by At the Root of Social and Spiritual Order
Jupiter is often associated with maintaining the hierarchy within societal and spiritual orders. It serves as a crucial element in ensuring stability for both individuals and collectives. Over time, this celestial body has been subject to various interpretations, especially since the Middle Ages, where it was commonly referred to as the ‘Great Beneficent’ – bestowing royal destinies, Fortuna Major, and wealth when well-placed in a birth chart. Even in less favourable positions, it is said to mitigate adverse circumstances. However, beyond these surface-level traits, there is a deeper question about its true nature and function. What lies beneath its perceived benevolence?
The myth
In Greek mythology, Zeus (Greek: Ζεύς) and his Roman counterpart, Jupiter or Jovis, is revered as the king of the gods of Mount Olympus. He is the son of Cronus (or Saturn) and Rhea and is considered equivalent to the Roman Magna Mater. The name “Zeus” is linked to the Indo-European root “dyeu,” which conveys the primary meaning “to illuminate” or “to shine.” This root and its derivatives also represent “sky” and “god” and are found in the Ṛgveda 1, where it is expressed as the Vedic Sanskrit Dyáuṣ Pitṛ (God the Father or Father Sky).
The story of Zeus begins with a filicidal parent, Cronus-Saturn, who fears being overthrown by his offspring just as he once overthrew his own father, Uranus. To prevent this, Cronus-Saturn chooses to devour his newborn children. However, Rhea, Zeus’ mother, and Gaia, Mother Earth, devise a plan to save Zeus. When Zeus is born, Rhea presents Cronus-Saturn with a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallows, believing to be his newborn son, thus keeping faith with his decision not to have heirs. This clever ruse allows Zeus to survive and eventually fulfil his destiny.
During his childhood, Zeus was raised by the nymph Amalthea, who, for some authors, has the appearance of a goat. In his maturity, he forces his father to vomit first the stone Rhea had cunningly substituted for his son and then the previously swallowed brothers and sisters. Subsequently, Zeus frees the brothers of Cronus-Saturn, the Hecatoncheires (the Hundred-Handed Ones) and the Cyclops from the dungeons of Tartarus in which they were imprisoned; in return, the Cyclopes give him the gift of command over thunder and lightning. Later, along with all of them, he defeats Cronus and the other Titans by confining them to Tartarus in the ten-year battle known as the Titanomachy.
After the war, Zeus shares world control with his older brothers, Poseidon and Hades. Zeus takes dominion over the sky and air, Poseidon rules the waters, and Hades becomes the underworld king. Gaia, the mother of the Titans, feels resentful towards Zeus for his treatment of her children during the Titanomachy, so she sends the monsters Typhon and Echidna to challenge him. However, Zeus manages to trap Typhon in the depths of Mount Etna, choosing to spare Echidna and her offspring.
Having taken up his throne on Olympus, Zeus becomes disheartened by the decadent behaviour of humanity, which still practices human sacrifices and other deviant customs. He decides to cleanse the Earth of humanity through a flood with the assistance of his brother Poseidon, the god of the sea. Only Deucalion, son of Prometheus, and Pyrrha, daughter of Epimetheus, survive the flood. After the waters recede, they throw the bones of Mother Earth – the stones found on their path – over their shoulders. This act gave rise to a new humanity.
The relationship between Zeus and mortals is complex, as he has been known to terrorise and harm them with lightning as a weapon. Despite this, he is still the father of the Olympian gods, which, on the human level, is reflected in the sculptural representations where he is portrayed as grand and powerful and is associated with various epithets such as Agoraeus, the patron of the agora, the gathering place of the citizens of the polis, as well as the scourge of dishonest traders; Areius, the bellicose; Horkios, the enforcer of oaths; Xenios, the protector of guests and avenger of the wrongs they suffer; and Eleutherios, the bestower of freedom.
Not to be underestimated is his reputation as a heartbreaker. Zeus is the brother and consort of Hera, the queen of the gods and goddess of marriage and family. He has many offspring with Hera, including Ares (the god of war), Hebe (the goddess of youth), and Hephaestus (the god of blacksmiths and carpenters). Zeus is famous for his numerous romantic involvements with nymphs and mortal women, resulting in the birth of various legendary figures. In Greek mythology, he is associated with relationships with Leto – the Titaness mother of Apollo; Demeter – the goddess of crops; Mnemosyne – the goddess of memory; and Maia – the mother of Hermes. Notable mortal women linked to Zeus include Io, Europa, Leda, and the young Ganymede, the most beautiful among humans, who Zeus kidnapped in love to make him his cupbearer. To cover up his infidelities, Zeus enlists the help of the nymph Echo, who distracts Hera with her constant chatter. When Hera discovers the deception, she curses the nymph, condemning her to repeat the last words she hears forever.
The exegesis
To explain the myth, a narrative that presents many points of contrast must be harmonised. To do this, we must briefly return to the origins of the Jovian genealogy.
Ancient Greek literature presents mythology in which Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth) are depicted as the rulers of the cosmos. According to Hesiod’s theogony, Uranus is born from Gaia alone, while Callimachus 2 presents Uranus as the son of Aether, the primordial deity representing the upper heavens. These narratives symbolise a universal theme found in traditional cultures, depicting the descent of the absolute into manifestation through establishing a dual principle. From the union of Uranus and Gaia, Cronus, Saturn, and the Titans are born. The Titans, those who ‘force’ – according to the Greek etymology of the word – represent humanity’s separation from the natural order and the disruption of celestial harmony. In a word, they portray the telluric powers in their work of demolishing the substantial balance between Heaven and Earth. The myth of Cronus devouring his children portrays time as an unstoppable force that consumes eras and individuals, reflecting linear time’s ruthless and amoral nature, contrasting with the harmony and completeness of mythical time, the eternal present.
Indeed, this rift does not please the female and chthonic powers, Rea and Gaia. For the creative process to be fruitful and reveal the miracle of constantly changing life, there must be offspring and generations. Allowing the birth and growth of Zeus is a gift of “light” to a dying evolution, even though it may lead to a “dictatorship” of matter and a detachment of the creator from its creature.
Amalthea, the goat-nymph, played a crucial role in protecting and nurturing Zeus during his childhood. She symbolises nature’s support in nurturing and bringing to full development what is born. While there are discrepancies in narrative sources about her death, Zeus honoured her by fashioning an aegis, a symbol of protection, from her skin and creating a cornucopia from her broken horn, representing an endless nourishment source. It’s interesting to note that the Greek word for aegis, αἰγίς, has a dual meaning. It refers to both a shield or animal skin that provides a defence under the protection of a powerful and benevolent source – an aegis, in fact – and it also signifies a storm or sudden violence. Therefore, the figure of Zeus encompasses seemingly contrasting traits like invincibility, just punishment through lightning, as well as generosity and abundance of gifts.
The symbolic approach of what preceded the Titanomachy is also interesting. We know, again according to Hesiod, that Uranus and Gaea procreated eighteen children: twelve Titans, including Cronus Saturn, three Cyclops and subsequently three Hecatoncheires, beings of great strength with fifty heads and a hundred arms. The Titans are somewhat comparable to the Edomite kings mentioned in the Zohar, who symbolise the worlds of “unbalanced force” that preceded the formation of this universe; their father, Uranus, confines them to Tartarus, this place destined for the damned souls and dangerous for the gods. Tartarus appears as a sort of primordial cauldron for those destined for eternal abandonment. Tartarus was also the first deity from which light and the cosmos were born. It represents the exit from the cycle of existence, in short, a non-place.
The first significant action of Zeus as an adult involves making amends for the injustices suffered by his father, Cronos. This reflects his intention to establish a retributive justice system and assert a clear hierarchy of values. In the subsequent distribution of the created world with his brothers, Zeus is granted the highest realm, the heavens. This allocation symbolises Zeus’s rightful claim to rulership over the divine sphere, the religious order, and the hierarchical structure governing gods and mortals. As a result, Zeus assumes the role of a protective deity responsible for maintaining social order, which aligns with his supreme position over creation.
The planetary symbolism
In the sequence of planets, Jupiter is located after Mars and is the second planet outside Earth’s orbit. Mars represents unidirectional energy as the first expression of the centrifugal power of action. This energy now needs coordination to expand further in the vastness of space. Jupiter, both in its position and size, effectively embodies this extroverted dynamic. In the context of human interaction, the Jovian image acts as a bridge between the individual and the community, serving as the cohesive force of a structure that transcends individuality. At this stage, the energy underlying vital impulses begins to manifest as an organic system.
Understanding the concept of an organism as a functional biological unit or a complex of elements that work together is crucial in enabling specific activities to occur. It is a coordination system in which each part of the organism is subordinate to the whole, resulting in an autonomous structure that can effectively handle the diverse complexities of a mechanism to achieve a common goal. The concept of an organ, derived from the Greek word for instrument (ὄργανον), is evident on various levels of complexity – from the biological function of a single cell, already a complex system in itself, as part of an organ that, in turn, contributes to the formation of an organism which, together with other organisms contributes, on an extra-individual scale, to the formation of colonies, aggregations, groups, and societies.
Whether this mechanism manifests itself in an organic form or merely functional, as in the case of collective entities, the need for a disposition that assigns specific tasks to each part of the totality is evident. Therefore, the concept of a pyramidal system, where specific tasks are assigned to each part of a collective entity, is essential for a functional and organized mechanism. With Jupiter at the top, this hierarchical structure establishes a scalar order and prepares a multiplicity of individuals towards a common goal.
Psychological and behavioural correspondences
Like the Olympian Zeus, the Jovian personality type exhibits a wide range of attitudes, from enthusiasm and generosity to a self-centred nature and delusions of grandeur. These seemingly contradictory traits are actually different expressions of the same underlying impulse. According to Freud, this fixation on oral pleasures in adulthood can manifest as a symbolic need for nourishment from the world. While these descriptions align with analogical criteria linked to the planet – including the negative manifestations related to the narcissistic appropriation of things and people – transpersonal astrology aims to integrate individuals into a larger interconnected framework. As such, the Jovian type should be encouraged to understand their role as a catalyst for environmental, social, and spiritual expansion in their life experiences rather than being contained and tamed.
Outward displays of confidence and security characterise the nature of a person belonging to the Jupiterian type. However, this is counterbalanced by an existential void caused by their tendency to give themselves entirely to the world, often lacking intimate support. As a result, they find refuge in the world itself, allowing them to freely express their love for life, optimism, movement, and energetic activities like sports. When taken to an extreme, these attitudes can lead to epicureanism, excessive sensual enjoyment of food and drink, and an inability to set limits for oneself.
Psychologically, the breadth of the field of consciousness often leads to a broad perspective and a deep existential understanding. When this expansion of consciousness remains within personal boundaries, the hypertrophy of the Ego prevails, which can lead to an exaggerated sense of self-importance, resulting in delusions of grandeur. This can lead to a shift from generosity to greed and a tendency to exploit others for personal gain without moral consideration. Even emotional experiences can be impacted by this amplification, potentially fuelling extramarital relationships.
The Jovian mindset values a broad, holistic comprehension of concepts, prioritising experiential knowledge over theoretical understanding and tending to overlook minutiae. Despite this, Jovians may indeed engage in philosophical and spiritual contemplation. However, when they do so, they seek to establish a sturdy and systematic framework for their thoughts. This inclination toward practical, descriptive sciences also reflects their realistic approach to scientific pursuits.
Individuals with a solid Jupiterian influence often thrive in liberal activities within the social and professional spheres. They may gravitate towards large-scale operations or engage in import-export exchanges in commerce. They tend to elicit appreciation and enthusiasm in the realm of politics. Their approach to economic and financial matters is typically conservative, and given the right circumstances, they may engage in high finance. They sincerely appreciate the law as a vital pillar of society. If they possess literary skills, they are inclined to favour writing with spontaneity and objective description. Their brand of luck is not based on blind chance but rather stems from an innate ability to navigate circumstances positively.
Anatomical and functional correspondences
Anabolism
In terms of physical organisation, the symbolism of Jupiter relates to the anabolic processes within the body that assimilate nutrients and convert them into essential compounds used for building and maintaining the organism. This involves a highly organised process coordinating and synthesising biological molecules such as nucleic acids, lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, which are crucial for growth and maintenance. These processes are regulated by the endocrine system, where minimal amounts of hormones are released into the bloodstream to initiate and control various physiological activities, including growth, metabolism, and sexual development, among others.
Adrenal glands
According to tradition, Jupiter is linked to the adrenal glands, which produce various hormones. Corticosteroids, closely associated with Jupiter’s symbolism, are crucial in regulating blood volume, mineral salt balance, and the metabolism of proteins, fats, and sugars.
Liver
The liver, the body’s largest gland, performs numerous vital functions to support the body’s overall health; these characteristics alone would make it an ideal candidate for an analogical relationship with Jupiter-Zeus in his capacity as ruler and coordinator of Olympus. The liver is responsible for over 500 functions, usually in combination with other organs. It plays a significant role in synthesising amino acids, glycogen, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, hormones with anabolic effects, platelets, and fibrinogen. Additionally, the liver produces all blood plasma proteins except gamma globulins. It also aids in breaking down waste products and toxins, such as ammonia, and transforms them into urea for excretion. Furthermore, the liver produces lymph and stores blood. It can regulate blood flow by either taking in large quantities of blood when there is an excess or releasing it into circulation when there is a shortage.
Pathological correspondences
The main pathological correspondences relating to the organs and functions attributed to Jupiter are:
Dyscrasias
Dyscrasias refer to changes in blood composition and can encompass various non-specific disorders. In the context of Jupiter, dyscrasia likely pertains to an overproduction of proteins by plasma cells, including albumins.
Humour imbalance
The concept of humour imbalance is derived from the ancient Hippocratic theory of the four humours 3. In the case of Jupiter, the primary cause of this imbalance is believed to be yellow bile, which is found in the liver and gallbladder and is associated with the so-called choleric temperament.
Metabolic disorders
Metabolic disorders encompass a wide range of conditions, often stemming from liver and pancreatic diseases, genetic abnormalities, or nutritional deficiencies. This category includes diabetes and assimilation issues related to glucose and fat metabolism.
Obesity
Obesity often results from consuming an excessive amount of calories, particularly those derived from fats and sugars, without balancing it with physical activity. This condition reflects a tendency of the Jovian type to store energy rather than utilise it, leading this way to an accumulation within the body.
Hypercholesterolemia
Cholesterol is a vital organic molecule that plays a crucial role in forming cell membranes and serves as a precursor for synthesising steroid hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D. The liver produces significant amounts of cholesterol. When there are high concentrations of cholesterol in the blood, it leads to a pathological condition known as hypercholesterolemia. This condition is a risk factor as it increases the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis over time.
Hyperaemia
Hyperaemia is a medical condition characterised by an excess of blood in the vascular system, which can occur either locally or throughout the body. Passive hyperaemia, the buildup of blood in organs and tissues due to an obstruction, can impact the Jovian type if it is associated with conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
Hepatic insufficiency
Numerous diseases and disorders can impact the liver and its functions. Concerning the Jovian type, a notable dysfunction is steatosis, which involves fat buildup in the liver cells due to factors such as obesity, diabetes, or metabolic imbalances.
Acalculous cholecystitis
Acalculous cholecystitis refers to gallbladder inflammation due to an obstruction that prevents bile flow into the small intestine. It is important to note that in the Jovian type, this inflammation is not caused by gallstones but rather by a reduced blood supply to the gallbladder, often linked to diabetes.
Benign tumours
Benign tumours typically stay in their original location without spreading to other areas and usually do not cause issues. The Jovian type is more susceptible to developing lipomas (fatty lumps under the skin), cysts, and polyps.
- The Rigveda (Skt. ऋग्वेद, “Hymn to Knowledge”) is the oldest collection of Vedic hymns. It is written in Sanskrit and dates back to the second millennium BCE, although its exact dating is still debated among scholars. The Rigveda is made up of four books: the Samhita, which is a collection of hymns exploring cosmology and praise of the gods; the Brahmana, which consists of ritual texts based on the practical application of the hymns, including prayers and sacrifices to the gods; the Aranyaka, which provides commentaries on the significance of the rituals from various perspectives, including philosophical; and finally, the Upanishads. ↩︎
- Callimachus (310 c. – 240 BC), a poet and scholar from the Greek colony of Cyrene in Libya, created a bibliographic work containing 120 volumes that detailed the contents of the Library of Alexandria. ↩︎
- Hippocrates of Kos, who lived around 460 – 370 BC, is widely regarded as the father of medicine. He is known for introducing the use of prognosis and the classification of diseases, as well as for formulating the theory of humours. According to this theory, the human body contains four vital fluids or humours: blood, yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile. Imbalances or excesses of these humours are believed to cause disease. Furthermore, each humour is associated with one of the four temperaments: sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic. ↩︎
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