Exploring our Full Self - Working with the Antiscia

by Richard Smoot

Abstract

The Antiscia is an astrological construct and technique that has its origins with both Ptolemy and Julius Firmicus Maternus in the 2nd century BCE. This paper is the result of 25 years of study and observation and it hopes to reveal to the reader the Antiscia of a horoscope is an ancient concept and technique that shows that planets have a mirror and a ‘reflection’ quality. As such, this ‘mirroring’ translates into personal astrological interpretations. This author discovered as a means to explain and demonstrate deeper psychological constructs and their relationship to the writings of Carl Jung, the noted Swiss psychiatrist.

Jung noted the lifelong psychological process of differentiation of the self out of each individual's conscious and unconscious elements. Jung considered it to be the main task of human development. He created some of the best known psychological concepts, including synchronicity, archetypal phenomena, the collective unconscious, the psychological complex, and extraversion and introversion. This author parallels the Antiscia with Jung’s principles of Anima and Animus, and the conscious and unconscious elements he describes.

The author takes the position that we humans are both social and animal beings. We are social in the respect that humans operate in society that is dependent on socially accepted behaviors, cultural norms, and rules. As animal beings, we are programed to our animal instincts, such as, food, water, rest, shelter, safety, security, and then feelings of accomplishment, and acceptance.

The core of this paper is that we live out two interdependent horoscopes; our social self (natal birth chart) and our inner shadow chart (Antiscia chart). Both of these charts, and therefore we, demand to be expressed. Generally these two worlds within are reconciled and work well together. Yet there are times in all of our lives where the “animal/survival” instincts need to take action. These actions could appear in conscious form and the person can “act-out” and are often seen by society as exhibiting “abnormal” or “antisocial” behavior. 

We always know that living our life is challenging; yet having two selves to work together is far more complicated. The Antiscia brings in ten more planets to work with in two different horoscopes. Life is all about our individual journey in life in both in society and with the deeper reaches of our personality and the experience in being “fully” human.

Much of western tropical astrology focuses on our external actions and inner psychological interconnection. Humans are far more complex than these two arenas. It is my belief that it is the journey of a human’s life to explore all facets of experience; both our social selves and our animal selves. Much of these deeper human realms can be found in the use of Antiscia points.

Exploring the full range of our human experience involves so much more than the social actions we engage in daily. To understand our “full” selves, we need to reach areas of existence and experience. In our client work, the Antiscia can be used to discover and interpret the hidden parts of personality, which cannot be found using standard techniques of delineation. Furthermore we can aid our clients in defining sensitive times with, when, and how these hidden characteristics could show themselves.

Also known as “Solstice Points,” the Antiscia of planets represent our shadow and reflections of ourselves. Knowledge and use of the Antiscia date back to Ptolemy and Julius Firmicus Maternus in the 2nd century BCE. (Hand, 2001, Page 31) 1

Shadow and reflections are archetypical in that every culture throughout time has an association and symbolic reference to shadows and reflections. Most recently “shadows” in the human psyche are described by Carl Jung. (Jung, 1968, Pages 266 and 284) 2

Astrology, in all its expressions, uses archetypes to help define the basis of astrological symbolism, terms, and techniques. Archetypes (Wikipedia, Archetypes) 3 are, “a Platonic philosophical idea referring to pure forms which embody the fundamental characteristics of a thing in Platonism” and, “a collectively-inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., that is universally present, in individual psyches, as in Jungian psychology.” It is this universality across history and cultures that make shadows and reflections integral to the human experience.

Now that we have set up the basis for the use of shadows and reflections, we must further observe and define them. Think of a shadow, or a reflection. Neither is a real object, but a representation and interpretation of an object cast upon another surface or reflected from a real object, like a mirror. The same is true of Antiscia points; they are a representation of unconscious compensating values of a person. In brief, there are two beings within each of us. The natal chart expresses ourselves in out normal “social self” as we interact with the outside world. The Antiscia of a person is the inner self that responds to the needs of our human “animal self”. As Jung points out in the above reference number two, “…to those held by collective psychic elements which, because of their incompatibility with the chosen conscious attitude, are denied expression life and therefore coalesce into a relatively autonomous ‘splinter personality’ with contrary tendencies in the unconscious”.

The shadow behaves compensatory to consciousness; hence its effects can be positive as well as negative. Because a reflection is not a real object, it is different than a shadow in that a reflection shows the reality that exists within a person as it interacts with the outside world. The observer through their own persona and collective worldview of past experiences distorts the reflection. Much like your reflection in a regular mirror or distorted carnival mirror.

When activated by transit or progression, the Antiscia points can appear in conscious form and the person can “act-out” and are often seen by society as exhibiting “abnormal” or “antisocial” behavior. We may say to ourselves, “he is acting different than he usually does” or we all see that the person is acting way out of control and out of social norms.

Yet, it is important that we understand and know our “shadow self”. The shadow self is revealed as if we are expressing our animal and primal selves with no regard to social convention or norms. Some well established past public displays by Britney Spears, Charlie Sheen, Tiger Woods, Lindsey Lohan, and Whitney Houston are notable by transits and progressions to their natal Antiscia points. In this article, I’m limiting the expression and discussion to one example, Charlie Sheen.

For us astrologers, this means we can locate periods of time in a client’s chart where stress or other circumstances can reveal a reaction that appears to be out of that person’s character. This could be as mild as developing coping mechanisms or extreme behaviors.

In looking at the zodiacal graphic below, the sign of Aries will have an Antiscia in the sign of Virgo; the reverse is also true. This also applies to Taurus/Leo and Gemini/Cancer. Above the Asc/Dec axis, Pisces will have an Antiscia in the sign of Libra; and the reverse would also be true. This also applies to Aquarius/Scorpio and Capricorn/Sagittarius.

In the declination graphic (below) one can see how the Sun’s annual north/south travel sets up the Antiscia or Solstice sign. Solstice is from the Latin, ‘solstitium’, from sol (“sun”) + ‘Sto’ (“stand”) (Wikipedia, Solstice) 4.

Finding the Antiscia

To manually find an Antiscia, choose the planet and the sign it is in and make note of the planets degree and minute. Find the corresponding Antiscia sign and subtract the position of the natal planet from 30 degrees. The result will be the degrees and minutes for the Antiscia planet. Do this for all the planets and angles, and you will have your Antiscia sensitive points. Here are two examples:

1. You have natal Venus at 13:47 Leo and want to find its Antiscia point. Note the Antiscia sign for Leo is Taurus. So take 29:60 (30 degrees) minus 13:47 and the answer is 16:13 of Taurus as your natal Venus Antiscia point. Transits and/or progressions to 16:13 Taurus would “set off” shadow or reflective characteristics of natal Venus according to the type of aspect and the nature of the transit and/or progression.

Remember the Antiscia point is only a point and does not hold house placement or rulership. If Uranus by transit is making a square to Venus Antiscia point there may be an urge for a sexual interaction; the quick repulsion or attraction to someone; or your sense of harmony and compatibility could be upset, especially in the areas where natal Venus rules. So far in my analysis, the Venus Antiscia points placement in the chart is irrelevant. Further and more formal research is needed.

2. Here is another example. Your natal Sun is at 9:44 Gemini and you want to find its Antiscia point. Note the Antiscia sign for Gemini is Cancer. So take 29:60 (30 degrees) minus 9:44 and the answer is 20:16 of Cancer as your natal Sun Antiscia point.

Briefly, we need to discuss the use of western tropical aspects. The geometry of the relationships between the planets deepens our understanding of any birth chart. The angles that the planets make to each other describe the way the functions, represented by those planets, interact and create a completely unique energy imprint on our personality. For instance, the traditional (Ptolemaic) angles in the birth chart are about harmonics and include the most commonly used aspects: The 3rd harmonic because they divide the chart into thirds: sextiles (60 degrees) and trines (120 degrees). These are aspects of FLOW. The 4th harmonic because they divide the chart into fourths: of squares (90 degrees) and oppositions (180 degrees). These are aspects of EFFORT. The 5th harmonic – quintiles and bi-quintiles are mysterious, just like the sacred geometry number five. There are many other aspects that are used and each has its own unique vibration and interpretation.

Any major aspect by transits and/or progressions to 20:16 of Cancer would “set off” shadow or reflective characteristics of natal Sun according to the type of aspect and the nature of the transit and/or progression. One could experience a deep sense of harmony and well-being and want to act on it in a way that is not common for them, such as a strong and sudden falling in love or compatibility. If this is a fast transit, they may find themselves wanting to act in a Venusian way where the Sun is in by house or rulership (Leo.) Their “not common” acting out may only be observed by them, however they will have gained a deeper peek into their personality and identity than ever before. This concept is described by Robert Hand’s translation of On the Judgments of Nativities: Three Books, by Johannes Schoener (Hand, 2001, Page 230) 1

In using Antiscia points in a natal chart, you will most likely find Natal planets making aspect with another Antiscia planet. These are important. In this case, the natal planet receives the shadow/reflection and its connection while the Antiscia planet point will further emphasize the Natal planets character. Antiscia points are activated when a transiting planet or secondary progression with any major aspect is in effect. I use an orb of two degrees applying and one degree separating. It is as if the Natal planet develops a new persona not seen before by others or the native. It opens a period of time where the native’s experiences dimensions of themselves they have not worked with, but need to, for them to fully be human or experience the full depths of their “animal” self.

Charlie Sheen

Since celebrities are the most obvious and well known for us to witness in a period exhibiting non-social behavior, let us look at Charlie Sheen for one of the many periods in his rocky life where a combination of transits, and progressions manifested a change in his life. It is the Antiscia points that brought about our recognition of the bizarre anti-social melt down we witnessed in March 2011 in his “Winning Tour.” I have found no other compelling tropical techniques that explain this strange personality shift other than Antiscia points being activated.

Charlie Sheen was born as Carlos Irwin Estevez on September 3, 1965 at 10:48 PM EDT, New York, NY (AstroDatabank AA rating). Below is the bi-wheel of Charlie Sheen’s natal chart with his Antiscia chart on the outside.

But first, allow me to familiarize the reader about Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen is an American actor. Sheen has appeared in films including Platoon (1986), Wall Street (1987), Young Guns (1988), Eight Men Out (1988), Major League (1989), Hot Shots! (1991), and The Three Musketeers (1993).

In the 2000s, Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox in Spin City, his performance earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. He then starred in Two and a Half Men which earned him several Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations. He most recently starred in the FX comedy series Anger Management, which concluded its 100-episode run in 2014. In 2010, Sheen was the highest paid actor on television and earned US$1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men.

Sheen's personal life has made headlines, including reports of alcohol and drug abuse and marital problems, as well as allegations of domestic violence. In March 2011, CBS and Warner Bros following his derogatory comments about the series’ creator, Chuck Lorre, terminated his contract for Two and a Half Men. On November 17, 2015, Sheen publicly revealed that he is HIV positive, having been diagnosed about four years earlier.

The above outline of Charlie Sheen’s personality and history become quite clear when we look at the above natal chart of its Antiscia. In making connections between the two charts, we note the following 1-degree major aspects: Natal Sun opposition Antiscia Venus; Natal Venus opposition Antiscia Sun. It is these (and a few inconjuncts Sun/ Neptune, Uranus/Pluto) that are sensitive points are theme areas where Mr. Sheen can and will explore issues within his shadow self and reflection of self. Sun=identity, ego; Venus=compatibility, harmony, sensuality, and love. The inconjuncts between Sun/Neptune, Uranus/Pluto could bring in more of the darker and unpredictable nature of Mr. Sheen’s personality and actions. If you research Mr. Sheen’s history, this theme has been expressed throughout his adult life (Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5.

On May 20, 1998, Sheen suffered a stroke after overdosing while using cocaine and was hospitalized. Sheen was found in his seaside home by a friend, after which paramedics had to give emergency life-saving treatment and rushed him to Las Robles hospital. He was described as being in a "serious condition" after his stomach was pumped. Sheen subsequently checked into a rehab clinic days later but told doctors within hours that he did not intend to stay. Sheriffs later forced Sheen back into the clinic after he fled only hours after arriving. On August 11, 1998, Sheen, already on probation in California for a previous drug offense, had his probation extended for an extra year and entered a rehab clinic. In a 2004 interview, Sheen admitted that his injecting of cocaine caused the overdose.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

On December 25, 2009, Sheen was arrested for assaulting his wife at the time, Brooke Mueller, in Aspen, Colorado. He was released the same day from jail after posting an $8,500 bond. Sheen was charged with felony menacing, as well as third-degree assault and criminal mischief. On August 2, 2010, Sheen, represented by Yale Galanter, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault as part of a plea bargain that included dismissal of the other charges against him. Sheen was sentenced to 30 days in a drug rehab center, 30 days of probation, and 36 hours of anger management.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

On October 26, 2010, the police removed Sheen from his suite at the Plaza Hotel after he reportedly caused $7,000 in damage. According to the NYPD, Sheen admitted to drinking and using cocaine the night of the incident. He was released after entering a hospital for observation.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

On November 17, 2015, Sheen publicly revealed that he was HIV positive, having been diagnosed roughly four years earlier. In an interview, he referred to the phrase HIV as "three hard letters to absorb". He manages his condition with a triple cocktail of antiretroviral drugs, and said that it was impossible that he could have infected any of his partners. Sheen noted that since 2011, he had paid extortionists approximately $10 million to keep his HIV status secret. A source indicates that Sheen had over 200 sexual partners after he learned he had HIV. Sheen stated that he was upfront about his HIV positive condition with all of his past consorts.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

In an episode of The Dr. Oz Show taped in late 2015 and aired January 12, 2016, Sheen stated "I'm been off my meds for about a week now," receiving alternative treatment in Mexico from Sam Chachoua, who claims to have an effective vaccine for HIV; according to his manager, however, after the episode was taped he resumed taking his medications.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

In April 2016, Sheen had his monthly child support payments to his two ex-wives, Brooke and Denise, reduced from $55,000 to $10,000. The same month, it was announced that Sheen was under investigation by the LAPD stalking unit for threatening to kill his former fiancée Scottine Ross.
(Wikipedia – Charlie Sheen) 5

In looking at the above bi-wheel Natal/Antiscia charts, we see a reckless and tormented person who may not be willing to confront himself and chose to live his life through his “animal self” while participating in the “social world”.

In looking at his personal and professional “meltdown” (March 10, 2011), see chart. Mr. Sheen had many powerful secondary progressions and transits active. These could tell most of the story at the time. Yet, Mr. Sheen’s inner battle with his shadow, anima and libido (animal) self were quite strong and lend more to his inner challenges and growth than other forecasting tools. By transit and secondary progression, transit Sun is conjunct progressed Chiron; transit Sun is inconjunct natal Venus; progressed Ascendant is trine natal Saturn; progressed Midheaven is trine natal Mercury (chart ruler) and other planetary connections.  

Note the rich use of connecting planets by aspects. In western tropical astrology, it is not necessarily the quality (planetary strength) of the aspecting planet, but the quantity of aspects found.

A new and shadow/reflection part of Mr. Sheen’s experience of self can be found in the transits and secondary aspects to his Antiscia points. A key occurrence is that natal Antiscia Pluto and natal Antiscia Saturn are in opposition and the progressed Ascendant forms a T-Square to those points. This shows the Saturn/Pluto battle in his natal Antiscia chart (lifelong aspect) is now squared by his secondary progressed Ascendant. It is as if Mr. Sheen projects the inner shadow struggle between Saturn and Pluto through his current personality path (progressed Ascendant.) There are quite a few other Antiscia point connections, such as progressed Mars/Venus square Antiscia Venus and progressed Jupiter conjunct Antiscia point Jupiter.

Charlie Sheen’s public ‘meltdown’ in 2011 (YouTube, March 2011) 6 is the moment that really caught the publics notice that Charlie Sheen was acting-out in a way that is not accepted by common society’s norms. This ‘meltdown’, as it has been called, is most obvious in the T-square between natal Saturn opposing his Pluto/Uranus conjunction and being squared by his Antiscia Secondary Progressed Ascendant on March 10, 2011.

By transit or secondary progression, Antiscia point orbs are not more than 2 degrees applying and one degree separating. The Antiscia planet point receives the nature of the transit or progression and sends the “shadow or reflection” to the same natal planet. The natal planet will experience the “shadow or reflection” and act in a way of the Antiscia point planet and the nature of the aspecting planet in exploring the shadow/reflection.

What is going on with Charlie Sheen today? Charlie Sheen’s Secondary Progressed Ascendant has moved 8° so it is now longer make the volatile T-Square, and in December 2018 he reached one year of sobriety. (USA Today, December 11, 2018) 7

I currently have no research completed using solar arc, primary, or tertiary directions with the Antiscia, however it seems likely these valid forecasting tools hold promise and are worthy of further research.

In conclusion, I ask the reader to experiment using Antiscia points, especially with partners, spouses and friends to find the inner “animal satisfaction/conflict” with your “social outer self”. Place their Antiscia chart on a bi-wheel with your natal chart in the center and find the connections. Most likely you will discover shadow connections in your chart with the other person. Its action in the relationship will often challenge you to act differently and in ways not expected.

Ask yourself if there were periods in your life where you acted unlike your regular self or were told by others that you were acting “different”? It could have been a period where people stayed away from you or reached out to you. These are indications that transits or progressions were activating your Antiscia points.

By observing the events and behaviors of clients or others, we can witness the journey people take when the Antiscia is in action. These events and their sometimes extreme action are not easily seen with our common tools of natal or forecasting tools. It’s all about our individual journey in life both in society and with the deeper reaches of our personality and the experience of our inner selves, our hidden selves and our instinctual animal self (libido.) Being “fully” human is to experience all we can.

Notes and References:
1          The Antiscia of the Greeks has been handed down by tradition. I do not wish anyone to think that the Greeks have not discussed this. For even Ptolemy followed no other theory but that of Antiscia, Antiochus said that indeed Libra did not see Aries because the Earth was in the middle, as if through a mirror, reached the theory of the Antiscia. Dorotheus of Sidon, on the other hand, a very wise man who wrote about forecasting by the stars in very accurate and learned verses, explained the calculation of the Antiscia in clear terms in his fourth book.”
Julius Firmicus Maternus, The Mathesis: Ancient Astrology Theory and Practice
[The references Firmicus Maternus gives above are to Ptolemy (c. 127-148 CE), Antiochus (first century BCE) and to Dorotheus of Sidon, (first part of the first century)]. Referenced by Johannes Schöner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Schöner On the Judgments of Nativities translated by Robert Hand. Arhat Press. 2001. page 31 and page 230.
Finding the Antiscia - Appendix I — Computing Antiscia According to the Opusculum, Canon XXXVIII. Collecting the Antiscia in Signs, Degrees and Minutes.
First seek the sign of your planet, whose antiscion you wish, in the column of the signs in the following table. For the sign, which lies, by the side of your sign is the sign of the antiscion of your planet. As 10 minutes of Saturn, next to these lies 50 minutes. Conclude therefore that Saturn sends his antiscion into 10 degrees 50 minutes of Virgo.
2          C. G. Jung: The shadow personifies everything that the subject refuses to acknowledge about himself and yet is always thrusting itself upon him directly or indirectly-for instance, inferior traits of character and other incompatible tendencies.”
(The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, Collected Works 9, i, pp. 284 f.)
“... the shadow [is] that hidden, repressed, for the most part inferior and guilt-laden personality whose aspect of the unconscious ... If it has been believed hitherto that the human shadow was the source of all evil, it can now be ascertained on closer investigation that the unconscious man, that is, his shadow, does not consist only of morally reprehensible tendencies, but also displays a number of good qualities, such as normal instincts, appropriate reactions, realistic insights, creative impulses, etc.” (The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, CW 9, ii, p. 266)
Man and his Symbols, Carl G. Jung, Aldus Books, 1968, pages 186-207.
3          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archetype
4          Solstice origin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice
5          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Sheen. Even today Mr. Sheen’s smooth fan appeal with his “Bad boy” image to propel him is evident in this TMZ video about Justin Bieber: http://www.tmz.com/videos/0_1x2y9ai9. Mr. Sheen speaks about his “meltdown” regrets: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/people/2015/05/13/charlie-sheenstwo-and-a-half-men-regrets/27230875/. His father, Martin Sheen, has recently commented on his son’s meltdown in 2011: http://perezhilton.com/category/charlie-sheen/ - VWin1us-46U
6          Charlie Sheen’s ‘meltdown’ and demonstration of “the animal me is in charge” is in many videos  such as on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMGqdtAOFQQ. the pictured graphic is a composite of Charlie in 1989 and the cover of an album by music rapper, Snoop Dogg.
7          Article on Charlie Sheen’s sobriety
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/12/11/charlie-sheen-totally-focused-sobriety-after-celebrating-one-year/2281997002/
Another article about Charlie Sheen being back on his HIV medication
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2016/01/13/charlie-sheen-says-hes-back-hiv-meds/78742274/

Image sources:
All charts and diagrams provided by the author
Woman in water: Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay
Charlie Sheen 2012: Joella Marano, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Published at: ivcconference.com/constellation-news/, 2020.

Author:
A professional astrologer since 1971, Richard Smoot, provides direct services and research tools to astrologers and organizations. Richard’s aim is to work with astrologers through education, publishing, and training. He is ISAR’s Operations Manager and publisher of the ISAR International Astrologer. For NCGR-PAA, he is an examiner for all certification exam levels and publishes the NCGR journals. For OPA he’s a group leader and trainer. At UAC 2018 he received the Regulus Award for Community Service.

© 2020 - Richard Smoot - Constellation News

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