Download The Personal Sensitive Points (PSPs)

The Personal Sensitive Points (PSPs)
© 2012, Michael Munkasey
The Personal Sensitive Points (PSPs) are ONE of the SEVEN traditional parts, or
tools, used by astrologers. These seven parts are named the: planets, signs, houses,
aspects (or harmonics), the Personal Sensitive Points, fixed stars, and long
precessional cycles.
The PSPs derive from the astronomy of the quality of TIME around an event. The
PSPs are time sensitive. The accuracy of the time used when erecting a chart is
important in determining the accuracy of the PSP locations for that chart. That is,
every chart which uses an accurate time gives accurate PSP information. Charts
with questionable times could show less accurate PSP positions.
There are eight (8) PSPs. They are each paired points. That is, they are NOT one
location in the chart, but they lie across a chart axis as a PAIR of points. It is
important to think of them as a connected set of points.
The pairs should NOT be separated when working with most astrological
delineations. One common exception to this is the use of the Moon's Node in
esoteric astrology. Otherwise, for example, when delineating meanings for the
Ascendant this automatically also includes the Descendant; the MC and the IC are
a delineation set; etc. The names of the PSPs and their commonly used
abbreviations are:
Primary Name
Ascendant
Midheaven
Equatorial Ascendant
Vertex
Co-Ascendant
Polar Ascendant
The Aries Point
(abbrev.)
(ASC, AS, A)
(MC, MC, M)
(EQA, EQ)
(VTX, VT)
(CAS, CA)
(PAS, PA)
(APT, AP)
Paired Name
(abbrev.)
Descendant
(DSC)
Lower Heaven
(IC)
Equatorial Descendant
(EQD)
Anti-Vertex
(AVX)
Co-Descendant
(CDS)
Polar Descendant
(PDS) and,
The Libra Point
(LIB)
The Node of the Moon can be logically included with these personal sensitive points
and its name, symbolic abbreviation and its opposing point is:
North Node
(NN)
South Node
(SN)
I recommend use of the Moon's True Node, not the Moon's Mean Node. Some
computer programs incorrectly call the Equatorial Ascendant 'the East Point.'
Astronomically, the East Point is the east point on the horizon, and NOT the
Equatorial Ascendant which astrologers use. The correct name for the astrological
point is 'the Equatorial Ascendant.' Please ask your computer programmer to
correct any erroneous labels in his / her programs.
Introduction to the PSPs
Sept., 2002
PSP Meanings
Each of the PSPs contains information about parts of the human mind. It is
important to understand that the human mind is NOT one thing. It has parts to it.
There is a forefront of the mind, there is a back of the mind, there is a part of the
mind which receives non-sensory information, etc. The PSPs deal with the
structure of how you receive, process, distribute, and then give back information
through your five physical as well as your ESP senses.
The planets, signs, etc., introduce earthly attributes and traits, but the PSPs
represent your personal interpretation of these qualities and traits. E.g., Venus
astrologically represents love, money, etc., but greed and jealousy are shown
through the Venus associated PSP. Mercury represents how you communicate, or
process and classify information, but the Mercury associated PSP deals with how
that information is treated by your mind.
These Yang and Yin pairings show extremes of contrast within each PSP.
PSP Pair Name
Ascendant
Midheaven
Equatorial Asc.
Vertex
Co-Ascendant
Polar Ascendant
Aries Point
Moon's Node
Planet Ruler
Mercury
Saturn
Moon
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Sun
(none)
Yang idea
everyday attitudes
growth, maturity
inner archetypes
wish fulfillment
ESP awareness
community ideals
seizing opportunity
affiliation, joining
Yin idea
narrow mental focus
a lack of discipline
no role models
greed, jealousy
self-centeredness
bending of rules
irresponsibility
unsettled issues
Here is how to hand calculate the PSPs:
LST = Local Sidereal Time on the Midheaven (MC)
LIT = Local Sidereal Time on the Lower Heaven (IC)
LIT = LST + or - 12 hours
LAT = Terrestrial Geographic Latitude (LAT)
CLT = Co-Latitude = 90 degrees minus LAT
Name of point
Use
ASC
LST
MC
LST
EQA
LST
VTX
LIT
CAS
LST
PAS
LIT
APT
- Moon's Node (True)
Use
LAT
Look up in Table of Houses
Ascendant Column
MC Position / Notation
Ascendant Column
Ascendant Column
Ascendant Column
Ascendant Column
Use: Zero Aries
Look in Ephemeris
0 degrees
CLT
CLT
LAT
- -
The PSPs show information about you. Some of these PSPs are more astrologically
popular to use than others. Some you may not even have heard or read about. This
does NOT mean that they are not useful in an astrological way. You do not HAVE
to use each PSP, but I strongly urge you to do so. They can add much to the
information to the charts you study.
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