September | 2014 | Temple of the Cosmic Spheres

Archive for September, 2014

Sun in Libra – The Tree of Grace

Posted in Qabalah, The Temple of the Sun, The Temple of Venus, Venus with tags Air, astrology, cardinal, esoteric writings, Libra, Qabalah, Temple of the Sun, Temple of Venus on September 29, 2014 by themagickalpen

Image: Josephine Wall

In the early morning light
My beauty is graced by
Song bird’s beating wing
And awakening of leaf and life.

The noon-day sun cascades
Over my upstretched limbs
Heating and refining the
Visage of my furrowed bough.

Dusk descends and I strain
And stretch reaching up
Towards last Sun’s light.

And as darkness falls the
Memory of the day’s renewal
Weighs the measure of growth
In my aspiration towards
Heaven’s brilliant Gate.

As we enter the Temple of the Sun, Qabalistically we are entering into connection with the central sphere on the Tree of Life, Tiphareth. The name given this sphere is Beauty and the energy is one of synthesis through sacrifice and integration through refinement of the sum of all of its parts. This is much the same energy that we experience in the course of a Solar year. The energy of each of the Zodiacal signs, their element and modality are modified and expressed through the brilliance of the Sun. And, in keeping with the evolutionary process of movement from one sign to the next, each is informed by the previous sign’s energy and contributes a part of its dynamic into the sign that follows. Please see the end of this post for recommendations about learning more about the Tree of Life.

Libra and Venus on the Tree

Astrologically, we have learned that Libra is ruled by the planet of nature’s beauty and refined grace, Venus. We experienced the energy of each interaction we have, every thought and idea, and every act of creative expression as a form of the planet Mercury’s endeavors to inform, share and interconnect. Now, within the harmonious balance of Libra, the feminine aspect of these qualities is transformed as mind is replaced by heart and the feelings evoked and responses chosen are honed by Venus’ hand of creation’s beauty.

Within the Qabalistic Tree, Libra and Venus hold sway in the Sphere of Netzach and the Paths of the Tree – 14th and 22nd. When we speak of the energy of Libra as offering the space of refinement and grace within the energy of the Tree, we are considering the natural tendency of Libra to offer up its exquisite sense of balance and creative efforts spawned by the desire to give expression to the emotion that is flowing. This energy is expressed in the seeking of balance within each of the spheres and the wild beauty of their expression as a source of transformation. This desire to create and express is found in the fires of the Qabalistic sphere of Netzach.

Netzach (Venus) and Tiphareth (Sun)

Tiphareth and the Sun

Each of the Sephiroth and connecting Paths of the Tree of Life holds correspondence with a planetary and/or zodiacal energy. The physical Sun stands centrally within our solar system, providing light and heat. Tiphareth provides the space of transformation and the full force generator that distributes what is processed so it may be utilized and transmuted by whatever it emanates its energy into. This is the sacrificial aspect of this sphere. This is the action of enlivening within its own source to ensure the continuation of the creative process begun within the other components of the Tree. So we begin in this central hub of universal energy and move out towards the flow of energy represented by the essence of Victorious Creative Fires that is the sphere of Netzach.

Netzach: The Sphere of Refined Creation

Deep within the heart
Of the emerald jewel
Lay the great mysteries
Of time and love.

The lamp is lit
And glows within
Edges sharp where
Line and point
Intersect poignantly
At the place of equilibrium.

From the wellspring rises
Form of beauty and
Intelligence refined
As Pleiades dance
In response to the
Sound of planets’
Symphony.

And, all is held gently
Contained in beauty’s grace
As she unites with clarity of
Mind and focus of heart.

Netzach is the Seventh (7) Sphere. Within the energy of the number 7 lay the many paths of higher expression and development. Seven is the number of the Pleiades, the number of the Elder Planets of Astrology, the Seven Sacred Vowels and the Seven Major Chakras within the subtle bodies. This is also the number of synthesis, having moved from the harmonious balance of the number six to a point of gathering all of those experiences into a place of multiple options and outcomes for further expression and exploration. Netzach’s English name is “Victory”. There are many ways in which we may become Victorious in our expression, but in all circumstances the vital ingredient is that of continually weighing and measuring the worth and effect of what we set out to conquer.

Netzach is assigned the element of Fire. Within the energy of Netzach we can identity this Fire as that of longing, desire and the impetus that coerces the creative urge towards manifestation. Creativity in all of its forms, most particularly the arts and nature’s beauties flow from the refined efforts of Netzach. These fire flow strongly through the Natural world and Netzach reaches deeply into Gaia’s womb of creation to draw inspiration from Her living body.

The Sphere of Self-Awareness

The energy of Netzach is one of Consciousness that has come to a place of awareness of its own inherent nature or state of being. Balance or living the place of the middle way can only be achieved when we acknowledge the areas where we over indulge and those areas where effort is lacking. To formulate this discernment requires being fully apprised of our own basic nature. Once this has been established the necessary fine tuning, balancing and bringing to a state of equilibrium can occur. Netzach is the sphere of love, beauty and refinement. It is through the process of refining the parts of self that we can finally acknowledge and truly love the beauty of the resultant outcome. And, that conscious awareness of the newly found self is our place of greatest Victory.

The 22nd Path: Libra and Venus

My fires will burn away what
You have aggressively sought.

I will give way to your power
I will seek your healing
I will come to understand
Your necessary action.

And the Soul that will emerge
Will have steadfastly persevered
Having claimed its victory and
Triumphed over its personal inequity.

The 22nd Path is one of equalizing. The energy of the spheres of connection provides the means to clearly and concisely remove what is excess before it reaches the central core of harmony and synthesis. The second phase of sacrificial release will be imposed by the energy of Tiphareth in its distribution back towards Geburah as the process begins anew. The midpoint of coalescence of the combined energies functions to calibrate what is set forth on flow of offering.

The Planetary/Zodiacal Energy

Venus/Libra

Venus is the ruling planet of the astrological sign of Libra (and Taurus). As we have seen, Venus as ruler of astrological Taurus provides the incentive(why/who) for creating a solid and stable manifest foundation. Wanting a place of security and home for those you love and care for are the primary focus of Taurean energy.

The planet Venus was called Phosphorus by the Greeks, which translates to “Lightbearer” and Nogah in Hebrew and means “The Shiner”. Venus shines most brightly in the sky in the morning. Within the energy of the Tree and acting through the sphere of Netzach, Venus is the light that illuminates and refines what the mind would keep devoid of emotional connection. Its action is one of stimulating the flow of passion and the desire to create in a productive way, by infusing each inventive thought with the fires of carefully applied will.

To read more about Venus’ energies, review the posts in:
The Temple of Venus

Libra is of the element Air and approaches each new task giving first attention to the architectural thought that will provide the blue prints for completion. As Venus’ energy emerges, the fires of creative inspiration fueled by emotional response take hold and the strivings are now that of producing something of rare and lasting beauty. The same approach of balance and beauty is applied in creating the beautiful mind that balances intellect and logic, rational and inventive thought. If all is successful what issues from this skillful juggling will be the finest representation of what is being expressed and each part will harmoniously be balanced by and with the other.

These energies placed upon the 22nd Path ensure that what is drawn into the synthesized core of Tiphareth has received justifiable cutting away within Geburah. The exacting balance of Libra’s energies work to maintain conscious awareness and preserve what will prove useful as it enters the burner’s of Tiphareth’s Sun.

Another Path of Expression: Venus on the 14th Path

The 14th Path: A Supernal of Communication

Remain strong as upholder of the polarity
That is birthed from the seed of force
And held in the womb of endless form.

This is the fire of creation and the
Breath of life that expands and fills
The dark waters where life is held
Waiting for its birthing tides to begin.

The 14th Path holds the honor of providing the base of the spheres of primordial creation (the Supernal Triangle). This path is the space of polarization through the actions of Binah (Feminine) and Chokmah’s (Masculine) energies as the conception of what will be brought into manifestation in the energetic birthing from the Great Mother, Binah. This flow of energetic exchange is directed towards a singular goal of unifying what lay in opposition to produce the space of neutrality where positive and negative give pause and ultimately produce the spark of creative outpour.

The Planetary Energy
Venus

Cool soft lavender,
Blending and merging
Into a sea of powder blue caress
Loving faces with arms outstretched
The butterfly kiss of a child’s soft lips
On rosy red cheeks flushed with love.
Soft, silky panels enfolding gently
Like a lover’s embrace
And vibrant color of passion and
Scent of Sandalwood of soft skin of ecstasy.

The heart yearns to unite with another
And the sweet intoxication
Of a moonlight tryst
Beckons and awaits the paramours.

Kiss, caress, transcendence and
Heart-felt love spilling forth
To all humanity declaring itself
As a magnet of attraction
Desiring nothing but the Beloved.

And who is the “Beloved”
It is the harmonizing energy that
Surrounds it is what captures the
Spirit and carries it aloft
Poised on wings of breath.

The Beloved we all yearn for
Is the shimmering reflection of
Our Higher Self bathed in
The light of Divine embrace
Transformed in the Womb of the Mother
And revealed only when we surrender
To our heartfelt longing.

Read the poem above and allow the images to flow of your own making. This is the energy of the 14th Path in its action as creators.

Tarot Key III – The Empress

Image: Dreamscape Tarot by Stephanie Law

Note: Each of the Paths of the Qabalistic Tree has the assignation of a Tarot key placed upon it as further correspondence to its energy. The Paths 11-32 are represented using the Major Arcana cards.

Tarot Key III – The Empress is the Mother of all life. She sits in quiet repose and strength in the verdant landscape of her own domain. She is the sexual energy that is ripe being both pregnant in her fertility and exquisite in the afterglow of promised union. Placed upon the 14th Path, the Empress offers the vision of what will become and will bear fruit from her union with Chokmah and the manifest and spiritual fruits this union will yield. She is the promise of continued life and expression of that life in all of the elemental worlds over which she reigns supreme.

When we consider the nature of Venus’ energies and Her intended goal of creation, the Empress embodies the wisdom that arises from experience and maturity. She is no longer the flattered ingénue who is easily flattered and anxious to begin the courtship of a romanticized physical journey. She has the composure of selectively and carefully weighing all of the suitor’s gifts before choosing the appropriate vessel to receive the fires of her passionate embrace.

In Conclusion:
As we consider the attributes of Libra and its ruling planet Venus and their impact on the Tree of Life the prominent focus is one of awareness and appreciation of all aspects of the Tree as it seeks to balance its varied nature. The key lay in the responsiveness of desire’s will and the reaction to that desire with catalytic intent. As we come to know more of our wild beauty and connection to nature in all of its permutations, we find the grace of being able to see the beauty in the imperfections.

The ability to apply the finely honed process of carefully weighing the possibilities and stripping away the glamour of unbalanced potential is the gift of discriminating mind that is found in Libra. Its desire to refine through balanced harmony flows through the Tree seeking the source of its inception and the Fires of union that gave it life.

As the light of Tiphareth (Sun) shines brightly and radiates its vision of magnetic attraction throughout the multilayered branches of a tree that reaches far and wide in its expanse and impact we are reminded that in this vision of creation’s most exquisite form and its desire to share the gift of that expression, we are the manifest product of its own loving nature.

Resources:

If you are not familiar with the Qabalistic Tree of Life, I would recommend reading through the article posted in my other blog, The Magickal Pen entitled “Geburah’s Might” to give you the necessary overview for an introductory base of working knowledge about the Tree. It can be found here:

WitchVox: 13 Keys- The Victory of Netzach

The Magickal Pen: Geburah’s Might

13 Keys to the Qabalistic Tree of Life

Reading:
The Inner Chamber Series. R. Fennelly
Volume One: It’s Written in the Stars (2013)
Volume Two: Poetry of the Spheres (2013)
Volume Three: Awakening the Paths (2014)
Order at author’s website: Robin Fennelly

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Full Moon in Aries- Back to the Beginning

October 8.2014

Living on the Edge – New Moon in Libra

Posted in Auspicious Days, Esbat, Lunar, The Temple of the Sun on September 23, 2014 by themagickalpen

September 23.2014

New Moon in Libra
2:14a.m. (EDT)

Sun in Libra

The Moon transits New early tomorrow morning into the astrological sign of Libra. Libra calls into being the beauty of a human existence and all many of art, culture, music, writing and creative inspiration are held on the delicately poised scales. The key to Libra’s success in refining lay in the mind set that to effectively achieve balance, one must be familiar with what the extremes are. It is a matter of being comfortable with those extremes and living equally at the edge of what would pull the balance in an unfavorable direction and with grace and agility maneuver just so. The balance that Libra idealizes is quite often not one of equanimity. It is instead the balance that occurs when just the right measure of whatever is needed to bring justifiable grace to the situation is employed and by so doing, completely shifting the focus towards what would have remained hidden and unappreciated.

This last statement is one that flows through any artistic endeavor and as we all have heard countless times, “beauty, is in the eye of the beholder”. With these thoughts in mind I invite you to take a creative journey into the Halls of Libra via the creative writing of a pathworking. The very action of having written this journey exemplifies the grace of understanding and the delicate balance in producing something that will be visually evocative and energetically transformative. What is born from this journey is the emotional beauty found in the gift of the word and what new work will be begun in the stepping on its path. All of this speaks more eloquently to the power of Libra’s expression than any technical observation I could give.

So, breathe deeply, and enter the Hall of creative inspiration…..

THE HALL OF LIBRA

Turn your focus and attention to your breath. Allow the space of your consciousness to move with the rise and fall of your chest and the filling and release of the lungs. Continue in this manner for several breaths; allowing each to become softer, smoother and slower. With each breath your physical body appears to become lighter and your center of consciousness floats upwards towards the inner eye. You feel enveloped by the mist of transition between the Physical and Astral. And as this veil thins you step through a veil of dark blue mist and find yourself standing centrally in a circular room. As you look around you see that this space opens out to a star lit night sky. The velvety blackness above holds a twinkling of starry light that fills the panoramic view above. The walls encircle you and are of a deep bluish purple. As your eyes adjust to this room you notice an archway just ahead of you. The glyph of Libra, the Scales hovers in the entryway.

You step through the glyph of Libra into an ornate and richly decorated room filled with gold and gemstones. Surrounding you are workbenches and expert jewelers and metal smiths crafting rings. The gold is measured precisely on scales that gleam and balance with the slightest breath of touch, and after careful weighing and scrutiny for imperfection, it is melted into a liquid spun of light and heat. As the mold is filled with this refined essence, gems of varying shapes and sizes are inspected and one, a rare and perfectly faceted emerald, is selected to be the main focus of the piece of jewelry.

As you look around, you notice artwork that is beautiful and insightful on each of the walls. Each brush stroke appears to have been precisely placed and the spectrum of color vibrates in intensity and hue. Each painting has been hung with just the correct amount of lighting and the pieces of sculpture are placed in a pattern that is aesthetically pleasing and functional.

You step through a doorway and into another room where shelves of books line the walls and you have the sense that each has been carefully selected and placed adjacent to a corresponding title that would enhance the readers’ pleasure. This room smells of fine leather binding and ink on pages of delicately crafted paper. The librarians move quietly around this space, each collaborating with another before placing a book just so. Everything is very peaceful and those sitting at luxurious wooden reading tables have an expression of contentment on their faces. You are surrounded by luxury, beauty and harmony of mind and heart. You step over to one of the bookshelves and reach towards a beautifully leather bound edition of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. You leaf through the pages and decide that you are not in the frame of mind right now to beginning reading such a weighty tome. You place the book back on the shelf and as quickly as its edges skim the shelf’s edge there is a pause in the energy of the room. One of the librarians moves towards you and those at the reading table look up from their books as though disturbed by an annoying sound.

A slender hand reaches out and quickly plucks the book from your hand and places it just a few books away on another part of the same shelf. She quietly informs you that each book has its own spot on the shelf. Each holds its own particular place in the larger organization of the books lining the shelves. She continues to explain that although all the books are not the same size, shape or weight, each is important to the overall balance and aesthetic visual quality that displays order, well planned thought and precise action. She then turns and walks back to the project she was engaged in before the disequilibrium of your misplacing the book.

You are neither offended nor apathetic about the exchange that just took place. You understand the need for that type of balance and order and appreciate the refined and gentle way in which you were corrected about your action. You step through the doorway and reenter the space of artisans and jewelry makers and think about how they too have a certain order they must follow. Each component in the paintings may not be of equal measure, but together they form a beautiful image.

You pause as you look around and muse a little more deeply on this concept. This is not a place that is easy to leave but as you stand in the midst of all of this beauty a feeling of sadness wells up within you. You realize that this opulence is not the normal standard for most. That beauty this rare is not often enjoyed by those of limited means. You see an underlying and certain darkness about this place and as the brilliance of gold and gem dims you notice the vastness of this space.

You turn and take in this sight one last time and gently close your eyes and when you open them you are surrounded by the blue veil of energy that carried you to this inner sky. As you take a few more deep breaths and fill the intent with awareness of your physical being and return to your physical space, the mist clears and the smells, sounds and sights of the room in which you began our journey floods your senses. You feel the floor beneath you and the chair on which you are sitting. Noises of the mundane world come back filling ear and mind with thoughts of going about the rest of your day or evening. You take a deep breath of inhalation, savoring the vestiges of your astral journey and the insight it provided, and strongly exhale out affirming your oneness with the present moment of physical time and space.

Blessings of the Libra Moon

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Sunday, September 28.2014

The Tree of Grace

It is Truly Beautiful – The Sun in Libra

Posted in The Temple of the Sun, The Temple of Venus with tags Air, Cardinal Modality, esoteric writings, Libra, Temple of the Sun, Temple of Venus on September 21, 2014 by themagickalpen

Sun in Libra
9.22.2014
10:29 pm (EDT)

The Autumnal Equinox

Planetary Ruler: Venus

It Is Truly Beautiful

It is truly beautiful!
There is a certain
Refinement and grace.

The craftsmanship is expertise
And one can tell that
Great skill and thought
Went into its creation.

You know, they say
That the finest of gold
Was used and each pan
Was polished and leveled
Its inner workings were
Calibrated to the most
Exact measure.

As I think on it- if, I pause
Too long on either extreme
Of matters the agility of my
Mind usually steps in to set
The course straight and bring
The tangential stream back
To center point.

Although, if I linger too long
In the comfort of my mental
Landscape that brings its own
Downpour of disequilibrium.

Yes, it is beautiful this state
Of affairs and the rarest and
Most refined of thought
Is poised and balanced
On the luminescent
Polished scales of mind’s
Elegantly created obelisk.

The Sun transits into the astrological sign of Libra late on the evening of September 22. The balance of the day was spent in the last outpourings of Virgo. The advent of Libra “after hours” begins the process of finishing touches on the work that overzealous Virgo stayed late to prepare.

The astrological sign of Libra is one of the Element of Air and the Cardinal Modality. Its planetary ruler is Venus, planet of refinement, grace, relationships and love in all forms. The natural energy of the Sun, that of shedding great light on whatever is in its spectrum, is now amped up to become the spotlight that shines fully on what needs to be communicated about what deeper information is revealed when one seeks the balance of harmonious and pleasing aesthetic, both physically and spiritually.

This solar month has maximum potential for refining what was more clearly defined in the energy of Virgo. The Libran influence is one of showing us the true beauty held within and the light of the Sun’s outpouring brings attention to the inner and the outer beauty that is held within every action, thought and emotion.

The caution is one of adopting a judgmental attitude and swaying the scales in favor of what has not being carefully weighed for its usefulness or lack of, despite appearances. Because Libra operates from the mental levels, there can be a certain detachment in the formulation of opinions that have rational excuses in support of the final determination. There is also often the compulsion to set very higher standards that may be un-achievable without the support of emotional encouragement and the understanding that the imperfect process can be just as beautiful as the finished product.

Venus is the Ruling Planet of both Taurus and Libra. The energy of Venus is that of beauty, harmony and awakening the emotional self. Venus’ energy upon astrological Taurus was one of providing the motivation for the natural quality of Taurus to provide, protect and establish strong foundations. Its effects on Libra are those of softening and bridging the connection behind mind and heart. Venus’ natural love of beauty and great sense of aesthetic style are enhanced in the energy of Libra. The refinement that is typical of Libran energy is the result of the careful weighing and measuring of all the suitable options. The final choice lies in whichever option will have the most aesthetic impact and appeal. Love, passion and beauty are key words here.

For Libra, the ability to actively tap into the collaborative nature of Venus, as its Planetary ruler, insures that the dynamics of balanced relationship (at all levels) will be sought out as the process of making the world a more beautiful experience is crafted by Libra’s will.

Read more about the dynamics of Venus in:
The Temple of Venus
Learning to Love

The Element of Air

The energy of Air is that of the Mind and the expression of thoughts and ideas through the vehicle of the mental process. All of the Air signs hold great potential for either being the visionary or the tyrant in how they express what naturally inspired creative invention of mind is conceptualized. The tendency towards being compulsive about what is imagined runs high, much like the winds that seek to keep in a state of movement whatever is caught in their grasp. In the case of Gemini, we saw this compulsion was one of sharing and communication.

In the airiness of Libra, the compulsion is one of final refinement and balanced workings. And, as we will see with Aquarius, the compulsion is one of demanding that all keep pace as the future is revealed by inventive mind. Libra brings this mental energy to a place of synthesis, eloquence and expression in a way that engages the senses. The creativity that flows from the balanced Libran perspective continually weighs the merits of any endeavor. All, being accomplished with an agile mind that has the ability to extract from both points of extreme and rework it into something that inspires greater creativity at all levels.

A Cardinal Modality

As we have already experienced with the Cardinal signs their primary directive is that of catalyzing and initiating new beginnings. The first Cardinal sign we encountered was appropriately one of Fire and served to begin the cycle of the Zodiacal wheel and Solar Year. The initiating quality of this sign was one similar to that of striking a match, setting fire to the will to create and providing the fuel to carry that intent forward.

The second of the Cardinal signs was expressed through a Water sign, Cancer and served to stimulate the emotions in a way of pushing the boundaries of these waters out beyond what would hold them hidden in the subconscious. This energy was expressed in the yearning and need to identify what is defined as home and family and that which supports loving and loyal relationships.

We now have arrived at the third of the Cardinal signs, Libra, whose goal is one of stimulating mind and creating new visions of what is possible to be made manifest in the world, when grace and beauty stand at the helm.

Creative mind flows
Like turbulent winds
Seeking only a point
Of balance.

Breath moves and the creation
Of art and music flows from
Inspired mind and spills
Freely onto paper.

Delicate hands reach out
Longingly to balance scales
That strive to reveal the
True value of what
They tenuously contain.

And I stand enraptured
By what you have crafted
From gentle mind and
Loving heart that is
Not bound by minds
Rigid laws.

The Next Step

Knowing how each sign moves to the next and the interaction between each as they evolve towards completion (and threshold of renewal) of the wheel in Pisces tells its own unique story of the astrological wheel. Libra is the seventh sign of the Zodiac. Numerologically, the number Seven (7) relates to the wisdom of accumulated experience that emerges from the harmonious interaction of the Six. Seven speaks to higher learning, the wisdom of the Cosmos and the many paths now available because we have finally the clarity of mind to recognize that they are there. Libra requires an open and broad perspective to do its work of balancing.

If we look at the dynamics of energy thus far, beginning with the cardinal sign of Aries, we could think of the three signs that begin the astrological wheel as the quickening Fires (Aries- Fire) within the body of manifestation (Taurus- Earth) that gives rise to aspiring towards the heavens (Gemini- Air). Now enlivened by the desire to “know”, the healing and nurturing (Cancer- Water) of what no longer serves this goal is brought front and center into the Light of Day (Leo-Fire) to be strengthened as it is readied for the detailed analysis of Virgo (Earth) that seeks to create a new form for its manifestation. Libra (Air) applies the finishing touches to what Virgo has reduced to the most essential components. Using the adaptability and deftness of a mind that can easily calculate and mentally weigh both benefits and detriments, Libra moves with grace to accomplish the work at hand.

At this time of the year, we see the potency of Libra expressed as the space of balance and opportunity for equal effort being expressed. This marks the time of the Equinoxes, Autumnal and Spring, in Northern and Southern Hemispheres respectively. The common denominator is that of equal light and day. One striving towards refining what is needed as further descent into the waning year and introspective action takes hold at the time of the Autumnal equinox. And, the other awakening to the Waxing of the year’s light, and the anticipation of fertile and abundant growth.

It Truly is Beautiful:

This solar month is one of focus on refining what we brought to a deeper level of analysis in Virgo. This month typically marks a settling back into the routine of school, work and memories of summer vacation and spending time outside.

In the chronology of the Zodiac, this is the space of time to set to the task of holding accountability for what has occurred up to this point and what will flow from the tweaking of its expression. This is the energy of the mature man or woman who is ready to assess the measure of their growth thus far. The strengthening and scrutiny exacted by Virgo has paved the way for Libra’s final measure.

The stability and firm foundations that Taurus provided for the adolescent as they learned of the space of testing their impact on the physical world that surrounded them acts as the underpinning s of the now mature adult who has the knowledge of previous relationships and actions to draw upon. This was Venus’ companion expression we experienced in Taurus. The truths that were established as part of that growing process are now ready to be put to further testing and the outcome will be nothing short of spectacular if Venus’ energy is called upon to harmonize and support.

And, so in the spirit of creative Libra, we call forth the energy of the Sun as it continues its zodiacal cycle. Once again we repeat the invocation that opened the Gate to this Temple. As you read through it think back to the first time you experienced something that touched you to the very core of your being. Something you found so exquisite in its beauty, that the effect was one of overall calm, centeredness and the desire to know more of the creation of this thing.

As you read through the invocation, think about what each line of reference evokes within you and stimulates your own desire to create, refine and harmonize. What inspired vision of RA’s power is expressed within the words put to paper. This is the power of creativity and its ability to bring about a state of grace and refinement. Use this gift wisely this solar month as we invoke the Solar month in Libra and awaken those fires of RA to enliven each foundation you choose to re-form.

Hymn to RA

All Hail to Thee, Mighty RA
Blaze of noon day sun.
Your fiery orb high in the
Sky above as we kneel
Beneath the heat of
Your radiance.

All the Gods bow to your radiance
All the Goddesses sing hymns of praise
To Your glory and man
Lays prostrate in humility
And devotion at the altar of
Your making.

Sweet music of adoration and offerings
Brought forth from the Black Land
Rise up in praise and thanks for
Your Sustaining Light.

All darkness flees at the touch of Your hand
All ceases its movement as Your expansive
Rays stretch across the morning sky.

The lotus opens to receive Your Touch
And the sands glisten as rare jewels
As You gaze upon each grain washed
Clean in the boundless ocean that
Reflects the brilliance of your face.

All Hail to Thee
Amun-RA
All Hail to Thee
Who sits high
Above the world.

Khepra in the East
Atum in the West
Whose eye holds the
Point of Life and the
Trifold Arc of Power.

Your eyes see all and
You are the place of return
Within the glowing blackness
Of the Midnight Sun.

All Hail to Thee
All Hail to Thee
Amun, Amun, Amen!

Next Posting: Wednesday, September 24
New Moon in Libra

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The Magick of Virgo

Posted in The Temple of the Sun with tags astrology, celestial, cosmic, Esbat, Lunar, new moon, Temple of the Sun, Virgo, Waning Dark Moon on September 16, 2014 by themagickalpen

The Magick of Virgo is anchored in the realms of the physical and manifest experience. Whatever we apply Virgoan energy towards is going to receive the advantage of adaptation for survival of the fittest tools and most productive outcome. Virgo’s strength lay in its analytical and precise approach to all it is applied to. This means that its energy can be directed towards matters of the mind, heart or body, all remaining under the same gaze of scrutiny that gently removes and reshapes as needed.

The caution is one of becoming overly critical and never satisfied, despite the usefulness of what may be considered less than perfect. With this in mind and the image of the symbol associated with Virgo, the Virgin we can like n this energy to the youthful maiden who finds every fault possible in every suitor and thus denies herself the opportunity for a harmonious relationship. This Virginal quality is not determined by sexual experience, rather by an attitude that blocks all that would support the necessary fertile ground for receiving the seeds of potential for creating something new.

Virgo works directly on what we bring into our lives that is fulfilling, joyful and offers opportunity for the exuberance and even the naivete of youth, so workings that require a fresh, yet analytical and inquisitive approach are best served using Virgo’s steadfastness as the Moon Waxes or continually during the Solar Month of Virgo. Virgo is the master regulator of the Waning phase (Lunar or Solar) with its natural tendencies towards restructuring and release.

Virgo is the second sign of the second cycle of quadrant of Elements in progression around the zodiacal wheel. This is the second of the Earth astrological signs and in the order of progression, Virgo holds the place of foundation that has been refined and organized in a manner that will produce the most effective forms of manifestation. Taurus laid the homey foundations of stable strength of purpose and direction, so Virgo can now weave her magick of redecorating that home of foundation. By the time we reach the third of the Earth signs, Capricorn, everything will be in place so that the footing is sure and firm as the Sea-Goat scales the extremes of physical and manifest experience.

The Gentle Hand of the Virgin

Virgo as a sign of Mutable Earth Modality provides the quality of flexible expansion. It is this flexibility that offers up the potential for endings and beginnings. Virgo’s gift is the ability to take inventory of what is available as resource, categorize it and then spin it into a useful viable form. We could envision this as the gentle hand that prods movement in places where the convenience and comfort of remaining inert hold us. This is the gentle hand of the beautiful maiden that coaxes us to come out and play; to enjoy the fullest expression of what physical life has to offer and in this state of receptivity change occurs. The finished product of our experience is one who has tasted the pleasures of life and now can be more discerning in what he/she forms as their idealistic expectations.

Solar Month Magick

Enhances the dynamics of assessment and refining based on what has been excavated from deeper probing:

Virgo as the Sixth sign of the Solar Year concerns itself with creating the space of harmony where all can proceed in the most productive way. The Solar Month of Virgo is an excellent time to begin clearing away the clutter that impedes an easy way of navigating through all that you encounter and preparing the way for the next phase of weight and measure. The energy of this Solar month of Virgo next flows into the Air of Libra, the ultimate sign of balance and beauty that as received the finishing touches of a mind that has been carefully and selectively cultivated.

The Virgoan approach can be used for short-term projects, but is most effective for long-term workings. A goal, such as a working to assess the strengths and weaknesses of any given situation would benefit from beginning its cycle during the Solar Month of Virgo.

Similar to the New, Full and Waning cycles of the Lunar Month, beginning the working in the Solar Month of Virgo would be the first phase of examining each component that comprises the whole of who you are. This may take the form of sitting quietly and journaling those strengths and weaknesses you believe yourself to possess. You would repeat this practice several times during the month, each time making note of how the balance or content of that list may change and what parts of you are missing from this finely calculated equation. As you move through the Solar month you will begin to have a truer picture of what serves as your anchor of foundation and how these serve to allow you more freedom in your expression and interactions with others.

Using the cycle of Earth and those astrological signs of that element the next point of bolstering the energy would be during Capricorn’s flow. The Solar Month of Capricorn offers a new burst of energetic start to what you have begun of the culling process in mutable Virgo. This action builds foundations that aspire towards more and reach deeply into the core anchors you have established as you begin to carefully tread those paths of further reshaping on the ascent of progress forward.
The fixed stability of Taurus, serves to provide a space of coalescing and synthesizing strengthening. The firming up of this foundation and seeing the final product of your efforts come to stable manifestation is the ultimate goal from which this never-ending process of self-analysis can begin anew.

Lunar Magick: Fertile Earth

Engages the seeding of the emotional landscape with only the most viable product that can pass the test of survival:

Use of Lunar energy in the astrological sign of Virgo provides the energetic principle of cultivating and streamlining our emotional outpour towards more fruitful experience. If worked in a methodical manner the seas of emotional flow become rich and full of potential ad the life that is carried within teems in abundance.

Workings that require careful study and movement through what could be turbulent waters make use of the Virgoan energy in a highly collaborative way. Workings that encourage diving deeper below the superficiality of emotional response and facing the faulty foundations that have created this illusory state can be crafted to be potent and effective under the Virgin’s watchful eye.

The New Moon of Virgo could be used to gently assess what holds you prisoner in your emotional landscape and prevents for healthy interactions. Intention of carefully unraveling the spaces of knotting and barrier for smooth and ease of movement will loosen the grip of your own emotional sensors. See this process as one of nurturing with intent to reveal, not to unjustly critique and falsely lay blame. Try to be as objective and kind to yourself through this process as you would gladly to be another. Virgo will do her job regardless and as we know the gentle approach is one that removes those barriers of self-defense that then enable deeper probing.

The Full Moon of Virgo would be the time of having moved to a space of objective conclusion about what and where those barriers are. This would also be the time of making connections. Making connections that serve to inform your decision-making abilities and afford you the opportunity to be benevolent in what is released and strong in what you wish to anchor more deeply. This is also the space of further analysis and planning for what the desired outcome may be if you continue on this course. The goal is one of greater discernment; now is the time to envision what, where and how that outplays.

The energy of the Waning Moon in Virgo would be the final stage of filter and process. This is the space where foundations of what you wish to be so have been finely assessed, and further bolstered as the Moon’s energy peaked in fullness. Emotional attachments to non-supportive actions, thoughts and energies have been fully loosened and the barriers of their knots are no longer viable. A final and gentle sweeping away of the loose ends and remnants that leave less than a beautifully crafted frame of intent is all that is needed. And, in the darkened space of this newly tilled soil, you feel the germination of new life beginning and transformation is at hand.

Some Additional Astrological properties of Virgo

Keywords: Analysis, Discrimination, Detailed Structure

The Archetype: The Craftsman is the archetype associated with Virgo. This represents the ability of Virgo to create and refine using calculated methods and produce something of beauty and rare quality. Think of the clockmaker and the precision that is required in working with tiny parts that must be precisely and accurately aligned one to the other. The Craftsman also presents a level of detail and skill that requires patience. This energy of slow and steady progress is one that sets up the foundations for more elaborate design and expression to be anchored by.

If we think on those who fall into this category, passion for whatever they are producing is the motivating force that ensures the work will be a labor of love. This is the aspect of the Virgin. Virginal not because she has never enjoyed the pleasures of sex, but open and receptive in her attitude of approaching each experience as though it were the first. This is precisely the energy needed for creating the works of beauty that only a craftsman whose focus is the intention of creating something consistent in its quality and unique in its design.

Rules Astrological House:

The 6th House of the Zodiac, the House of Service

Moving through the Zodiacal Wheel’s energy, the First House is the singular “you” identified by your personality and who you are presently and who you who hope to become. The second House holds the possessions and things you have acquired that further define you. The Third House represents how you express yourself based on what you have learned of yourself (1st House) and what you have chosen to surround yourself with in the material world (2nd House). The Fourth House has taught the lessons of home and family; commitment and unconditional love for who we are. The Fifth House we are now ready to emerge from the security of friends and family and stand courageously in the Light of the choices we have made that have crafted this self. Arriving, now at the Sixth House we are ready to give, to serve, to cultivate and to learn the lessons of harmonious interaction.

We have stood at the place of center and basked in the light of all responding to the magnetism we possess. Now, we turn that ability towards the benefit of others. We use that awareness of self and the recognition of its presence by others to till and prepare the fields of new growth that will feed their hunger for self-knowledge. The Sixth House is where we can express that strength of fertile mind, heart and body and re-shape it to our precise expectations.

Color:

The colors of Rich Browns and Earthy Greens are well suited to Virgo’s energy. She is the maiden who is fertile in her form and prolific in her ability to weed and sort to prepare the ground for seeds that will provide true abundance. This is the damp, most soil whose fragrance is rich and evokes images of quickening within. This is also the green of the freshest and newest growths that shoot up from the loamy earth, straining upwards towards Father Sun.

The Precision of Light: Leo to Virgo

Sun beats down relentless
In its need to uphold.

Sun waxes high as noon
Carves out exacting light
That exposes and lays all bare.

Sun streams energy and vitality
And purpose deftly wields the
Scythe that cuts away.

Sun releases its hold and
Chill of air calls out seeking
The embrace of Virgin’s
Delicately curved arms.

Sun slips deep into the fold of
Maiden Earth’s horizon
As all is forever changed
By her determined hand and
Selective eye that weaves through
The cloak of night revealing
The delicate beauty of her fertility
And grace of her re-forming.

Virgo is the Sixth sign of the Zodiac:

Having found the courage and boldness of Leo, Virgo is now ready to become the re-former of what has been revealed under Leo’s glaring light. Virgo is the second of the Earth signs and as such brings the promise of crafting what will be of most use and ultimately greatest service. Additionally it has received the stability of Fixed Leo, as the steady and reliable Father whose watchful eye reaches far lighting the way as he synthesizes what emerges as the expansive energy of a Daughter who wishes to create and reshape what is at hand.

Seasonally, under the scrutiny of Virgo’s energy we have reaped the rewards of the First Harvest and the selection of only what is the most usable and sustainable of food stores (Northern Hemisphere) or anticipating the quickly approaching pregnant pause of the Spring Equinox (Southern Hemisphere) and the promise of newly growing life. Both of these events concern themselves with the process of selection. Choosing what will bring about an abundant harvest and weeding through what is emerging so that only the most viable will be nurtured.

In its highest expression Virgo’s energies represent the point of knowing what is an appropriate sacrifice, and what is unproductive elimination. These are the continuation of the lessons of self-control begun in Leo’s domain, and the exertion of that will and power is brought into the reality of the need for discernment for the continuance of fertile and strong ground for planting.

We have reached the mid-point in the Solar Year and the 12 Houses of the Astrological signs. Each prior to this point has concerned itself with those aspects of our being that cultivate sense of self (Aries); sense of others (Taurus); expression of ourselves (Gemini); nurturing what we hold close to our hearts (Cancer); moving into our place of power (Leo) and finally claiming responsibility for taking a closer look at who we have become (Virgo).

As we move through each of the Solar Temples in the coming year, it will become more apparent how interconnected they are. The story that is woven is one of growth and evolution that is just as relevant today as it was to the ancients. We learn from these natural cycles and their application is profound mundanely and spiritually.

Resources

Other Posts to Re-read:

Temple of the Sun- Virgo:

New Moon in Virgo: What Sort Are You?

Let Me Break It Down

Analyze This: Full Moon in Virgo

New Moon in Virgo: Analysis and Building

Temple of the Moon Postings:
Day Six: Still Waters All Around Me! – Waxing Moon in Virgo

Day Five: Let Me Break It Down – Waxing Moon in Virgo

Day Four: Cubism – Waxing Moon in Virgo

Next Post
Saturday, September 22.2014

Temple of the Sun: Transit into Libra
The Autumnal Equinox

Full Moon in Pisces: The Analytical Heart

Posted in Auspicious Days, Full Moon, Lunar, The Temple of the Sun with tags analysis, celestial, compassion, cosmic, earth, Esbat, esoteric writings, Full moon, Neptune, Pisces, Temple of the Sun, Virgo, Water on September 8, 2014 by themagickalpen

Image Credit: Sadness of Gaia by Josephine Wall

September 8.2014
Full Moon in Pisces
9:38 p.m. (EDT)

Sun in Virgo

The opposition of astrological energy that naturally occurs during a Full Moon phase is the tug of war between what appear to be opposing energies. At the time of this Full Moon the Solar energy is expressed by an astrological sign whose prime directive is that of categorizing and breaking down the flaws of any process (Virgo) and the opposing energy of overflowing compassion and deep understanding that makes allowances for those imperfections which is found in the astrological sign of Pisces.

This Full Moon is called the Harvest Moon. According to the Farmer’s Almanac…

“This full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon. Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the chief Indian staples are now ready for gathering.”

If we think of this harvesting energy as it applies to the work we do within our personal place of harvest, the Full Moon in Pisces (with the strength of the Sun in Virgo) allows us to apply the lessons of grace and understanding as we harvest what we wish to sustain us. This is the goal of arriving at a place of heart-centered scrutiny.

This Full moon is also the closest to the Autumnal Equinox and holds the keys to refining what we will place upon the pause of balance that marks the sharing of equal hours of light and dark. If we choose carefully (Virgo) our intent of focus and use the wisdom and discernment of an intuitively guided heart (Pisces) our efforts in the world of Light/Day and the reserves we hold in the stores of Darkness/Night will fuel and support the work that lay ahead as we descend deeper into the waning of the Year.

Another clue to the potency of this Full Moon’s dynamics lays within the modality of expression that Virgo and Pisces represent. Both are of the Mutable modality, which is flexible and expansive in its expression as it seeks the threshold of endings and provides the fertile space for the next cycle of beginnings. Additionally, Virgo is of the Earth element and Pisces of the Water. One serves as the container (Virgo) of receipt and boundary that is reshaped anew by the deep waters (Pisces) that seek to gently guide towards the Gates of the mysteries of a more heart-centered space of discernment. Envision this:

The carefully harvested (Virgo) ground of earth’s yielding foundation has been heated and enlivened by Father Sun’s rays of light (Sun in Virgo). As night descends, there is a stillness of anticipated intention, as all know Mother Moon will soon rise in all of her glory. The first rays of moon-beam stretch seeking out every crevice like long flowing fingers across the earth. These flow like rivulets of water moving across the expanse of land. You stand watching this gentle yet persistent flow of moonlight and your heart is filled with love and the deep understanding (Moon in Pisces) of the cycles and energy of Sun and Moon.

Soon, everything you see around you is flooded by the Light and Fullness of the Moon’s glow. All is bathed in this flowing sea of outpouring. All is healed by its presence. All is lifted upon the waters that rise towards the moon-lit sky of night. The light ebbs and flows as the tides and cloud cover or shadow of tree or building momentarily offer shadow. You wait in this silent glow and feel the energy move through you, awakening all of the flowing waters of emotional expression and insight within. You stand holding the flame of sun’s fire deep at your core and the waters seek the depths of that fiery furnace. Water and Fire, breath of Air and in-spiration move as one and the dynamic electrical charge that signals the death of this moment in time and the heralding of the next cycle that will give birth to the beginning of a quickened and changed you continue their course.

You breathe deeply into each cycle of this ebb and flow of rising waters and the opening of a more compassionate heart as the night gives way to the dawning of a new day of Solar refinement and the opportunity to once again carefully harvest what will feel the expansive reach of Luna’s Pisces Moon.

Moon Conjunct Neptune 5:09am

As we know the Moon brings depth to our emotional inner-scape and Neptune – the ruling planet of astrological Pisces fills the coffers of heart-centered engagement to full capacity – and then some. Early this evening, the Moon and Neptune will form an aspect of conjunction. A conjunction occurs when two planets are within 0-10-degrees of each other (sharing the same astrological sign and in very close proximity to one another). It is often considered to be the most powerful aspect because of the intensity of support for the involved planets, one to the other. Each acts as a support (positive or negative) to the other, which intensifies the effects of each individually towards goal of the collaborative power burst.

With the conjunction of the Moon (water/emotions/intuitive energy) in an astrological sign of great emotional depth and the support of Neptune (water/deep connection at the subconscious level) we have opportunity to draw upon our intuitive nature to guide the process of what we wish to bring to the fullness of emotional expression. The caution would be one of over-flooding the grounds that have been carefully prepared (Sun in Virgo) during this Solar Month. Reach deeply into these waters but allow yourself to surrender to where and how deeply they take you. Read more about the Neptune Retrograde here:

Lifting the Veil: Neptune Retrograde

The Analytical Heart

This evening our coven will honor the Full Moon in Pisces as we sit and scry into the flames of an outdoor fire pit. The Harvest Moon will shine brightly overhead as we open to the flow of heart and the depths of guidance and understanding that flow as the waters of Goddess within us. As we look into the heart of the flames the dross and lack of clarity will be burned away as Solar fire and Virgo’s hand of the maiden gently unravels the strands of light that block and impede our opening. We will call forth the analytical heart that remains steadfast in its understanding and flexible in its desire to create fertile ground for growth. And, as what has previously stood as foundation breaks down, cracks and etches a new pattern of process, the analytical heart of verdant life will remain as the source of this productive change.

Resources and Reflections

Pisces in Related Posts:

Full Moon in Pisces- 2013

The Temple of the Moon:

Waning Moon in Pisces

Day Eighteen: Meet Me at the Water’s Edge – Waning Moon in Pisces

Day Seventeen: Looking for Compassion – Waning Moon in Pisces

Next Post:

Temple of the Sun- Virgo

The Magick of Virgo

Temple of the Cosmic Spheres

Archive for September, 2014

Sun in Libra – The Tree of Grace

Image: Josephine Wall

Image: Dreamscape Tarot by Stephanie Law

Living on the Edge – New Moon in Libra

It is Truly Beautiful – The Sun in Libra

The Magick of Virgo

Full Moon in Pisces: The Analytical Heart

Image Credit: Sadness of Gaia by Josephine Wall

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