The Emerging Self " Leo is the constellation through which the will-to-fulfilment or to achievement pours into humanity and on to the planet. It is essentially the spirit of self-determination. It is at first the determination of the little self, the personality, the self-conscious individual. It is next the determination of the Self, the soul, the group conscious individual, aware of the greater Whole and of itself as the part, integrated and basically at-one." - The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology As we continue our Soul's journey through the twelve zodiac signs, the sentient 'spark' of light that ignited in Aries, became a conscious beam of light in Taurus, and multiple rays of intelligent light in Gemini, eventually incarnated into form in Cancer. In the Leo stage of our Soul journey, consciousness identifies with form and develops a sense of self. Our newly-formed body of conscious, intelligent, light emerges as an individual Self. In earlier newsletters we explored how, according to the Tibetan tradition, everything manifests from source, through the light realm into the physical realm. On our Soul's journey through the stages of Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, our Soul was in the light realm. In Cancer the Soul incarnated into the physical realm and now in Leo becomes an individual. This is the point where our Soul starts to experience a unique sense of Self. So what does this mean for us personally? Let's explore! The Process of Individuation Our Soul's journey is one of individual experience, yet this is not the same as separation. As we 'individuate' to have our own unique experience, we are still 'indivisible' from the whole. It's important to remember this. In our interconnectedness it is never possible to be separate. To understand this we can think of our hand. Each finger has the capacity to move independently of the others, but at no time is it ever separate from our hand. The Necessity of Ego Very closely associated with the individuation process is the formation of ego. As you read this, take note of whether you are carrying any judgement around ego. Ego is sometimes thought to be a negative thing in some spiritual circles with practitioners trying to get rid of their ego as fast as possible, but without fully understanding what it really is. The formation and eventual dissolution of ego is a vital stage within the process of spiritual awakening without which we would never fully awaken or be able to discern what we are from what we are not. Through our experiences of ego formation in Leo, we develop the essential skill of discernment, which we then carry forward into the Virgo stage of our journey. Ego does not exist as an actual 'thing'. We can't hold it, and look a it, and say "There is is! I found my ego. Now off to the trash with it!". So if it is not an actual 'thing' what is it? Ego is the name we give to an illusory sense of having a separate self. By convention we refer to ourselves as 'me' or 'I'. Life would get pretty confusing if we didn't! But in reality, if we go deep in meditation, we cannot find any trace of this 'I'. "Ego, the limiting sense of 'I', results from the individual intellect attributing the power of consciousness to itself" - Patanjali The Actor The sign of Leo is closely associated with acting, and here we can see why. Ego is the name we give to a mental process where, almost instantaneously and mostly imperceptibly, we overlay the concept of a 'doer' or an 'actor' on to every action we take. Even the simple act of washing hands becomes overlaid with an idea of "I" am washing "my" hands. Hand washing is indeed happening, but the "I" that we assume is performing the action, is actually an illusion created by mind. “ the assumption or preconceived idea that our mind is ‘us’ on the inside, versus an objective ‘real’ physical world on the outside, enduring through time, is actually a thought construction” -Lama Shenpen Hookham, “Trusting The Heart of Buddhism” This is mind-blowing for most of us and arriving at the full realization of this spiritual truth is a long and winding journey. Until we are fully spiritually awake we won't get it completely. In the meantime we need to have a sense of 'me' in order to operate in the world. We wouldn't get anywhere without it. Imagine getting pulled over for speeding and saying to the police officer, I didn't do it officer because actually I am an illusion! Our Soul's journey through Leo is vital, and we should embrace it fully, including it's challenges. The journey through Leo is all about Selfhood - from self-consciousness, through self-awareness and eventually to Self-realization. The Path of Leo Is Important for Us All The Soul's journey through the stage of Leo is vitally important to us all at this time. In addition to those individuals who may have personal planets in Leo, or Leo Rising (Leo Souls), as we enter the Age of Aquarius the whole of humanity at this time is experiencing the important lessons of the Leo-Aquarius polarity, which call upon each of us to honor and acknowledge the sacredness of individuals within the collective. In an earlier article I explained in more depth why the role of Leo is so important to us now, during these times. It is through the actions we take, and the worlds we create by those actions, and the roles we play in those worlds, that we contribute to the creation of entire universes of experience. This is worthy of deep contemplation. Spiritual Path of Leo The spiritual path of Leo is not about trying to get rid of ego (that would be ego trying to get rid of itself!) but rather it is about understanding the process of ego formation. Through deep meditation and self-observation we can begin to see how this illusory self gets created, and what it's purpose may be. Esoterically the sign of Leo is associated with Divine Will. Our Soul's journey is about Divinity having an individual experience as us. We are here to carry out Divine Will in the world through our actions, and to do that we need to understand more deeply how to get our 'little Will' out of the way so we can become a clear expression of Divinity. It is about allowing action to flow through us, without superimposing an illusory 'actor' onto the action. “There is a reality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.” - Martha Graham The path of Leo calls for us to become self-aware, and in that awareness to recognize the role we are playing in the whole of creation. With the self-awareness that comes from diligent self-observation we may finally come to understand more deeply the meaning of the Tibetan's keynote for Leo: "I am that and that am I"
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Wednesday 7 August 2024
Leo - The Emerging Self
Tuesday 23 July 2024
Managing the Opposition
By I o r d a n u s
While the Opposition is undoubtedly a “difficult” Aspect to handle when present in one’s natal chart, it is not a “curse,” nor should it be considered a misfortune in our lives.
The Opposition, like all Dynamic Aspects, should instead be seen as an opportunity for growth, a kind of challenge that, if overcome, can help you enormously throughout your life.
Naturally, anyone with a real and deep knowledge of Astrological Aspects will never see an Opposition in such a dark light.
As is always the case in the world, it is ignorance that generates fear, and it is the lack of a real understanding of what an Opposition is, where it originates, and what it represents in strictly psychological terms, that generates fear-based interpretations.
One of the problems is that when studying Astrology, Aspects are too often neglected, treated too superficially, or even skipped entirely.
For example, one of the most common mistakes people make when interpreting their own natal chart is to immediately focus on the Astrological Houses and leave the Aspects behind.
This is actually a big mistake. The Houses should be practically the last part to analyze in a natal chart.
There is a precise order in analyzing a natal chart, a logical order, and it is: Planets > Aspects > Houses.
This makes perfect sense because the Planets, which are “the what” inside your psyche, are mainly influenced by two factors: the Zodiac Sign they are positioned in and the Aspects they form with other Planets.
The Houses, which represent “the where” inside your psyche, should be analyzed later because you cannot understand how a Planet influences a House if you haven’t first clearly understood how that Planet is influenced by Sign and Aspects.
However, I must add that the “fault” of this widespread ignorance about Astrological Aspects also lies with the teachers, as it is quite rare to find books or lessons specifically dedicated to the study of Aspects.
Often, at best, you will find only one or two chapters dedicated to Aspects in a book that deals with Astrology in general.
It’s a pity because Aspects definitely deserve a specialized course of deepening and study, precisely because they are indeed an important knowledge for anyone who wants to practice astrology at any level.
In fact, if Aspects are already an important part of the natal chart interpretation process, thus in psychological astrology, they become practically the core of everything when it comes to interpreting transits, that is, in horary astrology.
Understanding well that Opposition that will form in a month between Mars and your natal Moon becomes imperative when practicing horary astrology, just to give an example.
If a wrong conception of the Opposition is already harmful when it comes to better understanding your personality, you can be sure that it will be equally harmful when it comes to understanding the effects a transiting Opposition can have on your life.
It is not at all healthy to develop wrong beliefs about who you are and what you can do, but it is a real risk when the psychological dynamics triggered by the Aspects are not deeply understood.
That’s why I decided to give you a hand and better illustrate what it means to have an Opposition and what psychological effects it triggers in your inner world, so you can avoid living this Aspect as an absolute evil (never think in absolutes).
See you here tomorrow; you will find an email from me entirely dedicated to the study of the Opposition.
See you tomorrow!
The Opposition is a Dynamic Aspect of 180° that can form between two or more elements in the natal chart. It is based on the geometries of the Square, and its nature is Saturnine.
Like all dynamic Aspects, it essentially creates a block in the psyche that prevents the energy of the two elements involved from flowing smoothly and easily. In the case of the Opposition, the block is created by the contrast of the two pieces of the chart involved. They have equal power: each wants to overpower the other, and neither wants to give in.
This mainly generates a persistent feeling of pressure and stress in the inner world of those who have this Aspect.
Saturnine Nature
As showed by Thema Mundi, the Opposition is an interaction that acquires the nature of Saturn.
If you clearly understand the psychological forces that Saturn embodies, it will be easier for you to comprehend the nature of an Opposition.
As you should already know, Saturn represents, among other things, limits, obstacles, and challenges.
The Opposition is an interaction that acquires exactly these characteristics.
The two planets involved obstruct each other, so neither can express itself fully. It is as if there is an eternal conflict between them, but not a violent and agitated conflict, rather a slow and persistent opposition of two equally intense but contrary energies.
Imagine two people, a man and a woman, locked in a room and trying to get out. Every time the woman has an idea and tells the man, he stops her and says it’s not a good idea, and every time the man takes an initiative, the woman blocks him and tells him to stay put.
They are not fighting, yelling, or battling, but both are unable to express themselves, they inhibit each other, they hinder each other instead of collaborating, and thus both are stuck and neither can get out of the room.
The Opposition generates a dichotomy within the personality that causes discomfort and stress due to the frustration of feeling inhibited and unable to act.
Unlike the Square, which generates instability, the Saturnine nature of the Opposition expresses stability, constancy, and persistence. Its presence and action within the personality are therefore stable and constant, like a pressure or a conflict that is always active and present or a character trait that does not need to be triggered.
In other words, those who have an Opposition in their natal chart do not experience it with rapid mood or idea changes, but rather as a persistent stalemate, a constant pressure.
The Saturnine nature of the Opposition also gives it a "karmic" nuance. Being Saturn the "Lord of Karma," means that Oppositions, when present in the Natal Chart, also denote a challenge, a karmic test presented to us to learn from our past path and access a higher path subsequently.
Evolutionary Potential
Dynamic Aspects should not be interpreted as absolute discomfort, but on the contrary, as a necessary discomfort to achieve personal evolution. It is indeed the pressure and discomfort produced by the stress of an Opposition that will push you to act to get out of that state of discomfort, and every time you manage to handle and reconcile the two opposing poles, you will achieve lasting personal growth as well as an immediate benefit.
The key to handling an Opposition and unlocking its evolutionary potential involves two factors:
1. Gaining awareness of the existence of the Opposition and what psychological forces are in conflict.
2. Working consciously to integrate the two opposing poles.
The first factor is common to all Aspects; the first step to overcoming a problem or a block is always to become aware that a problem is present, stop ignoring it, and get to work.
The second step is to understand the origin and nature of the block, specifically analyzing the Planets involved in the Opposition, what psychological forces they represent, and how the Zodiac Sign they are placed in the Chart influences those forces.
We will temporarily set aside the Astrological Houses where the Planets are located.
All these steps will give us full awareness of the origin and nature of your Opposition and the effects it produces in your life.
At this point, we can move on to factor number two: the integration of opposites.
The Opposition is a dynamic Aspect, but it is also based on a consonance of alchemical Elements; it can only form between planets positioned either on Fire and Air or on Water and Earth.
As you should already know if you have solid foundations in Astrology, Fire and Air and Water and Earth are complementary Elements to each other, that is, by uniting with each other, they can complete each other.
In complementarity lies the key to handling and "mastering" an Opposition.
Those who have the Opposition in their Chart should ensure that the two Planets involved, or rather, the two psychological forces involved do not oppose each other anymore, but rather ensure that one takes advantage of the help of the other and vice versa.
In some ways, we could say that you need to almost try to transform the Opposition into a Sextile. The Sextile is also an Aspect between two complementary psychological forces, but unlike the Opposition, in the Sextile they are already in harmony and complement each other effortlessly.
In the Opposition, however, they cannot "agree," despite having all the cards in place to find an agreement and work together to achieve wonders. It is therefore in the conscious work of those who have the Opposition to make the two parts involved find a way to agree and collaborate.
Integration is the key word and should not be confused with "alternation," which means giving space sometimes to one and sometimes to the other, something that would only worsen things.
If, for example, in a natal chart, we have an Opposition between the Moon and Mercury, it is likely that there is a constant inner conflict between logical thinking, the desire for control, organization, and the emotional sphere, spontaneity, dreams.
The key to handling this Opposition lies precisely in the integration of the differences between the two opposites, in other words, we can say that the two must find their balance of forces, so that one no longer tries to overpower the other.
Mercury should let lunar qualities intervene to live more spontaneously, especially in situations where logic should not have too much space, such as human relationships.
Similarly, the Moon should give more space to Mercury's qualities in situations where organization and method are useful for success, such as in a work context.
The two Planets in Opposition, in short, must learn to coexist and collaborate together, each bringing their own qualities to the other where required.
This is anything but easy, requiring undoubtedly a lot of conscious work by those who have the Opposition Aspect in the natal chart.
As mentioned earlier, since the Opposition has a Saturnine nature, it also acquires "karmic" nuances.
Thus, unlocking the stagnant energy of an Opposition becomes almost imperative for those who want to live consciously and fully accept the "karmic burden" they are called to carry, so that they can peacefully free themselves in the next incarnations.
I want to emphasize this last point: in this case, you need to work with faith for a future reward, a freedom that you won't achieve in this lifetime.
Naturally, this is a very good reason to work consciously toward fully managing an Opposition.
In closing, I want to share with you the major psychological limiting effects of an Opposition, so you can recognize them into yourself or into your loved ones, and take conscious countermeasures to manage them properly:
Procrastination: The stagnant energy of an Opposition can easily lead to long-term procrastination, delaying decisions on the involved themes, or even avoiding the discomfort caused by the internal conflict.
Inhibition: The two planets involved often cancel each other out. Psychologically, this means an inability to express oneself or act when it comes to the psychological themes associated with the two planets in Opposition.
Frustration: The feeling of paralysis and blockage from the Opposition causes persistent feelings of powerlessness and frustration.
Stress: The ongoing conflict and inner dissonance can cause a sensation of stress, like a continuous annoyance. It’s like a discordant note playing continuously in an otherwise perfect symphony.
Social Pressure: Oppositions are related with social pressure, especially family pressure. Social pressure can be perceived as a source of discomfort, dissatisfaction, or even as a true enemy.
Limiting Beliefs: Opposing ideas that clash in the mind can easily make these ideas seem impossible, unachievable, or discouraging, greatly limiting the person’s potential.
Wednesday 29 May 2024
Sabian Symbols
Links:
https://www.jamesburgess.com/dane-rudhyar.html
Dane Rudhyar's Sabian Symbols schematic is a convincingly clear exposition of the spiritual journey from Aries 1 to Pisces 30 of any individual; it is straightforward, well presented and well-reasoned. On this page is a summary of this system , or you can study all of it fully though his splendid website, Mindfire.
http://www.mindfire.ca/An%20Astrological%20Mandala/An%20Astrological%20Mandala%20-%20Contents.html
Monday 8 April 2024
Astrology best times for surgery
By Leoni Hodgson
THE MOON. The waning Moon is the period for rest, repair - and for surgery. The Moon affects blood flow. People do not hemorrhage as much, bruise less, and swell less during the waning Moon phase.
In order of priority, AVOID:
1 Mercury Retrograde (including 7 days before and after Shadow period). Lab reports could be misread, wrong tests administered, redo surgery etc.
2 Mars retrograde (including 7 days before and after Shadow period). Mars rules muscles, red blood cells, vitality, energy reserves, and the surgeon! Profuse bleeding is possible so make sure blood is available. Infection and inflammation is highly possible after surgery. Recovery time will be longer than usual
3 Moon Void-of-Course. Do not schedule surgery three hours before to three hours after the Moon goes VOC; it can be a chaotic or confusing time.
4. Any transiting planet turning retrograde or direct on the day of the surgery. Situations could happen depending on the planet.
Mercury: Nerve-related problem
Venus: Vein-related problem
Mars: Unexpected hemorrhage
Jupiter: Massive swelling
Saturn: Bone infection
Uranus: Problems with electrical equipment in the operating theater
Neptune: Patient could pick up bacteria or virus in an unusual and unaccountable way
Pluto: Die on the table, resurrected, die and hopefully resurrected again.
Friday 26 January 2024
The 7 Ray Chart
By Leoni Hodgson
THE SEVEN RAYS
According to Eastern Wisdom, the 7 Rays are seven different energies, vibrations, colours and characteristics that condition our human nature on all levels.
The rays stream through space, through 3 constellations each and through one or two planets. The planets are the agents of the rays; each planet is a pure distillation of its ray’s force. This chart shows the 7 Rays, divided into 3 groups.
HOW IS IT FOUND? By observing how we express our energies on each of the soul, personality, mental, emotional and physical levels. It cannot be found via the astrology chart.
WHAT VALUE IS THE RAY CHART? Identifying the various forces that play through us advances us spiritually. (1) Because it promotes self-understanding and self-awareness of who we are, and why we are like we are. (Remember the Delphic injunction – “Man know thyself”). It helps to shift our identification away from that of being a mortal body, to an energy being. (2) By recognising clearly, the forces that play through us at the various levels, we also learn to see which is our problem force that needs balancing and adjusting (usually the emotional or personality ray), and those that need strengthening. (3) Identification of the soul ray, clarifies for us our soul or heart career path. Turning this around, if we know our heart-career, it helps identify the soul ray.
MERGING THE RAY AND ASTROLOGY CHARTS. Since the rays flow through the signs and planets, once your rays are known, it gives greater insight into the messages contained in the astrology chart.
Wednesday 21 June 2023
What Is Esoteric Astrology and How Is It Different from Reading My Horoscope?
By Jaime Wright
Source: https://www.purewow.com/wellness/what-is-esoteric-astrology
The thing about astrology is that once you know a little bit about it, you quickly realize how much you don’t know. It’s a language with an almost infinite amount of dialects. It’s not a one-size-fits-all thing! One of astrology’s least practiced and most mysterious forms is esoteric astrology, which first surfaced in the early 20th century and—for better or for worse—might be the O.G. manifestation trend! Here’s everything we know about it.
So, what is esoteric astrology?
Esoteric Astrology is a soul-centered astrology. Less concerned with our singular outward personality or what’s going to happen to us in this lifetime, esoteric astrology is about defining our soul’s contribution to the evolution of humanity. It’s taught as a way of healing the relationship between soul and personality. According to esoteric astrologers, in order to reach our highest self and live with soul consciousness, we must transcend our material nature, using our personality as an instrument of soul expression, not the other way around. If this is already sounding a bit woo-woo, that’s because it is. Esoteric astrology originated with Theosophy—or, the “New Age” movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
History of esoteric astrology
The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 in New York City as a home for upper class intellectuals who had developed skills in mediumship and were hungry to explore esotericism. Think: Séances and the paintings of Hilma af Klint. Rudolf Steiner and Helena Blavatsky were two major contributors to the movement, along with Alice Bailey, the founder of esoteric astrology.
Alice Bailey codified esoteric astrology through her five volume A Treatise on the Seven Rays, which she claimed to have channeled through her disembodied spiritual teacher, DK (read: a ghost). In the introduction she writes, “Certain things I may say will probably be regarded by the academic and uninspired astrologer as revolutionary, or as erroneous, as improbable or unprovable.” She knows these teachings are controversial and the source is unreliable—kinda like Instagram-famous-crystal-healer vibes. Her teachings were carried into the modern day through the work of Alan Leo (the original sun sign horoscope writer), as well as modern psychological astrologer Dane Rudhyar.
How is esoteric astrology different from the astrology I know?
The biggest difference between esoteric astrology and the modern psychological astrology of sun sign horoscopes (and all those memes) is planetary rulers. In modern astrology, the rulers of the signs shake down like so:
Aries - Mars
Taurus - Venus
Gemini - Mercury
Cancer - Moon
Leo - Sun
Virgo - Mercury
Libra - Venus
Scorpio - Mars, Pluto
Sagittarius - Jupiter
Capricorn - Saturn
Aquarius - Saturn, Uranus
Pisces - Jupiter, Neptune
But because esoteric astrology is all about transcending our nature and finding our higher purpose within the collective (aka manifesting our best life, as well as the world’s best outcomes), the planetary rulers reflect each sign’s higher octave, or greater calling. In esoteric astrology, each sign has an exoteric planetary ruler, which reveals the pure outer expression of the sign’s characteristics, as well as an esoteric planetary ruler, which reveals the sign’s spiritual side. The exoteric rulers are the same as in modern psychological astrology, but the esoteric planetary rulers break from tradition as follows:
Aries - Mercury
Taurus - Vulcan*
Gemini - Venus
Cancer - Neptune
Leo - Sun**
Virgo - Moon
Libra - Uranus
Scorpio - Mars**
Sagittarius - Earth
Capricorn - Saturn**
Aquarius - Jupiter
Pisces - Pluto
*You might be wondering, what is Vulcan? Well, it’s...imaginary. Vulcan was presented by 19th-century astronomers as a hypothetical planet orbiting between Mercury and the sun, to explain some peculiarities in Mercury’s orbit. No evidence was found of its existence after several searches and Vulcan was scientifically abandoned after 1919. Despite this, “the planet” also shows up in some astrological texts from the 1970s.
**Also interesting to note that Leo, Scorpio and Capricorn keep the same ruler on the inner (esoteric) and outer (exoteric) levels.
What does my esoteric planetary ruler say about me?
Esoteric astrology is an exploration of our soul’s consciousness. The esoteric planetary ruler clues us into a more “evolved” version of ourselves.
Aries - Higher self is reached through inspiring others through thought and speech (Mercury).
Taurus - Higher self is reached through loyalty and an iron will (Vulcan).
Gemini - Higher self is reached through the love (Venus) of ideas.
Cancer - Higher self is reached through imagination (Neptune) as soul nourishment.
Leo - Higher self is reached through illuminating (Sun) others.
Virgo - Higher self is reached through acts of service and purity of instinct (Moon).
Libra - Higher self is reached when keeping progress (Uranus) in mind.
Scorpio - Higher self is reached through fighting (Mars) for a divine cause.
Sagittarius - Higher self is reached through a grounding (Earth) spirituality.
Capricorn - Higher self is reached through establishing rules (Saturn) for the collective.
Aquarius - Higher self is reached through wisdom (Jupiter) as humanitarianism.
Pisces - Higher self is reached through letting go of limitations via spiritual rebirth (Pluto).
The Seven Rays
Another key component to esoteric astrology is the Seven Rays (remember the title of Bailey’s book is A Treatise on the Seven Rays). Life coach and astrologer Marie O’Neill describes them as, “energy streams that enter our solar system from cosmic sources.” The seven rays pre-date esotericaAstrology and Theosophy, with possible origins in Hindu scripture, and are also a part of Catholic iconography. In Bailey’s writings these seven rays are thought of as the fundamental energies behind all existence. The seven rays are a primal creative force and an expression of divinity. In esoteric astrology, all planets express their power through different rays in the different signs.
The rays are defined as such:
1st Ray: Will or power
2nd Ray: Love wisdom
3rd Ray: Adaptability
4th Ray: Beauty or Harmony
5th Ray: Knowledge or Science
6th Ray: Devotion
7th Ray: Ritual
What can I learn from an esoteric reading of my chart?
We understand now that esoteric astrology is very different from modern psychological astrology. It’s a complex system with somewhat murky origins, and unlike traditional forms of astrology, practicing requires one to buy into the somewhat jargony language of “esoteric” and “exoteric” rulers, the seven rays and soul consciousness. Focused more on the collective than individual purpose, this type of astrology doesn’t predict life events or give hot takes on personality. An esoteric chart reading is focused on transformation and how we can better express our soul, which is lifelong work.
Bottom line
Esoteric astrology is less about who we are and more about who we could possibly become.