VENUS CONJUNCTS VESTA IN CAPRICORN (3:55 am, Dec 16th 2014, GMT + 8)

Blessings All. Venus, representing the energies of Abundance and certain aspects of the Sacred Feminine conjuncted Vesta – the energies of the Sacred Facilitator or Priestess Archetype at 6 Capricorn ’27 (in an Earth/Feminine sign). The energy of the Feminine on all three counts! (But remember that it is found in all beings, irrespective of sexual and gender identity).

I feel that these energies point to a recognition of and opportunity for further material advancement offered to the Feminine at this time. And yes – material manifestation and recognition is important in so far that it is just another slice of the Pie of Life, no less, and no more important than the other parts.

Let’s start with the sign first: Capricorn. Often linked with issues of career, status, ambition and achievement. That’s certainly a part of it – but so too is the idea of the legacy that we leave behind after departure from this realm and the way our deeds are ultimately remembered. There is a powerful energy of Service that can also feed into this sign, contrary to its association with a Machiavellian sense of power-acquisition and manipulativeness (you can be any sign and still do that). Capricorn also represents the energies of the Earth-Crone, the wizened, ancient Grandmother archetype who teaches us the ways of Old, hidden deep beneath the earth or in the darkness of caves hidden up high in the mountains. There is something deeply maternal and ancient about this energy, when accessed.

As Alan Oken puts it, it also refers to an energy of Initiation – considering that the Winter Solstice (with the theme of Resurrection from the Tomb) is celebrated when the Sun enters Capricorn. There’s a lot else that can be said about this sign – and much work that needs to be done in its astrological and energetic re-interpretation.

Let’s now move to Venus and Vesta!

Venus, representing Femininity, Desires, Judgment/Value Systems is placed into the spotlight now and she is given the chance to shine and be recognized! She may seek to conform in some ways, but is best served by staying true to her desires and authentic self. In a more direct way, it is a time where Beauty, Harmony and Fairness is showcased in the public eye. How this manifests for you depends on your natal chart and other factors. Be careful of becoming attached to status and recognition for its own sake and remember to deal with institutions/persons in authority in a Balanced Manner. That will be key to your success in dealing with whatever situation or opportunity arises at this time.

Vesta, representing a particular type or path of Service is similarly highlighted. The Service that the Priestess must perform now moves from the personal, to the familial, to the immediate, and now to the societal level. Recognition from authority figures or opportunities to work with them are especially present. Whilst an emphasis on achievement is present, it needs to be sublimated to a deeper cause of really doing what you need to, as opposed to how it is received/interpreted/responded to by the collective.

In fact, asteroid Hidalgo (6 Capricorn) was also conjunct Venus and Vesta at this time. Hidalgo (in real life) was a revolutionary priest who led a crusade against the Spanish Colonial Government and whose death precipitated the struggle (and acquisition) of Mexican independence (Source: http://www.zanestein.com/hidalgo.htm). This energy points to a spiritual person in a position of power whose actions are able to spark and give life to collective actions. There is an element of sacrifice here (as there is with Vesta in any case), but it is highly unlikely to manifest as loss of life in this conjunction.

This is an excellent opportunity to align your core values of Service (those of you who facilitate) and the overriding ethos of this generation: To Bring Back the Feminine into Balance with the Masculine. Dealings with authority figures may be possible at this time – and also career advancement/recognition in some form. Remember to leave the Ego at the door and receive it through your Heart as best you can!

Blessings, Love, and Joy to All,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam, PhD
www.bairaveebalasubramaniam.com

PS – I’m going to be speaking about the Goddess Asteroids & Black Moon Lilith on The Living Astrology Radio Show with host Janet Hickox. My topic is ‘Awakening The Goddess Through Astrology’ – tune in if you’re interested! Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1517417401865734/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Image Information: The Hindu Goddess Parvati LACMA M.77.82 (5 of 12).jpg – Los Angeles County Museum of Art [Public Domain Image] via Wikimedia Commons

THE URANUS PLUTO SQUARE, PART 6 OF 7 – 15th December 2014

Uranus and Pluto have been square-dancing across the skies for a few years now. Each time they come together, linked by a 45-degree (square) aspect, we experience nothing short of a total generational shift. The last time we experienced this dance marked the time of the Great Depression and the rise of Hitler in Nazi Germany, along with other world events that completely transformed the trajectory of humanity’s evolution and progress.

This is the sixth time, in this particular ‘dance’, that Uranus and Pluto have exactly squared one another. Uranus Retrograde is at 12 Aries ’35, whilst Pluto is at 12 Capricorn ’35. The next, and final exact square – before this alignment begins to fade away – will be in March 2015.

Some of us believe that each square reflects a focal point upon a certain energy center or chakra. You can take the 6th chakra as the Third Eye (Ajna) or as the Sacral (Swadishthana) Chakra, depending upon which way you count the flow and movement of energy within the human body.

I feel that this alignment addresses both of those chakras and what they represent. The Third Eye, represented by the colour indigo and corresponding to our pituitary gland, represents our ability to perceive through and ultimately transcend the confines of Mind. An activated third eye can also signify the presence of ESP, psychic traits and having a ‘second sight’. Overactivation of this chakra is just as bad as underactivation – please seek to work with its energies (and the energies of all chakras) in Balanced ways. The Third Eye is also represented in scripture and in imagery as the eye that resides in the center of the forehead in figures such as Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali. When Shiva opens his Third Eye (or ‘Nettrikann’ in Tamil, meaning ‘The Eye in the Forehead’), he Destroys All. Such is its power, and equally, the need for cautious engagement with this energy.

The Sacral Chakra, represented by the colour orange, corresponding with the testes and ovaries, refers to our relationship with that Inner Source of All Creation and Connection. It is linked to our connection with the Divine Feminine and the energy of the Cosmic Womb, from which we all emerged. At the physically observable level, it also refers to the practice of sexual intercourse, and the activation that occurs through it. Those on Tantric paths, or who simply respect the idea of ‘sacred sex’ will be able to relate with this idea. Always use protection and gain consent, and never do anything you’re uncomfortable with. A further expression of this energy is through another facet of creativity which we see in artistic self-expression, or simply, finding some medium through which the Movement of Spirit through Self is expressed. Creativity need not only be expressed through the tip of the paintbrush, but equally through the nib of a pen expounding a new mathematical theorem. The Sacral Chakra, with all of its emphasis on Creation, also links us with the energy of Children/Childhood/The Inner Child. It is here where The Child Within resides, and from which physical children are brought into this world (with both sexes playing their respective roles). As with the Third Eye, seek a balanced expression of this energy and understand the need for appropriate boundary-setting.

Personally, I see this as a Call to Connect with The Goddess. This is a time wherein the Shekinah/Shakthi Energy that resides within us yearns to be activated once more – in our physical, emotional, material and metaphysical expressions of life and existence.

As this is a particularly intense and somewhat volatile time, I would caution against trying out new spiritual practices and rituals, and to learn instead how to reflect upon the messages that are rising within and through you at this time.

Uranus Retrograde brings us Awakening through ‘Error’. It may be an abrupt situation which suddenly forces us to change our perception of something in a fundamental way. In Aries, this is most likely connected with our most fundamental sense of self – the ‘I AM’. If you’ve been kidding yourself, or remaining in denial, this is when the Universe basically makes sure you receive your lesson – whether you really want to or not. Those who have been working with the lessons of Uranus are less likely to experience this as an ‘unpleasant’ aspect.

Pluto in Capricorn brings Crisis! Transformation! and Intense Change! that forces us to look deep within and Purify certain aspects of Self. Pluto is linked with powerful life transformations, issues surrounding birth – death – and rebirth. Capricorn is linked with our understanding of what is truly eternal, in the sense of what work we (materially) do in this world and what aspects of it remain after we ultimately leave this planet. Those with a more … egoic understanding of the kind of success and achievement Capricorn drives us to accomplish will likely be challenged at this time – be it a crisis at work, or an external situation (like the death of someone close) that makes us re-think this part of our lives. On the one hand, we begin to appreciate how impermanent life is, and on the other, the need to create a legacy of value and service that will stand the test of time is also highlighted.

It’s a time to be thankful for the lessons we are learning, as tough as they may be. How well you fare with this transit and respond to its current challenge will give you a sense of how far you’ve come along in these past few years.

Please go easy on yourselves today. Some of you will be rising to the challenge and others will feel overwhelmed, sometimes both. Try and find the center of Peace within yourselves if you have been detached from it. If you’re performing rituals at this time, know that it is a volatile energy, and wait for guidance from your Inner Self if in doubt of anything.

And remember who you ultimately are.

THE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT.

Experiencing a part of itself, in a limited human form, at this time.

Blessings to all,

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam, PhD
www.bairaveebalasubramaniam.com