Both men and women have a fathering function symbolized by Saturn. The Moon symbolizes the maternal function, as well as Ceres. The asteroid centers in my psyche are perhaps newly energized or activated in that I’ve been thinking (and writing) about the goddesses Juno, Pallas and Vesta. Today, I am turning toward Ceres so see what I can learn about this energy as it applies to my life and to incorporate some knowledge. That, then, is the point or focus of this post today. Ceres.
Here’s one archetype of Ceres (AKA Demetris drawn from the mythology of Persephone, her missing daughter take by Pluto). Parent-child complexes are associated with Ceres. C.G. Jung wrote, “Every mother contains her daughter in herself and every daughter her mother; every woman extends backward into her mother and forward into her daughter.” On a practical level, in a horoscope, the location of Ceres points to information about the mothering function especially with regard to issues of attachment and freedom.
According to mythology, Ceres was unwilling to allow Persephone to have freedom of choice and it is said that Persephone was overly attached to her mother. Therefore, natural as well as un-natural nurturing are archetypes of Ceres. The House and Sign of Ceres in a natal chart can indicate how we feel about nurturing and maybe even how we nurture ourselves.
As with all planets in a chart, aspects to those points modify them a great deal; therefore in a chart, one must look to the connections Ceres is making to other parts of the psyche.
I’m going to look at my own Ceres in my birth chart now to see what I can determine in my effort to expand this center in my consciousness. My Ceres is in my 9th house, in Taurus, retrograde squaring Mars and Pluto and opposing Venus and Mercury. That’s a mouthful.
Ceres-Pluto aspects relate to the comings and goings and sharing of children. That makes sense in correlation to mythology since Pluto abducted Cere’s daughter Persephone. My life has included a divorce and the sharing of our three daughters—I can see how that particular aspect would fit me personally.
Ceres, in my natal chart, (9th house/Taurus) carries the signature of nurturing through the Earth (nature) and the physical body (in my case, exercise). Taurus is a sign that relates to (Taurus rules 2nd house) of self-worth and self-reliance; therefore, when I provide materially and physically for myself, a high degree of self-acceptance is my reward. As a side piece to this, Aries is on the cusp of my 9th house and Ceres squares it’s ruler Mars which adds that physical exercise piece – the more aggressive the exercise, the more I like it. These are qualities (via aspects, house, and sign) that modify the meaning of my natal Ceres. Much more could be said but that’s what jumps out at this moment.
The Mar/Aries piece of it relates to feeling free and independent feeds my psyche in a positive way and Ceres is expressing that in my chart.
The 9th house, where my natal Ceres is located, relates not only to freedom but the pursuit of knowledge and truth. The deep feeling of accuracy there is also expansive—it is so very true that study of philosophy and spiritual truths are like a divine mother nurturing me!
Now my intention is to address the oppositions to Ceres from Venus and Mercury in my natal chart. These are oppositional, of course naturally are located in my 3rd house of communication. (For new astrologers, we come to this as 3 opposes 9 in the house system).
Mercury rules the 3rd house and is therefore strong here. (Mercury is in Scorpio and Venus is at 29° Libra). Just a bottom line interpretation here includes this: the nurturing of others through communication that is harmonious while also ‘soul-deep’. This is my work, my profession as a psychic. And it is how (I hope) that I nurture others and when being paid for my services expands the possibility of being able to be self-reliant via being nurtured in return).
Just as a final note about the opposition aspect energy: I see the opposition aspect as energy that merges with one another rather than pulling apart or opposing in a negative way. That’s how I’d like to see the energy that is an opposition aspect in a chart and often attend to the more positive slant on life in other ways, too, when possible.
Just a mini-vent here. In astrology (and what gives it a label of inaccuracy at times) is when one attempts to single out one planet in one sign in one house and make a single determination of meaning. One must take in the entire chart as a whole into consideration, otherwise, it can be so very misleading and confusing. –End Vent
This is much more than was intended to write on Ceres today. I have a client in a few moments and must end this now.
I hope if you have an interest in the Goddess Ceres, that this post was in some way helpful to you.
Here’s a link to another of my blog posts about PALLAS, JUNO, and VESTA that was posted on another site if you are interested in reading about those asteroids too.
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