Letter 2: Beth - The Moon as Goddess

Fulgour

Letter 2: Beth - The Moon as Goddess

In Mesopotamian astrology an abstract perfection was
constructed, using house-sign and planet associations.
These remain a mystery to modern practitioners but are
acknowledged as to their origin and known as exaltations.

Exaltations are generally misunderstood as being similar
to faces or terms, and are regarded as simple benefics.
Thus it is supposed that opposite an exaltation is a fall,
or descension. This is one-sided and misses the point.

The supposed fall opposite an exaltation is in fact part
of the whole: there cannot be one without the other.
An exaltation is not meant as an honoured guest, but
as pure perfection, altogether and completely beautiful.

Exaltations represent an ideal, something non-existent and
yet perfect: where god positioned her planets at creation.

Moon in Taurus
Venus in Pisces
Mars in Capricorn
Mercury in Virgo
Sun in Aries
Jupiter in Cancer
Saturn in Libra
North Lunar Node in Gemini
South Lunar Node in Sagittarius


Why do Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius have no exaltations?
(And despite modern variations, these signs do not...)

The Moon is the most important heavenly body, and she
rules the zodiac. The Moon is the heart of all knowledge.
Earth is her exaltation, and fire, air, and water bow to her.

The Moon's exaltation radiates throughout the fixed signs,
forming the ultimate perfection, the supreme glorification.


)O(

I am the beauty of the green earth,
and the white moon among the stars,
and the mystery of the waters,
and the desire of the hearts of all.
Call unto thy soul,
arise and come unto me,
for I am the soul of nature,
who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed,
and unto me all things must return,
and before my face,
beloved of gods and of all,
let thine innermost divine self
be enfolded in the rapture
of the infinite...




C.G.Leland 1896
 

Rosanne

Wanderers

In Attempting to gain some rudimentary knowledge about Astrology- I have some basic thoughts.
I see a band of space in which the Zodiac resides, circled around the Sun, Earth and Moon.
I thought exaltations are when the Planet wanders into the House assigned to it ie Venus in Pisces.
So there are three Houses with no Planets assigned?
is that because
1. Couldn't see the wanderers from Mesopotamia?
2. The Planets had not yet been discovered?
3. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not seen in either Leo,Scorpio or Aquarius?
I had not thought about the Earth as Planet being an Exaltation and the beauty of that is wonderful. Also a wonder is the realisation that the Moons light will radiate throughout the Houses. I have not read Lelands Psalm? Poem before, thank you for sharing it. Rosanne
 

Fulgour

Faery Tale Wonders

The best one can find about the Mesopotamian concept
of planetary exaltations is just that they originated there.
Astrologers have tried to fit them in as honoured guests
and benefics but I think the idea was of an ideal position.

Think of a perfectly shaped jewel rather than a horoscope.
Nowadays exaltations are out of fashion, maybe too fuzzy.
But once upon a time, on the Day of Creation: perfection.
 

kwaw

Rosanne said:
I have not read Lelands Psalm? Poem before, thank you for sharing it. Rosanne

It is from Lelands 'Aradia: the Gospel of the Witches' which together with some verses from Crowley was adapted in Wicca as 'The Charge of the Goddess' which is spoken by the High Priestess after 'Drawing down the Moon'.

Kwaw
 

Rosanne

What a beautiful Expression 'Drawing down the Moon' Would love to know more about that! Where would I look?
Rosanne
 

Jewel-ry

I don't know much about 'Drawing down the moon' but I have just dug out the book which accompanies the Gill Tarot deck which I remembered made reference to it under the Queen of Cups. I have just tried to find a link to the card because it is gorgeous but can't find one :(

Anyway 'bringing down the moon' is an old cornish legend in which during a full Moon and calm sea a person sits on a clifftop and can apparently call the Moon such that it can appear to move along the water and end up right in front of the callers face. It is an illusion but at this moment one can ask for anything before the Moon leaves the night sky. The card is called 'contemplation' and I think this ritual may be what is depicted on the card.

Probably not much help really but felt like I wanted to refer you to this card. Wish I could find a link.

:)
 

Fulgour

The Moon in Taurus ~ Earth

Rosanne said:
I see a band of space in which the Zodiac resides,
circled around the Sun, Earth and Moon.
The "missing" exaltations are at first rather perplexing.
Modern astrology first tried to fix what wasn't broken,
and then more or less abandoned the concept entirely.

Just like in Tarot there are only 3 elements, when we know
there are 4 (and it is Earth that is "missing") so too with the
exaltations: everything is there, but you must look to see it.

Picture a large, bold Maltese Cross, and at the top of it place
the Moon. Thus the exaltation of the Moon is earthy Taurus.

Directly below, opposite Taurus, is Scorpio (Water). To the
right is Leo (Fire), and to the left Aquarius (Air). These three
fixed signs don't, have never, and shouldn't have exaltations.

The Moon alone holds the fixed center of the entire Zodiac.

*

Notice that of the 4 zodiac figures on
XXI Le Monde
it is only the bull of Taurus that lacks
a "halo" around its head. Kinda cool. :)
 

kwaw

Rosanne said:
What a beautiful Expression 'Drawing down the Moon' Would love to know more about that! Where would I look?
Rosanne

Any popular book on Wicca. As to its origins one has to look at Judaic [particularly Lurianic, Sabbatain and Frankist] kabbalah, which you are unlikely to find in a 'popular' book on wicca. Gardner [the 'founder of 'wicca'] influenced by studies of witchcraft of his time assumed a relationship between wicca and persecution of paganism in Christian times. In actual fact everything in wicca [the precussor in many ways of the modern neo-pagan revival] is rooted in kabbalistic-judaic magic as focussed through the masonic'magical schools such as the Golden Dawn and Crowley offshoots. Gardner joined a group, according to his own account, of which he never knew or was taught the history. Influenced by the work of Margarat Murray he imagined a pagan history persecuted through christain times, a speculation that has been treated as fact by many wiccan followers. Later during a dispute he brought forth the 'laws'. Such 'laws' are considered a fabrication, but they bear close resemblance to the 'frankist' laws which were concerned with the persecution of his Apostalistic [Jewish] followers. Unless one considers Gardner an out and out fraud and liar, it is clear he was somewhat deceived himself. His letters show a gradual realization of being deceived. Although initially a friend of Crowley he later 'disowned' the relationship, realising that though not the perpetuator Crowley was aware of the deception and went along with it.

Kwaw
 

Fulgour

Fulgour said:
Letter 2: Beth - The Moon as Goddess...
The Moon is the most important heavenly body, and she
rules the zodiac. The Moon is the heart of all knowledge.
Earth is her exaltation, and fire, air, and water bow to her.
The Moon's exaltation radiates throughout the fixed signs,
forming the ultimate perfection, the supreme glorification.
The High Priestess, being the representative of the Moon
in the Tarot, signifies that She is central to the meaning.