The Neptune-Mercury opposition (and thoughts on a brutal Mercury Retrograde)

Our most recent period of Mercury retrograde occurred from August 2 to the 26th. Thinking back to August, did you run into any of the usual snafus and technological or transportation-based setbacks that challenge us during this time? The general realm of Mercury, the messenger god, remains in the day-to-day functioning of our lives and thoughts. When he goes retrograde, he forces us to reconsider our actions, to take our thoughts and communication in an introspective direction. If we aren't careful, problems arise, and often we have to do things multiple times to be successful.

Some of you may have had even greater difficulties this time, however. I know I did. Mercury is also a bit of a trickster; with a smirking grin no doubt, this past retrograde period he went beyond the usual realm of daily troubles. Many people I've spoken with have had incredibly profound difficulties on a grand scale- everything from work, to family, to home. This past retrograde period, it was as if Mercury not only forced us to reexamine our daily actions, but also our values and ideals. It was almost a tidal wave of difficulty.

When we start talking about waves and ideals, you can be sure there's another culprit in this mess: Neptune. Neptune, as you may have read in previous posts, has recently ingressed into its home sign of Pisces. The boundaries of our imagination and reality are thinner, opening up both the possibility for profound creativity and tremendous confusion. Sure enough, when Mercury turned backwards for its last retrograde period, it was opposing Neptune. A difficult aspect, the opposition represents tension and the need for balance. While Mercury going retrograde forces us to reconsider our daily actions, Neptune pulls us into the realm of our ideals, beyond the physical world.

This combination facilitates a much more profound 3 weeks of trouble than usual. With Neptune, emotions run deeper, simple snafus become more profound. Losing your car keys as a reminder to keep better track of your stuff can become losing your car as a reminder to not be attached to your possessions. Maybe not that bad, but it's different for everyone.

An aspect such as this is a potent example of the influence the slow-moving generational planets have on the swift-moving interior planets. The slow, grinding gears driving the long-term changes on our planet connect to the daily functions of our lives, and in a difficult aspect like this past one it can pack a wallop.

The mists of Neptune are hard to grasp, but the challenges individuals and the world at large have been facing have some positive lessons to teach. When the boundaries around us are dissolving, we can look to what gives us strength within ourselves. We can tap into our creativity, or into our spiritual side. We can search for healing, for ourselves and for others.

We can also drink beer. Neptune, ruler of intoxicating beverages, might hit us with tidal waves of change, but at the very least he'll let us have a few pints now and again.

Readers: how was your August? And all you Geminis, Virgos and Pisces out there: did you have a particularly hard time? Leave a comment!

The 1900's sustainable technology time-warp

We live in an era of "buzz words"- the flow of information in our lives is increasingly linked by key, meaningful words that elicit an instant reaction and carry a great deal of meaning. Luckily for mother nature, many of those buzz words that we're hearing now have to do with one word in particular- sustainability. This term has connected everyone, from off-the-grid neohippies to stalwart businessmen. The vast majority of people in our modern world are beginning to fathom the repercussions of a century of unbridled, almost limitless development and resource consumption. The challenge of sustainability has become: "What do we do now?"

Many people, however, are asking a different question: "What did we do back then?" There's a surprising variety of organizations, websites, etc. that examine the significance of past technologies and lifestyles. Low-tech Magazine is one interesting example. The Sail Transport Network is another. As we try to respond to the sustainability crisis, the debate rages on between saving the world through more technology and saving it with less technology.

Earlier this week, I was browsing for green coffee beans on the Sweet Maria's website, and came upon their home roasting tradition page. Whodathunk that the Sears Roebuck catalog would have offered single origin green coffee beans... in 1900! It would be 100 years before the everyday consumer would even care about single origin coffee again.

Well, this got me thinking about what seems to be a very strange phenomenon- the 1900's sustainable technology time-warp. Somehow, around the turn of the 20th century, things that are just now becoming popular answers to the sustainability crisis where back then both present and unremarkable.

Electric cars are a common suggestion to ease our fossil-fuel consumption, though they remain expensive and lack a suitable infrastructure. However, back in the 1900's, electric cars were every bit as abundant as gasoline-powered. In fact, there was even a fleet of electric taxis in New York City in 1897. Arizona and New Mexico weren't even states yet, and we had an electric taxi fleet.

We had electric cars before we even had 50 states to drive them in.

How bout solar energy? Many a new invention has been proposed in recent years to help with our overuse of combustible resources, increasingly based on solar energy. Here's an ad from 1901 of a solar water heater system.


Strange? You bet. So what's the astrological connection with today? Well, technology is generally connected with the planet Uranus. Being a slower-moving outer planet, Uranus indicates gradual changes in technology, innovation, and organized freedom. Pluto, the slowest of the outer planets, binds us by generation and shows where deep power and transformation come from. Around the turn of the century, Uranus in Sagittarius was opposing Pluto in Gemini. Uranus here would tend to indicate innovation and new frontiers in philosophy, in our ideals, freedom of information- possibly an element of do-it-yourself technology? Pluto in Gemini, on the other hand, indicates deep changes to how we communicate and get around and added significance to new ideas and technology. The opposition of the two is a slow-moving tug of war that seeks to balance innovation and freedom of ideas with deep changes in communication and day-to-day technology.

These two planets are also in aspect today- this time Uranus in Aries squaring Pluto in Capricorn. The same energies of the planets are in slightly different clothes- this time the rights of the individual versus the power of a transforming business and government structure, in an uncomfortable and conflict-inducing square. However, part of this new square connects us to the turn-of-the-century opposition. The connecting theme is innovation. We are challenged to pioneer new technology and new ideals that challenge the status quo. No wonder, then, that we find ourselves looking to innovative eras of the past to answer questions of sustainability today.

Maybe not such a mysterious time-warp after all...

What do you think readers? Is the technology of our last Uranus-Pluto opposition the answer to the problems of our current Uranus-Pluto square world? What's the future of "sustainable" technology? Leave a comment!

Celebrity Moon Sign Series: Grigori Rasputin's Moon in Taurus

You find me a man who can look this terrifying pulling on his beard, and I'll write a post about him just for that.

As a change of pace from the admittedly delayed Celebrity Sun Sign Series, I thought it might be fun to examine a famous celebrity's moon sign. While the sun sign is the overriding profile of our identity (or ego), one of the things any astrologer will tell you is that it's not the whole story. This is one of the limitations of newspaper horoscope readings. The sun sign is the description of our conscious ego-identity, and we reflect this even in how we discuss our sun sign ("I'm a Pisces"). The moon sign, on the other hand, is our emotional, instinctual identity. Our moon sign demonstrates how we react, what we feel, our habits, our intuition and our comfort zone. If you examine your moon sign, you may find that many things that you feel and do reflect that particular sign as much as your sun sign. Especially in the case of famous people in history, an examination of the moon sign can shed light on some of the things about such people that seem to be on a different wavelength entirely from their sun sign.

Our subject in today's post is one of my favorite people (and beers) of all time: Grigori Rasputin.

You know an historic figure has infiltrated popular culture when you can have him animated AND in a pint glass.

Grigori Rasputin was born in a poor village in Siberia, January 22, 1869. His sun sign was Aquarius, a sign associated with humanitarian concern, mental ability, groups and organizations, and simultaneous eccentricity and objectivity. Rasputin lost both his brother and sister when he was still a child. This loss, coupled with his ostensibly supernatural childhood abilities, led to him to grow into a rather unique young man. He spent some time, possibly as punishment, at a monastery in Verhoturye. He became very devoutly religious, and even after marrying and having children, he left home to become a wandering pilgrim. After visiting various holy sites, including Jerusalem, he eventually made it to St. Petersburg. At the time, the nobility of Russia especially were interested in the occult and unique spiritual ideas. This interest provided a very receptive environment to Rasputin's unique (in typical Aquarian fashion) spiritual identity. He became a "healer" with a strong following in St. Petersburg, and eventually entered the realm of political influence when the Tsaritsa Alexandra sought his aid in helping the hemophiliac prince, Tsaravich Alexei. Hemophilia, a genetic disease in which an inability of blood to clot leads to excessive internal and external bleeding, was not as well understood back then as it is today. Much of Rasputin's "healing" council may have simply been common sense, including avoiding aspirin (which thins the blood) and ensuring Alexei received adequate rest (to lower blood pressure). This relationship endeared Rasputin to the royal family, and he soon became an important member of royal politics.

Many of Rasputin's identifying traits thus far clearly reflect his Aquarian sun sign: Logic, humanitarian concern, an ability to synthesize a great variety of experiences and knowledge and apply it with an emotional distance. Plus, "aloof" is one criticism associated with Aquarius, and what's more aloof than leaving your family to become a wandering monk?

But it's Rasputin's moon sign, and his instinctual, impulsive tendencies that really paint the picture of what came to be known as the "Mad Monk". Rasputin's Taurus moon sign is associated with physical comforts, emotional and financial security, and pleasure in various forms. This provides a much more physical aspect to Rasputin's emotions, in contrast to the objectivity of his Aquarian identity. This dichotomy, amongst other aspects of his natal chart, shows his unique combination of group involvement and personal, physical charisma. In practical terms, he become deeply influential in Russian politics and seduced great numbers of women, physically and emotionally, at the same time. The mad monk, indeed. He is famous for his belief that, to overcome sin, one had to indulge in it. Indulge he did.

Opinion about Rasputin became increasingly divided over time, and eventually, members of the nobility who were made uncomfortable by Rasputin's political influence plotted to kill him. Ironically, perhaps, the most famous aspect of Rasputin's life is his remarkable death. He was, in one night:
Poisoned with cyanide.
Shot. Four times.
Clubbed.
Castrated.
Bound and wrapped in a carpet.
Flung into the freezing Neva River.
The most terrifying, part, however, is that he died not from any of these- but from drowning in the Neva, after escaping his bonds.

Although there has been debate about the accuracy of this death account, much of Rasputin's life reads like legend. His unique Aquarius-Taurus sun-moon combination reflects the amazing mixture of flesh and spirit present in Rasputin's life. Plus, if after almost 100 years, people are naming beer after you, you must have done something interesting.

What about you, readers? Do any of you have Aquarius sun signs or Taurus moon signs and feel an affinity for Rasputin? Was he a holy man or a creepy crackpot? Leave a comment!

Conflicting view and changing times of Astrology and Feng Shui

When one begins to approach Astrology or Feng Shui, it's easy to be intimidated by the conflicting schools of thought in these fields. There is a diverse history in Astrology and Feng Shui alike, which has led to diverging thoughts on the practice of each. Compare such challenges to, say, mathematics, which despite similar divergence of theories in the past (" 'Zero' you say? Poppycock!") now seeks to pursue the most objectively accurate methods (except maybe stuff like theoretical physics). Astrology and Feng Shui are not based on objective proofs, but rather subjective proof. It's about what works for individuals.

In Astrology, there are two main "zodiacs"- the orientation of the 12 constellations that we use in chart interpretation. They are the "Tropical Zodiac" of Western tradition, based on the position of the constellations 2000 years ago and their synchronization with the seasons (Aries begins at the spring equinox, Libra at the fall equinox). The other zodiac is called the "Sidereal Zodiac" and is based on the precession of the equinoxes (the slow, rotating-top motion of the Earth over time that leads to a gradual movement of the constellations in space), rotating the position of the zodiac signs backward approximately one sign. This system is used extensively in India.

In Feng Shui, there are similarly two "styles": Classical or Traditional (Compass-oriented) Feng Shui, and Western Feng Shui. Classical Feng Shui incorporates one of the oldest and still fundamental tenets- "form school", or the symbolic and elemental orientation of the physical environment in relation to your residence. In addition, Classical Feng Shui makes use of the Luopan (geomancer's compass) to orient the bagua (octoganally shaped map of the significance of each section of a dwelling). The Flying Stars school of Feng Shui is based in the Compass school and incorporates a more time-sensitive analysis based on the date of construction of the building. A numerical map of the area is made, with cyclical changes over time that are analyzed for individuals. Western Feng Shui, on the other hand, covers BTB (Black Hat Sect) Feng Shui (pioneered by Thomas Lin Yun and incorporating a more Buddhist heritage than traditional Feng Shui), and traditional "form school" principles, as well as a general amalgamation of techniques from throughout the history of Feng Shui that carry weight and meaning to Western Audiences. The most immediate difference between the Classical compass-based and Western Feng Shui is that the classical method orients the bagua of elements and life experience based on the magnetic directions, while the western approach always orients the bagua based on the location of the front door.
So which of all these should people use? The good news is: there's no right or wrong answer. The bad news is (you guessed it): there's no right or wrong answer. This frustrating ambiguity can be discouraging, leading many to question the validity of the entire system. I have had my doubts on more than one occasion, and have had my share of hiatuses caused, in part, by inability to decide what the heck I was actually studying. By odd chance, for one of the first times since obtaining it, my anthropology degree came to the rescue. Anthropology as an academic science has changed perspective countless times over the years, and while different traditions will always compete, one undeniable consequence is that culture and thought are subjective. Anthropologists have studied why different cultures and people do such and such thing. Some have said that it's a reflection of common thought processes we all share, others have said that culture arises from particular environmental needs. None of these convinced me entirely when I was getting my degree, but the variety did show me that our culture, our history, our individual experience and thoughts we share in our society are all variable.

This leads us to the question of: Which kind of Feng Shui or Astrology is right? Ultimately, my belief is that it depends on the individual and the culture and time period to which they belong. This individual viewpoint tempers our reality, our relationships, our perspectives. It also, I believe, affects the field of forces around us in which we consciously or unconsciously participate. That is, myself and most of the "Western World" don't just practice Tropical zodiac Astrology- we participate in it. It reflects our heritage, and consciously or subconsciously, it works. India, meanwhile, participates in Sidereal zodiac Astrology- and it works, too. The two aren't mutually exclusive, either. They share common traits and dialogue, especially as our global world gets more and more connected.

In similar fashion, both Classical and Western Feng Shui are reflections of the heritage, culture and mentality of different times and places. Both share common traits, ideas and goals (such as the importance of balance and the creative and destructive cycles of the elements). Admittedly, Feng Shui is more specifically endemic to China. However, it has undergone development over thousands of years, as any school of thought would do. It has now achieved a universality that can be applied, with some cultural translation, all over the world. Traditional Feng Shui and the developments of the Compass school are meaningful and applicable to anyone, but in many cases, residents and their places of work and living in the Western world work well with "Western" Feng Shui- that is, we can participate in it with a more immediate conscious and subconscious sense of meaning.

As I mentioned, everyone has a unique and culturally relative perspective, and as such these different schools of Astrology and Feng Shui will resonate differently from person to person, while continuing to share these common traits and goals. I've read articles and correspondence about these issues, Feng Shui in particular, that have such vitriol, such dogmatic certainty. In the problems that face our modern society, dialogue like this is the last thing anybody needs. We should be aware of how our culture and outlook affects our different approaches to Astrology and Feng Shui.

The issue of precession in the Sidereal vs. Tropical is nothing new in Astrology. However, Indian Astrology places greater emphasis on prediction and houses then on the significance of the signs of the Zodiac. Western Astrology, on the other hand, comes from a long heritage of psychoanalysis and self-exploration, and in astrological counsel the Tropical zodiac is accurate and indispensable. Two different schools of thought, tailored, in a way, for different cultural perspectives.

In Feng Shui, consider the cultural differences in our homes. Feng Shui developed thousands of years ago in part to help locate the best place to actually build one's home, which direction it should face, and (in the case of Flying Star Feng Shui in particular) incorporating when the house was built and the placement of occupants within the home. This compass-based orientation is quite common in Asian countries, and speaks to a common cultural concern. In the "Western" countries and cities (of Europe or North America), we seldom have concern for the exact time that our building was constructed. Especially with the burst of the housing market bubble, few people have the luxury of choosing what direction their home should face. The western version of the bagua in Feng Shui is based on the location of the front door, providing easier orientation. The cyclical, elemental importance of the bagua remains intact, but reflects our modern limitations in building choices and information, as well as the importance that we place on our careers (for both men and women), and the individuality that is highly prized by young and old (since each individual room or office can be oriented based on this western bagua). These different schools share many important traits beyond differences such as bagua orientation, and simply reflect different cultural perspectives and realities.

We should share in the commonalities between these diverging schools, for the positive benefit of all those who seek the counsel of these ancient healing arts. It is fruitless to prove which of the various schools of thought in Astrology and Feng Shui are right or wrong. Both of these arts wouldn't be increasing so drastically in popularity and demand unless they were needed by an increasing number of people. Instead of choosing the right or wrong school, we should support each other in choosing the most applicable, in respect to individual and cultural perspective. The diversity of the world is open now as it has never been. Don't fight about it! Let's learn from it and work together to find what is significant and meaningful for individuals!

Here is a list of further articles, some quite short, that touch on this subject matter:
http://www.fastfengshui.com/articles_westernfengshui.htm
http://www.onereed.com/articles/sidereal-tropical.html
http://www.fengshui-santopietro.com/about.fengshui.html
http://www.soulspace.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Star_Feng_Shui

And check out my introductory article on the significance of space:
http://drunkenastrology.blogspot.com/2011/05/geomancy-signficance-of-space.html

Readers, what do you think about the diverging schools of Feng Shui and Astrology? Do modern lifestyles require a new perspective or not? Let's discuss!

Jupiter in Taurus- Here, have a homebrew

Imagine yourself in a calm, peaceful beer garden. You're surrounded by friends, all generously buying rounds for each other of exquisite German Helles. The sounds of birds and the comfort of friends and familiarity are a reassuring backdrop to your optimistic mood. It's time to discuss expansion, new possibilities philosophy- with a strong dash of patience. Let's not rush in here. Have another beer and relax first. Mmm... crispy hops with rich malty body, in a big stein covered in the condensation of the cool evening mist. Like a painting.

Sounds nice? That's Jupiter in Taurus. Jupiter moved into the sign of Taurus hot off the Aries presses on June 4th. The energy of Jupiter in Aries was unquestionable over the past year- pioneering, individual action and risk taking. Pure initiative, with a goal of building a different, more positive future. A bit brash, at times. With this energy, and Jupiter's conjunction with the even slower-burning Uranus in Aries, we saw the sudden rise of protesters all across the Middle East. Freedom, energy, change through action, all these became themes of the past few months. And, sure enough, change is happening, though with the swift repercussion that comes with swift action. Jupiter in Aries was not about holding back. Jupiter in Taurus, however, kind of is.

Taurus elementally is a fixed earth sign- the most stable, and stubborn, combination that you could get in the zodiac. The stability of Taurus fits well with it's associations: possessions, values, tastes, pleasures- that which we accumulate and hold onto and enjoy. Taurus represents patience, perseverance, and security. For action-taking Jupiter in Aries, this is a jarringly different pit stop. But it's a chance to kick back, relax, and enjoy the "finer things"... like homebrewed beer, for instance. This may befit its own post, but the rulership (overriding association) for alcohol is usually Pisces- dissolving boundaries, changing consciousness, opening imagination and delusion at the same time. If you're drinking beer to get drunk, it's probably a Pisces situation. However, particularly in the growing culture of beer appreciation in recent years, the variety and rich components that make up decent beer may fall under the rulership of pleasureable Taurus. If you're smelling the beer before you drink it, considering the carbonation, thoughtfully savoring the rich variety of flavor without focusing on alcohol intake, or doing all of this while actually getting your hands dirty and making more, I'd say it's a Taurus situation.

"Crap, here comes Jupiter. Better get another keg ready."

Though a homebrew is never unwelcome, there is of course a more negative side to Jupiter in Taurus. Caution can lead to reluctance to take needed action. As Jupiter expands its senses, and sense of physical stability, it can be quite enticing to simply stay put. The balancing act with Jupiter in Taurus is to relax and enjoy the pleasurable opportunities that grow, while at the same time maintaining a perspective on when action is necessary. Jupiter in Taurus can grow stronger, more stable, more prosperous, and as long as it doesn't get drunk on all of this our philosophical sides can grow in a new Taurean way. From Hajo Banzhaf and Anne Haebler's Key Words for Astrology, Jupiter in Taurus: "Religion/Philosophy: Epicureans of ancient Greece. Sensual happiness in life within a circle of good friends is the highest goal in life." We can't ignore our physical needs. Jupiter in Taurus is a great time to come down to Earth... and have a beer.

June 15 eclipse- thinking about Mercury

It's fairly common to hear that people act crazy on a full moon. Some might say the same thing about an eclipse. I would say it doesn't take the moon to make you crazy- it just takes Belgian abbey ale. But regardless of how crazy any of these events make us, eclipses and lunations (full moon, new moon, etc) have a great deal of further significance in astrology. A solar eclipse coincides with a new moon, in which the moon happens to pass directly in front of the sun in its path around earth. A lunar eclipse coincides with a full moon, in which the sun and moon match up in the same location, but on opposite sides of earth, causing the moon to fall within earth's shadow.

What bugged me for years was why this didn't happen every new and full moon- as eclipses are relatively uncommon. I didn't get a concrete answer, as it happens, until I began to study astrology and learned about declination. If the orbits of all the planets in the solar system were rings, declination is the tilt off of center that these rings possess. It has a somewhat less studied but still important significance in astrological study, but that's a topic for another post. Anyway, here's a picture of the difference between the orbit of the sun and the moon (obviously the earth revolves around the sun, but our graphical understanding of the planets is all from our earthly perspective):


The two rings are slightly off kilter, but intersect at either side of a line as if fastened along it. This "axis" is the lunar nodal axis. The point in which the moon path crosses above the path of the sun is the north node, and the point at which it descends below the path of the sun is the south node. Both points are significant in astrology around the world, and you may have seen or read about them in your chart. Symbolically, they are the point at which moon and sun, yin and yang, meet along their orbital journeys. So, while both moon and sun pass these points, they rarely do it at the same time. When they do, you get an eclipse.

The symbolism of the solar eclipse is the moon passing directly in front of the sun, and blocking our usually direct line with the sun's energy. This is like an open door to new possibilities, unforeseen events, and change, similar themes to the monthly new moon but with greater potential for the unexpected. As for the lunar eclipse, the moon passes directly through the shadow of earth. While in this shadow, we have the potential to be awakened to parts of ourselves, memories, etc, that have been unexplored or that require attention. Likewise, the monthly full moon calls us to examine and pay greater attention to our endeavors- when it coincides with an eclipse, though, the information we must examine may be all the more intense. Whew. Thank goodness for off-kilter orbits, or we would have eclipses every full and new moon- that could get exhausting.

The lunar eclipse today on June 15th places the moon in Sagittarius and the sun in Gemini, with mercury just a few degrees away. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, and as such rules the sun in the chart of the eclipse. The theme of communication is the overwhelming theme of this eclipse. The opposition between Gemini and Sagittarius reflects the tension between impartiality and variety in thought and ideas (Gemini), and idealism, faith and commitment to truth (Sagittarius).

From a mundane astrological perspective, the moon tends to represent the public, the masses, or popular emotions; the sun, on the other hand, represents government and those in power. This eclipse coincides with a great tension between the public at large and those who hold political power- more or less the world over, but especially in the countries of the Middle East facing political upheaval.

Our last total lunar eclipse occurred in December of 2010, which was also the beginning of uprising in Tunisia that would eventually spread across the Middle East and be called the "Arab Spring". Tension between the populace and the government is at an ever-increasing high, a theme reflected by the approaching square between pluto in Capricorn (power struggles and changes in the sign of government and structure) and uranus in Aries (rebellion and awakening in the sign of cardinal initiative). As tensions mount in general, eclipses can be temporary nitro bursts of change and insight.

As a final consideration, here's a look at the U.S. Sibly chart (one of the more generally accepted "birth charts" for the United States) with the eclipse today around it (click the image for a bigger view):


You can see the eclipse axis in the 1st and 7th houses- the moon conjunct the north node in the 1st, sun conjunct south node and mercury in the 7th. Also in the 7th house in the inner ring (the U.S. chart) is the country's natal mars in Gemini- conjunct the sun and mercury in the eclipse chart. This eclipse is definitely having an effect on the U.S. in some way. Astrologically, there mars represents the initiative, drive, and energy of an entity, how the entity takes action and for what purpose. The varied opinions and duality of Gemini (the "twins"!) reflects the duality of policy and action in the United States. We are famous for our two-party system, our legacy of intense debate and examination of issues, and the ability to have a variety of interests simultaneously (at home and abroad...). What new insights about how the U.S. is taking action might this eclipse reveal? Keep your eyes peeled, and watch the news!

Get your mercury on and use your brain! What are your thoughts on this eclipse day? What needs to come to light and be examined? Can we expect the unexpected in the following days and weeks? Let's discuss!

Some links and resources:
http://carlboudreau.blogspot.com/
http://mountainastrologer.com/tma/cardinal-cross-lunar-eclipse
http://astrologyexplored.net/home/?p=2647
http://mountainastrologer.com/tma/the-moon-and-mercury-overthrow-the-sun

Geomancy- the Signficance of Space

Traditional astrology shows the significance of the orientation of the heavens for a particular time and place, with an emphasis of when. At any given time, there is a unique chart that can be cast. In addition to time, there are ancient systems of understanding the significance of space. For ease of description, and because it's an awesome name, these systems of understanding the significance of the space around us can be called geomancy, 'foresight by earth'.

A practice developed in ancient China, and has continued to grow and be used since then, called Feng Shui, 'wind-water'. Feng Shui is a system for harmonizing the objects and buildings in one's environment according to the cosmic interplay of magnetic orientation and energy flow (or Qi) around them. People, as early as the neolithic period, felt a need to orient their homes and towns along particular cardinal directions, and since then have worked to harmonize their environment in the belief that there is a direct connection between our circumstances and the harmony of the environment around us. This concern for environmental harmony has led to thousands of years of study in the significance of the directions, elements, shape, color, and feelings connected to the space in which we live. In fact, this was all so important in that, in order to help facilitate Feng Shui analysis, the Chinese invented the compass.

Healthy skepticism is always important in maintaining a balance in any study, but I feel like there's some significance to the motivation behind the compass here. For hundreds of years, empirical western thought has had a rather patronizing attitude towards traditional systems of understanding the world around us- be it astrology, shamanic ritual, or Feng Shui. Unfortunately, people for the most part aren't stupid, and (especially in a time before grocery stores and cars) wouldn't waste thousands of years developing these systems, and inventing new tools to help, if there wasn't some importance to them.

Luckily, recent decades have seen an increase in interest for astrology and geomancy alike. Especially in these tumultuous times, more and more I feel people are losing the illusion of separation, and realizing how connected our world may actually be. Feng Shui helps analyze the interplay of our thoughts, feelings, and environment, and how they flow together to facilitate or block the functions of our daily lives. It is based on the flow of Qi, or life force, in a living space, as well as the balance of the elements. In Chinese tradition, there are 5 elements (Wood, Fire, Water, Metal, Earth) and they play together in either a constructive cycle ("it's super effective!") or destructive cycle ("it's not very effective..."). Sound familiar yet? It will after you look at this diagram of elemental balance in Feng Shui:

Who'd have thought that those years of playing Pokemon have actual geomantic significance? These elements can be balanced in one's environment according to the traditional areas of living space, based on a traditional octagon called a Bagua, which is laid over a living space:


This system of harmonizing Qi and polarity in one's environment speaks to the idea that we live in a cohesive field of connected forces, and that actions, intentions, and environment are all affected by each other. But the Chinese aren't the only ones who have worked to map the connections between our environment and our lives. We can also look to local space astrology.

In local space astrology, the same planets are considered for the birth time of an individual- Sun, Moon, all the way up to Pluto. However, instead of analyzing the planetary position based on the celestial backdrop of the zodiac (i.e., "Sun in Pisces"), the location of the planets along the horizon visible from the given location at the given time is considered, and mapped against a circle, like wheel spokes. When this circle is laid against a map, starting where the individual was born, the spokes radiate outward, showing places of significance geographically. Metaphorically, this shows the significance of the planets around the individual, from their point of view as opposed to the significance of the planets in a given zodiac sign. It looks like this:


In analyzing such a chart, one would look at the areas under the path of the planetary lines, and the meaning of the planetary lines along the cardinal directions. Like the zodiac chart, with meaning in the left, right, top and bottom parts, there is a distinct significance to planetary lines depending on whether one follows them north, south, east or west.

These fields continue to grow in popularity and develop applications in our increasingly connected world. As we face more changes and challenges, we now have the opportunity to explore our immediate environment, and access improvements in our lives by working with such systems. People across the world have found significance in the subtle meaning of their environment, now's the perfect time for our modern world to catch up.

Readers, what do you think about your environment? Do you believe in Qi? Is there anything you'd like to know more about in a future post? Leave a comment!

Also, here are some good introductory books on these systems:
Astrolocality Astrology
Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life