This is the beginning of a regular astrology column written by my good friend, Chad Woodward. We met up last week to discuss the effect of the Mercury Shadow period from Nov. 22 to Dec. 9 which refers to the month preceding Mercury Retrograde and may bring up shadow issues relating to the way you think, how you communicate and the tools you use on a daily basis; ie cars, computers, and other daily work related activities.  During Mercury Retrograde (from Dec. 10 - Dec. 29 ) we will be working on understanding and revising the way we think, our beliefs,  and how we approach our daily activities. Also, be aware of the people you're attracting into your life right now because they are probably there to help broaden your perspective. Chad and I also talked about how the last three Full Moons (with two more to come for a total of five) fell in the late degree of a sign eg. 29 degrees and how the ucpoming Lunar Eclipse at 29 degrees Gemini is significant because it relates to the collective mind and can help us shift our global perspective. Take a look where this eclipse falls in your birth chart (ie. what house and what planets it's close to)  to find out how you'll be feeling it's influence.

Psychologically, Eclipses represent the appearance of the shadow and the occasion of an eclipse contacting something in your Natal Chart is the perfect opportunity to get a good look at your own shadow. The shadow is, by definition hard for you to see, because it is behind you. An Eclipse can bring it out and make it easier to see, thus giving you a chance to stop projecting it, own it, accept it as part of yourself and integrate it with the rest of your personality. This is uncomfortable, but it is also a gift. Much human energy is wrapped up in avoiding, projecting and hiding our shadows. When you integrate your shadow, you reclaim that energy.

If you have any questions for Chad please ask here: Ask Kathy

Cracking The Cosmic Egg: Lunar Eclipse Synchronicity and the Crisis in Consciousness

by Guest Astrologer Chad Woodward: Kosmic Mind Astrology

You don’t need to be an astrologer to know that something in the world is going on, something powerful and, yet, elusive. The energy we find ourselves so enmeshed with these days, is seemingly unstable, and yet beneath it all, if you look carefully, is the emergence of an exciting new horizon. We are indeed within the threshold of massive “change”, it’s in the air, and it isn’t going to just go away. If you want to survive in this stormy day and age, you’re going to have to be adaptable and open to possibilities that have never been thought of before. The “system” and the structure itself, is in the midst of a massive renovation, and this process won’t happen over night. In astrology, the planet Pluto governs the archetypal process of decay; it is the universal principle of death and rebirth. As Pluto passes through each sign of the zodiac, within its roughly 250 year orbit around the sun, it works to tear down stagnate energies and rebuild them in ways that support evolutionary advancement.

The sign that Pluto resides will correlate directly to what this process will focus upon. In 2008 Pluto shifted into Capricorn, crossing the Winter Solstice point (also known as the Aries Point), a powerful epicenter, which resonates with the crux of the world’s systems and structures. It was indeed in the fall of 2008 that the United States, as well as several other countries, found themselves in the midst of an economic collapse. Since then we’ve seen a national, as well as global, collective shift towards restriction and austerity (both major principles of Capricorn and its planetary ruler, Saturn). Currently, Pluto lies at 4 degrees of Capricorn, with about 26 more degrees to transverse. In other words, this process has only just begun! Pluto will leave Capricorn in 2024 to enter the sign of Aquarius, and until then, there’s a lot of work to be done. The underlining intention is to tear down or deconstruct the systems and structures that no longer serve the evolutionary advancement of the species. The three outer planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were only recently “discovered” within the past 200 years, and yet their presence within the collective psyche is greatly felt.

The angular (or phasal) relationship between Uranus and Pluto governs an archetypal process of massive global change and revolution. These archetypes have been active all throughout history, even before their discovery by astronomers; however, the energies seem to differ greatly when they are activated collectively through human awareness. In other words, since the discovery of these planets, their energies are much more potent and dynamic in that they embody a conscious process of unfolding that astrologers are only beginning to grasp. The “first” conjunction (alignment) of Uranus and Pluto, since their discovery (Uranus in 1781 and Pluto in 1930), set off a massive cultural and social renaissance in the mid 1960’s. No one doubts the significance of this era; it was an explosion within the collective psyche. A new archetypal dynamic was born: eco and cosmic consciousness. This very conjunction was the beginning of a cycle lasting roughly 80 years. A conjunction is when the seed is planted within the collective field, and the proceeding aspects[1] govern the growth and maturation of the cycle. The beginning of any process is often quite unorganized and lacks clear direction, which was garishly displayed all throughout the “hippie” era.

Uranus/Pluto Conjunction in Virgo, October 1965

The first square between Uranus and Pluto is currently building (the next phase of the cycle), and will become exact in June of 2012. This aspect will be quite intense, as it will carry on until March of 2015! This is the next phase of the cycle, the sprouting and upward growth of what was planted in the collective psyche by the forces of higher evolution. This will be a period of massive change and revolution; a much needed “kick in the ass” to the status quo that has the potential to completely alter the world we live in forever. We are seeing a gradient shift towards this energy, as well as having had a taste of it with the exact oppositions between Uranus and Saturn, which began on Election Day 2008, and ended in July of 2010. Most of us, I’m sure, are quite familiar with the Mayan calendar and the infamous “2012” end date. Due to a disparity among researchers, the Mayan calendar will end on either the winter solstice of 2012, or the fall of 2011. I am not that well versed on the Mayan calendar, and so I won’t be writing much about it here (For those interested in a synthesis between western astrology and the Mayan calendar I suggest following Barbara Hand Clow’s AstroFlash! articles and reading her most recent book, The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening The World Mind). For our purposes, it’s only important to mention that the planets also tell of a time of massive shifts and changes, just as many have prophesized through the use of the Mayan calendar.

From the astrological viewpoint, the discovery of new planets symbolizes an awakening in the collective psyche, an expansion in awareness, and a birthing of new archetypes from which our reality (matrix) is constructed. Ever since the discovery of the “three big players” in western astrology[2] , astronomers have continued to uncover more and more planetary bodies, such as several asteroids, planetoids, and dwarf planets. This signals a massive shift in the evolution of humanity, and an incredible expansion of potential and opportunity for consciousness.

For thousands of years humans could only “see” seven visible planetary bodies (or wandering stars): The Sun, The Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. In astrology these are the archetypes of the subjective consciousness (perception) of self-awareness, and the limits and boundaries of the perceivable world. Saturn, being the outermost planet throughout “recorded”[4] history; has severely limited our perception of reality. The western world’s emphasis on materialism and rational deduction clearly illustrates this point. Saturn is the boundary of the physical and palpable reality we see before us, it reveals only what is functional and practical in terms of survival for the organism. The emergence of new planetary archetypes beyond Saturn, signals the dissolving of this boundary, as our consciousness now has the potential to expand beyond the physical reality before us. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for the saturnine controllers of the world to keep these doors closed. Saturn has lost his grip on reality, and so what does this mean for us as a human species? From my own experience and intuitive inquiries, as well as the conclusions of countless new paradigm researchers, channelers, and visionaries, humanity is on the brink of a New World, and an entirely “new” consciousness from which to perceive it.

In 1977, a new planetary body was discovered in the solar system. The planetoid, Chiron, is one of the most significant and intriguing archetypes to emerge within the collective psyche in recent times. Chiron orbits directly between Saturn and Uranus through most of its cycle, with a slight period in which it moves inside the orbit of Saturn. Due to this placement, Chiron is seen as a bridge, and link, between the physical and the subtle energetic realities, which these new planetary bodies govern. With the discovery of Chiron, an exciting revolution in alternative medicine and the field of holistics began to emerge. The mid seventies saw an explosion in alternative and new age modalities, the perfect segway, to make applicable, the radical experimentation and freethinking of the 1960’s. The sighting of Chiron is an exciting foreshadowing; it signals that a bridging between the left (Saturn) and right (Uranus) hemispheres of the collective mind is now ready to commence. No longer is the world strictly confined to Saturn’s grip on consciousness, the bridge has solidified, but the question remains…are we ready to cross it?

Currently, at this very moment in time, we find ourselves at a seemingly critical juncture. The heavens display immense activity, and to the trained eye, it would appear that we are indeed in the midst of a powerful physical and spiritual transformation. October 22, 2010 kicked off a series of five full moons that occur(ed) at the 29th degree, or final degree of the signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Leo, with a full Moon in Virgo at the 28th degree. These six signs comprise the lower hemisphere of the zodiac, governing the more subjective and inner personal awareness of consciousness, just as their inner planetary rulers demonstrate. The final degree of any sign, the 29th and even the 28th, also known as anaretic degrees, are considered very potent and critical placements for planets to reside in astrology. Any placement there finds itself at a crisis, a critical threshold through which a powerful culmination must take place before moving on to the next stage of evolutionary development. The archetype of this final degree is the bringing to completion, some long karmic process yearning for a new beginning. The dates for these full moons are as follows:

Full Moon at 29 degrees of Aries- October 22 Full Moon at 29 degrees of Taurus- November 21 Full Moon (and Lunar Eclipse!) at 29 degrees of Gemini- December 21 Full Moon at 29 degrees of Cancer- January 19, 2011 Full Moon at 29 degrees of Leo- February 18, 2011 Full Moon at 28 degrees of Virgo- March 19, 2011

The most significant of these full moons is the Lunar Eclipse on December 21 occurring at the 29th degree of Gemini, just a mere 2 degrees from exact opposition to the Galactic Center[4] , on the day of Winter Solstice!

This is quite an astonishing synchronicity, and it gets more interesting. On June 26, 2010 a Lunar Eclipse occurred at 4 degrees of Capricorn conjunct Pluto. This eclipse occurred while Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto were in a T-square alignment known to astrologers as the “Cardinal Climax”. This means that Saturn and Uranus were in opposition (180 degree angle), while also in square (90 degree angle) to Pluto in Capricorn. Most significant of all, was that all three planets were in conjunction to the four cardinal points of the zodiac, or very first degrees of the four cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. This configuration is a powerful omen to the entire world, signaling a massive restructuring of the world order, and the human consciousness that perceives it. When the Sun reaches zero degrees of these four signs, it signals the shift of seasons, and a change in the duration of days.

You could say that these four points symbolize the cross of matter, or the points that hold our reality or matrix in place as it perceived by our own subjective consciousness (The Sun). Equally, they also resonate with the four directions: North (Capricorn), South (Cancer), East (Aries), and West (Libra). The opposition between Uranus and Saturn reveals the clash between hemispheres, literally, Left (Saturn) and Right (Uranus), East (Uranus in Aries) and West (Saturn in Libra)! This dichotomy is then being driven by the forces of higher evolution (Pluto in Capricorn), thrust and directed forth as it restructures the systems of the world. The sky reveals it quite vividly; the collective mind must merge by the resolution of dichotomies. No longer can this battle between hemispheres wage; it is being forced to come together, by any means possible. The heavy influence of the directional/seasonal axis symbolism, further indicates a shift, just as the seasonal cycles, within the nature of the subjective human experience.

At the time of the Eclipse on June 26, Pluto was in retrograde[5] (moving “backwards”). In astrology, eclipses “manifest” as an event or process within the third dimension when an outer planet, or trigger planet such as Mars, activates the zone of the eclipse by major aspect, usually a conjunction or opposition. Interestingly, Pluto will conjoin, and thus activate, the degree of the eclipse on December 16. Please note that dates listed are NOT presented with the intention to predict physical events that will manifest on that day. I believe that the actual date of a planetary event signifies a powerful energetic process occurring within us that is only detectable by our higher and finely tuned perceptions. Events connected to the archetypal vein of an astrological event are often delayed, or occur sporadically around the date.

Astrologer and researcher Barbara Hand Clow, in her Summer Solstice reading for June 26, 2010, stated that the cardinal climax configuration within the horoscope for the Lunar Eclipse on June 22nd, was a “6D architectural design that is reformulating the solid world”. By 6D, she means that all solid forms in 3D have a code, or geometric configuration, that exists in the sixth dimension. This code or configuration, sometimes referred to as a morphogenetic field[6] , replicates itself in the third dimension. It takes a certain alignment with this energy field for the code to replicate properly, or rather, manifest its potential. According to the Pleadians[7] , many of us are conditioned to be out of alignment with this energy field, and thus our growth, or the manifestation of our physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual bodies, becomes distorted or dysfunctional. In her reading she stated that this new design, this new template for consciousness, would be pulled down and locked into the third dimension via the Lunar Eclipse of June 26th. What is remarkable is that it appears that Pluto and the Eclipse indeed locked this design in, but that Pluto’s retrograde signaled a period of processing, and now it appears it is ready to be fully activated within our own minds directly!

These two eclipses, occurring so closely to the Capricorn/Cancer solstice axis, direct our attention to a process that is altering, entirely, the very backbone of consciousness. This axis is very symbolic of the spinal column, or the axis of the world tree, branching outward into Capricorn/Sagittarius, and digging its roots deep into Cancer/Gemini. This axis can also be likened to a wormhole or portal, linking the lower and subjective modes of consciousness with higher and more objective perceptions. These five full Moons occurring at the last degrees of the lower signs indicate a very critical crisis within the subjective consciousness of humanity. In the middle of these anaretic full moons, is a Lunar eclipse on the 29th degree of Gemini, the archetype of the mind/nervous system complex, as well as our communicative faculties and tools. This suggests that the logical and rational disposition of our world is beginning a process in which it must be reborn.

The lunar eclipse on winter solstice creates another interesting parallel to the eclipse that occurred on June 26, 2010. The eclipse in June occurred around the point of winter solstice, just after the actual summer solstice, and the eclipse in December occurs exactly on winter solstice at the point of summer solstice. This swap of energies is reminiscent of a mutual reception, connecting a link between these two events. Equally just as fascinating, during the lunar eclipse on winter solstice 2010, Pluto is just minutes away from exact conjunction (or combust) to the June eclipse, sitting profoundly at the 4th degree of Capricorn activating these energies. If this wasn’t enough, Mercury in retrograde motion, swoops by the Galactic Center of the galaxy at its position of 26 degrees of Sagittarius, making a square to the building Jupiter and Uranus conjunction in Pisces and sextile the Neptune and Chiron conjunction in Aquarius! This is an astonishing symbolism, as it clearly indicates a very powerful transmission-taking place. This reveals that this transmission is being given to Mercury, the archetype of the human mind, as it passes the Galactic Center. Then it is being directly implanted into the human mind itself (while in downtime for the retrograde?), and the square to Jupiter and Uranus show that it will have the effect of an expansive (Jupiter) awakening (Uranus) of something dormant, hidden, and numinous (Pisces).

Does this mean that we are about to crack the cosmic egg, which has been floating in the numinous and archetypal realms since it’s delivery into the collective psyche via the lunar eclipse in June? Jupiter passes and exactly squares the December eclipse on January 18, 2011, followed by Uranus on February 27, 2011. Normally, squares to an Eclipse aren’t considered as potent of triggers as an opposition or conjunction, but I would make an exception to the rule because Jupiter and Uranus are activating this energy together…intensifying the influence of these aspects ten-fold! Here we see that the two planets, Uranus and Pluto, which will square beginning in 2012, are directly involved in the activation of these eclipses. This reveals that something much larger is at work within the Uranus and Pluto cycle this time around. Mercury retrograde indicates that this transmission is not entirely new, in the sense, that retrogrades indicate a connection to the past, as does the lunar eclipse’s conjunction to the south node. Humanity has experienced this perception before; we are simply being reminded again, of something dormant and latent within us.

The critical anaretic full Moons then present us with an interesting assumption, that the human organism has been, and will continue, to undergo a process of preparation for this transmission. This preparation requires the clearing of stagnate blockages that are preventing the flow of a new current of energy, and thus stagnating evolutionary growth, as indicated by their placement at the 29th degree of the lower signs. Look to your life, and the lives of those around you, and you will likely see that this process has indeed been underway. Becoming conscious of what needs to be cleared at this time will allow us to assist the process rather than hinder it. Now is the time to be as fully conscious as possible, and fully present to and others. The more we are aligned with this transmission, the more functional it will be for us. The more unconscious and imbalanced we are, the more distortion of the information. The design, transmission, upgrade, or whatever you want to call it, will come down into the mind of humanity no matter what, and as a result, it will manifest in varying degrees of authenticity. Doing conscious practices such as Yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation, will assist us in this time in further aligning ourselves with these energies so we can manifest their highest potential. Take this mercury retrograde period, and the next several weeks thereafter, to ground and connect deeply to yourself as never before.

NASA Opens A Portal

On December 2, 2010, NASA made a big announcement regarding a new discovery, which they claimed, would impact the search for extraterrestrial life. In complete synchronicity with the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction[8] , scientists have discovered a new microbe, while conducting research in Mono Lake, California. This microbe completely challenges the current perception of life, as we know it, as it has the ability to substitute arsenic for phosphorus within its cell components. At first, this may not seem like such a big deal, but let’s take a deeper look at just how crucial this discovery really is.

“The Definition of life has just expanded”, says Ed Weiler, NASA’s associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate. “As we pursue our efforts to seek signs of life in the solar system, we have to think more broadly, more diversely and consider life as we do not know it”.

The statements by those involved in the discovery uncannily reflect, the symbolism of the Jupiter and Uranus conjunction in Pisces, expanding (Jupiter) the scientific perception (Uranus) of something that was hidden, latent, and unknown (in Pisces). I believe the symbolism and metaphor presented by this event, is central to my thesis, as well as the process in which we find ourselves so enmeshed. Whether the findings and the research can stand up to the rigorous analysis from skeptics, that will surely follow, is irrelevant here. What matters is that we have a collective event that informs us, through symbolism, of the nature of these key alignments and synchronicities. Collective events directly reflect the collective unconscious.

“We know that some microbes can breathe arsenic, but what we’ve found is a microbe doing something new- building parts of itself out of arsenic”, said Felisa Wolfe- Simon, a NASA astrobiology research fellow. “If something here on earth can do something so unexpected, what else can life do that we haven’t seen yet?

For the rational mind, this is a big step, in dissolving the saturnine boundaries of perception. It is as if, this discovery has been placed by the collective unconscious, as a stepping-stone to a broader view of life’s capacities and manifold manifestations, not only here on earth, but within the entire galaxy. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorous are the six basic building blocks of all “known” life on the planet. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) builds or forms inherited genetic material inside each cell of living organisms. Its structure consists of three basic parts: a nitrogenous base, pentose sugar, and phosphate groups. There are four nitrogenous bases in DNA: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. These four bases form the “latter” like steps of the double helix of DNA. Pentose sugar is a five-carbon sugar called deoxyribose, which attaches to each base in DNA. The phosphate groups and pentoses form the “backbone” of each DNA strand, comparable to the function of a spinal column within the human body, forming the two strands, which connect to the sides of each nitrogenous base.

According to NASA, this particular microbe does not conform to the usual construction of DNA. Instead of a phosphate dominant “backbone”, we have a backbone comprised of arsenic, a poison to most life forms on the planet! This is quite a synchronicity, here we have the symbolism, which directly affirms, a shift and change in the “backbone” of consciousness, and possibly, of human perception itself. We also have an archetypal reference to DNA, the building blocks of life coming forth at this time, when the sky reveals the symbolism for a transmission for the human species. On top of it all, the researchers most interested are astrobiologists, who study the probable nature of life on other planets, a reference to extraterrestrial archetypes. Now let’s take a look at the horoscope for NASA’S announcement for further insight. The announcement took place on December 2, 2010 at 2:00 PM EST in Washington, DC. Aries is rising at 15 degrees, which makes Mars the ruler at 26 degrees of Sagittarius, conjunct the Galactic Center! Mars is thus disposited by Jupiter, which is of course, conjunct Uranus in the twelfth house, further emphasizing a scientific discovery, which is uncovering something hidden or veiled. The conjunction also squares Mars and Pallas Athena in the ninth house, emphasizing the solving of a pattern that has the potential to expand awareness. However, Mercury is in its retrograde shadow, and so whatever this brings up will get revised over the retrograde cycle; not all the information is available yet. Pluto dominates the Midheaven in conjunction by 4 degrees, this is a powerful and far-reaching event. Let’s take a look at some Sabian symbols for further insight…

The symbol for the rising degree is:

Nature spirits are seen at work in the light of sunset

In An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and its 360 Symbolic Phases, Dane Rudhyar interprets the symbol as follows:

“Attunement to the potency of invisible forces of nature.”

“In the light of personal fulfillment (symbol of sunset and wisdom) man may be able to establish a life-giving contact with natural forces. These are active any time growth processes take place, but man’s individualized mind is usually too focused on working for consciously set goals to be able to realize concretely the presence of invisible forces in operation. These forces constitute a specific realm of planetary life. They are inherent in all “biospheres”, on whatever planet. They are non-individualized and un-free energies forming in the substratum of all life processes- thus of the process of integration at the level of the planet-as-a-whole, i.e. the planet as an organism with it automatic systems of growth, maintenance and organic multiplication. In this planetary organism those nature forces act as guiding and balancing-harmonizing factors-some-what as the endocrine system does in the human body, and behind this system the more occult web of chakra energies related to prana-the solar energy. It is when this energy becomes less dominant-thus symbolically at sunset-or when the body energy is weakened by illness, fasting or sensory deprivation, that it becomes easier to perceive these “nature spirits” and to give them forms that symbolize the character of their activities. These forms differ with the cultural imagery of each human collectivity, retaining nevertheless some basically similar characteristics. When this Sabian symbol reaches into the consciousness of a man seeking meaning, it should be seen as an invitation to open his mind to the possibility of approaching life in a holistic and non-rational, intuitive manner.

It implies a call to REPOTENTIALIZATION. What this means also is the process of “becoming like a little child”.

This symbol is beyond relevant, and it almost seems to “make fun” of the situation. It illustrates the limitations inherent in man’s individualized mind as it is too focused on goal setting to direct consciousness to the awareness of subtle forces. It’s as if it is saying that science is blind to the discovery of extraterrestrial life (the theme of the study), that it completely misses the fact that such energies are all around us, if only we could listen carefully. The notion of opening the mind to approach life in a holistic and intuitive manner is key here, as it presents the basis of this shift and transmission. The last sentence beautifully illustrates how this process would manifest, as man would be required to become like a little child. When confronted with a new frontier, we indeed, must learn to walk again.

Let’s take a look at the symbol for the Sun, which reads:

In the left section of an archaic temple, a lamp burns in a container shaped like a human body.

Quoting Rudhyar:

“The value of the “return to the body” advocated by modern thinkers in order to balance the stress on intellectuality and objective consciousness.”

“This sequence of five symbols confronts us with rather mysterious images, which nevertheless can be given very profound and important meaning for today. The original formulation of this symbol spoke of “physical enlightenment”, but what seems to be implied, in contemporary terms, is the need to rely upon “the wisdom of the body” of which so much is made in sensitivity training and Gestalt psychotherapy. This refers to the prisoner of intellectual concepts with their total reliance on quantitative values, objectivity and conformity to the official patterns of our culture.”

“It stresses the importance, for many individuals, of RELYING UPON ORGANISMIC RESPONSES in meeting life’s challenges.”

This symbol vividly illustrates, once more, a process that is taking humanity out of its head and back into the body. The wisdom of the body indeed beckons, and it would be wise for us to listen.

The Shift of Seasons

The Lunar Eclipse on Dec 21, 2010 will be visible across the entire continental United States, and as a result, this is where its effects will be most prominent. Eclipses symbolize a clearing out of energy, which take place on multiple dimensions, taking out the old and bringing in the new. Look to where 29 degrees of Gemini falls in your horoscope, as it will reveal the area of life that this process will unfold. Due to the symbolism of the anaretic degree, this process MUST take place, and so all stagnation must be eliminated at this time to make room for more growth. The final anaretic full moon will be at the 28th degree of Virgo, conjunct the Autumnal Equinox, on the day before the Spring Equinox on March 19, 2011, another intriguing emphasis placed on the cardinal degrees. Uranus will be conjunct the Sun and opposite the Eclipse on the Aries point, creating another grand cross involving the north and south nodes of the moon. The sabian symbol for this full moon reads:

A seeker after occult knowledge is reading an ancient scroll which illumines his mind.

Quoting Rudhyar:

“After a crisis, one should seek to realign the renewed consciousness with the primordial Revelation of the Truth of Man.

Any revolutionary movement, once it has succeeded in overcoming the inertia of the past and in toppling obsolete structures, needs to tap the most essential realities of what Man represents and signifies in the universal Order; or else it merely reembodies in a superficially altered manner the very things it has destroyed. This is the crucial moment. In occultism the “Pattern of Man” is an archetypal Power that may be contacted. It must be sought with undeviating determination. After each revolutionary crisis this Pattern and this Power can be contacted-always the same, yet at each new cycle perceivable in a different light.

This fourth stage symbol presents us with the technique required to “reach the other shore”. But each individual, and each group or racial unit, must come in its own way to the ROOT KNOWLEDGE which provides the only safe foundation for rebirth.”

With every shift of season comes a shift in perception, and just has we have seasonal cycles, so does the collective psyche. How each of us “reaches the other shore”, is in the end, our own responsibility, and just as the symbol describes, we all must do it in our own and unique way. Take this time to embrace your uniqueness, and to find that place within that is always connected to this root knowledge, for when you listen deeply to yourself, you’ll always be aligned with the right path. The world, the matrix may change, but our own unique inner truth, will forever remain the same. At this time, our attention is drawn to the point of Winter Solstice, the vicinity from which the Lunar Eclipse on June 26, 2010 received a new pattern for the collective psyche. When the Sun has reached Winter Solstice, it has symbolically "died", since its "fall", which began at the autumnal equinox. To the ancients, this was the symbolic death and resurrection of the Sun deity, who would no longer descend nor rise in the sky for three days. Upon the morning of Christmas day, the Sun would be reborn into a new form, as he would now ascend from this day forth, and the promise of Spring-the rebirth of the ego-would be on the horizon. The end of the Mayan Calendar also draws our attention to this point, as the 2012 end-date falls on Winter Solstice, and thus the archetype of this point has much relevance for us at this time. It would appear that consciousness is indeed in the midst of a symbolic, and yet very real death, but just as the Sun demonstrates each and every year, a new horizon always awaits. Death is merely one aspect of a cycle, a cycle which never truly has an end.

[1] Aspects are the geometric relationship between planets from the geocentric, or earth’s, perspective. For example, a full Moon is an opposition of the Sun and Moon, which basically means that from the earth’s perspective, the Sun and Moon are exactly 180 degrees apart from one another. There are as many aspects as there are possible divisions within a circle, but astrologers have found three prominent aspects to be the most influential or the most critical periods of the cycle: the conjunction (0 degrees), the square (90 degrees), and the opposition (180 degrees).

[2] Western Tropical astrology is currently the only system that utilizes and researches newly discovered planets. Other systems, such as the Vedic, use only a 7-planet solar system.

[3] There are various theories which state that humanity, at one time, was well aware of the outer planets. Zecharia Stichin in his infamous book, “The Twelfth Planet”, contends that the Sumerian civilization had pictographic representations of the three outer planetary bodies. Other theories, similar to Stichin's, suggest that earth was once apart of an intergalactic/global civilization described in the mythos of Atlantis, and subsequently destroyed during a cataclysmic event known as the deluge. The emergence of these planets once more, is a process of remembering, or recovering, a consciousness that humanity has already experienced.

[4] The galactic center is believed to be the source of a higher consciousness, which directs the evolution of all life forms throughout the galaxy.

[5] When a planet is in retrograde is appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac. This is of course, an optical Illusion from earth’s geocentric perspective.

[6] Rupert Sheldrake (2005). Morphic Fields and Morphic Resonance: An Introduction, February 2005.

[7] The Pleadians are extraterrestrial beings from the Pleadies star system whose central star is Alcyone. See, “The Pleadian Agenda” by Barbara Hand Clow.

[8] Historically, the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus correlates to an expansion (Jupiter) in scientific thinking (Uranus). In other words, it correlates directly to new discoveries that expand our perception, as well as our interactivity, with the world around us

Chad’s Bio

Ever since I was young I found myself fascinated and mesmerized by the night sky, gazing up at its brilliance and immensity in awe. Somehow, this innate part of myself was looking for omens in that very sky, completely unaware of the vivid and profound art known as astrology, which has graced this planet for thousands of years. It wasn’t until I was 19 that I discovered the real horoscopic astrology that, from that point forward, would change and shape my life in ways I would have never imagined. It was truly love at first sight, a love that has only increased in its intensity ever since. Life with astrology is truly an adventure, as it unveils the magic of destiny, which has been sadly lost to our world for far too long.

My goal, as the late Joseph Campbell so eloquently stated, is to simply follow my bliss. Astrology is a guide to the unfolding of self and of the cosmos itself. It is in the proper application of this guide, that we as humans, can learn to no longer be an obstacle to the brilliance and intelligence of this cosmic unfolding. Currently, I am simply a researcher, massage therapist, healer, and artist doing my part in the ascension of the planet. I hope to share the joy and bliss that astrology can provide, as we learn to dance and flow in synchronicity with this great and mysterious divine plan.