Radical Reposts: The Planets – Mars

The Radical Virgo has only published a few articles on Mars. During these reposts by topic, I was surprised to discover that there were so few Martian posts.  I hadn’t considered a hidden benefit of this repost exercise. If I get back to doing new articles on a regular basis in 2016 and beyond, the repost-by-topic process is pointing out which planet, signs or subjects could use more coverage.

The small showing on Mars especially surprised me because I have Jupiter trine Mars! I overdo Mars all the time: go, go, go and do, do, do. Maybe I was too busy going and doing to write much about a planet that’s in hyper-drive in my own life. In any case, enjoy your trip to the planet that has fascinated earthlings for so long. I have always wondered why humanity’s first concept of ETs formulated in the collective consciousness as “men from Mars.” Why not women from the Moon or androgynous creatures from Mercury?

And then, I can’t resist a reminder of the important role Mars has played in validating astrology. In a nutshell, Michel Gauquelin’s research showed athletes have an angular Mars, usually near the Ascendant or Midheaven. It’s know as “the Mars effect.”

What effect does Mars have on you?

Exploring Mars

Planetary Fishing: Mars (29-May-13)

Mars is more than the God of War. This planet’s realms are energy, impulse, fire, drive, masculinity and sexuality. Also attributed to Mars are desire, courage, aggression, impatience and ego. Mars is an initiator, leader, innovator, athlete and extrovert. The planet Mars has the distinction of ruling the first sign of the zodiac, Aries.

Mars Retrograde

Mars won’t be retrograde again until April 17, 2016. Tickle your calendar to review these tips the month beforehand! Meanwhile, there’s a lot to learn about a planet from its retrograde cycle.

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mars Retrograde (23-Jan-12)

Explore how giving Mars a rest can be rewarding. Hot tips for making the most of this cycle and how the reviews and rests you do will benefit all the days ahead when Mars is direct. (You can do these things anytime. They’re just more on beat with the cosmos during Mars Retro.)

 Retrograde Wisdom: Waiting is Fullness (29-Mar-12)

Both Mars and Mercury Retro can be trying for people who have issues with patience. That’s most of us, at least some of the time. What is the wisdom and magic in waiting?

  ~~~

Photo Credit: © Al - Fotolia.com

Radical Recommendation

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Name Your Poison: Hydra in the Chiron Myth

Article © 2015 by Joyce Mason

According to WiseGEEK, the Hydra or Lernaean Hydra was a many headed monster in Greek mythology. Hydra terrorized visitors near the Lake of Lerna in classic Greece. This region of springs and a former lake was located near the east cost of the Peloponnesus, and its site became the famous lair of the horrendous water snake. It was an arrow dipped with her poison blood that led to Chiron’s incurable wound. Everything in a mythical story is symbolic, and I had a light bulb moment about Hydra’s meaning that made me want to explore her further and share it with you.

Hydra was the epitome of the word diehard. Killing her was beyond challenging. Two heads grew back whenever one was cut off. Hercules, Chiron’s dearest student, got the idea of cauterizing the neck before new heads would have a chance to sprout. He ultimately defeated the monster as part of his tasks known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules.

The Hydra myth is as diehard as she was, and “hydra” is sometimes used to describe a challenge that gets bigger and harder to handle, no matter how hard someone tries to “behead” it. The monster is often described as a bouncer, of sorts, at the entrance to the underworld—very Plutonian. Hydra has been described as having anywhere from five to many heads, though nine is the most repeated number. According to Greek Mythology Wiki, it is generally said that eight of her heads were mortal and one immortal—the immortal head being the only one which could not be harmed by a weapon. She had poisonous breath and blood which compounded her treachery.

If myths express psychological patterns and are culturally ingrained teaching tools, why did the poison that couldn’t quite kill Chiron come from this strange beast?

Playing the Symbols

First, the Hydra is a water creature. She epitomizes feelings out of control. What we think about something determines how we feel about it. This was one pissed-off lady. If she had a shoulder, she’d have a chip on it. (Make that chips.) Feelings become poisonous when we don’t use our heads to control our impulses. The control of impulses what was the wise centaur Chiron was all about, because we have the wild centaurs as examples of what happens when half-men or humans don’t.

But, second, Hydra had way too many heads. And if she was fomenting things in all those “minds” that led to her extreme toxicity, she is an icon for “thoughts are things” at its worst.

Many of us are only too familiar with the poison of endless, negative thought loops. When we are wrong-headed, we can try to cut off our thoughts, but it seems that ten more heads full of monkey mind crop up to replace the original toxic mantra until we chop off and cauterize our own poisonous thinking.

Lastly, Hercules thought he had killed this beast, but he did not really let her go. He carried her with him. He harvested her poison for his own purposes, which backfired terribly in the arrow that went astray, wounding his beloved mentor Chiron. How many of us take the poison of past relationships and battles with us? I don’t think there’s a partner alive who hasn’t found him- or herself projecting onto their current mate the toxins of battles fought with people from the past. This is a cautionary tale about letting go completely.

In the end, we are wounded by rage and pain we don’t let go and often, inadvertently, by those who love us the most. Hydra seems hyperbolic as a choice of the poison that caused Chiron so much pain, but as we see in patterns of abuse of all kinds; the abuse lives on until someone cuts off and cauterizes all those heads and leaves the poison behind. Many innocents suffer the consequences until that happens.

These are my thoughts, so far, on Hydra and her part in the Chiron myth. I’d love to hear yours.

~~~

Photo Credit: Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons, Hercules – 1921 by John Singer Sargent

Chyron: A Homonym for Chiron

Article © 2015 by Joyce Mason

When I announced this year of Radical Reposts, I said I’d pop in now ‘n’ then to share tidbits or poems, especially when I can’t resist commenting on something. I had an insight that popped my eyes open wider about the word chyron. It’s pronounced the same way as Chiron, the centaur planet.

I first encountered chyron a couple of years ago. You see it nearly every day, but many people don’t know what it’s called:

chyron

From Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. Graphics or words at the bottom of a TV screen usually unrelated to the current viewing content.

The chyron usually contains a moving band with news flashes—often the stock market fluctuations or headlines. You see a big chyron on New Year's Eve if you watch the ball come down in Times Square. According to the official Times Square website, "The 3,685-square foot electronic icon in Times Square is known to millions worldwide for its signature wavy LED ribbons and eye-catching curved ticker ..." The ticker ribbons make up the chyron.

I heard the character Mac talk about the chyron in one of the final episodes of  my favorite TV program, The Newsroom.  She made me aware of the word again, and here’s my insight. The chyron on your TV screen gives you information flashes on the bottom of your screen—therefore at the bottom of your visual attention or awareness. Chiron the planet does the same. It gives information from the bottom of your awareness—often your unawareness—of things that you need to know to complete your quest toward wholeness. It helps you get to the bottom of what issues need healing to move on. Sometimes the information it shares seems unrelated to what's currently going on, but it's your unconsciousness of these matters that's the trouble. Chiron—like the chyron—helps you tune into the news you need to get the full picture.

I have no idea how the chyron got its name. (If anyone knows, please share). But I have to love how language is instilled with subtle meanings and astrological references.

What are you starting to discover about your Chiron that could go on your chyron? In the TV show of your life?

 ~~~

Photo: Watching CNN on 19-Jan-15. CNN makes more liberal use of the chyron than most networks.

Radical Reposts: The Planets – Venus

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I just had to come back to the Radical Reposts for some Venussy inspiration. Being a Venus Girl myself, there have been plenty of posts on the topic of the love-and-relationship planet. Enjoy, re-enjoy—or simply bask in some virtual hearts and flowers of the season.

We’ll be back with more on Chiron next week …

Exploring Venus

Plantary Fishing: Venus  (09-May-13)

Now's the time to fish for beauty. We'll be exploring Venus, the planet of relating, everything lovely and the craving for peace and justice.

Where Does Your Love Live? (10-Feb-2010)

Valentine's month is the perfect time to think about where your love lives. Your Venus sign is your love style—its house, your base of operation. There are so many aspects of life to love, but the house where your Venus resides will tell you about the slice of life where your love shines.

Last Minute Valentine Gift Ideas!

Venus and the Art of Gifts  (02-Oct-12)

Venus as a planet is about our one-on-one connections with others, so the art of gift giving has to do with observing those we care for and making mental and physical notes of their needs. If it doesn’t come second nature to you—and it doesn’t for everyone—here’s a trip around the Venus signs with tips on how to polish yours to gift-giving perfection. Apply the suggestions, with minor modifications, to relationships of all kinds.

Venus Girls, Fleeting Beauty  (22-Feb-10)

We all have to deal, ultimately, with fading looks and how we “do Venus” over time. Just take out your albums and look at your “young” pictures. Admit it. With few exceptions, you looked great then compared to now, especially if you’re past your midlife transits. It’s all relative.

Finding Love in Later Life—or Whenever Venus Is in the Neighborhood (15-Oct-13)

While this article focuses on love on or after the Chiron Return, I think you'll find what I've learned about love, packed into this post, to be ageless wisdom synthesized from the pain and pleasure of being a Venus Girl.

Humor: Love’s Many Aspects (12-Feb-11)

Doesn't matter who owns which one; the pillow talk will be similar. See what certain astrological aspects do for—or do to!—love.

~~~

Photo Credit: © Al - Fotolia.com

Radical Recommendation

Had enough of Mercury Retrograde? Are you ready to think straight again and tackle cognitive tasks with gusto come February 12? Celebrate with a low-cost eBook from The Radical Virgo Store! Or check for links and book descriptions in the sidebar.