I have begun writing a newsletter several times over the last week. I wanted to title it “Optimism Incoming”, but then I decided it was more important to talk about mercury retrograde. Another interesting subject is that we begin transiting Ophiuchus today. Also, tonight is the new moon conjunct Antares at 9 Sagittarius. Antares – “Watcher of the west”, is intense, sometimes obsessive. One of the Royal Four, Antares brings success but can be ruthless, dare-devil, excessive in the pursuit of success. Antares is warlike and action-oriented. This energy is a player in the play. It’s placement, the new moon and the beginning of Ophiuchus, all converge at one degree, today. The Sabian symbol is a parable that conveys a vignette for each degree of the zodiac This degree, so poignant today, is very interesting:
A theatrical representation of a golden-haired goddess of opportunity:
Society’s efforts at dramatizing the greatness of what it offers to the ambitious person.
Civilization as a process demands the goading of individuals to spend their vital energies in the pursuit of achievements which, while fulfilling the individual’s ambition and greed, nevertheless generate various forms of what we call “progress”. This refers to the drive for advancement along “human, all too human” paths of growth. Sociocultural forces use propaganda to force growth. (I think the reference to all too human is about the shame/blame game that we are fed along with fictional theories about environment, economy and health.)
There is so much more, and I will try to describe the big picture – just keep in mind it’s all happening simultaneously.
The Sun left the sign of Scorpio and moved into Sagittarius on November 21st. Sagittarian qualities include optimism, enthusiasm, honesty and generosity. Sagittarians can also be kind of blurty. It was probably a Sagittarian who said, “oh, did I just say that out loud?” or “anything worth doing is worth overdoing”. Sagittarians are seekers, explorers and speakers of Truth.
While the Sagittarian section of the zodiac lasts until December 21st, there is a simultaneous, parallel constellation, called Ophiuchus – pronounced O-fee-you-shus. The ribbon of sky where our sun and planets appear to travel is called the ecliptic. This is the geocentric point of view. Of course the sun doesn’t travel around the earth, but from earth, this observable ribbon of sky is divided into 12 sections and width-wise contains the orbits of our sun and planets. Ophiuchus briefly touches this ecliptic. There are many constellations in the zodiac and there are many existential questions about the cosmos, celestial bodies, time and the calendar that we currently agree upon. Ophiuchus lasts from November 30 to December 17. During this time the sun brings our focus to matters of spiritual growth and our relationship with the divine. It is an ideal time of the year to go into retreat, or do a fast, or simply enjoy your own company. The word Ophiuchus means “man holding serpent”. The mythological character has healing abilities as impressive as raising the dead. Well this is as good a place as any to start rewriting mythology, male-dominated thought forms and arbitrary time keeping….
The Hopi honor the serpent with an annual Snake Dance, believing that it represents fertility. They see it as the umbilical cord connecting humans to earth. So much of our history and mythology is usurped from the true source of creation, which is the Goddess. She presides over the mysteries of birth, regeneration and fertility. The male plays a role, but his ability to heal and bring life comes from honoring the Goddess.
We’re learning new interpretations of the history and myth we have been shown. The caduceus, symbol of medicine, is a great example of deception and thievery. The serpent in the garden of Eden, the golden cord from body to spirit, the connection between sky and underworld – these are one serpent – a wise creature, not to be feared or reviled. By depicting the wings of Hermes and 2 snakes wound about a staff, the caduceus is said by some to be perfectly appropriate, since it portrays the practice of medicine for monetary gain. It misconstrues the origins of the symbol of the divine feminine source of life, grounding the idea in a dualistic, mercantile thought form. Put more simply, the divine properties of healing and fertility were usurped and used, not for the advancement of medicine, not for health and betterment, not from a desire to serve, but rather to clip the wings and bind the creative force into monetary gain.
The ouroboros symbolizes the cycle of destruction and rebirth, or the idea that something is constantly recreating itself. This is the snake swallowing its tail. It can represent cosmic harmony and eternity. In some religions, the ouroboros is a fertility symbol, with the tail representing the phallus and the mouth representing the womb.
Sagittarius is a time of deep thought about spirit, life and death, philosophy, beliefs and gratitude. The natural ceremony of giving thanks for the harvest, going into the longest night and heralding the return of the light. …These very quiet, special times of connecting to source have also been overlaid by advertisement. The tendency of Sagittarius to generosity and over-indulgence seems well exploited, or at least put to the test.
Mercury turned retrograde on November 25th. Mercury can represent ideas, thought forms, duality, advertisement, merchandise, messenger, trickster, letter, digit, detail. When Mercury is retrograde, we often do a double-take. If you are experiencing malfunctions, delays, lost items, screw-ups, etc. your best plan is to use this time to re-think, re-view, re-vise or get a second opinion. Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius wants you to turn your mind inward, to contemplate the wonders of life, feel gratitude and faith. We all need to shop, pay bills, negotiate, make choices, but it is especially important right now to address the world at large from that place inside yourself – the observer, the intuition, the good soul who means well and moves forward thoughtfully.
Finally, tonight at 10:21 pm we have a new moon in Sagittarius. The new moon is a time of renewal, making a wish, planting a seed. As we make our way toward the longest night of the year – Solstice, we now come to the darkest night, when the moon is hidden from us and the stars and cosmos become more visible. This is an ideal time to appreciate the dark, the quiet and that place between the in-breath and the out. Can we let go of old ways of thinking and perhaps expand into the optimism and faith of Sagittarius? Can we let go of the fear of the dark? of snakes? Of the unknown, the hidden, the end of life, the dark night of the soul? Turn it off. Listen. In this very moment, all is well. Isn’t it?
