Astrology for 2010
(back) "The Christos and The Cardinal Conception" continued
The Jesus Chart
(click image to enlarge)
When a birth time is unknown, astrologers commonly use a “solar” chart, placing the sun exactly on the ascendant, indicating a sunrise birth time. Or we place the Sun on the mid-heaven, indicating a birth around noon. However, since this birth was foretold, and heralded as being “The King of the Jews”, I've chosen to place the fixed star Regulus, The “Royal Star” on the ascendant of this chart, adjusted for the precession of equinoxes, at two degrees of Leo, giving him a birth time of about 7:10 pm, which seems allegorically appropriate. Because of the uncertain time of birth I'll refrain from placing any emphasis on the ascendant or mid-heaven.
At first glance, we are struck with a grand cross exactly on the cardinal points. This alone suggests a chart of uncommon destiny. Here we have Sun, Moon, Venus, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto all either exactly on, or within three degrees of the cardinal axis. We also notice the similarity of outer planet placements, with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto in a tight T square, exactly as in our C. C. chart. In this chart, however, the Sun completes the grand cross with the outer planet T square, an important distinction and a point of considerable significance with profound implications for our subject.
Looking at the cardinal axis we again find Uranus at zero degrees of Aires, also making an important connection to Mars just as it is in the C.C. chart. In the C.C. chart, these two volatile energies are in exact opposition, implying a propensity toward the impulsive, unyielding, revolutionary tendencies of this combination. Here we have Mars in an exact trine to Uranus, suggesting a harmonious, yet extremely energized expression of the revolutionary Urania energy.
We also see Uranus squared to the Sun - another indication of passionate concern for reform and according to Ebertin, a specific intense involvement in metaphysical matters. Whereas this pattern is given outward expression through the doorway of its close aspects to the cardinal axis we can fairly certainly interpret this Sun-Mars-Uranus combination to indicate a metaphysical adept or spiritual healer.
Advancing through the zodiac we next see Uranus tightly squared to Saturn, the ruling planet of this Capricorn birth, placed less than three degrees from the zero degree Cancer cardinal point. This combination suggests a great emotional tension and inner determination, and a conflict between innovation and reform on the one hand and tradition and established structures on the other. Remember that this combination is a major theme in the C.C. chart with the tension expressed through the opposition of the two contrary qualities represented. This theme is also clearly applicable to the historical role of Jesus.
Saturn is at 27 degrees of Gemini, a degree of artistic genius whose Sabian symbol refers to “liberation from the past”, in conjunction to the cardinal cross at zero Cancer, and also afflicted by its tight square to Pluto and the Moon. This suggests a rather severe “fated-ness” or inescapable karma, and extreme self discipline, self denial, and renunciation. The retrograde Saturn is also in close opposition to the Sun, an aspect I've seen in practically every case in my files where there is untimely physical separation from the father. This brings to mind Jesus' final enigmatic cry while dying on the cross: “My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Proceeding to the next cardinal point we have Pluto at the zero degree of Libra, quite similar to our C.C. Chart which has Saturn at that exact position. Here it is worth quoting what Dane Rudhyar ascribes to this degree of the Sabian symbols: “The immortal archetypal reality that a perfect and dedicated life reveals.” Remember our earlier description of this degree, of the completing of a cycle of individuation and entering a new pattern of evolutionary development. Rudhyar likens this degree to the caterpillar becoming the butterfly, or the mortal man becoming “more than man”.
If the birth occurred any time past the early morning hours, the Moon would be within a traditionally accepted orb of conjunction to Pluto. An evening birth time would indeed place Jesus' Moon closely conjoined to Pluto, and one could only interpret a complete transfiguration of the soul of this individual.
Pluto is also in an exact septile to Neptune, (fifty one degree aspect) indicating an active, creative engagement in the “supernatural”, mystical pursuits, and the purification of the soul.(Ebertin) Rob Hand notes of the septile: “influences from beyond” and “a Uranus-Neptune flavor, with energy linkings not entirely of this world”. It is worth noting how intricately woven this aspect is with the Sun (novile – 40 degrees), Moon (septile - fifty one degrees), Mars (conjunct - seven degrees), and Saturn (bi-quintile - 144 degrees), further supporting the indications of an extraordinarily gifted adept and a highly evolved soul.
Other aspects worth noting are the Venus-Saturn opposition, which indicates a propensity towards solitude, and quite frequently found in the charts of people who never marry. (The reason given why Jesus was not considered the Messiah by some Jews was that he was not married and therefore could not be considered a true Rabbi). Also of note is the close semi-square of Mercury in the focused and sober sign of Capricorn, and Mars in stingingly perceptive Scorpio. This aspect would indicate an extremely perceptive mind, a gifted speaker, and due to the hard aspect, one who can easily arouse antagonism.
Reviewing the overall grand cross which is so similar to our C. C. chart, we have the Sun at the Capricorn cardinal point opposed to Saturn at the Cancer cardinal point, both of which are closely squared to Uranus exactly on the Aires cardinal point which is in exact opposition to the Moon and Pluto exactly on the Libra cardinal point. Having the Sun and Moon as focal points of the intense energies of the outer planets' square implies a total immersion of the soul in the collective process, and an immense, almost unbearable pressure that only a highly evolved soul could manage with any amount of grace. The soul is transcended, even transfigured in the process. Let's try to interpret and define what this process is.
We've described the cathartic and revolutionary qualities of Uranus at zero degrees of Aires. Again, Dane Rudhyar's keywords for this degree are “the impulse to be”. We see the creative, self willed energy of Uranus bursting into the fiery, self proclaiming initiation and self realization described by the zero degree Aires Point. This is one element of a collective theme in both of the charts we're considering.
We see the Sun/Saturn opposition in exact square to the Uranus / Pluto opposition, all exactly on the cardinal cross. Again, this implies a surrender of any personal agenda to the spiritual authority, the “Father” figure represented by Saturn. Here the ego is confronted at every corner by the need to surrender to its true spiritual purpose, to be a conscious agency of the Divine incarnate on earth. Now let's see how this interpretation applies to the July, 2010 chart.
Here, we come to the most crucial point of our thesis: the meaning of this tug of war between the self-focused, impulsive Aires energy, and the”other directed”, surrendering quality of Libra. Remember, this is a degree of transfiguration, whose function is to “make sacred”. Thus, the planet of self-realization at the degree of new beginnings, is confronted by opposition to the planet of transformation at the degree of sacred surrender. The Jesus chart shows the Moon and Pluto at this threshold of “the Other”, implying the most intense, complete commitment, truly the inescapable surrender of personal (ego) agendas and fully embracing all that is experienced as “not I”.
It is this theme of “Self” and “Other” that is of utmost spiritual significance in both the Jesus chart and the upcoming Cardinal Conception. There are innumerable references in the new Testament of Jesus admonishing his followers to embrace the other as the self. “Love one another, even as I have loved you”; and “In as much as you have done to the least of these, my brethren, you do it to me.”; and the way to attain eternal life, was to “love thy God... and love thy neighbor as thyself”. The added phrase, “...even as I have loved you” guides us directly to Jesus' capacity for unconditional love, spiritual love, a love transcending individual needs or personal gain, love from within ourselves.
Here we are offered the keys to establishing inner peace and harmony. Here is the crux of the emotional healing for which humanity is, particularly now, in desperate need. It is when we make a deliberate choice to see our own interests as the same as someone else's, that fear changes to love, and healing replaces attack and defense. We see someone else as ourself.
It is a major theme of most psycho-therapeutic modalities to reveal and integrate the contents of the unconscious into the conscious personality. We can do this effectively by embracing the other not only “out there”, but also by including all of our own so-called shadow material, our unwanted suppressed feelings and traumatic memories, and our own unflattering negative traits that are typically projected on to some one or some thing apart from, and clearly outside of ourselves. “They” are the evil ones. “They” being a convenient repository for the all the rejected qualities we are not willing to recognize and integrate in our own subconscious constitution. Political leaders often capitalize on the unfortunate truth that everybody needs somebody to blame.
It is the nature of the seventh house (or Libra) to be experienced as outside of one's being. Often we astrologers see planets in the seventh house become the basis of repeated experiences with the qualities of the planets located there seeming to victimize the native almost inescapably. Whether they are brutal and tyrannical energies like Mars and Pluto, or seductive and self-centered like Venus and the Sun, it is when one realizes that those victimizing qualities are actually within oneself, and takes ownership of them, embraces them, however foreign or unflattering it may at first seem, that one ceases to project those qualities on to others, and the unwanted repeated experiences begin to wane.
It is in this fashion, by reclaiming the rejected, denied, darker aspects of our true self, that we discover unconditional self acceptance, learning to truly love ourselves from within, which leads to inner peace, grace, acceptance and forgiveness. As we embrace our shadow (“the Other” within) we learn to live in harmony with ourselves and our world. There is perhaps no other way to lasting peace among individuals, families, social entities, or nations. And in a sense, nothing is more simple (that is not to say easy) or more personally fulfilling. Jesus' life is arguably the greatest example of this spiritual path, as this December 25thth birth chart clearly indicates.
Our emotional healing is in direct correlation to our spiritual growth. “A new commandment I give you: that you love one another.” is a profound and powerful spiritual principle, not a wistful expression of idealistic, sentimental escapism. By spiritual I mean that which nurtures our process of individuation, the evolution of the soul. No reference to religion is implied.
It is this immediate and critical need of emotional maturation that must be the next step in our evolution if we are to survive as a species. Our spiritual work is our emotional healing, and (as anyone in recovery will testify) we can't do our emotional healing without spiritual influences. It is into this crucible of “Self and Other” that our evolutionary destiny has led us. In the two charts we're studying the outer planetary patterns point directly to this crucible. The July, 2010 chart presents us with these most challenging energies for all humanity to learn to integrate both individually and collectively. The Jesus chart shows the direction in which we must work.