The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac

A sign is a place in the heavens which can be occupied by the planets. The planets are like people, who utilize the resources of a place to achieve whatever ends they desire. So the zodiac signs influence astrology not directly, but indirectly by providing specific resources which limit, facilitate and otherwise modify what the planets can do in a horoscope.

To do astrology, you must clearly and deeply understand what resources are available in which signs. That’s what this article will help you with.

Each zodiac sign is a result of four things: gender, element, mode and ruler. We can take gender out of the equation because element implies gender (fire and air are always masculine, water and earth are always feminine). A zodiac sign, therefore is a combination of three things:

1. An element (fire, earth, air or water), combined with
2. A mode (cardinal, fixed or dual), and cultivated by
3. A ruler (one of the seven primary planets)

Here is a list of the ingredients in the recipe for each of the twelve zodiac signs (if you are patient and have a good eye for abstractions, you will find many beautiful symmetries and patterns in this list. I apologize that the simple formatting here doesn’t reveal these perfections more clearly):

Sun +             fixed          fire =       Leo.

Moon +        cardinal   water = Cancer.

Mercury +   dual           earth =   Virgo.

Mercury +   dual           air =         Gemini.

Venus +        cardinal   air =         Libra.

Venus +        fixed          earth =   Taurus.

Mars +          fixed          water =  Scorpio.

Mars +          cardinal   fire =       Aries.

Jupiter +      dual           fire =       Sagittarius.

Jupiter +      dual           water =  Pisces.

Saturn +      cardinal   earth =   Capricorn.

Saturn +      fixed          air =         Aquarius.

Saturn’s Signs

Capricorn

Saturn+ Cardinal Earth.

Recall what you learned about Saturn, reality, tenacity, etc. Now consider those interests expressing themselves through cardinal earth. The nature of Saturn becomes more forceful, decisive and ambitious due to the cardinal mode, and even more enduring, immovable and rigid due to the earth element.

Capricorn encourages absolutely unrelenting tenacity with decisive dedication to realizing practical results from extremely ambitious goals.

We symbolize this meaning in the image of a mythical sea creature called a “Capricorn” or “Mākara.” The original version of this formidable beast is a crocodile’s jaws with a shark’s tail and a deer’s legs. The crocodile jaws are symbolic of tenacity, never letting go. The ability to be swift on water or land like a shark or a deer shows the decisive cardinality of this sign, and highlights Saturn’s ability to tolerate and dominate in any condition, land or sea.

Aquarius

Saturn + Fixed Air

Now consider the same interests of Saturn expressing themselves instead through fixed air. The fixed mode resonates well with Saturn’s patient tenacity. But the air mode causes Saturn to be less stubborn, and more curious.

Aquarius encourages enduring curiosity and humble patience in discovering the many different facets of life and its ultimate meaning.

A pot symbolizes this quite well. Some say the symbol is of a man pouring a pot – water flowing out of the pitcher, but the older symbol is of a man filling the pot – water flowing into the pitcher. I find the older symbol more useful. The pot is a place to collect various things collected in ones travels throughout life. The bearer of the pot is a servile person, like Saturn, which reflects that Saturn’s humility is available in Aquarius.

Jupiter’s Signs

Sagittarius

Jupiter + Dual Fire

Remember the root of all Jupiter’s intentions is positive expansion, accomplished through good moral guidance. The fire element, an element which shines light on the path and clearly points the right way forward, resonates quite well with these intentions. The duality here prevents the fire from being hasty and overly judgmental – as it is prone to be by nature. Instead it encourages a broad and open minded inquisitiveness.

Sagittarius encourages an open-minded hunger for the positive future that is sure to develop from broad ethical, moral, and philosophical understanding.

The symbol is a drawn bow and arrow, carried by a centaur. The arrow symbolizes the high moral ambitions of Sagittarius – to understand morality, ethics and philosophy in an ever broader manner. The arrow and the centaur are very fast. The centaur can run in one direction while the arrow shoots in the other – symbolizing the dual nature of Sagittarius. The centaur and arrow want to cover as much ground as possible. Notice that the centaur is a centaur, not just a horse. It has the head, the brain of a human. This conveys that Sagittarius is intelligent. The wide-roaming centaur and arrow want to cover as much philosophical ground as possible.

Pisces

Jupiter + Dual Water

Now consider the same energy as Sagittarius but with the moral and ethical interests of the fire element replaced by the contemplative, deep and reflective interests of the water element.

Pisces encourages deep introspection and careful reflection upon the heart of any matter, from all sides.

A fish is the symbol of Pisces. Naturally this is a reference to the water element in Pisces. Also, a fish is silent, and Pisces is quite introspective and reflective in how it goes about gaining a broader base of understanding. A fish can go very deep into the water, and this conveys the combination of Jupiter and water encouraging very deep contemplations. Often the symbol for Pisces contains two fish swimming in opposite directions, though tied together. This very clearly denotes the dual mode in Pisces.

The Signs of Mars

Scorpio

Mars + Fixed Water

Recall what you learned about Mars. He is our individual energy and ambition. Expressing itself through the fixed mode this results in the ambition to become deeper, more profound and more attractive. Because this fixed mode is blended with the element of water, the context of the ambition for profundity becomes emotionally, inwardly oriented. Fixed water, as a combination, creates great depths. Utilized by Mars it because an ambition to attain profound depths.

Scorpio encourages an inward search for more profound depths. Individuality is realized by strengthening and deepening one’s own inner self.

A scorpion is the symbol of Scorpio. This insect is dangerous, like Mars, and lives alone as an individual, like Mars. It lives in holes in the ground or secret cracks and shadows, symbolizing the inward, depth oriented nature of Scorpio as well as its proclivity for secrecy and secret things hidden in the depths.

Aries

Mars + Cardinal Fire

Now consider the same individualizing energy and ambition of Mars, not focused on inner depths as in Scorpio, but on outer heights. Cardinality resonates with the ambitious bravery of Mars. Fire shows the path and allows for swift progress without hesitation. Cardinal fire allows Mars to give great extroverted expressions to brave ambitions.

Aries encourages setting off alone and brave, blazing one’s own path as a bold declaration of individuality and self-assuredness.

The symbol of Aries is a mountain-goat, a ram. Like the scorpion this creature is dangerous with its formidable horns, and highly individualistic – living far from society and other animals, alone in the rocky heights of mountains. An animal who climbs great heights very appropriately conveys the ambitious cardinal nature, and by always knowing where to step without falling it symbolizes the fire element which illuminates the clear path.

Signs of Venus

Libra

Venus + Cardinal Air

Venus, remember, is mainly interested in making the world a better, more enjoyable place. When she cultivates this quality through cardinal air, in creates a very liberal nature. Cardinal is ambitious in seeking change towards new improvements. Air is curious and mobile and likes to change in search of new things.

Libra encourages a more pleasant world through liberal enthusiasm for new and better ways of life.

A lady holding a scale symbolizes Libra. This communicates the liberal ideal of fairness. The lady is fair and beautiful, symbolizing a more pleasant and enjoyable world. Scales symbolize justice and fairness, but also fair trade and exchange. This portrays how Libra does not hold on to old things and seeks to trade the old for something new and better.

Taurus

Venus + Fixed Earth

Now consider how the same intentions of Venus can manifest using fixed earth. Earth is practical, so the outcome is towards improving the world in a tangible, real, practical manner. The fixed mode is deep, steady, and conservative, so we have an emphasis on preserving good things.

Taurus encourages preservation of beneficial traditions and creation of things which are good and enjoyable in a tangible, practical way.

The bull is a symbol of Taurus. The bull is a domestic animal, so is pitting to portray a sign owned by Venus, who is all about relationships, cooperation and marriage. The bull tills the earth – fitting for symbolizing a sign created from the earth element, and thus creates food – the most practical and tangible object of wealth, goodness and enjoyment. The bull plowing a field also symbolizes simple adherence to old ways and traditions, fitting for the nature of a fixed sign intent on preserving what is good and worthwhile in the world.

Mercury’s Signs

Virgo

Mercury + Dual Earth

Remember that Mercury is the planet of interchange and intellect, whose main intention is to learn and understand. The dual mode, of course, resonates very sonorously with this – facilitating a multifaceted and objective approach. Earth directs this interest towards practical, tangible matters.

Virgo encourages intelligence in practical matters, caution and thoroughness in all affairs.

 A virgin is the symbol of Virgo. Over the centuries a lot of symbolic baggage has accumulated around the image of “virgin.” One thing that is still easy to hear in the imagery is a reflection of the prudence and caution of the earth element. Young girls are extremely intelligent and excellent students, especially in comparison to young boys. This makes them a fitting symbol for a sign of Mercury, the planet of intellect and learning. Before marriage, a girl is still studying many different subjects in school – reflecting on the dual mode and the character of Mercury present in Virgo.

Gemini

Mercury + Dual Air

The only thing different here from Virgo is the element. But what a significant difference it makes! Air is not at all cautious, it is free and mobile and fun-loving. Dual air allows Mercury to fully cultivate its wit, inventiveness, and fun-loving nature.

Gemini encourages ingenuity, invention, and a youthful love for freedom and fun.

Sometimes we see twins as a symbol for Gemini, but the more ancient image is a couple enjoying one another’s company. In both cases the two persons in the image point to the dual nature of the sign. That they are both human symbolizes the intellectual, witty, and refined nature of the sign. The more ancient image is more complete, however, because it portrays Gemini’s love for the fun and games associated with new youth.

Signs of the Luminaries

Leo

Sun + Fixed Fire

The Sun is the authority, and the strong sense of identity. The fixed mode is attractive and draws valuable things towards it rather than chasing after them. This causes Leo to support the kind of self-confidence that is charismatic and creates a powerful leader. This resonates loudly with the nature of the fire element, as well. Fire lights the path for others to follow.

Leo encourages strong self-confidence, generating the charisma and authority that commands and guides many followers.

The lion symbolizes Leo. The appropriateness of this image is quite obvious. The lion is the king of the jungle – and the Sun is the king of the planets. The lion is a calm, powerful, stately animal – much like the fixed mode. But like fire, the lion can be punishing when it decides to act.

Cancer

Moon + Cardinal Water

The Moon is the mind, the seat of all desires. Cardinality is decisive and ambition. Water is emotional and reflective. Clearly water and the moon harmonize loudly and clearly with one another, for emotions, desires and the mind itself are one and the same. Cardinality puts an interesting twist on the mixture, causing the emotional mind to be ambitious and decisive! Though cardinality brings decisiveness and direction to Cancer, we can’t forget that the Moon is shy by nature, greatly desiring the approval and acceptance of others.

Cancer encourages strong emotions and decisive opinions yet expresses them shyly and somewhat fearfully.

A crab symbolizes Cancer. The crab is a water-creature, so it is appropriate to symbolize a water sign. It runs sideways, quickly – an image alluding to the directional and committed / decisive nature of the cardinal element. The hard shell can also inform us of the cardinal disposition, which is not flexible and which shields itself from distraction. It, and the crab’s overall behavior, also speaks of the Moon’s timidity and fearfulness of being hurt by others.

 

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

Superstitions about Rituals and Mantras

Everyone is worried about how to pronounce the mantras properly. It’s not important at all.

“What!?!?” they cry, “there are so many tales in the scripture of mantras mispronounced giving disastrous opposite effects!”

Yes. That was then. This is now.

This is Kali Yuga.

You see universal time is very, very long. There are four aeons (“ages”) which last for huge spans of time. Hundreds of thousands of years. We are in the fourth age, the final age of the endless cycle. It is like the winter of the universe, devoid of living power.

If we think that Vedic rituals and the related mantras have independent power in the age of Kali we are wrong. Period, end of story. Nor is there any way to “unlock” their power in this age. The only thing which has truly mystical power in this age is the all-powerful name of god. Specifically the 16 word, 32 syllable formation of the names of God as Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The pramana for this is opulently abundant in the sastra. Here is a good list: http://www.salagram.net/Yuga-Dharma-The.html

Vedic pujas and mantras have no magic power in this age. Only the Hari Nama (names of God) has power. Therefore any samskara – marriage, conception, etc. – which is not accompianied by Hari Nama Sankirtana is merely a hocus pocus. The same is true of any astrological rememdy, puja, mantra, etc. In fact the entirety of the ritual can be thrown into the ocean with neglect and distaste; so long as Hari Nama sankirtana is there the “ritual” is a perfect success. The bells and whistles of the ritual are only there to get the attention and respect of less educated people so they pay attention when the Hari-Nama Sankirtana comes along in the function.

The mystical power of the mantras and pujas is gone, period. Why do you think there are no flying castles in NYC? Does this strike you as an age of true magic? Do you see flying carpets on the freeway? No. The magic is drained from kali yuga. There is no magical power available, no mystic potency. Therefore rituals and incantations (mantras) don’t work anymore – regardless if they are performed and pronounced flawlessly or not.

Although we can deride something as “hocus pocus” – hocus pocus itself does have some power and use.  The forms of the old magical incantations and rituals STILL DO have a psychological impression (“samskara”). Although they have no supernatural power anymore, they do have natural power, and that, in this weak wintery age, is relatively powerful in and of itself.

Therefore I stand before you all boldly and declare loudly that it makes no difference if you get the details of the ritual or the pronunciation right or wrong – so long as you get the essence of the psychological connection to the meaning of the ritual and mantra. And in an even more confident voice I say to you, “If you want something with true mystic power – take the blessed names of Sri Krsna to your lips without cessation.”

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

Everything You’ll Ever Need to Know About SATURN

If you were taking my course, 102 – the planets, this would be what you would be discussing with me in your eighth class, the class on Saturn:

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Saturn’s Sutra:
The Miserable Limitations of Reality.

When you cut straight to the chase, Saturn is all about reality.

Reality imposes limitations and is unyielding, yet only by embracing it do we escape misery. Reality itself is not miserable. Reality is beautiful. Our illusions contradict the beauty of reality, and this contradiction is the true mother of all misery. Saturn frequently operates as a miserable planet only because it exposes our unwillingness to embrace reality.

What “reality”? The truth that we are limited in every way; that we are neither perfect, powerful, nor significantly happy. If we detach from our illusions and embrace the truth of our small, limited nature, we experience peace. Then Saturn becomes the planet which erases all misery.

The Limitations Imposed by Reality

Reality has four walls: time, decay, weakness and flaw. These four walls define the limits of our small existence. Time not only limits our daily schedule, it also ushers in old age and death. Decay works alongside time causing our bodies to become diseased, our memories to fade, and our things to breakdown, fail and become garbage.

Weakness operates under the auspices of this decay. We feel too slow, ugly, and never smart enough. We feel powerless and become servile employees rather than bosses. Thus we feel disenfranchised, alienated, and alone. In isolation we develop abnormalities and thus become further shunned. We grasp at any and every chance to lick a discarded drop of happiness, and thus become perverse and lawless.

Weakness allows flaws and faults to exist. We are intimate with flaws and faults, because we are full of them. Thus we spot them everywhere and become critical, negative and spiteful.

The Strength to Face Reality

Saturn feels like an unyielding grindstone made of reality’s limitations and crushing our illusions to dust. We foolishly compensate by becoming more stubborn, as if we can compete with Saturn. When we are more willing to let go of these illusions, Saturn grants us stability, endurance, tenacity, & perseverance.

Detachment from Illusion = Elightenment

Saturn’s whole motive is to give us no alternative but to let go of our illusions so that we can truly be freed from misery. To those who are making progress on this path, Saturn grants detachment from material things and material ego. This develops further into enlightenment, when all illusions of identity and possession are discarded. In the enlightenment of embracing our true nature we find perfect freedom from misery and experience a state of deep inner peace.

Saturn – the Final Planet in Human Evolution

Saturn and Jupiter both seek to elevate the human soul up out of its descent into a world of illusory objects. Jupiter does so with a positive approach, Saturn with a negative approach. Jupiter rewards our good deeds and allows us to flourish. Saturn punishes our ignorance and forces us to admit the limits to which we can flourish in a venue which is a temporary phantasm – this world.

Saturn finally delivers the “sunlight” back to itself. The sunlight harbored desires in the Moon. It reached out to exchange with others through Mercury. Through Venus it created the senses that made those exchanges tangible. By Mars it developed strength to compete with others to obtain what it desires. Jupiter then helped it attain a broader world view and see the role of less selfish morality and religion. In the end, it is finally Saturn who forces the sunlight to deal with darkness, to deal with the reality that this world of illusory objects is hemmed at every step by restrictions and limits. Thus in the end it is Saturn who causes the sunlight to become disenchanted with illusion and instead seek out its inherent peaceful, satisfied nature.

Saturn in Action

“Too much” Saturn: We see the bad in everything, and almost no one can correct or show us another viewpoint. We are critical, and spiteful. Disliking most other people, we prefer to keep to ourselves and our own ways; thus we become strange, abnormal and perverse. Dull, menial, and slow in mind and body – we live weakly, surrounded by decaying things, filth, and illness. We age prematurely and are tormented to live out a long, tasteless life.

“Not enough” Saturn: We are frivolous, short-lived, short on attention, and attracted to any fluffy object that promises quick happiness. We flee from all critiques. We are impatient, give up easily, lack seriousness, hate to work and are gullible suckers for any idea that sounds optimistic and hopeful. We have unusual fear of death, and prefer to keep old and sick people out of sight.

Just right: We are realistic, patient, perseverant, and detached – able discard garbage and walk away from things that serve no purpose. We enjoy working, and work hard in whatever capacity is required of us. We can improve any idea. We are not afraid of sickness and death. We live long and seek true knowledge.

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

Astrology vs. Freewill

Image via Wikipedia

Fate & Freewill Are Not Opposites!

Astrology is founded on the idea of “destiny” – the idea that you were destined to be a certain way, and that certain events and experiences were fated to occur in your life. It goes a step further and says that the lights in the heavens have something to do with all this. Somehow by observing the patterns among the heavenly bodies we are supposed to be able to understand the destiny of people and things down here on earth.

This is quite a claim, I admit. The opposition protests, “I make my own destiny. I have freewill and the stars do not have power over me!”

I agree. You make your own destiny. You have freewill and the stars do not have power over you. But I will go a step further and tell you that you make your own destiny because you have freewill!

Freewill Causes Fate

There used to be this board-game, Clue. My parents, aunts and uncles used to enjoy playing it and I would join them, to the best of my elementary-school ability. The game was about trying to figure out who killed who in which room and with what. “The butler killed her in the drawing room with a candlestick.” So let me ask you, Who is responsible for the murder: the butler, the drawing room, or the candlestick?

Simple: the butler. Yes the candlestick, drawing room, etc. were accessories, but the guilty party is the butler and I presume that after the game is over the police of the board-game universe are going to take him to trial and put him in jail.

Why is it the butler, not the candlestick that goes to jail? Simple: the butler is a person and the candlestick isn’t. What’s the difference? One is alive and the other isn’t! One has freewill and the other doesn’t. The candlestick and the drawing room have no freewill so although they were directly involved in killing the poor fictional lady, they are not put on trial. The butler has freewill, therefore he is the one that gets put in the slammer.

Thus I say, “Fate exists because freewill exists.” The ability to make a choice includes the responsibility for the repercussions of that choice. Fate is nothing but being held accountable for the “good” or “bad” results of the free choices we make and have made.

And so I also agree that the stars do not “have power over” us. The stars do not influence, create or decide your fate. You do. What do the stars do? They enforce fate.

Actually, even that is a little bit misleading. The stars and planets themselves do not directly enforce your fate. Rocks and gasses floating at tremendous distances from us cannot enforce anything, no matter how “new age” you try to slice it. However, these heavenly bodies are observable extensions of the universe which is the true enforcer of fate; much like the hands on a clock are the observable protrusions of much more complex clockworks operating beneath. It is the universe herself which observes all of our decisions and holds us accountable for the repercussions we call “fate.”

Why The Universe Corrects Us

Why does the universe hold me accountable for my choices? Because she is our mother.

A mother takes care of her children and sees to it that they grow up right. When a child does something negative the mother must correct, and when the child does something positive she must encourage. The child is pretty oblivious to the whole thing. To him it just seems like sometimes mom is nice and sometimes she is nasty. But gradually the child grows into a good adult, in spite of himself, largely as a result of the kind and often laborious corrections and encouragements of his mother.

Similarly to us it seems like sometimes life sucks and at other times it is a bed of roses. The truth is that all of our fate is the kind hand of our mother.

How Can Paterns in the Sky Have Anything to Do With This?

How can the positions of observable celestial bodies reveal the nature of my destiny? Because a mother cannot just silently punish and reward, she must also communicate with her children. At certain times and circumstances the universe wants to communicate more directly with us. One way she does so is through “body language” – the positions of the stars and planets that form what we can see of her body.

In short, the position of planets and stars communicate to us about our destiny simply because the universe wants it that way and makes it that way.

The Huge Scale of All This

Every single baby is born with a different fate. Why, because they all have made different choices in their past. But what is the past of a newborn child???

Now we have to talk about reincarnation.

This brings in a whole religious connotation. Personally I am a big fan of religion, but for a lot of people it brings up irrational emotional issues which don’t help us think clearly. So if you don’t mind I would like to avoid religious connotations and discuss this in a more scientific manner. There is a physical law called “conservation of energy.” It states that energy is never lost, merely transferred from one state to another.

That’s reincarnation.

You and I are a wonderful type of energy and therefore we never cease to exist. Death is merely our energy going through a “change of state.” You and I have existed beginninglessly. That’s a long time. All that time we have had freewill, and all that time we’ve been using it. We’ve got a lot of fate piled up as a result. No child is truly “newborn.” We are all carrying over the lessons and encouragements remaining from our previous lifetimes’ use of freewill.

The scale of astrology is huge and it’s really quite a shame to see it used so lamely in such debased forms and in pursuit of such thoroughly mundane concerns with little or no awareness or knowledge of its grand, spiritual scale. Although love, romance, and bank accounts are not unimportant and are valid topics for astrology – the much bigger and more important topic is that we are eternal beings who for some strange reason currently exist in a temporary universe and that universe herself is trying her best to help us “grow up” and attain our true inherent potential as supra-universal, transcendental spiritual beings.

I would like to give you an understanding of astrology which is aware of and benefits from both its common mundane applications and the uncommon transcendental context.

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com