Easter Above, Easter Below – Part IV

After the crucifixion,

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed (Matthew 27, 56-60).

If we remember, in the astronomical level of understanding, Helios is sacrificed at the Ninth hour, pierced by the arrow of Sagittarius, the sign of the ninth month, November. At his death, Helios descends completely into the bowels of the underworld, the tomb of the Gospel. We are on Winter Solstice, December 21st, point of maximum darkness, shortest day of the year, marked on the sky by Capricorn, the tenth sign –hence December, from the Latin root Deca, ten, was always the tenth month, not the twelfth–. Naturally, this is consistent with the symbolism of Ten, which is the symbol of "completeness", as Pythagoras taught.

And with regard to the underworld, we emphasize it  has a "purifying" character rather than a frightening one. Many ancient cultures describe this dark stage as a journey in which the traveller meets "guardians" that either prey on the weak souls that only consist of lower passions, and therefore lack "spirit", or help the divine-human souls to get rid of the last remnants of dirt, so that these can ascend to the regions of Light. In Egypt and India these guardians were represented with the figure of a Crocodile or a Hippo, or a mixture of both, and these animals were associated with the hybrid sign of the Sea-Goat, Capricorn, also symbol of the "dual nature" of the psyche. It is curious to see how Leonardo Da Vinci himself seems to have mirrored this imagery on the painting we saw before yesterday, the Last Supper, in which the apostle that would correspond to Capricorn makes a peculiar gesture with both arms. What part of a crocodile is it reminiscent of?

Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation [Sabbath, Saturday], the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying: Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again.Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead  (Matthew 27: 62-64).

And now that the tomb of our Solar Hero has been completely sealed, we can only wait until tomorrow,  to continue with the story. We shall then see how the process takes a surprising twist, where the beginning and end meet, where the stars blend into our soul and open the door to a future of true Hope.