Ceres

Ceres and Parenting

One of the most important uses of Ceres is to time the birth of a child. Traditional astrology cites the Moon and the fifth house as significators for fertility and pregnancy, but Ceres works so much better. Try it and see. To whet your appetite, here are a few examples to show how Ceres works in action.

David Letterman Becomes a Father

David Letterman made headline celebrity news on November 3, 2003 when he had his first child at age 56. Why did he wait until 56 to have a kid? Letterman was born (April 12, 1947; 6:00 am CST; Indianapolis, IN) with his Sun in Aries and Moon in Capricorn, a combination that is driven toward success. This relentless, steamroller personality is further funneled into his Late Night host role with his Sun and several other planets in the twelfth house. The Aries Sun here is an iconoclast, one that attacks or undermines polite society. Letterman has used this outlaw side to give his sense of humor an edge, one that has found favor with late night audiences. Venus, the ruler of his Taurus Ascendant, squares Uranus. This quirky pairing, aside from enhancing his eccentric side, makes committed relationships difficult. He's never been married.

The house where Ceres is located describes the area where the native finds nurturing, and takes care of others. Ceres is found in Letterman's twelfth house, where it finds sustenance, nurturing through secret and behind the scenes activities. Letterman takes care of himself through his sense of privacy, and he discreetly takes care of those who work for him. The twelfth house is also about secret relationships, and as it turns out, the mother of his child is a staff member never seen on television. Ceres is conjunct Mars and in Aries, so his care-taking style often takes the form of aggressive or provocative banter. Ceres and Mars-Aries energy actually aren't the most harmonious combination. When Letterman fights with people at work, it means that he cares for them. Call it tough love.

As an Aries, Letterman naturally identifies with his Mars, which makes it easier to project Ceres onto the workers around him, especially the caring, motherly female staffers. Mars as the archetypal warrior knows that to get ahead one must be strong, forceful, and daring. Mars in Aries is highly competitive and gives Letterman the relentless desire to be Number One. A strong Mars such as this represents the vanguard, the best and brightest of the patriarchal society that has ruled our collective civilization for the last several thousand years. Mars here offers Letterman the fortitude to become a dominant player in society, the alpha male.

Ceres, in contrast, does not seek power over others. Ceres seeks to empower others, and this is what makes her feel fulfilled. Ceres provides others with whatever they need to become healthier and more secure individuals. In the modern business world, empowering others is a short cut to personal failure, until those who have been nurtured and sustained recognize that they became that way through the kindness and steady assistance of the Ceres personality. Ceres grows people like a gardener grows crops, and eventually the harvest comes. She is patient, understands the natural cycles of birth, growth, and decay, and honors the critical passages for each of these stages. Ceres is most closely associated with the signs Cancer (the home) and Virgo (the harvest).

Using the traditional planets doesn't provide many clues that Letterman was about to become a father. Transiting Saturn in Cancer is one that might be summoned, perhaps giving increased importance to the clan. Saturn was also in an opposition to his Moon, but this Saturn-to-Moon cycle is in effect every seven years, and doesn't point to 2003 as being different. His fifth house of children is ruled by Leo, and transiting Jupiter had been passing through when he conceived his son. But one could just as easily say that he was entering into a new romantic relationship. Perhaps he found a lover but they weren't married. This is in fact what happened. The question remains, why have a child?

The clearest indicator is Ceres. Ceres by secondary progression was right on his Sun, a once-in-a-lifetime state of affairs. If we consider the transits to be the planetary situations that everyone feels, the progressed chart represents the unique, internalized developments. Secondary progressions are based on the esoteric formula that one day after birth is the symbolic equivalent of one year after birth. Letterman was 56 when he had his child, so looking 56 days after he was born puts Ceres in a conjunction with his Sun. For this phase Letterman would personally identify (the Sun) with the parent-child relationship (Ceres).

As an aside, Letterman was deeply engrossed by his actual age at the time since his father died of a heart attack at 57. Letterman named his boy after his father, Harry Joseph Letterman. So the deeper significance of progressed Ceres conjunct his Sun was a reminder of life's major passages, and included the death of his father, his relationship with him, and his own mortality. Progressed Ceres moves about 1/4 degree per year, so becomes a noticeable influence within three or four years before becoming exact. The trigger for this underlying progression was transiting Ceres, which had just entered his fourth house of the home and family at the time young Harry Joseph was born.

Angelina Jolie Finds Her Path

Before Angelina Jolie married Billy Bob Thornton she was widely known for her weird escapades and emotional instability. Sure she oozed sex appeal and won an Oscar, but she had a bizarre side that wasn't really tamed until she adopted a child, a Cambodian boy named Maddox that she first met in November 2001.

Angelina was born a multi-tasking Gemini (June 4, 1975; 9:09 am; Los Angeles) with Venus, the love goddess, right on her sensitive Cancer Ascendant. Venus here is what gives her the enormous personal magnetism, and the square to Uranus accounts for much of her quirky behavior. Yet when she married the grizzled, four-times married Billy Bob Thornton on May 5, 2000, her life suddenly switched to semi-normalcy. Somehow she became more stable.

What happened from an astrological perspective is that her progressed Midheaven was forming a conjunction with Ceres in rock solid Taurus. Her reputation and professional life (progressed Midheaven) was now anchored to the Ceres archetype, giving her a respect for a more traditional lifestyle. And she became interested in having children. By March 2002 the couple had successfully navigated through the red tape to complete the adoption process. Although she and Billy Bob (b. August 5, 1955) separated shortly after that, he stimulated her maternal instincts since several of his planets aligned with her Ceres. His Mercury-Jupiter-Sun-Mars quadruple conjunction in Leo squares her Ceres, and in fact it was he who introduced her to their child Maddox while they were visiting an orphanage in Cambodia.

Angelina continues with the process of adopting other children, and plans on having seven altogether, one from each continent. She says her worldview changed when she read the script for Beyond Borders, a film that highlights the plight of the millions of refugees around the world. This happened in 2000 at the same time that her progressed Midheaven was conjunct her Ceres. Her interest is humanitarian; she has become the U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for which she has received several awards, and says she wants to feed all the hungry children in the world.

Here we can see how Ceres is closely associated with food, and in Taurus as a provider of the basic necessities for life. Angelina donates one third her paycheck (she earns $16 million per film) to charity, funds that go directly into feeding the hungry and sheltering refugees. This case study shows how Ceres can be classified along with Venus and Jupiter as a benefic. When her dormant Ceres suddenly came to life, Angelina found purpose and direction. Ceres is in her tenth house where it fulfills her sense of social responsibility.

"When Will I Get Pregnant?"

This next case study comes from my client files, and highlights the significance of Ceres in questions about pregnancy. The client, whom we'll call Sharon, was born with a Gemini Sun conjunct Ceres on May 28, 1971 (at 4:10 pm; Chicago). The Sun-Ceres conjunction naturally seeks to be a parent, but Sharon was having difficulty conceiving, and asked the astrologer what was going on.

Sharon had a good grasp of traditional astrology. She had fully expected to be pregnant over the last year since her Leo Moon was experiencing a conjunction from transiting Jupiter. Her Moon is well aspected with trines to her Jupiter-Neptune conjunction, and sextiles to her Sun and Saturn. Jupiter, the planet of abundance, should have given her a child when it arrived on her Moon, but nothing happened. She had checked with her gynecologist and everything was in fine working order, and her husband had a good sperm count. Sharon's astrological studies did not include the use of asteroids, and once Ceres was included in the chart analysis, the picture became clear.

At the time of our first consultation in early 2003 Sharon's progressed Ceres was applying to a challenging square to her twelfth house Pluto. Pluto here represents the hidden obstacle to her getting pregnant. Transiting Saturn in late Gemini was also squaring her natal Pluto, and her progressed Moon was conjunct Pluto, putting a bright red flag on this behind-the-scenes obstructionist. Pluto represents the deeply subconscious fears associated with getting pregnant, as well as a secret romantic affair. Pluto forms dynamic connections to the love planets Venus and Mars (tri-octiles or sesquisquares, 135º aspects), a combination often implicated in romantic triangles.

Sharon admitted to the secret liaison, and set out to get right with her husband. By the time transiting Saturn, the progressed Moon and progressed Ceres had completed their difficult connections to her Pluto, she had dismissed the secret affair as a hopeless fantasy, and confessed to her husband. She really did want to get pregnant. After her progressed Ceres completed the square to Pluto, it went on to form a link (an inconjunction, or 150º aspect) to her progressed and natal Jupiter. Ceres to Jupiter blessed her with her first pregnancy in November 2003. Also at the time transiting Jupiter was squaring her Ceres, and transiting Ceres was conjunct her Midheaven. Astrologers, please note the difference. Jupiter to her Moon did not work; Ceres to Jupiter, and Jupiter to Ceres did.

Introduction to Asteroids

In traditional astrology only two planets are feminine, and the rest are masculine. The Moon and Venus describe the only socially acceptable roles that women were allowed to play over the past few thousand years, while men had the Sun, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto as archetypal role models. Of course nowadays women are no longer confined to being a mother (the Moon) or mate (Venus), and are actively participating as co-creators of the 21st century global culture.

Unfortunately, astrology in general has failed to keep up with the changing times. A few pioneers have shown how to restore gender balance to the horoscope, and it comes through the use of asteroids. By deploying the first four asteroids discovered - Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta, the horoscope becomes an equal opportunity psychological map. Each of these asteroids represents a vital component of the emerging feminine consciousness, with each describing a range of talents, trials, and traits not covered by the traditional planets. Astrologers need to understand these asteroids simply because the issues dominating our emerging global community are not explained by the traditional planets, and asteroids fill in the missing letters of the astrological alphabet.

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the four major asteroids is by the unique relationship patterns that they codify. Ceres is the Great Mother asteroid, and is correlated to the parent-child relationship. She is the caretaker, nurturer, and ruler of major life cycles including life and death. Pallas is associated with the father-daughter relationship, and in a broader sense symbolizes the favorite child who through her intelligence and wisdom supports the corporate and political state. In the simplest terms, Ceres is the mother and Pallas is the daughter.

Juno represents the wife-husband relationship. Major transits and progressions involving Juno are critical timers to forming, altering, or ending committed relationships. When this asteroid is used, Venus becomes better understood as a love planet that is more interested in sex and intimacy than commitment. Vesta is the sister relationship, and she indicates devotion to an altruistic or sacred cause. Most commonly, a prominent Vesta shows a workaholic, but she is also an indicator for personal independence and integration, and therefore challenges personal relationships. Juno is the wife, and Vesta is the sister.

Men who are in tune with their feminine halves may express the inherent qualities of asteroids directly. This is especially true when the asteroid is closely aspecting the Ascendant or Sun. More often than not, the asteroids represent women in the men's lives. A prominent Ceres, Pallas, Juno or Vesta may be a man's actual mother, daughter, wife or sister, so that when one of these asteroids is activated, that person will show up in the native's life. Women with an asteroid angular (conjunct or opposite the Ascendant, or conjunct or opposite the Midheaven) or in close aspect to the Sun tend to personify this asteroid very directly. The best way to see how any one of these asteroids works in the real world is to watch the individual who has the asteroid prominently placed, or to watch what happens when the asteroid is suddenly hit by a major progression or outer planet transit.

The Discovery of Planet X

The first asteroid discovered was Ceres, and she offers the primary reason to expand the astrological alphabet beyond the traditional ten planets. But before exploring this archetype, let's have a look at the most common reasons that tradition-bound astrologers do not yet use asteroids. One of the main reasons is that although ninety percent of those interested in astrology are women, most of the major decision-makers are men. Men have a natural bias against using feminine archetypes, and this bias is supported by the objection that there are over ten thousand asteroids. They are demeaned as meaningless gravel. Why use just four?

Ceres was discovered in 1801, and fulfilled an expectation that a planet would be discovered somewhere between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Each of the known planets had orbits with a recognized, proportional distance from the Sun, except there was a big gap after Mars and before Jupiter. With the aid of the telescope, astronomers scoured the skies for Planet X. When Ceres was discovered, astronomers were jubilant, having successfully predicted the discovery mathematically. However, they were soon dismayed to discover in quick succession, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta in the same orbital field. Many years intervened before the fifth asteroid was discovered, with the sixth, seventh, and so on following quickly thereafter. So a natural break occurs between the first four and the rest. Astrologers know that the timing of a planet's discovery can be associated with the planet's essential symbolic meaning. The same holds true for the asteroids. The rise of a new feminine consciousness demanding social equality in the early 1800s is marked by the discovery of the first four asteroids. Astronomers named the new celestial finds after ancient goddesses, a synchronicity in tune with the times.

Now that the Hubble telescope is peering into the recesses of our solar system, new planetoids are constantly being discovered all the time. Astronomers are now questioning the status of Pluto as a planet since so many other trans-Neptunian objects have been found. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all huge and gaseous compared to Pluto, which is small and frozen solid like the other celestial objects found outside Neptune's orbit. Astrologers who question the use of the first four asteroids, if they are going to be consistent, should also question the use of Pluto as a planet. But we all know how important Pluto is. No astrologer would get rid of this tiny but powerful fellow, even though other trans-Neptunian objects rival Pluto in size and have similarly distant orbits around the Sun. We might conclude that Pluto represents a class of objects found beyond Neptune. In the same way, the first four asteroids represent a class of objects found between Mars and Jupiter.

Astrologers who use Chiron face a similar dilemma. Chiron is neither an asteroid nor a planet. Astronomers created a new class of celestial objects called Centaurs, of which Chiron was the first discovered in 1977. The other Centaurs found since then have similar orbits - wide elliptical paths that cross inside Saturn's orbit at their closest, but range outside Uranus's orbit and even Neptune's at the farthest. The two Centaurs discovered after Chiron were named Nessus and Pholus, and at least three others have been found. Astrologers who use Chiron, but not Nessus and Pholus can't complain that only the first four asteroids are used. The same logic works for the use of Chiron as for Pluto and the four major asteroids. Chiron acts as a carrier wave or as a messenger for the rest in its group. One could use the others, but Chiron is enough.

Traditional astrologers have borrowed the concept of carrier waves from physics to explain the outer three planets - Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. How could astrologers make accurate assessments and forecasts before these planets were discovered? As the explanation goes, these outer planets have resonance with three inner planets, namely Mercury, Venus, and Mars. The inner planets act as carrier waves for the outer planets until human consciousness could collectively discern the difference. The discovery of each of these planets represented an emerging consciousness which manifested as the physical sighting of the new celestial objects. In the same way, the Moon and Venus operated as carrier waves for the spectrum of feminine consciousness, but now it's time to refine and clarify what we're actually looking at, and Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta do exactly that.

Ceres and the Outer Planets

Ceres and the other asteroids are all located between Mars and Jupiter, a belt situated between the personal and so-called transpersonal planets. Ceres in the individual horoscope can take on both a personal and/or transpersonal perspective depending on the connections it makes to other planets. Ceres points to a variety of vocational interests, including all the helping professions, child education, agricultural occupations, food service and industries, and work with animals. When Ceres aspects the outer planets, the path toward nurturing self and others frequently takes form as an occupational indicator. One feels that having a personal family is not enough, and service to the community or to humanity at large leads to a more fulfilling life.

More specifically, when Ceres is closely aligned with Uranus, one feels like a global citizen. Perhaps one's personal family is too dysfunctional to identify with, or for other reasons the individual relocates away from the ancestral background. This may mean living in a foreign country, getting involved in a humanitarian cause, or otherwise bridging racial, cultural, or religious roots. Examples from the celebrity world include actress Drew Barrymore, soccer star David Beckham, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, political debutante Chelsea Clinton, musicians Jerry Garcia and Janet Jackson, zen basketball coach Phil Jackson, politician Joseph Patrick Kennedy, international beauty Claudia Schiffer, Indian film director Manoj Night Shyamalan, baseball star Ichiro Suzuki, tennis champion Serena Williams, and actress Joanne Woodward. Each of these celebrities has a Ceres-Uranus aspect with an orb of one degree or less, a tightness that becomes a powerful dynamic in shaping the individual psyche. Each of these celebrities is an active participant in creating the global village.

When Ceres aspects Neptune the individual might feel driven to take care of the less fortunate in society. Spiritual needs may nurture the self, as well as inspire one to spiritually feed others as one develops a sense of compassion. Tom Cruise (July 3, 1962), with his Sun conjunct Ceres and trine Neptune, is a good example of this combination. His devotion to scientology provides an outlet for his these impulses. Another example is Julia Butterfly Hill (February 18, 1974), an environmental activist who lived on top of an ancient redwood tree for two years to protest the clearcut of an old growth forest. Her Ceres is in cause-oriented Aquarius and forms an exact sextile to Neptune, giving her a deep compassion for trees as living beings.

Under stressful aspects the Ceres-Neptune individual may develop a dependency on drugs, fall victim to deception, or otherwise become a celebrated victim. Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967; 7:20 pm; Aberdeen, WA) is a prime example here. The founder of grunge music was a hopeless heroin addict. His Ceres is found in communications sign of Gemini, but forms a hard aspect to Neptune. Likewise, Martha Stewart (August 3, 1941; 1:33 pm; Jersey City, NJ) has natal Ceres in the second house of money where it forms a close square to Neptune. Her fall from grace centered on illegal insider trading, or in other words, financial fraud. Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis (July 28, 1929; 2:30 pm; South Hampton, NY) has Neptune conjunct her Midheaven where it forms a square to Ceres in the seventh house of partners. At the time JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963 transiting Ceres and Neptune were forming a conjunction right on her Scorpio Ascendant.

Ceres in aspect to Pluto is an extremely powerful motivating force, and may bestow unusual abilities on the individual. These may include the ability to heal, or facilitate major life changes. Daniel Radcliffe (July 23, 1989) has Ceres in dextrous Gemini closely aspecting Pluto in magical Scorpio. His starring role as Harry Potter demonstrates some of the supernatural talent that may appear in various guises with this aspect. Many individuals with challenging Ceres-Pluto aspects feel called to work in hospices where they assist or guide patients through the door of death. The schizophrenic genius John Nash (June 13, 1928) overcame tremendous psychological forces to achieve a semblance of normalcy and claim the Nobel Prize. Russell Crowe, who played John Nash in the film "A Beautiful Mind", also has a natal Ceres-Pluto aspect.

George W. Bush (July 6, 1946; 7:26 am; New Haven, CT) was born with Pluto in his first house opposite Ceres. Bush's Pluto is conjunct Mercury, a combination that produces a very focused political ideology. With Ceres modifying his Mercury-Pluto, Bush found success in the campaigns by touting "Compassionate Conservatism". One may assume that his wife Laura had a hand in developing this philosophy since Ceres is in the seventh house of partners. Ceres here also denotes his father's influence, and many of W.'s advisers come frm George senior's cabinet. Vice President Dick Cheney (January 30, 1941; 7:30 pm; Lincoln, NB), for example, was the elder George's Secretary of State, and his Aquarian Sun is exactly conjunct W.'s Ceres. The seventh house is also the house of open enemies, and one of W's staunchest opponents is the environmental faction, which is symbolized by Ceres.

Ceres' association with the environmental movement can be seen in John Denver's horoscope. John Denver (December 31, 1943; 3:55 pm; Roswell, NM) was born with Ceres conjunct Saturn in vocal Gemini, and located right on his Gemini Ascendant. Denver was well-known for his songs about nature, and when he became a celebrity he began a speaking tour that promoted various environmental groups and causes. He established several environmental organizations himself, and became an enduring symbol for protecting natural habitats. Here the Ceres-Saturn connection comes through as taking personal responsibility for the continuous survival and well-being of nature.

Ceres in aspect to Chiron, known as the Wounded Healer, is often found in the charts of health practitioners and alternative healers. The caring, sensitive aura of the Ceres individual combined with the awareness of other realities and dimensions as denoted by Chiron may inspire vocational or professional outlets. These include being an astrologer, massage therapist, chiropractor, herbologist, acupuncturist, or naturopath. Many nurses and doctors also have this combination.

Ceres by transit can bring traumatic life changes, especially when it's under difficult natal configurations. Jackie O's Ceres brought her a lifetime of such tragedies, with her Ceres in the 7th house of partners squaring Neptune at her Midheaven. Superman actor Christopher Reeve is another example. Reeve (September 25, 1952; 3:12 am; NYC) was born with Ceres in restless Gemini and opposed to Mars, a natal alignment predisposed to accidents while traveling. On May 27, 1995 during an equestrian competition he suffered an accident which left him paralyzed from the neck down. At the time transiting Ceres was exactly conjunct his Leo Ascendant (which rules the physical body), and transiting Mercury had just turned retrograde while conjunct his Ceres.

To those who have learned to work with Ceres, this asteroid may bring long life. Ceres in aspect to both Jupiter and Neptune is found in the charts of the world's oldest human beings. According to the 2001 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, Eva Morris holds the official record for being the oldest human. She was born on November 8, 1885 and died peacefully in her sleep at an English nursing home just six days before her 115th birthday. Eva was born with Ceres sextile Jupiter and opposite Neptune, giving her an innate ability to take care of herself, especially in a spiritual sense since Jupiter and Neptune are the two planets associated with faith.

Guinness recognizes Jeanne Calment as the oldest person ever who has authenticated birth records. She was born on February 21, 1875 and died in 1997 at age 122. She was born with Ceres trine Jupiter and sextile Neptune. While the publishers of Guinness Book require a birth certificate for authentication, when considering church records, the oldest person ever was probably Maria do Carmo Jeronimo, a former slave from Brazil who died on June 14, 2000 at age 129. She was born on March 5, 1871, and has Ceres in Virgo square Jupiter and inconjunct Neptune.

Elizabeth "Ma Pampo" Israel, from the tiny island nation of Dominica, has church baptismal records that indicate she was born on January 27, 1875, only a month before Calment. She died shortly after her 128th birthday in early 2003. Like the others, she has the blessed Ceres-Jupiter-Neptune cosmic signature. Ma Pampo is a national Dominican hero, and was widely celebrated and interviewed during her last years. Following her predisposition to Ceres, she believes in good nutrition, and attributes her longevity to eating natural food. She ate fresh crab, dumplings and fish, and drank coconut milk regularly. "The artificial fertilizer they're using now is what is making people sick and killing them slowly... they will never live long," she said in one of her last interviews.

From these examples and case histories, astrologers can see that Ceres represents a powerful archetypal force that should be included in any analysis of the natal horoscope. From questions about pregnancy, vocation, parenting issues, food complexes, to life and death situations, Ceres is the missing link that provides the answers. If astrology is the algebra of life, then Ceres in her most exalted role is the gift of life itself.

Ceres in the Signs

The first asteroid discovered is by far the largest of the bunch. Ceres is an incredibly powerful archetype with a wide range of useful interpretations. In the personal horoscope Ceres shows how we take care of others, as well as how we take care of ourselves. Ceres is our Inner Mother, and is especially concerned about eating habits and the other ways that we physically grow our personal lives. Here's a brief look at Ceres in the twelve signs:

Ceres in Aries nurtures others by granting them independence and showing them how to be independent, strong, and action-oriented. Under stressful aspects, this combination can lead to a feeling of inadequacy or incompetence as a result of competition from a dominating parent or caretaker. Ceres in Aries can be fiercely protective of loved ones, and at times may also describe the single parent.

Ceres in Taurus nurtures others by providing them with the basic necessities of life, especially the tangible resources that bring a sense of stability. One's inner mother feels secure when financial benefits are plentiful. Under stressful aspects, Ceres here can feel overly dependent on possessions, or that one's self worth is based on how much one has. Ceres in Taurus nurtures self and others through the sense of touch.

Ceres in Gemini may nurture others or feel nurtured through communication, education, and travel. Talking things out makes one feel loved and accepted. Under stress, this placement may lead to problems with duality, mental confusion, or an over-emphasis on persuasion and intellectual superiority. Ceres in Gemini nurtures others by sharing important information, and through visits that enhance points of view.

Ceres is strongly placed in Cancer, and feels deep emotional bonds with family members, especially with the mother and/or children. Ceres here expresses itself in a kind and caring way, and provides loved ones with both emotional and physical support. Under stressful aspects this placement can lead to an overly sentimental or dependent relationships. Ceres in Cancer also nurtures others and self with food.

Ceres in Leo feels nurtured and nurtures others by expressing personal talents, creativity, and independence. The parent with Ceres in Leo takes care of the child by encouraging a sense of self-confidence. Under stressful aspects, this placement can lead to a feeling of inadequacy over one's creations, or what one takes pride in. Ceres in Leo feels nurtured when personal efforts are appreciated.

Ceres in Virgo is strongly placed, and fosters a sense of service to others, a love of work, and a feeling of competence. This placement leads to excellence in craftsmanship, but under stress can bring a perfectionist attitude. Parents may be overly critical, or one's inner parent may never be satisfied with the result. Work in the health services or food industry is common with this placement.

Ceres in Libra nurtures self and others by developing a cooperative attitude and a sense of sharing. One nurtures self by developing meaningful relationships, and the caretaker with this placement shows how to excel in social interactions. Under stress, Ceres in Libra may place too much importance on being accepted by others, and forget self-development. Ceres in Libra loves fine dining.

Ceres in Scorpio is exceptionally powerful placement, and nurtures others by imparting a sense of life's most significant passages and the importance of deep family bonds. Ceres here nurtures others or self through total transformation, a process that involves emotional self-control. Under stress, personal relationships may be plagued by jealousy, possessiveness, or resentment. Ceres in Scorpio may be a healer or facilitator.

Ceres in Sagittarius nurtures others by showing them how to explore their environment and expand their horizons. One nurtures oneself and others by finding a sense of personal direction; one encourages an optimism that creates success, and how to enjoy life as a journey. Under stress, this Ceres placement can lead to the feeling that life is meaningless or one has no moral compass.

Ceres in Capricorn nurtures others by showing them how to succeed in life. With this placement one feels nurtured by a sense of achievement. This is the wise mother placement, one who teaches others how to take responsibility for their own lives. Under stress it can lead to excessive dependence on position or status as a substitute for creating loving or caring relationships.

Ceres in Aquarius nurtures others by developing their sense of social justice and an acceptance of their own uniqueness. One feels nurtured when accepted by the group, or when participating in causes, or in activities shared by people with similar goals. Under stress Ceres here may feel disconnected from others, or that one is socially inept. This placement fosters a sense of personal freedom.

Ceres in Pisces nurtures others by imparting a sense of connectivity to a larger whole. One may feel nurtured by identifying with all of humanity, or some spiritual mission. Ceres in Pisces is extremely compassionate and concerned about the welfare of others. Under stress this placement can lead to feelings of abandonment or helplessness. Ceres in Pisces is the lover of the universe.