The books we read should be chosen with great care, that they may be, as an Egyptian king wrote over his library, “The medicines of the soul.” Paxton Hood
To me the charm of an encyclopedia is that it knows and I needn’t. Francis Yeats Brown
There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. Joseph
Brodsky
In science, read by preference the newest works. In literature, read the oldest. The classics are always modern. Lord Edward
Lytton
Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. Barbara
Tuchman
Occurring on December 10 in the United States and the early hours of the morning on December 11 in Australia,
December's full Moon is a total lunar eclipse. Being a south node eclipse, this is an event that will have many examining, and learning from, the past. The
Sabian Symbol is
Gemini 19: In A Museum, A Large Archaic Volume Reveals A Traditional Wisdom.
The ‘Large Archaic Volume Reveals a Traditional Wisdom’. It is in a ‘Museum’ where it is safe and secure, and available to all who pass by and appreciate it. ‘Traditional Wisdom’ is nowadays often taken for granted or ignored. In this Symbol this ‘Wisdom’ is locked away in a ‘Museum’ like some kind of curiosity that is somehow revered, but possibly no longer relevant. The ‘Museum’ may literally be a building, but it may also be information or knowledge hidden deep within yourself or the elders of your community. This ‘Wisdom’ is held within all of us and merely needs to be tapped to be understood.
Some effort needs to be made to discover this ‘Large Archaic Volume’ and to allow the ‘Traditional Wisdom’ within it to inspire your actions in present day situations. You may experience intuitive ‘Wisdom’ that seems to be generated outside of your own experience. In a progressive world we look so often for new ideas and new solutions. ‘Traditional’ knowledge can seem to be irrelevant to the present, but in truth it is something we often need in our lives. The knowledge behind those beliefs or rituals can be as relevant today as it has always been. Reading and studying this ‘Archaic Wisdom’ can bring a sense of pride in our ancestors and those that went before us. It is, however, often important to update the way we view and use traditional wisdom. Confidence in your actions will come from foundations that have a history or a strong sense of past. Learn to take the best from the past, as it is useful for providing answers and clues to modern life problems. However, let go of any old and outworn beliefs that are holding you back.
Keywords: Reading and learning. Collective knowledge coming from ancient sources. Enormous potential to be tapped. The
Akashic records. Astrology. The Bible. Learning from the victories and mistakes of the past. Old stories that come out of the past or are hard to forget. Shamanic knowledge. Learning from heritage.The roots of civilization. Books. Ancient sources of information.The mysteries.
The Caution: Not understanding wise messages or advice. Being caught up in accepting only what tradition dictates. Old fashioned rules of “the book”. Old and outdated laws.
The message that seems to be coming through is one of defining
'the rules' that one lives by in order for things to work more efficiently. What is it that you've learned but have yet to put into practice in your life? What definitions, rules and boundaries should be let go of as they no longer work for you? Here's a link to some great art created by books
click here.
Finding someone to share your thoughts, ideas and beliefs is shown by the Karmic Condition (the degree before) of this full Moon. It's
Gemini 18: Two Chinese Men Speaking Chinese In A Western Crowd. Do you have people in your life that speak your language? That understand your mindset? That want to converse with you so that you can learn from each other? Are you finding it hard to find people that you can share with on a heart, mind and soul level?
Keywords: Finding those of like mind. Leaving the “western crowd” behind. People having a specialized language that doesn’t communicate with the larger population. Exclusivity in communication. Interpreting or misinterpreting tones of voice. People being drawn to each other. “Chinese whispers”.
The Caution: Reluctance to adapt. Being with people who don’t share the same philosophies or understandings. No one to communicate with on the same level. Stories that get out of control. Depending on others to mirror one’s self. Being in alien territory. Schizophrenia. Hearing voices. Racism.
The
Sabian Symbol for the Sun seems to suggest that some will have to move on in some way in order to feel safe, secure, protected and nourished in their environment. The Symbol is
Sagittarius 19: Pelicans Disturbed By The Garbage Of People Move To A New Habitat. Do you have to put up with
'garbage' from others? Noise, pollution and negative thinking can impact on
one's desire to live a happier, more fulfilling life. Do you need to move on? Do you need someone else to move out of your environment? Do you need to speak up about what's bothering you?
Keywords: Concerns with survival. The endeavor to achieve mental, physical or emotional well-being or peace. Noise and other irritants that make life difficult. Looking out for the safety and security of one’s children, home or creative ventures. Feeling unsafe with conditions being insecure and unpredictable. Having nowhere to rest.
The Caution: Mess and rubbish left around. Not being prepared to compromise or cohabit. People not being able to live together. “Fouling of one’s nest”. Being told that things are being done “for your own good” regardless of what you want. Noise driving people out. Leases running out.
Topping off the idea of boundaries, laws, rules and regulations is
Venus on
Capricorn 18: A Union Jack Flies From A New British Warship. Here again is the concern with what you will and won't put up with. With Venus in Capricorn, there's also the spectre of money, big business and corporations and the issues that they bring up.
Do you build walls that keep relationships or good things from getting too close to you? Are you often on the defense?
Keywords: Colonialism. Protectionism. The government, big
business and the media. Class-consciousness. Power and political displays. Displays of “law and order”. Border patrols and protection. Strength and might. Nationalism. Royalty. The ruling elite. Supervision. The armed forces. Patrols. Pitting people against each other. Empires. Victory bringing riches. The mother country. The struggle against decline. Flags. Imperialism. The Commonwealth. The rule of law.
The Caution: Artificial shows of strength. Bullying from the “
big guys”. Being armed “to the teeth”. Strong-arm tactics.
Disrespect for authority. People or institutions that throw their weight around. Anarchy. Traitors. Being
anti establishment. Social disintegration.
War games. Civil wars. Feeling squeezed by authority. Rebellion. Civilian lives lost for political causes. Governing forces that deny individual rights. Invasions.
Venus is in a rather difficult aspect to the Moon, being in
quincunx aspect, and you could find it a bit difficult to align your wants with your needs. I think of the
quincunx as being like the
'itch that is difficult to
scratch', but one needs to be creative, to find solutions that really suit rather than being
band aids that will rub off at the next event.
Mars in Virgo could help to sort things out, particularly as Mars is slowing right down for it's long stay in that sign - Mars goes retrograde in January. Virgo, when it's not been sacrificial and self effacing, can be a great sign for getting things in order, to demarcate those boundaries, to decide what is worth keeping and what is not. The Symbol is
Virgo 14: Finely Letter Names And Mysterious Lines Are Seen: It Is A Family Tree. Many will be asking questions about who really is
'family' and who is not. It seems that just because we're related to someone, that doesn't mean that we belong with them. Family in this context, especially with Mars here, can have people delving into their family tree all the way up to deciding not to have some family members in their space. It's an interesting challenge in the lead up to the holidays. Who do you invite? Who invites you? Do you want to go? Are you over Christmas? Would you rather take off (like the
'Pelicans', perhaps) to an island where you don't have to deal with all the garbage?
The karmic Moon's north node is STILL on
Sagittarius 15 (where it's been for a long time), on
The Groundhog Looking For Its Shadow On Groundhog Day.
Keywords: Looking back, reading the signs. Divination and other systems of inquiry. Seeing society as being to blame. People having a good look at how they seem to others. Wondering how others perceive you and picture you. Prophets that can tell the “weather”ahead of time. Predictions. Prognosticating. Welcoming an
early spring. Scrutinizing objectives. Looking to nature for clues.
The Caution: Being scared to act without some message of confirmation. People (or society) looking for someone to blame for conditions. Relying on the same solutions without consideration of changes. Blizzards and the cold.
So, are you still waking up in the morning wondering what the heck you're doing with your life? Wondering why you keep repeating the same old patterns? Curiously, in Sydney in the first week of summer, it is unseasonably cold (it's the coldest December in 50 years). Where the heck is summer? For some, of course, blizzards are setting in in the northern hemisphere - but what exactly is blowing the coldest wind in your direction?
As this is a lunar eclipse, the karmic Moon's nodes are very much involved in the action and it's can be a time of big events, breakthroughs, realizations and the birthing of a new era in life, particularly as we go into 2012. The shift in energy that we'll be feeling over the next year is enormous and this lunar eclipse is part of the birth of the new. Something that was
'birthed' at the
partial solar eclipse on November 25 feels set to break (or reach a peak). The Symbol for that solar eclipse was
Sagittarius 3: Two Men Playing Chess.... the motif of chess, gamesmanship and issues of winning (particularly ruling rights and territory), aligns with the issues to do with boundaries that are coming to the fore now.
Aligning with the idea of books, learning, intellect and communications is the
karmic Moon's south node on
Gemini 15: Two Dutch Children Talking And Studying Their Lessons Together. Here again, as with the Two Chinese Men Speak Chinese, we have
'two' people, conversing and sharing ideas. They have a rather specialized language, or they come from a culture that may be quite different from others. Again, there's the need to find
one's 'equal', mate, partner or friend that really gets what you're about.
Mercury is retrograde on
Sagittarius 5: An Old Owl Perched High Up In A Tree. This shows the need, or the desire, of observing, taking everything in while being reflective about what's being shown to you. What is it that you are, or should be, digesting?
Keywords: Wisdom and strength. Evening contemplation. Keeping thoughts to oneself. A wise “sage” type of person. Nocturnal vision. Exalted wisdom. “Night owls”. Heightened sight and seeing. Being silent and alert for the slightest movement. The ability to see all around.
The Caution: Smug denial of available wisdom. Someone thinking they know it all. Not wanting to join in with others in fun activities. Acting old before their time. Excluding others as being frivolous and unknowing. Waiting for one’s prey.
Jupiter goes direct in a few week's time, so it's energy is amplifying
Taurus 1: A Clear Mountain Stream Flows Steadily Downstream. Jupiter is doubly strong as it rules the Sun and the Moon's north node. It seems to be asking that we
'get into the
flow', gathering steam as we head to our objectives with the law of gravity at our backs. In what direction are you flowing? How are you pushing towards the things you want?
Keywords: Remaining fluid. Flowing energy. Pure sources, nourishment and refreshment. Sure sense of direction. “Untainted” blood lines. Purifying one’s thoughts, ideas and beliefs. Things set in train from upstream. Water. Dams. Water as a resource. Purification. Cleaning and cleansing. Pipelines. The spiritual dimensions of water. Baptism. Elemental knowledge. Traffic. Flowing crowds of people.
The Caution: Aimlessness. Aloofness. Feelings of physical, spiritual, racial or intellectual purity that can lead to smugness, bigotry or a false sense of superiority. Ice cold feelings and responses. Not taking notice or being concerned about another’s feelings. Cold ambition. Mud and sediment. Pollutants. Algae.
Stagnant moments.
Adding to the sense of forward momentum is Uranus turning direct again after being retrograde since July.
Uranus can bring up questions like
'what about me?', and
'what (or who) am I do this for and it's a time for launching into the new, especially as Uranus is on
Aries 1: A Woman Has Risen From The Ocean, A Seal Is Embracing Her.
Keywords: Cycles starting. Beginnings. Emergence into concrete manifestation. Embracing and honoring the shadow. Recognizing our animal side. Tropical islands or lands. Rocky shores. Seals. Oceans and water. Shedding skins. Transmutation. The
Selkie myth. Grounding one’s energy. Stepping between the sea and the shore. Androgyny. Love and its embrace. Finding your feet and your voice.
The Caution: Using masculine power to overshadow emotions or entertain fear. Refusing to move into a new state. Feeling held back by fears and old life patterns. Falling back into previous, unsatisfactory conditions. People dragging others backwards. Immobilizing fear of the unknown. Being just another “fish in the sea”.
Pluto is on
Capricorn 7: A Veiled Prophet Speaks, Seized By The Power Of A God. This asks where your sense of authority lies, who do you listen to? Can you trust what's being said? Is there truth in the airwaves or is it mostly manipulation? What is emanating from your own sense of power? How are you manifesting your words, your thoughts, your ideals?
Last but not least is
Chiron, which I see very much as the stories that we tell ourselves that feed our
woundedness and our
'not being good
enough'.
Chiron is on
Pisces 2: A Squirrel Hiding From Hunters. The trick with this is to watch, listen and learn about where you sabotage your efforts to be free, independent and to bask in the sunshine. For many, it may be time to come out of their hiding hole.
