 Simulation of Tyche & Oort Cloud. The Sun is the small light in the centre.
Aquarius's Moon:
The Aquarius Solar Festival 2011
Nourishment & Metamorphosis
Malvin Artley, our regular esoteric commentator, presents the Aquarius Solar Festival, 2011, at the Full Moon in Leo. This is Aquarius's Full Moon, as the Moon is full in the sign opposing the Sun. The Full Moon of Aquarius (the Full Moon at Leo 29º 20') takes place on the 18th of February 2011 at around 08:37 UT (GMT).
Tashi dalek phun sum tsog! (Happy Tibetan New Year!) 1
What amazing times of hope and opportunity we live in! To say that we live in 'interesting' and challenging times seems a tired statement these days in comparison. We have seen events in the past ten years that have amazed and terrified us, brought us together at times and torn us apart at others, but most of all that have challenged us to look at our lives and take stock of what is real and of value. Samsara, or life in a body, is not a nice place to be some of the time. Yet, its trials and joys call forth the beauty of the soul and eventually brings us to the realization of what really is of value. A colleague and I were talking about this very thing the other day, both noting the fact that we seem to be living in some sort of strange reality—neither here nor there, if you know what I mean—in this world but not really of it, or certain even of what it is. One could get quite nihilistic about things if one was to look at the constant stream of impermanent states of being and life, of the constant change in which we live (the only constant there is in terms of living, really), and quite easily come to the conclusion of, well, what is the point of making any effort when nothing ever lasts? However, as it turns out there are states of being that are relatively permanent, wherein one dwells in a state of total bliss and with no sense of separation form others. It is that toward which we are all being pushed through our present experiences, indeed throughout all lives,
We have all been bombarded in recent years with tales of impending calamity, financial collapse, end times, super bugs and epidemics, conspiracy theories and the like. Yet, how much of it has really panned out? Some of it, but in greatly modified aspect. Basically, we have not undergone anything that has not befallen us before throughout history. There have always been floods and disasters, wars and collapses, disease and uncertainty. On the other hand, there have also been times of great prosperity, advancement and spirituality. History is just a recounting of human life. There is nothing really unusual about the present times, except for the fact that we have technology and communications now that were undreamt even fifty years ago. I think we have done pretty well for ourselves as a species, in truth. In a way, we are closer in the sense of a greater community than we have ever been, more interconnected and interdependent than ever, and I find great cause for happiness in that.
 Col. Moammar al-Gadhafi Sweeping and Profound Changes
A few people have commented that I always seem to talk about how hard times are, but if we look around, we do live in stressful times, and the astrology has been rather stressful—but that will change. When? I do not have an immediate answer for that, but if history is an indicator (and it is), we will sort ourselves out and go on to bigger and better things. I said this year would be one of sweeping and profound change—not all nice a fuzzy like a bunny, and rather quite the opposite at times—yet Iron Rabbit years have typically been ones of tremendous benefit to humanity, and there is cause for joy in that. Do we see anything to indicate that thus far?
Well, the Iron Rabbit has already started to yield up its gifts. Not even a month into the year, and we have seen the fall of the regimes in Tunisia and Egypt with strong moves toward democracy, widespread flow-on unrest in the Middle East as a result of Egypt, hopefully the impending collapse of the Gadhafi regime in Libya, concessions in Bahrain, as well as two main scientific and technological discoveries that will serve us well into the future. There is also talk now of a giant planet on the edge of the solar system now, too 2.
The regime changes in the Middle East are in our faces every day in the news, so there is not much need to comment on them here. We see what is happening every day. We saw as well that past Iron Rabbit years had their share of disasters, and we have just witnessed the devastating aftershock in Christchurch, New Zealand, Adelaide's sister city. To our friends there, we hope you are all safe and sound and we stand by you in your need. Inventions and discoveries often do not make headlines, however, yet have the capacity to change our lives in no lesser a fashion than changes in governments or environment.
Technological Advances
 Nanotech Dragon Fly
The first invention is a tiny internal combustion engine based in nanotechnology that will produce 700 times more power for its size than a standard battery and would run for year on a drop of lighter fluid (see the link at the end this letter) 3, and the other is the discovery that hearing loss can be stopped or greatly lessened in children through the use of nasal stem cells. This is cutting-edge science, typical of the Iron Rabbit. The first invention has wide-ranging ramifications. Firstly it will eliminate a lot of waste, especially heavy metal waste, and it means it can be used in areas where there is no electric power normally, eliminating the need for battery chargers. This will be a great boon to remote areas. Secondly, the technology used to develop it will no doubt find application in many other areas other than its intended use and sales of it can be used to fund further research into such technology once it goes into production, all being well. As for the latter discovery, what greater gift is there to a child of challenged perception than to open the world to their amazed senses!? This is all pretty exciting stuff, folks!—which brings us to Aquarius.
The Aquarian interval for this year has just passed, but its influence will be felt throughout the year. It is the sign of the World Server, the average and not-so-average person of goodwill who seeks primarily the good of others before themselves. I have always thought it to be rather auspicious that the lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) begins at the new moon of Aquarius. Aquarius is about humanitarian and shared purpose, of group endeavors and social conscience. To have the year always beginning under such an influence is the most hopeful of signs.
One might well ask at this juncture why Losar (since it is also the commencement of a lunar New Year) begins a full month later than Chinese New Year. Well, in most cases the two New Years coincide. Losar is a distinctly Buddhist festival, although it had its beginnings with the Bön tradition in Tibet. It was originally a festival where offerings were presented to the dharmapalas (protectors) and other deities of the land, and it was later a farmer's festival. Especially in modern times, there are special pujas (offering rituals) made to the protectors, especially Palden Lhamo, just before the commencement of the year, and it is thus a very spiritual time for Tibetans. Their way of reckoning the start of the year differs in particulars with the Chinese, but it would take too long to go into here. In most cases the two New Year celebrations coincide.
Returning to Aquarius, its orthodox ruler is Uranus these days, the planet that brings the urge to better conditions and the higher ruler of the sign is Jupiter, the most expansive and beneficent of influences. One could not ask for a better start to any year. In past centuries, Aquarius was ruled by Saturn, and Aquarians were not seen so much as the humanitarians they are seen as today. In fact, Aquarius was traditionally known as a time of cleansing and purification, and in the past Aquarians were known to be more restrained and fixed in their views. With regard to the dual orthodox rulers of Aquarius (Saturn and Uranus) we read the following:
Aquarius is pre-eminently a sign of constant movement, of changing activity and recurrent mutations, and the symbol for the sign is expressive of this state of activity. It is, therefore, a sign in which the significance of cycles [Saturn] is mastered and understood by the initiate [Uranus]. The results of the valley experience (to use the well-known language of the mystics of all ages) and of the mountain top with its vision and light, are very vividly depicted by the sign. The Aquarian can experience the depths of depression and of self-depreciation or he can know and pass through the exaltation of the soul and the sense of spiritual power which soul control gives, and know them to be the interplay and the action and reaction which are necessary for growth and comprehension. The law of such action and reaction is the law with which he works. (Esoteric Astrology, 141-42)
The preceding passage shows very nicely the interplay between Saturn and Uranus. One must master one's karmic responsibilities and purify the karmic debts (the Saturnian influence) before one can pass onto the path of initiation (the Uranian influence) and know the 'exaltation of the soul'. However, the ruler of the higher nature of the Aquarian (the esoteric ruler) is Jupiter, and it is through that ruler that the humanitarian influence of the sign really takes flight. It is the nature of Jupiter to give—to supply what is needed—and it is this quality for which Aquarians are most famously known these days. In the lower aspect of Uranus (the orthodox ruler) Aquarians can be rebellious, eccentric and just plain odd at times, especially in the teenage years, but they generally grow out of that and usually wind up fairly broad-minded as a result of their earlier experiences.
Changing of the Guard
In general though, Uranus rules sudden change and technological breakthroughs. It also rules social unrest and rebellion. Most all of what was mentioned as newsworthy earlier in this letter came during the Aquarius interval this year. As was mentioned, the lunar New Year starts under that impulse and thus appropriately signifies a changing of the guard—out with the old [Saturn] and in with the new [Uranus]. We may not see anything immediately from the technological advances previously mentioned. It took years for us to see the results of the transistor, the kinetescope, the transformer, and the like, for example—all Iron Rabbit manifestations, so-to-speak. However, change in that area will come once someone sees the financial viability in the technology.
As for the civil unrest, that has immediate effects. Who would have thought that such sweeping change would rumble through the Middle East? If more secular governments take over then greater world stability should be in the offing, and that would be a major cause for stability throughout the world, especially politically and financially. Through unrest and crisis, the soul of humanity is peeking out, as was forecast as an outcome of the Uranus/Pluto quintiles of the mid-2000s (see note at end of letter) 4.
In part two of this article, Malvin Artley continues his exploration of the esoteric implications of the Full Moon in Leo, the Aquarius Solar Festival for 2011. He examines, the aspects and the degrees with a view to their political, personal and spiritual significance.
Read part two of The 2011 Aquarius Solar Festival at the Full Moon in Leo. 
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 Malvin Artley is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers. His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests in those fields are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all aspects of Chinese occultism. Malvin has just announced that he now has his own website! Check out www.malvinartley.com/
He sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. These letters are sent out as a gift and a service. If you wish to be added to or deleted from the mailing list please let me know. If you feel inspired to pass them on please do so, but do so without alteration or charge. They are sent to people of many persuasions, not just astrologers. Blessings. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
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