In the Greek tradition, Mars or Aries was the god of war. Astrology associates him with the element fire, the color red, and the taste of bitterness. Although it also symbolizes the elder brother in the cosmic family, it is more likely to be associated with declared enemies or adversaries. Mars morphology is typically virile, angular, and athletic and corresponds to aggressive, domineering, masculine behavior. Likewise, Mars is usually associated with rage, its resultant brutality, and male destructiveness and domination. Psychologically, Mars figures in any situation of conflict, opposition, and confrontation. Mars symbolism intervenes to separate, oppose, and decide and corresponds to duels, war, and any situation in real life which involves confronting an obstacle. Individuals who are greatly influenced by Mars are typically direct and straightforward—either unabashedly extroverted or furiously introverted. They are extremely active and extremely emotive. Their purpose in life seems to be inextricably mingled with a combat against an unacceptable situation, a challenge which they either issue or are forced to accept.

In traditional astrology, Jupiter has always been considered as the Great Benefactor, the planet of luck and success such as personal fortune, social prominence, professional prestige, high political position. The Jupiterian bounty is peerless!

In psychological terms, this planet has a much vaster significance. As the biggest planet in the solar system, it does preside over the process of personal expansion, interpreted to be fitting into society better and finding an appropriate match between one’s individual ambitions and the aspirations of the group. This growth is accompanied by a feeling of self-confidence, which, in turn, buoys up an even greater externalization and expansion of the ego – hence the planet’s flattering reputation.

But this snowball effect (Jupiter smiles and the world smiles with you), in which social skills magnify confidence and boldness reaps many rewards, betrays the negative side of Jupiter: extreme and excess. Although grandeur was the characteristic of the “king of the gods,” errors of judgment, poor taste, and sometimes selfishness and pride are also likely to be part of the Jupiterian package. It is important to note that the extension of the ego may be a form of escape; it is tempting to hide behind one’s popularity and social success, which are fairly easy to obtain, rather than be really demanding with oneself. The Jupiterian has a tendency to amplify qualities out of compensation, to avoid seeing weaknesses and flaws. As a result, you must be aware of the risk of over-identifying with your social mask, which would cause you to neglect your inner self and deep nature.

According to Greek myth, Mercury (or Hermes, whose name derives etymologically from the piles of rocks which marked trails and guided travelers) was the messenger of the gods. He carried orders from Olympus to the mortals on Earth. The child of the illegitimate union of Zeus with Maia, Mercury was born “unknown to the immortal gods” and had to win his place among them by trickery, cleverness, and cunning. This is why he became the vagabond deity of travelers and wanderers. He is the instinctive foe of the settled who see him as an outcast roaming on the outskirts of society: a pariah, a thief, and a swindler. As ruler of the sign of Gemini, the Twins, he symbolizes the brother—the alter-ego who teaches us as much as we teach him and is associated with adolescence, a period of intense intellectual discovery. Mercury thus symbolizes lively, sparkling wit, mobility in any form, mental exchange, and interaction. As a result, a person strongly ruled by Mercury is quite likely to be clever and skillful. If Mercury is “afflicted” in one’s chart, their intellectual velocity may sometimes become mere mental hyperactivity. In any case, these skills are a great resource in the social realm. Amanda Perez is able to communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Her ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

The tenth house is an area of the sky which is especially important in Amanda Perez’s theme, because it contains several planets, including the one which rules her rising sign. In the following paragraph, we shall explain the general meaning of this fact.

The North Node symbolizes your elevation and social position. When this area is the site of significant activity, it does not mean that you will automatically have a high social eminence. It means that you will invest a great deal of energy in acquiring a form of social power. Because the energy is somewhat vague, you will have to become aware of the various desires, needs, and ideals which are motivating and inspiring you. As a result, you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Indeed, all you can give society is what you have managed to make of yourself from the raw material you received from your background. When the tenth house is especially significant, it means that the use of power deriving from social rank is problematic for you. Your attitude toward both accomplishment and failure may be somewhat obtuse. As a result, you should always be asking yourself why you aspire to a certain career or profession, what your learning is worth, what meaning you want to give your relationship with society, what you are ready to give of yourself, and what you want from society in exchange.

The second house is an area of the sky which is especially important in Amanda Perez’s theme.

According to tradition, this area is related to the sign of Taurus and the principle of possession. It thus rules over personal resources, both in material terms (money, wages, assets, real estate, stocks and bonds, etc.) and in physical terms (the body, health, etc.), as well as in the psychological and sociocultural realm (various individual skills, talents, and gifts). When this area is important in an astral theme, it does not mean that you will be rich; however, it does indicate that you will have a certain wealth in any one of the domains mentioned above. You are likely to be puzzled about the best choice for the use and management of this wealth you possess. In other words, the management of your resources like money and personal possessions is liable to raise complex issues for you, and you will have to make a determined, active effort to resolve them. As a result, you will have to make a conscious, articulate decision about the value you place upon work. In relation to life’s material demands, you must realize that efficiency and productivity are required, regardless of your choice of career or lifestyle. Extravagant spending or impulse purchases might lead you to ask yourself how to optimize your personal budget, the amount of personal energy you invest to provide for your material needs. How can you obtain the highest yield from the energy you devote to your work, the wages you earn, and the value of the assets you can use the money to acquire? Providing for one’s own needs is insufficient. It is also important to esteem and respect oneself as a constructive worker, without identifying wholly with the work and its remunerative aspects. It is likely that at certain times in your life, you will be tempted to see money and wealth as ends in themselves; in this case, you may find the loss of money, even symbolically, painful. Generally, overly possessive, selfish, or overly materialistic behavior might be signs that you are still unable to conceive of the psychological budgetary equation described above, an equation which life demands that you resolve.

Amanda Perez looks at the first house in the sky and thinks to herself, “This is a very important area in my theme.”