archetype

Jupiter in Sagittarius

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Jupiter in Sagittarius Blake Centaur

Centaur Cacus from Dante’s Inferno by William Blake (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

Jupiter in Sagittarius

Since mindfulness, of all things,

is the ground of being,

to speak one’s true mind,

and to keep things known

in common, serves all being,

just as laws made clear

uphold the city,

yet with greater strength.

Of all pronouncements of the law

the one source is the Word

whereby we choose what helps

true mindfulness prevail.

—  Heraclitus, fragment 91, translated by Brooks Haxton

Jupiter returns to its fiery home of Sagittarius on November 8, 2018 where it will remain until December 2, 2019. Jupiter has been in Scorpio since October 10, 2017 under the rulership of Mars in a fixed water sign, pulling the significations of Jupiter down into subterranean lessons of martial strife. The shift of Jupiter into Sagittarius is dramatic, moving from a sign unsympathetic to Jupiter into its own terrain where it can directly access its expansive nature. Jupiter in Sagittarius kindles faith that within a time of increasing darkness, light will return and that it is possible to overcome the fears and limitations of the current state of our world. Jupiter in Sagittarius brings the inspirational pull of the Sun setting into darkness over the horizon, as the stimulating songs of shining stars summon searches toward worlds beyond present circumstances.

Jupiter in Sagittarius is sovereign like the simultaneously transiting Saturn in Capricorn, with no need to rely upon other planets for assistance. This also means that any planet or light transiting through Sagittarius or Pisces in the next year will have a fully engaged and receptive Jupiter ready to generously boost endeavors. With the lunar nodes shifting into Cancer and Capricorn at the same time, the coming union of Pluto, Saturn, the South Node of the Moon, and eclipses in Capricorn will be bringing a heavy gravitas of Saturnine testing, tempering, and obstruction throughout the next year. As old structures fall apart and collective fears are stoked, the transit of Jupiter in Sagittarius offers an eagle eyed view of vision that transcends the constraints of current events. Jupiter was last in Sagittarius from November 23, 2006 through December 18, 2007; however, personal reflection upon this previous transit must take account for the fact that Jupiter’s time in 2006 – 2007 was dramatically influenced by the co-presence of Pluto in Sagittarius as well as Uranus in Pisces forming a catalytic square aspect.

We find Jupiter in Sagittarius in the fire in the belly that incites searches for meaning and grand quests of adventure. It’s the union of horse and human in the wild, wayfaring form of the centaur, the stampede of hoofs igniting wide ranging travel bridging diverse cultures and philosophical traditions. Jupiter in Sagittarius is at its best when roaming under the guidance of Spirit and higher powers rather than the conditioning of consensus expectations, but of course its manifestations will be multivalent and can also promote excessive greed for mainstream materialism. Jupiter in Sagittarius can be a guru in multiple fields of knowledge, a mythic example being the wise centaur Chiron who mastered the medicine of the stars above, the plants below, and the body in between. The next year of Jupiter in Sagittarius can be seized for seeking knowledge beyond present parameters, being willing to journey far across both external and internal landscapes.

Louise Bourgeois head on fire

Head on Fire by Louise Bourgeois (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

Fire in its ways of changing

is a sea transfigured

between forks of lightning

and the solid earth.

— Heraclitus, fragment 21, translated by Brooks Haxton

According to astrological tradition, Jupiter is one of the rulers of the fire triplicity and so especially comfortable in its fiery home of Sagittarius. Fire is the element rising to the summit of the celestial sphere in the doctrines of ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, and in astrology it is the element most strongly associated with Spirit and divine inspiration. Fire has an enthusiastic, extroverted nature that operates intuitively with Jupiter in Sagittarius.  However, while Jupiter in Sagittarius will facilitate following hunches and spontaneous intuition, the simultaneous transit of Saturn in Capricorn will demand substantive, disciplined effort. There’s a beautiful balance to be struck between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Saturn in Capricorn, with Jupiter bringing the fiery heat needed to renew the meaningful purpose exerted with Saturn in Capricorn, melting frozen forms so as to open awareness of potential that had previously been restrained from perception.

Fire is an element known as being hot and dry in astrology, meaning that it not only invigorates outward action but also clarifies as it promotes making distinctions and separating elements rather than coalescing things together. This brings some remediation to Jupiter, as the star of Zeus naturally coheres connections within its expansive impact. As a result we can utilize the transit of Jupiter in Sagittarius to hone in on the passions and pursuits we want to focus energy on for development, burning off whatever has been distracting or dissipating our full engagement. The fire of Jupiter in Sagittarius will feed on whatever knowledge and experience inspires us, whether it be philosophy or stories from the pages of a book or in physical, sensory engagement with the natural world.

Jupiter in Sagittarius

by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

The way up is the way back.

The beginning is the end.

— Heraclitus, fragments 69 & 70, translated by Brooks Haxton

The Sagittarius image of the half human, half horse centaur, a symbol uniting the rational and animalistic, is a reflection of Sagittarius being a mutable, or double-bodied sign. Mutable signs such as Sagittarius signify objects and events with multiple functions and impacts, operating with a digressive quality in which we become drawn toward initiating new action before completing whatever process we had already begun. Mutable signs can be scattered and inconsistent, but bring the gifts of flexibility, adaptability, and curious vitality that will embrace change rather than avoid it. Thus the transit of Jupiter in Sagittarius is ideal for not only embracing a new vision of life, but also embarking on fresh, exciting endeavors while simultaneously bringing to completion projects previously under development. Getting creative juices flowing in pursuit of intrinsically exciting ideas will help reinvigorate dedication to completing work in which flames of motivation had begun to dwindle and become in need of inspirational fuel to get going again, perhaps in new directions.

The symbolism of mutable signs within the tropical zodiac is rooted in the fact that they arrive at the end of one season as it transitions to the next. In the northern hemisphere, Sagittarius bridges the end of Fall with the beginning of Winter, the darkest time of the year just before the return of light at the Winter Solstice. As we finish work begun in the distant past, we will also notice yearning and curiosity sparked toward not only new ideas to engage with in the season ahead but also new outlooks to embody. Jupiter in Sagittarius has the flexibility needed to help us mutate the philosophy we live our life from into a renewal of purpose more resonate with our current state of development, untethered from previous expectations.

Japanese archer

Japanese archer (ca. 1885) from Detroit Institute of Arts

The cosmos works

by harmony of tensions,

like the lyre and bow.

— Heraclitus, fragment 56, translated by Brooks Haxton

Though it’s common today to consider the centaur as the central image of the Sagittarius constellation, its imagery since ancient times has in fact had the strongest connection across cultures with the Archer. The Persians, Syrians, Indians, and Egyptians all linked the constellation with bows, arrows, and the warriors who struck fear in the heart of enemies with them. As Bernadette Brady wrote, “the soldier of Sagittarius was cruel, stormy, wild and feared . . .” Since in the northern hemisphere the Sun in Sagittarius in the tropical zodiac arrives at the darkest time of the year, having a fierce protector in its living image makes sense. For example, in ancient Mesopotamia the Sagittarius constellation was connected with Pabilsag, a bow and arrow wielding centaur with the tail of a scorpion, a guardian of the underworld.

Eratosthenes, a second century BC polymath who was the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria, recognized the living image of Sagittarius as Crotus, a satyr like son of Pan (god of nature, the wild, and impromptu music) and Eupheme (goddess of praise, acclaim, applause, and words of good omen). Crotus was both a horse rider and the inventor of archery who also kept in close relationship with the Muses, who adored him for the enthusiastic applause they could elicit from him. In this image of a muse loving archer we can imagine Jupiter in Sagittarius as also conjuring the Bard, the storytelling musician who can hit the target of the tale through choosing the right word and note in the right rhythm, sometimes in the light of a warming fire at night.

Altogether these images of diverse archers illuminates the point of focus held in the gaze of Sagittarius, and how the transit of Jupiter through the sign of the Archer may aid us in directing our creative will towards desired targets. Nicholas Campion has described the sign’s bow “as divine inspiration” and its arrow “as the unbending, directed will” whose flight “symbolizes the human quest for freedom, whether spiritual, political, intellectual, or emotional.” Yet these gifts of enthusiastic fire can go overboard, and here we find the ancient ruthlessness of the sign that can become overly focused and driven to the point of becoming a dogmatic dominator. Thus the multivalence of Jupiter’s time in Sagittarius will bring the cruel crusader to the forefront at the same time it also promotes persistence in sustaining one pointed focus toward emancipatory vision.

Jupiter in Sagittarius Goya punctual folly

Punctual Folly by Francisco de Goya (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

Many fail to grasp what they have seen,

and cannot judge what they have learned,

although they tell themselves they know.

— Heraclitus, fragment 5, translated by Brooks Haxton

Jupiter transiting through Sagittarius can be an incredibly optimistic and hopeful placement in many areas of life, yet it can also become excessively self-promoting and aggrandizing.  There is a zealous shadow side to Jupiter in Sagittarius in which its forthright devoutness becomes a crux when there is a lack of substance supporting its overly optimistic ventures.  Jupiter in Sagittarius can have grand ambitions but can also be impractical, unprepared, and too restless to be held down by details and drudgery.  Thus when inner fires of imagination are lit by brainstorms with Jupiter in Sagittarius, it will be vital to use the simultaneous transit of Saturn in Capricorn to test the mettle to make sure new ideas have sturdy enough bones of underlying support for successful manifestation.

Jupiter in Sagittarius can also become excessively idealistic, such as the evangelist wishing to convert others to whatever perspective, philosophy, or belief they have become impassioned by. We will also surely see the brainwashing capacities of Jupiter in Sagittarius utilized by those in power for propaganda promoting the interests of power structures. While Jupiter in Sagittarius at its best is broad minded, multi-cultural, and universalist, it can also manifest in idealizing nationalistic tendencies and xenophobia. Narcissistic world leaders will feed on the fire of others and will be willing to ignite ideological wildfires that can erupt across the collective within those gullible to their manipulative message.

In these ways we can see how the simultaneous transit of Saturn in Capricorn can be supportive in tempering the excesses of Jupiter in Sagittarius and holding it accountable for delivering visionary truth rather than aggrandizing dishonesty.  Since Saturn will also be co-present with Pluto, the lunar nodes, and eclipses in Capricorn, at the same time it will perhaps be even more important to draw from the hopeful adventurousness of Jupiter in Sagittarius that can strengthen faith in the unknown and confidence that desired outcomes are possible even in the face of overwhelming difficulties.

Kurt Seligmann Melusine

Melusine and the Great Transparents by Kurt Seligmann (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

Jupiter vs. Neptune

The soul is undiscovered,

though explored forever

to a depth beyond report.

— Heraclitus, fragment 71, translated by Brooks Haxton

Perhaps the most significant aspect formed by Jupiter in Sagittarius during the next year is its catalytic square aspect with Neptune in Pisces. The Jupiter and Neptune cycle is an important yet often overlooked planetary cycle, a cycle that Dane Rudhyar noted occurs in a successive sign of the zodiac (for the most part) every 13 years. Rudhyar called it a cycle constituting “the essential small steps we should take in the transformation of our traditional social sense,” explaining that instead of corresponding with “startling events” it instead implies changes in attitudes and feelings, “a new awareness of what human relationship can mean.” Rudhyar stated “it is the accumulation of these small changes which at last allows the great revolutionary events to happen,” as he viewed Jupiter as signifying societal beliefs and attitudes we may conform to for security purposes, while seeing Neptune as “an agent of the vast galactic field of cosmic existence . . . an emissary of the greater to the lesser” that “dissolves the obsolete narrowness of the Saturnine focus” because of the universalizing nature of its archetype.

Regarding the cycle of Neptune and Jupiter as a whole, Rudhyar wrote:

The Jupiter-Neptune cycle is very much like a walking process. Every 13 years-and, even more, every 166 years — mankind should take a step forward, even if only a tiny one. It should be a step ahead of our past traditional social, cultural and religious sense of human relationship. Unfortunately, such a step tends to lead at first to confusion, disarray, dismay, perhaps temporary blindness and panicky escape “back to the womb” of what may be thought to be a secure and familiar institution or religious organization. However, progress is only through the confusion and the glowing mist over the hills, yonder. There is no way ever of going ahead, except through!

Through Neptune the great moment for this transcendence (literally, this “stepping through”) is when Neptune meets Jupiter, for it is, theoretically at least, the moment when the “form” of our future becomes visible, however dimly, to our consciousness. Alas, the great majority of people refuse to see; or, if they see, to understand; or, if they understand with their mind, to act according to their understanding (which refers, then, to Pluto); or, if they act, to have the dynamic faith and perseverance to sustain the action.

— Dane Rudhyar, The Jupiter-Neptune Cycle

The last cycle of Jupiter and Neptune began in 2009 in the range of 24 – 27° Aquarius, with the next cycle beginning in 2022 at 24° Pisces.  This means that the square aspect formed between Jupiter in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces in the next year is a waning one, or a last quarter square that reflects back upon the beginning of the cycle in 2009. Applying the symbolism of Rudhyar’s eight lunation phases, this means that we will collectively be experiencing a “crisis in consciousness” that will serve a purpose of dissolving and dismantling old belief systems in order to ultimately open up new avenues of vision more resonant with evolving needs.  Jupiter’s traditional rulership of Pisces means that Jupiter will be receiving Neptune and thus in better position to help facilitate the use of imagination in creative problem solving that transcends limitations of outdated paradigms. It can also be a potent time for storytelling, music, the arts, and all fields involving creative exploration.

Unfortunately, the rich imaginal potency of Jupiter interfacing strongly with Neptune can also correlate with idealized illusions fogging up debates and making it difficult to clarify dynamics and discern effective solutions. Part of the issue is that people are normally unaware of illusions underlying their perceptions and perspectives until experiencing the stripping away of difficult, disillusioning experiences. Because Jupiter in Sagittarius is in the tenth place from Pisces, it means that Jupiter is in the superior position of the square between Jupiter and Neptune; this means that the truth seeking of Jupiter can ultimately overcome the tidal wave of dissolution flooding forth from Neptune.  The treasure we will be able to unearth from the “bursting of bubbles” though disillusionment will be the gift of self realization and heightened capacity to reorient ourselves toward inner truth.

The degree range of the square aspect between Jupiter and Neptune will be between 14 – 19° of Sagittarius and Pisces. They will first form a square on 13 January 2019 at 15° with both direct, a second time on 16 June 2019 at 19° with Jupiter retrograde, and a third and final time on 21 September 2019 at 17° with Neptune retrograde.  Within this time period, an especially interesting transit will be the Mercury retrograde in Pisces that occurs in March 2019 due to Mercury stationing direct on March 28, 2019 while conjoining Neptune in Pisces. When Mercury is reborn while conjoining the Sun at its inferior conjunction on 14 March 2019 at 25° it will be received by Jupiter in Sagittarius through a square aspect. The Mercury retrograde in Pisces in March 2019 will be a time of deeply questioning beliefs that will have a strong connection with the experiences corresponding with the Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius that begins on 16 November 2018 in range of a square aspect with Neptune.

In addition, the square aspect between Jupiter and Neptune will be an integral part of Jupiter’s retrograde phase while in Sagittarius. Jupiter will be retrograde from April 10 through August 11, moving retrograde from 25° to 15° of Sagittarius. The heart of the Jupiter retrograde will be on June 10, 2019 with the Gemini Sun opposite Jupiter in Sagittarius at 19°28′, with Neptune in Pisces forming a square to both at 18°41′ creating a mutable T-square configuration. This further points to the significance of the Jupiter and Neptune cycle in 2019 pulling us within to rediscover personal truth as well as a richer and more essential purpose to live from.

Jupiter in Sagittarius Goya punctual folly

by William Blake (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius)

Lightning Storm of Saturn & Pluto

Without injustices

the name of justice

would mean what?

— Heraclitus, fragment 60, translated by Brooks Haxton

The dissolution of old paradigms sparked by Jupiter’s relationship with Neptune that can clear space for new meaning can further be seen in the relationship between Jupiter in Sagittarius with Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. Jupiter in Sagittarius is in the twelfth place to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, forming a “balsamic” or “dark Moon” relationship symbolically similar to the reseeding and clearing experienced in the days before a New Moon. The coming together of Saturn, Pluto, and the South Node of the Moon in Capricorn will be one of the dominant astrological themes of 2019, with Saturn and Pluto finally forming an exact conjunction in Capricorn on 12 January 2020. Vitally, the impact of Saturn and Pluto coming together in the next year is amplified due to each also conjoining their own south nodes while additionally conjoining the South Node of the Moon. This will result in the South Node of Saturn, South Node of Pluto, and the South Node of the Moon all aligning in proximity with the transit of Saturn and Pluto.

The cumulative effect over the next year will bring a powerful purging, with the full arc of both the Saturn and Pluto archetypes unleashed throughout global civilizations. Within the context of the Saturn and Pluto cycle, Jupiter in Sagittarius will illuminate the philosophies and beliefs underlying dominant power structures and forces of oppression that have caused suffering for ages, as well as those that kindle empowerment and resiliency. Since Jupiter in Sagittarius is in a balsamic phase with both Saturn and Pluto, on personal levels we have the opportunity to reflect upon how we have been conditioned and impacted by cultural, societal, political, and religious belief systems in order to regenerate a purified vision of life to live from.

The coming together of Saturn and Pluto in history has often corresponded with destructive periods that have elicited a tightening of conservative control and boundaries within political systems in reaction. While the transit of Jupiter in Sagittarius can be utilized in dreaming up a grander, more expansive personal lifestyle, it will also be necessary to reconcile pursuits within the constraining, contracting quality of Saturn and Pluto in close proximity, aiming for plans that uplift and inspire the greater community. Jupiter in Sagittarius can serve as the fiery light in a time of darkness that brings hope and inspiration to those who have felt marginalized or oppressed, or to those who have simply held themselves back from pursuing the goals that make them feel most alive and purposeful.

Eventually, at the time of the solstice on December 19, 2020 we will experience a “great conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn at the first degree of Aquarius. This will place us not only at the beginning of a new twenty year cycle between Jupiter and Saturn, but also places us at the beginning stages of a larger 200 year cycle of conjunctions between Jupiter and Saturn occurring in air signs that will place importance on the cultivation and communication of inventive ideas and technology. During the transit of Jupiter in Sagittarius over the next year, we can choose to share the warmth of its fiery inspiration with others in need rather than hoarding it for personal gain. Each of us making the choice to live from a heart-centered vision of life can help create a steady flow of jovial generosity throughout the collective that Jupiter in Sagittarius loves best.

“Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

— from The Little Prince written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (born with Jupiter in Sagittarius and Saturn in Capricorn)

Jupiter in Sagittarius

References

Brady, Bernadette. (1998). Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars. Weiser.

Campion, Nicholas & Eddy, Steve. (1999). The New Astrology: the Art and Science of the Stars. Bloomsbury.

Haxton, Brooks. (2001). Fragments: The Collected Wisdom of Heraclitus. Viking.

Uranus Opposition Podcast Interview

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Uranus-Opposition-1-e1528834790285

I’m excited to share the release of the second part of my interview with Christina Caudill on the Radiant Astrology Podcast. We did this interview back on the day Uranus first entered Taurus, and in this installment we primarily focus on the meaning of the Uranus opposition transit as well as some of the meaning of Uranus entering Taurus.  If you were born with Uranus in Scorpio (1974 – 1981) the entrance of Uranus into Taurus brings you into the Uranus opposition period that can bring about a release and break from past patterns. If you have Uranus in the first ten degrees of Scorpio this next year will be especially big for you as both Mars and Venus will be going retrograde in range of aspect in addition to Uranus in Taurus.

Here is a link to the podcast interview:

https://radiantastrology.com/podcast-the-uranus-opposition-w-gray-crawford/

In the interview I talk about the two lectures I presented at the United Astrology Conference, or UAC 2018. Michael Lutin has called it the Woodstock of our astrological generation, and thats not off base in the sense that it did feel like an immense cultural moment for astrology. It was an honor to present there, and both of my talks were very well received which was also rewarding. There were many incredible lectures given by some of the best astrologers currently working in the world. You can order lectures now from the UAC website. Here are links to order copies of my talks:

The Light and Shadow of Mercury in the Secondary Progressed Chart:

https://uacastrology.com/recordings/Gray-Crawford-The-Light-and-Shadow-of-Mercury-in-the-Secondary-Progressed-Chart-p108202754

Radical Awakening: Uranus Opposition:

https://uacastrology.com/recordings/Gray-Crawford-Radical-Awakening-Uranus-Opposition-p108202663

Also, in case you missed the first part of my interview on the Radiant Astrology Podcast, here is a link to it:

https://radiantastrology.com/podcast-uranus-in-taurus-with-gray-crawford/

 

 

 

Mars in Aquarius

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aquarius-glyph

Mars in Aquarius

“Just as all people have shadows, every society and nation, too, has shadows. If there are bright, shining aspects, there will definitely be a counterbalancing dark side.

“At times, we tend to avert our eyes from the shadow, those negative parts, or else, try to forcibly eliminate those aspects. No matter how high a wall we build to keep intruders out, no matter how strictly we exclude outsiders, no matter how much we rewrite history to suit us, we just end up damaging and hurting ourselves . . . You have to patiently learn to live together with your shadow and carefully observe the darkness that resides within you.”

— Haruki Murakami, novelist with Mars in Aquarius, in speech given after receiving the Hans Christian Andersen literature award

Born with Mars in Aquarius conjoining Mercury, author Haruki Murakami recently gave voice in an award ceremony to the dire need in these collective times to live with and explore one’s inner shadow.   Mars in Aquarius has an ability to gain objective clarity regarding inner desires perhaps more so than any other placement for the red planet, bringing greater awareness of our shadow, or whatever aspects of our psyche our persona has cast off from consciousness.  In evolutionary astrology, Jeff Green viewed the archetype of Aquarius as having the evolutionary intention of objectifying the nature of reality at any level one focuses upon through detaching from one’s subjective emotional reality. This doesn’t mean detached dissociation, but rather that Mars in Aquarius can penetrate into the nature and structure of any dynamic and gain understanding of how to catalyze necessary growth.  Here, growth is separated from consensus, mainstream, culturally conditioned influences, and is rather rooted in the ineffable realm of soul.

When we think of Mars in astrology, the consensus mindset does not picture Aquarius, and yet there is a singular quality of Mars we can value and learn from in the sign of the Water Bearer.  Aquarius is not known as a natural place for Mars through the essential dignity of traditional astrology, as Mars only has dignity in its Egyptian bounds between 20 and 25 degrees.  This gives Mars the feel of an outsider in Aquarius, and a unique environment for Mars to operate within that brings a martial force like nowhere else.  Mars in Aries and Scorpio are known as strong placements for Mars where the red planet can be its plain self, pure and simple.  Mars can also be fierce, hot, courageous, and protective in Aquarius, yet also has a strange mix of objectivity, humanitarianism, experimentation, and determination we do not quite find in any other sign.

Aquarius is hot and moist in temperament in traditional astrology, meaning it disperses outwardly and seeks cohesion, has flexibility and strong capabilities in mutating.  The fixed nature of Aquarius brings greater persistence and perseverance to Mars than it finds in the other Air signs, and so Mars may be slower to get going at the outset in Aquarius but can sustain itself over long periods of time and resiliently foster stability in the work it directs itself into.  Since Saturn is the traditional ruler of Aquarius, Mars in Aquarius is able to set itself apart from mainstream thought and mutate in accordance with thinking, writing, philosophy, the arts and sciences, and other expressions of consciousness with kindred spirits of soulfulness.

While Aquarius is the outwardly directed home of Saturn in traditional astrology, many forms of modern astrology consider Uranus to be its ruler. In evolutionary astrology, Jeff Green wrote that Mars in Aquarius “reflects an instinct to experiment with different ways of being,” desires “to create an essential courage in other people to break free from the status quo,” and unpredictably “desires progressive transformation leading to an ever-increasing realization and definition of its individuality.”  However, whether you use Saturn or Uranus as the ruler of Aquarius, in both systems Mars in Aquarius holds the desire of the Water Bearer to carry and share the enlivening water of consciousness that will nourish humanitarian impulses to cast off oppressive conditioning, opening desire to the alchemy bridging one’s heart and inner mind.

ganymede-michelangelo

Ganymede by Michelangelo

Eagles resonate with Mars in Aquarius in part because of their capacity to soar beyond barriers with focused and penetrating vision, matching the loyal, persistent, persevering, and stabilizing qualities Mars can discover in a Fixed Air sign.  Eagles like Mars in Aquarius also value interdependence in relationship, as the eagle’s nest is a home in which both partners pull equal weight while having the freedom to independently take action within committed bonds of relationship.  The eagle is also a crucial figure in the myth of Ganymede associated with Aquarius.  Ganymede to some sources is the Water Bearer of the sign of Aquarius, a beautiful young man with whom Zeus was so enamored that he swooped down in the form of an eagle in order to seize for his own. In contrast to the myth of Persephone in which Hades pulls the goddess into the underworld, in the myth of Ganymede the coveted youth is pulled upward with ascension into the heavens.

Zeus gives Ganymede the role of cup bearer, the one who serves the nectar that keeps the gods and goddesses immortal, until Hera’s complaints lead to Ganymede being placed in the stars as the constellation of Aquarius. Among other meanings, since ancient times this myth has been seen as representing the phenomenon of Spirit ascending from the body. Astrologer Jason Holley presented material on the Ganymede myth in relation to the polarity between Aquarius and Leo at the 2015 Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC). His talk “Aquarius/Leo – The Journey from Fragmentation to Wholeness” explored themes associated with the myth of Ganymedes such as the split between innocence and experience, the split between the ordinary and the extraordinary, and disruptions of psycho-spiritual development that can occur as a result.  In terms of bringing Aquarius into greater wholeness, Holley stressed the importance of activating the polarity of Leo to create a growth cycle of rupture and repair.

To Holley, the stable system of self brought into coherence by Leo becomes decentered by triggering material associated with Aquarius and Uranus that activates the nonlinear field of multiplicity and leads to either: (1) achieving the challenge of expressing and integrating the new insights into self, expanding our self-concept while we continue to embody our self-identity, or (2) a shattering or splitting off from our psyche parts of our self that we feel like our environment and culture are not receptive to us embodying and integrating fully into our self-concept. If we experience the second path of feeling so ruptured that we can not embody our new sense of consciousness, we can experience difficulty experiencing full connection with others. Along these lines we can feel great anger at the world for not accepting us, and engage in patterns of avoidance and escape. However, if we are instead able to integrate and embody how we feel different from the surrounding consensus, we can re-enter the world with an openness to possibility that leads to fulfilling experiences that expand beyond the norms of consensus reality.  The task for Mars in Aquarius is to integrate and embody its far-flung and extraordinary insights into its mundane, ordinary life and relationships with full presence.

bosschart-aquarius

Aquarius by Johra Bosschart

“If there is a hard, high wall and an egg that breaks against it, no matter how right the wall or how wrong the egg, I will stand on the side of the egg. Why? Because each of us is an egg, a unique soul enclosed in a fragile egg. Each of us is confronting a high wall. The high wall is the system which forces us to do the things we would not ordinarily see fit to do as individuals.

“We have no hope against the wall: it’s too high, too dark, too cold. To fight the wall, we must join our souls together for warmth, strength. We must not let the system control us – create who we are. It is we who created the system.”

–Haruki Murakami, novelist with Mars in Aquarius

Haruki Murakami is as a perfect example of a writer with Mars in Aquarius who has created fictional worlds illuminating the complex undercurrents of individuals within the collective, drawing upon influences from writers of many diverse cultures.  In his personal life he has enjoyed marathon running befitting the fixed nature of Aquarius, and his creative output took time to development yet has been sustained at a deep level for a long period of time.  Murakami has described a crucial shift in his work from being “detached” to being “committed,” moving from early worked focused upon individual darkness to the darkness found in the collective society.

As I searched for other examples of celebrities with Mars in Aquarius in preparation for this article, time and time again I was struck by the unorthodox, powerful, martial force of each individual.  It is a mistake to take the fact Mars is an outsider in Aquarius with no essential dignity to mean that Mars here will struggle to manifest desire; in fact, it could be argued that the unique atmosphere of Aquarius brings out an important aspect of Mars we cannot find anywhere else.  For example, is it really that strange that the individual many associate most with the idea of a masculine genius, Leonardo da Vinci, was born with Mars in Aquarius?  In addition to the visionary da Vinci, the individual who forever altered our conception of our solar system, Nicolaus Copernicus, was also born with Mars in Aquarius.

In terms of creative output, one of the most ideal manifestations of Mars in Aquarius is the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who was also born with Saturn and the Moon in Aquarius.  Rilke resiliently worked hard on his writing over long periods of time, being willing to go into isolation in order to contain his lucid insights within word choice and rhythm that expands the consciousness of anyone who reads his work.  Rilke not only travelled extensively beyond his native land to find his muse, he drew upon diverse mythic and spiritual influences in order to weave a unique tapestry of meaning that continues to bring sustenance and comfort to individuals within modern culture.  Rilke also lived in a time before the internet, yet sustained numerous intense, intimate relationships through letter writing all around the world.  This speaks to the capacity of Mars in Aquarius to transmit eros across all barriers of time and space, tuning into the frequency and vibration of resonant souls at great distances.

There are numerous other consciousness expanding individuals born with Mars in Aquarius, such as George Gurdjieff and numerous groundbreaking psychologists able to objectify human nature such as James Hillman, Rollo May, Alfred Adler, and Carl Rogers.  James Hillman in particular is a strong example of the passion and heated intensity that Mars in Aquarius can bring to philosophical discourse and abstract conceptualization.  Individuals with Mars in Aquarius sense the underlying importance of the philosophical worldview one embodies and its impact upon humanity, the natural world, and our world soul, and are willing to fight about it intellectually.

Among current famous figures, one of the most striking examples of Mars in Aquarius is Michelle Obama, the current First Lady of the United States of America.  Michelle Obama has an energy that lights up a room with clear energetic bravado that also emits a friendliness that has made her an extremely popular figure.  Michelle Obama is also known to become passionate about social justice causes, and at key points has delivered speeches addressed at uplifting women, racial minorities, and others facing oppression in modern culture.  During the most recent presidential election her mantra of “they go low, we go high” that became so widely quoted is also fitting for the nature of Mars in Aquarius.

Hip Hop culture contains numerous famous figures with Mars in Aquarius that displays the distinct and unusual energy found in the signature:  Tupac Shakur, Missy Elliot, will.i.am, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg all have Mars in Aquarius.  One of Tupac Shakur’s most famous songs, “Keep Ya Head Up,” is a perfect Mars in Aquarius anthem that ingeniously deconstructs the misogyny and racism of culture through the purposely designed aesthetic of infectious pop music.  Shakur’s lyrics are absolutely brilliant and his delivery smooth, every single word penetrating further into the complex dynamics of cultural oppression and their impact on the individual:

Actors with Mars in Aquarius possess a masculinity difficult to describe and uniquely their own, such as Gary Oldman and Adrien Brody.  Cary Grant created an otherworldly acting persona that seemed as natural playing an Angel in The Bishop’s Wife as when he was playing human beings.   Other actors and actresses with Mars in Aquarius include Ian McKellen, Winona Ryder, Scarlet Johansen, Jane Fonda, Jamie Foxx, Emma Watson, Lauren Bacall, Christopher Walken, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Justin Theroux, and Mae West.  There is a clear erotic quality involved in all of these individuals that also involves an intelligent edge of sharpness.  Two former musical stars turned successful actors, Mark Wahlberg and Justin Timberlake, also project a masculine star power that is idiosyncratic and makes them continue to remain singular, compelling personalities within popular culture.

In sports, it is quite compelling that perhaps the greatest boxer of all time, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., was born with Mars in Aquarius as well as one of the greatest figure skaters Kristi Yamaguchi who also cooly destroyed all competition.  An interesting sport that contains numerous all-time greats with Mars in Aquarius is tennis, which combines the fitting attributes of stamina while attacking with abstract strategizing:  Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, and Stefan Edberg all were born with Mars in Aquarius.

In the realm of film, directors with Mars in Aquarius fittingly have brought some of the most distinctly avant garde expression and experimentation to cinema:  Sofia Coppola, Francois Truffaut, Lars Von Trier,  Ridley Scott, Joel Coen, Luis Bunuel, David Cronenberg, and Ang Lee were all born with Mars in Aquarius.  In comedy, we again find a list of some of the most unorthodox talents such as John Cleese, Andy Kauffman, Chris Farley, Eddie Ezzard, and Eric Idle.  Writers with Mars in Aquarius include Harper Lee, Truman Capote, Kurt Vonnegut, Tennessee Williams, Victor Hugo, David Foster Wallace, Thomas Merton, and William Wordsworth.  There is also famous children’s television personality Fred Rogers, whose role as Mr. Rogers and once again, incredibly unique expression, nurtured the development of countless childhoods.

Two current figures that illuminate not only the visionary, future-oriented qualities of Mars in Aquarius but also its shadow of becoming overly fixated upon a philosophical worldview at all costs are Julian Assange and Elon Musk.  In both of these individuals we find the capacity of Mars in Aquarius to work at the leading edge of technology and push the envelope with driving force aimed with future-oriented vision.  Yet at the same time, both individuals possess a hubris that has led to public downfalls at times due to an unwillingness to make compromises or let go of their fixation upon their belief in what they are doing is serving a purpose for the greater good.

Astrologer Jeffrey Wolf Green has written that Mars in Aquarius “will gradually create an entire lifestyle reflective of its instinctual feeling of uniqueness,” and this same capacity held by natives with Mars in Aquarius may be seized by all of us when Mars transits through Aquarius.  Not only can we take steps to creatively actualize our inherently unique gifts while Mars is in Aquarius, we can also encourage others to express their distinctive inner qualities that defy societal norms and conventions.  Currently the transit of Mars in Aquarius is forming numerous harmonious aspects:  a trine to Jupiter in Libra, sextile to Mercury and Saturn in Sagittarius, and a sextile with Uranus in Aries.  There is no time like the present to not only express your essential gifts within the world but also to band together with others of shared passion in order to create positive shifts within systematic structures of our global collective.

beau-vandendolder-flock-of-birds

photograph by Beau Vandendolder (2016, all rights reserved)

References

Green, Jeff. (2009). Pluto Volume II. Wessex Astrologer.

Haruki Murakami cautions against excluding outsiders. The Guardian. 1 November 2016.

Murakami asks that people learn to live with their shadows. The Asahi Shimbun. 31 October 2016.

Chiron in the Flood of Pisces

/ grayastrology / 35 Comments

centaur reading

Chiron in Pisces: Mediator of Water

  • Chiron stationed retrograde at 14 degrees Pisces on June 17, 2013.
  • Chiron and Neptune have been widely conjunct during the first half of 2013 in Pisces, and will remain together within a wider orb of nine degrees for the next year.  Chiron and Neptune began their current cycle in 2009 when they were exactly conjunct at 27 degrees of Aquarius.
  • Neptune in Pisces is trine Saturn in Scorpio and both are retrograde.  Saturn will be the first to station direct on July 7, 2013.
  • Mercury will station retrograde on June 26 conjunct Venus in Cancer.  Mercury will station direct on July 19   at 14 degrees Cancer in trine to Chiron in Pisces.

Chiron is the teacher and the healer of our inner Hero, the guide to our Hero’s journey.  It is common to limit discussion of Chiron in astrological circles as “the wounded healer,” and while there is truth to that statement, there is also more to Chiron than a healer with a wound.  The Chiron archetype will be an important guide for us during the Summer of 2013 in between the Pluto-Uranus square of May 2013 and the upcoming square of November 2013.  There is a fascinating connection between Chiron and the current Pluto-Uranus cycle because in the mid-1960s when Pluto and Uranus were conjunct in Virgo, Chiron was not only in Pisces, it was in the same vicinity of Pisces as it is now.

Just as the square between Pluto and Uranus connects the current time period with events of the 1960s when Pluto and Uranus were conjunct, so does the transit of Chiron in Pisces.  There was even a grand water trine in 1966 when Pluto and Uranus were in range of being conjunct and Chiron was in Pisces, with Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Pisces, and Neptune in Scorpio.  Although this 1966 trine had seven degrees separating Scorpio Neptune from Pisces Saturn and Cancer Jupiter, and so not nearly as significant as the grand water trine happening this Summer with the Pluto-Uranus square happening, it is still a fascinating parallel of the same planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune) being in the three water signs, with Chiron strongly in Pisces amid an intense aspect between Pluto and Uranus.  In the Autumn of 1966 Chiron was conjunct Saturn in Pisces: it’s interesting to ponder how differences between the mid to late 1960s and our current time period could correspond to the differences between Saturn in Pisces with Neptune in Scorpio from Saturn in Scorpio with Neptune in Pisces.   Although there is more and more talk of the Age of Aquarius, we really are still in the Age of Pisces today.  The idea of an approaching Age of Aquarius first took hold of mass consciousness in a big way in the 1960s when Pluto and Uranus were conjunct in Virgo, and during this time period in which they were in range of a conjunction in Virgo, Chiron at times was in range of an opposition to their alignment in the sign of Pisces.  Now that Chiron has returned to this same area of Pisces as the first quarter square between Pluto and Uranus is occurring from that alignment, it makes me think of Chiron in Pisces being a very important archetype in the shift of the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius.

Chiron in Pisces today is holding more harmonious aspects to the Pluto-Uranus intensity, forming a sextile to Pluto in Capricorn and a semi-sextile to Uranus in Aries.  This time period of collective upheaval can be viewed in large extent through the socially liberating energy of Uranus in Aries being in conflict with the energy of Pluto in Capricorn, which has a shadow side of control and manipulation from the dominating power structure.  With Neptune, the planet of illusion, being in the sign of Pisces that can also connect with illusion, it brings the potential for the dominating power structure to attempt to use Neptunian illusions in order to ward off the force of collective liberation that could come with the Uranus in Aries energy.  In the recent news cycle in the USA for example, we can see the veil of our national media removed and that our major news services are commiserate with the power structure as they attempt to spin the coverage of the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden away from an investigation into the actual issue into more of a criminality case against Snowden.  In general, all one has to do is turn on cable television or pick up a copy of a product of the national corporate “journalism” services to find a gluttony of superficial coverage of celebrity scandals, arguments between political “adversaries” that are not even offering solutions to argue about,  and other gossip more than investigative coverage of any of the actually important news events occurring.  It is further interesting that in the USA we have a Pisces Chiron in the White House, as President Obama has a Chiron in Pisces and experienced his Chiron return during his re-election to his second term in office.  It doesn’t take of course an astrology analysis of Chiron to realize President Obama is facing and incredibly complex, intense, wounding, and karmic situation at the moment as being the figurehead leader of the USA during current events, but it is a further interesting astrological layer of the current situation to observe.

On a personal level, the societal upheaval on an economic, political, and structural level has the potential to increase fear and anxiety within individuals, making each person more open to being manipulated on an unconscious level by power players in control of media and mass distribution of information.  This has been especially the case during the last year with Chiron and Neptune conjunct in Pisces, because these archetypes combined magnetise the issues of duality connected with the Pisces archetype that has been such a strong influence during the Age of Pisces.  This duality is connected to the symbolism of the two fish connected by a silvery cord, one fish standing for the “lower nature” of our ego personalities, the other fish standing for the “higher nature” of our Soul that incarnated into our current form.

One reason Pisces have the stereotype applied to them of being addicts and escapists is that it can be even harder for Pisceans than others to escape awareness of their Soul, no matter how much they try to hide from it through drugs and other various escapist activities.  Pisces is also often the target of the “victim” and “martyr” labels, and again this can come from a sense of their timeless Soul nature that can lead to an illusory perception of being trapped in their physical form on the planet, with so many difficult and destructive forces surrounding them in three dimensional consensus reality.  And so while Pisces energy can go along with feeling a sense of connection to Soul, it also has the duality of a sense of separation from Soul and Source, which further increases Piscean tendencies for illusionary pursuits that further contribute to a sense of separation from Source, Spirit, God, . . .  This is one area in which Chiron, a half human and half animal grounded in the physical earth plane, can help us shift our perspective toward seeing the magic around us in our physical form and environment, and that everything we are experiencing and seeing also is connected with the same divine Source.

The previous conjunction cycle between Chiron and Neptune in the 20th Century occurred during great world calamity, toward the end of World War II after the United States of America dropped atomic bombs on Japan to force a surrender (September of 1945 at 6 degrees of Libra).  Chiron and Neptune’s latest cycle began in 2009 when they were conjunct at 27 degrees of Aquarius, another period of global conflict that had some connections to the global power status the United States of America claimed during the previous conjunction between Chiron and Neptune.  Many astrologers connected the conjunction between Chiron and Neptune toward the end of Aquarius with the Age of Aquarius that could be felt approaching at a distance, but a further interesting connection with this section of the zodiac and Neptune is that Neptune was discovered in 1846 when it was at 25 degrees of Aquarius, and Saturn was also at 25 degrees of Aquarius at the same time.  Neptune being discovered when it was conjunct Saturn points to the importance of bridging the two archetypes in order to gain a stronger grasp of Neptunian energies, and Chiron is one of our strongest guides and mediators between the energy of our personal and collective Saturn and Neptune archetypes.

The connection between Chiron, Saturn, and Neptune has been handed down to us through myth, long before the technology of astronomers were able to locate the outer celestial bodies. Chiron is the son of Kronus in Greek myth, so he is literally the son of Saturn just like Neptune, Jupiter, and Pluto.  Chiron’s link to Neptune, however, goes much farther back than merely sharing the same father.  Chiron is literally a matriarchal descendant of an ocean deity even more primordial than Neptune:  Oceanus.  Chiron’s mother was a sea nymph named Philyra who was not only the daughter of Oceanus, according to some accounts she was the second oldest of all the sea nymphs that were borne from Oceanus.  Saturn/Kronus became consumed with desire for Philyra, and in some versions transformed himself into a stallion in order to chase her, and in other accounts after forcing himself upon her sexually, he transformed himself into a stallion in order to disguise himself when he was discovered ravaging her body by his wife, Rhea.

In all mythic versions, this coupling of Saturn as a stallion with the sea nymph Philyra is how the birth of Chiron, half man and half horse, occurred on Mount Pelion.  One of the first wounds of Chiron occurred by him being spurned by his parents for his unorthodox, animalistic form, and he stayed on Mt. Pelion as somewhat of a recluse, one of the original wise hermits in the cave.  Furthermore, there is an even deeper link between Chiron and the ocean realm, because Chiron eventually took another sea nymph as his lover and partner, Chariclo, who was the grand-daughter of Neptune.  Thus Chiron is both the son and the lover of water goddesses, and has as a result a stronger feel for Piscean energy than may be expected without exploring his myth.

The special sense Chiron embodies for the water element and in being a skilled mediator between the energies of Neptune and Saturn is of supreme importance in this moment, as Saturn in Scorpio is moving retrograde in trine to Neptune in Pisces, Jupiter is entering the sign of Cancer, and Mercury and Venus remain conjunct in Cancer.  We can draw upon the Chiron archetype to help us activate the harmonious potential of the developing water trine aspect, as trines in astrology do not guarantee harmonious events and can in fact coincide with lethargy if we do not consciously activate them.  There will be a lot of retrograde energy in water signs before Saturn stations direct in a couple of weeks on July 7, since Chiron and Neptune are retrograde in Pisces, Saturn is retrograde in Scorpio, and Mercury is stationing retrograde in Cancer.

With all of the watery energy and a powerful water trine to Neptune in its own sign of Pisces, we will have to be especially careful of escapist pursuits or illusions leading us to separate from our higher self or our connection to Source/Spirit.  Chiron in Pisces carries this wound of connection to Spirit within it’s archetypes, and so at this time Chiron can help guide us to finding ways to connect with Spirit through healing techniques that can help us consciously move our higher self down through our body.  With Saturn in Scorpio, we will have to be willing to face some deep aspects of ourselves, including shadow sides we may previously have been in denial of, if we want to authentically make our beings more whole in this way- but remember how Pisces Chiron is a perfect mediator between Scorpio Saturn, Pisces Neptune, and Cancer Jupiter.  If we can ground in this manner, we will have an opportunity to evolve ourselves and our growth forward by following our own unique path and our special gifts and talents that may not typically fit in with the dominant culture.  Chiron was the trainer of heroes and the guide in their hero’s journey, and so by developing and following through with practices at this time, such as creating time and a schedule for a daily journal practice, creative art practice, meditative practice, yoga practice, physical exercise practice of any sort . . . we can create structures to express the deep desires and emotions that could arise at this time.

The retrograde connection between Chiron and Mercury will remain of great significance in the next month, as Mercury will station retrograde on June 26 and then station on July 19 at 14 degrees of Cancer in trine to Chiron.  After the upcoming retrograde movement of Mercury finishes when it stations in trine to Chiron next month, we may gain a greater ability to manifest tangible results of visions we planted back in February of 2013 when Mercury was in Pisces and conjunct Mars, Neptune, and Chiron.  Aspects of the vision brewing inside us have been triggered in this recent time period, as Mars in Gemini has been in square to Chiron at the same time Chiron stationed retrograde.  The full dates are as follows:

  • Around February 8, 2013 Mercury was conjunct Mars at 5 degrees Pisces and also conjunct Chiron at 7 degrees and Neptune at 3 degrees of Pisces.  In the following days, first Mercury and then Mars became exactly conjunct Chiron in Pisces.
  • Around May 21, 2013 Mercury was conjunct Venus in Gemini and square to Chiron at 14 degrees of Pisces.  This square happened immediately following an exact square between Capricorn Pluto and Aries Uranus.
  • Around June 10, 2013 Mercury was conjunct Venus in Cancer and in trine to Chiron in Pisces.
  • Around June 19, 2013 Mars in Gemini formed a square with Chiron in Pisces as Chiron stationed retrograde at 14 degrees of Pisces.

These aspects between Mercury, Mars, and Chiron have been significant for everyone but especially anyone with planets or key chart aspects in mutable signs from zero to fifteen degrees or so (Gemini, Sagitarius, Virgo, Pisces).  We may have had trouble recently finding a way to rationally understand our perceptions or sense of phenomenon in our dreams or waking states that do not fit into the neat categories of linear and rational thought aspired to by the dominant culture.  We also may have been having difficulty communicating our experiences in a way that can be understood clearly by others, and with Mercury about to move retrograde we may need to let go of attachment to being understood and instead focus on understanding for ourselves what is happening inside of us.

The flood of emotions and extrasensory perception we could have been experiencing connected with Chiron and Neptune in Pisces could be better understood by withdrawing from external influences into the metaphorical cave of Chiron, but if we have been tapped into media sources of the dominant culture during this time or a participant in social media sites and sources, we instead would have been overwhelmed by a deluge of information thrown at us by authorities of all sorts, from genuine experts, to culturally appointed experts, to self-proclaimed experts utilizing the Internet to self-publish their thoughts.  There have also been revolutions breaking out on the global stage in places as diverse as Turkey and Brazil during this time period, and while in the larger context these events correlate more with the square between Uranus and Pluto than personal planet aspects to Chiron, it is still important to consider Chiron was being aspected at the same time.  In these  revolutionary events the liberating force of individuals using social media to cover the news has been helpful as these events have had relatively small amounts of coverage by major news services.  For example, I am fortunate to have a friend in Turkey through which I was able to gain access to a lot of images and news coverage of events there through his social media profile.

However we have been triggered by this flood of feelings and information recently, though, most likely is connected to important Soul work or issues for us to face.  A perfect example of how to use the heroic gift of Pisces Chiron at this time is Texas state Senator Wendy Davis, who is going through a Chiron return at the moment with a natal Chiron at fourteen degrees of Pisces, and is engaging in an attempt to pull off an all-day filibuster in the Texas state Senate to single-handedly prevent a passage of a controversial abortion bill that the Governor had to call a special session to attempt to pull-off in the first place.  Her North Node of the Moon is also conjunct the current placement of Mercury in Cancer, and Mars in Gemini is square her natal Chiron, so her chart is being strongly aspected by the Chiron-Mars-Mercury cycle as she takes her heroic stand.  Chiron does provide the sort of gift we can pull up from deep within ourselves at a time of crisis, and achieve success and rewards against all odds.

Similarly, the grand water trine we will experience this Summer between Neptune in Pisces, Saturn in Scorpio, and Jupiter in Cancer has the potential for euphoric and magical experiences, as well as the potential to coincide with watery chaos and emotional crises- however, if we can access our source of Chiron strength we can make heroic strides forward no matter what happens.  Paying attention to the Chiron archetype and how his retrograde movement  through Pisces can correlate to opportunities for us to take charge of our own heroic journey will be helpful.

chiron with apollo and asclepius

Guru of Plants, Planets, and Spirit

Chiron in myth held the role of a guru of the heavens and the earth,  as he was a teacher, trainer, and healer who was skilled in hunting, martial arts, gymnastics, music, medicine, herbalism, astrology, and the arts of prophecy, to name but a few of his talents.  He was a master of channeling divine energy through these outlets, similar to a yogic or qi gong master, shaman, or a musician on the highest level of divine expression through their art.  Chiron is a guide to the connection of our mind, body, and spirit because he understood the divine source of everything on our planet.  He was an herbalist who was well-versed in medicinal uses and applications of plant beings, and he was also an astrologer who was well-versed in the medicine of the stars and their movements and interactions.  Chiron lived from a sense of everything being connected to Source and Spirit, so stands as a teacher for us that our conflicts with life are often connected to our struggles with the external forms of matter in our environment, but that if we open our perception to the awareness that all of these forms we may struggle with also have the same divine Source as we do, we can persist in merging with love through all of our difficulties and help others in their own struggles as well.

The celestial body of Chiron was discovered on November 1, 1977 and it has been theorized by many astrologers that since that time we have had a greater capacity to connect our mind, body, and spirit as a collective species. The Saturn connection to Chiron is interesting because Saturn was at the very end of Leo when Chiron was discovered, so brings an energy of the culmination of the Leo hero’s journey to the Chiron birth chart.  In Evolutionary Astrology, astrologer Rose Marcus has connected the significance of Chiron to “peak experiences” in our lifetime as well as the deep past life history of our Soul that are connected to our special destiny, legacy, and path.  I saw her lecture on Chiron at the 2012 Evolutionary Astrology Conference, in which she described how Chiron carries a dense magnetic frequency that correlates with our most significant and lucid memories, how the Chiron archetype will be involved in our own peak experiences, and how we can also be a catalyst for activating other people’s key issues when we step into our own Chiron archetype.  Rose explained that Chiron can connect with our wounding issues that have been repeating and devastating across lifetimes, but at the same time Chiron can also correlate with extraordinary resources we can find within ourselves to face the tests and challenges of our journey.  In this way, Rose connected Chiron to the Virgo and Sixth house archetypes in the Evolutionary Astrology paradigm because of Chiron guiding us to use our crises as vehicles for our own growth.

Barbara Hand Clow, who wrote the pioneering and definitive classic text on Chiron, Chiron: Rainbow Bridge Between the Inner and Outer Planets, also connected Chiron with the Sixth House and the Virgo archetype.  There is also an interesting connection between Saturn and Chiron with the Virgo archetype in the time period that Chiron entered astrological awareness as a distinct celestial body, because although Chiron was discovered when Saturn was at the very end of Leo, after a couple of weeks following the discovery Saturn shifted into Virgo.  As a result, most people born in the period following the discovery of Chiron, meaning the first people born who have a higher potential ability to integrate the lessons of the Chiron archetype, were born with Saturn in Virgo.  Fittingly enough, this group of Souls went through their first Saturn return just in time for these cataclysmic times of the Pluto-Uranus square, again giving them a better chance to access the gifts of Chiron to help all of us on the planet at this time.

Virgo is the polarity to Pisces, and an important archetype to help understand how to access the gifts of the Chiron archetype at any time, but especially now with Chiron and Neptune in Pisces.  One way Chiron can help everyone better understand their own connection to the Pisces archetype through Virgo is by making the famous “silvery cord” connecting the two fish of Pisces more tangible and conscious.  One fish of Pisces of course represents the personality side of ourselves, while the other fish represents our Soul nature- they are connected in Pisces irrevocably through a silver cord, which is why Pisceans can never escape the challenges of our personality connection to our Souls and Source discussed earlier.  Alan Oken gave a concise description of the deep esoteric significance Virgo brings to this aspect of the Pisces archetype in his book Soul Centered Astrology: A Key to Your Expanding Self:

The string is the symbol of the Antahkarana- the silvery cord linking the personality and the Soul, the darkness and the Light.  It is formulated out of the substance of the mental plane, thus requiring the discriminating focus of Virgo and Mercury in its construction.  Once the Antahkarana/Rainbow Bridge is forged, one can then traverse the various planes and fields of consciousness and not lose one’s way.  This is the Thread of the Warrior/Disciple, who goes forth in the act of self-sacrifice, in order to do battle for the unfolding purpose of the Plan.

–Alan Oken, Soul Centered Astrology (p. 243)

The Mercurial functions of discrimination and discernment can be developed into sharper focus for us at this time, even with Mercury stationing retrograde, through practice and daily ritual. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and other forms of spiritual practice are Virgo techniques similar to spiritual practices of the Chiron of myth, and can be helpful tools for us in this flooded time of Piscean emotional currents.  Since there have been a series of squares to Chiron in Pisces from the sign of Gemini, with Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all moving through Gemini in square to Chiron this past Spring, we may have been distracted with a busy and hectic schedule or a mass of information to process in some way.  However, even closing our eyes and meditating or just breathing with intention for ten or fifteen minutes, whatever we can manage, can be extremely helpful in this upcoming time period.

The vast expanse of knowledge held by Chiron is interesting considering how in this upcoming Summer, Jupiter will move into a trine apect through Cancer with Chiron (especially toward the end of July through August of 2013) giving us an opportunity to draw upon knowledge and resources found in recent challenges to propel us forward.  This aspect is in stark contrast to what had been happening this past year, as from July 0f 2012 through April of 2013, Jupiter was in Gemini and in a square aspect to Chiron in Pisces.  This square could have been felt in part by how our psychic sensitivities are impacted by the flood of information we can be bombarded with when connected to modern technology and social media platforms.  On the one hand the social media outlets are liberating because anyone can start writing and publishing their thoughts on a blog, but on the other hand this liberation can be overwhelming when trying to sift through the sheer volume of information for what to focus on with the time available.

With Mercury about to station into a retrograde motion, developing and practicing techniques that will help guide us toward greater discernment with our intuition will be helpful for us finding our unique path to follow at this time.  Most likely significant opportunities will present themselves, so it will be up to us to make choices aligned with our highest intention for the highest good for ourselves and other beings.  If we have experienced crises or wounding during this past year of Jupiter in Gemini squaring Chiron in Pisces, or simply confusion over which direction to follow, through our own self-care, healing, and giving and receiving of love with others we will be entering a time in which we can find a gift or special skill to take from past turmoil.

The conflict between Jupiter in Gemini and Chiron in Pisces that happened this past year has its own divine source in the ancient myths of Greece.  Jupiter and Chiron have had their issues before our day:

chiron invite achilles

Entering the Cave of Chiron

Thetis was a sea nymph of great importance in ancient times.  In some versions she is not given greater importance than her description of being a sea nymph, but other mythic researchers have found evidence that in ancient times she was much more important and an integral manifestation of the Great Goddess.  She is widely known as the mother of Achilles, who gave her son to Chiron to raise and draw out his special skills and capacities.  There was a prophecy regarding the greatness of the son of Thetis that made Zeus afraid that her offspring could dethrone him as he had dethroned his own father.  Zeus helped arrange a marriage between Thetis and a mortal, Peleus, and their wedding happened outside the cave of Chiron on Mt. Pelion and was attended by most of the deities.  However, one was not invited who goes by the name of Eris, and so this wedding outside the cave of Chiron is the scene upon which Eris threw her golden apple out of vengeance, an action that ultimately led to the decision of Paris and the Trojan War.

The cave of Chiron being the scene of the source of the vengeful desire of Eris is a core wound of our collective culture.  I remember being in an 8th Grade English class near Atlanta, Georgia in the USA in which we analyzed this mythic scene, and it seems to still be a widespread mythic scene in our collective educational backgrounds if you are from a “Western” influenced or culturally dominated background.  It’s also a wound we as astrology students and teachers need to figure out in a Chiron manner, as Eris is the a recent addition to our astrological paradigm and her full meaning is still being worked out by astrologers.

The cave of Chiron is an apt symbol for the training ground of our hero’s journey, as Chiron was famous for training the most praised heroes of ancient myth, having the ability to draw attention to their unique talents and help them develop their natural gifts into extraordinary strengths that would help them persist through unfathomable difficulties that became the stuff of legend.  Chiron was not only the trainer of warrior heroes, however, but also medicinal ones.  Asclepius, considered to be the mythic master of medicine, was his most famous pupil in the healing arts, and so Chiron in this way is also considered to be a father of medicine and surgical practices.  The mind-body-spirit connection of Chiron is evident in the holistic healing practices associated with Asclepius, which included patients going to sleep in special chambers in which the act of dreaming itself healed their wounds, or at other times the healing could be helped through dream interpretation made by healers trained in the methodology of Asclepius.

We enter the cave of Chiron whenever we enter a space in which we have the opportunity for self-transformation, healing, and gaining greater awareness and access to special skills and resources we have to offer the world.  If we have ever been in a classroom with a powerful teacher who struck us on a deep level to our core, we have been in the cave of Chiron.  Being a teacher is one of the most obvious outlets for Chiron energy, and this connection was illuminated in literature by John Updike in his novel The Centaur, in which he used myth in the way of James Joyce by re-telling the story of Chiron through a novel about a public school teacher in a mid-twentieth century small rural town in the USA.  In this novel Updike also integrates the mythic connection between Chiron and Prometheus, and as I haven’t mentioned this widely commented upon connection yet in this article, allow me to remind you that another time Chiron mediated a conflict involving Jupter was when he gave of his own immortality in order to release Prometheus from the bondage of being punished by Jupiter for giving fire to humanity.  As there are some versions of myth in which Prometheus is actually the creator of humanity, Chiron giving of himself to release a deity who in some myths is responsible for the creation of humanity and in others is the source of our knowledge of fire and all of the creativity that followed, is profound and is not unlike an action of a Christ figure.  The fact that Chiron was drawn to do this in part because of being tormented by the pain of being an immortal who was struck by a poisoned arrow of Hercules, is one of the main reasons why the Chiron archetype has become associated with being a wounded healer for our humanity.

As is often the case, when an archetype like Chiron is prominent, other archetypes that connect with similar themes will also become prominent, and that is certainly the case right now.  Lilith is another popular symbol of our wounding and in the larger context something Chiron could be holding space for us.  The triple goddess aspects of Lilith in astrology are all going through significant transits right now:

  • Original Lilith (asteroid #1181) is currently at 13 degrees Gemini and so is square to Chiron as well as recently conjunct Mars.
  • Dark Moon Lilith (hypothetical celestial body) is moving through Cancer in range of being conjunct Mercury, Venus, and Vesta at the moment.  At the time of the Summer Solstice it was opposite Pluto in Capricorn and in square to Uranus in Aries.
  • Black Moon Lilith, the Resolution Lilith (an energy vortex that is the “other” focal point of the Moon’s ellipitical orbit besides Earth) is at 6 degrees of Cancer and so is also in range of being in a T-Square with Pluto and Uranus, and was also strongly aspected by the Full Moon on June 23.

Demetra George in Finding Our Way Through the Dark gave a widely used description of these three phases of Lilith, in which the asteroid Lilith “describes the first stage of Lilith’s mythical journey where she is suppressed, humiliated, and flees in a fiery rage to the desolate wilderness,” the Dark Moon Lilith “depicts the pain of her exile where she plots and executes her revenge,” and the Black Moon Lilith “shows how she transmutes her distorted image back into its natural healthy expression” (p. 92).  The fact the original Lilith has been squaring Chiron and was recently conjunct Mars could correlate with a core wound being activated in our psyche, and yet the healer side of the Chiron archetype is also present with Lilith at this time as the resolution aspect, the Black Moon Lilith, is also being strongly activated now.

And as if these intense aspects involving Lilith isn’t enough, there are also some fascinating transits occurring now that involve asteroid Goddesses associated with the Soul, working with the Soul, healing and retrieval of our Soul:

In totality all of these transits involving such powerful feminine archetypes of the Soul mean that this is an incredibly deep time period of huge feelings and experiences.  To me, one of the greatest tools we can use at this time, again keeping the archetype of Chiron in mind as a guide, is to create a practice of Art to move the energy.

poète mort porté par un centaure

Chiron holds the Art of our wounds

One of the connections between the Chiron archetype and the archetype of the artist can be seen in the following quote from an art review I found in The Chicago Reader about the above watercolor by Gustave Moreau from 1890, Dead Poet Borne by a Centaur:

The centaur often symbolizes Dionysian violence and intoxication, and here he bears the dead poet in his arms. Some have interpreted this image not as the union of warring opposites, however, but as a pessimistic reflection on the artist’s lot in modern times. As turn-of-the-century writer Ary Renan said about this work: “How many have perished without funerals at the bottom of solitary streams? To be sure, sometimes a charitable centaur gathers up the victim.

from http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/french-revelations/Content?oid=898763

Chiron as a wounded healer archetype certainly connects him with all of the great artists throughout time who put all of their heart and soul into their art, posthumously inspiring a large audience drawn to the specific quality of their art,  and facilitating healing for many people who could draw strength and compassion for themselves through experiencing their creative work. And yet the wound for these artists was that in the actual time-frame of their existence they often lived through pain and torment, lacking an audience or material rewards for their work.  However, no matter what difficulty some of these artists could have experienced in their material life, through the act of creating their art they could reach a blissful state that would be it’s own reward.  Moreover, the gift of healing and inspiration such artists leave for those with similar sensibilities to find and gain strength to continue on their own unique path is incalculable and has deep resonance with the quality of wounded healing associated with Chiron.

During these intense karmic times, we can work with our Chiron wounding through expressing our feelings through art and releasing the energy in the process.  Unfortunately, for many of us the actual creation of art can be one of our Chironic wounds, and so we tend to hold ourselves back from creating.  A beautiful book to work with during this time if you have not already is Julie Cameron’s The Artist’s Way in which she provides activities and questions to help the reader break out of any restrictive writer’s or artist’s blocks limiting their ability to express themselves.  One of the basic techniques of the book is a daily journaling activity in which after waking up in the morning you write three pages of writing as quickly as possible, thinking about it as little as possible.  It is amazing what can start to open up for you as you engage in this practice.  I also like this book because Cameron connects the creation of Art with it being a spiritual practice:  “We are, ourselves, creations,” she writes, “And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves.”  Her central theme in the book is that by opening ourselves up to our own creativity, we open ourselves to a greater connection with Spirit and the capacity to develop our unique gifts and live the full potential of our lives some of us merely dream of instead of actually actualizing.  This lesson that making the creation of art a daily practice, habit, and ritual in our lives will open up a greater spiritual dimension and holistic feeling of healing in our lives is a very Chironic lesson to me.  Any practice you can develop for yourself at this time that will provide an outlet for your sense of Spirit and expression of creativity will bring a smile to the face of Chiron and will be good medicine for your Soul.