Post by Blu on Jan 14, 2005 0:04:32 GMT -5
By Raye Mathis
For example, the present cycle (2003-2005) of Saturn moving through the sign of Cancer occurs every 30 years. 2 This is an especially important cycle for the U.S.A., the A.R.E., and George W. Bush, all of whom were born in July when the Sun was in Cancer. Saturn symbolizes issues around authority and leadership. As this cycle wanes, the U.S.A. needs to re-evaluate and broaden its views about leadership. Where have our leaders used their authority in expansive activities and what have been the results: to us and to others; intended and unintended; positive as well as damaging? What are the new leadership traits needed to lead us in this very critical time in the world? Appropriately in the midst of this waning phase, we had a chance to voice our opinion on leadership in the recent Presidential election.
The last cycle of Saturn through Cancer was from 1973 to 1975. There were many questions during those years about leadership at home and broad. President Nixon resigned in 1974 and Saigon fell in 1975. Astrology says that we are now meeting unfinished business from that last cycle. What lessons are reoccurring with regard to the use of our authority, at home and in the world at large? Individuals (especially those who have a preponderance of cardinal signs Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, Aries) need to examine authority in their personal lives. Have you allowed others (expectations of parents, bosses, religion, culture) to author your life? Have you tried to author the lives of others? Or have you become the author of your own life and helped others to do the same?
Cycle Midpoints - Oppositions
The middle point of a cycle is the turning point where the energy begins to wane. It is often referred to as an opposition in astrology. The energy of the cycle has moved out as far as it can go. It now begins to move back toward a new starting point. For example, the middle point in the Moon's cycle is the moment of the full moon. The U.S.A. and the A.R.E. horoscopes are passing through some powerful oppositions at this time.3 The opposition symbolizes the point of maximum polarization between two points of view. The energies of each viewpoint are compensatory to each other like the Yin and Yang. Each viewpoint has something the other one needs in order to become whole. Only together are they complete. In a positive outcome, a dialogue is established and cooperation and integration occur. In a negative outcome, these opposite views will see each other as the enemy or the axis of evil and end up fighting.
For example: One of the oppositions activating the U.S.A. horoscope involves Pluto and Mars. Pluto, in its highest expression, reflects the healing energy of transformation. Mars represents the energy we have for defining ourselves anew, as well as defending ourselves when needed. In their most destructive expression, Pluto symbolizes violation and betrayal (in myth, Pluto was a rapist) and Mars becomes the aggressive warmonger.
This aspect has been in effect since January 2004, during which time the violence in Iraq increased and the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison became public. The last time the U.S.A.'s Mars was in a major stressful aspect with Pluto was in 1968 4, during which time the atrocities committed at My Lai in Vietnam occurred. Astrologically, Abu Ghraib seems to represent more unfinished business for the U.S.A.
Although difficult, the opposition also symbolizes the 'AHA' moment when it is possible to gain a new awareness about the particular cycle of development. Some dominant belief is tested at the opposition and needs to be re-evaluated, changed, and broadened. Here we have the possibility of seeing in a new way. It is not always something we want to see but something we need to see. Because the opposition or turning point of a cycle can be challenging, it requires great skill and the exercising of the Will, as described in the Cayce readings, to have a positive outcome.
Remember, this is the full moon part of the cycle where the light shines brightly into the darkness. The Cayce readings equate "light" to "awareness":
"God said, 'Let there be light.' Awareness is to know. To know is light. . . Would we have Light?
Then turn within. Look into self." (Reports, reading 262-57)
Depth psychology speaks of this as becoming conscious. At the opposition we have the opportunity to see some thing we've missed, even possibly some damage we unconsciously inflicted during the expansive phase. The opposition symbolizes the death of our old view of reality and brings us face to face with an expanded and more inclusive view of life. This middle point in the larger planetary cycles is often a time of crisis for the group and some-times for humanity itself. It is similar to an individual's mid-life crisis where the developmental tasks during the first half of life, the waxing phase, now must change for the second half of life, the waning phase.
Another powerful opposition is the Saturn opposition to Pluto that was in effect on 9/11/2001.5 The archetypal events on that day symbolize one overarching cycle in the world at the present. This Saturn-Pluto cycle is now in its waning phase and will not begin a new waxing phase until their conjunction in 2020. Remember, an opposition symbolizes the testing of some dominant belief. Tom Brokaw mentioned one belief that needed more light/awareness at the end of his Friday evening broadcast that week: "In the days ahead, we need to look at why so many groups in the world hate us. . ."
As other strong oppositions activated the U.S.A. horoscope, 6 we went to war against Iraq under highly questionable conditions. The effects of these oppositions are still with us and, because of the planets involved,7 reflect great feelings of hostility. We always hope these energies will express in the most constructive ways possible, such as recognizing the hostility and conflict within rather than projecting it outward. We do have strong polarities within the U.S.A., as was reflected in the 2004 presidential election.
Unfortunately, one event that symbolizes a projection of this hostility and aggressiveness in the U.S.A. psyche is our treatment of the prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Remember, at the opposition point in the cycle, light is thrown on a situation and we have the opportunity to become aware of something we've been unconscious of in ourselves. Perhaps Abu Ghraib is part of the answer to the question: "Why do so many people in the world hate us?" As long as we stay unaware of our shadow qualities, where we say one thing yet do another, we have no opportunity to exercise our Will. While reflecting on the overall question of good and evil, Cayce scholar Mark Thurston once wrote: "We recognize and deal with evil in the outer world only to the extent that we undertake the distasteful and courageous work of meeting it within ourselves."8
Many times we as individuals are not aware of all that goes on behind the scenes in our name, in the name of our country-things that we are horrified to discover. These oppositions provide us with the opportunity to raise our awareness with regard to what we, as a nation, are capable of doing. This does not mean we are fated by the stars to do it, but we must recognize our capability to do it.
To paraphrase the Cayce readings' philosophy on good and evil-man was put into the flesh in order to learn how to decide between good and evil. Evil is a necessity to understand good. The comparison of the two leads to the right choice. And making the choice is the exercise of Will. Without the awareness of all we are capable of, we miss the opportunity to strengthen the Will.
As individuals we sometimes say, "I just don't know what came over me," when we have acted out of character. If we slough it off as an aberration, not really a part of who we are, then you can be sure it will take control again at some unsuspecting moment.
To exercise our Will we must have before us clear choices: right and wrong. It is my belief that those involved in the Abu Ghraib prison event were not totally aware of what they were capable of and therefore did not recognize the dark energy as it took over.
The Pluto-Mars energies in the U.S.A. horoscope reflect a climate in the U.S.A. psyche and suggest that this event was not the action of a few. We all contributed in some way to the environment that made these acts possible because all of us together make up the U.S.A. psyche. This is certainly not to excuse those particular individuals, but each of us needs to reflect on how we might have contributed, by even a momentary thought, to this acting out of an ugly and violent side of our nature: by our thoughts about the war, the Iraqi people, Islam, etc. We also cannot place all the blame on our leaders because a country's leaders reflect the predominant mood of the country, especially in the U.S.A. where our leaders can be voted out of office if they do not reflect the wishes of the country. In a democracy we get the leaders we deserve. The group consciousness must change before any change in consciousness is reflected in our leadership.
In the years ahead, regardless of who is president, there are challenging astrological energies in the U.S.A. chart. For that reason we will need leaders with a vision of the future and creative ways to approach the difficulties and scarcities that we as a nation and world will be facing over the next few years-instead of projecting the energy onto the opposite political party and expending it in partisanship or projecting it onto other countries and belief systems and expending the energy in war.
edgarcayce.org/astrologicalforecast_2005.html