Jupiter in Sagittarius

December 15, 2006

A few days ago, Jupiter entered its own sign, Sagittarius. I believe that when a planet transits its own sign, it symbolizes a Return for all of humanity. Transiting Sagittarius, Jupiter marks a new cycle of human growth and expansion. In honor of that, I share my writings on Jupiter from The Principles of Astrology.

Jupiter

Jupiter is considered a planet of socialization, as its first obvious effects occur there. Civilization and society expand through cooperation of effort and communication of thought. More than that, it expands--not in a straight line, but in concentric rings. Like the circular waves which spread across a pond when a pebble is tossed into it, light and information spread around the world.

Like attracts like, even in the nonphysical realms of light. Ideas gather related ideas to form a concept, ideal, or principle. Jupiter represents the process by which Mercury ideas cluster to form quanta of information that can be processed as units, in the same way that we use words and ideas. A concept is an expanded idea.

Jupiter also refers to language, as a language is a cluster of words used by a particular group of people. Language is not limited to the usage prevalent in a particular area. Any consensus usage as music, mathematics, or astrology may be called a language. Astrology is doubly Jupiterian in that it is a language of concepts, in which each word symbolizes--not a unit, but--a quantum of information.

Since all things include their reflection, Jupiter also rules the principle or core idea of any conceptual application. We may see its process as either adding layers of information or removing layers of detail to reveal the core idea/principle. A true Jupiterian can work from either end of this construct, because s/he understands the principles on which knowledge is founded.

Some Jupiterians are so principled as to be called idealists, referring to their inclination toward excluding the irrelevant from awareness. To the true Jupiterian, all negation is irrelevant to the truth. Some recognize the existence of functional evil, but never the existence of an evil principle.

Extending from this, we find deductive reason and computation. Jupiter represents our ability to process thought mathematically, finding answers through varying applications of existing information. It is the capacity to predict the logical outcome or consequence of an action or series of acts. In modern computerese, Jupiter is our C.P.U.

Belief belongs to Jupiter, because a word means whatever we agree to believe that it means. Out of its meaning as belief, comes the connection to religion and philosophy, which are belief systems. When beliefs go unquestioned by Mercury, Jupiter is perverted, becoming pure dogma. The promotion of beliefs that limit or pervert life is the greatest evil in existence.

Sometimes Jupiter represents a consensus belief regarded as truth. Such concepts are based on a relatively absolute principle, subject to additional interpretations that expand their meaning, bringing us back to the original meaning of Jupiter as conceptual expansion.

Wherever knowledge or relationships are spread by contagion, or through a ripple effect, Jupiter is at work. Wherever groups are formed to generate greater resources, energy, size or power, Jupiter is there. Jupiter may be conscious or unconscious, depending on how rapidly and/or efficiently it works. We may or may not see the connections. Nevertheless, we can and do see the effects of them.

From this comes Jupiter's connection with freedom, and the urge to escape our limitations. Literally this refers to the freedom to expand, most often to expand our awareness. Minds are difficult to cage and tend to escape their bonds in one way or another. Here Jupiter urges us to outgrow our Saturnian limits, just as, earlier in life, he assisted us in outgrowing our clothes. Always, Jupiter represents the drive or urge to reach for the future, for something bigger or better or more fun. The other side of freedom is alienation, when we become so free as to sever all connections with others.

A further connection with the future deals with the relatively near future: tomorrow. If we are not free today, we can be, will be tomorrow. For Jupiterians, tomorrow does come IF we believe it will. Only when we accept the general statement that tomorrow never comes, do we push our living ahead of us, keeping it just out of reach. Every today was once a yesterday. Every Jupiterian must unite the opposing sides and live in the eternal present.

The other side of freedom may be abandonment. We leave something behind, or are left behind, when one moves forward and another remains in place.

The need to move forward is a factor in the generosity-abundance factor. Full hands cannot be filled. The only way to live a truly abundant life is to be generous. Generosity must, however, be based on resources over and above our personal needs and desires. The flow can be broken as easily by lack of appreciation as by hoarding. To give away a gift intended for self shows lack of appreciation. Appreciation blesses, and Jupiter is a great blessing for humanity.

Jupiter is a teacher, spreading information or knowledge. She is also a student because she knows that the best way to learn is to teach others and the best teacher constantly learns. Saturn may also be a teacher but Jupiter teaches with a reward system and Saturn uses punishment, so we like Jupiter better. Being freer, Jupiter is happier, and becomes the eternal optimist who is optimistic because s/he believes in the continual expansion of the quantity and/or quality of life.

Because it refers to an easy conscience, Jupiter is connected with optimism, enthusiasm and joy. Praise, a result of these feelings, makes things grow or energizes them. In addition, optimism generates luck, another meaning attached to Jupiter.
The idea of belief leads to the old rulership of Pisces, the sign of faith. Over time, faith came to mean unquestioned or unreasoned trust. Usually we know why we hold the beliefs that we do, or at least have some explanation for them, whether it is rational or not. Often we cannot explain why we place our faith and trust where we do. Beliefs that are too rigid can limit progress. Irrational faith or trust leaves us without protective boundaries and can destroy us.

Beside this we find another aspect of Jupiter: justification. Jupiter will offer you an explanation for its actions or beliefs, generally one grounded in some moral code, or one that evades a moral issue. This can be a blessing or a curse. Both Jupiter and Saturn have something to do with conscience, Jupiter giving permission and Saturn denying it, sometimes without adequate analysis for either.

As a person, Jupiter may represent an angel/messenger, a publisher or broadcaster. He is the bringer of good news who expands your beliefs in a joyful, energy expanding, way. In today's world, s/he would probably be called an evangelist, a promoter, or salesperson. S/he perceives particular beliefs, or products, as liberating, is enthusiastic about that, and wishes to convert everyone to a state where they can share a sense of freedom.

Certain of the fundamental Christian doctrines are particularly Jupiterian in that they offer salvation, a ritual for the release of guilt. To be released from that part of our ego programming which produces guilt can be an incredibly freeing and life-affirming experience. Still, even this great gift was often limited in its effects by the dogma that limiting its use expressed gratitude.

Jupiter is, at the metaphysical level, TRUTH. Still, truth is relative to time and place.

EXAMPLE: It was once true that man could not fly. It is now true that we can fly with a proper vehicle--even to the moon. One day it will be true that we can fly without a vehicle-- those who do astral flight already do.

Knowing this may be "the truth that sets you free," a Jupiterian statement made by Jesus. In knowing that truth is a living force, and that it does move, grow, and change over time, lies the freedom to continually expand our horizons and increase our light.

In principle, what Jesus taught became not only the foundation for religious freedom, but the roots of democracy. This is where the illegality of his message lay: He preached personal freedom in a world run by its priesthood and/or monarchy, for its entire written history. He taught that while these structures may have been good, even needed, in the past, they were now becoming obsolete. New methods of managing human behavior needed to be developed because the species had outgrown its boundaries. Taking the truths taught by the earlier thinkers, he adapted them to practical use in the lives of the common wo/man. He taught a totally new idea/concept of humanity as a being competent to think for and rule itself. It was a concept whose time had come and it changed the world.

Today we face the end of that age, and the beginning of a new one. Again humanity must learn a new idea/concept/definition for itself. In the last 25-30 years, humanity has begun to realize vastly increased consciousness potential. The New Kids embody the future. For the present, the two forces–stasis and progress–struggle and chaotic events result. Still, we claim the great promises of Jupiter.

We shall overcome.
We shall become more than we have dreamed!