THE CONUNDRUM THAT IS CAPRICORN
Alright people! It is here! Finally, the Winter Solstice has arrived and the dark days are receding. When the Sun begins his transit of Capricorn, the long night is yet again behind us and we can look forward to increasing light and eventually, for those of us in the northern climes, increasing warmth. There has never been a group of people throughout history who have not marked this wondrous ‘turning point’ with some kind of celebration or ritual. As far back as the ancients, this time of the year was spent in revelry. The Romans called it Saturnalia, and yes, for those of you who are astrologically attuned, the reference is to the god named Saturn and yes, that is the planet which is associated with Capricorn.
Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the Age of Pisces, a new religion was born in the Western World. As it grew and gathered strength, it eventually superseded the old so-called pagan polytheistic religions of the previous age, Aries. The Emperor Constantine integrated the festivities associated with Saturnalia into the new official religion of Christianity in the 300’s. This was a politically motivated move to create external harmony amongst his religiously divided peoples. The pagans could find comfort in their old festivals and traditions while the Christians could feel less alienated by celebrating along with the rest of the peoples but in honour of their new God, Jesus. So, today, those of us who have been raised as Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at this time, layering our festivities on the historical celebration of a variety of long ago pagan holidays from which many of the common Christian traditions have been purloined. Think Yule Logs, for one, a tradition that finds its source in the pagan festival of Yule. It is absolutely appropriate that some celebrate the birth of a Saviour at this time of the year. It is a time of hope and renewal, repentance and forgiveness. It is a time when we can let go of the ‘old’ energy of the culminating year and turn our faces to the increasing sun as it begins to get stronger until finally, it brings forth new life from the slumbering earth just as the baby Jesus holds within himself the hope for those who put faith in him, that they will receive the gift of everlasting life. The promise of the Winter Solstice is a promise of the everlasting nature of the cycles of life and becoming.
And this, then, is the time of Capricorn, a time when we remember that there is an order to all things, that there is a process that will not be denied. Capricorn teaches us to find that measure within ourselves through the evidence that we can see outside of ourselves, to go to the root and hold fast to it knowing that it is grounded in reality and truth, to put our faith in the inexorable cycles of life because we have been witness to them in the past. We have no reason to think that we should expect any other eventuality than the one that we have always experienced; that is that life does follow a pattern and that it always will.
As I mentioned last month, in many ways the ingress (entry) of the Sun into Capricorn is a beginning—like the New Moon. And, just as we can attune to new intentions, create new wishes and begin to construct new designs at the New Moon, so, too, at this time of the year, we can take a few moments to renew our intentional selves and attune to new pathways of becoming. This is most appropriately linked to Capricorn, an energy concerned with building, construction, growth. It is in the element of EARTH that process begins and Capricorn is an earth sign, part of the family that includes Taurus and Virgo. It’s modality is cardinal where it is joined by Aries, Cancer and Libra. In the Natural Zodiac Wheel, it rests firmly at the southernmost part of that wheel or, as the eye sees it, the top. In astrological terms, it is aligned to the Midheaven, the most elevated point in the chart. So, though this energy is often quiet, reserved, contained and cautious, it is also deliberate, determined, goal-oriented and resourceful. It understands how to measure worth and then how to utilize that worth for maximum return. No wonder that it is often linked to business, commerce and management of some kind.
But what about all that merry-making that goes on at Winter Solstice or Christmas? How does that co-relate to the energy of Capricorn? The answer is simple. Real celebration is that which is experienced as a result of accomplishment and Capricorn understands how to accomplish. So, when the work is finally done, this energy knows how to let loose and revel in its own success. Under that seemingly reserved and cautious exterior, is a sensuous, even hedonistic interior that is merely waiting for a reason to express itself. So, if you are a Capricorn type or have Capricorn types in your life, this is a good thing to understand—that they actually need an outlet on a regular basis, that without an outlet, they could well become so compressed that a distortion in the persona may even occur. Whenever something is not expressed openly and freely, it will find some other way to express itself. And this is the case with Capricorn. It is important to acknowledge it when there is a need to ‘let loose’. So, all you Capricorns, all work and no play makes ‘Jack’ a dull boy, right?
Capricorn is the Elder energy of the Zodiac. Contained within it is the wisdom of the collected lives lived by the soul in question. If someone has chosen to ‘work’ through this energy on an ego level, either being born under the sign or having a lot of the personal planets in this sign, an intrinsic part of their soul contract involves a culmination process. Depending on the structure of the individual psyche, we can see someone who is operating in full fruition of the qualities expressed by the chart or, conversely, someone who has contracted to ‘pay out’ the debt of past lives through the current life experience. Whatever the case in question, there is a deep knowledge contained within this energy, knowledge of application that leads to result, the knowledge of how to persevere under any circumstances, the knowledge of how to apply determination and true grit of spirit to get results. Reactively, if the current life is a life of ‘payout’, the ego can experience frustration and even despair as a result of unrealized potential or dealing with the feeling that every move is impeded somewhere and somehow. Acceptance is a great tool when facing frustration and even despair. Focusing on the cyclical nature of life is also helpful. In the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune card demonstrates this truth; that life is constantly changing. In the popular song, “That’s Life’, the songwriter expresses this idea very nicely when he writes, “riding high in April, shot down in May…but I’ll be back on top, back on top in June…that’s life…” If you are one of those Capricorn types who is facing challenge in your life (and at this current moment in time that would not be overly surprising), find the Wheel of Fortune card and use it as a focusing device. Gaze at this card and examine the nature of the wheel. Note that it appears to be in constant motion. Move into the motion of the Wheel and feel it inside of yourself. Trust that whatever is difficult, challenging, even unbearable, will, indeed, pass. Try it. You might find some relief if you need to endure just a bit longer.
Capricorn is an energy that loves to construct, to build, to sustain and to order all that is in disorder. Its sense of wealth is founded on minimalism rather than accumulation. And yet, through skilful management of whatever resource it has, it can create substance seemingly out of nothing. It is like the soup pot that sustains the family for the whole week, simple yet nourishing, spare yet filling the belly. Ah, Capricorn, what would we do without you!
Competency is second nature to this energy and if there is something that needs mastering, there is a strong will to apply to the task. As an earthy energy, Capricorn concerns itself with what is real, what is, not with what might be. This is one of the great strengths of this energy; the ability to work in the present with what is available, a can do kind of spirit that avoids self-pity at any cost, sometimes even at the cost of its own self. So, for those of you who are in relationship with a Capricorn type, nurture them even when they appear not to need it!
The most ancient symbol associated with Capricorn is the Sea Goat, a mythic creature with the body of a fish and the head and shoulders of a goat. In modern times this symbol was conveniently represented as a plain goat. Even in this, we glean something about the energy. Overtly, the Capricorn psyche aligns itself with the obvious, the goat. Clever, persistent and sure-footed, the hardy mountain goat can navigate just about any terrain. However, underneath that visibly competent exterior swirl the complexities of a different kind of nature and one that starkly contrasts with the practical, down to earth one we usually ascribe to this energy. Yet again, we are reminded that there is much more to Capricorn than meets the eye, literally demonstrated in the fishy body hidden deep in the water. Another way of understanding this dual nature is that this is, above all else, an energy that is able to find solutions to problems. The original myths associated with the Sea Goat involve the magic of shape-shifting in order to elude capture and survive. Capricorn is resourceful, able to assume many different forms in the face of danger, challenge and threat. If one strategy does not work, Capricorn will devise an alternate one until solution is realized. What an energy! Willing to face anything, able to go the distance, dependable and trustworthy and indestructible! Or, at least that is what it would like us to think!
If this energy is not consciously worked, the Capricorn psyche can be cold, seemingly unsympathetic and harsh. There is a danger that one could become too hard-nosed, too matter of fact and suppress all the magic that is also a part of this crazy life we live. The need for results can sometimes lead to ruthlessness and even cruelty. The expression coined by Machiavelli that, “the end justifies the means’ lends insight into the darker side of Capricorn ambition. And, just as the Mountain goat can jump over obstacles and land sure-footed on almost any surface, so, too, can the driven, goal-oriented Capricorn psyche disregard the welfare of those around him and even ‘under’ his metaphorical feet as he leaps into his self-perceived destiny. There can be a disregard for tender emotion and even impatience with others’ less practical attitude to reality. Interestingly, it is by accessing the feeling nature of the opposite or partner sign, Cancer, that Capricorn can bring some balance into its sometime too black and white world view. This means making an effort to open the heart chakra, ‘hear’ the ringing of the bell that is the heart chakra sound and becoming attuned to the message that the bell brings when it rings. For those of you who have experienced the ‘Heart Bell, you know how full of emotion this sound is, how it opens the self wide to the love that is the universal spirit of compassion and forgiveness, both qualities to which Capricorn must mindfully aspire. Once Capricorn determines that it must become more compassionate, more emotional, it will pursue this just as it pursues anything else, with determination, perseverance, single-mindedness and devotion. No wonder this energy can do just about anything!
The energies of BEAR (as a totem) co-relate very nicely to Capricorn energy. Following is a description of this strong power animal.
BEAR
Stand with me in silence. Feel the rhythm of my heart deep within your heart, beating in harmony as the sun drops slowly into the arms of the sea. I bring you remembrance and I bring you foresight. Use them well as you walk into the west, into the setting sun.
I am the sleeper who dreams the dream. As I lay deep within the hidden caves, I spin the story of your life. Come and join me in the world of dream and magic. In the place of magic and miracles, I will show you the Earth and I will show you the Sky. I will take you to the Rainbow Bridge that runs between the two. Rest with me in the shade of the Great Tree and gather wisdom from the rustling leaves. Silent, let it be.
In the bright light of the steamy Sun and the cool light of the luminescent Moon, we will dance together in the Great Circle of Joy. I will teach you to listen to the Sun, to feel the power within and to listen to the Moon, to hear the whisper of truth and to ride these rays with nimble feet.
If you have a question, enter into my stillness and speak. Out of the silence I will answer and you will hear my voice. All that is asked in purity has a response born in mercy. My silence is your silence is my silence. Let it be so. And so will you know.
I am the healer and I bring you the skill of knowing the cure. Follow my lead and let your inner knowing guide you through the sickness that you seek to salve. I can tear away all that is rotten and soothe all that is broken. I know how to quiet the burning of the flesh and I know how to rouse the healer within you.
I am HE who fears nothing. I am raw courage, true and strong. I will stand by you as you defend those that call for your help. I will help you as you help others.
If you call me to your side, I will bring you my devoted support. I will teach you silence in the face of chaos and self-certainty in the face of doubt. I will open your heart to the love that is always present and show you how to drink deep from the cup of loving kindness. I will never leave you unless you tell me to go. Once we have bound each one to the other, I will stay at your side forever.
I am all that you wish to be and even more, that which you cannot even imagine. If you walk with me in courage and in trust, I will show you the pathway to your perfect self. Follow me. Follow me.
I am Bear and together we can dream the dream.
Star Crossings
The planet that is associated with Capricorn is Saturn. In mythology, Saturn (or Cronos) is one of the primary gods. Saturn’s story is a story of passion, power and pain. He overthrew his own father in his lust for power and then ate his own young so as to maintain his supremacy. Ultimately, he was overthrown by one of his own children, Jupiter, who then assumed the primary position amongst the pantheon of gods in Olympus. These mythological stories serve to illuminate something about the qualities of this planetary archetype. We begin to understand, when we meditate on them, that we, all of us, have built into our psyches the drive to dominate, to control our reality, to succeed according to whatever criteria we have set for ourselves. We have as deep a resonance of fear as we do of love and unless we consciously work through this resonance of fear, it can dominate our lives. In the Saturn function that is wired into the persona, we face the limits of our consciousness and we pay the price for every action we take (karma).
Saturn teaches us about the measure of time, that there is a cycle for everything. The physical planet has an orbital time of about 30 years so astrologers use the Saturn cycle to mark turning points in the life cycle. The first Saturn threshold comes at about 7 years of age. There is a whole body of work on this period of life, demonstrating how critical those first formative years are for the developing child. At 7 we begin to assume a more defined sense of self and it is the experience of the preceding 7 years that contribute to that sense of self. The next Saturn threshold is at about 14-15, the onset of adolescence, then 21, the entry into a preliminary kind of adulthood and then finally, 29-30 when, in most cases, we deal with the results of our choices, stepping fully into responsibility for not only ourselves but often for the family that we have begun to grow. If, at this point in the cycle, you have not put in the ‘time’ to create a firm, stable foundation, you will have no choice but to do so in whatever way is available to you. As an example, if you have not made an effort to develop some way to support yourself, you could experience any number of ‘hardships’ at this point in time. Nevertheless, the brutal reality is that you will have to deal with whatever it is that you have done. No skills? No job. No job? No money. No options? Well, off you go and work to find some. It may take time and require effort but the promise of Saturn is that if you put in the effort and take the time, you will begin to turn things around.
Saturn is all about the ultimate reality check. It is through the process of facing up to our actions, counting out or measuring the cost of all that we have done, that we learn and grow. If we heed the inner teacher, the Saturn function, we gather strength, we stabilize and we prosper. If we ignore the lessons of Saturn, we will not escape the consequences that ensue. In a sense, Saturn teaches us about the delicacy of true balance, about the process of finding that pivot point within the self. It is vital that we work hard to construct an inner structure that will enable us to maintain the reality that we are manifesting. Through Saturn, we truly learn who we are and slowly, with determination and perseverance we can hone ourselves to become diamond bright souls rather than coal dust that can be scattered with a mere gust of wind. So, though we use words like containment and limit when discussing Saturn, we understand that it is a containment of security and a limit that creates comfort.
In the mythic story, Saturn is ultimately overthrown by Jupiter. This part of the story informs us that Goodness will always triumph over Evil. Our job is to maintain Trust that this is, indeed, so. Paradoxically, by accessing the Saturn Function within the self, we can actually arrive full-blown at the Jupiter function, that is to live in full faith and within the arms of spirit.
The thing to focus on is that any part of the persona has a reactive side and that it is sometimes easier to give in or give up than to stand firm and hang in. That is why we often associate so-called ‘bad’ things with Saturn. In fact, the truth is that there is relief in any situation if we only keep going and maintain faith. By connecting with our own inner will, another aspect of the Saturn part of the psyche, we can master whatever it is that we are experiencing. Thus, the reference to the teacher archetype associated with Saturn. At times, we can feel as if we are being ‘tested’ by our life experiences but if we draw on previous lessons learned and maintain an attitude of determination, we can grow into true masters rather than mere victims.
Saturn moves slowly through the signs of the Zodiac, spending about 2 ½ years in each one. Currently Saturn is in the early degrees of Libra but will be stationing Retrograde in January at about 4* of Libra and moving right back into Virgo to reactivate those of us who have a late degree Saturn in Virgo. By July of 2010, Saturn will once again re-enter Libra and he will be finished with his activation of the Virgo part of the soul chart. Many of you 30 year olds are just now experiencing your first ‘Saturn Return’, a time of realization, accountability and ultimate reality. Those of you who are around 60 are going through your 2nd Saturn Return, a time of potential fruition, even deeper realization and a coming to terms with the reality that you have so far constructed. Hopefully, the experience in both cases is good!
Of course, everyone has each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac situated somewhere in their psyche, and wherever Virgo and Libra fall in your psyche is where you will be having ‘Saturn-like’ experiences. If the experiences are challenging, even threatening, you are being asked to reconsider what you are doing. How can you be more diligent, pay greater attention to the bottom line, take more responsibility for any actions that you have taken or are taking? Where in your life must you hold fast, stay steady, hang tough? On the other hand, you might be reaping the rewards for hard work already accomplished, feeling full and content, experiencing a sense of safety and security. This, too, is the Saturn effect. If you know your chart, you can locate where Virgo and Libra fall, and then explore just what is going on in that part of your life that could co-relate to some of the ideas I have discussed here. Following is a very brief description of what the 12 houses of the horoscope co-relate to.
House 1—body/self
House 2—resources/values
House 3—mental body/communication
House 4—home base/the personal
House 5—love/creativity & luck
House 6—daily routine/work/habits/health
House 7—interpersonal life
House 8—life/death/taxes & all things intimate
House 9—travel/education
House 10—you in the world out there/social personal
House 11—group associations/social causes
House 12—the inner life/unconscious drivers
As you can see, these 12 categories of experience pretty well cover what life is about, from the mundane concerns like resource and occupation (houses 2 & 6) to the more complex issues of meaning (house 9), relationships (houses 7& 8), and the inner life (houses 4 & 12). We move through our lives and like a surfer on his board, we navigate the waves, sometimes riding high and other times wiping out. Through the experiences we have, we acquire life skills, knowledge and even, for some fortunate few, wisdom, fruition of self. The key is that this is an ongoing experiential process. There is never a full stop and even transition from this physical life to whatever lies beyond merely takes us into yet another aspect of this spiral of becoming.
When considering Saturn, we face the bottom line of whatever sphere of life is being activated. As we stand face to face with the reality that we have created, we reap the results of our actions, positive or negative. If, in fact, we experience challenge or suffering, the assurance is that, if we pay attention to the ‘lesson’, we can then begin to shift our reality, brick by brick, so as to alleviate the extent of the suffering. The thing to keep in mind is that life is a wheel, always turning, never at a standstill even when it might appear to be so to our limited subjective minds.
On a collective level, Saturn is joining Pluto to create, astrologically speaking, a Cardinal Square; that is, Pluto is currently in the sign of Capricorn and Saturn is in Libra. These two energies are linked geometrically by a 90* separation within the 360* circle. The square aspect is considered to be a dynamic and sometimes challenging aspect. The dynamic part of this contact comes from the spark created through the intrinsic friction that this sharp alignment can generate. Pressure creates a reaction, sometimes compression, but ultimately this leads to a burst of activity. The Pluto part of this contact can be summed up in the words power & transformation. When this is conjoined to the Saturn aspect of reality, we begin to understand that the basic structure of what we see and experience is being transformed. Look at the current economic crisis. The very fundamentals of how the money markets work is being changed, harshly and in unforgiving terms because as a collective, we did not pay attention to detail, did not look to the bottom line, avoided facing the consequences for irresponsible spending and investing. In Libra, Saturn is seeking to bring in a balancing of accounts, attempting to find a compromise that will settle accounts and recreate some degree of relief from suffering. I feel that there is much to be hoped for with these two archetypes in these two energies. Both Libra and Capricorn promise safety and security if we only work with this energy and not against it. Libra is beautiful, full of goodness, fair, just and kind. Capricorn is strong, steadfast and secure, providing support at the highest level. It is up to us to find beauty in our lives, reduce consumption, develop altruism and social consciousness, work hard and save more. We are changing and our community of choice is changing because of the change in us. There is a saying that espouses the concept that ‘we should be the change that we wish to see’. This Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Libra Concord points us in the right direction for effecting change on the microcosmic (individual) and macrocosmic (collective) level. Let us all reduce, reuse and renew. Let us all seek inner contentment rather than external transitory stimulation. We are asking ourselves, both individually and collectively, to contain and sustain all aspects of our reality. No more throw-away culture, please. It takes a great effort of will to make such intrinsic changes to the status quo. We have to change the way we think, feel and ultimately act to see even a little bit of change. We must examine our desire body and teach it to want to sustain and contain rather than consume and destroy. It isn’t going to be easy but it can be done if we have the inner grit to do it. Do we? Will we?
Early in 2010, Uranus, the planet that represents sudden and sometimes radical shift, the unexpected and unpredictable will join Pluto and Saturn in the Cardinal Concord when it enters Aries. These three archetypal psychic forces will form a very dynamic energetic alignment called a T-Square, Saturn & Uranus standing opposite each other and Pluto at 4-square to each of them. Expect to see events that are surprising, sudden and radical in nature in the area of value, security, intrinsic structure; the systems that govern us all. We, as a group of people, are seeking solution and with the presence of Uranus into the mix, we are signaling that we will do whatever it takes to shake things up, get things moving, bring about the change that is vital if we, as a species, are to survive. We really do live in interesting times!
Next month, I will discuss both Saturn and Uranus when we explore the whacky and wonderful energy of Aquarius.
Happy Birthday to all the Capricorns out there. If you are feeling like a tune-up, contact me for your Annual Metaphysical. (Read more about what you get from the session @ www.christinarai.com.)
And, of course, please everyone, have a happy, safe and glorious holiday time. Connect with your true friends and loved ones, make new ones and raise a good old glass of ‘red’ (or white) to the gods and goddesses of laughter, love and joy. Whatever your preferred holiday greeting is at this wonderful and magical time, say it and believe.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Qwirky Quest of Sagittarius
The Qwirky Quest of Sagittarius
Here we are at the end of November, just a month away from Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the time of Sagittarius; intense, urgent, anticipatory. We have the sense that SOMETHING is about to appear. We feel every throb of life, every beat of our pulse, every circuit our blood makes. This is the pause before the leap, that moment of almost unbearable anticipation. In the northern hemisphere, and especially the farther north that you go, we live more in the dark than in the light, eagerly looking forward to the turning point in the yearly cycle when the light begins to increase. According to Shamanic Astrology the Winter Solstice co-relates to the New Moon phase—the beginning of all things--since this gateway marks the time of the yearly cycle when the Sun once again begins to gather strength; that is, the days begin to grow longer. Thus, this time period just before that singular point of birth and becoming can be aligned to the Dark Moon or Balsamic Moon phase. Everything is reduced to its most essential self during Dark Moon. The end merges with the beginning. The rich compost of experience is now poised to fuel and nudge the hard seed deep within the earth and to soften it in preparation for the call of the Spring Equinox, when it begins to send forth its roots and tender shoots and to find the sun once again. Sound exciting, confusing, intense, hopeful, sort of hard but ever optimistic? Well, there you have Sag, an energy that has many sides to it. It is fitting that Sag fills this most intense part of the yearly cycle with its questing, intense energy. We know that there is a brighter day just beyond the horizon and even though we sometimes feel as if we are flailing about in the dark, we remain hopeful that we will eventually find something that makes sense out of the chaos. Sagittarius is much like this, confusing, yet hopeful, intense, yet not constant, urgent but perhaps not keenly focused. And yet, at all times keenly interested in the underlying meaning of all things, looking always for the bigger picture where all the seemingly inane minutia of life begins to make some sense.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. It is part of the group that includes Aries and Leo and is also aligned to Gemini, its polarity sign, as well as Virgo and Pisces by mutability. Mutable energy is adaptable, constantly in movement with the capacity to support tremendous change. Fiery energy is action oriented, creative, passionate and aspiring. Sagittarius is the Free-spirited, Gypsy like Wanderer in contrast to the Warrior, Aries and the Royal, Leo, its fire brethren.
The symbol associated with Sag is the Centaur, a creature of myth who was part human and part animal. Contained within this symbol is yet another aspect of the Sagittarius nature. There is an aspiration to nobility and spirit as signified by the human head of the creature and a link to the animal nature of desire and impulse as shown by the horse’s body of the creature. In Sag there is an ongoing struggle to reconcile the so-called lower nature with the so-called higher nature. The Centaurs were both students, particularly of the healing arts, and carousers, given to wine, women and song. The term ‘party hardy’ covers their attitudes nicely. On a subtle level, however, we can begin to understand that in Sagittarius we can find the pathway to spirit through the physical experience as opposed to the usual understanding that the search for spirit necessarily means that the seeker must reject his physical self and the desire body connected to it.
On the ‘natural wheel’, Sagittarius is found in the 9th house, usually associated with the higher mind and the quest for spiritual understanding. How interesting then, that we may find a clue to the means for this quest in the symbol that represents this energy, the centaur. Here is the power packed message that many miss when considering Sagittarius. We must integrate the lower nature and the higher nature so that they work together in their ‘flight’ into spirit. This idea is nicely represented by the half man, half horse symbol of Sagittarius. To deny that we are human, contained in flesh, subject to the desires and needs associated with being material creatures is to profoundly miss the point of why we are here on this plane of existence. Sagittarius tells us to honour the so-called ‘lower’ self; that is to feel the body, sate the mind, salve the emotional self, while also honouring the aspiring part of ourselves to reach out for the god/dess within each of us, that is, spirit. We have all come to this plane to have the material/physical experience and through that experience to find Spirit. As long as we are here, we will never find Spirit by denying that we are fleshly.
A Sagittarius persona then, is a mixture of seemingly opposing drivers; the pursuit of pleasure is juxtaposed against a deep inner desire to understand the meaning of life. Joy is easily accessed in the hurley burley, topsy turvey race into life. Decisions can come quickly and sometimes impulsively and words can sometimes spill out of the mouth before the mental body can check them for suitability. This is all due to the incredible zest that underscores every moment for the ‘Sag’ type.
The horse part of the Centaur is a powerful representation of energy in motion. As a power animal, Horse brings a sense of freedom, will-power, speed, independence. There is a sense of stamina and endurance. He is the harbinger of adventure and the distant horizon that beckons to the traveler. There is an inherent wildness contained in this symbol, a connection to the primitive power of muscle and bone. Interestingly, Sagittarius is connected to the thighs and we all know how powerful the thighs of a horse can be. Energetically, the thighs represent our ability to carry ourselves forward, to propel ourselves through life’s landscape, no matter the terrain we encounter. Sagittarius mirrors this ability. There is a deep seated optimism found in the pure energy of Sag. Nothing is insurmountable and the cup is always half full! (See my description of HORSE energy later in this blog.)
The reactive side of this energy can be demonstrated by exaggeration, random impulse resulting in chaotic results, thoughtlessness and deceit. All of these things are rooted in the underlying exuberance of this energy. It is vital that anyone with a focus of Sag in their psyches maintain a watchful awareness of these aforementioned tendencies. The exaggeration is a result of sometimes mindless optimism. The random impulse may well be a result of the abundant energy inherent in a strongly Sag psyche which has yet to learn managing mechanisms so that their exuberance and impatience is directed mindfully and not haphazardly in a higgledy piggledy way. The thoughtlessness is just unchecked impulse and the result of having a kind of matter of fact attitude to being ‘honest’, without taking into account that truth is seldom absolute. The deceit is connected to a tendency to amplify and expand, the ‘storyteller syndrome’. As always, any of these negative manifestations are merely a distortion of the energy and, with some application, can be modified within the personality and used in a proactive fashion. We need persons who are optimistic and ready to tackle whatever comes their way, people who are enthusiastic, devoted to honesty and able to entertain us with their wit and mental agility. Who can imagine a party without someone present who can make others laugh, who can incite others to fun, for instance. These are the gifts that Sagittarius gives to the collective.
Sagittarius is, after all is said and done, an energy that seeks truth, the higher mind and meaning in the midst of the madness of seemingly random existence. It is only when we are willing to explore that which is unknown and not familiar that we can get a glimpse of the potential that we all have within ourselves. The Sagittarius part of the psyche is where we can connect to this exploratory, truth-seeking impulse!
Jupiter, the Ruler of Sag
Every sign has a planet associated with it and in the case of Sagittarius, that planet is Jupiter. There was a time when Astrologers looked for a ‘well-placed’ or ‘powerful’ Jupiter in a chart when doing delineation. They were looking for the ‘luck’ factor in someone’s life. Today, we understand that there is more to life than luck, the quality often associated with this planet. We also understand that the saying, “Too much of a good thing” can be painfully true. That is how the Jupiter part of the psyche can be—big, beautiful and rather overwhelming, taking up the whole darn room and leaving little place for anything else.
On a deeper level, Jupiter co-relates to right brain kind of thinking, creative, circular, holistic as opposed to Mercury which is more linear, detail oriented and logical. We now know that these two supposedly separate parts of the brain are not so separate after all and actually work together, sending messages from one side to the other. Still, it is interesting that visionary thinkers often focus on the ‘big picture’ leaving the nuts and bolts to others to work through. The Jupiter function within the self seeks vision and an underlying theme to whatever it is exploring. Once the idea is hatched, the left brain is enlisted to work out the kinks and make things run smoothly or just make sense. Creativity is the key!
In terms of cycles, Jupiter takes 12 years to transit the 12 signs of the zodiac, spending about 1 year in each of the 12. This is not exact and for instance, someone could have a 5th ‘Jupiter return’ at age 59, just short of their 60th birthday. This once in 12 year turn of the wheel is a time of opportunity, expansion, augmentation, sometimes exaggeration, joyfulness, adventure and often hectic activity in the area of life that the natal (or birth) Jupiter is keyed to. At this point in time, Jupiter is just completing his transit of Aquarius and will soon enter the sign of Pisces. Anyone with Jupiter in Aquarius has just had or will soon have their once in 12 year ‘Jupiter return’ when this planet finds itself back at the very same degree of the Zodiac that it occupied at birth. Then, next year and into 2011, anyone with Jupiter in Pisces will experience this cyclic event. The Jupiter return is a great time to tweak any long term goals. It is a great time to reconnect to inner faith and renew a sense of meaning within the context of the life. This is a time of optimism and opportunity in most cases though, naturally, for a specific reading of this transit, it is useful to go to an astrologer and get detailed feedback.
Of course, everyone will be having some sort of ‘Jupiterian’ experience and we can get of sense of this by locating what area of the birth chart will hold the energy of this Aquarian/Pisces transit. If you know where Aquarius and Pisces are in your own birth chart you can use the following list of key ideas to reflect on the opportunities that may present themselves over the course of the next few years.
In house
1 increase of activity
opportunities to explore new things
2 resource riches; going out & coming in
getting connected to what you truly love
3 feeling good about what you think & how you speak
the mental life expands
4 the inner life expands
a focus on the home
5 fun increases
luck may show up
romance and attraction
the creative center is opened
6 opportunity to refine the daily routine
lots to do
a potential to create ritual in the day to day life
7 friendships, partnerships, relationships abound
8 the inheritance of unexpected blessings
a brush with the real meaning of life
a potential for the ‘aha’ moment
9 adventure calls
opportunities to travel, explore & imagine
10 the reward for effort made
recognition; notoriety
11 the call to community feeling
opportunities for social action
potential to realize goals & dreams
12 mystical experience is potential
a reconnection to the divine
In all cases, the key to accessing the full potential of the Jupiter part of the self is to take the experience, whatever it might be, and look at it through the lens of meaning. This is where we are seeking for the greater vision of who we can potentially be. This is that part of us that aspires towards a greater nobility of spirit, a deeper meaning of being. Wherever the floodgates of experience and opportunity are opening in our life, we must consciously manage the flow so as to not get swept away by the force of the deluge. Opportunity can easily turn into excess. Jupiter is the ‘great benefic’ or in layman’s language, the bestower of blessing. It is, however, up to each of us individually to maximize on the gifts that Jupiter brings.
Here is a description of the energy of HORSE as a power animal.
HORSE
Come, run with me into the valleys and across the plains. I will carry you like the wind into the future of yourself.
I am the POWER of WILL, the ability to do what needs to be done. I am FREEDOM and INDEPENDANCE. I know myself best when I am chasing the wind as it sweeps across the face of the Earth.
I can go a great distance and then keep on going. What do you need to ENDURE? I will show you how to endure it.
Listen to the pounding of my hooves as they carry me along. It is the drumbeat of life that pounds beneath me. It is the rhythm of being that carries me forward.
I will stand beside you in your journey into adventure. I will be there when you need me to whisk you away from danger. I am power. I am speed. I am distance.
Whisper into my ear and I will hear you. Run your hands over my smooth, sleek body and I will obey. But do not try to hold me. Do not fence me in. Jump up and lay your body down upon me and together we will gallop into the horizon, wild and free.
I can hear you, friend. I can hear your thoughts so think only those things that heal you. Fill your mind with goodness and with love. Be kind. Be gentle and yet be firm and strong.
I will show you how to manage your reality, to maximize what you have and to find what you need. Listen to my call and follow, follow, follow.
What do you want to do? What is your most secret dream? Where does your potential lie? I can take you to the place where the answers to these questions are waiting for you to find them. Come with me on this adventure into becoming.
Watch how I run alone. Watch how I run with others. Watch and learn.
I am HORSE and I will be your friend.
Here we are at the end of November, just a month away from Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the time of Sagittarius; intense, urgent, anticipatory. We have the sense that SOMETHING is about to appear. We feel every throb of life, every beat of our pulse, every circuit our blood makes. This is the pause before the leap, that moment of almost unbearable anticipation. In the northern hemisphere, and especially the farther north that you go, we live more in the dark than in the light, eagerly looking forward to the turning point in the yearly cycle when the light begins to increase. According to Shamanic Astrology the Winter Solstice co-relates to the New Moon phase—the beginning of all things--since this gateway marks the time of the yearly cycle when the Sun once again begins to gather strength; that is, the days begin to grow longer. Thus, this time period just before that singular point of birth and becoming can be aligned to the Dark Moon or Balsamic Moon phase. Everything is reduced to its most essential self during Dark Moon. The end merges with the beginning. The rich compost of experience is now poised to fuel and nudge the hard seed deep within the earth and to soften it in preparation for the call of the Spring Equinox, when it begins to send forth its roots and tender shoots and to find the sun once again. Sound exciting, confusing, intense, hopeful, sort of hard but ever optimistic? Well, there you have Sag, an energy that has many sides to it. It is fitting that Sag fills this most intense part of the yearly cycle with its questing, intense energy. We know that there is a brighter day just beyond the horizon and even though we sometimes feel as if we are flailing about in the dark, we remain hopeful that we will eventually find something that makes sense out of the chaos. Sagittarius is much like this, confusing, yet hopeful, intense, yet not constant, urgent but perhaps not keenly focused. And yet, at all times keenly interested in the underlying meaning of all things, looking always for the bigger picture where all the seemingly inane minutia of life begins to make some sense.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. It is part of the group that includes Aries and Leo and is also aligned to Gemini, its polarity sign, as well as Virgo and Pisces by mutability. Mutable energy is adaptable, constantly in movement with the capacity to support tremendous change. Fiery energy is action oriented, creative, passionate and aspiring. Sagittarius is the Free-spirited, Gypsy like Wanderer in contrast to the Warrior, Aries and the Royal, Leo, its fire brethren.
The symbol associated with Sag is the Centaur, a creature of myth who was part human and part animal. Contained within this symbol is yet another aspect of the Sagittarius nature. There is an aspiration to nobility and spirit as signified by the human head of the creature and a link to the animal nature of desire and impulse as shown by the horse’s body of the creature. In Sag there is an ongoing struggle to reconcile the so-called lower nature with the so-called higher nature. The Centaurs were both students, particularly of the healing arts, and carousers, given to wine, women and song. The term ‘party hardy’ covers their attitudes nicely. On a subtle level, however, we can begin to understand that in Sagittarius we can find the pathway to spirit through the physical experience as opposed to the usual understanding that the search for spirit necessarily means that the seeker must reject his physical self and the desire body connected to it.
On the ‘natural wheel’, Sagittarius is found in the 9th house, usually associated with the higher mind and the quest for spiritual understanding. How interesting then, that we may find a clue to the means for this quest in the symbol that represents this energy, the centaur. Here is the power packed message that many miss when considering Sagittarius. We must integrate the lower nature and the higher nature so that they work together in their ‘flight’ into spirit. This idea is nicely represented by the half man, half horse symbol of Sagittarius. To deny that we are human, contained in flesh, subject to the desires and needs associated with being material creatures is to profoundly miss the point of why we are here on this plane of existence. Sagittarius tells us to honour the so-called ‘lower’ self; that is to feel the body, sate the mind, salve the emotional self, while also honouring the aspiring part of ourselves to reach out for the god/dess within each of us, that is, spirit. We have all come to this plane to have the material/physical experience and through that experience to find Spirit. As long as we are here, we will never find Spirit by denying that we are fleshly.
A Sagittarius persona then, is a mixture of seemingly opposing drivers; the pursuit of pleasure is juxtaposed against a deep inner desire to understand the meaning of life. Joy is easily accessed in the hurley burley, topsy turvey race into life. Decisions can come quickly and sometimes impulsively and words can sometimes spill out of the mouth before the mental body can check them for suitability. This is all due to the incredible zest that underscores every moment for the ‘Sag’ type.
The horse part of the Centaur is a powerful representation of energy in motion. As a power animal, Horse brings a sense of freedom, will-power, speed, independence. There is a sense of stamina and endurance. He is the harbinger of adventure and the distant horizon that beckons to the traveler. There is an inherent wildness contained in this symbol, a connection to the primitive power of muscle and bone. Interestingly, Sagittarius is connected to the thighs and we all know how powerful the thighs of a horse can be. Energetically, the thighs represent our ability to carry ourselves forward, to propel ourselves through life’s landscape, no matter the terrain we encounter. Sagittarius mirrors this ability. There is a deep seated optimism found in the pure energy of Sag. Nothing is insurmountable and the cup is always half full! (See my description of HORSE energy later in this blog.)
The reactive side of this energy can be demonstrated by exaggeration, random impulse resulting in chaotic results, thoughtlessness and deceit. All of these things are rooted in the underlying exuberance of this energy. It is vital that anyone with a focus of Sag in their psyches maintain a watchful awareness of these aforementioned tendencies. The exaggeration is a result of sometimes mindless optimism. The random impulse may well be a result of the abundant energy inherent in a strongly Sag psyche which has yet to learn managing mechanisms so that their exuberance and impatience is directed mindfully and not haphazardly in a higgledy piggledy way. The thoughtlessness is just unchecked impulse and the result of having a kind of matter of fact attitude to being ‘honest’, without taking into account that truth is seldom absolute. The deceit is connected to a tendency to amplify and expand, the ‘storyteller syndrome’. As always, any of these negative manifestations are merely a distortion of the energy and, with some application, can be modified within the personality and used in a proactive fashion. We need persons who are optimistic and ready to tackle whatever comes their way, people who are enthusiastic, devoted to honesty and able to entertain us with their wit and mental agility. Who can imagine a party without someone present who can make others laugh, who can incite others to fun, for instance. These are the gifts that Sagittarius gives to the collective.
Sagittarius is, after all is said and done, an energy that seeks truth, the higher mind and meaning in the midst of the madness of seemingly random existence. It is only when we are willing to explore that which is unknown and not familiar that we can get a glimpse of the potential that we all have within ourselves. The Sagittarius part of the psyche is where we can connect to this exploratory, truth-seeking impulse!
Jupiter, the Ruler of Sag
Every sign has a planet associated with it and in the case of Sagittarius, that planet is Jupiter. There was a time when Astrologers looked for a ‘well-placed’ or ‘powerful’ Jupiter in a chart when doing delineation. They were looking for the ‘luck’ factor in someone’s life. Today, we understand that there is more to life than luck, the quality often associated with this planet. We also understand that the saying, “Too much of a good thing” can be painfully true. That is how the Jupiter part of the psyche can be—big, beautiful and rather overwhelming, taking up the whole darn room and leaving little place for anything else.
On a deeper level, Jupiter co-relates to right brain kind of thinking, creative, circular, holistic as opposed to Mercury which is more linear, detail oriented and logical. We now know that these two supposedly separate parts of the brain are not so separate after all and actually work together, sending messages from one side to the other. Still, it is interesting that visionary thinkers often focus on the ‘big picture’ leaving the nuts and bolts to others to work through. The Jupiter function within the self seeks vision and an underlying theme to whatever it is exploring. Once the idea is hatched, the left brain is enlisted to work out the kinks and make things run smoothly or just make sense. Creativity is the key!
In terms of cycles, Jupiter takes 12 years to transit the 12 signs of the zodiac, spending about 1 year in each of the 12. This is not exact and for instance, someone could have a 5th ‘Jupiter return’ at age 59, just short of their 60th birthday. This once in 12 year turn of the wheel is a time of opportunity, expansion, augmentation, sometimes exaggeration, joyfulness, adventure and often hectic activity in the area of life that the natal (or birth) Jupiter is keyed to. At this point in time, Jupiter is just completing his transit of Aquarius and will soon enter the sign of Pisces. Anyone with Jupiter in Aquarius has just had or will soon have their once in 12 year ‘Jupiter return’ when this planet finds itself back at the very same degree of the Zodiac that it occupied at birth. Then, next year and into 2011, anyone with Jupiter in Pisces will experience this cyclic event. The Jupiter return is a great time to tweak any long term goals. It is a great time to reconnect to inner faith and renew a sense of meaning within the context of the life. This is a time of optimism and opportunity in most cases though, naturally, for a specific reading of this transit, it is useful to go to an astrologer and get detailed feedback.
Of course, everyone will be having some sort of ‘Jupiterian’ experience and we can get of sense of this by locating what area of the birth chart will hold the energy of this Aquarian/Pisces transit. If you know where Aquarius and Pisces are in your own birth chart you can use the following list of key ideas to reflect on the opportunities that may present themselves over the course of the next few years.
In house
1 increase of activity
opportunities to explore new things
2 resource riches; going out & coming in
getting connected to what you truly love
3 feeling good about what you think & how you speak
the mental life expands
4 the inner life expands
a focus on the home
5 fun increases
luck may show up
romance and attraction
the creative center is opened
6 opportunity to refine the daily routine
lots to do
a potential to create ritual in the day to day life
7 friendships, partnerships, relationships abound
8 the inheritance of unexpected blessings
a brush with the real meaning of life
a potential for the ‘aha’ moment
9 adventure calls
opportunities to travel, explore & imagine
10 the reward for effort made
recognition; notoriety
11 the call to community feeling
opportunities for social action
potential to realize goals & dreams
12 mystical experience is potential
a reconnection to the divine
In all cases, the key to accessing the full potential of the Jupiter part of the self is to take the experience, whatever it might be, and look at it through the lens of meaning. This is where we are seeking for the greater vision of who we can potentially be. This is that part of us that aspires towards a greater nobility of spirit, a deeper meaning of being. Wherever the floodgates of experience and opportunity are opening in our life, we must consciously manage the flow so as to not get swept away by the force of the deluge. Opportunity can easily turn into excess. Jupiter is the ‘great benefic’ or in layman’s language, the bestower of blessing. It is, however, up to each of us individually to maximize on the gifts that Jupiter brings.
Here is a description of the energy of HORSE as a power animal.
HORSE
Come, run with me into the valleys and across the plains. I will carry you like the wind into the future of yourself.
I am the POWER of WILL, the ability to do what needs to be done. I am FREEDOM and INDEPENDANCE. I know myself best when I am chasing the wind as it sweeps across the face of the Earth.
I can go a great distance and then keep on going. What do you need to ENDURE? I will show you how to endure it.
Listen to the pounding of my hooves as they carry me along. It is the drumbeat of life that pounds beneath me. It is the rhythm of being that carries me forward.
I will stand beside you in your journey into adventure. I will be there when you need me to whisk you away from danger. I am power. I am speed. I am distance.
Whisper into my ear and I will hear you. Run your hands over my smooth, sleek body and I will obey. But do not try to hold me. Do not fence me in. Jump up and lay your body down upon me and together we will gallop into the horizon, wild and free.
I can hear you, friend. I can hear your thoughts so think only those things that heal you. Fill your mind with goodness and with love. Be kind. Be gentle and yet be firm and strong.
I will show you how to manage your reality, to maximize what you have and to find what you need. Listen to my call and follow, follow, follow.
What do you want to do? What is your most secret dream? Where does your potential lie? I can take you to the place where the answers to these questions are waiting for you to find them. Come with me on this adventure into becoming.
Watch how I run alone. Watch how I run with others. Watch and learn.
I am HORSE and I will be your friend.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Mystery of Scorpio
We are well into the waning cycle of the year now. The days are ever shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy body is vibrating at a slower rate no matter the level of consciousness. The natural inclination, both physically and emotionally is to cocoon. We think about building fires to keep us cozy, cooking warm medleys of harvest veggies to fill our bellies and generally stepping back into the darker parts of the cave. This is the time of Scorpio, that mysterious, intriguing energy that is both attractive and somewhat fearful, at least when it is not truly understood.
Scorpio is a fixed water sign, part of the elemental family that includes Cancer and Pisces and the modal family that includes Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. It has more symbols associated with it than any other of the zodiac signs. They are the scorpion, the snake, the dove, the eagle and lastly, the phoenix. Each symbol demonstrates one of the many facets of this complex, impenetrable energy.
The symbol of the Scorpion speaks for itself and is the one most commonly known as the Scorpio symbol. The stinger of the Scorpion is the key here. Often, these stings can be deadly and if not mortal, then resulting in severe illness. Behind the impenetrable mask that Scorpio can wear rests a profound self-protective ability. This, actually, is the true understanding of the scorpion’s stinger. Very rarely will this little creature sting just for the heck of it. It is only when he is in danger that he shifts gears and sticks out his back end. The Scorpio psyche also can be extremely long-suffering until that point of no return is reached and it feels that it has no choice but to protect itself!
The snake is representative of the regenerative ability of the Scorpio psyche to continually ‘shed its skin’. Whenever snakes have outgrown that outer lining, a process, ecdysis, occurs. This is something that is related to growth and when we apply it to the energy called Scorpio, we begin to get an insight into a bottom-line necessity of this complex energy; that is, that it is in a constant state of becoming, needing to leave behind, in some cases, even things that appeared to be critical to its very survival—like its skin! When snakes get ready to shed their skins, they experience a loss of vision and a period of inactivity, often retreating to the darkest and most moist place they can find. Scorpio psyche reflects this by becoming intensely introspective when going through shifts, often losing objectivity and perspective. On an ego level, this can look like anti-social behaviour, a touchiness that can result in sometimes violent encounters with others and an inability to find solutions easily. Thankfully, these periods are often short-lived and the ‘snake’ comes out on the other side with shiny eyes and a sleek new skin. Basically, all growth can be accompanied by pain. Scorpio psyche, however, really feels this pain!
The Dove is one of the more obscure symbols associated with Scorpio but herein rests a truly lovely aspect of the Scorpio psyche and one which is certainly worth pursuing for all you Scorpio types. It is representative of an almost infinite capacity for the demonstration of a peace based love, the love of the Christ, a love so large that it can heal, unite, incite to joy and generally uplift anyone who comes into contact with it. A developed Scorpio type can serve as the vehicle for this sort of inspiration to all who come into contact with him/her.
The Eagle as a Scorpio symbol is all about wisdom, vision, prescience, a certain aloofness and the connection to spirit. Just as the eagle can soar above the earth and see from a distance, Scorpio psyche can see far beyond the outside of any situation and get down to the nitty gritty, often having the capacity to ‘dive’ into the exact spot for which he is searching and find that nugget of truth that needs to be unearthed. Eagles are solitary creatures who nest in remote, inaccessible places. Scorpio, too, finds contentment in periods of aloneness and in a figurative sense is often inaccessible emotionally, hard to understand and hard to reach. However, the Scorpio type who embodies Eagle is farsighted and if the inner moral compass is highly developed can be a transformative element in any group to which he/she is aligned. The key, of course, is the ‘highly developed inner moral compass’.
Finally, the symbol of the Phoenix demonstrates regeneration, the huge capacity for both survival and rebirth that this energy can have in the face of adversity. Just as the Phoenix is reborn out of its own ash after having been consumed by a self-igniting fire, so, too, Scorpio uses its experience to reinvent itself continually. For some Scorpio types this can result in a sense of having lived many lives in one lifetime. Looking in on this process from the outside, it appears both frightening—the ignition and flame and consumption of the being—and extraordinarily beautiful—the emergence of the old/new bird out of the iridescent flames that have consumed its predecessor! And so, too, can Scorpio seem both frightening and beautiful to those on the outside. What is it that can move a being to such limits, we think, as we watch in awe this regenerative process.
When we consider the complexity of the 5 symbols, we begin to get an insight into the workings of this secretive and seductive energy. Often times, Scorpio itself does not totally understand what it is doing, though this would never be admitted. When dealing with this energy, either in yourself or especially in relationship, keep in mind the intense emotionality that lurks under that implacable surface. This is not the emotion of compassion or love. It is the emotion of passion which can easily turn into rage, a rage that can consume and destroy with its intensity and blind fury. Used proactively, however, it is the energy of incredible purpose, determination, focus, devotion. The love of a Scorpionic type is all consuming, passionate, riveting and tending to eclipse all others. The key, again, is to mindfully manage the sheer power of this dark organic energy.
Before the discovery of Pluto, Scorpio’s modern day ruler, the planet associated with this sign was Mars and now we begin to understand the intensity, the fire, the passion that is linked to this energy. I heard someone describe themselves once as the “ultimate fire energy”, Scorpio. This person did not know that Scorpio was in the water family of signs but I can understand what he meant. He was resonating with the ruler, Mars, who’s other associated sign is Aries, one of the three fire signs of the Zodiac. No wonder that there exists a strange yet powerful connection between Scorpio and Aries. They both understand the power of impulse, the strength of passion!
One of the things that Scorpio must be mindful of is the abuse of power. Power can only be abused if one holds it and Scorpio lives in the reality of power-brokering. Because this energy is so attracted to power, it can find itself suddenly in thrall to it, either internally or externally. One of the lessons that anyone with Scorpio energy is learning is how to apply personal power without harming either oneself or others.
Another lesson is relinquishment. Scorpio must learn to let go of anything that restricts its growth and this could range from material possessions to relationships to old and sometimes bitter feelings. If you have Scorpio energy and find yourself brooding over things that you cannot control, crying over ‘spilt milk’, or constantly reliving past situations, this is an indicator that you still have releasing work to do. To attain a maximum growth potential, Scorpio types would benefit from intense energy work, with full body contact. Since a lot of the trapped energy is karmically based, the deeper a healer can go, the better. This deep, intense type of body work is not recommended for all psyches but the Scorpio psyche is tough and resilient and can ‘go the distance’. Recall the image of the Phoenix as it cycles through its birth, death and rebirth.
For those who are shamanically inclined, Scorpio is The Shaman. As the Shaman, Scorpio feels no fear when facing the unknown. The lower worlds of primitive animal energies are familiar to Scorpio psyche. The upper worlds where spirits dwell hold no mystery to Scorpio. When we enter into the realm of Scorpio, we are stepping into magic. Yet another archetype linked to Scorpio is The Magician. It feels as if Scorpio ‘knows’ something while everyone else is in the dark. This, of course, is the essence of magic, the ability to perpetrate an illusion and sustain its apparent reality even in the face of denial.
Strongly Scorpionic types often have an almost palpable energy field around them that can both attract or repel depending again, on the consciousness behind the field. It is this energy that can make others’ skin either crawl or tingle depending on the chemistry involved.
All of these various characteristics demonstrate how vital it is that Scorpio learn to understand itself and then to apply its considerable magnetic power to appropriate use rather than ego driven manipulative use.
If you know that you are a Scorpio Sun (born between October 23-November 21 ish), you would benefit from an astrological reading. The layers of your soul energy are many and varied and this last decade has probably been confusing on any number of levels or spiritually energizing, especially for those of you born from 0* Scorpio (October 23) to 25* Scorpio ( November 17). Those born after this date are about to experience a time of potential spiritual awakening, or confusion, as the case may be.
So much more can be discussed in reference to this complex, magical and seductive energy. It is old, old energy, that pulsates deep within the collective heart, comes from a long ago place of being. Finding the right balance in this so-called ‘modern’ world is one of the challenges that anyone with pronounced Scorpio energy has to deal with day to live long day!
Pluto And Mars…The Soul And Its Desire
The natal chart or ‘soul mandala’, as I like to call it, is merely a diagram of energy flow, the energy flow of any particular being or soul. I ‘see’ this flow as something that is roughly circular in nature; that is, that any given point within the flow pattern can be a beginning or an ending point. A circle has no beginning or end so geometrically this shape is a beautiful representation of continuity, regeneration, reincarnation, infinite being, wholeness or totality—all those things that we, as humans so love to ponder and attempt to understand. Within that energetic flow pattern some points are attuned to one another and the relationship between them in mathematical or astrological terms is important to understand and perfect. Two such points are Mars and Pluto, the two so-called rulers of Scorpio.
Before 1930, with the discovery of Pluto (now demoted to the status of dwarf planet-yeah, right!), Scorpio’s ruling planet was Mars. Well, once a ruling planet, always a ruling planet! From an Evolutionary Astrology viewpoint, Mars and Pluto describe the Soul (Pluto) and the Desire Body (Mars). Think about what we have already discussed about the nature of Scorpio and thus, the designation of these two planets in this way begins to make a lot of sense.
Mars is a more external energy, impulsive and desiring outcome. Pluto is more subtle and works at a much deeper and often invisible level. In traditional astrology, Mars is recognized as being the lower octave of Pluto. In a way, the language does not correctly describe the nature of the energy. In fact, Mars is the faster of the two drivers and Pluto resonates on a very deep note, coming from the most internal part of the energy body—where the soul resides, in fact! Pluto is the deep drum and Mars is the rapid, high sounding bell chime. However we use language to describe these two bodies, both are closely linked to Scorpio so this month I will look at the current transits of both Mars and Pluto.
MARS
Mars travels around the Sun, the center of our Solar System, once in about 22 Earth months. Usually, it will stay in one Zodiac energy for about 2 months +/- but we are now at the beginning of an almost 8 month transit through Leo of this pesky little fellow. The reason for this is an astronomical phenomenon known as retrograde motion. From our vantage point here on the earth, Mars will appear to move backwards in the sky. Long ago astrologers, who were the first astronomers, took special note of this strange occurrence, tracking that distant point of light as it moved against flow, so to speak. Because of this phenomenon, then, Mars will remain in the Zodiac sign of Leo for a very long time, comparatively speaking.
Mars loves the energy of Leo as it falls into the Fire family of signs and is naturally aligned with Aries, Leo’s impulsive, younger brother. So, in fact, one could say that in Leo, Mars finds a certain family feeling, a naturalness of expression, a comfort level. Looking at the next 8 months, then, we can expect a certain expressiveness, passion, excitement, joy of being and playfulness to be present--in a general sense. The retrograde motion of Mars will begin about December 20 at 20* of Leo. He will remain retrograde until March 10 moving all the way back to 0* Leo. Not until May 19 will he pass the degree point where he originally turned retrograde. While moving forward in Leo, before the initial retrograde point, we could potentially sense a fast, forward flow of creative energy, joyfulness, romantic impulse and sheer childlike joie de vivre. Once Mars turns retrograde, we could potentially sense a slowing down of this excited, impulsive energy. As always, each individual will respond uniquely to this energetic flow, according to each individual energetic pattern.
If you have a lot of ‘fixed’ energy, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, your psyche will be energized and stimulated over this next 8 month period. You will have the opportunity to integrate creative inspirations, act on any number of impulses, explore romance, discover your inner child through sudden illuminative experiences or conversely, you may have to deal with blockages in these very same areas depending on how YOU respond to the manifest experience that is YOUR life. Mars ignites, triggers and stimulates so expect some degree of ACTION.
If you have significant Aries, Leo or Sagittarius energy, you should feel a sense of supportiveness in your life. Make some plans and buckle up, ready to ride the wave. Conversely, be mindful of following impulse. Make sure that you really do want to do whatever it is that seems like the good thing to do! Fire energy is notoriously action oriented and though this can be exciting and rewarding when things go well, it can also be depressing and disappointing when things backfire! However, at the most fundamental of levels, there is a potential for energy to flow into the being so look for that sense of energy and stimulation in yourself. Feel like doing something? That’s what I’m talking about! Feel like the King of the World? You got it!
The retrograde period of Mars (December –May) can be most proactively used to ignite the inner muse in whatever area of the psyche that is highlighted by the transit. You can also revisit established methods of implementation and explore if there are any adjustments that can be made in how you actually go about doing what you do.
Mars transits can co-relate to times in one’s life when a renewal of self is experienced either through the process of new things coming into one’s life or even old things leaving one’s life. Either way, it is a call to action, an impulse oriented energy that stirs things up. If you have felt stuck or even depressed, this next 8 month period could well re-energize you to get involved again.
Have a makeover,
clear out your attic or basement,
sign up for a self-improvement course,
redecorate your home (even if you just buy a candle or something!)
arrange for a romantic tryst with the one you love,
ask for a raise or quit!
clear the air with friends and relatives,
create a ‘dream board’ for the next year,
plan a trip to somewhere exotic or faraway,
volunteer,
join a group that speaks to your community self,
tackle any old issues that may still be nagging away at you.
Whatever the area of life involved, the key is to move forward. Even when the planet is moving backward, the key is action. Use the rather lengthy retrograde period to refine whatever action you feel is necessary to REJUICE your life. Remember, Mars is the WARRIOR, no matter what sign he occupies, but in LEO, he is the ROYAL WARRIOR!
( I was chatting with my friend, Kim, about this transit and she said she could hardly wait! I said I was checking all of my ‘brake’ mechanisms! Well, she is an early degree Leo, ready to rock! I have Mars in Capricorn ( steady, methodical, a bit boring…) and the expansive over the top energy of Leo sometimes makes me quake in my boots! And so it is that each individual psyche will respond to the transit of Mars through Leo according to its own structures. Either way, Kim and I will both be benefited as long as we attune ourselves to the flow of the energy and work in harmony with it.)
PLUTO
As the modern day ruler of Scorpio, Pluto provides us with much insight into the complex working of this watery fixed sign. Once the astrological community had ascribed the rulership of Scorpio to Pluto, the proverbial ‘lightbulb’ got turned on in regards to understanding why Scorpio was the way it was. As it is the planet that is linked to the soul force, we now ‘get it’ when we find ourselves mesmerized by those Scorpio types, losing ourselves in bottomless eyes that seem to follow our every move!
Pluto is now fully into his transit of Capricorn, a Cardinal Earth sign with both feet fixed firmly beneath him, though able to leap from boulder to boulder and scale whatever mountain face rises up before him. Much has been written about this ingress of the planet of transformation into the executive energy of the Zodiac but suffice it to say, whatever the status quo may have been, once we are through the next decade, that status quo will look very different! And thank the goddess for that! Do we want our infrastructure to shift? You bet! Do we want to see changes in the stupid economic systems that are currently holding us hostage? Absolutely! Do we want justice? Equity? Transparency? Fairness? Security? Damn right we do! Will it be simple or easy? Ugh, no. When a system has become as corrupted as our current system is, the change will never be simple or easy. However, it is absolutely necessary if we are to survive. So, buckle down, prioritize, simplify and refocus your vision. Do the RIGHT thing and align your life to RIGHT PRINCIPLE. This will make the changes that lie ahead that much easier to integrate.
Pluto takes a long time to travel around the Sun so this planet will stay in any one sign of the Zodiac for as long as 20 years +/- or as briefly as 12 years +/- as the orbit is actually elliptical. Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024. So, for the next 15 years Solar Capricorns will have the ‘pleasure’ of a Pluto/Sun transit. At the highest level, this is a call to align to true life intention, to work with the deepest of soul urges, to discard anything that impedes the clear reflection of self through the solar force. Be who you are. Do what you love. Align to meaning and purpose in everything that you choose to do.
Solar Cancers are also in process under this transit. As the partner sign to Capricorn, the same sorts of illuminations may manifest in your life if you are born under the sign of Cancer but rather than coming from within, these insights may actually come from an outside source, a provocation or even confrontation, a challenge. Maximize the energy by listening carefully to all commentary whether flattering or challenging. You may discover something that could help you to attune to your soul purpose.
The transits of Pluto represent times of transformation and shift but often through an experiential process that strips away all deceit and illusion. And there’s the key. If you have been living in an illusionary reality, out of harmony with inner self, soul self, then this transit could be difficult. To be honest after having been dishonest for a long time is never easy. A very simple example of this might be someone who suddenly realizes that they are doing something for a living that is totally not in harmony with what they really want to be doing. The hoops that one has to jump through in order to harmonize with what one really wants to be doing could well seem impossible to jump through, especially since work brings in resource and resource is necessary in sustaining life in this current reality! If you have been working at a particular job for some time, it may seem impossible to imagine how you could change what you do on a daily basis and still sustain the standard of living to which you have become accustomed. Here’s the thing…it is YOUR choice how you actually respond to the Pluto ‘push’. Will you move with it and trust that you will survive or will you resist and push back, denying that there is anything to shift and change? The response of the ego personality will largely determine how easy or difficult the next decade could prove to be for those being ‘pushed’.
The promise of Pluto is ultimately…TRUTH. So, for those of us who are in a search for Truth, in whatever area of life or self, Pluto is the god that we follow. We want to go deeper. We want to understand more precisely. We desire to get to the bottom line. This is the gift that Pluto brings us. In some ways, I link the transit of Pluto to any of the personal planets to the FOOL in the Tarot. It is the ‘leap of faith,’ the step into the unknown, the absolute trust in the process, the belief that the only true reality is the reality of this very moment, not a breath before nor a breath after. As humans we have long struggled with this concept, clinging in vain to the past and working blindly for the future. Pluto teaches us that neither does the past exist nor does the future but only the present which is the only true peak experience.
So, open your spiritual eyes and see the gift that Pluto might be bringing to your life. You may undergo a total transformation of who you are,
Finally get rid of any stuff you no longer need in your life,
Experience a sea change in the way you think about things and how you communicate your thoughts,
Get rid of dependencies and establish yourself as your own best care-giver,
Meet your ‘soul-mate’ or at least someone who rocks your world,
Finally, finally, get fit!
Change the way you think about relationships and make them healthy, once and for all,
Have an intimate experience with life and death and learn something about regeneration and the continuity of soul,
Transform your faith,
Shift the way you think about other’s opinion of you,
Commit yourself to YOUR cause whatever that might be,
Come home to your own intimate relationship to god/dess…
Again, the key is mindfulness, awareness, reading the signals and above all, letting go and trusting in spirit to surround you with the beautiful goodness of the goddess who loves us all since she dwells deep within each one of us…
I should also note that the planet, Saturn, is about to move into another of the Cardinal signs, Libra. Mid 2010, Uranus will be moving into Aries, yet another of the Cardinal signs. This active, forward moving energetic configuration will prepare the collective consciousness significantly for innovation, reconstruction and equality. Then, in 2012, Neptune will finally move into Pisces where, hopefully, some of the changes can begin to permeate into the collective heart (soul) and truly shift this current reality. More about this when we get to the Zodiac signs of Capricorn and Pisces!
Enjoy the dark and steamy, organic and pungent month of November. Honour the goddess and her green god consort. Revel in the imminent ‘return of the Sun’…(yes, he really is coming back)…and relinquish to the dark where no secrets need to be kept!
Happy Halloween….
We are well into the waning cycle of the year now. The days are ever shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy body is vibrating at a slower rate no matter the level of consciousness. The natural inclination, both physically and emotionally is to cocoon. We think about building fires to keep us cozy, cooking warm medleys of harvest veggies to fill our bellies and generally stepping back into the darker parts of the cave. This is the time of Scorpio, that mysterious, intriguing energy that is both attractive and somewhat fearful, at least when it is not truly understood.
Scorpio is a fixed water sign, part of the elemental family that includes Cancer and Pisces and the modal family that includes Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. It has more symbols associated with it than any other of the zodiac signs. They are the scorpion, the snake, the dove, the eagle and lastly, the phoenix. Each symbol demonstrates one of the many facets of this complex, impenetrable energy.
The symbol of the Scorpion speaks for itself and is the one most commonly known as the Scorpio symbol. The stinger of the Scorpion is the key here. Often, these stings can be deadly and if not mortal, then resulting in severe illness. Behind the impenetrable mask that Scorpio can wear rests a profound self-protective ability. This, actually, is the true understanding of the scorpion’s stinger. Very rarely will this little creature sting just for the heck of it. It is only when he is in danger that he shifts gears and sticks out his back end. The Scorpio psyche also can be extremely long-suffering until that point of no return is reached and it feels that it has no choice but to protect itself!
The snake is representative of the regenerative ability of the Scorpio psyche to continually ‘shed its skin’. Whenever snakes have outgrown that outer lining, a process, ecdysis, occurs. This is something that is related to growth and when we apply it to the energy called Scorpio, we begin to get an insight into a bottom-line necessity of this complex energy; that is, that it is in a constant state of becoming, needing to leave behind, in some cases, even things that appeared to be critical to its very survival—like its skin! When snakes get ready to shed their skins, they experience a loss of vision and a period of inactivity, often retreating to the darkest and most moist place they can find. Scorpio psyche reflects this by becoming intensely introspective when going through shifts, often losing objectivity and perspective. On an ego level, this can look like anti-social behaviour, a touchiness that can result in sometimes violent encounters with others and an inability to find solutions easily. Thankfully, these periods are often short-lived and the ‘snake’ comes out on the other side with shiny eyes and a sleek new skin. Basically, all growth can be accompanied by pain. Scorpio psyche, however, really feels this pain!
The Dove is one of the more obscure symbols associated with Scorpio but herein rests a truly lovely aspect of the Scorpio psyche and one which is certainly worth pursuing for all you Scorpio types. It is representative of an almost infinite capacity for the demonstration of a peace based love, the love of the Christ, a love so large that it can heal, unite, incite to joy and generally uplift anyone who comes into contact with it. A developed Scorpio type can serve as the vehicle for this sort of inspiration to all who come into contact with him/her.
The Eagle as a Scorpio symbol is all about wisdom, vision, prescience, a certain aloofness and the connection to spirit. Just as the eagle can soar above the earth and see from a distance, Scorpio psyche can see far beyond the outside of any situation and get down to the nitty gritty, often having the capacity to ‘dive’ into the exact spot for which he is searching and find that nugget of truth that needs to be unearthed. Eagles are solitary creatures who nest in remote, inaccessible places. Scorpio, too, finds contentment in periods of aloneness and in a figurative sense is often inaccessible emotionally, hard to understand and hard to reach. However, the Scorpio type who embodies Eagle is farsighted and if the inner moral compass is highly developed can be a transformative element in any group to which he/she is aligned. The key, of course, is the ‘highly developed inner moral compass’.
Finally, the symbol of the Phoenix demonstrates regeneration, the huge capacity for both survival and rebirth that this energy can have in the face of adversity. Just as the Phoenix is reborn out of its own ash after having been consumed by a self-igniting fire, so, too, Scorpio uses its experience to reinvent itself continually. For some Scorpio types this can result in a sense of having lived many lives in one lifetime. Looking in on this process from the outside, it appears both frightening—the ignition and flame and consumption of the being—and extraordinarily beautiful—the emergence of the old/new bird out of the iridescent flames that have consumed its predecessor! And so, too, can Scorpio seem both frightening and beautiful to those on the outside. What is it that can move a being to such limits, we think, as we watch in awe this regenerative process.
When we consider the complexity of the 5 symbols, we begin to get an insight into the workings of this secretive and seductive energy. Often times, Scorpio itself does not totally understand what it is doing, though this would never be admitted. When dealing with this energy, either in yourself or especially in relationship, keep in mind the intense emotionality that lurks under that implacable surface. This is not the emotion of compassion or love. It is the emotion of passion which can easily turn into rage, a rage that can consume and destroy with its intensity and blind fury. Used proactively, however, it is the energy of incredible purpose, determination, focus, devotion. The love of a Scorpionic type is all consuming, passionate, riveting and tending to eclipse all others. The key, again, is to mindfully manage the sheer power of this dark organic energy.
Before the discovery of Pluto, Scorpio’s modern day ruler, the planet associated with this sign was Mars and now we begin to understand the intensity, the fire, the passion that is linked to this energy. I heard someone describe themselves once as the “ultimate fire energy”, Scorpio. This person did not know that Scorpio was in the water family of signs but I can understand what he meant. He was resonating with the ruler, Mars, who’s other associated sign is Aries, one of the three fire signs of the Zodiac. No wonder that there exists a strange yet powerful connection between Scorpio and Aries. They both understand the power of impulse, the strength of passion!
One of the things that Scorpio must be mindful of is the abuse of power. Power can only be abused if one holds it and Scorpio lives in the reality of power-brokering. Because this energy is so attracted to power, it can find itself suddenly in thrall to it, either internally or externally. One of the lessons that anyone with Scorpio energy is learning is how to apply personal power without harming either oneself or others.
Another lesson is relinquishment. Scorpio must learn to let go of anything that restricts its growth and this could range from material possessions to relationships to old and sometimes bitter feelings. If you have Scorpio energy and find yourself brooding over things that you cannot control, crying over ‘spilt milk’, or constantly reliving past situations, this is an indicator that you still have releasing work to do. To attain a maximum growth potential, Scorpio types would benefit from intense energy work, with full body contact. Since a lot of the trapped energy is karmically based, the deeper a healer can go, the better. This deep, intense type of body work is not recommended for all psyches but the Scorpio psyche is tough and resilient and can ‘go the distance’. Recall the image of the Phoenix as it cycles through its birth, death and rebirth.
For those who are shamanically inclined, Scorpio is The Shaman. As the Shaman, Scorpio feels no fear when facing the unknown. The lower worlds of primitive animal energies are familiar to Scorpio psyche. The upper worlds where spirits dwell hold no mystery to Scorpio. When we enter into the realm of Scorpio, we are stepping into magic. Yet another archetype linked to Scorpio is The Magician. It feels as if Scorpio ‘knows’ something while everyone else is in the dark. This, of course, is the essence of magic, the ability to perpetrate an illusion and sustain its apparent reality even in the face of denial.
Strongly Scorpionic types often have an almost palpable energy field around them that can both attract or repel depending again, on the consciousness behind the field. It is this energy that can make others’ skin either crawl or tingle depending on the chemistry involved.
All of these various characteristics demonstrate how vital it is that Scorpio learn to understand itself and then to apply its considerable magnetic power to appropriate use rather than ego driven manipulative use.
If you know that you are a Scorpio Sun (born between October 23-November 21 ish), you would benefit from an astrological reading. The layers of your soul energy are many and varied and this last decade has probably been confusing on any number of levels or spiritually energizing, especially for those of you born from 0* Scorpio (October 23) to 25* Scorpio ( November 17). Those born after this date are about to experience a time of potential spiritual awakening, or confusion, as the case may be.
So much more can be discussed in reference to this complex, magical and seductive energy. It is old, old energy, that pulsates deep within the collective heart, comes from a long ago place of being. Finding the right balance in this so-called ‘modern’ world is one of the challenges that anyone with pronounced Scorpio energy has to deal with day to live long day!
Pluto And Mars…The Soul And Its Desire
The natal chart or ‘soul mandala’, as I like to call it, is merely a diagram of energy flow, the energy flow of any particular being or soul. I ‘see’ this flow as something that is roughly circular in nature; that is, that any given point within the flow pattern can be a beginning or an ending point. A circle has no beginning or end so geometrically this shape is a beautiful representation of continuity, regeneration, reincarnation, infinite being, wholeness or totality—all those things that we, as humans so love to ponder and attempt to understand. Within that energetic flow pattern some points are attuned to one another and the relationship between them in mathematical or astrological terms is important to understand and perfect. Two such points are Mars and Pluto, the two so-called rulers of Scorpio.
Before 1930, with the discovery of Pluto (now demoted to the status of dwarf planet-yeah, right!), Scorpio’s ruling planet was Mars. Well, once a ruling planet, always a ruling planet! From an Evolutionary Astrology viewpoint, Mars and Pluto describe the Soul (Pluto) and the Desire Body (Mars). Think about what we have already discussed about the nature of Scorpio and thus, the designation of these two planets in this way begins to make a lot of sense.
Mars is a more external energy, impulsive and desiring outcome. Pluto is more subtle and works at a much deeper and often invisible level. In traditional astrology, Mars is recognized as being the lower octave of Pluto. In a way, the language does not correctly describe the nature of the energy. In fact, Mars is the faster of the two drivers and Pluto resonates on a very deep note, coming from the most internal part of the energy body—where the soul resides, in fact! Pluto is the deep drum and Mars is the rapid, high sounding bell chime. However we use language to describe these two bodies, both are closely linked to Scorpio so this month I will look at the current transits of both Mars and Pluto.
MARS
Mars travels around the Sun, the center of our Solar System, once in about 22 Earth months. Usually, it will stay in one Zodiac energy for about 2 months +/- but we are now at the beginning of an almost 8 month transit through Leo of this pesky little fellow. The reason for this is an astronomical phenomenon known as retrograde motion. From our vantage point here on the earth, Mars will appear to move backwards in the sky. Long ago astrologers, who were the first astronomers, took special note of this strange occurrence, tracking that distant point of light as it moved against flow, so to speak. Because of this phenomenon, then, Mars will remain in the Zodiac sign of Leo for a very long time, comparatively speaking.
Mars loves the energy of Leo as it falls into the Fire family of signs and is naturally aligned with Aries, Leo’s impulsive, younger brother. So, in fact, one could say that in Leo, Mars finds a certain family feeling, a naturalness of expression, a comfort level. Looking at the next 8 months, then, we can expect a certain expressiveness, passion, excitement, joy of being and playfulness to be present--in a general sense. The retrograde motion of Mars will begin about December 20 at 20* of Leo. He will remain retrograde until March 10 moving all the way back to 0* Leo. Not until May 19 will he pass the degree point where he originally turned retrograde. While moving forward in Leo, before the initial retrograde point, we could potentially sense a fast, forward flow of creative energy, joyfulness, romantic impulse and sheer childlike joie de vivre. Once Mars turns retrograde, we could potentially sense a slowing down of this excited, impulsive energy. As always, each individual will respond uniquely to this energetic flow, according to each individual energetic pattern.
If you have a lot of ‘fixed’ energy, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, your psyche will be energized and stimulated over this next 8 month period. You will have the opportunity to integrate creative inspirations, act on any number of impulses, explore romance, discover your inner child through sudden illuminative experiences or conversely, you may have to deal with blockages in these very same areas depending on how YOU respond to the manifest experience that is YOUR life. Mars ignites, triggers and stimulates so expect some degree of ACTION.
If you have significant Aries, Leo or Sagittarius energy, you should feel a sense of supportiveness in your life. Make some plans and buckle up, ready to ride the wave. Conversely, be mindful of following impulse. Make sure that you really do want to do whatever it is that seems like the good thing to do! Fire energy is notoriously action oriented and though this can be exciting and rewarding when things go well, it can also be depressing and disappointing when things backfire! However, at the most fundamental of levels, there is a potential for energy to flow into the being so look for that sense of energy and stimulation in yourself. Feel like doing something? That’s what I’m talking about! Feel like the King of the World? You got it!
The retrograde period of Mars (December –May) can be most proactively used to ignite the inner muse in whatever area of the psyche that is highlighted by the transit. You can also revisit established methods of implementation and explore if there are any adjustments that can be made in how you actually go about doing what you do.
Mars transits can co-relate to times in one’s life when a renewal of self is experienced either through the process of new things coming into one’s life or even old things leaving one’s life. Either way, it is a call to action, an impulse oriented energy that stirs things up. If you have felt stuck or even depressed, this next 8 month period could well re-energize you to get involved again.
Have a makeover,
clear out your attic or basement,
sign up for a self-improvement course,
redecorate your home (even if you just buy a candle or something!)
arrange for a romantic tryst with the one you love,
ask for a raise or quit!
clear the air with friends and relatives,
create a ‘dream board’ for the next year,
plan a trip to somewhere exotic or faraway,
volunteer,
join a group that speaks to your community self,
tackle any old issues that may still be nagging away at you.
Whatever the area of life involved, the key is to move forward. Even when the planet is moving backward, the key is action. Use the rather lengthy retrograde period to refine whatever action you feel is necessary to REJUICE your life. Remember, Mars is the WARRIOR, no matter what sign he occupies, but in LEO, he is the ROYAL WARRIOR!
( I was chatting with my friend, Kim, about this transit and she said she could hardly wait! I said I was checking all of my ‘brake’ mechanisms! Well, she is an early degree Leo, ready to rock! I have Mars in Capricorn ( steady, methodical, a bit boring…) and the expansive over the top energy of Leo sometimes makes me quake in my boots! And so it is that each individual psyche will respond to the transit of Mars through Leo according to its own structures. Either way, Kim and I will both be benefited as long as we attune ourselves to the flow of the energy and work in harmony with it.)
PLUTO
As the modern day ruler of Scorpio, Pluto provides us with much insight into the complex working of this watery fixed sign. Once the astrological community had ascribed the rulership of Scorpio to Pluto, the proverbial ‘lightbulb’ got turned on in regards to understanding why Scorpio was the way it was. As it is the planet that is linked to the soul force, we now ‘get it’ when we find ourselves mesmerized by those Scorpio types, losing ourselves in bottomless eyes that seem to follow our every move!
Pluto is now fully into his transit of Capricorn, a Cardinal Earth sign with both feet fixed firmly beneath him, though able to leap from boulder to boulder and scale whatever mountain face rises up before him. Much has been written about this ingress of the planet of transformation into the executive energy of the Zodiac but suffice it to say, whatever the status quo may have been, once we are through the next decade, that status quo will look very different! And thank the goddess for that! Do we want our infrastructure to shift? You bet! Do we want to see changes in the stupid economic systems that are currently holding us hostage? Absolutely! Do we want justice? Equity? Transparency? Fairness? Security? Damn right we do! Will it be simple or easy? Ugh, no. When a system has become as corrupted as our current system is, the change will never be simple or easy. However, it is absolutely necessary if we are to survive. So, buckle down, prioritize, simplify and refocus your vision. Do the RIGHT thing and align your life to RIGHT PRINCIPLE. This will make the changes that lie ahead that much easier to integrate.
Pluto takes a long time to travel around the Sun so this planet will stay in any one sign of the Zodiac for as long as 20 years +/- or as briefly as 12 years +/- as the orbit is actually elliptical. Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024. So, for the next 15 years Solar Capricorns will have the ‘pleasure’ of a Pluto/Sun transit. At the highest level, this is a call to align to true life intention, to work with the deepest of soul urges, to discard anything that impedes the clear reflection of self through the solar force. Be who you are. Do what you love. Align to meaning and purpose in everything that you choose to do.
Solar Cancers are also in process under this transit. As the partner sign to Capricorn, the same sorts of illuminations may manifest in your life if you are born under the sign of Cancer but rather than coming from within, these insights may actually come from an outside source, a provocation or even confrontation, a challenge. Maximize the energy by listening carefully to all commentary whether flattering or challenging. You may discover something that could help you to attune to your soul purpose.
The transits of Pluto represent times of transformation and shift but often through an experiential process that strips away all deceit and illusion. And there’s the key. If you have been living in an illusionary reality, out of harmony with inner self, soul self, then this transit could be difficult. To be honest after having been dishonest for a long time is never easy. A very simple example of this might be someone who suddenly realizes that they are doing something for a living that is totally not in harmony with what they really want to be doing. The hoops that one has to jump through in order to harmonize with what one really wants to be doing could well seem impossible to jump through, especially since work brings in resource and resource is necessary in sustaining life in this current reality! If you have been working at a particular job for some time, it may seem impossible to imagine how you could change what you do on a daily basis and still sustain the standard of living to which you have become accustomed. Here’s the thing…it is YOUR choice how you actually respond to the Pluto ‘push’. Will you move with it and trust that you will survive or will you resist and push back, denying that there is anything to shift and change? The response of the ego personality will largely determine how easy or difficult the next decade could prove to be for those being ‘pushed’.
The promise of Pluto is ultimately…TRUTH. So, for those of us who are in a search for Truth, in whatever area of life or self, Pluto is the god that we follow. We want to go deeper. We want to understand more precisely. We desire to get to the bottom line. This is the gift that Pluto brings us. In some ways, I link the transit of Pluto to any of the personal planets to the FOOL in the Tarot. It is the ‘leap of faith,’ the step into the unknown, the absolute trust in the process, the belief that the only true reality is the reality of this very moment, not a breath before nor a breath after. As humans we have long struggled with this concept, clinging in vain to the past and working blindly for the future. Pluto teaches us that neither does the past exist nor does the future but only the present which is the only true peak experience.
So, open your spiritual eyes and see the gift that Pluto might be bringing to your life. You may undergo a total transformation of who you are,
Finally get rid of any stuff you no longer need in your life,
Experience a sea change in the way you think about things and how you communicate your thoughts,
Get rid of dependencies and establish yourself as your own best care-giver,
Meet your ‘soul-mate’ or at least someone who rocks your world,
Finally, finally, get fit!
Change the way you think about relationships and make them healthy, once and for all,
Have an intimate experience with life and death and learn something about regeneration and the continuity of soul,
Transform your faith,
Shift the way you think about other’s opinion of you,
Commit yourself to YOUR cause whatever that might be,
Come home to your own intimate relationship to god/dess…
Again, the key is mindfulness, awareness, reading the signals and above all, letting go and trusting in spirit to surround you with the beautiful goodness of the goddess who loves us all since she dwells deep within each one of us…
I should also note that the planet, Saturn, is about to move into another of the Cardinal signs, Libra. Mid 2010, Uranus will be moving into Aries, yet another of the Cardinal signs. This active, forward moving energetic configuration will prepare the collective consciousness significantly for innovation, reconstruction and equality. Then, in 2012, Neptune will finally move into Pisces where, hopefully, some of the changes can begin to permeate into the collective heart (soul) and truly shift this current reality. More about this when we get to the Zodiac signs of Capricorn and Pisces!
Enjoy the dark and steamy, organic and pungent month of November. Honour the goddess and her green god consort. Revel in the imminent ‘return of the Sun’…(yes, he really is coming back)…and relinquish to the dark where no secrets need to be kept!
Happy Halloween….
Friday, September 18, 2009
Lovely Libra
When the Sun finally moves into his transit of Libra, we have reached the midpoint of the astrological year if Aries is considered as the start point. This is the time of the Autumnal Equinox. Light is once again balanced with shadow and we are now in the waning part of the sun’s cycle, moving into winter’s silence from this point on.
Libra is an interesting energy. Associated with the planet, Venus, first impressions lend themselves to images of lightness, grace, love and peacefulness. Well, as the saying goes, looks can be deceiving! There is a lot more going on in the beauty that is Libra.
Libra is a cardinal air sign. There is implied action here and a mental clarity that is often hidden behind the smiling face of conciliation. Libra’s opposite sign is the fire sign of Aries, also a cardinal energy, and just as Aries seeks to establish its sovereignty and individualism, Libra is avid in its search for dialogue and partnership. However, do not be fooled into thinking that Libra will always concede to someone else’s desires. This is not at all the case. Libra’s ability is best understood when we understand the contradictory image of the iron fist in the velvet glove. Libra knows how to forward its cause while appearing to consider everyone else’s needs and desires. So, though the picture may appear to be one of dialogue and compromise, the back story is all about absolute devotion to the pre-determined resolution that Libra has arrived at all on its own!
Libra has the ability to review and assess in advance, plot out a strategy and then maneuver through the situation, all the while adjusting, finessing and shifting but never, never, never, getting off track. When Libra responds with non-commitment to a query or suggestion, it is merely because it is looking for the temperature of the situation before making the next move.
One of the great skills that this energy can have is the ability to create comfort. This is why Libra type people can be successful as negotiators. They have the mental clarity to keep on track, the emotional equilibrium to maintain balance and the simple sweetness to make everyone feel safe, not threatened, a necessary quality when it comes to finding common ground.
The symbol associated with Libra is the Scales, the only non-living representation of a Zodiac energy. Sometimes, the Goddess of Justice is included in the symbol, holding those scales and weighing out whatever matter is at hand but for the most part, when we think of Libra, we think of those balancing plates, swinging back and forth like a teeter totter. There is a clue in this symbol as to what is actually going on within the Libra psyche. Rather than being in a place of balance, the Libra soul is actually searching for that place of inner balance. Thus, we see Libra’s determination to appear calm, even, peaceful. That which we focus upon is usually the very thing that is in short supply within ourselves!
The shadow side of Libran energy is the tendency to manipulate and manage others. The reason for the manipulation is usually related back to Libra’s need to create congeniality in its environment. Because of the mental clarity that can be associated with this energy, the Libra psyche is a great assessor of situations, able to nail down just exactly what is necessary in order to find solutions and develop compatibility and union. Any manipulative behaviour, then, is derived from this insight and the sure belief that the end—peace and coherence-- must justify the means—seducing others into following Libra’s intention—emphasis on the seduction, by the way! One thing is certain, Libra makes it easy! This energy is so graceful, so accommodating that it is often not evident when coercion is being used. Libra makes us all want to do it! No aggression, no brow-beating, just simple sweetness and lots and lots of cupcakes to tempt us into it!
Libra can appear to be indecisive but again, we need to look a bit more closely at this. Usually, Libra knows exactly what IT wants but is reluctant to commit in case this commitment creates conflict. So, in fact, it is not indecisive so much as it is desirous of maintaining peace within the context of the relationship. Look a little closer and you’ll see that often as not, Libra will manage to find a way to do exactly what it has wanted to do all along and everyone else goes along willingly. Ever heard the term, Passive-Aggressive? Calm down, Libra, we all love you!
A great example of a famous (and, dare I say it, successful!) individual with a ton of Libra energy is Bill Clinton. After all that Mr. Clinton has been accused of, alleged to have done and known to have been involved in, we just can’t help but love him. He makes it hard not to. To this day, his partner is still married to him. How many of us could have gone through such a thorough and public humiliation and then chosen to stay the course? I will let you all think about that! He was also one of the greatest diplomats ever and to this day is called on for his negotiating skill. It was under Clinton’s management that peace talks between Egypt and Israel took place culminating in that famous concord announced on the White House lawn! Clinton’s indubitable Libra ability to bring together diverse and apparently discordant opponents as partners in process, was at work here.
Libra, then, is the energy of coordinated action, measured and appropriate application of the energy of peace and unity. Very fitting for a Venus ruled archetype!
Wherever you find Libra in your own birthchart, this time of the year will bring a focus on issues relating to partnership, inner balance, values and how to attune to them into your life. The Libra part of your psyche is concerned with finding the right words to create dialogue. How do you enter into relationship? What sorts of strategies do you use when trying to establish common ground? Where is your own inner balance point and what forces are at play within your own psyche in this regard?
For all of you Aries people, this is your half birthday, a good time to review how your own birthday year has gone so far. Accomplishments? Realized goals? Non realized goals? And what are you going to do about it? Take some time to sit and think about how you would like the next 6 months to look.
Star Crossings
Venus, Earth’s closest companion in the solar system is the ‘ruler’ of Libra. RULER simply means that this is the planet associated with this energy. Sun in Libra people, Libra rising people or even those with a dominant Libra signature can all be said to be ‘Venus ruled’, not a bad moniker to own!
Venus is the planet that represents our basic value system and how we demonstrate it both internally and internally. She is linked to desire in that it is what we LOVE that we DESIRE or…we desire what we love. Venus is magnetic and a strongly functioning energy in this part of our psyches can result in the ability to draw what one wants (desires, values). Conversely, Venus energy still in development can sometimes encounter a sense of frustration in terms of getting what it wants. Whenever we feel friction, this is an indicator that some refining work needs to be done so don’t cave in if things seem hard to attain. Rather, take a good look at yourself and try and figure out where you can be more focused when going after goals and setting intentions.
The transits of Venus are quick, much like those of Mercury. This planet has an orbital time that is less than the Earth’s so Venus runs through the zodiac signs just slightly ahead of the Sun. In a natal horoscope this can result in a person having the Sun in home loving Cancer but Venus in fun loving Gemini. Such a combination can create complexity within the psyche. Which driver does one serve, the nesting urge or the thrill seeking urge? HMMMMM… For any of you who have read your daily horoscope and felt a strong disconnect from the description of the energy, it could be that your Venus energy is more reflective of some of your actions than whatever the Sun Sign is. The human psyche is multi-layered!
Venus transits can bring up issues related to relationship and desire. Sometimes, a windfall could come your way or long lost friends and lovers may reappear. This is especially the case when Venus goes retrograde so keep track of this cycle and see what co-relates in your own life. During one Venus retrograde cycle, I reconnected with a long lost friend seemingly out of the blue and that relationship has survived to this day, much to my Venusian delight!
Here is a quick cheat list of Venus through the houses.
Through house:
1: What do I really desire?
2: Is this really all mine?
3: I love my friends!
4: I want to go home!
5: I feel sexy…anyone interested?
6: I want to do what I love.
7: Who can I call?
8: Is this really all yours?
9: The pleasure of distant places.
10: I get the respect and adoration I deserve.
11: Let’s have a party!
12: The sweetness of silence; I need a retreat.
When we gaze up into the night sky, we can often see Venus shining brightly in the inky sky. There is comfort and a sense of connection to be derived from this simple experience. No wonder that the ancients attributed such positive characteristics to this planet. She brings us comfort. She gives us hope and she makes us gasp in awe and wonder. Almost close enough to touch and yet just beyond our reach. Ah! The magical, mysterious Venus!
Monthly Affirmation
I align my inner desire
with the path of highest good,
creating peace and grace
everywhere I go
and with everyone I meet.
Poem
Goddess, smile down on me
And let me rest
In your loving arms
I am the dreamer
And this is the dream
You are my keeper
so keep me safe
in the love
of your
infinite heart…
When the Sun finally moves into his transit of Libra, we have reached the midpoint of the astrological year if Aries is considered as the start point. This is the time of the Autumnal Equinox. Light is once again balanced with shadow and we are now in the waning part of the sun’s cycle, moving into winter’s silence from this point on.
Libra is an interesting energy. Associated with the planet, Venus, first impressions lend themselves to images of lightness, grace, love and peacefulness. Well, as the saying goes, looks can be deceiving! There is a lot more going on in the beauty that is Libra.
Libra is a cardinal air sign. There is implied action here and a mental clarity that is often hidden behind the smiling face of conciliation. Libra’s opposite sign is the fire sign of Aries, also a cardinal energy, and just as Aries seeks to establish its sovereignty and individualism, Libra is avid in its search for dialogue and partnership. However, do not be fooled into thinking that Libra will always concede to someone else’s desires. This is not at all the case. Libra’s ability is best understood when we understand the contradictory image of the iron fist in the velvet glove. Libra knows how to forward its cause while appearing to consider everyone else’s needs and desires. So, though the picture may appear to be one of dialogue and compromise, the back story is all about absolute devotion to the pre-determined resolution that Libra has arrived at all on its own!
Libra has the ability to review and assess in advance, plot out a strategy and then maneuver through the situation, all the while adjusting, finessing and shifting but never, never, never, getting off track. When Libra responds with non-commitment to a query or suggestion, it is merely because it is looking for the temperature of the situation before making the next move.
One of the great skills that this energy can have is the ability to create comfort. This is why Libra type people can be successful as negotiators. They have the mental clarity to keep on track, the emotional equilibrium to maintain balance and the simple sweetness to make everyone feel safe, not threatened, a necessary quality when it comes to finding common ground.
The symbol associated with Libra is the Scales, the only non-living representation of a Zodiac energy. Sometimes, the Goddess of Justice is included in the symbol, holding those scales and weighing out whatever matter is at hand but for the most part, when we think of Libra, we think of those balancing plates, swinging back and forth like a teeter totter. There is a clue in this symbol as to what is actually going on within the Libra psyche. Rather than being in a place of balance, the Libra soul is actually searching for that place of inner balance. Thus, we see Libra’s determination to appear calm, even, peaceful. That which we focus upon is usually the very thing that is in short supply within ourselves!
The shadow side of Libran energy is the tendency to manipulate and manage others. The reason for the manipulation is usually related back to Libra’s need to create congeniality in its environment. Because of the mental clarity that can be associated with this energy, the Libra psyche is a great assessor of situations, able to nail down just exactly what is necessary in order to find solutions and develop compatibility and union. Any manipulative behaviour, then, is derived from this insight and the sure belief that the end—peace and coherence-- must justify the means—seducing others into following Libra’s intention—emphasis on the seduction, by the way! One thing is certain, Libra makes it easy! This energy is so graceful, so accommodating that it is often not evident when coercion is being used. Libra makes us all want to do it! No aggression, no brow-beating, just simple sweetness and lots and lots of cupcakes to tempt us into it!
Libra can appear to be indecisive but again, we need to look a bit more closely at this. Usually, Libra knows exactly what IT wants but is reluctant to commit in case this commitment creates conflict. So, in fact, it is not indecisive so much as it is desirous of maintaining peace within the context of the relationship. Look a little closer and you’ll see that often as not, Libra will manage to find a way to do exactly what it has wanted to do all along and everyone else goes along willingly. Ever heard the term, Passive-Aggressive? Calm down, Libra, we all love you!
A great example of a famous (and, dare I say it, successful!) individual with a ton of Libra energy is Bill Clinton. After all that Mr. Clinton has been accused of, alleged to have done and known to have been involved in, we just can’t help but love him. He makes it hard not to. To this day, his partner is still married to him. How many of us could have gone through such a thorough and public humiliation and then chosen to stay the course? I will let you all think about that! He was also one of the greatest diplomats ever and to this day is called on for his negotiating skill. It was under Clinton’s management that peace talks between Egypt and Israel took place culminating in that famous concord announced on the White House lawn! Clinton’s indubitable Libra ability to bring together diverse and apparently discordant opponents as partners in process, was at work here.
Libra, then, is the energy of coordinated action, measured and appropriate application of the energy of peace and unity. Very fitting for a Venus ruled archetype!
Wherever you find Libra in your own birthchart, this time of the year will bring a focus on issues relating to partnership, inner balance, values and how to attune to them into your life. The Libra part of your psyche is concerned with finding the right words to create dialogue. How do you enter into relationship? What sorts of strategies do you use when trying to establish common ground? Where is your own inner balance point and what forces are at play within your own psyche in this regard?
For all of you Aries people, this is your half birthday, a good time to review how your own birthday year has gone so far. Accomplishments? Realized goals? Non realized goals? And what are you going to do about it? Take some time to sit and think about how you would like the next 6 months to look.
Star Crossings
Venus, Earth’s closest companion in the solar system is the ‘ruler’ of Libra. RULER simply means that this is the planet associated with this energy. Sun in Libra people, Libra rising people or even those with a dominant Libra signature can all be said to be ‘Venus ruled’, not a bad moniker to own!
Venus is the planet that represents our basic value system and how we demonstrate it both internally and internally. She is linked to desire in that it is what we LOVE that we DESIRE or…we desire what we love. Venus is magnetic and a strongly functioning energy in this part of our psyches can result in the ability to draw what one wants (desires, values). Conversely, Venus energy still in development can sometimes encounter a sense of frustration in terms of getting what it wants. Whenever we feel friction, this is an indicator that some refining work needs to be done so don’t cave in if things seem hard to attain. Rather, take a good look at yourself and try and figure out where you can be more focused when going after goals and setting intentions.
The transits of Venus are quick, much like those of Mercury. This planet has an orbital time that is less than the Earth’s so Venus runs through the zodiac signs just slightly ahead of the Sun. In a natal horoscope this can result in a person having the Sun in home loving Cancer but Venus in fun loving Gemini. Such a combination can create complexity within the psyche. Which driver does one serve, the nesting urge or the thrill seeking urge? HMMMMM… For any of you who have read your daily horoscope and felt a strong disconnect from the description of the energy, it could be that your Venus energy is more reflective of some of your actions than whatever the Sun Sign is. The human psyche is multi-layered!
Venus transits can bring up issues related to relationship and desire. Sometimes, a windfall could come your way or long lost friends and lovers may reappear. This is especially the case when Venus goes retrograde so keep track of this cycle and see what co-relates in your own life. During one Venus retrograde cycle, I reconnected with a long lost friend seemingly out of the blue and that relationship has survived to this day, much to my Venusian delight!
Here is a quick cheat list of Venus through the houses.
Through house:
1: What do I really desire?
2: Is this really all mine?
3: I love my friends!
4: I want to go home!
5: I feel sexy…anyone interested?
6: I want to do what I love.
7: Who can I call?
8: Is this really all yours?
9: The pleasure of distant places.
10: I get the respect and adoration I deserve.
11: Let’s have a party!
12: The sweetness of silence; I need a retreat.
When we gaze up into the night sky, we can often see Venus shining brightly in the inky sky. There is comfort and a sense of connection to be derived from this simple experience. No wonder that the ancients attributed such positive characteristics to this planet. She brings us comfort. She gives us hope and she makes us gasp in awe and wonder. Almost close enough to touch and yet just beyond our reach. Ah! The magical, mysterious Venus!
Monthly Affirmation
I align my inner desire
with the path of highest good,
creating peace and grace
everywhere I go
and with everyone I meet.
Poem
Goddess, smile down on me
And let me rest
In your loving arms
I am the dreamer
And this is the dream
You are my keeper
so keep me safe
in the love
of your
infinite heart…
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Virtue Of Virgo
The Virtue of Virgo
Virgo. What an energy! One of the most complex of all of the zodiac signs, Virgo is mutable and earthy. Of all of the Earth signs, it is, in some ways, the least “stuck” on its own position. Though it can go the distance, there is a measure of flexibility here.
Virgo loves the process; loves creating a pattern that can be followed over and over. Order is synonymous with this practical and hardworking energy. This is the energy of analysis.
More importantly, however, is the relationship of Virgo to healing. When I meet someone with a load of Virgo energy, I listen very carefully to the words that they use when communicating. Invariably, I have found that in that particular and attentive soul, lies the need to serve, to heal, to nourish. Think about the time of year that the Sun transits this section of the zodiac. In the Northern hemisphere it is a time of fruition. The air is full of the scent of the full and ripened earth. The fields are ready to yield their harvest. And what is more healing than freshly harvested food and the ability to enjoy a warm and pleasant outdoors?
On the highest of levels, this is Goddess energy, pure and simple. Virgo understands ritual and, in order to connect to spirit, we need ritual and those who can work the ritual. Come on in, Virgo. We have all heard the cliché, “God is in the details”. Well, guess who gets the details right? Virgo!
The shadow side of Virgo is, for sure, the tendency to sink into criticism, to nit-pick, nag and chew away at something until everyone else runs out of the room screaming. Enough already, Virgo, they shriek. But, here’s the thing. Virgo has an innate sense of what works and if it is confronted with something less than this, it is a challenge to maintain detachment and allow mistakes to be made. Have you noticed how tight lipped some strongly Virgoan folks can be? That’s them clamping their mouths shut to prevent those words from slipping out! The real reason that anyone falls into criticism is because they strongly desire everything to be …PERFECT. This longing for perfection can then lead to discontent whether expressed externally or nurtured within the self. The solution is, as always, to focus on what does work even when there is lots not working. Life lesson? Acceptance, of course.
If you have Virgo prominent in your birth mandala, this could well be a crazy time for you. The planet, Uranus, has been transiting Virgo’s polarity sign, Pisces, since March, 2003. Uranus is the archetype of shift and change and usually associated with a degree of fracture. For Virgo, with its need for order, systems and regularity, this ‘rebel without a cause’ energy must feel overwhelming and discombobulating. Here are some of the ways that you may be feeling at this point in time & simple solutions you can try:
--Nothing seems to make sense & when it does settle down, something happens to skew you off course yet again
solution: detach from outcome & focus on developing trust
--Your emotions are like a roller coaster and you can’t find your ground
Solution: make a cup of herbal tea & take a salt bath
(A good combination of herbs to promote calm is: mint, lemon balm, catnip, sage & a bit of honey. Be mindful of catnip as it is a strong sedative in humans. One cup before sleep can do wonders for your system.)
Secondary solution: Pour this stress energy into a task like purging & cleaning.
--Your head is full of ideas but you can’t always make sense of them or you may feel like you have lost your mind
Solution: carry a tiny journal to jot down flashes as they occur
Focus on the immediate concern; resist obsessive compulsive thinking
--Nothing feels secure in your relationship life
Solution: love the one you’re with & don’t over think the future
--You keep running into obstacles and even having accidents
Solution: take time out to do breath work (10 minutes as needed).
Pause before running head on into whatever you think needs doing.
Uranus is a slow moving planet so he will be activating Virgo by opposition until March 2011. At all times, the key to integrating Uranian energy is to move into a place of detachment from outcome. Trust that once the earthquake is over, you will still be standing and you may even be aware of things that needed to be brought out into the light.
Star Crossings: What’s the deal, Mercury?
Every Zodiac sign has a planet (celestial object) associated to it. Last month we explored the Sun as it is the ‘planet’ associated with Leo. This month we will take a peek at what that pesky little fellow, Mercury, is up to as this is the planet associated with Virgo.
Mercury represents the mind within the persona. How we think, reason and communicate are all aspects of the mental body. No one part of the psyche or entity is more important than any other. We cannot forfeit our reasoning ability just so that we can experience love. On the other hand, we cannot turn our back on emotion just because our head cannot logic its way through the experience. We cannot deny out spiritual needs just so that our physical body is nourished. On the other hand, denying our physical body does not always lead to spiritual illumination. The integrated personality is one that honours all parts of the energy system and provides itself with what it needs on all levels of existence. No wonder that when we block or deny on one level, we can feel the effects on other levels. Things like depression, anxiety, denial, dislocation are all potential side effects when we do not acknowledge truth. In the personality matrix, the condition of our individual Mercury placement can reveal a lot about the way we get our ideas across, how we interconnect with others and our general thinking process.
The transits of Mercury are rapid and he is either catching up to the Sun during the orbital year or running ahead of him, but never by more than about 2 signs either way. However, since he moves so quickly, we may only mildly feel anything energetically unless we are strongly ‘mercurial’, that is Mercury ruled or with a highly accentuated Mercury energy.
One exception to this is when the little fellow decides to ‘go retrograde’. Obviously, he is not actually moving backwards literally but because of the relationship between the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, we have the experience of backward motion from our vantage point here on the earth.
So what’s the deal with Mercury Retrograde? Firstly, let’s understand that Mercury is a mini-activator within the energy field. When he transits points within the psyche, you can have something like the experience of a light-bulb being turned on. Or you might get a message, either literally or figuratively within yourself. A Mercury transit could signal a time to make a deal, form a partnership or do some data work. When this planet appears to be ‘moving backwards’, all of these sorts of things are either up for review or perhaps just take a pause. Example: you are in the midst of signing a contract, maybe for a home purchase. Suddenly you realize that Mercury will be turning retrograde. Do not panic. Just do your do diligence and carefully and meticulously review all aspects of the deal. You may find that the deal dies but it may be in your favour for it to do so. When you review, you may notice a major oversight and thus have the opportunity to correct it. It is true that everyone has a story about the mini disasters that they have experienced when Mercury was retrograde but I feel that mindfulness can allay much of the chaos. Remember, Mercury is connected to logic and order, reasoning ability, so doing a bit of prep work in advance by ensuring that everything is in order can be very helpful. So, rather than being victim to the slings and arrows of fortune, keep track of the retrograde periods of Mercury ( 3x/year) and make preparation. Ensure that your computer is backed up. Keep your desktop clean and tidy. File your important papers properly and always in the same way. Creating pattern and order within your daily life will go a long way when dealing with ‘backwardness’. So, when is Mercury’s next retrograde period? The last three weeks of September.
Mercury will be moving through the last few degrees of Virgo and then into Libra over the next month period. Once in Libra, he will turn retrograde for three weeks. At the time that I send out the Libra e-letter, he will still be retrograde, back in the sign of Virgo and ready to turn direct, get back into Libra and gallop away.
Wherever these energies are located in your own birth mandala, is where you could feel any of the things that I described above in your life. If you have Mercury either in Virgo or Libra, this is a time of mental renewal for you. You could take the time to reflect on some of your mental goals and make any adjustments to your actual thinking process. Maybe you have let things slip organizationally. Use this opportunity to make adjustments in this area.
One thing that I have noticed with the transits of Mercury is that I have often received some sort of news when he was transiting either my 1/7 house pair and even sometimes my 3/9 house pair. People have told me secrets, old friends have resurfaced, relatives have suddenly reappeared! But, for the most part, this is a pretty innocuous little fellow, more of a nuisance than a trauma. And, even if the news is not so great, the transit is quick and the discomfort, if any exists, passes rapidly. To track this transit more specifically, dig out your birth chart and locate where, in that chart, Virgo and Libra fall. Here is a quick cheat sheet list for strategies to enact for each house.
When Mercury transits through house
1: enact plans
2: analyze resources
3: intellectual curiousity is heightened; stay open
4: increased activity at home; enjoy (hopefully)
5: potential focus on fun; be ready to play
6: opportunity to pay attention to the details
7: perspective can be gained through dialogue
8: tackle those deep, intensive projects
9: plan ahead
10: step into the limelight and be heard
11: the brilliance of networking
12: a good time for a retreat
Next month, I will focus on Libra and the celestial object associated with this energy, Venus.
Affirmation for the Month
I use my ability in the service of others.
Poem
Devoted
And
Diligent
I am determined
To create
Peace
And prosperity
For the healing
Of the peoples
Of the earth
Virgo. What an energy! One of the most complex of all of the zodiac signs, Virgo is mutable and earthy. Of all of the Earth signs, it is, in some ways, the least “stuck” on its own position. Though it can go the distance, there is a measure of flexibility here.
Virgo loves the process; loves creating a pattern that can be followed over and over. Order is synonymous with this practical and hardworking energy. This is the energy of analysis.
More importantly, however, is the relationship of Virgo to healing. When I meet someone with a load of Virgo energy, I listen very carefully to the words that they use when communicating. Invariably, I have found that in that particular and attentive soul, lies the need to serve, to heal, to nourish. Think about the time of year that the Sun transits this section of the zodiac. In the Northern hemisphere it is a time of fruition. The air is full of the scent of the full and ripened earth. The fields are ready to yield their harvest. And what is more healing than freshly harvested food and the ability to enjoy a warm and pleasant outdoors?
On the highest of levels, this is Goddess energy, pure and simple. Virgo understands ritual and, in order to connect to spirit, we need ritual and those who can work the ritual. Come on in, Virgo. We have all heard the cliché, “God is in the details”. Well, guess who gets the details right? Virgo!
The shadow side of Virgo is, for sure, the tendency to sink into criticism, to nit-pick, nag and chew away at something until everyone else runs out of the room screaming. Enough already, Virgo, they shriek. But, here’s the thing. Virgo has an innate sense of what works and if it is confronted with something less than this, it is a challenge to maintain detachment and allow mistakes to be made. Have you noticed how tight lipped some strongly Virgoan folks can be? That’s them clamping their mouths shut to prevent those words from slipping out! The real reason that anyone falls into criticism is because they strongly desire everything to be …PERFECT. This longing for perfection can then lead to discontent whether expressed externally or nurtured within the self. The solution is, as always, to focus on what does work even when there is lots not working. Life lesson? Acceptance, of course.
If you have Virgo prominent in your birth mandala, this could well be a crazy time for you. The planet, Uranus, has been transiting Virgo’s polarity sign, Pisces, since March, 2003. Uranus is the archetype of shift and change and usually associated with a degree of fracture. For Virgo, with its need for order, systems and regularity, this ‘rebel without a cause’ energy must feel overwhelming and discombobulating. Here are some of the ways that you may be feeling at this point in time & simple solutions you can try:
--Nothing seems to make sense & when it does settle down, something happens to skew you off course yet again
solution: detach from outcome & focus on developing trust
--Your emotions are like a roller coaster and you can’t find your ground
Solution: make a cup of herbal tea & take a salt bath
(A good combination of herbs to promote calm is: mint, lemon balm, catnip, sage & a bit of honey. Be mindful of catnip as it is a strong sedative in humans. One cup before sleep can do wonders for your system.)
Secondary solution: Pour this stress energy into a task like purging & cleaning.
--Your head is full of ideas but you can’t always make sense of them or you may feel like you have lost your mind
Solution: carry a tiny journal to jot down flashes as they occur
Focus on the immediate concern; resist obsessive compulsive thinking
--Nothing feels secure in your relationship life
Solution: love the one you’re with & don’t over think the future
--You keep running into obstacles and even having accidents
Solution: take time out to do breath work (10 minutes as needed).
Pause before running head on into whatever you think needs doing.
Uranus is a slow moving planet so he will be activating Virgo by opposition until March 2011. At all times, the key to integrating Uranian energy is to move into a place of detachment from outcome. Trust that once the earthquake is over, you will still be standing and you may even be aware of things that needed to be brought out into the light.
Star Crossings: What’s the deal, Mercury?
Every Zodiac sign has a planet (celestial object) associated to it. Last month we explored the Sun as it is the ‘planet’ associated with Leo. This month we will take a peek at what that pesky little fellow, Mercury, is up to as this is the planet associated with Virgo.
Mercury represents the mind within the persona. How we think, reason and communicate are all aspects of the mental body. No one part of the psyche or entity is more important than any other. We cannot forfeit our reasoning ability just so that we can experience love. On the other hand, we cannot turn our back on emotion just because our head cannot logic its way through the experience. We cannot deny out spiritual needs just so that our physical body is nourished. On the other hand, denying our physical body does not always lead to spiritual illumination. The integrated personality is one that honours all parts of the energy system and provides itself with what it needs on all levels of existence. No wonder that when we block or deny on one level, we can feel the effects on other levels. Things like depression, anxiety, denial, dislocation are all potential side effects when we do not acknowledge truth. In the personality matrix, the condition of our individual Mercury placement can reveal a lot about the way we get our ideas across, how we interconnect with others and our general thinking process.
The transits of Mercury are rapid and he is either catching up to the Sun during the orbital year or running ahead of him, but never by more than about 2 signs either way. However, since he moves so quickly, we may only mildly feel anything energetically unless we are strongly ‘mercurial’, that is Mercury ruled or with a highly accentuated Mercury energy.
One exception to this is when the little fellow decides to ‘go retrograde’. Obviously, he is not actually moving backwards literally but because of the relationship between the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, we have the experience of backward motion from our vantage point here on the earth.
So what’s the deal with Mercury Retrograde? Firstly, let’s understand that Mercury is a mini-activator within the energy field. When he transits points within the psyche, you can have something like the experience of a light-bulb being turned on. Or you might get a message, either literally or figuratively within yourself. A Mercury transit could signal a time to make a deal, form a partnership or do some data work. When this planet appears to be ‘moving backwards’, all of these sorts of things are either up for review or perhaps just take a pause. Example: you are in the midst of signing a contract, maybe for a home purchase. Suddenly you realize that Mercury will be turning retrograde. Do not panic. Just do your do diligence and carefully and meticulously review all aspects of the deal. You may find that the deal dies but it may be in your favour for it to do so. When you review, you may notice a major oversight and thus have the opportunity to correct it. It is true that everyone has a story about the mini disasters that they have experienced when Mercury was retrograde but I feel that mindfulness can allay much of the chaos. Remember, Mercury is connected to logic and order, reasoning ability, so doing a bit of prep work in advance by ensuring that everything is in order can be very helpful. So, rather than being victim to the slings and arrows of fortune, keep track of the retrograde periods of Mercury ( 3x/year) and make preparation. Ensure that your computer is backed up. Keep your desktop clean and tidy. File your important papers properly and always in the same way. Creating pattern and order within your daily life will go a long way when dealing with ‘backwardness’. So, when is Mercury’s next retrograde period? The last three weeks of September.
Mercury will be moving through the last few degrees of Virgo and then into Libra over the next month period. Once in Libra, he will turn retrograde for three weeks. At the time that I send out the Libra e-letter, he will still be retrograde, back in the sign of Virgo and ready to turn direct, get back into Libra and gallop away.
Wherever these energies are located in your own birth mandala, is where you could feel any of the things that I described above in your life. If you have Mercury either in Virgo or Libra, this is a time of mental renewal for you. You could take the time to reflect on some of your mental goals and make any adjustments to your actual thinking process. Maybe you have let things slip organizationally. Use this opportunity to make adjustments in this area.
One thing that I have noticed with the transits of Mercury is that I have often received some sort of news when he was transiting either my 1/7 house pair and even sometimes my 3/9 house pair. People have told me secrets, old friends have resurfaced, relatives have suddenly reappeared! But, for the most part, this is a pretty innocuous little fellow, more of a nuisance than a trauma. And, even if the news is not so great, the transit is quick and the discomfort, if any exists, passes rapidly. To track this transit more specifically, dig out your birth chart and locate where, in that chart, Virgo and Libra fall. Here is a quick cheat sheet list for strategies to enact for each house.
When Mercury transits through house
1: enact plans
2: analyze resources
3: intellectual curiousity is heightened; stay open
4: increased activity at home; enjoy (hopefully)
5: potential focus on fun; be ready to play
6: opportunity to pay attention to the details
7: perspective can be gained through dialogue
8: tackle those deep, intensive projects
9: plan ahead
10: step into the limelight and be heard
11: the brilliance of networking
12: a good time for a retreat
Next month, I will focus on Libra and the celestial object associated with this energy, Venus.
Affirmation for the Month
I use my ability in the service of others.
Poem
Devoted
And
Diligent
I am determined
To create
Peace
And prosperity
For the healing
Of the peoples
Of the earth
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