“Vesta and Her Vestal Virgins, the Keeper of the Eternal Flame is Vigilant and Devoted”

Symbols have always been very important in my life, as they represent something without being defined by a set and selection of words, describing what it means.  The symbols can invoke different feelings and emotions in me, depending on the moment in time and in what association the symbol brings to mind.  The American Heritage dictionary defines symbol “as something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.  2. A printed or written sign used to represent an operation, an element, a quantity, a quality, or a relation, as in mathematics or music.”  I have never placed too much emphasis on the asteroids as my priorities laid elsewhere, but the symbol for Vesta has always had a soft spot in my feelings and thoughts.  The symbol invokes in me the deepest regards of the eternal light that burns within each of us.

This symbol to me represents flames ever burning and ever reaching for the higher spheres, and represents to me the need to go within our higher self to meditate on our purpose in this life and to tend with sincerity and intention to our own inner flame and requirements.  Vesta is one of the brightest of the asteroids and is associated with Roman mythology as the Goddess of the hearth and fire, and is linked with the aspects of Scorpio and Virgo signifying great concentration on any given task to the exclusion of everything else.  With her vestal virgins, she is the keeper of the eternal flame, the self- perpetuating sacred eternal illumination.  Vesta is vigilant, committed, dedicated, directed, devoted and brings a capacity for pureness of expression for the highest potential and essence of its beliefs.  The goddess brings into each individual the attention, the strength, the purity, the perfection and the reason for the journey in this life.

My interest in Vesta was rekindled recently by an article in the Mountain Astrologer Magazine issue #164 august/September 2012 entitled “Vesta: Driven toward the Sacred” by Dawn Bodrogi.  She explains that whatever house the asteroid is placed in, describes what we instinctively honor and with a pure heart and deeds, where we hope to fulfill our destiny.  With one single minded determined vision and action we will make the ultimate sacrifice for whatever and for whomever we feel is our purpose without questioning the basis for our decisions or our thoughts.  After having accomplishing and achieving our sacred goals, we may feel tired and exhausted, but satisfied and feeling right with our self and the world at large indicates that Vesta is in harmony in our chart.  Aspects of this asteroid give us a sense of urgency, passion and desire.

I began to look at other charts before I made up my mind whether it will be another tool added to my files in delineating any chart.  I was shocked to find that it explained my friend’s strong conviction in relationships by the author’s explanation of the aspects to Venus, Pluto, Mars and Saturn.  Her descriptions seem to describe him to perfection that I began to see if it make any sense to the other charts I had in my files.  To my surprise, it either confirmed other aspects or gave a clear subtle explanation of something I hadn’t seen before.  My problem with her article is that I wish it was a bit longer, but otherwise it was quite informative.  The one thing the article did, was to tease me, and made me want to learn more about Vesta and in what area of our life we would become vigilant, committed, devoted and dedicated to a cause we believe in.

“Sect a Technique in Astrology was Forgotten and Rediscovered With a Vengeance!”

As always, as in any interest and a love of any subject one wants to be proficient in, there is a never ending of learning and research into all areas related.  Especially in astrology, and I assume as in any field one is interested in, one becomes an eternal student.  Whether it is because of the love of the subject or because of the Universe’s design for our lives, things seem to fall into place in the most unusual ways.  By accident about three months ago I ran across an article on the subject of sect by Chris Brennan on his blog, which pique my interest.  Then six weeks later, my Mountain Astrologer Magazine arrived, with an updated article on the subject by the same author.  Although in my early studies I ran across the terms “diurnal” or daytime and “nocturnal” or nighttime planets or signs, the explanation of how to apply these principles into one’s own chart was hazy and unclear.  I just assumed that these terms were similar to hot, wet, cold and dry, that are use in astrology and at one time made a difference in one’s delineation, but no longer held a place of honor as it once did.

Reading the article gave me new insights into my own chart and my emotional and intellectual behavior that I never really understood before.  It was like a light bulb turned on to its full potential, instead of the candle light I was using.  In this article the term sect, refers to dividing the planets into diurnal which is lead by the Sun, follow by Jupiter, and then Saturn.  The nocturnal planets are lead by the Moon, Venus and then Mars.  Mercury is considered neutral, and depending where it is in connection with The Sun is either diurnal or nocturnal.  There is a distinction between these planets and how they work, according to whether your chart is considered a diurnal or nocturnal.  Applying these principles to my own chart, I came away more enlighten why my Venus and Moon worked as they did in the tenth house.  Filled with new knowledge and a sense of confidence, I decided to search the internet for more information, and found very little.  The only other two articles I found of importance on the matter was by Curtis Manwaring, Doug Noblehorse and an out of print book by Robert Hand entitled “Night & Day: Planetary Sect in Astrology”.  In Mr. Manwaring’s article, he works the principles in regards to sect in a nautical metaphor, referring to the ascendant as the helm of the ship.  To the midheaven he refers to it as the force that drives the ship.

Unfortunately for me, unless I work any principles into my own understanding, I never seem to get the jest of the matter the author is trying to convey to me.  Using the terms daytime or nighttime planets just didn’t register to me, until I replaced certain keywords.  In today’s world of psychological terms I am a daytime person. I do my best work and thinking between 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.  The moment I replaced diurnal with being an A person, meaning a day person, the planets and their potentials and problems began to make sense to me.  A nocturnal planet definitely in a day chart would be out of place and not using its full resources.  This would be true of a benefic planet in the wrong sect having its power to do well lessen.  Seen in this light, the variations from good to bad or the reverse may be very slight, but the difference could mean the distinction of completing a project and success in the matter.  By replacing the nautical metaphor with driving a car, since I live in an area where this form of transportation is a necessity, it made the difference in the understanding and the comprehension of the subject matter.  The ascendant is the type and condition of the car, determining how well it will perform.  The midheaven is the road conditions, such as an unpaved road, cobblestone, a side street or highway.  Seeing the ascendant and midheaven in this light, it made more sense to me that we needed to improvise to avoid certain problems in life if we are to succeed, even if the outcome seems assured.  Understanding what we have to work with is the first key to success, because then we know what to avoid.  If we have a vehicle that would do better on the side roads instead of the highways, it may take longer, but in time we will reach our destination.  The important thing is not how fast and the way we got to our destination, but that we do arrive.

This added knowledge increases my curiosity to return back to some charts to see and review how persons with similar aspects were so different because of this aspect.  It also showed and convinced me that our charts do not predestine our lives, but through the knowledge of what is going on, can make a difference between success and failure.  It is our choices and our abilities to adapt to our conditions and to work with them, which will show our ingenuity as a creation of the Universe.  Understanding our charts and being honest to the potentials is the key to success in fulfilling the promise recorded in the stars.  The ancients and wise ones knew this, and this is why in my opinion the study of Sect is an important part of astrology that should not be forgotten and lost to future astrologers.  We must rediscover this lost art in astrology, and with a vengeance to bring the study of the stars into the twenty first century.

“William Lilly’s Horary Question-Destiny or Choice?”

 

Horary astrology is an ancient branch of the art, in which an astrologer attempts to answer a question by constructing a horoscope for the exact time at which the question was received and understood by the astrologer.  The answers to the horary question might be a simple yes or no, but it is generally more complex with insights into the motives of the querent (questioner), the motives of others involved in the issue, and the options available.  William Lilly is regarded as one of the principle authorities in horary astrology in his time and ours.  England’s most illustrious astrologer led a very colorful life in a politically unstable period of time (1602 to 1681).

 

In the June/July 2009 issue of “The Mountain Astrologer” magazine, is a fantastic and informative article on a horary chart by Deborah Houlding who currently runs the Skyscript Astrology Web site, entitled “Lilly’s Purchase of Master B’s Houses”.  She not only gives you some history of William Lilly and the time period, but leads you through the conclusions of her analysis of the planets and their aspects, etcetera.  Her analysis of Mr. Lily’s delineation of his own chart was one that had many obstacles, and that he overlooked the difficulties because of his desire to obtain the property since it brought many happy memories

 

The background of the story is about a gentleman, who was not able to finish his higher education due to the financial difficulties of his father and had to become a manservant.  He had many happy years with his employer and married the wife after his death.  And to make a long story short, his wife died also and left him with some money, which he could use to purchase the house he lived in with a couple of rentals, which would give him the means to live without working.  Unfortunately like the chart showed, the seller had the upper hand and was demanding a lot more money then the property was worth.  Although he would be able to borrow the money in time as the chart forecasted, the transaction did not leave him much money to live on.  I am sure that Deborah Harding would agree with me that most astrologers would predict caution and awareness, and the possibility of forgetting about the deal.

 

This chart proves to me the need to look at a natal chart when confronted with a difficult horary which could go either way.  The important thing about Mr. Lilly, does he have the talent and wisdom to bring a difficult situation to a happy ending?  We find the answer in his natal chart with many planets in the second house of money.

 

Although William Lilly chose to buy the houses, I believe that destiny played a part in redirecting him to a new career that would bring him fame and fortune.  At the time of the sale, he had only been studying astrology for two years, and about two years after the sale he realized he could make a living from it.  Later in 1647 he published “Christian Astrology” which brought him fame and fortune.

 

My thoughts are the following: 1.) Mr. Lilly may have had joyful memories of the place, but as a land owner, he would be well respected.  Therefore he would have achieved a status worthy of a gentleman of the period.  2.) Realizing he had no income he made an effort to learn what he enjoyed doing.  Difficulties are the mother of innovations in ones’ life.  We learn from hardship and pain and grow from that point in our lives..  Had he decided not to buy the property, history may have been written differently, as he may have been able to live on the inheritance and astrology may not have become that important in his life.  So in truth William Lilly not only chose his destiny, but allow destiny to choose and guide him.  I am wondering what you think about this matter, and if everything went smoothly in our lives, would we be were we are today?

 

To me this chart illustrates the need for astrologers to relate solar, lunar return and horary charts to the natal horoscope, and to realize that although we have free will, we are still fulfilling our destiny.