Earth
Still Center of the Universe
Psychologically Speaking
We've all
obviously known for the last several hundred years that the earth
is not the center of the universe. Yet we oddball astrologers (for
the most part) appear to continue acting as if nothing had happened
and stubbornly continue to promote a “geocentric” image
of a universe where the Sun, Moon, and all the planets revolve around
the Earth.
Are the skeptics
right? Does astrology require the average adherent to have a “screw
loose” in order to believe there's something to the arcane,
outdated system of astrology?
Nope, it's
not necessary to have a “screw loose” in order to believe
astrology works. Granted... it does help to have a view of reality
that allows for a belief in a God, a higher power, or an entity of
a higher purpose.
If believing
in such an entity means that you have a “screw loose,”
then the vast majority of humans on our planet seem to have several
“screws loose.” In the USA, Gallup Polls taken over the
past half century have consistently shown 9 out 10 people report praying
to some sort of a supreme being.
Stand
Up And Be Counted
In recent years... many otherwise reasonable, rational people from all
walks of life have (so to speak) "come out of their metaphysical
closets" in defense of astrology. By way of a few examples from
the scientific community...
-
The
visionary English astronomer Percy Seymour "threw his hat into
the ring" by publishing Astrology: The Evidence of Science,
appearing in April 1989. In his groundbreaking book – Dr Seymour,
a chartered member of the Institute of Physics and Fellow member
of the Royal Astronomical Society, explained his revolutionary theories
of celestial harmonics in regard to why astrology may work in the
first place.
-
In 1995, environmental scientist (originally trained in mathematical
physics), Dr William Keepin, published the article "Astrology
and the New Physics: Integrating Sacred and Secular Sciences",
in the astrology magazine The Mountain Astrologer, (August/September,
1995).
-
Then there's Victor Mansfield, astrophysicist and author of Synchronicity,
Science, and Soul-Making in 1995. In 1997, when Dr Mansfield was
a featured speaker at a major astrology conference (the Cycles and
Symbols Conference San Francisco 1997), he caused quite a stir.
It appears that while one needn't be a rocket scientist to believe astrology
works, it apparently doesn't hurt, either.
Geocentric
model
Ancient geocentric sky watchers such as the famous Ptolemy (85-165 AD)
served in dual roles as both the scientifically minded mathematical
astronomer searching out the skies and as the metaphysically minded
astrologer divining the purposes of the heavens.
But
why is astrology in the 21st Century still based on Ptolemy's geocentric
model of the universe (where the Earth is considered to be the center
of the universe)? It's really rather simple.
Astrology
is still based on a geocentric model of the universe, because psychologically
(and practically) speaking the geocentric model still works for the
purposes of astrology and the human soul.
Here's
my theory on why…
Greek
Mythology
In ancient Greek mythology, each of the seven known bodies spinning
around the Earth were associated with a different metal:
Sun
– Gold
Moon – Silver
Mercury – Mercury
Venus – Copper
Mars – Iron
Jupiter – Tin
Saturn – Lead
The
ancients mythologized that as the planets spun around the Earth, they
(the planets) each spun their individual metals (influences) into the
depths of the Earth.
Here's
a short quote from Jungian author Edward F. Edinger:
"Psychologically
we can understand this image as referring to the archetypal constituents
of the ego. The building blocks of ego are divine qualities stolen
from the gods or products of dismemberment of a deity – earthly
representatives of transpersonal principles."
Astro-psychologically
Applied astro-psychologically – we understand the imago myth of
the planets revolving around the Earth to refer to the human ego's stance
(our sense of "I") in life.
Based
on this image... our individual life journeys place each one of us (subjectively
speaking) in the center of the universal, archetypal energies of the
planets spinning 'round us.... and each one of us is then cast in the
starring role of our special life journey.
Heck!
Don't you remember when you were a kid and your parents asked you, "Okay,
mister! So who died and left you the Center of the Universe?"
Back
To The Astrology and Jung Index
Related
off site links:
"Modern
Cosmology"
as Metaphor and the Double Nature of Soul by Victor Mansfield Department
of Physics and Astronomy Colgate University.
"The
Magus of Magnetism"
An Interview with English astronomer Dr. Percy Seymour on his Magnetic
Theory of how astrology works.
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