I´ve been going through Vesta´s aspects to other major bodies for the months of April and May – and my goodness – there´s a lot going down with the Priestess Asteroid over the next three weeks! This means plenty of opportunities to explore, expand and discover new Paths of Service, especially in ways that connect with different layers or levels of physical reality as she´s going to be in Taurus until mid-May. Here´s my earlier article detailing the different challenges, gifts and interpretive possibilities opened by Vesta´s transit through Taurus for those who want more info –http://wp.me/p4OUNS-Yf .
Between April 1 to April 25, 2016, there´s a Grand Earth Trine in the sky involving Vesta & Mercury (Taurus), Jupiter (Virgo), North Node (Virgo) and Pluto (Capricorn). This is a powerful time to focus on manifestation in this physical, earthly, material plane.
Vesta´s energy encourages us to focus upon connecting with the energy of Abundance and Presence that moves through the consciousness of the Earth and connects us all. What we do, by virtue of our physical actions, relationships and being on this planet has an influence on all else that exists – and often that relationship is forgotten. Vesta encourages us to find ways to make that material existence one that moves (purely) beyond self-serving needs, to ones which equally nurture, heal or facilitate others in finding their own abundance (and ability to serve). We give back to the Earth and all that exists with/within Her through acts of Service. This can be through facilitative work, priest/essing, new directions in your business, or making sure that basic physical needs are met – there´s a wide range of interpretive possibilites, or ways of working with this energy. For some, the energy of Earth-Abundance is in the Earth herself, for others it means business, income and finances – and for some it focuses with the sense-perception of the body, pleasures of incarnation and the joys of physicality – and so on.
Vesta interacts with quite a few bodies as part of this incredibly rich and fertile Grand Earth Trine energy – summaries of each follow:
Jupiter encourages us to explore new pathways, teachers or paradigms that connect us with the Priestess/Earth-Facilitator traditions – especially those that focus upon the Womb Center (in women) or more generally, the generative qualities of the Sacral Chakra. It also involves the physical energy of the stomach and related digestive organs, and so involves the energy of the Solar Plexus chakra as well. The Virgo energy echoes well with Vesta and serves to reinforce what she stands for – but more so through physical, tangible actions that have an immediate presence in our sense-perception of reality.
Growth, with Jupiter-in-Virgo, is through discrete, physical acts of service and the structuring of actions in rituals, habits and routines that helps us find our greatest path of growth. In other words, take care of the little things, even if they seem like grunt-work, or things that don´t yield you an immediate reward or recognition. Do them because they need to be done. Don´t conflate the need to be seen as big, larger than life, or pedestalized-as-Teacher with the work of the Facilitator. You can be all of those things, but remember the little things. They´re just as (if not more) important as the grand gestures.
The North Node tells us that the path to growth, and to releasing past karmic entanglements (Pisces) is through this routinized focus on little acts of service. In practical terms, that may require a deeper focus on the way you structure your daily life, the way you keep you physical vessel in balance with your spiritual intuition. The health of the physical body and the nutritional value (or fuel) you put into your sacred vessel is just as important as what you can channel or remember. Start with something small, and keep adding new things each day to bring greater well-being into your life, so that you may do the same for others, if appropriate. There is no point in trying to serve, or to fill another´s cup, when your own is broken and unable to act as a vessel.
The North Node´s energy (especially when it trines Vesta) challenges us to equally draw the lines of service. There are certain physical boundaries which we do need in order to be spiritually functional and healthy. Don´t be afraid to say no things that will lead you to energetic burnout or simply being ungrounded or overwhelmed with psychic energy. Part of being a good facilitator is knowing when to draw that line.
Pluto´s trine to the Vesta makes us question what larger footprint, or legacy we leave behind in this physical world and the power that we have given institutions (of governance, authority, even banking) over us and our world. Equally, we will be pulled into the deeper spaces within that makes us question how we merge our energies with others, or even how we seek to control/be controlled by others in games played by the ego. Vesta raises these questions to the Earthly Surface (Taurus), and asks how we harness , and where needed, transmute the Shadow-Self so that it may play a more constructive, facilitative role in our physical lives.
We will feel this energy most intensely between April 16-18, 2016. This is a powerful time for facilitative work for any kind, particularly those which address aspects of the Shadow, the Womb and questions of power, growth, expansion and karmic re-attunement. For those of you seeking to work with me, bear in mind that I am going to be offering Vesta and Eris sessions throughout April 2016. Timing your session close to the middle of April will yield powerful, deep and transformative results – but really, it´s present throughout the month!
There are other alignments to Vesta going exact in the month of April. Here´s a super-quick rundown.
April 2 – Vesta sextiles Neptune at 10 Taurus-Pisces. A fantastic time to find ways to bridge our spiritual experiences and formless, wordless knowing-s with more concrete, tangible, material forms of service.
Dates are given as per UTC time. Allow for a day earlier in case you live in North / South America, or a day later if you live in Asia / Australia. In any case, these are dates of exact alignments – you´ll see a clear build-up and run-down of the energy around the dates given in any case.
April 5 – Vesta opposes Juno Retrograde at 11 Taurus-Scorpio. A time to recognize the interplay of different aspects of the Divine Feminine. He we see certain acts of service (in the physical domain) can open us to a deeper exploration of the Shadow and how we connect intimately with others in that realm.
April 11 – Vesta trines Jupiter Retrograde at 14 Taurus-Virgo. A fantastic time to explore (or reject) pathways, teachers and paradigms that show us how to facilitate, nurture and serve – the self and others. It is important to honor the sacred (physical) vessel that allows us to do the work we do. Vesta reminds us to bring these insights and practices back to the flow of Abundance and Earth-Presence that connects us all.
April 14 – Vesta inconjuncts Saturn Retrograde at 16 Taurus-Sagittarius. A time to express (or reject) paths, paradigms and teachers that seek to shows us our places in the world, and the grand schematic that encompasses it all. Be it through astrology, religion, academic or foreign travel – it´s really a time where we look at the larger belief systems that underpin our perspectives – and to see how they align (or not) with the work we do in this material expression of ´reality´.
April 16 – Vesta conjuncts Mercury at 16 Taurus. A heightened flow of ideas that focus upon ways to better serve in this physical reality, and how to communicate this with others. A fantastic day for divination, dowsing or other activities that bridge intuitive information download with the deeper, grounding energies of Earth. This is a time here ideas, information or data pertaining to the lessons of Vesta (service, facilitation, devotion, sacrifice) come charging through the ether. The message will, once again, be focused upon the ways we connect with this Earth (and the many levels of interpretation that opens up). Mercury will conjunct Vesta in Taurus two other times – on May 1 (at 23 Taurus) and June 23rd (at 16 Gemini) owing to its upcoming Retrograde in Taurus.
April 18 – Vesta trines Pluto at 17 Taurus-Capricorn. As described above, the question of who controls us and whether we ought to let them arises. We frame the question of legitimacy, legacy, power and authority in terms of what we need to manifest more so (as a form of service) in embodied, physical form
Pluto goes retrograde on the same day – and so the search for the Shadow and its Lessons (and Gifts) moves further inwards, to a deeper layer of the Psyche. On this day we also see the exact Grand Earth Trine formed between Vesta, Mercury, Pluto and Jupiter in the Earth Signs. It is a powerful day to time any kind of works that involve physical manifestation, spi/ritual work, the Priestess Traditions, and so on.
Interestingly, Mars goes retrograde on April 17 at 8 degrees Sagittarius. This will encourage us to look inwards for Truth rather than seeking from an external source. Validation and guidance is lovely, but it´s got to resonate with what you inwardly know and believe in any case.
On April 23, Vesta trines the (Mean Calculation of the) North Node at 19 Taurus-Virgo. Vesta´s final exact aspect of the month (with the bodies considered here) points us in the direction of challenge, growth and opportunity. Be open to learning new ways to Serve and be flexible about letting go old ways that no longer serve as well as they used to. There is little to gain in holding onto old traditions or perspectives (as hallowed as they may once have been) if they do not resonate with the energy of the present. Honor the past, but equally, honor the need to explore different possibilities. For some, this will be a call to step outside the traditional meanings of the term Priest/ess, or even to expand the scope of what ´Service´ means to you, and how that connects with different levels of physical reality.
For those of you who use the True Node calculation, the Vesta-Node trine occurs at 20 Virgo on April 25.
And, as a general note – Mercury goes retrograde on April 28 at 23 Taurus. The Retrograde lasts until May 22, when Mercury begins its shadow phase at 14 Taurus. There´s going to be (again) an inward focus on the way we think about and express our ideas on how we exist in this material plane and are interwoven within it. Vesta would have tilled much of the soil (Taurus) as it were, making it a very interesting time to begin the Retrograde. Mercury moves out of its shadow phase and into direct motion on June 7th.
In May, Vesta´s major activity occurs through its transit into Gemini (May 16) and in its inconjunct (testing) aspect to Juno and Lilith (mid-May). This brings the challenge of reconciling different aspects lessons and vulnerabilities associated with forms of Feminine energy. More on that in May. The Sun also forms a conjunction to Vesta (May 23, 2 degrees Gemini), placing her back in the spotlight for a brief time.
Considering the sheer number and intensity of aspects made to Vesta in April – – – yeah …. there´s a lot more going on with Priestess energy this month, and with it, opportunities to manifest in the material, earthly realm.
To those who would like to work with me in learning what the Priestess archetype means for them and how they can best manifest it, consider the Vesta session (Link: http://wp.me/p4OUNS-y0 ) and time it accordingly as the intensity peaks mid-April. But really, she´s lit up the whole month!
So my friends, a great deal to explore, manifest and understand with the archetype of the Priest/ess or Facilitator in April 2016! Enjoy the vibes, find ways of healing and remember to honor our Earth-Mother through physical gestures, rituals and/or acts of service 🙂
Much Love,
Dr. Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
The Sky Priestess
PS – Please ´follow´ this blog if you would like to make sure you stay connected with my work and to receive important updates or new posts.
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Additional Links:
Vesta in Taurus (Explanation of Current Energy): http://wp.me/p4OUNS-Yf
Vesta Session Info: http://wp.me/p4OUNS-y0
Eris Awakens Session Info: http://wp.me/p4OUNS-RT
Current round of sessions: April 4-28, 2016.
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Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016.
Image: Dancing with Helen Moller; her own statement of her philosophy and practice and teaching formed upon the classic Greek model, and adapted to meet the aesthetic and hygienic needs of to-day, with (14761703756).jpg By Internet Archive Book Images [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons
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Dr. Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD: The Sky Priestess 