On August 13, I am giving my first public presentation on the Lord of the Nativity one of the two most important planets in Hellenistic astrology. Chosen from among several candidates, this planet was thought to best guide a person towards the fulfillment of their destiny. Some identify it with the personal daimon. The charts of Liz Cheney and the Russia-Ukraine grain agreement will be used to illustrate the presentation. Watch this short video for more information.
If you are familiar with the myth of Ceres (Greek Demeter), you will recall her devastation, grief, and rage over Pluto’s abduction of her daughter Persephone into the underworld. To secure the return of her child, the goddess who had given the gift of grain cultivations to humanity withdrew her blessings from the land. This led to famine and starvation. Ceres/Demeter would not relent until an agreement had been made, forcing Pluto to release Persephone. She then brought relief from hunger to the people of earth.
When two celestial bodies, whose deity archetypes are intimately connected in myth come into some kind of planetary alignment, their story takes on a sharp focus in psyche and society. One way in which the conflict between Ceres and Pluto can express is the use of power to control food supply. This is currently manifesting in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
The dwarf planet Ceres is intimately connected to food production. Ukraine has long been known as the ‘bread basket of the world’, supplying a huge percentage of vital grain exports for world consumption. The dwarf planet Pluto is associated with power, control, and domination. During the last several months, the Ukrainian Black Sea ports have been blocked, preventing the food from reaching other countries. This in turn has precipitated rising global food shortages, hunger concerns, and economic downturns.
On July 22, 2022, between 4:30-5:00pm, Russia and Ukraine signed a diplomatic deal in Istanbul to lift the naval blockade and allow safe passage for millions of tons of grain through the Black Sea to countries facing food insecurity and looming starvation. Note that Ceres is exactly conjunct the heart of the Sun at 29° Cancer, the last degree of the sign most associated with security through nurturance. This conjunction is opposite Pluto at 27° Capricorn, the degree of Pluto’s return to its natal position in the U.S. chart. The international power struggles involving food will contribute to the transformational crises facing United States over the next few years.
The opposition between Ceres and Pluto aptly describes the tension between the opposing factions, the tension as to whether the agreement will be honored and effective, as well as the tension of the uncertainty facing global populations whose lives hang in the balance.
Want to Learn More? Register for the Webinar!
In the Kurios: Lord of the Nativity webinar, I will examine this agreement chart from a Hellenistic perspective to speculate about which planet can best guide the intended course.
We will also look at the chart of Liz Cheney to illustrate this technique. You’ll get to witness the art of astrology, as the astrologer makes a judgment about which planet claims this role in the birth chart.
Presented live on August 13, 2022. Register here