Venus-Mars, 8-8-2018 & the Lion’s Gate Portal

There is an awful lot of information on social media about spiritual stuff, some of it a little far-fetched or sensational, and some actually pretty interesting and informative.

So what’s so special about the 8th of August 2018, you might be asking?

Well, as it happens, a number of turbo-charged cosmic events all align to make this an especially potent day for healing, shifting relationship problems and generally opening up the heart in preparation for Saturday’s Leo Solar Eclipse, which will provide us all with the opportunity to press the rest button on some pretty heavy and intense personal stuff.

During late July and mid-August, the Sun rises with the fixed star, Sirius just ahead of it – and Regulus behind it. At one time, this occurred in alignment with the zodiac sign of Leo, but due to procession of the equinoxes, these stars now fall in Cancer and Virgo respectively.

Sirius, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, as viewed from earth, was considered to be an extremely important for the ancient Egyptians. This is because it rose helically (i.e. at dawn, just before the sun) around midsummer when the Nile flooded, bringing life-giving waters and fertile mud to the land – essential for life in a land that was slowly turning into a desert. Before that, it would disappear from the skies for around 72 days, during which it was considered to enter the underworld and die, only to be reborn at the summer solstice when it once again become visible on the eastern horizon, just before the sun rose and blotted out the stars from view.

As a result, the entire Egyptian calendar was arranged around it: the heliacal rising of Sirius therefore marked the beginning of the Egyptian New Year. Sirius now falls halfway through the constellation of Cancer, but at around the time that the Egyptian pyramids were built – circa 3000 BCE, it rose at the time of the summer solstice in the constellation of Leo, which some people think is why a lion-headed Sphinx guards the entrance to the pyramid complex on the Giza plateau…Robert Beauval has provided a fairly accessible and detailed explanation of this phenomenon for those interested in more details.

For esotericists, Sirius holds a special meaning:

Sirius is said to hold an analogous position to our Sun as the individual human Soul does to the persona. It is analogous to the Soul of our solar system.

In other words, the so-called ‘Central Sun’ or ‘Hidden Sun’ of the theosophists and other cosmic lightworkers. According to teachings transmitted to them, at this time of year, when the Sun is in Leo and Sirius is rising helically, a sort of spiritual reboot or rebirth is possible – a portal opens up between Sirius, the earth and Sun, enabling us to connect more clearly with our soul or spiritual selves, and receive guidance from the heavens.

Regulus is another important star for astrologers and esotericists. During the Middle Ages, it was known as the Heart of the Lion, a star associated with kingship, nobility, courage, fame and honours. This is because at that time, it formed part of the constellation of Leo and fell over the breast/chest area of the lion constellation.

It was also traditionally one of the Four Royal Stars of Persia (which at one time aligned with the four cardinal directions at the solstices and equinoxes), and in Persian angeology, became associated with the Archangel Raphael (Israfil in Islamic tradition), the light being of medicine and healing.

This year, Sirius rises helically on the 8th of August 2018, which is interesting numerologically. Not only are there the obvious associations with Strength – the 8th card in the Tarot’s Major Arcana, which contains the image of a woman taming a lion – but of course the number 8 in numerology is actually about balancing the material and the spiritual.

According to Numerology.com, :

The 8 is the great Karmic equalizer, a force that just as easily creates as it destroys. When the 8 comes knocking, you can be assured that you will reap what you’ve sown.

Now it is interesting that on this day, we happen to have a Venus-Mars trine in air signs. These planets represent the opposite but equal forces of masculine and feminine creativity and generative powers.  In a way, they are also demonstrating the balancing and harmonising energy of the number 8 – the feminine, seductive and alluring, with the masculine yang energy of the hunter and knight whose courage and bravery helps him win over the heart of a noble woman.

And again, these two planets represent heart energy, but a more earthly version than that of the celestial Suns.

So you could say that the earthly is coming together with the heavenly to rebalance or cleanse and restore the heart at both the human and spiritual levels. In other words, a linking of the heart and soul. Astrologically, this is symbolised by the fact that both Venus and Mars will be aspecting Chiron – the centaur associated with the Wounded Healer.

Furthermore, Venus (in her own sign of Libra) will connect up with several other planets also in their own signs, including Saturn (in Capricorn) and the Moon (in Cancer) – very unusual to have so many planets in their own domiciles, I should point out!

Mars, on the other hand, will be making contact with a now retrograde Uranus, which happens to be the ruler of Aquarius, the sign through which Mars is currently retrograding! AND, Uranus happens to be in Taurus – one of the signs ruled by Venus – ao lots of synchronicities!

Mars will be orbiting very close to the South Node, which is an energetic release point. The suggestion therefore seems to be release pent-up aggression, anger or agitating energy in your system, giving you an added sense of peace. There is a lot out there about letting go of people or relationships that are abusive or hurtful, and this ties in with the message of Mars conjunct the south node. One positive way to do this is by following Steve Nobel’s Sirius Vortex Guided Meditations.

On the flip side of the coin, Venus is asking us to align with our higher, more spiritual selves so that we may learn to love in a whole new way – one that is fair, kind, peaceful and most importantly, mutal! Libra is, after all, about balancing two sides of the scales.

I don’t know if you have been feeling exhausted like me, but these last few weeks since the very Mars-oriented Blood Moon lunar eclipse have been very intense psychologically and energetically. My sense is that this latest episode is just part of that process of release and catharsis I talked about in my August Eclipse Forecast – one that will end at the New Moon Solar Eclipse on Saturday.

This will coincide with a cosmic reset, and it is important to be ready for it. So do all the balancing, healing and purging you can before then, and I’ll catch you on the other side, when things should feel a whole lot lighter and more hopeful.

You can read more about how Sirius and the Sun in Leo both figure strongly into the upcoming Leo Solar Eclipse in my August Solar Eclipse forecast – up now.

Til then, take it easy and be gentle on yourself and others.

Remember the words of the Desiderata:

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.