posted June 03, 2009 08:18 AM         

The Ascendant indicates how you see yourself, how you present yourself to the world, what your sense of self is. Since determining where the Ascendant is on the wheel requires accurate information as to the exact time and place of birth, the average person is often unaware of what their Ascendant is. Unfortunately, this is such an important source of information that the lack thereof results in incomplete interpretation of the chart.

Well, what does all this have to do with the Shadow? On the wheel of an astrological chart, the Ascendant marks what is called the cusp of the first house. As the wheel turns, the Ascendant moves from the horizon up into the light of awareness of self. In a diagonal line, directly across the chart, the area moving down, away from the light and into the dark, is the cusp of the seventh house which marks the Descendant. It is also the indicator of the Shadow Self. Situated as it is, in opposition to the area of which we have the most awareness, this is the part of ourselves of which we have the least consciousness, the part of ourselves we disown and consequently, tend to project outwards onto others, situations or our realities in general.

Fittingly, this Descendant marks the section of the chart that deals with our relationships with 'the significant other' in our lives, the person upon whom we are most likely to project the disowned aspects of ourselves. Initially, we are likely to fall in love with our Shadow's characteristics. The person who openly displays what we deny in ourselves has enormous attraction for us - in them we see ourselves completed. Later on in the relationship these are the very characteristics that infuriate us.

Understanding of this projection process is of crucial importance in learning how we can work with our Shadow and, thereby, reap the harvest of benefits that result from integrating it. In this process, we have set up a wonderful feedback mechanism in order to allow ourselves to attain self-knowledge which can lead us back to wholeness. Since everything we do not wish to be, or of which we do not approve, is held by the Shadow, this is what will be mirrored to us by our outside world. In this illusion we have set up for ourselves, what we disown is presented to us in order that we may recognise it as part of ourselves. In Lararis' words, "when we are finally ready, the Shadow returns to us, meticulously, what it has held for us - to be processed and to be used".

To work with our Shadow we need to look at the characteristics of the people in our lives whose behaviour pushes our buttons, at people we dislike or hate, at what irritates or angers us the most. It is very possible that we may pride ourselves on having the opposite of these particular qualities for, ironically, the more intensely we polarise ourselves in any characteristic, the more we will attract its opposite to us in our lives. Also we need to look at what we really admire in others. This is information that teaches us so much about ourselves.

The standard response we often have, when asked to look to see where we can identify ourselves in people, or in situations, which upset us or get to us in some way is "But I don't do that!" And the answer is " No, you probably don't but maybe you would really like to". Perhaps what stops us is the judgement we have on such behaviour that prevents us allowing ourselves to act in such a way. It follows that we are really infuriated when someone else has the audacity to do so." Similarly, when we admire someone passionately and long to be like them, identify the quality in them that triggers this response and work on reclaiming it from your Shadow.

We should also look at the feedback we get in life - what do people tell us that we don't like to hear, what are we ashamed of, what do we hide (even from ourselves), what patterns do we repeat in our lives? These are important ways in which our Shadow communicates with us. With practice and perseverance, we can find, in these areas, the hidden keys to understanding the disowned aspects of ourselves which the Shadow holds in waiting for us.

So the secret is to sit by yourself, calling on your Higher Self and unseen counsellors to help you and to give yourself time to work with whatever it is that evokes this response in you or that you have identified. With real self-honesty and integrity, examine the depths of your psyche. Admit the truth to yourself. I am not suggesting you need to admit the truth to anyone else nor that you go into the adolescent part of yourself and start beating yourself up about it. Castigating yourself or going off on a blaming trip of "Oh, I am such a despicable, horrible person, no one could possibly love me!" is going to achieve nothing at all. What is needed is the recognition of this aspect in yourself; the lifting of the judgement you have (for you judge what you disown); forgiveness of yourself - for having hidden the truth from yourself for so long - and for the pain you have caused yourself, and others, in the process and a desire to be different from now on.? Then, put into practice what you have learned about yourself and actually be different.

We have a choice as to how we process the stuff in our lives, not whether we process it. We can grow through struggle and pain or through joy and adventure.? Illness and crisis occur when we refuse to hear the whispers urging to us change voluntarily. The Shadow can be a very valuable teacher, if we choose to work with it.

posted June 03, 2009 10:18 AM         

what if Moon is in the same sign as Descendant, especially with it squaring its dispositor?

in my case, I have both Moon and Descendant in Pisces. Moon squares its dispositor,Neptune with 1'22 orb.

I strongly relate to Pisces any way. I am very conscious of the energy. ...especially when I have numerous Neptune aspects through declinations,midpoint pictures,and planetary nodes.

posted June 03, 2009 11:05 AM         

I have DSC in Cancer and no planets there but I have Sun on IC so it helps a lot to relate to and understand Cancerian energy, but yes, there is much to learn ... as usual

posted June 03, 2009 12:15 PM         

Yeah...a little. I feel a little lonely, and yeah....that fits with the Descendant conjunction.

I keep telling myself that it's just the ego and the painbody in me that's feeling lonely.
I have been reading Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. I have been listening to his teachings on shoutcast.

I am definitely not lonely with a new family in my new church, Spiritual Life Center,an interfaith unity church. I could end up finding my future wife there.

it would fit right in with my 7th house ruler,Neptune in Sagittarius in 3rd. Jupiter is traditional 7th house ruler,and it's in Sagittarius in 3rd too. I have Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius in 3rd that squares my Moon in Pisces in 6th and oppose my retrograde Saturn in Gemini in 9th.

I feel that t-square is an indicator of spiritual,religious conflict. I think that maybe I was meant to meet my future wife in church, but I was put off by churches because church didn't fit me with my being a free spirit that is not religious in organized sense because of having no boundaries. I didn't want to be part of any community. I am older now and less restless,and so I want to settle down and be part of a community. Spiritual Life Center fits that perfectly.

I think that maybe becoming member of the church will actually help me integrate once and for all. I believe that Eckhart Tolle's teachings will be part of that.

heliocentric Uranus Nodes square my Ascendant/Descendant axis with 25 minutes of arc, and so relationships can be so unpredictable. Independence is strongly needed,and my partner will be independent. I believe in total equality in a relationship.

I would be better off with a partner that is progressive,liberal,unconventional which is exactly how I am.

I certainly wouldn't mind being with an astrologer! hahahahaha

Raymond

posted June 03, 2009 03:37 PM         

I agree to an extent that when we aren't aware of the Dsc part of us, it does in fact become a shadow self. We may consciously or unconsciously choose people to 'act out' the ways we disown the planet on our Dsc, but we are that person.

posted June 03, 2009 03:46 PM         

Too bad there is not much info on DSC and even less on IC!

posted June 03, 2009 04:55 PM         

quote:

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I agree that you will attract the things on your DC that you disown. But to own it, don't I need to act that way?

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posted June 03, 2009 05:12 PM         

I took it to mean that you have to own the negative traits. So for you, it would be cancer negative traits like: moodiness, emotional, and defensive, otherwise, you will attract these types of individuals to you.

posted June 03, 2009 05:27 PM         

quote:

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I took it to mean that you have to own the negative traits. So for you, it would be cancer negative traits like: moodiness, emotional, and defensive

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posted June 03, 2009 05:28 PM         

Diana said it much better that I did.

** If you have aries on the DC and you don't own up to your feelings of aggression and self-centeredness, you will attract people with these negative traits. **