The Vertex in Astrology Destiny's Gate (or the Electric Axis)

Boring Intro Remarks
The Vertex - Granted... this is just me, but I like to call the Vertex "Destiny's Gate"...

According to the dictionary, the Vertex is: "the summit, the highest point reached in the apparent motion of a celestial body or other points. Taken from the Latin - vertere, meaning 'to turn.' "

In the horoscopic chart, the astrological Vertex is calculated as being the point located at the intersection of the Ecliptic (path of the Sun) and the Prime Meridian, a plane that divides the celestial sphere into front and back.

Huh? If none of that mumbo jumbo chart calculation stuff makes any sense, then don't worry about it. It's only here for those few certain pesky eggheads who might possibly know what to do with it and/or like to think about such weighty things.

It's An Axis - The Electric Axis
The Vertex is actually part of a two point axis comprised of the Vertex and Anti-Vertex... and as an axis... if your Vertex is located in 10 degrees of Scorpio, then your anti-Vertex is located in 10 degrees of Taurus. And like all self-respecting axes, this axis generally functions as a "gate," "funnel," or "opening" into the astrological chart. The Vertex/ Anti-Vertex axis is for good reason (that I'm about to explain) nicknamed the Electric Axis.

Here's my personal astrological rule of thumb definition of the Vertex: the Vertex is a sensitive point on the chart (any chart) that during unusual, extraordinary times feels like an electric, fortunate "turning point" or a meeting with "Destiny's Gate."

As mentioned above, all self-respecting axes function as "gates," "funnels," or "openings" into the astrological chart. As such, when a birth (natal) planet is conjunct your birth Vertex/anti-Vertex axis it may typically add strength to this planet's placement and its potential efficacy in your life.

In practice, the Vertex often feels like a compulsive, yet fortunate experience and meeting up with destiny that you couldn't avoid (even if you wanted to). According to Bill Meridian (Mountain Astrologer, June/July 2001), astrologer, Charles A. Jayne who (along with Lorne Johndro) first came up with using the Vertex, "felt this point was fated and that it represented matters beyond our control." It was Johndro that called the Vertex the "electric ascendant."

Here's how I typically use the Vertex (and the anti-Vertex):

Destiny's Gate can be:

• a person (and how they effect you)

in synastry, the most effective when another person's natal Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Venus or Mars conjuncts your natal Vertex or anti-Vertex. I've gotten a wee bit stingy in my old age - and I only (90% of the time) use conjunctions when looking at the Vertex and anti-Vertex. Also, the slower a planet is... the more narrow my orbs tend to get when looking at cross aspects with the Vertex and anti-Vertex.
 
• a time (when you meet a special person)

when a transiting planet - especially the Sun - conjuncts your birth Vertex or anti-Vertex.

Be Careful What You Wish For
Through the years, I've discovered that it's a whopping big mistake to overly romanticize the Vertex and/or the people that it brings into our lives. In this regard, I especially like what my good friend Aussie astrologer Judy Crichton Weeks has to say about the Vertex. In a nutshell, she feels that the Vertex is a "relationship" point and a "wish fulfillment" point. When the Vertex is involved, we may get exactly what we wished for, but then again we might (or might not) get it in a "perverse manner."

Yep! You may feel like you've literally "wished" this destined meeting with a person into existence. However, later on (after everything's said and done)... she... er, I mean... "Destiny's Gate" may not feel quite as "fortunate" as you originally thought! Okay?

This destined meeting often fills one up with the sense of needing to bring something (or someone) to "completion." You may even find that you simply can't let go of that pesky Vertex person (maybe for years or even decades) until the "business" between the two of you is finished and/or somehow felt to be complete.

Final Word Of Caution
As I mentioned previously, the Vertex is a sensitive point on the chart (any chart) that during unusual, extraordinary times feels like a fortunate "turning point" or a meeting with "Destiny's Gate." When folks first discover the Vertex, they usually go a little "hog wild" with it! It seems like most us assume anything and everything about us and our chart is going to be unusual and extraordinary. It's not and we're not.

So... yes, there are those "unusual, extraordinary" times when the Vertex (and/or the Anti-Vertex) on a chart gets "lit up" and becomes very powerful. Then, it seems, that in every subsidiary chart cast (in relation to that original chart) - the Vertex is equally strong and "lit up."

But then, there are plenty of other times when it (the Vertex) ain't doing a blessed thing... there are plenty of times when (for example) the transiting Sun or Venus is going to pass over your birth chart and you're not about to meet a new and exciting lover (and/or you're not going to come into easy money). Other times... it may mean exactly that.

Here's one small concrete example:
My birth (natal) Venus is closely conjunct my birth (natal) Vertex. As such, I've gotten involved with two of the life changing (and gut wrenching) "loves of my life," almost exactly at the very moment the transiting Sun or Venus was passing over my birth (natal) Vertex and/or anti-Vertex. There, of course, was other lots of other stuff going on in my chart and in their charts (including, in one case, where the transiting North Lunar Node was exactly conjuncting her birth North Lunar Node at precisely the moment we laid eyes on each other - and that "puppy" only happens once every 18.5 years or so).

The problem is that the Sun (and Venus) has also, once each year, passed over my birth (natal) Vertex and anti-Vertex (so far, 94 some other times) when I didn't meet one of the life changing (and gut wrenching) "loves of my life."

Thus, for those folks who prefer solid, firm (1, 2, 3) definitions of astrological points and symbols that you can always count on and use - the Vertex can be frustrating and elusive. Questions arise, such as: "How do I use it?" "How do I know when to use it?" "How do I know when not to use it?"

Good! I'm glad that it frustrates and confuses you. You may actually be on the verge of learning something very important about the true nature of astrology and working with living, active symbols...

Major Chart Axes Rundown

• The Ascendant/Descendant axis is nicknamed the Magnetic axis.
• The Midheaven/IC axis is nicknamed the Gravity Axis.
• The Lunar Nodes axis is nicknamed the Karmic Axis.
• and finally the Vertex/ Anti-Vertex axis is nicknamed the Electric Axis.

Suggested sites:

Kim Falconer's site where she also discusses the subject of the Vertex and ever so cleverly links it with the mythology of the Roman god Vertumnus and nymph Pomona.

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