Traditional astrology assigns the moment of conception to the first point of Cancer, or the 6 o'clock line of the esoteric Cosmic Clock (Capricorn is the 12 o'clock line, Aquarius the 1 o'clock, etc.). There are several reasons why this is makes sense.

First, the sign of Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and the lunar cycle (from new Moon to new Moon--about 28 days) is mirrored in the ovulation cycle of a woman. That is, the cycles are of the same length, and have the same structure or stages. If we place the New Moon phase at the onset of menstruation, the Full Moon phase will occur at ovulation. In this regard it is significant that ovulation and conception, which occur more or less at the same time, are more likely to occur around the time of the full Moon than at any other time (Sheldon H. Cherry, M.D., Understanding Pregnancy and Childbirth ).

Second, in the Cosmic Clock, the Cancer line is the meeting of the Capricorn 12 O'clock Alpha-Father current with the 6 O'Clock Omega Mother return. Astronomically speaking, the moon's face is fully illuminated by the light of the sun once a month when the Sun and Moon are in alignment on either side of the Earth. Thus, like the meeting of Father and Mother, the maximum light of the Father Sun is reflected to the Earth by the Mother Moon at full Moon. This is the stage of the lunar cycle corresponding to conception in the menstrual cycle. Thus in the lunation cycle, the full Moon on the Cosmic Clock could be said to be ruled by Cancer as well, although this is not the usual assignment.

Third, as Maria Montessori points out in The Absorbent Mind, "Man seems to have two embryonic periods. One is prenatal, like that of the animals. The other is postnatal and only man has this." She is suggesting that there is a period of duration nine months after birth in which the spiritual nature of a child is brought out by interaction with his/her environment. Since conception in Cancer implies birth nine months later in Aries, this postnatal gestation takes the child back to Capricorn, the twelve o'clock line of the Cosmic Clock at nine months of age.

This cycle is, of course, distinct from the cycle that starts at Capricorn at birth, and suggests that the soul may, under normal circumstances, begin its descent into matter 6 months prior to conception when the prenatal cycle was at the 12 o'clock line. This identification allows for two complete cycles of the Cosmic Clock to be completed by age nine months, and suggests that the embodying soul may have its cycle of the soul's descent into matter disrupted as much as 6 months before conception. Take, for example, the breakup of a couple intended to conceive a child at the end of the 6 month period. Such an event may cause the soul grief as it must stop its pre-conception preparations, and find a new time to begin another cycle of descent.

The identification of the sign of Cancer with conception begins the "solar cycle" of the Father since the Sun moves through one sign per month. Although this solar cycle of one month per sign has some significance in prenatal development it is the "lunar" cycle of the Mother begun at the onset of the mother's menstrual period that signals the appearance of major physical change in the embryo, as we shall see. This cycle begins at menstruation 14 days before ovulation and consequent conception, and is thus displaced about one-half month from the solar cycle.

Thus, one lunar month has elapsed when the solar cycle reaches the 6:30 line of the Cosmic Clock, two lunar months at the 7:30 line, three at the 8:30 line, four at the 9:30 line, five at the 10:30 line and six at the 11:30 line. At the 11:30 line, the physical features are complete. The last five points on the Cosmic Clock correspond to the five Secret Rays (emanating into matter through the centers of the hands, feet, and secret chamber of the hearr) which manifest spiritually and physically in the white sphere of the Mother, or the Womb.

These "lunar" stages in the development of the human embryo can thus be plotted on the Cosmic Clock:

Time: Line of the Clock: Features:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

2 weeks | 6:30--Initial cycle | Placenta forms, mother nourishes

Cancer--nourisher

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

6 weeks | 7:30--Secret Ray 1 | heart beats--at 2x mother's rate,
blood supply flows .

Leo--Physical Life may begin here,
but the connection to the parents begins
BEFORE CONCEPTION.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

10 weeks | 8:30--Secret Ray 2 | Fingers and toes formed

Virgo--dealing with
physical objects

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

14 weeks | 9:30--3rd Secret Ray | Breathing and movement (slight kicking).

Libra--Holy Spirit

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

18 weeks | 10:30--4th Secret Ray | Facial features completed

Scorpio--Visual

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

22 weeks 11:30--5th Secret Ray Lungs fully formed, shiny red appearance

Saggitarius--the fire of life

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It is thus seen that the cycles of the Father and the Mother interweave like a braid to produce the developing child in the womb. The Father gives the matrix, and the Mother the timing.

As to the vital question of the day: when does life begin? LIFE magazine photographer Lennart Nilsson, who has photographed these stages has said., "I cannot tell you. If I told you only ten days, or two days, or forty days, it would be wrong. It would. Look at the pictures... Maybe the first moment of human life, it starts with a kiss." Certainly the contemplation of such a wonderful cycle must give those thinking of aborting it, pause.