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- The basic precept of Astrology has been summed up with the phrase
- "As Above, So Below." What is displayed in the heavens is said to be
- mimicked on Earth.
-
- Astrologers once believed that the planets, luminaries, and stars
- introduced a force or influence upon earthly creatures and events.
- One may easily imagine a Wise Man (or Woman, aka. the Essenes)
- standing on his palatial balcony in 5,000 B.C.E., gazing intently up
- at the night sky, carefully noting the passage of heavenly bodies.
- These notes would then be compared to the events of the Kingdom,
- realm, of region.
-
- If events of the current period matched previous events, the Magi
- would expect similar planetary configurations in the heavens. If the
- events of the period were original, careful notes would be made for
- future study. These notes would of necessity been closely guarded and
- secret, least they fall into the hands of a rival.
-
- There are accounts of Wise Men (Magi, Astrologer, same thing) who
- gained great power through contrived, controlling predictions that
- were not later born out in reality. These gentlemen and women usually
- lost their heads, but many lost their gonads- quite literally. Job
- security fell to those who new their profession well or could talk
- very fast.
-
- Many religious cults, as cults today, frowned upon astrology
- schools. The students were not conforming to what was religiously
- demanded of them by those in power, and were often hacked to pieces
- for their efforts.
-
- There is a story told by a woman who was "regressed" to a "past
- life," where she was a Astrology student. Those who were in her group
- were all male youths under the tutelage of one purple robed Teacher.
- Late one night while they were going about their business learning the
- Hieros Logoi (sacred accounts), another group who practiced religious
- intolerance decided to do a little butchering the same night.
-
- The astrology students were castrated and left to die.
-
- If this account is true or not, the point is the same: If they
- had spent more time considering earthly events (staying in the
- Present), they may have been able to avoid the horror that night.
- (They might have gone out for pizza instead).
-
- Around the time Rome was being built, those in power thought it a
- good idea to marry off the Goddess (the Triple Lunar Goddess) to their
- Air Gods. With the patriarchy taking power, something had to be done
- to diminish the Goddess in the eyes of mankind, and make Her
- subservient to the Male. Thus the goddess Juno was conceived, who
- would be the "goddess of marriage."
-
- Juno was married off to Zeus, who didn't believe he was bound to
- any marriage vows and liked to frolic in any and all pastures
- available, begetting sons by the score. No other goddess has been
- hurt by marriage more than Juno.
-
- To make the profane act of marriage complete, a new Sign was
- added to the Zodiac. Libra, which is said to rule marriage as well as
- relationships in general, was the twelfth Sign placed in the popular
- Zodiac. The Wise Men (and Women) of this period thus had to alter
- their methods and ways of thinking.
-
- The oldest known astrology "chart" only had eight signs. House
- systems were added later. It was square, and the planetary bodies had
- to be placed precisely on the paper so that a straight edged graduated
- "ruler" could be used to determine aspects. It seems that the "equal"
- or "fixed" house system was the one used.
-
- With the advent of "houses," the astrologer could determine which
- arena of life was to be involved. It seems reasonable that the number
- of houses should match the number of Signs in the Zodiac, right?
- Well, not really. There were usually eight houses used, even when the
- number of Signs grew to twelve.
-
- Today the most popular methods of Astrology use twelve Signs and
- houses, using the Tropical Zodiac in the West, Geocentric (Earth
- centered). There are many variations available. One may use
- Heliocentric (Sun centered) astrology, or use the Sidereal Zodiac
- (which takes into account the precession of the Equinox).
-
- There are many popular houses systems in use today as well.
- Porphyrus (spelling differs) was a poet, astrologer, and scholar in
- ancient times. He came up with a house system called "Porphyry,"
- though I don't know anyone who uses it.
-
- Most astrologers today tend to believe that the heavenly bodies
- do not reach down and push us about. Rather, the planets, luminaries,
- and stars "mimic" Earthly events. Synchronistic in nature, they
- corollate instead of dictate. This hands one's fate back to the
- individual, to augment or squander as one sees fit. The slight
- comfort of Fate has been replaced by responsibility for one's actions.
-
- A few astrologers still portend death and destruction from the
- "astrological chart." This mode of thinking (a belief pattern based
- on preconceived ideas) is almost extinct. One may stay on the rail
- road tracks, deeming it "fate" has said one must be mashed by the
- train, or one may say "Screw it," and step to the side and let fate
- pass. It is one's right and responsibility to take charge of one's
- life events.
-
- Still, one always has the right to be squashed by one's "trains."
- If you refuse to drink, you are allowed to die of thirst. It's your
- right.
-
- The perceptions of "Fate Versus Free Will" seems to lean towards
- "free will" for the individual in the current astrological community,
- but the question of the "Fate of Nations," and the rulers of Nations,
- is still hotly disputed.
-
- There are arguments that a Nation must follow what is "Fated,"
- and that those closely connected to that Nation are heavily minified
- in their rights to act freely. It is well documented that a Nation in
- trouble always produces a single individual to correct the problem.
-
- Abe Lincoln believed in Fate, and was said to know when he would
- die and how. Did he have the Right to choose? Since he was closely
- connected to the United States and the Civil War, I doubt it.
-
- Kennedy chose to ignore warnings from "psychics," we've been told
- to believe, and ended up slaughtered on national television,
- presumably by the hand of Cuba, Castro. But did he have a choice? I
- believe not.
-
- Someone ponderously, corpulently, grossly into religious
- intolerance mentioned to me that "The One True God destroys Nations,"
- while individuals destroy themselves, I will add. Bending his idea of
- "God" to a non anthropomorphic deity, we could say that "The Universe"
- takes care of nations and leaves the individual to fend for her or his
- self.
-
- Astrology does not predict. It points to probabilities, not
- unequivocal, assured events. Any likely event can be circumnavigated
- if one knows about it first. This is why I believe Astrology to be
- the single most useful tool for taking responsibility for one's life.
-
- The question "Is Astrology valid?" is one that I cannot answer
- competently. It is always best to question everything, and take
- nothing as it is offered (without the arena of astrology as well as
- within). I leave this question to others for exploration.
-
-
-
-
-
- Document 3 in Astr-4.0
-
- David Rice 7/11/88
- unar Goddess) to their
- Air Gods. With the patriarchy taking power, something had to be done
- to diminish the