The Lion’s Gate: Strength

On August 4th at 2:47pm, Venus crosses Jupiter for the 2nd of 3 conjunctions, as she retrogrades to meet the Sun to begin a new chapter in Leo during the 2015 Lion’s Gate. This conjunction happens at 28 degrees Leo, exact square Saturn who is stationing direct in Scorpio for the third and final time, to finally leave the sign that it entered in October of 2012.  There is a quincunx aspect to Ceres who went retrograde in Aquarius and has dipped back into Pluto’s Capricorn to bless a harsh area with some extra TLC. The Jupiter-Venus conjunction is also happening at the midpoint of Lilith in Virgo, and Mars in Cancer.  But not until the next day on August 5th, the real action of this moment unfolds itself as the Moon transits 28 Aries.  At 3:22pm the Moon is exact trine Venus, trine Jupiter; T-square Mars opposite Ceres; and the focal point of a yod from Lilith sextile Saturn (all times for west coast united states).

The chart for August 5th can be broken down into two different symmetrical configurations:

First, The Saturn-Lilith yod to the Moon, t-square Mars and Ceres.  Mars, Lilith, Saturn and Ceres forming a half hexagon.  Ceres and Saturn are both retrograde, pulling the energy away from the Moon, just as Mars and Lilith direct are pulling away from the Moon.  This will be felt most strongly by anyone who has a prominent natal placement between 27 – 29 Libra.

Second, we have a double-triangle emerging from the base of Moon quincunx Saturn- Moon, Saturn, and Mars; and Moon, Saturn, and the Venus-Jupiter conjunction.  The Sun, at 13 Leo, is at the midpoint of Mars and the Venus-Jupiter conjunction. This will be felt most strongly by anyone who has a prominent natal placement between 12 – 14 Aquarius.

The only aspect on the first chart that does not fit into either of the symmetrical configurations is Jupiter-Venus quincunx Ceres. A prominent chart placement between 27 – 29 Gemini will form a sextile to Venus-Jupiter, and a yod to Ceres.  A prominent chart placement between 27 – 29 Pisces will for a sextile to Ceres, and a yod to the Venus-Jupiter conjunction.

The feature that appears in both symmetrical configurations is the triangle formed between Saturn, Mars, and the Moon.  A triangle formed by a square, a trine, and a quincunx offers a unique learning experience, and opportunity to level up.  The square between the Aries Moon and Mars in Cancer presents the challenge or blockage.  The quincunx between the Aries Moon and Saturn station direct in Scorpio offers the opportunity to adjust, integrate, and create a new solution. The trine between Saturn and Mars shows the way to healing and how to move forward.

During the Venus-Jupiter conjunction, there is another symmetrical alignment of a double-triangle at exactly 13 degrees of their signs- The Sun in Leo, Juno in Virgo, Pluto in Capricorn, and Vesta in Aries.  Instead of emerging from the base of the quincunx, these two triangles emerge from the base of the square- Pluto square Vesta.  When these triangles are observed, it is revealed that the Venus-Jupiter conjunction is at the midpoint of the Sun and Juno, and also the focal point of a “Thor’s Hammer” triangle emerging from the base of Pluto square Vesta. This will be felt most strongly by anyone who has a prominent natal placement between 27 – 29 Aquarius, 12 – 14 Scorpio, and/or 12 – 14 Gemini.

Before we dig into this, let’s rewind for a moment: the first configuration of the 2015 Lion’s Gate, the Aquarius Full Moon.

“July 31st, 2015 – Aquarius Full Moon, the first major event of the 2015 Lion’s Gate. At 7 Degrees Leo/Aquarius it is without major aspect. The only aspect crossing the full moon axis is the opposition from asteroid Apophis to the recently revealed planet Pluto. The three goddesses in Virgo are all aspected: Venus 150 degrees quincunx to a retrograde Ceres; Juno square Athena in Sagittarius; and Lilith is sextile Saturn. Saturn is stationing and motionless, to resume direct motion tomorrow August 1st. Jupiter is transiting square Saturn, creating a bridge between the lords of expansion and contraction, in the signs of Leo and Scorpio, laying the conflict within the context of the ego vs. the underworld.

The aspects accompanying this full moon (especially Apophis opposite Pluto and the aspects to Saturn) brings the perception of sorrow and suffering, and for those in 5-dimensional awareness, the tunnel between loss and love has never been more obvious. This week the slaughter of a lion (could the hologram be any clearer?) united millions of hearts in sadness and anger for the loss of this great creature. While many directed their energies towards hatred, revenge, and their vision of justice for the individuals who performed the slaughter, others became aware that the energy released into our level of this world by the lion’s liberated spirit was accessible to us for integration. The Lion’s Gate. In five dimensional awareness, I am the cowardly, power-hungry hunter, and I am the royal predator turned prey.

The quincunx between Venus stationing retrograde, and Ceres retrograde at zero Aquarius is especially helpful as we attempt to reconcile our lived experience of this level of reality with the ability to perceive the ability to be loved by, and to love, all the other humans that we share this level of reality with. It is not an easy task when we are faced with the idea of individuals that would slaughter a majestic lion in the weakest and most cowardly way. But we are being called to remember, to integrate, to keep our minds and hearts high, and know that love is the force that molds energy into matter.” Planetary Clarity

Not mentioned on the full moon chart is the building aspect of Vesta transiting square Pluto, which is now forming the base of Thor’s hammer pointing directly at the Venus-Jupiter conjunction.  Far more so than the Lion’s Gates of the last few years, this is a season of sorrow.  What we choose to do with this sorrow is the test of how well we are orienting ourselves to the new epoch that began on Winter Solstice of 2012.  On Winter Solstice of 2016, our orientation will be complete, the prelude will be done and the new epoch will truly begin.  So this period of testing is extremely important.  Are we still clinging to 3D reality, or have we stepped into 5D?  The easiest test was presented to us in the least subtle hologram of all time, the murder of Cecil the Lion.  Cecil was named after Cecil Rhodes, the brutal British Imperialist who colonized and ravaged southern Africa, for whom Rhodesia was named before it was called Zimbabwe.  He was lured away from his protected parklands in a cowardly manner, and suffered for days as he was killed with the most unprofessional and sloppy sportsmanship imaginable.  The 3D reaction to this spectacular energy exchange was grief for Cecil, and wishes for revenge against the so-called hunter.  Quite a difficult test indeed, to avoid these 3D emotional traps.

To be clear, I am not trying to imply that sorrow and anger is an “incorrect” response to the news of Cecil’s passing, quite the opposite.  This is a moment of great sorrow for our planet, the Lion was only a symbol, and a quite layered and conflicted symbol when the legacy of his namesake is taken into consideration. The test of ascension and orientation to the new epoch is our reaction to the sorrow, our identification or lack of identification with it, and our reaction to it.  If you had even a single fleeting moment of compassion for the ones who killed Cecil, you are on the right track.  If you considered that the energy exchange between Cecil and his killers was agreed upon by all souls involved prior to incarnation, to catapult all parties into the crisis that would reveal their true nature and true path, you are even closer. If one truly understands that all matter that is manifested in this world is a part of us and we are a part of it, and that the way we choose to see it is a reflection of our own consciousness, then there could be no real grief for Cecil, who has died to illuminate the ways that we have been struck down by serpents for no other reason but our inherent beauty, greatness, and sovereignty(keeping in mind that what we consider our greatness is often the product of what was developed and established in a poisoned, capitalist, misogynist, white supremacist culture, just as Cecil was named for an imperial colonizer).  And there can be no hatred for the weak, power-hungry man that killed the Lion, only identification with the weak and power-hungry parts of ourselves that seek to display our status in ways that may impress some, but disgust others.

Lynda Hill offers these insights on the Sabian Symbol of the degree held by the Sun when Cecil perished:

“Leo 4: SOMEONE FORMALLY DRESSED STANDS NEAR TROPHIES BROUGHT BACK FROM A HUNTING EXPEDITION …This Symbol speaks of awards and trophies and displaying what one is capable of or what’s been achieved or won. Putting on your best and showing people what you’re made of is great, but it is one thing to achieve something and yet another to display one’s achievements for all to see. There may be an urge to impress others, but some people will not be pleased with the display, some can be very impressed whilst others may be distinctly unimpressed. Think carefully of the effects before you proclaim your winnings or awards or show what you’ve conquered. Remember; trophies come in all shapes and sizes… Trophies of conquest. The will to prove oneself. Showing one’s animal instincts for the benefit of society. Daring and courage. Notches on the belt. Diplomas. Guns and bullets.” -Lynda Hill

The next step into the Lion’s Gate after the Aquarius Full Moon, broken down into the symmetrical charts above, gives us the opportunity to choose our way forward with a cosmic roadmap.

The focus of these charts is the planet Venus, heading in retrograde to meet the Sun in inferior conjunction(between Sun and Earth). The previous cycle was a Capricorn cycle, Venus as wise crone. The wisest crones on earth at this time must be the Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, women who claim their power and authority both despite and because of the fact that their cultures are among the most oppressed and threatened in the entire world. This new cycle of Venus in Leo is the cycle of the sovereign queen, and the archetype of this Leonic queen is equally oppressed and threatened. The sovereignty of Venus in Leo comes not from her worldly status but from her status as a survivor of brutal violence and suppression, and her ability to tame her ego and connect to source. Google “Images for Strength Tarot” to see several variations of the theme of the Strength card: A woman lovingly, gently holding the open jaws of a Lion.  It is not with force, but with self-love, the the ego is controlled.

It’s not uncommon to see people on the spiritual path attempting to destroy their egos in the exact same manner that Cecil was destroyed. The world reacting with horror and turning against the idea of big game hunting will be a big step towards humans and wildlife coexisting in peace, which will have an energetic equivalent effect on the psyche of each individual, allowing us all to finally be at peace with our egos. Taming the ego is not an act of force, the goal is not to destroy it, but to make friends with it, to coexist peacefully.  Real strength is gentle.

Following this theme, the aspects between the worlds of our solar system speak to us.  Venus quincunx Ceres challenges us to adjust our beliefs about the love we feel that we deserve.  Jupiter encourages us to expand our perceptions of what love may look like to us, both the love we give and receive.  As Mercury passes over Venus and Jupiter in the coming days, these expanded perceptions will find their way out through your thoughts and/or your voice.  The triangle of Moon/Saturn/Mars gives us a moment of power, as we look back to October of 2012 when Saturn first entered Scorpio, and the lessons learned in the Underworld that we prepare to carry into the new frontiers of Sagittarius.  The Moon in Aries will feel like wanting to leave it all behind and leap forward, but with Mars in Cancer, the best offense is a good defense.  The Moon’s trine to Venus/Jupiter should assist us in channeling all urges to charge forward with goals and plans, into rapidly expanding the frontiers of our heartspace.  Pluto square Vesta presents the biggest obstacle to this task, with Thor’s Hammer being an extremely rough aspect, being named for exactly what it feels like getting hit by.  It may feel like the energy of Pluto in Capricorn, the destroyer of weak structures, is strangling Vesta in Aries, the keeper of the sacred heartflame in the sign of springtime and war.  We look to Juno and the Sun for our answers, Juno the keeper of healthy boundaries in the sign of correct order, and the Sun approaching Lammas, first harvest, the midpoint between Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox.  If you have done the work with Saturn in Scorpio (beginning October 2012), to orient yourself to the new epoch (beginning December 2012), this challenging time should be proof of the strength you have cultivated and gained in the last three years.  As Vesta approaches and joins Uranus, we will be electrified with new inspiration about who we can be, and new insights about who we really are.

The take away message is that what often holds us back from our true path as spiritual people is the fact that we have slaughtered our egos, the glorious trophy head mounted on the wall. We may have hunted and killed our egos in a cowardly, or legitimately sportsmanlike way, but we are entering a level of awareness that requires us to coexist at peace with our egos. Allow the spirit of the Lion, liberated from embodiment, to merge with you, and reclaim your sovereignty as a vessel united with source.

Stay Tuned to Planetary Clarity on WordPress and Facebook for more news on the exciting developments of the 2015 Lion’s Gate.

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