Another perspective of the TLE in Virgo...

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I feel that the Sabian Symbols for the TLE (total lunar eclipse) in Virgo have an important message for us as Hellenistic Pagans.

For the Moon at 01:53 Virgo we have the following Sabian Symbol:
A large white cross dominates the landscape.

Keynote: The wisdom and compassion, which only the experience of suffering and isolation can bring – LIBERATING ORDEAL. (Dane Rudhyar, “An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and Its 360 Symbolic Phases”, p. 151)

This sign speaks to us, emphasizing that we must embrace the nature of Kronos, called Saturn, who is known as "the Titan god of time and the ages, especially time where regarded as destructive and all-devouring" [1]. If we refuse to embrace Kronos, and make peace with him in our own lives, we are dooming ourselves to keep repeating our Karmic lessons. There are many paths by which one may do this: subconciously - by sabotaging ourselves in our work, home, and leisure relationships, through building inner resentments that lead to angst or depressions.

Those who are aware of Kronos and his lessons are not immune however, as this eclipse has lessons for the concious as well - we must use Kronos' relationship with this eclipse as a trigger which urges us to keep moving forward in our lives and spiritual quests - and as a warning against falling into old patterns or ways of thinking. Kronos tells us that if we look to him for guidance, and trust in his teachings, he can show us how to properly integrate this TLE into our lives, and by doing so, we will experience a liberation. This liberation will parallel the liberation that he experienced when he was removed from power by his son, Zeus.

Kronos ruled the Universe and all of Creation during the Golden Age of man; Kronos came into power after he castrated and deposed his father Ouranos (the Sky Father). This set up a Karmic lesson which Kronos tried to thwart. Because Kronos feared the prophecy that he would be in turn be overthrown by his own son, Kronos swallowed each of his children as soon as they were born. He thought that this could thwart his Karmic debt... instead, it was merely a delay that caused it to build in intensity. The more that one works against their destiny, and the harder one tries to deny Karma, the greater the magnitude of the liberating event becomes. Kronos' wife, Rhea managed to save the youngest of her Divine Children, Zeus. Rhea hid Zeus on the island of Krete, where he was protected by Nymphs and nourished by the goat Amalthea. Rhea tricked Kronos and fed him a stone wrapped in the swaddling clothes of an infant.

When Zeus grew up, he made his mighty Aegis from Amalthea's hide, and placed her in the stars as Capricornus. Zeus went to Heaven, where he forced Kronos to disgorge his swallowed siblings, and led them, under their new title - Olympians - in a ten year, violent battle against the Titans. As predicted by the prophecy that he tried so hard to avert, Kronos was castrated and all of the Titans were defeated; the Titans as well as those who fought against the Olympians, were banished to the primitive and dark Pit of Tartaros. Here they experienced what it was to be imprisoned in darkness, held against thier will - just as Kronos had subjected his own children to the darkness of himself.

It seems to the pagan believer, upon hearing of the myth of the birth of Kronos, when he himself had been oppressed by his own father, Ouranos, Kronos would have tried to be a better father to his own offspring. If Kronos had been confident in his own power and rule, he would not have feared his children, and he would not have had to oppress them. A kind and supportive parenting role would likely have made everything different - Zeus could have assumed rule peacefully from his Father when he and the other Olympians were mature and ready to rule the Universe. Instead, Kronos acted from fear and hubris - the fear drove him to act in an oppressive manner - which bred resentment and hatred in his children and wife - and the hubris led him to convince himself that he was not subject to Tyche and her Three Fates. Zeus understood that he was subject to these Goddesses - who are called by men "terrible" - and by paying them the proper respect, Zeus was able to triumph over Kronos' oppression - this is reflected in our world by the proverb "Good always overcomes evil".

Because Zeus is most compassionate, and understands that everyone - even those who seek to avoid her - are subject to the dictates of Tyche, many, many, many human generations later, Zeus released Kronos and his comrades from thier dark and oppressive prison. He even made Kronos King of the Elysian Islands, home of the blessed dead. This is the true destiny that Kronos was meant to experience, but because of his fear and hubris, he had to experience darkness, isolation, and suffering before he could recieve his blessing.

The TLE at 01 Virgo 53 teaches us that we too must learn from the lessons of Kronos - if we try to act out of fear or hubris, we are only creating Karma which we must experience before we can inherit the blessings that the Gods have had in store for us since our birth. Let us use this eclipse to put right the Bad Karma we have created, and to embrace the Good Karma within ourselves and others.

For the Sun at 01:53 Pisces it is:
A squirrel hiding from hunters.

Keynote: The individual’s need both to ensure his future subsistence and to protect himself from aggressive social elements – SELF-PROTECTION. (Rudhyar, pp. 269f).

This Sabian Symbol of the Sun relates to the role of Zeus and the Olympians in the above story. Zeus and his mother Rhea did what was necessarry to ensure Zeus' future success and rule as High God. It was necessarry for Zeus to spend his youth away from his family, in protection on Mt. Ida on Krete. This isolation allowed him to be taught wisdom and compassion by the Nymphs - which is what initially seperated him from his own father. Zeus had to experience this so that he could protect himself, his mother and his siblings; when he was mature, he was able to take the knowledge and compassion he had integrated into himself to address his Father. Kronos, rather than appreciating his son and his role in the Universe, sought to destroy his children so that he could rule forever. Zeus did not attack, or merely seek revenge; Zeus acted in self-defense against his father to protect his mother and siblings. This is why Zeus and the Olympian's actions were in harmony with Tyche, while the actions of Kronos and the Titans were against her.

The professional astrologer, Verena Donath, who writes the column Celestial Notebook for The Mountain Astrologer has the following to say about the TLE in Virgo:

The succeeding Lunar Eclipse will illuminate our inner landscape. It is a subjective response that will be felt emotionally and intuitively. In the chart for the Lunar Eclipse (see chart) Vesta is conjunct the Sun in Pisces and thus opposite the Moon. This speaks of a sacrifice, whereby the individual brings himself to the altar in the face of loneliness and alienation. By confronting one’s anxieties and to some point even one’s errors there might be a feeling of helplessness emerge, but in the end the need to save oneself will aid the individual in sorting out his feelings.

Saturn Rx in Virgo in close proximity, sesqui-quadrate Eris in Aries, is an indicator of a stressful emotional situation, a test of character as well as of endurance, because the inner life of the individual is in a state of dissonance. Polarity is heightened with each Full Moon. In the case of a Lunar Eclipse it is amplified. Outer as well as inner withdrawal is needed to regain composure and to reclaim one’s space.

Pallas in Pisces is square Mars in Gemini who’s casting a trine to the North Node in Aquarius. All threats have to be thwarted to protect oneself during this challenging phase so that the individual will be freed from the past and can now embark on a new path with renewed energies.

Uranus in Pisces receives a sextile from Ceres in Taurus and a semi-sextile from Chiron in Aquarius. The latter is also engaged in a square with Ceres. Detachment is the key to emotional liberation. Change will only happen by breaking out of the cycle of suffering and letting go off illusive thinking. Security is only relative. To ensure future subsistence the individual has to rebuild his/her self-esteem.

This is a time for us to look within and make the following changes so that we cease to act out of hubris and/or fear against Tyche, the Fates, and the Gods:

• Move from worthlessness, shame, guilt, and believing that everyone else embraces the Gods except us to the constant awareness of our inherent divinity and interconnection with all of Creation.
• Move from helplessness, victimization, and martyrdom to discernment, harmony, humility, and true service of the Gods (Orthopraxy).
• Let us embrace the sacred work which we came to this life to do.
• Let us live boldly and shine our light that we offer to the world in the service of the Gods.

Sabian Symbols in Astrology

The Sabian Symbols are a modern oracle; in 1925, the Sabian symbols were brought into manifestation in the physical realm during the span of a single day in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA.[1] The Sabian Symbols, which are an oracle, were channeled through the combined efforts of Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler; Jones wrote all 360 degree increments of the zodiac on notecards, which he randomly shuffled and held up for Wheeler to meditate upon[2]. Jones did not know which degree of the Zodiac he was dealing with, but Wheeler told Jones what images, visions, or sense impressions she was having associated with each card. These images and impressions were recorded by Jones, who compiled them into lists which have been distributed since[3].

The following is the complete list of all 360 Sabian Symbols as recieved by Wheeler; I view them as modern Astrological equivalents of the Delphic Oracle. If one has a question about a particlar placement of a planet or asteroid within their chart, considering which God is represented combined with the appropriate Sabian Symbol can provide a meditation tool.

For example, my own natal moon is conjunct my Ascendant, which is placed at 01 Virgo 53 - which has the Sabian Symbol of "A Large White Cross Dominates The Landscape". Because this involves my moon, Selene should be seen as participating in the image of the Sabian Symbol... which to me says that I should look to her, the Moon Goddess and symbol of my emotions, and trust her to comfort and guide me, as I journey through my life. I, like most people today, live in a country that is predominantely Monotheistic and Protestant Christian - which can create inconvinences and awkward situations for polythiests, pantheists, panentheists, and even henotheists who do not subscribe to the predominant faith paradigm. Having an oracle which provides tools for meditation such as the Sabian Symbols can hopefully help other pagans to determine what their destiny is, and how to fulfill it.

The following are the Sabian Symbols, arranged by degree and Sign.

Aries

• 0-1 deg Aries-A Woman Just Risen From The Sea; A Seal Is Embracing Her
• 1-2 deg Aries-A Comedian Reveals Human Nature
• 2-3 deg Aries-The Cameo Profile Of A Man, Suggesting The Shape Of His Country
• 3-4 deg Aries-Two Lovers Strolling On A Secluded Walk
• 4-5 deg Aries-A Triangle With Wings
• 5-6 deg -AriesA Square, With One Of Its Sides Brightly Illumined
• 6-7 deg Aries-A Man Succeeds In Expressing Himself Simultaneously In Two Realms
• 7-8 deg Aries-A Large Woman's Hat With Streamers Blown By An East Wind
• 8-9 deg Aries-A Crystal Gazer
• 9-10 deg Aries-A Teacher Gives New Symbolic Forms To Traditional Images
• 10-11 deg Aries-The Ruler Of A Nation
• 11-12 deg Aries-A Triangularly Shaped Flight Of Wild Geese
• 12-13 deg Aries-An Unexploded Bomb Reveals An Unsuccessful Social Protest
• 13-14 deg Aries-A Serpent Coiling Near A Man And A Woman
• 14-15 deg Aries-An Indian Weaving A Ceremonial Blanket
• 15-16 deg Aries-Nature Spirits Are Seen At Work In The Light Of Sunset
• 16-17 deg Aries-Two Dignified Spinsters Sitting In Silence
• 17-18 deg Aries-An Empty Hammock Stretched Between Two Trees
• 18-19 deg Aries-The "Magic Carpet" Of Oriental Imagery
• 19-20 deg Aries-A Young Girl Feeding Birds In Winter
• 20-21 deg Aries-A Pugilist Enters The Ring
• 21-22 deg Aries-The Gate To The Garden Of All Fulfilled Desires
• 22-23 deg Aries-A Pregnant Woman In Light Summer Dress
• 23-24 deg Aries-Blown Inward By The Wind, The Curtains Of An Open Window Take The Shape Of A Cornucopia
• 24-25 deg Aries-The Possibility For Man To Gain Experience At Two Levels Of Being
• 25-26 deg Aries-A Man Possessed Of More Gifts Than He Can Hold
• 26-27 deg Aries-Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained
• 27-28 deg Aries-A Large Audiences Confronts The Performer Who Disappointed Its Expectations
• 28-29 deg Aries-The Music Of The Spheres
• 29-30 deg Aries-A Duck Pond And Its Brood

Taurus

• 0-1 deg Taurus-A Clear Mountain Stream
• 1-2 deg Taurus-An Electrical Storm
• 2-3 deg Taurus-Natural Steps Lead To A Lawn Of Clover In Bloom
• 3-4 deg Taurus-The Pot Of Gold At The End Of The Rainbow
• 4-5 deg Taurus-A Widow At An Open Grave
• 5-6 deg Taurus-Cantilever Bridge Across A Deep Gorge
• 6-7 deg Taurus-The Woman Of Samaria At The Ancestral Well
• 7-8 deg Taurus-A Sleigh On Land Uncovered By Snow
• 8-9 deg Taurus-A Fully Decorated Christmas Tree
• 9-10 deg Taurus-A Red Cross Nurse 10-11 deg TaurusA Woman Watering Flowers In Her Garden
• 11-12 deg Taurus-A Young Couple Window Shopping
• 12-13 deg Taurus-A Porter Carrying Heavy Baggage
• 13-14 deg Taurus-On The Beach, Children Play While Shellfish Grope At The Edge Of The Water
• 14-15 deg Taurus-Head Covered With A Rakish Silk Hat, Muffled Against The Cold, A Man Braves A Storm
• 15-16 deg Taurus-An Old Teacher Fails To Interest His Pupils In Traditional Knowledge
• 16-17 deg Taurus-A Symbolical Battle Between "Swords" And "Torches"
• 17-18 deg Taurus-A Woman Airing An Old Bag Through The Open Window Of Her Room
• 18-19 deg Taurus-A New Continent Rising Out Of The Ocean
• 19-20 deg Taurus-Wisps Of Winglike Clouds Streaming Across The Sky
• 20-21 deg Taurus-A Finger Pointing To A Line In An Open Book
• 21-22 deg Taurus-White Dove Flying Over Troubled Waters
• 22-23 deg Taurus-A Jewelry Shop Filled With Valuable Gems
• 23-24 deg Taurus-An Indian Warrior Riding Fiercely, Human Scalps Hanging From His Belt
• 24-25 deg Taurus-A Vast Public Park
• 25-26 deg Taurus-A Spanish Gallant Serenades His Beloved
• 26-27 deg Taurus-An Old Indian Woman Selling The Artifacts Of Her Tribe To Passerby
• 27-28 deg Taurus-A Woman, Past Her "Change Of Life", Experiences A New Love
• 28-29 deg Taurus-Two Cobblers Working At A Table
• 29-30 deg Taurus-A Peacock Parading On The Terrace Of An Old Castle
  
  Gemini
  
• 0-1 deg Gemini-A Glass-Bottomed Boat Reveals Undersea Wonders
• 1-2 deg Gemini-Santa Claus Furtively Filling Stockings Hanging In Front Of Fireplace
• 2-3 deg Gemini-The Garden Of The Tuileries In Paris
• 3-4 deg Gemini-Holly And Mistletoe Reawaken Old Memories Of Christmas
• 4-5 deg Gemini-A Revolutionary Magazine Asking For Action
• 5-6 deg Gemini-Workmen Drilling For Oil
• 6-7 deg Gemini-A Well With Bucket And Rope Under The Shade Of Majestic Trees
• 7-8 deg Gemini-Aroused Strikers Surround A Factory
• 8-9 deg Gemini-A Quiver Filled With Arrows
• 9-10 deg Gemini-An Airplane Performing A Nose Dive
• 10-11 deg Gemini-Newly Opened Lands Offer The Pioneer New Opportunities For Experience
• 11-12 deg Gemini-A Negro Girl Fights For Her Independence In The City
• 12-13 deg Gemini-A Famous Pianist Giving A Concert Performance
• 13-14 deg Gemini-Bridging Physical Space And Social Distinctions, Two Men Communicate Telepathically
• 14-15 deg Gemini-Two Dutch Children Talking To Each Other, Exchanging Their Knowledge
• 15-16 deg Gemini-A Woman Activist In An Emotional Speech Dramatizing Her Cause
• 16-17 deg Gemini-The Head Of A Robust Youth Changes Into That Of A Mature Thinker
• 17-18 deg Gemini-Two Chinese Men Converse In Their Native Tongue In An American City
• 18-19 deg Gemini-A Large Archaic Volume Reveals A Traditional Wisdom
• 19-20 deg Gemini-A Modern Cafeteria Displays An Abundance Of Food, Products Of Various Regions
• 20-21 deg Gemini-A Tumultuous Labor Demonstration
• 21-22 deg Gemini-Dancing Couples In A Harvest Festival
• 22-23 deg Gemini-Three Fledglings In A Nest High In A Tree
• 23-24 deg Gemini-Children Skating Over A Frozen Village Pond
• 24-25 deg Gemini-A Gardener Trimming Large Palm Trees
• 25-26 deg Gemini-Frost-Covered Trees Against Winter Skies
• 26-27 deg Gemini-A Gypsy Emerging From The Forest Wherein Her Tribe Is Encamped
• 27-28 deg Gemini-Through Bankruptcy, Society Gives To An Overburdened Individual The Opportunity To Begin Again
• 28-29 deg Gemini-The First Mockingbird Of Spring
• 29-30 deg Gemini-A Parade Of Bathing Beauties Before Large Beach Crowds
  
  Cancer
  
• 0-1 deg Cancer-On A Ship The Sailors Lower An Old Flag And Raise A New One
• 1-2 deg Cancer-A Man On A Magic Carpet Hovers Over A Large Area Of Land
• 2-3 deg Cancer-A Man Bundled In Fur Leads A Shaggy Deer
• 3-4 deg Cancer-A Cat Arguing With A Mouse
• 4-5 deg Cancer-At A Railroad Crossing, An Automobile is Wrecked By A Train
• 5-6 deg Cancer-Game Birds Feathering Their Nests
• 6-7 deg Cancer-Two Nature Spirits Dancing Under the Moonlight
• 7-8 deg Cancer-A Group Of Rabbits Dressed in Human Clothes Walk As If On Parade
• 8-9 deg Cancer-A Small Naked Girl Bends Over A Pond Trying To Catch A Fish
• 9-10 deg Cancer-A Large Diamond In The First Stages Of The Cutting Process
• 10-11 deg Cancer-A Clown Caricaturing Well-Known Personalities
• 11-12 deg Cancer-A Chinese Woman Nursing A Baby Whose Aura Reveals Him To Be The Reincarnation Of A Great Teacher
• 12-13 deg Cancer-A Hand With A Prominent Thumb Is Held Out For Study
• 13-14 deg Cancer-A Very Old Man Facing A Vast Dark Space To The Northeast
• 14-15 deg Cancer-In A Sumptuous Dining Hall Guests Relax After Partaking Of A Huge Banquet
• 15-16 deg Cancer-A Man Studying A Mandala In Front Of Him, With The Help Of A Very Ancient Book
• 16-17 deg Cancer-The Unfoldment Of Multilevel Potentialities Issuing From An Original Germ
• 17-18 deg Cancer-A Hen Scratching The Ground To Find Nourishment For Her Progeny
• 18-19 deg Cancer-A Priest Performing A Marriage Ceremony
• 19-20 deg Cancer-Venetian Gondoliers Giving A Serenade
• 20-21 deg Cancer-A Famous Singer Is Proving Her Virtuosity During An Operatic Performance
• 21-22 deg Cancer-A Young Woman Awaiting A Sailboat
• 22-23 deg Cancer-The Meeting Of A Literary Society
• 23-24 deg Cancer-A Woman And Two Men Castaways On A Small Island Of The South Seas
• 24-25 deg Cancer-A Willful Man Is Overshadowed By A Descent Of Superior Power
• 25-26 deg Cancer-Guests Are Reading In The Library Of A Luxurious Home
• 26-27 deg Cancer-A Violent Storm in A Canyon Filled With Expensive Homes
• 27-28 deg Cancer-An Indian Girl Introduces Her White Lover To Her Assembled Tribe
• 28-29 deg Cancer-A Greek Muse Weighing Newborn Twins In Golden Scales
• 29-30 deg Cancer-A Daughter of The American Revolution
  
  Leo
  
• 0-1 deg Leo-Blood Rushes To A Man's Head As His Vital Energies Are Mobilized Under The Spur Of Ambition
• 1-2 deg Leo-An Epidemic Of Mumps
• 2-3 deg Leo-A Middle-Aged Woman, Her Long Hair Flowing Over Her Shoulders And In A Braless Youthful Garment
• 3-4 deg Leo-A Formally Dressed Elderly Man Stands Near Trophies He Brought Back From A Hunting Expedition
• 4-5 deg Leo-Rock Formations Tower Over A Deep Canyon
• 5-6 deg Leo-A Conservative, Old-Fashioned Lady Is Confronted By A "Hippie" Girl
• 6-7 deg Leo-The Constellations Of Stars Shine Brilliantly In The Night Sky
• 7-8 deg Leo-A Communist Activist Spreading His Revolutionary Ideals
• 8-9 deg Leo-Glass Blowers Shape Beautiful Vases With Their Controlled Breathing
• 9-10 deg Leo-Early Morning Dew Sparkles As Sunlight Floods The Field
• 10-11 deg Leo-Children Play On A Swing Hanging From The Branches Of A Huge Oak Tree
• 11-12 deg Leo-An Evening Party Of Adults On A Lawn Illumined By Fancy Lanterns
• 12-13 deg Leo-An Old Sea Captain Rocking Himself On The Porch Of His Cottage
• 13-14 deg Leo-A Human Soul Seeking Opportunities For Outward Manifestation
• 14-15 deg Leo-A Pageant, With Its Spectacular Floats, Moves Along A Street Crowded With Cheering People
• 15-16 deg Leo-The Storm Ended, All Nature Rejoices In Brilliant Sunshine
• 16-17 deg Leo-A Volunteer or Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns
• 17-18 deg Leo-A Chemist Conducts An Experiment For His Students
• 18-19 deg Leo-A Houseboat Party
• 19-20 deg Leo-Zuni Indians Perform A Ritual To The Sun
• 20-21 deg Leo-Intoxicated Chickens Dizzily Flap Their Wings Trying To Fly
• 21-22 deg Leo-A Carrier Pigeon Fulfilling Its Mission
• 22-23 deg Leo-In A Circus The Bareback Rider Displays Her Dangerous Skill
• 23-24 deg Leo-Totally Concentrated Upon Inner Spiritual Attainment, A Man Is Sitting In A State Of Complete Neglect Of Bodily Appearance And Cleanliness
• 24-25 deg Leo-A Large Camel Is Seen Crossing A Vast And Forbidding Desert
• 25-26 deg Leo-After The Heavy Storm, A Rainbow
• 26-27 deg Leo-The Luminescence Of Dawn In The Eastern Sky
• 27-28 deg Leo-Many Little Birds On A Limb Of A Big Tree
• 28-29 deg Leo-A Mermaid Emerges From The Ocean Waves Ready For Rebirth In Human Form
• 29-30 deg Leo-An Unsealed Letter
  
  Virgo
  
• 0-1 deg Virgo-In A Portrait, The Significant Features Of A Man's Head Are Artistically Emphasized
• 1-2 deg Virgo-A Large White Cross Dominates The Landscape
• 2-3 deg Virgo-Two Guardian Angels
• 3-4 deg Virgo-Black And White Children Play Together Happily
• 4-5 deg Virgo-A Man Becoming Aware Of Nature Spirits And Normally Unseen Spiritual Agencies
• 5-6 deg Virgo-A Merry-Go-Round
• 6-7 deg Virgo-A Harem
• 7-8 deg Virgo-A Five-Year-Old Child Takes A First Dancing Lesson
• 8-9 deg Virgo-An Expressionist Painter At Work
• 9-10 deg Virgo-Two Heads Looking Out And Beyond The Shadows
• 10-11 deg Virgo-In Her Baby A Mother Sees Her Deep Longing For A Son Answered
• 11-12 deg Virgo-After The Wedding, The Groom Snatches The Veil Away From His Bride
• 12-13 deg Virgo-A Powerful Statesman Overcomes A State Of Political Hysteria
• 13-14 deg Virgo-An Aristocratic Family Tree
• 14-15 deg Virgo-A Fine Lace Handkerchief, Heirloom From Valorous Ancestors
• 15-16 deg Virgo-In The Zoo, Children Are Brought Face To Face With An Orangutan
• 16-17 deg Virgo-A Volcanic Eruption
• 17-18 deg Virgo-An Ouija Board
• 18-19 deg Virgo-A Swimming Race
• 19-20 deg Virgo-A Caravan Of Cars Headed To The West Coast
• 20-21 deg Virgo-A Girls' Basketball Team
• 21-22 deg Virgo-A Royal Coat Of Arms Enriched With Precious Stones
• 22-23 deg Virgo-A Lion Tamer Displays His Skill And Character
• 23-24 deg Virgo-Mary And Her Little Lamb
• 24-25 deg Virgo-A Flag At Half-Mast In Front Of A Public Building
• 25-26 deg Virgo-A Boy With A Censer Serves The Priest Near The Altar
• 26-27 deg Virgo-A Group Of Aristocratic Ladies Meet Ceremonially At A Court's Function
• 27-28 deg Virgo-A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power
• 28-29 deg Virgo-A Seeker After Occult Knowledge Is Reading An Ancient Scroll Which Illumines His Mind
• 29-30 deg Virgo-Totally Intent Upon Completing An Immediate Task, A Man Is Deaf To Any Allurement
  
  Libra
  
• 0-1 deg Libra-In A Collection Of Perfect Specimens Of Many Biological Forms, A Butterfly Displays The Beauty Of Its Wings, Its Body Impaled By A Fine Dart
• 1-2 deg Libra-The Transmutation Of The Fruits Of Past Experiences Into The Seed-Realizations Of The Forever Creative Spirit
• 2-3 deg Libra-The Dawn Of A New Day Reveals Everything Changed
• 3-4 deg Libra-Around A Campfire A Group Of Young People Sit In Spiritual Communion
• 4-5 deg Libra-A Man Revealing To His Students The Foundation Of An Inner Knowledge Upon Which A "New World" Could Be Built
• 5-6 deg Libra-A Man Watches His Ideals Taking A Concrete Form Before His Inner Vision
• 6-7 deg Libra-A Woman Feeding Chickens And Protecting Them From The Hawks
• 7-8 deg Libra-A Blazing Fireplace In A Deserted Home
• 8-9 deg Libra-Three "Old Masters" Hanging On The Wall Of A Special Room In An Art Gallery
• 9-10 deg Libra-Having Passed Through Narrow Rapids, A Canoe Reaches Calm Waters
• 10-11 deg Libra-A Professor Peering Over His Glasses At His Students
• 11-12 deg Libra-Miners Are Surfacing From A Deep Coal Mine
• 12-13 deg Libra-Children Blowing Soap Bubbles
• 13-14 deg Libra-In The Heat Of The Noon Hour A Man Takes A Siesta
• 14-15 deg Libra-Circular Paths
• 15-16 deg Libra-After A Storm A Boat Landing Stands In Need Of Reconstruction
• 16-17 deg Libra-A Retired Sea Captain Watches Ships Entering And Leaving The Harbor
• 17-18 deg Libra-Two Men Placed Under Arrest
• 18-19 deg Libra-A Gang Of Robbers In Hiding
• 19-20 deg Libra-A Rabbi Performing His Duties
• 20-21 deg Libra-A Sunday Crowd Enjoying The Beach
• 21-22 deg Libra-A Child Giving Birds A Drink At A Fountain
• 22-23 deg Libra-Chanticleer's Voice Heralds Sunrise
• 23-24 deg Libra-A Butterfly With A Third Wing On Its Left Side
• 24-25 deg Libra-The Sight Of An Autumn Leaf Brings To A Pilgrim The Sudden Revelation Of The Mystery Of Life And Death
• 25-26 deg Libra-An Eagle And A Large White Dove Change Into Each Other
• 26-27 deg Libra-An Airplane Sails, High In The Clear Sky
• 27-28 deg Libra-A Man Becoming Aware Of Spiritual Forces Surrounding And Assisting Him
• 28-29 deg Libra-Mankind's Vast And Enduring Effort To Reach For Knowledge Transferable From Generation To Generation
• 29-30 deg Libra-Three Mounds Of Knowledge On A Philosopher's Head
  
  Scorpio
  
• 0-1 deg Scorpio-A Crowded Sightseeing Bus On A City Street
• 1-2 deg Scorpio-A Delicate Bottle Of Perfume Lies Broken, Releasing Its Fragrance
• 2-3 deg Scorpio-A House-Raising Party In A Small Village Enlists The Neighbors' Cooperation
• 3-4 deg Scorpio-A Youth Carries A Lighted Candle In A Devotional Ritual
• 4-5 deg Scorpio-A Massive Rocky Shore Resist The Pounding Of The Sea
• 5-6 deg Scorpio-The Gold Rush Tears Men Away From Their Native Soil
• 6-7 deg Scorpio-Deep-Sea Divers

Ophiuchus*

• 7-8 deg Scorpio-A Calm Lake Bathed In Moonlight
• 8-9 deg Scorpio-A Dentist At Work
• 9-10 deg Scorpio-A Fellowship Supper Reunites Old Comrades
• 10-11 deg Scorpio-A Drowning Man is Being Rescued
• 11-12 deg Scorpio-An Official Embassy Ball
• 12-13 deg Scorpio-An Inventor Performs A Laboratory Experiment
• 13-14 deg Scorpio-Telephone Lineman At Work Installling New Connections
• 14-15 deg Scorpio-Children Playing Around Five Mounds Of Sand
• 15-16 deg Scorpio-A Girl's Face Breaking Into A Smile
• 16-17 deg Scorpio-A Woman, Fecundated By Her Own Spirit, Is "Great With Child"
• 17-18 deg Scorpio-A Path Through Woods Brilliant With Multicolored Splendor
• 18-19 deg Scorpio-A Parrot Repeats The Conversation He Has Overheard
• 19-20 deg Scorpio-A Woman Draws Away Two Dark Curtains Closing The Entrance To A Sacred Pathway
• 20-21 deg Scorpio-Obeying His Conscience, A Soldier Resists Orders
• 21-22 deg Scorpio-Hunters Shooting Wild Ducks
• 22-23 deg Scorpio-A Rabbit Metamorphoses Into A Nature Sprit
• 23-24 deg Scorpio-After Having Heard An Inspired Individual Deliver His "Sermon On The Mount," Crowds Are Returning Home
• 24-25 deg Scorpio-An X-Ray Photograph
• 25-26 deg Scorpio-American Indians Making Camp After Moving Into A New Territory
• 26-27 deg Scorpio-A Military Band Marches Noisily On Through The City Streets
• 27-28 deg Scorpio-The King Of The Fairies Approaching His Domain
• 28-29 deg Scorpio-An Indian Squaw Pleading To The Chief For The Lives Of Her Children
• 29-30 deg Scorpio-Children In Halloween Costumes Indulge In Various Pranks
  
  Sagittarius
• 0-1 deg Sagittarius-Retired Army Veterans Gather To Reawaken Old Memories
• 1-2 deg Sagittarius-White-capped Waves Display The Power Of Wind Over Sea
• 2-3 deg Sagittarius-Two Men Playing Chess
• 3-4 deg Sagittarius-A Little Child Learning To Walk With The Encouragement Of His Parents
• 4-5 deg Sagittarius-An Old Owl Sits Alone On The Branch Of A Large Tree
• 5-6 deg Sagittarius-A Game Of Cricket
• 6-7 deg Sagittarius-Cupid Knocks At The Door Of A Human Heart
• 7-8 deg Sagittarius-Within The Depths Of The Earth New Elements Are Being Formed
• 8-9 deg Sagittarius-A Mother Leads Her Small Child Step By Step Up A Steep Stairway
• 9-10 deg Sagittarius-A Theatrical Representation Of A Golden-Haired Goddess Of Opportuinity
• 10-11 deg Sagittarius-In The Left Section Of An Archaic Temple, A Lamp Burns In A Container Shaped Like A Human Body
• 11-12 deg Sagittarius-A Flag Turns Into An Eagle; The Eagle Into A Chanticleer Saluting The Dawn
• 12-13 deg Sagittarius-A Widow's Past Is Brought To Light
• 13-14 deg Sagittarius-The Great Pyramid And The Sphinx
• 14-15 deg Sagittarius-The Ground Hog Looking For Its Shadow On Ground Hog Day
• 15-16 deg Sagittarius-Sea Gulls Fly Around A Ship In Expectation Of Food
• 16-17 deg Sagittarius-An Easter Sunrise Service Draws A Large Crowd
• 17-18 deg Sagittarius-Children Playing On The Beach, Their Heads Protected By Sunbonnets
• 18-19 deg Sagittarius-Pelicans Menaced By The Behavior And Refuse Of Men Seek Safer Areas For Bringing Up Their Young
• 19-20 deg Sagittarius-In An Old-Fashioned Northern Village Men Cut The Ice Of A Frozen Pond For Use During The Summer
• 20-21 deg Sagittarius-A Child And A Dog Wearing Borrowed Eyeglasses
• 21-22 deg Sagittarius-A Chinese Laundry
• 22-23 deg Sagittarius-A Group Of Immigrants As They Fulfill The Requirements Of Entrance Into The New Country
• 23-24 deg Sagittarius-A Bluebird Perched On The Gate Of A Cottage
• 24-25 deg Sagittarius-A Chubby Boy On A Hobby-Horse
• 25-26 deg Sagittarius-A Flag Bearer In A Battle
• 26-27 deg Sagittarius-A Sculptor At His Work
• 27-28 deg Sagittarius-An Old Bridge Over A Beautiful Stream Is Still In Constant Use
• 28-29 deg Sagittarius-A Fat Boy Mowing The Lawn Of His House On An Elegant Suburban Street
• 29-30 deg Sagittarius-The Pope Blessing The Faithful
  
  Capricorn
  
• 0-1 deg Capricorn-An Indian Chief Claims Power From The Assembled Tribe
• 1-2 deg Capricorn-Three Rose Windows In A Gothic Church, One Damaged By War
• 2-3 deg Capricorn-A Human Soul, In Its Eagerness For New Experiences, Seeks Embodiment
• 3-4 deg Capricorn-A Group Of People Outfitting A Large Canoe At The Start Of A Journey By Water
• 4-5 deg Capricorn-Indians On The Warpath. While Some Men Row A Well-Filled Canoe, Others In It Perform A War Dance
• 5-6 deg Capricorn-Ten Logs Lie Under An Archway Leading To Darker Woods
• 6-7 deg Capricorn-A Veiled Prophet Speaks, Seized By The Power Of A God
• 7-8 deg Capricorn-In A Sunlit Home Domesticated Birds Sing Joyously
• 8-9 deg Capricorn-An Angel Carrying A Harp
• 9-10 deg Capricorn-An Albatross Feeding From The Hand Of A Sailor
• 10-11 deg Capricorn-A Large Group Of Pheasant On A Private Estate
• 11-12 deg Capricorn-An Illustrated Lecture On Natural Science Reveals Little-Known Aspects Of Life
• 12-13 deg Capricorn-A Fire Worshipper Meditates On The Ultimate Realities Of Existence
• 13-14 deg Capricorn-An Ancient Bas-Relief Carved In Granite Remains A Witness To A Long-Forgotten Culture
• 14-15 deg Capricorn-In A Hospital, The Children's Ward Is Filled With Toys
• 15-16 deg Capricorn-School Grounds Filled With Boys And Girls In Gymnasium Suits
• 16-17 deg Capricorn-A Repressed Woman Finds A Psychological Release In Nudism
• 17-18 deg Capricorn-The Union Jack Flag Files From A British Warship
• 18-19 deg Capricorn-A Five-Year-Old Child Carrying A Bag Filled With Groceries
• 19-20 deg Capricorn-A Hidden Choir Is Singing During A Religious Service
• 20-21 deg Capricorn-A Relay Race
• 21-22 deg Capricorn-By Accepting Defeat Gracefully, A General Reveals Nobility Of Character
• 22-23 deg Capricorn-A Soldier Receiving Two Awards For Bravery In Combat
• 23-24 deg Capricorn-A Woman Entering A Convent
• 24-25 deg Capricorn-A Store Filled With Precious Oriental Rugs
• 25-26 deg Capricorn-A Nature Sprit Dancing In The Iridescent Mist Of A Waterfall
• 26-27 deg Capricorn-Pilgrims Climbing The Steep Steps Leading To A Mountain Shrine
• 27-28 deg Capricorn-A Large Aviary
• 28-29 deg Capricorn-A Woman Reading Tea Leaves
• 29-30 deg Capricorn-A Secret Meeting Of Men Responsible For Executive Decisions In World Affairs
  
  Aquarius
  
• 0-1 deg Aquarius-An Old Adobe Mission In California
• 1-2 deg Aquarius-An Unexpected Thunderstorm
• 2-3 deg Aquarius-A Deserter From The Navy
• 3-4 deg Aquarius-A Hindu Yogi Demonstrates His Healing Powers
• 4-5 deg Aquarius-A Council Of Ancestors Is Seen Implementing Thee Efforts Of A Young Leader
• 5-6 deg Aquarius-A Masked Figure Performs Ritualistic Acts In A Mystery Play
• 6-7 deg Aquarius-A Child Is Seen Being Born Out Of An Egg
• 7-8 deg Aquarius-Beautifully Gowned Wax Figures On Display
• 8-9 deg Aquarius-A Flag Is Seen Turning Into An Eagle
• 9-10 deg Aquarius-A Man Who Had For A Time Become The Embodiment Of A Popular Ideal Is Made To Realize That As A Person He Is Not This Ideal
• 10-11 deg Aquarius-During A Silent Hour, A Man Receives A New Inspiration Which May Change His Life
• 11-12 deg Aquarius-On A Vast Staircase Stand People Of Different Types, Graduated Upward
• 12-13 deg Aquarius-A Barometer
• 13-14 deg Aquarius-A Train Entering A Tunnel
• 14-15 deg Aquarius-Two Lovebirds Sitting On A Fence And Singing Happily
• 15-16 deg Aquarius-A Big Businessman At His Desk
• 16-17 deg Aquarius-A Watchdog Stands Guard, Protecting His Master And His Possessions
• 17-18 deg Aquarius-A Man's Secret Motives Are Being Publicly Unmasked
• 18-19 deg Aquarius-A Forest Fire Is Being Subdued By The Use Of Water, Chemicals And Sheer Muscular Energy
• 19-20 deg Aquarius-A Large White Dove Bearing A Message
• 20-21 deg Aquarius-A Disappointed And Disillusioned Woman Courageously Faces A Seemingly Empty Life
• 21-22 deg Aquarius-A Rug Is Placed On The Floor Of A Nursery To Allow Children To Play In Comfort And Warmth
• 22-23 deg Aquarius-A Big Bear Sitting Down And Waving All Its Paws
• 23-24 deg Aquarius-A Man, Having Overcome His Passions, Teaches Deep Wisdom In Terms Of His Experience
• 24-25 deg Aquarius-A Butterfly With The Right Wing More Perfectly Formed
• 25-26 deg Aquarius-A Garage Man Testing A Car's Battery With A Hydrometer
• 26-27 deg Aquarius-An Ancient Pottery Bowl Filled With Fresh Violets
• 27-28 deg Aquarius-A Tree Felled And Sawed To Ensure A Supply Of Wood For The Winter
• 28-29 deg Aquarius-A Butterfly Emerging From A Chrysalis
• 29-30 deg Aquarius-Deeply Rooted In The Past Of A Very Ancient Culture, A Spiritual Brotherhood In Which Many Individual Minds Are Merged Into The Glowing Light Of A Unanimous Consciousness Is Revealed To One Who Has Emerged Successfully From His Metamorphosis
  
  Pisces
  
• 0-1 deg Pisces-In A Crowded Marketplace Farmers And Middlemen Display A Great Variety Of Products
• 1-2 deg Pisces-A Squirrel Hiding From Hunters
• 2-3 deg Pisces-Petrified Tree Trunks Lie Broken On Desert Sand
• 3-4 deg Pisces-Heavy Car Traffic On A Narrow Isthmus Linking Two Seashore Resorts
• 4-5 deg Pisces-A Church Bazaar
• 5-6 deg Pisces-A Parade Of Army Officers In Full Dress
• 6-7 deg Pisces-Illumined By A Shaft Of Light, A Large Cross Lies On Rocks Surrounded By Sea
• 7-8 deg Pisces-A Girl Blowing A Bugle
• 8-9 deg Pisces-A Jockey Spurs His Horse, Intent On Outdistancing His Rivals
• 9-10 deg Pisces-An Aviator Pursues His Journey, Flying Through Ground-Obscuring Clouds
• 10-11 deg Pisces-Men Traveling A Narrow Path, Seeking Illumination
• 11-12 deg Pisces-In The Sanctuary Of An Occult Brotherhood, Newly Initiated Members Are Being Examined And Their Character Tested
• 12-13 deg Pisces-An Ancient Sword, Used In Many Battles, Is Displayed In A Museum
• 13-14 deg Pisces-A Lady Wrapped In A Large Stole Of Fox Fur
• 14-15 deg Pisces-An Officer Instructing His Men Before A Simulated Assault Under A Barrage Of Live Shells
• 15-16 deg Pisces-In The Quiet Of His Study A Creative Individual Experiences A Flow Of Inspiration
• 16-17 deg Pisces-An Easter Parade
• 17-18 deg Pisces-In A Gigantic Tent, Villagers Witness A Spectacular Performance
• 18-19 deg Pisces-A Master Instructing His Disciple
• 19-20 deg Pisces-A Table Set For An Evening Meal
• 20-21 deg Pisces-Under The Watchful And Kind Eye Of A Chinese Servant, A Girl Fondles A Little White Lamb
• 21-22 deg Pisces-A Prophet Carrying Tablets Of The New Law Is Walking Down The Slopes Of Mount Sinai
• 22-23 deg Pisces-A "Materializing" Medium Giving A Seance
• 23-24 deg Pisces-On A Small Island Surrounded By The Vast Expanse Of The Sea, People Are Seen Living In Close Interaction
• 24-25 deg Pisces-A Religious Organization Succeeds In Overcoming The Corrupting Influence Of Perverted Practices and Materialized Ideals
• 25-26 deg Pisces-Watching The Very Thin Moon Crescent Appearing At Sunset, Different People Realize That The Time Has Come To Go Ahead With Their Different Projects
• 26-27 deg Pisces-The Harvest Moon Illumines A Clear Autumnal Sky
• 27-28 deg Pisces-A Fertile Garden Under The Full Moon Reveals A Variety Of Full-Grown Vegetables
• 28-29 deg Pisces-Light Breaking Into Many Colors As It Passes Through A Prism
• 29-30 deg Pisces-A Majestic Rock Formation Resembling A Face Is Idealized By A Boy Who Takes It As His Ideal Of Greatness, And As He Grows Up, Begins To Look Like It.

*Ophiuchus is the actual constellation which occupies the 7th through the 30th degrees of “Scorpio” in the Tropical Zodiac. Scorpius and Ophiuchus were combined into a single “sign” -Scorpio. This is why there are 12 signs in the Tropical Zodiac, the Zodiac most Westerner Astrologers are familiar with, rather than the 13 constellations of the Siderial Zodiac. Individuals whom are born during the first six or seven days of the traditional dates for “Scorpio” actually have their Sun in Scorpius; this means that most people who are “Scorpios” according to Western Astrology actually have their Sun in Ophiuchus, as the sun is in this constellation for 23 or 24 days of the “sign”.

Lunar Eclipse in Virgo

Today is the 15th of Anthesterion, it is Dikhomenia or Full Moon.

This evening, there is a total Lunar Eclipse that is visible from the United States. It is the last Lunar Eclipse for almost three years. This evening's eclipse will occur in 1 Virgo 53 according to the Western Tropical Zodiac. This is the Zodiac as described by Ptolemy in his books τετραβιβλου or Tetrabiblos and μαθηματικἠ σύνταξις or The Almagest, and it is different from the siderial zodiac or the observed stars in the sky. This is due to the precession of the equinoxes over time, and will be discussed in a future blog entry.

This Eclipse's Sabian Symbol is "A large white cross dominates the Landscape"... which is a symbol of the need for each of us to offer up our ego and attachments so that we can experience life and interact with the Gods on thier level - not ours. There has been a lot of talk about "God" over the past eight years in the United States -from our President, his cabinet, and other politicians. There have been reactions against "God" and "god-talk" by prominent individuals. This eclipse shows us that we need to get past the talk and begin to act.

This eclipse is telling us we need to meditate and reflect on who we truly are and what we need to leave behind - both as individuals and as a nation - as well as what we want to keep, protect, and nurture. Once we have our answers, we need to ask ourselves if we are "doing" or "being"... if we are too busy "doing", this is time during which we should shift to "being". When we are "being", we are in a place where we can listen to what the Gods are telling us, and act in accordance with their desires and actions.

Many of the problems that we see in the world today center around people who have problems with their egos - which is not surprising. This is symbolised in Astrology by the placement of our Sun... our Apollo principle. If we are too busy "doing" what we think we should to please others or to "fit in", then we are denying our inner Apollo (as well as the other Gods!). This will be felt as a tension within our inner world as well as a general malase when we interact with others in the outer world. This tension can, if ignored, become the basis for severe physical and mental imbalance and illness.

If you are feeling any tension, stress of imbalance in your life and inner world, this would be an excellent time to address that . This eclipse would be a good time to enter therapy or begin self work; it is also an excellent time to perform a ritual (or rituals) asking for the favor and input of the gods for ways that you can change... but if you do this, you MUST be committed to change. This is not a time to "fake it" or try to BS your way through life.

Finally, an interesting interfaith analogy - this eclipse occurs at a Sabian Symbol that speaks to Christians in terms of the cruxifiction of the ego-centered emotional life - this eclipse emphasizes the TRUE MEANING of the parable where Jesus told his followers to give up all their posessions and follow him. Jesus was telling his students that they needed to give up those things that owned them, the posessions that dictated their lives and emotions, the things that they felt "made them who they are", the things that the world valued - but that ultimately had no real value. Only by giving up these things, could they be themselves... and only when they were themselves could they have a relationship with God like Jesus had with God. This is something that we as pagans should remember when we enteract with Christians who try to prosyletise us or persecute us for our beliefs - they are ignoring the central teaching of their own prophet and teacher. We need to recognise that such individuals are not yet even aware that they need to give up their own Egotism (which is not healthy - egoism is healthy, Egotism is neurotic) in order to truly do the work of God, and their need to be "right" and follow "the one true way" is based upon their own fear, self-centeredness, perfectionism, and insecurity.

The Tropical Zodiac chart for tonight's eclipse:



Links for more info:

A great tutorial on the mechanics and physics of the Lunar Eclipse:
http://www.asterism.org/tutorials/tut32.pdf

The NASA page for tonight's eclipse http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html

Astronomy.com webpage for the Feb 20th Total Lunar Eclipse: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=6613

Astronomy.com podcast about Lunar Eclipses in general and the upcoming Feb 20th Eclipse in particular.
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=5911

A nice page about eclipses in Astrology:
http://www.zodiacarts.com/whatsup/LunarEclipse.shtml

Comment on the War in Iraq

As the chart in the post on the Total Lunar Eclipse in Virgo shows, Mars is conjunct the IC... which is of course the same position he was in during the Annular Solar Eclipse that occurred on February 6th. It remains to be seen if the leaders of our nation will heed this placement of Ares in the chart, and bring our troops home soon; what is clear that politicians and the M$M are complicit in covering up the magnitude of the death and destruction that is occuring in Iraq.

From News 8 Austin:

Fort Hood soliders breaking the silence in war in Iraq
2/17/2008 10:53 PM

By: Chelsea Hover

A growing number of active duty soldiers or recent Iraq war veterans are speaking up about the war in Iraq.
And with the number of soldiers speaking up about their experiences in Iraq via online forums, blogs and pamphlets, some vets feel it's their duty to let the American public know the truth.
"The honest truth is that if the American people knew what was going on over there everyday, they would be raising their voices too. They would be saying, 'Hey, bring those guys home," Sgt. Selena Coppa said.
Coppa blames lawmakers in Washington for filtering the facts on the war in Iraq. She said there's no real end in sight.
"There is a cost to this war. This war is being paid in American blood, in my soldier's blood. And that is not okay," Coppa said.
"We lost really good friends, really good leaders who died in Iraq. From my perspective, it didn't make any sense, we didn't accomplish anything, and I talked to a lot of other soldiers who feel the same way," Fort Hood soldier Casey Porter said.
He started the local branch of IVAW at Fort Hood.
Porter is spending his numbered days in the U.S. passing out pamphlets before he is redeployed this summer.
He said he feels it's his obligation to his fallen brothers to take action. Local IVAW members are trying to let other soldiers know it's okay to do the same.
"This is well within the rights that service members have, but not many soldiers know that they do have," Fort Hood soldier Ronn Cantu said.
He's also home between deployments to Iraq.
"I honestly thought I might not live through my second tour, so I thought, you know if I'm going to die anyway, I need to say the things I need to say," Cantu said.
Those things are now being said loud and clear.
Sunday, a group took part in what they call a blitz, plastering busy areas of Killeen with informational pamphlets about their mission, and soldiers' rights.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=200673

Immanent vs. Conferred Sacrality in Greek Paganism

Greetings on this, the 10th day of Anthesterion. The moon is in Taurus, and today is holy to Earth, Pan, the Nymphs and the Seasons.

Gaea is a Goddess who has gotten a lot of (well-deserved and overdue!) attention lately in the mainstream press, pop culture and even the political realm. Nobel Prize winner Al Gore has honored Gaea more (in my opinion at least) than any other politician in recent history. His speeches and action have done more to raise conciousness about what has been done to Gaea during the Industrial Revolution and Age of Empires - and even more importantly, he gives us answers and hope for helping our Earth Mother.

Who is Gaea you ask? How did the Ancient Greeks view her? A visit to the wonderful encyclopaedia of knowledge available at theoi.com tells us the following about Gaea:

• She is The Protogenos - one of The First Born of all Things - one of the primeval elements to emerge during The Beginning. She herself was born of Kaos, The First Principle. All that is, was, or ever will be has come forth from Gaea, Air, Sea, and Sky. These Protogenoii mated with each other and gave rise to all that we recognise as our Universe and Reality.
• She is The Great Mother of All That Is. All of the heavenly gods are descended from her union with Ouranos (Sky), all of the water and sea-gods from her union with Pontos (the sea), all mortal creatures were sprung or born from her earthy flesh, and the Gigantes from her mating with Tartaros (the great stormy Tartarean pit beneath Earth).
• She is a rebellious Goddess who enjoys fomenting revolution and supports uprisings of the oppressed and downtrodden. The World's first revolution occurred when she rebelled against her husband Ouranos (Sky) who had imprisoned her sons in her womb. Then later, when her son Kronos defied her by imprisoning these same sons, she assisted Zeus in his overthrow of the mighty Titan King. Finally, Gaea came into conflict with her own son Zeus, for imprisoning her sons (The Titans) in the Pit of Tartaros - which lay beneath her - after the coup which brought Zeus to power.
• Speaking of her relation to Ouranos (Sky) and Tartaros (Dark Pit) - cosmologically Gaea (Earth) was conceived of by the Ancient Greeks as a flat disk that was encirced on all sides by the river Okeanos, and topped above by the solid dome of Heaven and below by the great pit of Tartaros. She herself supported both the sea and the moutains upon her breasts.
• In Ancient Greek Art and Iconography of vases, Gaea is often depicted as a voluptuous , matronly woman, who is seen to rise from or blend into the ground. This shows her connection with and identity of being the Earth itself. Gaea is often portrayed as being inseperable from her native element (Earth). In mosaic art of both Greece and Rome, Gaea is shown as a full-figured, reclining woman, who is often clothed in luxurious green garments. The Goddess is often accompanied by Vegetation and Grain Spirits who are called the Karpoi.

Since today is sacred to Gaea, who gives us a home here on Earth, I would like to comment today on the notion of how and where we should approach the Gods. Within the tradition of Greek Paganism, there are two paths, or styles of relating to the Gods in terms of geographic understanding which are called immanent and conferred sacrality.

First off, let me explain what is meant by the term sacrality, which in anthropology is used to describe or refer to sacred rites and observances. It also can refer to something that is set apart for a religious purpose, or is sacred. In these two terms, it refers to how the particular location or object itself becomes holy.

Now for the two paths:

• Immanent Sacrality - Immanent sacrality believes that a particular place or location is sacred to a God or somehow allows one to gain access to the Numinous. As Luther Martin points out in his book Hellenistic Religions, "rather than building their temples and sanctuaries at some convinent locale and then consecrating them to a particular diety, the Greeks constructed them at sacred places they discovered" (47). Immanent Sacrality is recongnising sacred places as well as honoring the dieties and divinities associated with a particular place; a well known example of Immanent Sacrality in Ancient Greece was the Oracle at Delphi.
• Conferred Sacrality - Conferred Sacrality believes that "a sacred order of things is no longer assumed to be immanent in a particular terrestrial realm or locale, but was elevated to the universal locus of the celestial realm (Martin, 59). An example of conferred sacrality within Greek Paganism are the various Mystery Religions. With the spread of Hellenistic Internationalism, dieties began to be seen as international, instead of geographical, in thier scope. All of the world was invited to participate in the Mystery Religions which flourished in the late Hellenistic and Roman periods.

For the Greeks who believed in conferred sacrality as the predominant mode of the Numinous, they believed that cults or epiphanies of gods and demi-gods (such as Demeter, Herakles, Orpheus or Mithras) were able to "bridge the Ptolemaic image of the cosmic abyss and overcome the separation of humans from the god" and that the "new epiphany of the diety deposed the regional cosmic rule of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades at once" (59). This mode of thinking - because it is compatable with belief in Mystery Religions, is prevalent among modern Christian believers. This is helpful to keep in mind, as it could be helpful in future inter-faith and ecumenical dialogues between our faiths.

Individuals who believe in the primary mode of immanent sacrality may have some troubles with practising thier faith in the modern world. While it is currently the case that Greek Pagans have been able to worship at ancient Greek sacred sites and temples thanks to the help and support of the Greek Antiquities Department, it is doubtful if this will continue long-term, as some within the Greek Orthodox Christian power establishment are voicing that they will try to do all within their power to make sure that the Ancient Greek faith is not revived in modern practise.

Another problem which needs to be addressed by those who prefer the immanent sacrality path is that most practitioners of the Ancient Path do not live in Greece, and cannot afford to make a trip to Greece to worship their diety. This is why I feel that we should look at the way that the Ancient Greeks themselves worshipped to see what we should do to adapt the Ancient Faith to our modern lives. The Ancient Faith, by emphasizing orthopraxy (right action or practise) over orthodoxy (right belief or thinking), allows room for both change and innovation by its practitioners. The Ancient Faith also allows for the introduction of new practices and local adaptations - this is the very essence of Hellenistic belief and practise!

It is my belief that we must incorporate both views of sacrality in our modern faith practises - immanent sacrality by supporting archaelogical research and preservation of the Ancient Greek sites associated with our faith, and supporting those who are fighting to worship as the Ancients did where the Ancients did, and conferred sacrality by creating our own home altars, sacred spaces, and finding places in our own environments which allow us to contact the numinous.

Another way that we can honor both immanent and conferred sacrality is by finding a natural park or wildlife area near where we live, which can help us to connect with the elements, and it can become our own personal temple. In nature, we can observe the heavens by night, watch Selene experience her phases, see the Planets travel through the Zodiac, watch Eos bring on the day in her orange and pink-hued chariot, listen to the breath of Notus, Boreas and Zephyrus as it blows through the trees and grasses, observe the wildlife, and more. Giving money to help keep our nation clean, to ensure we have parks and natural areas, and to try to work towards a future free of pollution and environmental degredation honors the Gods... to do your part for Gaea, here are some useful links:

The National Parks Service

National Wildlife Federation

World Wildlife Fund

The Last of the Wild Areas

Click to Give at the Rainforest Site

Redefining Progress: Ecological Footprint

20 Simple ways to use your computer to help Gaea

World Watch Institute

The Envirolink Network

The Global Warming Survival Guide + 51 Things We Can Do to Save the Environment

Just a note...

... as a reminder to whoever is reading this that Defense Secretary Robert Gates
announced today that beginning immediately tours of duty for all active-duty Army units in Iraq and Afghanistan would be lengthened from the current 12 months to 15 months.

"The decision comes as the military struggles to supply troops to the conflict" is the official line being given as the reason for these extended tours.

For all the men and women who are serving, prayers and offerings are made for you. We ask Athene for your protection and safe return; may Eirene return to power soon. If you are a pagan family member, or have a pagan soldier who needs someone to talk to, we are here for you.

The birth of Artemis

6th Anthesterion, 2784

Today is sacred to Artemis - and specifically as a celebration of her birth.

Artemis, and her younger twin brother Apollon, were born on the island of Delos to Leto. According to the myths, Artemis was born first so that she could assist her mother in childbirth. As an adult she joined Hera (her step-mother by marriage to her father, Zeus) as co-patron of childbirth; she protected pregnant women, children ante and post partum, and girls until marriage.

Like her brother, Apollo, Artemis shot arrows that could kill instantly; whenever a young woman died a quick and painless death, she was said to have been hit with one of Artemis' silver arrows.

The Goddess Tyche and the Part of Fortune

5 Anthesterion, 2784

Today is sacred to the Erinyes(the Furies), Nemesis, Dike, Melinoe, and the Horkos.

Tyche has been described by scholars as "the most important diety of the Hellenistic era because of her universal sovereignity over mortals and immortals alike"(22). As Luther Martin points out in his book Hellenistic Religions: an introduction, "a personified Fortune (Tyche) was widely worshipped by the third century BCE and possessed temples in nearly all the great Greek cities"(Martin, 22). The development of belief in Tyche, who embodied both positive and negative aspects, shows the growth of a system of ethics within Greek faith and practise.

The universal recognition of Fortune's effects is often viewed in light of what Pliny described as "the final stage in the secularization of Hellenisitc religion, in which the personification of the unpredictable and the unexplained 'take the place of God' "(22). Random and unexplicable events of life were not the result of punishment from Zeus or the other Olympians, but rather an aspect or person of the Numinous itself.

The Goddess Tyche

Tyche, which is the Greek name for this goddess, is sometimes used (especially in late Greek and Roman times) for the soley negative aspects of the Goddess - such as chance, flukes, randomness, unsteadiness, and sheer luck. During later periods, her positive aspects are given the name Eutykhia, who embodies only good fortune, luck, success, and prosperity. While they are seen as two seperate manifestations, they are always seen as a single, united Goddess.

The feelings and emotions that were associated with Tyche or Fortuna in the ancient religion are represented by the Part of Fortune in horoscopes. Looking at the placement of this lot was well known and widespread by the 1st century BCE, and was likely in widespread use for decades, if not centuries prior to the extant records we have available archaeologically. It is unknown if this lot was Hellenic, Babylonian, or Egyptian in origin, as it appears in the Astrologies and religions of all three civilizations in ancient times.

Calculating the Part of Fortune is relatively easy, especially with the aid of modern Astrological software and calculation programmes. The way to calculate this lot is based on whether the birth occured during the day or during the night:

Day chart: Ascendant + Moon - Sun
Night chart: Ascendant - Moon + Sun

Notice that for a chart where the sun is above the horizion (i.e. in the seventh through the seventh through the twelfth houses) the Moon has a positive effect while the Sun has a negative effect; for a nocturnal chart, the opposite is true.

While one's destiny is written by the Gods, the way that one goes about achieving this destiny is what determines the individual's fate. Some people today make the mistaken assumption that if one has a destiny given to them by the Gods, that they have no free will. This is not the case, as one can choose to either accept or deny their destiny and divine calling of their own free will. If one accepts their destiny and practices orthopraxy - or right living in harmony with the Gods and their wishes - then they are virtuous and have good luck. If one tries to deny their destiny or falls out of favour with the Gods through hubris or wrong decisions, then they will experience bad luck or punishment for their deeds. As Martin states, in the Ancient Greek world:

Whereas one could not escape the positive or negative effects of the moira, one might be saved from domination by a negative Tyche/Fortuna through sympathetic identity with her positive side (25).

Aphrodite in modern and ancient culture

4 Anthesterion, 2784

Aphrodite, Eros and Lovers, from http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K32.6.html

Today is the fourth day of the Lunar Calendar, and it is sacred to Hermes, Aphrodite, and Eros.

Aphrodite is an interesting, but often misunderstood Goddess; she may be more popular in modern culture under her Roman name of Venus.

There are multiple versions of Aphrodite's birth in extant texts and literature. This is common in the Ancient Greek and Roman Religions where there was no such thing as "orthodoxy" or only one, right way of thinking; rather, "orthopraxy" or right living and right conduct were what followers of the Olympians strived for.

Having a relationship with the Olympians is in many ways different from the way that many modern monotheists concieve of having relationship with the numinous. Most people worshipped all of the Olympians, but had a special devotion or following for a particular patron diety. This patron God often had a personal, special relationship with his or her followers, and helped them in thier daily lives; the patron God could be worshipped by an individual, a family, or even a whole city.

Different regions had different rituals, offerings, and relationships with the Gods during different periods of history. This allowed for an organic and adaptable faith - there was no rigidity in worship or lived practise, as the Gods understood human being's need for social, cultural, and religious evolution. We can see how cultural change affected worship of Aphrodite in both Greece and Rome.

Hesiod in Theogony 176-178 states that her birth happened in this way:

. . . and so soon as he had cut off the members with flint and cast them from
the land into the surging sea, they were swept away over the main a long time:
and a white foam spread around them from the immortal flesh, and in it there
grew a maiden. First she drew near holy Kythera, and from there, afterwards, she
came to sea-girt Kypros, and came forth an awful and lovely goddess, and grass
grew up about her beneath her shapely feet. Her gods and men call Aphrodite, and
Aphrogeneia (the foam-born) because she grew amid the foam, and Eustephanos
(well-crowned or girdled) Kythereia because she reached Kythera, and Kyprogenes
because she was born in billowy Kypros, and Philommedes (Genital-Loving) because
sprang from the members. And with her went Eros (Love), and comely Himeros
(Desire) followed her at her birth at the first and as she went into the
assembly of the gods.

This makes the birth of Aphrodite similar in nature to that of Athene - she is born of the ruling God only (actually through Ouranos' castration and subsiquent removal from power), with no input from a Goddess or female force.

In Hesiod's version of the myth, Aphrodite is born of the male principle, and only of the male; note how the Ocean which carries her has no part in her birth, but merely takes her to Cythera and Cyprus. She is transported by the feminine element of water to a place of dry land - this is why her very nature is both fully emotional and fully grounded at the same time. There is not a conflict over experiencing emotions and being overcome by them. Aphrodite illustrates the ability to fully experience one's emotions while at the same time not being ruled by them. Nor does she conform to the feminine cliche of an overly emotional, weak woman, but rather is an example of stregnth in femininity - much like Athene. This is different from how she is sometimes shown in modern pop culture.

Another story of the birth of Aphrodite can be found which states that she was born of a relationship between Zeus and Dione. This seems to come from the fact that Aphrodite and Dione both had temples in the sanctuary of Zeus at Dodona. Homer, in both the Illiad and Odyssey gave this as the birth story of Aphrodite, so even though it seems to have not been as widely believed (based upon textual citations and worship centers) it is a belief that has a long tradition.

Some modern scholars (such as Morford and Lenardon) feel that these two different stories show the existence of two different, completely seperate Goddesses. They state that Aphrodite Urania, who is also called The Celestial Aphrodite by her worshippers, is represented in the Hesiodic tradition. She springs from Uranus "alone, ethereal, and sublime". This is contrasted with the Homeric tradition which calls her Aphrodite Pandemos or Aphrodite of all the People.

Plato, who knew of both of these personalities or representations of Aphrodite, discussed them in his Symposium and explained the differences between the two Goddesses. He stated that Aphrodite Urania was older, stronger, and much more intelligent than the Homeric Aphrodite. She was also much more spiritual in nature and this is what likely lead to her greater worship than the Hesiodic Aphrodite.

Aphrodite Pandemos is often described merely in contrast to Celestial Aphrodite - she is shown to be associated with physical attraction and procreation whereas Celestial Aphrodite is The Celestial Goddess of pure, spiritual love. This distinction formed a very powerful archetype upon which Ancient Greece and Rome were built - the distinction between holy and profane love.

These myth traditions passed into the Roman Religion, where they were all taught by Cicero as follows, when he is enumurating a number of different - even rival - cult traditions about Aphrodite from different regions :

The first Venus [Aphrodite] is the daughter of Caelus [Ouranos] (Sky) and Dies [Hemera] (Day); I have seen her temple at Ellis. The second was engendered form the sea-foam, and as we are told became the mother by Mercurius [Hermes] of the second Cupidus [Eros]. The third is the daughter of Jupiter [Zeus] and Dione, who wedded Vulcanus [Hephaistos], but who is said to have been the mother of Anteros by Mars [Ares]. The fourth we obtained from Syria and Cyprus, and is called Astarte; it is recorded that she married Adonis.

(Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3. 21 - 23)

As we move closer to the secular public holiday of "love" here in the US, it might help us to remember who Aphrodite really is and what she stood for in the Ancient Greek and Roman Religion; here is a link to extensive information on her worship in the Ancient Greek World.

Further Thoughts on the Feb 6th Solar Eclipse

I stated in my initial post about the Annular Solar Eclipse that when I read the chart of the eclipse and asked the Gods what they are telling us, their message was this:

"this is a time of great changes and karmic reckoning for the US"

If the leaders of the United States do not make changes, and make them fast, there are going to be real problems... For example, the latest economic analysis by the University of Michigan shows that the recession will be much worse, and last much longer than has been widely reported so far in the Main$treamMedia. This recession will last longer and affect more people that other recessions have because not only are jobs affected , but housing, food and fuel prices, as well as consumer credit are at all time highs. "Consumers must take more drastic steps to stabilize their finances in the midst of high fuel and food prices, stagnant incomes, and record debt," University of Michigan Professor Richard Curtin said.

Prf. Curtin went on to add that "a rising wealth gap will, even more than usual, lead to disproportionate pain for middle- and lower-income Americans. Growing income inequality has insulated higher income groups to a greater extent than ever before... Paradoxically, worsening economic conditions will induce families to save money, reinforcing the drag on an economy that has become largely reliant on consumer spending. "

I feel that President Bush's "economic plan" of giving certain Americans a "tax rebate" will do nothing to heal the rift in our nation, as most of the people I know will be saving the refund (if they are even eligible to recieve it) instead of spending it on consumer goods. It also does not address the key problems that have created this economic hardship in the first place: greed, hubris and a materialistic "me first!" attitude. President Bush, since he has been in power, has had great hubris - waging an Unjust War at great cost, giving tax cuts to the rich who don't need help, turning a blind eye to victims of poverty and natural disasters, and treating our soldiers and their families with disrespect. President Bush, for all his talk of God and "faith" has done more to alienate himself from the American people and the harmony of the Universe than any other President in US history. If Mr. Bush and his cabinet (as well as many other political, social and religious leaders in the US) do not wake up and have a change of heart and actions, they will be coming into a period of great Karmic reckoning. We have been living in a time that calls for responsibility for our economic and land resources as well as charity for our fellow man world wide.

This should have been apparent to our Nation's leaders since November 9th, 2003, when there was a Lunar Eclipse at 16 Taurus 13. The eclipse's duration - or period during which the shadow phase lasted from beginning to end according to the NASA eclipse page for the eclipse - was six hours and 6 minutes. In astrological belief, this means that this eclipse will have an effect for the next six years and six months - during which time we are to show that we are learning and integrating the message that the eclipse carries into our lives.

What message were we supposed to have learned from this Lunar Eclipse in Taurus that has an effect on all people until the year 2009? Well... let's look at the chart for the eclipse and see what lessons it contains.

First off, we notice that this Lunar Eclipse occurs in the sign of Taurus in the 11th house. It is conjunct the White House's Neptune -which implies that there will be considerable intrigues, mysteries, sacrifice, idealization and much confusion during this period for the White House (this could mean both for the Bush Administration as well as the Nation as a whole). The White House and all of the North East and New England states were within the region of totality - they could view the whole eclipse from beginning to end from these locations - which means that they should be especially aware of the messages that this eclipse contains.

Areas of life that will be affected by the 2003 eclipse in Taurus, if the leaders of our country ignore the messages and teachings of the Gods:

• finances, property, and agriculture will be most affected


• there will be religious disputes and travel hazards


• the reputation of prominent persons (both political and social figures) will be in serious jeopardy from both crimes and scandals


• the nation's popularity and respect among other nations will decrease


• there will be issues of food shortages and a lack of humanitarian aid and benefits for those in need


• disagreements over developments with allies; there are several elements surrounding the President which may cause him to make a false step


• problems with commerce and shipping/transport


• educational problems and disputes


• strikes and lawsuits involving entertainment personalities


• problems for workers and their rights


• high expenditures for the military


• coastal storms and unusual weather
  

(I checked my interpretation with that from Eclipses by Celeste Teal. They correlated almost exactly).

It is well known that the current administration has no regard for true faith or the teachings of any God - much less those of the Greeks and Romans; it is no surprise that our nation has been affected by all sorts of problems during this administration. We have seen all of these elements developing over the past five years within the US, and our nation is facing a bleak future. As I read this chart, I wanted to make sure I wasn't projecting onto it my own thoughts and feelings - so I checked other books, which confirmed that my reading and interpretation was correct. It seems that our government - especially the White House Administration - have failed to listen to the lessons of the eclipse of November 9th, 2003:

1. have faith in and defend your beliefs


2. take action for humanity's sake


3. accept responsibilty for your actions


4. take action now for the future


5. avoid hubris in actions to not anger the Gods
   

What we have seen in the eclipse of February 6th, 2008 is the result of the US not heeding the lessons from the 2003 eclipse - the people of the nation are standing up and uniting against the Bush Administration. The sign of Aquarius adds to this solidarity and stregnth in numbers. We have been given an opportunity to enact social and political change so that we will be more in harmony with the Universe and the Gods. Here are some of the areas where attempts to make changes will be especially felt:

• rooting out and teaching against hypocrisy


• uncovering hidden agendas and secret plans


• positive changes for working people and "the common man"


• loss of land, home, domicile, and other domestic concerns


• troubles in government


• taxation issues


• changes and dramatic turning points for the "war on terror"


• leaders will enact reform based upon the will of the people


• a more open and honest sexuality will be expressed


• again a focus on coastal areas and environments


• there will be changes in the climate and weather patterns


• greater respect for and care of the environment

The presidential candidates are currently speaking out on these issues, and people across our nation are taking action for themselves in many of these areas. If there is a catch phrase or slogan that could be used to typify this time, it would be the term coined in 1969 by David Brower:

"Think globally, act locally"

Downloads for Feb

Here are this month's downloads:



This month's lunations: February 2008 Full and New Moon Charts.

This month's calendar: February 2008 Monthly Calendar with Daily Planetary Aspects.

This month's planetary highlights: February 2008 Aspects and Stregnths.

This month's Astrological Day Planner pages: February 2008 Day Planner pages.

This month's Almanac page: February 2008 Lunar Almanac, with MoonDates.

This month's Planetary Hours: February 2008 Planetary Hours for CST.

The Greek Pagan Lunar Calendar with Gods and Moon Phases listed.

The Greek Pagan Lunar Dates with Orphic Hymns for each day.

The Greek Daily Prayer and Meditation Guide.

Planetary Stations for 2008.

As above, so below!

Rev. Claudia Iuliania Minervina, Hiereia and Astrologer

The Annular Solar Eclipse of Feb. 6th

1 Anthesterion, 2784

Today is the first day of Anthesterion and is dedicated to Apollo and the Muses. This noumenia is not only a new moon, it is part of an annular solar eclipse which is visible from New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Antarctica. The annular phase runs from 03:19:43 to 04:30:55 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)... but this is not useful for those who live in North, Central or South America, as it will be night.


The effects of the eclipse are still with those of us who live on the other side of Ge however, and we should be attentive to what those forces are, and how we should act so that we can be in harmony with them. Because this day is associated with Apollo, the God of oracles and prophecies, it might help to see if a modern oracle has anything to say about what this eclipse could mean.


The Sabian Symbol for the degree that today's eclipse occurs in is, "An ominous silence falls, as the last man at a masquerade prepares to unmask. Outside , a thunderstorm is brewing." This could accurately describe the current social and political climate in the US. Our leader, George W. Bush has often been described as being in a bubble; for the past eight years, America has been participating in a grand masquerade ball. Bush is shielded from the consequences of his actions by Dick Cheney and other members of the cabinet... but the leaders are no longer able to keep the masquerade going. The economy is failing, soldiers returning home are having to sleep under bridges and are denied adequate mental and physical health care, more and more Americans are losing their jobs, every day families become homeless because of the loan crisis and more - this is the thunderstorm that is brewing. It cannot be ignored any more...


The good thing is that this eclipse is occuring in the sign of Aquarius - a sign that denotes change, evolution, progress, the tearing down of the old and useless, building up and restoration, the pouring out of information and knowledge from the Gods for all of humanity to use, and the desire to bring about changes by seeing old circumstances and conditions in new and exciting ways. The energy and vibes that surround Aquarius are often termed "electrifying" - they are known to infuse new energy and intellectual capacity into an endeavour... which is what we need in the US at this time.






Now let's look at some specific aspects of this eclipse:
If you notice, not only are Apollo and Artemis in conjunction, but Hermes is also very close to the twins! This means that not only will this solar eclipse have the usual effect on our minds and emotions - it will also affect our commuication and interaction. This is especially important to current affairs in the United States as we are entering the primary season... yesterday saw gains for Obama and Clinton as well as McCain, Huckabee, Romney, and Paul. Both parties' candidates are defining their campaigns interms of the new ideas and changes that they will bring to Washington DC if they are elected. This is very auspicious, as they are acting in harmony with the message that the Gods are sending us - at least in their words. It is our job over the next days and weeks to see that their actions are in accord with what they are saying on the campaign trail! I will follow this and give updates of who is acting in a manner pleasing to the Gods, and who (Gods forbid!) is acting against the Gods or with hubris.


Poseidon, the watery God of the Seas, stands only four degrees away from the Twins and Hermes... he adds to the watery, emotional, and intellectual nature of this eclipse. Poseidon is at home in the sign of Aquarius, as water is his element, and Aquarius is a watery air sign - it is the stellar manifestation of Ganymede the cupbearer of Zeus who pours out cleansing waters. It is important to also remember Poseidon's title of "Earth Shaker" - as he is the God who not only rules the waters, he also rules earthquake, tsunamis, and other sorts of upheaval. As I stated earlier, this eclipse states that we as humans should be listening to what the Gods are telling us, and we MUST begin to make changes - or we will face dire consequences as a result of our actions.


Another thing that needs to be mentioned about today's eclipse is that Kronos, the deposed God of time who now lives in the Elysian Fields where he rules over the blessed dead, stands in Virgo. Kronos is directly opposite Uranus in Pisces; this shows that currently our karma is in conflict with us getting rid of old life patterns that are dissolving. In other words, we as a nation and people are trying to hold onto things that are outmoded - which is bringing us into conflict with the very nature of time and change itself. The way that we are relating to the environment could be symbolised by this pairing... we are still thinking and acting like a nation from the Age of Empires or the Industrial Revolution. We need to recognise that we are entering a new period where we can no longer consume most of the resources of the world while expecting there to be no cultural, political, or environmental consequences.


The US is currently occupying another nation in an attempt to build a puppet government and to exploit natural resources (that are non-renewable) - which is failing miserably. The Iraq War can be seen in this eclipse in that Ares is seven degrees away from being conjunct the Nadir and opposite Pluto - who is conjunct the MidHeaven. Right now, Ares is at the lowest point in the chart - in other words, he is farthest from the light and he is standing opposite Dis Pluto. There has been too much death and destruction in Iraq, and this indicates that it will only get worse. Until we bring our troops home, there will be daily IED attacks and suicide bombings, killing more and more men and women. Because Ares is at the Nadir, his very darkest characteristics - brutality, insanity, whining, deceit, hatred, torture and sadism will be evident in the news we get from Iraq, with no hope of improving - despite the propaganda that the MSM and Bush Administration keep putting out.


This eclipse serves as a lesson and warning to those who are students of Astrology and worshippers of the Olympians; let us meditate upon it tonight and over the next few days so that we may integrate its message into your thoughts and actions.