INTRODUCTION:
Excellent
astrologers like Moses Siregar and Steven Forrest have
encouraged astrologers to be open-minded and to welcome
the increasing diversity within our field. With the
expanding understanding of ancient western methods,
the increasing popularity of Vedic astrology in the
west, and continued enthusiasm for psychological astrology
and other approaches to astrology, we now encounter
a much wider spectrum of ideas, concepts, and theoretical
models within the field of astrology than perhaps ever
before in history.
ACCEPTANCE
OF DIVERSITY:
I applaud the insights of Moses and Steven, and
I would like to extend our acceptance of
diversity one step
further: we can look for relationships between
seemingly
disparate approaches to astrology. In doing this,
we may help turn the upside-down pyramid of astrology
right side up.
By “upside-down
pyramid” I
mean that astrological theory consists of an ocean
of anecdotal evidence, different paradigms and conceptual
models, and there is no consistent agreed upon theoretical
fabric to weave together different astrological concepts
into a coherent whole. Rather than having, as physicists
do, a few fundamental principles upon which diversity
is explained, there are a great number of astrological
concepts that we synthesize together to draw conclusions.
-
Physicists postulate that there are 4 fundamental forces which
are the basis for all physical behavior in the
universe.
-
Chemists claim that all material things, despite the
variety of colors, textures,
etc., are
essentially the same thing
simply arranged with different numbers of identical
components.
-
In
modern science there is a kind of vision
of oneness
underlying apparent diversity,
and this strikes me as a rather spiritual
and universal vision. Modern
science is designed and “promoted” primarily
for its utilitarian
benefits and rational basis, but nevertheless
the
implications of the theories
are inspiring
and uplifting.
-
Astrology,
on the other
hand, typically
strives to
achieve
synthesis as an
end result
of analyzing
specific
data. Astrology sees the world of diversity
and extracts
conclusions
from analyzing the complexity
of aspects,
rulers, house
placements,
etc.
-
Modern
scientists,
on
the other
hand, analyze behavior
as variations
of a handful of underlying
principles.
-
Scientists have
a
pyramid,
with
a
point
at
the
top;
from
oneness
diversity
descends.
-
Astrologers have
a
pyramid
with
the
base
at
the
top;
from
diversity
one
gradually
distills
specific
conclusions.
Can,
for
example,
a
Uranian
astrologer
who
relies
on
symmetry
as
a
theoretical
underpinning
find
a
mutual
point
of
agreement
and
synthesis
with
a
traditional
astrologer
who
uses
the
fundamental “twelveness” and
its
constituent triplicities
and
quadruplicities
as
a
fundamental paradigm?
As
we
continue
to
expand our
horizons and
incorporate
more
astrological ideas,
we
may
occasionally
discover
a point
of agreement
and
synthesis.
These
points of
synthesis are
rare
but are
important.
One
of the
most profound
examples of
unanimity stretching
across very
diverse astrological
systems is
the agreement
in classical
astrology and
cosmic cybernetics
that arabic
parts (or
lots as
some classical
astrologers prefer
to call
them) are
extremely important.
HARMONIC
PROPERTIES OF ARABIC PARTS ARE IMPORTANT:
Arabic
parts are,
in
fact,
so
important
that
they
are
one
of
the
most
fundamental
principles
in
both
of
these
systems
of
astrology.
Also
striking
is
that
arabic
parts
have
little
obvious
or
intuitive
appeal.
The
formula
upon
which
the
arabic
part
is
based
seems
superficially
to
be
rather
arbitrary.
Perhaps
for
this
reason
arabic
parts
have
fallen
out
of
favor
in
modern
psychological
astrology.
That
two
very
different
astrological
systems
come
to
the
same
conclusion
is
rather
striking.
Arabic
parts
have
very
powerful
harmonic
properties
that
from
the
viewpoint
of
cosmic
cybernetics
are
extraordinarily
profound
and
powerful. That
some
of
the
most
ancient
systems
of
astrology
relied
on
a
formula
that
produces
powerful
harmonic
resonances
is
intriguing.
There
is
no
extant
evidence
that
the
ancients
developed
arabic
parts
based
on
a
theory
of
resonance,
and
we
may
never
know
how
the
idea
originated.
We
do
know
that
classical
astrology
and
cosmic
cybernetics
agree
that
arabic
parts
are
fundamental
and
critically
important.
For
more information
on the
harmonic properties
of arabic
parts the
article at
http://astrosoftware.com/ArabicParts.htm is
helpful.
The
article
posted
at
http://astrosoftware.com/Symmetries.htm provides information
on other
astrological concepts
that are
fundamentally the
same as
arabic parts.
KEEP
ON OPEN MIND:
If
we keep
an open
mind as
Moses and
Steven suggested,
and if
we research
astrological ideas
carefully, we
sometimes discover
that precisely
the same
concept is
being conveyed
in very
different historical
and cultural
contexts. I
find these
occasional discoveries
one of
the most
exhilarating and
exciting experiences
in the
study of
astrology.
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