4.1.2 Comparisons of the Western Zodiac, the Medicine Wheel, and the Chinese Zodiac

• Greco-Roman Zodiac, Capricorn; Cardinal, Earth, Ruler Exalted
  • animal, Goat-fish; plant, Indian Hemp; Gem, Black Diamond; Indigo
• Amerindian associations
  • animal, Snow-Goose; plant, birch-tree; stone, garnet; White
• Chinese associations: Rat, Rabbit, Goat or Sheep
• Eck-Vidya associations - Astic, Emerald, January, Thigala, Years of the Fierce Winds

4.1.4.2 Western Planet Associations: Saturn (Walker 217-218)

• symbol a variant of the cross and curve sign (Jupiter, Ceres)
  • depicted dark underground god who was heavenly Father's alter-ego
    • just as Pluto was alter-ego to Zeus
    • Ahrimar was alter-ego to Ahura Mazola, or Satan to God
• to Babylonians, Saturn was same as their Black Sun, the Solar God Entombed
  • at Harvan, worshiped by people in black clothing burning special candles or opiu, and incense
• addressed him as "Lord Saturn, the cold the dry, the dark, the harmful...
  • crafty sire who knowest all wiles, who art deceitful, sage, understanding,
  • who causeth prosperity or ruin." (Cumont ARGR)
• in Rome, the sacrifice of Saturn occurred at year's end festival of Saturnalia
  • first in the form of a human victim, later in an effigy
  • transformed into a mock killing of the king of the carnival
  • "a vestige of the ancient Saturnalia (Moakley)
    • when the man who had acted as king of the revels was actually put to death."
    • human victims still immolated in Christian times
  • the killing of king Saturn represented passage of the Solar God of heavenly king
    • into the underworld at year's end
    • to be followed by his joyous resurrection as heavenly king reborn
• day of Saturn = Saturday; the last day of the week
  • said Agrippa von Nattesheim, "hath correspondence with the last end of life, and is ruled by Saturn which carries a sickle of death" (Agrippa)
  • the image as death-bringer identifies with Greek Titan-god Chronos, Kronos, or Crunus
    • he became Father Time with his death-dealing sickle by virtue of alliance with older goddess Rhea Kronia, who was Mother Time
    • personifying both time and earth, like Kali the destroyer, Rhea naturally devoured all that she brought to birth
    • cult of Cronus/Chronos depicted him as devourer of his own children
    • Saturn, too, became a child-eater
      • the only child to escape this paternal cannibalism was Zeus
      • Zeus later defeated his father and drove him from heaven
    • same oedipal rivalry in Persian and Jewish legends in the War in Heaven, although different outcome
  • as might be expected of a elothior god
    • Saturn was associated with darkness, heaviness, density, and melancholy
    • a "saturnine" personality said to be ruled by the earth element
    • Saturn's associated metal was lead
  • the planet came to be regarded as a beclouded influence
    • though Saturnalia was a day of great festivity and cheer
    • it eventually it was declared a day of sin
    • became more closely associated with deviltry