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Astrologer's Notes: Cosmic Creation |
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Jupiter - The Not So Jolly Fat Man |
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by Jeff Jawer |
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In traditional astrology Jupiter is called the "Greater Benefic." It is considered the luckiest planet, associated with expansion, optimism and opportunity. Jupiter is the largest of the true planets, its mass greater than all of the other planets put together. If it was only 20% larger there would be sufficient pressure to produce enough heat at its core for it to become a star. In a sense, then, Jupiter could be called a failed star. Perhaps this is reflected in its desire to be more, rather than accepting itself (or the world) as it is.
This desire appears to be Jupiter's optimistic gift, but it is also its curse. The need to be more carries with it an unstated disappointment with the present. Jupiter, in the nicest and most helpful ways, of course, is really very critical. The dark secret of this cosmic Santa Claus is that he's one very judgmental planet. In part, this has to do with Jupiter's association with truth, beliefs, religion and philosophy. It's not a planet of questions (that's Mercury's job), it's a planet of answers that are judged as either right or wrong.
In some ways Jupiter can be like the religious leader who tells you how much God loves you and then adds that if you do not follow the "right" God that you will burn in hell forever. There can be a vindictive streak of righteousness behind Jupiter's welcoming smile, which is why the astrologer Jim Lewis once described Jupiter as "Saturn in drag." Saturn, the astrological task master and planetary lord of karma has nothing on Jupiter when it comes to judgment.
Jupiter is associated with the liver, the largest organ in the body, one connected with anger in Chinese medicine. When expectations aren't met, anger is a common response. The relationship between religion and war is well-known and, unfortunately, ongoing. When a group believes that it has access to ultimate truth, how can its spread be tempered by concern for individual human life? Better to save a sinner, even if it kills him, than to live with the abomination of his sin.
Certainly, we need aspirations, morals and the yearning for truth. The philosophical framework that Jupiter represents is a necessary attribute of any human society. The function of religion is as much to bind the community together in this world as it is to prepare it for the next one. Common goals and beliefs energize and inspire the people. Great causes mobilize the masses, as they have filled streets from Berlin to Moscow to Washington. Heroic acts in the name of justice do not even require just causes. True believers of all stripes all ride Jupiter's wave.
As individuals, however, it is possible our judgments are not even rooted in belief. We think that a cause or idea is true because we feel it as much as we think it. Maybe, then, we're responding to the body, not the mind. While we can rationalize our philosophies, making arguments to defend our side and attack the other, the reality is that we're dealing with personal taste, not ultimate truth. We naturally support those ideas that are comfortable for us, that fit personal needs and desires. It's clear that we're all driven by forces that remain largely unknown to us. The very origin of thought itself is a mystery. It's easy to put on the hat of your favorite team and come up with reasons why it's the best one.
What we like is symbolized by Venus in astrology. It's a planet of tastes and personal preferences. While I may not appreciate your sense of style, it's unlikely to lead to a state of warfare between us. We recognize that we are making personal choices, ones that refer to our inner needs, rather than making universal ones based on an ultimate truth. Perhaps we can step back from Jupiter's precipice of exaggeration and distortion by admitting that we are making personal choices. I may not like your ideas about government or religion, but a Venusian perspective reminds me that I am speaking for myself, not for God. Such a humble realization does not diminish the power of beliefs, but leavens them with an essential understanding of who we are and how we make our choices. For while it is certain that we can be inspired by forces outside of ourselves, we are each a unique in how we filter those forces through our own experiences. And then, with Venus tempering opinions, Jupiter may be free to discover worlds with the open heart of a true explorer, rather than the dark one of a conqueror.
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Jeff Jawer,
Astrologer
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Jeff Jawer is well known in the astrological community as an innovative and dynamic teacher, writer and counselor. He is the CEO and co-founder of StarIQ.com.
Jeff holds a B.A. in "The History and Science of Astrology" from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and lectures at astrology conferences throughout the world.
His scores of articles have appeared in astrology journals in over a dozen countries and in five books.
www.stariq.com/
jawer/bio.asp
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