It happens with any great, creative art. Religious mythology is there for me to find myself. It really doesn't matter what the artist intends. What matters is what the art reveals to me about myself and where it takes me. (~doppleganger)
What art reveals about "myself" it reveals about all humanity, for what springs forth from the unknowable "self" is a part of all humanity. This is what the artist "intends" if he truly is an artist; there can be no mistaking it --the take that identifies humanity will always be correct simply because in it we recognize ourselves.
The Zodiac of astrology symbolizes the human condition divided into twelve aspects expressed in metaphor. These metaphors are applicable to the planets and points of astrology, and do not describe any particular individual except in that they describe all of humanity.
Or, to put it another way, "Man, in his archetypal forms (the signs), goes out into life and experiences the various circumstances of [each sign]. What he learns about life, the inventions he creates, the level of spiritual enlightenment he achieves, the passions he awakes, etc., all pass on to the ocean of life which the whole human race derives its motivating force. Each human being draws strength and the potential for understanding life from this great ocean, and thus we are all one."
The excerpts in this article are from Alan Oken's Complete Astrology, with elaborations and commentary by myself.
Aries - I Seek My Self
The glyph for Aries is the horns of the ram, and also resembles the eyebrows and nose, which are expressive of the human face. Aries is me putting myself into relationship with others in the world around me. "Aries ...symbolizes the realization within oneself that one is different and apart from the rest of humanity. It is therefore the individualizing agent, the ego, the consciousness of self. Aries is the beginning, that first emanation of self-awareness coming from the realm of the collective unconscious (as embodied by Pisces, the last of the signs)."
Aries rules* the head and all associated organs therein, most especially the eyes which express the soul (of all the body parts, the eyes are most capable of non-verbal communication). Aries is in turn ruled by the planet Mars: action, self-assertion. As a metaphor of self, the Ram represents that self-assertion contained in the action of ramming horns during the rutting season --Aries describes the individual "aware of him- or herself as a human entity surging through life." Included in the metaphor is a head-strong drive (or dive) into challenging circumstance with a "look before you leap" attitude of recklessness, and a thoughtlessness or inconsideration towards the outcome.
One of the best analogies I have heard used of the Zodiac compares each sign to a stage in a "cycle" from birth to death --in that case, Aries is Man as the inquisitive child, assured in the actions he takes by ignorance of consequence, and therefore innocent of any guilt. "He seems to judge all of existence by the extent of his own consciousness: the more limited his natural awareness, the more limited his world." For all he asserts himself, Aries lacks knowledge of himself, and so every action is a test of the world around him to see what he can discover about himself.
*Rulership is the association of one symbol with another in a set related by similar meaning but with differing contexts.
Taurus - I Seek My Self Through What I Have
The glyph of Taurus is the head and horns of the bull, although its rulership is over the neck and shoulders, the strong foundation upon which the massive head rests. Taurus is one of two signs ruled by the planet Venus, representing the relationship woven between the self and others in deed.
Taurus is Man as a collector of possessions: through the things he owns he defines his identity. The premier possessions of any self are its mind and body, through which self interacts with the world. Armed with these, the individual defines things that are "mine" as opposed to "yours," and in defining these Taurus reveals itself as sensitive to needs, both its own and those of others. Knowledge gained of oneself is a possession, too: Taurus takes what Aries has learned of itself and cultivates it, like fruits ripening in the garden, "so that the practical necessities of life are fulfillled." For Taurus, the things used to identify self are useful and have purpose.
Taurus are individuals "conservative and careful in how they express themselves, for they must give form to the impulse of life that Aries has passed on to them," preferring to let actions speak louder than words. Taurus learns from experience to correct mistakes and mend bridges. That said, Taurus is the metaphorical youngster in the life-cycle of Man, finding expression in the clutter that makes his house a home.
What art reveals about "myself" it reveals about all humanity, for what springs forth from the unknowable "self" is a part of all humanity. This is what the artist "intends" if he truly is an artist; there can be no mistaking it --the take that identifies humanity will always be correct simply because in it we recognize ourselves.
The Zodiac of astrology symbolizes the human condition divided into twelve aspects expressed in metaphor. These metaphors are applicable to the planets and points of astrology, and do not describe any particular individual except in that they describe all of humanity.
Or, to put it another way, "Man, in his archetypal forms (the signs), goes out into life and experiences the various circumstances of [each sign]. What he learns about life, the inventions he creates, the level of spiritual enlightenment he achieves, the passions he awakes, etc., all pass on to the ocean of life which the whole human race derives its motivating force. Each human being draws strength and the potential for understanding life from this great ocean, and thus we are all one."
The excerpts in this article are from Alan Oken's Complete Astrology, with elaborations and commentary by myself.
The glyph for Aries is the horns of the ram, and also resembles the eyebrows and nose, which are expressive of the human face. Aries is me putting myself into relationship with others in the world around me. "Aries ...symbolizes the realization within oneself that one is different and apart from the rest of humanity. It is therefore the individualizing agent, the ego, the consciousness of self. Aries is the beginning, that first emanation of self-awareness coming from the realm of the collective unconscious (as embodied by Pisces, the last of the signs)."
Aries rules* the head and all associated organs therein, most especially the eyes which express the soul (of all the body parts, the eyes are most capable of non-verbal communication). Aries is in turn ruled by the planet Mars: action, self-assertion. As a metaphor of self, the Ram represents that self-assertion contained in the action of ramming horns during the rutting season --Aries describes the individual "aware of him- or herself as a human entity surging through life." Included in the metaphor is a head-strong drive (or dive) into challenging circumstance with a "look before you leap" attitude of recklessness, and a thoughtlessness or inconsideration towards the outcome.
One of the best analogies I have heard used of the Zodiac compares each sign to a stage in a "cycle" from birth to death --in that case, Aries is Man as the inquisitive child, assured in the actions he takes by ignorance of consequence, and therefore innocent of any guilt. "He seems to judge all of existence by the extent of his own consciousness: the more limited his natural awareness, the more limited his world." For all he asserts himself, Aries lacks knowledge of himself, and so every action is a test of the world around him to see what he can discover about himself.
*Rulership is the association of one symbol with another in a set related by similar meaning but with differing contexts.
The glyph of Taurus is the head and horns of the bull, although its rulership is over the neck and shoulders, the strong foundation upon which the massive head rests. Taurus is one of two signs ruled by the planet Venus, representing the relationship woven between the self and others in deed.
Taurus is Man as a collector of possessions: through the things he owns he defines his identity. The premier possessions of any self are its mind and body, through which self interacts with the world. Armed with these, the individual defines things that are "mine" as opposed to "yours," and in defining these Taurus reveals itself as sensitive to needs, both its own and those of others. Knowledge gained of oneself is a possession, too: Taurus takes what Aries has learned of itself and cultivates it, like fruits ripening in the garden, "so that the practical necessities of life are fulfillled." For Taurus, the things used to identify self are useful and have purpose.
Taurus are individuals "conservative and careful in how they express themselves, for they must give form to the impulse of life that Aries has passed on to them," preferring to let actions speak louder than words. Taurus learns from experience to correct mistakes and mend bridges. That said, Taurus is the metaphorical youngster in the life-cycle of Man, finding expression in the clutter that makes his house a home.