DISAPPEARING ACT: Saga of the Solar Eclipse
By Judith Goldberg, MFA

“Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day,
hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men.’
  Archilochus — Greek poet on the eclipse of April 6, 647 B.C.
 

Darkness at Noon
One of my daughter´s favorite reads in pre-school was a little gem of a picture book called “Someone is Eating the Sun’ (Ruth Sonneborn, 1974) In this Chicken Little spin- off, Hen is startled by a darkening midday sky and notices that a piece of the sun is missing. She summarily spreads the alarm that the sun is being eaten. As the “bite’ gets bigger, so does pandemonium in the barnyard, until a wise old turtle finally dispels the rumor. By the time light and order are restored, young readers have absorbed a basic lesson in eclipses.  
Children´s growing awareness of their surroundings parallels the unfolding of our scientific understanding over centuries. Many ancient peoples throughout Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and even parts of Africa and Europe, believed that eclipses were caused by a dragon devouring the sun or moon. The term for eclipse in the Chinese language is "shih" which also means "to eat"; a solar eclipse is "zhishi" or "sun-eat’, a lunar eclipse, “yueshi’ or “moon eat’. 

Eclipses inspired fear and awe in our early ancestors, who regulated their lives by the motions of the sun, moon and stars. The skies were orderly and dependable, except for the occurrence of an eclipse. During those times, chaos reigned, accompanied by much begging and praying for the return of the sun or moon. Rituals such as the banging of brass kettles, beating of drums, and shooting of flaming arrows, were employed to scare off the celestial serpent.

Cast in Stone
Prehistoric monuments all over the globe were built as astronomical observatories by ancient peoples. Stonehenge, in England, is undeniably the most famous of these. In the 1960s, Boston University Astronomer Gerald Hawkins discovered dozens of celestial alignments at Stonehenge that match the rising and setting points of the sun, moon and fixed stars at various times of the year. Strong evidence exists that structural elements in this and in dozens of other monuments were designed to predict eclipses. 

Eclipses follow cyclical patterns. They occur in pairs, on consecutive new and full moons, at six month intervals, and only when the sun, moon and earth are aligned on the ecliptic, an imaginary line in space circumscribing the apparent orbit of the sun around the earth. The moon wanders north and south of the ecliptic during the course of each month. In prehistoric art, this movement is often represented by a wavy line or a serpent, perhaps giving rise to the naming of the moon´s nodes (points in the northern and southern hemispheres where the moon´s orbit crosses the ecliptic) as the serpent´s head and tail.

The King is Dead
Historically, in all cultures, eclipses were thought to be bad omens. Their accurate prediction was often considered a matter of life and death. Solar eclipses were deemed particularly lethal to rulers, the sun being a symbol of kingship. In 2134 B.C. two royal astronomers, were beheaded for failing to perform the eclipse rites that would protect the Chinese Emperor — also known as the 'Son of the Sky'-- from the celestial dragon. The death of Empress Suiko of Japan was attributed to the total eclipse of April 10th, 628 A.D. The Anglo Saxon Chronicles for May 1, 664 A.D. record, "In this year the Sun was eclipsed … and Earcenbryht, the King of the Kentish people died.’ Emperor Louis of Bavaria, son of Charlemagne, supposedly died of fright during the 5 minutes of eclipse totality he witnessed in 840 A.D. As late as the 17th Century England, John Milton wrote in Paradise Lost: "The Sun in dim eclipse disastrous twilight sheds on half the nations, and with fear of change perplexes monarchs."

Wars have been won and lost because of eclipses. The most famous eclipse of classical times occurred on May 28, 585 B.C. in the midst of a battle between the Medes and the Lydians. According to Greek historian Herodotus, when "the day was turned into night’, both sides immediately ceased hostilities. Conversely, Thucydides tells of the demise of Athens due to a delay in the departure of a military expedition against the Syracusians. Soothsayers had prescribed that they remain in port thrice nine days following a lunar eclipse.

The Good Book
The Bible is filled with prophetic eclipse references, e.g. "The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the lord." (Acts 2:20) “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; (Matthew 24:2) "And on that day," says the Lord God, "I will make the Sun go down at noon, and darken the Earth in broad daylight." (Amos Chapter 8, Verse 9 - Old Testament) This reference to the eclipse of June 15, 763 B.C. is confirmed by an Assyrian historical record known as the Eponym Canon. Clearly, eclipses were considered “Acts of God’, be it Zeus, Jehovah or the dragon god.
The best known biblical eclipse occurred during the crucifixion: “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Two Romanian astronomers were able to pinpoint the time and date of the crucifixion because records show that a solar eclipse occurred on Friday afternoon, April 3rd in 33 AD. The heavens were mirroring the loss of He who said “I am the light and the way’. Synchronistically, Pope John Paul II, whose official title as pontiff was “Christ´s representative on earth’, was born under a solar eclipse (May 18, 1920) and buried during a rare annular total eclipse (April 8, 2005).

The Shadow Knows
Eclipse lore may seem like quaint superstition, however, the legacy of negative imprinting remains within the collective psyche. Eclipses still pack a punch. Three metaphorical eclipse themes are prevalent. First, eclipses exemplify the archetypal battle between light and darkness, e.g. good vs. evil, enlightenment vs. ignorance or “being in the dark’, Heaven, realm of celestial light and Hell, the underworld. In modern psychological terms the conscious and the subconscious minds are containers for light and dark. The blockage of light reveals what´s hiding in the shadows.
Eclipses cast long shadows, both literally and figuratively. The physical shadow falls on the earth in all areas where the eclipse is visible. Catastrophe, the symbolic shadow, often follows in the path of an eclipse. To whit, on August 18th of 1999, Turkey suffered a deadly earthquake on the heels of the August 11th total eclipse of the sun. Following the quake, new revelations of illegal, substandard construction practices, responsible for the needless deaths of thousands, created a national scandal.  The second concept, “to eclipse’ can be defined as “to make less outstanding or important by comparison’ (per Webster´s Dictionary).  Additionally, eclipses reflect symbols of the signs of the zodiac in which they occur. For example, within days after the October 3rd, 2005 annular solar eclipse, a massive earthquake eclipsed a decades long war between India and Pakistan over disputed territory in Kashmir. The old adversaries were forced to cease hostilities and cooperate in rescue operations. 

Heading North
Third, eclipses reflect symbols of the astrological axis on which they occur. For example, a pair of eclipses in September of 2006—a Pisces lunar on the 7th and a Virgo solar on the 22nd, just before the Autumn Equinox, brought Virgo/Pisces issues to the fore. The moon´s nodes entered Pisces (North) and Virgo (south) on June 23rd 2006 and remained there until December 18th 2008. Symbolically, the nodes represent our evolutionary path. The South Node represents the past, and the North, the future. Nodes in our birth charts are personal, while the transiting nodes speak to the collective experience. The Nodes urge us to leave behind what no longer serves us (South) and embrace the new (North). Eclipses trigger this process. Recent examples are instructive.

Revelations
Space.com, carried this commentary on the lunar eclipse of September 7th 2006: “Unfortunately, North Americans will be completely shut out of this event, as it will be happening during the daytime when the Moon is below the horizon…For soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the entire eclipse will be visible from start to finish beginning a few hours after moonrise.’ Washington experienced the repercussions of this eclipse by proxy, as revelations of gross mismanagement (South Node in Virgo ruled) of the war surfaced. A timely tell-all expose hit bookstores on October 3rd. In “State of Denial’, Bob Woodward takes readers behind the scenes, into Rumsfeld´s “shadow government’ and lays bare the arrogance and incompetence within the DOD. Descriptions of the bloated, ineffectual, entrenched bureaucracy (also Virgo ruled) are especially appalling. Those not wishing to plough through all 526 pages can listen to an abridged audio CD or read an excerpt in NEWSWEEK (Oct 9 2006) that captures the essence of the book. 

Philanthropist, George Soros, interviewed on “Charlie Rose’ (PBS October 13th ) made this bold statement, “We must repudiate the war on terror’ he said, “because it has diverted our attention from everything else that we need to be doing.’ Some causes he named that have been “eclipsed’ are global warming, HIV AIDS, disaster relief, and genocide.
Amazing Grace
By contrast, even in this imperfect world, there are some rare and inspiring moments. Enter the Pisces North Node. Dateline NBC aired three remarkable stories on Friday October 7th, 2006. The subject matter appeared, on the surface, to be the usual sensationalistic fare—aftermath of the Amish school shooting, and interviews with families of two murdered teens. However, instead of the predictable anger, all parties were preaching forgiveness—a cornerstone of Piscean spiritual philosophy. Members of the Amish community forgave gunman, Charles Roberts, attended his funeral and prayed for his wife and children, even including them as beneficiaries of a charitable fund set up to help victims´ families. In a letter of gratitude to Amish Elders, Roberts´ widow, (quoted in a segment of NBC News, October 15, entitled “Amazing Grace’) stated “your compassion is reaching out beyond your community and changing the world’. 

In Dateline´s second feature, parents of slain schoolgirl, Emily Keyes, spoke about the “I Love You Guys Foundation’,  established as a memoriam “to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs…in collaboration with families, schools and communities’ They also initiated a campaign in their hometown of Bailey Colorado called “random acts of kindness for Emily.’ In segment three, Craig Scott, whose sister, Rachel, had been the first to die in the shooting rampage at Columbine High School, said in an interview that his “most important step was to forgive the gunmen, and that doing so set him free’.

Light Reappears
The North Node in Pisces encourages us to embrace a kinder, gentler way of life. Its lessons of forgiveness, compassion and grace are full of wisdom. Pisces dissolves boundaries--between ourselves and others; our separate selves and our Creator. All great spiritual traditions (Pisces ruled) teach that the Spirit of God lives within us as our inner light. We are being summoned to counteract the darkness by shining our own light into the world. Doing so illuminates the path for others to follow. We are the light and the way! Together, let´s create a brighter tomorrow.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
by Judith Goldberg
 
“We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts, we traverse afar…
following yonder star”
The Christmas story is one of the best known in history. Thanks to mass media, the details are familiar to even the most non-Christian among us—a donkey ride to Bethlehem, a crowded inn, a lowly manger, an angel, some shepherds and wise men, and that miraculous, yet enigmatic star. But is it fact or fiction? Despite two millennia of speculation, no one knows for certain when Jesus was born. Bible scholars, historians and astronomers have placed the event anywhere from 7 to 1 BC, based on circumstantial evidence and on a reading of the celestial map—that “star of wonder”.
The two biblical accounts of the Nativity are from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Key elements differ in each. The authors, writing between 50 and 70 AD, in the absence of eye witness accounts, relied heavily on oral tradition and hearsay, not to mention embellishment. In fact, the entire Christian myth appears to have been borrowed from pagan sources. Numerous religious figureheads in a variety of cultures which pre-date Christianity laid claim to hauntingly similar divine parentage and destinies. Of particular interest is Mithra, the man-god deity of the Middle Eastern cult of Zoroaster, who was born of a virgin in a stable on December 25th around 600 BC. His resurrection was celebrated at Easter. The one element unique to the Christian nativity may be that ubiquitous star. 

Historical Background
Two historical markers, the Roman census and the death of King Herod, allow us to hone in on the time frame. In the year 2 BC Rome celebrated the 750th year since its founding and the 25th jubilee year of the reign of Caesar Augustus. In this time of peace and prosperity, Augustus was addressed as the “Prince of Peace” (Sound familiar?) and given the title, “Pater Patriae”, or “Father of the Country”. In the prior year, 3 BC, a decree went out establishing a universal census whereby the entire Roman people would register their approval of the Emperor receiving this title. In the outlying provinces, subjects were required to travel to the city of their ancestry. In late summer or early fall, Mary and Joseph headed for Bethlehem.
At this time, Herod the Great was the much despised King of Judaea. Scholars have traditionally placed the time of Jesus’ birth before 4 BC, based on a statement in first century historian Flavious Josephus’ “Antiquities of the Jews” that Herod died in 4 BC. A recent discovery, however, has revealed a copying error of Josephus’ manuscript, dating from 1552. Prior volumes give a date of 1 BC. Josephus wrote that Herod died after a lunar eclipse and was buried before Passover. Eclipses, which were considered portents of kingly deaths, are also, due to their rarity, extremely useful date minders. There were lunar eclipses in March of 5 BC (total), March of 4 BC (partial) and January of 1 BC (total). The partial eclipse must be ruled out as the moon was described as “red with the blood” of three rabbis Herod had recently murdered. March dates are unrealistic because before burial an official mourning period of 30 days was required and Herod’s entourage then took several weeks to carry his body to a distant tomb. Passover occurs in late March or early April. So, Herod passed in early 1 BC. 

The Star of Bethlehem
As significant as the star is to the mysticism of the nativity, it is mentioned only once in the Bible (by Matthew), yet some clues exist from which to establish its identity. At the time, astrology (indistinguishable from astronomy) was believed to be a reliable scientific indicator of present and future events, especially those involving kings. Even the Jews, who regarded Gentile forms of predictive astrology as blasphemy, believed that God placed the stars in the sky as signs. Searching the heavens for signs is the stock in trade of the astrologer, and indeed, astrologers are central figures in this drama. Remember those wise men?
The Greek word for "wise men" is “magoi” which is derived from the Persian word for “priest” or “bearers of the gift”. By the time of Jesus, Magi held priestly occupations in numerous religious traditions over a wide geographical area and the word “magi” had also come to mean “occultist”. They were the gold standard of astrologers and their influence was known all over the ancient world. Their origins, which are not entirely clear, have been traced back to Ephraim, heir to Joseph, who was made their chief in Egypt. Assyria captured them from Israel; Babylon took them from Assyria in 612 B.C., as did the Persians when they conquered Babylon. Over the centuries they became important members of royal courts, often serving as emissaries to kings. Persian sects espoused the Zoroastran religion. However, contrary to popular belief, there is no record in Zoroastrian literature that Persian Magi visited Christ. Historian David Livingstone believes them to have been a renegade sect called Magusseans based in Asia Minor, who spoke Aramaic. The idea that they were kings, and the names ascribed to them, were a Medieval European invention. No one knows how many Magi journeyed to Bethlehem, but they would have been traveling with a royal entourage, on horseback not camels. 

Birth of the Messiah
What brought the Magi to Judaea? A prophesy made by Daniel in the sixth century BC, which predicted the birth of a Messiah. Daniel was enslaved during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. He became a Magi, highly prized by King Nebuchadnezzar because of his ability to interpret dreams and predict historical events. The Magi were aware of Daniel’s prophecies, since he was one of them. However, Daniel’s prophecy is vague about the time when the Messiah would appear. Flavius Josephus mentions that most Jews were certain that it would occur sometime in the first century.  The Hebrew/Aramaic term “Messiah” simply means “a person that will become rightful king of the Jews”. A much later Greek translation added the meaning “the bringer of salvation through redemption of sin”. The Magi were looking for a temporal ruler, not a savior. Nevertheless, the boundaries between royalty and divinity were decidedly fuzzy. All kings claimed divine roots and politics and religion were entangled, so tracking the destinies of monarchs in the stars was simply business as usual for that era.  What star led the wise men to Bethlehem? Or—was it a planet? In antiquity the sole distinction between stars and planets was that the former were fixed in position and the latter moved. The Greek word “planet” means “wandering star”. Based on descriptions of the star’s behavior, “it went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was”, we must conclude the Magi were following a planet. But which one? 

Signs in the Skies
Beginning in 7 BC a string of astronomical occurrences which lend themselves to interpretations concerning royal birth began to appear. A rare triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the constellation Pisces in May, September, and December. Both planets have kingly pretensions; Jupiter was known as the “planet of Kings” and Saturn as the “Protector of the Jews”. Additionally, a rare stellium (grouping) in Pisces, of five of the seven known celestials opposed Mars in Virgo in March of that year. In February of 6 BC a massing of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn occurred, again in the constellation Pisces. All of these rare events could easily have been interpreted as signs that the Jewish Messiah had been, or was about to be, born.

An 18 month period during 3-2 BC. was most remarkable in terms of celestial events. On May 19, 3 BC, Saturn and Mercury were in close conjunction (joined). Then Saturn moved eastward to meet with Venus on June 12th. On August 12th, Jupiter and Venus conjoined, appearing as a very bright morning star. On June 17th 2BC, they joined again, this time in the constellation Leo, appearing as one very bright evening star. On August 27th, a conjunction of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury also occurred in Leo. Leo the Lion was referred to as the “Lion of Judah”, after the tribe of Judah from which the Messiah was prophesied to emerge. It was also considered the “head” or “chief” sign of the Zodiac and the “Royal Constellation”, ruled by the sun and dominated by Regulus, the “King Star”. 
Most significantly, August 12th 3 BC saw the first of three sequential conjunctions of the King Planet Jupiter with the King Star Regulus. Because of retrograde motion (back and forth) the two were to meet again in February and May of 2 BC. To astrologers, the circling of Jupiter about Regulus would have sent a clear signal that a great king or ruler was being introduced, to the world. Romans interpreted this to confer celestial blessings on the ceremonies honoring the Emperor. The Magi had another idea. The first Jupiter/Venus conjunction of August 12th 3 BC alerted these astrologers to look for signs. The triple conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus lent confirmation. The second conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, in Leo, on June 17th 2 BC, started them on their way west. The “star” they followed was the planet Jupiter, which, having gone through its retrograde motion, stationed direct (appeared to stand still) on December 25th 2 BC in the southern sky directly over Bethlehem. It remained stationary for 6 days, in the center, or perhaps symbolically in the “womb”, of the constellation Virgo. This scenario, first presented by Dr. Ernest Martin, in his book, “The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished the World” is the one that best fits the facts at our disposal.

Avatar of a New Age
Jesus was not born on December 25th. He was already a toddler when the Magi arrived. The celebration of his birth was moved to December 25th by Pope Constantine in the 4th Century AD, to coincide with the birthday of Sol Invictus, the Roman Sun God. So when was Christ born? We know from Biblical references that Jesus was born six months after his cousin John the Baptist. Theologians surmise that Elizabeth gave birth to John sometime in March. This means Jesus’ birth would have taken place the following September. The year was 3 BC..We may never be able to construct a horoscope for Jesus. In essence, his birth is synonymous with the birthing of the then New Age of Pisces. The stars proclaimed both new births. Many of the aforementioned celestial events, particularly the Pisces stellium opposing Mars, ruler of the outgoing Age of Aries, can be interpreted as heralding the beginning of the Piscean era. Jesus is the acknowledged avatar (spiritual teacher) of that Age. 

The signs in the sky were indicators of a paradigm shift, much as we are today transitioning into the New Age of Aquarius. On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006 the King Planet Jupiter moved into its home sign of Sagittarius. From December 8-10th and again on December 17-19th a rare stellium of six planets including Jupiter and Pluto, formed in the sign of the archer. Sagittarius rules religion and philosophy. Are the stars harbingers of a new spiritual renaissance on the horizon? As we move cautiously forward into a future of uncertain yet unlimited potential, we can only wonder.

References:
Carroll, Susan The Star of Bethlehem: An Astronomical and Historical Perspective 
Dating Christ's Birth
Josephus, Flavius. Antiquities of the Jews ca 100 AD.
Knight, Christopher and Lomas, Robert.“The Hiram Key”.Century 1996.
Martin, Ernest L. The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished The World. 1996.
McKenna, Shelagh The Magi—A Short History

ODE TO FEBRUARY
By Judith Goldberg

“The sun was shining by the sea
Shining  with all his might…
And this was odd because it  was
The middle  of the night.”
“The Walrus and the Carpenter” from“Through the Looking Glass”  by Lewis Carroll

“Through the Looking Glass”, penned in 1872 by Charles  Lutwidge Dodgson, under the nom de plume of “Lewis Carroll”, while nonsensical  on the surface is well known to conceal a plethora of sarcastic political  commentary. So extensive are Carroll’s social and political references, that in 1960 Martin Garder produced a complete volume explicating the symbolism in this  and the companion “Alice’s  Adventures in Wonderland” under the title “The Annotated Alice”. In the saga of  “The Walrus and the Carpenter”, Carroll targets society’s shadow--political  fat-cats growing flusher through corruption and the duping of a naïve  electorate. Symbolically, in the opening quatrain, the illuminating property of the Sun, shining its light in dark places, directs us to peer into the shadows for that which is hidden from view. In his bid to raise consciousness, the chiaroscuro play on light and shadow, in metaphor and parable, dominates much of Carroll’s work. We are now in the dark, the nighttime part of the year, awaiting the return of the life-giving power of the sun. Winter is traditionally a time for turning inward. Perhaps activating our inner searchlight will yield clues to the deeper rhythms of life.

The Walrus Speaks
“The time has come”, the Walrus said,
“To  talk of many things:
Of  shoes—and ships—and sealing wax—
Of  cabbages—and kings...”
‘Tis February, when talk turns once more to groundhogs,  hearts, flowers, Hallmark cards, dead Presidents, cherry pies (“Father, I  cannot tell a lie.”), Super Bowls, super sales, Olympic gold and leap days. February, originally 30 days in length, was given short shrift when the Roman Caesars, Julius and Augustus, raided it to tack extra days onto their namesake months. February 29th, occurring every four years, rectifies the secular calendar with the solar year. The hodgepodge of seemingly unrelated items on February’s schedule is due to the egalitarian juxtaposition of secular, cultural, national, religious and quasi-religious celebrations. Perhaps, beneath the surface of this annual mid-winter smorgasbord, we can uncover a unifying theme. And, while we’re at it, in this bleakest time of year, a little lightness—comic relief—would be most welcome.

Month of Aquarius
February is the month the sun transits the zodiacal sign of Aquarius. Our great Aquarian President, Honest Abe Lincoln, the humanitarian who freed the slaves, was born on February 12th. The passing of Coretta Scott King in February of 2006 drew renewed attention to the Aquarian issue of civil rights in America. George Washington, born on Feb 22nd is a Pisces. However, an excellent case could be made for his Aquarian image as the face of the American Revolution. In fact, GW’s Pisces Sun is in the Aquarian-ruled eleventh house of his natal chart, along with his Venus and Presidential Saturn in Aries. In 1971, an act of Congress created Presidents Day on the third Monday of February. The date, falling alternately during the Aquarian and Piscean parts the month gives equal time for both precedents…and presidents.

Cabbage and Kings
Throughout the month Leo, Aquarius’s alter ego, shadows Aquarius, as evidenced by myriad symbols and circumstances. Democracy, the first system of government on the planet based on Aquarian ideals, was a truly radical idea in 1776. Washington helped create it; Abe Lincoln defended it. We fought a Civil War so that it “government of, by and for the people shall not perish from the earth”. Our country was birthed as a reaction against monarchical (Leo) excesses (all that cabbage) and abuses of power. It was a beacon of light in a dark world. During 2006, when of Saturn (sign of presidents) was in Leo (sign of kings) shades of an imperial presidency were in evidence. As a cosmic reflection, the Leo full moon of February opposes the Aquarian Sun (representing the people). Carroll’s quatrain echoes the Leo/Aquarius territorial dispute:
“The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought  the sun
Had got no business to  be there

After the day was  done…”

Eyes on the Skies
Our earliest ancestors looked to the heavens, tracking of the movements of the moon and the sun which many cultures worshipped as  deities. The roots of astrology lie in man’s ancient preoccupation with heavenly influences. The cycles of the moon gave man his first sense of passing time. Ancient cave drawings reveal crudely etched calendars based on lunar phases. Predictable passages of the sun throughout the solar year were crucial to the lives of early agrarian cultures.  Sacred celebrations were based on quarter points of the sun’s annual cycle, interspersed with lunar holidays. Many monuments scattered throughout Europe and the British Isles, the most famous of which is Stonehenge, are large solar clocks. The inner chamber at the Mound of Hostages in Tara, Ireland is perfectly aligned with the rising sun of the Pagan festivals of Imbolc (February 1st) and Samhain (November 1st).
Oimelc—or Oy, Milk!
The Celtic festival of Ibmolc is a mid-winter festival of light, reflecting the lengthening of the day and the hope of spring. It begins in early February, on the evening when the Sun reaches the exact midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox—15 degrees of Aquarius. Light and shadow are inextricably bound up in its celebration. To dispel the darkness, all the lamps of the house were lit and rituals involved a great deal of candles. Imbolc was also called Oimelc or “ewe’s milk”, because it corresponds with the onset of lactation by pregnant sheep that would soon give birth to spring lambs-- a much anticipated event.

Candlemas
With the advent of Christianity, Imbolc evolved into Candlemas, celebrated on February 2nd. The date coincides with the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple and the purification of Mary (exactly forty days after Christmas). As the name implies, Candlemas is the day on which believers traditionally bring candles into the church to be blessed. On Candlemas Day, animals such as badgers, bears and wolves would emerge from hibernation. According to an old European tradition, if the sun shone and caused the beasts to cast a shadow, six more weeks of winter were in the forecast. Clouds meant an early spring.

Groundhog Day
Punxsutawney Phil, forever immortalized in Bill Murray’s’ 1993 Groundhog Day film odyssey, is the most recent representative of these messengers from the underground. The Delaware Indians, who plunked down the first campsite in Punxsutawney  in 1723, revered the groundhog as an honorable ancestor. Later, German settlers to the area, who brought the traditions of Candlemas with them, claimed the sacred groundhog as their surrogate beastly weatherman. Pennsylvania’s official celebration of Groundhog Day began in 1886 when Phil was given his name and title: “Seer of Seers…Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinaire”.  Phil is now placed in a simulated burrow and pulled out at exactly 7:25 am. Since the release of the movie, attendance at the event has skyrocketed. Following the ceremony folks line up to have a picture taken with Phil. Phil has an on-line souvenir shop and even his own Pennsylvania State Lottery scratch-off game. Our Pagan ancestors would be proud that we are once again milking the sacred cow?..Uh,  sheep?... oh, groundhog--for all its worth. Yep, Phil has seen his shadow!

Roman Holiday
The mid-February Roman holiday of Lupercalia was one of many fertility rites that peppered the Pagan calendar. Common practices, such as mating rituals and orgies, insured good crops and plenty of offspring. Celebrants of  Lupercalia were limited to single men and women. The Roman Lupercai Priests would sacrifice a goat and dip strips of its hide into the sacred blood. The (male) youth of the town would then go about whipping up a frenzy with the bloody thongs—first beating the fields and then (gently) slapping the women –who were said to be pleased with the attention. (Is this the origin of the term “slap happy”?) A sort of lottery was then implemented which paired each bachelor with a female consort for the coming year (pun intended).

The Crackdown
All this merrymaking came to an abrupt conclusion when a newly powerful Christian clergy began casting a long shadow over the Pagan world. In 498 AD, Pope Gelasius outlawed the ‘lottery’, ending what the church considered to be the (s)excesses  of Lupercalia. However, true to form, he offered up a substitute. Most conveniently, the church had a martyred saint with just the right credentials waiting in the wings to assume duty as patron of the feast.  St. Valentine had been a 3rd century priest during a time when the Emperor Claudius, in order to protect his assets—conscripts for the army— outlawed marriage for young men. Performing secret marriages got the priest a one way ticket to jail (without passing “Go” or collecting a single gold shekel) and ultimately a death sentence. However, it was Valentine’s last sentence that sealed his immortality. As legend goes, while in prison, Valentine fell in love. He penned his last love note “from your Valentine”.

Cents and Sentiments
Popular celebration of St. Valentine’s Day began in 17th century Great Britain and the custom spread to the colonies. Within a hundred years, the traditional exchange of hand written notes and tokens of affection was augmented by the appearance of printed greeting cards. From these humble beginnings, this celebration of love has become America’s second largest retail bonanza with sales expected to top a cool 18 billion this Feb 14th. Valentine’s Day gift giving places just behind the December festivals that (according to reports from the National Retail Federation) netted combined sales in 2005 of 220 billion, and just in front of Mothers Day at 12 billion. Do we now need to curb the excesses of Valentines’ Day? Along with the traditional candy, flowers, jewelry and romantic dinners, the newest, trendiest and by far costliest gift is cosmetic surgery—primarily liposuction and breast implants. The Pope may have promoted a more chaste celebration, but the Pagan shadow appears to be resurfacing. CBS’ Sunday Morning Valentine Special (Feb 12, 2005) featured a story about a new trend in sex-toy home parties now sweeping the Bible Belt. This year the stars also conspired. Lovers basked in the still bright light of the heart-centered Leo full moon. The timely direction (moving forward after a six week retrograde) of the planet Venus (ruler of both Taurus and Libra) on February third, loosened both heart strings and purse strings. The Goddess of Love is very much a “material girl”.  But--take note: this Valentines’ Day with the moon in Mercury-ruled Virgo, words of love were what really counted.

Olympic Proportions
The Winter Olympics are a significant Aquarian event. Peace, cooperation, and brotherhood were this year’s opening ceremony themes as thousands of athletes from hundreds of countries marched and competed against the backdrop of beautiful Torino, Italy. Symbols of light abounded —the torch, fireworks and “going for the gold”. “Going for the gold”, however, can be a double edged sword—on one side, aspiring towards our highest ideals (Aquarius) on the other, the lure of gold (Leo) that opens the door to greed, exploitation and runaway consumerism, corrupting our core values. Lest we forget, the Olympics have been overshadowed by scandal in recent years. The excesses of professional sports were nowhere more in evidence, however, than on Super Bowl Sun-day (pun intended). The Super Bowl has super-sized every negative aspect of the game—gambling, killer competition, superstar (Leo) athletes whose salaries are out of all proportionate to any contribution they make to society obscene ticket pricing and scalping--all in a country where the gap between poverty and privilege is growing--America’s (Leo) shadow. Like the Walrus, our politicians offer empty rhetoric:

“I weep for you, the Walrus said:
I deeply sympathize,
With sobs and tear he  sorted out,
Those of the largest  size…”

Sundance
The eternal dance of the sun and moon reflects their symbiotic partnership--one in which each party is occasionally eclipsed. Symbolically, it calls on us to create balance. The point of greatest balance is always at the center, just as the sun at noon casts no shadow. This month’s Leo full moon, illuminated by the Aquarian sun, challenged us to reconcile these polarities, modify extremes (excesses) and honor the best values in each. As Carl Jung said, “One cannot find enlightenment by chasing figures of light, but by plumbing the darkness”.  Leo is the natural ruler of the sun. Never is the absence of light more keenly felt, or its presence more passionately sought after than in the bleak middle of winter. The quest for light (however we understand it) drives the creation of culture, literature, ritual and celebration. Acknowledging the shadow gives us the opportunity to transform it.  In this cool Aquarian season, let us look for the warm Leo sun inside our hearts. Go for the gold, let your heart be light and remember the lyrics from the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, “Let the sunshine in…”

©2006 Judith C. Goldberg, All Rights Reserved.
 
NEW YEARS, NEW BEGINNINGS: New Year Celebrations at all Times of the Year
By Judith Goldberg
"Repeated cycles are part of the Tao, just as seven days brings a return."

The I Ching
“Tradition! Tradition!” shouts Tevya, the lovable, if philosophically challenged, protagonist of Sholom Aleichem’s classic tale, turned Broadway and Hollywood songfest, “Fiddler on the Roof”. “Fiddler” tells the saga of daily life in Anatevka, a fictional yet archetypal shtetl (village) in Czarist Russia, fated to be laid waste by a pogrom. Forced, from their homes, the residents of Anatevka must leave behind the only way of life they have ever known. As the story closes they are refugees, setting out on a journey into an uncertain future. The past is dead. Perhaps less dramatically, each passing year, we symbolically leave behind pieces of our own past. “Ring out the old and ring in the new”. Tradition! Or is it? In actual practice, the New Year is celebrated in accordance with a variety of cultural and religious traditions and in many cases on different days of the year.

Rites of Spring
The first day of January heralds the arrival of each New Year according to our contemporary Gregorian calendar. January is named for Janus, the two-faced god who simultaneously looks back at the past and forward to the future. In the ancient Roman calendar, befitting an agrarian society, the New Year began at the Spring Equinox. March was the first month, and Sept-ember, Oct-ober Nov-ember and Dec-ember were respectively the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th months, as indicated by their surviving Latin names. July and August, were the fifth and sixth months, originally named Quintiles and Sextilis, until they were co-opted by a couple of influential latter day Romans. “Render under to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” as the saying goes. The ancient Roman year had only ten named months, beginning in March and ending in December. A nameless long winter break followed, until in 713 BC, the second king of Rome Numa Pompilius, added January and February. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar established a new dating system, fittingly dubbed the Julian calendar (of course). With a mere stroke of the pen (or chisel?), he moved the beginning of the year to January--since it contained the festival of Janus, the god of gates and later the god of all beginnings.

Fall Festivals
The Celtic/Druidic New Year begins in late October during Samhain, the most sacred holiday on the Wiccan wheel of the year. Wiccans celebrate this festival as the "Witches New Year". Early Christianity transformed this festival into “All Hallows Eve”, forerunner of Halloween. Samhain, marks the end of summer and beginning of winter. It is the time when the Goddess descends to the underworld and once again begins the eternal cycle of life. Conceptually (pun intended) the New Year begins as the seed of new life is nurtured in the womb of the Earth Mother. The son/sun god is reborn at Winter Solstice. In the tradition of grafting Christian holy days onto pagan celebrations (as a way to win converts) in the fourth century, Pope Constantine moved the birthday of Jesus to December 25th. (No records of the actual birth date survive. However many astrologers believe Jesus was born in March.) Numerous pre-Christian Pagan religions honored their gods' birth or rebirth on or about that day. Their deities were typically called  “Son of Man, Light of the World, Sun of Righteousness, Bridegroom, and Savior”. God and goddess emerge from the underworld at Spring Equinox. The pagan festive of Oestre (Easter, anyone?) marks this rebirth and renewal.

Hebrews
The Jewish New Year, "Rosh Hashana" (literally "the head of the year" in Hebrew) falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, during our month of September. The Jewish calendar, like many of ancient origin, is lunar based and therefore its festival days do not fall on the same modern calendar day each year. Rosh Hashana, the time when the actual year number advances, is a celebration of the anniversary of God’s Creation of the Earth as described in Genesis--the ultimate "in the beginning" point. The exact day of Creation is calculated by subtracting the number of the current year, in this case 5766, and then adding back in the six days it took to perform the task, plus the seventh day when God rested. Some modern Jewish theologians have speculated that the length of the first seven days could figuratively be considered to encompass several millions of years. The Hebrew calendar has no less than four New Years. The actual first calendar month, Nisan (although it occurs 6 months after Tishrei which begins the calendar year!) begins on the first new moon (as do all lunar months) following the Spring Equinox. The first day of Nisan is the New Year for Kings. Ah, the legacy of special privilege! The remaining two interim New Year festivals, Tu B’shevat, for fruit bearing trees and Elul, for animals, mark the beginnings of fiscal years, when taxes (tithes) on these commodities were collected. These celebrations have been reinvented in modern times to give thanks and honor the Earth. As kings haven’t survived the centuries, celebration of the Royal New Year has ceased.

Dog Days Ahead
Chinese New Year is the main holiday of the year for more than one quarter of the world's population. Although the People's Republic of China uses the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes, a special Chinese calendar is used for determining festivals. Various Chinese communities around the world also use this calendar. The Chinese calendar is lunar based; therefore, the Chinese New Year’s corresponding date on the Gregorian calendar shifts annually. The Year of the Rooster, which began February 9th, 2005 gives way to the Year of the Dog on January 29th, 2006--perhaps a welcome change in light of the Avian Flu outbreak in the Far East last year. The rooster has a spotty reputation because he can appear boastful and extravagant-- cocksure, while the dog is considered to be honest and faithful—“man’s best friend”.

Happy Anniversary
Differing cultural traditions notwithstanding, these examples illustrate a useful prototype. A new year, whether secular or religious, is always an anniversary ( from the Latin “annus” meaning circuit of the sun)—the beginning of any designated annual cycle (and by default the ending of the previous one). For example, our Federal Government has a fiscal new year that begins on July first. Astrologically, one's true birth anniversary occurs at the moment the sun returns to the exact degree it occupied at the time of birth--hence the term "Solar Return". Significantly, because the solar year and calendar year are out of synch (reconciled every four years on February 29th) the solar return doesn't always coincide with the calendar birthday.
With each recurrent yearly cycle, we relive the process of reviewing and releasing the past and facing a yet uncharted future. At this critical juncture, the opportunity for a fresh start has inspired the long standing tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. However, well intentioned these important commitments may be, most of us can attest to their short lives. Born in a rush of initial enthusiasm, they often suffer from a lack of follow through; when the moment passes the momentum fizzles like stale leftover champagne. Perhaps the weight of responsibility is just too daunting; perhaps the prospect of failure too disheartening. Tuning into the cosmic realms an energetic picture of the process readily emerges. The New Year occurs under a Capricorn Sun (and this year a Capricorn New Moon) with Mercury and Venus following suit. Capricorn is an energy of responsibility, self-discipline and structure—a perfect setup under which to organize, exercise and count calories! However, as Capricorn wanes in late January and the Sun and inner planets move into freedom-loving Aquarius, some of our best laid plans become casualties of our rebellious natures. By far, the least sustainable conditions occur when these same planets move into laid-back Pisces in late February and March. What a pity, New Years comes but once a year—that is, unless it doesn’t. What if we all got a second chance? Or even a third?

Unlimited Potential
Each New Year is an annual occurrence, the culmination of an annual cycle. But, it’s not the only new beginning. The number and variety of both annual and interim cycles, each with an opportunity for a fresh start, is plentiful. As stated in the message of the Tao, "to everything there is a return". Each month the Sun moves into a new sign of the Zodiac. Planets change signs in the heavens in predictable cycles. The Solstices and Equinoxes divide the year into quarters. Every month, the moon begins a new cycle. And what of the dawning of each new day? In addition to natural cycles, many cultural and religious celebrations occur at regular intervals. We mark personal milestones and life passages-- birthdays, weddings, new babies, new homes, new jobs, deaths in the family. The anniversaries of these events also cycle through our lives. Every  recurrence, whether over long or short periods of time, provides an opportunity to review and reflect on what is passing out of influence and to commit to opening a new chapter in our lives. This process unfolds naturally and often the missing ingredient is simply our consciousness of the connections. For example, when I began keeping a lunar journal two years ago I was astounded at the synchronicity with which new projects emerged at the new moon, blossomed at the full and cycled through to completion by month’s end.

Beyond Resolutions
Expanding our consciousness about the cyclical rhythm of life is the first step in taking advantage of the opportunities these cycles present. Inherent in all of them is a repetitive sequence of waxing and waning-- birth, growth, maturity, decay, death and rebirth. The timing of these phases depends on the length of the cycle. By aligning our actions and expectations with the natural flow of the process we enhance the possibilities of success. We know when to push ahead, when to hold and when to fold. Working the system demands a new paradigm that goes beyond resolution. Resolutions are subject to the exercise of the personal will. Will power often challenges us to push against the river. A more powerful methodology aligns with the energies of a cycle to co-create a new reality. Co-creation begins at the outset of a new cycle, with a declaration of intention. This intention must also be aligned with the higher will and consistent with an individual’s life purpose. It must be supported emotionally by intense desire and be clear of any limiting beliefs. It is important to invite in the assistance of the higher self, Universe (God, angels, masters or guides). Ritual and/or mediation work well initiating this step. Next, even though one may take considered actions in the direction one wishes to go, one must also surrender all attachment to the way in which the process unfolds as well as to the anticipated results. Allow for serendipity—the unexpected surprises that often yield miraculous outcomes. And remember, if you don’t get what you want, you will always get what you need—an important lesson! Recognize, acknowledge and give thanks for it. And, please, also take these opportunities to join with like minded souls in co-creating a brighter future for humanity, Mother Earth and all life on this planet.

Happy New Year!
©2006 Judith C. Goldberg, All Rights Reserved.
 
 MERCURY RETROGRADES WITHOUT REGRETS
By Judith  Goldberg
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes,

but in having  new eyes."   ~ Marcel Proust
Red Riding  Hood’s Folly

“Grandmother, what big eyes you have!” All the  better to see you with my dear.” And Grandmother what big ears you have!” The  better to hear you with my dear.”   And, as this familiar tale progresses towards its foregone conclusion,  the unfortunate innocent who fails to see the wolf in grandmother’s clothing is  readily gobbled up. But wait-- that’s the original version, published in 1697.  In the contemporary, sanitized version, Red Riding Hood is summarily rescued by a passing woodcutter.  Notwithstanding, the question remains, “Why does Red Riding Hood, who by her questioning betrays  a sense that something is amiss, not recognize her old nemesis”? The answer lies in her all too human failing—that of being boxed in by a preconceived belief or expectation that clouds true perception. In truth, objective reality is  itself an illusion. Each of us perceives the world differently, through a set  of individual filters, honed by prior experience and natural biases.
It’s  Element-ary
The planet Mercury in our birth chart describes our unique reality filter. The sign in which Mercury resides influences the way we receive, process and express information. While each of the twelve zodiac signs has distinctive characteristics, there is an overarching similarity among Mercury placements grouped by element.   Earth signs (Taurus/Virgo/Capricorn) are practical, concrete and sensory. Water signs (Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces) are emotional and intuitive. Air signs (Gemini/Libra/Aquarius) are intellectual and rational.  Fire signs (Aries/Leo/Sagittarius) are inspirational, visionary and action oriented. (For more information on your Mercury placement and its meaning see Chapter 5 of Discovering Your Soul Mission by Linda Brady.)

Reversing  Course
Mercury transits (a planet’s daily movement) through all twelve signs over the course of a year, tracking in concert with the Sun. For the most part, quicksilver Mercury’s influence in our lives is dimly felt; that is until its quarterly retrograde. A planetary retrograde creates the illusion of backward movement and symbolically denotes a change in direction. Every 90 to 120 days or so, Mercury turns tail, extending its normal monthly occupancy in a sign by about six weeks—three back and three forward again.

Do’s and  Don’ts
Many  of you are already familiar with the standard Mercury Retrograde caveats-- transportation  and communication may be adversely affected; drive carefully, listen up, don’t  sign contracts or make major purchases, especially automobiles. However, any action that can be described with a “re” word, will pass mustard. My personal Mercury Retrograde Journal is filled with entries that illustrate the wisdom of  compliance. For example, a week before the recent retrograde, my twelve year old car “died”. I pressed the mechanic to make only absolutely necessary (safety) repairs so I could drive it a few more months—allowing me the latitude to research, while not purchasing a new car. I was able to resist lots of pressure to sign on the dotted line. Of course, I told all the salesmen I couldn’t sign any contracts til the planets moved—an objection none were trained to overcome. Turns out I picked a model so new, it takes ninety days to get one from the factory. I still refused to pre-order it. My husband (who doesn’t believe in astrology) during a previous Mercury retrograde, ordered a new car with a six month waiting period. Although he now loves it, he agonized, re-thinking his decision endlessly, during that half year. I was instructed by his example.

Tripping
Vacations are usually a good option during retrogrades, but getting there is rarely half the fun. Accidents and delays are routine. On this occasion, my husband was scheduled to speak at an IT (information technology) Conference (talk about poor retrograde planning) in Orlando, so we took the family to Disneyworld. We got to the airport only to discover that our daughter had left her wallet at home. The taxi ride to retrieve it cost $96. The hotel couldn’t accommodate all 5000 conference participants, so many attendees were placed in off-site facilities. A transportation nightmare ensued. Additionally, hubby’s seminar was scheduled during a void of course moon period, when connections are challenging. Seems his introductory level course was misrepresented in the program and half of the audience left because it was too elementary. However, he did reconnect with an important business contact from a previous Expo. Old acquaintances tend to resurface during retrogrades.
The “Eyes”  Have It
During Mercury retrograde we have an opportunity to notch up our awareness, curb our impulsivity and change behavior.  It’s a time to reflect, revise, research, regroup—more “re” words. Mercury retrogrades can also turn up concealed information and precipitate dramatic shifts of perspective. Like Red Riding Hood, we can become disoriented, have a nagging sense that something is wrong, and experience difficulty focusing via our “normal” channels. Of course, that is exactly the point. Mercury is loaning us a new filter—in essence, new eyes. Transiting Mercury’s sign colors our experience.  For example, Mercury in fiery Sagittarius encourages us to examine our belief systems and personal philosophy, see the big picture, search for truth and meaning and expand our horizons through travel and education. Sagittarius rules foreign countries, religion, untamed nature (especially mountains) and serendipity—those synchronous “coincidences”.

News & Views
Here are some newsworthy items from the Mercury in Sag retrograde of 2006: With Mars also retrograde (Oct 2-Dec 9) Mercury quickly became a supporting player in the themes of War & Peace. Two days after Mercury’s station (the day it stands still before changing  direction), in a surprise reversal, Congressman John Murtha, a Vietnam War hero  and avowed hawk, made an historical speech calling for a withdrawal from Iraq.  The heated debate which followed prompted headlines of “War of Words” on all the major news networks—an exquisite integration of Mars and Mercury. Truth in journalism triumphed as more revelations followed. There were leaks about a secret memo detailing President Bush’s plan to bomb Al Jazeera, significantly the only independent Arab news outlet operating in the Middle   East, and about a disinformation campaign whereby our military command was feeding pro-American propaganda to Iraqi journalists and paying them to print it. The Chinese government engaged in an untenable round of denial, refusing to warn those downstream of a 50 mile wide toxic waste spill that polluted a major waterway, endangering the health of millions.

Legends & Legacies
On the education front, the debate over teaching “intelligent design” vs.  Evolution heated up. NEWSWEEK (Nov 28, 2005) ran an eight page cover story on Charles  Darwin, the man, his theory, philosophy and personal moral crisis. The  twenty-fifth anniversary of the death of John Lennon rolled around with a prime  time TV special about the man who shot him and a big “remembering Lennon” spread  also in NEWSWEEK (Nov 28). The singer’s perceived anti-religious iconoclasm—a comment he made about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus, along with the lyrics “Imagine there’s no heaven” were cited by the assassin as justification  for shooting him. “Imagine” has lived on to inspire millions and become a cultural icon. Dave Matthews wrote in Newsweek “this is an absolutely stellar song. It's wrenching. Even if he’d written only “Imagine”, he would have been the greatest songwriter of all time.”
Imagine.
Climb Every Mountain
I found a short, inspirational, piece hidden away in the December 5th, 2005 issue of NEWSWEEK. I would have overlooked it,  had not the overtly obvious Sagittarian symbolism just jumped off the page. “My  Turn: To the Top of Half-Dome and Beyond”, chronicles writer Wendy Watson’s  mountain climbing adventure with her teenage son—a combo Outward Bound/parental  bonding experiment designed (successfully) to heal their adversarial  relationship. In her final commentary she notes that her job as a parent is “to offer him bits of wonder and inspiration and hope they will come to live inside  him. Because it is the landscape of his interior world that will give his life its form and meaning.”

Inner Voyage of Self-Discovery
Indeed, it is our interior landscape that is most accessible and most malleable during introspective Mercury Retrograde. As I relaxed into my vacation, I was deeply touched by a few indelible moments and filled at times with awe and gratitude.  I spent two days in Epcot, Disney’s “Global Village” (more Sagittarian reflections). I found a beautifully crafted Samurai doll in the Japanese Pavilion that embodies for me the Spiritual Warrior wielding the Sword of Truth. It now sits on my writing desk. I was moved to tears watching Epcot’s evening fireworks display, accompanied by a chorus of “Let there be Peace on Earth”. Even though I’d seen the show numerous times, I suddenly realized that it is a powerful prayer for peace—one that (with full audience participation) has gone out from that place every night for countless years and will continue to do so.

Retrograde  Readiness
So, the filter flavors our experience--revelation, reversal, frustration and inspiration--and as always, lessons for the future. Retrogrades are windows into our interior space, personally and collectively. They are special not-to-be-missed opportunities for raising consciousness. Regrettably, the arrival of Mercury Retrograde is generally greeted with moans and groans—it slows us down! May I suggest that the greater regret would be to let its possibilities slip by unnoticed?

Copyright 2005 by Judith Goldberg
 
Deluge of the Dragon God: The 2004 Tsunami
By Judith Goldberg
“Water World”, the 1995 multi-million dollar futuristic saga about a planet Earth with no dry land, may have bombed at the box office, but a decade later it can seem strangely prescient. At the very least, events over the past year have left many of us floating in a sea of uncertainty, searching for any safe harbor. Water, water is everywhere, from the putrid non-potable toxic gumbo that engulfed New Orleans, to tidal waves along Asian coastlines, massive floods in Central Europe, East Coast ice storms and even snow in the Arabian Desert! While the impact on our physical geography is perceptible, less obvious is the concurrent transformation of our inner landscape, the subtle expansion of the boundaries of our collective consciousness.

Tsunami!
The December 26, 2004 earthquake/tsunami was one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. While not the deadliest quake (the earthquake in Tangshan China in 1976 is rumored to have killed 750,000) it was distinctive in its global reach. Tidal waves washed ashore in thirteen countries, and mass tourism during the holiday season affected citizens of dozens more. An aerial photograph of the wave that attacked the shore of Sri Lanka appeared in a Japanese newspaper the following day. (See below.) A figure resembling a dragon can clearly be seen in the waves. An article entitled” Rampage of the Dragon God” accompanied the photo. In Japan, dragons have long been worshipped as the god for water. Similarly, in Chinese mythology, dragons are charged with controlling the rains. Since time immemorial, across all cultures, natural disasters have been ascribed to the anger of one or another of a whole host of gods. In fact, following the recent tragic hurricane that hit the Gulf States, callers to Christian talk radio stations in the area (remember its part of the bible Belt) were calling for residents of New Orleans and Biloxi, both havens for gambling, to repent. Clearly, the wrath of God was an operative cause of the disaster in their belief system.

On Earth as it is in Heaven
While many look heavenward for answers, astrologers are especially adept at assigning such causality. As above, so below. These are times of great upheaval, in large measure because we are transitioning between two Great Precessional Ages, Pisces and Aquarius. The “Dawning of the Age of Aquarius” has been a much anticipated event, since the ‘60’s musical “HAIR”, proclaimed that peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars. In the year 2000, the appointed hour should surely have arrived; however, the promised Golden Age of peace, love and brotherhood was nowhere to be found. The energy of the New Age has indeed arrived, just not according to our naive expectations. The cusps between Ages are so fluid, that the period of transition can be decades (some say centuries) long. Mankind is on a lengthy transformational journey, but we are still like kids in the back seat of the car asking “Are we there yet?”

Shifting Gears
How do we move beyond the old paradigm of Pisces, a dualistic world-view in which God is outside of us and we are separate not only from Him (patriarchal, male) but from each other and all of nature? In such a world it is acceptable to operate with impunity, disregarding the needs of others, the creatures who share this planet and even the Earth herself. How do we grow to embrace a new holistic paradigm in which the entire universe, our planet and we ourselves are all connected, where we are one with our fellow beings and stewards of the Earth? We can’t get there from here. But, we have gotten our learner’s permit and are now being thrust behind the wheel. We would do well to take our attention off the rear-view mirror and move forward deliberately.

Catalysts of Change
Crises force us to reexamine our beliefs and change our behavior. The Chinese symbol for “crisis” is composed of two characters--danger and opportunity. Cataclysms are catalysts. They sow the seeds of change. With Uranus in Pisces, change is in the air; it’s also in the water. Since this planetary ingress in 2004, water related disasters have increased in number, scope and in intensity. Uranus is the harbinger of the Age of Aquarius, and as such, seems to have a proprietary stake in advancing its agenda. As a higher octave of Mercury, Uranus, mythological ruler of the heavens, is sometimes called the “voice of God”. He is howling in the wind and whipping up the waters.

What is his divine message for mankind?

Hidden Messages in Water
Obviously, something is in the water, and at least one scientific researcher thinks he has found the answer—consciousness! Japanese scientist, Dr. Masaru Emoto has become a kind of New Age darling since his photographs showing the effects of human emotions on the crystalline structures of water appeared in the movie “What the Bleep Do We Know”. His book, “The Hidden Messages in Water” promotes an eye-opening theory showing how water is deeply connected to people's individual and collective consciousness. Using high-speed photography, he found that water crystals reveal changes when exposed to specific thoughts, music, visual images, written words and photographs. Emoto theorizes that since water has the ability to receive a wide range of frequencies, it can also reflect the universe in this manner. Emoto also believes that since people are 70 percent water, and the Earth is 75 percent water, we can heal our planet and ourselves by consciously expressing love and goodwill.

Wind and Water
Feng Shui, which translates literally as “wind and water”, is an ancient Chinese system for achieving balance and harmony with the environment. It has its roots in the Chinese reverence for nature and belief in the oneness of all things. Good Feng Shui insures a healthy flow of ch’i, the breath of life, or the life force. The massive storms we are seeing this hurricane season are also wind and water—pushed to extremes—perhaps by a fire breathing dragon! Ocean temperatures are rising dramatically due to global warming, one causal factor in the ferocity of storms. Dr. Emoto, who published the photograph above on his website, theorizes that pollution of the environment has angered the dragon god of water and unleashed a storm of vengeance. There are critical messages in the water.

A Dragon’s Tale
The dragon is one of the most prolific images in the wider mythological world-- a symbol, wild animal, creator, destroyer and divine entity in one. Dragons, with their untamed spiritual abilities and complex system of associated symbols and metaphors span mythological boundaries to encompass the good, the bad, and the downright evil. Dragon’s blood is considered vitality, ch’i energy. The dragon’s relationship in myth and religion to snakes and serpents bestows upon it a transformational, plutonian, archetype. The death-rebirth cycle is under Pluto’s governance. Astrologers use the dragon’s head and tail (the moon’s nodes) in a natal chart, to symbolize the individual’s potential to transmute negative karma. Some cultures sacrificed virgins to dragon gods to insure fertility. In the Western mind, fire dragons have long been associated with death and destruction. In the East, dragons are also protectors and creators, especially water dragons. Perhaps this is because water is seen as creative and life-bearing.

Fruits of the Sea
In Greek and Roman mythology, the ocean was the womb that nurtured love goddess, Venus/Aphrodite. She was spawned by the seed of Uranus’ dismembered phallus, cut off by son Kronos/Saturn and tossed into the sea. Allegorically, despite the appearance of useless death and destruction, Uranus is using contemporary, water-driven events to plant seeds in the sea of the collective consciousness. After a lengthy gestation, a new birth, that of the much touted millennium of love and peace, will emerge from the depths.

Taken by Surprise
Astrologers have created many elaborate systems for predicting future events. Prediction, however, is still an inexact science. Often timing and potentials are accessible, while content remains speculative. Useful tools in locating ‘hot spots’ are a good ephemeris and some tracking software that can plot transits to transits and/or transits to key natal charts like that of the United States—or your own. To whit, in the Mountain Astrologer (“Uranus in Pisces and the 2004 Tsunami”Apr/May 2005), associate editor Ray Grasse, published a “watchlist” of “flashpoints” which could potentially erupt. Some didn’t; however, he hit a big one-- August 27-29th of 2005. On those dates, transiting Uranus was in exact square to the U.S. natal Uranus. We now know, in hindsight, that hurricane Katrina struck in that timeframe. Yet, predictions, even if widely known, are not always prescriptive. Katrina’s landfall was predicted in advance by weather reports—but the real disaster, the bungled response was not. It was predictable, given the circumstances. However, foreknowledge concerning the historic indifference and subsequent incompetence of the authorities was withheld from the general public, or ignored. Nonetheless, predicting events, in order to avoid or avert catastrophe, is a fruitless exercise in the face of advancing karma. Uranian events defy prediction because the element of surprise is essential. They are designed, by some higher authority, to wake us up! Astrologer Bernhard Bergbauer hypothesized “…we may soon have the opportunity to predict such disasters before they happen and not just see their significance in hindsight” (TMA “Charting the Tsunami” Apr/May 2005). From my perspective, as a karmic/evolutionary astrologer (not your typical breed) extracting the significance is the main goal. Evolution is built on lessons. Each hurricane, flood and tidal wave is uniquely instructive in its impact. The individual stories are written in the charts. An examination of the event chart for the December 26th tsunami will serve as an example.

Charting a Course for the Future
A descriptive symbolic picture of the event is readily apparent. The Aquarian-ruled eleventh house is a focal point, containing as it does a stellium in philosophical Sagittarius, inviting us to rise above our separate national identities and perceive ourselves as citizens of the world. The strong connection (dispositor) of Venus to the Libran Midheaven speaks about emerging possibilities for global cooperation. The empowerment of the United Nations (currently the only institution with a stated Aquarian mission), hitherto crippled in its effectiveness by power struggles among members advancing narrow self interests (South Node in Scorpio conjunct the midheaven), would be a welcome result. Even Mars, at zero degrees (a new beginning) is urging a redirection of energy to this cause. In light of the destructive force of nature, war is appearing more and more senseless (Uranus square Mars).
Transformational possibilities are expressed through the potential integration of the points of the grand cross on the angles. A Saturn/Chiron opposition squares the Nodes (an out of sign aspect). With Saturn as catalyst, the massive death and destruction (South Node in Scorpio in the 10th) and visible suffering of the victims (Chiron on the Ascendant) are clearly meant to shift the basic foundation of our values (North Node in Taurus in the 4th ). The North Node is always the resolution point of a cross. The other tidal wave, massive humanitarian aid, was the largest such response in recorded history (Uranus in the 2nd). The generosity of millions worldwide was stunning. Doubtless, we will also see profiteering, greed and corruption (already common practice in many of the affected areas) flowing from these events (South node in Scorpio). However, revelations of such activities also raise consciousness.

Capricorn rising confers rulership of the chart to Saturn —a clear geo-cosmic signature for a karmic event. The Lord of Karma provides lessons for our spiritual evolution. When gentler hints fail, he brings out the big guns.The tsunami was one bigger than usual cosmic two-by-four, needed to wake up the whole world. Saturn’s rulership supports the supposition that individuals who were directly affected were making good on pre-incarnation soul contracts. The Gemini moon (the people) in the sixth house suggests that these myriad souls, from all walks of life, performed a vital public service. In Cancerian fashion, they energized a wave of compassion felt around the world. The plight of these so-called “victims” created an opportunity for us to experience our relationship to each other as one human family. We may honor their sacrifice by building on this foundation.
Broad karmic implications must be considered, not to diminish the horrific human dimensions of the tragedy, but rather to add perspective. Karmic law, in its most simplistic form, is often misunderstood as punitive. Rather, karma is the catalytic force that drives the evolution of consciousness forward-- both personally and collectively. Progress is generally disruptive, as the old gives way to the new. Many traditions have pointed to these times as apocalyptic. The Hopi prophesied disaster based on mankind’s lack of spiritual attention to the world. The Mayan calendar pinpoints the “end of the world as we know it” in 2012. These themes are echoed by Biblical Revelations as well as by various New Age channels. The tsunami earthquake, a massive shifting of the earth’s crust, is a dramatic yet eerie metaphor for Shift of the Ages, as well as the subtle shifts in consciousness that are presently occurring.

The Silver Lining
In times of disaster, it is human nature to ponder that “something good could come of this”-- the proverbial silver lining. In fact, a great deal of bonding, cooperation, love, compassion and renewed spirituality do accompany every such occurrence. The larger cosmic truth is that we are co-creating these disastrous events intentionally (albeit unconsciously) as opportunities for heart-opening emotional and spiritual expansion. In their aftermath, foundations are laid for new structures. As values and priorities shift, individuals and groups are transformed. More opportunities await. Uranus will be in Pisces until March of 2011 and Neptune exits Aquarius a month later. Until then, we can expect water related events to impact our evolving consciousness and bring us closer to the world of the future. The Aquarian model is utopian, egalitarian and humanitarian. The Age of Aquarius is one in which science and spirituality are merged, God no longer exists outside us but within us, and we are not separate from each other, from the cosmos—or from the dragon god consciousness in the water!. We are evolving into unity consciousness and moving the frontiers of human experience forward into previously uncharted waters (pun intended). These trends are the waves of the future and although they will inevitably ebb and flow, they are the transformational undercurrents that will carry humanity forward towards the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Copyright 2005 by Judith Goldberg
 
BAYOU BLUES: Hurricane Katrina the Day the Music Died
By Judith Goldberg
"It is not our heads or our bodies which we must bring together, but our hearts. Humanity. . . will find its heart, without which the ultimate wholeness of its power…can never be achieved." Teilhard de Chardin
“Way down yonder in New Orleans, in the land of the dreamy dreams”, the wind roared and the waters poured. When the levees failed mothers and children with no Chevys to drive waded in the toxic waters while Americans everywhere, glued to their TV screens, said bye bye to this multi-cultural Louisiana, crawfish pie. Our president “the man we should admire most” took the last plane for the Coast; where he fiddled Nero-style with a guitar presented to him by country singer Mark Wills. “Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-oh. Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou”. “Me oh, my oh.” In the “Big Easy”, the jazz bars on Bourbon Street in the famous French Quarter played host to a 365 day a year party. Then, one day, the music died.

Waking from the Dream
On August 29th, 2005, following the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans morphed from the land of dreamy dreams into a full- blown national nightmare. Dreams, like poetry (and song lyrics) speak to us in the symbolic language of metaphor, dredging up shadow material from the unconscious mind. Interpreting dreams can be challenging and at times critically important; just as Pharaoh’s dream foretold a future crisis in the kingdom. What critical message is our collective dreamtime trying to send us? In this Saturn in Leo time, is there a crisis in the kingdom? Are we living in an illusion from which we need to awaken? Nightmares have a way of jolting us awake, unless we don’t realize we are asleep.

Through the Looking Glass
Astrology, too, is a language of symbol and metaphor. As such, it can provide an important lens for interpreting dreams as well as for analyzing events in the so-called ‘real’ world. Astrological correspondences enable one to decipher messages in dream content and to identify fingerprints at a “crime scene”, like a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The outer planets speak to our collective experience, so they are ones to watch in times of large scale events. At the center of this latest storm, realities on the ground were aptly reflected in the cosmic looking glass. Chief suspect, Uranus (ruler of hurricanes) in watery Pisces (ruler of oceans) is the one with the itchy trigger finger. Since Uranus’ ingress into Pisces in 2004, water related disasters have increased in number, scope and intensity. Neptune, in mutual reception, is his accomplice. It falls on Neptune to dispel the fog of illusion that clouds our vision. These planetary partners are churning up the waters to bring to the fore issues that require change. Saturn, meanwhile, having just entered the sign of Leo a scant six weeks earlier, wasted no time in advancing his latest agenda—lessons about pride, power and privilege, and also about courage and generosity. Katrina was a localized event with national significance. The major themes echo throughout the event chart cast for her landfall, as well as in a bi wheel of transits to the United States’ chart.

Degrees of Separation
Synchronicities between planetary positions and real world occurrences go far in dispelling the myth subscribed to by most observers that natural disasters are arbitrary or capricious events. In fact, these synchronicities manifest an even larger truth—that we co-create these events in order to raise consciousness and change behavior. A case in point is the prevailing inconjunct aspect between Saturn in Leo and Uranus in Pisces, concurrent with the arrival of both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The inconjunct, at 150 degrees of separation, is an “almost but not quite there” aspect, similar to the gibbous phase just before the full moon. It is a time when the legacies of past mistakes and unaddressed problems come back to haunt—like stepping on the rake that’s been left lying in the grass. Anyone who watched news coverage of Katrina can quote chapter and verse on half a dozen or more such dormant and/or festering issues. Resolution of an inconjunction always requires a course correction, an adjustment of past attitudes and the implementation of creative new solutions.

The Lion Sleeps No More
When Saturn entered Leo (July 16, 2005), this author created a “watch list” of leonine potentialities. Two prime candidates were an escalating crisis in leadership, and a growing inequity of wealth and privilege amid increasing poverty. Quid erat demonstratum! In Katrina’s wake, no one could have missed the failed leadership at every level in this national emergency. An almost endless stream of media analysis targeted government unresponsiveness, incompetence, lack of preparedness and foresight. Webster’s dictionary defines “gulf” as “any wide separation, as in position, status or education”. This Gulf hurricane whipped up unresolved issues of inequities between races and classes and anchored them in the collective consciousness. Expressed in the inconjunction, aristocratic Leo represents the privileged, while underdog Pisces stands for the underclass and the black race. In Katrina’s chart, a stellium of planets in Libra (fairness), including the South Node (legacies of the past) located in the second house (money) indicates that problems are deeply rooted and largely economic. This same stellium, conjunct the United States’ natal Saturn (government responsibility) in Libra, lobbies for greater balance. With Neptune also trine the U.S. Saturn, Americans are waking up from the illusion that our democracy (Aquarius) is delivering on the promise of liberty and justice for all.

Ground Zero
The chart ascendant, at zero degrees of Virgo, is this event’s “ground zero”, an echo of September 11th, the anniversary of which occurred shortly after the hurricane. Virgo rising also designates rulership of the chart to Mercury, transiting in the sign of Leo and sharing space with Saturn in the twelfth house. This house is the domain of disowned and unacknowledged shadow material—anything shoved under the rug. Saturn’s mission there is to reveal America to itself—to shine a light into the dark recesses and flush out the hidden enemies within. Cohort Mercury, the cosmic errand boy, then spreads the word. Even Moses had a mouthpiece and Mercury provided Saturn with a prophetic voice. The media were the messengers. Corporate owned mainstream news outlets did an uncharacteristically credible job of investigative reporting. Anna Quindlen was moved to remark in her op ed column in NEWSWEEK (Sep 19), “The press rose to the occasion, awakened out of its recent somnambulant state, galvanized into empathy and rage.” This development is certainly in lock step with our waking from the dream theme.

A River Runs Through It
Many environmental issues were also flushed out of the closet, assisted by the mutual reception of Neptune and Uranus and aided by Pluto in Sagittarius (untamed nature) making a stressful square to the U.S. natal Neptune in the ninth house. Oil is Neptune’s domain and that industry was another target of the Gulf storms. In Katrina’s wake, oil spills fouled the waters, along with toxic waste. Refineries went offline sending gas prices soaring and creating renewed awareness of the vulnerabilities created by our dependence on oil. New Orleans, a city built below sea level is inherently susceptible to flooding. A barrier of fragile wetlands was filled in for commercial development and taming of the Mighty Mississippi prevented normal deposits of silt, allowing the city to sink. Katrina and Rita’s sister act drew national attention to these issues. This country is currently in the crosshairs of a Uranus square, an aspect of tension and conflict broadcasting a clear message to change course or face the consequences. Global warming, alternative energy and responsible environmental policies are on the table, along with social reform.

Winning America’s Hearts and Minds
America’s chart has an Aquarian moon; it represents the people, a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic mix. If America is to fulfill its mission as an Aquarian society--democratic, egalitarian and humanitarian, the American people must rise to the occasion. We have had a rude awakening and the interior of our heartspace has been altered by a river of tears. Leo’s domain is the heart—and the children. Especially gripping were reports of hundreds of missing and/or orphaned children. These, and other so-called “victims”, are the karmic soul team assigned the duty of opening hearts. Even first responders, including the chief of police and members of the NOPD, were so overcome by emotion that they accepted counseling from Dr. Phil-- an act of courage for this traditionally macho group. The upside of Leo is courage and generosity. Stories of both abound. Money was contributed in record amounts by Americans across the board. Offers of foreign aid, however, were turned away. “Pride (a downside of Leo) goeth before the fall.”

The New American Diaspora
Engulfed by floodwaters, the mighty river delta exported some of its most precious cargo, its people, to destinations all over America. The evacuees, now scattered in locations across all fifty states, are Aquarian emissaries. They will keep Katrina’s legacy alive in our national consciousness. Their presence creates countless opportunities for communities to come together and to support their fellow citizens. This is a time when we can bring our hearts together and experience the wholeness of our power (as expressed in the opening quotation). The survivors have put a face on problems that are deep and systemic. The necessary social, political and environmental reforms will require long term commitments. The new American dream must be a lucid dream, accessible to all Americans, and every citizen can contribute something to building it. We can change driving habits, walk, ride a bike, plant a tree. Challenge ourselves—get beyond our own materialism, greed and self absorption. Rescue animals, visit a nursing home, volunteer in the community, start a non-profit organization, advocate for the poor or the elderly, become a political activist. Now is the time, especially for the Pluto in Leo “me” generation, (see “When Destiny Calls) to embrace the Aquarian social consciousness that is America’s destiny. Everyone can make a difference if we “just do it”. Uncle Sam wants YOU!

Copyright 2005 by Judith Goldberg
 
 LEADING THE BLIND: A dissertation on the Purpose of Life
By Judith Goldberg, MFA
"The world p

resents itself according to the viewpoint of each person.
Whatever kind of person one is, one will see that kind of world; whatever kind
of mindset one has, one will derive that kind of conclusion."
Fo Yin
The parable of the six blind men and the elephant, a well known Indian tale from the Buddhist canon, has survived so many centuries of re-telling because of the power of its message. All of us, at some time, could be accused of wearing blinders that allow only selective sight. Or, we see the world through filters (aka belief systems) that color our reality. In fact, while we all share the same planet, most of us live in different worlds.

Missing the Big Picture
Even with 20/20 vision, one can become so focused as to miss seeing the forest for the trees. Lack of peripheral vision, invites the dangerous tendency to extrapolate that a vast forest may be populated only by a single species of tree, or that an elephant is no more than a wall (side) a post (leg) or a brush (tail). Whoever said God was only in the details? As the Buddha warned in his famous parable, teachers, preachers and gurus are often guilty of such sins of omission. Each is limited by the scope of his vision, prior experience and pre-conceptions (beliefs) about the nature of reality. Each is privy to a partial truth, that he believes to be The Whole Truth, (and nothing but the truth), and therefore worthy of universal adoption. Conflicts (sometimes bloody) arise when such theories compete for dominance. In our contemporary world, the drama plays out in the arenas of religion, philosophy and science, those disciplines that purport to answer the really big questions about the origin of the universe and the purpose of human life.

Subjective Purposes
Since the ingress (entrance) of the planet Pluto into the sign of Sagittarius in the mid 1990s, a cultural phenomenon has grown up around the quest for life purpose. As witnessed by the volume and diversity of material, both in print and on the internet, this trend cuts across many sectors of the population. Pluto is ruler of the collective consciousness and Sagittarius holds dominion over truth, religion, belief systems, the search for meaning, big picture thinking and, not coincidentally, large animals such as elephants. Nevertheless, the picture that is emerging is fragmented and subjective. The marketplace is so full of opinions that the elusive answer to the question "What is the purpose of life" may simply be "It depends on who you ask". Therefore, we must, at this juncture, take a detour to examine the ground of being—and in this case, the beings (as in human)-- that give rise not only to the question but to the very ability to question itself. Of necessity, we begin this inquiry with yet another question—"Who are we as human beings?"

Psychological Models
In the modern era, contemporary sciences, physical, metaphysical, biological and humanistic, are widening our scope of understanding of ourselves and our world. Just as quantum physics has reshaped the material universe, modern psychology has re-mapped our interior space. Developmental Psychology gave us excellent models of the growth stages of the human mind. More recently, the emerging field of Evolutionary Psychology has expanded these models, identifying and mapping the development of the collective psyche. In the evolutionary model, humanity's group consciousness progresses through universally identifiable stages that correspond to the development of individual consciousness. From cave dwellers, through the rise of civilization and into the modern world, these archetypal cycles have unfolded, and continue to survive, thrive and evolve in the present-day.

A Theory of Everything
Einstein spent much of his career searching for a "theory of everything". In 2000, philosopher Ken Wilber, one of the world's most avant-garde thinkers, published a book by that title. While Einstein's definition of everything was limited to physical phenomenon, Wilber in "A Theory of Everything" (T.O.E.) defines his as an "integral vision" that includes "matter, body, mind, soul and spirit as they appear in self, culture and nature". In this and previous works, Wilber focuses heavily on the evolution of consciousness as the primary ground from which human socio-political and cultural institutions spring. In T.O.E., he introduces Spiral Dynamics TM (SD) (www.spiraldynamics.com ) a system of developmental hierarchies originated by evolutionary psychologist, Dr. Clare Graves. In this color-coded evolutionary model, lower order group consciousness (such as that found in primitive societies and third world countries) corresponds to individual early life experiences and more successively evolved group psyches (found in the developed countries) correlate with later life stages. The system illustrates that individuals and groups migrate through the various stages, and that concentrations of individuals at all stages coexist in percentages of the population at all times. Graves' successors have produced a significant body of research, giving us a demographic picture, world-wide, of the numbers and distribution of individuals in the various categories.

Identity Crisis
Who Am I?" Obviously, a seven year old will be satisfied with a simpler exBoth on an individual and group level, developmental stages represent an unfolding of cognitive abilities, accompanied by increasing self-awareness. Human growth is characterized by a series of identity crises. The process is purely Plutonian (Pluto rules the death/rebirth cycle), as at each juncture, something with which the individual is identified must die (an ego death) before a new, more expanded identity can emerge. Wilber, in fact, defines development as "a successive decrease in egocentrism". Each individual's worldview is inextricably linked to his internal experience and corresponding level of self-consciousness. For example, a child cannot ask "Why am I here?" until he has achieved a modicum of self awareness. And, this question cannot even be addressed until he has asked and answered (perhaps subconsciously) the more primary question "planation than a more sophisticated thirty year old. The answers to both of these questions will change with each level of expansion. As successive layers of blinders are removed, they let in more light.

Climbing the Evolutionary Ladder
A popular axiom states, "The more things change, the more they stay the same". There exists currently on the planet, a multiplicity of belief systems, entrenched dogmas promoting a particular point of view to the exclusion of all others and power struggles (think wars) between competing visions. This all-too-human condition persists, because these belief systems are a by-product of the evolution of human consciousness. While those at the forefront of consciousness evolution have a more enlightened, holistic perspective, large segments of the world's population are composed of individuals on lower rungs of the evolutionary ladder. These groups co-exist as closed systems, largely in an atmosphere of hostility and distrust, where one group's truth is another's heresy.

Captive Audiences
Like the blind men, each of whom could claim to be right within a narrowly defined territory, each of these systems has legitimacy in its own domain. Each, in turn, supports its proprietary gurus and teachers. Looking from the outside in, one may be tempted to categorize this setup as a prime example of "the blind leading the blind". However, suspending judgment, in an environment where all the students are also blind, a blind teacher, one who shares their common experience but has developed some coping skills, can provide a powerful example of how to function optimally within that system. Adherents are a captive audience. Each group espouses a particular worldview that corresponds to its level of consciousness. In turn, these paradigms give rise to a diversity of socio-economic, cultural and spiritual beliefs, behaviors and structures. Answers to the universal questions about the origin of the cosmos and the meaning of life will vary according to the tenets of each group.

Transcendence
Developmental and evolutionary psychology have contributed much to our understanding of the human condition. However, they are limited in scope, in that they address only the ego and psyche, the mind/body connection, per se. In the 1970's SD researchers Don Beck and Christopher Cowan observed the emergence of a new level of consciousness they termed "integral" or "holistic". They dubbed it "second tier" because it transcended the previous model and represented a quantum leap forward. Second tier consciousness is a merger of mind/body and spirit. Widespread adoption would represent the best hope for ending the warring states mentality of the six levels that comprise SD's first tier.

The 1970s were a turning point. During this time period, the more recent discipline of transpersonal psychology began making inroads into the mainstream. Transpersonal psychology, as defined by practitioner, Michael Daniels, PhD, "is a branch of psychology that is concerned with the study of those states and processes in which people experience a deeper or wider sense of who they are, or a sense of greater connectedness with others, nature, or the ‘spiritual' dimension. The term ‘transpersonal' means ‘beyond the personal' and a common assumption in transpersonal psychology is that transpersonal experiences involve a higher mode of consciousness in which the ordinary mental-egoic self is transcended." Ken Wilber is widely considered to be the leading theorist in transpersonal psychology.
Chironic Consciousness
In 1977, the planet (some say planetoid) Chiron was discovered. Planets are discovered in remarkably synergistic fashion. Pluto, for example, was discovered during the 1930's when Jung's theories about the subconscious mind and the shadow were gaining widespread acceptance. Named for the god of the underworld, Pluto was a natural to claim dominion over this territory of the psyche. Because Chiron orbits between the inner personal and outer collective planets, astrologers have dubbed it "the bridge". The mythological Chiron, a centaur, was half human and half god. Metaphorically, the planet appeared on the scene just as humanity was jumping the chasm between the body/mind and spirit and beginning to understand and embrace both its human and divine dimensions. Chironic consciousness therefore represents this new awareness of the divinity within humanity.

The Search for Enlightenment
This inquiry on the purpose of life began a month or so and a dozen or so pages ago. While closer to the possibility of uncovering a universally inclusive truth that will satisfy all conditions, at this point, we must pause to ask "Are we there yet?" The answer is "almost, but not quite". The picture that is emerging, however, is one in which the process of becoming successively more enlightened seems in many ways more important than the end product. In other words, living in the question trumps finding an answer. The evolutionary journey itself and the rich tapestry of experience it creates may just be the purpose of life.

Some things are right under our noses, and we just don't see them.
Copyright by Judith Goldberg 2005
 
THE QUEST FOR LIFE’S  PURPOSE CONTINUES
By Judith Goldberg, MFA

“There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world; and that is an idea whose time has  come.” Victor  Hugo
Finding your life purpose is one idea that has “arrived”, as we say in the vernacular—and all signs point to its staying power, gaining a foothold and building momentum. To whit, Amazon.com has over 800 titles in the ‘life purpose’ category. The majority of these books were published in the last two years, most were post millennium and the earliest were from the mid 1990’s. So, the trend is about ten years old. The current top seller, “The Purpose Driven Life” is a theological treatise whose author, Rick Warren, has lately been making rounds on the talk show circuit. According to a Pew research poll (taken prior to the last presidential election), forty-six percent of the American electorate are avowed Evangelicals, so its no surprise this book has made a big splash. By my estimation, Christian texts made up about 25% of the offerings, with the remaining 75% divided among personal growth, psychology, career and New Age spirituality. Many of the popular self-help gurus had a volume or two out there and I even found a couple of astrologers in the mix.

Google It!
The really big numbers emerged in my on-line search. Googling ‘life purpose’ turned up 48 million hits! (I kid you not.) Search for the exact phrase in quotation marks and a more manageable 222,000 items show up.  Astrologers may feel validated to know that ‘life purpose astrology’ even tallied 625,000. The search yielded an overwhelming assortment of items-- books, CD’s, self help workbooks, on-line courses, articles, interviews, tests, questionnaires, meditations, inspirational quotations, sheet music and song lyrics, etc. etc. etc.  Websites of life and career coaches led the pack. Services also included numerology, astrology, bible studies, angels and channeling. Such obvious dedication to a cause begs the question “Is this quest for a purposeful life a trend--or an obsession?”

A Brief History of Cosmology
Ever since man came out of the caves and developed self-consciousness, he has struggled to find his proper place in the cosmos. Over time, a plethora of cosmologies emerged, with each new world-view supplanting the previous one as human consciousness leapt forward, expanding our understanding of reality. Theology, philosophy, and later science, became the dominant structures for interpreting the meaning of existence, our relationship to source and the world around us. Literature, poetry and art often followed suit. Religious thought evolved through phases of magic, superstition, revelation and doctrinal codification. Philosophy moved through various “isms” such as naturalism, humanism, and existentialism. The scientific revolution of the Seventeenth Century introduced a mechanistic paradigm based on Newtonian physics. In the early Twentieth Century, Einstein and Company (the quantum physicists) blew the whole thing apart by revealing that the fabric of the Universe is non-material and time and space are relative.  While, for eons of time, great minds have pondered the mysteries of the universe, in a contemporary context, it is significant to note that questing has moved out of the temples of science, religion, philosophy and art and into the popular culture. As part of this trend, life purpose consciousness emerged as a significant force in the second half of the 1990’s and has ratcheted up several notches in the last few years.

The Planetary Pulse
Synchronistically, in 1995, humanity got a wake-up call when the planet Uranus, often dubbed the “Great Awakener” moved into its home energy in the sign of Aquarius. Many astrologers consider that the New Age of Aquarius (which is ruled by Uranus) began at this juncture. Certainly, a strong energetic imprint was anchored in the physical plane. Just thirty days prior, Pluto, the transformer and ruler of our collective destiny, moved into Sagittarius, the sign which holds court over the quest for the meaning of life! Indeed, a vital process of personal and planetary transformation, one that is still in force, began to unfold at this time. Outer planets create lasting changes and affect the collective consciousness because they have lengthy transits. Pluto will remained in Sagittarius until 2008. It will be in Capricorn until 2024.

Climb Every Mountain
Focusing in on the energy of Sagittarius will lead us up the metaphorical mountain we presently wish to climb. Sagittarius rules religion, philosophy, education, expanding horizons, serendipity (those unexplainable coincidences) and futuristic vision. Sagittarius also rules the world of publishing. Around the time of Pluto’s ingress (entrance) a timely coincidence occurred that I will label the ‘Celestine Phenomenon’. James Redfield, an unassuming prophet, emerged from out of the hills of the rural south, and brought forth a new book. “The Celestine Prophecy” is a New Age adventure novel with an embedded mission to educate readers about nine life transforming insights. One of its central tenets deals with the importance of synchronicity and coincidences in guiding life choices.  Redfield originally self-published, running sales up over 100,000 copies within the first couple of months. Time-Warner Books stepped in and within a year of its re-release, “The Celestine Prophecy” had sold five million copies in forty countries and come up number one on the New York Times best-seller list. By 1995, Celestine Prophecy study groups began forming all over the world, facilitated by the newly released sequel, “The Celestine Prophecy Experiential Guide” (co-authored with Carol Adrienne). The elusive tenth insight, a treatise on world transformation, was revealed in a book by the same name in 1996. “The Tenth Insight Experiential Guide” followed and also “The Celestine Vision” and “Holding the Vision Experiential Guide”.

Visionary Ventures
These books were the first to cultivate a wide audience for the revolutionary concepts of the New Age, not the least of which is the idea that life is purposeful. Redfield introduced what he termed the “birth vision” in book one and by the time “The Tenth Insight” surfaced he had expanded this concept to include a world vision. The underlying principal of the birth vision is that each person’s soul plans their life here on earth, from the ‘after-life dimension’, before incarnating. As the life is lived, the individual has the opportunity, guided by intuition and synchronicity, to remember and fulfill (or not) that vision. Reincarnation is an integral part of the picture, laying the groundwork of past actions (karma) upon which the responsibilities for present and future actions rest. The world vision addresses the evolution of the collective consciousness and the responsibility of mankind to transform the earthly world of the future. What is especially significant about these books is that they address both individual and collective purpose—and by extension each individual’s role in contributing to the realization of the collective purpose.

Spin-Offs
Redfield’s co-author, Carol Adrienne, spun off a whole series of subsequent volumes dealing with personal life purpose. Among these are “The Purpose of your Life: Finding Your Place in the World Using Synchronicity, Intuition and Uncommon Sense”, “Find Your Purpose, Change Your Life” and, of course, “The Purpose of Your Life Experiential Guide”. The concept of an individual purpose distinguishes this contemporary quest for the meaning of existence from all others in history. In fact, in my entire search of both Amazon and the Internet, the life purpose theme was consistently personalized. The public’s obsession is with my purpose, not the purpose—and obsession it truly is. Here’s why…

Enter the ‘Me’ Generation
The quest is being driven by the ‘boomer’ or ‘me’ generation and it is only the latest evolutionary step in this group’s lifelong preoccupation with the search for itself. These are the folks who earned the moniker the ‘therapy generation’ and next ushered in the whole human potential movement. ‘Life purpose’ is the buzz word for the latest iteration of this group’s modus operandi. Actually, the ‘me’ generation is larger than generally documented, stretching from 1939 through 1956, because it encompasses all individuals born with a natal placement of the planet Pluto in the sign of Leo. Pluto is considered to be the generational marker because it remains in a sign anywhere from twelve to twenty years. On an even deeper level Pluto placements define soul groups who reincarnate together during particular historical eras where the circumstances lend themselves to working through specific karmic issues. Each repetition, or cycle, creates an opportunity to heal and transform the mistakes of the past. The natal Pluto sign reflects the nature of these issues, which are always significantly weighty, having to do with life and death choices, abuse of power and the resultant karmic guilt.

A Place in the Sun
Leo is ruled by the sun, and characteristically, the Pluto in Leo generation is obsessed with being the center of their universe. The result is an almost pathological narcissism that translates into the need to be special. The idea that each and every person is here on earth with a unique purpose is extremely attractive to the leonine ego. Having been kings, queens and aristocrats in former lives, Pluto in Leos have an inborn (albeit subconscious) sense of entitlement that is often frustrated when the world refuses to acknowledge them at a level commensurate to their sense of their own importance. Many are therefore unhappy, unfulfilled and frustrated. Finding one’s life purpose seems a fitting antidote to this perceived threat of insignificance. However, the fine print at the bottom of the life purpose contract reads “this is a spiritual quest, an avenue for fulfillment of the soul’s purpose, not to be hijacked by the ego”. Therein lies a central conflict. Indeed, integral to this whole generation’s path to true significance is transforming into unselfconscious leaders serving the common good. We still have a ways to go.

Copyright 2005 by Judith Goldberg

 ASTROLOGERS, SCIENTISTS & SKEPTICS
By Judith Goldberg, MFA
Do you believe in magic? Do you believe in witchcraft? In astrology? Or, for that matter, do you believe in God? What is a belief, anyway and how do we come by our beliefs?
In an epistemological hierarchy (epistemology is the cognitive science that investigates how we know what we know) belief ranks as one of the least reliable indicators of truth. Even dictionary definitions of belief are fraught with vagaries. To wit, this description from the Oxford American Dictionary: Belief: “the feeling (italics mine) that something is real and true, trust, confidence.” To believe: “To accept as true or speaking or conveying truth; to have religious faith; to have faith in the existence of; to feel sure of the value or worth of.” Not something I would confidently bet my money on. Nonetheless, belief is widely used as a yardstick, especially in areas where scientific proof is lacking, deemed irrelevant or where truth is relativistic--like religion and philosophy.  Historically, commonly held beliefs originate with trusted authorities; they take hold and survive either on faith or by consensus of opinion. Over time, beliefs can become so deeply entrenched that few bother to question their origins let alone challenge them. Many personal beliefs result from interpretations of individual experience. Beliefs, thus constructed, are often based on incomplete information or naive perception and subsequently buried in the subconscious mind where they remain eternally unquestioned. Once stored, they become hidden determinants of behavior and emotional reactivity. More insidiously, from this ground of being, they create our outward reality.

The Gospel Truth
Collective beliefs are vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation—for power or profit. For example, the Catholic Church codified the gospels in the third century, positioning itself as the only dispenser of truth (the gospel truth!) and of salvation. Non-believers were persecuted. To protect its cherished beliefs (and maintain its control) the church also became the chief adversary and suppressor of science. One may recall, that the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, Galileo's heliocentric universe and Newton's laws of physics, eventually rendered the Church's prior positions indefensible, forcing it to make a bargain with the devil (science). The physical world was ceded to the scientists while the spiritual realm remained religious territory. While science was no longer branded as heretical, at this critical juncture the Western world, as well as the Western psyche, became split into two camps—faith (belief) vs. science (proof). In the ensuing centuries these positions became increasingly antithetical and irreconcilable. We are still battling over the teaching of evolution in our schools in twenty-first century America.

Beyond Belief
It may surprise many, that as a practicing astrologer, I will be the first to admit that I don't believe in astrology. That is not to say that I hold astrology at the same level of diminishment as the friends, family members and acquaintances who are continually reminding me that they “don't believe in that stuff”. I agree. My quip, however, is with the nature of belief, not with the legitimacy of astrology. I arrived at this perspective late in life and by a circuitous route. My agnostic parents were rational scientific thinkers who taught me, at an early age, the value of an inquiring mind. In lieu of religious dogma, I was indoctrinated with the certainty that science could and would provide a rational explanation for everything. However, in my twenties I was exposed to various psychic phenomena; I began to feel strongly attracted to the occult, and unable to renounce experiences that flew in the face of scientific criteria. I longed for a resolution. If only paranormal phenomenon could be proven scientifically!
I was not alone in my quest. For the better part of the twentieth century, astrologers, desperate to restore credibility to the profession, have been preoccupied with the search for the elusive scientific proof of astrology. As a testament to the fervor of their quest, a Google search under “scientific proof of astrology” yields more than 24,000 entries. The science crusade spawned a multitude of empirical studies, the best know of which was conducted by two French psychologists, Michel and Francoise Gauquelin. Over a period of thirty years, they painstakingly documented thousands of charts in order to illustrate how various astrological principles held true to a high degree of statistical validity. Results of the study were first published in the 1970s, but an internet search on their name will still turn up web pages by skeptics who delight in denouncing them. The results of their study threatened the scientific community to the extent that researchers actually falsified data (and later admitted to it) in an attempt to disprove the findings.

Hocus Pocus
An article entitled "Debunking the Debunkers" appeared in the September 1998 issue of The Mountain Astrologer (TMA) magazine. The author, Valerie Vaughan, who has a master's degree in information science and has been a practicing astrologer for twenty-five years, attempted to rebut many criticisms of astrology by those who regard it as little more than superstition. The top three debunkers' complaints are: 1. Astrologers fail to do research. 2. Astrologers ignore the scientific approach. 3. Astrology lacks scientific evidence. In fact, not one shred of empirical, statistical evidence has ever succeeded in establishing the scientific validity of astrology.

If you, the reader, are thinking that this author is going to take up the banner in hopes of succeeding where so many have failed, you are mistaken. From my perspective, the problem lies not in the unscientific nature of astrology, but in the fact that astrological researchers have been barking up the wrong scientific tree, or at very least, hanging onto the wrong branch. Webster's International Dictionary defines science broadly as “a systematized and formulated knowledge obtained through the study, practice and concern with the discovery of general truths or the operation of general laws”. Empirical science is defined as “a branch of study concerned with the observation and classification of facts… and the…formulation of verifiable general laws…by induction and hypothesis”. Empirical science reduces data down to mechanistic explanations. Most of the so-called scientific studies of astrology have limited themselves to this perspective and “therein lies the rub”. To employ empirical science as the ultimate tool for discovering Reality/Truth is just dead wrong.

Rethinking Science
Science has many branches. There is hard science—natural science (biology, geology) and physical science (physics, chemistry) and soft science (psychology, anthropology, etc). The twentieth century saw the birth of the new humanistic sciences as well as breakthrough transformations in physics. Quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity turned the old reductionist clockwork scientific paradigm on its head and altered our understanding of the nature of reality. We now know that we are living in a universe of energy rather than matter, of vibration rather than solidity and of uncertainty rather than predictability. These new discoveries augered for a new metaphysical scientific model, a world of quarks and strings and parallel dimensions that could include and finally explain so-called paranormal phenomenon. A contemporary physicist observed “the universe may not be a great machine, but rather a great thought.” Metaphysics is not quantifiable; it is demonstrable. Much still remains that is mysterious and inexplicable. This expanded worldview has not yet been anchored in the mainstream mindset and its more radical tenets are rejected by traditional scientists. However, its potential impact is enormous. Not only does it open a window into a future that resembles today's science fiction, it holds the promise that we may someday come to intimately know the mind of God. Even if we don't believe it.  All material is copyrighted by Judith Goldberg and may be reproduced only in full with permission and full credit.

Astrology Comes of Age in the New, New, Age
By Judith Goldberg, MFA
What's really new about the "New Age"? Actually, a lot of popular trends assigned to the category "New Age" (Mayan prophesies, Shamanism, Chinese medicine, feng shui, and omigosh, astrology!) are pretty ancient stuff. An explosion of occult knowledge is now re-surfacing, migrating and finding new audiences. For centuries, many esoteric systems were held close to the fold in order to avoid the persecution of those who practiced their tenets. Others existed inside of closed cultural boundaries. Now, even East (mysticism) and West (scientific rationalism) are finally meeting and in some cases merging. A gateway opened in the 1950's when the “Beat Generation” popularized Zen in America. The wisdom of many indigenous cultures, long lost to the "civilized" world, is also moving into the mainstream; Amazon.com is its new repository. In the land of the Bible, important ancient texts have been rediscovered in caves or unearthed in the desert. They give us insight into the mystical roots of our modern religions. There is even talk of a yet-to- be-discovered “Atlantean Hall of Records" buried beneath the paws of the Sphinx. 

Rebirth
In the true sense of the word, the “New Age” is a renaissance, in literal translation a “rebirth”. The resurrection of the spiritual wisdom of ages past, demonstrates that, as expressed in the Tao, “to everything there is a return”. Cycles are the natural order of the universe and the study of astrology clearly validates this truth. However, cycles exist within evolutionary spirals, so while on the surface, a return may appear to be a replay, with each recurrence a broader understanding evolves. For example, in former times, occult knowledge was the sole purview of initiates--shamans or priests who held sway over largely ignorant and superstitious masses of followers. Today, metaphysical information is widely available to the general public and significant numbers of individuals have reached a level of sophistication equal to, or surpassing that, of ancient priestly castes. Nothing less than a whole new cosmology, is responsible for enabling this shift.
An evolution of progressively more enlightened worldviews has led to our contemporary perspective. The practice (or rejection) of astrology was altered within each successive paradigm, making the history of astrology a useful vehicle through which to investigate these changes. Astrology has been a major component of the intellectual, religious, philosophical and scientific history of civilization. Spiritual themes seem to endure throughout--from the earliest primitive drawings of moon cycles on the walls of caves to the satellite photos of the outer reaches of space. Man has always been questing for his place in the cosmos.

Omens, Fate and Magic
Astrology has been around for thousands of years; the first Babylonian cuneiform texts, 4000 years old, contain astrological omens. Early astrology was a kind of pagan astral theology in which the planets were thought to reveal the intentions of the gods. In ancient civilizations astrology was indistinguishable from astronomy. Science and religion were merged, as man struggled to explain the mysterious workings of the world around him. From the beginning of recorded history (and no doubt before) the destiny of man was understood to be integrally connected to nature and the cosmos; but until Greco-Roman times interpretive systems were primitive. In classical Greece, astrology reached new heights. Coupled with Aristotelian philosophy, it became more theoretically sophisticated and mathematically complex. In fact, Hellenistic astrology spawned all subsequent Western astrological traditions. Greek astrologers were the first to interpret individual natal charts, believing that the stars at birth held a blueprint of an individual's destiny. Later, in accordance with Roman stoic philosophy, this fate became “cast in stone”. Divination (prediction) techniques were added to the astrological lexicon, practiced by ancient astrologer/priests. Magic and religion were widely employed as attempts to thwart fate and, in turn, enriched their practitioners. 

Onward Christian Soldiers
The fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity in the fourth century A.D. resulted in the suppression of astrology in the West for the next 600 years. While Europe was plunged into darkness, Arabic Astrologers were enjoying a Golden Age. East and West would meet again in 1085 when Christians conquered Spain and Arabic astrological texts were translated into Latin. Astrology thrived, temporarily, until the church became alarmed at the influence of Islamic philosophy and theology and the Inquisitors ended the latest star search. The conflict between “church and fate” would continue for centuries, and in fact, survives today. With the European Renaissance came a rebirth of Aristotelian scientific thought and the restoration of astrology to a place of dignity. Aristotle's “natural philosophy” was highly regarded as a natural science, the rational study of which, it was believed, would lead to an understanding of the divine working of the cosmos. 

The Forward March of Science
The scientific revolution of the 17th century created a paradigm shift that changed our worldview permanently and unalterably. Copernicus turned the universe topsy-turvy with his (blasphemous) heliocentric theory. Early proponents, however, were duly imprisoned (Galileo) and executed (Bruno) in the long standing tradition of “church and stake”. Newton later built upon Copernican theory and subsequently produced a new, widely accepted model of a clockwork universe. Newton's deductive, empirical brand of science, which expressed all natural phenomena mathematically, created a rift between the physical and non-physical realms. Newton's theories became ensconced, along with the philosophical theories of philosopher Rene Descartes, in a new paradigm of “reductionism”—one in which God created and then vacated the universe, leaving its operation to the predictable laws of physics. The church agreed to allow science to prosper through an agreed upon division of territory—a separation of spirit and matter. The Newtonian/Cartesian paradigm is the foundation of our present day mainstream science. Notwithstanding disapproval by the religious establishment, science has replaced God in the minds of modern secular materialists, who are free to exercise their beliefs under the sanctions of the doctrine of separation of church and state.

The Long Road Back
The rise of scientific reductionism, once again, marked the demise of astrology. Although many astrologers went underground and continued to practice, the road back to legitimacy would be long and winding. The first crack in the dike appeared more than 200 years after Newton's death, in the final decade of the 19th century. Theosophists, a spiritualist movement in search of the unseen causes of manifest phenomenon, introduced the Eastern mystical doctrines of karma and reincarnation to the West. The emergence of Theosophy also coincided with the birth of psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud developed many of his basic concepts during the years 1895-1900. Freud's discovery of the psychological unconscious created a renewed interest in astrology as a tool for self understanding. In the early 20th century Carl Jung unleashed his theory of the collective unconscious, a repository of “archetypes,” or primordial images common to all humanity. Jung's work was to have a profound influence in many fields--psychology, literature, anthropology, and astrology. Jung himself was a practicing astrologer, although in order to protect his professional reputation, he kept this information secret during his lifetime.
The Conscious Universe
Studies in spirituality and human consciousness would not only resurrect, but revolutionize the practice of astrology. As a result of these alliances, a new brand of humanistic astrology emerged over the last century. Within this paradigm, an amalgam of spirituality, mysticism, and transpersonal psychology, the birth chart came to be viewed as a map of the psyche or soul, rather than a description of fated events. In the twenty-first century, the clockwork universe is giving way to the quantum universe. Our understanding of the nature of reality is expanding, giving rise to a new cosmology. The emerging model is holistic--one in which humanity is an integral part of a conscious universe. As such, we participate fully in the co-creation of our lives and in our collective destiny. A new astrological model is needed for this New Age.  

The Resurrection: Politics & Religion in America
By Judith Goldberg
RESURRECTION
"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"
African-American Spiritual
"Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?" Or, maybe you caught the dramatic re-enactment now playing at a theater near you. Shortly after its release on Ash Wednesday of 2004, Mel Gibson's blockbuster epic, "The Passion of the Christ" became one of the highest grossing movies of all time. The film generated a media feeding frenzy, both pre and post release. Newsweek ran a cover story (February 16) "Who Really Killed Jesus?" and, not to be out done, TIME followed with "Why Did Jesus Have to Die?" (April 12) Dateline NBC aired a one hour special "The Last Days of Jesus" in February, and re-broadcast it during Holy Week. PBS re-broadcast all four hours of "From Jesus to Christ" on Easter Sunday and NPR aired numerous thoughtful interviews with prominent theologians and scholars. The latest novel in the Christian literature "Left Behind" series, "The Glorious Appearing", began appearing in bookstores this March and quickly rose to the top spot on the New York Times bestseller list. CBS News explored the phenomenal success of these books in a Sixty Minutes II segment, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" (April 14).  
Not at any time in recent history has the annual arrival of Easter been accompanied by such a powerful chorus of voices. There has been no shortage of controversy, commentary and analysis by journalists, bible scholars, historians, true believers and just regular folks on call-in radio shows. Christian theology is front and center in the public arena and with overlapping Passover and Easter celebrations, perhaps the relevant question to ask in 2004 is "Why is this year different from all others?" As one might guess, the timing is anything but coincidental, and much of the heightened visibility owes more to the stars in heaven than in Hollywood. A glimpse of the stellar map reveals that this year is an important Holy Week anniversary.

Two star gazing Romanian astronomers, using biblical references and historical astronomical data, recently calculated accurate dates and times for both the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Accordingly, the former occurred on Friday, April 3rd 33 AD at 3 PM and the latter on Sunday, April 5th at 4 AM. Astrological charts, cast for these events, illustrate a striking correlation between certain key planetary positions at that time and again in the present. No less than three outer planets--Pluto, Neptune and Saturn--those that speak to our collective destiny-- were residing in the same signs in 2004 as they were in 33 AD. This energetic imprint is powerful and rare, occurring only once in five hundred years. By this yardstick we are celebrating its fourth "anniversary", and its first occurrence in the New Age of Aquarius. Both factors are significant. We are resurrecting some very old themes, and society at large is feeling the impact.
On the planetary front, the star players are Pluto in Sagittarius, Neptune in Aquarius and Saturn in Cancer. The combination is a volatile one-- fertile ground for a revolution in religious ideology. The positioning of these planets in these signs rarely coincides because of the time frame involved. Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the sun and transits each zodiacal constellation for 15 to 20 years; Neptune takes 165 years to make a complete revolution and occupies a given sign for about 13 years. Saturn, the fastest, makes a round in only 30 years, staying in sign for two to three years. When one of these planetary cycles repeats (i.e. the planet returns to a given sign) it resurrects the issues from the previous cycle while raising them to the next level of understanding as we move forward in history. So, every 248 years since the death of Jesus, Pluto in Sagittarius has raised the stakes, so to speak, on religious philosophy. And every 165 years, Neptune in Aquarius has challenged the popular imagination about the true nature of God and His/Her relationship to mankind/womankind. These are wide footprints--but following these tracks leads to some of the most significant events in the history of Christianity. For example, the planets were in these appointed places in 1517 when Martin Luther was born. His posting of the Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg ignited the Protestant Reformation.

Several important parallels exist between the time of Jesus and the present day, not the least of which is that both epochs stand at a crossroads between two Precessional Ages. The beginnings and endings of the Great Ages (each approximately 2000 years in duration) do not have clear lines of demarcation and, due to major energetic shifts, the transitional periods are historically times of upheaval. They are marked by the erosion of cultural institutions, by the gradual emergence of new forms and by defining events which catalyze change. These often cataclysmic events need to be recognized for both their apparent and symbolic impact. They set into motion complex chains of events, the various threads of which will eventually be woven into a new tapestry. 911, occurring as it did at the "dawning of the Age of Aquarius" is such a cataclysm. An astrological chart, constructed for the impact of the first plane, is ripe with prescient symbolism. Looking back over the last two millennia we could easily make the case that the death of Jesus was the catalyst that jump-started the Age of Pisces. In many ways, the crucifixion is a metaphor for the intersection of the energy of the outgoing Age of Aries (2000 BC - 1 AD) with the emerging paradigm of the Age of Pisces (1 AD to 2000 AD). The stark brutality of the former is sharply contrasted with the message of the latter-- love, forgiveness and compassion.  We are currently exiting the Age of Pisces--the last 2000 year Age for which Jesus is the acknowledged avatar. The Piscean Age was dominated by the establishment, growth and expansion of institutionalized Christianity and its subsequent influence in re-shaping global geography and politics. As we progressively enter the Age of Aquarius, we will be witnessing the death of old ideologies and the birth of new perspectives. It is particularly germane that Piscean (read "Christian") religious themes are being resurrected at this critical transitional juncture as they are providing an important opportunity for raising public consciousness. The context of this discourse, while currently focused on Christian content, is actually much broader, encompassing the whole evolution of spirituality on the planet. Obviously, this is too ambitious an inquiry for this column, but deserving of mention.

The scope and influence of Evangelicals in America is becoming more widely understood. Who knew that they comprise 46 percent of voting age adults in the whole country? We are currently re-visiting many issues with ancient origins such as the literal versus metaphorical interpretation of scripture, our relationship to God and the proper place of religion in politics, government and society. Another interesting parallel between our world today and Jesus' time is the predominance of apocalyptic vision. And, just as Jesus was a religious radical of his day, we are seeing many contemporary challenges to religious authority and ideology. The Catholic Church, for example, is under tremendous pressure to reform. Then, as now, we see how the volatile combination of religion and politics can lead to flawed decisions. Solutions created in the Age of Aquarius however, must have a different vision, agenda and impact than those born under Pisces. It is time to update the message. (There is still time before the prophesied end of the world in 2012!)
What is ahead for religion, per se, in the "New Age"? What will we bring forward of value from the past? What do we need to leave behind? What will we create in the future? America is currently facing some immense challenges. At stake are the constitutional separation of church and state, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of science in our schools, to name a few. We are under siege from radical Islamic religious fanatics, have launched a new crusade in the Middle East and religious ideologues here at home are at war with our democracy. How this all will be resolved remains to be seen…
"Sometimes it causes me to tremble".
Copyright 2004 by Judith Goldberg. Please obtain permission before copying this article in whole or in part.

 
 "RIGHT LIVELIHOOD"
Working to Make a Living…and a Life!
By Judith Goldberg

"All work is empty save when there is love…Work is love made visible."

Kahlil Gibran

The Protestant Work Ethic
When God banished Adam and Eve from Paradise, he sentenced them to hard labor as punishment for their transgressions. This equation of work to penance became lodged in the collective consciousness where it eventually gave rise to the great Protestant work ethic, and even to our contemporary workplace malaise--oppressive and dysfunctional work environments and high rates of worker dissatisfaction. (Check out the popular lexicon on work--"Why do you think they call it work?" "The dirtiest four letter word in the English language ends in 'k'. Etc, etc.) Statistics show (survey by Career builder.com) that one in four Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs, workers in general want more from their careers and in 2005, 61% of American workers planned to leave their current employment for other pursuits such as finding a dream job, starting a business or returning to school. Women in the work force have additional burdens and often need to make difficult lifestyle choices. An examination of how and why people choose their work (often for priorities like money and prestige) and how they define success, yields important clues to the degradation of fulfillment in the workplace. How do we reconcile this reality with Gibran´s "work is love made visible"? Slowly, new values are beginning to filter into the mainstream. This trend is evidenced by the growing popularity of books like "Do what You Love and the Money Will Follow", "Find Your Calling; Love Your Life", "The Practical Dreamer's Handbook" and "What Should I Do with My Life?"

The Spiritual Side of Work
When Buddha laid out the "Eightfold Noble Path to Enlightenment" he included "right view, intention, speech, action, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and right livelihood". He put work squarely into a spiritual context (albeit quite different from the Western biblical one). Contemporary teacher and 'prophet' Neale Donald Walsh, in his book, "Abundance and Right Livelihood", echoed the Buddha´s sentiment when he defined Right Livelihood as "work that is ethical and helpful to one's spiritual development." As a Karmic Astrologer, my definition of Right Livelihood goes a step further. I consider it "the work you were born to do".

Life is purposeful and we are on an evolutionary path. Right work is the creative expression of our true essence--love—and is part of our life plan. Work is a vehicle for achieving growth, personal power and wholeness. We find wholeness by discovering God inside ourselves and expressing Spirit in our lives. "When you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another and to God". (Kahlil Gibran) The two major channels through which we learn and grow are relationships and work. In relationships, we seek love and a connection with others. Through work we explore our creative power. Love and creativity are our natural state of being. They are gifts of the Creator-- how we are "made in the image of God". We are here on earth to use our gifts!

In former times, those who chose a path of spiritual service often retreated from society into religious or monastic orders, living a life of poverty, or at least simplicity. Contemporary solutions demand a balance of both mundane and spiritual needs. Work can serve our ideals, utilize our gifts and support a comfortable lifestyle. It can fill our souls and our pockets.

Work History
The culture of work that has existed in the world for at least the last 4000 years is intrinsically survivalist. It is rooted in our tribal and agrarian past where its purpose was the provision of food, clothing and shelter. The Industrial Revolution ushered in a new paradigm, whereby work became the exchange of time, labor and skills for money. In Post WWII America, greater availability of secondary and higher education created an explosion in career options, upward mobility and even leisure time. Yet conventional attitudes regarding stability and security prevailed. "Baby Boomers" grew up and came of age in a "train for a lifetime career; hang in til age 65; then retire and play golf "world. Changing careers was generally stigmatized-- a sign of disloyalty, irresponsibility or failure. In the '70's & '80's advances in technology created workplace obsolescence and a shifting economic climate undermined the foundations of many previously secure professions. Eventually, worker attitudes began to shift, and the realization that all change isn't bad led to a new freedom of choice. Today, career changing is a socially acceptable norm. More change lies ahead as longevity increases, expanding the productive years of life. Retirement, once looked upon as a sort of return to Eden, is also undergoing a transformation.

Astrology of the Soul
Self-actualized individuals with a well developed social consciousness and a desire to make a difference in the world are those most likely to seek andto find their true calling. The key to finding right work is in knowing your life purpose. An astrological birth chart yields much useful information in this area. In the chart, the life path is framed by two opposing points in space called the nodes of the moon (one in the southern and one in the northern hemisphere). The south node is the karmic entry point (what we bring from the past), while the north node represents our growth potential or "dharma". The chart provides a strategic blueprint for the journey from south to north, with the planet Saturn acting as facilitator, guide and catalyst.

Saturn Cycles
An oft quoted Biblical verse comes from the Book of Ecclesiastes. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." Authorship is assigned to the wise King Solomon. As the planet Saturn represents age and maturity, the old king is a perfect Saturnine role model. Solomon´s words provide a guideline for charting the Saturn cycle. The movement of Saturn through the natal chart is one of the most important vehicles Astrologers have for timing life cycles. Because Saturn rules career issues, it is also an influential significator in this area. Life moves forward, not in a straight line, but in an upward spiral that is both circular and progressive. At times it wraps back around, for review & rectification. Astrologers mark time by the cycle of Saturn. Saturn completes a round of the birth chart every 30 years. Every seven years it creates a major "aspect" that catalyzes change. At the completion of the 30 year cycle it returns to its natal position, a time known as a "Saturn Return". The first Saturn Return (age 28-30) marks the entrance into adulthood. At this juncture individuals begin to make more conscious pro-active choices.

In the Beginning
Much of an individual´s early career life is devoted to preparation in two major categories. The first is work related--getting a basic and/or professional education, developing natural aptitudes, collecting credentials, learning the ropes, building a positive work ethic, and sorting out what fits and doesn't fit. The second category pertains to personal and spiritual growth—meeting challenges, mastering important life lessons, managing relationships and gaining maturity. In the final analysis, all these experiences contribute in some meaningful way to personal progress and subsequent results. Every experience is an opportunity for learning and advancement. Right Livelihood is not an end product or a destination; it is an open ended quest or journey. By this yardstick, there is really no "wrong livelihood"—just evolving stages of "right-for-now" livelihood! Each stage is important in its own right and as a building block for future development. Every career is a work in progress and the path unfolds over time. Buddha said "Your work is to discover your work in life and then to give yourself to it passionately".

Mid-Life Crisis
As previously mentioned, the movement of Saturn around the chart activates each unfolding stage along the parallel paths of life and career. The mid life-crisis (in the mid-forties) occurs when Saturn opposes its natal position in the chart. This opposition is a "push me, pull me" experience wherein one may feel torn in two different directions. At this juncture, individuals often find they can no longer cling to the past while ignoring the promptings of the heart or of the little voice inside their head. External circumstances can also force change. The Saturn opposition frequently catalyzes a 180 degree turnaround. A check of the horoscope can provide good information as to what change is warranted and where the best future course lies.

Maturity
Seeds planted at the Saturn opposition (mid forties) typically yield mature fruit at the second Saturn Return, around age 57-60. This is a time of reaping, when life comes full circle. It is often marked by preceding work & life experiences coming together into a new gestalt. With greater longevity, the second Saturn Return is now also the beginning of a third cycle, the entrance into the sage years. Like tribal elders, this is a time of life when individuals become mentors and teachers and often focus their energies on serving the wider community or the world.

Charting the Course
An astrological career consultation is an investment in your future that can change your life (or at least your perspective on life). It can help you to identify and develop your God-given talents and connect with your passion. A chart analysis can help you understand your relationship to money, and reveal hidden barriers to success, like a need to please others or prove your self-worth. It can also provide practical strategies to make your dream a reality. But, remember--there are no magic bullets. Even when you find your bliss you will still need commitment, persistence, hard work, and sometimes adequate investment capital! Discovering your right work is an investment in a more fulfilling future. Right livelihood can be a joyful part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle, feeding mind, body and spirit, while making a living--and a life!
Copyright 2004 by Judith Goldberg. Please obtain permission before copying this article in whole or in part.

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