STAR GUIDANCE

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Vesta – Virgin or Harlot?

25680962_sYou wanted to make war…. And I kissed you. You softened. But then remembering you needed to fulfill your duty, you turned away. I kissed you again. I told I needed you to weakening you. I needed to.

Why does Vesta do what she does? Vesta is focused dedication. She is the holder of the hearth and the sacred flame.

What is the hearth and the sacred flame symbolically? To keep a house warm in the time before electricity someone was responsible for making sure of the fire; keep that one coal in the stove or fireplace, and not let it go out. Similarly a flame was kept at the centre of the town and kept alive as a symbol community.  Keeping this focus and dedication kept things together much like the fire at the centre of the earth.  For gravity comes from the center of the earth. It is what hugs the earths inhabitants to it tightly. Without it we would float around without direction or anchor. This heart beat of the earth, this constant that keeps it all together, is the role of Vesta.

In Greek times she was a chaste virgin. But in ancient times she was the sacred prostitute involved in sexual union for something beyond herself. It was only in patriarchal times that she gave up sex for chastity. Doing so with the same heart of focused devotion to the patriarch when sex became a sin as she had  to sacred sex in the ancient world.

Maybe the Virgo man can help us to understand the “sacred whore” in Vesta. When Ophira and Tali Edut tell us about the Virgo man in their book Love Zodiac they describe a well put together guy, known for clean freakishness and total control. But they warn, the Virgo man has a little bit a sleazy side and this can come out when he’s loosing control or flipping out.

If we challenge our thinking… is it really sleazy? Maybe in line with his character he is seeking the path to purity….Vesta in her ancient times would have taken her wholeness and and offered herself up bring him back to groundedness.  Paulho Chehlo (a Virgo), plays around with this concept in his book Eleven Minutes. A story about a prostitute and sex in the sacred and profane. Tantric practices take us to the same place, using the fire within us to enlighten.  And sublimation, the act of taking that fire and focus and transforming it, takes Vesta to the same, and let’s face it, socially acceptable place of giving great dedication and focus to wonderful causes.

So Vesta’s role was not so much to be a chaste virgin or a sacred whore, but to use her wholeness, her containment and focus for the betterment of humanity. And to do so… there are no rules!

But first she must make sure she is whole.  This she can do by taking that fire and focus inward.

Tools that will help her on her path: yoga, meditation, connecting to what is her fire and how she uses her sexuality, quartz and serpentine crystals

When she is in her Flow, her gifts are: focus, commitment, work, dedication, service

 

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January Horoscope 2013

Pallas moves into Aries on January 10th and brings out the warrior in all women.  The Pallas symbol is a spear and we may see women donning their spears high ready for attack when Pallas forms a conjunction with Uranus, the planet of surprises on January 29th.  The next day Jupiter turns direct.  Pluto and Saturn have been acting like the wonder twins (circa 1970’s super friends). They have been locking rings together and sending down their superpowers on Jupiter throughout December 2012.  Saturn in Scorpio has been providing lessons on power and ‘shared’ resources and Pluto in Capricorn has been transforming institution and the status quo.  Jupiter, who in mythology was the father of all humanity, moves forward in Gemini, so we may find out what he has to say about all of this.  Pallas and Jupiter will be sextile exactly on February 1st, so we may see feminine power and humanity join forces in some way with a response.

The planet Venus moves into Capricorn on January 8th making us cautious, reserved, practical and committed.  But just because our passions are cooled does not mean we can’t be romantic when Venus sextiles Neptune on January 10th.  By the 12th, Venus will square Uranus bringing up some surprising tension and by the 16th, Saturn, Juno and Vesta will be locked into a Yod, also called the finger of God.  We are being pushed into deep transformation around our traditional approach to love, sex and marriage.  With the focal point on Vesta in Gemini, the focus will be on deep, intimate and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about these topics.  Vesta is not very traditional when it comes to sex, so this can go one of two ways… sexual healing (imagine reading passages of Paulo Coelho’s Eleven Minutes to generate conversation) or sexual hang-up (imagine watching the movie Bliss in uncomfortable silence).  Also on the 12th, Juno be conjunct Venus and Pluto (that’s a strong mix of marriage, love and power), adding to the deep transformations or simmering jealousies.

Aries

 Pallas in your solar 1st house of self brings out the warrior woman in your already warrior nature. You may be leading the pack and the first to raise her spear.  By the 26th the patterns start to emerge.  January 30th may find you bellowing an insightful banshee call to your followers.  Mars and Mercury in your 11th house of friends will give you their support.

Taurus

 You’ve got the money-making formula, Taurus.  This may have been causing you lots of stress, but with Mars and Mercury in your 10th house of career, there is no need to worry.  An exotic trip away and some vacation passion may unlock the money-making key.  It may not be who you expect; it might not be the sexy Latin lover who you lock eyes with under the exotic palm trees; but the friends you brought with you that you are now seeing with new eyes.

Gemini

 Have you been feeling like you’re in the school of hard knocks lately, Gemini?   Well, higher learning is certainly on the agenda.  The deeper you understand yourself, the clearer you become about humanity.  Your hopes and dreams and your career aspirations have been changing and now you are starting to see your role.  Share the love Gemini, share the power.

Cancer

 Love and intimacy have been the highlights – and they have all been oh, so foggy!  Don’t worry Cancer, this is all for the best.  If nothing seems like fun anymore, Cancer, at least you know you’ve got your career. Pallas moving forward in your 10th house of career will give you the energy, but you are going to have to listen deeply to your intuition.

Leo

 Relationships are on your mind, Leo.  Mercury will make you want to talk about it, but Mars can cause some disruption.  Lean on your friends.  They are glad to help and will be able to help you see the patterns.  Work captures your passions this month, just be sure not to go overboard.

Virgo

 You’re in your element this month, Virgo. While you are being of service, your favorite thing to do, you might find love.  Working with your community is never a chore to you, and this time it might push you into the limelight.  A lovely sextile between Venus in your 5th house of romance and Neptune in the 7th house of relationships, gives you a very romantic day indeed on January 10th.

Libra

 Your duty and responsibility to your family are being challenged, Libra. You’re the one holding on. Saturn is adding to the tension in your 2nd house of income.  Can you afford it?  It’s hard to believe that answers will come with a trip overseas or a trip down the halls of higher learning, but they will.

Scorpio

 If you’ve been feeling the tension with shared resources, it could be with money or intimacy with your honey or with that darn inheritance settlement. Things will move forward by the end of this month. There will be lots of action and communication when it comes to family and your foundations.

Sagittarius

 Your partnerships have been in sharp focus for the last little while, Sagittarius.  Unconscious material and your sense of self worth have been bearing down hard on the matter.  With Vesta going direct on the 26th, those relationship patterns will become clear.  Just how much space you need to be yourself may have been the issue.  Mars and Mercury in the 3rdhouse of communication will help you to better express what’s going on.

Capricorn

 Hard work and money are the focus for you, Capricorn.  Your relationship to how you see yourself and your relationship to money and work may be changing.  Mercury and Mars in your 2ndhouse of income will give you the drive to go after what’s yours.

Aquarius

 It’s your month, Aquarius!  You have lots of ideas and energy.  Venus and Pluto are conjunct in your 12th house of secrets this month and with Vesta in your 5thhouse of romance, could bring the chance of a very unusual arrangement to your love life.  Unusual is nothing new to you Aquarius… make sure that everyone else is on the same page.

Pisces

 January has you laying low.  It’s the month before your birthday, the Sun and Mars has you slowing down and Mercury has you in deep and sometimes unconscious contemplation.  Pluto and Venus will join each other in your 11th house of friends.  Vesta and Jupiter are in your 4th house of friends and family, so what you come out with on the other side may be some deep changes to your friendships and to your foundations.

 

 

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The 2012 Call to Rebalance

December 21, 2012 marks the end of the Mayan Long count calendar… and December 22, 2012 marks the beginning of the Winter Solstice.

So what do the skies say about this time.

 

Above is a chart for Dec 22, 2012. Included in the chart are the traditional planets as well as the moderns and Asteroids.

What we see are Saturn and Pluto in mutual reception bearing down on Jupiter in what is called a yod. And the goddess asteroid’s forming what is called a t-square.
A yod, also know as the ‘finger of god’, is a formation of planets that creates a tension seeking release. The release point is where the triangle is pointing… in this case Jupiter. This is where all of the energy of Pluto and Saturn are pointing. Each of the planets are at 8 degrees of the sign they are transiting in. (For those new to astrology the yod is the triangle with green lines in the chart).
What is seeking release?
Right beside Jupiter is Lilith. The story of Lilith in the Jewish story was that Lilith was Adams first wife.  When she would not bow to him, he cast her out and pulled from his rib a second wife, Eve, created out of his own image. If we stick to the mythical stories, Jupiter (also called Zeus), was said to be the father of human kind.  So there sits the father of mankind in Jupiter, in Gemini (where he is in his detriment) beside Lilith. Across from him is Venus, who we all know as the goddess of love.In mythology, Jupiter was married to Hera (also called Juno). Juno is the goddess of marriage. Juno’s relationship with Jupiter in mythology was long suffering. Juno was continually searching for a connection with Jupiter, which never seemed to be forthcoming. Juno in the sky is conjunct the Sun and right beside Pluto, the planet of transformation. They are also squaring Uranus, the planet of surprises and revolutions.Well what can we say, Jupiter in mythology was known for his many consorts… And here in the sky it’s as though all his women have gotten together and are calling him to task. How will he respondSo what does it mean when Juno is conjunct the sun? Demetra George,quotes Gloria Steinhem’s famous answer to the question “Why didn’t you ever get married?” Steinhem (who has the Sun in Aries square Juno in Capricorn) replied, “I don’t mate well in captivity.” The Sun conjunct Juno are in a less tense situation and in a nicer way are asking for balance in relationships. Uranus and Pluto are their to help the conversation to move forwards. It seems to me that this is not just a conversation about relationships between men and women. But also a conversation between the masculine and the feminine. This is about the planet, resources, the way we work and live.

Every planet and asteroid has a positive and a negative expression. Since Jupiter is having his judgement day… that could mean faith, relying on a higher power or plan, openness to grace and optimism. OR it could mean overconfidence, laziness, irresponsibility.

The moon is opposing Saturn. The moon being emotions and Saturn being discipline. Saturn in Scorpio is a call to stabilize one’s emotions. Here I think of mindfulness mediation. The ability to see and acknowledge emotions and not be carried away with them.

This brings us to what the Three Moon Goddess is all about. There is another triangle in the skies. This one with three goddess asteroids (it’s the light red triangle in the chart). This is also tension, one that is wanting to incorporate relationship to nurturing to wisdom and courage. Juno (goddess of marriage), Pallas (goddess of wisdom) and Ceres (goddess mother).So the dialogue in the sky is very much a feminine one. And the response, the one’s that each and everyone of us will make to how this all shows up in our lives, will make the difference in how we move into the future.