The Panic of the 13th Sign of the Zodiac: Ophiuchus

[Ricochet21]

I could say that my phone has been ringing off of the hook, except that I use a cell phone most of the time. Seriously, I'm sure other astrologers have given this some thought, but here is what I have noticed happening in the past few days due to the "new sign of the zodiac", Ophiuchus. I hope it helps:

The Panic of the 13th Sign

The reason astrology (Uranus) has just gone nuts is because of the recent conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus on 1/4/11.

I do not pretend to understand completely what has just happened with this 13TH SIGN PANIC, but here is how I see it at this moment.

1. You are in no danger of losing your "Sun sign". Things have not changed.

2. Apparently, an ASTRONOMER was talking on the news in MN about the shift of the earth's magnetic poles. I do not exactly know when this shift occurred or to what degree (apprx 30 degrees). The implication was that the zodiac now, suddenly, had a new 13th sign called Ophiuchus.

Ophiucus has always been in the constellation belt.

3. For years, some ASTROLOGERS have tried to wedge Ophiuchus in between Scorpio and Sagittarius. That's where it is in the constellations. Unfortunately, most people, almost everyone, thinks that Western Astrology, tropical astrology, has to do with the constellations. It doesn't.

4. If we had accepted Ophiuchus as a new sign, you would have validity to what was printed yesterday nationwide as the new dates for the "Sun signs". But, all I have to say is that if you are born to the Western (American) astrology; to the sign of Scorpio, then you are a Scorpio. The 13th sign just doesn't work, can't work, and never will. Why? Largely because astrology is based on the math, 3x4=12. It's too big of a story to go into here. Ophiuchus might work in someone's far-out astrology, but not the one you refer to in you horoscopes (which are grossly overrated). 12 is 12 is 12. Funny how the new book I have been writing is based upon this "twelfthness".
Timing.

5. If you actually look at Ophiuchus, you'll see that it almost completely overlays the sign of Scorpio, but it lies well above the plane of the ecliptic (the path the earth makes around the Sun).

6. Now, the next extra piece of the puzzle that was thrown into the mix. Way too hard to explain here, Google "the precession of the equinoxes." That's the next HUGE piece of confusion that somehow got stirred up yesterday. Simply put, during the time of Christ, the ASTRONOMER'S SIDEREAL STAR ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS lined up Earth-Sun-beginning of Aries on the day of Spring. Since that time, the ASTRONOMER'S SIDEREAL STAR ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS back up, out of sync, 1 degree of the zodiac every 72 years.

So, in the year 72AD or so, on the first day of Spring, the Earth-Sun-Aries Constellation was now at 29 degrees of Pisces! The two zodiacs started to separate. Meanwhile, the ASTROLOGERS SEASON-BASED TROPICAL zodiac was at AND WILL ALWAYS BE AT 0 degrees of Aries. In other words, in the year 26,500, the two will align again. This is what gives us the approximate dawning of the Age of Aquarius! Doh! We have been backing up from 30 Pisces, to 29 Pisces, to 28 Pisces since the time of Jesus. We've almost backed up into Aquarius. No one knows for sure what year the Age of Aquarius starts but the Fifth Dimension was at least 60 years premature.

Astronomical, each spring, the Earth-Sun-zodiac lines up with a point along the belt of constellations. That point moves back in space due to the wobble of the earth's axis. I told you this was going to become confusing. That's why you have to look up the "precession of the equinoxes." That's what that means. It will explain it to you.

ASTOLOGERS CHEAT. That's right, each year, WE MOVE THE ZODIAC so that the first day of Spring always, always, always lines up with 0 Aries in our MINDS.

It's a relative point! That's what many people don't get and is what has been used against us mostly well-meaning folks for centuries. In the year 12,500 Astrology, at Spring will be 0 Aries and the Astronomers will be looking at 0 Libra! Completely, 180 degrees apart.

7. Next huge piece of confusion. Apparently, the astronomer who was on TV in MN was trying to explain to people that since the Earth's magnetic field had shifted, it somehow was linked with the 30 degrees of space that somehow was occupied and always has been by Ophiuchus. Then, someone got their hands on the "fact" that ancient Babylonians described the zodiac and its signs. No one knows who did what. See Astrologer Robert Hand if you want the truth - he's the master on that. The zodiac is the way it is because that's what it is. It's archetypally true and it tells us what IT is. Because it is valid. That's WHY real astrology works. It's based on 12ths. In other words.

All Aries represent what the planets do 1/12 of the year after Spring. All Tauruses, do the same for the 2nd 1/12.
All Pisces do so with the 12th 1/2 of pie. Western or Tropical Astrology is based upon TIME periods based upon the MOMENT OF SPRING. So you see, astrologers are not based upon the constellations, but upon TIME SINCE SPRING, while astronomers are based entirely upon the constellations.

Period

Now, I make two rules for myself. 1) I never try to convince anyone of Astrology's truths. From what people understand, I do not blame anyone for not believing in astrology. Why should they? and 2) I never try to convert anyone to anything.

Now, that brings me to the final point.

Most Astronomers maintain an arrogant, look-down-their-nose attitude towards astrology. With the massive percentage of terrible, unscrupulous astrologers out there (1-900 ones), I don't blame them. Customers are putty in our hands and that means us astrologers must approach this incredibly accurate and valuable science with humbleness, respect and reverence.

Which makes be wonder, who among these Astronomers had the gall to try to pull out the rug from under us astrologers to begin with? They are going to tell US what "sign people are" when in fact they don't believe in people's "signs?"

As scientist and astrologer Isaac Newton said to one of his frowning colleagues, "I have studied the subject sire, have you?"

Don't worry, be who you are. Study. Learn.

I know this has been a feeble, rushed attempt to try to describe very complex principles, but many folks wanted some idea as to what was happening.

We can all thank the craziness of what happens when Thelma meets Louise, er, I mean, Jupiter meets up with Uranus.

[stellanoir]

1. hmmmm. . .

Jupiter/Uranus = Thelma & Louise. . .

ahhhh

okay. . .sure

Seriously though, thanks for addressing this simplistically misguided BS.

Thankfully CNN just sorta corrected it. . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x201276

but the discrediting of our craft has already flown the coop for the brazillionth time.

Oh joy.

Makes one want to drive a car off a cliff into the Grand Canyon so maybe you're on to somethin'.

[Ricochet21]

2. I told you it was Thelma and Louise

This EXPLOSION of Jupiter/Uranus has tilted me up side down. It is massive and is so confusing happening during Pluto in Capricorn, and the weird stuff Neptoon/Chiron is doing too. It's the subject of my next newsletter, mainly so I can straighten it out in my head.

I know what you mean, astrology is so maligned and misunderstood, but I tell you one thing, like egos, and like noses, everybody
wants their original sign back! lol :hi: :party: :crazy: :silly: :wow: :nuke:

[kimmerspixelated]

8. Haha!

Well, I really enjoyed your informative explanation... it makes perfect sense, you did a good job. Most would have some kind of brain seizure trying to explain it...but my sympathies go out to you to have to be the recipient of comments from those bozos in GD. Dang! I almost said something, but I thought I should take the high road.. So, can I buy you a drink??:party:

[Ricochet21]

13. What a bunch of morons

that expected
they die along with the Newtonian world
yes, I'll have tee martoonis

[kimmerspixelated]

15. One olive or two?

Myself, I'll try a rita. I like having my first drink of the year with a man with stars in his eyes- no, I mean planets!!!

[Ricochet21]

20. Boy, did I get spat upon, and all over in GD

they know some little
the forum should be renamed OBNOXIOUS EGOS

[kimmerspixelated]

24. Exactly, it is so hard for me to believe

that those folks are actually democrats or progressives of any kind, but I guess rudeness is just what it is, no matter what you call yourself politically.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. I don't know, I have another take on it...

First, I'm not someone who understands astrology very well, nor can I imagine what it feels like to be a legitimate astrologer and have such a story come out.

But, from a layperson's perspective, I find this INTRIGUING. Not as far as the story in and of itself, but simply because it has gotten SO MUCH COVERAGE.

I mean, legitimate coverage. Seriously.

THAT is what has surprised me about the story. It shows how many people, no matter how much they poo-poo it, really pay attention to this.

Great example is my daughter. We have never talked astrology; well, not in the last eight years or so. She is 17. Before I even saw how this story caught on, she came to me in a state of moderate distress, saying, "Are you KIDDING me? I'm not a Pisces now?"

She was serious, not making fun at all.

I've witnessed the same reaction in a lot of people.

They're paying attention.

It's similar to the many UFO stories of late. People may on the surface poo-poo the subject, but more people than I think we realize not only take it seriously, they're actually very comfortable with it.

The topics of astrology and UFOs are mainstream. Many things we discuss here are mainstream; it's the extreme skeptics (whom I value, btw) that are in the minority, I do believe.

:thumbsup:

[Ricochet21]

4. True OGR

And the vile reaction it's getting in GD. I understand, my girl and I (combined 65 years experience in astrology) were talking at length last night about how nuts it is to believe this stuff! But, it works. Funny.

and, the 13th sign would work in a way
and, if you started spring on Aug. 14, let's say, that would work too.

It has nothing to do the physicality
it the relational, natural rhythms of the archetypes
Hard to undertand. One pivoting, rotating wheel, on top of another and another, but

it works

I KNOW because I SHUT UP IN 1978, got neutral, and objective, and set out to prove it to myself either way
I haven't stopped since.

No wonder people don't believe it. The conjunction of Jupiter/Uranus signals that in part, in a way, that the
collective is ready to jump into the quantum world 80 years to late. In fact, the fact that the quantum theory
exploded onto the scene about 84 years ago gives us one URANUS CYCLE, the ruler of astrology.
I may be onto something here.

I got it, it is right: Quantum mechanics exploded around 1925, Uranus and Jupiter just exploded around that point 10 days ago!

[graceastrology]

6. Ophiuchus -- Why Here, Why Now?

Agreed on all points, Ric...

I've spent the better part of the day playing Whack-A-Mole with clients who are concerned that their Sun Sign has changed, reassuring them that it hasn't. But since I happen to believe that astrology functions as a language, I began wondering why Ophiuchus (an absolutely awful word to type and spell correctly) might have jumped into our consciousness...and I posted this on my blog:

"You may recall in my post on Jan 4th, I invited you to think of astrology as a symbolic language. This got me thinking about the symbolism behind the constellation Ophiuchus -- what is it and why is it up for us right now? What is this "new word" that has just entered our language and consciousness?

I grabbed my copy of Bernadette Brady's BOOK OF FIXED STARS (otherwise known as constellations) and turned to page 159.

Here are a few notes:

Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, was known to the Greeks as Serpentarius the Healer, a.k.a the god Asclepius, son of Apollo -- "usually depicted as holding a stick upon which a serpent is coiled" -- aha! a symbol still associated w/modern medicine -- healing arts! Asclepius was so skilled that "he could bring patients back from the dead (perhaps even zombies?), a practice quickly forbidden by the gods, who smote him with a thunderbolt...and placed him in the heavens". The constellation Ophiuchus later became associated with St.Paul, Moses and St. Benedict.

"The serpent was seen as a healing agent" writes Brady, "because it represented prudence, wisdom, rejuvenation and rebirth...the healing side of the ancient GODDESS". Hmmm.... Brady also cites the lectures of Melanie Reinhart, which suggest that Ophiuchus was associated with the 13 lunar months..."clashing" with the 12 solar signs we use today. Note that over time we have moved from a focus on the lunar (feminine) to the solar (masculine). Hmmmm...this is starting to make sense. Note that Ophiuchus contains the powerful fixed star Ras Alhague, which conveys "the desire to heal a wound" -- and is often prominent in the horoscopes of healers.

I would argue that Ophiuchus is back in the news because the symbolism behind it -- the potential and need for powerful healing -- is up for us now -- especially in the US (just look at what's happened here in the past week). We have an opportunity to bring healing into our consciousness and make it real. So let's meditate on that, shall we -- and don't worry about your Sun sign -- in Western astrology, that hasn't changed!"

Cheers!

www.graceastrology.com

[Ricochet21]

12. It was the birth of Quantum Astrology

in our collective mindset

just unbelievable

[WhiteTara]

7. all this reminds me of the 100th Monkey

and perhaps all this is being stirred for that last timid soul to come out of hiding and let the sun shine.

[Ricochet21]

11. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

That's IT!
THE collective broke! Brilliant WT

[Ricochet21]

5. It all makes sense now...

The reason all of this "astrology stuff" exploded onto the scene recently is because:

Astrology does not work according to physical phenomena, it works more like quantum mechanics.
During the mid-20's, quantum mechanics gained favor. Uranus, the planet of Astrology, was in late Pisces at that time.
Uranus and Jupiter just conjuncted recently in late Pisces again, 84 years later, one Uranus cycle. And, Uranus
rules astrology.

Meaning: the collective is more ready now than before to understand true astrology.

This is not a joke. That's what its all about.

A field day.

[kimmerspixelated]

9. This is all so fascinating to me!

I have to ask you...aside from everything that has happened recently...what is the most exciting thing that you have learned from all your years studying astrology??

[Ricochet21]

10. today, 4:25 today

the puncture of the collective consciousness
I am beside myself

[kimmerspixelated]

14. Rick, speak English!

Just kidding!!!...I hope things calm down a bit for you... I think you need a break!

[Ricochet21]

16. Well, you asked me

that's the answer

now, for my break

[kimmerspixelated]

25. Yes, you definitely deserve one, and hopefully

you have had a pleasant Sunday with which to replenish your needed energies.

[Callie McAllie]

17. Even my staff was abuzz about Ophiuchus

I missed all the news coverage of this, and love Ric's and others explanation toward the end of this thread.

I have to say, though, when my staff were going on about it yesterday, for a brief moment I thought how nice it might be NOT to be a Scorpio any more.

Being a Scorpio is exhausting.

In the words of Randy Newman, ostensibly quoting Bruce Springsteen..."Rand, why don't you be The Boss for a while?"

:hide:

[Kind of Blue]

18. Prof. Parke Kunkle on NPR

"SIMON: For people who believe in it, does this render every horoscope moot?

Prof. KUNKLE: I think probably not. Astrologers aren't really using the actual position of the sun in the real constellation. So I don’t think its going to change anything in astrology..."

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/15/132956604/Whats-Your-Sign-Turns-Out-Maybe-Its-Not

I think the title of this segment is a little misleading.

[Ricochet21]

19. This got us misled

this has NOTHING to do with your sun sign. Nothing changes. What happened is that the archetype of Ophiuchus was called forth
to puncture the old collective thinking. He was struck by lightning by Zeus because his reputation of spreading the secrets to the
world threatened Zeus who feared that all humanity would become immortal.

I'm trying to gather all the data, but what appears to have happened is that the collective is now READY (I didn't say they would) to
start understanding astrology at it's non-3d-physical basis.

The biggest turning point in a long time, and least since Tarnas published "Cosmos and Psyche." I hope to come up with a clearer article soon.

At ease

[Love Bug]

21. Thank you! Much ado about nothing.

I'm in Minnesota and when I first heard this I thought, "Oh, processions. Big whoop." This is just another astronomer (a science I highly respect, BTW) trying to debunk astrology by pointing out how "inaccurate" it all is based on the constellations (which are only 2-dimensional representations of people/animals/objects that differ by culture) as they are seen now.

Makes me wonder why this is such big "news" all of a sudden. What else is going on that this is distracting everyone from?

[Ricochet21]

22. See #20

It was much ado about 3 things that were all mixe together and were all the wrong things.

1. the change to the earth' magnetic field
2. the insertion of Ophiuchus between Scorpio and Sagittarius as the 13th sign
3. the precession of the equinoxes

Ophiuchus has been our MESSENGER of the new news: Astrology, in the minds of the general public, will come to see
has never been based on a 3d-physical model.

It totally opens up the New Age type of "beyond physical" thinking. This is huge.
and that's why Ophiuchus was killed by a thunderbolt of Zeus' in the first place.

[Lucinda]

23. Two things that I have found interesting in this "panic"

1 - The number of people who actually pay attention to their sun sign. I was surprised by the number of people in my FB friends list that were really concerned about this. People I never knew had any interest in astrology.

2 - They were, without exception, upset at the change and didn't want to give up who there "were". They all really identified with their sun signs. I never really have. I've always thought that I am a strong mix between my Taurus sun, and Aquarius Moon & Ascendant. But... I wouldn't have wanted to "switch" either. :)

[BrklynLiberal]

26. Isit OK to just ignore this new sign, and continue with just the 12????

I am now a Gemini..and refuse to become a Taurus. June 7th.