by Alison Dhuanna, UK Astrologer

Haumea the Hawaiian Mermaid Goddess swirls her powerful tail. Salty ocean crashes into the molten fires, an alchemical collision of elements.

As the Saturn Pluto conjunction moves ever closer together, culminating in 2020, the intensity of the breakdown of forms of government, church and all known institutions will intensify. Saturn and Pluto are both signifiers of deep transformation so there will be no escape or respite from the chaos except through finding the stillness within. Like the volcanic fires in the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii, this will be both terrifying and beautiful. It is an apocalyptic energy, but the Goddess energies are holding out a hand, offering us a way to birth the new seeds of the future and begin to build new forms. In order to do this, we will be learning the great gift of Saturn ‘Restraint’ and the great gift of Pluto ‘Transfiguration’.

Colonial America is a seed that fell from the old plant of Europe. Those who set off to build a new world were full of pioneering spirit and this is the essence of America. The latest form of America may be dying but the essence will live on.

Britain is dying too. Sexual abuse scandals which went through government, police and social services have made huge holes in the stranglehold of a highly toxic ruling class as Pluto has been doing his work uncovering secrets in the past 10 years. Brexit is the way in which the old systems are now being dismantled apace. Literally every piece of legislation has to be rewritten and 38 Degrees are ensuring people have their say in that.

The Pope’s visit to Ireland comes at an interesting time. His willingness to really listen to the victims of abuse may well determine if the Catholic church survives as a true vehicle for God’s will in the future. The same could be said of all religions. If they become incapable of carrying any positive spiritual essence through becoming so bogged down in rules and corruption, they will eventually wither and die. We are in a very dangerous phase of history, but we also have resources at our disposal we have never had before like the internet and global peace movements that transcend nation states. Christ consciousness is awakening and searching for the new forms in which to affect life.

The Cosmic Mermaids and Centaurs hold the keys to this transformation that is upon us. Some new mermaids like Salacia exploded into my life this week when I watched a wonderful podcast by M. Kelly Hunter. I had just performed The Mermaid of Zennor with folk singer Kath Reade for the first time, when I was forwarded the link by my wonderful friend M. Watching the podcast opened up the deeper significance of our play which is a ‘transmission’ of some power. The song I wrote for our play is

Time is coming back to meet me
All the things I left behind
Are spiraling like ghosts across this land
From the Tigris and Euphrates, a Siren’s voice is heard
And I’m gathering all I left behind

In the involution of time, we are now moving back through the Kali Yuga to open the memories of Lemuria and Atlantis in a more mainstream way. There are of course those who have always had access to these realms. My experience as an astrologer is that when bodies jump into my consciousness is when larger parts of the community are ready to integrate the energies.

Saturn and Pluto both take us into core parts of our psyche that were imprinted during our womb time. They represent deep seated wounds that are difficult to heal because they are wired into our very DNA. Pluto is conjunct Chariklo at the moment, the beloved of Chiron. I have explored Chariklo deeply as the ‘Carer’ archetype, but M. Kelly Hunter opened up a new level of her that she is also a Mermaid in origin. Through the power of her love she turned herself from a Mermaid (water, air) into a Centaur (Earth and Fire).

As I was contemplating this blog yesterday we went for a walk with the dogs in a beautiful woodland Hardcastle Craggs. Something had happened the day before that had set off one of my most primal wounds, feeling cast out. We reached a cragg we often visit – it is really incredible with a pine tree growing right out the top of it. I went over to the rock and had a bit of a cry. As my partner came over with the dogs she cried ‘look Ali’, and there was a mother frog right by us with a tiny baby. The baby had such divine green geometric shapes. They were perfectly still, and the dogs thankfully didn’t notice them.

A short while later I saw a gleam of red fur through the trees up ahead in the dappled autumn light. It was a deer with her young. Our Jack Russel Lily sensed their presence, but the undergrowth was thick, and she couldn’t get to them. Again, they stood perfectly still in the face of the threat.

As we walked again, all sorrows passing as they do, we heard the cries of buzzards. Finally, as we reached the car park and a gap in the trees we could see them above us – a Mother and her young one. Afterwards it came to me that we had seen the old and the young in 3 elements – water, earth and air.

I feel this is a teaching about the alchemy of Chariklo. Her healing comes from the power of her heart. She transformed herself into a Centaur to be with her beloved Chiron. Later she helped him become Alpha Centauri the star when he was wounded, and she became Chariklo in the heavens. She is a master alchemist, and conjunct Pluto as she is now this is greatly enhanced.

Quaoar is conjunct Saturn and he is a trickster god who refuses to follow the rules. Trump is actually a perfect embodiment of this energy. It turns all the rules on its head, creates chaos and breaks up old forms. My adopted son was born on a third wave of children with Quaoar conjunct Pluto in 2002 so I’ve lived first hand with this powerful energy. It is highly disruptive and challenging to authority – very hard when you happen to be the authority it is directed towards. His presence with Saturn will certainly help to break down the old forms apace.

Chiron is presently conjunct Salacia. Salacia was the wife of Neptune and she embodies the beautiful energy of sunlight on water. The dance of fire and water, but this time more delicate and brings such delight to the heart when you see it. Salacia is derived from the word ‘salt’, which in alchemy is an important substance. It is the third substance that catalyses the joining of Philosophic Sulphur and Philosophic Mercury. It is Mercury holding the Caduceus. It’s very exciting therefore that she is also conjunct Hygeia whose symbol is the Caduceus and the uniting of the golden male and black female serpents. Hygeia represents attunement to natural rhythms, which I feel is the foundation of awakening and embodiment of soul at this time. Together with Astraea she is a Guardian of the Holy Grail energies which are manifesting on the planet at the moment. There was much on my recent journey to Glastonbury that suggests this is all still happening and the raising of Albion is well underway.

I was delighted to see in Mamma Mia 2 the strong theme of the importance of mother and daughter relationships, and indeed mother and father (represented by Hygiea who had a very positive relationship with her father). In the final song I felt the energy I have been feeling literally pouring into the world. Now is the time that the Balm of Gilhead may heal the daughters once again.

Strengthening family and community bonds seems very important at the moment and historically it is the way we naturally deal with crisis by coming together. Healing the wounds of sexual and other abuse is also vitally important. The level of distress felt by people as we go through these changes is in many ways connected to the level of attachment to the old forms. When we can let go of the old and embrace the new, the young then we have hope of navigating the dangerous waters ahead. At the same time, we can preserve the essence of all that is precious in the old forms and that we value in our cultures. Astraea as Goddess of the Sacred Arts is central in this. We are the cosmic gardeners of the new seeds that are now falling to the Earth.

I am going on a 3-month pilgrimage to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland which will be a wonderful place to explore the Mermaid and Selki mysteries. I offer one to one chart readings and for the next few months will offer a special Mermaid/Merman reading including Sedna, Salacia, Haumea and Chariklo. Please email me for further information on astroalison@gmail.com

I am co-facilitating a Mysteries of the Crone retreat for women on Lewis, Scotland exploring the Callanish stones, Hag Mountain and the many other natural Goddess formations. The central intention of the retreat is to go deeper into healing our wounds that often resurface during menopause, drawing on the Crone energy. She is Saturn in astrology so it a very powerful time to work with her. The Lemurian energies are very strong here too, it’s a place out of time and space …. hard to describe. The retreat is from the 28^th October – 2^nd November – https://www.workingtorecovery.co.uk/products/events-and-training.aspx?courseid=46

M. Kelly Hunters web site is http://heliastar.com and her podcast is entitled Cosmic Mermaids. It cost $25