Lynn Hayes: January 2007 Archives

...is becoming more difficult as Saturn moves into alignment to the second phase of its opposition from Neptune, and the deceptions (Neptune) of the Bush/Cheney White House (Saturn) are becoming more and more apparent.

• Scientists testifying before a US Congressional panel report that the Bush administration forced them to manipulate their reports to make it look as if human action was not intensifying global warming.
• The Scooter Libby trial is creating a lot of confusion over who knew what about Valerie Plame, when did they know it and why did they try to expose her as a CIA agent. Of course, most of the witnesses have huge credibility problems themselves.

In other news, hundreds of members of a a new and mysterious (Neptune) Shiite cult were killed on Sunday by US and Iraqi troops. This new cult, called the "Soldiers of Heaven," supposedly are followers of the "Hidden Imam" (Neptune rules that which is hidden). Even more curious, this cult was well-funded and well-supplied with arms by an unknown and mysterious source (more Neptune).

The faceoff between Saturn and Neptune can be destabilizing on a personal level as well. This is a good time to add form (Saturn) to spiritual practice (Neptune), and to surrender to the flow (Neptune) when the structures of our life (Saturn) are threatened by outside forces. --------

I found this very interesting, perhaps you will too:

It is the hermetic idea of the macrocosm, the universe, being reflected in man as the microcosm that helped to integrate astrological symbology in Christian and Islamic civilisation. This substantiated the idea of man being created in the image of God.

James Cutsinger in his “Advice to the Serious Seeker” says quite succinctly, “All the levels of the universe, the macrocosm, come about through the radiation or manifestation of God, the metacosm. But all these levels are to be found as well within each human being, who is himself a microcosm or miniature universe.” (p. 48)

Consider a mirror. What do you see when you look into it? The reflection that presents itself is depend3nt on how well the mirror has been crafted. Even the tiniest flaw will bring a slight distortion. However imperfect, the reflection will hold every detail of the reality which is shown by it. There is one noticeable difference. It has shrunk a dimension. The reflection in a mirror is two-dimensional. The reality it reflects exists in a space with up and down, right and left, forwards and backwards. The mirror is only able to show forwards and backwards in what we could call the mode of magnitude – large is closer, small is farther away. We can say that in the same way man, as microcosm, reflects the universe, less a dimension. So too does the universe, the macrocosm, reflect God, less a dimension. The mode of reality changes. Even though a dimension is lacking that does not mean that it is missing, it is still present in an analogous form. We can call this change in mode the principle of Analogy. That is why “…the symbol is essentially identified with the thing it symbolises…”

This is another new astrology blog with some interesting posts and unusual connections. --------

I just noticed Jude (of Stars Over Washington fame) has a few new art blogs. I particularly like this one with its dreamy art (perfect for my SunNeptune conjunction in Libra). Some of the art connects with astrology which gives it an additional dimension of interest.

For example this illustration (click to enlarge) is in honor of Chiron, showing the path of healing.

Hopefully Jude won't mind if I snag her art from time to time to illustrate a point!

I really like this article by Suzanne White which says, among other things:

Astrology is not superstition. Not even close. Astrology is a language. It exists. Like Estonian or French. It just plain exists. Like hard boiled eggs or chutney. Now, for some, languages that they do not know and are unable to read or converse in, constitute a sort of threat. When we hear friends chatting in a language that we don’t know and we are present, we almost automatically imagine that they are talking about us. This is a kind of natural paranoia. We cannot understand. So we feel threatened or left out and perhaps even targeted as a victim.

Astrology, like any language, does have to be learned in order to be used. That’s why some people are astrologers and others have other learned professions such as doctors. An astrologer might tell you that your Sun in Leo means that you tend to want to be in the spotlight, but if your rising sign is Pisces, that Leo need for the spotlight might be mitigated.

This sort of “diagnosis” is not unsimilar to when a Dr. tells you that the lump on your arm looks like a cyst, but if the tests come out positive, it might be something more serious. He looks at the cystic physical evidence, but he also digs further to find out if it might be something more threatening.

Now the language of Astrology has been much squelched and derided by a sector of the population we refer to as “scientists” or , in any case, people who believe that science (another language) is the pathway to understanding every human ill - including mental, emotional and physical ailments - and to conquering and refining and owning whatever commodity is available to man. (Space flight for example or improved hard boiled eggs)

But squelching a language doesn’t always put it out of existence. And Astrology has survived the giant squelch of science and remains a means of communication between peoples and a method of both diagnosing and better understanding the human condition. Astrology is not in competition with science. It’s just there alongside it the way that TV is there alongside the Internet. The two media must co-exist. They cannot afford to be at war. The Internet will win. It’s bigger. And younger. TV knows that the way that Astrology knows that it must coexist with science because if there was a war between them Science would win. It’s bigger. And younger.

Nonetheless, there is wisdom in what is ancient. So Astrology continues to exist. Some people study it and are able to use it in their work and daily lives. Other people don’t study it sufficiently to become astrologers. But they dabble and they enjoy dabbling. Other people (most people) consult astrologers. They are the clients or the patients or the consultees who come to people like me for advice and information about their astrological charts: Who am I? What should I do about my mother-in-law’s interfering in my marriage? How can I get a divorce and keep my children? Why do I not have self-confidence? Where am I making my mistakes and why do I keep making them over and over again?

What some skeptical people (the Science-blinded or prejudiced) don’t know is that the answers to all of those questions are sitting right there in peoples’ astrological charts. Moreover, just because most people don’t know how to read their charts and don’t speak the language or know how to interpret the letters (symbols), doesn’t mean the answers are not there. They are.

Exactly!

As you know if you've been reading this and other astrology columns over the past six months or so, we are in the middle of a major planetary cycle involving an opposition between Saturn, and its desire to create societal structures such as buildings but also governments and marriages, to Neptune, the planet which seeks a detachment from our physical reality in order to bring us into contact with a deeper state of being.

The opposition is a "hard" aspect, meaning that there is a tension between the two planets which makes it more difficult to realize the more beneficial qualities of the two planets. In its highest form the combination of Saturn and Neptune creates a society (Saturn) which is grounded (Saturn) in spiritual ideals (Neptune) that exhibits compassion and universal love (Neptune). But because humans are not yet perfect, the Saturn/Neptune cycle more typically brings the dissolution and breakdown (Neptune) of the structures upon which society depends (Saturn). (See earlier article for more details on this cycle.)

The beginning of the Saturn/Neptune cycle was the witness not only to the unraveling civil war in Iraq, but also was the harbinger of civil war in Somalia, Kirkuk, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, and among the Palestinians. The concept of the "failed state" seems also to be tied in with the Neptune (failed) Saturn (state) cycle. Saturn is in Leo now, where it has been creating challenges and limitations (Saturn) on leaders and kings (Leo). This has been seen virtually everywhere - not only in the US where the Republican leadership has fallen to the Democrats, but also in the UK with the government of Tony Blair, the confusion (Neptune) over who is running Iraq. We are likely to see continued confusion (Neptune) in Cuba with the demise of Fidel Castro, and in Israel with a nearly universal disillusionment (Neptune) with their political leaders.

We are currently in range of the second phase of the Saturn/Neptune opposition and it is not surprising that these issues are in the forefront of the news. But I believe that this is just the first step in the path towards the upcoming cultural breakdown that will provide the basis for rebuilding a global society. Neptune continues to create confusion over the structures of Saturn over the next year, paving the way for Pluto as it enters Capricorn (the sign ruled by Saturn) and begins destroying those structures which no longer serve us. The sands are shifting and faith is required now - faith in the ultimate Intelligence that guides our evolution.

Jeffrey was the first astrologer to link to my blog, and I naturally have a soft spot in my heart for him. With his first house Pluto he is often reluctant to participate in the memes that reveal bloggery secrets,...

This seems to echo both of the major planetary cycles going on right now: the square of Jupiter (overconfidence) to Uranus (technology and innovation) and the opposition between Saturn (government structure) and Neptune (mystery and deception):Iran has converted one of...

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As President Bush prepares to deliver his (OMG) seventh State of the Union address, we take a look at what the stars have in store for him over the next few months. You may want to revisit my original overview...

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Isaiah Washington is one of the coolest actors around; I've been a big fan since his early days with Spike Lee. No one can match his smoldering charisma, and in the role of Preston Burke of Grey's Anatomy he lights...

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Comet McNaught is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere now (click image to enlarge).Photo from spaceweather.com --------...

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From spaceweather.com: Comet McNaught is now visible in broad daylight. "It's fantastic," reports Wayne Winch of Bishop, California. "I put the sun behind a neighbor's house to block the glare and the comet popped right into view. You can even...

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Thanks to the Townleys for this tidbit from the Jerusalem Post: Hebrew University Prof. Moshe Idel opened the panel by relating how, several years ago, he was asked to attend a Knesset committee meeting on astrology."At first I could not...

My sister Jill, who has been a fan of Keith Olbermann long before it was fashionable, compares him to Max Headroom. For those of you who are too young to remember, Max Headroom was an early invention of the Cinemax...

I love articles like this that claim to debunk astrology. When I find one of these articles I always email the writer. Let me do your chart for free, and then see if astrology is "bunk"! Yet no one ever...

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Dharma always has a unique take on astrological cycles that I just love. With the Galactic Center at 26 degrees Sagittarius (and moving VERY slowly), in a few hundred years it will move into Capricorn. Here's what Dharma has to...

Mars is approaching a conjunction to Pluto which is still conjunct the Galactic Center. Any combination of Mars and Pluto can be explosive, since Mars is the god of action and war while Pluto is the god of death and...

There's an old story about an astrology student who, fearing his Saturn return, dug a deep hole and buried himself in it, hoping to escape the challenges of Saturn. The irony of the story is that in confining himself in...

Leslie from Karmic Knowledge writes today on President Bush as Warmonger in Chief: It’s not difficult to understand why George W. Bush is stubbornly set in his approach to war when you take a close look at his hands. Bush...

We are approaching a combination of interesting planetary configurations this week that seem to indicate a bit of a struggle to coordinate urges that come from different directions. The Sun and Mercury are conjunct in Capricorn over the next few...

Red Ice Creations is a riveting site with lots to offer the conspiracy-minded and seekers of truth and interesting miscellany. A recent article linked from Red Ice suggests the idea that the Sun actually is god, and the so-called Sun...

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Urania has a lovely post on the occultation of Saturn as the Moon passed over it this morning:We have the unusual occurence early on the morning of January 6 — Epiphany — of the Moon passing before Saturn within viewing...

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Click photo to enlargeSpaceweather.com reports:Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) is plunging toward the Sun. It won't hit, but at closest approach on Jan. 13th it will be only 0.17 AU away--much closer than Mercury (0.38 AU). When the hot comet emerges...

Phil Brown has posted an interesting review of the movie The Good Shepherd. I like what he says about the US Sibley chart (the one most commonly used. The Sibley chart shows the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter all in...

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I am very pleased to announce that Richard Nolle has selected Astrodynamics as the Website of the Week for the first week of the year. Richard is a well-known astrology writer who maintains the Astropro website which has been a...

Don't get me wrong, I like John Edwards. I live in North Carolina so I've liked him for quite a long time. As a Democrat I was excited when he ousted conservative Lauch Faircloth and breathed new life into the...

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My regular readers know that earlier this year I had forecast a difficult year for the stock market. Six planets retrograde over the summer and a difficult aspect between Jupiter (optimism and prosperity) and Saturn (discipline and disappointment) filled me...

The Romans celebrated the first day of the year as a festival to Janus, their god of gates, doors, beginnings and endings. They named the month of January after him, and portrayed him with two faces: one looking back and...