Planewalker .:.:. Waveform Wizardry

I always resonated with some things in astrology deeply, but not with others. For example, I get the Gemini thing and find the light vs. shadow self idea useful for understanding myself. But I also think all the signs have useful information for self-understanding and I think one can understand oneself in the context of any or all of them.

However, when it gets to the more specific predictions, horoscopes and compatibility charts, I have not been so sure what to think because there isn’t consistency between the systems and interpretations. I guess I am just a little suspicious of any fixed system that claims knowledge of my soul’s journey through the measurement of objects, whether it is astrology or chemistry, because I know it’s just not that simple. I am furthermore wary of allowing any fixed system to influence my decisions, because it may lead me astray from my path. I am not a fixed system and therefore I cannot be defined by one.

I trust my own judgment above all symbolic systems both ancient and modern, and I do not surrender my will to any of them no matter how well they seem to work. I get the feeling that humanity’s desire to understand is so great that sometimes we invent systems of understanding just to help us feel more in control, when really we’re not.

I have found it helpful to keep in mind that any model is a system of archetypes. They are signs on a map, and the signs are not the things they represent. The map is not the territory, etc. They are powerful because they are deeply rooted in the collective unconscious, and provide paths through which understanding can be achieved between human energies. There is much ancient wisdom in these paths. But they are paths that we built, paths that we carved out of the wilderness. They are not written in stone and they can be changed.

Systems of archetypes are useful for simplifying complex and confusing energies into more understandable and manageable symbols. They are useful to a point to help a confused mind gain clarity through simplicity. They help you orient yourself when you are lost and don’t know where to go, and it is better to pick a landmark and take a step than just stand there not doing anything. And it’s useful to periodically check the map to make sure you’re on course and going the right direction.

But beyond the points of orientation, I have found things like astrology to distract me from the road of life. Geology changes and maps are never 100% accurate. Moreover, to the extent that you are looking at the map, you are not looking at the road, and it’s dangerous to look at a map while you’re walking or driving because you might run into something.

In the same way, I feel that some astrologers are so busy looking at their maps and trying to fit everyone they know into archetypes that they fail to actually encounter reality. The map can certainly help you understand the road, but you can definitely understand the map in detail without ever going on the journey. When I was in college there were a number of people I met that I got quite frustrated with because they would try to fit everything I said into the framework of astrology, and thus failed to actually understand what I was trying to say. It was equally frustrating to speak with people who tried to understand everything in terms of mathematics, or of philosophy or psychology.

Tarot, numerology and kaballah are similarly useful, but only to a point. I like to use them when I am confused about a situation. But when I am not confused or seeking direction, I find that they can obscure by oversimplifying, in the same way that language in general does. A human being and all the parts therein constitute an incredibly complex and multi-dimensional thing, and does not fit perfectly into any model of understanding.

Nevertheless, I still find astrology fascinating and am always curious to hear someone’s take on me or a situation from that perspective. Sometimes I get exactly what I need to hear, and it’s the perfect thing! At other times I feel like it’s more important to the astrologer to express their understanding of me through astrology than it is to actually see who I am.

Filed under: Journal Entries - Reviews
by planewalker