The diagram of the Zodiac, below, illustrates the similarity to the New Jerusalem Plan diagram, which represents the order of the heavens made apparent on earth --

The four triangles or Trigons making up the twelve-pointed star represent the four types of signs: fire, air, water, and earth. Each Zodiac sign is represented in the Bible by one of the twelve Tribes, as described by the camp positions of the Tribes in Numbers 2.

There are four major Tribes, which are the four living creatures, and relate to the solstices and equinoxes during the Age of Taurus. The following table shows the relationships --

The four living creature are featured in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. As stated previously, the four living creatures are Ezekiel's "Wagon" -- the Merkaba or Merkabah.

When the planets are aligned with the four major Zodiac signs, it is called a Grand Cross Alignment.

http://www.greatdreams.com/numbers/444/444.htm

The graphic on the right, above, is the simplified form of the four Barbury Castle triangles as Ezekiel's Wagon. It can be interpreted as the center circle representing the Sun, and the outer circles as the yearly four solstice-equinox positions of the Earth.

http://www.greatdreams.com/numbers/444/444.htm

Looking at the three constellation images framing the Galactic Centre: a scorpion, an archer-centaur shooting a bow and arrow and a man carrying a huge serpent stepping on the Centre and the scorpion, and close by a fallen crown. Altogether one sees an image of conflict and possible deadly danger

Signs and Constellations

 Another important thing to clear up is the difference between astrological signs and constellations. In sidereal astrology, used more in the east, the Galactic centre  is  fixed at 3° of the constellation Sagittarius. Wheras in western astrology or tropical (sun-sign) astrology it is at 27° of the sign Sagittarius.

   Above we see both the constellation and sign placing of the Galactic Centre.

At this time in history the galactic plane of the Milky Way Galaxy is aligned with the solstice axis squaring the vernal axis.

This creates what has been called a Celestial Conjunction or Holy Cross.

Although astrologers and even our whole world vision is solar based: based on a solar calendar of day and year, which encourages us to see the spring equinox and winter solstice as fixed positions, and astrologically Aries as the "first sign" at the spring equinox on 21st March each year. This idea does not fit to keeping the Galactic Centre at a fixed position. Either the signs must be seen to move against a fixed constellation background or the constellations are seen to move and  with them the Galactic Centre, while the signs remain fixed. We have chosen to see the constellations as precessing around us, instead of us moving in relation to the constellations. In reality of course our Earth is wobbling on its axis and creating the seeming constellation precession.

 Does the Galactic Centre Process through the Signs of the Zodiac?

Yet something we have not had to consider till now is that every precession also creates a seeming procession. In this case what interests us is the procession  or transit of the Galactic centre through the signs of the zodiac, so that it seems to move through all signs of the zodiac in one Great Year. This is made possible by the fact that the Galactic Centre is placed very close to the ecliptic, which is the path along which the Sun and other heavenly bodies travel, and the one area of the heavens where the known zodiac constellation belt is placed.

So one can compare the Galactic Centre to any other constellation point on this circuit. The well known and respected German astrologer Bruno Huber was an early researcher into the Galactic Centre, he also noted that because the Galactic Centre has been in the sign of Sagittarius, (crossing its true position in the constellation Sagittarius at the time Jesus was teaching), we have been living in a Sagittarian Age as much as a Piscean one. He calculated as myself that the twelve Great Ages of the Great Year ( Zeitalter Lehre) were in fact always ruled by one planet, that we have been living in a Pisces-Sagittarian Age ruled by Jupiter, and before that we lived in a Scorpio- Aries Age ruled by Mars, and so on.

The procession or transit of the Galactic Centre through the signs takes of necessity exactly the same time as the precession of the constellations - in relation to the  signs as marked by the spring equinox first degree of Aries point. The motion is 1 degree in circa 72 years - or 1.24° in 100 years - we are talking about two aspects of one and the same cycle.Of corse if we take each constellation as having a different size we may not have exactly the same time of entry of each into a new age. For instance judging by signs the Galactic centre will cross the winter solstice into a Capricorn Age in just under 250 years fromnow, while if we wait for procession to pass the last fish in the constellation Pisces we might have to wait even another 800 years!

In the chart below we can see a vertical tourquise axis showing the present alignment of the galactic axis to the solstice axis rwhere I have placed the Galactic Centre and its surrounding constellations rather loosely as exactly at the winter solstice, though it still has three degrees to go, yet the galactic axis is more exactly aligned at this time, having been supposedly most perfectly aligned in 1998. The vertical tourquise line of the alignment moves down to  the summer solstice below  as afar as the signs are concerened on the inner circle and then goes on to cross the Galactic Anti-Centre between the constellations  Taurus and Gemini.

If we concentrate on precession then we can say that 2000 years ago the smaller circle with its winter solstice marker was then pointing the winter solstice at the constellation Capricorn and now the winter solstice marker has moved back to about 5° Sagittarius and will continue precessing back into Scorpio.

If we concentrate on the significance of the signs, then the winter solstice alignment will end in 250 years as the tropical Galactic Centre, seen through the lens of the signs, moves further forward into the sign of Capricorn. In terms of sign ages we are entering the Galactic Age of Capricorn ruled by Saturn. In terms of constellation ages, if we take each constellation as thirty degrees, though it cuts off the head of one Pisces fish, we are now entering the Age of Aquarius- the water carrier.

So we notice it is necessary to combine two calendars to understand the Great Year and the Holy Cross. 

 The smaller wheel of the signs shows the winter solstice above almost aligned to the Galactic Centre at the beginning of the constellation Sagittarius/ or roughly between Scorpio and Sagittarius.If all the constellations are marked as having 30° then we are  now also at the transition from the Pisces to Aquarius Age on the left.

As the Galactic Centre is placed between the constellations Scorpio and Sagittarius it was often also associated with Scorpio, the sign and constellation associated  in the body appropriately with the procreative organs.

Scorpio is what astrology calls a fixed sign or constellation, there are also mutable fixed and cardinal signs. The four fixed signs were Scorpio and Taurus opposite and Aquarius and Leo crossing this axis at 90°. So we have a fixed cross that was particularly Holy and also marked the four seasonal points of change in the Great Year and was a four pointed star or four spoked wheel. These four fixed signs were associated with the four apostles Matthew Mark, John and Luke with John, writer of Revelations being of course the Scorpio, though as an eagle (Aquila the eagle is placed close by, in the constellations, and is a moe noble representative) and John is the one chosen to see deeper behind the Mystery while meditating in a volcano on Patmos.

 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

En otras ocasiones ya he hablado aquí de la presencia de ciertos elementos paganos en templos cristianos de todas las épocas. Hoy quería hacer un pequeño análisis de las representaciones de zodiacos, que hallamos frecuentemente esculpidas en las fachadas de iglesias y catedrales, rodeando a la imagen de Cristo. En estos casos, no es extraño que el Salvador vaya acompañado también por las figuras de los doce apóstoles, de modo que la escena identifica a Cristo con el Sol, y a los 12 apóstoles con los 12 signos del zodiaco.

El uso de zodiacos en templos cristianos se remonta a los primeros tiempos del cristianismo, pues se han encontrado representaciones de este tipo en mosaicos y decoraciones de algunas basílicas paleocristianas. Esta misma iconografía, calcada símbolo a símbolo, la encontramos en obras de arte de fines de la antigüedad, en las que se representa a los dioses tardoantiguos Mitra, Fanes o Aiôn. Éstos aparecen enmarcados por la rueda del tiempo, con los doce signos del zodiaco representados en ella. En estos ejemplos paganos, el dios representado simboliza al «Señor eterno», que garantiza el movimiento sin fin y circular. En la antigua Roma encontramos la misma iconografía, aplicada incluso en simples mortales, tal y como explica el experto André Grabar en Los orígenes de la estética medieval (Ed. Siruela, 2007):

En el arte del fin de la Antigüedad, la imagen de la Eternidad (Aiôn) representa el retorno infinito del tiempo, de acuerdo con las doctrinas filosóficas y religiosas. El Dios eterno es el señor que, desde siempre y para siempre, garantiza este movimiento sin fin, es decir, circular. Mitra y Fanes, Zeus y Aión son vistos, pues, en medio o al lado de la rueda del tiempo, en la que se inscriben los doce signos del zodiaco. La aeternitas de un Augusto de Roma adopta esta misma iconografía, que en ocasiones, se aplica incluso a simples mortales cuando se les imagina gozando, después de la muerte, en la Eternidad del más allá.

Dios Fanes representado en el interior del círculo zodiacal. Galería Estense, Módena.

Cristo representado en el centro de la rueda del zodiaco. Manuscrito del siglo XI. Biblioteca Nacional de París.

Todos estos casos tienen como función recalcar que la eternidad se produce como consecuencia de la sucesión infinita de los "retornos incesantes". En el caso de Cristo, por el contrario, esta rueda del tiempo no constituye, como en los ejemplos paganos, una alusión a un tiempo cíclico y circular, sino que supone una alusión a que el tiempo se mueve sólo hacia adelante, con la intención de alcanzar su objetivo: la llegada del fin de los tiempos y la segunda venida de Cristo.

¿Cómo se produjo esta copia de elementos paganos por parte del arte cristiano? En los primeros siglos del cristianismo, la nueva religión rivalizaba con doctrinas paganas de gran importancia y difusión. Así que la naciente Iglesia vio con buenos ojos la idea de apropiarse algunas de las características de las divinidades de estos cultos paganos, como ya hemos visto también con el caso de la psicostasis. Como afirmaba Emile Mle, «la Iglesia no tuvo escrúpulos en tomar prestadas formas paganas y santificarlas haciendo de ellas una lecturacristiana ». En el caso de los zodiacos, los cristianos de la época primitiva adoptaron esta iconografía de Mitra o Fanes sin cambios notables. Y así terminó pasando a templos posteriores, siendo frecuente su representación en iglesias y catedrales de época medieval, tanto en esculturas como en vidrieras.

Algunos de los ejemplos más bellos y llamativos los encontramos en la espectacular catedral gótica de Chartres. En la fachada oeste, en la puerta de la izquierda, aparece representado Cristo en su segunda venida. Alrededor de su figura están esculpidos los signos del zodiaco. Se ha interpretado este grupo escultórico como una representación del tiempo, que toma un significado especial al estar junto a Cristo en su segunda venida y, por tanto, iniciando el Fin de los Tiempos.

Cristo rodeado de signos del zodiaco en una de las fachadas de la catedral de Chartres.

Sin embargo, este ciclo zodiacal tiene una peculiaridad, ya que los signos no aparecen en el orden correcto, sino que están alterados. Así, por ejemplo, la Virgen (Virgo) está en el lugar más destacado, arriba del todo, junto a la figura del arquero (Sagitario). Esta variación podría explicarse porque la catedral está dedicada a Nuestra Señora, por lo que se habría modificado el conjunto para destacarla. Además, también llama la atención que se re-presentara a Virgo junto a Sagitario, ya que estos signos no están juntos en el calendario. Los defensores del origen templario de la catedral (una suposición carente de todo fundamento, por otra parte) han querido ver en este detalle una prueba de sus teorías: el arquero, Sagitario, es un símbolo militar, por lo que representaría a los caballeros templarios, supuestos promotores de las obras de la catedral.

Sin embargo, autores como Louis Charbonneau-Lassay (autor del clásico El bestiario de Cristo) proponen una explicación más convencional: en tanto que imagen de un centauro sagitario, este signo sería un símbolo de Cristo, que actuaría como conductor de almas, y se muestra ordenando el Cosmos, acompañado de Virgo (la Virgen), su madre.

Además del caso que acabamos de comentar, en Chartres hay otros hermosos ejemplos de zodiacos, como las esculturas de Piscis y Géminis que se observan en la puerta sur de la fachada oeste, o en una de las luminosas y policromadas vidrieras que iluminan el interior del templo. Pero, tal y como ya avanzábamos antes, son muchos los templos que repiten este motivo iconográfico. En la gran mayoría de ellos, Cristo aparece rodeado por el zodiaco y los meses correspondientes a cada signo, y suele mostrarse como Cronocrator (señor y ordenador del Tiempo) o Cosmocrator (señor del Cosmos).

En la mayor parte de los casos, estas representaciones aparecen en la puerta de los templos que, tal y como aclara Jean Hani: «son símbolos de las puertas solsticiales, las cuales son la imagen de la Puerta del Cielo, que no es otra que el propio Cristo». En estos ejemplos, es habitual que el zodiaco aparezca separado en dos mitades, representando el ciclo anual. Así, los signos ascienden desde el solsticio de invierno hasta el de verano, y luego descienden desde éste hasta el de invierno. En ocasiones, estos puntos de «cambio» aparecen simbolizados en la puerta mediante la representación de los dos «san Juan». No es extraño ver a san Juan Bautista y san Juan Evangelista,  cuyas festividades coinciden, «casualmente», con las de los respectivos solsticios. Esta representación de los «Juanes» adquiere entonces un mensaje claro. Ambos señalan dos momentos clave de la historia de Cristo: uno anunciando su venida –el Bautista–,  y otro anunciando la segunda venida –el Evangelista – .Y del mismo modo, su representación en los tímpanos –en ocasiones acompañando al zodíaco– anuncia la llegada de los solsticios, las dos fases del ciclo anual. Esta utilización iconográfica de los «dos Juanes» tampoco es casual. En los templos paganos se utilizaba la imagen de Jano, un dios de dos rostros (del que ya hablamos aquí en otra ocasión) cada uno de los cuales miraba en una dirección.

En definitiva, todos estos casos suponen un ejemplo del "viaje" que realizan los símbolos a lo largo de la historia. Las formas se mantienen, mientras que el significado va amoldándose en muchos casos a las nuevas creencias.

PD: En futuras entradas iremos viendo ciertos casos de zodiacos en templos cristianos con significados concretos.

Bibiliografía:

CHARBONNEAU-LASSAY, L. El bestiario de Cristo. Olañeta ed. (Palma de Mallorca, 1997)

ESTEBAN LORENTE, Juan Francisco. Tratado de iconografía. Ed. Istmo (Madrid, 2002)

GRABAR, André. Los orígenes de la estética medieval. Ed. Siruela (Madrid, 2007)

WITTKOWER, Rudolf. La alegoría y la migración de los símbolos. Ed. Siruela (Madrid, 2006)

VV. AA. Cristianismo primitivo y religiones mistéricas. Ed. Cátedra (Madrid, 2007)

Fotografía del comienzo del post: © Allison Stones.

Entradas relacionadas:

-Hoy se abren las puertas del infierno

-Un menhir en la catedral

-El temible juicio de la balanza

Clue #4: The Holy Cross

The Holy Cross Circa 2010 ref. lunarplanner.com

This is the dynamic aspect of the clues found on the tracing board. Notice the cross near the bottom of the ladder. i believe it represents the astronomical "Holy Cross" This only happens twice in a procession, and it is happening right now. 

There will be Venus retrograde in 2012 that "visit" the Stars of Trinity

Regulus , the Ruler or Lawgiver,
the Heart of the Lion

As the brightest star in Leo, Regulus has been almost universally associated in ancient cultures with the concept of royal or kingly power. The name Regulus actually comes from the Latin rex, or king. The star was known in Arabia as Malikiyy, the Kingly One; in Greece as the "Star of the King"; in ancient Babylon, as Sharru or the King; to the even more ancient Akkadians of Mesopotamia it represented Amil-gal-ur, the legendary King of the Celestial Sphere who ruled before the great flood.

The Hindu title Magha signifies the Mighty or the Great One. The Persian name Miyan means the Central One or the Star of the Center. The Latin Cor Leonis is the equivalent of the later Arabian Al Kalb al Asad, the Heart of the Royal Lion.

Regulus is known as one of the four Royal Stars of the heavens, the other three being Aldebaran, Fomalhaut, and Antares. Regulus, in the constellation Leo, is the northern Royal Star. These four Royal Stars are considered to be sentinels watching over other stars and form a Fixed Cross in the heavens. (There is hidden meaning in this configuration and the term Fixed Cross, worthy of contemplation.)

Regulus lies at the base of the sickle of Leo, resembling a reversed question mark some 16 degrees (1) high. To modern sky watchers this sickle outlines the majestic head and mane of the great westward-facing lion, crouched in the regal pose of the enigmatic Egyptian Sphinx.

Regulus is only half a degree (1) from the ecliptic, therefore a relatively common sight is to view the moon or other bright planet passing close to Regulus, and infrequently occulting it. Regulus was occulted by Venus, an exceedingly rare event, on July 7, 1959. According to modern computations, no other occultation by a first magnitude star will occur for several centuries. Remarkably, the planet Venus came within 1.1 degree of Regulus on August 6, 1992, however the sun blocked our ability to view this near-conjunction from the earth.

Regulus, a first magnitude star, is the 21st brightest star in our sky. Its estimated diameter is five times that of our sun (our sun is about one million miles wide), with a luminosity of 160 times that of our sun. It is 85 light years from Earth; this means it takes 85 years for the light which is emitted from Regulus, in present time, to actually be visible to us. What we see today is an 85-year old picture of Regulus!

Regulus is also known as the Ruler, the Lawgiver. When we think of the word Regulus it can be held as a regulator. In the dictionary, regulate means "to make regular; put in good order; adjust by rule." A regulator is "one who or that which regulates; a lever for regulating motion."

We know that the quality of the star Sirius is of freedom and liberation from all that hinders evolution. Every year the sun passes in front of the star Sirius at the Fourth of July, America's Independence Day. Bastille Day, France's independence day, and Canada's independence day all occur in the month of July as the sun passes through the field of the Dog, Canis Major.

There is more real occultism hidden in the names given to the various stars by astronomers down the ages than has yet been realised. (2)

Esoterically Regulus acts as a lens for Sirius. (3) Sirius is the star of Christ consciousness and we associate the Christ with the Heart center. As Sirius is known as the Dog Star (God Star), then the star Regulus (the Heart of the Lion, the Lawgiver), its "lens," serves as the regulator of Sirian energy to the earth, stimulating the response in humanity to express heart consciousness, the quality we call love. The Soul is synonymous with love; Christ, the Heart consciousness.

Love, indeed, is an action. Energy is simply energy, and we choose to react to its stimulation in various ways. Some could interpret this stimulation as the need to become free from restriction by forcing another to their idea of freedom, or they may rise up against that which attempts to impinge on their freedom of choice. Regardless of the reaction, CHANGE and LOVE do happen, as EVOLUTION occurs.

Regulus is imminently emerging from its position at 29 degrees of the sign Leo, into the sign Virgo (of course, regardless it is still in the constellation of Leo). The sun passes through this area of the sky every year during the month of August. We know the sun is the physical center of our solar system and amplifies the quality of the constellation it passes in front of in the sky, from the earth's perspective.

Have you noticed that during the month of August, our world has undergone great changes? Almost exactly as the sun came to the same degree as the star Regulus on August 21, 1991, the communist party in the Soviet Union launched a coup against its "king," Gorbachev. The symbol of the Soviet Union was the hammer and sickle, and remember, Regulus lies at the base of the sickle in the head of the Lion. Esoterically, a sickle is used to cut out or cut down that which hinders the application of spiritual law, and so hinders the flowering forth of the Soul.

An attempt was then made by a few individuals to cut out Gorbachev, who was promoting change, freedom and unity for the good of all. The soul of Russia was transforming under his leadership. The intention by the few to control the many initally failed, but it did further catalyze the Soviet Union into monumental transformation. The kings in the far east rose up against each other as Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Then in August 1992, Saddam rose up again.

That same August, the conflict in Bosnia-Hersegovina escalated into a world concern, as atrocities to basic human rights there were revealed. A draft treaty banning the use of chemical weapons in warfare was agreed upon by the United Nations on August 7, 1992; this treaty had been pending since 1968.

Mussolini joined forces with Hitler in August 1943, and the U.S. dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The freedom of so many was to be nonexistent under the rule of Hitler or Japan. It appears as though Regulus, the Lawgiver, may act as an emissary for Divine Will.

Prophecy from the Ageless Wisdom teachings:

A certain relationship or configuration of stars — of which one is the star Regulus, in Leo — will bring about a situation wherein the reorientation of the attitude of the legal profession will take place; its functions and duties will be centralized for the purpose of world usefulness, and in this process legislation for children will assume great importance and be the motivating power. This legal step will be primarily advocated by Russia and endorsed by the United States of America. Before 2035 A.D. such legislation will be universal in its sphere of influence and control. (4)

(Some of us may physically be here to witness the fulfillment of this prophecy!)

It would be presumptuous to believe Regulus exists only to influence humans and this planet. Our ideas on the qualities of the star Regulus are undoubtedly only a minute piece of the infinite influences this great sun has on our earth and the universe.

"As Above, So Below."

Besides Regulus, the other three Royal Stars in the heavens are
Antares in the constellation Scorpio the Scorpion, the Western Royal Star,
Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus the Bull, the Eastern Royal Star,
and Fomalhaut in the constellation Pisces Austrinus, the Southern Fish
(very close to the constellation Aquarius), the Southern Royal Star.
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