Working with the Antiscia - Astrodienst

Exploring our
by Richard Smoot
Full Self - Working with the Antiscia
© Richard Smoot - published by Constellation News, 2020 / 22.12.2020
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 ‘reflectionʼ quality. As such, this
‘mirroringʼ 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 Jungʼs 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 humanʼs 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 personalityʼ 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, Iʼm limiting the expression and discussion to one example, Charlie
Sheen.
 For
us astrologers, this means we can locate periods of time in a clientʼs chart where stress or other
circumstances can reveal a reaction that appears to be out of that personʼs 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 Sunʼs annual north/south travel sets up the
Antiscia or Solstice sign. Solstice is from the Latin, ‘solstitiumʼ, from sol (“sun”) + ‘Stoʼ (“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 Handʼs 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 nativeʼs 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 Sheenʼs 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 seriesʼ 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 Sheenʼs 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. Sheenʼs personality and actions. If you research Mr. Sheenʼs 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. Sheenʼs 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. Sheenʼs 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 Sheenʼs public ‘meltdownʼ 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 societyʼs norms. This ‘meltdownʼ, 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 Sheenʼs 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. Itʼs 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. Sheenʼs 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 sonʼs
meltdown in 2011: http://perezhilton.com/category/charlie-sheen/ - VWin1us-46U
6 Charlie Sheenʼs ‘meltdownʼ 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 Sheenʼs 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. Richardʼs aim is to work with
astrologers through education, publishing, and training. He is ISARʼs 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 heʼs a group leader and
trainer. At UAC 2018 he received the Regulus Award for Community Service.
© 2020 - Richard Smoot - Constellation News