Alex's Asteroid Astrology

How to Use Mythic Asteroids

MNAs, or Mythic-Named Asteroids, are useful modifiers of traditional planetary energies. They fill in the gaps of our knowledge, helping to explain the different ways which similar patterns express from individual to individual. Everyone has all these points in their birth chart, and experiences them by transit in the daily sky, but they remain in the background unless prompted to action by engagement with major bodies or the angles of the chart. Those which are in conjunction to these points have a greater impact, coloring planetary energies more starkly, but those in aspect will also lend a flavor and nuance, supplying vital clues to understanding what makes us each unique and distinctive.

The stories behind the names given to these asteroids convey deeper meanings and archetypal resonances which still inform the world around us. The late great comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell was fond of pointing out that the latest incarnation of the “Beauty and the Beast” tale is visible on every street corner. The power of myth is that the themes they raise continue to echo and reverberate down through the millennia, illuminating the human condition just as surely today as when they were created. And just as our understanding of major planetary energies like Venus is illumined by the aspects and attributes of the mythic goddess for which the planet was named, so, too, do these smaller bodies encapsulate the lessons and qualities portrayed by their mythic counterparts and namesakes.

To use this section, determine which of these points is conjoined or in aspect to major chart points in your birth chart. [Natal placements may be calculated online at sites such as www.serennu.com, or in many commercial astrology programs. The asteroid’s planetary number is included in the heading for its section; simply add this number to your chart program or online ephemeris generator.] Read the synopsis of its myth, and the keywords and phrases given for its astrological interpretation. Additional usages may present themselves upon reflection over the mythic basis, in comparison with what has been experienced in one’s life, beyond the primary suggestions listed. For points which impact one strongly, further in-depth research into the original myth may be warranted, to determine the point’s full impact on the life and psyche.

Similarly, these points, when active by transit, may influence the functioning of a planetary archetype, causing temporary adjustments and realignments of energies which in turn will produce atypical manifestations, born of the moment, but with potentially far-reaching ramifications. Special attention should be paid to stations of these points; if conjoined or in strong aspect to natal points, their effects will be magnified and protracted.

Use of MNAs has the potential to reveal a rich inner landscape populated with archetypes that have molded human development time out of mind. Enjoy your exploration of these astrological augmentations as your consciousness expands to include and incorporate them.

The Mythic Asteroids

Click on an individual asteroid, above, or browse through the collection »