The astrological world is abuzz about the planet Sedna. This tiny planet is so remote that if you were standing on Sedna, you could cover the disc of the Sun with the head of a pin. Astrologers are already discussing the possible significance of this new factor in our solar system, which was discovered in November 2003 but not announced until March 2004.
So how does the astrological community sort out the meaning of newly discovered bodies? Well, they've had a little practice at it, what with the relatively recent discovery of three major planets, four major asteroids and many thousands of smaller asteroids, as well as smaller bodies such as Chiron, discovered in 1977. The implications of a new planet like Sedna are determined through research of its unique qualities and observation of it in the existing astrological scheme. Astrologers will now begin to look at Sedna's actual transits, natal chart placements and so forth -- in other words, they'll let the planet speak for itself.
The name assigned by astronomers is also considered. Though not selected for any astrological meaning, these names are often associated with mythology that proves to be pertinent to the energy of the new planet. In this case, Sedna is named after the Inuit ocean goddess. Her story has a number of variations; in one version, the lovely young princess is trapped and married off to a bird that carries her to a remote island. Her distraught father rows to the island and rescues her. However, the magic bird pursues them, and in a panic, Sedna's father throws her overboard to save himself. When she tries to climb back aboard, her father chops off her fingers, leaving her to perish in the ocean. Each of her fingers becomes a different ocean animal, the grandest of which is the whale. Sedna rules over the ocean and all ocean animals. Her story suggests that the planet's realm is a deep and remote one, but one that is inextricably linked to the universe, just as the ocean is part of the Earth.
The physical qualities of the planet itself are contemplated as well. Sedna is tiny, far-flung and very, very cold. Her orbit takes over 10,000 years. This suggests that Sedna will not manifest powerfully on an individual level, but may have important meanings about broader events, such as major stages of human development or climate change.
Finally, the global events around the time of the discovery of the new planet are examined. The idea here is that a planet is 'found' at a point in time when it's important for its energies to be recognized. A major astronomical event occurred only days before Sedna was discovered: the harmonic concordance, a very rare and beautiful planetary alignment. The concordance acted like an aperture, allowing an influx and outflow of energy here on earth. Although we did not know it at the time, this event provided the opportunity for the detection of the new planet, which is now at perihelion, or its closest point to the Sun. This exceedingly infrequent event -- along with other major galactic events, such as the Mayan end date of 2012 signifying the alignment of the winter equinox with the Milky Way -- demonstrates that humanity as a whole is in an extraordinary and crucial period of time. It's early to make any assessments, but indications are that eco-awareness or environmental consciousness (especially as these concepts relate to the ocean) may prove to be a major theme with Sedna.
We welcome Sedna to our planetary panoply!
Astrology.com
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