Before and After Chiron
Virgo is what's called a human sign, being one of the
few regions of the zodiac represented by a person, specifically a young woman.
According to Fred Gettings in his Arkana Dictionary of
Astrology, the symbol for this sign has, among its sources, "been derived
from the merged letters of M and V (Maria Virgo) as part of the important
Marian symbolism associated with this sign." Maria, or Mary, is the living
vestige of goddess-worship within the Catholic church and indeed all of
Western civilization, after Catholicism took over the more gender-balanced,
nature-oriented Celtic religion.
The Sun enters this sign each year in late summer as the
harvest approaches. Like the other earthy signs Taurus and Capricorn, Virgo is
associated with stability, sustenance and nourishment. In the northern
hemisphere, the shift from Leo to Virgo is one of the most visceral sign
changes we experience; the quality of light changes distinctly, there is a
different feeling to the air, and late summer is very much a season of
its own. The sweet touch of melancholy associated with summer's end is an
important part of the emotional signature of the Virgo soul.
William Lilly, the great horary astrologer who wrote the
first astrological text in English, Christian Astrology (published in
1647), says that amongst physical locations in the world, Virgo signifies a
"study where books are, a closet, a dairy-house, cornfields, granaries,
malt-houses, hayricks, or of barley, wheat or peas, or a place where cheese
and butter are preserved and stored up." This sign, in its worldly expression,
is about food and its preservation, and food for the mind.
Traditionally, its ruler is the planet Mercury, the
closest to the Sun and the messenger of the gods, which shuttles back and
forth across the sky during its many retrogrades all year long. This is
symbolic of the mutable nature of Virgos: they can change and
adapt.
Apropos of Mercury, Gettings, in his excellent
dictionary, describes Virgo as a sign "deeply committed to the intellectual
process." Those of us who know and love Virgos are familiar with intelligent,
clever, somewhat nervous people who can never seem to do enough. But this is
not mental activity for its own buzz; there appears to be something inherently
spiritual, transcendent of ego and dedicated to world service that is apparent
in who many Virgos are and what they represent.
Virgos had best put these qualities to good use. They
have a lot of energy to burn and have an inherent need to be of genuine
assistance to the world. When they are fulfilling this role, they are
generally quite happy and involved; when not, they can
become annoying, particularly to themselves. Many astrologers feel that
the keywords of Virgo are I Serve, and many born under this sign know
exactly what they're talking about.
Alice A. Bailey, in her 1951 book Esoteric
Astrology, addresses some of what may be going on beneath this
impulse.
"The sign Virgo is one of the most significant in the
zodiac," she writes in her introduction to this sign, "for its symbology
concerns the whole goal of the evolutionary process, which is to shield,
nurture and finally reveal the hidden spiritual reality. This every form
veils, but the human form is equipped and fitted to manifest it in a manner
different to any other expression of divinity and so make tangible and
objective that for which the whole creative process was intended."
I think the first sentence of that statement is pretty
easy to grasp, but I had to read the second one a few times. Remember, she is
writing from an esoteric or occult viewpoint, which takes the view that the
physical world is like drapery hung over the inner life. One could just as
easily reason that all of nature, including human nature is the living
expression of divinity at every moment. She is saying, essentially, that every
form in nature veils the inner life of spirit; that the soul is hidden within
what we see every day. But there is something in the human form (represented
by Virgo) that is in a position to make divinity tangible in a way unique in
all the world, and which is the intent of the entire evolutionary process.
This notion rates the human experience as the most important on the planet
(debatable, yes?), but maybe if we took that seriously, we would be kinder to
other living things and the planet herself.
Next, she adds a bit of interesting, ancient data. "The
word Virgo itself is a descendant of and corruption of the ancient Atlantean
root name which was applied to the mother principle in those far off times.
This Virgin was the founder of the matriarchy which then dominated
civilization and to which various myths and legends bear evidence and which
have come down to us concerning Lilith, the last Virgin Goddess of Atlantean
times."
In other words, the sign Virgo represents the feminine
principle of divinity in its entirety. We might think of that as the spirit
that animates mater-mother-matter, our entire earthly life, our bodies, and
all we do and create within the material plane.
Bailey also associates Virgo with Mary, "who carries the
[evolutionary] process down to the plane or place of incarnation, the physical
plane, and there gives birth to the Christ child." She adds that "Virgo is,
therefore, the opposite pole of spirit and stands for the relation of these
two after they have been brought together."
I would offer the idea that the urge or impulse to serve
that each of us encounters where Virgo is in our charts is the impulse to give
birth to something intended to heal the world.
Under the traditional system of rulerships that was
codified (but not invented) by Claudius Ptolemaeus in the 2nd century C.E.,
Mercury rules two signs, Gemini and Virgo. Ancient astrology describes Mercury
as being neither male nor female but some of both, so we have an unusual
planet to be associated with the sign of the Goddess and the matriarchy.
Bailey, in her system of rulerships, associates the Moon and Jupiter with this
sign. The ancient Celts felt that Venus was the spirit of Nature herself.
Venus is, in my experience, by far the most intelligent planet, which feels
rather like what we're talking about here.
In terms of traditional astrology, one of Mercury's two
signs, Gemini, has the quality of relating to abstract thought, whereas Virgo
seeks out much more tangible, solid reality that you can ponder out loud, put
into print and footnote, or squish between your toes. Mercury seems to
represent one distinct aspect of Virgo, the mental one. As we have seen, there
is far more to the reality of Virgo than this.
And then came Chiron. Discovered in November 1977,
Chiron is physically a massive comet. At 160 to 180 kilometers across, it is
thousands of times the size of even the largest comets we can typically see --
but too far away to resolve even for most telescopes. Chiron orbits our Sun in
a 51-year egg-shaped path that crosses Saturn's orbit and goes out nearly as
far as Uranus. The discovery of Chiron, and considerable early enthusiasm
about it, raised much speculation about what sign this new planet might rule.
This notion was based on an assumption that new planets rule anything at all.
But by 1977, the modern planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) were said to rule
Aquarius, Pisces and Scorpio respectively. So when Chiron came along,
astrologers were ensconced in the dubious habit of thinking that something new
had to rule a sign.
While this issue is debatable, Chiron certainly has a
lot to say about Virgo. Chiron's dedication to healing, service and perfecting
the human experience are related to Virgo rather impeccably. Chiron always
seems to be struggling to bring something from a 'higher level' into the
physical plane. Chiron will do whatever it needs to do, again and again, until
he gets it right. It is not easy integrating the energy of one level of
experience into the other -- anyone who has tried to bring loving vibes into
their place of work might know what I'm talking about -- but with persistence,
it can be done. And Chiron is persistent if nothing else.
Chiron of Greek mythology was a surgeon and the primary
teacher of Asclepius, the god of medicine. There is not a lot of room for
error in these distinctly human fields of work. The roles of both teaching and
nursing have long been associated with Virgo.
The mental obsession that Chiron can bring helps us see
through Virgo in a way that's helpful. As Barbara Hand Clow has pointed out,
this obsessive quality is one of the most important links between Chiron and
Virgo, something that tricksterish, often annoyingly neutral Mercury could not
really explain fully. Chiron is no messenger, and he's not neutral; he is
someone with a mission, who speaks through action.
That mission has been likened to the Christ from the
earliest days of astrologers interpreting Chiron, so we might speculate that
Virgo has given birth to the Christ energy in the form of this new planet.
Many of the early astrologers who considered the mythology of Chiron, which
involves an immortal who experiences death and resurrection, have made this
connection, particularly Zane Stein. But what exactly does this mean, in a
world where the mythology of Jesus is twisted in ways that are used to preach
intolerance, hatred and mass murder?
It means that a) we had better start thinking of Jesus a
bit more compassionately, and b) that Chiron is going to push us to become
whole, authentic people, whatever it takes.
By 'push' I am referring to the events, experiences,
transitions and life circumstances that surround Chiron transits. Chiron
transits often come with a good bit of suffering, but that struggle always
serves to clear away the old personality shell so that the essence within us
can emerge. Study your Chiron transits and you'll see what I mean. (For
example, look at Chiron's squares and oppositions to itself; look at when
Chiron crossed your ascendant; and when it made conjunctions to your Sun and
Moon).
Even astrologers who don't use Chiron will tell you that
there's something really, really intense happening when Chiron shows up,
though for many astrologers it's difficult to put their finger on. Many
astrologers have difficulty discerning the qualities of Chiron from those of
other planets which are making major transits at the same time. This
difficulty is understandable enough. Chiron is entering the field of
experience from an entirely different level than we're typically used to. It
will, in turn, make use of anything and everything available in your current
reality to raise awareness. Its mission is to help us see and feel beyond the
edge of what we thought of as reality, and what we thought of as ourselves,
and experience ourselves as something entirely new.
Imagine Chiron's orbit piercing the ego-boundary of
Saturn. It plunges into our reality like the comet that it is, often guiding,
prodding or stunning us to awareness -- always gently first, then in
escalating degrees. Like Virgo and the 6th house, Chiron brings the message
be here now. Stand in your true nature. Be who you are. Remember that
you are part of nature and cannot escape from it. For those accustomed to
living a life of escape and diversion, this is not always a pleasant message,
but ultimately it both sets us free, and leaves us free to do what we came to
the Earth to do. ++
Early Virgo
Birthdays
With so many planets in your birth sign at the time of
your solar return -- including Mercury, Mars, Ceres and Jupiter -- there must
be plenty happening in your life, and a lot to live for. Yet I'm seeing a
story unfold wherein you are swimming upstream against the main current of
your existence, looking for something deeper within you, something vital that
you cannot define, but which you can most definitely feel. How this plays out
may be through physical actions such as an urgent project or errand, or as an
inner quest of which you may be aware at every moment. And it could be
both.
This story is described by Mercury retrograde in Virgo,
now heading for Leo. Leo represents the inner fiery essence of Virgo, as is
always the case with the sign before our own. What exists in one sign finds
expression in the next, and anyone curious about just where Virgo gets its
endless energy, its optimism, its persistence and its constant impulse to give
would do well to consider the influence of Leo on this sign. Now consider that
Mercury, a planet which has a lot to say about your identity and sense of
self, is on course for Leo, as if you are attempting to reach the headwaters
of your psyche.
The image is a kind of secret quest that you may not
have spoken to another living person. So what if everything else is happening
at the same time, including some rather large projects and dedicated
ambitions? The soul follows no schedule but its own, correct? So it would
appear that no matter what else you may be up to, no matter what is demanding
your attention, or how successful you are in your worldly endeavors, you seem
more than ready to do what you need to in order to fulfill your
mission.
Meanwhile, in the mundane world, the past year has been
influenced with great emphasis by Jupiter in your sign. This is a relatively
rare event, coming every 12 years. We are now in the last six or so weeks of
this phase, after which Jupiter heads into Libra -- where it will continue to
influence your life both positively and powerfully. One of the things Virgo
struggles with is focusing so much on the small things that the big ones can
vanish or seem pointless. But Jupiter has certainly done what it can to make
you aware of greater truths and ideas that extend beyond your own limited
experience. Its watery nature has fertilized your earthy being, and if you are
patient, something new that is growing within you will soon poke its head out
of the garden.
The presence of Ceres in your sign suggests that this is
not exactly a time of perfect happiness, but that you are likely to be
accepting what comes with deep feeling, making room for all your emotions.
Whatever Ceres represents, you could say it is food for the soul, and along
with what Jupiter has brought, you may have a sense that you have grown
deeper, more wise and able to accept the challenging twists and turns of life
with grace and poise. Yet I don't think you're experiencing any kind of
passive acceptance of your lot in life; far to the contrary, your greater
maturity and breadth of vision have somehow given you permission to create the
life you want with more determination than, perhaps, any time you can remember
in the past.
There have been many influences that have worked to
temper and transform you, most notably that of Pluto. Each year a new crop of
Virgos goes through the exact square of Pluto to their natal Sun, while Pluto
continues to exert its influence on everyone born under your sign. The drive
to evolve, to become, to completely transform yourself are so urgent under the
influence of Pluto that they literally cannot be stopped. Because Pluto is
working its way through your 4th solar house -- your sense of security and
your base of operations -- the drive to be evermore and evermore effectively
established on the planet has been extremely potent, a kind of subsuming
reason for existence.
Like Jupiter, Sagittarius seeks the widest possible
vision and looks for answers far away from the familiar or the mundane. Pluto
in this sign to me represents the long-term effort to draw your life force
from the deepest philosophical wisdom you have been able to find, but in more
natural terms, from a place within you where you already know the answers. And
that is one thing; what you do with this information, how you make it real and
give it life, is another matter entirely. This has been no easy task, and it
appears that you've gone through many incarnations of 'highest goal' or 'most
important thing to do' in the past year alone.
Yet the Venus transit of the Sun earlier this year, in
your 10th solar house of achievement, at the very least planted the seed of
correct action and at best gave you a clear vision of what you need to
accomplish. The rarity of this event sends a direct message not to worry about
whether your goal seems difficult or even impossible. We are in a rare moment
in history and this is a rare moment of your life. To paraphrase the Grateful
Dead, there is no time to hate; there is no time to wait. You simply must
accept your calling and begin to make your moves, in tangible ways that you
can see, feel and explain to yourself.
There is something genuinely unusual happening in your
personal relationships. Among all the other factors that have entered the
picture of your life in recent seasons, Uranus moving into your 7th solar
house has been a kind of confrontation with the unknown, the unexpected and
the highly unusual. The inspiration of Uranus often comes from what we thought
was most alien to us or seemed the most shocking. But once you grow familiar
with this energy, you will recognize that its mission is to liberate you from
all the structure and ideology within which you can so easily
become entangled. The influence of Uranus may seem like a bull in a china
shop, but if it's breaking dishes, it's the ones you never got around to
eating off of. You simply cannot afford to waste your time and energy on what
is small or meaningless, or overly bound to earthly values.
The people who come into your life are teachers of
freedom, whether they teach you to be free by their example, or whether you
learnt to be free of their oppressive tendencies. While in years past it was
possible to play the game of being hung up on circumstances that did not work
but were supposed to work, or which fulfilled the ambitions you may have had
in a greatly compromised way, Uranus is compelling you to rise to the occasion
of your life and meet the people you encounter with full energy; with
decisiveness; and with willingness that comes from deep within your
soul.
Mercury, the mighty god Hermes or Thoth, who represents
the sense of self you possess just inside your personality, will make sure you
pump pure fire out of the inner well of your being and find a way to express
it in the world.
I will close with a mention of Chiron, one of the
planets that bears a close resonance to Virgo, and continue on that theme next
week. Next spring, Chiron and its close cousin, centaur Nessus, both change
signs and enter Aquarius. Aquarius is the 6th sign from Virgo and thus your
6th solar house. It gives a little clue as to the highest ideal a Virgo might
have to express their Virgoness. In recent years you may have experienced a
strong humanitarian urge, and a sense that people need to get together and
solve our collective problems collectively. As the ongoing, slowly building
conjunction of Chiron and Nessus helps you heal many of your childhood hurts
(in Capricorn) you will gradually begin to clarify your working method in the
world, and make some truly significant discoveries about how you can help
people far beyond yourself.
You of all people know the truth that we are never
healed alone. And while it's possible to have a good time on your own, it's a
lot more fun to save the world together. ++
Corrections
In Monday's late Leo birthday report I referred to the
Saturn-Chiron conjunction. I really meant the Saturn-Chiron opposition, which
has begun in Cancer and Capricorn and which will continue next year in Leo and
Aquarius.
In an edition a few weeks ago on the evils of lying and
believing lies, I reported that Linda Ronstadt was kicked out of her own
concert and her hotel room in Las Vegas. This was based on unconfirmed news
reports by reputable mainstream entities. In fact, the hotel management had
issued a false statement about the incident. Ms. Ronstadt had in fact left on
her own after refusing to talk to hotel management when they repeatedly
summoned her for a spanking. This occurred after she reportedly endorsed
Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9-11 at the end of her concert. The
hotel has reportedly since been sold, and the new owners have reportedly
welcomed her back. Sting and a lot of other people reportedly sent her
flowers. We have not confirmed this with FTD. ++
Planet Waves by Eric Francis
Friday, Aug. 20, 2004
Aries (March 20-April 19)
To do it right, you may need to do it twice, which is not such a bad idea.
Along the way, pay attention to what you're learning. It seems that getting
things right is less a matter of technical detail and more a matter of
applying creativity and bringing a sense of play to your responsibilities. At
the moment there's little escaping a sense of necessity, and you may find
yourself far from whatever recreational experiences you love. You'll get a
chance to relax soon enough. The important thing is that you enjoy what you're
doing, and remember that your work spreads the energy you put into
it.
Taurus
(April 19-May 20)
If you seem to move through life with a sense of longing, you may want to
ask exactly what you're missing. And in the tradition of the Buddhists, it
would be wise to meditate on the impermanence of all material and social
bonds. This is one sure way to bring yourself into the present time, which, if
you have not noticed, is a moment rich with opportunity. But opportunity is
nothing if you're not free to explore it. I suggest you experiment with very
short periods of time; see what it's like to have an absolute ball for a
single hour. That will make a day seem a lot longer.
Gemini
(May 20-June 21)
Now that you've resolved several problems that seemed to arise out of
nowhere, you can go back to setting your house in order. Focus on the details,
and on making a few major improvements that have proven resistant in the past.
Just remember that your living space is merely a vehicle that's designed to
get you somewhere. Where would that be? I see it as a state of mind that is
itself a kind of doorway to the future. Your life is not merely an exercise in
nuts, bolts and technique. There's an energy you can express -- it feels like
creative passion -- that's finally liberating itself from all your old ideas
about who you are.
Cancer
(June 21-July 22)
The Sun's move into Virgo should prove extremely helpful in a number of
regards, particularly your ability to focus on a financial or business project
that requires your attention. Other aspects suggest that you're finally
beginning to view your role in the community more realistically, as something
that can connect you with a great many people in places and roles you had
never considered. It is one thing to think outside your own box; it's another
thing to get inside the boxes of others who have something significant to
offer or exchange. Count yourself in and they will too.
Leo
(July 22-Aug. 23)
If you're seeking innovative solutions to financial or contractual
situations, you're going to find them this week, particularly if you look. By
now you've finally got the idea that everything is subject to the creative
process, and that when you apply energy and attention to a situation, it has
an odd tendency to respond. Now, someone you respect is seeking your wisdom
and clarity, though they may honor your talents more than you do at this
point. You can trust fully that you have something productive to offer and
that no problem or puzzle is beyond your abilities.
Virgo
(Aug. 23-Sep. 22)
You're not usually someone who does things with outrageous style, but we're
living through some strange times. That should give you the perfect excuse to
sign your name with orange spray paint on just about anything you want. You
are free to completely ignore the fact that some people have you pegged as an
over the top idealist who has no concept of reality. These people would laugh
if they discovered you're a Virgo, but what they don't quite get, is that
you're intelligent enough to dare creating what they only dream of. Keep these
people busy and they won't be so annoying.
Libra
(Sep. 22-Oct. 23)
Certain professional activities may be at odds with situations in your home
that require close attention. As if the timing of this were not bad enough,
you're moving into that space of consciousness where the entire fact of the
material world is something you'd rather not deal with. You have two choices,
basically. One is to pretend that everything you see, touch and talk to is an
aspect of your own mind. The other is to go full-bore into the pressing
matters at hand and worry about your spiritual or artistic life later. The
serious approach looks like the one that will get the best
results.
Scorpio
(Oct. 23-Nov. 22)
The cosmic joke of Scorpio is that you of all people know that you can't
really control your own life, much less the entire universe. The Sun's
movement from Leo to Virgo brings a release of a pent-up emotional block that
will help you move megawatts of energy through your mind and body. With that
comes a transition you'll only be able to guide, not actually direct. So get
your mind out of the way and trust the process of your own life. You're in
very good hands, and if you've grown tired of the delays, I suggest you have a
little faith in the larger plan.
Sagittarius
(Nov. 22 - Dec. 22)
Professional matters remain at the forefront of your life, but I strongly
suggest you maintain the utmost sensitivity in the process of attempting to
reach your goals. In particular, pay close attention to anyone who is a
mother, or in the role of mother, or caretaker of children. They are likely to
be a bit edgy this week, and if you can pre-empt their sense of need with some
authentic caring, you'll go a long way toward avoiding a difficult
circumstance and creating a productive one. And what if you are that mother?
Hmmm. Easy does it, and politely remind the boss that kids are people
too.
Capricorn
(Dec. 22-Jan. 20)
Please be vigilant in a relationship situation, and make sure you don't
count out the feelings of your partner. They are facing a particular stress
that you can neither see nor feel, and in fact it may be a week or two before
reality sets in for them. But your assistance and support will make all the
difference in the world. Though it's far from the rage in relationships, I
strongly suggest you check in once or twice a day and ask what's happening,
how life and work are moving along, and if there's any way you can help. Small
gestures count for a lot.
Aquarius
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
It's not like a particular person to renege on a deal, but you might want
to let them. The timing is likely to be off, and certain aspects of the
arrangement would be better left out, as far as you're concerned. You can
pretty much count on the fact that they will be back. In the meanwhile, you'll
somehow be put in a position to communicate more effectively than before, so
take advantage of this while it lasts. One last advantage is that you will
have some additional energy to devote to another endeavor that might well be
calling your name.
Pisces
(Feb. 19-March 20)
It's been about six months since your birthday, and what began then is
beginning to come into manifestation. At the moment you're in some reasonably
tricky territory where your most intimate or business partnerships are
concerned, though based on certain factors you have the strength to be strong
without being confrontational. Part of how you can express that strength is to
insist on clarity from the people around you. Remember, they have a right to
change. The standard you're supporting involves everyone communicating what is
so, not what anyone wants to be so.
