Category Archives: Guest Posts

Cinderella and the Solstice King, Part III

William and Kate will be married at Westminster Abbey, which has a history of royal weddings dating back to 1100.

The wedding ceremony for the royal couple at Westminster Cathedral is set to start at 11 a.m. on April 29. (Click here to view the chart.)

I have heard colleagues wax lyrical over this chart. They were delighted at how the tenth-house Sun in stable Taurus and stabilising Saturn in sextile to the Ascendant in royal Leo indicate a lasting marriage and the couple’s eventual ascension to the throne. They were delirious about Jupiter and Mars on the Midheaven, almost a guarantee of fame and fortune for Will and Kate, including numerous offspring. Well, with all due respect, I beg to differ.

To start with, the Sun is at a challenging angle to the Ascendant, indicating tensions and difficulties. It is telling that the Ascendant should be conjunct the Arabic Part of Discord! The background of fixed stars provides hints as to what the difficulties might be. There is Hamal (following one’s own path), Schedir (the Queen, female power) and Denebola (to go against society).

Additionally, the Sun forms a flowing aspect with Pluto, the underminer, in the fifth house of children … and of royalty. If you have read the first two parts of this series, you may be able to imagine several scenarios at this point, ranging from divorce out of boredom or claustrophobia to abdication of the throne. Since Pluto describes collective influences beyond personal control, a democratically induced end to the monarchy is not unthinkable either. The English have done it before…

But back to the wedding: Certainly, the array of planets in the ninth house and around the Midheaven suggests great public interest from around the globe and a great party at that. It aptly describes the moment as well, since the ninth house is the area of religious ceremonies. Also, Jupiter on the Midheaven is ruler of the fifth house of children, suggesting a whole bunch of kids. After all, this is the whole point of the exercise, as the North Node in the fifth house of children shows.

However, there is a down-side: Aries planets tend to be rash and to act without really thinking things through. They often lack the stamina necessary to see a quickly started project through to the end. Jupiter in Aries often turns out to be a bag full of hot air, while an over-enthusiast Mars/Jupiter conjunction tends to bite off more than it can chew. Mars and Jupiter on the Midheaven may just as well describe a couple famous for its enormous rows.

The clearest indications that Cinderella and her Solstice King might not live happily ever after are given by Saturn and the Moon. In the wedding horoscope, Saturn represents the “contract” the couple is entering into, as well as their shared resources and motivations. With Saturn being retrograde, the contract won’t last in its original form, and shared resources may start dwindling, while the current, shared motivation to enter into this marriage may turn out to be hollow.

Meanwhile the Moon, giver of form and symbol of caring and motherhood, is void of course. After only the shortest glance at this horoscope, any horary astrologer would advise to forget about the matter at hand, as nothing will come of it. Translated into this wedding chart, it is just another indication that we’ll likely be looking at no more than a grand opera being performed.

After Will and Kate had seen the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss their wedding arrangements, he was asked about his impression of the couple. Apparently, he described them as shallow and superficial, and didn’t give the marriage a chance to last beyond its seventh year. If you ask me, he might actually be right, but for the sake of the currently happy couple and of the British monarchy, I hope that I am wrong.

In case you missed it:
Part I
Part II


Helene

Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio.

You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Cinderella and the Solstice King, Part II


Let us refresh our memory and look at the “relating tools” William and Kate have at their disposal. How will they cooperate in building their married life?

The resemblance between these two charts is striking (Click here to view the synastry chart.) Their respective Sun and Moon in aspect by sign is a combination that is often found with married couples. Conscious will and instinctive emotional reaction are cooperating; there is a basic understanding of each other’s needs and a readiness to act accordingly. Also, the male (Sun) and the female (Moon) principles are acting in unison, which is paramount for the production of healthy progeniture – and producing royal heirs is the main point of this exercise, at least as far as the royal family are concerned.

However, William’s Sun and Moon are in the early degrees of Cancer, while the Lights in Kate’s chart occupy the middle degrees of Cancer/Capricorn. Although there is therefore no direct aspect connection, this may support the stability of the marriage, because the couple will never experience difficult transits affecting their individual inner cores at the same time.

A special sheet of stamps has been issued in the U.K. to commemorate the royal wedding.

Interestingly, Kate’s Moon is exactly conjunct William’s lunar South Node, another hint in the direction of offspring and a possible “practice round” in a previous life – in other words, a karmic connection.

The couple’s communication appears to run smoothly and without any obstacles. Both Mercuries are in logical and intellectual air-signs and connected by an easy-flowing trine aspect, meaning Will and Kate do understand each other very well. Both Mercuries are in easy communication with Mars and Saturn in Libra, and both relate to electric Uranus. All this could create an atmosphere of lively banter and friendly competition, as well as unusual interests, adventurous pursuits and travel companionship. In the best case scenario, we see two very like-minded people joining forces in an “us against the rest of the world” kind of pact, and acting in unison, if under restrictive conditions. But oy vey, if one of them goes through a change of mind without the other and coldly calculated hurts start flying in both directions! Meanwhile, however, Kate and Will do enjoy having a good laugh about their private jokes, which may be none too flattering for the subjects of their jests.

The things we like are described by Venus. Will’s and Kate’s Venus positions are connected through a square by sign, indicating action on the romance front. While Kate admires mental acrobatics, inventive logic and classic design with a twist, Will likes the hands-on feel of beauty and sensuality, material comfort and what is commonly called “the good things in life.”
Both Venus positions are related to unpredictable Uranus, indicating an electrically charged attraction between the two lovebirds, but also a certain fickleness in their mutual affections. Kate’s chart features a Venus/Uranus sextile, indicating that she knows to pick her moments and get away with it, whereas Will may encounter real opposition whenever he sticks to his individual tastes or follows his impulses regarding people, places and activities. Someone somewhere may feel shocked or affronted by his choices, and sometimes, this someone could be Kate.

We have already seen one example of the on-off quality this relationship can carry. In 2007, Kate couldn’t cope with the intense media attention and the couple split up, only to reunite a few months later. Let’s hope that they have in the meantime learned to make use of the determination and endurance their Mars/Saturn combinations can provide. If they keep following their Uranian impulsiveness, they may end up repeatedly throwing the babe out with the bathwater.

With so much fluctuation indicated, good old Saturn becomes especially important as the provider of stability. With Will’s Venus in aspect to the Lord of Time, there doesn’t seem to be much danger of him wanting to break out of a relationship once he has opened his heart. Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have this tool in her box and we can only hope that her common sense will override her impulsiveness, if this union is to last. I believe the first test will come a few months after the wedding:

Although Kate was born a few months before Will, her Saturn occupies a later degree than Will’s. Since the wedding announcement, he has gone through the second phase of his prolonged Saturn return, which will go into the third and last phase in August/September 2011. It is the right time for him to formalise his love relationship and give it legal status. Kate, however, will go through the honeymoon phase and then experience a rather quick, one-hit Saturn return in October 2011. I reckon this will be the time when she first realises just how formal her life has become and she may not like it very much. By the same token, however, a sense of “having arrived” may prevail. I wonder whether we’ll ever know…

The Composite Chart

Since we don’t have a time of birth for Kate, we have to ignore the house positions in the composite, but even so, the planet positions are quite revealing, with regards to the potential of this relationship. (Click here to view the composite chart.)

The Sun in spontaneous and hot-headed Aries is accompanied by Mercury and Venus in the same sign. There certainly are true loving feelings between Will and Kate, but the companionship factor appears to be just that little bit stronger. This could even be a stabilising factor in the long term. If Will and Kate develop a mutual sense of comradeship through thick and thin they may be able to weather the storms that seem inevitable with this chart.

A weak Mars and the sensitive Cancerian Moon both afflict the Sun. The Aries planets suggest childish ego struggles between the couple, while combative Mars and habit-forming Moon indicate a possibly endless cycle of arguments, during which caring feelings first get hurt and then shut off. On the other hand, it looks like Will and Kate are certainly going to do their best to produce new heirs to the throne, as the T-square is calling for action. Besides, the Moon is conjunct the fixed star Alhena, which Bernadette Brady interprets as “to be on a mission.”

However, Venus in Aries is thrilled by the hunt, which will be over by the time they’re married. Additionally, the connection from Venus to Uranus could make the couple feel bored with each other quite quickly and lead them to seek new thrills, either in their own bedroom or – heaven forbid – in someone else’s.

Again, stabilising Saturn would be needed to provide the stability the rest of the planets don’t seem to provide. Unfortunately, composite Saturn is unaspected, i.e. it can’t exert its influence on any of the other planets. An unaspected planet tends to manifest itself in extremes, either not at all or completely over the top. In Saturn terms, this means the relationship may have no staying power or stability at all, or it may become super-restrictive for the two people involved. In either case, I somehow doubt we’re going to see a fairy tale with a happy ending unfold.

In the third and final part, we’ll look at the chart for the wedding.


Helene

Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio.

You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Cinderella and the Solstice King


The invitations are out, gold-embossed and signed by Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of England.

On April 29th, 2011, her grandson William, Prince of Wales, and Miss Kate Middleton will embark on their journey on the sea of matrimony. Glossy magazines, national and international news, are full of the Royal Couple. Paper cut-outs, flags, memorial plates and mugs are being mass-produced in China. And in a national soap opera, a local beauty compares her engagement ring, tongue-in-cheek, to that of “Kate Minkerton.” It’s been several hundred years since a commoner became part of the royal family, time to have a good look at the astrological implications.

Part I: The Birth Charts


Kate Middleton was born on January 9, 1982, in Reading, UK, time apparently unknown. I always wonder how a mother can forget giving birth, but okay, after the third time things may get a bit hazy. What a pity we don’t have Kate’s correct chart angles. No worries, though, we can find out a lot just by looking at the planets, can’t we? (Click here to view chart, set for noon.)

With Sun in Capricorn and Moon in Cancer, we see someone who understands the principle of hierarchies, who knows about duty and discipline, about stability and security. Through the opposition, Kate is likely to experience frequent conflicts between her instinctual reactions and the demands of material or organisational necessity. See here Cinderella who can’t go to the ball and a future queen who will put duty before fun. Or will she? It looks like the self-made millionaire’s daughter is going to the big dance after all.

Both lights (Sun and Moon) are in a tense relation with Mars and Saturn in Libra, which is not exactly a remedy, but rather exacerbates Kate’s inner tension. This could trigger fears, guilt and inertia, or, vice versa, decisive and goal-orientated action cutting to the chase. I think we have a very ambitious, motivated and energetic young lady on our hands.

Anecdotally, Kate already “knew” at a very young age that she would one day marry a prince. Talk about a go-getter!

Malicious rumours even have it that she hunted for Prince William in pursuit of her life’s ambition. Well, admittedly, with this combination and in a worst-case scenario, this kind of determined action would not be entirely unthinkable. In the best case scenario, however, this is exactly the kind of woman needed for the job of representing and presiding over a whole nation and more when the day comes.

Venus in cool Aquarius is combined with a very logically minded Mercury. Kate has a musical or artistic talent here, which she has, so far, poured into a study of art history. No wonder, her Venus (beauty, art) is in mutual reception with natal Saturn, the ruler of time and all things old! She must truly feel blessed to become part of a family so richly steeped in history and tradition!

But Venus and Mercury are also aspected by quirky and unpredictable Uranus. Kate likes to be different and original and is likely to have a very special sense of humour and style. Her designer-friendly appearance has already found ample admiration, at some point much to her own annoyance. The temporary separation between her and the man she now intends to spend the rest of her life with fits this pattern as perfectly as the subsequent reunion. Let’s hope that she will have ample opportunity to express her independence within her married life!

Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, at 21:03 BST in London, UK. (Click here to view chart.) As the eldest son of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, he is second in line to the English throne.

Astrologically, he is very much his famous mother’s son. They shared the Sun sign Cancer, the late Sagittarius Ascendant and, almost to the degree, the same position of Venus in Taurus, in the house of creation, re-creation and procreation.

But whereas Lady Diana was never to be queen, Prince William so far walks steadily towards the throne. He was born with the Sun at 0 degress Cancer, at sunset on Solstice Day, a powerful degree. According to the ancient legends, this is the time when the Holly King takes over the rule of the land for the coming half year. This is the moment of the Sun being at its highest, its most direct and powerful. With his birth linked to this potent place, ancient legends would make William into a king with special powers regarding the land and its people, shining like the sun at midday, a good and well-loved leader. With Jupiter on the Midheaven supporting the Sun by Trine, he seems to be born for both his positions, as Prince Charming and as future king of England.

In addition, collective lover Neptune on the ascendant gives William the power to appear all things to all people, who will likely shower him with sympathy and goodwill in return. Once again, that’s a best case scenario. Since Jupiter is also the ruler of William’s twelfth house of self-undoing, it is not unthinkable that he might refuse the crown or abdicate eventually.

How his shy Cancerian soul deals with the divide between private and public persona is a completely different matter. With so much emphasis on the seventh house of partnerships and the “other-orientated” sign of Libra, William will likely turn to his partner and try to make the best of it. He will need overall sharing, intellectual feedback and emotional nurturing. In the next part, we shall see how this might work between him and his future bride.


Helene

Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio.

You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Aries-Libra: From Creation to Humanity, with Love, Part II

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In The Labours of Hercules: An Astrological Perspective, by Alice Bailey, the first labor in Aries requires Hercules to capture and corral a herd of flesh-eating horses that have been ravaging the land and terrorising the people. Full of joy and enthusiasm, Hercules quickly manages to round up the horses thinking “well that was easy.” He hands over the horses to his friend, telling him to stick them in the corral, while he goes back to his teacher to find out what the second labor will be.

The horses escape, ravage the local villages, and kill his friend. Filled with sadness for the loss of his friend, Hercules re-captures the horses and completes the task himself.

This illustrates some important lessons for the Aries Soul:

• To recognise that Divine gifts come from the Divine, not the personality. They are not “ours” but come through us, to benefit all.
• That if we have a Divine gift, it is our responsibility to use it, since it may not be available to others.
• That impulse alone is rarely beneficial, unless we skillfully follow our impulses through to completion.

This story also illustrates the naiveté of Aries. As the first sign of the Zodiac, Aries is sometimes called the “child” of the Zodiac, for he has yet to develop wisdom and skill. Having never left God, Aries has no worldly experience, has never experienced challenges, and therefore cannot anticipate the obstacles that can arise. This is where the ethical thinking of Aries’ polar opposite, Libra, are needed.

At its highest Soul vibration, Libra is about ethics, justice and Divine harmony. This is where the personality-centered Libra has a tendency to develop rose-tinted spectacles. The desire for harmony can lead a Libra personality to be a bit of a PollyAnna, avoiding conflict and real challenges by trying to “keep the peace,” come what may.

Nevertheless, the Libra individual does have an innate understanding of harmonics. This leads Libra into ethical questioning. Often it is said that Libra individuals are indecisive – in contrast to the apparent decisiveness of their polar opposite, Aries. But this is an over-simplification of what is really happening. For Libra, it is important to understand the process of decision-making. How can we know when a decision is the correct one?

This is the purpose of ethics – the process whereby we can make “right” decisions. The Soul purpose of Libra is “right human relations,” and the essence of Libra carries the very wisdom that Aries needs. Aries will develop wisdom by being more Libra-like and thinking about why a decision is the “right” one. What makes it “right?”

Before charging into an impulse, Aries is always wise to ask, “What makes this right?” This allows Aries to explore whether his impulse is of Divine origin or merely a personality driven impulse. In this way, Aries will be able to see when his or her decisions will be most beneficial and when, like Hercules, they may be impulsive and incomplete.

Libra invites Aries, through ethical questioning, to become aware of harmonics. Libra answers a very important question for Aries. The highest vibration of Libra innately knows that what makes a decision right is harmonics. The right decision is the one that is harmonious, because it is in alignment with the whole of Creation. Eventually, the influence of Libra brings truth, beauty and harmony to Aries. This is when the higher vibration of Aries will awaken and Aries will finally understand how it is that he knows what he knows. However, before Aries can access the wisdom of Libra, he has to exercise discipline to control his impulsiveness.

Mercury is the Soul-ruler of Aries,* whereas Mars is the personality ruler. Mars can be seen to rule the unconditioned responses and reactions of our lower animal-urges, whereas a Mercurial influence on Aries encourages development of the Higher Mind. The Soul path of Aries speaks of the journey from lower mind to Higher Mind, through discipline and the development of wisdom. It really is a Divine, magical mystery tour that takes us from the Divine to Earth, through Right Human Relations and then back to Heaven again, with greater wisdom.

Once Aries accesses Higher Mind, he or she becomes a clear channel for Divine light and wisdom and the higher Soul purpose of Aries (which is to inspire others with ideas) unfolds. Aries, the sign of the Ram, then fulfils his own highest potential by leading his flock, through Divine Light, Wisdom, and Inspiration.


Ruth

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* Aries is associated with the development of the mind. The “wild horses” can be seen as a metaphor for taming our unruly mind. Mercury, Soul ruler of Aries, is also associated with the development of the “Antahkarana” or “Rainbow Bridge” which, once fully formed, allows access to Higher Consciousness and Higher Mind.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer
Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Follow Ruth:

Aries-Libra: From Creation to Humanity, with Love, Part I

In Ruth’s continuing series on the signs in Soul Astrology, we explore the qualities of Aries and Libra. ~Pat

© Konstantin1065 for Dreamstime.com

The spiritual path of Aries-Libra speaks of a magical journey from Heaven to Earth and back. So is it a beautiful magical mystery tour filled with heavenly voices and Divine Love? No. Well, at least, not yet.

In Soul Astrology we are often speaking on two levels. First, it is important to know the difference between the personality interpretation of the Zodiac energies, and their higher, Soul vibration. The 12 Zodiac signs represent 12 Divine Intelligences. In their purest form, these energies carry a high vibration and Divine Purpose. By the time this energy has filtered its way through a foggy, confused and egoic human mind, its original “tune” is distorted somewhat. This is the distinction between an Aries Soul (Ascendant) and an Aries personality (Sun/Moon).

The Aries Soul is carrying the higher vibration of Aries (albeit unconsciously for the most part*) or the original “song,” whereas the Aries personality is working on the egoic level of that sign. It’s a bit like waking from a dream in which you understand everything and all is clear. However, upon waking the details become blurred and you lack the language to express what you experienced. (I guess you had to be there!) Just as we go through our day without really knowing how we are breathing or digesting our food, in this way most of us are still largely unaware of the energies that are an inherent part of us at Soul level, and we are therefore personality-centered and personality-driven.

There are two points of balance in the year, when the day and night, the polarities of dark and light, are of equal length. This happens when the Sun enters Aries, at the Spring Equinox, and again when the Sun enters Libra, at Fall (Autumn) Equinox. The Aries-Libra polarity is therefore concerned at the highest level with the energies of Divine Will, Balance, Equanimity and Divine Harmony.

Aries is the energy of Creation in its purest form. It is the spark of Divine Will that initiates all Life. In Esoteric Astrology,** it is said that the Soul begins its journey in Aries as a “point of light in the mind of God.” As the first Zodiac sign, Aries is often said to be the sign that is “closest to God,” because the “point of light” (which is the newly-concieved Soul) has not left God’s mind yet. Which also explains why Aries is one of the most intuitive signs. It’s as though Aries has an “access-all-areas” pass into the mind of God! This is most often felt by the Aries subject as an urge, an impulse, or a spontaneous movement into action.

The Aries individual just “knows” things, without knowing how they know, which can really spook their friends! Aries-type intuition can be described as “spontaneous knowing.” You don’t know how you know, you just do. We might describe Aries as pure intuition-in-action.

These spontaneous urges are what probably gets the Aries personality into the most trouble and brings on accusations of “arrogance” from others around them. In fact, it is often not arrogance but this inner knowing that moves Aries into action. Arians often make extremely good leaders for this very reason, if they allow themselves to move with their inner knowing and lead people. There is, however, one type of Aries who doesn’t ever take the lead but prefers to take a back seat and just complain that “nobody around here knows what they are doing. Can’t they see that if they just do so and so, that is the solution?” This is because what seems so obvious to Aries cannot be seen by everyone, leading some Arians to erroneously conclude that everybody else must be stupid. They cannot believe that others cannot see the solutions as obviously as they do.

It is important for the Aries personality to realize that other people aren’t stupid, just because they cannot see what you can see. If you are the only one who can see, then you have a responsibility to take the lead. This is the first key to the Soul path of Aries. Aries energy is somewhat pre-egoic in the sense that it is a Divine spark. Ego arises when the human mind steps in and takes the credit. This is not making ego “wrong.” Our ego is necessary, but it is important that we fully understand what it is. Ego is when our mind is thinking about itself.

So our Aries friend receives a God-given impulse and acts on it. This solves a problem or brings some kind of benefit. Nothing wrong in that. Then our friend has the thought, “I did that.” That is ego. So this brings us to the second important understanding about the Soul path of Aries: “Who is doing the doing?” We’ll explore this question in Part II.


Ruth

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* According to Esoteric Astrology, our Soul Development is described in terms of being on the Mutable, Fixed or Cardinal Cross. The Mutable Cross means we are wholly personality-driven with no experience of our Soul. The Fixed Cross means we are awakening, and although we are still largely personality-driven, we’re beginning to awaken and have some Soul Awareness. Those on the Cardinal Cross are “fully awakened” in the fact that they have completed the process of Soul Integration; the fusion of Soul and personality is complete, and they are Soul-Centred Beings. Our capacity to consciously perceive our Soul’s development and purpose is dependent upon which “cross” we are currently on.

** Esoteric Astrology (1951) by Alice Bailey. Lucis Press, London. The work of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer
Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Follow Ruth:

Venus 2012: The Apocalypse and the Power of Love

A stellar nursery in the Carina Nebula. Image from the Hubble Space Telescope, courtesy NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team.

“The end is nigh…” as the soothsayer would say! But the end of what?

It could well be the end of all suffering, for this is also the dawning of the Age of Aquarius where “Peace shall guide the planets, and Love will steer the stars,” as the song said.

Apocalypse is the word often used to describe the “end of days,” but, leaving Hollywood-style disaster movies aside, what does this actually mean? The word apocalypse means “lifting the veil,” or revelation of truth.

So what “truth” will be revealed? The ultimate truth: the truth of our being, our true power and our own true nature.

At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. This is why, whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people’s attention to what as members of the human family we have in common and the deeply interconnected nature of our existence and welfare. ~ HH Dalai Lama

Is there anything in Esoteric Astrology that could hint at 2012 as heralding an apocalyptic Age of Truth and Revelation? There could be … especially if we look at the esoteric rulers of the signs and planets.

On June 5 or 6, 2012 (depending where you are in the world), Venus will cross the face of the Sun in Gemini. This phenomenon, known as an “occultation,” completes a Venus transit that began in 2004. This happens once every 120 years or so, but isn’t it interesting that it is also happening in 2012? What I find interesting is that Venus is also the Esoteric or Soul Ruler of Gemini, lifting Gemini to its highest Soul purpose of “teaching Right Human Relations, between self and others, personality and soul, anima and animus, higher mind and lower mind.” [1]

The Soul purpose of Gemini is directly linked to resolving the duality between the head and the heart, bridging the gap, and accessing the heart-mind.[2]

This is a powerful opportunity for a global heart-opening, and astrologically could be the biggest event of the year in terms of human experience and spiritual awakening. Whatever happens during this period, it is important not to get caught up in fear, but to stay focused on the highest love for one another and for all Beings. This is the message of the Gemini Soul: the power of transpersonal love.

During this time, there will be waves of high energy flooding our planet that will be detectable by those who are perceptive enough. It is important to remember that even if you can’t feel it, you’ll still be in the energy. Stay focused on your Heart Center, and be open. There is certainly enormous potential to experience deep heart-centered connection.

Mercury, Gemini’s personality ruler, is also associated with the development of the “Antahkarana”’ or “Rainbow Bridge,” which, once fully formed, allows access to higher consciousness and higher mind. With these major influences and energies around, there is indeed the potential for another big shift in awareness on the planet on the scale of a quantum leap as the human population shifts from lower mind and ego-centeredness to Higher Mind and Heart-Centeredness.

[callout]With the Venus in Gemini occultation on June 5-6, 2012, there will be, at one and the same time, enormous potential for both a global shift to Higher Consciousness and a mass heart-opening.[/callout]

Will we all experience Divine Bliss and a “Summer of Love” in 2012? Not necessarily, although that could definitely be an experience for many. During past Venus transits, there has also been a history of turbulence and strife. This makes sense from an energetic perspective; in such high-vibrational environments, that which is not Love will come up for healing. For many, it will be a purification in the sense that all our undealt-with personal demons may surface. If we are unable to face our own shadow with love, we can expect it will not be a smooth ride, but if we are able to accept all our imperfections and bring them into our hearts, there is huge potential for healing.

Typical of Gemini, this could very well be a dualistic experience, with many being swept along by mass consciousness, mob-rule, increasing rebellion, rioting, and violence, while those who have been pursuing their own individual spiritual path may find it to be a time of greater heart-opening and deepening of compassion. It is more important than ever, during the coming years, to follow your own heart and not be swept along by mass consciousness.

The power of the heart has been underestimated throughout human history. The power of Love has been thought of as a woo-woo idea, not to be taken seriously. Yet as we approach these turbulent times, it is precisely the power of Love that could be our saving grace.

Researchers discovered that when a major event affects human emotions on a worldwide scale, such as 9/11 or the death of Princess Diana, this actually changed the magnetic field of our planet.2 They discovered the power of the human heart to change the world. From this information, the Global Coherence Initiative [3] was founded, to teach us how to “harmonize”’ our heart-waves and bring positive change to the world.

Are you hearing echoes of that song again: … and Love will steer the stars?

What if we are only just discovering the tip of the iceberg in terms of the power of love? What if pure, focused, directed heart-energy really does have the power to “steer the stars?” As we move into an era of conscious choice and evolution, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that we actually do steer our own destiny, so indeed why not the stars? What we think and feel matters. Where we choose to focus our attention and how we choose to flow our energy at this critical juncture is highly significant.

Then maybe any potential apocalyptic disasters could be averted by our coming together in heart coherence, stabilizing the weather and climate on this planet. The very fact that we are discovering our own heart power now, at this point in our evolution, could be an early indicator of what we may expect during the coming Aquarian Age of Revelation.


Ruth

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Footnotes:

1. Esoteric Astrology, by Alice Bailey.

2. Researchers at the HeartMath Institute discovered what they call the “heart-brain,” cells in the human heart that are very similar to brain cells. They also found that in terms of generating power, the heart is much more powerful than the brain.

3. The Global Coherence Initiative

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Follow Ruth:

Pisces-Virgo: Completing the Age of Spiritual Redemption, Part II

© Vilmos Varga for Dreamstime.com

In Part I we began to review the current Piscean Age and ponder what we have really learned of the higher spiritual potential of Pisces. Here we explore why Pisces is also the sign of self-sacrifice, and what this really means in terms of our spiritual journey.

As the last of the 12 Zodiac signs and 12 developmental stages in human consciousness, Pisces is the most mysterious of all and the most difficult for us to comprehend from our current state of consciousness.

With our minds as fogged as they are by ignorance, delusion and illusion, it is little wonder that our current idea of self-sacrifice is itself a misconception. Self-sacrifice does not mean we are either a victim or martyr who has to continually neglect our own needs to defer to the whims of others. This is a false understanding so typical of this Piscean Age.

To deepen our understanding, we need to use the discernment of Pisces’ opposite sign Virgo* to bring order to the confusion and chaos of Pisces. Virgo discernment would have us analyse: what is self-sacrifice? Is our understanding correct?

If we look deeply in analysis, we discover that the word sacrifice comes from “sacrify” – to make sacred. What does it mean to make something sacred? It means to spiritualise something: bring Spirit, Divinity, or God into it. To allow that which is holy (or whole) to prevail. The true path of self-sacrifice, which is the higher vibration of Pisces, means recognition of our sacred self: our “Higher Self” or Soul. To really come to know this truth for ourselves, we need to analyse the nature of our Self, by going deeply into our inner journey, until we recognise our own Soul.

[quote cite=”Byron Katie”]Who would you be without your story?[/quote]

When we let go of the false self that we project from ego-personality, we realize the true path of Pisces: oneness with “all that is.” This is a process of recognizing that which already is; when we let go of fantasy, on all levels, we begin to see the underlying reality. The truth is that we are already sacred, and it is our own mental “fantasies,” our strong attachment to mental concepts, that keep us from recognizing that fact. Our strong attachment to our ego-identity (who we think we are) blinds us to the reality of who we really are. The difference is one of believing in something we have never experienced, versus really knowing the truth for ourselves.

[quote cite=”Osho”]Belief is always shaky, afraid, because deep down you are aware that you don’t know: it may be right, it may not be.[/quote]

The role Virgo plays in this process is vital, because the higher Virgo vibration infuses physical matter with Divine Love. Think of the Virgo herbalist who pours loving energy into her herb garden. Eileen Caddy, co-founder of the Findhorn Spiritual Community in Scotland (and a Virgo Soul) would often speak of “flowing love radiances” into her work and garden. For a Virgo Soul, Love is not an abstract mental concept but a very real physical energy that is to be poured into the physical realm to promote healing.

[quote cite=”Anya Sophia Mann”]We are all flow-ers of energy.[/quote]

Knowing how to flow our energy in beneficial ways is a skill that comes with deep awareness of our underlying true nature as Divine energy Beings. This knowing comes from lifetimes of spiritual practice, leading to grounded, practical, spiritual experience, and not from the imagination. Virgo invites us into deeper, practical, spiritual practices such as Yoga to deepen our inner knowing.

Discernment allows us to tell the difference between belief based on fantasy, or an idea we have heard about, and spiritual truth based on our own experience. There is a difference between imagining we are flowing love (Pisces) and really flowing it (Virgo)! The personality-centred romantic love of the Piscean Age is really about being “in love with an idea of love.” It is a fantasy that is far removed from the reality of Love. It is necessary that this brings dis-illusionment; otherwise we would never be motivated to seek and find higher Love.

The path of Virgo brings necessary dis-illusionment as it dissolves lower Piscean illusion through deeper analysis. This releases the grip of fantasy and allows higher Piscean connection to very real, Divine, energy. The highest spiritual message of Virgo teaches us that when we bring our awareness to something, we access the highest Divine qualities of Pisces. This allows us to bring a real loving energy to whatever we place our attention on which, in turn, brings healing:

[quote cite=” Jack Kornfield”]When we honor the body with our attention, we begin to reclaim our feelings, our instincts, our life… opening the heart begins by opening to a lifetime’s accumulation of unacknowledged sorrow…[/quote]

All are paths leading us within, to discover Divine Union and oneness, through experiencing our personal healing journey. Thereby discovering our inner Self, which is connected, “holy” (whole) and not separate from Divinity. As Aries begins the outward journey as “a point of light in the mind of God”, the journey of Pisces ultimately represents our returning.** Our spiritual homecoming. This is the true path of Pisces-Virgo-Pisces.

[headline h=”5″]Sin and Redemption[/headline]

Spiritual leaders of the Piscean Age have been emphatic that we understand the concepts of sin and redemption, but why? Why are they particularly Piscean themes? The English word “sin” was translated from the original Greek word Harmartia, which literally means “missing the mark.” The more we try to live up to a manmade idea of who we should be (trapped in a glamour-fantasy) the more we miss the point of who we really are underneath. The word redemption means “re-claiming.” In theological terms, “redemption” is a metaphor for what is achieved through “atonement” or “at-one-ment.” It simply means re-claiming who we really are.

In other words when we let go of the struggle and pretence of trying to be what we’re not (the “sin” or mistaken illusory self), we can get down to the very real business of being who we are (redemption).

[headline h=”5″]Pisces and the Mystery of the Sacred Heart[/headline]

Through the path of Virgo, we will discover the highest truth of Pisces: the mystery of the Sacred Heart. Once we have discovered, through our own experience, the truth of ourselves as living Souls, we begin to flow our energy differently into the world. Through conscious connection with our “Sacred Self,” we activate the Sacred Heart energy. In Esoteric Astrology,** Pisces is known as the sign of the “World Savior.” The deepest mystery of all is how this comes about. The world is “saved” once our collective Sacred Heart is activated and the whole of humanity’s hearts beat together as “one heart.”

As this Piscean Age comes to completion, we can at one and the same time see both the results of our missing the point (in terms of increased suffering) and the simultaneous awakening of a collective heart-centred humanity. Author Gregg Braden*** has written much about the potential of the human heart to influence the magnetic field of our planet and affect our climate. He is a great advocate of the Global Coherence Initiative, the aim of which is to “unite people in heart-focused care and intention, to facilitate the shift in global consciousness from instability and discord to balance, cooperation and enduring peace.”

We are living on the cusp; as the seeds of the new age are being planted, we also are experiencing the fruits of the closing age. It is a time of overlap – yes, we’re planting seeds for the Aquarian Age, and we are also reaping the “good” with the “bad” of what we sowed in the Piscean Age. The choice is ours. Our future depends on our ability to choose where we place our attention, and that requires the discernment and concentration of Virgo.

We have an amazing opportunity, and given that we still have another 150 years or so, there is still time. We need not “miss the mark.” All is not lost. Setting all our mistakes and misperceptions aside, we can still reap a beautiful harvest from this Piscean Age, if we utilize the practical energy and discernment of Virgo to look deeply within and recognise the truth of our own Being.

We still have an opportunity to experience the reality of Divine Union. If this is to come to fruition, we need to get real, use discernment and choose wisely to focus our energy on our inner experience, our heart-centredness and our Soul awakening.


Ruth

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Footnotes:
* The opposite sign is Nature’s medicine that stops us polarizing to the egoic extreme of any sign. See footnote at the bottom of Part I for a complete explanation.

** Esoteric Astrology (1951), by Alice Bailey. Lucis Press, London. The work of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channeled through Alice Bailey.

*** Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age (2009) Gregg Braden. Hay House, Carlsbad.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Follow Ruth:

Pisces-Virgo: Completing the Age of Spiritual Redemption, Part I

In today’s post, Ruth continues her series on the meaning of the sign pairs from the perspective of Soul Astrology. As some of you may recall, my old blog was called The Pisces Chronicles, so I am particularly interested in Ruth’s take on the Age of Pisces! ~Pat

© Vilmos Varga for Dreamstime.com

We are coming to the end of the Piscean Age, which began around 1 AD. Each astrological age lasts around 2,160 years, so while we are indeed on the “cusp” of the coming Aquarian Age, we have about 150 years of Piscean influence yet to contend with.

Since we are at the climax, it makes sense to reflect on our track record over the past 2,000 years and see what this Piscean Age has been about – in particular, in terms of our collective spiritual growth and what we can still redeem from it.

Pisces is the sign of “poets and dreamers.” Its strong connection with the realm of imagination means it is also associated with suffering, delusion and self-sacrifice, mystery, secrets, illusion, self-delusion and escapism.

Alice Bailey, in Esoteric Astrology, also refers to this time as an Age of Glamour. We are so easily fooled by glamour; anything glamorous dazzles and enthralls us. As a society, we are willing to pay anything for a dream and neglect what is real. The movie industry captures the mood of our time, and this is illustrated by how much we are willing to pay celebrities to look good, while we are content that practical workers who contribute something real and tangible in the world, including teachers, nurses and health workers, can barely pay their mortgages.

This is the Piscean Age in a nutshell: trying to make a dream real, while ignoring the underlying practical reality. It is an age of denial and fantasy. We are so hooked on glamour that we have completely lost sight of the underlying reality, which is why we don’t experience the degree of spiritual connectedness that our ancient ancestors did. Being held in a hypnotic trance by glamour actually prevents us from connecting with what is real.

[quote cite=”Kalu Rinpoche”] You live in illusion and the appearance of things. There is a reality, but you do not know this. When you understand this, you will see that you are nothing, and being nothing you are everything. That is all.[/quote]

As we collectively journey through this cusp of Ages from Pisces to Aquarius, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to tell fact from fantasy, and this gets us into big trouble! This is where we need the discernment of Pisces’ opposite sign: Virgo*. Just as the qualities of Aquarius’ opposite sign Leo will awaken us to the higher potential of the Aquarian Age, so it will be through embracing Virgoan energy and qualities that we will collectively awaken and break free from the powerful grip of Piscean daydreaming and “get real” to the higher Piscean potential of our spiritual reality.

The discernment of Virgo leads us away from a lower Piscean consciousness of imaginary (fantasized) spiritual ideals, and brings us closer to a real awareness of spiritual truth. It is not through denying reality that we will come to recognise the truth of our Being, but through accepting and analyzing our reality, in a very deep Virgoan way.

While Pisces is dazzled by image, Virgo challenges us to go deeper and find substance. We come to know for ourselves, in spiritual terms, what is real and what isn’t. Once illusion and delusions have dissolved, the higher Piscean consciousness knows itself to be “at one” with all that is, as a result of very real, substantial direct experience.

As we close out this Piscean Age, we are living with the consequences of clinging to fantasized ideals, while failing to look deeper into the truth of our being: our spiritual reality. A look back over the last 2,000 years of war, strife, terror, violence and torture, and we can easily see why this Piscean Age is one of suffering. This daydream is really a nightmare that we need to wake up from.

[quote cite=”Gregg Braden, Fractal Time”]The 20th century witnessed the greatest suffering, with the greatest number of lives lost at the hands of other humans, in the entire history of the species.[/quote]

This fact reveals the depth of our collective delusion: we think of ourselves as the most advanced of all societies, and yet this is the harsh reality of our legacy. This seems so removed from enlightenment that one may be forgiven for having doubts if we are even spiritually evolving at all. Individuals with a strong Pisces influence are all too aware of the suffering in the world, and may turn to all manner of escapism, food, alcohol, drugs, movies, games – you name it, we’ll try anything to avoid having to face reality. On one level it is actually understandable, the degree of suffering in this world is overwhelming; yet it is all the result of an obsession with, and inability to free ourselves from, the power of our own imagination.

The key to the “mind’s true liberation” (the promise of the coming Aquarian Age) lies in understanding the deeper mysteries of Pisces, including what suffering and self-sacrifice are really about, from a spiritual perspective. But how? This is where the discernment, deep analysis and healing energy of Virgo is needed.

We are evolving in consciousness and we are actually just a quantum leap away from having the consciousness to comprehend the higher vibration, the true spiritual aspect, of Pisces. The 12 zodiac signs are actually 12 Divine intelligences, or “intelligent energies.” Their influence upon us depends also upon our degree of openness and consciousness.

At its purest expression, Piscean energy opens us up to a real experience of our own Divinity: one-ness with all that is through an individual experience of the Divine. At its lowest interpretation, filtered through a “foggy, confused” human mind, it stimulates imagination, paranoia, and leads us into fearful imaginary realms with the painful repercussions of illusory thinking. Make no mistake, I am not suggesting that we are imagining our pain. Sadly, our pain and suffering are very, very real.

The important spiritual lesson of Pisces is that our suffering is real, even though the cause may be an illusion (a mistake, or a lie).

For example, you walk into a room and see a poisonous snake in your bed. You experience the very real physiological effects of terror. You are shaking, your mouth is dry, meanwhile your hands are dripping with sweat, and your heart is racing so fast you might just have a heart attack or a stroke. All of this is very, very real. The suffering is real. Then you put the light on, and realize there never was a snake, it was a cord that had fallen off the curtains. Of course you feel relief now, but at the time your suffering was very real – so real it could have killed you – and yet it was all based on an illusion and not on an accurate perception of reality.

The Piscean Age has been one of suffering through fear and terror. Real fear and real terror, based on illusion. The spiritual message of Pisces is that when we fail to perceive our reality correctly, fear and terror result. The solution is to return to wholeness, using the discernment of Virgo to perceive the whole of our reality, as it actually is. On a deeper spiritual level, Virgo knows that all matter is spirit in physical form. As we continue living through the cusp of Ages, we’d be wise to remember it.

In Part II, we’ll look at the deeper spiritual significance of Pisces, in particular what “self-sacrifice” really means, and say more about why Pisces’ opposite sign of Virgo is so important.


Ruth

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* The opposite pole of any sign is a spiritual “gateway” in the sense that it opens us up to the higher spiritual potential of our own sign. By embracing the energy and character of the opposite sign, we energetically create an evolutionary loop (like the figure-eight infinity symbol) that enables a quantum leap to a higher Soul vibration. I will explain this process more in a future post, and what it means for our individual spiritual path. Here we are not speaking about individuals with these qualities, or signs, but our collective spiritual evolution. It is our global society that has been lulled into a Piscean-like trance with the “cultural traditions” of each country forming part of its own “glamour,” as it contributes to our collective illusion of separation. Neither does it mean that all Virgo individuals are enlightened: there is a distinction between the Soul-vibration of a sign and its personality expression.

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Ruth Hadikin, Soul Astrologer

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Follow Ruth:

Saturday Extra!Julian Assange Prepares for Court Ruling

Perhaps this post on Julian Assange, the Man behind WikiLeaks, should be subtitled “The Never-Ending Story.” But then, that might be a bit too forbearing.

Still, a lot of people are continuously providing new episodes for this ongoing saga.

There is Julian Assange’s former co-worker, who has published a book in which he describes Assange as a sex-obsessed, despotic megalomaniac. Interestingly, this man has also recently launched his own website called Openleaks.com, which might be a clue as to why he has such an interest in discrediting Assange.

Then there is the Swedish prime minister, who has openly called Assange “public enemy No.1,” thereby giving away that this is indeed more than an inquiry into rape allegations.

And, last but not least, the cyber underground organisation Anonymous has uncovered a US government plot, hitched on the Bank of America and to be carried out by various security firms, to hack into Wikileaks and prevent it from publishing sensitive material on banks and bankers – at a cost of $2 million for the American taxpayer. It is quite obvious that a lot more hinges on Assange’s current trial than the happiness of two jilted lovers.

So, what will happen on Thursday, February 24? The British judge who is supposed to determine Assange’s fate has adjourned the pronouncement of his verdict until that date. But will he have come to any final conclusions? And what will they be? Let’s have a look at the chart, shall we? (Click here to view chart.) It is set for opening of court in London.

With Gemini rising, we have a different significator for Mr. Assange than in previous charts. He is now shown by Mercury and the Moon as co-significator. The judge, however, is still signified by Saturn, as in all the other hearings. With ‘his’ planet in retrograde motion, the judge has already adjourned twice, so he might do it again.

But there is something strange going on with the judge’s planet: note that it appears in the sixth house without any connecting aspect lines. At first glance, that would indicate the judge is acting completely on his own– a bit of a wildcard, really, that could take off in any direction.

Looking a bit deeper, though, we find that Saturn actually is in league with Venus, since they are in each other’s signs, forming what is called “a mutual reception.” According to traditional rules, planets in mutual reception cooperate and can even exchange places. This would put Venus into Libra and the sixth house of mercenaries, while Saturn would then move to Capricorn and the ninth. The judge will most likely voice his opinion in the matter, and what he has to say will likely reflect the objectives of Assange’s secret enemies. With Taurus intercepted in the twelfth house, Venus is one of their significators and describes them as powerful political or financial forces (Capricorn), situated abroad (ninth house). What’s more, the judge is shown as possibly being in cahoots with them!

Let’s look at Assange’s position in all of this. His main significator is Mercury in Pisces in the eleventh house. Even though the eleventh house is that of the “good daimon,” indicating protection, Mercury is in a very weak position here. It’s flanked by Mars, main ruler of the twelfth house of secret enemies and self-undoing, and by the Sun, ruler of the fourth and fifth house (the end of the matter, and sexuality or glitz and glamour, respectively). I expect some more of Assange’s celebrity friends making a spectacle of themselves, but whether that is helpful or not remains to be seen. With roughly a degree between Mercury and the Sun, Assange may have to wait another week or month until the end of this particular matter, i.e. the court case in Britain.

Assange’s co-significator is the Moon. In Scorpio, it harkens back to Assange’s natal chart, where it conjoins his first-house Jupiter this morning, which is a positive sign. But within the court session chart, this Moon is unaspected and therefore rendered ineffective. Even if we count the outer planets in – which usually isn’t done in this kind of chart – the Moon is only approaching an aggressive connection with Neptune (confusion, deception) and an easy-flowing trine to Uranus, the unpredictable bolt of lightning. Interestingly, Assange’s significators are the only traditional planets in this chart that are not involved in any receptions, i.e. covert cooperation!

All in all, the chart reflects the muddle-up this case has been from the beginning. In order to cut through the chase, someone might use outright deception. With the Moon, i.e. Assange, being opposed by the Arabic Part of Treachery at 27°54’ Taurus, we know which direction this deception would be coming from. Once again, it might be a good thing for Assange, if the judge stuck with Saturn’s retrograde motion and adjourned yet another time.


Helene

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Helene Schnitzer is an astrologer living in Glastonbury, England. Her specialities include Traditional, Horary and Hellenistic Astrology, and Astro*Carto*Graphy. Click HERE to read her full bio. You can also find more information on her website, Trans-It! AstroLogistics.

Understanding Ophiuchus: Taming the Hydra, Part II

Detail from Hercules and the Hydra, by Antonio Pollaiuolo, c. 1475.

Sooner or later, seekers on the spiritual path will have to “do battle” with their own inner desires. The myth of the Hydra symbolises this struggle, and it is the spiritual path of Scorpio.

Scorpio is not afraid to do battle, to go deep into the darkest depths of the human psyche and bring whatever is there into the light of awareness for healing. This is why the sign of Scorpio is associated with both priests and psychologists. A dominant theme in this internal battle is our struggle with desire.

This battle with desire is known to all who practise meditation on a deeper level, and is eloquently explained by Insight Meditation teacher Jack Kornfield in his book A Path With Heart: Continue reading →