Tag Archives: God

Looking for God Through Astrology

Pisces-Sept07-DE7863sAR800Is the urge to spirituality innate?

Carl Jung certainly thought so.

He suggested the need to make connection with something greater than yourself is only make you feel truly alive.

One way to look for this connection is through your natal birth chart. You must be prepared, however, to look further afield than Jupiter and Neptune –  the ‘usual’ astrological significations of spirituality. Remember that every planet represented in your chart, was once a god or goddess in his or her own right.

Naturally this isn’t easy – getting in touch with the numinous. It could even be dangerous. As Liz Greene has always been quick to remind us, personally expressing the energies of outer planets like Uranus, Neptune and Pluto can not only be overwhelming but pathological.

So for now we’ll stick to the inner planets – are you up to the challenge?

To get an idea how this might work for you, look at your strongest and most influential planets (by sign and house placement)– and don’t forget the ruler of your ascendant – your chart ruler. For example, with Libra rising focus on your Venus. If your Sun is in Leo (the Sun rules Leo), then look there. If your Jupiter is in Cancer (where it is exalted) then focus on that.

While reading the rest of this post, lease keep in mind that for these purposes, ‘spirituality’ = finding a sense of meaning and purpose through connecting with that which lies beyond your ken.

 

Sun Solar energy is key to how you bring spiritual urges into personal expression  – this is accomplished not by sacrificing your ego, but by honouring it. You are every bit as much a part of creation as everyone – and everything – else. Because, as myths of ancient Egypt remind us, the Sun passes through the underworld (below the horizon) each and every day, your solar experience of spirituality could even manifest as a life and death struggle.

 

For example, with Sun in Scorpio you might undergo psychoanalysis –or act as a therapist (or shaman) for others in this way. That which you extract from working with your unconscious (for example, by dream work) may give you a sense of that which lies beyond.
Moon Lunar energy manifests through feelings of belonging and shared experience. Get tactile – get earthy – even organic – the lunar experience of spirituality is not about flying off to some lofty place – but about embodiment. The connection here is through the circle of life – in this earth plane.

 

For example, with Moon in Taurus you might  go to classes in yoga, undertake communal gardening, or even practice Zen Buddhism. The more you get in touch with your shared physical world, the more you’ll feel in touch with the lunar version of the divine.
Mercury With Mercury, spirituality is about discovery, solving problems, and making connections.  This doesn’t have much place in Piscean religions like Christianity because to question too much is considered to destroy faith. But as the great astronomical shift from the Age or Pisces into the Age of Aquarius progresses, Mercury can be expected to again take centre stage. For the power of ‘comprehension’ was worshipped as a god by the ancients– through the development of language and the discovery of how to harness ‘tools’ like the wheel.

 

For example, with Mercury in Gemini you might take up blogging – not just the kind where you shoot off the first thing that comes to mind, but that which takes research and serious consideration.
Venus The key to Venusian spirituality is not only that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but also it can be found everywhere. In this regard, beauty is not just pretty or cute or nice – but that which literally brings tears to your eyes. Real beauty (once a key component of the ‘sublime’) by the very nature of the experience takes you ‘out of yourself’. Take your cue from the Renaissance whence art was considered not only the most natural expression of spiritual feeling but also the containment of the quintessence of reality.

 

For example, with Venus in Libra, you might take a course in art history or even learn to paint and draw. If it’s beautiful to you, then it carries some aspect of the divine for you and your job is to appreciate that for what it is.
Mars Most are familiar with the image of an angry god – just have a look at the Bible’s Old Testament. But Martian spirituality can also manifest in heroic undertakings like ‘fight’ for what is ‘right’. The trick here is to make sure you’ve really got a grip on whatever it is that for which you’re fighting = with Mars, it easy to get lost with  ‘might’ makes ‘right’.  Important civilizing qualities like tolerance and understanding are not Martian things.

 

For example, with Mars in Aries you might volunteer to work in a rape crisis call centre or train to work as part of an ambulance or other rescue team– anything what will get you into touch with the many manifestations of violence and aggression will help you to understand that the divine truly has many face.
Jupiter Astrological Jupiter can function as your personal connection to the ‘divine plan’ – however it is that you perceive it.The idea is to plug into the ‘global context’ – to become connected with that which is truly outside yourself. When you find meaning in the greater patterns of the world, you’ve found the path to your own spiritual growth.

 

For example, with Jupiter in Sagittarius, you might take up the study of comparative religion – with the expectation that learning about the many manifestations of ‘Divine’ across time and cultures might will help you to get a grip on what’s right for you.
Saturn Saturn is oft associated with the teachings of traditional religions because it is so keen on ‘following rules’. But don’t forget that Saturn can also focus its quest for spirituality through other types of laws like those of science or society.

 

For example, with Saturn in Capricorn, you might  become involved with your local church. Not just in a superficial way like as an usher, but perhaps as a layman or Sunday School teacher.  Similarly, if you don’t already have a career in law, you might want to become a magistrate or justice of the peace. You’re looking for anything that takes you out of your ordinary sphere of influence while still retaining structure.
Uranus Uranus imparts the need to get a glimpse of what lies beyond the veil (i.e. the tarot  High Priestess).  The mystery lies in how all the parts fit together – the here and the now and the above and beyond – there’s a connection for certain – and it’s the job of Uranus to find it. Unlike with Saturn, Uranus can never do this through organised religion. Structure and form are merely bonds for Uranus to break – it its urge to greater and more powerful revelations.

No example is given here because the energy of Uranus is considered too strong and dangerous to be channelled individually.  If you have Aquarius rising, look to Saturn as the traditional ruler.

 
Neptune

 

 Neptune searches for unity through ‘meltdown’ and dissolution of the ego/self. Christianity is perfect for Neptunian seekers – especially the mystical side of the tradition.

 

No example is given here because the energy of Neptune is considered too strong and dangerous to be channelled individually.  If you have Pisces rising, look to Jupiter as the traditional ruler.
Pluto Pluto represents the face of spirituality bound up with evolutionary processes – this is the ultimate of the survival of the fittest.  Read the work of Teilhard de Chardon – who not only was a Jesuit priest, but also a first class philosopher and palaeontologist.

 

Again, no example is given because the energy of Pluto is too strong and dangerous to be channelled individually.  If you have Scorpio rising, look to Mars as the traditional ruler.

 

And all you wanted was a good ghost story…

imagesMy new novel will be ‘postmodern Gothic’.

Thus I must understand the nature of the beast.

Terror has been central to Gothic literature since it first emerged in the 18th century.  Although the goal of Gothic remains unchanged – to  give voice to societal fears and desires – the goal posts have shifted.

Instead of fearing loss of meaning as did our forefathers, post-moderns fear loss of connection with self and reality. Makes perfect sense in today’s world where entertainment, information, and communication technologies provide experiences more intense – and gratifying – than RL.

In the old days, terror was generated through encounters with various aspects of the supernatural with emphasis on the duality between good and evil. This was achieved through elements of the ‘sublime’  –  that quality in nature which inspires awe, reverence, and other high emotion (OED, noun. 1. b). Hence the emphasis on turbulent landscapes, sinister forests and darkening skies.

Postmodern gothic also centres on the sublime – but no longer is the emphasis on the representable characteristics of nature such as landscapes, forests and skies, but on that which we can conceive- but cannot represent.

Strange enough, herein lies the connection between the 18th century preoccupation with meaninglessness and the 21st century preoccupation with loss of connection with self and reality; regardless whether represented or not, the sublime bridges the boundaries between the visible and invisible.

We establish boundaries through cosmologies or systems of thought through which to order our world. The sublime requires a certain type of cosmology – a psychologically spatial orientation of that which is ‘me’ and that which is ‘other than me’. It is through the shift between the microcosm and macrocosm and back again that we enlarge our perspective and transcend the boundaries of our cosmology.

The unthinkable happens.

 Thought is paralysed.

 Through circumscribing the Idea by image, the Idea is negated.

We comprehend that which lies beyond the borders of our cosmology as ineffable – or perhaps even as God?

In The Idea of the Holy, Rudolph Otto reminds us that fear, shock, and panic are all reactions attributed to experiencing traditional gods like that worshipped in Christianity – attributes like ‘goodness’ and ‘benevolence’ being idealist after-the-fact add-ons.

But according the psychologist James Hillman (An Essay on Pan), more primitive gods – like the great god Pan – seize us not in words but in immediate psychic shock. According to Hillman, in order to grasp Pan as nature we must first be grasped by nature.

So where does this leave us with the postmodern Gothic?

Full circle to 18th century concepts of Gothic and the sublime as an aspect of nature – but – according to my new heroine, Harriet, this time around the stakes are much higher.

Harriet's new home in SN_001

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The Pinch of Pisces

pisces-tiny-blueAccording to mundane astrologers, the conjunction of Neptune/Pluto heralds transformation on a mass scale – old empires dissolve and ancient institutions crumble.

Almost overnight art, science, and religion change direction and people change their whole outlook on life. Although the effect will be felt immediately, it will take well over 100 years until the seeds sown at the conjunction will have fully sprouted with the incoming square (the average synodic cycle of Neptune/Pluto is 492 years).

The current Neptune/Pluto cycle commenced in the 1880’s-1890’s when perceptions of ‘reality’ underwent an extreme makeover: for example – Sigmund Freud published Studies in Hysteria (a significant breakthrough in the study of the human mind) and William James published The Principles of Psychology, another boundary-pushing landmark in humanistic psychology.

In The Astrological Neptune and the Quest for Redemption, Liz Greene suggests that the Neptune/Pluto expresses itself primarily through religion.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that in 1882 (The Gay Science), Nietzsche proclaimed that ‘God is dead’?

Imagine that it’s now 2063 and that incoming square is upon us.

Not only has post humanism made redundant our most fundamental assumption that God is superior to man but also that man is in turn superior to nature. This leaves nothing left but nature and the funny thing is that the distinctions were all manmade in the first place.

If you want to learn how this all turns out, the follow this blog as, building on the work of William James, I commence my next novel  – The Pinch of Pisces.

As one character will so aptly put it:

“Today, the idea that there’s a separate God, or whatever you like to call the numen driving the universe, is clearly bunk.  It’s all a matter of perception.”

Enjoy the Garden of Eden – Today is an Ace of Coins

With the upcoming new moon in Taurus, today is an Ace of Coins day.

In the Kabbalah, all the aces belong to Kether which is the topmost sefira on the Tree.  It’s from Kether that all creation arises and, because of its correspondence to the crown chakra, it is the point through which divine energy enters your body.

Literally, Kabbalah means ‘receiving’.  It’s the study of how you receive fulfilment in your life.  On an Ace of Coins day, you are about to receive something big.  The gift of Coins is nothing less than that of incarnation and materiality.

Contrary to popular belief this does not necessarily mean financial riches – although in certain circumstances – it might do.

Instead, the Ace of Coins promises luck and success in all your spiritual and material comings and goings – whatever they may be.

When dealing with this energy,  it’s worth remembering that in the Judeo-Christian religion the first gift from God was the Garden of Eden.  Indeed in many versions of the tarot deck, the Ace of Coins is represented by a garden brimming with red roses and white lilies.

What a wonderful gift –  an earthly paradise in which to wander  – where green grass grows and blue waters flow and the sparkling stars come out each night.  This paradise is your birthright as well as your home.  Yet if you fail to take proper care of it, you could find yourself quite literally – like Adam and Eve – out in the cold.

So on a Ace of Coins day, take time out to consider the material resources available to you and yours as well as to honour that from which they emanate.  It also wouldn’t hurt to consider what you need to do to ensure that these blessings remain forever yours to enjoy.

The Astrological Houses of Air & The Word of God

“In the beginning was the Word.” (Prologue to the Gospel of John, The Bible).

With the ‘Word’, God created the universe from the formless dark.  He tamed chaos through organization of matter into a blueprint of His ‘idea’.  Once named, things can be identified as separate from us and accordingly, can be experienced.

Plato believed that timeless archetypal ‘ideas’ format our everyday experience of reality.[1] This is good ‘air stuff’.  Not surprisingly, air folks operate through ‘preconceived ideas’ of the ‘perfect’ world.  It is in air houses (3rd, 7th, and the 11th), that you manifest your ideas even if you are often disappointed when they don’t accord with ‘reality’.

How might this work in practice?

In the 3rd house, you learn about the ‘word’.  Planets here must inform your ‘idea’ (i.e. blueprint plan) of how the world turns.  In the 7th house, you meet the ‘other’ and go crazy when he/she doesn’t comply with your plan.  Planets here must polarize, contrast, and compare.  Expect debate and disagreement as you discover the world doesn’t turn quite as you’d planned.  In the 11th house, you bring your ideas to a wider audience.  Through association, you give voice to your idea of how the world should turn.

Air house planets are often restless and unhappy.  They regularly generate a good deal of sense ‘chatter’ rather like a group of kids on a school trip.  However with focus, planets in the air houses can tap into the primal energy of the ‘first cause’ and personally experience the ‘will of God’. [2]


Magicians know that the pure ‘Will’ of every man is already in perfect harmony with the ‘divine will’ and in face they are one and the same.[3] Will however is not the same as the Ego.[4] Call it what you like – Tao, Platonic Ideals, Divine Will, or ‘just the way things are’ – you are part of a greater cosmic plan and you prosper when you act in harmony with that plan.  You are a magician when you consciously work to effect change rather than reacting unconsciously to external events.

“Magick is the Science and Art of causing change to occur inconformity with Will” (Magick in Theory and Practice, Paris: Lecram press, 1929, Reprint, New York: Magickal Childe Publications, 1990.

It would seem that the air houses are where you can best practice Magick.   It is here that you experience the feminine giving ‘manifest’ form to the ‘intention’ of the masculine.  Within ‘her’ you keep from being lost in the fog as you take form, grow, and achieve fulfilment.

In the air houses you manifest the ‘Word” of God.

[1] Timothy Freke, The Illustrated Book of Sacred Scriptures, Quest Books, Illinois (1998), p. 22.  Actually this concept is older than Plato.  According to the Hermetica, the word is the primal vibration through which the universe manifests – it is ‘the idea of beautiful order’.

[2] The Cosmological Argument, also known as the First Cause Argument, is one of the most important arguments for the existence of God.  This is not only because it is one of the most convincing, but also because it is the one most used.  The idea that everything that happens must have a cause, and that the first cause of everything must have been God, is widespread.

[3] Lon Mil Duquette, The Magick of Thelema, Samuel Weiser, Inc. York Beach, ME (1993), p. 3.

[4] The Ego has a hero-like mantle that does violence against nature; killing and maiming are standard Ego/hero activities.  Action is a modern Egocentric mantra – i.e. must ‘make it happen’.  Contrast this with ‘Will’, which, as I understand it, is expressed in complete harmony with nature and with faith and trust in life.  The story of the Velveteen Rabbit is a good example.  Here a toy rabbit becomes a ‘real’ rabbit by states.  First he learns about the power of ‘love’s as he becomes the treasured to of the Boy.  Later, when as the result of an outbreak of scarlet fever he is to be destroyed, he sheds a ‘real tear’ as he remembers the magic of his special relationship with the Bly.  At this point, a fairy turns him into a real rabbit because he has earned it. Conscious acceptance of the pain of living rather than knee-jerk struggle against it, allowed The Velveteen Rabbit to become truly alive.

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Astrological oppositions & the Gateway to the Garden of Eden

What I’m going to do is split every single one of them into two halves (regarding Zeus’ solution to the overambitious human androgynies, Plato, Symposium)

Astrological oppositions are dynamic.   They pull us off balance to catch our attention.  They force growth.  They require psychological projection, conflict & challenge, confrontation, and finally (hopefully) compromise.  Apparently there is no way to avoid oppositions.  Like castor oil, they are good for us – like them or not.

Oppositions divide the circle of unity by two.  God created man in his own image; the God-image lodged in a creature of earth is both a (1) union of oppositions (matter and spirit), and (2) disunion with the divine. [1] In Judeo-Christian traditions Eve and the snake get the blame for this because the tree of knowledge gave awareness of dichotomy (i.e. good & evil – life & death).  Paradoxically, this awareness is what signals our birth of consciousness into earthly existence.  We are no longer at one with God.

Although dichotomies, dyads, and duality are central to every aspect of life, they have a bad reputation.  Polarization, splitting, and blame are popular remedies.  It’s as if we must go completely off balance and experience the extremes before heading for middle ground.  Have a look at the newspapers; this certainly seems to be the case.

Alternatively, as a solution I suggest détente; I envision this as a Mercury/Venus function.[2] Mercury facilitates intercourse between the opposing parties like a shaman realigning the relationship between body and spirit.  It is interesting that Alice Bailey considered Mercury  – not Mars – to be the esoteric ruler of Aries (the sign of ‘action’).  One might then suggest that ‘thought’ is the basis of ‘action’ and should precede it – not the other way around.    While Mercury does his realignment thing, Venus diplomatically smoothes ruffled relations long enough for each to get in touch with his own values and make choices accordingly.

Many religions focus on the reunification of the ‘two’ with the ‘one’.  My Judeo-Christian legacy bequeathed me a jealous and angry God who is, himself, split between the halos of heaven and the eternal fires of hell.  Perhaps it is through a positive attitude (Mercury – the alchemist) and a between relationship with the ‘tree of knowledge’ (Venus – living with our choices) that we can find our way back to ‘The Garden’.

[1] Edward, F. Edinger, The Bible and the Psyche, Individuation Symbolism in the Old Testament, Inner City Books, Toronto, (1986), p. 21.

[2] The key to détente (a phrase coined during 1965-1972 as a solution to the US/USSR Cold War/ Arms Race) may be demonstrated by Henry Kissinger (who was heavily associated with the concept).  He has a heavy Venus/Mercury influence (Gemini/Libra) and Chiron in Aries opposite Saturn/ Moon in Libra that runs across his 3rd/9th houses.  He also has Sun/Mercury (conjunct) in Gemini in the 10th house.

NOTE – artwork borrowed from http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/ToeTagJaneDoe/tag/jakebaddeley-paintings/

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