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INTRODUCTORY ESOTERIC ASTROLOGY

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CANCER   2008


Labor of Hercules
Capture of the Keryneian Doe or Hind

Capture the Doe of Moon goddess Artemis (& Sun daughter Diana); hold it close to his heart; bear it to the Altar.
Motto:   I build a lighted house and therein dwell.

(Cancer visions life in Leo)


Cancer and the U.S. Charts

In the esoteric astrology of Alice Bailey, the United States is said to be ruled by an Aquarian soul and a Gemini personality.   Both rule the fusing of nationalities and ethnicities.   Both rule science, which has the capacity to bring light to human relations and to the environment.

Washington DC, on the other hand, is said to be ruled by Cancer and Sagittarius, the traditional rulers of the US chart in orthodox astrology.   Cancer represents self-interested and self-protective (and now security-conscious) isolationism, and Sagittarian blind adherence to formal decisions made, which negate long-range vision (on the primitive side).   DC, the capital of the US, is said to be moving toward New York, as the US grows out of its adolescence.   This will be good, since NY is a planetary center, not just a national one.
Among the Twelve Labors of Hercules, Cancer was a test of the wisest choice –made from the Heart– and which took a complete cycle to achieve (a year, a lifetime, a century).   It involved letting go of precious achievements and material earned by one’s own efforts — but only after delivering it to the temple or shrine of Deity.

The esoteric trouble with Cancer is that it must rise from collective Instinct to pure Intuition, without the intermediate stage of Intellect.   This is often great for creativity, but perhaps not so much so for rational decision-making or intelligent leadership.   Cancer rules capitalism and the consumer society, which is another word for ‘addiction society.’   Add a Sagittarian proclivity for geopolitical gambling, and you have the current sloppy situation.

If Benjamin Franklin’s Plan of Union (between the colonies and Great Britain) of the 10th of July 1754 had been accepted, we might now exist as a Commonwealth with a parliamentary democracy and restricted two-week election periods, able to chuck out unworthy tyrants in a single day.   But we chose the ancient four-year Venus/lunar cycle of office — sacrifice the sacred king every four years.   (See Graves, The White Goddess.)

In terms of hope, the US is at a decision point this year, 2008, which will have reverberations for decades.   As Edgar Cayce observed, the US would be ruled by a mob after the second president (of the 20th century) died in office.   (McKinley died after leaving office.)

Any cause for hope in general is based on taking right initiative, right decisions, and right action.   Hope, if it exists, has to do with unconditional love and vision, ignoring appearances and the fear and glamour thrown in the Path by dark forces of materialism.   What is democracy but humanity’s response to universal love?   But true and effective democracy depends on universal education and a free flow of information.

The key signal of America’s future maturity will be an intelligent collaboration of labor and capital.   The merging of democracy and humane social ethics will come later as a result.   This latter evolution has begun in Britain. (“Britons never, ever will be slaves…”)   Unfortunately, we still seem to have a large and ignorant political constituency promoting “plantation” or “trickle-down casino-capiddlist” democracy.

Cancer and Aquarius were deeply involved in the Great Depression.   But the Depression saw a mobilization of the American people and a readjustment to the realities of politics and ‘class.’   FDR facilitated the New Deal, which was politically credible to the Repugs as the only way to restore the economy for future looting.   Of course, what was much more important for the future was the American people’s response with a culture of greater intelligent cooperation and public works.

If Humanity is viewed as part of a larger organism (e.g., the planet, a solar deity, God), it is easier to see how suffering is a major factor in the evolution of consciousness, and the growth of awareness which is truly global in nature.   Humans don’t ‘deserve’ suffering, but bring it upon themselves through ignorance.

True science (not corporate or ‘nazi’ science) is one of Americans greatest possible contributions to the world.   Scientific workers are some of the most selfless (and therefore spiritual) workers in the world.   Also, the recognition by fundamentalist Christian groups of environmentalism as responsible human stewardship of God’s creation is a great sign that in the US there is arising the possibility that science and religion are truly beginning to reconcile.   This has planetary implications, especially considering the rise of a new world religion, unifying the best and most universal of all the world’s faiths.

One of the greatest hopes for the US is the entrance of Pluto into Capricorn (opposite sign from Cancer).   It will oppose the US Sun, Jupiter and Venus.   Pluto’s lower aspect is clearing the decks for an inflow of new life, and so it involves death.   Its higher aspect is holistic healing, enlightening, and the possibility of self-resurrection from the ashes of self-immolation, symbolized by the Phoenix.   Since Pluto is in opposition, it signifies a total overhaul of US relations with the rest of the world.   It should clean up the materialist of many sham elements in the US government and society at large.   For instance, the last two periods of Pluto in Capricorn came during the Anglican, Protestant and printing press revolutions (1516-32) and the period leading up to the American revolutionary period (1762-77).   They were periods of great effort that matched the great reforms in society that were accomplished.

Faith and hope are important virtues for Cancer, but the greatest of these is universal unconditioned Love and loving intuitive responsible Freedom.





Inspiration:   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, and her 24 books on esoteric philosophy.   NY: Lucis Publishing Company – website (http://www.lucistrust.org/en/publications_store).
H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Centennial facsimile ed.   Los Angeles.   Theosophical University Press, 1988.



Peter Kubaska © 2008       AWE @ TS in Boston 2008 June