Fwd: The Solar system in man

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, "sunil nair" <astro_tellerkerala wrote:http://khaldea.com/rudhyar/solarsystem.shtml(All this article for general reading ,dont think i support all viewsexpressed in this articles -sunil nair)Much has been written about the planets used in astrology; but,unfortunately, each planet has often been considered as an entity initself radiating some sort of "influence" upon the Earth and all beingson its surface. The approach is not unlike that of old-time students ofanatomy who considered each organ of the human body as an entity initself only vaguely related to the whole organism. Such an analytical approach is still followed, even in medicine. The doctor, using verycomplex methods of analysis and tests, studies the heart of hispatient, or his lungs, or his eyes as if each were a separate entity.If he is an ophthalmologist (eye doctor), he may tell the patientsuffering from the inflammation of some eye membrane or from incipientglaucoma that the eyes are sensitive to his general condition ofhealth; having said that, he dismisses everything except the eyes. The same applies to other organs—for instance, to the pancreasin cases of diabetes. The doctor is a "specialist." Hopefully, if in anexceptional hospital one deals with many specialists, each looking atone organ, a doctor – or tomorrow a computer – may somehow addup all these analytical data and a total picture of the patient'sorganism may emerge. But the whole is not merely the sum of its parts. The situation in astrology is very similar. There was oneastrologer whose specialty was Pluto; another emphasized Uranus, or theMoon, or progressions, or perhaps solar returns. Such individual preferences or specialized studies, statistical or not, areunderstandable; but the real issue reaches much deeper than the specialinterest of this or that practitioner. The issue is whether astrologyshould deal with planets as single entities and sources of energies orwith the solar system as a whole – i.e., as an "organism" as acosmically organized system of interdependent activities. This is a fundamental issue, you cannot really understand thebehavior of any organ of the human body unless you see it as aspecialized field of cellular activity through which a basic organic function is performed. This function is depending on other functions forits operation; it is usually balanced by another function having anopposite or contrasting character. The healthy operation of everyfunction always depends on the delicate interplay between all thefunctions of the body — and not only of the body, but also of thepsychic and mental levels of activity. This is so evident that one should hardly have to speak of it;yet, in practice, this evidence is rarely considered as a basic factorin either medical diagnosis or astrological birth-chart interpretation.It certainly is not given the place it should have in textbooks onastrology; and nearly all astrologers are haunted by the archaicconcept according to which a planet is like a god who "does somethingto you" and whose doings can be characterized as fortunate orunfortunate. Yet would it make any sense to say that the liver is goodand the large intestine or kidneys bad? It is said now that astrology is the study of the "cosmicenvironment" of the Earth and of man; thus, the term "cosmecology" haslately been used as a scientific substitute. But it is not enough tospeak of the solar system as our cosmic environment. The wordenvironment does not readily tell the whole story even though today weare beginning to realize that the biosphere – man's environment on the Earth surface – is made up of interdependent life species andis deeply affected by the state of the air, soil, ocean, rivers, etc. The fact is that very few people do consider the Earth globe anorganism because they still implicitly believe in the old religioustradition according to which man does not really belong to this planetbut was sent there by God to gain certain kinds of experiences or learnsome lessons – and man was given carte blanche to so witheverything in Nature as he pleased. Likewise, most people today cannotthink of the solar system as an "organism," even though it clearly isan organized system of activities structured by cosmic principles ofordered motion.The Harmony of the SpheresCosmic forces are active in and through the whole solar system.Interplanetary space, we now know, is not "empty." Powerful forcesinterplay within it; currents of energy circulate through it. Ifastrology means anything at all, this meaning is based on theassumption that the human organism and the entire biosphere organicallyoperate in resonance to the rhythm of these currents. The solar systemhas been considered a vast "cosmic clock" to which the little "cosmic clocks" inside plants, animals, and men are attuned. The inner organicclocks of a man somehow become set at the moment of birth, and thepositions of the planets – the several "hands" of the "solar-systemclock" – enable us to tell the way in which this organic clock hasbeen set. Knowing this, we can deduce how the most basic functions in aman's total organism will operate during his individual life. A planet by itself does not do anything to anybody. It simplyindicates how a particular function of the human organism (body andpsyche) operates in relation to the other functions. These functionsconstitute a kind of hierarchy, the most fundamental one being probablythe heart function, yet a function related to that of certain brain centers and glands. The astrologer's problem is, and always hasbeen, that of identifying the functions – or basic types ofactivities – whose rhythms are attuned to the rhythms of each ofthe planets. This is what Pythagoras meant by the study of the "harmony of thespheres"; and interestingly enough, the ancient concepts of this greatmind who lived 25 centuries ago are now being revived, of course in newterms, by the most progressive physicists, mathematicians, andastronomers of the day. Likewise, the renowned occultist, alchemist,and physician Paracelsus wrote some five centuries ago:To understand correctly the meaning of the worlds alchemy and astrology, it is necessary to understand and realize the intimaterelationship and the identity of the Microcosm and Macrocosm and theirmutual interaction. All the powers of the universe are potentiallycontained in man and man's physical body, and all his organs arenothing else but products and representatives of the power of Nature .. . If I have "manna" in my constitution, I can attract "manna" fromheaven. "Saturn" is not only in the sky, but also deep in the earth andin the ocean. What is "Venus" but the "Artemisia" that grows in yourgarden? What is "iron" but "Mars"? That is to say, Venus and Artemisiaare both products of the same essence, and Mars and iron are the boththe manifestations of the same cause. What is the human body but aconstellation of the same powers that formed the stars in the sky? Hewho knows what iron is knows the attributes of Mars. He who knows Marsknows the qualities of iron. What would become of your heart if therewere no Sun in the Universe? What would be the use of your "vasaspermatica" if there were no Venus? (from Franz Hartmann, Paracelsus<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1564591859/khaldea> , pp.287-288)What all this means is that man is, at his own level, an organizedsystem of activities, just as the solar system is, and that these twosystems exist in a "harmonic" kind of relationship. It is not only thatman resonates to the rhythm of the solar system, for the reverse isalso true. Man's action and reactions can also introduce elementsof discord in the solar system. It is a two-way attunement. In thissense, in however small measure it may be, every man is responsible to, or at least involved in, the welfare of the solar system. A birth-chart is, therefore, a two-dimensional picture of thesolar system seen from the point of view of a particular locality onthe surface of the Earth at a particular time. As such, it is also akind of blueprint of a three-dimensional human organism. But JohnSmith's organism can also be thought of as mankind – or humannature – looked at from the point of view of a particular set ofparental and social circumstances. Every newborn emerging from themother's womb is a particular and to a degree unique example of thepotentialities contained in human nature. The basic potentiality isthat this baby organism will learn to talk, to think, and to became and"individual," self-reliant and expressing whatever is exactly meant byan individual soul. Each planet in the chart represents one basic set of functionalpotentialities inherent in human nature – just as every planet inthe solar system represents one "tone" in the cosmic chord of the solarsystem, the Sun being the "fundamental tone" or "tonic" of that cosmicchord. In the following, I shall attempt to define in relatively newway the functional potentiality represented by each planet.The Planets as Organic FunctionsTHE SUN: As most but probably not all of the energies circulatingthrough the solar system originate in the Sun and life on Earth dependsprimarily, if not exclusively, on the solar radiations, the Sun in abirth-chart represents the power of organic and psycho-spiritualsustainment. The type of energy which most basically sustains you and,therefore, on which you mainly depend (and should depend) in your mostprimordial organic activity is defined by the position of the Sun byzodiacal sign and natal house at birth. The degree on which the Sun islocated is also very important, for the symbol for this degree shouldreveal the nature of those experiences through which an individual can best realize the essential purpose of his existence. The problem,however, is what system of symbolism should be considered most valid.Personally, I find that only the Sabian Symbols answer the mainrequirement of such a set of 360-degree symbols; and this requirementis an inner structural consistency so that all degrees are seen assequential phases of a cyclic process of unfoldment. I should add thatthe formulation and interpretation of these Sabian Symbols is still farfrom truly adequate. Attempts to characterize the meaning of eachdegree by analytical and statistical procedures seem to me futile and based on a wrong concept of astrology.THE MOON: From the archaic point of view, the Moon is the "Light of thenight." During the night, man sleeps and recovers from the activitiesof the day. The Moon can, therefore, be seen as the recuperativefunctions. If one considers dreams as very significant factors,especially at the psychological level, the Moon can be interpreted as a power of inspiration and even revelation. It connects us with the beyondthrough often imprecise and confusing images or warnings. If the Moonis seen as the one satellite of the Earth, possibly defining by itsrevolution the outermost boundaries of the Earth's "aura" (orastral body), then it represents more specifically the point ofsensitiveness to change and opportunities for growth. It tells us, inour birth-chart, the type of energy and of experiences which willenable us best to adjust to the requirements of any life situation;thus, it symbolizes our natural capacity for adaptation to ourenvironment.MERCURY: Biologically speaking, this planet represents the electricpotential in the human body and the way in which it operates through the nervous system. It is that which carries messages from the senses tothe brain and from the volitional centers to the organs of actions. It,therefore, links the outer and inner realms of human existence. Withoutthis Mercury function, the Moon capacity of adaptation to theenvironment could not operate. At the psychological level, Mercuryassociates sensations, images, ideas, concepts, and values. As itconnects repetitive events, it is the foundation for what we call"memory," which in turn is the basis of all thinking processes. The Mercury function is, thus, involved in all mental-activity. Itspotentiality of remarkable development characterizes the human species.One should be careful, however, not to a associate the mind as a wholewith Mercury. The Mercury function makes possible the operation of themind in the human organism; it is not the mind.VENUS: On the basis of the information provided by the Mercuryfunction, the organism-as-a-whole gives what is happening, or has happened, a "value." Venus is the holistic planet par excellence. Itgathers up all that reaches the consciousness and evaluates thesituation as a whole, judging it pleasant or dangerous, exalting andpotentially fulfilling or debilitating and frustrating. On the basis ofthis judgment of value, the organism-as-a-whole, and in more evolvedand consciousness man the ego and the will center, reacts or positivelyresponds to this situation. Venus does not really refer to "love"; andit should not always be considered "favorable," except perhaps inhorary astrology. If it can be said to refer in the body to some of theprocreative organs (ovaries and testicles), it is because every livingorganism instinctively seeks to reproduce itself; and where there aretwo sexes, reproduction based upon and glamorized by the power ofattraction we call love. At the psycho-spiritual level, this lovefunction operates as the drive toward union of complementarypolarities, a union necessary to bring some valuable contribution tosociety. Or else Venus refers to the love rapturously sung by mysticsseeking to reach the "unitive state" – i.e., prefect union with God.MARS: On the basis of what the Venus function has judged to be valuableor dangerous, the Mars function operates as motion toward or away froman experience. Mars "rules" all muscles, all that by using which the organism acts. At the human level, Mars is the capacity for creative self-projection, for taking an initiative which may transform theenvironment. The ascetic yogi uses this Mars function in subduing hisinstinctual drives. More generally, speaking, where Mars is placed inthe birth-chart tells us how we can be most spontaneous or more active.This spontaneity may be blocked by Saturn or transcendentalized byNeptune; and when Mars is retrograde, this capacity for self-projectionmay be at least partially affected by some deep complex which sends thespontaneous desire to act back to the Venue function for reassurance orreinterpretation. "Is my doing this really worthwhile or safe?" Mars need not mean "aggressiveness" in the usual sense of the word. It has this meaning in our society because we extol competitionand violence; and this is a result of a culture which is based onrepression, puritanism, and only at best on the desire to transcendbiological drives in order to reach spiritual union.JUPITER: Jupiter is the great alchemist who metabolizes everything thatthe body or the ego-mind has absorbed, "assimilating" it. It seeks tomake of every part a thoroughly integrated and soundly functioningcontributor to the welfare of the whole. The keyword of the Jupiterfunction is "together." It is, thus, the social function in all its forms. Mankind has made use of this potentiality of social integrationin a remarkable way; but so have the bees and the ants, except that mantries hard to transcendentialize this Jupiter function, while the beesand ants have succumbed to Saturnian rigidity. Jupiter is the capacityto expand and to utilize resources most efficiently for the sake of thewhole. It is the managerial function; and all organized religions areexpressions of the Jupiterian drive for fellowship and large-scaleintegration.SATURN: This function both works with and also opposes the Jupiterianfunction. It limits but also focuses. It defines but in so doing allowsfor the transfer of knowledge. It binds the individual to a particularplace, set of relationships, or way of life; but it also makes him feelsecure. By stressing what is different and unique in an individual, theSaturn function builds an ego which eventually may separate, alienate,and also freeze all possibilities of spontaneous and warm responses toexperience; yet it can give a sense of individual responsibility andthe ability to stand alone and to resist shocks. Where Saturn is located in a chart, there the organism (and themind) tend to feel most vulnerable and insecure; therefore, there alsothe individual has the opportunity to assert himself in his mostcharacteristic and significant manner – provided he has enduranceand inner stability, two constructive aspects of the Saturn function.URANUS: This is the planet of transformation, the foe of all Saturniancrystallization, and also the challenger of the normal drive forsecurity and comfort and of all types of "establishment." Where Uranus is located, one can expect crises – and the way of crises is mostoften the typical human way of growth. Ego, tradition, and all kinds ofinstitutionalizing usually will only surrender after radical crises.The problem is always how genuine and permanent the surrender – andwhat comes next.NEPTUNE: Neptune symbolizes the "universal solvent" of the alchemists,that which dissolves all that remains of the structures erected by Jupiter and Saturn after Uranus has shaken them loose. Neptune refers tothat through which the lesser mind is able to merge into a vasterconsciousness and a more inclusive sense of reality. Neptune'slocation in a person's chart indicates the manner in which somebasic conflicts can be resolved and participation in a greatercommunity can be achieved. At that point in the chart, the individualmay be oversensitive and vulnerable to glamour – not because of hisorganic weakness, but because of a too idealistic or future-orientednature.PLUTO: This planet represents whatever in an individual life tends toreduce everything to its most fundamental nature. The power itsymbolizes ruthlessly destroys all superficialities, shams, or hypocrisies and lays the mind bare. Yet the position of Pluto in a natalhouse in most cases indicates the field of experience in which theindividual can make his greatest contribution to society. At thispoint, the individual can reach rock bottom and on the rock build thefoundation of his personality. What Uranus shakes, Pluto willpulverize. Together with Neptune, it may produce a maelstrom that willengulf the past; but the ultimate depth can often prove to be the gatesto never-before-envisioned heights. What Pluto above all demands of the soul is courage – and humility. Pride may reach momentary exaltationin a Plutonian situation; but it inevitably will be broken, andhumiliation will be experienced by the one who had no humility.