- Sabian Symbols, Evolutionary Configurations, and More -

This article covers significant aspects, degree symbols, and other important factors in this New Moon happening November 23. This marks the opening after our period of “cocooning” and eliminating all which blocks our connection with source.

We are in the heart of a roundabout transformational process, with healing and/or mentoring on the horizon for many. The pace may be slow as we stabilize what will resume next near after the Mars retrograde period in November-December. There are unique interactive gifts and blessings as we stand on the threshold of accelerated growth.

The first decan of Sagittarius is where we burst loose of lingering bonds and fly free into the broader vistas of that distributive Fire phase in the “whole cycle.” We go from the depths in Scorpio to the heights in Sagittarius, so take a broad view of things and be honest about what future is perfect for you. Sagittarius leads us to new freedom, adventures, and truth. It is also trine the Mars-Jupiter conjunction at 4 Aries in late May which launched a new sub-era and a new way of Being. This strengthens that Aries energy which is about to take off in a big way in January!

Because of the ability to get things stabilized, even if slower than usual, due to Mars trine Saturn and only the hint of oppositions to come by the wide forming opposition from Mercury to Mars, we have a sense of things to come which will require heart strength, a greater love or creative expression, or allowing our Soul to speak honestly in some way. We are still learning to connect and/or reconnect with Source, so listen to your inner voice to hear your heart’s message to your mind.

The pace will continue to slow until the Sun opposes Mars on December 8, so use Saturn’s stabilizing big view of the “rewards from Spirit” now coming to be honest about where your heart’s at and how it best wants to love its expression in your life. We have excellent trines from all the planets in Sagittarius to Chiron in Aries, so there is healing and understanding to be found in listening, playing, being pulled into greater knowledge, and allowing the spontaneous play of the mind between many different branches of the Tree of Knowledge.

This Lunation will help us to a smoother balance between our bodies, emotions, and mind if we just exercise whichever of these demands attention. This is a time of vast feelings, of endings and promises to come, of seeing how the parts relate to the whole at the end of cycles. Even as some things fall apart, there is a promise of higher “knowing” to be found in our bodily wisdom. In other words, if your body tells you something, pay attention!

Long Term Effects of the Capricorn and Aquarius Compressions

Everything that’s going on has to be referenced within the larger Capricorn and Aquarius cycles set into motion in early 2020. These long wave Capricorn cycles and even more important long wave Aquarian cycles begun in March 2020 and amplified in December 2020 are the juxtaposed energies of the next 30 years. This period was the heart of a series of Great Compressions which have been a feature of the early months of 2020, 2021, 2022, with the last one in 2024.

This explains the four year sequence of The Great Compressions of Early 2020, 2021, and 2022. The first was in early 2019 when all the planets were bundled in about one third of the sky, called a Bundle pattern, which is the rarest of all. While the inner planets transited through all the other signs after that, we again hit maximum compression again in March 2020, and then expanded through the rest of the year.

This clustering happened again in 2021 in the last half of January into early February, with maximum compression was around January 19-21 when all of the planets were within a 101-degree span, creating a very intense zone of activity wherever we have late Capricorn through early Taurus. Four planets in Aquarius and two in Taurus made for a very crowded house, with 10 distinct energies occupying less than 1/3 of the total space.

The Planetary Spread

This year we hit maximum compression in early March, with all planets between 28 Capricorn and 12 Taurus, only 104 degrees. In June we left the Bundle, and at this time the inner planets are all closing in on the outer planet spread between late Capricorn and mid-Taurus.

In this chart, we are approaching an almost perfect hemispheric occupancy, with no planet in the 160+ unoccupied span between Mars and the Lunation and all the planets occupying half the zodiac between Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Taurus, and Gemini. At this time, the inner planets are all in the first 11 degrees of Sagittarius, making that area most active in our charts at present. Though there will not be a compression in early 2023, there will be one more in early 2024.

Depending on the position of the Moon and the inner planets relative to the outer planets, different months bring us different Jones Patterns. These patterns operate their own independent influence, regardless of which planet is in which sign.

Currently, as just noted the outer planet occupied span begins with Pluto in late Capricorn, and proceeds through Saturn in Aquarius, Neptune, and Jupiter in late Pisces, and ends with Uranus in Taurus. (We don’t include TransPluto, since Jones didn’t use it in defining his patterns). In this chart, the inner planets are all compressed in a very short span of 8+ degrees. Because we have 6 signs represented between Sagittarius and Gemini and the planets only occupy half the signs it makes this chart qualify as a “Bowl” Jones Pattern.

So, What is a “Bowl Pattern” and how does it work?

This type of spread, with all the planets occupying approximately half of the signs with an empty half opposite the occupied half, creates a “special type of conscious selfhood,” which Dr. Jones says “marks the Bowl type of temperament. He goes on to state “Fundamentally it is an extreme self-containment,” which “holds things, and a Bowl individual is one who always has something to bear.”

He goes on to state that with the Bowl, “the whole dynamic of man, his total power of achievement, arises in his instinctive realization that he is set off against a definite part of the world, that there is a complete segment of experience from which he is excluded in some subtle fashion. The Bowl not only holds something, but also places whatever it holds into relationship with a larger consideration.”

Dr. Jones continues that “the occupied segment of the Bowl horoscope reveals the activity and organization of the self, since planets are significant according to their place by sign and house, and the unoccupied segment becomes a challenge to existence, or the need and emptiness to which the native must direct his attention. The outstanding characteristic of the Bowl temperament is its marked sense of what is self-contained in contrast with what the self cannot hold, and this take an everyday form in an advocacy of some cause, the furtherance of a mission, an introspective concern over the purpose of experience.”

He concludes his explanation of how the pattern works with “The Bowl native always has something to give to his fellows, whether literally or psychologically, whether constructively or vindictively, because his orientation to the world arises from division; that is, frustration and uncertainty. The leading planets, determined in exactly the same way as for the Locomotive pattern, give a point of application, and shows where and how the native seeks to carry out his mission or gain his everyday justification for existence.”

He brings up another important point of analysis, as he states “the leading planet is of secondary importance in the Bowl pattern, unless it is found in a strong opposition or cosmic cross. The fundamental attack on the problems of life by the Bowl individual is indicated more significantly by the tilt or house-position of the Bowl-segment.”

He concludes this section by stating “the Bowl character is definitely more self-expending, or self-seeking, and more practically interested in what things mean and what they are. It continually throws the emphasis from the signs into the houses. It a general way the Bowl tends to ‘scoop up’ things and initiate experience when the position of the leading planet ranges from the fourth cusp, up and over the ascendant, to the midheaven cusp, and then inclines to “capture” things or consummate various phases of life when the leading planet is placed similarly from the tenth angle down over the descendant to the nadir.”

The Lunation at 2 Sagittarius are the leading planets on a degree of intensification of experience. This indicates we can all expect to go through some things which quicken us, so open to the possibilities of accelerating your growth. With Mars closing we finish experience by seeing how to find a healthy balance between body, feelings, and mind so we can rebuild ourselves or some social or emotional element of our lives.

This leads with actional and material abstraction and closes with emotional and social “externalizations” which help us see the need to go inward to rebuild before attempting to externalize those forms. Because the leading edge is Sag Fire, approach experience with a wide open vision of greater possibilities and a spirit of seeing life as a series of “experiments in truth.” Because the closing planet is Gemini Air, it implies that after all is said and done, you’ll recognize the many perspectives which come from seeing what’s in or out of balance, and the need to rebuild or find a new way to communicate something.

The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon

A New Moon sets the seed forms for what the following month will demonstrate. This Lunation falls at 2 Sagittarius, and it is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the actional, physical, and material levels of life, and being the first decan of Sagittarius, it has a sub-influence of Sagittarius with an added dose of Mercury. While I've given you a sense of this degree up to now, this is where we go into depth.

The Sabian Symbol we’ve been given for the 2nd degree of Sagittarius is “The ocean covered in whitecaps.” In the Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 2 Sagittarius is said to be a phase of “glad response to a vital call to activity,” “power to stir and to impress one’s own rhythm upon materials,” and “proud adornment.”

We are told in the Astrological Mandala that this degree symbolizes “the mobilization of unconscious energies under the pressure of super personal motives.” He states, “wind and sea are in constant interplay, (with results which) are inspiring and beautiful,” and “wind” symbolizes “spirit” and therefore represents “spiritual dynamism.” He continues “the stirring of deep energies this dynamism produces obeys cosmic or super personal rhythms, the power of which is irresistible.”

He offers this stage “speaks of subtilization through rhythmic intensity.” He says this symbol is in the Span of Receptiveness, Act of Group Integration, and is the counterpoint degree of the Actional level of the Scene of Abstraction.

Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this degree is one of “the unending availability of everything ever needed for life and experience, emphasized subjectively through the tireless anticipations of the human soul.” He states this show a need “for giving direction to the restlessness of an over-all consciousness in which (our) immortal Being is cradled, and for channeling this into a manifestation of personal energy.”

We are told we prosper as we are “self-quickened to our own potentialities.” He gives us the keyword IRREPRESSIBILITY, and we are told when this degree works positively, it is one of “an indomitable resourcefulness and a naïve delight in the problems of everyday living.”

So, the specific theme of the next month involves the Light of brightening intensity as we are moved to inspired action, so be honest as you see the spiritual dynamism at your disposal. Sometimes when we take a leap into the future, we find ourselves flying free with a much larger view than we had before!

Important Aspects

Remember that in reading a Lunation chart (as well as a horary, inceptional, electional, or any event chart) the forming aspects show things to come, while separating aspects show things already past. Partile separating aspects show what’s been going on in the Now. This section covers only forming and partile separating aspects.

We now have a planet in each sign between Capricorn and Gemini, except for Aries, which is occupied by Chiron. While we have quite a few aspects, they are mainly favorable and promise us very positive conditions!

The Lunation is conjunct Mercury and Venus, quadranovile Mars, and quintile Saturn. (Even though the orb is wide, taken with Mercury and Venus, we have the entire first 11 degrees of Sagittarius activated, with the quintile to Saturn falling around 6-10 Sag which are the midpoints.) Mercury is conjunct Venus, widely opposed Mars, tredecile Jupiter, quintile Saturn, triseptile Uranus, biseptile Neptune, and semisquare Pluto; Venus is tredecile Jupiter, quintile Saturn, triseptile Uranus, biseptile Neptune, and semisquare Pluto; and Mars makes a binovile to Jupiter, trine to Saturn, decile to Uranus, square to Neptune, and biquintile to Pluto.

Outer planet aspects feature the powerful ongoing Jupiter novile Saturn, semisquare Uranus, and elftile Pluto; Saturn is elfile Neptune and quindecile Pluto, and Uranus is septile Neptune and tredecile Pluto.

As you can see, the friction is provided by the three semisquares and the wide opposition along with the Mars square Neptune. The quintiles to Saturn on the “rewards from Spirit” degree promises major gifts and blessings to those affected, and Mars trine Saturn brings stability from the adjustments shown by Mars RX.

Special Configurations in Evolutionary Astrology

Interestingly, we have only 2 evolutionary configurations in play this month. In no particular order, they are:

1) Mars is decile Uranus and biquintile Pluto, with Uranus tredecile Pluto. This makes for three planets activating the “10-Pointed Star of Serendipity,” with unique interactive gifts and blessings promised by this configuration. Zones most affected include 1-5 Pisces/Virgo, 7-11 Aries/Libra, 13-17 Taurus/Scorpio, 19-23 Gemini/Sagittarius, and 25-29 Cancer/Capricorn. Expect unique and delightful interactive experiences which will help bring forth your special talents.

2) As usual, the Grand Irrationality is directly in play due to Mercury and Venus both biseptile Neptune and triseptile, generating activity in all 7 “zones of destiny.” As Uranus is again septile Neptune anchoring the configuration, we can expect powerful forks in the road related to any planet or point which may be triggered. This long wave configuration has affected all of us for the past 30 years. At the present time, choices and changes are activated for those who have planets or points near any of the 7 affected “hot zones” around 1-5 Aquarius, 22-26 Pisces, 14-18 Taurus, 5-9 Cancer, 26-30 Leo, 18-22 Libra, and 9-13 Sagittarius.

Explaining Harmonics

This month we have relatively few aspects in the various harmonic series with a light concentration of frictional aspects. The frictional aspects are confined to e semisquares and 1 square with a very wide opposition which won’t be really active for another few days.

In the 7th harmonic aspect series of “destiny,” we have 1 septile, 2 biseptiles, and 2 triseptiles. In the 5th, 10th, and 15th harmonic specialization series, we have 1 quindecile, 1 decile, 4 quintiles, 3 tredeciles and 1 biquintile. The 9th harmonic gives us 1 novile, 1 binovile, and 2 quadranoviles, and 11th harmonic faith series there are 2 elftiles.

The novile (9th harmonic), septile (7th harmonic) and elftile (11th harmonic) series all feature spiritual aspects. All novile series (9th harmonic) aspects indicate things which need to be put on the shelf for a while, or that which has been gestating can now move forward. They represent gestative energies that can lead to great spiritual realizations. Septile series aspects represent forks in the road of destiny, while the 11th harmonic elftile series indicate that faith is required to deal with transcending some dualities, issues, and points of evolution where we confront the need to resolve some sort of duality by making a leap of faith to attain a form of mastery over that type of duality. This series tests our faith. Both the 7th and 11th series involve non-rational aspect values, bringing an element of irrationality in behavior and circumstances.

The quintile and biquintile (5th harmonic) and related 10th (decile and tredecile), 15th (quindecile), and 20th harmonic (vigintile) aspects are all specialization aspects. You can find more by going to Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Pt. 1 – The Quintile and Biquintile, and Astrology Class on the Specializing Aspects Part 2 – The Decile, Tredecile, Quindecile and the Vigintile.

You can find out more about the spiritual aspects (septile, novile, and elftile series) by referencing this brief overview of Astrological Aspects – the 7th, 9th, and 11th Harmonic Series Aspects and their Symbols.

Element Balance and Who’s Leading the Sun

This month indicates a balanced imbalance in the elements, with the 10 traditional planets occupying 6 signs and a slight imbalance between cold than hot. We have 4 planets in Fire (inspiration and warmth), 2 planets in Earth (practical grounding), 2 in Air (relatedness and communicating), and 2 in Water (feelings and experiencing). This month we have half the signs represented.

Air and Earth are “cool” elements, while Fire and Water are “hot” elements. With this distribution, it’s slightly warmer than cool, which should be good for inspired thinking and feeling. As there’s a balance between Earth, Air, and Water, these three all share the stage as backup to the prominent Fire of Sagittarius.

Because the New Moon falls in early Sagittarius, there are no planets in front of the Sun and Moon unless we go all the way back to Mars in Gemini. Ever since the last Superior Conjunction of Mercury with the Sun, we have been in the very rare position of not having any planet before the Sun. This is the “gateway to the Light” being the Light itself, with none other than it to greet the spiritual wanderer. The study of which planet leads the Sun is a crucial but often overlooked part of understanding how the planets work in sequence.

When Mercury moved in front of the Sun, Mars retrograde at 25 Gemini became the closest planet in a sign earlier than the Sun. The Sun will continue to get farther and farther from Mars until they come full phase at their opposition on December 7/8 just after the Full Moon at 17 Gemini/Sagittarius. The next time any planet will lead the Sun will be after the next Inferior conjunction in early January, after which Mercury will again by “the entry to the Light.”

The current sequence at present of Deciding, Feeling, and Thinking

We’ve been through several different sequences over the past few months. There are six patterns, and each has their strengths and weaknesses. This Lunation shifts the pattern from the previous Lunation and begins a new one. As a process of moving through events, the most effective “firing sequence” for approaching life and experience over the next 4 weeks involves leading with our decisions, then feeling what we need to about those actions and decisions, and then finally thinking, coming to a new vision, or understanding.

This Lunation shows we’ll enter experience with a sense of something to be done. This pattern is very strong, and leads with deciding and acting, followed by feeling and experiencing what those decisions and actions mean on deep levels. Ideally, those deep feelings then can lead us to a new vision, a new understanding, or a communication that can lead us to a different view.

So, make a decision and act as needed, and after the decision or action, sit with the feelings and experience them, bringing them to the surface of your consciousness and get clear about what you’re feeling and why. After you’re clear about what you’re feeling, then go get new information and update your perceptual files and what you think you know, or what’s being communicated. That will lead naturally to a new set of decisions and actions.

This pattern knows how to get things done! Another strength of the pattern is learning and teaching through anecdote, so frame things in terms of something which needs to be decided or done, and once you’ve set it into motion, then update your perceptions and understanding. If you don’t know what to do, let your thinking and envisioning follow your feelings, since getting a new view or understanding will naturally show you what to do and how to do it.

Summing Up

This New Moon is going to intensify our quest for a great truth, vision, understanding, or sense of adventure. We’re still having everything removed which would block us from strengthening our connection to Source, and the coming month promises “spiritual rewards” for our diligence up to now. This is the next step into a new dawn, but we must remember that dawn probably won’t show up until January at earliest and most likely February.

This brings a new light and a new understanding of how we are positioned within the collective field, and the work we have to do to integrate our personalities to achieve a balance between the body, feelings, and mind. This is a time to achieve closure, slowly and deliberately, on old ghosts so we can leap forward into the Sagittarian Fire dance being offered at this time. There’s healing to be done, with growth in learning to “live and let live,” returning to simple joys for rest and recharge until the coming oppositions are finished.

We’re in the midst of a period of re-working, undoing, re-doing, or re-evaluating our ways of getting something done. This may have brought reversals or slowdowns as a result of what’s being surrendered, so please remember you cannot lose what’s really yours, even if you have to set it free or let it go in some way. You’ll find that as you release what you no longer need to hold on to, you’ll feel emotionally lighter in many ways.

Prepare for a slowed pace and a need to stay focused on truth. This is a time of rapid progress for those who can use spiritual power in the face of material resistance. This can give us a new look at which spiritual companions are leaving our shared mountaintop, and which are choosing to stay. We’re at the final phase of showing we can utilize spiritual power effectively, so continue to purify your ego so that your light can shine bright and strong in 2023. There is much to teach and be taught if can just find “the right point of view.” During the coming few months those who have trained will be able to “know at a distance” and send constructive thoughts to those who need it.

We are in revolutionary conditions with Uranus conjunct the North Node, activated by Mars in July which is pulling us into greater spontaneity after cleaning out our mind and its perceptions and interpretations. Let in new ideas and spiritual sunshine. Rise to any occasion that calls your heart and strength, hear the inner voice, let go of old “social rigidities,” and find pleasure and revitalization with your true friends and spiritual Brothers and Sisters. Show heart strength and focused magnetism as you release what you no longer need. Especially let go of dishonest people and circumstances. You deserve better.

In 2020 we entered a transition phase in human history. While we still have to function within the Capricorn cycles, we began in 2020, we also have crossed the threshold of an era unknown to humanity since the 13th and 14th centuries. Even then, we were still in the depth of the Age of Pisces, so the awakening of new ideas then were relative to the old era, whereas what’s coming involves wave after wave of Aquarian energies, pushing us to the coming Great Age emerging in the second half of this century.

The long wave Aquarian pulses were initially set into motion by the Mars conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius on March 31, 2020, marking the initiation of archetypal Aquarian preliminary structures offered by Saturn. The promise and potential of the new Aquarian pulse then began to expand into a greater social and cultural vision beginning at the Jupiter conjunction with Saturn, the Grand Mutation of the Solstice also at 1 Aquarius. So we have 20 years of Aquarian energies set into motion by that conjunction!

When Venus and Mars conjuncted at 1 Aquarius in March 2022 it gave a new impetus and new expression to the Aquarian structures which took shape in 2021. The next time Mars transits Aquarius will be in February and March 2024, when it conjuncts Pluto at 1 Aquarius in February about 3 weeks after Pluto’s first ingress into Aquarius. That begins the Pluto in Aquarius “generation” of the 21st century which lasts until 2043. As there will be a Jupiter conjunction with Pluto at 15 Aquarius in 2033, we’ll see the “expansion of the Angels of the Age of Aquarius” at that time.

2021 opened a new adventure for all of us, and the long term “metamorphosis” we went through showed us what the beginning of the coming Age of Aquarius is about. Last year helped us remember we are Beings of Light, a Superstar shining the Light of our Eternal Love into our world. We’re now expanding that promise and we’ll see developments related to this evolutionary leap beginning this month.

New groups of Spiritual communities formed last year and will continue to form this year, and those which are Aquarian in nature were “lifted on the wings of angels” in 2021. Trust the process. We are learning not to play to the generic confusion, irrationality, and misleading notions. Revolution is in the air! And when you find things and people of eternal worth, value them with all your heart.

Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend

Saturn continues its long-term occupancy in its home sign of Aquarius. While we’ll still be focused on the group work set into motion last year, we are now experiencing Saturn’s late Aquarius qualities. It was a major influence in the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Eclipses, continuing its years-long power behind events.

Because Saturn plays such a large part in our lives, if you haven’t gotten your copy already, please give yourself the timeless gift of my book, Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. This book shows you the way to take command of your power to steer your life in a conscious way, using Saturn’s strengths and skills to master life on your own terms. It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand how your life experiences assisted your Soul growth and your power to change negative karma to positive karma. Each time you re-read any part of it you’re sure to find undiscovered gems of insight helping you throw off attitudes which frustrate your ability to live your higher Purpose on your own terms.

And now, on a related note….

This Lunation, as well as December’s, features Mercury conjunct Venus, this time in Sagittarius, and in Capricorn at the next New Moon. Because Mercury “brings the news” about everything to all of us, and activates ten thousand views and thoughts on any given thing, when Mercury conjuncts Venus we will certainly get lots of information about Venus! Since we’ll be discovering what Venus in Sagittarius and Capricorn are all about through December, you can get an advanced view of this and more by getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and offers a multi-faceted view of why we attract the people we do, as well as how to re-shape our inner Venus to create more satisfying relationships in the future.

This work is an in-depth examination of the psychological dimension of Venus, the spiritual dimension of Venus, and the astrological dimension of Venus. It offers practical techniques for changing your image of what you want to attract your heart’s desire, and how to make your relationships more fulfilling because you are living a Soul-ful life. You’ll find out about why you like or don’t like people and things, why you’ve attracted who you have in the past and present, and how to make those attractions more aligned with your Soul purpose in the future. A major theme weaving the various dimensions together is understanding why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame.

It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, Venus retrograde, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)

Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with written permission from Robert Wilkinson. Copying this article to other blogs is strictly prohibited. It is copyright protected. 

© Copyright 2022 Robert Wilkinson

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