
The next Canterbury moon lodge happens on Thursday May 17th in the usual venue of Concorde House. This circle falls just after the new moon in Taurus occurring on Tuesday 15th. Still in the new moon energies, the aspects for this moon lodge offers up an interesting combination of feminine energies. Moon (feeling), Venus (Eros) and the asteroid goddess Pallas Athena (wisdom) are at 27, degree Gemini, presenting a potent mix of sexual, psychic, and creative energies.
On the evening of our moon lodge this trinity of Goddesses falls in the 8th house- the intimacy and depth of the soul married with the passion and intensity of transformation. Here is the possibility of lifting the veils to glimpse the deeper workings of the mystery, and with the three feminine aspects all conjunct the same degree the psychic, emotional and intellectual abilities of the feminine weave to create an embodied consciousness directed by the power of the will and mind. Meanwhile, as 27 degrees Gemini is directly opposite the galactic centre, there is a portal into expanded awareness and cosmic influences.
At the same time, the fixed star of Algol is conjunct the Sun at 26 degrees Taurus in the constellation of Perseus, and is located on the slain head of the Gorgon Medusa. Ptolemy labelled the star “the brightest of those in the Gorgon’s head”. In earlier times, Algol was considered the most malefic star in the heavens and according to Gertrude and James Jobes, Algol was called Ras al-Ghul by the Arabs which means ‘Head of the Demon’… they considered this female demon to be the wife of the devil. In Talmudic Law, Algol is also known as Lilith, the first wife of Adam who left him because she refused to be submissive to his needs. (Brady, 1998, p.188). According to Brady, “Algol is the wild raw, frightening face of the outraged feminine which has been labelled demonic or simply evil” (ibid). She continues: “the star seems to contain immense passion and power. It is the power of the feminine or the potential power of Mother Nature, not to be evil for being strong.” (ibid).

And so, with the combination of Algol conjunct the Sun, and Venus, Moon & Pallas all conjunct in Gemini in the 8th house, opposite the Galactic centre, it is the perfect time to explore feminine power, and more specifically how certain aspects of feminine power has been demonised.
As Algol is the shining star of the Medusa’s serpent head we will explore the symbols and archetypes presented in this myth. For example, Medusa was originally a priestess in the temple of Athena, her beauty was well renowned and was such that to look upon her was breathtaking. After her transformation when she was turned into a serpent headed Gorgon by Athena, no man could look upon Medusa without being turned to stone. Herein lies a key to the myth of Medusa- when she is in her sovereign priestess state in the temple of wisdom, she is unobtainable and separate- whole unto herself but devoid of Eros – unavailable for relationship. When she is in her primordial, instinctual demonic state she is also hidden and separate equally inaccessible to connection.
Medusa is banished form the temple of Athena and turned into a Gorgon after an encounter with Neptune, the God of water (emotion). Previously destined to become the main priestess in the temple of Athena she descends into a primordial chthonic state where she is totally isolated form all living beings except her immortal gorgon sisters.
On the evening of the Moon Lodge, 17 May, wisdom, erotic love, and emotion all stand together with the possibility of integration. The light of the sun may be shone upon the true nature of the demonised feminine, not a monster after all, but in her wholeness a force to be reckoned with.