Virgo 2016: Hygeia. Mercury Retro. Vulcan. J.K. Rowling. Dylan. Brazil. Portugal.

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Virgo Keynote
“I am the Mother and the Child. I, God, I matter am.”
_{(Full Moon: September 16, 2016. 8:05 pm GMT.)} 

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“Virgo symbolises depths, darkness, quiet and warmth; it is the valley of deep experience wherein secrets are discovered and eventually “brought to light”; it is the place of slow, gentle and yet powerful crises and periodic developments which take place in the dark and yet which lead to light.”1

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Virgo, the Womb of Time
Hygeia, Ruler of Virgo
Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
Virgo and Vulcan
J.K. Rowling’s Virgoan Writing Skills
Bob Dylan the Welder
Brazil, Virgo Personality
Portugal: Virgo Soul?
Philippe Petit: High-Wire Walker

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Virgo, the Womb of Time
Virgo is a sign well suited to inner contemplative processes and rules one of the five stages of meditation – the stage of meditation per se – following after the Leo stage of concentration and preceding the Libran stage of contemplation. (See Leo newsletter for 2016.)

“Virgo – Meditation: Soul life, as sensed in man, the gestation period. The stage of the hidden Christ. Intelligent man. Personality, as hiding the Christ life.”3

It is said that Virgo represents the “womb of time” where the great mystery of “the plan of God” goes though a long maturation period until it is brought into manifestation through struggle and conflict.

The second ray of Love-Wisdom finds its strongest expression in the zodiac through Virgo – but this sign is also associated with the fourth ray of Harmony through Conflict – through the Moon’s esoteric rulership of Virgo and co-rulership of the fourth ray. Hence Virgo and the fourth ray work together in the continual refinement of spirit as it is invoked into the earthy matter of Virgo.

Gestation in the womb of time leads to birth, a function of the feminine, the “womb-an”. Again we witness the analogy of any kind of birth being a painful process. Like the infinity symbol ∞ birth is linked to death and through death humans seek re-birth. Consider Virgo’s polar opposite Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac, a sign of death and finality ruled esoterically by Pluto, the Lord of Death and Regeneration.

This link between Pisces and Virgo is also connected to the myth of the abduction of Demeter’s (Virgo) daughter Persephone by Pluto, Lord of the Underworld. This myth is superficially an allegory for the seasons in the northern hemisphere tradition. Pluto, the Lord of Death, takes Persephone (vegetation) every season.

Esoterically, Persephone refers to the burial of the body of wo-man and the immortality of the soul. The story refers to the inner gestation processes that go on underground in the psyche, the unconscious, within the various aspects of the astral-mental life that Pisces-Virgo symbolise respectively. Pluto as soul ruler of Pisces capturing Virgo’s Persephone hints at the blending of these two opposite signs. (See more here: Virgo 2012.)

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Hygiea, Ruler of Virgo
Virgo has several asteroids associated with it: Ceres-Demeter, Vesta and Hygeia. When considering asteroids esoterically, they have a potent influence on the levels of the etheric-physical:

“Figures also must be computed when the effect upon the planets of what are called “asteroids” is known. This is much greater than exoteric science has so far admitted, but the significance of this must eventually be interpreted in terms of energy and on etheric levels.”4

Hygeia is worth noting in the personal horoscope with regard to health matters – one will find accuracy and guidance, especially when considering transits.

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In myth, Hygeia was the daughter and assistant of the great healer Aesceplius. In Klimt’s painting above, Hygeia stands with the snake around her arm, its head probing the bowl in her hand. Serpents were used in ancient times to find certain herbs in the wild.

But the serpent represents many other things, one of which is the feminine kundalini (shakti) energy that lies coiled at the base of the spine. It’s a subtle paradox that Virgo the Virgin has some jurisdiction over this universal sexual force and its right use.

Hygeia’s bowl is the mixing bowl of the apothecary (pharmacist) containing healing potions, with the serpent of Wisdom drinking from it. The serpent is the symbol of resurrection and regeneration (Pluto), the restoration to good health. This serpent is found on the Staff of Aesculapius and the Caduceus – symbol for Mercury, ruler of Virgo – and is also the symbol for the asteroid Hygeia.

These symbols of medicine and healing are very ancient and even the original Hippocratic Oath began, “I swear by Apollo the Physician and by Aesculapius and by Hygeia and Panacea and by all the gods …”

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Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
Once again Mercury is retrograde – in the sign that it rules, Virgo – for the duration of the Sun’s passage through Virgo until at least September 22. If you have planets in one of the four mutable signs of Virgo-Pisces, Gemini-Sagittarius, this retrograde period of Mercury will be especially important, with a need for forbearance! Mercury goes retrograde four times during the year and can be a frustrating time for those who are unprepared for its influence.

Retrogradation of any planet is based upon our perception from Earth and is actually an optical illusion because the planets never move backwards. Retrogradation is therefore based upon appearance only, hence lends itself to illusion and confusion. Esoteric students know that the outer form is always the mask of maya, hiding the true inner nature and it is no less so with the phenomenon of retrogradation.

Yet despite this, even when there is awareness of these facts (because we are all enmeshed in maya, glamour and illusion to some degree), we can all fall foul of Mercury retrograde: Most typically with transport delays, computer crashes, mobile phone glitches, badly timed purchases, mis-communications in writing and speaking etc. On the theme of illusion, The Tibetan mysteriously hints,

“Mercury, the divine Messenger, the principle of illusion and the expression of the active higher mind, has performed his mission and “led humanity into the light” and the Christ-child out of the womb of time and of the flesh into the light of day and of manifestation, then the task of that great centre we call humanity will be accomplished.”5

When Mercury goes retrograde on a regular basis, it provides an opportunity to go inward, to go back over matters that may have been covered more superficially in the past, to question one’s motives, to achieve a greater thoroughness in our projects, plans and relationships.

Hence, a retrograde period for any planet, if consciously embraced, can be a period of dynamic growth by working through obstacles thereby transforming old habits.

Mercury retrograde allows for a greater awareness of the NOW, allowing a personal vigilance to step in and correct old thought or behaviour patterns when they arise. Mercury retrograde provides a window of recalibration and re-evaluation.

From the exoteric viewpoint, when Mercury is retrograde in its own sign of Virgo, it is particularly important to pay close attention to those Virgo themes of efficiency, thoroughness, meticulousness, productivity, health, hygiene (Hygeia) and getting organised; going back over one’s plans carefully with a fine tooth comb! If this attitude is not embraced during a Mercury retrograde period, then Mercury the Trickster will surely trip you up every time, creating frustrati0n and forcing you back upon your inner resources.

From the esoteric perspective, Mercury retrograde is an opportune time to cultivate the intuition. Mercury rules the fourth plane of perception known as Buddhi or intuition, the stage of consciousness toward which all of Humanity is heading in its quest for perfection and liberation. Virgo is a sign of perfection because of Virgo’s natural refining processes that take place within Vulcan’s fiery crucible. (See later section on Virgo and Vulcan.)

Mercury retrograde is akin to a “no man’s land” (nowhere) in consciousness, a place to gain a perspective of the conflicting pairs of opposites in one’s life. On that theme of conflict, Mercury is the co-ruler of the fourth ray of Harmony through Conflict. As mentioned earlier, the Moon is the esoteric ruler of Virgo and shares this fourth ray rulership with Mercury – specifically the “conflict” part of the equation – leaving Mercury as the harmoniser.

Bear in mind also, that the Mercury retrograde periods have a two-week pre and post retrograde phase which for some can feel just as strong Mercury retrograde! The pre-retrograde phase is when the daily motion of Mercury starts to slow down, whilst the post retrograde phase is when the daily motion is moving toward its normal speed – but both phases take almost two weeks each!

Hence, the Mercury pre-retrograde phase was August 10-29. The retrograde phase per se is August 30 to September 22 and post retrograde dates are September 23 to October 6. Altogether, the retrograde dates span a period of almost two months.

When all of the Mercury retrograde periods are added up for the year (including pre and post), they amount to six months, or half of each year. Therefore, cultivating a greater awareness of this regular Mercurial rhythm in our lives, we will welcome each Mercury retrograde cycle as one of opportunity instead of frustration and chaos!

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Virgo and Vulcan
When considering Virgo and its ruler Mercury, the subject of Vulcan cannot be avoided because Vulcan is said to be “… within the orbit of Mercury.”6 Likewise with Virgo’s esoteric ruler, the Moon:

“The Moon (Vulcan) … the esoteric ruler [of Virgo]. The Moon (or fourth ray energy) is here seen as an expression of first ray energy, manifesting through Vulcan. The Moon rules the form and it is the will of God to manifest through the medium of form.”7

It is said that Vulcan is the “Fashioner of divine expression” and the “one who reveals that which is deeply hidden and brings it up into the light. Esoterically – the heart of the Sun”.8

There is much debate and speculation among esoteric students about whether Vulcan is an etheric or physical planet, partly because of references in the ancient wisdom to Vulcan being “invisible”. (Invisible because it’s etheric or because it is hidden within the orbit of Mercury?) So whilst Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, Vulcan is a fascinating theme to explore.

As an intra-Mercurial planet, Vulcan would be very hard to see, given that Mercury broadcasts so much light – and the fact that Mercury itself is so physically close to the Sun. The close proximity of all three bodies is reflected in the enigmatic statement,

“The light of Vulcan and the light of the Sun are one light and these three – Mercury, Vulcan and the Sun – stand for a synthesis and a radiance which eventually dims the light of Mercury and it “falls” into the background and Vulcan too becomes invisible and only the Sun remains.”9

Vulcan may have already been discovered in 1849 by Joseph Sidebottham who saw an object transiting the Sun on March 12.10 Likewise, other observations of Vulcan by navy ships and astronomers have been documented but the evidence has been too “inconclusive” for an official confirmation of a Vulcan discovery. The French doctor and amateur astronomer, Lescarbault, on 26 March, 1859, “… saw a small object transiting the Sun and having heard of Le Verrier’s theory of an intra-mercurial planet named Vulcan, he wrote a letter to the astronomer and was consequently visited by him in December 1859.”11

The fact that The Tibetan mentioned Vulcan in his writings through Alice A. Bailey last century, may point to the fact that Vulcan had already been discovered but eluded official recognition. Vulcan’s discovery might be further confirmed by DK’s statement made in the 1930’s, just after Pluto’s discovery in 1930:

“Vulcan and Pluto are expressions or custodians of this first ray energy and are, as I have told you, esoteric planets. The first indication of the true spiritual will only begins to manifest upon the Path of Discipleship – hence the late discovery of these two planets (late in point of time and from the angle of human knowledge) – for it is only in this Aryan race period that humanity is to any large extent beginning to manifest evidence of a response to the spiritual will of deity as it comes to our planet via … Vulcan and Pluto.”12n!

It is interesting to note that the two previous dates for “discovery” were 1849 and 1859, close to 1860, the beginning of a seventh ray sub-cycle13 during the Piscean Age.

The seventh ray of Ceremonial Order, Magic, Organisation and Rhythm – has some features in common with Vulcan the Divine Smithy – who works in the densest material mineral realm – at his forge underground.

The rhythmic beat of Vulcan’s hammer blows upon the anvil – “the anvil-like processes of time”; Vulcan’s work of manifesting spirit in matter; the moulding of matter according to a divine blueprint. The rays of Vulcan may well be a first ray soul with a seventh ray personality, not unlike Dr. Spock!

“Vulcan controls the anvil-like processes of time and strikes the blow which shapes the metal into that which is desired, and this is true today as never before. He it is who is forging the way for the coming Avatar Who will – at the right moment – come forth, embodying in Himself the Will of God which is the divine will-to-good, to peace through understanding, and to right relations between men and between nations”.14

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J.K. Rowling’s Virgoan Writing Skills
The author of the Harry Potter books, the “best-selling books in history”, has a Leo sun, but her “secret writing weapon” is a cluster of planets in Virgo-Venus, Uranus, Pluto and the Moon.

Her birth time is unknown (she chooses to remain enigmatic and mysterious!), hence any horoscopes of Rowling are speculative. Nevertheless, if she was born after 1 pm, Mercury moves from Leo into zero degrees of its own powerful rulership of Virgo – totaling five planets in Virgo altogether.

Mercury is the Muse of language, ruling both Gemini and Virgo. In Gemini, Mercury is at its most eloquent in speech – more so than writing but still makes a good writer or lyricist, for example Bob Dylan (See next section.).

However, in Virgo, Mercury excels as the true word-smith, who carefully crafts and constructs, hammering out ideas and burnishing them to a refined brilliance – Mercury and Vulcan are working here within each other’s orbits. Virgo is the “garment of god” so carefully woven for the goddess – the garment of refined thought and Mercurial discrimination, woven with imagination and fine language.

Virgo is the most powerful position for Mercury in the zodiac, representing a highly developed intelligence. Mercury is also conjunct Venus in Virgo:

“Venus … stands for the gift of mind and of divinity … Virgo and Venus are together two aspects of intelligence. The symbolism of the descent of Spirit into the womb of the virgin mother is preserved for us in the astrological fact that Venus falls in this sign; esoterically, she disappears from view and vanishes into the darkness.”15

Venus-Mercury confirm Rowling’s brilliance but also provide her penchant for The Mysteries and the Science of the Unseen – i.e. Magic and Occultism. Recall that the Moon in Virgo veils the energy of Vulcan. The position of the Moon in Virgo conjunct Pluto is also most complimentary – to penetrate deeply in the unknown – and perhaps also hinting at other lifetimes’ involvement in the Arcane Arts. Neptune conjunct a proposed Scorpio ascendant emphasises mystery and imagination. One of Rowling’s past teachers said,

“Joanne’s work always showed impressive imagination and in class she was always bright and enthusiastic, much in the way of Hermione in the Harry Potter books. But when it came to her stories they were always about elves or pixies or fairies. I was constantly telling her that she was at an age where she should be writing about grittier, more real-life things.”16

According to British astrologer Robert Curry, J.K. Rowling was quite familiar with astrology, even preparing a horoscope report for a client in the 1990’s. It was reported in July 2010 that this rare unpublished work by J. K. Rowling was being offered for sale at £25,000. (Astrology and J.K. Rowling.) Currey further points out,

“Harry is born 31st july – twinned with J K Rowling – both Leos. The septology covers Harry’s heroic inner and outer battles to find his courage, destiny and to “own” his fame. Along this journey, Harry undergoes a gradual process of individuation as he learns to accept his shadow’ serpentine side.

Hermoine is born 19 September. Her studious, brilliant, observant and critical nature is in line with her Virgo Sun Sign.

Ron is born 1st March and his emotionally volatile and sensitive nature complies with Pisces. He is Harry’s devoted side-kick who is sensitive and feels insecure about his lack of recognition compared to his illustrious friend.”17

Rowling joins the ranks of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind) and C. S. Lewis (Narnia) in an illustrious group of writers who were inspired by astrology.18

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Bob Dylan the Welder
And speaking of Bob Dylan, the gifted Gemini songwriter also has four planets in Taurus. The two earth signs Taurus and Virgo are related to one another through Vulcan – in this case, as the esoteric ruler of Taurus:

“The esoteric ruler of Taurus is Vulcan, the forger of metals, the one who works in the densest, most concrete expression of the natural world (from the human angle). He is the one who goes down into the depths to find the material upon which to expend his innate art and to fashion that which is beautiful and useful. Vulcan is, therefore, that which stands for the soul, the individual, inner, spiritual man; in his activity we find the key to the soul’s task upon the eternal round of the wheel of life … the art of Vulcan who rules the inner man and guides his fashioning.”19

No doubt Dylan spent many hours hammering out his songs, blending melody and lyrics: “It’s about craftsmanship, perspective, lyrical meter, simple melodies, having something to say and a “pure-hearted motivation” for writing.” (Bob Dylan)

However, now Dylan has become Vulcan, welding beautifully wrought gates! He is preparing for a major exhibition at the Halcyon Gallery in London as this article describes.

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Brazil: Virgo Personality
As mentioned in last month’s Leo newsletter, Brazil is a Virgo personality20, enhancing its feminine disposition. It is also the only nation in the world given as a second ray of love-wisdom personality, adding further to its feminine expression:

“It is useful to bear in mind that some nations are negative and feminine and others are masculine and positive. India, France, the United States of America, Russia and Brazil are all feminine and constitute the nurturing mother aspect. They are feminine in their psychology – intuitive, mystical, alluring, beautiful, fond of display and colour, and with the faults also of the feminine aspect, such as over emphasis upon the material aspects of life, upon pageantry, upon possession and upon money or its equivalent as a symbol of the form side of existence. They mother and nurture civilisation and ideas.”21

As discussed in last month’s newsletter, the current transit of Saturn in Sagittarius squaring Brazil’s Virgo Sun has resulted in the impeachment of the country’s president Dilma Rousseff, plus the prosecution and weeding out of many others in the government and private sectors.

The new president Temer is not much better, he is part of the problem but at least some action has been taken, despite the fact that democratically elected Rousseff was impeached somewhat illegally. The next two months will see Saturn come into the third and final exact square to the Virgo sun, promising to be a rocky road fraught with conflict.

Yet this is a milestone for Brazil, and could well be indicative of its Leo soul coming into greater influence. Indeed, the Virgo sun is the ruler of Brazil’s Leo ascendant/soul purpose. The Lord of Karma Saturn squaring the Sun is a moment of great opportunity to bring about a purge based upon right ethics and principles (Saturn in Sagittarius). This purification (Virgo) must extend throughout the Brazilian culture as well, in reinstating and strengthening the morals and morale of the people. This transit should bring about a greater integration of Brazil’s personality, which will of course lead to a better alignment with its Leo soul.

Brazil’s solar return 2016
However, the transit of Saturn to the Virgo sun will last the entire year from August 2016 to August 2017, because Brazil’s solar return horoscope has this Saturn square sun “baked in” – with the addition of Mars in Sagittarius that is more closely squaring the Virgo sun. This latter aspect of Mars has already sparked violent demonstrations from both sides of the political fence and will probably continue in this vein for some time as the people voice their dissatisfaction.

The moon is in Scorpio, guaranteeing Brazil will go through an intense “burning ground”, where even more corruption and secrets may emerge – certainly much subterfuge and scheming! Leo is rising in this solar return horoscope, mirroring its natal horoscope, giving a chance for the Leo soul of Brazil to take command and direct its wayward personality. Uranus is in the ninth house, promising innovative and original ideas that can lead Brazil in new directions.

Part of the learning curve for the Virgo personality of Brazil is to learn to be far more discriminative. Virgo is the sign of discrimination, yet Brazil’s general public is easily swayed by populist propaganda. The transit of Saturn in Sagittarius to Brazil’s Virgo sun creates a point of tension where a deeper discrimination can be developed.

Gloria Alvares (March 9, 1985) is a great voice for helping Latin American countries in general develop this needed discrimination. She is a Pisces sun and Libra moon, with Mercury, Venus and Mars in firebrand Aries – a passionate voice!

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Portugal: Virgo Soul?
During my recent travels in Portugal in 2016 (See my Facebook page for pictures), I have been struck by the energy of Virgo in this nation. The soul is never that obvious in most nations and if it is, it often expresses itself in a distorted manner due to the immaturity of nations.

Leading astrologers in Portugal posit Pisces as the soul of the nation, but it could very well be its personality expression, given the obvious nature of some of these Piscean traits: Mystical, emotional, compassionate, loving, yielding, forgiving etc. – especially kindness, something that visitors will find very consistent in the Portuguese people.

Portugal has the Atlantic Ocean as one of its borders, the realm of Neptune and the fishes of Pisces, with stunning beaches that are well patronised by the locals and foreign visitors. (Also the best seafood anywhere on the planet!) The Portuguese were great seafarers and made many new sea routes and discoveries.

Given that Portugal is the mother of Brazil (which is to be the initial home of the coming Sixth Rootrace), there seems to be a glaring omission in the book Destiny of the Nations – Portugal’s rays and ruling zodiac signs were not given. It is the author’s theory that this was a deliberate omission by The Tibetan to force intuitive students to figure out this mystery; and also perhaps to hide and protect the Grail; it is a small nation and about half the size of Great Britain but by no means insignificant; it is a multi-faceted jewel that hides many treasures.

Perhaps Portugal “hides its light under a bushel”. Indeed, one of the keynotes for Virgo is, “Virgo hides the light which irradiates the world in Aquarius.”22 Certainly in the coming Age of Aquarius, Portugal’s progeny Brazil may start to irradiate the world in preparation for the Sixth Rootrace. (For more detail about Brazil and its role in the Sixth Rootrace, see these essays: Shamballa, South America, Sixth Rootrace and the Mayan Calendar.)

What are the Virgo traits of Portugal? There seems to be a certain pristine purity in this nation, perhaps partially a legacy of the Roman Catholic religion that has dominated in the past. It is certainly a feminine country like Brazil – people are not generally aggressive, far more allowing, expressing an unassuming nature and genuine humility – very Virgoan. (Of course these impressions are entirely subjective and the author could be wrong! I invite Portuguese and non-Portuguese to use the comments section at the end of the newsletter to express their views.)

Portugal is similar to Great Britain and the vast empire that it birthed – Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia – to name a few. Britain’s role has been more about the consolidation of the Fifth Rootrace, whilst Portugal’s role has been sowing the seeds for the Sixth Rootrace in Brazil. Brazil is still an enormous nation geographically (about the size of the USA) with a large population of around 205 million.

Portugal was/is uniquely in Europe a synthesis of many races and cultures – most notably Arab cultures from places like Morocco, Germanic and Celtic tribes – and Africans. Hence Portugal has a diverse pedigree to be the mother of Brazil (Founded in 1822), a new nation that is/will be a synthesis of all rootraces that have manifested thus far.

It is quite possible that the Virgo personality of Brazil is the legacy of a proposed Virgo soul for Portugal, the mother country. Likewise, Brazil’s second ray personality may be a legacy of a proposed second ray soul for Portugal. One soul bequeathes to another the treasures it has garnered.

Signs and Rays	Portugal Soul/Personality	Brazil Soul Personality
Astrological Signs	Virgo/Pisces (Speculated)	Leo/Virgo (given)
Ruling Rays	2/4 (Speculated)	4/2 (given)23

Portugal’s colonial glories have long since passed and it finds itself in another cycle which has a modest and somewhat unexceptional expression:

“In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal established the first global empire, becoming one of the world’s major economic, political and military powers. During this time, Portuguese explorers pioneered maritime exploration in the Age of Discovery, notably under royal patronage of Prince Henry the Navigator and King João II, with such notable discoveries as Vasco da Gama’s sea route to India (1497–98), the discovery of Brazil (1500), and the reaching of the Cape of Good Hope.

Portugal monopolized the spice trade during this time, and the Portuguese Empire expanded with military campaigns led in Asia. But the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, the country’s occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, the independence of Brazil (1822), and the Liberal Wars (1828–34), all left Portugal crippled from war and diminished in its world power.”24

(With this description, other potential soul signs come to mind, such as Sagittarius.)

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The Horoscope of Portugal
There is a symbolic horoscope for Portugal whose origin is obscure; it started to circulate in astrological groups in the 1970’s and is not based on a specific event or date; it is a construct wholly based upon the following assumptions:

a. That Portugal is ruled by Pisces.
b. That there is a direct correlation between the number 17 and the cycles of Portugal. There are few consistent explanations about the 17-year cycles as they relate to Portugal.
c. That the year for the foundation of Portugal is 1143.
d. Result: By taking the year 1143 and the day when the Sun is at 17° of Pisces, the symbolic chart of Portugal discovered.

Hence, this horoscope is somewhat meaningless as it has no event date for its basis. The horoscope for June 24, 1128 is however, more feasible because it reflects Portugal’s rise to independence, culminating in the Battle of São Mamede on the above date.

The 1128 chart also works much better for certain events, the 1755 earthquake for instance, which does not even show up by transit in the 1143 chart. Plus 1128 is deeply connected to the Knights Templar establishment of Portugal, as described later. The 1128 horoscope is a Cancer sun with Saturn and Neptune square to the sun. Hence, it is similar to the 1143 chart in that it is a water sign and Neptune, the esoteric ruler of Cancer, is square to the sun.

Having said all this, bear in mind that in most cases, the exoteric horoscope for a nation does not correspond to the esoteric horoscope. (Brazil is one of the few exceptions.) Hence, this horoscope with the Sun in Cancer is at variance with the author’s proposition that Portugal is a Pisces personality. (Yes, I know this is somewhat confusing!) Also, since the “Carnation Revolution” of 25 April 1974, there is now another exoteric horoscope for Portugal – a Taurus sun with Virgo rising – the latter happens to coincide with this author’s speculated soul purpose of Portugal.

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Knights Templar Founding of Portugal 1128
The Knights Templar became the ideal of Christian nobility and have their spiritual roots with Bernard de Clairvaux, a French abbot, theologian, mystic and primary reformer of the Cistercian order. According to Templar expert Freddy Silva (First Templar Nation: How the Knights Templar Created Europe’s First Nation State.),

“Bernard had been contemplating the idea of establishing a temporal New Jerusalem, a model nation-state that would come to represent the epitome of true Christian ideals … these associations between the Cistercian monks and the core Templar brotherhood, it can be argued that both the Templars and Cistercians were working toward the same end … No sooner had the five Templar Procurators landed in Portugale in 1125 when they received the first of many property donations …

… All these events preceded the Templars’ official blessing by the Pope at the Council of Troy in 1128. And barely two months after the famous event, Portugal’s independence was secured by prince Alfonso Henriques, son of the late Count Dom Henrique. That the Templars were central to this event is shown in the declaration document which bears the first-known Templar logo.”25

The Knights Templar’s spirituality was exoterically Cistercian but esoterically Gnostic or Essene by nature, even extending back to ancient Egyptian rites. The Templars were custodians of the Ancient Mystery tradition, particularly at a time when the Catholic Church had such strong influence in Europe.

The Knights Templar were “keepers of the Grail” which,

“… describes the journey of a hero who undertakes a perilous journey into a mystical land and returns transfigured by the experience and the knowledge he’s exposed to, whereupon he has a spiritual awakening. So to anyone who understands the Mysteries, the Grail is not an object but the search for the highest spiritual potential within oneself.”26

The Templars revered John the Baptist and it is no accident that the founding date of Portugal is on the feast that celebrates John the Baptist – June 24, 1128.

It has been speculated by some students that John the Baptist was a previous incarnation of the Master Morya, who incarnated with many other initiates at the time of Christ – notably Master Jesus, Master Hilarion (as St. Paul much later), Master Koot Hoomi (Lazarus?) and Joseph of Arimathea. Master Morya is also known as the “Head of all truly esoteric schools”.27

“These rituals and beliefs are echoes of ancient Egyptian Mysteries schools whose central tenet was the enlightenment of the individual in this lifetime through a voluntary out-of-body experience, an initiatory (and figurative) resurrection, otherwise known as the ritual of “raising the dead”.

Initiates were exposed to a knowledge that opened their vision and understanding of the Universe, and when their consciousness returned to the body they were considered enlightened or “risen”. By contrast, those who fell outside the teachings walked through life as though asleep, they were viewed as unaware or “dead”.”28

This “initiatory resurrection” is well known in modern Freemasonry – whose lineage can be traced back to the Templars – and a long way further back. Tomar in Portugal is “Knights Templar Capital” of Portugal, if not Europe, with its extraordinary castle, esoteric architecture and symbolism in the rotunda and Templar church of John the Baptist. The castle was a major Templar stronghold but it served a much deeper purpose for esoteric ritual and initiation into the Mysteries.

Tomar Castle is very close to the soul of the Portuguese nation. The Templars preserved the Western Mystery traditions in the Middle Ages such as Kabbalah, Alchemy, Astrology and Mystical Christianity, leading eventually to Rosicrucianism and the reformation of Freemasonry.

There are countless symbols and hieroglyphs throughout the castle complex that give various meanings for the esoteric investigator. Also nearby there are many dolmens and menhirs from the greater antiquity of the Bronze Age.

There is also an extensive display on the evolution of Pharmacy in Portugal. Chemistry was developed from Alchemy and Pharmacy is one of its modern expressions. Virgo rules pharmacy as touched upon earlier in the discussion of Hygeia and apothecaries.

Sintra Further south on the outskirts of Lisbon in the town of Sintra, at Quinta da Regaleira, are gardens of great beauty, including labyrinths of tunnels, “… as though meant for initiates wishing to immerse themselves in the womb of the Earth Mother, much like Gnostic sects have done throughout history.”29

Virgo rules the caves under the earth, those womb-like places where the ancient mysteries would be enacted for neophytes. The ancient Greek festival of Demeter in the month of Boedromion (September-Virgo) was known as the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Candidates for initiation were led through dark underground caves in their quest for the light of knowledge and wisdom. These rituals are still enacted and preserved in Masonic lodges around the world. The seed grain of Virgo is emblematic of the Bread of Christ, the Love-Wisdom ray which expresses so strongly in Virgo. Bethlehem is the “house of bread” and connects Virgo with the first initiation:

“… the first initiation; the initiate-disciple still works in the dimly lit “cave of the spiritual birth”; he has to continue his struggle to reveal divinity, primarily on the physical plane – symbolised for us in the word “Bethlehem” which means the “house of bread”; he has to learn the dual function of “lifting up the lower energies into the light” and – at the same time – of “bringing down the higher energies into bodily expression.” Thus he becomes a white magician.”30

There is a sublime beauty and mystery of the palace and gardens at Sintra – designed and supervised by King Ferdinand II of Portugal, quite possibly an initiate:

“Fernando II was an intelligent and artistically-minded man with modern and liberal ideas. He was adept at etching, pottery and painting aquarelles. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Arts, lord-protector of the university of Coimbra and Grand-Master of the Rosicrucians.”31

The gardens are said to represent the height of 19th century Romanticism and it is no wonder that the poet Lord Byron used to live near here.

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Philippe Petit: High-Wire Walker
For those of you who are not on Facebook and hence do not see the odd astrological post between monthly newsletters, there is an addendum to the recent Leo newsletter on hire-wire walker, Philippe Petit. Petit not only had great Leonine qualities but Virgo as well:

“Petit possesses a Gallic intelligence, that scintillating French intellect, expressed so acutely by his Mercury-Saturn conjunction in Virgo. One could not ask for a better combination when it comes to meticulous planning and execution.” (For an extra page of reading on Petit look here.)

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Phillip Lindsay © 2016.
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