February 21/22: Neptune and Ceres conjunct the North America Nebula expose serious damage to nature, inviting us to transform the patterns of abuse into an ecological awareness

  
     Every 5 years or so, Neptune and Ceres renew their synodic cycle, which means that they are in ecliptic conjunction, with their relative positions in the same degree of the tropical zodiac. This is a significant event astrologically, not only because it is rare, but because the archetypal connection of both celestial bodies involved is particularly intense.


A myth rooted in abuse

     Mythology brings us the story of Demeter and Poseidon, the Greek gods who are the equivalent of Ceres and Neptune in Rome. After experiencing the abduction of her daughter Persephone, Demeter began a painstaking search to locate her. Amid this, Poseidon courts and is rejected by Demeter, who, to escape the sea god's siege, transforms into a mare. But Poseidon discovers her, tranforming into a horse, and finally rapes her. From that moment on, the goddess of nature manifests as "Demeter the Fury", outraged by such an event.

     That's how the myth's story goes. In fact, as mentioned by the writer and myth expert Robert Graves in his book The Greek Myths, Volume 1, it seems to describe a Helenic invasion of Arcadia in Greece, in the times in which Greek culture was experiencing a slow and painful transition from a matriarchal to a patriarchal system. The Hellenic leaders, worshipers of Poseidon, took over the temples of Demeter in the area, where she was worshiped as a horse-head goddess. The title "Demeter the Fury" certainly refers to the feeling of outrage among locals, who were forced to change their worship and customs. Although this event took place thousands of years ago, the Greek culture remains an important source of our civilization, and such traumatic events are still fresh in the collective unconscious, since its consequences have not been modified, but rather recycled over the centuries under different scenarios.

     In short, the reference to the Demeter / Poseidon combination points to the use of force, abuse and resentment. Although it's not the only mythological reference to such savage customs, nor the only possible manifestation of the archetypal relationship, it confronts us with the destructive impulses of human beings and their consequences. Thus, when Ceres and Neptune (the celestial bodies) are in conjunction, starting a new cycle, they emphasizie a new opportunity, either to repeat the same patterns of power and abuse that have been going on for centuries, or to take a new direction.


Damage to nature and environmental awareness

     The issues raised in this regard are definitely related to the crisis of our civilization and its sick relationship with nature. Ceres represents the biosphere, while Neptune is associated with all that is artificial. Therefore, the combination of both celestial bodies shows the critical condition in which global pollution and destruction of ecosystems is nowadays, including the reaction of outrage from those who have an ecological consciousness.

    The pattern is the same as  it was four thousand years ago. The difference is that now our planet is full of garbage, and humans have triggered a mass extinction.

     The conjunction of Neptune and Ceres happens in the same degree of the zodiac in which we find the North America Nebula, an emission nebula in the northern constellation Cygnus, the Swan. This nebula is so named because its shape suggests the outline of North America, with its "Gulf of Mexico" and "Florida." The main characteristic of this nebula is that it's very bright, contrasting sharply with other regions of ionized gas and dust clouds around. Therefore, it represents exposure, visibility. Any factor associated with this nebula gets highlighted, exposed, as if it was at the very center of a stage, with spotlights on.  And, in astrological terms, light means awareness.

     Therefore, this astrological combination implies an increase in environmental awareness: it will be impossible to ignore the destruction around us. And although there have always been such events in human history, any abuses taking place around the start of this new cycle Ceres / Neptune, a few weeks before or after, will acquire a particularly intense hue. As an example, the case of the baby dolphin that was taken from the sea in Argentina and killed by a crowd that wanted to take selfies with him,  is very significant in this respect. And there are many more, and will be for sure other cases like this, we will know about them in the news of the coming weeks!


Demeter the Fury

     However, the crucial thing here is our reaction to these incidents, and how we modify our behavior in this regard. As the conjunction occurs in the zodiacal sign of Pisces, a Neptunian territory, we can see this conjunction as the indicator of a strong crisis, where the damage caused by pollution, abuse, intolerance and unconsciousness is emphasized. We will see parading before our eyes extreme news about humanitarian disasters: refugees being abused, nature being destroyed, social injustice, deteriorating economies, extreme pollution, death of innocent animals and ignorance gaining strength.

    Perhaps humans have to reach these extremes in order to react.  "Demeter´s fury" will certainly be expressed through public outrage about disastrous events, but we are approaching a point at which this reaction should go beyond a simple demonstration. Action is needed, both collectively and individually, to stop destruction. To stay passively watching the world being destroyed is equivalent to actively participate in this process. The fury of the goddess can and must be transformed into action, questioning, changing attitudes, not only at a social level, but within each individual.


North America Nebula: a symbol of destructive capitalism

    What can be done? We can change our habits, try to be properly informed on how to live without polluting. We can become aware of how our consumption habits support this destructive machinery, we can endorse movements that hinder the greed of companies that promote indiscriminate profit ... Maybe these destructive corporations are also  symbolized by the North America Nebula, considering that most of the concentration of capital that produces this damage is precisely in this region of the Earth.

      The North America Nebula can also symbolize, in its most negative manifestation, the voracity of the capitalist machinery that destroys anything in order to have gains. Ultimately, the most destructive factor in the Neptunian scheme is ignorance:  the veil that we have before our eyes and that alienates our mind through distractions that keep us from seeing reality. But once a person wakes up, there is no way back.

   Whether we support nature, or are against it, there are no midpoints. Wherever we live on Earth, and whatever our decision, our attitude will be highlighted and obvious. Every individual on this small planet has a responsibility about it. This is the scheme that will predominate in the five years to come, until the next conjunction Neptune / Ceres in 2021. Will we arrive to that date even more damaged and polluted, or during these next five years we will be able to make the necessary shift to save us from drowning in a sea of garbage and destruction?

    The answer is in our hands.

Carlos Duarte
Research Astrologer

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