Power and the Collective

Pluto in Leo—We get what we need

 by Henny Rückert and Suzanne Duarte

 

M51 Cosmic Whirlpool

 

Published originally in THE MOUNTAIN ASTROLOGER (December/January 2005). It was posted on the Astrology Weekly web site, in the Astrology Forum, on December 4, 2005, with permission.

 

Note: Henny Rückert is the author of “Power and the Collective” in German.   Suzanne Duarte enriched the English translation for American readers, restructured the article and edited it in its present form.

Since the United States is the world’s most powerful nation at present, the president of the U.S. is the world’s most powerful man and thus personifies the average consciousness of the entire collective. In this instance, the “collective” is not restricted solely to American citizens but includes the entire human species during a time of unusual crises and challenges.

What did the two most recent U.S. presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, reflect to the world, and what did the world reflect back to them? At this time in history, we the people are taking a big step. During the Taurus Full Moon in 2000, the Earth received a tremendous surge of power that accelerated our evolutionary development.1  The peaceful time with Bill Clinton had allowed the incorporation of certain elements within the collective, including the experience of smart, fast-paced, confident power. Through the media, everybody in the world became aware of the potential for that kind of power. Since we all experienced what that was like, then we also had to learn how that kind of power manifests in us and through us and is projected into the world. So, we got George W. Bush, who showed us the other side.

Never before have we been able to see so clearly what is behind the curtain of power — what is behind and within the machinations of politics. Now we can recognize the shadow of political power, and that shadow mirrors our own shadow. The power behind Bush’s actions belongs to this shadow, and everybody can now see it on display. Whatever we don’t want to see in Bush’s use of power is what we don’t want to face in ourselves.

Seeing the shadow of power has forced us to realize our own power; each of us has to stand on our own two feet and be accountable for our words and actions. The more responsible we become, the more conscious we will be of how we use our power, how to use it positively for our evolution, and how to work with our own shadow for the sake of the greater whole.

The current planetary energies are enabling us to expose and dispel these shadows. Pluto in Sagittarius, Uranus in Pisces, Neptune in Aquarius, and also, at the moment [January 2005] Saturn in Cancer. But first, we need to understand the generational influences under which the American presidents and other national leaders were born. Any power holder who was born between 1938 and 1957 has natal Pluto in Leo. Most of the contenders for power in the United States also share the generational influences of other outer planets. After considering what this means, we will contemplate the current transits that are having an impact on the leaders among this generation and affecting the evolution of the collective.

 

The Generational Imprint of  Pluto in Leo

How can we recognize a generational group within our society? When we turn to astrology to identify and understand an entire generation, we look for strong influences that are activated by the transpersonal planets (Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus) and by Saturn, the integrator of the six personal planets, during their passage through the zodiac.

Fundamentally, Pluto indicates the transformational energy, power (and impotence) of the collective. Pluto also represents the collective itself. Thus, Pluto signifies the thoughts and opinions of a particular generation that is demarcated by the sign that Pluto occupied at their birth.

 

Pluto in Leo

If we assume that Pluto impels transformations that correspond to the zodiacal sign, then the task for members of the Pluto-in-Leo generation (who are now between the ages of 47 and 66) is to become conscious of their own power during the course of their lives — because Pluto in Leo could be understood as “the power of the individual.”

Let’s look at the course followed by Pluto in Leo from 1938 to 1957. This was the era of the Second World War, which began in 1938 and ended in April 1945. At the end of WWII, President Harry Truman held power in the United States. Delegates from 51 countries met in London on January 10, 1946 for the first full assembly of the United Nations. The U.N.’s mandate was to put the peace plan into practice and provide a peacekeeping forum for the peoples of the world. The Nuremberg Trials were concluded in Germany, and the effects of the “de-Nazification laws” began to make themselves felt.

On the collective level, Pluto’s influence brings trauma, transformation, and renewal in the field of power, with a correspondingly profound effect on society. After WWII ended, the Cold War began as a result of the failure of negotiations to control nuclear proliferation, and the image of Communism as “the enemy” was cultivated, not only in the U.S. but throughout the Western world. The Chinese populace passively suffered the harsh measures imposed by Chairman Mao Tse-tung. This culminated in the “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution,” which ruthlessly suppressed its opponents. Students and young people between the ages of 18 and 23 were the scapegoats of this rebellion.

Pluto’s entire passage through Leo was characterized by power politics in the hands of charismatic leaders who wielded dictatorial control. Roughly between 1946 and 1950, power was visibly concentrated in the hands of an elite. The heroic figures within this elite played an important and formative role for the national psyche in all countries. According to the imprint of Pluto in Leo, members of George W. Bush’s generation have to express themselves uncompromisingly through the firmness of their personal convictions and principles. People in this generation who are born with the talent to lead others would not be willing to allow themselves to be ordered about by “authority figures.” In fact, egotism and self-aggrandizement have characterized many leaders of this generation since their coming of age.

However, people born with Pluto in Leo are not immune to crises of identity. Such crises typically beset them either through childhood events or love affairs. These people tend to experience radical changes that compel them to redefine their life goals and their attitudes toward personal power.

From a practical standpoint, this means that, when Pluto-in-Leo people set out to develop new projects, they should begin by asking themselves: How does this project benefit or serve humanity? Will my work reach the masses? Only if these people meet the needs of the collective can they expect to receive long-lasting energetic support for their efforts; otherwise, they would receive only short-term recognition.

Uranus in Gemini

The transformations of our era are not solely determined by the energy and power of Pluto. Pluto is equally supported by the energy of Uranus, which tends to overthrow existing structures. Uranus was in Gemini from 1942 to 1949. People who were born during this interval are now between the ages of 55 and 62. Many eccentric ideas of the people of this age group will surely never be put into practice; we’re still coping with the consequences of some of the ideas they were able to manifest, such as aspects of biotechnology, nanotechnology, neoliberalism, and neoconservatism.

When Uranus is in Gemini, it’s as though a lively breeze is continually blowing. Via Mercury, airy Gemini conveys the joy to be found in interpersonal contacts, communication, and the sharing of ideas. Exchange, trade, negotiations, and contracts are all at home here. Electrifying Uranian breakthroughs and a tremendously inventive spirit characterize this transit. Between 1942 and 1949, aviators flew to new heights and achieved supersonic speeds for the first time; the atomic bomb, the photocopy machine, the transistor, and new medicines were invented or developed. Exciting innovations took place in the educational field. When the Uranus-in-Gemini generation came of age, advances in computer technology occurred at a breathtakingly fast pace, and the World Trade Organization was established.

The childhood and adolescence of people with Pluto in Leo were characterized by strong upheavals in their education, thanks to Uranus in Gemini as well as Pluto in Leo. It is interesting that when these people were between the ages of 20 and 25 (the focal year was 1968), they struggled to free themselves from dominant fathers or father figures. One consequence of this striving, for example, was the many conflicts between students and authorities at the universities. Many students joined movements supporting civil rights, feminism, and ecology. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, and Greenpeace began its activities in 1971. The youth of the Pluto-in-Leo/Uranus-in-Gemini generation asserted the power of the individual to challenge the status quo and make a difference in the world.

A new freedom (resting upon a foundation of greater collective freedom, at least in the West) underscored the development of the individual and made it possible for people to experiment with new structures and new ways of perceiving and understanding themselves. In this era, on January 1, 1967,

“Commune I” was founded in West Berlin to “revolutionize everyday life” and to put an end to the bourgeois relationship of dependency between men and women and between parents and children. The entire entertainment business became a new force that evoked the enthusiasm of the masses The cult musical Hair premiered in New York City on April 28, 1967. Its theme was a quest for new lifestyles, together with a radical protest against racism and the middle class. Protests against the Vietnam War were organized around the world.

Neptune in Libra

The third transpersonal planet to influence the Pluto-in-Leo generation is Neptune, which alters sensory awareness and brings new spiritual perceptions but also casts a veil over reality or truth: It’s the planet that dissolves separation and brings things together. Neptune was in Libra from 1778 to 1793, in the early years of the U.S., and again from 1942 to 1955. The generation of people now aged 49 to 62 were born under Neptune in Libra. Justice was the principal issue during this period. People had idealistic notions about equality under the law and equal rights for both genders. The media tended to exaggerate the value of relationship. At the same time, marriage as an institution was more likely to be undermined in public life. Pluto and Uranus strongly supported these tendencies. On the political level, there was a distinct emphasis on the balance of power, and opposing groups grotesquely distorted reality.

Neptune in Libra showed its positive side during the postwar negotiations in 1946, when a worldwide charity organization was formed in the U.S. The CARE program provided invaluable help to the people of West Germany. The remarkable generosity of the U.S. toward its former enemy can be attributed to the accentuation of Venus at this time, when Neptune was in Libra and Uranus was in Gemini. Venus is the ruler of Libra in classical astrology; in esoteric astrology, Venus rules Gemini, and Uranus rules Libra.2 Therefore, the influences of Libra and Gemini, as well as Venus and Uranus, were combined during this period. This produced a harmonious Venus chord, which brought former enemies together in a more human way.

Neptune’s highest aspect is truth. Its darkest shadows are lies, deceit, and concealment. We experience Neptune’s greatest difficulty in fog. These are the moments when we can neither see ahead nor retreat backward. The generation of people now in their fifties and early sixties is characterized by this Neptunian energy in Libra. Among its other characteristics, Libra is distinguished by diplomacy. If we add the quality of relationship, which is played out in the Libra arenas of money, law, and sexuality, then we can better understand the people who belong to this generation.

Those who have this collective influence tend to torture themselves with unrealistic ideas about love. Often, these notions are also associated with gigantic hopes of finding happiness in relationship. Many people have been fundamentally influenced by the dissolution of relationships in their own lives and those around them, so they need to redefine the importance of relationships. This is true for transactions of all sorts, including the political and financial worlds. Projections quickly become evident in both professional and private life. These projections typically lead to exaggerated expectations and profound disappointments.

All of these transpersonal influences form the background of the Pluto-in-Leo generation. But, of course, the individuals in this generation manifest their transpersonal planets in different ways, according to their particular house placements, aspects to other planets, and individual karma. And no planet reveals karma better than Saturn.

Saturn in Cancer

Saturn is the planet that criticizes, refuses, and restricts. It signifies challenges and brings up fear. In the natal horoscope, the aspects between the personal planets are integrated by Saturn’s influence (crises). Thus, Saturn teaches integrity. As the planet of karma, it brings reality checks and settles accounts. Through Saturn’s inexorable focus, we learn responsibility and accountability.

Saturn entered Cancer in June 2003 [and entered Leo in July 2005]. Saturn was also in Cancer from 1944 to 1946. Protection and security were the primary issues then — and are again today. Since the Sun of the U.S., the world’s most powerful country, is in Cancer, 3 all of us are experiencing tremendously strong pressures from this challenging transit and find ourselves confronted by the aforementioned issues. The mood is rather grim, and this dreariness is further exacerbated by the media’s focus on war, terrorism, and disease. From a global viewpoint, it looks as though the suffering on our planet far outweighs the joy. Poverty is increasing, even in affluent countries.

Saturn limits our mobility; it imposes more monitoring and control, greater discipline and obligations — and the realization that goals are sometimes impossible to attain. Relationships can be shattered not only on the personal level, but also on an international scale. The rubble created by irresponsibility needs to be cleared away, so that healthy, stable foundations (Saturn) can be laid, foundations upon which something new can be built. This is true for all of us.

In the past, people primarily turned to their families for support and security, but under the current economic system, families have been dispersed. Nowadays in the West, there are many loners, singles who feel vulnerable without a social network. With Saturn in Cancer, people will inevitably band together. The value of cooperation and community is being realized anew in the collective. Community provides solidarity and support — even if this security is temporary or illusory. All types of groups are continually forming around shared values and aspirations. The Saturnian influence in Cancer means one thing, above all else, for the Western world: more humility and less “going it alone.”

 

 

Current Transits

Where are the transpersonal planets now? And how do these transits affect the Pluto-in-Leo generation, as the current power holders, and the human need to evolve? Pluto is in Sagittarius (1995-2009), Uranus has recently moved from Aquarius into Pisces, and Neptune is in Aquarius. At the beginning of a transit through a new zodiacal sign, each slow-moving transpersonal planet seems at first to stimulate an attack on the positive qualities of that sign.

Pluto in Sagittarius

The sign of Sagittarius has to do with perceptions, worldviews, philosophies, systems of belief, religions and ideologies, higher education, international affairs, law, justice, and trust. There is a profound humanitarian and liberal impulse in Sagittarius. It is freedom-loving and nature-loving. Though Pluto incites struggles between cultures, this planet’s influence leads to a fundamental change of views, one way or another.

Sagittarius involves realization, in the spiritual sense of waking up from illusion, and Pluto compels us to see the bigger picture. Everything points toward a new view of the future, yet many are oppressed by the feeling that they have no future. This forces us to confront ourselves and prompts us to search for the meaning of life itself. This confrontation with ourselves leads us to reconsider our system of beliefs. Rather than seeking security outside ourselves, we begin to cultivate and trust the inner security that we had sought externally. We learn to have faith in ourselves. The stronger our self-confidence and inner security, the more clearly we understand that we ourselves are responsible for what happens in the world around us. This is the great opportunity of our era.

The current Pluto-in-Leo power holders have asked themselves: How powerful am I? This generation has fought hard for economic advantages, and the greater portion of this fight has been waged without consideration for others. The masses have suffered from ruthless, self-serving, materialistic competition. We have seen the unabashedly arrogant posturing (the shadow side of Pluto in Sagittarius) that the powerful use to impose their will upon the world. This arrogance shatters the confidence that people formerly placed in economic, political, and religious systems and institutions. Financial corruption of tremendous dimensions has been exposed, yet half the world’s people try to survive on roughly two dollars per day.

One the one hand, with Pluto in Sagittarius, some of the most brilliant impostors have been supported by the trine from Sagittarius to Leo. On the other hand, our collective eyes have been opened to what’s really going on in the world. We can see crises happening everywhere — whether they involve business, media, politics, wars, poverty, or the devastation of the natural environment. We can see that massive reforms are necessary and that these reforms will be carried out primarily by the members of the Pluto-in-Leo generation. Since the pressure created by these crises affects all human beings, we have to wonder whether we can trust those currently in power to bring about these reforms.

When the Pluto-in-Leo leaders reveal that they are acting purely from self-interest at the expense of the collective, this stimulates people to question the values and beliefs of the current materialistic system and to search for deeper values and beliefs that serve us all. We must ask ourselves: Who benefits from this materialistic system — all of us, or just a few? What do we believe in? Which system can we trust? What do we believe we can accomplish? How powerful are “we the people”?

If we can consciously experience ourselves as part of the collective, and if we can recognize the tremendous Pluto power that we actually possess (and the support we receive from far-seeing Sagittarius) — then we could begin to wield that power co-creatively and work toward healthy development on various levels in our communities and countries.

One of the symbols of Sagittarius is the Centaur, a conscious being with the head, arms, and torso of a human on the powerful body of a horse. So far, the majority of humanity seems to be behaving merely like horses, unconscious herd animals who are aware of neither their own “horsepower” nor their responsibility. And sometimes the herd behaves with at least a touch of Plutonian fanaticism. But at the same time, more and more people are sensing the potential for a paradigm change — an expanded worldview based on a renewed faith in human nature (Sagittarius). And more of us are beginning to realize that “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Change will not happen quickly enough if research and educational institutions (Sagittarian affairs) are left in the hands of the politicians, who are more beholden to moneyed interests than to the people. Ideally, education (especially of children) would become permeated by a more feminine, motherly influence, rather than being simply a preparation for a materialistic, male-oriented adult life. A wider involvement in all forms of the pursuit of knowledge will shape a future that benefits the greatest number. This includes thinking creatively and forming groups to implement necessary changes that politicians cannot ignore. Let’s follow the example of the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations).

Pluto in Sagittarius destroys dogmas that are the enemies of life and applies the pressure needed to create change. But if this energy is not applied creatively, then we experience repressive situations (shadow of Sagittarius) and fail to take the next step forward. The next step is to set out uncompromisingly to find one’s personal value system, inner security, and meaning in life, and this requires vision and adaptability (positive Sagittarius) rather than resistance to change.

The natural trine between Sagittarius and Leo adds the necessary fire for the Pluto-in-Leo generation to create a new life-affirming culture based on an expanded belief system and a vision of human goodness (Sagittarius). For example, the people of this generation have introduced the new cosmology, or “New Story of the Universe,” revealed by 20^th-century science, which will inevitably replace the 19^th-century worldview that current institutions are based upon. Others of the Pluto-in-Leo generation have dedicated a major portion of their lives to defining a new ecological worldview and laying the foundations for a culture of wisdom based on integrity and inclusiveness. These initiatives could never be expected from the current power holders but could only come from the collective or people acting on its behalf.

Uranus in Aquarius and Pisces

Now, unpredictable Uranus is inciting the people of the world to creative innovation. Like Pluto and Neptune, Uranus represents the interests of collective evolution. It awakens us through abrupt and unexpected events that disrupt our inertia so that new societal patterns can emerge.

Uranus in Aquarius brought tremendous social upheavals and renewal from 1912 through 1919 and again from 1996 until the end of 2003. The strong emphasis on international influences during the past several years transcended national self-righteousness in most countries. We can thank President G.W. Bush for accomplishing what no previous politician had accomplished: He created a single reality when 15 million people in nearly every country on Earth took to the streets to demonstrate for peace on February 15, 2003. On that day, the Sun was conjunct Uranus in Aquarius and trine Saturn in Gemini, which opposed Pluto and Mars in Sagittarius. Never before had humanity cried out so unanimously for peace.

Such an event is possible only with Uranus in Aquarius, with Neptune in the same sign, and Pluto in Sagittarius. Compassion came alive and nurtured a feeling of unity in the face of emergency: the need to demonstrate opposition to U.S. plans to invade Iraq. Borders between nations and barriers between people were overcome. The collective experienced itself and its strength as “The Second Superpower.” Through this, antiauthoritarian ideas again began to sprout in many people’s minds, and we became more acutely aware of human rights and the common destiny of all people.

In January 2004, Uranus moved fully into Pisces, where it will remain until 2011. It currently forms a square, a challenging aspect to the airy Gemini Uranus of the period from 1942 to 1949, an aspect that many members of the Pluto-in-Leo generation also share. Uranus in Pisces wants to put an end to old structures and sever our connections to old burdens. What’s involved here is the dissolution of the status quo and the demand for more humane treatment of the underprivileged. The Age of Pisces was characterized by authoritarianism. Uranus is singularly unimpressed by authorities. Uranus wants to oppose or abolish everything that belonged to the old Piscean order and to inaugurate new principles that harmonize with contemporary laws, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This will require a major reorientation of power within the Pluto-in-Leo generation. The transcendent energy of Uranus will reduce infringements against people’s freedoms and help us to move toward more humane ways of dealing with one another. Imperious behavior will be recognized as such and will no longer be tolerated. All authorities will be obliged to undergo profound change until Uranus enters Aries in 2011, when Pluto is in Capricorn. Until then, the collective will no doubt gain the right to have a say in the decision-making process

As we mentioned earlier, when a transpersonal planet enters a new zodiacal sign, it seems to first stimulate an attack on the positive qualities of that sign. So, what can we expect from Uranus in Pisces? Pisces is the sign of compassion and empathy, social adjustment, imagination, and hope. It also rules metaphysics, institutions, worldwide infections, drugs, hospitals, and chemical research projects. We can expect that we’ll first experience the shadow of Uranus in Pisces. One shadow manifestation may be baffling diseases whose causes and cures we’ll be challenged to discover. Until we learn to deal with such things, there will be much suffering. It won’t be easy to remove the social impediments to solving the mysteries of new diseases.

Pisces, ruled by Neptune, is also a very spiritual sign, the sign of mystics and martyrs. Terrorists determined to disrupt the lives of their perceived oppressors fall within the shadow of Uranus in Pisces. The Age of Pisces (authoritarianism) is coming to an end, and its denouement overlaps with the beginning of the Age of Aquarius (humanitarianism, universalism). Neptune is in Aquarius and Uranus is in Pisces (the planets are in each other’s signs), so there is a strong mutual reception between them. By 2012, when Neptune enters Pisces — and when Uranus in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn at the same time — we might see a great deal more mysticism and less martyrdom.

Furthermore, Pluto is the esoteric ruler of the sign of Pisces.4  As a result, the entire direction that humanity has taken thus far will be called into question, especially as it concerns material “progress.” Ecological themes are of the utmost importance from now on. This epoch is calling for a breakthrough in our attitudes toward our fellow humans and Earth as a whole. During its sojourn in Pisces, Uranus will put an end to unsustainable industrial practices, materialistic values, a mechanistic approach to life, and dogmatic systems and religions. The electrical pressure that Uranus exerts on our nervous systems not only brings an increase in spinal and bodily tension but can also enable us to overcome earthly limits, become clairvoyant, and open ourselves to receive information telepathically, in a way that we had previously thought impossible. The rare Venus transit, which passed across the Sun in Gemini in June 2004, may already have begun to stimulate our psychic abilities. By the time Venus makes its second pass over the Sun in June 2012, it could bring an entirely new kind of unity to our world.

Neptune in Aquarius

We’re beginning to experience this unity today, due to Neptune’s transit through Aquarius, which begin in 1998 and lasts into 2012. Humanitarian ideals will continue to trigger reforms and related social unrest. This is in accord with the New Age, an epoch when extreme solutions are sought, tested, quickly revoked, and exchanged for other attempts. We’ll no doubt have to face some disappointments. Despite it all, we in the collective will learn to more strongly emphasize the rights of the individual. The conflict in Afghanistan, ongoing hostilities between Palestine and Israel, the war in Iraq and its consequences: All of these bring us Westerners closer to the people of the East. We are discovering the importance of first taking a close look at a people’s way of life, culture, and rituals before we judge them, and try to impose our own ideas on them. Only after we see other cultures objectively can be begin to build bridges toward them. This is the meaning of Aquarius.

With Neptune in Aquarius supported by transiting Uranus in mutual reception in Pisces, the first step is in the individualization necessary for the development of autonomous thought. We are on the path toward this, even if it sometimes seems very difficult. The storms of change will compel us toward a new social orientation. In today’s world, many people feel lonely, alienated, and excluded. However, people also feel drawn toward spirituality, New Age ideas, progressive social organizations, or transcendental energies.5 Everything in this era has an experimental hallmark — unusual social surroundings and unconventional friends — or else it’s reflected in a cosmopolitan lifestyle.

Neptune in Aquarius stands in trine with Libra, in a sense “protecting” those born with Neptune in Libra. As long as this connection persists, many veiled actions by members of this generation are possible on all levels, personal to international (Neptune’s shadow is lies and concealment). But veiled actions can also be exposed within the collective (Neptune’s highest aspect is truth). The exposure of numerous corporate corruption scandals has hounded the Neptune-in-Libra generation.

Western society has allowed itself to be duped by this generation. For example, consider how we were seduced into buying “dot-com” stocks or supporting the invasion of Iraq, and the disillusionment suffered afterward by so many people. As though stumbling through dense fog, we experience veiling in the media and in news broadcasts that present us with images that have nothing to do with truth or reality (these are especially remote from reality when they’re supported by spurious scientific “proof”).

But lies in the media also help the collective to wake up and start looking for the truth. We need to learn to be skeptical about authorities and so-called experts and to se through deception. This is the time to do it. If not now, we’ll never learn. The mountain of lies has provoked the people to expose them and to ferret out the truth. This has occurred particularly through the “alternative media” movement and Internet networks (both Aquarian developments), which have strengthened our collective lust for truth and our solidarity with people in distant lands.

Neptune in Aquarius (until 2012) will offer us enormous potential for development, especially because Uranus will be passing through Pisces (Neptune’s sign) during this interval. Each of us will experience global interdependence in a very personal way. Compassion for others will obviously increase as we continue to grow beyond our own provincial attitudes and realize that all of humanity is in the same boat, on a planet in crisis.

 

May You Live in Interesting Times

The times have never been so exciting. They stimulate us to become more adaptable, think for ourselves, develop a sense of humor, and respond creatively  — although our era can also be very stressful. The people now in power reflect the average state of development of the entire human collective. Most of our corporate leaders and government officials are from the Pluto-in-Leo generation. They force us to confront Pluto in Leo and the present Pluto in Sagittarius. They put everyone under pressure, thus evoking the next developmental stage of our species.

When we recognize that we are compelled to re-examine our beliefs and take responsibility for ourselves — and then we do so — we gradually begin to grow up and become mature adults. We can start by asking ourselves: Where and how does my own Pluto stand? Am I using my personal power to further my own interests, or to further the evolution of the collective?

The time is ripe for us, as individuals, to learn that we are the power of the collective, and we have the power to help others take the next step. Our task today is to connect the question about our own power with a system of beliefs that affirms the value of all life and provides a vision of a sustainable, inclusive human culture for the well-being of the whole. Here, we can see the bridge between the individualistic Age of Pisces and the group-oriented Age of Aquarius; all of us must cross the bridge from one to the other.  The transpersonal planets invite all autonomous thinkers who have begun to cross that bridge to co-creatively nurture our collective growth so that we can realize our own power.

 

References and Notes

1. During the time of each Full Moon, according to its zodiac sign, a strong flow of energy streams to Earth. The Taurus Full Moon pours out an especially powerful and stimulating energy to Earth, because Taurus is the sign of enlightenment. (The Buddha was born, became enlightened, and died under the sign of Taurus.) The effects of the Taurus Moon can last for a full year. In the years 1914, 1945, 1975, and 2000, this Taurus energy input had an especially intense quality and was called “The Shambhala Stream” (see the works of Alice Bailey).

2.  The system of esoteric planets is given in the book, Esoteric Astrology: Volume III, A Treatise on the Seven Rays, by Alice Bailey, Lucis Press, 1979. Dates of the transits of the planets through the zodiac signs are taken from the World of Wisdom (WOW) astrology software by Adrian Ross Duncan.

3.  July 4, 1776; 5:10 p.m. LMT: Philadelphia, PA (75°W10’, 39°N57’); Source: Nicholas Campion, Book of World Horoscopes (BWH), Cinnabar Books, 1996, Chart #370.

4. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology.

5. Planets in Pisces or the 12^th house always hint at the possibility of transcendent experiences that take us beyond our ordinary consciousness or our material life. Most probably, a new kind of religiosity or spirituality will be developed through Uranus in Pisces and Neptune in Aquarius. This looks like an awakening from a long sleep that was caused by theological dogma having nothing to do with the divine vividness of life. Imagination and spirituality will be more self-evident in our daily life.

 

Henny Rückert’s passion for astrology started when she was twelve. In the 60 years since then, she has studied all astrological systems, including Vedic, and has been enriched by research and training in intuition, depth psychology, and esoteric and energetic healing systems. Henny believes that everyone can discover their own planetary energies and use them creatively for guidance. Since 1974, Henny has lectured on spiritual/psychological astrology in Europe and has been interviewed in astrological journals and on television. She is currently doing research on world psychology, particularly the behavior of nations. She lives and works in Munich, Germany; e-mail: henny.rueckert@t-online.de

 

Suzanne Duarte (9^th-house Uranus in Gemini and Saturn in Cancer, 10^th-house Pluto in Leo, 12th-house Neptune in Libra) taught environmental philosophy through Naropa University. A long-time Buddhist, she has been working for paradigm change for 30 years through teaching, writing, astrological and spiritual counseling, and political engagement. She is formerly from the Colorado Rocky Mountains but is currently living in Amsterdam.

 

Copyright 2004 Henny Rückert and Suzanne Duarte—all rights reserved.