Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Dr. Carl Jung comments on Psychological Astrology

I continue to have optimism and hope that psychology and astrology will find the common ground their respective histories share.  It is time for them to join together and embrace the opportunities to help the 21st century and beyond to find answers and fulfillment in human potential.

As I have noted in my book and on this blog, counseling professionals, medical professionals, holistic healers, and educators do use astrological techniques; the lack of knowledge and acceptance from society is more the reason that it is not as mainstream and "publicized" as it should be.

If I may let one of the founders of psychiatry and contemporary of Dr. Sigmund Freud offer his testimony...would you please welcome the honorable
Dr. Carl Gustav Jung:

Astrology quotes by Dr. Carl Jung
(thanks to Dana Panduru at astro@danapanduru.co.uk)
 
       * Astrology is one of the intuitive methods like the I Ching, geomantics, and other divinatory procedures. It is based upon the synchronicity principle, i.e. meaningful coincidence. ... Astrology is a naively projected psychology in which the different attitudes and temperaments of man are represented as gods and identified with planets and zodiacal constellations. - C.G. Jung

    * The starry vault of heaven is in truth the open book of cosmic projection, in which are reflected the mythologems, i.e., the archetypes. In this vision astrology and alchemy, the two classical functionaries of the psychology of the collective unconscious, join hands. - C.G. Jung

    * Astrology is of particular interest to the psychologist, since it contains a sort of psychological experience which we call projected - this means that we find the psychological facts as it were in the constellations. This originally gave rise to the idea that these factors derive from the stars, whereas they are merely in a relation of synchronicity with them. I admit that this is a very curious fact which throws a peculiar light on the structure of the human mind. .... C.G. Jung in 1947 in a letter to Prof. B.V. Raman 

 
    * So far as the personality is still potential, it can be called transcendent, and so far as it is unconscious, it is indistinguishable from all those things that carry its projections...[that is,] symbols of the outside world and the cosmic symbols. These form the psychological basis for the conception of man as a macrocosm through the astrological components of his character. - C.G. Jung 

 
    * Our modern science begins with astronomy. Instead of saying that man was led by psychological motives, they formerly said he was led by his stars. ... The puzzling thing is that there is really a curious coincidence between astrological and psychological facts, so that one can isolate time from the characteristics of an individual, and also, one can deduce characteristics from a certain time. Therefore we have to conclude that what we call psychological motives are in a way identical with star positions. 


Since we cannot demonstrate this, we must form a peculiar hypothesis. This hypothesis says that the dynamics of our psyche is not just identical with the position of the stars, nor has it to do with vibrations - that is an illegitimate hypothesis. It is better to assume that it is a phenomenon of time. ... The stars are simply used by man to serve as indicators of time... - C.G. Jung in 1929
 
    * The collective unconscious...appears to consist of mythological motifs or primordial images, for which reason the myths of all nations are its real exponents. In fact the whole of mythology could be taken as a sort of projection of the collective unconscious. We can see this most clearly if we look at the heavenly constellations, whose originally chaotic forms are organized through the projection of images. This explains the influence of the stars as asserted by astrologers. These influences are nothing but unconscious, introspective perceptions of the collective unconscious. - C.G. Jung 

 
    * Synchronicity does not admit causality in the analogy between terrestrial events and astrological constellations ... What astrology can establish are the analogous events, but not that either series is the cause or the effect of the other.  (For instance, the same constellation may at one time signify a catastrophe and at another time, in the same case, a cold in the head.) ... In any case, astrology occupies a unique and special position among the intuitive methods... I have observed many cases where a well-defined psychological phase, or an analogous event, was accompanied by a transit (particularly when Saturn and Uranus were affected). - C. G. Jung

    * Obviously astrology has much to offer psychology, but what the latter can offer its elder sister is less evident. So far as I judge, it would seem to me advantageous for astrology to take the existence of psychology into account, above all the psychology of the personality and of the unconscious. - C.G. Jung 

 
    * It is indeed very difficult to explain the astrological phenomenon. I am not in the least disposed to an either-or explanation. I always say that with a psychological explanation there is only the alternative: either and or! This seems to me to be the case with astrology too. - C.G. Jung in a letter to Hans Bender, April 10, 1958, C.G. Jung Letters, Volume 2, 1951-1961, p. 428. 

 
    * The truth is that astrology flourishes as never before. There is a regular library of astrological books and magazines that sell for far better than the best scientific works. The Europeans and Americans who have horoscopes cast for them may be counted not by the hundred thousand but by the million. Astrology is a flourishing industry. ... If such a large percentage of the population has an insatiable need for this counter pole to the scientific spirit, we can be sure that the collective psyche in every individual - be he never so scientific - has this psychological requirement in equally high degree. A certain kind of "scientific" scepticism and criticism in our time is nothing but a misplaced compensation of the powerful and deep-rooted superstitious impulses of the collective psyche. - C.G. Jung, Two Essays on Analytical Psychology 

 
    * Astrology is knocking at the gates of our universities: A Tubingen professor has switched over to astrology and a course on astrology was given at Cardiff University last year.  Astrology is not mere superstition but contains some psychological facts (like theosophy) which are of considerable importance. Astrology has actually nothing to do with the stars but is the 5000-year-old psychology of antiquity and the Middle Ages. - C.G. Jung in a letter to L. Oswald on December 8, 1928, in C.G. Jung, Letters, vol. 1, 1973

Monday, September 27, 2010

Houses and Life Lessons, Part II


Continuing with the evolutionary wheel of Life Experiences known as the houses (or "wedges" of the chart...I again credit Steven Arroyo with the idea of this.  (Go back to the previous post on the houses as places to explore spiritual, mental, physical and emotional growth.)
The appropriate type of elemental energy (fire, earth, air, or water) are also labeled for each house's Life Lesson and environmental training quality for the psyche.

     
1ST HOUSE:  Action of Identity
(I am Who I Am)


2ND HOUSE:  Material Security
(Gathering what I Need)


3RD HOUSE:  Social-Intellectual (mental) Learning Skills (Learning to think)


4TH HOUSE:  Soul/Emotional Needs & Identity
(Why and what I Need)



 5TH HOUSE:  Action of Material Ideas
(Manifestation and Creativity)

6TH HOUSE:  Social-Intellectual Security
(Proving our usefulness & learning)

7TH HOUSE:  Action on Identity of Other-Self
(Becoming “We/Us”)


8TH HOUSE:  Soul/Emotional Material
(Gathering substance of the psyche)


9TH HOUSE:  Learning Social/Intellectual Actions
(gaining values and beliefs)

10TH HOUSE:  Action of Material Security
(making a legacy of Self)

11TH HOUSE: Social-Intellectual Material
(creating the social network)

12th HOUSE:  Soul/Emotional Learning
(Gathering the meaning/purpose of life)


(c) MDLOP8 2010

Monday, September 20, 2010

Sun Signs and their nature of Needs and Behaviors


Who's your (Sun or "birth") sign?  

If you follow this wheel (going clockwise from the top, you can see the natural pattern of the Zodiac as well as the glyph (symbol) that corresponds to your birth date.  

(Yes, I know some people are born right on the split between signs; they're "born on the cusp."  I'll discuss that in a different post.  They tend to follow both the end-and-beginning of each sign...and they really do "start-and-stop" just a few days before-and-after the actual split that's credited to each sign's date.)

Each sign has its own characteristics (element of existence and quality) too, in a pattern, starting with Aries.  They follow a rotation of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water in their qualities.  Each quality is a response to Sensory Needs and Behaviors. It's like being on a varied group of teams, each with its own playing identity and scheme of responses to Life.

Elemental Teams:

Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Houses (wedges) as States of Experiences Learned


Think of the houses (wedges) of the chart as States of Existence and Experience where a vital part of your psyche is created, developed and energized to grow through a lifetime of challenges and opportunities.

1st - State of Recognizing One’s Existence
2nd - State of Personal Priorities
3rd - State of Being Able to Communicate
4th - State of Fulfilling One’s Needs for Security
5th - State of Uniqueness 
6th - State of Acquiring & Accepting Discipline and Service to the Collective Group’s Needs
7th - State of Bonding and Socializing
8th - State of Metamorphosis
9th - State of Expanding One’s Consciousness
10th - State of Asserting Oneself
11th - State of Social Unity in Groups
12th - State of Retreating for replenishment 


(c) MDLOP8 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

Houses: the psychology of the Mandela of Life Experience and Expressions, Part I

The houses of the Zodiac are the 12 "slices" (or "wedges" in my vocabulary) of the chart:  the psychological mandela of Life Experiences and Lessons Encountered.  They function like a Classroom of Life, each with its own course of study and purpose.  They also follow the natural 1-12 cycle of the signs, starting with Aries on the 1st house, Taurus on the 2nd, Gemini on the 3rd, and so on.  

They show where your life story is being played, and what kind of "outward-or-inward" dynamic of the psyche is being taught.  (An outward "strong visibility" wedge is like a fancy theater.  An inward "quiet-and-internal" wedge is like a small school play.)  Wedges go in a pattern of "outward" and "inward" from house #1.  Each "house" has its own dynamic for presentation of YOUR life experience and expression.)  The houses show what area of your life is being cast in the spotlight:  

  1. personality-self-identity (early childhood); how the world sees us.
  2. self-value and earning power; ownership issues
  3. communicating and thinking; relations with siblings
  4. home life and foundation of Self ; "mothering" issues
  5. creativity and romantic nature; children and views toward them
  6. day-to-day tasks, activities and health; service to society
  7. relationships (business and personal)
  8. ability to adapt to the values of others: death-rebirth-sex
  9. philosophical, religious and educational values; foreign cultural influences
  10. career goals and emphasis of status; "fathering" issues and authority figures
  11. friends, associations and wishes; groups and affiliations
  12. and need for privacy and retreat, limitations, self-undoing, and personal fears.
In each of our unique charts, planets and signs are performing there in the respective houses that are designed by the patterns formed by your birthday, latitude/longitude, and time of your birth.  It’s like cable tv, with a different show on each channel.

At our birth, the time, place, and location "spin" the chart so that it matches the mathematical calibrations that work in the astrological system of choice.  No matter which one is used (and there are several, including a Vedic (or Hindu) astrological system), all the respective planets fall in the proper "locations" on the chart.  

It's sort of like watching an opening break on a game of billiards as the balls fall into the pockets--but each planet goes into a house that is part of the 360-degree balance according to specific geometry and measurement within astrological plans.

Each house also has a natural "sponsor" that follows the pattern of the traditional zodiac from Aries to Pisces.  The qualities of each respective wedge will take on the dynamics of the "sponsor" regardless of which sign is positioned on the cusp ("doorway") when our birth chart (or other chart, depending on purpose) is prepared. 

In this way, no matter what planets are placed in our chart, the natural "sponsor" adds something of its own qualities to the activities whether or not the wedge is occupied or not.  For this reason, it's all right to have "empty" houses or wedges in a chart; it simply means that the individual is not dealing with those specific lessons in this lifetime.

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Ascendant (Rising Sign) of Appearance and Personality, Part I


Hello, it’s me.
Are you in costume?
No?  
Funny, I didn’t recognize you.
Why, it’s The Ascendant!

The sign on the ‘marker’ or cusp of the first house (wedge) is your Ascendant, or rising sign. “I’m not who you think I am,” says the ascendant-rising sign.  “But I’m who you see and think is Me.” Look at the Western equator of the chart (where 9:00 a.m. will fall on our 12-hour clock) and that’s which sign you look like—even though it’s not the same one as your birthday (unless you were born close to dawn). 

Very often, the ascendant will take precedence for the sun sign because it’s a kind of ‘funnel’ or outlet for all the activities of the chart.  It’s also what the world-at-large sees; it’s a physical manifestation that needs release.  I think of the ascendant as those floret-shaped icing-on-the-cake funnels: it releases a specific shape or design, which is reflected by the characteristics of the ascendant’s sign.

Often, also, planets that are camped out in close proximity to the ascendant will “color” it, too. 

 - If Pluto is nearby, look for a VERY INTENSE personality, and probably a strong visual appearance. (Britney Spears, Keanu Reeves, Sharon Stone, Dalai Lama XIV, Steven Seagal, Sting, Stephen King,Ursula Andress, Tiger Woods, David Hasselhoff, Jeremy Irons, Iggy Pop.)

- Saturn tends to either make for a short, dark, hairy person (even females), or a tall, bony frame.  A "serious" attitude comes through also.  (Russell Crowe, Sean Connery, Mick Jagger, Zenedine Zidane, Sean Penn, John Voight, Ringo Starr, Cher.)

- Jupiter can make for a robust physique, or even a charismatic persona.  (Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Napoleon, Marlon Brando, Bill Clinton, Carmen Electra, Joseph Stalin, Kylie Minogue, Robert Plant, Kate Hudson, Anna Nicole Smith, Malcolm X, Neil Young.)

- Neptune will often make the person vulnerable to drugs or substance abuse, or perhaps a bit ‘spacey,’ mystical or detached. (Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Paris Hilton, Paul McCartney, Jim Carrey, Courtney Love, J.K. Rowling, Denzel Washington, Kim Kardashian.)

 - Uranus makes for eclectic and electric personalities and a social rebel-maverick. (Johnny Depp, Kurt Cobain, Bill Gates, John Lennon,Mel Gibson, Renee Zellweger, Aleister Crowley, Johnny Cash.)

-  Mars makes for a fighter or an aggressive persona. (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Nicholas Cage, Anthony Hopkins, Donald Trump, Winston Churchill, Ellen DeGeneres, Ernest Hemmingway, Steve Vai).

 - Venus tends to make the person very cute or in some cases, downright gorgeous, but certainly attractive or socially accommodating. (Angelina Jolie.  ('Nuff said!...George Clooney. Okay, I found another.) Orlando Bloom, Sandra Bullock, Jude Law, Ben Affleck, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, Luciano Pavarotti, Shaquille O'Neal).
 
 - Mercury makes for a nervous, talkative type. (George W. Bush, Nicholas Cage, Andrea Bocelli, Barbara Streisand, Dave Grohl)

 - The Moon often makes the person “NEED TO GET MINE” in that sign’s quality as well as being very emotional.  (Madonna, Leonardo DeCaprio, Beyonce Knowles, Charlie Chaplin, Antonio Banderas,George Harrison, Phil Jackson, Richard Simmons, Van Morrison, Joe Cocker.)

 - The Sun will make the person tend to “DO IT MY WAY  and notice me.”  (Brad Pitt, Freddie Mercury, Bruce Lee, Andy Warhol, Paul Newman, Peter Sellers, Claude DeBussy, Tom Selleck, Frank Zappa, Joe Frazier, Saddam Hussein.)

The ascendant (and thereby, the sign found there) also has an ‘other-side’ effect: the opposite sign will indicate what kind of partner is drawn to the individual, both in business and marriage. 

The body part associated with the ascendant’s sign will be emphasized:

Aries            head
Taurus         throat
Gemini         hands, lungs, arms, lungs,

                     nervous system, shoulders
Cancer         stomach (and breasts in women)
Leo               heart and upper back
Virgo            intestines and lower abdomen
Libra            kidneys (and ovaries in women)
Scorpio        reproductive/elimination organs
Sagittarius  liver, thighs
Capricorn    bones, teeth, knees
Aquarius     shins; blood circulation; electrical aura
Pisces          feet

(c) MDLOP8 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

A Psychological Astrologer's Comments



One of the best writers and teachers of psychological astrology today:  The Value of Astrology -  An Introduction not for Kids only, by Liz Greene

   Some people today think that astrology is only superstition, and that the ancient astrologers lived in a primitive and ignorant age. These people forget that their ancestors of long ago were clever enough to build the pyramids of Egypt which have stood for over four thousand years, and Stonehenge, which archaeologists now believe was a wonderfully accurate kind of clock based on the movements of the Sun, Moon and stars.

Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest scientists of all time, did not scorn astrology. He practiced it himself, and when one of his friends asked him why be believed in such "rubbish," he replied, "Sir, I have studied the matter. You have not!" More recently the famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung became very interested in astrology and wrote about it in his books. And some modern scientists certainly do not laugh at astrology. They are using research methods to try and understand why the beliefs of astrology seem to be true. They are discovering exciting things about the different kinds of energy that each planet emits, and are beginning to realize that the Moon really does have a powerful effect upon living things. Their researches may one day help to explain why astrology works.

Meanwhile, more and more people are beginning to realize that a knowledge of astrology can be a very useful thing. We have already said that a knowledge of it can help us to understand ourselves and others better. In countries like India, astrology has been used for thousands of years to help people choose the right marriage partner, and to select the best time of year to get married. Today psychologists may study a patient's horoscope to seek a better insight into that person's character, and some companies are beginning to use astrology to help them select the right people for the right jobs, because a horoscope can help to show what things a person is good at doing.

 One important thing to remember in the study of astrology is that no sign of the Zodiac is better or worse than any other sign. It is as good to be a Leo as it is to be a Scorpio, and Virgos have just as many special qualities as Capricorns or Geminis. Every sign indicates special gifts and abilities, though no two people can ever have exactly the same qualities and personalities because all sorts of other facts about the position of the Moon and the planets also have to be taken into account in every case.

Where can you learn more about astrology? Some American universities now teach astrology as a serious subject, and all over the world people can take a postal course even if they cannot attend lectures or classes. There are also many more books you can read about astrology. Some of these have been written by a Frenchman named Michel Gauquelin, who produced some fascinating statistics to prove how accurate astrology can be in assessing people's personalities and abilities. His books, as well as many others, have made many people take a new and serious look at astrology, and they are available in libraries and bookshops. Just have a look at them! And do not worry if some people tell you that astrology is silly. They probably know nothing about it. In the world today we know a great deal about how to make things like motor cars, refrigerators and television sets, but tend to ignore the great mysteries of life and death. People are becoming aware of this, and taking a fresh interest in many ancient teachings, including astrology.

There is another way of looking at astrology. The ancient astrologers believed that the entire universe was really one great living being, which they called God. They believed that every part of this universe was connected with every other part, so that although sometimes people feel they are alone, they really are not. They are part of this one great living being, regardless of whether it is called God, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Buddha, Mithras, or any other name. Ancient astrologers believed also that this great being was growing and becoming more and more perfect, and that every living thing within the universe was also growing and becoming more perfect. They believed there is an eternal spark of life within each person that does not die when the body dies. It continues to live, and returns in many different bodies, life after life, each time becoming wiser and more beautiful and more perfect.

It may be that astrology has something to offer us today because it concerns itself with human values more than most other sciences. It can help us to understand that our lives have purpose. It may be that there is some truth in the ancient beliefs, and that we and the planets are all part of one unified cosmos. Knowing a little about astrology can help to open your eyes to many things, and the most important of them all is who you really are, deep down inside. And maybe that is what life is really about.
Texts taken from "Looking at Astrology", © Liz Greene 1977

Planets (Part I)

Program? Program!
Can't tell the players--I mean, planets 
without a program!!

Psychologically,the planets  represent the energy potentials of our lives that give force to parts of our life story.  

For example, the Sun represents our self-image and Ego, as well as a father-parent figure; the moon represents our need to be comfortable and safe with people; also Motherhood and the First Female imprint upon our infancy and birth.

 Mercury represents our mind--how we think and intellectualize; Venus indicates our expression of social relationships, pleasure and enjoyment.  Mars indicates expression and release of energy, momentum, anger, and sexual drive.  Jupiter shows our optimistic belief in a higher, larger system of faith, as well as expansive idealism and how we think “bigger than life.”  

Saturn shows how we face up to lessons and responsibilities that we would rather avoid, but have to be dealt with for growth; Saturn also shows delays, limitations and frustration (again, in order to be learned, the lesson is repeated thoroughly), which shows Saturn’s way of postponement.  Therefore, Saturn indicates hard work to master something.  

Uranus shows our rebellious, unconventional need for freedom and uniqueness, as well as eccentricity.  Neptune shows our escapist tendencies, along with our need to loosen boundaries and blend in with the Universe.  Religious experiences (both prophetic and delusional), chemicals and drugs, and liquid indulgences (including alcohol are Neptunian; films are too because they show “escape from reality.”   

(Yes, I'm still counting Pluto as a planet.)
 Pluto shows our exposure to total metamorphic  transforming qualities that leave us “born anew,” and have a life-and-death-rebirth nature.

T H E   S U N
Rules:  Leo
Anatomy:  Heart, upper back

Phrase:  The Giver of Life, Our Self-Identity
Emphasis:  Father-figures, authority figures, the WILL TO EXIST AND BE RECOGNIZED as the Highest Expression, the source of light (our presence as a source of Creation and Inspiration), deep character-Soul traits, individuality and vitality
      The Sun is the key identifying feature of our Self.  It is the birthday sign, the lead role of the zodiac and the life script that we know to be the truest part of our image.  It is the song that we dance to from within, the main casting theme of the leading man or woman and how we choose to portray the role.  The Sun expresses our Self-consciousness, our confidence and leadership potentials and outlets.  It shows the way that we recognize the masculine principle in our life and which parent truly expressed it.  It indicates the way that we see our father as a parent, provider and care-giver, and the according way that we respond to an employer, a boss or a supervising presence.
When the Sun is in a positive-masculine sign, the father may be perceived as vital and dynamic, unless there are other mitigating factors, such as an opposition by Neptune or Uranus.    
       The Sun sign in a negative-female sign can potentially indicate a father-authority figure who was passive and reflective, rather than assertive.  A 12th house sun can indicate a father who was absent or did not play a strong major part in the person’s growth and development.  Any planet aspected by the Sun will need to be dealt with, to allow for balance or integration to allow the True Self Potential to be developed.  The lack of this awareness only limits our self-growth and completion as an individual.
      As the Sun shows vitality, people with an unaspected Sun, or a very strong, overpowering sun can be notoriously obnoxious as they bathe in their own self-glory.  They can preen their egos like peacocks, using love (the Sun rules the heart), pride and displays of vanity to declare their presence.  Frank Sinatra sang it best when he said, “I did it ‘My Way.’”  The French king Louis XIIII, known as the Sun King for his outrageous and flamboyant lifestyle and court presence, is a clear example.
       The Sun is exalted (given its highest evolution) in Aries because that sign is so ready to burn with their blazing energy to start new life.  (It is in its fall—or weakened role—in Libra, opposite Aries; in its Rulership in Leo (giving the full strength of the planet’s vibration).  The Arian phrase, “I Am” personifies the exaltation of the Sun.  It is in its fall in Libra because those born under the Scales seem reluctant to show their need of self-image without another person’s presence (and light from their sun).  It is in detriment in Aquarius because they appear to consider themselves as well as others in a total package of identity, and neglect to emphasize their own self-identity.  The Aquarian need to show the Self as a little more ‘different’ than the others also adds to this.
      Expression:  Here comes the life of the party!  You couldn’t help but notice me, could you!  I’m clearly the person you need for this assignment!  The best thing you could have in life is me, baby!  I am the leader and there will be no tolerance for disputes--my word is final!

T H E  M O O N
Rules:  Cancer
Anatomy:  Breasts, stomach, fluid balance of body, digestion

Phrase:  Emotional nature, feelings and moods, the way we perceived our mother-figure and the exchange of nurturance throughout childhood, intuition, foundation of feminine principles, sensitivity to public responses and perceptions, habits, the home.
      Emphasis:  Capacity to feel and express emotions from the subconscious.  Moon responses are reflexive-gut responses that allow our preservation of safety.
      The Moon shows how we react to daily activities, especially when meeting other people and finding ourselves caught off-guard.  It is the inner side of ourselves that we do not want to readily show the world, in order to protect our sensitivities.  It is the way that we probe for information to know what position we need to take, in order to know how we will be affected by an issue. 
      In Roman mythology, the goddess Diana was associated with the moon.  Many women named “Diana-Diane-Dina/Donna” may show strong Moon-Cancer traits:  a vulnerable, sensitive nature, deep family/home ties, and a need to nurture and comfort, especially children.  Other names associated with child care/child psychology/nursery schools are Carol or Carole.  The Moon is exalted in Taurus; in detriment in Capricorn (a ‘cold, insensitive mother); and in its fall in Scorpio.
      Expression:  I don’t want to show you how much I feel about issues, to protect myself inside.  My emotions are very vulnerable and I can’t let you hurt me like that.

M E R C U R Y
The Messenger of the Gods
Rules:  Gemini & Virgo*
Anatomy:  Nervous system, hands and arms, respiratory system
Phrase:   Mental activity, intellectual expression, communications and words, dexterity, opinion and sensory perception, education, writing, short trips and travel, sales and salesmanship, promiscuity
       Emphasis:  The way the mind functions and reacts, the type of psychological approach to determine a person’s ability to make decisions and convey ideas to others.  It also emphasizes what we find critical and important, and what we choose to ignore.
      People with strong Mercurian emphasis are noted for their abilities to be very easy and quick-minded to grasp ideas, and to be able to communicate on several projects at a time.  The god Mercury was also known as the patron of liars and thieves, and Mercurian-touched souls can be noted for their agile fingers, potential “light touch” with objects they desire, and the ability to glibly talk their way out of problems.
       *Esoterics have mentioned a trans-Mercurian planet called “Vulcan.”  The concept of rulership of Virgo by Mercury has been batted around, even to the point of assigning rulership of Virgo to the satellite Chiron.  I personally feel that Virgo has a Mercurian connection, but that Vulcan will properly be assigned as ruler, when its discovery is made in the 21st Century.
      Expression:  A regular jack-of-all trades.  Any conversation is fair game.  The Joker.  Mercury is exalted in Aquarius (the Higher Thinking Awareness of the Universe; in detriment in Pisces (too overwhelmed by sensations and ‘other-worldly’ impressions); and in fall in Sagittarius (too inclined to think of the righteousness of one’s own Mind).

V E N U S 
The goddess of Love; Rules:  Taurus and Libra
Anatomy:  Kidneys, ovaries, female reproductive system, throat, neck, sensory ability of skin
Phrase:  Social involvement and relationships, sense of value, appreciation of beauty, artistic expression, romance and friendships as a relationship, sensual affection and desire, musical expression, singing, jewelry, beautification & cosmetology, sweets, chocolate
       Emphasis:  What you really love most about life, what you love to have in your life, what you want most to make you feel happy and pleasurable, comforts and joy in life, social relationships.
       Venusian souls are interested in harmony and balance in their lives and the lives of those to whom they are bonded by love or friendship.  They have the outer glow of beauty and attraction to and by the opposite sex, and they have an inner passion for expressing their desire to receive and give affection and love.  They are sensuously aware of themselves and their needs.
       Venus is exalted in Pisces, where it finds the highest, most inspirational (and overly romantic, in some cases!) expression of love; in fall in Virgo (where it tends to dissect and discriminate feelings in place of yielding to the emotion); in detriment in Scorpio, where the possessive, controlling passions may give a love-or-hate/it’s all the same outlook.
       Expression:  Life is beautiful.  Just be nice; good manners and a pleasant condition go a long way with me.  I enjoy pleasure, comforts, and I feel so good with you! 

M A R S
The god of War; Rules:  Aries (also Scorpio)
Anatomy:  Muscular system, adrenal glands, male reproductive system & testosterone, head

Phrase:  Action, courage, aggression, anger, sexual energy, fighting spirit, passion and competition.
Emphasis:  Surgery, wounds and cuts, knives and weaponry, fire, sexuality.
       Mars shows individual ambition, which leads to work-related activity.  Mars can also show how danger and violence can be part of our lives.  It shows the greatest release of motivation, from where we get our energy and passion for something, and how we control our temper (and in what way we release it).  Mars also indicates the kind of man a woman desires in her life.  Mars is exalted in Capricorn (building the big idea that will last); in fall in Cancer.
       Expression:  A good debate clears the air!  Life would be boring without a challenge!  Let’s do something about it!  
Are you talking to me?

J U P I T E R
The King of the Gods; also Jehovah, the Creator
Rules:  Sagittarius (also Pisces)
Anatomy:  Liver, thighs, growth of body size

Phrase:  Benevolence and generosity, optimism, expansion and activities on a large scale; receiving financial and material benefits, spiritual protection and goodwill earned from karmic rewards; compassion to those less fortunate; overindulgence and extravagance.
       Emphasis:  Religious and philosophical ideals, higher education, beliefs and values; how a person emphasizes prosperity gained and understood from obtaining higher truths; sense of justice and morals.
      Jupiterian souls are very optimistic, often blessed with “good fortune or luck,” inclined to be interested in upholding the rules and laws that society maintains to show our Divine inheritance.  It also shows excessive traits, such as wanting too much of something and not knowing when to stop because it it enjoyable.
       Expressions:  Just give me the good news.  Something will turn up for the better.  The bigger, the better.  There’s always room for one more.  Just take a chance.  

S A T U R N

Chronus (Father Time); The Reaper
Rules:  Capricorn (also Aquarius)
Anatomy:  Bones & skeletal system, knees, teeth, skin
Phrase:  Discipline, boundaries, crystallization, structure, duty, responsibility, lessons to be learned, rigidness, sorrow, limitations, hard work, wisdom & aging, conservatism, traditions, fears, delays, depression, time.
     Emphasis:  Saturn shows how a person requires discipline, time in learning a life task and structure.  The lesson of maturity, in which setbacks and repeated efforts bring reward after much trial and obstacles.  Saturn is the proving ground of our development, where we confront the facets of life that we wish to avoid, but must face in order to evolve.
     Saturnian souls are ‘old before their time,’ the proverbial “7-year old going on 40.”  They are intent upon climbing up the ladder of success, or at least having a stable means of securing a living.  They can be cold and insensitive to others, focusing on their achievements and ambitions at any price.  They recognize the value of effort and must learn to mix enjoyment with their work. 
      Saturn is the planet of karmic lessons, when we face up to issues that we were not prepared to handle in earlier years.  The Saturn cycle at age 29-31 brings an encounter of life as a “final exam,” where we must successfully confront the part of ourselves that we have avoided working on as a growth experience.  If this challenge for maturity is turned aside, the next Saturn return at age 58 can bring regrets and frustration at having come full circle again to a necessary type of experience that was thought to be avoided.  The representation of Chronus as Father Time shows that Saturn objectives will be encountered with the passage of years, and that postponement will only bring them back later to be reckoned with again.   
      The rulership of Saturn over the skeletal system shows that we all face up to Saturn in order to have structure in our lives.   
      Expression:  Hard work never hurt anyone.  Anything worth having is worth the hard work to get it.  Responsibilities pay off in the end.  

U R A N U S 
The Sky God
Rules:  Aquarius
Anatomy:  Ankles, shins, body electricity or aura

Phrase:  Eccentricity, rebelliousness, upheavals, a “roller-coaster” life, unexpected change, freedom and traditions unbound, magic, the occult, science and inventions, originality, erratic sexual behavior, revolution and utopian idealism.
        Uranus is the breaker of new ground, the unexpected or unusual changes in our life.  Its energy is electrical or magical in nature, tuning into the Universal Mind for inspiration and original ideas to meet the challenges of life.  It shows intuitive abilities, how we respond to groups, group activities and friends, and where we are given the creative expression of freedom from our karmic past to explore new avenues.
      The planet Uranus does not move on its axis in the same fashion as the other planets, hence the unusual Uranian energy for doing “that which is out of synch” with the rest of the world.
      Expression:  Don’t fence me in--give my space!  March to a different beat.  Create change in an unusual way.  

N E P T U N E 
The god of the Sea
Rules:  Pisces
Anatomy:  The feet and ESP abilities

Phrase:  Escapist tendencies, spiritual urge, "other-worldly" mind, dreams,       illusion, the sea and all that is hidden from the world, drugs and alcohol (and their abuse), hypnosis, poetry and art, music, fragrances, self-sacrifice and self-delusion.
       Emphasis:  Neptunian souls are "out of touch" with the world; they live in fantasy and daydreams of other lives before this time, other places than this world, and intuitive awareness of the Higher Mind/Universal Consciousness.  They are liquid-like in attitude, able to change to meet the empathic bonds they form with others.  They are attuned to the higher vibrations of music and art, being aware of the balance of musical tones or color schemes.  They are also depression prone, and will hide their worries and fears in medical problems, either real or imagined.  They will give "the shirt off their back" if they believe it is for a divine purpose:  a fellow human in need.
       Expression:  I just go with the flow.  They just spaced out again.  What's wrong with wanting to think I can dream my life away?  Music/art is my life!  I feel as though I don’t belong on this planet.


P L U T O
The god of the Underworld
Rules:  Scorpio; (lower scale-Mars)
Anatomy:  Reproductive and eliminative systems, pituitary gland,
   Abnormal growth (warts, tumors, birthmarks)
Phrase:  Destroying and rebuilding, mass actions by groups, death and rebirth, (both on a physical and spiritual plane), phobias and obsessions, isolation, upheaval on a gradual but extreme basis in a permanent way, secrets hidden and brought out into the open; occult tendencies; the act of sex as the basis of life's beginnings.
       Emphasis:  Plutonian influence brings change recognized on a conscious level more often, deeper hidden concepts that are brought into the open and confronted.  It is powerful change, dynamic change, long term, and cannot be avoided.  Pluto literally grabs us by the neck and shakes us; it cannot be ignored.  It indicates legacies, inheritances and insurance settlements, mass karma and how our lives are tied into the larger world order.  Pluto shows where you must face yourself, alone, and demand a resolution.
       Expression:  Damned if I do, damned if I don't.  It's my way or  no way.  I'll do what I want, when I want, and no one is going to stop me.  The paranoids are after me!  I'll die trying...

Plutonian activities include obstetrics/gerontology (life/death), plumbing and waste treatment or recycling, criminal justice and rehabilitation (half-way houses), or reformed, harmful habits (Alcoholics Anonymous)

Monday, September 13, 2010

Retrogrades Part II

Retrogrades and direct motion represent the process of internalization of the meaning of Life Challenges.  There is a 3-step process in retrograde motion. Imagine a planet moving around the Sun in its orbit. Then the planet appears to stop and reverse course. This is the first step.  

Eventually the planet again returns to DIRECT motion and once again moves forward. This is stage two. Finally, as the planet crosses the point at which the retrograde motion began, phase three of the process is initiated. Each one of these points carries with it a subtle yet pervasive psychological shifting of reflection concerning past and future. 

According to Martin Schulman, the 3-stage retrograde process is defined like this:

STAGE 1:  Jumping ahead trying to live the future now.
 
STAGE 2:  In the process of living out the future now, experiencing the feeling of deja vu and that one has done it before. 

STAGE 3:  Mentally repeating once again the future, but this time from the perspective of actually having lived it. One may surmise from this process that retrogrades impel the individual to reflect deeply on certain recurring patterns -- the goal being complete and final resolution, once and for all.

The particular planet, the house and sign it resides in, and any aspects this planet makes while transiting adds a complexity to analysis that seems to relate to recurring patterns in the individual's life. In fact, one concise interpretation of retrograding planets is that in a past life the person had the opportunity to grow and advance in a particular area but did not entirely complete the process. 

So, the retrograde is an indication of this unaccomplished goal. Challenges will show up in the present life to complete the goal each time this particular planet goes retrograde, and the conditions of this current challenge will be defined by sign and house placement, and the new aspects this planet makes to the natal planets. As we continue through the present life and fail to address these patterns effectively, the consequences continue to grow.  Most people can identify with these patterns when presented because they keep recurring.