A True Harvest

Ceres moves retrograde today, the 26th July. This dwarf planet, so often overlooked by astrologers, is a little powerhouse playing such a pivotal and profound role in our lives. Ceres is the Earth Mother; she is the nurturer, Goddess of the harvest.

Ceres represents self-worth and self-esteem, and she connects us to some deep and profound emotions such as loss, separation, grief, dependency, attachment etc. Ceres helps us to nourish and nurture ourselves on all levels.

Moving retrograde, Ceres takes her focus deep within, she wants us to think about the ways in which we take care of ourselves. Do we feed ourselves nourishing food? Do we shower ourselves with loving thoughts? Do we take care of our needs as a priority in our lives? The most likely answer is no. Of course, we all have duties and responsibilities, and these often take us away from focusing on ourselves and more towards the needs of others. This is part of being human, but at the same time, don’t we owe it to ourselves to honour and respect our own needs, our own souls?

Once again, it seems that balance is the key here; by ensuring that we give ourselves time and focus as well as giving of ourselves to others, we can create more harmony in our lives.

Yet Ceres retrograde goes deeper than this!

During this time of intense planetary focus on our inner landscapes, Ceres is asking us to go within, to stand naked and vulnerable, baring our souls. She wants us to stop hiding our fears and our pain, and instead honour them so we can set them free. It is through honouring these powerful, rich and sometimes painful emotions that we connect to our true strength. And it is through this connection, that we realise the power within. Like the beautiful, calm, tranquil and peaceful mountain; deep beneath the surface is a glowing, energised and highly active volcano waiting to burst into life.

Appearances can be deceptive, yet how many of us work so hard at putting on the ‘right’ appearance? How many of us try to be that mountain, and allow the pressure to build up within?

The Earth Mother is beautiful, but she can destroy as easily as she creates. Of course, we cannot have one without the other, but it seems that so many of us struggle to accept this fundamental cycle of life. Instead of clinging onto that highly polished veneer, Ceres is asking each of us to stand in our Truth, to be whole and complete within ourselves, on all levels.

It is ok to be a beautiful volcano! When we stop trying to beat back our Truth, we realise that we do not have to fear our painful emotions. We can reach a point where every emotion leads us towards a richer, more fulfilled way of life. This is not about dwelling on pain, or wallowing in difficult emotions, this is simply about accepting that we have them in the first place.

Ceres wants us to embrace the full and rich tapestry of life, she wants us to celebrate the true harvest of life on every level of our Beings...