Daily Meditation: Sunday, November 21, 2004

Sagittarius - its symbolism: master of instincts through thought

11/21/2004

In the Zodiac, Sagittarius symbolizes the human being in whom reason has triumphed over the dark forces of instinct. This idea is also expressed by the mythological figure of the Centaur, which has the torso of a man mounted on the body of a horse. Human beings are made up of two natures: inferior and superior. They cannot rid themselves of their inferior nature but must learn to master it and put it to work. What is more, illustrations of the Centaur or Sagittarius show the body of the horse in motion, galloping. But this motion is not without purpose or direction; it serves a well-considered action, expressed by the bow in the hands of the Centaur, who is ready to shoot an arrow. You are aware of the mastery it takes to draw a bow and aim accurately. Sagittarius thus represents one who places the movements of his inferior nature – represented by the galloping horse – at the service of an ideal: symbolized by the arrow which goes precisely to its mark.