by The search for the self
The novile aspect inscribes in the zodiacal circle the figure of the nonagon, whose sides have an angular width of 40°. The derived aspects are the bi-novile (80°) and the quadra-novile (160°), which according to some astrologers, have the same effect as the novile; the tri-novile is not evaluated because, to all intents and purposes, it coincides with the major aspect of the trine (120°).
To understand the meaning of the number 9, the numerical label of the aspect, we must go back to what has been said about the number 8 for the octile, that is, its meaning of the presence of an uncreated spiritual principle which reveals itself in the forms of Nature. With the number 9, we introduce the concept of an individuality that acts in conformity with the divine Law (1 + 8); it is the sage and the seeker of truth, or rather the initiate, represented by the ninth Arcanum of the Tarot, The Hermit, who with his veiled lamp goes in search of the supreme Wisdom hidden from most because the forms of Nature overshadow it. In other words, The Hermit describes the level at which self-knowledge is achieved. In the Kabbalistic Tree, the ninth Sephira is Yesod, the Base or Foundation; essentially, this Sephira collects the emanations of the previous Sephirot, creating a subtle, etheric architecture which organises the formation of material entities. Referring to more recent times, Ouspensky [1], in his work In Search of the Miraculous, cites the work of Gurdjieff [2] on the enneagrams, a nine-pointed figure inscribed in a circle used to describe any natural and cosmic manifestation or process. In this case, the number 9 refers to a complete cycle of expression of phenomena, from the gross to the spiritual. The same concept was then taken up and partly exploited for practical purposes in the so-called Enneagram of Personality, a description of the human psyche understood as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.
In the light of this numerological symbolism, the novile takes on the vibrational characteristics of an aspect which describes – through the planetary energies which it puts in communication – the psychic link which contributes to an individual’s ethical or spiritual evolution. Its expression is, therefore, on a subtle level, and it would be useless to look for its effect only on a manifest level, mainly if the aspect is used in transits. However, if we delve into the symbolism of the novile, we find that it acts as an attractor that guides individuals towards their true destiny. That is, it presents an element of ineluctability which, if well supported by other aspects, represents the possibility of living according to one’s reference model in full awareness; otherwise, the potential of this progress risks not being realised, remaining in the limbo of unexpressed possibilities.
Let’s take, for example, a Sun-Venus novile (it’s a possible aspect because Venus has a maximum elongation of 47°): my Nature (Sun) must manifest itself according to the principles of harmony and cooperation (Venus); this is the objective to be set for the expression of the two planetary energies. Let’s take another example with Mars-Uranus; in this case, my actions (Mars) must follow an evolutionary path (Uranus) that brings me to destinations far from the original intentions. These are just two examples, but they are sufficient to show how to read the meaning of a novile aspect: to pass from a potential state to an actuality and become a conscious vehicle of planetary powers.
[1] Pyotr Demianovich Ouspensky (1878-1947) was a Russian esotericist known for having exhibited the early works of Gurdjieff, a Greek-Armenian esotericist from whom he later broke away to follow his path.
[2] George Ivanovic Gurdjieff (1866-1887 – 1949) was a Greek-Armenian philosopher, mystic and spiritual teacher. His teachings focus on the fact that most human beings do not possess a unified consciousness, living in a state similar to a “hypnotic vigil”; his system for awakening awareness, called “Fourth Way”, combines the methods followed by fakir, monks and yogis. He died of cancer in Paris; to this day, several organised groups follow his teachings.
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