“Every star has a purpose…When we watch the stars, we form a connection with the universe.” ~Rav P.S. Berg
Happy Harvest moon! This is a great time to harvest your goods for winter stores (or plant roots if you live in the Southern hemisphere). We have officially pasted the equinox point(equal time of night and day for the whole world) and are now experiencing the season of Autumn in the Northern hemisphere and Spring in the Southern hemisphere. The Sun, Mercury, and Ceres are currently in the sign of Libra. On Monday, September 24th, 2018 @ 9:52 pm CST the Libra Sun will be opposite the Aries moon. This full moon marks the Kabbalistic holiday of Sukkot.
This chart is very interesting: Monday’s are associated with anger and seclusiveness as is the sign Aries which is now activated in the moon and the last minutes of Chiron Rx(entering Pisces on Tuesday). The full moon makes a T-square to Saturn AND Vesta! This is a time of focus and strengthening. The pressure to learn the skill of sharing is on. If you have developed the desire to receive in order to share than this will be a time of great energy and alchemy(transmutation to a purer state). I mentioned in my last post: that in order to activate our highest potential we need to unite the positive and negative with a resistance or center. In astrology, a T-square. https://astrologybyrachelmccabe.wordpress.com/2018/09/08/september-new-moon/
If you have not activated the power of sharing, you are likely to experience the suffering of personal needs against the responsibilities that are placed upon you. Temperance is needed in this case, or the balancing of the self and others, inner and outer, day and night, ect. Nothing is given freely at this time. Hard work and dedication are required. One must give if one expects to receive.
The 5th, 8th, and 11th houses are activated with the Sun, moon, Vesta, and Saturn. The purposeful energy of intimacy could be a source of fear among the introspection of self. That is, the importance of intimacy is lost in the fear of what others think. Society imposes an ideal morality that does not stand up to scrutiny. This leads to confusion and both sexual and emotional blocks.
If one is comfortable and honest with one’s own sexuality and sexual desire(s) than the possibility of aligning theses energies with focus on our higher purpose is highly possible. If one fears expressing their sexual nature than stress, frustrations, and alienation are likely to occur. There are many ways in which one can release these blocks or bad feelings in order to feel comfortable in their own skin and whole-self expression. Therapy and meditation which exists in many forms, will help break the blocks barring us from our opportunity of growth.
We could begin with releasing any judgement of our own shortcomings and flaws and develop an emotional closeness within ourselves. No matter how hard we strive for perfection, material and/or spiritual, enough is never enough. Can we let ourselves and others express who we are in a non-attached or obsessive way? We can work through our issues and angst. However, the urge to run away from our obligations due to an over abundance of responsibility is present. We must face the situation head on if we are to deal with it and move on.
Nessus, the planet of abuse, mostly sexual abuse(mental, emotional, as well as physical) is at the top of the chart and square the Ascendant and Descendant. Confusion as to what classifies as abuse and expressing our animal selves through our own identities(how we identify: female or male, purist or rebellious, innocent or deviant, dominate or submissive, ect) is in our consciousness. Nessus is located in the 10th house of government and career or life path. It is likely the identification we are dealing with is related to our political position( Democrat or Republican) or our work( material or spiritual). This aspect could produce the act of victimizing the abuser and abusing the victim. Pallas Athene and Neptune on the opposite end of this spectrum shows that justice and higher ground are available even though delusions, blind faith, and mind control are a part of the current reality.
Mercury, the planet of communications and the devices that drive us, is experiencing a harmonious trine with Lilith, a hypothetical point related to the evil woman, the hidden feminine shadow, the nitty-gritty dirt, sex for the sake of sex, queen of abortion, the unsubmissive bitch, ect. This aspect could bid well for women amidst talks of women’s reproductive rights.
Back to the Saturn/Vesta conjunction: Saturn is discipline and Vesta represents the sacred sexual energy or kundalini. Sexual discipline is needed. In the U.S. abstinence is the go to doctrine that schools and religion most often use for sex education. How can we teach abstinence and expect it to be followed without first teaching what sex, sexuality, or sexual desire even is? Rarely do they teach about masturbation. It is the safest sex, and should be accepted as a human behavior. Masturbation and self examination is not only safe it is healthy, and can be used as a form of meditation or therapy even in cases of sexual abuse. Having respect for our bodies and other people’s is also very important and should be part of the lesson. There is nothing wrong with sexual desire. If we understand it than we can take part in practicing abstinence and transmute it into something else like art or work that is enjoyed. If all else fails we can fall back on masturbation. It is time to have the talk.(If you are a parent or educator and need help discussing this with your children please message me. It should be the duty of every parent to have this discussion with their child).
Saturn/Vesta trine Uranus can be defined as universal law(s) being present in the consideration of one’s actions. Groups can work harmoniously toward innovative creations. Willpower is strong. We must remember that ‘what comes around goes around’. No one is above the law. Issues are brought down to size. If we are to tear something down then something better must be built in its place.
I suggest creating art through whichever form is most enjoyable to avoid the pit falls of depression and limitation that Saturn often implies; hard work is often rewarded. Love what you do, do what you love.
A Deeper Look at Sukkot:
Instead of living in a hut(booth) for seven days in the desert and enjoying the bounty of a harvest, “Kabbalah teaches that the holiday connects us to the Creator–that is, to the Godlike elements within ourselves”.
It is our body that is the sukkah. The body is the permanent house while living this life on Earth. One needs to be aware of it, all of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have chosen life and that means a connection and acceptance of our bodies and our animal natures.
Once the connection has been made to the earthly realm(Malchut) or our bodies, we can achieve a greater connection to the universe(Keter). Insights beyond our five senses become clearer and we have the ability to be filled with comfort and serenity.
Sukkot is related to the left column(desire to receive for the self alone) of the Tree of Life. There is nothing wrong the desire to receive for the self as it is a prerequisite to the desire to receive for the sake of sharing. This desire can be tempered into something higher, the desire to share or make use of this energy for a purpose that extends beyond the self alone.
During a full moon the body(Malchut) receives energy from the Sun. And the Sun gives its full strength to the moon. The body is affected by the emotions and the emotions affected by the purpose. This particular moon’s energy(according to Kabbalah) must be earned. That is, we must work hard to receive the benefit of the light being offered.
Sukkot connects us to Binah, or fire energy. If you have earned the benefit of the light than you have as much energy(Binah) as you want to construct a foundation. Building a strong body during this month is important to power us through the entire year. During the month of Libra(Tishrei) “…the more energy we connect to, the better our year will be in terms of our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.”
On the negative side, obstacles bar us from our path. The understanding of what is within us is also our connection with what is external or outside of us and will help shape our lives when practicing the use of temperance. For example: tempering our anger can have more positive outer results than if we were to always react with anger. If we know we have a problem with rage we can do the internal work needed so not to let it manifest where it is unwanted.
There are many steps in the ritual associated with Sukkot. We harvest the plants needed to protect our bodies from illness. Medicinal plants are at their highest potency during a full moon. This is a time to strengthen ourselves in the face of darkness and reinforce our whole-selves to survive the year ahead.
We can only gain after we have let loose of control. The ‘shaking’ is an important part of the ritual. I associate this ‘shaking’ with Shakti(feminine or kundalini energy)in the Tantra tradition. Allow Shakti(the shaking) to flow freely to improve the reception or perception of reality.
The Tree of Life is connected to the chakras in the body. There are also other layers of energy that surround the body. Through meditation, connection to these bodily aspects may be achieved. “The set of shakings injects us with the Life force and connects us to the Tree of Life.” Through the the rising of kundalini any blocks in the body are pushed out through our crown. All of our chakras open and flow freely to allow the connection with the body and the universe, creating oneness(as above so below).
After the connection to the body has been made we can use thought consciousness to connect to Universal life energy(the star). Connection with this energy in the physical body is to establish within ourselves the power of the ‘Light’. “This effort is like metaphysical surgery that is performed to remove spiritual viruses, open up energy blockages, and repair defects that have developed over the past year in our spiritual and physical DNA.”~Rav P.S. Berg
One of the most important parts of the ritual of building the sukkah(booth) is the Sechach, or roof covering. It is said that it must be made from cut-off branches no longer connected to the Earth(Malchut). They must not cover all of the sukkah, but just enough of it so the shadow area is greater than the non-shadow area.
The metaphysical meaning hidden in this ritual is that our higher purpose which we allow the light to shine through is not attached to Malchat(the desire to receive for the self alone). If you are wondering what your true purpose is look to the Sechach, the stars, or that which is over our heads and not attached to the physical/material world. It takes the walls and foundation(Malclut) to hold up the ceiling(Keter). Walls have limitations while the sky is endless!
We could think of ourselves as a tree. A tree defies gravity. It grows toward the light despite the pull of the material world. Although attached to the earth it finds food and nourishment through the light(photosynthesis). Photosynthesis allows the tree to begin the process of reproduction, to blossom and produce flowers. Through sharing(pollination/sex) the flowers turn to fruit and feed others. Then through assimilation the seeds of the fruit enter the earth and the process begins again.
Wishes for a happy, safe, and productive full moon!
Love,
Rachel McCabe
https://astrologybyrachelmccabe.wordpress.com/2018/09/08/september-new-moon/
Berg, Rav P.S., Days of power: part one. First ed. (2005). Kabbalah Center International. New York, NY 10017
Kaplan, A., Sefer Yetzirah: the book of creation. In theory and practice. Revised ed.(1997). Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC San Franscisco, CA 94107
George, D., Asteroid goddesses. (1986) ACS Publications, Inc. San Diego, CA 92116
Dark Moon Astrology 