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.

This planet symbolizes the principle of independence and self-sufficiency, as well as a principle of transformation. Its most striking characteristic is distance from others: the Uranian strives to stand out from the herd, distanced from structuring influences like convention, tradition, etc. Although this need to free yourself from the confines of convention, tradition, and family symbolizes an appeal for freedom and a desire to evolve beyond the bounds of physical limits toward a spiritual dimension, it may also correspond to a form of escape.

This is why you sometimes need to cut yourself off from situations or relationships which feel stifling to you. Your intense fear of being swallowed up psychologically causes you to react to certain emotional demands by making yourself remote or running away. You need a lot of space and frequent change. In a relationship, you are seeking a certain degree of intellectual excitement. Without it, you feel as though an unbearable, suffocating boredom sets in.

By refusing certain concessions to convention which are practically inevitable, you may find yourself in unpleasant situations. Finding an intelligent alternative to the routine set by the rigid forms of the past is extremely different from rebelling against any form of authority, in the settings of family, school, business, or society. One of the major problems you have to solve is how to wield your freedom, in your emotional relationships, as well as your relationships with society.

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. You communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Your ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

Jason Moore, the subject of this text, will be interested to learn that the eleventh house is an area of the sky which is especially important in his theme, because it contains several planets, including the one which rules his rising sign.

This sector of the astral chart is related to the world of friendship. It thus reigns over friends, group projects, and aspirations, publicity, politics in a humanitarian cause, customers, hope, help, and assistance. More specifically, this sector symbolizes the power and gratification society grants to an individual in exchange for career activities. For each person, this power is a function of their capacity to work and produce something valuable to the community to which they belong (the country, corporation, etc.). This power may either be used for selfish ends or be re-invested for the elaboration of more cooperative social projects.

From a psychological viewpoint, people with a prominent eleventh house in their birth chart may have to concentrate on being fair and objective in relation to social successes and/or failures. Success could entail efficient use of the power and prestige they have already obtained for more significant projects which are in better harmony with their inner truth. Failure, on the other hand, requires a detailed analysis of its causes. Any mistakes that may have been made are an opportunity for insight. The work of understanding and assuming one’s failures is a positive, constructive way out of a situation of failure.

Jason Moore reads about the ninth house in a magazine.