OCTOBER 2012 — ASTROLOGY AND PAST LIVES — PART TWO
Dear Friends and Readers, picking up where we left off, the clues to past lives can be found in certain areas of the chart. Even though charts vary with each unique individual, there are 4 things I look at carefully. First up are the North and South Nodes, both the signs and the houses. Note whether any planets form a T-Square or a Grand Cross with the Nodes. Second, I look at the cusp of the 12th house, noting if there is a sign change within that house. Third, note PARTICULARLY if there are any planets in the 12th. The 12th house is symbolic for aspiration and burdens that we come in with in this life, carry-overs from the past among other things. If you find a planet or planets there, then look at the aspects to those 12th house planets. Are the aspects easy or challenging? Fourth, check and see if there are any planets retrograde in the natal and do they tie in with the parts of the chart already mentioned? Don’t count Chiron; it’s always retrograde, like the Nodes.
Let’s talk about retrograde planets just a bit…it’s normal to have a planet or two retro. More than three in the natal means there are childhood issues that are going to have to be re-visited in the sense of re-examining your childhood from an adult perspective in order to come to peace, resolution, clarity, etc. That’s just regular natal analysis.
Now, in the sense of past lives, we’re looking for clues to what the person has already been, past talents, tendencies, issues and/or misunderstandings they’ve brought with them to fix, fears that are still operating on the unconscious level, etc. Remember, we’re exploring here and being open to our intuition. I don’t think it’s possible to come up with a mechanistic system that labels past life stuff with certainty. The Universe doesn’t operate like a machine. The proof, and I think that word is incorrect — the CONFIRMATION — is the clients’ own feelings about themselves. Retrograde planets can show you what you’re coming in with from the past, check the aspects in the natal. There’s an old metaphysical saying…that you have to find a pattern 3 times in a chart for it to manifest. In that sense, we’ll be looking for main themes in Part Three. Several readers have kindly volunteered their charts for Part Three, which will be longer (Happy Scrolling 🙂 since I will post the charts…
Here’s an example from a client from years ago. We were sitting together going over her chart, talking about a difficult Neptune aspect that she had in her natal. I saw a grate of iron bars opening up to the sky. My instant flash was she had been impressed as a sailor. Remember when they were running around doing that? I think it was the 1700’s in Europe. When I told her the picture I saw, she said she was afraid of swimming and felt panicky in small enclosed spaces. I urged her to take swimming lessons as that would strengthen her and overcome the past fear. As far as claustrophobia, just acknowledging to her that there might be a valid reason for that fear helped her honor her own instincts. When you study history and see all the abominable things humans think up to hurt each other, it amazes me that we don’t ALL have claustrophobia, or worse.
When you’re looking for clues, ask yourself — what do you love? What makes you uncomfortable? Pay attention to your responses when you meet new people. With some people, you will feel a sense of kinship and rapport immediately. If you feel resistance and a sense of caution, better honor that, too. What cultures and periods of history appeal to you? If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? It’s natural if you would want to go to the country or countries of your ancestors. Just bear in mind that often people will skip a couple of generations and come right back into the same family. That’s one of many possible patterns. Now if you want to see a country you have NO logical connection with, that could mean something special that you can look into and research.
Years ago, my daughter rented us a movie called the “Joy Luck Club”. It was taken from the book of the same name, by Amy Tan, the story of 4 Chinese mothers and their 4 American born daughters. That movie made a terrific impact on me. I realized that I had long held kind of a love-hate feeling about ancient China. How does one reconcile the incredible beauty with the cruelty? I felt so thankful that I was living in the here and now and not in ancient China !!! About 10 years before I saw the movie, I was in a situation with my late Father that was uncomfortable, and without even thinking, I blurted out “You’re treating me like the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter of a Chinese Warlord!!! “ And my Father looked at me in amazement and immediately agreed with me, saying, “You’re right !!! But I love you !!!” I said, “I know, Dad, but you’re undermining my authority with the children and it has to stop !!!” And it did. Just for the record, my Father was a great dad and a kind and patient person. And we are Northern European, no Chinese biologically. He was Libra and his Sun was on my South Node. The only place he ever wanted to travel was to Asia on a tramp steamer but he never did. We must have known each other in China, so very long ago…
About 20 years after seeing the movie, I had a dream and when I looked in the mirror I was a Chinese girl. Such a strange feeling to know absolutely it was me and yet I looked totally different !! So from time to time, these particular memories surface in my life, in one way or another, and I finally realized they were clues — to remind me to be a strong and courageous woman in this life — my North Node is in Aries.
Why are you telling us this stuff, Jenae? One, to show you how to find the clues in your own life. And two, transiting Uranus is about to conjoin my North Node for the 1st time in my life so I figure I better have enough courage to reveal myself in the hope that it will help others understand astrology. I’m a very private person; to write about myself is like streaking in public. I can write about astrology all day long and never hesitate, but to write about my feelings and my own experiences is very challenging. North Node in Aries — I have done all the big things in this life alone. Didn’t want to, but life forced me in the earlier years. South Node in Libra — past lives clearing through this one would seem to indicate that I was very passive, waiting for partners to lead the way, no ability or opportunity to even think about what I might have wanted to do as an individual. Even my Progressed Sun is in Aries now, so I’m finding new ways to challenge myself. It’s a main theme for me at this time…
Back soon with Part Three, after the pears are dried, Blessings, Jenae
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