Radical Astrology by Emily Trinkaus
I like to remember that John Lennon’s “Imagine” was on the censored list just after 9/11, when the war mongerers did their best to set the collective energy at fear and retaliatory violence. Imagination is inherently subversive, and a powerful tool for social change. “Let it be time for us to dream of a world without war,” says guru Sri Chinmoy, channeling planet Neptune. Neptune says, Start with the imagination, and Reality will follow.
This winter we all have the opportunity to expand and tap into the power of our visions, dreams, and imaginations. Our humanity and our freedom are at stake. Neptune, ruler of the unconscious realms, is currently opposite Jupiter. Jupiter is the benevolent biggie of the planetary world, expanding whatever it touches. When Neptune and Jupiter interact, the result can be boundless faith, optimism and idealism.
Neptune is traveling thru the sign Aquarius (1998 to 2012), which is about freedom, humanity, & revolution. Aquarius recognizes that individual freedom is inextricably bound up with everyone else’s freedom (the “no one is free while others are oppressed” trip). Neptune in Aquarius offers us the felt experience of connection to all people, inspiring us to rebel against oppressive hierarchies.
On the darker side, Neptune is also the planet of illusion, confusion, deception, and dissolution.
“Freedom is winning!” our alleged president triumphed in one of his Orwellian moments. Really? While the Bush regime amasses weapons of mass destruction and places its troops throughout the universe, here in Amerika we recently celebrated the first anniversary of the PATRIOT Act, which basically nullifies the Bill of Rights. Deceptive rhetoric from two-faced politicians tells us we need to sacrifice our liberties to ensure our freedom.
The shadow of Neptune in Aquarius also rears its ugly head in the US’s “humanitarian” efforts. Last year we suffered the spectacle of dropping food packets (which just happened to resemble land mines) while simultaneously dropping bombs on the Afghan people. This year, we have the humanitarian mission of “saving” the Iraqis from Saddam, Evil Incarnate du jour, by invading their country and turning it into a US military colony, inevitably killing thousands of innocent people. (Noam Chomsky refers to this phenomenon as “military humanism.”)
The key to aligning ourselves with true humanitarianism is to open our hearts. I used to think that if people only knew what was going on, they would jump on board the revolution bandwagon. Having witnessed many examples to the contrary, I now understand that knowledge is only useful when coupled with compassion. Jupiter opposing Neptune says the heart is the gateway to a vision of community that includes all of humanity. This planetary aspect also suggests that finding your own personal freedom, through creative individual action, contributes to collective freedom.
To ground the free-wheeling and often far-out energy of Jupiter and Neptune in practical action, we turn to Saturn, which governs Earth-bound reality. Saturn’s journey through Gemini (4/01 to 6/03) indicates that our minds, our local communities, and the media are the arenas where we can be most effective. The first step is to break out of the belief that we are powerless, which means reclaiming authority over our mental environment.
The propaganda machine (without which war would not be possible) tells us to fear our neighbors and report anyone who looks suspicious (like, the neighbor without a flag on his front porch). One antidote is creating strong neighborhoods, where people know each other and respect each other’s differences. Another is to reclaim the media. IndyMedia, an independent, volunteer-run news website is now a global phenomenon (indymedia.org). Their motto is: “Don’t hate the media’—become the media.”
The chart of the Winter Solstice (12/21/02) offers one more thing. The Sabian Symbol for the chart’s Ascendant is: “The value of humor in developing objectivity and independence of mind.” Humor, like imagination, is inherently subversive. What if we refused to take the Bush regime seriously? What if they held a fascist state and no one came? What if we (everyone who thinks what currently passes as Reality is insane) created an alternative Reality that made the other one irrelevant?
This may be over-the-top idealism inspired by Neptune and Jupiter. On the other hand, without the passive consent of the masses, the Infinite War would not be possible. Making the most of this period requires deprogramming our minds, creating a new vision for peace and freedom, and taking a Leonine leap of faith that one individual can make a difference.
Emily Trinkaus, Virgo, is a writer, astrologer and peace activist living in Portland. For information about individual readings, or to receive free New and Full Moon reports via email, call (503) 288-7097 or email [email protected].