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Astrologer's Notes: |
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Controversial Topics in Astrology – Part 2
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by Basil Fearrington |
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If you held a social function and invited only astrologers who had strong opinions about either of these approaches, it could equal the verbal equivalent of a heavyweight championship fight that would be fairly similar to what happens in political discussions between Conservatives and Liberals. As was the case in Part 1, I have included my views of each topic.
#5 - Classical/Predictive vs. Psychological
There are very distinct differences between classical astrology and modern psychological astrology. For starters, classicists do not use Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. The logic for not doing so is somewhat explained in that the nature of these planets can be separated from the Signs of their rulerships. For example, the nature of Uranus is really cardinal-like in that it is a leading, initiating influence that strives to tear down that which is old, worn out, unjust, etc. The nature of Aquarius is decidedly Fixed and unyielding, almost in the same way as is the case with Taurus. This is an argument that has been posed to me by classical astrologers. Yet, if you search a database, you can find a number of Aquarians whose nature resembles that of Uranus: Huey Newton (leader of the old Black Panther Party); Bill Maher, the broadcaster [with Mars in Sagittarius] whose opinions got his show terminated from ABC television; Rosa Parks; Frederick Douglass; Aresenio Hall elected to end his show rather than give in to the station’s demands to not have a certain controversial guest on his show. I could fill this page with examples.
Classical astrology is largely predictive in nature because that is how astrology was used prior to the discovery of psychology in the twentieth century. Psychological astrologers feel that this flies in the face of common sense because each person has a life reality. Two people can be have the exact same horoscope but if one was born to celebrity parents in Hollywood and the other is an orphan in Soweto, you have two very different realities that create two different sets of potential (or lack of it). The only thing that can happen is what can happen. This is where a discussion of what makes a person tick (i.e. psychological astrology) is advantageous. The idea is to use the horoscope to help a person be the person they were meant to be; to fulfill needs and get on the right path. Then you use the horoscope for purposes of timing and not to determine when the planets will just drop fame or fate in one’s lap.
If you use Solar Arcs as a predictive tool, you cannot eliminate the outer planets. They are symbols that are far too emphatic to dismiss. My suggestion is that you know both philosophies and integrate the classical methods into your predictive system.
#4- Mercury Retrograde
In astrological circles, life comes to a screeching halt during the 9 weeks each year that Mercury is retrograde! Astrologers everywhere are advising people to not travel, not sign contracts, to not buy a computer, car or even an iPod! Yet, the rest of the millions of people in the world all somehow seem to continue on without facing disaster. Just think of the number of plane flights that occur when Mercury is retrograde. Sure there are delays but there are delays anyway. Computers and cars are purchased with no more or no less in the way of problems than at any other time.
In the year 2000, having not long returned from teaching astrology in South Africa, my vehicle all of a sudden just died on me and it could not have died at a worst time. I went to a dealer and had to have a car that day! I asked if there were any cars that had been ordered new but were left, not sold, etc. There were three. I took test drives in them and selected one. We did all the necessary paperwork and I drove out with that car. I noted the time of the contract signing. I finally looked at the horoscope a few weeks later. Everything that could be wrong was wrong. The Moon was Void of Course! The ruler of the 3rd House of the horoscope was involved in all kinds of tension as was the ruler of the horoscope. In fact, the two rulers were square to each other. And what’s more, Mercury was retrograde. It could not have been worst. Yet, it’s now 6 1⁄2 years later and aside from alternator and battery replacements, there have been no issues with the car.
A very prominent astrologer once made this statement that is just so classic and is quite hilarious. He said, “ Although Mercury may be retrograde, I am not!” In other words, “I don’t care if Mercury is retrograde. I conduct myself and my life in such a way that it doesn’t matter.” The short and long of it is that you really have to use common sense. I no longer keep track of when Mercury is retrograde. I just don’t care. Someone else is usually bringing it to my attention or, if I am asked to do an electional horoscope for someone, I see it there. My feeling is that if you can avoid it, you don’t necessarily want to initiate any activity that falls under the guise of Mercury when it is retrograde. You have nothing to lose by waiting it out. But you cannot cancel business trips, delay buying computers if one dies and business depends on getting another one immediately, etc. If the only day that you can make a closing on a house or sign a deal to get a new one is when Mercury is retrograde, that is just what you have to do. Be practical and use common sense.
#3 – Fate vs. Free Will
This discussion falls in line with topic #5. Is what happens to me the province of the planets or is it based on what I do? It is based on what you do, not on what the planets do. If your partner came to you to announce that your relationship was ending and transiting Saturn was squaring your Venus, did Saturn break up your relationship or were the two of you simply not compatible? Think about that a moment. Does a planet cause the relationship to end? Is the planet a part of the relationship? It’s ridiculous to think that it did. My father passed away when transiting Pluto conjoined my mother’s Venus. His passing at a relatively early age was totally due to the fact that he did not take care of himself in many ways. His body couldn’t take it any longer. It wasn’t that Pluto made anything happen. It just symbolized what did happen and that is the beauty of astrology. It is uncanny in its reflection of human activity. There is no causation connected to planets.
I know of a small community in New Jersey that is pretty self-contained. The people there rarely leave the community. Most of them have never flown on a plane. They have not seen 99% of the United States in person. They marry people they knew in high school and a great many of them live in the same house from birth to death. The community is laced with routine. I know a senior couple in this community and I know their lives well. The absolute heaviest, most emphatic outer planet transits have reflected nothing in their lives. Aside from marriage and childbirth, everything now is as it has been. What I am saying is that there was no inner or outer change whatsoever in their lives whether Pluto was going over the Ascendant or SA Venus was going over the Ascendant. Life remained the same because that is what they wanted.
People call the shots, not planets. Our astrology is fantastic at reflecting human life but it does not cause or force humans to do anything. It is very, very important to have this kind of orientation and perspective in astrology. When your approach is one of being handed a fate delivered by a planet, the approach to astrology can suffer from impractical, unrealistic ideas that ultimately do not serve your client well.
#2 House Systems
This discussion is especially intense when it involved Placidus and Koch. What I can offer to you is that if you are an astrologer who uses psychological astrology, the Placidian system is the most superior system. There are those who use transits to and in Houses who feel that the Koch system is best. Being an astrologer who doesn’t see any value in transits to Houses, I cannot respond from experience but when it comes to psychological astrology, the natal placements of the planets in their Houses is going to be very reliable.
For predictive work, the Angles are all-important and they do not change unless you use the Equal House system.
#1 - The Horoscope of the United States
One of the basic, fundamental concepts of our astrology is that a meaningful event is usually symbolized in the horoscope if the horoscope is correct. Many events may take place in one’s life that have no real impact or meaning. These will probably not be seen in a horoscope. I have seen parental death go completely undetected in a horoscope before and after the event because the relationship between the child and the parent was so distant as to have not existed. The death made no emotional impact.
If I had to look back over my life and select a meaningful event (aside from the births of my sons), it would have to be when I started working with Roberta Flack. I was 22 years old and working with her opened the door to a world that allowed everything else to happen ever since. What was happening in my horoscope at that time was transiting Saturn conjunct Sun; transiting Uranus square Sun; Solar Arc Pluto conjunct Moon; Solar Arc Sun=Jupiter. Looking at those measurements, it would have been easy to see a major shift potential before the fact unless I just decided to stay in the house and do nothing.
When it comes to mundane astrology, the horoscopes of nations and events, astrology really shines. Unlike humans, countries do not have the one-up on the planets. Humans call the shots when it comes to planets. Humans make things happen. But when it comes to nations, the relationship between planetary activity and national events is much more reliable. Using transits and Solar Arcs alone, one can come up with remarkably easy predictions regarding nations, especially when you use the horoscope of Israel (May 14, 1948; 4:00 PM, Tel Aviv). In many ways, mundane astrology is the area of astrology that could or should be used to bring sophisticated astrology into the mainstream.
The horoscope of the United States is arguably the most debate-laden topic in all of astrology. For reasons that none of us really understand, a horoscope of the country was created using the data of July 4, 1776 at 2:13 AM. This is the most popular horoscope of at least a half dozen that are used for that date. It is the one that you probably saw first when you saw any horoscope of the United States.
If we were to cite a single event that we would expect to see symbolized in any horoscope of America, it would be the attacks upon the World Trade Center and the subsequent events of that day regarding the Pentagon and Flight 93. The impact that the events of 911 have had on America cannot be understated. Many ways of doing things had to be changed and they continue to change daily. Yet, there is nothing to symbolize all of this in the popular American horoscope. What we would normally look for to symbolize real action is a transit or arc to an Angle, the Sun or Moon, from Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. The only aspect that was remotely close was the arc of Jupiter to the Moon, already separated but still within orb.
I have talked about this to a few astrologers who are sophisticated in mundane astrology and the response I get is that 911 was easy to see in the horoscope of Manhattan (May 16, 1626; 9:33 AM LMT). While this is very true (SA Mars exactly square the MC; SA Neptune=ASC), these kinds of dramatic aspects are what we would and should have expected to see in any horoscope of the United States for this most decisive, most impacting event. While there certainly are many events in America’s history that can be seen in the Gemini Rising horoscope, it concerns me that the most emphatic event on its land is not reflected.
Natally, if we go back to the discussion of Mercury retrograde, we have to look at the reality of Mercury’s retrogradation in the Gemimi Rising horoscope and in House III! It is a signature that does not fit the power of the country and its communications prowess unless you consider the subjectivity that tends to take place in a person’s horoscope when Mercury is retrograde. This and so many other factors leave things open to a lot of speculation. When we are sure and certain, there is no speculation.
What we do know is that there are certain degree areas that the country is sensitive to. The area of Fixed Signs from around 13-18 degrees is sensitive. The area of Mutable Signs around 9-13 degrees is sensitive. Also, the Cardinal area around 10-14 degrees (an area of importance shared by many nations; it will be very, very interesting to see what takes place when transiting Pluto reaches this area!).
While I have not fully worked it out, my suspicion is that the country has the early degrees of a Fixed Sign upon its Midheaven or Ascendant. One thing for sure is that with so many horoscopes speculated on, we know that no one knows the right one, regardless of the soundness of logic presented in the argument for or against! If we knew for sure, there would be no speculation.
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Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
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Basil Fearrington is the author of "The New Way To Learn Astrology." He has been a professional astrologer for 22 years.
Basil's articles have appeared in the leading astrological publications around the world. He was the Inaugural Chairman for the MilleyDome project in Johannesburg, South Africa and taught astrology there for one year.
Basil has twice been a faculty member of UAC and spoke at Astro 2000. In addition to his work in astrology, Basil is a professional musician who has toured with and/or recorded for artists such as Stevie Wonder and George Benson.
He was on a team of composers who did the music for a network show called "New York Undercover." The same team won a Grammy award in 1980.
basilfearrington@
Yahoo.com
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