Capricorn 2011: Blame & Responsibility. Saturn & Karma. The Scapegoat.

Keynote
“Lost am I in light supernal, yet on that light I turn my back.”

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Capricorn, Saturn and Karma
Cause and Consequence: Blame and Responsibility
Capricorn, Redemption and the Scapegoat
USA: Another Day, Another Massacre

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Capricorn, Saturn and Karma
“Capricorn is … the sign in which is inaugurated a new cycle of effort, whether this effort is in connection with the individual man or with the initiate. Effort, strain, struggle, the fight with the forces native to the underworld, or the strenuous conditions entailed by the tests of discipleship or initiation – these are distinctive of experience in Capricorn.”1

The one pointed aspiration of Sagittarius leads to the mountain top of initiation in Capricorn. The transformed two-horned goat becomes the one-horned unicorn, transfigured and triumphant upon the summit.

Capricorn ruler Saturn is the force responsible for the struggle and effort required to vanquish the lower nature. Hence Saturn’s assignment in medieval astrology as a “malefic”, because it was seen by the personality as a bit of a “party pooper”; where one is challenged to relinquish the lower form and its associated desires, where responsibility must be taken to enter into a true maturity.

Hence, naming Saturn a “malefic” was in humanity’s less mature times, playing a kind of blame game, evading responsibility and succumbing to a morbid fatalism and fear of death. Once one faces up to responsibility, Saturn becomes the true friend, confidante, guide and teacher. The polar opposites of blame and responsibility will be explored further in this missive.

As one of the four Lords of Karma, Saturn is well known for his teaching on the universal law of cause and effect. Cause and effect have an intimate relation to blame and responsibility. Blame is about not taking responsibility for some action taken, and action (karma) is the initiating cause that will have an effect or consequence.

When considering any sign in esoteric astrology, the whole cross for which the sign is a part must be considered. Hence the cardinal cross of Capricorn-Cancer, Aries-Libra comes into play and reveals a much more profound picture. The following diagram traces the journey of Saturn and that other “malefic” Mars, around the cardinal cross.

Saturn is regarded as a sacred planet in esoteric astrology, whilst Mars is a “non-sacred planet”. The former rules the throat chakra, through which expresses the mental body, whilst Mars co-rules the solar plexus chakra where the astral body is anchored; Mars is also associated with the sacral chakra – the polar opposite of the throat.

Hence the function of these two planets through their various associations around the cardinal cross is of an essentially redemptive nature. Saturn’s work relates closely to the development of the mental principle that finally brings about control over the emotional and instinctual nature, represented by Mars. (Esoterically however, Mars is also associated with the mind through its association with the five tangible senses – five being a number of mind.)

Saturn, Old Father Time, is intimately associated with all four signs of the Cardinal Cross. Saturn as the Lord of Karma at the four points of the Cardinal Cross transmits the Law of Karma to Earth. Action-oriented Mars is a precipitator of Saturn’s Law of Karma:

“Saturn is one of the most potent of the four Lords of Karma and forces man to face up to the past, and in the present to prepare for the future.”2

The energies of these two planets are traditionally opposed to each other, with Mars ruling activity and impulse, whilst Saturn is restrained and conservative. Their combined energies can bring about a high point of spiritual tension. (Their combined Rays of 6 & 3 give “intelligent idealism”.)

Saturn is a “sacred” planet and Mars is a “non-sacred” planet, both mirroring the duality of the human condition – soul and personality. As God of War, Mars highlights where the “warring armies” lie opposed within us. These unresolved dualities are an aspect of the Dweller or shadow and, “Saturn can be regarded as the planetary Dweller on the Threshold”.3

In northern hemisphere symbolism, Aries is where the seed is sown, in Cancer the plant starts to reach its peak of growth, in Libra the crop is weighed and in Capricorn the field lies fallow. Hence the allegory for the cycle of karma as the “cosmic cultivator” who tends to His little “Monad” plants: The sowing of action and life impulse in Aries; its ripening and birth into form in Cancer the Mother; the harvesting (with Saturn’s scythe) and weighing of karma in Libra (the scales); the “raising to the mountain top” (initiation) in Capricorn, as karmic reward.

Cause and Consequence, Blame and Responsibility
The four signs of the cardinal cross are revealing upon the themes of blame and responsibility. Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn. Mars is the non-sacred ruler of Aries and initiates (aggressive) action on the physical plane. Saturn is exalted in the opposite sign Libra, which is the first sign that Aries reaches – on its journey between Aries and Libra – where accountability is demanded for one’s initial actions. It also represents where a choice can be made “at the point of balance”. In turn, Aries” ruler Mars acts as a precipitator of Saturn’s Law of Karma.

Here is where we see most human conflict, whether it is the “war of the roses” in a personal relationship, or hawks (Mars-Aries) and doves (Venus-Libra) in the Middle East.4 These areas are where the themes of blame and responsibility are most apparent.

Cancer-Capricorn: The Moon as ruler of Cancer is associated with the feeling nature and unconscious motivations that lay deep within. Saturn as the ruler of Capricorn connects to the mental nature and the power of the mind to rule over the feelings; it can of course exclude the feeling nature altogether if it is too polarised in the mental nature.

Aries-Libra: Mars as the ruler of Aries will use force and emotion to reinforce the personality’s will in the solar plexus – which it rules. The dweller (whose lair is the solar plexus), will do anything to maintain the status quo. Saturn, in its exalted connection to polar opposite Libra (with its third ray attributes), can twist and manipulate a situation mentally, creating confusion in the “opponent”. As soon as force is employed, we can count on a degeneration and downward spiral of the situation.

Hence personal quarrels are simply two dwellers fighting for survival. There is no relinquishing of the “gained” or “captured” territory; will does not want to move over for love. This is basic to the human dweller, and is based upon fear, behind which lies the issue of identity, which is threatened when asked to relate. Consider Aries, where the Sun, the symbol of personality, identity and self, is exalted. It is locked in permanent embrace with its opposite Libra, wherein it finds itself, and yet where it also can lose itself.

Libra’s razor-edge path of relationships, of identity or submersion of identity in another; the love dance which takes place around the zodiac circle, where sometimes the divine conjunction

(conjugation) takes place – in harmony without conflict.

Ultimately Saturn must triumph upon this cardinal cross, whether it is through its dignity in Capricorn, its exaltation in Libra, its detriment in Cancer or its fall in Aries. Saturn’s laws are eventually recognised and rebellion of the personality is quelled by the soul; it starts to realise the higher laws with which it can start to consciously work as a co-creator of the Plan.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is an ideal place to observe this Aries-Libra axis. Both sides want an “identity” in their respective states and homeland. Both are aggressive and martial, yet peace is still only a distant possibility. They both want to maintain autonomous cultures, yet there is a great synthesis of cultures going on in many western nations.

This is related to Libra being prominent in the planetary horoscope at this time, and the “reversal of the wheel” by Humanity en masse. The Capricorn-Cancer axis is also strong with the Jewish Race ruled by Capricorn, and of course Cancer, with the theme of homelands for both nations.

Capricorn, Redemption and the Scapegoat
One of the major keys for Capricorn is redemption. After the three days of the Capricorn solstice, the Christ, who Van Morrison croons as “our blessed redeemer”, is celebrated at Christmas. From this darkest period of the year where the light penetrates into the deepest point of matter, it starts to burn brighter toward the equinox in March. Here lay hid the mysteries of initiation in Capricorn.

Our Blessed Redeemer, the avatar for the Age of Pisces and uniquely also for the Age of Aquarius, has sounded the note for the resolution of the duality of blame and responsibility; for arresting the perpetual cycle that resists peace, harmony and right human relations. Turning the other cheek and forgiveness must be two main elements. A co-worker, rich in the second ray of love-wisdom and deeply versed in human psychology comments:

“This blame mechanism is atavistic in the human constitution, it is in the DNA of humanity, no one is free from it – no group, individual or nation – and all human beings like to play the blame game. It is the distortion of the light of Capricorn, and we have all been playing it for ages. And we will, unless the soul or the Christ “enters in” … and we begin turning the other cheek, i.e. absorbing the blow of energy to raise and redeem it. Then the game comes to an end – like never before. One needs “30 years” to become a Hercules, to start illuminating and stop blaming.”

It takes large-heartedness to put this into practice, because there is a requirement to go beyond normal responses of being “right”, never admitting that you are “wrong”, self-justification and so forth; to just swallow pride (colloquially, “suck it up”), in its many manifestations and embrace generously, to “forgive those who trespass against you”. And in so doing, you become a “mini Saturn’ in your own universe by emulating the greater Saturn; by recognising the LAW of cause and effect and hence creating a new paradigm from which to work.

Saturn is profoundly connected to the divine geometrical patterns/laws/mantras that exist in the mind of god, but are not fully precipitated upon Earth – yet! Whilst Saturn is transiting through Libra in 2011, and especially whilst the Sun is moving through Capricorn, there is an opportunity to invoke these laws to live by. Hence the redemption process goes on, within ourselves, our families, communities, nations etc.

To be blamed is to be made a scapegoat and the term originates with the Jews who turned a goat into the wilderness, symbolically burdened with the sins of the Jewish people. The Capricorn-ruled personality of the Jewish people has been scape-goated down the centuries – yet they are also great “blamers” because they are a microcosm of Humanity in general. Whilst on the Jewish theme, Capricorn is the summit of Mount Sinai from whence Moses the Lawgiver imposes the law of karma upon the people – via the Ten Commandments.

Aries the Ram was originally associated with the scapegoat,

“… the age of Aries, the Scapegoat or the Ram. It was the influence of this age – persisting throughout the Jewish dispensation – that led eventually to the distortion of the simple teaching of the Christ when He came. He was erroneously presented to the world as the living Scapegoat, bearing away the sins of the people, and thus originating the doctrine of the vicarious at-one-ment. St. Paul was responsible for this emphasis.”5

Yet there is an evolution that proceeds from Aries and culminates in Capricorn:

“The Ram, the Scapegoat and the sacred Goat are Three in One and One in Three. The Ram becomes the second and the second is the third. The Ram that breeds and fertilises all; the Scapegoat, in the wilderness, redeems that all; the sacred Goat that merges in the Unicorn and lifts impaled upon his golden horn the vanquished form – in these the mystery lies hid.”6

There is much to be reflected upon here and The Tibetan tells us that a study of the horned animals of the zodiac will reveal much.

Capricorn is a sign of death, just as its opposite Cancer is a sign of birth. Saturn is often depicted as the Grim Reaper or the Angel of Death. But of course it is not just the physical death that Saturn/Capricorn is connected to. To truly redeem, one must relinquish. To renew one must die, just as the seasons instruct us on their yearly cycle.

These are all qualities which paradoxically Capricorns find very difficult to achieve. They become easily crystallised – partly because this is Saturn’s function. Saturn sets the “ring pass not” of mental structures that help us deal with the world and personality integration. Hence the crystallised structure eventually shatters if there is no conscious attempt at transformation.

Even for those more conscious than average, it is still a daunting mountain top to scale, because the lower ego with its personal ambition is most accentuated in this sign; it makes death and letting go a difficult proposition because of the deep identification with the matter or earth of Capricorn.

The clever and manipulative third ray that expresses through this sign also tends to strengthen the “negative dweller” and resistance to change. The further identification with pride and power of Capricorn creates the megalomaniac in the material world -and even “deluders of souls” in the spiritual world. (Are you really at the top of the mountain or only half way up?) Yet Capricorn is where spirit is wrought and fused in matter and is why it is such a powerful sign of initiation – where the “ring pass not” is re-set to vaster horizons. A further comment from my co-worker:

“The real cause of the blame game is projection. The light of Capricorn reflects out and back, and the third ray is light, mind is light. Capricorn/Saturn are light and the Earth will be a centre of light in this solar system, as DK tells us. The projection mechanism, coupled with a guilt complex is the real cause of the blame game. We all know inside what we have done (as individuals and as a human being), and the reason we came here – to expiate others (to extinguish the guilt incurred). Not an easy thing, better to find a goat to pay for me! But as there is no “I and thy”, we see ourselves all around. This is why DK said that which we most despise, we have.

[Authors Note: In other correspondence, this commentator used the term “escape goat”, which the author first thought was an hilarious language faux pas, pun. But it is much more than this – the “escape goat” wants to escape responsibility by blaming, and hence this is the original intention of the meaning of the word.]

And the real thing is: the mind rejects and expels (centrifugal movement, rotation), it is inherent in its nature. It has to be like that for shedding light outward and seeing outside (the “eye for eye” law). Unless the soul is controlling (centripetal movement, spiralling and attracting), also inherent in its nature, the “blow” cannot be absorbed.

“Love thy neighbours like you love yourself” is the forgiveness law to replace the old one. To be able to “forgive” someone, first we have to forgive ourselves, then we can “reflect out forgiveness” which is the ordinary name for the Science of Redemption. This “taking in” can be done only by the soul, the soul is the redeemer, and hence, no soul no solution.

The esoteric cause of the blame game is Humanity’s unconscious “awareness” or the longing for expiation. We are cells within the body of Sanat Kumara, and “expiation”, “purification” and turning darkness into light is His main dharma, and so ours. But we prefer someone else to do it … because it is a real sacrifice, so we transfer the responsibility and blame others.”

As Pluto transits through Capricorn until 2024, the world en masse is experiencing a Capricorn initiation – and the World Dweller and Angel are already engaged in a showdown.

It is a platitude that Leo the lion is associated with pride, the “beast” that is skewered on the uni-horn, the vanquished form that is lifted up by the unicorn’s horn. Yet there is also a great mystery associated with these two animals:

“The Mystery of the Lion and the Unicorn. This secret is preserved for us in the ancient nursery rhyme about the “lion and the unicorn going up to town,” and contains in a peculiar way the secret of initiation and the “going up” of the human being to the portal of admittance into the Hierarchy as well as the “mystic raising” of which Masonry holds the key.

This deals with the emergence of the consciousness of the initiate (white and one-pointed) and the defeat of the king of beasts (the personality) leading to the triumph of group and world consciousness, of selflessness and illumination over self-consciousness and selfishness. In the true rendition of this ancient myth the king of beasts is blinded and killed by the piercing of his eye and heart by the long horn of the unicorn.”7

“The lion and the unicorn were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn all around the town.
Some gave them white bread, and some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum cake and drummed them out of town.”8

Perhaps this is not the “true rendition of this ancient myth”, so if anyone knows of it, please inform the author. The “mystic raising” is the third degree initiation for which Capricorn is esoterically known, besides being a symbol for initiation in general.

Saturn, the ruler of the third ray of active intelligence, connects to the third degree through the accomplishment of mental dominance over the form of personality. But that rulership includes the mental body’s correct integration within the personality, balanced with the other personality vehicles of the emotional and physical bodies.

This initiation is Jesus’ “transfiguration” upon the mountain top – as well as all the temptations that were put before him, before he could cross the threshold completely.

USA and Saturn: Another Day, Another Massacre
Who is to “blame” for the latest outrage on innocent people in Arizona recently? Fingers were pointing within hours of the tragedy. Is it Jared Loughner who pulled the trigger or the society from which he emerged? The latter of course, but who is going to admit that, the government? Media? Were political opponents to blame? The seriously wounded Congresswoman Giffords recently commented on attacks directed at her:

“We’re on … [a] targeted list,” she said, “but the thing is, the way … the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realise that there are consequences to that action.” (CNN)

Interesting comment on karma. Of course political opponents may not be to “blame”, though the “cross hair” campaign was widely criticised at the time as “irresponsible”. However, the culture that allows the hate and bigotry to continue, are ultimately responsible, i.e. the whole nation; it gave “permission” and a kind of rationale for Loughner and many others like him, to pull the trigger and thereby “blame”/kill several innocent people. Sherriff Dupnik gives a sound assessment:

“Dupnik … suggested that “vitriolic rhetoric” in political debates could have deadly consequences. “When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government, the anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this county is getting to be outrageous. Unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become sort of the capital,” he said. “We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”” (CNN.)

This is probably one of several painful events that could occur during the USA Saturn return in the next year or so. Let us hope that those deprived of their lives will be honored by the USA really coming to grips with this situation once and for all. There are many encouraging voices now that point to this possibility.

(Mayor Bloomberg of NYC was one of those voices. He stated that an average of 34 people every day are killed by gun violence in the USA. That means that another 28 people were killed on this one day where six people were massacred. Another 34 tomorrow, another 34 the next day and so on.)

Whilst considering Capricorn in the yearly cycle, there must be always be an appraisal of where its ruler Saturn is transiting at any time. At the moment Saturn’s transit through Libra (during the USA Saturn return), is critical. Saturn in Libra the Peacemaker, will provide a good climate for these changes to occur:

“Saturn is exalted for – at the point of balance – opportunity comes and a situation is staged which makes a choice and a determination inevitable … This, Libra governs and controls, therefore the path of choices, of deliberately applied purificatory measures and the turning point before Scorpio, which governs the path of discipleship, can properly play its part.”

Is the USA about to embark upon the Path of Discipleship and leave the Path of Aspiration? It is confronted by its own Dweller, yet the planetary Dweller is currently focused most powerfully through it. Let us pray that the USA does not tear itself apart and turn into a complete roadside wreck, but helps to usher in an era of peace and harmony that benefits the entire planet.

Phillip Lindsay © 2011.
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1. Esoteric Astrology,  Alice A. Bailey. p.159. [↩]
2. Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.164. [↩]
3. Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.164. [↩]
4. See Destiny of the Races and Nations I, Phillip Lindsay. [↩]
5. The Reappearance of the Christ, Alice A. Bailey. p.106. [↩]
6. Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. pp.155-6. [↩]
7. Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.155. [↩]
8. Origins in British history: The lion and the unicorn lyrics date from 1603 when King James VI of Scotland became James I of England unifying the Scottish and English crowns. The virgin Queen Elizabeth 1 named the son of Mary Queen of Scots, James, as her heir. The new union of the two countries required a new royal coat of arms combining those of England which featured two lions, and Scotland, whose coat of arms featured two Unicorns. A compromise was made thus the British coat of arms has one Lion and one Unicorn. [↩]
9. Artist: Nancy Glazier. [↩]