Pisces 2015: Astral Surfing. Fomalhaut. Inquisition. Dubhe.
Keynote
“I leave the Father’s home and turning back I save.”
(Pisces Solar Festival: March 5, 2015. 6:05 pm, GMT.)
Introduction: A Reminder About the Science of Esoteric Astrology
Pisces and Neptune’s Realm: Surfing the Astral Plane
Pisces and the Sacrifice Petals: The Final Frontier
Pisces as Humourist and Healer
Pisces-Fomalhaut-Aquarius: Two Signs Connected to Water
Pisces-Virgo: Inquisitional Cruelty-Kindness Polarity
The Last Uranus-Pluto Square: Pisces-Aquarius Transition
Neptune in Pisces
The Extraordinary New Moon of Aquarius-Pisces
Jupiter’s Second of Three Hits on Dubhe
Introduction: A Reminder About the Science of Esoteric Astrology
In exploring the zodiac signs in the annual cycle, there is no limit to our understanding of Esoteric Astrology, that has been called “the science of all sciences” – and the “science of relationships”. It is an Aquarian and deeply occult science, a science of relationships between all living things – a human, group, city, nation, kingdom – a planet, solar system or constellation.
Esoteric Astrology is the science of the Seven Rays – the most profound human psychology, as well as other sub-sciences – the science of the chakras, the science of initiation, the science of triangles, the evolution of the planets and much more.
Hence, these annual missives will contain elements never discussed before in relation to a sign, but also by necessity, touch upon familiar subjects from different perspectives. Repetition in the Ageless Wisdom teachings is essential as there are several levels of understanding continually being revealed for those with “ears to hear and eyes to see”.
Soul-centered Esoteric Astrology illustrates the individual’s energetic constitution and with the intuition of the practicing astrologer, what stage upon the path an individual, group or nation is placed – thereby elucidating the nature of the testings and challenges that lie ahead. Personality-based astrology still has its place in the world and some of it is “spiritualised” – but it must become more infused with the idea of the soul, the true essence of a human being.
The main elements of Esoteric Astrology are the Seven Rays that enter into this solar system from cosmic sources, are transmitted by the “sacred” and “non-sacred” planets – through the twelve signs of the zodiac. This is the rich “feast of manna” upon which Humanity can dine in its evolution toward Enlightenment.
Pisces and Neptune’s Realm: Surfing the Astral Plane
During the Sun’s annual course through Pisces, the opportunity for a greater sensitivity and compassion is cultivated through the watery nature of this sign. As regularly stated, water is a symbol of the astral body, that most troublesome and erratic vehicle for the personality to gain mastery over. An analogy might be the surfer riding a wave, maintaining balance, poise and mental discipline. Pisces is the mystical experience deep inside the tube – in mother earth’s core, where churns the roaring silence.
Beauty, poise and perfection. Are you living your life “in the tube”?
The Pisces mystic experiences moments of true Neptunian buddhi as it is reflected onto the astral plane. The astral body redeemed and purified is a potent expression for buddhi, especially for those upon the “even” (2,4,6) love-wisdom rays. The achievement of buddhic awareness is the goal of Humanity. There are flashes of buddhi-intuition along the Way but the full experience occurs when the point of liberation has been reached – a complete reunification with divine consciousness. At its highest expression, Pisces stands for the liberation of the soul, for service upon an universal scale.
Paradoxically however, Pisces is known as a sign of bondage, particularly to the attachments of the astral-emotional realm. When human beings can finally emulate the great avatars by substituting love for attachment, then Liberation ensues. Nevertheless, due to this emotional sensitivity, Pisces expresses great empathy, sympathy and compassion – it is a sign of personal sacrifice, salvage and redemption that leads to salvation.
Going beyond its Biblical connotations, it is not an individual salvation but a recognition of how all can contribute to the redemption of Earth, to “restore the Plan on Earth”, to reconstitute the Divine Laws upon this so-called “non-sacred planet”. Earth is one of the few planets in the solar system that still has not reached its broader evolutionary goal. The eventual flowering of Love-Wisdom in the garden of the human kingdom holds the key to Earth achieving the status of a “sacred planet”.
Personal and collective salvation is the recognition of the eternal soul ever-present in all. The successful outcome of this “Love-Wisdom plan” will have ramifications throughout the entire solar system and beyond, as the solar system is part of a greater Cosmic Being within which Earth is a player. (This is an area of study for deeper students of esotericism and some material on the Cosmic Logos can be found here.)
Pisces and the Sacrifice Petals: The Final Frontier
Pisces is a sign of sacrifice and Pisceans upon the lighted way can experience great pain in making sacrifices that are demanded of them in every day life – Love hurts! The word “sacrifice” (to render up the lower self), connects to a theme in one of Esoteric Astrology’s sub-sciences – the Science of the Centres (chakras). When considering the unfoldment of the twelve-petalled heart lotus, the three “sacrifice petals” are the third tier of petals to unfold on the human evolutionary journey. (See diagram below.)
The process of opening all the petals of the heart lotus takes place over many thousand of incarnations. Depending upon the soul ray in question (and karma), the petals of the heart lotus open in various sequences – but essentially the sequence of knowledge, love and sacrifice.1
Although an individual may not have opened all the “love petals” of the second tier, they might be working upon opening the first petal of the third “sacrifice tier”. Such can be the uneven development in the soul’s journey according to individual and group karma or the manifestation of that soul’s particular ashram on the inner planes – in harmony with the unfoldment of the Planetary Plan.
The “sacrifice tier” (or “final fron-tier”) is esoterically the first tier, corresponding to the first ray of will-power, whose co-ruler is Pluto, soul ruler of Pisces. Hence, Pisces for the advanced soul, concerns Pluto’s transformative work in destroying obstacles that prevent the opening of the sacrifice petals.
For the few who over many lives are starting to unfold the sacrifice petals, it might feel like they are being forced open – as if God was applying his cosmic crowbar,
“For all, sacrifice is the hardest, for it involves ever the two factors of intelligence and love, – intelligent knowledge and a love that goes out to that which must be saved through sacrifice.”3
Pisces as Humourist and Healer
When reflecting upon any zodiac sign, the polar opposite sign’s interplay is at least considered, but also the entire cross of four signs. Pisces can be one of the most hysterically funny signs of the zodiac; it’s sense of humour draws upon the Gemini arm of the mutable cross, of which it is part.
Mimicry and clowning are particular gifts of Gemini-Pisces. They are a reflection of the evolved Piscean’s deeper transformative Plutonic path, to reflect back to others the contents of their unconscious selves. (Pluto can also evoke a very dark humour.) Pisces has a fondness for wordplay and puns, reflecting not only Gemini, but mutable cross Virgo as the wordsmith crafting words.
As the esoteric ruler of Pisces, Pluto is like a bucket drawn up from the deep well of the ocean. Here is a metaphor for the process of redemption – the soul that lies hidden in the depths, drawn from its “drowned” state. There is also a correspondence to Pisces’ opposite Virgo, where the soul, the central light within, is gestating and hidden in the womb of matter. From clowning to drowning, Pisces is a sign of “death by drowning”,
“The waters drowned the man. The fish was made to disappear. It then appeared again only to die, or else to die and bring salvation … death by drowning or by water in Pisces releases man again into that great centre which we call Humanity, and there experience is gained. Herein lies the mystery of the fish-goddesses of this sign “who spawn their young again and yet again.””4
The simile of the well and bucket can also refer to The Dweller, lurking in the lowest part of the astral plane (the human, self-created hell) – brought to the surface and transformed; blinded by the light of day, the “dead” raised to life, desire transmuted into aspiration and the Way of the Heart.
Pisceans make excellent counsellors as they possess a drawing-out, coaxing, exorcism-like talent that blends with compassionate receiving-listening skills; they are able to invoke something that is hidden, into awareness. (Note that Pluto rules another water sign Scorpio, where the healing skill of drawing out the astral toxins is also recognised.) Pisces often lives with one foot in the subtle worlds, hence their propensity to be subject to self-delusion through incorrect discrimination about what is contacted in the astral.
Pisces-Fomalhaut-Aquarius: Two Signs Connected to Water
It is important to bear in mind that not only is this planet in transition from one precession cycle to another – with the mixing and blending of the energies of two signs, but that there are no rigid lines that separate any zodiac signs:
“It is an error to consider the margin of contact between two signs in the passage of the Sun to be in the nature of hard and fast frontiers or set boundary lines. Such is not the case. There are no rigid lines of demarcation separating two entirely different areas of experience and consciousness upon the solar path. It only appears to be so and this itself is part of the Great Illusion.”5
The water in the aforementioned “bucket” is also the “water of life” of Aquarius. Further, the fixed star Fomalhaut (one of the four “royal stars”) is known as the “saving fish”, alluding to the earlier theme of salvation. This star marks out the fixed cross (the cross of the soul), along with Antares in Scorpio, Aldebaran in Taurus and Regulus in Leo.
Fomalhaut issuing forth from the mouth of the “parent fish” (lower l/h corner), connected to the Aquarian water-bearer and the two fishes joined together with a band. The other much bigger fish is Cetus the sea-monster or whale.(Photo by author – from the ceiling of Villa Farnese, Caprarola, Italy.).
“In early mythology, Fomalhaut was known as the parent of the two fishes that form the constellation Pisces. Being a single fish and the parent of the other two, it has no binding as do the Pisces pair. It is shown in many pictorial maps of the constellations, as a fish drinking the stream flowing from the constellation Aquarius, The Water Pourer. Thus, the father or parent fish of the Pisces pair is thought to be absorbing Aquarian wisdom … the Great Fish, the higher self, the begetter of the two fishes in Pisces. Considered together, the two constellations portray the triplicity of spirit, soul and body.”6
Hence, Fomalhaut’s function is to serve as a bridge between Aquarius and Pisces, relegating it to an elevated role in this transition of the ages. In fact, Fomalhaut is placed in the first few degrees of Pisces in the tropical zodiac but in Aquarius in the sidereal zodiac. (The transiting Sun in Pisces was exactly conjunct Fomalhaut at the time of this writing!)
From another perspective, the single “redeeming” or “parent” fish is the result of the synthesis of the two fishes in Pisces, creating the World Server of Aquarius. Fomalhaut was an object of veneration in the ancient mystery temples of various ancient cultures. carrying the theme of death and rebirth. It is also interesting to note that a planet within a Fomalhaut solar system was discovered in 2008.7
L: The debris ring around Fomalhaut. Fomalhaut B was first star beyond our solar system visible to eye in photo images. R: Conception of what a planet orbiting Fomalhaut might have to endure as it plows through the dusty disk around this star.
Pisces-Virgo: Inquisitional Cruelty-Kindness Polarity
During the height of the Piscean era there were several hundred years of cruel religious inquisitions. One may ask why this occurred during the sign of unconditional love and compassion? Some reasons are listed below:
1. The aggressive nature of Mars as ruler of the sixth ray (Devotion-Idealism), a ray powerfully in incarnation during the Piscean Age. Mars brings emotional adherence to ideologies and their fanatical execution – literally!
2. The Piscean tendency to distort ideas due to the lower influence of Neptune and the creation of glamour. Note that Neptune and Mars both rule the solar plexus centre. Fanaticism created by both Mars, Neptune and the sixth ray.
3. Spain, one of the main perpetrators of the Inquisition was under the influence of its sixth ray soul, though in a distorted way. Likewise, Italy hosting the seat of the Vatican is also a sixth ray soul, combined with the often fanatically religious Sagittarian personality. More recently, the inquisition of Stalinist Russia is noteworthy. Russia is a sixth ray personality.
4. The polar opposite sign of Virgo and the critical, separative mind. The extraordinary detail and craftsmanship in European cathedrals is the Virgo artisan. But the cold and cruel persecution of millions of people in Europe and the Americas, is the lower mental aspect of Virgo that forever finds fault on its quest for perfection.
5. Pisces-Virgo are both compassionate signs, as the second ray of Love-Wisdom pours through them. But the fanatical sixth ray also passes through both signs, hence the compassion-cruelty pair of opposites is evident. A good example is the horoscope of the Nazi Party, a more recent inquisitor – Sun, Uranus and Mercury in Pisces opposite Virgo rising. (See author’s essay, Nazi Germany: An Astro-Historical Analysis.
Inquisition: The Horror and the Humour. (Monty Python.)
6. The cycle of the third ray (Active-Intelligence) that began in 1425 and started the Renaissance period – a flowering of arts, sciences and mental expansion. Saturn is the ruler of the throat chakra (seat of the mental body) and the third ray. In his lower aspect, Saturn is hard and cruel, representing crystallised ideas blended with fanaticism of the sixth ray.
7. Today there are several inquisitional groups around the world upon the sixth ray line – religious or quasi-religious, representing the last gasp and worst tendencies of Pisces and the sixth ray.
The Last Uranus-Pluto Square: Pisces-Aquarius Transition
The seventh and last of the Uranus-Pluto squares since June 2012, concludes March 16, 2015. The effects of these squares have been profound and will reverberate throughout all of 2015. The last square has a conjunction of Mars in Aries conjunct Uranus, creating a potent unpredictablity and instability through impulsive or fanatical aggression.
The reader may recall that these Uranus-Pluto squares are a re-run of the five Uranus-Pluto squares from 1930-34. Uranus was in Aries (like now), and Pluto was in Cancer – opposite its current Capricorn position. These Uranus-Pluto squares unfolded during the Great Depression and the build-up of fascism of the early 1930’s in Europe, leading to World War II five years later.
There have been several similarities in the past few years, most notably economic recessions and a “creeping fascism” in some leading Western nations. The economic recession of 2008 is forecast by financial experts to repeat many-fold in 2015, with doubts about some nations staying with the Euro. There is mounting concern about increasing control by governments in many aspects of life, such as the internet, health, agriculture, education and politics – limiting many human freedoms.
The ongoing spread of blood-curdling terrorism is one of the darkest and unsettling symptoms of the Uranus-Pluto squares. Perhaps it is a reflexive response to increasing fascism of the West? Uranus rules revolution and Pluto presides over “hell”. These groups have been born from a hell created by all of humanity, not just a few (but rapidly growing) groups of fanatics. All these events are connected to the Planetary Dweller on the Threshold – that Humanity is confronting in its culminating quest to participate more fully in the kingdom of the soul.
Aquarius is ruled by Uranus at a personality level, and Pisces is ruled by Pluto at the soul level – hence the square between these planets mirrors this transition of the ages. Pluto was only discovered in the 1930’s, yet its power is becoming more apparent at the end of the age of Pisces – destroying the past in preparation for Uranus’s future; drawing to the surface the entire contents of the human underworld – with all its ignorance and selfishness; stimulating a big grab for power – politically and militarily – as currently occurring in Ukraine, the Middle East etc.
Commentators such as Pope Francis have stated that we are already in World War III, “…one fought piecemeal, with crimes, massacres, destruction.” Libran Vladimir Putin will be interesting to watch as Uranus and Pluto make their last hits on his Sun. Russia has been doing some power posturing recently, sending their bombers over British airspace.
Hence humanity finds itself at a pivotal point of transition from Pisces to Aquarius. The next ten years leading up to 2025 with the planned Externalisation of the Hierarchy will invoke the forces of materialism ever more potently to resist the approaching Light. All those who work for the future must stand with intention so that the same scenarios that played out in the 1930’s do not repeat themselves today.
Neptune in Pisces
Offsetting some of these worrying global trends is the transit of Neptune through Pisces. Along with Jupiter, Neptune stands for the Love-Wisdom principle so vitally needed upon this planet and in the solar system. Esoterically speaking, Neptune is the vehicle of Varuna who contributes to the transmission of love-wisdom into this solar system.
Neptune is a co-ruler of Pisces and this sign is a transmitter of forces from the star Sirius8 connected to the cosmic mental plane. Neptune transmits these energies through the heart centre of the planet and into the hearts of all those who compassionately serve Humanity. The lower correspondence of the heart, the solar plexus, is also stimulated, expressing devotion and idealism on the one hand, and the fogs of glamour on the other.
Hence, through its association with Varuna and Sirius, Neptune in Pisces has the potential to fuse those forces emanating from the astral and mental cosmic planes, precipitating the greater cosmic Plan eventually onto Earth’s physical plane.
Neptune will be in Pisces for another ten years, up to the much awaited 2025, when it will enter Aries. Neptune is the esoteric name for Christ and Aries is the lamb “slain from the foundation of the world”, the lamb of god and also another name for the Christ. Therefore, Neptune entering Aries in 2025 will signal the Externalisation of the Hierarchy, who will seek to restore the old laws and principles – “to restore the Plan on Earth” and sound the note for the Aquarian cycle unfolding.
The Extraordinary New Moon in Aquarius-Pisces
Two weeks before this 2015 Pisces full moon was the new moon in Aquarius – in the last minute of arc in that sign: 29˚Aquarius 59’, a very unusual new moon – and conjunct the star Fomalhaut. On the one hand, planets in the last degree of a sign emphasise with great intensity the qualities of that sign. Yet on the other, only a few minutes of time elapse before the Moon and Sun enter Pisces respectively.
Aquarius and Pisces are connected to WATER, a symbol of Love-Wisdom, the indigo second ray. Aquarius is the Water-Bearer who “pours forth for those who thirst” this Love-Wisdom through esoteric ruler Jupiter. Aquarius is the “World Server”.
Pisces is a water sign and second ray of Love-Wisdom passes through it. Neptune, God of the Waters and also co-ruler of Pisces, is transiting through its own sign, conjunct the new moon. Pisces is the “World Saviour”.
New moons are deeply esoteric periods where the seed of a certain quality related to the zodiac sign is germinated, finding its fruition at the full moon two weeks later. Hence, that new moon represented a synthesis of Aquarian and Pisces forces.
Venus was also in Pisces, exalted in this sign and conjunct Mars, hence her pacifying vibrations may offset some of the more fanatical tendencies of Mars in Pisces. Pluto is the esoteric ruler of Pisces and destroys the thread that binds the two fishes together – a symbol of duality submerged in matter. Venus in Pisces had an important role to play:
“It is the task of Venus to “reunite the severed lives but with no binding thread.” Therefore, 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 “crucifixion” is the sublimation of the lower material self to the soul. It is symbolised by that great Piscean “buddha” known in the West as Christ; who demonstrated the potential for every human being – the Pisces qualities of forgiveness and compassion – leading to Liberation from the bondage of matter. Let us then, learn to love and truly reason!
Jupiter’s Second of Three Hits on Dubhe
In the Libra newsletter for 2014, there was a discussion of Jupiter’s transit through Leo over the two pointer stars. It was stated that,
“The alternation of transiting Jupiter over both these points from September 2014 to June 2015, may see a corresponding global alternation between “self will” and “carrying out God’s purpose”.
At the Pisces full moon 2015, Jupiter makes its second of three hits on Dubhe (14˚Leo 21′). Hence, the “self-will” or the “lower aspect of the will” may be highly activated at this time. And again in May 25, yet Jupiter’s third and final hit on Merak on June, may create the opportunity to,
“Carry out God’s purpose … give a sense of right direction and guidance … with a consequent right direction registered by the disciple upon the Path.”
Phillip Lindsay © 2015.
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- See also Michael D. Robbins excellent commentaries upon the petals of the egoic lotus here. [↩]
- A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, Alice A. Bailey. p.771. [↩]
- A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, Alice A. Bailey. p.825. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.97-8. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.137. [↩]
- Star Myths, R.A. Allen. [↩]
- EarthSky. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.427-8. [↩]
- Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.130. [↩]