“Throughout the ten directions of space
Occupying all the quarters in & out,”
— Jack Kerouc, “Mexico City Blues” (211th chorus)
When the Sun enters a cardinal sign on the zodiac (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn), it is a turning point you can see in the tangible world. The risings and settings of the Sun change direction from further South each day to further North at the Capricorn solstice, and back toward South again at the Cancer solstice.
At the Aries and Libra equinoxes the appearance of the Sun marks precisely East, and the solar disappearance takes place exactly in the West. Hence, the year and the zodiac are divided into quarters known as seasons, by what appears from Earth’s surface to be cyclical motions of the Sun.
Of course, we all know that it is, in fact, the Earth’s motion that brings the perceived solar cycles about. It is the rotation of our planet on its own axis that causes the alternation between day and night. Additionally, it is Earth’s orbit around the Sun that precipitates the seasons.
Nonetheless, perception is reality for all practical purposes. What’s more, the principle applies equally regardless of whether you are observing the world or your inner life. In other words, what you feel is just as real as what you see. That’s something to remember when the Sun approaches the middle of a fixed sign on the zodiac (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius), which is the case now.
When the Sun reaches the central degree of Taurus at precisely 9:42 pm EDT tomorrow (01:42:00 UTC on Thursday), this season will be distinguished from the other three not only by what you see but also by how it feels outside. It tells you where you are in the year.
In addition, what you perceive during what some call Beltane (when life is traditionally affirmed and celebrated) will tell you where you are on Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere you will most likely find flowers. In the Southern Hemisphere you will more probably find fruit.
Furthermore, and much more subjectively, you will at this time be able to more clearly distinguish this particular season from its previous iterations by how you feel on the inside. That’s because what some call a cross quarter is, for all practical purposes, more the center of a turning than a turning point. In a way, it’s like being in the midst of a rotating storm. What you call it depends on where you are at. Hence, how you feel now depends on your point of view.
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What you find inside now is just as valid as any objective experience of the world. That’s true even if how you feel is at variance with what is going on outside, because it tells you where you are in your life. That’s a good thing to know.
If you have the financial means, you can board an airplane and travel to another time of day or a different season by changing your physical location. While it’s not quite as simple to change your perception, it is possible (and probably less expensive). First, however, you must locate yourself; and one of the best times to do that is now.
During a cross-quarter, especially during the Beltane festival designated by the Sun in the middle of Taurus, it is an auspicious time to turn inward. No matter where on Earth your body is at this time of year, it almost certainly presents the least challenge to your physical well being.
So consider taking a vacation from your outer struggles (if not your place of residence) to find, affirm and celebrate your own center. Whether you ultimately choose to shift where that locus is or keep it where it’s at is a decision that can wait. For now, it will be enough to simply spend a little time to better know where you live on the inside.
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What a lovely description of this time of year, Len, and a wonderful internal exercise to complement the mid-season. For years I thought that Beltane would be a terrific name for a heavy metal band and recently I discovered there is a young British indie group in London who are using this moniker. I wish them well.
One custom for the ancient celebration of Beltane involved the lads and lassies of the village spending the night in the local woods and returning next day as lovers arm-in-arm and decked in greenery. Conception at Beltane gives birth to Aquarians. Love and peace.