THE ZODIAC – A Natural & Alchemical Cycle
THE ZODIAC – A Natural & Alchemical Cycle
Balance is the key.
The 12 signs of the zodiac mark 12 different, but complementary, forms of natural & archetypal energy and mentality. They are like seasons of a year (mind you, Western astrology is basically a solar calendar), temperaments, colors, musical keys... Each sign has its own specific resonance to inner and outer impulses, and is therefore driven by different needs that are not always immediately compatible, but should be seen as steps along the path to individuation, because everyone contains all 12 energies, albeit in different mixtures and proportions. A birth chart can show a dominance or deficiency in certain elements, in which case this person’s task in life is to understand this potential imbalance and look for ways to counteract it if need be, and work with it consciously, which is often easier said than done. The first step is always self-awareness as reflected by reality, not one’s ideal image of oneself or the convenient blocking out of whatever one finds less desirable.
These 12 basic energies are very different, yet equally important, because they are part of a natural, alchemical, evolutionary process, in which every one of them plays an indispensable role. Therefore it is beyond incompetent for someone calling themselves “astrologer“ to favor some of them while dismissing the useful properties of others and only emphasizing the more negative traits (the same goes for the planets’ attributes, by the way). A realistic and competent approach encompasses the entire spectrum of a sign’s properties without over-emphasizing neither the positive nor the negative, nor preferring certain signs over others. Many dabblers in astrology, however, seem to be content with remaining at the very surface when it comes to understanding the zodiac, and are therefore missing the point of what these signs actually are, which is not an astrological popularity contest. Certain signs, most of all Leo, seem to be disproportionately adored by the surface-surfers, while Scorpio and Gemini tend to be at the bottom of the popularity list. Gemini’s and Scorpio’s potentially (!) negative traits are blown out of proportion, making the former seem like a shallow jack-of-all-trades who can’t be trusted and the latter a vindictive, callous diva. None of this is accurate, and all of these traits can be manifested by any sign – it comes down to the (lack of) balance, distribution, aspectations, and other factors. The main problem with these superficial judgements is a mindset that is happy to accept a limited and therefore inadequate view because a) there is no knowledge about what the zodiac is beyond a collection of ready-made prejudices, and b) underlying the contentment with silly trivializations, often accompanied by a smug disinterest in actually studying the subject, is a fundamental lack of maturity of the persons prone to spouting such pap.
Humans are complex indivuduals, not walking clichés, and the different admixtures of the signs’ qualities all play into one’s birth chart, not to mention a person’s FREE WILL that he or she executes at all times, deciding which desire or impulse to act upon. Therefore, every birth chart is unique even with the same Sun sign. No astrological alignment can supersede one’s free will and accountability for one’s own decisions, and no one should make themselves dependent upon astrology. One must use it as a practical tool, not as an excuse to evade responsibility.
A birth chart, and therefore the astrological “imprint” of a person, depends on a variety of factors of which the Sun sign aka zodiac sign isn’t by far the only one. Quite a lot of people seem to manifest more of their ascendant’s qualities, for example, than their allegedly all-important Sun sign. An astrologer must look at all the factors in the chart as a coherent entirety, not fragments taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Yes, the zodiac sign’s cliché qualities have a basis in truth, however, as is typical of the New Age-tinted “pop astrology” variation, these qualities are being presented in a dumbed-down, overly divisive and highly deficient manner (and frankly, it’s mind-numbingly boring to hear the endless, broken record-style regurgitations of the same biases).
Any unbalanced or detrimental characteristic can be manifested by anyone, and usually appears most dominantly in the least self-aware, regardless of their Sun sign. In my view, the aforementioned picking on certain signs and emphasis on their potentially negative traits is only more testament to the subversive influence the New Age has had on astrology, which, in its original form and intention, is hardly recognizable compared to what it has become nowadays. The same forces who were responsible for the degradation and trivialization of music as a mere form of entertainment as seen in its most popular form today, are also responsible for the undignified degradation of astrology ever since the so-called enlightenment took over the Western minds. More on that, and why I believe the New Age’s “monotheistic“ fixation on the Sun is ultimately a sign of its originally Abrahamic mentality, in an upcoming article.
© Olivia Solner
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