We are a microcosm to the macrocosm of the cosmos

What Planet Are You On?

Read on for the secrets of the universe…and yourself

The human being is a microcosm to the macrocosm of the cosmos. The same energies that exist in the universe exist within us.

That is why since the dawn of time, we have looked up into a sky full of stars, some of these being planets to seek answers and wisdom.

Ancient people believed that there was a star for every soul on earth. In Ancient Greece, Plato and Hippocrates linked the planets with four “humors” or temperaments, an idea that also existed in Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the late 19th century, Rudolf Steiner further developed this theory, providing a basis for understanding our commonalities and our differences, our strengths, and our weaknesses.

But long before the Enlightenment and the development of modern science, in India and China, remarkable research was being undertaken, the result being the systems of Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, models of wisdom that continue to carry us forward in the evolution of humanity. In the 19th century, Rudolf Steiner brought together additional wisdom-tradition threads together in Anthroposophy.

Observations of the planets and their impact on plant, animal, and human behavior were undertaken by ancient people with utmost seriousness. Many of their observations can serve today to align us with these cosmic energies, bringing order, beauty, and meaning to our lives. In the ancient world model, our solar system comprised 7 “planets” - Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Planets, of course, have an observable physical “body”, although just as we are more than our physicality, planets also have “energy bodies”. This is the aspect that we are talking about here.

If we acknowledge and work with these planetary bodies of energy, we can begin to cultivate capacities within us that we wish to enhance and develop, with the aim of reaching greater harmony in our inner and outer life. This awareness of the impact of energies was present again in 20th-century scientists such as Albert Einstein and Nicola Tesla who said: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” As we move into the future, advances in quantum theories are bound to propel us into a wholly new paradigm of thought where “energy” means everything.

SUN ENERGY

Sun energy balances all polarities, helping us toward the sunny middle between any two things. This energy harmonizes all bodies (physical, etheric, astral, ego, or I), although it is primarily connected to the Ego—I, the eternal and inextinguishable aspect of our being. Sun is the light that radiates from within us, and this light is synonymous with love. The Sun is our heart, the warm center from which we can express the fullness of our humanity. Draw on Sun energy to hold yin (active) and yang (receptive/passive) in balance, resulting in abundant Chi (life force), where thinking, feeling, and willing live in harmony. With our polarities bridged and our inner and outer worlds in a harmonious relationship, we radiate with magnanimity, courage, and a sense of abundance, in full engagement with the world. Sunday is the day when we can absorb Sun energy most easily.

MOON ENERGY

Yin in nature, the moon has two aspects—on the outside she is a mirror, absorbing, reflecting, and evaluating her surroundings without missing any subtleties. Moon energy lets us be receptive to the impressions and messages given to us by the outer world. The second aspect of Moon is her secretive inner world which lives behind her mirrored surface. This energy lets us be deeply introspective. Storytelling lives in the rich inner life of moon energy, with her affinity for traditions, rituals, and romance. You can draw on Moon energy to powerfully tune into your intuition. The astral (emotional) body is associated with the Moon, and if out of balance, there can be emotional instability, over-sensitivity, and difficulty living in the outer world, as well as reluctance in the face of change and a tendency to conserve and preserve more than is needed. Monday is the day when we can tap into Moon energy most easily.

MERCURY ENERGY

All that relates to movement and coordination lives in Mercury. Those strong in its forces are society’s organizers, perceptive and adept at facilitating communications and negotiations. Mercury relates to the astral body, always changing and in movement. This energy is a dance of yang and yin, with a little more yang than yin, and can help us maintain a dynamic balance between our inner and outer worlds. Mercury helps to facilitate the ability to keep many projects going simultaneously. Mercury energy lets us be highly flexible and adaptable, even allowing a shape-shifting quality, a chameleon-like ability to accommodate to any surroundings and circumstances with charm and ease. Draw on Mercury's energy for liveliness and humor, as well as cultivate a gift for healing, either people or animals. If out of balance, this energy can mire in details, cause us to be indecisive, or indulge in gossip. Wednesday is the day to make the best use of Mercury energy.

VENUS ENERGY

Venus evokes the goddess of beauty. This energy is highly yin, which you can use to wonderful effect for any expression in the realm of creativity, be it art, poetry, singing, or gardening. Everything that brings beauty lives here. You can use this energy to create a home that you will love living in, and others will love entering. Venus energy inspires and welcomes, offering trust and belonging. It is repulsed by all things coarse or ugly. Motherly forces of nurturing live here too, and you can draw on Venus for the capacity to be attentive to others, give comfort, and deeply listen with calm patience so as to enter another’s experiences and feelings with the kind of true empathy that leads to lasting and fulfilling connections. If out of balance, this can cause us to indulge in comforts, be passive, and lack strength, structure, and a sense of personal boundaries. Friday is the day when we can make the best use of Venus's energy.

MARS ENERGY

Strongly yang in nature, we can draw on the fiery action of Mars as a force to begin new things of all kinds. The Ego-I body is associated with Mars, representing the fire of our inextinguishable spirit. Fervent, fearless, and goal-oriented, Mars energy helps us be a commanding public speaker with a gift for persuasion. It can assist us to be more extroverted and effective in the outer world. The assertive yang nature of this energy helps with initiating, challenging, and confronting, executing plans, and charging ahead with energetic confidence. Out of balance, this energy can cause a tendency toward collisions, aggression, and ignoring the needs of others. Tuesday is the day we can make the best use of Mars’s energy.

JUPITER ENERGY

Jupiter's energy is far-seeking and expansive. You can draw on this energy to bring enthusiastic vision to your dreams and when you need to see the big picture of a situation with crystal clarity. The activity of thinking lives in the domain of Jupiter. This energy is wonderful for adventures and traveling, as well as any time you need to cultivate forward-looking thinking. Philosophizing and theorizing live in the Jupiter realm, and this energy can help you find meaning and perspective in all situations. Jupiter holds neutral yang energy and great leadership qualities. In this realm, the inner and outer worlds are in balance, as Jupiter sees the bigger picture without getting mired in details. Out of balance, this energy can give way to excessive theorizing, gambling, or abstract “the end justifies the means”-type thinking. Thursday is the day we can make the best use of this energy.

SATURN ENERGY

Yang in nature, Saturn's energy is highly aware of time, chronology, and the past. Memory lives here. This energy can help us cultivate a sense of responsibility to others and the ability to put practicality and order into our lives, as well as to make personal sacrifices if necessary. Attuned to history, frameworks, methodologies, and moral codes of conduct, Saturn's energy seeks deeper understanding, asking questions that burrow to the root of a problem. Here is a perpetual urge to “improve”. This energy is the detective that searches for “the motive”, not stopping until it is found. It can be called on when a “distilling” ability is needed so that you can sift the essentials from the nonessential in your life or in your projects. It is also excellent for research. An imbalance in this realm can create feelings of self-consciousness, poor contact with the outer world, an inclination to depression, self-absorption, inflexibility, or controlling behavior. Saturday is the best day to make use of Saturn's energy.