As we head into the time of harvest, we break bread and feel reverence for the bounty of nature. It is from this perspective that I bring you the astrological message of Lammas 2020.
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In our great human story, we use Myth, to teach us about the world we live in. The story of Ceres/Demeter brings to our chart the abundance of nature, fertility and grain. The story of Ishtar brings the power of love and regeneration. As I curate the energy of this time, I’ve invited all three goddesses to speak to us through this chart. I give thanks for the Goddess wisdom they share.
Both Ceres/Demeter are known for fertility and motherhood. They are regarded as a ‘Mother Earth’ figure and have strong links to the seasons. All three goddesses (Ceres/Demeter/Ishtar), have a dark night of the soul, where they go to reclaim a lost piece of their story from the underworld. Their powerful grief moves them into the darkness to resolve their situation.
Ceres/Demeter are both in the sign of Pisces as Lammas 2020 begins. We are reminded of the need for water energy (emotions) to grow our blessings. The sign of Pisces is associated with the collective unconscious, secrets and endlessness. It is the divine stretch into redemption, forgiveness and eventual resurrection. It is the last sign of the zodiac, and as such, we are at the end of a particular life pattern.
Our emotions, this Lammas are unboundaried. The theme of redemption, is a strong nudge for us to move forward as cleanly and as clearly as we can. To find our way out of our emotional fog, such as guilt, shame and blame. Our harvest is better when our emotional conditions are clean. That means pulling out our emotional weeds and putting them on our cosmic compost pile. It’s time to consciously understand our negative programmes and love ourselves back to wholeness.
Ceres/Demeter are known for grieving for their lost child who was abducted into the underworld by Pluto (Hades/Devil). The Pisces connection here, describes a collective open wound about innocence lost. It is almost as if giving thanks is not enough this Lammas. As we share bread in 2020, we also need to let go of the grief that is holding us (humanity) back from evolution. In this moment of pure openness, comes the clarity and resurrection.
There might also be a push to wean ourselves from the teat of our metaphorical mothers. It is time for us to participate in the cycle of life as the full responsible caretakers of Gaia. And that might mean to stand for who we are, than to beg for support. We are in a process of eldering and are entering a new phase in our Human story.
The fiery Sun trine Chiron aspect, shows that all we need is an open heart to feel our way forward. We don’t need to go far to find healing or wisdom. Generosity and transparency bring the right influences to us at the right time.
With Venus’s trine to Ishtar and the Vertex, the fruits of our labours can be best enjoyed together. We are being clearly asked to work in communion, and our ability to share is an indication of how we survive.
Mercury’s conjunction to the part of our home, shows how we can bring more flow into the family. He is the cosmic delivery man ensuring that those who interact the most in their community, receive a steady flow of goods and services to their front door. He is in a helpful aspect to both Venus and Ishtar. The message is clear – to create more abundance, you must get to know your neighbours.
Now we get to the crux of the story. Remember Pluto (Hades), who allegedly kidnapped the daughter of Ceres/Demeter? Pluto is in an overbearing position in this Chart. Pluto conjunct Jupiter, and Saturn in the sign of Capricorn, is representing authority in the Lammas 2020 narrative.
Pluto is in an opposition to Mercury and there is tension about who to trust and whether we can trust our own minds. At a world level, the external authorities want the public to isolate, not self organise within their communities. If we take this to a personal level, we are caught between our rational and intuitive mind. At a spiritual level, we feel the tension in the deep questions of who we are. Are we a soul living a human experience or a scientific, random occurrence? It’s fair to say there’s a split in the human psyche right now, about what we trust more. And it feels as if our lives depend on resolving these conflicts within ourselves. Therefore at some level we must not turn away from our darkness.
If Pluto were to take from Ceres/Demeter again, he might do it by forbidding the use of the intuitive mind. He might find ways to reduce compassion and instill fear of each other. Rational people follow rational rules. Intuitive people sense their own path. This is a threat to the ambitious Capricorn energy seeking to protect and inflate itself.
The resolution point to Ishtar and the Vertex is in the 6th house of hard work, and in the sign of Libra (love and cooperation). It’s not the time to rest and take our eye off the ball. We have lots of work to do. Most of this work is in rebuilding trust and being more ‘loving’. We need to feel our sense of belonging to the natural, magical world.
Our Gratitude to work together, embrace the intuitive and release the reliance on purely the rational, is the key to greater gifts in the coming months. We answer to the cosmic order of life, and whilst we do need to understand our own fear of the dark, that must not obscure our faith in the light.
Wishing you a safe and joyful Lammas.
