Levels of Perception

I want to step back from specific interpretation in this post and look at how we perceive the symbols of astrology.

First, let me quote a bit from the article, "Why This System", from the Information Site (red link in the right panel):

"After 20 years of learning and struggle, my goal became giving people the most important Perceptions—the underlying positive assumptions that are needed to thrive and prosper in the truly amazing Realm of Astrology. It's one thing to have a practical way to interpret an astrological chart. It's quite another to have the perceptions and understanding to interpret a chart in a way that assures positive and productive results.

"Remember learning about the three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas? Some of you might also have learned about a fourth state—plasma. Scientifically speaking, plasma surrounds and energizes the other three states of matter. You could also consider plasma as energizing gas, gas energizing liquid, and liquid energizing solid...

"The B.I.D.E. Interpretive System is a way of perceiving the factors in a chart from the 'plasma' or Spiritual level—a realm of perception that surrounds, envelops, and energizes the other three. But just like all other spiritual perceptions, even though they're the most valuable way of looking at things, they need further interpretation to be used in less elevated, yet related and important, realms of life. We need the discipline of spiritual meditation to stay balanced and proactive in the social, personal, and practical fields of life. My experience has taught me that an astrologer needs a way to begin interpretation of a chart from the spiritual level; then, bring it down to the other levels.

"The Symbolic Sentences you create in the B.I.D.E. System are WordSymbols—one step removed from the abstract glyphs of the traditional chart. Being symbolic themselves, they need further interpretation to be used in the 'gas' or Social realm of perception; yet further interpretation to be used in the 'liquid' or Personal realm; even further interpretation for use in the 'solid' or Practical realm. Over time, an astrologer can learn to look at a chart, see the spiritual significance, and, nearly immediately, glide right down through the other levels of perception—a process made infinitely easier when involved in the reciprocal relationship of a living, breathing consultation with the native of the chart."

Next post, we'll take a Symbolic Sentence from the B.I.D.E. System and go through, step-by-step, this interpretive shifting of levels...

Let's Play ! Seriously . . .

Dedicated to
Lauren Lesko

This post is an examination of certain particulars of Elvis Presley's chart and also an exploration of the necessity to Play with the interpretive system I've created. This system is introduced in my free-to-download book, Astrological Repair Manual. You can also have a free download of a special edition of the interpretive system all by itself. I strongly suggest you download at least one of these so you can follow along with the interpretation of people's charts and, hopefully, offer your comments and suggestions for other interpretations in the comments!

Last post, I introduced an analogy to help you understand the approach I offer with my system. I used the words: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth to designate levels of interpretive perception. Last night I received a lesson of extremely helpful critique about the use of those particular words and the confusion they may cause for people already familiar with the elements as commonly used in astrology.

So...

I'll re-introduce that analogy and give you words that won't cause any stress in philosophic understanding.

My approach to astrological interpretation is based on the ancient aphorism, "As Above, So Below". In the four decades of my study and practice, I've come to the firm conclusion that the most honest and valuable approach to astrology is to start Above and work your way down to Below. Reversing the direction is one of the most serious mistakes an astrological aspirant can make...

The highest level of interpretive perception is the Spiritual, followed by the Social, Personal, and Practical levels. Each level enfolds or encompasses the level below...

My system was designed to enable you to begin at the highest level and Play your way down through the others to find the most appropriate interpretation for any concern or issue in your life.

Now, some examples of Playing with the system while we consider Elvis' chart (that link will open another window so you can easily reference the chart while we go through the interpretation {Check out Wikipedia if you want to read a fascinating biography).

I'm only going to cover two of Elvis' ten planets—the Sun or Central Life Purpose and the Mooon or Style of Doing the Life Purpose. This analysis isn't intended to be complete but it is intended to show you how to find a few indications of the Man behind the Media and the Soul behind the Music...

We'll start with his Sun in Capricorn in the Second House. Since my system provides 64 interpretations for each placement, I'll simplify things a bit by giving you three that seem to me to express Elvis' Central Life Purpose:

Focusing Structural Innovations in order to Realize his Heritage.

Integrating Constructive Initiatives in order to Ground his Plans.

Vitalizing a Desire for Enduring Patterns in order to Be Aware of his Worth.

Yes, those are very abstract interpretations yet they give us the Space necessary to consider much more than what the entertainment press ever offered about Elvis' reasons for being who he was. And, yes, those sentences demand that you spend some time thinking about deeper issues than just his gyrating body or hypnotic voice...

Now, I want to Play a bit...

I'm going to take part of one of those sentences and mate it with part of another:

Vitalizing a Desire for Enduring Patterns in order to Realize his Heritage.

Just a hint from his biography: He was early on a lover of Gospel and it seems to me he immortalized a soaring spiritual presentation of whatever he sang...

Now, the Moon—the Style of doing his Central Life Purpose.

Considering the last symbolic sentence from the system for Elvis' Sun, here's what I came up with for his Moon placement (in Pisces in the Third House):

Nourishing Universal Feeling in order to Make Connections.

Connections? How about connections between his Heritage (Gospel) and his Audience (the Universal Audience he attracted...)...

Soon, I'll be introducing the phrases for my system that permit interpretation of aspects between various factors in the chart. For now, consider that Elvis' had a Sun/Moon relationship expressed through the waxing Semisquare. Now, consider those two symbolic sentences I constructed for Elvis' Central Life Purpose and Style of Doing that Purpose with the meaning of their relationship included:

Vitalizing a Desire for Enduring Patterns in order to Realize his Heritage

finds intense expression through

Nourishing Universal Feeling in order to Make Connections.

And, connections he did, emphatically, make. People who love Elvis, who have no other social connection, find soul-mates when they encounter another Elvis lover. Music created from the depths of human suffering—Gospel and Soul—now have a connection to people who have never suffered the depravities that gave that music birth...

No matter the way he died, I feel he more than accomplished his Style of Doing his Central Life Purpose...

~~~~~~~~~

Now, it's your turn: Download my system and Play with all the possible interpretations of Elvis' Sun and Moon, Play with the act of discovering more than the media could ever tell you about a Musical Icon. And, hopefully, share your experience in the Comments...

The Shattering Truth...

In our continuing voyage into the solar system from far within our unconscious minds (just like the readers of my book, Astrological Repair Manual, a free download) we come to a point where we must face the Utter Truth...

What's your reaction when you know the truth you've glimpsed will bring major change to your life, change that may mean letting some treasured things be left behind?

I'll let part of chapter four in the book, about Uranus and its 84-year cycle, speak for me:

"When we look at the half and quarter cycles of this function, some very interesting meanings emerge. The half-cycle is 42 years—smack in the middle of middle age. The quarter-cycle first occurs at 21—an age at which many of us have an insatiable urge to irrevocably separate from parental dictates, even if we’ve already made a physical separation...

"But separation isn’t an absolutely necessary part of Uranus’ function. It does accompany many folks’ experience of this unconscious power but, if we’re prepared for
the action of transformation and are fully ready to face the truth of a situation, we can navigate the changes and keep our treasured possessions—mental, emotional or physical.

"If we contemplate one twelfth of a Uranus cycle, we see some of the reason for what people have called the '7-year-itch'.

"Since one of the purposes of Uranus’ cycle is facing and incorporating the rock-bottom, radical truth, I want to say a few words about 'Good & Bad', 'Positive & Negative', and 'Abstract & Concrete'.

"We’ve been dealing with some big abstract concepts so far: Regeneration [Pluto], Idealism [Neptune], Transformation [Uranus]; and, as we travel in closer to the Sun, we’ll be dealing with concepts that will feel a lot more concrete. Truth is, there’s an abstract and concrete side to most everything. The events we live through as we regenerate [Pluto], idealize [Neptune], and transform [Uranus] are quite concrete. Similarly, when we get to the functions that appear mostly concrete, we’ll still have the abstract psychological powers lurking behind them.

"As far as the polarities of 'Good/Bad' and 'Positive/Negative' are concerned, the truth of the matter is that the old maxims about focusing on the positive bringing good and focusing on the negative bringing bad are fascinatingly true. The catch is that you have to absolutely focus on the positive and, before you can do that, you have to absolutely know what the most positive view is.

"And, when it comes to astrology in general, it's very important to remain rigorously positive. Even if some of the books on astrology detail various negative qualities and, even if you find your expression of those factors as negative, you still need to focus on the positive. How else can you change negative to positive?

"Plus, there's a harmful practice that's too prevalent in astrology, where people use the negative interpretations of astrological factors to excuse their negative behavior—'Sure I do that. It's because I'm a (fill in the blank).'.

"One of Uranus’ functions is to bring us the shattering truth when we’ve been either purposefully or unknowingly clinging to half- or partial-truths. This can be painful or shocking but, when we get to the other side of any crisis, we can usually see the wisdom of the 'unnecessary' strife. And, even if we still can’t make sense of what’s happened, there are the functions of Neptune and Pluto out there (in here) to help us dissolve the clinging falsehoods and bring them to a state of regenerative wholeness.

"Yes, I’m a hopeless optimist! But my experience of life has included a great quantity of shock and pain and dissolution and, thank God, necessary regeneration. What I’m left with after all this inner work is the ineradicable conviction that life has many tests and trials, we all must face some of them, and we all have the sacred duty to maintain our faith and hopefulness that we will see the truth, we will find the dream, and we will experience rebirth into ever-higher understanding and meaningfulness.

"If not... there’s hell to pay!"

Please do respond in the comments! New to astrology? Great!! As my instructors used to say, "There's no stupid question except the one you don't ask..."