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New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19
Index:
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Index - A month in a Life 2 Mars square Saturn/Neptune
Venus Retrograde
Jupiter Direct
- Interview with Gloria Star 4 - Outside of the box - Eris - The Educational Room 17 26 - Saturn in Virgo square Neptune in Sagittarius 33 - Virgolizer – Reports/Reviews 36 - The Minor Earth Report 39 Greetings Many exciting items in this Cancer New Moon issue, enough to fill the empty hours of your summer days… or is it winter days? In any case, wherever you live, you will respond to Mars about to square Saturn and Neptune… no corner of the world is spared of that! Gloria Star has graced us with a great interview. Gloria is a regular speaker at the major astrology conferences, and while you attend one of her lectures, do keep in mind she has a great sense of humor. At first, it took me by surprise, but then, I got into the swing of things…
We have an extensive article on Eris, written with wit and perspective by John Shmeeckle from California. Eris is still a mystery to us all; the fact that it is in Aries for so long makes it hard to really get a feeling for it, for when associated with “strife and discord”, Aries in itself is enough for that! John takes us on a ride to sharpen our perspective and senses in this regard. An interesting Spiritual Figure this month: Oberto Airaudi from Italy who is apparently leading a whole world under our feet, and I bet most of you knew nothing about that! Check it out… The 2nd leg of the upcoming Saturn in Virgo transit article series, with a focus this time on the square to the Neptune in Sagittarius generation! “Judgement Day?” chilling… So, as the planets keep turning and topics of discussion abound, I invite you to dive into the Major Sky… and who knows… maybe see you in he fleshy flesh in Hawaii pretty soon! Blessings Maurice
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 1
A MONTH IN A LIFE
Below is an analysis of key configurations operating during the coming month. A brief introspection into the nature and intent of these influences is provided for your attention and research. Mars Square Neptune and then Saturn
20° Taurus/Aquarius – 25° Taurus/Leo
July 24, August 1, 2007
Reasons to Stay Indoors
We had the yummy taste of this Saturn/Neptune opposition for almost a year, with a final boost this last June as they locked on the 20th degree of Leo and Aquarius… As they part from each other (sniff sniff) and we can start processing life post-shocks, scandals, breakdowns, and such, Mars will come along and reunite them for just a tad longer, making sure we’ll have a really dramatic farewell… The next time this pair will meet again on angular grounds will be with the last quarter square in Sag/Pisces (2015-2016) and then with an earth shaking conjunction on the first degree of the Zodiac, namely 0° Aries (2025-2026); it’s going to be worth living nineteen more years just to see what ZAT will be about! But back to present, Mars squares the Neptune/Saturn opposition from its passage through Taurus. Basically, this means that you can add sex and financial transactions to the “scandal, corruption, breakdown, and shock” mix! Saucy indeed! But on a personal level, how to make constructive use of this energy without catching a venereal disease or getting scammed over falsely promising deals? Mmmm... tough question! Especially considering that Mars/Neptune invites you to just lose it and face the horizon fearlessly, while Mars/Saturn incites you to lose it NOT! A possible scenario: as Mars squares Neptune (first in line), you just do the stupidest thing, and then as Mars squares Saturn (next in line) you go to jail for it (or to the doctor)! Now just for the record, as Mars will square Neptune on July 21, it will also oppose the Moon in Scorpio!!! Grand-Square party in fixed signs, and almost everyone is invited… (DO you happen to have planets around 21° fixed signs?) Ok, back to figuring out a “constructive” way to manifest these energies... Let’s just say, you will have to be daring and face the unknown (Neptune) but with conviction of sincerity and truthfulness about your intention rather than whim (Neptune). This will likely imply breaking away from something that represented security (opposition to Moon) and a confrontation with individuals who have expectations from you (Saturn in Leo square). Obviously this configuration embodies a strong message of individuality… Mars in Taurus goes solo and wants no compromise with one’s way of doing things, so there is definitely a separative attitude. Moreover, this configuration can be excellent for any type of creative outlet… surely one can be very inspired and passionate under these transits. However, truth be told, caution is required here. This aspect has obvious destructive qualities that are not of the “renewal” kind; heart attacks, health issues related to inflammation and acidity, fevers and so on, are on the agenda. Also abusive interactions can result from a weakened psychological Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 2
immunity. So, eat some garlic and work out a bit to appear more intimidating to potential predators! (No one would dare mess with your garlic breath…) Venus Retrograde
2° Virgo/ July 26, 2007
If You Don’t Come to the Party
Every year and a half, Venus retrogrades for about a month and a half. In this process it shifts from being a setting planet to a rising planet, and right in the middle of that process, it conjuncts the Sun in what is called an inferior conjunction (Venus is between the Earth and the Sun). In the inferior conjunction, Venus is the closest to the earth and therefore in full glow; however, for 10 degrees before and after the conjunction to the Sun, she is not visible since the Sun’s light blinds us from her view. These are all very important shifting moment in our Venusian lives! The dates are as follow: July 27, Retrograde period begins August 12, Last day of visibility in the setting sky (West) August 18, Inferior Conjunction to the Sun August 25, First day of visibility in the rising sky (East) September 8, Standing Direct Keep track of these dates and observe what happens in your life; of course, matters of the heart and the pocket will be highlighted. Typically, during Venus retrograde relationship issues come to the surface and the tables turn… people from your past can re-surface. The purpose is to finish unfinished businesses or else, reassess where you are now compared to where you were emotionally back then. Current relationships can go through a period of doubt because issues that were not dealt with cannot be swept under the rug anymore… it is time for facing the shadows and possibly take the relationship to a new level once things are resolved. Otherwise, separations occur, not uncommon with Venus Retrograde… and if so, necessarily so. You can meet people you have known from past lives as well during this time, (not only your current past). In a nutshell, this infers that there can be a feeling of immediate recognition and therefore a greater intensity from the start… “as if you’ve always known that stranger he!” So new relationships can also begin (again?) with this transit! All in all, not boring… 13°
Jupiter Direct
9° Sagittarius/ August 7, 2007
I would not Change a Thing
I remember when Jupiter turned direct in early April 2003… that was in Leo, and George Bush proudly came out with his infamous quote “mission accomplished!” This was after the rather rough start of the Iraq war. As Jupiter went direct, all Iraqi resistance collapsed and the great conquest Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 3
was “completed.” So yes, Jupiter going direct can create a euphoric feeling because much expansive energy is released. For better, many things in your life relating to the house this takes place in, can open up and generate satisfaction. For worse, it can spur excess based on over confidence ala “mission accomplished.” Jupiter also happens to square the Nodes at that time, making it ever more potent. Travel plans, launching new projects, having a spiritual realization, shoving your beliefs down people’s throats… all on the menu. From that departure point, Jupiter will gallop forward, passing through a conjunction with Pluto at 28° Sagittarius in December, all the way up to 22 degrees Capricorn where it will retrograde again next May 2008. A ride to enjoy indeed! INTERVIEW
Gloria Star Astrologer, Writer, Teacher www.GloriaStar.com
[email protected]
Stripped
Your family status (in relationship, single, married, div, kids – their name and ages?) I am married to Richard Roess. My children from previous marriages are Taletha Walker (age 35) and Christopher Miller (age 27). I have no grandchildren, but do have a “grand‐dog”, Newton. Religious background and conditioning? I was raised in a Southern Baptist home in the heart of Texas. As a child, our social life was centered upon activities that were either church or family focused. Several of my uncles and cousins are ministers, and religious conversations (and arguments) were always a part of every family gathering. By the time I left home at age 18, I had been studying different ideologies through college courses in world religion, philosophy classes, and had begun to question what I considered to be narrow views of spirituality. Once I was on my own in the world, opportunities to explore the different ways cultures approach life’s larger questions drew me to other ideological systems. By my mid‐20s, I had spent considerable time with several spiritual teachers, and for many years devoted myself to Buddhist paths, including Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 4
time in different ashrams. As a means of exploring my inner life and connection to the Whole, I also began a serious dedication to Wicca and other paths that we can describe as metaphysical. Spiritual orientation – Do you follow any specific practice? My life is my meditation. What’s the worst thing and then, the best thing about you? The worst thing about me is my tendency to be too self‐critical. The best thing about me is my sense of humor. What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is that evolution may actually take longer than I anticipated and that humans may never outgrow their need for war. What do you most value in people? I value most the human capacity for creative and compassionate outreach through the experience of love. What makes you angry? Betrayal Your biggest regret? Regret is too costly. I have released my need to hold onto such feelings What is playtime for you? Singing, participating in local theater productions, and gardening are my favorite playful activities. However, our family fur‐person, Hobbes the Cat, insists that playtime is about chasing, teasing, and tickling The Cat Your animal totem Cougar Your Chinese sign (and element) Earth Rat Can you describe the most spiritually significant event of your life and the effect it had on you? The birth of my each of my children qualifies as amazing spiritual initiation. A turning point in your life? A powerful turning point in my life occurred when I moved from Oklahoma to San Diego in the 1980s, with my seven‐year‐old son, to an area where I had no friends or family but was drawn to start a new life. While courageous action had not been a particular issue for me, I realized a level of courage and determination that was truly extraordinary. This began Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 5
one of the most productive periods in my life in terms of life work, and confirmed for me that I had truly found my calling. What would you define is an important evolutionary lesson for you in this life? The right use of my creative talents and discerning use of my material resources in harmony with my highest needs have been both challenge and opportunity. Favorite book? Just one? Oh, come on now! We have four rooms filled with books in our house. My favorite work of fiction is “The Mists of Avalon,” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Another is Elisabeth Haich, “Initiation.” I cannot ignore all of Tolkein’s writing. Manly Hall’s “The Secret Teachings of All the Ages”, despite some inaccuracies, remains a favorite. Favorite astrology book? “Astrology, Karma and Transformation,” by Stephen Arroyo. Richard Tarnas, “Cosmos and Psyche.” Also impossible to do without, Lynda Hill’s “Sabian Symbol” books (several revisions and incarnations of this book). Bernadette Brady, “The Eagle and The Lark.” Favorite movie? Also virtually impossible to answer. In recent fare, “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was simply excellent. That’s three movies, so I’ve already failed to answer this question properly. Favorite piece of music? Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 43 Place on earth? Point Reyes National Seashore, CA General information about your practice Where do you live and practice? I live in the shoreline township of Clinton, Connecticut. My office is in my home, providing me with an excellent opportunity to work in an environment that is completely comfortable. Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 6
Your specialty in Astrology? People always ask this, and to be honest, I do not have “A” specialty. I work with clients (individuals, businesses, families) and use astrological insights to enrich and strengthen their lives. To do this, I work with natal astrology from a transformational, spiritual and evolutionary focus; I utilize many kinds of cycles to add insights to past, current and future time; I utilize applications like locational astrology (e.g. AstroCartoGraphy); relationship tools like synastry, composite, and combined charts; guidance through life stages – beginning with childhood and continuing through life. I work with Electional Astrology to choose the best dates for actions. I use Horary Astrology judiciously and when it is most applicable to a situation. I also write extensively, and about many different aspects of astrology. Additionally, I write for the general public, and so I work with Mundane Astrology, sun sign astrology, and “cosmic weather.” How long have you been practicing – How did it start? I have been a full‐time professional astrologer since 1978, and had a part‐time practice for four years prior to that period. I began my study of astrology as a means of disproving it. (Details on my website!) Details about your practice? Clients range from all parts of the world and have a wide variety of life interests and personal/professional expression. I work with clients four to five days each week, with most of my sessions accomplished by telephone, although I do see clients both in my office and also when I’m traveling (conferences, etc.). When I am deeply engrossed in writing, I limit my client work as a means of attaining a more significant focus for writing. It is through work with clients that I have learned the most, since the opportunity to correlate their life experiences with astrological data is simply illuminating! How long are your counseling sessions? Your charge? A New Client consultation is 90 minutes. Follow up consultations are available at client request and apply to particular needs. Most of my clients schedule an update about once every 8‐10 months, and these sessions are normally about an hour. Many clients contact me for a regular monthly update. Specific situations are tailored according to the needs of my established clients. For example, if a client is planning to establish a new business, or move, that might require more outside research on my part, but not so much time in consultation. My fee for consultation at this time is $260 for a new client, for established clients ‐ Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 7
$160/hour; research is $120/hour. I charge a small fee for postage and making a CD from a digital recording of a consultation. Essentially, all fees are for my professional time. List your published work? Books:
Optimum Child: Developing Your Child’s Fullest Potential through Astrology Astrology for Women Astrology: Woman to Woman Astrology & Your Child (a revised and expanded edition of Optimum Child) Llewellyn’s Sun Sign Book, written and published once yearly from 1990‐2002 Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book, “Personal Lunar Forecasts” (about 100 pages in each book) yearly from 1994‐2003 Contributing Author: The Houses (Edited by Joan McEvers); The Astrology of Crisis (Edited by Noel Tyl) Magazines: I currently write a Feature Column for “The Mountain Astrologer” called “Astrology News.” I’ve written this column since 1995. I have written regular astrology columns and feature articles in several magazines and periodicals over the course of my career. Online: In the late 1990s, I was the Front Page Featured Astrologer for Daily Forecasts for AOL through “Astronet” and also wrote the Dailies for Astronet. Later, I worked with “ThirdAge.com” as the Astrology Channel Manager, where I developed content and tools for their website. Having worked online in such widely distributed markets, I do know that there’s a lot that can be accomplished online for astrology, but have not had the inclination to develop a full‐scale website for myself as my practice, etc. is too demanding. At this point, I do have my own website, but it is primarily for contact and information purposes. Some commerce elements to that website are currently under development and will be launched later this year. Astrological Computer Report Writer Software: Concept, structure and text for Astrological Computer Report Writers: “Just for Women,” (Matrix) “IO Child” (TimeCycles) “Optimum Child” (Astrolabe) “Inner Child” (Astrolabe) Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 8
Besides making a living, what are the purposes of your work, what motivates you to do it? First and foremost, astrology is an exceptional tool for development of awareness and personal growth. Coupled with a study of history (one of my passions), astrological views of significant events provide amazing insights into human evolution (or sometimes the lack thereof!). I truly love this work. Time spent with clients allows me to enter a sacred space and share a kind of trust that is simply amazing and powerfully life‐transforming. What are your current projects professionally? I’m at work on revisions of two books. Additionally, I have the outlines ready and am work on one new astrology manuscript, although there are other ideas that need further development. Transformation of several of my lectures and classes into DVD/CD study courses in astrology is also in the works. Later this year, I will continue development of several astrological report writers. Your views on these worldly contemporary issues, themes, and events China: China definitely bears watching from both the global power perspective and from the influence China has on the world at large. Since the inception of the Peoples Republic of China, the cultural changes have been intense. Now, with the Saturn and Jupiter returns imminent for this nation (2008‐2009), and Pluto entering Capricorn heading into major aspects with China’s chart, both the power elements of this nation and the economic impact of China on the world will grow stronger. Pluto in Capricorn: Pluto’s shift into Capricorn is, of course, getting a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. This will be a period of shifts in world power that will likely change our ideas about what is required to become a truly Global network of humanity. It is quite likely that information technology will be the guiding force behind many of these changes, especially once Uranus enters Aries and these two energies begin a long period of challenging contact to one another. Environmental issues will be huge during Pluto’s reign in Capricorn, and we are likely to see the exposure of the end of certain resources that we are mining from Earth. However, there is also an opportunity during this long cycle to revitalize both the environment and the economy. Just thinking in terms of some of the key concepts brings great stirring of the imagination: “Transforming Ambition.” “Exposure/Purging of Government.” “Healing the Land.” Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 9
Global Warming: Yes, global warming is happening. This is the best example of personal choice making a difference that I can imagine, since many of the solutions to environmental damage are in the hands of individuals. Again, let me bring Pluto in Capricorn to our thinking about global warming, since if there is going to be a healing of Earth, then transforming our ideas about personal responsibility toward the environment is the key to making it happen. Your position on the current state of Astrology Where do you see astrology 50 years from now? Astrology will become better integrated into our culture and society – much like psychology has become – over the next few decades. The isolation astrology has experienced stems from fear of the unknown, and the solution to resolving that fear is dissemination of knowledge about astrology itself. As astrological study becomes more academically established, the inclusion of astrological subject material in higher education can reach into many walks of life. For example, I imagine a world where college training for teachers includes opportunities for teachers to learn the basics of astrology as part of understanding human development. I do worry that astrologers might try to force astrology to fit into a paradigm that is too restrained – like the proverbial square peg in a round hole. Astrology, and the study of astrology, fit into a unique paradigm. A respect for that fact is an integral part of assuring that astrological knowledge and insight remain intact. I do think that the opportunity exists now for astrologers to unite and determine the directions we want astrology to take. Many responsible steps are being developed now, but they are only part of the path. A better focus on the integration of understanding the methodologies of astrology with an ethical practice when applying astrology to a person’s life is one key to the evolution of our craft. The most significant development must come from astrologers themselves. We must learn to value what we know. Poverty consciousness has no place when it comes to astrology. This is powerful stuff – astrological insight. We have a phenomenal lens through which we can gain a clear focus about our time, and now we have a very ripe moment in time to share that insight and understanding with the world. What is blocking astrology from reaching the masses beyond magazine forecasts? I believe astrology is already reaching the masses through the internet. Some of the information available is absolutely excellent – other information is truly problematic. There are also a number of books published that are geared toward the general public, rather than the Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 10
serious student of astrology, and many of these books are chipping away at the lack of knowledge about the true nature of astrology. While Sun Sign astrology may continue to be commercially successful, it is not likely that everyone will want to become an astrologer! Interest in the uses of astrology continues to grow, however. And I do think that more people from all walks of life are discovering that they can glean significant information by utilizing the services of a professional astrologer. Astrology is not an easy or simple subject, and it is not a study that the majority of people will ever undertake. It is as complex as the study of medicine, and requires as much dedication and serious study to begin to master before an individual can even consider beginning a professional practice. I do not think that the goal for astrology is for everyone to become an astrologer, but for astrologers to become better at communicating what we know! Are you satisfied with the current developmental flow of astrology? In most respects, yes, I am. However, I am impatient when it comes to the area of public understanding of astrology. And we astrologers need to continue to differentiate between astrology and the psychic arts. Unfortunately, the media and marketers tend to classify astrology incorrectly, although some sources are more careful. When astrology is categorized, “for entertainment purposes only” we all lose ground. Are you satisfied with the dynamics and developments within the astrology community on a local and global basis? There has been remarkable growth in this regard. Some political infighting happens, but that’s just human nature. For the most part, there is excellent cooperation amongst the different astrological organizations. I am also witnessing a broader inclusion of material in the astrological curriculum, and this is a very good thing. Local groups do seem to be foundering a bit, but this is variable and cyclical. Suggestions to make the astrology world a better place? Continued communication and outreach within our small community is a good beginning when it comes to making the world of astrology a better place. Even more, a genuine embrace of our common understanding while acknowledging and respecting our differences is necessary. Conferences are a great opportunity for astrologers to connect with one another, and can become a better opportunity for astrologers to connect with those who want to know more about what we have to offer. But they are not the only option. It’s been wonderful to see how astrologers are utilizing the technological advances of our time to not only improve astrology, but to provide information and insight to those who want to know more about astrology itself. Perhaps more virtual contact will continue to be helpful – through internet, wireless and other means of relaying information and strengthening understanding. So, “Hello out there” to all of you who have taken the time to read this interview …. Contact me anytime! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 11
Astrology - Yoga – Dolphins
October 5 – 10, 2007
Kona, HAWAII
Who doesn’t have the dream to swim with dolphins before they die?! Maurice Fernandez, Tom Lescher and Karen Barbarick are organizing an amazing workshop which will bring the best out of their skills and out of the island experience! Embark on this soulful journey and tune into your universal self… The workshop will be divided into two parts: October 5‐7: Evolutionary Astrology, Shamanic Astrology, Kundalini Yoga October 8‐10: Swimming with Dolphins, Volcano journey, Dreamtime Yoga Evolutionary Astrology – with Maurice Fernandez
Understanding the Spiritual Dimension of a Chart, (Part II)
Focus on Uranus and Neptune – 5 sessions Existential challenges, pain and confusion can often take their toll and leave one in a void: “why is life so challenging?!” Through this workshop we will learn to analyze a chart from the perspective of one’s spiritual self in order to reconnect with the purity of our soul and learn to master the void! The focus on this segment will be on Uranus and Neptune’s placements. (available on CD part I: focus on Saturn) Shamanic Astrology – with Tom Lescher ‐ 3 sessions 1. Star gazing under the Hawaiian sky!! We will identify the constellations, planets and events depicting the turning of the ages.... 2. An Introduction to Shamanic Astrology. The approach of Shamanic astrology to chart interpretation with particular emphasis on its relationship to Evolutionary Astrology. 3. Relationships through the horoscope. Identification of pair bonding relationships through the lens of the Asc/Desc axis, Mars and Venus.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 12
Kundalini Yoga – with Maurice Fernandez ‐ 4 sessions
Kundalini Yoga is a unique and precise science that aims at completely realigning the self with divinity. Working the glandular and nervous systems, it re‐
establishes the balance between the emotions and mind! A perfect complement to an astrology workshop. Dreamtime Yoga – with Karen Barbarick ‐ 3 sessions ʺThe Mars/Warrior Salutationsʺ and ʺVenus, Salutations to the Heart of Desireʺ. Through movement, meditation, breath, and visualization weʹll ignite both Mars our masculine fiery nature and Venus our feminine force of desire. The ʺMars Warrior Salutationsʺ incorporates yogic philosophy, Chinese war philosophy (Sun Tzu), and more to support wholesome, right action that awakens the Spirit and enlivens the body. “The Venus Salutations to the Heart of Desireʺ explores how desire impacts your life through the 5 senses. The Venus principle represents the Union of Breath and Flesh, where Spirit and Matter fit together and are both mortal as earth and immortal as air. Oct 8‐10: THE BIG ISLAND TOUR Travelling all the way without merging with the natural wonders of Hawaii would be a sin. Karen Barbarick will take us to the sites of the Big Island and make this experience an ultimate one. Each day will start or end with a Yoga session DAY 1 – (Oct 8) swimming with dolphins in the ocean bay. Albeit dolphins are unpredictable, they are known to come to very specific beaches and bays during the day. We will attempt various locations to greet them and commune with our soulful partners! Bring your snorkels! DAY 2 – (Oct 9) trip to Mana Loa and Mana Kʹea to explore the amazing fervor of the lava boiling active volcano! DAY 3 – (Oct 10) Town and beach activities. Those who plan on leaving that evening can take it easier. Others will have plenty to do! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 13
Costs 6 day Program with 6 night accommodation included Prior to August 15: $920 Prior to September 15: $970 After September 15: $1050 (payment plan possible) (Contact Maurice if you are local and just want to come for the workshop) = Are you a Living Sky Member? Ask for discount details! = Contact Maurice Fernandez for more details and registration [email protected] ‐ 303 – 447 2645 (Note: due to the magnitude of the organization, there will be a $300 cancellation fee;
fee does not include food, shared car rental, snorkel or kayak rental, and extras) Maurice Fernandez is one of the leading Evolutionary Astrologers, currently based in Boulder, Colorado. His educational programs and reading practice have forged his reputation of depth and excellence. Maurice has been practicing Kundalini Yoga for 13 years and now teaches it, combined with astrology workshops for a complete body, mind, spirit experience. www.mauricefernandez.com Tom Lescher blends his rich intuitive insights with 30 years of astrological background to bring insight and self understanding to his workshops and personal readings. He lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Using nature for self‐renewal and natural laws as his guide, he seeks to bring healing to others and the planet. For further information on Tomʹs work please visit his website at www.NewParadigmAstrology.com Karen Barbarick CAS, CYT, author of “The Mars/Warrior Salutations” is the founder of Dreamtime Yoga and has been instructing, teaching, and healing through yoga, personal bodywork, essential oils, and intuitive massage for over 15 years. For further information regarding her work, visit her website www.DreamtimeYoga.com Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 Hawaii Workshop Schedule
Thursday October 4th Arrival
Friday October 5th (Greensource studio)
09:00 – 09:50am
10:00 – 11:30am
12:00 – 02:00pm
02:00 – 03:00pm
03:00 – 05:00pm
05:30 – 06:30pm
Buying food and supplies for the week
Kundalini Yoga Session (Maurice Fernandez)
Spirituality Workshop (Maurice Fernandez)
Late Lunch
The Shamanic Astrology Approach (Tom Lescher)
The Mars Salutation - Yoga (Karen Barbarick)
Saturday October 6th (Lava House)
09:30 – 11:30am
11:30 – 12:30pm
12:30 – 02:30pm
03:00 – 04:30pm
05:00 – 07:00pm
Spirituality Workshop (Maurice Fernandez)
Lunch
Spirituality Workshop (Maurice Fernandez)
Kundalini Yoga (Maurice Fernandez)
Shamanic Astrology and Relationship Dynamics (Tom Lescher)
Sunday October 7th (Lava House)
10:00 – 12:00am
12:00 – 01:00pm
01:00 – 03:00pm
03:00 – 04:30pm
04:30 – 06:00pm
Spirituality Workshop (Maurice Fernandez)
Lunch
Spirituality Workshop (Maurice Fernandez)
Free Time
Kundalini Yoga (Maurice Fernandez)
Monday October 8th
Dolphin Day
Day starts around 07:00 am
Swimming in the ocean
Going through different bays to greet the dolphins
Venus Salutation with Karen Barbarick
Tuesday October 9th
Volcano Day
Day starts around 07:00am
Swimming in the ocean
Dreamtime Yoga with Karen Barbarick
Trip to the volcano
=> Evening - Star Gazing with Tom Lescher
Wednesday October 10th
Beach and City Day - Morning Kundalini Yoga with Maurice Fernandez
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Accomodations We will be staying at a place called The Lava House (who‐hoo)... It is half indoors, half camping. There are about 4 rooms inside with double beds, so it is about sharing (unless you’re willing to pay much more). Those who absolutely need to be indoors and not camp, please mention it. Tents will be provided. The location is “hawaiinly” beautiful, and it is about a 15‐20 minute drive from the town. Apart from the first day, the workshop will also take place there. Car Rental We will rent 4 Wheel drive vehicles to take us around and to the various day trips. The rental costs will be shared by everyone. Flights Try ATA to Kona http://www.ata.com/home.html
If flying to Honolulu, Try ALOHA AIRLINES to Kona http://www.alohaairlines.com/home/home.php If flying from the Northwest, try NORTHWEST http://www.nwa.com/ The ideal would be to arrive October 4th during the day, and leave October 10th evening or October 11th. Note that if you leave October 11, the additional night is not included in the program price. Snorkel and Masks If you have your own equipment, bring it in order to save some time on location. With Blessings for a truly Enlightening Experience! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 16
ARTICLE by John Schmeeckle Outside the Box
I am ERIS. You probably don’t want me at your party…
Okay, I’m not really Eris, but…what do you do when you suddenly discover (as I did in April 2007) that a previously unknown planet is conjunct your Sun and square your Moon, and currently transiting your Ascendant? What does that do to what you thought you knew about your own horoscope? This feels so right… Twenty-one years ago, I discovered astrology in a bookstore while waiting for a bus transfer. In the following weeks, I learned that I was a “double Aries,” but my Sun was conjunct Venus, which meant that I “wasn’t a typical Aries.” This seemed to be a contradiction. Of course, at the time, I had no idea that my Sun was also conjunct Eris. I learned that Mars was the ruler of my horoscope. Mars had Uranus on one side, and Pluto on the other side, with all three of them closely opposite Saturn. I found an astrologer who told me that I had “picked a hell of a time to be born.” Um, well, it’s been a strange trip… Mediating my Mars and company opposite Saturn was the Moon on the Midheaven, trine Mars and sextile Saturn. I suppose, if you’re going to have a Capricorn Moon, it’s nice to have a Saturn sextile. I discovered transits. At this point, I still nurtured a residual skepticism about astrology in general, because I knew that people weren’t supposed to take this stuff seriously, and also I hadn’t tested the system sufficiently. The concept of transits quickly led to the thought that, if astrology really worked, I could expect to find significant transits corresponding with critical turning points in my life. Okay, top of the list was June 1975, let’s check the brand-new ephemeris, hmm, transiting Saturn loitering around the I.C.; transiting Neptune squaring that Mars/Saturn opposition, but if I don’t see a Pluto transit then I’m not convinced. There we go, Pluto square the Moon, but three degrees off… Wait a minute, Pluto was exactly square my 8-year-old brother’s Moon in June 1975 when my mother died of breast cancer. What about me? It just didn’t fit, that my brother and I would have the same event significator, except that it was more exact for him. Well, fine, transiting Pluto wasn’t exactly square my Moon when my mother died, so what could possibly have happened when transiting Pluto WAS exactly square my Moon? Let’s see, turn a few pages back and forth, suppose there’s going to be more than one hit --- Ohhh… Pluto made a retrograde station in January 1975, exactly square my Moon (and closely opposing my Eris). Six months before her death, my mother decided to stop taking the chemotherapy treatments that were preventing the cancer from spreading further through her body. At the time, I sort of understood that “stop chemotherapy” meant “die in a few months,” but when I asked my mother about this, she reassured me that she was going to get better. I had no reason not to believe her (except for that silly idea about the consequences of stopping chemotherapy), and I did not doubt her word until informed that she had died. Years later, my father said that he and my mother had agreed not to tell the children that she was going to die. This doubtless meant that he made the decision and gave my mother the privilege of conforming to his will. It’s not too Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 17
hard, looking back with a certain amount of distance and perspective, to envision my mother embracing death as an escape from a hellish marriage. Perhaps, when assessing parental images in a horoscope, it is safe to assume that issues involved in a Sun/Moon square are much more complicated when Eris is involved. Eris and Socrates We turn to Greek mythology for clues to the meaning of Eris, but I would like to also suggest a point where Greek history meets legend, in the character of Socrates. I’m afraid that I don’t have Socrates’s birth data handy, but surely he qualifies as a master of discord. The Oracle at Delphi proclaimed that “no man is wiser than Socrates,” and Socrates set out to find out for himself if that was true. He went around asking people what they knew and how they knew it, and he discovered – surprise, surprise – that much of what people thought they knew was simply groundless popular opinion or prejudice, without any real reason behind it. As the story goes, Socrates confounded enough leading poets, philosophers, and politicians that someone eventually cooked up charges that Socrates was “corrupting the youth,” leading to his trial and execution. Talk about stirring up trouble… Socrates was actually accused of being a “sophist,” which is ironic. The difference between Socrates and sophistry is telling. Socrates searched for the truth, admitted his ignorance, and exposed the ignorance of those who claimed to be knowledgeable (thereby undermining consensus presumptions). Sophists, on the other hand, implicitly or explicitly denied that there was any such thing as truth, which allowed them to argue anything they could get away with. The leading sophist Gorgias, for example, famously claimed that “Nothing exists, and if anything does exist, then it cannot be known, and if it can be known, then it cannot be communicated.” Perhaps this sounds like today’s well-known “post-modernist” insinuation that there is no such thing as “absolute truth.” When post-modernists slip and phrase this insinuation as a statement, we get the absurd claim that “It is true that nothing is true.” I would like to suggest that such thought can be dismissed as the dregs of the expiring Age of Pisces, inconsistent with any notion of an emerging Age of Aquarius. Furthermore, I would like to suggest that Eris rules logical contradictions. I’ll tell you a little story… When the April/May 2007 issue of TMA with Zane Stein’s article 1 arrived, introducing me to Eris and its place in my horoscope, I was in the middle of a rather nasty dispute with one of my professors. It started a couple of weeks earlier, when this professor presented to his class of graduate students the emphatic statement that “in history, there is no such thing as absolute truth, and you should have learned this by now.” I have little tolerance for arrogant imbecility, and anyone who tries to dictate how I should think is likely to activate my fight-to-the-death Mars/Uranus/Pluto conjunction. I had the sense to hold my tongue in class and later send an e-mail to my professor, explaining my fundamental disagreement with his position and politely insisting that he had no business telling his students how to think. This led to the professor’s contemptuous rejection of the idea that the “political sympathies” of the Nazi philosopher Martin Heidegger had anything to do with post-modernism. Oops. As I continued to provide evidence to back up my position, he refused to provide any reason for his point of view, and communication completely broke down. I skipped class and informed the professor that I wouldn’t be going back. The problem was, in order to withdraw 1
Zane Stein, “Eris Stirs Up Trouble,” TMA April/May 2007.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 18
from a class after the beginning of the term, the student needs the professor’s written permission. Under the circumstances, I didn’t think of asking. I went to the Department Chairman, who sent me to the office of the Dean of the College, where the assistant dean immediately agreed with my point that Heidegger’s well-known Naziism was related to his well-known philosophical views, which were closely related to post-modernist perspectival relativism. 2 She eventually discussed my case with the dean, who told her to tell me to tell the Department Chairman to sign the withdrawal form in place of my professor, with the understanding that I would write whatever I wanted on the form as my reason for needing to drop the class. Done deal. How do I get into these situations… Perhaps we should consider a less savage example of what I take to be Eris energy. A couple weeks ago, I stumbled into a conversation with a new neighbor in my apartment complex. I generally make little effort to interact with my neighbors, but an elemental positive rapport makes for a safer immediate environment. My new neighbor told me of a recent altercation that she had recently had with a pair of street punks on the sidewalk. From her general demeanor, I silently surmised that she might be the type of person to attract or invite altercations. She expressed an attitude toward street punks that I didn’t necessarily disagree with, but…Why did she say what she did? What reason (if any) was behind her words? I thought of ways to turn the conversation back to what she had said, focusing on the thought (or unthinking assumption) behind her words. But I quickly discarded this impulse, because it would have just stirred up trouble, defeating the whole purpose of having the conversation in the first place. Why do you think the way you do? Developing the individual capacity to transcend “conventional wisdom” and think for oneself is the domain of Uranus. I suggest that the problem of relating to the purveyors of a “consensus view,” with its potential for discord and conflict (especially where dogmatism rears its ugly head) falls securely within the realm of Eris. Eris and the U.S. Horoscope In the horoscope of the United States (whichever one you choose), Eris is conjunct my Moon/Midheaven conjunction. Before I proceed any further, I would like to introduce a “discordant” note into the perennial quest for the “correct” U.S. horoscope. The 1783 Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, was signed by the American negotiators on behalf of thirteen listed sovereign, independent states. However, the Continental Congress “midwifed” the births of these states in the mid-1770s in a process that was rather messy and hard to pin down. Furthermore, most people (historians as well as astrologers) don’t realize that the Declaration of Independence was essentially “Part 2” of a document awkwardly known as “the Congressional 2
Regarding this point, the essential work is Victor Farias’s Heidegger and Naziism (1987); especially
pp. 117-20. For a discussion of the furor caused by the publication of Farias’s book, see Helga Zepp-LaRouche,
“Today’s ‘Conservative Revolution’ and the Ideology of the Nazis: The Case of Martin Heidegger,” Fidelio 4,
no. 1 (Spring 1995), on the internet at http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/larouchemain.htm. For
post-modernism’s debt to Heidegger’s and Nietzsche’s “perspectival relativist” position that there is no such
thing as absolute truth, see Ernst Breisach, On the Future of History: The Postmodernist Challenge and its
Aftermath (2003), especially Chapter 16: “In the Eye of the Storm: The Poststructuralist Postmodernist Concept
of Truth.” More general, but much more readable than Breisach, is Richard Tarnas’s The Passion of the Western
Mind (1991), pp. 388-394 (“Existentialism and Nihilism”) and pp. 395-410 (“The Postmodern Mind”). Neither
Breisach nor Tarnas discusses the evidence demonstrating that Heidegger’s fervent Naziism was of the same
essence as his philosophical views.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 19
Resolution of May 10 and 15,” formally absolving the revolutionaries from their personal oaths of allegiance to King George III. Having said that, I am now in a position to disagree with anybody and everybody regarding the correct U.S. horoscope. Just kidding… I will confine my further discussion to the general meaning of the Sun/Eris opposition in all July 4, 1776 horoscopes. Key to this discussion is the meaning of the all-important word “happiness.” It is my conclusion that pretty much everything that historians have said for the past century about the meaning of “happiness” is dead wrong. I can say this because I recently discovered the official definition of “happiness,” which historians have universally ignored. It’s me and Eris versus the “consensus view,” and I’ve got smoking-gun proof... All right, all right, I’ll back off the stereotypical combative Aries attitude, and remind the gentle reader that I really do have Venus conjunct my Sun. There is nothing I like more than a civil exchange of views, searching out the reasons for intellectual disagreements. I don’t expect anybody to agree with my assertions and conclusions without examining both my evidence and my interpretations. However, for the sake of brevity, I will present my views forthrightly; and I offer to share my research (just entering pre-publication pipeline) with those interested. 3
In the fall of 2005, just after the initial discovery of Eris (less than three degrees away from my Ascendant), I decided to research what historians had said over the past century about the meaning of the word “happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. I knew of a group of “underground” non-academic historians who disagreed with the prevailing contention that “happiness” meant either “property” (as per the 17th-century English philosopher John Locke), or “pleasure” (also per John Locke). The “underground historians” insisted that the Declaration’s concept of “happiness” came from the Swiss diplomat Emer de Vattel, a follower of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who was the most famous philosophical opponent of John Locke. (Leibniz was born with the Sun conjunct Eris.) But Vattel never gave a specific definition of happiness. I discovered that Leibniz and Vattel were part of a larger group of philosophers, including Anthony Ashley Cooper (the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury), Francis Hutcheson, and Jean Jacques Burlamaqui. All five had similar views on happiness, and all five separately influenced various American revolutionaries. I refer to this group as the “Happiness School.” I discovered that, back in 1693, Leibniz had associated “happiness” with “natural right.” Locke NEVER associated “happiness” with any notion of natural rights. I formulated the hypothesis, since abundantly confirmed, that the preamble to the Declaration of Independence was cleverly written to simultaneously embrace two opposing points of view. The following year, as transiting Uranus passed over my natal Saturn at the end of my Uranus opposition, I found it completely by accident: the official definition of “safety and happiness” in the Congressional Resolution of May 10 and 15, 1776. “Happiness” meant “internal peace, virtue, and good order,” while “safety” got the “Lockean” definition of “defense of lives, liberties, and properties.” John Adams, not Thomas Jefferson, wrote the official definition of “safety and happiness,” the catch-phrase of the core group of American revolutionaries. When Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was recycling language that had already been agreed upon. 3
This work includes:
-- “Advancing the Discussion: The ‘Happiness School’ and the Intellectual Origins of the American Revolution”
(12 pages double-spaced) which introduces the five anti-Lockean “Happiness School” philosophers.
--“In Pursuit of Happiness” (33 pages double-spaced), which outlines the story of how the term “happiness” got
into the Declaration of Independence, and debunks the prevailing “Lockean” scholarship.
--“The Legal Mind of the American Revolution” (undergoing revision, about 70 pages double-spaced), which
examines the ancient and renaissance roots of the “natural law” tradition common to all colonial American
lawyers.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 20
“Happiness School” philosophy was pervasive in the American colonies, especially in Philadelphia and Boston. The most accessible summation of this ideology is Burlamaqui’s Principles of Natural and Politic Law, written by a university professor and used as a college textbook. 4 “Happiness” is the natural byproduct of behaving wisely and virtuously. The human soul includes the faculties of the “understanding” and the “will.” The “perfection” (or mature development) of the “understanding” is “wisdom.” The “perfection” (or mature development) of the “will” is “virtue.” Virtuous people have developed the innate but initially unformed human capacity to derive pleasure from acting benevolently. Benevolence is not altruism or self-sacrifice, but development of the “social affections,” natural impulses directed to the good of a group to which one belongs. “Wisdom” includes the developed capacity to discern between good and evil, and to transcend social, racial, and other limitations and view all humanity as interconnected, part of the same group. “Happiness” has nothing to do with hedonism, but is rather a state of inner serenity that accompanies a human’s intellectual and spiritual maturity. This was the ideology of the core group of American revolutionaries, taught in colonial colleges and preached by colonial ministers. The Lockean view, on the other hand, equates “happiness” simply with pleasure. “Virtue” is nothing more than self-restraint, foregoing immediate pleasures for the prospect of greater longterm pleasures, devoid of any concept of benevolence. The Declaration of Independence was carefully written to be acceptable to opposing consensus views, which explains the Sun/Eris opposition. Eris also opposes the Declaration’s Venus/Jupiter conjunction, reflecting the “harmonizing sentiments” [Jefferson’s phrase] employed in erecting this façade of philosophical unity. Thomas Jefferson was the ideal drafter of the Declaration, since his own thought uneasily embraced both opposing views. In the Declaration horoscope, this is reflected in the Saturn Tsquare to the Sun/Eris opposition. Beneath the surface, there was considerable tension between the views of John Locke (who wrote an early constitution introducing slavery into colonial South Carolina) and Vattel’s contemptuous dismissal of slavery as contrary to “principles countenanced by reason and becoming humanity.” The Big Four Gas Giants We can adapt the “Happiness School” approach to astrological symbolism, focusing on the four planetary “gas giants” as representing differing aspects of individual interaction with society. Jupiter represents the “understanding,” with the innate potential to develop a “moral sense” that differentiates right from wrong behavior. Saturn represents the principle of obedience to government, which exists to promote the safety and happiness of society. Uranus represents the principle of justified revolution against arbitrary government that ignores its essential purpose. Neptune represents the innate potential to develop a sense of universal benevolence toward one’s fellow humans, motivating one to act “virtuously.” Not to be out-done, I offer my own take on the big four gas giants. Almost all humans develop the innate capacity to use language and thus enter into shared systems of symbolism and meaning. Astrologically, this is the realm of Jupiter. All humans who participate in language/cultural systems must deal with the limits inherent in such systems. These limits can be as simple as language barriers preventing communication with outsiders, or as draconian as the Spanish Inquisition’s 4
Burlamaqui’s work is available on the internet at http://www.lonang.org/exlibris/index.html; the same
website also has Vattel’s The Law of Nations.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 21
prohibition of unauthorized beliefs. This, of course, is the realm of Saturn. With Jupiter and Saturn, we have the visible gas giants. Uranus and Neptune, invisible to the naked eye, represent inherent potential capabilities that are not realized by many (perhaps most) humans. Many people live under conditions that actively discourage the possibility of the mature development of their essential human natures. Uranus represents the potential capacity to transcend the “consensus views” that one encounters, and then decide for oneself if such views are worth promoting for the good of society. Another manifestation of Uranus is the fundamental scientific discovery that overturns previously accepted scientific “laws.” The practical value of such discoveries lies in their application, through technological progress, which provides for increased capacity to meet the physical needs of society. Neptune represents the potential capacity to “love your neighbor as yourself,” -- habitually benevolent behavior toward one’s fellow humans, which ideally includes the realization of the importance of progress to the general welfare of society. I would like to suggest that progress (Uranus) and benevolence (Neptune) are just as essential to the long-term survival of any civilization as are a coherent culture (Jupiter) and social order (Saturn). A modern society that does not foster the development in its members of both independent rational thought and benevolent behavior is doomed either to parasitical dependence on its neighbors (imperialism) or ultimate extinction. (For the hideous price paid by primitive societies to maintain a static balance with nature, see below.) Put in scientific terms, humans have the collective capacity to organize socially so as to increase human potential population density (relative, of course, to the quality of the environment in which a given population finds itself) by means of fostering creative reason expressed as scientific discovery and translated into technological progress and a consequent ever-expanding economic resource base. This is necessary for the long-term survival of any civilization, because a technologically static or regressive civilization eventually exhausts its resource base and collapses. By this standard, some types of social organization and ideological orientation are clearly more durable than others. I think that “more durable” is “better,” because the alternative is social chaos, catastrophic population decline, and consequent ecological holocaust as the survivors fight over remaining scraps of “scarce resources.” This, by the way, is where I find “absolute truth” in history. I hold it to be a demonstrable truth that the potential population density of the human species has increased significantly over the course of history (by several orders of magnitude), through this ongoing process of scientific discovery and technological progress. Central to the study of history should be an examination of the interaction between the social groups and ideologies that have sometimes fostered and sometimes impeded this progress, with particular attention to the causes of cultural and scientific renaissances. The Pluto/Eris Cycle Discussion of the causes of renaissances brings us to a brief preliminary discussion of the Pluto/Eris cycle. In the years surrounding the Pluto/Eris conjunction of 1311 (in early Pisces), Dante Alighieri, that forerunner to the Italian Renaissance, was writing his Divine Comedy. At the Pluto/Eris opposition around 1487 (around the 21st degrees of Aries and Libra), we find the Renaissance in full bloom, with the young Giovanni Pico della Mirandola in 1486 challenging the Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 22
world to publicly dispute the various philosophical points that he asserted. Pico seems to have been excessively bold; he ran afoul of the Catholic hierarchy. We find a similar renaissance spirit in the air at the 1756 Pluto/Eris conjunction in midSagittarius. A year earlier, Gotthold Lessing and Moses Mendelssohn launched an intellectual counter-attack against the powers-that-be who were trying to eliminate the residual influence of Leibniz in Germany. 5 Lessing, who would later translate Shakespeare into German, and Mendelssohn, later known as “the German Socrates,” catalyzed the flowering of the German classical renaissance that unfolded over the following decades. This high point in German culture was actually a German/Jewish hybrid. 6 Lessing and Mendelssohn were part of an international renaissance network that prominently included Benjamin Franklin. 7 Another follower of Leibniz, Emer de Vattel, was busy writing The Law of Nations at the Pluto/Eris conjunction. This book was published in 1758 and quickly translated into English, becoming the handbook for the core group of American revolutionaries. In 1775 Benjamin Franklin wrote that Vattel’s book was “continually in the hands of the members of our Congress.” 8 We have already noted the U.S. Sun/Eris opposition. The international renaissance network was shattered in the wake of the Napoleonic wars. Today, renaissance thinking has been all but banished from the corridors of power and the halls of academia, but it still exists if you know where to look for it. At the Pluto/Eris opposition of the mid-1970s, a globe-trotting, trouble-making Leibnizian 9 scientist and human-rights activist began to rebuild an international renaissance network, which continues to function behind the scenes today. Know your history… Balancing the Masculine and the Feminine It has been suggested that Eris is associated with the sign Libra. Eris appears at a time in world history when women are making strides toward gaining equality in political and social status, and stereotyped gender roles are weakening. Perhaps this relates to Eris’s meaning. One could check the Eris placement in any national horoscope and compare it with that particular nation’s journey toward equality between the sexes. Zane Stein writes that “if Pluto is ‘soul intent,’ perhaps Eris is something even deeper and more encompassing, such as ‘race intent’ or the intent of the whole culture or the whole society.” 10 In the July 4 U.S. horoscopes, the Sun is not only opposite Eris, but in Cancer, the sign of motherhood. Part of the American revolutionary ideology was the concept of “republican 5
An English translation of this pamphlet, entitled “Pope a Metaphysician!”, was published in Fidelio, 8,
no. 4 (Winter 1999), on the internet at http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_97-01/994_pope_metaphysician.html.
6
See David Shavin, “Philosophical Vignettes from the Political Life of Moses Mendelssohn,” Fidelio,
8, no. 2 (Summer 1999), on the internet at http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_97-01/992_mend_dms.html.
7
See David Shavin, “Leibniz to Franklin on ‘Happiness,’” Fidelio, 12, no. 1 (Spring 2003), online at
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_02-06/031_happinessA.html.
8
Benjamin Franklin to Charles F.W. Dumas, December 19, 1775, in The Writings of Benjamin
Franklin, ed. Albert Henry Smyth (New York: Haskell House, 1970; orig. 1907), 6: 432. “Vattel’s treatise on
the law of nations was quoted by judicial tribunals, in speeches before legislative assemblies, and in the decrees
and correspondence of executive officials. It was the manual of the student, the reference work of the statesman,
and the text from which the political philosopher drew inspiration” (Charles G. Fenwick, “The Authority of
Vattel,” The American Political Science Review, 7, no. 3 [Aug. 1913], 395).
9
Leibniz rejected the empiricism of Newton and Locke, and rejected the “dead universe” of Newton
and Descartes. The history of science has been routinely falsified.
10
Stein, 31.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 23
motherhood,” which gave to antebellum northern women “a status removed from full citizenship but one that laid on women an obligation to act as moral guardians of the nation’s virtue, a duty that required a public presence and public activities.” Many “benevolent ladies of the United States” banded together in 1829-30 in a petition campaign against President Jackson’s forced removal of the Cherokee Indians from their homeland. This campaign laid the foundation for women’s involvement in the abolition movement and later the ultimately successful campaign for female suffrage. 11 Thus unfolded a beautiful process, the natural fruition of the seeds of liberty planted with the Declaration of Independence and nourished with the active benevolence essential to the “pursuit of happiness.” How did the masculine and feminine principles get so out of balance in the first place? The following answer might be controversial, but I have yet to see a better one: The patriarchal devaluation of the feminine is the natural consequence of stagnant primitive societies’ need to maintain a static balance with nature. When primitive societies fail to make or assimilate scientific discoveries and the consequent technological progress (the Uranus principle), they are faced with the existential necessity of limiting their populations to avoid exhausting the natural resources available for their technological level. The typical response includes ritualized endless warfare, so the Neptune principle of universal benevolence gets suppressed, also. As anthropologist Marvin Harris explains: In most primitive societies, warfare is an effective means of population control because intense, recurring intergroup combat places a premium upon rearing male rather than female infants….According to a demographic survey of over 600 primitive populations carried out by William T. Divale of the American Museum of Natural History, there is an extraordinary consistent imbalance of boys over girls in the junior and infant age ranks (up to about 15 years old). The average ratio of boys to girls is 150:100, but some groups even have twice as many boys as girls….Female children are suffocated or simply left unattended in the bush. But more often infanticide is covert, and people usually deny that they practice it….Even a slight difference in a mother’s responsiveness to her children’s cries for food or protection might cumulatively account for the entire imbalance in the human sex ratios. 12
So it appears that the devaluation of the feminine is part of a necessary survival mechanism in primitive societies struggling with the Pandora’s Box of starvation and consequent lawlessness, quarrels, battles, etc. 13 Carried over into civilization, the devaluation of the feminine is reinforced by the frequent historical tendency of dominant elites to squelch a society’s renaissance impulses, with consequent resource depletion and population pressure, once again opening Pandora’s Box. Perhaps Eris’s bad reputation in those old Greek myths is a reflection of the repression of women in ancient Greek society. 11
Mary Hershberger, “Mobilizing Women, Anticipating Abolition: The Struggle against Indian
Removal in the 1830s,” The Journal of American History, 86, no. 1 (June 1999), 18, 26, 33; on the internet at
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jah/86.1/hershberger.html. For the classic “Founding Father’s”
discussion of “republican motherhood,” see James Wilson, “The Study of Law in the United States,” in The
Works of James Wilson, 1: 86-88.
12
Marvin Harris, Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches: The Riddles of Culture (1974), 75-76.
13
This point is made particularly graphically in Chapter 4 of Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 24
Think Outside the Box I’m going to challenge your consensus view. You don’t have to take me seriously; you can think of this as a test of your ideological flexibility. Here goes… I heard Al Gore say that scientists “unanimously” agreed with his opinion that human industrial activity is the primary cause of “global warming.” However, I have also seen reports from all over the world of scientists publicly disagreeing with Gore’s view. We know that the polar ice caps are melting – ON MARS!!! I don’t think that human industrial activity is causing the Martian ice caps to melt. The obvious explanation is the well-established fact that solar activity has increased in recent decades. And if the Sun is causing global warming on Mars, then it stands to reason that the Sun is also causing global warming on Earth. But not to worry – even if I’m wrong about the cause of global warming, my proposed cure for the looming energy crisis will drastically reduce air pollution and carbon emissions. My cure will also solve another serious problem: the world faces a growing shortage of drinkable water, especially in places like India and the Middle East. How do we solve the energy crisis and the water shortage at the same time? Easy – mass production of South Africa’s “next generation” high-temperature, low-maintenance, meltdown-proof, proliferation-resistant “pebble bed” heliumcooled nuclear reactor, using the waste heat from the reactor’s operation to boil ocean water, which removes the salt to make the water drinkable. Aquarius is the WATER bearer. Like it or not, with the looming oil shortage, the world is going nuclear. In fact, there is so much nuclear construction going on (especially in eastern Asia) that the price of uranium is rising dramatically. This means that we might as well start recycling all that so-called “nuclear waste” and reusing it as fuel, as France and England have been doing for decades. Plutonium, by the way, is the ultimate renewable resource. When you burn plutonium in a breeder reactor, you get…more plutonium than you started with. “Scarce resources” is a myth. If we humans do what we were designed to do – participate on a societal level in the ongoing act of universal creation – then we will have no problem meeting our resource needs. With all the electricity being produced from thousands of new nuclear power plants, we can develop existing electric car (and truck) technology and/or use electricity to produce fuel for hydrogen-powered cars. (Hydrogen is produced by adding electricity to water, which splits the water molecules into their component oxygen and hydrogen.) Either way, we’ve gotten away from scarce, dirty fossil fuels. And that’s not all…we need to start building super-fast magnetically levitated (mag-lev) trains (powered by electricity, of course). This technology, developed in Germany, is already in commercial operation in Shanghai, China. When you get trains going 400 miles an hour, you can stop using airplanes for short-range flights, cutting down the use of fossil fuels even further, and cutting down congestion at airports. Of course, such plans require both government regulation of industry to promote the general welfare (the Neptune principle), and the direction of government-created credit toward the targeted areas of infrastructure development. That just happens to be how President Franklin D. Roosevelt ran the U.S. economy. And with Pluto easing into Capricorn, it is easy to predict a revival of interest in FDR’s economic policies. Nuclear power is just a temporary solution, until we develop the much greater potential of fusion power. And for second-generation fusion reactors, we have a supply of Helium-3 scattered on the surface of the Moon, beckoning the human race out away from our Earthly cradle. But, if the above vision for managing humanity’s affairs is indeed feasible, then we’re going to have to overcome a lot of incompetent and downright suicidal “consensus view” inertia. Calling Eris… Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 25
Additional Note from the Author : I do not associate nuclear energy directly with Eris, but there are two connections: (1) In today's cultural environment, nuclear energy tends to raise Eris issues (strife and discord), because the opposing views on the subject are so polarized. I think this is an excellent issue on which to practice Socratic dialogue (my idea of a positive manifestation of Eris energy), as an attempt to understand the premises of opposing views. (2) If my association of Eris with the collective human need to evolve technologically (and therefore socially) is correct, and if we are indeed approaching a crisis point (regarding our sources of energy first of all) where human civilization must evolve or collapse, and if the large-scale development of nuclear power is the only viable option currently available (as I understand to be the case, based on the inherent limitations in the various "alternative" sources of energy), then there is a clear connection between Eris and nuclear power at this particular point in history. John Schmeeckle lives in southern California. He grew up in Vermont and graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in history. In 1991 he made peace with his father, which led to a life‐changing spiritual experience. John plays bass guitar and recorded an album of socially conscious rock‐n‐roll music with his brothers. He is currently studying for his masterʹs degree, focusing on the intellectual currents surrounding the Declaration of Independence. John currently works as a big‐rig truck driver. He can be contacted at [email protected]
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 26
THE EDUCATIONAL ROOM
Configuration of the Month MERCURY IN LEO
Mercury describes our sense of orientation in the world as well as our management capacities: How we get by, our habitual gestures, such as switching the lights on or starting our car and driving… It comprises what we take for granted because it’s “under control,” so we don’t think about it anymore… It is common sense and well honed knowledge we don’t doubt anymore. So Mercury plays an immensely significant role in the direction our life takes… How comfortable we are, how “on top of things” we are, how easily we navigate the waves of life… Do we manage or stumble? It’s Mercury who decides! So Mercury in Leo surely points towards managing one’s life through one’s creative capacities. This is a person who will proceed in life through continual output, wanting to offer insights and inspire others through their ways of dealing with things. Very self-motivated and reluctant to follow someone else’s path, this person will know what they want and how to go about getting it. This stance doesn’t make them the best listeners, for they can stimulate themselves alone, trying to infuse fun in all things. You can see those who will make a party out of preparing their tax return, while others will simply avoid tasks that are not fun to begin with! The playful and creative aspect must be present throughout their daily circumstances, otherwise, you can expect dramatic complaints and tantrums. Giving details their “deserved” importance, many will have a poetic approach to life, while others may end up losing perspective due to not knowing how to prioritize. Usually auto-deductive, some of them will have innate intelligence without really plunging into books; their creative process will induce insight and new realizations. Others however, may believe they know more than they actually do and refrain from revitalizing their inner repertoire, thus slow down emancipation! They need to feel confident in their field and can be threatened by the position of not knowing… and consequently, avoid the student position. In other cases, a passion for life will make them avid learners. Mercury in Leo folks will require a high level of control over their lives and will direct their lives to exotic destinations, unwilling to compromise on choices that will not make them feel whole and satisfied. Hobbies: Art, decorating their kids, organizing social events
Kicks and fetishes: dramatic costumes, felines, shouting vulgar compliments Who has it:
Napoleon Bonaparte French general and emperor, a giant figure in European history Michael Jackson Multi talented performer Andy Warhol American underground artist and film maker who had a genius for creating attention.
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 PLANETARY FACTORS FOR THE MONTH (Addendum to “a month in a life”) New Moon in Cancer: July 14 Life pure and simple
Venus in Virgo: July 14 Purity and beauty obsessions
Sun in Leo: July 23 Me and my inspiration: the Creator
Mars in Gemini: August 7 Creative pathways
Venus back to Leo: August 9 Dramatic pathways
Mars square Venus: August 9 I love you, me neither…
Mercury Trine Jupiter (9° Leo – Sag): August 9 We haven’t talked about it Inuf!
New Moon in Leo (19°): August 12 Life pure and complex
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Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 28
Spiritual Figure of the Month OBERTO AIRAUDI Also Known as FALCO May 29, 1950 – Born in Balengero, Turin, Oberto Airaudi manifested notable paranormal and healing faculties from childhood that he committed to developing through constant and exacting research outside of classical academic institutions. Philosopher, healer, writer and painter in order to present the results of his studies in public and initiate a more intense period of research he founded the ‘Horus Center’ in Turin. From there the community of DAMANHUR developed which has now over thirty years of experience behind it and of which he continues to be the spiritual guide. Always rather reserved and not inclined to promote his own image, Oberto Airaudi does not hold decisionmaking positions within the political and social structure of Damanhur, which is governed by elected bodies. A large star fell across the sky, a sight rarely ever seen, bright and slow. It left behind a trail of visible gilded stardust that fell to earth. It was a positive sign; a good moment to begin to dig a tunnel into the mountain, towards the heart of the earth, to create a synchronic contact, to create a temple the like of which has not existed for more than a thousand years. Everything would have to be created by hand and will power, in a job of work that nobody at the time could possibly conceive of. The digging was done only with a hammer, a chisel, a shovel and a pick. The tunnel continued to be dug on into the side of mountain. Working there gave the digger and inexhaustible supply of energy and primordial strength. After a couple of months, the first phase was completed and a niche was built in the side of the corridor to make contact with the earth in meditation practice. From two opposite sides, they began to dig two large semi circles. Following very precise Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 29
calculations and without any room for error. The moment at which the two semi circles met was celebrated euphorically. The place was dark and damp; it created intense feelings. Nobody had any experience in construction work, but undertook to build the walls and the semi-spherical ceilings. It was the place that was to become THE BLUE TEMPLE. (see temples: http://www.damanhur.org/temple/ ) The creators of Damanhur were convinced that only small communities can function well, so Damanhur was divided into three parts: Etultu, Damile and Tentrys. In Etultu spiritual science is developed, in Damile there is a headquarters for business-community relations, and in Tentrys they search for the relationships with nature. The political-economic mechanism of a functioning community is led by three spiritual leaders, voted in by members of the community for three years. Damanhur has the statute of an independent state {although it is unrecognized}, it is officially called the Federation of Damanhur, it has its own currency the `credito` {1500 lire}, they have their own newspaper, their own television, they even have their own police and firefighting departments. The economy is based on free trade and solidarity, through small workshops. Damanmur is known throughout the world for the production and export of biologically clean food, the production of beautiful ceramics, jewelry, glassworks and stylish furniture. [
Damamurians have their own language which is used in written form as well, it may also be sung, which deepens its power. The arts have great significance in Damanhur and are employed as an intensive ritual formula, constantly emphasizing a strong connection with nature. Thousands of people come to Damanhur every year, mostly from abroad, to enrich their time with study, observation, and curiosity. The community may be visited within the five-day seminars which take place each month. The temple, however, may only be visited with arrangement in advance. In the abstract, Damanmur is near to the western traditions in magic, alchemy, healing, the Cabal, etc. Its source of inspiration is anthroposophy, theosophy, and Egyptian mysticism. Even the name Damanhur is of Egyptian origin and is supposedly the name of a town in ancient Egypt. Experiments are carried out here in alternative physics, which lead toward not only time travel, but to used objects of the so-called `self`. They are intertwined spirals of various metals, cosmograms which carry certain types of energy, used for remedial care perhaps. One particular type, the socalled `stereoselfs`, networks in the form of spirals connected with orbs, which are filled with special liquids through alchemy. During one evocation, an old man appeared to Oberto and gave him the secret of time travel. He himself had come from another time. So Oberto took a trip in time to the age of Atlantis. For the Damanhurians, time travel is one element of the wide range of Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 30
magical, prophetic, and artistic work. The locals people claim that time travel is not a rare occurrence for them, but only to the past. The originality of Damanhur is found in the practical success and spiritual path, characterized by dynamism and transformation. The spiritual path is divided into three bodies {or corpses}, which are shown in the three main architectural structures of the temple, just as it was designed. All who have visited Damanhur {the world discovered the place only in 1995}, agreed that it seems bizarre and mysterious, like a science-fiction film come to life. The entire temple complex being set at a depth of 30 meters seems unreal. A visitor here is led by many secret passages and doors, through richly decorated halls to the main temple and the laboratory which houses the time machine. Anyone wanting to take a trip in time must first go through a few years of training. Part of it is an hypnotic seanse, where the future traveler has everything needed for the trip programmed into their subconscious, there is the chance of getting lost. In the eyes of the Catholic church of Italy, there is a marked disagreement. It has been called a disturbing magical pagan sect. The town of Vidracco, on whose land the temple sits, wanted to bury it. Because of the high artistic merit of the site, it never took place. The press also helped in the fight to preserve the place. Only in 1996 was the matter legally resolves thanks to an act of parliament, the condition being that the temple must be accessible to the public. Damanmur gives a beautiful artistic and spiritual impression, and the activities presented to the public are only a small part of the full reality. Damanhur has become a model for the union of spiritual and practical activities, and therefore is an example of a functioning society of the future Aquarian age. Links: http://www.damanhur.info/en/html/home.asp Is Damanhur another New Age fantasy founded on the magalomanic projection of a selfappointed charismatic spiritual leader? It’s hard to tell from a distance, but this
phenomenon deserves a more prolonged research, mainly because its principles seem
rather grounded, and the architecture apparently extraordinary. One can judge the
eminence of a community by its achievement in culture and progress, which they seem to
have done rather well with. I personally am not immediately enthusiastic about new
philosophies that forge their vision of the future into the past; recreating the splendor of
ancient traditions, not matter how sophisticated they may have been, seems somewhat
lacklustre. Wanting to bring humanity to the “pre-fall” state of (hu)man, is another reflection
of the Neptunian desire to go back to the womb; still, with all reason and caution, it is with
interest and fascination that I share this article with you.
Chart Observations
Sun in Gemini Square Jupiter in Pisces and Saturn in Virgo
This configuration seems to sum up the whole vision of Damanhur quite graphically! Sun in Gemini reflects the creative unification of cultural diversity, Jupiter in Pisces is the utopian vision and Saturn in Virgo reflects the refinement, tasteful art, and of course, the actual application of the vision! Who said squares are bad? Look what came out of it… Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 31
Returning Saturn in Virgo will affect this triangle very strongly; a new revelation? New healing capacities? Political struggles? Health crisis? In one way or another, he will face a test of credibility and content… Nodal Axis locking on a Mars/Uranus Square Another potent signature representing the desire to create an advanced civilization; Mars in Virgo on the South Node shows the ardent determination, and yet the extreme refinement and precision embodied in aesthetic details. He is not the type to let go, I bet that he can inwardly boil in anger when things don’t go the planned way, despite an appearance of pristine harmony! Mars in Virgo can try to tame “negative emotions,” yet at the price of overcharging the nervous system. Uranus square amplifies it all; the good and the bad! For one, a lot of nervous charge, talking too high and disregarding the trivial, for two, an amazing vision and distinct intelligence. Clearly, the Atlantean, Greco-Roman influences are right in that aspect! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 32
Pluto in Leo square Mercury in Taurus and the Moon in Scorpio
Did we mention building a whole temple under the ground? This temple was kept secret for years because they did not have the required municipal permits… Close to a threat of destruction, they were granted a permit under the condition to have it exposed to the public… mmmm… I wonder how his 12th house really looks like! (This chart is a solar chart, without birth time). This configuration also shows a deep thinking mind which has faced the destruction of civilizations in past lives. This aspect reflects deep attachment to ideas and concepts because of a desire to rebuild something from the ashes; it is very protective and possibly obsessive. It is an aspect that could represent his shadow; if the appearances are only for appearance sake, a configuration like this will unearth the truth about him. Conversely, if it is mastered, it will show true compassion beyond the pretty temples and high talks. ARTICLE by Maurice Fernandez
SATURN in VIRGO (part II)
and the NEPTUNE in SAGITTARIUS Generation
Saturn’s transit through Virgo will touch many of us on different levels, but even more so, individuals with generational planets in the mutable signs. We discussed Saturn influence on the Pluto in Virgo generation last month. This article will focus on transiting Saturn in Virgo’s effect on the 1970 - 1984 generation of Neptune in Sagittarius. Neptune represents our relationship with life as a concept; the eternal sense of mystery that accompanies us along our existence, no matter how knowledgeable we may be, is represented by this planet! The mystery stems from us not having created life and thus, struggling to really figure it out. Why is life the way it is, and I don’t only mean why do we have five fingers instead of eight, but more pressingly, why so much absurdity! The overwhelming beauty and genius of life collides with cruelty and seemingly never ending pain. We are constantly shocked by our Neptune when confronted with this dichotomy. The common defense mechanism we develop through Neptune is focus on the beauty only while blaming human stupidity for pain or other negative aspects; but if the truth be told, human beings did not invent the “predator and prey” reality which is the core root of existential pain. As long as our survival (meal) is at the expense of someone else’s wellbeing (chicken sandwich anyone?) and so it is with every living creature, peace may never be absolute. Maybe when species will be able to absorb their nutrients through breath, and thus without ending the life of another (vegetables are conscious too!), may we diffuse the pain. Utopia is possible, but probably not by tomorrow… So how to deal with Neptune right now? For those who blame human beings for destruction and greed, let’s agree too that it is God who created the ego, and so, the consequences of greed and pain… If we come from the point of view Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 33
that everything is here for a reason, let’s try to make sense of them instead of blaming. Neptune reflects THE IDEAL WE ARE COMING FROM, and trying to RECREATE, but always seem to fall short of… This ideal originates from the time we were one with divine creation, the womb of the universe as I would call it. But now, being birthed out of the womb, our separation weighs on us… deep down, no one really wants this ego, as we would all rather go back to the sandy beaches of divinity, wouldn’t we? Yet, the ego is a necessity and actually a burden! But through the ego, we learn individuality, which means: responsibility, survival, and creativity, among other things; through the ego we learn about life instead of carelessly spending existence on a tropical sandy beach basically. Life is complex and no one came here with a manual for it! The higher meaning of Neptune is to accept life in its entirety, not just the positive aspects… Neptune reflects our need to accept “the deal” and try to make the best of it. In other words, it represents the challenge to make peace with the fact that we have left the womb and accept the burden of the ego! That requires quite a bit of “letting go!” Until then, blame, despair, recurrent fear, anger at people, or anger at life/god, may dominate one’s consciousness. For the Neptune in Sagittarius generation, the path of acceptance passes through being in tune with the capacity to personally integrate the truth about life and then, apply that wisdom creatively. In other words, Sagittarius is in a way, the gateway between personal truth (authenticity) and impersonal truth (what is); “what do I do with myself now that I know ‘this’ or ‘that’ about life?” But Sagittarius is an extremely tricky sign in this respect because it embodies the egocentric capacity to create a truth as well! We’ve all heard of the concept: “create your own reality?” Through this channel a person can actually enhance their set conditions! Nonetheless, this gesture must correlate with the larger truth of life. On the one hand, the ego peaks in its capacity and potential, on the other hand, it is must adhere to the impersonal truth! Neptune in Sagittarius people can go through extreme highs and lows as a result, from the euphoria of unlimited potential to the depression of failing to integrate that into life. The downfall of this position is on the one hand, failing to realize one’s true capacity and ending up overpowered by other people’s belief systems. Individuals of this generation can become disconnected from their own existence because they naively follow someone else’s truth, and as a result, experience a deep sense of void that is seemingly untraced. On the other hand, a person with this placement can live a lie through different aspects of their lives… denying problems, manipulating facts, or blind faith, are symptoms of this reality. Saturn in Virgo Comes Along Saturn/Neptune contacts represent a rigorous test of spiritual integrity! We can all use the example of the current Saturn/Neptune opposition in transit to reflect on the dynamics of these energies; much corruption exposed and acute disillusionment towards numerous world leaders who fail to inspire this sense of integrity. Saturn/Neptune together require a high level of conformity to the “laws of life,” which are the ultimate manual for existential well-being. When one’s desires are aligned with the laws of life, harmony, love and inner peace can subsist. Thus, this is an aspect of maturity and transcendence, potentially making a person a keeper of the divine principles. It doesn’t obviously always manifest so positively. Many do exactly the opposite under these auspices; Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 34
namely, the temptation to disregard the laws of life to follow one’s one tune is not uncommon. The confusion arises when a person loses trust in the laws established by human beings, and as a result ends up disregarding divine principles as well, including morality. When spiritual laws are transgressed, the matter is serious. The question becomes: “what are the spiritual laws?” hu! “How are we truly supposed to slaughter a cow?” “Is it appropriate to rest on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays?” Humans have killed each others over these questions… Was that a spiritual thing to do? They seem to have thought so… In any case, if you are one of those Neptune in Sagittarius mortals, you may soon learn a great deal about this, because judgment day is close! As Saturn will angularly cross your Neptune, a karmic statement will be made for your case. You may find out if what you did was in accordance with divine truth or not as your life will manifest the result of that statement during the transit. It is a time for a fundamental realignment with truth and divine principles. Sometimes guilty feelings will arise, or else limiting life circumstances can incite one to change one’s ways. Conversely, uplifting realizations may naturally make one closer to divine experience. In one way or another, it is a moment of truth. Albeit, this can be spiritually dramatic for some, it may for others manifest in the most earthy ways: Saturn in Virgo intends to cut excesses common to Neptune in Sagittarius: be prepared to conform to diets, bureaucratic necessities, or, well… get a job! In the event of a health crisis, this configuration can have a life altering effect… beyond the lifestyle and diet changes, it can spur a complete redefinition of life philosophy and values. It will be time to clean one’s act completely and stop lying. A good time for monkhood! But not necessarily in the traditional sense: Repentance, doing the work, living righteously, assessing the best way to engage and contribute to life… happiness will be found when the cycle of wishful thinking transmutes into truthfulness. Hey… sounds like fun! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 35
ViRGOLIzER – Reports & Reviews
C A L E N D A R ‐ August 10‐11‐12, Lake Tahoe, CA/ Tom Lescher and Karen Barbarick This weekend will explore the changes in relationship through the lens of astrology, yoga, night sky watching, swimming, hiking, and otherwise connecting with nature, both outer and inner. www.NewParadigmAstrology.com ‐ August 12th to 18th, Boulder, CO/ Maurice Fernandez 7 days on NEPTUNE, THE 12th HOUSE, and PISCES Revealing the true value of this misinterpreted archetype! Workshop is part of the Complete Course. Included in the program: Kundalini Yoga and trips to the Rockies! ‐ August 31st to Sept 2nd, Crestone, CO/ Maurice Fernandez Astrology and Yoga retreat at 8000 feet! ‐ The fundamental forces of Astrology ‐ Understanding the Ages with the coming of the Aquarian Age. ‐ Transits for the coming years Kundalini training including a Sadhana Session (3:30am practice – not compulsory ☺) ‐ September 6th to 15th, Bali, Indonesia Lynn Bell & Caroline Casey. Organized by Evelyn Roberts Saturnʹs entry into Virgo in early September 2007, brings us to the work of alignment, where small gestures evoke outside changes. A solar eclipse falls on the anniversary of September 11 during the workshop, and opens a powerful channel for releasing the residue of world trauma, for letting go of the phantoms of personal events, jolted back into our lives by shocks to the collective. For more information: www.astrologyinbali.com ‐ September 8&9, International Telephone‐Workshop/ Maurice Fernandez Health and Astrology With Saturn fresh into Virgo, the time comes to dive into the gut! Free for Living Sky Members $70 for non‐members ‐ October 5th to 10th, Kona, Hawaii/ Maurice Fernandez, Tom Lescher, Karen Barbarick Astrology, Yoga and Dolphins An amazing week with deep astrology content, star gazing, Kundalini Yoga, Mars & Venus Salutations... and a close encounter with the natural world of the Big Island! ‐ October 18th to 23rd, Windham, NY/ Patricia Walsh, Rev. Lisa Abend Certification in Basic Regression Therapy For Astrologers: Deep Memory Process Trainin – Level 1 A special training designed for those working with astrology, and wanting to learn past life regression to enhance work with clients. http://www.crosscircle.com/10.html
Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 Return of the Magi: An Astrological
Documentary
By Kelly Lee Phipps
The idea for this documentary came early last December during my third Jupiter Return. The planet Jupiter (governor of my Sag Ascendant) made its conjunction to Jupiter, Neptune, and Mars in Sagittarius in my 12th House while Neptune was applying to my North Node in Aquarius and trine my Gemini Moon. Neptune and the 12th House are associated with film and I have been playing with digital video ever since Neptune crossed my Aquarian Sun two years ago. I was watching “The Secret” and “What the Bleep Do We Know”, and I started wondering what it would be like if the world could see a documentary that shows astrologers doing their work and enjoying company at conferences. With three big conferences on the horizon, I decided to purchase the video equipment I needed and went to film engaging interviews with astrologers who would hopefully volunteer their time. I was met with overwhelming enthusiasm for the project, starting with the NCGR annual conference in Baltimore, then the Blast Astrology Conference in Sedona, and finally NORWAC in Seattle. I wanted the film to be made in the dynamic style of “What the Bleep” so I invented a story to go with all these grand interviews about a young college age woman going through her first Uranian square and third Saturn square, the decisive pair that impacts every life around 22 that demands 36
that you break free of worn structures and at the same time take responsibility for your life vision. So I imagined her going through a frustrating time in her life and, after setback after setback, she is finally guided to have her chart done, and then of course, her whole life becomes aflame with inspiration! I came up with the title “Return of the Magi” on the way back from the NCGR conference while driving through mountainous Virginia to my home near Asheville, NC. I Googled the title and found out that it was the name of an old Renaissance painting, which I’ll probably use in the film somewhere. The goals of the film are to improve the reputation of astrology and inspire people to either have their charts interpreted or to actually take up the fascinating study of astrology. I want to capture the essence of what it’s like to be an astrologer, to really experience astrology, not as a fatalistic pseudoscience, but as a life‐enriching symbolic language of cosmic potential that we can all partake of equally. The film will have many interesting segments that cover astrology and history, astrology and science, astrology and religion, astrology and cosmic philosophy, and so forth. I’ve teamed up with AYA (Association of Young Astrologers) for the UAC Astrology conference in May 2008, to host a screening of the movie. I’ll have a booth in the trade show and we’ll be showing trailers to get folks excited about checking out the movie on Sunday night and purchasing their own DVD copy they can take home and share. Astrology needs some good publicity, and the interviews I’ve conducted with professional astrologers are truly amazing. At times I was moved to tears behind the camera! Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 Here is a list of the astrologers (so far) that will appear in the film: Demetra George, Michael Lutin, Glenn Perry, Gloria Star, Rick Tarnas, Caroline Casey, Maria Kay Simms, David Cochrane, Ena Stanley, Robert Hand, Dennis Harness, Hank Friedman, Moses Siregar, Maurice Fernandez, Bill Streett, James Coleman, Paul Reeder, Eric Meyers, Adam Gainsburg, Rebecca Crane, Michelle Gould, Chris McRae, Jeff Jawer, Steven Forrest, Rick Levine, Ariel Guttman, Daniel Giamario, Chris Brennan, Andrea Gerhz, Ko Hashiguchi, Sherene Schostak, Lee Lehman, Gary Caton, Benjamin Bernstein, and of course, myself. Sounds like a great list of people to represent astrology from all walks. It will be a rush, like attending a conference! This summer I am shooting the dramatic story elements with unknown actors, and am really excited to be making the film here in picturesque Asheville. Asheville is quickly becoming a hotbed of independent filmmaking. I’ve got nothing but enthusiastic support from everyone. I even had one astrology client send me a donation of 17,000 dollars in the form of a personal check so I could get all the video and editing equipment I need to do this right. I’m filming it in HDV, so the High Definition output is going to look sharp. All together the film will cost about 40,000 dollars, which is pretty low for a feature film! Moses Siregar hired me to film the Blast Astrology Conference in Sedona, one of the best conferences ever devised. Moses is a mastermind at pulling things together and holding the center for such a grand event, and you can now order your very own DVD of the whole conference or individual lectures from his site: 37
www.blastastrologyconference.com After the conference I put together a long trailer to capture the spirit of the conference that has clips of the various speakers. You can view it at www.divineinspirationastrology.com/T
heBlast/FinalRenders/TheBlastTrailer.w
mv By the autumn equinox, I should have everything ready for editing. There is so much footage that I’ve also decided to create a video podcast from the material that doesn’t make the film, which will be available on the website, www.ReturnoftheMagi.com This is an exciting time to be alive and to be involved with astrology as it has its long‐overdue renaissance. And I am grateful to be one of the stewards invited by the Universe to showcase the wonderful art of astrology. Kelly grew up in Boulder, Colorado where he encountered a series of teachers and friends who helped launch him on the path of self-discovery at age fourteen. He was immediately intrigued by astrology, philosophy, and metaphysics, which lead him to cultivate spiritual practices into his life during high school.He studied astrophysics and Jungian psychology at the University of Colorado working on a synthesis between quantum physics and spirituality. http://www.divineinspirationastrolo
gy.com/home.htm Major Sky New Moon in Cancer 2007 – Issue 19 38
>>> The Minor Earth Report
Things to do before
Saturn gets into Virgo
- Sleep as much as you can; gather as many reserves as you can
- Get you vacation time NOW, you have 45 days left; minutes are counting down
- Let your eyebrows and armpits grow wild and free
- Build a secret underground cave to store candy, french cheese, and wine securely
- Invest in colonic therapy clinics and bleach brand stocks
Things to do while
SatuRn is in Virgo
- Cut that dragging earlobe, chuck those moles out, get some hair on your head, fix...
- Upgrade your Video subscription to 7 movies at a time; nights will be long!
- Buy a very comfy office chair; one that can transform into a bed preferably
- Write a blog about your experience with the different laxative brands
-Sell you hammock, porno films, and barbecue, and gather the funds to get the
super sonic treadmill
Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress
Thomas Edison
Written, Produced and Designed by Maurice Fernandez
www.mauricefernandez.com
Title Banner by Jeff Lohrius http://bijarts.zaadz.com/blog
Edited by Jinny Rodrigo