Astrology Class - Difficult Planetary Positions and Aspects Do Not Doom Us

by Robert Wilkinson

Today’s short session reminds us that while “traditional astrology” may try to sell the illusion that some sign positions are horrible, and some aspects condemn us to a life of suffering, as it was sung long ago, “it ain’t necessarily so!”

There seems to be an attitude in some astrological circles that everything the ancient Greeks and Romans stated about Astrology is the final word on the subject, and everything they wrote is gospel. And yet, 50 years of study and practice of Astrology has led me to throw out almost all they said in the light of direct observation. Any planet in any sign could make for excellent personality traits and skills if we find the right attitude toward that part of our internal makeup.

I remember when I first began studying in 1971, the books taking a traditional approach told me I had terrible afflictions which ensured I would always struggle. I read that some of my sign positions were strong (Sun and Mars in Aries, Venus in Taurus, Pluto in Leo) but because some were supposedly in a sign or house “bad for them,” (Moon in a sign ruled by Saturn, Mercury in the 10th, Venus in the 10th, Pluto rising, Saturn in the 2nd, Neptune in the 3rd) then those parts of me would have a hard time because “they’re in the wrong place” according to some arcane way of weighting planets in signs and houses based in alleged “strength” or “weakness.”

Then there’s the aspects. I have more “afflictions” than most, with 12 oppositions and 4 squares, with my Moon, Venus, and Pluto/Asc making a T-square, and adding Saturn, I also have a “Hammer of Thor” with Saturn making two sesquisquares with my Moon square Venus. Add Sun square Uranus and the traditional texts made it clear that my life would be constant friction with no way out.

As you can imagine, when I first started reading about all of these things during 1971-72 it got more and more depressing believing that my birth chart doomed me to a life of struggle and difficulty. I had found so much that was accurate and spot on, and yet it was a real downer “trying to believe” in the texts which told me I was horrible and doomed due to so many oppositions and this and that being “bad.”

To be honest, when I was younger and bound by my ignorance and indulged in stupid behaviors, I indeed had a hard life. Of course ALL of us when younger are bound by our ignorance and the results of our behavior until we decide to change our patterns as a result of learning we don’t need to suffer from ignorance. Our troubles are less a result of our planetary positions and more a problem of our ignorance and desiring what we shouldn’t desire.

I refuse to accept that Venus in Aries, Scorpio, or Virgo are “bad,” or Sun in Libra or Aquarius are “afflicted.” I do not accept that simply because someone has Mars in Capricorn, Aries, or Scorpio that somehow it expresses automatically in ways which are “strong” or “good,” since I know from hard experience that how my Mars expresses is entirely up to me, and not some pre-existing condition of its sign.

While oppositions can be tough, they also bring realizations through polarization of how any two points of view are subsumed within a larger axis of awareness. While squares do indicate points where we must turn a corner or “put the brakes” on a certain trajectory, these are not “bad” or “weak” in and of themselves. And from a larger point of view, if we are in a system where it is said that the Cosmic Fire of “Fire by Friction” is the means by which we evolve, how could friction be anything but the means to a greater spiritual awareness?

While I once stumbled blindly through life before I knew Astrology, because of Astrology and an openness to get beyond "suffering over my own suffering," I learned how not to struggle with what was, and chose to change my responses to the realities I was in. Astrology helped me see what I needed to do, as well as when to leave the sinking ship. While at times I had to surrender to what was, inevitably doors to greater awareness blew open and I saw how everything conspires to bring us out of ignorance into a greater awareness. So how could anything which leads us to the source of our Wisdom be “bad?”

In the final analysis, we suffer not from what sign or house our planet is in; we suffer because we are ignorant, and therefore do, feel, and think things which generate future suffering. How traditional astrology regards our planets in signs and houses is far less important than our ability to use what we have to create the best personality and life we can. Every single one of us, no matter how ignorant, can improve our life in countless ways; there is no situation which is hopeless if we find the right point of view.

I suppose something from my childhood provides the perfect metaphor for my life. I'm of the "Stone Soup" philosophical school. If you want to make soup, even if all you have is a rock, you start with the rock. If you boil the water and put in the rock, inevitably a cabbage or onion or carrot will find its way to the pot. Welcome those who want to contribute to a better life, and you’ll find yourself responding perfectly, regardless of your positions, squares, and oppositions.

In my 50 years in this practice, I’ve seen how every single awareness I’ve acquired, every single skill I had to cultivate in meeting life’s challenges, helped me as I found myself with others suffering the exact same friction. In our personal healing, we learn what we have to learn to heal our world. And that’s a good thing. Do not lament your birth positions or aspects; they are your formula for personal Mastery!

If you want to explore more about this theme, please take a new look at this article from last November.

Spiritual Astrology – We Have Power Over Our Planets

© Copyright 2021 Robert Wilkinson

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