Jonathan Pearl - Star Pearls Column

Star Pearls 1*15*07

Friends and enemies
Star*Watch
Wandering Stars

Dear friends,

After losing most his men and ships at the land of the giants, Odysseus and crew sail on. They arrive at another island and set off in bands to explore. One of the groups find a stone palace surrounded by lions and wolves with the entrancing sound of a woman coming within. They go inside. She feeds them cheese and wine but mixes in her drugs - and soon enough all the men had turned into pigs.

One man who sensed a trap and never went inside with the others goes back to Odysseus. In great grief he tells what happened and pleads with his captain not to go anywhere. Odysseus tells the man to stay in safety at the ship, but he must try to rescue his men. "Necessity drives me on."

These words could be the Capricorn credo. Impossible odds and danger yet no hesitation from Odysseus: I have to do it!

Thankfully his resolve earns him help from the gods. Hermes appears and gives him a root that will keep him safe from Circe's potions; the messenger also provides a plan of action.

Odysseus was brave but not stupid - even with Hermes' protective root he felt great fear entering Circe's palace. "My heart a heaving storm at every step" he went inside and drank her wine laced with drugs which thankfully had no effect. As per Hermes instructions, he lunges at her with his sword and Circe immediately changes her tune. She hugs his knees, cries and says come now, let's go to bed.

After making her swear an oath to cause no further harm, Odysseus agrees and later she promises to return the men to human form as well. They all spend a year living happily on the island, feasting, drinking and regaining their strength until finally the men remind Odysseus that its time to again try for home.

Circe tells him the way: you must visit the realm of the dead to see the blind prophet Tiresias - only he will tell you the way to peace.

A strange chapter indeed. Recall that the men who got turned into pigs were the very ones who greedily opened the sack of winds earlier in the chapter and caused so much trouble (read the details here). And yet when it comes time to rescue them, Odysseus valiantly sets off without any hesitation whatsoever. Is Homer telling us something about Capricorn? That we may have to rescue or care for who had acted against us? The theme seems to repeat - first Circe is about to turn Odysseus into a pig, then a few paragraphs later they are together in bed. Talk about a love duel.

Odysseus is given the most daunting tasks in this chapter with no seeming option other than to try. First he has to rescue his men while fearing the same porcine outcome for himself, then at the end his assignment is to visit the realm of the dead. So the next time you feel burdened by your responsibilities in Capricorn, just know that the task could probably be worse.

One more point to close. During their months of feasting one unlucky crew member drank too much and fell asleep on a roof. Awaking in a start, he fell off and broke his neck. My comment just slightly updated for the 21st century - don't drink so much this Capricorn month (New Year's included) that you fall off a roof!

I'll be talking on my fave topic "Homer's Odyssey Through the Zodiac" at the January meeting of the San Francisco Astrological Society on 1/25/07. Info on their website.

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Sun * in Capricorn. After our Sag free-for-all, we work hard on our path of self-realization. Capricorn means ambition and putting in effort to achieve results, but with ruler Saturn in Leo the aims have to be true to our hearts. Monday has some of the somber energy of the weekend; then from Tuesday to Sun's entry into Aquarius on early Saturday we'll be incredibly driven towards work and accomplishment.

Moon * New Moon in Capricorn on Thursday - though we are late in the Sun's journey through Capricorn, still this day is the beginning of great accomplishment.

Monday 1/15 * Moon in Sagittarius, Mercury into Aquarius. The past few days may not have been the easiest, but we start to see the bright side with Moon in Sagittarius. This afternoon and into the eve (and all this week) fantasy escapes beckon. With the planet of the mind in the wisdom sign, new approaches and solutions come easy.

Tuesday 1/16 * Moon in Sagittarius, into Capricorn 5:50 pm, Mars into Capricorn 12:55. A simple phrase for today: serious accomplishment. Mars in Capricorn means men will be less free-roving and more focused on the tasks at hand.

Wednesday 1/17 * Dark of the Moon in Capricorn. The accomplishment theme of the week continues, but with the natural endings of today the real issue is what we can let go of that will improve our results.

Thursday 1/18 * New Moon in Capricorn 8:00 pm, into Aquarius 10:15 pm, Venus conjunct Neptune. The lover is on a trip to her fantasy la-la island and to some extent we're all coming along. What's on your ticket? Tiramisu, a Belgian brew, a California cab? Movies and music are also essential entertainments.

Friday 1/19 * Moon in Aquarius. With Messenger Mercury in the sign of alternative solutions, today is a good day for a business planning session. Given that our goal is X, how might we shift our tactics to get there? With Moon meeting Venus early Saturday, some friends may become lovers tonight.

Saturday 1/20 * Moon in Aquarius, Sun in Aquarius. The morning is pleasure time of the month as the Moon meets Venus at about 9:20 am - a variation on a theme may delight. After this, though, romance takes a chill for the weekend. Why do so many New Year's resolutions last just 3 weeks? Because 3 weeks after 1/1 is Sun in Aquarius and we're less about imposing discipline and effort (both Capricorn) than being open to new and smarter ways (Aquarius) of getting the same thing done.

Sunday 1/21 * Moon in Pisces. Love isn't happening so easily this weekend, but on the other hand it's a wonderful day for contact with teachers and spiritual breakthroughs.

Have a stellar week!

Peace and love,
Jonathan Pearl

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Wandering Stars - the planets

Mercury * in Aquarius. After the discipline and hard work of Capricorn, our minds take the alternative approach and get more done in less time. Mercury in Aquarius means interaction with friends and community. Problems are easily solved. Mercury in Aquarius through through February 2.

Mars * in Sagittarius, entering Capricorn. Mars in Capricorn mean men work even harder than usual, and everyone has a strong drive to accomplish. Mars in Capricorn through February 25 2007.

Jupiter * in Sagittarius. Jupiter is opportunities and expansion and in his home sign of Sag, improvements and abundance come easy. Jupiter in Sagittarius through December 2007.

Saturn * Retrograde in Leo. Concrete Saturn is moving into the 2nd pass of an opposition with destabilizing Neptune. All long term structures are not as solid as they seem. Saturn in Leo through September 2007.

Dragon's Head * in Pisces. We advance towards peace, arts and spirituality, and partnerships are also a must. Without the sweet embrace of love, substitutes can be not just an occasional indulgence but a routine.

Dragon's Tail * in Virgo. As placements go, this is a bit tough. The Dragon's Tail is like the tai-chi master doing quiet movements but little else. How does this function in the sign of accomplishment through detail & perfection? We let go of ways we are unnecessarily restrictive. Hard work is a virtue, but unless guided by a Pisces wholeness will never bring us true peace.

* * * MAY ALL BE AUSPICIOUS * * *