". what's that in the brushwood?"
"It's a wolf, with her whelps."
. . . . just the sort of idea a dog would have.
Since Virgo is an Earth Sign, you'd think the Virgins would know all about every single thing connected with the Earth, the way they know all about nearly everything else. Well, they don't. And even though Sagittarius is a Fire Sign,the Archers do have a certain Robin Hood affinity with Sherwood Forest, as well as with woods called by other names. Consequently, Sagittarius is capable of demonstrating to the gentle Virgins various kinds of "earth-magic." Mostly because they love animals, who are all so closely attuned to and aligned with Nature,synchronized to the Earth's rhythms. And also because they're not afraid to try out new ideas. Therefore, it's possible for Sagittarians to discover all manner of "earthy" lessons of great beatitude to teach the Virgins.
Take, for example, music. Everything in the Universe, in the entire solar system, answers infallibly to its own very individual key - or note, half-note,quarter-note, sixteenth-note . . . and so on. Every thing and every person. Even buildings and bridges. Sometimes, when you're listening to a symphony, a certain note, or a combination of notes within a chord will, for a split second in Time, cause you to feel a chill at the back of your neck, a quiver or a tiny tremble.You have been "struck" with your personal vibration, and your physical body is responding to it. In the science of metaphysics, theoretically (and actually)your own individual "sound" or "key" or musical "note," when sounded in it's precise, exact tone (Virgos will understand the need for prec'seness) wouldso powerfully affect you through its vibrations that, played sharply enough (or loudly enough) and sustained long enough, it could kill. (The soul would follow it, out of the body.) Conversely, on the positive side, when played (or sounded)softly enough, sustained for the proper Virgo exactitude of moments, it could so transfigure you with joy and peace, you would literally "levitate" as did the"saints."
The grandson of composer Felix Mendelssohn experimented with these rather Virgo-like concepts, based on the known fact that, when a singer hits a certain note, in a certain key, the sound will instantly shatter a glass. His research led him to realize the Bible meant literally what was written in claiming that, when Joshua blew a particular note, in a precise key on the "Ram's horn" - the walls of Jericho "came tumbling down." When a group of soldiers march in time toward a bridge, the leader will call out "Break Step!" if it's a fragile bridge they're approaching, because the rhythm of all those feet, pounding the Earth in time together, could actually destroy or damage the bridge structure. Mendelssohn therefore concluded that the armies led by Joshua approached the walls of Jericho "in step" together - thousands of feet in tempo,setting up a powerful (and particular) vibration in the Earth, so that when Joshua (who was metaphysically knowledgeable) then blew the precise note on the Ram's horn, the combination of the marching feet vibrations with the individual"sound" of the wall structure itself, caused the walls of Jericho to respond, and to "come tumbling down," right on schedule. Sound itself, alone, in the proper key and vibratory frequency, has the "power and the glory" (and the energy) to actually move huge stones or rocks. This is the buried-in-ancient-mystery, esoteric truth behind the legendary Open Sesame and Abracadabra chants (although they've been passed down to us in distorted form, no longer purely precise).So now you know how those immense boulders were levitated to build the Great Pyramid of Giza! Musically and melodiously, under the direction of Osiris.(Not Cheops - he came later, and did a bit of creative plagiarizing from the great Osiris.)
Virgos will be fascinated by the exactitudes and preciseness of this musical wisdom of metaphysics (contained in the Great Mystery of The Music of the Spheres) and Sag will be excited about all the possibilities of application to Jupiter ideals. The Archer might ask the Virgin - "Since everything has its own'key,' what do you suppose is the Earth's key?" If Virgo doesn't know, the Archer may safely answer "D-flat." Then, of course, Virgo will insist that Sag prove it. Virgins are quite critical of generalized statements, and they sternly disapprove of any form of exaggeration. Exaggeration being one of the many Sagittarian talents (the Archer's ruling planet, Jupiter, is astrologically synonymous
with expansion), if Sag wants to impress Virgo, he (or she) must always be prepared to back up any sweeping, Jupiter statements with substantial, factual proof. Yet, in contradiction, the Centaurs are also compulsively truthful, because Sagittarius is one of those exasperating "double" Sun Signs of duality.Half-horse, half-human. It's the human end that's truthful, the Horse end that sometimes stretches the truth a little. So it's important to know which end of the Sagittarian Centaur you're dealing with at any given time. Regarding the "D-flat" situation, you're dealing with the meticulously truthful and gloriously imaginative human half of Sag. (No, Virgo, imagination is not inconsistent with truth. Imagination and Truth are soul mates. Neither could exist without the
other.)
To give the animal-loving Archers a helping hand with their "D-flat" earthmagic lesson to Virgo, here's the proof. In 1975, on a late November Sagittarian evening, jazz musician Paul Winter had a profound and perfectly marvelous,likewise Sagittarian, Jupiter-inspired idea. He trudged high into a Sierra Nevada wildlife research center with his alto sax, and improvised a bluesy wail. At first curiously silent, after a time, some lady timber wolves began to sing along.Their howls harmonized with and matched perfectly the length and shape of Winter's musical notes, creating the most thrilling duet he ever played. Originally inspired by a recording of the humpback whale songs, Winter has since played concerts for - and in harmony with - all sorts of animals, who match the notes, the tones and the rhythms of his sax precisely, never missing a beat or half note. Once, off British Columbia, Paul played a concert for whales - and to everyone's astonishment, they stuck their heads out of the water, and gathered in a circle to listen, as the Greenpeace people watched in happy amazement.His moonlight duets with animals have even interested stuffy scientists,who were first stodgy, then amused, but are now finally beginning to think Winter has given them the "key" (pardon the Jupiter pun) to how animals communicate migrate, mate and form packs.
Jazzman Winter's new album features an "eight member family" of instruments,dating back to the Renaissance. Titled Common Ground, the album contains several melodies with choruses sung by wolves, whales - and even an eagle! They're all in the key of D-flat, the only one the animals will harmonize with, you see, which causes Winter (and any meditative person) to conclude that D-flat is the "key of the Earth." Fastidious Virgos may be slightly offended (or embarrassed) but the fun-loving Centaurs will enjoy learning that the album was taped in a stable at Winter's farm, where bed sheets were hung from the ceiling, not for acoustical reasons, but to keep the bat droppings out of the harpsichord.
Now that Sag has brought some magical Earth knowledge to Virgo, and backed it up with proof, the Virgins, we trust, will be in the future, somewhat more respectful of the Archer's far-out antics and spontaneous enthusiasms.And now that Sag has learned that the miracles of Open Sesame and Abracadabra,not to mention the building of the Great Pyramid, could never be accomplished without Virgo preciseness and exactitude regarding musical sounds, let's hope the Archers will stop teasing the Virgins about their tendency to measure everything, their leaning toward perfection and their critical, sometimes hairsplitting attitudes. After all, Virgos are only living up to their Sun Sign essence of discrimination. If we didn't have Virgos around to tidy our minds and keep our intentions neat, we'd all be a sorry mess of chaos and confusion. Music would not be melodious and soothing, but a tangled jumble of sour notes and jarring chords - without Virgo.
And without the merry, playful, owlish, wise and prophetic Archers, having been as kind and compassionate toward animals as they've been for all these many centuries, none of Nature's birds and gentle beasts would have trusted Paul Winter enough to sing a single harmonic note in duet with his jazz saxophone.Much of the loving-kindness and protection from human brutality our animal brothers, bird sisters and sea life creatures have received has been from the Virgo, Sagittarian (and Aquarian) vibrations on Earth, giving them the faith to make their touching, tentative gesture of cooperation and love, to the tune of Winter's friendly vibes. As Winter himself explains it, so very beautifully, "if something is sensitive, thoughtful, we call it human. How arrogant. It's really a sound which says, I'm glad to be feeling. It's an affirmation." Yes. An affirmation of Life and Love . . . and the singing Oneness of all Nature.
Both Sag and Virgo were born under Mutable Signs, and so the Virgins and the Archers are usually able to communicate with each other easily, whether they're communicating Virgo's criticism and Jupiter's frankness - or friendly understanding. Easy communication is the first step on the way to a comprehension of one another's different approaches and viewpoints. These two will undoubtedly talk a lot, back and forth - perhaps also move around a lot, although Virgo is more settled, and likely to remain in one place longer than Sagittarius.Still, with Vulcan, Virgo's true ruler (see Virgo-Virgo chapter), about to be discovered, Virgins of both sexes are beginning to feel restless stirrings of discontent, a compulsion to wonder and wander . . . to change old patterns and habits, and explore the world (as well as themselves) to see what surprises they might find. This is simply great, because the friendly Archers love congenial company, as they happily and curiously trot through Life's unexplored Sherwood Forest, on horseback, or on foot, by plane or train. If they successfully meet the challenges of their 4-10 Sun Sign Pattern testing, the association of the Centaur and the Virgin promises exceptional rewards to each of them. Virgo will teach Sagittarius some manners, courtesy and patience, while Sag will teach Virgo the value of generosity of spirit, open-mindedness, tolerance . . . and best of all, glorious freedom! They may appear to onlookers to be a decidedly "odd couple," the Virgin and the Centaur, but after a while, Sag will teach Virgo not to worry so much about what people say or think. Just be true to yourself, and everything will fall into place. After all there's nobody who can please everybody,and the Jupiter-ruled Sagittarian is just the one to teach Virgo what a futile goal trying to "perfectly" please the whole world can be. Sag will coax Virgo
to loosen up, and Virgo will show Sag how to keep from clumsily falling by going a little slower (verbally and otherwise).
It's an unexpected touch of magic that the songs on Side One of Paul Winter's Common Ground album, with their haunting melodies and chants, recalling the dawn reveries of monks at their prayers should feature Renaissance instruments and rhythmic patterns, some with birds singing their glad morning hosannas in the background, along with other animals. A touch of magic because. . . the greatest friend the animals and birds on this planet ever knew was the simple Franciscan, Francis (Francesco) Bernardone, who lived his humble life of peace and goodness toward all creatures, great and small, during Medieval times. A few of his early years were spent as a strolling troubadour, and often,as a young man, he serenaded Claire, his Lady Poverty, by softly singing lyrics he composed himself to these same kinds of Renaissance rhythms, and playing the same kind of instruments.
The Winter earth-magic promise of Spring's return would be a most appropriate theme for the Virgo-Sagittarius relationship. But first, of course, the Archer must bury his bow, and vow never to cause pain to any creature, human or animal (especially Virgos!) with his Jupiter arrows. Then the Virgin and the Centaur can join hands to sing together the first chorus of the Music of the Spheres with all the whales, eagles, wolves and birds they happen to meet on their path . . . bringing us all a little closer to the symphony of Peace. Sagittarian Francesco Bernardone, of Assisi, with his Moon in Virgo, will bless them with the benediction of his smile, and carol along with them . . . in the key of Dflat.
