Saturn in Libra - Let's split the burden!

There are already several articles on the Internet analyzing the recent entry of the planet Saturn in the sign of Libra. I would like to approach this subject a little differently, making an interpretation more in line with the "zeitgeist" (the spirit of our times).

If Saturn symbolizes the hardships we face on this Earth's plane, the responsibilities and obligations we have to undertake in order to stand as mature, coherent and autonomous individuals in the societal net - and additionally if Libra is the archetype of union, mating and cooperation - then certainly the entry of Saturn in Libra means - especially in our times witnessing an extremely tough "T square" between the planets Uranus, Pluto and Saturn up on the sky - a need to come closer, to unite and work together in order to get through this difficult cosmic occurance.

The bundle is stronger than the single stick, this is what Saturn in Libra will make us realize first hand! It will remove us out of our self-centered bliss and will lead us to stretch our hands to each other and to share whatever burden falls on our shoulders! In a certain way responsibilities will now have a rather erotic fragrance, as they will often become a means to unite people!

In this regard, any form of association (a simple relationship, marriage, partnership) will now take a more serious and conscious form. And since Saturn is associated with the element of utilitarianism, many "marriages of convenience" will take place throughout the whole 2,5 years period that Saturn will be in Libra.

Huge crisis from Autumn 2009 on!

Everything looks quiet and optimistic this summer of 2009. The news on the TV say that the first signs of recovery in the world economy are now visible. Nothing seems disturbing around us. But beyond the calm blue sea ahead of us, we Astrologers discern on the horizon an enormous tsunami coming over! Some relatively rare and harsh planetary formations that will appear in our sky on autumn and will keep on for several years pre-announce a major crisis, not only in economic terms but universally! The last time similar formations had shown up was during the Great Depression , back in the '30's!

There are some special astrological graphs foretelling the ups and downs of humanity, the periods that mankind will enjoy prosperity and the ones it will go through times of crisis. The corresponding graph is sinking in the autumn of 2009. It is like falling in the bottom of a deep ravine. And when we fall so deep the only way we can go is upwards.

But as we are in the middle of August none of this is visible on the horizon and people around us are rather optimistic. This optimism however is fictitious; it is a derivative of the Jupiter - Neptune conjunction that is dominant in our skies since last spring. This meeting between the joyful Jupiter and the dreamy Neptune is putting "pink glasses" in the eyes of the people hindering them from seeing things in their true dimensions.

If we look without pink glasses the things that are about to come we might not be equally enthusiastic. In October Saturn enters the sign of Libra, forming a discordant square aspect with Pluto, in early Capricorn. This formation is one of the hardest and usually it triggers extremely violent events, large-scale natural disasters, conflicts between nations. Especially now that this formation will be twice as strong (apart the Saturn - Pluto square remember that Pluto is in Capricorn, in the sign that is traditionally governed by Saturn. So, it is like having a double-whammy situation here, as the same relation between Saturn and Pluto is repeated twice).

Furthermore, in May 2010 the explosive and rebelious planet Uranus will enter the warlike sign of Aries. And as if this wasn’t enough, Uranus in Aries will form a rare planetary formation with Saturn and Pluto, called "T Square" (as it reminds us of the capital letter T, with Pluto located at the base of the T, Saturn at the upper left and Uranus at the upper right). In reality, Uranus will start triggering this formation from next autumn on (when it will be in the latter degrees of Pisces). Additionally, within this formation the already manifested in 2008 Saturn - Uranus opposition will continue to exert its power (remember that this Saturn - Uranus opposition is related to the major societal upheavals and the world economic crisis that we witnessed in the autumn - winter period of 2008). Only that this opposition will be much stronger now, as it will be boosted by the energies of the fatal Pluto, a planet that does not hesitate to carry things to extremes and massively eliminate people and situations.

A new kind of world will emerge out of this crisis. The shape of the things we knew will change dramatically. Large upheavals and tensions may arise within the society. Deprivation of liberties and resurgence of totalitarian regimes are very plausible. Disputes between various states over their borders, over minorities etc. Possible lack of energy sources, of raw materials and goods, pandemics and some rare and unusual in scale geophysical phenomena.

When we will see then some more "brilliant" planetary configurations? I think from 2020 onwards! Although Saturn will leave rather early the “T” formation (in 2011) the Uranus - Pluto square will be active for many years. We are talking here about two very crazy "guys" who both love to turn things upside down and bring people and societies to the extremes. And these crazy (but wise, in the transcendental sense) guys will be constantly confronting each other for the next 9 years! Moreover Pluto in Capricorn predisposes to darkness and hardness (and this planet will not leave Capricorn until 2024)!

But every cloud has a silver lining! Pluto in Capricorn will bring a radical transformation to the structure of our society. Thanks to the T square the old extreme materialism and consumerism will be shaked for good and people will move onto more spiritual dimensions. In the near future the shape of our cities - and of the things in general - will not be so bright and grandiose as we used them to be in the past, since what is imperative now to "shine" is the human being !

The first step on the Moon chart and the extra- terrestrial astrology

Those of you who are over 45 years old might remember this day back in 1969. It was July 20, 1969 for America (July 21 for Europe) when the Apollo 11 mission landed on the Moon and Neil Armstrong set foot on our sole natural satellite. It was the first time ever a human being was setting foot on another celestial body apart Earth. So, today we celebrate the 40th anniversary of that historical moment.

The traditional way for us astrologers to study this unique event would be to cast a chart for the very moment Neil stepped on the Moon (as he was pronouncing the famous "one small step for man..." line). We would then get a chart cast for July 20th, for the time the event happened (23:56) and for Washington D.C. But actually this chart is inconsistent to the event. In reality we should cast a chart for the very moment Neil stepped on the Moon and for the very Lunar location he stepped on. This is the backbone of the astrological theory, you should cast a chart for the exact time and place the event occured. There is no meaning in transporting Neil's first step on the Moon event to a terrestrial location (Washington DC, in this case). If we do this then we examine the impact the event had onto the USA citizens but not the event itself.

If we want to properly study the chart of the first Moon landing and in general the charts of the astronauts for those glorious days they were strolling on the Moon then we have to invent a new "extra-terrestrial" astrology. When studying events on the Moon i.e. we have to adopt a Moon-centric point of view. We have to input on our astrology software the Lunar longitudes and latitudes. Additionally, we have to plot the planets anew, from a Lunar perspective. And finally but not less importantly substitute on our charts the Moon with the Earth.

Thus, if we really want to know how Armstrong and the other astronauts were feeling back then onto that eery lunar environment we have to relocate their charts to the Moon and study their Moon-centric planetary transits. We have to know i.e in what house the "Earth" was in and which aspects it was forming with their natal planets. But this implicates another important thing: we have first to understand the Earth's astrological properties to a Moon-centric astrologer, a task we had never faced in the past. You see the facts have surpassed us (40 years have already passed from the moment Neil stepped on the Moon and nobody has still erected properly the chart for that event). And the same procedure we will encounter again in the near future when we will be called to study the "outer space" and the "Mars-centric" astrology, as the first manned mission will be heading to Mars - just in a couple of decades. We are already behind and our astrology knowledge and general consciousness has to rapidly expand. A brand new and exciting age has dawn for us Astrologers!

Thomas Gazis

Jupiter - Neptune conjunction: the miracle aspect!

An important planetary conjunction is taking place now over the sky. The planets of spirituality and high idelaism Jupiter and Neptune have approached so near in their orbits that are now somehow "embracing" each other, being both at the same zodiacal degree (26 degrees of Aquarius, exactly). It is the second time this phenomenon occurs (the first happened on 27 May 2009, while a third "embracing" of these two planets will take place on 21 December 2009).

The Jupiter - Neptune conjunction has been described as "the aspect of the miracles"! It is now likely to cause a big or small miracle in your life, depending on the area it activates in your chart and on the aspects it forms with your natal planets. Be careful though, because this conjunction may lead you as well to some kind of deception.

A miracle might happen now on a global level, too. Certainly, this conjunction will uplift the level of human consciousness and will tune the masses to more spiritual and idealistic frequencies, especially as most of us are frustrated by our previous shallow and materialistic way of living. It might create some major collective Utopias as well.

Did astrology predict the actual finacial and social world crisis?

We live in times of reflection - and by no means of celebration. An unprecedented economic and social crisis is spreading rapidly around the Globe. In periods like this it is vital to keep our minds clear and to see things as objectively as we can. And with all due objectivity, we can say that apparently this crisis has not been trully predicted by nobody in the past, neither by the economists nor the sociologists nor by any other specialized scientist. Some may have had some glimpses but the exact dimension and time of occurrence of the phenomenon has not been predicted by none! To the exception of the Astrologers...

In fact, many major Astrologers predicted the current crisis with astonishing accuracy, even decades ago! The French Astrologer Andre Barbault for example, who is a world expert in planetary cycles and in mundane astrology, was talking already back in the '80's about "the great financial crisis of the years 2008 - 2012" ! In his book "L'Avenir du Monde Selon L' Astrologie" (published in 1993, Editions Du Felin) and in page 198 he states: "the opposition Saturn - Uranus (of the year 2008) will probably trigger the first major financial crisis of the XXI Century". In the very same page he talks about the ominous square aspects that will be formed in the year 2010 between the planets Uranus and Pluto and Saturn and Pluto. He claims that these rare planetary delineations will coincide with the peak of this cataclysmic finanacial and social global crisis. Nationalistic and extremistic movements will gain momentum, riots and wars will escalate!

Another relevant book I have in my hands is E. Alan Meece's "Horoscope for the New Millennium" (Llewellyn Publications) first printed in 1996. In page 273 Meece writes: "The year 2009 marks the start of an important and painful period...The ferment will rise to fever pitch in the Fall of 2009...". In page 274 he goes: "Dodging an Apocalypse: A titanic square. When Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries in the spring of 2010, people will be much less restrained in expressing their frustration. "Peasants" and other poor people will rise up world-wide and governments will be besieged with demands for change...This titanic, historic T-square involves the same four planets as the T-square which coincided with the Great Depression"!

Finally, let me quote here an excerpt from the book "Forecasts for 1995" of the American Astrologer Reymond Merriman (he wrote this book back in 1994, when there was not even a slight indication of the current crisis in the air ):

In this book Merriman is focusing on the predictions of the year 1995. He highlights some difficult planetary delineations of that specific year and then he - rather abrubtly - states that these configurations are nothing in compare to the ones that will be formed in the period years 2008 - 2012! As he writes:

"These are indeed all important (planetary configurations), but not likely as eventful as...the period 2008-2012, when Uranus will enter Aries, Pluto will enter Capricorn (squared by Uranus), and Saturn will enter Libra. This will be the first time since 1929-1931 that these three bodies have been in the cardinal T-Square signs to one another. You may recall that 1929-1931 was an eventful time in the world. You may conclude (I do) that whatever we are doing now is simply a buildup into that time period. What happens then will be a direct result of policies, behaviors, and attitudes we are starting to develop and implement now. Hopefully, as a world body, we will have more wisdom and foresight now than we did in the 1920’s. Otherwise it might very well fall apart – again. Oh yes, it will rebuild again. But is it necessary to go through the agony – again? It is until we learn from our experiences."

How prophetic was Reymond Merriman 15 whole years ago! And as we saw here, he was not the only one... Whoever was able to elementary decipher the rare planetary configurations we are actually experiencing would come to the same conclusions. I could cite dozens, hundreds of similar articles of other Astrologers - written some 10, 20 or even 30 years ago - all of them predicting with a stunning accuracy the actual grim situation!

I am ever surprised by the greatness of Astrology! The fact that it forecast this huge worldwide economic and social crisis (a succesful forecast that could be described as the most dramatic made by astrology in the last 100 years) is to me a great event! It makes us realize the validity of Astrology and its enormous utility for us humans, who are blindly trying to find our bearings in this vast and mysterious Universe!

Thomas Gazis

The Zodiacal Banquet (the Zodiac as a Universal "Software")

Whatever exists around us -or in our minds - every single situation, thing or idea corresponds to a certain sign! There is no situation in our entire world that cannot be represented and somehow related to a sign. And this because signs are in reality the 12 archetypes through which the whole Universe is modeled, they are the ultimate matrices of “bricks” or “lego’s” that have constructed the Universe!

The zodiac in itself depicts an evolutionary process, which starts in Aries and ends in Pisces. Thus, the order of the signs is of an extreme importance. Every living organism, machine, thing and situation comes into being, grows, flourishes and dissolves, following exactly and distinctively the steps of this Aries to Pisces sequence. Thus, the zodiac constitutes an archetypal evolutionary process, according which all universal phenomena develop. It somehow is an itinerary with 12 distinctive stations that have to be followed in a precise order, one by one. If not, the processes do not become evolutionary but decadent!

Thus, every situation in life evolves - either explicitly or implicitly - according to the succession of the signs. Human beings, for example, are born and raised according to it. Let me, now, show you in this article how even the most ordinary, every day situations follow this pattern. Let’s take a situation familiar to all of us, the one of having a dinner (or a banquet, on a more solemn occasion) for our friends, relatives e.t.c.


                   THE 12 STAGES OF THE ZODIACAL BANQUET

THE ARIES STAGE Aries corresponds to the initial stage of a dinner/ banquet. We must decide here what meal to cook. This is the first thing that always worries us, when we start preparing a dinner (that is, after having definitely decided that we will make the dinner and having formed the list of our guests). Actually, this is an every day worry to all the people who cook: from a long list of possible meals we must each time pick up a specific one! Picking up the specific meal, from a long list of possible meals, actually is an individualization process. A process has been commenced, a decision has been made and actions are taken (all these are Aries traits).

THE TAURUS STAGE After having decided what meal to cook, we must consider the practical matters of the cooking. We must secure all the indispensable materials (oven, casseroles, ingredients e.t.c.). If we lack an ingredient we have to go out and buy it. Thus, we have to have the indispensable money. If we decide, for example, to cook a turkey we must have in our disposition (or buy) the turkey, the potatoes, the butter, the corn, the stuffing. Unless we secure all these ingredients (and all the other indispensable for the cooking materials) the impulsion inside us to make a turkey dish will never take form, it will never materialize!

THE GEMINI STAGE This stage corresponds to the mental preparation of the meal. Before starting the cooking we must first (as we usually do in every job) enact in our minds beforehand the whole procedure (how to cook the meal, how much of each ingredient to put in the baking pan, how long we should keep the meal in the oven). Then, if we are not very confident about are skills, we might read a recipes book. This stage corresponds to the sign of Gemini, which is the sign of reasoning, of reading books - and recipes -, of interconnecting things (interconnecting the various ingredients of the turkey, in our case). At the stage of Gemini reasoning gets high: we read the recipe, we calculate the portion of each ingredient to put in the baking pan, we probably use scales and dose-meters. All these procedures, of meticulously calculating each ingredient and throwing it to the baking pan, in order for it to mingle and interact with the others, are clearly Geminian.

THE CANCER STAGE At this stage the dissimilar ingredients put together in the baking pan start - for the very first time - tasting and smelling as a food! We might say that at this stage the food’s “soul” is formed! And this constitutes a small miracle; because it is always strange how dissimilar ingredients put together can bind and produce the meal we wanted! And till this happens, we always feel anxiety, wondering whether our “chemistry” will result into a nice food or in a complete failure! We often open the oven and taste the meat, the potatoes, to feel if they get the right taste or if they are missing something. These are moments of insecurity and anxiety. And suddenly, we get in the air the very first hint of a true turkey dish. This is a turning point and produces in us warm feelings and emotions.

THE LEO STAGE The stage where our meal definitely takes the taste and appearance we wanted! Not just its initial taste, but its final, ripe taste, the one that give us the certainty that we have in our oven a well-cooked meal, as the one we were longing for! This is usually a festive moment! The smell of the meal fills every angle of our house and chases away the doubts we had before! We are now sure that we will serve to our guests a delicious turkey, a dish that will impress them! Euphoria fills us up. Our spirits go high and we start singing - or even dancing! At this stage some early visitors might arrive, and we have the first social contacts among the house lords and the guests. Absolute certainty in us, joy and pleasure, all these are typically leonine traits.

THE VIRGO STAGE The stage where the necessary preparations for the serving of the dinner take place. The table must be prepared here; plates and cutlery must be brought out and rightly set on the table e.t.c. This is a rather technical stage, corresponding to the sign of Virgo (the sign of the “savoir vivre”. You cannot rightly set a table unless you are familiar with the rules of “savoir vivre” - i.e. you should always put the guests fork to the left of his/her plate, the knife to the right and so on). At this stage aperitifs are offered to the early visitors. An atmosphere of hasty and anxiety reigns in the air, as so many things and details have to be done, in a due time and in a correct mode.

THE LIBRA STAGE The stage where the guests approach each other and gather to the table. This is the stage of Libra, which supports the harmonic co-existence of the people, even if they are totally strangers among them. So, at this stage people gather to the table in a civil and basically harmonic manner. It is here that the collective phase of the dinner/banquet actually commences! This very moment, where everyone is pulling his/her chair to sit to the table has a uniting flare and usually is pleasant. People tend to be in a good mood (or they pretend to be) as they come close to each other. People of the opposite sex, that where attracted to each other, come for the first time close here and can freely talk to each other! Or they might discover how attractive a person is, who before they thought of as indifferent, since he/she was standing away from them in the living- room.

THE SCORPIO STAGE This is the stage of the inner unification of the guests, the unification of their souls! People that physically came so close to each other must now come psychically close, as well! This cannot be done easily. It all depends on the specific “synastries” formed at the table and - of course - on the idiosyncrasy of each guest. Usually, when people gather together sympathies and antipathies arise. Part of these sympathies and antipathies will surface and manifest during the dinner/banquet. Disguised irony, malice, even open hostility begins to surface. Guests that secretly sympathize each other form alliances and attack those they dislike or support each other from other guests’ attacks, regardless if they are right or wrong! They are motivated exclusively by their feelings. On a pure erotic level, here we have the most passionate and meaningful looks (or some under the table secret feet contact among the people that fancy each other). Obviously, this stage corresponds to Scorpio.

THE SAGITTARIUS STAGE The guests, after having discharged much of their negative psychological energies at the previous stage of Scorpio - feel better and come now closer to each other. Usually, somebody at this stage tells a joke, the guests start laughing and the “ice” begins to melt, the tensions go away. When all the members of a company laugh unhurriedly and spontaneously it means that all of them are internally united and none isolated to the rest. A relaxing and gay atmosphere begins now to reign at the table. People become truer and better intentioned to each other, they start talking more freely and exchange ideas about interesting subjects (often of a philosophical nature). This is the Sagittarius stage of the dinner.

THE CAPRICORN STAGE At this stage discussions regarding professional and social matters usually take place among the dinner guests. The stage of Capricorn usually commences when the coffee is served, after the dinner. Those guests, whose professional or social interests match, engage in conversations about their reciprocal activities. They discuss on their affairs and subjects of common interest and sound out the probabilities of a mutual cooperation or of a joint activity (i.e. a lawyer usually starts giving advises, at this stage, to the people around him who have engaged in legal matters. He might, then, give them his business card as well, in order to continue their discussions in his/her office).

THE AQUARIUS STAGE At this stage the dinner/banquet guests start to feel much more free and comfortable, in the presence of each other. They unbutton their jackets, untie their ties and sometimes sit on the floor! They become more friendly and unconventional. They begin to discuss exciting and unusual subjects (i.e. metaphysics, astronomy, astrology). Each guest begins to clearly see here which people around him are like-minded and which suit him the most. Potential friendships are formed. Invitations are exchanged (to other activities, clubs e.t.c.).

THE PISCES STAGE The breaking up, the end of the dinner. As time passes the guests become tired and sleepy. One by one they start leaving. But as they return home and prepare to sleep, they somehow re-enact in their minds the whole evening, the situations and the faces. They start wondering: why that person behaved like this? Would it have been better if I had not said what I said? Should I have been more explicit to that man/woman I was attracted to? So, they somehow re-experience the feelings they felt at the dinner. By re-enacting the night, the guests will analyze them and see more clearly the main issues raised at the table. They will better understand the quality of their interaction to the various guests, they will draw better conclusions for their characters e.t.c.

It is not only in this dinner/banquet process that the 12 zodiacal principals are followed - step-by-step. The same thing happens to every single situation and process in the Universe (from the act of making love to the very production of a car), since every situation first undifferentiated itself (comes to being), then develops, flourishes and finally dissolves! The “ouroboros” (the snake eating its tail) hides behind every single manifestation in the Universe!

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

(This Thomas Gazis article was published in the “Horoscope Guide” magazine, on the April 2004 issue).

The "Breathing" of the Zodiac (the six zodiacal "Pairs")

The traditional affinities in the zodiac are the "Elements," "Modalities," and "Polarities," as we all know. But the zodiac contains even more affinities! The signs, for example, are constructing six “Pairs” among themselves. Each masculine sign somehow takes in marriage its adjacent feminine sign. Thus, we get these six “Pairs” in the zodiac: Aries - Taurus, Gemini - Cancer, Leo - Virgo, Libra - Scorpio, Sagittarius - Capricorn, Aquarius - Pisces. It seems I am not telling you much at this point, but the concept of “Pairs” is a rather new and fascinating one, as you will see.

We live in a polarized word. Wherever we turn our sight we see polarized situations: things, processes, beings (positive or negative, masculine or feminine). Whatever situation comes in our mind, somewhere exists its opposite one! The polarization process is necessary for the objects to take shape, for the humans to exist and evolve, for life to carry on.

Take cars, for example. What is moving them is the power of their engine. And that power is produced in a rather polarized way (through the mecchanical process of "combustion - exhaustion"). Now, take the human engine, the body. It inhales oxygen and it exhales carbonate dioxide (the exhaust gas). The same mecchanism as in the cars! Without this incessant, "polarized" process of breathing in and out the human body would run out of energy and perish. Somehow, polarization means life!

Let’s go back to our six zodiac “Pairs”. These “Pairs” constitute the six major "breaths" of the zodiac, the six reciprocating processes of integration and evolution.

The zodiacal signs are depicted below in a sine wave, in order to emphasize their “gender” and the way they complement each other. The “mountains” in the figure are the masculine signs, the “gorges” or "ravines" the feminine ones.

Aries and Taurus form the Pair of Individualization, the Pair of Ego. It is imperative for each person and situation to be unique, differentiated, self-sufficient, secure, to impose his interests and dominate, in as much as he can, the others. People without a strong Ego cannot impose their will or sustain the pressures of life. Aries represents the masculine phase of the Ego and Taurus the feminine one. But does a feminine Ego really exist? Yes, it does! Whereas the masculine Ego is manifested “loudly” and aggressively, the feminine Ego is manifested by inertia and non-participation. We should consider egotistical persons not only the ones that behave abruptly and aggressively but also the ones that ingeniously retire into their selves and interests, whenever they have to make a stand and support something or somebody.

So, there are two Ego phases. The masculine phase gives a capacity to openly face situations, to claim whatever one considers his own, to pull things in the desired direction. The feminine (Taurean) phase gives a capacity to sustain external pressures and to define oneself without the need of impressive exterior achievements. This a very important but not very well understood phase of the Ego. Still, it is an equal “half” of the Ego. Aries represents the dynamic Ego, the Ego that is strong as long as it remains in action. Taurus represents the static Ego, the Ego that is strong as long as it abstains from action! In order for a man to be really strong he has to have both the masculine and the feminine phase strong.


Gemini and Cancer are the signs of the logical and of the emotional/psychological development of the individual! Of his/her Interconnection with his/her surroundings, of his/her overall "communication" skills. There is no meaning in an "Ego" that has been created but left in a primitive, unrefined state, isolated from the rest of society. It is vital for this "Ego" to evolve both logically and emotionally, so that it integrates itself to society and fully exploits the many benefits its interaction with it bestows! This is the job of of the Gemini - Cancer duet! These two signs strategically control and ever refine the "interconnection" skills of the individual with the people and the situations around him/her.

We humans are not communicating just verbally but emotionally too! On the one hahnd, the "masculine" reasoning, the intellect, are extremely important in any kind of "communication". Oddly enough though, the emotions we are transferring while we communicate with somebody play a fundamental role too! They influence the quality of our communication (they may enhance it or deteriorate it). So, every time we communicate with some other human beings we have to be aware of our emotional exchange with them as well - and respect that exchange as much as we respect the mere intellectual exchange.

Think of two individuals, a Gemini and a Cancer, traveling side by side in a bus. They don’t know each other and after some time they might even feel uncomfortable for not talking to eah other. The first to engage in a conversation will be the Gemini individual. It is imperative for this sign to interconnect cerebrally with the others, to exchange words with them - without having though any particularly wish to exchange emotions and "soul energy" with the others. That's Cancer’s job!

The sign of Cancer is the feminine phase of Interconnection and Communication. It is the sign of the Soul, so the kind of interconnection it craves for is the warm, soul - centered, emotional interconnection. S/he is shy, so probably s/he won't be the one starting the conversation. But, from the moment the dialogue will begin Cancer will willingly participate in it and will bring in it some much warmer, emotional states (i.e. he might ask his fellow traveler about his family). He will be staring him warmly in the eyes and will be aiming at his own and his fellow travelers “warming” of the soul, in that unique way that the human contact warms our souls. Even if the two do not exchange a single word during the trip and at the moment of getting down from the bus the Cancer individual turns and warmly looks at his fellow traveler, even then an interconnection will have been established, of the Cancerian, feminine type!


Leo and Virgo form the Pair of the Completion of the individual. Leo represents the masculine phase of completion and Virgo the feminine one. In the phase of Leo the individual has been remarkably developed (he has obtained in previous stages a strong Ego, intelligence and soul). Thus, Leo feels very full of himself, he begins to feel a small God! There is no doubt that Leo has a strong and dominant personality, that he is very self - confident and has a wide range of creative talents. He is self-assured and needs other people to admire him and serve him. Leo is remarkable, under many points of view, but still is not a God! This is exactly what Virgo, the feminine phase of Completion, commits herself to constantly remind him.

In the Virgonian phase of completion the individual is thoroughly probed in order to discover all of his shortcomings and failings. We all tend to deny and forget our weaknesses. But Virgo is always there to remind them to us (and of course, to mirror them to Leo, showing him how far away he is from perfection, from divinity).
If we ever manage to look objectively at our selves we will discover in us many shortcomings and weaknesses (in our appearance, personality, behavior e.t.c.). And it is not only our frailties that distant us from perfection. Our everyday sins distant us even more! How chaste and pure are we, for example, to deserve divinity? Virgo is constantly probing this, measuring the distance that separates us from the ideal.


Libra and Scorpio form the next stage, in which one individual joins another. We have here the Pair of Union. Libra expresses the masculine phase of union. This is an exterior phase. A boy and girl walking together along the beach, a man marrying a woman, two persons interacting in a gentle and polite way. However, this exterior harmony does not imply that the two persons really like each other and that, beside their exterior rapprochement, they are united internally, in their souls. There are so many men and women who do not show it externally but are strongly united in their souls (fated love affairs, extra - marital affairs, liaisons e.t.c.).

All these kinds of strong, hidden unions are typically Scorpionic (feminine). In the phase of Scorpio the individuals do not only unite but also actually merge! They become absolute one, in the body, in the mind, in the soul! They completely transform themselves into new entities and their separates “me, myself” become “us”. In the Scorpionic union, the individual ceases to draw sentimental and psychic support from his parents, relatives, friends e.t.c. and draws it exclusively from his partner.

Obviously, the Scorpionic union is a deep and passionate one. But this does not diminish the importance of the Libraian union. It is very important for two individuals, no matter how incompatible they are and how many differences they have, to coexist gently and politely. The human civilization is largely based upon the masculine Libraian union.


Next comes the stage of Socialization, represented by the signs of Sagittarius and Capricorn. Sagittarius represents the masculine phase of socialization. Remember that this phase comes after the somehow claustrophobic phase of Scorpio (where two individuals strive to become an absolute one). Sagittarius knows that if one gets too hemmed in his relationship or in his private life, he risks to be cut off from the vital stream of energies that society harbors. The energies of an intimate relationship can be powerful and regenerating but can become swampy and poisonous, as well! That’s why Sagittarius prompts the individuals to open themselves, their minds, their relationships, to go out and meet people, to have fun, to travel e.t.c.

What Sagittarius starts Capricorn completes. Capricorn considers the Sagittarian kind of socialization important, but somehow frivolous. To him the true socialization begins when the individual starts to serve society, when he produces a socially useful work (through his profession), when he fully takes his responsibilities, towards himself and society. To Capricornean people the individual is nothing but a gear in the mechanism of society and it should be as useful and functional gear as it can be! It is important for Capricorn to see people socialize for specific, utilitarian reasons, i.e. in order to develop professional plans or improve the conditions of their community.


The sixth and final stage of the zodiac is the stage of Universalization, expressed by the Pair Aquarius - Pisces. Aquarius - which is the masculine phase of universalization, considers it important that a man finds his place in society, but even more important is for him to find his place in the Universe! We have to find the meaning of life, we have to understand, in a broader term, which we are and what our mission is. Aquarius brings a high level of consciousness to the individual, so high that he might even deny doing his duty (i.e. the pilot of a military airplane that goes against the orders that he has and refuses to bomb civilians). Aquarius is a humanist. He loves his fellow humans, regardless of their social, financial, racial position. But he prefers to mingle with people that have a high level of consciousness and are like-minded.

Pisces represent the feminine phase of universalization. It is a sign that brings one an even higher level of consciousness than Aquarius. But at this advanced phase, consciousness and perception become so high that start to mutate into an undifferentiated, overwhelming wisdom that might disorientate the individual.
Pisces do not even segregate people according to their level of consciousness - as Aquarius does. To them all people are the same. They all have to carry their weigh, they all have pain and sorrow in their hearts. That’s why this mysterious sign considers each human being his brother. Pisces is the sign of the universal love, a kind of love that many people do not understand. It is a somehow impersonal love, with mixed elements of brotherhood and compassion. Pisces know that all people were once united (and they still are, in a sense) and that we all are destined to be wholly united again!


These are the six Pairs of the zodiac. The notion of “Pairs” is important because it helps us to deeper understand the structure of the zodiac. We knew a long time that there are six masculine and six feminine signs in the zodiac but apart from the obvious symmetry we had little notion of the need for such polarization. Now, with the theory of zodiacal Pairs we begin to better understand the expediency of the polarization in the zodiac. Zodiacal Pairs act as sources of energy and as agents that promote the evolutionary processes of life.

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

(This is an edited version of a Thomas Gazis article that was published in the “American Astrology - Your daily Horoscope” magazine, on the July 2003 issue with the title "The Living Zodiac").

What sign do we become when we get drunk?

Since we are now under the influence of the "crazy", liberating and unorthodox sign of Aquarius and the Carnival is just around the corner I think it fits to ask:

What sign do we become when we get drunk?

Astrology is a universal and all encompassing language, so any kind of question - even the weirdest one - can be astrologically phrased and answered through the correct synthesis and interpretation of the corresponding astrological symbols and concepts.

There is now a rather unexpected source that can give us the answer to our "booze" riddle: Ancient Greek Mythology! It is not by chance that leading Astrologers like Liz Greene have developed a very advanced and meaningfull Astrology based mainly on ancient Greek Mythology.

First, let us ask ourselves: who was the god of wine and drunkenness in ancient Greece? Dionysus -
Bacchus! A very characteristic adjective of Dionysus now is: the "liberator". He was the god that was liberating humans from their "normal" selves, from their worries and sufferings, from their inhibitions and taboos - through the wine, through drunkenness, through the "orgiastic" ceremonies and ecstasy in general.

Does this description ring a bell to you? Is your mind going to a certain "extra sociable, extra free and liberated" sign? Yes, exactly! Aquarius is the great liberator of the zodiac, the sign associated with collective ceremonies, frenzy etc. In modern astrology Dionysus is associated with the sign of Aquarius. And not by chance, Aquarius is the sign diametrically opposed to Leo (who symbolizes our ordinary Self - while Aquarius our transcendental Self). Aquarius is also the first sign that comes after Capricorn - the great guardian of the social conventions, of the limits, barriers etc. Being the first sign after Capricorn, Aquarius symbolizes the breakdown of barriers and conventions.

And since the 12 signs of the zodiac function in pairs, Aquarius is the masculine (+) phase of drunkenness and Pisces the female (-) one. The sign of Pisces represents something even more advanced: the total escape from our everyday routine (which is symbolized by the diametrically opposite to Pisces sign of Virgo). Pisces actually represents a stage where (either through a substance - such as wine - either through a ritual, a ceremony etc.) man is led to absolute ecstasy, the stage where a certain Union with the divine is produced!

And to answer our original question, under the influence of alcohol we do become certain signs or at least we adopt their behavior: we somehow become "Aquariuses" (more open, sociable and friendly to the others) and more "Pisces" (we discover a new, embellished dimension to the people around us, we might unexpectedly get up and dance while we usually feel ashamed, we might do crazy things, we might even fall for the stranger s/he stands beside us  - something we usually regret the next morning).

You will ask me then, if we become Aquariuses and Pisces when we get drunk then what about those people who already are Aquariuses and Pisces? Actually they become Aquariuses and Pisces to the highest degree. Or (on the other hand) when these people are drunk - a situation rather familiar to them - they behave relatively normal in respect to the others.

So there is a priceless treasure in Greek Mythology that can be connected with the archetypes of Astrology and deliver us some very rich and advanced astrological interpretations.

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

A brief history of Greek Astrology - Modern period

We all know that astrology flourished in ancient Greece, particularly in the so called Hellenistic period. The legacy of the ancient Greeks was subsequently passed to the Byzantines (whom we could define as "the Middle Ages Greeks"). Although the church was fiercely opposing the astrology then, the celestial art survived for a thousand years in Byzantium. And not only survived but bred some excellent astrologers too, like Rhetorius or Stephen the philosopher. Even certain prominent Byzantine politicians (like Prime-Minister Michael Psellos) were actually astrologers!

In 1453 Byzantium fell to the Turks. For almost 4 centuries Greece remained under Turkish rule. Astrology was not practiced much during this period. And when Greece was liberated in 1821 astrology was long forgotten. Consider the fact that in the early 1930's some Greek newspapers were reporting astrology as "a magic art practiced by natives in Africa"!

In 1936 the German-raised Greek engineer Peter Gravinger wrote a book entitled "Praktikon Enchiridion Astrologias" ("Practical Handbook of Astrology"), much advanced for those days and largely unnoticed. It would be in the early 1950's before we began to see Sun-sign forecasts appearing in some popular magazines and newspapers.

But the true revival of astrology in Greece came about through the efforts of a lady named Maria Metallinou (1928 - 1974). In her youth she had become interested in astrology and maintained that interest through her polytechnic studies in northern Europe. She and her collaborator Theodora Dakou (b. 1942) took lessons with the Faculty of Astrological Studies, having as their tutor the legendary Charles. E.O. Carter.

As Metallinou and Dakou possessed no ephemeris on those days (middle 60's) they contacted the director of the Athens Astronomical Observatory, Konstantinos S. Chasapes. Doctor Chasapes (1914 -1972), who had a secret flair for astrology, assisted them much with their astrological calculations and interpretations!

In 1969 Metallinou founded "Oroskopio", the first astrological magazine in Greece. However, her untimely death caused the magazine's demise. Subsequently, Theodora Dakou founded the "Ouranos Astrological Society" and in 1975 she published a quality astrology magazine named "Ouranos", that lasted until 1982. In 1980 she organized a pan-Mediterranean (F.I.M.A.) astrology conference in Athens.

In recent years astrologers Thomas Gazis and Maro Ioannidou organized two international conferences in Greece (Astromykonos 2000, featuring Robert Hand, and Astromykonos 2001, feauturing Noel Tyl and Elizabeth Teissier). They also originated the idea (together with the Spanish astrologer Ernesto Cordero) for the formation of the F.A.E.S. (South European Astrology Confederation), which they promoted with other South-European colleagues. Thomas Gazis has written two astrology books and has extensively lectured in Europe.

Another key figure in modern Greek astrology is a lady, Despina Giannakopoulou. She has substantially supported quality astrology in Greece and is actually doing an excellent job on ancient Greek astrology. She has authored five quality astrology books.

Today there are many "light" astrology magazines being published in Greece but none of quality. Commercial astrologers - psychics are over-dominating the scene, leaving very little room for quality astrology. The fact that no formal Federation of Greek astrologers has yet been established says it all!

(This excerpt was written by Thomas Gazis. It has been included - in a shorter and edited version - in Jame's H. Holden book “A History of Horoscopic Astrology”).