Esoteric astrology was first streamed into our plane of consciousness through Alice Bailey by one of the Masters Djwhal Khul also known as DK or The Tibetan. Esoteric Astrology also called New Astrology aims to link the individual with the whole in which he or she is involved. It is entirely different from mundane astrology which belongs to this era of personality-based astrology.

In mundane astrology, as we know at present, natal charts for individuals are set up on the basis of the personality condition determined by position of planets in the 12 houses; or at the most, of the personality ray, if the astrologer is lucky enough to know or deduce accurately. If, however, the subject is an esoterically highly advanced person, then the chart will be recurrently wrong. This is because the planets which govern in the case of ordinary or undeveloped man have ceased to influence the spiritual man and the disciple. The planets that rule the average man's life destiny are, in their turn, conditioned by certain karmic influences which the advanced man has overcome, or is overcoming.

Therefore, in the case of a spiritually advanced person, the horoscope will be cast eventually on the basis of the soul ray, which will determine his cosmic destiny in a larger cycle. Thus, the zodiacal signs which govern the activities and the influence of the present group of planetary Rulers will be considerably lessened. New planetary potencies that convey zodiacal energies will control and take precedence of the old ones, thus putting the man in touch with different forces.

Consequently, when at an advanced stage of spiritual progress, he will be sensitive to the whole range of vibrations that the cosmos has to offer; charts will then be set up which will be called "charts of the crosses" (that are 3 in number with each cross having 4 hands). These charts will be more than simple suggestions of planetary influences in the twelve houses.

Actually, these "charts of the crosses" are the type of charts by which the Masters measure the evolutionary status of their disciples. Needless to say, these are most interesting in every sense of the term. These are the ones that are prepared when Man is sufficiently evolved, and at which time man will start drawing near to the "Cardinal Cross of the Heavens."

It can be safely stated as a fact that there isn't any living astrologer capable of doing this as yet! However, interpretations based on the existing natal chart and on the basis of the principles of Esoteric Astrology are already in vogue.

Here is a list - incomplete yet adequate for all practical purposes as of now - of the key influences which find their way from near as well as the far distant sources into our planetary life and produce distinct outcomes with regard to individual man and also upon humanity as a whole:

• The constellation of the Great Bear.
• The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades.
• Sirius, the Dog Star.
• The seven solar systems of which ours is one.
• The seven sacred planets of which ours is not one.
• The five non-sacred planets or "hidden" planets.
• The seven planetary centers.
• The seven centers of force in the human etheric body.
• The twelve zodiacal constellations.

Hence, while using Esoteric Astrology we will be dealing with a nine-fold energy impact on the terrestrial destiny and the consequent stage of spiritual development of man. This is a major chart but it needs to be mentioned here that there are other impacts also, though of relative insignificance.

These other streams of energy which do play upon and affect our planetary life are those coming from the stars, Betelgeuse (also called Alpha Orionis, it is the 12th brightest star), or Antares (ultraluminous star with a color similar to Mars) and so on. It needs to be added here that only those suns and solar systems which are related to the constellations of the zodiac and whose force reaches the earth through these constellations and not directly cast their effects on the terrestrial beings.

Of the major influences, the seven stars of the Great Bear are the originating sources of the seven rays of our solar system. Each of these seven Rays, coming from the Great Bear, is transmitted into our solar system and onto our planets through the medium of three constellations and their ruling planets.

Besides these, we should also add the radiations of influence which comes direct to us from the planet, the Earth, upon which we live. Then, and only then, can we have a fairly complete analysis and picture of the energies to which the etheric body of man must and does ever respond. Ultimately, it is this etheric body that conditions the physical body which is pre-eminently involuntary and negative in its reactions.

Thus to summarize, the rays of energies that affect us fall into these three groups:

1. Those coming from the certain great constellations already mentioned and which are to be found active in relation to our solar system. These constellations, in fact, have always been related in myth and legend to our system, from the most ancient days. To these constellations, ours is related in a peculiar way.

2. Those coming from the twelve zodiacal constellations. As we already know through the tenets of normal astrology, these rays are recognized as having a definite effect upon our system and our planetary life.

3. Those coming from the planets found within the periphery of the Sun's sphere of influence. However, in Esoteric Astrology there is a basic difference in the way the influences of the rays are dealt with.

As already stated earlier, these rays have a close connection with the seven stars of the Great Bear (again always the four and the three as a secondary differentiation) and to the seven Sisters, the Pleiades. The first constellation is the agent of positive force and the other the radiator of the negative aspect.

Great interlocking triangles of force can be found existing between the seven planets and these two groups of seven stars each. It will eventually be discovered that the innermost secret of astrological deduction in the planetary sense is connected with these "sacred triangles," and they are - in their turn - represented by the triangles (shifting and changing) which can be constructed in connection with the seven centers. Deductions based on the chart prepared by the above and still others yet unknown principles of Esoteric Astrology may start making their appearance by the year 2025. By then, there will be enough beings on earth that will have transcended the affects pronounced by mundane astrology.