When I began teaching astrology I found I
had to re-learn it as well. I had seen progressions work so many times
that I never really cared why they worked. They just worked. However many
of my students could not make that leap of faith and insisted on knowing
"why?" It wasn’t until I sat down to construct an ordered curriculum that
I found the answer. I wanted to start at the beginning. I knew this was
not signs or planets but cycles. I came to realize the rather
obvious fact that all the primary cycles of astrology had to do with the
primal alternations of Light and Dark. Thus, if we correlate the Daily
cycle with the Lunar cycle’s phases and the Solar cycle’s seasons we can
begin to see how the fundamental symbol of Astrology, the primal Cycle,
operates at all levels. The darkest time of the year is the Winter
Solstice, which correlates with the New Moon and Midnight. Dawn, being the
triumph of light over darkness can be seen to correlate with Spring &
first quarter, Noon- Summer & full moon, Dusk- Autumn & third quarter. The
three cycles quite nicely follow one another –day, month, and year being
divisible into four quarters by naturally occurring empirical processes of
darkness and light. A day equals a year because symbolically they are the
same Cycle!
Now, it is important to remember that the
retrograde phenomenon is also a cyclic phenomenon. When any of the
superior planets (planets outside earth’s orbit –mars outward) appear to
be in retrograde motion, it is because the faster moving Earth has caught
up with, and is passing them (kind of the reverse of sitting at a traffic
light and feeling backward movement when the car next to you takes off).
In other words, the Earth has moved to the same side of the solar system
–on the same side of the Sun. From a geocentric perspective, this is
represented by the retrograde planet falling on the opposite side of the
chart from the Sun. This phasic retrograde phenomena appears roughly from
the Sun’s opening trine through the opposition and closing trine to the
planet – to be retrograde is to be caught between the trines, so to speak.
(i)
Thus, any superior planet forming a trine
with the Sun in the nativity is near a Station (ii).
The Station is where the planet appears to slow and hover before turning
backward or forward. This transition has huge implications
psychologically. The retrograde station symbolizes the turning inward of
an objective function for the purpose of seeking new creative energy –much
like the waning crescent. The direct station symbolizes the re-emergence
of the function from subjective reflection and an inherent creative growth
potential –much like the waxing crescent. If we are born near one of these
stations we are born during a time of seeking, and we will bear the burden
of the Quest at some time in our lives.
Now this is where Astrology gets
dangerously close to being deterministic –fate oriented. However, I will
point out that when I say the person will bear the burden of the Quest –it
is up to them how to bear it. They may race off in Quixotic fashion or
simply dangle the dream of a quest in front of them all their lives as a
reason to keep rising each morning –or anything in between. Many religions
see this Quest or Pilgrimage as the duty of every person at some
point within their lifetime. Joseph Campbell called this heroic burden
"the call to adventure" (iii)
and many times this is symbolized in astrology by the progressed planetary
station.
In particular, progressed Mercury is
unique in that the entire cycle may be experienced –by progression –within
one individual lifetime. Mercury retrograde lasts about twenty days
–twenty years by progression. So it is possible to be born with mercury
direct and then, by progression, experience the retrograde and eventually
the turn to direct motion again. This suggests, at the least, two major
turning points in the life’s affairs demarcating three distinct periods of
development. Obviously, these people’s lives will differ significantly
from the average life unfoldment.
Eventually, Mercury gains enough distance
on the Earth that we no longer sense this backwardness. After the direct
station, Mercury speeds off toward the superior conjunction, passing
behind the Sun. This is the full phase of the cycle and thus marks the
beginning of the waning, or Epimethean, Mercury.(iv)
The life of Muhammad Ali, three-time
world heavyweight boxing champion, is the perfect illustration of the
enactment of these symbols. Ali was born January 17, 1942. We do not even
need a birth time in order to talk about progressions. If we look in the
ephemeris, we can see that Ali was born near a Mercury station. In fact,
he was also born near Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus stations. Talk
about bearing the burden of the Quest! Mercury stationed direct February
22 at around 12 degrees Aquarius. Since Mercury entered the 12th
degree on Jan. 17, Ali was born right as Mercury entered the shadow of the
retrograde. Hence, we can expect that he will experience major reversals
in his life, and probably three distinct periods of development –each with
its own issues. Of course, in hindsight we know this to be true, but it is
what we would expect from the symbolism –especially considering more than
half the planets (5 of 8) will experience progressed stations within this
persons lifetime!
Ali began boxing at age 12,(v) when Jupiter
reached its return. Interestingly this was also exactly halfway between
progressed Saturn’s station direct at age 6 and progressed Jupiter’s
station direct at 18 –when he won his Olympic Gold Medal in the 1960 Rome
games (progressed Uranus had stationed direct a year earlier). By this
time progressed Mercury was already retrograde, but it would be another
seven years before the first phase of Ali’s development would be reversed.
In the meantime he became Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1965 –at
the progressed inferior conjunction (progressed Sun conjunct progressed
Mercury).
As Mercury passes in front of the Sun
geocentrically, this begins the waxing phase –also known as the Promethean
phase (vi).
Ali met Malcolm X. He converted to Islam, and was given a new name to
replace his "slave name" (Cassius Clay). It was also at about this time
that he threw his Olympic Gold Medal into a river, after an incident of
racial discrimination.(vii)In 1967 (with progressed Sun square Saturn), Ali defied the government by
refusing to go to war, and was stripped of his title and thrown in jail
(do you think Prometheus could identify?). His religious beliefs required
him to take a stance as a conscientious objector. The first of three
periods of development was over.
Three years later, having passed Saturn’s
test (Ali was now 28 –Saturn’s return), Ali returned to boxing –his
conviction for violating the Selective Service Act overturned. In 1971,
Ali suffered his first professional defeat to Joe Frazier –who he would
eventually meet three times. This was the Dark Night for Ali. The
Progressed New Moon (progressed Sun conjunct progressed Moon) was square
Uranus. 1974 brought the progressed Moon to the vernal point (0 degrees
Aries) and several harmonious angles. Ali avenged his loss to Frazier and
defeated George Foreman for his second throning as champion. In 1978, with
progressed Moon, Mars, and Saturn conjoined in stellium, Ali lost the
title to Leon Spinks. He won the title back in a rematch, to become the
only three-time heavyweight champion. In 1979, shortly after
progressed Mercury station direct and at the final progressed direct
station of his life –Venus, Ali retired. The beginning of his third phase
of development was equally as rocky as the second was. In 1982, with
progressed Mars nearing Uranus, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s
disease. The disease made him tremble, slowed his movement, and made it
hard to talk, yet he would carry the Olympic torch a full twenty years
later. Ali is very active in charity work and his commitment to Islam to
this day –carrying the Promethean torch as well. In 2002, with the
progressed Sun nearing the vernal point, there was a blockbuster Hollywood
movie out about his life –a heroic saga that continues to unfold.
Another example of this
phenomenon is Bruce Springsteen. His is a PRIME example of progressed
stations and "the call to adventure". He was born under Gemini rising
with Mercury as the sole retrograde (kind of the opposite of
Ali's multiple retrograde chart (viii).
At 18, Mercury made the progressed station direct at the same age Bruce
bought his first guitar! Recently, progressed Uranus is nearing a
station for Bruce. It is interesting that the 9-11 disaster helped to
re-vitalize his career as he produced a profound album of music that
spoke to the collective emotions of a country in shock. (ix) Who better to do
this than an individual who has spent his whole life in the
introspective space of a personal planet retrograde as the ruler of his
chart?
To understand the
retrograde psychologically, it is important to remember it is a purely
subjective phenomenon. Psychologist George Kelly
(x)theorized that a
persons psychological processes are channeled by the way in which he/she
anticipates events. Kelly believed we constantly use mental constructs
as templates (like symbols) to anticipate events. Anxiety occurs when we
can’t predict future events. We then adjust our constructs with new
information. This is a constant process (like transits!). Kelly should
have been an Astrologer!
With retrogression, however, the inherent
subjective nature of the processes symbolized by the planet causes the
templates to be inaccurate as they mirror an inner, subjective reality and
not necessarily the outer, objective reality we need to be able to
predict. Further, these templates can become impermeable (xi)-that is unable
to consider new information –because of a fixation on inner, subjective
realms.
Obviously, this fixation would produce
chronic anxiety that might lead to depression. The inability to predict
and therefore control events would have a ripple effect that could serve
to paralyze the Self developmentally. If we are unsure what will happen
–we are unlikely to act at all. Now, obviously this is a worse case
scenario, but you can begin to see the forces that are being grappled
with. A beautiful quote to illustrate this comes from Springsteen’s Tunnel
of Love album. (xii)
"I’m just a lonely pilgrim, though I walk
this world in wealth. I wanna know if it’s you I don’t trust, cause I damn
sure don’t trust myself." (xiii)
With the planet near a station, I believe
this can further take the person "out of the moment" because they are
intuitively looking forward to the predictability of direct motion! This
is why I call it the "burden" of the quest. As Springsteen put it, with
every gift there comes a curse. While the individual born near a station
may have the gifts of depth and foresight, it comes at the cost of the
ability to be always fully present in the moment. Again, I am reminded of
the Tunnel of Love album, and what is to me the ultimate tribute to a
Gemini rising with Mercury retrograde –the song "Brilliant Disguise". He
sings to his lover…
"I wanna read your mind to know just what
I’ve got in this new thing I’ve found. So tell me what I see, when I look
in your eyes. Is that you baby, or just a brilliant disguise."
(xiv)
Actually, the entire album has a very
Gemini/Mercury retrograde flavor. On the cover is Bruce in a black suit,
standing in front of a vintage convertible. On the back, he is in white.
The duality is succinctly delivered in the song "Two Faces" and "Cautious
Man" where Bruce explores his shadow.
"On the one hand Billy’d tattoed the word
LOVE and on the left hand was the word FEAR. And in which hand he held his
fate it was never clear." (xiv)
Obviously, Ali and Springsteen are
extreme examples, but if a client is experiencing a planetary station by
progression you can bet this will color every facet of their experience
for at least a year. Sensitivity to their need for integrating the mythic
Quest in perhaps an all too ordinary life will be called for. Depending on
whether the station is retrograde or direct, they will need encouragement
to either take a sabbatical or run off on a lark. In either case you can
assure them that their life will be infinitely more rich and satisfying
for having taken the risk and answering "the call to adventure." Fame and
fortune may not await, but the Self does, and is perhaps the only true
treasure we need find.
i Erin Sullivan,
Retrograde Planets, 2nd edition, York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser Inc., 2000,
p. 9. ii Ibid. iii Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, New York, NY: MJF
Books, 1949, p.49. iv Ibid. v Lois Rodden, (2002).
www.astrodatabank.com/NM/AliMuhammad.htm vi Erin Sullivan, Retrograde Planets, 2nd edition, York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser Inc., 2000, p.58-59 vii Ibid. viii Lois Rodden, (2002).
www.astrodatabank.com ix Bruce Springsteen, The Rising, New York, NY: Columbia Records, 2002. x George Kelly, The Psychology of Personal Constructs. New York,NY:
Norton. (1955). xi Ibid. xii Bruce Springsteen, Tunnel of Love, New York, NY: Columbia Records, CBS
Inc., 1987 xiii Ibid. xiv Bruce Springsteen "With Every Wish" Tunnel of Love Columbia Records,
1992
