking to fuse. There is often an overabundance of optimism and if the personality dynamics are too strong, a sense of self-righteousness and egocentricity. The heart must be brought into harmony with one’s vision and ideals and all of the latter have to be blended into a world view that transcends individual opinions and prejudices.

Jupiter and the Moon: This is a combination of Second and Fourth Ray forces that when positive, serve to blend many of the oppositional and dualistic forces at work in our daily lives. One of the most common of these is the battle between the meaning of the various forms of life and the attachment to those forms themselves. This is very much like loving or hating, desiring or being repulsed by a painting or a person without understanding the nature of the energies and forces that work through the form of that picture or individual. When acting in the life of a soul-centered individual, the (+) and (c) aspects of Jupiter and the Moon allow a person to have an immediate understanding of the meaning of form. When the energy of these planets are centered in the heart, they provide the ability to see the presence of Love in all forms of life and endow a person with an enormous sense of nurturing compassion. The are also very helpful in the right use of material resources. The (-) aspects of Jupiter and the Moon indicate great restlessness and frustration in finding the correct forms for the expression of one’s ideals and finer emotions. There can also be a tendency towards wasteful excess and a consistent dissatisfaction with the anchoring of one’s sense of a higher life purpose.

Jupiter and Mercury: These planets govern the Mutable Cross on the level of the personality as they are the rulers of Sagittarius and Pisces, Gemini and Virgo respectively. As the energies of Jupiter and Mercury evolve into greater cohesion with the purpose of the soul in the present incarnation, the experiences obtained through the personality become ever more fused and blended with this higher objective. These two planets also combine the energies of Rays Two and Four. The focus here however is less on the forms of feelings or the material world, and more on the nature of the development of the mind. The purpose is to so expand the mind that it is capable of an increased loving and inclusive perception of reality. The mind then can capture the vision of the Higher Self and communicate it into a waiting world. The separating (c) is a clear indication that this moving out to communicate the reality of the higher mind is to take place in the present incarnation. The applying (c) tells the astrologer that a great deal of life experienced is returning to the individual in this incarnation. It returns so that the Higher Self/Mind may absorb, digest, and assimilate it. The (+) aspects reveal an inner understanding from the soul level about the nature of what we may call, the “Science of Soul Control”. This is when there is a balance and integration between the lower and higher selves so that knowledge and wisdom, mind and heart, may be integrated and then fused with the will of the soul. The (-) aspects show conflict within the process of such fusion and a tendency maintain, sustain, and identify with duality. This is especially true if either or both of these planets are in mutable signs.

Jupiter and Venus: This is one of the most beautiful of all planetary combinations. Jupiter’s function in the fusion and blending of dualities is given a tremendous “helping hand” when in contact with Venus. The (c) and (+) aspects stimulate the spiritual purpose standing behind all relationships. When these aspects are in the chart of a soul-centered individual, they quicken the quality of rapport, lifting it up from the personal to the transpersonal, allowing a lot more creativity and service to flow as a result. Although the (-) aspects may still carry many of these benefits and blessings, the mental fusion needed for the one-pointedness of the soul’s expression in life is challenged. Refinement in this respect is thus called for in the present lifetime. At times, the (-) aspects between Jupiter and Venus can lead to confusion between personal idealism and the more expansive and inclusive expression of the group within which the individual soul-centered individual functions.

Jupiter and Mars: When these two planets combine properly, a very potent and incredibly loving energy is created. This is the fusion of the Second and the Sixth Rays and is the embodiment of what we call the “Spiritual Warrior”. This is the man or woman who does battle under the banner of Love/Wisdom. When Mars is in (+) aspect with Jupiter, the Sixth ray influence works to add devotion to one’s steps along the Path. Courage is then seen to blend with idealism in order to increase the presence of Love/Consciousness in the world. When devotion is blind and the battles are fought under the illusion of self-sacrifice, we can note the presence of the (-) aspects, or the expression of Mars/Jupiter through the personality of the individual, no matter what the quality of the planetary contact.

Jupiter and Saturn: This potent influence allows the structures and perimeters of the mind to channel the energy of Love/Wisdom into the body of our legal system and economic life. This is due to the combined effects of Rays Two and Three. Soul-centered individuals who have these contacts in their charts are very much involved with the teaching and administration of those systems that allow for the highest codes of ethics to reach others. This function is made all the easier through the (+) and (c) aspects between these two bodies. The (-) and (c) aspects however, when operating from the level of the personality, reveal the conflicts that occur in life when the nature of mental patterns and structures come into conflict with the more fluid and encompassing energies of Love/Wisdom. The fusing energies of Jupiter are thereby inhibited and cannot be easily released as a result of mental stoppages or, what is called in esoteric terminology—crystallized thought forms. This problem is especially present when Saturn is in a fixed sign.

Jupiter and Uranus: Here we have the combination of the esoteric and exoteric rulers of the sign Aquarius. When the Seventh Ray energies of Uranus join with the Second Ray force of Jupiter, we have what the Tibetan Teacher calls a fusion of “planets of beneficent consummation”. Sounds great and it is! When in a soul-centered chart in (+) aspect, they indicate a person who can distribute and share the energies of the coming Age. This leads to the distribution of information on planetary levels and the consequent fusion and blending of humanity. As the Tibetan might say at this point, please “ponder on this”. One could say that the world wide web is one product of this combination. It is interesting to note that the last (c) of Uranus and Jupiter occurred in February of 1997 at 5º of Aquarius. Those children born with this (c) will certainly embody the collective spirit of the times. The (-) aspects instill the same urge for the sharing of information and universal understanding, but there is often an inconsistency of approach and often a conflict of doctrines, making both personal and collective fusion much more difficult to achieve.

Jupiter and Neptune: This is potentially one of the most spiritually uplifting of all planetary combinations, blending as it does the energy of Love/Wisdom with devotion (Sixth Ray) to the Christ Principle. When operating from the level of the soul, these aspects bestow a tremendous healing gift as well as an amazing level of compassion. The (+) aspects serve to keep the focus of this spiritualization of consciousness in harmony and balance. The (-) aspects often exaggerate devotion and add false idealism into the picture. Disappointments occur in life when one’s false idols come crashing down to earth. Spiritual illusions, known as “glamors” in esoteric literature, often accompany the more difficult of Jupiter’s and Neptune’s aspects. The (c) intensifies the process of the fusion of these two planets, resulting in either greater illumination or greater illusion depending on the level of consciousness of the individual concerned.

Jupiter and Pluto: A most powerful joining of planets as Jupiter and Pluto manifest the Second and the First Rays respectively. This combination serves to destroy any doctrinal barriers to the integration of the lower and Higher selves. This is a person who will serve to birth, transform, and expand the spiritual concepts in people’s minds and hearts. When in the (-), this process can be done too forcefully and there is always the danger that one is too attached to one’s own belief system to creatively bring about a universality of belief. The (c) is an especially potent and deep pool of spiritual resources stored in the higher mind of the soul-centered individual. The (+) aspects lead one to those experiences that consistently regenerate one’s own and other people’s spiritual awareness. It can be the indication of a teacher of the Path but only when accompanied by the urge to serve and the willingness to hear the Voice of the Silence.