The New Moon in Cancer followed close to the solstice, falling opposite Pluto and squaring the Aries Point in the chart. No doubt, this is one of the most important lunations of the year.

The Aries Point is one of the cardinal points which are the first degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. They are sensitive points in the chart.

The heavens are said to rest on four corners which are universal in ancient mythologies and symbolize the elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth. In the Norse creation myth Odin with his brothers placed four dwarves (Nordri, Sudri, Austri and Vestri) to hold up giant Ymir’s skull and create the heavens. Then using sparks from Muspelheim, the realm of fire, the gods created the Sun, Moon and stars.

“These elements were all later personified as Gods, Genii, and Winds, progeny of the Great Mother, the ‘Bearer of the Waters,’ or the enceinte mother. She was the primordial ark, and long before boats were built was called the Ship of Life or the Ship of the North. And this primitive ark or ship contained within herself the causation of all the Fours, which still cling to the cardinal points and the corss,” writes E. Valentia Straiton.

The New Moon occured in exact conjunction with Vesta and in very close conjunction with Cyllarus.

Vesta is the asteroid of burning fire, the eternal flame of creativity. Vesta is comfortable in Cancer, the home sign of the Moon. Vesta represents focus and integrity. This is great time for dedication and commitment. In ancient Greece, a warm hearth dedicated to Hestia, the Greek equivalent for Vesta, was central to every home.

Commitment can be applied also to Cyllarus, one of the Centaurs. Eric Francis writes about him:

“Cyllarus reminds us to be conscious of the choices we are making in our lives — particularly the choice to fight, or walk away from one. Cyllarus says that the decisions we make directly affect our relationships, and we need to be conscious of our choices in this context. We are connected by the threads of our lives to every person in our lives.”

In Greek mythology Cyllarus was a young and beautiful Centaur, and though the Centaurs were not gods but a group of troublemakers, the story of Cyllarus has many points of contact with the Norse myth of Balder, the most beautiful and beloved of the gods.

Balder was a solar god who was pierced by a mistletoe and whose body was burned on a funeral pyre at the summer solstice. After Ragnarök Balder returns to life (symbolized by the lights of the Christmas tree at the winter solstice). The bonfires are still lit in Scandinavia on Midsummer Eve.

A feeling of magical moment is intensified by three minor bodies conjoined in early Libra, at one of the cardinal points: Asteroid Freia is named after the Norse goddess of love, beauty and fertility. Okyrhoe is a Centaur, the daughter of Chiron and Chariklo. Her name means “swift-flowing.” and she was a prophetess. She was transformed into a mare by Zeus for revealing the secrets of the gods. Asteroid Karma was discovered by a Finnish astronomer Liisi Oterma. The name refers to concept of the cycle of cause and effect.

So perish the old Gods!
But out of the sea of Time
Rises a new land of song,
Fairer than the old.
Over its meadows green
Walk the young bards and sing.

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

References:

E. Valentia Straiton, Celestial Ship of the North, Kessinger Publishing, 1992 (published originally in 1927)

Wikipedia, Creation myth

Eric Francis, Small World Stories, Cyllarus

Holy Nation of Odin, Balder

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Tegner’s Drapa (on the death of Balder the Beautiful)

The Sun reaches its most northern position around June 21 each year. This is the day of the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year, and the shortest in the Southern hemisphere. The Sun enters Cancer.

The first degree of Cancer is one of the Cardinal Points. They are sensitive points in the chart, which tend to connect us to big events of the world. Solstice charts can give astrologers clues for the cosmic climate of the next few months. Solstices are also natural turning points in our personal lives.

A solstice occurs twice each year, when the Sun reaches its northernmost or southernmost extreme. At these points the Sun appears to stand still.

Astrology originated from astronomical observation. Our ancestors had a conscious relationship with solar and lunar cycles. They built enduring stone monuments related to astronomical alignments. Stonehenge in England is probably the most famous of the prehistoric monuments in the world.

Stonehenge is said to be planned and deliberately oriented so that the summer solstice Sun rose directly over the so-called Heel Stone and the first rays shone into the center of the monument. However, there is evidence indicating that ancestors did not visit the site at all in the summer, but rather during the winter solstice. Current theories suggest that Stonehenge was simultaneously used for astronomical observation and for ritual function.

The Finnish Stonehenge

Last month the Internet publication of Ursa Astronomical Association, Tähdet ja Avaruus, was reporting of the greatest archaeastronomical finding in Finland; the so-called Giant’s Churches were used for observing the Sun.

The Giant’s Churches are Neolithic stone structures, unique to Ostrobothnia in the western Finland. A recent study by astronomer Marianna Ridderstad from University of Helsinki and archaeologist Jari Okkonen from University of Oulu shows that many of these mysterious constructions are found to have orientations to the risings and settings of the Sun on the main solar dates of the year.

The Giant’s Churches were built 2500 - 2000 BCE, and there are about 40 of them. They were originally built on the seashore or on islands, but are now situated as far as 30 kilometers inland because of the post-glacial rebound. Their shape varies from oval to rectangular. The largest of them are 50 - 60 meters long. The walls are relatively low and they are usually constructed from rather small stones. Most of the structures have from two to four gates.

It is not quite clear why the Giant’s Churches were built. Their function has been a matter of debate more than a hundred years. There are no signs of permanent inhabitation inside the structures. Probably they were used as ritual sites, and they may have had other functions, too. The study which was carried out in 2008 - 2009 and published in May, 2009, shows that their orientations may be significant in relation to important solar dates.

The solar events considered in this study were the solstices, the equinoxes and the so-called Mid-Quarter Days. In Finland, the most important festivals coinciding with these events have traditionally been Vappu (St. Valborg’s Day) in May and Kekri, which was the ancient festival of the dead predating historical times, celebrated in November.

The purpose of the Giant’s Churches is still partly unknown and further research on the sites will be carried out.

* * *

To the readers around the world, I want to wish you a happy Solstice!

References:

Wikipedia, Solstice

Wikipedia, Archaeoastronomy and Stonehenge

Tähdet ja avaruus, 14.05.2009, Suomen suurin arkeoastronominen löytö: Muinaisista jätinkirkoista havaittiin Aurinkoa

Marianna Ridderstad and Jari Okkonen, Orientations of the Giant’s Churches in Ostrobothnia, Finland

Polarity is a quintessential principle in astrology. It is one of the keystones of Hermetic philosophy. This principle embodies the idea that everything is dual; there are two sides to everything. Good and evil, for example, are the two extremes of the same thing, and there are many varying degrees between them.

Another Hermetic principle is that of gender. Everything in the cosmos has its masculine and feminine principles. All things rise and fall; sometimes the masculine aspect is manifesting itself more clearly, and at other times the feminine.

In astrology these principles are at work in the opposite signs of the zodiac, in the house polarity, and also on the plane of the planet symbolism.

In the Sagittarius Full Moon chart, the Sun and the Moon, a pair of masculine and feminine symbols are opposite each other, as they are at the moment of any Full Moon. Another pair of planets representing the principle of gender are Venus and Mars, this time conjoined in the early degrees of Taurus. They are trining Pluto in Capricorn.

Isabel M. Hickey was emphasizing the dual nature of Pluto in her pamphlet Pluto or Minerva: The Choice is Yours in 1973. She proposed that there was what we normally think of as the Plutonian aspect of Pluto, and then the wisdom aspect, which she described as Minerva. Quoting Hickey: “Every energy that challenges us has two poles that act as attracting forces. As individuals we are pulled by both of them until we find the balancing force in the third force which is the center between the two opposing pulls.”

It turned out later that Pluto is a binary planet. In 1978 Pluto’s companion Charon was discovered. A binary planet is a pair of worlds that are usually roughly similar in mass. They orbit around their common center of mass, called the barycenter. The barycenter is the point between two objects where they balance each other.

Typhon is another binary planet. In Greek mythology Typhon was a son of Gaia and Tartaros, a monster who was the source of destructive storm winds and volcanic eruptions. He lived beneath Mount Etna in Sicily. Typhon was so huge that his head was said to brush the stars.

The Full Moon of June is square to the Saturn-Typhon conjunction in Virgo. The Sun squared Typhon the day before the Full Moon. It is intriguing that the Sabian symbol for the degree that Typhon is currently occupying is Virgo 17, A volcano in eruption. Marc Edmund Jones writes: “This is a symbol of that constant expansion of self and nature which constitutes reality in its most fundamental terms, emphasized here on the side of physical force and the blind urge of life to continue to be.”

There is a tendency in astrology to assume that new planets have a negative meaning. They are typically seen in their shadow expression first. There are always two sides to the story though. This is crucial to remember, especially when a binary is involved.

I have written about Typhon and told the grim Greek myth many times before. I have mentioned some major natural disasters in the connection of this destructive monsterous force. I’ve been aware that this can’t be the whole truth about the astrological symbolism of Typhon.

I was thrilled last week when I came across Internet sources referring to ancient Egyptian mythologies which include in their pantheon of gods a female deity called Typhon, the Great Mother.

From the Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary I found out that Typhon was associated with the crocodile. The ancient Egyptians did not regard Typhon as the enemy, the destroyer. Typhon was one of the most powerful and venerated of the divinities, giving blessings, life, and inspiration to the people, and in especial perhaps to rulers of Egypt.

Quoting The Secret Doctrine, by H. P. Blavatsky: “The Crocodile is the Egyptian dragon. It was the dual symbol of Heaven and Earth, of Sun and Moon, and was made sacred, in consequence of its amphibious nature, to Osiris and Isis.”

According to Gerald Massey, an English poet and self-taught Egyptologist: “The Old Dragon of Chaos and the Abyss is the same whether called Tiamat, Tavthe, or Typhon. By Typhon I mean the beast that imaged the first Great Mother, hippopotamus in front and crocodile behind, who therefore is the Dragon of Egypt. Her name of Tep, Teb, or Tept is the original of Typhon. Tiamat = Tavthe represents that abyss of the beginning which is the Egyptian Tepht. This Tepht is the abyss, the source, the void, the hole of the snake, the habitat of the dragon, the outrance or uterus of birth as place which preceded personification.”

Then I found an interesting e-book called Celestial Ship of the North, by E. Valentia Straiton, published originally in 1927. She writes:

“The Abyss, in Egypt is a name of the North, and the original mother of this Abyss, which was Space, was called Typhon, the Mother of Beginnings, the Mother of the Fields of Heaven, the Mother of Revolutions (time cycles), as well as the Mother of Gods and Men… We read that from one Mother the Universe was born. This was the Mother Typhon, a primordial figure of Power. A very ancient form of Typhon was the Water Horse, the “Bearer of the Waters” which was the Hippopotamus. This animal has four toes on each of its four feet, and therefore was considered a type of the four corners of the earth.”

The minor planet Typhon is a binary. Now we have both sides of the coin represented in the mythology: the huge and destructive Greek Typhon, and the powerful Egyptian Mother of Beginnings.

In the Egyptian mythology Typhon in the form of the crocodile is connected to Osiris, the god of the afterlife. In the Full Moon chart asteroid Osiris is sharing the same degree with the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction at 26+ Aquarius and drawing our attention to the feminine principle of Typhon. We need to start searching this balancing force of the Great Mother now.

References:

The Kybalion

Kirsti Melto, Kuiper Belt Binaries, Small World Stories, 2008

Isabel M. Hickey, Astrology, A Cosmic Science, CRCS Publications, 1992

Dr. Marc Edmund Jones, The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, Aurora Press, 1993

Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary, Theosophical University Press Online Edition

Gerald Massey, In Reply to Professor A. H. Sayce, Originally published in a private edition c. 1900

E. Valentia Straiton, Celestial Ship of the North, 1927

Wikipedia, Osiris

The torch we know by its flame,
which brings illumination and light
wherever noble souls congregate.

– The Old English Rune Poem

Gemini is an air sign, and the element of air represents the intellect, mentality and ability to communicate. Mercury, the ruler of Gemini is retrograding in Taurus. When a planet is retrograde it tends to turn the energy of the planet inward.

This New Moon in Gemini can help us to get intuitively in contact with the light within, start off a special learning and teaching process and share it with our friends and community, or even in a wider concept, for the good of the humanity.

The current astrological climate has its parallel in the energies represented by the rune Kenaz.

The New Moon is square asteroid Hermes in Pisces. Mercury retrograde is squaring the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius, another air sign. Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius is sextiled by Mercury. In Greco-Roman mythology Hermes/Mercury, the messenger of the gods, was traveling the pathways between the worlds.

Jupiter conjoined Chiron the previous day. Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune are now in tight conjunction, all three sharing the same degree in Aquarius. This is an aspect of strong intuition and devotion, and it encourages us to teach and inspire our fellow humans. Aquarius is the humanitarian sign, where we as individuals are able to connect with the wider world.

Chiron’s elliptical orbit around the Sun links the realms of Saturn and Uranus. The Sabian symbol for the discovery degree of Chiron is Taurus 4: The rainbow’s pot of gold. Barbara Hand Clow called Chiron the rainbow bridge between the inner and outer planets.

In Norse mythology also we find the rainbow bridge, Bifröst. It is a bridge that links the worlds above and below, the earth and heaven. It is sometimes called a bridge of flame, and it also symbolizes the world within.

Norse god Heimdal is the guardian of the rainbow bridge. He is one of the solar gods, whose domain is between the worlds, on the threshold, just as Chiron has been sometimes described as a doorway between the worlds. Heimdal is said to have taught the runes to humankind.

Kenaz is one of the runes that are used to invoke Heimdal. Kenaz symbolizes the torch, the inner light, the torch of learning. It is associated with consciousness, creativity, wisdom and mental agility. Kenaz can stand for a burning dedication to an outside cause. It symbolizes a gathering of people sharing the light. It is a guiding torch which can be handed from one person to another. The torch is a fire which is controlled and made of service to the humankind.

Here we get a link to the Greek myth of Prometheus, who was known for his intelligence, and who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. Richard Tarnas has proposed that Prometheus is a more fitting figure for the astrological traits of the planet Uranus — the creative spark, technological breakthrough, sudden enlightenment, intellectual and spiritual awakening — than the sky god Ouranos.

Zeus punished Prometheus by having him bound to a rock while a great eagle ate his liver every day only to have it grow back to be eaten again the next day. Here we get a connection to Chiron, too. Chiron had been wounded by Hercules’ poisonous arrow. He was in great agony, but he was not able to heal himself, nor was he able to die, because he was an immortal. Prometheus could only be released if an immortal offered to take his place. Chiron agreed to take the place of Prometheus, and thus eventually was released from his pain.

In the chart Mercury retrograde is in conjunction with two asteroids, Apollo and Sphinx. They are emphasizing the theme of the acquisition of knowledge and passing the information forward. Asteroid Sphinx stands for mysteries and missing information, but usually when questions arise, the curiosity pushes us to seek the answers.

In mythology Apollo was a solar god. He was the patron god of music and poetry, and half brother of Hermes, who created the famous lyre for him. Asteroid Apollo is an Earth-crosser asteroid on a strange orbit around the Sun, different from the Sun itself which is the center of our solar system. This is why Eric Francis has proposed that astrologically Apollo might be a light-bringer in other ways than the Sun, perhaps representing something of the inner quality or talent of seeing the light where others might not see it.

Asteroid Pandora represents a point of curiosity, and now shares the same degree with the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune. We may be allured by new ideas, and by exploring them we may suddenly discover some hidden talent in us.

By trusting in one’s own intuition, and by determined effort, the torch can be handed over.

References:

Paul Rhys Mountfort, Nordic Runes, Destiny Books, 2003

Melanie Reinhart, Chiron and the Healing Journey, Penguin Books, 1998

Marc Edmund Jones, The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, Aurora Press, 1993

H. R. Ellis Davidson, Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, Penguin Books, 1990

Freya Aswynn, Northern Mysteries & Magick, Llewellyn Publications, 1998

Richard Tarnas, Prometheus the Awakener, Spring Publications, 2004

Martha Lang-Wescott, Mechanics of the Future: Asteroids, Treehouse Mountain, 1996

Eric Francis, The Spiral Door Almanac, 2007

This month the Full Moon occurs in Scorpio, the sign famous for its attraction to deep secrets. Mercury in early Gemini has just stationed retrograde turning the focus inward. The Sun, Moon and some Centaur planets have formed a grand cross in fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius).

A grand cross is a challenging aspect pattern which calls for attention. This is a potent time to unveil, face and resolve hidden matters from the past.

A grand cross is formed by two oppositions and four squares. The Sun and Moon are opposing each other on the Taurus-Scorpio axis. Centaur planet Chariklo is in conjunction with the Moon. The other opposition is formed by two Centaurs, Nessus in Aquarius and Elatus in Leo.

From Tracy Delaney’s article on Chiron and Elatus you can learn interesting facts about Elatus. She writes:

“In its highest form I think Elatus is about communicating that which is deeply felt and comes through you, echoing the arrow passing straight through him in the myth, changing him as it does so. This is really all you can do with anything that comes from Neptune, where words are inadequate. The struggle comes when you try to do it the other way round; the frustrating process of grasping for the right words which seem out of reach, struggling to express yourself, not making yourself understood etc. You could look at it as a lesson about getting your ego out of the way, in this case to allow inspiration to come, for which you can take no credit. It seems to me that all the Centaurs have this same basic lesson, taught through their very different paths. I think Elatus could relate to learning through the whole creative process in that way, and the phenomenon of affecting others by it in ways you’ll never know.”

In the excerpt above, Tracy is referring to Neptune in the discovery chart of Elatus. Currently the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius is tightening, and I think this planetary composition is making her delineation very apt just now.

Nessus was the third centaur to be found (after Chiron and Pholus). He was discovered in 1993 by David L. Rabinowitz, the same guy who in recent years as a member of Mike Brown’s team has contributed to many notable minor planet discoveries.

Nessus is a Centaur planet that assists with identifying and healing of abuse patterns which sometimes are invisible. The themes of Nessus can stretch over generations, or be collective. The pattern indicated by Nessus can be psychological, physical or sexual in nature. The theme of responsibility and not passing the responsibility to any point further, or to anybody else is important. Here is an excellent article by Eric on Nessus.

Chariklo is the largest known Centaur planet. In mythology Chariklo was a nymph, the wife of Chiron.

Centaurs are in dynamically unstable orbits that will eventually lead either to ejection from the solar system, an impact with a planet or the Sun, or evolution into a short-period comet. The orbit of Chariklo is more stable than the orbit of Nessus and Chiron, for instance. Also, in the discovery chart of Chariklo the aspect pattern reflects balance and harmony.

There is a grand sextile – a six pointed star — in the discovery chart of Chariklo, formed by Chariklo herself in one of the points and main planets in the other five points. A grand sextile is a rare aspect figure consisting of 60 degree aspects. Sextiles are considered to be beneficial. Juno at 4+ degrees of Taurus – conjunct the discovery degree of Chiron — is a symbol of the celestial marriage between Chariklo and Chiron.

Astrologically, Chariklo is about compassion, devotion and emotional connection, among other themes. Eric has noted that Chariklo can represent the inability to leave, or difficulty with leaving an inappropriate or hurtful companion. In the Full Moon chart the square between Nessus and Chariklo brings subjects like codependency and dysfunctional relationships into my mind.

Centaurs are agents of transformation, pushing us toward consciousness and change. Learning the art of communication, maybe in Elatus’ style, could ease the process.

References:

Serennu, Chiron & Elatus

Wikipedia, 7066 Nessus

Wikipedia, David L. Rabinowitz

Eric Francis, Nessus, Small World Stories, 2008

Melanie Reinhart, Saturn, Chiron and the Centaurs, CPA Press, 2002

Wikipedia, Chariklo

Eric Francis, Chariklo, Small World Stories, 2008

Birch is without fruit
but just the same it bears
limbs without fertile seed;
it has beautiful branches,
high on its crown
it is finely covered,
loaded with leaves,
touching the sky.

- The Old English Rune Poem

Berkano, the Birch Rune, is the rune of fertility and birth, of a new phase or relationship. It means renewal and new beginnings. It is a conserving, protective force. Edred Thorsson writes: “The B-rune rules the cyclical process of arising (birth), becoming (life), passing away (death) to a new arising (rebirth).”

In Finland there are no leaves on the birch trees yet. Nonetheless, Berkano is a descriptive symbol for this Taurus New Moon.

The Sun and the Moon are conjoined in the earthy, fertile Taurus; Venus and Mars are together at the Aries Point, the first degree of the zodiac. These two pairs of planets are representing the feminine and masculine principles in the astrological chart. Mars and Venus are the rulers of Aries and Taurus, respectively.

A conjunction of any two planets begins a new cycle. The current unity of the polar opposites indicates a start of the phase of inner balance, the balance between the animus and anima, or balance in sexual relationships. Also Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune are forming a triple conjunction in the humanitarian sign Aquarius, adding optimism, idealism and light to this moment.

Pluto in Capricorn receives a trine from the Sun and Moon, and a square from Venus and Mars. These aspects are providing passion, intensity, sex, healing and transformation through love or through artistic work. According to tradition, the Moon is in its exaltation in Taurus; it is supposed to work especially well. Taurus is a sensual sign which enjoys the physical delight.

According to Robert Hand, Taurus’ function is to provide a vessel for the energies of Aries so that they can be made manifest. He writes: “Aries and Taurus form the first positive-negative pair of the signs in the zodiac, and even though they contrast, when put together they represent a whole.”

The minor planet Ceto in Scorpio, in the sign of transformation, represents cyclical rebirth and continuity. Ceto was prominent already in the Solar eclipse chart of January, as the eclipse in Aquarius was tightly squaring Ceto. On the February New Moon this trans-Neptunian binary planet was trining the Luminaries in Pisces.

Now Ceto is whirling right opposite the Sun and Moon. Oppositions symbolize polarity and confrontation, but also awareness and change through conflict. This can be felt mostly in personal relationships.

Ceto and her binary companion, Phorcys, have approximately similar sizes; they form a close binary system, and their mutual orbit is nearly circular. In mythology Ceto was a marine goddess of whales and sea-monsters, depicted as a serpentine fish. Eventually, the word ceto became shorthand for any sea monster. Jörmungandr, a sea serpent biting its own tail and forming a circle, is the sea monster of Norse mythology. In the form of the Ouroboros, Ceto represents cyclicality, re-creation and wholeness.

References:

Edred Thorsson, Runelore, Weiser Books, 1987

Wikipedia, Anima and animus

Robert Hand, Horoscope Symbols, Whitford Press, 1981

Hellenica, Michael Lahanas

Wikipedia, Ouroboros

During the Full Moon, the Moon is in opposition to the Sun. The April Full Moon occurs at 19+ degrees of Libra, the sign of balance and equilibrium; conciliation; diplomacy and justice. Sociability and harmonious relationships belong to Libra.

The Sun in the opposite sign Aries, is approaching exact conjunction with Eris, the dwarf planet named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, the sister of the god of war, Ares. Eris delighted in the tumult of war and in human bloodshed. How can we possibly attain balance in the current cosmic condition?

Eris was discovered in 2005 by the team of Mike Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz. The orbital period of Eris is long, about 557 years. Eris is bigger than Pluto and has a moon, Dysnomia.

In the myth, Eris indirectly caused the Trojan War. Because of her troublemaking tendencies, she had not been invited to a big wedding party which all the other gods and goddesses attended. In her anger, Eris tossed into the party the Apple of Discord, a golden apple “for the fairest”, provoking thus a quarrel about the appropriate recipient.

Paris, Prince of Troy, was appointed to select the fairest one by Zeus. Aphrodite, one of the contestants, offered Paris the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris accepted Aphrodite’s gift and awarded the apple to her. The result was the Trojan War, one of the greatest wars in Greek mythology.

In 2006, astronomers after a debate approved a definition of a planet, which led to the demotion of Pluto from its planet status. Eris (not yet officially named at the time), Pluto and Ceres were designated a dwarf planet. The naming took place soon after that, and the name Eris in part reflects the discord in the astronomical community.

At this point in its orbit, Eris is slow and very far from the Sun, near its aphelion. Just about everyone alive now has Eris in Aries in their birth chart. No doubt this is a challenge in delineating its meaning. The mainstream astrology community regrettably hasn’t much noted Eris so far. To understand the full astrological meaning of a planet is a long process, but for open-minded astrologers Eris has already revealed something of its nature.

Eris seems to reflect the chaos and discord of our world. She also represents a castaway woman, the shadow feminine, the aspects of womanity that have been cast off as evil and unacceptable.

In the Full Moon chart Jupiter in Aquarius sextiles the Sun-Eris conjunction, potentially adding air to the flames.

The Full Moon forms a yod pattern with Mars in Pisces and Sedna in Taurus. The Moon is the focal point of the yod, forming quincunxes to Mars and Sedna. We often experience the quincunx as irritating and uncomfortable. Quincunxes require adjustment.

Sedna is another distant minor planet discovered by Mike Brown’s team and named after a mythological castaway woman. She became the goddess of icy waters.

Venus retrograde in this chart is yet another representative of the repressed feminine. During the retrograde period we may enter the subconscious and encounter hidden truths about ourselves. Venus turned retrograde on March 6 and is about to station direct on April 17. At the moment she is right at the Aries Point — the point which tends to join individuals with the collective — squaring Pluto and about briefly to slide back to Pisces just before changing direction.

We all have a shadow and facing it can be frightening. Unless we do, we tend to project our shadow into other people, and according to Jung, the more these projections are unrecognized, the blacker and denser the shadow is. Is there any help available?

A water deity, Varuna, is squaring the Luminaries from Cancer. He was concerned with matters of justice. Varuna is a vast energy that seems to exists silently behind consciousness, now pushing our awareness with the squares.

128 Nemesis, a large and very dark main belt asteroid is in an exact conjunction with the Sun. In mythology Nemesis was daugher of Nyx, Queen of Night, as was Eris. Nemesis was the goddess of retribution. She was depicted with a wheel of fortune in one hand and an apple bough in the other. Astrologer Demetra George, who has studied a lot about the female shadow, writes:

“According to the lost epic Cypria and several later works, Zeus fell in love with Nemesis; but she did not want to couple with the King of Gods and fled from his advances. Twice she changed her shape in order to evade him. The third time she transformed herself into a goose. Zeus, taking the form of a swan, raped her. Nemesis in due course laid the awaited egg, from which sprang Helen — the most beautiful of women, who precipitated the Trojan War.”

According to Demetra George, Nemesis in the birth chart symbolizes our conscience and guides us toward taking right action. When we ignore her promptings, we suffer the consequences.

Nemesis is a good example of repressed feminine shadow. Quoting Demetra George: “While the patriarchy perceived her as a monstrous figure of revenge and anger, her earlier nature was more as an abstract force of justice rather than that of retaliation. She was a personification of the reverence for law, and she sought to restore balance when order was upset. Her endeavors to preserve an equilibrium in people’s attitudes toward one another were recognized as springing from a deep-seated love.”

We are all part of the same whole. Nemesis can guide us toward respecting others through right action with the natural laws of an orderly universe. When we pay honor to her and live in harmony with these laws, “then Nemesis resides within us as a wise, kindly influence, ever-guiding us toward right action.”

References:

Theoi Greek Mythology, Eris

Wikipedia, Eris

Eric Francis, Eris, Small World Stories, 2008

Mike Brown’s site

Anne Massey, Venus: Her Cycles, Symbols & Myths, Llewellyn Publications, 2006

Wikipedia, Shadow

Demetra George, Mysteries of the Dark Moon, HarperCollins Publishers, 1992

Demetra George, Finding our Way Through the Dark, ACS Publications, 1995

The New Moon symbolizes new beginnings, especially in Aries, the first sign of the zodiac which marks the beginning of a new cycle. Aries is the sign of pioneers and warriors, those who have courage to take the initiative, embark the adventure, or test their strength. Being first often requires willingness to take a risk.

The Sun and the Moon are in the same degree with Bienor, a Centaur planet discovered in 2000. The retrograding Venus is in close conjunction with these three. The stellium in Aries is squared by Pluto in Capricorn and opposed by the Main-belt asteroid Karma in Libra. The forenamed Aries planets sextile the North Node of the Moon. The sense of this planet and aspect combination resembles the primitive energy of the rune Ur (Uruz).

The visual symbol of the rune Ur is a wild ox, the aurochs that used to roam the forests of prehistoric Europe. The aurochs was an impressive and dangerous ancestor of domestic cattle. In Norse culture the young men were fighting them in order to claim their manhood. This was an initiation through which they became accepted as adult warriors.

Ur is the symbol of a great challenge, a test that one must face in order for personal growth and progress. It can mean danger, but the trial is a necessary one, and afterwards the person will be stronger and wiser for it. Ur represents raw, primitive and healing energy. According to Freya Aswynn, the force of Ur can be felt in nature just before spring, when one can sense the tension of new growth building up.

Venus is about values, and Venus retrograde in conjunction with the New Moon suggests that the challenge we are facing now has something to do with re-defining of our basic values.

Bienor is a Uranus-crossing Centaur with an orbital period of approximately 67 years. Bienor and Pluto have stayed in an ongoing square to each other for several years; the last exact square in this series happened little over year ago exactly when Bienor was occupying the Aries Point.

Bienor’s name means a strong one. In mythology, Bienor was one of the Centaurs that attended the Lapith king Pirithous’ wedding. Centaurs and the Lapiths started to fight and many of the Centaurs died in this battle. Pirithous’ friend Theseus leaped upon the back of Bienor, which was “never trained to carry riders,” and killed the Centaur. There is something unique in Bienor’s death, because in the myth he is the only Centaur who dies in this way. Centaurs were wild creatures, and the way how Bienor dies resembles a bit taming of a wild horse. It is an insulting act, which at the same time represents something positive.

Eric Francis has proposed that Bienor may be associated with the strength of mankind, and when combined with the Aries Point, something which affects everyman. It is up to us whether to put our strength to work for us, or against us.

Perhaps the myth points us to look for the meaning of Bienor in connection of events that have been unique and happened for the first time in the history of mankind.

In the chart of the first lunar landing in July 1969, when the lunar module Eagle landed on the Sea of Tranquility, the Moon was in early degrees of Libra with Bienor (opposing the Aries Point), mirroring two things: the strong men who bravely set out for the Moon; and the strong feelings involved in this event, not just in the USA but worldwide. Jupiter and Uranus were in conjunction in Libra, exactly opposite the Aries Point. The experience was not just historical for the mankind, but also highly personal for the men who walked on the Moon.

When Martin Luther King in August 1963 delivered his I Have A Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to an audience of at least 250,000, the Sun was conjunct Venus, Uranus and Bienor in Virgo.

John Lennon has a natal Bienor-Typhon conjunction at the Aries Point. John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time in July 1957, three years before forming the Beatles. The same day the Sun was conjunct Bienor in Cancer. I doubt if there is a person in this world who hadn’t been influenced by their music.

President Barack Obama’s Sun in Leo is conjunct Bienor, Bienor right at his descendant. As we all know, he is the first African American to hold the office. President Obama’s strength can be easily perceived.

Nelly Furtado is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Her Sun conjuncts Bienor in Sagittarius, and the conjunction is opposite Varuna and Ceto in Gemini. Furtado is known for experimenting with different instruments, sounds, genres, vocal styles and languages (Sagittarius). She has said: “I always know there’s a new genre left to discover (Ceto symbolizing something constantly re-creating itself). For me, it’s like a metaphor for life (Varuna, a force that is “behind everything”). I feel like if you can get down with any style of music, you can get down with any style of person. So it’s fun for me—I get to expose my fans to different vibes and they, in turn, open their minds too. I’m always undergoing mind-opening.”

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur_(rune)

Paul Rhys Mountfort, Nordic runes, Destiny Books, 2003

Freya Aswynn, Northern Mysteries & Magick, Llewellyn Publications, 1998

Metamorphoses by Ovid

Annular Solar Eclipse of Feb. 7, 2008, Lunations article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelly_Furtado

Equinoxes and solstices begin the seasons. The word equinox means equal night. On the two days of the equinoxes each year, the lengths of night and day are equal everywhere on Earth. The vernal equinox marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the equinox occurs at the same time, but signifies the beginning of autumn.

At the vernal equinox the Sun enters Aries. It crosses one of the Cardinal Points, which are the first degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. They are very sensitive points in the chart, and the Aries Point particularly tends to connect us to big events of the world.

The story of the abduction of Proserpina illustrates the creation of the seasons. Proserpina was the daughter of Ceres, the goddess of the Earth, of growing plants and of motherly love. Ceres is the Earth Mother.

Ceres and her daughter were inseparable. Then Pluto abducted Proserpina in order to marry her and make her the Queen of the Underworld. In her grief and anger, Ceres stopped the growth of fruits and vegetables, and nothing could be harvested. People were starving.

Jupiter sent Mercury to order Pluto to free Proserpina. She was freed, but during her captivity she had eaten pomegranate seeds, the food of the Underworld, and was therefore forced to spend a part of each year in the Underworld with her husband. For the other part, she is able to return to live with her mother on Earth. When Ceres receives her daughter back, nature starts blossoming again; it’s the springtime.

The chart aspects are reflecting the story. Pluto in early Capricorn is in a dynamic square to the Sun at the Aries Point, the point of spring. Mars, the ruler of Aries, is opposing Ceres and calling for cooperation. Mars is also in conjunction with asteroid 1108 Demeter, named after the Greek counterpart of Roman Ceres, and emphasizing the moment for reunion of the mother and the daughter.

Asteroid 26 Proserpina in Sagittarius is forming tense aspects both to Ceres and Pluto, as if she was not quite sure at the moment with whom she should go; the time for blossoming flowers is not yet quite at hand. Proserpina is square to Ceres and in semi-sextile to Pluto.

Asteroid 399 Persephone, named after the Greek equivalent of Roman Proserpina, is in the mid-degrees of Aquarius in conjunction with Jupiter and asteroid 69230 Hermes. Maybe the daughter is negotiating with them for her release.

***

Recently I read an article divulging a theory that life on Earth could have originated on the asteroid Ceres. Astronomical studies suggest that Ceres could contain a lot of fresh water. It still could have a water ocean where life could have originated early in the history of our solar system.

It’s been proposed that life on Earth might have originated at hydrothermal vents, which lie at the bottom of oceans and spew hot chemicals. Many icy bodies in the solar system have rocky cores, so they may have had or still have hydrothermal vents.

Early in the history of the solar system was a period known as Late Heavy Bombardment, a turbulent time when radical asteroid impacts were very common. If there was life on Earth before that era, it most likely perished then and had to begin again after the circumstances here had became more favorable. The evidence points to Ceres having remained relatively unscathed during the Late Heavy Bombardment. If it had been bombarded, it would have completely lost its water mantle, as its gravitational force is too weak to recapture it.

Is it possible that rock fragments have chipped out off Ceres and then crashed into Earth, reseeding our planet with life? Are we humans descendants of Ceres, too?

The orbital paths of different solar system bodies which either had or currently have oceans were calculated, to see which were in the best positions to have pieces successfully reach the Earth. Ceres showed potential in these calculations.

The thoughts introduced in the article are more science fiction than science until evidence can be provided. The theory certainly gives a new perspective for calling Ceres the Earth Mother.

References:

Wikipedia

Eric Francis, The Personal is Political - ASR article

Lee Pullen, Could Life on Earth Have Come From Ceres? - Astrobiology Magazine article

The New Moon is a time of beginnings, and the Full Moon is a culmination point of the lunar cycle. Things we started at the Pisces New Moon two weeks ago have developed and matured. The Moon is growing towards the Virgo Full Moon. Virgo is the sign of a harvest.

Dedication, willingness to serve, analytical abilities, capacity for selection, precision and prioritizing are attributes of Virgo. It is important to be able to discriminate what is important in life. The chart now shows potential for great development in our aspirations; innovative and sparkling ideas are pouring out. Communication is highlighted.

The Moon is conjunct a binary planet Logos, a cubewano with an orbital period about 305 years. This is a trans-Neptunian object with a binary companion called Zoe. Logos and Zoe are a paired emanation of the deity in the Gnostic traditions and are part of the creation myth in this tradition. Astrologically Logos can be associated with logic, scientific breakthroughs and technology. Eric Francis has noted that Logos would appear to represent the “higher octave” of Mercury. Zoe represents the Divine Spark in all of us.

Mercury, the planet of communication and mental activities is the ruler of Virgo. In the Full Moon chart Mercury has entered Pisces, the realm of limitless imagination and intuition. Sue Tompkins associates Mercury in Pisces with dance or drama therapy, for instance, and sometimes with communicating through the medium of dance or music. Dance is a strong theme of this chart, represented also by a minor planet called Quaoar, which I will cover a bit later in the article.

Mercury sextiles Pluto, an aspect which intensifies intellect and gives depth to the thinking.

The Pisces Sun is conjunct Uranus, the planet of originality and intellectual brilliance, providing us with flashes of insight. Uranus is also about technology and inventions.

A main-belt asteroid Hermes conjuncts Jupiter. Hermes is named after the Greek equivalent of Mercury. Jupiter is associated with justice and wisdom and expands everything it touches, so the communication which is kindling may be very rewarding and righteous.

In Sagittarius a Kuiper belt planet Quaoar is forming a T-square with the Sun and the Moon. Quaoar is in exact square to the Luminaries. The orbital period of Quaoar is about 287 years. Quaoar has a satellite which hasn’t been named yet.

Quaoar is named for the Tongva creator god. The Tongva are the native people of the area around Los Angeles, where the discovery of Quaoar was made. According to the myth, Quaoar sings and dances the world and other deities into existence. Quaoar was sorrowed by the emptiness in existence and began to dance, whirl, and twirl all about while he sang the song of creation. God of the Sky was first to be formed of the creation melody. Next came the goddess of the Earth. These two new deities joined in the dance and created the Sun and Moon. Together these five sang and danced everything else into existence: animals, plants, people, and the other gods as well.

Scientists have been surprised to find crystalline ice on Quaoar. Being so far from the Sun, Kuiper belt objects should not be warm enough to form crystalline ice without some sort of unusual circumstance. How did the crystalline ice form and why is it still there? Is there a volcano on Quaoar? The impacts of micrometeorites may have raised the temperature of the surface enough to produce crystalline ice. The most discussed theory speculates that cryovolcanism may be occurring. A cryovolcano is an icy volcano. Rather than molten rock, these volcanoes erupt volatiles such as water, ammonia or methane.

Quaoar is a great creative and inspiring force. Mark Andrew Holmes’ keywords for Quaoar include creating abstract mental models.

Eric Francis’ research suggests that Quaoar deals with the family patterns that we enter unconsciously from birth. It is associated with the power of our personal creation mythologies (everything from how we were created, to how we ‘create ourselves’ in the process of life). These are patterns that existed before we were born and into which we were integrated without really noticing, like picking up a dance by feeling the rhythm of the music.

Quaoar in the chart can reveal to us something hidden and difficult to notice otherwise, like the eruption of an icy volcano. Planets in square aspect to each other create tension and action. The bright light of the Full Moon helps us to see clearly. Quaoar in square to the Sun and Moon may help us to break free from the old patterns from the past. Let’s dance!

References:

Wikipedia

Sue Tompkins, The Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook, 2006, Flare Publications

JPL Small-Body Database Browser

Eric Francis, PW Daily Astrology & Adventure, May 19, 2008

Mark A. Holmes’ Asteroids

Astronomers Contemplate Icy Volcanoes in Far Places - New York Times article

Eric Francis, Mixed Signals, Bright Ideas: Mercury Retrograde in Gemini