Venus-Inspired Mission:

Chiron Into Aquarius,

December 5, 2005

(and Beyond!)

All over the world, on Monday, December 5, 2005, (at whatever time would be equivalent to 8:04:58 pm EST), Chiron begins an extended stay in the consciousness which is Aquarius. Chiron comes to each sign of zodiacal consciousness with the perspective of the “serenity prayer.” Chiron assesses that particular situation to see what cannot be changed (like it or not), to see what can be changed, with the wisdom to know the difference. As other planets come and go like thoughtless travelers, leaving a mess behind, Chiron is like the humble and wise maintenance/butler/maid/repair person, who considers: What, if anything is unfortunately beyond repair? How much can or should be changed, or changed back? By who? Why? How? When? Depending upon where one is in the world (and where in the world is one’s consciousness), Chiron into Aquarius will mean something significantly different. These differences of perspective and action will be most pronounced between places very far away from one another. One of the places of greatest interest is Washington, D.C. Looking at the Chiron “ingress” chart for here is important not just because it is the capital city of the sole “super power” in the world at this time, but astrologically because Chiron is particularly angular here, conjunct the descendant. (Suffice to say to the less astrologically-minded, this is a Really Big Deal.) A planet on an angle says “Notice me!”, whether it be the spectacle of a glorious sunset or the wonder of the rise of an enormous full Moon, or bright white Venus, or fiery red Mars.

Rather than being just another passing moment, the sign change of a planet or other celestial object, such as Chiron, stays with us; setting the tone, the orientation, even the issues for the rest of the time that object will be in that sign. Chiron will be in Aquarius until, February 2011 (conjoining Neptune before leaving). [Some astrologers consider the first ingress of a celestial body as the chart to use, even though that body will appear to us to turn around and go back into the previous sign for awhile. In my opinion, the chart that is most instructive is the one set for when a body enters a particular sign for its extended stay.]

Ordinarily the comings and goings of humble Chiron gets little attention, but any astrologer willing to look might be impressed this time. Chiron is conjunct the descendant within less than one degree, conjunct Venus within only 4.5 degrees, semi-square the Sun within less than one degree. Chiron orbits between Saturn and Uranus, symbolically appropriate in terms of the “serenity prayer” for a mythic-being known as the wisest of the wise, moving between Saturn; planet of the traditional and seemingly unchangeable, and Uranus, associated with the seeming inevitability of change. The traditional “ruler” of Aquarius is Saturn, the “new ruler” of Aquarius is said to be Uranus. Chiron in the sign of Aquarius, more than any other, corresponds to a time of exceptional opportunity for the unlikely to do the heretofore improbable. Mythical Chiron, unlike the deities associated with other astrological planets and the four goddess asteroids, was partly mortal.

Similarly, astrological Chiron can be said to correspond to those “humans” who are considered not entirely human by certain other humans, those looked down upon, those who “don’t matter.” In the United States in particular, the former include the poor, the physically handicapped, and especially African-Americans. In the era of slavery, the U.S. government even went so far as to declare each of them equivalent to 3/5 of a Caucasian. The centaur Chiron’s body is usually represented as approximately 3/5 human.

Aquarius is an “air” sign with a representative glyph that looks like the symbol for electricity. The sign of “the water bearer” is shown pouring water from an urn. Human-controlled falling water generates hydro-electric power. Electricity, amongst other things, makes the “air waves” of radio and television possible. Ergo, radio and TV are Aquarian.So putting this together, it should come as no surprise that the last time Chiron was in Aquarius was when African-Americans and rural poor whites were heard over the radio and appeared on television for the first time. They called it “rock and roll” and America, even the world, has never been the same. The unlikely did the up-until-then improbable.

"Aquarius is a “fixed” sign, so one thing at issue now is whether or not the “air waves” are controlled, rather than open to diversity. If radio and TV can be assumed to be “fixed” (“rigged”), by whom are they rigged, and how are they controlled?" What occurred when Uranus was recently in Aquarius? Was it the “liberation” of the airwaves by some admirable modern-day Prometheus, acting in the interest of humanity, or a less noble act of acquisition, commonly known as theft? Is the ongoing Neptune in Aquarius expressed through the true spiritualization of the airwaves, or the ongoing perpetuation of collective delusion via radio and TV? What specific humans, or types of humans, will bring such matters to collective attention? The approximate alignment of Venus with Chiron at this ingress strongly suggests a female perspective. Venus is in Capricorn, and the Venus/Chiron midpoint is also located there. This combination brings to mind words like mature, modest, reliable, sensible, and practical.

Two astrological objects together can be seen as hybridized in one person, and/or each object can represent one of two people in close alignment with one another. Specific zodiacal degrees have specific images, called “Sabian Symbols,” which can give us great clues. The Venus/Chiron midpoint is “a large aviary” implying a diverse group of colorful characters either feminine, or attuned to the feminine. The descendant image, also in between, is “directors of a large firm meet in secret conference.” Both of these degree images suggest mutual collaboration between different types of women, and/or women-compatible men. The mythical Chiron learned as much from his female teacher Artemis/Diana as he did from her twin, Apollo.

The opposite image, the ascendant, is a powerful contrast and is also female. That image is “A daughter of the American Revolution” (the D.A.R. degree). This chart is said to be “ruled” by the Moon, another expression of the feminine. The Moon is in the same house as Chiron, and opposes Saturn from that house. The Sabian image of that Moon is “A barometer.” It seems that the possibility of real change is “in the air,” but that change is strongly opposed by those, who, up to now, have identified with the established royalty-like powers that be. Put together with the “D.A.R.” image, those opposed to this new Chiron perspective seemingly have identity involving the American Revolution as well as loyalist tendencies! The loyalist part is tempted to resist and judge anyone advocating imminent change. Because a barometer literally measures changes in weather, anyone involved with radio-TV implying a new concept like global warming would be seen as a threat to the status quo.

The image for this Saturn degree is “An evening garden party of adults” often associated with party lights powered by electricity. The Party’s Over, is the title of a book about the current and future issue of energy. Additional tension is indicated by both Saturn and the Moon being square (near 90 degrees away) from Mars retrograde in the tenth house and Jupiter in the fourth house. Mars retrograde in the tenth implies that the war is not going well for those in power in this country who initiated it, particularly the president. The image of Mars is “A Christmas tree is decorated and shines in the darkness.” That image, when associated with Mars, god of war, and retrograde, i.e., pointing back, is reminiscent of that famous bizarre photo of an Iraqi wearing an earth-colored pointed-headed long hood, arms extended, creating a conical tree shape, while standing on a box (like a Christmas tree stand), complete with dangling wires. It is as if the Moon (representing some women and the lunar side of some men) want the war to end. Meanwhile, the Saturnine traditionalists are bothered by the war’s duration, and it’s constant sobering effect on their wish to celebrate life.

Opposed to that Mars, and square both Saturn and Moon, is Jupiter. Image: “A dentist at work.” Jupiter in the fourth house can be the longing for one big happy family, safe and secure in domestic abundance. However, on this degree, it is good to root out the negative. As anyone who has ever tried to speak while having their mouth worked on will tell you, it is very difficult, if not completely impossible, to speak and be heard under such circumstances! Years ago, the late astrologer Barbara Waters of Washington, D.C. in a brilliant analysis, pointed out that Saturn seems to correspond to the Democrats and Jupiter to the Republicans. If her association is correct, neither political party is likely to be reduced to being seen as the entirety of the problem, nor the entirety of the solution. Nor does it seem that either party can get behind a leader who wants to keep the nation at war. However, neither party is likely to be respectful nor appreciative of the public (Moon) represented by a woman/women (Moon) coming through Neptunian electronic media.

The Sun in this chart shines like a spotlight in the darkness from the fifth house. In part, this can represent both young people and “star” entertainment. The Sun’s image is “The ground hog looking for it’s shadow on groundhog day.” Images, by definition, can and do stand for more than one thing, but the disturbing unchanging “reality” of the film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, comes to mind. The semi-square between Chiron and the Sun indicates tension, but tension can be the creative impetus for change. Neither the Aquarian detachment of Chiron here nor the entertaining, but potentially exaggerated Sagittarian expression quite capture “it” alone, but together imply that life can be very different than it appears to be at this time.

The most important image of all for a Chiron ingress, is of course, that of Chiron: “An old adobe mission in California.” A wide range of interpretations are possible, but the most obvious is suggested by the word “mission.” When Chiron is involved, look for the ironic, the “Ch-ironic.” The original Californians by and large imposed themselves on the indigenous people. Those who had been marginalized will be given a voice, either in a genuine way, or as a token with Chiron on this degree, and those whose ancestors felt the pressure to be “fixed” or corrected by the missionary culture can now Chironically become reverse-missionaries! Historically, a white building offered voluntary or mandatory “salvation.” Now, (literally or figuratively) outside of perhaps the most famous white building in the world, The White House, the “outsiders” have a mission to (literally or figuratively) “out” White House “insiders.” “White washing” wasn’t just the common way to paint a mission church outside. Mission churches were often painted inside to compensate for the “darkness inside.” This expression is also, of course, a term for “cover-up.” An American in Iraq said that on at least one occasion in Iraq, the term “refurbish” was used to imply renovation of a school or public building there. In actuality, no renovation took place, that building was merely painted, “white washed.”

Look for Chironic figures involved in the issue of creating or exposing cover-ups. From a religious point of view, look for parallels of religious conversion/imposition from the mission era and our present time.Look for the female, the poor, perhaps the handicapped, the disenfranchised, or the alternatively affiliated to appear on the horizon. Minorities, whether African-American, Latino (cultures related to the original missionaries), Native American (culture related to the first California people), mixed race and heritage people, or those whose experiences are in parallel to any of those just mentioned. (Note that the Aquarius glyph is made up of two simultaneously alternating parallel lines.)

Look for involvement with people from California or a Southwestern region.Although we can look to this exact moment, December 5, as a beginning, in another way, like the swelling belly of a pregnant mother before birth, there have been indicators of this coming change for some time. This is particularly true for 2005, since Chiron had tentatively entered Aquarius earlier in 2005. Also, the nature of astrological Chiron is not precise and exacting like Saturn, but more approximate as in the indigenous concept of time. In some ways, then, this time is already here.

Venus and “alternative” politics have come together in the actions of women like “Code Pink.” Pink is a color sometimes associated with Venus, and the name “Code Pink” is in playful, creative contrast to the Mars-like “code red” and homeland security color-coded security alert levels. Californian mother, Cindy Sheehan certainly seems relevant. Note that her group outside of Bush’s Crawford, Texas home was named “Camp Casey,” after her young son who died in Iraq. The image for Mercury (in the fifth house of children) is “American Indians making camp in a new territory.”

Liberty Thinks Pink

Speaking of Casey, astrologer Caroline Casey lives in Maryland, just outside of D.C. Her Visionary Activism radio show is broadcast over Pacifica radio stations in California. Caroline, wonderfully one of a kind, has a one of a kind radio program interweaving imaginative astrology, political observation and commentary, and so much more! Caroline has described her living in the Washington, D.C. area as a “mission,” the operative word for initiating Chiron on the first degree of Aquarius.

Last, but definitely not least, in terms of the ongoing reality of the chart described, is Amy Goodman, primary voice of the alternative (Chiron) radio/TV/internet news source, Democracy Now! Amy was born when Chiron was last in Aquarius, as was her frequent co-host is Juan Gonzalez. The Pacifica radio-based program’s broadcasting stations, listener and viewer numbers continually dramatically increase without corporate commercial endorsement. The focus of the program’s news, interviews, debates, etc. fit the Chiron in Aquarius issues mentioned. In gender, style and appearance, Amy personally fits the Venus in Capricorn/Chiron in Aquarius profile. Although diminutive in size, like astronomical Chiron, she is seemingly not intimidated by anyone of larger stature, physically or politically. One example was her brief interview with the much bigger, taller, super-power-president, Bill Clinton. Her questions made him noticeably uncomfortable!

Voices of diversity are heard on her show, particularly female voices. Besides that, Venus is associated with the arts, including music, and mythic Chiron, was, amongst other things, a musician of note, pun intended! Her program includes a diversity of music, often related topically to that part of the program. In 2004, Amy, with the help of her brother, co-wrote a very popular book, The Exception to the Rulers (Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them). She has been nearly killed in her quest of the news, and she speaks with great humanity from her heart and with impressive mental acuity. In 2005 she appeared as guest and/or commentator on popular corporate network news programs, such as Hardball. Although Amy has yet to undergo her Chiron return, she and her associates are already seeing, listening, speaking, and writing about the Chironic issues of our times, and parallels to the Chironic history of the past, especially the recent American past.

Chiron astrologically deals with what makes people human and humane, or in-human and in-humane. Where other astrological archetypes can be expressed or observed as “whatever someone can get away with, must be okay, or unstoppable,” Chiron notices and can initiate dialogue and/or action about the matter in question. Mythical Chiron taught ethics to a long and diverse lineage of youth. Many of these young people went on to become the unlikely who accomplished the improbable.

The next five years give us all an opportunity to change things about our society which seem, at the moment, highly unlikely to change. In political matters, look for the likes of women like Amy Goodman, Cindy Sheehan and untold other women, along with like-minded men, to catalyze change, for that has been what Chiron has done in the mythic tales, as well as in our historic past. Just before Chiron entered Aquarius, African-American civil rights advocate Rosa Parks died at the age of 92. Small of stature and soft spoken, her conscious non-action catalyzed unprecedented change in America. A seamstress by trade, she helped mend the torn fabric of American humanity by breaking (Uranus) a law (Saturn) that she saw as ethically unjust. In a moment, she decided that breaking the law would be the wise thing to do. She went from being seen as less than entirely human to being the first woman, and the second African-American, to have her coffin laid out in the Capitol building for public view. Rosa’s life is but one example that real change is possible, and Chiron can catalyze real change. We shall soon see if Chiron’s entry into Aquarius facilitates real change in humanity.