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The
Asteroid Goddess: Astrology of the Feminine
by
Cathy H. Burroughs
At first I thought, “Oh, no. Not more stuff to put in
the chart! I'm confused enough already.” But over the
years, I have come to value the asteroids as a vital part of chart
interpretation. -
Michael Lutin, Vanity Fair astrologer, author, lecturer
In the mid 70's, a whole new cast of astrological players
found themselves appearing on the global astrological stage: four
asteroid goddesses and one mystery body, Chiron. The four asteroid
goddesses: Ceres, Pallas, Vesta and Juno, together with their
comet/planetoid male counterpart Chiron, changed the face of astrology
forever.
The appearance of four powerful female goddess archetypes: Ceres
(mother/the
Universal Mother); Juno (partner/Queen of Heaven/ Divine Consort);
Vesta (sister, High Priestess) and Pallas Athene (daughter/genius/warrior/Goddess
of Wisdom) made a powerful impact on the previously male dominated
astrological kingdom. Chiron, too, the newest male planetary body,
introduced an entirely new humanitarian and profoundly compassionate
mediating male energy.
Discovered in the beginning of the 18th century, these goddesses
were popularized by New York astrologer Eleanor Bach, “sometimes
called the Mother of the Asteroids” after she published the
first Asteroid Ephemeris, twenty-five years ago in 1972, during
the height of the Feminist Movement, and three years before the
discovery of Chiron.
Interpretation of the Asteroid Goddesses
Ceres:
the Mother
During a lecture by National Council of Geocosmic Research (NCGR)
Baltimore Chapter VP Mindy Krupp in 1993, I learned for the first
time how to simply interpret the Asteroid Goddesses in the chart.
I learned, that in a nutshell, Ceres simply represents mother,
as well as all aspects of motherhood: from the perspective of
both the child, the mother, and the way these impulses get filtered
through our own psyches, as individuals.
In Roman mythology, Ceres, also known in Greece as Demeter, was
goddess of agriculture and the harvest, as well as being the mother
of Persephone.
Juno, the Partner
Juno, goddess of marriage and guardian of childbirth, represents
all aspects of partnership, particularly as spouse and has a distinctly
Scorpionic overtone, due to her tendency towards jealousy and
possessiveness. Juno can also be a marriage indicator, particularly
in synastry, or chart comparison, when it impacts another's
personal planets, such as Sun, Moon, Venus or Mars or through
timing by transit, progression or return.
The sign that Juno is in in your chart also reveals what you are
looking for in any committed sexual or business partnership, as
well as enduring friendships. It also provides insight into recurrent
patterns or relationship problems and may suggest a means of resolving
these issues.
Despite her husband Zeus or Jupiter's flagrant infidelities
and deceptions, Juno always returned to her husband, personifying
the vow of marriage: for better or worse, in sickness and in health,
til death do us part. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to us,
that Juno is prominent in the chart of Hilary Rodham Clinton.
In Hilary's chart, Juno is in the 29th degree of Sagittarius
(sometimes the sign of lawyers/politicians), right on the cusp
of the 7th house of marriage, indicating she is finishing up a
major incarnational cycle associated with marriage and partnership.
Who better has personified her adherence to the vows of marriage?
Like Hilary Rodham Clinton, long before meeting Jupiter/Zeus,
Juno was a great goddess in her own right and very much an equal
to Jupiter.
Vesta, the Devoted Sister
Vesta corresponds with the archetype of the sister, both as sibling,
and, as a description of one who has taken a vow of celibacy and
joined the nunhood. Like the Vestal Virgins who kept the temple
fires burning, she represents egoless devotion and dedication.
Vesta placements may also indicate dedication to excess or workaholism.
This meaning of Vesta came as an epiphany to me, as I, who have
throughout my life had periods of extreme workaholism, had never
been able to find any planetary indication of this in my natal
chart. Suddenly, there was Vesta (representing workaholism) smack
dab on my own midheaven exact (representing career or life's
work), illuminating this tendency in high relief.
Pallas, the Daughter or Genius
Pallas Athena or Pallas, is as close to a male energy as a female
can be, embodying the archetype of both warrior and daughter (think
of the first-born daughter, of the daughter of a father who wanted
a boy; or the now, somewhat, archaic term of “tom boy.”).
Pallas represents both warrior energy, and, where you have a great
genius in the chart, but may doubt yourself.
Due to her brilliance at finding patterns, when she is conflicted
by aspect in the chart, we may find learning disabilities, such
as dyslexia; difficulty maintaining harmony in relationships or
overly aggressive tendencies that may obscure or impede her natural
genius.
Impact
in the Natal Chart
Today,
most astrology software provides the option to elect the inclusion
of both the Asteroid Goddesses, and Chiron. I highly recommend
you elect this option and begin to discover your own sacred mysteries
and ancient wisdom schools of feminine power and justice. There
immersed in your own psyche - you may find the Goddess inherent
in you, male and female alike, waiting to be unleashed, embraced
and understood.
Cathy
Burroughs provides astrological and psychic consultations, and
teaches classes on astrology, Tarot and psychic development. For
information on Fall classes, call 404.292.2000
More
about the Asteroid Goddesses...
* Eleanor Bach's Asteroid Ephemeris
* Mark Pottenger's CCRS Asteroid Program (includes
over 10,000 asteroids)
* All by Demetra George: Asteroid Goddesses (also
by Douglas Bloch)
* Asteroid Goddess Report Writer – Astrolabe
(also by Douglas Bloch)
* Finding Our Way Through the Dark: The Astrology of
the Dark Goddess Mysteries by Demetra George
* Jacob Schwartz's Asteroid Name Encyclopedia
* Lee Lehman's Ultimate Asteroid Book
* Dictionary of Minor Planet Names
* Zip Dobyn's Mutable Dilemma/Asteroid World
* Roxana Muise's service for calculating asteroid ephemerides
and personal asteroid positions
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