Videos hosted by Michael Erlewine

This is the second of a short series of blogs that (hopefully) point out why cosmic or deep-space astrology offers opportunities for some deep thinking, as well. Let's start with sun-sign astrology.

As we look into the sun during the course of a year and describe the qualities of those who are born in the various signs, we succeed in defining NOT the position of the sun, but that of the earth in relation to the sun. As astrologers, this should be second nature to us and it illustrates an important axiom: All inquiry into greater centers does not reveal the nature of that center (in itself), but rather reveals our relationship to that center.

In other words: centers serve to mirror or reflect. Their nature is to reveal to us not THEIR intrinsic nature, but our own. REVELATION of any kind is the sign of communication with greater centers or planes -- revelation, not of some far off distant entity or "God," but always revelation of ourselves and the spirit within us. In a discussion as to the qualities of the centers of the galaxy and super galaxy, we can understand that inquiry into the direction of the sun will reveal the nature of the earth, inquiry into the nature of the galaxy will serve to reveal the nature of our own sun, and inquiry into the Super galaxy will serve to reveal the nature of our galaxy. The idea presented here is that it is the very nature of higher centers to reflect and respond to more particular or local centers.

At this point another very significant axiom emerges: The experience of physical attraction (traction = to draw across or towards) or gravity is primarily a local phenomenon. For instance, we directly respond to the attraction we call gravity of the center of the earth. Our earth responds to the center of the sun, the sun to the galaxy, and so forth. Yet as individuals we are not aware of the pull of the sun on the entire earth, or again: attraction or gravity is a sign of a local phenomenon. Think about it. It pays dividends.

This perhaps will make more sense in our practical affairs if we put it this way: a sign of our communication with higher or "vaster" centers (Spirit or “God”) is not physical gravity (graveness) or attraction, but always an ENLIGHTENMENT, the releasing and accepting of the nature of the particular terms (terminals) of our existence. Knowledge of so-called inner planes exhibits itself to us through a process of reflection or mirroring of our self rather than through the presentation to us of something new or somehow "other." Mirroring means we see OUR essential nature, the traditional word is “reflection.” In the beginning of meeting a higher source (or teacher) is a reflection not of them, but of us. Of course, when we ourselves begin to reflect others, that is another thing entirely.

In other words, higher centers mirror or reveal to us (reflect) our own self and do not exhibit in themselves a greater intrinsic attractiveness or gravity than we already have. To make this more obvious, we each meet in life individuals who have a great impact on us. Following the above rule, those who we feel a great attraction toward and who hold great power over us are only a local phenomenon; they are not really teachers for us. True teachers affect us with their presence by making us realize our own attractiveness and essential nature, not theirs. They enlighten us, not scare us. Of course, each of us is responsible for overcoming our own fears of "otherness," feeling competitive. That is a question of attitude, which is always our problem.

In other words, inquiry into real centers reveal to us our own essential sense of attractiveness. In fact, it is the nature of centers to be non-material or non-physical, by definition. Our inquiry into this realm is limited only by our fear or reluctance to see our self in this mirror, and seeing through the back of the mirror has always been a sign of Initiation. To sum this up: greater centers mirror or reflect our own self and nature, revealing to us our essential identity as already a part of a larger whole, and enlightening us of (or from) our "grave-ness” and the burden of an apparent loneliness or separation from that whole.

With this idea in mind, let us resume our investigation as to the nature of the galactic (26 degrees Sagittarius) and supergalactic (1 degrees Libra) centers. We can expect the galactic center to exercise considerably greater physical attraction than that of the local Super galactic center. In fact, one of the identifying features of the galactic center (GC) at work as revealed in chart analysis (in research by Charles Harvey, Reinhold Ebertin, and many others) is a certain "macho" like quality, a sense of strength and power perhaps typified in the zeal and self-righteousness of certain extreme religious factions. Or more simply: the tendency in the qualities of Sagittarius and Capricorn of sternness and physical action or "power." That's where these two zodiac signs got that definition even if at the time we had no idea of the galactic center or where it was in the heavens..

Another way to put this is the great ability and power of the GC as represented (when strongly aspected in the natal chart) to move and attract others. We find this feature in the charts of great political and religious leaders who possess the power to move nations to action. The GC figures in these charts in the traditional astrological ways -- by conjunctions and other aspects to the galactic center. We may contrast this "macho-like" quality found in the GC to the qualities that indicate the presence of Super galactic center (SGC) in natal charts. With the SGC we look to the traditional qualities of Virgo and Libra -- that of care, service, reflection, and love. Perhaps the best representative of the supergalactic nature occurs in Buddhism in the idea of compassion and especially in the beloved figure of the Bodhisattva, a being who is literally devoted to the service of all life until ignorance vanishes in every one in complete realization.

We do not find the SGC as physically powerful and moving as we do the GC, at least outwardly. In the west, the traditional god figures are more fierce and full of the "fire and brimstone" approach than of the endless care and service as typified in some of the eastern traditions.

In fact, only in these times we are now living are the "servile" qualities associated with Virgo sun sign coming to be appreciated as a power in themselves. In other words, the SGC represents a non-material or essentially a passive power rather than the more active kind of power as seen in the galactic center Idea. In the Bible it repeatedly says "this came to pass; that came to pass," emphasizing the passive genius, not active in the "doing of things," but rather active in the "undoing of things" that is: helping things to pass from this world. The GC giveth and the SGC taketh away, so to speak.

The SGC is a non-material or spiritual task and genius equally to be valued along with the more active one-who-does-things or brings-things-to-be in this world. We can see these two great archetypes at work in the world, and they may be conveniently studied in their local representatives: the galactic and Super galactic centers and planes.

This blog is also part of a video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TIilxycr40