Tag Archives: Alice Bailey

Pluto, Mars and the Inner Journey of Scorpio, Part I

Detail from Hercules, by John Singer Sargent, 1921.

Scorpio season is upon us once again, bringing with it another opportunity to look more deeply into our own psyche than we have ever done before. The enigmatic sign of Scorpio is associated with such intense themes as sex, death, cruelty, rebirth, power, regeneration, money, and the deepest darkest depths of our own minds. Jolly good fun!

Scorpio goes where angels fear to tread and for this reason is also the sign of priests and psychologists. All seven so-called “deadly sins” can be explored in Scorpio, with a couple more thrown in for good measure.

So what is it all about? It is time to take courage, dive deeply, and understand the spiritual significance of this vitally important sign and the deepest mysteries of existence. The following information applies to everyone, not just people with planets in Scorpio. This is an important stage in the evolution of humanity, and it concerns every one of us.

Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the point of balance between body and soul has been reached in Libra, the final struggle takes place in Scorpio. This is a kind of birthing and, just like the contractions in physical childbirth, this spiritual rebirth happens in waves. As the personality gradually comes under the command of the soul, there are waves of depression where the personality feels as though it is being squashed, followed by waves of rebellion where it fights back. The personality doesn’t give up easily without a fight! The personality isn’t being squashed, however; it is being gradually assimilated, as more spiritual energy is able to enter into the being. The end result of this struggle is total fusion of soul and personality, body and soul. The personality is the interface, the meeting place between the body, with all its animal urges and instinctive impulses, and the finer energies and ethereal vibrations of the soul.

Three planetary rulers, or space-holders, are the guardians of this birthing process, which is vital for the evolution of humanity from an animalistic being into a fully awakened soul-centered being. Both Mars and Pluto are guardians of this process at personality level, while Mars is the guardian at soul level. In Esoteric Astrology, Mars is considered a great beneficent planet, not malefic as is thought in some astrological systems. It is through the activity of Mars that this final struggle between personality and soul is fought and won, with the fully integrated (fused) soul emerging victorious. Triumph and victory are keywords with Scorpio, and it is important to remember this especially when the going gets tough. Mercury is the planetary ruler at hierarchical level, which we won’t explore here except to notice that this again hints at the vital importance of Scorpio for the spiritual evolution of humanity.

It is in Scorpio that the preponderance of the spiritual energy is
imposed upon the lower personal forces
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology.

The combined effect of Mars and Pluto at personality level serve to bring awareness to the potency of desire working through the form nature and that, although we experience desire, it is not fundamental to our nature and can be brought under control through illumination. At this level Mars governs life-force energy: stirs the blood, agitates and activates our animal instinct, and arouses the passions. It is the fuel that feeds the fire of desire.

Pluto, at personality level, brings somatic awareness, the instinctual felt-sense in the body. Otherwise known as the great revealer, Pluto is able to hold our animal urges up to the light for healing and understanding. While in the dark they have control and power over us. Once they are brought to light, the soul has victory. It is this dual effect of Mars and Pluto that brings about both the tests and the triumph in Scorpio.

The tests in Scorpio and the activity of Mars are potent to arouse the entire lower nature and bring about its final rebellion and the last stand, so to speak, of the personality against the soul.
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The tests in Scorpio are the temptations of desire that keep our attention trapped in the cycles of materialistic existence. In Esoteric Astrology they are listed as nine, in three groups. The first test is appetite which relates to sex, physical comfort and money; the second is desire and relates to fear, hatred and ambition; and the third test is of the lower mind and relates to pride, separativeness and cruelty.

When explored deeply with the light of awareness, these tests – which Christian theologians called the seven deadly sins and in Buddhism are known as the destructive emotions, or kleshas – can clearly be seen to be faults of attention, or discipline, and are not inherent in our nature. They are distractions which sway us from our path. We can see that it is not the activities themselves that cause problems, but the tendency within our own psyche to become attached, obsessed and addicted to them. Then we make the mistake of identifying with them and not recognizing our true spiritual nature.

In Part II, we’ll explore the roles of Mars and Pluto in bringing awareness to the unconscious tendencies that divert us from the spiritual path.


Ruth

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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.”

Venus, Uranus, and the Inner Journey of Libra, Part II

White Buffalo Calf Woman, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

To make progress on our spiritual path, we need a degree of stability in our ordinary life. If we have a chaotic life where we are constantly in turmoil meeting our daily needs, we will have no inclination to pursue a spiritual path.

The action of Venus in Libra plays a vital role in balancing and stabilizing our mundane “ordinary” lives, ensuring we live simply, in alignment with natural law, so that our energy is free for transformation, and our being is open and receptive to our spiritual development. The action of Venus in Libra harmonizes, balances, and stabilizes our personality, and thereby our mundane world. When the light in Libra has “come to rest,” we are then open to receiving the subtle energy of Uranus, which transforms consciousness.

Uranus is the energy of rebellion. Not rebellion for the sake of trouble-making, but rebellion because it is necessary to evolve and align with Divine Law. In Greek mythology, Uranus is the sky, vastness, space. The primordial being from which all other beings arise. He is the father of the gods who begat all the gods on Mount Olympus and their rivals, the Titans. Primordial consciousness. Uranus is a planet of transformation who has the power to transform consciousness in particular. When we have been touched by Uranus our lives are never the same. There is no going back.

He who has penetrated to the limits of thought, dares to take the leap into the Great Emptiness,
the primordial ground of his own boundless being. ~ Lama Anagarika Govinda

Sometimes in mundane astrology, Uranus is referred to as a revolutionary, but it is important to make a distinction between a rebel and a revolutionary, if we are to fully understand the spiritual purpose of this rebellious energy of Uranus and his ability to transform consciousness. A succinct explanation of this distinction comes from the Indian mystic OSHO, who says:

The rebel … brings into the world a change of consciousness – and if the consciousness changes, then the structure of the society is bound to follow it … No revolution has yet succeeded in changing man; but it seems man is not aware of the fact. He still goes on thinking in terms of revolution, of changing society, of changing the government, of changing the bureaucracy, of changing laws, political systems. Feudalism, capitalism, communism, socialism, fascism – they are all in their own way revolutionary. They all have failed, and failed utterly, because man has remained the same … The rebel is a spiritual phenomenon. His approach is absolutely individual. His vision is that if we want to change the society, we have to change the individual.”

The revolutionary has the same consciousness as the society in which he arose. He may overthrow a dictator and then himself become the new dictator. He is just the other side of the same coin. There has been a change in name, but not a change of consciousness. The energy of Uranus is not revolutionary, it is rebellion. It transforms consciousness. The rebel brings inner change, a change of consciousness within the individual. The rebellion is not “against” anything but, like a flower blossoming, is a natural unfoldment into the next stage of evolution. Where Uranus is concerned, it can be a complete quantum leap that bears no resemblance to what has gone before.

Once Venus has done her job of opening the heart, then the individual is open to receive the touch of Uranus – to allow inspiration to move them and break free from the limitations of the lower mind. Venus initially brings desire, attraction, animal magnetism. Through the experiences of Venus, the individual experiences the beginnings of love, but this lower consciousness love has a price: it comes with conditions. There is a possessiveness to it. Once Venus has softened the heart, Uranus is able to bring in expansiveness. The expansiveness of space, of being, and the individual is never the same again. They are made anew. Passion can now make a quantum leap into higher love and then further again, into limitless compassion.

Love is Higher Thought about someone.” ~ Anya Sophia Mann, Visionary Intuitive

We are evolving from instinct, through intellect, to intuition. In this process, Venus initially opens our hearts and minds, opening us up to shift from instinct to intellect. Then Uranus catapults us from intellect to intuition. Uranus brings inspiration, clarity, intuition and vast, clear space. Boundless sky untouched by clouds. Initiating, catalyzing the evolution from intellect to intuition. Unexpected, because how can we know what to expect from a level of consciousness which we have not yet experienced? Under the influence of Uranus, without the limitation of intellect, Libra is capable of leaping through “octaves” of higher mind to higher love.

Reason, the highest property of the intellect, is what guides purposive thought. Purposes, however, are limited; and therefore reason can operate only in what is limited.

Wisdom alone can accept and intuitively realize the unlimited, the timeless and the infinite, by renouncing explanations and by recognizing the mystery, which can only be felt, experienced, and finally realized in life – and which can never be defined. ~ Lama Anagarika Govinda

If you have Sun, Moon and especially Rising Sign in Libra, you are here to go beyond your own limitations and become an expression of higher love in the world. You will do this through right relationship between yourself and other. When you lean too far toward the Aries end of the spectrum, there is too much emphasis on self; when you lean too far toward the Libra end of the spectrum, there is too much emphasis on others. When you come to rest at the center, the balance-point, you are in perfect harmony, and this creates the window through which the energy of Uranus can enter to transform consciousness.


Ruth

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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.”

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About the artist: This oil painting, the seventh in the Empowered Feminine Zodiac series by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, envisions Libra as White Buffalo Calf Woman, who brought a message of peace to the Lakota people two centuries ago. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

Venus, Uranus, and the Inner Journey of Libra, Part I

White Buffalo Calf Woman, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Libra season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity for balance and harmony, multi-dimensionally.

The sign of Libra is associated with balance, harmony, relationship, ethics, beauty and law. These are all expressions of, and are connected through, the principle of harmonics which in itself is based upon the fundamental law of right relationship. Therein lies the secret to the deeper mysteries of Libra, and indeed, the mysteries of existence. The whole of existence depends upon right relationship. Science is only just beginning to realize how delicately balanced an eco-system is. A disruption in one tiny area can have devastating effects throughout the whole system. The balance depends upon right realtionship, which we recognize through our senses as harmony.

Following the journey of the Soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the synthesis of spirit and matter in Virgo, the Light in Libra comes to rest. However it is not a peaceful rest, not yet. It is resting in the knowledge of what is to come. It is in Libra that the battleground becomes apparent, in readiness for the battle which must ensue in Scorpio. Esoterically it is said we do battle in two signs: Leo and Scorpio. In Leo we battle for our individuality; in Scorpio we battle for our soul. In Libra, we prepare by becoming more aware of the duality. We finally recognize the relationship between polarities. In our awareness of the separation between the opposites: self and other, yin and yang, personality and soul. In Libra we see what needs to be done, to restore right relationship and resolve the duality. The final resolution happens in Scorpio. What happens in Libra is an expansion of perception, awareness, and an important shift in consciousness.

Libra has three planetary rulers or “space-holders,” which are important for understanding the deeper mysteries of this important sign. Venus is the “ruler” at personality level, Uranus is the ruler at soul level, and Saturn is the ruler at hierarchical level. For the purposes of this article we are only looking at the personality and soul rulers, Venus and Uranus, since the hierarchical level is cosmic in nature and beyond our capacity for comprehension at our current level of consciousness. Having said that, we can see that having the “Lord of Karma,” Saturn, as ruler at this hierarchical level hints at the significance of Libra for the resolution of karma, the evolution of humanity, and humanity’s role in the karmic balancing of our Earth home and her ecosystem.

It is also worth noting that, esoterically, all three planetary “rulers” of Libra are considered to be sacred planets. Air signs are all about mastery of the mind, and cardinal energy is all about carving out new pathways, so as the cardinal air sign, we can only begin to imagine the deep significance of Libra’s sacred role in the evolution of consciousness.

Venus brings the energy of magnetic attraction. Initially this is animal magnetism, and at the personality level she awakens desire and passion within the individual, which lays the foundation for experiences of love. We see this Venusian influence expressed as sensuality at personality level in Taurus and as a pathway through higher mind to higher love at soul level in Gemini. Now in Libra, as a result of the preparation in Virgo, the individual is able to conceive of higher love and harmony at the personality level, bring this down to Earth (thanks to Virgo) and express this into the outer world through the personality. This is done through right relationship between self and other.

Harmony is our way of knowing when components within a system are in right relationship to one another. Think of an orchestra tuning up, before playing a symphony. During the tune-up, each instrument is just making its own sound with no regard for the other instruments. The result is just noise. We wouldn’t call it music, because it isn’t harmonious. When we hear music, harmony is present. There is “right” relationship between the notes. When each note is played in right relationship to the others, harmony is the result.

The whole field of ethics is dedicated to the study of “right” decision-making. How do we know when we have made a “right” decision? Right decisions are those which are in alignment with Divine Law. They lead to greater harmony because they are in right relationship with the whole of existence. Wrong decisions are those which are out of step, out of tune, and bring disharmony. There is a lack of regard for, or relationship with, the other components within the system. The Libra personality, often unfairly, has a reputation for being indecisive, yet we can see that it is actually the process of decision-making which concerns Libra greatly. It is important that Libra understands how to arrive at the “right” decision, so that we can increasingly move toward greater harmony.

In this context we can see that sometimes manmade laws can actually be disharmonious. So when we say Libra is associated with law, we are speaking of the Divine Laws of attraction, right relationship, harmony and natural law. These are not laws like man-made laws, but rather natural principles, like the law of gravity, which guide the whole of existence. Harmony itself is a natural, balancing, principle. In Esoteric Astrology, by Alice Bailey, the Tibetan explains that the sign of Libra is greatly concerned with the themes of law, sex, and money. Sex and money are more often associated with Scorpio in mundane astrology, yet it is actually through the sign of Libra where imbalances and abuses of power in these areas can be brought to balance, through right relationship.

In Part II, we’ll explore the role of Uranus in balancing through rebellion.


Ruth

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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.”

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About the artist: This oil painting, the seventh in the Empowered Feminine Zodiac series by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, envisions Libra as White Buffalo Calf Woman, who brought a message of peace to the Lakota people two centuries ago. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

Mercury, the Moon, and The Inner Journey of Virgo, Part II

Zemnya, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

In Buddhist teaching, the highest perfection is said to be the perfection of wisdom.

There is an ancient Buddhist scripture called the “Holy Heart Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom” (often just called “The Heart Sutra” for short). This scripture tells of a conversation between the historical Buddha and one of his heart disciples, Sariputra. In this scripture the Buddha says to Sariputra:

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form
Emptiness does not differ from form,
and form does not differ from emptiness.
~ The Heart Sutra

This speaks to the deepest mysteries of Virgo, and it is important to understand what is really meant by “emptiness” in this context. It doesn’t mean “nothing,” but rather refers to space, which is “empty” of physical forms but filled with spirit, filled with love – filled with all that we value, yet cannot see or touch. It speaks to the synthesis of spirit and form that happens in Virgo.

In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan refers to the Moon as the “Mother of All Forms.” In certain Buddhist traditions, reference is made to the “mother void” and the “son awareness.” This is referring to the karmic cycle through which physical forms arise from the “void” (or space), then awareness (of self) arises through form, and then divine awareness (soul) returns to the void (space) through synthesis, after the dissolution of form. Esoterically this is described as the synthesis of father (spirit) and mother (form) which gives rise to the birth of the child (Christ consciousness). At a higher level, the unified mother-father is simply referred to as mother. The deeper mysteries of this divine process lie within the Virgo-Pisces cycle of arising, awareness, synthesis and then resolution. This is how the deeper mystery of Virgo, symbolized by mother (spirit/form) and child (awareness), leads to the expansion of divine love.

After the Moon has done her earlier work in Cancer, creating the conditions for us to transform negative emotions into positive altruistic states such as compassion, she returns in Virgo to teach us how to flow the subtle physical energies of compassion through the subtle channels that have been created by Mercury. Again, this is a two-way street that speaks to the highest purpose of Virgo. Through the channels created by Mercury and under the conditions created by the Moon, we experience a greater expansion of divinity into physical form and come one step closer to experience our soul – that droplet of divinity which resides within each of us.

Likewise, as a result of the expansion of the human heart and a greater flow of human compassion, there is a greater experience of human potential within the divine. Heaven travels to earth, and earth meets heaven. Interestingly, the ruler of Virgo at the hierarchical level is the expansive, magnifying planet Jupiter. So we can see that the expansion of love on many levels and throughout many realms is deeply connected with the highest soul purpose of Virgo.

Virgo stands for the “womb of time’ wherein God’s plan  (the mystery and the secret of the ages)  is slowly matured and – with pain and discomfort and through struggle  and conflict – brought into manifestation at the appointed time.
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The Moon is a bit of an anomaly, an enigma, in astrology. Technically, she isn’t really a planet at all (for moons are not planets). Indeed H.P. Blavatsky (author of the earlier esoteric works The Secret Doctrine and Isis Unveiled), Alice Bailey (channel for The Tibetan, Author of Esoteric Astrology), and mystic Vera Stanley Alder all agree that the Moon is “dead,” having no life force or vitality of her own. Yet the magnetic pull of the Moon affects the Earth’s tides and likewise the emotions of humanity. So here we have the esoteric symbology of the Moon, something that is dead and connected to the past, yet is still tugging at us. The Moon symbolizes those aspects of our past that are no longer useful or beneficial for our spiritual progress, yet we collectively and individually (in our personal natal chart) haven’t released them yet.

The Moon thus creates conditions of human experience that are womb-like in the sense of being deep, dark, and quiet. In Virgo, she creates the conditions for “the valley of deep experience wherein secrets are discovered and eventually ‘brought to light’; [Virgo] is the place of slow, gentle and yet powerful crisis and periodic developments which take place in the dark and yet which lead to light.” (The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology)

Esoterically, the Moon veils Vulcan (according to Esoteric Astrology, Vulcan is a hidden planet), and Vulcan is known as the blacksmith of the gods. In the alchemical fiery furnace of Vulcan, physical forms are transformed like molten lead into gold. It is this alchemical action of Vulcan that conditions the physical form to be more receptive to light and thus enables the synthesis of spirit and matter in Virgo.

The Moon/Vulcan conditions the form, while Mercury lays down a connective network of light on all levels. With this dual action of Mercury and the Moon/Vulcan, the physical human form becomes a pure and suitable vehicle for light and the subsequent birth of Christ consciousness.

This time of year, under the influence of Virgo, we all have an opportunity to deeply contemplate our life and ensure we are fully aligned with our divine purpose or vocation. If you have Sun, Moon or Rising Sign in Virgo, it is important that you be aware of your physical energy and stay grounded. You are here to radiate love into the world.


Ruth

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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.”

About the artist: This oil painting, the sixth in the Empowered Feminine Zodiac series by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, features the Lithuanian harvest goddess Zemnya as the representation of Virgo. She is dressed in traditional Lithuanian embroidered clothing. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

Mercury, the Moon, and The Inner Journey of Virgo, Part I

Zemnya, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Virgo season is upon us once again, bringing with it the opportunity to focus on our true vocation, or divine purpose. Virgo is associated with purity, purification, health, healing, well-being, the Virgin Mother, mother and child, the physical human form, and divinity in form.

It is no accident that it is harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere, as Virgo is also associated with the harvesting, or results, of what was sown. This is the time of year that we realize the practical reality of reaping what we sow, and if we don’t like what we see, it gives us an opportunity to prepare the ground to plant a different crop next year.

It is the Soul purpose of Virgo to purify and prepare our physical form so that it is more receptive to light and becomes a suitable vehicle for the cultivation and gestation of the Christ consciousness that will be born in Capricorn. Whether we have planets in Virgo or not, at this time of year it is an ideal time for each of us to contemplate our divine purpose and check whether we are fully aligned with our true purpose.

Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the completion of the individuation process in Leo, the individual now prepares for service by ensuring that the physical vehicle is ready to receive the light. Virgo has two planetary “space-holders” (rulers) that create the conditions necessary for this crucial stage of our soul’s development: Mercury and the Moon. We explored Mercury’s role in Gemini and the Moon’s role in Cancer, and here in Virgo, both planets create different conditions, because Virgo is an Earth sign, so they are more practically and tangibly conditioning the physical form rather than feeling and thought.

Mercury creates connections and pathways for communication, or communion. Esoterically, Mercury creates the ultimate pathway to connect us with higher mind, the antahkarana or “rainbow bridge.” Although we are strictly speaking in terms of energy and energetic pathways, it is helpful to think of the analogy of mercury as liquid metal. Imagine the speed and fluidity of liquid metal as it creates tiny sparkling rivulets, then streams and then rivers, spreading and branching out wherever needed to create pathways of light.

At one end of the bridge Mercury connects with the light of the divine; at the other end of the bridge Mercury is sending roots down into physical form, enlivening and stimulating the growth of neural pathways – nature’s own communication network for consciousness – so that conscious awareness can travel deeper into physical form. This is a two-way communication. Through the activity of Mercury, consciousness “communes” with form, and form becomes awakened, aware of consciousness. As a result, somatic awareness (the felt-sense in our body) deepens in Virgo, and the fully integrated Virgo soul can feel when they are flowing pure Love through their physical work and/or actions. Using your nervous system as a medium for communion, Mercury sensitizes you to spirit, awakening you to subtler and subtler levels of energy and consciousness.

Whereas in Gemini there is still duality, a perceived separation between form and spirit, between the divine and the personality, Virgo is a sign of synthesis. So in Virgo, the action of Mercury prepares the physical form to receive. The connections made by Mercury prepare for the synthesis of spirit and form, so that ultimately there is no separation. Spirit is form and form is spirit.

This is not an easy stage of our developmental process. Part of the process involves cognitive stimulation, the stimulation of thoughts and cognitive processing, and it is this side-effect of Mercury that leads some people with Sun, Moon or Virgo Rising to feel edgy, anxious, or worry to excess. If you are experiencing this, it is because you need to ground this Mercurial energy, and that is easier said than done. Having said that, it is part of your divine purpose as a Virgo to be a kind of cosmic lightening conductor! Do whatever you need to do to connect with your heart center. It can be yoga, Reiki, or even gardening, but do whatever you need to do to feel the physical flow of energy through your heart center radiating throughout your body and down to earth. Once you have done that, your energy will become grounded into the physical, rather than having too much energy in your head!

As we saw in my previous article on Cancer, the Moon rules physical form. So it makes sense that once Mercury has created the pathways, the Moon would step into a higher role in holding the space and ensuring the conditions are ripe for spirit to be fully imbued into physical form. The sign of Virgo is associated with perfection. This leads the Virgo personality to misguidedly seek perfection in the outer world, where the Virgo soul seeks perfection of the inner world.

In Part II, we’ll go deeper into Virgo’s connection to the Moon – the “Mother of All Forms.”


Ruth

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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.”

About the artist: This oil painting, the sixth in the Empowered Feminine Zodiac series by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, features the Lithuanian harvest goddess Zemnya as the representation of Virgo. She is dressed in traditional Lithuanian embroidered clothing. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

The Sun and the Inner Journey of Leo, Part II

Sekhmet, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Just as the physical Sun connects to the great spiritual Sun through the heart of the Sun, so the Sun indicates to us that the path to our own deeper spiritual truth is an inner journey through our hearts to our spiritual core.

We cannot know the truth of these esoteric teachings by thinking about them, but only through experience. We need to go deep into our hearts in meditation to experience the truth of our innate connection with the heart of the Sun.

The Sun’s heart beats at eleven-year intervals, and with this ‘beat’ it sends out its life-force into its entire system, just as the human heart sends out this same vital force, via the bloodstream.
– Errol Weiner, Transpersonal Astrology

Through the infusion of life-force energy, the Sun illuminates the path to self-realization, and Leo is the sign of self-realization. There are many steps on this path and they can be put into three stages: self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-realization. These three stages can also be equated to the three aspects of the Sun and three stages of development on the soul path of Leo.

The path of self-realization in Leo is itself a vital stage in the overall evolution of human consciousness. The German philosopher Friedrich Neitzche spoke of three stages of consciousness: the camel, the lion and the child. The camel represents tribal consciousness, where we follow the herd, follow the masses, and go along with the collective consciousness. This is the pre-egoic state.

The lion represents individualization – the ability and the willingness to stand alone. Separate. Apart from the herd. In terms of our personal spiritual development this is the development of, and identification with, our ego. At the same time this is the beginning of our spiritual awakening. Just as the great river Ganges has its source in a tiny mountain stream, so our collective spiritual awakening has its origin in our currently emerging egoic state. Within the lion stage are stages one and two (below) of our path of Leo.

The child represents the free spirit once we are liberated from our egoic challenges and delusions. This is the post-egoic state (and the third stage of the path of Leo, which is why Leo is also associated with creativity, playfulness, and children. Our spirit is free. The child is our fully awakened state of self-realization, or enlightenment. In this final stage we arrive at a deeper realization, through experience, that we are not separate but have an individual expression in our oneness. When we finally reach this stage we experience the truth of our connectedness with the Sun and all living beings.

Know thyself. If thou canst learn the true nature of thine own self,
thou wilt know the reality of the Universe.
~ Abhedananda

We can see how important the path of Leo is for the evolution of consciousness. During the first stage of the path of Leo (self-consciousness) we become aware of self versus “other.” This is the first stage towards individuation. The path to individuation begins with an idea. An idea of separation. We become aware of the idea that there is a “me” in here, and there are others “out there.” This focus on the outer world, conditioned by the corona of the Sun, is vital for the development of a sense of an individual self. The individual at this stage will (necessarily) be personality–oriented with no sense of soul. This is the stage where we become self-ish, because our world is centered around our idea of “me” and meeting the immediate needs of our personality.

In the second stage of the path, self-awareness, we move to the heart. Conditioned by the heart of the Sun we begin asking, “Who am I?” We hear the call of spirit and our journey moves within. The individual at this stage is still largely personality-driven but has experienced soul awakening. We are aware of our spiritual nature but still experience soul and personality as separate. We become less selfish and more altruistic in our outlook.

At the final stage of the path, conditioned by the core of the Sun (the great spiritual Sun) the individual is fully self-realized. We realize there is no separation, and we live from unity consciousness (oneness). We are fully integrated in that there is full personality-soul fusion and no experience of separation. We become oriented toward world-service for the benefit of all living things, because we know from personal experience the deepest meaning of the soul keynote for Leo:

I Am That, and That Am I
-The Tibetan (Alice Bailey, Esoteric Astrology)

It is under the warm, loving, life-giving, custodianship of the Sun in all his aspects, that we walk the path of Leo to the full realization of our true nature as spiritual beings. To fully express our divine purpose, we need a strongly defined sense of self. From our fully integrated self-realized state, we are able to fulfill our soul purpose, which is to be a unique individual expression of divine will.

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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.”

Image caption: Sekhmet, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Karen MacKenzie has been working on a series of astrology inspired paintings using goddesses from different cultures. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

The Moon, Neptune, and theInner Journey of Cancer, Part II

Cancer/Xochiquetzal, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Cancer/Xochiquetzal, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

We are currently still being conditioned by the Moon to awaken to our emotions and the power of our emotions – which is why emotional intelligence is such a hot topic right now and will be for many years to come.

We are all at different stages in the development of emotional intelligence and awareness. For those who may be thinking that emotional intelligence is an old topic because the term was first used back in the 1920’s, be assured that the subject will be with us for many years yet to come. At the moment, humanity is able to talk about emotional intelligence but very few can walk the talk by translating that intellectual understanding into emotional skill and competency. This is why we still have war, aggression, violence and bullying rippling through the masses, and their associated behaviors tend to leak out and peak around the time of the Full Moon. Continue reading →

The Moon, Neptune, and the Inner Journey of Cancer, Part I

Cancer/Xochiquetzal, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Cancer/Xochiquetzal, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Cancer is associated with home, birth, family, and our tribe, clan or nation. It is also the sign of empathy, emotional intelligence, re-birth and mass consciousness.

The mysterious sign of Cancer is one of the quietest. It is the tiniest of constellations in the Zodiac and could easily slip by without being noticed. Yet within this tiny, silent sign are held the deepest secrets of reincarnation, for Cancer is the gateway into the physical realm. The sacred marriage of matter and spirit happens through this gateway of Cancer.

In considering the planetary rulers of Cancer, it is most important to understand what we really mean by “rulership.” Continue reading →

Mercury, Venus, and the Inner Journey of Gemini, Part II

Gemini (Iris & Arke Goddesses of the Rainbow), original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

There are many ways to describe the long journey from the head to the heart, but the simplest way is probably to think of it as a shift from fear to love.

The fear-love polarity is just one of the polarities resolved in Gemini. Gemini has a unique role to play in the spiritual awakening and evolution of planet Earth, and this happens through the conditioning effect of Mercury-Venus on an awakening humanity, such that humanity recognizes its unique and vital role as custodian of Earth. We are here to be lovers of our Earth home. Just like nurturing mothers or spiritual midwives, we are all here to hold our Earth home in love as she goes through her own birthing process.

Esoteric Astrology* tells us of the unique relationship between Earth and Venus, sister planets, and the unique relationship that Gemini has with the heart of the Sun. (Esoterically Cancer is associated with the physical Sun, Aquarius with the central Spiritual Sun, and Gemini with the heart of the Sun). Of the Seven Rays, Gemini is only associated with Ray Two: love-wisdom, otherwise known as the path of love.” Since Gemini rules humanity, this gives us a clear indicator of the divine purpose of humanity, the reason we are here.

In exoteric astrology the sign of Gemini is not usually associated with love and romance, and that is because it is not romantic love of which we speak here. It is the highest love that connects all sentient beings. It is said that God is love, and that is the highest mystery of Gemini and why Gemini is the sign that permeates and touches everything.

Gemini’s highest purpose is, through the conditioning effects of Mercury and Venus, to bring real, tangible, love into everything he touches; to love everything in existence, through right relationship, and the dissolution of all polarity – love-hate, male-female, friend-enemy, us-them, etc. – until we experience ourselves living as one body, the body of humanity, a “brotherhood” of individuals breathing vitality and love into the earth.

The symbol for Venus (and our contemporary symbol for the female), a circle above a cross, is similar to the Egyptian ankh. The ankh is known as the breath of life, and in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings, the deity can often be seen holding an ankh to the nose of the deceased pharaoh to give him the breath of life. It is said that midwives in ancient Egypt carried ankhs for this reason, so they always had the breath of life for the newborn.

This is a reminder of the conditioning effect of Venus in Gemini, connecting us all with love-wisdom and the breath of life. It is also a reminder of the importance of Gemini for the spiritual awakening of humanity and, ultimately, the evolution of planet Earth as she transcends and transforms into a sacred planet like her twin sister, Venus. The journey begins as humanity bridges the gap from our heads to our hearts.

Gemini season is especially important for all humanity, in terms of spiritual awakening, and if you have Gemini or Sagittarius strongly placed in your chart, it takes on a note of personal significance for you. It is potentially a time to open your heart and make the greatest shift in perception: to that of heart-centered living.

The year 2012 is of great significance, as on June 5/6 (depending where you are in the world) we have a transit of Venus crossing the Sun. This is a great alignment of the loving, sacred feminine energy of Venus (Gemini’s Soul ruler) with the heart of the Sun (Gemini) and the Earth (Gemini’s Hierarchical ruler) in the sign of Gemini (humanity/love-wisdom) for the purpose of a great influx of love-wisdom. Its purpose? To awaken a sleeping humanity to heart-centered living and divine purpose as a living expression of love-wisdom.


Ruth

* Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.

About the illustration: Karen MacKenzie has been working on a series of astrology inspired paintings using goddesses from different cultures. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art. Her prints are very affordable!

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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.”

Mercury, Venus, and the Inner Journey of Gemini, Part I

Gemini (Iris & Arke Goddesses of the Rainbow), original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Gemini Season is here again bringing with it the interplay of light through form.

The Soul, which began its journey in Aries as a “point of light in the mind of God,” became a beam of light in Taurus and now divides into multiple beams of light in Gemini. Think of the quality of sunshine playing through the leaves or the dancing sparkles of light on water, and you have the light, playful, fairy-like quality of Gemini. The one becomes many, and the Divine dance has begun.

Don’t misunderstand the playfulness of light; indeed, a sense of play is in the nature of light and is inherent in the whole of creation. The apparent superficial quality of Gemini belies his deepest mysteries: the mystery of life and the mysteries of our divine purpose as a spiritually awakened humanity. Gemini is associated with the breath, and indeed the divine use of the breath, through words and sound, is a clue to the deepest mysteries of Gemini.

Gemini has three planetary “rulers,” each of which is important in understanding these deeper mysteries of Gemini. The personality ruler of Gemini is Mercury, the Soul ruler of Gemini is Venus, and the Hierarchical ruler of Gemini is the Earth herself. (Esoterically, Venus and Earth are said to be sister planets.) It is through Gemini that humanity fulfills its divine purpose as custodian for Earth and the elemental kingdoms. Gemini connects us to the etheric and the elemental at one and the same time. This apparent sign of duality is actually a sign of multiplicity, connection, and communion. Through Gemini we realize our interconnectedness with one another, Earth and her creatures, and all sentient beings.

At the personality level Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods. Esoterically Mercury is responsible for the Rainbow Bridge, or Antakharana, connecting lower and higher mind. It is through Mercury that we learn to connect and commune with our higher selves and hear our spiritual calling. It is ultimately through the activity of Mercury, conditioning, expanding and awakening our perception, that we attune to higher consciousness and perceive our divine purpose. It is through Mercury that we realize our interconnectedness to one another, that the brotherhood (or sisterhood) of humanity becomes the body of humanity as we transcend separatism and realize the divine task of humanity as custodian of the Earth and her creatures.

At Soul level, Gemini is ruled by Venus. Once the activity of Mercury has expanded our perception, we are open to the activity of Venus through the heart center. This brings a spiritual awakening in the form of a deep sense of communion and connectedness with all sentient beings. There is an awareness of love, not as an idea, but as a living energy which permeates and radiates throughout all life. This shift in perception brings us to the realization of our interrelatedness with one another and all living things.

Mercury opens portals of communion between lower and higher self, so we connect with our inner “guru,” coach, or our own, wise self. However, there is still a perceived duality, a separation, as experienced from the side of the personality. In last month’s article, we looked at the harmonizing aspect of Venus as experienced through physical matter in Taurus. Venus achieves harmony through the law of right relationship. What makes the difference between music and a collection of disharmonious sounds? It is the relationship between each note. When each note sounds in right relationship to the others, the human ear (and indeed all of existence) recieves it as music: in other words, sounds that are played in harmony with one another.

As Venus begins her work, Gemini moves from the lower octave to the higher octave and begins harmonizing all perceived duality. It is the conditioning effect of Venus and the law of right relationship that allow Gemini’s higher octave to resolve all duality. Gemini has a unique role in the zodiac and, esoterically, it is the only sign that is connected with each of the other eleven zodiac signs. This is because, according to the Tibetan,* Gemini will play a vital role in the future astrology, be resolving all duality and polarities so that eventually we have six zodiac energies rather than the currently perceived twelve as Aries-Libra, Taurus-Scorpio, and so forth, synthesize into one energy. This synthesizing effect of Gemini is due to the unique relationship between Mercury and Venus, opening a pathway to higher love.

As this Mercury-Venus connection grows, clarifying and strengthening the Rainbow Bridge, the Soul presents ever more clearly and strongly to the individual. Hence the Soul keynote for Gemini:

I recognize my other self and in the waning of that self I grow and glow.

This speaks to the individual process of Soul recognition and identification, whereby eventually the Soul experience is so strong, the connection is such that the individual realizes, “This is who I am.” At that point, the grip of the personality is loosened and the individual lives freely as a fully Soul-centered being.

Next: Gemini’s role in awakening humanity to the power of love.


Ruth

* Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.

About the illustration: Karen MacKenzie has been working on a series of astrology inspired paintings using goddesses from different cultures. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art. Her prints are very affordable!

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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.”