I’ve been reading The Astrology of Fate by Liz Greene and have finished the section on the twelve astrological signs and how each sign copes with its Fate– as in the struggle between individuality and Spirit. I’m not an astrologer but couldn’t resist the title; I’ve definitely received more than I bargained for. I see it as an intense book written for better understanding the dark nights of the soul.
“Fate,” says Greene, “ensnares us through the body’s passions and desires. Fate enchants but also avenges transgressions of the natural law. Fate is not wrong, but the heroic in us may seek to transform or overcome them.” She adds, “We can’t transcend our Fate through spiritual techniques, but there may be wisdom in seeing the inner image of what is showing in outer events.”
Greene uses myths of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses to tell her astrological stories; it seems we humans are all at war with either our Dark Mothers or Terrible Fathers. We are living, working, to accept and understand the results of the decisions made with our Shadow Selves. Greene says that how we live with our Fate is influenced by when we are born and her insight applies to both our sun signs and rising (ascendant) signs; for example, I would read Taurus for my sun sign and Sagittarius for my rising sign. What she writes also applies to the male and female genders of each sign.
I have have mostly used the author’s words as I try to ‘get to the point’ for each sign, though in some cases I have summarized. I also plucked sentences from many pages of interesting information on each sign. It is a long, deep book and, as I’m not an astrologer and can’t be sure I’ve fully understood what she has written, please read about the signs below using your own common sense and insights.
“ARIES will overthrow the old order and, asserting independent, individual spirit, enact fierce competitiveness. It is a desire for freedom—but there is only one god. Aries is about that which must be redeemed from the grip of the Terrible Father, whether this be a love, an idea, a philosophy or a creative endeavor that is not valued by the ‘fathers’ of the world. Because his battle is with God, the Father, Aries must be fully conscious of what he is doing, and needs to reverence the deity against which he strives. If the son remains devout, the encounters with Terrible Father create inner authority and Aries can then handle the responsibility of the kingship he has fought for. If he is arrogant, he will not enter the place of his personhood. Without this struggle he remains the eternal son and never enters the place where he embodies his manhood.
Notes Along the Path 