From a previous post:
"There are belief systems, allegiances, motivations, and traditions underlying
anyone's practise of astrology, and Saturn in Scorpio is a time to be very clear
on that."
It's important to realize at this time that the personal is political. It doesn't matter if you don't vote, if you can't tell left-wing from right, or if you prefer Big Bang Theory reruns to the nightly news. The decisions people make on a daily basis about what to do, what to say, and how to live their lives are
political.
Astrologers are no different.
There's no such thing as purely objective astrology, just as there's no such thing as purely objective journalism. There are always forces shaping the information and perspectives that are put forth, as well as determining which information and perpectives are not put forth.
An astrologer who chooses not to touch the controversial sociopolitical
issues of the times is making a personal political choice
just as an astrologer who chooses to write and speak about them is.
Though I'm sure most professional astrologers, like me, are careful not to infuse paid readings with heavy personal politics, how an astrologer interprets certain placements
or transits is most certainly political. There is a basic foundation for astrology, but beyond those basics, it's open to interpretation.
There's a lot of hiding and glossing over of personal politics and true
personal perspective going on in the astrology of the day.
Part of this comes about due to the strong New Age beliefs running through much of it. The idea often promoted by the New Age is that "politics is unenlightened."
"Poverty, war, social justice issues - those are all 3D, man. That's density. We're 5D! We're so beyond all that, it's not even a part of our reality."
Yeah. Right.
Any astrologer who wants to keep up their New Age herd will be careful to tiptoe around sociopolitical issues that could be considered "negative," "dark," or "a bummer" by the brethren.
Even among non-New Age astrologers, though, there is a lot of whitewashing of personal politics and perspective. A lot of astrologers
choose not to say how they really feel about things so as not to alienate their
followers, supporters, or paid customers.
Others take a middle-of-the-road stance so carefully crafted to be benign that it basically says nothing. This is especially the case with astrologers who attempt to sustain "The Astro Empire" - mass popularity among the relatively few people interested in astrology.
The fact of the matter is, personal politics influences astrology, as does the whitewashing of personal politics, and this is true for even the most cookbook of astrologers. This has been somewhat hidden, but with Saturn transiting Scorpio, things hidden beneath the surface will be drawn out into our concrete, in-your-face realities.
Underlying personal politics, beliefs, allegiances, motivations, and alliances strongly influence the astrology of the day, but as long as that influence remains hidden, we're working with a very skewed astrological landscape.
13 comments:
I agree. I don't think there is a such thing as objectivity in journalism, in writing in general, and I'd written a paper about that for school. :)
Once again, you hit the nail on the head. Keep going, you're on a roll, you brilliant astrologer!
That's my experience as well, and I really appreciate how you've framed it. We're in the fray and regardless of the way that things turn out, we're still going to pay for our biases. I have recently nurtured a huge disappointment in a writer that (my bad) I've always held in high regard but recently I'm just short-fused about the myopic concentration on polyamory. I mean, I get it already. (Yawn) really, anyone who is not in that boat is somehow being dishonest in relationship? Meh. That's my bias--and perhaps my precisely conjunct 10th hs Moon and Black Moon Lilith in Sag. End rant, and high expectations ;-)
I don't know if it's a case of bias or of paying for biases, per se. I think everyone has a perspective, and as long as that's clear, things are pretty much A-OK.
An astrologer's entire career is built on his or her perspective.
But yeah.
"If only jealous and vindictive Hera would have realized that everyone should be fucking on everyone else. Then Zeus wouldn't have had any problems at all!"
If that isn't a short-sighted male perspective on the subject, I don't know what is...
Precisely! Thank you.
Good points, Willow! Every astrologer has a bias, whether they know it or not, that colors their interpretation of every chart they examine. Astrologers unaware of their bias are the ones to avoid, especially those who claim zero bias and assume total objectivity (run away from these imposters).
I read charts for a living. My bias stems from my non-astrology life as an artist. As such, the political bias that colors my readings encourages autonomy and an unleashing of creative forces in the client, whether they express that through art or simply by living more creatively and with less compromise to their freedom.
Keep up the good work!
- Antero Alli
Well, again, I'm not using the word bias. You guys are!
No choosing diction or putting words into the astrologer's mouth here...
Bias to me has a negative connotation, and I don't think differences of perspective are a bad thing.
In this post, I'm talking about the layered influences that shape a person's perspective and the astrology that is put out.
I am a first time visitor of this site.
I am "speechless" and deeply inspired by everything you share with us- the chosen ones-
Blessed beyond words of having the opportunity and infinite pleasure of reading "You".
Thank you
And that's precisely why I follow your blog: you don't whitewash or evade and I for one really appreciate it and hope you are never silenced. We need way way more of you and others like you who are courageous enough to truly speak truth to power. Ordinarily I wouldn't use that phase because it's been overused and abused but in your case it fits perfectly.
Willow - I did not know "bias" holds negative connotation with you. Sorry if it seemed that I put words in your mouth. Would you care to share something about what makes a bias negative for you?
Oh, sure, if you mean bias in a neutral way, that's fine.
When people say "biased journalism," for example, they're usually making a complaint.
I have no negative or positive charge around "bias" so I suppose that makes it neutral. I think everyone has a bias which shapes their perceptions accordingly. I also think it's a good idea if you can know what your bias is, though that I think this self-awareness can be more difficult for some than others. I have also discovered how knowing my own bias has allowed me to perceive the bias of others, of where they may be truly coming from even though they may present another image publicaly.
Yea I used to visit Mystic Medusas site, it was cute to learn the basics, pretty. But lacked total depth. I thnk her site is a capricorn Rising site like Elsa Elsa's. I finally totally stopped visiting both. Just because I wouldnt agree with every post she wrote, she blocked me. Now here I dont think Mercury in pisces.. I have ever read anything I disagreed with.
MM site was more alot of immediate posts and talking which was good astrological excercise for me. But I grew up in a year and fast. And like willow, I held nothing back on there. Said exactly what I felt.
Even though I pictured everyone with lots of cats teacups and doilies. Who love to talk about transits but not when they begin to happen. I got kicked off because I said the movie industry was Dying hollwood was done... Its all over the Net. And I said now actors will have to do there are authentically with Neptune and Chiron in Pisces. Not just for money. And bagged on her idolization of Scientology contributor on libra Will smith. Gag.
Its so nice to come here and not read gossip and foo fairy astrology and your so kind to give it away. Some like there following in chains only they can free them from... I paid for one Consultation to Barbara goldsmith a Libra, very kind. I was so excited I talked most of the time. And had to figure out how she knew such personal things about me.
Uranus just also started transiting my 9th so I just learned the rest on my own But not totally.. I have to pay great homage to you, for helping me with the language.
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