The Science of Astrology

[Wind]

I thought that in this thread could be posted any general musings about astrology, including transits and birth charts.


Is Astrology a Real Science?

It is never a question of belief; the only scientific attitude one can take on any subject is whether it is true. The law of gravitation worked as efficiently before Newton as after him. The cosmos would be fairly chaotic if its laws could not operate without the sanction of human belief.

Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute. Astrology is too vast, both mathematically and philosophically, to be rightly grasped except by men of profound understanding. If ignoramuses misread the heavens, and see there a scrawl instead of a script, that is to be expected in this imperfect world. One should not dismiss the wisdom with the ‘wise.’

All parts of creation are linked together and interchange their influences. The balanced rhythm of the universe is rooted in reciprocity. Man, in his human aspect, has to combat two sets of forces — first, the tumults within his being, caused by the admixture of earth, water, fire, air, and ethereal elements; second, the outer disintegrating powers of nature. So long as man struggles with his mortality, he is affected by the myriad mutations of heaven and earth.

Astrology is the study of man’s response to planetary stimuli. The stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity; they merely send forth positive and negative radiations. Of themselves, these do not help or harm humanity, but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past.

A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma.

His horoscope is a challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results. But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom: these are few.

The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is not meant to emphasize fate — the result of past good and evil — but to arouse man’s will to escape from his universal thralldom. What he has done, he can undo. None other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever effects are now prevalent in his life. He can overcome any limitation, because he created it by his own actions in the first place, and because he has spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure.

Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton, slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance. The wise man defeats his planets — which is to say, his past — by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the Creator.

The more he realizes his unity with Spirit, the less he can be dominated by matter. The soul is ever-free; it is deathless because birthless. It cannot be regimented by stars.

Man is a soul, and has a body. When he properly places his sense of identity, he leaves behind all compulsive patterns. So long as he remains confused in his ordinary state of spiritual amnesia, he will know the subtle fetters of environmental law.

God is harmony; the devotee who attunes himself will never perform any action amiss. His activities will be correctly and naturally timed to accord with astrological law. After deep prayer and meditation he is in touch with his divine consciousness; there is no greater power than that inward protection.

~ Sri Yukteswar

[Emil El Zapato]

I thought that in this thread could be posted any general musings about astrology, including transits and birth charts.

That's some good stuff, Wind.

I've got a migraine right now, but later I will post my natal chart.

p.s. I've been having some insomnia this week, not surprising given my chart versus the middle of Gemini ... :)

[Wind]

I haven't been sleeping too well this week either, I wonder if it's due to impact of the Super Moon. It's waning now though.

[Emil El Zapato]

I haven't been sleeping too well this week either, I wonder if it's due to impact of the Super Moon. It's waning now though.

I didn't know about it ... hmm, possibly.

[Wind]

I think it's fine to dissect certain aspects of birth charts online, but I don't think they should be for everyone's eyes, if you know what I mean. The timing for the birth and the birth parents for the soul are no mistake ever. My astrologer told me that I was born during Mercury retrograde, so what do you think it tells about me and they way I communicate? Her take on it was interesting. Usually devices and people are affected possibly adversely during Mercury retrograde, but how about people who were born during one?

[Emil El Zapato]

Honestly, I don't recall much emphasis on retrograde motion. My impression was always as symbolism the only thing that mattered was one astral body in relation to another. On the other hand, if the direction of motion alters the relationship (aspect) between two bodies then that could have a 'transitory effect'.

But if the idea of retrogression IS important, intuitively I would think that it would generate an 'opposite' tendency to the natural effect. In regard to Mercury that is intellect and communication. Knowing you as I do, (incidentally Mercury is never more than 30 degrees away from the birth/sun sign), I would say that the retrograde motion might have fostered an ability to 'hold one's tongue'. I need to read about it and see what I think...it is possible that I've simply forgotten.

[Emil El Zapato]

So what was her take, Wind?

[Emil El Zapato]

I just read a little bit about it. First recognized in the 1300's and first 'applied' in the 1800's. I'm not sure why I'm not 'consciously' familiar with that idea. I probably encountered it when I was studying it and it didn't impress as profoundly impacting so it slipped past my notice. I don't recognize certain principles that 'evolved' into vogue and perhaps that is a mistake. A given example is the use Charon as an influence. If I wanted to be/take Astrological study seriously, I would probably have to change my attitude. There have been changes historically that I am familiar with but were already in practice when I was involved. An example of that is before the outer planets were discovered a number of the signs shared planetary 'rulers'. I accepted that as 'normal'.

Science does progress as we all know.

[Wind]

So what was her take, Wind?

On me, regards Mercury retrograde you mean?

I googled about that and it said that people who are born during it are very shy in childhood. Prince was born during one too.

I was very shy at times, I couldn't even look some people in the eyes and it took me time to get comfortable in certain surroundings or situations. I always hated looking people in the eyes, but I finally started to do that somewhere in my mid 20's because I wanted to seem normal and get rid of my limitations. Only when I started to get closer the age of 30 I finally started to get "more" comfortable with social interactions, but I wouldn't say that I am even now really comfortable with them.

[Aragorn]

I was very shy at times, I couldn't even look some people in the eyes and it took me time to get comfortable in certain surroundings or situations. I always hated looking people in the eyes, but I finally started to do that somewhere in my mid 20's because I wanted to seem normal and get rid of my limitations.

I doubt whether that would be astrological. It is however one of the traits of autism. I've got difficulty with it too, and I have known people on the spectrum who could never do it.

[Wind]

I doubt whether that would be astrological. It is however one of the traits of autism. I've got difficulty with it too, and I have known people on the spectrum who could never do it.

Well yes, I am aware of that. Astrology just shows thing about us, it's like a map. It doesn't make us that way.

My astrologer said that Mercury being retrograde at my birth means my communication skills are considerable and I see things differently to most people, from a different perspective and I see things other people miss. I am very detail-oriented and analytical and I always have wondered that why some people fail to see certain things, but I have to think about my communication skills. I don't consider myself a talker and if I was in a public room with people who aren't close or related to me then I would probably be the most quiet person there. I still probably would be the most quiet person even in my own family. It's easier for myself to express myself through writing or if I am really interested in some subject then I might more easily talk to someone about one-on-one. It can be a bit difficult for myself to verbalize my thoughts so I always think a lot about what I'm going to say. I admire people who have the gift of speech though, meaning the likes of people who can impactfully and even poetically say the things they mean and use words in a powerful way.

[Emil El Zapato]

Well yes, I am aware of that. Astrology just shows thing about us, it's like a map. It doesn't make us that way.

My astrologer said that Mercury being retrograde at my birth means my communication skills are considerable and I see things differently to most people, from a different perspective and I see things other people miss. I am very detail-oriented and analytical and I always have wondered that why some people fail to see certain things, but I have to think about my communication skills. I don't consider myself a talker and if I was in a public room with people who aren't close or related to me then I would probably be the most quiet person there. I still probably would be the most quiet person even in my own family. It's easier for myself to express myself through writing or if I am really interested in some subject then I might more easily talk to someone about one-on-one. It can be a bit difficult for myself to verbalize my thoughts so I always think a lot about what I'm going to say. I admire people who have the gift of speech though, meaning the likes of people who can impactfully and even poetically say the things they mean and use words in a powerful way.

For sure I would agree with that.

[Wind]

Your Planetary Sojourns—How Astrology Works (https://www.edgarcayce.org/about-us/blog/blog-posts/your-planetary-sojourns-how-astrology-works/)

"According to the Edgar Cayce readings, between earthly incarnations, your soul lives, or sojourns, in the “environs” of the planets.

Several theories have been offered over the years for how astrology works. A causal theory proposes that there may be an actual physical influence from the planets (like the Moon-controlled tides) that is too small to be measured at the present time.

Another suggested theory is Carl Jung’s theory of synchronicity stating that things happening at the same given moment are in some way meaningfully connected.

“We are born at a given moment in a given place and like vintage years of wine we have the qualities of the year and of the season in which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything else.” —C.G.Jung

The Cayce readings brought forward a more universal and cosmic view of astrology with the idea of planetary sojourns. According to the readings, between earthly incarnations, your soul lives, or sojourns, in the “environs” of the planets, and the astrological influences you experience during this lifetime result from those between-life periods spent (not in physical form) in the environs of the planets.

"Hence we find astrological aspects and influence in the experience, but rather because of the entity's sojourn in the environ than because of a certain star, constellation or even zodiacal sign being in such and such a position at the time of birth." (1895-1)

In addition, an astrological reading does not give information about past earthly lives.

"Q. What is a horoscope reading?

"A. That in which the planets and their relative forces having to do with the planets that control the actions without respect of will or without respect of the earthly existences through which the body has passed.

"Q. Do horoscope readings include former appearances in the earth plane?
"A. Not at all." (254-21) (my emphasis)

Many ancient medieval and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions have suggested that there is an astral plane that the soul must cross on its way to entering an earthly life, and then again, after death. Angels and spirits are thought to populate these celestial spheres.

In addition, Paramahansa Yogananda reported the following story in Autobiography of a Yogi (1972). Sri Yukteswar, Yogananda's teacher, passed from the earth on March 9, 1936. He then appeared to Yogananda on June 19, 1936 and told him that, "I am in truth resurrected- not on earth but on an astral planet... There you and your exalted loved ones shall someday come to be with me."

The Cayce readings suggest interesting differences between the influences of past earthly lives and the planetary sojourns.

Planetary Sojourns (between earthly lives) influence your mental development, contribute to your individuality, and are responsible for the influences seen in a horoscope.

Past Earthly Lives influence your emotional development, contribute to your personality, and can only be accessed through life readings, such as the type Edgar Cayce gave. They cannot be seen in a horoscope.

"(the planetary urges)... are but the mental urges that arise and become as the individuality of an entity in expression in the material world; while the appearances in the earth through the various sojourns ...are as but the personality in the entity's experience-and are as the urges from the emotions that have been created." -- Edgar Cayce reading 633-2

How do the Cayce readings define personality versus individuality?

"Personality is that ye wish others to think and see. Individuality is that your soul prays, your soul hopes for, desires. They need not necessarily be one, but their purpose must be one." -- Edgar Cayce reading 5246-1

The readings suggest that if the personality and the individuality are not balanced and integrated, then the horoscope might not fit the person.

"Urges termed astrological would be very far from correct in this particular entity. For, as has been indicated, the personality and the individuality of the entity are quite at variance." -- Edgar Cayce reading 5246-1

When working with planetary influences that result from your planetary sojourns, the readings always emphasize the need for setting an ideal and using your will to make life choices."

"Then, as to the influences from the astrological aspects or sojourns during the interim, know that these are merely urges. As to what one does with or about an urge is oft dependent upon what an entity holds as its ideal-and then the application of will as respecting same."

-- Edgar Cayce reading 1842-1

"Planets are not only the energy of the solar system and the ‘action’ in the birth chart, they are inter-dimensional torsion fields."

~ Kannon McAfee

[Wind]

Edgar Cayce on Astrology, The Cosmos & The Self (https://www.edgarcaycenyc.org/edgar-cayce-on-astrology-the-cosmos-the-self)

"For over 40 years, Edgar Cayce (1877 - 1945) gave psychic readings to thousands while in an unconscious state, diagnosing illnesses and revealing past lives and prophecies of events yet to come — but few know that the Cayce source had much to say about astrology and Cayce gave many readings on the subject. There are nearly 8,000 indexed references regarding astrology in the Cayce readings.

Cayce, the astrologer, used his clairvoyant skills to give horoscope readings without drawing up any astrology charts. He not only correctly delineated the positions of the planets and houses, he sometimes corrected the birth time provided by the querent.

Cayce referred to the planet Vulcan, identified with Pluto, before Pluto was discovered in 1930. In his astrological consultations, Cayce referred to a yet unknown planet named Septimus and to chart influences from stars and constellations outside the Zodiac such as Polaris and Canus Major. In this regard, Cayce drew from a library of ancient knowledge to which few have access today.

The Cayce source believed that the Sidereal Zodiac was more accurate than the Tropical Zodiac used in the West. Reading 3376 - 2 states: “Though oft they are correct, more often ye find them at variance. For most astrologers are nearly 30 degrees off in the reckoning in the present.”

In a reading Cayce gave to a woman whom he said was an astrologer in ancient Egypt, he stated: “The Egyptian and Persian records are quite varied. If the entity would study astrology, do not put the signs in the Egyptian but rather in the Persian, for the Persian interpretations are more proficient than the Egyptian. The variations in time (due to precession) have been corrected by the Persians and not by the Egyptians. The Egyptian calculations are 30 degrees off.” (Reading 2011-3)

Known as: “The Sleeping Prophet,” the father of holistic medicine and the most documented psychic of the 20th Century, Edgar Cayce supported the idea of an eternal universe, saying, “... though there may be worlds, many universes, even much as to solar systems, greater than our own that we enjoy in the present, this earthly experience on this earth is a mere speck when considered even with our own solar system. Yet the soul of man, thy soul, encompasses all in this solar system, or in others...” (Reading 5755-2)

What does an eternal universe have to do with astrology? A lot! Cayce’s views on astrology were not limited to the planets in our solar system. They are cosmic, eternal, and they show humanity’s relationship with not just the planets and the stars but with the entire universe. For Cayce, man was made greater and more powerful than the planets and the stars for only he is allowed to defy his God. According to Cayce, through free will man may move the planets and the stars. In this regard, we have the power to literally change outcomes or conditions indicated by our natal chart. Only from Cayce will you hear such bold views on astrology. They do not exist in other astrological schools of thought.

Cayce stated that souls inhabit different realms between their lifetimes on earth, each of which can be correlated to one of the classical seven planets or a star, and that the natal chart shows the planet or star from which the soul "took flight" before entering the earth plane. A method for determining that planet is to compare the Sun and the Moon. Whichever is stronger by exaltation (closest to its degree of highest exaltation), we look to the decanate where it is located. The ruler of that decanate, is the planet from which the soul took flight to earth.

Knowing the planet of previous incarnation gives information on the basic characteristics and traits that the individual would bring to this incarnation. This helps one to better know self. Through self-knowledge man is more able to direct his own path and destiny, becoming co-creator with the creative forces.

https://www.edgarcaycenyc.org/images/articles/planetary-chart-antot-masuka.jpg

Cayce’s readings on astrology provide useful information on past lives. Many of the people for whom Cayce gave readings had past lives in Egypt, Atlantis and other civilizations in human history. Astrologer Ry Redd, author of Toward a New Astrology, made an extensive study of past lives using the Cayce Readings.

Cayce readings gave specific information on the planets and the signs of the Zodiac. For example, in a reading with respect to Jupiter he said, “In Jupiter we find one having a great influence upon the lives, the experiences of others – by choices made by the entity..” (Reading 2834-1)

Another reading stated, “The influence of Mars is rather that of wrath, war, might, main, domineering, dominating...” (Reading: 417-1)

“For, as has been indicated, the characteristics, or that attained by an individual, are indicated by the sign under which the entity enters an appearance.” (Reading: 5746-1)

Cayce’s readings went beyond the planets of our solar system to show us the hidden dimension of the universe in a way that relates directly to the cosmos and the self:

“Yet there are many suns in the universe – those even about which our sun, our earth, revolve; and all are moving toward some place –yet space and time appear to be incomplete!” (Reading 5757-1)

"Our solar system was created for humankind’s evolution. Yet the soul of man, your soul, encompasses all in this solar system, or in others... Man alone is given that birthright of free will. He alone may defy his God." (Readings 5755-2, 2794-3 and 5757-1)

Cayce believed that rather than the stars ruling the life, the life should rule the stars. This puts the individual at the center of his universe and puts the responsibility squarely on him and not on the astrologer, the natal chart or the stars. It supports the view in modern astrology that the planets impel, they do not compel. Through the exercise of his free will, man is endowed with the power to literally change the cosmic blueprint of his life as might be prognosticated by the stars and the planets.

Astrology provides useful information to guide and determine the nature and timing of things as shown in an individual's natal chart. However, the primary purpose of a Cayce-based astrology reading is to “know thyself” for the purpose of soul growth, development and evolution.

For Man was created a little bit higher than the whole universe, and is capable of harnessing, directing, enforcing, the laws of the universe. The soul is eternal and lives on. It has a consciousness and awareness of that which it has built. Each entity is a universe within its own self. The body is a pattern, it is an “ensample” of all the forces of the universe. For man is not made for this world alone. (Readings 5-2, 2620-2, 279-15, 2153-6, 4082-1)

According to Cayce, “..No action of any planet or the phases of the Sun, the Moon or any of the heavenly bodies surpass the rule of man’s will power. Just as in the Earth it is known as three dimensions, yet man may think in an eight-dimensional consciousness.” (Readings 3744-4 and 3037-1)

In the view of the Cayce source, our humanity is not the final form of the human being or kingdom, but a preparation for the future state, just as the man of the past was a preparation for the man of today.

“For there is no death, only the transition from the physical to the spiritual.” (Reading 136-33) “Life is continuous and infinite!” according to Reading 1554-2.

Cayce believed that astrology is a fact in most instances, but that astrological aspects are but signs and symbols useful in understanding the road map of one's life. Use such as stepping stones only, not as definite statements of what is or is not. Use it as a guide, to gain wisdom and to understand the broader aspects of the influences and modus operandi of one's life and existence in this earth plane. Cayce stresses that we should not let astrological aspects and information become an obsession or stumbling block. One must not become an addict or believe there are no other options, solutions or alternatives for handling or dealing with a situation or problem than those described or indicated by the astrology chart.

When asked whether it would be helpful to study astrology to understand the effects of the stars and the planets, Cayce responded, “when studied aright, [it is] very, very, very much so.” (Readings 815-6 and 3744-4)"

[Wind]

How to understand your birth chart, it's not just the Sun sign that matters.

https://i.redd.it/6cyuxae7ysp91.jpg

[Wind]

All about the Age of Aquarius (https://www.nylon.com/life/age-of-aquarius-astrology-explained)

When does the Age of Aquarius begin? And what changes will it bring to life as we know it?

"Since 2020, Aquarius has gained momentum as an astrological talking point, with the year’s great conjunction in the air sign initiating a heady Saturn in Aquarius saga, and the impending arrival of Pluto in Aquarius in 2023. Cliched wails from Hair ring through the land, harking the dawn of the Age of Aquarius. But what exactly is an astrological age, anyway? And what happens when this mythic edition begins, in earnest? We break down the possibilities to come for this era of unprecedented change.

Ages in astrology, explained

Hang on tight, because this is where it gets heady. In the study of the earth itself, astrologers observe the ecliptic — or the earth’s orbit around the sun — along with the celestial equator, an imagined extension of the earth’s equator into space. The intersection points of the ecliptic and celestial equator are equinoxes. Because of the earth’s imperfect orbit, equinoxes change position, gradually, moving into a different sign over approximately 2,000–2,160 years. A complete cycle takes around 26,000 years to complete, and is known as a “Great” or “Platonic” Year. You can imagine these equinox intersections as starting points in the earth’s orbit, which slowly move backwards over time, at one degree over 72 years.

These 2,160 year intervals, in each sign, are known as Great Months, or Ages, each with their own epochal stories of human change and development. But here’s the gag: The equinox points precede backwards, meaning that we’re currently ending the Age of Pisces and fast moving into the Age of Aquarius. Because of the slow advancement through the ages, they don’t end and begin precisely, but slowly shift and change form.

The Age of Pisces is speculated to have begun around the time of Christ, culminating around 2100–2160 CE. Yet some believe that the Age of Aquarius is already here. In his Complete Astrology, Alan Oken writes that the current transition between ages is “much like the period between childhood and puberty: the process is gradual. Today, we find that we live in the legacy of Pisces and the promise of Aquarius.” What are the natures of the Piscean and Aquarian Ages, and how do we know when we’ve crossed from one to another?

Catch-up: The Age of Pisces

Broadly speaking, each double-millenium epoch sums up the themes of its designated sign. Astrolada notes how the Age of Gemini (about 6,000–4,000 BCE) awakened an explosion of emerging written languages and recorded glyphs, along with the development of new trades, crafts and skills. In Complete Astrology, Oken centers the Age of Taurus (4,220 BC-2,160 BCE) around the tilling of the fields and development of agricultural super-societies like Ancient Egypt, Greece, and India. Out of Egypt, the Israelites grabbed the ram’s horn and initiated the Age of Aries (2000–1 BCE), a time of bloody conquest defined by Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and the brutal rise of monotheism.

And so we arrive at the common era, Anno Domini, wrought by the two fish of Pisces: Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot. Of course, for all the empathy Pisces commands, it’s still the sign of suffering, imprisonment, and delusion. This new civilization would indeed be more united than ever before, and therefore more vulnerable to unprecedented, globalized monstrosity: the mass oppression spearheaded by the Catholic Church; annihilating diseases like the plague; and the large-scale genocides of the last 200 years.

And yet, the world is bigger and more connected than ever, every smartphone a key to an immortal, incalculable catalog of art, culture, history, thought, and expression. This hyper-exposure to everything, everywhere, all at once has likely rendered us as addicts to a drip of novocaine for the soul, but suffice it to say, we’re a part of something bigger now.

From the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius

So when is the Age of Aquarius coming? Astrologers argue about when the Age of Pisces ends: the calculated launch of the Age of Aquarius should be in the 22nd century, around 2160. And yet, 2021’s seven-planet stellium in Aquarius led other theorists to believe that we’ve arrived. Certainly, anyone born during that alien awakening will be children of tomorrow.

Regardless of when exactly the story changes, it’s clear that we’ve been in the transition phase between Pisces and Aries for quite a long time. Many cite the discovery of Aquarius’ ruling planet, Uranus, in 1781, as the launch point into this integration of technological splendor with communal possibility. Astrologer Ruby McCollister writes that the years since Uranus’ arrival has brought forth a “flourishing of science, technology, philosophy, literature, music, social opportunities in virtually every aspect of human life, which exploded Western civilization toward liberation, freedom, and choice.”

Aquarius governs mass communication; Oken writes that “the only methods available for the dissemination of information prior to the discovery of Uranus were by foot (human or animal), ship, mouth, or pen.” The past few centuries have delivered a quantum leap towards cyber-utopianism, with the past few decades, specifically, blasting us towards the event horizon. Youth culture, a hallmark of Aquarius, has never been more powerful: Look to contemporary rave culture as a perfect blending of ecstatic tribalism with technological (and pharmacological) innovation.

Piscean consciousness is the endgame of the zodiac, a merged, mass union of souls through time and space. In the midst of an opioid crisis, a corporate contest for streaming eyeballs, and the unending perpetuation of religious bloodshed, it’s clear we can’t handle the current…and it’s not even at half-stream yet. Oken writes that the elements required to “raise the general level of consciousness of the earth and its inhabitants…are not readily available to present-day humanity. The proper physical, mental and spiritual vehicles have to be developed through the long evolutionary process.” Only Aquarius can build these vessels, spaceships and time machines to deliver us.

The Age of Aquarius

Pisces is a water sign, ruled by the blurry sea god Neptune. Aquarius, co-ruled by Saturn, is of air, trading in the ideological, methodological, and informational. Aquarius envisions the future, and helps build for it. Though both signs deal with the interconnected global population, Pisces emphasizes our spiritual oneness, while Aquarius focuses on the humanitarian fulfillment of human needs and potential. Essentially, it’s Christianity and Communism, two modes of thought which have led to both liberation and enslavement.

The Age of Aquarius will shift the human picture on ideological grounds, rethinking our concepts of blood relationality, statehood, finance, and value. Roll your eyes at the exhausting cancel culture discourse of the Saturn in Aquarius era, but it’s just the beginning, as we head into heady debates over what living beings are entitled to. Why do we work, exactly? What is the point of money? If any age will yield interspecies, interplanetary contact, it’s this one, and to embrace our extraterrestrial overlords, we’ll need to present a united front free from individuality, distinction, and entitlement.

Speaking of space travel, our bets are on the Age of Capricorn (approximately 4000-6000 CE) to take us into Total Recall and Dune territory, with the colonization (or peaceful integration!) of new worlds. The children of the Aquarian Age will deliver the quantum leaps to get us there: the mushroom spore space engines of Star Trek: Discovery; the wormhole-busting science of Interstellar; the linguistic breakthroughs of Arrival. Communication will be at the core of everything. We’re already entering an era when anyone can be their own radio tower; once the means of technological dissemination are fully owned by all people, anything will be possible.

Of course, like any sign, Aquarius has a dark side. What are the ethics of technological progress? What is preventing our “ideal” society from becoming one of exclusion and manipulation? Already, China’s developing social credit score and our fast progress into Gattaca’s reality of genetic engineering indicate a disconnect between ethical reality and authoritarian opportunism. Indeed, for all its affirmations of individuality and human rights, Aquarius is a global sign, concerned with organizing the populace at large. Perhaps we’ll see the rise of queer, tribal states, as depicted in the contemporary X-Men comics’ mutant nation of Krakoa. Inevitably, we’re in for more bureaucracy, totalitarianism, and one-size-fits-all fascism, forcing us to conform for the sake of some grim greater good.

And yet, beyond the assembly-line nightmare, there remains great possibility for a species entirely activated, no longer burdened by the servitude, martyrdom and victimhood of this Piscean era. Oken writes that in this age, “humanity as a whole is the messiah…each individual can therefore find this light within and bring it forth to illuminate others until the entire race of man becomes enlightened.” The way to this contained, clarified, collective elevation will likely be bloody. But a true Aquarian knows that there’s always a new future around the corner. Don’t indulge in whining about the end of the world: The new dawn is already here."

[Wind]

A question for Chuckie, what are your thoughts on evolutionary astrology (https://youtu.be/1LQAvcfpocc)? I think it's one of the most sensible forms of astrology and sure makes a whole lotta sense. I don't think Steve uses it, but that other fella Kaypacha who's another cuckoo uses it in his work and others too. My astrologer relies on it, but also vedic astrology because she mentioned about the lunar nodes and how they are related to past karma, talents and karmic path. The name Dane Rudyar (https://www.astro.com/astrology/opa_article200519_e.htm) often pops up as the great grand old man of astrology. Also psychic astrologers like mine tend to use the Sabian symbols (https://sabiansymbols.com/about/the-sabian-symbols-story/). So some astrologers are not just purely technical and intuitive, but also somewhat psychic too.


Heads or Tails (https://www.astro.com/astrology/tma_article171108_e.html)

In astrological tradition, Rahu is the head of the dragon and the northern pole of the Moon’s nodal axis. Some Western interpretations have likened it to the Sun in that its inclination is to promote the conscious understanding of one’s vocation. At this node, both desire and destiny are magnetized through forward striving and movement. The heroic urge to be active and to battle the impulse to regress is constellated at this node. Like the head, which is the seat of consciousness and the container of the brain, the North Node is the rational pole and the one disposed toward Heaven. However, the mythic image shows us a severed head, disconnected from the body — symbolic of its disassociation from the Earth and incarnation. In its lower manifestation, it is the serpent brain, a head without a heart, or the unanchored intellect. It is the pole that takes in and devours; yet, being severed from the body, it is unable to digest or contain. Often, North Node experiences are illuminating and awakening but are unable to be integrated or held. The head, hungry for another taste, continues its search for illumination. The North Node is a point of intake, and any planet conjunct this point becomes ambitious for new experiences. When Rahu swallows the Sun, it passes quickly through his severed throat. There is an insight, a realization, a heroic impulse, but the enlightenment is hard to hold or sustain. Therefore, at the North Node, the realization and passion pass quickly, as it is almost impossible to prolong the participation with this heightened awareness. The dis-appointment is often followed by a return to the South Node (https://youtu.be/IALaHYZHtTk). Ironically, it is at the South Node where sustenance and encouragement can be contained.

The house positions of the nodes will illustrate the environmental factors that help to shape and influence an individual’s destiny. The North Node’s house position directs us to consciously participate in that area of life where both the inner and outer worlds collude in an encounter with our destiny. It is a sphere of life that beckons and invites us into its experiences. Since the North Node is often the place where we may momentarily experience the transcendent and spiritual aspect of the self, its house position maps the place where these experiences might happen. The North Node does not have a cumulative effect; in other words, experiences at this place are not sequential, but more arbitrary, and may seem to happen out of the blue. The random nature of the North Node may have more to do with its subjective nature and entanglement with the paradoxical world of spirit. Hence, the house position of the North Node could suggest the setting where the encounter with the spiritual self occurs.

The South Node in the opposite house may describe a familiar place, an area of safety, and a comfort zone which supplies an anchor. However, it is also a place where we can become fixed, caught in the safety zone of our complacency. Therefore, it suggests an area we must leave in order to develop and explore our pathway. So, another metaphor we could use to define the nodal axis is that it is similar to a tram line: The North Node is the destination, the station where the tram is headed, while the South Node is like the departure point, the station where we embark. The nodal axis is like a track with its well-worn grooves near the South Node.

This southern pole of the axis is homeostatic; we instinctually return to stability at the South Node. It is the counterweight that prevents us from capsizing, the ballast on our life journey. Therefore, the nodal axis can feel like a game of snakes and ladders; once we have experienced the enlightenment of the North Node, we slide back to the familiarity of the South Node.

Ketu is the tail of the dragon, the southern pole of the axis which is likened to the Moon and the past. It points to the Earth where it feels connected. At this node, we experience instinctive knowledge developed from our understanding of what went before. The South Node is a point of release, and any planet conjunct this node seeks release in the service of the self. In its lower expression, it is overwhelmed by the past, since this is where we experience the pull of the Great Mother back into the womb. Yet, within this familial place are the souvenirs and endowments necessary to make our destiny a success. Like a tail, the South Node is an instinctual relic, often seen to be of little use but ironically brimming with wisdom. Having been severed from the body, the tail holds what has been digested from the past. Yet, for it to be of any use, its contents must be disgorged, or they ferment and become toxic. By nature, Ketu is a riddle, as its contents are potentially helpful or toxic; it is up to the individual to become aware of the subtleties. It takes a heroic act to dislodge the contents of the South Node and employ them in the service of the individuation process.

No wonder the hero emerging from the belly of the dragon is a common motif in mythological narratives. For example, a 5th-century Greek vase depicts Jason coming out of the dragon’s belly. Athena guards the heroic transformation. While this motif is never mentioned in the extant literature, the vase painting clearly portrays the mythic analogy of disgorging the heroic contents of the South Node.


Dragons and dragon-slaying are cross-cultural motifs in comparative mythologies that are thematic to understanding the lunar nodes. Metaphorically, dragon symbolism ranges from positive to negative. On one hand, it can represent the invisible life force that devours time, or it can epitomize the essence of Nature herself, being the spirit and protector of the Earth. According to Jung, the dragon represented the mother complex or the Great Mother herself. As a totem of the mother complex, the dragon portrayed the urge to regress to an unidentified primordial state, which is often the pull experienced at the South Node.

In its negative manifestation, the dragon is the enemy of the hero. The hero, as the embodiment of the conscious ego, is attacked by the gigantic dragon, serpent, or monster. The dragon is the Earth and challenges the hero to remain spirited. Dragons are the guardians of both inner and outer treasures. The hero must fight the dragon to occupy the land; in a psychological sense, the individual faces the demons that guard the spiritual treasures and the soul mysteries. Therefore, dragons must be overcome to encounter the treasures of the inner kingdom. In killing the dragon, the individual becomes enmeshed in the conflict between light and dark. In a developmental way, the dragon battle is with our own destructive forces in order to gain self-mastery. Along the nodal axis, we confront the symbolic dragon. In the natal chart, we might imagine planets conjunct the nodal axis and at the bendings to be engaged in the dragon battle. As the nodes transit the horoscope, we are also invited to face the dragon heroically and encounter Rahu and Ketu as they swallow both our conscious and reflective light.

"The Dragon’s Head contains the precious stone, which means that consciousness contains the symbolic image of the self, and just as the lapis unites the opposites so the self assimilates contents of consciousness and the unconscious. The interpretation fully accords with the traditional significance of the dragon’s head as a favorable omen." ~ C.G. Jung

https://www.astro.com/im/in/tma_clark_dragon2.jpg

[Emil El Zapato]

A question for Chuckie, what are your thoughts on evolutionary astrology (https://youtu.be/1LQAvcfpocc)? I think it's one of the most sensible forms of astrology and sure makes a whole lotta sense. I don't think Steve uses it, but that other fella Kaypacha who's another cuckoo uses it in his work and others too. My astrologer relies on it, but also vedic astrology because she mentioned about the lunar nodes and how they are related to past karma, talents and karmic path. The name Dane Rudyar (https://www.astro.com/astrology/opa_article200519_e.htm) often pops up as the great grand old man of astrology. Also psychic astrologers like mine tend to use the Sabian symbols (https://sabiansymbols.com/about/the-sabian-symbols-story/). So some astrologers are not just purely technical and intuitive, but also somewhat psychic too.





"The Dragon’s Head contains the precious stone, which means that consciousness contains the symbolic image of the self, and just as the lapis unites the opposites so the self assimilates contents of consciousness and the unconscious. The interpretation fully accords with the traditional significance of the dragon’s head as a favorable omen." ~ C.G. Jung

https://www.astro.com/im/in/tma_clark_dragon2.jpg

Well, that was interesting. It makes sense in accordance with the foundational meanings of astrology, but at the same time one needs to be a believer to paint 'impressions' in that light. On the one hand one can't argue with the symbolic interpretations as stated. My sense is that it is a very poetic way to say, sometimes life sucks and sometimes it doesn't but the lesson to be learned is one of spiritual and emotional growth. Wisdom of the ancients, they knew it first as the earlier spiritually and cognitively endowed humans and thus laid out the symbology of their interpretations for the rest of us.

I was reading about the Sabian symbols and the astrologer was noted to have said, "wherever you look for meaning you will find it" and I do believe that. But the definite downside of that is to look for meaning in the soul of a disordered spirit-being (of which we all are, spirit beings that is). Because the meaning will be madness... :)

[Emil El Zapato]

All about the Age of Aquarius (https://www.nylon.com/life/age-of-aquarius-astrology-explained)

When does the Age of Aquarius begin? And what changes will it bring to life as we know it?

"Since 2020, Aquarius has gained momentum as an astrological talking point, with the year’s great conjunction in the air sign initiating a heady Saturn in Aquarius saga, and the impending arrival of Pluto in Aquarius in 2023. Cliched wails from Hair ring through the land, harking the dawn of the Age of Aquarius. But what exactly is an astrological age, anyway? And what happens when this mythic edition begins, in earnest? We break down the possibilities to come for this era of unprecedented change.

Ages in astrology, explained

Hang on tight, because this is where it gets heady. In the study of the earth itself, astrologers observe the ecliptic — or the earth’s orbit around the sun — along with the celestial equator, an imagined extension of the earth’s equator into space. The intersection points of the ecliptic and celestial equator are equinoxes. Because of the earth’s imperfect orbit, equinoxes change position, gradually, moving into a different sign over approximately 2,000–2,160 years. A complete cycle takes around 26,000 years to complete, and is known as a “Great” or “Platonic” Year. You can imagine these equinox intersections as starting points in the earth’s orbit, which slowly move backwards over time, at one degree over 72 years.

These 2,160 year intervals, in each sign, are known as Great Months, or Ages, each with their own epochal stories of human change and development. But here’s the gag: The equinox points precede backwards, meaning that we’re currently ending the Age of Pisces and fast moving into the Age of Aquarius. Because of the slow advancement through the ages, they don’t end and begin precisely, but slowly shift and change form.

The Age of Pisces is speculated to have begun around the time of Christ, culminating around 2100–2160 CE. Yet some believe that the Age of Aquarius is already here. In his Complete Astrology, Alan Oken writes that the current transition between ages is “much like the period between childhood and puberty: the process is gradual. Today, we find that we live in the legacy of Pisces and the promise of Aquarius.” What are the natures of the Piscean and Aquarian Ages, and how do we know when we’ve crossed from one to another?

Catch-up: The Age of Pisces

Broadly speaking, each double-millenium epoch sums up the themes of its designated sign. Astrolada notes how the Age of Gemini (about 6,000–4,000 BCE) awakened an explosion of emerging written languages and recorded glyphs, along with the development of new trades, crafts and skills. In Complete Astrology, Oken centers the Age of Taurus (4,220 BC-2,160 BCE) around the tilling of the fields and development of agricultural super-societies like Ancient Egypt, Greece, and India. Out of Egypt, the Israelites grabbed the ram’s horn and initiated the Age of Aries (2000–1 BCE), a time of bloody conquest defined by Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and the brutal rise of monotheism.

And so we arrive at the common era, Anno Domini, wrought by the two fish of Pisces: Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot. Of course, for all the empathy Pisces commands, it’s still the sign of suffering, imprisonment, and delusion. This new civilization would indeed be more united than ever before, and therefore more vulnerable to unprecedented, globalized monstrosity: the mass oppression spearheaded by the Catholic Church; annihilating diseases like the plague; and the large-scale genocides of the last 200 years.

And yet, the world is bigger and more connected than ever, every smartphone a key to an immortal, incalculable catalog of art, culture, history, thought, and expression. This hyper-exposure to everything, everywhere, all at once has likely rendered us as addicts to a drip of novocaine for the soul, but suffice it to say, we’re a part of something bigger now.

From the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius

So when is the Age of Aquarius coming? Astrologers argue about when the Age of Pisces ends: the calculated launch of the Age of Aquarius should be in the 22nd century, around 2160. And yet, 2021’s seven-planet stellium in Aquarius led other theorists to believe that we’ve arrived. Certainly, anyone born during that alien awakening will be children of tomorrow.

Regardless of when exactly the story changes, it’s clear that we’ve been in the transition phase between Pisces and Aries for quite a long time. Many cite the discovery of Aquarius’ ruling planet, Uranus, in 1781, as the launch point into this integration of technological splendor with communal possibility. Astrologer Ruby McCollister writes that the years since Uranus’ arrival has brought forth a “flourishing of science, technology, philosophy, literature, music, social opportunities in virtually every aspect of human life, which exploded Western civilization toward liberation, freedom, and choice.”

Aquarius governs mass communication; Oken writes that “the only methods available for the dissemination of information prior to the discovery of Uranus were by foot (human or animal), ship, mouth, or pen.” The past few centuries have delivered a quantum leap towards cyber-utopianism, with the past few decades, specifically, blasting us towards the event horizon. Youth culture, a hallmark of Aquarius, has never been more powerful: Look to contemporary rave culture as a perfect blending of ecstatic tribalism with technological (and pharmacological) innovation.

Piscean consciousness is the endgame of the zodiac, a merged, mass union of souls through time and space. In the midst of an opioid crisis, a corporate contest for streaming eyeballs, and the unending perpetuation of religious bloodshed, it’s clear we can’t handle the current…and it’s not even at half-stream yet. Oken writes that the elements required to “raise the general level of consciousness of the earth and its inhabitants…are not readily available to present-day humanity. The proper physical, mental and spiritual vehicles have to be developed through the long evolutionary process.” Only Aquarius can build these vessels, spaceships and time machines to deliver us.

The Age of Aquarius

Pisces is a water sign, ruled by the blurry sea god Neptune. Aquarius, co-ruled by Saturn, is of air, trading in the ideological, methodological, and informational. Aquarius envisions the future, and helps build for it. Though both signs deal with the interconnected global population, Pisces emphasizes our spiritual oneness, while Aquarius focuses on the humanitarian fulfillment of human needs and potential. Essentially, it’s Christianity and Communism, two modes of thought which have led to both liberation and enslavement.

The Age of Aquarius will shift the human picture on ideological grounds, rethinking our concepts of blood relationality, statehood, finance, and value. Roll your eyes at the exhausting cancel culture discourse of the Saturn in Aquarius era, but it’s just the beginning, as we head into heady debates over what living beings are entitled to. Why do we work, exactly? What is the point of money? If any age will yield interspecies, interplanetary contact, it’s this one, and to embrace our extraterrestrial overlords, we’ll need to present a united front free from individuality, distinction, and entitlement.

Speaking of space travel, our bets are on the Age of Capricorn (approximately 4000-6000 CE) to take us into Total Recall and Dune territory, with the colonization (or peaceful integration!) of new worlds. The children of the Aquarian Age will deliver the quantum leaps to get us there: the mushroom spore space engines of Star Trek: Discovery; the wormhole-busting science of Interstellar; the linguistic breakthroughs of Arrival. Communication will be at the core of everything. We’re already entering an era when anyone can be their own radio tower; once the means of technological dissemination are fully owned by all people, anything will be possible.

Of course, like any sign, Aquarius has a dark side. What are the ethics of technological progress? What is preventing our “ideal” society from becoming one of exclusion and manipulation? Already, China’s developing social credit score and our fast progress into Gattaca’s reality of genetic engineering indicate a disconnect between ethical reality and authoritarian opportunism. Indeed, for all its affirmations of individuality and human rights, Aquarius is a global sign, concerned with organizing the populace at large. Perhaps we’ll see the rise of queer, tribal states, as depicted in the contemporary X-Men comics’ mutant nation of Krakoa. Inevitably, we’re in for more bureaucracy, totalitarianism, and one-size-fits-all fascism, forcing us to conform for the sake of some grim greater good.

And yet, beyond the assembly-line nightmare, there remains great possibility for a species entirely activated, no longer burdened by the servitude, martyrdom and victimhood of this Piscean era. Oken writes that in this age, “humanity as a whole is the messiah…each individual can therefore find this light within and bring it forth to illuminate others until the entire race of man becomes enlightened.” The way to this contained, clarified, collective elevation will likely be bloody. But a true Aquarian knows that there’s always a new future around the corner. Don’t indulge in whining about the end of the world: The new dawn is already here."

Well, I certainly agree with that. A couple things he didn't mention, it was the age of gemini when the evil gene was born. The one potentially malefic influence of Aquarius as they said in the old days...madness, not likely it would be called insanity, perhaps even lunacy, but that is one that should be used for the water signs...Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer.

And, oh yeah, In a truly scientifically designed natal chart, you will have identical charts once every 26,000 years, a.k.a., the mentioned platonic year. There are other factors actually due to the precession of the equinoxes that rendered it necessary to view astrology as symbolic rather than scientifically strictly interpreted.

[Wind]

"An exploration of Astrology based on the Law of One material. Series on astrology and archetypes, we dive a bit deeper and explore the fascinating connection between astrology, planetary alignments, sunspots, and their impact on human history and consciousness."


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