A Return to the Light -- Winter Solstice December 21, 2012 at 11:11 am GMT
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. Albert Camus
This year the Winter Solstice coincides with the last day of the
Mayan Long Count Calendar. Its synchronicity with the end date of this
5,125 year calendar, which is one fifth, or one season of the Great Year
(26,000 year cycle) in fact marks a galactic still point. While the
Earth-Sun relationship finds a still point of yin and yang at the Winter
Solstice, so does the Sun with the Galactic Center. On
the darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere of Earth, the
Sun rises on the horizon in exact relationship to the center of our
Milky Way Galaxy. Many believe this alignment signals a shift in the
galactic season known as world age -- literally the return of galactic
light during the winter season of consciousness.
2012 "Galignment"
Just like the shifting of seasons on Earth, galactic seasons progress slowly. On Earth the winter solstice marks the final day of contracting yin, as well as the birth of yang, barely glimmering with its promise of light and expansion. It is a still point, the gap between breaths. Although the winter solstice heralds the beginning of the winter season, cold weather and snow often arrive earlier. On a galactic scale we might also see the early shift in weather patterns alerting us to the coming change in consciousness. From the dawn of the Enlightenment, through the Industrial Revolution, and on to our current Information Age, human consciousness has been slowly awakening and realizing its connection to the cosmos. As a child I remember learning the names of all nine planets (yes, including Pluto); and as an adult I sat in amazement at the Morrison Planetarium witnessing the next generation of school children take a virtual trip, not only through our solar system, but out into the Milky Way, and beyond to distant galaxies in an ever expanding universe. Our understanding of the boundless scope of the universe is certainly mushrooming here on planet Earth -- especially during the last two decades. Many believe this shift in awareness, or quickening, is due to our place in space. Modern researchers suggest that the winter solstice Sun has been aligning with the mysterious center of the galaxy since the Harmonic Convergence at the end of the 1980s, creating a unique cosmic connection between the Earth, Sun, and Galactic Center (GC). As Juliana Swanson poignantly points out:
The Sun moves roughly one zodiacal or
longitudinal degree per day, so that it moves around the whole zodiac
(360 degrees) in a year. In its apparent passage around the zodiac, it
comes into alignment with the Galactic Center once every year. The Sun
is a disk and not a point, and as seen from the Earth, it spans a
diameter of about a half inch to an inch in width. Because of this, the disc of the Sun appears
to align with the plane of the Galactic Equator on Winter Solstice each
year for a period of about 36 years. This close alignment began in 1980
and will end around 2016. This astronomical alignment is not specific to
2012!
The
bright yellow circle to the right of the galaxy's center is our Sun
(not to scale). Amazing artist's impression of the four tails of the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy
(the orange clump on the left of the image) orbiting the Milky Way. The Sagittarius dwarf galaxy is on the other side of
the galaxy from us, but we can see its tidal tails of stars stretching across the sky as they wrap around our galaxy. Click here for article. Credit: Amanda Smith, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge
In the Vedic cosmological tradition, the Galactic Center is called is called Brahma, the creative force, or Vishnunabhi,
the navel of Vishnu. It is believed to be the location of a central galactic Sun,
whose influence emanates from the stars of the constellation of
Sagittarius, containing the nakshatra of Mula, meaning "root" as in root star. The deity associated with this nakshatra is Nirriti, the goddess of destruction. She gives Mula the power to break things apart, barhana shakti,
perhaps esoterically representing the black hole that many astrophysicists suspect is hidden inside the core the Galactic Center. Some modern researchers believe that during the 2012 "galignment" a beam of energy will be released from the galactic core that will suddenly cause a shift here on planet Earth. While the geological record does indicate that catastrophic astronomical events have changed the course of evolution on the planet in the distant past, they are few, and very far between. There is no astronomical data that indicates any such energy wave is on the way from the mysterious Galactic Center.
Hindu depictions of the Galactic Center as Vishnunabhi portray the god of preservation, Vishnu, sleeping on the great cosmic serpent, Shesha,
whose coils comprise the ocean of the universe. This immense serpent holds all the
planets of the universe in its hood and eternally sings all the glories
of Vishnu from its many mouths. In his wonderful book, The Power of Myths, Joseph Campbell writes:
Just think, Vishnu sleeps in the cosmic ocean, and the lotus of the universe grows from his navel. On the lotus sits Brahma, the creator. Brahma opens his eyes, and a world comes into being, governed by Indra. Brahma closes his eyes, and a world goes out of being. The life of a Brahma is 432,000 years. When he dies, the lotus goes back, and another lotus is formed, and another Brahma. Then think of the galaxies beyond galaxies in the infinite space, each a lotus, with a Brahma sitting on it, opening his eyes, closing his eyes.
Vishnu dreaming the universe into creation, on top of the cosmic serpent, Sesha, with Brahma floating above in the lotus
This view of the galaxy as having cycles, like the opening and closing of eyes, is key to understanding the Hindu concept of yugas, or world ages, and how they relate to consciousness. It is believed that a central Sun at the Galactic
Center emits waves of energy that direct the evolution of
consciousness here on Earth, and throughout the entire galaxy. In his book The Astrology of the Seers, David Frawley writes:
From
the galactic Sun emanates the light which determines life and
intelligence on Earth and which directs the play of seven rays of
creation and the distribution of karma.
The location of our local Sun along its sidereal and galactic orbits
determines how well this cosmically divine light is received. Frawley continues:
When the Sun is on the side of its orbit wherein its dark companion
(binary star) comes between it and the galactic center, the reception of
that cosmic light appears to be greatly reduced. At such times there
is a dark or materialistic age on Earth. When the Sun is on the
opposite side of its orbit and has an open reception to the light of the
galactic Sun, then there is a spiritual or Golden Age on Earth.
Humanity then acts in harmony with cosmic intelligence and with the Gods
or Divine powers that are its functionaries and emissaries. The Sun's
dark companion thus appears to possess a negative magnetic field which
obstructs the cosmic light of the galactic center from reaching us on
Earth. Thereby it creates certain cycles of advance and decline in
human civilization.
What Frawley is describing is also called the Great Year, the trip of our Sun, possible around its binary companion star, through the zodiac, spending 2,000 years in each sign, and taking between 24,000-26,000 to make a complete orbit termed precession.
As this wonderful video describes, these cycles of light and dark periods on Earth are called yugas or world ages: Satya meaning "truth" or golden age, Treta meaning the "third" or silver age, Dwapara meaning the "second" or bronze age, and Kali meaning the "first" or iron age. While there are many variation on the lengths of time, the basic concept of waxing and waning consciousness is the same. The Manu Samhita
fixes their duration at 4000, 3000, 2000, and 1000 years for a total of
12,000. Generally speaking, two cycles of the four ages make up the 24,000+ year precession
cycle, with a descending and an ascending group.
During the ascending half of the Great Year, the Sun moves towards the place in its orbit
that is closest to the central Sun/GC; and during the descending half
the Sun moves toward the point where it is farthest from the central Sun/GC. Currently it may seems that we are deep in the Kali yuga, but the great yogi and teacher Sr. Yukteswar taught that we are at the beginning of the Dwapara.
Other researchers believe it is this alignment of the Winter Solstice
Sun with the Galactic Center over the past decade that marks the shift
of this world age from Kali yuga to Dwapara yuga -- or as some like Jay Weidner suggest marks the hyperspace shift of this age from Kali yuga to Satya yuga (click here and here
for more). Thus the Winter Solstice marks a moment in time when our
Sun may be receiving information more clearly to bring the slow
harmonization of humanity with the Divine as directed from the
intelligence at the Galactic Center. Many hope and believe the dark
night of Kali Yuga, or glimmering Dwapara Yuga, consciousness is shifting towards a new era of light and ascending
consciousness. As we shall see, by examining the planetary line-up of the Winter Solstice, there are recurring themes linked to endings, Brahma, and Vishnu.
The Planetary Line-up of the Big Event of 2012
It is always provocative to examine the prashna charts for big astronomical events like the solstice and equinox points. Although the rising sign will vary depending on location, the planets and luminaries will be in the same signs and nakshatras. There has been a lot of hype about the Winter Solstice occurring at 11:11 GMT, but that will only happen in the time zone at 0 degrees longitude, such as London. 11:11
has been a number associated with synchronicity, gateways, and
ascension, and it is believed that these master numbers trigger an
unconscious knowledge of a coming shift of consciousness. What is fascinating is the ascendant at this time and place is in the 11th sign of Aquarius. At this location, the event is ruled by an exalted Saturn in the 9th house, perhaps indicating a shift in the laws of the land (in this case Britain). The 9th house is an auspicious dharma house that represents our
highest principles as expressed in domains like law, religion and
philosophy. Because of its connection with the father, it is also a
house of sacrifice. In a natal chart it signifies the father, his
sacrifices for the family and spiritual life, and his influence
over his children's spiritual practices, personal philosophy of life,
perception of
reality, and reaction to new ideas; but in an event chart it may signify
the influence of the collective father over his country and world
views or his own sacrifice to ensure his collective family survives. As I mentioned in my posts on the 2012 London Olympics, Prince William is running Saturn's maha dasha, and now that his wife is expecting their first child and heir, we may witness some changes to the royal line up.
Here in Seattle, and on the West Coast, the Winter Solstice occurs in the wee hours of the morning at 3:11 am. The rising sign on the horizon will be Libra; and there will be two maha purusha yogas: an exalted Saturn in the lagna creating sasha yoga, with an exalted Mars located in the 4th house sitting in ruchaka yoga. Although most of us will sleep through this moment, it still may imprint the area with Saturn's vibration for slow, positive, and creative restructuring supported by the disciplined energy of a stabilized Mars in Saturn's sign. The chart ruler, Venus, still in its morningstar position, will be in Scorpio, deposited by this exalted Mars, and traveling with Mercury and a near zero-degree Rahu. As I mentioned in my last post, Rahu has been transiting the portal nakshatra of Vishakha for the past few weeks, opening the door for us to cross through the threshold of this new galactic season.
Perhaps the most influential planet will be the Moon, which will transit the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces, in the final nakshaktra, Revati, which is ruled by Vishnu -- an intriguing synchronicity with endings, the Vishnunabhi, and the completion of this round of the Mayan calendar. Under the light of these stars, the Moon and our collective consciousness are bathed in kshiradyapani shakti, the power of nourishment symbolized by milk. As Prash Trivedi describes in his book The 27 Celestial Portals:
This
imagery emphasizes the nourishing and sustaining aspect of Revati.
However, if one pays attention to the fact that Vishnu, the sustainer
amongst the holy trinity, sits atop the celestial ocean known as kshirasagar, a whole new interpretation opens up. Revati then relates to the shakti which sustains the celestial oceans in which all the fourteen lokas play the game of life.
The word Kshirasagar comes from the Sanskrit kshir meaning "milk" and sagar
meaning "ocean" which is a metaphor for the Milky Way. In Hindu mythology, the creation myth of the Kshirsaga manthan,
the conflict between the devas and asuras, or spirit and material
impulses, was resolved in their joint effort of churning the sea of milk, which released fourteen gifts, including the nectar of immortality, as well as the poison halahala which Shiva consumed, turning his neck blue. This Revati Moon will literally center our collective minds on the Milky Way and remind us that the White Road, the Sak Bih as it is called by the Maya, is overflowing with
cosmic nourishment that can feed and sustain all life in the galaxy. Thus as the Moon passes through the starlight of Revati,
it receives this nourishing shakti and transmits this cosmic milk to
the Earth that has the potential to soothe our souls and reveal the gifts of
the universe.
The Churning of the Ocean of Milk by Pieter Weltevrede
In addition, this beautiful Moon is deposited by Jupiter in Taurus, in the nakshatra of Rohini, which contains the great red star Aldebaran, the eye of the cosmic bull. This royal star is believed to be the abode of Brahma. Might the great god of creation be opening, or closing this eye, winking at Chandra as he transits the final nakshatra on the last night of our solar year? In my opinion, the eve of the Winter Solstice is a great night to sit in
meditation and connect with the source of eternal light within our hearts. And if we are lucky, we might tune in and hear the the gap between breaths of Shesha's eternal lullaby.
Full Solar Eclipse, Tuesday November 13, 2012, 2:10 pm pst Partial Lunar Eclipse, Wednesday, November 28, 2012 6:46 am pst
This fall astrologers have been hard at work deciphering the meaning and potential outcome of some very intense astrological alignments: debilitated Sun combust exalted Saturn, Mercury-Rahu conjunction, Mercury square Neptune, Full Moon in Aries, Jupiter-Ketu-Moon conjunction, stationing Mercury retrograde on the day of the US Elections, all of which are followed by the final eclipse cycle on the Scorpio-Taurus axis. Everything from Market Crash, to an attack on Iran, to voter fraud were considered through the lenses of both tropical and sidereal systems. While many predicted an October Surprise that could upset the election process in the US, few expected that this chaotic event would present as Superstorm Sandy. Hurricane Sandy first made news on October 26, 2012 when Mercury joined Rahu in Scorpio. Mercury is a neutral planet, but can swing either way depending on its immediate company. In this case, the malefic Rahu may have amplified the winds, fear and drama associated with the monster storm, even inspiring the media, ruled by Mercury, to nickname it "Frankenstorm." As we approach the final eclipse period occurring along the Scorpio-Taurus axis we may see more stormy weather before things calm down at the still point of the winter solstice.
Because of their ability to swallow the Sun and the Moon during eclipse
periods, Rahu and Ketu are associated and death and rebirth -- the prime
indicators of karma. The glyphs for the nodes, which resemble horseshoe-shaped magnets, hint at their ability to attract fortune and/or misfortune, as well as their electromagnetic forces and polarizing tendencies. Although there is much debate over the rulership, debilitation, and exaltation signs of the nodes, I agree with Prash Trivedi's assessment that Gemini is the exaltation sign of Rahu, and Sagittarius is its sign of debilitation. As Rahu is a severed head, it is all about sensation and thought actions governed by the brain. Trivedi assigns Scorpio as the mulatrikona sign for Rahu as it resonates with Rahu's mysterious, intense, secretive, desirous, and poisonous nature. With a Scorpio mulatrikona, Rahu is poised to get what it wants through any means, be it aggressive, coercive, secretive or mystical. For the past seventeen months Rahu has been transiting backwards through
the intense waters of Scorpio absorbing the shakti energy of each of
its three powerful nakshatras (Jyeshtha, Anurada, and Vishakha) consuming the luminaries, and downloading the stars' messages to the Sun and Earth through its shadow and influence over the poles.
Mercator's celestial globe
For example, Rahu's entrance into Jyeshtha gave the power to rise, conquer and gain courage in battle (arohana shakti) heralding the highly politicized assassination of Osama Bin Lauden. Six months later during the fall 2011 eclipse cycle, violence escalated in the Middle East and another powerful October Superstorm hit the Northeast knocking out power to 1.5 million people. Rahu's entrance into Anuradha gave the power to worship (radhana shakti) and the Queen of England took full advantage of this adoration during her Diamond Jubilee which occurred during the last eclipse cycle last summer. On October 21 (mean)/September 28(true), 2012, Rahu slipped back back into the highly unpredictable fields of the sixteenth
nakshatra, Vishakha whose power to achieve many and various fruits in life (vyapani shakti) will influence the consciousness of the masses during the U.S. Presidential elections, the winter holidays, and the final count down of the Mayan Calendar. As we shall see, this asterism, known as the 'star of purpose,' is the one to watch in November.
Vishakha is Sanskrit for "branched" or "forked,"
perhaps because it straddles two signs -- Scorpio and Libra. It is depicted as a large tree with forked and spreading
branches that provide protection and produces fruit as it ripens with
age. This cosmic tree also represents the process of reaching and attaining
one's goals. The Tree of Life is a motif found in many cultures around the world
representing a mystical concept of the interconnectedness of all life. In many illustrations, a giant tree connects the Earth to the Heavens through its branches,
and to the Underworld through its roots -- the axis mundi where communication from lower realms may ascend to higher ones, and blessings
from higher realms may descend to lower ones.
The deity associated with Vishakha is Indragni. While most astrologers divide the name and assign two deities, Indra and Agni, to the "forked" nakshatra, Vic Dicara cites two examples of Indragni being the name of a single being in both the Mahabharata and Rig Veda. Indragni is the god of ritual fire used to obtain blessings and boons.
However, in my view it is also insightful to look at the two separate deities to understand why they may be inseparable. Although revered as a demi-god and dragon slayer, Indra
is a complex archetype whose obsessions were not always wholesome. Vishakha is associated with his more indulgent pursuits. Agni is the god of fire who gives passion and determination to this goal-oriented nakshatra. They represent the two conflicting impulses of Vishakha: material versus spiritual. As Komilla Sutton writes:
Agni, the sacred fire represents penance and Indra sensuous enjoyments, so these two can cause much conflict in the mind of Vishakha. Thus Rahu's transit of Vishakha presents a dissatisfaction with both the material and spiritual sides of life. The soul is still committed to materialistic enjoyment yet stands at the door of spiritual development.
Vishakha literally presents the "fork in the road" threshold. Furthermore, both of its deities are associated with natural forces. Indra is the thunder to Agni's brilliant forks of lightening. Together they bring the storms that clear the air and release nourishing rain which feeds all of life. Like the 16th Trump card of the Tarot, The Tower, the 16th nakshatra may direct an unexpected bolt out of the blue signaling the release of stagnation, or an old way of life suddenly coming to an end.
Haindl Tarot
Hanson-Roberts Tarot
In the Tarot, The Tower symbolizes an arrogant technology that constantly desires more and bigger monuments to represent its conquest of nature. It is a modern image of the Tower of Babel, an archetypal edifice of false belief. The falling figures are those beliefs themselves, the false thoughts projected by the personal ego for its own use. The lightening represents the power of light to bring insight and expose the erroneous beliefs for what they truly are. Like The Tower, an eclipse in Vishakha may provide a wake-up call urging us to contact our inner Mars and
direct its considerable power in another direction. The late degrees of Vishakha enhance Rahu's already obsessive nature making it become more fixated on its goals under the fixed water sign of Scorpio. Yet the 16th nakshatra also has a branch extending into Libra, ruled by Venus, which promises to soften any aggressive tendencies absorbed by Rahu in Scorpio, while still remaining focused on acquiring what it desires. Unfortunately Rahu's transit through Vishakha may make it more difficult to release outworn or false beliefs because Rahu's nature is to obscure. For example, disgruntled voters may not gratiously concede to political winners because they may be stuck in their misguided beliefs. Luckily an exalted Saturn in Libra will be awaiting the north node in late December, providing strong boundaries and ensuring high principles will be maintained for the common good of society.
In addition to the world tree, there are two other symbols for Vishakha: the triumphal archway or gate adorned with leaves, often associated with marriage ceremonies,
and a potter's wheel, associated with creation and the cycles of time needed to build and perfect it. According to Prash Trivedi, the gateway marks the first rite of passage on the way to reaching a goal:
Most
of Vishakha lies in the sign governing marriage, Libra. In ancient
times this gateway was symbolic of triumph. It symbolized the ending or
attainment of a goal and the beginning of a new one. It was a reminder
of the fact that challenges don't end once you pass through the
gateway, after achieving your goal. The challenges begin when one
enters the gateway, just like the marriage ceremony is the precursor of
the challenges to come in married life.
To me a gate is structure that can be swung open or drawn
shut. It is a portal that may act as an entrance or an exit. I have noticed that many of the unexplained cosmic phenomenon that have intrigued mystically minded folks, such as the Norway Spiral, have occurred under the influence of Vishakha. Therefore, I also associate Vishakha's triumphal arch with inter-dimensional portals, stargates, and wormholes. Many ancient traditions predict a shift in world ages and evolution of consciousness, which the modern Ascension movement describes as the creation of a new Earth in the 5th dimension. As mankind undergoes a process of evolving into a non-corporal entity, it will shift or jump to a higher plane of existence. For example, Dolores Cannon describes a new Earth that is splitting off, or branching into this higher dimension evoking the forked descriptions of Vishakha. Others believe that we have already passed through this threshold and are now taking on the challenges of this new world.
Norway Spiral 12/9/09
The potter's wheel as metaphor for the creation of the spinning cosmos is the most intriguing of Vishakha's symbols as it also hints at the evolution of manifestation. The spiral is one of the oldest symbols recorded in the ancient Neolithic world and has been used across time and cultures to depict the universal pattern of growth and evolution seen in nature. From the swirling arms of galaxies, to the whirling winds of hurricanes, and the twisting double helix of DNA, the mathematical hand of God, the potter, may be expressed in Phi and the Fibonacci sequence of the spiral.
Like the spiral, the potter's wheel is associated with creation cycles. According to Bepin Behari, the turmoil created by the conflict between the material and spiritual impulses of Vishakha is represented by the potter's wheel:
In a potter's wheel the central axis around which the wheel rotates is almost stationary. There is no apparent movement at that point. The greater the proximity to the center, the less movement. Tamas is what the center of the wheel represents. Remain wherever you are, whatever else happens, exert no will of your own. This is where the clay to be shaped is put. Harmony prevails by conforming to the will of God or by surrendering to the impulse generated by nature. The clay does not resist. The shape visualized in the potter's mind is gradually imprinted on the clay by the wheel, which works according to the potter's fingers.
I like the idea that the closer we get to the center, the more still the tumultuous forces become -- like the eye of a hurricane. Only by surrendering do we become a complete work of art, a reflection of the mind of God.
When the great cosmic potter spins its cosmic wheel, our planet, solar system, and galaxy
spin with it, evolving a new perspective as each spiral returns to observe the previous passage.
It is an interesting coincidence that as we complete the final cycle of the Mayan calendar, the last eclipse cycle will occur with the Sun, Moon, and Rahu aligned with the stars of Vishakha. Might creative forces be ready to spin a new light vessel for the soul of
man as proposed by modern shamans? Is December 21,
2012 truly the birthday of homo luminous
as many researchers, such as Alberto Villoldo, believe? In his book
The Four Insights, Villoldo writes:
According
to the prophecies of the Maya, the Hopi and the Inka, we're at a
turning point in human history, a period of great turmoil and upheaval
in which a new species of human will give birth to itself. We're going
to take a quantum leap into what we are becoming, moving from Homo
sapiens to Homo luminous – that is, beings with the ability to perceive
the vibration and light that make up the physical world at a much higher
level.
It seems to me that the upcoming eclipse cycle with Rahu in Vishakha might indeed trigger an opportunity to not only cross the threshold to a new dimension or way of being, but also to surrender to the forces of nature allowing the hand of God to direct and reshape the container in which our spirits dwell. Another meaning of Vishakha is derived from the word which means "readiness." Are you ready to pass through the gateway and welcome the challenges of a commitment to a new Earth?
In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how
to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody
on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except
yourself. ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti
In spite of all the gloom and doom predictions of false flag terrorist attacks, the 2012 Olympics have come and gone without any bombs exploding or aliens landing in London. Although I was skeptical of the fear-mongering reports spun by the conspiratainment industry and well-meaning warnings by individual researchers, I certainly contributed to the online chatter with my own blog posts on Olympic symbolism, Saturn and the Golden Age. After all, the headlines were filled with archetypal images just screaming for interpretation. Were these images truly bubbling up from the deep well of the collective or being manipulated by the media makers? Although there is evidence of both, there were far too many instances of coincidence and synchronicity not to notice. In June Jurriaan Maessen suggested that "reverse predictive programming" was being used to ultimately weaken the Truth Movement:
In the case of the many announcements of impending doom prefacing the
Olympics popping up all over the internet, I believe we are dealing with
a very subtle strain of programming, largely distributed with the aim of preparing people not for any apocalyptic event unfolding but rather to
raise expectations to such an unprecedented level that many well-meaning
truth seekers will eventually hit themselves on the head, and
subsequently disengage themselves from the arena. When the dreaded Games
have come and gone with the stars unshaken and the sky unchanged- and
rest assured they will be after the summer- another objective will have
been accomplished: the inevitable anti-climax will do more damage to the
truth than any apocalyptic event foreboded.
Perhaps some conspiracy theorists are disillusioned, but others are galvanized believing that their efforts to expose the elite's secret agenda prevented the false flag event from occurring. Plus "reverse predictive programming" does seem like an extraordinary amount of effort to discredit a tiny percent of the population that make up conspiracy circles.
Info Wars picked up Maessen's story about Psychological Programmers verses the alternative media http://www.infowars.com/the-aliens-are-coming-psychological-programmers-versus-the-alternative-media/
Someone who is no stranger to the machinations of symbolism in the media is the ever-provocative Christopher Knowles of The Secret Sun blog. This summer a recurring theme on his blog and facebook group has been a frustration with the "pantpissing hysteria" erupting in the alternative media, more appropriately dubbed "conspiratainment." His post-Olympic assessment 2012 Olympics, Fear Strikes Out, Again struck a chord with me and many of his readers. He exposes the culpability of the conspiratainment business, and its under-reported roots in the extreme religious right, as flaming the fear (ie False Evidence Appearing Real) instead of simply revealing, or even reporting, the truth.
The Guardian did a surprisingly thorough job breaking the story about all of the insane Olympic predictions, digging into the Fundamentalist fever swamps of Godlike Productions and Above Top Secret. You know, those profit-driven fear factories
that are destroying the collective mind of their predominantly
working-class and lower middle-class audiences by filling their minds
with baseless paranoia and religious hatred. . . What The Guardian doesn't mention is that this all springs from the fetid collective imagination of the extreme Religious Right. What The Guardian will never mention is that the Religious Right program was unrolled by Nixon's CIA at the EXACT SAME TIMEthat they destroyed all of the MK Ultra documents (meaning they ended the research phase of the program).
In a way, Knowles is suggesting a similar thesis as Maessen, but revealing not only a different source for this disinformation (the CIA), but perhaps a different intent: not to create disillusion, but to spin more illusion. I know from experience that nothing keeps the mind spinning and distracted better than following the white rabbit through Wonderland which is filled with "sulfurous easter eggs" and sleepy-time tea parties. As Knowles writes: Every minute you spend playing someone else's game is a minute
you're not spending improving and enriching your life and sharing ideas
with and enjoying the company of your family and friends. . .There's nothing behind all of these little symbolic displays that will enrich your life.
I completely agree, and yet the compulsive desire to understand what lays beneath the surface continues to drive me, and many others. Astrologically speaking, this behavior is no doubt reflected by the obsessive energy of Rahu, the severed head of the dragon, whose quest for power, fame and immorality separated him from his body. The head is the seat of the senses and cognitive mind, so Rahu is associated with the mental field and materialistic thought. According to Prash Trivedi, "Rahu imparts a sensitivity to the mass trends and collective psyche, which an individual can utilize either to further personal ends or serve humanity." Thus we might ask if our desire to explore the symbolism rising in the mass media is to further our own egoic desires for recognition, or to share some lesson to heal the cognitive dissonance. As Sam Geppi suggests, "Rahu obsesses over the things we need to learn so we can eventually be freed of them."
Knowles is right, anytime we are triggered to play the game, we immediately lose contact with the opportunity to live in the present. And if we delve into symbolism to find the truth "out there," we are playing some else's mind game and entering the realm of Rahu. However, I do think that on some occasions pulling back the curtain on these symbolic displays, and the resulting interpretations, can help us to see our own demons and personal game -- which is being reflected in the collective game simultaneously -- and if we are lucky glimpse a higher truth. I do not feel that interpreting symbols and archetypes is necessarily the problem, but rather it is the state of our own mind and consciousness that leads us down various paths of the mental playing field. If an archetype opens up consciousness to understand even a glimpse of the truth underlying Maya's dance, then it may be a powerful tool.
Anti-Christ, cloned image of Jesus
Even if the symbol is being projected by a so-called deceitful intent, there will be a whole archetype, complete with its shadow, that may reflect a greater reality than even the malevolent force can see or understand. Nothing makes me cringe more than reading interpretations that fearfully describe events as evidence of Satan's hand in a well-worn battle between good and evil, or that Saturn is Satan, or that the elite are preparing the way for an anti-Christ. Biblical numerology is often so contrived that the true magic of numbers is lost.
But it is in that moment of cognitive dissonance and skeptical discomfort that I might be able to discern something deeper, or bigger, or even nothing at all other than the nature of the monkey mind. I hope that my astrological interpretations and cosmic musings might shine a different kind of light and give new perspective to these subjects that is empowering instead of maintaining the victim mentality of the Piscean age and religions. (There, did you see it? That tricky ego reappears.)
By realizing that the symbols and shadows which we are examining "out there" are actually reflections of our own inner processes, we can begin to integrate our personal, and thereby collective, shadow to dissolve fear (False Evidence Appearing Real). For example, I would not be in this current state of understanding were it not for the Alex Jones and the Chicken Littles of the world creating so much cognitive dissonance that my toes curl and my brain shuts down. Only then does the seat of consciousness, the heart, have a chance to recognize the truth. Perhaps this method is just my own crude way of wading through the mess, but I can see negative aspects of myself that need to be readjusted.
One of the reasons I rely heavily on astrology for my interpretive platform is that it maps out many archetypes at play at any given moment in time -- and all moments contain information interacting at multiple levels. When enough stellar and planetary variables synchronize, something pops
in my mental and emotional field that just won't settle until I process
it through the lens of astrology. Vedic astrology, or jyotisha, which translates as "science of light," is based on the philosophical premise that patterns in the microcosm are reflected in the macrocosm, as the alchemists would say as above, so below. It is no coincidence that modern optic science has revealed that pulsed light waves can carry information. The structure of space is the optical fiber grid through which massive bodies of consciousness, the stars of the zodiac, transmit data to our local star, the Sun, and planets. In India ancient seers, called the Rishi, channeled the code to decipher the astral data into language that humans might understand -- through symbols, myth and archetypes -- at what ever level of consciousness they may be expressing. So astrology is a wonderful tool to process this universal information, but is, of course, contingent on the art, skill, and consciousness of the stellar interpreter. Because of its foundation in yogic principles, Vedic astrologers understand the karmic responsibility for making predictions and interpretations. And we understand that Shiva's curse prevents any of us from agreeing, or seeing the full picture, and reduces the chance that we might interfere with either free will or fate.
Although I love the freedom from academic censure that a blog offers, I still feel a responsibility for what I project into the virtual information highway. After all I am dabbling in the devil's/demiurge's playground -- no doubt due to the influence of the activation of my own Rahu dasha and Shatabisha lagna. And even if I publish my astrological observations with care, someone else's shadow may inadvertently get triggered taking them down another winding path on their own trip. Nonetheless, I still feel compelled to share my own process of integration which comes through research, writing, sharing, and hearing feedback. So I want to take one last look at some of the recurring archetypal themes of the 2012 Olympics from an astrological perspective because there are so many wonderful layered signs pointing towards transformation.
Fools Gold or Alchemical Transformation?
Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh-Jennings win GOLD
The London 2012 Olympic Medal count finished with the USA on top with 46
gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze medals, followed by China, Russia, and
Britain. Britain did better than expected, the best performance since
1908. Even though the London 2012 medals
are the largest ever in terms of both weight and diameter, their size
belies their truth worth. Due to the global austerity, the inflated
medallions are not what they appear to be, even though they meet IOC
rules: for example, the gold medal must be 92.5 percent silver, 6.16 copper, 1.34 percent gold making it worth about $500. Although the
metals are nearly worthless, the medals are easily redeemed for endorsement
deals and advertising contracts worth millions like the alchemical
process that turns base medal into gold. All the years of sacrifice are rewarded to a select few who win gold, while the rest go home with "the honor of playing in the games." Thus Olympic gold is associated with good physical karma, years of disciplined training, and sacrifice -- all related to the Lord of the Rings, Saturn.
As most of the American basketball, track, and soccer players
were sporting Nike gear, the biggest corporate gold medal winner was Nike, named after the winged goddess of Victory who adorns each Olympic medal. Although the famous Nike swoosh logo was originally derived from the wings of the
goddess of Victory, many conspiracy theorists suggest it depicts the rings of Saturn, who was the sworn enemy of Nike's family, a paradox that goes unaddressed by the Saturn proponents.
Nike is the
daughter of a Titan, Pallas, and an Okeanid, Styx, making her a distant offspring of Kronos/Saturn. Her mother, Styx (water) was the first goddess to stand up
and support Zeus in his war to dethrone Kronos/Saturn When Kronos and the Titans were overthrown, they were cast down and imprisoned in the center of the earth in a chasm called Tartarus, the deepest level of the Underworld. The river Styx is an elemental embodiment of Nike's mother that separates the worlds of the
living and the dying. She was one of five subterranean rivers that converge at the center of the underworld on a great marsh, which is also sometimes called the Styx. This land is a wasteland where ghosts and shades wander until they cross all five rivers. To cross the river Styx, the deceased must be buried with a coin, or medal, as payment for the ferryman named Charon. A few brave mortal heroes payed the ferryman for a return trip, except for Orpheus whose music charmed Charon. Hmmm, it is fascinating that the ferryman is susceptible to the spell of music as the Olympics opened with a bell ringing.
Landscape with Charon Crossing the River Styx by Joachim Patinir 16th C
So Nike's mother marks the boundaries between the worlds, keeping Saturn's realm in its place. Could the Okeanid Styx dwell in the waters of the River Thames that surround the Olympic Park which was build on a toxic site, a wasteland bog similar to the mythological Styx? And remember that the Queen's Jubilee Flotilla, in which Queen Elizabeth glided along the Thames in her barge or ferry, passed under Tower Bridge just as the planet Venus was about to make its rare transit across the Sun. Both Queens of Heaven simultaneously make a crossing on their way to the Underworld in plain sight and observed by billions of viewers.
Queen Elizabeth II sails the Spirit of Chartwell, named after the home of Churchill, beneath the Tower Bridge in London for her Diamond Jubilee on June 3, 2012
Queen's barge, or dragon boat the Gloriana leads the flotilla on June 3 as the Moon conjoins the Dragon's head a day before the last lunar eclipse.
2012 Transit of Venus
If so, then the River Thames may certainly be considered an allegorical Styx, the Tower Bridge a gate to Hades, and the Queen a representative of the Queen of Heaven/Venus who bravely makes her way to the otherworldly realm where Saturn rules in potentia, in Olympic Park.
Mount Olympus was the original etheric home of the ancient Greek Gods, similar to Mount Meru in Eastern legends. But now that the ancient Gods are a mere memory of the past, and may be regarded as "dead" in the modern world, is it really Mount Olympus that is being summoned by all of these Olympic rituals, or perhaps Tartarus? In Arthurian legend the underworld is called Anwnn, and is accessed from the top of Glastonbury Tor, which as I have discussed in my last two posts, was the focal point of the Opening Ceremony. No matter how you look at it, we are being taken on a tour of the underworld through the ritualistic ceremonies of the Olympic Games.
Black (Saturn) hats led by Kenneth Branagh at the base of Glastonbury Tor where all the world flags were planted reminding me of the ceremonial north pole where Saturnalia's king, Santa, resides
In July I
discussed the astrological influence of Saturn on the 2012 Olympic Games and its
relationship to the Golden Age, the cyclic cycles of ancient kingship, and themes of sacrifice.
The XXX Olympiad commences on July 27, 2012 with the Opening Ceremony whose worldwide broadcast starts at 9 pm under a sky ruled by Saturn,
the planet most associated with the Golden Age. Whether in the distant
past, or in another dimension where there is no time, Saturn rules a
kingdom where no one grows old because he has sacrificed his children and where all points of time exist
simultaneously in what Terrence McKenna might have described as
singularity.
Last night I watched a replay of the Closing Ceremony, which was first broadcast live under the influence of stars of Aquarius, ruled by the planetary archetype of Saturn. It felt like the final night of a long holiday. Although I did not follow the games closely, it did seem like the two week period of the XXX Olympic Games occurred outside of time, preserved in an imaginary bubble, and on electronic media, which shut out the grim realities of the everyday world outside the East End of London.
For one brief shining moment 'Camelot' was restored to the economically weakened and wearied population of Britain. The traditionally stiff upper lip of Londoners softened into exuberant smiles. It was as though the rite of the Opening Ceremony pulled back the mists and revealed the hidden world of Avalon/Albion, only to be obscured behind the mists once again during Closing Ceremony, which was literally under the influence of the "Veiling Star," the nakshatra Shatabhisha.
Opening Ceremony
When the Opening Ceremony commenced with the single toll of the largest harmonically tuned bell in the world, famously inscribed with a quote from Shakespeare's The Tempest -- Be not afeard,the isle is full of noises, it received the shakti energy of the Capricorn constellation of Aquila (the Eagle) rising on the eastern horizon in
the nakshatra of Shravana. The combined starlight and reverberating vibration seemed to open an inter-dimensional door to Saturn's etheric realm.
Bradley Wiggins, the yellow shirt winner of the Tour de France
Bradley Wiggins, the "yellow shirt winner" of the Tour de France, had the honor of ringing the bell. The yellow shirt of the Tour de France is given to the daily leader and winner. Like gold, yellow is generally associated with the Sun, which rules over winners. However, it may also be associated with the planet Saturn which appears yellow to the naked eye. Astrologically Saturn is traditionally associated with the color blue, it was discovered in 2005 by NASA's Cassini probe that the planet Saturn has blue skies in its northern hemisphere, and yellow skies in its southern hemisphere. In the Vedic tradition, Saturn/Shani is the son of the Sun/Surya, born out of the Sun's union with the shadow his wife left in her place. Thus Saturn has mixed qualities of both the light and dark manifest in its atmosphere and archetype.
The singular Olympic Bell toll was followed by the angelic solo of 11 year old Humphrey (HUM FREE) Keeper, who was born without a hand on his malformed arm, a characteristic disability of Saturn. He was part of a children's choir all sporting yellow stripped (like Saturn) shirts.
11 year old Humphrey Keeper in his yellow shirt
Humphrey's perfect-pitch voice literally spellbound the Olympic Stadium with the British anthem Jerusalem whose symbolism I discussed in my several of my previous posts. He was joined by youth choirs from the four corners of Britain who performed a haunting prayer for the restoration of Albion. It's hard to believe that the harmonic voices of children might be part of some sinister offering or ritual to Saturn, whose death cult in the Western alchemical tradition is believed to gain its power through the sacrifice of children. And yet it was not the only segment that featured disabled and sick children. The tribute to the National
Health Service (NHS) and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) featured a performance of sick children dancing on hospital beds to a barely recognizable Titular Bells, which was the famous theme from the movie Exorcist. A very unsettling choice to be sure. Once tucked into bed, the children were frightened by all the evil villains of nightmare and English literature, like Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. Only the magic of dozens of Mary Poppins, a private nanny/nurse, could cast them away. What does that say about the actual power of the hundreds of doctors and nurses of the National Health Service? The segment concluded with the birth of a giant "creepy" baby and homage
to the children's hospital, the Great Ormand Street Hospital (GOSH), with a glowing GOSH, another word
for "God" often used by children to avoid taking God's name in vain.
This entire sequence was lit in Saturn's dark indigo light. Is this giant (Titan) baby an offering, or an alchemical creation of a homunculus -- an artificial man. Remember that Danny Boyle said that the Opening Ceremony program was very much influenced by his work on the musical Frankenstein: I mean, we don't reanimate dead creatures, but we did use Frankenstein as a dry run for a lot of ideas for this. Some saw it as a fertility ritual for the newlywed Prince and Duchess, who was rumored to be pregnant shortly after the Opening Ceremony.
Another segment that featured a dying child was part of a tribute dedicated to victims of the 7/7 London Bombings that occurred on the day after London won its bid for the 2012 Olympic games (and caused so many to worry about another terrorist or false flag attack during the Olympics). The memorial was well received in the UK, but strangely edited from the original broadcast in the US. "Deadspin" first called attention to the missing transitional performance, which only made US viewer more curious and sure to tune in and view the video. This sequence begins with a group of performers dancing under a glowing sun disk. Another little wayward boy, dressed in yellow, mysteriously shows up is led by another figure dressed in yellow to join the dancers under the Sun where they are all consumed in its flames.
This performance is perhaps the most significant moment of symbolism in the
Opening Ceremony as it sets the stage and foreshadows what is to come
during the Closing Ceremony: the birth of the Phoenix, or Bennu, rising from the ashes of the Olympic Flame of Prometheus.
Closing Ceremony
During
the Closing Ceremony the constellation Aquarius, Saturn's other sign of the air element, was
rising on the horizon. Although most astrological traditions associate the Phoenix with the sign of Scorpio, there is one, albeit a tenuous one, that associates it with Aquarius: the Zodiacal Round Table at Glastonbury Tor. This ancient earthen work that depicts twelve constellations was literally molded out of the land. It was discovered in 1927 by Katherine Maltwood who believed the giant zodiac was constructed sometime around 2700 BCE. This sprawling feat star map, or star temple, encompasses Glastonbury Tor and Challice Hill in the sign of Aquarius as designed by the eagle (Aquila) or the Phoenix in red below.
Aquarius can give us flight, it can lift us out of the deep water we
find ourselves in. The constellation is a representation in the heavens
of Ganymede, a beautiful youth plucked from his earthly existence by
Zeus, in eagle form, and carried to Mount Olympus, high above the world,
to became cup bearer to the gods. Knowing Ganymede’s story offers a way
of understanding why an eagle-like bird (perhaps a phoenix) emerges in
the landscape as the Aquarius figure, and why an eagle is the very
highest symbol represented in the Glastonbury Zodiac, carved in stone
high up on St Michael’s Tower.
So even if its astrological validity is dubious, this mythology would surely be known by most Britains, and ties the cup bearer of the gods of Olympus to the water bearer of Aquarius and the Phoenix, light bringer, to the Olympian Flame of Prometheus. Moreover, the land that marks the 11th sign includes the Chalice Well, where legend says that the Holy Grail is buried. Furthermore, the cup bearer of ancient Greek mythology is appropriated and merged with the Christian cup bearer of Arthurian legend. However, the ancient Druids considered the red spring to be holy waters long before the Roman's arrived, and believed it to be vitally connected to the nearby white spring. The red and white springs may also relate to the Arthurian legend of the red and white dragons who live in a subterranean pool beneath Glastonbury Tor.
Chalice Well whose cover depicts a vesica pisces representing the interaction of the two worlds
The colors red and white may also be allusions to the apple of Venus whose red skin veiled the white flesh alluding to the the outer and inner worlds. Red and white are also alchemical symbols representing the male and female principles of balance of opposites.
Although Saturn rules the sign of Aquarius, the lagna of the Closing Ceremony event chart, it is now transiting in its exalted airy sign of Libra -- the scales of balance. The scales are used in the justice system, as well as in the market to measure material goods in order to understand their worth. Thus an exalted Saturn in Libra brings karmic balance, justice, and adjustments to what we value. The Lord of the Rings is exalted in Venus' sign and its shift from the earth sign of Virgo to
the air sign of Libra may indeed be seen as an alchemical process -- releasing spirit from
matter. In fact, the Closing Ceremony had a much lighter, or airier, theme than the heavy tableau of the Opening Ceremony initiated in the earthy sign of Capricorn. This breezy tribute to British Pop culture included a selection of British Rock, Pop, Theatre and Fashion icons that reflect the many characteristics of these two friendly planets. Venus is planetary ruler of the arts, and only planet able to raise the dead represented by Saturn and made manifest in the posthumous performances by John Lennon and Freddie Mercury.
Below are two illustrated drawings of the alchemical flasks of Saturn and Venus. Saturn's flask contains a little child with a dragon and Venus' flask contains a peacock, or phoenix.
Saturn flask, from Splendor Solis, 16th C
Venus flask, from Splendor Solis, 16th C
In Chinese mythology the dragon and phoenix are two of four magical, spiritual and benevolent
animals (the two others are the Tortoise and the Unicorn). The dragon was the most revered of all as it protects an enormous
magical pearl -- or egg -- in its claw, which has the power to multiply whatever it touches. The pearl symbolizes its the most precious treasure:
Wisdom. The phoenix is a hybrid with the head and comb of a pheasant and the tail of a
peacock that personifies the primordial force of the heavens. The dragon represents the male element, and the phoenix the female element. In China the Dragon represents the emperor, and the Phoenix the empress. Together they symbolize the union of yin and yang, heaven and earth united. Remember that the Arthurian blood line is called Pendragon. So who, or what, might be the Penphoenix?
Much of the Closing Ceremony involved releasing this dragon pearl, or cosmic egg. When British jester Russell Brand sings the Beatles' lyrics "I am the egg man," he is not kidding; dancers create a pyramid to Kate Bush's Running up Hill (to make a deal with God); followed by George Harrison's Here Come's the Sun -- in case you weren't clear on the secret sun symbolism.
Next a tribute to John Lennon creates what looks like his face on Mars, not far from one of the news headlines printed on the Union Jack Stage which read in bold: Brave New World -- remember this ceremony took place the day before NASA's Curiosity successfully landed on Mars. We are asked to Imagine no heaven, no hell, and a Saturnine world of living in peace as One -- the Golden Age. Later Annie Lenox rides a ghost ship that looks like a dying phoenix singing her last swan song, Little Bird:
My my where do I go?
My my what do I know?
My my we reap what we sow
They always said that you knew best
But this little bird's fallen out of that nest now
I've got a feeling that it might have been blessed
So I've just got to put these wings to test
Perhaps my favorite moment of the Closing Ceremony is a segment featured a holographic resurrection of the late Freddie Mercury of Britain's famous rock band Queen. He was dressed in a yellow bolero, cosmic bull figher or psychopomp psychopomp who challenges the audience to call out: "Deyo, DEO," latin for "to God."
The final segment of the closing ceremony focused on the ritual of extinguishing the flame. In the video below we see how a spark from the Phoenix descends to the Union Jack Stage, an 8-pointed star (Saturn/Venus), where it transforms into a dancer who begins to perform the Dance of the Flame, derived from Stravinsky's Firebird. Remember the allegorical story of Inanna's Decent to the Underworld that I described in my posts on the Venus Transit, in which the Goddess/Venus was required to leave someone in her place in the Underworld? Well here at in the netherworld of the Olympic Stadium, she leaves her spark. I can't help but be reminded of the June 3rd solar flare that occurred just prior to the Venus transit which NASA's Spaceweather dubbed a chicken, but others see as a phoenix. Could this solar flare have brushed pass the planet Venus and delivered us an alchemical spark from the heavens during the Queen's Jubilee?
I grew up watching the New York City Ballet perform Stravinsky's Firebird under the starry skies at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) every summer. This ballet tells the Russian folk tale of Prince Ivan, who gets lost looking for a tree with golden apples and stumbles into the magical realm of Kashchei the Immortal. There he spies the a bird with dazzling plumage that is trying to pluck the golden fruit from a silver tree. Ivan tries to capture the bird, but yields to its pleas to be set free. In gratitude, the Firebird gives Ivan a magical feather and promises to help him someday in the future when he needs it.
The evil villain is Kashchei the Immortal, another archetypal Saturnine king who lives in the netherworld beyond the dimensions of time. His body cannot be killed because his soul is hidden inside a needle, which is inside an egg, which is inside a duck, which is inside a hare, which is inside an iron or gold chest which is buried under a green oak tree -- any body remember the oak tree on top of the replica of Glastonbury Tor? Or Voldemort's Horcrux -- time cross? As long as his soul is safe, Kashchei cannot die. If the chest
is dug up and opened, the hare will bolt away; if it is killed, the duck
will emerge and try to fly off, etc. If the egg or needle is broken Kashchei will die.
Kashchei the Immortal in his magical wasteland realm
As the Sun begins to rise in the magical forest, the lost Prince notices a castle and sees thirteen princesses, the daughters of Kashchei, filing out to pick the golden fruit. Of course he falls in love with one of them. The King refuses his request for her hand in marriage and tries to cast a spell on Ivan. But Ivan is protected by the Firebird's magic feather. Next Kashchei sends his grotesque enchanted creatures after Prince Ivan. But true to its pledge, the Firebird bewitches the old King and tells Prince Ivan how to kill him. When Ivan destroys
the egg, killing Kashchei, the King's spell is broken and the
magical creatures and the palace disappear. Only the "real"
beings, including the princesses, remain and awaken. Thus the Firebird, and the phoenix, is associated with magic and rebirth (not to mention hypnotized children). So what happened to the cosmic egg of the Olympic Closing Ceremony? Did Russell Brand eat it and destroy Kashchei? Or did the cosmic hatch? Remember a Phoenix re-creates itself out its own ashes. Perhaps it is a (pen)dragon that lays the egg.
Many ancient cultures depict a firebird, or Phoenix as a symbol of the rising sun and resurrection. In Egypt it is called the Bennu, meaning "rise" or "shine." According to Rich Merrick, the author of The Venus Blueprint:
As the symbol for sun god Osiris, the Bennu (meaning "rise" or "shine")
was believed to be reborn from its embalmed egg of myrrh. This egg is a
reference to M'R, the Egyptian name for the Great Pyramid. This in turn
descends from the transcendental mountain of Meru in the Rig-Veda where
Venus was believed to hover over the sacred mountain to protect and
fertilize it.
In fact, the phoenix is just another name for the
Morning Star (or torch) of Venus, reborn from the Sun after a transit.
In Vedic lore, she is swallowed by the Sun and then spit out as a seed
to fertilize and renew Earth. Brought to AMeruCa (land of Meru) by
Phoenician sailors, this is the likely origin for the famous Maya
prophecy of Quetzalcoatl's return, the plumed serpent of Venus.
The end of the sacred Venus Tzolk'in calendar is almost upon us.
Tomorrow we shall see the Venus firebird burn at sunset only to rise
from the ashes the following dawn.
Ah, the Phoenix does create an egg -- from myrrh which in TCM is used to move stagnant blood from the uterus. In both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, myrrh is a sacred incense used for the sacraments of confirmation (of receipt of the holy spirit) and unction (annointing with oil). No wonder the Phoenix has been appropriated by the Church as a symbol for the resurrection. As Merrick points out, although the Phoenix is generally considered a symbol of
the Sun, it may also be a symbol for the planet Venus, the only planetary deity that can raise the dead -- and of course morning star was also assigned to Jesus. So what is being resurrected with the Olympic ceremonies -- the golden age, the British empire, the ancient Greek and Egyptian gods?
No one has compiled more fascinating photos and insightful interpretations of many of the Bennu, Phoenix and other esoteric themes of the XXX London Olympiad than Dr. Mark Gray and Hillary Raimo whose blog, MEGARITUAL, has been a wonderful source of information and images. I am very grateful that they generously share their research.
Image from the blog of Dr. Mark Gray and Hillary Raimon called Megaritual
In ancient Egyptian mythology, the
Bennu bird was said to rest on a sacred stone or pillar call the benben stone. In
Egyptian mythology the meeting of the bennu and benben stone may be the
symbolic alchemical marriage of Isis (bennu, star, Venus) and Osiris (obelisk),
heaven and earth, phoenix and dragon. Earlier this summer it was announced that Britain's Big Ben (or benben)
was being renamed Elizabeth's Tower in honor of the Queen's Diamond
Jubilee. It is no coincidence that the Bennu is also called Lord of Jubilees. Thus the Queen/Bennu/Jubilee lord landed on its Tower/benben as the Sun emitted a solar flare resembling a chicken/phoenix. No one could make this stuff up! And the likelihood that the hidden elite could control the Sun is extremely low, if non-existent. Furthermore, as the Queen is an
earthly manifestation of the planet Venus, so too is the Bennu; and its
triumphant rebirth occurred at the same time that Venus reappeared as the morningstar and conjoin the star Sirius. With so many levels of synchronicity, it may be time to consider that these events do herald an awakening.
The 1988 article projects that by 1918 we may be using a global currency called "the Phoenix." By 1918 Saturn will have completed it journey through Libra and will be transiting the sign of Scorpio, which most modern astrologers associate with Pluto and the Phoenix. In Vedic astrological traditions, Scorpio is ruled by Mars, which has been traveling with the mighty Saturn during most of the summer. During the Closing Ceremony Mars was only a degree away from Saturn, BUT it was lingering in the
last degrees of Virgo, which in the equal house system of Vedic astrology means it was quietly tucked away in the previous 8th house of death,
group finances, hidden matters, and chronic illness. Coincidentally the
Queen did not attend this ceremony leading many to speculate on her
health; nor did Prince William, who was on "secret" RAF search and
rescue duties. Instead Prince Harry represented the royal family as
"part of the plan to leave the games to the younger royals."
Just this
week we find out that perhaps the Queen was missing because Prince
Phillip has not been well. On August 15, 2012 the 91 year old Prince
was admitted to the hospital, the third
time in eight months, for a recurrent bladder infection. In Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), the bladder archetype is associated with resources
-- both energetic and financial. As Prince Phillip was born Prince
Phillip of Greece and Denmark, I can't help but wonder if his illness is
a symbolic sign of the decline of the British economy and refers to the
Greek bailout which many believe is destined to fail and would
negatively effect an already weak British economy.
Although the Mayor of London and VISA (V-ISA) might tell you otherwise, the Olympics brought less tourist money
to recession-hit Britain than had hoped for with a majority of
tourist companies reporting losses from last year. Perhaps he believes
that a positive outlook will stimulate the economy as this Telegraph article proposes.
The
2012 Games may have lifted the
nation's spirits, but the government has few alternatives to an
austerity drive that may last for the rest of this decade. The
recession, rising unemployment, and austerity measures have already
driven 1,000 people in Britain to commit suicide. Saturn is often
associated with the grim reaper, and I fear he is just beginning to take
his harvest. And don't forget the LIBOR scandal also awaits Saturn's
balancing act of karma.
But there is some good news being broadcast from the Heavens too, depending on how you look at it. On August 15, 2012 astronomers announced they have found an extraordinary galaxy cluster. It is the most massive cluster found to date and what is extraordinary is that it is pumping out stars at an unprecedented rate -- more than 740 stars per year compared to our Milky Way's rate of 1-2 star rate per year. This star making machine is located -- wait for it -- in The Phoenix Constellation. It is a minor constellation that is visible primarily to the southern hemisphere. While some might interpret this find as evidence that the banks might begin pumping out world currency like crazy, others might suggest that in the bigger picture, the mystical and magical bird of transformation is alive and transmuting matter into energy. How do you want to embody this archetype?
As mystic Anandamayee Maa writes: Either melt by devotion the sense of separateness, or burn it by Knowledge -- for what is it that melts or burns? On that which by its nature can be melted or burn: namely the idea that something other than your Self exists. What will happen then? You come to know yourself.
Namaste - the light and fire within in me, honors the light and fire within you.
It is always provocative to examine the prashna charts for big astronomical events like the solstice and equinox points. Although the rising sign will vary depending on location, the planets and luminaries will be in the same signs and nakshatras. There has been a lot of hype about the Winter Solstice occurring at 11:11 GMT, but that will only happen in the time zone at 0 degrees longitude, such as London. 11:11
has been a number associated with synchronicity, gateways, and
ascension, and it is believed that these master numbers trigger an
unconscious knowledge of a coming shift of consciousness. What is fascinating is the ascendant at this time and place is in the 11th sign of Aquarius. At this location, the event is ruled by an exalted Saturn in the 9th house, perhaps indicating a shift in the laws of the land (in this case Britain). The 9th house is an auspicious dharma house that represents our
highest principles as expressed in domains like law, religion and
philosophy. Because of its connection with the father, it is also a
house of sacrifice. In a natal chart it signifies the father, his
sacrifices for the family and spiritual life, and his influence
over his children's spiritual practices, personal philosophy of life,
perception of
reality, and reaction to new ideas; but in an event chart it may signify
the influence of the collective father over his country and world
views or his own sacrifice to ensure his collective family survives. As I mentioned in my posts on the 2012 London Olympics, Prince William is running Saturn's maha dasha, and now that his wife is expecting their first child and heir, we may witness some changes to the royal line up.
