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The Moon does
not orbit the Earth. The Earth and the Moon share a common point of orbit
called the barycenter that is close to, but is not exactly, the center
of the Earth. Thus, the so-called satellite, the Moon, has its pull on
the larger body, the Earth. The point being even smaller bodies exert
their influence on larger ones.
The
Powerless Center
In astrology
we have a strangely schizophrenic view of our relationship with the Sun,
Moon and planets. In one sense we rightly make ourselves the center of
the universe. We place ourselves in the center of the birth chart, defying
the laws of physics, to reflect our person-centered view of reality. We
then interpret the chart and the ensuing transits, progressions, etc.
in relationship to our own lives. This is all completely fair and completely
human. But, unlike the Sun, we occupy the center without having influence
on the planets. It is true that modern humanistic astrology has given
us with the power of choice so that we are no longer condemned to suffer
under the "rays" of Saturn. But the choices are about our responses.
In no way are we considered to be capable of affecting the planets themselves.
The logic
of astrology is that the cosmos is the grand source of energy and we are
the beings who receive this energy here on Earth. Inherent in this is
the essentially passive nature of humanity in relationship to the cosmos.
How is it possible for tiny humans to influence the massive planets, the
Sun, the Moon and the stars? But in a post-Newtonian universe all is relative,
and there are no forces that do not act upon the other forces of the universe.
Just as the uncertainty principle has shown that the observer affects
the observed, it is time we recognize that the observer (the person) affects
the planets.
When one
talks of the transit of Saturn to his/her Sun, there is no reciprocity.
The personal Sun receives or is synchronized with the current forces of
Saturn. The individual experiences the contraction, clarity and heaviness
of Saturn. Nowhere is there the notion that the natal Sun of the person
influences Saturn. In fact, we are saying that there is a connection between
the present position of Saturn and the birth position of the natal Sun.
The vibratory rate is such that the two are linked by some kind of aspect.
The aspect describes the nature of the link, but it is viewed as a one-way
transmission. If the observer affects the object in a physics lab, why
can't the person affect the transiting planet in the laboratory of real
life?
At the heart
of the issue is the nature of human existence. We perceive ourselves as
small in relationship to the cosmos. We are temporal beings here for our
average three score and ten, while even the puniest planet endures for
billions of years. We perceive size (mass) and time as factors that tell
us who is going to influence whom (or what). But this is exactly the kind
of Capricornian logic that we are now on the verge of leaving behind.
(Editor's note: Uranus and Neptune were conjunct in Capricorn when this
article was written in 1993.) In a relativistic universe all are connected
all the time.
How do we
measure influence? We have the sheer mass of the planets weighed against
an individual person. If mass or size implies power, can we say that the
Rocky Mountains are more significant than the thoughts of Einstein or
the love we feel in our hearts? Can we relate the experience of being
human to cosmic forces? Well, if the planets influence us, we must influence
them. Energy flows both ways. The deeper message is that human experience
has meaning beyond the personal. Life is cosmic. We are cosmic. And we
are at a time in our human history when we are preparing to rediscover
this. All of the current UFO stories are reminders that we are not really
islanders separate from the rest of the universe.
The
Planets Have Changed
In fact,
we have already changed the planets in our changing consciousness of them.
We have brought Uranus, Neptune and Pluto into the light of our awareness
and made them active players in the field of human history. What were
before only shadows now play consciously in our world. We have changed
the face of Saturn. He, the devil himself, has been partially tamed as
we have reassigned his most infernal qualities to newly discovered Pluto.
We have also changed the characteristics of Mars and Jupiter by replacing
them as rulers of Scorpio and Pisces with Pluto and Neptune. Mars as the
ruler of a water sign was still partially feminine. Pluto's displacement
of Mars has left us with a less balanced warrior. Jupiter's exile from
Pisces leaves him all judgment without compassion. These changes, brought
about by astrologers, change the way we see the universe and the way we
experience it.
Dane
Rudhyar, who was the first to make us conscious of so much
that is new in astrology, understood the outer planets Uranus, Neptune
and Pluto to be transformational. It is only logical that their positions
beyond the pale of Saturn connect us to the galaxy and pull us away from
the solar system. Symbolically, this means bringing the individual beyond
the ego and into connection with collective, universal forces. With Uranus
and Neptune mating in Capricorn, we can expect the birth of a new aspect
of humanity, one in which individual influence on the collective is more
clearly recognized. As astrologers we can then begin to look at our transits
as two-way events. Returning to our earlier example, we can ponder how
the natal Sun of someone can influence Saturn, how the will, creativity
and life-force of an individual can affect the collective limits that
Saturn represents. Every transit can be looked at in this way.
Each
of Us is a Transit
Each of us
is a transit. The birth chart is a set of transits that resonates within
us. We aspect the planets and have our impact on the universe. We can
examine our relationship with the cosmos in a less egocentric way when
we recognize that we are not separate, not disconnected from the big picture,
not passive recipients of cosmic forces. We can now look at each transit
in a way that enlarges our view of ourselves and reintegrates humanity
into the greater whole in which we live.
If Pluto
is making a conjunction to your Moon, it is likely that you will experience
considerable emotional change. Yet at the same time, you will also have
the chance to nurture Pluto, to provide food for collective purification
and transformation. You can bring caring to the death process so it may
evolve just as you evolve as an individual. Is the transit of Neptune
bringing confusion to your Mercury? Perhaps it also your chance to bring
clarity to collective dreams, to help Neptune articulate ideals, to communicate
its compassion. Does the transit of Uranus to your Venus brings chaos
to your relationships? Perhaps Uranus needs your love, your approval and
your artistic touch so that revolutions occur in more harmonious fashion.
We can reexamine
every transit as two-way conversation allowing us to have real communication
with the planets. In this way astrology prepares us for the 21st century
and leaves behind the stigma of fatalism that has kept it from fully contributing
to the modern world. Each of us can leave behind the limited view of being
a mere speck in a vast universe and remember that we are a fully connected
node of information, energy and power. In this way we can use astrology
and our lives to influence the future rather than to merely report it
This article
was first published in the June 1993 issue of The
Mountain Astrologer.
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