The story of Sagittarius

A journey across the plains to the foot of the mountain

I have not written anything for such a long time. Writers block on steroids. I have decided to start easy and search through what I have written in the past, mainly on astrology but it can be on anything.

This piece is something I wrote for a talk on the sign of Sagittarius, a couple of years ago. It is full of mysticism, symbolism and meaning. Anyone can be having elements of a Sagittarius experience, as the energy of the constellation is available all of the time. Those with a Sun, Moon or ascendant in Sagittarius will be have this energy imbued within their lives, while others might be having a particular transit which might bring in energy from Sagittarius.

Anyways, enjoy.

SB.

I want to take you on a tale as the Disciple climbs out of the valley experience in Scorpio, journeys through the plains of experience in Sagittarius and then arrives at the foot of the mountain in Capricorn.

Our journey around the wheel of the zodiac is a long one. Many times, we would have been through the sign of Scorpio, either experiencing it through direct influence in a life or, indirectly through particular transits. The energy of all the signs are there always, ready to serve as needed.

Let’s imagine the disciple has just had a Scorpio experience. Scorpio is a sign of shedding, of letting go, of purging and detachment. The process of detachment is a hard fought one, which the warrior in Scorpio is custom made for. The internal processing, the looking deep within, are all key indicators for the disciple. To move forward into the light, All that inhibits must first be seen, processed and understood and then let go, allowing the disciple to move freely into Sagittarius. Sagittarius do not want to be inhibited by restrictions or baggage, hence the association in Scorpio with the phoenix, rising from the ashes, free and light, to begin the journey across the plains and on the spiritual Path.

There are particular energies or associations to Sagittarius that I would like to discuss –

·      The Truth

·      The Path

·      Silence

Each one covering a phase in time that relates to the energy of this sign and can be observed in relation to a disciple’s journey on the eternal Path.

The Truth…

The early stages of Sagittarius are spent in rapturous excitement. The move from the contained and fixed waters of intense Scorpio to the mutable and wide-open spaces of Sagittarius is a thrilling feeling. Arrows are aimed and shot at many things, as replacements are needed for the shedding that existed in Scorpio. A strong desire to see all, know all, experience all is the dominating factor here. Here aspiration - a term very much related to Sagittarius - leads the archer on.

The archer - not content with their current understanding of the world – seeks to experience ALL that there is to offer, and enthusiastically goes out to do that. We can see the influence of Jupiter here, the ever expanding need to know it all. Also, the desire to teach others and pass on the wisdom and love that is gleaned through one’s travels and learnings also exists….

Here the Archer sits upon the horse. The horse is an animal and the lure of desire and the animalistic urges can dominate the personality. But there is a higher calling.

Besides experience, the archer at this stage responds to the call of TRUTH. In all of his dealings, he is magnetised to seek out the Truth.

What is the Truth, what makes the world function, what are the secrets to life? These are all questions that are asked regularly; leading to study, religion, travel and philosophy. The quest to understand the truth pushes the archer on, always.

As a forward moving active sign, on a mission to find out the truths of existence, and then share them with others, you will certainly come up against forces that will refute, block, challenge and thus, conflict ensues. Harmony is reached from the learning.

Sagittarius will seek out all learnings. What is the point of knowledge or wisdom if it is not understood or it is not able to be validified through fact and TRUTH? We need the higher mind to be able to see the abstract truths. We then need the lower mind to decipher and organise the abstract teachings into forms for understanding and also to pass it onto others..

If we observe outwards, we can see this search for TRUTH playing out in the world at the moment, culminating with the division of understanding in the world. There is much information being presented to us currently. So much information is called fake and mis information. Fact checkers check statements and writings on social media platforms. In essence, there is a battle for TRUTH.

There is also revelations on many things that were hidden, many things that were going on in the shadows.

It is hard to know what is true and what is not. Who and what do we believe?

What is actual TRUTH and what is not?

The answer is truly found with the Soul. The Soul, that eternal part of ourselves that is connected to all Life and has direct access to the Higher realms, the Planes of TRUTH.

The Soul knows the TRUTH and through it we then begin to know the actual TRUTH. The search for truth is truly a search for a deeper connection to the Soul, one that Sagittarius is very much prepared and custom fit to help us and lead us with…

This leads me to the next section –

The PATH…

After the early stages of Sagittarius, which are influenced by double mutable energy or the decan of double Sagittarius, the second part becomes more streamline. Still knowledge and wisdom are sought, still goals are sought, and a keynote plays out - “I see a goal, I reach that goal and then I see another”. But the frenetic searching becomes more defined..…

The second decan of Sagittarius sees Aries come into play. Aries is a pioneering influence. As the archer gains wisdom through his travels and learnings, he then begins to specialise where he puts his focus. The long journey across the plains of experience are tiring, even for an active sign. More intense focus in needed, so that the effect is more substantial.

The Aries influence sharpens the arrows and goals of the archer. If they begin teaching at this stage, it is more in a specialised field. If they are studying, there is less chopping and changing and the study is more allied to their passion, a definite influence of the fire of this sign.

The archer on the planes, forever searching and aspiring, starts to develop a deep and profound understanding of the Earth’s rhythms. The cloud formations and what they mean – the signs and clues they hold, the sounds of animals and how they innately live in rhythm and harmony with nature, the sound of the wind and the vibrations of the bees, the trees and planets, are all in a harmonious and even flow with the energy around them.

This begins to integrate into the life of the one under the influence of Sagittarius and from this position, their wisdom and understanding grows. The true essence of learning about life becomes theirs and they begin to pass this on to others, either though inspiration, writing or through teaching.

The archer now leads the horse. The horse does not lead him. No longer is he purely led by animal desire to experience all, enhanced by Jupiter. In its place, the call of the Earth and the mysteries surrounds and envelopes him, and he begins to hear a different call.

The Path he had been travelling was well worn and used. He now knows he must create his own Path, one that others might eventually follow.

In the distant horizon, something is sensed. The signs of the Earth point to a place in the future, only barely seen. At this stage it is still but a small point on the horizon, but the archer knows he must head there.

So, he begins his journey on his new Path, on top of the horse that he commands. The journey is still on the plains, yet there is a gradual incline. Like his arrow and his inspiration, the Path begins to point and direct upwards…

In the distance, as time goes on, the mountain is seen. The PATH is leading him to the Mountain of Capricorn. The landscape is changing. Gone are the opens flat plains, in their place, pine trees and rocky outcrops begin to form and dominate the environment.

He notices a change within himself. Though his drive and aspiration to know the mysteries of life are still as strong as ever, the frenetic activity is gone. He is wiser now and he realises that less is actually more. While the early stages of Sagittarius were full of the shooting of many arrows and the second stage was directed with more intent, this new stage is coloured by the need to not shoot any arrows at all. He recognises that he in fact has become the arrow.

The landscape is getting steeper and steeper. The flat plains are now completely gone, and he now walks slowly, whereas before he rode wildly. There is a definite slowing down process, an innate move from fire to Earth (Sagittarius to Capricorn – fire to earth)……

He looks to his faithful horse. He realises that he has not ridden him for a while but was in fact walking alongside him. He knows he will not need the horse for this part of the journey and so he sets him free, understanding that he has moved from being half man and half horse, to a human riding on a horse, to now being half human and half divine. He releases the horse, free to go back and roam the plains.

He has now entered the next cycle of Sagittarius, that influenced by Silence.

Silence…

In the book Labours of Hercules, written by Alice Bailey, - page 160 says “Sagittarius is the sign preparatory to Capricorn and is called in some ancient books – ‘the sign of silence”. In ancient mysteries the newly admitted brother had to sit in silence, he was not allowed to walk or speak; he had to be, to work, to watch, because one cannot enter the fifth kingdom in nature, the spiritual kingdom, or climb the mountain of Capricorn, until there has been a restraint of speech and control of thought”.

In the actual labour of Hercules – page 155-156,  Hercules is given a task. He must pass through gate 9 and journey to the marsh of Stymphalus where dwell the birds that havoc wreak. He must then discover the way to flush them from their long secure abode.

His teacher gives him this advice – “the flame that gleams beyond the mind reveals direction sure”.

After many attempts to remove the predacious birds, Hercules recalls the teacher’s advice and in the silence, a method beyond the mind came to him. He pulls out two cymbals that he has, both large and brazen, and gave forth an unearthly screeching sound, bashing them together.

The birds, upon hearing such a monstrous noise, were bewildered and flew away, never to return. Silence spread upon the marsh….

This task offers us a few lessons. One that in silence, the flame that gleams beyond the mind reveals direction sure. In silence, it was revealed to Hercules how to rid the marsh of the predatory birds.

Also, when the time is right, that right speech or sound is very powerful. The clanging of the cymbals was such a force, that the birds flew away, never to return.

A wise Sagittarius knows when and where to use right speech and sound, which he has acquired and earnt through his long journey. The teacher knows when to speak and when silence says more than words ever will.

The archer looks up to the mountain which he knows he must climb. He knows he must climb in silence, to save and conserve his energy for the climb. The law of economy is respected here, and he knows, all available effort will be needed for the climb.

There will be times when sound will be needed, but the wrong amount of noise could create an avalanche, especially the higher he goes. The potency of voice and sound is understood.

The last period or decan of Sagittarius is influenced by Sagittarius and Leo. With this period, the royal lion has an influence. Like a lion, energy is conserved until needed. When action is needed, he is able to pounce and act immediately, without hesitation. Also like a lion, he conserves his voice until needed, then releases his roar, with the might and power of one who is divine…..

A lion will wait in silence until the right time is needed for action, and so does the archer.

He looks up to the mountain and surveys his Path. Silence will be his companion for the upcoming journey and with that will come all that he needs in the way of direction true.

He walks over to a little creek at the foot of the mountain. There he takes in the Waters of Life, which was given freely by some of his elder brothers and sisters who have been up the mountain and have returned in Aquarius. He notes that the creek runs into a river which leads down into the ocean of Pisces…..

He stops to take stock. He has his arrow and knows where he must head. He breathes in deeply and stills his mind. He listens to the silence and begins his journey. Up ahead is the mountain goat of Capricorn. He has been watching him silently and will journey with him up the mountain…….Together in silence…..

He sets his goal and fires his arrow, now a true one-pointed disciple……