Dear Friend and Reader:
We are now five days away from the Full Moon in Cancer. Luna is now in Taurus and has just passed a conjunction with Vesta, which may serve to create a sweet resonance of creativity in the air, or a touch of selfless service. Now that Jupiter has entered Aquarius, creative energy is closer within everyone’s reach: Jupiter being creative and Aquarius being the sign of the people. Today we can enjoy some minor planet play as Eros in Sagittarius is trine Sappho in Leo. Both of these minor planets will get extensive coverage in Next World Stories as we go world hopping through the asteroids.
In the mythical tradition, Eros is counted among the primeval gods, meaning he is even older than Zeus. He was, along with Gaia, one of the two creation deities. But then he makes a second appearance later on, the one we know about.
As the lord of desire, it was his presence in the cosmos that inspired the energies to mingle and create matter. The Spartans, an ancient race of warriors located in Greece, made sacrifices to Eros before battle. The Spartans were known for their prowess and for their ranks of warrior/lovers which occupied a special, elite place within the army. What better way to inspire a soldier to fight his best than by placing his lover on the battle field with him? Athenians erected (no pun intended?) statues to him in their male-only bath houses. In astrology, Eros symbolizes passion, or, as Martha Lang-Wescott says: joie de vivre or “joy of life.” This is different than Mars-styled passion, which can have a touch of rage or pathos. Eros is like a very hot, fiery Venus. Well, Venus has a touch of pathos as well. Wescott also notes that Eros is physically about the heart: think of it as heart-centered energy, which we usually think of as loving.
Sappho is a historical figure from the island of Lesbos, who gained her fame as a lyrical poet between 630 and 612 BC. Her poems adoring other women have given rise to the term “lesbian,” though her own sexual orientation is up for debate (as is ours). Astrologically speaking, Sapphic energy is the drive to find another to whom you can relate, to seek popularity among peers, or the close bond enjoyed by “kindred spirits.” Put another way, the energy of Sappho is about the intimate kind of equality we enjoy between close friends. Sexuality is ambiguous in this respect, though the power of the bond can be likened to sexual intimacy. Eric says he has seen this asteroid show up prominently in the charts of lesbians, and he uses it for an indication about how they might relate to their lesbianism or their lesbian identity.