The planet Saturn trundles around
the circle of the zodiac in 28 to 30 years. During the course of his travels he
marks out lessons and accomplishments at the personal, social and worldly
levels of being.
Saturn - Father Time
Over the past year Saturn has
been with the stars Spica and Arcturus. These two stars have a location in the
Tropical Zodiac of 23-24º Libra, which corresponds to and marks the ear of
wheat in the hand of the Virgin or the constellation Virgo. At present Saturn is joined by Mars and the waxing Moon.
An evening gathering of Saturn, Mars, waxing Moon and
Spica.
Compliments ‘Skywalker’
Virgo rising the next day. Compliments ‘Skywalker’.
Once upon a time the Tropical
Zodiac signs were in alignment with the constellation of the same name. But now
these signs have parted company and are out of sync due to the astronomical
phenomena known as ‘Precession of the Equinoxes’.
The constellation Virgo has some
interesting mythology attached to it and which through sympathy can be related
to the Tropical Zodiac sign of Virgo.
The ancient Egyptian goddess Isis is one of Virgo's many
prototypes, as is Belitus, wife of the Assyrian god Bel. The constellation is
also known as the maiden representing Persephone, daughter of Demeter (Roman
Proserpina and Ceres) the corn goddess.
Demeter Corn Goddess
In
mythology, Persephone is another name for Hecate, the crone aspect of the
triple Moon goddess. Both are connected with the dark world of mystery.
Similarly, Demeter was Queen of the underworld before masculization as Pluto,
and she was worshipped in the Orphic mysteries as Goddess of the Blessed Dead.
The sky Virgin or corn goddess carries the palm branch in
her right hand and the Spica or spike/ear of wheat is in her left hand, thus marked by
the star of the same name. Often the palm branch in imagery is replaced with
the Caduceus of Mercury. The maiden of Virgo is also associated with the Biblical Ruth, the
Moabitess who is gleaning the fields of Boaz and thus also associated with wheat
and the gathering in of the harvest.
In Greek mythology, Erigone, the
‘Early Born’, hung herself in grief at the death of her father Icarius and was
transported to the skies as Virgo. She was accompanied by Icarius her father
and their faithful hound Maera.
The myth goes that Dionysis, god of wine, entered Greek
Attica where he was greeted by King Icarius and to whom he presented a
vine-stock. Icarius imprudently
gave his shepherds wine to drink. As they became intoxicated, they thought that
they where being poisoned and slew King Icarius. Icarius' daughter Erigone, on finding her father's body and
with the help of her hound, hung herself in despair. Dionysus set Icarius, Erigone and their dog Maera in the sky
as the Wagoner or the constellation Boötes holding the star Arcturus, as Virgo
the Virgin holding the star Spica and as the Lesser Dog Star, Procyon.
Sky map of Virgo, Boötes and Canis Minor. [L. George]
An alternate depiction of the Virgin is Isis clasping in
her arms Horus the infant Southern sun-god. In the middle ages this Egyptian
imagery is over-laid by that of Western Christianity and Virgo becomes the
Virgin Mary with child Jesus.
Isis nurturing Horus [Murray]
Virgo is a feminine sign, so we
must guess that its relevance for the boys is in their needing to learn to
contact their softer feminine inner selves in order to bring about a balance to
their masculine nature. Perhaps in the same way that girls of the masculine
sign Aries are learning to balance their femininity with the development of
masculine qualities. It is all about achieving a balance in the world, a
balance of the two great Cosmic polarities so that we can live in better
harmony with ourselves and Mother Nature.
References:
ALLEN,R.H. ‘Star Names’
GEORGE, L. ‘A-Z Astrology’.
LAROUSSE ‘Encyclopedia
of Mythology’.
MURRAY, M. 'The Splendour that was Egypt'
SKYWALKER app.
