Medusa by Arnold Böcklin, circa 1878 — *Medusa* by Arnold Böcklin, circa 1878

Much about sex and brutality has come to light and been in the news the past week. At the same time the star Algol is being activated repeatedly. Algol (also known as Medusa) is located in the constellation of Perseus. Algol is the Gorgon's decapitated head which Perseus, the son of Zeus, holds in his hand. You will find many clues to Algol's meaning in the stories surrounding Medusa, her rape by Poseidon, and betrayal and outcasting by Athena. One brief synopsis of the story is here - and a good compilation of others, here.

"Al Ghūl literally signifies a Mischief-maker, and the name still appears in the Ghoul of the 'Arabian Nights' and of our day." —Richard Hinckley Allen

Algol is known by other names too. According to Bernadette Brady in her book 'Star and Planet Combinations,' Rā's al Ghūl, a name given by the Arabs, means "the Head of the Demon, and they considered this demon to be the wife of the Devil." Tseih She, is the name given by the Chinese, meaning "Piled-up Corpses." In the book 'Star Names; Their Lore and Meaning,' Richard Hinckley Allen writes: "The Hebrews knew Algol as Rōsh ha Sātān, Satan's Head, Chilmead's Rosch hassatan, the Divels head, but also as Līlīth, Adam's legendary first wife, the nocturnal vampyre from the lower world that reappeared in the demonology of the Middle Ages as the witch Lilis, one fo the characters in Goethe's Walpurgis Nàcht." Returning to this association as the first wife of Adam, Lilith, who left him "because she refused to be submissive to his needs," Brady writes:

"Algol came to embody everything that men feared in the feminine. She is not the mother face of the goddess but rather the passionate lover or the whore... This star contains immense female passion and power, or the potential power of Mother Nature, strong but not evil."

Whether as the Head of Medusa, Caput Gorgonis, Lilith, or another name, Algol may be perceived as the face of the outraged feminine. In Algol we may find the power and potential for intense creativity and passion, or else destructive anger and rage. Obviously relevant for women, it is equally if not more so for men. This week, collective focus on Algol makes it relevant for everyone.

[Interesting side note: both Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali had Algol conjunct planets in potent parts of their nativities. The "Queen of Jazz," Ella Fitzgerald, has Mercury conjunct Algol. Henry Miller's north node rests there, as does Oscar Wilde's; Mick Jagger's Moon. Another dimension: Rodney King was awarded nearly 4 million dollars after being savagely beaten by Los Angeles police officers; he has Jupiter conjunct Algol.]

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Details in the dates:
Algol was activated at the New Moon solar eclipse on Thursday, May 9th. Occurring at 19'31 Taurus, a sign ruled by Venus, this eclipse was not conjunct Algol by "projected" ecliptic degree, but instead the Sun and Moon culminated in paran with Algol that day. A powerful statement.

Backing up, Venus made her yearly reappearance as an evening star earlier in the week, while passing through Algol's projected ecliptic degree: 26/27 Taurus. Venus reemerged from her sojourn in the underworld (moving out from her sacrificial time behind the sun) and at the same time was transiting Algol; this is in my opinion a rare and therefore significant occurrence and omen.

Venus : Algol : Amanda Berry

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We find this potent point on the ecliptic (25/26/27 degrees Taurus) activated in the birth chart of a key figure, escapee Amanda Berry, who has her natal Venus in the exact same degrees of Taurus. Amanda Berry reemerged quite literally from the underworld at the same time as transiting Venus did in our evening sky. And Venus in her chart is doubly or triply important because it is the lord of both lights (the Sun and Moon).

Amanda Berry's birth chart -->
[exact time unknown]

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There are other stories in the news that mirror the energies with great relevance, one being the horrific truth about military sexual assault. This story also broke around the same time as Berry's escape. And this week on PBS, on Monday May 13th, a program called The Invisible War premiered at the time Mercury the planet of broadcasting and communication came to Algol by ecliptic degree.

Why the sacrifice - why such horror? What next?

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I assume there is more to come, more will be brought into the light. The planet Mars is going to transit the degree of the solar eclipse on Thursday, May 16th. We may see publicized some corrective action. Or we may learn of more violent events relating to themes talked about here. It is quite interesting to note, and no accident of course, that the Sun (the light) will be at the ecliptic degree of Algol: 26/27 Taurus, at the time of Mars' transit.

Recap:

May 6/7 : Venus comes to Algol while making her appearance as an evening star
May 9 : Solar eclipse in Taurus, Sun/Moon culminate with Algol by paran
May 13 : Mercury comes to Algol (by ecliptic degree) - premiere of The Invisible War
May 16 : Mars transits degree of the eclipse, while the Sun comes to Algol (ecliptic degree)
Addendum: May 16 - Introduction of the "Military Justice Improvement Act"
May 24/25/26 : Mars comes to Algol (by ecliptic degree)

Be well. Channel your Al Ghūlian energies wisely.