• All About Juno
  • Bad Girl: The Power of the Lilith Archetype
  • Charts for Articles in past issues of ECLIPSE
  • Excerpt from ‘The Moon & You: Interpreting the Moon in the Natal Chart’
  • How Do We Reconcile Placidus with Whole Sign, and Still Love Ourselves in the Morning?
  • On Eclipses
  • Services
  • Terms of Use
  • Zeus, or, What a Man Gotta Do

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

~ Addressing the Individual Experience Within the Universal Truth

Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY

Tag Archives: The Word Image

The Return of the Goddess

Featured

Posted by juliedemboski in astrology, goddess energy, Something For You, Spiritual Considerations, The Social System, The Word Image

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

goddess energy, The Word Image

Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods from a tantric Devi series, Artist Unkinown, 12th century {{PD}}

This is a reprint from ECLIPSE, slightly modified, and has already appeared here at the blog under a different title–but I do think the ideas bear repeating. Looking for the Full Moon report? See it here.

There’s been lots of talk these days about the return of the goddess–but I don’t think the goddess was ever gone. Seeing it as a disappearance/ re-appearance is seeing it through patriarchal eyes: women have always been, so goddess has always been. A patriarchal society is a Doing-oriented society, one that recognizes and values action, while (typically) disparaging its opposite, the essence of female energy: the receptive, the accepting, the open, the Being-oriented. Goddess energy is female energy, and functions by filling space and time with its very existence; it is vital simply by being, whereas male energy only exists when it is in motion, closed, targeted, inflicting itself on others or the environment. It’s a disparity that many have difficulty grasping, and this is chiefly because we have been indoctrinated with a bias for movement, action, ‘results’, and a sense of accomplishment that relies on seeing change, rather than feeling it. The goddess can sit perfectly still and sense the inevitable processes of growth and decay all around her–she is in fact aware that she is part of this cycle–while those invested in the god-like animus credit only the effects the hands or mind have on the landscape.

In modern Western society we’ve been conditioned to see worth and even virtue in emulating male doing energy, no matter one’s role. We applaud activity, even when it’s purpose or value is questionable, and we see this ‘busy’ attitude reflected in phrases like ‘Protestant work ethic’, ‘Yankee ingenuity’, ‘make hay while the sun shines’, and so on. This is not to say that effort is not important, but that it is only one side of an equation; to celebrate doing and accomplishing without also celebrating the contemplation, depth, communion, feeling, sensitivity, and intuition that can not only shape and guide effort but make sure efforts are effective, is to make action a god, and to cast being as a meaningless state that offers nothing to our advancement–and of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

We tend to have disdain (or at least, less regard) for the kind of contemplative or menial or repetitive tasks that act as a meditation and are much more a being state than a doing one; we may label these ‘women’s work’ (oh, the derogatory tone with which this is spoken!) and see them as beneath us, since they don’t include the slap-dash of going from A to B–but that would miss the point. No one thought to ask the grasshopper why he fiddled while the ants worked–but no grasshopper lives through the winter; it would’ve been a waste of his time to put away food for days he wouldn’t see. (And if we want to get technical about it, the ants would awaken from a torpor to begin their work and replenish their colony before much had grown or bloomed out in the world, so they did need a storehouse). In nature there is balance and reason, room for both god and goddess energy, a different set of rhymes and rhythms that apply to each creature–and we should keep that in mind when judging what’s appropriate or ‘right’, useful and useless.



‘Jupiter in the Guise of Diana Seducing Callisto’ By Gerrit van Honthorst {{PD}}

The picture above is a testament to recognition within the patriarchal structure of Western society that sometimes receptivity is needed in order to gain what is wanted. There’s irony in a doing-dominant entity choosing to enact the anima in order to get something, which getting is in itself a highly animus thing, the kind of goal the doing energy is consistently targeting and pursuing. In the painting Zeus (Jupiter) has apparently learned that abduction and rape don’t win him any friends; instead he transforms into the goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, Diana, and lures Callisto with the Moon’s sensitivity, responsiveness, and ability to reflect back to others what they ‘shine’ with–and yet, in choosing Diana’s form, he’s choosing the most animus-like of the goddesses, in terms of her Self-expression through hunting and pursuit. Empathy requires the surrender of boundaries to the point that one Being can feel the other Being, complete, which the male-oriented cannot do without putting aside the continual, outward thrust of energy that is the normal modus operandi for them.

Even in Zeus’ choice, though, the usefulness of the receptive, Being stance is denigrated, as it’s seen as a tactic with which to accomplish  a goal, rather than as a state of Being just as valid and as dynamic in its own way as any action. With Zeus it’s a means to an end, and so falls in a long line of actions meant to fulfill the animus aim; if it were a true goddess energy, the communion would be without boundaries, and no specific outcome would be on the agenda–being would be enough. If quantum mechanics are correct and the butterfly’s movement is enough to topple a civilization as the shift ripples through matter and time, then the even more subtle shifts in consciousness, attitude, belief, and the effects of both prayer and love are felt as strongly as anything built, accomplished, or acquired. So next time you see a woman sitting with eyes closed, or standing quietly out in the grass, or strolling along with no destination in mind, or rocking a child, you’ll know just how busy, how important what she’s doing, really is.

Your word image is a pair of things: the mention of Karma addressed in or in the name of works of Art, and a key that suddenly appears on the floor at your feet. As they’ve come up at the same time, I can’t help but think they’re linked, each describing a part of what needs our attention. The key came first. Of course, there’s the key, the ‘at your feet’ part telling me it’s laid out before me, presented even, no searching required. The image seems to say: Here’s what you need, that vital thing that will open it all up, let you in to where you want to go. I kept seeing references to Karma related to Art that made me wonder what was in the Collective air that was influencing Artists. Too often I feel that Karma is mis-represented as something outside ourselves, when in my view it’s really just the accumulated energy of our own choices and actions, bouncing off the energy of everything else in existence–that is, it’s not something weighing and judging you, out to get you, to ‘balance’ the Universe, it’s just you, meeting your own energy in another form. So, that would suggest that the key we need to acknowledge, pick up, and use, the use of which will be entirely to our benefit, presents in a situation that’s nothing more than our own accumulated efforts and attitudes, bringing about particular results and circumstances. My thought is: you’ll know this ‘Karmic’ thing, and what it means, when you see it–and you’ll also know, it’s the key you’ve been looking for.

Friedrich Haag

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Rate this:

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Mars and Jupiter, Together Again

Featured

Posted by juliedemboski in astrology, current events in the sky, Mars-Jupiter Conjunction, The Word Image

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

astrology, The Astro Essence, The Word Image

Though not exactly on point for the topic, I thought the rendering of this painting made it worth sharing. We can imagine Jupiter descending from the cloud, commanding Venus out of the way, and demanding Mars buddy-up with him–with an array of possible results. And who knows what Vulcan is doing in there. ‘Mars and Venus Surprised by Vulcan’ By Alexandre Charles Guillemot 1827 {{PD}}

The meeting of Mars and Jupiter perfects in the wee hours of the 29th AM PDT. Do we need to be so precise? Yes and no; this meeting isn’t that rare, occurring every couple of years+, give or take, depending on retro sequences, and these are major energies–it’s not like they slip from awareness day-to-day. On the other hand, the melding of energies related to ego, action, aggression, and Self-focus (in both positive and negative senses), and those related to the social order, knowledge, and the exaggeration of all that’s touched promise lively times–and this happening in Mars’ sign of Aries only adds, get ready for it, fuel to the fire.

So, what can we expect? A lot of that depends on 1) what House in the natal chart this combo falls in–that offers a prime stage for Mars-Jupiter assertion, 2) what Houses these two rule in the natal chart–look for combined elements to figure in, most likely presented through the House where the meeting occurs, and 3) how well we as individuals get along with our own Martian impulses and Jupiterian urges. It’s also worth noting if your natal Mars or Jupiter are receiving any transits–and if they’re hard (semi-square, square, quincunx, opposition) then you need to take into account that this energy is already under stress. That’s a lot to synthesize–which is exactly why astrology isn’t one-size-fits-all.

A few hints I can offer: if this conjunction falls above the horizon in your natal chart (in the 7th through 12th Houses, and for Whole Sign from Descendant to Ascendant, counter clock-wise) then you’re probably going to perceive these energies coming at you from the outside, from the social sphere, from religious or higher education sources, from individuals in your life who consider themselves leaders, from having to face ‘the facts’, from aggressors looking for an excuse to impose their Will, the effects trickling down for the most part from larger entities or groups to the individual–and perhaps pitting the individual against the larger group or organization.

If the combo falls below the horizon/ Ascendant to Descendant, you’re likely to be in the middle of it–generating assertive efforts (especially to gain knowledge or just to gain, to get more), possibly in response to vulnerabilities that, at the moment, are perceived out-of-proportion to their likely impact. Or you find yourself face-to-face with information or a social environment that requires you to assert yourself. Or you aggressively go after opportunity–or create opportunity, with your efforts. Or, it seems vital to sort out ideas around your own role, leadership/ leadership potential, enactment of your Will, or your Self-image. Will you have to go to war? You might not have to, but you might want to–the thing is, being aware of the distorted, objects-are-closer-than-they-appear nature of what’s going on right now may help you avoid unnecessary battles and overreaction.

If Mars-Jupiter hits a natal point or placement by hard aspect, expect a challenge to or a need to act on those natal energies, and if the contact is soft, see it as an opportunity to take action that is more likely than not to be successful. I’d say this aspect has been in range for a day or two, and will move quickly, waning by June 3rd–and that means that, though it may influence the susceptible for about a week and a half, it’s likely to precipitate one-off events, rather than initiate a long arc–so awareness and a minimum of Self-control mitigates any fly-off-the-handle influence during this rather brief period of vulnerability.

Though I appreciate your interest in what I might say, I have to ask that you refrain from asking about your personal placements in the comments or by writing to me directly. I love your comments and I hate to disappoint, but when they put me to work, it cuts into book time. The Moon book is by far the largest astrology manuscript I’ve ever produced (I’m wearing ALL the hats!) and everything that draws me away from that just prolongs the wait.

We also have a Word Image for which I’ll offer absolutely no interpretation: you are in a fight with someone, a person you want to leave your house/ territory/ area, and heavy glass vases are the weapon of choice–and it’s frustrating, because despite good aim, none of the projectiles hit your opponent–and you are hit, but it causes no pain.

‘Moss Roses in a Vase’ By Edouard Manet 1882 {{PD}}

Rate this:

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Blog Stats

  • 2,001,367 hits

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Pages

  • All About Juno
  • Bad Girl: The Power of the Lilith Archetype
  • Charts for Articles in past issues of ECLIPSE
  • Excerpt from ‘The Moon & You: Interpreting the Moon in the Natal Chart’
  • How Do We Reconcile Placidus with Whole Sign, and Still Love Ourselves in the Morning?
  • On Eclipses
  • Services
  • Terms of Use
  • Zeus, or, What a Man Gotta Do

Donate

Recent Comments

Katia on Just a Few Comments 29 June…
Debbie on Just a Few Comments 29 June…
Blooms and Thorns on Just a Few Comments 29 June…
boozilla on Just a Few Comments 29 June…
libtechgeek on Just a Few Comments 29 June…

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,071 other followers

Top Posts & Pages

  • Just a Few Comments 29 June 2022
  • New Moon in Cancer June 2022: Keeping It Real
  • Zeus, or, What a Man Gotta Do
  • A Point of Fate: the Vertex
  • How Do We Reconcile Placidus with Whole Sign, and Still Love Ourselves in the Morning?
Follow Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY on WordPress.com

Search

Asteroids

  • CHIRON IN THE NATAL CHART
  • Hekate by Leah Whitehorse
  • HEKATE IN THE NATAL CHART: A LITTLE BACKGROUND + AN EXAMPLE
  • JUNO IN THE NATAL CHART
  • Serennu
  • THE ASTROLOGY OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
  • We Are All Vessels: VESTA IN THE NATAL CHART

Astro Books, Interviews, & Merchandise

  • CHIRON IN THE NATAL CHART
  • Dog and Sunflower Press
  • Jo Tracey's Interview with me
  • JUNO IN THE NATAL CHART
  • THE ASTROLOGY OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
  • We Are All Vessels: VESTA IN THE NATAL CHART

Astrological Associations

  • Washington State Astrological Association

Astrology Aggregators and Group Sites

  • Astrology Blog List
  • Astrology Blogger
  • Astrology Media Press
  • Astrology Study
  • Astropro Society
  • Horoskoop
  • Humandala
  • Startsiden

Astrology Blogroll and Sites of Interest

  • A Tiny Universe
  • All My Minds
  • Astro Inquiry
  • Astroair Astrology
  • Astrolearn
  • Astrology Explored
  • Astrology Questions and Answers
  • AstroQueer
  • Been There, Done That
  • Being My Own Self
  • Big Sky Astrology
  • Boho Astro
  • Caroline Myss
  • Celestial Space Astrology Blog
  • Chirotic Journal
  • Cosmic Life Coach
  • Erin Sullivan
  • irOk Woo
  • Jo Tracey's Interview with me
  • Joanne Madeline Moore
  • Jude Cowell Astology
  • Jude's Tapestry
  • Karmic Tools
  • Kim Fairminer
  • Libra Seeking Balance
  • Lua Astrology: Navigation by the Stars
  • Madameastres
  • My Astrology Charts
  • Neptune and the Oak
  • Neptune's Silver Screen
  • Ouranitsa
  • Peter Stockinger's Traditional Astrology Weblog
  • Serennu's blog
  • Shifting Realities
  • Starcana
  • Stars of Wonder
  • Stars Over Washington
  • SunnyCat Astrology
  • The Oculus Divinorum Archives
  • The Silent Watchers
  • Tracy's Astro Salon
  • True Crime & Astrology
  • Two Hours You'll Never Get Back
  • Venus in the Fifth

Astrology on a Daily or Weekly Basis

  • Being My Own Self
  • Chirotic Journal
  • Cosmic Life Coach
  • Fragrantica
  • Lua Astrology: Navigation by the Stars
  • Lunar Phases and Energy Shifts by Verena Heinrich
  • Tracy's Astro Salon

Astrology Resources

  • A Tiny Universe
  • Astro Blogging
  • Astrodienst
  • Astrolabe
  • Astrolearn
  • Astrology Book Club
  • Astrology Center of America
  • Astrology Dating
  • Astrology News Service
  • Astrology Software
  • AstroWiki
  • CHIRON IN THE NATAL CHART
  • Fixed Stars at Astrology on the Web
  • JUNO IN THE NATAL CHART
  • My Astrology Charts
  • Peter Stockinger's Traditional Astrology Weblog
  • Sabian Symbols at Cafe Astrology
  • Serennu
  • Spiral Spectrum
  • THE ASTROLOGY OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
  • Time Zone Converter
  • Tracy's Astro Salon
  • We Are All Vessels: VESTA IN THE NATAL CHART

Astronomy Resources

  • Astrology Software
  • Google Sky
  • Spiral Spectrum
  • Stargazers (Map Site of the Sky–NASA)
  • The Naked Eye Planets
  • The Nine Planets
  • Time and Date
  • Time Zone Converter

At 'Been There, Done That'

  • A Difficult Dance: Lilith and Chiron

Downloads, Podcasts, Video, and Radio

  • Karmic Tools

Forums

  • Astroknowlogy

Horary Astrology

  • Peter Stockinger's Traditional Astrology Weblog

Instruction, Workshops and Seminars

  • Rae Indigo

Living Well, Art, and Conversation

  • 1481hyperion
  • Actavesta Baby
  • Adventures in Green from the Emerald City
  • Alice Neal Snaps
  • Alice's Adventures in Knittingland
  • An Upturned Soul
  • Art Talk
  • Been There, Done That
  • Beth Turnage
  • Cancer Killing Recipe
  • Capricorn One Vintage Blog
  • Capricorn One Vintage Shop
  • Chic est Chic
  • Cosmic Persona Designs
  • Dreamy Fish
  • Esscentual Alchemy
  • First Olympian Beard Oil
  • Fragrantica
  • Handmade Days
  • Jo Tracey's Interview with me
  • John A. Spirko's Gallery, Digital and Fine Art
  • Jude Cowell Art
  • Jude Cowell at Fine Art America
  • Jude Cowell at Red Bubble
  • Jude's Tapestry
  • Karen's Whimsy
  • Kelley's Custom Creams
  • Lim's Limericks
  • Neptune's Silver Screen
  • Rae Indigo
  • Samantha Demboski, Artist at Red Bubble
  • Secret Moon Art
  • Shannon Food
  • Silent Paradox
  • Spiral Spectrum
  • Swamp Creek Farm
  • The Hungry Writer
  • These Other Realms
  • Two Hours You'll Never Get Back
  • Woolly Mammoth Chronicles
  • WordAds
  • WordPress.com
  • WordPress.org

Magical Stuffs

  • Esscentual Alchemy
  • Ethereal Enchantments
  • First Olympian Beard Oil
  • Jude Cowell at Fine Art America
  • Kelley's Custom Creams

Numerology

  • Creative Numerology

On Hiatus, It Seems

  • 8th House Stellium
  • Artful Journey
  • Astro 4 Business
  • Astrocelebrities
  • Astrology Expressed
  • Astrology Mundo
  • Astrology's Wisdom
  • Decide for Yourself
  • Distracted Astrologer
  • Dreamscopes
  • Ellen Longo
  • Mayan Astrology
  • Mercury Retrograde
  • Mystic Skye
  • Starry Night Astrology
  • The Know It All Astrologer
  • The Volcanic Muses
  • What The Astral Fog

On the Astro Horizon

  • My Juno series

Tarot

  • irOk Woo
  • Starcana
  • The Feral Tarot
  • Venus is Ascending

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY
    • Join 5,071 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Julie Demboski's ASTROLOGY
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: