 BOOK
TALK
America's Destiny
by Gayl Woityra
Most books about
astrology tend to fall into one of two
categories. The most in depth astrology books
tend to be written by astrologers for other
astrologers. Astrology books for the mass market
tend to be more superficial, providing daily
advice based on transits of planets, full moons
or retrograde Mercury and often appealing to the
emotions, such as “love signs” or “making more
money.” Or, in some cases, the books may explain
basic astrology for the average reader. Rarely
is an astrology book published that can equally
interest and inform practicing astrologers,
readers who understand basic astrology and
readers who are open to astrology but know
rather little about how it works.
This rare kind of
astrology book came to my attention recently:
Soul-Sick Nation: An Astrologer’s View of
America by Jessica Murray (Author House, 2006).
Given that political issues bombard us all on a
daily basis, I was fascinated by the premise of
Murray’s book. Blending her knowledge of
astrology with current political events and
sociological-psychological behavior patterns of
Americans, Murray uses the birth chart of the
United States (July 4, 1776) to seek meanings
and explanations regarding America’s destiny,
purpose and reasons why we are experiencing
current global and national situations.
An astrological
birth chart or horoscope, depicts the potential
psychological persona of its native. In similar
fashion, many astrologers believe that a birth
chart for a nation depicts the general
personality of its citizens as a group and even
of its overall “national personality.” Jessica
Murray states, “The chart of a person – or a
country – reveals core values, inclinations,
motivations, blind spots and soul lessons that
help explain otherwise incomprehensible patterns
of behavior.”
Anyone who is
curious about the meaning of life could easily
expand that curiosity to wonder if countries, as
well as individuals, are influenced in subtle
ways by the pattern of energies present at the
time of their beginnings as an entity on Earth.
Clearly, this book would interest all readers
who are open to that possibility and who enjoy
exploring meanings. Considering all the
problems, issues and complexities of current
national and global situations, many readers
would likely rush to explore any book that could
shed some light, reason and clarification on
such issues.
Soul-Sick Nation
does just that for me. I was glued to its pages,
rushing from page to page to discover insights
and interpretations the news media never
explains. Whereas it does help if readers of
this book have some basic understanding of
astrology, such knowledge is not absolutely
necessary because the author provides help along
the way and in an appendix at the end of the
book. In order to appreciate why this book is so
fascinating, we’ll need to explore what the
author sets out to do and how she achieves her
end.
Murray’s
background includes studies in fine arts,
traditional psychology and linguistics for her
degree from Brown University in 1973. After a
stint in political theatre, a forerunner to her
interest in current political situations, Murray
studied metaphysics and has been practicing and
teaching astrology for 30 years. She frequently
contributes to The Mountain Astrologer and is
currently writing a book on Pluto. Her
understanding of that small, distant planet
(currently classified officially as a “dwarf
planet”) reflects in her insightful discussions
in this book about the current influence of
Pluto on the United States.
First, let us
consider the book’s title, Soul-Sick Nation. For
astrologers the birth chart of an individual or
in this case a country, is a “life script,” a
kind of energetic blueprint. The individual or
group always has the freedom to follow the
guidance of the script or blueprint or to
digress from that plan or path. Given that most
spiritually oriented astrologers teach that the
soul sets up this script, if the entity
(individual or group) digresses from the
positive energies in the “blueprint,” indeed
they can become “soul sick.” Jessica Murray
believes our time and place of birth has
significant meaning. “We were put on Earth in a
specific location for a reason.”
But national and
global situations are clearly in confused,
tangled disorder. Murray tells readers, “This
book will look at the entity that is the USA as
a collective soul whose high and noble potential
has become dangerously distorted.” As such, we
as part of this collective group need a “clear,
critical vision.” Murray says, “We need
criticism that is intelligent, imaginative and
healing.” She presents astrology as “an ideal
way to approach issues that are rancorous and
frightening because it is a way of perceiving
that is exceptionally pure and abstract.” In
other words, it helps to remove the people’s
emotionally charged reactions from the equation
as much as possible.
It is important to
note that most astrologers, especially those who
follow the philosophy of one grand master of
that artful science, Dane Rudhyar, hold that all
parts of a birth chart – the planets, their
house placement and all aspects in the chart
(squares, trines, conjunctions, etc.) – can
manifest in either positive or negative ways. In
other words, Saturn isn’t “malefic” or Jupiter a
“benefic” or a square some dreaded karmic
lesson. Instead, what counts is what the person
(or country) does with the energies.
How well an
individual is able to use the birth time
energies usually depends on numerous factors:
the native’s awareness, insight, maturity and
developed spiritual consciousness. Clearly, a
child or adolescent doesn’t have much of a grasp
on these energies and tends to follow the most
obvious, instinctive ones and those are seldom
the higher expression of those energies. Murray
makes the point that the USA “lacks a maturity
of mind and soul.” Maturity, she says, “is not
the same thing as intelligence.” Americans don’t
lack intelligence, she says, but rather they
“don’t process the information they have... a
problem of maturity.” The author writes, “The
only way to effectively heal our collective
sickness is by dedicating ourselves to bold,
clear understanding of the situation... As the
great teachers have told us throughout the ages,
a mindful human being becomes the agent through
which consciousness comes into the world.”
Readers can expect
to face the facts of “America in Crisis.”
Readers who see themselves and the United States
through the proverbial rose-colored glasses may
not appreciate the author’s forthright portrayal
of where our nation is faltering at present. On
the other hand, open-minded readers will
recognize that we need to face and acknowledge
our faults, mistakes and misperceptions in order
to make appropriate corrections and thereby get
back on our country’s destined path. The
author’s first chapter places the sad current
facts out on the table. Her following chapters
provide the astrological explanations for what
is occurring and why. Murray clearly
demonstrates how the planetary energies work, as
well as how they can be distorted.
Author Murray uses
what is called the “Sibley Chart” of the United
States, which shows the Sun in Cancer, the Moon
in Aquarius and a Sagittarius Ascendant. The
sign of Cancer has core issues of “security,
nourishment and shelter.” Does that little bit
of information provide a wake-up call to us?
Consider current security issues in America,
positive and negative. We even have a Homeland
Security department. Regarding health, we are
dealing with literal issues of nourishment,
ranging from obesity and overlarge portions of
junk food to toxins in our food, resulting in
numerous recalls of hamburger, chicken and
spinach. Shelter issues have turned up with the
damages from Katrina and from massive fires in
California, as well as issues regarding home
ownership, sub-prime mortgages and foreclosures.
It is doubtful that these issues are purely
coincidental.
Throughout this
book I was amazed at page after page of major
examples of how astrological insights from our
nation’s birth chart apply specifically and
dramatically to current situations. The author
discusses all major planetary placements and
aspects (interrelationships between planets) in
ways that are easy to read and understand.
Clearly we can only touch upon a tiny portion of
her insights in our discussion here. Given her
extensive research and interest in Pluto, Murray
devotes three chapters to Pluto’s influence and
its effect on the USA. First she explains the
basic rulerships and energies of Pluto. Readers
may recall that the original Pluto was a Greek
god who ruled the Underworld. Among its concerns
astrologically, Pluto rules death and
regeneration. This suggests the idea that when
something – a person, group, institution – isn’t
healthy and well, it may need to “die” in order
to be re-born or re-assembled into a new and
better functioning entity. Note that “death” in
most cases is not always literal here, but
symbolic.
When things aren’t
working well, they often need to be re-worked.
We can see a good example of this on TV shows
like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Fans of
this show know that the old, derelict or
unworkable building must be torn down before the
new, efficient and beautiful structure can be
built in its stead. Pluto relates to this “death
and rebuilding.”
Pluto is also
power. “In the chart of an individual, Pluto is
the source of the greatest power available to
the native.” Murray notes, “When it is fueling a
collective entity [like the USA], it shows up as
institutional forces that have insidious and
pervasive impact.” Consider all the commentary
today about how our institutions aren’t working
the way most citizens would like them to
function. Consider as well all the current
discussions regarding the balance or imbalance
of powers among our three branches of
government: the legislative, executive and
judicial. Clearly, this is an issue we are all
dealing with at present and Murray explains the
why and wherefore of this problem from an
astrological perspective.
Pluto, as ruler of
the dark Underworld, also governs secrets.
Again, our cable networks, print media and
internet blogs are filled with commentary about
undercover agents, classified information,
rendition, covert missions, secret terrorists
and on and on. If any planet seems to be
stirring up issues for the US, it is Pluto. As
thoughtful citizens, it would be prudent for us
to make an attempt to better understand its
influence.
Murray supplies
many answers in her book. We must keep in mind,
as well, that if we believe in purpose and
meaning in life, we also must trust that what is
placed before us and what we experience have
meaning as well. Astrology often points out that
what we experience is what we need to experience
in order to grow and evolve.
I was constantly
gratified by the many insights readers could
gather about current issues just from the three
chapters on Pluto. For example, Pluto is located
in the second house of the US chart. The second
house (explained in the book’s appendix) rules
finance, possessions, resources and values. Does
that not strike a chord? Consider all the
current issues in America regarding money and
the value of the dollar. The idea of resources
includes a wide range of things, but especially
today seems to point to natural resources, such
as water, oil and minerals. (A side note: most
of those resources originate underground – ruled
by Pluto!) “Values,” moreover, relate to both
materialistic issues – big cars, big houses,
fame and fortune – as well as to moral values,
ideas and attitudes that are important to us.
Clearly, values of all kinds are in the news and
in American thoughts, more or less constantly.
By now, if readers
aren’t starting to truly wonder about astrology
and the United States, I’d be surprised. Can all
of these issues just be coincidental in relation
to America’s birth chart? Truly, one needs to
read Murray’s entire book to see the whole
picture and it is insightful indeed. The book is
a true “page-turner” as one glimpses one
connection after another of America’s potential
destiny.
Whereas, at
present, the picture Murray paints of the USA is
“soul-sick,” the book is not negative in its
conclusions. The author clearly points out the
lessons Americans are intended to learn, as
depicted in the USA birth chart. A major lesson
is the “responsibility of power.” American was
not destined to conquer others or to impose its
values by force. Murray emphasizes that a
positive expression of power comes only when the
group of individuals that make up the citizenry
learn responsible governance. The author’s
discussion of Saturn’s placement in the US chart
demonstrates that America’s “power placement” is
to be a “solid role model,” not a “righteous
world cop.”
The author
provides clear discussions of how Americans can
change current situations and use the potential
energies in positive ways. These discussions
also help individual readers to understand and
interpret their own birth charts. The author
identifies various websites where readers who
don’t have their own birth charts handy, can
acquire free ones on line.
Murray’s
discussion of the entire USA birth chart deftly
combines a mastery of astrology with up-to-date
political theories and issues, thereby helping
readers to comprehend with reason and balanced
judgment our current complex and difficult
times. She proposes a path towards healing for
our country and our individual selves as well.
This thoughtful, in-depth analysis brings light
where it is drastically needed and offers hope
to us all.
Jessica Murray’s
website is:
www.MotherSky.com.
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