What exactly might it mean that Monday’s Cancer New Moon is exactly conjunct an asteroid named after Atlantis — a perhaps-mythical civilization whose deep spiritual implications confront us now? In this week’s members’ issue, Eric’s inquires into this lunar new start in a sign closely tied to our emotional and physical bodies, in a time when ‘societal’ and ‘personal’ are inextricably entwined.
To access this week’s issue, which includes this week’s horoscopes by Eric for all 12 signs, please use this link for individual purchase. Or, sign up for a one-month free trial offer and track your new cycle with Planet Waves.
Thank you for that, bodymindalchemy.
Apropos of Mercury’s retrograde journey in Cancer, enjoy W.H. Auden’s ode “Atlantis” (1941):
Being set on the idea
Of getting to Atlantis,
You have discovered of course
Only the Ship of Fools is
Making the voyage this year,
As gales of abnormal force
Are predicted, and that you
Must therefore be ready to
Behave absurdly enough
To pass for one of The Boys,
At least appearing to love
Hard liquor, horseplay and noise.
Should storms, as may well happen,
Drive you to anchor a week
In some old harbour-city
Of Ionia, then speak
With her witty sholars, men
Who have proved there cannot be
Such a place as Atlantis:
Learn their logic, but notice
How its subtlety betrays
Their enormous simple grief;
Thus they shall teach you the ways
To doubt that you may believe.
If, later, you run aground
Among the headlands of Thrace,
Where with torches all night long
A naked barbaric race
Leaps frenziedly to the sound
Of conch and dissonant gong:
On that stony savage shore
Strip off your clothes and dance, for
Unless you are capable
Of forgetting completely
About Atlantis, you will
Never finish your journey.
Again, should you come to gay
Carthage or Corinth, take part
In their endless gaiety;
And if in some bar a tart,
As she strokes your hair, should say
“This is Atlantis, dearie,”
Listen with attentiveness
To her life-story: unless
You become acquainted now
With each refuge that tries to
Counterfeit Atlantis, how
Will you recognise the true?
Assuming you beach at last
Near Atlantis, and begin
That terrible trek inland
Through squalid woods and frozen
Thundras where all are soon lost;
If, forsaken then, you stand,
Dismissal everywhere,
Stone and now, silence and air,
O remember the great dead
And honour the fate you are,
Travelling and tormented,
Dialectic and bizarre.
Stagger onward rejoicing;
And even then if, perhaps
Having actually got
To the last col, you collapse
With all Atlantis shining
Below you yet you cannot
Descend, you should still be proud
Even to have been allowed
Just to peep at Atlantis
In a poetic vision:
Give thanks and lie down in peace,
Having seen your salvation.
All the little household gods
Have started crying, but say
Good-bye now, and put to sea.
Farewell, my dear, farewell: may
Hermes, master of the roads,
And the four dwarf Kabiri,
Protect and serve you always;
And may the Ancient of Days
Provide for all you must do
His invisible guidance,
Lifting up, dear, upon you
The light of His countenance.
Like Len said; you are unique, Mr. E – in the best of ways.
“Atlantis” – much to mull over. As you point out, it’s a persistent myth. “What is the effect of so many of our personal bonds being reduced to experiences on Facebook or text message (notably, that are not actually private)?”
Personally, I’m clicking on the “like” button re: the Atlantis inspired New Moon. There is a doorway here and you have helped point us to it. “Feeling the truth is the thing that can get you over the threshold.”
And re horoscope? This little fish finds it ‘spot on’ with current experience. So, I’ll ride that current.
xo
Eric: Thank you for the excellent lead into the horoscopes. Asteroid Atlantis keeps popping up in timely aspect to keep us mindful, and it was a great catch on your part to note its conjunction with the New Moon. As to the weekly horoscopes – amazing, with broad appeal. Those who are not familiar with the astrology behind them will still find your interpretations both uncanny and accurate. Those who are better versed in astrology will enjoy how you convey the current trends, patterns, cycles and the planetary players in a manner most sublime, precisely pitch perfect for each sign. There is nobody like you anywhere, Eric.