The
Iris Asteroids Report
Rainbow
Messenger of the Gods and Goddesses
for
Paula
Abdul
Awakenings
Inc.
POB
10672,
www.awakereports.com
www. astrologicalsoftware.com
The
Iris Asteroids Report
Rainbow
Messenger of the Gods and Goddesses
Introduction
Ever since the
beginning of the 19th Century, astronomers have been aware of the existence of
asteroids, but astrologers have only been using them as part of the horoscope
since 1973. And even so, only a small number of astrologers actually use the
asteroids when reading charts for people. This is in large part because the
asteroids (or dwarf planets, as some are recently re-defined astronomically)
are not well understood, except for the first four to be discovered: Ceres,
Pallas, Juno and Vesta. But now, the Iris Report aims to change all that! Here
you will find interpretations for twelve major dwarf planets and asteroids, and
their impact in the natal chart. They add balance, detail and depth of meaning
to astrological interpretation.
Most of the dwarf
planets and asteroids found in the Iris Report are named for classical
goddesses rather than gods, and this is partly in order to balance the excess
of masculine energy that a purely planetary astrology reveals. Most of you will
know that the ten 'planetary' factors used in standard astrological
interpretation are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus,
(The issue of the
'demotion' of Pluto to dwarf planet status does not have any real impact on the
philosophical issues being discussed here, or the current 'promotion' of Ceres
from asteroid to dwarf planet status, and the possible elevations of Pallas, Vesta
and Hygiea. The power of the divine archetypes standing behind astrological
symbols is more significant than what is or is not defined astronomically as a
planet, dwarf planet or asteroid.)
The other reason for
choosing certain asteroids or dwarf planets over others is that several of the
early heavenly bodies discovered show a resonance with the way that the culture
was evolving at the time, which in turn reflects the ongoing evolution of
consciousness in the material realm of the Earth. The dwarf planet and
asteroids Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Astraea, Iris and Hygiea are all
especially relevant in this regard.
The other asteroids
selected for the Iris report are Diana and Apollo (additional lunar and solar
symbols that show the primal life energies working in a larger social context);
Proserpina; and symbols of the two great gods not represented by planets in the
solar system: Bacchus and Hephaistos. These all together complete a kind of
balanced listing of archetypal energies which astrologers can use to make sense
of a horoscope.
One of the ways of
deciding which asteroids are useful is found by considering the concept of the
energy dyad. The Sun-Moon dyad of archetypal masculine and feminine energy is
very well known to astrologers, as is the desire and love dyad symbolized by
Venus and Mars. But other possibilities are proposed in the table below:
Yang symbol Yin symbol
----------- ----------
life energy,
spirit life energy,
soul
MERCURY:
masculine/yang intelligence, IRIS: feminine/yin intelligence,
"left
brain", data collecting,
"right brain", intuitive
and analytical
mind and synthesizing
mind
MARS: masculine
desire, dynamic VENUS: feminine
desire, receptive
activity, outward
acting pleasure activity, inward
drawn pleasure
JUPITER: Sky Father,
male CERES: Earth Mother,
female
protector and
nurturer, nurturer and
protector,
promoter of
ethics/abundance promoter of
ethics/abundance
SATURN: masculine
energy of VESTA: feminine
energy of
tradition,
structure, and tradition,
structure, and
material good
order material good
order
CHIRON: masculine
energy of healing-
HYGIEA: feminine energy of healing-
transformation and
purification transformation and
purification
URANUS: masculine
change agent PALLAS: feminine
change agent
and consciousness
raiser and consciousness
raiser
sublime/altered
states sublime/altered
states
PLUTO: masculine
energy of primal
power and
transformation power and
transformation
HEPHAISTOS: masculine
principle of ASTRAEA: feminine
principle of
work, order,
integration and work, order,
integration and
disintegration disintegration
APOLLO: additional
solar symbol, DIANA: additional
lunar symbol,
creative
maturity emotional
maturity
BACCHUS: masculine
symbol BLACK MOON LILITH:
feminine symbol
of dark primal
passions, of dark primal
passions,
escapism and
individualism, escapism and
individualism,
and inspirational
power and inspirational
power
With this table you
find a balanced grouping of archetypal divine energies which have significant
astrological influence. The Iris Report gives you the opportunity, for the
first time, to add twelve asteroids to the major factors usually considered in
the chart - the Sun and Moon, the planets, Chiron and Lilith - and thereby get
a much more complete picture of how the astral energies were constellated at
the time of birth for the chart you are reading, whether it is your own or
someone else's.
Of course, the balance
suggested by these dyads, or pairings, does not mean that the yin and yang
symbols are identical - Venus and Mars are hardly the same, after all! But
there is a sense in which the two planets or asteroids involved represent
divine archetypes whose energies complement each other, and work something like
the positive and negative charges of an electrical current. One end of the
archetypal 'pole' is outgoing and active, or 'masculine'. The other end of the
archetypal pole is incoming and receptive, or 'feminine'.
In each of the twelve
mini-chapters that follow, a particular asteroid (or dwarf planet, depending on
the new astronomical definitions!) is given the focus of attention and related
to all the other major elements of the horoscope, including those two important
angles the Ascendant and Midheaven, and also the Nodes of the Moon. They are
listed not in any order of importance, but according to the order in which they
were discovered, from Ceres first to Hephaistos last.
So - let Iris, the
rainbow messenger of the goddesses, add her many colors to your chart and
complete the work of Mercury, the messenger of the gods.
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For the benefit of
astrologers and students of astrology, information used
to produce this report is given below:
Sun 28 Gem
06 Ceres 5 Can 12
Moon 21 Cap 09 Pallas 20 Tau 48
Mercury 11 Gem 51 Juno 3 Can 56
Venus 3 Leo 09 Vesta 10 Can 18
Mars 16 Tau 11 True Lilith 10 Vir 03
Jupiter 12 Pis 26 Astraea 17 Leo 05
Saturn 10 Aqu 44 Iris 16 Tau 55
Uranus 27 Leo 20 Hygiea 6 Pis 31
Pluto 7 Vir 46 Diana 17 Aqu 39
True Node 9 Leo 28 Apollo 28 Leo 10
Asc. 18 Lib 49 Bacchus 18 Gem 33
MC 20 Can 42 Hephaistos 9 Can 38
Chiron 10 Pis 52
Tropical Koch Daylight Savings Time observed
Lat. and
Long. of
birth: 34 N 03 08 118 W 14 34
Aspects interpreted:
Conjunction: 5 Deg 00 Min Sextile :
3 Deg 00 Min
Opposition
:
5 Deg 00 Min
SemiSquare : 2 Deg 00 Min
Square : 4
Deg 00 Min Sesequiquadrate: 2 Deg 00 Min
Trine :
4 Deg 00
Chapter
1: Ceres
Ceres,
lady of loving-kindness
Ceres symbolizes the
fertility and abundance of the corn goddess, an aspect of the great Earth
Mother. Ceres was the Roman deity; Demeter the earlier Greek goddess of grain
and fertility in the classical tradition. With the new astronomical definitions
of the various bodies in the solar system, Ceres the former asteroid is now
considered to be a 'dwarf planet'. In astrology, the divine archetype Ceres
bestows the blessing of loving-kindness. She distils her energy gently in the
horoscope, and does not make a fuss.
Ceres helps you to see
the world through kindly eyes, and to enjoy what is natural and simple and
good. With her help, you grow in compassion for others, and gain in empathic
understanding. She promotes generosity of spirit, and helps you to help other
living beings: people, animals, and the natural world. Her position shows
something about how you find ways to look after other people, and seek to bring
out the best in them. Ceres nurtures and educates, in the best sense of those
words. And on a larger worldly scale, she promotes the good of ordinary people,
helps humankind to build democracy, and fosters respect and care for the
environment as a whole. Her darker side tends to smother love and games
involving manipulation or rejection. However, her more noble
urge prompts everyone towards leading a good life, which facilitates the
correction or elimination of such unattractive qualities.
Ceres in Cancer:
You have strong
feelings about the importance of giving and receiving care and support, especially
if you feel you were deprived at all as a child. Conversely, you will want to
hand on the torch of a happy childhood to the next generation as well. You will
do your best in any role with parenting or carer responsibilities, and believe
in the essence of the motto, 'Home is where the heart is.' There is a
conservative streak in your sensitive soul, and a strong need for emotional and
even physical security. You are capable of making great sacrifices on behalf of
your family, especially your children, even to the extent of limiting your own
opportunities - which can be a particular problem if you're a woman. Learning
to balance work and private life is often a major challenge for you to win.
Ceres in 9th house:
Love and freedom go
together in your life philosophy, both for yourself and for the world in
general. You don't quite get the possessiveness thing, unless there are major
contradictory factors at work, and tend to regard life as a huge adventure in
which vast opportunities should be open to all. You love to roam, either
literally or metaphorically, and can find value and learning experiences in
virtually anything you encounter. Some sort of hero quest is a major motivator,
and your learning curve can become so high that you reach the point where it is
time to teach others how to dare, too. Just watch out you
don't spread yourself too thin, or waste time in pastures that aren't so
green after all.
Ceres Conjunct Juno, Orb: 1 deg. 15 min.
The desire to nurture
and the will-to-power combine with a strange intensity that can either drive
great achievements or become suppressed and lie dormant until you are ready to
turn into the dynamic change agent you are. You need to mother, not smother,
and should refrain from emotional power games, no matter how tempting the drama
seems.
Ceres Conjunct
Hephaistos, Orb:
4 deg. 26 min.
There is a passionate
intensity about your way of engaging with people and situations, which will
give great reassurance to some people and alarm others. Be clear about your
good intentions, don't play games, and show the independent you will respect
their space whilst affirming to others that you are, and will remain, fully
present and interested.
Ceres Sextile Pluto, Orb: 2 deg. 34 min.
You are very aware of
the flux of life, and instinctively understand the cycles of creation and
destruction and renewal. The ability to align with these organic processes
gives you tremendous strength and purpose. It also facilitates your ability to
facilitate change in the world around you, and to rise phoenix-like through
your own personal transformations.
Ceres Trine Hygiea, Orb: 1 deg. 19 min.
You draw strength and
show talent from your ability to work in a range of healing areas:
physical/emotional health, or even in practical work that heals an
organization. You can become interested in food or complementary medicine. At
your best you can develop into a natural healer who is able to connect with the
subtle energies of the life force.
You can experience
tensions in trying to reconcile new ideas with your sense of how relationship
obligations play out. There is a challenge for you to balance heart and head,
and to feel fully engaged with your feminine energy, or with women in general.
Taking any extreme position is unhealthy: strive for a middle course.
Chapter
2: Pallas
Pallas,
lady of consciousness-raising
Pallas was a title of
the great Greek goddess Athena, warrior, strategist and wisdom seeker. Her
Roman counterpart was Minerva. The asteroid (perhaps eventually to be
classified as dwarf planet) Pallas brings gifts of understanding, insight and
skillfulness, and helps you to take things to a higher level than you might
have thought possible. The energies of Pallas often seem to appear suddenly in
the horoscope, and she can present in a surprising, even shocking, way. These
upheavals are necessary sometimes in order to shake you out of your complacency
and get you moving.
Pallas helps you to
see much more clearly, and although this can involve pain, it is for the best
in the long run. Illusions are stripped away and you comprehend at a deep level
the lessons brought by this asteroid. You grow in intellectual dexterity and
sometimes manual dexterity as well, and learn how to approach issues more
strategically. Just as Pallas improves the linkages in your brain, so she also
helps you to create better linkages in the world at large. Pallas can prompt
you to respond very coldly, too, so you need to be careful of her chilly
intellectualism and its snare of retreat into airy, abstract absolutes. But
Pallas also promotes equality and cooperation, and helps you to help others in
clear-sighted and astute ways. She assists you to act more fairly towards
people, and to fight for fairness in turn. Pallas is a true raiser of the level
of consciousness, and ultimately she helps you to think and act in much better,
more skilful ways than you might ever have imagined possible.
Pallas in Taurus:
Pallas is a 'mover and
shaker' which means she has a tricky time of it when passing through the
conservative sign Taurus. One minute you're antsy for change, and lit up by a
bright new idea. The next minute you're going to ground again and digging your
toes in, determined to keep the status quo. You are a terrific sanity check
whenever new ideas or proposals for change are being tossed around, as you have
a strong instinct for what is real and what is pie in the sky. 'Common sense'
is your middle name. But you can get stuck in the mud and resist innovation
because the old tried and true ways are always best, aren't they? Are they?!
Use the Pallas gift of insight to consider all sides carefully, and with
openness. Listen to your body too: your kinesthetic response is strong.
Pallas in 8th
house:
Pallas in the domain
of sharing and intimate exchanges turns many - if not most - of your
relationships into something of a roller coaster ride. Well, it ain't dull,
which you would like even less. There is, after all, something of the stimulus
junky in you. No matter what window dressing the events in your life wear, most
of the intense changes you experience are arising from deep changes in your own
mind and heart, and the challenge is to recognize these as they are happening
instead of being caught by surprise. Business matters can proceed in unusual
ways, working best if you are in innovation or technology fields. Overall,
change is both your watchword and passport to happiness.
Pallas Conjunct
Mars, Orb: 4
deg. 37 min.
There is a good deal
of the strategist in you: Pallas is the brains, Mars the brawn. These energies
together can make you invincible. The main problem lies in letting the
assertion mutate into aggression, which will undo all the good. Stay focused,
play fair, and don't mess with the weak or stupid. Worthy warriors pick on
people their own size.
Pallas Conjunct
Iris, Orb: 3
deg. 53 min.
Linkages of Pallas and
Iris bestow strong intellectual abilities which you can harness to the extent
you want and need. Your instincts are very good, you have the ability to grasp
complex concepts quickly, but above all you can think holistically. This gives
you an original and interesting way of seeing things, and of communicating
(often new) ideas.
Pallas Trine Moon, Orb: 0 deg. 20 min.
Your ability to
balance the drives of both heart and head is both a personal need and a source
of strength. You tend to react to situations with a mental rather than an
emotional response, and keep your cool in a crisis. Injustice or the need to
defend ideals can get you worked up, however, and then you become a coolly
astute advocate and debater.
Pallas Sextile MC, Orb: 0 deg. 06 min.
You convey a sense of
enthusiasm for new ideas and change which can be highly infectious, and open
the resistant hearts and minds of other less adventurous people. This means you
are a very effective agent of change and have the potential to lead. Your
clarity of thought and ability to communicate also help you to professional
success.
You are acutely sensitive
to the signals of change even before they manifest in obvious ways, but may not
always like what you sense is brewing. Life has a way of taking things apart on
you, unless you seize the initiative and get in first. You need to calm down,
accept there is a season for everything, and allow change to flow instead of
explode.
The great learning
experiences of your life involve a willingness to see things clearly, steadily
and whole. You have a tendency to resist the transformative events that
catalyze this understanding, especially as they have a way of erupting when you
least expect them. The trick is to calm down, go with the flow, and allow it to
unfold and make sense.
Your strong drive to
'be yourself' can make you very successful, especially in fields that deploy
your strategic savvy. But you may end up projecting such an air of aloofness
and self-containment that people are intimidated by you. Perhaps you do want to
be alone, but it can also get lonely at the top. Be clear about your goals and
keep the game fair.
Although you are in
many ways an astute and visionary operator, and have strong leadership
potential, you also have an unfortunate knack of getting caught up in
differences of opinion and power plays. Your way is not always best: listen
fairly and dispassionately to others and make informed choices, not knee-jerk
reactions.
Chapter
3: Juno
Juno,
lady of personal power
Juno symbolizes the
primal power of the original Great Mother Goddess, whom the Greeks called Hera.
The goddess Hera's supreme position was lost when the sky and warrior gods of
patriarchal tribes supplanted the deities of the old agricultural
proto-civilization. Hera became the wife of Zeus and patroness of marriage, a
much narrower remit of power. Her Roman counterpart was Juno, wife of Jupiter.
Although most astrologers read the asteroid Juno primarily as a symbol of
relationships and the passions and power struggles entangled in them, there is
a much deeper significance to this asteroid in your chart.
Juno is above all
about personal power, where you find it, and how you use or misuse it, or fail
to use it at all. People often struggle to express their Juno energy, perhaps
because the world still struggles collectively with what feminine energy really
means. It is not simply about sugar and spice and all things nice. Juno is
often not very 'nice' at all, and challenges you to wake up to what you want
and find a skilful way of shaping your life path. Juno shines a light on
inequalities and demands fairness, or - if she feels thwarted - retreats into
angry sulking and defeat. Her most blunted and distorted energies manifest as
arrogance and self-entitlement, or in envy and spite; but at her best she
bestows a kind of truly royal authority, grounded in maturity and deep
understanding.
Juno demands you take
responsibility, first of all for yourself. She also teaches you lessons about
your values and helps you to transform anything primitive, selfish or
self-defeating into a mature and empowering way of being in the world. Juno's
great gift is precisely this: empowerment. As a corollary, she can help you
make money or gain material successes along the way. And she can give you great
style and a powerful presence, too!
Juno in Cancer:
For you a sense of
empowerment and accomplishment can arise from your ability to give and receive
care and support. The influences of your childhood have a stronger than average
impact on your personality development, and can be a source of challenge in
order to grow - either to leave them behind if you're over-attached, or to
recognize you have the power to break bad patterns. Defensiveness is one of
your snares, but it is not always wise to hide inside your fortress. Most
people are simply doing the best they can, and you can open your heart to trust
in most circumstances. Power clashes with authority are possible, especially if
you fought with your own parents; so don't become what you dislike, and
recognize if any authoritarian tendencies are emerging in your own style.
Juno in 9th house:
With Juno in one of the
houses of learning and communication, you will find empowerment through
developing the strengths of your mind. This may be problematic earlier in life,
and institutions of higher learning or traveling, especially abroad, could be
testing grounds for your willingness to learn (your openness) and your
resilience. You might go looking for power or enlightenment in a foreign land,
but the real journey is inward to the core of your being. A path that allows
you to gain deep understanding will serve you best, and it is likely to be a
spiritual one sooner or later. Just be clear about what you are looking for,
and where and how, and leave small egoistic urges behind.
Juno Trine Hygiea, Orb: 2 deg. 35 min.
An intense source of
pure energy and power burning steadily in your inner being is available to you
for the work of purification, whether of yourself or geared in some more down
to earth way in your work. But these healing fires help you to become the best
you can be, and contribute to larger cultural shifts towards greater community
wholeness.
Your strong
will-to-power can become a source of challenge: either you don't quite
recognize it, or you have difficulty expressing it effectively. You are ultra
efficient and have a gift for integrating things, but if your energies are
unfocused you may find things start disintegrating instead. Be clear about
outcomes and work systematically.
Juno Sesquiquadrate
Diana, Orb: 1 deg. 17 min.
Tensions can arise for
you in the world as a consequence of your insistence on going your own way. You
need to find skilful ways of dealing with people so that you honor your own
wishes without causing unnecessary conflict. Your strategic sense can take you
a long way if you are willing to make some compromises whilst promoting your
agenda.
Chapter
4: Vesta
Vesta,
lady of focused service.
The asteroid Vesta
constellates a very pure energy of dedication to a higher purpose. In worldly
terms this often steps down to more ordinary, everyday realities: the
willingness to work hard, the willingness to put personal preferences aside to
deal with issues at hand or to assist others in need, and above all the ability
to focus intently on something in order to get it done.
It is worth
remembering that the Roman goddess Vesta was lady of the hearth, and the Latin
word for hearth is 'focus'. Where you put your focus you are, in some sense,
kindling a fire in a hearth and tending it, just like the Vestal Virgins looked
after the sacred hearth whose fire symbolized the life of the whole collective.
Vesta helps you to maintain your focus for as long as it takes to fulfill your
obligations or to get the work done. With her help, you become less egoistic
and more willing to put others ahead of yourself. But she also teaches you how
to do this appropriately - turning into a doormat is hardly going to work well
in the long run, either. You can become rather obsessed, too, where Vesta goes,
and become righteous about issues with a moral dimension. You need to go a bit
easily and honor difference whilst maintaining your own standards. Leading by
example is better than grandstanding, and Vesta teaches you to work away
quietly, without fuss, and achieve the sense of deep satisfaction that comes
from recognizing and doing the right thing. You don't have to advertise this -
virtue is its own reward!
Vesta in Cancer:
Vesta, servant of the
hearth, has a natural affinity for Cancer, the sign that proclaims, 'home is
where the heart is.' It's also where the hearth is, and you have a very strong
sense of continuity and tradition, even if your family wasn't always all it
could have been - and let's be fair, whose family ever is all it could be?
Learning to make the best of a bad job is a Vesta virtue, and you manage this
quite easily. Rolling your sleeves up and getting on with the task in hand is
as natural to you as breathing. You do need to watch out that you don't do too
much for other people, though, especially that family of yours. You need to let
them go and go their own way, especially any children you might have. Clinging
moodily to the past helps nobody, least of all you. Work for the future, too!
Vesta in 9th house:
In olden days,
astrologers called the ninth house the domicile of God. With Vesta here you may
not dedicate yourself to a deity in the conventional sense, renouncing the
world and taking holy orders, but you will certainly dedicate yourself to some
kind of higher purpose, sooner or later. In your youth you may resist a bit,
and play freedom games, travel a lot, or travel for work. But finally your
works will take on a rather exalted quality, or aspiration at least, and the
search for meaning becomes a quietly burning passion. Whether you concentrate
your energies on material or spiritual quests, there is much to be gained from
the journey. You might be surprised by the destination!
Vesta Conjunct
Hephaistos, Orb:
0 deg. 41 min.
The image of a blazing
hearth-fire sums up something very important to your inner life at least, and
possibly your outer presentation as well. You are a quietly intense person with
tremendous dedication to anything or anyone that matters to you, but may need
to beware of overdoing the service thing. Especially watch out for workaholic
tendencies!
Vesta Trine Jupiter, Orb: 2 deg. 08 min.
You are strongly
interested in ethics and what constitutes a good life, and have many high
minded tendencies that will help you to make personal gains and set a good
example. You also have the judgment to recognize the difference between doing
the right thing and becoming smugly righteous, so people follow your lead
rather than pull you down!
Vesta Trine
At your best you can
focus your energies in a truly spiritual way. Mostly you are able to recognize
and contain negative potentials: getting lost in fantasy and confusion, or
getting caught in fundamentalism or skepticism. With a light deft touch, you
manage this tricky energy, keeping things real whilst not surrendering your
imagination altogether.
Vesta Sextile Pluto, Orb: 2 deg. 32 min.
You draw strength from
your ability to work with, and through, themes of personal and social change.
You can develop a slightly bleak take on the human condition, because you are a
serious soul. But like a doughty warrior you accept stoically the changes that
come along, and help other less strong and capable folk to follow your quiet
lead.
Vesta Trine Chiron, Orb: 0 deg. 34 min.
Your ideal work is
somehow geared to the future and to maximizing personal potential and
development. You refuse to get stuck in a rut and will summon up the energy to
work through any blockage that stands in your way. Working in unusual,
innovative or spiritual ways will yield the best results. You could be a gifted
teacher of practical life skills.
Vesta Trine Hygiea, Orb: 3 deg. 47 min.
This energy links you
to things much bigger than yourself, and gives you a drive to make a strong
contribution to the greater good. You find strength and success from your
ability to create practical results from your commitment to healing and
wholeness, and have a subtle attunement to collective trends, and the pulse of
the 'rhythm of life'.
Vesta Sextile True
Lilith, Orb: 0
deg. 15 min.
You are one of those
people who can live with paradox, finding strength from your ability to be both
free and useful. You help others, but on your terms, and don't play the Vesta
doormat game. In turn, you can help other people to work through their 'stuff',
especially emotional attachments to being a victim, or to a sense of
alienation.
Vesta
Sesquiquadrate Proserpina, Orb: 1 deg. 13 min.
This is a
contradictory energy, and you will probably find it difficult at first to
manage drives that are very concrete and realistic on one side (Vesta) and very
otherworldly on the other (Proserpina). If you swing to extremes you could
become either too severely practical or too confused and fey. Take things
quietly and develop good judgment!
Chapter
5: Astraea
Astraea,
lady of right judgment and integration
Astraea was a
classical goddess of justice, whose symbol was the balanced scales. She
presided over the moral sense of rightness and good order, and the poetic
tradition relates that she was the last of the divinities to leave the world at
the end of the Golden Age. Astraea was then translated into the heavens as the
constellation Virgo. These elements of myth give you clues to the meaning of
the asteroid Astraea in the horoscope. She is concerned with the integration
and organization of things, bringing sometimes disparate elements together and
finding the common links that join them up in the web of life. She helps you to
focus on detail and understand the meaning of the fine print. She helps you to
work both hard and well, and helps you to become more ordered and tidy in at
least some aspects of your life.
Astraea can also help
you to become quite high minded, whilst integrating into this spacious vision
an ability to zero in and see all the small things that go together to make up
the greater whole. She can stir up a compulsive quality, too, and stimulate an
obsessive streak. This can cause a kind of splitting, which is another aspect
of Astraea energy: the goddess who brings things together can also tear them
apart. She does all this, ultimately, in the service of wholeness, and reveals
those things it is time to clean up and get rid of, so that everything else can
evolve into a more perfect form. Wherever Astraea goes, you are urged to get
organized and get your act together - and become the best you can be!
Astraea in Leo:
No matter how simply
you (seem to) lead your everyday life, you have a
tremendous creative drive. This can take you as far as you want to go, or as
far as your self belief allows you to travel. You may have some difficulty,
initially, in trusting that others will want what you have to offer, which can
lead either to hiding your light under a bushel for too long, or to an
over-compensating vanity and determination to 'show them', whoever 'they' are.
But overdoing the 'I'm special' thing is just as pointless as self repression,
so you need to find a practical strategy that enables the Astraea virtues of
integration and balance to swing into action. Once you get it together, you are
unstoppable. You may shine best and brightest if you fly solo rather than in
tandem. You're an individual!
Astraea in 10th
house:
It may be a long way
to the top when you want to rock and roll, but you'll take just as long as you
need to get there, and rock with as much vigor as it takes, too. Becoming the
best you can be in the world - and getting appropriate recognition of the fact,
thanks - is a very strong driver for you. Patience, attention to detail and the
ability to draw things together, all take you far. You can get a bit
persnickety about all this, though, and need to watch out that success doesn't
go to your head. There is a good deal of the natural patrician in you,
regardless of your social origins, and you do rather like the best that's
going. But don't confuse genuine achievements with mere status symbols!
Astraea Sextile
Asc., Orb: 1
deg. 44 min.
You have a gift for
projecting all the Virgo virtues in your personal style, which means it is easy
for you to present as sensible, organized, disciplined, efficient
and focused on the well-being of others. You could be a bit modest for your own
good at times, though, or allow your good nature to be imposed on. Judge
situations with due care!
Astraea Sextile
Bacchus, Orb: 1
deg. 28 min.
When practicality and
divine madness meet, you'll either be divinely inspired or run a mile from any
of that spooky stuff. Given the harmonies in this meeting, you will find that
happiness comes from getting the details right and making the right
connections. Your intuition is a pretty good guide: so just do it, rather than
merely dreaming it!
There's a powerfully
concentrated dynamic energy in you that may not always be obvious, but which
can often feel as though it's about to break the dam walls. Find a good outlet
for all this so you can do the 'assertive not aggressive' thing. Martial arts
or structured exercise may be ideal. And naturally, only ever pick on folk your
own size!
Astraea Opposition
Diana, Orb: 0
deg. 34 min.
You go your own way,
and are pretty indifferent if others don't like it. The connecting game is one
you can take or leave, and you generally make linkages on your own terms, and
only if there's wriggle room. Some people could find you cold, or hard to
understand, but you are a great practical friend to have - as long as you want
to help!
As long as you don't
get blocked by self-doubt and self-criticism, there can be something quite
amazing about your capacity to absorb and understand complex information in a
deep, thorough way. Your inner critic is the stumbling block. But if you take
up a proper meditation practice you could really fly - maybe all the way over
Iris's rainbow.
Chapter
6: Iris
Iris,
lady of the intuitive mind and illumination
In Greek myth, there
were two divine messengers: Hermes (equivalent to the Roman god Mercury), and
Iris. Some traditions suggest that Iris was the messenger of the goddess Hera
(whose Roman equivalent was Juno), whilst Mercury served Jupiter. However you play
with the myths, there was a feminine energy associated with communication as
well as a masculine one. And modern neuroscience tells us there are masculine
and feminine aspects to the brain, too.
Few astrologers have
learned yet how to honor the great goddess whose archetype stands behind the
'feminine' brain and style of communication. That is why this asteroid report
is named in honor of Iris! The symbol of Iris was the rainbow, and the Iris
energies of the horoscope seem to encompass all the colors of the spectrum, all
kinds of light: ultimately, the light of pure consciousness.
Mercury shows how you
think and communicate in a more systems oriented, data gathering and sorting
way. His energy is yang and outward directed. Iris, however, has yin energy and
is receptive. She shows how you receive ideas, how you listen, how you intuit
and empathize, and how you deal holistically with all the information thrown at
you by living in the world.
Iris helps you to
understand things at a deep level, and to grow in wisdom. She adds color and
depth to the Mercury energies of the chart, and shows another avenue of
expression. She helps you to meditate. At her very best, Iris helps you to find
true illumination. There is a vastness and sublime beauty to Iris energy.
Wherever she sits in your horoscope can be magical, as she helps your
consciousness to expand and evolve.
Iris in Taurus:
No matter how many
other speedy or feisty factors are at work in your chart, with Iris in Taurus
you have an inner poise and stillness that quietly watches and absorbs pretty
much everything. How much you share of this is another matter: you're good at
keeping quiet. There is a calmness to your communication style which can be
very soothing to people, and you're probably an effective listener with
something of the good mother about you, regardless of gender or age. You have
an attunement to the rhythms of the natural world which can seem uncanny at
times, and a strong sensory awareness which usually includes a deep aesthetic
sense as well. Beauty moves you, and you also need a measure of peace to
function best. But woe betide those who rouse the
docile bull to anger!
Iris in 7th house:
Unless there are
strong contradictory influences at work, you are very comfortable when dealing
with people, and many would even say you had a natural talent for creating and
nurturing relationships. Since communication is the vital element in all good
connections between people, your ability to listen and receive people and their
ideas and feelings, and provide by instinct the right response, enables you to
become a sought after negotiator, networker, partner and friend. You often have
a sixth sense about what is going on with anyone you are dealing with, or any
situation you encounter. Just don't allow your goodwill to be exploited - and
accept that your impressions can be wrong sometimes!
Iris Conjunct Mars, Orb: 0 deg. 44 min.
You have a tremendous
fund of energy available for communicating with people, and tend to approach
the world with a noticeable enthusiasm, even ardor. The main problem here is in
getting too carried away: a little moderation serves you best. At your best you
can defuse conflicts, but you'll also get into a row if you're rubbed the wrong
way.
You go your own way,
with a strong independent streak and a coolly analytical mind. When you want to
be strategic, few can match you, and your ability to deploy a tactical response
makes you a great ally and a wily adversary. Just watch out
you don't become a bit too chilly and remote: this can antagonize people
and spoil your successes.
Chapter
7: Hygiea
Hygiea,
lady of purification and healing
Hygiea is named for
the classical goddess of health and well-being, whose name also yields the
English word hygiene. This brings a sense of cleansing and purification to the
symbolism for the asteroid Hygiea, as well as meanings associated with health
issues, sickness, cure, and the moral and physical wholeness that are implicit
in ideas of good health or good order. Wherever Hygiea goes in the horoscope,
she has a way of cleaning up things, bringing them into a very pure, even
ideal, state of being.
Hygiea intensifies any
other planetary energy with which she links, and assists it to express in a
cleaner, stronger, truer form. Sometimes this poses real challenges and
problems, making circumstances appear worse before they get better. Then Hygiea
seems to act like the force behind a fever, which can rise to dangerous heights
before it breaks, and the healing occurs. It's all about getting the poison out
first, so that wholeness can be restored, or aided to form. The poison is more
often metaphorical than literal, of course. Hygiea always helps you to scrub
up, or purge. She's a catalyst for action as well as a force for intensifying
and purifying other energies. However testing a time you have whilst she's
busy, you're always left in much better shape when she has finished with you!
Hygiea in Pisces:
Yes, you're a
sensitive soul. Yes, life hurts. Yes, life can be unfair. So what are you going
to do about it? Feeling all helpless and sad gets you nowhere. You need to heal
your sense of hurt at the nastiness of the world by engaging with it and
finding skilful ways of dealing with it, not by complaining and withdrawing.
Was that a tough enough interpretation to get you mad enough to do something?
If not, oh dear, let's try flattery. At your best, your compassion is big and
generous enough to heal the whole world, or at least as much of it as you can
reach. But don't do what the Buddhists call idiot compassion, where you take on
stuff for manipulative people who really don't deserve either sympathy or help.
Get real, above all about what you feel. And live big!
Hygiea in 5th
house:
For you, inner healing
and wholeness come most of all from a free flowing exercise of your remarkable
creative powers. You were born to strut your stuff,
somehow or other, no matter how modest and unassuming the rest of your
horoscope may be. It seems to be easier for you to connect with the muses of
inspiration than it is for most people, whether you express your creative
energies through arts or crafts, science or technology, or just keeping the
home fires burning. You also have a real knack for bringing out the creative
best in others, and a remarkable number of major therapists share Hygiea in the
fifth house with you. Put your heart into everything, and look after your
physical heart, too.
Hygiea Conjunct
Chiron, Orb: 4
deg. 21 min.
You have a strong
drive to heal and transform both your own life and the life around you, which
is fine as long as you don't try to force any issues or agendas. Lead by
example and don't play the one-note fanatic. Life teaches you how to work with
pain and come through to wholeness, and you have a gift for helping others in
similar need.
Hygiea Trine
Hephaistos, Orb:
3 deg. 06 min.
You've talent to burn,
and a strong practical streak with it (part of it?), but you just have to get
over the little mountain of under-confidence. If you don't want to climb it,
blast a hole through it. If anyone can do it, you can. Use your smarts to find
the right way. Your potential for mastery of some kind is great, especially as
a healer or craftsperson.
Hygiea Opposition
Pluto, Orb: 1
deg. 15 min.
You are driven by a
need to get rid of what has passed its use-by date, and whether by conscious
design or seeming fate, you act as a catalyst for transformation. This energy
can get a bit overwhelming, though, and you need to build a safe container for it.
Don't play power games, and don't store resentments. Stress can catalyze
chronic illness.
Hygiea Opposition
True Lilith, Orb:
3 deg. 32 min.
Sometimes light has to
be shone in dark corners, and there's probably some unresolved anger or hurt
lurking behind your mask of fierce independence. Nursing dark feelings won't
serve you in the long run. It's better to deal squarely with the issues and
even allow any necessary healing crises to move things along. Don't stonewall
and seethe.
Your emotional
intensity can get the better of you sometimes, and you may find it necessary to
step back and 'chill' as they say. Getting caught up in power games around
feelings is also unwise, as it clouds your judgment and effectiveness. You will
thrive best with periodic cleanouts both literal and metaphorical. Don't clog
up on any level.
Hygiea
Sesquiquadrate MC, Orb: 0 deg. 49 min.
Your zeal to clean up
the world, or at least some part of it around you, can be very noble in theory,
but go horribly wrong in practice. If you believe that you alone know best, you
may not play purifying angel after all, and end up wondering why nobody
appreciates you. Listen and think before acting, and judge wisely so you work
for the good.
Chapter
8: Proserpina
Proserpina,
lady of transitions, other-worldly realms, and
sacrifice
The asteroid
Proserpina is named in honor of the goddess of the dead, consort of Pluto, she
who was known as Persephone to the Greeks. As a goddess archetype, Proserpina
constellates an energy that is often hard to fathom at first, because in the
poetic myths Proserpina/Persephone seems to have little personality of her own.
As the innocent maiden, abducted by Pluto/Hades into the underworld, she was
scarcely distinguishable from her fertility goddess mother Ceres/Demeter. As
Pluto's wife and queen of the underworld, though, she receives the souls of the
dead and as such, is also a guide to other realms and levels of being, and the
deepest places of the psyche. The asteroid Proserpina seems to manifest as an
energy of innocence and ignorance that learns a very great deal by (often hard)
experience. She shows where you tend to take the line of least resistance, to
be passive or helpless, and teaches you the consequences of such unaware or
unassertive responses. She points to what you learn through the various
transitions of life, which may or may not be painful, but which always entail a
letting go of what has ceased to be viable, and carry therefore some sense of
sacrifice. She shows you altered states of being, can help you to open up to
all the stimuli of life, assists you to adapt and change in response to your
environment, and even helps you to cultivate psychic perception.
Proserpina is a tricky
energy to deal with, though, because she is so hard to know in essence. You
need to be still, and quietly open, to access Proserpina and work with her
successfully. Ignore her altogether and you may find yourself plunging into
situations you never expected or wanted; honor her and she will help you to
find a way through the dark, a guide for your soul who aids your inner journey
and ultimately, as a result, your path to individuation in the outer world.
Proserpina in
Aquarius:
Either you just fit in
with the group like a happy little lamb content to be part of the herd, or you
feel like a black sheep that has lost its way and doesn't belong with the flock
in any case. Giving in to either of these extreme responses is probably not smart:
simply blend in and you'll lose your individuality, but opt out and you could
end up so out of step, you can never fall in again. Play to your strengths and
use your sometimes oddball talents to help the group - then you can end up
leading it. That's more your style. You probably have a strong social
conscience and could become a passionate advocate for justice or change, or for
protecting the weak from exploitation: you don't like power abuses. You're a
smart cookie, too, as long as you don't drift and procrastinate.
Proserpina in 5th
house:
You've a strong
creative streak, but might have learned early not entirely to trust it. Or
maybe you've preferred to direct it into rather safer scientific channels where
invention is validated by facts, facts, facts. There
is a serious cast to your makeup which tends to make you more aware of life's
sorrows than joys, and you are very good at living out the adage that if you
are dealt lemons, then learn to make lemonade. There can be issues with
children, or something unusual about your own offspring,
and you may face lessons on letting go. Your courage is great most of the time,
but can waver in the face of undue complexity or uncertainty. You like life to
be a bit more straightforward and clear.
Proserpina Opposition
Uranus, Orb: 3
deg. 14 min.
It can be heaps of fun
tuning into the oddball frequencies of life, but you may find there is a
limited pool of playmates if you tune out too often or for too long. You can go
just a tad too far in playing the eccentricity card. Don't allow it to turn
into a willful refusal to accept people on any but your own terms, and remember
to play straight occasionally!
Proserpina
Opposition Apollo, Orb:
4 deg. 05 min.
Your creative energy
has an interesting attunement to the subtler realms, but you may seem a little
too crazy to more ordinary folk as you go about your business. Try playing the
'normal' card once in a while for success. Clever you may be, but don't get too
smug about being somehow special: this could sabotage your capacity to realize
your dreams.
Proserpina
Sesquiquadrate Hephaistos, Orb: 0 deg. 32 min.
Your passions probably
have a way of throwing you into turmoil now and then (okay, maybe most of the
time) but you do rather like peak experiences, don't you? Vanilla doesn't quite
do. Accept responsibility and if you really want it quiet, scale things back a
bit. An ordinary life requires effort and talent as well. How are you using
your gifts?
Chapter
9: Diana
Diana,
lady of emotional maturity
Diana was the
classical goddess associated with the moon, a virginal hunter who was expert
with the bow and arrow. She preferred to keep aloof from the company of most of
the other gods and goddesses, living in wild mountain fastnesses with her
retinue of maidens.
Diana took an interest
in the affairs of ordinary mortals primarily when women were giving birth, and
she cared for the young of all creatures. But she could be fierce, even lethal,
if her rights were impinged upon, or if she were slighted. Her arrows never
missed their target.
The asteroid Diana has
not been used a lot by astrologers, which is a pity as she seems to show a
different quality of emotional response from that traditionally associated with
the Moon. Where Diana goes in your chart you are not inclined to the sort of
overt, even child-like sensitivity and vulnerability that the Moon tends to
indicate, but to a more restrained, independent and even sometimes avoidant
response to the stimuli of life. Diana energy is more austere, but she does not
show a lack of sensitivity as such. Indeed, she can be almost hypersensitive in
her way, which is to acknowledge feelings and immediately put boundaries in
place to contain and protect them, so that Diana can sometimes seem cold or
hard where in fact she is simply looking after herself. Of course, she can help
you to be tough if circumstances demand it! She can also point to intense fear
responses, which in turn stimulate the 'fight or flight' reflex, which in turn
makes you either combative or prone to head for the hills. Ultimately the
position of Diana in your chart tells you a lot about how you develop emotional
maturity, although she can also say something about the distortions and
setbacks of this process, too. She shows where you are able to rely on yourself
rather than depending on others, and also points to ways in which you will help
other people - as long as it suits you!
Diana is not needy,
except for space and for the opportunity, quietly, to nurture the inner needs
of the soul. She helps you to figure out what you want, but without all the
emotional baggage associated with Lunar attachment.
Detached, disinterested and dispassionate, Diana energy helps you to engage
with life on your own terms, as a fully fledged adult. With Diana, you put away
childish things and come into a richer fullness of being.
Diana in Aquarius:
There's a strong
cerebral quality to your personality, which can seem a little chilly to some
more fiery or physical folk. But you love ideas, especially big ones, and can
be the most congenial of companions if the talk is good and the information
exchange is lively. You can be visionary, probably have a strong social
conscience, and you're very aware of the wider culture. You get the whole
'vibe' as easily as breathing. Group action appeals to you, but appeals most if
it means you'll get recognition for your own contribution. You like power more
than you admit, especially if your image is egalitarian. Sudden eruptions of
vanity (usually if you feel under-valued) can shock you as much as your
associates. Stay as tuned-in to yourself as you are to the world, though, and
all will be well.
Diana in 4th house:
You could be some sort
of domestic god or goddess, or you could just be something of a homebody.
Whether you do it with style or just do it, you really value your home and your
privacy, and security is a pretty big deal, too. There can be a 'back to
basics' aspect to your nature, and an innate capacity
for making do or turning to; an earthy streak keeps you practical and able to
deal with most problems that arise. But with all your busy-ness, the deepest
need is actually for some sort of profound, fundamental transformation. It is
your inner being that needs the work, not the house renovation. Once you get
going, anything is possible. You can go incredibly far, building on the
strongest foundation.
Diana Trine Asc., Orb: 1 deg. 10 min.
It is easy for you to
project an air of authority into the world, and to wear descriptions like,
'having gravitas.' You probably grow up faster than the average, and take on
responsibilities readily and (usually) cheerfully. Not that you necessarily
present as cheerful, since you're a serious soul, but a good and useful one who
helps others.
Diana Trine Bacchus, Orb: 0 deg. 54 min.
You play with
paradoxes: finding happiness in freedom and often solitude, and craving the
freedom to pursue happiness unburdened by the demands of others, yet also
needing in some way an audience. You've a dramatic streak and can play many
roles with great conviction. But you'll be most fulfilled when you find a
middle path of balance.
Diana Square Mars, Orb: 1 deg. 28 min.
You could be a
naturally angry cuss, or you could be just dog tired of always seeming to find
yet another battle to fight. Whatever your actual aggression level, there is a
strong warrior energy with Diana-Mars, so get kinda Zen and martial artist
about it, use wise discipline to manage the force flow, and focus always on
what constitutes right action.
Chapter
10: Apollo
Apollo,
lord of creative maturity
In classical
mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun, whose patronage extended over
harmony, the arts and healing. He was not the literal, physical sun, however,
and the asteroid named in honor of this god has a slightly different quality
from the Sun energy with which traditional astrology is familiar - just as the
energy of Diana is rather markedly different from that of the Moon.
Although work is still
in progress on understanding the influence of Apollo - as with all the
asteroids! - he seems to take the creative, personality-making energy
traditionally associated with the Sun and then place and develop it in a wider
social context. If the Sun is about 'Me' and my life force in pure potential,
then Apollo shows 'Me' how to become more fully and completely and socially
myself - or rather yourself, as the case may be, since this report is about you,
the reader! For this reason Apollo is described here as the lord of creative
maturity. He has a sway over the process of full individuation that allows your
innate gifts to shine their light into the world. Apollo shows another aspect
of your talents and potentials, but he also shows possible areas of downfall,
if more primitive egoistic urges get in the way of the maturation process.
It is all too easy to
become proud wherever Apollo goes in the chart, and to become excessively
perfectionist and demanding. But all these distortions are unfortunate ways of
misusing his wonderful capacities for creation. At his best, Apollo gives clear
sightedness, and this includes clarity of insight into who you really are and
what you are best able to do in order to make the best of yourself in the world
at large. Don't allow vanity or lazy self-entitlement to trip you up. Be honest
about where you are and what you want, and do the best you can to be the best
you can. That's what Apollo's drive for (true) excellence is all about!
The asteroid Apollo
also has a rather strange orbit and appears to spend much longer in some signs
of the zodiac than others. Appropriately enough, he is much more often and
longest in Leo, the traditional sign of the Sun. If you have Apollo in the
signs from Sagittarius through to Taurus, this is a relatively more rare placement.
Apollo in Leo:
Oh dear: Apollo in Leo
is the commonest placement of all. Since when was anything in Leo common? What
happened to special? Isn't there a mistake here?! Sadly there's no mistake, you
are part of a large herd. But Apollo in the Sun's own sign does usually boost
your confidence (so quit complaining) and it can actually help to push you out
into the world and make you strut your stuff if other
elements of your horoscope are tending towards the shy violet style. Some of
the time, at least, this energy gives you zing, and flair. There's at least one
thing (maybe more!) you do really well. So concentrate on that, get real about
your limitations, and play to your strengths. Then you can go quite a long way.
You might even go all the way to the top, and leave the rest of the herd
behind!
Apollo in 11th
house:
When idealistic Apollo
is resident in the House of Ideals (hopes, wishes, good fortune, friends) he
seems to incline you less to worldly wants, and rather more to creating a rich
inner life. If it's not a path with heart, you probably aren't interested. But
if you do take the right road, it can lead you to a place of considerable
success and comfort, anyway. All the while, you dream great dreams, which can
become even greater if you share them with like-minded souls. If or when you do
engage with a group (of any size) you can have quite an impact on it, and
indeed have the capacity to be a leader in your field. You'll probably be known
for something a bit different from the 'white bread' norm, too.
Apollo Conjunct
Uranus, Orb: 0
deg. 51 min.
Something of the
natural rebel informs your creativity and you quite like to walk on the wild
side now and then, or maybe most of the time. You can bring an unusual vision
to your work, and find new connections and promote new ideas. Though intolerant
of constraint you may be a little inclined to lay down the law to others.
Relax, cut loose!
Apollo Sextile Sun, Orb: 0 deg. 05 min.
You find greater than
usual pleasure from untrammeled self expression, and feel most fulfilled when
your creative energies are working at full throttle. When it all flows, you
easily hone your skills and accomplish much, but there is a risk here of being
satisfied with even easier appearances. Keep this in check, and you can go far.
Chapter
11: Bacchus
Bacchus,
lord of altered states and divine inspiration
In Roman mythology,
Bacchus was the god of the vine and wine, equivalent to the Greek Dionysos. The
cult of Dionysos was ancient and mysterious. He was a strange and subtle god,
other-worldly, now kind, now cruel, connected with altered states (including
those induced by drugs, from alcohol to hallucinogens), the deity presiding
over peak experiences from ecstasy to agony. He was close to nature, wild and
free, and his worship had many anarchic as well as transcendental elements.
Eventually his archetype and worship became so important to the Greek
collective psyche that he was elevated to the Council of Twelve, the great gods
and goddesses who presided over the government of Mount Olympus. Unlike other
(male) gods, Dionysos was surrounded by women, and mortal women were his most
significant votaries. There is an inter-sex, almost androgynous or transgender
quality to this divine archetype.
The asteroid Bacchus
constellates all these contradictions and mysteries in the horoscope. A good
deal of the Bacchus/Dionysos archetype is also apparent in the planet Neptune,
and where this asteroid differs and adds value to the chart is in the way it
focuses the area of life where you are most open to inspiration and where you
are most eager for pleasure and escape from the everyday.
The asteroid Bacchus
has an eccentric orbit and spends more time in some signs of the zodiac than
others. His longest sojourn is in Sagittarius; if you have Bacchus in the signs
from Pisces through Aries to Virgo, this is a less common placement.
Bacchus in Gemini:
Your imagination is so
vivid that you are probably tempted sometimes to escape into a fantasy world
that leaves ordinary reality far behind. Well, that's a fun thing to do, but
rather a waste of talent as well as time for you to stay up there, or out
there, or wherever you go. It would be much better to re-connect with the rest
of us and share something of the marvels you perceive. Once you're fired up,
you can display remarkable skill and flair as a communicator. Indeed, there are
probably times when it appears that you have been seized by divine inspiration,
and could have an important message to convey. At your best, you can
communicate a wonderful vision; but at your worst your fantasies run away with
you and lead to chaos. Learn discrimination and keep the old ego in check!
Bacchus in 9th
house:
You are a seeker,
which sounds very noble, and it can manifest in a very fine way if you look for
the right things in the right places. But if your search becomes contaminated
by egoism and fantasy, the results can be less pretty. Inspired and inspiring journeys
clear a way forward for you, and these could be very literal, or more
metaphorical. You may find 'god' (or at least some sort of peak experience) in
a foreign land, or even in one of the higher realms of consciousness, or your
might just watch a lot of television and read voraciously. Pursuing spiritual
aspirations can be the best possible thing to do, as long as they are truly
spiritual, and not some sort of me-first fiction dressed up in stolen robes!
Bacchus Trine Asc., Orb: 0 deg. 16 min.
There's a playfulness to your nature, and something of the actor
about you, a desire to experiment with identity and try on different ways of
being in the world. Or you could be a mystic or a poet or an artist or, or -
just about anything or anyone! Just make sure you keep a sense of your core
identity whilst you spin the dials and ring the changes!
Glittering clouds of
romance are all very well, lots of fun for a while. But you need to get a
little bit real about your relationships, or your tendency to fall in love with
love could land you not on cloud nine but on cold hard ground. You are also
much moved by beauty, which again is fine as long as you are not misled by
appearances. What's within?
Chapter
12: Hephaistos
Hephaistos,
lord of inner fire, talent, craft and work
The asteroid
Hephaistos is named in honor of the ancient god of fire and the forge, the
master craftsman and divine blacksmith. In the proto-civilizations of the early
Bronze Age, those who worked with the wonders of fire and metal seemed to be
magicians, and were thought to possess special powers. But the god Hephaistos
had a sad, strange story. He stands for aspects of the masculine that are not
only amongst the most worthy (he is a hard worker and consummate artisan) but
also the most unfortunate, because Hephaistos was crippled and ugly, so the
other gods and goddesses wanted little to do with him. But they could not
ignore him, because he was too clever and too skilful, and he was one of the
great gods who sat on the Council of Twelve governors. As we know in human
life, too, those who are truly gifted always find a way to the top, and this is
something the asteroid Hephaistos can point to in your horoscope. He also shows
where you may feel very unworthy and self-doubting, and so make an extra
effort. He reveals many of your deepest passions and dearest desires, but also
shows some of your greatest sufferings, because other people do not necessarily
understand you or want your company or input. He shows where and how you work,
where and how you are perhaps most skilful. But above all, the divine
blacksmith hammers your soul on his forge in order to make you better than you
are already. This process of soul making, of what used to be called 'character
building', can be hard and painful, but it is very necessary.
Hephaistos knocks you
into shape. Once you understand what he is doing, it can actually be fun to
cooperate, and turn the work into a game. Mary Poppins, arguably the first
super-nanny, knew a thing or two about the secret purposes of the Hephaistos
archetype. With his help, you can take the base metal of your nature and
transform it into gold, or at least move from childhood to adulthood.
The asteroid
Hephaistos also has an even more eccentric orbit than Apollo, and spends very
little time in some signs of the zodiac. He is most often in Taurus, and the
nearby signs of Aries, Gemini and Cancer. If your Hephaistos is in the signs
from Leo to Pisces, this is a much rarer placement.
Hephaistos in
Cancer:
For you, soul making
is a very sensitive process, as you learn profound lessons relating to
fundamental emotional drives. Family and tribal awareness is strong in you, and
even if home isn't (or wasn't) always where the heart is (or was), you still place a high value on it. Security means a lot
to you, and you can become very assertive, even aggressive, if you feel in any
way threatened. Or you could be defensive for other reasons, or willing to go
out and fight for some right cause that reflects deeply held values. Your
instincts are strong, and you tend to read people and situations well, if with
a weather eye to self interest. Those who want something from you will do
better to appeal to your feelings than to your intellect or abstract
principles. You are best reached through the heart.
Hephaistos in 9th
house:
The soul making
process indicated by the sign your Hephaistos occupies is channeled into what
might be called 'the university of life', the fields where you get to run free
and explore ideas, travel around, and see where your spiritual instinct
(whatever it is) takes you. This can turn you into a dreamer rather than a
doer, which can spoil your harvest and waste the high intelligence that is your
birthright. But once you get a focus and get moving, little can stop you, and
your capacity for achievement is great. Sometimes you dither through
under-confidence rather than laziness, and just need the right recognition and
encouragement to put a fire in your belly. You'll do best with a steady burn.
Hephaistos Trine
Jupiter, Orb: 2
deg. 49 min.
You are a person who
thinks big, and with this easy energy exchange between Jupiter and Hephaistos,
are a little less inclined to lack of self-belief. You want to see your dreams
translated into practical works, and have the optimism and confidence to go for
it. If you don't get quite right the measure of output you need, you can fix it
pretty quickly.
Hephaistos Trine
Neptune, Orb: 1
deg. 22 min.
Your fantasy life is
deep, rich and complex, and it can drive a remarkable capacity for worldly
achievement if you are able to develop practical strategies for translating
your dreams into realities. You tend to be able to work your way through the
potential muddles involved with this process, but need to watch out for
complacency and drifting.
Hephaistos Sextile
Pluto, Orb: 1
deg. 51 min.
Both Hephaistos and
Pluto symbolize mighty transformative processes and the results of harnessing
creative power, one by skill and craft and the other by sheer force. Combine
these principles in an easily flowing way, as you can, and the effects could be
remarkable. You constantly re-invent yourself and carry an impressive aura of
strength.
Hephaistos Trine
Chiron, Orb: 1
deg. 15 min.
You have a deep
admiration for the hero archetype, and the ability to go far beyond ordinary
endurance or achievement. In some field or other you will do your best to live
out this high standard in your own life. You may have some inner healing work
to do first, but take up the challenge with courage and dogged persistence.
Hephaistos Sextile
True Lilith, Orb:
0 deg. 26 min.
You can find both
satisfaction and strength in your ability to work creatively with some pretty
deep and dark sources of energy, which focus a sense of unworthiness or rejection.
You are fiercely independent for starters, and easily ignore the noisy,
know-nothing throng. Honing your craft in whatever way matters is your best way
out, and up.