Message #27874

[Bianca]

“A church bazaar.” 5 Pisces

Organized religion always carries implicit within it the use of ritual for the furtherance of spiritual progress. One of the problems with that, though, is that people tend to get hooked into the letter of the rituals and dependence upon the ‘good feelings’ they give rather than seeing the life and meaning behind them and living that life at all times, regardless of the ritual. The ritual then becomes a crutch after a while and it thus crystallizes and loses its meaning. To be clear, ritual in life is needed—absolutely—but ritual divorced from its meaning is harmful and an obstacle to the path. What is inherent in the symbol for the church bazaar is the aspect of coming together in a social setting, rather than a spiritual experience. Bazaars are put on to raise money for the parish, true, but they are also social functions, quite aside from any religious significance. One of things a person learns very quickly in spiritual life is that if a ritual or activity is not somehow efficacious to the advancement of one’s virtue and the furtherance of Truth for others then one is ‘corrected’ and that activity is abandoned. Sometimes one is purposely removed from long-beloved rituals, either through circumstance or by direction from a Teacher, simply because those rituals have become habits—ingrained mental and emotional patterns, rather than living steps in the spiritual journey for that person. Also—and this is a major consideration with this solar festival and its dynamics—when one begins to dwell ‘in the realm of the Spirit Dancers’, one’s old life is often and usually irrevocably changed. This symbol can have a more positive meaning, too, but the lunar degree in a solar festival represents the past and habitual patterns, thus its interpretation here.

We will not look at the planetary dynamics of this eclipse too much because there is little space to do so. However, there are three main aspects to it. Firstly, the Sun/Moon axis forms a t-square with Jupiter at the apex. Ordinary astrological interpretation would posit that such a configuration could be quite joyful, and it may well be, but there is a danger of excessiveness with it, even though the orb is considered a bit wide. It is also an aspect that fosters intolerance—pride, in other words. Hence, there could be major tests as to the amount of pride in one’s nature with this solar festival. Venus has just passed, but is still within orb of, an opposition with Neptune. Be careful around affairs of the heart begun at the time of this eclipse, unless one is only after a quick affair. This aspect tends to breed eventual disillusionment and has been called a ‘money pit’ aspect. On the higher side of it, if the people involved are understanding, then this aspect is a brilliant one for clarification of shared goals in life, spiritual direction and where one’s heart truly lays. However, there is usually some struggle to be had before these realizations come with this influence. This is one aspect that really tends to show what one’s true orientation is in life—the purely sensual or ‘the Higher Way’. Lastly there is a t-square formed by a Mercury/Uranus opposition with Mars at the apex. Arguments and clashes, anyone? Fierce feelings of independence and/or spirited debate? This configuration will surely bring all that, especially when the eclipse is activated, which brings us to the most interesting and potent side to this eclipse.