Ceres in Astrology: Meaning of the Asteroid
In mythology, Ceres represents, first of all, fertility. But what does the asteroid Ceres mean in astrology? Here is the explanation.
Ceres is part of the asteroid belt located between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. However, it’s not actually an asteroid. Since 2006, Ceres is classified as a dwarf planet. Ceres was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801 and was initially categorized as an asteroid. In astrology, this celestial body is still considered an asteroid, much like Pluto is still considered a planet (although astronomy experts are divided on its status). The dwarf planet was named after the Roman goddess of agriculture and takes approximately four and a half years to complete one orbit.
The goddess Ceres in mythology
In Roman mythology, Ceres was the goddess of agriculture and grain cultivation, similar to the Greek goddess Demeter. Demeter was Zeus’s sister, and they had a daughter together: Persephone (known as Proserpina to the Romans).
The god of death and ruler of the underworld, Hades, fell in love with Persephone. When she was picking flowers in a meadow, Hades abducted her and took her to his realm. Deeply saddened by her daughter’s disappearance, Demeter left Olympus and searched for her. During this time, the Earth became barren, and people had no more grain. To prevent them from starving, Zeus sent the messenger god Hermes to the underworld to bring Persephone back. Hades agreed, but only on the condition that Persephone didn’t eat anything while in his realm. He managed to persuade her to eat the seeds of a pomegranate, a fruit that symbolized sexuality in ancient Greece. The act was considered a sexual union, and thus, Persephone became his partner. As a result, Hades allowed her to leave his realm for only a few months each year.
Based on this myth, the Greeks believed that Demeter was sad when Persephone was in the underworld, which occurs in the fall and winter when the Earth is infertile. In the spring, Persephone was on the surface, and Demeter made the Earth fertile again. They were also together during the summer, and the joyful Demeter caused the land to produce food. The English word “cereals” derives from the name “Ceres.”
The asteroid Ceres in Astrology
In astrology, Ceres holds a similar significance: it represents fertility, abundance, and motherhood. The symbol for Ceres is a sickle.
Regarding abundance, Ceres can, for example, indicate wealth when it is placed in the second house of the natal chart and does not form negative aspects. If Ceres is in the fifth house and forms positive aspects, it may be a sign that the person will have two or more children.
As for the second meaning, Ceres reveals how we care for one another. It provides information about maternal instincts and/or the parent-child relationship. More importantly, however, are the transits of Ceres, as they often accompany events like pregnancy and childbirth. Always when examining the horoscope of a woman who is currently pregnant or has given birth, we will notice that Ceres has activated specific planets or points of the natal chart.
During my research, I also noticed something else that Ceres might influence: the health of female organs. I looked at the birth charts of celebrities who had been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer (not necessarily fatal), and most of them had a negatively aspected Ceres, and even more often a negatively aspected asteroid Sedna. In all the birth charts that I’ve analyzed, both asteroids formed negative aspects, especially with Pluto, Neptune, Mars, or the Ascendant. However, this is just a personal theory. I haven’t analyzed enough birth charts to draw a clear conclusion. It also doesn’t mean that all women with negatively aspected Ceres will become ill. It would likely require a combination of several unfavorable factors for that to happen.
