Signs: Fixed Cross—Leo

I am That and That am I

The quest for identity: preserving the self with responsibility to others

Leo: esoteric meaning

Details to follow.

Leo: rulers

• Orthodox: Sun
• Esoteric: Neptune
• Hierarchical: Uranus

Orthodox: Sun ⇧

Details to follow for Sun as orthodox ruler.

Esoteric: Neptune ⇧

Details to follow of Neptune as esoteric ruler.

Hierarchical: Uranus ⇧

Details to follow of Uranus as hierarchical ruler.

Decanates

See the notes about the inconsistency of decanates in Esoteric Astrology. For comparison, Stephen Pugh’s decanate rulers are listed, alongside current orthodox rulers and those given in the book.

Esoteric/developmental: conscious development (annual signs from Aries via Taurus to Pisces)

0-9°: Sun A: Leo, integration and co-ordination of the personality

10-19°: Jupiter F: Sagittarius, second ray beneficence ensuring a successful outcome and expansion of consciousness

20-29°: Venus D: Aries, an eventual “form of group individualism” (EA 448)

Exoteric/experiential: humanity in general (precession from Aries via Pisces to Taurus)

29-20°: Mars E: Aries, Initial conflict and the struggle to be

19-10°: Jupiter F: Sagittarius, the beneficent and gradual learning process of incarnation

9-0°: Sun A: Leo, individual self-rule

• Orthodox: Sun, Jupiter, Mars (Leo, Sagittarius, Aries)
• EAst e/o: Sun, Jupiter, Venus / Mars, Jupiter, Sun
• Pugh e/o: Mars, Sun, Jupiter / Jupiter, Sun, Mars

Venus in the final esoteric decan reflects the emerging control by Aquarius of the Ray 5 triangle as complementary to Leo, and the sign of the emerging age in the greater zodiac for the hopeful coming expansion in human consciousness in general. However, the passage below (EA 448) states that “upon the reversed wheel” Venus (given as the Aries decanate) is the first to be encountered, which would actually be the case for the exoteric “backwards zodiac” journey of gradual human progress… so the individual undergoing conscious development after the “reversal of the wheel” back to the familiar order, would first encounter the decan ruled by the Sun. This change appears to spring from the current shift of the ruling fifth ray sign from Leo to Aquarius, and the resulting power of the 5th ray planet Venus in both Aquarius and Leo. The impact of this decanate on humanity in general is therefore distinct from its effect on the individual, whether traversing the wheel in either direction.

The exoteric decans would be reversed as Mars, Jupiter, Sun. If we also count the mass influence of Venus in the coming shift to Aquarius, the Aries decanate might be ruled by Venus for those beginning to respond unconsciously to Ray 5 (rather than Mars) as a result of the general change in human culture arising from the influence of Aquarius in the greater zodiac. A careful reading of the second passage below (EA 448) helps untangle this apparent confusion. See the entwined Individual and mass effect of the fifth ray triangle. Jupiter here emphasises the central originating role of the Ray 2 Sun to our solar system and in the overall gradual progress of humanity under this ray, as well as the personal symbolism allocated to Leo.

Saturn… the Lord of Karma, has his power lessened in this sign. It is for this reason that Sepharial is incorrect when he gives Saturn as the ruler of the first decanate. The three decanates are given by him as being ruled by Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. Alan Leo is, however, nearer the truth when he gives us the Sun, Jupiter and Mars.

Self-rule through initial conflict, carried to a successful issue and blessed by the beneficence of Jupiter, is the true history of the advanced Leo aspirant, and this thought and the objective result of this realisation is summed up for us in the two word mottoes of this sign:

And the Word said: Let other forms exist. I rule because I am.

I Am—the Word of the self-conscious, selfish, individual Leo.

I am That and That am I.

I Am That—the Word of the Leo subject who is rapidly gaining the higher consciousness and preparing for fresh and universal expression in Aquarius. (EA 310-11)

Leo in the coming Aquarian era

This touches on a Theosophical concept in which the term “Venus” has multiple facets, particularly concerning the individualisation of humanity in the prehistoric past. It involves the role of the form-building entities (or conscious forces, if you prefer) who created the vehicle—the “causal body”—to house the incoming human soul consciousness in the forms that were to evolve into humanity—the Theosophical term for these beings is the (now mythic-sounding!) Lords of Flame (see glossary).

In the Aquarian era the power of the planet Venus becomes a dominant factor in the last decanate. … Upon the reversed wheel in the case of the spiritually oriented [individual] and the disciple, … the first decanate [encountered] is governed by Venus… which we are told was responsible for the appearance of the individualised consciousness… this in combination with other influences and forces. In the Aquarian Age, Venus will again have an analogous influence only with this difference that the emergence into manifestation of an increased individualism and self-conscious realisation will be subordinate to the appearance of the first stages of an expanded consciousness throughout all mankind—the consciousness of group responsibility. It will be perhaps better expressed as a form of group individualism. (EA 448)

The general idea here is that—at a crucial future point—humanity will undergo a growth-shift in consciousness in the “Aquarian age” (which lasts around 2.5k years in the sidereal zodiac) that compliments the shift that early hominids undertook, but on a higher turn of the spiral. This will involve the same influences involved at that time. For people living now this may not seem relevant, but individual conscious development always leaps ahead of the slow collective process symbolised by the sidereal zodiac, so the meaning of this decanate can be applied accordingly, with reference to the united evolutionary Leo-Aquarius axis.

Esoteric Astrology: 310-11, 448