Monday, January 25, 2010

Personal Conflict, Astrology and "Stuff."

First consider: You are on an island in the great ocean. You were born there and so were your parents. There are no roads, just paths from one set of huts to another. All day you run along these paths, to and fro, playing with friends. Sometimes you carry wood or water or other items that contribute to daily health and happiness. You are blissful but obviously not informed of the world of television and cars. That world is the occult (beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or experience; mysterious).

This is the state of affairs that most humans find themselves in when they look at an astrological natal chart. "It's Greek to me. I have no idea what that means." is their first reaction.

So here are some words to encourage a little clarity.

Science shows us we are made of the elements found in that periodic chart you saw in your 8th grade science class. (Maybe you didn't see it but it was there). Science has also determined the source of those elements: Exploding stars left great clouds of dust which formed new stars, planets and organic life (that's you BTW).

Yes! Exploded stars are the source of all the atomic parts which comprise the human body. This star-stuff is all there is, materially speaking.

Science has also shown (the U.S Army actually proved this) that you can take a piece of flesh from your body, carry it great distances, lock it and you in separate lead lined rooms.Then they could poke you with a sharp object and the piece of still living flesh will react as if it was still attached to your body.

In other words we are all connected to all that is and no distance or barrier, perceived or otherwise not known, can separate us from the stuff from which we are made, the universe. The very word universe conjures this notion; uni = one, verse= song or utterance.

Now astrology.

We exist in a clock of sorts. Looking from outside the solar system this isn't a difficult image. Little balls of rock and gas, heavy and light relatively, swirling around in the medium of space (space, a misnomer if there ever was one, think "dark matter"), each having it's minute electromagnetic influence on the objects around it.

Actually some influences are not so minute. The earth swells up when the moon passes over head. And it's not such a small swell.

OK... what about you and me? The key is found in the heavenly bodies influence on the ductless glands, e.g. the adrenal glands. Read more about them here.

These glands vary in sensitivity to changes in everything from the physical to the psychic environment. They regulate the other functions of the body and hence impact the mind.

More basic astrology: Natal charts are round, representing the earth at the time you were born, drawn on paper. The left side of the circle shows the Eastern hemisphere, the upper half what was "above the Earth," the right half is Western side and the lower half the "below" the Earth. You, meaning your body-mind, are both the earth and on the Earth.

The moment of your birth becomes an impression that is so powerful it will last till your body dies. (Read more about that first impression here.)

If the planet Mars is in a positions that is called sensitive, like just coming up over the Eastern horizon the moment of your birth (rising, or dawning as it were) your body-mind will register this as a stronger influence than if it were at, let's say, the ten o:clock position. The adrenal glands which have to do with action and are strongly influenced by Mars will be "turned up" a notch. For the duration of your physical life.

The position of a planet in the chart tends to determine it's strength of influence. Hence "sensitive" areas. There have been scientific, statistical studies, see here.

Let's advance out thoughts on this. Keep the picture... Mars is shining on your "cute face" and hopefully mother has you in her arms, cooing and saying "what a beautiful baby." The rest of the planets are out there as well, all giving you a "first impression" of your new body-mind. One of them, Saturn, the planet influencing maturation of body-mind through crystallization (bones come to mind) is over on the Western side of the wheel of life (chart) directly opposite Mars. Adrenaline, from the adrenals ruled by Mars, is fluid metal (notice someone's breath after they've had a fright or got angry or been out playing hard at kick ball and you'll know what I mean by metal). Saturn influences the bones or, as one can easily see when things harden, resistance. So what we have is Mars inspiring action opposed by Saturn resisting, or... conflict.

This is just one perspective on a very complex scene: Mars (rising) in the Twelfth House opposite Saturn (setting) in the Sixth House. There could be a wide variety of potential experiences available; ranging from stifled action resulting in bone-breaking situations as it is projected onto the body, to the ability to act responsibly to mitigate karmic debts, and more. Much More.

Any body opposite any other body in astrology is referred to as opposition. Image it like two pebbles thrown into a pond at the same time, ripples spreading out to meet each other. They will have a tendency to change the surface of the pond in a more pronounced way than they would if dropped separately. If the ripples (vibrational influence) are not in accord by nature, as in the case of Saturn (resistance) and Mars (action), discord and turbulance is the experience. Will has to be constantly applied in some measure to balance the conflicting energies.



If the two bodies were Venus and Neptune you could get a conflict, especially if there are other influences of a less harmonious nature. However, these two planets like each other. Venus is the lower octave of Neptune (just like musical notes, planets vibrate at specific wavelengths). As a result you are more likely to get artistic (Venus) interests that have a spiritual or mystical nature (Neptune) and an "other worldly" quality to the personality.

So what's my point? It's this: If you find you have conflict in your life on a regular basis, whether it's with others, with an idea, or any two or more "things" that exist in either your material or mental universe, you can pretty much bet there are two or more heavenly bodies in opposition in your natal chart.

Learning how to cope requires help. No one comes to self awareness alone. And few study astrology and even fewer of those who study are good at it.

A note of caution: These planetary influences are not an excuse for "fussin and fighten my friend." Even though the influences of the heavens are often quite strong they are never stronger than a will to change. You choose the response, it never chooses you.

If you want to master conflict, I mean if you really want to... check this out. This is real help that puts you in the driver's seat!

Friday, January 1, 2010


"Out of site,
Out of mind,
All I needed was a rhyme for you
c'est la vie"

Greg Lake








Here is a list of the subjects I'll attempt to bring to note over the next few months. I am hesitant to consider an entire year. Best laid plans... and all that jazz.

Sex and commitment.

Some cool stuff about Astrology.

Repeating dreams.

Justification for believing in "past lives."

Stories from the "edge of the cliff I walk."

The three poisons; ignorance, desire and aversion.

The Chicken Or The Egg
or
Your Good Cluck Charm.

Destiny versus Fate.

And hopefully more...

Feel free to suggest a subject or topic and patiently wait for inspiration.

In the meantime should you like to read something written about ten years ago on the subjects of first breath, the birth process and the lies we take from our first moment of ensoulment go here.