Eros transits to planets and other asteroids

Eros conjunct Pholus

Eros conjunct Pholus at 06 Sagittarius on the 23th of January.

After them came also the gentle tribe of twiform Kentauroi. Beside Pholos in horse’s form was Kheiron, himself of that strange nature, untamed, with mouth unbridled. - Nonnus, Dionysiaca 14.49

Asteroid 5145 Pholus is classed, along with Chiron and five other bodies, as a 'Centaur' , a planetoid with characteristics of both asteroids and comets. Pholus has an extremely elliptical orbit traveling from inside Jupiter's sphere to outside that of Neptune. Because of this, he spends less than a year in some signs and more that 20 years in others. A complete revolution of the sun takes 92 years.

With a mythology closely linked to Chiron, Pholus was famed for his wisdom as healer and diviner, well educated and versed in healing, music, art and the growing of the vine. This was rare for centaurs who where, aside for Chiron and Pholus, barbaric, violent and given to excessive drink. These base and wild centaurs were the product of Ixion who, after burning his future father-in-law during an argument, tried to seduce the queen of the gods, Hera. Zeus was offended, at the least, and made a cloud in the image of Hera to see how far Ixion would go--which turned out to be all the way! A monster was born of the union- named Centaurus- who mated with the mares of Pelion and fathered the race of Centaurs.

Pholus, however, appears to be the son of Silenus, a satyr, and a nymph. This would make him a grandson of Pan (father of Silenus) and perhaps account for his musical abilities and insights.

Because of his wisdom, Pholus was asked to settle a dispute between Dionysus and Hephaestus when they both wanted Naxos to be their sacred place. Pholus chose in favor of Dionysus and the god gave him, in appreciation, a jar of wine. A bit like Pandora, he was instructed not to open the jar (in some versions because 'it belonged to all the Centaurs' --in other version it was not to be opened until Hercules arrived.) Eventually, Hercules came, Pholus opened the wine and the other centaurs attacked, driven mad by the wine's aroma. A battle ensued where Hercules and Pholus were driven out of the cave. Most of the centaurs were either killed or driven away, (apparently this is were Chiron also got his wound). Pholus was shocked at the devastation and examined one of the arrows that was dipped in the blood of the hydra and it slipped from his hand, hit his foot and killed him instantly. (Unlike Chiron, he was not the son of Saturn and only mortal, so instead of an in-curable wound, (curable from within) he died. Pholus then is not linked to the 'wounded healer archetype' or suffering.He may be more about 'release'!

Pholus will move from Scorpio to Sagittarius during 2005, and release held emotion into the process of discovering meaning in our experience. -Melanie Reinhart

The astrological Pholus, not unlike his death in this myth, is linked to 'sudden release'. Melanie Reinhart points out that the midpoint of the orbit of Pholus is very near Uranus and that may symbolize the energy of 'sudden release, the breaking of a stuck pattern."

According to first astrological observations, Pholus gives unusual ability in a particular area, or unexpected results, due to a gift for experiment. Pholus' transits over the main axes of a chart, often mark radical and unexpected change, hinted at by his sudden and unexpected death in the myth. -Chiron, Pholus and Co.

When Eros and Pholus conjunct, that sudden and unexpected event, inner or outer, may 'lift the lid' in the realm of the erotic. If energy has be stagnant, pinched off, and unexpressed, a new rush of wisdom, understanding and inspiration may be felt. Relationships may light up, begin (or end suddenly) and creative projects can be born anew. Those with personal planets or points in orb of 6 degrees of Sagittarius may feel this most acutely, gaining an awareness of where, in the past, something was 'sealed up' that now can flow free. In this way, Pholus and Eros may coincide with a charios, the 'right time' for inspired change.

Please feel free to share your view about this conjunction on the forum.

Eros & Adonis

"To Adonis ... Rejoicing in the chase, all-graceful power, sweet plant of Aphrodite, Eros’ (Love’s) delightful flower: descended from the secret bed divine of fair-haired Persephone, ‘tis thine to sink in Tartaros profound, and shine again through heavens illustrious round; come, timely power, with providential care, and to thy mystics earth’s productions bear." - Orphic Hymn 56 to Adonis

Eros conjunct Adonis at 10 Sagittarius on the 29th of January.

Adonis' mythology tells a tale of boundaries, made and broken and the rejection of the sacred feminine, both mortal and deathless.  

It begins w hen young Smyrna failed to honor Aphrodite (failed to recognize the sacred feminine in herself). Aphrodite punished her with a curse. She bestowed on her an overwhelming sexual passion for her own father, King Cinyras.  Frantic with desire, Smyrna tricked him into sharing his bed for 12 nights running, but when Cinyras discovered he identity, (it took 12 days!) he was outraged. He hunted Smyrna down with a sword and just as he was about to strike, she prayed to the gods for help. They responded by turning her into a Myrrh tree. Cinyras committed suicide.

Nine months later, Adonis was born.

The infant ended up in the arms of Aphrodite (who of course started the whole escapade) but as she was playing with the babe and her young son Eros, she accidentally pricked herself with one of his arrows and fell mad for Adonis. She secreted baby Adonis away in a chest, wanting him only for herself, and left him with Persephone. (presumably until he grew up). But when Persephone looked at Adonis, she was so taken by his beauty she refused to give him back when the time came.
Things got heated and Zeus had to settle the matter by dividing the year into three parts saying Adonis was to spend one third of the year by himself, one third with Persephone, and the rest with Aphrodite. But Adonis never spent any time on his own. When it was ‘his third’, he chose, much to her delight, Aphrodite.

Artemis, perhaps angry (because those who saw Aphrodite hunting with Adonis and making love to him in her woods mistook the goddess of love for her) or perhaps aligning more with Persephone who wanted the youth back, sent a boar to attack Adonis and kill him. Wracked with grief when she found him dead, Aphrodite mixed his blood with ambrosia and up sprang a beautiful, blood red, flower-the anemone-whose delicate petals last only a short while. Curiously note that the boar is Aphrodite's animal.

The beautiful Beroe, some versions say, is the daughter of Adonis & Aphrodite and that the city of Beyrut in the country today called Lebanon was named after her. When a child is born of a coupling in mythology, it is a symbol of the creativity born out of the union. In this case, the creativity has to do with love, desire and devotion.

The transit of Eros and Adonis to the natal chart suggests a time of charismatic allure, one that is infused with a kind of fascination and inspiration. Here the call of Eros is answered by beauty and the connection can link to having an 'Adonis effect' on others that transcends boundaries and breaks all laws but that of attraction.

Please feel free to share your views about this aspect on the forum.

Eros & Jupiter

At lover’s perjuries,
They say Jove laughs.
--William Shakespeare

Eros conjunct Jupiter at 14 Sagittarius on the 14th of February.

When the king of the gods gets a wink from Eros, he’s probably not going to want to sit at home alone. Adventure, exploration and the pursuit of sexual encounters could be high on the list of royal priorities.

Traditionally, Jupiter/Zeus is the archetype of creativity, vision and enthusiastic expansion.  Jupiter reaches goals by eagerly flashing his robust and confident power about, often going overboard in the process.  Jupiter finds meaning and purpose in the otherwise mundane, creating myth out of daily routine.  He is a fair distance from the Sun, from the authentic identity, seeking greater significance and influence in the outer world with the benefit of a distant perspective.

Even though he was the king of the gods, there were two areas where the power of Zeus had no sway. One concerned the fates as, like all the gods and mortals, he was subject to.  The other was Eros.  It is not clear how many of Zeus’s affairs were at the instigation of Eros’s darts.  Zeus probably needed little encouragement, and in fact he was constantly goaded by the restrictions and admonishments of his wife Hera.  The significant point is, even the master of Mt. Olympus could not prevail over a dart from Love.  Zeus plaintively chides Eros:

“O my well beloved son, although thou haste not given due reverence and honor unto me as thou oughtest to do, but haste rather spoiled and wounded this my breast (whereby the laws and order of the Elements and Planets be disposed) with continual assaults, …transforming my divine beauty into serpents, fire, savage beasts, birds, and bulls.. Howbeit… I will do and accomplish all thy desire. - Lucius Apuleius

This transit can coincide with chance rendezvous that lead to opportunities for romantic, creative and enterprising pursuits. Because Eros awakens the enthusiasm and eagerness of the individual, they often present themselves in a way that gets a yes. These two deities believe in themselves and what they have to offer. If they touch off a personal planet of point in the natal or progressed chart, they make it easy for the native to convince anyone of anything.

This transit can also synchronize with formal agreements such as new contracts for partnership, book and CD launches, art exhibitions, celebrations and sometimes weddings. It may be considered in an electional or horary chart as positive for these kinds of activities.

Please feel free to share your view about this opposition on the forum.

Eros & Lilith

Come to me at the Dark Moon and see that which can not be seen,
face the terror that is yours alone.
Swim to me through the blackest oceans
to the center of your greatest fears --
the Dark God and I will keep you safe.
Scream to us in terror, and yours will be the Power to Forbear.
Think of me when you feel pleasure, and I will intensify it,
until the time when I may have the greatest pleasure
of meeting you at the Crossroads Between the Worlds.-Lynne O'connor

Eros conjunct Lilith at 28 Degrees of Sagittarius on the 26-27 of February.

Realize first that there are 3 astrological Liliths. Here, we are discussing asteroid 1181 Lilith, though it may help to point out that there is a “Dark Moon Lilith”—a possible second moon of the earth orbiting 3 times further away, and also a “Black Moon Lilith” which is an energy “vortex” linked to the focal point in our Moon’s orbit around the earth. I suspect there is an overlap of meaning amongst these 3 Liliths’, though for this specific contact, the focus will be limited to asteroid 1181.

The meaning of Lilith is dark, mysterious and complex, like the mythic figure herself. Once the handmaiden of Inanna, Sumerian goddess of love, she represented sexual initiation and transformation through divine union. In her feminine, potent sexuality and autonomy, Lilith was venerated. Then, she fell.

She fell, as matriarchy crumbled, and the animus driven society crushed her under iron shod feet, vanquishing what was left of her tormented soul to the wastelands. Basically, our Lilith, our potent sense of feminine powers, dark, magic and sexual in nature with the capacity to bring us to spiritual illumination, where repressed, loathed and relegated to the unconscious.

Like all rejections, this assignment to the unconscious of such powerful material has bred anger, frustration, hatred resentment and bitter contempt. There is something deeply magical about Lilith, and also something venomous and devouring. She isn't initially too happy, and like any repressed material, it's the first thing we are going to project if someone comes along and wakes her up.

Lilith has something to do with our shadow, the unknown and often loathed aspects of our nature that pops up in life as the despised other. In this sense, there can be extreme emotional reactions associated with this asteroid, and Lilith may express as outraged feminine nature, repressed sexuality, emotional manipulation, and acidic rejection. She may also be a powerful ally, a potent source of strength in the search for wholeness.

Like all inner figures, deities shoved into the bowels of darkness, Lilith seeks acknowledgement. She seeks to live our through the house, sign and aspects of the natal chart where she is placed and also where she is by transit. When she emerges, it may be quite intense, and with an aspect to Eros it is in the throws of love, creativity and passion that the intensity resides.

When Eros and Lilith dance unencumbered by conditioning, cultural norms, and biases, the erotic transformation deepens along with a raw and intuitive spiritual potency. That's when they are unencumbered--meaning one is completely comfortable with their darker nature and authentic sexuality, their capacity for intimacy and their desire to melt into the fires of transformation--total risk, and no questions asked.

Of course, not everyone is "there' yet and this aspect can be like opening a can of worms that literally fly, not crawl, out of the unconscious. What awakens seeks expression and finding creative ways for Eros and Lilith to team up can be challenging

Locked in the unconscious, Lilith is alone. She has no mate to explore her sexuality with, no sisters to practice her ritual magic with and no creative offspring to cherish. Not surprisingly, she can present at first with bitterness. Where Lilith resides astrologically is where we are seeking to reinstate the compelling, mystical, steamy, sexual and self-determining qualities of our nature in the ways suggested by her sign. A continually repressed Lilith, naturally, would display some of the more degraded behaviors associated with that sign, activated by transit or synastry, or even by us engaging in affairs of the house in which she is found.

There is no superficial way to get to know Lilith through the experience of the erotic. There is always a risk with Eros and if this transit falls on a personal planet of point, meeting Lilith is one of them. Relationships that provoke her and Eros, although excruciatingly potent at times, can serve as a meeting place for both divine figures. Once awakened, no mater how untamed, we have the opportunity to integrate, redeem and restore Eros and Lilith to a place of honor. At the end of the day, that is all these gods and goddesses really ask for.

Please feel free to share your view about this conjunction on the forum.

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Eros & Pluto

Let us hob and nob with death.
--Lord Alfred Tennyson

Eros conjunct Pluto at 28 Degrees of Sagittarius on the 26-27 of February.

Eros transits to Pluto awaken a deep and primordial desire to transform. Often what Pluto wants to transform, however, is power and control out of the hands of others and into its own. This is achieved in a variety of ways and styles although every one of them will have a bass note of intensity and passion.

If Eros and pluto succeed in arousing a personal planet or point, the desire for deep and intimate relationship will assert itself in a craving so single minded and contained as to be virtually unstoppable. If it happens in a partnership or a love affair, the journey will go deep into the well of souls. If the transit concurs with other like significators, it can mark the beginnings of a new relationship whose only rule is 'resistance is futile'. Needless to say, this kind of union may have an element of obsession about it.

One of the sharpest desires of Pluto is to concentrate and exchange energy so if intensity is not felt in an intimate love union or creative involvement, it can reform as engagement in power struggles, fights and arguments. All these forms of interaction are intense and valid in the sense that they deal with issues of intimacy and power although the later can seem less creative.

Eros and Pluto have similar desires in the sexual arena and if an intimate relationship forms during one of these transits, it may be difficult to avoid going to the depths. (Why would one want to? is a good question to ponder.) This creates challenges only when one or the other of the couple is unavailable or being together in that way is considered taboo. Unfortunately, taboos make both Eros and Pluto all the more intrigued.

Regardless of how this transit acts out, material from the unconscious will come bubbling up in the form of potent desires that may be quite foreign to the sense of conscious awareness. If this transit is experienced through the context of an intimate relationship or union, the road may be treacherous though it be paved with gold. How ever we experiences it, tremendous energy may potentially be at our finger tips.

Note the last two conjunctions of Eros and Pluto were on the 20th of November, 2003 @ 18 Sag and then on the 16th of October, 2005 @ 22 Sag.

Please feel free to share your views about this conjunction on the forum.

From Swiss Ephemeris
Positions of Eros

Date                Long       Decl  
-------------------------------------
14 Jan 2007       0 sa  3      -28°30
15 Jan 2007       0 sa 47      -28°43
16 Jan 2007       1 sa 30      -28°55
17 Jan 2007       2 sa 13      -29° 7
18 Jan 2007       2 sa 56      -29°19
19 Jan 2007       3 sa 39      -29°31
20 Jan 2007       4 sa 22      -29°42
21 Jan 2007       5 sa  4      -29°53
22 Jan 2007       5 sa 46      -30° 4
23 Jan 2007       6 sa 28      -30°14
24 Jan 2007       7 sa 10      -30°25
25 Jan 2007       7 sa 52      -30°35
26 Jan 2007       8 sa 34      -30°44
27 Jan 2007       9 sa 15      -30°54
28 Jan 2007       9 sa 56      -31° 3
29 Jan 2007      10 sa 37      -31°12
30 Jan 2007      11 sa 18      -31°20
31 Jan 2007      11 sa 58      -31°29
01 Feb 2007      12 sa 39      -31°37
02 Feb 2007      13 sa 19      -31°45
03 Feb 2007      13 sa 59      -31°52
04 Feb 2007      14 sa 39      -32° 0
05 Feb 2007      15 sa 18      -32° 7
06 Feb 2007      15 sa 58      -32°14
07 Feb 2007      16 sa 37      -32°20
08 Feb 2007      17 sa 16      -32°27
09 Feb 2007      17 sa 55      -32°33
10 Feb 2007      18 sa 33      -32°39
11 Feb 2007      19 sa 12      -32°44
12 Feb 2007      19 sa 50      -32°50
13 Feb 2007      20 sa 28      -32°55
14 Feb 2007      21 sa  6      -33° 0
15 Feb 2007      21 sa 44      -33° 5
16 Feb 2007      22 sa 21      -33° 9
17 Feb 2007      22 sa 58      -33°14
18 Feb 2007      23 sa 35      -33°18
19 Feb 2007      24 sa 12      -33°21
20 Feb 2007      24 sa 48      -33°25
21 Feb 2007      25 sa 25      -33°29
22 Feb 2007      26 sa  1      -33°32
23 Feb 2007      26 sa 37      -33°35
24 Feb 2007      27 sa 12      -33°38
25 Feb 2007      27 sa 48      -33°40
26 Feb 2007      28 sa 23      -33°43
27 Feb 2007      28 sa 58      -33°45
28 Feb 2007      29 sa 33      -33°47
01 Mar 2007       0 cp  7      -33°49