Behind the Portrait - 12th House

I often write things for another purpose (in this case a writing prompt) and then look at it through astrological eyes and see its symbolism. . .

Upon the plain walls of my life,
there hangs a portrait. It is a good likeness.

And behind it, set into the discoloured patch
on the wall. Is a blank space.

And set within that blank space, is a secret safe.
Where I, have locked myself away.

And no one, would even begin to suspect,
that the portrait may not be me.

And that I, may be hidden behind it.
Sitting quietly alone, inside the safe.

In this, I saw the portrait as being all that is on show, the ascendant and our highly visible planets. While behind the portrait, the 12th house planets (in my case the mars and moon) are locked away. Also as my 4th house contains my Sun, I am often not immediately 'seen'.

Do you identify with this? Are some parts of you more noticeable, more easily recognised? Or is your portrait an accurate enough representation?

Image and words - Susannah Bec.

Darkness Illuminated

As subconscious becomes conscious
great energy is released
and transformation occurs.

Image - copyright Susannah Bec 2010


Twelfth house

subterranean

dungeon of

things that seethe

and ferment.


It is a big place

intercepted and

home to mars

its ruler

and his anger

and the moon

and her vast ocean

the place is awash

with emotion.


I had no access

that room was locked

camouflaged to my

conscious mind

revealing itself

surreptitiously.


Repressed

and disowned

its infantile

energy

grew.


Then you came

with your venus

perched on

my moons

exact degree


and your mars

conjuncting

mine

(exact again)


and through

you

I could see

what I hadn't

before


and

I entered

that place

I could not see

and the

volcano

erupted

and

my world

fell

apart



and it

swept

away the

locked doors

and what was

subconscious

finally

became

conscious.

"When consciousness draws near to the unconscious,
not only does it receive a devastating shock but something
of its light penetrates into the darkness of the unconscious.
The result is that the unconscious is no longer so remote
and strange and terrifying, and this paves the way for an
eventual union....What happens is that its contents cross
over into consciousness more easily than before."
- Carl Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis

Image and Words: Susannah Bec

Astrology and Access to the Subconscious - Revisited

SELF UNDERSTANDING

"There is a great deal of unmapped country within us which would have to be taken into account in an explanation of our gusts and storms." - George Eliot

"We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect. The judgement of the intellect is only part of the truth." - Carl Jung

"Man's task is to become conscious of the contents that
press upward from the unconscious. "- Carl Jung

"A true knowledge of ourselves is knowledge of our power." - Mark Rutherford

*

Astrology has given me a way to access my subconscious.

A doorway into the realm where archetypes and dream images dwell,

the place where the lens through which I view my world

is either warped, or polished.

Pure intellect alone could not have given me entry into that world,

for shaman like, I have journeyed into that realm,

only to have lost my visions on the threshold of consciousness.

Astrology as a symbolic language enables me

to carry my discoveries safely back,

so that my mind can then set about interpreting the images

that are my messages to myself.

*

"No man remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself."

- Thomas Mann

Mercury on the IC. Moon and Mars in an intercepted 12th house. Moon opposite Neptune square Mercury. Moon trine Venus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo.
Image by Susannah Bec

12th House Highlighted

"The human psyche shows that each individual is an extension
of all of existence." - Stanislav Grof

I nearly slipped down the cracks that opened in my reality today. Fissures in the once solid ground threatened to swallow me as I passed.

The looming dream world too close for comfort, infiltrating the light of day. No longer content with its sleep populated realm, it tore a hole in the thin fabric that separates these two different worlds.

Maybe these rips are always there, hidden, unseen, but today, I noticed.

12th house Mars and Moon. Moon opposite Neptune both square Mercury on the IC

Venus Conjunct Pluto - Dealing With Darkness

I just wrote this this morning and posted in on my blog Out Of My Ocean
I thought I would post it here too. . .

Dealing With Darkness

Peripheral vision glimpsing the darkness that lurks in unused corners. The shadows stalking my footsteps. Wrapped blackness creeps. The amorphous night seeps in through a crack. Tangible darkness billowing like smoke. It follows my breath.

Fear rises to greet this ancient comrade, emotion hooked into an age old dance. They move together as mutual passion is fueled. Darkness feeding fear, fear feeding darkness. Locked in a lovers embrace they writhe, energy quickening, they are lost in each other.

Eyes open I stare into the blackness, caught up in the passion of the moment. The energy creating vortexes, whirlpools. Nothing solid in this world of night. I pull my energy out of the fray. Anchor strong and steady I close my eyes, reach for the light inside and flick the switch.

Venus conjunct Pluto - Moon and Mars 12th House.

Hide and Seek - 12th House

I think I know how all this started,
when I was young
I played hide and seek,
and to the best of my recollection,
...nobody ever found me.

(12th house Moon opp Neptune
both square Mercury on I.C.)

This was written long, long ago before I had even seen my birthchart! ;-)

Submariner - 12th house

SUBMARINER
I am a submariner.
I explore the depths.

I have no choice,
I am looking for my freedom.

I trawl the ocean bottom
and drag my treasures up to the light.

Make them conscious.

Illuminate the shadows,
so that there can be no fear.

(Moon and Mars in 12th house)

Copyright © SB 2008

Solitude - 12th House

SOLITUDE

It is in my solitude

that I both feed my strength,

and indulge my demons.

Silence...

magnifies me.

(Moon and Mars both in 12th house
Mercury on I.C. Sun conjunct Uranus in 4th house)

Copyright © SB 2008

Moon opposite Neptune

Neptune has been my Mother
bought forth from her very womb,
I feel her every nuance,
whilst wandering in her rooms.

She has always been around me,
but I've never seen her face.
Her gentle arms, encircle me,
as I'm staring into space.

Oceanic energy,
that coddles, and reveals.
The masks are constantly changing,
depending how she feels.

I'm familiar with formlessness,
with things that never end.
Boundaries, that don't exist.
…Realities that bend.

She cossets my emotion,
whilst exposing every thought.
Dwelling in her special place.
High priestess…holding court.

(12th house Moon opp Neptune
both square Mercury on I.C.)

Copyright © SB 2008