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THE YEAR OF THE GRANARY RAT - CHINESE NEW YEAR 2008

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Bianca
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« on: February 09, 2008, 01:40:43 pm »








                                           THE YEAR OF THE GRANARY RAT

                                                    CHINESE NEW YEAR




PART I

7 Feb 2008

By Malvin Artley

Chart Name: NEW MOON 7 FEB 2008 for Adelaide, SA

Date/Time: 7 Feb 2008, 2:44 pm (AEDT -11:00), 3:44 am UT

THE CHINESE CALENDAR

Solar Period (Fortnightly Festival Period): 1 Spring commences (N); Autumn commences (S)

Solar Year: 2008

Li Ch'un (Start of the Chinese Solar Year): 4 Feb 2008 7:00 pm (CCT -8:00)

TETRAGRAM

============

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============

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Tetragram 11:

Divergence: Yang chi, wriggling, breaks through, newly emerged, greeted by the Great Yang. All things are of mistaken appearance.

In hastiness the blind one fails to see the destination. (Nighttime)

or

Having reached the goal, the blind one turns to reclaim success. (Daytime)

________________________________________________________________________________________________





What follows is a long story, but it will give some clues for the coming year……………..

Smoke from the incense censers traced eerie trails along the lines of the steadily lightening meditation room. The dawning of the day had been betrayed by the first furtive chirping of the lone bird in the courtyard, followed soon thereafter by the first dull lights from the horizon. Master Zhou had been startled from his meditations some time before, however. He was troubled by a vision he had seen in his reverie. In it his attendant was running—frightened, out of breath, his legs scratched from running along the dark pathways of the surrounding forest—exhausted. He came bearing news for the Master from the nearest kingdom. A shiver ran along the Master’s spine as he recalled the vision, struggling to see what the upsetting news was that his young charge struggled so valiantly to bring him. He rose from his cushion to go outside and wash since he had been up since the early hours of the morning tending to his discipline and his blessings. He had sent his young disciple to confer with one of Master’s old friends, seeking advice on a troubling matter within the kingdom. Some of the royal jewels had gone missing, and a few of those were highly prized, for they were talismans and held great power for the Emperor and the kingdom. Whosoever possessed them was said to be able to wield power over the realm, and they were thus jealously and closely guarded in a secret location. The jewels had been blessed and charged by holy men centuries before and their power was legendary. More than once they had brought aid to the ruler of the time when the kingdom was in dire need, and they were sorely needed now, for there are always those who will seek to usurp the ruler of the domain, and it was feared that there was a secret plot to overthrow the Emperor.

Master Zhou had been called to the palace by the Emperor himself some weeks before, seeking advice on the troublesome matter. The Master was held in very high regard, and he had taught the Emperor in his earlier years when the Emperor was but a young prince. As a reward for his service, the Master had been given his choice of quarters in the surrounding area and he had found a quiet place just out of view of the palace grounds, but close enough for safety and the convenience of the Emperor. On the day Master Zhou was summoned, he was asked by the Emperor to divine the outcome of the troubles. He was told the whole story. The Master’s response was clear, immediate and direct: “Beware of false friends and guard your resources well. Be prepared to take a firm stand. There will be a complete and sudden change of direction.” It seems that one-by-one, certain of the treasured jewels had begun to disappear beginning a month before. They were regularly checked by one of the Emperor’s most trusted ministers—a family member—who was beyond reproach and vouchsafed by the Master himself. Master Zhou knew people on sight. He had more than a few times caught out the then young prince in fibs to his father and mother, the Emperor and Empress at the time. So, it was known that the minister had not absconded with the treasures. But Master Zhou could not see who had taken the jewels. Yet, his vision and inner guidance to the Emperor was beyond doubt—someone was out to usurp the Emperor. Perhaps there was black magic involved and his sight was clouded, keeping him from seeing the culprit. He did not believe so, but just to be safe, he had sent his young attendant to ask his old friend, who was an older Master himself, about the matter. The attendant now returned with the response, but Master Zhou was deeply troubled by the fear on the young man’s face.

About the time that Master Zhou had finished his morning ablutions a rather haggard, exhausted, young man with sad-looking legs came running toward him up the foot path. He collapsed at the Master’s feet. It was Master Zhou’s poor young attendant. He was barely able to speak; he was so out of breath. The Master regarded him for a bit, told him to rest quietly and then promptly doused him with the bucket of water he had used for his own ablutions. The shock of the cold water was enough to revive the young man and give him enough presence of mind to relate his tale to the Master. As it was, the lad arrived after several days’ journey at the temple where the old Master was staying and he then proceeded to relate the meeting between Master Zhou and the Emperor, giving Master Zhou’s response and the entire story about the missing jewels. The lad said the old man then sighed, went into a trance for a time and abruptly stopped—opening his eyes, looking directly at the young man—wide-eyed and with a look of absolute terror on his face. The young man said that once had caught his breath the old Master spoke to him in slow and even tones, in the most solemn of voices and said “Your Master is correct, but he is in peril. There is a usurper in the palace and Master Zhou must find him out. Have your Master announce a date for a gathering of the court—a week after the announcement, and then have the palace guard gather everyone in the court together and parade them past the Master at the appointed date. He will soon find the usurper of the realm. I smell a rat. Yes, your Master is in very deep peril, for the Emperor will lose faith in him if he cannot find the jewels.” The young man said there was a long pause after that wherein the old Master regarded him intently. It was the most uncomfortable moment of his life.

Then, all of a sudden and without warning the old Master burst into a fit of laughter so severe that all he could do was to roll of the floor and clutch his sides, unable to even catch his breath between paroxysms of hilarity. He eventually caught his breath enough to motion the young man away, but as he did and between gradually diminishing fits of mirth, he gave one final message to the now terribly confused and terrified attendant: “Two days before the gathering, go before dawn with your Master to the small grotto near the treasury for the jewels and wait—and watch. There is a small path near the pond. Your thief will appear there. Follow him and you will find your jewels. They are all together and safe. Now, run! Run!! There is no time to waste!!” The young man thought the old Master was a bit out in the woods—bonkers, crackers—so he beat a hasty retreat. He could still hear the old man laughing as he ran down the path away from the temple. Master Zhou’s fear was not helped in the least by the young attendant’s news, nor was he happy at all that his young charge had not brought anything back with him from his old friend. This was not a good result at all—not at all what he wanted to hear! So, he threw another bucket of water on the poor, bewildered young man and stormed off into the hut to think on things. Later that day, when cooler heads prevailed, he gathered his grumpy attendant, calmed him down and made his way to the palace to carry out the behests of his old friend. Despite the old man’s peculiar ways, he had always given Master Zhou good advice.

A few days later in the early morning before the dawn, Master Zhou woke his attendant and they made their way to the grotto near the treasury, following the old Master’s advice. The lad fell back asleep. The Master sighed and settled in for what was to appear. He watched the path intently, like an owl watching for prey. Sure enough, just at the break of dawn, there was a rustle in the undergrowth at the path and Master Zhou’s mouth dropped open in astonishment at what he saw. There before him across the pond was one of the biggest yellow rats he had ever seen and to the Master’s astonished gaze one of the prized jewels was hanging from the animal’s mouth as it scurried along. Master Zhou poked his attendant, grabbed him by the arm and said “Come! It’s time to catch a thief!”, and they took off after the Yellow Rat. Being careful not to spook the animal, they followed at a safe distance, trying to be nonchalant about it all. They had to find those jewels! Eventually the Yellow Rat disappeared into a burrow in the underbrush. The two men sat and waited at a safe distance, careful not to disturb the Yellow Rat, waiting for him to leave the burrow. Eventually it did, and to their surprise and delight, every one of the missing jewels was found there, safely tucked away. They gathered them up, trying the best they could to restore the burrow to its original condition and went promptly to Master Zhou’s hut to wash the jewels.

On the day of the appointed gathering there was great turmoil in the Imperial court. One of the distant relatives had disappeared the night before, along with several of the palace guards. It was thought the guards had abducted him and were going to demand ransom for his return—perhaps some of the precious jewels. The Emperor was beside himself with worry, not just for the relative, but for the realm as well. It was a dark day in the kingdom. Master Zhou suddenly had a flash of insight upon hearing what had happened. “Could it be?” he wondered. He asked to go to the relative’s quarters and then it was confirmed to him: Yes, indeed, the relative was the would-be usurper, along with the guards. In his hasty retreat the relative had carelessly left behind evidence that clearly implicated him in the plot. In triumph, Master Zhou went to the Emperor and informed him, bringing a swift decree from the Emperor for the capture of the now hapless and soon-to-be very sorry ex family member along with entourage. What of the jewels, though? The Emperor was keen to know about that, too. Master Zhou thought for a moment before responding, not wanting to appear to be a complete fool before the Emperor. How could he explain that a rat had taken the precious jewels? How could he have not seen the Yellow Rat in his visions? Indeed, he wondered to himself. It was a question that would perplex him for weeks later. Then, he had an epiphany. “Your Excellence, I have a story about the jewels that you can relate to your children and that will eventually become a legend throughout the land.” As he laid the recovered jewels on the table before the delighted gaze of the Emperor, Master Zhou related his fantastic tale, all the while having to kick his attendant under the table to keep him from spilling the beans about how it all really happened. His story went something like this:

“Once there was a very wise man who possessed great vision. He could see the future and into the very hearts of people. One day he had a vision that the ruler of the realm was about to be overthrown from his rule by a devious and vicious minister in his court. The minister’s plan was to steal the talisman jewels and take away the spiritual power of the ruler, thus rendering him helpless before the minister’s attack on him. With the jewels thus in his possession the minister would then be all-powerful over the kingdom. The wise man liked the ruler, though, because he was kind and benevolent toward his people. So, he hatched a plan himself in order to thwart the evil minister. He searched with his mind’s eye through the creatures of the forest and found one whose daring and craftiness matched the task at hand—a large and intelligent Yellow Rat. He sent a messenger to the rat and told him of the plan. The wise man’s plan was for the Yellow Rat to break into the king’s treasury by night and steal a jewel a night for a month, hiding them away in the forest until the wise man would send someone after them. “Ah, but there are cats in the treasury” said the Yellow Rat. “Why should I get eaten to save a king who is nothing to me? What is in this for me if I go along with your plan?” The wise man said to the rat “You shall have great honor in the land and have a festival named after you. I will make certain that you are cared for in the rest of your days. You will want for nothing.” The Yellow Rat was pragmatic and no fool, so he accepted the offer and performed his task with great skill. When the minister eventually decided it was time to carry out his evil plan he went to the treasury and broke in, but the jewels were gone. He was found out and beheaded on the spot. The jewels were returned to the ruler, just as the wise man had foreseen. The king erected a shrine to the Yellow Rat and named a year after him for his cunning and bravery, making sure that food was left at the shrine every day. The Yellow Rat lived the rest of his days very happily indeed.”

“What a delightful story!” said the Emperor. “Now, what really happened and who really took the jewels? I want his head!” “Now, now!” said Master Zhou. “It is enough that the jewels are back in safe keeping. I have taken care of the thief with magic. He will never bother the realm again. You can be sure of it. Some things are better left unsaid.” The Emperor was not pleased, but he accepted the advice of the Master, for he knew he could trust him. Master Zhou’s attendant could hardly contain himself. It was all he could do to keep a straight face. The Emperor saw the contorted expressions of the young man and asked Master Zhou what the problem was. “I think he has problems with lung” said Master Zhou. “I have given him some new disciplines and he is still adjusting to them. I had better take him back to my hut and see what I can do for him.” and, at that, they took their leave.

Some weeks later and after Zhou’s attendant had been given instructions about court etiquette, a messenger arrived bearing a note and a package from the old Master at the temple. It was simple note. It read: “I am happy to hear that peace has been restored to the Imperial court and the precious jewels have been recovered. It pleases me that you told the truth to the Emperor about what really happened with the jewels. My little yellow friend performed his job very well, did he not? He deserves that shrine. He almost lost his own head to cats many times. Please accept these small gifts as gratitude for your services to the Emperor. I knew his father well in my younger years. The jar of pickled walnuts is for the boy. He needs to learn to laugh and to see through old men’s trickery. It is time for me to go to the Golden Fields now. My work here is done. May all prosperity and attainments come to you both, my friend of old.” The old man was gone. The other items in the box were the old man’s ceremonial implements. He had left them to Master Zhou. “What a precious jewel has been taken from us this day!” Zhou said to the lad, as he shed a tear. The old Master had planned the whole scheme for the recovery of the jewels, and the Yellow Rat had indeed been his willing servant, as had Master Zhou without his knowing. “The old trickster!” Master Zhou thought to himself. His heart warmed at the thought, a smile breaking across his face. “He even planted the story to the Emperor in my head!” The shrine to the Yellow Rat stands by the grotto to this day.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kung Hey Fat Choi, Everyone!

(May prosperity be with you)

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Your mind understands what you have been taught; your heart what is true.

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Bianca
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« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2008, 01:43:20 pm »








NEW YEAR LETTER PART II

7 Feb 2008

By Malvin Artley

"There is a coherent plan in the universe, though I don't know what it's a plan for."

Sir Fred Hoyle, English astronomer-author

Greetings, my Friends!

What in the world are we all doing—and what are we all doing in the world? It is a question I have asked myself many times, especially over the years of this decade. Given the fact we are beginning a new cycle—this is both a Rat Year and a “1” year in numerology—it seems entirely appropriate to ask the preceding question of myself and for all of us yet again, for so many of you have related to me that you feel a need for a fresh look at things or for life to be different somehow. I recently attended a teaching session given by the local Rinpoche* here in Adelaide (I say that with all veneration, love and gratitude—the man is held in very high regard in the world of Buddhism) and he was speaking on the realization that we have but a short time in this blessed life we have been given, and that we should tend to our practice today as if we had little time left to live. Basically, he was giving teaching about the impermanence of life and the fact that we all-too-often blithely go about our business never giving any thought to the fact that our lives can be changed irrevocably or ended in an instant, rendering all of our fond plans as so many leaves in the wind. If that were to be the case and we knew that we could have done so much better at life spiritually, what shape, then, would our succeeding life/lives take if we had this brilliant opportunity and squandered it in pointless activity? Rinpoche’s main point was that we should live now as if we were planning a trip, taking every care that when we reach our destination we would have a brilliant vacation (much better life the next time around).

Of course, I am ‘westernizing’ what Rinpoche said and he certainly put it more eloquently, but that was the gist of his message on that day. Kind of makes you sit up and think, you know? People talk a lot about ‘living in the moment’, but give little care to think that every isolated moment leads to a conclusion of some sort down the track, as it were. What merit is there in what I/we do in a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis? That is the basic question, especially if we look at the whole idea of New Year’s resolutions and taking a fresh look at life at the beginning of each year. Questioning our daily activities in that manner really brings one’s thoughts to a fine point of focus and essentializes one’s life very quickly. We want the best possible outcome at the end of our days here (and in every day, for that matter) for ourselves and for those whom we love, do we not? All this is not to say that our lives should be strictly about work. Even Geshes need a break occasionally. However, the main game in life certainly does take a dramatic turn and emphasis when one directs one’s thoughts to what we are really here to do and how we do it—hence, the reinstatement of my letters, from my perspective. Service, Dharma work, good deeds, mitzvah, acts of grace, courtesy and kindness, benevolence—labors of love—we have many names for meritorious acts in life. There is a special joy in service, and it tends to gather a lot of momentum the more we engage in it. Our acts of kindness and service in life always draw the attention of Those who would aid us in the work. Count on it, for there is great solace and refuge in that kind attention.


It seems appropriate and auspicious that I should re-institute my regular letters to you at the start of the lunar New Year, and in a Rat Year on top of that since the Rat begins the cycles in 4 Pillars Chinese astrology. It has been a while since my last regular letter and a lot has happened with me in the intervening period. I have made some good progress on the reason I took my sabbatical (the book), but in the larger scheme of things I think we can all see that the past months have seen a lot of changes on the world stage, too—a new government in Australia, the bursting of the housing bubble in the US with the whole sub-prime mortgage lending debacle, general financial instability on the world markets (begun by the ‘China Correction’ stock crash at the beginning of the Year of the Pig), the re-emergence of Russia as a super power after a period of relative quiescence, the resignation of Tony Blair, the fires in Greece, the crisis in Burma, Bhutto’s return and subsequent assassination in Pakistan, the writer’s guild strike in the US and the reunion of Led Zeplin (on a lighter note). The world and many people’s personal lives (thank you for those of you who have shared your stories with me) are still quite unsettled and the world stage will be that way for a while yet, especially over the next few years. All in all, life ticks along, though, and experience is opening us to greater possibilities and the ‘coherent plan in the universe’ gradually unfolds in its own time and in its own way (Thank you, Sir Hoyle). Because of all that is going on—and there is quite a bit which will be revealed as the body of this letter unfolds—we will not be able to go into detailed explanations of various factors right now. I will give more detail in later letters as the need arises. Hopefully, however, what is set forth here will be clear enough to give you an overview of what is happening for those of you who are not astrologers. Aside from that, it is good to be back with you.


From the story in Part One about the Yellow Rat, we see that one of the main themes to be taken to heart this year is that there can very well be some sudden and complete changes in life (for the next two years, really) Note that the bold maroon-colored text in the story and the associated chart information outlines the key points for the year. There are good reasons to expect many changes this year, aside from the Chinese astrology and the instability in the world at large. In that vein, there are several key points in addition to the Chinese astrology that need to be addressed and enlarged upon in this letter because those point to factors that will condition the whole of the year, astrologically considered. The first of these is that the year begins on an eclipse—a total, North Node solar eclipse on the 18th degree of Aquarius, the symbol for which reads: “A man’s secret motives are being publicly unmasked.” We will get to the meaning of all that in due course. The other matter to be addressed is the fact that Pluto is now hovering around an Aries Point (the first degree of Cardinal signs—Capricorn in this instance) and will be activating that point for the whole of this year. Every time we have the activation of an Aries point by any of the outer planets (Saturn/Uranus/Neptune/Pluto), the field is ripe for big changes to occur on the world stage, especially if an eclipse has taken place on an Aries point in the few years preceding the contact. Well, guess what? We had such an eclipse at 0 Libra (an Aries point) in September 2006. Now, normally planetary activations of eclipse points need to occur with either a conjunction or opposition of the transiting planet to the point in order to bring forth the full energy of the eclipse. We do not have a full-blown activation of the 2006 eclipse with Pluto, but since Pluto hovers around the square to that point the Mars trigger on 18 Aug 2008 could potentially bring some fireworks with it. Let us address the Feb 7 eclipse and Pluto, then, and we will see that the Western astrology does very much affirm what is given in the Chinese astrology for this lunar year.

Beginning with the eclipse, there are actually two to be considered here—the one that inaugurates this year and the Sept 2006 eclipse mentioned previously. The dynamics of the Feb 7 eclipse figure are of no great note except for a stellium including the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Neptune and Chiron. This eclipse will bring a lot of healing and insight along with it, as well as a fair amount of initial confusion and possible upheaval. However, as was stated, it is a North Node total eclipse, hence it is a particularly strong one (5 out of 5 on the rating scale). This one might rock your world if you have a planet or angle on or opposite 18 Aquarius. Other than that, the only activating planets are largely Mars and Jupiter, so this eclipse has more of a one-off emphasis. There will be an activation of it by Mars on the 10th of June this year, so we will see what that brings aside form the eclipse event itself. Really, to get the most from an eclipse, in a manner of speaking, you cannot go past a good outer planet activation. Without that sort of activation the eclipse energy is big at the time, especially if it is the significator of an event—as it is with the New Year—but past that its effects wane rather quickly and it never really gets “completed” by the outer planet. Since this one is a powerful eclipse, as we have seen, it will condition the whole of this year as a result. Mercury is the lord of the eclipse and it has particular significance for the US (Moon), UK (Venus), China (Pluto), Israel (Saturn), Iran (ASC), Iraq (ASC) and North Korea (Pluto). It is classed as a 10 North Saros series eclipse, which means that communications are a major emphasis for the year and that disquieting events can come into a person’s life via media or a young person. There is the likelihood that people can feel drained throughout the year off and on due to psychic causes as well.

For the US, the eclipse will affect the populace, mainland security, security issues in general and highlight governmental problems, especially with Pluto on the Aries point in the eclipse figure and since the eclipse falls on the US Moon. I see a lot of insecurity in the US this year. People are going to really have to take a close look at their basic needs and exactly what it is that helps them to feel secure and looked after. I do not see a huge financial collapse this year. The bigger ones will come in a couple of years or so. The economy will certainly be slower, however, and the general sense around the place will be one of uneasiness. The elections will be particularly interesting, and I think you will find that by the time of the elections people will be after stability—not change. I would look for a Republican to be elected if that is the case. It would not surprise me in the least to see a moderate Republican in the oval office next year, so—looking at the trends and the undercurrent of the public emotion—that is my current thinking on the outcome of the election in the US. For those readers who would dearly love to see one of the Democratic candidates get the nod, sorry, but I have to call things like I see them. Unless something happens that completely puts the public off the Republican party, which is possible and which would be similar to what we had in Australia in our elections last year, and unless the candidate can stand for stability and security—of which the Republicans had a better track record pre-Bush—do not look for idealism to win the day in the US elections. 2008 will be a year in which some of the stark realities of people’s lives will hit home, not just in the US, but world-wide.

Venus activations (UK) by eclipses tend toward events that center around the financial sector, banking, entertainment and the fashion/cosmetics industry. I would look for a financial ‘event’ in the UK this year, although there could be some brilliant developments in film and media. Eclipses always portend change, and with a North Node eclipse the change is usually about a new impulse of some sort rather than an ending. Such eclipses tend to bring people together somehow, although the event surrounding the coming together can seem rather tumultuous at the time. Pluto activations (China/North Korea) tend toward events involving the underworld, atomic energy, reforms, riots, crimes, mining, renewal, shows of strength and force and purges. These two countries—China and North Korea—are the wild cards in this eclipse picture. The whole scenario with North Korea has been very tense in recent years. Perhaps China will indicate the way for North Korea to reform itself and become a more meaningful member of the world community. Perhaps we will see major reforms of the mining industry in both countries. China has certainly had its share of mining disasters in recent times. Then there are the Olympics in Beijing.

So much can happen, and a lot of what does happen will depend upon financial pressures this year and in the years to come. The world is so volatile at the moment that we really cannot second-guess an outcome about anything. I will leave that more to the psychics. Israel’s basic structures and ways of doing things will be changed somehow this year. That is another country where I see deep insecurities arising this year. It need not be so, but change has been needed in that area of the world for a long time. This year completes a 60-year cycle for Israel. If the Palestinian question can be resolved in a manner beneficial to all, security throughout the world would be greatly helped and a possible disaster averted. Iraq and Iran are due for major change this year, too, with the eclipse on their respective horizons. What looms for them? Again, remember that there can be sudden reversals or changes and that existing orders can be overthrown. The UK can be a major force for good in all this. The US could as well, but she is going to have a lot of concerns at home for now.

At this point in time and since we have so little space here I cannot go into what might help various situations, such as what I see for the US, for instance. I do intend to address some of these things later, however, especially with an astrological overview of some of the major countries. I feel that it is time for that now, given the state of the world. We need to know the trend of what is to come so we can be prepared, at least as much as we can be. All I can do right now is to give the major indicators about the year to come, as I see them.

Continuing with the eclipses that condition this year, we have just had a look at the Feb 7th event. Now we need to take a closer look at the 22 Sep 2006 eclipse. It was activated for the first time by Mars on 14 May 2007, at which time there was a breakdown in the coalition government of Fatah and Hamas in the Palestinian National Authority (15 May), after which massive fighting broke out in the Gaza strip. The Sun activations of the eclipse point brought the crackdown in Burma (22 Sep 2007 activation) and a huge bridge collapse in North Vietnam, which killed scores of workers. The 3 Mar 2007 Sun activation saw the chlorine bomb explosions in Baghdad, which injured hundreds, the seizure of British forces by Iran in disputed Iran/Iraq waters and the discovery of 8 human skeletons in Florida, later linked to a serial killer. The 21 Dec 2006 Sun activation brought an oil pipeline explosion in Nigeria, which killed 200, Libya’s sentencing of 5 Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor to death for knowingly infecting hundreds of Libyan children with AIDS, Shane Warne’s retirement from cricket, the sudden death of Turkmenistan’s dictator which gave grave fears of a power vacuum in the region, the execution of Saddam Hussein and eleven bombings in Bangkok just prior to the New Year. There is violence in this eclipse.

We should note that it was a total South Node, solar eclipse, too, which speaks of endings and disruptions. The Sun activations for this year are, again, on Set. 22 and Dec 21, with a Mars activation on Aug 18. And on the day of that actual eclipse itself? There was the crash of the Maglev train on a test track in Germany, killing 23 and injuring 10 and a coup d’etat in Thailand a few days before, presaging the event and setting the stage for the bombings in Bangkok in December of the next year with the Sun activation. So, watch for events on the dates listed for this year. Those events will bring endings and disruptions. The 22 Sep 06 eclipse will be ‘finished’ in spectacular fashion by Saturn and Uranus in 2010, most likely around Apr/May that year, with a precursor event in late October the year before. It has already proved itself as an eclipse to be watched in terms of the events it produces.

With the preceding paragraph, this is not to say that such eclipses are all gloom and doom. There were good things that happened around those dates, too. For instance, around the 15 May 2007 Mars activation the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate reunited, ending an 80 year schism, Nicolas Sarkozy became the president of the French Republic, ending the long-serving terms of the Chirac years, 2008 was declared the International Year of Languages by the UN General Assembly, and the ruler of Dubai donated 7.41 billion Euros to an educational foundation in the Middle East, making it the largest single charitable donation in modern history—an ending of ignorance for many, could we say? These were all endings and disruptions in a way, violent and non-violent, and each of them happened in a big way, we should note. These events in and of themselves give us some insight into what can happen when Aries points are activated by eclipse, progression or transit. Nothing is ever of small moment with an Aries point. With that in mind, it is time to have a look at Pluto and Capricorn and its stimulation of both the 0 Capricorn degree and the Sep 2006 eclipse.

A lot has been written in recent months in various forums, letters and articles about the ingress of Pluto into Capricorn, which took place for the first time in over 240 years on the 26th of January this year. The last time it went into Capricorn was on 8 Jan 1762, finally leaving on 2 Dec 1778. Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 20 Nov 2024—just prior to the projected next dispensation of the Trans-Himalayan Wisdom Teachings (which is essentially Esoteric Buddhism) in 2025. Pluto’s ingress into Capricorn this time around thus marks a transitional period wherein the way is cleared for—well, who knows? In a way, we are entering what for many might be considered a ‘brave new world’ of sorts. There is the much-vaunted date of 2012 on the horizon (Don’t leave town just yet, folks.), the looming recession that many people say cannot be avoided, the possibility (still) of a religious war that would be probably the biggest world disaster in modern history, the incredible advances in technology that have taken place since the computer age (instituted in a big way with Pluto in Sagittarius, by the way), the whole ‘green revolution’ and the crying need for the world to rely on some other source of energy other than oil. In all these things we see the seeds for what is bound to happen as Pluto passes through Capricorn—the destruction of old world orders and the birth of new ones. However, aside from the obvious outer considerations we have just seen, there is another more vital concern with Pluto in Capricorn—the educing of the Soul or higher Self in humanity at large for, more than any other sign, Capricorn governs the emergence of the Soul in humanity and Pluto’s work is always about clearing away obstructions to that emergence.

So, what happened the last time Pluto was in Capricorn? The slave trade was at its peak, we saw the dawning of the Industrial Revolution in England, the dawning of the American Revolution in the US, the seeds of the French Revolution being sown in France, the first use of a biological weapon (blankets infected with smallpox given to aboriginals in North America as a form of genocide. Don’t we ever learn?), the Cook voyages to New Zealand and Australia, the first submarine, and Mozart (who was a revolutionary in his own right). We also saw the invention of the first toothbrush during that time along with the invention of shoelaces (what did we ever do without those!?), just for a bit of trivia. Basically, that period was a time of liberation from tyranny (Saturn, which rules Capricorn) of various sorts—the tyranny of the divine right of kings, colonial rule, the tyranny of hard labor for simple survival, the tyranny of distance (the first steam engines started to appear during that period) and the tyranny of many types of forms and methods that had persisted for too long. Mozart was a case in point, and he was a major force for change in the world of music, with much of his music being seen as a rebellion against the highly structured Baroque music of the preceding era (ending with Bach’s death in 1750). The great classical symphonies of the world began to emerge with composers like Mozart, although they did not begin to appear in a significant way until the last part of the 18th century. There were great pioneering efforts made by people during the Pluto in Capricorn period in the 1700s, though, and those efforts paved the way for what were to be sweeping changes in the entire world order in the decades to follow. The American Revolution, for instance, spelled the beginning of the end for European colonialism, even though the Revolution only took place at the end of the Pluto-in-Capricorn period. (I am particularly proud of the fact that North Carolina was the first colony to declare its independence from England. Go ‘Heels!)

One cannot examine astrological factors in isolation, however. There was an entire sub-text to the period when Pluto was in Capricorn in the 1700s as there will be in this period as well. In order to see the whole picture of that period we need to see what was happening with the other outer planets at the same time. Neptune is of special interest in that respect. There is an interesting dance that takes place between Neptune and Pluto with regard to the times when Pluto is in Capricorn. In reality, one cannot be considered without the other with regard to the two planets. Pluto is trapped by the gravitational pull of Neptune and is in synchronous orbit with it, as I have described in previous letters. With all the talk of Pluto and revolution, then, there is a clearer sub-theme that emerges with all of Pluto’s work. Pluto, in my opinion, is the servant of Neptune. It clears the way for the revelation of Neptune and higher spiritual work. There is no progress in spirituality without a process of clearing away obstacles first. The two go hand-in-hand. Pluto could be seen as a sort of contractor who goes in ahead of Neptune and does the ground work in preparation. He readies the auditorium for the dispensation of Neptune, in a manner of speaking. There is so much I could say about this, but we have to move on.

In the years between 2008 and 2024 Neptune will be Aquarius and Pisces—world service and world salvation, resp. In the 1700s, Neptune was in Leo and Virgo—both of which are signs in which the unique divinity of the individual is realized, which is why we saw rebellion against the ‘Divine right of Kings’ in that period, for instance. We can get an idea for what will be revealed to us in the next 25 years or so by looking at what transpired in the period between 1516 to 1533. As it turns out, Neptune goes back and forth between the Aquarius/Leo axis every time Pluto goes into Capricorn. Therefore, since Neptune is in Aquarius this time around, it was in the same place 482 years ago—two cycles of Pluto. There are two main ‘events’ that stand out in that period almost 500 years ago, namely the Reformation and the first circumnavigation of the globe by Magellan. The former was a radical reorganization of and rebellion against religious authority of the time (namely, the Catholic Church) and the latter was a radical new view of the world at the time. Basically, a whole new world was opened up to Europe. This was the period of the Spanish incursions into North and South America and the South Seas. Spain was in her heyday then. Neither the world nor organized religion has ever been the same since. There are two distinct themes to be discerned from Pluto-in-Capricorn periods, then. When Neptune is in Leo/Virgo the rebellion/revolution brings about changes that benefit individual rights and development and material advancement, which was needed very much in the 1700s. When Neptune is in Aquarius/Pisces for the Capricorn sojourn of Pluto the rebellion/revolution takes place in the realm of universals and there is a distinct shift that takes place in humanity’s relationship with God and with the planet itself.

All the world religions will be strongly affected by the current sojourn of Pluto in Capricorn. There is also already a decided interest world-wide in the welfare of the planet itself, and not so much in the individual. Do we begin to get the picture? In the 1500s we discovered the wider world. What is left to explore or to transcend on the planet now? Still plenty, as it turns out, but the mind of humanity already ranges far beyond the atmosphere of this Earth. We have yet to fully explore the deepest reaches of our planet. We have just begun to go out into space. Who knows what will develop in the next 20 years? It has been said that the world’s religions will undergo transformation in the next decades and that a new religion will come. A universal religion—who knows? I can only give suggestions. I do know the human spirit, however, and any religious system that binds people to a narrow scope of belief, over-structures their lives or demands obeiscence solely to that path will almost certainly be challenged and probably changed in a profound way in the intervening years. In all, people’s consciousness will be turned much more toward universal thought and action, even though we will still certainly have more than our fair share of self-serving people in the world. Whatever happens, the world as we know it will change probably very profoundly in the coming decades. I am not going to buy into the whole end-of-the-world-in-2012 scenario, space ships coming to Earth or human consciousness ascending into the realms of the spiritual masters overnight routine, but I think the world will be changed very significantly, nonetheless, and in some quite surprising ways. Capricorn does, after all, govern the emergence of the human soul. One can never second-guess the strange and wonderful actions of the human spirit.

This year thus marks a point of turning and change. We have been asking for it. We have felt it coming. Now that it is here, what will we make of it? So many people I have talked with speak of how they would like to change the way they work or have to do things. Saturn has been in Virgo over the last few months and will be there for the whole of this year. Virgo is precisely about how we do our work, and many of us need to make some serious choices about that. As I stated before, one cannot discuss astrological factors in isolation. The current ingress of Pluto into Capricorn saw Saturn fully into the sign Virgo and making a retrograde movement toward its direct station on the 3rd of May at the second degree of the sign. There were choices made by many of us in early September 2007 that are being re-examined now. Some things have worked, some have not. Saturn will be in that shadow period until mid-August, so the first half of this year is a period of reconsidering prior to moving forward. If you have made some choices that were perhaps not the best, then you have the chance over the next few months to bring circumstances back to a more proper state of affairs. Virgo also rules armies, too, and all modes of mandatory service. If there is to be major military action, aside from what is already going on throughout the world, I would look for it more toward mid-August and after. Saturn will be well and truly on the move then, and so will the world’s armies. Interestingly, Virgo rules conceit, as do the Sun and Mercury. Pluto and Saturn are both great ‘levelers’ when it comes to the human ego. We may well see some unmasked motives (re: the symbol for the Feb 7 eclipse) and some bruised and battered egos throughout the world. I have the strong sense that this year might have an underlying theme of lessons around humility running through it.

Finally, the last time Pluto was in Capricorn there was also a Granary Rat Year—1768. What happened then? James Cook set off on his voyage to the Pacific. That was the biggest single event of note. There were some famous people born in that year who would strongly influence human culture in decades to come—Francis II (the last Holy Roman Emperor), Jean Baptiste-Joseph Fourier (French mathematician famous in the world of physics. Good example of a Yellow Rat, he was.) and Dolly Madison, one of the more famous first ladies of the US. Not every cycle or period produces astounding results. The 1768 Rat Year was a case in point, although it did eventually give us modern Australia and New Zealand, once Cook had discovered them. Sometimes, however, planets and events conspire to give us events and people who make a big mark in the history books. When the year is done we will have a look back and see if what I have described in the previous pages of these letters proves out—that 2008 will be a major year in history, comparatively speaking. It is already off to a rather ominous start with the death of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Remember him?) and several killer tornados in the south central US (22 dead so far as of this writing).

We live increasingly in a time of limitless human possibilities. We have communications in an instant now, and world-wide. Such a thing would have been undreamt of in the last Granary Rat Year, yet the very invention that made such communications possible was manifested during that year. As we spiral upwards (or is it out of control?) in the evolutionary process, each achievement is a stepping stone to the next. So it is with our own personal lives as well—or at least it can be if we are mindful enough. In the years to come take a look at what you have done well, what you have learned well and see how that might define a process or a pathway toward something great in your life. Perhaps you will be or already are an example of greatness to others. I think you will find a clear path if you look. There is a mysterious ‘something’ that always draws us irresistibly down a given path. Hopefully we choose the right path. Whatever happens, though, that ‘something’ is always there. It is revealed to us in our highest passions, our most altruistic moments and in our deepest troubles. Yet, very often we fear its appearance or mistake something lesser for the real thing. In this year, especially, take the time to sit by the path you have chosen, wait and watch. The truth you are after will appear. The trick is not to blink, be distracted or fall asleep when it appears. I hope you find it. I call it the human Soul, or higher Self. There are many names for it. If you do miss it this time, not to worry. Events will conspire, and it will always, eventually and inexorably find you. I hope you find your jewels. Happy hunting!

Blessings to you all this New Year!

Malvin

7 Feb 2008






* http://www.tibetanbuddhistinstitute.org/index.htm for people in Adelaide, who are passing through or just interested. See also: http://www.buddhahouse.org




As a further note of interest, famous people born in the Year of the Granary Rat:

1888 Ernst Heinrich Heinkel, German inventor (1st rocket-powered aircraft)/ Henry King, US director (Jesse James, 12 O'Clock High)/ John Foster Dulles/ Knute Rockne, Norwegian-US football player/ James E. Casey, founder of the United Parcel Service/ Gertrude Bridget "Ma" Rainey, American singer, "the mother of the blues"/ Russell Stover, candy manufacturer/ Songwriter Irving Berlin/ Miles Malleson, writer, actor (Phantom of Opera, Postman's Knock)/ John Logie Baird, inventor (father of TV)/ British soldier T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia/ Joseph P. Kennedy, Boston Mass, diplomat, father of JFK, RFK & Teddy/ Maurice Chevalier/ T.S. Eliot/ Eugene O'Neill, Nobel Prize-winning playwright/ Richard E. Byrd, U.S. aviator and explorer who made the first flight over the North Pole/ Andrej N. Tupelov, Russian aircraft builder/ Adolph Arthur "Harpo" Marx/ Dale Carnegie, public speaker/ Fritz Reiner, US conductor

The 1948 births are too numerous to mention. There are a lot of older rockers in that list—Alice Cooper, Kenny Loggins, Tommy Iommi and the like. If you care to have a look, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948 Have fun!

2008 ----Your child or grandchild, if you have one! :-)




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Your mind understands what you have been taught; your heart what is true.
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