Strength, The Gilded Tarot by Ciro Marchetti Regulus, the fixed star in the constellation of Leo, has left the sign of Leo and entered Virgo. The significance of this shift is enormous for the evolution of human consciousness. It is related to the unfathomable mystery of the Sphinx, one of the most ancient and portent symbols in the history of humanity. The Sphinx embodies and harbors the sum total of esoteric knowledge and ancient wisdom. In this symbol the solar Lion meets a maiden (Virgo). It is part human, part animal; the fiery instinct, ego power and personal desires of the sign Leo are paired with Virgo’s service, humility, purity and the power to heal. It is about the duality of matter and spirit, the heart (Leo) and the mind (Virgo). In short, the Sphinx  is an image of wholeness. Regulus, the royal star, was extremely important for all great ancient civilizations. It sits on the cusp of Leo/Virgo. This cusp is known as the point of the Sphinx. I have always been fascinated by this symbol because my Ascendant falls on the last minutes of the sign Leo. As Regulus was approaching the exact conjunction with my Ascendant I experienced clarity of thought and spiritual awakening. Regulus is the real messenger of the gods, the harbinger of changes, the great shifter of human consciousness. It is worth watching the important transits to Regulus because they always signify important events in the history of mankind. This sign change is something that cannot be missed. It has been suggested that this transition from Leo to Virgo means that the age of patriarchy is over and we are on the verge of the era of matriarchy. Well, I hope not because I have always been an advocate of partnership and equality. I would not like to be part of the dominant group. Certainly, some of the blatant inequalities had to and will have to be rectified. Women are on the path to more and more empowerment, and deservedly so. What I find interesting, for example, is that there are more and more images of curvy, natural women in the media. The canons of beauty have been changing and feminine curves seem to be en vogue again. Another thing: in the recently finished Berlinale film festival a decisive majority of films were about women and their problems. Critics talked about a female dominated festival. If films are our collective dream, then perhaps the human race is dreaming about the power of the goddess. It is the common woman, the one who always stood behind her husband, sacrificing her own development that is going to gain a higher profile. In Poland, where I was born, the public opinion was stirred when Danuta Walesa, the wife of Lech Walesa, the national hero and the destroyer of communism, published her memoirs. I would not like to diminish his great historical achievements but with his Leo Ascendant he would have people believe that he did all of that singlehandedly. He always emphasized that his views on family and male and female roles is very traditional and very patriarchal. His wife, Danuta, who bore him eight children, was always in his shadow. Amazingly, her memoirs sold more copies than all Walesa’s books combined, which must have made him quite envious. Her book shows how tough it is for a woman to stand behind a great man, resigning completely from herself. She was the unsung heroine of the Solidarity movement and without her quiet and steadfast support he would not have won his battles. Pity his ego once again got the better of him and instead of being proud of his wife’s enormous success and popularity, he complained about her disclosing family secrets and playing a celebrity. She, on the other hand, seemed to be genuinely overwhelmed with all the media attention, remaining quite, humble and withdrawn. She inspired a lot of women with her autobiography, which, in my opinion, shows that the common man or woman has the power to change the world. I believe this realization is at the heart of the great Leo/Virgo shift.        Danuta and Lech Walesa What will the Virgo archetype bring humanity? It is hard to imagine the world without the ego-driven power-hungry dictators, but we may well be on the verge of the new era where power will be more evenly distributed among the people. The positive qualities of Virgo include humility, readiness to serve, focus on health issues, purity, diligence and good organization. We have certainly made a lot of mess on our planet, which needs to be cleaned. Which sign is more suited for restoring order than the hardworking, meticulous Virgo?