pluto Archives - Page 2 of 2 - ROXANNA BIKADOROFF

February 3, 2012November 20, 2023

MYSTICAL PATH, PRACTICAL FEET – Virgo’s Household Cleaning Tips for Neptune in Pisces

Neptune re-entered it’s own sign of Pisces today, home for the next 13 years. This icy, mysterious, blue planet, where it supposedly rains diamonds, is called the ‘higher octave’ of Venus. It is the eighth and/or ninth planet from the Sun, depending on Pluto’s orbital position. Dreams, illusions, art (especially film, music, dance), healing, universal love, psychic ability, phobias and mind-altering drugs are some of the areas Neptune presides over. Modern astrologers recognize it as a fitting replacement for Pisces’ traditional ruler, Jupiter.

Neptune is currently conjunct ‘the wounded healer’ asteroid, Chiron, named after the centaur who learned and taught healing as a result of his non-healing wound. In a chart, Chiron’s placement shows where you become your own medic through your pain – the wound and healing are one. In Pisces, it is truly shamanic. Chiron prefers holistic methods and is where we get the word ‘chiropractor.’ Many astrologers associate it with the sign of Virgo.

Virgo is also the polar opposite sign of Pisces. Where Pisces is dreamy and escapist, Virgo is practical and, literally, ‘down to Earth’. We think of her simply as ‘the Virgin’, but she is also depicted as a winged figure – the angel of earthly service. (Her Vestal Virgin persona seems more in keeping with the asteroid, Vesta, who is also transiting Pisces right now). Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the winged messenger planet.

I had declared in my Dec 21/11 post (Fish Have Left the Building) that we’d officially kissed the Pisces Age good-bye. But of course, after living in a house for two-thousand-some-odd years, there’s a ton of cleaning to do before you can actually leave the premises…otherwise, you will certainly not get your damage deposit back ! A final purge of the old dream’s residue needs doing, to prepare the space for creating a big, fabulous, magical, Water-Dragony, new one. Neptune in Pisces, along with Chiron, is the final rinse and purification team.
Virgo has our best (and cleanest) interests at heart, so I’ve invoked her to provide some practical tips on cleansing with Neptune energy. Try to come up with your own ideas, too, since you are the instigator of your own process – your own shaman. Start now, sparkle by Spring !

Cleansing the physical body

1 – Eliminate or at least drastically cut down on red meat, processed foods, wheat, sugar, dairy, fats, yeast and fermented foods, alcohol, coffee, fried stuff, too much salt and anything else that potentially creates blockage and toxicity. Fast for a day or three if you can. Take a probiotic daily to replace friendly bacteria. Psyllium seed husks, bentonite clay and vitamin C can also help. And whatever it takes, if you are a smoker, it is definitely time to quit, now. My Virgo neighbour just resumed smoking after a year and is very sick, as a result.

2 – Increase your water intake. Consider investing in an ionizing water filter to increase alkalinity. A pinch of baking soda per 2 litres of water is the no-frills method (this will not filter or ionize, however). Bless your water before drinking.

3 – Eat more raw foods, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains (Virgo is also the grain Goddess, after all). Oatmeal, gentle enough to slough your skin, has the same loofa effect on the inside. Mother Nature really does know best !

4 – Go organic wherever possible and eat frequent, small meals rather than few, large ones, which is probably how my double Virgo grandmother lived to be nearly 100. It’s always best to get your vitamins directly from the source, so a juicer is also a good investment.

5 – Be kind to your heart, liver and the rest of the organ gang. If it’s not a matter of life and death, replace pharmaceutical drugs/pills with home remedies (Virgo’s fave) like chamomile or mint tea for tummy aches, clove for tooth aches, water for headaches (they are often caused by dehydration), etc. When detoxing, headaches are normal – just keep flushing. Music and water sounds can work wonders for healing under the Neptune/Pisces influence. And don’t worry about common colds – it’s nature’s way of purging the system. Drink lots of fluids.

6 – Put sea salt in your bath to draw out toxins and relax muscles.

7 – Your body is a mini Earth ! Replace all toxic chemical cleaners/detergents in your home with ones that will not pollute your own waters or the ocean’s. Chemicals burn the skin right off marine beings, kill coral reefs. Use baking soda and vinegar or chlorine-free oxygen bleach for sinks, drains, floors, tubs. Cream of tartar for tea and coffee stains. Steamers are great for sterilizing counter tops, gyms, restaurants, etc. [Addendum 2020: it is not known whether steam alone will kill covid-19, so it is recommended to scrub surfaces with soapy water then steam while still soapy. Hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alchohol (never mix anything with HP) are good ‘pure’ sterilizers. Fatty soaps rather than ones containing astringent or bacterial killing agents work best for hand washing.]
Think, what would your grandmother/great grandmother have used before we had all this chemical goop ? Romans bathed with olive oil and salt, the purest soap is still made from these simple ingredients.

Virgo oversees the digestive tract and it’s link with the nervous system, via her Mercury rulership. Our digestive tract, colon, etc. are directly affected by nerves. And because our bodies are not only divided down the middle vertically, but horizontally as well, intestines and brains are not that different. In fact the intestinal tract is known as ‘the second brain’ and gets information before the brains in our head. They both get full of shit and need to be emptied, cleansed and well taken care of for proper function of everything else. A Polish senior I know told me her mother would always advise her not to make a decision to act before “eat and poop”. In other words, the processing time of one meal = the time needed for mental process !

But don’t just take my word for it :
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gut-second-brain

Spring Clean Early

It certainly feels like spring is already starting in some places, which must be a call to begin the house cleaning/clearing. The key lesson for Pisces, junk collector of the zodiac, is ‘un-attachment.’ Sometimes Pisces has an easier time un-attaching itself from people than objects or photos that conjure memories of them.
If you are in the late forties – early fifties age group, any old illusions of yourself in the form of clothing or ‘stuff’ should probably be sent down the river at this point.

And of course…washing, especially windows, for clear vision.
Virgo Moon says, use cleaning as practical magic, ‘wash that man right out of your hair’ while shampooing, for example.

Cleanse the emotional body

Ritual, no matter how small, is a great way to inform the inner and outer universe of your intention. Virgo loves writing lists to draw things from memory, so we can use this as a format.
We’ve all had people in our lives who have influenced us strongly, for better or worse. Everyone you’ve shared a soul connection with, you’ve actually exchanged bits of yourself for theirs. While we can’t erase memories, we can neutralize their effects.

1- Make lists of all the soul connections you are finished with – one for lovers or significant others, one for teachers, one for neighbours, adversaries or whoever you feel ready to let go of. It may take a few days. They will start popping up in dreams or elsewhere.

2 – Get some matches.

3 – Take the lists to a beach or other moving body of water. Thank the people on your first list for their lesson and inform them that you are now giving back the parts of them you’ve been holding and are taking back the parts of yourself from them. Roll or fold up the list, burn it, and let the charred remains fall into the moving water. Repeat with each list. (If you have no access to moving water, you can release into the wind or bury them in the earth – a return to the elements is the main thing). The New Moon is a good time to do this. For heavier bonds, you may wish to write a letter to the person (not to mail) or do a more involved ritual. The important thing is your intent. This should be an act of gratitude and closure, not destruction. You will feel lighter afterwards !

Neptune’s dreamscape and Virgo’s analytical ability are also very conducive for dream interpretation/therapy. What is your emotional body and unconscious telling you ? Keeping a dream journal and rendering your dreams in some art form are routes to self-healing.

Mental cleansing

Everyone will have their own methods for this, such as meditation or yoga… but since water is the main element right now, I recommend walking by the water to clear the mind, or at least out in nature, a park, etc. Listen to/walk in the rain or get a water cd and visualize the water flowing through your brain and rinsing away all debris.

One good way to un-clutter and calm the third eye is to sleep with a smooth slab of (cleansed) lapis between the eyebrows. This also helps with headaches, eye strain and vertigo. Rinse it under cold, running water from time to time, to release build-up.

Energetic/spiritual cleansing

There is so much invisible, electro-magnetic, microwave, electrical pollution these days, and it’s on the increase. Cell phones, computers, frankenfoods and bad news all threaten our health…but we can’t go around living in fear. Neptune in Pisces goes with the flow. It is the realm of the spiritual master in us that understands all is maya (illusion). Ultimately, we can’t control anything and must learn to let go of ourselves and everything else. Still, we do have to live inside the illusion for now, which is why Pisces and Virgo say, “walk the mystical path with practical feet” ! Do what is within your own ability and let the Gods handle the rest. The whole point of this exercise is not to try and lengthen your lifespan or lose weight or find the fountain of youth (although these may be side bonuses), but to prepare you for a rebirth within this lifetime, as your beautiful, authentic self.

Lady in the pool is the great Esther Williams, Hollywood’s own mermaid.

All written content herein ©copyright Roxanna Bikadoroff and may not be re-used without permission. Please share via link only. Thanks!

October 28, 2011April 5, 2024

The Sacred Rites of Scorpio Season

Ah, Sex and War, Love and Death – the essential elements of any lasting narrative. In the western hemisphere, the sacred co-mingling of Mars, all sweaty from battle, and Venus, full of oysters, injects red life force into earthly vegetation each Spring (Aries and Taurus, but also planet Venus in Aries). In Autumn (Libra and Scorpio, but also planet Venus in Scorpio), they unite again in death, Venus committing sati on the bonfire and lonely Mars turning into a wolf that will eat the sick and weak who can’t survive the winter. Adieu, until next time around. The cycle begins, ends and begins again with this union of opposites. Or, as the tantric, Indian Goddess, Lalita puts it, “Like the Sun and Moon coming together in an eclipse, consciousness comes into being via orgasm.” (Funny how the first and last letters of that word spell OM).

Two versions of Indian Goddess Lalita, Babylonian ‘Queen of the Night’

Lalita means ‘she who plays.’ Her many incarnations include Lilith, Lilitu, Lili, Layla, Lola, Lulu, Lolita, etc, all having nocturnal, sexual or demonic connotations. As Hebrew Lilith, she is Adam’s first wife, the serpent in the Tree of Life who teaches him (or Eve, depending which version) “carnal” self-knowledge, i.e. the mysteries of sex, life and death. She is not made from his rib, either, but from earthly muck. When God expels her for her independent spirit (refusing to lie beneath her husband in missionary position), she flies away to where the wild things are, and, finding it preferable to subservience, becomes the prototype for sexual demoness, vamp and devil-humping witch, eating babies and seducing holy men in their sleep. Independent yes, but also deranged. Her name means ‘screech owl’ or ‘ghost.’

The cycle of existence is hard-wired by desire, Scorpio’s raison d’etre. During the Sun’s passage through Scorpio/the 8th house (sex, death, regeneration, energy, healing, shared resources, financial obligations and the occult), from Oct. 23 – Nov. 22, we honour the Sacred Dead and all taboos associated with them. During the few days of Samhain, All Soul’s Eve, Hallowe’en and Dia de Los Muertos, the veil between worlds is as thin as a spider’s web, allowing spirits to attend graveyard picnics and inhabit jack-o-lanterns. On Armistice/Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, we pause to honour those who, in the spirit of Mars (traditional ruler of Scorpio), sacrificed their lives in battle. This year, it will fall on 11-11-11, a date many are getting excited or apprehensive about, considering the power of master numbers 11 and 33.

The word ‘taboo’ originally meant sacred, and indeed, sacred things were kept under veils (where we get the word secret). It later came to mean something forbidden by society. Incest, cannibalism, bestiality and patricide are examples of common taboos. Then there are cultural variants, like the untouchability of the bereaved or of menstruating women, both considered ‘unclean.’ Even today, a woman may refer to her period as ‘the curse’ and drugs are routinely prescribed for blocking messy menstruation altogether. The very essence of sex and death, menstrual blood is even more powerful than blood spilled in battle, therefor extremely taboo.

Teenage menstruation fears gone haywire in Carrie, Bleeding Goddess at Kamakhya Temple, Assam

While the mysteries of womb and grave may be a secret, they are not the property of anyone. They are universally inherent in our DNA and as individually expressed as the infinite forms of nature. Yet, those who govern societies do not want people to be in charge of their own sex, death and regeneration. Whoever owns the rights/rites to these forces has all the power. Therefor, strict rules and guidelines for birth, sexual practices, soul redemption and corpse management are imposed on the populace (while those at the top often practice the complete opposite). Some of these are necessary for health reasons, or simply to protect people – it’s probably not a great idea to eat the deceased, for example, and forced sex with anyone is a violation of natural law – but mostly it’s an 8th house issue of controlling other peoples’ resources. It’s all energy, just like money or food.

Plutonians harnessing Venusian power in Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut

Another attribute of Scorpio is that of the collective nemesis or shadow. Since Scorpio is a feminine sign, this usually means feminine shadow – the harlot, devouring mother or hag – witches who channel the untamed forces of nature. And so we are divided, according to what’s deemed permissible. It is not just women who are affected by the censorship of essential parts of our being, either, since we are all composed of both masculine and feminine, feminine being the soul. Dreams, theatre and film portray our disconnected parts as characters in conflict and resolution. Ancient Greek drama was, essentially, group therapy. In the theatrical tradition of Hallowe’en, it’s socially acceptable (and fun) to dress up as our shadows or alter-egos and parade them proudly, witches being by far the most common. In recent years, Zombie Walks have become hugely popular, with thousands of participants of all ages. (I guess eating braaaaiiins must be therapeutic for a populace so dependent on artificial intelligence).

Beauty’s compassion breaks the Beast’s spell of duality, and Scorpio Winona feels Dracula’s pathos.

In Tarot, the Devil is shadow or dark twin to our solar self, banished to the underworld of our unconscious. Our repressed impulses live there, like creatures of the night, creating disquieting thoughts, illusions and dreams. Traditionally the shadowy, lunar feminine presides over these, but with Pluto and Neptune now on the scene, we can’t be blaming the Moon for everything. (Plus we’ve now an astrological, Dark Moon Lilith).
The chained doppelgangers in card 15 represent our dual nature, which must ultimately be reconciled. This is really the theme of Tarot’s visual narrative, with the climax – a complete breakdown of the ego, followed by a period of grace, darkness and rebirth or ‘dark night of the soul’ – occurring between these two cards, mirroring conception. In ancient astrology, the sign of Gemini was ruled by the Sun.

In extreme cases, the doppelganger can take on a life of its own and prey on the energies of its other. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, which came to Robert Lewis Stevenson in a dream, is one such cautionary tale. Another is, of course, Dracula, the promiscuous, cannibalistic, murdering necrophile and most beloved Hallowe’en persona. Babylonian lilitu and medieval succubi were early inspiration for vampire lore, but it was Phillip Burne-Jones’ painting of a female vampire, inspired by Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, that started the whole ‘vamp’ thing in popular culture. After viewing the painting, Burne-Jones’ cousin, Rudyard Kipling wrote his poem, The Vampire, which later became the script for A Fool There Was, the silent film that gave Hollywood’s myth-making industry it’s own Lilith, Theda Bara. Even her name – an anagram for Arab Death – relates back to the Babylonian demoness. (Venus in Scorpio until November 1 is the Vamp).

Man-made vamps: Burne-Jones’ gothic and Fox’s lady, Theda Bara

Some Scorpios have been accused of vampirish tendencies, thriving on the life energy of others. Though Scorpio expresses the urge to dominate/have power over life, it’s higher resonance is redemption through love, so it has multiple symbols:
Scorpion – basic instincts are fear and desire. It amasses power for it’s own gain and stings itself when cornered.
Eagle – sees from the heavens, rather than the ground and amasses power in order to redistribute to the whole.
Phoenix – rises from it’s own ashes, symbol of self-regeneration par excellence.
Dove – redeemer or Christ figure of eternal, pure love/light.
Most Scorpios are a mix of scorpion and eagle, some are phoenixes, few are doves – but all are redeemers in one way or another, for better or worse.

Thoth Tarot Death card, devouring Mother Kali

Indian Vedic astrology has not rushed to adopt Uranus, Neptune and Pluto as the new rulers of Aquarius, Pisces and Scorpio. It also still uses the sidereal system (tropical is commonly used in the west, relying on seasonal equinoxes rather than constellations) and the traditional calendar combines both solar and lunar cycles. Between mid-October and mid-November, it’s Libra season there and Hindus world-wide celebrate Diwali, a five day ‘festival of lights’ celebrating the triumph of good over evil, during which moral order or karma is restored. There are more variations than I’m qualified to write about, but the worship of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth, wisdom and happiness is the main event. Lakshmi’s four arms represent the four principals of Hinduism – Dharma (duties/philosophy), Samsara (cycle of rebirth), Karma (right action/cause and effect) and Moksha (liberation from Samsara). She also wears red and sometimes rides an owl.

All written content herein is ©copyright Roxanna Bikadoroff. It may not be copied/re-used without permission. Ok to share via link.

August 30, 2011January 8, 2023

Pluto Enters Capricorn

Pluto (aka ‘Total Recall’) moved into Capricorn in early 2009. Since then, we have seen the collapse of the banking system and economic structure, extreme purse tightening, lessons on survival by bark-eating and the beginning of the end for long-standing, dictatorial regimes – all Capricorn’s jurisdiction. Petroleum, too, is associated with Capricorn/Pluto, in that it comes from old bones/fossils buried deep in the Earth…makes me wonder whether long-hidden relics or riches will be uncovered while the underworld God sits on the mountaintop.

Pluto will don the goatskin until 2023. The ruling class, feeling insecure, will likely become ever more secretive, hiding their money under the mattress and stocking up on that which will retain value (ho ho). You and I will just have to get used to living like our great-grandparents and the majority of the world’s population, with gratitude for what we have and knowledge of what’s truly valuable.

When Pluto was ‘demoted’ to Dwarf Planet (by just a handful of astronomers) back in 2006, I thought this was actually quite fitting, considering what dwarves represent as mythic archetypes. In fairy tales, they are often the chthonic guardians of riches beneath the Earth. (In Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, they are miners). Sometimes they will live under bridges – thresholds of transformation – demanding near-impossible tasks or tests of any would-be hero who seeks passage. They have the magical power to bestow blessings on the worthy or curses on those who don’t take them seriously.

Pluto is the underworld God of Wealth and chthonic riches, who demands near-impossible tests for our transformation. He has been called the ‘dweller on the threshold’. So the term ‘dwarf planet’ actually expresses Pluto’s concentrated mojo quite well, thank you. And not seeing the planet on astronomical charts anymore just makes it more hidden and mysterious. Astrologers will not be DISsing (pardon pun) Pluto anytime soon.

Text and Illustration ©Roxanna Bikadoroff and may not be used without permission. Kindly share via link only, thank you.