By Len Wallick
Today we have an interesting triple conjunction in Sagittarius. The dwarf Planet Ceres, the largest concentration of mass in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, meets up with the Galactic Center and an interesting centaur named Crantor. The theme behind this auspicious gathering is posited to be one of transition.
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How can anyone now doubt that we live in a time of transition? A lot of us got it in November of 2008 when the United States elected a president that almost nobody considered possible only a year before. On that day Saturn exacted the first of five oppositions with Uranus to kick off the cardinal T-square.
Now the cardinal T-square itself is in transition with Saturn having passed the lunar nodes as if to signify a departure from the past and the beginning of something new for that planet. The other members of the T- Square are spending the rest of this year re-grouping in preparation for a new rendition. Uranus and Jupiter are both retrograde in Pisces and in between rare conjunctions in that sign, signaling that the end of one age and the beginning of another is nigh. Pluto has recently stationed direct and is re-tracing its steps for the third time to emerge from its echo/shadow phase precisely when Jupiter and Uranus form that second Pisces conjunction early next year.
Yesterday, Mercury emerged from its own echo/shadow phase and is today in an awkward relationship — a quincunx — with the dwarf planet Eris, the significator of transformation in identity. This morning the Moon crosses over into Gemini in its own quincunx with Pluto. Pluto, of course, is all about the deepest form of transition, metamorphosis. With Mercury representing how we think, Luna representing how we feel and both currently in mutable signs, indications are that all of us, on some level, will be faced with an adjustment of some sort. For most of us that will come with an emerging awareness that things are not and can never be the same.
It is what we do with that awareness that will distinguish us. Some are resisting or in denial, unable to release attachment to that which is on the way out. In the United States, there are those who are challenging racial demographics, attempting to re-define what it means to be a citizen. All over the world the fundamental transition of economics and exchange is provoking ever more desperate attempts to shore up eroding systems and institutions.
There exists a growing number, however, who are becoming active participants in the evolution of relationships. Many are even now making adjustment to how they share and utilize resources. Others are questioning the loyalties and affiliations that were conferred to them by previous generations. Nearly all of us are being faced with a transition in our gender identities.
It is fitting that the Galactic Center is in the midst of all this. Nearly everything we see in the night sky is part of the same galaxy we are. Probably every atom in every cell of every living being on this earth had its origin in the stars that have previously constituted this collection of matter and energy that constitutes our neighborhood in the universe. And whatever your take on the cultural phenomena that 2012 has become, there is no doubt that the center of our galaxy is central to that event. It is as if our link to the universe is being re-formatted.
Over the past couple years, Crantor has been in functional conjunction with the Galactic Center concurrent with the fading first rendition of the cardinal T-square. In mythology, the character Crantor was not a centaur at all. He was a young human being, slain by a centaur. The tragedy felt by this transition from his earthly life is reflected in Philip Sedgwick’s interpretation of this object as having to do with the cathartic; experiences and rituals that are so traumatic and difficult as to require the greatest courage. Most of us would rather do without the trials of catharsis. A few of us seek it out, usually as a remedy to spiritual crisis. All of us have the experience sooner or later, often more than once. We are left changed, transformed, never the same again.
It is with the third party to this conjunction that we are given a clue regarding the means of adjustment. In Greco-Roman mythology, Ceres experienced the trauma of having her daughter abducted by Pluto. She reacted by lashing out against the innocent inhabitants of Earth, bringing winter and its trials for the first time. The planet cooled and the crops died. Things were looking pretty desperate. For the first time, mortals were faced with starvation.
This was an existential crisis for the pantheon of gods whose rise to power was ostensibly motivated by compassion for human beings. Negotiations ensued. Mercury went back and forth from Olympus to the underworld and a compromise was worked out. Half the year, Ceres’ daughter Persephone would reside with her abductor, the other half with her mother. Ceres adjusted from her initial reaction with a response in kind by allowing Earth to have its seasons when food crops could be produced. She taught humans to set aside stores of that production for nourishment during the seasons when she mourned her daughter’s absence.
So it is that we can adjust to the coming transitions hinted at by today’s aspects, rather than resisting the unbidden catharsis of change. I propose this as an alternative to lashing out at those who had no part in bringing on the transition. Instead, enter into negotiated relationships with an awareness that metamorphosis will overcome resistance. Approach the inevitable with a spirit of sharing, not withholding the gifts each of us has to offer. See ourselves as part of something bigger and greater taking place at levels beyond our grasp. Push our own personal envelope’s mortal existence to the limits of our consciousness.
That’s what will allow us to remain as participants in this adventure of earthly life. On this day like any other day, allow yourself the first step of thinking and feeling that is possible and you will play a part in making it probable.
Offered In Service
“For most of us that will come with an emerging awareness that things are not and can never be the same.”
Oh Len. I thought I was doing well with all that…then my hard drive crashed and ALL the files on it are currently inaccessible until I scrape up $1600 for a “clean room” disassembly and data recovery. It crashed just as the Merc Rx shadow phase ended. The computer motherboard stopped working the day Merc turned direct.
The lesson plans for my son’s homeschooling this year (on an Excel file), the ones I worked so hard on for weeks, are now inaccessible. I will have to start from scratch again and I don’t have the time now to do it because now I am in school as well. Family pictures and movies will have to wait as well as all my writing (and I write a LOT). That hard drive is literally part of our family history and the deepest secrets of my heart. I never backed it up because I lacked enough time to learn how and it was less than a year old (it replaced the 8 year old one that crashed last year during Merc Rx.) The lesson here is clear; I cannot put off learning to back-up my hard drives.
I am amazed at the grieving I am feeling because we just won’t have enough money to retrieve that data for a long time. I feel the loss as though it were a piece of myself. Indeed; things can never be the same. I feel adrift.
Between what you have written here and the October monthly (talk about feeling post traumatic stress) I am amazed at the significance of the written material on PW. Thanks Len (and Eric) for being again a beacon of light.
Making tomorrow “One kid at a time”
I would bet this young person has a significant Ceres placement. It’s very heartening to hear this message from one so young.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Id9caYw-Y
Yeah Pam, same root absolutely still makes it a great omen.
I agree with you.
😉
Maybe it doesn’t matter if it was an earlier concert – it could still be a good omen – the same root…?
Hi Shebear13 – yes it was electric wasn’t it – and DS and EC were really in that elastic jamming creative space – what a team! (again!). Len I hope my ha ha’s sounded friendly they were meant to be – I’m just so dumb about compliments – trying to practice!
xx
Oops, sorry Pam, seems like I got my concerts muddled. It was the 1984 one. Something about seeing the crowd swaying instead of being squished made me think!
It was the earlier “Free Mandela” concert at Wembley.
Pam, I was at that concert too! Wow-ee.
This sure feels like team work. Brothers-AND-sisters-in-arms even!
Speaking of brothers; I went with my youngest brother (he and I share the same love of music) and I have often imitated to people how utterly squished I felt; limbs and faces pushed tight against each other, with not an inch of space to move anywhere. But I honed my ears to the music which was superb. It was the best concert I ever attended.
Thank you so much for the memory. I’ll take this as a good luck omen on the decision I have just committed myself to earlier today.
Nice!
Ha ha Len – be humble if you like then you can just keep going up!
Pam,
Thank you, yes, team is the key word. It must be like football, the strong ones make it possible for the shifty guy to score.
Thank you thank you for the link stormilarue! Len it’s your knowledge and heart stuff, even if polished by the team?
Don’t know if anyone else likes this, but I happened to be at this concert all those years ago and this music was perfect, I found it recently and it still seems perfect to me.
love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAl5jucOgro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-P4DVCsd70&feature=related
PS
Yeah just like Len coined it:
I’ve decided to make my tomorrow.
Oh I love it; what a wonderful picture.
Thank you Pam and Stormi for bringing it to my attention.
It feels like I have my own infinity loop dancing back and forth between my own heart and brain these past few days.
Today I have taken the big leap forward and decided that once and for all I am going to do something about the music in me.
I am going to be a music therapist.
There — it’s out there, as out there it can be.
Tra-la-la, twiddle dee dee-dee!
I’m working with the “Sleeping Beauty” metaphor right now. Sounds prosaic, yes. But it’s not. It’s pertinent to something. Who knew.
What awakens the princess? The kiss from the prince isn’t literal, obviously. But there’s something there. I’ve got my Clarissa Pinkola Estes hat on, doing a “psychic archaeological dig.”
pam,
the artist is Alex Grey;
http://motley-focus.com/embrace.html
Fe and shebear,
Thank you for your kind words. Just feels strange to get credit not entirely due.
Len, you are a dear. It was indeed your beautiful and inspiring line that moved me to make my proposal.
Yep; Fe is right my friend, no more discrediting yourself now, ya hear! Just keep those “concepts and pictures” coming and feed our hungry souls.
Len:
Don’t discredit yourself. It always starts with your concepts and pictures, which only you can provide.
shebear,
Thank you. That is such a beautiful idea. Just right. Just and right. Oh, and that phrase was mine.
I’d like to propose that when we meditate or find some quiet time in our daily lives to reflect, that we consciously hold all of humankind in a spirit of compassion. Most especially those who are in deep denial; the ones, who more often than not, tend to raise our ire in an instant and frustrate the heck out of us.
As Len so aptly put it, we could live this time “as an alternative to lashing out at those who had no part in bringing on the transition.”
Huffy – credit where credit is due. Truth is, i did not write it precisely that way. The phrasing was improved by the editing (either Fe, or Amanda or Eric). Truth is i’m not all that and just lucky to be able to express myself here with help from my friends because i don’t write good.
(Eric, some time (years?) ago planetwaves posted a picture of a couple kissing – you could see all their blood vessels and bones and systems but you could also see an infinity loop between their two brains and hearts, I don’t remember the name of the artist, but I loved it… Would it be possible to post it again or an url to find it. Please. And Thank you, and excuse me Len too and happy day…
Pam)
“metamorphosis will overcome resistance. Approach the inevitable with a spirit of sharing, not withholding the gifts each of us has to offer”. You really are something else dear Len. Thank you!
Liz xx