Music by Camel, based on The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico.

The Great Marsh starts with bird sounds and softly the music sets in. In the background there is the repeating sound of female vocals and occasionally there is the highlighting of a guitar. Then the pressure goes up, the drums enter and it becomes a coherent setting for the story to take place.

…the ocean cut through the sodden land that seems to rise and fall and breathe with the recurrence of the the daily tides. It is desolate, utterly lonely, and made lonelier by the calls and cries of the wildfowl that make their homes in the marshlands and saltings …

Part 1

Rhayader is the introduction of the main character. His introduction is rather sensitive with the sound of a flute, but soon gets a firm grounding with the drums and keyboard, while the tambourine gives it a light and dancing touch. And it ends again with the sensitive flute in a repeating rhythm.

…his heart was filled with pity and understanding. He mastered his handicap, but he could not master the rebuffs he suffered, due to his appearance. The thing that drove him into seclusion was his failure to find anywhere a return of the warmth that flowed from him…

But then, with the start of Rhayader goes to town, there is a remarkable change. The drums make a determined statement and the guitar comes in very strong.

…he was twenty-seven when he came to the Great Marsh. He had travelled much and fought valiantly before he made the decision to withdraw from a world in which he could not take part as other men. For all the artist’s sensitivity and woman’s tenderness locked in his barrel breast, he was very much a man…

This is made very clear by the drums, keyboard and guitars, while they express the powerful spirit of Rhayader. Then the music changes again and while still holding this power, it starts to move. It sounds like a strong and determined walk as he goes to town. But in that movement he looses his power bit by bit, and takes him out of his centre.

And so he returns to his sanctuary, which he build for the birds but which he needs himself just as much. The story describes that he has a safe place for all hunted creatures.

… this made Rhayader happy, because he knew that implanted somewhere in their beings was the germ knowledge, of his existence and his safe haven, that this knowledge had become a part of them and, with the coming of the grey skies and the winds from the north, would send them unerringly back to him…

Sanctuary is a very balanced guitar piece, the plucking of the strings that give a basic ground and the space to express the guitar.

So in this self created sanctuary, where he can embody his spirit by developing his skills of painting and managing his boat, he, one day gets a visitor, and Fritha enters.

… desperately frightened of the ugly man she had come to see, for legend had already begun to gather about Rhayader, and the native wild-fowlers hated him for interfering with their sport. But greater than her fear was the need of that which she bore. For locked in her child’s heart was the knowledge, picked up somewhere in the swamp-land, that this ogre who lived in the lighthouse had magic that could heal injured things. She had never seen Rhayader before and was close to fleeing in panic at the dark apparition that appeared at the studio door…

This is expressed by the music which gives the feeling of something that will disappear with the slightest movement.

And then there is another change as The Snow Goose starts and the guitar is showing it’s most amazing moves.

…he told her the most wonderful story. The bird was a young one, no more than a year old. She was born in a northern land far, far across the seas, a land belonging to England. Flying to the south to escape the snow and ice and bitter cold, a great storm had seized her and whirled and buffeted her about. It was a truly terrible storm, stronger than her great wings, stronger than anything. For days and nights it held her in its grip and there was nothing she could do but fly before it. When finally it had blown itself out and her sure instincts took her south again, she was over a different land and surrounded by strange birds that she had never seen before. At last, exhausted by her ordeal, she had sunk to rest in a friendly green marsh, only to be met by the blast from the hunter’s gun. A bitter reception for a visiting princess, concluded Rhayader. We will call her La Princesse Perdue, the lost princess…

Part 2

This is the part that bears the essence of the story, but it is the part that is least played in live concerts. There are probably several reasons for that, like the use of wind instruments (Friendship) the non lyric-vocals (Migration) and the use of female voices (Preparation), which are not the regular ingredients of a rock band. And also does this part not so much have the brilliant and active guitar performances that are present in part one (Rhayader goes to town and The Snow Goose) and in part three (Dunkirk and La Princesse Perdue).

This part is much more like the Adagio in a classical symphony. It is more contemplative, the phase of reception instead of action. Part one and three are the active parts, part one in the way of a creative self-expression and part three expressing developed talents for the sake of a bigger whole.

But here, in part two, there is the need of another person, the other who reflects, but who also makes aware of the connection with the world again.

With Friendship there is a feeling of getting to know each other, which is reflected by the wind instruments that show the exchange of energy.

…they sailed together in his speedy boat, that he handled so skillfully. They caught wildfowl for the ever-increasing colony, and build new pens and enclosure for them. From him she learned the lore of every wild bird, from gull to gyrfalcon, that flew the marshes. She cooked for him sometimes, and even learned to mix his paints…

Then Migration very much gives the feeling of nature runs its course. The non lyric vocals make it sound rather unaware and just following the natural instinctive circle of life.

With Rhayader alone there is the feeling of accepting and sadness with the soft keyboard and sensitive guitar expressing his loneliness.

…and Rhayader was heartbroken. All things seemed to have ended for him. He painted furiously through the winter and the next summer, and never once saw the child…

Here arises the awareness for Rhayader in Flight of the Snow Goose and the reconnection with his soul is expressed by the sound of water and female vocals in Preparation.

But at the same time this moment brings fear for Fritha, because she does not understand the power yet.

… and Fritha was suddenly conscious of the fact that she was frightened, and the things that frightened her were in Rhayader’s eyes – the longing and the loneliness and the deep, welling, unspoken things that lay in and behind them as he turned them upon her. His last words were repeating themselves in her head as though he had said them again: this is her home now – of her own free will. The delicate tendrils of her instincts reached to him and carried to her the message of the unspoken things between them. The woman in her bade her take flight from something that she was not yet capable of understanding…

Part 3

Part three starts with action again, but the difference with part one is that the action is conscious now. It is the action that is the result of the realisation of having a free will. A will to choose which direction to move the power. Not to let it be a destructive or dominating force, but to use it in a serving way. This awareness came over him while he watched the snow goose return.

And so he decides to act and use his developed sailing skills to save as many men as he can in the battle at Dunkirk. It came upon him in excitement, but as he sees the fear in Fritha’s eyes, he explains it to her so she can understand his desire to fulfil his mission.

…they are lost and stormdriven and harried, like the Princesse Perdue you found and brought to me out of the marches many years ago, and we healed her. They need help, my dear, as our wild creatures have needed help, and that is why I must go. It is something that I can do. Yes, I can. For once – for once I can be a man and play my part…

This is beautiful expressed in Dunkirk, which start off as a very determined active ongoing movement, which gives the feeling of something inevitable to happen. And now the strong spirit of Rhayader is capable of acting but also reacting within the same movement. During the battle he can stay in his own power, and at the same time do what is needed. And it only increases the power. This is brilliantly shown by the guitar and drums near the end.

He can immediately react upon what happens and save many lives. And with the snow goose flying above his boat it becomes an impressive story, to be told by many.

But Rhayader will never return, as he dies in the battle.

…when we turned our attention to the derelict again, the boat was gone. Sunk. Concussion, you know. Chap with her. He must have been lashed to her. The bird had gone up and was circling. Three times, like a plane saluting. Dashed queer feeling. Then she flew off to the west…

In Epitaph the feeling returns as in ‘Preparation’ but now as a memory for the heroic act of Rhayader. Who just followed his strong drive to act in the knowledge of a world beyond his individual being.

In the meantime Fritha is waiting, roaming through the lighthouse. This is translated with a silent piano tune Fritha alone.

… she found the picture that Rhayader had painted of her from memory so many years ago, when she was still a child, and had stood, windblown and timid, at his threshold, hugging and injured bird to her.The picture and the things she saw in it stirred her as nothing ever had before, for much of Rhayader’s soul had gone into it…

But deep within, she knows that she will never see him again, and becomes aware of her love for him as she watches the snow goose fly.

…the sight, the sound, and the solitude surrounding broke the dam within her and released the surging, overwhelming truth of her love, let it well forth in tears. Wild spirit called to wild spirit, and she seemed to be flying with the great bird, soaring with it in the evening sky and hearkening to Rhayader’s message. Sky and earth were trembling with it and filled her beyond the bearing of it…

La Princesse Perdue which, after a while, reminds of ‘The Snow Goose’, is a very melancholic goodbye on the guitar and a coming together of two souls.

…watching it, Fritha saw no longer the snow goose but the soul of Rhayader taking farewell of her before departing for ever…

Finally the lighthouse is blown away by accident and the sea has taken over again, shown at the end in The Great Marsh.

…the sea had moved in through the breached walls and covered it over. Nothing was left to break the utter desolation. No marsh fowl had dared to return. Only the frightless gulls wheeled and soared and mewed their plaint over the place where it had been…

On this Youtube video, with excerpts of the Snow Goose, it is just so very amazing to watch Camel play.

You can see, hear and feel the soul of the story in the first piece The Snow Goose, then the transition to the classical wind instruments that perform Friendship, and finally the expression of Rhayaders powerful spirit that gets off centre in Rhayader goes to town.

Well anyway, that is how I perceive the music and the story…

Preface:  preface and synopsis of the story on my Gaia Blog

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Rhenium is the second remedy of the individual part of the goldseries. It is in stage 7 which is similar to virgo.

Embodiment of the individual in the world. Problems of adjustment dealing with the world and others. Perfection of the approach to life. Development of mundane skills, ability to change to adapt to life better. Service, helping, perfectionist, always seeking to improve, efficiency, practical, functional, analytical. Interested in crafts and projects, true to self in a simple, unassuming manner. Reacts to defeats and setbacks by pulling back and altering approach. Lacks confidence in the face of opposition, lives up to duties and responsibilities. Interested in maintaining the body as a fit vehicle.

It is in the same stage as Manganum (ironseries), Technetium (silverseries) and Promethium (lanthanides). Here in the goldseries, the qualities of virgo go with the qualities of another earthsign, capricorn.

Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

So Rhenium is about functional (virgo) construction (capricorn),  efficient (virgo) leadership (capricorn),  practical (virgo) responsibility (capricorn)  or analytical (virgo) ambition (capricorn).

But that is after searching the extremes of critical and indifferent, which is the polarity of virgo, that has to be explored first.

The complement of virgo is pisces.

Surrender to the universe, to higher goals, ego sacrifice. Compassion and empathy, selfless work. Seeing the unity of all things. The end of cycles, forming seeds for the next cycle of growth. Mysticism, fails to make normal distinctions. Laziness, victim, martyr, servant. Tends to escapism. Fantasy, drugs, alcohol, religion. Very receptive, sensitive, even psychic. Co-dependency, care-taking.

Pisces has the core of compassion that has to be integrated with the function of virgo.

Next: Osmium

Tungsten is the first remedy of the individual part of the goldseries, the part where the individual becomes seperate from the primordial background, here in the whole of the goldseries.

It is in stage 6, the same stage as Chromium (ironseries), Molybdenum (silverseries) and Neodymium (lanthanides), which is similar to leo.

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

Leo has the polarity of arrogant and disrespected, so with Tungsten that polarity plays in the world of construction, leadership and responsibility (goldseries/capricorn).

Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

The complement of leo and stage 6 is aquarius which has the polarity of destruction and nervousness. The middle path of aquarius is invention, which is needed to get to the purpose of stage 6, expression.

So Tungsten is about expression (stage 6) of ambition (goldseries).

Next: Rhenium

Next in the goldseries is Tantalum. It is in stage 5, the same stage as Vanadium (ironseries), Niobium (silverseries) and Praseodymium (lanthanides).

It is the last stage of the primordial part of the goldseries and is similar to cancer, the primordial soul.

Nurturing, support, emotional bonding, belonging, roots, source. Ground of your being. The unconscious, feelings, emotion, first emotional attachments to the world. Mothering, emotional and physical nurturing. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Family, ancestors, heritage, relationships to the past. Belonging, feeling at home, caring. Feeling supported, that needs are provided for. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

The complement of stage 5 is capricorn,

Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

which itself is similar to the whole goldseries.

So here with Tantalum the only two signs that play a role are cancer and capricorn.

The goldseries as a whole has the polarity of formal and depressed, and needs the complementary sign cancer to get to its goal of construction, which is the final purpose of the goldseries.
 
And stage 5, that has the polarity of claiming and abandon, needs the complementary sign capricorn to get to handling emotions, which is the final purpose of stage 5.

Next: Tungsten

With Hafnium we finally return to the goldseries. The previous stage of the goldseries, stage 3, was a series of its own. It was the stage that was similar to gemini. It was about interaction in the totality of the goldseries, that as a whole is similar to capricorn. Capricorn that has to do with responsibilty, leadership and society.

But those qualities can only be strong if they are supported by an individual who has inner peace. And this inner peace is formed after the long and intensive inner battle, symbolised by scorpio, the sign belonging by the series of stage 3 of the goldseries, the lanthanides.

But now with Hafnium the goldseries continues. Hafnium is in stage 4, the same stage as Titanium (ironseries), Zirconium (silverseries) and Cerium (lanthanides). It is a stage inbetween. It is between gemini in stage 3 and cancer in stage 5, so it has the characteristics of both. It is the phase between the rational decision of the mind (gemini) and the actual experience of the soul (cancer).

So it is learning how to find words for emotions, connect experiences with language, in the whole of the goldseries, which is similar to capricorn.

Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game. 

Next: Tantalum

Lutetium is the last remedy of the lanthanides. It is in stage 17 and, like with the other remedies of that stage, here the characteristics of the complement of the whole series become more prominent. 

Fluor was in stage 17 of the carbonseries, which as a whole was similar to taurus. Taurus is about manifestation, which at the end in stage 17 is overdone. With Fluor, the complement becomes more prominent and the complement of taurus is scorpio. So the characteristics of scorpio play a prominent role in Fluor.

Chlorine was in stage 17 of the siliciumseries, which as a whole was similar to gemini. Gemini is about interaction, but stage 16 and 17 in the siliciumseries have its own dynamic, with Chlorine in stage 17 the emotions of cancer. The complement of cancer is capricorn and therefore the characteristics of capricorn play a prominent role in Chlorine.  

Bromium was in stage 17 of the ironseries, which as a whole was similar to virgo. Virgo is about function and at the end it has to be released. The complement is pisces and so the characteristics of pisces are more prominent with Bromium.

Iodium was in stage 17 of the silverseries, which as a whole was similar to libra and sagittarius. Those where about reflection and vision and the complements are aries and gemini. So impulsion and interaction are characteristics of Iodium.

Here with the lanthanides, which as a whole are similar to scorpio and gemini, the compliments taurus and sagittarius become important. That makes manifestation and vision characteristic in Lutetium. These are important features just before entering the goldseries.

But someone can get stuck in this phase and than there is no desire to step into the responsibility of the goldseries. Scholten calls them unbound and playful. 

The most striking quality is the playfulness. When that quality is their character they can be really nice and funny. They play with life and people in a lovely way. But with it they are also out of connection, unbound.

Next: Hafnium

Ytterbium is in stage 16 of the lanthanides. Stage 16 is similar to pisces, the universal soul. 

Surrender to the universe, to higher goals, ego sacrifice. Compassion and  empathy, selfless work. Seeing the unity of all things. The end of cycles, forming seeds for the next cycle of growth. Mysticism, fails to make normal distinctions. Laziness, victim, martyr, servant. Tends to escapism. Fantasy, drugs, alcohol, religion. Very receptive, sensitive, even psychic. Co-dependency, care-taking.  

Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac. It is the phase of a cycle that is coming to an end. Here with the lanthanides, it is the cycle of inner development. Ytterbium is in the same stage as Oxygen, Sulphur, Selenium and Tellurium.

In ‘Secret Lanthanides’ Ytterbium is standing outside society.

They don’t belong to the normal world of connections and work. For them the world is nice to philosophize about, but not to live in with all its hectic nature and obligations.

But there is also the promise of seeing the bigger picture, seeing everything as a whole.

The compliment is virgo which is the opposite of the bigger picture. Virgo is about fragmentation.

Embodiment of the individual in the world. Problems of adjustment dealing with the world and others. Perfection of the approach to life. Development of mundane skills, ability to change to adapt to life better. Service, helping, perfectionist, always seeking to improve, efficiency, practical, functional, analytical. Interested in crafts and projects, true to self in a simple, unassuming manner. Reacts to defeats and setbacks by pulling back and altering approach.

Virgo has the polarity between critical and indifference with the goal of function. Here in stage 16, function (virgo) has to be fused with compassion (pisces).

Next: Lutetium

Thulium is in stage 15 of the lanthanides. In the universal part of each series, this phase is the symbol of the universal mind. It is similar to the astrological sign aquarius.

Freedom and cooperation between individuals. Free-thinking, unorthodox, far-sighted, idealistic, utopian. Impersonal thinking, detached from emotional considerations. Interested in focusing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups society and the world. Progressive view of things and rarely follow the beaten path. An insatiable urge for discovering that which isn’t known. Or developing that which is known into something which is new, refreshing and completely different.

The final purpose is invention, but first the polarity of destruction and nervousness have to be explored.

The lanthanides as a whole are a fusion of the primordial mind and the individual soul (gemini/scorpio) and with Thulium this goes together with the universal mind (aquarius). 

Scholten talks about the total state of consciousness.

Typical of Thulium is the frightening dream of falling endlessly in the dark. This dream expresses the state of Thulium quite completely with the feeling of fright, not being able to do anything, not being able to see, not having any contact, only having consciousness.

What is needed here, is to find the individual centre again. It is the complement of aquarius that has to be integrated. The expression of leo, the individual spirit. 

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

Next: Ytterbium

Erbium is in stage 14 of the lanthanides. It is the same stage as Carbon, Silicium, Germanium and Stannum. This stage is similar to capricorn, the universal body.  

Bring about the perfect society. Making practical, efficient connections with others on the physical plane. Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Reality, hard facts. Relationship to authority. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Fathering, disciplining love. Authority figures. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Concerned with the practical relationships to support yourself within society. Not interested in blue sky ideas, needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

So stage 14 is in essence about construction. But first the polarity of formal and depressed has to be explored.

In the carbonseries this was the construction of the personality (Carbon, constructive manifestation). In the siliciumseries it was the construction of the communication (Silicium, constructive interaction). In the ironseries it was about the construction of the professional life (Germanium, constructive function) and in the silverseries the construction of art and inspiration (Stannum, constructive reflection/vision). 

With the lanthanides it is the phase of construction on the road to independence (Erbium, constructive interaction/integration).

In ‘Secret Lanthanides’, Erbium is described as stoic.

It is as if they have resigned, are standing aside from life. In a positive way this can express itself in ironic and laconic behaviour. This is when it’s a deep state, when it is their character. Philosophically they are stoic. In a depressed state it feels more like a gloom and being out of touch with the origin of it. 

The complement, which has to be integrated, is cancer.

Nurturing, support, emotional bonding, belonging, roots, source. Ground of your being.  The unconscious, feelings, emotion, first emotional attachments to the world. Mothering, emotional and physical nurturing. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Family, ancestors, heritage, relationships to the past. Belonging, feeling at home, caring. Feeling supported, that needs are provided for. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

Next: Thulium

Holmium is the first remedy of the universal part of the lanthanides. In the human development this is the point where the individual gets a view of the bigger whole. Holmium is in stage 13, the same stage as Gallium (ironseries) and Indium (silverseries). Here is the transition from the individual soul (scorpio) into the universal spirit (sagittarius).

Becoming a member of a wider society. Experiences that lead to consciousness expansion. Being receptive to new points of view, wisdom, enlightenment. Using your talents for the benefit of the greater whole. Freedom loving, idealist, unfettered by small thinking, inspiration, religion, philosophy, the law. Awareness of connections to the rest of the world, can be distant from others. Afraid to give up freedom, reluctant to be tied down, aware of the value of the social contract. Enthusiastic, generous, loves abstract, theoretical ideas, sees the big picture, ignores the details. In love with an ideal, strong opinion. Foreign travel, liberating experiences.

Sagittarius has the polarity of judging and withdraw with the purpose of vision. The complement is gemini with the polarity of curious and anxious and the purpose of interaction.

Clever, curious, communication. Making connection with surroundings. Trying to figure out, intelligence. Talkative, sociable, loves to interact with others on a superficial level. Unemotional, impersonal, ruled by rationality. Requires great mental stimulation. Playful, inconstant, attention easily drifts so something new, seeks novelty.

This transition was also in the ironseries and in the silverseries, but now with the lanthanides, it is the first time that the individual has found its autonomy.

In ‘Secret Lanthanides’, Scholten mentions cyniscism. 

The contra powers are too strong for them to maintain their own position. They still feel like fighting, at least to some extent. This can also be seen in their verbal fighting. They can express their opinion with sharp remarks. They can be really cynical and sarcastic. It shows that they feel they know better, but can not hold that opinion completely.

Next: Erbium

Dysprosium is the last remedy in the individual part of the lanthanides. It is in stage 12, the same stage as Zincum (ironseries) and Cadmium (silverseries), which is similar to scorpio, the individual soul.

Transformation, change, ego-death, rebirth, transcendence. Intense emotional involvement with the process of personal growth. Movement from individual  certainties to the mysteries of life. Spirit breaking through the limitations of  the individual ego. Intense, passionate, brooding, magnetic, unyielding, driven by emotions. Stands up for self, usually covertly, manipulates power. Understands deeper layers of the psyche beyond the ego, unable to communicate this well leading to misunderstandings. Intrigued by the dark side of life. The underground, people whose job involves going beneath surface appearances. Breaking free of illusory limitations. Self-mastery.

The individual part started with expression (leo), developed skills to function (virgo) and then reflection (libra) from the outside world. Now with scorpio, the repressed part of the self has to be integrated.
 
With Dysprosium this integration takes place in a series that itself has everything to do with integration, as the lanthanides as a whole are a fusion of scorpio with gemini. But first the polarity of manipulation and abuse has to be explored.

Scholten mentions the keynote of fighting.

This fighting quality can make them look as if they try to dominate others, which is contrary to the general lanthanide quality of letting others free. But it’s not really domination, more a fight for their own autonomy. They can also become defenders of the independence of others.

The complement of scorpio is taurus. 

Grounding, bringing down to earth. Constancy, steadiness, entering matter, taking on a form. Earthy, grounded, in touch with the body. Sensual, pleasure seeking. Stubborn, fixed, stands their ground. Focuses and concentrates energy, gives it concrete expression. Practical, provides stamina and persistence. Slow, steady, methodical.

Next: Holmium

With Terbium ‘the other’ comes in to play.  It is in stage 11 of the lanthanides, which is similar to libra, the first zodiac sign above the horizion. It is the phase of full moon and here the process turns around again.

Libra, the individual mind,  has the polarity of projecting and ignorance with the purpose of reflection.

Individual entering into relationship with others, partnership. One-to-one relationships. Meeting others as an equal, interdependency. Encountering repressed part of yourself through others. Going beyond ego boundaries. Peace, harmony, balance, social awareness. Learning how to get along with others, treating others as equals. Art, beauty, harmonious surroundings, distressed by inharmonious interactions. Dialogue, debate, conflict, enemies, justice.

Cuprum in stage 11 of the ironseries was about reflection on developed skills, and Argentum in the silverseries about reflection on art and inspiration. Here with the lanthanides, Terbium in stage 11 is about reflection on autonomy and inner development.

In Secret Lanthanides:

The most typical aspect of Terbium is a kind of gentlemanly quality. In all circumstances they try to stay friendly and in controle of themselves. It can express itself as a very charming quality.

Important here is to integrate the complement of libra, aries, the primordial spirit. 

Activity that is self-motivated, unaffected by others. New beginnings, the start of new cycles, birth, vitality. Aggressive, willful, assertive. Focused in short bursts, unlikely to sustain interest in the long term. Adventurous, pioneering, warrior-type energy, impatient, works best alone. Unconcerned with approval or acceptance. Lacks persistence and stamina. Honest and forthright.  

Next: Dysprosium

At the top of the lanthanides is Gadolinium. It is in stage 10, the same stage as Niccolum (ironseries) and Palladium (silverseries).

With Gadolinium the insecurity makes place for confidence. While in stage 9 perfection (virgo) was combined with insecurity (cancer), is in stage 10 the perfection combined with confidence (leo).   

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident.

So stage 10 is the phase of confidence (leo) and perfection (virgo) in the totality of the lanthanides. It is the final result of the development of the self.

Here with Gadolinium the individual has complete self-control. And it is not before the next stage that the control gets disturbed by ‘the other’ (libra).

Next: Terbium

Europeum is in stage 9 of the lanthanides. It is in the same stage as Cobaltum (ironseries) and Rhodium (silverseries). Stage 9 is about perfection (virgo)

Perfectionist, always seeking to improve, efficiency, practical, functional, analytical. Interested in crafts and projects. Reacts to defeats and setbacks by pulling back and altering approach.

and insecurity (cancer).

Feelings, emotion, first emotional attachments to the world. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

In the ironseries it was perfection and insecurity about their function (virgo), and in the silverseries about their reflection (libra) and vision (sagittarius).

Here with the lanthanides it is perfection and insecurity on their road to independence. Europeum in stage 9 is about developing skills (virgo) while dealing with experiences (cancer) in the totality of the lanthanides, which itself is a fusion of interaction (gemini)

Clever, curious, communication. Trying to figure out, intelligence. Requires great mental stimulation. Playful, inconstant, attention easily drifts so something new, seeks novelty.

and integration (scorpio).

Transformation, change, ego-death, rebirth, transcendence. Personal growth. Intense, passionate, magnetic, unyielding. Stands up for self, usually covertly, manipulates power. Understands deeper layers of the psyche beyond the ego, unable to communicate this well leading to misunderstandings. Breaking free of illusory limitations. Self-mastery.

Next: Gadolinium

The following three stages of the lanthanides are a repetition of the previous ones. In the process of researching the inner world (lanthanides), Praseodymium (stage 5) was about emotions, Neodymium (stage 6) about expression and Promethium (stage 7) about function.

Samarium here in stage 8 is about emotion and expression. Stage 8 is similar to cancer

Nurturing, support, emotional bonding. First emotional attachments to the world. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

and leo.

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature. Personal integrity, self-assured, confident.

But they are only the potential (cancer the passive potential and leo the active potential) while their complements are the structure (capricorn the passive structure

Ambitious, feels pride in accomplishments. Serious, determined, disciplined, focused. Seeks certainties in life. Want things in concrete. Needs to bring theory into concrete reality. Knowing the rules and playing the game.

and aquarius the active structure)

Free-thinking, unorthodox, progressive. An insatiable urge for discovering that which isn’t known. Or developing that which is known into something which is new, refreshing and completely different.

and therefore more prominent at first, as the main characteristics of stage 8.

Heaviness, resistance, pressure, heavy task, constructors, work on their own, create something big, push through, against all odds, force to be free, opposition.

But the final purpose of Samarium is to integrate these characteristics in order to come to emotional/expressive (stage 8) mindpower (lanthanides).

Next: Europium

Next remedy of the lanthanides is Promethium and here the expression of the individual has to become functional. It is in stage 7, the same stage as Manganum (ironseries) and Technetium (silverseries). But like in the previous series that point is difficult to reach, and it takes until stage 10 to learn how to practise and incorporate that.

Stage 7 is about developing nessesary skills to deal with the difficulties of the series it is in. Here with Promethium it are the skills that are needed to deal with the process of becoming an autonomous individual, that can completely stand on its own.

With Neodymium in the previous stage, the expression of that individual emerged, and now with Promethium, ways have to be found to act and stay autonomous. Finding ways and methods to stand up to the undermining outside world.

Stage 7 is similar to the astrological sign virgo, the individual body. 

Embodiment of the individual in the world. Problems of adjustment dealing with the world and others. Perfection of the approach to life. Development of mundane skills, ability to change to adapt to life better. Service, helping, perfectionist, always seeking to improve, efficiency, practical, functional, analytical. Interested in crafts and projects, true to self in a simple, unassuming manner. Reacts to defeats and setbacks by pulling back and altering approach. Lacks confidence in  the face of opposition, lives up to duties and responsibilities. Interested in maintaining the body as a fit vehicle.

It has the polarity between critical and indifferent with the purpose of function. But this function needs the complement pisces, the universal soul.

Surrender to the universe, to higher goals, ego sacrifice. Compassion and empathy, selfless work. Seeing the unity of all things. The end of cycles, forming seeds for the next cycle of growth. Mysticism, fails to make normal distinctions. Laziness, victim, martyr, servant. Tends to escapism. Fantasy, drugs, alcohol, religion. Very receptive, sensitive, even psychic. Co-dependency, care-taking.

Next: Samarium

With Neodymium we arrive at the individual part of the lanthanides. It is in stage 6, the same stage as Chromium (ironseries) and Molybdenum (silverseries), which is similar to leo, the individual spirit.

Ego development, setting yourself apart from the rest of the world. Becoming your own person. Self-expression, being true to your inner nature, acting from the heart. Dawning awareness of self in relation to others. Ego, self-centred, arrogant. Artistic or creative expression. Needs to be a center of attention, likes to be noticed and appreciated, ego-strokes. Personal integrity, true to self, honorable, trustworthy, self-assured, confident. 

Stage 6 has the polarity between arrogant and disrespected with the purpose of expression. But this expression needs the complement of aquarius which has the polarity between destructive and nervousness but with the purpose of invention.

Freedom and cooperation between individuals. Free-thinking, unorthodox, far-sighted, idealistic, utopian. Impersonal thinking, detached from emotional considerations. Interested in focussing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups society and the world. Progressive view of things and rarely follow the beaten path. An insatiable urge for discovering that which isn’t known. Or developing that which is known into something which is new, refreshing and completely different.

So this is the phase of expression (leo) in the process of the lanthanides, which as a whole is about bright (gemini) truthseekers (sagittarius/scorpio) that concentrate (taurus) on their inner world (scorpio) to become autonomous (scorpio) individuals with mindpower (gemini/scorpio).

Next: Promethium

Praseodymium is the last remedy in the primordial part of the lanthanides. It is in stage 5, the same stage as Vanadium (ironseries) and Niobium (silverseries). The astrological sign here is cancer, the primordial soul.

Nurturing, support, emotional bonding, belonging, roots, source. Ground of your being. The unconscious, feelings, emotion, first emotional attachments to the world. Mothering, emotional and physical nurturing. Experiences and imprinting during infancy and childhood. Family, ancestors, heritage, relationships to the past. Belonging, feeling at home, caring. Feeling supported, that needs are provided for. Insecurities and fears if your needs haven’t been fulfilled.

Stage 5 has the polarity between claiming and abandon with the purpose of stable emotions. But in order to get stable, the complement capricorn has to be integrated. Capricorn has the polarity of formal and depressed with the purpose of construction.

So Praseodymium in stage 5 is the phase of achieving stable emotions in the process of interactive (gemini) integration (scorpio) which is the goal of the lanthanides as a whole.

In Secret Lanthanides it is about a cautious quality.

Hesitant, not daring to do what they feel their own plan, keep looking from which side problems can arise.  

Next: Neodymium