Psyche & Eros: Sensitivity and Passion

Either love is in the air--or someone has hot pants--because I keep getting hits from people looking for information on Psyche and Eros.  Talk about lust in the dust!  Okay, I've transcribed the information on these two asteroids from that splendid book by Demetra George at http://psyast.blogspot.com/search/label/Asteroids.

Psyche & Eros: 

  Asteroids of Sensitivity and Passion

The asteroid Psyche represents the principle of being psychically attuned and bonded to another human being.  Often portrayed as a butterfly maiden, Psyche was born as a beautiful mortal, who in her search for reunion with her lover Eros (the Roman god Cupid), mastered heroic tasks set upon her by a wrathful mother, Aphrodite (Eros’s mother).  Through each undertaking, Psyche sensitized her internal telepathic channels.  Depicting the soul’s journey from mortality to divinity, Psyche successfully transformed her earthly nature into that of a deity so that she could become the heavenly bride of Eros, god of erotic love.  Their union produced children named Bliss, Pleasure, and Ecstasy.  Together, their love has come to symbolize soul-mate union.

In perfecting the relationship progression of Lilith (the scorned mate) and Juno (the faithful Life Partner), Psyche represents the completion stage of the development of the feminine as a consort.  Astrologically, Psyche is a higher octave of Venus, expressing a refinement of personal love and psychic attunement to another.  Through following the path of Psyche, conscious relationship provides a path to spiritual illumination.

In chart analysis, a prominent Psyche symbolizes the capacity for psychic sensitivity to the mind and feelings of another person (her symbol or glyph is the Greek letter psi.)  This heightened awareness can produce the yearning for mystic, soul-mate union.  Stressful placements of Psyche can indicate a total lack of sensitivity to others, a blocked psychic awareness, or the inability to enter personal relationships.  Because of their need for deep, intuitive communication, Psyche individuals may often decline to enter into superficial or short-term relationships. Thus, they may have many admirers but remain essentially alone.

When analyzed according to element, Psyche in an air sign depicts mental telepathy; in water, she implies empathy; in fire, she suggests the ability to control and direct energy fields; and in earth, she points to achievements in physical manifestation.

Psyche aspects connect the meaning of the contacted planet with a heightened awareness: with Uranus, she indicates precognition; with Chiron, she indicates abilities in psychic healing; and in Ceres, she can show how the individual can mirror skills in communicating with plants or children.  In synastry, Psyche contacts describe points of intuitive knowing—and understanding—or total lack thereof—between individuals.  Psyche-Eros contacts indicate the potential for soul-mate union.

Eros, god of erotic love, represents the principle of passionate desire.  Mythologically, Eros was a primal, phallic god born out of Chaos (the Void) at the beginning of time.  Embodying the masculine sexual force, he served as the generative masculine power which brought the world into creation.  Thus, he manifested as the son of Mars and Venus in later Roman myths.

Astrologically, Eros functions as a higher octave of Mars.  Eros was able to refine and transform his unconscious, instinctual sexual drive into erotic love as a path to spiritual illumination through his romance with Psyche.  In classical Greece, Eros became a patron of homosexual love and can be one indicator of sexual preference.  Beyond sexuality, Eros’ passion is experienced as simply “whatever turns you on, excites, or arouses.”  Eros is also the powerful emotional force that motivates one toward consummating desires and visions.  

In chart analysis, Eros serves as an indicator of one’s passion, sexual attraction, sexual preference, and vital energy.  The Eros personality is marked by the need to continuously recreate the excitement of falling in and being in love.  Hence, Eros by transit is a timer of sexual activity.

Stressful placements of Eros in the chart may describe potential difficulties in sexual potency and activity, frustrated passion, a depletion of vital force, or obsessive-compulsive attitudes toward love until the individual positively channels passion.  Planetary contacts indicate that the individual will be “turned on” by the aspected planet:  with Ceres, the passion is food; with Uranus, metaphysics, astrology, and music; with Saturn, a love of work.  In synastry, Eros aspects signify sexual compatibility and the reciprocation of passion.