The Gatekeepers of a Life
I believe that there is a distinct moment when the spirit becomes anchored into the physical body for the duration of a lifetime. The moment when a newborn babe, freshly evicted from the all encompassing, all nourishing womb of the Mother, takes its first breath. Now, no longer a part of the Oneness of the womb, but separate from it. Now in an autonomous human body that must breathe and function on its own.
Connected to, and yet separate from.
It is in this moment; the first breath of a newborn babe, that we look up toward the heavens and take notice of what is happening there. The natal chart is crafted from this moment. The four angles, representing the Cross of Matter, speak of the energies that are anchoring the Spirit in this newly formed physical vessel.
The angles are our anchors into this world.
They are true representations of where the four cardinal directions were located at the moment and place of our entry. The Cross of Matter in a natal chart points to these cardinal directions within us and within our psyche. They are our primary structural and psychological foundation in this lifetime.
The Horizon Axis = Ascendant and Descendant line which represent the realm of the Self opposed to the realm of the Other. How we stand in authenticity and partner with another.
The Local Meridian Axis = MC and IC line represent the realm of one’s Roots opposed to the realm of one’s Purpose. Where we are coming from and where we are going.
They are the cornerstones of who we are in this lifetime. And they are the entry points into and out of these areas of our experience. But they’re not empty, solitary doorways, always open to whoever or whatever wishes to access our psyche. They are devotedly guarded by our sacred Gatekeepers. These Guardians can be identified as the planetary ruler of the signs on the angles. Now, I won’t pretend that this concept is an easy one to contemplate. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and it’s helped me to place the planets into archetypal categories in order to help me rationalize their symbolism and put them into form. Here’s a very simple list:
Sun - The Hero, The King/Queen
Moon - The Mother
Mercury - The Psychopomp, Hermes
Mars - The Warrior
Venus - The Lover
Jupiter - The Visionary
Saturn - The Wise Elder
Now, how exactly these archetypes are showing up as an Angle Guardian, depends on what sign is on the angle and how the ruling planet is situated in the chart.
By becoming familiar with these signs and their rulers, we open up to the opportunity of becoming intimately connected with ourselves and we become conscious of our own inner compass. These directions, which I can only describe as sacred, show us how to navigate the four primary paths of Life:
How to be ourselves (Asc).
How to reconcile our past while simultaneously cultivating strong personal roots (IC).
How to connect with others and what we need in partnership (Dsc).
How we actualize our purpose in life and thrive in the external world (MC).
This is incredibly potent information to hold about oneself. For example, if we know that Mars is the Angle Guardian of our Descendant we can bring conscious awareness into how we’re moving through that threshold and entering into relationship dynamics. We know that we are going to be asked to step into a Martian role in some way when it comes to the intimate relationships that we hold. Each time we do, we initiate ourselves deeper into the realms of partnership, guided by our sacred Guardian.
Once we know who our Guardians are, how can we honor them?
How can we honor ourselves as a living breathing altar of the Universe?
I believe by first acknowledging that we ARE a living, breathing altar of the Universe. We must allow that truth to sink into our very bones. We are Spirit having a very human experience. When we become aware of these core parts of ourselves, we fuel them with consciousness. That means that when we’re out there, living life and we enter into experiences that challenge these four primary paths, we have the ability to make choices that are in alignment with the very foundation of who we are.
That doesn’t mean that those choices are always going to be easy, but it does mean that they will be right for us. When we live our life in alignment, we are honoring our Guardians, and by honoring them, we honor ourselves.