Towards A “Higher Self”

Unfortunately “life” has prevented me from dedicating the amount of time I wanted to discuss two important events: the full moon in Pisces with a partial lunar eclipse and the autumnal equinox. That said, since “life” has given us lemons, let’s make the best lemonade possible and quickly try to weave a story for the next couple of weeks.

First, the full moon will arrive on September 17 at 7:34 p.m. (GMT–7) in California, 8:34 p.m. (GMT–6) in Mexico City, or on September 18 at 4:34 a.m. (GMT+2) in Central Europe. It will occur near the end of the Virgo–Pisces axis, at 25°41′, as seen in the enclosed chart. Being close enough to the nodal axis, the full moon will bring a partial lunar eclipse, increasing its energetic content.

New Chart Format

To those of you who are particularly observant, yes, I have made a couple of changes to the Aries charts. First, I decided to use the mean position of the nodal axis, denoted by a dot inside the “horseshoe” symbols of the lunar nodes, and not the true one. Mean nodes ignore any “wobble” produced by gravitational interactions, especially between the moon and Earth, which is consistent with how we measure all planetary positions. In addition I now show the South Node, always exactly opposite to the North Node, but without drawing aspects (lines) to it and avoid more cluttering.

The most noticeable change is in the meaning of the colors used to draw aspects in the chart. keeping the solid lines for the Ptolemaic aspects and dashed lines for the “minor” aspects I use. However, I now decided to group the aspects around keywords used by Dane Rudhyar, himself adapting them from Marc Edmund Jones, which indicate their “generic meaning”:

• Action: the planets will act in unison, their archetypes collaborating as one. The only aspect with this keyword is the conjunction (0°). No line is drawn, even when separated by some tolerance or orb.
• Awareness: the planets present an opportunity to understand their archetypal differences, becoming conscious of their complementarity. The opposition (180°), semi-square (45°) and sesquiquadrate (135°) are drawn in blue, with the last two considered minor but highly relevant in cycles of relationship between the two planets, such as the lunation cycle (Sun and Moon) or the Grand Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn.
• Creation: the planets symbolize energies available to do something new, their archetypes may be jointly used. The trine (120°), semi-sextile (30°) and quincunx (150°) are drawn in green, with the last two also classified as non-Ptolemaic or minor.
• Construction: the planets represent energies that must be used because this aspect’s energy will always be present in the psyche. The best way to use them is to build something, putting their archetypes to work on something concrete. Only the square (90°) receives this keyword and it’s drawn in red.
• Production: the planets symbolize energies that should be used because they combine very effectively, their archetypes work cohesively and produce great results with relatively small effort. This is the keyword for the sextile (60°), an aspect that combines the creativity of the trine with the awareness of the opposition. Sextiles are drawn in purple.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

Going back to the full-moon chart, the angle between Sun at Virgo 25°41′ and the South Node at Libra 7°03′ (near the autumnal equinox at 3 o’clock if the chart were a clock face) is 11°22′, just short of the 11°38′ maximum for a lunar eclipse to occur on a full moon—in comparison, solar eclipses occur when a new moon occurs closer than 17°25′ from a lunar node. The relative closeness affects the degree of totality of a lunar eclipse, which matters in astronomy but is irrelevant in astrology. All lunar eclipses represent a stronger display of the Sun–Moon polarity and other configurations found in the chart.

Looking at the overall picture of the chart, we can see that Moon forms a conjunction with Neptune at Pisces 28°36′, implying that Sun is opposing Neptune and therefore participating in a Kite configuration with the transpersonal planets, as we discussed in the new-moon article. A third Virgo–Pisces opposition formed between Mercury at Virgo 14°47′ and Saturn retrograde at Pisces 15°16′ will bring mental awareness regarding structures that are no longer helping us grow in harmony and peace. Please note as well how Jupiter at Gemini 20°36′ forms T-Squares with the Sun–Moon and Mercury–Saturn oppositions, expanding the polarities’ mental aspects. Finally, the exact squares between Mars at Cancer 7°48′ and the lunar nodes will offer life opportunities to understand the many lessons of this full moon.

Sabian Symbols

The symbol for Virgo 26° (Sun) has the image: “A boy with a censer serves the priest near the altar”, further explained as the first stage of actual participation in the great ritual of planetary evolution. Its key phrase is: Practice in the Presence of God. Meanwhile, the symbol for Pisces 26° (Moon) is: “A new moon that divides its influences”, a rather enigmatic image that Rudhyar modified to: “Watching the very thin moon crescent appearing at sunset, different people realize that the time has come to go ahead with their different projects”, expanded as a keen appreciation of the value of individualized responses to any challenge of life. Its key phrase is: The Fallacy of Totalitarianism.

The 360 Sabian symbols, you may remember, were found to be naturally organized in 24 “scenes”, two per sign. Each scene contains three sets of five degrees operating at three levels: actional, emotional–cultural, and individual–mental. Therefore, the 26° of a sign begins its last grouping (26°–30°) which, in the case of Virgo and Pisces, correspond to the final degrees of having either the Day or the Night Force prevalent. The Virgo 26° symbol talks about the participation of an individual in a sacred ritual, learning to serve, humbly and with intense attention, in what is yet beyond his spiritual understanding. The response of Pisces 26° stresses the essential nature of an individual’s actualization, a cyclic process that will begin anew in Aries 1°. But each actualization is unique and achieved at its own rhythm.

For context, the symbol of the new moon had the image of a groom taking the veil away from his bride, representing perhaps the unveiling of secrets after the wedding ritual. Two weeks later, the boy is no longer a passive participant like the wedded couple; he has a perhaps minor but active role in the ritual, near the priest. Similarly, we are getting nearer our “higher self”.

Sun and Neptune Opposition

Three days later, Sun and Neptune will form an exact opposition in the 28°31′ degrees of Virgo and Pisces, respectively (shown in the enclosed chart). At the same time, Sun and Moon (Taurus 9°25′) form a wide sesquiquadrate aspect that begins the Disseminating phase, when we start to acquire consciousness of what was displayed at the Full Moon phase. Note how Mars at Cancer 9°26′ forms an exact sextile with Moon to activate the Disseminating phase. Mars also forms a wide trine with Saturn at Pisces 15°04′ that energizes its opposition with Mercury. There is a lot of energy to realize how we need to restructure our minds in order to operate from our “higher self”, symbolized by Neptune in Pisces.

Uranus at Taurus 27°06′ and Pluto at Capricorn 29°45′ places Neptune just 0°06′ from their exact midpoint (Pisces 28°25′), tightening the Neptune-piloted Minor Grand Trine although it will be even tighter (only 0°04′) at the autumnal equinox. However, all three outer planets (and Saturn) are retrograde, which is not conducive to action but reflection, perfectly suited for the waning phases of the lunation, but even better for Sun to internalize the message of the Kite configuration. The Sabian symbol for Virgo 29°, from which Sun forms the exact opposition with Neptune, has the image: “A seeker after occult knowledge is reading an ancient scroll which illumines his mind”. Its key phrase is: Root Knowledge. I find the progression of Sun quite fascinating, from passively receiving unveiled secrets to participating in an incense-burning ritual to being illumined when reading an ancient scroll.

Ever since the new moon, when it was at exactly Pisces 29°00′, Neptune has been in the penultimate degree of the zodiac, where it will remain through the autumnal equinox. The Sabian symbol for Pisces 29° has the image: “Light breaking into many colors as it passes through a prism”. Its keyword is: Differentiation. On one side of the prism, we have the unity of all colors (white light) whereas on the other we have the multiplicity of a rainbow, a logical extension to the individualized actualizations of the Pisces 26° symbol. In the philosophy of wholeness, there is neither absolute Unity nor absolute Multiplicity, one is always included in the other just like there is some Yin in Yang and vice versa in the well-known Yang–Yin symbol or taijitu. If there is one absolute, loosely speaking, it is the interrelationship of Unity and Multiplicity, the prism that is always there. As the Buddha said, nothing has inherent existence, everything exists in relationship.

Autumnal Equinox

A day later, with the Kite still operational, Sun will enter Libra at the autumnal equinox, the moment when there is an equal amount of daytime and nighttime just prior to when the nights grow longer until the winter solstice. Moving retrograde, Pluto has moved to Capricorn 29°44′, Neptune to Pisces 28°28′ and Uranus to Taurus 27°05′ for a tighter Minor Grand Trine. More importantly, however, Moon at Gemini 1°22′ is forming the waxing trine with Sun (Libra 0°00′) and also joining the Kite due to its conjunction with Uranus. It is worth noting that Sun enters Libra in conjunction with the South Node at Libra 6°49′ (the chart draws the opposition to the North Node).

The equinoctial chart above is the celestial blueprint for the start of the Night Force’s prevalence after six months under the guidance of the Day Force. Marc Edmund Jones used to say that astrology is the science of all beginnings and every equinoctial chart marks a beginning in the yearly evolutionary cycle, the focus being either our individuality (vernal) or our relatedness (autumnal). The full moon and the exact opposition to Neptune were a prelude to this moment. Transiting through the final degrees of Virgo, Sun, the power of our integrated self, will be getting ready to deal with relationships in a novel way. Yes, there is an autumnal equinox every year, but they rarely arrive between two eclipses, for the upcoming new moon in Libra will have an annular solar eclipse. Also rare is for Sun to receive the equinox in the position of leader of a Kite configuration with the three transpersonal planets, opposing Neptune, a position Sun has kept since the lunar eclipse. Add the conjunction formed by Sun with the South Node and this is quite an entrance to Libra. All of this should be viewed in terms of our relatedness; it is time to be guided by the Night Force.

A Lunation for Sun?

Sun seems to be the main protagonist of this entire lunation. It began with a new moon at a degree about “unveiling” and punctuated by an exact Mars–Neptune square, followed by a lunar eclipse with Moon conjunct Neptune, an exact opposition between Sun and Neptune to initiate the Disseminating phase, and the equinox with the Sun–Moon waxing trine that brings Moon into the Kite. Recall that Spirit in our philosophy is not an entity but the Principle of Wholeness applied to humanity. Spirit is an integrating principle to form and maintain wholes, operating through two aspects: one to integrate our individuality and the other to integrate such individuality with others for the benefit of a collectivity, ultimately of humanity-as-a-whole. In our solar system, Spirit acts through the sun and those two aspects are experienced as the Day and the Night forces, manifested as daytime and nighttime, respectively. Thus, Sun in astrology represents the process of integration of both individuality and relatedness. Both Spiritual forces act together under a proportional “blend” determined by the sign and manifested by the relative lengths of daytime and nighttime.

No, for Venus! (Who else?)

At Libra 29°18′ in the equinoctial chart, Venus is ruling the sign from its anaretic degree, where all the sign’s archetypes are strongly expressed, including the “shadow” ones. Not only Venus and Sun form as exact an in-sign semi-sextile (30°) as possible, also note how connected is Venus. Since the Night Force of relatedness “rises” in Libra, the equinox may be considered the “Ascendant” of the chart, which would make Venus the “chart ruler”. In any case, if there is one planet devoted to relationships and their value is Venus. In terms of chart configurations, Venus is at the apex of two Yods, shown as dashed-green isosceles triangles: one with Uranus and Neptune, and the other with Moon and Neptune; noting that the quincunx with Moon is out of sign.

The Yod, also known as Finger of God, has been traditionally considered a fatalistic configuration where the apex planet is unavoidably affected by the energies of the other two. By analyzing the meaning of the aspects that form the Yod, two quincunxes and one sextile, we can see why it seems so powerful. The quincunx is mostly a passive aspect but provides an easy flow of creative energy in either direction. Thus, the energy must originate from the sextile between the non-apex planets; in this case, Uranus and Neptune or Moon and Neptune. From the point of view of the apex planet, some energy begins to flow without its intervention or agreement. It is the result of some productive interaction between the other two planets, of which it had no control, resulting in a seemingly fated situation. The point is that the Yod can become a very creative configuration if we understand how its planets interact.

There is more, Venus also forms an exact square with Pluto, providing power to build or restructure relationships (Capricorn) and, speaking of structures, an exact sesquiquadrate with Saturn (Pisces 14°57′). Saturn retrograde in Pisces is not an actively structuring Saturn but rather one that is able to intuitively understand the nature of different structures and whether they have crystalized and must be renewed or blown up. It has been said that Saturn retrograde behaves a bit like Uranus. Of course, all this is linked to relatedness: how and why we form and nurture (or not) relationships. Central to this theme is our value system, developed in large part in the Libra phase of the Venusian process, which explains why the balance is a symbol for Libra.

I have said several times that the Libra symbol shouldn’t be confused with what the balance normally represents in society, namely law and justice. In Libra, the symbol refers to how the balance is used: to find the mass of an unknown object by comparing it to a known mass. Similarly, in Libra, there is a deep desire to assign value to life in general but in particular to personal relationships. Having the adolescent Night Force, Libra simply wants to form relationships because that is the best way to learn about relationships, and Libra is convinced that all relationships have value. Of course, Libra doesn’t start with a blank page, it accepts the communal value systems as a good start, which is why Libra is so linked to manners and diplomacy.

Wrapping Up…

During eclipses’ season, a full moon is also a lunar eclipse. The former brings consciousness of what we’ve done since the previous new moon, while the latter does the same but for a longer period, typically since the last solar eclipse about six months earlier; you may remember the solar eclipse on April 8. And the equinox, as said earlier, gives us a “blueprint” for the next six months. Having both events linked through the Kite of Sun with the transpersonal planets (and Moon) provides an opportunity for personal growth.

All the energy revolves around our relatedness. The Yod configurations will bring universal love and compassion to our personal relationships (Venus and Neptune), as well as some novelty (Venus and Uranus). If not in the form of new relationships, perhaps as new approaches within existing ones. The Yod between Moon, Neptune and Venus may bring tremendous psychic energy, perhaps in the form of intuition or even mediumship.

The conjunction of Sun with the South Node at the equinox foretells plenty of energy in the next six months to deal with the past in terms of relationships. This doesn’t necessarily mean letting go of relationships but perhaps of past habits and modes of relating. Up until the next vernal equinox, the energies to grow through our relationships will be active, especially before the winter solstice.

Most importantly, in next week’s span between the full moon on September 17 or 18 and the equinox on the 22nd, there will be an enormous opportunity to go within ourselves and discover our “higher self”, in the sense of our self tuned to a higher level of consciousness. The opposition of Sun and Neptune should make it easy to dissolve the ego and focus on altruism.

Of course there is chaos and things are happening in the world but this is not the time to talk about that. The energy available in the next couple of weeks is for inner work.

Always Love. 🌹🙏💖