aquamoon astrology, myths

Myths

Karen Armstrong in her book “A Short History of Myth” explains beautifully the reason for mythology in our lives.

“Belief in an invisible but more powerful reality, sometimes called the world of gods, is the basic theme of mythology. Everything that happens in this world, everything that we can hear and see here below has its counterpart in the divine realm, which is richer, stronger and more enduring than our own. And every earthly reality is only a pale shadow of its archetype, the original pattern, of which it is simply an imperfect copy. It is only by participating in this divine life that mortal, fragile human beings fulfil their potential. The myths gave explicit shape and form to a reality that people sensed intuitively. They told then how the gods behaved, not out of idle curiosity or because these tales were entertaining, but to enable men and women to imitate these powerful beings and experience divinity themselves.”

Myths have been part of the history of man since way back to the Neanderthals. Man has imagined the stories that have now become part of the folklore of human existence. Almost all the ancient cultures had their own version of myth and many of these myths have been modified and intertwined.

Myths continue to play a large part in modern life. They can at times best describe an archetype of experience or being, better than any scientific or psychologic explanation.

Astrology also borrows from ancient myth in order to best describe the particular energies of the signs and planets used in the birth chart. Each sign and planet has its own distinctive “hero” story, its desire to reach the pinnacle of perfection within the constraints of the chart. It is through an understanding of the associated myth to planet and sign that one can best appreciate the forces at play.

It must be noted though that each of the following myths relating to planet and sign are indeed excerpts taken from the larger picture that the myth portrays. A particular myth personality is used to exemplify a particular astrological “persona”.

It may also be worth noting that while the planets are named after Roman gods the myth story relating to the planet is usually comes from the Greek perspective. In most cases the Roman gods are a derivative from the Greek equivalent.

Planetary Myths:

Sun

The Sun was worshipped by the ancients as the chief deity. It surpassed any one myth story simply because it has (and still is) acknowledged as central to all living things. But it is not only primeval man that worshipped the sun for indeed most religions of the world recognize its significance and have incorporated its influence in their beliefs. The sun has been called many things to many peoples: Brahma to the Hindus, Mithra to the Persians, Aton and Amun-Ra to the Egyptians, Bel to the Chaldeans, Adonai to the Phonenicians and so the list goes on. Among some of the older and more persevering religions we find the concept of the threefold aspects of the sun, that being dawn, noon and sunset embodied in their belief systems (Christians called it the Trinity – but this concept is not by any means exclusive to Christianity). The rising sun, the promise of a new day belongs to God the Father or Brahma – the Creator. The noon day sun when it reaches the highest point and has maximum warmth and light is symbolised by God the Son or Vishnu - the Maintainer and lastly at dusk as the sun dips down under the horizon and the day comes to an end, mankind rests. This time is attributed to the Holy Ghost or Shiva – the Destroyer.

The concept of dawn, noon and sunset is related in the myth of Helios the young Greek god of the sun who was seen each morning rising in the east from the ocean in his chariot. His journey took him across the sky until he descended at dusk in the west and went back into the sea.

Moon

Just as the sun is understood as the maintainer of life, the moon is valued as the giver of life. In her many guises the moon is known first and foremost as the Great Mother. She is also known as the sun’s consort. And just as the sun is worshipped, either directly or indirectly within the great religions of the world, likewise the moon or the Great Mother has her place in the worship rituals of most belief systems. She is celebrated as Isis the Egyptian Moon Goddess and in India she is Chandra-Devi (Moon Goddess). In the Jewish faith God is called Jehovah which means He-She (Heh and Eve) giving emphasis to the male/female aspects of divinity. Catholics refers to her as Mother Church when speaking about the church at large.

Some attribute the myth of Greek Goddess Gaia to the moon. Gaia is known to the Greeks as Mother Earth. She was born from the great void of emptiness and gave birth to the sea (Neptune) to the sky (Uranus) and to the mountains (Ourea). In turn she took each of her sons and had children with them and so many of the gods and goddesses who inhabited Olympus were born.

Mercury

It was said of Mercury that shortly after he was born he became bored with lying in his cot and he escaped to seek out exciting adventures. Mercury (recognised as Hermes to the Greeks) is mostly identified as the messenger between the gods and the mortals. Few have ever had the freedom to move between heaven and earth – this then emphasising the both the communication skills of mercury and his ability bridge the gap connecting higher understanding and everyday reality. But Mercury is known for many other things as well, remembering always that he is unable to be amused by one thing only. In his dealings with the gods he had the habit of stealing something from each of them and used these “booties” to mimic their owners – this ability showing the trickster side of Mercury. Not being contend with one image, in astrology Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo. In Gemini he puts pieces of information together and relates it to different aspects of life. In Virgo he dissects information and analyses it in detail.

Venus

Venus or Aphrodite as she is known to the Greeks was born from the sperm spilled from the castrated testicles of Uranus, which were thrown into the sea by Kronos. For this reason we have the image of Aphrodite coming from the sea in all her beauty and radiance standing on a sea shell. Having been born in the female form but not from mother, only from father, Aphrodite represents both a male and a female energy. In the birth chart Venus rules the male Libra sign and the female Taurus sign. Whilst most of us are aware of the beauty of Aphrodite and her ability to bring love, harmony and peace to relationships, few are aware of her other side which held high expectations and hated competition. Aphrodite stripped naked to help Paris make his decision as to who was the more beautiful of the goddesses – Athene, Hera or Aphrodite herself. She humiliated Psyche when she believed Psyche was receiving more attention that was her due.

In Taurus, Venus represents the more earthy sensual side of Aphrodite and in Libra she fulfils our desire for balance and harmony in relationships.

Mars

Mars was the Roman version of the Greek God Ares who was the son of Zeus and the bad tempered Hera. The myth tells us that Hera was so outraged by her husband giving birth to the beautiful Athene on his own (she was born out from his head) that in her anger Hera gave birth to Ares and for that reason Ares (and so the planet Mars in the birth chart) has the association with anger. Despite the idea of the warrior god, both in Greek and Roman mythology, the Greek Ares was hardly ever victorious. When is sister Athene knocks him over with a stone in battle he screams as the scream of ten thousand men and has to be held prisoner in a bottle for thirteen months before he calms down (this then could explain the concept of “bottling up” our anger). The Roman god Mars had many of the same qualities as the Greek god Ares but was also held in veneration in areas such as marital arts, a giver of fertility, a great god of nature as well as a general inspiration to all new projects and ideas.

Mars in the birth chart can then represent both expressions of the myth. It can on the one hand be brutish, impetuous, reckless and angry or it can be expressed in a more healthy form such as an ability to stand our ground, to be independent, to empower growth or to learn new skills.

Jupiter

Jupiter (Zeus to the Greeks) is known as the great benefactor. He is the larger than life figure who sits on the throne of Mount Olympus with a staff in one hand and a thunderbolt in the other ruling over both deity and mortals. Sitting as he does so high up on Mount Olympus he sees all which makes him made him both compassionate to those in need and a protector in times of trouble. He uses his thunderbolt against the wicked or to avert catastrophes and his staff to create life, fun and laughter. From this image comes Jupiter’s role as guardian of the law and religion and protector of the people. Jupiter is also a bit of a casanova and when not populating the heavens with numerous offspring he is known to take a trip down the mountain to take some unsuspecting mortal woman. Although a father to many he leaves the care of his children to their mothers, electing not to stay around and feel tied down in any way, for Jupiter’s style is to be free to roam and explore and learn.

Saturn

Saturn (Kronos to the Greeks) conjures up several images - Satan, the Grim Reaper, the Wise Old Man, the hard task master and these images do indeed portray the faces of Saturn. The myth of Saturn centres on a deal he made with his mother (Gaia) to castrate his father (Uranus or Ouranos in Greek mythology). Uranus was appalled by the sight of his children to Gaia (who was both his mother and lover) and hid them from his sight. But the children wanted freedom and recognition and together with their mother plotted for Saturn to castrate their father leaving him impotent both sexually and physically and enabling Saturn to rule in his father’s place. Unfortunately for Saturn it was foretold that he too would suffer the same fate as his father (he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword) and so Saturn in turn ate each of his children, except for Jupiter in whose place a stone was substituted. Jupiter did indeed overthrow his father Saturn, fulfilling the prophesy and giving rise to the association Saturn holds with Karma. Jupiter had Saturn banished and from his exile he came to be regarded as the wise old man. Saturn is all about wanting to take authority, wanting to be recognised as the expert and yet always fearful of someone knowing more or better than him.

It may be worth noting at this point that while the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are indeed attributed to the gods of the same name their rulership was of the vast domains of the sky, sea and underworld. Their stories are not so much revered as is their godhead and the relating areas in life that they rule – sky being our mental capacity, water being our emotional side and the underworld representing our darker demons.

Uranus

Uranus (or Ouranos in Greek mythology) was the original sky god. Son of Gaia (and then later her lover) and father of the Titans, the one-eyed Cyclopses and a host of other monsters including the Furies, Uranus was so disgusted by the sight of his offspring that he hid them in the bowels of the earth (that being in Gaia’s womb). As was told in the Saturn myth, he was castrated and his dismembered organ when thrown into the sea gave birth to the beautiful Venus (Aphrodite).

Uranus is not embodied as the other gods Zeus, Aphrodite, Cronos. His importance lies more in the lesson he presents rather than the story of the myth. In hiding his children from the light of day he represents that side of human nature that would rather stay in the darkness and in ignorance than face the light and so the truth. But in the end light and truth wins out and we all need to come to terms with what is demanded of us. Sometimes this causes embarrassment or sometimes we are angered when exposed (giving rise to the “furies”). As God of Light, Lightening and in the modern sense electricity Uranus is about bringing to light and illuminating that which we may not want to see. And as with lightening, it can come suddenly and alter and leave in disarray our thoughts and beliefs and cause us to change direction in life.

Neptune

According to Greek myth at the time of creation the universe was divided into three realms and consequently given to the gods – Jupiter (Zeus) took charge of the heavens, Pluto (Hades) was given the underworld and Neptune (Poseidon) ruled the oceans. Even though Neptune held sway in the vast watery world he yearned for material possession and fought Jupiter for some of his kingdom. He lost the battle and his ensuing tears flooded the land. It is interesting to note at this point that in mythology we have the story of Saturn who feared his own children due to the prophesy that one would eventually overthrow him as he had done to his own father Uranus. The children of Saturn were also buried deep in the bowels of the earth but in this case swallowed by Saturn and lived in restriction and fear (rather than the darkness of Uranus’s children). Jupiter was the only child of Saturn to escape this fate and brought down his father and rescued his brothers and sisters, among whom was Neptune. This little aside is told to help understand the nature of Neptune – wanting not only what he can’t have but wanting to take from the very one that saved him. Neptune, among other things, represents that area of life where we can become confused with structure or facts or where we yearn for things of which we often have no concept. We may then play victim/martyr roles until we are shaken back into reality. The watery realm of Neptune represents the emotional world we all hold within and to which we need to pay our dues otherwise that area of ourselves can grow out of control and we can become needy, not see the facts and want what we can’t have.

Pluto

As ruler of the underworld Pluto (Hades to the Greeks) was very much feared and indeed no one dared to venture into his realm without good reason for very few returned and those that did were never the same as a result of the experience. It is well known though that that which ones fears is exactly what comes around to “bite us on the bum”. The journey into the terrible underworld of Pluto is one most of us need to face at some stage in our life and it is a journey that we do not return from in the same state of mind and emotion as when we set out. Pluto’s domain is well known to the Christians as “hell” – many know the story of Hades and seven portals (as told in Ulysses) one must past through to actually reach the destination. The journey can be to likened to one of death and rebirth and can best be seen in nature. The autumn leaves dying and falling to the ground only to be swallowed up by the earth through the winter rains and so nourish the soil enabling the tree from which it came to grow strong and reproduce the cycle. This is the function of Pluto – death and rebirth and as fearful as death can be it is needed on a constant basis for us not to rot or become stagnant.

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