Sephirotic Assignment of the Modern Planets

Although I'm not sure the Golden Dawn knowledge papers tackled this subject, Aleister Crowley certainly did, as did his spiritual descendants (Duquette comes to mind). As both an astrologer and a student of hermetic qabalah, I've often challenged myself with this conundrum and eventually came up with a schema that makes sense to me. I'd like to throw it out for comment here.

The question is how to assign the "modern" (outer) planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto to the sephiroth on the Tree of Life. I believe the Golden Dawn assigned the Primum Mobile to Kether, the Sphere of the Zodiac to Chokmah and nothing to the hidden sphere Daath (possibly because Pluto hadn't been discovered yet, so the "set" wasn't complete). Later writers mixed these ingredients around a bit, sometimes assigning Uranus to Kether and sometimes Neptune. None of these writers really explained the rationale for their attributions, at least not to my satisfaction. While such assignment isn't crucial to working with the Tree, it imparts a pleasingly rational sense of completeness and symmetry (e.g. 10 spheres ruled by 10 zodiacal "planets," with the Earth as Malkuth).

I've thought about it quite a bit over the years. To me, the one "no-brainer" seems to be Neptune as a shoo-in for Daath since it has much about it that is hidden, concealed, amorphous, nebulous, vague, etc. I give Uranus to Chokmah since it is the ruler of astrology according to modern authorities, and astrology at its most basic is the study of the sphere of the zodiac. Also, Chokmah represents the Father, and Uranus was "Father Sky" (the domain of the zodiac) in Greek mythology, paired with Gaia, "Mother Earth" (Binah/Saturn), and also the father of Cronus/Saturn. That leaves Pluto for Kether. Pluto is the "jumping off" place for any journey into the "limitlessness" of interstellar space, and by its highly eccentric elliptical orbit it communicates more intimately with the void than any of the other planetary bodies, much as Kether stands (figuratively, anyway) in relationship to the Ain Soph Aur. (For the record, I ignore known and postulated asteroids/"dwarf-planets" and other "traveling gravel" flying around out there.)

This has been my working hypothesis for the last 35 years or so. I would really appreciate other reasoned opinions.

I thought about such things for awhile but finally decided to stick with the classical Planets. For example, I'm prejudiced against including Daath in a Tree of Life diagram, even as an invisible non-Sephirah, so your Neptune would be absent. Also, the assigment of Earth to Malkuth recognizes Earth as a Planet and therefore, in effect, switches us to a non-geocentric model of the solar system. If we go with the heliocentric model, we lose the Sun (and, strictly speaking, the Moon also) as a Planet. (Although, admittedly there is something to be said for having Sun/Tiphareth as the center, or at least a focus of elliptical orbits.) I decided that the way of least resistance is the usual mystical geocentric system with the Ptolemaic Planets. Introducing modern astronomy creates more problems than it solves, IMHO. Otherwise, your assignment of Pluto, Uranus, Neptune to Kether, Chokmah, Daath, seems to be well worked-out.

Crowley had this to say in 777 revised, Column VI The Heavens of Assiah:

Aleister Crowley said:

2. Masloth......

It must be remarked that since above the Abyss a thing is only true so far as it contains it's contradictions in itself, the attributions of the planets above the Abyss cannot be so definite as those below. Each of them can in a way be attributed to any of the Supernals, and each may be given to any for contradictory reasons. It cannot be too strongly pointed out to the practical Magician that when he comes to work with ideas above the Abyss, the whole character of his operations is completely changed.

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Aeon418 said:

Crowley had this to say in 777 revised, Column VI The Heavens of Assiah:

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Yes, I'm familiar with this quote. But just because it's shaky ground doesn't mean it isn't edifying to contemplate it. Although I tend to agree with LRichard that the traditional assignments are best, I've seen that various writers have tried to move the outer planets around to suit their own vision, and from an astrological correspondence standpoint I haven't been convinced of the suitability of their results.

LRichard said:

I thought about such things for awhile but finally decided to stick with the classical Planets. For example, I'm prejudiced against including Daath in a Tree of Life diagram, even as an invisible non-Sephirah, so your Neptune would be absent. Also, the assigment of Earth to Malkuth recognizes Earth as a Planet and therefore, in effect, switches us to a non-geocentric model of the solar system. If we go with the heliocentric model, we lose the Sun (and, strictly speaking, the Moon also) as a Planet. (Although, admittedly there is something to be said for having Sun/Tiphareth as the center, or at least a focus of elliptical orbits.) I decided that the way of least resistance is the usual mystical geocentric system with the Ptolemaic Planets. Introducing modern astronomy creates more problems than it solves, IMHO. Otherwise, your assignment of Pluto, Uranus, Neptune to Kether, Chokmah, Daath, seems to be well worked-out.

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Assigning Earth to Malkuth isn't wholly my personal assumption, I most certainly read it somewhere. I've never really considered the heliocentric versus geocentric distinction since it always seemed that the model was analyzed from an external perspective by most writers. But it brings to mind the discussion we had a year or so ago about whether - for the purpose of biological attributions - Adam Kadmon should be viewed as standing inside the Tree facing out, or outside facing in. I prefer the former since it positions Geburah/Mars, on the Pillar of Severity, as the "strong right arm" (sword arm), with Chesed/Jupiter as the hand of Mercy, dispensing largesse and administering healing. (Oops, went OT in my own thread . . .) Jump right in on this if you like, my "qabalah bone" has atrophied a bit over the years since I was last deeply engaged.

Hmmm ... I think I agree with all of the above. Matching those 'extra' planets up with the 'unnattributed' sephiroth seemed a step as logical as attributing the 22 letters to the 22 trumps. In the past I tried various arrangements including the one in post #1 above. That seems fine to me (as long as it fits with the rest of your 'magical view of the Universe').

But as time goes on I become more refined / eccentric. The Tree I now use for certain things (and there I use the traditional zodiacal attributions). A fuller astrological scheme (including the outer planets) I use for other things. The 'Tree' (or scheme or diagram) I use that has the outer planets on it is a different tree to the Qabbalistic one; the top triangle is the outer planets, a path comes 'down' from that triangle and crosses the path of the Saturn Jupiter 'gate' continuing to the Sun at the centre of the 'Tree', continuing to Mercury that is the top of the second triangle with Mars and Venus at its base and the Moon in the centre of that triangle. That works really well for me. Also I find that it seems to fit with most peoples 'astrological personality map'.

The scheme in post #1 is fine but I dont personally relate to the statements about Neptune as I have a very different personal relationship with Neptune and I have found that some give a varient attribution to the outer planets with the upper sephiroth depending on their 'personal relationship' (or natal aspects) with those outer planets.

ravenest said:

I dont personally relate to the statements about Neptune as I have a very different personal relationship with Neptune and I have found that some give a varient attribution to the outer planets with the upper sephiroth depending on their 'personal relationship' (or natal aspects) with those outer planets.

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Having a close personal experience of Neptune's "vibration" is fairly unique, since it is considered one of the "generational" planets, and usually means you have strong natal aspects between Neptune and your personal planets and/or Ascendant or Midheaven. Either that or you are an "evolved soul" that can get in touch with the outer planet energies directly with no mediation. (I understand that well since I have Neptune as the apex planet of a Sun-Neptune-Moon T-square.) As the modern ruler (some say co-ruler with Jupiter) of Pisces, Neptune is responsible for the "transcendental" qualities of that sign that often manifest externally as a "turning away" from the hard-nosed, workaday world. This is why Pisceans have a reputation for being one of the most inscrutable of the signs, and also one of the least practical. This is what I was using as my reference point in my Tree of Life arrangement. Thanks for your feedback.

ravenest said:

The 'Tree' (or scheme or diagram) I use that has the outer planets on it is a different tree to the Qabbalistic one; the top triangle is the outer planets, a path comes 'down' from that triangle and crosses the path of the Saturn Jupiter 'gate' continuing to the Sun at the centre of the 'Tree', continuing to Mercury that is the top of the second triangle with Mars and Venus at its base and the Moon in the centre of that triangle. That works really well for me. Also I find that it seems to fit with most peoples 'astrological personality map'.

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Fascinating. I'm trying to envision this; is the following diagram a close approximation? (I used "X" for the outer planets since I'm not sure what you put where.) The other thing I'm not sure of is whether the upper triangle should be upright as shown, or inverted. In considering where I might put the outer planets in this layout, I think I would line Neptune up above Jupiter and Venus since they are different aspects of the same thing, with Uranus above Saturn and Mars for their strong affinities, and still keep Pluto at the apex (for basis, I've always considered Pluto to be the "sun behind the sun" as some mystics state, which is another reason I forgot in my first post for placing it in Kether).

.................X.....................
........................................
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...X..............................X....
........................................
...Sa............................Ju...
........................................
........................................
.................Su....................
.........................................
.........................................
.................Me....................
.........................................
.........................................
.................Mo....................
.........................................
...Ma............................Ve...

Ravenest, it surely would be nice if you could provide some sort of graphic of your tree, including the planetary attributions, as I'm apparently too dense to follow your description. Of course, if you wish not to share it, that's perfectly okay.

LRichard said:

Ravenest, it surely would be nice if you could provide some sort of graphic of your tree, including the planetary attributions, as I'm apparently too dense to follow your description. Of course, if you wish not to share it, that's perfectly okay.

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That would be nice but apparently I am too dense to to be able to post graphics (or pics or .... I am NOT mod tech savvy .... very old school ... only had my own laptop a few months , live in a cabin on the edge of rainforest, no mains electricity (generate my own and recharge laptop via a small portible inverter ... and so on). A few years back I was forced to get a mobile phone for work as I was one of two people out of 6oo on the crew who didnt have a phone number listed - and the other was the executive producer

In any case Barlywine has it above. Here is what I would add; Pluto at top , Uranus on the left side (as you look at it - not as you 'stand in it' ) Neptune on the right [being 'higher' or 'collective' aspects of the inner planets below them]. One could swap sides of each 'column' if they wanted to, again depending on if you are looking at the arrangement or 'standing' in it.

So those upper three are joined to form a tiangle (each point I show as a circle with the glyph of the planet in it). From the base of that triangle a line extends towards the Sun (again a circle with the glyph of the Sun in it). Midway along that line from the base of the upper triangle to the top of the Sun circle is a crossed path or line extending to the two circles with Jupiter and Saturn. This 'bi-polar' gateway is sorta like Chesed / Geburah (but not really as I would just be using the Tree iof Life if it was) in some aspects it represents for me LIBER LIBRÆ 12;
"Remember that unbalanced force is evil; that unbalanced severity is but cruelty and oppression; but that also unbalanced mercy is but weakness which would allow and abet Evil ... " or just the general polarity of expansion contraction or ... all the other polarities expressed by those two planetary forces as a neccessity for communication or whatever bewteen the higher and lower triangles - incidentally; I see the next part of that Ch. 12; 'Act passionately; think rationally; be Thyself' as the formula for the second triangle below (with the Sun as its 'crown'.

The line from the Sun joins with the apex of the lower triangle (this triangle is set out as the one above; three spheres with the planetary glyphs inside) but in this case the line from the sun penetrates into the triange through the apex and joins with the circle with the Moon glyph inside it. (Like the qabbalistic Tree this one is a poor attempt to show something in two dimensions that is multi-dimensional.)

Below, Mars and Venus are the passions and (somewhat) emotive psychological 'drives' 'regulated' ( ) by the unconcious - the Moon in the middle.
But it is connected to the Sun - the Sun and Moon 'conjoined'.

The Moon, Venus and Mercury form an (unshown) triangle and when these 'unconcious drives' are unconnected to the rest of the 'tree' they represent the Id (for want of a better term), the connection to the Sun (through Mercury - and its 'day and night' aspects, ie. as a messenger of the Sun and relayer of information and its ability to delve into the' underworld' - also of course as an intelligent analytical system to regulate or mediate the drives and passions - the ability to respond instead of react). This connection (sorta ) represents the ego and the connection with the Sun and it's connection with the planets 'above' represents the 'Super ego' (which in some cases seems developed by the social envronment and upbrining, hense the 'collective' planetary forces above).

I showed this scheme to someone once who isnt really into these things but claims a light interest in astrology and she said it was a standard astrological theory. ? Maybe. I dont know that much about astrology apparently and have an uneducated and perhaps warped view on it (I gave up arguing in the astrology threads here years ago ).

I hope that explained it all a bit more instead of confusing things more.