Zodiacal Signs

The proper context for the signs of the zodiac is life as dramatic theatre. The signs are places or energetic epicenters where stories of a certain quality will be found. Signs are distinct from one another, but also implicative of one another in cyclic terms as well as providing each other distinction through polarization.

Aries

The Land of Aries is ruled by Mars the Lord of Desire. At its highest expression, Aries is a land of decisiveness, willpower, and responsibility. However, the dark side of what is often experienced here is wanton violence and intractable possessiveness.

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all cardinal signs is on the first chapter or decan as the cardinal signs involve elemental initiation. Aries then, is an initiation into the fire element or an initiation into obtaining one’s desires through deliberate action. Mars is of course teacher and mistress.

In the First Decan of Aries, also ruled by Mars, there is hunger, thirst, and a search for satisfaction that cannot be found. The quality of this first deacon ruled by Mars in a Mars-ruled sign is insatiableness.

In the Second Decan, ruled by the Sun, something outside of the self has been located that will bring satiety. The Sun here emphasizes both the necessity of the outside object to personal well-being as well as fixedness or determination in its pursuance.

In the Third Decan, ruled by Venus, something outside the self has been obtained and must be kept. This Decan is ruled by Venus, in a Mars-ruled sign, emphasizing protectiveness, submission, and jealousy.

The focus on desire and action in Aries is the natural implication of its Piscean predecessor (See Below) whose sense of belonging confers responsibility; whose boundless enmeshment necessitates individual will.

Taurus

The land of Taurus is ruled by Venus the Alluring Lady. At its highest expression Taurus is the promised land, built on talent, creativity, and allurement; flowing with milk and honey, that offers eternal satiety. However, the dark side of what is often experienced here is naivety, willful ignorance, and feminine egoism.   

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all fixed signs is on the middle chapter or second decan as the fixed signs involve elemental constancy. Taurus then, involves the conservation and perpetuation of material security. Venus is of course teacher and mistress.

In the First Decan of Taurus, ruled by Mercury, there is a preoccupation with thinking about how to acquire physical security. The presence of Mercury here suggests that something needs to change and just what that is must be figured out, which may explain this decan’s association with poverty or insecurity.

In the Second Decan of Taurus, ruled by the Moon, there is a focus on protecting one’s security. The moon is often thought of as wholly benevolent, but nurturing is not without its darker side such as a woman whose child has been threatened.

In the Third Decan of Taurus, ruled by Saturn there is a focus on what went wrong in the past which brought an end to a period of security, and what boundaries or structures must be put into place both to go back to and preserve previously established security. 

The prudence and poltroonery of Taurus is the natural implication of its following Aries whose willingness for conflict necessitates tranquility; whose efforts must now be honored.

Gemini

The Land of Gemini is ruled by Mercury the Peregrine Lord. At its highest expression, Gemini is a land of friendship and eternal gaiety guaranteed by freedom of thought and expression. There are no taboos, masculine or feminine, emotional or rational, except for taboos themselves. The dark side of what is often experienced here is anxiety, gaslighting, and non-comittance.

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all mutable signs is on the last chapter or third decan as the mutable signs involve elemental completeness or totality. Gemini then, involves the completion and superfluity of the air element. Mercury is of course teacher and master.

The First Decan of Gemini is ruled by Jupiter. Although Jupiter is a benefic planet, he is in detriment in Gemini reflecting the problem of having an abundance of thoughts both as part of anxiety and the danger of successfully projecting oneself into the future. When Gemini is simply divided, he always has the freedom to go one way or another, but with many options, he experiences an overwhelm which may only be remedied by obtaining further knowledge.

The Second Decan of Gemini is ruled by Mars. Mars is significant here because it symbolizes the compulsion to move from one idea to the next, making the rules up as he goes, as a defense against obligation and stagnation, but also as a desire for and movement towards the acquisition of intellectual mastery.

The Third Decan of Gemini is ruled by the Sun. As seen here, Mercury has finally obtained true cosmic knowledge. The only problem is that now there is nowhere to escape. He cannot find comfort in unknowing or indecision, or satisfaction in moving towards a greater sense of superiority. In this state, he wishes for death as this is the most obvious way out and back to unknowing. As part of his death wish he shares his knowledge and spite with anyone and everyone.

The restlessness and impertinence of Gemini is the natural consequence of its procession from Taurus whose dullness has inspired a thirst for knowledge; whose stubbornness and naivety necessitate inquiry.

Cancer

The Land of Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the Blessed Lady. At its highest expression, Cancer is a civil, light-hearted, and bubbly land with an emphasis on family values, connection, and motherliness. The home must contain an undisturbed cheerfulness if children are to remain children. The dark side of what is often experienced here is emotional blackmail, emasculation, and melodrama.

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all cardinal signs is on the first chapter or decan as the cardinal signs involve elemental initiation. Cancer then, is an initiation into the water element or an initiation into emotional connection and feminine values. The moon is of course teacher and mistress.

Within the First Decan of Cancer, ruled by Venus, is a story of making a connection with another by agreement and acknowledgment that there is something beautiful about the self and that also exists in the other. Venus is significant here in symbolizing intangible personal worth which may only be felt. A new connection may be very shallow at first, only a feeling of “liking”, and yet this first step carries a genuineness or innocence which is the necessary precondition for any further relationship or emotional fusion.

In the Second Decan of Cancer, ruled by Mercury, is a place of solitude where the mind and emotions are strengthened through mutual awareness and attention given to one another. When there is a healthy relationship with the self there is enough space and freedom to develop relationships outside of the self.

In the Third Decan of Cancer, ruled by the Moon, there is a time of choosing. The Moon is significant here, ruling both sign and decan, representing the personal prerogative to nurture or abandon, to give life or death, in the context of choosing which relationships to invest time and energy in.  

The gentle and tenuous nature of Cancer is necessitated by its following Gemini whose loquaciousness has inspired forbearance; whose libel must be put to rest with care.

Leo

The Land of Leo is ruled by the Sun the Lord of Light. At its highest expression, the land of Leo is bold, regal, loyal, and steadfast. There is eternal generativity and responsibility for one’s own creation. The dark side of what is often experienced here is pride, narcissism, arrogance, and condescension.

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all fixed signs is on the middle chapter or second decan as the fixed signs involve elemental constancy. Leo then, involves the conservation and perpetuation of the fire element or human spirit. The Sun is of course teacher and master.

The First Decan of Leo, ruled by Saturn, involves the development of character qualities that cannot be taken from which are developed through hard work, in competitive and conflictual circumstances which require rising to a challenge.

The Second Decan of Leo ruled by Jupiter, describes the glory and exuberance of a place of power and significance at the top of a hierarchy. The significance of Jupiter here indicates glory and magnificence but also implies that a changing order of preconditions for success may only be overcome through expansion and magnanimity.

In the Third Decan of Leo, ruled by Mars, the pinnacle of success was reached but now can only fall and may be lost forever. Mars here signifies that force or great effort will be required to maintain dominance, perhaps even more than was required to obtain success in the first place.

Fierce ambition and determination are the natural consequence of Leo following Cancer whose passive-aggressive petulance necessitated bold daring; whose insistence on gentle companionship led to a need to express individual brilliance.

Virgo

The land of Virgo is ruled by Mercury the Conscionable Lord. At its highest expression, Virgo is a land of order, work-ethic, and expertise gained through a commitment to material surety. Seen here the mind has triumphed over matter and all too often over the convoluted and anarchic parts of self as well.  The dark side of what is often experienced here is condescension, over-analysis, and over-control.

Signs are energetic epicenters who offer stories and mastery. They are often split into three chapters or locals. The emphasis in all mutable signs is on the last chapter or third decan as the mutable signs involve elemental completeness or totality. Virgo then, involves the completion and profusion of the earth element or the accumulation of material affluence and what to do with it. Mercury is of course teacher and master.

The First Decan of Virgo, is a story of hard work and perseverance. In a word single-mindedness. However, it is not just the grit and determination of the Sun which leads to material success, but also the knowledge and know-how given to the Sun by being in the domain of Mercury that brings tangible rewards.

In the Second Decan of Virgo, ruled by Venus in her fall, is the story of what money can and cannot procure. Venus is there to emphasize an attempt at material control over beauty. However, not realizing or embodying the emotional reality inherent in Venusian beauty has significant consequences. On realizing that beauty cannot provide what is needed for complete mastery of the material realm Mercury ponders what more it will take.

In the Third Decan of Virgo, ruled by Mercury, a choice is made. Either material things are surrendered for other types of wealth or worldly material success comes to such a peak that Mercury’s preoccupation with holding it leads to spiritual bankruptcy. However, even if material wealth is to be traded for spiritual realization, what and for what and to whom is still a Mercurial journey.

The diligence and scrutiny of Virgo is the natural consequence of its procession from Leo whose fame, fortune, and time in the spotlight was short-lived despite tremendous willpower and considerable gravitas.