Relationships From the Karmic Perspective - To Be Or Not to Be
By Marilyn Muir
Where to begin? Karma is such a vast subject and there are literally hundreds of thousands of interpretations of what it is and how it affects us. I do not have the space to wax philosophical in this article, My aim is to describe the astrological concepts to relationships. In its simplest terms, the eastern concept of karma is what is called the Law of Cause and Effect in western society. To me life is not a series of random and unconnected moments; life is more like a continuum, with each experience following in a natural sequence. Or... we can be a confused human trying to figure out their experiences. I have managed to experience both awareness and lack of awareness over my lifetime. I am sure you have as well.
Whatever you participate in or set in motion through your personal actions will have natural results that definitely belong to you even when you do not wish to own them. You may take direct action, refuse to participate, attempt to ignore, and the list continues, All these possibilities and more set something in motion which belongs exclusively to you whether you know it or not. Life does not require that you be conscious or accepting, it just needs you to be available. Know now that the common sequence is initiation, process and results, consciously or unconsciously, now or in another lifetime, so that you may not connect the results to the cause every time. Think of life as a circle that is actually a sine-wave in experience. At times you are on top of that curve and at times you are on the bottom. Eastern philosophy sees mankind on the wheel of life, doomed to repeat experiences at the same level until enlightenment removes him from the wheel. Western philosophy is not comfortable with pure fate so free will must enter the picture. We have a few popular phrases that illustrate this concept.
� For every action, there is an opposite but equal reaction.
� That which you sow, so shall you reap.
� What goes around, comes around.
� Sometimes you get the bear; sometimes the bear gets you.
Karma is a description of the process of experience. Somehow we set experience in motion and those experiences produce results. Sometimes the response comes quickly. At other times, long passages of time obscure the cause from the effect and we become puzzled and occasionally feel victimized.
Enter another person (and you were having so much fun by yourself). You have your karma and they have their karma and you have both decided to share, hopefully 50/50 or at least fairly, but usually with some surprises. You have not figured out your own karma and now you have two karmas to work through, your own and a virtual stranger's karma. Good luck. How do we look at karma in a relationship? What are the signposts? Even if you know what the signposts are, will you understand what they mean? Are both of you awake and aware enough to make this a positive experience?
Enter Astrology On a rudimentary level we can look to the nodal connections between charts to determine if any past life connections are in play. In western astrology if the connection is tied directly to the south node that indicates a link from the past. If the connection is most directly to the north node that indicates a link to the future. Did you realize that eastern astrology has quite different definitions for Rahu and Ketu (the nodes)? Since the nodes are paired, there will naturally be aspects to both nodes so choose the strongest aspect to start but do look at the potential of both positions. The south node represents karmic relationships that are rooted in the past, the reaping part of the life cycle. The north node represents your new direction or the developing or sowing of new karma. It is quite valuable to know whether you are drawn to a person because of your largely unconscious past associations or that you do have experiences to share in a now-to-future framework.
Not all relationships are comfortable and that is true of those with karmic overtones. For that you must look to the stress aspects to your nodes. Sometimes you meet a person and instant dislike arises, irrational but potent and that can interfere with relationship forming or can serve as a warning. Sometimes you meet a person that you feel like you have known forever even though you just met. Look to the benefic aspects. Should you encounter a person whose nodes are the exact reverse of yours, you can yell "Bingo!" This shows you have been tied together in the past and that you also have experience to do together in this present to future timeframe. Perhaps it is unfinished work, perhaps it is contemporary work, but the past from one chart should support the other as you move forward in experience.
To me the most difficult thing that humans do is to relate successfully. The underlying concept is that you take any two people, put them in a room, lock the door and demand that they relate successfully every moment, 24/7 until death do them part. That is not remotely realistic. We should learn from each other and hopefully grow and evolve within any relationship. If we are not part of each other's growth there is no real reason to stay in an unsuccessful relationship. It is not your "karma" to stay with a bad, no-growth-possible situation. Karma can be misunderstood to mean just that. You should both be growing or you should change experience. If for whatever reason you must stay together, attempt to put it on a positive footing for both your sakes. You are here to grow and become, not to stagnate and devolve. That is both your responsibility and your choice. Do not blame karma!
Next astrologically you would look to the synastry between the charts. Place the two wheels side by side and look at the connections overall. Remember one will be the receiver and one will be the activator in each pairing. Once you have worked your way through that pairing, reverse the charts and do the same procedure for the second person. Having one as activator while the other receives keeps the reading clear and simple, but it is just one half of the sine-wave. Using the same information reverse the activator and the receiver. That will illustrate the other half of the relating sine-wave. Once you have the general conditions between the participants, look specifically to the outer planets to determine success, failure and potential karma, the difference between benefic or malefic synastry aspects.
� Saturn can bring about responsibility, structure, duration and tenacity or it can bring roadblocks, imprisonment and depression. Choose wisely.
� Uranus can bring charisma, magic, excitement but may not stick around long enough to enjoy it. Uranus will not accept boundaries, rules, or unrelenting commitment. If you can stay loose and just enjoy the ride, without demanding what Uranus cannot and will not deliver, the relationship may continue.
� Pluto can bring about psychological depth to any relationship on many levels but it can also bring turmoil, power and control issues, manipulation, obcession. Pick your poison.
� Ah... now comes Neptune. Here comes imagination, creativity, inspiration, sympatico, spirituality and all those lovely descriptions of unconditional love. But since every front has a back we must look at the other side of Neptune to see the parts we do not want to know about such as deceit, illusion, delusion, and disillusion.
In a long ago workshop, astrologer Carol Rushman taught that the true spiritual partnership between two people is illustrated by solid and positive Venus/Neptune connections between the charts. These are the people who are so in tune that they know what each other is thinking, can finish each other's sentences, can take a long drive without talking and still be comfortable with one another. That is the true magic, when two souls are in harmony that transcends physical limitations. That sounds to me like it would be the perfect opportunity to work on that shared karma that is formed when two people enter into a relationship.
How do you get the best out of a relationship while working on the karmic patterns between the two of you? Talk about it, plan for it, work the plan, create non-judgmental and benign signals to work through the off moments that enter every life. Encourage each other, support each other, commit to both your personal growths in every way possible, respect, honor and promote the common good and the good of each individual. That is a tall order, but if you are committed to working through the karma and maintaining a good relationship, you can do it. Yes you can!
Marilyn Muir, author, "Presidents of Hope and Change: Bringing Hope to our Future by Reaching into our Astrological Past." How astrology predicts our nation's future by reaching into our past.
Jefferson, Lincoln, Kennedy, Obama... The Lineage of Hope
Using the influential and interwoven cycles of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto to predict issues and trends up to 2012 and even beyond to 2025, Ms Muir leaves us with the clear message of hope as she depicts the future of President Obama at the helm of the USA ship of state.
Read the first 36 pages (PDF) including the charts of all four Presidents - you'll get hooked! http://www.marilynmuir.com
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Free Ebook - Eclypso: Photography by Catharine J. Anderson
Eclypso: Photography by Catharine J. Anderson is a 110 page book of B&W concert photos. Some of the bands include The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, Translator, Romeo Void, Bonnie Hayes and the Wild Combo, SVT, The Dead Kennedy's, The Squares, XMas Eve, Elemenets of Style, Vctms, The Contractions, and others.
" in these images are the obscure, the famous and the future stars. But the future was never the point for most of the subjects, it was the moment. And these are moments too easily missed, and we should all be grateful for the finger on the shutter and the eye behind the lens." - Lou Ming
Worldview Literacy Project
"Consciousness is all it takes for one to transform and transcend above the obstacles we face in life and to really see deeper into the beauty of life that surrounds us wherever we go - that is only if we are mindful of it and if we dare to open up our eyes." – an 11th grade student from Oakland, CA.
While stumbling around the internet as I drank my cup of morning coffee, I came across the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) Worldview Literacy page. The Worldview Literacy Project is an educational initiative "built on the premise that when students learn about their own worldviews, they will be better able to make choices based on their own values and goals, thus enhancing a sense of integrity and well-being." In addition, IONS believes that the more we know about other worldviews, and engage with people who have different worldviews, the more likely we are to develop compassion, empathy and understanding as we will come to realize that we are all inter-connected. This understanding will motivate us to act andwork together for the greater good.
"Worldviews are the filters through which people see and sense the world and their place in it. A worldview is an organization of beliefs and perspectives that shapes how individuals perceive the world around them and what they accept as true. Worldviews operate mostly outside of our awareness and are influenced by many factors such as family, politics, religion, and community, among others. Worldviews are both individually held and culturally shared. They influence goals, desires, motivations, values, relationships, and the actions and reactions of every day encounters. Becoming aware of and exploring worldviews will give students tools to communicate, contribute and function more effectively in their lives." - IONS
It is important to understand how our personal belief systems are influenced by our conditioning and worldview. Both our perceptions and behavior are influenced by our life experiences, environment, culture, family, friends, society and the educational system. Through learning and experience we unconsciously form a personal and individual worldview which has an impact on how we understand the world and experience life, as well as how we relate to other people and succeed or fail in the pursuit of of our goals and desires.
"The Mission of the Worldview Literacy Project is to develop and increase access to curricula and tools that help youth and lifelong learners contemplate and understand the fundamental role that worldview plays in the perceptions and behaviors of themselves and others." - IONS
Students are encouraged to use their imagination and creativity as they learn to approach new experiences with openness and a willingness to transform their conditioned beliefs into something new that reflects what they have learned and experienced after being introduced to worldviews that differ from their own. This is a life long process and does not end after the course of study is completed.
"We are part of a complex, ever-changing, interconnected, living universe. What we do influences the world around us, and the world around us influences us, even when we are not aware of exactly how. Greater understanding of the interdependence of all life leads to a more complete view of our place in the world." - IONS
For more information and to view the curriculum and travel opportunities please visit IONS' Worldview Literacy page.
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The Beautiful Truth
In an earlier post I discussed and linked to a YouTube video of a documentary film titled Dying to Have Known - The Cancer Cure by filmmaker Steve Kroschel. This documentary focuses on The Gerson Therapy which is an alternative dietary cancer therapy. Today I'd like to link to another documentary film, The Beautiful Truth, which is another documentary by Steve Kroschel which explores the Gerson Therapy from another perspective.
The Beautiful Truth documents the efforts of Kroschel's 15 year old son Garrett as he sets out to research Dr. Max Gerson's claims that diet can cure cancer as part of a home schooling project. Garrett's assignment is to study a controversial book written by Dr. Max Gerson and determine whether or not Gerson's therapy is a truly legitimate cancer cure.
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The Awakening
The Awakening is a documentary film by Max Igan. Before you click the arrow to play this video, take a good look at the center of the image. Notice the word "obey." This suggests to me that this film contains subliminal messages. The film is rather hypnotic.
Unity is the answer to everything. All the problems we face are symptoms of the divided state of human consciousness. - Max Igan
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