Aquarius

Aquarius
Catch and Release: Reeling in that Big Fish

Symbols(s): Water-Bearer, Nude Woman, Man, Fish-Hook
Element and Modality: Air, Fixed
Planetary Ruler(s): Saturn, Uranus
House: XI, Friendships
Bodily Function(s): Shins, Ankles, Blood

Tarot Card: The Star
Hebrew Letter: Tzaddi

It is easy to automatically assume that Aquarius is a water sign. And that assumption wouldn't be entirely incorrect. Aquarius, situated between Pisces (water) and Capricorn (earth), is still within the realm of the abysmal depths -- of the unconscious. The bodily location it is attributed to is just above the feet, with the ankles wading in the waters of the cosmic mind-pool.

The element of air is always associated with mental activity, with thought, and with communication. Knowing that water is closely associated to this sign, we can then infer that there is a relay of information between the conscious and the unconscious. Aquarius is all about the dissemination of knowledge through intuition. Dis-Semination: The distribution of information. Semin-Ate, Semen: To sow or to propagate. In other words: The consumption of knowledge. And this is done through the circulation of the blood. Water and air; oxygenated blood. Leo is the sign that governs the heart, and is the complementary sign to Aquarius. The relationship between them, then, should be obvious.

Dissolution is the operation of Aquarius. Dissolution is the process in which a gas, a liquid, or a solid is broken down in a solvent. Blood is a liquid solution, comprised of different solutes/solvents. Psychologically, this is the conception, the breaking down, and the eventual distribution of modified thought-forms. Here we "catch" different concepts, keep some, and "release" others. Release can be seen from two "angles" (hinting at angling and fish-hooks). Released, as in eliminated, and/or released (integrated) into the blood stream (or consciousness).

Aquarius, directing the feet, is on a quest for knowledge and self-discovery through balance. Feet are always holding us upright and trying to keep us on an even keel. Aquarius has one foot in the water and one foot upon the earth. The Aquarian glyph shows us two wavy lines. The waves can be seen as water or air. Two always meaning duality: The twin forces of the masculine (conscious, solar) and the feminine (unconscious, lunar).

The widespread circulatory exchange of information is mirrored without as well. The 11th House of Aquarius is considered to be the House of Friendships and Cultural Interrelations. Consider that each human is a vital cell within the body of the Earth. The circulation within is the circulation without. Teamwork is a must in order to maintain homeostasis within the body of Government, the body of Earth. Here, we experiment with different ideas. Some are expedited. Others are eliminated. The same is true for each human life. When a cell has outlived its usefulness, it passes on, and is recycled.

When we grasp the significance of this concept, we realize we can no longer afford to play the victim. If we are, as individuals, in a constant state of disharmony, then we're polluting the collective with that energy. When one comes into alignment, they're anchoring peace and healing into the planetary body. This doesn't mean that we should suppress our negative thoughts or emotions. It simply means taking responsibility for the state of our internal affairs and reflecting on them. The same is true for our relations with others. When we surround ourselves with drama and mayhem, we're creating that in our body and within the body of the planet.

Graceful management of internal affairs reflects without. When we make positive choices for our cells, our selves, we're making good choices for all. This will attract to us experiences and individuals needed for further growth. Internal cooperation becomes external cooperation -- and on and on. If there is still work that needs to be done, and there always is, we will be provided with experiences that will further refine us. External drama can affect us positively, or be neutralized, if we seek internal re-solutions. This is what response-ability is all about: Creating solutions rather than feeding conflict. Sometimes that means severing our exchanges with the toxic cells by eliminating them from our lives. All of this is within the realm of Aquarius.

Two potent symbols always seen in relation to Aquarius: Pink Flamingos and the twin-tailed mermaid popularized on the Starbucks logo. Pink Flamingos are of the air (flight) and are typically seen wading in bodies of water, fishing for their nourishment. The pink and white  is the blending of red and white. Red and white blood cells. "Flamingo" has its origins in the word "flamengo", which translates to "flame-colored". Other translations have it listed to mean "blood red-feathered". Significant familial relations include "doves". Doves are famously known to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Something for us to brew over, to stew on. Curious, many of our phrases, huh? Percolate on that!

The pink flamingo can also be compared to the scarlet ibis perched on a tree shown in many versions of "The Star" card. Trees can be seen as a representation of the brain and the nervous system. Scarlet is the color of passion and white is the color of purity. Purification through transmutation of desires. The ibis' diet primarily consists of crayfish, crabs, and fish. These creatures of the water can all be seen as symbols of the reproductive powers of the subconscious mind.

Complementary/Opposing Sign: Leo

The complementary sign of Aquarius is Leo. Leo, in the Tarot, is represented by both "Strength" and "The Sun". The Sun governs the heart of man. Leo is exalted in Neptune, which we briefly touched upon in our examination of Pisces. Leo oversees not just the heart, but also the spine and digestion. This is an emotional center, so, even though Leo is a fire sign, the element of water is present. We can see, then, partly why Neptune would find harmony through Leo.

The negative emotional aspects of Leo might involve pride, jealousy, anger, and vanity. Reddened with Martian desire. But, the elevated emotional expressions are love, compassion, strength, and courage. Whitened with Divine purity. The Leo center is situated near the heart, thymus, and lungs. Often we see that this area depicted in a green hue, but you will notice that the yellow of the Solar Plexus (liver) is located just below it. The liver is a part the digestive and endocrine systems. Leo, too, oversees the digestive system. The oxygen-rich moisture of respiration along with the warmth of the sun make it the ideal environment for fruitful vegetation. Hence the green. It is the higher expressions of emotion that allow us to open up the Lion's Gate and ascend into the higher spiritual centers.

Saturn and Uranus

Saturn and Uranus are the planetary influences of Aquarius. Saturn represents matter and completion. The spiritual life reaches completion through material existence. Archetypes of Saturn often feature an old man, much like the one you'd see in "The Hermit" tarot card. The 'inferior' (or negative) aspects of Saturn are death (putrefaction), stagnation, resistance, and rigidity. But Saturn also represents what is unchanging and absolute. Through the natural spiraling of cycles (that we like to measure, so we invent the linear concept of "time"), there is growth and there is death. Death always ushers in new growth. So, the Grim (melancholy) Reaper can also be seen as a Harvester. Without that Saturnian force pushing up against us, we would never mature. We would never accrue wisdom. We would never come to understand or know ourselves. Saturn conceals and reveals to us the truth through death: That we are an immortal essence eternally recycling itself. The outer form may change, but the essence can never die. It reveals its complementary opposite: Eternal growth. And this, in part, is what Uranus personifies.

Wherever you see the word death, erase it and replace it with "Transformation" or "Rebirth". If you can train your mind to see every ending as a new beginning, that big wide unknown won't seem so scary anymore. Because there will be a knowing that even in the face of the unknown, you will go on. You will rise again to see another day. You may not be the you that you are now, but you will always be. Are you the you that you were yesterday? Have you not died countless deaths in this form alone? You are the phoenix. The fiery flame-N-go. The scarlet ibis, burning up the night. The form changes as the image of the self fades. You trade one portrait for another. And yet the essence that gave rise to you is forever young. It never burns out.

Saturn is associated with "The World" card in tarot, and Uranus to "The Fool". The Alpha and The Omega. The Beginning and The End. There is an intimate relationship with Aquarius, Virgo (Mercury), Saturn, and Uranus that will come into focus as we continue on this meditative exploration. Much of what is being examined here inspires epiphanies as we go along. I take notes on things I've received intuitively and synthesize them with my extensive re-searching. Sharper clarity comes to me with each tapping of the keys.

"The Fool" tarot card is ruled by the element of air. But this air is scintillating, charged with electric radiating fire. "Aleph" is the Hebrew letter associated with this card. "Aleph" is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and one of the 'Mother' letters (one of three). "Bet" is the second letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Alphabet, Aleph Bet. This Alpha, this beginning, carries within itself infinite potentials. When examining the imagery on this card, one might come to the conclusion that it is the embodiment of naïveté. That is not entirely wrong, either. Youth and inexperience are hinted at here. But the human figure in the card is a representation of the soul. The dog at his-her feet is a symbol of our inferior nature: Intellect, instinct, ego, and the animal body. The physical body is an animal body. Before one can enter the human kingdom, one must evolve through the lower kingdoms first: Mineral, Plant, and Animal. At the animal level, a slow process of individualization begins to occur.

This individualization process unfolds over many incarnations within the animal kingdom. It can, however, be accelerated via interaction with the human kingdom. A recent movie based on a popularized book depicts this perfectly. It's about the soul of a dog that goes through multiple incarnations. This dog is searching for its purpose. As it goes through lifetime after lifetime, it gains in wisdom. Some lifetimes are short and painful, while others are long and peaceful. Toward the end, the dog is reunited with his best friend -- a young boy who rescued him in an earlier incarnation. Although he is now in a different body, the boy (who is now a grown man) recognizes that that is the dog he grew up with. It can be sure that that dog's next incarnation would be in the human kingdom. The man, then, is a symbol of the dog uniting with his higher nature. This archetypal story can be applied to the human kingdom as it, too, evolves to the next level: Initiation into Divine embodiment.

When we are born into the human kingdom, we are born with this animal body. A body full of desires and instincts. The body itself is a mutant variation of the animal kingdom, but now has intellectual reasoning. There is cognition there, cognition of the self. It can now create things not of the flesh. It can build. It can commune with members of its species about high, abstract concepts. It can speak through highly-organized vibratory verbal patterns. The intellectual animal is a refined version of the animal kingdom, and this is just the beginning of its human unfoldment. The purpose of this mutation is so that it can be used as a vehicle for the Higher Self, the Cosmic "I AM". Self-realization is the purpose of the human kingdom. The Higher Mind wants to know itself, wants to self-actualize, but it can't do that without a proper vehicle. A vehicle that is consciously attuned and able to receive the higher frequencies.

Yellow is the color assigned to Mercury, but also of Uranus. In "The Fool" card we see a lot of yellow. Bright and sunny yellow. Sun, Mercury, and Uranus. The figure is seen looking upward toward the sun, toward the peaks ahead. He-She isn't paying attention to what's below, and appears to be about to march off the edge of the cliff. The dog is trying to warn him, but the being steps forward blissfully. This, too, can be seen from many angles -- all, of which, are accurate portrayals. The most obvious being that The Fool is ignorant. Ignorant to earthly affairs. Blindly optimistic and not heeding his-her animal instincts (physical senses). Inexperienced, to be sure, but embracing the adventures ahead nonetheless.

A deeper interpretation is hinted at there. The Soul (and counterpart: Spirit) is ignorant of its own potentials until it incarnates for the purpose of self-exploration and discovery. The inferior nature (dog), the Ego, fears its dissolution. Marching over the edge of the cliff into the abyss can be viewed as a symbol of this dissolution (or Ego death). The Soul is now no longer fixated on material matters and is, instead, turning toward the light of its transpersonal Self. Liberated and free. Free from fear. But this self-discovery is endless, and so The Fool will always be marching onward and upward. There is always more to see. There is always more to be. The Self perpetually becoming the Self. Creation can never end. The Spiritual Sun never sets. There is only eternity. There is only forever. We can never gain closure, because as soon as one door closes, another bursts wide open.

Exaltation: None
Detriment(s): None
Other Air Signs: Gemini, Libra
Other Fixed Signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio

5 - The Hierophant

Key 5 - The Hierophant
Taurus (Nocturnal Venus)
Earth -
Vav - Hook/"And"
Path 16 - Chokmah to Chesed
Intuition

Keywords: Sub-consciousness, Hearing, Throat, Conjunction, Teacher/Student, Values.

Description: True 'intel inside', without the need of an external religion (re-union) to guide and/or govern. Embodied spirituality. The Hierophant can sometimes indicate bull-headed stubbornness and traditionalism.

Taurus

Taurus
Can you hear me Now? 

Symbol(s): Bull
Element and Modality: Earth, Fixed
Planetary Ruler(s): Venus
House: Values, Possessions
Bodily Function(s): Throat, Voice, Tongue, Ears

Tarot Card: The Hierophant
Hebrew Letter: Vav

Taurus has precedence over the area of the throat. As an Earth sign, Taurus also represents the physical body and our material possessions. So there is a connection between the throat and the accumulation of goods and finances. A pregnant Mother nesting is a positive archetypal example of these energies. There we see the conception (creation) of new life and the need to secure a stable home. A distortion of this same archetype would be a person who hoards or accrues a large fortune but never puts it into constructive use.

We take in, or consume, through our mouths and throats. What we assimilate into our being becomes our life blood, and this builds and sustains our body. This is also true for the mental food we acquire. What or who are we listening to? Do we overly invest ourselves in the thoughts and ideas of others? Or perhaps we don't even listen to what others have to say. What about our own inner voice? Through the throat, we can externalize or project our mind for others to hear.

Hierophant comes from Latin and Greek and loosely translates as "Sacred Reveal", "Sacred Show". This mode of intuition expresses itself through the inner ear: Clairaudience (clear hearing), particularly subjective clairaudience. Clairvoyance (clear seeing) and claircognizance (clear knowing) might also be emphasized in this mode of elevated consciousness. This is a sort of "Show and Tell" of the Spirit -- revealing, revelations. Looking at The Hierophant card, one might initially be inclined to think that it's referring to organized religions and outward worship. But it is referring to the patriarchal light and wisdom that is found when we attune within -- one's inner sanctum (sanctuary). It was through this mode of consciousness that most of the outward religions were formed.

In the section discussing Cancer (ruled by the Moon), the mythological connection of Neptune with the hippocampus came up. We also dissected the word 'hermaphrodite', showing that it conjoins Hermes (Mercury) and Aphrodite (Venus, which rules the sign of Taurus). In mythology, Maia and Zeus (Jupiter) were the parents of Hermes. Maia is one of the Seven Sisters from the Pleiades star system. This cluster of stars is located in the shoulder of the Bull (Taurus). In mythology, these stars are sometimes called Atlantides and are said to be the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Atlas is often shown holding up the heavens, or the Celestial Spheres (the machinery of the Universe). Some depictions show the Seven Sisters laying at his feet. When we think of feet, we must recall Pisces. The feet might refer to the subconscious or the unconscious, or might simply be referencing the physical body. Taurus is an Earth sign. The element of Earth always has correspondence with solids.

When examining the meaning and origin of the word Atlantis, we find that it means "Daughter of Atlas" or "Island of Atlas". Knowing that the Pleiades are also called the Atlantides, is within the Earth sign of Taurus, we can see how both of these translations are fitting. Atlantis was said to have been an island (Earth atop Water). Once again, we see Atlas bearing a great sphere of the heavens (or, on occasion, the Earth). Where, in the physical anatomy, can we commune with the heavens? In the upper chakras, within and above the heart. The Celestial Sphere, then, could represent the human skull. If we look at the human anatomy, we will find that the very top vertebra of the spine, the one supporting the skull, is named Atlas for that very reason.

The Moon (The Moon tarot card connecting us with Pisces, co-ruled by Jupiter and Neptune) is exalted in Taurus. Taurus governs the throat and the inner ear. We see the Pleiades at the feet of Atlas, anatomically implying that they are just below Atlas. We also remember that the feet correspond to the unconscious (Lunar, veiling Neptune) and to the sign of Pisces. Pisces also rules the brain stem: The medulla oblongata and the cerebellum. These structures support and are posterior to the hippocampus. So, the corporeal body (Earth, Taurus) being supported (built by) the waters of the unconscious (Moon). The body being the island.

Interestingly, there is another Greek myth involving the daughter of Aeolus (God of the Winds), named Alcyone, and her lover Ceyx. Ceyx was the King of Trachis. Trachis resembles the word "trachea". Anatomically speaking, the trachea is the windpipe that connects the pharynx and larynx with the lungs (Gemini). Alcyone is also the name of the brightest star in the Pleaides cluster. Due to their proclamations, Alcyone and Ceyx displeased the gods. While Ceyx was out to sea, Zeus threw a thunderbolt and sunk the ship. The husband drowned. While praying for Ceyx's safe return, Alcyone received a message in her dreams. It was a reenactment of the death of her husband, sent by Hera (Wife of Zeus) through Morpheus (God of Sleep and Dreams -- Pisces, Moon, Neptune). The dream lead Alcyone to the body of Ceyx, washed ashore. In her despair, she threw herself into the sea to drown (the collective unconscious). Touched by their love, the gods took pity on the couple and resurrected them as birds: Kingfishers.

Pretend that you've never heard a word before and have no comprehension of words. Or, you're in a foreign land and you don't speak the language. It would all be abstract to you, meaningless. You would have no associations to latch onto, no "frames of reference". It would just be sound. Noise. Utter nonsense. And everyone speaking the words would seem crazy to you. Until you start to learn the language. Then you begin to understand what everyone is talking about. But, what if you learned the language in a different way, with different associations than the native speakers? You'd have a totally new set of associations -- a new, or different, depth of meaning. You'd create a whole new language. This language would, in turn, create a whole "new world" by adding extra dimensions of perception. What if you learned the language, with its traditional associations, but because of your flexibility as a newcomer, you were able to (re)wire your brain in such away to include multiple layers of meaning -- equally true and also connected in ways that only you (or few) could understand?

Do you see what this implies? That we can (and DO) create planes of existence via thought-forms and the words (sounds) we utter. When we speak about something, we are usually speaking about an object, an event, or a person. What does this produce in our mind? An image. These words (sounds) are always tethered to an image of some kind. What is an image? Geometry. So, these vibrations (thoughts, words) form geometric structures. Geometry is sound. Sound is light. Light is energy. That's all anything really is. Cycling and recycling patterns of energy. As we speak, we create. So, whatever you're thinking about is what you're eventually creating. It is just as they always say: "Where attention goes, energy flows."

This is the main distinction between the lower kingdoms and the Human Kingdom. Life evolves according to its ability to become aware of (and create) patterns. A mineral really has no awareness or control of the patterns it's forming, or the patterns of creation forming around it. Similar can be said for vegetation. But a plant has a higher level of awareness and vitality than a rock. A plant can respond. A plant can sense, although dimly and dreamily. A plant can burst out of its encasing and reach toward the light. With its roots, it can dig down deeper to find the moisture. The more advanced plants start to take on animal-like traits in appearance and behavior (carnivorous plants, plants that emit sounds). The kingdoms begin to blend together as the life essence prepares for its next incarnation in Animal Kingdom.

Animals can and do speak, although not with the language nor the clarity that humans do. But you can definitely see the stirrings of speech and obvious outward communication with the animals. Not that plants don't communicate. We know that they do through pheromones and hormones. But insects and animals have more advanced systems of communications. We also see blatant evidence of telepathy, or non-verbal communication, and group coordination with both plants and animals. Examples being: Flocks of birds, schools of fish, and insect hives. But there is little independent thought. An animal will operate according to survival, need, and procreative urge. With animals, we do start to see the beginning of craftmanship (nests, dams, shelters, and occasionally utilizing utensils to satisfy a need). Pattern recognition really begins with animals, but usually only as a means to navigate and survive.

Once we arrive at the Human Kingdom and reach adulthood, we generally have the basics of survival mastered. We can socialize and create solely for pleasure or entertainment. We can entertain abstract concepts that give us a broader understanding of creation. Entire languages (intricate patterns of energy) are formed and easily learned. We can write books. We can imagine an object and can formulate a plan or blueprint to build it.

Complementary/Opposing Sign

The Empress tarot card, ruled by Venus, shows a pregnant woman sitting in a field of wheat. This wheat represents the harvesting of the vital life forces. Her pregnancy is the promise of this future fruition: Sexual transmutation and the sublimation of these energies. Through fertile Venus, we can conceive of and learn new ways to create. We can also form new ideas around what it truly means to be a sexual creator. Through these energies of reproduction (Scorpio), we can transform (Death) seed thoughts of potential into living realizations. These realizations are built into our very bodies (Taurus).

Scorpio is the complementary sign of Taurus. Scorpio, like Cancer and Pisces, is a water sign -- and water always represents creative receptivity. Scorpio is ruled by Mars. Here we must refer to the well-known clandestine love affair between Mars and Venus. Clandestine means that these passions are kept in secret, and yet the knowledge of this love affair has been reincarnated generation after generation. A secretive love (Gemini-Sagittarius) affair -- secretions. Rowdy Mars needs the taming (Strength, Leo) guidance of the patient Venus.

The sphere of Mars represents brute force, power, and muscle. Mars, relative to Saturn, can manifest destructively (mar, marring, scarring). Warring (war, mar, Mars) tension is an attribute of the wrathful Mars. It is interesting to note that tonicity (muscle tone) is assigned to Mars. Tonicity also has applications within linguistics (speech) and biology (osmosis). We can associate Mars with the color red (or orange) and the metal of iron. The color red can also be linked to the blood, to desire, and also with fire. Venus, wife of Vulcan (the metallurgist), is known as the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and vegetation. We can associate the color green and the metal copper with Venus. Red (stop, destruct) and green (go, grow) are famously displayed during the holiday of Christmas. When the two are harmoniously united, the carnal lust of Mars is channeled pro-creatively rather than destructively. She is the Beauty to his Beast.

This communion shapes within us a new way to conceive -- a new way to perceive. Sex, then, becomes more than just a carnal act to satiate fleeting (Mercury) lust. These forces can be redirected to destroy (Mars) any defects within us. As our falsehoods are destroyed, true clarity of perception is erected and restored in its place.

Venus

Outwardly, Taurus deals with our material values and possessions. Inwardly, however, Taurus deals with the relationship we have with Self. And this inner relationship determines our values. What we value is influenced by what we believe. Venus, through Libra, externally expresses itself through the relationships we have with others. The intimate relationships we have with others is a reflection of the relationship we have with ourselves. So these two seemingly separate modes of relating are relative. Possessive Taurus can express itself through mental, emotional, physical, or sexual attachment. This translates in our relationships with others and Self. These, often unconscious, desires affect our behavior and shape our values.

The Ego possesses thoughts, latches on to emotional states, and grapples with conflicting desires. The Ego, as well as its possessions, are all figments arising from the imagination (Venus). Imagination has its foundation in memory (High Priestess, Moon). This pool of memory belongs to both the individual and the collective unconscious.The Moon is exalted in Taurus. Through creative imagination, the unseen can come to know its diversified qualities. Much like the Ego reflects the nature of the Soul, the Soul acts as a lens of focus through which Spirit can create. It is only through the created that the creator can come to know itself. And it is only through the boundary of a skin (Earth, matter) that the boundless can find definition.

When we identify with our possessions, we deviate from our center. The Ego, its body, its personal thoughts and desires are all possessions belonging to the Super-consciousness. This Divine Spark is immortal, but the Ego is not. The Ego is subject to change and refinement as boundaries are pushed and the light of the indwelling consciousness grows stronger.

Exaltation: Moon
Detriment: Mars
Other Earth Signs: Capricorn, Virgo
Other Fixed Signs: Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo

Cancer

Cancer
Use Your Words

Symbol(s): Crab, Turtle, Sphinx, Vehicle
Element and Modality: Water, Cardinal
Planetary Ruler(s): Moon, Neptune
House: Ancestral, Family, Home, Emotions
Bodily Function(s): Breasts, Thymus, Stomach

Tarot Card: The Chariot
Hebrew Letter: Cheth

Almost as soon as we have mentally grasped or latched onto something, we have created a boundary or a border. Mental imagery arises, to which we seek to define with words (vibrations that produce geometric symbols -- which morph and multiply). Out of these mentations, an apparent form (object or body) can be produced via "thin air" (no-thing aka "the field"). That form (which 'begins' as a seed of psycho-spiritual potential) houses those psychic aggregations (often initially unconscious, but can be intentional). However, the seed requires additional elements in order to come into fruition on the mental and physical planes; otherwise it remains dormant (sterile). As a seed, it is merely a blueprint (impression). The created product is what comes "out of the blue" (primordial waters) when desire (impulse) meets action (masculine, conscious aspect). Without the generation of heat, the egg would not be able to hatch. Without the active sperm racing to penetrate the passive egg, that blueprint would remain unfertilized and unable to grow.

An infant latches onto its mother's breast in order to nourish itself and grow. When we latch onto a concept, we're able to hatch new plans by nourishing our thought-forms with passion-driven action. The opening of the mammary duct is called a nipple, and it is surrounded by the areola (area). The areola acts, again, as a small enclosure. With love and passion, the Mother offers (action) her breast to the infant. The hungry (hunger/desire) infant latches on (action) and receives the sustenance.

Cancer is a matronly sign, and represents the Gate of Birth (into Matter). On the flip-side, the Gate of Birth can be viewed as the Gate of Death (Capricorn) for Spirit. From this viewpoint, it would place Capricorn as the Gate of Rebirth of the Soul-Spirit. As Spirit descends into Matter, it must slow way down in vibration in order to crystallize into the shell of the form. The Divine Spark of consciousness that descends into matter is darkened (veiled) by the dense material world. It is unconscious or asleep to its own spiritual nature, and comes under the rule of mass (subconscious) consciousness.

As that Divine Spark evolves through the various Kingdoms in nature, it slowly regains consciousness. As we evolve, we slowly remember that we are spiritual beings in form. And we see that the form is crystallized Spirit. As the consciousness grows, the form becomes more complex but less dense.

So this tiny embryonic Soul enters into the material realm through Cancer, our Lunar Mother. That Divine Spark is then submitted to the heavy mechanical revolutions of the physical dimension (Malkuth). As that Soul traverses through its various incarnations from one Kingdom to the next, it accrues karmic (Saturn) debt, but also acquires fortune (Jupiter) through its earthly labors (Virgo). Equilibrium (Libra) exalts Saturn, which inevitably liberates the Soul from these constricting mechanical rotations by neutralizing karma. Elevated in the sign of Cancer, Jupiter brings expansion to the consciousness housed within the shell of the Crab.

Upon birth, a significant portion of the persona (mask) is unconscious (automatic or undeveloped) or subconscious. As the ruler of the House of Ancestry, certain personality traits are genetically inherited. Karma also plays a role in the molding of the mask. This mask can also be likened to the protective outer shell of the Crab. This safeguards the Soul so that it may survive in the physical dimension.

It also masks many of the extrasensory abilities that we all naturally possess. As the child grows, the child learns to be ashamed of certain qualities, or to repress certain ideas or behaviors. The child hardens their perception and turns their focus almost entirely outward. Parents, siblings, peers, and schooling hard-wire that consciousness. The conditioning is often so intense that that child no longer has access to their intuitive faculties. Although physically conscious, they are spiritually asleep. They, then, come under the rule of the herd and are easily swayed by fads and public opinion. So much potential is then rejected and remains in the subconscious. When this is the case, it usually only arises as an undesirable situation or unhealthy habit. But make no mistake: It will make itself known, one way or another.

When we over-specify and narrow things down, we close ourselves off to our many potentials. This is very Saturnine. And this close-minded conditioning is what further mechanizes us. Routine is good, but too much of a routine turns us into robots. The first few years of brain development is very crucial. The majority of the brain's architecture is hard-wired by the age of 3. At 7, the mask of the personality is almost fully formed. As we age, it is (but only typically, which I am making a point to emphasize) harder and harder for us to learn new things. We become very set in our ways, and when something doesn't go our way, we're easily rocked. Those unwilling to change further cling to their habits and go on to develop disease.

If we remain open, like a child, we have the option of being reborn within the vessel we're already in. We can consciously choose to change the inherited/conditioned aspects of our personality. We can cultivate new traits, new behaviors, and new talents. We can be a true entrepreneur -- a Jack of All Trades (The Fool).

Cancer is the ruler of the thymus gland. The thymus gland is located just above and behind the heart (Leo, Sun), between the lungs (Gemini, Mercury). This makes sense since we already know that Cancer has domicile of the mammary glands. The thymus gland is responsible for the development of the immune system (protection, safeguard, shield). The state of our immune system reflects of our vital strength. If we are sick, then we know that there is an obstruction or dis-ease between the vital body and the physical body. Or between the sexual, mental, and emotional bodies.

The thymus gland is connected to our sexual development (a little later on, we will see that this relates to Scorpio and the pineal gland). Typically, at the onset of puberty, the thymus gland begins to atrophy. Puberty, or sexual maturity, ushers us into adulthood. Adulthood marks the peak of our lives, and from there, our physical decline. This is due of the degeneration of the thymus gland. Through transmutation, however, this gland can be regenerated. The life of the physical body can then be prolonged indefinitely. This is up to the indwelling consciousness.

Complementary/Opposing Sign

Cancer represents the Motherly womb. On the other side we have Capricorn, the Fatherly figure of authority. Yoked, these archetypes unveil the relationship of Spirit (Capricorn) with Matter (Cancer). Their procreative union brings about the rebirth of the Christ (Sun/Son/Sol/Soul). This may seem contrary to what has already been said about Capricorn, but we must remember that all signs have layered (dual) meaning -- especially when we are relating them to the other signs.

Knowing that Capricorn is ruled by Saturn (space and time), we can also see how Capricorn and Cancer might be seen as identical twins. The shell of the Crab could be viewed as the physical body and/or the mask of the personality (Capricorn/Malkuth). The being inside the shell could be seen as the vital/ethereal body or the subconscious. The subconscious (The Moon, Pisces) is what builds the corporeal body. The planetary ruler of Cancer is the Moon. The sphere of Yesod is the sphere of the Moon. Yesod relates to the sexual organs (Scorpio), but also the vital body. So Cancer, in this context, represents that subtle vital body of the Soul. Soul is similar to Sol. Cancer (the breasts) is situated next to Leo (the heart).

Can you see how flexibility opens us up to the many ways that these archetypes can be viewed? This is how we resolve inner and outer conflicts. By remaining open to the possibilities that things can be seen from multiple angles (but all valid), we reconcile opposites and enter into a state of Unity.

Moon and Neptune

The limbic system is located in the center of the brain, bridging and branching off into the two hemispheres. Significant formations in the limbic system include: The hypothalamus, the thalamus, the hippocampus, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, and the amygdala. It's a major center for emotions (Cancer) and memory (High Priestess, Moon). The pituitary gland is connected to the hypothalamus, and is considered to be the center of command for the endocrine system. This command center regulates the hormonal secretions of all the glands, and coordinates communication between the endocrine and nervous system. It also translates a hormonal response to external stimulus received through the nervous system. The pineal gland governs our internal wake-sleep cycles as well as the sexual (Scorpio) development of the body. But these are merely a few of their exoteric functions.

So, what does this have to do with Cancer, the Moon, and Neptune? One of Cancer's major themes has been housing, formation, and enclosure. The house (Beth, The Magician (Mercury)) that is the corporeal body (which is under the modifying influence of Pisces (co-ruled by Jupiter and Neptune)). Neptune is the ruler of the unconscious (waters). Many mythological images of Neptune include the God riding a chariot driven by seahorses. This can be compared to the imagery we see in The Chariot tarot card. Cancer, as we know, is a water symbol. Neptune is the god of the sea. The Moon is the ruler of the tides (ebb and flow). The water relates to the (pro)creative powers of the imagination (The Empress), the subconscious/unconscious, and also memory. Mem-ory. Mem is a Hebrew mother letter (ascribed to The Hanged Man card (ruled by Neptune)).

When we examine the etymology of the word hippocampus (Greek: Hippokampos), the connections are revealed. Hippos means "horse" and kampos means "sea monster". The structure of the hippocampus looks very much like a seahorse. This takes us back to Neptune with his chariot driven by seahorses. Cancer (The Chariot) connects the third eye (pituitary) with the throat (creative communication) chakra. The pineal (crown) gland governs the sexual development (Scorpio is a water sign). The pituitary gland regulates the secretions of all of the glands. Secrete, secret (veils, the Moon).

The commander of any chariot (vehicle) is the driver (consciousness). The driver of The Chariot appears to be hermaphroditic (Hermes (Mercury), Aphrodite (Venus)). All thought and speech originates in the creative imagination, which has its foundation in memory (or the subconscious/unconscious). Our thoughts and words (throat chakra) have the power to alter our physical body and build our external reality. The driver of the chariot, then, is a traveler between worlds (the limbic (limbus, branches) system bridges the two hemispheres of the brain). This establishes communication (Mercury) between the higher (upper centers) and the lower (centers below the heart). Between the self-conscious and the superconscious through the subconscious. A chariot can ascend and descend, and is therefore a messenger (nervous system).

The term "traveler" is also used to describe someone has conscious experience of astral travel. This astral body is molecular and can affect changes on a cellular (physical) level. Here we circle back to the foundation (Yesod) and The Moon (Pisces). The Chariot is appropriately called the Agent of Change. The Soul (inner body of the Crab) enters in through the constellation of Cancer (the astral/vital body) to form the physical body and outward persona (shell).

Exaltation: Jupiter
Detriment: Cancer
Other Water Signs: Pisces, Scorpio
Other Cardinal Signs: Aries, Libra, Capricorn

Libra

Libra
Regulator of Eternal Law and Order

Symbol(s): Scales
Element and Modality: Air, Cardinal
Planetary Ruler(s): Venus
House: VII, Partnership
Bodily Function(s): Kidneys, Adrenals, Loins, Back

Tarot Card: Justice/Adjustment
Hebrew Letter: Lamed

The circulatory, rhythmic, pendulum is always in motion within the mindbody. The heart pumps, keeping the blood circulating. The lungs inhale and exhale. We experience a cycle of wakefulness followed by (or preceded by) a cycle of sleep. The wheels are always in motion, even during rest. The exchange of giving and taking is a constant. The partnership between the inner and the outer is always present. This interface takes place even without conscious cognition of it. Let's think about that for a second.

You have your person, your body and your mind. Your body is the part that is visible to the external world. This is the emergent part of that Ego. This body breathes in oxygen from the atmosphere, which is transformed in the body and cells (which we don't typically see unless we have the proper equipment). Your body then expels its own essence back into the surrounding atmosphere to be absorbed and recycled by the sea of influences. We are giving and we are taking. We are receiving and we are transmitting. When we exhale, we're not just putting out bodily elements, we're sending out our psychic germs. Whatever our quality of thoughts and emotions are, they're deposited directly into the collective grid of the planet. These thoughts and emotions are not only registered by the planetary sphere herself, but also impress their influence upon all of the bodies contained therein. Every being.

That influence isn't just confined to this planetary sphere either. It influences every other sentient sphere as well (and there is no-thing but sentient-sea). The degree of influence, however, depends on the strength and degree of the consciousness that that individual being has.

So every thought, desire, and emotion, then, can be seen as action. These internal influences mold and remold the body. This also applies to unconscious thoughts, emotions, and desires (those that we've delegated or condemned to the subconscious). They also influence the construction of surrounding bodies. And by "bodies", I am not just referring to the physical body but the subtle bodies as well (astral, vital, mental, emotional, and so on). So we can see the walls of separation softening here, as they've never really existed. You have your skin, yes, but don't be mistaken into believing that that is the boundary of you. The only boundaries are the ones you've falsely constructed. They're real only because you believe them to be. Your belief empowers them and gives them life.

Instead, try to think of your physical vessel as a portal of interaction with other aspects of yourself. Truly, you're everywhere. You're everyone. You're everything. But you're really no "thing" at all, because no "thing" actually is. Those "other" manifestations are different versions of yourself. These are the other expressions playing out. All of the endless potentials in the process of fulfilling self-realization. All of these different Egos are impulses that arose within the unified mind of God. Even those personalities that come forth and commit evil acts. But, due to the swinging of the pendulum, every act must be reconciled. For every evil, a virtue. For every man, a woman. There is force and there is always counter-force. These are the two faces of the ONE coin.

Libra has domicile over the House of Partnerships. Libra serves as a regulator for these complementary forces (interface between mind and environment, us and them, action and reaction). Libra weighs our karma (thoughts, emotions, actions) and then decides what circumstances to attract to perfect a balance. Always, Libra is working toward homeostasis. Homeostasis, or equi-LIBR-ium, puts us in central alignment. To be centrally aligned is to be united with Source consciousness. The will, then, is strongly guided through intuition. Establishing that intuitive guidance leads to LIBER-ation from suffering. "Liber" means book. One might think of this book as a record. "Libra" is Latin for "pound" or "balance". Libra is the recorder of the Law, which seeks to balance and guide.

Everything that the soul experiences through its many incarnations are recorded. These records are never forgotten, but much is designated to the subconscious or unconscious. This includes present, parallel/ancestral (those of karmic significance to present incarnation), previous, and future life experiences. Whatever is implanted into the subconscious will eventually grow and ripen as an external circumstance or relationship. This can manifest positively or negatively, depending on the seeds of experience. How we respond, react, or judge these experiences plants new seeds.

How will we judge them? Will our judgement be too harsh or will we show mercy? Will we be too soft and allow abuse? Will we condemn our thoughts and emotions surrounding the bounty we've acquired? Will we be fair? Will we be honest?

You can successfully lie to others. You can take a lot of lovely snapshots of your life and share those bits on your social media. This may be a very convincing mask, a false persona created to fool the public. But you cannot mask the stench of rot for long. The truth always WILL out. Familiar, painful, circumstances will repeat until you've decided you've had enough. Only changed behavior (thoughts, emotions, actions) changes circumstances. Stop pretending. You're not being asked to "come clean" to the whole world. If you start being honest with yourself, you won't need to. It'll just be obvious.

This is when the purification process stirs into activity. It's like scorching fields in order to plant a season of new crops, different from the last. Before equilibrium can be established, or in order to maintain that equilibrium, we have to repeatedly enter into the fires of purification. Libra can aid and expedite this process.

Libra has dominion over the kidneys. Overlay the anatomical structure of the kidneys over Libra's scales. The vertical beam might be seen as the spine and the twin scales on the horizontal beam could represent each kidney. In that formation is a cross, which is always a symbol of balance. The vertical line is heaven (masculine) and the horizontal is earth (feminine). The kidneys and the adrenals resting on them are closely connected with the sexual organs (Scorpio). The influences of Libra predominate the lower half of the body, which suggests its connection to the realm of sexuality and the subconscious.

Whenever we see a set of two, like we do with the scales and the kidneys, we know we are dealing with either opposition or conjunction. Opposition works toward conjunction. Conjunction leads to liberation. We can polarize into one or the other or we can blend to unite. When we polarize, choosing one energy over the other, we catalyze the manifestation of its opposite. This continues until we examine our cravings and aversions. Both imply an attachment of some kind. If we're craving or desiring something, then we've formed an attachment to it. If we're repulsed by something, it's because we overly identify with the wound it inflicts upon us.

We each have our personal preferences. There is nothing wrong with this. There is nothing wrong with craving something either. But if we hold onto something for too long, it creates an obstruction. Too much of anything disrupts the balance. We can hold on for a while, but we must learn to let go when something has run its course. Back to the whole idea of "catching and releasing".

It is through this self-discipline that we can free ourselves. Pain may be unavoidable in life, but suffering is a choice that we make in every moment. Avoiding pain creates suffering. Libra asks us to face our pain, face our fears. Libra asks us to get uncomfortable so that we can avoid magnifying the pain. That's what avoidance does. It magnifies the issues and gives birth to suffering.

A simplified way to look at this: Physical exercise makes us uncomfortable. We get hot and sweaty. We work our heart, our lungs, and our muscles. It can be a little painful at first. Our muscles may ache afterwards. It can take a while to catch our breath. But it positively transforms our body and our mind. It creates new pathways in the brain. It eases depression and anxiety. It makes us stronger and more confident.

There may be days where we're overflowing with motivation and other days where that inspiration just isn't there. Sometimes we skip the workout because we're just not feeling motivated. That's okay if the body needs a rest (balance), but if we keep skipping that workout, we get slower. It gets harder to pick up where we left off. It makes it easy to quit. Where motivation ends, the self-discipline we've cultivated along the way is what picks us up and keeps us moving. Even when we don't feel like doing it. We keep doing it because it gives us direction and keeps us aligned. This is how opposition (Venus (love, conception) and Mars (action, desire)) leads to conjunction.

Keywords for Libra: Choice, judgement, charm, weighing values, balance, equilibrium, measurement, polarity, neutrality, detachment, release, adjustment, relations, harmony, justice, discrimination, push-pull, rhythm, and see-saw.

Complementary/Opposing Sign

Mars impels us to act, guided by creative imagination, which rests on the foundation of memory. Mars eliminates hesitancy. Inaction is a choice too, but Mars gets us moving. Aries is all about leading and taking the initiative. So if we're on the fence about anything, the energies of Aries will spark the fires of inspiration within us to get us moving.

Aries is about the development of the individual prowess. Libra, on the other hand, deals with partnership. Libra is patient, carefully weighing out options based on past experiences. Aries is demanding and assertive. But they are both working toward the same goal of self-directed purpose.

The driving initiative of Aries must be counter-balanced by the regulating functions of Libra. Mars governs muscular force and Venus infuses it with the forces of love (desire as lust or it's higher form of love-attraction). This infusion instigates that initiative. Venus as the pinnacle of feminine mystique and attraction. Mars as the height of masculine brute force and eagerness to please.

Libra can negatively express as co-dependency. This co-dependency has the potential to spark tension between the two, as Aries is unflinchingly independent. Being a matronly figure, Venus can become clingy and attached. Being a warrior, Mars can become violent, angry, and self-centered. But in Libra's nobler expressions are the desire for liberation and equality. Equality frees one of co-dependent tendencies through detachment.

Venus and Saturn

Libra is ruled by Venus. Venus acts as a secondary sun in our solar system. Solar energy is stored in Venus and then transmitted to Earth. Being the microcosms that we are, the exchange of energy between these spheres of influence take place within us. So whatever is true of the interplay of these energies "up there" (above, without) is also true "down here" (below, within).

Venus is famously known as the Goddess of Love. Venus is sensual, fertile, romantic, and attractive. Venus is the bright and vibrant Mother. When we think of Venus, we think of lush vegetation and smooth legs.

Because we know Libra as a regulator (and instigator) of action (Karma), we must mention the importance of Saturn's relationship here. Saturn is exalted in Libra, so it sits really well in this sign. With Libra being an air sign, there is also a hidden connection to Uranus.

Exaltation: Saturn
Detriment: Mars
Other Air Signs: Gemini, Aquarius
Other Cardinal Signs: Aries, Cancer, Capricorn

New Moon in Taurus

It doesn't matter when you read this. The archetypes are evergreen. So, you could be reading this in April of 2020 -- or you may just happenstance upon this at some future date. Regardless, this message, as always, was meant to reach you NOW. There is something unfolding in your present situation that is activating or touching upon these energies.

Uncertainty is moving through the collective, with the coronavirus as the visible but invisible catalyst. But the virus, itself, is just another scapegoat (Capricorn).

"The soul needs an outer drama that can help awaken and pull into conscious awareness the inner myth and seeded story it carries within." - ???

Uncertainty breeds insecurity. With Uranus currently transiting through Taurus (May 15th, 2018-April 26th, 2026), these are themes that we're to be well-acquainted with for the next few years. And we're seeing it unfold now: Uncertainty (Uranus) threatening our security (Taurus), our economy, our resources, our traditions, and our overall way of life (which calls into question our values).

Outer security is, and always has been, an illusion. All is transitory. All is subject-to-change. And, while our sense of safety (Cancer/Taurus) has been 'shook' (Uranus/Pluto-Mars), we can retreat within -- into our inner sanctum -- and regain a true sense of ("in")security. There, we can reconnect (Vav - Taurus) with our True Voice, aligning us with our True Calling.

Cancer and Taurus alike are associated with the concept of nourishment. Nourishment implies both survival and pleasure (Taurus). "Survive" versus "Thrive" are also themes I've noticed moving through the collective lately as well. Our home environments (Cancer -- the North Node is currently in this sign until May 5th, 2020; and has been here since November of 2018), where we've all been asked to retreat to, has been stripped down to ESSENTIALS due to (temporary) loss (or reduction) of income as well as resources (Taurus).

Let's examine this word for a second: Essential. Comes from essence.

Essential

"mid-14c., "that is such by its essence," from Late Latin essentialis, from essentia "being, essence," abstract noun formed (to translate Greek ousia "being, essence") from essent-, present participle stem of esse "to be," from PIE root *es- "to be." Meaning "pertaining to essence" is from late 14c., that of "constituting the essence of something" is from 1540s; that of "necessary" is from 1520s. Essentials "indispensable elements" is from early 16c. Related: Essentially." - From Etymonline.com

Pure Being is synonymous with Primal Essence. This primal, indivisible, essence underlies all of the manifested universe -- visible and invisible to the naked eye and/or physical senses. Each individual is but a cog in a grander cosmic machine, each of us playing our role and influencing the whole, both consciously and subconsciously. What affects one affects all. What may ail the person, ails the crowd. We are Together, at Home. Although we're in quarantine and asked to self-isolate (or "shelter in place"), and consequently visibly alone -- we're invisibly and indivisibly all-one. This has always been the case, but is being highlighted and emphasized during this period of great "energy tending to change" (Uranus - The Fool).

We're being asked to SLOW DOWN (Saturn moving into Aquarius -- this New Moon is also squaring Saturn) and journey inward to rediscover the source of all nourishment and connection. To temporarily disconnect from the plane of appearances, which is currently a scene of social disconnection, and realize that "things are not always as they seem". Except that "things" are that, too (the medium is the message, the message is the medium). Thing being (reflecting) no-thing. The inner enriches the outer. If you're outwardly lacking in any way, shape, or form, it's because you're called to return to center. This outward restriction is temporary. We're truly spring cleaning from the inside-out. Too much consumption (Taurus) on a purely material level has forced us into the situation we're in now. Vanity is blocking the beauty of authenticity.

In order to refill our cups, we must empty them. The same applies to all of our material possessions. Right now we're asked to only venture out for necessity (essentials -- essence). This forces us to reevaluate our priorities. What do we need, what do we value, most? What can we live without, and what simple pleasures are still available to us? So, we weed out distraction in order to plant new seeds (New Moon). Seed being essence. Seed being potential. Essence being potential. If you've an empty home, an empty garden, an empty pantry -- then you're full of potential! Quality can now "TRUMP" quantity (Venus), and we can now plant seeds that fulfill a higher purpose.

Use this time of solitude and reflection to reconnect with your inner-web of Re:Source (IN...COME). What riches and untapped potential lie within that need tending to? Many have gotten crafty (Mercury) during this time, opening themselves up to new avenues of revenue that are entirely self-reliant. Perhaps, when all is said and done, many will no longer falsely believe they need to rely on an external authority to direct their lives. And this self-reliance will be what transforms surviving into thriving. Not only will work transform into labors of love, but this discipline (Saturn) of only taking what is needed will give so much back to us, and the world-at-large, in return. (Again, Venusian themes.)

It's okay to feel scared. It's okay to have fear. Fear of the unknown. But, is it possible to find the excitement in all of it, too? Big endings and big beginnings are afoot (as they always are). So, of course there is grief. Of course there is anxiety. Those are very valid emotions, and they shouldn't be undermined. However, adventure is on the horizon! The Law of Compensation is eternally operating, and that should provide us some comfort to move through life's trials and ordeals.

New Moons, generally, usher in new beginnings. It's like pushing "refresh" or "reset". Liberate yourself from old habits and traditions. Get "outside of the box" of comfort (for many, solitude can be discomforting). Think outside of the box. The old routine is being shaken up, and everything is "up in the air"/unstable (New Moon conjunct Uranus). As usual, when Uranus is involved, one can expect to be surprised ("expect the unexpected"/things happening "out of the blue").

More Thoughts on The Magician

Key 1 - The Magician

The Master of Illusion

In one sense, The Magician is the personality, mask, ego, or identity. It is the ability to make distinctions--the ability to remember, to discriminate, discern, divide, and notice differences. A tiny seed of light blooms into a Golden Son. As the Sun rises up out of the sea of the unconscious, he begins to individuate himself from the nothingness. The zero becomes a hero, a something from nothing. He, as a symbol of self-consciousness, grows to become the master of maya (illusion, mother, mater, matrix, and/or matter).

The Magician is associated with Mercury and the pineal gland. Maia, in Greek mythology, is the mother Hermes (or Mercury in Roman mythology). She is one of the Seven Sisters (often portrayed as doves) of the Pleiades. The Pleiades is a cluster of stars located on the shoulder of the Taurus constellation. Taurus, as the second sign in the Zodiac, is ruled by Venus. Taurus is attributed to Key 5, The Hierophant; and Venus to Key 3, The Empress.

In medical astrology, Taurus is associated with the throat center. The Empress, as well as Binah (Saturn), is also linked to the throat (Daath) and the pituitary gland (The High Priestess, Moon). An alluring Venus flytrap as an open mouth, Yoni, black hole, or wormhole (the Apple of Knowledge) comes to mind. This can all be linked back to The Magician when one notes Mercury’s frequent affiliation with the throat chakra.

The Hierophant (Taurus) is related to hearing and intuition. The Empress (Venus) is related to the creative imagination (the mind’s eye and/or mental imagery), the heart chakra, beauty, and love. On the Tree of Life, Tiphareth (as the Sun) is called the Seat of the Imagination. It, too, is associated with the heart center. The Sun, in astrology, is exalted in the first zodiac sign of Aries (the head). The link between the first key and the first zodiac sign should, then, become apparent.

Aries connects us with Key 4, The Emperor. The Emperor is The Magician after having penetrated and impregnated The High Priestess (the subconscious). The Emperor governs sight and reason. The pineal gland is located in the center of the brain that perceives the inner and outer simultaneously. The Magician is wizard of inner vision, insight, and eternal wizdom.

The yellow background we often see in this trump is the gold of Sol, the Sun--our Crowning Glory. In astrology, the Sun, much like The Magician, represents the ego or the personality. The Sun gives out, radiates, projects, and expresses. Leo, which is ruled by the Sun, is linked to our personal self-expression. Expression intimates vocalization, conversation, and/or communication. To express is to press outward and is, therefore, centrifugal. The darkness (invisible light) burns as visible light.

Express can also be defined as a means to swiftly deliver or transport something--whether that be a message, a package, a person, or some sort of cargo. With the actual planetary sphere positioned closest to the Sun, Mercury speedily orbits our Hero every 88 days. News travels fast and the rumor mill is always churning.

The two 8’s previously mentioned bring us around to the infinity symbol, or the lemniscate that’s visible above The Magician’s head. From one perspective, this figure 8 is 0, The Fool, which is +two-: The Twin Flames of The Magician’s wand. Picture The Fool, as an emblem of our unconscious desires, about to fall off of that cliff into the abyss of manifestation. It is the wand, as the will and focus, of The Magician that transports and directs those unrealized potentials from above into the field of existence below.

Energy flows where attention goes, does it not? Even so, the end result that an archetype takes may not be easily recognized--especially if perception is easily swayed by emotion. As any qualified Magician will warn you: Appearances are seldom what they seem. An archetype is an image, symbol, and/or myth that keeps showing up. It’s primordial and fixed. It’s a model, a mold, a blueprint, a seed. Unchangeable in that it eternally recurs, yet forever subject-to-change.

The archetypes show up under countless guises: Partaking of both positive and negative qualities as well as feminine and masculine characteristics. They’re seamless, blended, and nonlinear. As a focal point of awakening awareness capable of perceiving order amidst chaos, The Magician develops the ability to distinguish one archetype from another. This chaos (The Fool or the Limitless Light), however, is not actually chaos. It’s a higher order not yet made conscious. A higher order only attained, or known, through definition and distinction. Since the ultimate attainment is illusory, chaos will always prevail. Yet, it is precisely The Magician’s task to tame and harness this chaos for practical application.

The Magician represents the ability to tune out the noise and singularly focus on one definite object or objective at a time. In doing so, clarity of purpose is sharpened, skills are refined, and talents are cultivated. The idealistic Magician isn't merely a man of thought, The Magician is a man of manual labor. Mental focus (like the lens or the eye of a camera) paired with physical steps make his power of command pragmatic and applicable.

Power is the capacity to work (6th House, ruled by Mercury), to labor, and to toil. Power is that flaming force of activity. As a master of his craft, as an artisan, we can easily compare The Magician to the angelic alchemist in the Temperance (referred to, in some decks, as Art) key. This alchemist is the True Self, or the Holy Guardian Angel, resident in the heart and exalted in the crown.

Whenever we follow or are motivated by our true heart's desires, we are successfully performing the handiwork of God. Whenever we eliminate distraction to actively meditate (aka concentrate), we are aligning ourselves with that still, small voice of intuition. Intuition that guides us through subtle nudges as well as blatant signs (synchronicities). Magic, miracles, and the impossible become possible through this inner guidance.

Sulphur aids Our Mercury. It's not enough just to dream or fantasize (Salt), we must carry out the vision (Sulphur). While The Magician, as self-consciousness, seems to initiate various works--he is merely a lightning rod through which the True Will (superconscious) flows. This True Will is the Puppet Master that's tugging on all of our heart strings, subtly influencing our desires (motivations). The lightning rod, or wand, is a conduit and it specifically represents the pineal gland, the spinal column, and the nervous system.

Mushrooms, motorcycles, masks, the magician's cap, and hands are all symbols seen frequently in relation to this key. The hand is a potent symbol of the power of comprehension. This power of comprehension is the power to harness and grasp universal patterns (order) to discern and facilitate the grander cosmic plan. The hand also represents the will, touch, response, contact, communication, the written word, mediation, the senses, control, and is a symbol of Mercury.

Personal control is an illusion. This can be one of the hardest lessons to learn. The patriarchal self-consciousness is obsessed with this false notion of control, superiority, domination, and power. While it is true that there are some things that we are personally responsible for and must take control of to lead a healthy and harmonious life--even that personal sense of will power is only granted to us through the universal mind.

Still, we do not become passive doormats. We continue to act as if it was of our own doing, shifting our identification with the false personal will by acknowledging the Universal Mercury. When we feel inspired to act, we act. When it's time to sit back and relax, we wait to receive further guidance. And, to reduce disappointment, we graciously surrender our expectations to how we personally think it all should turn out.

The individual is but a mask for the universal. A mask both conceals, deceives, and reveals. Without the mask of identity, there'd be nothing to perceive or reflect on. Without objects subject to observation, subjective (and objective) experience would cease.

Again, The Magician is a smith, a craftsman, an artisan, and a carpenter. An architect commanding gravitation. Through concentration, the will of The Magician is engraved upon the virgin substance in the garden of the subconscious. Through keen observation and brilliant speculation, The Magician plants the seeds that set in motion the fruits of future development. The One, the I/Eye, initiates a new cycle of growth.

When we look at the glyph of the Sun, we see a ring with a dot or an “eye” inside. Like the eye of a tempest or the center of a spiraling whirlpool, that point represents the active still-point from which all movement emerges. Osiris: This is the Oz of the Iris. Oz, in Hebrew, means strength, power, and might. It’s associated with Sulphur (active, Mars), desire, the number 77, 14, and 5. By extension, it has correlations with Venus (passive, Salt), the throat, the fifth sephira (Geburah), the pentagram, Temperance or Art (Sagittarius), and The Hierophant (Taurus). We can link all such symbolism with the red of The Magician’s robe as well as the roses.

Iris, then, hints toward the outer ring of that aforementioned solar symbol. It alludes to the notion of differentiation and individuation. The pure white light of the undifferentiated cosmic mind (silence), as it descends into manifestation (of varying wavelengths), is seemingly ‘broken up’ into the endless creations that we drink in with our own eyes.

But the Mercurial messenger, in his Rubedo Red slippers, must return to its sender. (As if Dorothy ever really left home in the first place!) And therein lies the promise, the promise of the Return of the Prodigal Sun.

Circling back to a phrase mentioned earlier, “…perception swayed by emotion.” Swayed, in this context, being synonymous with colored, clouded, or obscured. The color, which is emotion and desire, provides a filter or marker for distinction. This is vibration disturbing perfect silence, upsetting equilibrium. Which, of course, enters us into the territory of the creative world of Beriah.

The transparency of perfection and purity must have some tinge and tint of imperfection in order for the invisible to be rendered visible.

Mercury Keywords: Information, communication, telecommunication, transportation, news, rumors, gossip, travel, short distances, conversation, exchange, expression, technology, mediation, intermediary, consciousness, self-consciousness, ego, hero, differentiation, knowledge, intelligence, swift, messenger, carrier, mail, e-mail, correspondence, messages, massages, contact, touch, thought, Thoth, words, swords, air, breath, discrimination, discernment, duality, double, zenith, magister lux, light, sight, appearances, charisma, distinguish, reason, rational, logic, spokesperson, wish-master, house, enlightenment, illumination, True Will, will power, magus, focus, concentration, attention, one-pointedness, singularity, unicorn, crown, pineal gland, yellow, command, suggestion, superiority, charisma, respect, above, memory, constrast, Sulphur, action, activity, quicksilver, individuality, demiurge, set in motion, mask, raccoon, curiosity, exploration, speculation, inquiry, prompt, questioning, questing, puppet master, wishes, spells, magic, showman, transparency, deception, lying, duplicity, disguise, detective, investigate, observe, dominate, craft, skill, talent, carpenter, engraver, director, smith, architect, power, determination, goal-oriented, action, initiation.

3 of Pentacles

Three of Pentacles
2nd Decan of Capricorn (Saturn); January 1st-10th
Ruled by: Venus in Taurus
Constellation: Aquila
Element: Earth, Saturn in Assiah (Action - Heh)
Sphere: Binah (Saturn)

Keywords: Construction, Cooperation, Learning.

Description: Devoting oneself to a higher purpose or a long-term project. It could also indicate teamwork, and working with others toward a common goal. This card may indicate teaching and/or learning. Others may be coming to you for your expertise. Likewise, you may find yourself seeking out a teacher. This could also indicate an experience of mutual learning -- teachers becoming the students, students becoming the teachers. Reciprocity is implied. Focused labor and determination play a major role here as well, and this is only the beginning. A card of initiation, this is the building up of a solid foundation. The 3 of Pentacles alludes to: Endurance, persistence, cultivating one's skills, and mastering the craft.

This is a matriarchal card with its yonic architecture. This hints at motherhood, fertility, creativity, the birthing process, and an inner sanctuary -- as it appears to be inside some sort of church or cathedral. The three figures could represent Mother, Father, and the Son/Sun. The Son/Sun (aka the True Self/Heart) representing the carpenter or artisan. The yonic architecture is related to the Ichthys (Jesus Fish) and/or Vesica Piscis. The mandorla represents the union of Subconsciousness (Mother) and Self-consciousness (Father) to give rise to Super-consciousness (Sun). Perhaps you're going through a consciousness shift or upgrade, and are being asked to have faith in, trust in, and participate in the process. A shift that will eventually crystallize tangible results in one's day-to-day reality. This could mean physical changes to one's body (kundalini -- the nervous system and the endocrine system) as well as one's environment. Changes that may be expedited through inspired action and habitual adjustments.

What are we feeding our body? What are we feeding our minds? Which desires are we feeding and feasting on? And what will that nourishment build for us in the future? What we feed, we build upon. What we feed on, is built into us. This can be both constructive and destructive, depending on the quantity and quality of our (spiritual, emotional, sexual, et cetera) nutrition. The Venusian influences can be easily felt here.

8 of Swords

VIII of Swords
1st Decan of Gemini (Mercury); May 21st-30th
Ruled by: Mercury in Gemini
Constellation: Lepus
Element: Air, Mercury in Yetzirah (Formative - Vav)
Sphere: Hod (Mercury)

Keywords: Confusion, Interference, Mediocrity.

Description: Time wasted being overly preoccupied with the minor details and/or being overly analytical. Unpleasant news. Feeling self-conscious, a lack of confidence, and unable to make a move as a result. Alternatively, unproductive busyness -- doing too much with little to show for it. Gossip, arguments, pettiness, slander, talking oneself in circles, putting foot-in-mouth. Thoughts and beliefs that limit or interfere with advancement. Negative self-talk. Troubled communication with others. Psychological abuse, isolation, and/or imprisonment -- which may or may not be self-imposed. Control and criticism. Health issues. Embarrassment, frustration, repression, blame, and/or feeling disempowered. Turning a blind eye to what's right in front of you.

The 8 of Swords indicates that there is some sort of opposition (duality - Gemini) between present (and restricting) belief structures versus new ideas which are trying to land and liberate. Cognitive dissonance is heavily implied. With the 8 of Swords, this conflict is often an internal one, although it can be a result of not reinforcing one's personal boundaries with others. This may mean caring too much about what others think (people pleasing), and, consequently, trapping oneself in a mental prison to avoid confrontation or disappointing others.

The puddles of water at her feet represent emotional seepage. She is both bound and blind. Blind to the mental constructs that imprison her, but also blind to those that would set her free. There is the threat of drowning in emotion should she remain tied up for too long. This could also, however, represent sacrificing logic for the irrational -- for feeling, imagination, and creativity. Eventually, these unconscious impulses or desires will overthrow and release the waking, rational mind from its enslavement. But, at what cost?

More Thoughts on The Fool

Key 0 - The Fool

Fools Rush In

“...it is the abyss which becomes visible in the gaps of existence.” - Gershom Scholem

We’re constantly blinking in and blinking out of existence in a perpetual feedback loop. This flashing in and out recurs so rapidly that we’re generally unaware of this process. But the key word here is flashing, which conjures to mind the idea of a strobe light.

To flash is to blow or to strike--like a gust of whirling wind, a stormy surge of lightning, or a fiery explosion. To flash also brings to mind the idea of a flood, of a gushing forth or welling up from an underlying and invisible source. It also suggests a flaring up or an emission, much like we see radiating outward from the sun. We can, likewise, relate this emission to the releasing of a seed. Or, to put it more crudely, a steaming stream of ejaculation.

To strobe is to wind, to turn, and to twist. This introduces the concept of a spiraling whirlpool. Of primal motion and initiation, which is the main idea. And what is the goal of any start-up or initiation? Change. The Fool is here to upset the status quo, to start a revolution, to stir the pot, and to incite a little chaos in the name of progressive change.

The Fool is a representative of eternal, or changeless, change. Change being the constant, and yet all change essentially remaining the same. All garments of manifestation having been woven, unraveled, and then refashioned anew from that same backdrop. We are all, indeed, cut from the same cloth. That being said, we can see how The Fool might present itself to us as the Green Man: With the cycling, recycling, and upcycling of each moment as it fractals into infinity. Green being the color of vegetation, of what’s unripened, what awaits assimilation, death, and rebirth. This is, in part, why The Fool is commonly depicted clad in a green tunic.

The Fool is the life force, hungering for and feeding upon itself in order to self-gratify and self-sustain. This brings to mind the term, ‘autopoiesis’. It’s a term that’s translated to mean self-production or self-creation.

The Fool is the the undifferentiated or the uncreated, which is always on the verge of differentiation or creation. And this is happening NOW 0 NOW 0 NOW, with nowhere to go! The Fool, as the life power, represents all that is nascent or latent. The Fool symbolizes the cosmic egg of pure potential, the all-begetting and all-destroying panspermia of immortality. A neutral Wild Card sitting on the fence of uncertainty, with the possibility of going either way and in every which direction. The Fool is the big question mark: XX or XY? This hermaphrodite is an androgynous Jack of All Trades and Master of None. The Fool stands for no-thing, forever falling into the abyss of manifestation to become every-thing.

We see our little spring chicken standing on a precipice, oblivious to the dangers afoot. This platinum blonde bombshell looks upward and onward. With this we get the sense of a sunny disposition, of light-heartedness, and unwavering optimism. Carefree, the nebulous future always looks bright and full of promise for our youth. How often is it that we say that the children are our future?

The Fool is the ultimate Tabula rasa, a blank slate, a new beginning, and another chance to do it all over again. Bursting onto the scene to press that reset button and refresh the page. A page as white as the rose and the canine companion our gender-fluid pilgrim travels with. This whiteness represents virginity, purity, and the unadulterated truth which descends from above, or within, to below, or without.

The Fool is the unfiltered essence of the higher self, the super-consciousness, involving into and onto the phenomenal plane. Embodied, it’s temporarily blinded by worldly distraction, falling prey to forgetfulness. This is how incarnation begins for vast majority of us--entirely oblivious of our extraterrestrial origin. Extraterrestrial, in this context to mean, ‘beyond the earth’; and ‘earth’ is used to imply our ‘physical vehicle’. The macrocosm and the microcosm.

The truth, like a pearl, lies within a lie. Spirit entombed in a meaty shell. And yet it can only clothe itself within itself, thus reconciling the paradox. The exterior being a crystallized simulacrum of its inner counterpart. An inner radiance that’s dulled and dumbed down so that it may appear solid. This watering down slows its rate(s) of vibration, providing the resistance that is required to take on form.

The all-potential of uncertainty must descend into certainty to become something. From the egg, outcomes the chicken. This outcome can be absolutely anything: From a person to an event, an idea, an emotion, a task, a formula, an object, or something that’s, as of yet, entirely inconceivable.

It’s the expecting, like a pregnancy, of the unexpected. The Fool is like a Jack in the Box, ready to pop out and surprise us at every twist and turn. The box used in this context to mean our Cube of Space; with our flapjack flip-flopping to and fro from within the center. This, however, will be something worth elaborating upon in our lesson on 21^st Key, The World.

To put it another way: When a situation is questionable or uncertain, it’s said to be ‘up in the air’. Before one can arrive at any conclusion, answer, or tangible result, one must wait for the ‘dust to settle’.

We can liken this to a Magic 8 ball. When we wish to know something, we ask the question. The Fool sets out on a quest, into matter, to realize its own potentials. We shake the ball. The Fool temporarily upsets the balance, shaking things up in the hopes of experiencing something new. This foreign impulse introduces a revitalized sense of purpose into an otherwise closed-off system. Without this instinctual drive--this insatiable curiosity to seek, to know, and to grow--Saturnian rigidity sets in. One is rendered inert. So, like Uranus, we do a flip-flop and turn that magic ball on its head. From that murky substratum, which was seemingly and originally at the top, an answer arises. And, while our answer may not show up in the way that we’d wanted or anticipated, it’s still exactly what we’d asked for: Change, for better or worse. But, even if for the worse, ultimately serving our overall evolution; and that inevitable (fully-conscious) reunion of self with Self.

Super-consciousness resides within our personal subconscious, which is within the greater collective unconscious. All of our desires, drives, and motives are rooted within the sub-conscious. Each decision we make is fueled by emotion. The marriage of reason (self-consciousness) and instinct (sub-consciousness) gives birth to intuition (super-consciousness). Intuition is seeing with, listening to, and following our hearts.

Some might call this blind faith, and they wouldn’t be wrong. But this kind of foolish blind faith differs from the folly of ignorance and naivete. It’s a fundamental shift in perspective; from seeing only the outer forms, to going within to apprehend the true essence of things. Blind to things as they seem, with eyes wide open to things as they are. No-thing is hidden, in plain sight. And there’s that shift: That reversal, that seeing things from another angle, that breaking through to the other side. From a blindness brought on by being encumbered in matter to a blindness to the merely surface-level, ‘one way only’ interpretation.

And though we may still meet with much suffering, even after heeding the call of intuition, we’re spared greater pain in the long run. This interior illumination broadens our perception, allowing us to actually grok that bigger picture. This happens through a cyclical purification of the sub-conscious, of its misunderstandings, its traumas, and its false opinions of reality. A purification brought on by that super-conscious influence. Break down (counter that clockwise motion) for a break through (forward march for the clockwise).

Little-by-little, we release personal bias, grudge, opinion, and preference for that broader vision. Although, not entirely. Only those which, at present, keep us closed off and inflexible. Just enough to keep us plastic, enough to continually reconcile opposites (aka complements).

Our timeless traveler is, evermore, traversing through time. The evergreen Sun of the Sea is always in season, always in its heyday. An April Fool perpetually on the verge of becoming, polarized: This OR That. The Fool is the Trickster, fooling only him-or-herself. Without proper suggestion (Please see: Strength) or guidance (Please see: Adjustment), The Fool is carried by the fates whichever way the wind blows. The Fool is the working power behind all manifestations and can be wielded for our betterment or our bereavement. We can be fooled into expecting things to turn out one way, only to find that we’ve been taken in an entirely different direction.

On one had, we can see The Fool as a representative of the super-conscious influx of energy working its way through the subjective mind, bubbling up into our objective awareness. On the other hand, we return to this idea of blindness and ignorance. This primal instinct is a blind force that requires direction. Due to the neutral and uncertain nature of this primal power, as it falls into form (or, as it is polarized--+electro-magnetism), there is a grave danger of it being overruled by base desires. As always is the case with power, when placed into the wrong hands, it can be degraded and abused. This all depends on the intention of the user, and even then, without proper education, it can be misused.

So many of us have good intentions, but because we haven’t yet grasped the larger picture, we stumble into sorrow. But it’s this very struggle that triggers our incessant awakening out of unconsciousness (Please see: Death and The Tower). Through suffering, loss, and eventual sacrifice, The Fool gains pearls of wisdom along the way. (Please see: The Hanged Man.) As a result, our abilities to discern and discriminate are fine-tuned, which gradually modifies our habits, behaviors, and choices.

The Fool is neo, or new, but when we insert the “M” of the Hebrew Mother Letter “Mem” (The Root of Water), neo becomes nemo. Nemo means nobody. Hence, a no-body arising out of the dark womb of the unconscious into a new body within the matrix of matter--the lunar cocoon.

Upon arrival within the physical dimension, nemo is given a name. The unknown becomes known; the nobody becomes somebody. And that somebody takes on a whole host of roles: From genesis to nemesis, zero to hero, and victim to victor. A nexus of shifting identities. The destination is the journey and the beginning is the end. Womb to tomb, tomb to womb. This is reminiscent of the Ring-Pass-Not, where anabolism becomes catabolism becomes anabolism. Om nom nom! Om = Aum, which is The Word (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh), or the soundless sound of golden silence; and nom = nomen, which means name (YHVH). Self feeding on self feeding on Self. Round and round we go!

“’To exist’ means ‘to be set apart from,’ and this fluid verb-action of creation cannot be set apart from itself. There is nowhere to go. If there were such a ‘where’ to go, all we would find would be the same process--’itself’ all over again.” - The Heart-Mind Matrix: How the Heart Can Teach the Mind New Ways to Think by Joseph Chilton Pearce

Fool comes from follis, which means bellows, or a bag of wind. To bellow is to blow, to roar, or to cry out loudly--just like what follows when a newborn takes its first breath. The renowned image of Wheeler, Thorne, and Meisner’s model of the big bang comes to mind. The figure depicts a man blowing into what looks like a balloon, which represents the expansion of the universe. We can equate the contraction of the lungs, or the inhale, to the negative pole of space. This negative pole (Salt) is the uncreated potential, awakened through (Mercury) the activity of the positive pole (Sulphur). The exhale being the manifested universe, the creation.

In many versions of this Key, we see our divine hermaphrodite casually toting a yellow bag that’s tethered to the end of a staff. The staff rests upon our patron’s shoulder, with the bagged end angled toward the sun.

Probing deeper into the contents of the personal subconscious, one finds themselves within the unfathomable ocean of the collective unconscious. The super-implicate order is breached via the implicate order.

How deep do you want to go? How much do you thirst to know? Look to your value system, which is related to the Venusian archetype and the imagination (Copper). One must create space to bring forth this knowledge and wisdom, which is a costly exchange (please see, again: Death, as the Imaginative Intelligence). One’s personal currency (current-sea), or frequency, must rise to the level of that which they seek to know, through embodiment--all comprehension being an embodiment.

The higher, or the deeper, one wishes to immerse themselves in the dark, fertile waters of the collective unconscious, the more personal baggage must be flushed out. This personal baggage is really a metaphor for the complexes and belief systems (Tin) that keep us closed down to the admittance of higher grades of truth. This is, in part, what is meant by the sacrifice and surrender of The Hanged Man, which is ruled by the oceanic Neptune.

Uranus Keywords: Origin, shiny, new, newcomer, outsider, alien, foreigner, traveler, tourist, idiot, Bacchus, Dionysus, genius, genie, genesis, genes, generation, generator, anarchy, primal, power, instinct, wild, impulse, electricity, eccentricity, electromagnetic, astral light, limitless light, no limit, nothing, potential, possibility, everything, beget, seed, ace, jester, joker, trickster, involution, evolution, revolution, summit, peak, beginning, before, after, changeless, youth, children, baby, immature, irresponsible, innocence, inexperience, mania, leap of faith, wild card, aces, trick, expect the unexpected, surprise, gift, out of the blue, out of nowhere, shock, shock to the system, PTSD, parasympathetic nervous system, neuroplasticity, flexibility, upheaval, disruption, confusion, diffusion, nebulous, future, hope, unwritten, blank, open, freedom, faith, guest, reversal, flip-flop, glitch, change, change of heart, metanoia, chance, fortune, fate, risk, gamble, bet, imbalance, neutrality, blindness, drunkenness, inebriation, spirit, flight, air, sky high, uncertainty, dare devil, extremes, life breath, love, heart, central, zero point, Hadit, chaos, gold, solar, light, lux, alpha, working power, prima materia, purity, pure imagination, ultra, super-consciousness, negation, aha!, Eureka, et cetera.