LIBRA THE SCALES: I ATTAIN HARMONY WITH OTHERS USING MY GIFTS OF FAIRNESS AND BALANCE

Libra the Scales

Preface:  As I do every month for each of the signs, I want to emphasize that if your birthday does not fall during the Libra timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Libra, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others. The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy. You may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.

The Sun began its transit of the sign of Libra beginning at 2:05 am (PDT) on September 23, 2011.

"I See You" (line from the movie Avatar)

Introduction

As I began preparation for this article, I repeatedly thought of the line from the movie Avatar, which is “I see you,” the greeting of the Na’vi natives from the fictional planet of Pandora. Translated, it is closer to the meaning of “I understand you.” Libra marks a stage in the zodiac where humans realize the importance of the other in the art of relationship. Collectively speaking, the Na’vi may be more spiritually advanced than Earthlings. Nevertheless, I thought the greeting is a pertinent illustration of Libra’s consideration for the other.

Libra Symbolism and Sign Characteristics

The symbol associated with Libra is the scales, with representations of these inanimate objects alone or held by a human, like the medieval painting above. The scales convey the concept of balance. The beginning of Libra marks the time when we have equal night and equal day —the beginning of autumn. The scales also signify justice and the law, and on the spiritual level, the restoration of balance, like the concept of karma.

The Libra glyph pictured above resembles a yoke, indicating the need for teamwork and a balanced effort, observes astrologer Bruce Nevin. He notes that traditionally this is the season when farmers “weigh in” their produce at the fall harvest marketplace, where there is a need to balance social needs. Like the seventh house, Libra marks the point in the zodiac, says Nevin, where there is a shift from subjective concerns to objective consciousness.[1]

Libra rules the seventh house of “the other,” spouses or business partners, and some say our closest friends are also represented here. This is where we have a contract or commitment to another. In traditional astrology, the seventh house is called the house of marriage, and the house of open enemies. As you well know, those who have been closest to us sometimes seem like our enemies when they reveal information about us that we do not want revealed. A case in point is the relationship between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Although the couple has been divorced for six years, they still make comments or innuendos about the other, which are usually not flattering comments. Pitt told Parade Magazine that he had become a slacker, and that his marriage to Aniston had something to do with that. Pitt said, “[I was]trying to pretend the marriage was something it wasn’t.”[2]After Pitt made disparaging comments about his marriage to Aniston, CelebTV.com reports that she told friends that Brad was a “dull stoner.” Yes, dear readers, I too read follow the gossip rags. (Pitt’s comments are substantiated, but I cannot confirm that Aniston actually made these comments). My point here is simply to illustrate the meaning of the 7th House.

Libra is a cardinal sign because it marks the beginning of a new season. Cardinal signs have an action orientation, using dynamic energy to start something new. Libra is an air sign, which represents the mental and social realm. Like the other air signs, Gemini and Aquarius, this sign is savvy in the networking realm. Libra’s planetary ruler is Venus, which is concerned with attracting and relating to another. Venus is also about aesthetics and the arts. Astrologer Deborah Houlding says that Venus has a need to be wanted and a need for the approval of others. Consequently, relationships and the recognition of responsibilities to others is what gives meaning to life for Libra.[3]

The Sun represents the energy to express one’s individual nature, and it encourages the unfolding of whatever will make the individual feel more alive. The Sun is about the individual’s essence. When the Sun transits the sign of Libra, traditional astrology says that it is in “its fall”, a position indicating a lack of compatibility because Libra’s concern for “the other” weakens the Sun’s search for an individual identity. Houlding adds that the “natural subjugation of clear ego expression for Libra is compounded by the Venus rulership.”[4]

The positive attributes that Venus bestows upon Libra are good manners, diplomacy, civility, charm, refinement, polish, and good taste. Others may add descriptors like easy-going, friendly, peace loving, and fair. Librans are perfectly suited to positions at the State Department. They do well in venues where an institution or government entity needs a chief of protocol. We know very well that most people do not always reflect only the positive aspects of their sign. Because Libra wants surroundings to be beautiful and harmonious, this sign may be too prone to make judgments on surface appearances. Furthermore, because they are inclined to balance the pros and cons of opinions and arguments, they can vascillate between perspectives, making them appear to be without convictions. Some say Libra can be lazy, delicate, indecisive, overly dependent, overly adaptive, underhandedly manipulative, and lacking in self-confidence.

One of the major challenges facing harmony-loving Libra is how to handle the realities of everyday conflicts. Houlding notes that Libra can either synthesize these conflicts into a working whole or be in a state of inconstancy and indecision. Houlding proposes that the ideal process for Libra is to analyze the matter, and then integrate the analysis into a solution and a resolution, holding firm to their position, unless new information requires reevaluation.[5] Librans are at their finest when they stand by principles so they use their gifts of impartiality and fairness in a sincere manner.

Debunking Libra Stereotypes

Some of the astrological literature portrays Libra as being naturally harmonious and easy-going, and the Libra state of being seems almost languid. What some of these descriptions about Libra leave out is the fact that maintaining harmony and balance requires a lot of effort! It takes enormous energy to understand another and to sustain a workable relationship. Think of the hard work that goes into mediating a labor dispute or handling an international conflict in a diplomatic manner. Over thirty years have passed since President Jimmy Carter helped forge a peace treaty between Israel and its Arab neighbor of Egypt. In his historic Camp David address, Carter stated: “Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be the children of God.” The PBS history documentary series American Experience says of Carter:  “It's difficult to imagine any other American president doing what Carter did at Camp David. Most would not even have tried, and Carter's capacity for hard work, mastery of detail, moral integrity and just plain stubbornness all came into play. Though he would receive little domestic political benefit, it established Carter as a top global statesman and has served as the inspiration for much of his work since leaving office.”[6] Let us give Libra more credit for the energy required to obtain and keep the peace!

Libra is a cardinal sign, and we should not underrate their desire to initiate change and their will to pursue an agenda, but their process is to include others in that goal. Astrologer Caroline Casey loves to quote fellow astrologer Jayj Jacobs observation about Libra: “A Libra is just an Aires who has been to charm school.”[7] That statement reflects Libra’s drive to bring about a change. The difference between the two signs is major. Pure Aries energy is concerned with the self, while Libra is intent on meeting the needs of others in addition to the self. In a discussion, Aries might state, “This is how I feel.” Libra, on the other hand, may say, “Let me summarize how we feel.”

 Q

Quotations of Famous Libras

With the exclusion of very young people and those outside the United States, most readers know a little about the the four individuals (plus one movie) I present here. Rather than review biographical information for these famous individuals, I instead have selected some of their remarks in the form of quotations.  The focus of their concerns reflects their Libra nature . 

First Lady and United Nations Ambassador Eleanor Roosevelt








“I have spent many years of my life in opposition, and I rather like the role.”

“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.”

“Understanding is a two-way street.”

Mohandas Gandhi, Leader of India Independence Movement 

“All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is surrender. For it is all give and no take.”

“If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.”

“There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.”

President Jimmy Carter

“Unless both sides win, no agreement can be permanent.”

"We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.”

“There should be an honest attempt at the reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat.”

John Lennon

Singer/Songwriter (originally of The Beatles)

“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal.”

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”

“All we are saying is give peace a chance.”

The Na'vi from the mythical planet of Pandora

(from James Cameron's Avatar, the movie)

(I see you, I see you)

Walking through a dream, I see you
My light and darkness breathing hope of new life
Now I live through you and you through me, enchanted
I pray in my heart that this dream never ends (more...)

I see me through your eyes
Breathing new life, flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love

You teach me how to see all thats beautiful
My senses touch your world I never pictured
Now I give my hope to you, I surrender
I pray in my heart that this world never ends

I see me through your eyes
Breathing new life, flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life
I offer my love for you

And my heart was never open
And my spirit never free
To the world that you have shown me
But my eyes could not envision
All the colours of love and of life evermore,
Evermore

I see me through your eyes
Breathing new life, flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love
I live through your love

I see you
I see you (less)

Lyrics courtesy of http://www.redbalcony.com

ENDNOTES

1 Nevin, Bruce. (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport, Massachusettes, Para Research Publishers, p.79-80.

2. Rader, Dotson (2011, September 15). Brad Pitt is Finally Satisfied. Parade Magazine. Retrieved 9.22.2011: http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2011/09/brad-pitt.html

3. Houlding, Deborah. (June/July 2005). Libra the Scales. The Mountain Astrologer, #121, pp.29-35.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. PBS American Experience: Jimmy Carter. Production Year: 2002. Retrieved 9/27/11: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/carter-peace/

7. Casey, Caroline. (1998). Making the Gods Work for You. New York: Harmony Books 

Unless otherwise noted, quotations are found at BrainyQuote.com

VIRGO THE MAIDEN: THROUGH MY SELFLESS SERVICE AND PURITY, I GIVE THE GIFTS OF DISCERNMENT AND PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING

Virgo the Maiden

Preface:  As I do every month for each of the signs, I want to emphasize that if your birthday does not fall during the Virgo timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Virgo, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others. The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy. You may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.

The Sun transits the sign of Virgo beginning August 23, 2011

Jane Addams

Born September 6, 1860

“... social advance depends quite as much upon an increase in moral sensibility as it does upon a sense of duty ...”

“Of all the aspects of social misery nothing is so heartbreaking as unemployment ...”

“I dreamed night after night that everyone in the world was dead excepting myself, and that upon me rested the responsibility of making a wagon wheel.”

ATTRIBUTIO

Jane Addams (1860–1935), U.S. social worker and social reformer. Quotes from her memoir, Twenty Years at Hull-House, (1910).

 Introduction

When I was a student in the administrative program at UC Berkeley’s School of Social Welfare,one of my first classes was an introductory course on social work and its history. In the field of social work, Jane Addams holds the title of “mother of modern American social work.” Jane Addams, and the field of social work, epitomizes what the zodiac sign of Virgo is about: improving or perfecting, and service.

Jane Addams was born in Chicago in 1860 to a well-to-do family. Her father was a successful agricultural businessman who was involved in politics, working in campaigns to elect his friend Abraham Lincoln as senator and then president. Early on, Jane was concerned about the poor, and she wanted to devote her life to service on their behalf. At first, she wanted to do this through the field of medicine, but health problems and her family situation at that time were barriers to completing her medical studies. She very much wanted to attend Smith College, but her father forced her to attend Rockford Female Seminary. When she completed studies, she was filled with vague ambitions. An idea was germinating in her mind about starting a settlement house in Chicago modeled after Toynbee Hall in London. She finally shared this idea with a woman who had been her classmate at Rockford, and her friend was very supportive. Jane traveled to London to meet people at Toynbee Hall, and so entranced was she that she returned to Chicago eager to start a settlement house program. Jane Addams named her project Hull House. Initially, it was a residence of 25 women who worked in the various neighborhood programs Jane and her colleagues established, such as English language programs to assist immigrants in the community, a night school for adults, kindergarten for children, clubs for older children, gyms, and an array of other social services and cultural events. Hull House became a model for programs in other urban areas.

Although Jane Addams accomplished much of her work in Chicago, she became very involved in policy at the national and international level. A pacifist, she joined various national and international groups to oppose World War I , and she helped set up frameworks to end all war. She was one of the representatives to the Woman’s Conference in the Hague, and she was chosen to head the commission to find an end to war. She traveled extensively, meeting with many diplomats in this process and becoming a person of visibility. She advocated the formation of the League of Nations. Her efforts in this area were recognized when she was named the recipient of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first American woman to win this honor.

Jane Addams leaves a rich legacy. In addition to developing program models for social services, she demonstrated the effectiveness of social advocacy and community organizing. She was instrumental in the advocacy of a juvenile justice system, youth counseling services, ending child labor, women’s voting rights, tenement house regulations, immigrants rights, and civil rights. She collaborated with labor organizations to reduce the workday for women, to develop factory regulations and workers’ compensation.

The Transition from Leo to Virgo

The Sun’s transit of the sign of Virgo occurs in late summer, when daylight still predominates, but is waning. The weather is still warm, and sometimes hot, but changes are perceptible. With respect to astrological personalities, we have experienced the bravado of sunny, creative Leo, displaying talents for all in a reciprocal exchange of love. Time, as expressed in the zodiac wheel, moves on, and we embark upon a new stage of development. As the signs proceed around the zodiac, the succeeding sign shows a tendency to display behavior in “reaction” to characteristics of the previous sign. Whereas Leo was a showcase for a personality on exhibit, Virgo’s energy turns inward, desiring a little more modesty. Those of us who have strong streaks of self-involvement know that such a perspective can get boring, and that we can quell that through identification with a greater purpose. Virgo represents the beginning of that stage in the zodiac. Virgo taps into the need for personal growth and humility through service.

I am now more cognizant of looking at what a sign “retains” from the previous sign. Virgo is intent upon taking risks, just as Leo was, but in a different style and with a different purpose. At the beginning of his book’s section on Virgo, astrologer Steven Forrest has a wonderful quote from author James Baldwin: “One can give nothing whatever without giving oneself—that is to say, risking oneself. If one cannot risk oneself, then one is simply incapable of giving.” [i] Leo took risks to perform and to love, and Virgo carries on, but with a different perspective and focus. Virgo is intent on discovering, perfecting, and transforming herself through being of service. Steven Forrest clarifies that Virgo is not about the servitude that astrologers of other centuries described, but rather about the desire to be of service as a form of self-expression. By perfecting herself, Forrest says, Virgo serves the principle of service. [ii]

Virgo Symbolism, Rulerships, and Personality

The symbol of Virgo is the maiden or virgin (like the medieval painting shown at the beginning of this article). In modern times, the term virgin has a sexual connotation of inexperience, but that is a distorted view of the symbol. Astrologer Catherine Auman says the name Virgo derives from the Latin word “virgo” meaning unmarried, and the term virginal means that she belongs to no man, that she cannot be possessed.[iii] The maiden, or virgin, in simplest terms, refers to the state of purity.

Bruce Nevin, an astrologer living in the Rockport colony of Massachusetts, explains that the sign’s glyph (shown above) suggests virginity by its self-contained final curve. The loops of the symbol resemble the loops of the intestines, which are ruled by Virgo. The “M” of the symbol stands for the Mind, which facilitates the talent for discrimination, like sorting the wheat from the chaff, metaphorically speaking.[1]

Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac, ruling the sixth house of work, servants, health, diet, and daily routines. This house covers the terrain of skill building and competence, so that we can meet our responsibilities as adults and contribute to society. It is the place where we are apprentices in the development of a trade. Conversely, it can also be the place where we serve as mentors to others. Steven Forrest observes that modern astrologers have a gap in meaning for the sixth house. He notes that the western side of the chart has to do with various forms of relationships, but modern astrology leaves out the discussion of relationships for the sixth house. Forrest posits that the sixth house is about relationships, but ones that are no longer prevalent in our nuclear family constellation. These are the relationships that we traditionally had with aunts and uncles. These relatives cared about us, but they had the “emotional distance” to assist us with developmental issues that young people find difficult talking to their parents about. In our modern society, we may have mentoring relationships that substitute for the traditional ones, and in that case, the sixth house is where we might expect to find that activity.[2]

Virgo is a mutable earth sign. Mutable signs are often in motion, says astrologer Lynn Bell, but they are not about action in the way that cardinal signs are. Instead, mutable signs move between the realms of the cardinal signs and the fixed signs. Bell uses the analogy of the Tao, what the Chinese refer to as the one constant in the world. This is the center between creative and receptive energy. When this mutable energy is disregarded, Bell continues, a culture (or person) may be uncomfortably caught between the need for constant action (the cardinal principle) and the desire for permanence (the fixed principle).[3]

Because Virgo is an earthly manifestation of Mercury, the planet of the rational mind, it is characterized by both the urge to produce and the urge to analyze. This makes Virgo an excellent craftsperson, and someone who may be attracted to gardening, and to the practice of herbalism or other forms of healing. Interestingly enough, the earth signs are not viewed as particularly fruitful in childbearing.

Astrologer Deborah Houlding says that ancient and traditional sources cite “the benefits of Virgo as bestowing purity, diplomacy, a mastery of words, a discriminating intellect, a propensity for study, a talent for investigation and analysis, skillful creativity, and a keen appreciation of the mysteries of nature.” [4] The more difficult sides to Virgo are pickiness, extreme criticism, skepticism, hypochondria, self-deprecation, and overly self-sacrificing.[5] Forrest says that in order for Virgo’s self-criticism not to be self-destructive, there must be self-acceptance.[6]

Debunking the Virgo Stereotypes

The Virgo need to improve or perfect is often misunderstood or exaggerated. Any personality characteristic can be taken to an extreme, but this is true of any sign. With a Virgo Sun and Pisces Moon, Jan Posse, editor of The Mountain Astrologer, observes, “Virgo knows only too well that we live in an imperfect world. She doesn’t expect to be perfect—only beyond reproach.” Posse also notes that astrologer Stephanie Austin often substitutes the word impeccability for perfection.[7]

I have known many people with Virgo Suns in my lifetime. As with any sun sign, you will see variations in personalities because of the various combinations of energies in an astrological birth chart. I sometimes read that Virgos are very neat, clean, and orderly. Now, this certainly may be true of many Virgos, but it is not the common thread I see running through the personalities of Virgos. I have observed that Virgos seem to share a gift of knowing how to implement a concept in earthly reality, and the ability to articulate the steps one might take to resolve a problem. This does relate to orderliness, but it is the orderliness of the mind. It is analytical. It is the meshing of air and earth energy of the planet Mercury (Virgo’s ruler), which needs to utilize the rational mind, but in the context of earthly manifestation.

At her most balanced, Virgo has the powers of discrimination and discernment. She uses her analytic abilities to determine where to put her energy. This reminds me of the discussions I used to hear in the 1980’s among working women with children about how to have a balanced life with so many demands. The concept I most remember hearing is that priorities change from day to day. What was a priority yesterday is not necessarily a priority today. This reflects Virgo energy, i.e. knowing where and for what to devote one’s energy.

Popular western astrology often paints a picture of Virgos as demure, prudish, and perhaps sexually uninterested. Vedic astrologer Kenneth Johnson points out that jyotish (Hindu) astrology views Virgo as passionate and sensual with a soft, relaxed, languid, erotic quality. Even if we use the western astrology framework, Virgo is an earth sign, predisposed to sensual pleasures. I do not know how this "nonsexual" western astrology image evolved, but it may surprise many to know that Virgo was once associated with the sacred prostitutes in the ancient cultures of Egypt, Babylonia, Sumer, and Rome. The concept of sacred prostitution may be foreign to us in our present-day culture. In the Pre-Christian times of goddess worship, sex with sacred prostitutes was viewed as a sacred act. They were teachers of the mysteries, and of the healing, restorative, and transforming power of sexual energy, explains astrologer Catherine Aumen.

Snapshot Profiles of Famous Virgos

Leonard Cohen

Ring the bells that still can ring 

Forget your perfect offering  

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in.

(From the song Anthem on The Future album)

Source: http://www.cduniverse.com

When I began thinking about what I was going to write about Virgo, the refrain from Leonard Cohen’s song Anthem kept entering my mind, the lyrics of which are presented above. After searching on the Internet for his song, I thought it would be interesting to find out his astrological profile. Interestingly enough, I discovered he was a Virgo Sun with a Pisces Moon! Now, it may seem peculiar that I associated that refrain with Virgo, but I think my subconscious reason is that I needed to examine Virgo's need to "perfect" as a process rather than a particular outcome.

Songwriter, singer, musician, and poet Leonard Cohen was born September 21, 1934, in Montreal, Canada, with the Sun, Ascendant, Venus, and Neptune in Virgo. That is a lot of Virgo energy! Virgo’s opposite sign is Pisces, and Leonard Cohen’s Moon is in the sign of Pisces.[8] The opposite sign polarities are of great interest to astrologers, because they highlight sometimes competing orientations. Opposite signs share themes, but they have different perspectives and approaches for living life within those themes. We are most in balance when we can integrate the qualities of the opposite signs so they are working well together.

Pisceans and Virgo are both capable of selfless service. Moreover, both signs strive for the ideal but with a different mindset. Virgos are practical idealists, wanting to bring improvements to a task or situation with the use of their analytic abilities. Virgos often deal in the “micro” world, attending to the details in the process of refinement. Pisces, on the other hand, operates in the “macro,” wanting to better a situation by bringing elements together in a working whole. They want boundaries dissolved, and they see the commonalties, rather than distinctions, between elements.

I do not know much about Leonard Cohen except for the information contained in a Wikipedia entry. It was interesting to learn that he has suffered life-long depression, and he spent several years (in the 1990s) in a Buddhist monastery, reflecting the life one might experience with a Pisces Moon. He has also been drug-involved. In the Anthem song lyrics (not just the refrain), one might see the struggle within the Virgo–Pisces polarity. Pisces may choose compassionate forgiveness or escape in responding to a situation, while Virgo may be critical of the dynamics and may focus on the issues and solutions. When reading the lyrics to the entire song, I see a little of both perspectives. Perhaps when I kept hearing the Anthem refrain run through my mind,  my subconscious was cluing me into the fact that Leonard Cohen might be an example of someone whose life process led him to a place where he could understand the value of imperfection. The Anthem song may be a gift of Leonard Cohen's struggle with the Virgo-Pisces polarity! If you are interested in the entire song, check out the link below the refrain.

Michael Jackson

Singer, songwriter, and dancer Michael Jackson was born August 29, 1958. He has natal Sun and Pluto in Virgo and a Pisces Moon. He also has a strong Leo emphasis, with the MC, Venus, Mercury, and Uranus in that sign of the “performer.”[9] Jackson was known for his hard work in preparing for a concert, and for having very high standards for the production of his segments and the entire concert. Certainly, Virgo energy is involved in this desire to “perfect” one’s performance. Observers also remember how many times he changed his facial appearance, seemingly dissatisfied at various stages with his appearance. This involves the more obsessive-compulsive side of Virgo. He was nutrition conscious, and followed diet regimens. Like Leonard Cohen, he had a Pisces Moon and he had problems with drugs, which a Pisces Moon might make one vulnerable. Michael Jackson was known for his generosity, giving large sums of money to various causes, as well as contributing his time to various efforts.

Lily Tomlin

Comedian and actor Lily Tomlin was born on September 1, 1939. Her Sun, Venus, and Neptune are in Virgo, and she has an earth grand trine (i.e. energy working smoothly together), with Neptune as part of that configuration. Tomlin’s MC is in Pisces.[10] I do not know much about Lily Tomlin but I thought I would end the article with a bit of laughter, demonstrating the sense of humor of one Virgo.  I thought the following line reflected a funny spin on the Virgo-Pisces polarity:

"Reality is a crutch for people who can't cope with drugs." - written by Jane Wagner for Lily's act

Finally, here is a YouTube video of a media ad with a performance by Lily Tomlin promoting single payer healthcare in California.

http://youtu.be/SrRQQ2dObkA?hd=1 

ENDNOTES

---

[1] Nevin, Bruce. (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport, Massachusettes, Para Research Publishers, p.89.

[2] Forrest, Steven. (June/July 2002). The Case of the Disappearing 6th House. The Mountain Astrologer, #103, pp.9-16.

[3] Bell, Lynn. (August/September 2004). Virgo’s Wings and Other Musings on the Mutable Signs. The Mountain Astrologer, #116, pp.36-41.

[4] Houlding, Deborah. (August/September 2007). Virgo the Maiden. The Mountain Astrologer, #134, pp.25-31.

[5] Nevin, Bruce. (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport, Massachusettes, Para Research Publishers, p. 147

[6] Forrest, Steven. The Inner Sky. Op. Cit.

[7] Posse, Jan. (August/September 2004). A Letter from the Managing Editor. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #116, p.5.

[8] Leonard Cohen’s natal chart information (using Placidus houses) is contained in the AstroDatabank of the Astrodienst website at: http://www.astro.com        

               

[9] Michael Jackson’s natal chart information (in Placidus houses) is contained in the AstroDatabank of the Astrodienst website at: http://www.astro.com  

[10] Lily Tomlin’s natal chart information (in Placidus houses) is contained in the AstroDatabank of the Astrodienst website at: http://www.astro.com           

---

The citation for the Jane Addams quotes can be found at: social_advance_depends_quite_as_much_upon. (n.d.). Columbia World of Quotations. Retrieved August 20, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://quotes.dictionary.com/social_advance_depends_quite_as_much_upon

LEO THE LION: THROUGH MY JOYFUL HEART I ENGAGE THE WORLD AND GIVE THE GIFTS OF CREATIVITY AND LOVE

LEO THE LION

Preface:  As I do every month for each of the signs, I want to emphasize that if your birthday does not fall during the Leo timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Leo, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present.  All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others.

The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image.  Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy.  You may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.

The Sun began its transit the sign of Leo on July 22, 2011.

«««««««««                 

 “Only from the heart can you touch the sky.”                         

««««««««««

««««««««««

"Gamble everything for love"

««««««««««

««««««««««

"If I love myself

I love you

If I love you

I love myself"

««««««««««

Excerpts from poems by Rumi

Persian poet of the 13^th century

Introduction

C

oleman Barks says that the mystical poet Rumi was known as the “heartmaster” in his 13^th century Persian community (in the geographical area known today as Afghanistan). Coleman Barks is a well-known American translator of the works of Rumi, and a poet in his own right. Barks says that the work of Rumi’s religious community was to open the heart to that mystery of union.[i]

I quote lines from the works of Rumi because the zodiac sign of Leo is about heart. Some may argue that Rumi’s subject matter may be too mystical for the territory ruled by Leo, and that it may be better suited to the realms of Pisces. I have not studied Rumi, so I cannot give you an expert opinion about this. I can only say that from my understanding, Rumi talks both about the love between two people, as well as about the mystical love with the divine (if indeed one sees a distinction between the two). The records from the time of Rumi describe him as being joyful and spontaneous when performing his poetry.[ii] This is what inspired me to quote Rumi in this profile of Leo.

Leo’s Rulership, Symbols, and Characteristics

The Sun has completed its transit of Cancer at the beginning of summer, and now enters the midsummer, when the climate is hot and steamy, and ripe for the passions to ignite. Cancer withdrew inward to explore its realm of feelings. Now, in midsummer, the feelings are turned outward, and this display is open, quite public, and there is no concern for privacy or protection. The name of the game in the sign of Leo is shameless performance from the heart.

Leo rules the fifth house whose purview is fun, children, gambling and risk, romance, and creativity. The lion is the symbol of the sign of Leo. This sign’s glyph resembles a flowing mane or a curling tail of a lion. Veteran astrologer Bruce Nevin says that Leo and its animal lion can be associated with the kundalini, the source of physical animal energy.[iii]

Leo is a fire sign, and like fellow fire signs Aries and Sagittarius, it demonstrates spontaneity, high energy levels, quick responses, expressiveness, and high spiritedness. Their passionate natures can inspire others. Fire signs are attracted to the dramatic and the risky. They are comfortable with attention, particularly in the case of Leo.

Leo is associated with romance, the type of love where we are courting; it is the early dating stage where we try to impress the other. The depth of Scorpio will not be found here, nor is it the more reality-based, long-term committed relationship.

Leo is a fixed sign, and this will tend to moderate any tendency for impulsive actions. Leos take their time to formulate an opinion. Leos tend to take a broad view of situations, rather than delving deeply into a subject area. This viewpoint, along with their positive natures, tend to make them “executive material.”

The Sun is the ruler of Leo, and it rules no other sign. Just as the Sun is the heart or center of our solar system, so Leo identifies with a need for being a focus of attention and, and some might say, a motivation to rise above the ordinary. The Sun symbolizes power and command, asserts astrologer Deborah Houlding. In traditional astrology, Leo was associated with royalty, and its personality can take on a persona of grandeur. Houlding claims that Leos perceive themselves as the royal center of activity. In the wild, lions develop boundaries for their territory, and they must have an area where they rule. Similarly, Leos must have their own “kingdoms” where they can be in control, and where they can shine. [iv]Astrologer Nevin says that the characteristics associated with Leo are courage, heartiness, pride, and strong personal will.[v]

Houlding elaborates on the darker side of Leo. When Leo is confident about his territory, he can be the warm, sunny, and the generous personality that the sign’s stereotype promotes. If Leo is less secure and feels threatened, the traits can be quite bestial, with acts of destruction and savagery. Less extreme traits might include airs of superiority, conceit, and a bullying nature.[vi]

Leo’s Purpose

Nevin posits that in the phase of Leo, humans are to learn dominion, not over others, but over one’s own internal forces, and this process can only be accomplished through love.[vii]

Master astrologer Steven Forrest says that the endpoint for Leo is the development of personality, and the strategic behaviors used to this end are free expression, the celebration of life, and a positive attitude. Like other fire signs, Leo lives in the now. Being in the now is very much how children live, which is why Leo is seen as the sign of children. Children find it easy to be joyful and happy. Leo utilizes its childlike qualities to advantage, where spontaneity, innocence, and creativity are necessary ingredients in its growth process. Forrest says that Leo is about the development of an ego, not its transcendence.[viii]

Think a moment about what children need and how they behave. Of course, not all children have the same personalities, but they will utilize their own unique personas to express their creativity. Small children are intent upon seeking attention. They will often perform (dancing, singing, joking, sports) to get attention, and they relish the approval they get for their performances. Forrest says that it is this self-dramatizing, present-tense spirit so universal among children that captures Leo’s essence.[ix]

I know that it takes me a while to understand in greater depth the meaning of an astrological sign. In contemplating the meaning of Leo, I asked myself how children, creativity, performance, courage, risk, and love are related. I settled on the theory that Leo is about passionately engaging the world through the path of creativity and romance. Leo passion is different from the fire sign Aires, which is more concerned about the self. Leos require an “audience,” even if it is a transitory relationship. The love for creative expression and the desire to be loved is a driving force for Leos. Diving into these processes require courage. It is a risk to perform creatively and to love. After taking risks, Leos may experience at least some success, and this builds courage. Even without success, there is a need to believe in the self and to do what we love, and this involves the development of ego strength.  The development of a healthy ego is not an absolute guarantee of success. It does improve our chances of having the guts to play whatever game we are intent on playing, whether it is the love of a vocation or the love of another person.

The musical A Chorus Line epitomizes for me the Leonine process as it relates to vocation. Dancers and other types of performers have to maintain a certain Leo energy, in spite of the hard knocks of reality. The performances of “What I Did for Love” and “One”captures this “heartiness” of a performer. The first musical number is in response to the question “If today were the day you had to stop dancing, how would you feel?." The character’s response is that she would have no regrets because she did this all for love. The second number “One” tells of the desire to be that special person who rises to the top over other performers. Below is a You Tube video (not the best sound quality) clip from one version of A Chorus Line, which was posted by abo1121 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udgWlpRAr5Q&feature=player_embedded

Click on the link in blue above this photo for video

Sage astrologer Caroline Casey observes that the fixed signs act as stewards of some resource, and that in the case of Leo it is creative energy that flows through them. In its grander form, says Casey, Leo’s creative energy goes beyond the struggling child ego to inspire others.[x] Inspiration is a gift of the fire signs.

I penned this poem in honor of the sign of Leo. I have entitled it “Leo the Lion in a Celebration of Life.”

Born in midsummer, these children of the radiant Sun

Spontaneously show us ways to have the most fun.

Leos lead us all in a joyful celebration of life.

They say “yes” to opportunities, taking risks to feel alive.

Leos learn dominion by having a space over which they rule.

They make fine leaders, because they take a broad view.

Their steadfast positions can make them appear loyal,

When it’s really their desire to rise above, much like a royal.

Leos love the stage, and will do anything to perform

Drama or comedy, it’s how lions freeform

The other interest that may capture their hearts more

Is the flush of love in romance for the ones they adore.

Our sun sign represents the journey we take to master the lesson of that zodiac sign. Think of famous Leos who are on that journey in this lifetime. Some obvious examples are Barack Obama, Madonna, Mick Jaggar, Bill Clinton, and Monica Lewinsky. These individuals learned to believe in their talents.

Here is a more complete list of those born while the Sun transited Leo in the respective year of their birth.[xi]

July 23, 1865 - Max Heindel - Occultist
July 24, 1895 - Robert Graves - Writer
July 24, 1897 - Amelia Earhart - Pilot
July 24, 1900 - Zelda Fitzgerald – Socialite wife of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald
July 24, 1902 - Alexandre Dumas - Writer
July 26, 1856 - George B. Shaw - Writer
July 26, 1875 - Carl G. Jung - Psychologist
July 26, 1894 - Aldous Huxley - Writer
July 26, 1943 - Mick Jagger - Musician
July 28, 1929 - Jacqueline Kennedy - First Lady
July 29, 1905 - Dag Hammarskjold - Statesman
July 29, 1907 - Mevin Belli - Attorney
July 29, 1938 - Benito Mussolini – Fascist leader/head of state of Italy
July 29, 1928 - Peter Jennings - Newscaster
July 30, 1818 - Emily Bronte - Writer
July 30, 1863 - Henry Ford - Industrialist
July 30, 1947 – Arnold Schwarzenegger - Actor
August 1, 1819 - Herman Melville - Writer
August 1, 1936 - Yves St. Laurent - Designer
August 1, 1942 - Jerry Garcia - Musician
August 2, 1924 - Carroll O'Connor - Actor
August 2, 1932 - Peter O'Toole - Actor
August 3, 1940 - Martin Sheen – Actor

August 4, 1961 – Barack Obama- U.S. President
August 4, 1792 - Percy B. Shelly - Poet
August 4, 1900 - Queen Mother Elizabeth - Royalty
August 4, 1929 - Yassar Arafat - Political Leader
August 5, 1806 - John Huston - Director
August 5, 1926 - Sydney Omarr - Astrologer
August 5, 1927 - Andy Warhol - Artist
August 5, 1930 - Neil Armstrong - Astronaut
August 6, 1809 - Alfred Tennyson - Poet
August 6, 1881 - Sir Ian Fleming - Writer
August 6, 1911 - Lucille Ball - Actress
August 7, 1860 - Alan Leo - Astrologer
August 7, 1876 - Mata Hari - Secret Agent
August 7, 1942 - Garrison Keillor - Writer
August 8, 1937 - Dustin Hoffman - Actor
August 9, 1963 - Whitney Huston - Singer
August 10, 1874 - Herbert Hoover - U.S. President
August 10. 1904 - Norma Shearer - Actress
August 11, 1933 - Jerry Falwell - Religious Leader
August 12, 1831 - Helena Blavatsky – Occultist/Theosophist
August 12, 1881 - Cecil B. De Mille - Producer
August 13, 1899 - Alfred Hitchcock - Director
August 13, 1927 - Fidel Castro - Political Leader
August 14, 1969 - Magic Johnson - Sports Figure/Basketball player
August 15, 1769 - Napoleon - Emperor
August 15, 1872 - Sri Aurobindo - Religious Leader
August 15, 1879 - Ethel Barrymore - Actress
August 17, 1786 - Davey Crockett - Frontiersman
August 17, 1876 - George Llewellyn - Astrologer
August 17, 1943 - Robert De Niro - Actor
August 18, 1927 - Rosalyn Carter - First Lady
August 18, 1933 - Roman Polanski - Director
August 18, 1936 - Robert Redford - Actor
August 19, 1743 - Mme. Du Barry - Courtesan
August 19, 1882 - Cocoa Chanel - Designer
August 19, 1902 - Ogden Nash - Poet
August 19, 1946 - Bill Clinton - President, USA
August 20, 1946 - Conning Chung - Newscaster
August 21, 1906 - Count Basie - Musician
August 22, 1904 - Deng Xiaoping – Chinese Political Figure
August 21, 1936 - Wilt Chamberlain - Sports Figure

ENDNOTES

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[i] Moyers, Bill (2001). Fooling with Words. New York: Perennial, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, pp.16-30.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Nevin, Bruce (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport,MA: Pararesearch Publishers, pp.82-83.

[iv] Houlding, Deborah. (June/July 2006). Leo the Lion. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue#127, pp.29-35; 105.

[v] Nevin,Bruce. Op Cit.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Nevin, Bruce. Op Cit.

[viii] Forrest, Steven (1988). The Inner Sky. San Diego: ACS Publishers, pp.56-60.

[ix] Ibid.

[X] Casey, Caroline. (1998). Making the Gods Work for You. New York: Harmony Books, p37.

[xi] Modified list from Ecentral.com