by Robert Wilkinson
Following up on the general meaning and function of the "Superior Conjunction" between the Sun and Mercury in yesterday's article, today we explore specifics of the Superior Conjunction of July 23, 2015, at 1 Leo. This “fusion of life and mind” will impact the rest of the Mercury direct period up to its next retrograde Inferior conjunction coming on September 30, 2015.
The inferior conjunction is when Mercury (mind) conjuncts the Sun (life) while retrograde. This indicates that signals, messages, and ideas from either outer sources or subconscious sources will fuse with the life principle, setting the tone for the lessons involving how our minds are relating to our lives during the next four months.
Since Mercury is direct in motion and moving faster than the Sun, it now makes a “superior conjunction” that begins a several week period when mind will race ahead of life, heralding things to come. The degree of any superior conjunction shows how our perceptions have caught up with our lives, which can bring forth a new expression of our light.
The Sabian Symbol for the Superior Conjunction
The Sabian symbol for the 1st degree of Leo is “A case of apoplexy.” In the original notes from the Marc Jones class on the symbols, Rudhyar ways this is a degree of “A basic symbol of Man: forceful, dangerous entrance into the Soul realm,” “irresistible outpouring of self,” and “Activity per se.”
In the Mandala he goes on to say this is a degree of "an irruption of bio-psychic energies into the ego-controlled field of consciousness,” and states this symbols is related to Solar Fire, one of the three “divine Fires.” This is the fire that is “released from an integrated person, either through spontaneous radiations of apparently nuclear forms of energy, or… through conscious emanations” of the mind.
He goes on to offer that “this process is a potentially dangerous one,” where “the realization of Atman, the Spiritual Self,” requires “the existence of a formed and steady ego… (that) can become a lens of pure crystal focusing the all-pervasive cosmic light of the Brahman.” Also that “the transformation of ‘life’ into ‘mind’ is a difficult process.” He offers us the keyword of Conflagration, where “the energies of the biological drives as they irrupt more or less forcefully, into the field of consciousness.” So the mental illumination/illuminated mind available via this Superior conjunction will involve going through some serious irruptions of energy into our lives, where we allow heart Fire to come forth. He states this degree falls in the Span of Assurance, Act of Stabilization, and Scene of Combustion on the Actional level.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this is a degree of “an overwhelming potentiality, and of an ever-pressing necessity for genuine self-establishment and personal stability.” He says this is about “a lack of inhibition” and an “ability to mobilize all (our) powers and even risk our own existence rather than accept any thwarting of (our) desires.”
He goes on to state that this is about “the unbroken continuity between being and doing, or between identity and its continual manifestation of itself.” He offers the keyword IRRESISTIBILITY, and states when operating positively, the degree is “creativity in the day-by-day expression of the self’s real possibilities.”
So we enter a time of “the fusion of life and mind” that should give us new insights into current and future potential for spontaneous expressions of heart Fire, where we enter into a “Soul realm” or express what we’ve experienced from integrating our personality and living in that Soul realm. This is spontaneity fused with essential identity expressed as creativity embracing potentiality.
At this conjunction, mind is no longer following life, trying to catch up to it. Now mind races forward as herald, catching glimpses of knowledge, perception, and understanding that shows us where life is headed in the near future.
This Superior Conjunction can fuse foresight and life experience to see how new forms of light, life, and perspectives can come forth these next few weeks. Because this “fusion of life and mind” takes place in the first third (decan) of Leo, take a new look at your heart’s natural spontaneous creative expression, and see the “unbroken continuity between being and doing.” This is Solar heart fire that bursts forth of its own necessity.
What’s Up After the Superior Conjunction?
As I pointed out in the first article about the Superior Conjunction, at this Superior Conjunction at 1 Leo we will have “a fusion of life and mind” that will help set a platform. In blending these principles we will see a shift in our affairs, attitudes, and understanding about those things symbolized by Mercury in Leo.
Natal points in harmony with 1 Leo will see productivity, understanding, stabilization, and unique qualities come forth. Natal points in friction with 1 Leo will see turning points, blocks, braking action, and release of potential. These are the primary “Life-Mind” fusion lessons through the next Inferior Conjunction on September 30 at 8 Libra, a degree that will help us find hope for a renewal of some sort.
So this Superior Conjunction should bring a new understanding and practice of spontaneous heart expressions, where we demonstrate our natural creativity and/or enter a new level of the Soul realm. This can show us how current views and life experiences are preparing us for things to come. It’s time to focus our assurance in stable forms of expression, and allow our heart fire to come forth.
What’s the Backdrop to What’s Happening?
The fact that the Superior Conjunction falls in Leo makes the Sun the worldly ruler of the conjunction. That implies that the Sun in Leo is steering this boat, and is one of the dominant energies at this time. Because of the sign positions of all the other planets (except Neptune in Pisces), the Sun is the final dispositor for all the other planetary energies except Neptune. So the Sun is the primary backdrop rulers to all the other planetary functions.
From here, even though Mercury will outrace the Sun for the next few weeks, it’s going to slow down in speed, enter its "shadow zone" on August 27 when it enters Libra, and will go retrograde at 11:10 am PDT, 7:10 pm BST on September 17, 2015. The stationary retrograde point will fall at 16 Libra, a degree of repair and/or reconstruction, as well as " a freedom from whatever has outlived its usefulness." That will give us yet another period where we can learn about how Mercury functions from a retrograde “review and return” perspective.
Mercury’s duality is “Life/Death,” so we can get a new look at how our consciousness and responses are either creative, destructive, or both, to cite the venerable Kabalistic Arhat Paul Foster Case. Mercury is where we learn if our mental processes are creating chaos and disorganized scattered conditions through ambivalence, and thus come to see how to use discernment to coordinate various functions to bring forth perfect knowing how to do whatever needs to be done.
Because we’ll be dealing with Mercury retrograde energies beginning August 27 when it enters its shadow zone, if you haven’t already gotten your copy, you may want to purchase my book “A New Look At Mercury Retrograde,” where I explain a lot more about Inferior and Superior Conjunctions, and how the mind operates when racing forward and looking backward. It is now available as a paperback from Create Space, and as an ebook on B&N's Nook and Amazon Kindle, and I’ve gotten a lot of good reviews from those who have this new expanded 2nd edition!
The book includes a lot more about Mercury Retrograde in the signs, houses, what it means for each sign, when it happens, and Mercury Retrograde celebrities and historical events that you'll never find in any other source. If you want a copy of this resource that you'll use for a long time to come, here’s the Createspace link to the page where you can purchase a paperback edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. And if you want to order it as an ebook, here’s the link to where you can purchase the new 2nd edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde
Copyright © 2015 Robert Wilkinson
Thanks for a most interesting article on a subject seldom explored. Your addition of the Sabian symbol for the degree that's highlighted is always useful too - this adds much depth to the interpretation.
Posted by: Zephyr | July 22, 2015 at 09:22 AM