Celestial Notebook Overview September 2007
‘The crisis must be won by being lived. The rose ever blooms at the centre of the cross.’ Dane Rudhyar
It is logical to assume that early man, completely absorbed by problems resulting from the raising of yearly crops, used the solar year and the cycle of the moon’s phases as a basis to divine our twelve-fold cosmos. The twelve signs of the zodiac were seen as twelve gates through which the creative power of the sun flows – each gate defining a phase of the organic whole.
Likewise, humanity had to be twelve fold – twelve types of men, each type necessary for the development and the harmony of the social whole. Each type could be viewed as a gift of the Spirit – Spirit whose function is to bring wholeness and to harmonise the parts. (The traditional name for the number twelve=humanity).
The sun is in Virgo for most of September. With Virgo, the zodiacal hemicycle which began in Aries comes to an end and instead of trying every possible way to keep on the go, we need to be still and silently bear the pressure of evolution, the fatal-inevitability of our metamorphosis.
The gift of Spirit to the Virgo part of us is tolerance, true tolerance that accepts all opposites and duality – the prelude to inclusiveness and co-operation. In fact, three great virtues bless the Virgo path: tolerance, compassion and charity – mainly because there is such need of these on this path of personal re-orientation.
As the season changes our task is to be tolerant and bear the responsibility for our untiring quest for wisdom, to see ourselves beyond the reflection of self and to grow by becoming ever more connected to all.
Pluto, The Lord of Metamorphosis, turns direct on 7 September at 26 degrees 18 minutes Sagittarius after being retrograde since March 31. Hopefully, our private battlefield shifts to finding external outlets for our concentrated inner forces: the more we have mastered our own darker shadows during the retrograde period, the less fearful we become of similar shadows when we see them at the mass level – we may even be able to transform them into renewed powers that could benefit the spiritual growth of society.
On 8 September Venus, Queen of Heaven and Earth, turns to go direct. Venus always spends 40 days reversing, symbolising the archetypal 40 days in the wilderness. While Venus was retrograde we laboured to release our old griefs so that the heart may soften. As Venus turns to go ahead merciful clarity arises, at times following shocking incidents, at times arriving quietly: allow yourself to let go, forgive and move forward.
After being in Leo since July 2005, Saturn, The master of Time and Space steps into Virgo. Our new-found, grounded sense of self will be put to practical test for the next three years: Saturn in Leo says: Do what you love. Saturn in Virgo says: Love what you do.
A solar eclipse at 18 degrees 25 minutes Virgo on 11 September sets the tone not only for September but for the next six months. A solar eclipse is a powerful new moon during which the Sun, the light of consciousness is dimmed: it marks times of major beginnings and endings. A solar eclipse in Virgo, especially so soon after Saturn enters Virgo means that we need to seriously apply our self to put into practice what we have been preaching: ‘idealism must of necessity travel through the phase of realism to effect the fullness of evolvement’ Vicky Wall, Aura-Soma Self-Discovery Through Colour.
Where Virgo is in a chart is where the changes will occur. In September 1988 an eclipse darkened the same degree: what was happening for you then, what will you do differently this time round?
The autumn equinox is on 23 September: at the equinoxes we have extremes of motion and activity either toward (spring) or away (autumn) from the sun. From Aries to Libra symbolises our outward journey, going out and building our external life, the period when vegetation is manifest: the realm of leaf.
From Libra to Aries (starting now), is the return journey, living subjectively, the period when vegetation is latent below the crust of the earth: the realm of seed. As the weather turns colder (at least in the Northern hemisphere) we need to apply our experiences and presence these in our bodies so that they become part of our cell being.
(Note: Although the seasons are different in the Southern hemisphere, the symbolism appears to hold water: much milder winters make it possible to build outwardly and more extreme heat in summer slows the process down to allow an inner maturity to manifest. This is an off-the-cuff statement and any input would be welcomed!)
With eight of the ten celestial bodies moving direct, September is a month to experiment, without preconceived ideas, with who we are becoming. Living our purpose is not something we do, it is something we are. The more we let go of the old and allow our self to unfold, the more we are able to be happy. Doing with integrity what we truly want to do brings joy and fulfilment.
