Like a long lonely stream, i keep runnin’ towards a dream
-Stevie Wonder
This coming Thursday, our Sun, still in Libra, will reach an auspicious position in the sky. Our local star is moving into a sextile with what is essentially its own sun, the center of our galaxy, located in Sagittarius. That sextile will be part of a larger set of patterns. The aggregate tableau does not foretell anything frightening or catastrophic. There is, however, a profound implication. For each and every life, it would appear that we are together entering a time of discovery and illumination regarding our place in the sun.
A sextile is a geometric relationship. It is two or more objects separated by sixty degrees. As aspects in astrology go, it is fundamental. It is like a building block, or more correctly, two building blocks. In other words, a sextile usually implies something constructive is happening. Like most construction projects, this fundamental aspect rewards work. What you put into it is what you get out of it.
Sun is also fundamental. Most of us see it nearly every day. It is light and, ultimately, the source of any light we manufacture in the material world. Symbolically, it is the light of consciousness. When we have become aware of something, we say the light comes on. When we learn from another person’s awareness we are enlightened. Our orbit around the Sun makes it central to our conscious lives.
Just as Earth orbits Sun, the Sun and all of its solar system orbit something in turn. That would be the core of the galaxy of which we are a part. When you look at the night sky with unaided eyes, everything you are likely to see is likewise on a long journey around the same center. Just as our local star is the source of our light and emblematic of consciousness, the Galactic Center is the common locus of every star we can see. That simple fact confers a spiritual endowment, but it is more than that.
The core of our galaxy is very real. It takes a lot of gravity to keep billions of stars in orbit. The source of that gravity is likely a black hole, matter that collapses into itself forever, ripping through the fabric of space time. The stars and other matter densely surrounding that hole emit a huge amount of radiation on all frequencies. All of those frequencies reach us save one, visible light. There is a very real veil that keeps us from seeing the reality of the Galactic Core with our own eyes.
So it is that what distinguishes our Sun, visible light, likewise defines the Galactic Center by its absence. Sun is something we can see, The Core is something much bigger and more powerful that we must be resigned to know in other ways. Such is the gap between the physical and spiritual. The astrology this week symbolically demonstrates the potential to begin bridging that gulf. This will happen by way of a form without a name and names without form.
This sextile of Sun to Galactic Center, representing a constructive opportunity, takes place every year about this time (the Sun also sextiles the GC from Aquarius each year). This year, however, both Sun and GC find themselves simultaneously in aspect to an object still known only by the year and nature of its discovery: 1992 QB1.
After the discovery of Pluto in 1930, over 60 years passed before science observed another object that ventured outside the orbit of Neptune. That was 1992 QB1. Since then, over a thousand other pieces of rock and ice have been observed that likewise share that distinction. Most of them have been named, yet 1992 QB1 curiously remains known only by its initial designation in spite of the fact that it was the object that marked the threshold of all those subsequent observations. Long before the discovery of Pluto, however, human minds were at work hypothesizing the expansion of the solar system.
None of the theoretical planets on the edge of our solar system were ever verified. Nonetheless, their hypothetical positions have been retained, and named, as useful reference points for astrology. Some of them, a group, are referred to as Uranians.
As the Sun sextiles the Galactic core on Thursday, it will also be precisely in opposition to 1992 QB1 in Aries and almost exactly conjunct a Uranian point with a name reminiscent of the Sun, Apollon. Another Uranian, Vulkanus, will be in the same degree of Cancer that the Sun, Galactic Core, 1992 QB1 and Apollon occupy in their respective signs. A third hypothetical object, Admetos, will be in the same part of Taurus. It is as if the observations of science and the informed speculations of humanity are coming together, all at once. For that to happen now is indicative of something we all can sense, that human consciousness is on some sort of threshold between the seen and unseen.
1992 QB1 and the Uranian points share a fundamental characteristic: they move slowly from our perspective. The apparent motion of the Galactic Core is so minuscule as to be, for all practical purposes, stationary. For all of these slow movers to be in aspect, to the degree, waiting for Sun to join them, symbolizes some great combination of science, imagination and spirituality waiting for our consciousness to catch up and provide the final piece of an extraordinary puzzle long in construction.
We are all part of that puzzle as surely as we are all a part of our galaxy and solar system. As a matter of fact, it would seem that we are more than that; it would appear that we are crucial to the solution of a great mystery. Yet, this impending alignment of the observed and the hypothetical, the gargantuan and the ethereal, is but an opportunity. In order for the implied potential to be realized, we must do our part. When the Sun makes its annual sextile from Libra to the Galactic Core later this week, it will be like any other project under construction. What we put into this moment in history is what we will derive.
Offered In Service
As always, very helpful and inspiring. Balances me for the next round. Thank you Len 🙂
Many thanks to all for your kind words and for your own contributions to deepen and widen the subject matter.
Burning River… May I second that ‘I am feeling “something” very intense.’ ? All day and yesterday. Anytime I even *think* about OWS, I start to get waves of goosebumps, … never mind postering or cooking or discussing.
When I begin to engage at any level of support, I almost fly out of my shoes.
Whoopeetown, I tell ya…
Thanks, word- after going to youtube to listen I got out my Talking Book cd (don’t have the Greatest Hits that that one was on) and am really going back to a very soulful time, Wow. ( Going through stuff with The Other (s) back then–had a break and here we are again).
Sarah, your words: “Perhaps the gap between the physical and spiritual is experienced in the ‘between’ between self and other. In other words, we cannot do this fully alone. We are in this together.” Yes!
I am feeling “something” very intense. And now after reading this I am alert to what is coming. And at least half of what is coming has to do with “other(s)”. This realm is awesome to think of and really resonates with me. Whatever is coming it is coming to “us.”. We are in this together. Yes.
And it is all about what is going to be put in or NOT put in (which is of course something also) That gap, That realm.
So I will have time this week to work with the promptings and the realities and dig down into my intuition.
be, thanks for your filling in on the mythology of the Uranians. It is very helpful and pertinent for me right now. (Vulkanus especially).
What a ride this week.
Sure have good music as accompaniment.
Len –you KNOW what I think of your columns. Now you can add to that my esteem for your thoughtful, intuitive choices of lines from poetry and song- genius.
((hug)))
+_+
Len, Thank you and Thank you. ” it would appear that we are crucial to the solution of a great mystery.” — and this it does seem – I agree – and more and more.
Sarah – thank you for sharing that. There is something there for sure. We are on a cusp.
And that which is Between is what (or one of the whats) we are coming to know, isn’t it? To know better, anyway.
Be – As always what a Great add-on astro-lesson! I shall take a look at all of these points, I DO enjoy your additions here!!!!
This whole “thing” begs for more sleep-upon-it. More dreaming, more journaling upon waking. Aren’t we on a Marvelous Ride?
“So it is that what distinguishes our Sun, visible light, likewise defines the Galactic Center by its absence. Sun is something we can see, The Core is something much bigger and more powerful that we must be resigned to know in other ways. Such is the gap between the physical and spiritual.”
Len, you write this, and it stands out for me; and I feel, in turn, compelled to copy this piece of writing that I read today as part of my psychoanalytic studies. I have no idea the extent to which it correlates, but, for what it’s worth:
“Communication of our otherness is the path our being takes in, or through, life. A poem’s style ‘both creates the surface and calls upon – calls up – the deep unconscious life’ and in like manner so does the self’s otherness. If others are open to any self’s communication of its otherness – and of course there are many impediments to such reception, such as envy or hate – then the freedom of association that is the movement of character conjures up equivalent depths in the receptive others.”
Perhaps the gap between the physical and spiritual is experienced in the ‘between’ between self and other. In other words, we cannot do this fully alone. We are in this together.
I will save you for an evening read, Len. I’m not concentrating ’cause I’ve got Stevie on the brain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCTSIm6_0ik&feature=related
(“We” grew up with Stevie, his brothers were classmates; the MoTown folks were neighbors. Not only is this a great song and he a great artist – but with this one, I travel Home. Thanks for that.)
Well, maybe I made it harder than it needed to be; Apollon is opposite QB1, not conjunct it. It’s the Sun that will be conjunct it. I see it in a new light now. Never mind.
be
Hi Len,
It is compelling isn’t it. . these patterns that form among the ‘real’ and ‘invisible’ travelers in the night sky. It’s not just our mind that gravitates to exploration, but our feelings or instincts or even our hearts want to find the message they surely must be sending us.
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t QB1 thought to represent a kind of threshold (Eric once wrote about his choice for a name I believe), and conjunct Apollon the Uranian point representing wisdom and understanding could be telling us we are on the threshold of a great learning experience.
Admetos was the king who once sheltered Apollon and the Uranian point representing him in an aspect can trigger a deep metamorphosis (his wife died and came back to life so maybe that’s what caused it). This morphing can lead to the development of endurance and stability, so even a minor aspect like the one between Apollon/QB1 in Aries and Admetos in Taurus could produce some of this wouldb’t you think?
But Admetos at 27 Taurus is sextile Vulkanus at 27 Cancer and Vulkanus (who was once the crippled God Hephaestus, then later became Vulkanus) was known as a forger of destinies. I read that his energies represent great strength when positive or brutality when weak. Can’t we see Vulkanus in Cancer developing endurance and stability in feeling when combined with Admetos in Taurus, who would gain greater strength from the partnership?
However, a square from QB1/Apollon to Vulkanus could be a test of strength and endurance where our feelings are concerned, when faced with crossing a threshold of new understanding and wisdom. I can see how that could be.
Admetos and Vulkanus teamed together would form a yod with the Galactic Center/Core, but shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t the GC be fueling the sextiled Uranian points? Is this part of the message?
In the USA, Vulkanus is opposite the U.S Sibly Pluto in Cap. That’s a heck of a lot of pressure on the lame one and he can be very mean when he feels weak. So much to ponder in this offering Len, it will keep me up all night I’m sure.
be
Thank you, Len, for articulating the historical moment we are fortunate and blessed to be experiencing. I have not been as hopeful for humanity as I am now. Not to be grandiose, but that’s what it feels like. And it feels like a bunch of folks all over are starting to acknowledge that feeling with less fear for the future.
Peace
Here comes the sun! I’m feelin it Len.