Scorpio 2018: The Arduous Path. Mars. Saint Paul. Jim Carrey. Dylan Thomas.
Eve Tempted by the Serpent (William Blake)
(The serpent is one of the symbols of Scorpio, the serpent of materiality or of wisdom, the serpent kundalini.)
Scorpio Keynote
“Warrior am I and from the battle I emerge triumphant.”
(Full Moon: October 24, 2018. 16:47 UT.)
Jupiter in Scorpio
Scorpio’s Arduous Path of Discipleship
Mars in the Horoscope
Scorpio Saint Paul
Jim Carrey: Scorpio Rising Mystic
Pittsburgh, Scorpio and Hatred
Scorpio: Humanity Faces the Dweller on the Threshold
Thousand Oaks: Last Sting in the Tail of the Scorpion
Dylan Thomas: Scorpio Poet
Jupiter in Scorpio
As Jupiter is about to enter the sign of its rulership (Sagittarius), we may be reminded of its spectacular effect when it first entered Scorpio – whilst the sun was in Libra just over a year ago. Jupiter in Scorpio saw the exposure of many people like Harvey Weinstein, the start of the MeToo movement and the gradual moving forward of equality between the sexes. Jupiter’s entry at that time inspired two newsletters for the months of Libra and Scorpio 2017: Sex and Relationships, parts I & II. These missives are most comprehensive regarding these themes, esoterically considered.
Jupiter still has a few weeks to go before leaving Scorpio whilst the sun is in Scorpio, so still may have a few surprises in store! On November 8 Jupiter enters Sagittarius where it will stay for a year, more about that in the next newsletter for Sagittarius.
Scorpio’s Arduous Path of Discipleship
The approaching full moon horoscope of Scorpio 2018, contains a grand cross between Sun, Uranus and Moon, squared by the moon’s nodal axis in Leo-Aquarius. The horoscope set for universal time has Taurus rising with Moon-Uranus on the ascendant opposite Sun on the descendant. With the tension of this grand cross in fixed signs, the presence of Uranus in Taurus is a key factor that will help to bring about revolutionary changes in the world. As stated in the Taurus 2018 newsletter,
“The task of Uranus, hidden in the depths, is to awaken and evoke the intuitive response of Taurus to an ever-increasing light until such time that full illumination is achieved and also the development of the spiritual consciousness—substituting these higher soul aspects for the lower form reactions. It is interesting to note that in Scorpio, Uranus is exalted which gives indication of the success of the task which the Uranian forces undertook. Achievement is attained.”[1]
Scorpio Full Moon Horoscope 2018.
Hence, as in every full moon period, the polar opposites are emphasised, in this case Taurus-Scorpio. Taurus the “mother of illumination” opposite Scorpio the sign of darkness, of the hidden, of secrets or lost in the astral realm – that eventually finds a way back to the light. In the five stages of meditation, Scorpio is the fourth place:
“1. Leo—Concentration. 2. Virgo—Meditation. 3. Libra—Contemplation.
4. Scorpio—Illumination—The soul triumphs. Experience in Taurus consummated. Astral glamour dissipated. Soul light pours in. The Path of Discipleship. The Disciple. 5. Sagittarius—Inspiration.”[2]
Abode of Light (Nicholas Roerich)
Note that both Taurus and Scorpio are connected to illumination. Hence, Scorpio is a sign of initiation, generically ruling the second degree, a stage of unfoldment the majority of aspirants in the world today are striving toward – and which can take many lifetimes to achieve.
Uranus is the ruler of the incoming seventh ray of Ceremonial Order, Magic or Organisation, and as discussed in Libra-Scorpio 2017, also rules the sacral or sexual chakra – and concerns the “buried seed of mind”, waiting reorientation to the higher centres over many lives.
One of the “glamours” of the seventh ray is sex magic, an old practice from Atlantean days that is going through its recapit-ulation or revival today, as the Uranus-ruled Age of Aquarius approaches – and as the cycle of the seventh ray gains more traction. The combination of Uranus, the seventh ray and Taurus can create a powerful blend for sexual obsession in humanity as a whole, yet bringing the whole subject into a focus that liberates higher creativity.
Scorpio itself, is well known as a sign of obsession and infatuation. Obsession emanates from the astral nature, seated in the solar plexus and which, blended with lower mental energy or kama-manas, creates an adherence or clinging to the object/person in question. Here is the expression of the Taurus polarity, the theme of attachment that the Taurean Buddha expounded upon at length. The Scorpio purpose is to relinquish, release, destroy or “put paid to” those attachments. Hence Scorpio as a sign of death, ruled by Pluto – the regenerator and lord of the “underworld”, a metaphor for what is hidden in the human psyche.
This is why Scorpio’s (Sun or rising sign) are good healers – physically or psychologically; they work intensely upon themselves, earning the “healer heal thyself” qualification that facilitates healing in others. Their mere presence can evoke in others a “stirring in the depths” that leads to the emergence of a mental complex or emotional knot in need of healing. Hence, Scorpio is associated with exorcism, where one’s “demons” are metaphorically and psychologically exorcised – and literally, in some cases where there is obsession/possession by astral entities.
Saint Panteleimon the Healer. (Nicholas Roerich, 1931.)
As a man thinketh, so he is, like attracts like: The desire nature of Scorpio, its obsessive tendencies and the quality of thought-forms generated, attracts similar energy from the astral realm. Any individual upon the spiritual path even though well developed, can literally “open the door” to these energies, creating obsessive behaviour; or worse, allow entities to attach themselves or attempt to enter the astral body and possess it. These extreme cases are well known, but there are probably very few who have not experienced obsession or obsessiveness to some degree.
As one of the four fixed signs, Scorpio can suffer from idée fixe (“a persistent preoccupation or delusional idea that dominates a person’s mind”) – as in the recent case of a young Scorpio man, a client of the author who firmly believes that the Earth is flat – a “flat earther” as they are called.
He has an Aquarian sun square to a Mars-Pluto conjunction in Scorpio – and is one of thousands who have fallen prey to this big lie. Some observers speculate that this disinformation is part of the well documented CIA “psy-ops” – that organisation itself is Scorpio rising! It certainly represents an appalling dumbing-down that is occurring around the world.
Scorpio is also a sign where extreme fear may be experienced – paranoia, panic attack. This is the fear “head of the hydra” that the questing Hercules must overcome – one of the nine heads of the hissing dragon that resides in the foetid swamp of Lernea – an apt metaphor for the lower astral plane! This is the great battle and why an earlier passage referred to Humanity being ready to be the “World Disciple”.
S
corpio is one arm of the fixed cross, where the Lesson of Love is learnt by the trans-formation and purification of the astral nature. Desire is essentially the lower expression of love, and once transformed into selfless aspiration, leads to the Path of the Heart. It is upon the fixed cross that the first three initiations are taken and Scorpio is ultimately where the final control of the emotional nature is demonstrated – unequivocally, undeniably and incont-rovertibly!
This second initiation represents a high water mark in the voyage of the soul and its achievement is usually marked by a life of great striving and turmoil – especially for Scorpio rising, as the rising sign represents soul purpose. The second initiation also corresponds to the second ray of Love-Wisdom, and the heart centre that awakens at that stage.
However, Scorpio rising does not mean to say that individual will take the second degree in that life; it may be several lives before, on the way to that goal – or it could be beyond the second degree. The “world disciple” is ruled by Scorpio, just as at an earlier stage the “world aspirant” is ruled by Taurus. Aspiration leads to Discipleship. Desire in Taurus leads to the depths of Scorpionic experience:
“The secret of Taurus is revealed at the second initiation by the sudden removal or disappearance of world glamour in the blinding energy of light. This constitutes the final radiant activity which consummates the play of the Taurian force upon humanity during the long and cyclic journey to which man is committed. The individual enacts on a tiny scale what humanity—as a whole—will enact when it takes initiation in Taurus.”[3]
Hence the challenges of Scorpio, a sign of initiation and triumph – through the sacrifice of the lower nature, by overcoming the warring pairs of opposites. Mars as God of War is both the personality and soul ruler of Scorpio, whilst Pluto the Lord of Death and Destruction, is its co-ruler.
As a “non-sacred planet”, Mars indicates what is unredeemed, in conflict and inharmonious; it spurs to action and drives us forward. Mars can be blind desire but also brings about the recognition of that blindness through dramatically accentuating the pairs of opposites – love and hate, fear and courage, sex and celibacy or pride and humility.
The fixed will of Scorpio can often express as willfulness – where the power of a developed mind combined with the desire nature, result in wrong choices selfishly motivated – in spite of knowledge of the eternal spiritual verities. The rationalising faculty of the lower mind might seduce an individual to believe that those principles do not apply to them because they are “special” or “more evolved”. The return journey home is littered with the failures of many Scorpio incarnations! One of the major problems for the lower expression of Scorpio is manipulation in order to control others.
Mars in the Horoscope
Because Mars is both the exoteric and esoteric ruler of Scorpio, its position in the horoscope is of supreme importance regarding the soul purpose of a Scorpio rising. If Mars is placed in the ninth house, then the direction of the will may be in high academic achievement, the intense consciousness-expanding experience of long distance travel and contact with foreign cultures – or excelling in the field of philosophy and religion.
Through those activities, the ensuing expansion of the mental body creates a greater discipline, greater mental strength in overcoming the ancient and entrenched desire nature, so ingrained in Humanity since the days of Atlantis.
Indeed, the world in general is still primarily Atlantean in consciousness, but a smaller percentage have reached a stage of mental unfoldment that represents the acme of development for this Fifth Rootrace. As a group, probably in their millions, they hold the point of tension for the entire rootrace. If Scorpio co-ruler Pluto is considered, it has a most important role to play in mental destruction and reconstruction:
“It [Pluto] governs however the death or cessation of old ideas and emotions, and its influence is therefore largely cerebral and in that you have the clue to its late discovery [1930]. Mankind is only on the verge of becoming mental. Its effects are felt first in the mental body.”[4]
Orpheus with Harp Playing to Pluto in the Underworld. (Jan the Elder Brueghel.)
Again, through the mind’s increasing strength, a greater “grip” over the astral body is achieved. This is partially why Uranus, another “mental” planet, is exalted in Scorpio, representing the deeply occult nature of both operating together, whilst the astral nature is subordinated.
It is curious that Pluto’s effects are “felt first in the mental body” because it rules the base chakra wherein lies the coiled kundalini serpent. Again, similar to Uranus, with “the seed of mind” buried in the sacral chakra, so Pluto plays a similar role. Even Scorpio’s main ruler Mars, hitherto known as “emotional” or “physical”, has a mental dimension:
“Mars governs the senses which are five in number. These senses are the basis of all human knowledge where that which is tangible and objective is concerned or inferred. Mars, therefore, rules science and hence the reason in this present era for the fundamental but not permanent materiality of science—a materiality which is rapidly lessening as Mars nears the end of its present cycle of influence.
Already, the trend of modern science is shifting into the realm of the intangible and into the world of the non-material. Hence also the fact that the opposition to occultism is waning and its day of power approaching. These subtler senses will supersede the physical senses over which Mars has so long had a successful control, and hence again the growth in the world today of the psychic senses and the appearance on every hand of the subtler and more esoteric powers of clair-voyance and clair-audience.”[5]
The 10 petals of the solar plexus chakra reflect 10, the number of perfection and control of the astral body. Hence the relation of the 10th sign Capricorn and the exaltation of Mars in that sign.
If Scorpio rising types have Mars placed in hard square aspect to Neptune, then the battle is really on within the emotional body because these two planets are the rulers of the solar plexus. One can be “torn apart” in one’s desire nature. Neptune is the higher more refined nature that must win out over Mars’ more material expression. Neptune is a “sacred” planet, whilst Mars is a “non-sacred” planet – like our Earth, has not reached the full flower of its evolution.
The Mars rulership over the solar plexus chakra is particularly important because it is the major area of expression for the desire or astral body; likewise, Scorpio is a water sign, symbol of the emotional nature.
These two factors create a formidable combination of forces for any human being to control. Hence the reason why the undeveloped or not-quite-integrated Scorpio, or even the very well developed and advanced subject, has had a perennially suspect reputation through selfish appropriation of power, money, sex etc.
Scorpio Saint Paul
(See a commentary about St. Paul in another newsletter, the following is a slightly different context.)
Mars rules violence and is violent! Scorpio Saint Paul, who “took the kingdom of heaven by violence”, was transformed from the belligerent, bellicose and persecutory Saul, to a zealous proselytiser of Christ. The Inquisition is very much the province of lower Mars and Scorpio. As has been quoted often,
“Christianity exemplifies the death of the personality, with individual and not universal implications; love has been conspicuously lacking and the controlling colour of Christianity has indeed been red. It is not Christ’s expression but the Scorpio-Mars presentation of St. Paul. Mars has ruled Christianity because St. Paul misinterpreted the esoteric significances of the New Testament message and he misinterpreted because the truth—like all truths as they reach humanity—had to pass through the filter of his personality mind and brain;
… it was then unavoidably given a personal slant and twist and this is responsible for the sorry historical story of Christianity and the dire plight of the nations today—ostensibly Christian nations yet swept by hate, ruled by fear and at the same time by idealism, governed by a fanatical adherence to their national destiny as they interpret it and “out for blood” as the piling up of armaments discloses. All these are sixth ray characteristics, emphasised by Scorpio and conditioned by Mars which ever rules the path of the individual disciple, and today the world disciple, humanity as a whole, stands at the very portal of the Path.”[6]
The Conversion of Saul (Guido Reni, (c.1615-1620) Note the Martial themes of red attire and shield!
Here is a good example of how an advanced soul, who was a 2nd degree initiate, still had imperfections of personality that produced dire results. (The author makes this point in his assessment of Krishnamurti in The Initiations of Krishnamurti: An Astrological Biography.) Yet Paul went on to take the third degree as explained below. The Master DK further expands upon the themes of Paul and violence:
“Another rending of the veil, and one of relatively minor importance, took place when Saul of Tarsus saw the glory of the Lord and was changed into Paul the Apostle. His forward moving and potent directness and sincerity, pushing along “the road to Damascus,” forced him to penetrate through one of the separating veils.
The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force. This force, working in Saul, drove him through the veil which prevented vision, and the rent thereby made brought him a new revelation. He was, we are told, completely blinded for three days, and this the esoteric records corroborate. [Three days = third initiation.]
This is a well-known correspondence to the three days in the tomb and one recognised by esotericists; [and Jonah’s three days in the belly of the whale.] it corresponds also to the penetration into the third heaven to which Paul testified later in his life. He realised the nature of the Law, as his later epistles demonstrate; he was brought to the feet of the Initiator through the effect of love, and thus he availed himself of the two earlier rents in the veil.”[7]
Here is “proof” that Paul took the exalted third degree initiation, the “Initiator” in this case being Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World. “Two earlier rents in the veil” represent the first two initiations.
For leaders today working in the field of consciousness and who are of a Scorpionic persuasion, much responsibility lays in their hands – in not twisting the truth to serve selfish agendas; of not “seeing through a glass darkly” as Paul once lyrically stated. If those leaders are still finding their way out of the forest of illusion, then they will inevitably drag their followers into the same maze. (Paul managed to create a distortion that lasted for a 2,000 year cycle!) If modern leaders have certain fixed cultural ideas that are popular with less discriminating aspirants, then astral glamours will be perpetuated and passed on like a virus for a greater group “infection”.
Embracing political correctness does not necessarily mean that cultural trends are ultimately spiritually acceptable. The masses are not discriminating and their ideas should not be appropriated by spiritual leaders to bolster their own misguided choices. Yet, it is all “grist for the mill” and the rapidly changing consciousness of Humanity is experimenting with and balancing an inundation of ideas and philosophies; this was referred to in an earlier statement, “Mankind is only on the verge of becoming mental.”
Red and black, classic Scorpio colour combination!
Scorpio co-ruler Pluto rules over the “lesser burning ground” – of the solar plexus – and the Scorpio journey with Mars is strewn with thorns! This is why the red rose that surmounts a thorny stem is such a beautiful symbol of the prickly path trod to the awakening of a fiery red heart.
The giving of red roses as an expression of romantic love has a much more profound significance. The rose is central to Rosicrucianism and the Rosy Cross. The perfume that emanates from the rose is the sum of the sattvas (extracted essences) of many lives. Indeed, DK tells us, “The mystery of the second ray [of Love-Wisdom] is found to be hidden in the significance of the perfume of flowers.”[8]
This thorny path that leads from the solar plexus to the heart, can also be termed the ‘lesser burning ground’, ruled over by Pluto.
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Jim Carrey: Scorpio Rising Mystic
Comedian and actor Jim Carrey, is Scorpio-Neptune rising with Sun in Capricorn and several planets in Aquarius. The fourth ray of Harmony through Conflict is evident in his nature through his expression of those fourth ray faces of comedy and tragedy. The fourth ray is also the artist, a study Carrey has embraced in recent years. Personal stories of his spiritual awakening are widespread on the internet and videos – Carrey is very much the Neptunian mystic.
As detailed in the Cancer 2018 newsletter, depression is something that some intensely feeling Scorpio’s suffer and Carrey is no exception. Carrey has the “double whammy” signature for depression through Scorpio and Capricorn, as described in the above link. Both signs are curiously signs of initiation. Carrey has shared how he overcame depression in various interviews, explaining that “finding freedom from depression is tied to separating from the ego.”
Scorpio rising ruler Mars, is placed in Capricorn, the sign of its exaltation. This is such a powerful position for reaching the highest material and/or spiritual success – and it appears that Carrey has achieved a large measure of both thus far. Mars is on the cusp of the third house of communications and should be considered in that house; a very “crowded house” at that, with Venus and Sun in Capricorn, whilst Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and the south node all occupy Aquarius.
Jim Carrey
The third house derives its meaning from third sign Gemini. Carrey has Mercury “accidentally dignified” (in its own house), conjunct the soul ruler of Aquarius – Jupiter; both planets occupy a tight conjunction and this is what a lot of people see on the big screen – “crazy” Aquarius, over the top, exaggerated performances, exploring all angles for the gag, doing satirical impressions of others. (Indeed, some people do “gag” on Carrey, he is not everyone’s cup of tea!)
Ace Ventura, Pet Detective
Mercury-Jupiter also occupy the “avataric” or 15th degree of Aquarius, a term derived from “the gates of the avatars”. These degrees often appear in the horoscopes of “those with unusual gifts and talents that have a transcendental quality about them.” Additionally, Mercury-Jupiter trine Carrey’s moon in Gemini creates the super-Mercurial trickster he has relished in so many roles.
So, a third house Geminian stellium, trine a Gemini moon – here is the ultimate chameleon who can change colours/roles continuously. Gemini is impressionistic and is the best sign for mimicry and doing impressions. (Other signs of the mutable cross also, particularly Pisces!)
As well, the Gemini moon is at the point of a “yod” formation from Mars and Neptune, making it particularly powerful. The Moon is also in the 8th house, adding another Scorpionic signature – emotional transformation and facing the shadow or dweller on the threshold.
Neptune conjunct Carrey’s Scorpio ascendant represents a vivid creative imagination, plus a mystical yearning to connect with the Divine. Neptune here is also the “channel” for divine inspiration and when angular in the charts of actors represents mass appeal – as his high grossing films attest.
Uranus, the dispositor of all these Aquarian planets, is placed on his midheaven career cusp, dominating the chart, giving him the public perception of that “weird, whacky guy”. Uranus is also conjunct the fixed star Regulus in the last or anaretic degree of Leo, revealing further Carrey’s spiritual potential. There is also a remarkable “final dispositor” sequence: Scorpio ascendant ruler Mars in Capricorn >>> Saturn in Aquarius >>> Uranus in Leo >>> Capricorn Sun.
When the author first viewed Carrey in the movie “Cable Guy”, there was the perception of a future serious actor. Carrey is a serious Capricorn personality and played The Grinch in Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas – which of course is during the passage of the sun through Capricorn. The story/movie is akin to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and the character of Ebenezer Scrooge.
The Grinch and Scrooge are classic curmudgeonly characters, Christmas grumps who despise the gaiety of the season and who are obsessed with money and material things – all lower Capricorn themes. The Grinch does however have an epiphany that causes his heart to grow three times its original size. (Great teachings for the masses.) Space does not suffice to do this horoscope real justice, it would be an excellent study for a longer astrological biography. Some of Carrey’s other roles are worth noting astrologically:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective – an eccentric, very unorthodox (Aquarius) private detective (Scorpio).
The Grinch – Capricorn, Scorpio (revenge) and Gemini (manipulative).
Liar Liar – Playing with the Gemini-Sagittarius axis – lies and blurting out the truth!
The Mask – Gemini!
The Cable Guy – a lonely, menacing cable TV installer – Scorpio.
The Truman Show – a life laid bare to the world – Scorpio.
Man on the Moon – Carrey played the life of Andy Kaufman – a Capricorn with Mercury in Aquarius almost the same degree as Carrey’s. Kaufman’s most elevated planet was Uranus, like Carrey.
Pittsburgh, Scorpio and Hatred
Astrology is the deepest form of psychology and always helps to make sense of “senseless acts”. Scorpio represents the most intense of emotions, with hatred – the obverse of love – at the top of the list, followed by jealousy, desire for power, separativeness etc. This shocking hate crime in Pittsburgh is reflected in the event horoscope of Scorpio rising – with Venus, Sun, Mercury and Jupiter all in Scorpio.
It is most likely the position of Venus retrograde that is the main signficator of the event. Venus was moving into an opposition to Uranus in Taurus, and was part of the recent full moon grand cross for the Scorpio full moon period. Venus in Scorpio can bring up a lot of dark thoughts and emotions, particularly whilst retrograde, re-opening old wounds or accentuating ongoing grievances. Jupiter in Scorpio conjunct the rising sign further underlined the poisonous nature of the violence.
Hate crimes like this are not just a “lone gunman”, he is simply the enforcer of the collective hatred which already exists within the culture on both sides of politics and in all religions; he is enabled and supported by the ceaseless rhetoric that floods media, internet, TV and twitter.
The birthdate of the shooter is unconfirmed currently, but was mentioned on the radio. Robert Bowers is a Virgo sun and Leo moon – ascendant/time is unknown. The source of his fanaticsm lies with his Mercury in Leo square to Neptune in Sagittarius. Jupiter in Sagittarius also amplifies the religious fanatic.
Transiting Jupiter in Scorpio was triggered natal Mercury by square aspect at the time of his rampage. Here is Bowers’ main pattern/issue coming to a head in his heinous act. Transiting Sun/Venus were also squaring his Leo moon (exact degree unknown), pushing him to make a show of himself. There are other astrological factors too of course, but these seem to be the main ones.
Almost as appalling as the crime, were the hypocritical remarks of Trump, talking about “so much hatred in the world”, when he is one of the prime enablers of division and hatred. Equally ignorant were his remarks about the need for weapons inside the synagogue – defeating the purpose of a place of worship. Trump said we can’t let “sick” and “demented” people run our lives – hmmm – how ironic!
Scorpio: Humanity Faces the Dweller on the Threshold
The following passage from Esoteric Astrology is one of the most profound for Scorpio, as it discusses MEMORY, individual and racial – that is an aspect of the individual or collective shadow.
Memory is connected to the Moon which “falls” in Scorpio – “expressing symbolically that which is dead.”. This passage describes an individual facing the shadow or “dweller fella” as I call him, but it applies equally to Humanity as a whole facing its collective shadow – and the accompanying conflict, leading eventually to illumination. This gives some pause for thought and cause for hope in these dark days – serving as a reminder to the many illusory and APPARENT happenings of our time:
“In Scorpio, two most occult factors emerge from the past and begin to engross the attention of the disciple. One is memory and the other is, as a consequence of the memory, the Dweller on the Threshold. Memory in the sense here involved is not simply just a faculty of the mind, as is so oft supposed, but it is essentially a creative power. It is basically an aspect of thought and—coupled with imagination—is a creative agent because thoughts are things, as well you know.
From ancient recesses of the memory, from a deeply rooted past which is definitely recalled, and from the racial and the individual subconscious (or founded and established thought reservoirs and desires, inherited and inherent) there emerges from individual past lives and experience that which is the sum total of all instinctual tendencies, of all inherited glamours and of all phases of wrong mental attitudes; to these (as they constitute a blended whole) we give the name of the Dweller on the Threshold.
This Dweller is the sum total of all the personality characteristics which have remained unconquered and unsubdued and which must be finally overcome before initiation can be taken. Each life sees some progress made; some personality defects straightened out and some real advance effected. But the unconquered residue and the ancient liabilities are numerous and excessively potent and—when soul contact is adequately established—there eventuates a life wherein the highly developed and powerful personality becomes, in itself, the Dweller on the Threshold.
Then the Angel of the Presence and the Dweller stand face to face and something must then be done. Eventually, the light of the personal self fades out and wanes in the blaze of glory which emanates from the Angel. Then the greater glory obliterates the lesser.
This is, however, only possible when the personality eagerly enters into this relation with the Angel, recognises itself as the Dweller and—as a disciple—begins the battle between the pairs of opposites and enters into the tests of Scorpio. These tests and trials are ever self-initiated; the disciple puts himself into the positive or conditioning environment wherein the trials and the discipline are unavoidable and inevitable.
When the mind has reached a relatively high stage of development, the memory aspect is evoked in a new and conscious manner and then every latent pre-disposition, every racial and national instinct, every unconquered situation and every controlling fault rises to the surface of consciousness and then—the fight is on. The keynote of Scorpio is, however, Triumph. This is its major expression upon the physical plane.
As a result of struggle and of victory, the whole divine man—not yet perfectly expressing himself, if I might word the situation thus—is anchored upon the physical plane with such accuracy and clarity that there is no escape from the environing conclusions of the disciple’s family, friends and group that he is a disciple.
From that angle he is meticulously watched; he learns the meaning of the word “example”; he is pilloried by those who are onlookers and the first conscious stages toward group awareness and group response, plus group service, are now taken. Such is the outcome and the reward of the experience in Scorpio.”1
Thousand Oaks: Last Sting in the Tail of the Scorpion
I hesitate to comment these days on mass shootings, but always seek to understand causes and motives – and how that fits into the prevailing cultural milieu. The Thousand Oaks massacre occurred when Jupiter was in the last degree of Scorpio, joined by the sun and particularly the moon in Scorpio. Transiting Mercury was in Sagittarius, the sign of the hunter, a position frequent in horoscopes of serial murderers.
Again, this shocking event that followed closely the Pittsburgh shooting, not only underlines the gun control issue in the USA, but also the karma of Afghanistan interference in the 2,000’s -coming back to haunt this nation. The shooter was Ian David Long, a veteran of that war, suffering from PTSD. It is quite ironic that the assault on Afghanistan by the USA in the so-called “war on terror”, was about protecting America from “Muslim terrorists”, yet the most terror and bloodshed since that time has been inflicted by its own.
In the midst of its dark night of the soul, the USA is currently an impotent nation, an interesting description which applies to male sexual inadequacy, with the obvious phallic connotation of guns and the troubled men who try to grimly compensate for the national malaise. America is impotent because it cannot solve the gun issue, as one massacre after another rolls over on an almost weekly basis.
It does in fact occur on a daily basis, if the total of firearm murders in the nation as a whole is considered – around 30 firearm murders per day, and almost double that figure for firearm suicide. Per day … let that sink in. These facts are well known to everyone, and that the NRA and the firearm industry are part of the problem, as are the politicians who are constantly lobbied and delegated financial perks to preserve the status quo. (The author has written extensively on this theme, see USA’sWeapons Problems here: https://esotericastrologer.org/esoteric-astrology/esoteric-astrology-general/#weap)
Ian David Long
Yet, one wonders just how many thousands of other young men with a grievance are out there – waiting their turn, to have their “moment in the sun” to express their pent-up rage and frustration. Notice the word “men” – women are preservers of the sanctity of life, not destroyers. And these men are constantly being enabled or “given permission” by the prevailing culture of violence, hatred, movies, media and video games. The statistics are increasing alarmingly, with no immediate plateau in sight; these kind of tragedies are tearing USA apart and undermining its spiritual purpose.
Ian David Long had the sun, moon and Mercury in Mars-ruled Aries, whilst the shooting occurred whilst three planets were transiting through Mars-ruled Scorpio, sign of revenge and the venomous sting of the Scorpion’s tail. This is of course, lower Scorpio for those who are still finding their way out of the darkness and ignorance of mass consciousness.
Long was an able Aries soldier it seems, who had commendations for his service in Afghanistan – a former machine gunner and decorated combat veteran. That experience affected him deeply no doubt, combined with any pre-existing pathologies; recent erratic behaviour was reported to authorities who subsequently “cleared” him. Long also had a love of tactical shooter video games.
In Long’s chart (time and place unknown), the recent new moon in Scorpio fell on deadly Pluto, triggering the square to natal Mars, whilst transiting Pluto was squaring his moon in Aries. (Exact degree of moon in unknown, but there is a high likelihood that it is close to the degree in the 12 pm chart.) This is just a brief summary, there are plenty of other factors that astrological students will discover.
It is spring, moonless night in the small town
Starless and bible-black
The cobblestreets silent and the hunched
courters’-and-rabbits’ wood limping invisible
down to the sloeblack slow, black, crowblack,
fishingboatbobbing sea.
The houses are blind as moles (though moles see fine to-night
in the snouting, velvet dingles) or blind as Captain Cat
there in the muffled middle by the pump and the town clock,
the shops in mourning, the Welfare Hall in widows’ weeds.
And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town are
sleeping now.”[9]
These are the first two verses from Under Milk Wood, giving some impression of Thomas’s Scorpionic nature – lots of blacks – bible black, crowblack etc. Also of course, the extraordinary imagery evoked not only by words, but their syncopation, beat, rhythm and rhyme. Here is the art of mantra-shakti in the English language![10] Richard Burton, a fellow Welshman and Scorpio, does Thomas proud in this rich vocal radio rendition.
Dylan Thomas has been acknowledged as one of the most important poets of the 20th century, noted for his original, rhythmic and ingenious use of words and imagery. The name Dylan means “son of the wave”, befitting Neptune’s conjunction to his Leo ascendant – which it rules esoterically. Upon encountering the inspiration of Thomas’s poetry, Robert Zimmerman changed his name to Bob Dylan, one of the great song writers of the 20th century:
“Thomas’ poetry is also notoriously lyrical; there is a music to his poems that can be heard when the words are read aloud that is not present in the work of other poets. This same lyrical style can be found in the lyrics written by Bob Dylan. Even without musical accompaniment, Dylan’s lyrics sound like music.
Lines from Thomas like “Under the windings of the sea/They lying long shall not die windily” sound like they could have been pulled directly from one of Dylan’s songbooks. On the other hand, lines from Dylan like “You fasten all the triggers,/For the others to fire,/Then you set back and watch,/When the death count gets higher” could have easily been written by Thomas later in life.”[11]
There is some notable synastry between their horoscopes, namely Dylan’s Moon-Saturn in Taurus closely opposing Thomas’s Mars-Mercury in Scorpio. It seems that Bob Dylan is “completed”, the pairs of opposites are united through Thomas’s influence.
Dylan Thomas
Thomas had the Sun, Mars and Mercury in Scorpio, with the moon in Aquarius; he also had Jupiter in Aquarius at almost the same degree as Jim Carrey. (In fact, Mars is transiting over this degree at the time of this writing!) Jupiter is the esoteric ruler of the Water-Bearer and is deeply connected to the pouring forth of the waters of Love-Wisdom. Like Carrey, Thomas was a Neptunian mystic, of a different hue, a visionary poet channeling divine inspiration.
The fourth ray of Harmony through Conflict was most definitely in Thomas’s ray structure, perhaps both personality and mind. He may have been one of those rare fourth ray souls said not to be in incarnation currently. This ray of art and beauty helped Thomas to produce the most riveting and engaging poetry, drawing from a deep well of piercing Scorpio insight and Gaelic sensitivity. The fourth ray is the only ray that passes through Scorpio, making this sign – like its Taurus counterpart, prominent in the lives of creative artists, poets, writers and actors.
The fourth ray also corresponds to Thomas’s Welsh heritage and its musicality, part of the Celtic subrace of the Fifth Rootrace. This fourth subrace (5.4) expresses the emotional sensitivity of the Atlantean rootrace, some islands of which were located around Wales and Ireland. This fourth ray quality is what defines the Celtic Irish-Welsh-Scots from the English, who are on the fifth ray of mind. These races combined under the banner of Britain produce a good admixture of heart and head!
Caitlin Thomas, posing naked for Nora Summers, a friend of her mothers’.
John Brinnin, Thomas’s agent in NYC.
Thomas lived a life fraught with conflict, within himself, with his wife Caitlin and those around him like his agent John Brinnin. Eventually his alcoholism gained the upper hand; he died tragically on November 9, 1953 at the age of 39 in New York City, where he had been giving well-received recitations of his work. Thomas was really starting to hit his stride internationally and expressing the soul purpose of his Leo ascendant. Thomas was the archetypal “tortured poet” who also struggled to make ends meet financially through writing.
When contemplating immortality in his teen years, Thomas penned the following poem about death, one of the great Scorpio themes – whose title coincidentally comes from St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans (6:9).
And death shall have no dominion
And death shall have no dominion.
Dead man naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan’t crack;
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.
When considering his youth, compared to the maturity and elegance of poems in those years, it is obvious that Thomas was an advanced soul, bringing in a bounty from other lives. Thomas suffered from bronchitis and asthma for most of his life, a particular “disease of mystics” that hails back to Atlantean days. Neptune was potent in his life both from the visionary mystical aspect but also from addiction to drink, which eventually destroyed him.
Dylan Thomas in the White Horse Tavern, Greenwich Village, New York City, 1952.
Thomas encouraged his wild Welshman persona the “roistering, drunken and doomed poet”. This behaviour was emulated by Richard Burton in his battle with the bottle; after his death from liver cirrhosis in 1981, he was buried in a (Scorpio) red suit, with a copy of Dylan Thomas’ poems. (Fellow Celts Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole shared Burton’s friendship and hard drinking.)
Hence, Thomas declined from the visionary mystic to being increasingly belligerent and unkind to those around him. Here is where lower Neptune took over – as a Neptunian he had a predisposition to all kinds of addictions; his Scorpio sun was square to Neptune, indicating the opportunity to integrate the “higher Neptune” into the astral body component of his Scorpio personality.
The energy of Neptune that opened Thomas up to the Divine Mind, could equally be susceptible to attracting entities of discarnate beings who hang around bars and are attracted to those who through their excesses, are literally “opening the door” and inviting them in – as was touched upon earlier. Despite his declining health, Thomas kept on drinking and smoking heavily as if there was no tomorrow. In New York City,
“Thomas was invited to many parties and functions and on several occasions became drunk – going out of his way to shock people – and was a difficult guest. Thomas drank before some of his readings, though it is argued he may have pretended to be more affected by it than he actually was. [Here is the Leo rising performer ruled by a Scorpio sun!] The writer Elizabeth Hardwick recalled how intoxicating a performer he was and how the tension would build before a performance:
“Would he arrive only to break down on the stage? Would some dismaying scene take place at the faculty party? Would he be offensive, violent, obscene?” Caitlin said in her memoir, “Nobody ever needed encouragement less, and he was drowned in it.”[12]
Thomas was “intoxicating” and “intoxicated”! Here again is the dynamic of Scorpio – just as Scorpio has the power to draw out the toxins and poisons, it has the power to penetrate and perpetuate their vision upon others. That is why Scorpio’s are often accused of being invasive, yet paradoxically they value their privacy to the point of secrecy! (The movie about his life is brilliant, played by Tom Hollander.)
Thomas’s affairs and sexcapades during this period increased, all contributing to his general dissolution and dissipation. Yet despite the punishing lifestyle, he continued to write great work! The cadences and sound of language was central to Thomas’s style, yet he was a very disciplined writer who “redrafted obsessively”. There is the Scorpio obsessiveness and a further Scorpio characteristic through one observer’s description – “no one can ‘stick words into us like pins’… like he can”.
“He is a dazzling obscure writer who can be enjoyed without understanding.” There is so much richness, detail and diversity in all of Thomas’ writings, such as the following memory from childhood:
“Never was there such a dame school as ours, so firm and kind and smelling of galoshes, with the sweet and fumbled music of the piano lessons drifting down from upstairs to the lonely schoolroom, where only the sometimes tearful wicked sat over undone sums, or to repent a little crime – the pulling of a girl’s hair during geography, the sly shin kick under the table during English literature.”
Like many of the romantic poets, Dylan Thomas died young, blazing with an incandesence that eventually consumed him. Finally, as a solemn salute, the profoundly moving, Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night.
Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
Though wise men at their end know dark is right
Because their words had forked no lightning
Do not go gentle into that good night
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way
Do not go gentle into that good night
Grave men, near death, who see with
blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
And you, my father, there on the sad height
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray
Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light …
Phillip Lindsay © 2018.
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[1] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.401.
[2] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.229.
[3] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.378.
[4] A Treatise on White Magic, Alice A. Bailey. p.439.
[5] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.215.
[6] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.215.
[7] The Rays and the Initiations, Alice A. Bailey. p.193.
[8] Esoteric Psychology I, Alice A. Bailey. p.45.
[9] Under Milk Wood, Dylan Thomas, 1944.
[10] Universal cosmic energy evoked by the repetitive recitation of a single syllable, word or series of phrases. The vibration of the sounds is said to activate spiritual energy.
[11] https://pencils.com/how-dylan-thomas-influenced-bob-dylan/
[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey, pp.206-8. [↩]
Mr. Lindsay, I missed you and was worried about you! I missed the newsletter last month. As a Scorpio Rising, I read your latest newsletter with so much interest. But I am ALWAYS interested in what you have to say. There is no one else doing what you are doing!!!!!!!! I will make a donation today. I was also a friend of Jan Dietrich’s. I am attempting to get out from the darkness and into the light my own “hidden history” of sex and death and power in 15th century Venice in a hidden “magical palace” with ritual sex and a lot of hidden agendas!!!! I see it as both a novel and an elegant elaborate complex TV series!!!!!!! “Inside Donatella”. Love and eternal thanks……….
There is a Libra newsletter for last month. Always check my website if you do not receive the newsletter at your email, because they are always posted there.