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Why December 25?
I have often wondered if the Winter Solstice is December 21, why do we celebrate Christmas on the 25th?Why did the Christians wait for four days before having the big party? The answer is simple – seems our ancient friends were rather cautious. Yes, December 21 is the longest night of the year – but it is the next day when the day grows just a wee bit longer and a little longer the next and so on. They wanted to be darned sure that Sun was indeed returning before getting out the party hats and horns (or reasonable facsimile thereof.)
But the day December 25 was long a day of celebration in the pagan world – a day to celebrate the return of the Sun or son. The Christians didn’t have to look far for a holiday to co-opt on December 25. It was the day that Attis, the Roman son of the virgin Nana who was later sacrificed to bring salvation by being crucified on a tree and then arising three days later, was born.
The Greek god, Dionysus son of Zeus, whose body was symbolically eaten in the form of bread and wine, was also celebrated on December 25. The Egyptians placed December 25 as the birth day of Osiris, the savior-god who was resurrected by his wife and then reined over the after world. The Persians, also happy that the Sun was proving itself back to stay, celebrated the birth of Mithra, a savior who performed miracles, cured the ill and ascended into heaven in the Spring.
So go ahead celebrate the Solstice and then 4 days later the return of the Sun – or son – if you prefer. In either case, you will be carrying on a tradition that predates the current Christian incarnation by about 6000 – 8000 years. It is a great way to link yourself to nature and our collective roots.
The Sun, ruler of Leo, is at its Zenith in August – the time of Leo — but it is the cycle of waxing and waning that we celebrate in the depths of cold winter. Rejoice for the Sun (son) has returned!
Ceres -Mother Earth
HAPPY SOLSTICE ALL
Ceres is the original Earth Mother. During good times she and her daughter Persephone wandered the Earth spreading seeds and making all things grow. One day, Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, tricked Persephone and took her into the Underworld. So aggrieved and annoyed was Ceres that she stopped all vegetation from growing. The Greeks were terrified of starvation and begged Zeus to mediate between Pluto and Ceres. Soon a bargain was struck whereby Persephone would be released but Ceres would have to go spend one half of the year in the Underworld. When Ceres did this, plants no longer grew and thus came winter. What a great story to explain the cycle of the seasons.
In astrology where the asteroid Ceres lies in a chart is the area that we see two things. One is parental relationships – loss, separation – and nurturing – how we nurture and how we feel the need to provide nurturing to others. Someone with Ceres in the 3rd house will likely nurture others by providing exposure to new ideas whereas Ceres in the 6th could produce a mother who runs an orderly and well structured family.
Ceres is a natural fit with Cancer – because they both are “motherly” but she also resonates with with Taurus. Taurus the Bull is the ultimate Earth sign and shows how we use resources – natural and otherwise. Also, because Taurus opposes Scorpio on the astrological wheel and Scorpio is ruled by Pluto – the guy whose tricks started all of this – there is a delicate balance between the power of Scorpio and the resource husbandry of Taurus.
By learning how Ceres fits between these planets we get a better outlook on how we deal with our Mother issues.
Vesta – The Fire Inside
The smallest but most determined asteroid goddess is Vesta. To the Greeks, she was Hestia who is actually the woman pictured in the Virgo the Virgin glyph. When the Romans took over the world, they renamed her Vesta and depicted her as the goddess of the hearth and the keeper of the sacred flame. (Remember the Vestal Virgins?) I, like a growing number of astrologers, assign Virgo rulership to Vesta. Poor Virgo doesn’t have its own ruling planet…Scorpio finally got Pluto but Virgo and Taurus are so far without rulers. However, Vesta’s dedication to a cause despite the hardship it causes her, the organized way she goes about keeping the fires burning – all sound Virgoan to me – and why else would the ancients make Virgo Virgin the picture of Hestia?
Simply, Vesta in a person’s horoscope indicates where their burning heart’s desire rests — some inner burning fire…for me it is in the 12th house. Duh — twelfth house our connection to the universe– astrologer – hello! Seen in the first house, it would be a dedication to self-goals -often to the exclusion of long-term relations with others. In the fifth house, it will give a dedication to artistic and creative goals. The eleventh house placement would lend a person to be dedicated to group humanitarian efforts — remember Jane Addams?
Vesta is the little but bright asteroid that keeps our inner passion and inner dedication burning. Someone with a strongly aspected Vesta will give up everything to achieve their goal – family, sex, society— everything! Now that doesn’t happen in too many charts but it gives you some idea of how intense she can be.
Girls will be girls. Don’t mess with them when they are set on something!
Another One of the “Girls” – Pallas Athene
Pallas Athene is one of the most interesting albeit confusing asteroid goddess. This is because of her basic duality. I am not talking duality like Pisces the Fish or Gemini the Twins. It isn’t that stark, however, she is the goddess of war and power as well as healing and wisdom. I guess, like most women, she figures she will have to clean up the mess others make so might as well get on with it. In her honor, the Greeks named their major city, Athens.
In classical Greece, this virgin goddess of wisdom was second only to Jupiter, king of the heavens, in importance. As the goddess of war, she was invincible in battle. In times of peace, however, her wisdom enforced the law and made sure justice prevailed. She was also patroness of the arts, architecture, cooking and weaving. Yes, insert your goddess multi-tasking joke here.
In the sky, Pallas Athene lies between the constellations Libra and Aquarius and opposes Leo – so when we use her in chart analysis, we see the flash of intelligence (Aquarius) and the driving originality of fiery Leo modified by Libra balance and fairness. For instance, someone with a well aspected Pallas in Taurus will have the ability to see beauty in new ways. Taurus is ruled by Venus – and is associated with the arts and beauty. A strong Pallas Taurus person is able to perceive art in a new way- with all senses – they might even “see” colors.* They could also be a fighter for the Earth – an ecological warrior. Taurus is the Bull, grounded in the Earth and earth resources (see my entry on Al Gore’s North Node in Taurus.) They will use the fire of Leo and the advanced mind of Aquarius to fight for Mother Earth.
Well aspected Pallas in Sagittarius people can become shamans or healers because the can actually see the big picture of someone’s health arc. Remember, Sag. is expansive in nature. Unfortunately, we also see Pallas Sag. people who have negative aspects and who can take that warrior energy and combine it with Sag’s belief in religious truth and become religious crusaders.
The main thing to remember is that Pallas packs a wallop of creative, fiery energy and high perceptive abilities. She was the original androgynous woman who competed quite well with men in the political and military arena.
*For more information on this see “The Spiritual Anatomy of Emotion: How Feelings Link the Brain, the Body, and the Sixth Sense ” by Michael Jawer.
Say Hello to the Girls – Juno – Goddess Asteroid
I thought I would end the year with a look at four of the goddess asteroids that I use in my chart readings. Juno, Pallas Athena, Vesta and Ceres are all asteroids which vibrate to the energy of the ancient Greek and Roman Goddesses. Let’s start with the lady in white, Juno. Juno is the ancient Roman goddess of marriage, the Divine Consort. (The Greeks called her Hera, the Roman’s changed her name to Juno. She was the wife of Zeus and Jupiter respectively and in both cultures she gave up a great deal of power to enter into those unions. ) The Romans named the six month, June, after her – the month that even then was a time of many weddings. She works on issues of loyalty and commitment.
When Juno makes a major transit in a chart it indicates a time of either coming together or breaking apart – depending on the aspects. June resides in the sky near the Libra and Scorpio constellations and she uses the energy of both. With Libra she seeks harmony and union – but when that union isn’t working – Scorpionic jealousy and anger can boil over. Remember, she gave up a lot to marry and sometimes that breeds unrest.
In a karmic chart analysis I look how each person’s Juno interacts. If there are negative aspects, you can be sure there was some disharmony in the past so if the two people are thinking of making a go of it again you have to hope they get it right this time!
Uranus and Juno – sitting in a tree…………
No they aren’t k-i-s-s-i-n-g but they could be. For a good portion of this year and well into the next, the planet Uranus and the asteroid Juno have been in conjunction with one another – 22 degrees Pisces. A conjunction is an aspect planets make as they flip around the ecliptic (the path we take around the Sun). These two characters have been hugging one another, both 22 degrees into the constellation of Pisces.
Ok Joan what does that all mean? Well Uranus is the planet that likes to change things up. Remember, it is the only planet that spins on it’s side. Uranus is all about sudden change, fast change – quick movement into the future. Juno is the ancient Roman goddess of marriage. She works on issues of loyality and commitment. Sounds contradicotry doesn’t it? Well, no. It just means that this is time to find new ways to commit ourselves to people and issues. More specifially, where we commit to our way of connecting to the cosmic consciousness (that is where the Psices comes in. Pisces is our portal to the Universe.)
Remember you have to look at where these two are in your particular chart to see how you will feel their effect. In my chart, they are transiting the 6th house – the house of health and day to day work. Not surprisingly I have undertaken a plan to rid myself of my allergies to nuts – and my auto immune problems. I am committing myself to change the way my body works. I am not doing this with a traditional doctor but through meditation and energy work.
Once a goat – always a goat?
Not necessarily. I thought I would go back to my South Node shadow discussion again with my old friend Capricorn! Yes, my tongue sort of is in my cheek. I have always had issues with Capricorn – he goes against my born inconoclasism. On the upside, Capricorn gives us form and structure – he controls time and bones and everything that holds us together. Capricorn make us meet obligations and color within the lines. The steady, stubborn goat keeps us moving up the mountain.
However, when people get too into their Capricornian ways – when they get into the shadow – particularly if they have a South Node in Capricorn – they can become too involved in carrying that heavy load up the hill. This can manifest as someone who feels they must always work, must always provide for everyone. They can become joyless and the epitome of a work-aholic.
Capricorn South Node people had to keep family and community together through shear hard work in past lives. They were the go-to people and while they need now to learn to go to toward Cancer in this life – using their heart instead of head – they can get stuck in that work, work attitude.
We also have to watch for the upsdie down Capricorn who tries so hard to recreate that life of order and structure that he so longs to go back there but the universe wants him to move on and – you know you can’t ever go home agian. Instead of organization this Capricorn becomes too tossed up inside and losses all track of time – always arriving late – and order- sometimes becoming a horder.
My prescription for those overly-charged Capricorns – think with your heart this time – open your heart. It is about feelings not things this time.
Happy Birthday! Solar Returns
Happy birthday to me…. Happy birthday to me…. OK you get the picture – it was my birthday this week. The anniversary of your birth is called a Solar Return in the astrology world. Why? Well because the Sun is returning to the spot it was when you were born. See, this stuff is simple.
Birthdays are a great time to cast a Solar Return chart. By comparing your Solar Return chart to your natal (or birth chart) – we get a very good idea of what issues are coming around for you this year.
What a great way to start the next year of your life!
Contact me for your Solar Return chart – or for that of a friend. Finally, a gift you can use!
What is it with you Earth signs and your “stuff”?
I just had the dubious pleasure of watching my dear Virgo rising Virgo Sun friend move from Virginia to California. The pleasure came from seeing her do something she has been aching to do for years — the interesting part was watching an Earth sign trying to part with her “stuff”!
Just because you guys are grounded and you have a connection to resources for goodness sakes doesn’t mean you have to hang on to every piece of Earth that you have come in contact with since birth!
Oh the machinations she went through – this 30 year old thingie bobbie that I got at the flea market well that has to have a home with so and so — and this book this book just has to go her.
Just dropping off crap you haven’t used in the past 2 years at Goodwill wasn’t good enough. She had to find a “home” for everything no matter how old or useless to her. It was like she was giving away her babies. The best moment came when she was agonizing over a set of pom-poms she got from a bike ride and had been sitting in a box for at least four years. With my typical Scorpio Sun sympathy I picked them up and announced, “This is what you do with them!” With that they found themselves in the trash.
It makes sense that Earth signs are attached to things – they need to feel Earth around them as a kind of security blanket. Sadly, when their emotions are out of whack they run to things to find a form of happiness. I had one dearly departed double Taurean who was a certified hoarder. After her husband died, that need for security went haywire and in a few short years her house became impassable. Another double Capricorn (Sun and rising sign) no longer allows anyone in her house because her insecurities are manifesting in a collecting frenzy.
So a note to all Earth signs – stay grounded, stay connected – just don’t become so attached to STUFF…When in doubt – pitch it!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac