THE PISCES PENUMBRAL LUNAR ECLIPSE 16.9.2016: REVELATION, MYSTERY AND THE MAGIC OF SPIRIT

We begin this article with an astronomical note, followed by the spiritual and energetic analysis this alignment brings to us all. It is a potent Eclipse and one which brings with it the opportunities for many beginnings, endings, release, healing … and initiation unto a new Path. One that will, at the very least, involve a re-conceptualization of the road you´re headed on, the world you want to create and be a part of. It´s hard to say whether this alignment is more Yin or Yang as the Masculine and Feminine come through very different, and often overlapping channels at this point in time.

ASTRONOMICAL NOTE:

The Moon (24 Pisces) opposes the Sun (24 Virgo) at 19:04 UTC on 16.9.2016, creating a penumbral lunar Eclipse, meaning that the Earth´s outer shadow falls on the Moon as the Sun, Earth and Moon line up together in space. Those of you in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, West in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica may see a partial shading of the Moon (if you see any external difference at all).

From the astrological perspective, Eclipses are particularly significant as they act as funnels or intensifiers of cosmic energy, setting and releasing cycles of growth, change and experience in mathematically exact cycles. I work with the Saros cycle system, which sees different iterations or members of ´eclipse families´ occur in sequence, each eclipse separated by approximately 6,585.3 days (18 years 11 days 8 hour) intervals.

So, look back to the previous members of this particular Eclipse family to see how the flow of energy carries through these hyper-activated points in space-time. This eclipse is Number 8 or 70 in Saros cycle 147. This eclipse was preceded by 7 others and will continue to perpetuate itself through a further 62 eclipses, beginning on July 2nd 1890 and ending on 28 July 3134. This refers to the Lunar (as opposed to the Solar) Saros series 147.

The most recent eclipses in this series occurred on 26th August 1980 and 6th September 1998. The next two eclipses will occur on 28th September 2034 and 8th October 2052. Look back to those previous dates to see where the energy you´re feeling comes from (or is linked to) and to the future dates to see where it may continue to play out.

Info on Eclipse Cycles: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEsaros/LEsaros147.html

And now, the astrological and spiritual interpretation of the Pisces Penumbral Eclipse (16.9.2016).

ASTRO-SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION …

The Lunar Eclipse is, by definition, a Full Moon. We have discussed above the 18 year cycles that connect families of eclipses. In astrology, we can also find a connection between events that occur at a particular degree of an event, or, through the cycle of energy between the New Moon and Full Moon.

New Moons are excellent time for the seeding of intentions that they may culminate with the corresponding Full Moons of the signs these occur in. Therefore, the energetic seed set for this Pisces Eclipse (September 16 2016) began (in addition to the 18-year eclipse cycles) on the Pisces Total Solar Eclipse / Pisces New Moon 2016 (March 8, 2016).

You will see the seeds you set recur in some form during this Eclipse. As we´re speaking of Pisces, we refer to matters that link with your deepest, nameless, formless, unquantifiable and absolutely inexplicable relationship with Spirit/uality. It also refers to our relationship with cycles of karma carried through past-lifetimes and through intergenerational work. Here is where we consider the liminal nature of the boundaries, or thresholds, that separate the energetic frequency of consciousness/perception we understand as reality – from other alternatives. It is where, in other words, the Veil is thinned.

The psychically sensitive will benefit from the use of Frankincense oil as this will help you purify your energetic space. Make sure you use a high quality oil which you are not allergic to. Purifying gemstones such as selenite will help to clear space. Stones such as celestite and kyanite can help to open psychic bridges or pathways to other levels of consciousness – if you feel this is a safe and necessary thing to do in your journey. Aquamarine will be using in finding clarity and focus through emotional turbulence, especially when you need to come to the point of taking action in some form.

Always (especially now) seek out the guidance of a facilitator you trust if you feel you need some perspective. Those of you drawn to working with me at this juncture in your journey, please note that my next round of sessions will be between September 19-30, 2016. I´m letting the energy of this alignment settle a little first.

The Sun (24 Virgo) conjuncts asteroid Minerva (25 Virgo), asking you to hold in mind the role of the discerning mind and intellect in navigating amorphous psychic energy / impressions at this time. Not all that glitters is gold and not that that slithers is evil. So much of what we perceive passes through a mental filter which may or may not be accurate. Minerva´s role in this alignment tells me that the Goddess´ blessings are showered upon those who seek to find paths of healing, wholeness and service through the psychic or intuitive revelations shown to them at this time.

The Moon, Sun and Minerva square the asteroid Pholus (24 Sagittarius). Pholus is associated with the nature of revelation that – once known – cannot be unknown – and so creates an irreversible effect. It speaks to the power of knowledge, and with it forms of change that it necessitates. It ripples through the cosmos, affecting us through the generational lines. According this fantastic article (on the power of Pholus and what it can bring to you – astropost.blogspot.com/2010/04/pholus-files.html ), it is also an energy that can put a stop to addictions. I read that as a call to end the compulsive, sub-conscious impulses that lead us to karmic decisions, cycles and experiences that we are ready to integrate and ultimately, no longer be governed by.

Amethyst (the gemstone) can help in finding the mental clarity, whereas, Malachite can help with finding the willpower needed to overcome addictive compulsions. (All of these tools can help, but the real work still comes down to You.)

Now … the Galactic Center of the Milky Way is at 27 Sagittarius, 3 degrees away from Pholus. You´re going to find your paths, guides, mentors, gurus, teachers, astrologers, oracles, etc. to profound be way-showers at this time. Sometimes you will be lovingly brought to a new space or direction, and at other times, forcibly kicked out. You may feel drawn to or repelled from a particular path or person – and that is orient. It is all part of your initiation unto a new journey or chapter.

With this powerful energy of revelation comes change. The information you receive now may sweep you off your feet in a good way – or – make you feel like the rug you´re standing on has just been pulled away from underneath. Different people will respond differently and so there is no hard and fast rule. I would recommend grounding practices, whilst consciously choosing to remain present, open (and protected) to whatever emerges through this transit.

Psychic protection is a must. Frankincense, camphor, neem or lime (oils), labradorite or black obsidian (gemstones) can help immensely. Consider smudging your space with white sage, incense, palo santo and the like.

The healing potential of this eclipse is emphasized as the Sun sextiles, whilst the Moon trines Panacea ´the cure to all ills´ at 23 Scorpio. Those with bodies near 23-24 Aquarius will experience this as a powerful Yod (Finger of Fate), bring you swiftly to karmic crossroads. Here you will choose what ideological framework you continue to situate your ideals and sense of individuality within as you navigate the depths in the search of healing, or paths of service. It is in this search that Panacea offers her remedies.

Panacea is conjunct asteroid Isis (23 Scorpio), opening a different level of interpretation and meaning for ritual practitioners / spiritualists who invoke the energy of this Goddess. The symbol of the Ankh appears to be of immense significance at this point of time. Remember that Isis brings life and healing, and it is she who goes into the Underworld to put together, build a new phallus for and resurrect her husband Osiris (The Wounded Masculine).

With Chiron at 22 Pisces and Atlantis at 22 Cancer, we see the role of psychic healing, wounding, trauma and energies that connect with past-lifetimes in oceanic/underwater civilizations heightened. Larimar (the gemstone) can be an intense, but effective catalyst in working through the deeper emotions and memories these alignments evoke. Together with Panacea, Isis and the Moon, Chiron and Atlantis come together to form a potent Grand Water Trine in the skies. One that brings out a wide range of emotions, intuitive, karmic and psychic possibilities and experiences.

What also strikes me as curious is the fact that the March 2016 New Moon / Total Solar Eclipse also had Chiron conjunct the Moon, just as we now experience. The Wounded Healer asks us to look back to then, and now, to see what lessons we have learnt, and will continue to learn hereafter. There is the choice to transcend a particular cycle of pain and wounding, and another to accept it as a path of service. Neither choice is more sacred than the other and let no one bully you into thinking otherwise. Charoite is a gemstone that can help those seeking clarity on this particular question.

There are … so very many different asteroidal, planetary and other conjunctions that make this Eclipse an extraordinary one. I´m going to conclude this article with a brief summary of a few of these aspects:

(1) Jupiter conjuncts the Super-Galactic Center (1 Libra): Our path to growth comes through the dissolution or creation of partnerships and collaborations in alignment with our Spirit and its connection with the energies of the Cosmos (our perception of All-That-Is). Many karmic contracts will be dissolved and others may (or may not) rise to take their place. There´s a lot of energetic recalibration underfoot as we rethink our visions of balance, justice and co-existence in the world (and how all of that is possible). There are moments where we are subtle, where we do not engage – and others where we roar charging into the arena to seek justice and redress.

(2) Mars (23 Sagittarius) trines Psyche (23 Leo) / Phaethon (22 Leo) and Uranus/Eris (23 Aries), creating a Grand Fire Trine at the 23rd degree of all Fire signs. Long story short is is when we reclaim the narrative of the Rising Feminine and integrate (or … if you still don´t see Her place in the world as a valid one) or exclude it from religious, spiritual, philosophical and/or intellectual paradigms and paths. You get to re-write Your-and-Her stories right now. Follow those impulses and act upon them, but make sure you don´t burn yourself out in a blaze of righteous fury and then have no energy left for anything else. We´re all burning, the world´s burning in its own way – and let us honor one another in our search for expression, passion and truth. There´s going to be a lot of reactive energy to Daddy-Patriarch, let us not let it spin our own compasses out of control. Focus your energy into the change you want it to manifest as.

(3) Saturn (10 Sagittarius) squares Neptune (10 Pisces), Eris (23 Aries) conjuncts Uranus (23 Aries). I´ve lumped these two together as I´ve written on them quite a bit before. Re-cap: We are asked to better align our Paths with the deeper Guidance from Spirit. We are asked to recognize (and embody) the archetype of the Rising Feminine in all aspects of our being, and the world-as-we-know it. They´re HUGE alignments, but ones we have been experiencing for most of 2016 in one form or another. Saturn squares the North Node (11 Virgo) which opposes Neptune and the South Node (11 Pisces). There´s a lot of karmic drama that this plays out through and much of it will relate to our paths of service and numinous experiences of what we truly consider ´the Sacred, without necessarily requiring intermediaries.

(4) Vesta (20 Cancer) squares Venus (21 Libra) and Uranus-Eris (23 Aries). If you recall my article on the Virgo Solar Eclipse 2 weeks prior, I made the case for taking note of Vesta at this particular degree as she plays a significant role in our collective evolutionary process, at least, till 2020 – http://wp.me/p4OUNS-1nz ! I see this as a time where the Priestess realizes that she need not sacrifice her femininity, emotion or home to perform her service in the world, nor does she need to be enslaved by it all. Relationships will be powerfully reconfigured at this time – and potentially dissolved – if they seek to confine the Feminine to its (purely) domestic, sacrificial expression. Whilst mothering and nurturing your family is one of the most sacred acts of service a person can do, it need not be the only, or even, the primary way that the Feminine can be of service. I see this as a clarion call to (Pluto in) Capricorn, which gives us the opportunity to reconfigure our visions of power and the role of the feminine in the institutions that contain them.

(5) South Node (11 Pisces) trines whilst North Node (11 Virgo) sextiles Black Moon Lilith and Juno (13 Scorpio). The Karma we seek to clear pertains to the Shadow Aspect of the Feminine. Which is not an evil thing, but often carries the weight of karmic baggage and projection. An excellent time to perform healing rituals or … call it rituals of love … with/upon/for deities and archetypes of femininity that represent the wounded, scarred or forgotten aspects of She-Who-Is-Goddess. It is time to realize that the Dark Womb is Sacred Ground, rather than the chamber of shame, neglect, abuse and judgement. Those of you with placements near 11-13 Cancer will experience this intensely as a Grand Water Trine, whereas those with placements near 11-13 Aries will experience this as a pivotal Yod (Finger of Fate).

So …. like I said, a lot is going on the skies and these are selected vignettes of the celestial symphony. Stay safe, stay grounded, stay protected. And then open yourself to the embrace of the skies. You might find a new way to see it all.

General Gemstone Tip. Try working with Sugilite. I find it resonant with the energies of the Goddess, in her many, many forms (and states of formlessness).

Blessings and Love,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
The Sky Priestess

Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016. All rights reserved. Please do not use or reproduce without permission.

Image: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons, Nasa.http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=46209

Terms of Use and Sharing: Feel free to use the Share button on FB or Reblog on WordPress for personal, noncommercial or educational use with all links intact. If you are an organization, institution or individual seeking to use this material for promotional purposes, please ask first. If wanting to include this information and/or the ideas explored therein into your workshop materials, teachings or written work, please cite this article and author accordingly. All information provided, be it through sessions conducted or this post is non-liable and is not intended to replace professional legal, medical, psychological, psychiatric and/or financial counsel.

ENTERING THE DARK WOMB: LIMINALITY, DARK-ADDICTION AND THE DISCOVERY OF HOME

As you discover the sacred embrace of Night, you begin to transform your perception of the Universe. It´s like living in a different time-space, or discovering a different type of element, or language through which you interpret and engage with reality.

A very different sort of reality. One which the ancient Goddess traditions encouraged us to journey into. One which we were later told to forget, vilify, and destroy.

And so many have heeded the call of the Sacred Dark in the past 3 years (Saturn in Scorpio, and so on). So many have begun to open their eyes to that different language or paradigm.

And just as the same way Light is romanticized and stylized and distilled into a form that often forgets its essence – I see the same happening with the way we conceptualize and speak of Darkness.

Rather than the space itself – the vessel of the Void – I see many becoming more and more fixated on the Path of Getting There. Which is a natural thing, but it still needs to be discussed.

And for many the path into the shadow is Pain. Gut wrenching, soul crushing, heart-destroying pain. And metaphors of abuse. And somehow we´re supposed to enjoy this. We´re supposed to dig deep and find what part of us likes this process. With many allegories to BDSM thrown into the mix.

Certainly a route to the Darkness, but not the only one. And certainly one that perpetuates that patriarchal narrative of Pluto raping Persephone and dragging her down below against Her will.

Again, one way of Getting there.

But the Goddess has never left the Shadow. She is the Void.

So why would you need to go through that? Unless you were told you had to, and believed in it?

What happens when we identify our greatest depths, highs, lows – the feel and thrill of excitement (not always the happy kind) – with the quality of being alive?

What happens when getting thrashed, surrendering, mastering (?) or simply being with the Shadow – is really how you get off and feel … simply .. feel…. alive?

When the adrenaline of the Descent and the Hero/ine´s War/Embrace of the Dragon/Serpent/Dark becomes synonymous with Life itself?

That then becomes worrisome.

The more we romanticize the pain, the abuse and the trauma that Dark-Working can bring (in some of its conceptualizations, certainly the more common ones), the more we legitimate levels of addiction to certain forms of Darkness and paths of reaching it.

It´s the same story with codependency and the way cultural norms romanticize it. Here the abusive partner is Pluto/Saturn and somehow we´re still expected to take it – to find salvation.

Some story, different container.

An unnecessary repetition. And one that takes away from the vessel itself.

It´s certainly a part of the process, but a Liminal One.

For some people the period lasts a while, and for others it´s a quick dip – in and out.

Either way, as you head for your Descent – watch the highs and lows that come – and know that this deep emotional roller-coaster is a catalyst for your catharsis. Your undoing. Breaking. and Re-making. But that´s all that is. A Catalyst.

It´s the psychodynamic tension that makes that change, whatever alchemical release happen so that transformation can begin. The drama, in and of itself, is not the end-point or outcome of the process. Just a part of it. It helps to bear that distinction in mind.

And when it´s done … some of you will head out of the cave, the matrix of death and creation, and head back on into the sunlight. Others will find something hidden further within. And head towards it.

A black light calls. Burning with the cool fire of ice. A different sort of light and experience.

There we meet the Dark Mother. The Womb. The Primordial Chamber.

And it gets real quiet.

We enter a space of Detachment. A space where all is, has been, will be and never was.

That space, I call home.

But it takes a bit of a dance, a whirl, a tumble and turn to get here. It´s a space that has no name, no label, no time. The Dark Womb comes close, but that too is a human construct.

And sometimes we stay there for a while, or longer.

Just as the silence begins to deafen, as the sheer .. weight … of unformed potential begins to spill over and through the dark abyss, just as you both enjoy and can no longer take the fullness of the Void … without warning …

BANG!

The Beginning, Back Again.

Blessings,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD

Honoring The Dark Mother: A Temple-Space ; The Sky Priestess ; The Dark Mother’s Children

‪#‎backtothewomb‬ ‪#‎morestereotypebreaking‬

Terms of Use and Sharing: Feel free to use the Share button on FB or Reblog on WordPress for personal, non-commercial or educational use with all links intact. If you are an organization, institution or individual seeking to use this material for promotional purposes, please ask first. If wanting to include this information into your workshop materials or written work, please cite accordingly. All information provided, be it through sessions conducted or this post is non-liable and is not intended to replace professional legal, medical, psychological, psychiatric and/or financial counsel.

Image: The University of Utah. This artist’s conception shows what an invisible “dark star” might look like when viewed in infrared light that it emits as heat. The core is enveloped by clouds of hydrogen and helium gas. A new University of Utah study suggests the first stars in the universe did not shine, but may have been dark stars. Fair use policy.

Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016. All rights reserved. Please do not use or reproduce without permission. See Terms of Use and Sharing above.

VESTA CONJUNCT ERIS (22 ARIES): THE LAMP THAT LIGHTS A HOME MEETS THE RAGING FOREST FIRE

Blessings to all. Vesta, the Goddess Asteroid of Priestessing now meets Eris, the Dark Goddess of Discord (I read it as Chaos) at 22 Aries. This is an extremely powerful alignment that affects us all, particularly those who identify strongly with the need to Serve and/or Embody the Fierce Feminine. I´m going to begin this piece with a mythological analysis of Eris, followed by the astrological interpretation.

Unless you´re over the age of 80, you´ve got Eris in Aries. The mythology of Eris shows her to be an exiled, snubbed, feared creature – Daughter of the Night, the Creatrix of Strife. Much of this is linked with Eris´exclusion from the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, and subsequent events that led to the Trojan War. Essentially, Zeus (uber-patriarch) thought that Eris would be a troublemaker at the wedding and so excluded her (and her alone) from the guest list. As part of her revenge, Eris threw down the Golden Apple of Discord at the wedding feast, inscribed with the words “for/to the most beautiful”. The Goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena each claimed the apple for Herself. They turned to Zeus, who refused to adjudicate, and later to a shepherd named Paris. Paris was already known for his fairness in prior dealings with the gods. And so the Goddesses stripped themselves naked before him, offered him bribes (talk about a male fantasy narrative) and asked him to declare who was indeed, the fairest. Paris eventually took Aphrodite´s offer – the chance to marry the most beautiful maiden in the world, i.e. Helen of Troy. And all of that led to to the Trojan War. It is interesting to note that the great warrior Achilles, son of Peleus and Thetis (whose wedding kicked off the whole thing), is famously killed during that war as well.

Let´s just say the Apple of Discord packs a powerful generational punch.

Now, bearing in mind that much of Greco-Roman mythology is deeply patriarchal – it´s easy to see why a woman who would not ´fit in´ with the rest of the gang would be seen as troublesome and something to exile or avoid entirely. It´s easy to see why she gets projected upon as something that causes Strife, when – from a different perspective – her actions actually lead to far larger-scale events that change the course of history (or herstory, if you prefer). I´m pretty sure Eris would not have stripped to find male approval of her Beauty, nor would she have paid to receive that validation. In that sense, she is the Dark Goddess – the Fierce, Feared, Forgotten Feminine that Patriarchy seeks to stamp out. It seems to me that Eris, as an agent of Change, shakes up the status quo in ways that disallow unequal or unjust dynamics of power to persist. That of course depends on which level of consciousness we understand Eris operating from: at the personal or the collective level. We do not know if she cast the Apple of out sheer spite, or if she did so to reveal the vanity and weakness of the Gods themselves.

That being said, She´s probably my favourite Greco-Roman Goddess. Rather than Discord, I see her as a force of Chaos. The necessary energy that destroys the old – no longer in need, or in imbalance – to make way for the new. That kind of change is frightening for most people. Especially if they know they´re holding onto a world, or worldview, that is starkly out of balance with their sense of truth, authenticity, power and Selfhood. That comes through especially with Eris´ position in Aries. Unless you´re over the age of 80, you have Eris in this sign in your birth chart.

Now, let´s have a look at Vesta.

Vesta is the Roman Virgin Goddess of the hearth and home. Sacred flames lit Her temples, tended to by her Priestesses, the Vestal Virgins. Whilst Vesta was a goddess, her concerns were seen to be purely Earth-based, focused on the material, day to day concerns of the here and now. Some ancient scholars equated her with the Earth itself, whilst others argue that her role was that of a Protector. The sacred flame of Vesta´s flames were seen as the spark of the life infusing and sustaining the entire community. There´s plenty of symbolism associated with Vesta and her importance in the ritual life of Roman civilization. It becomes interesting to see if, or how, these themes play out in astrologically analysing Vesta and her placements.

Personally, I would like to believe that Vesta´s flames and the all-woman Vestal Virgins had access to the women´s mysteries and a metaphysical understanding of creative, sexual life-force (i.e. kundalini energy). Perhaps that theory will be confirmed, we´ll see.

The Vestal Virgins were an all-woman college of full-time temple priestesses. They were chosen as girls from the patrician class between the ages of 6 to 10. The moment they took their vows, they were freed from the control of their father. The Vestals enjoyed a greater degree of freedom than other women of their time, however, they had to stick to an absolute vow of chastity for 30 years. They could then choose to marry if they so wished, but often did not as marrying one who had committed herself to the Goddess was seen as unlucky.

The punishment for violating the chastity code was to be buried alive or having molten lead poured down one´s throat.

Quite a powerful disincentive.

Bear in mind that my understanding of the Virgin archetype has less to do with the idea of not having sex, and more to do with having sovereignty over one´s own sexual, creative and reproductive faculties. Some authors also associate the Virgin with the idea of Virgin Birth, i.e. Parthenogenesis. But that´s a different piece for a different time.

The Vestal Virgins also performed other duties, such as the preparation of a kind of sacred bread (mola salsa) that was sprinkled upon animals prior to ritually sacrificing them to the Gods. They also officiated over public events, tended to the temple´s sacred fire and participated in the preparations for various feast days (e.g. Roman New Year – March 1, Lemuria – May 13, Vestalia – June 7-15, and so on).

Coming back to astrology …

In Aries, Vesta brings our focus, intensity and passion to the cause of the Self. That Primal, Fundamental, Wordless understanding of Who You Are. It is that Spark that arises out of Nothing and puts all into Motion and Being. And that flame is called to burn brightly.

With Eris and Uranus in Aries, these fires have been lit for some time now, particularly with the Uranus-Pluto squares. So many of us have begun to rapidly accelerate in our process of Awakening and Self-Knowing.

Vesta calls us to Serve the Self. To allow it to awaken in ways that resonate with your deepest impulses and most primal sense of who you are. In your bones, in your gut, in your womb, in the parts of you that feed back into the Void. That is the place from which your Sacred Flame begins to burn.

But what do you Feed the Flame? What allows your inner, sacred Flame to Burn?

There are three ways of looking at that. One is through the external use of energy, i.e. through sacrifice of other objects. In the past, that would have been animals. Another is through an inner process that – like the Vestals – sees power accessed on the condition of restriction. A third way, perhaps the one that appeals the most to this current generation – is to feed the flames with an expression of your own passion, your own being, your own sense of self.

In terms of the Priestess & Goddess Movement, I see many of use who resonate with the Archetype to trying to find ways to negotiate between the 2nd and 3rd option. Especially as so many have been taught that sanctity and purity can only come through self-negation, suffering and sacrifice. But that is a far larger question that what we´re discussing today.

We live in a different age than the Vestals did. We need not serve in a ritually prescribed form as they, nor do we need to suffer such punishment for transgression. We can now find different ways of being True to the Sacred Fire Within, without sacrifice – in the older sense of the term.

In the day to day level of reality, Vesta in Aries refers to a need to fully Embody one´s being, so that one can in fact, discover new ways to Serve. Sometimes Being is simply Enough. Others can see Vesta in Aries as a call to disown the Self or to deny it, one that resonates with older ideas of what a priestess ought or ought not be.

What you choose is ultimately, what you resonate with. Each road will lead you someplace.

Getting back to the astrological conjunction –

The energies of two mighty Goddesses come together as one. The rage of Eris and her outrage at the injustice of the world and status quo awakens us with a mighty roar. Vesta appears, with her calmer, albeit, more sustainable fire – as if to say –

Yes, Dear Sister. Roar. But don´t burn yourself out. Rage. But find a way to make it real. Embody. But find a way to weave into into the everyday.

Eris herself turns towards Vesta and questions her in turn:

But why dear Sister would you limit yourself to the words of men? To laws that would punish you so? Why would you boil yourself down to a single pinprick, a singularity? Why not simply Be – Untamed, Wild, Uncontrollable … and Free?

The difference between the two, borrowing a phrase from someone dear to me, is between the lamp that lights a home, and a raging forest fire. One is intensely personal, and the other is at the collective level. Each has its place, its purpose and potential. This conjunction brings with it a chance to find a path of mediation , a reconciling of the two. I suspect this process will be more visible at an internal level.

Some of you might simply feel more grouchy or irritable today. Others might try to let it go without getting to the root of it. Some others will look for the deeper lesson and in so doing, potentially re-acquaint themselves with a Self they thought they lost. There are many potential ways this can play out. I´ve shared my experience with this alignment in the Postscript below.

Those of you with placements near 22 degrees Aries, Libra, Cancer or Capricorn (Cardinal signs) will feel this alignment intensely! Eris and Vesta are also making a sextile to Kassandra and Damocles (23 Aquarius). Those of you with placements near 23 Virgo will be experiencing a powerful Yod or Finger of Fate. One that challenges you to speak your truth, claim your mantle of power – or step away from it entirely. (And sometimes, saying No and Walking Away is the right thing to do). Eris and Vesta also trine Lachesis (21 Sagittarius), indicating the need for powerful emotional release, recognition of deep-trauma or energetic stagnation in matters pertaining to religious systems, academia / higher education, foreign travel, teachers or mentors, and so on. Tears that well up from your innermost being, at this time, can be powerfully cathartic.

I hope this mythological and symbolic analysis of Eris and Vesta has been of benefit and interest. Much of the historical research I used was available online – and Wikipedia is an awesome place to start. I also ended up looking at the Ancient History Encyclopaedia. Quite an interesting resource.

Blessings to All,

Bairavee Balasubramaniam
The Sky Priestess

Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016. Feel free to share this article using the Share button on Facebook or Reblog on WordPress for personal, non-commercial use. For any other purpose, please get in touch with me first. The interpretive material in this article is based on unpublished original research, and so I ask you to cite this piece if you would like to incorporate it into your own work or writings.

Image: ´Priestess´ By Leticiabanegas (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons. Used for non-commercial purposes under fair use policy.

Postscript  – my personal experience with Eris/Vesta :

Normally I don´t comment about a who-said-what kind of thing. But it fits Vesta conjuncts Eris (article below) quite well. A man inboxed me with regards to some aspect of ritual worship. I explained I did not work in that understanding of spirituality, but that I would answer what I could. He wanted to know if I did Vedic astrology, and I explained how I grew out of it. After dozens of readings as a child (and seeing it with family, and with some clients who never really felt it ´fit´), I opted to be a Western astrologer. As I´ve said before, which system you choose is up to you. They read different parts of the story, through different lenses.

This provoked an intense reaction from the man, saying how I had missed out and how Western astrology was shallow. And questioned how I could ´like´ Hindu gods because they were astrological. He started trying to pressure me with demands to answer his questions which, really he did not want to have answers for. To him, it was a need to prove that his system was better than mine. It was more of a bombardment that I neither had the time, nor the interest to handle.

I simply said that I wasn´t here to answer a pop quiz. And that it was an imposition on my time. I would block him if he persisted.

He laughed at the fact I identify with the priestess archetype and claimed I needed spiritual practice and that he was a panditji. So I should learn from him. (The unspoken assumption being that I had to yield to invasion of my space and time despite my clear lack of interest)

I simply responded that he neither understood what a priestess was or what she did.

To which he claimed to understand the Goddess, feminine energy and Devi worship.

Now, up to this point, I had been firm, but polite. I simply concluded with the following:

” Truly, a man who persists in imposing himself upon a woman´s time when she has said no?

Revolutionary.

Goodbye and I hope you find clarity. “

I realize that the old anger I had, that reaction I would once have instantly flared up with when seeing this kind of misogyny (and boy, do you see in in so called realized male Masters who claim to know the Feminine) – was gone. Just a cool detachment. Ready to cut the cord without turning back. Able to simply say no, without giving into the need to be liked, accepted or wanted.

Yeah, Eris! Go, Vesta!

I had been thinking about my role as a priestess, and what that meant to me. Which is why I haven´t been writing as much. I parted ways from someone significant to me (in my spiritual life) as I discovered she neither had the time or headspace for the path I was walking onto. One where I was less open to the manipulations of others, or the fantasies of my own ego (and yes, we all have it). One that came straight from the Dark Void, the Womb of the Dark Mother.

I didn´t know if what I was doing was right or wrong, because so much of my work was linked with the approval of this early mentor. And I questioned myself, bitterly, brutally – even to the point of wondering if I should just leave all this and get back into academia and/or a job at the UN.

I´d been in a state of not-knowing and not-being, and well, I was waiting for the spark to appear. The catalyst that would shift me out of my limbo. Something that would help me find my own answer.

Without my head, without (what is tradtionally understood as) the heart, something that comes from a place deeper than my gut, womb … at the heart of the Dark Core. That first spark of Awareness that says …

HERE, I AM.

Thank you Mr. Diehard-Feminine-Indian-Astrologer Guy.

You made my night 😀

The Power of Wounds, Empty Spaces, and the Sacred Darkness.

=

We talk about turning the light on to wash away the darkness, we talk about healing the wounds and becoming whole again. In my experience of life, I find these to be statements that can soothe, but which can equally detract us from experiencing truly potent aspects of our being.

Wounds are powerful. They have the capacity to rip open our perceived walls and boundaries, and to leave us wholly vulnerable, in surrender to whatever it is we consider Sacred … or to be held captive at the mercy of our deepest fears. This is why we alternate between venerating the wound, and equally, trying to ´fill it with light´.

Wounds leave holes in you at times. And for the longest time I thought that my dark spaces were things that I needed to fill so they would be healthy, fine, glowing, full of life and love … radiant once more. I judged them by the rhetoric I knew, and for the longest time, I hated those empty spaces.

Nowadays, whilst I wouldn´t accept something boring a hole into me by force, I do see the hollowed out caverns within in a different light. Rather than seeing them as halls of emptiness, they look to me to be a sacred chamber of sorts. An inner temple. Someplace where I can sit, rest, and connect deeply with The Dark Mother, my archetypal understanding of the Sacred Darkness.

Whilst I would not say I lack wounds, or flaws – my relationship with them has indeed shifted. I accept them for what they are, and the spaces they have created. What I once thought was a loss, I now see as a space for pure connection and deep transformation.

It is a sense of appreciation for what was, but equally a more detached state of being. I do not need to re-live those wounds, or identify with them (a.k.a. the woundology paradigm), or to find people who will tear open the same spaces.

Finally, I feel that I am ready for the work I came to do. On March 21, I will be holding a workshop in Glastonbury, UK that specifically addressess the Sacred Space of Darkness and how we reach it through a channel of Love, and yes, Detachment. More on that soon.

Blessings to All,

Bairavee Balasubramaniam
The Sky Priestess

Image: Life and Death Intermingled.jpg By NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Wisconsin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016. All rights reserved.

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I am ….

There is a tremendous difference between embodying the Goddess in all that you are-and-do, and in setting yourself up on a new Goddess-pedestal for others to come and worship you on. The former celebrates life, Spirit, and that personal synergetistic magic you co-create with the Cosmos. The latter, alas, panders to the ego and creates the same hierarchical division that so many of us within the Goddess movement abhor in the patriarchy.

I notice more and more that the less I hold onto as an ‘I’ or ‘Ego-Self’, the freer I am to simply Exist. Interestingly, the more so I give up particular identifications, expectations, and the need to be seen as Priestess / Goddess / Sacred Woman, etc. (which is part of the path for any facilitator – ego’s way of handling this journey till you can let it go) – – -the more I let go of all this, the more people I meet who honor the Sacred in me without having to see me as their superior.

And conversely, these tend to be the type of people in whom I can see that same movement of energy, and honor as friends and equals. That being said, there are days where the Doctor of Political Science bit, or the Priestess bit, or the Daughter-of-My-Ancestors bit, or the Astrologer bit, or the other aspects of me feel like they need to be more strongly asserted. And days where I just let them all go.

And that seems to be a more whole, centered-and-ever-shifting space for me to be in. Setting yourself up on a pedestal happens when the titles/powers/gifts you have or embody become the only, dominant way you can see yourself on your path. But it’s not the whole thing. Nor do I subscribe to the p.o.v. that complete absence is the way either. One extreme seems too full of its ego-self, and the other extreme seems hollow. Middle path, all the way .. yay …

‪#‎morningmusing‬ , pre-breakfast

Bairavee

 

PS – Kali T-shirt from Glastonbury Festival 2011, England 😛

 

Post & Image © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2015. Feel free to share with the ‘Sharing Links’ on FB or wordpress. If you’d like to re-blog this on your website / page in any other way, please get my consent first. Ta!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WALKING THE PATH OF THE PRIESTESS: SOME REFLECTIONS

My fiancée was sharing my interview on Priestessing, Politics and the Indian Parliament with his colleagues in India yesterday. Suddenly, he realized that some (if not all of them) might see me as delusional, a madwoman or a fake would-be guru (or a combination thereof).

Part of me felt sad, and the other part smiled (I’ll explain why).

For you see – despite being the land of a million goddesses, and the origins of some of the greatest spiritual philosophies in the world, Indian culture at the day-to-day level is strangely disconnected from these ideals – either through a focus upon the ritual form (and not necessarily the spiritual), or through the cynical, hardened eyes of rationalism. There are of course, exceptions, but that tends to be a fair generalization.

Despite Indian philosophical-scriptural exposition on ideas such as – the sanctity of woman and the Feminine Principle, or the idea that we walk as Divine Beings, often unaware of our spiritual inheritance – these are ideas that are disconnected from everyday culture there. Yet such principles are put forward as emblems of Indian heritage and culture, particularly when idealized and interpreted through different cultural perspectives.

Whilst I get the basis for such a reaction to my work and presence, I honestly do not see it as my problem. I thought about what I would feel if someone levied those views to my face – and the answer was — well.. not very much at all..

The baggage, the judgment, the condescension – that’s an issue with the one choosing to perceive my path in a certain way. And remember – perceptions (mine/yours/our) are never accurate reflections of reality (whatever that is).

And I’ve experienced that in mild – and – extreme ways during my pilgrimages in India and Nepal. Even when viewed with suspicion, distrust, ridicule, and at times being bullied by the people there – I have always found that the temples themselves have welcomed me in ways that seem miraculous to others, especially by those who live there.

Despite the harsh challenges, I’ve never allowed that to stop me doing what I’m doing. It’s certainly not a pleasurable experience or one that I consider myself some great martyr for enduring. I see it as part of the work that needs to be done to transmute a particularly rigid manifestation of societal consciousness (the super-ego construct). Just gotta keep on walking.

It’s a choice I made, that I rarely even think about it, in all honesty.

The sadness I do feel about it – and that too seems to be going – is when I consider the extent of spiritual disconnection between the people, the land and its spiritual essence. Just about every saint I adore in the Indian context (and other parts of the world) has been seen as mad, delusional, or fraudulent. And they are better appreciated posthumously, long after their death when society gradually begins to catch up with the vibration these powerful spiritual-in-flesh-vessels bore.

And here’s where the smile comes in, as soon as I thought that through and wrote a reply to my fiancée, I saw this on FB (It’s about a saint I love, whose path comes closest to the way I walk with Kali-Ma – Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa):

“People of his times labeled Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa as a madman. With their limited mind and prejudices, some creatures thought they had a license to judge him. The Paramahamsa was indeed mad but mad for and of the love of Divinity. He was committed to Mata Kali, the All-embracing Mother. He reached the state of perfection in the bhakti path not because of this belief or that faith. Even parrots have faith in their wings, fly wherever they believe seeds and nuts can be found. We wish we had one infinitesimal part of the Parmahamsa’s bhakti. Perfection comes through unconditional love and disinterested performance of action. If you are expecting anything – name and glory, badge and status from your karma, go join the boy-scouts or the marines for now but seek Grace at the earliest convenience. Jai Mata Kali.” ~ Yogi Ananda Saraswathi

**Now if that’s not a sign that the Universe has my back.. I really don’t know what is.

Chin up, eyes forward… and away we go!

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
bairaveebalasubramaniam.com

PS – The interview in question that started all this! 🙂

PART 2: THE BLOOD MOON – RECLAIMING ARCHETYPES: SACRED BLOOD, SEXUALITY, THE RISE OF THE DARK FEMININE & RE-READING THE APOCALYPSE OF THE TETRADS

In Part 1 (http://wp.me/p4OUNS-sx), we discussed the astrology of the Eclipse – now we discuss its symbolism. What does it mean for us all?

For me, this Eclipse strongly speaks to the need to reclaim certain archetypes that have been heavily projected upon as ‘Bad’, ‘Evil’, ‘Negative’, when in fact, they can be deeply Sacred. I’m speaking of course, of the Rise of the Feminine as an equal and necessary aspect of the Spectrum of Energies that makes up ‘Divinity’. There are sound astrological and symbolic reasons for linking this phenomena with the energetic re-claiming that I speak of, so keep reading 🙂

This particular eclipse is a Blood Moon. It appears red due to the refraction of the Sun’s light as it streams, and is refracted by, its interaction with the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere – the resulting red rays are projected onto the Moon – which we then see as the ‘blood-red’ colour. So, at first, a very literal physical distortion and projection of colour onto a neutral object.

The second level or layer or projection is symbolic: It comes with the association of the ‘Redness’ of the Moon with something Apocalyptic, Dangerous, and so on. Now, as a woman and a Priestess on the Path of Formlessness (as taught to me by the Dark Mother) – I see Redness something very, very different.

I see Redness and I think of Life, Sex, Passion, Vitality and the Cycles of Menstruation. I see it as proof of my body’s ability to Bear Life, and its attunement with the cycles of Nature. I see it as a bond I share with all women, from time immemorial to the present, and (hopefully) the future. I see it as a potent Elixir, one that bears within it many secrets of Rejuvenation (as science is beginning to show as well).

And yet, when I consider the ways it has been projected upon —

I see the Sacred Red Streak, the same Scarlet Shade that has been projected upon as being Shameful, Dirty, Toxic and Unfit to be placed in the eyes of the Divine. I see it as the Strength of Woman turned against her into a source of crippling Shame.

I think of the woman who is denied the role of the priestess, or even entry to the Sacred Temple, as Her Blood as she cannot face the Divine with her Impure Blood
I think of the maidens who are kept apart from their families at this time, sometimes told that their blood will soil even the food that they touch.

I think of the crone who regrets for the many years she was told to hide away and pretend that her body did not bleed in preparation of life.

And so, I see this time as a powerful opportunity to Reclaim Redness, to wash away the shame associated with Menstruation and – more broadly – with a woman’s ability to connect with the Divine.

There are of course other connotations of Blood – The Shakta Tradition shows the Sacrifice of Goddess Chinnamasta, The Christian Tradition associates this with the Passion of the Christ (and, well, we’re close to Easter Sunday). The rhetoric of nationalism calls to honor the blood spilt of the soldier in battle. Some of these associations are tender, and others are deeply problematic.

When we think of the way that the blood spilt from the menstrual cycle is something kept outside the categories of ‘the sacred’ or ‘the honorable’ … well … that tells you a lot. Why is blood spilt in Death any less sacred than that which emerges to precede and prepare for Life?

Spiritualists will also note the connection of Blood-Redness with the Base Chakra and all that it represents. Our vitality, our connection with Physical Reality, our link with our ‘Tribe’ (to quite Caroline Myss) – as expressed through the Base Chakra energy center (lower back to coccyx/base of the spine). It’s a time wherein we are called to recognize that our material, physical, ‘basic’ needs are just as valid and as important as loftier spiritual ideas and non-physical energetic work.

Earth rituals will be particularly potent at this time – so it’s a great time to honor that Sacred Connection we all share, life supported by the spinning fires of Mama-Gaia – particularly those that involve sacred blood, as it was so in ancient times.

I find this nexus between Sacred Blood-Women-Spirituality-The Earth-The Womb be the the symbolic and archetypal heart of this Eclipse and the kinds of transformations it brings about in us all.

And the astrology supports that interpretation.

In a direct sense, this Libra Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse/Blood Moon is culminating the seeds of intention we placed during the Libra New Moon last year: September 24, 2014. The big highlight of that lunation was the Sun/Moon conjunction with the Super-Galactic Center (a supermassive black hole at the heart of the Laniakea supercluster the Milky Way is a part of), along with a Novile to Black Moon Lilith in Leo.

Anything that touches the SGC point links back to this .. profoundly powerful Source-Connection we have with the Universe. The ripples and waves made of this conjunction spread far and wide, in ways that we (using the rational or intellectual mind) cannot begin to fathom.

The Novile to BM Lilith indicated that it was a time to begin to address our relationship with the Shadow of the Feminine, and the ways in which Her Creativity, Sexuality, Sacred Womb and Playfulness have been heavily projected upon and/or suppressed. We will see the full culmination of those seeds during the September Full Moon of 2023.

And yet, we already begin to see the ways that this .. movement towards Balance and an acknowledgement and Healing of the Shadow-Feminine is taking place. It is little wonder that my 2nd radio show, called ‘The Dark Mother’s Children’ suddenly scheduled to air in the shadow build-up period of this Eclipse. I’d urge you to tune into it if this subject speaks to your Soul. Link Here: www.wgtrdemand.com/the-dark-mothers-children.html

I’ve also been seeing so many others begin to step into the idea that the archetype of Darkness is not all that we have led to believe it to be (i.e. Evil, Negative, and so on). It’s a wonderful, wonderful, thing to witness!

Moreover .. Black Moon Lilith is – right now – making a powerful inconjunct to the Sun! This is a particularly disquieting aspect that demand the Light of Consciousness/Awareness from the Self to be turned to the Dark Mother (Black Moon Lilith) in the Sign of the Priestess (Virgo). In short, our awareness is being pushed to those uncomfortable, denied, neglected and heavily projected upon energies of the Dark Priestess Herself! Those with placements near 14 Scorpio or Aquarius will experience a powerful Yod (Finger of Fate) that will lead you to a key decision point in the ways in which you relate to the Dark aspects of the Sacred Feminine.

Lilith herself represents a neat bridge between the astrology and symbolism of the Blood Moon – with the Reclaiming of the Red, Dark, Bloody Feminine.

We’ve seen too often in human history where the woman who would not submit (think Lilith in the Judeo-Christian tradition) was projected upon as a Whore, Witch, Nightly Terror, a Threat to Man after she left Adam, refusing to serve and submit to him.

It’s a powerful strategy of suppression and silencing found all across the globe, leveled against (particularly) women who seek to find their own paths and honor the deep magic within themselves.

This also relates to the rejection of women’s bodies and the spiritual path of Gnosis that arises through a very specific relationship between the moon, the womb, menstrual cycles and other biological-spiritual connections specific to women.

In some sense, the rise of Woman and her link with the Mysteries can be seen as a direct challenge to some of the dogma that organized forms of religion preach. The idea of a Goddess, and a very earthy, bleedy, tender and beautifully messy representation of deity stands in contrast to idea of ‘God’.

Which brings me to the question of the Blood Moon Tetrad and its link with the Apocalypse.

This Lunar Eclipse is the 3rd in a sequence of of 4 Blood Moons (total lunar eclipses), one after the other with a 6 month interval between each. It’s a fairly rare occurrence. Here’s the sequence – April 15, 2014; October 8 2014, April 4 2015 and September 28 2015.

Some followers of Judaism and Christianity believe that this is the sign of the Apocalypse – and others see it simply as indicating a great moment in the history of this planet, especially as some of them coincide with important Jewish holidays. I can’t help but notice how close we are to Easter Sunday as well.

But does it mean the end of the world? Yes, but not in the way one assumes it to be.

In a very real sense, the world has been ‘ending’ since 2012 — and many are already beginning to do the work of rebuilding the new. Some are still sitting in that silent space, awaiting rebirth in that liminal space between death and life. And so much of that process was tied in with the square between Uranus in Aries (Transformation of the Evolution) square Pluto in Capricorn (Crisis-Transformation of Legacy).

Such cycles of birth, death and rebirth take place in all of our lives, without necessarily requiring a physical loss of life. A cycle which women are intimately in tune with, through their blood mysteries – wisdom that is now being remembered, and brought back into the collective consciousness.

What about the Apocalypse? I’m quoting from Wikipedia here – An apocalypse (Ancient Greek: ἀποκάλυψις apocálypsis, from ἀπό and καλύπτω meaning “uncovering”), translated literally from Greek, is a disclosure of knowledge, i.e., a lifting of the veil or revelation. In religious contexts it is usually a disclosure of something hidden

Given the role of Black Moon Lilith in the Libra New Moon and Full Moon, the projections upon the Blood-Red Moon, and the sheer disruption that the rise of the Feminine and her Mysteries can bring to our mainstream understanding of religion ….  well.. .

I’d say the ‘revelation’, or ‘lifting of the veil’ this Apocalypse brings

will be nothing short of a complete transformation of our belief systems

As She, The Dark Mother, The Dark Feminine, The Dark Priestess

The Sacred Feminine Path, The Holy Black-Red Womb … Returns.

Blessings to All,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
bairaveebalasubramaniam.com

Astrology with Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
fb.com/theskypriestess

Link to The Dark Mother’s Children where I speak more on this subject – www.wgtrdemand.com/the-dark-mothers-children.html (The Archetypes of Womb, Mother, Darkness, Feminine Energy, and how they all intersect – and the practices and ideas that seek to cast them as somehow ‘negative’ or ‘taboo’)

Recommended Books:
Anatomy of Spirit, Caroline Myss
Red, Hot and Holy, Sera Beak

Source: Wikipedia – for etymology of ‘Apocalypse’ (originally read in Red, Hot and Holy – the idea of linking the Apocalypse to the Unveiling of the Feminine came from there)
Astrological connections – My own

© Text and Image: Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2015

PREPARING FOR THE LUNAR ECLIPSE: The Messenger seeks Balance with the Dark Priestess ( Mercury opposes Black Moon Lilith at 12 Pisces-Virgo )

Black Moon Lilith is a powerful embodiment of the Dark Goddess energy, more so in its Crone element. She, is that aspect of ourselves which we associate with our deepest passions, desires, and core sense of being – seen as ‘Black’, taboo, occult, forbidden, undesirable or off-limits, particularly for ‘respectable’ , ‘proper’ or ‘well-behaved’ men and women.

Who is Lilith?

In mythology and scripture – Lilith was the first woman created in the Judeo-Christian world, preceding Eve. She would not submit to Adam, instead choosing to live by her own will and independence. And the consequence? She was transformed and remembered as a demon, a witch, and a killer of children.An early, strong, female figure using her voice and her consent re-cast as an object of fear, cloaked in a (once Sacred) Veil of Shadow. In some sense, strong women who say no and live by their own rules still get the same kind of treatment. There are other origin narratives to Lilith, of course.

She often gets a terrible reputation in astrology as well, and one which I feel is rather unfounded – based on observation – and by having Her grace my Ascendant.

Thankfully www.darkstarastrology.com talks about the Three Liliths – Black Moon, Asteroid Lilith and Dark Moon Lilith – in respectful, beautiful and balanced ways. Thank Goddess! Just so you know – Black Moon Lilith is also known as the Mean Apogee and she is what we call a ‘Hypothetical Point’ in Astrology – though her influence is very, very, real. )

In some sense, the usual astrological take on her (and her mythological vilification) represents the greatest challenge with working with her energy: Projection.

What does She teach us?

The challenge of Black Moon Lilith is to feel the fear, do it anyway, and realize that someone is probably going to write a particularly unpleasant script on what you’re doing, how and why. That script is probably going to be loaded with gendered assumptions and notions of what a ‘good’ expression of feminine energy is like. Her influence is felt in all beings – not just those who identify as women. Men seeking to find their Shadow Feminine have a similar issue with being projected against – potentially for not being ‘manly’ enough.

Not all that Black Moon Lilith wants to do may be nice, or right, or even good – as quite a lot her Shadow is tinged with pain, anger, and the bitter elixir of resentment. It’ll take discernment to know what she truly inspires you to do, and that which she/you/she-in-you is simply reacting against. Thousands of years of suppression … it’s taken its toll on the collective.

So, what does Black Moon Lilith do in Virgo?

Virgo refers to our Paths of Service towards others, and the way in which we build material structures, vessels and provisions that can support our Spiritual Work – as we nurture ourselves and others. In Virgo, Black Moon Lilith gives rise to the archetype of the Dark Priestess within us all. Here we are called to serve in the Shadow, in the Dark, in all that has been so heavily projected upon as messy, yucky, shameful, fearful, nonspiritual, mundane, unenlightened, nasty, evil, sub-human, servile, unimportant, dis-empowered, and so on. The key phrase here is ‘projected upon’ – whether what you’re working with is any of these things is something you’ll have to find out for yourselves.

But I’m not surprised in the slightest to see so many writings now about and re-claiming the archetype of Dark/Shadow as something which is actually tremendously sacred … Many are remembering the archetype of the Dark-Worker or Dark Priest/ess who deals with the Shadow Archetypes of the Underworld to bring deep Healing and Nurture for many. It’s amazing how so many have woken up to this awareness, within months – with so many others who have been on this path for so long, now boldly declaring it to be so.

It’s a powerfully validating time for so many whose Paths of Service have been so badly misunderstood – such as Witches, Wiccans and Pagans, Shamans and Shamankas – those who work with the magic of Africa, South America, India (and other ancient cultures as well). The collective is now beginning to see the Shadow and the Dark as things to honor, embrace and heal (and not just to transcend, turn the light on and banish …)

I’m waiting to see how the psychopomps of the Underworld – the Serpent and the Crow and others – will be seen, in just a few months more 🙂 Such an exciting, and rapid evolution of collective perspectives! Black Moon Lilith leaves Virgo on August 25/26, 2015. And another chapter of Her Energy and lessons will begin to reveal itself ❤ ❤ ❤ !

So .. what’s the deal with Mercury here?

Mercury, the Cosmic Messenger, is in Pisces (ruled by Neptune) and is in loose conjunction with both Neptune and Chiron. The Messenger is now swimming in the Cosmic Ocean, bringing us messages from the depths of our subconscious, in waters that merge with the Collective Unconscious. Here we see information coming through dreams, meditations, spiritual experiences, and so on. Some of the messages here can be rather blurred, as Neptune is the master of illusion, both the beautiful types that can keep you enthralled, and the painful types that can keep you trapped in a delusion of your own making.

Whilst we’re all receiving so much psychic and spiritual information in different ways – know that – Not all that Glitters is Gold, and not all that Slithers is Evil. There is a great need for fine-tuning your cosmic and spiritual antenna at this time, and to not choose to lose the self in the Unreal.

Neptune/Pisces grants us a vision of the world behind the Veil, however we choose to define it – be it the boundary between worlds, or the Veil of Maya that envelops all of what we call ‘reality’. But we only find this vision when we detach from the ego that seeks to perceive what it wants, sometimes what it fears in distorted form.

And what happens in this opposition?

When the Messenger opposes the Dark Priestess – a Bridge is created between the material and energetic expressions of the Spiritual Path and the Service it entails. You can see how this clash plays out, I’d imagine. A mind that is set on perceiving Spirit in a certain way may see the Dark Priestess and immediately project upon Her. It may idealize the Dark and forget the need to investigate. It may shun it, rejecting all that it represents and the Feminine that seeks to Rise through it as well. Neither extreme helps, at the end of the day.

The exact opposition takes place at 12 Pisces ’35 Pisces – Virgo, 4:25 am (GMT / UTC time) on March 21st, 2015. What an Equinox!

So .. what do we do with it? What does it teach us?

In day-to-day terms, the best thing for spiritualists and other energy-workers to do is to remember the principle of Balance. Veering off to either extreme helps no one, nor does charging into something new without discernment. Do not attach strong emotions or thoughts to psychic or spiritual impressions that appear now. Let them be as they are – observe first, rather than react.

Fearing the Shadow Feminine or seeking to avoid Her at this time won’t be possible… If you do feel a strong impulse to act on something, center yourself first and do a gut-check, or get guidance from a trusted facilitator. Some of these revelations will be painful, some of them will require you to look at the parts of yourself that you fear, or have avoiding addressing.

Those of you who do not have an issue with the Light/Dark Balance (remembering that neither is necessarily Good/Bad, just different) – may actually find this energy as one that can help you breakthrough to a new level of spiritual depth, maturity and understanding. Much of the Rising Feminine energy is going through levels of awakening, rage (at thousands of years of suppression), the blame/shame game, before it comes to the realization that the Dark Mother is actually pretty detached and compassionate. She’s not raging all the time, She’s not chopping off heads as a first resort. She goes beyond the archetype of anger and righteous vengeance, but it takes time to release the self from latching onto the old dynamic that makes that response necessary for a time in the awakening process.

Mercury, as the Messenger, can bring you ancient insights from the depths of your Soul. You might breakthrough into new levels of understanding about the various cycles that have occurred on this planet – the men-opposing-women cycle, being the one most recent in memory. I, and other awakening/remembering Priestesses have known different times where the dynamic was completely different. So when you look it from those eyes, holding onto the anger that masks the hurt of the Shadow doesn’t quite make sense any longer.

At the Soul level, to put it another way – we’ve all swapped around roles in the abuser/victim cycle. We’ve all been jerks. We’ve all been oppressed. Such are the karmic lessons that the Soul experiences through subsequent lifetimes before it breaks out of that cycle. Current alignments suggest such a breakthrough is possible for many within the collective at this time. It is a matter of choosing to do so, at the deepest level possible.

In no way does this view take away culpability or the need to make amends for or systemically question and address wrongdoing, abuse, persecution, ridicule, etc. It simply means that we can release the resentment and anger surrounding it, and in so doing, begin to heal ourselves and the collective. More solutions can then be envisioned once we break out of that cycle and the re-cycling of roles.

Thankfully – Developing that level of detachment, compassion and the ability to see things are they work through the cycles of time is what Pisces – and its current Messenger – Mercury, can teach us at this time.

Why is this information particularly significant now?

This alignment is woven into the Double Yod that I wrote to you about, as part of my larger Equinox/Eclipse piece. So it is in a very charged alignment, along with Jupiter Retrograde, Pluto and the North Node ( http://wp.me/p4OUNS-oZ ) .

It is even more important now because Eris – the Dark Goddess – will be conjuncted by Mars – The God of War – in Aries tomorrow (21 March – what an Equinox! – 14:32 pm, GMT/UTC at 22 Aries ’29). A lot of Fire, Heat and Will surrounding the Wounds of the Excluded Feminine and her relegation to Shadow (in fact, the degrading of the Shadow in popular projection) is going to be acted upon. Black Moon Lilith is going to be activated again as part of a Black Earth Trine with Pluto and the Taurus Moon on the 23/24th (have talked about that in the Equinox / Eclipse link). So consider this a chance to prep for that! 😀

On top of all that, we’re going to be reaping the seeds set during the Libra New Moon (Sep 24, 2014) during the upcoming Lunar Eclipse. Black Moon Lilith played a major role in this alignment, beginning a 23-Year Cycle to Facilitate the Rise of the (Balanced) Dark Goddess ( http://wp.me/p4OUNS-8z ). The Full Moon in Libra/Lunar Eclipse will take place on April 4/5, 2015 with Uranus, Pluto and the Nodes playing a MAJOR role in the proceedings. Many of the seeds we set with the Dark Feminine six months ago will begin to bear fruit at this time. That is why her energies have been calling out so strongly, amidst the celebration of the Solar Eclipse and Equinox.

I hope this information is of use to all of you. I will be launching my new radio show called The Dark Mother’s Children during the Black Earth Trine (thank you skies!) and will be discussing this in greater detail then.

For those interested: Here’s one of my earliest interviews on The Dark Mother and breaking through the Spiritual Stereotypes that see Darkness as Evil, Women as Inferior/Unclean and so on …http://intentionradio.com/podpress_t…/…/10573/0/14-09-23.mp3

Blessings and Much Love,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD

bairaveebalasubramaniam.com ; fb.com/theskypriestess

Astrology with Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD

Text & Image ‘Modification of JB Amman’ © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2015