Aries 2022: Equinox. Star Direction. Subjective Origins. Jupiter-Neptune. Russia-Ukraine. Will Smith. Exalted Sun, 7th Ray.

Aries (Artist: Salvador Dali.)

Aries Keynote
“I come forth and from the plane of mind, I rule.”
(Full Moon: April 16, 2022. 18.55 UT.)

“Exoteric astrology deals with the characteristics and qualities of the personality and of the form aspects, and also with the events, happenings, circumstances and the conditioning environment which appear in the personal horoscope, indicative of planetary control and not of solar control.

Esoteric astrology concerns itself primarily with the unfoldment of consciousness, with the impacts which awaken it to the peculiar “gifts” of any particular sign and ray endowment and with the reaction of the man and his consequent enrichment through his response to the influence of a sign, working through the esoteric planets from the angle of humanitarian awareness, of discipleship and of initiation.

This deals basically with his experiences from the angle of the three Crosses, which involves first, mutation, then direction, and finally initiation. Increasingly, these three Crosses will take a prominent place in astrological delineation.”1

Aries, First of Three Spiritual Festivals
The Aries Equinox and the Star of Direction
Aries and the Subjective Origin of Life
Aries is the Birthplace of Divine Ideas
Jupiter-Neptune in Pisces: 166-year Conjunction
___Spiritualism, Salvation, War and floods
___Blavatsky and Externalisation of the Hierarchy
___Russia and Crimea 1856: Modern Day Resolution?
___Venus in Pisces: The Prince of Peace?
___The Banner of Peace and the Roerich Pact
The New Civilisation – No Oligarchy
Russia and Ukraine (April 2022)
Will Smith’s Big Slap: The Glamour of Hollywood
___ From the Fresh Prince of Belair to Prince Hamlet
___The Death of American Exceptionalism
___Hollywood Hypocrisy on Violence
Sun Exalted in Aries and the Seventh Ray

A perfect symbol of Aries: The (male) rooster heralds the rising of the sun, every day.

Aries, First of Three Spiritual Festivals
It is the beginning of the spiritual new year once again – Aries renews the cycle, heralding the first of the three annual spiritual festivals – Aries, Taurus and Gemini. These signs establish an aspect of the annually amended Planetary Plan, the Divine Blueprint that is constantly precipitating into human consciousness. Aries’ theme is about the emergence of the subjective, subtle idea – patterned and programmed in the ethers, that will eventually manifest upon the outer plane:

“Aries is the place where the initial idea to institute activity takes form. It is the birthplace of ideas, and a true idea is in reality a spiritual impulse taking form—subjective and objective.”2

The first three signs of Aries, Taurus and Gemini function as a triangle of subjective energies that condition the remainder of the year. Hence, tuning into their qualities through personal reflection, group meditation and service will reward the enquirer.

Aries – Easter Festival, the Festival of the Risen Christ.
Taurus – Wesak Festival, the Festival of the Buddha or of Illumination.
Gemini – Festival of Unification – unifying East-West, carried forward by the Christ.

Aries Equinox and the Star of Direction
“Aries – where the will to create or to manifest makes its appearance and the great divine experiment is initiated.”3

One year transitions to another as the Sun moves from Pisces into Aries– on the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere. (Autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere.) Note the word “transition” often used when regarding the passing from the physical plane back into the soul realm. Pisces and Aries are two of the four major signs of death, Aries of course, also about birth or rebirth. The equinox period of equal night and day marks the beginning of the spiritual new year, the emerging new impulse.

The first ray of Will-Power is always prominent during this period – through both Pisces and Aries. Pluto, the “power” component/ruler of the Will-Power ray, is also the esoteric ruler of Pisces, breaking down and destroying within the microcosm at the end of a cycle – and within the macrocosm of the past 2,160-year precession cycle of Pisces.

Vulcan is the “will” component/ruler of the first ray which finds one of its most potent expressions through the first zodiac sign Aries. What Pluto destroys in Pisces, Vulcan begins to forge anew in Aries. Aries is a very subjective sign that brings about the precipitation of new templates for a new cycle.

This is effected by Aries’ hierarchical ruler – revolutionary Uranus, ruler of the seventh ray of Ceremonial Order or Magic, the ray that creates the geometrical patterns needed for the new templates/temples to be built; to bring forth that which resides in the mind of the Divine.

The first ray working through Aries invokes the spiritual will and its expression from the crown chakra. Aries rules the head and can be headstrong – driven by its ruler Mars, needing to invoke the balancing, polar-opposite forces of Venus-ruled Libra: The restraint of the peace-maker that harmonises and reconciles the warring opposites.

The symbolism of the equinoxes’ equal night and day is also Libra – that brings perfect poise and balance, carving a path between opposing forces; offsetting the natural tendencies of Aries for confrontation and aggression.

As a trailblazer, Aries brings about new initiatives, adventures and pioneering efforts – to go forth when no one has ever previously dared to go – externally or internally.

“Aries, the initiator of impulses (either the impulse to incarnate or the impulse to return to the originating source), is closely in touch with one of the stars in the Great Bear to which we give the name “Pointer” [Merak] … esoterically speaking, a great reservoir or focal point for divine energy, carrying out God’s purpose …

… This Pointer is a “major star of direction” because through it (in this world cycle) flows the will to unify and to bring about synthesis. This is the force which brings about the fusion or integration of the personality, the at-one-ment of personality and soul, the unification of humanity or the Great Approach of the Hierarchy to Humanity.”4

Aries and the Subjective Origin of Life
“Aries initiates the cycle of manifestation. All souls, as individual entities, come into human incarnation for the first time in the sign of Cancer, emerging as mental entities in the sign Aries, as emotional-desire entities in the sign Taurus and as vital entities in the sign Gemini, taking then physical form in Cancer. This is an involutionary, subjective cycle. Thus they emerge into the ocean of physical plane existence, into the world of matter.

Yet the first impulse is awakened in Aries, for Aries is the place where the initial idea to institute activity takes form. It is the birthplace of ideas, and a true idea is in reality a spiritual impulse taking form—subjective and objective. There originates the response of the soul to the highest aspect or quality of deity because there appears the “will to incarnate.”

… Aries “awakens the will to reach the lowest and there control, to know the uttermost and thus to face all experience”—thus runs an ancient statement.”5

Aries is concerned with a subjective, latent consciousness and Esoteric Astrology concerns itself primarily with the unfoldment of consciousness. In many ways, Aries is associated with invisible processes that take place upon the mental plane – or the developing seed buried within the womb that will develop into the birth of a human.

Aries is the seed-sower (masculine) who distributes his seed into the newly ploughed furrow (feminine): That might be a seed idea that proceeds from the mental plane, via Aries esoteric ruler – messenger Mercury, or the seed/semen that Aries exoteric ruler Mars brings to the womb (Virgo).

The Mars symbol of the upright male phallus is most apt for the god of war who commands an army of millions spermatozoa swimmers – of which only one heroic, tadpole-Achilles will be successful! Spermatozoa derives from Ancient Greek for “seed” or “living being” and are even phallic-shaped, emulating/repeating the sex act on a microcosmic scale. Within the womb, the microscopic and unseen process of egg fertilisation and cell division proceed toward the next stages of the nine month gestation period.

Note in this fascinating video, the female egg is depicted as a glowing sun – the sun is exalted in Aries!

The following short video gives more detail of what happens after fertilisation of the egg.

The metaphor of many fish swimming in the great ocean of matter, recalls Aries previous sign, Pisces the fishes:

“Eventually, in some mysterious way, there will be only ten signs of the zodiac again; Aries and Pisces will form one sign, for “the end is as the beginning.” This dual and blended sign is called in some of the ancient books “the sign of the Fish with the head of the Ram.””6

Aries is the Birthplace of Divine Ideas
“Aries, the “birthplace of divine Ideas,” whether these ideas are souls brought into incarnation and controlled by Mars until they reach the point of reorientation and become sensitive to the influence of Mercury, or whether they are the birth of the ideas of God in the form of the hierarchical plans to which the initiate becomes sensitive.”7

Aries and Mars The passage above describes quite well how the exoteric and esoteric rulers of Aries work. Male Mars represents procreation and insemination – “to bring a soul into incarnation”. This is symbolised by the Aries keynote for the “ordinary wheel” – “And the Word said: Let form again be sought” – The Man.”8\

To “reach the point of reorientation” happens after many lives have passed and the soul in question has “reversed the wheel”, is consciously treading their way back to the source.

Aries and Mercury Here the individual will respond to the keynote of Aries on the reversed wheel: “I come forth and from the plane of mind, I rule.” Mercury “rules” from the mental plane, ruling both the lower and higher subplances of the mental plane, but also for those who are initiated, that which lays beyond the mind – the intuition or buddhi.

Due to mental polarisation in the throat centre, instead of the sacral and solar plexus centres (with which Mars is associated), the individual is closer to the “ideas of God” or “hierarchical plans” and has a much better potential to reach them, particularly if the intuition is invoked.

Mercury is the Messenger from higher to lower mind, or the intermediary between the plane of buddhi and the higher mental plane.

Jupiter-Neptune: 166-year Conjunction in Pisces (April 12, 2022)
The last conjunction of these two planets occurred on March 30, 1856. Jupiter, ruler of the 2nd ray of Love-Wisdom, united with Neptune, ruler of the 6th ray of Devotion and Idealism. Both planets are co-rulers of Pisces, a sign that is a conduit for only the 2nd and 6th rays – hence this once-in-a-166-year conjunction brings a magnified potency of these forces, in both their physical and more subtle expressions.

___Spiritualism, Salvation, War and Floods
The 1850’s saw the very Neptunian-Piscean theme of Spiritualism (or channelling) in full swing, virtually since Neptune entered Pisces from 1847-1861. (Covered in another article here.)

The combination of Love-Wisdom and Devotion during that period sowed the seeds that led to the founding of the Salvation Army by uber-Aries William Booth in 1865. “Salvation” is the “salvaging” qualities of Pisces, the savour or rescuer, and “army” is the potency of the 6th ray and its Mars co-rulership.

On that Mars theme, and given the USA is a 6th ray personality, this period also led to the the American Civil War from 1861-65, a period of great strife and pain where the nation was divided against itself. Here is the black and white nature of the 6th ray.

With Neptune as god of the waters, magnified by gigantic Jupiter, one might expect major flooding. In late May 1856, just after Jupiter had moved into Pisces, France (a Pisces soul) experienced enormous flooding.

In the astro-cartography map for May 29, 1856 – the Jupiter-Neptune lines were not prominent in France, but the Mercury-Saturn lines in another sign related to water (Aquarius the Water Bearer), ran straight through Paris!

Paradoxically, when the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction was exact on March 30, 1856, Ireland (a Pisces personality) – the period February to early May was notable for lack of rainfall.

On April 12, 2022, the next exact conjunction of Jupiter-Neptune, may well see tsunamis and floods around the world. Already, the northern rivers area of NSW, Australia has had more heavy rain, since the worst floods in history during early March 2022.

Water is of course the great cleansing agent, like fire – and Australia has had its share of both in recent years. Weather engineering has been claimed as one of the causes (mentioned in the Pisces newsletter), whose aim is allegedly to push people into “smart cities”, one of the intentions of the WEF (World Economic Forum).

___Blavatsky and Externalisation of the Hierarchy
The Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on April 12 might come without necessarily any outer physical event. Yes, floods, tsunamis are possible, especially potent in their cleansing effects, preceding a period of greater receptivity to more refined spiritual energies pouring in – a tsunami of Love-Wisdom?

The latter cannot occur without the former and Humanity has a lot of purging to endure, before the Externalisation of the Hierarchy, post 2025. The potent combination of these two planets in 2022 will certainly plant a seed during this Aries’ seed-planting time – for the externalisation of the Ashram of the Christ.

Reflect for a moment upon the year 1856 – when the future founder of the Theosophical Society – H.P. Blavatsky (born in Ukraine), was solo-traveling through India, Kashmir, Ladakh, Burma and Tibet, having a long communication with her Master. HPB had previously met Master Morya in the well documented episode in Hyde Park, in 1851.

From that moment on, she was prepared to be an amanuensis for several Masters, eventually founding the Theosophical Society in 1875, where the fact of the Masters’ existence was announced.

This period was the first major stage in announcing the Externalisation of the Hierarchy, followed by HPB’s books, Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine. A second stage follow relatively soon after with Alice A. Bailey’s books, transmitted to her by the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul 1919-1949. Bailey was born just over a decade before HPB’s passing in 1891, so one can see the overlapped planning by the Hierarchy.

___Russia and Crimea 1856: Modern Day Resolution?
On the exact conjunction of March 30, 1856 – the Treaty of Paris was signed by the  Russian, Ottoman and French Empires, the United Kingdom and Sardinia, bringing an end to the Crimean War.

Crimea is of course, is one of the central issues in the 2022 conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Best case scenario therefore, is that another Peace Treaty is signed and the threat of World War is dissolved in the waters of Pisces and the prevailing ray of Love-Wisdom!

Just after the exact conjunction of Neptune and Jupiter on April 12, transiting Venus  and the moon will join the party April 27-28, magnifying matters considerably, with Mars also in Pisces – creating five placements in this sign on that date.

___Venus in Pisces: The Prince of Peace?
(See also this 2020 article on Venus in Pisces.)
Venus entered Pisces on Feb.25 (one day after Russia invaded Ukraine) – and will remain there for four weeks until May 4, 2022, bringing its unique flavour of unconditional love-wisdom, compassion, creativity and forgiveness – augmenting the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Pisces considerably:

“Venus is exalted in Pisces and at the end of the greater cycle, the Sons of God who are the Sons of Mind are raised up into glory through experience and crucifixion because they have learned to love and truly reason.”9

This very esoteric passage refers to the fourth degree initiation (the Crucifixion), the stage of Liberation for all humanity. It does not mean if a person has this position in their horoscope, that they are at this level of unfoldment; it simply provides a glimpse of future possibilities. One way to understand Venus in Pisces is through its esoteric rulership of another sign of the mutable cross, Gemini – a major sign of relationships in general, through right communication.

“Esoterically, the reason that Venus is exalted in Pisces is connected with the relation of Pisces to the sign Gemini, of which Venus is the esoteric ruler, and also in relation to the fact that Venus is the Earth’s alter ego and is closely related to the human kingdom.”10

In other words, Venus in Pisces will stimulate its connection to Gemini which will augur well for peace talks and the cultivation of loving relationships in general. Lets us pray that the worldly powers pick up on the importance of this date in late April and initiate some kind of communication/conference that can resolve the conflict.

The Banner of Peace and the Roerich Pact
Leading on from this Russian theme above, how appropriate to remind ourselves of the Roerich Pact symbol and the Banner of Peace, painted by the great Russian artist Nicholas Roerich in the early 1930’s – when fascism in Europe was gaining strength and WWII was looming. This period also paralleled Nicholas’s wife Helen – and her amanuensis role with Master Morya, transmitting the Agni Yoga teachings. Both Roerich and Bailey’s works can be seen as two different ray qualities of the second phase of Hierarchical distribution:

“The banner is the symbol of whole world, not a country, but the whole civilized world, it has on the white background three united amaranth spheres as a symbol of Eternity and Unity … Already it attracts the attention of great intellects and is directed from one heart to another, awaking the idea of Peace and Benevolence among peoples.

The Roerich Pact is the first international treaty dedicated to the protection of artistic and scientific institutions and historical monuments … The banner of peace was proposed as an international pact for the protection of culture values.”11

In 2022, “cancel culture” has now reached new depths of madness, removing Russian composers, artists, writers and athletes from performances, exhibitions and competition. Observers argue that the fascism which the Allies fought so hard against, has permeated the entire West, culminating in this current global crisis.

The New Civilisation: No Oligarchy
(Oligarchy: Government by a few, especially by a small faction of persons or families.)

Its ironic that when most people hear the word “oligarch”, most think of a Russian or Ukrainian billionaire. – but the problem of oligarches and oligarchies is far more diverse, it is a cancer created by capitalism.

Analysts say that the USA, UK, China, India and Russia – have all become oligarchies – a somewhat contradictory fact in light of The Tibetan’s discussing the afrementioned sensitive date around 1860:

“… soon after 1860. From that date on, great concepts and new ideas, and the modern ideologies and arguments for and against aspects of the truth, have characterised modern thought and produced the present mental chaos and the many conflicting schools and ideologies, with their attendant movements and organisations; out of all these, order and truth and the new civilisation will emerge.

This civilisation will emerge as the result of mass thinking; it will no longer be a civilisation “imposed” by an oligarchy of any kind. This will be a new phenomenon and one for which the Hierarchy has had to wait, prior to reappearing.

Had the Hierarchy come before this era of thought and of massed discussion and the fight to further creative ideas, the tenets and the truths for which the Hierarchy stands could be regarded as being also “imposed” upon humanity, and therefore as infringing human freedom.

This will not now be the case, and the Hierarchy will come forth into exoteric manifestation because humanity has, of its own free will, developed a quality analogous to that of the Hierarchy and therefore magnetic to that spiritual organisation. Goodwill will draw forth from its holy secret hiding place the Exponents of Love, and thus the new world will come into being.12

What appears to have happened since 1860 (the beginning of a sub-cycle of the 7th ray), is that a civilisation has emerged as the result of mass thinking – but oligarchies have developed again to impose their will.

An “oligarchy of any kind” can be a national goverment, a global body such as the WEF or WHO,  billionaire businesses like the predatory Blackrock, banks, the universal Mafia’s, cartels and cabals. Here we see the shadow of seventh ray of organisation or order, also the ray related to finance – the organisation of money.

Whenever a ray or a zodiac sign is coming into manifestation, its lowest common denominator is often expressed first before a greater maturity of expression within the longer cycle. Once Humanity reaches its next phase of “mass thinking”, i.e. realises their current state of manipulation by oligarches/oligarchies, then “it will no longer be a civilisation “imposed” by an oligarchy of any kind”.

This is beginning to happen now in a mass global awakening, that will lead to the ridding of all the worldly oligarchs, transforming all government oligarchies. The world has the opportunity to do this in the next decade: “This will be a new phenomenon and one for which the Hierarchy has had to wait, prior to reappearing.”

Russia and Ukraine: Litany of Lies (April 2022)
(For a thorough analysis of the CAUSES leading to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, please see last month’s Pisces newsletter.)
The following quoted excerpts will not be found in the mainstream media BBC, CNN, NBC etc. – because it runs counter to their narrative, but for many it is much closer to the truth of what is actually happening:

“The British managed to convince the Europeans that on February 24 the Russians had attacked Ukraine to invade and annex it. Moscow [so they said] was trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union and was preparing to attack all its former possessions in succession … In reality, Kiev’s troops attacked their own population in Donbass on the afternoon of February 17.

Then Ukraine waved a red rag in front of the Russian bull with President Zelenski’s speech to the political and military leaders of Nato gathered in Munich, during which he announced that his country was going to acquire nuclear weapons to protect itself from Russia.”13

The extraordinary propaganda war in Ukraine continues relentlessly, with virtually all media repeating the US/UK/NATO narrative. This propaganda has sought to not only demonise Putin by completely ignoring the real reasons for the war in the first place, but has attempted to “cancel” Russia and all her people, arts and culture – regardless of whether they are for or against the war.

Igor Kolomoisky

The amplification of glamour has increased to the extent where even several spiritual teachers have put their weight behind faux president Zelenskyy. Some posted their sympathies on social media, falling into the emotional trap of lionising him – falling for the maya of his Leo lion-performer moon. Others rushed and gushed about supposed performances in music videos, without bothering to check their veracity, that were in fact other performers who had some resemblance to Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy is no skilled musician, but a multi-faced Germini rising actor who has been cultivated for this role for several years, starting just after the Maidan uprising in 2014 – as the star of a TV show about a school teacher who becomes Ukraine’s president. There is no “coincidence” here, and those who ignore this important part of history, that was engineered with the help of oligarchs like George Soros and Igor Kolomoisky – do so at their own peril.

Mars in Aries, the god of war.

People want to believe the hype or be part of a dramatic story and have found the point of least resistance by treading the emotional route of  sentimentality, that drags other baggage along with it – “The glamour of war … conflict …. with the objective of imposing righteousness and peace.” But those same individuals are not willing to do the rigorous mental work of sifting through causes, looking at history, discerning the real from the unreal.

And as a result, “believers” are easily conned into the next atrocity or staged “war crime” foisted upon them by the propaganda machine. (There are plenty of feasible and reasonable alternative perspectives on Bucha, Kramatorsk and Mariupol – if anyone cares to research.)  The author asks the question again, as posed in the Pisces newsletter:

Why would you believe a media that promoted the last two years of lies and deception– that suddenly changes its tack and emphasises Ukraine as victim, forbidding and censoring all discussion of ideas to the contrary – on social media and elsewhere? Identical to coronavirus and vaccines, now substituted by Russia and Ukraine? Doesn’t anyone find that just a little bit odd? It is in fact deeply troubling for many earnest thinkers and observers who can see through the lies:

“Kiev’s attack on the population of Donbass on February 17, was an attack on Ukrainian-Russian citizens. Moscow came to their rescue, in an emergency, from February 24. The chronology is indisputable. It was not Moscow that wanted this war, but Kiev, despite the predictable price it would have to pay. President Zelensky deliberately put his people in danger and bears sole responsibility for what they are enduring today.”14

Managed closely by the US State Department and NATO advisors, President Zelenskyy declined implementing the Minsk Agreements – which would have led to the resolution of conflict in Donbass.

Zelenskyy also, “banned his fellow citizens from speaking Russian in schools and administrations and, worse, signed a racial law on July 1, 2021, de facto excluding Ukrainians claiming their Slavic origin from the enjoyment of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”15

Although there are many competing propagandas from both sides, amplified in the heat of battle, Ukraine is not winning the war, Russia was always too big and powerful. Zelensky himself said:

“123 of Ukraine’s 152 fighter jets had been destroyed, as well as 77 of its 149 helicopters and 152 of its 180 long- and medium-range air defense systems, while its naval forces had been totally eliminated.”16

Retired U.S.Army General Jack Keane recently stated:

“I think, fundamentally, the United States’ underlying strategy in dealing with the war before it began and after it began is not to provoke Putin. It’s an unstated strategy, but it is operating every single day … the facts are we don’t want Putin to lose … because we’re afraid that if he loses, there’ll be a provocative reaction on his part. So it explains why we’re not all-in on helping Zelensky win, who is begging for all of that help.” Keane noted the U.S. delayed shipments of arms to Ukraine last year and said that it imposed sanctions on Russian officials and oligarchs after Russia invaded.”17

Top independent journalists Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate interview straight-shooting Col. Doug Macgregor on March 15. Macgregor is an important independent voice who exposes the lies of NATO and the US administration.

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Will Smith’s Big Slap and the Glamour of Hollywood
“At your highest moment, that’s when the devil comes for you.” (Denzel Washington)

This is a re-written article from the original post by the author on Facebook. Being mindful of giving any oxygen to overblown Hollywood egos, or feeding yet more deliberate distractions – in the light of the current global crisis, the “Big Slap” incident is instructive on various levels of astrological interpretation.

The incident created further schisms, argumentation, fragmentation and distraction in any already confused world; it amplified the existing noisy static, drowning out the voices of reason and clear vision. More on all of that and the glamour of Hollywood later.

Will Smith has the Sun in Libra the peacemaker, with Gemini rising soul purpose and moon in Scorpio. On the night of winning his first ever Oscar, transiting Mars and Moon were in Aquarius, appropriately culminating upon his midheaven (career).

Will Smith

Aggressive Mars also rules Smith’s progressed midheaven in Aries – and the annual passage of the sun in Aries was also closely conjunct this important angle, complimenting the natal midheaven transit. So there were some really dynamic forces at work here.

Will Smith progressions and transits.

Underlying everything however, was Smith’s Moon in Scorpio – where passions and emotions run intense – the dark underbelly was exposed. On that fateful evening, transiting Venus-Saturn in Aquarius were closely square to Smith’s Moon in Scorpio. The transit of Saturn square to the Scorpio moon was exact a week before – and will continue for the rest of 2022, as Saturn goes retrograde and direct, squaring Smith’s moon several times.

A Saturn square moon transit is one of the most difficult anyone can have, because the shadow/dweller of the moon is challenged by the Lord of Karma, Saturn. The moon in Scorpio is a very passionate and sensitive position (especially conjunct Neptune), Saturn in Aquarius is mentally polarised and quite detached. The following exoteric interpretation nails it:

“This will be a very difficult year for you emotionally. You’re much more demanding of yourself and highly self-critical, and tend to weigh your accomplishments against an impossibly high standard that you’ve set for yourself.

No matter what you’re accomplishing in the outside world or how successful you are, it will seem like you just can’t cut yourself any slack. You need to feel a sense of inner fulfillment in your work, but during this time you feel a conflict between the demands of your career and activities in the outside world, and your need for personal happiness and contentment.

You may need to make some adjustments in the organization of your life if the demands and responsibilities of your career [Saturn] are taking precedence over your emotional needs [moon].

It may seem that other people are more critical or judgmental, especially women [moon], but it’s more likely that you’re taking their comments too personally. You should avoid comparing your level of success to what you see other people accomplishing, as you’re a distinct individual with your own particular needs.

You’re now entering a period of intense self-evaluation that will help clarify those needs. Unfortunately, this process isn’t fun and may be painful at times, as discontentment is often the catalyst to help us define what we need to be happy. Try not to take your emotional feelings too seriously now, and know that you’ll emerge from this process with a deeper appreciation for your emotional needs and more balance in your life.”18

This Saturn square Moon transit was the “hour hand” of Smith’s cosmic clock, but the “minute hand” was Venus joining transiting Saturn – triggering the long term square. On Oscars night, Venus was making a precise square to Smith’s Scorpio moon, within a few seconds of arc.

Venus the planet of relationships exoterically, usually far more detached, even “cold” in Aquarius – yet triggering some deep rage buried in the Scorpio moon, also representing unresolved issues with his mother.

Then, getting down to the “second hand” timing for Smith, was the transit of Moon-Mars on his midheaven, squaring solar arc Pluto and progressed Mercury in Scorpio – the ruler of his Smith’s multi-charactered Gemini ascendant. One wonders when playing so many roles, the line between fiction and real life can be become easily blurred.

Mercury in Scorpio can be obsessed or preoccupied with dark thoughts and can tend to mentally obsess. Indeed, there is a strange video made before the ceremony with Smith and his wife, talking about “creating chaos”.

L to R: Will Smith, WS prog., Jade, Jade prog., Slap. Here is some extraordinary synastry of Jade Pinkett-Smith’s natal Mars/north node in Aquarius on Will’s midheaven. Her progressed sun is also in Scorpio, conjunct Will’s progressed Mercury and solar arc Pluto. Hence, the transit of moon-Mars in Aquarius on “slap night” was powerfully activating both horoscopes.

And boom – in those “hour, minute and second hands” laid the impasse created by these aspects which catapulted Smith onto the stage – to play out a personal drama to an audience of “drama queens” – and the entire world.

The incident was obviously embarrassing for Smith, a self-sabotage that tarnished the gleaming statuette he received half an hour later. Not only personally, but also because of the discontent voiced in recent years by many, including his wife, that black actors were being passed over for awards – due it is claimed, to inherent racism within the Academy.

Likewise, Smith’s actions ran contrary to his role model self-help programs and books (Rules for Success), potentially enabling younger fans to deal with their challenges through unrestrained violence and crass language. Smith walked his shadowiest valley just before the highest pinnacle of his career – a bittersweet experience. Denzel Washington’s words certainly hit the mark – and there by the grace of god walks everyone. As his mother commented, “one action does not define my son”.

Transiting Venus-Saturn were in the tenth house of the father and career, reflecting the background psychology of Smith’s boyhood experience of domestic violence to his mother, his feeling of inadequacy and “being a coward”. (These themes are discussed in his recently released autobiography, Will.)

Smith’s progressed Sun is also in Scorpio – a sign of testing and initiation, often associated with the arts through its expression of the fourth ray of Harmony through Conflict – the ray of art, beauty and music. The progressed moon also recently entered Scorpio in the past six weeks – Smith is approaching his second progressed moon return – 27 x 2 = 54 years.

Its interesting to note that the horoscope for Hollywood (the town) has the Sun in Scorpio, falling directly on Smith’s moon. The horoscope for The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has the sun in Taurus, directly opposite! More on these themes further on.

The following quad-wheel exposes the extraordinary synastry between Hollywood, The Academy, Smith and the “Slap”. There is a potent fixed grand cross strong on the Scorpio-Taurus and Leo-Aquarius axes. There is also mutable grand cross that is mostly related to Hollywood and The Academy, except for Smith’s Pluto in Virgo and transiting Neptune on the night.

Hollywood, The Academy, Will Smith, The Big Slap.

Smith’s Pluto conjunct the Virgo moons of Hollywood and The Academy might be seen as a destructive or subversive undermining of those institutions, more unconscious on Smith’s part. When considering the nine-headed hydra of Scorpio: sex, comfort and money (physical), hatred, desire for power and fear (emotional), pride, separativeness and cruelty (mental) – personal pride certainly emerges as a major contender.

But given that Smith’s progressed moon in Scorpio occupies the second and arguably most difficult decanate (emotional-astral) – the hydra of hatred (obverse of love) reared its head, fed pride – and the impulse of transiting Sun in Aries took over, activating the north node in Aries, opposite Smith’s sun/south node in Libra.

From the Fresh Prince of Belair to Prince Hamlet

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.” (Macbeth)

Sir Laurence Olivier

The Aries-Libra axis has been nicknamed by the author, “Hamlet’s Dilemma”:

“Whether t’is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (Libra) – i.e. endure an insulting joke. Or, “To take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?” – i.e. literally, “take an arm” and deliver a big slap!

““Being” is certainly the province of Aries, “esse”, “essence”; the emergence of the first light of day at sunrise, the exalted Sun of possibility and probability. Of course Libra (the setting Sun), is well known for not speaking up because it seeks peace, to stay engaged, finding its identity through another – hence it “endures slings and arrows”.

Aries and Mars’ brute force “takes arms against a sea of trouble” – Mars is trouble! And by “opposing”, Mars-Aries is the warrior who takes a side and fights the good fight – whatever that might be. As a “non-sacred” planet, Mars reveals what is at war and unresolved internally, where blind desire rules and the “plane of mind” has not been fully reached.”19

Hence, Aries is instructive from the point of view of the ego – it is well known as a sign of egotism or self-aggrandisement, not unlike that other fire sign Leo. Smith’s Earth is in Aries, directly opposite his Libra sun. Mars-ruled Aries and Scorpio were both highlighted powerfully in this incident: Mars as ruler of the solar plexus chakra, drives Aries’ impulsive aggression – and Scorpio’s intense, internal battle upon the astral plane.

Hence again, the prominence of transiting Mars-Moon on Smith’s midheaven, dominating the state of play. It is of interest also, that Smith had been encouraged in the past to do Shakespeare, he might make a damn fine Hamlet one day! Well here’s to hamming it up in Hollywood!

The Death of American Exceptionalism
But the Big Slap incident also has implications for the USA as a whole and its influence upon the world stage. Will Smith has been an icon of entertainment for decades, is beloved by millions – the funny guy, the hero of Independence Day or the complex character of his latest movie.

Iconic actors often play the role of a sort of mini-avatar, expressing what is going on within the psyche of the nation. Smith’s Scorpio moon is conjunct Neptune, a very sensitive/psychic position, even acting as a “sibyl” of sorts for the greater collective. Moon-Neptune has a rich imagination and Scorpio an intensity of emotion – the combination contributing to creation of a vision, fantasy or characters to be played in a movie.

Its often been said that Hollywood blurs the line between fiction and real life – did Smith cross that line on the night? Did he think he was in soap opera defending his wife’s honour? Or was it simply a matter of the multiple divisions within the nation that are constantly projected upon “the other”, outside of the nation and hence un-owned?

Is the ancient practice of scape-goating still being practiced, where a goat is designated to be cast into the desert to carry away the sins of the community? USA’s Pluto return will ensure that their many banished goats will soon be rounded up and herded back home – by the lord of karma.

Smith lashing out at an Aries rising-Aries moon, Chris Rock (they both have a history) – mirrors the frustration of a confused nation at war with itself, or microcosmically, Hollywood – and even the black actors community itself. USA is currently passing through its own underworld, a very Scorpionic deathing process – in the depths of its first ever Pluto return.

Zelenskyy propaganda slaps Putin, but the reality is the opposite.

Smith is Gemini rising and the USA is a Gemini personality. If this metaphor for the nation holds any weight, then who does the cheeky Aquarian sun Chris Rock represent? Is he the arch villain that the nation is currently preoccupied in demonising – and needs a good slap?

Rock’s sun is in Smith’s 10th  house of career/public whilst his Aries moon/Ascendant ruler – Mars in Virgo, is smack-dab on Jade’s Virgo sun! The associations do not end there, with synastry in Demi Moore’s horoscope as well as the release date of GI Jane.

All very mundane and at risk of sounding like a Hollywood gossip column (!) – but interesting when considering the astrology of relationships and energy connections. Furthermore, in another “coincidence” a few days after the Oscars, it was announced that Moore’s former husband Bruce Willis, would be stepping back from acting due to aphasia, affecting his cognitive abilities.

Hollywood Hypocrisy on Violence
“The Academy does not condone violence in any form”. Oh really – what! The majority of movies that the Hollywood beast births are violent, period. Even before the event, Smith said he was going to “stir up some chaos”.

The fourth ray of art, beauty and music (or harmony through conflict), is the only ray to pass through Scorpio – a sign so prominent in the charts of Hollywood, the Academy and The Smiths (not the band!).

Hollywood glamour breeds glamour – Scorpio’s keynote on the ordinary wheel is, “Let maya flourish and deception rule”. Two of the main glamours of the fourth ray are: 1. The glamour of war. 2. The glamour of conflict, with the objective of imposing righteousness and peace.

The above statement about (gratuitous) violence emerges after a recent perusal of movies on Netflix, seeing not only the “usual violence” but a disturbing trend into even more senseless and sickening, cold-blooded violence and revenge. This is the lowest common denominator of Scorpio and is the emotional diet of the masses.

Hollywood’s ongoing obsession with guns, military hardware, assassination, i.e. “justifiable” murder. Many of those movies are claimed to be funded by bodies such as the National Rifle Association and the Military Industrial Complex, hence the ongoing problem of perpetual war – deliberately perpetrated to generate a hugely profitable arms industry.

Where will it all end and how much have these celluloid fantasies and dreams created so many troubling neuroses in the body of the nation, or even the world? The following passage from a 2017 newsletter on Hollywood:

“In Hollywood, we can see the positive and negative potential … to shape ideas for Humanity; of the creative producers, script-writers, directors and actors who can work to uplift and inspire the masses; from the set designers and costumes to the casting agencies (and casting couches!), there is the great Aquarian spirit of group co-operation and artistic community.

There have been many inspiring movies made, but also, probably the majority, from very mediocre to very bad. Degrading, morbid, ultra-violent, banal, horrific – dragging viewers downward and failing to lift them up. This is the lowest common denominator of Scorpio, the lower subplanes of the astral plane – “hell”, opposite pole to “heaven” of the higher subplanes. Here is the dichotomy of the fourth ray pairs of opposites – heaven and hell.”20

Another glaring contradiction, was a failure to discipline Smith on the night. He was asked to leave by the Academy but he refused, receiving his Oscar a little later. Smith’s behaviour was not acted upon promptly, yet later he received a standing ovation – talk about sending out mixed messages! Will Smith: “I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness”.

Right on Will, but as an automaton of the Hollywood monster … all those “fun”, gun-totin’ hero cop movies … a bit rich innit? Smith has of course, since resigned from the Academy, been banned for ten years and since made a far longer and more contrite apology. But really no judgement here, Smith is as flawed and fallible as the rest of us imperfect souls!

Sun Exalted in Aries: (The Sun at His Eastern Gate, William Blake, 1816).

Sun Exalted in Aries and the Seventh Ray
“Here the Sun stands for the life of the spirit which comes to full expression as the result of the great evolutionary process, initiated in Aries. The life of God which in this sign is “swung into activity”, eventually achieves consummation. Latency becomes potency and midnight merges into midday. God, the Father, rules.”21

The Sun is the symbol of the seed of life that first emerges in Aries, the first impulse of spirit manifesting into matter. The “life of God” is “swung into activity” by Aries ruler Mars, and achieves “consummation” in the opposite sign of Libra, where Saturn is exalted.

With rays one and seven passing through it, Aries symbolises spirit upon the first spiritual plane – manifesting onto the seventh material plane. Uranus rules the seventh ray of ceremonial order or magic, is the esoteric ruler of opposite sign Libra and is connected to the seventh plane, the physical.

Hence the ease with which Libra organises the impulse of Aries into geometrical forms upon the mental plane, eventually enabling precipitation of spirit into matter. Saturn’s exaltation in Libra and ruler of the mental plane, is most complimentary to Uranus and the seventh ray. Hence, “the power of the developed Libran to project the inner spiritual purpose or intended will into physical expression”.22

Flower of Life mandala.

Uranus is involved potently in this Aries-Libra pair of opposites because it is also the hierarchical ruler of Aries. Hence Uranus, along with Saturn’s exaltation in Libra, helps bring into expression those “ideas from the mind of god” in Aries. The seventh ray is the ray of geometry, assisting Saturn’s creation of thought-forms and reminding us of the well-known saying from that great avatar Plato, “God geometrises”.

“Uranus embodies the energy of the seventh ray and its work is analogous to that of Mercury [soul ruler of Aries], for the seventh ray is the ray which relates spirit and matter and brings together electric fire [spirit] and fire by friction [matter], thus producing manifestation.

Uranus leads the soul to the burning ground during the final stages of the Path, when the fire of Aries and the fires engendered through the potency of Uranus produce the flaming heat of the final burning ground. Through this burning ground, the initiate has finally to pass. Uranus rules the occult Way and is, in an esoteric sense, connected with the Hierophant of the Mysteries of Initiation.”23

The “final stages of the path” are related to the fourth initiation, touched upon earlier with Venus in Pisces. The element fire is connected to the mental plane – thought is a fiery energy in its essence. Aries rules the head and brain that does the thinking, hence the injunction “I come forth from the plane of mind and I rule.”

Every year, Aries affords us the opportunity to start anew, to ever-evolve, to impulse fresh ideas into manifestation, based upon the synthesised experiences of the previous year. Hence the importance of attuning to the cycle of the true new year that begins in Aries.

The highest expression of Aries is connected to the intuition or buddhi, beyond the mind, direct knowledge that will eventually supercede the mind. The fires of mind will be replaced by the airy intuition.

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Phillip Lindsay © 2022.
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The Shamballa Impacts

Masters of the Seven Rays

Los Maestros De Los Siete Rayos

Soul Cycles Seven Rays I

Soul Cycles Seven Rays II

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Soul Cycles Seven Rays IV

Soul Cycles Seven Rays V

Destiny Races & Nations I

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Hidden History of Humanity I

Initiations of Krishnamurti

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Unveiling Genesis

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23. Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.100. [↩]