There’s an old fable about a tribal ruler and his servant. The servant had a habit of saying “this is a good thing” no matter what happened. One day, the ruler lost a finger in an accident. When the servant said “this is a good thing” while attending to the injury, the king became so annoyed as to fire his faithful retainer on the spot.
Some months later, the king was kidnapped by a hostile tribe who intended to make him a human sacrifice to their god. When the kidnappers noticed the missing finger, however, they changed their minds rather than tender an imperfect offering to their deity.
Instead of being sacrificed, the kidnapped ruler was returned to his own tribe alive in exchange for a ransom. It was then that the king realized the wisdom of his former servant’s perception, and the two were reunited in an even greater mutual appreciation than they had before.
This is a fable you might want to keep in mind when the Sun enters Virgo shortly before 12:39 pm EDT (16:38:24 UTC) on Monday. It’s not because the solar ingress to Virgo foretells you losing a finger, or any other incident in particular. It’s because the Sun’s annual tour of Virgo this year will begin with implications that there is something more to the moment than what is immediately evident.
You would be justified in wondering what could possibly upstage the Sun changing signs. After all, without our local star, we would have no solar system, no daylight and no life on Earth. The Sun is the ultimate point of reference for astrologers, and along with its apparent path across the sky (the ecliptic) and its luminary complement (the Moon) the Sun is the core of astrology.
Far beyond the scale of a solar system, however, there is a similar organizing principle of much greater magnitude: the galaxy. Just as with our solar system, our galaxy has a core around which all of its stars (including our Sun) move in their orbits.
So far as our ability to observe the cosmos can tell, a galaxy is the largest example of an axis, and all which a center implies. Outside the galactic level there are no perceptible points around which everything else moves in a cyclical way. In a very real way, the core of our galaxy is the ultimate symbolic expression of all that the Sun represents. That’s how awareness of the Galactic Core’s existence (and its location on the zodiac) has meaning for astrologers. That’s also how it is meaningful that humanity has only recently attained that awareness.
When you look up at the night sky with the unaided eye, every star you see is part of our galaxy. Other stars in other galaxies are too far away to be perceived without some means of magnification. It is only in the last 400 years or so that telescopes have allowed us to see farther, and it is only in the last century that we have been able to see far enough to even begin discerning other galaxies from our own.
Your awareness of all that humanity’s recently improved powers of observation have revealed means that your consciousness represents nothing less than a huge evolutionary leap in the history of our species. In other words, by benefit of simply being alive and aware now, you and your life must necessarily be included in any astrological interpretation of the Galactic Core. That’s a powerful thing. Of course, with great power comes great responsibility.
The responsibility that comes with your unprecedented awareness of the universe will be astrology’s most powerful theme on Monday. Currently, the Galactic Core is located in the 28th degree of Sagittarius. It so happens that exact degree will be repeatedly, meaningfully and precisely in aspect when the Sun enters the first degree of Virgo on Monday.
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At the moment solar Virgo begins this year, the Moon will be precisely in the 28th degree of Aries, forming an aspect with the Galactic Core that astrologers call a trine. When you consider that the Moon moves around the zodiac at approximately one degree every two hours, such precision cannot be without meaning.
In addition, at the same moment of the Sun entering Virgo and the Aries Moon precisely trine the Galactic Core, Jupiter and Mercury will be sharing the 27th degree of Virgo, precisely 90 degrees away (or in “square” aspect) to the center of our galaxy.
So what does all that mean? Consider this: The Sun rules one sign: Leo. Mercury rules two signs: Gemini and Virgo. Jupiter, for its part, also rules two signs: Sagittarius and Pisces. Finally, include the Moon’s rule of Cancer and you get a picture of how nearly half of the zodiac’s 12 signs will be focused with laser-like precision on the core of our galaxy through the auspices of their planetary representatives when the Sun leaves Leo behind and enters Virgo. The implications of that picture are nothing less than profound.
Implicit to the Sun entering Virgo tomorrow is a much bigger picture that would have gone unnoticed by even the most aware of your grandparents, probably even your parents. The beginning of solar Virgo this year is an indication of your unprecedented grasp of and involvement in something going on beyond what your senses can apprehend.
Monday’s astrological scenario indicates that the light of your very consciousness (which the Sun represents) is only part of your awareness, and that you know it. It is a tableau indicating that your mind (represented by Mercury) has undeniably expanded (Jupiter) so as to raise a potential only previously dreamed of (Moon) by previous generations into common knowledge.
In other words, you and the rest of humanity have made it to a new level of human being even if you and most of the rest of us don’t know what to make of it. We cannot profess to be ignorant any more. You cannot deny that you are aware of what your eyes cannot see. You can only either change so as to manifest (mutable earth sign Virgo) what you are, or leave those of future generations to wonder how you could possibly deny your evident power and potential glory
Like it or not, you now have the power of a king — albeit an injured one — compared to previous generations. While the organizing principles of your reality are the same as ever before, the magnitude of your responsibility is undeniably as never before. It may be intimidating, frustrating and even painful to become what your ancestors did not even know was possible, but (as your faithful servant is now reminding you), this just has to be a good thing.
Offered In Service
I am indeed missing an important digit, Len; but with natal Vesta at 28 Aries and natal Saturn on 24 Sagg (and the Sun honing in on natal Pluto as he enters Virgo-but that’s a different fable) — it’s not a story of “something’s gotta give”, but maybe more along the lines of “giving is good” and as you point out, “it’s gotta (be so)”. I have no doubts, only still a constant hum of anticipation that’s been ruling my personal cosmos since I can remember. Thank you.
Wow, it is awesome what the astrology is revealing Len, thanks for pulling down the planets to a level where we can understand things we could never grasp otherwise. It is exciting beyond anything else I’ve even experienced (in this lifetime anyway). So it would seem then that the servant had a kind of knowing that could see advantages in what would be considered a deficit by most. If only we all could see beyond the present like that. By any chance are you aware of which finger the king lost? Just wonderin’.
The Sun will conjunct Transpluto when he enters Virgo too. We have a golden opportunity to become more aware of what this symbol means to us in our conscious state. Much like the Galactic Core itself, Transpluto’s role in astrology is rather vague. Even so, we know it is an underworld deity; a symbol of that level of inner unconsciousness that we are exploring just as we explore the outer limits of our solar system with technology.
You speak of how we all are participating in this new awareness and yet, how much difference can one person make we wonder. Like the king being unable to perceive his loss as a good thing, we cannot see how one person – ourselves – could possibly change anything significantly. If instead we were to see ourselves as one of five fingers on a hand, a hand attached to an arm of a body, a body that joined with other bodies to make positive change, maybe we would no longer wonder. Maybe that’s Chiron’s message as he opposes Jupiter (and Mercury); what feels painful in the now could just transform your life – even the world – tomorrow.
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“Maybe that’s Chiron’s message as he opposes Jupiter (and Mercury); what feels painful in the now could just transform your life – even the world – tomorrow.” <3
had to laugh a little…I employ “it’s all good” and “this too shall pass (good times ¬ so good) to the point where my friends want to smack me! and others ask me what the fuck planet are you from?? HOW can THIS be GOOD??? I don’t know how to explain how, except to say if one can trust that things really “happen”(or we are the creators of our “happenings”) in order for us to learn and grow, and if we in fact are determined to do so, then of course the easiest flow is to learn and trust that this lesson is beneficial at some point, even if not obvious now. this takes a bit of conscious effort at times, but flowing in awareness is so much better than cursing the current! xo thanks len
LEN!!!!!!!
Wow Len! Conscience awareness where wounds save and heal us all. The fable is likened to our religious fables, is it not? Funny how humanity’s lessons come to us in so many forms. And now we have a modern lens by which to view awareness of our reality, via astronomy and astrology.
Sometimes it is another that will point out how our wounds do “save” us and it is through another experience where we have drawn upon the experience of our past where the application of that previous wounded event comes to our aid to guide us. As Barbara points out above, to extend “it” from our fingers, hands, limbs, and so forth, so to know that the wound includes the living society and all humanity, would indeed be a blessing for this beautiful Gaia, as we make corrective action towards healing the self-inflicted wounds we have given to all of society and our habitat. But it does take a form of consciousnesses, which the political landscape (national and global) is allowing, that is, not as much a teaching, per se, but an “awakening.”
I am interested in where Mars is and will be over the next few months/years during this time frame. We awaken, and then take action?
Thanks again Len, so beautifully portrayed.
I’m interested in Mars’ role too Pisces Sun, especially now that he has cleared past the point where he started his retrograde last April, at 8+ Sagittarius. Any goodness we – individually or as a whole – become conscious of, and are willing to participate in bringing about, will be expressed through our Mars energy. Mars with Mercury, or Mars with Venus or very soon, Mars with Saturn can show us how (in the “birth charts” of those conjunctions Mars makes with other planets) we will activate the Mars energy available to us. This can manifest in a positive way as well as a negative way.
On July 16, 2015, for example, Mars and Mercury made the 3rd of 3 conjunctions that began the cycle we are experiencing right now. At 14+ Cancer, Mars and Mercury opposed transiting Pluto at 14+ Capricorn. They all squared the U.S. Sibly chart’s Saturn at 14+ Libra while trans. Mercury-Mars were conjunct the U.S. Sibly chart’s Sun at 13+ Cancer. This combined energy between Mars and Mercury, in Cancer, has expressed as emotionally (Cancer) heated (Mars) words (Mercury). In the U.S.A., the natal Sun (consciousness) squares the natal Saturn (established order).
This cycle between transiting Mars and Mercury has the potential of forcing the inherent natal conflict (symbolized by the square between natal Sun and Saturn) in the U.S. birth chart to grapple with and iron out the problems this square represents. This cycle will end and a new one will begin between transiting Mars and Mercury in late June, 2017, when they meet again, in Cancer, at 15+ degrees, just one degree ahead of where their last cycle began! When that happens, transiting Pluto won’t be as tightly opposed this team and transiting Neptune will be in a close trine with them. In the U.S. the harsh words will continue but not with quite as much gusto it appears.
In tomorrow morning’s conjunction between transiting Mars and Saturn we can tell that the U.S. Uranus will still be in target range (Mars-Saturn at 9+ Sagittarius opposite U.S. Uranus at 8+ Gemini) and still square transiting Neptune in Pisces. Interestingly though, transiting Venus will be conjunct the U.S. Neptune at 22+ Virgo, with transiting Jupiter a few degrees ahead and transiting Chiron in Pisces opposite the transiting Venus, Jupiter and U.S. Neptune.
This would appear to be producing a showdown in the U.S., with the transiting Mars-Saturn union opposite the U.S. Uranus, T-squared by transiting Neptune. Add to this the transiting Chiron opposite transiting Venus, Jupiter and U.S. Neptune being T-squared by transiting Pholus in Sagittarius and we can expect to see two years of a stimulated (by the trans. Saturn-Mars cycle) U.S. Uranus and U.S. Neptune influencing this country into greater consciousness. Transiting Neptune’s contribution (added to the U.S. Neptune’s contribution) insures that the illusions and delusions will hold sway in the U.S. while the Neptune energy dissolves some of the very foundations once thought to be indestructible. These foundations were not healthy and need to go for the sake of growth.
Transiting Mars, on his own volition will be unpredictable on occasion as he aspects the other planets. He trines Uranus next month for example then forms a square with trans. Mercury as he conjuncts trans. Pluto that impacts the U.S. square between Sun and Saturn in October. Always there is the possibility of advancement when the energy is used positively, or the possibility of further destruction and chaos. Len and others at PW will keep us aware of these potentials as we either inch our way or make great strides toward evolving our species to the next level of consciousness.
be
Rachael, love this ~ “flowing in awareness is so much better than cursing the current!” I have a love / hate relationship with the phrase “everything works out for the best” a response I received continuously in my youth, and fits your story perfectly. I’m wondering though, how do we interpret the Galactic Core in our own charts? I have Jupiter opposite it, perhaps that would mean to have greater trust in the universe? It makes up a missing corner, in the 5th, in my natal T-square, maybe that is saying that the key is to always look deeper, know that there is always more to know? How would you describe it? It has always bewildered me, maybe that’s the point.
aWord, Barbara, Lizzy, Rachael, Puma Pink, Pisces Sun, and Beth: As regards to Mars, please see my blog for today. Thank you so very much for sharing your thoughts while I work to get my world right side up again.
Dear Len
Is it our powers of observation and perception that have changed or that our awareness has changed what it is we are able to unfold? The souls of wo/men are one, yes? What would it profit a person to gain a whole galaxy (or many multiverses for that matter) and lose their own soul? Ho!