Maandelijks archief: september 2010

The validity of astrology

by Jan C. Weber:

Introduction

For certain it is not simple to answer all questions raised with respect to the validity of astrology. The most simple to recognize is the relation between astronomical facts and astrology. However it is a little more complicated than can be derived from the simple statement that the cause of movement of planets is nothing else than gravitation. For sure there are powers we are not aware of. From dawn of existence of mankind we always had, and in most cases with big stubbornness, to adapt our beliefs and knowledge. With every new discovery we approached the truth more than before. This also became clear for most of the former dissentients. Up to now, every commonly accepted awareness of truth turned out to be temporary and so “the truth” varied from time to time. No doubt this tendency will carry on in the future. Only when mankind succeeds to oversee the whole of creation in one view and together in all dimensions and dynamic, the possibility of a never changing truth might exist. However this would only be possible when mankind is not part of the whole of existence, but could go beyond this, like we expect from a God. Only when we are prepared to change our views with the discovery of new facts, we will have the possibility to come closer to the divine truth and be able to understand the objectives of creation and possibly we will change our attitude of destruction in an attitude of love for creation.

Why do some people believe in astrology?

Most people believe in astrology for the reason it helps them to understand what happens in their lives. They use astrology to try to get answers for what cannot be explained simple. Astrology managed to give these answers during many centuries. By researching many mysterious occurrences astrologically, numerous of more or less incidental occasions could be explained with the movement of planets. Also the results and influence of these movements in society and individual lives could be explained. People consult an astrologer because they are interested to know what could happen in their lives and what sudden influences have to be dealt with in the future. Thus people can benefit from this knowledge and be able to more easy deal with sudden upcoming challenges in their lives. Horoscopes published in e.g. newspapers or weekly magazines never can be used individually. Here, only general tendencies are presented, more or less valid for people sharing the Sun in the same Sun sign. The influence for the life of an individual can only be derived from a personal horoscope and only when the time of birth is more or less exact known.

Dynamics in our solar system

Astrology is based on the energies related to the movement of planets in our solar system. Some of these planets have one or more Moons orbiting this planet. It is known that all orbits of planets around the Sun are more or less in the same plane. The intersection of this plane with the stellar systems around we call the ecliptic or zodiac. All orbits of planets have an elliptic form. The characteristic of an elliptic orbit is that the distance between orbit and the 2 focal points (in one of them the Sun) is everywhere different. According to physical law the orbit speed of planets is in every position of the orbit different and depends on the distance to the focal points (i.e. the Sun). These differences in speed are accompanied by differences in planetary pull and therefore in energy. This energy is of influence to all life exposed to it.

The distances of the orbits of the different planets in our solar system to the Sun differ widely, for this reason the time needed for every planet to make an orbit around the Sun is different. In addition, there is a big difference in the mass of planets (Jupiter, the biggest planet in our solar system approx. has the same mass as all other planets together). For Mercury it takes 88 days to complete an orbit around the Sun. Venus needs 225 days, Mars 687 days, Jupiter almost 12 years, Saturn 29,6 years, Uranus 84 years, Neptune 165 years and Pluto needs 247 year to accomplish an orbit. It may be evident that the energies caused by these movements will differ strongly and that the influence of all these energy on all life will differ substantially. In addition it can be stated that the chance, that all planets in our solar system, simultaneously will be in the same position as once before, is not existing. Especially for all planets in an orbit outside the earth orbit, it can be stated that, when a planet is in a  particular part of the orbit represented by a star sign of the ecliptic, it is the same part of this orbit as every time before. And it is also true that, in that part of the orbit, the distance to the Sun is the same as all other times the planet was in this position. Every time again the same energy pattern will occur.

What does history of science learn us?

Since its origin, mankind has been forced to change, and many times with reluctance, its ideas about the world and the solar system.  Sometimes even, people in power tried to efface evidence of new insights by threatening with deadly penitention. However, truth always came through and mankind approached the truth of existence every time a little bit more. All ideas about the truth turned to be besides truth every time again.  This tendency for sure will continue to the future. Only when mankind could manage to understand the divine complexity in all its dimensions and dynamics, truth could become transparent. And for that reason, mankind will always turn out to be too limited in knowledge, whatever they will be able to discover. The only situation, where mankind can be supposed to understand all, is when the all is inside the individual human. As mankind consist of many more than one human, this is a contradictio interminis. As long as mankind is prepared to adapt knowledge to new insights, we will more and more approach to understand the real meaning of creation.

From science we have a number of insights we could use to understand.

In the first place there is the general theory  of relativity developed by Albert Einstein. In this theory it is assumed that both mass and energy curves space/time. Einstein states there is no difference between a constant acceleration and a constant gravitation. With the help of this theory Einstein e.g. has been able to explain disturbances in the orbit of Mercury. Einstein was not always very certain about the validity of his theories. Many times he has thought his theories were not correct until again they could be proven as true.

In the second place there are the theories of Gödel. He was a brilliant mathematician and a.o. known from the incompleteness theorem.  This theorem told us the following:

  1. If a system is consistent it can’t be complete
  2. The consistency of axioms cannot be proven within a system

All systems are defined in a restricted way, to be able to study the relatedness of variables defined as the most important. All systems use external defined axioms to research its validity within the system. As a result of our scientific method we know all our systems are limited, so they will not be applicable to prove the validity of everything existing.

Next I would like to refer to the philosopher of science, Karl Popper. He is known from the scientific method of empiric falsification and states, the knowledge we have about a certain subject improves when we can prove this knowledge is false in certain circumstances. Based on insights we had on forehand, we are able to expand our knowledge and renew the theory behind. In the development of our society and especially in the knowledge society this insight of Popper is crucial.

In many cases our science builds on simplified models of reality, where less relevant factors have been left out. This approach can be easily adopted in many fields without problems. However researchers should always be aware of this potential pitfall. This awareness should keep us away from too dogmatic opinions and a doubtful approach of really new ideas. It should trigger us every time again to search in wonder to new insights. Another reason to adopt the falsification theory, lies in the dynamics of everything around us. Mankind always tries to explain everything existing in fixed structures, however history has proven nothing is fixed and mankind always had to adapt to important changes in whatever circumstance. Everything in the universe, from black holes and related milky ways up to the smallest gene can change. Einstein’s law of mass energy equivalence, learns us that all dynamic is of influence of the surroundings and will have influence of it.

Fritjof Capra has used these ideas in his books “the Unity of life” and “the Web of life” and has given us insight in the relation between the ideas of Einstein and the history of development of life on our planet.

Above scientific examples show us that knowledge is temporarily and will change according to the dynamics of life around. However the most relevant dynamic, the movement in our solar system and beyond, is not taken into account. Wouldn’t it be the right moment to be prepared to take into account the energies of geocosmic phenomena and the influence it might have on all life, including mankind. It is the astrology studying these relationships since many centuries. Before the advent of modern science, astrology was called the king of sciences. Why shouldn’t we use this knowledge in the advantage of mankind making them more aware of their ties to galactic influences.

How can astrology contribute?

Astrology can contribute to find answers on questions we have in our lives, but due to the complexity of energies we are influenced by, it will not be applicable for everything.  The difficulty lies in the complexity of the universe and the human search for simple explaining mechanisms.  Due to the dynamics in the universe, situations representing the same energetic situation will not occur. From the moment we are born we have our objectives in life, either form ourselves or influenced by our social surrounding. Only one thing we know for sure, one day we will pass away and leave the body we are incarnated in.  We look for certainness and stability in our lives and keep as far as possible away from death. However life goes about awareness, and awareness can only grow when we have to cope with circumstances we never met before. These help us to challenge us to a growing awareness. And a accumulation of all awareness’s lead to fulfilment. And it is astrology that can help us to understand events and why they came on our path and thus helping us to grow to fulfilment.

The astrological mandala

The astrological mandala

Introduction

One of the subjects where the French musician and philosopher Dane Rudhyar has contributed to astrology is the Astrological mandala.

In this article I give a short description about the structure of the astrological mandala and about the way it might be used by astrologers in daily practice.

Birth chart

At the moment we are born, we start the great journey to awakening of our soul. The birth chart shows us a picture of energies we have to cope with and to use for our personal growth. A birth chart (both for individuals and institutions) show the energies we have to take as a starting point.

During our lives we become ourselves exposed to energies of the cyclic processes, related to the movement of planets around the Sun and their mutual interactions in a never ending variety of effects. These energies are at an arbitrary moment the almost the same for everybody in a limited area. The difference in effect on individuals is related to the sequence, moment and contents it affects elements in an individual birth chart and the way psychological processes are influenced. In this way developments in the individual journey of awakening can be foreseen, as the sequence and timeframe of these energies are fixed. Astrological techniques can be used as an important help for explanation.

In this article I will explain the potential role of the astrological mandala in our journey of awakening. How the message of the astrological mandala is of influence of all elements within an institution is explained with the use of a birth chart of an institution.

The astrological mandala

The astrological mandala is a method where every degree of the zodiac is represented by an archetypical picture (Sabian symbol). The pictures for these symbols were received channelled by Elsie Wheeler in 1925 and systematically recorded by Marc Edmund Jones.

The word Sabian refers to a tribe in the Middle East (Turkey/Syria) forming the cradle for the filosophical tradition based on Hermes Trismegistus. Jones was founder of the Sabian Assembly (for further information see www.sabianassembly.org), a society striving to practice astrology based on the ideas of Pythagoras.

Dane Rudhyar, who was a friend of Jones, decided to investigate the meaning of the astrological mandala in relation with his holistic astrological approach and discovered that every symbol reveals an archetypical significance of a fundamental phase in human existence. These 360 archetypical symbols show mutual a cyclic character. Dane Rudhyar published his findings in the book “An Astrological Mandala” ISBN 0-394-71992-1.

 

The 360 degrees of the zodiac are grouped in 2 hemicycles of 180 degrees the  process of individualization (Aries 1 to Virgo 30) and the process of collectivization (Libra 1 to Pisces 30). The process of individualization should lead to the development of a well balanced self, the process of collectivization focuses on the development of the individual in relation to the environment.

Each hemicycle  consists of 2 acts (differentiation: Aries 1 to Gemini 30, stabilization: Cancer 1 to Virgo 30,  group integration: Libra 1 to Sagittarius 30, capitalization: Capricorn 1 to Pisces 30).

Each act has 6 scenes (in total 24 for the complete zodiac). Each scene is subdivided in 3  levels (Actional – Emotional cultural – Individual mental – Group performance). Each level has 5 phases.

Each degree of the zodiac is represented in an archetypical symbol, a keynote (a short first psychological interpretation of the symbol) and a further explanation in relation to the cyclic processes.

A symbol gives a representation of something rational and objective and shows the relation between a specific human need and the capability to fulfill this need. The symbolized archetypical picture leaves space for interpretation in different contexts.

The significance of the four angles in the horoscope

A horoscope shows on the one side the position of the astrological factors (Sun, Moon and planets) at a certain moment, on the other side it gives a description of the potency of the unique self. In a horoscope the angels (Ascendant, Descendant, Nadir and Mid Heaven) have a special significance. For instance the assignment an individual or organism received at creation can be clarified.

The degree of the ascendant (AC) shows the nature and the meaning, to WHAT it is leading. The degree of the descendant (DC) shows the WHERETO, to what is it leading. The degree of the nadir (IC) shows how the awareness of the own socio cultural environment best can be used and integrated in the process of realization (HOW) and the degree of the Mid Heaven (MC) indicates the ultimate meaning of this incarnation or creation and the ultimate culmination the individual or organism can achieve as a result of the whole cycle of proceedings (the WHY).

It seems a simple whole, however one can immediately object the zodiac has a limited number of degrees of 360 and lots of people and institutions start with the same assignment, indicating how the unique self can be fulfilled. However in reality it is much more complex and this is elaborated in the following paragraph.

The cyclic character of human experience.

The archetypical meaning of the degrees of the zodiac represented in the angles of the horoscope show the what, the Whereto, the how and the why of the assignment. angels show The number of combinations of angels seems limited, however when we consider the how we understand that the socio cultural context for every individual differs as well as for an institution. As a result the influence on the process of life will differ accordingly.

A further refinement is caused by the position of Sun, Moon and planets. Every one of these factors will contribute to the realisation of life’s assignment. The archetype for the degree of the Sun in the zodiac, e.g. indicate the source of power to feed the individual in its development, the degree of the Moon indicates the capability to adapt to the environment and circumstances, and the ability to transfer the solar energy.

The degree for Mercury indicate the means and way of communicating, the degree for Venus indicates the value of what should be achieved, the degree of Mars how the organism will mobilize its energies, the degree of Jupiter indicates the capability to develop and the degree of Saturn indicates the structure that should be maintained. This already appears more complex and making unique, however there are more mechanism explaining the cyclic process of the roadmap from birth (the WHAT) to fulfilment (the WHY). Examples of representations of such cyclic processes are the lunar return and the solar return.

In a lunar return the horoscope is made at the moment the Moon returns to its birth position. In a lunar return chart the emotional blueprint of the coming period of 29 days is depicted. The position of angles in a lunar return give information about the way an individual will adapt to its surroundings and will transfer solar energy in the coming period of 29 days.

In a solar return, the moment once a year when the Sun returns to its exact position in the birth chart, in far most cases only the Sun is in its position as in the birth chart. The position of the angles and planets in a solar return give information about the assignment for the coming year for the individual within the context of the assignment of the birth chart and especially how the source of life power can contribute to the awakening of the soul.

The indications from the birth chart can’t be realised in a straight way. Every time again the individual should adapt to the challenges created in the cyclic processes and represented by lunar return, solar return, transits and secondary progressions. This is true for every object or subject these processes have influence on, whether this is an organic individual or a company or another institution.

More better secondary school students

Recently I read the news that in the Netherlands the number of children attending a higher level of secondary school has substantially increased last years.

In the Netherlands this concerns the children in the age of 12 and 13 years leaving primary school and entering either a secondary vocational education (VBO) or a secondary education preparing for higher professional or scientific studies (HAVO/VWO).

The percentage of children going to VBO (usually about 60%) went down to 50% and the percentage for HAVO/VWO children (usually about 40%) went up to 50%.

The council of education is planning an investigation to understand the background.

For me the reason is not very complex. From 1996-2003 we had Uranus in Aquarius and all children born in this period will benefit from this aspect. Uranus in this position brings fundamental and quick thinking people being brilliant.

These children have started entering secondary school from 2008. This development will carry on for a couple of years even also when Uranus made the transit to the next sign Pisces in 2003.

At that time Neptune, ruler of Pisces was in Aquarius and Neptune has been there up to the moment in 2011 when Uranus makes the transit to Aries.

When planets are in each others sign we call this mutual reception and the effect is that they strengthen each other in a harmonious way.

For this reason I expect from 2003 a generation of children being as brilliant as the generation from 1996 but also with phenomenal pictorial intelligence.

A problem I expect related to this is that our school system will have problems to understand this  and to adapt to this situation.

The money that is planned to spent to understand the why of this could better be spent to adapt to the requirements on necessary changes in the educational system to get the best benefit out of these talents.

 

The astrobiography of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944)

Introduction

This astro-biography has been written as part of my study at the CHTA. Before I have read some of the books produced by St Exupéry “Vol de Nuit” and “Le Petit Prince”.
These books turn out to be his most autobiographic works and striking is that in both books the pilot disappears after a flight accident. It turns out to b an astonishing parallel with the factual end of St Exupéry own life. He disappears at the end of world war II while returning from a mission in occupied Europe to Northern Africa. His plane could not be located for many decades and his body has never been found. Aside from this striking coincidence the work of St Exupéry always has challenged me. It was a pleasure to me to try to identify the why of all this in an astrological explanation. The facts of his life in this autobiography I have derived from the biography written by Paul Webster. It gave me the opportunity to add other life issues from St Exupéry and explain them in the same way. In this article I first present a short overview of his life, followed by an astrological explanation.

His life

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born on the 29th of June 1900 at 9:06 GMT in Lyon, France. His family was strong religious and aristocratic. Antoine was the 3rd of 5 children and the eldest son. He spends his youth on the family estate in Saint-Maurice 50 km outside Lyon.  The landscape is full of nature. He is raised by his mother and a governess. His father dies suddenly on March 14, 1904. His mother is a culture loving women and with a strong liking for perfectness, so in Antoine’s education this subject gets a lot of emphasize. It also caused problems in his life in the relations he had with women. His family and friends have always been very important in his life, it was difficult to be without having them around. When e.g. his grandfather and uncle, after the dead of his father being his guardian, sent him to a Military school managed by Jesuits, he suffers from homesickness, and the results at school are very poor.

During a short holiday home in 1912 he gets his first experience as pilot. This is the start of a period where he takes aviation lessons. In 1914 and 1915 the relation with his grandfather becomes very bad and Antoine breaks all relations with him. The dead of his younger brother Francois in 1917 is considered by Antoine as a lesson in accepting fate. At the begin of WW I he is to young to be recruited for military service but at the end of this war he is planned to be sent to the front. On the day this is planned the cease fire, making an end on this war, has been proclaimed After the war he conducts his military service. He is accommodated at the air force at a squadron of air fighters. On June 18, 1921 he makes his first solo flight. His first plane accident takes place in January 1923. He crashes at the landing with a seaplane, however the damage is restricted to a wet suit.

He meets his first love, Louise de Vilmorin, in the autumn of 1923 she cuts this relationship, leaving Antoine in deep grief. In the period 1926-1932 he works at the setting up of a air traffic line for postal services, first in Western Africa and from 1929 in South America. On April 12th 1931 he marries Consuelo, a widow from South America. This marriage was not very happy, partly because of the Antoine’s passion for aviation and partly because of chronic lack of money. In 1935 they are forced to leave home being not capable of paying bills for the rent. Although the divorce is proclaimed in 1938 Antoine’s passion for Consuelo always remains. During his career, where he shows the never lasting drive to establish long distance records, he has many flight accidents, in some cases he survives by a miracle. In WW II he became war aviator. He is rewarded the Croix de Guerre, for his dangerous missions during the war. The picture is of a stamp where France honoured him as a famous pathfinder for aviation.


 

 

 

 

Besides his activities as flyer he has a great passion to write. During his life he is acknowledged as a writer. Although his work is not very extensive (the total number of pages of his work is about 1.000) he has become the best selling French author. His most important work is:

Courier Sud (1929)
Vol de Nuit (1931)
Terre des Hommes (1939)
Le Petit Prince (1942)
Pilot de Guerre (1942)

For ‘Vol de Nuit” he is rewarded the Prix Feminin in 1931. After the publication of this book he received a lot of criticism. Antoine considered this as unjust and withdrew from writing. Terre des Hommes also published in English in the USA brings him the most of his fame during life. In France he receives a honour at the Academy Francaise and in the USA he receives the National Book Award in 1941.

“Le petit Prince’ is about the theme of the disappearance of certainty from childhood in the adult world. Antoine considered this always a mystery himself. In “Le Petit Prince” Antoine is both model for the little prince and the isolated pilot. The prediction from this book: It will look like the pilots dead but this will not be the truth, reminds to the disappearance of Antoine himself. His work has strong autobiographic accents, however it is not factual, but gives idealised views on what happened in his life. His style of writing gives expression of a great punctuality, beauty and emotional power.

There are little breathtaking events in his work. St. Exupéry is far too modest for that and that type of thematic does not allow spiritual elements. In his books he focuses on the themes life and dead in relation to aviation. The fatal end in the book “Vol de Nuit” is as enigmatic as his own end of life. Less known is the fact that St Exupéry also was a moviemaker. The movie “Atlantique” produced in 1936 has been a success. In 1941 St Exupéry remarks the fact that most of his friends who helped him to establish the airline for postal services to Western Africa and South America had past away. From this time his letters give thought he would like to die and be born again spiritually. On the last day of July 1944 he disappears during a mission as war fighter pilot crossing the Mediterranean coast near Nice. For many years nothing of his plane or body could be located. Early in this century the wreck of his plane was located.

Astrological explanation

Birth chart


In St Exupéry’s birth chart Sun is in Cancer in house 11 and opposing Saturn (ruler of the 5th house). The sign rising is Virgo on the 5th degree. Moon is on 4:31 Leo. It is remarkable that all celestial bodies are placed in 3 houses (4, 10 and 11). The 11th house contains a stallion as Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus are placed here. In house 10 we see Mars, Neptune and Pluto and in house 4 we see Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. These placements put a focus on family, place in community and friendships. Other interesting elements are Jupiter conjunct Uranus together in opposition with Mars and MC. It gives the strong need for manifestations in public. The Moon conjunct Mercury in Leo gives the talent to write with idealistic emotion. Another remarkable pattern is formed by the Yod figure between Saturn (the apex planet) together with Mercury and Moon and also Saturn opposing the Sun and Neptune. This figure is called a tetraedic Yod. The influence of this pattern on the Sun is strongly idealistic by the presence of Neptune. His style of writing is fully explained by this as well as his focus on establishing long distance records on aviation. St Exupéry has suffered problems with authorities during his whole life. Sun opposing Saturn explains this fully. His energy, feelings and ratio were not restricted. This is an explanation for the irresponsible behaviour he presented many times during his flights. Also the flying for authority to his own idealistic world can be explained very well. His book “Le petit Prince” is a remarkable example of how the yod has influenced his behaviour and ways of expressing himself. We can see a Yod can lead to astonishing intellectual results, however the owner of the yod in most cases is not very pleased with it during his life.

Another impressing issue in his birth chart is the conjunction between Uranus and the Northern Lunar Node in Sagitarius. It implies his challenge in life for removing borders by aviation actions. The fact he fulfilled this assignment can be seen as a real transformation during his life.

The father

When he was almost 4 years old his father died. At that time transit Uranus (planet of sudden changes) was conjunct the Saturn (indicating the father) position in his birth chart and was in opposition with the Sun (the self) in his birth chart and transit Neptune (planet of disappearance) was opposing the Saturn position in his birth chart. This sudden disappearance from Antoine’s life is completely explained by these transits.

The mother

His mother always has been an example for St Exupéry and of great importance as well. With the Moon position in Leo there is a talent for emotional creativity. His mother was very stimulating for Antoine with respect to this. The tension between Mars opposing Uranus in conjunction with Jupiter was bridged by the Mercury Moon conjunction making a trine to Uranus and Jupiter and making a sextile to Mars. The Moon is contributing to an idealised expression of the perceived reality in his activities.

Saint Exupery as husband and father

Venus is has no aspects in his birth chart and is retrograde. This explains the difficulty he had with women and to make and keep relations. He marries on April 12th 1931 with Consuelo. At that time he has transit Neptune (ruler of the 7th house of relations) conjunct the ascendant and transit Venus in Pisces in his 7th house. He for sure had great ideals of an everlasting love in this relationship and worshipped his wife. Also in progression Venus was practically conjunct the Sun in his birth chart at the same moment as Venus in progression turned direct again. This is a token for big changes in relational life.

As a father he feels completely not sure and while the Sun is in opposition with Neptune he has no feeling with for the real relationship with his children. This also explains why he never took responsibility for his children.

Saint Exupéry as author
Saint Exupéry was known as a perfectionist writer. His books were, in the final version, the result of a thorough process of correction and improvement. His style showed perfectionism and beauty and a deep emotional power (Virgo on MC). Being a modest person (Sun, Mercury and Venus in Cancer) his writing is not very adventurous. His 3rd house (of communication) is ruled by Schorpio. This explains his deep emotional strength. The ruler of his 3rd house is in Gemini in his 10th house implying the need to express this deep emotional power in a somewhat indirect (hidden) way. The emotional and idealistic contents of his work (especial in Le Petit Prince) can be explained by the conjunction of Moon and Mercury in the Yod figure (see before in his birth chart).

His first book “Courier Sud” appears in 1929. Transit Jupiter then is conjunct his MC and progressive Jupiter has turned direct at that moment. Moreover transit Saturn is conjunct with Saturn in his birth chart (his 1st and only Saturn return). All these aspects explain his need to present himself to the outside world as someone of importance. Progressive Moon is conjunct progressive Sun in Cancer (progressive New Moon indicating a new phase in the contents of his life (writing books in stead of aviation.

For his book “Vol de Nuit” in 1931 he is rewarded the “Prix feminine”. The book is based on his own experience in an 18 hour non-stop flight from Patagonia to Montevideo. Despite the honour he received he was unpleasantly surprised by some negative reactions, a reason for him to stop writing for many years. In this period Jupiter makes a transit in his 12th house (so the reason to be public disappears, and Neptune in conjunction with Mercury (the writer) makes a transit on his ascendant.

For his book ‘Terre des Hommes” (1939) he receives the “grand prix du roman” and in America the “National Book Award”. This really turned out to be his breakthrough and it solved his Financial problems.

His Opus Magnum “Le Petit Prince” was published in 1942 in a period where he had lost his lust for life almost completely. It was the period of his progressive full Moon.

His last book “Pilot de Guerre” a kind of eyewitness testimony as fighter pilot was also published in 1942.

Saint Exupéry as a civil pilot and pilot of war
Uranus (planet of aviation) and ruler of his 6th house of work is in Sagittarius in his 4th house. His ambition to live his profession as pilot, to act independently and to shift borders is explained completely by this. This ambition is enlarged by Jupiter in its own sign Sagittarius conjunct Uranus. Mars conjunct MC and opposing Uranus shows his need to establish new things and to take risks to achieve this and predicts he might often fall from heaven. Sun opposing Saturn explain the fact of his frequent conflicts with his superiors.

In reality St Exupéry had many flight accidents, in January 1923, at an accident with a happy end, transit Venus (ruler of his 10th house) was conjunct Uranus in his birth chart. On december 30th 1935 he had another flight accident with a happy end. At this time transit Uranus made a trine with Saturn in his birth chart. In February 1938 he suffers another accident in Guatemala and again he survives. Transit Mars then was conjunct Mars and MC from his birth chart.

The opposition between Mars and Uranus as well as between Uranus and Pluto in his birth chart indicate the good fit for a pilot of war making reconnoitring expeditions. In 1941 St Exupéry is honoured with the “Croix de Guerre” for his achievements as a reconnoitring pilot. At that time transit Saturn (external authority) is conjunct MC of his birth chart.

His final flight

The solar return chart of June 30th 1944 gives a macabre picture of what happened a month later. Pluto (planet of life and death) is dominant square the ascendant and in the 3rd house of this solar return chart he has a stellium from Sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn together square Neptune (disappearance). In his birth chart the following transits are remarkable Neptune square Saturn (disappearance of structure) and Neptune square Sun (disappearance of the self). Transit Mars square Uranus indicates the accident by airplane.

Post Scriptum

On april 7th 2004 I noticed a message that the fighter plane St Exupéry used during his final flight had been located. It turned out there were already indications for a couple of years something in this direction could be found, because a fisherman had revealed he had found an ornament with the inscription St Exupéry. This discovery however was not taken seriously and the fisherman was suspected to have fixed his discovery beforehand. Finally parts of the wreck already turned out to be found in 2000. Because authorities did not cooperate and did not permit to salve the wreck identification still took many years. The discovery of the tail of the plane with the identification number 2734L confirmed it had been part of St Exupéry plane. The cause of the crash remains unclear and nothing of his body was found.

I studied the horoscope on transits and progressions and found the following.

Transit Uranus is on the descendant (the plane comes above water). Transit Venus ruler of house 10 (destiny) conjunct Mars (ruler of the house of life and death) indicates that his destiny of dead is confirmed. Transit Jupiter (ruler of the 4th house) is square the Northern Lunar Node indicate the discovery by incident of the hidden place. Transit Saturn conjunct Sun indicates that the authority finally gives permission for identification.

Progressive MC is conjunct ascendant and the Northern Lunar Node in progression is conjunct Jupiter indicating that the destiny and the spiritual meaning of St Exupery is emphasized.

This all took place at the moment transit Mercury (ruler of house 1 and 10) started to go retrograde and made a trine with Saturn in the birth chart. News concerning the past is permitted by the authority.

Dane Rudhyar’s contribution to astrology

Introduction
When studying astrology I came upon the work of Dane Rudhyar several times, and every time again I was struck by his ideas. When I tried to get a deeper understanding of his work the following facts impressed me:

  • The complex theoretical framework he uses to explain his ideas;
  • The philosophical background of his ideas;
  • The parallel with other developments and discoveries in science;
  • The relative lack of people having adopted his ideas as a basis for their own work.

The first time I became aware of Rudhyar occurred when I studied astrology at he CHTA in the Netherlands, but by then I was not aware of the impact of his ideas.
Somewhat later I bought the astrological mandala a booklet about the 360 degrees of the zodiac, its symbolic phases and an explanation of the cyclic character of life.
Somewhat later I selected Dane Rudhyar to be the subject of a history essay, for his enormous impact on modern western astrology. I monthly meet some astrologers in a city nearby. We frequently have a discussion about the contribution of different approaches to astrology.
When studying astrology I came upon a number of books dealing with the humanistic approach on astrology a.o. from Alexander Ruperti and Raymond Merriman, and Joyce Hoen. All these astrologers follow the idea that a birth chart should be used as a cosmic path to destination, where individuals are subject to energies influencing them in their decisions and offering opportunities to learn during their life. It turned out all these books and authors were influenced by the idea’s of Dane Rudhyar and so I discovered his work. When I started preparing this essay, I was struck by the following remarkable coincidence. I use to consider these coincidences as a gift, showing me some guidance in what I am doing and leading me to relevant future decisions.
The coincidence I met, was related to the contents of one of Rudhyar’s books.
When I told a fellow astrologer about my plans for the history essay about Rhudyar, she told me she had one of Rudhyar’s books in her library and offered me to use it and when I had received it (it turned out to be “The Planetarisation of consciousness”) and tried to get a slight view on it by going through it at random, I was struck by the text on page 334;
“The word plenitude, well known in all European countries, has nearly the same meaning as “fullness”, but it is used almost exclusively with reference to an inner state of human or divine being and consciousness. The Greek term, pleroma, is related to it, and I have used this term, pleroma, to indicate a condition of existence in which the most complete plenitude of being and consciousness is experienced – a truly “divine” state, the omega state”.

I was struck by this text because I happened a couple of years earlier I gave the Management Consultancy company I established the name “Omega Management Consultants” and by then, I created my email address related to this company “omegahighlighter” unaware of the fact that I would once write a history essay, where I should explain the ideas of Rudhyar with respect to human life and the influence of the cosmic order, enabling mankind to reach the omega state.
As I use to consider this type of incidents as gifts with great value it became clear to me I had found an assignment for the future.
In this essay I will further summarize the mainstream of his idea’s and importance for modern western astrology.

Rudhyar’s work, idea’s and influence on modern astrology.

Personal background of Rudhyar
Dane Rudhyar was born in Paris on March 23, 1895 as Daniel Chenneviere.
Already when he was sixteen years old, he realized the cyclic behaviour of time and the influence on life and civilizations and all aspects of existence.
As he realised European civilisation was in the autumn of the cycle and therefore not expected to be able to adopt something of his new “seed” ideas, he looked for another environment, where the seed of new thoughts and visions might have a better possibility to get roots. For this reason he moved to the United States in 1916, where he adopted the name Rudhyar, after the Hindu God Rudra, known as the destroyer and the regenerator, and also as the transforming energy. In the first part of his life he mainly paid attention to artistic expressions, with an emphasis on composing music.
In his early years he was influenced by the idea’s of a.o. Blavatsky, Wadia, Jung and Smuts (holistic philosopher and founder of the systems approach).
During his further life he a.o. contributed to a number of astrological journals, where he was asked to publish and discuss his innovative ideas, and subsequently he wrote many books where he summarized his philosophy and idea’s about astrology.

Philosophy
Rudhyar’s philosophy is founded on some basic metaphysical ideas on which his picture of the universe and the galaxy are founded. (See a.o. his book “The Planetarization of consciousness”).
These ideas and theories are about a cyclic behaviour of time and wholeness, soul, mind and reincarnation.
He urges the need for a new society being aware of the availability of cosmic powers and able to use them, in stead of our current earth and universe polluting behaviour.
He also relates the changes in levels of consciousness during the centuries and the relation this had to astronomical insights of mankind as well as to the astrological concepts used.
With respect to this he explains the importance of modern scientists of Curie, Planck and Einstein, to arrive at a more dematerialised view of the whole universe and to look at it as a projection of human needs. A relation is made between the structure of atoms and galaxies as an example of the Hermetic Principle “As above, So below”.
He introduces new dimensions of reality, in a concept of hierarchy of levels of organisation. In this concept, defined entities (wholes) can be grouped together and form a bigger entity (a vaster whole). However this grouping requires a relationship between these entities. He defines this as a holistic approach and defines the word Interpenetration to explain the type of relationship between entities.
He also uses this concept to explain the relation between man and universe.
Mankind should feel himself a functional part of the universe and connected to the one and unique source of everything.
This implies the need for a ONE, a unique whole, with infinite potentiality necessary as a source for all activities to be performed by wholes, enabling each of them to fulfil their intrinsic potentials.

In his book “The Sun is also a star” Rudhyar defines a 5th dimensional cosmic order. In this order we see the 3 dimensions we recognise from our solar systems and also from all other galaxies and universes. In addition a 4th dimension is named Relatedness implying Form at both the physical and mental level, and also a 5th dimension named Space is postulated as the will to be at the root of all Forms of existence. At the level of Space there is nothing but Motion and this Motion is categorised in a cosmogenic (creative) process and a catacosmic process (of inhalation), drawing everything back to a near dimensionless point.
This cosmogenic process is represented by the white hole (where new universes are created) and the catacosmic process is represented by the black hole where universes and galaxies end up their existence. The creative drive is represented as the Yang, while the catacosmic pull is represented by the Yin.
Both the cosmogenic and catacosmic processes are repeated without limitation as can be seen in every birth and death on a biological level, but also with the creation of new ideas and old once becoming obsolete.
Our solar system is, together with all other stars, universes and galaxies, part and subject of this whole and as such everything existing is integrated in a harmonic interplay.
The idea of wholes existing of smaller wholes and at the same time with other wholes being part of a bigger whole, together representing an endless order of wholes being all connected is derived from this philosophy.
In his book “Astrology of personality” (preface to the 3rd edition page xiv) Rudhyar clarifies the role of mankind with respect to his understanding of personality in the following sentences:
After he explains his use of the word personality as the philosopher Jan Smuts (his idea’s about “holism and evolution”) and Carl Jung use it he states:
“Personality, in the largest sense, is the organic whole in which the psychological and psycho mental natures of man are progressively integrated. Therefore it represents the wholeness of the human being as a microcosm; man as a whole solar system operating on the background of, and in constant relationship to the zodiac or the galaxy”.

Rudhyar considers astrology as a symbolic language representing the potential to bring individuals in line with cosmic cycles.
In the same preface he states:
“Astrology … is an art of life interpretation and it provides us with a technique for the development and fulfilment of personality. Its aim is to transform chaotic human nature into a microcosm” and further on: “The goal of astrology is the alchemy of the personality. It is to transform chaos into cosmos, collective human nature into individual and creative personality”.
According to his views, the birth chart is representing the potentials of the individual created at a unique location and time. An individual human being is seen as a whole but also part of vaster entities, as e.g. the family, a nation, a generation and in this way subject to the ONE infinite source of potentiality. Rudhyar thus developed the idea that individuals born on earth are not only subject to influences from our Sun, the Moon and the nearby planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) making their orbit, but also from outside of our solar system.
He explains that the trans-Saturnine planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) are representing these cosmic influences and are contributing to our growing awareness of the universe and galaxies, apart from our i-sol-ated vision on a heliocentric life to a true unified galactic life, full of awareness of being part of vaster entities or in Rudhyar’s terminology “wholes”.

The influence of his ideas / changing paradigms in astrology / his vision on the functioning of trans Saturnine planets
When Rudhyar developed his idea’s the application of astrology was still based on the heliocentric principle of our solar system and the elements to be valid for astrological interpretation to take into account were limited to the Sun, Moon and planets visible from earth with the bare eye.
He seeded the ideas for a truly humanistic astrology based upon evolutionary cycles and the birth chart being a route chart for this evolutionary process and to guide us to realise the immanent and not very easily to be understood purpose, that can be derived of it. His book “The astrology of personality”, first published in 1936, is considered as his major contribution to the renewal of modern western astrology.
Where in classical astrology the individual was subject to good (benefics) and bad (malefics) forces acting out of his control and inevitable not possible to escape from, Rudhyar denies the existence of good and bad influences. He postulates all elements in a birth chart have to contribute to the realisation of the full potential of the individual life as presented in a birth chart. Sometimes these elements play a constructive role, building on what already has been achieved. At other times and especially when the achievements so far are not in line with the potentiality and purpose of a life, it can happen that things, persons, idea’s have to be removed in order to facilitate further growth to the given purpose.

In his book “The galactic dimension of astrology” Rudhyar called these planets the planets of organic functioning. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have the role to dematerialise the fortified citadel (by Saturn) of the human ego and to act as agents for transformation.
Rudhyar also redefined the roles of the classical planets in astrology based on his vision of the cyclic behaviour of time.
He identified Mars, Jupiter and Saturn to regulate the relation of the organism with other organisms within the same whole and Sun, Mercury and Venus referring to internal functions of the organism,
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto refer to the influence from outside our solar system (the galaxy).
Each of these planets contribute to transformation and transcendence of the ego. The basic challenge offered by Uranus, Neptune and Pluto is of an opposite (away from Sun) kind of gravitation exerted by the galactic centre. This requires a change of loyalties from the Sun (ego) to the galaxy (unification of everything). For this experience it is not necessary to travel in space, it is sufficient to be aware of galactic energies and to allow them to have influence.
In astrological terms this means that the presence of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in the natal chart refers to life processes and events to be regarded as either constructive challenges to transformation or through drastically upsetting the “limited behaviour” in all of us.
In the natal chart these transformational challenges can be analysed.

Uranus refuses to accept the limitations imposed by Saturn and its main function is to keep the path to the galactic centre open.
Neptune represents the detachment from matter, demanded from everyone longing for a spiritual condition of existence.
Pluto requires every living nature to put aside everything that is not part of the own essential nature. Pluto purifies, but mostly not in a gentle manner. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto actualise what was latent in our nature.
Uranus can be related to vision and clairvoyance. It reveals the essence of the whole situation.
Neptune brings true compassion and holiness, enlarges consciousness and enables to accept all there is simply for what it is.
Uranus is seen as the planet of individuality, Neptune, in the contrary, represents the collective factor and mass movements.
Venus and Mars stress everyday individuality and Jupiter and Saturn stress collectivity,
Rudhyar has the opinion the process of transformation can be explained by the cyclic interactions of Uranus and Neptune, the relation between inspired individuals and the community. Pluto tends to finalise what Uranus begun, especially in the period when it comes closer to the Sun than Neptune.
Uranus helps to enable new insights and in order to make the divine possible we need to break our strong bonds with the solar gravitation and open up our minds for the silence of the Divine.
Neptune plays a paradoxical role, on one hand the role of decomposition, on the other hand of unifying to new wholeness. The first is inevitable for the second and allowing for transmutation in processes of higher order. Neptune refers to great dreams, dreams necessary for mankind to realise freer and more glorious tomorrows. Reality only changes after individuals have envisioned this previously.
Being freed by Uranus, man will be the agent of his Neptunian dream, he inevitably has to realise it. Pluto contributes to by purification. According to Rudhyar this is the way to plenitude and the omega-state.

In his work “An astrological Mandala”, he uses the Sabian symbols, produced by Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler and relates it in a structured way to the process of awaking of individuals. This awaking is triggered by a life in consciousness trying to understand the meaning of everything happening in the route to fulfilment.
The position of individual elements in the birth chart in relation to these Sabian symbols tells us something about the challenges we will have to face on our route to “pleroma” and to reach the omega-state.
For Rudhyar self actualisation is the ultimate goal of any individual. He envisaged astrology to be possible helpful in this process in clarifying talents, purposes, strong points and difficulties and how potentially to deal with them.
With respect to this the astrologer plays a crucial role. He is supposed to be the facilitator, the enabler of all these immanent potentialities to be derived from the birth chart.
This also puts requirements on the manner an astrologer has to ply this role, avoiding to be predictive and emphasizing on the explanation of things happening and their value on the individuals path.

Conclusion
For me the idea’s of Rudhyar are very important, especially for the reason that his astrology is based on a metaphysical thinking about the purpose of our existence in relation to the whole of galaxies and universes. It gives sense to my life and helps me to understand the impact of things happening. They are guiding me the way to realisation of the potentiality in my birth chart. Sometimes we call these events serendipity. With respect to this I have discovered some additional remarkable issues.
Rudhyar explains the astrological mandala in relation to the birth chart can be seen as a representation of the purpose of life and the steps we have to go.
He also postulates that the Sabian symbolic representation of the degrees where we have factors in our birth chart, represent elements of the path we have to follow. The ascendant informs about the “what”, the descendant about the “whereto”, de IC about the “how” and the MC about the “why” of the purpose of a birth chart. The other factors should act serving according to the innate value’s to the answering of these questions.
With respect to this I was struck by a striking synergy factor between Rudhyar’s birth chart and mine.
My Moon is conjunct his AC, my Sun is conjunct his cusp 3, my Uranus is conjunct his Pluto, my Mercury is conjunct his North node, my Venus is conjunct his Venus.
The Sabian symbol of the 14th degree of Sagittarius, where Rudhyar’s AC and my Moon are positioned is symbolised by “Sfinx and pyramids stand remains of a glorious past”. This symbol is referring to “seed” people from previous cycles of existence, preserving archetypical knowledge at the dawn of new developments in the evolution (see [4]: Rudhyar “The astrology of personality page 296).
The Sabian symbol of the 17th degree Pisces is “Easter, rich and poor alike, display the best they own” symbolizing “high moments” in life when man challenges himself and renews his faith in circumstances. Self improvement. (see [4] Rudhyar: The astrology of personality page 303).
Rudhyar hoped that his idea’s might contribute to a better understanding of existence and with respect to mankind to a new insight with people in the world prepared to life according to cosmic principles, avoiding the waste of fossil energies like oil and coal with the pollutive effects and prepare to change society into a much less technocratic one, in a society attuned to the inexhaustible cosmic sources. He was afraid his idea’s would get lost, but fortunately already other important astrologers (as e.g. Ruperti, Merriman, Hoen, Fallon) have picked up his idea’s and gave additional content to them. As Ruperti says “Rudhyar has enriched my life and understanding, I hope others will also will receive the same inspiration”. (see [3] article about Rudhyar from Ruperti on website CHTA).
After studying the ideas of Rudhyar for a couple of years, I already can confirm the words of Ruperti and wherever I will have the opportunity, I will try to bring Rudhyar’s idea’s to the attention of people around me, and I will also apply his idea’s about the value of a birth chart and the role of the astrologer in practice. In fact I already do. This is not in the first place because of this synastry between his birth chart and mine, but because I am convinced many of Rudhyar’s idea’s will turn out to be of great value and I promised myself to get a deeper understanding of his work and as a consequence to communicate this wherever I will have the opportunity.

Bibliography
Hoen, Joyce (2004): Transits als spiritueel groeiproces
(in English: transists as a process of spiritual growth)
Merriman Raymond (1991): Evolutionary astrology, the journey of the soul through states of
consciousness
Rudhyar, Dane (1991) : The astrology of personality (first published in 1936)
Rudhyar, Dane (1970) : The Planetarization of consciousness
Rudhyar, Dane (1973) : An astrological mandala, the cycle of transformation
and its 360 symbolic phases
Rudhyar, Dane (1975) : The Galactic dimension of astrology, the sun is also a star
Ruperti, Alexander (1978) : Cosmic cycles of becoming
Whitfield,Peter (2001) : Astrology a history
Website Centre for Humanistic and Transpersonal Astrology (CHTA)

De astrologische mandala

De astrologische mandala

Inleiding

Een van de onderwerpen waarmee de Franse musicus en filosoof Dane Rudhyar zijn bijdrage heeft geleverd aan de astrologie, is de astrologische mandala.

In dit artikel geef ik een korte uiteenzetting over de opbouw van de astrologische mandala en de manier waarop deze in de astrologie kan worden toegepast.

Geboortehoroscoop

Op het moment dat we geboren worden, beginnen we aan de grote ontdekkingsreis van bewustwording.

De radix (= geboortehoroscoop of oprichtingshoroscoop) geeft een beeld van de energieën, die we als uitgangspunt meenemen.

Vervolgens worden we gedurende ons leven blootgesteld aan de energieën van de cyclische processen, verband houdend met de beweging van planeten om de Zon en hun onderlinge wisselwerking, in steeds verschillende uitwerking. Die energieën zijn op een willekeurig moment voor ieder ongeveer gelijk. Het verschil ontstaat door de volgorde waarin en de wijze waarop de energieën een individu raken, en als gevolg waarvan psychische processen zich gaan afspelen.

Zo kunnen ontwikkelingen in de ontdekkingsreis van bewustwording worden voorzien, omdat de volgorde waarin energieën van invloed zijn vaststaat, evenals het moment waarop deze zich voordoen. Astrologische technieken zijn een belangrijk hulpmiddel ter verklaring.

In deze bijdrage wil ik de potentiële rol die de astrologische mandala kan spelen bij de interpretatie van de ontdekkingsreis van bewustwording, uiteenzetten.

Dat deze technieken van toepassing kunnen zijn op alle organismen met een geboortemoment, licht ik toe met de horoscoop van de Ster.

De astrologische mandala

De astrologische mandala is een systematiek waarbij elke graad van de zodiak wordt voorgesteld door een archetypisch beeld (Sabiaans symbool).

De beelden voor deze symbolen werden in het begin van de vorige eeuw (1925) gechanneld opgevangen door Elsie Wheeler en systematisch vastgelegd door Marc Edmund Jones.

De term Sabiaans verwijst naar een volk uit het midden oosten (Turkije/Syrië) dat de bakermat vormde voor de filosofische traditie gebaseerd op Hermes Trismegistus. Jones was grondlegger van de Sabian Assembly, een genootschap dat het beoefenen van astrologie gebaseerd op de ideeën van Pythagoras nastreeft.

Dane Rudhyar ging ermee aan de slag in het kader van zijn holistische astrologische visie en ontdekte, dat elk symbool een archetypische betekenis van een fundamentele fase van het menselijk bestaan onthult. Op deze manier ontstonden 360 archetypische betekenissen, die onderling een cyclisch karakter laten zien. Dane Rudhyar heeft deze 360 symbolen en het onderlinge verband vastgelegd in het boek “the Astrological Mandala”, dat voor het eerst in 1973 verscheen. De in het Nederlands geschreven 2e editie is verschenen bij Mirananda (ISBN 90-6271-906-6).


De 360 graden zijn verdeeld in 2 halve cycli, het individualiseringsproces (van 1 Aries t/m 30 Virgo) en het collectiveringsproces (van 1 Libra t/m 30 Pisces).

Elke halve cyclus bestaat uit 2 akten (differentiatie en stabilisatie binnen het individualiseringsproces en groepsintegratie en kapitalisatie binnen het collectiveringsproces).

Het individualiseringsproces moet leiden tot de ontwikkeling van een uitgebalanceerd zelf, het collectiveringsproces legt accent op de ontwikkeling van het individu in relatie tot de omgeving.

Elke akte bestaat uit 6 scènes (in totaal dus 24 scènes). Elke scène bestaat uit 3 niveaus (Handelend- Emotioneel cultureel – Individueel mentaal). Elk niveau bevat 5 fasen of stadia.

Op deze manier ontstaan 360 fasen, een voor elke graad van de zodiak.

Elk graad wordt voorgesteld door een archetypisch symbool, met een grondtoon (een korte 1e psychologische interpretatie van het symbool) en een verdere uitleg.

Een symbool vertegenwoordigt iets, wat het rationeel en objectief lijkt te zijn, maar geeft ook het verband aan tussen een specifiek menselijke behoefte en het vermogen deze behoefte te bevredigen.

Zo’n symbool geeft een archetypisch beeld, dat ruimte laat voor interpretatie.

De betekenis van de hoekpunten van de horoscoop

Een horoscoop geeft enerzijds de plaatsing aan van zon maan en planeten op een willekeurig moment, anderzijds beschrijft deze de potentie van het unieke zelf.

In de horoscoop hebben de hoekpunten een speciale betekenis.

Er kan bijvoorbeeld de opdracht uit worden afgeleid die het betrokken individu of organisme bij schepping heeft meegekregen.

Zo geeft de graad, waarop de ascendant (AC = begin 1e huis) staat, de beste weg weer waarop het unieke zelf kan worden verwerkelijkt. (WAT)

De graad van de descendant (DC = begin 7e huis) geeft weer, waarheen deze verwerkelijking zal kunnen leiden. (WAARHEEN)

De graad van het IC (= begin 4e huis) geeft weer, hoe het beste het zielsbewustzijn van de eigen sociaal culturele omgeving kan worden beleefd, en hoe het beste met de uitdagingen van de eigen unieke ontdekkingsreis kan worden omgegaan. (HOE)

De graad van het MC (= begin 10e huis) geeft aan, wat de uiteindelijke bedoeling van een incarnatie is en wat het hoogtepunt is, dat uiteindelijk door het individu of organisme, als resultaat van de hele cyclus van werkzaamheid, kan worden bereikt. (WAARTOE)

Het lijkt een eenvoudig geheel, er kan alleen ogenblikkelijk worden tegengeworpen dat er slechts 360 graden in de zodiak zijn en dat er dus velen met dezelfde opdracht vertrekken die aangeeft hoe het unieke zelf kan worden gerealiseerd. Dat is slechts schijn, een verklaring hoe complex het werkelijk zit wordt toegelicht in de volgende paragraaf.

Het cyclische karakter van de menselijke ervaring

De hoekpunten geven weer wat de opdracht is, waarheen deze kan leiden, hoe deze het beste vanuit de eigen sociaal culturele omgeving kan worden beleefd, en waartoe deze weg moet worden bewandeld.

Het aantal combinaties van hoekpunten lijkt beperkt, echter als we kijken naar het hoe, zien we al een factor (de sociaal culturele omgeving), die voor elk individu per definitie verschilt en daardoor in de uitwerking van het wat tot andere resultaten zal leiden.

Een verdere verfijning ontstaat wanneer er de combinatie van unieke energieën bij betrokken wordt, namelijk de plaatsing van de planeten in de radix.

Elke planeet heeft een eigen bijdrage aan het realiseren van de opdracht.

Zo geeft de graad van de Zon een aanwijzing voor de bron van kracht waardoor de energieën gevoed worden, en vertelt de graad van de Maan iets over het vermogen zich aan te passen aan de omgeving en het vermogen om energie van de Zon door te geven.

Mercurius staat voor middelen en manier om te communiceren, Venus stelt de waarde vast van hetgeen moet worden nagestreefd, Mars toont het vermogen om energieën van het organisme te mobiliseren, Jupiter staat voor het vermogen te groeien en Saturnus laat zien welke structuur moet worden gehandhaafd.

Dat lijkt al ingewikkelder en uniek makend, er zijn echter nog meer mechanismen die iets zeggen over het cyclisch proces waarmee de weg van WAT naar WAARTOE gaat worden afgelegd. Voorbeelden van representaties van dergelijke cyclische patronen zijn de lunaar en de solaar.

Bij een lunaar (moment waarop de Maan de eigen positie in de radix weer bereikt: om de 29 dagen) is in veruit de meeste gevallen alleen de positie van de Maan hetzelfde als in de radix. De positie van hoekpunten en planeten in een lunaar zeggen iets over de manier waarop in de betreffende periode van een maand het individu zich zal aanpassen aan zijn omgeving en vertegenwoordigt aldus iets van de ontwikkeling in de emotionele capaciteiten.

Bij een solaar (moment waarop de Zon terugkeert op de exacte graad die de Zon in de radix inneemt: elk jaar) is meestal alleen de Zon op dezelfde positie te vinden als in de radix.

De positie van hoekpunten en planeten in een solaar geven aanwijzingen voor de deelopdracht in dat levensjaar en de wijze waarop de bron van kracht in dat jaar het beste een bijdrage kan leveren aan de realisatie van de levensweg.

De aanwijzingen vanuit de radix kunnen dus niet rechttoe rechtaan worden gerealiseerd, maar steeds opnieuw moet worden ingespeeld op de omstandigheden, die in de cyclische processen, waaraan we onderworpen zijn, voor ons worden gecreëerd.

Dat is van toepassing op elk object waar de cyclische projecten invloed op kunnen uitoefenen of het nu een organisch individu is of een door individuen gecreëerd orgaan zoals bijvoorbeeld een bedrijf of een vereniging.

Astrologie werkt!

Inleiding

Astrologie roept veel verschillende reacties op. Er zijn mensen die overtuigd zijn van de waarde en inzichten die het kan opleveren voor iemands levensweg, anderen hebben zo hun twijfels en vragen zich van tijd tot tijd toch af of er toch ergens iets verklaard kan worden. Er zijn mensen die het grote onzin vinden, waar geen mens met een beetje verstand zich mee bezig zou willen houden en er zijn personen die astrologie met “wetenschappelijke” argumenten afdoen als niet aansluitend op de wetenschap en dus onzinnig. Vast staat dat de toepassing van astrologie zo oud is als de mensheid en dat er regelmatig nauwe verbanden c.q. coïncidenties zijn vast te stellen tussen geokosmische fenomenen (alles wat met de beweging van hemellichamen te maken heeft) en gebeurtenissen in het leven van individuen, families en volkeren. De tegenstanders van astrologie stellen dat er geen wetenschappelijk fundament is en dat het met de erkende wetenschappelijke benaderingen niet aan te tonen is. In dit artikel zal ik een poging doen om met aanvullende inzichten de waarde van astrologie aan te tonen.

Waarom geloven mensen in astrologie?

Mensen geloven in astrologie, omdat er veel zaken gebeuren waar men geen verklaring voor weet en ze toch begrip proberen te krijgen voor zaken, die onverwachts hun leven beïnvloeden. Ze geloven in astrologie omdat ze verklaringen zoeken voor het onverklaarbare. De astrologie heeft al vele antwoorden gegeven op allerlei voorvallen. Door het onderzoeken van vele mysterieuze voorvallen vanuit de astrologie, zijn al vele min of meer toevallige verbanden met beweging van planeten verklaard, en kon ook de uitwerking daarvan, op wat er zich in een mensenleven en in de maatschappij voordoet, worden verklaard. Mensen raadplegen een astroloog omdat ze benieuwd zijn naar wat er zich in hun leven gaat voordoen, of omdat ze een verklaring zoeken voor moeilijkheden die ze ondervinden. Zo raken ze op de hoogte van de astronomische fenomenen, die een sterke invloed uitoefenen op hun leven en waarvoor via de astrologie een verklaring kan worden gegeven. Mensen kunnen veel baat hebben bij een goed begrip voor deze fenomenen en hun uitwerking bij het overwinnen van hindernissen in het leven en krijgen daardoor een beter begrip van de kosmische uitdaging die op hun leven rust. Dat betekent overigens geenszins dat het leven volledig gepredestineerd is. Aan astronomische fenomenen valt niet te ontkomen. De planeten draaien in een volmaakt georchestreerde regelmaat hun rondjes om de zon en oefenen daarbij hun specifieke energieën uit. Het individu bepaalt door de eigen keuzes op welke manier deze energieën hun leven beïnvloeden.

De dynamiek in ons zonnestelsel

Astrologie is gebaseerd op de beweging van de planeten om de Zon. Sommige planeten hebben een of meer manen die een baan om deze planeet beschrijven. Van de banen van de planeten is bekend, dat ze allen in nagenoeg eenzelfde vlak om de Zon lopen. De projectie van dat vlak rondom noemen we de ecliptica, waar alle tekens van de dierenriem zich bevinden. De banen van de planeten hebben een elliptische vorm. Het kenmerkende voor een elliptische baan is de overal verschillende afstand tot de 2 brandpunten (waarvan in een de Zon staat en in het ander niets staat). Volgens de natuurwetenschappelijke wetten is de snelheid van een planeet in een elliptische baan overal verschillend en afhankelijk van de afstand tot het brandpunt (in casu de Zon). Deze verschillen in snelheid gaan samen met verschillen in aantrekkingskracht en dus ook met verschillen in energie. Deze energie is van invloed op alle leven dat er aan wordt blootgesteld. De afstand van de banen van de planeten tot de Zon verschilt onderling sterk, waardoor de omlooptijd om de Zon per planeet aanzienlijk verschilt. Ook is er een groot verschil in massa tussen de planeten (Jupiter heeft ongeveer net zoveel massa als alle andere planten in ons zonnestelsel samen). Mercurius heeft 88 dagen nodig voor een baan om de Zon, Venus 225 dagen, de aarde doet er precies een jaar over. Mars heeft ruim 687 dagen nodig terwijl Jupiter er bijna  12 jaar over doet. Nog langer duren de omlopen van Saturnus (29,6 jaar), Uranus (84 jaar), Neptunus (165 jaar) en Pluto (247 jaar). Het mag duidelijk zijn dat hierdoor de krachten die de planeten door hun baan om de Zon veroorzaken erg verschillend zijn en dat de uitwerking van die krachten voor alle leven grote verschillen oplevert. Daardoor is de kans dat in ons zonnestelsel alle planeten ooit weer gelijktijdig op een zelfde plaats staan als ooit tevoren 1 op oneindig. Nu is het met name voor de planeten die verder van de Zon af staan dan de aarde  zo dat, telkens wanneer een planeet in zijn baan om de Zon een bepaald teken van de dierenriem doorloopt, dat altijd hetzelfde deel van zijn ellipsvormige baan betreft als toen hij daar de vorige keren doorheen liep. En ook is het zo, dat de afstand van de baan tot de Zon dan gelijk is aan de keren dat hij dat deel eerder doorliep. Dit gaat dus elke keer opnieuw gepaard met dezelfde energiepatronen, en heeft  steeds eenzelfde uitwerking op alle leven dat aan deze energiepatronen is blootgesteld.

Wat leert de geschiedenis van de wetenschap ons?

Sedert zijn ontstaan, heeft de mensheid doorlopend, en vaak met grote tegenzin, zijn wereldbeeld moeten bijstellen. Bij elke nieuwe ontdekking kwamen we dichter bij “de waarheid”. Dit werd achteraf ook voor alle oorspronkelijke tegenstrevers steeds duidelijk. Elke “waarheidsbeleving” bleek in het verleden per definitie tijdelijk te zijn en werd steeds achterhaald. Deze tendens zal zich zonder enige twijfel voortzetten naar de toekomst. Pas wanneer de mensheid er in zou slagen het goddelijk geheel te overzien in al zijn dimensies en dynamiek, zou er sprake kunnen zijn van een onveranderlijke waarheidsbeleving. En daarvoor zal de mensheid, ondanks alle door hem gedane uitvindingen en ontdekkingen, altijd tekort schieten. Immers dan zou de mens zelf het goddelijk geheel (het al) moeten vormen en dan blijft er niets meer buiten die mens over en resteert het kennen van het ik. Als we als mensheid bereid blijven onze kennis doorlopend aan te passen aan nieuwe inzichten, zullen we uiteindelijk steeds dichter bij het begrip voor de werkelijke bedoeling van de schepping komen, en ook steeds beter in staat zijn dit begrip daadwerkelijk om te zetten in een gedrag waaruit onze liefde voor de schepping blijkt.

Vanuit de wetenschap zijn er een aantal inzichten aan te voeren die onze gedachten verder zouden kunnen leiden.

In de eerste plaats noem ik de algemene relativiteitstheorie van Einstein. In deze theorie wordt aangenomen dat zowel massa als energie de ruimte/tijd doen krommen. Einstein stelt dat er geen verschil bestaat tussen een constante versnelling en een constante zwaartekracht. Met deze theorie heeft Einstein o.a..de afwijkingen in de baan van Mercurius kunnen verklaren die in eerdere theorieën werden toegeschreven aan het bestaan van een fictieve planeet Vulcanus (bron Wikipedia). Van zijn denkbeelden is bekend dat Einstein zelf regelmatig heeft gedacht dat zijn theorieën niet juist waren tot er weer bewezen werd dat dit (nog) niet het geval is.

In de tweede plaats wil ik de denkbeelden van Gödel noemen. Hij was een briljant wiskundige die door zijn onvolledigheidstellingen bewees dat systemen (omdat ze uitgaan van een beperkte werkelijkheid en altijd een aantal aannames kennen (axioma’s) die binnen het systeem zelf niet kunnen worden bewezen) onvolledig zijn en dus nooit voor alles een verklaring kunnen geven.

Tenslotte wil ik verwijzen naar de wetenschapsfilosoof Karl Popper. Hij houdt ons voor altijd een gezonde twijfel te hebben aan wat we weten en aan wat we denken bewezen te hebben. Hij noemt dat falsificatie en stelt dat de kennis over een bepaald onderwerp toeneemt als we hebben aangetoond dat het voor een bepaalde situatie niet klopt. Op basis van dat nieuwe inzicht kunnen we die eerder verworven kennis uitbreiden en de achterliggende theorie vernieuwen. In de ontwikkeling van onze maatschappij is dit inzicht van Popper onmisbaar.

Onze wetenschap bouwt op vereenvoudigde modellen van de werkelijkheid, waar de minder relevante factoren buiten zijn gelaten en waarvan voor zeer veel gevallen kan worden aangetoond dat ze werken. Een dergelijke benadering is in veel situaties zonder problemen toe te passen, omdat het model bijna altijd opgaat en, als het niet opgaat, het meestal niet opgemerkt wordt, gezien het geringe belang van de afwijking. Maar dit mag ons nooit ertoe verleiden vervolgens te vergeten dat er altijd situaties zijn waaraan niet wordt voldaan. Dit zou ons er toe moeten brengen niet dogmatisch in het leven te staan en met verwondering te zoeken naar situaties die juist niet verklarend zijn voor de juistheid van eerdere aannames.

Een andere reden om steeds bezig te blijven met falsificatie is de dynamiek. Alhoewel velen er een grote afkeer van hebben en doorlopend proberen alles in vaste structuren te krijgen, die voor nu en tot in de eeuwigheid verklarend zou kunnen zijn, staat vast dat er geen evenwicht is en er ook nooit zal zijn. Alles van het universum tot in het kleinste gen vertoont dynamiek en is voortdurend aan verandering onderhevig. De wet van behoud van energie (Einstein) leert ons dat alle dynamiek merkbaar is voor zijn omgeving en daar dus ook invloed op heeft. Fritjof Capra heeft hieraan in zijn boeken “de eenheid van leven” en “het levensweb” uitgebreid aandacht aan besteed en ons inzicht gegeven in hoe deze invloeden in de historie de ontwikkeling van het leven hebben beïnvloed. Toch zijn er vandaag de dag nog steeds wetenschappers die beweren dat het DNA van een mens tijdens zijn leven niet verandert. Zou het niet zo kunnen zijn dat dit juist wel gebeurt onder invloed van de omstandigheden.

We zouden er naar mijn mening best van uit moeten gaan dat alles dynamisch is en doorlopend in verandering en dat alles invloed heeft op alles. Dat houdt ook in dat we bereid moeten zijn aan te nemen dat geokosmische fenomenen invloed hebben op alles en dus ook op ons. En het is nu juist de astrologie die studie maakt van de relatie tussen de kosmische gebeurtenissen en het leven. Meer kennis van de relatie en meer inzicht in het hoe en waarom van het leven kan ons de weg wijzen naar een samenleving die dit inziet en begrijpt en zich altijd bewust is van de onvolledigheid van de verkregen verklaringen en daarom verandering als iets normaals accepteert en liefdevol is in het teweegbrengen van alle veranderingen.

Op welke manier kan astrologie bijdragen?

Het is zeker niet zo dat astrologie op alle vragen die we hebben over het waarom en hoe van ons leven antwoord kan geven. De veelheid en complexiteit van de astronomische fenomenen en de steeds verschillende omstandigheden waarin herhalingen daarvan zich voordoen, maakt een duidelijke eenduidige interpretatie moeilijk. Vraag is overigens of we met het zoeken naar die eenduidigheid altijd wel op de goede weg zijn. Is het niet zo dat de dynamiek van het universum ervoor zorgt dat er nooit een moment in de eeuwigheid zal zijn waarop de situatie in het universum in alle details, identiek is aan een ander moment. Als we geboren worden is er een levensdoel. Het realiseren van dat levensdoel wordt beëindigd op het moment van overlijden. Als we geboren worden weten we maar een ding zeker, we zijn sterfelijk. Leven en dood zijn onverbrekelijk. Toch zoeken we naar zekerheid en stabiliteit in dit leven en houden ons liefst zoveel mogelijk afzijdig van de dood. We zouden echter moeten beseffen dat door nieuwe ervaringen de zingeving van het leven toeneemt. Juist dat bevordert de groei en draagt bij aan een vervuld leven.

Tenslotte

Horoscooprubrieken, zoals bijvoorbeeld rubrieken die met grote frequentie in de diverse bladen worden gepubliceerd, kunnen nooit individueel gebruikt worden. In deze rubrieken worden slechts algemene tendensen weergegeven, die voor velen met de Zon in het betreffende teken in meer of mindere mate zal kunnen gelden. In hoeverre deze tendens in het leven van een individu van invloed is, kan alleen worden afgeleid uit de persoonlijke horoscoop van betrokkene. Soms zal dan blijken dat de in deze rubrieken geschetste algemene tendensen bij iemand veel explicieter naar voren komen, dan wel zal blijken dat ze volstrekt ondergeschikt blijven aan andere factoren uit de persoonlijke horoscoop, die een veel sterkere uitwerking op het leven van betrokkene blijken te hebben. Dat hoeft niet te betekenen dat dergelijke rubrieken geen waarde hebben. Juist in die gevallen waarin duidelijk wordt aangegeven wat de waarde van dergelijke rubrieken is kan het zeker bijdragen aan verdieping van inzicht. Hierin heeft de astroloog zijn verantwoordelijkheid.  De waarde van astrologie gaat echter verder. Vooral daar waar de geboortetijd exact bekend is kan de horoscoop dienen ter ondersteuning en verklaring van keuzes die men tegenkomt op de levensweg. Of het nu gaat om talenten, beroepskeuze, partnerkeuze, gezondheid, de horoscoop kan hele waardevolle aanvullingen geven.

Voorwaarde is wel dat dit door een astroloog gebeurt die zijn rol serieus neemt en begrijpt dat hij/zij vooral een rol dient te spelen in de bevordering van de ontwikkeling van betreffend individu.