A watchdog standing guard

This universal idea is best expressed through planets in

17th degree of Aquarius (16° - 17°)

PROTECTION
It is necessary to guard ourselves from theft and injury

AQUARIUS 17
In a society too large for us to feel personally connected with everyone, which is driven mostly by materialistic pursuits, it is inevitable that we are at risk. People will intrude and attempt to take what is ours, so we put systems in place to protect and defend against this intrusion. This is no less true on the subtle planes of reality and those who psychically are sensitive and open are vulnerable to thought projections which come from unkind people. We need to learn techniques to guard against such curses and black magick. Visualisations of light are often employed.

Rudhyar:
A WATCHDOG STANDS GUARD, PROTECTING HIS MASTER AND HIS POSSESSIONS

A watchdog stands guard, protecting his master and his possessions

Probity

Through discipline, we come to freedom

Our realistic expectation that people will behave in a civilised way – with probity – is somewhat like having a guard dog; it reassures us that we are safe to enjoy greater freedom of involvement with life. Otherwise our fearful but natural inclination is to shy away from the unknown and be suspicious and unfriendly towards strangers.

This is about being an upright, honest person – not only as a path of self-realisation, but also to claim a place of dignity within the context of community – we overcome our own animal fears because we feel shielded by social conventions of non-violence and decency, and we offer the same courtesy to others.

Communal interaction is as much facilitated by social agreements as by the generally felt appetite to relate to others. Such restrictions are applied through legal devices, morality and custom. We depend upon them to limit our exposure to risk.

Each of us is stronger because others are committed to maintain and reinforce community censure – so in turn, we do the same whenever circumstances call upon us to protect those in need of help.

If, individually and collectively, we are to find a way to achieve our highest potential, then we must live cooperatively – and this depends upon our determination to acknowledge a shared responsibility to do the right thing, and require others also to do so.

When we do the right thing, generally it works out well, and therefore our trust in the future strengthens – so we deepen our sense of well-being. In other words, by right living, we find that we grow in faith and achieve greater fulfilment.

Only by becoming a self-referential symbol of collective authority will we be able to become free of imposed restriction. Through discipline, we come to freedom.