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crimsoncurrentA MATERIALIZING MEDIUM GIVING A SEANCE
Commentary:
‘A Materializing Medium’ has a sensitivity to and awareness of spiritual forces. She is ‘Giving a Séance’, and can manifest messages from spirit that are given from the “other side”. Roget's Thesaurus defines ‘Medium’ as meaning “That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved: agency, agent, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, intermediary.” She is an “instrument” who is able to receive radiations, frequencies, or vibrations that cannot easily be sensed by most people.
Oracle:
Many things can be ‘Materialized’ in our lives; they can come seemingly out of nowhere. They may be messages, voices, noises, stories or episodes from one’s life. Objects can be ‘Materialized’ as well; we can conjure them up. Sometimes it can cause confusion, other times enlightenment. Realizing that one can create their own reality and the responsibility implied can lead to the belief that just about anything is possible in one’s life. The things that are ‘Materialized’ can be tangible and rewarding things, however, there should be some caution as sometimes they can have more to do with drama and show rather than having any real or lasting substance. Sit with any new impressions you may be receiving until you understand the authenticity or depth. If you have to do something or perform in front of people, rest assured that with the right attitude and a little preparation there should be no problem. You may have the talent and the ability to make things up as you go along. Energy can feel as though it is coursing “through you”. Notice the physical evidence that leads you to realize, see or “hear” messages. Certain words standing out in a newspaper or magazine, words of a song that bring messages, something special noticed in a photo or other image, etc. Pay attention to these messages and allow them to inspire you to connect with whatever and whoever is guiding you. Aspects of personality can erupt, at appropriate or sometimes inappropriate moments. How much is true in this situation and how much is made-up or imagined?
Keywords:
Spiritual channeling. A need to free up “stuck” or earthbound entities. Efforts to materialize things. Coming straight out with things. Giving voice to spirit. Tarot readings, clairvoyance and clairsentience. Things seen ahead of their time. Bringing messages from the other side. Contacting the dead.
The Caution:
Putting on a false front. Merely doing a performance for others. Making things up. Using mind control over others to get a desired outcome. Using sensational methods to induce others to give up control over their own lives. Exorcisms performed by the inexperienced. Inviting weird energies or people.
Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment.
Harrys book - Neptune
Lord Haw Haw-Bacchus/Nessus
Lara Gassen
The act of contemplation creates the thing contemplated.
Isaac D’Israeli
Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.
Frank Gaines
I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.
Ralph Ellison
Faith is power to believe and power to see.
Prentice Mulford
What does mysticism really mean? It means the way to attain knowledge. It’s close to philosophy, except in philosophy you go horizontally while in mysticism you go vertically.
Elie Wiesel
=======================================================================
Dane Rudhyar
Dane Rudhyar, a key figure in modern humanistic astrology, refined and popularized Marc Edmund Jones’s Sabian Symbols in works like An Astrological Mandala. For Pisces 23°, Rudhyar interprets the Sabian Symbol as:
Symbol: "A 'materializing' medium giving a séance."
Interpretation: Rudhyar sees this degree as symbolizing the ability to give tangible form to spiritual or inner realities. It reflects a capacity to bridge the unseen and the physical world, suggesting sensitivity to subtle energies and the potential for manifesting what lies beyond ordinary perception. He emphasizes the creative and prophetic power of the human psyche, where the medium’s role highlights a connection to collective or spiritual forces. Rudhyar frames it as a call to trust in intuitive faculties and to make the invisible visible, though he cautions against misuse or over-identification with the phenomena.
Marc Edmund Jones
Marc Edmund Jones, who originally channeled the Sabian Symbols with psychic Elsie Wheeler in 1925, provided the foundational imagery that Rudhyar later expanded. For Pisces 23°, his version is:
Symbol: "Spiritist phenomena."
Interpretation: Jones describes this as "tangible evidence of the superior-to-physical nature of man," pointing to an awareness of life’s deeper dimensions. He sees it as a degree of heightened sensitivity to the "inner import" of events, suggesting an individual attuned to the spiritual or metaphysical currents around them. In his delineation of Theodore Roosevelt’s chart (where Neptune was at Pisces 23°), Jones highlights this as a mark of someone who intuitively grasps the worth of everything they encounter, giving them profound influence. It’s about perceiving beyond the surface and aligning with a larger, unseen reality.
Charubel (John Thomas)
Charubel, a 19th-century Welsh seer and astrologer, channeled his own set of degree symbols, published in The Degrees of the Zodiac Symbolized. For Pisces 23°, his symbol and interpretation are:
Symbol: "A dark mist covering a large space, with a bright star shining in the center of the mist."
Interpretation: Charubel describes this as denoting "a peculiar destiny." He suggests it represents someone with a unique path, marked by spiritual or mystical tendencies that set them apart. The dark mist implies obscurity or confusion in the outer world, while the bright star signifies an inner light or higher calling that guides the individual. This could indicate a person who navigates life through intuition or inner vision rather than conventional means, often misunderstood but driven by a singular purpose.
Sepharial (Walter Gorn Old)
Sepharial, a Theosophist and astrologer, claimed to have translated his degree symbols from an ancient text called La Volasfera (though its existence is unverified). For Pisces 23°, his symbol and meaning are:
Also SEPHARIEL Symbol: "A man standing on a high hill, with a cross beside him formed of two sticks."This symbol is capable of two renderings, the first
of which points to a strong character, a set
purpose a lofty aim and is some particular sense
the gift of prophecy and knowledge of future
events. On the other hand, there is the weakness
which depends on the hazard of life, the
carelessness or indifference which arises from
lack of interest and finds expression in vanity and
self-inflation. At its best it signifies the higher
indifference which affects the mind secure of its
achievements, in the worst case it denotes
improvidence and carelessness, a life set upon a
hazard. It is a degree of SEECULATION.
Interpretation: Sepharial interprets this as "a degree of aspiration and self-sacrifice." It suggests an individual who seeks higher understanding or spiritual elevation, often at personal cost. The high hill represents a vantage point of insight or isolation, while the cross implies a burden or a willingness to endure for a greater cause. This degree points to a life shaped by idealism, possibly involving struggle or a quest for transcendence.
Charubel (Corrected)
Symbol: "A column of smoke ascending on a gigantic scale, followed by a terrible burst of flame. The phenomenon partakes of the character of an explosion."
Interpretation: Charubel doesn’t always provide lengthy explanations, but this symbol suggests a powerful, transformative event—something overwhelming and potentially destructive yet awe-inspiring. The "column of smoke" implies an initial obscurity or buildup (Pisces’ nebulous quality), escalating into a "terrible burst of flame" and "explosion," which could signify a sudden revelation, crisis, or release of pent-up energy. It points to a personality or destiny marked by intensity—perhaps someone who channels chaotic or spiritual forces, leading to dramatic shifts. In Pisces, this might reflect a martyr-like eruption of emotion, intuition, or sacrifice, with the potential for both creation and devastation. The "gigantic scale" emphasizes its collective or cosmic impact.
Revisiting Earlier Interpretations with Charubel’s Context
Dane Rudhyar
Symbol: "A 'materializing' medium giving a séance."
Comparison: Rudhyar’s medium manifests the unseen, while Charubel’s explosion makes it violently visible. Both suggest a bridge to the intangible—Rudhyar calmly, Charubel explosively—fitting Pisces’ spiritual depth.
Marc Edmund Jones
Symbol: "Spiritist phenomena."
Comparison: Jones’s subtle psychic evidence contrasts with Charubel’s dramatic outburst, yet both tie to Pisces’ sensitivity to unseen forces, with Charubel amplifying the scale and intensity.
Sepharial (Original, not your revised version)
Symbol: "A man standing on a high hill, with a cross beside him formed of two sticks."
Comparison: Sepharial’s quiet sacrifice differs from Charubel’s fiery chaos, but both imply a transcendent struggle—Sepharial through endurance, Charubel through eruption.
Isidore Kozminsky
Symbol: "A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying on a field after a fierce battle."
Comparison: Kozminsky’s aftermath of conflict aligns with Charubel’s explosive energy, though Charubel captures the event itself. Both suggest Pisces enduring or unleashing turmoil.
Esther V. Leinbach
Symbol: "A woman dressed as a nun stands at the cloister gate looking out upon the world."
Comparison: Leinbach’s introspective longing contrasts with Charubel’s outward explosion, yet both hint at a tension—inner restraint versus external release—within Pisces’ duality.
John Sandbach
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Comparison: Sandbach’s quiet preservation opposes Charubel’s volatile spectacle, but both deal with something enduring—Sandbach seals it, Charubel explodes it—reflecting Pisces’ depth.
Ellias Lonsdale
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Comparison: Lonsdale’s karmic closure could follow Charubel’s explosion as a resolution, both touching on Pisces’ fateful undertones, though Lonsdale is subtler.
Janduz
Symbol: "A man wearing a monk’s hood and a long robe is seated in a cell lit by a ray of sunlight piercing through a high window and falling on an open book."
Comparison: Janduz’s serene illumination contrasts sharply with Charubel’s fiery burst, yet both suggest revelation—Janduz through contemplation, Charubel through cataclysm.
Your Revised Sepharial ("Warrior with a Long Bow")
Since you earlier presented "A warrior in helmet drawing a long bow" with a dual rendering (prophecy vs. carelessness) as Sepharial’s take, I’ll briefly compare it to Charubel’s corrected symbol:
Comparison: The warrior’s poised action (aiming) precedes Charubel’s explosive release (smoke and flame). Both suggest directed energy—prophetic intent in Sepharial, chaotic outcome in Charubel—fitting Pisces’ visionary yet unpredictable nature. The "speculation" you tied to the warrior aligns with the risk of Charubel’s explosion going awry.
Synthesis
Charubel’s "column of smoke and burst of flame" for 23° Pisces stands out as the most volatile and dramatic of the set, emphasizing a sudden, transformative force. It contrasts with the quieter, introspective symbols (Leinbach’s nun, Janduz’s monk, Sandbach/Lonsdale’s seal) and even the subtler spiritual tones (Rudhyar, Jones), while resonating with Kozminsky’s battle echoes and your Sepharial warrior’s potential for action. It paints Pisces 23° as a degree of intensity—where intuition or repression ignites into something vast and uncontrollable, for better or worse. Does this explosive imagery shift your view of the degree, especially compared to the warrior motif you initially explored? - YES!
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Isidore Kozminsky
Source: Zodiacal Symbology and Its Planetary Power (1917)
Symbol: "A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying on a field after a fierce battle has been fought."
Interpretation: Kozminsky associates this degree with Mars as the influencing planet, suggesting a scene of aftermath—exhaustion and destruction following intense conflict. He interprets it as "one who will be called upon to pass through many battles and to occupy a position necessitating the facing of many enemies." The native is battle-scarred yet resilient, with "many secret foes" and a life marked by strife, though potentially ending in peace after struggle. This reflects Pisces’ capacity for sacrifice and endurance, with a martial twist unusual for the sign’s typically gentle nature, hinting at a warrior-like resolve beneath the surface.ZELENSKY/PUTIN CEASEFIRE
ALSO 23� Pisces: A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying in a muddy pool.
Denotes one who will know the poverty of aggression and who will suffer from the effects of his actions and intentions. He will understand that what is gained by force may become a curse instead of a blessing, and why the so-called glories of ancient Rome became so many daggers at her throat when the results of her deeds brought her to earth. Let the native prove his power in a greater way than by contention. Let him clear his mind and control himself if he can. It is a symbol of Militancy.
Esther V. Leinbach
Source: Degrees of the Zodiac (1973, revised edition)
Symbol: "A woman dressed as a nun stands at the cloister gate looking out upon the world."
Interpretation: Leinbach sees this degree as embodying a tension between withdrawal and engagement. The nun represents retreat into spirituality or isolation (Pisces’ introspective side), yet her gaze outward suggests a longing for connection or influence in the secular world. Leinbach notes this could indicate "psychic sensitivity" and a struggle between inner devotion and external temptation, often linked to individuals who "seem to be seeking something they cannot define." It captures Pisces’ duality—yearning for transcendence while tethered to earthly concerns.
John Sandbach
Source: The Circular Temple (Chandra Symbols, developed from 1980s onward)
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Interpretation: Sandbach’s Chandra Symbols are concrete yet magically imbued. For Pisces 23°, he describes a degree of "holding something together by sealing it," suggesting preservation of something ancient or significant despite its imperfections (the "smelly" wax). It points to honoring commitments or legacies, even when they’re burdensome or unglamorous. Sandbach ties this to Pisces’ role as a keeper of collective memory and spiritual depth, with an emphasis on enduring through subtle, unseen efforts rather than overt action. The parchment hints at history, aligning with Pisces’ connection to the past and the eternal.
Ellias Lonsdale
Source: Inside Degrees (1997, building on Chandra Symbols)
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed." (Same as Sandbach’s Chandra Symbol, which Lonsdale adapts.)
Interpretation: Lonsdale takes Sandbach’s image and infuses it with a poetic, soul-oriented depth. He writes: "Binding agreements which hold firm no matter what. The stamp of fate sealed and delivered. Karmic cycles winding down, giving way to completion." He sees this degree as a marker of inescapable destiny—something the individual must face or fulfill, often tied to past-life echoes or collective burdens. For Pisces 23°, it’s about surrendering to a larger script while finding liberation through acceptance, reflecting Pisces’ themes of dissolution and spiritual closure. The "smelly" aspect adds a raw, human edge to the mysticism.
Janduz (Jeanne Duzéa)
Source: Les 360 Degrés du Zodiaque (1938, based on Volasfera with modifications)
Symbol: "A man wearing a monk’s hood and a long robe is seated in a cell lit by a ray of sunlight piercing through a high window and falling on an open book."
Interpretation: Janduz paints a contemplative scene, emphasizing solitude, study, and divine illumination. She interprets this as "a studious mind attracted to occult science, philosophy, and theology," with a life of "retirement and meditation." The sunlight suggests inspiration or revelation breaking through isolation, aligning with Pisces’ pursuit of higher truth and its tendency toward seclusion. Janduz also notes potential for "austerity" or "renunciation," echoing the sign’s sacrificial streak, though the open book implies active engagement with wisdom rather than passive retreat.
Synthesis and Comparison
Themes of Struggle and Transcendence: Kozminsky’s battle-weary heap of arms contrasts with the quieter, introspective symbols of Leinbach (nun), Sandbach/Lonsdale (wax seal), and Janduz (monk), yet all suggest a confrontation with something larger—be it enemies, longing, fate, or divine knowledge. Pisces’ mutable, water-like nature adapts to these challenges differently: Kozminsky fights, Leinbach yearns, Sandbach/Lonsdale endure, and Janduz contemplates.
Inner vs. Outer: Leinbach’s nun and Janduz’s monk look outward or upward from confinement, while Kozminsky’s warrior faces external foes, and Sandbach/Lonsdale’s seal binds an internal pact. This mirrors Pisces’ oscillation between the inner world (spirituality, intuition) and outer demands (conflict, duty).
Piscean Essence: All reflect Pisces’ sensitivity and depth—Kozminsky through resilience after chaos, Leinbach through psychic tension, Sandbach/Lonsdale through karmic closure, and Janduz through mystical insight. The degree seems to blend sacrifice, intuition, and a quest for meaning, with varying degrees of activity or passivity.
Your earlier mention of Charubel’s "warrior with a long bow" for 23° Pisces shares some kinship with Kozminsky’s martial imagery, though Kozminsky’s focus is on aftermath rather than preparation. Leinbach and Janduz lean toward monastic withdrawal, while Sandbach and Lonsdale offer a more esoteric, fate-driven lens. How do you see these fitting with your understanding of 23° Pisces, especially given the warrior motif you highlighted earlier?
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Pisces 23. In a museum, paintings are admiring people as they pass by. (Omega Symbol) Interacting/Receptive
(Degree Angel: Damabiah (da-MA-bee-YAH) Fear of God, Fountain of Wisdom)
Everything we think and every product of our imagination has a life of its own. This degree is deeply aware of this fact and acutely senses the aliveness of even those things which materialists think of as inanimate. At best here is a vast and complete rapport with everything, which is the key to unending wealth. We are in the midst of our prosperity – all we need to do is see it and work with it.
The Chandra Symbol for this degree is “Someone lurking in a dark wood. They are waiting for a passerby.” Whatever we refuse to confront in the light of everyday will lie in way for us to grab us when we are most unsuspected and unaware. Because o f fear and apprehension its easy to interpret this symbol as a robber or attacker looking for a victim, but it might also be seen as someone who has a message for us, but who, for one reason or another, has not been able to make contact through the normal channels. At worst this degree may suffer from a continual undertone of apprehension. The antidote to this is to approach life with the attitude that everything that occurs is happening to teach one something. And to know that those parts of ourselves which have not yet been integrated into our consciousness are not enemies, but rather powers waiting to contribute their voice to the chorus which is us.
Pleiadian Symbol: At a séance the room fills with the scent of roses and a consoling female voice.
Azoth Symbol: In the heat of the summer, spiritual lessons quietly offered in the shade.
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"Someone lurking in a dark wood. They are waiting for a passerby."
Interpretation: This darker, more ambiguous image contrasts with the Omega’s brightness, embodying Pisces’ shadow side. The lurker could be menacing—a robber lying in wait—or something subtler, like a hidden aspect of self or a message from the unconscious. Sandbach suggests, “Whatever we refuse to confront in the light of everyday will lie in wait for us,” highlighting how unacknowledged fears or truths ambush us when least expected. The dual potential (threat or gift) reflects Pisces’ mutable nature—fear might cast the lurker as an enemy, but openness reveals it as a teacher or ally. At worst, this breeds “a continual undertone of apprehension”; at best, it’s an invitation to embrace all experiences as lessons, integrating fragmented parts into wholeness. The antidote is trust in the process, seeing the dark wood as a space of initiation, not just danger.
Supporting Symbols
Degree Angel: Damabiah (Fountain of Wisdom)
Interpretation: Associated with the 65th angel in the Shemhamphora, Damabiah governs intuition and purification. “Fear of God” here isn’t terror but awe, a reverence for the vastness of existence that flows like a “fountain of wisdom.” For Pisces 23°, this angel amplifies the degree’s receptivity (Omega) and depth (Chandra), suggesting divine insight emerges from engaging with both the museum’s living art and the wood’s lurking shadows. It’s wisdom born of surrender to the unknown.
Pleiadian Symbol: "At a séance the room fills with the scent of roses and a consoling female voice."
Interpretation: This evokes a gentle, healing presence—roses symbolizing love, the feminine voice offering comfort. It bridges the Omega’s interaction (spirits engaging the living) and Chandra’s lurking (a message from beyond), softening the latter’s edge. In Pisces’ ethereal realm, this suggests 23° carries a consoling potential—contact with higher or hidden forces that soothe rather than alarm, aligning with the degree’s capacity for rapport and integration.
Azoth Symbol: "In the heat of the summer, spiritual lessons quietly offered in the shade."
Interpretation: The Azoth Symbols, Sandbach’s alchemical layer, emphasize subtle transformation. Here, amidst life’s intensity (summer heat), wisdom unfolds quietly in respite (shade). It mirrors the Omega’s quiet aliveness and Chandra’s hidden teacher, suggesting 23° Pisces reveals truths indirectly—through rest, reflection, or unexpected encounters—rather than force. It’s a cooling balm to the degree’s potential apprehension.
Seed Degrees
Capricorn 6 (Omega Seed): "A woman inventing magical perfumes."
Connection: The perfumes awaken “sensitivity to formerly unseen realms,” paralleling the museum’s living paintings. This earthy Capricorn root grounds Pisces 23°’s mysticism in creation, suggesting its receptivity stems from tangible acts of imagination.
Ancient gold scarab lying in the sand (Chandra Seed):
Connection: A buried treasure waiting to be found, this links to the lurker’s potential gift—“a precious gift the lurker waits to give.” It hints at ancient wisdom or past-life echoes surfacing in the dark wood, tying to Pisces’ timeless depth.
Holistic Interpretation
At 23° Pisces, these symbols weave a narrative of profound interconnectedness and confrontation with the unseen. The Omega Symbol’s paintings admiring people reflect a world where boundaries blur—art, thoughts, and reality converse, offering endless richness if we notice. This is Pisces at its most receptive: alive to the sentience in all things, prosperous through unity. Yet the Chandra Symbol’s lurker in the dark wood warns of what’s repressed or ignored—be it fear, potential, or destiny—waiting to engage us. Together, they depict a degree of duality: open interaction versus hidden ambush, wealth of awareness versus apprehension of the unknown.
The supporting symbols refine this:
Damabiah infuses it with intuitive wisdom, urging awe over fear.
Pleiadian roses and voice soften the tension, promising consolation from the ethereal.
Azoth shade offers quiet revelation, balancing the explosive potential of confrontation.
Seed degrees root it in creative sensitivity (perfumes) and hidden value (scarab), suggesting this degree blooms from past efforts and buried truths.
At its best, Pisces 23° is a visionary state—seeing life as a living museum, embracing the lurker as a guide, and finding wealth in every exchange. At its worst, it’s paralyzed by unease, missing the forest for the shadows. The key is trust: everything—paintings, lurkers, roses, shade—teaches, contributes, and lives within us. Sandbach’s antidote—“everything that occurs is happening to teach one something”—unlocks its power, making it a degree of spiritual rapport and courageous integration.
Connection to Your Earlier Queries
Compared to Charubel’s “column of smoke and burst of flame” (your corrected version), this is subtler—no explosions, but a quiet aliveness and lurking potential. Kozminsky’s battle aftermath feels distant from the museum’s grace, though the lurker could hint at conflict’s edge. Leinbach’s nun gazing out shares the receptive longing, while Janduz’s monk aligns with the shade’s wisdom. Your Sepharial warrior (if still relevant) contrasts with this passivity, yet its “prophecy” fits the degree’s intuitive thread. Does this interpretation’s focus on living connection and hidden lesso
Commentary:
‘A Materializing Medium’ has a sensitivity to and awareness of spiritual forces. She is ‘Giving a Séance’, and can manifest messages from spirit that are given from the “other side”. Roget's Thesaurus defines ‘Medium’ as meaning “That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved: agency, agent, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, intermediary.” She is an “instrument” who is able to receive radiations, frequencies, or vibrations that cannot easily be sensed by most people.
Oracle:
Many things can be ‘Materialized’ in our lives; they can come seemingly out of nowhere. They may be messages, voices, noises, stories or episodes from one’s life. Objects can be ‘Materialized’ as well; we can conjure them up. Sometimes it can cause confusion, other times enlightenment. Realizing that one can create their own reality and the responsibility implied can lead to the belief that just about anything is possible in one’s life. The things that are ‘Materialized’ can be tangible and rewarding things, however, there should be some caution as sometimes they can have more to do with drama and show rather than having any real or lasting substance. Sit with any new impressions you may be receiving until you understand the authenticity or depth. If you have to do something or perform in front of people, rest assured that with the right attitude and a little preparation there should be no problem. You may have the talent and the ability to make things up as you go along. Energy can feel as though it is coursing “through you”. Notice the physical evidence that leads you to realize, see or “hear” messages. Certain words standing out in a newspaper or magazine, words of a song that bring messages, something special noticed in a photo or other image, etc. Pay attention to these messages and allow them to inspire you to connect with whatever and whoever is guiding you. Aspects of personality can erupt, at appropriate or sometimes inappropriate moments. How much is true in this situation and how much is made-up or imagined?
Keywords:
Spiritual channeling. A need to free up “stuck” or earthbound entities. Efforts to materialize things. Coming straight out with things. Giving voice to spirit. Tarot readings, clairvoyance and clairsentience. Things seen ahead of their time. Bringing messages from the other side. Contacting the dead.
The Caution:
Putting on a false front. Merely doing a performance for others. Making things up. Using mind control over others to get a desired outcome. Using sensational methods to induce others to give up control over their own lives. Exorcisms performed by the inexperienced. Inviting weird energies or people.
Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment.
Harrys book - Neptune
Lord Haw Haw-Bacchus/Nessus
Lara Gassen
The act of contemplation creates the thing contemplated.
Isaac D’Israeli
Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.
Frank Gaines
I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.
Ralph Ellison
Faith is power to believe and power to see.
Prentice Mulford
What does mysticism really mean? It means the way to attain knowledge. It’s close to philosophy, except in philosophy you go horizontally while in mysticism you go vertically.
Elie Wiesel
=======================================================================
Dane Rudhyar
Dane Rudhyar, a key figure in modern humanistic astrology, refined and popularized Marc Edmund Jones’s Sabian Symbols in works like An Astrological Mandala. For Pisces 23°, Rudhyar interprets the Sabian Symbol as:
Symbol: "A 'materializing' medium giving a séance."
Interpretation: Rudhyar sees this degree as symbolizing the ability to give tangible form to spiritual or inner realities. It reflects a capacity to bridge the unseen and the physical world, suggesting sensitivity to subtle energies and the potential for manifesting what lies beyond ordinary perception. He emphasizes the creative and prophetic power of the human psyche, where the medium’s role highlights a connection to collective or spiritual forces. Rudhyar frames it as a call to trust in intuitive faculties and to make the invisible visible, though he cautions against misuse or over-identification with the phenomena.
Marc Edmund Jones
Marc Edmund Jones, who originally channeled the Sabian Symbols with psychic Elsie Wheeler in 1925, provided the foundational imagery that Rudhyar later expanded. For Pisces 23°, his version is:
Symbol: "Spiritist phenomena."
Interpretation: Jones describes this as "tangible evidence of the superior-to-physical nature of man," pointing to an awareness of life’s deeper dimensions. He sees it as a degree of heightened sensitivity to the "inner import" of events, suggesting an individual attuned to the spiritual or metaphysical currents around them. In his delineation of Theodore Roosevelt’s chart (where Neptune was at Pisces 23°), Jones highlights this as a mark of someone who intuitively grasps the worth of everything they encounter, giving them profound influence. It’s about perceiving beyond the surface and aligning with a larger, unseen reality.
Charubel (John Thomas)
Charubel, a 19th-century Welsh seer and astrologer, channeled his own set of degree symbols, published in The Degrees of the Zodiac Symbolized. For Pisces 23°, his symbol and interpretation are:
Symbol: "A dark mist covering a large space, with a bright star shining in the center of the mist."
Interpretation: Charubel describes this as denoting "a peculiar destiny." He suggests it represents someone with a unique path, marked by spiritual or mystical tendencies that set them apart. The dark mist implies obscurity or confusion in the outer world, while the bright star signifies an inner light or higher calling that guides the individual. This could indicate a person who navigates life through intuition or inner vision rather than conventional means, often misunderstood but driven by a singular purpose.
Sepharial (Walter Gorn Old)
Sepharial, a Theosophist and astrologer, claimed to have translated his degree symbols from an ancient text called La Volasfera (though its existence is unverified). For Pisces 23°, his symbol and meaning are:
Also SEPHARIEL Symbol: "A man standing on a high hill, with a cross beside him formed of two sticks."This symbol is capable of two renderings, the first
of which points to a strong character, a set
purpose a lofty aim and is some particular sense
the gift of prophecy and knowledge of future
events. On the other hand, there is the weakness
which depends on the hazard of life, the
carelessness or indifference which arises from
lack of interest and finds expression in vanity and
self-inflation. At its best it signifies the higher
indifference which affects the mind secure of its
achievements, in the worst case it denotes
improvidence and carelessness, a life set upon a
hazard. It is a degree of SEECULATION.
Interpretation: Sepharial interprets this as "a degree of aspiration and self-sacrifice." It suggests an individual who seeks higher understanding or spiritual elevation, often at personal cost. The high hill represents a vantage point of insight or isolation, while the cross implies a burden or a willingness to endure for a greater cause. This degree points to a life shaped by idealism, possibly involving struggle or a quest for transcendence.
Charubel (Corrected)
Symbol: "A column of smoke ascending on a gigantic scale, followed by a terrible burst of flame. The phenomenon partakes of the character of an explosion."
Interpretation: Charubel doesn’t always provide lengthy explanations, but this symbol suggests a powerful, transformative event—something overwhelming and potentially destructive yet awe-inspiring. The "column of smoke" implies an initial obscurity or buildup (Pisces’ nebulous quality), escalating into a "terrible burst of flame" and "explosion," which could signify a sudden revelation, crisis, or release of pent-up energy. It points to a personality or destiny marked by intensity—perhaps someone who channels chaotic or spiritual forces, leading to dramatic shifts. In Pisces, this might reflect a martyr-like eruption of emotion, intuition, or sacrifice, with the potential for both creation and devastation. The "gigantic scale" emphasizes its collective or cosmic impact.
Revisiting Earlier Interpretations with Charubel’s Context
Dane Rudhyar
Symbol: "A 'materializing' medium giving a séance."
Comparison: Rudhyar’s medium manifests the unseen, while Charubel’s explosion makes it violently visible. Both suggest a bridge to the intangible—Rudhyar calmly, Charubel explosively—fitting Pisces’ spiritual depth.
Marc Edmund Jones
Symbol: "Spiritist phenomena."
Comparison: Jones’s subtle psychic evidence contrasts with Charubel’s dramatic outburst, yet both tie to Pisces’ sensitivity to unseen forces, with Charubel amplifying the scale and intensity.
Sepharial (Original, not your revised version)
Symbol: "A man standing on a high hill, with a cross beside him formed of two sticks."
Comparison: Sepharial’s quiet sacrifice differs from Charubel’s fiery chaos, but both imply a transcendent struggle—Sepharial through endurance, Charubel through eruption.
Isidore Kozminsky
Symbol: "A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying on a field after a fierce battle."
Comparison: Kozminsky’s aftermath of conflict aligns with Charubel’s explosive energy, though Charubel captures the event itself. Both suggest Pisces enduring or unleashing turmoil.
Esther V. Leinbach
Symbol: "A woman dressed as a nun stands at the cloister gate looking out upon the world."
Comparison: Leinbach’s introspective longing contrasts with Charubel’s outward explosion, yet both hint at a tension—inner restraint versus external release—within Pisces’ duality.
John Sandbach
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Comparison: Sandbach’s quiet preservation opposes Charubel’s volatile spectacle, but both deal with something enduring—Sandbach seals it, Charubel explodes it—reflecting Pisces’ depth.
Ellias Lonsdale
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Comparison: Lonsdale’s karmic closure could follow Charubel’s explosion as a resolution, both touching on Pisces’ fateful undertones, though Lonsdale is subtler.
Janduz
Symbol: "A man wearing a monk’s hood and a long robe is seated in a cell lit by a ray of sunlight piercing through a high window and falling on an open book."
Comparison: Janduz’s serene illumination contrasts sharply with Charubel’s fiery burst, yet both suggest revelation—Janduz through contemplation, Charubel through cataclysm.
Your Revised Sepharial ("Warrior with a Long Bow")
Since you earlier presented "A warrior in helmet drawing a long bow" with a dual rendering (prophecy vs. carelessness) as Sepharial’s take, I’ll briefly compare it to Charubel’s corrected symbol:
Comparison: The warrior’s poised action (aiming) precedes Charubel’s explosive release (smoke and flame). Both suggest directed energy—prophetic intent in Sepharial, chaotic outcome in Charubel—fitting Pisces’ visionary yet unpredictable nature. The "speculation" you tied to the warrior aligns with the risk of Charubel’s explosion going awry.
Synthesis
Charubel’s "column of smoke and burst of flame" for 23° Pisces stands out as the most volatile and dramatic of the set, emphasizing a sudden, transformative force. It contrasts with the quieter, introspective symbols (Leinbach’s nun, Janduz’s monk, Sandbach/Lonsdale’s seal) and even the subtler spiritual tones (Rudhyar, Jones), while resonating with Kozminsky’s battle echoes and your Sepharial warrior’s potential for action. It paints Pisces 23° as a degree of intensity—where intuition or repression ignites into something vast and uncontrollable, for better or worse. Does this explosive imagery shift your view of the degree, especially compared to the warrior motif you initially explored? - YES!
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Isidore Kozminsky
Source: Zodiacal Symbology and Its Planetary Power (1917)
Symbol: "A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying on a field after a fierce battle has been fought."
Interpretation: Kozminsky associates this degree with Mars as the influencing planet, suggesting a scene of aftermath—exhaustion and destruction following intense conflict. He interprets it as "one who will be called upon to pass through many battles and to occupy a position necessitating the facing of many enemies." The native is battle-scarred yet resilient, with "many secret foes" and a life marked by strife, though potentially ending in peace after struggle. This reflects Pisces’ capacity for sacrifice and endurance, with a martial twist unusual for the sign’s typically gentle nature, hinting at a warrior-like resolve beneath the surface.ZELENSKY/PUTIN CEASEFIRE
ALSO 23� Pisces: A heap of broken arms and military trappings lying in a muddy pool.
Denotes one who will know the poverty of aggression and who will suffer from the effects of his actions and intentions. He will understand that what is gained by force may become a curse instead of a blessing, and why the so-called glories of ancient Rome became so many daggers at her throat when the results of her deeds brought her to earth. Let the native prove his power in a greater way than by contention. Let him clear his mind and control himself if he can. It is a symbol of Militancy.
Esther V. Leinbach
Source: Degrees of the Zodiac (1973, revised edition)
Symbol: "A woman dressed as a nun stands at the cloister gate looking out upon the world."
Interpretation: Leinbach sees this degree as embodying a tension between withdrawal and engagement. The nun represents retreat into spirituality or isolation (Pisces’ introspective side), yet her gaze outward suggests a longing for connection or influence in the secular world. Leinbach notes this could indicate "psychic sensitivity" and a struggle between inner devotion and external temptation, often linked to individuals who "seem to be seeking something they cannot define." It captures Pisces’ duality—yearning for transcendence while tethered to earthly concerns.
John Sandbach
Source: The Circular Temple (Chandra Symbols, developed from 1980s onward)
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed."
Interpretation: Sandbach’s Chandra Symbols are concrete yet magically imbued. For Pisces 23°, he describes a degree of "holding something together by sealing it," suggesting preservation of something ancient or significant despite its imperfections (the "smelly" wax). It points to honoring commitments or legacies, even when they’re burdensome or unglamorous. Sandbach ties this to Pisces’ role as a keeper of collective memory and spiritual depth, with an emphasis on enduring through subtle, unseen efforts rather than overt action. The parchment hints at history, aligning with Pisces’ connection to the past and the eternal.
Ellias Lonsdale
Source: Inside Degrees (1997, building on Chandra Symbols)
Symbol: "A smelly wax seal on an old parchment deed." (Same as Sandbach’s Chandra Symbol, which Lonsdale adapts.)
Interpretation: Lonsdale takes Sandbach’s image and infuses it with a poetic, soul-oriented depth. He writes: "Binding agreements which hold firm no matter what. The stamp of fate sealed and delivered. Karmic cycles winding down, giving way to completion." He sees this degree as a marker of inescapable destiny—something the individual must face or fulfill, often tied to past-life echoes or collective burdens. For Pisces 23°, it’s about surrendering to a larger script while finding liberation through acceptance, reflecting Pisces’ themes of dissolution and spiritual closure. The "smelly" aspect adds a raw, human edge to the mysticism.
Janduz (Jeanne Duzéa)
Source: Les 360 Degrés du Zodiaque (1938, based on Volasfera with modifications)
Symbol: "A man wearing a monk’s hood and a long robe is seated in a cell lit by a ray of sunlight piercing through a high window and falling on an open book."
Interpretation: Janduz paints a contemplative scene, emphasizing solitude, study, and divine illumination. She interprets this as "a studious mind attracted to occult science, philosophy, and theology," with a life of "retirement and meditation." The sunlight suggests inspiration or revelation breaking through isolation, aligning with Pisces’ pursuit of higher truth and its tendency toward seclusion. Janduz also notes potential for "austerity" or "renunciation," echoing the sign’s sacrificial streak, though the open book implies active engagement with wisdom rather than passive retreat.
Synthesis and Comparison
Themes of Struggle and Transcendence: Kozminsky’s battle-weary heap of arms contrasts with the quieter, introspective symbols of Leinbach (nun), Sandbach/Lonsdale (wax seal), and Janduz (monk), yet all suggest a confrontation with something larger—be it enemies, longing, fate, or divine knowledge. Pisces’ mutable, water-like nature adapts to these challenges differently: Kozminsky fights, Leinbach yearns, Sandbach/Lonsdale endure, and Janduz contemplates.
Inner vs. Outer: Leinbach’s nun and Janduz’s monk look outward or upward from confinement, while Kozminsky’s warrior faces external foes, and Sandbach/Lonsdale’s seal binds an internal pact. This mirrors Pisces’ oscillation between the inner world (spirituality, intuition) and outer demands (conflict, duty).
Piscean Essence: All reflect Pisces’ sensitivity and depth—Kozminsky through resilience after chaos, Leinbach through psychic tension, Sandbach/Lonsdale through karmic closure, and Janduz through mystical insight. The degree seems to blend sacrifice, intuition, and a quest for meaning, with varying degrees of activity or passivity.
Your earlier mention of Charubel’s "warrior with a long bow" for 23° Pisces shares some kinship with Kozminsky’s martial imagery, though Kozminsky’s focus is on aftermath rather than preparation. Leinbach and Janduz lean toward monastic withdrawal, while Sandbach and Lonsdale offer a more esoteric, fate-driven lens. How do you see these fitting with your understanding of 23° Pisces, especially given the warrior motif you highlighted earlier?
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Pisces 23. In a museum, paintings are admiring people as they pass by. (Omega Symbol) Interacting/Receptive
(Degree Angel: Damabiah (da-MA-bee-YAH) Fear of God, Fountain of Wisdom)
Everything we think and every product of our imagination has a life of its own. This degree is deeply aware of this fact and acutely senses the aliveness of even those things which materialists think of as inanimate. At best here is a vast and complete rapport with everything, which is the key to unending wealth. We are in the midst of our prosperity – all we need to do is see it and work with it.
The Chandra Symbol for this degree is “Someone lurking in a dark wood. They are waiting for a passerby.” Whatever we refuse to confront in the light of everyday will lie in way for us to grab us when we are most unsuspected and unaware. Because o f fear and apprehension its easy to interpret this symbol as a robber or attacker looking for a victim, but it might also be seen as someone who has a message for us, but who, for one reason or another, has not been able to make contact through the normal channels. At worst this degree may suffer from a continual undertone of apprehension. The antidote to this is to approach life with the attitude that everything that occurs is happening to teach one something. And to know that those parts of ourselves which have not yet been integrated into our consciousness are not enemies, but rather powers waiting to contribute their voice to the chorus which is us.
Pleiadian Symbol: At a séance the room fills with the scent of roses and a consoling female voice.
Azoth Symbol: In the heat of the summer, spiritual lessons quietly offered in the shade.
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"Someone lurking in a dark wood. They are waiting for a passerby."
Interpretation: This darker, more ambiguous image contrasts with the Omega’s brightness, embodying Pisces’ shadow side. The lurker could be menacing—a robber lying in wait—or something subtler, like a hidden aspect of self or a message from the unconscious. Sandbach suggests, “Whatever we refuse to confront in the light of everyday will lie in wait for us,” highlighting how unacknowledged fears or truths ambush us when least expected. The dual potential (threat or gift) reflects Pisces’ mutable nature—fear might cast the lurker as an enemy, but openness reveals it as a teacher or ally. At worst, this breeds “a continual undertone of apprehension”; at best, it’s an invitation to embrace all experiences as lessons, integrating fragmented parts into wholeness. The antidote is trust in the process, seeing the dark wood as a space of initiation, not just danger.
Supporting Symbols
Degree Angel: Damabiah (Fountain of Wisdom)
Interpretation: Associated with the 65th angel in the Shemhamphora, Damabiah governs intuition and purification. “Fear of God” here isn’t terror but awe, a reverence for the vastness of existence that flows like a “fountain of wisdom.” For Pisces 23°, this angel amplifies the degree’s receptivity (Omega) and depth (Chandra), suggesting divine insight emerges from engaging with both the museum’s living art and the wood’s lurking shadows. It’s wisdom born of surrender to the unknown.
Pleiadian Symbol: "At a séance the room fills with the scent of roses and a consoling female voice."
Interpretation: This evokes a gentle, healing presence—roses symbolizing love, the feminine voice offering comfort. It bridges the Omega’s interaction (spirits engaging the living) and Chandra’s lurking (a message from beyond), softening the latter’s edge. In Pisces’ ethereal realm, this suggests 23° carries a consoling potential—contact with higher or hidden forces that soothe rather than alarm, aligning with the degree’s capacity for rapport and integration.
Azoth Symbol: "In the heat of the summer, spiritual lessons quietly offered in the shade."
Interpretation: The Azoth Symbols, Sandbach’s alchemical layer, emphasize subtle transformation. Here, amidst life’s intensity (summer heat), wisdom unfolds quietly in respite (shade). It mirrors the Omega’s quiet aliveness and Chandra’s hidden teacher, suggesting 23° Pisces reveals truths indirectly—through rest, reflection, or unexpected encounters—rather than force. It’s a cooling balm to the degree’s potential apprehension.
Seed Degrees
Capricorn 6 (Omega Seed): "A woman inventing magical perfumes."
Connection: The perfumes awaken “sensitivity to formerly unseen realms,” paralleling the museum’s living paintings. This earthy Capricorn root grounds Pisces 23°’s mysticism in creation, suggesting its receptivity stems from tangible acts of imagination.
Ancient gold scarab lying in the sand (Chandra Seed):
Connection: A buried treasure waiting to be found, this links to the lurker’s potential gift—“a precious gift the lurker waits to give.” It hints at ancient wisdom or past-life echoes surfacing in the dark wood, tying to Pisces’ timeless depth.
Holistic Interpretation
At 23° Pisces, these symbols weave a narrative of profound interconnectedness and confrontation with the unseen. The Omega Symbol’s paintings admiring people reflect a world where boundaries blur—art, thoughts, and reality converse, offering endless richness if we notice. This is Pisces at its most receptive: alive to the sentience in all things, prosperous through unity. Yet the Chandra Symbol’s lurker in the dark wood warns of what’s repressed or ignored—be it fear, potential, or destiny—waiting to engage us. Together, they depict a degree of duality: open interaction versus hidden ambush, wealth of awareness versus apprehension of the unknown.
The supporting symbols refine this:
Damabiah infuses it with intuitive wisdom, urging awe over fear.
Pleiadian roses and voice soften the tension, promising consolation from the ethereal.
Azoth shade offers quiet revelation, balancing the explosive potential of confrontation.
Seed degrees root it in creative sensitivity (perfumes) and hidden value (scarab), suggesting this degree blooms from past efforts and buried truths.
At its best, Pisces 23° is a visionary state—seeing life as a living museum, embracing the lurker as a guide, and finding wealth in every exchange. At its worst, it’s paralyzed by unease, missing the forest for the shadows. The key is trust: everything—paintings, lurkers, roses, shade—teaches, contributes, and lives within us. Sandbach’s antidote—“everything that occurs is happening to teach one something”—unlocks its power, making it a degree of spiritual rapport and courageous integration.
Connection to Your Earlier Queries
Compared to Charubel’s “column of smoke and burst of flame” (your corrected version), this is subtler—no explosions, but a quiet aliveness and lurking potential. Kozminsky’s battle aftermath feels distant from the museum’s grace, though the lurker could hint at conflict’s edge. Leinbach’s nun gazing out shares the receptive longing, while Janduz’s monk aligns with the shade’s wisdom. Your Sepharial warrior (if still relevant) contrasts with this passivity, yet its “prophecy” fits the degree’s intuitive thread. Does this interpretation’s focus on living connection and hidden lesso