I am celebrating today the dawn of ancient light on Earth. Sort of.Maybe you've already seen the headline. The Serpent Holder apparently had a press conference.
The mainstream mediasphere lit up this week with tales of a new zodiac. Yes, there is potentially a 13th sign of the zodiac known in ancient times, and it's re-emerging into the astrological lexicon today. Unfortunately, the news reports are hopelessly garbled, and the table that's circulating showing "new dates" of the astrological signs is flat-out wrong.
I'm hearing from people all over asking about this announcement and a so-called "new zodiac." This is a complex subject and one best approached with an open mind and open heart. It's not as simple as a new zodiac versus the old one. In fact, there are more than two, depending on how you look at it. The dates of the astrological signs, with Ophiuchus considered, do not shift the way the news reports show. Still, the mystery is intriguing.
For the record:
1. There is no "new zodiac." There's a sidereal zodiac and a tropical zodiac, both very old. There are other zodiacs, as well, in various traditions.
2. Yes, there is a constellation called Ophiuchus (or Serpentarius), and the Sun transits this region of the sky each December.
3. Ophiuchus may or may not be a sign of the zodiac, depending on your perspective. If he is considered a sign, he fits between Scorpio and Sagittarius.
The challenge in understanding all this lies in the difference between the sidereal and tropical zodiacs, which is an issue western astrologers may have to come to terms with sooner rather than later. The impending revolution of astrology is a topic for another day.
Over the past few years I've put a lot of energy into teaching and publishing about this subject, including several blog posts during the Sun's transit of Ophiuchus in 2010 and a special initiatory journey into the heart of Serpentarius (Ophiuchus' other name) in December. If you're interested in some informed perceptions, you can order the audio recording and extensive study guide here: http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#ophiuchus
The gift of the Serpent Holder is a sacred mystery to be explored and savored. Enjoy the journey.
Here are some links.
http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2011/01/tales-of-serpent.html
http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-moment-of-truth-approaches.html
http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/11/triumph.html
http://starpriestess.blogspot.com/2010/12/holy-light.html
http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#ophiuchus
Ophiuchus Journey
The audio recording of our initiatory journey in December, along with an extensive study guide about Ophiuchus, is available here: http://www.starpriestess.com/events.html#ophiuchus
