Part II: Ophiuchus?

So how about Ophiuchus?

( Part I provides background info for this. To read it, click "January" in the right column and then click "What is your Sign?" )

The sign of Ophiuchus isn’t included in the branch of astrology that was most likely used to do your chart -- Tropical Astrology. Tropical Astrologers have known about Ophiuchus for a long time – and not used it. That’s because there are 12 months in the year and, as I said in Part I, the people who laid out the Tropical zodiac needed to match the constellations to the seasons and numbers of months. They needed twelve. And Ophiuchus, of which only a part is visible in the band that is included, didn’t make the final cut.

So unless we decide to add a month to the calendar, it’s unlikely that Ophiuchus will get into your traditional chart…but I’ll show you a way to keep it in your radar at the end of this piece.

(And by the way, those 12 constellations that are included don’t fit into neat 30 degree clips either. The boundaries are blurry, but the inventors needed to do that, too, to create an orderly system.)

Even those who practice “sidereal astrology” – which is based on the real-time position of the constellations (see Part I) could include Ophiuchus, but so far, they don’t do that very often either.

But, but, but…

That doesn’t mean the excitement about Ophiuchus isn’t a great development. And yes, you may be an Ophiuchan…


Finding Ophiuchus...maybe it's time.

Astrology connects the symbolic meaning of planets and other astro objects with the meaning of their mythical names. Astrology also maintains that when those astro objects “appear” -- when we discover and become aware of them – is relevant to us.

When a new planet was discovered in 1930 and given the name “Pluto,” astrologers concluded it was the planet that ruled our shadow side, our unconscious and death – because Pluto is the Lord of the “Underworld.” At the same time people became aware of Freud’s and Jung’s work in the developing realm of psychiatry, and that was the realm of – you guessed it, our shadow side and our unconscious.

Now nobody from the medical field was talking to anybody in astronomy. This would have just been considered “coincidence” or “synchronicity” depending on which you believe in.

Some astrologers would say that some external force was guiding the whole Pluto discovery process. Others (and I definitely fall into this brand), would maintain that we as a planet were ready to explore our unconscious motivations and decided it was time to “discover” and name Pluto and bring that info into our conscious awareness.

(And no, astrologers aren’t planning to demote Pluto from its planet status any time soon. Ironically, it would be like denying we have an unconscious, a very shadow side decision.)

The New Age of Reason?

So now here’s Ophiuchus. It was always there, but mainstream society is being made aware of it. It has been brought into our consciousness. Which means we could be ready to accept and express what it means to us. And what Ophiuchus means symbolically is pretty significant.

Ophiuchus is also called the constellation of Serpentarius – the serpent bearer. The Serpent is a powerful symbol in the collective unconsciousness – it represents awakening and enlightenment. It is the symbol for the force of Kundalini – the energy that works to unite man with the highest consciousness. The “Serpent Bearer” would bring us a new awareness.

By finally recognizing the Serpent constellation in the mainstream, it could be that we are really starting to believe that we could reach a higher stage of “conscious” evolution. That we could awaken. Maybe enough of us believe it now that we are approaching the tipping point. That might seem like a vague New Age “feel good” statement, but if you look at the world around you, it’s obvious we’re not there now and we are suffering from it. (If this is going to happen it would be great if it happened before we consumed the entire planet.)

A Giant Leap for Humankind

Are we ready to give up our egos in the name of a really higher cause? The planet? Our fellow man? Because that’s where this non-conforming “sign” would eventually lead us. The planetary Age of Aquarius, (forget “Hair” – think “Awakening”) began in the past 50 years and will last for 2000 years. It has already given birth to two “New Ages” of discoveries beyond the physical.

Maybe the possibility of Ophiuchus getting into a zodiac is the next step in waking up. And since the Serpent Bearer is “the one who brings awareness” there could be another interpretation. We may be ready for someone who really has that capability. Someone on the planet who carries that awareness and could lead us in the area of enlightenment.

In the most extreme interpretation it could be that awareness would be brought from the outside - outside the planet that is. That a civilization that exists elsewhere might bring us knowledge for our next steps. I feel a little flaky just saying that since I am not a big believer in extra-terrestial visitations, but it was Isaac Asimov who said “It’s impossible to think that we are not alone in the universe, and ridiculous to think that we are.”

An interesting point, Ophiuchus is the one sign that someone decided should have an actual human being it. It is the Egyptian doctor and healer Imhotep (others say Joseph – the Jewish healer who became the right hand man of Pharoah.). All the rest of the zodiac figures come from the realms of the Gods. Does this mean that on a symbolic level humans have decided they are ready to enter the true realm of the Gods?

Sidereal astrologers would be the ones who would more likely recognize Ophiuchus and incorporate it into readings. A few already do. But even if you resonate more strongly with traditional astrology (See Part I) and use those positions for everything else, you can tune into this new “sign.”

You would use the position of Ophiuchus where it actually is now, because it’s a constellation that is being brought into our consciousness now, and because it does not fit the ancient tradition – only the sidereal one (i.e. where the constellations actually are.) So feel free to keep it in your astrological radar. Just being aware that the “Serpent Bearer” exists can alter your thinking.

It’s possible this is just a beginning blip. “Oh, it’s there?” that will fade and go unrecognized for a while longer. But if this is the start of stronger rumblings, I think it will take a bit before astrologers can figure out what to do with this. And it may not really have an effect until a large planet transits through Ophiuchus – say Uranus, Neptune or Pluto -- and works on the collective consciousness. Since the earliest that would happen would be in about 50 or 60 years, in the meantime…

What Ophiuchus may mean to you…

If you were born with your sun, moon, or ascendant in this time frame, and Ophiuchus resonates with you, consider yourself a mixed-breed for now. If you have any planet that falls between approximately 7 and 25 degrees Sagittarius when you were born, you may want to consider becoming taking on Ophiuchus as your “sub-sign” in that area..

In spiritual astrology, Sagittarians (November 23rd to December 21st) are the “arrow of truth shot into the Heavens” – they both look for the truth (they are explorers) and spread it where they go. The “new” Ophiuchans (November 29th to December 17th) would be working to incorporate that higher truth into their beings in the quest to evolve to a higher consciousness. So they fit well together.

If you decide you are an Ophiuchian, you are the kind to take responsibility for your enlightenment in the name of a higher cause in a earnest fashion. You seek to clear out all the unnecessary emotional and mental baggage that prevents your higher awareness. And you will be contributing to new information in the collective unconscious, or in this case in the name of making the collective more conscious.

Kundalini is said to be within all of us, but once awakened its call to awareness is a serious one, Are you, are all of us, ready for that?