WEEK 2 READING ASSIGNMENT #1
The 12 Signs as STYLES
The twelve Astrological signs are presented here as twelve styles of expression; the signs do not represent forces as much as HOW each force (Planet) finds expression through the style it inhabits. The Houses (or States) show us WHERE the energy dynamics of the Planets (or Forces) manifest. The Planets (or Forces) show us WHAT is manifesting and the Signs (or Styles) show us HOW the forces manifest. The definitions and descriptions listed below do not exclusively address Sun signs but the basic characteristics and qualities of each sign as I have come to know them. The last sentence of each paragraph below explains what it means when that Style governs, or rules, a given State, what's known as the House cusp or governor. When any sign becomes over-emphasized, its Shadow aspect expresses its negative side (also included below).
ARIES; Cardinal Fire
The bold style of Aries triggers a sense of immediacy and felt as excitability and sometimes, impatience. Aries symbolizes instinctive and visceral reactions to stimulus, often expressed through impulsiveness and a reflex for immediate action or reaction. The RAM charges; Aries represents an area where we may do well to be in charge and make more choices. As the first sign in the zodiac, Aries expresses "me first" energy - not because it's selfish in a bad way but because DNA can be a very selfish gene that strives to live forever or to die trying. Like a sprout breaking ground to open air and sunshine for the first time, Aries symbolizes the primary vital rush of life itself. Whatever House Aries governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we need excitement and to be in charge of our life decisions.
ARIES Shadow: pushy, controlling, vain, combative
TAURUS; Fixed Earth
The sensual style of Taurus acts as a stabilizing influence by emphasizing the physical body, the five senses, sensation in general, and the material world. Heightened senses of smell, taste, and touch can be emphasized. Any Force inhabiting Taurus substantiates itself over time, proving itself trustworthy by its consistency and steadiness. Taurus represents integration, of making something your own and knowing that you can keep whatever you have earned. Taurus' sense of ownership, propriety and territoriality can be result of holding onto something or someone proven to valuable and worthwhile. Whatever makes our lives worth living defines value. Taurus symbolizes an evaluating quality to measure what is worthy of our time and most valuable to our survival. The BULL never rushes but takes its time, sits patiently knowing its place. Whatever House Taurus governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may need to simplify, slow down, and be more thorough to savor what we value.
TAURUS Shadow: stubborn, bull-headed, lazy, territorial
GEMINI; Mutable Air
The breezy style of Gemini circulates, mobilizes, and distributes the inherent energy dynamics of any force. Like a cosmic radio antennae, Gemini busily interprets incoming signals into messages, words, and language. Its totem, THE TWINS, symbolizes dualism as a dimension of mind given to free-associating ideas, constantly comparing one thing with another. Picture a prism-like hall of mirrors reflecting and reacting to the stimulus of the immediate environment. Gemini thrives on stimulation, novelty, absorbing and gathering new information, all to accumulate a data base and stave off boredom. With a sharp eye for detail and an endless curiosity, this style attempts to understand and make sense of everything while assigning labels and meanings to whatever it perceives. Whatever House Gemini governs symbolizes that area where we may need variety to stimulate and satiate an endless curiosity.
GEMINI Shadow: scattered, superficial, distracted, hyper.
CANCER; Cardinal Water
The empathic style of Cancer deepens our subjective experience of what we care most about. Like the CRAB's powerful claws and hard shell, this style shows remarkable tenacity and protection of an inner sensitivity. Cancer symbolizes where we are emotionally invested and attached, sometimes whether we know it or not! When the experiences of this state are judged or criticized, we can feel offended, attacked or subject to "hurt feelings". Maternal instincts exist within everyone at various degrees of latency and expression. Whether we are caring for children or for our prized possessions or our marriage or our homes, Cancer points to where we tend to be subjectively and emotionally involved. Whatever House Cancer governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may need to be emotionally invested so we may be nurtured by what we care most about. The principle of "sustaining care" suggests that we are nurtured by what we nurture.
CANCER Shadow: worrisome, defensive, melodramatic, smothering.
LEO; Fixed Fire
The playful style of Leo enlivens our existence with creative impulses and taking pleasure in entertaining ourselves and others. With or without an audience, Leo represents a performative spirit for creating a world of our own and the joy of inhabiting that world with a sense of pride and enchantment. Leo's totem of the LION, "King of the Beasts", symbolizes a desire to be adored and applauded as a great roaring generosity of spirit. Like the Sun it also represents, Leo desires to give more than it takes. Whatever House Leo governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may need to have more fun, be creative, and find the joy of our existence.
LEO Shadow: narcissistic, hubris, secretly needy, self-absorbed.
VIRGO; Mutable Earth
The judicious style of Virgo distinguishes and distills what is most good and pure about any given situation or person. It does this through astute observations, analysis, and an innate sense of ethics. Virgo's totem of the VIRGIN represents service to a greater good and those virtues earned through service and self-discipline. Virgo symbolizes an organizing principle of discernment that creates order out of chaos in an industrious or busy approach to managing existence. Compartmentalization of experience can sometimes prove effective for Virgo when trouble-shooting different work projects at the same time. Whatever House Virgo governs symbolizes an area of our lives where we may need more order, critical thinking, and whatever skills are necessary to stay useful.
VIRGO Shadow: fussy, anxious, overly critical, snobby
LIBRA; Cardinal Air
The graceful style of Libra harmonizes and balances the contradictions of our human nature. It's totem of THE SCALES represents a breadth of perception allowing both sides of any conflict or story without favoring either side. Libra represents a bridge between worlds in its diplomatic capacity for mediating opposing views. As the most selfless of the 12 styles, Libra shows profound receptivity to the needs and interests of others. In this way, Libra expresses an extreme state of flexibility and an uncommon capacity for seeing beyond itself and putting others first. Libra can also symbolize the extremes of consciousness swinging between opposing states in an attempt to achieve equilibrium. Whatever House Libra governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may need a sense of equality, harmony, and fairness to fully participate there.
LIBRA Shadow: ambivalence, indecisive, aimlessness, passive-aggressive.
SCORPIO; Fixed Water
The passionate style of Scorpio confronts and transforms whatever frustrates an underlying need for feeling and experiencing life deeply. Scorpio's totem of the SCORPION is a vulnerable arachnid that finds refuge under rocks, inside hollow dead trees, until it comes out to hunt. Privacy, secrecy, and hiding are Scorpio's strategy for protecting its sensitive inner core. Scorpions can survive in the blazing desert, demonstrating a toughness for enduring adversity and everyday challenges -- hard exterior, soft interior. Scorpio's stinger represents a keen capacity to penetrate and extract the essence from any situation or obstacle it faces. Whatever House Scorpio governs symbolizes that area of our lives where passion, strong feeling,s and even obsession may be called for to fully engage the experiences of that State.
SCORPIO Shadow: moody, possessive, compulsive, anti-social.
SAGITTARIUS; Mutable Fire
The expansive style of Sagittarius is carried by a swift, open, and honest response to its environment with often with a heightened sense of humor. Sagittarius aims for the Big Picture and asks the Big Questions. Its totem, THE ARCHER, half man/half horse centaur, symbolizes a sporting life of taking chances that expand and uplift consciousness towards exalted states of being and freedom of movement. The centaur's lust for life and living large expresses a restless spirit that finds repose only when stopping to view the world, as if from above, with vision and perspective. Whatever House Sagittarius governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we do well to take more risks and demand more freedom.
SAGITTARIUS Shadow: dogmatic, flashy, naive, over-confident.
CAPRICORN; Cardinal Earth
The pragmatic style of Capricorn consolidates ambition with focus to achieve goals and reach the zenith of personal and professional accomplishment. Capricorn's totem, THE MOUNTAIN GOAT, follows a zigzag path up the cliffs to the mountain top, each step methodically leading to the next until arriving at the mountaintop. Capricorn represents a sober, self-organizing intelligence for structuring experience to better serve the realization of goals but with a sense of caution and scrutiny to any distractions that may derail success. Unless failure has been included in the "success model", the fear of failure can eventually overwhelm and undermine the goat. Whatever House Capricorn governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may need a bit more structure, respect, and status (recognition) to validate our experience.
CAPRICORN Shadow: cold, lonely, grim, tyrannical, ruthless
AQUARIUS; Fixed Air
The eccentric style of Aquarius detaches from and subverts socially-accepted norms, sustaining enough freedom to redefine human existence. Not content to fit in and conform to conventional models and definitions, this style is prone to inventing new ways of seeing, thinking, relating, and doing. The traditional totem of the WATER-BEARER seems too tame for the innately electrical nature of this style; the DOUBLE LIGHTNING BOLT seems more Aquarian to me. Aquarius represents the impersonal voice of Humanity on a mission to liberate itself from tyranny, oppression, and conformity -- the social activist. Whatever House Aquarius governs symbolizes that area of our lives where we may discover a wide area of interests and where we may appreciate the freedom to occasionally detach ourselves to sustain our sovereignty.
AQUARIUS Shadow: intolerant, elitist, disingenuous, aloof,.
PISCES; Mutable Water
The fluid style of Pisces blends, dissolves, and unifies whatever was previously divided and cornered by too many arbitrary boundaries. The totem of THE TWO FISHES swimming in opposing directions symbolizes contrary currents of emotion felt by constantly merging with and then withdrawing from external circumstances. Pisces represents the most receptive style of the Zodiac, capable of deep absorption of energies within and beyond itself. When Pisces reaches its saturation point and can absorb no longer, it naturally shuts down and disappears like a fish escaping into dark subterranean caves. Whatever House Pisces governs symbolizes that area of our lives where do well taking a more receptive or passive approach so we may blend in better with the environment or even disappear.
PISCES Shadow: self-pity, escapist, apathy, withdrawn.
WEEK TWO: RESEARCH TASK #1
Break Trance, Make Trance
Each of the 12 Styles express a specific point of view, a way of seeing and experiencing the world. When consciousness fixates in any one style over the others, a kind of self-hypnosis occurs where that one point of view becomes confused as the only point of view; we forget that it's not the truth but our truth. This trance can be broken by shifting awareness to another point of view, or in astrological parlance, another style,; break trance, make trance! This research task is presented in two forms to serve your available time and commitment: 1) Intensive and 2) Casual. Both can expose to yourself the degree of fluidity and/or rigidity of your ego structure and how much you may have over-identifed with your Sun sign and overlooked the other eleven perspectives that real astrology offers.
INTENSIVE: For twelve days in a row, pick one Style each day as your "filter" for seeing and experiencing the world. How to get through the day as a Taurus? Or a Cancer? I recommend starting with Aries and eleven days later, ending with Pisces. Write down notes on what you discover each day.
CASUAL: Pick 3 Styles to explore as your point of view and reference through the following week. Embody each of the three on a different day as your "filter" for seeing and experiencing the world. I recommend starting with a Style different than your Sun sign. For the second Style, choose the one you feel most attracted to, even if you don't know why. As the third one, I suggest choosing the Style of your own Moon. Take notes on what you discover each of the three days.
CLICK THIS FOR WEEK 2 - READING ASSIGNMENT #2
"THE CUSPS AS GOVERNORS"