Ixion Directs

  Sometimes the vastness of space is the perfect

metaphor for the millions of things which can

happen in life. Above is a photo of the three bright

stars which make up the belt of Orion the Hunter,

a constellation long associated with the ideas of

'hunting and learning' associated with Sagittarius

(photo credit: NASA, 2005)

If there is indeed a reason that all things happen, then we can have hope that there is a reason why we repeat our errors, why we refuse to learn, why again and again our passionate preoccupation causes us to fail to remember what we really value in life.

Ixion’s tale is an arrogant, fearful and painful story. And yet, we all have an Ixion in our chart. We’re all human, and inhuman to ourselves in some strange way. We seem bent on pushing the rules and ignoring things we know full well are there for a reason in life.

So we do the Ixion deed…and then the full light and power of knowledge comes upon us. The punishment we incur may be physical or imposed by forces outside ourselves – in fact, Ixion turning to direct motion would suggest that in the months to come both the temptations and judgments levied upon us for our ‘infractions’ will come from others and our world.

But the real core of the story is about knowing. It’s about Ixion refusing to hold himself to his own word and standards of behavior he knows are only decent and proper.

In the myth, his ‘comeuppance’ is delivered by Zeus the almighty ruler of Olympus known to the Romans and astrology as Jupiter. Jupiter’s role in this story (as in life), is as a symbol of conscious comprehension.

Our conscious comprehension. As much as astrology speaks of Jupiter as ‘expansion,’ and as much as that can represent anything from an increase of your experiences, your bank account balance or you waistline, all of these things mean nothing except for the fact you know and experience them.

That’s Jupiter.

This photo of Jupiter was put together from

an entire series of Voyager 1 images (photo credit NASA-JPL)

As Ixion goes direct on Friday August 31st, we will experience the Ixion precept in a myriad of different ways.

Some of us will realize we haven’t gotten away with something after all. In the story, Jupiter/Zeus finally condemns Ixion for his repeated violations of human standards by having him strapped to a burning wheel which will forever rotate like some gyroscope gone berserk. The turning of the wheel throws Ixion off base, preventing him from ever gaining perspective – which is indeed an ironic punishment for someone who never chose to see how his actions could hurt or harm someone else.

The shame that we feel when we realize we’ve been ‘caught’ is very Ixion. Sometimes its mild – we’re embarrassed. And when we’re embarrassed, most of the time what we’re most embarrassed about is being caught in the act of being human.

So it is with Ixion, the moral and king who felt he never had to care about anyone else. All that mattered to Ixion was what he wanted, what would suit his kingly fancy.

The lesson of the story – and the point – is that there are some limits we dare not cross. Some things are simply not okay. The small things are not accepted, the big things are not acceptable.

And yet we do them anyway. And when we’re caught, we burn with shame.

Ixion’s punishment, we’re told, is disorientation, which in our life is the having to give up the old way of thinking, whether that be entitlement or simple ignorance. We are ‘disorienting’ ourselves when we change our ways – change is disorienting, and when we finally learn our lesson, that thing we determine we’re not going to do any more we become eternally disoriented to.

Because Ixion is a Plutino, we know several things about its effects. For one, given that Plutinos are objects the orbits of which are controlled by Neptune, we know that the balance between the real and false ideal, between the illusion and ecstasy is human ego. If our ego is involved – or to the degree our ego is involved in the (like as not emotional) situation we are dealing with now, that vision of what we want so much…or what we so want to be real – that is going to be disappointed.

Why? Because the universe, a place so vast our lifetime is not even a grain of sand on its beach, that universe will in time operate so as to teach us each and all that we are not in charge of life.

Those bothered by this are either insecure or fearful. The emotions of insecurity and fear will drive us to do amazingly unproductive things in the search for validation, for satisfaction.

And where the indicator for all this is either Ixion in the chart (in transit or natally) or a global Ixion moment such as we’re moving through this week, things happen to change our perspective.

It may be very painful. And then again, the moment of ‘altered perspective’ may not hurt at all. At least now. It is an odd quality with Ixion that when the moment doesn’t hurt, the regrets which linger on – sometimes yes, eternally – hurt more than the terrible confrontation.

And that may be another Ixion lesson. Ixion was a devious man. He preferred to go about his business in a rather manipulative, behind-the-scene sort of way. He did fool many - but probably the biggest fool was Ixion himself. His thinking he could do what he wanted simply because he wanted to was his greatest piece of foolishness.

And maybe ours.

Like other Plutinos, Ixion is not assigned any sort of ‘rulership’ or astrological dignity as yet. But we probably shouldn’t be surprised if when that day comes Ixion is assigned to the Taurus-Scorpio polarity. At their best, Taurus-Scorpio is about the kind of personal confidence which allows us to bring the best out in everyone, knowing that by inspiring people and by finding ways for everyone to shine, not only will life itself be enriched but we will earn respect and – if we want it – the ability to voice our opinion, that being the real seat of validated power.

Fortunately for us (probably), Ixion isn’t in Scorpio or Taurus.

It is however, in Sagittarius. At 17 Sagittarius, to be precise, a second (emotional) decanate degree which right away tells us that emotionally charged situations are the most likely Ixion fodder.

Or situations which evoke emotions. Yes, those too.

That those situations will be vital is told by the fact that as it goes direct, Ixion is conjunct two other objects.

One is Pholus…that little thing which ‘does us in’ (or the little thing which ‘does in’ something we want to do).

The other is Europa,a symbol of getting ‘carried away,’

So even without Ixion’s presence, Pholus and Europa would pretty much speak of ‘getting carried away’ in a rather negative senses.

For those not familiar with Pholus, HERE is the LINK to a recent article on this object

But when we add in Ixion, then comes the ‘oh no, not again!’ quality.

Remembering that Ixion turning direct means it’s been retrograde for a while (since the 18th of March, 2012, to be precise). And considering that retrogrades mean things ‘function on an internal basis’ this suggests that we may not have owned up to something. Or we may not have dealt with it. Or perhaps we haven’t really changed our way at all – that unacceptable thing is still with us, and as Ixion goes direct we either have to face it or the repercussions of not having faced it face us down.

Then we add in the degree 17 Sagittarius, a degree which on one side recalls the innocence of our inner child, a hopeful willingness to do good and hold to the standards of those around us in a simple and trusting way.

But on the other, 17 Sagittarius brings the essence of rejection, and considering this as the degree at which Ixion is going direct, the cost of innocence or rejection – or the pain of feeling rejected may become apparent.

Or perhaps you will have to face something painful for you to own up to, and in giving up your attitude that you “didn’t know” what you were doing you recognize that your living in your own Ixion/Neptunian cocoon of self-serving illusion (delusion?) has cost others – the truly innocent – substantial harm.

Considering Ixion’s orbital position (beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt) we can expect whatever happens to come to us in a very ‘out of the uncharted realms’ of unsuspected life.

We can also judge by the timing some of the patterns to current events (which of course do not have to be personal events particular to your life). Granting Ixion the standard two-days prior, two-days after ‘station allowance,’ the fact that Ixion will go direct on August 31st tells us Ixion effects will surface from at least August 29th through September 2nd…and maybe a bit farther out either way depending on your time zone and how Ixion affects your personal chart.

Situations arising prior to the 31st pertaining to unresolved matters will take time to resolve, to heal, to dissipate the feeling of being ‘disoriented by.’ This may be a ‘disorientation’ of your time, your cash flow, your priorities, relationship communications – it could be just about anything. As they come into focus (or ‘get’ you where you live) as Ixion goes into its station, this reflects the prompting, the necessity to think about what could happen, what might happen, probably as a result of something you have resisted wanting to recognize about your priorities, standards or life’s path.

Things which become more focal after Ixion goes direct at 7:11 p.m. UT/+0 time on the 31st are about dealing with consequences – most of all how you feel about yourself. The temptation will be to ‘escape’ or to ignore…and this may even result in your making things worse by picking a fight, creating havoc or finding someone you think will ‘make it better’ when all they’re doing is distracting you from something painful you don’t want to confront.

In the end, if we just remember that all Kuiper Belt objects (i.e., anything which orbits beyond Neptune) evokes our feelings so that we will learn we can benefit in the ultimate sense, if perhaps not in the very moment. Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) often seem to be about what the world can ‘do’ to us, but if as metaphysics teaches ‘everything happens for a reason’ that reason may be about the world needing to be sorted out, yes. But in our life that purpose would also have to be about learning about who we are...and how that differs from who we may want to think of ourselves as, or who we want to be.

 Caught at sunset with the Moon and Venus rising into

a darkening night sky, ESO's Very Large Telescope at

Paranal searches the heavens as painstakingly as

we are sometimes forced to search our souls.

(photo credit: ESO/Y Beletsky, April 2010)

With the Lunar Nodes changing signs on August 30th (as Ixion is just about to do its ‘turnabout’ on the 31st) there is a striking chance that events and situations will reveal our vulnerabilities, particularly through relationships and however it is we conceive of ‘our standing’ in the world – which for some is ethical, for some is monetary, for some is intimate.

Whatever your ‘gold standard’ is, while such matters must be dealt with in real time, perhaps the greater lesson is why you feel as you do about what happens. What does it mean to you? What do you think it ‘says’ about you in the eyes of others and why do you feel that way – or do you even care?

And if you don’t care, what does that say about you?

All such things embody the Ixion concept.

Ixion will go retrograde again on March 21st of 2013. By the time it gets there, Pholus will be conjunct the fixed star Ras Alhague, a symbol of great healing and discoveries on how to heal versus great hurt, harm and destructive potential. With Pholus (the ‘little thing’) standing with Ras Alhague we hare given a connection which plainly speaks to how little things can change lives…our lives and those of others, our lives and that of our posterity, our lives and that of our nation or even our planet.

By going direct now, Ixion draws a dotted line between this moment and times to come. That when that next Ixion ‘turnabout’ occurs it (and Pholus) will be in any degree between 20 and 29 of Sagittarius (Ras Alhague is at 22 Sagittarius) tells us that have have the power to affect our world – and the world has the power to affect us.

So…it’s a cause effect universe, much of which operates merely as a matter of physics. If we have a grace as human beings, it’s that we have the capacity to think. Every great body of teaching, be it spiritual, educational, metaphysical or otherwise urges this one great truism of truisms: as humans, we have the choice to think…or not think.

And when it comes to Ixion, that question becomes will we think not just of our desires but the effect our choices have on the world around us?

To every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, science teaches us.

Ixion factors are the embodiment of that rule at its broadest and most insistent. To have what we want in life, apparently we need to care about something more than the moment and something more than our Self. We also need to face up to who we really are.

Vulnerabilities and potentials are both universal. If we don’t want to have ours preyed upon, taken advantage of or brushed aside, we need to not look at everyone and everything as a resource from which we can reap.

Standards exist for a reason. Those who violate them will be violated in turn. And when we violate our own standards? Then we will forever be goaded by the fact that we fell short of our own truest standards.

That is the Ixion thrust.
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