PISCES

 

PISCES

19^th February to  20^th March

Spectrum: Sardonyx, jade. Blue-green colour.

 

PISCES: is a sign of Mutable quality and of the negative or receptive element of WATER. This is the sign of adaptable water, that is, it is constantly on the move and reflecting all that passes by. Fluid and free flowing liquid can fill any vessel or channel or space of containment. Water is boundless, sometimes tranquil and sometimes a powerful and raging storm.

In particular, the Water Sign of Pisces is true to its symbol of duality in being often pulled in two directions by life; that of the physical needs and that of the spiritual calling. Sacrifice of self and helping other people is a driving force for the Piscean; they know how to do it from a natural drive to ‘be all things to all people’. In their positive state they can follow the rhythmic ebb and flow of life with ease. Instinct, intuition and emotion drive a Piscean expression ‘to be’. 

As with the previous sign of Aquarius, the sign of Pisces has two planetary lords or rulers. this time it is the planets Jupiter and Neptune. Jupiter brings a joyous and optimistic note to our watery brooding Piscean nature and Neptune allows contact with the mystical world of spirit, that undefined energy of the cosmos. The combined planetary influence adds a great note of expansion to everything done and thought, one has to be careful under such an influence, not to let things get out of control in a limitless desire for what is not really possible. 

This Piscean time of year is one of letting go to a certain degree so that we may touch those dreams and inspirations of the soul. In an odd way the previous solar cycle is dissolving now and we must prepare for the coming Aries Equinox, when a new input of cosmic energy can be felt. This is a time for cultivating greater understanding of people close and afar, of their trials and tribulations, and where possible, offer a helping hand. Others must bring their dreams and inspirations down to the Earth plane and communicate their thoughts to those around ,through paintings, poetry, writing, music and scientific solutions found. You too can join the flow by finding some relaxation in dancing and swimming or simply observing our aquatic friends, or even buying a new pair of shoes for our feet according to Piscean rulership. To be impressed is easy, to give those impressions a useful application takes a little more effort and work of practical reality.

Beauty of illusion or nature.

Now our hero Hercules enters upon his 12^th and final labour of the solar cycle. It is a labour of love and summing up all his trials to squeeze from the long year of experience as much conscious growth as possible. This 12^th Labour is to acknowledge and accomplish a dissolution of situations that have bound you, such as bad habits and foolish thoughts. It is a time to become less judgemental and to see yourself as but part of the whole. The result is a new unification of all thought, feeling and action so that as a ‘new’ person you can take a further step forward with the coming new astrological year at the Aries Ingress. Some call this cyclic process of the year, the ‘Alchemical’ process, indicating how we transmute old energies into some bright and new. A temporary obliteration of the personality may occur in this process but can be beneficial if allowed to happen with awareness. How does one allow this to occur in a happy way so that a new light or awareness can be achieved in readiness for the coming new cycle of action and being?. Submerging the personality for a short time allows the spirit to soar unhampered to the spiritual realm or the realm of the inner and true self. Some can do this just by sleeping and dreaming. In this 12^th Labour, Hercules must gather up the Red Cattle of Geryon, as a symbolic summary of his year long journey, before returning home himself. Help to accomplish this chore comes in the form of a magical golden chalice that fell from the sky. And so our hero gathers up the wayward energies, symbolised by the Red Cattle, into the golden goblet and delivers them back to the sacred city as an offering to Athene the Goddess of Wisdom.

Greek Goddess Athena

Stantini Wall Art

The Lady in the Sky during this part of the year is known as the constellation Andromeda. She is a goddess in disguise because her wisdom was abused. She waits, chained to a rock, as the monster Cetus draws nigh, for she is to be sacrificed as compensation of another’s bad behaviour. But in the nick of time a gallant hero, like Hercules, but in the form of Perseus, comes to the rescue. It is forever the struggle to bring together in harmony the two sides of our nature and of the natural world, the positive and negative, the mind and body, the soul and spirit, the male element and the female element, the beautiful and ugly, in order that life may function more truly along the lines that it should be. Cetus, the same sea-sky monster who threatened Andromeda, also swallowed Biblical Jonah. Jonah spent three days in the whales belly. In such quiet isolation, he was able to discover more about himself and his inner motivations, before being regurgitated back into the world. Such self-sacrifice of the physical wants and sense satisfaction is to be an underlying theme in preparation for the new solar journey approaching. Such themes will underpin such festivals as the Christian Easter time. The Hindu god Vishnu, taking the form of the white horse Kalki, will also celebrate this coming festival of the Aries Equinox or time of Equal Day and Night. Essence and Life cannot be seen but they are contained in the Light of Heaven which is symbolised by the Golden Flower of Buddhist philosophy. This Light must be allowed to circulate unimpeded, as the breath flows.

Dolphins circulating

Stone and Fire-Water

 

Everyone one seems to be getting a tad itsy about Saturn meeting Neptune in the sky. It happens approximately every thirty-six years but this time the pair of planets are moving together into a new zodiac sign, ARIES, the sign of new beginnings and new cycles. Aries is the beginning of the zodiac circle. This is causing all a bit of a stir, especially as AI is taking over quite a lot in all sorts of areas of life and business, perhaps redefining the space-time parameters within which we live. Externally we see this chaotic shift happening through the experience of the horrific wars going on around the planet, both national and personal. The intensity of this combination of planetary energies is about to ramp up as the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune becomes exact over the period 15^th to 21^st February 2026. But we don’t necessarily expect an immediate happening, although it can occur, more likely it will wait for a more precise trigger to set the big planets in motion but we will feel the growing energy of important changes. To prepare for a positive response to these coming changes look back 30 years or 300 years, to get a flavour of our present time and so that we can avoid previous mistakes and the potential sorrow of reflection on things not done.

Saturn bringing new foundations

The sign of ARIES is all about a new beginnings, beginnings in life and in cosmic cycles. These beginnings, in true Arian fashion, are not thought about but chased after with great unthinking enthusiasm – please don’t stand in my way cause I know what I’m doing and where I’m going and can be very forceful and careless in doing so. That is unless there is a degree of maturity and wisdom at play as well!!!!!! – to give guidance and the necessary direction to enthusiasms.

The planet Neptune hasn’t been in the sign of Aries for approximately 161 years, that is way back in the 19^th century when Queen Victorian of England immersed itself in engineering innovation driven by under-paid workers, or human robots, and there was pseudo spiritual awakening to amuse the wealthy hiding a more productive movement of human spiritual growth. Are we too on the verge of robotic slave labour and a tsunami of spiritual confusion? We are sure that readers can delve into more areas of mess-up!! Look out for new waves of colonisation during the power-shifts, as all the outer planets join Saturn and Neptune in moving into new signs of new influence.

Leonardo portraying wisdom

As we progress through the year, look out for those suffering, avoid the anxiety of irrational fears and anxieties growing due to too much self-centred navel gazing. Drop the ego and aim for humility, be extra diplomatic before making that heated opinion. Avoid drugs like the plague. Work hard and be self-reliant so that your ideals, imagination and intuition can find constructive and healthy outlets that contribute to progress however small or big. This could be a time of great creativity and successful business ventures or a time of losing control and spinning out in the chaos of confusion, scandal and defamation. Watch the sky as it goes through a kaleidoscope of change over the next two years or so. 

As the recent young Australian surfer demonstrated, may the heroic acts of personal sacrifice of time and energy made for the greater good of humanity, out run the self focused destruction of non-action and woolly thinking. May charity replace lack of awareness and consideration of the rights of ALL. May creative endeavour replace warped thinking. 

If the global weather patterns of wind, rain and tide settle down, then we will know that we are on the right road to recovery. If not, it comes to mind that the alternative might be a revisit to Noah’s Ark or that of Hindu Vaivasvata or Chaldean Nuah. 

The painter Hieronymous Bosch said it all way back in history:- 'Death & the Miser'

      

Astrological perspectives of this combination of planetary energies, seen in the past, are also indicated in what we are seeing and experiencing today. These are problems of finding a new combination of exclusive traditional form and inclusive universal principles. A new level of being and living needs to be found, one that balances clear focus and definition of goals with a broad idealistic perspective. Such may be accompanied by vast political changes that arise out of the objections to old institutions and established regimes living beyond their use by date. And yet let us not forget a balanced approach to solutions rather than swing too far in the opposite direction. Intellect must combine with spirit, the individual with the community needs, understanding with the demands of ‘rights’, then a new beginning can be positive. Many are trying to move in this direction and the impetus must be sustained. Can the young show us the way without too much arrogance.                                  

                   

AQUARIAN WAVES

 

AQUARIUS

20^sth January to 19^th  February

Spectrum: Stone amethyst, lapis lazuli. Electric Blue colour

AQUARIUS: is a fixed sign of the positive or active element of AIR. The element of Air has an abstract quality to it that suits the idea of intangible things like thinking and wave formations. Air is hard to grasp or contain but is almost a magical medium for carrying subtle things and influences, thus allowing them to circulate freely. Air is refined and communicatory, so it is associated with intelligent activity and human cooperation and interaction. In particular the Air sign of Aquarius loves the freedom of such activities, the more involved the merrier. However, Aquarius can be a little awkward in wanting to stay independent and not get too emotionally involved with the group. This is the sign of independent people yet also of the stubborn. Perhaps this has something to do with the double rulership of the sign Aquarius. This time of the year has the continuing influence of the planet Saturn. We met Saturn in the previous sign of Capricorn and noticed his demand for care and organisation and getting things done. Now Saturn is joined by the planet Uranus as co-ruler and who wants to do everything differently, to break away from those previous formalities and set rules, in order to discover the new and exciting. Chaotic confusion comes to mind! 

The Aquarian time of year is a time to get the ‘little grey cells’ active, to break out of the rut of winter [or the too hot summers of the southern hemisphere]. Leave behind conventions for the time being and seek out what is different but try not to rebel too much if you wish to keep life relatively on track. This is the time of year to utilise that little flash of genius that we can all experience and which can keep life interesting. Is there a new way of doing the same old same old? Is there a new Uranian discovery to which you can give Saturnian boundaries in a practical application of the airy idea? Be warned though, that once a path has been chosen the Aquarian force doesn’t give up easily and may push you beyond what you can comfortably handle. A time of year to enjoy your friends and group associations or the freedom of the club down the road.

‘The Wing’. Ken Kelleher

Aquarius is the month of the 11^th Labour for the Solar Hero Hercules. As the Hero of the Solar Trail, Hercules must now clean out the Augean cattle stables where the muck of centuries has been allowed to accumulate. The King of Augea had never met anyone willing to serve without recompense and so suspected Hercules to be after his throne in offering to complete such an unpleasant task. To protect his possession, the king bargained with Hercules. He said that if Hercules could clean the stables in just a day he would win 1/10 of the royal cattle; if he could not do this then Hercules was to forfeit his life. Hercules went on to accomplish his task by diverting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus through the stables and thus flushed them out in one swift action. Of course the king was not happy to lose his cattle and turned face to refuse the gift to Hercules. It was the rivers and not Hercules who accomplished the task, said the king, and banished Hercules from his kingdom.

The cosmic ‘Age of Aquarius’, an astrological period of approximately 2000 years, is symbolised by the constellation of Aquarius, which has a resonance with the zodiac sign of the same name. This new age of evolution is now upon us and according to one author actually began its influence around the year 1750; that was just before the French Revolution as people craved for Liberty, Freedom and Equality, and were prepared to die for it. These are themes very much dear to the heart of the true Aquarius nature, whether individuals or of a social era of history. As the new great age of 2000 years gets underway, more and more people will become awakened or aware of greater possibilities in life for this freedom of intellect that Aquarian influences can bring to Earth. The symbol of this sign and constellation is that of the cleansing and purifying power of water; at an individual level and a cosmic level. Light is said to travel through the heavens in a wave form and may be termed the ‘waters of heaven’. Today we use these light waves to carry communications at great speed around the world. Are we utilising these waters to cleanse and purify or to pollute our minds and the planet Earth. As ever it is the choice presented to the human will. This time of year, we should meditate upon these possibilities.

The Hindu god Vishnu first manifested to man as a great fish who came in the nick of time to tow man’s life raft and save some human’s from the world ‘Deluge’ that came as a purifying force to humanity. A similar god, by the name of Oannes is recorded in the mythology of the ancient Babylonians. More recently, Jesus or Joshua was called NUN the son of the fish god but you won’t hear of this beyond the fish shaped mitre helmet of the church priest.

At night in the cool, under the influence of the moon, the air becomes impregnated with moisture. This moisture, known as honey-dew, collects the essence of the early morning light and allows us to breath in the cosmic essence or energy for our benefit. Get up early and hail the new morning Light, Life and Love; then share your new energies with others as you trundle through your day.  Look beyond the wants of self and willing share what you know and have so that the group you belong to can benefit, whether family, interest group or company. Silently and quietly aid in the cleansing of the world of its grief and pollution. The standing lake is a limited force, the power is in allowing the waters to follow their natural path says the I Ching. 

Sound -Light waves of breathing & thinking.

The planet Pluto is finally settled again in the sign Aquarius after 249 years, a previous time of major Revolutions. This planet of Pluto represents deep changes of transformation and will be activated strongly by three planets and the Sun and Moon over January. We have seen plenty of such unsettling and dramatic forces play out over this month of January and this influence will carry on to the end of the month, probably with the clean up going on through February. We must all be prepared to change in one way or another whilst holding on to what has prove valuable in the past. All is beginning anew.