Sagittarius, The Centaur
November 23 - December 19th
Mode: Mutable ~ Element: Fire ~ Ruler: Jupiter Mythic Archetypes: Chiron, the Centaur ~ Artemis (Diana) ~ Hestia (Vesta)

To the Egyptians, Sagittarius was a sign of war. However, to us, it is a sign of philosophy and higher learning. During the month of Sagittarius, the landscape is quiet, perhaps buried under snow. Activity is at a minimum. It is a time for reflection. Sagittarius is in the power of the night-time, of collective humanity, which is increasing and so it represents the stage in which personal or individual concerns are at a minimum, and universal concerns become all-encompassing. This is why Sagittarians are said to be lost in abstruse philosophical concepts, neglecting everyday realities while they wander about with their heads in the clouds.

Sagittarius is linked with Chiron the Centaur. The centaurs were a race of beings which were half-human and half-horse. Their upper torso aspired to the heavens in search of spiritual truths, while the lower animal portion of their body was driven by their instincts and passions. Chiron had transcended his primal self and dwelt principally in his god-nature. As co-ruler of Sagittarius he represents the state of awareness of all three aspects of Self: the animal nature driving us from below, the human nature (spirit trapped in a body), and the divine nature. It is the awareness of these three aspects of one's inner nature as well as the transmission of energy from the animal to the spiritual that makes humans unique among the creatures of the world.

Both Chiron and Jupiter were the sons of Saturn. Jupiter is the planet that we presently associate with Sagittarius. The strong connection is best described by reference to the word "jovial". Sagittarians have an optimistic & enthusiastic temperament. All things abundant, excessive, and expansive fall under Jupiter. Fusing broad-minded philosophy with an earthy good nature, Sagittarians are leaders and will excel in government, law, teaching, publishing & entrepreneur endeavors.