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Astrology Notes: Astrology, Healing and the Evolution of Consciousness
The Zodiac as
a Mandala of Love
by Martin Lass |
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If you've ever looked at an astrology chart, you'll have noticed that it consists of the twelve zodiac signs we're all familiar with, spread out like a pizza cut into twelve slices. You may have also noticed that each zodiac sign opposes another-i.e. it's opposite another sign across the center of the chart. Think of it astronomically: take an imaginary arrow from a given constellation to the Earth, through the Earth and back into space on the other side. Where that arrow points is the opposite constellation or sign of the zodiac. There are six pairs of opposite constellations or zodiac signs: Aries/Libra, Taurus/Scorpio, Gemini/Sagittarius, Cancer/Capricorn, Leo/Aquarius and Virgo/Pisces.
From an ordinary point of view, the affairs and issues of these opposing signs are diametrically opposite to each other-they're in conflict. Together, they represent two sides of the one coin, each valid in its own right, but incomplete without the other side. The nature of these opposites of the zodiac reflects the very nature of reality itself. We only need to look out into the world for a moment to see opposing views, conflict and seeming contradictions. Every viewpoint has its advocates and antagonists. Before we can understand the purpose of this obvious duality in the world and before we can begin to appreciate the astrological Mandala, we need to take a closer look at the nature of reality. For this, we can turn to the wisdom of the ancient mystery schools, as well as to the latest theories in astrophysics and quantum physics.
Our Descent into Duality
Science and metaphysics agree in their conception of the Creation of the Universe-they just don't know it yet! Science says the Universe began as a singularity-a single unified point of energy containing all that would soon become the Creation. From this, a Big Bang 'happened' and the unity of the singularity was shattered into innumerable primary 'particles' of energy and mass that would eventually resolve itself into the Universe we see around us today.
On the other side, metaphysics holds that the Universe 'started' as Oneness and 'descended' into Manyness-into duality, fragmentation and separateness. Sound similar to the Big Bang story?
Not only this, but science says that mass (matter) is created by energy 'splitting' into secondary particles. In this splitting, everything becomes dualized into matter and anti-matter and into all the pairs of things we see around us. Science says that there are no monopoles in nature. Every stick has two ends. Every coin has two sides. Every picture has more than one viewing angle. There's another side to every story. For anything we can name, there's an opposite. Such is the nature of the world we see through the senses.
On the other side, metaphysics holds that, as the Creation progressed, Oneness fragmented into Manyness-unity was shattered into all the polarities (opposites) we see around us. When we see only one side, we're in illusion-this conditional love, or emotions. When we see both sides simultaneously, we're seeing the Truth-this is unconditional Love.
Perhaps the most obvious religious/mythic symbol of the descent from Oneness into duality is the biblical story of the Garden of Eden (although the same story can be seen in all religions and mythologies if we know what we're looking for). First, there was Adam (Kadmon): the initial separation from Oneness or God. Then, Adam became Adam and Eve: the dualization into soul mates. (We'll discuss soul mates a little later.) Then, the world was further split into the Knowledge of good and evil-split into all the polarities and opposites we see around us: good and evil, right and wrong, positive and negative, happy and sad, black and white and so on. Such is the world we live in.
However, both science and metaphysics offer a way of returning to Oneness-a way of dissolving the illusions of all opposites and thus returning to the greater Truth, Oneness and Love from we were all birthed. Science calls this the full quantum collapse of the dualistic particles (fermions) of the perceived world into unified photonic particles of Light (bosons)-the evolution of mass (matter) back into energy. This is what Einstein's famous equation, e=mc2, is all about.
On the other side, metaphysics calls this evolution of consciousness or the Ascension or the Return to Light and other such things. This consists of dissolving the illusions of duality and separateness (dualistic particles or fermions) into the greater unity of Spirit (photonic particles of Light or bosons).
Psychologically, the dualistic particles are all our polarized personas or emotions-conditional love. The unified particles are where we have learned to Love things as they are-both sides equally. These are 'particles' of unconditional Love.
What does all this have to do with the zodiac? Everything, as we'll see!
The Creation of the Zodiac
Imagine the Creation as a cone of Light descending from a single unified point. As it spreads out in an ever-wider circle, it eventually meets a place of corresponding 'density' and the solar system is formed. Seen from above, the solar system is a circle with the Sun in the middle and the planets spread out across the circle, like items on a pizza. Outside the circle are all the surrounding constellations.
Now, imagine the Earth at the center of this circle, surrounded by the Sun, the other planets and the various constellations and there you have the zodiac as we see it.
The most important point, however, is that the energies of the descending cone of Light aren't static. They're constantly moving, spinning and tick-tocking from one extreme to the other-just like our daily lives. Most importantly, these energies tick-tock between opposites, from one end of the zodiac to the other. The farther 'down' the cone we get, the more extreme the tick-tocks-the more extreme the polarities and opposites. The 'return' journey, to the point of the cone (Truth, Oneness and Love), consists of reducing the tick-tocks until each pair of opposites comes together once more. Let's see how we can make this knowledge practical . . .
The Zodiac Pendulum
So, each pair of opposite zodiac signs represents a particular path back to Truth, Oneness and Love. With each pair, the lesson of Love is to understand, appreciate, experience and finally Love both sides equally. Each zodiac pair is a puzzle to be solved. Each pair, perceived as a duality, represents a journey toward the Healing and resolution of the two sides of the question.
In reality, we cyclically swing back and forth from one pole to the other, like a pendulum. A single pendulum swing can take lifetimes or, if we are more evolved and wiser, it can take a lot less time. In all cases, our task is to bring the two poles together into One.
Put practically, when things happen to us that we consider painful, bad, wrong, unbalanced, unfair and so on, how long does it take us to 'work through' the underlying issues-to see the blessings in the crises, to 'own' the issues, to acknowledge our part in them, to take responsibility for them and ultimately to resolve the underlying conflicts? The faster we're able to do this, the closer to wisdom and Love we are.
In this way, each zodiac pair is truly a lesson in Love and will ultimately reveal to us our own true nature as Love and Light. Not only this, but each time we resolve and reunify a zodiac pair, we become aware of another piece of the puzzle of our lives. As each next piece is revealed, so our higher mission on the planet becomes clearer.
In this way, when taken together, all zodiac pairs make up a Mandala of Love.
Now, let's explore each of the six pairs of zodiac opposites and their specific affairs and issues. In the astrology chart, zodiac pairs or opposites, when articulated by opposing planets, represent focal issues in our lifetime. For example, each of our life's paths is articulated by the opposing zodiac pair of the North and South Nodes of the Moon when we were born. Even when specific planets don't oppose each other in our birth charts, the opposites are still there, hidden within and waiting to be discovered, acknowledged, embraced and finally Loved.
The most obvious place to start is with the Sun sign. For example, if you're a Leo sun sign, then you would start by looking at the Leo/Aquarius pair, even if you have no planets in Aquarius. After this, you can equally apply this approach to every other planet in your chart, examining the planet's own issues as well as the polar opposites of these issues.
We've laid out the basics of each zodiac pair below:
Aries/Libra
This is the polarity of self/others, me/we, egoism/altruism, inner strength/outer weakness, solitude/relationship and so on. If the pendulum swings too far toward Aries, then we believe we need no one else. We're a law unto ourselves. The inner loneliness and isolation that this kind of stance engenders naturally encourages us to swing back the other way. The expression, 'No man is an island' is the balance for this Arian stance. One of the chief features of the Aries signature person is the hidden need for approval from others. In this way, the door to potential acknowledgment of the value of others is kept ajar.
If the pendulum swings too far toward the Libran stance, then we find ourselves invariably giving our power away to others. Inner truth is sacrificed for the sake of social harmony and a peaceful life. Our efforts to maintain such a peaceful life and to avoid rocking the boat invariably result in self-depreciation and in feelings of resentment toward others. As a result, the Libran signature person will inevitably find themselves in situations of great imbalance and conflict. This is the other side of the coin saying to them, 'When are you going to stop being a doormat?'
The perfect marriage of the Aries/Libra polarity is the balance between self and others. There's an invisible line around us over which no other shall step. Similarly, there's a line beyond which we don't step into the space of others. Paradoxically, there really is no line between others and us, because what we do for ourselves, we do for others and what we do for others, we do for ourselves.
The highest understanding and the ultimate resolution of the Aries/Libra paradox is the realization that others are a perfect reflection of us. What we see, judge or love in another is what we unconsciously see, judge or love in ourselves. What we infatuate in another is what we are denying or failing to acknowledge in ourselves. What we resent in another is what we are disowning or failing to recognize in ourselves. In short, the mirror of others gives us the opportunity to learn how to Love ourselves a little more.
Taurus/Scorpio
This is the polarity of organization/chaos, construction/destruction, material security/material chaos, total trust/suspiciousness, peace/war and so on. If we swing too far toward Taurus, we become fixed, complacent, materially oriented, trusting to a fault, indolent and attached to our comforts. If this goes on for too long, either we get bored and this impels us to make changes in our lives or life deals us some swift and dramatic crises to wake us from our slumber. Within the Taurus polarity is the need to control everything material.
If we swing too far toward the Scorpio pole, we become excessively destructive, chaotic, materially scornful, jealous and envious, suspicious and over-protective. This pole is the 'shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later' stance. Within this pole is the need to control Spirit.
Everything in the life of these two polarities points us toward the real security that can only be found in Love. The Taurean security leads to boredom and stagnation, whereas the Scorpio security leads to hatred and resentment of the things that it strives to control. The two poles together are a good illustration of the 4th Ray of Creation-the Ray of Harmony through Conflict. Only when we relinquish our need to control, handing over our will to a higher power, do we begin to understand that in Love there's no need for security. Love is its own security.
In addition, the Taurus/Scorpio polarity requires a balance between Spirit and matter. In the real world, this requires an equal acknowledgment and appreciation of the opposing processes of construction and destruction-of peace and war. War without peace brings chaos. Peace without war brings stagnation. Real harmony is a balance of both.
Gemini/Sagittarius
Here we have the polarity of knowledge versus experience, of information versus broad conceptualization, of the deductive versus the inductive, of the particular versus the general, of fragmentation versus unity and so on. The Creation of the solar system comes from a 'cone of illumination' originating in the center of the galaxy. This Creation is described above as a movement from the One into the Many. The center of the galaxy is in the constellation of Sagittarius and the Creation of the solar system is a 'breath' from Sagittarius to Gemini. This is a path from the Oneness of Love and Light to the 'Many-ness' of polarized Love and light. The return journey of evolution is a journey of bringing together the fragments of Creation (Gemini) into the Wisdom of Spirit (Sagittarius). And so, the cycle repeats eternally.
On Earth, if the pendulum swings too far toward Gemini, then we're 'in the head'. We get stuck in masses of information that have no unifying understanding. We're taken this way and that way by our thoughts, impulses and external stimuli in a random way. Gemini is the height of specialization-the exploration of the 'particular'. When we go too far in this direction, we lose the bigger picture-we lose touch with meaning in our lives.
When the pendulum swings all the way toward Sagittarius, we lose touch with details. We bask in grandiose pictures of wisdom and order. Free from the laborious and boring details of the lesser populace, we're free to invent and float freely in the realm of pure ideas-metaphysics without the constraints of boring information! Alternately, we become adventurers on a journey that requires no thought or introspection-all is given from life itself. The only trouble with these stances is that we lose touch with reality!
Without the process of manifestation, which is the creation of ever finer detail and diversity in the material world (information-Gemini), the undifferentiated Spirit (Sagittarius) cannot know that it exists. Without the process of evolution, which is the process of synthesizing and unifying the fragments of the material world into the greater whole (Sagittarius), these fragments (information-Gemini) would simply dissolve into chaos. The two together make up the cosmos-the cyclic principle of Creation and evolution.
Spirit without knowledge is impotent (the enlightened idiot). Knowledge without Spirit is empty (the idiot savant). To balance the Gemini/Sagittarius polarity, we must simultaneously pursue knowledge and pursue the unifying wisdom that ties that knowledge together. When we do this, we grow in consciousness-grow toward Love. As the magnificent plan of the cosmos unfolds from the knowledge collected, we can't help but be awestruck by the realization of the divinity lying behind everything.
Cancer/Capricorn
This zodiac pair is comprised of the polarities of being cared for/caring for, dependence/independence, support/non-support, fluid/solid, organic/structured, warmth/lack of warmth, embryonic/fully formed, growth/decay, idea/form, Spirit/matter and so on.
The Cancer extreme seeks warmth, caring, nurturing, being looking after and so on. This hearkens back to a time before self-determination and responsibility were required. There doesn't seem to ever be enough love for us when we're at this extremity-it's a bottomless pit. We're dependent upon others for our emotional needs. The world around us, however, seems cold and uncaring. This is literally a fetal response that doesn't want to accept personal responsibility for our lives. The cold and uncaring world around us (Capricorn) is trying to get us to grow up, to take responsibility for ourselves, to nurture ourselves and to care for ourselves. At this Cancerian extreme, we're in birth without growth and maturity.
The Capricorn extreme is only interested in practical matters. Responsibility is more important than care. In this space, we don't have time to worry about those who can't worry about themselves. We bury ourselves in work, creating structures against the emptiness we feel inside. We see the world as a commodity that we can shape-beat into form. The trouble is, once we've built the structures, who's going to inhabit them? In our extreme coldness and pragmatism, we repel others who could show us the warmth that could fill these empty spaces. At this extreme, we're in death without having lived.
The lesson here is that we're each seeking a balance between care and responsibility, between being nurtured and nurturing self, between being supported and supporting self, between being looked after and looking after self. Warmth, caring and nurturing (Cancer) without form and structure (Capricorn) leaves us embryonic and unmanifest-it turns us inwards into the bottomless pit of despair. Conversely, form and structure without warmth, caring and nurturing leaves us empty-leaves us inanimate and lifeless. This also leads to isolation and despair.
To reconcile these polarities, we must balance dependence and independence. The perfect marriage of the Cancer/Capricorn dichotomy includes both dependence and independence in every person. In caring for others, we seek to learn how to care for ourselves. In caring for ourselves, we're preparing to care for others. In taking responsibility for our lives, we're preparing for taking responsibility for others. In taking responsibility for others, we're learning to take responsibility for ourselves. The blending of these two sides is Love.
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Martin Lass,
Astrologer
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Martin Lass
Professional Practising and Research Astrologer
Research Member of AFA (American Federation of Astrologers)
Member of ISAR (International Society for Astrological Research)
Certified practitioner of "The Collapse Process"(TM) of Dr. John Demartini (The Concourse of Wisdom School of Philosophy and Healing, Houston TX).
Martin Lass specializes in Chiron Astrology--the astrology of Healing--as well as actively researching the origins of astrology and astrology's wider metaphysical connections to every possible area of human endeavor and expression.
He writes for various trade journals, has authored numerous books (see below) and presents lectures/seminars/workshops worldwide on a variety of topics from astrology to healing to the connections between mythology, physics and metaphysics, to name a few.
Author of the three-volume book series, "Musings of a Rogue Comet - Chiron, Planet of Healing" and of "Love Makes the Worlds Go Around - The Living Planets Speak"
See:
www.martinlass.
com/chbk123.htm
Author of spiritually-based fiction and poetry
Professional musician (violinist), composer and entertainer
Book designer for Print-on-Demand (POD) printing process (primarily for self-publishers - e-books and trade paperbacks)
websites:
www.martinlass.
com/astrohome.htm
(astrology and healing site)
www.martinlass.
com
(music site)
www.galactic
publications.
com
(PDF book design site)
email:
MartinLass7@aol.com
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