Uranus Pluto Alchemy

Well, we have had the Full Moon on Uranus and it does seem as if mother earth is convulsing, and humanity responds by convulsing itself.

The 2 pillars of society are breaking down – the church and the university and in between the third pillar of social structure is disintegrating – this has been going on for some time [since the conjunction of Uranus and Pluto in the alchemical sign of Virgo in the mid 1960s] in a slow and perhaps imperceptible grind, but is now becoming distinctly apparent under the first square of the cycle, in a way that is tangible and has to be faced. All living is being undermined, apart from the obvious technical revolution, in a very subtle and indefinable way.

 Alchemy

The breakdown and paradigm shift is occurring in the church, from the point of view of not being the sole controlling and directing force of our moral codes and therefore behaviour, anymore. The breakdown and paradigm shift is occurring in the university from the point of view of not being the sole controlling and directing force of our education and political notions, anymore. As a result, the breakdown and paradigm shift is occurring at a fundamental level in family and social and health structures, even to affecting what we define as gender. Indeed who are we?

Life is now lived more and more in technical ‘bites’ small quick pieces of information in a virtual world of the Internet, were there are no rules and no guidelines.

There seems to be constant displacement of masses of people due to great earth movements of fire, water and earth; and due to human tension expressed in disagreements, shootings, riots and war.

All institutions are breaking down, even life is breaking down, in spite of all the new discoveries. How do we survive and adapt? I wonder if our parents and grandparents felt the same – is this just another reoccurring cycle or is there truly a new world on the horizon? A massive evolutionary leap rather than a turn on the spiral?

I guess the two world wars of the previous century must have felt like this.

Zen Wisdom

He who smiles

Rather

than rages

Is always

The Stronger

 Chickpea by Rumi

A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot

where it’s being boiled.

Why are you doing this to me?

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.

Don’t you try to jump out.

You think I’m torturing you.

I’m giving you flavor,

so you can mix with spices and rice

and be the lovely vitality of a human being.

Remember when you drank rain in the garden.

That was for this.

Grace first. Sexual pleasure,

then a boiling new life begins,

and the Friend has something good to eat.

Eventually the chickpea

will say to the cook,

Boil me some more.

Hit me with the skimming spoon.

I can’t do this by myself.

I’m like an elephant that dreams of gardens

back in Hindustan and doesn’t pay attention

to his driver. You’re my cook, my driver,

my way into existence. I love your cooking.

The cook says

I was once like you,

fresh from the ground. Then I boiled in time,

and boiled in the body, two fierce boilings.

My animal soul grew powerful.

I controlled it with practices,

and boiled some more, and boiled

once beyond that

and became your teacher.

There is no Rose without a Thorn

A Gathering in Virgo/Libra

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.

3 modes of EARTH

After a bit of time out, let us return to the zodiac signs from the perspective of their elements and qualities. The 3 Fire signs were worked on in a previous blog now we move on to the 3 Earth signs.

The ‘Triplicities’ or sign groupings are according to one of the classical elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water. Let us look again at the qualities of Earth when combined with each of the 3 modes of Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable.

At the beginning of the world, Shu god of Space separated Sky Nut from the Earth Geb.

L. Lamy, ‘Egyptian Mysteries’

The Egyptian god of earth is Geb, seen here reclining beneath the sky goddess Nut.

The earth gives the physical form and function of life. It is the arena within which the spiritual path is pursued through being efficient and productive. Earth people utilise the material world in a way that it will aid and assist humanities spiritual growth and development, for the spirit and the material are but two sides of the same coin. Thus earth people strive to give to society and the world something that can be put to use in a visible and tangible way.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

TAURUS is the first of the earth signs and is of the fixed quality. Thus these Earth people are the most practical and down to earth of all the earth signs, which means they can be quite stubborn about what they want to achieve and quite resistant to objection, as they mould earth materials into useful things for their own purposes, and this includes money. However, you will see a completely different aspect of the Taurean nature when his/her softer side is appealed to through love, the sight of what is beautiful or a sumptuous meal, for they are ruled by the planet of harmony, Venus. From this it can be concluded that our little [or big] bulls are much easier to convince when led gently by the nose and soft words rather than forced down a path with a big stick or rigidity equal to their own. Everything for the Taurean should be practical but erring on the side of pleasant harmony and beauty.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

VIRGO is the second earth sign and it has the quality of mutability. Here we find that the practical qualities of earth become more flexible yet still hold to the need to see  meaningful and useful results for all their hard labour. Virgo can therefore comfortably deal with the necessity of irritating detail that is required to produce a concrete result in this world. Such detail is seen in number crunching, careful looking after and in the work of the craftsman that needs concentrated persistence. These are practical, useful and earthbound pursuits that help us to get through our daily routine and move life forward, to nurture the seed potential into a blooming flower. The Virgo person being ruled by Mercury also needs to feel that they are applying their intellect to the constant adaptation of material things and solving practical problems. They need to feel useful.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

CAPRICORN is the third earth sign and it has the cardinal quality. Of the three earth signs this makes Capricorn probably the most industrious and driven to achieve through action. The cardinal signs always need to be active and seen to be so, always going somewhere and usually with the determination to put their stamp on society. This is earth with an ambition, the sign wants to take all the material affairs of man, from buildings to politics and make them work for the good of all. They like to see life structured and ordered so that all people can work towards a useful end goal. In some ways you can find a hint of Aquarius here, the other sign ruled by Saturn before Uranus came along and caused havoc. Saturn has the reputation of a hard task master, but that is only when we strive to shirk our practical and realistic responsibilities and duties.

URANUS & PLUTO

Everyone is talking about the clash of the Titans in the sky above us. These Titans are the fiery, disruptive planet Uranus in the fiery, energetic sign of Aries and the deeply mysterious and powerful planet Pluto in the stern and authoritarian sign of Capricorn.

These two planets are in a harsh angle of 90 degrees to each other. Uranus has recently entered the sign of Aries and Pluto is in Capricorn signifying or correlating with a conflict between strong desire for individual rights and personal freedom with the powerful strength of institutions and government bodies who want to stay in control. And indeed we are seeing much of this around the globe from the western economic collapse to the constant localised wars in the Middle-East.

Astrologically, the present global situation of stress and tension is linked to the social revolution of the 1960s. That was a time when the two great Titans, Uranus and Pluto were together in the sign of Virgo, the sign of work and service and health matters. It was a time when the old fashioned work ethic was ditched along with many other personal and social concepts that had held sway over living arrangements and people’s lives. It was the era of open rebellion at street level, of hippy power and drug culture and the first mummers of the coming technical revolution that was to affect every level of everyday living. There was also to come an upsurge of ‘alternative’ ways of looking at how we maintained our health, both physical and spiritual. Now we are experiencing the time when we need to take stock of that intervening almost 50 years and make any necessary adjustments at the social, political and individual level of response and reaction.

At a more spiritual level the tension of the current times indicate a need to blend our new awakening or new level of consciousness or new way of looking at ourselves, and the universe. The desire should be to improve ourselves and help others to do the same. It should be a time of sudden explosion of riches that are available to all, if we successfully negotiate this present time, otherwise it can be an explosion of a different sort.

What we are looking at in the bigger picture is the cyclic relationship of planet Pluto with the planet Uranus. The current cycle started between 1965 and 1966 when the faster moving Uranus occupied the same position in the skies as the slower moving planet Pluto, and which correlated with a radical and highly disruptive breakdown of previous social and individual values. The whole cycle of these two planets takes between 113 and 140 years, depending on the variable speeds of the planets. Four phases throughout such a cycle, when certain angular relationships are reached approximately every 30 odd years, are indications of a time for reassessing what these planetary energies meant for life on earth at the commencement of the cycle. This current readjustment phase rules over the years 2011 to 2015. The next such phase will occur towards the end of 2045.

So at various times of stress through 2011 to 2015 we are being called upon to curb our impatience of self-centred focus that allows no truck with order and convention, and attempt to blend our individual wants and needs with political will and the growth of organizations that are trying to bring about regeneration of our bad state of health and service. Possibly this won’t be an easy task and the results are more likely to see forceful destruction of what exists so that something new and improved can arise out of the ashes. One way or another there has to be a major restructuring of our efforts to respond on masse to the movements and energies activated in the mid 1960s. As we struggle along, the aim needs to be of keeping an open mind and being awake to any opportunity to make new discoveries and harness inspirations. More important changes are sure to come, and continue, and we need to adjust with grace.

3 modes of FIRE

 To return to the ‘Triplicities’ or sign groupings according to element, let us look again at the qualities of Fire when combined with each of the 3 modes of Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable.

Primal God of Fire – TEFNUT

 [From Lamy, ‘Egyptian Mysteries’]

ARIES is the first fire sign of the zodiac and it is a cardinal sign, so it is going very fast – full on active fire and once let loose there is no stopping it Think of the Ram in full flight ramming at the fence that is blocking its path, think of the racing car flat out around the track, think of the barrister in peak form fighting with the mind for the right to be heard and win. This is the first outpouring of primal energy that kick starts the creative process and symbolised by the Ram.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

LEO is the second fire sign of the zodiac and it is a fixed sign. We are not going so fast now. There is still all the enthusiasm and dynamism of fire but it is more settled, more focused, more willing to stay put in one place, like a good fire in the hearth. Enthusiasm anchored to the spot makes a good leader, whether leading others tramping through the jungle on an expedition, or sitting in the directors chair giving out decisions, or commanding a little troop of workers, edging them on to do their best. The proud Lion/Lioness caring for the family is a good symbol.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

SAGITTARIUS is the third fire sign of the zodiac and it is a mutable sign. Well fire combined with a searching for direction can be a bit of a problem if it gets out of control and wanders all over the place. When given focus, direction or knowing where it is going that same wonderful adaptable fiery enthusiasm can get an awful lot done. Mutable fire will adapt to what is needed in a moment and this is why it needs to know its own mind. Like Aries it will fight its way for that all important freedom, like Leo it will command attention for achievement, but like itself it will follow its dreams which can take it far and wide. Think of the explorer into space, think of the horseman galloping to freedom or spinning down the highway on a motorbike. The freedom of the Archer’s arrow is a good symbol.

[From Budge, ‘The Egyptian Zodiac’]

“There is nothing new except what has been forgotten”. A good read is ‘The Dawn of Magic’, by Lois Pauwels and Jacques Bergier.

4 ELEMENTS X 3 MODES = 12

There are 4 zodiac signs gathered together in a group according to 3 ‘modes’ of action. They are the Hindu ‘Guanus’, or western ‘Quadruplicities’ of Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable modes of action. The whole natal chart may be classified under one of these headings, or more briefly one can look at the combination of the Sun sign, the Moon sign and the Earth sign, which is the rising sign of the nativity.

Cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, hold the angles of the natural zodiac, indicating the first out rushing of each of the elements at their purest and most forceful form. These signs correspond to the 4 quarters of the year and the beginning of our seasons where the Equinox and Solstice points are located. The Cardinal signs are active doers of practical accomplishment; the Will of the individual accomplishes by rapid movement, by impulse and enthusiastic outbursts of energy. The faults of Cardinal energy are restlessness, interfering, frequently changing aim and policies. All of which can be changed by looking at oneself and seeing the effect of one’s actions on other people.

 

          

Fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius follow on from the Cardinal signs in the order of the zodiac and give stability to the previous initiative action. They may be likened to the midway points of the seasons when the air and conditions are well established. The Fixed signs are of a ‘feeling’ nature, it is the desire of the passions and the senses to find expression. The individual accomplishes by the Will of enduring strength, indomitable and determined self-mastery. The faults of Fixed energy is inertia, stubbornness, slowness at adapting to new circumstances or seeing another point of view. All of which can be changed by self-reflection and inner growth.

 

Mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces follow on from a Fixed sign and precede the next Cardinal sign. The mutable sign therefore allows for change to take place between these two conditions and allows for a new start in the next cycle of three signs. They may be likened to the change of seasons, allowing a new influx of energy, yet quite unstable as they search for the new condition. The Mutable signs are of the intellect, which strives to make connections. Individuals achieve by the Will of the mind, by applying foresight and adaptability. The faults of Mutable energy are in their instability, unreliability and irresponsibility. All of which can be changed by self-reflection and inner growth.

Each of the 3 qualities or modes of action draws from the others what it needs, so that the whole can work efficiently in the mundane world.

THREE X FOUR

The 12 zodiac signs can be divided up into categories. One category consists of the 12 signs gathered into groups of 3 according to the 4 astrological elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water. These 4 groups of 3 signs each, are called in astrology the ‘Triplicities’. [See earlier blogg]

A further division of our 12 zodiac signs is by ‘mode’ of action. These are the inherent qualities of differentiated matter. There are 4 signs gathered together according to each of the 3 ‘modes’ of action. These modes are possibly best described by the Hindu classification as put forward by the Astrologer and Theosophist Alan Leo. In Hindu they are called the ‘Guanas’, and are as follows:-

Rajas: which gives a direct motion of desire and activity.

Tamas: which gives a rotary motion that tends to firmness and building.

Sattva: a vibratory motion, which gives rhythm and harmony.

In the western world we give these modes of activity the names of Cardinal [Rajas] Fixed [Tamas] and Mutable [Sattva]. Cardinal signs get things started; Fixed signs give the endurance to make the action sustained and worthwhile; Mutable signs allow for change and variety when the thing considered needs to move on. A little imagination will allow one to get a grip on these states of being and expand them fully.

The 3 modes of action may be represented by the Hindu Trinity of:-

BRAHMA symbolising the action of Rajas as the first out-pourings of creative energy to stimulate life, seen in the Cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

SHIVA symbolising the action of Tamas, the moving around in a circle or cycle of conservation, destruction and regeneration. It is the dance of life, symbolised in the Fixed motion of the Fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.

VISHNU symbolising the activity of Sattva, as the god of many and varied aspects of form. The shape shifter of the Mutable quality seen in the signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

The Cardinal quality [Rajas] energises, the Fixed quality gives stability [Shiva], the Mutable quality allows for adjustment [Vishnu].

PREDICTION

With all the hype of the predicted ‘End of the World’ according to Western interpretation of the Mayan calendar, it might be as well to remember our history, which is full of such predictions.

Going way back to the 12^th Century it may be noted that an abbot of Calabria in Italy by the name of Joachim of Fiore, depressed everyone with a prediction of the end of the world in 1260. Dante accredited him with praise for his spirit of prophecy.

Albrecht Durer 'The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse'

As a Medieval mystic Joachim held thoughts that the ages of history ended in a ‘Last Judgment’. Every new age, he thought, was ushered in by a period of incubation, which necessarily saw great disturbances in the existing order of things. It was at such times of instability that bloody wars and chaotic conditions existed and preceded the unsealing of the next seal of the ‘Book of Seven Seals’.  It is said that each of the Biblical Apocalyptic 7 seals represents a new age of increased consciousness for humanity, following on from a period of upheaval.

Joachim prophesied 3 epochs in human history corresponding to the 3 Persons of the Trinity. The first was the ‘Age of the Father’ as recorded in the Old Testament, the second the ‘Age of the Son’ as recorded in the New Testament, and a future ‘Age of the Spirit’ would be heralded by a new order of monks and the demise of the existing corrupt Church.

After the upheaval comes a new sunrise.

Song of the Dawn

Salutation to the Rising Sun

Listen to the exhortation of the Dawn!

Look to this Day, for it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course, lie all the verities and realities of your existence;

The glory of action, the bliss of growth, the splendour of beauty.

For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision.

But today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this Day.

 [Excerpt from sacred Sanskrit text]