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Speak! Speak Not!-New Moon in Gemini and Retrograde

Posted in Astrology, Auspicious Days, Esbat, Gemini, Mercury, New Moon, Retrogrades, The Temple of Mercury, The Temple of the Sun, Waxing Moon on May 18, 2015 by themagickalpen

May 18.2015

New Moon in Gemini
12:13am

Mercury Retrograde
May 18 @ 9:50pm – June 11

Speak!
The Moon waxed New in the early hours of the morning in the astrological sign of Gemini. Gemini is the sign of mind and communication. So, this New Moon brings with it the opportunity to re-craft how we communicate and more importantly build in a waxing effort the creative expression of that communication. As the New Moon also announces the soon to be transition of Sun into the same sign, beginnings and fresh starts are additionally enhanced when the Sun spends a complete solar cycle in that sign’s energy giving it the strengthening and support that began as the gentle flow of Mother Moon’s caress.

In this cycle, the Moon arrives at Gemini prior to the Sun moving into place. This means that Father Sun is in its last burst of the fertile and firmly anchored Taurean energy before it transits into its astrological Temple of Gemini on Thursday, May 1st. This energy lights the way for a more structured and manifest foundation and forging the connection between heaven’s ebb and flow and earth’s cradle of solidarity.

Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury and the deft hand and agility in moving from one expression to the other typically opens the way for interactions and the sharing of thoughts, ideas and creative efforts is in peak form. The day’s energy began that way, but the Mercury Retrograde that will take hold tonight will slow things down and make clarity a bit more tenuous to achieve.

The general feeling for this Moon and the next few weeks ahead will be one something like the conversation that occurs when bits of information randomly slip out and the speaker catches themselves quickly and abruptly shutting up so as not to spill more details that should remain in unsaid. This is largely because of the Mercury Retrograde that tends to slow down the normally rapid processing of Gemini’s style of communication and it is this slowing down that is the caution of communications being misunderstood and left to shoddy translation.

Speak Not!
Mercury Retrograde

Astrologically, when a planet changes direction in its normal path of progression through the zodiac, this is called a “station”. The planet’s progress slows down in is orbit until it appears to pause in its motion giving the appearance of moving backwards. The Retrograde Station occurs when the planet begins this slowing down and seeming movement backwards. The Direct Station occurs when the forward motion of the planet begins again.

Whatever astrological sign the planet retrogrades in gives added emphasis and more intensity to how the planet expresses its own energy now given a full and prolonged dose of the sign’s own specificities. These highly potent effects can be building or waning (depending on which end of the station you find yourself) for days prior or after. Much like, the concentrated effort needed in slowing down to come to a traffic light, pausing, and then having to carefully and incrementally apply enough gas to reach your top speed again.

Mercury remains retrograde through June 11th. which is approx. half of the Solar cycle of Gemini. The usual ability to strengthen and give more clarity to communication in all of its styles will be dimmed a bit by the focus on reiteration and further digesting of what has already been said and done. And, although many bemoan the dreaded Mercury Retrograde, this can be a truly rewarding time to give more attention to what is being presented to you.

We live in a highly active society where barely a second can pass before that text is answered and another is on its way. We are bombarded with video and audio stimuli continually and even in the quiet of our rest at night, if there is reliance on the cell phone for a waking alarm, the subtle waves of technology are communicating with sleep cycles and more. With these statements being made, I will also suggest that a mercury Retrograde is exactly the hiatus much needed to re-tune us to a place of greater observation and deeper connection simply by listening more intently to what is being said, communicated or otherwise expressed.

So, as we enter this ebb and flow of waxing moon kicking us off in the direction of “speak not-unless it be profoundly filled with attention and presence in the moment” I will honor this New Moon as one that allows me to breathe into my communications in preparation for the lessons to be learned in the space of silence created y Mercury’s pause.

Other Readings:

Temple of Mercury
Temple of the Sun: Gemini

Sun in Pisces – Compassion Flows

Posted in New Moon, The Temple of the Sun with tags #templeofcosmicspheres on February 17, 2015 by themagickalpen

February 18.2015
Sun in Pisces
6:50 pm (EST)
and
New Moon in Aquarius
6:47 pm (EST)

Compassion spills and overflows
The oceans of my Soul
Each drop moving through
Rivulets of prismatic depths.

A cadence of virtuosity as
Fingers move in pizzicato
Rhythm across ephemeral strings
The sounds of empathetic release.

Seeker of that which is
Just beyond the grasp
Slips like sand through
The funnel of glass measured time.

And Devotion pools at the base
Of sun-parched throats
That willingly endure the pain
To spare another the distress.

Martyr and miracle
Saint and sacrifice
Each flow in opposition
Until the water clears.

And the darkened path
Of return is revealed
In the depths of mysterious
Waters as compassion
Fills my thirst-quenched
Soul.

The Sun transits into the astrological sign of Pisces tomorrow evening at 6:50 pm (EST). Aquarius holds its last stand as the moon waxes New at 6:47 pm and the final edicts of mind are used as the catalyst for new beginnings. This dynamic is very fitting since we are heralding the final sign of the Zodiac into its Solar Power and the transition from one sign flowing into the next is aptly shown in a watery moon of mind (Aquarius) informing the heated solar waters of all-loving Pisces.

Pisces – The Fish

The astrological sign of Pisces is one of the Element of Water and the Mutable Modality. Its planetary ruler is Neptune and provides access to the depths of emotions revealing the deeply intuitive and healing nature of our own being. The natural energy of the Sun; that of shedding great light on whatever is in its spectrum, now has the assistance of stable mind that is expressed in lightening thought and creative invention. The Sun in Pisces goes about its work of empathetic release as love flows through each interaction and the vision of sacrifice is revealed.

The caution with Pisces is one of overextending the resources so freely offered that nothing is left for the giver to heal and renew themselves. Pisces wants so much to give and assist others in finding their higher purpose that what began as care and support will easily become enabling of continued bad habits. The stereotype of being the doormat is one that Pisces is well acquainted with and the action of tough love is one that is not easily expressed within Pisces’ energy.

Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces and brings with its energy the mystical and dreamy quality that is a natural component in the Pisces attributes. In the study of Esoteric Astrology, Neptune is considered the Higher amplification of Venus. If we consider this thought, Neptune then moves to a place of Higher Love, unconditional compassion and an evolved sense of “beauty” in the world. In the Pisces native “beauty” is highly refined in the sense of seeing the best in each individual, and moreover, feeling that the offering of unconditional Love will change even the worst tendencies in humanity.

Jupiter is the co-ruler of Pisces and speaks to the expansive quality of Pisces emotional outpouring. This is compassion that stretches and reaches, pulling from the darkest of spaces what needs love and what will benefit from healing. Jupiter is the planet of abundance and prosperity. This is the abundance of a gentle embrace to soothe and calm and the prosperity of time and energy well invested towards a return of another realizing their higher nature.

The Element of Water

Pisces is a Water sign. The energy of this type of Water is focused on the emotional and intuitive realms of the individual. We see this clearly exemplified in Pisces as there is great potential for deep insight and connection at an energetic level wherever Piscean dynamics are applied. The empathetic quality provides an additional benefit of deep levels of understanding that serve to support a naturally intuitive nature.

A Mutable Modality

As we have already experienced with the Mutable signs their primary directive is that of flexibility and expanding upon what has been structured in the preceding Fixed sign. Pisces holds the auspicious designation of being the last of the 12 signs of the Zodiac. In the chronological cycle, Pisces is the Elder who has access to the accumulated wisdom of what has come before and as a Mutable sign acts as midwife in birthing the start of a new cycle with the next transit into Aries.

The first Mutable sign we encountered was one of Air- Gemini- and provided the access to the mind as a vehicle of communication that could be expanded upon as it remained flexible in its method of disbursement.

The second of the Mutable signs was expressed through an Earth sign, Virgo and served to bring analysis and categorization in a very concrete and manifest way to the experiences encountered.

The third of the Mutable signs was expressed as Fiery Sagittarius. Here the emphasis was on an expansive nature that seeks connection and community. These are the fires that begin as embers and when enough have accumulated take full blaze and transform all in its path.

Arriving in the space of Pisces and the heart, the Mutable quality serves to cool what has been ignited and train it as a resource of modeling for inspiration to others. This is the self-sacrificing nature of Pisces, that the other is more important that the self. And, if this expansive quality is applied productively, all benefit from the flow of understanding that is based in a collective consciousness of love.

Words move quickly
Towards my intended
Goal and I communicate
All that I know and all
That I have found.

These are sorted and
Analyzed as every
Detail is highlighted
And every flaw corrected.

Flames reach out as I
Network with others
Hoping to find exactly
Where my passions will
Take hold and action
Can finally begin.

The flames reach high
From the will of my
Efforts and hope is
The only thing that will
Cool the yearning to
Know and to see.

Everything I need
And have been seeking
Floods in like a tidal
Wave of quiet reprieve.

I am healed in arms
That have known all
Of my joys and all of
My frailties and despite
My flaws and imperfections
I know I am Loved.

And, One More Thing! …. New Moon in Aquarius

“ The Moon waxing New in Aquarius provides an extra bolster of energy to explore the recesses of your thoughts and inventive inspirations. Brainstorming and problem-solving with creative outlook as the primary directive are well suited to Aquarian energy. Calling upon Uranus can expedite the mental pursuits, although overload can also result much like the flow of electrical current that is too strong for what the amps can withstand. Let your imagination take center stage knowing that this is often the greatest source of “thinking outside the box”. Although the emphasis is on the “I” with Aquarian energy, that “I” can be experienced as the Higher Self and the information sought and received that of illumined mind.”

Add to this one more thing!

The opportunity here lies in the key of transforming the thought process to be inclusive of the “we”. Using the brilliance of inspired mind to craft a plan that will reach down into the heart level and begin something new that will benefit the “all”. What can you initiate in your own life that will directly or indirectly change someone else’s for the better? This is the stuff of actualizing a future (very Aquarian) that has not forgotten the “human” equation (Pisces).

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. Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the Zodiac. Capricorn acted as the testing ground for what could become reality and served as the affirmer of the resilience and sure-footedness that can be achieved in the steepest of heights and the deepest of depths.

Aquarius’ image is that of the water-bearer; pouring its life giving waters out for humanity to drink. The mystery lies not in the water being poured, but in the empty space left in the vessel now awaiting the filling of water that will next sustain. Nature abhors a vacuum so the implication is that we must freely give of our resources so that we may receive what will be needed anew.

The energy of Scorpio provided the necessary prodding to explore the deeper aspects of the emotions and access the hidden keys of memory that has been hidden and within the fires of Sagittarius, the forging of what was tempered in the waters of transmutation into a more flexible and expansive form is at hand. Sagittarius looked out at the night sky and did not see only darkness, but imagined the beauty of what lay beyond sparkling from the heat of stellar light that are the wishes, hopes and dreams released to be share by the Cosmos. This vision shone brightly within the realm of the human experience as Capricorn moved through terrain that is unforgivable, yet still finds its place of acclaim atop the highest mountain. Having gathered all that was needed to proceed fully informed and ready to reach new levels of understanding, Aquarius released its inventive spirit and visionary insight for all to make use of. And, finally having arrived at the place of Pisces, we surrender into the arms of one who holds us gently and with love and carries us into the birthing of a new cycle.

Compassion Flows

This solar month is one of focus on how we respond to the world and those within it. This is the wisdom of reaching beyond what the singular I needs or wants and seeing how we can be of help to the collective whole of humanity. This energy relates directly to the heart and using its grace as the instinctive catalyst towards improving not only our lives but others around us.

Pisces rules the 12th House of the Zodiac. This is the house of resolutions and synthesis of mundane and spiritual perspectives. Aquarius brought all the relevant information of the how to the table and now Pisces as ruler of the 12th House is responsible for the who. This is the Solar month of identifying what and who is of most importance to you and how these dynamics will open you to a deeper connection at the heart level. This is the month of finding the compassionate self and stepping into the world of service as model of what is possible when you open to a more loving nature.

In the chronology of the Zodiac, this phase of this Solar journey carries us into Pisces and the opportunity to experience humanity in all its expressions. This is the energy of the wise grandmother or grandfather who loves unconditionally and has a lifetime of experiences to share. The wisdom of the power of the heart that is found in Pisces is what provides HOPE as the cycle begins anew in Aries. These are the final touches on freeing humanity’s soul and the realization of what can be achieved by seeing more as the heart opens to an understanding of all loving compassion and the wisdom of humanity serving humanity as a collective and Divine whole.

And, so with the gentle spirit that is Pisces, 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 a point in time when you felt love so fully that all you could do was to share it freely and fully with all you met. Think back to hearing the stories from an older person of a life well lived and well loved that gave you hope for your own future stories to be crafted by your life well lived and well loved. This is the blessing of Pisces.

As you read through the invocation, think about what each line of reference evokes within you and stimulates your own desire to hold as mystery that only you can reveal as you seek its deeper meaning. What goals are stirred as you read of RA’s power as expressed within the heart felt words put to paper. This is the power of planning and standing strong in your humanity as you pursue these goals. Use this gift wisely this solar month as we invoke the Solar month in Aquarius and awaken those fires of RA to quicken your surrender to the death of false perception and the rebirth of who you truly are.

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!

Sun in Sagittarius: Aim High, Breathe Deep and Just Let Go!

Posted in Astrology, Auspicious Days, Bonus Posts, New Moon, Sagittarius, The Temple of the Sun on November 21, 2014 by themagickalpen

Sun in Sagittarius
11.22.2014
4:38 AM (EST)

New Moon in Sagittarius
7:32 AM (EST)

Planetary Ruler: Jupiter

The Hunger

I stand on the horizon senses
Keen to the rhythm of life all around me
I breathe in the world’s offerings and
Send the experience outward, always
Looking towards the sun and sky
And that which is said to be beyond my grasp.

It is this reaching and straining that
Feeds my hunger to explore and extend
Beyond my limitations
And, once my will takes hold
All that lay within in my sight
Narrows to a single point of focus.

Restrained tension pulls against
The strength of carefully placed
Goal and the final pause of release
Is that which achieves its apex beyond
The keenest of sight.

Once again, the archer sets the course
As movement becomes dynamic
And primal urge bursts into the flames
Of desire and enthusiasm.

Tension gives way to flexibility of
Intent and directed will issues
Forth from that which has been
Carefully ignited.

I fan the tiny embers
That expand and become
Torches that are held towards
The highest of aspirations
And just as sharpened arrows
Carefully aimed hit the core of
Their determined mark these
Fires I set to burning within
You will give birth to spontaneity
And finely tempered form.

My paths are many and each is lit
By the embers I have set to
Smoldering deep within.

I am the teacher and the student
Who waits eagerly to blaze a new trail
I am the place from which the Phoenix
Arises and mine is the expanse that
Lights the way as the
Sea goat begins his journey.

The Sun transits into the astrological sign of Sagittarius in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow at 4:38am (EST) and 3-hours later the Moon waxes New into the same sign. You cold think of this as the double reverberation. The archer draws back its bow, lit with the solar arrows in the midst of night’s hold and the emotions built up from holding back in release allow the arrow to shoot forth, determined and carried on the freshness of Dawn’s light.

The astrological sign of Sagittarius is one of the Element of Fire and the Mutable Modality. Its planetary ruler is Jupiter; expansive in its abundance, prosperous in its outpouring and huge in its impact. The natural energy of the Sun, that of shedding great light on whatever is in its spectrum, now has the assistance of something of weight and substance that can deliver the 1-2 punch of Solar enlightenment. And, if that is not enough to get you going and stirred to action, dodging those carefully place flares of Sagittarius’ fiery arrows set forth will call you to a more aware state, if for no other reason than defensive measures. The Sun in Sagittarius is the ultimate networker. This is the opportunity to engage everything and everyone who you think will be supportive in helping you achieve those loftily aimed goals of action and dynamic will.

Just as our last solar month of Scorpio had maximum potential for reinventing ourselves and transforming all these little known treasures that make us who we truly are, Sagittarius is now ready to stretch and grow expanding upon what was brought from the fuels of intense desire and try out all the new ways this transformed self can make use of what it has learned. The attribution of the Archer to Sagittarius speaks of the control and preciseness in aim required to be successful in what it sets out conquer. That is also not to say that in the trying, there will be many failed attempts, but that is after all how we learn, grow and become more malleable and flexible in the actions we follow through with.

The caution with Sagittarius lay in overextending and flexing muscles that are not quite ready to stand the true weight of what it seeks. This presents in spreading so many seeded areas over so much ground that the effort taxes the seeder and the quantity lays waste to the successful quality of a much more limited seeding fueled by selectivity and discernment.

Jupiter is the Ruling Planet of Sagittarius. It is the largest known planet in our Solar System and has long been associated with abundance and in particular manifest gain and prosperity. If we apply this action to that of action-seeking Sagittarius we could liken it to the speculator who makes no gain unless the necessary funds are supplied. There will be the flexible contraction and expansion of inflation and deflation that occurs and if, just as the Archer carefully plots his course, the gains are cashed in at just the appropriate time, prosperity will ensue. If not, all will be lost in reckless aim. Calling upon this energy in a productive manner and bolstering it with the energy of the Sun can produce results that increase the results of any endeavor in a manner of steady and smooth growth.
The Element of Fire

The overwhelming energy of Fire is that of transformation through change. Expressed through the action of Sagittarius, this Fire is one that sends its sparks out in many directions with the aspirations that one or two will energize, take root and ultimately become the bonfires that quicken and transform. If actively engaged and passionate about whatever change is set into motion the catalytic fires of “will” travel far, fast and wide. Like a brushfire this fast moving energy can raise everything in its path, but if tempered by a strongly framed boundary of Higher Will, the fires will blaze with discernment and affect positive and productive outcome.

Although Sagittarius is a Fire sign; there is an underlying nature of air that supports the efforts of this action. Air fans or extinguishes the fires in accord with the degree to which it flows. Air as mental activity, can override an impulsive nature towards action or feed it exactly the correct calculations to make it blaze even higher.
A Mutable Modality

As we have already experienced with the Mutable signs their primary directive is that of flexibility and creating the necessary boundaries that permit endings of what is no longer needed so that the flow towards new life may begin. Think of the receding shoreline that is carved in suitable manner by the ebb and flow of the tides. With each drawing in of tidal breath, life is pulled from the expanses of the sea’s depths and with each exhalation of flow some is left behind and some is carried out towards new horizons and new beginnings.

The first Mutable sign we encountered was appropriately one of Air (Gemini) the essence of expansion and flexibility where it weaves its course. The mutable quality of this sign was one of adaptability of mid, thus allowing for the torrent winds of communication to form rhetoric for all that it touched.

The second of the Mutable signs was expressed through an Earth sign, Virgo. Here the emphasis was one of growth through analysis, sorting and putting everything through the trial and filter of what would anchor and serve as base to built and expanded upon. Virgo took hold of the reins and the control exerted crafted the appropriate boundaries for each thing it was called to.

We now have arrived at the third of the Mutable signs, Sagittarius, and having received the blessings of regeneration and rebirth for the preceding sign of Scorpio, stretching the limits and contracting to spring forth what can only be imagined on horizons yet to be birthed are the actions to be taken. Fire blazes the trail, destroying much in its path, but also providing the ash of composting that protects the new life already stimulated into growth beneath the surface. What energies may be raw, vulnerable and unfinished, but as it reaches in seeking its supports everything is nourished from its efforts along the way.
Fires burn hot
Between loins
Ready to give
Birth.

Life spills forth new
And unblemished by
The ravage of time and
Structured restraint.

Embers smolder from
The after birth of form
That has been called
To seek more of its kind.

Expansion seeks to complete
The action it has catalyzed
And from this desire borne
On the arrow of the seeker’s
Will the seeding begins anew
And Fire burns hot between
Loins ready to give birth.
The New Moon in Sagittarius

The Moon waxing New in Sagittarius provides the energy to catalyze all of those dreams, hopes and goals that have lain dormant. Reaching out and interaction, networking and researching what tools and people will be of the most help are intentions well served by this Moon. A traditional use for this New Moon’s energy is one of seeking financial prosperity; largely because of the support of Jupiter. This is a goal that all would benefit from; but I also like to think more globally and seek those things that will make me more abundant in all of my life’s workings. Prosperity in all endeavors brings more to each of the layers that encompass that larger self.

The Hall of Sagittarius: A Pathworking of Expansive Reach

To begin your process of sifting through what you wish to accomplish, spend some time with the Pathworking below. When you have completed this contemplation, record in your journal what you wish to actively seek during this Waxing of the Moon and the Solar Month. Click Here…

Neptune Stationed Direct

11/16/2014 2:04 AM (EST)

The intensity of the waters have receded and we are seven (7) days into the forward motion of Neptune in Pisces. During this time of retrograde, there was much illusion to be found as the murky waters can be deceiving in what the precise and accurate location of anything is. Emotions were raw and vulnerability was at an all time high causing many to shut down emotionally, so deep was the pain and suffering that was so profoundly experienced. Now we have the ability to see more clearly and to allow ourselves to be guided once again by our emotions – tempered by mind. The timing of this forward motion is using its lessons to guide our hand (heart) as we ready ourselves to actively seek our will through the light of Sagittarius. Neptune offers the place of deep insight and holds key to the mystical realms of knowingness crafted by compassion. The intent of wielding mastery of a sharp and pointy object (the arrows of spiritual truth) is in the knowing of when and where to aim and discerning what must be slain for nourishment and what must be allowed to thrive and grow more fully until the time is right.

Wash your hands of aiming in waters of healing and trust your instincts before you propel yourself and your will forward. Heed the warning of being submerged too long in what serves you not and clouds your vision and steals the breath of your determination. Arise to the surface holding the trident of flame, air and water and pierce through what would keep you fearful of acting upon your desires. The power is held within the drawing back of the bowstring of your heart’s gnosis and the release of action pure of intent and true of aim that emboldens anything lacking the fullness of its expansive reach.

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. Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the Zodiac. Scorpio offered mystery and the taste of initiatory experience, but Sagittarius is the true initiator, putting it all on the line in search of community. Numerologically, the number Nine (9) heralds the ending of a singular nature and the threshold that passes into dual relationship- 10 being the next in line. The inference is one of endings that forge new beginnings that are stronger and more assured with the collaborative efforts of another by your side.

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) applied the finishing touches to what Virgo had reduced to the most essential components. Using the adaptability and deftness of a mind that could easily calculate and mentally weigh both benefits and detriments, Libra moved with skill and grace to accomplish what was made ready. The energy of Scorpio provided the necessary prodding to explore the deeper aspects of the emotions and access the hidden keys of memory that has been hidden. Now, moving into the fires of Sagittarius, the forging of what was tempered in the waters of transmutation into a more flexible and expansive form is at hand. Sagittarius looks out at the night sky and does not see only darkness, but imagines the beauty of what lay beyond sparkling from the heat of stellar light that are the wishes, hopes and dreams released to be share by the Cosmos.

At this time of the year, the emphasis is on collaboration, making new friends and spending time with family and those we treasure. The holiday season fast approaches in the Northern Hemisphere and the wintry weather drives people indoors, seeking warmth and refuge in the arms of loved ones and at the hearth fires of home. This is the time of offering freely of yourself and seeking out the most appropriate gift to express your feelings. This is the time of action as the business of the season moves us from party to home to work to shopping and in this business we generate our own sparking heat from the efforts taken and the love shared.

In the Southern Hemisphere the focus is on the warmer weather and getting outdoors once again to visit with and enjoy the activities of Spring and Summer. We take holiday and set aside extra time to enjoy relaxed time with those we cherish. The Sun shines brightly growing in its strength and the longer days seduce us to remain longer in the heat. We feel energized, alive and a willingly participant in the glory of life and all the new adventures we set off upon.

Although the celebrations of the season and the time in the Greater Outdoors pass, as the Solar Month progresses the lessons gained from seeking out others to come play and join in the experience is one of expanding what and who you know. This is the true growing of an abundant and prosperous life, filled with joy and the people who catalyze that joyful state within you as you pass it along to those you interact with.

Aim High, Breathe Deep and Just Let Go!

This solar month is one of focus on striving actively towards reaching our goals, expanding our circle of community, resources and talents and seeing where all of this takes us. This is the Solar month of adventure, exploration and trying on something new to see how it fits.

In the chronology of the Zodiac, this is the space of time to prepare to step into your full glory. To assess your strengths and weaknesses and than put them out there for reaction and response from others. The next phase of this Solar journey carries us into Capricorn and the results of all the hard work and effort are gathered in a place of recognition for work accomplished and reprimand for stones left unturned. This is the energy of the mature man or woman who has the confidence in their abilities to clearly see where they should affirm their loyalties and take action.

And, so in the spirit of adventure that is Sagittarius, 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 were social and accepted for who you were without question. Think back to all the plans, goals and desires to be a mover and a changer, carving your own paths and inspiring others along the way. This is the gift of Sagittarius.

As you read through the invocation, think about what each line of reference evokes within you and stimulates your own desire to hold as mystery that only you can reveal as you seek its deeper meaning. What passions are stirred as you read of RA’s power as expressed within the heart felt words put to paper. This is the power of creativity and its ability to transform all that it touches. Use this gift wisely this solar month as we invoke the Solar month in Sagittarius and awaken those fires of RA to quicken your surrender to the death of false perception and the rebirth of who you truly are.

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!

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The Hall of Sagittarius: A Pathworking of Expansive Reach

Posted in Astrology, New Moon, pathworking, Sagittarius on November 21, 2014 by themagickalpen

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 Sagittarius, the Archer hovers in the entryway.

You pass easily through the glyph of Sagittarius. Little sparks of flame lay at your feet creating a pathway through which you begin to walk. You look down and get a bit closer to one and notice that from each of the sparks a single flower appears to be in the process of blooming. As you look more closely, inspecting each along the path you see that some are viable and some wither and die as the spark goes out. Some appear to be desperately trying to take root and others never seem to catch on at all.

You think on the image of the archer, bursting with enthusiasm at the promise of hitting the center mark. The strain of arrow pressed back against bending bow and the sigh of release and effort as it is sent towards its destination. The energy of enthusiasm that turns to disappointment at those arrows shot in vain and then turning to pride in accomplishment at those that hit the target fills this space. You remind yourself that a sharp eye and a steady hand can be the detriment or the success of your endeavors.

You continue moving along the path and as you look deeply at each of these tiny flames you are reminded of the many times you have exerted your will in disbursed effort and the outcomes of those tiny flames of action you set forth. You think on all the experiences you have been afforded by putting your intent out into the greater world, and how those successes and failures have shaped and transformed who you are now.

Your attention is drawn to the sound of something crackling just off the path you are walking upon; and the smell of wood burning wafts thick in the air. You turn in the direction of where the sound seems to be coming from, your pace quickening till you find that you are now running fueled by enthusiasm and excitement about what you may find. You realize you have run nearly to the end of this uncleared passage your aim clear and true.

You stop suddenly and find yourself in a clearing, a bonfire raging hot and colorful just ahead. No one else is around and it is untended, although appearing to be perfectly controlled. As you walk closer you can feel its heat and the sheer beauty of its flames reaching upwards sends shivers of excitement running through you. You look down at your feet and see that the field is covered in the tiny flowers you saw on the main path held within the tiny embers of flame. They form intricate and diverse meandering patterns, but all coil in to the central bonfire. All feeding into its mass.

You realize that these are the arrows of thought, idea and action that are released with intent and purpose. You now understand the necessity for many options to be offered up before one or two can actually ignite what will blaze longer and with more intensity than expected. The one successful endeavor is fueled by the will and desires of many. You take in the smell of the fire as it burns; the depth of multiple colors dancing within its flames and the sound of crackling and the hiss of release.

You deepen into these sensations and you 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 in, 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.

Back to Sun in Sagittarius

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Sun in Scorpio: Open the Flood Gates and Lift the Veils

Posted in Astrology, Auspicious Days, New Moon, The Temple of the Sun on October 22, 2014 by themagickalpen

Sun in Scorpio
10.23.2014
7:57 am (EDT)

New Moon in Scorpio
5:57 pm (EDT)
Solar Eclipse (Partial)

Planetary Ruler: Pluto

AND
Venus Transits into Scorpio (4:52 p.m. EDT)
2/days left of the Mercury Retrograde that begin on October 4th – October 25th

You Think You Know ME?
You may think that you know Me
But my masks are many and I hide
My secrets well.

My passions are intense and move
Through me flowing like hot lava
Despite my conservative
And cool exterior.

And those of you who think
Me cold and unfeeling
Only see the mastery of my
Facade which protects the exposed
Soft belly beneath.

It is often in the dark of night
That I find the greatest solace
But if I linger too long that place
Of comfort becomes the prison
From which I strain and struggle
To break free.

I pause and breathe deeply
To allow the realization that
These walls of confinement
Are My frightened emotion’s
Creation; and the walls crumble
Around me as the light of Dawn
Filters through.

The sands of time shift and flow
From one tightly held container
To another.

The truths of my own history’s
Stories are drawn up from the
Darkness and into the blazing sun.

I examine them and relearn the
Greater lessons of pain and the
Exquisite pleasure of self
Knowledge contained in each.

And, once mastered and reclaimed
As paths back to myself my Spirit soars
And all see me as transformed
The burden has been lifted
And, I look once again towards
The full Light of Day.

No, you will never know
All of my Secrets
Many lay hidden
Buried even to me.

But, without their stories
To be lived you would not be
Charmed and seduced by
My enigmatic charisma.

Tomorrow will be a power house of astrological energy with multiple configurations to weave your own personal magick within. The Sun transits into the astrological sign of Scorpio at 7;57 am (EDT) and 10-hours later the Moon transits New into Scorpio as a partial Solar Eclipse punctuates the activities. As if this isn’t enough, Venus, the planet of relationships and beauty transits into Scorpio at 4:52 pm. and Mercury completes the last 2-days of its retrograde which began on October 4th; stationing direct on October 25th. Now you may thinking to yourself, too much information!; but, looking at a broader picture that is inclusive of some key points that can be harnessed productively is never TMI. As we begin our day entering the mysterious realms of Scorpio, the advent of All Souls’ Day/Samhain rises up to greet us.

The astrological sign of Scorpio is one of the Element of Water and the Fixed Modality. Its planetary ruler is Pluto; the cold planet of the underworld that lay shrouded far away from plain sight. The natural energy of the Sun, that of shedding great light on whatever is in its spectrum, starts the work of heating the waters of the emotional landscape so that the hidden secrets of what really underlines their intention can come to the surface. The Sun in Scorpio provides optimum illumination to enter those hidden corridors of the psyche, our own personal underworld and engage those aspects of being that may never see the light, nor the transformation available from a perspective of strengthening sunlight.

This solar month has maximum potential for reinventing ourselves much like the attribution of the three levels of archetypal energy gifted to Scorpio. The Scorpion is the most well known and the sting of that creature when provoked comes up from the nether regions of our emotional experiences making known its otherwise hidden energy. The Eagle, second of the archetypes speaks of the ability to see far and with accurate focus when we have learned to master those primary instincts that guide our emotional survival. And, the last of these archetypes is that of the majestic Phoenix. The alchemical mythical bird that has ability to transmute through the fires of purification and rise from the ashes reborn and renewed.

The caution with Scorpio lay in the innate ability of this sign’s energy to cloak and mask what is in turmoil and turn to addictive and self-deprecating behavior as the energy sinks deeper into the black abyss. Because Scorpio is a fixed water sign, the stability and structure that would normally be achieved by the fixed nature becomes the unyielding pool that holds waters destined to stagnate if not brought to a place of movement and light.

Pluto is the Ruling Planet of Scorpio. It is the furthest away from Earth and the Sun with very little known of its true nature. This can also be said of the dynamics of Scorpio. Those born with their natal Sun in Scorpio stand in the background silently observing, taking it all in, formulating their opinions and then retreating just as covertly as they arrived. Pluto is the higher vibration of the planet Mars and the assertive energy that is Mars becomes transformed into dynamic and potent powers of persuasion. Calling up this energy in a productive manner and bolstering it with the energy of the Sun can produce a scenario that is magnetic in its effect on anything it is applied towards.

In the case of Scorpio, the ability to actively tap into the dynamically charged power of transformation is focused on what emotions serve as the catalyst for passionately pursuing what is desired. Scorpio has an intensity that stirs and prods the intuitive self to stand front and center. The goal of keeping hidden in plain sight requires a sensitivity that most do not recognize as such. Knowing when, where and how to allow a little more of the true self to be seen and when to remain in lock down are skills that are crafted most successfully when honed through the emotions and the subconscious storehouse of memory of what has served and what has not. It is from this place that our most treasured imaginings and visions have the potential to become reality. Magickally, when we fuel our desire from the moving waters of our intuitive nature nothing can stop the tremendous force as the floodgates open.

The Element of Water

The energy of Water is that of the Emotions and the expression of the heart felt desires guided by the feeling process. All of the Water signs hold great potential for developing the healing and compassionate aspects of their emotional being. Clarity of these waters determines the connection to the intuitive nature that flows freely when our emotions are open and receptive to receiving the information.

Although Scorpio is a water sign; there is an underlying nature of fire held within the scorpion influence. This is the sign of ultimate and permanent transformation. But, beware! Scorpio is also the master of pulling up to the surface those things that lay buried deep within, even if they are not ready to be exposed.

A Fixed Modality

As we have already experienced with the Fixed signs their primary directive is that of providing the suitable container that can synthesize and provide the necessary structure to change the course of what it receives and what it disburses. The first Fixed sign we encountered was appropriately one of Earth (Taurus) the epitome of organized and foundational structure. The fixed quality of this sign was one of affirmation of how the qualities of synthesis and holding steady what is under its care provides the necessary seeding place for continuation of what was begun in a variety of forms.

The second of the Fixed signs was expressed through a Fire sign, Leo. Here the emphasis was one of courage and fire that was wild, yet controlled in its impact. The spotlight shone brightly on what had been gathered into a place of magnetic and dynamically charged strength that knew of the need to provide for and feed what it nurtured.

We now have arrived at the third of the Fixed signs, Scorpio, and the waters of the heart carve deep crevices in the foundations that strain to hold them. AS these waters leave their mark along the way, the channel created will dip and hide from view as needed to ensure a flow that remains uninterrupted in its course towards more expansive seas.

The waters flow
Emerging from deep
Wells hidden in the
Body of Gaia’s earth.

Nothing stands in the
Way of primal instinct
Survival and the safe
Guarding of the
Vessel that holds
The source of outpouring.

Waters bubble up
Running free and wild
Across parched sea beds
And revive the hidden
Life that yearns for
Mysteries lessons.

Waters soar high
Reaching like heated
Geyser spraying
Droplets of potent
Rain as dry throats
Open to receive its grace.

The time is now and
All heart is laid bare
Open and vulnerable
As stinger extends and
Pierces the barrier of
Restraint that has held
Time’s hand prisoner.

The New Moon in Scorpio

I like to use the energy of the New Moon in Scorpio to begin the process of opening to the call of the ancestors and the final harvest. Scorpio has natural ability to draw from the subconscious what is needed to connect to the astral and ephemeral realms as well as the insight of intuitive vision that lay within. I am including a link to a pathworking that I wrote some time ago that can be used as preparation for the opening of the veils and communing with ancestors. I would use this several times during the next few weeks leading up to astrological Samhain (not on the Oct. 31st) on November 7th.

Excerpt:Parting the Veils and Opening to Ancestral Wisdom

Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed and sit comfortably allowing your breath to establish an even and relaxed rhythm. Make note of any tension you may be holding in your body and as you exhale gently breathe that tension out; allowing it to drop around you like beads of water. Allow any thoughts that wish to have your attention to be acknowledged and then gently let go to pass as leaves in a gently flowing stream. Draw your consciousness up to rest in the space of your third eye and mid-forehead. See in this space a blank inner screen. You are sitting as observer and you take note of a small blue dot of energy that is central within that space. As you continue to breathe deeply and fully you see that the blue sphere is expanding and coming to fill the entirety of the space in front of you. You feel the energy of thousands of tiny blue dots comprising this veil of mist and you issue forth the intent of communing with your Ancestors and seeking their wisdom. You take a deep breath in. As you slowly and gently exhale you step through this mist and emerge to find that you are standing in the center of a moonlit forest clearing. You see the silhouette of tall shapely trees just ahead of you and can smell the fragrant burning of wood wafting through the air. Read More at WitchVox:

The Solar Eclipse:

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute

A Solar Eclipse occurs only at the time of a New Moon and when the Moon passes between Sun and Earth, partially or fully blocking the sun’s light. I think of this as a veiling of the Sun’s Light with the Moon’s energies acting like the polarized lenses of glasses. You are aware that the sunlight is strong and intensely bright, but the glare has been filtered and the shading serves to bring out the deepest and richest colors and details that would otherwise be lost in the brilliance of the light. Tomorrow’s eclipse is a partial one, so being receptive to where that greater detail ebbs and flows as the Moon moves across the path of the Sun of strengthening can give additional insight that is needed to begin the process of connecting more deeply to your emotional motivations.

Credit: MrEclipse.com

The Eagle

The astrological sign of Scorpio is the third of the Fixed Modalities and one of the Four Holy Creatures in its elevated form. The Fixed Modality is the mid-station between what is newly birthed in the burst of Cardinal outpouring and what becomes the flexible and pliable essence of synthesis that is the Mutable modality. Each of the four Fixed signs of the Zodiac has within its stable container of structure the potential to reform and transform what enters into it and bring it to its highest expression. These higher forms are one of the meanings of the Four Holy Creatures of esoteric work.

They are:

Taurus- The Winged Bull- Earth
Leo- The Winged Lion- Fire
Scorpio- The Eagle- Water
Aquarius- The Winged Man- Air

The representation of the Eagle in this particular Solar Eclipse is one of reminding ourselves of the pinnacle and loftiness that can be achieved when we flow in accord with the natural strivings and reachings of an inspired heart. The Eagle soars high above, selectively choosing what will nourish it, where it will create its home and always carried on the winds of an inspired mind.

The astrological sign of Scorpio is an energy that thrives in the experience of the mystical, occult and esoteric. With this energy as the underpinning of this Solar Eclipse we could interpret the energy available from an esoteric perspective. We already have learned that Scorpio is the great transformer. Scorpio is also the master of death and rebirth. It primary goal is one of uncovering and revealing what lay buried in the deepest and darkest recesses of our being. This is achieved through the work of introspection and feeling our way through each of the labyrinth like structures we have created.

The last Solar Eclipse occurred in April in Scorpio’s opposing sign of Taurus. The strengthening of the Moon’s energy as it moved across the face of the Sun then, was one of building sure and steady foundations that would allow the expression of the emotional self to bask in the security and safe guarding that Taurus could provide. Now at this opposite end of that pole we are ready to allow the flood gates of our emotional reserves to receive the same strengthening from Father Sun. The choice here lay in whether we allow the out-picturing of this action to be accented by a lashing out of emotions driven only be instinct, or can rise above to see what is really occurring under the surface. The ultimate gift of this Solar Eclipse is one of allowing the gentle rays of sun’s light to burn off the dross of emotional sabotage and rise from the experience reborn.

Re-read: New Moon in Taurus: Dig Deep, Stand Strong and Soar

Venus Transits into Scorpio: The Dark and Mysterious Female

Venus is the planet extraordinaire regarding love beauty, refinement, passion and the interlacing of hearts. So, having this planet move through the passionate waters of Scorpio means that the experience will be one that is unforgettable. This is the proverbial “bad girl” archetype that possesses easily, takes what she wants, makes no excuses for her behavior and fully embraces all that life has to offer. And, all the while the recipient of this energy languishes in the beauty and fullness of what transpires.

Read More about the planet Venus: The Temple of Venus

Mercury Retrograde in Libra

And, finally, Mercury holds strong with its mishaps and miscommunications for the last two days of its retrograde. Those last sputterings of blockades to effective and productive communication are just about ready to open up and the speed with which things will return to normal can be head spinning to say the least. Mercury began its retrograde in Scorpio and continued its retrograde back into Libra where it picks up momentum at the mid-point (16-degree) marker on October 25th when it stations direct.

Using the flow of its energy we call upon the balance of mind held within the refinement of Libra (Air//Intellect) and align this with communication that holds the mind focused in the waters of Scorpio’s Moon and Sun. As the momentum of this planet’s energy resumes during the Solar Month we have the opportunity to build upon this melding of mind and heart. Don’t be surprised if it is easier to communicate your emotional truths during this period; and some revelations that you normally may have been keeping hidden are ready to be tested in the light of day.

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. Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac. Numerologically, the number Eight (8) relates to the image of the Lemniscate, eternity and the cyclical nature of all cosmic action. The lessons gathered and acted upon within the Seven now arrive at a state of moving seamlessly and simultaneously within the past of our experience, the present of our current awareness and the future that beckons us to surrender to the evolutionary seas of refined shores.

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) applied the finishing touches to what Virgo had reduced to the most essential components. Using the adaptability and deftness of a mind that could easily calculate and mentally weigh both benefits and detriments, Libra moved with skill and grace to accomplish what was made ready. Moving into the energy of Scorpio each step along the way served to prepare and fine tune what needs the ultimate transformation of death through release; rebirth through greater knowledge of Thyself. These waters have carried many far out to sea and depending upon what preparations were made, these were forever lost in the pervasive darkness of emotional overflow. If successfully navigated the shores upon which they arrived offered a space of renewal and the gift of mastery over a turbulent sea.

At this time of the year, we see the mystical gifts of Scorpio expressed as the veils open to the otherworld and heart is kindled by the desire to once again seek the wisdom of what was and the promise of what will be. This time marks the celebrations of Samhain and Beltane in Northern and Southern Hemispheres respectively. The common denominator is that of access to wisdom and thus the opportunity to use what is gifted towards the transformation of your physical and spiritual existence. Samhain honors the beloved dead who have crossed the veils and the seeking of their knowledge in guiding us towards greater awareness. We seek answers, move in reference as the air becomes dense and thick as realms of existence merge and synthesize becoming as one for this brief period of time. In the Southern Hemisphere the focus is on the fertility of Beltane, the promise of union and the blessing of new life emerging from the veils of what waits conception and new incarnation in physical form. We honor the life of the Greater Earth and the blossoming of fullness and strength of full sun’s light. Although the celebrations pass, as the Solar Month progresses the lessons gained the experience of life and death and the reminders of our place within that sacred cycle grow and expand as the tides of our heart open to new shores of expression.

Open the Flood Gates and Lift the Veils:

This solar month is one of focus on what moves and stirs us at the deepest levels of our emotional expression. In the chronology of the Zodiac, this is the space of time to prepare for what lay ahead and enter into the journey fully present and engaged- heart, mind, body and Soul. This is the energy of the mature man or woman who has measured the full worth of their potential and is now ready to express their deepest fears and their greatest loves as the waters pour forth. The veiling of pretense and assumption of what they are not falls away and what is left is raw, exposed and vulnerable. Libra provided the vision of beauty: Scorpio must now actively seek it and bring it to life within its birthing waters.

And, so in the spirit and intensity of Scorpio, 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 great secret you held close to your heart. The excitement of knowing something that others did not and the deeper insight it gave.

As you read through the invocation, think about what each line of reference evokes within you and stimulates your own desire to hold as mystery that only you can reveal as you seek its deeper meaning. What passions are stirred as you read of RA’s power as expressed within the heart felt words put to paper. This is the power of creativity and its ability to transform all that it touches. Use this gift wisely this solar month as we invoke the Solar month in Scorpio and awaken those fires of RA to quicken your surrender to the death of false perception and the rebirth of who you truly are.