Lyndall McQuinn

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TAROT IS THE TOOL OF PROCESS.

The Tarot is a wonderful pictorial guide of the journey of life. Its images evoke emotion and awareness that externalises the mixture of conscious and unconscious motivations held within us. It is a wonderful tool to sit down with. The deck helps to articulate what you are grappling with and then reflects back to you, via its images, the state of the inner terrain.

Our inner terrain is not a world of black and white answers. This is a complex world where it is difficult to find clarity especially when everything is revolving inside our thoughts. The Tarot is a tool of these processes. At any moment we can view the point we are up to in the NOW. The Tarot images extract the internal and place it externally so we can see.  From there we can make decisions to create what is coming.  This is an evolution on from being the fortune telling tool.

We have moved on from the fortune tellers. We have become people seeking awareness and knowledge of our inner selves. We are prepared to be responsible for our life and view it as our creation. We no longer need someone outside of us to make our decisions; we prefer to work with another to gain clarity of where things have gone out of balance and how to regain balance.  

How many issues in our lives do we have to revisit to make decisions on? There are many times when we are confronted with situations which need more than one decision over a long period of time. We often know we could change and move on but something either practical or unexplainable stops us. We become frustrated with feeling trapped in a never ending saga.

Walking with the Tarot in the above situations leads us through very difficult journeys. It is helpful to check in on the Tarot to see where the situation sits NOW. Where can I step now? Sometimes the way out of the labyrinth takes weaves and turns. It may require a decision that actually leads to the next stage of decision making rather than a black/white answer.

Much of our inner life is about seeking answers. If we were just left with our thoughts we would spend most of our time seeking answers. The beauty of the Tarot is we don’t have to explain all the details, the images just begin in the now.  We are immediately placed in the here and now. We can choose to view past if we want, but the journey forward is often where the relevance lies. It is the journey forward that motivates most people to seek out a reader.

This journey forward is about viewing NOW and evaluating how it is functioning and from there planning forward. The Tarot’s images are powerful images to project forward. They depict a pathway. The pathway interacts with your decision making, so it is flexible. The more awareness that you have of the forward pathway, the more precisely you can create it. Decisions can be made at any stage of this journey. We have outgrown the need to believe that situations are unchangeable. Negative situations mean we can relook and renavigate the path.

The Tarot is a companion to the processes that carry us through life. Some of these processes are personal to us and others are equivalent to age and set life situations. Using the Tarot in this way alters our perception of the Tarot and also the reader. Life has a tiny element of destiny and a huge component of choice. The two together are our creators of a journey.

 Tarot offers us a glimpse of the now and a projected path forward. It profoundly taps into the images of the unseen within us and gives us a vision externally to ponder. It tells us when to stop and rethink and when to fly on by, all is going well.  Viewing the Tarot from this perspective makes it a profound tool to move forward with us into our futures as our ways of being and perceiving are transformed.

 

©LYNDALL MCQUINN 2011

MORE THAN ONE ZODIAC BY LYNDALL MCQUINN   

The zodiac as we know it is a circle of constellations that encircle the Earth. They are located in a circle following the ecliptic path of the Sun across the heaven. If we journeyed out from Earth we would leave from the Equator and follow the zodiac signs as we know them from Aries to Pisces around the globe following the ecliptic pathway. The zodiac and Earth equators differ by twenty three degrees due to the tilt of the Earth on her axis. To be included in the zodiac, a constellation needs to be within eight degrees north or south of this ecliptic.

 If we took the journey out from the Equator and followed that band of constellations we found on zero degrees, we would also add some extras that also cross over the Earth’s Equator. There are twenty eight all up that cut across the Equatorial region.

We could also travel out from Earth at different latitude to zero degrees at the Equator – let’s say thirty degrees north and we would follow a whole different zodiac around our planet.  And again if we journeyed from thirty degrees south we would again discover another group of constellations; a whole new ethos of heavenly influence.

Ancient Astrologers from Arabia and Egypt were aware of the multiple layers of constellations and along with the zodiac signs that we know and use today, they added three more constellations to each sign. This gave us a multi layered approach to each sign. We have the raw energy of the current zodiac sign, then level one, two and three. How this was interpreted is not actually known.  Many of the constellations added to our traditional zodiac signs were northern hemisphere constellations. The southern hemisphere constellations were left largely unaccounted for.

The ecliptic level of these constellations is the zodiac signs we use today but we can then journey through many levels and layers of each of these signs. We can begin at the ecliptic and ascend through the northern levels of consciousness of a sign or descend through the southern levels of a sign. There is no need to try to squeeze more constellations into an already abundant 360 wheel of knowledge; instead we can include all constellations by moving our consciousness through understanding the multi level of awareness held in the total of all the constellations.  I have termed this a Global Zodiac

From Vivian E Robson book –The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Chapter  2 (1923) I have used the approximate extent of each constellation, both in longitude and degrees to compile the following table. The constellations I have assigned to each sign have their beginning degrees in one of the twelve current zodiac signs according to Robson’s approximations. Robson’s work was written in 1923 so in the tables I have compiled there are extra constellations that are now not recognised. (see appendix for compiled tables)

Table 1. Number of constellations layered under current signs.

Current zodiac sign	Number of  constellations	Northern	Southern	Not recognised today
Saggittarius	8	0	8	2
Capricorn	10	5	5	0
Aquarius	9	4	5	1
Pisces	8	4	4	1
Aries	5	3	2	2
Taurus	4	3	1	3
Gemini	6	3	3	2
Cancer	9	7	2	1
Leo	5	4	1	1
Virgo	9	5	4	0
Libra	3	1	2	2
Scorpio	9	3	7	1

 

Ancient Astrologers already knew there to be four levels for each sign. A testament of this is presented in the work The Witness of the Stars by E. W. Bullinger. (1954) Although this work is consumed by a Christian belief system; the grouping of the constellations still stands clearly. Bullinger, in his preface states that the work he compiled came from the notes of Frances Rolleston.  In this work we see the following layering of the zodiac.

Current zodiac sign	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Virgo	Como Bernices	Centaurus	Bootes
Libra	Crux	Lupus	Corona
Scorpio	Serpens	Ophiuchus	Hercules
Sagittarius	Lyra	Ara	Draco
Capricorn	Sagitta-Arrow	Aquila	Delphinus
Aquarius	Pisces Australis	Pegasus	Cygnus
Pisces	The Band	Andromeda	Cepheus
Aries	Cassiopeia	Cetus	Persus
Taurus	Orion	Eridanus River	Auriga
Gemini	Lupus	Canis Major	Canis Minor
Cancer	Ursa Minor	Ursa Major	Argo
Leo	Hydra- water serpent	Crater	Corvus

Table 2: Grouping of constellations according to Bullinger. 

What I want to focus on from this information is that the zodiac signs are mutli layed. Within is contained a grouping of mythology connected to a particular sign.  Wisdom lies within being able to decipher what was to be interpreted from such grouping. Bullinger’s grouping was a beginning to seek ascension through the zodiac layers.

GLOBAL LEVEL ZODIAC

In this article iI present the concept of a global level zodiac. I will use the twelve constellations as used by astrologers today as my base and then compile all the constellations both north, south, within the degrees of that sign as based on Robson’s data. This gives the impression of the multi layered effect of all constellations.  Here is where the fun begins. These groupings allow us to journey into new mythologies. We do not have to unravel or discredit the systems that have preceded us and have worked for decades. These methods and teachings are accurate for what they pertain to.

The layering of all the known constellations and creating the tables of each one in relation to the current zodiac gives us a global zodiac. We can enter it at any latitude and move our consciousness either north or south or east to west to explore all energetic patterning reflected on our planet. If we follow the myth and the stories of the ancient interpreters of the heavens we can fill out the the multi levels of a sign.

An example; of this is

Sagittarius starts as an Archer

Currently there are no northern constellations but the three that were there are  From Bullinger, Draco- the dragon- certainly a huge figure in mythology

Then Cerberus the three headed dog that guards Hades- gave faithfulness and offered restraint from evil-  Robson  p38

Then a Bull. – not the Taurus bull but a stubborn bull-According to Robson this bull was obstinate and changeable-p63

In pathworking we add an aspect to Sagittarius which is unnoticed. Sagittarius does have an interest in philosophies; the dragon philosophies are often related to the Kundalini .It is interesting that the dragon drapes itself around the current pole. The ultimate ascension to the north is the dragon. Is this gateway via Sagittarius? 

To get there we have to pass by the obstinate bull and learn the faithfulness and watchfulness of Cerberus but not succumb to the perils of the gateways of Hades darkness. Therefore if our archer aims North then the arrow maybe aimed at the dragon or the dragon teachings.

Libra is also interesting as it has been stripped to only one constellation in the north but it is Hercules. Hercules myth is one where you could pathwork the twelve labours alone for a long period of time. The Southern level is Corvus and Centaurus. In Robsons definition of Corvus  we get craftiness and greed revengefulness…..p41 Maybe a shadow of the lovely Libra.

Centaurus  prior to the birth of Chiron asteroid or planet, also gave hard heartedness, strong passion, love of arms etc. P37. Maybe we can draw from this the shadow is southern. 

This is the era for opening up the heavens. We have the newly found Kuiper Belt and its dwarf planets and asteroids which have altered the view of Pluto in some circles.  During 2010 there was much publicity on the Sidereal Zodiac as opposed to the Tropical Zodiac. This is knowledge that Astrologers have known for centuries, the difference between the two zodiacs is now nearly a whole sign apart; a gap that will be forever widening. The heavens are not a stagnant place.

My aim in writing this article is to bring the readers awareness to just how vast our Astrology can be. I have taken us back to pre Bullinger to show that people then were incorporating and compiling constellation groups to gain a greater understanding of the depth of the knowledge available to us if we could only decipher it.

Vivian Robson’s work was huge in what it gave as a foundation to work from. I am excited by a concept of a Global Zodiac . I like to study how those who went before us group the heavens and what those mythologies actually represent to us at the level of consciousness we are now. I see it as evolving the stories.  Being the shaman of the heavens means to journey in consciousness into these stories and bring new understandings to them.

  See Appendix  page 7 for tables of signs and constellations.

                © LYNDALL MCQUINN   MARCH 2011    

APPENDIX

In compiling these lists I have included the constellations that are now no longer recognised as listed in Robson’s The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Chapter 2 (1923). They will appear with an NR in their mythology for those interested in researching them. 

SAGITTARIUS CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION	MYTHOLOGY	ROBSON’S LOCATION
81N-63N	DRACO	Dragon	CIRCLES POLE
38N-16N	CERBERUS	Three headed dog-NR	20 SAG-5 CAP
115S	TAURUS PONIATOVII	Poniatovii Bull-NR	24 SAG-17 CAP
20S-50S	SAGITTARIUS	Archer	28 SAG-1 AQU
36S-59S	TELESCOPIUM	Telescope	24 SAG-15 CAP
36S-60S	NORMA ET RULE	Square	2 SAG-15 SAG
47 S-65S	ARA	Altar	10 SAG-0 CAP
59S-77S	PAVO	Peacock	27 SAG-25 CAP
61S-71S	TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE	Southern triangle	5 SAG-22 SAG
75 S-80S	APUS	Bird of paradise	0 SAG-25 SAG
75S-90 S	OCTANS	Octant	10 SAG-0 AQU

The northern aspect of Sagittarius was Cerberus- now merged with Hercules. (Robson p38)

Taurus Poniatovii- was wedged between Ophiucus and Aquila.-Wikipedia

 Bullinger put Draco under Sag- Witness of the Stars.-p70

CAPRICORN CONSTELLATION LEVELS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION	MYTHOLOGY	ROBSON’S LOCATION
55N-28N	CYGNUS	Swan	28 CAP-28 PIS
47N-28N	LYRA	Harp	10 CAP-29 CAP
30N-20N	VULPECULA	Fox	24 CAP-4 PIS
22N-15N	SAGITTA	Arrow	17 CAP-9 AQU
22N-3S	AQUILA	Eagle	12 CAP-15 AQU
5S-17S	SCUTUM	Shield-	1CAP-
10S-35S	CAPRICORNUS	Goat	25 CAP-22 AQU
36S-45S	CORONA AUSTRALIS	Southern crown	2 CAP-12 CAP
45S-77S	INDUS	Indian	12 CAP-12 AQU
62S-86S	HYDRUS	Water serpent	5 CAP-7 PIS

 

AQUARIUS CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION	MYTHOLOGY	ROBSON ‘S LOCATION
36N-3N	PEGASUS	Winged horse	27 AQU-10 ARI
19N-3N	DELPHINUS	Dolphin	8 AQU-19AQU
12N-0	EQUULEUS	Little horse	19 AQU-28 AQU
5N-30S	AQUARIUS	Water carrier	9 AQU-26 PIS
28S-36S	PISCES AUSTRALIS	Southern fish	15 AQU-5PIS
30S-47S	MICROSCOPIUM	Microscope	0 AQU-6 AQU
26S-39S	GLOBUS AEROSTATICUS	Balloon-NR	9AQU-16AQU
37S-56 S	GRUS	Crane	7AQU-0PIS
42S-60S	PHOENIX	Phoenix	18 AQU-2ARI
60S-72S	TUCANA	toucan	6AQU-27 AQU

Globus  Aerostaticus merged in Aquarius –Robson p46

PISCES CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION	MYTHOLOGY	ROBSON ‘S LOCATION
85N-55N	CEPHEUS	King Cepheus	17PIS-0CAN
50N-35N	LACERTA	Lizard	18PIS-5ARI
32N-0	PISCES	Fishes	15 PIS-26ARI
10N-30S	CETUS	Whale / sea monster	17 PIS-13 TAU
0-55S	ERIDANUS	River	15 PIS-0 GEM
28S-42S	MACHINA ELECTRICIA	Electrical machineNR	25 PIS-14 ARI
30S-44S	SCULPTOR	Sculptor	4PIS-28PIS
44S-67S	HOROLOGUM OSCILLATORIUM	Clock	5PIS-14 TAU
57S-70S	RETICULUM RHOMDOIDALIS	reticle	8PIS-22 ARI

Machina Electricia is located in the southern part of Cetus- Wikipedia

ARIES CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH		CONSTELLATION		MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
70N-50N	CASSIOPEIA		Cassiopeia		25ARI-0 GEM
55N-22N	ANDROMEDIA		Andromedia		12 ARI-15 TAU
52N-41N	FREDERICH HONORES		Honours of Frederick-NR		2 ARI-20 ARI
27N-0	ARIES		Ram		18 ARI-20 TAU
26S-40S	FORNAX		Furnace		10ARI-13 TAU
48S-67S	DORADO		Goldfish		0 ARI-0 GEM
72S-77S	NUBECULA MINOR		Lesser cloud-NR		15ARI-4 TAU

Frederici Honores was made from stars between Cepheus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia and Cygnus. Robson p45

Located in the constellation of Tucana- small magellanic cloud- Wikipedia

TAURUS CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH		CONSTELLATION		MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
90N-74N	TARANDUS		Reindeer-NR		23 TAU-0 CAN
62N-30N	PERSEUS		Perseus		12 TAU-8 GEM
37N-30NM	TRIANGULUM		Triangle		4 TAU-13 TAU
34N-2S	TAURUS		Bull		17 TAU-23 GEM
33N- 2S	MUSCA BOREALIS		Northern Fly-NR		12 TAU-20 TAU
35S-50S	CAELUM		Chisel		12 TAU-15 GEM

Tarandus also named Rangifor was a small constellation between Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis-Wikipedia

Musca Borealis originally Apis the bee then the Northern fly to distinguish it from Musca Australis.  Was located between Aries and Persues.-Wikipedia

GEMINI CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION			MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
90N-53N		CAMELOPARDALIS	Giraffe		2GEM-15 CAN
60N-30N		AURIGA	Charioteer		10 GEM-3 CAN
24N-13S		ORION	Hunter		6 GEM-2 CAN
14S-25S		LEPUS	Hare		5 GEM-3 CAN
7S-31S		SCEPTRUM	Sceptre-NR		0GEM-4 GEM
27S-43S		COLUMBA NOAE	Dove		5 GEM-17CAN
45S-65S		PICTORIS	Painters easel		0GEM-5 VIR
65S-75S		NUBECULA MAJOR	Greater cloud-NR		4 GEM-0 CAN

Sceptrum was west of Lepus.-Wikipedia

Nubecula major- large magellanic cloud near Dorado and Mensa-Wikipedia

CANCER CONSTELLATIONS GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION			MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
90N-69N		URSA MINOR	Little bear		0CAN-7 VIR
73N-33N		URSA MAJOR	Great bear		10 CAN -27 VIR
64N-36N		LYNX	Lynx		0 CAN -9 LEO
47N-35N		TELESCOPIUM HERSCHELII	Herschels telescope-NR		5 CAN-16 CAN
40N-2N		CANCER	Crab		22 CAN-17 LEO
36N-13N		GEMINI	Twins		1 CAN-23 CAN
13N-23S		MONOCERUS	Unicorn		0 CAN-16 LEO
10 N-1N		CANIS MINOR	Little dog		1 CAN-29 CAN
15S-40S		CANIS MAJOR	Big dog		0 CAN-0 LEO
15S-65S		ARGO- NOW 3 SEPERATE CONSTELLATIONS CARINA, PUPPIS,VELA	Keel, stern, sails		10 CAN-20 LIB

Argo was a huge constellation which was divided into three. Pyxis was also considered to be a part of the mast (Malus ) of Argo but has now separated from that myth.- Wikipedia

Telescopium Herschelli was located in Auriga near Lynx and Gemini-Wikipedia

LEO CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION			MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
45N-27N		LEO MINOR	Smaller lion		10 LEO-7 VIR
34N-0		LEO	Lion		12 LEO-22 VIR
7N-22S		SEXTANS	Sextant		22LEO-10 VIR
10N-36S		HYDRA-WATER SNAKE	Sea serpent		5 LEO-23 VIR
15S-25S		FELIS	Cat  NR		28 LEO-15 VIR
25S-36S		PYXIS NAUTICA	compass		19 LEO-3 VIR

Felis was located between Antlias and Hydra-Wikipedia

VIRGO CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION			MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
55N-10N		BOOTES	Herdsman		27 VIR-7SCO
50N-30N		CANES VENATICI	Hunting dogs		10 VIR-5 LIB
31N-25N		COMO BERENICES	Berenice’s hair		17 VIR-12 LIB
16N-15S		VIRGO	Virgin		20 VIR-6 SCO
5S-23S		CRATER	Cup		13 VIR-3 LIB
7S-25S		LIBRA	Scales		7 VIR- 28 SCO
30S-43S		ANTLIA	Air pump		O VIR-0 LIB
63S-74S		VOLANS	Flying fish		20 VIR-0 SAG

 

LIBRA CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION		MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
57N-47N		QUADRENS MURALIS	Mural Quadrant-NR	0 LIB-0 SCO
53N-5N		HERCULES	Hercules	28 LIB-2 CAP
18N-10 N		MONS MAENULOS	Mount Maenalus-NR	12 LIB-28 LIB
7S-25S		CORVUS	Crow	5 LIB-15 LIB
28S-66S		CENTAURUS	Centaur	2 LIB-28 SCO

Quadren Muralis located between Bootes and Draco near tail of Ursa Major-Wikipedia

Mons Maenulos was located between Bootes and Virgo- Wikipedia

SCORPIO CONSTELLATION GROUPINGS

NORTH /SOUTH	CONSTELLATION			MYTHOLOGY		ROBSON LOCATION
33N-27N		CORONA BOREALIS	Northern crown		2 SCO-17 SCO
26N-17S		SERPENS	Serpent		13 SCO-15 CAP
18N-24S		OPHIUCHUS	Serpent holder		27 SCO-27 SAG
7S-46S		SCORPIO	Scorpion		23 SCO-26 SAG
17 S-30 S		NOCTUA	Night Owl-NR		6 SCO-20 SCO
34S-57S		LUPUS	Wolf		15 SCO-7 SAG
55S-65S		CIRCINUS	Compasses		29 SCO-10 SAG
56S-65S		CRUX	Southern cross		2 SCO-12 SCO
66S-74S		MUSCA	Southern Fly-		10 SCO-25 SCO
75S-80S		CHAMAELON	Chameleon		12 SCO-3 SAG

Noctua occupied the end of the tail of Hydra-Robson p53