Shamanic Astrology June, 2007 Cosmology Update
With Daniel Giamario and Cayelin Castell
Transcribed by Paula Berliner
Daniel speaks:
The Lunar Standstill windows are a time of maximum stretching and intensity that are occurring 6 days out of every month when the moon travels through the area of:
15 Gemini to 15 Cancer with 0 Cancer as the center point—- This is aligned with the Summer Solstice Window and is associated with the gateway where new creation enters this realm from the point of the galactic edge.
15 Sagittarius to 15 Capricorn with 0 Capricorn at the center point—–This is aligned with the Winter Solstice Window and is the place where we experience the die off of the old forms. Letting go, sometimes being forced to let go of old stuff.
June 14 – June 16 – Moon at Summer Solstice Window – 3 days surrounding 0 Cancer
This is stretching us to new territory, into places we have not been before. It is the place of incoming possibilities where experiences and activities are new and beyond what we have ever experienced before.
June 28 – 30 Moon in Capricorn :Winter’s Solstice Window- 3 days surrounding 0 Capricorn Stretching us to let go of where we may still have holding patterns in the area of our personality. This has to do with where we may being doing business as usual and encountering challenges as a result that make it impossible to hold on to the old identity.
This Summer Solstice also features:
1. A Mercury Retrograde Cycle from June 15- July 9, 2007
The turning point of this cycle where a new Mercury cycle begins is June 28 when the Sun and Mercury are conjunct at 7 Cancer. Three times a year Mercury transforms (or mutates) into a different of expression of mind, cognition, perception, and communication. Mercury symbolizes for the world how things will be perceived and communicated.
This year Mercury is operating in the Mystery Schools of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. These are Feeling Function signs. It is important to note that we are talking about feelings as something different than emotions. It is our response to pressure and stress that describes emotions.
Emotion vs. Feeling. The Feeling function experiences the events of life through the “lens of value”. Mercury retrograde in Cancer is not about more emotion, but deeply considering what our values are through the feelings.
In the recent movie “The Secret”, there is not a distinction made between the emotions and feelings. Their premise is to just do what feels good. This isn’t necessarily helpful if emotions are driving our actions and decisions. In this case then we are dealing with a complex that operates from deficiencies and insecurity.
When what we value from a deep internal place is driving our actions and decisions, then the law of attraction works consistently and completely every time. What we are trying to present here in this Mercury Retrograde time period is there will be a test for global humanity to operate from the feelings, valuing the world family and treating everyone as if they are our own kin, even if their values do not exactly match the ideals we hold.
2. Saturn Neptune Opposition- 3 phases of the last year. On June 25 we have the final stand off of Saturn (22 Leo) and retrograde Neptune (22 Aquarius) in a series of oppositions that began last August.
These are two outer planets that do not move into opposition very often and this is a combination that is among the most challenging to understand.
Saturn vs. Neptune:
Saturn represents the laws, the rules, the regulations, objective reality, the “real world” which has been rapidly changing. The last few thousand years Saturn has been run by a father god that was built on guilt and shame (and subjugating the feminine). When Saturn moves into Virgo the whole circuit between deficiency and perfectionism, and new law is what the Saturn movement into Virgo will be about. [Can this be worded more clearly? I don’t understand it and am having trouble re-wording it – Cathie]
Saturn in Leo opposing Neptune in Aquarius represents the old laws, the old rules, the old holding patterns (such as holding onto the forms of privilege and elitism) in a standoff against the principle of Neptune.
Neptune is the mystical, the universal, the non-objective reality, not the real world, beyond this reality, in the sign of Aquarius. Neptune in Aquarius is the highest level of compassion with ability to sense into the suffering and sorrow of others while also having the larger framework and giving individuals permission to be in the predicament or situation they are experiencing.
On an individual and personal level, this represents the battle between the real world:
- How can I make money?
- How can I pay the bills?
- How can I be involved in a world that demands form and structure, and at the same time maintain my dreams, visions, and ideals?
If we were only experiencing Neptune, we could all go to India, or to the mountain top.
If we were only experiencing Saturn, we could all work 20 hours a day and get good results.
However, when Neptune and Saturn are in opposition, somehow we have to figure out an alchemy beyond what we have ever experienced before that helps us to live in both places at the same time.
Many in the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School are individuals who combine both of these features. The Saturn qualities of structure, the old man or old woman with the rules, the senex, elder knowledge that knows how things work, and the Neptune qualities of the dreamer, the eternal youth, the idealist, wide-eyed naiveté that may not operate successfully in this world, but rather operates or has meaning only in the mystical transcendent realm.
On June 25 this alignment is exact and fully active right in the summer solstice window, suggesting a time for some kind of reconciliation of these contradictory forces.
Cayelin: On the heels of the lunar Standstill New Moon window June 14 – 16 at the galactic edge… the crescent Moon meets first with Venus then Saturn then Regulus. Venus is on its way to meet up with Saturn at end of June. June 30 to July 1 Saturn and Venus are within less than 1 degree of each other and will be nearly touching at the end of the month. The Sky and Telescope website has a visual posted there and there is a visual posted on the Timings page of the Shamanic Astrology website.
Antares and Regulus are the featured stars this year. I will share more about Regulus next month. We just had the Full Moon with Antares on May 31. Antares is the heart of the Scorpion and is located at 9 degrees 52 minutes of Sagittarius. Jupiter will station direct in exact zodiacal alignment within about 4 minutes of Antares on August 6, 2007 at 9 degrees 56 minutes of Sagittarius.
This year, 2007, we have six occultations of the Moon over Antares that occurs only during the Lunar Standstill season. The next occultations of Antares are on June 28, July 25 and Nov 11 2007.
The Moon occults Antares in what astronomers call the Major Lunar Standstill and Aldebaran when the Lunar Standstill reaches its opposite point a.k.a. the Minor Lunar Standstill. These occultations occur over about a five year period surrounding the exact center point of the Standstill Time.
Daniel: The Ancient Babylonians fixed on those two stars (Aldebaran and Antares) also known as Royal Stars and now we see there is a connection to the Lunar Standstill cycle moon.
Cayelin: Jupiter is currently is retrograding back to Antares and Vesta has been also crossing over Antares. Vesta will again be conjunct Antares on August 26. So the full range of this Timing is from January to August 2007.
Antares, a.k.a. Alpha Scorpii, marks the heart of the Scorpion and is a fascinating fixed star for many reasons. It was one of the four royal stars of Persia, considered Watcher of the West and also linked with Archangel Uriel. It is also one of four stars found closest to the Ecliptic; the others include Aldebaran, Spica, and Regulus. It is because Antares is so close to the Ecliptic that it can be occulted by the Moon, and during the years of the Lunar Standstill, the Moon occults Antares often.
Antares is also one of 15 Behenian fixed stars considered especially useful for magical applications in the medieval astrology of Europe and the Arab world. The root word of Behenian derives from the Arabic word “bahman” which means “root.” The Behenian stars were considered a source of astrological power when one or more planets were conjunct. Each Behenian star is also connected with a ritual gemstone and plant that was used to help draw upon the star’s influence (e.g., into a talisman). It was believed that when a planet was within six degrees of a Behenian star, the star’s influence was greatly heightened. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behenian_fixed_star
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535), an influential renaissance writer, gives us another perspective of how Antares was worked with in times past:
“The thirteenth is called the Heart of the Scorpion, under which, amongst stones, is the sardonius, and amethyst; amongst plants long aristolochy and saffron.” Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. I, Chapter 32, (Tyson ed.) page 99. He also says: “Under the Heart of Scorpio (Antares) they made the image of a man armed, and with a coat of mail, or the figure of a scorpion; it giveth understanding and memory, it maketh a good colour, and aideth against evil spirits, and driveth them away, and bindeth them.” Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. II, Chapter 47, (Tyson ed.) pages 395-6. This is the symbol for Antares http://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/home.htm
Antares is similar to the influence of Mars and Jupiter, and has been linked with success and good fortune, as well as danger and malevolence. Many of the fixed stars are well known for their shadow expressions. Naturally, every aspect in this world has a seemingly dual nature or shadow side. That is because every aspect in our experience, whether in nature or in the heavens, is a part of who we are. It is up to us to choose how we engage these energies. Antares does have the potential for great power when used wisely with Integrity and Heart. However, if a person is accessing Antares for power over others, then ultimately, these energies will backfire, causing their downfall.
That is why it is important to always come from a place of integrity and heart when working with these energies.
Daniel: Some definitions of Antares say it means rival with Mars or anti-ares. There are certain Mars cycles where Mars and Antares are in the sky together and ancient cultures would measure the nature of the time line based on whether Mars was brighter than Antares.
The old meaning of Mars was connected to its warlike [warlike] nature. We are now transmuting that meaning into something else so we are not operating from a place of value control or a point of war. Rather this is the time to imagine the alchemical rather then secular aspect of Jupiter with Antares.
Cayelin: Working with the magical nature of Antares as a star for manifesting our intention is especially powerful over these next few months.
Daniel: Those whose motives are not operating from a place of “value” could certainly use the Jupiter placement with Antares for manifesting control and power over others…a point of war. This is the secular aspect of this magical placement for manifestation and it is important for us to imagine the alchemical aspect rather than the secular aspect.
Cayelin: The fixed star, Antares, has definitely been connected to war imagery. Indeed, there is a dual nature to all the stars and archetypes. If we choose to engage and work with the heart energies of Antares, as it is the heart of the Scorpion constellation, from a place of conscious awareness, we currently have the potential to do really great and wonderful things.
The June Solstice
Daniel: The Cancer Sun at the time of the solstice. Cancer is feeling function sign and it is associated with Value. We now have the ability to bring or energize the value of something as opposed to controlling it or gaining power over it.
Paula: Can you define the word Value?
Daniel: The Law of Attraction, as understood in Shamanic Astrology, occurs in the same way that magic happens, and that is when three things are in alignment:
1. Right timing – currently it is aspect of Jupiter conjunct Antares
2. Having your tools together and skills set in place. (What you are working on this life)
3. When what you are intending, what you are desiring and wanting is in accordance with original intent.
As opposed to emotional wanting which is not aligned with (core) value. An illustration of this is:
In the late sixties there was a college student questionnaire that asked: What is it you value the most?
19% said being rich, and the rest or highest percentage said being involved with community service, world peace and raising consciousness. This year the same college student questionnaire was given and 81% said what they value the most is being rich.
Other examples of what one values are wanting to take care of family, the value of seeing the whole world as your family — global family —- caring and aiding one another through the path of heart, as opposed to intending through emotional content which does not necessarily have value associated with it.
We have a great advantage of knowing Shamanic Astrology to the extent that we do, and having a sense of knowing of what our individual original intent is…and we can only speculate what the intent of Great Mystery is. We can be part of it and in harmony with it… and that is what we are intending to do by looking at the cycles at this window of Summer Solstice.
It is important that we form a dialogue and connection, essentially take our place on the wheel of life, in between, as above, so below, and participate with the unfolding Great Mystery.
Venus / Moon Cycle – 7th chakra gate in Leo is occurring on the evening of June 17 and 18
Cayelin: And Venus is on its way to meet with Saturn and Regulus. Regulus is the heart of the lion and a star about Leadership.
Daniel: This is time for stepping forward as creator…. Step up to the plate and create what we want (aligned with spirit). It is true leadership representing the king archetype in both men and women. Sir Francis Gardner recently stated that original kingship is first and foremost [foremost] to serve the people and second, to be a model for the best qualities in being a human being to the people.
Cayelin: Again this year we have two heart Stars being featured; the heart of the Scorpion, Antares, and the heart of the Lion, Regulus. Staying attuned to our own heart’s desire, heart knowing and guidance while working from the heart energy is very important.
Daniel: Yes especially when considering Antares and Regulus were centrally important stars at the last quarter turn of the Turning of the Ages 5,000- 6,000 yrs ago. Those stars marked the seasons and the cardinal directions.
Cayelin: And now Regulus is located at 29 degrees 55 minutes of Leo and Antares 9 degrees 52 minutes in Sagittarius are stars that lie closest to the ecliptic. Regulus is also a Behenian star whose stone is granite and plant is mugwort.
Daniel: Topics we will discuss more in-depth in the coming months include the arrival of Jupiter with Pluto in Sagittarius at Galactic Center; Venus rising as a morning star beginning a New Venus Cycle; and Mars also beginning a new cycle in December.
Mars Cycle
The current Mars cycle that began in Taurus reaches its “Maturity and Elder Knowledge” phase.
June 24 in the Summer solstice window is when Mars enters Taurus.
Sept 28 Mars enters Cancer the sign of its new cycle that will begin in December.
Daniel Speculates:
The movement of Mars into Taurus represents the higher archetypal truth in the masculine principle of Taurus for both men and women. It is a higher octave for elder wisdom. Taurus, masculine, now has the ability to experience the garden without the fall, to appreciate, savor, and value intimacy. This is also about valuing the pleasure of life and Epicureanism in a good way, and being Involved in life without the need to accomplish or achieve. It is about savoring and enjoying what it is to be alive. As stated in True Shamanism:
I give thanks that I am a human being and I give thanks to be alive and enjoy this place.
The shadow side of Taurus is to eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we are going to die. It is the greedy accumulation to get as much as possible motivated from a place of fear and lack.
It would be Interesting to do research on the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Disparity between those who had and those who had not and the right-wing Republicanism, not caring about the future and not caring about the seven generations to follow.
Out of greed and out of insecurity, people try to grab onto as much as possible. This is not the true intent of Mars in Taurus and when we work with the intention we can energize and align with the ability to be present in the moment enjoying and appreciating what life offers.
Over the next few months, Mars will continue to get brighter and brighter. All of this activity is a precursor for the next great Mars cycle in Cancer which will be a couple of days after the Winter Solstice.
Mars will then begin its journey in Cancer having to do with the global family situation. The possibility is for providing and receiving nourishment as a world family. This is similar to Mercury retrograde in Cancer in the Summer Solstice window. The next Mars cycle the begins at Winter Solstice further energizing the Cancer archetype. This is the time to put our attention on the intent of the larger process, moving toward the vision and ideals we have all held for so long. By being in communication with spirit, the opportunity is to figure out some way that the greatest number of people can experience their soul’s intent.
At the Winter Solstice window:
1. Jupiter opposes Mars
2. Mars opposes Sun in Capricorn
3. Jupiter and Pluto conjunct the Sun
Cayelin: Also Mercury as the messenger will be in late degrees of Sagittarius and early Capricorn bringing through the new messages about what we are birthing now.
Daniel: We have quite a drama leading us to the Winter Solstice that is getting another activation with the Summer Solstice.
So what is the summer solstice about???
If you think about the seasonal calendar, the Summer Solstice is maximum light just before it begins to diminish. It also happens to be associated with Cancer. High summer is a time of growth and expansion and it is a time when the Sun is at the galactic edge. It is an opportunity to birth and bring in experiences we have never had before,
This is especially true for those in alignment with Value that is greater than our individual story. If the Human experiment cannot happen as a whole, then it is very difficult to happen individually. That is why we are all in this together.
Cayelin: The declination of the Sun reaches 23 degrees on June 11 and stays at 23 degrees (near its furthest northern appearance) until the end of the month.
Daniel: This is not just the typical three day Solstice Window, and therefore corresponds with the Lunar Standstill that is occurring two times this month.
Important Dates for June 2007:
To assist others and have some context for objectivity in reference to our own experience these dates are worth noting.
June 14 -16 – Lunar standstill surrounding 0 degree Cancer- Summer Solstice point in the sky currently aligned with the galactic edge
June 17 – 18 – Moon conjunct Venus, Saturn and Regulus in Leo
June 24 – Mars enters Taurus
June 25 – Saturn in Leo opposes Neptune in Aquarius
June 28 – Mercury conjunct the Sun in Cancer
June 28 – 30 – Lunar standstill surrounding 0 degrees Capricorn – this is the Winter Solstice point in the sky near galactic center. The June 30 Full Moon is at 8 Degrees Capricorn
Night Sky Viewing
June 17 – 18 – Venus conjunct New Moon
June 19 – Moon conjunct Saturn
June 19-20 -Moon conjunct Regulus
June 27 – Venus conjunct Saturn
Daniel’s Further Thoughts about Mars in Taurus
The social/ political ramifications of Mars in Taurus in the window of Elder Knowledge:
This may well be a time for those who believe they are a mature elder in their group to do whatever [whatever] possible to expose any corruption within that group. This would be last gasp from the negative perspective of Saturn moving through Leo expressing the entrenched belief that we are the special ones, and as we as the special blood line, have the authority to rule over others, and how dare we be exposed because we are in charge? This is opposed to others who will see Saturn through Leo as an opportunity to help us realize and express our divinity. Then Jupiter stations direct in alignment with Antares. This [can be used for whatever intention around our values we are desiring to manifest and is also an amazing symbol to mobilize the shadow side of Antares and the Scorpion.
Cayelin …and guaranteed to backfire if someone is operating from the shadow of these energies, ultimately causing their downfall. Thus, corruption will be exposed!