Sun sign and rising sign
For ordinary humanity the personality planets, the Sun sign and the rising sign are considered together. The Sun sign shows the line of least resistance, the rising sign the goal of the life. Together they describe the soul's opportunity in this incarnation.
According to the Tibetan, the Sun sign indicates the physical, mental and spiritual nature of a person; but this is a picture of the present stage of development. For one on the Path the usual astrological approach must be reversed. Astrologers will therefore divide into two groups: those concerned with the personality chart and those concerned with the purpose of the soul.
Two different charts
"Those who live below the diaphragm", whose consciousness is still focused in the lower centres, and disciples respond to very different combinations of forces. The same sky speaks two different languages in two different people. The Tibetan also says that new charts based on the soul ray, called "charts of the crosses", will be developed.
The ray type first
The astrologer must determine the person's ray type before casting the horoscope. The personality ray can be found by studying character, physical indications and environment. The soul ray shows itself only at an advanced stage, and then the esoteric planets begin to govern the chart. When studying a sign, its opposite should also be studied, for example Cancer with Capricorn.
Centres and sacred planets
Through meditation, service and the discipline of the bodies a person comes under the influence of the soul ray. At this stage ordinary astrology based on the month of birth loses importance. The influence of Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Uranus rises; the full influence of Venus, Neptune and Vulcan is felt only after the third initiation.
The astrology of the future
The Tibetan says that as true astrology comes into its own it will become a respected science, with trained researchers replacing fortune-telling. The astrology of the future will seek to understand the ray influences of signs, planets and human triangles on both personal and soul levels. Horoscopes will also be cast for nations and cities, and a child's chart compared with observations of character every seven years to guide the educator.