Astrological Influences in 2003
The 6th and 7th Rays

Barbara Mare © 2002

“It might first be stated that the main problem of today is brought about by the fact that two rays of great potency are functioning simultaneously.  As yet their effects are so equally balanced that a situation is brought about which is described in the ancient archives in the following terms: "A time of rending, when the mountains, which have sheltered, fall from their high places, and the voices of men are lost in the crash and thunder of the fall". ...The seventh Ray of Ceremonial Order or Ritual is coming into manifestation.  The sixth Ray of Idealism or of Abstract Visioning is slowly passing out.” (EPI, pp.357-8)

Looking at the astrology for next year the energies of both the 6th and 7th Ray are strong and very closely intertwined.

Neptune:
Neptune, planet of the 6th Ray, remains in Aquarius throughout the year. In fact Neptune turns retrograde in this sign precisely at Wesak (the Taurus full Moon) on 16 May, and remains so until 23 October, the day before the Sun moves into Scorpio. Neptune seems to be marking this ‘axis of desire’ (Taurus/Scorpio), bringing our attention back to it before we can move on. Taurus and Scorpio are 4th Ray signs. The 4th Ray of Harmony through Conflict is a “bridging ray”. (DINAI, p.133)  It is the Ray that rules Humanity as Initiates (under Mercury which governs Scorpio hierarchically). Here through the Taurus/Scorpio axis it seems that the 4th  Ray is bridging between the 6th and the 7th Rays.

Uranus:
7th Ray planet Uranus begins 2003 in its own sign of Aquarius, but moves into Pisces on 10 March, a week before the Pisces full Moon.  (This is a significant shift because Uranus is of course a slow moving planet and only changes signs about every 7 years.)  However it turns retrograde a couple of degrees into Pisces (on 7 June) and by mid September is back in Aquarius. Interestingly, Uranus turns direct again on 8 November, which is the day before the Scorpio full Moon; again accenting this Scorpio/Taurus axis. Strangely enough, Uranus enters Pisces again on the very last day of 2003!

The other planet of the 6th Ray, Mars, usually moves into a new sign about every two months. This coming year however Mars is retrograde in Pisces, staying in this sign from 17 June right up until 17 December.  In fact it retrogrades right back to zero degrees Pisces! before finally turning direct in late September.

Uranus and Mars are conjunct in late June to early July and through September and the first part of October, both hovering about the Aquarius/Pisces cusp. Potentially a challenging conjunction of the God of War and the Lord of Electric Fire.

In late November and early December Mars in Pisces squares Pluto which is around 19 degrees Sagittarius. Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld, is the ruler of Pisces.  Mars is the hierarchical ruler of Sagittarius, governing the Lunar Lords of the astral plane.  A powerful combination of the 1st and 6th Rays.

Jupiter:
Jupiter creates a significant connection between the 6th and 7th Rays because it rules Pisces exoterically and Aquarius esoterically.  Throughout the first half of the year Jupiter is in Leo (opposite Aquarius), retrograde in this sign until 4th April when it turns direct. Leo is a sign in which mind and heart can be brought into alignment.  Jupiter in Leo, a 2nd Ray planet in a sign ruled by the Sun, focuses on the heart. Jupiter enters Virgo, opposing Pisces, on 28 August.  Jupiter rules Virgo hierarchically, governing the Monadic plane. So Jupiter cues us upward from soul to Monad.

In February and from April to June Jupiter in Leo is in opposition to Neptune in Aquarius.  “In certain ancient formulas, the great Teacher of the West and the present world Initiator, Christ, is spoken of as Neptune, Who rules the ocean, whose trident and astrological symbol signifies the Trinity in manifestation and Who is the ruler of the Piscean Age.” (EA, pp.219-220)  Perhaps a testing of the heart of Humanity to see if it can hold the Christ energy in the Aquarian Age? This is a time to update our outworn interpretations of 6th Ray energies on the cusp of the new Age.

In August and early September Jupiter in Virgo is in opposition to Uranus in Pisces. This seems like a challenge to humanity to sense the spark of electric fire (Uranus) in the heart (Jupiter), and to bring Love Wisdom into manifestation on the physical plane.

Saturn:
Saturn begins the year retrograde in Gemini, but turns direct on 22 February, entering Cancer on 5 June, a couple of weeks before the Cancer Solstice which celebrates the theme of birth and rebirth. This sign is not a comfortable placement for Saturn: “...in this sign Saturn is in the home of its detriment and thus produces those difficult conditions and situations which will lead to the needed struggle. This makes Cancer a place of symbolic imprisonment and emphasises the pains and penalties of wrong orientation. It is the conflict of the soul with its environment-consciously or unconsciously carried on-which leads to the penalties of incarnation and which provides those conditions of suffering which the soul has willingly undertaken when-with open eyes and clear vision-the soul chose the path of earth life with all its consequent sacrifices and pains, in order to salvage the lives with which it had an affinity. (EA, p.342)  Saturn asks where we are living in consciousness? Can we see our soul path being revealed through the pain and conflict? 

Saturn in Cancer evokes the karma of the Law of Rebirth.  There is a close connection between Saturn, planet of the 3rd Ray, and Cancer which expresses both the 7th and 3rd Rays, the rays of manifestation. So Saturn in Cancer is also about grounding, manifestation and creativity. In June and July Saturn trines Uranus and Mars in Pisces. Let us hope that Saturn indeed provides grounding enough to anchor the powerful energies of these two planets.

The hierarchical ruler of Cancer is Neptune, planet of the 6th Ray. The Cancer Hierarchy is the Hierarchy on the verge of liberation, the lowest Hierarchy of the Cosmic Astral plane. This the Seventh Hierarchy (the 5th counting down, the 8th counting up), and expresses the 7th Ray:  “...Cancer-Neptune is expressive of the seventh ray which rules and controls the eighth Creative Hierarchy.” (EA, pp.217-8)  Saturn turns retrograde in Cancer on 25 October at 13 degrees 14 minutes. Saturn’s stationary position is almost conjunct the fixed star Sirius which is located at 14 degrees 05 minutes Cancer!  Sirius is the source of Love, Mind and Karma in our solar system. Saturn’s position is significant here because Saturn embodies the Sirian Law of Karma within the solar system. 

The date that Saturn turns retrograde in Cancer - 25 October - is the day after the Sun enters Scorpio, the sign of the Disciple. And on 25 October also, Mercury enters Scorpio. Mercury is the hierarchical ruler of Scorpio, governing the Human Hierarchy as initiates, the Solar Angels.  Perhaps this may signal some karmic conflict or resolution for the human family?  It seems that the chart for the Scorpio full Moon can be read either way:  Uranus squares Mercury and Vulcan. Neptune squares both Sun and Moon. Jupiter - almost at the critical 15 degree midpoint of Virgo - squares Pluto and also opposes Mars. Although Mars in Pisces is in a harmonious trine with Saturn and the Sun.  The energies of this Scorpio full Moon are accented because a few minutes after the Moon is full there is a total lunar eclipse. A symbol of the eclipse of the personality by the soul?

It is as if the lessons learned in the Piscean Age - the lessons of the heart, of service and sacrifice - are being well and truly tested and brought down to earth before the magic of the Aquarian Age can begin to operate. The Scorpio full Moon and the Cancer Solstice seem to be particular crisis points in this regard during 2003. Humanity must approach the portal of Initiation “with the feet bathed in the blood of the heart.” (IHS, p.82)  Only when the Love of the Christ is manifest on Earth can the new world order come into being.

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