Lynda Hill's Sabian Symbols

A Message From Lynda Hill About the Sabian Symbols Site

Greetings from Avalon Beach, Sydney, Australia!

There may be some good news; I believe we've located the site and I'm hoping that it is all intact. I have worked on this day and night for the last two weeks. I have finally made contact with the company that hosted the Oracle. So, progress is being made. 

I want to thank so many of you so much for leaving a note on www.sabiansymbols.com - it's so wonderful to hear your thoughts and stories. People offering help of web services, sending thanks and love, taking the time to give something back. Thank you to the many who donated to keep things going. These funds have been a lifesaver and have allowed me to do things I wouldn't have been able to do. To those of you who sent me personal wishes and stories, I wish I could write back to you all but several hundred emails is a lot to reply to personally!

A Chubby Little Rich Boy Rides Upon a Hobbyhorse: The Sagittarius New Moon

Do not handicap your children by making their lives easy.
Lazarus Long

In this era of affluence and of permissiveness, we have, in all but cultural areas, bred a nation of overprivileged youngsters, saturated with vitamins, television and plastic toys. Judith Crist

It is amazing how quickly the kids learn to drive a car, yet are unable to understand the lawnmower, snow blower, or vacuum cleaner. Ben Bergor

Well, you know when you're rocking in a rocking chair, and you go so far that you almost fall over backwards, but at the last instant you catch yourself? That's how I feel all the time. Stephen Wright

Nothing is so hard as for those who abound in riches to conceive how others can be in want. Jonathan Swift

No use flogging a dead horse. Saying

Although I'm late sending out this newsletter for the new Moon in Sagittarius, please know that the influence of the new Moon on the coming month is still very strong and is yet to completely unfold. We can say that the influence lasts for a month, right up until the next new Moon, on January 15. It is also true to say that events that are sparked off this month get a life of their own; they can last for months and years into the future. It depends on what seeds are being planted or what harvest you're reaping now.

The Sabian Symbol for this new Moon, occurring on December 16, is Sagittarius 25: A Chubby Little Rich Boy Rides Upon a Hobbyhorse. Can you see what this might mean in the attached graphic? The boy rides his horse, knowing that other gifts are coming, not a care in the world, off and running in his own fantasy world, whipping his horse onward and upward, ready to take on the world, safe and secure, well fed and his every need catered for.

"Funny", you're saying, "that doesn't sound like me"... Perhaps you're not so sure of your safety and security, or your place in the scheme of things, or that you're going to be looked after by others, or that you can pursue your own 'hobbyhorse'; your dreams, your aspirations, your visions of how life could, or will, be. 

Look again at the boy in the graphic. He has everything, which we all do really. Unless we're living under a piece of cardboard under a bridge somewhere, we have many of the things we need. We only have to check our situation to realise how lucky we are. We have so much to explore in our leisure in amongst our hectic and very meaningful lives. Remembering how lucky we are is so valuable. Still, the boy could be somewhat frustrated in his efforts to get things going. How long will he be happy with that movement, as satisfying as it is, rocking backwards and forwards, possibly staring into space, without charging forward and getting in amongst the action. It seems he's dreaming of the action rather than participating, except in his own fantasy world. For sure he's growing and learning - one day he will take on all of life's challenges and will participate in the excitement of being alive with all it's wonderful progress and precarious pitfalls. 

To me, this Symbol is a mix of pleasure and frustration. It feels certain that we're meant to perfect something, to enjoy the practice and play and prepare ourselves for the unfolding that is coming. 

The Karmic Condition (the degree before) this new Moon is a lovely one - Sagittarius 24: A Bluebird, a Sign of Good Luck and Happiness, is Standing at The Door of The House. This speaks of the promise (or promises) of "Happiness", reminders of joy, real estate, house boundaries, cottages and picket fences, waiting for invtitations to enter, omens of good luck, blessings, front doors and back doors. This is the conventional picket fence with the happy people living inside with promises of luck and happiness. It can be domestic bliss, the beauty or the joy to be found in others but it can be arguments and not noticing the good things in life.

The Bluebird at the Gate of the Cottage degree is a great Karmic Condition for the Chubby Boy on His Hobbyhorse. Hopefully, his home is safe, secure and loving. Of course not all homes are. This is a matter of one's own personal perspective. 

When I look at the graphic above of the boy on his hobbyhorse, I can't help but think that he's incredibly keen to get going, eager as mustard to take on the world, to put himself out there, to race headfirst into whatever he can. Of course, that horse ain't moving; it's not going anywhere. Mar's current stationary retrograde motion can feel like that. "Here I am, I'm ready for it, I'm going for it, but it's not moving". Add to that the fact that the Mars degree is Leo 20: American Indians Perform a Ritual to the Sun - I imagine them riding their horses and get quite a different image. 

The Quest degree (the degree following) the new Moon is Sagittarius 26: A Fl ag Bearer in a Battle. This smacks of having the courage of one's convictions, being up front, exposing yourself, facing the possibility of being shot down, carrying the standard or the flag, David and Goliath, being the messenger, advocates, self sacrifice, fighting for political ideas.

There's shades of Copenhagen in all this; the 'Hobbyhorse' of the lobbyists and the vested interests. To some, Copenhagen will have felt like flogging the proverbial 'dead horse'. The Flag Bearer may have lost his horse, he is most likely on foot now, older and wiser, and, possibly a bit war weary.

A theme going on at the moment seems to be the theme of people moving house, changing jobs or leaving relationships. This is somewhat reflected through the position of Venus on Sagittarius 19: Pelicans Disturbed By The Garbage of Men Move Their Young To a New Habitat. This degree was one of the prime degrees while those in charge were nutting out their strategies (or lack of) in Copenhagen. The garbage of men alright. And vested interests, the vested interests of so many 'Chubby Boys in Their Hobbyhorses'.

With all this archetypal societal bliss we're either having, meant to have or are missing, there's a sextile (a useful free flowing positive energy) from Jupiter (the ruler of Sagittarius - the new Moon) at Aquarius 24: A Man Turning His Back On His Passions Teaches Deep Wisdom From His Experience. It seems that many are finding they are turning away from what they don't want and turning towards what they do. Many lessons are to be learnt here, wise ones about finding meaning in life. 

Uranus is squaring this new Moon from Pisces 23: A Materializing Medium Giving a Seance. This is a very spiritually 'attuned' degree, one of spiritual channeling, a need to free "stuck" or earthbound entities, giving voice to spirit, tarot readings, clairvoyance and clairsentience. It speaks of things seen ahead of their time, bringing messages from the other side, etc. 

I guess the questions for this next month include; where do you want to be? what do you want to be doing? who's interests are you serving? and, are you having fun?

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My website is still down but hopefully that will be fixed in the next week or so. Please know that your support, comments, emails, donations and offerings of help are so appreciated. I try, but I can't answer every email I get but please do know that I read them! Please drop by www.sabiansymbols.com and leave a message on the feedback form and consider leaving a donation!

Happy Holidays! May Loads of good things come to you and yours!!

Resurrecting The Sabian Symbols Site! Send in the cavalry!

Every separate thought takes shape and becomes visible in color and form. Liu Hua-Yang  

The universe is one of God's thoughts. Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

A Man paints with his brains and not with his hands. Michelangelo

Art is not a mirror to reflect the world, but a hammer with which to shape it. Vladimir Mayakovsky

If you do not find yourself beautiful yet, act as does the creator of a statue that is to be made beautiful: he cuts away here, he smooths there, he makes this line lighter, this other purer, until a lovely face has grown upon his world. Plotinus

Right now, and for the next twelve hours or so, the Sun is on Sagittarius 27: The Sculptor's Vision is Slowly But Surely Taking Form. The quotes above illustrate this degree. It is the degree of the Galactic Center, which is said to be 'the Mind of God'. We are our creations; we create ourselves and our world with our hearts, minds and bodies... I will have more to say about this as the degree of the Galactic Center is changing from Sagittarius 27 to Sagittarius 28: A Splendidly Built Bridge, A Heritage of Unknown Ages, Still Spans the Beautiful and Wildly Primitive Stream = we're going from the 'sculptor's degree' to the 'bridge degree'. This is fantastic and quite a movement. The GC has been on Sagittarius for some 72 years, so this is a shift that many are feeling now. More on this in another blog. 

Meanwhile, this is not my standard blog, apologies for not doing one this new Moon, I hope to do it on the weekend. This is, instead, a request for assistance.

Celebrating Our Differences Or Being Stuck in Our Egos: Mars Retrograde in Leo!

Life is pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us. Thomas Browne 

What is to give light must endure burning. Viktor Frankl

Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade? Benjamin Franklin

Be glad of life because it gives you a chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at stars. Henry Van Dyke

The beauty of the world and the orderly arrangement of everything celestial makes us confess that there is an excellent and eternal nature, which ought to be worshipped and admired by all mankind. Marcus Tullius Cicero

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Are we having fun yet? Modern Saying

Are we there yet? Modern Saying 

Mars, that planet of ambition, assertion, competition, drive, sexuality, raw ego and courage, is about to go retrograde (appearing to go backwards through the zodiac). Happening only every two years and two months, we are generally used to the energy of Mars marching forward, taking on challenges and reacting as Mars tends to do; self-directed, with forward drive, taking on opponents and being generally antsy. In Leo, Mars is going retrograde 5 days before Christmas; on December 20 and will stay retrograde until March 10 2010. There's great information on Rob Tillett's site: Astrology On The Web (interestingly, some few years ago, we both used the same graphic to illustrate Mars retrograde). 

Mars retrograde in Leo is well represented in the graphics I've used in this blog; the warrior has not quite laid down his sword, but he's feeling in need of a rest, to take things a bit more slowly, to give more time and energy to recuperation, finding his center, finding his feet again - to feel potent and not impotent, useful and not worn out, attractive and not unattractive (in any sense of the word). Perhaps he needs a shower and some psychotherapy? :)

Mars is hanging out in Leo for a very long time - from mid October 2009 to the second week of June 2010. That's a lot of action going on in Leo and if you have planets in Leo, you'll be feeling it rather strongly. Also, if you have planets in Taurus, Scorpio or Aquarius, you are likely to be pushed or tested or spurred on in some way. 

Speaking of being spurred on, we all may feel under a lot of pressure with this Mars retrograde but feel that we can't really achieve much in the way of actual results. It's probably necessary to go over old ground, to sort through what's happened in the last few years, to check out where you've succeeded or pushed through opposition and where you've folded or given in. Now, it seems, we are given a second chance to sort through our objectives, aims and reasons for being. Mars is very much directed by Venus and Venus is trine (a good, free flowing aspect) Mars at the time of Mars going retrograde on Sagittarius 24: The Bluebird of Happiness at the Gate of the Cottage. This is a good thing as Venus is saying we should invite happiness (and luck) into our lives, but we may still find ourselves a bit unmoored and not sure where our next step is going to take us. This is largely because Mars, right up until the actual retrograde, is on Leo 19: A Houseboat Party Crowded With Revelers; The Water Reflects Its Lights. This is a great degree for partying, getting out with friends, being mobile, social pleasures and joining with others in an adventurous spirit. However, the downside of The Houseboat Party can be a feeling of being unmoored, cast adrift, not able to disembark, not having a solid and secure dock to land on. One can keep partying for sure, or not taking life seriously, but sooner or later one will probably hit a brick wall and find the need for getting "solid" about life; in control, in charge and in demand in areas of life that are truly meaningful instead of rather transitory.

Mars in Leo has been bringing some very interesting things to light. Many have reported extreme difficulties with relationships and partnerships. This has largely come about through Jupiter, for months, being on the degree opposite where Mars is going retrograde. Jupiter was on Aquarius 18: A Man Being Unmasked at a Masquerade in March 2009 and again in September, October and November. For many, there have been realizations about infidelity, issues of control and manipulation and other actions that have led many to mistrusting others. There seems to have been a huge spike in things such as Narcissistic Personality Disorders and other psychological issues as Jupiter dredged these things up for people to see (The Man Unmasked at a Masquerade). Again, for many, this has led to people looking at their own behavior in relationships; sorting through what has allowed this kind of thing to show up in their lives. Co-dependent relationships seem to have been more and more in evidence, especially with Uranus on Virgo 24: Mary and Her White Lamb for some months through 2009 (this Symbol speaks about co-dependence, but with Uranus there, issues have been erupting to the surface about it). We are being asked the questions: are we being truly authentic? are those around us being that way? what are our objectives in relationships? are we controlling, pushy, assertive or indifferent, lazy and expecting others to do everything?

Mars, on December 11, moves onto the degree that it goes retrograde on on December 20. The Sabian Symbol is Leo 20: American Indians Perform a Ritual to the Sun. This is a wonderful degree for restoring spirit, rituals and worship, the desire to return to nature, shining through one's life (not necessarily through social credentials), sweat lodges, drum beating, celebrating a unique social heritage, participation with nature's cycles, eclipses, smudging, fire, passion, spontaneity, vision quests, fasting, courage, conquering bad habits and attitudes, the truth of conviction, prayer, baptisms of fire. It can also point to the hypocrisy of religions that exclude a sense of personal direction and responsibility, especially at Christmas.

Mars sits on this degree until the end of December, when, on New Year's Eve, it moves back onto the Houseboat Party. This is great for New Year's celebrations, but it suggests that for us in this new year, we have to find a place to be, to settle, to be most effective, to feel moored, safe, loved, held, respected. Are you dealing with places, jobs and people who are merely transitory or don't have your best interests in their hearts? Do you have your own best interests in your heart?

Mars in Leo wants us to be self directed, focused, enthusiastic and forward thinking. It wants us to have healthy egos, not squashed, not inflated, not retarding, not self negating. Working on seeing our patterns is a great way to celebrate the end of 2009 and move forward in a healthier, freer and more authentic manner!