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| ISBN-13: | 9781608681396 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | New World Library |
| Publication date: | 12/18/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 128 |
| File size: | 725 KB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Astrology for the New Age
An Intuitive Approach
By Marcus Allen
Whatever Publishing
Copyright © 1979 Mark Allen (Donicht)All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-60868-139-6
CHAPTER 1
A Question
Why study astrology? What is the purpose of interpretation?
One good reason is because it's fun.
And another very good reason is that astrology can open us up intuitively ... It can be a very useful tool for finding your path ... seeing the face of God within you ... and within others.
Each of the 12 signs has its own unique energy ... its own skillful means ... its own path ... its own power. It's all part of the beauty and the bounty of the Universe. There are infinite possibilities — and these are reflected when we use a tool such as astrology ... or Tarot, or Zen meditation, or music, or dance ... or whatever.
Every chart is a Mandala — a complete cosmology in itself ... a map of the entire Universe. The 'macrocosm-microcosm' teaching is brilliant, and very deep: As above, so below. As below, so above. Each little piece of the Universe is in its own way a complete Universe, reflecting the whole. In the atom, the galaxy is mirrored.
So we can, if we wish, look at a chart as a purely 'arbitrary' design, on a piece of paper, that we will sit with, and see what associations will arise ... As we take this time to look, as we do this ritual, we start to see many things ... Mirrors within mirrors ... The chart reflects the person ... the person reflects the chart ... the chart reflects the Universe ... the person reflects the Universe ... They are all the same ...
The purpose of interpretation is to find your own path ... whatever that may mean to you ... Every person's path is different — everyone has a unique birth chart.
Each sign is a face of God ... each of us is evolving in our own unique, individual way. Astrology, clearly used, can reflect that evolution.
The Origin of Astrology
First, imagine this ...
You are living about 10,000, or 50,000, years ago, on some beautiful part of this planet Earth ...
Maybe you tend sheep, or maybe you are simply into stargazing during the quiet nights ... You spend many, many evenings looking into the clear night sky, and from the apparent chaos of all the stars, an order, a pattern emerges: you become aware of the constellations, the different, fixed patterns of all the stars ... You find names for the patterns, describing their shapes and meanings, names like Orion the Hunter, the Scorpion, and the Great Bear, or the Big Dipper ...
Then, you begin to notice the "Wanderers," or the "Planets" — the especially bright stars which do not belong in any constellation, but wander thru the night sky ...
Then, you notice that the Wanderers, too, follow a pattern, a path in which they rise in the east and set in the west, like the Sun during the day. Each night, the Wanderers are seen against the backdrop of a certain constellation, but, over the weeks and months, they slowly and regularly move into other constellations ... Because they all rise and set in about the same place, the "Wanderers" — including the Moon, and even the Sun — wander thru the same string of constellations, in a regular order. There happens to be 12 constellations in the string, making a full circle above and below the earth — this is the Zodiac — it is the backdrop against which we see the planets, always. The names of these constellations are familiar to you: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so on thru Pisces — then you come to Aries again ...
Soon you become aware that the planets, moving thru the constellations, are a giant, cosmic clock with which you can measure time.
The Sun takes one year to travel thru all 12 signs of the Zodiac. The Moon takes only one month — the fastest moving "Planet" of all — which is why it is a symbol for change ... (When, in astrology, you refer to the "Planets," you are also including the Sun and the Moon.)
Jupiter takes 12 years for a complete revolution thru the Zodiac ... and Saturn takes 28 or 29 years — a symbol for age, time, experience ... an important symbol for stages of evolution ...
You can clearly see with the 'naked' eye the seven planets which were known to all ancient peoples: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Then, once you are aware of the regular, clocklike nature of the planetary cycles, you begin making the connections which truly gave birth to the ancient intuitive science and artform of astrology: You begin to notice correspondences with things that happen when certain planets are in certain signs. This phenomenon bears out the deep truth attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, who is said to have introduced advanced forms of astrology to the West at the beginning of the Egyptian era:
As above, so below;
As below, so above.
These connections were probably first made with the sun: when it enters into the sign (or constellation) of Aries, the first burst of Spring is here ... when the sun moves into Taurus, we settle into the middle of Spring ... when it moves into Gemini, changes start happening again ... unpredictable weather ... When it moves into Cancer, Summer is here to stay ... With Leo, we find the intense heat of mid-summer ... With Virgo, we find things changing again ... With Libra, Autumn bursts forth in all her beauty ... When the sun goes into Scorpio, it gets stormy and tempestuous ... With Sagittarius comes the good cheer of the holiday season ... With Capricorn comes Winter and the mastery it requires ... With the month of Aquarius, we move into higher levels of being, making evolutionary leaps ... With the month of Pisces, we can experience the depth and death of Winter ... the deepest mystical awareness, beyond words ...
So, by watching the Sun move thru the constellations, you could see (and therefore project and plan for) the year thru the seasons ...
Within the general, monthly changes of the Sun cycle, then, you begin to notice the subtler, more rapidly changing influences of the Moon cycle — moving thru all 12 signs of the Zodiac every month.
By watching the Moon, and the other planets, and by noticing the changes which happen within you and around you as the Moon and the planets change signs, you begin to make a vast, subconscious (perhaps) catalog of the correspondences ...
And astrology is born.
The Symbols of the Signs
Many of the keys to learning astrology are found within the symbols themselves ... It's like learning the Tarot cards — the pictures themselves are the teachers, and can convey more information than thousands of words.
Look at the symbols for each sign, and sit with it ... It may seem enigmatic — but just let each symbol soak into your deeper levels of being ... There, it has a lot of meaning for you.
?? Aries, the Ram ... the symbol is a Ram's head — a symbol of energy bursting forth ...
?? Taurus, the Bull ... the symbol is the Bull's head — a symbol of power, energy grounded in the Earth.
?? Gemini, the Twins ... the symbol is the Roman numeral II — a symbol of the nature of duality, the mind's ability to see and comprehend duality ...
?? Cancer, the Crab, and the Cat ... the symbol represents the claws of the Crab, or a symbol of a woman's breasts, which it rules ... A symbol of secret things, a symbol of the feminine nurturing principle.
?? Leo, the Lion ... the symbol is supposed to be the head and mane of a lion, a symbol of dynamic, powerful energy ...
?? Virgo, the Virgin ... the symbol may represent matter coming back on itself, informing itself with energy — the M for matter, with the tail coming back upon itself — a symbol for accomplishment.
?? Libra, the Scales ... the symbol is the Scales of Justice, a symbol of balance and harmony and awareness of all points of view.
?? Scorpio, the Scorpion, the Snake, and the Eagle ... the symbol may represent matter soaring into the mystic — the M for matter, the tail bursting forth into creativity ...
?? Sagittarius, the Archer ... the symbol is the arrow, a symbol of physical travel, and intellectual and spiritual flight ...
?? Capricorn, the Goat (or SeaGoat) ... the symbol is supposed to represent the head of a mountain goat, in some way — a symbol of leaping capability on the Earth ...
?? Aquarius, the Water Bearer ... the symbol represents the water of life, a symbol of spiritual nourishment from divine sources.
?? Pisces, the Fish ... the symbol shows the heads of two fish, looking at each other — a symbol of flowing depths and oceanic consciousness ...
Every sign has its power
Every sign has its own power, its own strength!
Aries has the strength of a ram, power to move forward, power to create the new, the life-giving power of Mars, the procreator ...
Taurus has the strength of a bull, power to sustain life, the power of the earth. Buddha was a Taurus (often pictured touching the earth at his moment of Enlightenment).
Gemini has the strength of twins! The power of the mind — the ability to use the mind to create, to analyze, to communicate. The power of Mercury, the Messenger of the gods.
Cancer has the strength of a crab — tenacious, persistant, quick — and of a cat (another, higher symbol for Cancer) — aware, sensuous, magical, enlightened. The power of the Moon, the wellspring of intuition.
Leo has the strength of a Lion! Powerful, commanding, beautiful. The power of the Sun, the source of our life energy.
Virgo has the strength of a virgin — think of it! — the strength of a very young woman, with a vibrant, strong body, able to serve, able to heal, beautiful and promising. The power of Mercury, the Communicator of the gods (and, I feel, Virgo has the power of a distant and as yet undiscovered and unnamed planet which may become a symbol for enlightened service in the world).
Libra has the strength of the scales of justice — able to balance, to see all sides, to weigh all points of view. The power of Venus, the loved one — beautiful, commanding, magnetic.
Scorpio has the strength of a scorpion ... and of a snake ... and of an eagle. The scorpion: fierce, feared, stinging; the snake: healing energy flowing thru the body; the eagle: the far-seeing visionary, powerful, gifted. The power of Mars — strength and fire — connected with the power of Pluto — the ultimate, the beyond.
Sagittarius has the strength of a centaur archer! Far-ranging, beautiful, outgoing, powerful. The power of Jupiter — eternal expansion and abundance.
Capricorn has the strength of a mountain goat — the power to climb mountains! Sure-footed, strong, tenacious, confident. The power of Saturn, the planet of wisdom which grows with age. Many masters have been Capricorns — including Joan of Arc.
Aquarius has the strength of an angel! Power to nourish, to uplift, to envision: to bring the Divine to Earth ... The power of Uranus — the Awakener, which shows us that we are One with All.
Pisces has the strength of a Mystic ... a fish ... the power of Pluto, the ultimate, the beyond, able to explore the depths of our minds, of our beings. I feel that Christ was a Pisces.
Lest I Appear Too Positive....
Sometimes people react to focusing on the strengths of each sign with a feeling that it is too positive, that we should include the weaknesses of each sign, too.
My response to this is to agree that each sign has its own characteristic weaknesses, but to stress that we should in no way let these weaknesses hinder us from tuning into our strengths. Don't give your own or anybody else's weaknesses too much power. Focus on your strengths and you are strong. Focus on your weaknesses and you are weak.
Yet it can be valuable to look at characteristic qualities of each sign which can use some improvement. There is a time when we must honestly look at our shortcomings, and focus on them long enough to realize that they are there, clearly see that they are not serving us, and clearly choose to let them go.
Aries energy can be insensitive, abrasive, egocentric, with a very short attention span. It needs the balance of Libra to make it aware of other people's feelings.
Taurus energy can be stubborn, resistant to change, and too preoccupied with the physical plane.
Gemini energy can be frenetically speedy, scattered, attempting to do too much at one time ... Gemini's rational mind can forget the heart, the intuition, and get caught up in endless mental activity.
Cancer energy can be withdrawn, forgetting others, engulfed in emotion without dealing with it skillfully, filled with excuses.
Leo energy can be egocentric and shallow, always wanting to be the center of attention, unwilling to give others space and support.
Virgo energy can be critical, picky, constantly focusing on what is wrong with everything, including themselves.
Libra energy can be vain, self-centered, over-concerned with physical beauty, and constantly vascillating from one point of view or choice to the other. You'll often hear a Libra say, "On the other hand ..."
Scorpio energy can be alternately stinging and withdrawn, hurting those they love, getting very intensely into emotional reactions.
Sagittarius can be careless, overly intellectual and talkative, superficially overpositive, and into far too many projects simultaneously.
Capricorn energy can be cold, remote, and secretly harshly judgemental of others, putting their career before their relationships and human warmth.
Aquarian energy can become unrealistic, spaced-out and dreamy, willing to visualize a million possibilities, but unwilling to focus on any of them long enough to accomplish anything.
Pisces energy can also become spaced-out, not relating to people, aloof, distant, sometimes heavily emotional and even self-destructive ...
Again, I must stress that these weaknesses shouldn't be taken too seriously or given too much power, in relation to yourself or other people. We are all vast, complex beings, with many different qualities — strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your weaknesses long enough to clearly see them, shine the light of your understanding on them, and let them go. Then focus on your strengths, and fulfill your vision.
Prove it....
I don't attempt to prove anything about the validity of astrology. Most of the attempts to prove its validity seem to me to be as ridiculous as the attempts by so-called 'scientists' or anyone else to disprove its validity.
I simply see that it exists, and has existed for thousands of years, and that it has cataloged a large number of different correspondences which many people of many different cultures have apparently found meaningful and even useful. I see that some of these correspondences simply relate to the seasons of the year — the month of Aries is the advent of spring, the month of Leo is the height of summer ... But many of the other correspondences seem to relate to other cycles which are subtler, perhaps reflecting more archtypal levels of our experience.
There's no need to prove it, or disprove it. It is a tool, a tool to use as you wish.
"No one should hold it to be incredible that out of the astrologer's foolishness and blasphemies some useful and sacred knowledge may come."
— Johaness Kepler
A Key to the Planets
Maybe you'll want to do this exercise with the planets that I recommend to people:
Just think of each of the names of the planets, relax, and picture it — fantasize, free associate, meditate with it, sit with it for a little while ... Whatever happens is all right ... (The Sun and the Moon, too, are included among the 'planets'.)
Think of them as totally as you can — mythologically and/or scientifically and/or cosmically and/or whatever comes to mind ...
Mercury ... Venus ... Mars ... Jupiter ...
Saturn ... Uranus ... Neptune ... Pluto ...
Sun ... Moon ...
Most of these words have a lot of associations for us ... and these associations are a key to understanding the power of these planets.
Within our mythological heritage — deep wellsprings of intuitive information — each of these planetary forces has been envisioned in human form, as energies we can comprehend, feel, and summon ...
A Key to the Signs
The 12 signs are the 12 faces of God – the 12 states of perfect being – each with their unevolved, evolving, and evolved levels of being.
Instead of 'faces of God' you may want to use the words 'states of perfect being' or 'states of higher consciousness' or 'levels of divine being' or whatever ... The specific words aren't important — choose whatever words resonate most deeply for you.
Astrology is a ritual / a game / an intuitive science / a form of prayer / a connection with higher intelligence which involves identifying with symbols. These symbols gain deep meaning — intuitive meaning — when and only when we look deeply into the symbols, when we observe their inner (or esoteric) meanings and resonances.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Astrology for the New Age by Marcus Allen. Copyright © 1979 Mark Allen (Donicht). Excerpted by permission of Whatever Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
A word,Foreword,
A Note About the Style,
Preface,
An Introduction,
A Question,
The Origin of Astrology,
The Symbols of the Signs,
Every sign has its power,
Lest I Appear Too Positive,
Prove it....,
A Key to the Planets,
A Key to the Signs,
Unevolved, Evolving, and Evolved,
A Deep, Ancient Truth,
What is a Chart?,
Your chart is a picture....,
The Hemispheres,
Key Words,
Key Words — Planets,
Key Words — Signs,
Key Words — Houses,
Key Words — Special Points,
Meditations on Your Chart,
Outer, Inner and Secret....,
The Sun thru the Year,
Watching the Moon,
The Moon Cycle,
The Sun & Moon thru the Signs,
What Does the Moonsign Do?,
Conventional Astrology: Uses & Misuses,
Thru the Year,
Compatibility/Incompatibility,
Transits,
The Saturn Cycle,
Sit with these Symbols,
Embracing All,
The Movement of the Planets,
Song of the Planets,
The Days of the Week,
The Circle of Life,
A Simple Method of Casting a Chart,
Casting a Sample Chart,
A Sample Chart,
A Sample Chart Interpretation,
In Conclusion,
At the Threshold,
About the Author,