Mary Jo Wevers

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The Spiritual Nature of Taurus

A common misconception is that spirituality and materialism are diametrically opposed approaches to life. Materialism is often equated with a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. Spirituality is sometimes described as a school of thought that claims spirit is distinct from matter, superior to the physical world. On occasion it teaches that spirituality is the only reality and the physical world and materialism should be subjugated or rejected.

In astrology the Second House of Substance in the horoscope corresponds to areas of life that have to do with our personal resources, money and possessions, and our material attachments. This house also contains themes and issues around personal values, how we attract abundance into our life, and the creature comforts we allow ourselves. Questions typically associated with this house include, “What conflicts do I have between having earthly possessions and my spiritual nature? How can I integrate my material and spiritual values? How do I create feelings of self-worth and value?” There is an underlying theme of incompatibility between materialism and spirituality, and the struggle to reconcile or balance the two. 

The sign of Taurus is the ruler of the Second House, meaning its style of expression and areas of interest are naturally associated with the areas of life of the Second House. Taurus recognizes that spirit infuses all matter on earth. It loves and appreciates the natural world and all forms of life as vessels for spirit to experience physicality.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Through Taurus we learn to manifest the beauty of spirit through the physical body. We connect to the world around us via our physical senses. We value the material world and the tangible things the physical world provides to sustain and support us while we are here. We work with physical matter to create tangible objects of practical beauty that are creative expressions of our spirit. Through Taurus, we understand how spirituality and materialism are merged and unified. We find spiritual meaning in our physical existence. 

“The body is condensed Soul.”

― LiYana Silver

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Investigating the Darker Side of Aquarius

One of the important astrological events happening in 2023 is the passage of the dwarf planet Pluto from the sign of Capricorn into Aquarius on March 23rd. During the last 15 years Pluto in Capricorn has directed its formidable powers of resurgence and transformation to expose the darker side of traditional, conventional systems and structures that have provided some semblance of material stability and security. We have witnessed Pluto’s disruptive and purging forces acting upon business, government and financial institutions as it roots out and deconstructs all that is toxic and decaying. What might we experience during the 20 year period of Pluto in Aquarius?

Aquarius is concerned with philosophy, ethics, reforming society and progressing into the future. It promotes humanitarian ideals, values equality, and is a champion for the unique individual. Pluto was last in Aquarius during 1778-1798, a period marked by revolution, extensive changes in social order and individual rights. It was also a time of scientific breakthroughs and the first industrial revolution. In the coming years we may witness unprecedented advances in science and technology, including genetic engineering and the use of machinery to enhance human longevity. We may also see advanced technological breakthroughs in computer science that affect our social media and global networking platforms. Pluto will work to reveal the darker side of these developments.

While we may be preoccupied with changes in the outer world, Pluto in Aquarius prods us to look deep within ourselves, to explore the mysteries of what it is to be human. How can we express our own uniqueness as an individual within the context of society? Do we protect and promote the freedom of others? How can we come into a greater knowing of our own strength and power, instead of attempting to control others? In what ways can we temper rebelliousness with self-control? Can we find innovative ways to cooperate and share resources on our planet? Through self-transformation we can play our part moving humanity into the future.

“Those who do not think outside the box are easily contained.” ― Nicolas Manett

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Courage: The Divine Virtue of Aries

Divine virtues are qualities our Soul, or higher Self, would like us to cultivate and express in life in order to grow spiritually. Our life challenges are designed to help us develop divine virtues within ourselves. Rob Schwartz (yoursoulsplan.com) recognizes some of the divine virtues as being “Master Key” virtues. They facilitate the development of other virtues by providing an access point for them.

I associate the divine virtue of courage with the sign of Aries. Rob Schwartz includes courage as one of the Master Key virtues. Courage is associated with all other virtues, because it is required at their testing point. As Maya Angelou states, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” 

A cardinal fire sign, Aries is concerned with the future and needs to create new goals and objectives, new beginnings in life. It is a daring, strong pioneer and adventurer. It stands alone, not needing to depend on another. Its urge is to move forward, directing its independent personal energy outwardly into the world. 

Aries creates new life experiences from self-awareness of its needs and desires. It has the courage to move into new experiences without knowing the outcome. Aries operates spontaneously and instinctively, bravely facing obstacles, challenges and limitations head-on. Not put off by mistakes or failures, it begins again.

Any planets in Aries in your natal horoscope, or Houses containing the sign of Aries, indicate how and where you can cultivate the Divine Virtue of courage and take action independently in life. This will help you move forward, taking action as an autonomous force creating your own future. 

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”     – T. S. Eliot

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Developing a Higher Vision of Life

Sagittarius raises us up and gives us a broader and higher perspective. It expands our horizons, and broadens both our internal and external vistas. It helps us view our personal situation in the world in a greater context. When we do this we can understand our life experiences from different perspectives and gain new insights.

Sagittarius excites and inspires us with its spirit of adventure. It gives us the freedom to travel and explore other countries, cultures, and religions. It motivates us to venture out into the world, and discover other schools of thought and ideologies. It leads us to question our own beliefs and truths, and find greater meaning in our existence. It helps us find our purpose and direction in life. It asks us to aim high when we set our goals.

A belief is a fixation or attachment to one version of the truth. We need to examine what is it we choose to believe in. How have we structured our lives around these beliefs? Are they really true for us, or at this juncture in our life? Which beliefs, opinions and values do we need to eliminate, to let go of? How can we develop a higher, more inclusive and uplifting philosophy that guides us into the future?

How can we re-frame our worldly experiences so we can find value in them, no matter how challenging they can be? How can we envision our life in ways that changes our experience of reality? When we change our perspective, we change how we experience life events. Sagittarius helps us feel gratitude, blessed for having opportunities to learn and expand our thinking, and to connect to our own inner Truth. It gives us hope for the future as we grow and evolve.

We celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday as the Sun enters the sign of Sagittarius each year. This is a time to be generous, and to express the divine virtue of gratitude for our good fortune and blessings in life. In these times of unsettling changes we can be grateful for what we have. Aspire to a greater and higher connection to Grace in your life.

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
― G.K. Chesterton

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Investigating Our Emotional Depths for Spiritual Growth

In the coming solar month, Mars in Gemini moves retrograde, pointing to a need to be circumspect before acting and communicating. Mars retrograde can manifest as defensiveness and combativeness. In Gemini, it can be caught in the moment, restless and impatient, reactive instead of proactive. As we encounter emotionally charged material in the depths of our psyche during this solar month of Scorpio, we may find ourselves spinning stories about difficult or challenging experiences in which we felt powerless, or attempted to exert control over the situation. Mars in Gemini can provoke the ego-mind to try to explain away our experience in superficial or counterproductive ways, distracting us from going deeper, gaining more profound insight, and affecting real change.

We can come to an understanding of emotionally charged experiences on deeper levels, gaining more personal meaning and spiritual insight from them. Pluto and its sign of Scorpio guide us to turn inwards, and venture into our innermost darkness, to discover the root of our discomfort, face personal issues needing resolution, and connect with our true essence and power. Here is a step-by-step method for handling emotionally difficult experiences more skillfully by investigating on deeper levels that lead to spiritual understanding and growth.

  1. In our day-to-day life we may have a specific experience while interacting in the world. This is the level of physicality, of fact. An event occurred; something transpired. 
  • Ask yourself, What happened? What was the experience? Describe it objectively.
  1. We may have an emotional response to what occurred. This is the level of feeling. One or more emotions may arise in our body, such as anger, sadness, happiness, fear, shame, or some variation of these. 
  • Ask yourself, How did I feel? What emotions arose naturally and spontaneously? Name the emotions you felt. 
  1. Often we have experienced these emotions before. A similar emotional charge from the past may arise and add to the present emotional response, intensifying its energy.
  • Ask yourself, When have I felt like this before? Allow any memories to arise. Make a note of them. Is this experience part of a pattern that repeats in your life?
  1. On the third level we can reflect on the spiritual significance of our experience: the message, lesson or learning we can gain from it. Often an unaddressed issue or theme surfaces when ‘triggered’ in life and we have an emotional response. This allows us to gain insight into unhealed parts of ourselves, or parts of ourself that need to be nurtured or strengthened. When we take ownership of our responses and reactions to events and circumstances, we can affect change, rather than spinning into stories about them. We can take back our power rather than blaming others for our feelings.
  • Ask yourself, What in me is attracting or creating this experience, so that I may become aware of it? What judgments did I make about it, about others, or about myself that interfere with understanding the message, lesson, or learning about the issue?
  1. Finally we can consider what needs to change, be healed, resurrected, transformed, or transmuted in us. How might we grow as a person and appreciate the spiritual significance of our difficult experience and the opportunity for growth it provides?
  • Ask yourself, What in me needs healing? What in me needs to be eliminated, shed, or released? What do I need to do to connect with my inner source of strength, power, love and creativity?

Pluto, god of the underworld in Roman mythology, guides us to explore the deeper levels of innermost self, hidden from the light of our conscious awareness. Once we summon our courage and descend into our subconscious to uncover its hidden mysteries and secrets, we can face them, transform them and reclaim our power.

“We all need to look into the dark side of our nature – that’s where the energy is, the passion. People are afraid of that because it holds pieces of us we’re busy denying.”

– La Gitana Eva