Summer Solstice and the Sailor
By Leah Whitehorse | June 21, 2009
“On A Ship The Sailors Lower An Old Flag And Raise A New One”
The Sabian symbol presiding over the Summer Solstice is a perfect picture that captures the divine battle between the Oak King and the Holly King that takes place as the Sun moves into the cardinal water sign Cancer.
Traditionally the year is split into two halves: the light half ruled by the Oak King and the dark Half ruled by the Holly King. On the shortest night of the year the Oak King finally relinquishes his hold and darkness takes over. From this day onwards towards Winter Solstice there will be a little less light each day. Darkness falls earlier and earlier and the sleepy sun will struggle to awaken in the morning. The two Kings are the dual aspects of the Sun God, locked in an eternal battle yet neither can destroy the other.
The root of the word ’solstice’ means to ’stand still’. From our perspective on earth the Sun seems to halt in the sky. At the Solstice sunrise the sun will be at it’s most northeasterly point. At noon the Sun will be at it’s highest in the year. If you stood on the Tropic of Cancer at noon on the longest day, the Sun would cast no shadow as it is directly overhead. To me this symbolises the time in the year when the hero’s journey is clear. He stands still to truly see how far he has come, what has happened and what might happen next. Solstice is a time to pause and take stock on your own hero’s journey unhindered by shadows.
The Solstice point in my own chart occurs in the 11th house. It is the perfect time of year for me to stand still with the Sun and take a good look at the goals and wishes I have. It’s time to look back to how far I have come and look forward to where I need to go. As the Oak king gives way to the Holly King, now is the time to see if how I am working is working for me. Does something need to change? It is also a time for me to reflect on friendships and my contacts with the wider world.
The New Moon in Cancer follows quick on the heels of the Solstice at 8.35 tomorrow evening adding the emphasis on the nurturing theme. I look to the house that is ruled by Cancer to tell me where my energies should be going at this time.
In my own chart Cancer rules the 12th house. Cancer shows us where and/or what we need to nurture in our lives. For me it is important that I nurture my sanctuary to ensure that I have a safe place of retreat. I have a deep need to protect my innermost self. As the Solstice and then the new Moon occur in my 11th house of goals, wishes and friendships I can combine these themes by making sure I take time out of my busy life to contemplate where I am going with the goals I have set myself and spend some restful time with friends. Take a look at your own chart to see where the Solstice point falls and also the new Moon in Cancer which occurs at just 1 degree of the mother sign. The early fall of the New Moon means that there will be a second New Moon in Cancer in July. There is an extended opportunity to spend time cherishing the part of your life ruled by the watery moon. The Cancerian theme heralded by the Solstice will be with us for some time to come. We all need to Mother ourselves a little sometimes.
Topics: Astrology | No Comments »
Jupiter Meets Uranus - Newly Published
By Leah Whitehorse | May 21, 2009
“Jupiter and Uranus meet every fourteen years. When they do, revolution and innovation join forces with restless exploration and the quest for knowledge.The result is always exciting, educational and unpredictable. Or is it ?”
There’s a definate buzz around a new book on the block. Jupiter Meets Uranus: From Erotic Bathing to Star Gazing is an indepth research study by astrologer Anne Whitaker just published by the esteemed American Federation of Astrologers.
Centred around the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction of 1997, Anne has meticulously gathered evidence of the manifestations of this contact on both global and personal levels. By observing worldwide events and working with a team of individuals who volunteered their own charts and lives, traditional interpretations of this conjunction are put to the test.
Anne Whitaker has been a practising astrologer since 1983 and holds a Diploma from the Centre for Psychological Astrology. She is also a gifted writer. As a regular reader of Anne’s blog I find her writing style insightful and accessible and she has a wealth of wisdom and experience to share. Her book has been very well received by well known names in the astrological world.
“ I have read your book - and enjoyed it very much. It is truly a fine piece of work and packed with so much information…” Juliet Sharman-Burke, administrator of the Centre for Psychological Astrology (London), author of a number of books on the Tarot, and co-author (with Liz Greene) of “The Mythic Tarot”, “The Mythic Journey ” and “The Astrologer, the Counsellor and the Priest”
“I must say I am impressed with Anne Whitaker’s scholarship and insight.‘From Erotic Bathing to Star Gazing’ would make a marvelous doctoral dissertation, as it explores a limited configuration –Jupiter conjunct Uranus– with great depth and precision. Compellingly written and intelligently argued from start to finish, Whitaker’s book represents the cutting edge of astrological research. I heartily recommend it.” Glenn Perry PhD, astro-therapist, consultant, director of the Association for Psychological Astrology and author of six books on Astro Psychology including “Essays in Psychological Astrology : Theory and Practice”
“Colourful, insightful and painstakingly researched, there is simply no other study of its kind available.” Frank Clifford of Flare Books(UK), and Principal of the London School of Astrology
With endorsements such as these and the vivid cover which to me captures the very essence of Jupiter-Uranus conjunction I am very much looking forward to adding this to my bookshelf. A full review will follow in the next few weeks.
Anne Whitaker’s blog Writing from the Twelfth House
Topics: Astrology, Book Reviews | 2 Comments »
The Lace-Maker’s Daughter
By Leah Whitehorse | May 17, 2009
As Saturn finally stations and turns direct, I thought it was time (how Saturn of me) to reflect on my personal relationship with Saturn as he’s been journeying through my second house.
Whilst Venus dances cheek to cheek with my MC (occasionally bordering on pole dancing to get my attention), Saturn’s steely gaze watches from only three degrees away. I adore my Venus, she loves to sing, loves to be in beautiful places, loves to play music and just loves to love. Her goal is a world where everything is in harmony and life is a great choir singing along to the music of the spheres.
“Love makes the world go round you know” says Venus as she wiggles cheekily at Saturn.
He doesn’t bat an eyelid.
It’s true, I’ve cowered under that gaze and Venus has covered herself up and sulked moodily in the corner keeping all the best for herself. She likes to have things her way, loves the sheer up-rushing of life. Whilst not completely at home in Aries, she does try and initiate things when she can and whilst occassionally she can burn herself out, bless her, she keeps trying.
Saturn hovers and lets out a sigh that makes me shiver. There’s goose-bumps on my skin and an ache in my hip.
“Tick, tock” is all his says and taps his ever-present watch.
I have loud ticking clocks in most rooms in my house. I find the sound intensely comforting. I have a grandmother clock which was passed down through the family. A country Squire gave it to my great-grandfather and eventually it hung on my grandmothers wall for many years. I used to love it when she said to me that it was time to wind the clock. The tiny metal key was like something from a fairy tale.
“13 and a half turns, no more or less” was my Grandmother’s repeated instruction.
I would turn the key, feel the spring growing tighter and finally I would nudge the pendulum back to life. The soft yet solid sound of the passing of time would begin again.
Time, it’s passing and it’s meaning has always haunted me. Perhaps it’s that not only does Saturn conjunct the MC and Venus in my chart but also the North Node as well. Time and destiny all rolled into one.
He gets impatient sometimes does my Saturn. Like Venus, he also struggles to live with the Aries energy and being old, occasionally he topples and falls over. With him goes my confidence and my patience. I’m tempted to use that old walking stick to beat myself around the head as I’ve done on many occassions, especially when I was younger. When I did that though, poor Venus got so upset she couldn’t sing anymore.
Saturn is currently in my second house. I won’t go into what happened when he crossed my Ascendant a few years back: let’s just leave it at that he decided to take me on a not so merry trip to hell. Natal Saturn found everything his 9th house had ever taught him came crashing down.
Whilst his brother in the sky slogged through my first house, natal Saturn made various attempts to get up and get going again, tried to sort through the rubble of belief and meaning until he had enough pieces to start building a home again. Venus couldn’t help much. Her beautiful world had collapsed around her and everything that had any meaning for the future was gone. Perhaps it was then that Saturn reminded her of their natal embrace. He said
“If you love, then be constant in your love, master your love, be patient in your love, love responsibly. You have the ability to respond with love” and Venus listened and learned to keep her flame alight - not an easy thing in Aries.
Transitting Saturn sat knocking on the door of the second house and I in turn started to feel his presence. It was time to take things seriously. I decided to fulfil a long time ambition which was to study with the Faculty of Astrological Studies and commit myself to becoming a professional astrologer. Whilst I’ve studied for around 20 years alone, Saturn said it was time to get down to business, find a teacher and master the art. It was time to take my abilities seriously.
So as sky Saturn shuffled into the 2nd house, natal Venus turned to watch him. Whilst she isn’t the ruler of that house in my chart, she does of course take an interest in all things of value.
She likes to have enough to buy pretty things (well in her 9th house case that’s books to you and me). Transiting Saturn smiled a wry smile as within days of entering my second house I watched my income fall as my tax credits stopped. Venus stuck her tongue out at him.
“You can stand on your own two feet now” he said and I caught the glimpse of a smile.
Saturn’s transit of the second house is often full of horror stories of financial loss and this certainly concerned my Taurus Sun who likes stability but really this isn’t the case. To me it’s about challenging the fears that keep you from recognizing the inherent gifts within - the value that you can offer the world. Self-worth needs to come from a strong foundation and Saturn shows you how to build this so that the castle will also stand strong in the future. As he plodded his way through, I did find myself questioning my abilities, my strengths and weaknesses and what I had to give to the world. My natal Saturn had inclined me to build a life upon dreams (literally in the 9th house!) and now it was time to bring them into reality - make my dreams manifest.
Pluto and Uranus also sit in my 2nd house natally so as Saturn shook hands with Pluto I felt a deep need to let go of those things that hold me back; to become less self-limiting and discover my own power. I also felt a strong need to submit to divine will (Pluto) which is not always an easy thing to do! Saturn and Pluto both like the dark, they know how to be comfortable with it. In their meeting, I overheard them whisper about how I too needed to be comfortable with my own darkness. Darkness once known becomes light.
Saturn turned retrograde before he met Uranus and as he made an exact conjunction to Pluto for the second time he brought something back into my life which I thought was lost. The loneliness of Saturn’s journey through the first house began to wain. I began to feel that my journey through ‘hell’ that had begun with Saturn crossing my Ascendant was coming to an end. Personal barriers and boundaries were re-marked giving me more room to breathe. In the meantime however, Saturn’s retrograde motion brought about a certain melancholy which sometimes degraded into questioning my worth, feeling worthless, wondering if I was ‘worthy’. And all the time transitting Saturn quietly reminded me that in Virgo he was asking me to be of service, to let go of my fears and see where I can serve others. It was during these first few weeks of retrograde motion that I took my second income loss but this time it was a chosen loss. I realised I valued time over money and that as long as I can keep a roof over my head it was more important to work less in order to dedicate myself to my studies. In Virgo, Saturn was reminding me of the responsibility of being an apprentice.
Saturn in the second will strip away those things that you thought were important - especially on a material level if you have more to offer in other ways. He’s not interested in keeping the status quo. Saturn brings you discipline and the ability to dedicate yourself quietly and humbly. His job in the second house is to teach you to find your true self worth and Venus reminds me that in many ways it’s about sowing the seeds of self love in order that you can give the flowers (or food - I am a Taurus you know!) to others in the future.
Talking of Venus, she’s finding things a bit tough at the moment as transitting Saturn creates a quincunx to her. She wants to burst open into a riot of colour and express her love but Saturn says now is not the right time. She must wait, be patient, sing quietly under her breath and shine that love inwards as well as outwards. There’ll be time enough in the future for her to play, right now Saturn says I must work harder - harder than I ever have done before because by the end of his journey in the 2nd house, I will have built a solid foundation for future endeavours: brought my dreams into reality.
Saturn stationed on the 14th degree of Virgo which in Sabian symbolism is
A Fine Lace Handkerchief, Heirloom From Valorous Ancestors
Lace-making is an intricate art, one that was once passed down as a trade from Grandmother to daughter to grand-daughter. My grandmother wanted me to write and used to tell me stories. Perhaps it is through her that I learned to weave words. The turning of the key in the clock was one story that would remain forever in my mind. My Grandmother knew about time, knew about spirits and sensed when death was coming. She gave me a gift of knowing.
Saturn’s transit of the second house will dig deep inside of you to find your inherent gifts and true worth, the talents you were born with and the resources you have which will sustain you. Sometimes it feels like the mountain is impossibly high and that I’m running out of time. It’s then that I find myself looking deep into those ancient eyes of Saturn and know that behind that stern expression is true wisdom.
“Put your foot there” he says kindly, and he holds out his hand to steady me as I move onwards and upwards. I know there’s more to come as Saturn will soon meet my natal Pluto for the last time then move on to speak with Uranus. But right now he wants me to marvel at his intricate weaving of time and reflect that dedication in my own art. Sometimes he has been the Devil in disguise but these days I notice Venus will occasionally smile sweetly at him as if she has started to love him for who he truly is. I think she’s realised that love is a ‘doing’ word. Beauty reveals the beast but the beast also reveals true beauty.
Topics: Astrology | 6 Comments »
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