Life has been so full in recent months - as we might expect with two eclipses early on this year! For me, it's been a lot about new products launching just before Christmas and providing support for those - The Tattoo Tarot Deck and Book of Music Horoscopes, specifically, which I have been very fortunate to be involved with, as a writer and in other ways:
It was a real honour to have my essay on David Bowie and Iggy Pop's collaborations feature in the astrology book - huge thanks to the very talented compiler, Frank Clifford, of the London School of Astrology for that!
I have been kept quite busy, too, blogging for other people and organisations, including Laurence King (the Tattoo Tarot deck publisher) and TABI (Tarot Association and the British Isles) and completing interviews for other blogs and magazines, such as Jack of Wands and Skin Deep. It's really been a lot of fun! Alongside my usual, ongoing output as an editor and mentor with Jericho Writers - I've also taken on a new column at The Mountain Astrologer, with which I am thrilled to be associated. There has, however, been little time left over to catch my breath and reach out through this blog and my own website: https://mindbliss.co.uk/
However Celestial Spot has now been given a little face lift. I hope you like it!
Finally, I owe a little apology to those people from websites, TV companies and other businesses, who have been interested in interviews, advertising options and writing services. It has simply not been possible to respond to everyone.
Wishing you all a wonderful start to the new month, as greater light dawns! And for those seeking insight, inspiration or down to earth wisdom, you may like to consider the readings offered through: https://www.mindbliss.co.uk/astrologytarotreadings.htm
Flattr
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Showing posts with label Astrology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Astrology. Show all posts
Friday, 1 March 2019
Monday, 11 June 2018
Commitment in a Writing Career - Society of Authors Talk
Just a quick announcement to say I am pleased to be speaking tomorrow, 12 June 2018, at the Society of Authors Three Counties Lunch at The Princess Royal, Runfold.
In this talk, I will be focussing on the theme of Commitment in a Writing Career - part of which, for me, centres on astrological and tarot output, as well as incorporating other Mind Body Spirit subjects.
I can thoroughly recommend the SoA!
More details can be found at the Society's website under the Events tab:
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Events/Events
and at:
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Events/Events/Three-Counties-November-Meeting-(2)
or below: (copyright Society of Authors 2008-2017)
In this talk, I will be focussing on the theme of Commitment in a Writing Career - part of which, for me, centres on astrological and tarot output, as well as incorporating other Mind Body Spirit subjects.
I can thoroughly recommend the SoA!
More details can be found at the Society's website under the Events tab:
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Events/Events
and at:
https://www.societyofauthors.org/Events/Events/Three-Counties-November-Meeting-(2)
or below: (copyright Society of Authors 2008-2017)
Friday, 6 April 2018
Crystal and Astrology Healing Power – A Mini Guide
Crystals develop in the earth from minerals that have been around since the world was formed. They are connected with primal, ancient energies and, in their structure and symbolism, have a strong relationship with the four elements of Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. Crystals have always been used for healing and strengthening spiritual abilities and, thanks to the wisdom passed down from the ancients, we are still able to draw on this knowledge today. However you do not need to be a shaman, seer or magician to work with and benefit from crystal energy. As long as you can locate a crystal and understand something of its nature and applications, you can tap into its power to bring help and healing in your own life and for those around you. Below are descriptions of a handful of the more popular and easily found crystals and their uses.
Rose quartz – a love stone. Easily recognisable for its gentle pale pink colour, this is one of the main crystals for dealing with heart issues. It can help to attract a new love into your life or heal a heart that has closed or felt damaged. Rose quartz is excellent for developing rapport in relationships and can help an ongoing love connection over a rough patch. Wear it close to your heart if you can; a rose quartz necklace is ideal. Try placing the crystal next to a photograph of the one you love and radiate love to that person; it could soon radiate back!
Hematite – a grounding stone. The colour ranges from grey to black and the stone has a shiny, metallic quality, so that polished hematite looks somewhat similar to drops of Mercury. Useful for those who have trouble with the memory, it is also helpful for mental organisation and original ideas. This stone helps to dispel negativity and increases courage and confidence. If you suffer with agoraphobia or lose too much energy when you are around other people, hematite could be an ideal stone for you. Keep it close to your body, e.g. as a bracelet or even in a hand bag.
Amethyst – a spiritual stone. Many stones are used for insight but amethyst is especially valued for aiding meditation and developing spiritual awareness. This is ideal to use whilst following guided meditation or for those times when you still yourself, close your eyes, sit comfortably and let the worries of the world go. Amethyst brings a deep sense of calm and can help bring greater insight into life purpose. Hold the crystal gently in your palm and allow your mind to calm and empty. Amethysts appear in the colour spectrum from lavender to dark purple.
Citrine – an abundance stone. This is a crystal associated with wealth in a variety of forms. Its focus is not only money but also on the multitude of ways in which abundance and help can be offered. There may be kind favours from friends or gifts from suppliers, opportunities to increase income, or simply more necessities and good things in life. Meditating with citrine can help banish worries about “not having enough” and aid in improving the situation. The colour range goes from white to golden yellow and deep amber brown.
Astrology and Crystal Correspondences
When it comes to astrology and crystal correspondences, there are no hard and fast rules and – as anyone who has read Wanda Sellar’s articles on this subject in previous Astrology and Medicine newsletters will know - ancient and traditional sources don’t always agree with one another. Occasionally, they assign dual rulerships to some of the stones and sometimes just omit them altogether. This may simply be to do with what was available at the specific times of writing and working with crystals.
From an astrological point of view, rose quartz is given no traditional correspondences but based on colour we can assign it to Venus and her concerns. To be fair, it is the case that the ancient and traditional correspondences don’t necessarily give the colour pink to Venus, however, personally I like the association because it tallies with ideas regarding pink and green relating to the heart chakra. Rose quartz is seen as a helpful stone for matters of the heart and can, therefore, lend strength to aid an afflicted Venus in the birth chart, especially to address relationship problems. Financial issues can also be seen as “Venusian”, although in the crystal world we might more readily think of financial matters as being helped along with citrine. Nonetheless, if you consider the self-worth issues underlying earning potential, Venus for love and respect of the self is by no means a bad candidate.
It seems natural to associate black stones with Saturn, but the shiny charcoal-black tumble stone hematite looks like a solid version of liquid Mercury and traditionally has affinities with that “winged messenger” planet, too. Just to add spice, sometimes a red quality can be noted in the stone, in which case it can be seen to have an additional association with the planet Mars..
Amethyst is a stone of Jupiter and, for a change, the ancients seem to all agree on that, apart from Al-Biruni, who doesn’t assign it at all; perhaps a typical case of lack of supply in his area at his time. To me, amethyst is one of the stones showing greatest congruence of association between disciplines, as the astrologers agree it’s a Jupiter stone and Jupiter’s colour correspondence is always given as purple. In chakra healing, which is meaningful in aura cleansing and crystal healing alike, this is along the colour band given to the “third eye” or spiritual chakra, sometimes described as indigo in shade. Perhaps it is also one of the most relevant stones for “Indigo children”, although a wider range is certainly available to them within a healing context; in my local new age shop, “Stepping Stones”, I was delighted recently to notice crystal elixir sprays designed especially for children and teenagers, to address specific issues such as bullying, anger, depression etc. To me it is a true sign that the new age has arrived, that we are now in a position to offer healing not only to our fellow adults but also to the next generation of children appearing in the world!
In her book entitled Soul Mastery Susann Taylor Shier describes children with a more greatly developed compassion and, likewise, sees this as a sign that the times are a-changing and, if we look around, we can see that our children are incarnating as highly developed souls. Perhaps we can send some boxes of crystals and gem essences to the houses of “Tiny Tearaways” on the TV, to help any families that are still struggling!
Before we put the subject of crystals fully to bed, though, let’s also cover a few basics, such as the relevance of size, how to use or wear them, forms of cleansing and where to get hold of crystal “booty”.
Size: Crystals come in various sizes but for carrying and meditation, smallish stones of around 2-3 cm are often sufficient. If you want to influence a whole room of people (eg a healing room) by all means invest in some massive amethyst half-domes and hang them safely but high up in the corners of the room. Terminated chunks that cover the palm and larger swathes of stone such as amethyst constitute crystal “beds” and can be used to rest your crystals when they need recharging.
Body wear: The general advice regarding crystal healing is to get the crystal energy as close to you as you can. Look out for beautiful crystal jewellery, including simple “power bracelets” – crystal beads threaded onto elastic cord and more elaborate pieces that arrive as earrings, pendants, bracelets etc. An alternative, for using any small crystals or “tumble stones” that you already have, is to pop them into a small drawstring bag – the types that you see in new age shops – and tie this to the inside of your clothing, on the layer that is close to the skin. An opaque bag can be ideal for allowing closer contact, especially with the colour vibration.
Cleansing and recharging. Crystals are fairly resilient but may need to be occasionally cleansed– which means ridding them of negative vibrations and recharging them with positive energy. It is at least worth considering cleansing a new crystal before use because you don’t know who has handled it before you and it may well have collected negative energy build up from a variety of sources. It will likely be better knowing that you are starting with a stone that has been recharged with positive energy. One simple method is to hold the crystal in your palm, close your eyes and imagine a waterfall going over it, renewing any outworn or negative energy. You can also use the human breath – just blow on the crystal to waft away the previous energy. Some people like to fully immerse the crystals in water but some crystals just can’t take this; flaky kyanite, both blue and black and the lustrous, white selenite are likely to just disintegrate (how Neptunian!). A better option for these would be run them through incense smoke or use the above “imaginary” water process. They can also take being put in or on earth, although you probably would not want to over-saturate the soil. You can also use a crystal bed to recharge a tired crystal and a good tip, if you like to keep crystals that are not being used together in a bowl or box, is to keep a piece of carnelian in there too, as this will automatically cleanse any other crystals around it.
Copyright Diana McMahon Collis 2018
This article excerpted from a piece for the Astrology and Medicine Newsletter in 2006
Rose quartz – a love stone. Easily recognisable for its gentle pale pink colour, this is one of the main crystals for dealing with heart issues. It can help to attract a new love into your life or heal a heart that has closed or felt damaged. Rose quartz is excellent for developing rapport in relationships and can help an ongoing love connection over a rough patch. Wear it close to your heart if you can; a rose quartz necklace is ideal. Try placing the crystal next to a photograph of the one you love and radiate love to that person; it could soon radiate back!
Hematite – a grounding stone. The colour ranges from grey to black and the stone has a shiny, metallic quality, so that polished hematite looks somewhat similar to drops of Mercury. Useful for those who have trouble with the memory, it is also helpful for mental organisation and original ideas. This stone helps to dispel negativity and increases courage and confidence. If you suffer with agoraphobia or lose too much energy when you are around other people, hematite could be an ideal stone for you. Keep it close to your body, e.g. as a bracelet or even in a hand bag.
Amethyst – a spiritual stone. Many stones are used for insight but amethyst is especially valued for aiding meditation and developing spiritual awareness. This is ideal to use whilst following guided meditation or for those times when you still yourself, close your eyes, sit comfortably and let the worries of the world go. Amethyst brings a deep sense of calm and can help bring greater insight into life purpose. Hold the crystal gently in your palm and allow your mind to calm and empty. Amethysts appear in the colour spectrum from lavender to dark purple.
Citrine – an abundance stone. This is a crystal associated with wealth in a variety of forms. Its focus is not only money but also on the multitude of ways in which abundance and help can be offered. There may be kind favours from friends or gifts from suppliers, opportunities to increase income, or simply more necessities and good things in life. Meditating with citrine can help banish worries about “not having enough” and aid in improving the situation. The colour range goes from white to golden yellow and deep amber brown.
Astrology and Crystal Correspondences
When it comes to astrology and crystal correspondences, there are no hard and fast rules and – as anyone who has read Wanda Sellar’s articles on this subject in previous Astrology and Medicine newsletters will know - ancient and traditional sources don’t always agree with one another. Occasionally, they assign dual rulerships to some of the stones and sometimes just omit them altogether. This may simply be to do with what was available at the specific times of writing and working with crystals.
From an astrological point of view, rose quartz is given no traditional correspondences but based on colour we can assign it to Venus and her concerns. To be fair, it is the case that the ancient and traditional correspondences don’t necessarily give the colour pink to Venus, however, personally I like the association because it tallies with ideas regarding pink and green relating to the heart chakra. Rose quartz is seen as a helpful stone for matters of the heart and can, therefore, lend strength to aid an afflicted Venus in the birth chart, especially to address relationship problems. Financial issues can also be seen as “Venusian”, although in the crystal world we might more readily think of financial matters as being helped along with citrine. Nonetheless, if you consider the self-worth issues underlying earning potential, Venus for love and respect of the self is by no means a bad candidate.
It seems natural to associate black stones with Saturn, but the shiny charcoal-black tumble stone hematite looks like a solid version of liquid Mercury and traditionally has affinities with that “winged messenger” planet, too. Just to add spice, sometimes a red quality can be noted in the stone, in which case it can be seen to have an additional association with the planet Mars..
Amethyst is a stone of Jupiter and, for a change, the ancients seem to all agree on that, apart from Al-Biruni, who doesn’t assign it at all; perhaps a typical case of lack of supply in his area at his time. To me, amethyst is one of the stones showing greatest congruence of association between disciplines, as the astrologers agree it’s a Jupiter stone and Jupiter’s colour correspondence is always given as purple. In chakra healing, which is meaningful in aura cleansing and crystal healing alike, this is along the colour band given to the “third eye” or spiritual chakra, sometimes described as indigo in shade. Perhaps it is also one of the most relevant stones for “Indigo children”, although a wider range is certainly available to them within a healing context; in my local new age shop, “Stepping Stones”, I was delighted recently to notice crystal elixir sprays designed especially for children and teenagers, to address specific issues such as bullying, anger, depression etc. To me it is a true sign that the new age has arrived, that we are now in a position to offer healing not only to our fellow adults but also to the next generation of children appearing in the world!
In her book entitled Soul Mastery Susann Taylor Shier describes children with a more greatly developed compassion and, likewise, sees this as a sign that the times are a-changing and, if we look around, we can see that our children are incarnating as highly developed souls. Perhaps we can send some boxes of crystals and gem essences to the houses of “Tiny Tearaways” on the TV, to help any families that are still struggling!
Before we put the subject of crystals fully to bed, though, let’s also cover a few basics, such as the relevance of size, how to use or wear them, forms of cleansing and where to get hold of crystal “booty”.
Size: Crystals come in various sizes but for carrying and meditation, smallish stones of around 2-3 cm are often sufficient. If you want to influence a whole room of people (eg a healing room) by all means invest in some massive amethyst half-domes and hang them safely but high up in the corners of the room. Terminated chunks that cover the palm and larger swathes of stone such as amethyst constitute crystal “beds” and can be used to rest your crystals when they need recharging.
Body wear: The general advice regarding crystal healing is to get the crystal energy as close to you as you can. Look out for beautiful crystal jewellery, including simple “power bracelets” – crystal beads threaded onto elastic cord and more elaborate pieces that arrive as earrings, pendants, bracelets etc. An alternative, for using any small crystals or “tumble stones” that you already have, is to pop them into a small drawstring bag – the types that you see in new age shops – and tie this to the inside of your clothing, on the layer that is close to the skin. An opaque bag can be ideal for allowing closer contact, especially with the colour vibration.
Cleansing and recharging. Crystals are fairly resilient but may need to be occasionally cleansed– which means ridding them of negative vibrations and recharging them with positive energy. It is at least worth considering cleansing a new crystal before use because you don’t know who has handled it before you and it may well have collected negative energy build up from a variety of sources. It will likely be better knowing that you are starting with a stone that has been recharged with positive energy. One simple method is to hold the crystal in your palm, close your eyes and imagine a waterfall going over it, renewing any outworn or negative energy. You can also use the human breath – just blow on the crystal to waft away the previous energy. Some people like to fully immerse the crystals in water but some crystals just can’t take this; flaky kyanite, both blue and black and the lustrous, white selenite are likely to just disintegrate (how Neptunian!). A better option for these would be run them through incense smoke or use the above “imaginary” water process. They can also take being put in or on earth, although you probably would not want to over-saturate the soil. You can also use a crystal bed to recharge a tired crystal and a good tip, if you like to keep crystals that are not being used together in a bowl or box, is to keep a piece of carnelian in there too, as this will automatically cleanse any other crystals around it.
Copyright Diana McMahon Collis 2018
This article excerpted from a piece for the Astrology and Medicine Newsletter in 2006
Tuesday, 26 July 2016
Continuing with our review series, here's an astrology book review...
Review of: The Dawning: Shedding New Light on the Astrological Ages
Author: Terry MacKinnell
Publisher: Xlibris
Price: £19.71 Paperback £6.38 Kindle
Reviewer: Diana McMahon Collis – for the Astrological Journal May/June 2013 Issue Vol 55 No 3
A lifetime’s earnest work, research and observation has gone into the content of The Dawning, which automatically makes it a valuable document because so much insight is distilled in one place. Terry MacKinnell has worked to balance use of a sound historical framework with knowledge of astrological techniques, whilst conveying awareness that both disciplines involve selective operation, particularly when handling complex material. For this reason the author has favoured a modern Western astrological approach, whilst observing an ancient technique from very early, observational astronomy/astrology, to re-examine the Astrological Ages, or Precesssional Ages – ie the twelve ages within the structural framework known as the Great Year.
The book may not necessarily sit well with astrologers well versed in traditional methods, or those who have ever wondered at the logic of plucking the Astrological Ages out of ancient methodology to sit rather awkwardly around the rest of the mainstream astrological techniques, like a late adopted child. Nonetheless, this uncomfortable status and lack of true integration of the Ages has, itself, hinted at a lack of overall work in thoroughly examining what they are truly about. MacKinnell should therefore be applauded for taking on such a monumental task, perhaps not least because his work lends something to historical perspective as well as making a significant contribution to astrology. The book is a great boon because, if we accept the author’s conclusions, it helps to clear up some confusion and fill certain gaps.
MacKinnell’s writing shows how the Astrological Ages provide a kind of meta-text of world events and human tendencies, not unlike astrology itself. He has the knack of bridging different worlds, such as history, astrology, psychology and human internal experience (imagination and mental projections) through a common denominator, such as the Archetype – a concept most astrologers will be instantly at home with.
The book touches upon many aspects of astrological theory and practice, underpinning an understanding of the Ages. Of notable interest are:
Standing stones and time measuring Heliacal Risings and Settings – their significance in rectifying the Ages pre-Hipparchus
Vernal Point - used by Hipparchus (and his methodological error)
Visual vs mathematical astronomical/astrological techniques – the author places value and emphasis on practical observation, as the ancients did
Constellations – the fact that they were developed as a visual technique
Precession of the equinoxes – and significance of the third movement of the Earth, its wobble
Decans – the divisions of zodiac signs into sections of ten (explained most clearly in the Glossary)
Sign Cusps – rather than house cusps, which may have a firm basis in traditional astrology but no place in an understanding of the Ages
Overflow – a one-directional effect, rather like a hangover, of the previous Age sign affecting the currently-named sign.
Retrogradation – the fact that the Ages work backwards through the zodiac
Correspondence – between events in the world with Astrological ages and their zodiacal archetypes
Sub-ages, Micro-ages and Nano-ages – divisions of the Astrological Ages
Quasi Ages and Age Pairs – which together provide a situation analogous to the lunation cycle.
There are also three appendices, covering historians’ perspectives, zodiacal archetypes and the somewhat daring rectification of the Aquarian Age.
As the subject matter is vast, the entirety of this volume is quite dense. I had initially thought this was going to be a book to zip through, adding a little more knowledge about past, present and future events. It has turned out to be an intriguing read, which inspired me to keep reading and really take on the relevance of the Astrological Ages. In the explanatory sections the author often writes with a marvellous use of analogies and metaphors, which help what could, at times, be a dry and difficult subject become lively and within the reader’s grasp. I especially liked the description of how an astrologer attempts to create a 3D reality from the limited, 2D reality of the chart, which aptly captures the reality of the struggle that many practising astrologers experience in trying to make sense of people’s lives from a diagram!
One of the greatest achievements of the book is to explain why there is so much confusion around which age we are currently in: the Aquarian Age or the Pisces Age. MacKinnell explains that the name by which the Age is known reflects qualities that are not usually fully realised or observable until quite a long way into the cycle – possibly around midway the baton is passed to the relevant sign from its predecessor (moving backwards due to retrogradation, so that, for example, the Pisces Age gives way to the Aquarian age). The fullness of what the Aquarian Age is really about, however, does not come through until towards the end of that ‘Pisces-Aquarius Age’ cycle, which he argues runs from around 1433 – 3574 CE. Earlier Ages are discussed in depth, with convincing historical evidence shown in the form of events that correspond with the archetypal meanings of the Ages. Clearly there is a vast knowledge of history here and the correspondences seem persuasive; for example, the focus on writing and education in the Gemini Age (framed as the Gemini-Taurus Age in the author’s pairing system). The need for financial accounting during this period fostered the development of writing – which seems to powerfully link the archetypes of the two signs together.
In a book that focuses on history there is necessarily a lot of information concerning the past. There is also a chapter devoted to climate change and another focussing on forecasting the future. The author is at pains to clarify that the exact details of the future cannot be mapped out, any more than we can easily find the truthful, 3D version of someone’s life, experiences and future conditions from the 2D situation of the birth chart. However the rise and fall of civilisations can be mapped around the Age-Decan cusps and a number of potentials can be indicated – although events in future cycles won’t be identical to those of the past, not least because history does not repeat itself. Equally, connections across astrological cycles are always slightly different, in totality, as they go forward.
The Dawning is extremely well annotated and thoroughly researched, due in no small way to the author totally embracing his subject over many years. This is not just some dry tome of academic theorising and soulless pulling together of floating ideas; instead, the author draws you into an explanation of why there’s been a problem with the existing theory around Astrological Ages, how the ages are sub-divided and why they are significant. The book also has a good index and bibliography, with references that made me instantly want to read more. Hamlet’s Mill, Astronomy before the Telescope, Babylonian Star-Lore and Cosmos and Psyche all leapt out as texts not to be overlooked by anyone interested in archetypes, mythology, astronomy and the bridging of ancient and modern astrology. It could be argued that The Dawning does for the Astrological Ages what Richard Tarnas’s Cosmos and Psyche has done for planetary archetypes and transits. The Dawning is a brave book and a carefully considered contribution to a previously under-developed area.
Terry MacKinnell is in the process of writing a follow-up volume, homing in on the sub-divisions of the Ages. I am looking forward to reading the finished product.
Diana McMahon Collis
Review of: The Dawning: Shedding New Light on the Astrological Ages
Author: Terry MacKinnell
Publisher: Xlibris
Price: £19.71 Paperback £6.38 Kindle
Reviewer: Diana McMahon Collis – for the Astrological Journal May/June 2013 Issue Vol 55 No 3
A lifetime’s earnest work, research and observation has gone into the content of The Dawning, which automatically makes it a valuable document because so much insight is distilled in one place. Terry MacKinnell has worked to balance use of a sound historical framework with knowledge of astrological techniques, whilst conveying awareness that both disciplines involve selective operation, particularly when handling complex material. For this reason the author has favoured a modern Western astrological approach, whilst observing an ancient technique from very early, observational astronomy/astrology, to re-examine the Astrological Ages, or Precesssional Ages – ie the twelve ages within the structural framework known as the Great Year.
The book may not necessarily sit well with astrologers well versed in traditional methods, or those who have ever wondered at the logic of plucking the Astrological Ages out of ancient methodology to sit rather awkwardly around the rest of the mainstream astrological techniques, like a late adopted child. Nonetheless, this uncomfortable status and lack of true integration of the Ages has, itself, hinted at a lack of overall work in thoroughly examining what they are truly about. MacKinnell should therefore be applauded for taking on such a monumental task, perhaps not least because his work lends something to historical perspective as well as making a significant contribution to astrology. The book is a great boon because, if we accept the author’s conclusions, it helps to clear up some confusion and fill certain gaps.
MacKinnell’s writing shows how the Astrological Ages provide a kind of meta-text of world events and human tendencies, not unlike astrology itself. He has the knack of bridging different worlds, such as history, astrology, psychology and human internal experience (imagination and mental projections) through a common denominator, such as the Archetype – a concept most astrologers will be instantly at home with.
The book touches upon many aspects of astrological theory and practice, underpinning an understanding of the Ages. Of notable interest are:
Standing stones and time measuring Heliacal Risings and Settings – their significance in rectifying the Ages pre-Hipparchus
Vernal Point - used by Hipparchus (and his methodological error)
Visual vs mathematical astronomical/astrological techniques – the author places value and emphasis on practical observation, as the ancients did
Constellations – the fact that they were developed as a visual technique
Precession of the equinoxes – and significance of the third movement of the Earth, its wobble
Decans – the divisions of zodiac signs into sections of ten (explained most clearly in the Glossary)
Sign Cusps – rather than house cusps, which may have a firm basis in traditional astrology but no place in an understanding of the Ages
Overflow – a one-directional effect, rather like a hangover, of the previous Age sign affecting the currently-named sign.
Retrogradation – the fact that the Ages work backwards through the zodiac
Correspondence – between events in the world with Astrological ages and their zodiacal archetypes
Sub-ages, Micro-ages and Nano-ages – divisions of the Astrological Ages
Quasi Ages and Age Pairs – which together provide a situation analogous to the lunation cycle.
There are also three appendices, covering historians’ perspectives, zodiacal archetypes and the somewhat daring rectification of the Aquarian Age.
As the subject matter is vast, the entirety of this volume is quite dense. I had initially thought this was going to be a book to zip through, adding a little more knowledge about past, present and future events. It has turned out to be an intriguing read, which inspired me to keep reading and really take on the relevance of the Astrological Ages. In the explanatory sections the author often writes with a marvellous use of analogies and metaphors, which help what could, at times, be a dry and difficult subject become lively and within the reader’s grasp. I especially liked the description of how an astrologer attempts to create a 3D reality from the limited, 2D reality of the chart, which aptly captures the reality of the struggle that many practising astrologers experience in trying to make sense of people’s lives from a diagram!
One of the greatest achievements of the book is to explain why there is so much confusion around which age we are currently in: the Aquarian Age or the Pisces Age. MacKinnell explains that the name by which the Age is known reflects qualities that are not usually fully realised or observable until quite a long way into the cycle – possibly around midway the baton is passed to the relevant sign from its predecessor (moving backwards due to retrogradation, so that, for example, the Pisces Age gives way to the Aquarian age). The fullness of what the Aquarian Age is really about, however, does not come through until towards the end of that ‘Pisces-Aquarius Age’ cycle, which he argues runs from around 1433 – 3574 CE. Earlier Ages are discussed in depth, with convincing historical evidence shown in the form of events that correspond with the archetypal meanings of the Ages. Clearly there is a vast knowledge of history here and the correspondences seem persuasive; for example, the focus on writing and education in the Gemini Age (framed as the Gemini-Taurus Age in the author’s pairing system). The need for financial accounting during this period fostered the development of writing – which seems to powerfully link the archetypes of the two signs together.
In a book that focuses on history there is necessarily a lot of information concerning the past. There is also a chapter devoted to climate change and another focussing on forecasting the future. The author is at pains to clarify that the exact details of the future cannot be mapped out, any more than we can easily find the truthful, 3D version of someone’s life, experiences and future conditions from the 2D situation of the birth chart. However the rise and fall of civilisations can be mapped around the Age-Decan cusps and a number of potentials can be indicated – although events in future cycles won’t be identical to those of the past, not least because history does not repeat itself. Equally, connections across astrological cycles are always slightly different, in totality, as they go forward.
The Dawning is extremely well annotated and thoroughly researched, due in no small way to the author totally embracing his subject over many years. This is not just some dry tome of academic theorising and soulless pulling together of floating ideas; instead, the author draws you into an explanation of why there’s been a problem with the existing theory around Astrological Ages, how the ages are sub-divided and why they are significant. The book also has a good index and bibliography, with references that made me instantly want to read more. Hamlet’s Mill, Astronomy before the Telescope, Babylonian Star-Lore and Cosmos and Psyche all leapt out as texts not to be overlooked by anyone interested in archetypes, mythology, astronomy and the bridging of ancient and modern astrology. It could be argued that The Dawning does for the Astrological Ages what Richard Tarnas’s Cosmos and Psyche has done for planetary archetypes and transits. The Dawning is a brave book and a carefully considered contribution to a previously under-developed area.
Terry MacKinnell is in the process of writing a follow-up volume, homing in on the sub-divisions of the Ages. I am looking forward to reading the finished product.
Diana McMahon Collis
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
Decans Articles - Sagittarius
What do Edith Piaf, Teri Hatcher and Jane Austen have in common? They were all born under the sign of Sagittarius! But do you know which Decan of the sign? Perhaps more vitally, do you know which Decan of your Sun sign (zodiac sign) you were born under? You can find out by looking at the Decans information at Totally4Women:
http://www.totally4women.com/wit-wisdom-wardrobe/wisdom/your-horoscope/.
For Sagittarius, the current sign of the month, look here:
http://www.totally4women.com/2013/12/05/what-the-stars-say-sagittarius/.
As some of you know, I have been writing the horoscope column at the T4W website for some time now and the Decans focus will soon be complete, with Capricorn the next sign covered. T4W have kindly decided to keep the Decans personality readings available for the ongoing future, so do visit back to view the set whenever you want that kind of information. You can find the overview here:
http://www.totally4women.com/wit-wisdom-wardrobe/wisdom/your-horoscope/.
Thanks also to those who post comments to this site. All comments are moderated and we do only publish those that are truly relevant and genuine to what is being discussed here.
Celestially yours!
http://www.totally4women.com/wit-wisdom-wardrobe/wisdom/your-horoscope/.
For Sagittarius, the current sign of the month, look here:
http://www.totally4women.com/2013/12/05/what-the-stars-say-sagittarius/.
As some of you know, I have been writing the horoscope column at the T4W website for some time now and the Decans focus will soon be complete, with Capricorn the next sign covered. T4W have kindly decided to keep the Decans personality readings available for the ongoing future, so do visit back to view the set whenever you want that kind of information. You can find the overview here:
http://www.totally4women.com/wit-wisdom-wardrobe/wisdom/your-horoscope/.
Thanks also to those who post comments to this site. All comments are moderated and we do only publish those that are truly relevant and genuine to what is being discussed here.
Celestially yours!
Thursday, 17 March 2011
The Hand of Fate & Destiny, Friendship & your True Self
When it comes to the hands of fate, destiny and friendship, which of these do we accept the most readily?
Friendship means a lot, but we have to work out if we trust people. There are also times when it seems impossible to discuss certain issues with friends or other people that we are close to. At such times people will often turn to an outside, trusted source of wisdom and someone who can hear about their situation, or reflect it to them in some way that is meaningful. I think this is often where ‘psychic’ readings and other divinations come in.
As for the ideas around fate and destiny, sometimes people use these words fate and destiny interchangeably. However, to me, the word destiny has tended to always carry the idea of something self-created, whilst the word fate seems to suggest the idea of a sealed fate that no amount of human intervention can alter.
In this model, destiny is in our own hands, whilst fate is something eked out upon us, something we have to endure or, at best, a set of results we have to discover – as though we have no option about where we go or what we do. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter how we view it. The question still hangs in the air – are we victims of circumstance in the situations we encounter or do we create our own lives through our choices?
This is a question I remember first thinking about in depth as a teenager, studying English literature in college. We were looking at Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles and one of the exam questions centred precisely on this subject. Tess, the central character, appeared to be lucky in some ways and unlucky in others. Was her sorry situation all her own doing or were others to blame?
I did not have a strong opinion about it at the time, although now I think that Tess was sometimes too proud. But she tried to keep to her principles and some would admire her for that. Either way, whether we see ourselves as victims, whether we our own worst enemies and whether we choose the hard path in life are all worth considering. Because there are always choices; sometimes we just don’t see them. Not without some help, anyway.
Think about a situation in your life now, especially one you are not too happy with. Ask yourself: are we victims of circumstances or do we have a hand in our own fate? Maybe you will have some feelings coming up as you consider this.
Interestingly, this is also a question that often appears in the context of giving and receiving Astrology, Tarot and Angel card readings. These are basically private, person-to-person, soul focussed readings, designed to put a person in touch with their true, inner Self. My belief is that this inner Self is a part of us (or may even consist of several parts!) that can get overlooked or repressed in various situations. I find that the tools in these readings act like witnesses and advisors. Tarot and Astrology never lie and Angel energy adds a strong sense of protection.
There are times when the true Self gets closed down – when the mores of society or the limitations of our personal circumstances don’t allow us to say what we really think and feel. Indeed, sometimes we can’t even feel what we really do feel, we go numb for a while, which can lead to feeling depressed or disoriented, tired or heavy. When we have a chance to acknowledge feelings, then these symptoms of dis-ease lift. The relationship between a trusted reader and the person seeking the reading (the client or querent) is in my opinion sacred because it allows for a person to explore their truth and thereby to contact their true Self in a safe environment. This is one of the reasons why readings ‘work’ for people. So, when clients come asking me “what is going to happen in my future?” I often go into their reading with the question in my mind: ‘well, what do you want to happen in your future?’ – because I don’t see it as cast in stone and fated. I see the reading as an opportunity to explore the paths ahead and for the client to discover more about what he thinks and feels, as an individual person. For therein lies some freedom, power and a chance to choose and create more of his/her own destiny.
Friendship means a lot, but we have to work out if we trust people. There are also times when it seems impossible to discuss certain issues with friends or other people that we are close to. At such times people will often turn to an outside, trusted source of wisdom and someone who can hear about their situation, or reflect it to them in some way that is meaningful. I think this is often where ‘psychic’ readings and other divinations come in.
As for the ideas around fate and destiny, sometimes people use these words fate and destiny interchangeably. However, to me, the word destiny has tended to always carry the idea of something self-created, whilst the word fate seems to suggest the idea of a sealed fate that no amount of human intervention can alter.
In this model, destiny is in our own hands, whilst fate is something eked out upon us, something we have to endure or, at best, a set of results we have to discover – as though we have no option about where we go or what we do. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter how we view it. The question still hangs in the air – are we victims of circumstance in the situations we encounter or do we create our own lives through our choices?
This is a question I remember first thinking about in depth as a teenager, studying English literature in college. We were looking at Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles and one of the exam questions centred precisely on this subject. Tess, the central character, appeared to be lucky in some ways and unlucky in others. Was her sorry situation all her own doing or were others to blame?
I did not have a strong opinion about it at the time, although now I think that Tess was sometimes too proud. But she tried to keep to her principles and some would admire her for that. Either way, whether we see ourselves as victims, whether we our own worst enemies and whether we choose the hard path in life are all worth considering. Because there are always choices; sometimes we just don’t see them. Not without some help, anyway.
Think about a situation in your life now, especially one you are not too happy with. Ask yourself: are we victims of circumstances or do we have a hand in our own fate? Maybe you will have some feelings coming up as you consider this.
Interestingly, this is also a question that often appears in the context of giving and receiving Astrology, Tarot and Angel card readings. These are basically private, person-to-person, soul focussed readings, designed to put a person in touch with their true, inner Self. My belief is that this inner Self is a part of us (or may even consist of several parts!) that can get overlooked or repressed in various situations. I find that the tools in these readings act like witnesses and advisors. Tarot and Astrology never lie and Angel energy adds a strong sense of protection.
There are times when the true Self gets closed down – when the mores of society or the limitations of our personal circumstances don’t allow us to say what we really think and feel. Indeed, sometimes we can’t even feel what we really do feel, we go numb for a while, which can lead to feeling depressed or disoriented, tired or heavy. When we have a chance to acknowledge feelings, then these symptoms of dis-ease lift. The relationship between a trusted reader and the person seeking the reading (the client or querent) is in my opinion sacred because it allows for a person to explore their truth and thereby to contact their true Self in a safe environment. This is one of the reasons why readings ‘work’ for people. So, when clients come asking me “what is going to happen in my future?” I often go into their reading with the question in my mind: ‘well, what do you want to happen in your future?’ – because I don’t see it as cast in stone and fated. I see the reading as an opportunity to explore the paths ahead and for the client to discover more about what he thinks and feels, as an individual person. For therein lies some freedom, power and a chance to choose and create more of his/her own destiny.
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Tarot Reversals
Students of tarot often wonder how to handle reversed cards. Sometimes even advanced readers dance around reversals, trying to settle on a system that applies across the board. One of those includes the idea that a reversed card means a reversed meaning. Some readers go through their reading process without ever making more of reversed cards and that is also absolutely fine. The reversal can be ignored, or we can read meaning into it if we want to. I generally find, however, that, if I need to take notice of something within my divination practice, it finds a way to let me know. It might show itself in a repeated way or it might stand out in some sort of unusual way. And that is the reason for this particular piece of writing.
For quite some time now I have read reversed cards based on my frame of mind at the time of the reading. In other words I have read them intuitively. That seems to have worked ok and I see no particular reason to deviate from that general approach, since intuition in a reading seems to have served its purpose well over the years. However, I did notice a certain pattern in the cards just recently, which stood out and made me stop and think. It was in the context of being aware of changes in another divination system, which is astrology. I have always thought that these two systems held equal value and so I learnt about them hand in hand. This seems to have been helpful in unexpected ways because, for example, when I find it hard to find a reliable answer on timing through the tarot, I can turn to astrology instead. Similarly, when I cannot see an obvious answer to my current question in the birth chart, the tarot will often give me a clearer clue. Interestingly, the observation that I made seems to relate to something that ties astrology and tarot together, although I have not noticed it mentioned much elsewhere. This is that there is a way in which planets seem to “reverse” in the skies, at certain times, just as there are moments when tarot cards appear reversed. Notably, these two phenomena are based on appearances only, but as readers of symbols we can ascribe significance to those appearances.
In astrology we call this apparent change of direction by the planets as “retrograde motion”, which simply means that some planets sometimes look to be moving in a backward path, compared with the direction of the other planets in the sky. There are specific meanings given to planets “in retrograde” and I have spoken about some of the ideas and events associated with them before in this blog (see under Mercury Retrograde, Mars Retrograde etc). Moving on to when we turn up cards from the tarot deck that appear to be reversed, we can also assign specific meanings to this phenomenon and tarotists who do see tarot reversals as significant may have all sorts of ideas about what those reversals can mean. One of my favourite sources on this subject is Mary Greer’s book aptly named The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals. As you might guess from the title, Mary looks at every single card in the deck, including the Court cards, so it is a really helpful source. But I want to look at this phenomenon of reversed tarot cards for a moment in another context, because I have noticed that a lot more cards have turned up in their reversed positions, whilst Mercury was last in retrograde motion earlier this year (from April 18 to May 11 2010, in the zodiac sign of Taurus). Mercury is the communications planet in astrology, so I suppose it makes sense that tarot cards, as “messengers” might appear upside down. The question here, I think, is, do they then especially carry reversed messages? I think the answer is that yes, they do – and possibly more.
A clue as to the “what and why” of this can be found through a comparison with retrograde planets in astrology. Frequently, when planets are retrograde, we end up going over things again, either at the time of the retrograde path or soon after it. We end up reviewing matters or revisiting ideas, places and people. Sometimes the world itself seems turned upside down, or at least our own little world may do. Nothing seems to work the way we expect it to. Other people don’t respond the way we think they will. Everything is confusing! In a specific sense this is like the normal appearance of card XII The Hanged Man, in the Major Arcana, which is an image of someone permanently upside down! But in broader terms, across the deck, I think that reversed tarot cards often show these various themes, too: confusion, things being the opposite of what we expect, feeling the need to look again at everything – and so on. It probably doesn’t matter if the cards happen to show up that way when planets are also apparently reversing (so you don’t actually need to know any astrology to make any sense of this, if you are a tarot reader!). What does matter is that there is some sort of linkage of ideas here. The clue, just as with understanding what retrograde planets are about, is really simple – it is to have a think about any words that begin with the prefix “Re”. Because those words will often tell you what the problem is. As a verb prefix in the English language, “Re” simply means “again” or “back”. So, to review is to look over again and to return is to turn back, to revisit is to visit again, to reinforce is to enforce something again – and so it goes on.
Here is a recent example of what I mean, when it comes to tarot reversals.
You may not be too surprised to hear that I have received a lot of questions about work and money, during the current recession (another “re” word!). The Two of Wands, from the Minor Arcana, turned up reversed in a reading for someone who was finding they could not move ahead in the same old way in their world of work. The main issue was that they had to realise that they no longer had the energy and passion for the work that they were doing. They were feeling burnt out and exhausted in that area. So the key here was a need to recharge and review the situation. Confusingly, they had ended up demoted into a role that they felt was beneath them. It was like they were forced to revert to something from the past. To me, this card was showing that the brakes were on, but for a good reason. This person could not just go on as they had done. They had to stop and reconsider everything achieved so far and look at what was now going to work for the future, too. Could it be that they would become resigned to this situation or that they could see some new way of moving forward? Surrounding cards, which were upright, gave clues as to a new approach that would help for the future. However, the one reversed card, the Two of Wands, spoke reams about the problem and the need for action of a certain kind.
It has taken me a long time to feel really comfortable working with reversed cards. Generally, I have done my best to interpret them. Sometimes I have noted them whilst feeling that I did not fully understand, in that moment, what they were trying to show. More recently I have increasingly felt that the reversals are truly there for a reason and have felt their message was clearer. Have you had any memorable experiences with reversed tarot cards in your readings, I wonder? If so why not share about them. If not, I wish you some meaningful – and hopefully useful and helpful – experiences in the future!
Celestially Yours...
https://mindbliss.co.uk/
For quite some time now I have read reversed cards based on my frame of mind at the time of the reading. In other words I have read them intuitively. That seems to have worked ok and I see no particular reason to deviate from that general approach, since intuition in a reading seems to have served its purpose well over the years. However, I did notice a certain pattern in the cards just recently, which stood out and made me stop and think. It was in the context of being aware of changes in another divination system, which is astrology. I have always thought that these two systems held equal value and so I learnt about them hand in hand. This seems to have been helpful in unexpected ways because, for example, when I find it hard to find a reliable answer on timing through the tarot, I can turn to astrology instead. Similarly, when I cannot see an obvious answer to my current question in the birth chart, the tarot will often give me a clearer clue. Interestingly, the observation that I made seems to relate to something that ties astrology and tarot together, although I have not noticed it mentioned much elsewhere. This is that there is a way in which planets seem to “reverse” in the skies, at certain times, just as there are moments when tarot cards appear reversed. Notably, these two phenomena are based on appearances only, but as readers of symbols we can ascribe significance to those appearances.
In astrology we call this apparent change of direction by the planets as “retrograde motion”, which simply means that some planets sometimes look to be moving in a backward path, compared with the direction of the other planets in the sky. There are specific meanings given to planets “in retrograde” and I have spoken about some of the ideas and events associated with them before in this blog (see under Mercury Retrograde, Mars Retrograde etc). Moving on to when we turn up cards from the tarot deck that appear to be reversed, we can also assign specific meanings to this phenomenon and tarotists who do see tarot reversals as significant may have all sorts of ideas about what those reversals can mean. One of my favourite sources on this subject is Mary Greer’s book aptly named The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals. As you might guess from the title, Mary looks at every single card in the deck, including the Court cards, so it is a really helpful source. But I want to look at this phenomenon of reversed tarot cards for a moment in another context, because I have noticed that a lot more cards have turned up in their reversed positions, whilst Mercury was last in retrograde motion earlier this year (from April 18 to May 11 2010, in the zodiac sign of Taurus). Mercury is the communications planet in astrology, so I suppose it makes sense that tarot cards, as “messengers” might appear upside down. The question here, I think, is, do they then especially carry reversed messages? I think the answer is that yes, they do – and possibly more.
A clue as to the “what and why” of this can be found through a comparison with retrograde planets in astrology. Frequently, when planets are retrograde, we end up going over things again, either at the time of the retrograde path or soon after it. We end up reviewing matters or revisiting ideas, places and people. Sometimes the world itself seems turned upside down, or at least our own little world may do. Nothing seems to work the way we expect it to. Other people don’t respond the way we think they will. Everything is confusing! In a specific sense this is like the normal appearance of card XII The Hanged Man, in the Major Arcana, which is an image of someone permanently upside down! But in broader terms, across the deck, I think that reversed tarot cards often show these various themes, too: confusion, things being the opposite of what we expect, feeling the need to look again at everything – and so on. It probably doesn’t matter if the cards happen to show up that way when planets are also apparently reversing (so you don’t actually need to know any astrology to make any sense of this, if you are a tarot reader!). What does matter is that there is some sort of linkage of ideas here. The clue, just as with understanding what retrograde planets are about, is really simple – it is to have a think about any words that begin with the prefix “Re”. Because those words will often tell you what the problem is. As a verb prefix in the English language, “Re” simply means “again” or “back”. So, to review is to look over again and to return is to turn back, to revisit is to visit again, to reinforce is to enforce something again – and so it goes on.
Here is a recent example of what I mean, when it comes to tarot reversals.
You may not be too surprised to hear that I have received a lot of questions about work and money, during the current recession (another “re” word!). The Two of Wands, from the Minor Arcana, turned up reversed in a reading for someone who was finding they could not move ahead in the same old way in their world of work. The main issue was that they had to realise that they no longer had the energy and passion for the work that they were doing. They were feeling burnt out and exhausted in that area. So the key here was a need to recharge and review the situation. Confusingly, they had ended up demoted into a role that they felt was beneath them. It was like they were forced to revert to something from the past. To me, this card was showing that the brakes were on, but for a good reason. This person could not just go on as they had done. They had to stop and reconsider everything achieved so far and look at what was now going to work for the future, too. Could it be that they would become resigned to this situation or that they could see some new way of moving forward? Surrounding cards, which were upright, gave clues as to a new approach that would help for the future. However, the one reversed card, the Two of Wands, spoke reams about the problem and the need for action of a certain kind.
It has taken me a long time to feel really comfortable working with reversed cards. Generally, I have done my best to interpret them. Sometimes I have noted them whilst feeling that I did not fully understand, in that moment, what they were trying to show. More recently I have increasingly felt that the reversals are truly there for a reason and have felt their message was clearer. Have you had any memorable experiences with reversed tarot cards in your readings, I wonder? If so why not share about them. If not, I wish you some meaningful – and hopefully useful and helpful – experiences in the future!
Celestially Yours...
https://mindbliss.co.uk/
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Planets as Symbols, not Causal Agents
People have a lot of ideas about Astrology. Not all of those ideas always match! The view that has always made the most sense to me is of Astrology as a symbolic language - at least in the modern way that we tend to use it today.
A symbolic language means that, quite simply, the symbols used in Astrology tell us something. There are various symbols including signs (signs of the zodiac) and planetary symbols and even the individual shapes that make these up - the lines, circles, semicircles, for example - even these symbolise something. Each symbol stands for something and when we translate the meaning of that symbol and make the something relevant in a context, then we can start to make Astrology useful.
There are two views that frequently come across from people who are curious about Astrology, or have formulated some ideas about it, but who may not have looked into it in any great depth - for whatever reason. And why should they, unless it's something they want to use in some particular way?
The first view probably comes from ideas about ancient cultures and this is that the planets in Astrology have some sort of power within them, which gives them a causal relationship with people and events here on Earth. The danger of this view is that, reducing it down, it can make it seem as though people are just victims of fated. The idea that everything is "written in the stars" is linked with this view. It is perhaps quite a romantic view, some would say spiritual - but it cannot be more than a view or belief, because there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that planets (or stars) cause anything. There is some argument for a relationship between the Moon and the tides - and this can be stretched to maybe make a link between the Moon and water in humans - but this really is unique to the Moon alone!
The second view is more typically modern and that is that Astrology is somehow scientific. It is a view usually not held by scientists! However, that does not mean that every single scientist puts no store by Astrology - just that they would be unlikely to associate it with being scientific. It is perhaps easy to see why anyone might assume that there is some sort of relationship between Astrology and science, though. After all, the Greek's who contributed a great amount to the subject historically, thought they were treating it that way. It is perhaps also easy to assume that Astronomy and Astrology are one and the same thing. The fact is that, for ancient people, for a time, they were. But there has been a schism in the history of Astrology, which means that it is considered as a separate subject from Astronomy.
It is important for us to remember, then, in any modern practise of Astrology, that planets are first of all observed through the practice of Astronomy (as physical objects in the sky) and then studied by Astrologers and understood symbolically through the practice of Astrology - the reading of the language of the planets, signs, houses etc. This is usually through numbers and symbols in charts (circular diagrams plotting out the placement of planets in zodiac signs at any one time) or in tables and books such as Raphael's Astrological ephemeris, which list out those planetary positions on any particular date.
Conclusion: As Astrologers, if we are asked are planets causal agents, we really have to admit that no, they are not. Sometimes the way we talk about them - and even think about them - can make it sound like we're saying that they are causing something. But it is not true to say that a planet causes anything. Astrology is a symbolic language and it reflects what is happening around us. It is descriptive of situations, characteristics and energies. It may sum up the flavour of a situation, if we choose to read its language and interpret it. But it does not cause the situation. If we are asked if Astrology is scientific, equally, we have to say no, it is not. There is a lot of recording of data, tabulating and mathematics involved in the gathering the information we need in order to cast a chart, ready for our interpretation of its symbols. And, over time, we may observe similarities with regard to the translation of those symbols. In fact, Astrologers have done this for years and some of them have written down and passed on agreed "meanings" or interpretations for specific sets of symbols. We can read these in our text books and through other literature, or we may observe and share them in our discussions with one another about our practise of Astrology. Planets are simply part of the symbolic language of Astrology that Astrologers can become fluent in - with practice!
Celestial Blessings!
Visit our website, for Astrology consultations and more....
http://mindbliss.co.uk
A symbolic language means that, quite simply, the symbols used in Astrology tell us something. There are various symbols including signs (signs of the zodiac) and planetary symbols and even the individual shapes that make these up - the lines, circles, semicircles, for example - even these symbolise something. Each symbol stands for something and when we translate the meaning of that symbol and make the something relevant in a context, then we can start to make Astrology useful.
There are two views that frequently come across from people who are curious about Astrology, or have formulated some ideas about it, but who may not have looked into it in any great depth - for whatever reason. And why should they, unless it's something they want to use in some particular way?
The first view probably comes from ideas about ancient cultures and this is that the planets in Astrology have some sort of power within them, which gives them a causal relationship with people and events here on Earth. The danger of this view is that, reducing it down, it can make it seem as though people are just victims of fated. The idea that everything is "written in the stars" is linked with this view. It is perhaps quite a romantic view, some would say spiritual - but it cannot be more than a view or belief, because there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that planets (or stars) cause anything. There is some argument for a relationship between the Moon and the tides - and this can be stretched to maybe make a link between the Moon and water in humans - but this really is unique to the Moon alone!
The second view is more typically modern and that is that Astrology is somehow scientific. It is a view usually not held by scientists! However, that does not mean that every single scientist puts no store by Astrology - just that they would be unlikely to associate it with being scientific. It is perhaps easy to see why anyone might assume that there is some sort of relationship between Astrology and science, though. After all, the Greek's who contributed a great amount to the subject historically, thought they were treating it that way. It is perhaps also easy to assume that Astronomy and Astrology are one and the same thing. The fact is that, for ancient people, for a time, they were. But there has been a schism in the history of Astrology, which means that it is considered as a separate subject from Astronomy.
It is important for us to remember, then, in any modern practise of Astrology, that planets are first of all observed through the practice of Astronomy (as physical objects in the sky) and then studied by Astrologers and understood symbolically through the practice of Astrology - the reading of the language of the planets, signs, houses etc. This is usually through numbers and symbols in charts (circular diagrams plotting out the placement of planets in zodiac signs at any one time) or in tables and books such as Raphael's Astrological ephemeris, which list out those planetary positions on any particular date.
Conclusion: As Astrologers, if we are asked are planets causal agents, we really have to admit that no, they are not. Sometimes the way we talk about them - and even think about them - can make it sound like we're saying that they are causing something. But it is not true to say that a planet causes anything. Astrology is a symbolic language and it reflects what is happening around us. It is descriptive of situations, characteristics and energies. It may sum up the flavour of a situation, if we choose to read its language and interpret it. But it does not cause the situation. If we are asked if Astrology is scientific, equally, we have to say no, it is not. There is a lot of recording of data, tabulating and mathematics involved in the gathering the information we need in order to cast a chart, ready for our interpretation of its symbols. And, over time, we may observe similarities with regard to the translation of those symbols. In fact, Astrologers have done this for years and some of them have written down and passed on agreed "meanings" or interpretations for specific sets of symbols. We can read these in our text books and through other literature, or we may observe and share them in our discussions with one another about our practise of Astrology. Planets are simply part of the symbolic language of Astrology that Astrologers can become fluent in - with practice!
Celestial Blessings!
Visit our website, for Astrology consultations and more....
http://mindbliss.co.uk
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Jupiter into Aquarius January 2009
This is the real signature of the New Year in 2009. Although Mercury is going to be retrograde again from 11th-31st January (see the previous post for more info on Mercury Rx) Jupiter's January 5th move into Aquarius points to a great many things going forward. Aquarius is a forward thinking sign by and large - although this is tempered by a dual rulership by two planets: Uranus and Saturn. Uranus is linked with revolutions whilst Saturn is much more traditional and reserved by nature. So we may see a little of both of those themes as we experience the reflection of Jupiter's change of sign. Some people will want to hold on to the status quo and will be conserving energy and giving blessings for what they already have. Others will be keen - or even forced - to make a brand new start. This could coincide with great upheaval at one end of the scale and refusing to do anything other than stay put at the other! But there is a revolutionary spirit to Jupiter in Aquarius, either way and many people will no doubt think of just reasons for their choices, either as change goes on around them or as they become the instigators of change.
The theme of 2012, its planetary picture and the changes predicted by the Maya peoples many years back is being much discussed in astrological and spiritual circles at this time, too. Look out for more on this in the near future!
A Happy New Year to All from Celestia
The theme of 2012, its planetary picture and the changes predicted by the Maya peoples many years back is being much discussed in astrological and spiritual circles at this time, too. Look out for more on this in the near future!
A Happy New Year to All from Celestia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)