Aries 2023: Aries Equinox. Europe Conference. April Fools’ Day. Mars in Cancer. Easter, Shamballa & Resurrection.
Aries the Ram (Dan Lambert)
Aries Keynote
“I come forth and from the plane of mind, I rule.”
(Full Moon: April 6, 2023. 4.34 UT.)
“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.”1
Aries Equinox 2023
Conference: April 1-4, 2023: “European Unity: Toward Global Unification.”
The Esoteric Dimension of April Fools’ Day
Mars in Cancer Reveals the Uses of Conflict
Easter, Shamballa and the Resurrection
Aries Equinox 2023
The past year has reached its conclusion and the spiritual new year has begun – as the Sun left Pisces and entered Aries on March 20. Aries is the new impulse, the annually amended Planetary Plan – emerging from the “centre where the will of god is known” – Shamballa, the planetary crown chakra, broadcasting the force of the first ray of will or power, one of the rays to pour through Aries the first zodiac sign.
Hence the equinox of equal night/day establishes firmly the new cycle, like the wizened prophet plunging his fiery staff into the earth, announcing the new dispensation. The equinox preceded the Aries new moon (21st), less than 24 hours later – magnifying the potency of the equinox and preparing for the Aries full moon festival of Easter – 14 days later on April 6.
Aries is a fire sign ruled by the god of war, Mars. Aries is the warrior, whether wielding a sword in ancient Sparta, holding a machine gun in Ukraine – or the warrior of light, who holds the line upon the inner planes – where inner causes precede outer effects.
Aries rules the head – and as a fire sign has a close association with the mental plane and ideation. Mercury as esoteric ruler reflects this mental process but also represents the intuition or direct knowledge.
Humanity is going through many battles today, one of which is between the warring pairs of opposites upon the mental plane. The battle for free thinking and the speech that clothes thought, is a fundamental right and primary tenet of FDR’s Four Freedoms.
Hence, in these trying times, to paraphrase William Blake, “We must not cease from mental fight, nor shall our swords sleep in our hands”.
The battlefield upon the mental plane is where the propaganda war continues, attempting to insidiously shape human thinking – projected through the astral plane via lies and deception, subverting and confusing thought, creating endless distractions.
Aries ruler Mars, along with Neptune, rule the astral plane, where so much distortion occurs – especially aided by Neptune’s lower expression as it currently passes through Pisces. Invoking the image of the Tibetan wisdom deity, Manjushri is a potent visualisation for Aries – with fiery sword, cutting through spiritual materialism and discerning the truth.
Conference: April 1-4, 2023: “European Unity: Toward Global Unification.”
“Europe is the field for the education of the world in the ideas of a true world unity and for the wise presentation of the Plan, from that continent can the inspiration go forth to the East and the West”.
Madonna the Protector (Nicholas Roerich 1933)
This announcement is from the Aquarian Wisdom Centre 2 – for a Zoom conference on April 1- 4, just before the full moon for Aries-Libra/Easter April 6, 2023.
Planned over a year ago, this will be an unusual conference – in that all the presenters have been engaged in an intense process of online dialogue and meditation for several weeks – continuing right up to the start of the conference. We are all students of the Ageless Wisdom with varying perspectives on the current global situation, hailing from Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Israel, USA, Britain, Russia and Ukraine.
In this respect, the conference has already been running subjectively, culminating in its outer expression from April 1 to 4. Hence, we invite you to explore these various links:
1. Opening invitation and overview of the conference.
2. Conference presenters and biographies.
3. Conference schedule – dates and time zones, presentation times. NOTE new timetable!
4. Conference registration and donation.
We look forward to your attendance!
Phillip Lindsay
(President, Aquarian Wisdom Centre Retreat.)
———————————————-
If you wish to know more about the Aquarian Wisdom Centre, see these links for an overview:
· About us · The Vision · Education
The Esoteric Dimension of April Fools’ Day
The AWCR conference starts on April 1, a “coincidence” determined by juggling logistics before the full moon on April 6, holding the conference on a weekend where most people would be free to attend – and several other factors.
The Fool tarot card is most symbolic of the solar hero’s journey into the unknown: The Sun is exalted in Aries! The Fool is the very first card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck – representing new beginnings, opportunities and trail-blazing initiatives.
Sounds familiar? Yes, this is Aries – the first zodiac sign that channels the first ray of will or power, that initiates the spiritual year. The Fool is also the jester and the trickster – this is Mercury, the esoteric ruler of Aries, more well known for its exoteric rulership of “tricky Gemini”!
The Fool in his Green Man guise …
“The Hero’s Journey begins with The Fool. He walks blithely along, not looking where he’s going and completely unaware he’s about to step over the edge of a precipice. He carries his past in a bag on a stick. In his other hand is a small white flower, and a dog follows at his heels.
This is the archetype of the Wise Fool whose lack of worldly experience appears to put him at a disadvantage, but it means his mind is open to another level of consciousness – whether he realises it or not.
He lives on the edges of life and society, and goes his own way regardless of what others think … The wise fool is the Holy Fool or Divine Child – a lunatic who hides genius within his madness.
The Fool is also the archetype of the Green Man. He represents the start of a new cycle, new life and fresh beginnings. He has the innocent spirit of a child who doesn’t understand the dangers of the world he’s about to enter.
In some card packs, the Fool is shown following a butterfly. This represents his intuition, leading him towards enlightenment, but first he must take a plunge into the abyss at his feet.”3
Indeed, the ancient Celtic symbol of the Green Man represents the first new shoots of spring, embedded in the Aries glyph.
This child-like naivety of Aries is also prominent in Mercury-ruled Gemini – third of the three major, annual spiritual festivals: Aries initiates the cycle, Taurus consolidates upon it at the Wesak festival – Gemini distributes and communicates in Gemini.
Where the butterfly represents the intuition, we see Mercury in its highest expression of the buddhic principle – the intuition or direct knowledge – “his mind is open to another level of consciousness”. The butterfly is also the triumphant expression of beauty and balance achieved through the previous stages of metamorphosis, from caterpillar to chrysalis – to butterfly.
From early human incarnate experience upon the zodiacal mutable cross – thousands of lifetimes of testing and trials, bringing harmony from conflict, of transformation within the chrysalis upon the fixed cross – to release and liberation upon the cardinal cross.
The beauty and balance theme is also represented by Aries polar opposite – Libra the Balance, ruled by Venus, the goddess of beauty and art.
Though playing pranks and fooling others in a playful way, we are reminded of how illusory the world of maya can be – of how appearances can be deceptive, of how we are called upon to exercise discrimination constantly. In this respect it is said that Mercury, the divine Messenger is the principle of illusion.
“Historians have also linked April Fools’ Day to festivals such as Hilaria (Latin for joyful), [as in “hilarious”] – which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March by followers of the cult of Cybele. It involved people dressing up in disguises and mocking fellow citizens and even magistrates – and was said to be inspired by the Egyptian legend of Isis, Osiris and Seth.
There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather. In modern times, people have gone to great lengths to create elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes. Newspapers, radio and TV stations and websites have participated in the April 1 tradition of reporting outrageous fictional claims that have fooled their audiences.”4
Cybele, holding symbols of abundance.
The phrase “dressing up in disguises and mocking fellow citizens and even magistrates” – is a reminder of similar festivities at the Saturnalia during Capricorn, another sign of the cardinal cross – discussed here in the Capricorn 2023 newsletter.
The mention of Cybele is illustrative of the raw, primordial essence of Aries and spring – where new life surges forth, the sap rises in the trees and nature’s mating season begins – symbolised by the fertile Ram and its ruler Mars. H.P. Blavatsky tells us,
“Cybelê, the many-breasted goddess … the personification and type of the vital essence, whose source was located by the ancients between the Earth and the starry sky, and who was regarded as the very fons vitae of all that lives and breathes.
The mountain air being placed nearer to that fount, fortifies health and prolongs man’s existence; hence, Cybelê’s life as an infant is shown in her myth as having been preserved on a mountain.
Animal magnetism … was the principal agent in theurgic mysteries as also in the Asclepieia— the healing temples of Aesculapius, where the patients – once admitted were treated, during the process of “incubation,” magnetically, during their sleep.”5
Apparently Cybele later became Ceres-Demeter, the Virgo archetype, though she could also be associated with the “feminine” Taurus and mother Cancer. But the association with Aries and the vital essence or prana, remains. The connection of Mercury-ruled signs is relevant here – Virgo and Gemini exoterically, Aries esoterically.
The black stone sacred to Cybele was taken from her temple and brought to the river to be cleansed. Dancing and singing crowds accompanied this joyous, flower-decked procession.
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Mars in Cancer Reveals the Uses of Conflict
As the Sun is passing through Mars-ruled Aries, the recent entry of Mars into Cancer (March 25) will considerably qualify the expression of sun/planets passing through Aries – Sun, Mercury and Jupiter. In fact, Mars remains in Cancer for almost the entire period that the Sun is in Taurus – right through to May 20.
Mars in Cancer is not an easy position because the god of war is in the sign of its “fall”, in watery Cancer. However, both Mars and Cancer have several things in common.
The emotional testing of Mars in Cancer is great, because Mars rules the solar plexus centre (seat of the emotional body) – and Cancer is a sign of the sensitive feeling nature. Cancer’s esoteric ruler is Neptune, co-ruler of the solar plexus centre. (Quite often, people with Mars in Cancer exhibit “passive-aggressive” tendencies.)
Cancer is also a sign indirectly influenced by Mars because in Esoteric Astrology, each sign is considered in relation the signs of the cross it belongs to – four signs and their exoteric-esoteric rulers. Cancer is part of the cardinal cross – Aries-Libra and Cancer-Capricorn,
Rebel Mars looking a little swarthy and unkempt – with a touch of unshaven stubble …
“… the Cancerian subject is … influenced by five other planets … Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Venus and Saturn. The Cancerian subject becomes responsive to the uses of conflict (Mars), to the functioning of the light of intuition (Mercury) and to the cosmic pull of Uranus, plus the intellect of Venus and the presentation of opportunity (Saturn).”6
This Mars influence is further found through the second Scorpio-ruled decanate of Cancer. The three decanates on the reversed wheel correspond to the physical, astral and mental bodies respectively – again emphasising the potency of the Scorpio/Mars-ruled astral decanate.
The “uses of conflict” are also emphasised because Cancer ruler the Moon – is the co-ruler of the Fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict. Furthermore, the other co-ruler of the fourth ray is Mercury – generic ruler of the middle decanate of Cancer, esoterically considered. Mercury’s decanate rulership here guarantees the eventual control of the astral body by the mind. Mercury is also the esoteric ruler of Aries.
Mars and Venus (Spranger).
Mars is connected to the physical body, and Cancer is a sign of the form nature:
“Mars in Cancer will increase the strength and tenacity of the physical elemental, which seeks to perpetuate its ‘hold’ upon the physical plane. The self-protective instincts will be augmented. The natural defensiveness of Cancer will be stimulated by the Martian tendency to “ward-off” danger. The energy of Mars will be enlisted to promote the survival and perpetuation of the physical vehicle.
Attachment to the life of the senses is strong. Continuing the metaphor (and in many cases the literal fact), “blood rushes” to the area of the stomach, bringing friction and problems to that area, and reflecting the strong solar plexus stimulation which is inherent in this combination.
… The urge to reproduce will be strong. There may be tendencies to jealousy, due to insecurities and the powerful need for intimate attachment. Under this influence, once can easily become bound to sex as a deep psychological need to overcome the fear which arises from an inherent sense of isolation and helplessness.
The emotional life and the sexual life are intimately connected … Later, as evolution proceeds, Mars in Cancer may lead to the retention of sexual energy … for the sake of personality transformation.”7
Because both Mars and the Moon are connected to the physical and astral bodies, two of the major vehicles of the personality, transiting Mars in Cancer can cause much disruption within the personality or between personality and soul. Mars is a “non-sacred planet”, indicating that its lack of perfection and attainment (its “rebelliousness”), within the family of planets in the solar system, reveals starkly the imperfections in one’s own personality:
“… where the individual is driven to seek the solar life (soul) – related of course to Sun-exalted Aries.”
“Mars rules not only the physical body but the entire form vehicle, which we call the personality in the three worlds.”8
Mars as hierarchical ruler of Sagittarius, also has a connection with the mystery of the Deva Kingdom, the “lunar lords”9 – and elementals that are involved in building the three bodies of the personality.
Therefore, Mars in Cancer can be very potent in stimulating the instinctual tendencies – on the one hand, combined with Aries, a very strong physical/sexual expression. On the other hand, Mars in Cancer can be stimulating to the point where the individual is driven to seek the solar life (soul) – related of course to Sun-exalted Aries.
At this point, Mars in Cancer can spur the individual’s aspiration and devotion to the soul, moving orientation from physical family and friends, ultimately aligning with the “family of humanity” and/or “the ashram” – the spiritual family, as distinct from the biological family and the tribal consciousness of Mars in Cancer.
The Sun is exalted in Aries – the yolk of the egg, the solar prana exchanged in Easter eggs – the sun rises in the East ….
Easter, Shamballa and the Resurrection
Aries is the first of three festivals for the spiritual new year, celebrated in the West at Easter, the first Sun-day (Sun exalted Aries) after the Aries full moon:
“The Festival of Easter. This is the festival of the risen, living Christ, the Teacher of all men and the Head of the Spiritual Hierarchy. He is the Expression of the Love of God. On this day the Spiritual Hierarchy which He guides and directs will be recognised, and the nature of God’s love will be emphasised.
This festival is determined always by the date of the first Full Moon of spring, and is the great Western and Christian festival.”10
The haunting “Temptation of Christ” (Georg Cornicelius – commonly mis-attributed to El Greco.)
The Christ, the Avatar who inaugurated the Age of Pisces, worked through His disciple Jesus who was crucified and scape-goated upon the cross – was an exemplar of the Piscean virtues of forgiveness, selflessness, sacrifice and salvation – taking on, absorbing and raising up human karma – “Forgive them for they know not what they do”.
“… sacrifice … from “Sacer,” to make holy; that is what in truth happens to the initiate; he is “made holy”; he is “set apart”.11
Through the last three years of his ministry over-shadowing his disciple Jesus, The Christ brought Humanity to a new level – elevating and transmuting – via the 2nd ray of Love-Wisdom principle: “A new commandment I give to you … as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
The Shamballa force associated with Aries and the first ray of Will-Power, was demonstrated 2,000 years ago when,
“… Christ, for the first time, anchored on earth a tenuous thread of the divine Will, as it issued from the Father’s House (Shamballa), passed into the understanding custody of the Kingdom of God, and through the medium of the Christ was brought to the attention of mankind.
… Christians are apt to forget that the crisis in the final hours of the Christ was not in those spent upon the Cross, but during those spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, when His will—in agony and almost despair—was submerged in that of the Father. “Father,” He said, “not my will but Thine be done.” (Luke XXII. 42.)12
The sublime beauty of “Agony in the Garden” (Paolo Veronese). Note the sleeping disciples in the background. Veronese was one of the leading lights/initiates during the Italian Renaissance, since becoming a Master of Wisdom – The Venetian (as in Venice). In fact, he has gone beyond that stage, holding the planetary position of the Chohan or custodian of the Third Ray of Active-Intelligence.
And we recall that during that long bitter night in Gethsemane that Christ-Jesus’ prediction came true -“Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice”. Even his nearest and dearest three disciples fell asleep, leaving him to endure the despair and loneliness of his situation – preceding the Fourth Initiation for Jesus, and the Seventh Initiation for The Christ:
“Christ Himself took this initiation some time ago and passed through the Resurrection Initiation and the experience of the seventh initiation.”13
The first ray that pours through Aries, is ruled by Pluto and Vulcan:
Hephaestos or Vulcan. (Nicholas Roerich)
“Vulcan is the ray or planet of isolation for, in a peculiar sense, it governs the fourth initiation wherein the depths of aloneness are plumbed and the man stands completely isolated. He stands detached from “that which is above and this which is below.”
There comes a dramatic moment when all desire is renounced; the will of God or the Plan is seen as the only desirable objective but as yet the man has not proved to himself, to the world of men or to his Master whether he has the strength to move forward along the line of service.
There is revealed to him (as there was revealed to the Christ at the fourth great initiatory crisis in His life) some definite, active undertaking which embodies that aspect of the will of God which it is his peculiar function to appropriate and make possible of expression.
This has been called in the Christian phraseology, “the Gethsemane experience.” The Christ, kneeling beside the rock (symbolic of the depths of the mineral kingdom and of the activity of Vulcan, the fashioner) – raises His eyes upward to where the light of revelation breaks forth and knows at that moment what it is He has to do.”14
The Crucifixion (Salvador Dali)
For centuries, due to the influence of the Mars-ruled sixth ray of idealism, there has been a morbid emphasis laid upon the gruesome crucifixion and death, but the real revelatory key to Easter is the Resurrection, very much the keynote of the first ray’s co-ruler Pluto:
“Resurrection is the keynote of nature; death is not. Death is only the ante-chamber of resurrection. Resurrection is the clue to the world of meaning, and is the fundamental theme of all the world religions — past, present and the future.
Resurrection of the spirit in man, in all forms, in all kingdoms, is the objective of the entire evolutionary process and this involves liberation from materialism and selfishness. In that resurrection, evolution and death are only preparatory and familiar stages.”15
Hence, Easter and the fourth initiation, also known as Liberation – or in the East as The Crucifixion, is our annual reminder of the goal for Humanity – as it moves through its various stages of unfoldment.
The Resurrection (Paolo Veronese) Italy’s soul ray is the sixth ray of devotion and idealism, hence many of the Italian artists expressed some of the most transcendent aspects of Christ’s story during the sixth ray cycle that accompanied the Piscean Age. There is of course the connection with Italy’s ancient Romans who nailed Jesus to the cross.
And as the evolutionary law determines within the ascending spiral of time, “Greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father … unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”16
Aquarian Wisdom Centre
Zoom webinar for Aries 2023 will be Wednesday, April 5 at 18.00 UT.
Meeting link at Aquarian Wisdom Centre
Phillip Lindsay © 2023.
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Books by Phillip Lindsay
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.92. [↩]
- A registered non-profit association [↩]
- Tarot Hero’s Journey: The Fool by Jessica Davidson. [↩]
- April Fool’s Day [↩]
- Collected Wrtings XII, H.P. Blavatsky. p.214. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p323. [↩]
- Tapestry of the Gods, Michael D. Robbins. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p210. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p37. [↩]
- The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Alice A. Bailey. p.420. [↩]
- The Rays and the Initiations, Alice A. Bailey. p.699. [↩]
- The Externalisation of the Hierarchy,Alice A. Bailey. p.605. [↩]
- The Rays and the Initiations, Alice A. Bailey. p.655. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.392. [↩]
- The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Alice A. Bailey. p.470. [↩]
- John 14:12, Ephesians 4:13. [↩]
Hi Phillip,
You wrote: “The Venetian (as in Venice) (Paolo Veronese). In fact, he has gone beyond that stage, holding the planetary position of the Chohan or custodian of the Third Ray of Active-Intelligence.”
I thought it was Master R who became the Chohan of the 3rd ray.
Master R assumed the mantle of the Mahachohan in 1925, the 3rd department/aspect – previous to that he was the Chohan of the 7th ray that has a natural affinity with the 3rd ray.
Thanks again for your work, Phillip.
Aries is the one who initiates the way from the golden (protective) light of the fifth plane, the Golden Fleece, the golden-woolled winged ram who, from the mental plan, protects all the children of God.
The mind is a space, an interval, the silence where “the idea that reincarnates” is known (Mercury) and is activated (Mars).
And this is why in any of the 12 rising signs is the seed of the Soul, “the power to initiate” or Aries.
Thanks for sharing
I wonder also about the latest alarm about Artificial General Intelligence. ie, just search re the letter on a moratorium on research into this * and the singularity and the end of biological life.
Meanwhile, “I come forth and from the plane of mind I rule…” It seems this relates to the fifth ray, fifth root race, sub…, and the 5th and 7th rays we are now entering upon with the Aquarian, Uranian, technological age, yes?
I realize it isn’t exactly on topics of your article, Phillip, but I didn’t want to dump this into your inbox. It does connect to the Aries theme of course, so, as you will, your thoughts on this would be welcome.
With all goodwill and godspeed,
V
Indeed Vic, a healthy move for this moratorium on AI before it gets out of control. The Aries keynote also relates to Mercury, esoteric ruler of Aries, in its capacity as ruler the lower/higher minds and the intuition. Uranus is the hierarchical ruler of Aries and of course ruler of the seventh ray of organisation, hence the link to Aquarius which Pluto has just entered!