The Six People in Your Chart
B Y J ACK H OPKINS
W
hen King Wen (1152–1056
BC) 1 set out to write his com-
mentary on the I Ching, he
held Heaven, Earth and Humanity as his
greatest gifts. The legacy he left behind was
designed to be a guide living authentically,
with great vitality and high social awareness.
Each line of these ancient Chinese Hexa-
grams has been related to six different roles
in society. In 20th century Astrology, Dane
Rudhyar 2 would refer to a six-fold division of
the zodiac as a series of zyzygies or “modes
of operation” and related these stages to tra-
ditional Indian Advaita Philosophy. 3 Recog-
nizing the six people in your chart links these
ancient concepts with modern life with its
relentless information overload, political and
social unrest, but also to its underlining enor-
mous potential and promise.
Two figures stand out as central to this
scheme, the King or Father, absolute and
commanding, and the Official or Mother, re-
ceptive, supportive and perfecting. Life is full
of pitfalls that can easily derail the best of in-
tentions to balance the two. Yet, knowing the
differences and underlying harmony puts us
in touch with that central still point where
lessons become stepping stones and barriers
become bridges.
It all starts with the sixth stage, which is
the youngest child or the common people.
Natural and youthf ul, what little social
awareness there is takes a back seat to its en-
thusiasm and oblivious unconcern. It is a
world of blacks and whites, where there are
no precedents or assumptions. This person
embodies the qualities of Aries and Taurus of
Western Astrology and Rudhyar would re-
O P A
late it to Parashakti,
the great or supreme
power or force. Self-
reliance and resilience
are its virtues and a
will-to-be its goal. It
doesn't take much
imagination to see
how this energy
strongly figures into
the American mindset
of independence and
unencumbered individuality. Its objectives are
immediate and self-gratifying, pushing
everything as far as it will go, only backing
down when some other better opportunity
presents itself. Experiences in this dimension
form deep-seated impressions and inevitably
set the stage for its unfolding in other stages.
The next step is that of the Official or
Mother and lies in a position of power, pro-
tected by the figures around her. She is free
to sense the world without competing with
it, learning the special qualities of each expe-
rience while developing an awareness of her
special uniqueness. She contains the power of
creation by yielding to the forces she con-
tains, not through conquest, but with com-
passion and acceptance. In return, she offers
a way to replace the fear of not being able to
survive with the confidence that we have
everything we need to prosper and grow. She
speaks in a language that is emotionally rich,
distinguishing shades of meaning and innu-
endo, taking it all in, listening from her heart.
The signs of Gemini and Cancer and their
place in your chart point to this energy. Rud-
hyar refers to “unfoldment” and relates it to
The Organization for Professional Astrology
7
Gnanashakti and the cre-
ation of a permanent
identity or self. An inner
willingness to venture out
and engage distinguishes
the Official as playing a
pivotal role in the series of
the other five symbols.
The third line com-
pletes the lower trigram of
each I Ching symbol and
represents a Lord or Mid-
dle Son or Daughter. It is volatile and unpre-
dictable. Without discipline, it can easily spin
out of control. Fire and Water best describe
its dynamic nature, providing brightness and
energy as well as emotional inspiration.
Western Astrology associates the signs of
Leo and Virgo with this stage. These are the
performers, the people with special skills and
abilities that add value to ordinary things, in-
fusing them with their own special brand of
creativity. They are the actors and artists who
redefine themselves, challenging the way we
look at the world by their interpretations and
portrayals of the human experience. They are
the scientists and technologists who invent
new approaches to solving the problems of
modern life. Although they have little deci-
sion making power in the social order, the
impact of their creations is felt everywhere.
They are labor, whose job it is to create
something valuable and relevant. Rudhyar
connects this stage to Ichchashakti or “the
power of the will”. Look to these signs as
well as the fifth and sixth houses to see where
this influence manifests in your chart.
The fourth line
[C ONTINUED ON P AGE 8]
THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
SUMMER 2012