posted June 15, 2004 09:22 AM              

The Esoteric Astrologer Newsletter
 ~ Commentaries on Living through the Science of Esoteric Astrology and the Seven Rays ~
www.esotericastrologer.org

June 2004.
 

Gemini full moon festival 2004
The Venus Transit
America
The Venus Transit
Venus, Gemini and Love-Wisdom
Gemini the Busy Bee
The United Nations

Hello friends and students of Esoteric Astrology,
It has been an intense month since the Taurus solar festival. If there is anything that astrology can teach us it is quite often in retrospect. What I mean by this is that when a full moon configuration or any other future pattern presents itself, one can apply various interpretations, depending upon the school of astrology to which you subscribe. Interpretation can be from the very mundane to the most optimisitic and esoteric. Quite often esotericists can tend to go for the latter and sometimes miss the lowest common denominator. Or the lowest common denominator can present such a forceful expression that tends to obscure more occult transformations. Such a case in point is the current prisoner abuse crisis in Iraq.
 
America
Some of the most hideous aspects of the T-square in last month’s chart have expressed themselves in the images that have come from Baghdad prison. The T-square involved Sun and Moon in Taurus-Scorpio, square to Neptune in Aquarius. Neptune rules media and photographic images, and the world was stunned by graphic photos of sexual degradation and cruelty perpetrated by US soldiers upon Iraqi prisoners. This is so Taurus-Scorpio in its most unredeemed expression. Of course this kind of behaviour goes on all the time in war, especially at the same prison under Saddam Hussein’s reign.
Elsewhere through the Taurus-Scorpio axis, the destroyer aspect of the first ray has been at work in Sudan, where tens of thousands have been being ‘ethnically cleansed’ by Arabs, but the media hardly focuses on this.
Other Arabs in Palestine have endured the wrath of Israel as she has destroyed many settlements in a terrorising bid to oust terrorists. The previous Wesak full moon fell right upon Isarael’s nodal axis in Taurus-Scorpio, T-squaring Pluto in Leo.
So America currently has its back to the wall with growing criticism of its role in Iraq and relentless suicide bombings coming from terrorists. Whatever our political persuasions, some remarks of DK’s come to mind:

“… disciples in an Ashram are of no political persuasion and own to no nationalistic bias’ [1]…
I [D.K.] speak in terms of humanity—without distinction of race, colour or nation; I have no particular political views, because I know that all potential theories, ideologies and governments are temporary states and conditions, controlling different groups of human beings on their way from the human state to the divine. This is a point of view oft overlooked by many of you who—temporarily and oft fanatically—belong to one or other of these ephemeral states of mind and passing human attitudes … I know that present events [WWII] will play their timely part, will give place to others in due time, and that—when the immediate processes of readjustment in human values, spiritual objectives and political schemes, religious orientations and territorial syntheses are completed—the world will settle down again to the processes of daily living.” [2]
     
….If disciples are to do group work together on mental levels, they must clear their minds of prejudice, hatreds and any tendency to superiority and criticism. You cannot work, as a group, if these ideas and thoughts are present, and I am preparing now to teach you some of the first stages of group work and usefulness. It would not have been necessary for me to deal with these world problems if you had been immune from emotional reactions to them, but very few of you have your minds clear from prejudice and free from hatred.” [3]
 
America is coming to terms with its shadow - cast by its sixth ray personality. The military is ruled by the sixth ray, ruled in turn by Mars the God of War. As noted about a year ago when scrutinising the transit of Pluto opposite Mars in the American chart, I mentioned that it would bring out some of the worst aspects of the American personality.
Now as transiting Pluto retrogrades back over its opposition to Mars, it is dragging more of those elements to the surface. Pluto made its second hit precisely May 23, although it was been well within orb for several months before; it makes its third and final hit November 26, which covers the period of the US elections.

The full moon falls precisely on the American chart’s Gemini-Sagittarius axis, the exact degree where destroyer Pluto fell on 9/11. Saturn and Mars will also be conjunct America’s Sun (and Bush’s), hence a time of reckoning for all. (Mid-July sees Saturn going over Rumsfeld’s Sun as well, reflecting difficulties for him) As of this writing, transiting Mars conjoins closely America’s Cancer Sun, whilst attorney general Ashcroft is giving a new warning of imminent terrorist attacks.
During the month of Gemini it may be appropriate to explore a little further higher potentials of this Gemini-sixth ray-Mars personality of America. Venus, the feminine polar opposite force of masculine Mars, is the soul ruler of Gemini and makes a rare transit across the face of the Sun close to this full moon.
America’s soul is the second ray of Love-Wisdom. It is also ruled by Aquarius at a soul level, and Jupiter, ruler of the second ray, is the soul ruler of Aquarius. The American soul ray, though not fully awakened, expresses itself in many areas of life in that nation.
       
 Also, the second ray is the only one to pour through the Gemini, its personality. Hence there is much of the force of Love-Wisdom which has the potential to express in this nation. There is simply needed more time for its sixth ray personality to mature into one that expresses the higher aspects of Mars and Neptune: Devotion to the highest ideals; this is what drives her now, but that idealism is distorted and being manipulated politically.  The destiny of America (Aquarian soul) is to be a leader in this Aquarian Age, no matter what mistakes she has made or is currently making.

Which brings us back to this full moon for Gemini 2004. Venus, the soul ruler of Gemini, the one who harmonises the warring twins, is precisely conjunct Mars in the American horoscope. If ever there was an opportunity for some grace to cool hothead Mars, it is through the goddess of beauty Venus. Therefore the ‘imprint’ of this conjunction on this full moon will last a substantial period.

The Venus Transit
Also, five days after the full moon, Venus makes its ‘transit’ conjunction over the Sun, an astronomical event that occurs on average every 120 years – it can be viewed live on June 8 from http://www.vt-2004.org/central/. Venus can be seen as a small dot crossing the face of the Sun and is a relatively rare occurrence, the last pair of transits occurred in 1874 and 1882, the next in 2117 and 2125. The other Venus transit in this current pairing is 2012, the end of a great cycle in the Mayan calendar.
Some of these dates are interesting if we consider Venus as the ruler of the fifth ray of Science. 1874 was the period when H.P. Blavatsky was soon to publish Isis Unveiled in 1875 and occult science was introduced to the world.

2117 is the precise year of the astronomical ingress of the Sun into the Aquarius for the next 2160 year cycle – according to DK through calculations made from an unpublished letter. Aquarius has only Venus-ruled ray five coming through it, hence it is most appropriate. At that time, the conjunction of the Sun with Venus occurs in Pisces and the Moon is in Sagittarius is opposite Aquarius ruler Uranus.

Venus orbits the Sun in 224 days whilst the Earth takes 365 days, hence the varying orbital rates produce a 583 day ‘synodic’ cycle. Astrologer Nick Anthony Fiorenza lucidly explains:

“Because the Earth moves 584 Earth days, (about 1.6 years around the ecliptic) before the two planets align, each alignment occurs about 215.6° further than the previous one (about seven astrological signs apart). As this process continues, five unique Venus-Earth locations are created in the ecliptic. The result is a pentagonal synodic series that takes about eight years and which consists of five synodic cycles (shown below). This near perfect pattern occurs because five cycles occur in an even number of Earth years--almost.” [4]
 

 
For those of you who wish to be more acquainted with technicalities complete with outstanding graphics, I would highly recommend a visit www.lunarplanner.com/HCpages/Venus.html Nevertheless the cyclic patterns created are very beautiful and deeply esoteric. Following are other variations of the same phenomena.

Venus, Gemini and Love-Wisdom
June 8, 2004 (and the full moon period just before) will be a very powerful period where the Venus-Sun conjunction focuses like a lens upon the Earth. Venus is the goddess of love and the Sun is the co-ruler of the second ray of Love-Wisdom. Presumably the Earth will receive quite a large downflow of these forces that will have a very positive effect on human relationships. As Gemini is a sign of communication, it is besides Libra, pre-eminently a sign of relationships. Venus as soul ruler governs the Science of Relationships that will be characteristic of the Aquarian Age. Already this process has started with a revolution in relating that has taken place in the past thirty years. Note once again that the Venus-ruled fifth ray is the only to pass through Aquarius.
 
As the pillars of Gemini are a ‘gateway’ for the forces of Sirius into the solar system, Venus opens the gate for a direct cosmic alignment with Earth. Both Sirius and Venus are associated with initiation. The effects will be dual, as ever are the effects of Gemini, let alone Sirius and Venus. Sirius is the source of Love-Wisdom in our solar system that emanates from the cosmic mental plane and Venus transmits the force of mind - through mental understanding, love and compassion are generated. This is all taking place in Gemini, so hopefully in this sign of communication it will stimulate some compassionate listening and communication amongst the leaders of the world.

As mentioned in earlier newsletters, Gemini is the third of the three major spiritual festivals for the year, disseminating that which has impulsed in Aries and has consolidated in Taurus. It is the ‘Festival of Unification carried forward by the Christ, the Master of all the Masters and the Teacher alike of angels and of men.’ It is also called ‘The Festival of Goodwill’ where one’s unique relationship is cultivated with the Christ:

“… the spirit of humanity—aspiring towards God, seeking conformity with the Will of God and dedicated to the expression of right human relation …. It will be a day whereon the spiritual and divine nature of mankind will be recognised. On this festival, for two thousand years, the Christ has represented humanity and has stood before the Hierarchy and in the sight of Shamballa as the God-Man, the Leader of His people and "the Eldest in a great family of brothers" (Romans VIII:29). Each year at that time He has preached the last sermon of the Buddha before the assembled Hierarchy. This will therefore be a festival of deep invocation and appeal, of a basic aspiration towards fellowship, of human and spiritual unity, and will represent the effect in the human consciousness of the work of the Buddha and of the Christ.” [5]

 
Gemini the Busy Bee
All this is very well and good, but The Twins at a basic personality level are one of the most duplicitous, deceptive and sly signs of the zodiac. Quite often Gemini talks plenty yet nothing gets done; all talk and no listening; lower mental reactivity with no thoughtful consideration; shallowness and superficiality. Gemini’s ethereal and unstable nature makes it want to respond to everything that is in its local environment.
In the third Gemini labour, Hercules is bound to the rock of false teaching by the cunning arch-deceiver Busiris. Gemini’s lack of discrimination can make it most gullible to spiritual teachers – represented by polar opposite Sagittarius.
This third sign has some traits in common with the third ray of Active-Intelligence, especially around the latter’s most common glamour, busyness; activity without true purpose. The restlessness of Gemini is its quintessentially childlike, inquisitive and curious nature that needs to find stillness at its core - otherwise it scatters itself to the wind. One of the meditations for the third ray is stillness and is also most appropriate for Gemini. The symbol of this stillness can be found in polar opposite Sagittarius - the Zen archer standing still and steady, one-pointed, poised with the breath suspended, relaxed.
It is here where the Gemini ‘busy bee’ can find its ‘hive in the heart’; where the numerous minor assimilations and gatherings of ‘knowledge-pollen’ are transformed into the honey of understanding; this is the action and expression of Venus that brings understanding, consideration and compassion.
It is said that bees are sacred to the goddess Venus. Her Hindu counterpart is Kamadeva the god of love and the lord of the celestial nymphs, consorts of the Gandharvas. His bow is made of sugar-cane, and his bow-string a line of bees, while each one of his arrows is tipped with a different flower.
Esoterically the symbol of bees (industriousness and organisation) has always been an important one in Gemini-ruled Masonry:
 
“The formless nature of the influences of Gemini is strikingly borne out if the significance of Masonry is studied. This world-wide institution was—as I have earlier told you—organised under the influence and impulse of this sign and is governed by it in a most unusual manner. The format or exoteric symbolism of Masonry has frequently been changed [a Geminian trait] during the millenia of years through which it has been active … its significance and its history of unfoldment are the history of the indwelling Christ consciousness and of that inner light, and this must unalterably be continued. That which has entered through the two pillars of Hercules, the disciples (Jachin and Boaz), and through the sign Gemini, has entered to stay.” [6]
 
Note the description of the ‘formless nature’ of Gemini which relates to its connection with the etheric body. To recapitulate, Aries mental, Taurus astral and Gemini etheric. Gemini acts as a distributor for the energies inaugurated in Aries and Taurus.
Gemini has that mutable quality that during its month allows us to work consciously and cooperate with spiritual forces – in affirming our alignment with the greater Plan and visualising goals for the year. We can literally work with this mutable matter, that quicksilver mental substance, shaping it according to our respective purposes. We can draw upon the polar opposite Archer and launch our newly organised and aspiring thought to the heights. The arrow may even pierce the ‘raincloud of knowable things’ and precipitate an evocative response.
In one respect, the Gemini twins represent the dual evolution of Humanity and the Angelic or Deva kingdom. Think of the archetypal symbolism of the month of Gemini in the Northern Hemisphere - as nature’s diversifying building processes are at their height. The cooperation and relationship between these two kingdoms is becoming more of a reality as we acquaint ourselves with the spiritual laws and knowledge that gives us understanding of their role.
Hence in Masonic ritual, these daevic beings can be invoked in a safe and consecrated environment according to plan and purpose, and new archetypes created for human evolution. This is the rich result of conscious co-operation between the two kingdoms. The importance of the deva kingdom’s role cannot be stressed strongly enough - the foundation of The Secret Doctrine, The Kabbalah, The Dhyani Buddhas, The Five Kumaras and many other spiritual treatises rests upon it.
 
The United Nations
The exoteric UN chart for October 1945 has some extraordinary alignments with Gemini. This chart contains a Gemini Moon at the same degree as America’s Mars – hence the conflict between these two entities – and possibly why Mars usually gets the upper hand over the Moon. The Moon in Gemini can make for great vacillation in decision-making!
Currently Venus, dispositor of the several Libra planets in this chart, has progressed to an opposition to natal Moon – beoming exact over the next year or two. At the same time, transiting Pluto sits right on this progressed Venus – and course opposite the Moon – just as it does so in the American chart with Mars.
This will have the effect of a huge shake-up and transformation within the UN over the next couple of years – notwithstanding the fact that it is going through its second Saturn return - starting in August and finishing around May 2005. Hence the Pluto transit will be going on at the same time as the Saturn return. It seems therefore, that both the destinies of America and the United Nations will be profoundly affected during this period. In fact, their interaction on the same themes (Liberation and Freedom for Humanity) will be the main issue.
One entity (America) wants to go ahead and ‘just do it’, as there is a perception that the UN is caught up in ‘endless consensus’. The other (U.N.) wants to bring about fairness for all, based upon consensual voting from the world’s nations.

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