Andromeda

 

 

So much going on…

Algol. The Demon Star. First Star of the Gorgon. 

 

Medusa. Pallas Athena. Lilith. Sedna. Pluto. Jupiter. Persephone. Kali. You. We need to talk. You have this idea in your head, about the way things are. The way things were. Do you know that the word Angel translates to “messenger”? The word Demon refers to “spirits”… From Ancient Greek δαίμων (daímōn, “dispenser, god, protective spirit”). Spirit, a word itself related to respiration, or breath. Just like Anima, animal, and animation. 

 

Alternately we can translate a Demon as a god or a goddess. But to add further irony, like the iron in our blood, the root Demo- (as in democracy or demographic) actually translates to: people. Curiously, Demon also comes from a root word meaning “divided.” Perhaps referring to the fact that, unlike in monotheism, each of these pagan spirits has a different role to play in the whole story. Have you ever thought about the word…demonstrate? The etymology is given as dē- (“concerning”) +‎ mōnstrō (“I show”). This further can be reduced to the Latin root word “monstrum” indicating an “advisement” or “warning” (a message?)…but also translated as, you guessed it: monster. An evil omen, something which evokes fear. A portent, alternatively. Strange that, when taken to this conclusion, angels and demons are essentially…synonyms.

 

Have you ever noticed that people have a tendency to “shoot the messenger” when they don’t like what he or she has to say, reveal, or show to them? Demons… And you know what they say; we’ve all got our demons.

 

Did you know, in one telling… Pallas Athena committed a horrible evil against Medusa, one that makes my love of her wisdom recoil into the deepest blood-curdling howl of my being, and it was done in the name of Good? Chastity. Deflection. Perfection. Sanctity. Punishment. An act so horrible that none, from that day forth, could look upon Medusa and live. Except Perseus who, by using his shield as a mirror, was able to look upon her reflection and aim his fatal blow. He cut the head off this so-called demon, whose glare of vengeance turned men to stone, ending her reign of terror. And yet… Medusa’s head was then eventually returned to Pallas to become apart of her Aegis. Her shield. The shield that would become among the most powerful weapons of protection in all of mythology. Medusa’s head: which is the fixed Star Algol… And whose decapitation would soon after come to save Andromeda. But that’s neither here nor there. Or isn’t it?

 

Pallas Athena, in the spirit of true wisdom, never forgets. But perhaps she does wish to be forgiven. And in seeking our forgiveness, she asks that we re-examine these narratives.

 

Pallas is asteroid #2… It orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter and was the second asteroid to be discovered, after Ceres. It is the 3rd largest asteroid, said to embody 7% of the mass of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Pallas Athena (the goddess) herself has an incredibly strange and somewhat brutal origin story. Zeus (said to represent Jupiter) attempted to devour her, the progeny of his love for a wise Titan, named Metis…to prevent the prophecy of his children being born to her more powerful than he himself. But he could not digest Athena so she impregnated his forehead instead (or 3rd eye), causing him unbearable pain. His forehead was split open and Pallas Athena emerged in full armor…to become the goddess of war and wisdom alike (aka the arts, as artists well know). It is interesting to note that it is debated where Athena adopted the name Pallas from. In some mythologies it is said Athena unwittingly killed her friend Pallas, and then took her namesake forever more in mourning. I like this one, because it reminds me also of her alleged crime against Medusa.

 

As with all myths of metaphor, there are many ways to tell a story. I encourage you to seek out different mythological threads than the ones I portray, for all may hold a grain of truth…some more suited for you than others. It is impossible to tell them all at once, and yet in a way? This is what the Cosmos is asking of us. To see the pattern. Microcosm, macrocosm. Oneness. And yet, rather than homogeny, what if true oneness is the amalgamation and integration of all its parts? The angels, and the demons alike. 

 

Pallas Athena can be said to represent “animosity” and/or “competition” among women…as well as the suppression of femininity within ourselves (regardless of “gender”). I call it: the wounded divine feminine. In the case of Pallas Athena, I encourage you to approach her mythology in mourning, not unlike she did for her friend. We assume the gods and goddesses are arrogant beings who never learn, change, or evolve. We assume that millennia upon millennia has passed and nothing ever changes. Despite that the planets constantly are in revolution… Around the Sun (not to mention rotation… around their own center force, or axis, to keep their “momentum”). We assume falsehoods, adopt them, and dress them up as the truth. It is further interesting to note that Pallas Athena’s glyph, which resembles that of Venus, could be interpreted as a spear or a shield. Telling. The meaning of the word “Pallas” is actually “She who brandishes…” 

 

A diamond-shaped parallelogram, which also resembles a handheld mirror. According to Astro.com: German astrologer Beate Metz describes Pallas as representing "the expression of our own ideas to the cost of our own femininity.” What theme could be more important for this time…? The Sun in Scorpio opposite fixed star Algol (26°27'36" of Taurus), who is conjunct the slow moving dwarf planet Sedna… Presently trine to Jupiter/Pluto, and Saturn in Capricorn. Not to mention the asteroid Pallas herself. Or did I not mention all of that?

 

Actually, if there is one thing to know about Greek and Roman Mythology? It’s all fucking over the place, with emphasis on a lot of fucking. A big bang. Might that be because these are creation myths, told and re-told? Might it be because Myths and Legends are meant to guide us into deeper truths about ourselves, our stars, and our world?

 

Algol is a star known for “bad luck” and I’ll tell you a secret: the best way to create bad luck for yourself is to mistreat a woman. If there is one thing about humans that has remained constant since time immemorial? It’s how god-damn (pun intended) irresponsible, irritable, and irreverent we are. It’s like our all-knowing egos miss the mark, I mean the boat, I mean the ark, time and time again. Algol has much to teach you, about life, and about death. My question to you is… Will you listen, or have you got it all already figured out?

 

Another lesson is this… If you tell a lie? Expect it to follow you and your people eternally, until the truth is unveiled. For every be(lie)f you hold, for every person who suffers the legacy of your distortions…vengeance will follow you, until you heal the wound you have caused. In this sense, I believe Algol is a Star of karma. She asks you to do justice. To tell the truth. To unveil the lie. It is traditionally said that Algol carries a vibration of Jupiter/Saturn, and perhaps that is because she asks us to take responsibility. She asks us to amend the false laws of our ancestors, and make reparations.

 

The story goes that Medusa was once a beautyful woman, but Poseidon could not resist her…and so he raped her, in the temple of Pallas Athena. Pallas blamed her for defiling the temple, and turned her into a hideous monster in return. Some equate Poseidon with Neptune, but these are tall tales. True. And false. Pieces of Pisces. The fact is, Neptune is Neptune. And what that is, is so much more than we can possibly comprehend. In fact, Neptune is in its domicile presently, of Pisces, closely conjunct the asteroid Persephone (co-ruler of the underworld with Hades, aka Pluto).

 

Pallas is Pallas. Algol is Algol. And who, pray tell, is that? What we are able to take from the influence of these planetary bodies is often interwoven with what we give to them in return. The myths aren’t untrue, per se, but they are only a piece of the puzzle. Just as so very many stories could be told about your life, some of which you would deeply appreciate, and others you might seethe in reaction to… Be careful with what truths you adopt as ultimate wisdom. A myth is but one story in an omnibus representing the akashic records (“akashi” itself meaning sky, or hidden…as with ceiling, cielo, ciel, etc.) Keep working on the puzzle. It has no end in sight, so rejoice. And that is because in each ending, you will find a new beginning. Welcome to the planetarium of your consciousness.

 

All words are metaphors, and like the tower of Babble, we can split hairs all day over semantics, language, and re-tellings. Or we can look for underlying truth, go deeper, beyond, beneath, and above our human perception and need for empirical data.

 

Curiously Andromeda actually translates to “Ruler of men”…and that “meda” ending…meaning “I protect, or rule over” is the same root found in Medusa and medicine, resembling also mediation, and meditation. Medium. Is that Meta enough for you?

 

What I want to tell you is this… Myths do contain a lot of truth, some even relating to the deepest pains experienced during the formation of our very universe. They are also cautionary tales. We are not meant to repeat their mistakes, but instead learn. Listen. Evolution is love’s solution. We talk of evols as if we are helpless victims and perpetrators in a war of Good vs. Wickedness (a word which, itself, refers to divisions, separations, and opposing forces). Albert Camus, a Scorpio, once wrote a treatise on the antidote to violence called “Neither Victims Nor Executioners.” I keep thinking of it, during this time.

 

Ironically, Poseidon was the god/demon who attacked both Medusa and Andromeda, the princess of ancient Ethiopia. And Perseus, who had just slain Medusa, used her head to save Andromeda from a sea monster sent by Poseidon. Poseidon was jealous of her beauty; she who is meant to rule mankind. Note the similarity to the word Poison, a word related to Potion, which means simply “to drink.” Poseidon, the poisoned one, I hear echoing into the deep. You know it is funny…the way our society treats women, our womb bearers, reminds me so much of the way we treat Mother Earth. Because, if we pollute or poison the Earth, which supplies the food and nourishment which provides our sustenance; the trees and vegetation which purify; and the materials we use for shelter…the water, we drink…the air, we breathe…and our relationship to the fire of the Sun, which keeps us warm, but could also parch and eviscerate us? We die.

 

Likewise, what do you suppose will happen to our children, if our women are unhappy and unhealthy?

 

So, to return to the topic of potions and poisons… what are you drinking in the aethers, I wonder? Ironic, considering that the word Algol is connected directly to…Alcohol.

 

Here’s a curve ball for you: “In the vast spaces between the stars, typically 88% of atoms are hydrogen, 10% are helium and the remaining 2% are chiefly carbon and oxygen.

Which is great news for booze enthusiasts. Each molecule of ethanol, the alcohol that gives us so much pleasure, includes nine atoms: two carbon, one oxygen and six hydrogen. Hence the chemical symbol C₂H₆O. It’s as if the universe turned itself into a monumental distillery on purpose… The spaces between stars are known as the interstellar medium.” (From “Booze in Space” via The Conversation)

 

Alcohol means Spirits, and traditional lore is that it opens us up to be “possessed” when in excess. Somehow I am less surprised than ever to find that our incredibly drunken culture, who opens itself up wide to any and all influences of the spirit, with little to no true discernment… would perceive Algol as “bad luck.” Like children playing with a chemistry set. Or rather, alchemy, of the soul. I encourage everybody when contemplating the archetypes of Algol to also examine any addictions which may be undermining or co-opting your connection to spirit.

 

Actually, this is a very Neptunian 12th House theme as well. And to get back on topic (if such a thing exists)… Poseidon may be the God of the Sea to some. But to the Inuit people, the Goddess of the sea is Sedna. Sedna is also a dwarf planet in the furthest, coldest reaches of our solar system (about 3 times as far away as Pluto). And? She is conjunct Algol, where she will be for many years yet to come. It is interesting to note that both Sedna and Pluto have two of the most eccentric orbits around the Sun known to us. But yes, tell me again about how you have grasped all of the knowledge there will ever be to know? No?

 

As for Lilith, there is so much I might wish to say (She is also associated closely with Algol, but the mythic Black Moon Lilith is in fact in conjunction with Uranus at present, and has been on my mind all week. Not to mention… During the exact opposition of the Sun and Algol, the moon will also be conjunct the asteroid Lilith, at 10 degrees of Capricorn). But for now… I am called simply to leave off on this quote, from Hannelore Traugott (courtesy again of astrodienst, whose article on Lilith I will link below): "Lilith represents something that has become unconscious and is striving to become conscious again. Let's call it archaic energy, spiritual femininity, something akin to the wisdom of the goddess. As long as we don't have access to this energy we experience it psychologically as loss, suppression, isolation, emptiness, addiction and above all power struggles.”

 

You see, above all, Pallas is a goddess of Pattern Recognition. And she does not call for abandoning archetypes, disrespecting them, or abolishing them. She calls for evolving them, refining your relationships to them, and perhaps most of all: listening to the lessons of their legacy. Myths teach us of jealousy. Lust. Vengeance. War. To what end? So that we repeat the same stories, over, and over, and over? Or might it be to recognize common themes? Heal the wounds. To some, Death is the ending. But as we approach Sagittarius season, I encourage you to think of it as a time for rebirth and new Beginnings. Let die. And truly live. Truly.

 

[One last fascinating fact about Algol, taken from Wikipedia:

 

“Algol is a three-star system, consisting of Beta Persei Aa1, Aa2, and Ab – in which the hot luminous primary β Persei Aa1 and the larger, but cooler and fainter, β Persei Aa2 regularly pass in front of each other, causing eclipses. Thus Algol's magnitude is usually near-constant at 2.1, but regularly dips to 3.4 every 2.86 days during the roughly 10-hour-long partial eclipses. The secondary eclipse when the brighter primary star occults the fainter secondary is very shallow and can only be detected photoelectrically.”

 

And from Richard Hinkley Allen, 1889:

 

Beta (β) Perseus, Algol, is a bright star positioned on the severed head that Perseus is carrying. It is an eclipsing binary; every 68 hours and 49 minutes this Demon Star ‘blinks’ for roughly 8 hours as the dimmer star of the pair passes between the brighter and the earth.

 

"the Gorgon's head, a ghastly sight,

Deformed and dreadful, and a sign of woe." — Bryant's translation of the Iliad.

 

Algol, the Demon, the Demon Star, and the Blinking Demon, from the Arabians' Ra's al Ghul, the Demon's Head, is said to have been thus called from its rapid and wonderful variations.]

 

Additional notes:

 

The Sun is opposite Algol in the chart provided. From a heliocentric point of view, i.e. from the Sun’s perspective, this means Earth is conjunct Algol…making this a very potent time to connect to her energy.

 

Curiously also, the asteroids Chiron, Kali, and Medusa are currently forming a grand fire trine. Enhancing this theme of healing the Divine Feminine in us all.

 

Constellations of note to the mythologies mentioned:

 

*Pegasus* spanning 1 degree Pisces to 9 degrees Aries

*Perseus* 14 degrees Taurus to 5 degrees Gemini

*Andromeda* 7 degrees Aries to 22 degrees Taurus (where the recent Mars retrograde took place.)

 

Note also that the constellation of Virgo the Virgin is between 27 degrees of Virgo and 11 degrees of Scorpio, where the recent Mercury retrograde took place (Both the Sun and Mercury made conjunctions to Spica and Arcturus during this recent transit. October’s New Moon was also almost exactly conjunct these stars.) 

 

On a funny side-note, while Algol is considered one of the most unlucky fixed stars…Spica is considered among the luckiest. Spica virginis, meaning Virgo’s ear of grain, represents harvest.

 

 

Blessed bee. Much love.