Ceres
Astrologically, Ceres represents the ability to unconditionally love and accept yourself and others. When a person becomes excessively attached to their children, creations, or possessions, Ceres' cycle takes them through the transformative process of loss and return. She teaches the wisdom that sharing and letting go lead to a reunion. If one is fixated on the Ceres process, he or she may experience abandonment and rejection in life, until learning to transform grasping into generosity. In summation, Ceres is the lunar energy grounded through the physical reproductive organs where it pro-creatively regenerates and provides for fundamental human needs.
In symbolizing the function of the mother in psychology, Ceres governs a number of psychological qualities that cannot be described by anyone's zodiacal sign.
Ceres' attributes are best depicted by the signs Cancer, Taurus-Scorpio and Virgo. As ruler of Cancer, Ceres addresses the issues of how we give and receive nurturance, how we develop feelings of self-worth, how we provide for and care for others, and how we respond neurotically if these needs are not met. As the ruler of the Taurus-Scorpio polarity, Ceres governs the lessons of attachment and aversion, the pathology of loss and rejection, the capacity for grief and sorrow, and the principle of sharing. And, as the ruler of Virgo, she addresses the issues of productivity, growth, self-reliance, and work.
Ceres, as the ruler of Cancer and the maternal instinct, primarily symbolizes the need to nurture and care for others. This desire is most often fulfilled through becoming a mother or father.
Ceres, as the ruler of Taurus, represents the material love/instinct to show love through food and providing nutrition, whereas Ceres as the ruler of Scorpio expresses love through possession and consuming deep intimacy.
Ceres as the ruler of Virgo shows love through service to her loved ones, by taking on all the jobs and obligations that others cannot or do not want to do.
Pallas Athena
Astrologically, Pallas Athena represents a type of intelligence that extends far beyond the mental synthesis of the Gemini-Sagittarius polarity. Instead, she symbolizes creative intelligence — the flash of insight (Aquarius) that spawns new and original formulations of preexisting possibilities (Leo).
Pallas Athena is the indicator of our intelligence and style of perception. In the horoscope, she describes one's capacities for inspired vision, intuition, curiosity, genius, and exceptional perception.
Pallas Athena in the signs describes twelve styles of perception through which the creative mind operates. Pallas Athena in the houses tells us where the creative-mental urge is expressed and where fears of success may block that urge. Pallas Athena aspects to the planets describe how the mental-creative urge may be integrated with other parts of the personality.
Astrologically, a prominent or well-aspected Pallas will indicate a potential for working with these therapies, either as a healer or as a healer. Stressful aspects may denote the presence of diseases that are rooted in the mind, or the existence of major imbalances in body functioning until the person learns to see clearly on all levels.
Pallas can signify putting aside one's sexual nature (consciously or unconsciously) in order to relate harmoniously in a platonic manner with those of the opposite sex. Because Pallas powerfully expressed both her male and female sides, she symbolized the movement of soul development toward androgyny. Her association with the sign Libra points to her role in balancing the internal male-female polarities. Astrologically, individuals with prominent Pallas will seek companionship rather than passion in their heterosexual relationships. The fruits of such a path are usually an abundance of friends and a concurrent scarcity of lovers. In some instances, the same individual can function as both friend and lover.
Vesta
Based on the preceding mythology, we can see that the deeper significance of Vesta is revealed through her central symbol, the hearth — the place in the center where the fire is maintained. This fire, central to the survival of ancient cultures, served as a gathering point for the community (the Latin word for hearth is the focus). Because the fires were so necessary yet difficult to procure and maintain, they and their keepers were venerated. The eternal fire of Vesta also contained the spark of fertility. Hence, behind the veil of chastity and barrenness, the inner nature of Vesta is the sexuality and fertilizing power of the Goddess. Thus, Vesta's two central themes focus on her fire and sexual symbology.
Vesta has a strong affinity with the sign of Scorpio. Vesta's dual rulership over Scorpio and Virgo becomes clearer when we examine the astronomical origins of these signs. What is today called Libra was contained within the constellation Scorpio and was designated as “the Chelae,” the claws of the scorpion. The Virgo and Scorpio glyphs were similar in design but contained subtle distinctions.
Vesta as a Ruler of Scorpio represents the profound and transcending sexual experience. A strong Vesta points to a variety of possible sexual expressions that include sexual denial, sexual union outside the marriage, and, at an extreme, promiscuity and prostitution. In these latter cases, the individuals who outwardly express rebellion and defiance against traditional mores may subliminally feel a sense of shame and guilt over their actions. But, at the same time, at its core, Vesta placement is the representation of sacred sexual union – a sexual experience that does not conform to the “traditional” (patriarchal) forms of viewing sex, but rather the matriarchal where sex was the sacred practice of healing and ascending of one’s soul.
Juno
In Astrology, Juno symbolizes the principle of relatedness. Through the vehicle of committed partnership, she strives to realize a perfected and balanced union with another. Juno, therefore, exhibits strong rulership associations with Libra and Scorpio, the signs of marriage and consummation. The semisextile aspect between Libra and Scorpio links the two signs but also implies friction in attempting to join and utilize their different resources.
Juno's psychological function can be better understood when contrasted with that of her companion, Vesta. Both goddesses utilize the sexual energy of Venus, but for very different purposes. Vesta, after her sexual encounters, becomes reabsorbed back into her own identity. She is the Virgin, complete unto herself.
Juno, on the other hand, uses her sexuality to transcend personal identity through a committed relationship. Juno thus represents the emergence of the maiden into the full essence of womanhood. Juno represents the perfected state of the bride and consort, thus symbolizing the yearning for the full mystic union that is emotionally, sexually, and psychologically fulfilling.
Therefore, Juno describes the need for a deeply committed and just relationship, as well as for the range of suffering and neurotic complexes that arise when this union is denied or corrupted.
In the horoscope, Juno represents the emotional and psychological needs that motivate us to seek marital union. The other feminine functions of fertility, sexuality, childbearing, and rearing are far less important to Juno than her need to merge with another. Therefore, those individuals, both men and women, with prominent Junos in their charts are drawn to the path of a committed relationship. Invariably, they spend their lifetimes experiencing the seventh-house lessons of learning to develop cooperation, compromise, understanding, and harmony with other people.
Black Lilith
Lilith, portrayed as the goddess of the night who tames the wild beasts, represents the principle of repressed anger and conflict resolution.
According to Hebraic tradition, as the first wife of Adam, Lilith depicts the first stage of the feminine as consort. In this encounter, she found herself in conflict with Adam who wished to rule over her, despite her belief that “we are both equal because we both come from the same earth.” Eventually, Lilith left Adam, choosing exile and loneliness rather than domination and subjugation.
Lilith became regarded as the personification of feminine evil — a dark demoness who threatened pregnant women, killed children and seduced and destroyed men. Her image embodied men's worst fears concerning their sexuality and potency. Astrologically, Lilith, linked with Toro, forms an intermediary step in the octave progression between Mars and Pluto and addresses the issues of personal, sexual power and repressed anger. In interpersonal relationships, her responses range from complete withdrawal to bickering and sexual manipulation to skillful negotiation and compromise.
Because of the primal resentment that arises from being rejected, Lilith contains a tremendous amount of repressed anger. This suppressed rage, when activated, has the potential to erupt in sexual domination and violence. On the positive side, Lilith teaches us the art of consensus by which the transformative energy of Mars-Pluto can be used to fuse rather than destroy relationships.
In chart analysis, a prominent Lilith displays the quality of personal independence and a refusal to submit to another or compromise one's beliefs as well as the potential for resolution. Stressful placements of Lilith point to the perception of the feminine as evil (the vamp), potential rape and sexual abuse (especially when aspected to Toro or Saturn), or the inability to reach an agreement until power issues are resolved. Lilith's aspects to the planets depict how the contacted planet deals with the issue of conflict resolution.
Persephone*
In astrology, the asteroid Persephone is listed as number 399 on the asteroid scale.
Where she shows up in our natal chart can be a place we look at to see and discover for ourselves where we feel taken captive and where we feel we have not been allowed to be ourselves.
Persephone's placement in our houses can show us where we are afraid to take charge and afraid to assert ourselves. It is where we give our power away to others, or it was taken from us by force. It is where we ask others we consider more powerful than we are to make our decisions for us and take care of us. In essence, it is where we hoodwink ourselves and allow ourselves to be taken underground.
1st house: If Persephone shows up in the first house of your chart, you may feel as if your basic personality, which is ruled by the First House, was never allowed free expression. Perhaps your parents were so dominating that they overpowered your sense of self and you never found out who you really are. When you aren't allowed to feel your own feelings or think for yourself, you end up as a false imitation of someone else. A tremendous sense of emptiness and lack of self-esteem follows that experience. Unless you can explore different avenues of expression and embark on your own life experiences, you may remain hidden and in the dark about that most important person, namely yourself.
10th house: We may be unable to go after the career we really want because our family doesn't approve.
*Persephone is an extremely minor asteroid, and there was very little information about her. In the book Asteroid Goddesses, she’s mentioned only as the Ceres’ daughter and thus her only importance is through the correlation with her mother.
The only 4 major asteroids talked about in the book are Ceres, Pallas Athena, Vesta and Juno.
Persephone could be the sub-energy of Ceres that shows her influence through the symbolism of the 8th house and Scorpio as it is tied with the Underworld, rape and forced marriage, but also (through the mythos) to regaining her power and in the end, ruling the Underworld with Hades (Pluto).