Malvin Artley has been a practising astrologer for more than a decade. He is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers.
Malvin is the author of Bodies of Fire: An Exploration of the Lesser Chakra System. He has authored numerous articles and was a member of the faculty of the University of the Seven Rays, a non-profit organization dedicated to the teaching of the Trans-Himalayan tradition as expressed through the books of Alice Bailey, Helena Blavatsky and others.
His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all aspects of Chinese occultism. He has done extensive work with Chinese astrology and the cycles they use and seeks to synthesize the great Western and Oriental systems on such matters.
Malvin lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He also works in the engineering trades and sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.

At the Threshold of a Dream [part three]
subtle meanings of the Full Moon in Cancer

Malvin concludes this article on the esoteric meanings of the Boxing Day Full Moon by exploring the astrological implications of the symbolism of the degrees. He points out that despite its reputation for causing sorrow, Saturn, the planetary ruler of Capricorn, also brings opportunity at this threshold of a new year. Whatever we do, in the realization of what we imagine for our lives and for the greater communities of which we are a part, may our example spread like wildfire through all who spend time with us.

This Capricorn full moon takes place on the 27 of December, Australian time, at 2:07 AM AEDT. It is a powerful figure, though the Sun and Moon only aspect Uranus, but it holds much promise for the powers that will lead us to the mountain top and give us the needed perspective that will carry us sure-footedly into 2005 and beyond. The degree of the Sun says a mouthful in this regard, and its symbol reads thus:

“10 logs lie under an archway leading to darker woods” 6° Capricorn

Though this might sound like an ominous symbol because the archway leads to darker woods, it actually reflects what I was saying earlier about 2004 and the year to come. The archway is a door into the future. At its base lie the logs either of garnered work or of “dead wood” that is best left behind. Either way, though, the logs would not be going through into the new experience.

10 is a number both of completion and beginning. It is itself a sort of doorway into a new cycle. It always brings with it a fresh impulse and, as such, the sextile between the Sun and Uranus reflects this very well. Uranus always brings the new order and the fresh impulse, and with the sextile it marks the beginning of a very vibrant and fulfilling time of action, replete with originality and big ideas. The dark woods simply represent the unknown quantity—that which one has yet to experience. It can either be a hell (a sort of “dark night of the Soul”) or it can represent a vast untapped potential and resources yet to be realized. I prefer the latter possibility myself. The dark wood can also represent the place where a person dreams and where dreams can reach fulfillment. It can be the deep reflection of the Soul as it enters into a new cycle of becoming.

The degree of the Moon complements that point and provides the reflective counterpoint and the field of experience wherein the symbol for the Sun works out. It reads thus:

“Game birds feathering their nests” 6° Cancer

Where else would one find game birds but in the dark woods? Birds are always a symbol for telepathic interplay of some sort, and the symbol of the nest is an apt one for Cancer, being concerned with home and “nesting”, as that sign is. This symbol suggests that we should prepare ourselves in some way for a birth of some sort, after we have passed through the archway into our new cycle of activity. The birds in this case are preparing for the future, for an extended family group and for the fulfillment of the process of gestation. Those things which have been gestating within our collective psyche must be given birth this year, in uncertain times, in the wilderness of our confusion, and in fulfillment of the promptings of our own Souls. Nesting is a deep instinct with birds and a drive that cannot be ignored. Without it there is no propagation of the species. And, if we ignore our strongest inner promptings—the things we know we must do as Souls—then we eventually fade away and die to those who matter most to us. To ignore the call of the Soul is to perish and to be cast again into the darkness until we better learn to listen and heed the call.

The Moon is trine to Uranus in this figure and that gives many of the qualities associated with the sextile to the Sun of Uranus. It gives a broad outlook, independence of spirit, great ability and longevity and objectivity, which will be especially needed this year. Mars is square to Uranus which brings with it the possibility of accidents, of rash thought and action, and of the dare-devil instinct. This gives a tendency to throw caution to the wind and ignore outcomes, but this is offset by a trine to Saturn by Mars, which gives much more stability. In all, the configuration of planets so far points to the ability to plan boldly, yet steadily toward the future, to take risks when needed—often with success—to dare to be original and to break down old modes of thinking with a mind toward breaking the ties with the past but in building a strong foundation for future work as well.

Saturn is still in opposition to Chiron, pointing to a need to work alone at times and to clean up any lingering issues from one's past around intimacy. It is also an indicator to either double or triple one's efforts to either salvage what is left of strained relations with people or to end the relations altogether, at least for the time. That opposition is particularly combust, although in a retrograde phase of Saturn, and we are all being given another chance to work on these sorts of issues for this year, albeit more from the angle of our own inner life rather than by working things out directly with partners or relations. Pluto is unaspected, indicating that its work is not particularly highlighted for this cycle, although it is in Sagittarius with Mercury and Venus. This little gathering of planets enhances one's idealism for the year in personal terms, as well as indicating that one should be willing to put oneself forward and to attend assiduously to the goals one has set for the year. Mercury and Venus are conjunct and both are sextile to Neptune, further strengthening the imaginative faculties this year in a very positive fashion and greatly enhancing the intuition. To add to this, Jupiter is trine to Neptune, greatly enlarging the outlook and creating a situation wherein one's visions can be strong, clear and full of life. On the whole, this Festival of Initiation, or Festival of Human Achievement, marks a yearly cycle wherein ones aims should be high, energetically pursued, of the highest quality and strongly tinged with the gifts of one's Soul. It marks a year in which one can personally get a lot done of a very high standard if one is willing to apply the necessary energy-and the energy should very definitely be there.

Saturn Brings Opportunity

As I begin to wind down for Christmas and look forward to a little break, I look back over 2004 and realize what a full and busy year it has been. Saturn has been a big player in my life this year and I have learned in fullness what is meant when it is said that Saturn brings opportunity. Work has been hard and there has been a lot of it, but in that I have accomplished much and have become much more fluid in my life and in my dealings with people. Every new relation and circumstance has potential, whatever we make of that. But, what Saturn really teaches one is to both recognize and then seize opportunities when they arise. Work teaches us flexibility and self-responsibility brings its own reward. If I have learned nothing else this year it is to listen to one's inner prompting, to act on opportunities when they arise, to be open to the manifold possibilities in any given moment and to let the heart be the wise counsel to the head. The traditional associations of Saturn with restriction, hardness, gloominess, enforced responsibilities and so forth have simply not panned out in those ways for me, and I am under a strong Saturnian influence at the moment. That is the difference between the way Saturn works in the orthodox and esoterically. When one's focus is on the meaning in events and not on the events themselves then Saturn becomes a great mentor and opens one to a great many things. The Wisdom of the Ages is then at one's disposal, which Saturn also represents, and there is a resilience that is built in as a result that does not come from other planetary influences. All higher Capricorn types know this in their heart of hearts, although I am not a Capricorn.

When I was a boy I had big dreams for life, as most of us do in childhood. Life has taken me far afield from a lot of those, but some have always stayed with me. As I reflect back on my life (as Saturn's influence tends to get us to do) I can mark and trace the many streams of thought that I had and I can look on in wonder now at the way my Soul has shaped my life and the richness it has brought through some of those streams of thought. Venus has served me well in that regard. From a boy playing Army with his friends, dreaming of flying planes and always having a fascination with all things technological, I have grown into a man who gets to work daily with all the technology I loved and dreamed of as a kid, who has finally gotten to see one of those planes up close and who may yet still fly one, though not of that type. Who can say? But through it all, I have seen the power of imagination when coupled with the will to manifest one's dreams, both in myself and in others, and I have seen the magic that it can work. I also know that an unrealized dream creates a pain in us that nothing quite seems to ease. It is always there seeking expression. It is, in fact, an unrequited love, and there are few greater pains for an open and loving heart than for dreams to wither and die. Venus has taught me that lesson well, too.

So, my friends, as we stand at the threshold of the New Year and our bonus Capricorn Moon for 2004, perhaps it might pay us all dividends to look back over our lives and think about the things that really fire our hearts. Have we lived those things or have we put them on the shelf? Have we spent enough time in reflection deep with our own higher Self and listened to the dreams of the Soul for our life? How determinedly and passionately do we work for the things in which we most deeply believe and which our hearts so fervently desire? Well, we can be sure of one thing—that whatever we do, the Soul is making its list and checking it twice, and whether we have been naughty or nice we will be rewarded with exactly what we are due at the end of our days. I hope your rewards are great.

Whatever we do, in the realization of what we imagine for our lives and for the greater communities of which we are a part, may our example spread like wildfire through all who spend time with us. And, may we all also be inspired to even greater things by those who also live their own Soul's passion. There is so much we can learn from our mutual sharing. As you share this holiday season with family and friends, share your visions as well as your being with them. But most of all, may the Light and Love that is us in truth illumine us this year and shine new Light upon our magical little blue/green world. And be good—for goodness sake!

Many blessings in this holiday season,
Malvin.
21 Dec 04

This is the end of the article.

Return to part one of At the Threshold of a Dream

Malvin Artley is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers. His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests in those fields are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all aspects of Chinese occultism.
He sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. These letters are sent out as a gift and a service. If you wish to be added to or deleted from the mailing list please let me know. If you feel inspired to pass them on please do so, but do so without alteration or charge. They are sent to people of many persuasions, not just astrologers. Blessings. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.

At the Threshold of a Dream [part three]subtle meanings of the Full Moon in Cancer

Saturn Brings Opportunity

At the Threshold of a Dream [part three]
subtle meanings of the Full Moon in Cancer