Fixed Stars, Not Fixed Fates!

Written by Nancy R. Fenn


"What hogwash!" he said, only he used a different word. "When you screw up your life, you blame astrology, like you had no choice because you were born at a certain time." Now he was smiling. "The reason I do drugs and can't keep my fly zipped isn't because of any stars! Like my old man knocked up my mother when Scorpio was Rising and because of that I'm going to jail? I don't think so! I'm going to jail because I’m bad torepparttar bone!"

This is a speech made by Edmundrepparttar 122348 Bastard in Act I, Scene ii of Shakespeare’s King Lear. I brought it up to date.

Edmund plots to turn his father against his half brother, Edward, butrepparttar 122349 boys’ father won’t go for it. He excuses Edward’s recent strange behavior by "these late eclipses inrepparttar 122350 sun and moon …."

Edmund says he was born underrepparttar 122351 Dragon's tail,repparttar 122352 South Node ofrepparttar 122353 Moon. That could be in any sign. He’s making a play on words. To be born under any animal’s tale is probably a slur on Edmund's mother who was not married atrepparttar 122354 time of his conception.

Edmund’s "nativity" or horoscope is under Ursa Major,repparttar 122355 constellation whererepparttar 122356 Big Dipper resides. Atrepparttar 122357 time of this play, most ofrepparttar 122358 stars in Ursa Major were in late degrees of Leo andrepparttar 122359 first half of Virgo.

It's a funny coincidence (no such thing?) when Edmund speculates, what if he were born under "the maidliest star" -- because that's exactly when he was born. If under Ursa Major, thenrepparttar 122360 influence of Virgo,repparttar 122361 Maiden.

Edmund shows a mistake people sometimes make about astrology. You can't be born "under something", you have to be born whenrepparttar 122362 Sun is "in something".

Edmund's character is used as a contrast to King Lear's very evil daughters, Goneril and Regan. King Lear is destroyed by their cruelty. While these girls are dark torepparttar 122363 core, Edmund is openly, carelessly and light-heartedly villainous. Back then as now, some people are bad but some people are really evil. M. Scott Peck wrote a good book to help with this distinction, The Road Less Traveled.

Edmund actually has a pretty good handle on an important concept in humanistic astrology -- way before Dane Rudhyar (1895-1985) wrote his books. It is our character that determines our fate, not our horoscope.

Thousands of people are bornrepparttar 122364 same hour, day, year and even minute all overrepparttar 122365 world; yet no two are alike. The energy ofrepparttar 122366 stars is neutral like electricity but there is a Soul lying beneathrepparttar 122367 horoscope which usesrepparttar 122368 energy for good or ill.

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Larue County, Kentucky. It was a good day for men!

There's nothing evil about being born in Virgo. In fact many Virgos are amongrepparttar 122369 most gentle people. But 9 degrees of Virgo is a degree of homicide. Alioth of Ursa Major in Shakespeare’s time was at about 7 degrees Virgo while Mizar and Alcor were at 12 degrees Virgo.

I think, too, that Shakespeare refers torepparttar 122370 importance Ursa Major has always had inrepparttar 122371 northern hemisphere. It is one ofrepparttar 122372 first things children learn to pick out inrepparttar 122373 starry night sky.

Ursa Major isn't part ofrepparttar 122374 zodiac but its stars can be seen vividly at night. There are seven main stars, Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak and Dubhe.

The last two are special stars people use to siterepparttar 122375 North Star (Polaris). Mizar has a fainter companion, Alcor. As everyone knows, if you can see these two stars with your own two eyes, you have good eyesight!

Your Connection to the Elements

Written by Avalon De Witt


In ancient times, scientists, philosophers and magi divided matter into four basic elements: Air, Fire, Water and Earth. It has been said that these elements arerepparttar building blocks of life.

A scientist and philosopher named Empedocles set this foundation for science in Sicily duringrepparttar 122347 5th century B.C. Empedocles belonged torepparttar 122348 tradition of "Root Cutters," which means that he was an herbal magician and healer. He defined these elements, or "roots," as not only physical substances, but also as "spiritual essences." He even assigned gods and goddesses to these energies: Air - Zeus Fire - Hades Water - Nestis (also known as Persephone) Earth - Hera

About a century later, Aristotle assigned properties of hotness and coldness torepparttar 122349 elements: Air - hot/moist Fire - hot/dry Water - cool/moist Earth - cool/dry

Mystics throughoutrepparttar 122350 ages have recognized these elements as four spiritual modes of being. Air, Fire, Water and Earth are represented byrepparttar 122351 four suits ofrepparttar 122352 Tarot - Swords (Air), Wands (Fire), Cups (Water) and Pentacles (Earth). I have seen that a dominant suit in a card spread can be very telling. You will also find these elements in astrology: Air - Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Fire - Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Water - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Earth - Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Alchemy, Hermeticism and Gnosticism hold understandings ofrepparttar 122353 four elements, too. We can see them inrepparttar 122354 Jungian theory ofrepparttar 122355 four personality types - thinking (Air), intuiting (Fire), feeling (Water) and sensing (Earth). Even our modern Meyers-Briggs personality test shares this four-fold concept.

The idea is that nature andrepparttar 122356 Self are equal. The four seasons of a year can be compared torepparttar 122357 four stages of human life - birth, growth, maturity and death. We can utilizerepparttar 122358 four elements as dimensions of psychic and spiritual growth. The natural way would be to strive to achieve an equal proportion of each. Understandingrepparttar 122359 psychic energies of these elements can help us balance our lives and experience greater harmony. If you know which elements to call upon and how to connect with them, you can manage whatever life throws your way much more easily.

AIR Season - Spring Time of Day - Dawn Direction - East Color - Yellow Archangel - Raphael

Every time you think or communicate, you are drawing onrepparttar 122360 element of Air. Our connections with others are formed through Air. Air isrepparttar 122361 most elusive of allrepparttar 122362 elements. It is uncontainable, unseen, and changeable. Whenever you seek insight, discover a new idea, change your mind, clarify a vision, develop a plan or concentrate on your breathing, you are becoming Air. Air is intellect, Truth and wisdom. If you have difficulty making decisions, taking action, understanding or being understood, Air can help you.

To awaken your connection torepparttar 122363 Air element, open your windows and clearrepparttar 122364 air around you by burning some incense or smudging your home with sage. Play music that inspires you. Or go outside and feelrepparttar 122365 wind on your face. Pay attention torepparttar 122366 way it masters its own destiny, moving constantly. Its flexibility makes it unstoppable. Try to block it with your hand. It will only go around.

Singing or toning, whistling, even dancing are all Air activities. Crystal singing bowls and tuning forks are useful tools for invoking Air energy. Inventors utilizerepparttar 122367 element of Air. Read biographies of inventors to understandrepparttar 122368 inner workings of Air.

FIRE Season - Summer Time of Day - Noon Direction - South Color - Red Archangel - Mikael

Have you ever really, really wanted something? That's fire. Fire is desire. It is dynamic, passionate, bold, enthusiastic, active and hopeful. Fire isrepparttar 122369 life principle. It provides heat and light. It isrepparttar 122370 element of Spirit. Fire is charming, flamboyant and inspirational. Fire transforms. If you would like to improve your sense of humor or build courage, confidence, or motivation, look to Fire. To open up torepparttar 122371 power of Fire within you, you can light a candle and see whatrepparttar 122372 living flame has to show you. Watch a sunset and take inrepparttar 122373 brilliance of this vital element. If you really want a mega-dose, try dancing around a campfire and watchrepparttar 122374 wayrepparttar 122375 fire dances with you. Letrepparttar 122376 heat ofrepparttar 122377 Fire element penetrate and warm your soul. Competitive sports and games are also good ways to stimulaterepparttar 122378 spark of Fire in your life.

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