Getting a read on the Pluto/Mars conjunction.

[Dover]

As with dreams, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish if a Tarot or I-Ching reading is meant for me personally or is referring to a more inpersonal and broader external event. Of course the two are ultimately tied together, and so I will read it both ways. I have been personally going through some significant experiential changes which are very likely not as unique as one might think given the larger changes in the collective stream and my place in it. The micro and macro mirror one another. Lately the theme has been about relationships which have been accompanied by several shocking events that have had an awakening effect...

That said, In preparation for a Tarot reading I asked a question about the significance of this Mars/Pluto conjunction and what it might reap. My thoughts were related to world events rather than my personal life and response to this powerful transit. What I got is the following reading which leaves me with great hope for being able, collectively, to cope with whatever upheaval it brings (natural or manmade). I then followed up with a more specific question about the significance of the Tower card in this spread. For this I went to the I-Ching. I often use both tools to clarify situations (in this case asking both the Tarot and I-ching to clarify an Astrological event). So here are both 'answers'.

_______________________________


The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Tower: Unforeseen catastrophe. An abrupt change, perhaps leading to a new lifestyle and enlightenment. May indicate a broken relationship, divorce, or failure in business or career.

The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Six of Pentacles (Success): A time of prosperity and profit. Success and generosity in material things. Power and influence turned to noble pursuits. Philanthropy, and the balancing of physical and spiritual life. May suggest gifts or aid to one in need.

The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. The Emperor: Worldly authority and power. Social mastery and oratory. One who is intelligent, experienced, confident and reasonable. A patriarch or primary male influence. The motive force of politics and society. The ability to fulfill plans and use mental control over the emotions.

The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Nine of Cups (Happiness): Contentment and satisfaction in romance, friendship, or other relationships. Achieving your deepest desires and savoring beauty and sensual pleasures. A state of joy and abundance radiating fulfillment and bliss.

The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. The Hermit: Withdrawal from events and relationship to introspect and gather strength. Seeking the inner voice or calling upon vision from within. A need of understanding and advice, or a wise man who will offer knowing guidance. Personal experience and thoughtful temperance.

The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Temperance: Calm and restraint. Self-control, patience and tact in handling situations. The act of applying balanced spiritual and psychic forces to physical life.

The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Eight of Swords (Interference): Chagrin at the unforeseen consequences of prior decisions. Criticism, censure, and the imposition of external restrictions. Confusion leading to powerlessness. Inability to focus on the crux of a problem and free oneself from a difficult situation. Being hamstrung by a past failure or humiliation.

The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Ten of Pentacles (Wealth): Completion of material prosperity and riches. Freedom from financial anxiety, the security of home, and the enjoyment of family. The passing of inheritance along to children, or the gaining of inheritance from parents.

The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Queen of Swords: The essence of air behaving as water, such as a refreshing mist: A person gifted with both keen logic and natural intuition, giving them uncanny powers of perception and insight. One who easily sees past deception and confusion to the heart of a matter, and understands both sides of any argument. The embodiment of calm, forthrightness, and wit, in the face of even the most trying circumstances.

The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Two of Swords (Peace): Contradictory characteristics brought together as a means of resolving a conflict. Refusing to be ruled by negative emotions. Strife brought to a close through clarity of mind and restraint of force. Turning a blind eye to the minor infractions of others.

________________________________________________________________


I-Ching Reading (significance of the Tower in my Tarot spread):

The present is embodied in Hexagram 43 - Kuai (Resolve): It is required that the culprit's guilt be exhibited in the royal court, along with a sincere and earnest appeal for sympathy and support, with consciousness of the peril involved in cutting off the criminal. He should also make announcement in his own city, and show that it will not be well to have recourse at once to arms. In this way there will be advantage in whatever he shall go forward to.

"There is now a break-through , after a long accumulation of tension. Applied to human conditions, this hexagram refers to the time when inferior people or inferior character traits gradually begin to disappear. In the struggle between good and evil, there are definite rules that must not be disregarded. First, resolution must be based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with evil is not possible. Under all circumstances evil must be openly discredited.

Third, the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. This only invites entanglement with the negative elements. The image is of a lake rising. There is reason to fear a cloudburst. All gathering is followed by dispersion. The superior person begins to distribute while still accumulating. In developing character, one avoids obstinacy, and instead remains receptive to the helpful impressions of strict and continuous self examination."

The third line, undivided, shows its subject about to advance with strong and determined looks. There will be evil. However, the superior man, bent on cutting off the criminal, will walk alone and encounter the rain, till he be hated by his proper associates as if he were contaminated by the others. In the end there will be no blame against him.

The fourth line, undivided, shows one from whose buttocks the skin has been stripped, and who walks slowly and with difficulty. If he could act like a sheep led after its companions, occasion for repentance would disappear. But though he hear these words, he will not believe them.

The fifth line, undivided, shows the small men like a bed of purslain, which ought to be uprooted with the utmost determination. The subject of the line having such determination, his action, in harmony with his central position, will lead to no error or blame.
The situation is shifting, and Yin (the passive feminine force) is gaining ground.


The future is embodied in Hexagram 19 - Lin (Approach or Promotion): There will be great progress and success, while it will be advantageous to be firmly correct. In the eighth month there will be evil.

The things most apparent, those above and in front, are embodied by the upper trigram Tui (Lake), which is tansforming into K'un (Earth). As part of this process, joy, pleasure, and attraction are giving way to docility and receptivity.
The things least apparent, those below and behind, are embodied by the lower trigram Chi'en (Heaven), which is transforming into Tui (Lake). As part of this process, strength and creativity are giving way to joy, pleasure, and attraction.

Much clearer and more thorough translations available here, though the best interpretations I have found are in The I Ching Workbook, by R.L. Wing or in the book, Moving With Change, by Rowena Pattee which to my knowledge are not available online:

http://www.eclecticenergies.com/iching/hexagram.php?nr=19


** Tarot Table:
http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/html/wiltrans/wilhelm_translation.html

[Dover]

1. I Ching......based on synchronicity and the binary code

Unlike western scientific laws which are based on causality, where everything has physical cause and effect, the I Ching is based on a non-linear law which Carl Jung called "synchronicity". The Law of Synchronicity is an a-causal connecting principle. Much has been written about this by Jung and his followers. Synchronicity recognizes the relationship between physical reality and the unconscious, and provides an explanation for how seemingly chance events in physical reality can reveal a hidden order in the psyche.

The principles of the I Ching and the law of synchonicity are in accord with the natural Laws of Chaos and Self Organization. Life is based on Self Organization, the fractal reality of the fourth dimension. At the human stage of evolution we try to base our Self Organization on the infinity beyond the left-right symmetry of the animal kingdom. So it is appropriate to make our choices out of chance, out of chaos, so long as the chance is constrained by mathematical structure in consonance with the Universe. This is exactly what the I Ching does. It uses chance, constrained by the basic numeric structure of life, to bridge Wu Chi and Tao the infinite and the finite This is how the book is able to provide such remarkably-accurate answers to questions put to it.

The system works and creates synchronicity because the mathematics are correct. Mere tossing of coins, for instance, heads I do this and tails I don't, cannot create synchronous effects because the mathematics are wrong. The I Ching "constrains chance" as Mandelbrot says, by ordering the random process with a mathematical structure which correctly mirrors the Universe. It works because of the mathematical structure of the hexagrams themselves. This structure is the "base two" number system to the sixth power, the six yin or yang lines in the hexagram. One of the first Europeans to see the hexagram structure when it was first brought out of China in the early 1700s was Gottfried Leibniz. He is the German philosopher and mathematician who first developed base two mathematics in the West. Today the base two number system has become the cornerstone of all modern technical culture. All computers operate on a machine level using a base two binary code of off or on, 0 or 1, or as the Chinese would say, Yin and Yang.

http://www.ichingwisdom.com/IChingWisdom/hexagrams.html



Other book recommendations:

http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_resources/recommended_books.html

[Dover]

2. I Ching hexagrams 43 and 19......very interesting

Here's a little better translation of these hexagrams. I'm surprised how few are available on the internet! Anyway, consider what these might mean with regards to world events and world players and the steps unfolding....and keep mindful of the three change lines in hexagram 43 (lines 3,4,5).


43. Kuai / Break-through (Resoluteness)

above TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE
below CH'IEN THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

This hexagram signifies on the one hand a break-through after a long
accumulation of tension, as a swollen river breaks through its dikes, or in the
manner of a cloudburst. On the other hand, applied to human conditions, it
refers to the time when inferior people gradually begin to disappear. Their
influence is on the wane; as a result of resolute action, a change in conditions
occurs, a break-through. The hexagram is linked with the third month
.

THE JUDGMENT

BREAK-THROUGH. One must resolutely make the matter known
At the court of the king.
It must be announced truthfully. Danger.
It is necessary to notify one's own city.
It does not further to resort to arms.
It furthers one to undertake something.

Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is
able to oppress superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart
has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side-
therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail.
In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite
rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be
based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with
evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited.
Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. Third, the
struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of
weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose
in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion.
Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons
against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the
sharp edges of the weapons of evil becomes dulled. For the same reasons we
should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them,
they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make
energetic progress in the good.

THE IMAGE

The lake has risen up to heaven:
The image of BREAK-THROUGH.
Thus the superior man
Dispenses riches downward
And refrains from resting on his virtue.

When the water of a lake has risen up to heaven, there is reason to fear a
cloudburst. Taking this as a warning, the superior man forestalls a violent
collapse. If a man were to pile up riches for himself alone, without
considering others, he would certainly experience a collapse. If a man were to
pile up riches for himself alone, without considering others, he would
certainly experience a collapse. For all gathering is followed by dispersion.
Therefore the superior man begins to distribute while he is accumulating. In
the same way, in developing his character he takes care not to become
hardened in obstinacy but to remain receptive to impressions by help of strict
and continuous self-examination.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning means:
Mighty in the forward-striding toes.
When one goes and is not equal to the task,
One makes a mistake.

In times of resolute advance, the beginning is especially difficult. We feel
inspired to press forward but resistance is still strong; therefore we ought to
gauge our own strength and venture only so far as we can go with certainty of
success. To plunge blindly ahead is wrong, because it is precisely at the
beginning that an unexpected setback can have the most disastrous results.

Nine in the second place means:
A cry of alarm. Arms at evening and at night.
Fear nothing.

Readiness is everything. Resolution is indissolubly bound up with caution.
If an individual is careful and keeps his wits about him, he need not become
excited or alarmed. If he is watchful at all times, even before danger is present,
he is armed when danger approaches and need not be afraid. The superior
man is on his guard against what is not yet in sight and on the alert for what
is not yet within hearing; therefore he dwells in the midst of difficulties as
thought hey did not exist. If a man develops his character, people submit to
him of their own accord. If reason triumphs, the passions withdraw of
themselves. To be circumspect and not to forget one's armor is the right way
to security.

Nine in the third place means:
To be powerful in the cheekbones
Brings misfortune.
The superior man is firmly resolved.
He walks alone and is caught in the rain.
He is bespattered,
And people murmur against him.
No blame.

Here we have a man in an ambiguous situation. While all others are
engaged in a resolute fight against all that is inferior, he alone has a certain
relationship with an inferior man. If he were to show strength outwardly
and turn against this man before the time is ripe, he would only endanger the
entire situation, because the inferior man would too quickly have recourse to
countermeasures. The task of the superior man becomes extremely difficult
here. He must be firmly resolved within himself and, while maintaining
association with the inferior man, avoid any participation in his evilness. He
will of course be misjudged. It will be thought that he belong to the party of
the inferior man. He will be lonely because no one will understand him. His
relations with the inferior man will sully him in the eyes of the multitude,
and they will turn against him, grumbling. But he can endure this lack of
appreciation and makes no mistake, because he remains true to himself.

Nine in the fourth place means:
There is no skin on his thighs,
And walking comes hard.
If a man were to let himself be led like a sheep,
Remorse would disappear.
But if these words are heard
They will not be believed.

Here a man is suffering from inner restlessness and cannot abide in his place.
He would like to push forward under any circumstances, but encounters
insuperable obstacles. Thus his situation entails an inner conflict. This is due
to the obstinacy with which he seeks to enforce his will. If he would desist
from this obstinacy, everything would go well. But this advice, like so much
other good counsel, will be ignored. For obstinacy makes a man unable to
hear, for all that he has ears.

° Nine in the fifth place means:
In dealing with weeds,
Firm resolution is necessary.
Walking in the middle
Remains free of blame.

Weeds always grow back again and are difficult to exterminate. So too the
struggle against an inferior man in a high position demands firm resolution.
One has certain relations with him, hence there is danger that one may give
up the struggle as hopeless. But this must not be. One must go on resolutely
and not allow himself to be deflected from him course. Only in this way does
one remain free of blame.

Six at the top means:
No cry.
In the end misfortune comes.

Victory seems to have been achieved. There remains merely a remnant of
the evil resolutely to be eradicated as the time demands. Everything looks
easy. Just there, however, lies the danger. If we are not on guard, evil will
succeed in escaping by means of concealment, and when it has eluded us new
misfortunes will develop from the remaining seeds, for evil does not die
easily. So too in dealing with the evil in own's own character, one must go to
work with thoroughness. If out of carelessness anything were to be
overlooked, new evil would arise from it.
index

______________________________________________________
19. Lin / Approach

above K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH
below TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKE

The Chinese word lin has a range of meanings that is not exhausted by any
single word of another language. The ancient explanations in the Book of
Changes give as its first meaning, "becoming great." What becomes great are
the two strong lines growing into the hexagram from below; the light-giving
power expands with them. The meaning is then further extended to include
the concept of approach, especially the approach of what is lower. Finally the
meaning includes the attitude of condescension of a man in high position
toward the people, and in general the setting to work on affairs. This
hexagram is linked with the twelfth month (January-February), when after
the winter solstice, the light power begins to ascend again.

THE JUDGMENT

APPROACH has supreme success.
Perseverance furthers.
When the eighth month comes,
There will be misfortune.

The hexagram as a whole points to a time of joyous, hopeful progress. Spring
is approaching. Joy and forbearance bring high and low nearer together.
Success is certain. But we must work with determination and perseverance
to make full use of the propitiousness of the time. And on thing more:
spring does not last forever. In the eighth month the aspects are reversed.
Then only two strong, light lines are left; these do not advance but are in
retreat (see next hexagram). We must take heed of this change in good time.
If we meet evil before it becomes reality-before it has even begun to stir-we
can master it.

THE IMAGE

The earth above the lake:
The image of APPROACH.
Thus the superior man is inexhaustible
In his will to teach,
And without limits
In his tolerance and protection of the people.

The earth borders upon the lake from above. This symbolizes the approach
and condescension of the man of higher position to those beneath him. The
two parts of the image indicate what his attitude toward these people will be.
Just as the lake is inexhaustible in depth, so the sage is inexhaustible in his
readiness to teach mankind, and just as the earth is boundlessly wide,
sustaining and caring for all creatures on it, so the sage sustains and cares for
all people and excludes no part of humanity.

THE LINES

° Nine at the beginning means:
Joint approach.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

The good begins to prevail and to find response in influential circles. This in
turn is an incentive to men of ability. IT is well to join this upward trend, but
we must not let ourselves be carried away by the current of the time; we must
adhere perseveringly to what is right. This bring good fortune.

° Nine in the second place means:
Joint approach.
Good fortune.
Everything furthers.

When the stimulus to approach comes from a high place, and when a man
has the inner strength and consistency that need no admonition, good
fortune will ensue. Nor need the future cause any concern. He is well aware
that everything earthly is transitory, and that a descent follows upon every
rise, but need not be confused by this universal law of fate. Everything serves
to further. Therefore he will travel the paths of life swiftly, honestly, and
valiantly.

Six in the third place means:
Comfortable approach.
Nothing that would further.
If one is induced to grieve over it,
One becomes free of blame.

Things are going well for a man: he achieves power and influence. But in
this lies the danger that he may relax, and confident of his position, allow the
easygoing, careless mood to show itself in his dealings with other people.
This would inevitably be harmful. But there is possibility of a change of
mood. If he regrets his mistaken attitude and feels the responsibility of an
influential position, he frees himself of faults.

Six in the fourth place means:
Complete approach.
No blame.

While the three lower lines indicate rise to power and influence, the three
upper lines show the attitude of persons in higher position toward those of
lower rank for whom they procure influence. Here is shown the open-
minded approach of a person of high rank to a man of ability whom he draws
in to his own circle, regardless of class prejudice. This is very favorable.

Six in the fifth place means:
Wise approach.
This is right for a great prince.
Good fortune.

A prince, or anyone in a leading position, must have the wisdom to attract to
himself people of ability who are expert in directing affairs. His wisdom
consists both in selecting the right people and in allowing those chosen to
have a free hand without interference from him. For only through such self-
restraint will he find the experts needed to satisfy all of his requirements.

Six at the top means:
Great hearted approach.
Good-hearted approach.
Good fortune. No blame.

A sage who has put the world behind him and who in spirit has already
withdrawn from life may, under certain circumstances, decide to return once
more to the here and now and to approach other men. This means great
good fortune for the men whom he teaches and helps. And for him this great
hearted humbling of himself is blameless.

http://www.akirarabelais.com/i/i.html#19

[Dover]

7. .

[Dover]

3. The Mars/Pluto conj. occurs at 24 degrees Sag. The sabian symbol

for this degree fits in nicely and synchronistically with the readings above...especially the Tarot reading.

A Bluebird Perched On The Gate Of A Cottage

Keynote: The reward which meets every effort at integration into a social environment for those who remain true to their own selves.

The bluebird is a well-known symbol of happiness, but also it refers to what one might call a spiritually oriented mind - to which the color blue relates, especially when a 'bird' is mentioned. A cottage is normally part of a community, and the implication is that its inhabitants are well-adapted, either to the life of the community or to their more or less isolated togetherness.

This symbol suggests that the essential technique for successful living is the development of a consciousness in which peace and happiness dwell. There is also a hint that Good Fortune will bless your life.

[yellowdawgdem]

4. thanks for posting your readings

I enjoyed them, and found them interesting. I agree that the outside and inside, ie personal vs collective are often quite similar. I've not fully understood hex 19, except that it requires just the right approach. However hex 43 is generally positive, shows a breakthrough, or a release of energy that has been stagnant.

[loudsue]

5. It seems that Hex. 43 is somewhat related to Sey Hersh's article

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/26/1450204

Most of which came out in his interview w/ Amy Goodman. (I can't find the link to his actual article right now, but the gist of it is in this interview.)

Evidently, Hersh's "outing" of this information concerning the bush cabal has Dick Cheney fuming, and the administration has already started their smear campaign against Hersh, and are actively trying to get some legal eagle to try him as a traitor for giving up CIA information. Much of the information being, of course, that the bush cabal is already infiltrating Iran with special forces and intelligence agents, and preparing to do war against them.

As I read hex. 43, it sounds like it's taken directly from this event, and this event has happened as the Mars/Pluto conjunction was approaching (conjunction on 28th, this show aired on 26th).

Found an article ABOUT the Hersh article in the New Yorker, January 24th thru 31st edition :

http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/expose_hits.htm

Looking at Hersh's previous success in breaking the Mi Lai Massacre, and the Abu Gahrib Prison Torture scandals, it looks like this one may carry much the same weight.

So....in summary....I think that's what your answer to the question was as far as what this transit has to do with the world. Other world leaders are pretty interested in it, as well as the bush cabal.

:kick::kick::kick:

[yellowdawgdem]

6. hex 43

The Sey Hersh article from Democracy Now would exactly fit #43, as the 2nd article indicates. However in a sense, it fits hex #10 as well, though I didn't receive that one in a reading. It's the one about the small leopard cat who treads on the tail of the tiger and gets away unharmed, or is injured, or depending on the moving line that is thrown. I often think about this hexagram, watching democracy now, or witnessing Boxer's courage, that there is an incredible risk involved. I greatly admire these risks because they bring the breakthru of truthful information. But it is also frightening because of the possibility of injury. Cheney is like a sick, cornered tiger who is overplaying his hand.

[Dover]

8. To me, put simply, this is all about learning to be "Great"

in the divine sense.

Powerful Pluto passing over the U.S. Ascendent has stirred up our dark side (which is well represented by the neocons among others).
In order to discover our own Greatness and to be a leader... to soar like an eagle in the
heavens where we can discover our own divinity and humanity...
...that part of ourselves which serves to better humankind (which is the goal but not the reality built into our national identity), we must renounce and purge our own 'evil' by shining a light on it.
Only then can we progress collectively and live out our destiny.

Instructions for how to make this approach and how leadership (whether as an individual or as a group) should be understood (the lessons of Pluto are all about what 'power' really is), are laid out in Hex. 19. S. Hersh, Soros, Boxer and others seem to be stepping up to the plate.