THE GODDESSES AND THE STALKER-HUNTER AT 29 DEGREES: Ceres, Vesta, Venus, Diana, Salacia and Thereus

Blessings to all. We see in the skies a powerful, intricate, celestial dance played out between different channels of Feminine energy (Ceres, Vesta, Venus, Diana, Salacia) and the Stalker-Hunter, Thereus. For some it will be a graceful Victorian affair and for others it will be the primal, tribal ritualistic war-dance that says: HERE I AM. DO NOT CROSS THIS LINE.

Before we go further, I want to say that this piece may trigger those who are sensitive to images / allusions towards violent, invasive acts. If you do not want the details, head straight for the conclusion.

Also, whilst I use the words Masculine/Feminine or He/She – please bear in mind that these are archetypes. They can occur and present themselves in anyone irrespective of race, gender, sexuality, and so on. Thereus will not always manifest through a man, the Goddess/Feminine channels will not always manifest through a woman.

Let´s start with Thereus.

Thereus is the hunter-stalker who seeks his prey and watches them till he is ready to pounce. He is the voyeur, that distinct sense of being watched by an unseen watcher. Consent does not exist in his vocabulary. As per mythology, Thereus would stalk the cave of bears and, when he chose to, would suddenly rush in with his club, bash them on the heads and drag them out kicking and screaming.

I used to find this the single most difficult energy to shift but have found ways to help myself and my clients face the threat and the nameless terror that is Thereus.

Often I come across this as the place where one either feels a profound sense of victimization or (having internalized the opposite) may instead wear the badge of the victim, browbeating their state of victimhood into you (all bully-like) without even realizing they are doing it.

Dealing with this energy takes incredible mental resilience and the willingness to see a self in the mirror that one does not wish to acknowledge.

Depending on house position and sign, Thereus can also signify ancestral attachments and/or forms spiritual predation or entrapment. Sometimes the individual is aware of the trap / dynamic – and other times – it is masked from their consciousness by strong mechanism of denial. The latter is usually where the covert bully expresses itself through the mask of the victim.

I have also noted this asteroid highlighted in the astrological charts of cities under terrorist attack. The Paris bombings being one of them. A hidden threat, a nameless terror, victimization. The pattern fits.

Thereus entered 29 Cancer on 12/13 October, 2016. He goes through a retrograde phase and only leaves Cancer in July 2017. There will be an intense focus on identifying the hidden processes of internalizing, externalizing the archetypes of victim, bully and so on – as passed through the ancestral line. We process this more so at the intuitive and emotional level, evoking the many faces of the Feminine. It is a time to turn out the skeletons in the family closet – and then give it a good dusting.

I noticed this saw this earlier today (wondering that was about at first, but no surprise after seeing the sky-charts today) as I saw a flash of Red (Tribal, Root Chakra) energy move from one of the women in my family to another. Let´s just say it wasn´t a very happy energy and carried with it great resentment. We also ended up talking about some very old familial dynamics, slowly bringing out the roots of the energy and how it passed through the generations, albeit not in those terms. Hopefully working towards a shift 🙂

I can also see why my thoughts have turned to Dhumavati Ma, the Crone-Goddess of Formlessness, Smoke and Detachment, The Rider of the Crow. See this article for further information: www.elephantjournal.com/…/dhum-dhum-dhumavati-the-formless-…. Some of you may find her deeply resonant at this time.

Thereus makes the following key aspects – all at that intensely karmic 29th degree with various Feminine bodies in the skies:

(1) conjuncts Vesta (The Priestess, The Sacred Flame of the Hearth) at 29 Cancer

This brings out the question of service, care-taking, nurturing, domesticity – and who sacrifices what (and how much) for the home and hearth.

(2) squares Ceres (The Mother-Nurturer, The Bringer of Abundance) at 29 Aries

This is the question of how we best nurture the self or offer that nurturance to others – or even where we may not be giving/receiving that energy in balance. Questions of parent-child boundaries arise.

Remember: Mother and (S)mother are just a letter apart!

 

(3) trines Venus (Feminine/ Material / Embodiment) and Diana (The Protectoress-Huntress, Goddess of the Moon) at 29 Scorpio

This is the opportunity to break out of relationship dynamics that seek to subjugate the Feminine (in men, women, those of a different gender). Call upon Diana to give you the strength to say No, if required – or to protect another from the same should they desire it.

In so doing, we reassert our boundaries and regenerate our own power from within.

(4) trines Salacia (The Sexual – and – Slandered Feminine in Search of her Sovereignty) at 29 Pisces

This energy surrounds the theme of sexual abuse and the scandals created in its wake, often with the finger of judgement pointed at the unwilling participant in the whole thing. It may or may not refer to experiences in this life, but to prior ones as well. It often (but not always) involves a public scandal / spectacle.

So you may ask – why is this so prominent Now?

All of this is activated very very powerfully by Venus´ impending shift into Sagittarius and Vesta´s shift into Leo. Venus will leave Scorpio within the next day (October 17/18) and Vesta will follow suit, leaving Cancer, within the next three days (October 19/20). So we will be seeing this theme come up in POWERFUL ways.

As I said at the beginning, for some you this will be a gentle dance. Where the Goddesses encircle the Hunter and bring Him to Awareness – at the very least – of the fact that Thereus´ actions will not go unnoticed.

We cannot hold ourselves responsible for the actions of others, only for how we choose to respond to them. And there will be a response.

For others – it will be an all out psychic battle. Or somewhere in between.

I have been working with several stones today, some of which may be of use to you. I´m summarizing the stones´properties and using key phrases from The Book of Stones by R. Simmons and N. Ahsian has an excellent entry on this, and many many other gemstones – highly recommend it! :

Charoite – Psychic protection and purification (even in dream-states), the revelation of one´s own issues that are in need of healing, understanding the path of one´s service (and what isn´t), energetic mirroring, recognizing sychronicities

(I find that my pieces of Charoite need to go back to the waters / earth when I have completed a key journey with each. Just the way it happens for me. )

Larimar – Connection with Goddess energies, deep release of old emotional patterns, clarity and gentleness in the communication of boundaries, throat chakra release

Angel Aura Quartz – creating a bridge and integrating the various energetic and subtle bodies of the self in a way, energetic protection and purification of inner space

You may find other stones useful – as what works for the individual comes down to the individual. But this is a pretty high frequency cocktail. Check into see what your energy-body can and wants to handle.

There are many ways this can play out – but it´s clear that the Feminine in her various forms (Maiden, Mother, Crone, Child, Formless States) engages powerfully with Thereus and his games of stalking, bullying, victimization and so on.

I don´t cuss much unless I feel it´s totally justified. But when I see Thereus and the games he plays with people and their family lines… the word ´bastard´ comes to mind. I´m sure that response will shift with time. It was certainly a lot more intense in the recent past.

A word to the wise, just before I finish this piece. I´m leaving interpretations fairly open ended as it can come in so many different ways.

Sometimes the bullies don´t use violence to get you to do what they want. Sometimes it´s emotional coercion that plays off your own empathic reserves. That says – you have to love me, save me, heal me … or you´re a bad person.

It´s a different take on the energy, but one I found myself thinking about earlier today.

What is love .. and healing … may be the choice to disengage, walk away, or simply say NO – to that energy and its coercive demands.

Sometimes it´s about realizing that Salvation, of any kind, lies within. Others can help along the way, but if you want to know who your saviour is – look in the mirror!

Expecting another to do the work for you and guilt-tripping them into it … isn´t exactly cool.

(Thereus, I hope you´re taking notes! )

I suspect this will play out heavily through romantic/business or other significant relationships owing to Venus´shift. Remember that Vesta is also present, conjunct Thereus, preparing to let go of that dynamic – should you allow her to – this time situated in the domestic, familial, maternal sphere.

The Charoite-Larimar-Angel Aura Quartz Combination helps beautifully with that.

It´s been quite an intense day of meditations, shifts and realizations in deep emotional waters. Now the head catches up and says : Aha … so that was what happened….

Summing it up …

Pay attention to your thoughts, instincts, emotions and dreams. And process them in the way you see fit. If you feel old fears, feelings of being trapped, etc. coming out – find the tools or facilitators or space that you need to wave them goodbye. You may find this synonymous with the transmuting of old ancestral dynamics – or simply saying – right …

I don´t feel afraid anymore.

Going to get on with my life now.

Bye Bye Bogeyman.

And watch the waves of release unfold.

 

Blessings and Love to All (even Thereus)

Priestess Bairavee Balasubramaniam PhD
The Sky Priestess

Info on Sessions Offered / Pilgrimage Fundraising: http://wp.me/p4OUNS-1ww

Post © Bairavee Balasubramaniam, 2016. All rights reserved.

Image: Barber Stephen The Bear Hunter 1896.jpg, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

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NEW MOON AT 19 CAPRICORN – Grand Cardinal Cross with Uranus, Pluto, Black Moon Lilith, Thereus and Cyllarus (Jan 9/10, 2016)

Blessings to All. It’s the first New Moon of 2016 – and it’s a Wowzer! New Moons are potent windows for the setting of intentions that culminate during the corresponding Full Moon of the same sign. We are now in the seed-setting cycle of the Capricorn New Moon. Its energies urge us to think about the material, physical, energetic and other forms of legacies we bequeath for later generations to inherit.

Capricorn’s energy also relates to our image or role in the public eye, be it through the successes and accomplishments we work hard to achieve, or the career or profession that gives us the scope to do so. At the societal level, it is the energy of the Supra-Conscious, the voice or level of consciousness that tells us what is socially desirable, acceptable and legitimate. Tied into this is a discussion of power, authority and the institutions that govern us as their (formal and informal) subjects, i.e. governments and banks.

Energetically, I associate Capricorn with the archetype of the Earth-Crone or Grandmother who watches over the land with a soft, care-worn expression in her face. She is custodian and protector of the land, as the legacy her grand-children will ultimately inherit (and inhabit).

As we set intentions for a new cycle of manifestation, bear in mind that this New Moon (Sun/Moon conjunction) is woven into and forms a part of an unusually potent Grand Cardinal Cross, involving Uranus and Pluto. We experienced a similar alignment with these two transpersonal bodies during April-May 2014. Though we may respond to that level of intensity differently now, you’re likely to see some echoes.

Pluto –  the planet of crisis, change, transformation, the hero/ine’s journey, birth-death-rebirth, issues with intimacy, sexuality, boundaries, power, health, regeneration, alchemy and resurrection – conjuncts the Sun-Moon at 15 Capricorn. The New Moon draws us into the depths of the Plutonian Underworld in order for us to explore the shadow and the gifts hidden within.

In Other Words,

Once More … Into the Abyss.

(But that’s really not a bad thing…)

The Underworld, just as the concept of The Shadow, is of course, one that has been heavily projected upon as being ‘evil’ or ‘negative’. That was a later cultural construct that gained currency with the rise of monotheism (and I would also argue, with the rise of patriarchy).  For instance, Greek mythology saw the the Underworld as more than a place for souls to go to upon death. It was the space in which heroes were born – as they faced their Shadow – and equally, where heroes returned to upon their death, i.e. in the Elysian fields (their equivalent of Paradise). Compare that to our contemporary (mainstream) idea of the Underworld – as a space of torture, confinement, and suffering – and you can see the deep cultural shift I’m talking about. And let’s not even get into the topic of how the Earth-Mother was displaced from her Dark Womb in later mythologies and religious conceptions. Darkness is a far more nuanced, multifaceted construct.

So, as Pluto draws you in, be it through a willing Descent into the Darkness of the self, or through the modality of crisis – bear in mind that this a journey into Shadow. Here is where the seeds lie in their nascent state beneath the soil, where the fetus gestates in the waters of the womb, the vacuum in which all existence burst forth from Nothingness. Here is the space of new beginnings, a realm of great healing, nurture, sanctuary and re-connection. And equally, here is where you hide your strengths, fears, truths and deep illusions.

Intimate partners (Pluto) and/or older, authority figures (Capricorn) may be the ones to draw you into this shadow space, more likely through the modality of conflict, rather than not. You may find yourself in games of emotional manipulation, projection and power-plays without realizing it.

Pluto, The Sun and The Moon square Uranus at 16 Aries. This is familiar terrain, what with the life-and-generation-transforming sequence of seven exact Uranus-Pluto squares we all experienced between 2012-2015. Uranus, The Great Awakener, strikes us with an erratic, unpredictable bolt of Consciousness. Where it comes from, why, and through whom, is something no one can reasonably give you an answer on – except by checking which house it occupies in your chart. In Aries, be it by initiation or as a response to something else, Uranus awakens us to the Truth of the Self.

Aries energy expresses itself easily within the lower chakras, so pay heed to those gut-level impulses and responses. You may be surprised by the Self that is revealed, particularly when its sovereignty and power is challenged by another (Pluto).

All of this energy makes an aspect to Black Moon Lilith (15 Libra), the more matured (Crone) aspect of the Dark Feminine. She seeks to find Balance in the relationships that surround her and to ensure fair play between all parties, though she is likely to be negatively projected upon for doing so (and for reacting to that projection). The fact that Zeus (the ultra-patriarch)  is nearby at 18 Libra tells me that much of this re-balancing is going to have to look at the ways in which patriarchy has limited the scope for women’s agency, identity, power and spiritual presence over the past few millenia.

She may go the route of (what looks like) the bully, trying to carve out a (probably legitimate) space that has been traditionally denied to her. She may also go the route of (what looks like) the doormat, allowing herself to be take the back seat for the sake of a relationship, partnership or collaboration. However, that type of compromise isn’t likely to last long as Black Moon Lilith pushes us to challenge imbalance, especially as she fails to tolerate it 😉 . In general, this is not the best time to seek out objective-decision making (a Libran concern) in the domain of relationships, partnerships and collaborations, owing to Lilith’s reactivity and Uranus’ unpredictability. In other words, avoid making major life-changing decisions and commitments right now and let circumstances unfold as they will. Observe first, before reacting – to whatever extent possible.

Finally, we see Cyllarus (17 Cancer) and Thereus (18 Cancer) directly opposing the Sun/Moon/Pluto combination and squaring Uranus and Black Moon Lilith – this completes the Grand Cardinal Cross. Cyllarus warns us of the costs of acting in haste, lashing out or lunging forward without forethought. Cyllarus feels particularly threatened when the group identities that he feels at home in (tribe, culture, football team, etc.) are somehow challenged. In mythology, Cyllarus goes charging headlong into something without thinking and ends up dead with a spear through his chest.

Thereus, on the other hand, asks us to be mindful of victim-abuser dynamics, especially when one feels emotionally trapped by another. In mythology, Thereus was a hunter who stalked bears, entered their caves, hit them on their head and dragged them out afterwards. He’s not big on the idea of consent or honoring the personal integrity of another. In charts, Thereus often refers to the area in one’s life where they do realize the fact they are trapped or subject to predation by another, until it is fully revealed to them. Some prefer to ascribe something positive to the entrapment (a blissful state of denial) or to get defensive and reject it outright.

So, Thereus challenges us to become mindful of hidden control tactics or energetic/emotional predation; Cyllarus cautions us against simply not jumping the gun and charging in arms akimbo when we feel things that we are strongly attached to, challenged in some way. Both are present in the sign of Cancer, representing the domestic sphere – family, home, tradition, racial/ethnic identity, relationship with the mother or maternal archetype, and so on. Whether it be the source of triggering, or the context in which we seek the dynamics of triggering play out – familial/tribal dynamics pose powerful challenges during this New Moon.

In other words, even if someone from home challenges us, or someone challenges our sense of home – think twice before responding or falling into the victim-abuser polarity. This is going to be triggering some massive shadow-work and the need to acknowledge how we – and our families – at times, hold one another in rigid, dysfunctional emotional patterns. As we make healthier choices for ourselves as individuals, and as members of a partnership, we may find resistance from family and the traditional values they uphold – or even from authorities or institutions that we allow to exercise power over us.

Thank the God/esses for Uranus and Black Moon Lilith! They give us the impetus to walk away from inherited wisdom and ancestral truths that continue (rightly or wrongly) to tell so many of us just how and why we are wounded or trapped and why that is our fault or why we can’t change that ‘reality’. Whilst there are wonderful things we can inherit from our pasts, there’s a lot of baggage that gets lumped in as well. Be mindful that your individual actions can rock the boat for others around you, but as always – Follow your Truth.

Taking these together, we see an extremely intense, shadow-oriented, unpredictable flow of energy between the signs of the Self (Aries), Partner (Libra), Family/Home (Cancer) and Career/Legacy (Capricorn). Many of you will begin exploring new directions, perhaps even with a new map (i.e. a sense of what is possible). This New Moon will be a defining time for many, strongly echoing similar dynamics we collectively experienced during the Grand Cardinal Cross of April-May 2014.

Look to July’s Full Moon in Capricorn to begin reaping the seeds sown at this time (27 Capricorn, July 19). June’s Full Moon at 29 Sagittarius will have some precursors to what we see in July. The Moon moves into Capricorn not long after it opposes the Sun at 29 Gemini (June 20).

So, taking this all together – it’s a powerful, energetically intense time that asks us to consider how we (ultimately) think about the different aspects of who we are, who we choose to connect with, where we’re from, and – where we’re going. The legacy we leave behind in the world weaves together the elements from each Cardinal sign and the challenges and strengths that they bring.

Choose your legacy wisely, and as far as you can, remember that we are all facing this dynamic – together. How strongly these placements influence you depends upon your natal chart and your own spiritual path / process of evolution.

Blessings to All,

Bairavee Balasubramaniam
The Sky Priestess

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