Temple of the Cosmic Spheres

Move a bit closer
Can you hear the rhythmic
Beating of my heart?
Can you see the beauty
That surrounds and the
Grace of all who walk
In its victorious light?

Friday, December 6.2013

As we discovered in the first post Venus is “the planet of refinement, compassion and beauty expressed through the emotions and the grace of forming relationships. In summary, Venus sets up the process of opening and guiding in a more loving way whatever its energy is applied to.”  To those able to draw upon this energy there is a certain finesse that underscores all of their actions and this reverberates out into the larger world drawing like a magnet others to them.

We discovered in the Temple of Mercury that the astrological wheel and natal chart of an individual are the ultimate Mercury experience.  Information is held in each planet, astrological sign and house in which it is placed and the resultant aspects they form.  The Venusian experience of the natal wheel is all about how you use that information and what is held in that blueprint as a higher expression of your feeling nature. Venus primes the natural tools you have and refines them with the intent of developing your emotional spiritual self.  These are the wiles of a planetary energy that is renowned for its brilliant and charming visage.

Astronomically, Venus is one of the brightest luminaries in the sky (other than Sun and Moon) and can be seen at specific points of its rising and setting shining like a brilliant and dainty diamond. I like to think of Venus as being a planet of synthesis.  Its thread of establishing relationship is felt by all of its planetary cohorts. If we think of the energy we know of Mercury and its proximity in orbital path, when the two are working in perfect accord, we are communicating from a place of heart felt emotion that has been informed by Higher Mind.  Heart and head are working collaboratively and the result is nothing less than spectacular in its effects.  And, in collaboration with manifest earth, Venus works her magick in fueling our desire for beauty of form.

Astrological Venus

To begin this exploration of the Temple let’s take a look at the energy of the planet Venus and its Astrological persona. Venus is the ruling planet of two astrological signs- Taurus and Libra. These Astrological signs are of the Fixed (Taurus) and Cardinal (Libra) Modalities.  The work of Venus is the intent to create by working co-creatively through the relationships that are formed.  Venus brings a quality of modulating and tempering what could potentially tip the scales in a state of imbalance and disequilibrium.  And, always with a diplomatic flair that reveals both sides of the possibilities.  This is the feminine energy that can easily change its mind, simply because there is more to be done to refine what has begun.

Within the energy of the astrological sign of Taurus we find a stable and synthesizing fixed energy and the Element of Earth.  Its symbol is the Bull and contained within that symbol is the primary function of Taurean energy- strength.  This is the Path of Nature and the sheer power of determination to fully manifest the predetermined goals. The animal instinct comes strongly to the foreground and intensity and immovable stance are what create the foundations that are anchored deeply in the physical realm and secured by a stalwart and imposing presence if that security is threatened.

Venus as the Ruling Planet of Taurus brings a sense of beauty, harmony and a gentle awakening of the emotional self.  This is the beauty that tamed the restless beast and made all of his endeavors more manageable and softer. It is the heart that yearns for romance and connection as a way of creating security. This energy supports social interaction and the overwhelming goal is to connect at a deep and often intimate level with those of our choosing. A natural love of beauty and great sense of aesthetic style enhance the home life and material endeavors of Taurus and the proverbial bull in the china shop does not seek to destroy, but rather comes to protect and admire.

In contrast, Venus also rules the astrological sign of Libra. Libra’s symbol is that of Scales of Balance. These scales are those that lead to a Path of Balance through the power of harmony and collaborative teamwork.  All of the individual arts need not be equal in quality and effort but all will eventually come to a place of balancing each other’s weaknesses and strengths if the work is done in a syncretic way.  This is the source of the great power that is wielded.  Libra is an air sign and naturally relies on mental ability to bring about refinement. It is aware and knowledgeable enough to know just the right tactics of diplomacy to employ to achieve the desired results.  This is the energy that we could liken to the first gentle and unassuming breeze that with the correct amount of power behind it develops into a windy and blustery day.

Venus as the Ruling Planet of Libra enhances the love of beauty and great sense of aesthetic style that typify Libra in bringing these ideals and thoughts into a beautiful form. The refinement of all things is pure Libran energy and is the anticipated 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.

Venus – The Foundational Expression of the Concept of Compassion, Love and Beauty

The basis of Venusian outpouring is found in its concept of what the ideal of compassion, love and beauty should be. The reality of what those words mean in physical experience is often just a veiling of what the deeper meaning and import of Venus’ energy is.  True compassion is more about being able to place yourself empathetically in the place of those you show compassion to.  True love has less to do with sexual preferences and compatibility and has its greatest reach in extending towards what and who you would not necessarily choose to be deserving of that love.  And beauty is often found in the most unlikely of places and has the ability to transform what would be considered less than perfect in physical form into a rare and priceless treasure of ephemeral presence.  Venus in its lesser form creates the template for the status quo and in its place of greatest gift raises that template to the heights of unimaginable potential that is the highest form of love.

The Astrological Houses

Venus is the ruling planet of the Second and Seventh Houses.  Ruling two houses that are different (yet quite connected) in nature gives a multi-layered of meaning to the Venusian energies.  We have the rock solid anchor of earthy fertility of form in the Second House and the airy flow of mind and balanced intellect expressed in the Seventh House.

HOUSE TWO       Finances/Possessions

The place of anchoring, stability and manifest foundation

The Second House is the place of acquisition of resources, material gain and all that contributes to a solid foundation made manifest.  Its modality is Fixed and is neither static nor overly dynamic in its nature.  It serves instead, to draw everything into a singular place of harmony and then reflect and distribute that energy back in a newly transformed way.

HOUSE SEVEN             Relationships/Higher Learning 

The product of collaborative effort. Paths of choice based on what has been learned from previous experience.

The Seventh House is one of Higher Learning, and application of those lessons that have been learned from prior and accumulated experience.  This House is of the Cardinal Modality making the prime task one of starting things.  These are the initial steps taken towards choosing a higher path of expression.  The relationships that are forged are those that are carefully selected from the lessons of past experience and standing in a space of having more depth of information and inspiration to draw upon.

Venus, as the planetary ruler of these two houses infuses the strength of earthly experience with the necessary emotional connection to manifest those tools that will build solid foundations.  It is the bridge that connects the physical experience of security that enables the mental and emotional gifts to meet on common ground.

The Archetypes

All Deities of love, beauty and relationships would fit into the scope of Venus’ qualities; the most well known of these being Venus, the Goddess of Love.  In Greece she was known as Aphrodite and in Egypt she was Hathor. Regardless of the nomenclature, the energy is the same. Romance, love, sexuality, attraction and beauty as the final goals.  The duality of her nature is shown in the mythos of her connection to the Bull (Taurus) and the need for balance of all things restoring a state of beauty.

“According to Babylonian myth, the creature was created on her orders to destroy the legendary hero Gilgamesh who had rejected her advances remarking that she all too quickly tired of her objects of desire. Gilgamesh defeated the Bull, but the victory of logic belonged to him, not Venus, who is never swayed by such concerns. The motto ‘all’s fair in love and war’ is created by her energies, aptly illustrating that self-interest is more than wrapping oneself up in luxuries or being surrounded by pleasant odours and tastes and sweet things. It is about feeling good inside, at the expense of others if necessary, of satisfying one’s cravings and desires in whatever form they take.” 1.

She is also associated with the Sea, the most famous of her depictions being the Painting by Sandro Boticelli entitled “The Birth of Venus”.

This is the chaste and virginal maiden that is the object of desire to claim as your own. Venus is the ideal of the perfect feminine form. She is the alluring and appealing softness that draws you in for closer inspection and challenges you to find flaw in her expression.  Her nakedness expresses the vulnerability of physical form and the perfect love and perfect trust that are necessary to bare one’s soul and true emotional self in this manner. The connection and birthing from the sea make statement to power of desire fueled by the rhythm of ebb and flow of the tides that become the contraction and expansion of the womb in readying for bringing manifest life into being.

The Planetary Glyph

Each of the planetary glyphs is composed of  a combination of  three basic geometric shapes; the Circle, Crescent or Equal arm Cross. Once you have the basic understanding of these symbols you can draw your own conclusions about the glyphs of the other planets.

The Circle:

 Eternity – Cycles – Connectivity

The Crescent:

Eternity Parceled – The Moon – Involution

The Equilateral Cross:

The Four Quarters – Point of Intersection – Cross Polarity

The Planetary glyph of Venus is composed of the circle and an equal arm cross.  We could interpret it as the eternal cycle drawn down into the four quarters of the elemental world.  This is the place of connectivity between the timeless world and the manifest realm.

Much like Venus herself the ideals of beauty, grace and refinement are held aloft as points to aspire towards as we hold the steady and precarious balance of aligning all the polarities and cross points of interactions and relationships we attract to ourselves.

We conclude our astrological journey with a pathworking to call forth the foundational and manifest energies of Venus expressed through Taurus. You will find some basic suggestions below for getting the most from using the pathworking.

Good– Read through the pathworking each time you want to use it.  Make note of pausing in the reading wherever it feels like more time would be spent in the specific train of thought.

Better- Read through the pathworking several times and as you do so, try to set up key points that are stored in the memory.  In this way, you can create your own scenarios using the structure of the original pathworking without having to read through the text each time.

Best- Employ the physicality of recording the pathworking in your own voice (which produces an effective recognizable neurological imprint inducing physiological response and imprint) to listen to.

When you are ready to make the recording be sure to select a space where you will not be interrupted and has minimal background noise.

Be sure to speak slowly (more so, if you tend to speak quickly and do not annunciate well) and clearly and to give pause where it would naturally occur if you were reading aloud.  There may be some points in the pathworking where you will want to spend several minutes in the locale that is being presented.  Remember to give adequate time of silence for this. Do not stop the recording, simply pause and restart it. Allow the amount of time you wish to have to fill the space on the recording and then resume the reading of the pathworking.

Regardless of what method you use, remain open and receptive to what presents to you beyond what has been scripted through the pathworking. Having a journal to record your impressions can serve as a valuable tool if you plan to use the pathworking again.

A Pathworking in the Temple of Taurus

The Comfort of Foundation

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. It glows a lush green in color and you are intrigued by what may lay through the archway.

As soon as you step into this room you notice the powerful glyph of Taurus. You also notice that it is a bit more difficult to move quickly in this space. It is as though you have become fixed or rooted in the spot on which you are standing and although you wish to move forward there is a bit of hesitancy as you stand your ground. The air has a heavy quality about it, and you surmise that this is more from inertia than density. It takes all your strength and energy to push through this density and you feel as though you are walking on a very windy day facing into the storm. Each step forward increases the feeling of agitation and frustration. Each step forward also makes you step with more grounded effort and with a weightiness of purpose and intent. You feel unyielding in your determination and with slow and steady progress you make your way towards the opposite end of the room. You see just ahead another archway, glowing with an orange hue. You stop for moment and now realize that in your efforts to make your way through this room, you did not take time to look at what may be contained within it.

As you relax into these thoughts, the atmosphere begins to lighten in density. There is a lessening of the pressure that surrounded you and you find you are able to move quite freely now. You look around and see that the room has been decorated with items that instill a sense of family, home and comfort. There are shades of soft earthy greens and reds throughout and the overall quality is one that invites you to linger and relax.  The furniture is a bit oversized and to some, would be considered bulky, but you find it to be appropriate to the energy of the space. There is an understated opulence about the room and you have a sense that it has been decorated to stimulate all the senses in a very grounded way.  You see a wooden desk against one of the walls and see that several piles of folders cover the top. You walk over to it, curious as to what these folders may be. You see that the labels on each refer to very mundane and concrete activities. Finances, home inventory, job search, investment funds and other similar categories hold papers and documents relevant to each.  The wall above the desk is decorated with frames that contain pictures of family and children, a beach home and a boat readied for a fishing trip.  You surmise that the occupant of this room is very attached to the material world and its offerings and takes great care and effort in organizing and managing to ensure all remains stable and solvent. You also have a sense that this attitude and care is not borne from greed, but more from a practical nature and one of wanting to provide the best and most secure world for those that are loved ones.

As you turn back towards the center of the room, you notice a large and inner lighted curio cabinet just opposite you. You walk towards it and see that there are a variety of small to medium sized glass figurines contained within.  Each has been carefully bolstered by stand and/or case to keep the fragile contents from being upset and broken. You also take note that the cabinet itself has been braced clear through with a rod moving from the floor  and clean up through the top of the ceiling to hold the cabinet securely and fixed to its spot.  This extra effort at securing the contents, cabinet and all, gives rise to  your imagining that it would survive just about any form of disruption or turbulence. It is so strongly and securely rooted to its spot, all would remain immovable within the beautifully reflective glass doors. And, those objects that are clearly treasured and perhaps very valuable, even if only from the perspective of the owner, have a loyal and protective caretaker.

As your eyes scan each of the delicately carved figures, you  again feel a thickening and density of energy and atmosphere building in the room.  You realize that in your musings you have remained inert. In this state of inertia, it is as though the longer  you have remained still, the more rooted you have become to this space and the ground beneath you.  You notice that the room smells of damp earth and tiny shoots of flower and grass line the edges of the walls. The strength and stability you felt contained with the furnishings  has now given way to its manifest expression of  fertility and growth. You realize that the care and protection you have seen given to those physical objects can also be harnessed to optimize growth with the natural world and within yourself.  Cultivating stability of home, family and finances can be used to ensure the stability of the larger home and family that is earth and all humanity. Prosperity and accumulation of money and financial gain can be used to help the earth and natural world and its inhabitants prosper and draw from its the abundance.  You stand firmly on the ground beneath you and take in the transformation of this space into that of the natural world clothed in all its strength, stability and beauty.  Feelings of love and gratitude flood your being and at this very moment you feel the joy of moving collectively as one- a family enjoying all that the manifest world may offer and fully present in the moment.

As you deepen into these feelings, you close your eyes and breathe deeply drawing in the energy of this space. You take several more breaths and sense that the air about you is lightening and the aroma of earth is fading. You open your eyes and  find that you are once again standing centrally in the  circular room. You do not remember passing through the archway in which you entered, but realize that you have been standing in a space of fixed strength and great movement. Somehow you have a deep knowing that the return or flow of stability issues forth from this fixed anchor enabling you to move seamlessly and effortlessly in either direction simply by will. You look upwards towards the night sky and it seems as though a few of the stars are shining a bit more brightly now than when you first entered. You take a deep breath in and as you exhale, you feel enlivened and at peace in this space of celestial beauty. You know you will visit many times again as the solar months progress and the thought fills you with anticipation of what each of your journeys will reveal.

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.

Pathworking Excerpted in part from: It’s Written in the Stars.R.Fennelly.2012

Recommended Reading:

Lyn Birkbeck. Divine Astrology-Enlisting the Aid of Planetary Powers
Linda Goodman: Star Signs
Linda Goodman: Sun Signs
Steven Forrest. The Inner Sky
Alan Oken. Soul Centered Astrology
Lindsey River and Sally Gillespie. The Knot of Time: Astrology and the Female Experience

Resource:

1. Encyclopedia Arcad.Harvard.