Astrological Psychology and Asklepios Connection

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

The animus  has been associated an unconscious complex in  female psychology  according C.G. Jung’s pschoanalytic model  (Hall, James A. The Jungian Experience, 1986 p.36).  The Sun in the Huber method is symbolic of the will and is an ego planet.  It can be a conscious structure that mediates between the inner world and reality (of relationships) (Huber, Louise and Bruno, The Planets, 1006, p.34).  In the personal sphere of relationships, the animus can be cold, nonpersonal and take a general nature of critical remarks made to others with whom the person is emotionally close. (The Jungian Experience, Hall, James, p. 81). The animus in a woman can subvert the intentions of the Sun  ego and undermine relationships by it subtle emotional distancing.

In the Huber method, the Sun in the radix represents  “a consciousness in which we stick to our own thoughts, convictions and opinions… The thinking self therefore has the power to discriminate, judge, react clearly and lucidly to the world with greater self-confidence, as a real I-entity taking full responsibility for its actions.”( Huber, Louise and Bruno, The Planets, 2006 p. 34).  The animus as an unconscious structure can interact with the ego in negative ways and thus create conflicts in relationships.  The aspects to the Sun, its position in the natal chart and it’s sign can give hints to the way in which the animus can contaminate the ego without our being able to stop it.

In the natal chart the Sun represents her relationship with the father.  The father historically in a female’s life represents the first male she has an intimate relationship with growing up. The archetype of the father is reflected in many possible manifestations of the real father: an invisible father or present force, disengaged or  involved, (in)dependent, an authority,  a monster or hero , a warrior or tyrant.

“The Sun’s position provides useful psychological information about the father.  It shows how we live the masculine paternal principle and can realise it with ourselves…The Sun’s position usually tells us something about our real father.  If weak we too lack self confidence and are afraid to assert our will and frequently suffer from low self esteem.”(Huber, Louise and Bruno, The Planets, 2006 p.34). Thus, aspects, position in the Houses and sign of the Sun  in the female’s chart can represent how she relates unconsciously not only to her biological father but also how her ego, her self awareness and confidence in her ego strengths is manifested in male relationships.

Most psychotherapies are designed to help clients build a healthy “executive function” of the ego through interventions to enhance cognitive strategies (Freud, Anna, The Ego and Mechanisms of Defense, 1936).  The ego then is perceived as the center of the psyche with ultimate say in the everyday functioning of life. For human development and realization of potentials for growth, it is necessary to have a healthy ego to survive.  But what happens if healthy ego development is hampered by factors which weaken it and subvert its role in personality development?  What our concern is here is the unconscious determinants at play in the psyche that create attitudes that reveal self-defeating behavior patterns that interfere with development and self-realization.  These unconscious attitudes are revealed by analyzing the position of the Sun in the natal, its aspects and sign and consequently, its relationship to the animus.

In the course of child development, the female’s relationship with her father is introjected or internalized and predisposes her to react/relate a certain way with the male friends, co-workers, etc… Early psychoanalysts in the 1900’s were limited in seeing woman as independent agents, with careers and autonomy.  Therefore, they did not believe women were equal to men.  This is an archaic model of women but as As Jung believed,

“In women Eros is an expression of their true nature- the need to create and relate. (As she uses Logos) she gives rise to misunderstandings and annoying interpretations in the family circle and among friends. The animus consists of opinions instead of reflections or assumptions that lay claim to absolute truth. “ (C.G. Jung, Aion, 1978 p. 14).

It is as if women when they use logic, they do it in an inferior fashion.  That is a disputable argument according to today’s competent women in CEO positions who use logic as well as any man.

For the purposes here, I am linking the concept of the animus and the Sun in the natal chart to the animus in woman’s psychology.  How a woman’s animus relevant to and associated with female autonomy and  creation of psychic predispositions or attitudes toward men?  Thus, an ever-evolving inner image from this paternal introject is morphed into unconscious attitudes and assumptions about the opposite sex.   These assumptions can play a role in her capacity to attract or repel certain types of men.  Men, that resemble in certain ways the father figure in the woman can be projections and are further understood by examining the Sun in the woman’s natal chart.

This inner image of the male inside the feminine psyche creates a changing symbol which can develop through the life cycle.  At earliest stages during the teen years, it can be projected as “love” of the hero, the warrior, the muscle man- tall, dark and handsome, emphasizing physical characteristics.  As as the female matures so can her inner image of the animus as she can “love” the magician, the professor, the spiritual guru, the master.  If she matures with the help of more positive experiences with love ‘objects’ (House chart, The Huber Method); she may learn to have insight into her visual image projections of what a man represents to her.  She can learn to recognize these images as her male side- the animus.   Many spiritual guides are females who have evolved a mature animus which with a well-developed ego and an awareness of their animus projections.  She can bring loving and healing support to others. In this case she has transcended her assumptions of males and owns her animus as part of a relational subpersonality.  But in cases where the animus ‘possesses’ their hosts with negative assumptions, she may have destructive patterns in her life.  Jung identified animus possessions as autonomous complexes or as Assagioli calls them sub-personalities (Psychosynthesis: the elements and beyond, Parfitt, Will p. 220) which are in part identity and relational structures in the psyche. (Hall, James, The Jungian Experience, Analysis and Individuation,1986 p. 36; )  If you can imagine a mental state in which a woman is calculating-  her thinking, filled with malice and intrigue  that gets her into a state that she even wishes the death of others to achieve her own ends; then her wants are subservient to a subpersonality.   Thus, she identifies with her inner image, externalized; she is possessed by a negative animus or sub-personality.  As this image is projected, not internalized and made conscious as part of her own psychic ego state; and if this process is unconscious, then she does not realize that the  male opponents she attracts and perceives, have been created out of her own unawareness.

If her male experiences traumatize a young woman and are negative, this inner image can congeal into images of a robber, thief or monster that is projected on men and result into outward hatred of men. Consider our case study Cynthia Burbank who had a negative animus possession.

Cynthia had a difficult childhood full of traumas.  The sudden death of her mother created an inner child experience that compounded her awareness that she lacked protection from the nurturer.   Saturn is stressed right before the 1^st house which indicates her holding back with restraint ‘fear to be born’ which is ripe for ego battles in encounters accompanied by fear of failure. (The Planets, Huber,p 232). Pluto is stressed before the MC and exaggerates the ego powers to create a better world; when she witnessed her father beating her sister, she was probably wanting to intervene and stop her father.  She could not help her sister let alone herself.   The MOON is at the Low Point(LP) of the 3^rd House and her Sun is unaspected at the LP of the 2^nd house conjunct an unaspected Node.  These indicate that she is not capable of expressing her will outwardly and she may develop as a person by following others if she hoped to build self- worth.  But how could she follow others, if she cannot trust that she will be safe and secure?   Thus she may have felt she had to keep a partner as a codependent having the delusion that she could control his angry moods even when her husband treated her badly (Node in 2^nd house and South Node in the 8^th house).  Co-dependency issues for men and women can create a dynamic where the relationship is bound by efforts by the codependent to change their partner and with the consequences that he/she neglects their own development.

Cynthia’s unconscious attitude and image of a male partner manifested in a partner is symbolized by the metaphor of “Bluebeard, who secretly kills all his wives in a hidden chamber. “ (M. Von Frantz, Man and His Symbols, 1964).  How could she feel secure and love such a man?  Since this image was projected outward in the form of her husband who robbed her many times, she may have tried to reform him as many co-dependents do.    But since Cynthia’s animus was bound with a man who was a criminal, who raped her and who beat her in a blind fury whenever the mood struck him; she was engaged with a narcissistic emotional manipulator who would not ever treat her fairly.(The Human Magnet Syndrome, p. 104, Rosenberg, Ross)   Her psychological set up and life experience attracted people, situations and events that  poisoned her relationship with men and further traumatized her.  She did not have the ego strengths to stand on her own and became a codependent with a narcissistic manipulator.  How could she but carry assumptions and opinions that all men were cruel, stupid and mean?   What was really happening was a self-fulfilling prophesy buried deep in the psyche, based on animus projection and possession.

What I want to show with the case of Cynthia is how a negative animus father- image which was reflected in her unaspected Sun and Node in her natal chart, may have contributed to  a life pattern of self-imprisonment. And how eventually through therapy, her life was turned around.

Cynthia’s  Sun and Node was unaspected in the  low point (LP) of the 2^nd house. Cynthia’s Sun, “act(ed) independently and often unconsciously…and (was) not integrated into her chart as a whole and therefore, not a fully integrated part of the personality. (Hopewell, Joyce and Llewelyn, Richard.  The Cosmic Egg Timer,2004 p. 69) . Cynthia would project her negative inner male onto others and see them as controlling her.  With a stressed Saturn before the 1^st house and the Moon in a one way aspect to it, Cynthia’s was fearful of asserting herself due to excessive needs for protection and safety.  She was trapped in a battle within herself as she could not obtain the type of reciprocal relationship that would allow equality.   So she ended up being a victim of abuse.  The only solution was to fight her way out of power struggles with men to become a fully integrated being.    Consequently, after a series of abusive events in her relationship with her husband, she eventually stabbed him with a pair of scissors. And she ended up in jail.

Thus these introjections of the male animus started with the father reflected a self- fulfilling prophesy playing itself out in Cynthia’s  life.    Was she destined to live out such self-destructive patterns indefinitely?  Her therapy with the late Maureen Demot, a Jungian astrologer, helped turn her life around.  In 2000, her Age Point was in the 8^th house and opposed to her natal Sun.   This position creates crises in relationship where exercise of the will is the main feature.  Transits of Saturn square Saturn, Pluto conjunction of Venus helped tear down her false beliefs about the powerlessness of her life.   With Maureen’s guidance, Cynthia resolved the negative tape loops in her life and her inner animus image of the imprisoned male died away…she finally left her husband for good.  This process was difficult for her, she had to take responsibility for creating her own reality.  She eventually found that she had the potential to live a life that had no compulsions to control others and she was free from  the  vortex of bad relationships.

If you may have further questions on the Huber method of Astrological Psychology analysis described here contact me Grovej85@gmail.com.

Iran has a land surface seventy nine times that of Israel’s.  Its Revolutionary Guard is larger than Israeli’s Defense Force.  Although most Irani people support the Shiites (followers of Ali), they continue to support the Palestinians, eighty-five percent are Sunni Muslims.  During the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran recognized Israel but through the 1979 Revolution, they became militant Islamic supporters.  In Yemen, the Houthis are Shiite Muslims and Iran has a proxy war there aginst Saudi Arabia and the United States.

On July 26, 2019 Iran tested a mid range Shahab-3 missle capable of a nuclear bomb payload with a range of 1000 kilometers in defiance of US’s extreme pressure campaign to force them to the negociating table.  In spite of crippling sanctions by the US, Iran continues to fund military arms through Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel.  This policy is unpopular with its own citizens who feel the economic burden of sanctions and see money wasted on this Palestinian cause.  How are the Islamic Revolutionary leaders allowing this pattern of support to continue?  One can see that hatred toward the US and Israel is the cause.  Below I will give some context to this assertion.

Astrologically, the transit of Uranus in Taurus  occured and was conjunct with the New Moon on the 13 th of May, 2018.  This meant a new cycle of manifestation (Sun) and emotional support (Moon) had begun to  occur as the Moon/Sun relationship hit a square, and then an opposition on the Full Moon on 28 of May 2018 crytallized this relationship. Also coinciding with the New Moon and crescent of the Moon was the holy month of Ramadan in 2018.  This is a time in the Islamic lunar calendar in which there is fasting during the day and feasts and devotions during the night.  Ramadan month focuses the believer on the meaning of being a Muslim  by adhering to the 5 pillars of Islam.  The Hajj or pilgrimage to a holy site such as Jerulsalem is one of the 5 pillars of Islam.  In Jerusalem is one of the holiest Mosques called Dome of the Rock in which  it is believed that the prophet Mohamed ascended into heaven.  It is the 3rd holiest shrine in the Muslim faith.  The manifestation of the month of sacrifices to Islam during the month of Ramadan coincided with the May 14, 2018  dedication to move of the US embassy to Jerusalem and was bound to sew more extreme reactions from the Palestinians…and other Muslim countries including Iran which had a recent history of hatred of the US and Israel.

During the celebration of the dedication  on the part to the United States to move its embassy in Jerulsalem from Tel Aviv on May 14,2018, there was a uprising among the Palestinians who live in the Gaza strip. That is because it was 70 years since Israel was founded but also 70 years since the cleansing of the Palestinian villages that occurred the same time Israel was founded.  Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian negociator was saying the move of the embassy without any reciprical move for establishing a Palestinian state only demonstrates America’s resolve to violate international law in the following:
“The US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and now to move its embassy on the eve of marking 70 years since the Nakba (the ethnic cleansing of at least 418 Palestinian villages) and the forcible displacement of two-thirds of our people, shows the determination of the US administration to violate international law, destroy the two-state solution and provoke the feelings of the Palestinian people, as well as of all Arabs, Muslims and Christians around the globe,” Erekat said in a statement.

Many events started by the USA beginning on May 14, 2018 were an ominous foreboding of more conflict to come:  the start of Ramadan; the celebration of the move of the US embassy; and the anniversary of Nakba, the catastrophe, in which 700,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes in 1948.  Palestinians have been longing for a two state solution and the right of return to their homeland since the Nakba. In the bold face of this wish, White House Innovation Director Jared Kushner had come up with a plan, Peace for Prosperity economic workshop in June 2019 in Bahrain which advocated not for a Palestinian state but to “broker” a deal to end the conflict.  “The goal was to shore up Palestinian and Arab support for  for a political plan which aims to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by promising billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure, education and tourism in the Palestinian terrorities, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon.” (Foreigh Policy Reseach Institute)  Still unsetteled, are the chronic housing issues for Palestinians.  Israel had uprooted housing of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem again on Monday, July 22,2019.  Then the  US blocked a UN rebuke of Israeli demolition of these Palestinian homes with the promise that the Peace for Prosperity Plan,  a 60 page report, will be released soon by Donald Trump.  Palestinian parties were requested to have patience.  This Peace for Prosperity plan by United States provoked the Palestinians because it did not include any of their representatives mainly due to their boycott of the Trump administration since the the December 2017 decsion to move th US Embassy to Jerusalem; in addition the plan omits a 2 state solution which breaks with decades of US policy and international consensus and omits Palesinian self-detrmination and the right of return that had been US foreign policy .  No Israeli diplomats attended this meeting either.

This Palestinian cause for right of return had been historically funded and social services delivered to Palestinians as well as war with Israel by Hamas,  seen as a terrorist organization by the US and most of its allies.  Hamas is Iran funded and is considered to use violent means to establish a two state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.  Hamas was considered by the US to be behind the protests on Gaza on May 14,2018 in which 55 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers.  But the Palestinian authority denied that Hamas was responsible for the uprising because  it was the Palestinians alone who demonstrated, desperate to bring international attention to the fact that their right of return would never happen. Support from  Hezbollah provides weapons for Islamic Jihad through ports of entry in Lebanon; funding comes from Iran.  The (UNRWA) United Nations Relief and Works Agency donors on June 26, 2019 raised 110 million USD at a conference for Palestnian refugees to cover costs for the coming months and avoid a budget crisis.  These meetings coincided with the Peace for Prosperity economic conference.  Rebuffed and slashed of US funding, the UNRWA relies on about 40 countries to help the Palestinians as refugees.  Thus competing efforts to resolve the Palestinian crisis has resulted in the US and Israel wanting to dismantle the UNRWA.  Meanwhile under the cover of secret deals, Iran is sponsoring efforts to enrich Uraniam once more if they cannot broker a deal to relieve crippeling sanctions. The Trump administraton is not positioning themselves to actively negociate with Iran just as no one really feels that a two state solutions of Israel and Palestine could occur.

In the study of astrology, countries of the world are symbolized by certain signs.  February 11,1979 is celebrated as Iran Revolution day when the Shah of Iran’s reign collapsed. Iran has historically been symbolized by Aquarius.   Its has a Leo Ascendant and Taurus Midheaven (MC).  If one goes to Persopolis as I did in 1974, one sees the bas- relief of a lion slaying a bull on the invocational temple of Persepolis built by Darius I in 500 BC.  It has 500 stone columns and 2500 years ago it was a priestly temple where the significance is explained by the following:

” the symbol of the sun slaying the bull, besides representing the two essentials in agriculture , sun and rain, is one of the earliest  astronomical myths and pershaps the most important… the fusion of the animal forms into a unified symbol, a symplegma, is found on seals.  It represents the moment when the constellations Leo and Taurus are at their Zenith, conincident with the Sun at the same point, conincides with the spring equinox, March 21 or Naw Ruz, the signal for spring plowing” (Arthur Upham Pope, p. 24 Persian Architecture. 1969, The Asia Institute, p. 24).

In a nutshell we can see  how the constellations and zodiac signs functioned for the ancients in that they were significators by the priestly class to determine the division of time.  Even as far back as 530 BCE , the ancients were using atrological data as a biological time clock to determine their activities in agricultural settings (i.e. planting and reaping).

Countries of the world have sign rulers and Iran’s sign ruler is the Aquarius, ruled by Uranus.  Uranus transited the Taurus constellation  (MC of Iran) at this time 2/11/1979@ 5:25pm in Tehran after the sun set and the last salah or night prayer could begin. The archetype of Uranus is symbolized by the “principle of change, rebellion, freedom, liberation, reform, revolution, and the unexpected break up of structures; with sudden surprises, revelations and awakenings, lightening-like flashes of insight, the acceleration of thoughts and events, Uranus transits are linked to unpredictable  and disruptive changes; “(Cosmos and Psyche.2007,  Richard Tarnas, p. 92).  I could not predict events but would correlate the country of Iran as escalating the Arab- Israeli conflict in Jerusalem on into the whole transit cycle of Uranus in Taurus which will end in  July 2025 .

Perhaps Iran will continue to be a major player heating up sympathy for the Palestinian cause throughout the Muslim world.  With the moon cycle as it became full by May 28, 2018 it symbolized the ongoing ego-based emtional needs for sympathy and caring linked to the Palestinian peoples’ plight.  The Moon and the star are signals on the flags of many Muslim countries and is the symbol of Islam.  Sky Gods are represented by a star.  I look for possible rebellion as Uranus continues its transit in Taurus, among Islamic states, in response to the plight of the Palestinians- led mostly by Iran.

Contact me for any questions. I would love to hear your comments which can be posted on my website

 

Edgar Cayce believed that astrological influences show how the soul is connected to the planets.   (Akashic Records, Todeschi, p. 44).  You are “born at such a time in a certain place into the earth- surrounded by planets- at a time and place which materially represents who we are at a soul level.”  The study of astrology could give an individual a fairly accurate indication of qualities, traits, opportunities and challenges that he/she came in with-some of the same information that is available from the Akashic Records’ (Ibid. p. 45.)

The Akashic Record or Book of Life comes from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘boundless space”  and is equated with the central storehouse of all information for every individual.  These records are a collective thing found in the etheric body of the planet earth.

The soul can be that immutable part of us that is not dependent on life-death.  The soul has a primary motivation for love and service, so if we do not develop these traits and downplay the ego, we may not find our soul.  The soul represents the transpersonal experience of ‘beingness’ which is expressed in the realization of what is known as the Soul Ray. (Psychosynthesis the elements and beyond, Parfitt, p. 246).

According to Bruno Huber Astrological Psychologist the Causal body is constantly exchanging information with the Akashic Records and through clairvoyance and dreams, etc. ; we can ‘read’ when we want to see a person’s past or future.  (The Seven Rays, Huber, p. 8).  “Every life that a person lives is processed on the causal plane; the essence of that life is extracted and stored there as experience.  The content of the causal body (see figure 1.1) can be represented at the end of life by a certain geometric figure.”  It is Planetary aspect patterns and colors of aspects (red, green and/or blue)  that determine the quality of a person’s soul ray.  The planetary patterns can create a unique , physical astrological representation of state of the soul, ultimately and spiritually.   The soul is not incarnate, it is a pure entity of consciousness and on its own level.  Bruno Huber gives a formula for finding one’s Soul ray which helps one see how the soul is mirrored in the causal body from the Akashic record or Book of Life, the individual Soul Ray (The Seven Rays, Huber, p. 68).

Further the Moon Node Chart in Astrological Psychology reflects memory traces of previous lives situated in indeterminate time and space.  Thus contemplation on the images of these memories which could create fear and obstacles to growth in the present life; can by a process of disidentification free one of guilt and disability , restoring and proactively transforming the personality.  (Astrological Psychology, Western Esotericism and the Transpersonal, Lewis, p. 94).

Preface

I was very pleased to be asked to write the preface to Life Passages, in which John Grove synthesizes age progression through the twelve houses of the horoscope—the method devised by Bruno and Louise Huber—with the eight stages of psycho-social development identified by Erik Erikson—the German-born, American psychotherapist who coined the phrase, ‘identity crisis’—and he applies these methods to the processing of personal material that arises from within at strategic times of change accompanied by vivid dreams. John is a psychotherapist with extensive experience of working with veterans and interpreting dreams, who has a Diploma of the Astrological Psychology Association and is ideally qualified to write this sequel to his earlier work, Dreams and Astrological Psychology: The Way through the Maze of the Unconscious. Time Passages is a more tightly constructed volume that concentrates on establishing connections between the Life Clock of astrological psychology, developmental psychological profiles, and dreams that represent a turning point in the lives of individuals. A selection of revealing case studies illustrates John’s findings.

The quest to identify correspondences between astrological significators and dreams has a long history, dating back to classical and biblical eras. Notably, the Renaissance astrologer Girolamo Cardano kept a dream diary on which the psychotherapist C G Jung gave a series of lectures in the 1930s. Cardano’s dreams stimulated him intellectually, and he looked for clues to understanding the immediate future, so he took a different perspective from Jung, Huber, and Grove, who use astrological and dream interpretation to guide the individual towards wholeness and strength.

The Huber Life Clock adds all-important timing to events in the outer and inner lives of individuals. Its location in house and sign, and its relationship to specific planets can help client and counsellor to make sense of images that emerge in dreams at pivotal moments, and connect them with the motivational patterns shown on an accurately drawn astrological chart. As well as being rooted in esoteric wisdom and attuned to the hermetic maxim ‘as above, so below’, astrological psychology’s birth chart is a precise psychological map, and its method is assimilated with the psychosynthesis of Roberto Assagioli, as reiterated by Louise Huber in her interview with Verena Bachmann (2003). This volume emphasizes the importance of using visual and symbolic language to develop a healthy ego in preparation for the spiritual path, and images that arise from the unconscious in dreams can be assimilated into consciousness with the help of astrological interpretation.

Following the Introduction, Chapter 1 presents the seventy-two-year cycle of the Life Clock with its loud and soft phases and rhythms, together with psycho-social tasks from infancy to late adulthood. Notwithstanding the acknowledged need to revise Erikson’s dated definitions of sexual identity in a contemporary context, overall the combined framework of reference stands up well. This first chapter culminates with an analysis of an important dream the author had at the age of 24, just after his age point entered the fifth house. At this time, he finally left behind the security of the family home and took a challenging job overseas.  John is at his very best when illustrating his points with case histories, and giving honest portrayals of himself and those who are willing to share their experience with a wider public.

Chapter 2 takes a closer look at life tasks, and emphasizes how necessary it is to differentiate between wants, desires, and self-gratification on the one hand, and what one actually needs to do to develop a healthy ego on the other. The threefold personality of Huber astrology and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs provide helpful tools for working in a supportive therapeutic environment. Tensions between inherited behaviour traits and environmental pressure are explored in some depth, with a couple of illustrative case histories, testing the ego as it strengthens and prepares for initiation.

In Chapter 3, the focus is on dream patterns, how to create the right environment for capturing dreams, and how to assimilate such ephemeral material from unknown worlds into waking consciousness. This sets the scene for the six case histories of dreams at critical moments in life, featured in Chapter 4.

The final chapter sums up the advantages of using the Huber method of astrological consultation with dream interpretation to achieve personal integrity and psychosynthesis, preparing the way for a spiritual path, a perspective on life supported by astrological interpretation that I fully endorse.

Sue Lewis, MA (Western Esotericism), DipAPI, DFAstrolS

7 April 2017

John D. Grove has been a practicing psychotherapist for 40 years and an astrologer since 1972. With his years of experience of combining psychology principles and astrology, in Life Passages John uses the horoscope as a tool for psycho-spiritual insights. Bruno and Louise Huber’s seventy two phases of psychological development are compared to Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Man to demonstrate the Life Clock’s validity. John provides volunteer’s dreams which synchroinize with Age Point Progression in contact with sensitive points in the horoscope. He asserts that environmental life events can trigger dreams which can impact dreamer’s attitudes creating profound identity changes supporting growth. He provides techniques for dream incubation, recall and journaling of daily events that go with dreams amplification.
John D. GroveLife Passages
Life Passages
John D. Grove
When Age Point Aspects and Dreams Coincide