The Sun Conjunct Saturn and Some Aquarian Topics and Vibes

Astrology: Science or Art or both? And a new Rage of Aquarius podcast episode.

“Apart maybe from Paracelsus, I actually have little interest in what astrologers said centuries ago or rather in how astrologers today interpret what astrologers in the year dot said. It may be because I am too lazy to wade through all those old texts. I am more interested in improving our astrological knowledge through ordinary everyday empirical observation.” — Sue Tompkins

I’VE BEEN GOING OVER MY NOTES recently for writing an upcoming post that debunks the notion that the Zodiac floats around and encircles the Earth, sending down its force from ‘empty’ space.

Throughout my early days as an astrological student, I could never wrap my head around how the influence of the Zodiac was explained (and defended.) Why? Because astrology is an Earth-based art.

The very building blocks that comprise astrology’s lexicon are all characteristics that are derived from the Earth—namely, the four elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth.

Of course, the sideral astrologers have a literal way of explaining the Zodiac and its supposed correlation to the constellations. But that concept has never impressed me. (And besides, there’s no way that I’m a Gemini—so that’s my empirical proof.)

In compiling my research, I rediscovered my notes and correspondence on the Earth-based Zodiac from the late astrologer David Roell. And I have borrowed heavily from Roell’s insights for the aforementioned post.

As David explained:

“When once you grasp that astrology is in the earth and of the earth and covers the entire earth and everything in it, when you take an abstract astrology out of the sky and put it on the earth and in the ground and make it tangible and real you will be astounded at the sheer scope and scale and power of it.”

After detailing his thesis, David anticipated the blowback from the scientific community, and his Aquarian brain darted over and assumed a defensive posture against our culture’s obsession with scientism.

David and I would bounce back and forth between the science/art dichotomy in astrology, where I’ve always taken the latter position—viewing astrology as, first and foremost, an art.

In keeping with his Aquarian essence and its alignment with the empirical mindset, David always felt that astrology combined both approaches. Fair enough.

Too, as the Sun is conjunct Saturn today—the planet most closely aligned with science—this seems a fitting post to share with you.

It was exchanges like this with David that confirmed my sense that he was a curmudgeonly genius; as he wrote to me in our discussions about an ‘Earth-based and oriented Zodiac,’ David shared the following:

“None of this will satisfy science, which will remain hostile to astrology by reason of its very existence. Science, which admits of no external limits (“we alone know what is true and what is false”) is in fact highly sensitive to overall social mores.

In racist societies, science finds justification for racism, up to and including sterilization and euthanasia. In materialistic societies, science finds justification for materialism. In warlike societies, science builds bombs. In unequal societies, science justifies inequality.

Every society has the science it deserves. In every society, science, believing itself to be absolute, attacks whatever would limit its power and authority, without regard for any other factor. Hence its disdain for religion and astrology. Science is nuclear weapons, created, like the ghastly Holocaust, simply because it could be done, without regard for moral consequences.

Without external, guiding principles, science is Eve’s apple (from the Tree of Knowledge), sent to seduce Adam.

Astrology can be a guiding principle. So can religious belief. Since both submit to higher authority, for better or worse. “Higher Authority” is not “God,” so much as the totality of creation that is vastly more complex than we can ever know. Hence the brilliance of astrology’s original concept, that of elements and energies, which can be applied universally.

Astrology is the study of the Earth. How the Earth relates to the Sun, Moon and planets, and what that means to the creatures that crawl on its surface.

Astrology is the one fundamental science, surpassing all others.”

Speaking of Aquarius

I’m pleased to announce episode number 1 (our second, actually, seeing how we started this series with episode ‘zero’) in the new podcast/video series with astrologer Rachel Capurso and her magic-minded husband, Andrei Burke. In this episode, the three of us discuss two timely topics:

How Do You Become an Astrologer? And various takes on the question, What Is The Aquarian Age Exactly?

In our open-ended inquiries, the three of us are attempting to offer (what we call) an outsider’s view on what have become cliches and stereotypes within the art (and science) of astrology.

Enjoy, and as the cool kidz say: “Be sure to subscribe and click on that little bell gizmo for updates.”

Love,

Opening image: Newton, by William Blake (1795–1805). Collection Tate Britain. Public Domain.

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