Security in Chaotic Times

Dream on 11/30/2018:   I was presented with an oval butterfly wing by a woman.  The image captivated me.

Associations:  Lately I was doing blogs on the relationship of Astrology, the way it works and Synchronicity.  So I had on my mind, what principles would explain Astrology?  The oval wing of a butterfly is related to chaos theory and how astrology may also be explained by this.   Chaos theory is known as the ‘butterfly effect’.

Chaos  activity is the way in which a small event initiated in a time and place far away can correlate with a large event in another place.  The example used is that of a butterfly wing vibrating and correlating with a tornado in another place.

Enter Wikipedia:  Chaos theory is a branch of mathematics focusing on the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. “Chaos” is an interdisciplinary theory stating that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, there are underlying patterns, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, self-organization, and reliance on programming at the initial point known as sensitive dependence on initial conditions. The butterfly effect describes how a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state, e.g. a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a hurricane in Texas.[1]  Small differences in initial conditions, such as those due to rounding errors in numerical computation, yield widely diverging outcomes for such dynamical systems, rendering long-term prediction of their behavior impossible in general.[2][3] This happens even though these systems are deterministic, meaning that their future behavior is fully determined by their initial conditions, with no random elements involved.[4] In other words, the deterministic nature of these systems does not make them predictable.[5][6] This behavior is known as deterministic chaos, or simply chaos. The theory was summarized by Edward Lorenz as:[7]Sue Lewis in her book, Astrological Psychology, Western Esotericism and the Transpersonal , ( Hopewell, Knutsford, England, 2015. p. 159) suggests chaos theory helps explain Astrology.

“Brady’s investigation (Chasms) comprehensively demonstrates astrology’s greater affinity with chaos theory and complexity than with the cosmic perfection delineated by Ptolemy, and application of this approach does not require the use of any specific techniques, rather a change of attitude on the part of the astrologer”. One can see the archetypal patterns of the planets “whether in the life of an individual, the history of a nation or the behavior of non-human systems like weather – all are in the matrix of belief of astrologers. Indeed, the astrological community is in its strongest position when talking about cycles, for at the heart of their culture are the measurable and predictable cycles of the celestial sphere and the planet archetypes (Bernadette Brady- Astrology and Research).

When one cannot count on moral, legal,  fiscal,  or traditional order in chaotic times; then one can be grounded on cycles of time as reflected by nature.  Making goals also depends on making sure that they are timed correctly according to seasonal requirements in spite of the hectic changes happening in the earth due to Global Warming.  Living on planet earth causes limitations making goals depending on whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter.  The precession of the seasons with the Sun and Moon act as a biological time clock for planting and harvesting.  This process has been used as early as 500 BC and planetary conjunctions presaged for early astronomers when to tell the masses to plant and reap.  We take liberty to advance planting in spring both with growing things and with ideas.  In summer we maintain what we started by watering and nurturing the small growth and in fall we harvest both ideas and food.  In winter we reflect on the quality of the crop of ideas and get ready for the next growing cycle.  The balance and cycles of nature determine the amount of liberty one can take and can be a source of security in times of upheaval and constant change.

The orbits of the planets correspond with the timing of activity:  Mercury cycles have to do with active communication, Mars cycles with assertiveness and aggressiveness, Jupiter cycles with finding meaning of life,  Saturn with reckoning and consolidation of actualization, Uranus with finding like-minded friends, Neptune with achieving union with the All, Pluto with guidance according to the divine will.

Here is another dream to illustrate the responsiblity I have to a voice to my vision in these times of great change and uncertainty.

12/8/2018

D1 In the early part of the night I had a dream.

I was in a room, a wood-paneled bedroom, sheltered by the chaos surrounding me outside.  I went to the window and saw fierce lions, and people running around in a frenzy.  They were running around going nowhere and were confused and frightened.  This  was a public catastrophe but it didn’t touch me so I went to sleep in this paneled bedroom.  Years later a person came to reprimand me as to why I didn’t help those people who were in those life/death situations.  It was a kind of accounting of myself for not doing more to help others.

Associations: Survival guilt is a theme in my life brought about by my personal history:  guilt  about my brother who died due to psychic injuries suffered as a spy for Army Security in the cold war and my role in taking his message forward , being of age for Vietnam but getting a student deferment when so many of my peers suffered from that war.  And finally as the dream suggests, not bringing my voice out to the public when I have a system that can help people stay grounded, get a sense of security and safety in difficult times.    Survival guilt has motivated me more than I was aware and it motivates me to post this.

The conclusion of this post is that we can rely on cycles of time and get guidance from the cosmos of when and how to act when normal order has been broken down.  These are the times we are in and astrology provides some grounding during uncertain times.

Empirical Science and Astrology

Having been a student of the scientific method as a psychology major in undergraduate, I  used the American Psychological Association’s methodology in testing hypotheses.  Both in graduate and undergraduate studies, I see the value in the statistical methods as approaches to truth.  For a normal bell shaped curve distribution to which the results of empirical studies apply, there is 68.2% applicability percentage of the study’s results to the general population.  26.8% are outliers with 13.4% on the extremes which do not apply.  So we can generalize from results of good empirical studies that is reliable and valid at the most being true 68.2% for the sample studied.
When results are published, they  have contextual relevance to the sample studied as well as the historical time the study was done.   The study’s conclusions and results are relative to the limitations of the study.   A representative sample of the general population is a gold standard in empirical studies.  To do that, expensive demographics and Subjects’ outreach is necessary.  To that end, only well-funded institutions that can afford the studies are Corporations and some Universities. Having said that hypotheses in empirical studies have to be operational, defined with independent and dependent variables being measurable; we see the limits of this kind of research.  Constraints such as these provide for the best results when dealing with the material universe such as physics and inorganic chemistry,for example.  And the cause and effect validity of empirical studies are limited by confounding variables.For example, if you are researching whether a lack of exercise has an effect on weight gain, the lack of exercise is the independent variable and weight gain is the dependent variable. A confounding variable would be any other influence that has an effect on weight gain. Amount of food consumption is a confounding variable, a placebo is a confounding variable, or weather could be a confounding variable. Each may change the effect of the experiment designs. The above is not to imply that empirical studies are irrelevant or not valid.  They are valuable and relevant to the population sample used, along with other constraints.  But that is not often how studies and conclusions are reported.  They are often reported as generalizations of truth that ignore confounding variables.   When I am researching a topic of concern in the literature applicable to my clients’ issues, I make sure the studies are well researched before I present the conclusions to them and I mention limitations.

What are the operative bases of Astrology?

When we try to approach truth through a more subjective means based on a non-rational approach, there is a problem with defining the variables because there is no objective, operational variables mix so you can’t quantify them.  For example, if I take a sample to survey people who believe in astrology, that is subjective. There are so many ways to  approach and verify that question: based on their individual horoscope aspects correlated with their perception of its truth to their lives or belief in astrology based on the underlying principles in Astrology such as ” as above, so below”, i.e. the macrocosm and the microcosm are mirror images of each other so that the planets’ configuration in the sky have a corresponding effect on their psyches.  For Astrology, cause and effect are basically not capable of being determined because the independent and dependent variables cannot be operationally and objectively quantified.  So we cannot say, for example,  that Saturn conjunct the Mercury in a natal chart causes depression.  But correlations can be made.  In fact the Kepler Conference has conducted empirical studies that find correlations between various topics of concern at https://www.facebook.com/TheKeplerConference/ Roberto Assagioli, MD who founded Psychosynthesis has stated in the study of Transpersonal Inspiration that ” In the first place an erroneous conception of the scientific method is widely held, which would limit its use to quantitative and statistical techniques suited to the natural sciences.  Furthermore, the mind is reluctant to admit the existence of non-rational reality and values; it confuses the super-rational with the irrational or even anti-rational. There is also the fact that the descriptions of experiences in this ‘higher sphere’ are generally couched in terms  associated with religious doctrines, employ pictures, symbols and forms no longer accepted or recognized as valid by modern mentality.” (Assagioli in Parfitt, Will,Lesson 10. Course 1, Elements in Psychosynthesis,  Global Issues in Action, copywrite, Avalon Distance Learning.) I accept that empirical science does not embrace the super-rational; a rejection that has been fraught with struggles to bring my voice to the fabric of transpersonal inspiration which is how I use Astrological Psychology. Science sees my work as a branch of study that is often designated as‘pseudo-science’.   Based on the erroneous assumption of the scientific method that limits the use of quantitative and statistical techniques to the natural sciences, my work is out of the scope of valid inquiry. Carl G. Jung, MD provided support by researching Synchronicity and Causal Principles as both valid approaches to truth but both at differing ends of a continuum.
Synchronicity the basis of how Astrology works

Carl Jung and physicist W. Pauli studied Archetypes in Astrology.  Archetypes are ” primary images which the soul can perceive with the aid of innate ‘instinct’ (Kepler).  The agreement with the primordial images or archetypes were introduced into modern psychology by C. G. Jung and functioned as ‘instincts of the imagination’.  (Jung, C. G and Pauli, W, The Interpretation of Nature and the Psych, Bollingen Series III, NY, NY, 1955, p. 153). Since the Archetypes are in the realm of the Soul and are not capable of being operationalized by using the experimental method, a different way of finding meaningful correlations of the individual and the soul is necessary.  Synchronicity is the explanation in which we find meaning within the correspondence (or correlation) between the Astrological archetypes such as  planets with their angular relationships in the horoscope and the individual.  In Jung’s experiments,  he studied the archetype Mars expressing  “intense emotional excitement when found in aspect with the Sun” in  women subjects within twenty  marriage pairs.   This aspect occurred at a higher frequency than other Mars aspects.  Thus Jung concluded that the relative ‘defeat of the powers of the conscious mind constellates the moderating archetype… Mars’. This I interpreted to mean that emotional excitement erupts from the unconscious of the Psyches of these individuals; with the consequence that the ability of conscious filters to inhibit it fails in individuals with this configuration. (On Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle” in The Interpretation and Nature of the Psyche, Bollingen Series III, NY, NY 1955, p. 81).

When I want to connect with clients who have given me their birth data, I can without fail find for them meaningful correlations between aspect patterns and their psychic states.  They report to me that is meaningfully true about 90% of the time.  (based on their subjective evaluation).  I have also found that stating statistics of correlations from studies relevant to clients experience also, i.e. that high attribution of blame usually results in couple divorce (Gottman, John, Four Horses of the Apocalypse, Blog) ; this statement does have a meaningful connection for them. My points are basically this:  We need both Scientific studies and Synchronistic correspondences to make meaningful sense for our clients. And I use Astrological Psychology to identify psychic states and match them to my clients as well as empirical studies when topics come up that require evidence based conclusions.

Dreams and the water of life

Psychosynthesis involves grounding images that intend to drive one to meeting real needs rather than wants.  If a dream (or any psychic image)  does not become grounded through a process of writing it down and to be preferred -drawing it; maturation does not become manifest in the process of individuation.   It is a gift to realize that there may be an invisible hand guiding one as a dream evolves over time.  For example in my young adulthood , I had water dreams in which I was fearful of violent waves or tidal waves with it full destructive fury ; I dreamed of water seeping through my house and breaking up the plaster walls; I had dreams of water crashing into coastal villages; an finally I was overcome by a wave that broke over my head as I tumbled under water thinking I was a gonner.  But then a transformation occured at mid-life:  I could breathe underwater.  It is as if the Self was guiding me to transform my opinion of water to  a substance that I could survive in…:In subsequent dreams I had changed my relationship with that element and was guided to ride on the water in a boat, change ice into water as if by magical touch, to scuba dive under water to find treasures underneath.  What force was changing my relationship to water?  It was certainly the Self, the center and originator of psychic wholeness or indivuation  (that empty center in the middle of the horoscope).  In real life asfter the symbol of water became benign,  my fears of the unknown vanished and I was able to feel more confident moving out and about in the outer world using different faculties of my personality.   A transformation had occured with the contents of water, as symbolized by the feeling function in my personality (I had no planets in water signs in my astrological chart).  As a thinking type my emotional side had been the least developed psychic function in my personality and I needed to balance out thinking with relationship feeling functions.  That was the goal of individuation in my case: to bring about balance, wholeness, equity in relationships, justice , harmony and love into my pragmatic thinking nature.

Who is in control of your actions?

I have been taking a psychosynthesis course by the well-known psychologist Will Parfitt for many months now. And one of the main theses is the process of dis-identification of the ego. One of the exercises we do is to say;
“I have my mind and my thoughts but am not my mind and my thoughts
I have my feelings and emotions but am mot my feelings and emotions.
I have my body and sensations but I am not my body and sensations.
I, am I a center of pure self-consciousness and will.”
Psychosynthesis, the Elements and Beyond.2006, p. 46

This concept is very close to some of the four  aggregates in Buddhism which says my self is not in control of my body because I cannot ultimately cause good or prevent bad from happening to it; and the self is not in control of our perceptions, thinking or our feelings based on the same arguement.  To be attached to our thoughts, feelings or sensations ultimately causes suffering due to impermanence. Why Buddhism is True, Robert Wright, 2017.

Given that the self and ego are defined the same, we can see the conditioning that we learned: to be preoccupied with our ego identifications. These identifications can become the cause of much self-imposed suffering as the impermanence of life ushers in losses in our thinking, sensation, and feeling attachments.  An example of this is when we become elderly, ill and lose faculties that we relied on to navigate the world; we lose our reliable mind, body and feeling sensitivities.   As a consequence of this process, we learn that we are not in control of what we experience, especially when we are invested heavily in certain outcomes have a reputation to protect, have people to please and have a life to live successfully.

Probably the most profound and esoteric part of Astrological Psychology is that it imparts the existential meaning to the horoscope and explores the meaning of the central area of the chart as an important step in self-discovery through detachment. As seen in the featured image, the central core is defined as the inner being, the source, the soul.  The central core is the source of basic spiritual, psychic energies, tuned to the universe and unique to the individual experiences. When we are able to stand back and imagine we visualize the planets in the horoscope printout as seen from the center, we see the whole aspect structure.   It may seem paradoxical that we would learn all the assets and liabilities of our horoscope and then reach a point where we actively transcend these personality characteristics.  But yes after we learn about out charts,  we purposely practice dis-identification with our horoscope and this process makes us as owner of the horoscope, an observer.  When one makes contact with the center of the chart , then through meditation one can ideally experience a sense of calm, inner peace and joy.  The exercise of dis-identification asks  ‘Who are you?’  And from the center of pure consciousness you are  not your body, not your mind, and not your feelings but a center of pure consciousness.  Astrological Psychology, The Huber Method editor Barry Hopewell. 2017. pps. 38 and 47 .

I have known for about 30 years that my conscious will based on my thinking is not entirely in control of what endeavors I choose to pursue and their outcomes.   I have the illusion of control but in the end, there are always some unintended consequences or outcomes that I have no control over.  This insight that I am not in control of my conscious mind, comes from my dreamwork.

In my dreamwork I have been aware that Age Point aspects and the day’s events and associations feed into a person’s personal unconscious to affect dream content.  Dreams actively and passively stimulate complexes in the personal unconscious through the archetype of the Self (Jungian term) or the Central Core in Astrological Psychology.  A complex is an emotionally charged group of ideas or images.  At the center of the complex is an archetypal image which contains elements of polar opposites, e.g.  masculine/feminine; strong/weak; assertive/submissive, etc.  Based on the days events and Age Point aspects, one of these archetypal  images from the pair gains valency and is split off making the dreamer’s identity change based on the image that then gets amalgamated with her ego identity.  Thus the ego identity of the dreamer is not fixed and can be changed by a dream image acting on it.  In the end the conscious ego of the dreamer is not in control of even her own perception of her identity.  And this whole process starts deep inside our unconscious and generates dream images  that changes our sense of who we think we are- our identity when we awaken.  We carry that identity as a mood throughout our day.  And the process continues day by day, week by week, year by year. Life Passages, When Age Point Aspects and Dreams Coincide, by John D. Grove, 2017, p. 70

Do you see the connection between Buddhism, Astrological Psychology and Psychosynthesis?  They all involve a process of existential detachment from the components of the personality that are made of feelings, thoughts, perceptions and sensations.  So then the issue of being in control of what we think and who we feel we are becomes an open question.  This has ramifications and provides a rationale for actively transcending the limits of our thinking, feeling, perceiving and sensing.  We  can pursue this goal through meditation and experience a unified consciousness with detachment yet still have a presence in the world.

 

That fateful meeting between Trump and Kim Jong un

June 12, 2018 will be a day of negotiations between Donald J. Trump (DJT) and his team vs. the North Korean delegation in Singapore.  I am nervous as I consider that the fate of our country to be in the hands of such a leader as Donald j. Trump.  Having considered how he tries to make unilateral decisions above his team’s logical thinking, he may in fact over-rule members of his own team and we don’t know what to expect.

In assessing the possible outcomes of this crucial negotiation, I have just analyzed Trump’s personality from a number of angles.  There are several Huber methods I employed to discern the possible outcome of these talks.  First DJT has an ambivalence triangle aspect pattern in his natal chart which indicates exaggeration of expectations (Jupiter) when he encounters others with a pushy style to over-ride the feeling values (Sun opposed Moon) of others.    Then he uses his cheerleading megaphone aspect pattern to listen and then ensure that his own ideal security interests shall prevail by manipulating emotions of his enemies by promises that appeal to the personal wishes of Kim Jong-un.

Second, the Integration chart in the Huber method combines the ego planets: Moon, Sun and Saturn in both the Natal and Nodal charts and looks at 6 aspects that may occur among these ego planets.  The axis emphasis of aspects in these charts emphasize Trumps preoccupation with being pushy, interested in his power and his self-assurance about his status as a ‘deal maker’.  Yet his success may be undermined by his personality traits of being unpredictable in achievement of his ambitions. (linear aspect figure)

Third, there is a Moon Node horoscope in the Huber method.  This horoscope represents the shadow side of the person and represents his desire nature based on cumulative past lives.  DJT’s hidden and unconscious wants are to have him rule in his encounters with others having no accountability to tradition, common sense or other collective values. (upper half – the conscious half emphasis) Donald J. Trump determines decisions for others in intrusive ways because he sincerely feels a need to solve their problems. Unfortunately, this unilateral way of negotiation does not work as his positions are not readily accepted by his opponents out of hand.  DJT’s insecurity is caused by fears of making bad deals which he feels will threaten his protective and conservative interests.  So, we may expect that Donald J. Trump will intrude in a very personal way on the feelings of Kim Jong-un ; he may build him up as a great leader and massage his ego.  In a very charming way, he may overpromise just to get a deal.

Fourth, Age Point progressions play a developmental role in Huber Astrology.  The point takes 6 years to transit one sign and 72 years to make a full revolution to the point at which it started at birth. The Age Point progression indicates that on Trump’s upcoming 72nd birthday (June 14,2018) indicating the start of  a second childhood. His Age Point is on the cardinal cusp of the Ascendant which can indicate he wants this deal to be historical and a unique experience that has never been done before.  His inflated ego prematurely asserts claims of a victorious and successful outcome which will not accept failure and rejection at any cost.  Therefore, he can be desperate to win and disparages any who would oppose his making the deal of the century.  He is awaiting the euphoric outcome of a world-renowned agreement never done before.

Fifth, transits point to an ambivalence within his character about working so hard to make concessions to his enemies so that Trump can become irritated and overworked leading to exhaustion when trying to find common ground.  This could lead to outbursts and flares of anger and then giving away his power to his opponents as a concession or  the breaking down of talks all together and Trump walking out.   (The Irritation triangle formed by transit between transiting Sun conjunct Node and Pluto quincunx Node, semi-square the South Node is highlighting his ambivalence triangle)

Later after these negotiations are completed (December), Trump may realize that the outcome of these talks were  unsatisfactory and unacceptable.  He may want to force more talks to refine the outcomes to be more in line with his values because upon reflection he may be shocked at what he gave away (denuclearization of North Korea).  (Nodal age point conjunct Uranus)

References:

Aspect Pattern Astrology. Huber, Louise and Bruno, Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK,2005

Transformation, Huber, Bruno and Louise, Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2008

Moon Node Astrology, Huber, Bruno and Louise, Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK 2005

Life Clock, Huber, Bruno and Louise, Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2006

Astrological Psychology, Hopewell ed.  Hopewell Publishing, Knutsford, UK, 2017

Trump and Kim