As I looked at the astrology chart for yesterday, some interesting symbolism became apparent around the Notre-Dame fire. I recorded a video yesterday on the energy of the coming week. Much of it was about change and loss and how to move through it. We are all in a time of transformation, where attachment to the old can become a limitation that keeps us stuck in time.

The asteroid Paris was retrograde on the first degree of Libra. The Sabian symbol for that degree is, “A butterfly preserved and made perfect with a dart through it.” So the representation for the city was on a degree that takes a symbol of transformation (a butterfly) and tries to preserve it forever. In the desire to hold on to something, which is often what humans try to do, it looses it’s very essence, something that is alive! Everything has an energy, even buildings, and energy on this 3d earth plane doesn’t stay stagnant forever.

Certainly, Notre-Dame is a structured that has remained relatively unchanged for 850 years. Structural repairs aside, it is a continual monument to the past. One of humanities greatest architectural achievements frozen in time. It’s taken for granted that it will always be there. Preserved in time like our butterfly. A representation in form of our own inner desire to create a sense of security through unchanging surroundings. 

A loose yod is formed as Uranus, planet of change, sextile asteroid Karma and both inconjunct Paris. For those not familiar with astrological terms, you can get an understanding of what a yod is by its less scientific term, a finger of god. A yod will push us to evolve because it is our destiny. 

Karma represents our patterns, what do we do over and over whether it benefits us or not, just because it was what we have done in the past. If we get stuck in karma, it means we have a hard time changing. Uranus and Karma are creating a flow of energy to that wants to incite us to change. With both in a challenging aspect to Paris, the energy of change needed a symbolic outlet and that outlet became the cathedral. 

Chiron (wounding) and Mercury in Pisces (collective consciousness) are in opposition to Paris. No matter where in the world we were, in spirit we were there, lining the streets along side the Parisians empathizing with their pain. Whether we are French or not, monuments like Notre-Dame capture the collective consciousness because they relate to what it means to be human and to express that humanness through art and spirituality. 

On a much larger scale, our collective energies expressing sadness, shedding tears and standing together through a sense of loss, creates a massive, global energy of releasing attachment that not only helps us let go of what we are needing to change individually, but helps the overall energy of Gaia in the clearing of old energy. This is a really important collective release has we head into a challenging week of purification energy.

At first we are hit with the shock of wondering what would happen if Notre-Dame was no longer there? As an art historian and passionate history buff who was lucky enough to visit the cathedral, the first thought of that is horrible. The treasure of the architecture, the stain glass windows, the art, the records, all of that would be a terrific blow to lose. On the other hand, things change, they transform, and life goes on. Notre-Dame stands on ground were previous temples where built yet we no longer mourn their loss. Time has moved on.

Thankfully, a major catastrophe seems to have been averted because though still a loss, the cathedral can be repaired. Much of the art had already been moved for repairs and is safe. There will be a slight difference, yes, they will have to use new materials, maybe change a thing here and there but we will still recognize her. Maybe the cathedral, the city and all of us need just a little something new and won’t realize it until it’s fully materialized. We won’t know unless we take a risk and allow the process of transformation to happen. 

Yes, I am sad for what was lost, but everything must change as it is a reflection of us and we must always be open to change. Life on earth is impermanent. The only thing that doesn’t change is change, as the old saying goes. 

The collective release and then the pulling together in unity adds it momentum to our own individual journeys and the changes we are needing to make in our own lives at this time. The structures of our history are changing, personally and societally. Are you that butterfly, preserved forever, stuck in the past for fear that something will be lost if you evolve? The irony is that in trying to preserve the past, we stop living in the present. So don’t fear change and loss as the underlying structure of your life may just need a little transformation, too.