The Dragon Awakes

Rediscovering Astrological Legacy

September 2004

In China and the Middle East, archaeologists have recently discovered what appears to be the first writing. The earliest notches on stone or wood recorded celestial events but there are two instances of true language being born at different parts of the world.

The objects found were palm sized boxes with lids. Inside the boxes were rings of wood or stone, or pyramid shaped carvings. On the lid were pictures to represent which object, and how many, were inside, either the circular shape of the ring, the ‘O’, or triangle shaped markings, perhaps today’s letter ‘A’. In time, it became obvious that this was double the work. Tablets were then carved with the same symbols.

Interestingly, in the Middle East, these early markings were made by the first accountants, keeping track of material goods. In China, these markings were records of divinations. The marks represented the type of divination used, and recorded the prophecy, presumably as a guide to behaviour, or to check its accuracy later.

This fascination with divination has left us a rich legacy of philosophical searching.

For 3,000 years China’s rulers claimed the ‘Mandate of Heaven’. This misunderstood contract gave them the right to rule as a Deity, in a position inherited from God. The ruler’s part of the bargain was to record the movements of the heavenly bodies – the Sun, Moon, and known stars, and produce, and post in public, a red covered booklet, every year, that gave the population the mode of behaviour for every day. A multitude of astrologers (now called astronomers) were employed to produce this amazing document. As they hold their teachers in high esteem, this system blended well with philosophers such as Lao Tsu: Father of Taoism, who authored the ‘Book of Changes’ (a study of hexagrams known as ‘I Ching’), and his contemporary, Confucius. Virtuous behaviour was, as always, the preferred action to secure the survival of kingdoms and families.

Their wealth of astronomical data is heartily acknowledged by the scientific community but, alas, the astrology, or the affects of the shifting planetary system on human behaviour, has been thrown on the heap of mysticism or absorbed by clinical psychology as behavioural studies. The ancient Chinese, as any pondering philosophers would, first looked at ramifications for their dynastic rulers and citizens.

Since the overthrow of the Chinese Imperial system, in the 1920’s, this art has been kept alive, coincidently, by western astrologers who started publishing daily horoscopes in newspapers at that time. With the loosening of the Communistic grip, astrology and religions now enjoy more freedom of expression, but the new vision of scientific reality denies any influence from our neighbours in space, or the benefits of acting with grace. This short sightedness overlooks our continued awe at eclipses, solstices, and events like the recent transit of Venus across the face of the Sun that drew crowds to wherever in the world the passage was visible. The continued popularity of horoscopes, dumbfounding to scientists, tells the tale.

There is an instinct in humans that searches for meaning behind seemingly ordinary acts. Mystics and healers have always known the connection but in our time, Dr. Sigmund Freud brought that to the fore in the western culture. He delineated the power of our unconscious minds that can react to stimuli in ways that shock us. He studied the symbolism of dreams and legitimized the study we know as psychiatry, or psychology.

As more and more legends turn out to be facts, and the respect of oral tradition has risen, it is recognized that fables were a means of keeping history, and astrological meanings, alive in cultures where the common populace had no access to the written word. Visualizations have always been worth a thousand words.

Astrologers will continue to publish the meaning behind the math. Although taking the path of least resistance is confused with a lazy attitude, it’s easy to see that in some time periods, non-action is more productive. Astrology can provide a timetable to action; acting with goodwill is common sense.

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To book a class or a reading with Janice Brown, call 604-418-7830 or email astrojanice@shaw.ca. Read the Daily Planet.

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