Hieros gamos – and the sacred and profane of astrological relationships 

Hieros gamos is the sacred union of the masculine principle and the feminine principle, that join together to form an alchemical reaction. It essentially implies a sexual union and ritual. In our solar system, it is epitomised by the union of the sun, the father and gold, and the moon, the mother and silver. 

However, in astrology, we can take this union to a higher level. That of a spiritual union.  

Most astrological columns, books and literature detail the compatibility of zodiacal signs with marriage, romance, friendship, and business. Not much is said about the spiritual implications of two astrological signs coming together.  

As is commonly known, the zodiacal signs are divided into four groupings – Fire, Earth, Air and Water. The Fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. The Air signs include Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. And the Water signs comprise Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. 

While the union of two signs on the material plane may all seem hunky dory, on the spiritual plane, certain vibrations are set off, that may be positive or negative. After all, what we acquire, temporally, in this world (though we may be preoccupied with it) is only secondary to what we obtain spiritually. It must be every human being’s endeavour to prioritise the spiritual ascendance (even though it can imply much hardship) over material growth. Once that is clear, then there is scope for the materialising of the ultimate union with the supreme being. 

The union of two zodiacal signs can prove beneficial or a hindrance on this spiritual journey. For starts, the union between Earth and Water signs can be quite a mismatch. The union between Fire and Air signs can hang in balance, though there can be quite an ambivalent match between Leo and Aquarius, and Sagittarius and Libra. Aries, the Fire sign, does not quite gel with Air signs on the spiritual plane.  

As far as individual zodiacal signs are concerned, Aries and Virgo; and Libra and Pisces can engender perfect matches at the spiritual level. But the most peerless alchemy is between Leo and Virgo, which is the ultimate union between the masculine and feminine principle. It is a difficult union, but one, if handled well, can manifest paradise. 

On the spiritual plane, Aries matches very well with Virgo. As also with all Fire signs and with Capricorn and Scorpio. 

Taurus is compatible with all Earth signs and with Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius and Leo. 

Gemini matches well with all Air signs and Cancer, Scorpio and Capricorn. 

Cancer gels well with all Water signs and with Gemini, Aquarius and Sagittarius. 

Leo is conducive to all Fire signs, and with Capricorn, Pisces, Taurus and Aquarius. With Virgo, it has the makings of an ideal match, but must prove the test of time. 

Virgo matches well with Aries. As also all Earth signs and with Aquarius and Leo (though the latter can be difficult, though eternal). 

Libra gels perfectly well with Pisces. As also with all Air signs and with Taurus and Sagittarius. 

Scorpio fits with Aries, Gemini and with all Water signs. 

Sagittarius is conducive to all Fire signs and with Taurus, Cancer, Pisces and Libra. 

Capricorn gels well with all Earth signs, and with Gemini, Leo and Aries. 

Aquarius matches with all Air signs, and with Cancer, Virgo, Taurus and Leo. 

Pisces is perfectly compatible with Libra. And suits all Water signs, and Leo and Sagittarius. 

The question arises here, is that why are most of us fated to be mismatched? The answer is: Life is not a bed of roses, and, more so, the spiritual journey. It is the test of time, and in the skillful manouevrability of our souls that we engender the spiritual windfall through difficult circumstances. We must remember, that we are caught in a Karmic cycle and we must pay our Karmic debt. And that is the reason for the mismatches. Payments of spiritual debt are visible through material suffering, but the spiritual mismatch is an invisible debt as well.    

Another explanation for the mismatch is that we may be at the end of our journey in one zodiacal sign and we must incorporate the traits and characteristics of the next one we will inherit in our subsequent lifetime. This could mean we are matched in this lifetime with a star sign conducive to our birth sign in the next lifetime.  

As for Karmic debt, we have to pay our total Karmic debt over a series of lifetimes, and are only required to pay the allotted debt for each lifetime. Otherwise, it could engender too much suffering in one lifetime. 

Younger souls, on the spiritual pathway, bear less baggage or debt, and are vested with a freer will. Older souls, depending on the misdemeanours or, in contrast, propriety they displayed in past lives, will ascend or fall to higher or lower states of being in subsequent lives.  

Karmic debt is not only meant to be paid to the universe. It is also to be paid to people and individuals, who may have been part of our lives in previous lifetimes. This is the reason why there are people in our lives, who come in only temporarily, for as long as the debt to them is paid or received. However, some relationships do not only depend on the payment or receipt of debt. These are sacred and may persist over several lifetimes. Some relationships are so dear, that they are eternal. 

Each soul is vested with a certain amount of fire. It is important that we use that fire for warmth and nurturing, and not for incendiary purposes. The fire within us can be perfectly combustible or can be inflammatory. In a positive way, combustibility may imply that the soul goes about his life with all humility, doing whatever he has to do with a sense of duty. An inflammatory soul may take up great causes.  

In a negative way, a combustible soul may invoke vice and self-harm. An inflammatory soul may generate hatred, conflict and war. 

Fire, is the element that is closest to the substance of the supreme being – ether. Earth, almost an anagram of ether, is also close to the substance of the supreme being. There are many occult secrets hidden in the anagrams of the English language. That is the reason why it has been chosen to be the universal language at the time of the nearing to close of one age and the heralding of a new age – the passing of the age of Pisces and the onset of the age of Aquarius.