The real question is: Can we bring a real sense of presence into any exchange we have with an Other? Presence is the ability to be vulnerable enough to "be there now', to listen with an inner ear of truth, to be available as a channel of peace and harmony and balance. We can also invoke the presence of Spirit within all our relationships. That divine Presence can be the balance point of everything we do with, for and to the Other. Saturn in Libra poses the question: How can we be a true Companion on the journey of Life?
The way we do this is through the fullness of Love.
Aphrodite/Venus is said to "rule' Libra. That means Venus has a great affinity for the activities of Libra connecting with the Other with total presence, awareness and acceptance. Aphrodite is the goddess of Love and Peace, Beauty and Truth. While Libra is an air (thinking) sign, Aphrodite is a goddess of subjective feelings who gives us a magnetic ability to attract others through our personal values and subjectively evaluate how they affect us. Venus is the great connector, the one who accepts the Other in all ways without losing a sense of Herself. In Christianity, it is Aphrodite's sacred dove who became the Holy Spirit, and it is this holy spirit that is the sacred Wisdom (Love and Knowledge combined) that connects us in relationship.
The planet Venus is going retrograde the day after this new Moon, October 9th. You've seen Venus blazing in the Western night sky after sunset for most of the summer, a sign and a symbol of Beauty and Love. As the Evening Star, Venus is associated with wise and good counsel. Whenever a planet goes retrograde, it means that psychologically, the energy is retracing its steps back to the Sun to be renewed and restored in beauty and newness. When Venus is done retrograding, she will become the Morning Star, rising before the Sun, initiating a new connection to Spirit and to each other.
"The Mayans knew Morning Star Venus as Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent. The "flying of the Feathered Serpent" predicts a Renaissance period when America comes to full life and spiritual expression. When does the Feathered Serpent fly? When Venus rises before the Sun, in a special time that is unfolding in the next 24 months. Venus becomes the Morning Star again on November 3rd following a conjunction with the Sun on October 28th 2010. " (For the rest of this interesting article on Venus retrograde and the Mayan Calendar, please see Steven Nelson's article, The Mythic Times, which came to me as a newsletter. Please go to : The Mythic Times by Steve Nelson)
Because of Venus' retrograde, it spends 5 months (from August 6, 2010 to January 7, 2011) rather than a month and a half in the signs of Libra and Scorpio, the two signs most concerned with dealing with the Other. As Venus turns around in Scorpio, she will ask us to reconsider values, recognize unconscious motives and face our Love and Power shadows. Now is the time to clear out old resentments, heal old emotional wounds and learn how to cooperate rather than dominate. As our wise Libra bard John Lennon sang, "All you need is Love'. That's where the hard work comes in.
Venus turns retrograde at 14* Scorpio: Telephone linemen at work installing new connections. This is a cosmic gift to us a rewiring of our ability to open ourselves to the Other. It is "the will to association and comprehension.' Venus turns direct on November 18 at 28* Libra: A man becoming aware of spiritual forces surrounding and assisting him. This symbol is also a sign of blessing for us. Once we release our old pain around love and intimacy and chose love rather than fear, we will see how Aphrodite's blessings and spiritual wisdom will assist us in connecting with others.
The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon at 15* Libra is: Circular paths. We all travel on circular paths, just as the cycle of the seasons or the Moon's phases place us firmly within the context of a cyclical time reference. But circular paths can also be spiral paths, circling around at different levels, showing us our lives from different and yet the same vantage points. Walk your circular paths in peace and contemplation, allowing yourself to find a steady rhythm of in breath and out breath, activity and rest.
What seeds do you want to plant this new Moon? Don't forget, these seeds are for the community to share!
As Autumn begins to take hold in the Northern Hemisphere, remember to be grateful for your harvests and for your communities!
Bright Blessings on us all!
Cathy Pagano, M.A.
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