The Labors of Hercules
Sagittarius
Eliminating the Stymphalian Birds
You will resonate with Sagittarius if you have the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Sagittarius or if you have any of these in close aspect to Jupiter. You will also be influenced by Sagittarius if you have several planets in the ninth house, or if you were born with the Jupiter in the first, fourth, seventh, or tenth house.
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Eliminating the Stymphalian Birds
Listen to Kathy Newburn Summarize the Myth in Sagittarius
Sagittarius
The Soul’s Task in Sagittarius: To Manifest the Intention of the Soul through Power of Thought
In this labor, Killing the Symphalian Birds, Hercules is tasked to rid the countryside around Stypmphalus of the screeching, destructive, and disruptive birds disturbing the environment. He uses loud cymbals, given to him by Athene to startle and terrify the birds away. They rise from the marshes, and fly away, and silence returns to the lake.
Sagittarius’s strengths and gifts:
- Jovial
- Optimistic
- Faithful
- Straight forward
- Intelligent
- Philosophical
- Freedom-loving
Sagittarius’s shadow and weakness:
- Self-righteous
- Dogmatic
- Grandiose
- Inability to Commit
- Restless
- Irresponsible
- Foolish
Click on the link below to listen to a reading of Clearing the Stymphalian Birds from The Labours of Hercules, by A. A. Bailey
~ Read by Karen Johannsen
The Myth
Hercules is required to take on the ferocious and destructive Stymphalian birds in this labor. This flock of birds gathered at a lake where they were breeding and causing destruction. Their waste was toxic and caused death to the inhabitants of the area.
The birds were ravenous and would devour anything they could including human flesh and anything else they could ravage. Their beaks were sharp as metal and could cut through any flesh. Their feathers were razor-sharp like a steel shaft and would sever anything they touched as they fell. There were so many of the birds that Hercules knew it would take him years to shoot the birds down if he tried to take them on one-by-one.
Before his journey, he was given a pair of bronze krotala or cymbals by Athene, who watched over him during his tasks. The cymbals made a loud, deafening, and terrible sound, which was disrupting to the birds. Covering his ears to protect himself, Hercules began to strike the cymbals, setting off a powerful sound. Startled, the terrified birds rose from the lake, flapping their wings and shrieking. As they flew away in frantic haste, never to return, silence and stillness returns to the lake.
Hercules continued his noise-making for several days until he was confident that all of the birds had left. Only then did he leave the lakeside, successful in his task.
Understanding the Myth’s Symbols and Meaning
Focused concentration is an essential skill to learn as part of the spiritual journey. The Stymphalian Birds represent the chaotic, disorganized, and untrained mind and the destructive thoughts it generates. For the soul to be able to generate intuition-inspired thought successfully through the mind, we must be able to establish a quiet mental state for intuitive listening.
The sharp beaks and feathers of the birds symbolize the damage and destruction of speech that arises from disorganized thought. The birds waste was toxic, and they littered the environment. When we release toxic and corrupt thinking into the world around us, it has a destructive and toxic effect on the environment. Their waste represents the effect that gossip, negative thought, and chatter has on the community as a whole.
The cymbals are similar to the rattle used in the Native American culture, singing bowls, bells, ceremonial drums, or the sounding of the OM. These items break up stagnation within our energy system and the environment impacted by out thoughts and words. When thease energy blocks are cleared a clear communication path to the soul and its communication is established. In this way, the vibration or music of the krotala induces a meditative state for Hercules.
The birds of the unfocused, and chaotic thoughts depart, and a stillness settles into the mind.
The Spiritual Task of Sagittarius
Sagittarius a mutable fire sign and is ruled traditionally by Jupiter and spiritually by the Earth. The task for the Soul in Sagittarius is to learn about the world. Sagittarius is the sign of the philosopher, freedom, and vision. It gets the big picture. But the personality in Sagittarius can manifest a restlessness, and a lack of mental control over thought. There can be a tendency to be dogmatic or restless. But, through mental discipline, life’s distractions will not deflect the disciplined Sagittarian mind. The search for freedom shifts from physical freedom to the freedom to find your most authentic self and live free of the chaos and destruction of an undisciplined mind.
Applying the Sagittarius Lesson in Everyday Life
Johfra Bosschart
If you haven’t already done so, it may be helpful to read the article “Spiritual Transformation is a Team Activity” https://soulbridging.com/spiritual-transformation-captain/. This useful article highlights how the energy of the personality shifts its expression from personality dominance to soul control.
The Sagittarian personality is curious, wants to learn, and to experience the informational wealth of the world. Through a drive to grow through higher-education, philosophy, or foreign travel they move beyond the personality experience of the known. As they evolve, the skilled Sagittarian must learn not to get lost in the collection of facts and distraction so that knowledge is the seed of wisdom, not the end objective.
The soul in Sagittarius must use the mind to develop focused and single-minded concentration. Through a practice of quieting and steadying the mind, the whispers of intuition from the soul may begin to be heard. Then, the spiritually mature Sagittarian can follow the pointed-arrow of thought to its target. Then, the focus can shift other higher goals.
Explore the Ancient Keynote
These ancient and profound Keynotes provide insight into the expression of the sign by the personality and the soul. Kathy Newburn explains how we can better understand their meanings.
Practice
It is helpful to meditate on the ways the soul and personality use the energy of Sagittarius to explore and learn about the world. Consider how the spiritually mature Sagittarian native uses the power of the sign. Take some time to journal your answers to the following questions. This practice will support you to deepen your awareness and integrate the highest expression of Sagittarius and to manifest it in your everyday life.
The Voice of the Personality in Sagittarius Says, “Let food be sought.”
The Sagittarian personality seeks challenge and has a natural affinity for information and learning. The natural curiousity can result in a scattering of energy that is not productive. They can rigidly attach to facts in a way that results in dogmatic attachment and being mentally closed off to other considerations. Once they have learned a ‘truth’ they can adhere to that ‘truth’ rigidly and without reason.
Some questions to ponder for the Sagittarius personality:
- What are the goals that I aim for? Are they selfish ones that lead me into difficulty?
- When I find that I have gone astray and have focused my attention on the wrong goal, do I see it through, or am I able to set a new goal?
- Do I learn from my mistakes, or do I find that I tend to repeat on a theme of errors?
- The Sagittarian personality can adhere to spiritual information without engaging in a practice of listening for my inner truth. How do you turn inward to hear your own voice of spirit? What does it tell you?
- Can I tell the difference between my intuition and desire (wanting it to be so)? Am I willing to acknowledge when desire is driving my arrow of intention?
The Voice of the Soul in Leo Says: “I see the goal, I reach the goal, and then I see another.”
Some questions to ponder for Soul’s Expression in Sagittarius:
- How can I become more comfortable with moderation?
- Am I dedicated to seeing the higher vision and purpose of my thoughts and actions?
- How often do I find myself caught up in spiritually unimportant activities that distract me from a more profound sense of purpose?
- Do I practice single-pointed focus? Can I complete a task, following through on activities, and manage my thoughts so that I don’t get mentally lost?
- Can I restrict my speech, choosing only to say what is necessary?