Post-Modern Astrology: Part 4: How We See the Stars. A Model of Human Perception.

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Xeno

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Inherent rhythms: the foundation of human existence

In order to truly comprehend the influence of cosmic cycles, our starting point must be an understanding of how we, as human beings, perceive them. It is akin to reading a map when one understands the language in which it is written. And this "language" of our perception already possesses inherent natural and biological cycles, forming the foundation upon which we perceive reality. By examining these cycles—circadian, annual, and lunar—we not only gain a deeper understanding of ourselves but also acquire a key to understanding precisely how the influence of cosmic cycles can manifest in our lives.

Astrologer:
Agreed, the human being is always the focus.

Skeptic:
And what about the human being interests us?

Author:
To understand the influence, we need a model. Let's define the key components of human life.


Our existence is defined by fundamental time cycles laid down by nature:

Circadian rhythm
The Earth's rotation around its axis - creates the day and night cycle, establishing our 24-hour circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep, wakefulness, and various physiological processes.

Annual cycle
The Earth's rotation around the Sun - leads to the change of seasons, forming the annual cycle, which affects our activities, agriculture, and even psychology.

Lunar cycle
A cycle lasting 29.5 days, especially noticeable in the female menstrual cycle, has long been associated with fertility, emotions, and the ebb and flow of energy.


The four-phase cycle of life

Human life, like all phenomena in the Universe, unfolds within linear time. We observe that everything has a beginning and an end, and every process can be divided into four phases:

Emergence/Birth
The initial spark, the beginning of a new cycle.

Development/Growth
A period of nourishment, learning, and expansion.

Activity/Maturity
The peak of the cycle, characterized by action, productivity, and interaction with the world.

Decline/Death
The end of the cycle, a time for reflection, completion, and cessation.

This four-phase cycle can be represented as a circle divided into four quadrants, each representing a specific phase of existence.


Personal and social: two halves of a whole

Human development can be further divided into two spheres: personal and social. Initially, people focus on personal growth, developing their skills, identity, and understanding of the world. Then they enter the social sphere, interacting with others, forming relationships, and contributing to society.

This can be more clearly represented as, The process of human development in the metaphor of a Seed and the Sun. First, the seed germinates underground, hidden from the Sun, which represents the internal, personal phase of growth. As it develops, it breaks through to the surface, reaching for the Sun, symbolizing the transition to the external, social sphere.

This metaphor divides the sphere of existence into two hemispheres: the lower, associated with internal, personal processes, and the upper, associated with external, social interactions. This division is reflected in astrology, where the lower hemisphere of the chart is associated with the self, home, and personal life, while the upper hemisphere represents the public sphere, career, and social status (see picture below).

We should not forget the biological imperative – the drive to reproduce, which naturally pushes us to interact with society to find a partner and start a family. This once again emphasizes the inextricable link between the personal and social spheres.

Life path model: from birth to social recognition

model.png

Let's note right away that a person cannot be described by one model. There are many of them at different levels. Let's build a common model that is familiar to classical astrology. The basis will be the following sequence diagram.

Lower hemisphere, personal.
  1. Birth: The first cry, the first breath – the beginning of an individual path.
  2. Growth and survival: Consuming the resources necessary for physical/intellectual development.
  3. Cognition of the world: Interaction with the immediate environment, collecting information through the senses.
  4. Creating one's own space: Striving for comfort and security, forming a personal identity.
  5. Creative self-realization: Manifestation of individuality, often associated with procreation.
  6. Completion of the cycle: Caring for offspring, waning of vital forces.
Upper hemisphere, social.

7. Integration into society: The first experience of interaction with a wider circle of people.
8. Social resources: Obtaining benefits and opportunities through public structures.
9. Collective intelligence: Exchange of knowledge, participation in group activities.
10. Social status: Occupying a certain place in society, career.
11. Contribution to the common cause: Realization of creative potential in a social context.
12. Legacy: Striving to leave a mark in history, caring for future generations.


Author:
Thus, taking into account these interconnected cycles and layers — biological, personal, social, and symbolic — we can construct a complex model of a human being. This model serves as the basis for understanding how cosmic rhythms, expressed through planetary cycles, manifest in our lives.

Astrologer:
A little unusual. But it seems we are talking about the same thing, only in different words!

Skeptic:
Something like cosmobiology + philosophy
 
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Another clearly written, well organized article.

Just a little red penciling here.

A lot of astrology does not focus on the human being, at least not on the individual, even as a social creature. Mundane astrology, astro-meteorology, and some horary astrology would be examples. Probably some electional astrology (determining an auspicious future date.)

Specific examples might be the timing of an earthquake or tsunami, long-range weather forecasting, or locating missing items. Electional astrology might determine the best future date to launch a new corporation.

Horary astrology is typically the major branch that confounds understanding of astrology as exclusively focused on nativities. It goes by the moment of the question. More than natal chart interpretation and its derivatives, a good horary question often demands a "yes or no" answer, or one where the outcome can be known. Either the missing cat comes back or it doesn't. Either the missing ring is found where the astrologer predicted it would be, or it isn't.

The idea of menstrual cycles correlating with lunar cycles has been pretty well debunked, at least for our modern world. Some women's cycles do synchronize; and perhaps more did in a pre-electric past, but not the majority today.

Sex and caring for a family are miles apart in some individuals.

To what extent are you influenced by the work of Dane Rudhyar? This was kind of his way of going about things; but of course, real lives are too messy to fit neatly into a 12-fold progression.

I don't think the will of ancient gods is the comparable. Astrology had a long history with Christianity Islam and modern esotericism. There are some good books out there, like Nicholas Campion's two-volume history of astrology.
 
Another clearly written, well organized article.

Just a little red penciling here.

A lot of astrology does not focus on the human being, at least not on the individual, even as a social creature. Mundane astrology, astro-meteorology, and some horary astrology would be examples. Probably some electional astrology (determining an auspicious future date.)

Specific examples might be the timing of an earthquake or tsunami, long-range weather forecasting, or locating missing items. Electional astrology might determine the best future date to launch a new corporation.

Horary astrology is typically the major branch that confounds understanding of astrology as exclusively focused on nativities. It goes by the moment of the question. More than natal chart interpretation and its derivatives, a good horary question often demands a "yes or no" answer, or one where the outcome can be known. Either the missing cat comes back or it doesn't. Either the missing ring is found where the astrologer predicted it would be, or it isn't.

The idea of menstrual cycles correlating with lunar cycles has been pretty well debunked, at least for our modern world. Some women's cycles do synchronize; and perhaps more did in a pre-electric past, but not the majority today.

Sex and caring for a family are miles apart in some individuals.

To what extent are you influenced by the work of Dane Rudhyar? This was kind of his way of going about things; but of course, real lives are too messy to fit neatly into a 12-fold progression.

I don't think the will of ancient gods is the comparable. Astrology had a long history with Christianity Islam and modern esotericism. There are some good books out there, like Nicholas Campion's two-volume history of astrology.
The point is to make everything consistent from beginning to end — to create a complete, self-contained theory. If we get distracted by particular cases, it's better not to start at all. We have a clear objective: to build a complete theory that relies solely on what exists in principle, with minimal analogies and assumptions.

I don't believe I've been influenced by the work of other authors. Rather, my ideas are natural conclusions that, I'm sure, have occurred to many astrologers (especially in the Modern era). It's just that I am taking the initiative to bring this vision to its logical conclusion.

Among the scientists who have influenced me, I would certainly highlight Newton with his statement about astrology as a "celestial clock" and Galileo with his principle of equivalence.

It can be added that there is an opinion that the Western and Vedic schools work on different levels. From my point of view, this is also a statement of equivalence.

I'm not claiming this is wrong, but it is on this principle — the principle of equivalence — that postmodern astrology also builds its system. In the next chapter, we will discuss the planets, and it will immediately become noticeable that the conclusions made without relying on mythology, themselves form a picture that is quite similar to the classical one (but much more rational).
 
I don't think the will of ancient gods is the comparable.
I think I'll agree and remove that paragraph about the will of the gods altogether in the final text.

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate that before discussing cosmic influences, we need to understand how we ourselves perceive them. Our own biological rhythms and cycles form the "language" through which we interpret cosmic influences.

<<In order to truly comprehend the influence of cosmic cycles, our starting point must be an understanding of how we, as human beings, perceive them. It is akin to reading a map when one understands the language in which it is written. And this "language" of our perception already possesses inherent natural and biological cycles, forming the foundation upon which we perceive reality. By examining these cycles—circadian, annual, and lunar—we not only gain a deeper understanding of ourselves but also acquire a key to understanding precisely how the influence of cosmic cycles can manifest in our lives.>>
 
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Xeno, the problem I see is that you could have this brilliantly written, logical, self-contained theory --- that does not actually model the phenomena you wish to explain. It's like wearing rigid shoes that don't actually fit your feet.

"Particular cases" that don't fit your theory are not just distractions. If they reveal flaws in, or exceptions to your analysis, they can torpedo your theory altogether.

If you wish to restrict your discussion to just natal charts, perhaps you should say so. Otherwise I wonder what happened to major subdivisions of astrology like mundane, electional, and horary. What about astrologers who follow the stock market and advise clients? It gets a bit dodgy talking about progressions that basically use surrogate data.

A necessity for scholarly studies is a literature review. I'm not saying you need to include one, but it is important to read what astrologers have said previously about your topics. If you have been scooped, refuted or bolstered by previous authors, it's good to know about them.

I do wish you well with your project. Please take my feedback as constructive -- the spirit with which it was intended. As I used to recommend to my students, if you think a critique is mistaken or unfair, simply use it as a flag showing where you can persuade the reader by making your points more clearly.
 
Xeno, the problem I see is that you could have this brilliantly written, logical, self-contained theory --- that does not actually model the phenomena you wish to explain. It's like wearing rigid shoes that don't actually fit your feet.

"Particular cases" that don't fit your theory are not just distractions. If they reveal flaws in, or exceptions to your analysis, they can torpedo your theory altogether.

If you wish to restrict your discussion to just natal charts, perhaps you should say so. Otherwise I wonder what happened to major subdivisions of astrology like mundane, electional, and horary. What about astrologers who follow the stock market and advise clients? It gets a bit dodgy talking about progressions that basically use surrogate data.

A necessity for scholarly studies is a literature review. I'm not saying you need to include one, but it is important to read what astrologers have said previously about your topics. If you have been scooped, refuted or bolstered by previous authors, it's good to know about them.

I do wish you well with your project. Please take my feedback as constructive -- the spirit with which it was intended. As I used to recommend to my students, if you think a critique is mistaken or unfair, simply use it as a flag showing where you can persuade the reader by making your points more clearly.
That's not quite right; this type of astrology actually performs better in predictive work rather than natal chart reading. Moreover, because of the inherent complexities of the individual's context, natal chart readings are limited in their scope. We also eliminate all forms of typical interpretations – for example, the notion that a girl with Venus in Libra is necessarily beautiful, which we know is ultimately controlled by genetics. Instead, we emphasize that the individual's life context is the determining factor.

And you're right to assume, that the construction of predictive work will differ quite noticeably and will discard much from the classical approach.
 
What about astrologers who follow the stock market and advise clients? It gets a bit dodgy talking about progressions that basically use surrogate data.
I doubt those astrologers are in trouble. :)
Actually, many people think that Western and Vedic astrology operate on different layers, so from that viewpoint, this postmodern astrology is just as valid as another one. It’s just another system where we can do some analysis and compare it to others.
 
Hi, Xeno -- thanks for an interesting discussion.

I do think the role of genetics is underplayed in astrology. We especially see this in an old-style of chart rectification based on people's facial features, hair color, and skin tone.

However, humans have a lot of genetic variety, so it's unclear whether a given girl will inherit her mother's looks-- or her father's.

Venus in Libra has multiple interpretations that are nonetheless consistent with its core meanings. She's not just the pretty face. She might be the artist or the hairdresser.

Then genetics get modified by many cultural factors. This could be anything from a serious childhood accident or illness (astrologically predictable?) to a given society's beliefs about feminine beauty. Facial tattoos for women are seen as enhancing her good looks in some cultures, but as destroying them by others.

While I applaud your efforts to streamline astrological understandings we live in a complex, messy world.
 
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