Tag Archives: soul astrology

Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto andThe Inner Journey of Pisces, Part II

© James A. Weythman, 2013

© James A. Weythman, 2013

This is the inner mathematics, that the part of the whole is not smaller than the whole. That will be difficult to understand. The part of the whole is equal to the whole, because the whole cannot be divided into parts. Division is not possible. That’s why we call the real authentic being in you ‘individual.’ Individual means indivisible — that which cannot be divided. ~OSHO

When personality and soul fusion is complete, we are aware of ourselves as an individual and the ocean at one and the same time. It is then that Pluto, the great revealer, can step in at soul level bringing the conditions for the final transformation at soul level in Pisces. Esoterically it is said that the “final death” happens in Pisces. What could this mean, the final death? Possibly the end of Samsara. Samsara is the cycle of death and rebirth and many spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, teach that it is possible to become enlightened and finally be free of this cycle of continuous death and rebirth.

Here, at the final stage, Pisces stands for the death of the personality and the release of the soul from captivity and its return into the task of the world Savior. The great achievement is finished and the final death is undergone. ~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology

We first experience Pluto’s influence in Scorpio at personality level. Pluto is a deep and mysterious planet, which was only discovered on February 18th, 1930, and incorporated into astrology after that date. In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan Master explains that until mankind has the consciousness to respond to the subtle influences of planets, they remain undiscovered, and such was the case with Pluto. Pluto was discovered and is now included in modern astrology, precisely because humanity now has the consciousness to perceive and respond appropriately to his subtle spiritual influence.

Towards the end of the evolutionary process the disciple begins to respond consciously to the fourth indirect influence – that of Pluto, producing the death of the hindering factors and of all that prevents synthesis.” ~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology.

Mythologically, Pluto is interesting. His journey begins in duality in Greek mythology as Hades, Lord of the Underworld, and Plouton, the giver of wealth, before myth finally unites him as Pluto. He is said to hold custodianship over all that lies beneath the surface of the Earth, which includes graves and all of the Earth’s riches: the fertility of the soil and the wealth of her gems. The story of Pluto hints that there is something at our core, a jewel, an inner light, which is carried over beyond death. In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan Master states that “Pluto or death never destroys the consciousness aspect.”

While Neptune sensitizes us to receive ever-increasing vibrations of spirit in physical form, Pluto reduces our attachment to physical form and brings us to the light. In this way we begin to more closely identify with our inner light, or soul – that which continues beyond death. While Pluto brings the cycle of life to an end, Neptune ensures we carry with us as much illumination as possible.

The concept of returning to the light as an individual, enlightened being seems fundamental to the whole purpose of physical incarnation. Buddhist scripture speaks of attaining the rainbow body or “body of light,” wherein we return to the ocean of consciousness from whence we came, but with our individuality intact. We return to the light, yet are not lost in that light.

I leave the Father’s home and turning back, I save. ~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology

The combined effects of Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto in Pisces support us in embodying and identifying with the divine light at the core of our being. As a result of our adventure into physical incarnation which began in Aries, we return to the “Father’s house” fully laden with the riches of experience, within an individual soul.

If you have Sun, Moon and especially Rising Sign in Pisces, you are here to walk your individual path while holding the awareness that, at one and the same time, you are the ocean. This awareness will strengthen the power of your heart and allow the world savior (the essence of universal love) to flow freely into the world through you.

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.”

Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto andThe Inner Journey of Pisces, Part I

© James A. Weythman, 2013

© James A. Weythman, 2013

Pisces Season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity to check in where we are up to on the vast continuum of human experience ranging from glamour, illusion and delusion right up to enlightenment and universal love! Pisces brings us full circle, not only with the completion of one zodiac year, but in this current series of exploring the personality and soul rulers of each sign.

Throughout the past year, we have followed the soul’s journey through the twelve signs of the zodiac, where the soul began as “a point of light in the mind of God” in Aries, right through to the flowering of human consciousness in Aquarius, and finally arriving here at the sign of the world savior in Pisces. The “world savior” referred to here is the recognition of humanity’s true role in respect to our Mother Earth, when we have fully blossomed as a species and all our hearts beat as one as the “sacred heart” of humanity in Pisces.

In essence the World Savior is the incarnation of Love within each one of us. ~ Alan Oken

We have discussed how the planetary rulers are space-holders or custodians maintaining the necessary conditions for specific stages of development in the evolution of human consciousness, and three planets are important when we look to the human experience in Pisces. Jupiter and Neptune are custodians at personality level, while Pluto is the custodian at both soul and hierarchical level. This speaks to the transformative potential inherent in Pisces.

Last month, we saw how Jupiter’s role is one of expansion, fusion and synthesis, and since there is a degree of overlap between stages (and therefore signs) this process continues as the soul enters Pisces. Hence Pisces has two custodians at personality level. The expansive conditions of Jupiter create a greater capacity in us to perceive and respond to the subtler energies of Neptune. Neptune’s influence on human development began in Cancer at soul and hierarchical level, and by the time the soul has reached this stage of development in Pisces, the individual is now sensitive enough to receive Neptune’s energy at personality level.

You are not a drop in the ocean;
You are the ocean in a drop.

~ Rumi

For most people who are still on the mutable cross (see the Capricorn article in this series for a summary of consciousness described in terms of the three crosses), the experience with Neptune in Pisces can be one of being swept away by the ocean, going with the flow, and falling deeper into glamour, illusion and escapism. This is because they have not yet completed the individuation process, which begins in Leo and completes in Capricorn. The whole story of the incarnation process in astrological terms, from Aries up to this present point in Pisces, has been one of personal experience through individuation. Individuation is a vital stage in the evolution of consciousness, for without it, we cannot return to the ocean intact with the remembrance of our experience as a drop.

The purpose for involution is to allow Spirit to penetrate deeper into matter so that eventually all things of matter realize their spiritual Essence. ~ Alan Oken

Neptune’s job at personality level is to dissolve limiting physical and mental conditions that would impede the influx of spirit in physical matter in the form of universal love, so that we may once again remember the oceanic nature of our consciousness, the divine love within and experience this within the context of our individual physical incarnation. If the effects of Neptune are felt before we have successfully completed our individuation process, then we can experience problems with addictive and co-dependent behaviors as we will be challenged to set appropriate personal boundaries in our individual sphere of influence. Hence some of the pitfalls for Pisces at personality level.

The Fishes in Pisces are bound together, as we have seen,
and this is symbolic of the captivity of the soul in form,
prior to the experience upon the Fixed Cross.
~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology

How we experience and respond to Neptune’s universal influence depends upon the degree of our own individual consciousness. If we are on the mutable cross, where we are still personality identified, we will experience Neptune’s energy as illusion and delusion, where we can become lost in the thick fog of mass consciousness. If we are on the fixed cross, we are beginning to awaken spiritually and we will experience Neptune as a planet of universal love. He shows us that our true nature is one of oceanic consciousness, that we are an aspect of divine love and that all separation is illusory, so we may begin to appreciate our underlying spiritual reality.

It might be helpful at this point to make a clear distinction between individuation and separation. Individuation and separation are not the same thing. The fingers on your hand are individual; they have the capacity to move independently of one another, and have individual experience. You may hurt one finger for example, while the others remain unharmed. They are not ever, at any point, separated from your hand. If they become separated, they die. Likewise, while it is vital and necessary for the evolution of human consciousness that we each have the capacity to move independently from one another and have our own individual experience we are never, at any time, separated from the whole body of humanity. At the level of consciousness, we are connected and we experience one another’s pain.

We’ll explore this idea in Part II, the last article in this year-long series, and we’ll also introduce Pluto as a soul ruler of Pisces.

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.”

Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part II

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

The symbology of Aquarius as the water carrier belies the higher purpose of Aquarius to flow the dual waters of love and life for thirsty humanity, like a divine fountain or wellspring. Aquarius’s role within this one body of humanity is to provide this constant source of divine energy, through the fusion of heart and mind.

This is why conventionally in astrology, even though Leo rules the heart, it is Aquarius that rules the circulation and flow of blood. Esoterically, Aquarius governs the distribution of the vital waters of love and life throughout both the individual human body and the larger body of humanity!

In the first article in this series, we looked at Patanjali’s description of consciousness in terms of five “bodies” or dimensions of experience: physical, energy, mental, intuitive, bliss and, ultimately, universal mind. It seems that Uranus and Jupiter in Aquarius combine to create those conditions necessary for us to experience and transcend the intuitive and bliss dimensions on our journey to universal mind.

The heightened intuition of Uranus combined with the expansiveness of Jupiter serve to expand the fullness of experience towards universal mind by supporting the fusion of mind energy (intuition) and heart energy (bliss). Jupiter plays a major role in the fusion of head and heart, so that the dual “waters” in Aquarius may become one steady stream that we may call “heart-mind.”

Jupiter gives an inherent tendency to fusion which nothing can arrest. The achievement of ultimate synthesis is inevitable, and this Jupiter promotes. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The soul experience in Aquarius can be likened to a collective awakening, which we will have more experiential knowledge of as we reach the culmination of the Aquarian Age. As a result of the conditioning effects of Uranus and Jupiter, there is a flowering of human consciousness. We may think of it as a collective awakening, yet it is more akin to an awareness of our individual roles within the universal mind. Here there is a hint at the role of the Moon at hierarchical level in this mass awakening of humanity. The experience of universal mind is the higher group consciousness of Aquarius and is nothing like our current mental-intellectual experience. Rather, it is a level of higher mind that is born within from the fusion of higher mind (intuition) and heart-wisdom.

If an egg is broken by an outside force life ends.
If an egg is broken by an inside force, life begins.

~ Unknown

Your vital life-force energy comes from within. While it is natural for Aquarius to circulate (Aquarians are amazing networkers) it is more important that you pay attention to how you are flowing your energy. A fully integrated Aquarius will have accessed the heart-energy of their opposite sign Leo and be flowing vital heart-mind energy through an open heart. The Aquarian who is not yet fully attuned to their heart may just be circulating mental information at best and misinformation at worst. If you have Sun, Moon and especially Rising Sign in Aquarius, a major theme in your life is the circulation of life-force energy in the form of heart-wisdom. Be sure to access the inner dimensions of your own heart first to discover the inner fountain of life force energy and heart-wisdom, so you can then flow this energy with conscious intent for the benefit of humanity.


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.”

Uranus, Jupiter and the Inner Journey of Aquarius, Part I

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Young Woman with a Pitcher, by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, 1660-1662. The painting represented a shift in how the artist used light.

Aquarius Season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity to check in where we are up to in dedicating our personal energy to the body of humanity.

The sign of Aquarius is associated with individuality, uniqueness, science, technology, the future, humanitarianism, the New Age and group consciousness.

According to Esoteric Astrology, the last four signs of the zodiac – Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces – are signs of service. Following the soul’s journey through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the soul in Capricorn has followed and completed the path of light, leading to Christ consciousness, it is time for the soul in Aquarius to become the world server, flowing love and life for the benefit of thirsty humanity.

Four planets are important in creating the conditions necessary for the soul’s development and experience in Aquarius: Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and the Moon. Saturn was traditionally considered to be the planetary ruler of Aquarius, and to many people still will be. The conditions that we mentioned in last month’s article pertaining to Saturn and Capricorn also relate to Aquarius when humanity is largely personality centered and driven by fear and attachment. Once the soul has completed the stage of development in Capricorn and has accessed Christ consciousness, it no longer is limited by the constraints of Saturn and comes under the custodianship (planetary rulership) of Uranus.

On the reversed wheel. The Saturnian influence exhausts itself in Capricorn and the man is then set free from karma and needs no presentation of opportunity for he stands a free initiate, a true Master Mason* and can proceed with world service undeterred and held back by no thought of self or selfish desire. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

As humanity increasingly moves onto the fixed cross (see last month’s article for an overview of the evolution of consciousness in terms of the three crosses), where there is awareness of soul and personality, Uranus increasingly becomes the custodian of Aquarius at personality level. Jupiter is the custodian of Aquarius at soul level, while interestingly the Moon is the custodian at hierarchical level. Since we already explored Saturn in last month’s article on Capricorn – and the effect would be the same here in Aquarius until the individual consciousness has become receptive to the energies of Uranus – for our purposes in this article we will focus on the two major influences for this early phase of the Aquarian Age, Uranus and Jupiter.

Uranus causes the great transference in the human consciousness from intellectual perception to intuitive knowledge. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The subtle influence of Uranus begins in Aries at hierarchical level, continues working through Libra at soul level, and here in Aquarius, human consciousness has evolved to the degree that the subtle energies of Uranus can be received at personality level so the individual can perceive and fully utilize the intuitive faculty. Although even talking about “perceiving” and “utilizing” is misleading, because it sounds like there is something distinct and separate outside of ourselves to be perceived and utilized, which is not the case. By the time we have a conscious soul in Aquarius, we have gone beyond duality, and the experience of the intuitive faculty is that of embodiment. We realize it is who we are. We are aware of ourselves. This is also why Jupiter is the custodian at soul level in Aquarius, because we are experiencing our most expanded and expansive nature (without self).

The soul in Aquarius becomes the world server, and the highest soul purpose of Aquarius is the dedication of personal energy to the collective. Once again, even the term “collective” could be misleading, because our common understanding of collective is separate individuals forming a group. Yet, the highest soul experience in Aquarius is not one of separation, but of each individual being part of the whole body of humanity. Humanity is experienced as one, with each individual being an integral part, just like the cells within a human body that are individual yet indivisible from the whole. Since there is no experience of a separate self, there is no question of harming “others,” as to do so would be tantamount to chopping off one’s own fingers or toes! Others do not exist as such and all that is experienced is we, as one.

In Part II, we’ll look at the connection between Aquarius and the collective awakening of humanity.


Ruth

Footnote:
*I don’t believe this refers to modern Freemasonry, which the Tibetan describes as a “distortion,” but rather is a simple metaphor for one who is a Master in their respective field.

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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.”

Saturn and the Inner Journey of Capricorn, Part II

Detail from Capricornus, from Johannes Hevelius's  Uranographia, 1690.

Detail from Capricornus, from Johannes Hevelius’s Uranographia, 1690.

Interestingly the Romans thought of Saturn not only as a God of agriculture and time, but as a God of liberation, and there is also a key here to the higher purpose of Saturn and Capricorn.

The Soul in Capricorn has to journey up the mountain from the very depths of humanity to the very heights of Christ consciousness, and this is no small task. The higher purpose of Capricorn involves choosing a spiritual path and understanding the laws of creation so that we may create heaven on Earth.

Capricorn rules the knees, and this symbology is important in understanding the soul’s journey through Capricorn. It is Saturn’s job, at personality level, to bring Capricorn to his knees so he develops insight and humility and turns his attention away from the trappings and excesses of materialism that would keep him trapped in ego.

Saturn is a wise teacher bringing important lessons and guidance to support us in making choices that align with our highest good. The word creation comes from the Latin creõ, which means to create, make, produce, beget, give birth to, prepare, cause or choose. So in creating heaven on earth, there is an element of choice: it is through our choices and actions that we create heaven on Earth, or not.

[quote cite=”The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology”]Only when the Capricornian subject learns to kneel in all humility and with his knees upon the rocky mountain top to offer his heart and life to the soul and to human service, can he be permitted to pass through the door of initiation and be entrusted with the secrets of life. Only on his knees can he go through that door.[/quote]

Karma can be thought of simply as the law of cause and effect, and there seems to be a common belief that it refers to the results of our actions. Yet according to some Buddhist traditions, karma specifically refers to the volition, motivation, intention and action that creates the result. It is more about the action and intention than the result. So our personal karma is our past actions and intentions that planted the seeds for the results we are currently experiencing.

Saturn is bringing us the important lesson that these seeds ripen over time, and that if we truly want to create heaven on earth, we need to change our actions and plant different seeds! Once our intentions, motivation, thoughts and actions are fully aligned with divine will, we are liberated from the cyclic existence that keeps us trapped in ego and the physical realm (Samsara), and Saturn has fulfilled his role as a god of liberation.

Saturn is not only about restriction and limitation, because karma is not only about restriction and limitation. Conventionally many people feel that natal or transiting Saturn is “blocking” them in some way. This might seem to be the case from the perspective of the ego-personality that isn’t getting what it wants, but in reality Saturn brings important lessons about natural law, nature’s cycles, rhythms, potential, and possibility.

From the ego’s point of view spiritual progress is ‘one insult after another’
~ Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

At personality level, Saturn teaches important and necessary natural laws. The nature of the physical realm is one of limitation, because everything works according to change and cycles of time. This lesson lies behind the old story of King Canute, who tried to hold back the tide. The limitation is not imposed by Saturn, but actually by our own mind. It is King Canute’s mind that is limiting him, in narrowing his view of reality to only that which he can control with his small ego. The lessons of Saturn are guiding us beyond our small mind, beyond the limitations of ego and the intellect, so we can see the greater reality, the truth of our own being.

Mind gives place to intuition and reason to pure perception.
~ The Tibetan Master, Esoteric Astrology

It is our egoic ideas that limit us, and once Saturn has “brought us to our knees” at the personality level, we are forced to accept that there is a greater reality happening outside of our small world, of which we are also a part. It is then that we align with our soul path and become receptive to the higher teachings of Saturn. Saturn then becomes the Lord of Liberation by showing us the true path to freedom.

If you have Sun, Moon, and especially Rising Sign in Capricorn, you have an important role to play in creating heaven on earth, by paying attention to your motives and choices and ensuring they are fully aligned with divine will for the highest and best good of all.


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.”

Saturn and the Inner Journey of Capricorn, Part I

Detail from Capricornus, from Johannes Hevelius's  Uranographia, 1690.

Detail from Capricornus, from Johannes Hevelius’s Uranographia, 1690.

Capricorn Season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity to return to the light. While having their feet planted firmly upon the ground, our Capricorn friends have clear sight of the mountaintop and a sure steady method that will take them there.

The sign of Capricorn is associated with practical methodology, steadfastness, business, finances, resource management, ambition and spiritual aspiration. This sign of extremes is associated with both the worst excesses of materialistic egotism at personality level, and yet esoterically is associated with the heights of spiritual aspiration leading to Christ consciousness. We will understand why as we explore the planetary conditions that exist for the soul’s highest development in the mysterious sign of Capricorn.

Esoterically, all world Saviours and Sun Gods are born in Capricorn but also the very worst type of man – hard, materialistic, cruel, proud, selfishly ambitious and egoistic. The head rules the heart in such cases, whereas in the perfect example of the influences of Capricorn, head and heart are perfectly balanced.
~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology

As we follow the soul’s journey through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the Archer clearly identified the path in Sagittarius, in Capricorn it is time to follow the path of light all the way to Christ consciousness.

Two planets are important in creating the conditions for the soul’s experience and development in Capricorn. Saturn is the planetary space-holder (ruler) at both personality and soul level, while interestingly, it is Venus that holds space at hierarchical level. In Esoteric Astrology the Tibetan Master describes the evolution of consciousness in three stages which he refers to as the three crosses.

The mutable cross is where most of humanity currently is. This is where we are largely personality-centered and personality-driven. The fixed cross is where we begin to have some soul awareness and follow a more spiritual path, yet we are still identified with personality, so duality is still present. The cardinal cross is where we are fully integrated, living and expressing our lives as fully soul-centered beings. According to Esoteric Astrology, Saturn cannot follow mankind onto the cardinal cross and so only has influence at personality and soul level:

Saturn’s power is completely ended and his work accomplished when man (the spiritual man) has freed himself from Karma and from the power of the two Crosses – the Common [Mutable] and the Fixed. Esoterically, Saturn cannot follow man on to the Cardinal Cross.
~ The Tibetan Master DK, Esoteric Astrology

Saturn has a reputation for being a serious, strict, limiting, authoritarian, law-giving father figure. He is known as the Lord of Karma and the Lord of Time and is known for being a very harsh taskmaster. Believe it or not, this is ultimately all for the highest good, for it keeps Capricorn on the truest path towards Christ consciousness and prevents any wayward diversions that would tempt Capricorn to stray from his path and become lost in the trappings of material existence.

To understand Saturn’s role we must understand karma and natural law. If you put your hand in the fire, it will be burnt. You are not being punished for putting your hand in the fire; it is simply the result of natural law. The nature of fire is heat, and so anything coming into proximity with it will simply be burnt. Although we are spiritual by nature, Saturn brings us important lessons that we must heed while we are living a material existence: namely the law of cause and effect (karma) and the realities of time and limitation. If we are to plant seeds, grow crops, and harvest them effectively to provide food for our survival, we must heed the cycles of time, and plant and harvest according to the seasons. These are the simple lessons of Saturn.

In Part II, we will take a more in-depth look at the concept of Karma and how it relates to Saturn and Capricorn.


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.”

Jupiter, Earth, and theInner Journey of Sagittarius, Part II

© Bezik for Dreamstime.com

Under the guardianship of Jupiter, Sagittarius resonates with the highest truth of our spiritual nature, but before this is realized, the Sagittarian personality has to let go of all mental conceptions that are mistaken as truth. Sooner or later, the Sagittarian personality realizes that his beloved mental concepts actually obscure his perception of truth.

The weighing of opinions only prevents the perception of truth.
~ J. Krishnamurti

Following the preparation of the soul in the preceding eight zodiac signs, Jupiter steps in to bring a magnificent expansion of consciousness, the likes of which we have never known before. This is different than the higher consciousness that we experienced in Libra under the influence of Uranus. The touch of Uranus is like being zapped by a lightning-bolt flash of insight, which gives us a taste, a glimpse into higher consciousness. When the lightning flashes, for an instant we can see more than usual, but when the lightning stops we are in the dark again. Jupiter is very different. As might be expected with Jupiter, our awareness is being expanded on a much grander scale. Jupiter invites us to expand our own mind to embody the highest consciousness as our own highest mind. To expand our sense of self on a universal scale, so that we become it. From this perspective we see the universe, as ourselves.

Once we have embodied the expanded awareness of Jupiter on a grand scale, we are ready to receive the higher teachings of Gaia, our Earth Mother, and discover our true role as custodians of this beautiful planet. We first felt Earth’s influence in Gemini, albeit in the form of a subtle hint to our grander purpose from the hierarchical level. Now in Gemini’s opposite sign of Sagittarius, after the full expansion and embodiment of higher mind brought to us by Jupiter, we have the awareness to realize who we are and why we are here. From this higher expanded consciousness we know ourselves to be an aspect of Gaia herself. We realize the truth of no separation, and that we are here to contribute to the evolution of Earth herself by being a conduit for divine love and light.

The result of all experience in any sign of the zodiac should work out as an expansion of consciousness.
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

With the expanded awareness that Jupiter brings, we know beyond doubt, from our own experience, that earth is a living being, as is the whole solar system, and we know our own vital role within it. Earth has always provided. Not only does she feed, nourish and sustain us, but she is the physical field of experience through which we cultivate higher qualities. For example, through our own suffering we develop compassion for the suffering of others. She provides the foundation for our spiritual evolution. Following the expansive embodiment of higher mind in Jupiter, we mature and are ready to offer service back to Earth herself. We are ready to return the love of our Mother.

In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan talks about two stages on our spiritual journey, discipleship and initiation. We become the disciple during the experience in Scorpio, which means we have purified and transformed our lower animal urges and are ready to discipline ourselves by focusing on our spiritual goal. The experience in Sagittarius, under the guardianship of Jupiter and Earth herself, assists us in staying focused on the path (discipleship) and holding steady until we reach our goal of initiation in Capricorn.

Every life experience or cycle of life experiences should work out as an initiation into a wider field of awareness, of expression and of resultant contact.
– The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

In this context we don’t mean initiation as this term is most commonly used, as in a ceremonial rite of passage into a manmade group or society, but rather in the sense of starting or beginning something. In this sense we initiate a new stage of human development and evolution in which we are fully aware of ourselves as soul-centered beings.

It is precisely the conditions provided by Jupiter and Earth that causes Sagittarius to raise his vision beyond physical goals and set his sights on goals of a more spiritual nature. This naturally leads to the initiation of the next stage of our spiritual evolution in Capricorn. The soul purpose of Sagittarius is to uplift humanity through the revelation of truth and wisdom. If you have Sun, Moon or Rising Sign in Sagittarius, your work is to question everything. How do you know what you know? You are here to release mental conceptions, thoughts, ideas and words, and seek the highest love-wisdom of universal mind, beyond the limitations of the lower mind.

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.”

Jupiter, Earth, and the Inner Journey of Sagittarius, Part I

© Bezik for Dreamstime.com

Sagittarius season is upon us once again, bringing with it an opportunity for deeper wisdom and the possibility to recognize and focus on our spiritual goals.

The fun-loving gregarious sign of Sagittarius is associated with freedom, truth, optimism, travel, adventure, spirituality, religion and philosophy. What do all these have in common? The search for ultimate truth and freedom. The true freedom that Sagittarius seeks is liberation of the mind.

Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the final struggle in Scorpio the way forward becomes clear. Scorpio brought necessary purification and transformation in preparation for the experience in Sagittarius:

The Archer has to acquire and hold a steady eye, hand and stance prior to firing the arrow which, when rightly directed and correctly followed, will carry him through the portal of initiation [in Capricorn]. ~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

Last month, we saw how Scorpio was the last of the signs of challenge (or crisis) and here in Sagittarius we have the first of the signs of service. The soul is now matured and ready to fulfill divine purpose with confidence. Throughout this series we have been looking at how specific planets provide the necessary conditions for each stage of our soul’s growth and development. Three planets are important to Sagittarius: Jupiter (at personality level), the Earth (at soul level) and Mars (at hierarchical level). For our purposes here in understanding our evolution from personality-centered beings to soul-centered beings, we will be looking at Jupiter and the Earth. It is just interesting to note that once again we have the influence of Mars at a much higher level of consciousness than he would normally be associated with!

Scorpio is a sign of purification which sets the soul on a path of discipleship (discipline), so here in Sagittarius the experience is one of discipline, focus, and direction. Jupiter is a planet of expansiveness and higher mind, so his role in conditioning us at personality level is one of expanding awareness and consciousness. It is through the influence of Jupiter that one realizes there is something higher to aim for: a bigger, larger, grander picture of ourselves beyond our small, limited mind.

Jupiter invites us to expand our vision, our awareness, and our experience of ourselves. Initially the earliest inkling of self-awareness shows up as self-consciousness, as we mentioned in Leo. Jupiter’s expansive influence in Sagittarius invites us to expand our experience on all levels, so we can expand our awareness. Taken to extremes at personality level, this expansive tendency can lead to self-indulgence and leave our Sagittarian friends with an expanding waistline! However, it is important to note that although Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, it is largely comprised of gas. The symbology here implies expansion beyond the density of physical matter. Jupiter encourages us to expand our minds.

Jupiter’s role is to create the conditions to guide us from small mind to higher mind. When we are in small mind we are limited by mental concepts and ideals. We impose limitation on ourselves by creating mental concepts and then adhering to them as though they were truth. When we know the difference between small mind (personality level) and higher mind (soul level), we see a distinction between religion and spirituality and begin to understand why both are associated with Sagittarius.

When we follow a religious path, at first we adhere closely to a creed or code of conduct. Although religious traditions are mental constructs, they have been created for the ultimate purpose of taking us beyond religion itself to experience higher spiritual truth. It is a path that someone created. The danger lies in mistaking the path itself for spiritual reality, and this is one of the pitfalls of Sagittarius.

In Part II, we’ll discuss how expanding consciousness with Jupiter increases our awareness of our connection with the Earth.


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).

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).