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The Iris Asteroids ReportRainbow Messenger of the Gods and Goddessesby Roderick Kidston
for
k.d. langNovember 2, 19612:03Edmonton, Canada
Astrologer Anne Massey, CAP, ISAR, Maya Management Ltdwww.astrologicallyspeaking.comphone: 604-888-9552email:anne@astrologicallyspeaking.com
The Iris Asteroids ReportRainbow Messenger of the Gods and Goddesses
Report and Text Copyright 2007 Roderick KidstonThe contents of this report are protected by copyright law.By purchasing this report you agree to comply with this copyright.
INTRODUCTION
Ever since the beginning of the 19th Century, astronomers have been aware of the existence of asteroids, but astrologers have only been using them as part of the horoscope since 1973. And even so, only a small number of astrologers actually use the asteroids when reading charts for people. This is in large part because the asteroids (or dwarf planets, as some are recently re-defined astronomically) are not well understood, except for the first four to be discovered: Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta. But now, the Iris Report aims to change all that! Here you will find interpretations for twelve major dwarf planets and asteroids, and their impact in the natal chart. They add balance, detail and depth of meaning to astrological interpretation.
Most of the dwarf planets and asteroids found in the Iris Report are named for classical goddesses rather than gods, and this is partly in order to balance the excess of masculine energy that a purely planetary astrology reveals. Most of you will know that the ten 'planetary' factors used in standard astrological interpretation are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Many astrologers also include the planetoid Chiron to this list of ten, making eleven. But if the Sun and Moon are considered primal masculine and feminine energies respectively, then out of the remaining nine god symbols listed, there is only one goddess, Venus. This hardly represents the yin-yang balance of either physical Nature or what is taught about the spiritual realms.
(The issue of the 'demotion' of Pluto to dwarf planet status does not have any real impact on the philosophical issues being discussed here, or the current 'promotion' of Ceres from asteroid to dwarf planet status, and the possible elevations of Pallas, Vesta and Hygiea. The power of the divine archetypes standing behind astrological symbols is more significant than what is or is not defined astronomically as a planet, dwarf planet or asteroid.)
The other reason for choosing certain asteroids or dwarf planets over others is that several of the early heavenly bodies discovered show a resonance with the way that the culture was evolving at the time, which in turn reflects the ongoing evolution of consciousness in the material realm of the Earth. The dwarf planet and asteroids Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta, Astraea, Iris and Hygiea are all especially relevant in this regard.
The other asteroids selected for the Iris report are Diana and Apollo (additional lunar and solar symbols that show the primal life energies working in a larger social context); Proserpina; and symbols of the two great gods not represented by planets in the solar system: Bacchus and Hephaistos. These all together complete a kind of balanced listing of archetypal energies which astrologers can use to make sense of a horoscope.
One of the ways of deciding which asteroids are useful is found by considering the concept of the energy dyad. The Sun-Moon dyad of archetypal masculine and feminine energy is very well known to astrologers, as is the desire and love dyad symbolized by Venus and Mars. But other possibilities are proposed in the table below:
Yang symbol Yin symbol
----------- ----------
SUN: archetypal masculine/yang MOON: archetypal feminine/yin
life energy, spirit life energy, soul
MERCURY: masculine/yang intelligence, IRIS: feminine/yin intelligence,
"left brain", data collecting, "right brain", intuitive
and analytical mind and synthesizing mind
MARS: masculine desire, dynamic VENUS: feminine desire, receptive
activity, outward acting pleasure activity, inward drawn pleasure
JUPITER: Sky Father, male CERES: Earth Mother, female
protector and nurturer, nurturer and protector,
promoter of ethics/abundance promoter of ethics/abundance
SATURN: masculine energy of VESTA: feminine energy of
tradition, structure, and tradition, structure, and
material good order material good order
CHIRON: masculine energy of healing- HYGIEA: feminine energy of healing-
transformation and purification transformation and purification
URANUS: masculine change agent PALLAS: feminine change agent
and consciousness raiser and consciousness raiser
NEPTUNE: masculine passivity and PROSERPINA: feminine passivity and
sublime/altered states sublime/altered states
PLUTO: masculine energy of primal JUNO: feminine energy of primal
power and transformation power and transformation
HEPHAISTOS: masculine principle of ASTRAEA: feminine principle of
work, order, integration and work, order, integration and
disintegration disintegration
APOLLO: additional solar symbol, DIANA: additional lunar symbol,
creative maturity emotional maturity
BACCHUS: masculine symbol BLACK MOON LILITH: feminine symbol
of dark primal passions, of dark primal passions,
escapism and individualism, escapism and individualism,
and inspirational power and inspirational power
With this table you find a balanced grouping of archetypal divine energies which have significant astrological influence. The Iris Report gives you the opportunity, for the first time, to add twelve asteroids to the major factors usually considered in the chart - the Sun and Moon, the planets, Chiron and Lilith - and thereby get a much more complete picture of how the astral energies were constellated at the time of birth for the chart you are reading, whether it is your own or someone else's.
Of course, the balance suggested by these dyads, or pairings, does not mean that the yin and yang symbols are identical - Venus and Mars are hardly the same, after all! But there is a sense in which the two planets or asteroids involved represent divine archetypes whose energies complement each other, and work something like the positive and negative charges of an electrical current. One end of the archetypal 'pole' is outgoing and active, or 'masculine'. The other end of the archetypal pole is incoming and receptive, or 'feminine'.
In each of the twelve mini-chapters that follow, a particular asteroid (or dwarf planet, depending on the new astronomical definitions!) is given the focus of attention and related to all the other major elements of the horoscope, including those two important angles the Ascendant and Midheaven, and also the Nodes of the Moon. They are listed not in any order of importance, but according to the order in which they were discovered, from Ceres first to Hephaistos last.
So - let Iris, the rainbow messenger of the goddesses, add her many colors to your chart and complete the work of Mercury, the messenger of the gods.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For the benefit of astrologers and students of astrology, information used
to produce this report is given below:
Sun 9 Sco 42 Ceres 22 Tau 06
Moon 1 Vir 21 Pallas 7 Pis 22
Mercury 22 Lib 33 Juno 17 Pis 25
Venus 18 Lib 57 Vesta 0 Gem 39
Mars 21 Sco 48 Mean Lilith 0 Vir 27
Jupiter 29 Cap 47 Astraea 13 Can 52
Saturn 24 Cap 16 Iris 12 Cap 25
Uranus 0 Vir 01 Hygiea 19 Sag 16
Neptune 11 Sco 00 Proserpina 27 Sco 30
Pluto 9 Vir 43 Diana 15 Sag 00
True Node 24 Leo 11 Apollo 2 Vir 42
Asc. 11 Vir 57 Bacchus 27 Sco 49
MC 5 Gem 35 Hephaistos 24 Gem 20
Tropical Koch Standard time observed
GMT: 09:03:00 Time Zone: 7 hours West
Lat. and Long. of birth: 53 N 33 113 W 28
Aspects interpreted:
Conjunction: 5 Deg 00 Min Sextile : 3 Deg 00 Min
Opposition : 5 Deg 00 Min SemiSquare : 2 Deg 00 Min
Square : 4 Deg 00 Min Sesequiquadrate: 2 Deg 00 Min
Trine : 4 Deg 00 Min
Chapter 1: Ceres
Ceres, lady of loving-kindness
Ceres symbolizes the fertility and abundance of the corn goddess, an aspect of the great Earth Mother. Ceres was the Roman deity; Demeter the earlier Greek goddess of grain and fertility in the classical tradition. With the new astronomical definitions of the various bodies in the solar system, Ceres the former asteroid is now considered to be a 'dwarf planet'. In astrology, the divine archetype Ceres bestows the blessing of loving-kindness. She distils her energy gently in the horoscope, and does not make a fuss.
Ceres helps you to see the world through kindly eyes, and to enjoy what is natural and simple and good. With her help, you grow in compassion for others, and gain in empathic understanding. She promotes generosity of spirit, and helps you to help other living beings: people, animals, and the natural world. Her position shows something about how you find ways to look after other people, and seek to bring out the best in them. Ceres nurtures and educates, in the best sense of those words. And on a larger worldly scale, she promotes the good of ordinary people, helps humankind to build democracy, and fosters respect and care for the environment as a whole. Her darker side tends to smother love and games involving manipulation or rejection. However, her more noble urge prompts everyone towards leading a good life, which facilitates the correction or elimination of such unattractive qualities.
Ceres in Taurus:
There is something of the 'good mother' in you, regardless of gender or parental status. You radiate a dependable and protective quality, something solid and stable, that less assured people are going to depend on just as much as you let them! You may get leant on more than is good for you at times, and so encounter lessons in boundary setting. The natural world is a tonic for you. Essentially you are peaceable, but can be aroused to strong anger if you see the weak being hurt in some way. You have a drive for material security, especially if you are providing for children, because you want the best for them even more than you do for yourself. Beware of over-identifying with possessions: it is your integrity and inner strength that sustain you, not attachments to things.
Ceres in 9th house:
Love and freedom go together in your life philosophy, both for yourself and for the world in general. You don't quite get the possessiveness thing, unless there are major contradictory factors at work, and tend to regard life as a huge adventure in which vast opportunities should be open to all. You love to roam, either literally or metaphorically, and can find value and learning experiences in virtually anything you encounter. Some sort of hero quest is a major motivator, and your learning curve can become so high that you reach the point where it is time to teach others how to dare, too. Just watch out you don't spread yourself too thin, or waste time in pastures that aren't so green after all.
Ceres Trine Saturn, Orb: 2 deg. 10 min.
You take pride in your capacity for hard work and focused achievement, and your persistence and practical skill can take you a long way. You tend to value tradition, or at least recognize which old ways are worth preserving. Strength lies in your sense of duty and ability to see things through with patient care, even the most difficult challenges.
Ceres Opposition Mars, Orb: 0 deg. 19 min.
Conflicts can emerge between your zeal for action and sense of what is right, and the drives and beliefs of others. Pause before you act, and consider differing points of view. You need to learn the difference between courage and foolhardiness, and to moderate intense responses so you support worthy causes instead of catching the first wave.
Ceres Square True Node, Orb: 2 deg. 05 min.
You have a very strong drive to support other people in loving and practical ways, but can get stretched on the rack of too much involvement with others versus too little investment in yourself. Finding balance is essential, but also a challenge. You need to face things honestly and follow Thoreau's advice: 'Simplify, simplify.'
Chapter 2: Pallas
Pallas, lady of consciousness-raising
Pallas was a title of the great Greek goddess Athena, warrior, strategist and wisdom seeker. Her Roman counterpart was Minerva. The asteroid (perhaps eventually to be classified as dwarf planet) Pallas brings gifts of understanding, insight and skillfulness, and helps you to take things to a higher level than you might have thought possible. The energies of Pallas often seem to appear suddenly in the horoscope, and she can present in a surprising, even shocking, way. These upheavals are necessary sometimes in order to shake you out of your complacency and get you moving.
Pallas helps you to see much more clearly, and although this can involve pain, it is for the best in the long run. Illusions are stripped away and you comprehend at a deep level the lessons brought by this asteroid. You grow in intellectual dexterity and sometimes manual dexterity as well, and learn how to approach issues more strategically. Just as Pallas improves the linkages in your brain, so she also helps you to create better linkages in the world at large. Pallas can prompt you to respond very coldly, too, so you need to be careful of her chilly intellectualism and its snare of retreat into airy, abstract absolutes. But Pallas also promotes equality and cooperation, and helps you to help others in clear-sighted and astute ways. She assists you to act more fairly towards people, and to fight for fairness in turn. Pallas is a true raiser of the level of consciousness, and ultimately she helps you to think and act in much better, more skilful ways than you might ever have imagined possible.
Pallas in Pisces:
Pallas can get a bit discombobulated when she is trying to steer a clear mindful direction on the changeful seas of Pisces. Which is in control of the ship, the head or the heart? You need to have a good heart-brain connection going here, or find yourself way off course. At your best you have a psychic sensitivity to help you navigate, but you can get very muddled if you believe your intuitive abilities are greater than they actually are. However, when you combine the clarity of Pallas with the receptivity and universality of Pisces, you can achieve remarkable successes, especially in any ventures that require creativity and innovation. This can also empower a swift spiritual path, and enable you to work as a subtle change agent in the world around you.
Pallas in 6th house:
For you, the areas of work and service and health are fields of constant movement, where ideas are buzzing and change is a given, and often unpredictable. Your main risk from the health perspective is the stress that results from an almost hyperactive approach to life, and a sense that you are duty bound to be busy. Give your mind a rest occasionally! Opting to work in vocations where there is a high level of mental stimulus is a good move: you aren't exactly cut out for routine processing jobs. New technologies can be a good choice, or communications or teaching or crafts. You can carry something of the mad professor projection: live up to it by being as innovative as you dare!
Pallas Trine Sun, Orb: 2 deg. 20 min.
Your drive for mental stimulus and change, and at best your quest for wisdom, are sources of strength and achievement. You can bring a visionary quality into everything you do, and act as a catalyst for change and development, even maybe enlightenment, in the lives of all the people you are able to reach and inspire.
Pallas Trine Neptune, Orb: 3 deg. 38 min.
Your visionary, mystical tendencies are blended with a clear-sighted intelligence, which is a formidable combination for creative achievement. You are more likely to be seen as a charismatic figure than an odd-ball, which means you do need to watch out you don't believe your own publicity. But your gift of insight is your service to the world.
Pallas Opposition Pluto, Orb: 2 deg. 21 min.
There is a dynamic in your life which attunes you to powerful rhythms of change in the world, and which often drives significant conflicts either of heart or mind. You tend to find it hard to relax, which makes you even more scrappy if a fight finds you, and you need to learn both good stress management techniques, and conflict resolution skills.
Pallas Opposition Asc., Orb: 4 deg. 35 min.
Your drive to be seen as original, clever and visionary is all well and good, but can create discords in your dealings with particular people in your environment. Either they don't understand you, or they understand you only too well. Cultivate the Pallas virtue of detachment to assess what you are doing and make sure you are playing fair and clear.
Pallas Square MC, Orb: 1 deg. 47 min.
Although you know your ideals have integrity and you believe in the value of change, you may not always be able to convince others of these things without some sort of fight. Family conflicts may get in the way, too, and you need to use all your clear headedness and powers of persuasion to maintain balance and calm, and simply to play fair to all.
Pallas Opposition Apollo, Orb: 4 deg. 40 min.
The cold clear light of reason and intellect fires your creativity with a brilliant intensity, but you can project a restless drive to achieve which is a bit alienating, and you tend to be sensitive to slights. Shine brightly by all means, but don't be so quirky and one-off that people think you are right off. Find the balance of the middle ground.
Pallas SemiSquare Saturn, Orb: 1 deg. 54 min.
The worst thing you can do is give in to a sense of incomprehension and overwhelm when confronted with apparently irreconcilable ideas or situations. Chill out and you'll find a way through the mess. Whether you're a radical conservative or a conservative radical, you must learn how to manage paradox, or you'll end up frazzled and lost.
Pallas Sesquiquadrate Mercury, Orb: 0 deg. 11 min.
Tense alignments of Mercury and Pallas tend to show up as mental tension. Your mind is quick enough, too active really for your own good. So it is easy for you to suffer burn-out. Another challenge lies in spreading yourself too thin, or in becoming too evangelical when selling new ideas: the problem, basically, is extremism. Chill out to go well.
Chapter 3: Juno
Juno, lady of personal power
Juno symbolizes the primal power of the original Great Mother Goddess, whom the Greeks called Hera. The goddess Hera's supreme position was lost when the sky and warrior gods of patriarchal tribes supplanted the deities of the old agricultural proto-civilization. Hera became the wife of Zeus and patroness of marriage, a much narrower remit of power. Her Roman counterpart was Juno, wife of Jupiter. Although most astrologers read the asteroid Juno primarily as a symbol of relationships and the passions and power struggles entangled in them, there is a much deeper significance to this asteroid in your chart.
Juno is above all about personal power, where you find it, and how you use or misuse it, or fail to use it at all. People often struggle to express their Juno energy, perhaps because the world still struggles collectively with what feminine energy really means. It is not simply about sugar and spice and all things nice. Juno is often not very 'nice' at all, and challenges you to wake up to what you want and find a skilful way of shaping your life path. Juno shines a light on inequalities and demands fairness, or - if she feels thwarted - retreats into angry sulking and defeat. Her most blunted and distorted energies manifest as arrogance and self-entitlement, or in envy and spite; but at her best she bestows a kind of truly royal authority, grounded in maturity and deep understanding.
Juno demands you take responsibility, first of all for yourself. She also teaches you lessons about your values and helps you to transform anything primitive, selfish or self-defeating into a mature and empowering way of being in the world. Juno's great gift is precisely this: empowerment. As a corollary, she can help you make money or gain material successes along the way. And she can give you great style and a powerful presence, too!
Juno in Pisces:
When you're all worked up - which is easy enough to do, as you feel very deeply - either you or your friends might accuse you of having a drama queen streak. But then you can change colors faster than a chameleon, so you can also be cool as ice, soft as butter, one tough cookie and a million other parts in the great play of life. No, that doesn't mean you must become an actor, but you will make a production out of your own life one way or another, and take on as many roles as necessary. Pinning you down is the hardest part. Your power is in your depth and complexity and ability to shape-shift into anything. Make the most of this versatility, even if it does puzzle you when you have to make a decision. Mostly, you can trust your intuition to steer you in the right direction.
Juno in 7th house:
When Juno wields her scepter of authority in the house of relationships, you may spend the early part of your life quite unconscious of your own power and capacities, and project rather too much onto other people. Although it is a psychological truism that one encounters in others what is actually within oneself, this is especially true for you, and presents you with important lessons in being and doing the very best you can, and reminds you constantly of the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Honor yourself first, so you can honor other people, play fair, cut out all egoistic power games, and no matter how you started out, you will finish up very well.
Juno Trine Astraea, Orb: 3 deg. 33 min.
You draw strength and personal power from an almost sublime kind of efficiency. A mastery of detail and the ability to see how things fit together provide you with terrific practical skills you can direct into many areas of life and work. You also have a strong will-to-power, which you can channel very effectively when you have a worthy goal.
Juno Square Hygiea, Orb: 1 deg. 51 min.
The blazing intensity within you is a source of purifying energy and power, but it can be too much at times, and end up seething unconsciously or get suppressed. Yet there is a healing power here which you can channel into your work, and call on to become the best you can be, contributing somehow to greater wholeness for you and your environment.
Juno Square Diana, Orb: 2 deg. 25 min.
Tensions can arise for you in the world as a consequence of your insistence on going your own way. You need to find skilful ways of dealing with people so that you honor your own wishes without causing unnecessary conflict. Your strategic sense can take you a long way if you are willing to make some compromises whilst promoting your agenda.
Chapter 4: Vesta
Vesta, lady of focused service.
The asteroid Vesta constellates a very pure energy of dedication to a higher purpose. In worldly terms this often steps down to more ordinary, everyday realities: the willingness to work hard, the willingness to put personal preferences aside to deal with issues at hand or to assist others in need, and above all the ability to focus intently on something in order to get it done.
It is worth remembering that the Roman goddess Vesta was lady of the hearth, and the Latin word for hearth is 'focus'. Where you put your focus you are, in some sense, kindling a fire in a hearth and tending it, just like the Vestal Virgins looked after the sacred hearth whose fire symbolized the life of the whole collective. Vesta helps you to maintain your focus for as long as it takes to fulfill your obligations or to get the work done. With her help, you become less egoistic and more willing to put others ahead of yourself. But she also teaches you how to do this appropriately - turning into a doormat is hardly going to work well in the long run, either. You can become rather obsessed, too, where Vesta goes, and become righteous about issues with a moral dimension. You need to go a bit easily and honor difference whilst maintaining your own standards. Leading by example is better than grandstanding, and Vesta teaches you to work away quietly, without fuss, and achieve the sense of deep satisfaction that comes from recognizing and doing the right thing. You don't have to advertise this - virtue is its own reward!
Vesta in Gemini:
Vesta has a very austere energy quality which can express in unique, even rather strange ways in Gemini. Gemini wants to connect and dance, Vesta wants to serve and get things done. This is a strange combination, as though asteroid and sign are singing to each other, 'You say to-may-to, I say to-mar-to.' But you can't call the whole thing off. Learning how to focus your ideas is the best way forward. This comes naturally to you - Vesta grounds that airy Gemini helium balloon thing, and keeps you connected to your duties. This is excellent for serious mental work, especially anything with a research bent, and helps you to become a formidably efficient networker and facilitator. Just don't get too bogged down in detail, or forget to take time out. All work and no play - remember?!
Vesta in 9th house:
In olden days, astrologers called the ninth house the domicile of God. With Vesta here you may not dedicate yourself to a deity in the conventional sense, renouncing the world and taking holy orders, but you will certainly dedicate yourself to some kind of higher purpose, sooner or later. In your youth you may resist a bit, and play freedom games, travel a lot, or travel for work. But finally your works will take on a rather exalted quality, or aspiration at least, and the search for meaning becomes a quietly burning passion. Whether you concentrate your energies on material or spiritual quests, there is much to be gained from the journey. You might be surprised by the destination!
Vesta Conjunct MC, Orb: 4 deg. 56 min.
An intense dedication to your career will drive you far in the world, particularly once you have attained a sense of your true vocation. This will be quite high minded, probably involving some kind of service in the best sense of the word. Or you could get stuck on the treadmill of the day-to-day. Cultivate a pure power of discernment and judgment.
Vesta Trine Jupiter, Orb: 0 deg. 52 min.
You are strongly interested in ethics and what constitutes a good life, and have many high minded tendencies that will help you to make personal gains and set a good example. You also have the judgment to recognize the difference between doing the right thing and becoming smugly righteous, so people follow your lead rather than pull you down!
Vesta Square Moon, Orb: 0 deg. 42 min.
Your emotional responses are disciplined, and some people may think you are cold. Serious is more like it: you have a precocious emotional maturity about the relating game, and don't play silly games. But you can become fearful and defensive, and slide from self-protection to self-defeat, because you become too remote to reach.
Vesta Square Uranus, Orb: 0 deg. 38 min.
Life has a roller coaster quality for you some of the time, and it is very important to stay flexible. You tend to be challenged either to let go of the past when need be, or to be more willing to preserve things instead of moving on: extremes don't work well in the long run. It's best for you to work at the cutting edge, maybe as a freelancer.
Vesta Square Chiron, Orb: 1 deg. 17 min.
Life challenges you to find work somehow geared to the future and to maximizing personal potential and development. Getting stuck in an ordinary rut is likely to make you suffer until you get energized enough to work through it. 'Onward and upward' should be your motto. Working in unusual, innovative or spiritual ways will yield the best results.
Vesta Opposition Proserpina, Orb: 3 deg. 10 min.
This is a contradictory energy, and you will probably find it difficult at first to manage drives that are very concrete and realistic on one side (Vesta) and very otherworldly on the other (Proserpina). If you swing to extremes you could become either too severely practical or too confused and fey. Take things quietly and develop good judgment!
Vesta Opposition Bacchus, Orb: 2 deg. 51 min.
With these contradictory energies in challenging alignment, you could find yourself charged up with inspiration, and able in turn to make your visions concrete. Or you could shut down and become very resistant to anything outside 'the rules' of orderly material life. Watch out for a fanatical streak, and for tendencies to go to extremes.
Vesta Square Mean Lilith, Orb: 0 deg. 12 min.
Your inner needs are very intense, driving you on the one hand to be free, and on the other to be useful. You may not like this see-saw, and flip to one end only. But in the end you need to focus on what will liberate you whilst also allowing you practical engagement in the world. Find balance, and don't insist on being right all the time.
Vesta Square Apollo, Orb: 2 deg. 02 min.
Your creative fire burns steadily and productively once you have decided on which altar to consecrate it - artistic, technical, or everyday practical. However, you may have early issues of under confidence to deal with, or think that your only choice in life is to work, work, and work some more. Once you believe in yourself, you can shine very brightly.
Vesta SemiSquare Astraea, Orb: 1 deg. 47 min.
You have the potential to bring into the world aspects of larger movements towards an improved way of life, but you may resist such possibilities or get stuck in a fearful defense of the status quo. Your perfectionist streak can be very empowering, but also self-defeating if you are hypercritical. Allow things to be less than ideal sometimes!
Chapter 5: Astraea
Astraea, lady of right judgment and integration
Astraea was a classical goddess of justice, whose symbol was the balanced scales. She presided over the moral sense of rightness and good order, and the poetic tradition relates that she was the last of the divinities to leave the world at the end of the Golden Age. Astraea was then translated into the heavens as the constellation Virgo. These elements of myth give you clues to the meaning of the asteroid Astraea in the horoscope. She is concerned with the integration and organization of things, bringing sometimes disparate elements together and finding the common links that join them up in the web of life. She helps you to focus on detail and understand the meaning of the fine print. She helps you to work both hard and well, and helps you to become more ordered and tidy in at least some aspects of your life.
Astraea can also help you to become quite high minded, whilst integrating into this spacious vision an ability to zero in and see all the small things that go together to make up the greater whole. She can stir up a compulsive quality, too, and stimulate an obsessive streak. This can cause a kind of splitting, which is another aspect of Astraea energy: the goddess who brings things together can also tear them apart. She does all this, ultimately, in the service of wholeness, and reveals those things it is time to clean up and get rid of, so that everything else can evolve into a more perfect form. Wherever Astraea goes, you are urged to get organized and get your act together - and become the best you can be!
Astraea in Cancer:
So, you're hooked in to the venerable institution of the family. Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it. If you decide your background was truly dreadful, you may split from it physically, but the psychic link could be harder to break. If you think your folks were the best God made, you may never quite cut the umbilical cord. At your best you can become a powerful advocate for tribal bonds so inclusive they could link up the whole world, or you could bunker down into a much narrower sense of tribal 'us and them'. Your nobility emerges when you open your heart to all life, and believe in the family of humankind and a true sense of the global village. You can also become defensive and focus on looking after Number One, but are the material gains really worth the spiritual losses?
Astraea in 10th house:
It may be a long way to the top when you want to rock and roll, but you'll take just as long as you need to get there, and rock with as much vigor as it takes, too. Becoming the best you can be in the world - and getting appropriate recognition of the fact, thanks - is a very strong driver for you. Patience, attention to detail and the ability to draw things together, all take you far. You can get a bit persnickety about all this, though, and need to watch out that success doesn't go to your head. There is a good deal of the natural patrician in you, regardless of your social origins, and you do rather like the best that's going. But don't confuse genuine achievements with mere status symbols!
Astraea Trine Neptune, Orb: 2 deg. 52 min.
You can draw an unusual strength from the mystical streak in your makeup, but you may keep this kind of quiet lest your intentions or talents be mistaken by those who don't quite get what you're about. You understand that true spirituality is grounded in the practical. You can find the divine in the garden or the kitchen, or in selfless works.
Astraea Sextile Asc., Orb: 1 deg. 55 min.
You have a gift for projecting all the Virgo virtues in your personal style, which means it is easy for you to present as sensible, organized, disciplined, efficient and focused on the well-being of others. You could be a bit modest for your own good at times, though, or allow your good nature to be imposed on. Judge situations with due care!
Astraea Opposition Iris, Orb: 1 deg. 27 min.
As long as you don't get blocked by self-doubt and self-criticism, there can be something quite amazing about your capacity to absorb and understand complex information in a deep, thorough way. Your inner critic is the stumbling block. But if you take up a proper meditation practice you could really fly - maybe all the way over Iris's rainbow.
Astraea SemiSquare Uranus, Orb: 1 deg. 09 min.
Does life sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride, no brakes supplied? Sorry, but you're wired for change, and if you don't overhaul everything (semi) occasionally, then everything gets overhauled for you. Cooperate with the uncertainties of life and live as much on the wild side as you dare. Then things become much simpler and easier.
Astraea SemiSquare Mean Lilith, Orb: 1 deg. 35 min.
You are independent to the point some people might call wayward, and certainly don't tolerate fools well, let alone the world's whiners. There are probably issues around emotional intimacy at work here, and a recoiling from closeness. You don't trust easily, and run from any kind of power play. But don't play power games yourself!
Astraea Sesquiquadrate Proserpina, Orb: 1 deg. 22 min.
Life has a way of taking you down deep, and sometimes it feels like going to hell and back. But you do come back because life teaches you how to organize things around the centre of your being. You're a survivor, and can help others to become survivors in turn. You know how useless the line of least resistance can be, and can pass on this lesson.
Astraea Sesquiquadrate Bacchus, Orb: 1 deg. 03 min.
When there's a dynamic meeting of practicality and divine madness, you'll either be divinely inspired in all your works, or run a mile from all this spooky stuff. But since you're reading your horoscope, you must be willing to play with the subtle realms. Happiness comes from getting the details right and making the right connections.
Chapter 6: Iris
Iris, lady of the intuitive mind and illumination
In Greek myth, there were two divine messengers: Hermes (equivalent to the Roman god Mercury), and Iris. Some traditions suggest that Iris was the messenger of the goddess Hera (whose Roman equivalent was Juno), whilst Mercury served Jupiter. However you play with the myths, there was a feminine energy associated with communication as well as a masculine one. And modern neuroscience tells us there are masculine and feminine aspects to the brain, too.
Few astrologers have learned yet how to honor the great goddess whose archetype stands behind the 'feminine' brain and style of communication. That is why this asteroid report is named in honor of Iris! The symbol of Iris was the rainbow, and the Iris energies of the horoscope seem to encompass all the colors of the spectrum, all kinds of light: ultimately, the light of pure consciousness.
Mercury shows how you think and communicate in a more systems oriented, data gathering and sorting way. His energy is yang and outward directed. Iris, however, has yin energy and is receptive. She shows how you receive ideas, how you listen, how you intuit and empathize, and how you deal holistically with all the information thrown at you by living in the world.
Iris helps you to understand things at a deep level, and to grow in wisdom. She adds color and depth to the Mercury energies of the chart, and shows another avenue of expression. She helps you to meditate. At her very best, Iris helps you to find true illumination. There is a vastness and sublime beauty to Iris energy. Wherever she sits in your horoscope can be magical, as she helps your consciousness to expand and evolve.
Iris in Capricorn:
Old proverbs like 'Softly, softly, catchee monkey,' strike a chord with you. Anything old strikes a chord, actually, as you have a quiet, steady regard for the best of the past, and do your bit to hand it on. There is an innate cautiousness in you, which makes you both wary in your dealings with folk, and a stealthy monkey hunter when you want something. You usually prefer things that are useful, and the best way to get your mind's attention and approval, is to be practical. Change for the heck of it leaves you cold, and you aren't fooled by appearances either. Your cool eye takes in a lot, and you've the memory of the proverbial elephant if interested in an idea, or situation, or person. You can be a bit scared by anything too strange, but have a poker face and play a dab hand every time.
Iris in 4th house:
Although it can get a bit lost under layers of disguise, your deepest drive is to find the inner light. This may start with trying to make home a place of calm and reflection, especially if that is how it was in childhood, and even more so if you feel you have to make up later for early deprivation. You almost certainly understand your family very well, possibly better than they understand you. The parental bond can be particularly strong, and one or both of your parents has probably had a powerful influence on the development of your mind and your approach to learning and communication. But above all, you want inner growth, and live out the Confucian edict, 'Cultivate your person.'
Iris Trine Pluto, Orb: 2 deg. 42 min.
You have a real gift for probing the deeper mysteries of life, and have an instinct for 'where the bodies are buried'. No one can fool you (usually), and sometimes you almost literally see in the dark. Your strengths with deduction and detection can bring you success, but don't go playing mind games with people just because you can, now!
Iris Sextile Sun, Orb: 2 deg. 42 min.
You find strength and purpose in your ability to understand as much as possible about the world around you, and the people in it. Your notion of self worth is bound up in a sensitive awareness of your environment, and your ability to respond both creatively and appropriately. The more you tune in, the better things turn on and turn out.
Iris Sextile Neptune, Orb: 1 deg. 25 min.
There is a lovely, gentle, mystical streak in your nature. When this is working well it can help you to attain heights of sublime experience, but if it goes feral you can also get caught up in no end of fantasies and confusion. You can draw strength and success from your sensitivity, but must have good boundaries too. Stay open, but with discernment!
Iris Trine Asc., Orb: 0 deg. 27 min.
You draw strength and achieve success from your way of projecting the Iris qualities of receptivity and awareness into your personal style. A strong intuitive grasp of what people are thinking and feeling enables you to respond to your environment very sensitively, and aids you in building greater social harmony - a benefit to all.
Iris SemiSquare Proserpina, Orb: 0 deg. 05 min.
At times life takes you to dark places, and teaches tough lessons in order to strengthen your mind. Although you may resist initially, or become almost passive in response to challenge, ultimately you learn a great deal and attain a kind of austere wisdom born of pain. You learn, gradually, a valuable skill: how to shine the light that banishes fear.
Iris SemiSquare Bacchus, Orb: 0 deg. 24 min.
Your mind is filled with many rainbow colored visions, but you can get a bit lost in those magic inner lands. Disengagement from the real world is not a recipe for success. Try to ground your imaginings in the everyday possible. If you can get practical about even a tenth of what you visualize, you'll achieve more than most. DO, don't just dream!
Chapter 7: Hygiea
Hygiea, lady of purification and healing
Hygiea is named for the classical goddess of health and well-being, whose name also yields the English word hygiene. This brings a sense of cleansing and purification to the symbolism for the asteroid Hygiea, as well as meanings associated with health issues, sickness, cure, and the moral and physical wholeness that are implicit in ideas of good health or good order. Wherever Hygiea goes in the horoscope, she has a way of cleaning up things, bringing them into a very pure, even ideal, state of being.
Hygiea intensifies any other planetary energy with which she links, and assists it to express in a cleaner, stronger, truer form. Sometimes this poses real challenges and problems, making circumstances appear worse before they get better. Then Hygiea seems to act like the force behind a fever, which can rise to dangerous heights before it breaks, and the healing occurs. It's all about getting the poison out first, so that wholeness can be restored, or aided to form. The poison is more often metaphorical than literal, of course. Hygiea always helps you to scrub up, or purge. She's a catalyst for action as well as a force for intensifying and purifying other energies. However testing a time you have whilst she's busy, you're always left in much better shape when she has finished with you!
Hygiea in Sagittarius:
For you, the path to healing and wholeness comes from your spiritual and intellectual openness to life. At your best, you can embrace the entire world; on a more day-to-day level you at least have the ability to see many perspectives and you mostly have a relaxed, live-and-let-live philosophy. But you aren't perfect, alas, and may have lessons to learn around intellectual arrogance and coming on as a know-all. You do have a great visionary capacity, but could face challenges in communicating your splendid ideas, as not everyone has the spacious view of things innate to you. Don't then become angry in the face of bewilderment or Oppo, as you'll only make your liver or gall bladder play up. Make allowances for difference, and remember that live-and-let-live idealism.
Hygiea in 4th house:
There's a back-to-basics streak in your nature, and you want the home base to be a safe domain. Your survival instinct is especially strong, and may have been forged by a challenging childhood. Even if you grew up in what seemed like Eden, you probably have an urge to clean up something in the family dynamics, and may have issues around parental control, whether you were on the receiving end, or feel impelled to exercise it. If the latter, just remember, do unto others... You're a strong protector, and first of all you protect yourself. In this regard, remember that the first line of physical defense is what you eat and drink, and you need good nourishment. Keep things balanced and whole!
Hygiea Conjunct Diana, Orb: 4 deg. 16 min.
You are independent almost to an extreme, and may even find the whole idea of connecting with other people daunting to the point of fear. But fear only harms things, so you need to draw on the courage which you also have in spades, find a balance, and deal with everyone and everything with maturity and calm. Dispassionate wisdom rocks!
Hygiea Sextile Venus, Orb: 0 deg. 19 min.
You find strength and a sense of achievement in healing the pleasure principle. This doesn't mean going without, unless you get into the voluntary simplicity thing (which you might) but does mean cultivating discernment and good taste. Life draws out your instincts for refinement and enjoyment of the best that's going. You don't like fake.
Chapter 8: Proserpina
Proserpina, lady of transitions, other-worldly realms, and sacrifice
The asteroid Proserpina is named in honor of the goddess of the dead, consort of Pluto, she who was known as Persephone to the Greeks. As a goddess archetype, Proserpina constellates an energy that is often hard to fathom at first, because in the poetic myths Proserpina/Persephone seems to have little personality of her own. As the innocent maiden, abducted by Pluto/Hades into the underworld, she was scarcely distinguishable from her fertility goddess mother Ceres/Demeter. As Pluto's wife and queen of the underworld, though, she receives the souls of the dead and as such, is also a guide to other realms and levels of being, and the deepest places of the psyche. The asteroid Proserpina seems to manifest as an energy of innocence and ignorance that learns a very great deal by (often hard) experience. She shows where you tend to take the line of least resistance, to be passive or helpless, and teaches you the consequences of such unaware or unassertive responses. She points to what you learn through the various transitions of life, which may or may not be painful, but which always entail a letting go of what has ceased to be viable, and carry therefore some sense of sacrifice. She shows you altered states of being, can help you to open up to all the stimuli of life, assists you to adapt and change in response to your environment, and even helps you to cultivate psychic perception.
Proserpina is a tricky energy to deal with, though, because she is so hard to know in essence. You need to be still, and quietly open, to access Proserpina and work with her successfully. Ignore her altogether and you may find yourself plunging into situations you never expected or wanted; honor her and she will help you to find a way through the dark, a guide for your soul who aids your inner journey and ultimately, as a result, your path to individuation in the outer world.
Proserpina in Scorpio:
The Proserpina myth is all about the transformative journey one takes from innocence and ignorance to full individuation and knowledge, and this journey is a very powerful one for those with Proserpina in Scorpio. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, as the saying goes. Sound familiar? You mightn't start out tough, but life will train you to as much inner and outer strength as you need to get by: a sort of spiritual warrior path. You'll probably acquire a pretty bleak vision along the way, and the challenge is not to become angry and resentful. That only makes it all worse. Some sort of healing path is best, since you can aid your own transformation while you help others with theirs. Relationships are intense, more than usually charged with meaning, and likely to bring up big lessons. Your highest gift manifests when you learn to transform suffering into joy.
Proserpina in 3rd house:
Your antennae are tuned to some of the more unusual ideas that are floating around out there, and not surprisingly you have a strong and lively imagination as well. Anything at all different tends to enchant you, at least for thirty seconds, because the next bright thing is likely to flit into your consciousness very quickly! Despite these potentials for flightiness, your mind is actually a strong and supple instrument, and you are certainly interested in how minds work, and how ideas can be put to work in the world. Your judgment is good, most of the time, although there can be stuff to sort out with siblings or neighbors. When talking turkey, neither give in too fast, nor hold too rigid a position.
Proserpina Conjunct Bacchus, Orb: 0 deg. 19 min.
There is something potentially wild and anarchic about this pairing of other-worldly energies. In your youth you may either feel an irresistible pull to walking on the wild side, or run a mile to avoid it. Ultimately it isn't about dropping out, but about getting everything together in a profound spiritual journey that leads to deeper understanding.
Proserpina Sextile Jupiter, Orb: 2 deg. 18 min.
You are one of those people who think and dream big, and as long as you can find some practical strategies for action, you have the potential to fly very high. But the temptation to believe that luck or 'the universe' will take care of everything may mean you spoil your harvest. Put some muscle into the dreams and you can play super hero!
Proserpina Square Moon, Orb: 3 deg. 52 min.
Life isn't always easy or fair for sensitive souls, and since you have such deep emotions and a rather thin skin at times, sometimes things are bound to be challenging and hurtful. Don't allow your obliging nature to be imposed on, and cultivate the knack of discerning when people are trying to manipulate. Set firm, safe limits, and be clear and strong!
Proserpina Square Uranus, Orb: 2 deg. 32 min.
It can be heaps of fun tuning into the oddball frequencies of life, but you may find there is a limited pool of playmates if you tune out too often or for too long. You can go just a tad too far in playing the eccentricity card. Don't allow it to turn into a willful refusal to accept people on any but your own terms, and remember to play straight occasionally!
Proserpina Square True Node, Orb: 3 deg. 18 min.
You have a strong urge for varied life experience, but may find it all too easy to take the line of least resistance, at least in your youth, and instead of having interesting spiritual adventures you end up in dead ends. Well, failure is an opportunity to start again more intelligently. As you learn from your mistakes, you can help others find their way, too.
Proserpina Square Mean Lilith, Orb: 2 deg. 58 min.
Perhaps it feels as though you've had more than your share of turmoil or wounding, and become hypersensitive about the possibilities of being exploited in some way. Setting boundaries for protection is one thing, but giving up on life is another. Not all people or situations are bad: learn how to make sensible choices, and temper caution with trust.
Chapter 9: Diana
Diana, lady of emotional maturity
Diana was the classical goddess associated with the moon, a virginal hunter who was expert with the bow and arrow. She preferred to keep aloof from the company of most of the other gods and goddesses, living in wild mountain fastnesses with her retinue of maidens.
Diana took an interest in the affairs of ordinary mortals primarily when women were giving birth, and she cared for the young of all creatures. But she could be fierce, even lethal, if her rights were impinged upon, or if she were slighted. Her arrows never missed their target.
The asteroid Diana has not been used a lot by astrologers, which is a pity as she seems to show a different quality of emotional response from that traditionally associated with the Moon. Where Diana goes in your chart you are not inclined to the sort of overt, even child-like sensitivity and vulnerability that the Moon tends to indicate, but to a more restrained, independent and even sometimes avoidant response to the stimuli of life. Diana energy is more austere, but she does not show a lack of sensitivity as such. Indeed, she can be almost hypersensitive in her way, which is to acknowledge feelings and immediately put boundaries in place to contain and protect them, so that Diana can sometimes seem cold or hard where in fact she is simply looking after herself. Of course, she can help you to be tough if circumstances demand it! She can also point to intense fear responses, which in turn stimulate the 'fight or flight' reflex, which in turn makes you either combative or prone to head for the hills. Ultimately the position of Diana in your chart tells you a lot about how you develop emotional maturity, although she can also say something about the distortions and setbacks of this process, too. She shows where you are able to rely on yourself rather than depending on others, and also points to ways in which you will help other people - as long as it suits you!
Diana is not needy, except for space and for the opportunity, quietly, to nurture the inner needs of the soul. She helps you to figure out what you want, but without all the emotional baggage associated with Lunar attachment. Detached, disinterested and dispassionate, Diana energy helps you to engage with life on your own terms, as a fully fledged adult. With Diana, you put away childish things and come into a richer fullness of being.
Diana in Sagittarius:
There's a good deal of the free spirit in you, and you were born to roam, either literally or metaphorically, or both. Heaven help anyone who tries to fence you in. The hunter-gatherer instinct you tend to direct more often to ideas than to material objects, and at your best you are a very spacious thinker. The whole communication thing interests you deeply, even passionately, and you love to connect your mind with the minds of others. But you can also be scattered, and squander opportunities by a failure to follow through, and you can also undercut your social (and even professional) success by odd outbursts of sheer tactlessness. The emotional game can seem downright icky to you, and leave you puzzled or cold. Those who want to engage with you need to engage your open mind.
Diana in 4th house:
You could be some sort of domestic god or goddess, or you could just be something of a homebody. Whether you do it with style or just do it, you really value your home and your privacy, and security is a pretty big deal, too. There can be a 'back to basics' aspect to your nature, and an innate capacity for making do or turning to; an earthy streak keeps you practical and able to deal with most problems that arise. But with all your busy-ness, the deepest need is actually for some sort of profound, fundamental transformation. It is your inner being that needs the work, not the house renovation. Once you get going, anything is possible. You can go incredibly far, building on the strongest foundation.
Diana Square Asc., Orb: 3 deg. 03 min.
You take on responsibility so readily that some people may even get suspicious and accuse you of meddling. That's if they aren't too intimidated by your formidable manner. You possibly take life a little too seriously for ordinary happiness, but you probably have your own ideas about that. You have your own ideas on everything, and that's that!
Diana SemiSquare Jupiter, Orb: 0 deg. 13 min.
There's something of the entrepreneur in you, or at least the operator, and you can have an innate sense of what the public wants. But while you're wheeling and dealing, keep mindful of ethics, because you'll come unstuck if you make ego-driven compromises. You need to take the high road, but don't be openly scornful of those trudging below!
Chapter 10: Apollo
Apollo, lord of creative maturity
In classical mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun, whose patronage extended over harmony, the arts and healing. He was not the literal, physical sun, however, and the asteroid named in honor of this god has a slightly different quality from the Sun energy with which traditional astrology is familiar - just as the energy of Diana is rather markedly different from that of the Moon.
Although work is still in progress on understanding the influence of Apollo - as with all the asteroids! - he seems to take the creative, personality-making energy traditionally associated with the Sun and then place and develop it in a wider social context. If the Sun is about 'Me' and my life force in pure potential, then Apollo shows 'Me' how to become more fully and completely and socially myself - or rather yourself, as the case may be, since this report is about you, the reader! For this reason Apollo is described here as the lord of creative maturity. He has a sway over the process of full individuation that allows your innate gifts to shine their light into the world. Apollo shows another aspect of your talents and potentials, but he also shows possible areas of downfall, if more primitive egoistic urges get in the way of the maturation process.
It is all too easy to become proud wherever Apollo goes in the chart, and to become excessively perfectionist and demanding. But all these distortions are unfortunate ways of misusing his wonderful capacities for creation. At his best, Apollo gives clear sightedness, and this includes clarity of insight into who you really are and what you are best able to do in order to make the best of yourself in the world at large. Don't allow vanity or lazy self-entitlement to trip you up. Be honest about where you are and what you want, and do the best you can to be the best you can. That's what Apollo's drive for (true) excellence is all about!
The asteroid Apollo also has a rather strange orbit and appears to spend much longer in some signs of the zodiac than others. Appropriately enough, he is much more often and longest in Leo, the traditional sign of the Sun. If you have Apollo in the signs from Sagittarius through to Taurus, this is a relatively more rare placement.
Apollo in Virgo:
There's a good many Apollo in Virgo folk in the world, but unless there are lots of extroverted influences at work to heat up your cool, you don't really mind the sense of being part of a crowd. That's not to say you always get lost in a group, or have no personality. You just don't need to make too much fuss. You quite like the group thing, usually, or at least you like the idea of connecting up the group, joining dots, making links, creating networks. You're a practical critter, and can be a good organizer and manager of resources (maybe behind the scenes). There can be a healing focus in your life as well, or a strong environmental awareness. But you're no armchair idealist: you believe in action, and can get quite vigorous and 'out there' when your dander's up.
Apollo in 12th house:
You may be tempted to hide your light under the proverbial bushel, or you may choose to shine your light in dark and secret places, full of drama and mystery. Having Apollo in the House of Secrets does seem to spur an added zeal for privacy, even if the rest of the world thinks you have everything important out there on display. You know better than most how to play with smoke and mirrors. A keen awareness of suffering in all its forms may lead you to wallow overmuch in self-pity, but if you just 'get over yourself' you can become a powerful spokesperson for the marginalized and the disenfranchised. It is much nobler to fight for a cause: it is also a fine channel for all your creative energies, too.
Apollo Conjunct Moon, Orb: 1 deg. 20 min.
You have a drive to bring something quintessential about how you feel into the way you position and express yourself in the world. If you direct this well, you can achieve a good deal. But there is a risk of projecting too much of the personal onto your environment and assuming people and situations are only and always the way you think or feel they are.
Apollo Conjunct Uranus, Orb: 2 deg. 40 min.
Something of the natural rebel informs your creativity and you quite like to walk on the wild side now and then, or maybe most of the time. You can bring an unusual vision to your work, and find new connections and promote new ideas. Though intolerant of constraint you may be a little inclined to lay down the law to others. Relax, cut loose!
Apollo Conjunct Mean Lilith, Orb: 2 deg. 15 min.
Apollo and Lilith are very different energies, one socializing and civilizing, the other wild and free. This push-pull combination makes you seek to express your creativity through sympathy for dark emotions, and tames some of your crazier urges. At your best you can use this to empower great achievement - just don't get stuck in the middle!
Apollo Opposition Chiron, Orb: 0 deg. 46 min.
Sometime you can take the maverick thing too far, and 'push the envelope' beyond the tolerance of those around you. You may do better to cultivate your gifts as a healer, in whatever way you express them. When you settle down to work, you are good at sorting out where the damage is, and finding practical ways to restore harmony and wholeness.
Apollo Square MC, Orb: 2 deg. 54 min.
You certainly have a drive to make it in the world, but conflict between your own ambitions or family duties or partnership issues can get in the way. So can unresolved ego issues, which may bedevil other conflicts, too. Do some self analysis and be willing to put in the hard yards to achieve something. Heaven helps those who do the work!
Apollo SemiSquare Venus, Orb: 1 deg. 15 min.
Your love of beauty can certainly stimulate a great creative capacity, and your high standards can also help to keep the rest of the world on their toes and trying that bit harder. But you can become too demanding and critical, especially during the mating game. Sure you want the best, but the beauty of the soul counts most in the long run.
Chapter 11: Bacchus
Bacchus, lord of altered states and divine inspiration
In Roman mythology, Bacchus was the god of the vine and wine, equivalent to the Greek Dionysos. The cult of Dionysos was ancient and mysterious. He was a strange and subtle god, other-worldly, now kind, now cruel, connected with altered states (including those induced by drugs, from alcohol to hallucinogens), the deity presiding over peak experiences from ecstasy to agony. He was close to nature, wild and free, and his worship had many anarchic as well as transcendental elements. Eventually his archetype and worship became so important to the Greek collective psyche that he was elevated to the Council of Twelve, the great gods and goddesses who presided over the government of Mount Olympus. Unlike other (male) gods, Dionysos was surrounded by women, and mortal women were his most significant votaries. There is an inter-sex, almost androgynous or transgender quality to this divine archetype.
The asteroid Bacchus constellates all these contradictions and mysteries in the horoscope. A good deal of the Bacchus/Dionysos archetype is also apparent in the planet Neptune, and where this asteroid differs and adds value to the chart is in the way it focuses the area of life where you are most open to inspiration and where you are most eager for pleasure and escape from the everyday. Neptune has a collective energy, but Bacchus is more directly personal. Bacchus tells you a lot about where and how you play, what excites you and inspires you to do better, to go further, and to push things not only to the limit but even past it. The consequences, if any, you will deal with later, if you must. Where Bacchus goes you have a little taste of freedom, a little glimpse of heaven or - if you play foolishly or choose badly - you get a harrowing vision of hell. You need to be careful with Bacchus energy. When he is good he is very, very good; and when he is bad he is horrid. Or to quote another old proverb: 'Take what you want, the Good Lord says - and pay for it.'
The asteroid Bacchus has an eccentric orbit and spends more time in some signs of the zodiac than others. His longest sojourn is in Sagittarius; if you have Bacchus in the signs from Pisces through Aries to Virgo, this is a less common placement.
Bacchus in Scorpio:
There's a restless, vigorous streak in your character, a desire to be up and at 'em all the time. If a person or situation is intense, exciting, possibly a bit dangerous, you get turned on and want to be there and have a part of the action. Your own passions run deep, and some people may describe you as a thrill-seeker, at least some of the time. You probably won't do anything so rash as to endanger life and limb, at least if your razor-sharp mind has any say in what you do. You can have as good a fight with yourself as with anyone else, and love debate. This tremendous acumen and focus you can channel into more decorous pursuits (scientific research perhaps?), but you won't put up with boredom. 'Life is for living!' you shout from the rooftops, and throw yourself in boots and all.
Bacchus in 3rd house:
Inspired communication is the name of the game here, and when it's 'game on' you never know quite what might happen if you're part of the play! Some of the world's most gifted communicators have had Bacchus in the House of the Mind, and you would be more than happy to add your name to such illustrious company. Make a decent effort of it, and you just might do it, too! Take a vast imagination, the potential to channel divine inspiration directly, add a little mental discipline, and you can bake a mighty fine communications cake. If you get bored or give up too soon you can sabotage your works, of course. Quit doodling around and you can reach a big audience - which is what you want, isn't it?!
Bacchus Sextile Jupiter, Orb: 1 deg. 59 min.
The easy energy exchange between Bacchus and Jupiter is one of the most joyful of all stimuli, and can make you seem as high as a kite a lot of the time. It is unlikely you are smoking anything (you don't need drugs) but you may need to share some of the bliss with others lest they become envious and questioning, and try to spoil your fun.
Bacchus Square Moon, Orb: 3 deg. 33 min.
A very high level of sensitivity means your emotional responses can run to extremes. Your capacity for bliss is as great as your capacity for despair, but the hard emotions often get the better of you, at least until you learn some moderation and detachment. A good meditation practice will probably serve you best, not wallowing in melodrama!
Bacchus Square Uranus, Orb: 2 deg. 13 min.
You could be the original wild child, or you could get rather freaked out by all the crazy stuff in the world (and out of it) and shut down propensities to cut loose and do your own thing. But suppressing your individuality won't work in the long run, so it's better to let the craziness out in a constructive way than have it rise up manically and sabotage you.
Bacchus Square True Node, Orb: 3 deg. 37 min.
You are rather torn between a desire to have fun all the time, splashing about in the rock-pools of relating and giving form to dreams, and a more serious, grown-up desire to put away childish things and advance on a higher spiritual path. Perhaps if you look for the balance here, you can turn the quest into a game, and play all your way to heaven?
Bacchus Square Mean Lilith, Orb: 2 deg. 38 min.
Your drive for freedom can drive you almost wild at times. Seemingly titanic forces can surge up from somewhere within (or maybe without), and you've no need for acid when you can go on trips with these energies. You must be authentic, you must have respect, or you can turn in sudden anger. People do best to realize that you are a truly free spirit.
Chapter 12: Hephaistos
Hephaistos, lord of inner fire, talent, craft and work
The asteroid Hephaistos is named in honor of the ancient god of fire and the forge, the master craftsman and divine blacksmith. In the proto-civilizations of the early Bronze Age, those who worked with the wonders of fire and metal seemed to be magicians, and were thought to possess special powers. But the god Hephaistos had a sad, strange story. He stands for aspects of the masculine that are not only amongst the most worthy (he is a hard worker and consummate artisan) but also the most unfortunate, because Hephaistos was crippled and ugly, so the other gods and goddesses wanted little to do with him. But they could not ignore him, because he was too clever and too skilful, and he was one of the great gods who sat on the Council of Twelve governors. As we know in human life, too, those who are truly gifted always find a way to the top, and this is something the asteroid Hephaistos can point to in your horoscope. He also shows where you may feel very unworthy and self-doubting, and so make an extra effort. He reveals many of your deepest passions and dearest desires, but also shows some of your greatest sufferings, because other people do not necessarily understand you or want your company or input. He shows where and how you work, where and how you are perhaps most skilful. But above all, the divine blacksmith hammers your soul on his forge in order to make you better than you are already. This process of soul making, of what used to be called 'character building', can be hard and painful, but it is very necessary.
Hephaistos knocks you into shape. Once you understand what he is doing, it can actually be fun to cooperate, and turn the work into a game. Mary Poppins, arguably the first super-nanny, knew a thing or two about the secret purposes of the Hephaistos archetype. With his help, you can take the base metal of your nature and transform it into gold, or at least move from childhood to adulthood.
The asteroid Hephaistos also has an even more eccentric orbit than Apollo, and spends very little time in some signs of the zodiac. He is most often in Taurus, and the nearby signs of Aries, Gemini and Cancer. If your Hephaistos is in the signs from Leo to Pisces, this is a much rarer placement.
Hephaistos in Gemini:
Hephaistos spends quite a lot of time in Gemini, so you are linked to a broader collective process about learning truly effective communication. For you, soul making is bound up with learning how to give and receive ideas and information, without either holding back or demanding more than your share of the oxygen. You may find a challenge in speaking your mind, either saying too little through under-confidence or a failure to prepare, or banging on for too long and alienating people. At your best, you can be very bright, and if you really work on your ideas and the best way to communicate them, you can discover a real talent for speaking or writing. You could be a natural psychologist and work through deep issues (talking therapy!) or a gifted inventor with something new to offer the world. All you need is a platform - and a properly grounded self-belief - and away you go.
Hephaistos in 10th house:
The soul making process indicated by the sign your Hephaistos occupies is directed into your vocational path, which makes it a fairly serious business. You could be a proverbial late bloomer if lack of confidence has held you back, but once you learn to believe in yourself, you can reveal great talents to the world. You are serious about what you do, patient and careful. You aren't afraid of power, probably want it in your heart of hearts, and will challenge established authority if it doesn't live up to your expectations or - of course - if you want to wrest its power for yourself! You are a strong leader once you establish your own authority, either creatively, intellectually, physically or socially.
Hephaistos Trine Mercury, Orb: 1 deg. 47 min.
It is easy for you to direct your strong imagination into practical channels, and you have the potential to achieve a good deal by skilful application of your capacity for systems thinking as well. You like things to be organized and have a healthy streak of common sense, so people tend to rely on you for help and advice, and trust your judgment.
Hephaistos Sextile True Node, Orb: 0 deg. 09 min.
You derive strength from working creatively with your passions. Your soul is refined through the testing fires of the connections you make and the intentions behind them, and what worldly attachments drive you. Be careful what you wish for: you might get it! And then you need to decide what to get rid of, in the service of inner growth and change.
Hephaistos Sesquiquadrate Sun, Orb: 0 deg. 22 min.
People probably sense something of the deep passions that drive you, since you project a kind of heat, as though your aura is charged. The intensity isn't always easy to handle, though, and you could be rather sensitive about yourself, especially if you think anyone is slighting you. Don't take things so much to heart - relax and cut loose a little.
Hephaistos Sesquiquadrate Neptune, Orb: 1 deg. 40 min.
Every now and then you hit the challenging wall of resistance when your deep fantasy life collides with consensus reality. Your dreams and visions can be seriously out of step with the mainstream, which doesn't mean they are wrong (though they could be), but you do need to understand them better and work them out in a clear and realistic way.
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