The Exception...
When first attempting to understand and apply the Sabian symbols, you may find that your first impression is disquieting.
Scorpio 21 "A soldier derelict in duty" could set your mind off in thinking of individuals who fall short of completing their obligations. And, this may be true to a certain extent. Imagine a soldier who, having been given orders, failed to complete the task... perhaps did not even attempt to follow the orders.
Looking at the fixed sign symbols in Leo/Aquarius 21 "Chickens intoxicated" and "A woman disappointed and disillusioned" respectively, we are led further into a symbol sense that appears to bear disappointment.
Chickens are not known for flight, yet when drunk on sour mash, they may perceive themselves as eagles soaring high.
A woman disappointed and disillusioned does not sound too happy. A let-down of some sort is suggested... perhaps like the chicken who when sober realizes that flying is not foremost in its aptitude set.
However, A soldier derelict in duty may also refer to an individual who does not measure his/her moral worth and character by following the line of duty. Conscience may dictate when a duty or order is to be disobeyed.
This has ever been a problem in ethics and moral questions: obligations set by duty often conflict with moral sensibilities. The Indian classic, Bhagavad Gita, for example, remains one of the world's most extraordinary books on spiritual and philosophic wisdom. Yet it is based on a human situation where a man must choose between his duty as a warrior and general in battle and his conscience regarding killing his family who are in the enemy camp.
The question is still alive today. When is there an exception to the rule? On what basis do exceptions supersede the rule? Where does your true duty lie?
The opposing symbol Taurus 21 "A finger pointing in an open book', does interject the issue of finger-pointing, but is this because of censure from the outside, or because one finds the precedent in an authoritative text that allows the exception?
Blain Bovee
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