Astrology: Sabian Symbols, Haiku?

So...

Being a newly turned-on astrology nerd, I have just learned about Sabian Symbols, which are a set of 'images' (as described in words) that were psychically channeled by a woman in California, along with the help of two male contemporaries, in 1925.

I went and looked up my 'Sabian Symbols'  (just the description of the 'image' - there are other parts to a Sabian Symbol, such as a short divinatory meaning and a keyword [which may also prove fun to 'play' with!]) for my natal chart, and was delighted with the result.

As you may or may not know, a natal chart is basically a 'picture' of the sky, from the perspective of your place of birth on earth, at the moment of your birth. As such, it is basically a circle (360 degrees) that is further delineated by 12 'signs' (each being 30 degrees and aligning with an astrological constellation that is in that section of the sky) and by 'house' (a whole different way of slicing up the sky that sort of overlaps the 'sign' delineation, based on the horizon). Please note: even the planets that are on the other side of the earth (and therefore, technically unseen at the time of your birth) are still represented and have their influence. Thus- the 360 degree chart (rather than only the portion of the sky that can actually be seen from your birthplace). Make sense?

Here is a random example of one I found online (John Travolta!):

Here, you can see the horizon line (the horizontal arrow through the middle of the circle that is pointing to the left). So, all the planets under that line are unseen as they are on the other side of the earth. Got it? Good!

At any rate, planets, luminaries (the sun and the moon) and different special 'points' are represented in a natal chart. Below is a list that I will be using:

Sun
Moon
Ascendant (these first three in bold are known as the big three - most folks are familiar with their sun sign- the one you use to look up your 'horoscope' but the other two really flesh out a fella or a gal! Please note: sometimes the 'ascendant' is called the 'rising' sign.)
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
True Node (where the path of the moon intersects the path of the earth, as I understand it.)
Chiron
Mid-heaven (sort of the middle of the sky near the top of your chart - where the arrow bisects John Travoltas chart, above, pointing straight up.)

Now, each of these planets/luminaries/points lies within a portion of the great circle that is delineated by 'sign'. And, for each of the 12 signs, there are 30 degrees (making one complete circle at 360 degrees, n'est-ce pas?). For each degree, there is a 'Sabian Symbol'. Taken in the order above, the Sabian Symbols end up making these very poignant little haikulettes (my new favorite, just-made-up word!).

I love my Sun-Moon-Ascendant haikulette:

Daybreak ~
The groundhog looking for its shadow ~
Two heads looking out and beyond the shadows ~

(I can't wait to make a collage for this one! I'll post it if/when I do!)

Then, if you keep going in this manner, you end up with a neat and tidy haikulette SET (where the opening line is also the closing line). As such:

~~~~~~~
Daybreak ~
The groundhog looking for its shadow ~
Two heads looking out and beyond the shadows ~

Glass blowers ~
Grandes Dames at tea ~
A clown making grimaces ~

An auto wrecked by a train ~
A flag at half-mast ~
A fellowship supper ~

The pyramids and the sphinx ~
A noon siesta~
A boat landing washed away ~

A bridge being built across a gorge ~
A large disappointed audience ~
Daybreak~
~~~~~~~

Isn't that something? Wow.
It's almost like a night of dreaming...
I love it!!!
I want to do one for everybody!

I found these links very informative, if you care to try this out yourself (please share what you come up with!):

Sabian Symbols Introduction
Sabian Symbol 'Headings' (the verbal 'images' - to make your haikulette!)

And, to get a natal chart for yourself, I suppose you could search for a free online natal chart (I was going to post a link to the place I got mine, only it looks like they aren't free anymore).

Have a sparkling day!

~Aunt Magic

Altars - The Lovers {VI}

{The Lovers: Choice, Integration, The Great Rite, etc.}

For most of our studies with the cards in my class, we were guided through visualizations or shamanic style "journeys". For the lovers card, we did not do this. As a result, I feel that I have not incorporated the teaching of the card as thoroughly as with the other cards. Therefore, forgive me if my expression of the meaning of this card as I see it seems unclear- that would be because it is!

 

That being said, I do believe I found great insight in the meaning of the card as it is described in our book: "Love requires surrender, and surrender requires choice." This idea made me realize that I was still resisting fully loving my own husband because I was unwilling to fully surrender. It would seem -following the logic of the saying- that I had not fully made the choice to accept him unconditionally. I was still waiting to make sure he was 'good enough' or something like that.

This card helped me realize that I still had a choice about him and our marriage. And, what's more, that I wouldn't have it any other way. This decision, on that deeper level, allowed me to begin to surrender... To truly love him. To open to and appreciate him for his bold, masculine energy without feeling that it threatened my undulating, female energy. I began to see him as The Lord {The Emperor - IV} and myself as The Lady {The Empress - III}. This union is a balanced and peaceful one, wherein the differing energies are allowed to be different, accepted as they are, as they balance and support each other. This marriage is representative of the Great Rite, the union of opposites, creating a third thing that is greater than the sum of it's parts.

OK- maybe I understood it a little better than I thought. ;}

Happy Surrendering!!!

with love, Aunt Magic

Altars - The High Priestess {II}

My High Priestess altar (before it evolved, as they tend to do...).

I am taking a very cool Tarot Archetypes class that is sort of like group therapy based on Jungian Archetypal Psychology and realized with the help of the Major Arcana of the Tarot.

Our teacher recommends that we create an altar for every card/archetype/key/persona. For me, it has proved most illuminating (this probably has a lot to do with the fact that I am largely a visual/spatial/experiential learner!). Gathering all of the different aspects of a card together and adding all of the supporting 'characters' (plants, animals, stones, etc.) really helps an archetypal personality come to life!

I can also see how creating altars around intentions or affirmations or dreams or visions or what-have-you could really be helpful in reaching one's goals or keeping important things in mind! It dawned on me (and, on my husband recently) that I treat most decorative surfaces as altar space: the entry way, the side table, the cabinet, the built-in, the bed-side table... All of these spaces easily become sacred observations when they are dressed with intention and care.

One important aspect seems to be to keep these sacred spaces 'fresh.' I remember learning about this concept in terms of Geomancy (such as Feng Shui), where it is said that energy (Chi or Qi, using the Feng Shui terminology) gets stuck in places that are neglected. It really seems true. The difference is clear when you walk into a place that is well cared for vs. one that is neglected.

Over the holidays, I realized that THE most common altar HAS to be the Christmas Tree! It is amazing how common they are and how often so full of meaning (even for those on whom the symbol of the tree, itself, is lost), what with all of the gifted, carefully selected, inherited, and/or home-made ornaments! People all over the planet carefully select a tree, place it, dig out their ornaments, hang them all over the tree, take them all down when it is time, wrap them all up and put them back in storage until next year (or whatever different practices there might be...). It is a long, involved ritual! And, as far as I can tell, has much more meaning than most people even fully realize! I think it's great. =)

At any rate, altars have become a mainstay in our home thanks to this class (I started late as the class was progressing, so I never did get to do a Fool [0] altar or one for The Magician [I], though I plan to after the course terminates!). Also, there have been a few altars that didn't quite make it into digital for the archives... C'est la vie! Excepting those few, I will continue to share my altars here. Hopefully, you will be inspired to try one or two of your own!

~Aunt Magic