Outer Planets, Inner Patterns
On the historical discoveries of Uranus-Neptune-Pluto, their assimilation into modern astrological tradition, and the meaning of their influence in a developmental context
This essay was written in anticipation of the upcoming transit of Pluto in Aquarius, in order to build a broader context for understanding outer planets. A detailed examination of the Pluto-Aquarius cycle can be found in “Pluto in Aquarius”.
I. Cycles of Development
The outer planets—Uranus, Neptune, Pluto—were later discoveries in the astrological traditions of the world. Each planet was discovered in the last three centuries, respectively—Uranus in the 18th century, Neptune in the 19th century, and Pluto in the 20th century. Astrologers have suggested that the discovery of each planet reflects the emergence of its archetypal meaning in the collective psyche.
Astrology makes meaning out of cycles. The observation of cycles—seasonal, calendrical, and astronomical—is embedded in an agrarian worldview, where the advent of agriculture led to a cyclical conception of human relatedness to the natural world and extended cosmos. In this context, any observable cycle has meaning, including the cycles of the outer planets. Astrology examines the relationships between cycles—individual, collective, and cosmic. The interaction between the cycles of Heaven and Earth became the axis of interpreted influence, the future-oriented mindset of prediction, and an emerging definition of health as a cyclical harmony between inner and outer worlds.
If we look at the outer planets, we observe that Uranus moves through a zodiac sign in 7-year cycles,1 Neptune in 14-year cycles, and Pluto anywhere from 11.5 - 30.5 years. According to Adi Da, the concept of a seven-year cycle of development is an ancient idea found in spiritual cultures:
In the traditions of spiritual culture, the development of a human being has commonly been described in terms of seven stages, each spanning a period of seven years.2
Adi Da points to seven-year cycles as a developmental schema of stages which he refers to as the “seven stages of life”. These seven stages of life correlate with anatomical structures of unfoldment. In the following passage, he notes a correspondence between the “seven stages” and the seven chakras:
The seven primary centers of the human body-mind relate to the seven primary levels of adaptation, integration, and Realization in the case of Man. Adaptation to the whole of existence via each of these centers in succession is the native Process of growth for which we are fitted by virtue of our inherent structure.3
The 14-year cycles of Neptune are an extension of 7-year cycles, where two cycles are effectively nested within one larger cyclical movement. The irregularity of Pluto’s movements defies a convenient identification of a regular cycle, a quality that is perhaps reflective of Pluto’s disruptive influence in general. Keeping in mind the cyclical influences of planets, we will now look to the historical discovery of the outer planets, their observable influence on cultural cycles of change, and their subsequently derived meanings.
II. Historical Discovery, Cultural Revolution, and Archetypal Meanings
According to cultural historian and astrologer, Richard Tarnas, the discovery of Uranus in 1781 corresponded to the age of Enlightenment, the American and French Revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, and the beginning of Romanticism. Tarnas associates Uranus with what he calls a “Promethean archetype”, the qualities of which he posits are evident in the revolutionary and creative cultural atmosphere of the late 18th century.4 Astrologically, Uranus can also be seen in resonance with the Sun—initiation, creative realization, and brilliance. As a solar archetype, Uranus reflects the qualities of change, rebellion, revolution, breakthrough, insight, individuation, innovation, and invention.
Neptune was discovered in 1846, an imaginative period in history that saw the rise of spirituality and a utopian social outlook. Tarnas notes the “widespread cultural influence of Transcendentalism” and a “new popular interest in both Eastern mystical and Western esoteric traditions” following the discovery of Neptune. The archetypal meaning of Neptune is associated with the union of opposites, communion with the Divine, and the imaginative world of dreams. While Uranus is a fundamentally solar archetype, Neptune is a lunar archetype. The Moon represents the mind, the fluid nature of the psyche, and ebb and flow of life. Neptune is similarly described with fluid metaphors—as Poseidon, ruler of the seas; as the “infinite sea of imagination”, as the “ocean of divine consciousness”, and “the archetypal wellspring of life”.5
The discovery of Pluto in 1930 was followed by the splitting of the atom (in 1932), the advent of nuclear power, the rise of fascism, world wars, and general ecological and cultural destruction. These events reflect the archetypal nature of Pluto as Śiva—the destroyer, the alchemist, the wrathful god. Tarnas correlates Pluto with Dionysian archetypes, the Freudian id, and Nietzsche’s will to power. In this sense, Pluto can be seen as Śiva and Śakti, death and rebirth, catharsis and transformation, Consciousness and Energy. Tarnas correlates Pluto with a number of deities—Hades, Persephone, Medusa, Pan, Medusa, Lilith, Innana, Isis and Osiris, the volcano goddess Pele, Quetzalcoatl, Kundalini, Śiva, and Kālī.6 The fiery themes of Pluto can also be seen as extending the qualities of Mars and its signs, Aries and Scorpio.
The use and interpretation of outer planets has not been incorporated into the Indian astrological tradition as a whole. However, some practitioners of Vedic astrology consider the outer planets to be valuable and necessary additions to natal horoscopy and transit interpretations. Ernst Wilhelm correlates the trinity of Uranus-Neptune-Pluto with the Purānic trimūrti of Brahma-Vishnu-Śiva—where Brahma / Uranus represent the force of creation, Vishnu / Neptune represent the force of sustenance, and Śiva / Pluto represent the force of destruction.7 We can note that wherever a conceptual trinity is found, it can often be correlated with other existing trinities. The coupling of Uranus-Neptune-Pluto with Sun-Moon-Mars is a correlation based on numerological trinities, just as Uranus-Neptune-Pluto correlate comfortably with the concept of trimūrti.
We can now approach a summary meaning of the outer planets, East and West, as follows: Uranus-Sun-Creation; Neptune-Moon-Communion; Pluto-Mars-Destruction.
III. Points of Influence: Visibility, Invisibility, and Shadow Planets
As an observational science, astrology has always been limited to the constraints of celestial visibility. The classical seven planets (Sun - Saturn) were visible to the naked eye of ancient astrologers, but the invention of the telescope has since expanded the horizons of our perception. This brings the once unseen outer planets into the realm of visibility, and thereby into the collective psyche.
The concept of non-visible planets is found in the classical texts of Indian astrology, where invisible planets are classified as upagrāha—literally “secondary planet”. A variant term, chāyagrāha—“shadow planet”—is sometimes used interchangeably. Upagrāha are not heavenly bodies, but mathematical points of intersection. The Phaladīpika lists nine such upagrāhas: māndi, yamakaṇṭaka, ardhaprahāra, kāla, dhūma, vyatipāta, paridhi, indradhanu, and upaketu.8 Aside from yamakaṇṭaka (who confers the influence of Jupiter), but the remaining eight upagrāhas are regarded as malefic influences The lunar nodes—rāhu and ketu—are examples of upagrāha / chāyagrāha that are uniquely incorporated into the primary Indian schema of nine planets (Sun-Saturn, rāhu, ketu). The addition of outer planets could represent another context and usage of upagrāha where an invisible influence is not a mathematical point of intersection but is a planet unobservable to the naked eye.
The concept of non-visible planets establishes astrology as a study of influences rather than things. This understanding is further reflected in the Sanskrit term graha—commonly translated as “planet”, but literally meaning “that which seizes”. Graha also establishes a multi-dimensional framework for astrology, in which planets are not seen as literal causative agents, but archetypes of correlative influence that communicate in a priorly unified network of macrocosmic-microcosmic interactions. Therefore, outer planets can be easily accommodated—epistemologically and ontologically—within the framework of Indian astrology.
This brings us to the larger question of ongoing planetary discovery and its impact on astrology. Will astrologers continue to incorporate more planets into their practice? Tarnas sees the incorporation of additional planets as possible but requiring of empirical observation:
The discovery in the past several years of small planet-like objects in the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto . . . are too recent for adequate assessments to have been made concerning possible empirical correlations or their potential significance. The resulting reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet does not affect the archetypal meaning that astrologers have consistently observed to coincide with its movements. However, the newly discovered bodies appearing at the beginning of the new millennium . . . serve well to remind both astronomers and astrologers of the still-expanding horizon of our knowledge of our own solar system.9
IV. Outer Planets, Inner Nodes: Currents of Involution and Evolution
In considering the subtler ranges of astrological influence, I have always turned to the lunar nodes, rāhu and ketu. In Indian astrology, the lunar nodes represent a serpentine archetype of transformation, as seen in the processes of Kundalini Yoga and its cross-cultural variants.10 The lunar nodes thus indicate the evolutionary path of individual consciousness, a path that can be seen in both yogic and psychological terms. In the context of yoga, the lunar nodes represent the “serpent power”, or Kundalini Shakti. When awakened, this serpentine power uncoils at the base of the spine and rises through the suṣumṇā nāḍī (analagous to the spinal column) where it unites with the cosmic source-energy in the crown chakra (sahasrāra). When viewed psychologically, Kundalini Yoga symbolizes the emergence of the unconscious to consciousness. Thus, we can also see the lunar nodes as psychological archetypes of the psyche, the shadow, and the process of individuation.11
The south node (ketu) represents the unconscious totality—which extends temporally into an unknowable karmic past that nonetheless shapes the present and future. The north node (rāhu) represents the emergence of the unconscious from latency and into the present surface of consciousness. The dynamic interaction between the lunar nodes is a fundamental polarity. Wherever there is polarity, there is tension and conflict. The resolution of polarity surfaces as a primary developmental concern, either by way of a union of opposites or an alchemical transformation of opposites. This is why the lunar nodes move through the zodiac as spatial and divisional opposites.
If the lunar nodes symbolize an upward / evolutionary vector of human growth, then I propose that the outer planets symbolize a downward / involutionary vector of development. If kundalini yoga is an example of evolution, then what is an example of involution? One key difference is that evolution proceeds from the lower to the higher and involution moves from higher to lower. The involutionary influence is powerfully embodied in the traditional Guru-function, where a higher Realization is brought into the context of the yet un-Enlightened individual. Adi Da proposes that there is no ascent without descent, and that the senior traditions12 of Kundalini yoga require an initiatory transmission from a Guru known as śaktipāta—śakti means “cosmic energy” and pāta means “to fall”. Thus, śaktipāta indicates a spiritual transmission that descends, or falls, upon the devotee.13 The act of spiritual transmission from teacher to disciple is also known as anugraha, literally “graceful influence”.
The Guru represents all three universal forces—creation, sustenance, and destruction. The Guru creates a path to Realization, nourishes the devotee with graceful influence (anugraha), and destroys the illusions of separate self with the spiritual transmission of Reality. If we correlate the outer planets with involutionary influences—whether spiritual, psychological, or cultural—then we open a new context of astrological interpretation. In examining the charts of spiritual aspirants or devotees, I have noticed a pattern: the historical meeting of a devotee with their Guru typically occurs during a notable outer planet transit.
Using myself as an example, I became a devotee of Adi Da during the following transits: a very tight Uranus-Moon conjunction in Pisces within 1 degree of my 8th house cusp, Neptune-Rāhu conjunction in Aquarius within a degree of my 7th house cusp, and a Ketu-Venus conjunction in my 1st house. This means the influence of the Guru appeared in my life amidst two significant outer planet transits and a nodal return. Uranus-Moon in Pisces transiting the 8th house cusp can be interpreted as an inner spiritual revolution of an esoteric nature. Neptune-Rahu in Aquarius transiting the 7th house cusp indicates the birth of a new union and relationship that is evolutionary in nature. And Ketu-Venus conjunction transiting the 1st house shows a bodily awakening of devotion and the likelihood of a karmic component to these events. In retrospect, finding my Guru dramatically altered the course of my life in every way.
Yet, this does not necessarily mean that these aforementioned planets / transits actually caused these events in my life. Rather, they coincided with those events. This illustrates a root-view of astrology—that planetary movements are a mirror of influences, points in a complex grid of consciousness that reflect a range of phenomenal happenings in an intimately related universe.
V. New Frontiers in a Living Tradition
The discovery and usage of outer planets in Eastern and Western astrological traditions reflects the nature of astrology as a living tradition that grows in the context of human culture. If we continue to expand our astrological horizons, then we will account for new ranges of influence, and be able to position them in a broader context of meaning and influence. New frontiers are endlessly possible in an ever-expanding cosmos and multi-dimensional psyche. Outer planets now have a relatively established and confirmed meaning among astrologers, but there is still more to discover. I think it is especially valuable to consider the outer planets, not as an isolated paradigm, but as influences that interact in the context of planetary dynamics as a whole. Careful observation and intelligent meaning-making will only enrich the universal core of astrological tradition, across systems and cultures, and throughout time and space.
In conclusion, I offer some questions for further discussion:
Should astrologers use outer planets?
Have you observed a correlation between major events and outer planet transits in your own life?
If you are an astrologer: do you use outer planets and if so in what ways? I’m equally interested to hear from those who choose not to use outer planets and their reasons why.
Should outer planets be viewed in natal chart interpretations or should they be seen only in the context of transits? Even more, should outer planets be restricted to the provinces of mundane astrology or applied in individual contexts as well?
Seven-year cycles can also be seen in the movements of Saturn. Sāḍhe-sātī is an Indian astrological concept that refers to a 7.5 year period that commences when Saturn enters the zodiac sign immediately previous to the sign of the natal Moon placement.
John, Bubba Free. The Enlightenment of the Whole Body : A rational and new prophetic revelation of the truth of religion, esoteric spirituality, and the divine destiny of man. Dawn Horse Press, 1978; 206.
Ibid, 210. Note that Adi Da’s seven-stage-of-life schema has been revised and updated since the publication of The Enlightenment of the Whole Body in 1978. A conclusive and current presentation of the seven stages of life paradigm can be found in “God-Talk, Real-God-Realization, and the Seven Possible Stages of Life”, Part Four of The Aletheon.
Tarnas, Richard. Cosmos and Psyche : Intimations of a New World View. Plume, 2007; 92-95.
Ibid, 96-98.
Ibid, 98-99.
The inclusion of the post-Vedic trimūrti paradigm in the context of classical Indian astrology is one of many examples where a thoroughly post-Vedic paradigm has been incorporated into a supposedly “Vedic” tradition of practice. For this reason, “Vedic astrology”—as a common descriptor of contemporary Indian astrological practice—is an inaccurate reference for a tradition that now extends significantly beyond historically Vedic conceptions. I propose “Indian Astrology” as a more accurate reference, but concede that the usage of “Vedic Astrology” is now ubiquitous and too well-established among practitioners, students, and the general public.
Ojha, Gopesh Kumar. Phaladeepika Bhavarthbodhani. Motilal Banarsidas, 2020.
Tarnas, Richard. Cosmos and Psyche : Intimations of a New World View. Plume, 2007; 100.
Notable parallels exist between Indian Kundalini Yoga, Tibetan tummo practice, and Daoist Inner Alchemy (neidan). This is to say that evolutionary and ascending yogic practices are found across cultures and even in different forms within a single cultural context (such as the Kundalini Yoga of Swami Muktananda and the Kriya Yoga of Paramahamsa Yogananda).
See C.G. Jung’s psychological interpretation of Kundalini Yoga in The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga.
Adi Da distinguishes between “lesser” and “greater” traditions of Kundalini Yoga. Within his schema, the “lesser” tradition is characterized by the self-stimulated ascent of natural energy (prāna) while the “greater” tradition is characterized by the spiritual transmission of Divine Shakti. A key distinction is the difference between prāna and śakti—Adi Da regards prāna as “natural life-energy” and śakti as spiritual energy. Also, in the lesser tradition, the individual stimulates the prānic force through breathing and meditation practices, whereas the greater tradition relies upon spiritual transmission (śaktipāta) from a Guru—an initiatory transmission of spiritual energy that awakens the devotee. In my schema, the lesser tradition is seen as evolutionary and the greater tradition as involutionary. See “The Lesser and Greater Traditions Associated with the Kundalini Shakti” in The Pneumaton.
A Western parallel can be found in Christian descriptions of the descent of the Holy Spirit.
It's a fascinating topic for us starry-minded folk. I'll say that the outer planets are not used within my Jyotish lineage, and thus far I have had plenty to chew on without looking beyond Saturn--but neither do I discount the power or relevance of Uranus-Neptune-Pluto, and I feel that a living tradition such as Jyotish will eventually come to embrace them (and in some quarters already has).