starworlds: Uranus and Neptune in Mutual Exchange

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Uranus and Neptune in Mutual Exchange

Uranus in Pisces 4/6/09 - 10/3/09
Neptune in Aquarius June 2008 - 10/2/09

Vedic astrology has historically relied on observation of visible planets to follow their journey through the heavens. While some ancient Vedic texts discuss shadow planets, there is no absolute connection between these mathematically constructed theoretical planets and the outer planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. As the outer planets were discovered at a much later time than that of the ancient seers, it was left to modern Western astrologers to define the astrological meaning and significance of the outer planets. Uranus and Pluto's massive size and extended orbits suggested that they be deemed generational planets -- effecting groups and generations as much as individuals. Many of the modern interpretations associate the events occurring at the timing of their discovery to their thematic meaning. They were each assigned a sign by transferring the dual rulership of Jupiter (Sagittarius/Pisces), Saturn (Capricorn/Aquarius), and Mars (Aries/Scorpio) to Uranus (Aquarius), Neptune (Pisces), and Pluto (Scorpio). Only Venus and Mercury are left with their Ayurvedic rulerships Taurus/Libra and Gemini/Virgo.

Uranus was discovered in 1781 by Sir William Herschel during the time of revolutionary upheaval and scientific discovery in the Western world. Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the sun, spending about 7 years in each sign of the zodiac. Because of this long orbit, astrologers interpret its influence as generational according to the sign it occupies. It was assigned to rule Aquarius.

As an Aquarian in both Eastern and Western traditions, I have always been fascinated by Uranus. It is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on its side. Its poles face the sun so that one hemisphere is bathed in light, while the other lies in total darkness. These strange traits reflect its astrological significance as the breaker of convention. Thus Uranus is associated with sudden change, shock, disturbance, transformation, eccentricity, electricity, and invention.

Neptune was discovered in 1846 after astronomers encountered unexpected changes in the orbit of Uranus. Mathematical calculations led astronomers to deduce that its orbit was subject to gravitational perturbation by an unknown planet. Thus Neptune was the first planet found by mathematical prediction rather than by empirical observation. It takes 165 years to orbit the sun, spending approximately 14 years in each sign of the zodiac, and has just returned to the sign it was in when it was initially discovered.

The revelation of Neptune by mathematics demonstrates part of its hidden, subtle, illusionary, and confusing nature. Astrologers assigned its rulership to the sublime sign Pisces. Neptune's discovery occurred during a period of philosophical, religious, and political change. Its appearance coincided with national movements towards ideal society. For example The Communist Manifesto was published in 1848. Modern art sprung from a rejection of Realism and state sanctioned definitions of art to the acceptance the individual suffering artist as romantic hero/god. Abstract and subtle art began to gain acceptance, especially when realism could be captured and easily reproduced in a new medium: the photograph -- first revealed around 1839. And perhaps most significantly for the world today, the industrial revolution was literally fueled by the discovery of oil in 1846. Thus astrologically Neptune is associated with psychic sensitivity, imagination, charm, fluids and oil, and the media and film. What is most intriguing to me is that Neptune was discovered in approximately the same mutual exchange that it is currently occupying. Will this period be the 'last hours of ancient sunlight'? Or will new discoveries about oil and fuel be revealed?

As a neo-Vedic astrologer I do occasionally consider the outer planets in my astrological analysis. What I neglected to see earlier this month was a change in sign for my favorite gas giant, Uranus. It just slipped into Pisces on April 6, 2009. Moreover, Neptune has been transiting the sign of Aquarius since June of last year. What is intriguing is that they are currently in a mutual exchange of sign until October: Uranus in Neptune's sign, and Neptune in Uranus' sign. In Vedic astrology this is a special placement called parivartana yoga and it suggests that each planet takes on strengths of the other. The same parivartana yoga was also going on at the time of Neptune's discovery. It might be worthwhile to look back at that time to see what else was happening world wide.

1846
The Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
The Great Irish Famine (1845-1848)
Invention of Rotary Printing Press
Cholera Epidemic in England
Sewing machine patented
Pope Pious IX takes over
The Virgin Mary appears to 2 children in Salette, France

In considering these events, it is not hard to see potential themes of the past reflected in those that face us today. There is still talk in Texas by Rick Perry about secession from the US.

Our relationship with Mexico, Central America, and South America is politically one of the most important agendas for the near future. Perhaps we will reverse our imperial karma if we can open relations with Cuba and Venezuela.

Famine is already happening though out most of the third world, and even the US is predicted to have food shortages if the economy continues to spiral downward. Many newspapers are no longer going to press as the rise of the internet has made them obsolete. In 1846 Pope Pious IX began what was the longest reign in Church history, lasting 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed Papal infallibility. My how things have changed. And although the Virgin Mary still makes appearances, there are far more UFO sitings on record. Still in January 2009 Pope Bendict XVI launched new guidelines for those who claim the Virgin Mary has appeared to them, in an attempt to end bogus sightings around the globe.

The next 6 months should prove to be very interesting and very unpredictable.
Namaste!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: nice blog!!!; April 19, 2009 at 9:29 PM

Aum saraswateye vidmahe, bramputriye dhi-mahi, tanno sarawati prachodayat

Saraswati is the Goddess of leaming, knowledge, and wisdom. The Sanskrit word sara means "essence" and swa means "self." Thus Saraswati means "the essence of the self." Saraswati is represented in Hindu mythology as the divine consort of Lord Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for creation, Saraswati symbolizes the creative power of Brahma. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by all persons interested in knowledge, especially students, teachers, scholars, and scientists.

What is the Difference between Vedic and Western Astrology: 23 Degrees, Nakshatras, and Sidereal

Twenty-three is my quick answer to the question: "what is the difference between Vedic Astrology and Western astrology?" I don't mean to be cryptic, but 23 degrees is literally the difference between the Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs. It is called the Ayanamsha -- in Sanskrit ayana meaning solstice and amsha meaning portion -- and it refers to the difference between Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs.

The zodiac is a ring of constellations often referred to as signs, such as Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus. It is a cosmic clock around which our solar systems operates and how astrologers measure cycles of time. Most people do not realize that there are two distinct zodiacs. Vedic astrologers use the Sidereal zodiac and Western astrologers use the Tropical zodiac. The Sidereal zodiac is based on observations of planets lining up against the backdrop of the fixed stars. It is oriented to the center of the galaxy. On the other hand, the Tropical zodiac is based on the relationship between the sun and earth. It is oriented to the equinoxes. In Western astrology the spring equinox sets the beginning of the Tropical zodiac at 1 degree Aries, even though the sun is astronomically traveling in the light fields of Pisces. In other words, it does not correspond to observable position. Vedic astrology is called Jyotisha in Sanskrit, meaning the science of light, and Vedic astrology describes how the light emitted from the stars effects us. When Western astrology was in its early stages, the two zodiacs may have lined up; but over time the two moved apart approximately 50 seconds per year to the current 23 degrees of separation (even that number is debated, but the standard of India, the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23 degrees 10 seconds).

Vedic astrology is considered by scholars to pre-date Western astrology and is the only system that has accounted for the precession of the equinoxes. What is the precession of the equinoxes? The answer to that involves another occurrence of the number 23 (those familiar with the enigma of 23, like LOST and RAW fans, may find this amusing). Because Earth's axis is tilted 23° 27' in its orbit around the sun, its equatorial plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane, the plane created by Earth's orbit. These two intersecting planes create an intersecting line called the vernal axis that occurs on the first day of spring, or Vernal equinox. As the Earth spins on its axis, its axis wobbles (precesses 50.3 seconds of arc per year or 1 degree every 71.6 years) very slowly over a period of about 24,000 to 26,000 years. As this occurs, the pole of the Earth inscribes an arc in the heavens called the precessional arc. The Earth's pole aligns with different stars throughout the precessional period. The current pole star is Polaris. Approximately 13,000 year ago it was Vega, one of my favorite stars. Earth's precessional cycle is also referred to as Earth's Great Year in the alchemical tradition, World Ages, or Yugas in the Vedas. David Frawley describes it a one year in the life of humanity.

In Vedic astrology there is a line of thought that suggests this 24,000-26,000 cycle (and even wobble of the earth itself) maybe be generated by a grand cycle of our sun with a companion dark star. Modern astronomy is studying this possibility as well. The ancient Vedic seers divided up the cycle into four world ages: the Satya(Truth or Golden), Treta (Third or Silver), Dwapara (Third or Bronze) and Kali (first or Iron) Ages. Each age describes a stage of awareness for mankind in which consciousness ascends, descends, and ascends in unending cycles perhaps due to the influence of this yet to be discovered companion star. Although New Age philosophers have described humanity as entering the Age of Aquarius, astronomically speaking that will not happen for approximately 300-400 years.

According to Vedic thought, the cycles of ascending and descending consciousness are connected not only to our rotation around a companion star, but also our cycle around the galactic center. According to David Frawley, "Vedic astrology orients the zodiac to the galactic center, or the central galactic sun, whose influence comes to us through fixed stars of the constellation Sagittarius." The galactic center is like our cosmic belly button -- it is sometimes called Vishnunabhi, or the navel of Vishnu-- the point from which our galaxy grew and expanded. Many ancient cultures studied and recorded their observations about this area of the night sky, including the Mayans whose calendar marks an astronomical event of our winter solstice aligning with the galactic center in 2012. It's like the earth's pole or antenna will be aligned and open to receive message from the source itself. [H]ohm is calling.

One of the most brilliant developments of the ancient Vedic seers was to further divide the zodiac into more identifiable parts. They did this by creating the Nakshatra system. In Sanskrit Nakshatra means lunar mansion. As the moon travels through the entire zodiac in 27-28 days, the ancient seers ascribed a Nakshatra for each day simplifying its location. Although too vast a subject to go into in this post, it is interesting to point out that the name for the Nakstratra that marks the galactic center is Mula, meaning root or source.

Another difference between Western and Vedic astrology is the modern use of non-observable planets and asteroids. As a Neo-Vedic astrologer I do consider some of the outer planets when I look at a chart, but I tend to be more interested in the fixed stars and Nakshatras. I marvel at how Western astrologers bring in new astronomical discoveries to their chart interpretations. Basically I see Western charts as a map of the same terrain as a Vedic chart, but indicating different types or levels of information. It's like comparing a topological map with a road map. I don't need to know the difference of elevation between Broadway and 3rd Avenue, but I might like to know the street number of Benaroya Hall. It all depends on what type of information one is seeking. Vedic astrologers come from a tradition and philosophy that focuses on the four aims of life: dharma (purpose), arthra (attainment), kama (desire),and the most important moksha (liberation). Western astrology is enriched by many diverse traditions and the information gleaned from it may be quite extensive and more suited for the modern mind. But for me, I've always been drawn to the stars in the night sky and have felt them speak to me in the language of light. And as Jyotisha is the science of light, it is the tool and filter I use to translate this information.

For a good video overview on precession click here.