A pithy question, pondering on which, some have found self-realization (Raman Maharshi ji) but the question has intrigued us jyotishis (and other astrologers) as well, though at a more mundane level of analysis, pondering and musing. Many years ago I had voiced some thoughts and understandings of mine in an article on Personal Indicators (PI) in a chart!
This simple-sounding question, even at the mundane level is not cut and dry or superficial, as I see it as an observer and student of human behaviour and communications.
At very fundamental and somewhat lo-res (quick and dirty) reflection, we learn and indeed rightly to an extent that moon is manas and mind, lagna is tanu or body and sun is atma. Hence the importance of wHOLISTIC view provided by the beautiful technique or perspective given by Rishi Parashara in his benchmark sharings known and adored by us as Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, sometimes called the Bible of Jyotish, although it probably preceeds the Bible (new and old segments) in truth! The original verbal discourse certainly does.
But the MIND is a rather complex *entity* (if I may call a function an entity as opposed to a construct?) and contains traits and emotions (feelings, affective component) and drives and motivations (and their negative states as well) unarguably the domain of moon as a symbol, but also thoughts and ideations and analyses thereof and of which mercury seems to be a good indicator, and of course wisdom which falls in the domain of Jupiter some claim. Arguably, emotions and feelings arrive first, ontologically-speaking, and thoughts arrive later and increasingly become more organized as we grow (or not!) and perhaps shape and transform knowing into wisdom before it can be passed along to the solar principle (atma) and the chain continues. I am utilizing a rather simple model and perhaps eventually linear and sequential beyond a certain point it becomes a complex neural network (literally!) which are influenced by nature as well as nurture in the developmental journey of a human being. And of course, we must remember the many documented cases of prodigies and great ones whose brilliance shows up earlier than in others. These are exceptions that the simple model does not quite capture faithfully. Very few astrologers come in contact with such exceptions, hence not of pressing concern most times.
The moon, however, is not just about emotions, but also this faculty called memory which again as believed in common parlance, a complex one and very real yet quite nebulous. When Penfield a famous neurosurgeon began his explorations and began stimulating different areas of the exposed human brain (during surgeries...) he came upon some very striking observations that indicated at first that there are discreet areas in brain which seemed to store specific memories, and yet now we know that it is way more complex than just that. Romantic movies aside where individuals lost their memories and later regained those but forgot all about their life and experiences between the loss and regaining of recall and reversal of memories etc in other less dramatic but real cases, as they say, the puzzling plot (of Mother Nature) thickens.
Mercury also rules over our communication abilities and that is accepted in astrological framework. It also rules over neuronal disorders including those that do not afflict the mind and mental framework or function. Obviously other malefics such as saturn and lunar nodes and mars cannot be left unconsidered as we analyse and synthesize our pointers during our processing of a nativity through his or her chart. Something to keep in mind and many do do so even without slicing and dicing as I am doing in this posting and even then, rather superficially as is the limitation of the medium.
However, lagna alone is not just the crucible or vessel in which astrological reactions take place like a chemical reaction and interaction between astrological molecules and atoms and energies! Nor is lagna just the stage on which astrological drama (Leela) takes place, perhaps. Hence other PIs also must be considered, consistently and as comprehensively as one can manage. Some of these being the atmakaraka, the arudha and several others.
Is it happenstance or a divine plot that astrology has managed to effectively portrayed rather complex biological reality through the symbolisms that we often tend to portray as nascent astrological brick and mortar that creates the (w)hologram of what I call *Human Experience*
A fraction of which we all express in the semi-blinded medium of internet and even in real-time face to face communications, neither of which can be perfect or complete.
Pardon the long-winded sermon!
Regards,
Rohiniranjan