Thanksgiving 2014 has come and gone, the last of the Scorpio energies taking their seat at the table, adding to the angst in anticipation of the inevitable Sagittarian blurt. I suppose, given the November energy mix, that every family gathering can expect at least one provocative moment – pushing buttons, kicking baggage, awakening dragons — and some, of course, can anticipate more than others.
By Judith Gayle | Political Waves
When I was a kid, prior to every large occasion my Libra mother would advise that “a lady” would never discuss religion or politics in a social gathering (sex, in those days, was out of the question, of course). And as a Sadge with weighty Scorpio placement, I did my best to contain my inquiring mind, but in typical fire-fashion, was as clueless as a puppy snagging the neighbor’s nylons when my offhand comments created a donnybrook at the table. I can still see my mother burying her face in her hands.
It seems inevitable that every November, all the tensions and dysfunctions of family relations merge with those of the larger American family for (as my daughter’s little clan calls seasonal events with the in-laws) Festivus. Most everyone must gird their loins in advance of a full-on family affair, because – as Edgar Cayce explained – family represents the most Karma we will ever face.
This year, some of the pent-up national tension that had been building was purged earlier in the week, when St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch provoked a Thanksgiving topic with his prime-time announcement that Missouri considered all black persons, especially young ones, locked, loaded, and hazardous to life. By Thanksgiving Day, the larger question of justice for Michael Brown – at least for the time being – had been answered, but a whole slew of new questions had begun to gel. Ladylike or not, if Ferguson never came up in conversation, there was an elephant sitting at your table.
Anticipating a gathering marked by division, a number of “how to” articles appeared this year, with hints to guide the unsuspecting away from the sharp rocks and rip tides of a familial day of gratitude. With only two at my little gathering here in the Pea Patch – both of us pretty much in political agreement — I didn’t read any of them, but I’ve been interested to see how this worked out. Our experience of the last few days seems a litmus paper for not just our biases and cultural conditioning, but how well we’re getting the message that our racial attitudes are so ingrained in our daily lives that we simply miss our own culpability in prolonging them. That should be bright as a light bulb, popping on over our heads now, but are we noticing?
I think it’s worth collecting the stories of the hour if we are to get a grip on ourselves and our culture. Many of us seem determined to grow through these challenges, but there’s all that Chiron wounding and wincing to consider, isn’t there! As Pogo said, “We’ve met the enemy and it is us,” and that isn’t a happy revelation. I would be very interested in your Thanksgiving experience, if you’d like to add to comments. We learn most when we share. I’ve had to rely on reports from friends and family, along with news and articles, to assess our progress this year, although a number of factors seem a no-brainer to intuit.
First off, for reasons that can only be equated with pure greed, the finger in the dike of dwindling traditions popped out early in the week, announcing pre-Black Friday shopping by means of earlier store openings and/or full blown dismissal of holiday closing. That means that the full implications of the holiday season suddenly loomed, whispering of the power of credit cards, to occult the glory that is turkey. There are plenty of Black Friday addicts who would not have let dining protocols or hope for seconds interfere with their need to shop — early and continually — ‘til they drop.
Ferguson protesters had launched a boycott against Black Friday shopping, active at various locations here in the Midwest, some joining Wal-Mart workers who were marching for higher wages in Chicago. They wanted, they said, to change the day to ‘Brown Friday,’ as in Michael Brown, but it seems to have reinvented itself again this year as ’Green Friday’ instead, as in ka-ching! So far the protests in East St. Louis and elsewhere have been peaceful and – I presume – stopped very few shoppers from achieving their goals. I read one article that said those entering and exiting one store being picketed were “bemused” by the picketers’ presence – white shoppers, no doubt, unaware that there is “another America,” living, in many cases, just down the street and around the corner.
These more uneventful protests are a relief, given the emotional response to the destruction the young and angry always seem unable to understand hurts the very causes they care so much about. Earlier in the week, as peaceful protests in Ferguson were shattered by Officer Wilson’s verdict, Mike Brown’s step-father, reacting to his wife’s grief and anger, tearfully demanded that the crowd, “burn this shit down.” The next few hours saw the burning of Mike’s birth-father’s church, the one in which he had – only days earlier – been re-baptized, and now those parishioners are looking for a new spot to congregate.
In the same time frame, reports of a small bakery (owned by a white woman) in the same neighborhood that suffered vandalism and broken windows went up on Rush Limbaugh’s website, getting the attention of Sean Hannity over at FOX. Today it was announced that she had received donations of $250,000. I’d like to tell you that this represents the milk of human kindness, but it’s more like an acid drip of self-righteousness. Read the comments over at the Drudge Report and you’ll probably agree.
Those who left Thanksgiving festivities early to get their place in line for a glut of holiday buying may not have had a lot to contribute to a discussion of the Mike Brown/Darren Wilson saga anyway, but don’t count them out. I’ve been interested in who ‘gets this’ and who doesn’t, and it appears that has a lot to do with one’s personal focus. If this was only about systemic racial discrimination and our inability to put ourselves in another’s place, little would stand in the way of this behavior having the nation’s full approval, but the flaws and glaring manipulation in the Ferguson decision have stood even the judicial system on its ear, as well as its outliers.
Take CNN’s Nancy Grace, for instance, a personality I don’t consider even-handed, open-minded or even, at times, rational. In this instance, however, even Nancy can’t swallow the verdict. She told her cultish viewership that she wasn’t buying Wilson’s story that he had no choice but to protect his life by dropping the ‘demonic’ black giant. Displaying hospital close-ups of Darren Wilson’s reddened face, she asked her viewers, “Look, do you know how many times I have sided against a cop? Never. But to me, this is bigger than a badge. And I don’t like speaking out against a cop, but this doesn’t add up.”
On its face, Wilson’s story sounds practiced but sincere. The ease with which he tells it, along with his selection of words, leaves no doubt of his white supremacist leanings. He’s a man of his time and place, and – so he says – easy in his skin, with no regrets. The kind of empathy with which authority figures might become truly responsible arbiters of the law in a community like Ferguson seems beyond his simplistic us/them story of a giant black Negro ‘demon’ who was determined to kill him. No sense protesting that demons are in the eye of the beholder. No sense suggesting that Mike Brown and Darren Wilson each stood 6’4” tall, that Brown was 80 pounds heavier but was not the one with the badge or the gun. No sense explaining that the Supreme Court forbade shooting an unarmed person running away, or even one running toward you, years ago, or that Wilson should never have been allowed to testify in front of a grand jury, as explained by no less than Justice Antonin Scalia.
For a nation that touts its ‘rule of law,’ we seem both lawless and senseless to those looking in from other countries. The question is: how do we look to one another? Is this all just too black and white (pun, no pun!)? Sadly, it seems to me that Wilson is exactly the kind of stand-up guy the police force is looking for, here in Missouri and – oh shit, oh dear – perhaps even where you live, dear reader. And while Wilson will probably not go back to Ferguson as a police officer, not to worry. The hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations he’s received from eager supporters will give him unexpected options.
In the midst of all this Ferguson frenzy, I read an article about how racism has gotten worse since Obama took the presidency. Well, duh! Who didn’t expect THAT after the first fifteen minutes? (Rhetorical, of course. The answer is: too many of us.) In one way, we owe a good deal to the Mike Browns of this nation. To the 12-year-old black child dropped by a rookie cop this week for carrying a pellet gun in Ohio. To the black Texan on death row being denied DNA testing for the alleged murder of his white lover, a woman engaged to a white cop with a history of domestic abuse and rage issues. These souls are holding up a mirror, one we’re forced to look into. There can be – will be – no change without a very close look at ourselves and our systemic failure to value one another, to nurture and protect those among us who need our kindness and compassion.
There IS no answer to all that besets us without education, without ethics, without strong citizen interaction. Ferguson – America – has the ability to rise from these ashes like a Phoenix, taking responsibility for what’s wrong as well as opening our hearts to what’s right. There IS no solution to all that challenges our growth without communication, shared experience, empathy. Whatever we aspire toward can only be shaped and realized by the whole of us, working together, warts and all – because there IS no us and them. There is only us, gathered around humanity’s table, feeding one another as best we can.
I hope that on your Thanksgiving Day something reminded you of how greatly blessed we are as a nation, as a people, as a planet. I hope that if your buttons were pushed, some holy insight quickly followed, making sense of what eluded you. And if there was a blurt by some clueless dinner partner, unaware that they had tripped your bells and tooted your whistles, I hope they were quickly forgiven and/or — depending on your willingness to become self-reflective– appreciated.
To value one another, no matter our differences, to appreciate what is best about humankind, we must embrace our ability to recognize ourselves in each other, vowing to overcome our differences by embracing our commonalities, having learned the alchamy of compassion for ourselves and one another. Like gemstones in a tumbler, we can only begin to shine when we mix it up, grinding down our sharp edges and polishing one another into brilliance.
Ha ha ‘ love this Jude! “family represents the most Karma we will ever face.”
There’s a book by the Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield called ‘After the ecstasy , the laundry’, which at one point tells the stories of people who come back from years of meditating and reaching enlightened states on mountain tops god knows where , and crumble as soon as they come back to stay with the family!
Thanks for this lovely, wise piece. I missed the story about the man on death row being denied DNA testing – though I follow the amazing Innocence Project. Words fail me.
No Thanksgiving stories this side of the pond – am revving up for Christmas family-karma time instead!
Ram Dass wrote about coming home to help his father die — how much of a challenge it was to stay centered and peaceful, when facing all those expectations (real or imagined.) That led to a whole series of teachings on death, dying and living with … after his stroke … disability gracefully. These things “show up” when they’re supposed to, if we just remain observant.
Yes, Christmas lies just ahead giving us another opportunity to buff ourselves up! Thanks for dropping by, Lizzy. Be well, be blessed.
These things “show up” when they’re supposed to, if we just remain observant. Yes. Thank you, dear Jude, and much love and blessings to you.
Without all that Scorpio, would your Sadge Sun have the depth which your understanding and empathy reaches? Thanks once again Jude for cutting to the core of what’s happening to us in the US at this time.
“These souls are holding up a mirror, one we are forced to look into.”
A mirror reflects of course, and astrologers tell us that’s what the Moon does, especially when it is full, or “in opposition” to the Sun. 7 weeks before Thanksgiving Day a full moon was eclipsed and she was conjunct Uranus at the time. My understanding is that eclipses can speed up time; what would normally take, oh say, a couple of years, could be accomplished in 6 or 7 months. We know that Uranus has an element of speed and abruptness as well, and of course Aries, the sign of the lunar eclipse and transiting Uranus, is all about speed. Without dredging up all that eclipses mean and that the Aries lunar eclipse chart foretold (well, other than to note it was in a grand trine with Mars and Jupiter and opposite or “reflecting” the Sun that was conjunct the U.S. Saturn in Libra), let us give thanks for the gift of astrology.
My only family contact is my brother and his wife and daughter in Kansas City, Mo. This year my sister-in-law’s birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day, and when I made my perfunctory call to her, she told me my brother “was sick” (a cold) and due to the possible spread of germs (he’s a Virgo) he insisted that Thanksgiving (and her birthday) celebration be delayed to Friday. My 40 year old niece, when called by her mother and asked what she would do on Thanksgiving, replied “nothing, absolutely nothing”. After a brief get-well-wish to bro, my Thanksgiving anxiety was dissolved. No discussion of St. Louis and Ferguson – literally and figuratively half-way between them and me – transpired and I wisely followed my niece’s choice of activity for the rest of the day.
Knowing that transiting Nessus (be-fouler of maidens) continues his conjunction with the U.S. Sibly Moon at 27+ Aquarius, and knowing that a Moon symbolize The People in a nation’s chart, and as well, reflects the nation’s feelings, I thought I’d leap ahead (6 or 7 months) and can now report to you that transiting Jupiter will oppose (reflect) the U.S. Moon in late July and early August. Transiting Jupiter will be square transiting Saturn who will have returned to where he is today – square the U.S. Moon from 27+ Scorpio. At that time transiting Uranus will have just stationed retrograde while also being conjunct the US Chiron at 20+ Aries (opposite US Juno at 20+ Libra). As retro Neptune returns for another conjunction to US Ceres (as he leaves his conjunction to US Nessus) who squares the US Uranus, retro transiting Pluto continues to oppose US Sun and square US Saturn.
Perhaps in depth study of the lunar eclipse last month might offer some further perspective, but if not, the eclipses of March and April will surely clarify “how well we are getting the message” regarding our racial issues. I can tell you this much, both the solar and lunar eclipse charts for next Spring have a Personal Planet conjunct the Chiron discovery degree. One wonders how much hammering it takes to break through such ingrained fear in our country’s and for that matter, other countries too. It helps to know we aren’t being punished (except by our selves) by the stars but rather, guided to a better world. Peace and love to all this season.
be
My hope for our future is that we can see that elephant as just that – a really large, ancient, wise, patient, strong being who wants only the best for us all, and only the true liberation/healing that truthful dialogue can bring. Elephants, like us, are wonderful beings after all.
Thanksgiving here was “sort of” quiet. Attended a small gathering at the apartment of two young women and their respective daughters who have just moved in down the hall. They have that mid-western simple and friendly way about them and magnetically drew a handful of ‘those that had nothing else to do” over to augment their Thanksgiving feast. For four of the guests, as recent immigrants, it was a first Thanksgiving ever and they were thrilled to have prepared some “traditional” dishes. (I’m not sure mac’n’cheese with hot doritos on top qualifies.)
Oh, and it was a costume party; we had several “traditional” natives and pilgrims. I dressed as a sailor who worked for Captain Columbus on board the Santa Maria—who was glad to finally have made it to America.
I admit to going out on Black Friday; I wanted to get a pomegranate for my daughter before the grocery’s out of them. 🙂 Met another new neighbor (on Friday) who has just moved here from Calcutta (film student) and had gone out to Best Buy just to experience it. He was incredulous—having seen families piling up their shopping carts with multiple televisions—sure they probably had at least one at home already.
The most meaningful conversation I had was Wednesday with yet another neighbor, this one with whom I regularly have “meaningful” conversations about the state of the union (so to speak). Of course it was me who mentioned Ferguson, glad I did as mentioning these things takes the steam out whether people know it or not. I say “of course” because I, like you Jude, seem/ed to always be the outcasi visavis family because I say things that are, well, things they choose to observe “differently”.
Be, it’s getting to where I think I’m gping to have to take a personal look at that US Sybly chart. Seems there’s something in it for everyone (:))
Into the Holidays we go. Hang on tight!
“Like gemstones in a tumbler…” Oh, Judith, you’ve such a way wit woids!
And be, you nail it down so it stays down.
Thanks, as I so look forward to your Saturday offerings of clarification, justification, and affirmation. And as Eric said earlier in the week, this is not a moment, but a movement. Hopefully all us gemstones are on our way to brilliance.
“How do we look to one another?” It must be as brothers and sisters in humanity! It is beyond me to understand how people can be so cruel to one another, whether it is within the family or amongst our neighbors and within our communities. I was horrified and saddened to see the images of Black Friday shoppers trampling eachother and fighting over WHAT????? The Golden Rule “Do Unto Others…or Treat people as you would like to be treated” is rusting and tarnished with hatred and just plain bad behavior. Assumptions, blind beliefs, jumping to conclusions, emotional baggage, wanting to be right at all costs, puffing and posturing…violence begetting more violence…where is the proverbial Olive Branch, the voices of reason? It is a personal choice after all…LIVE YOUR LIGHT!
Won’t you step into my parlor said the spider to the fly
’tis the prettiest parlor you will ever, ever spy
Asteroid Arachne stations retrograde today, conjunct asteroid Industria, and considering that the spider poem reminded me a lot of Black Friday’s siren song, I wondered if there was a trap awaiting hapless shoppers too. I mean beyond the obvious. Perhaps it’s because today’s conjunction is in the same degree which Uranus was in at the time of the lunar eclipse on October 8th, and Uranus was conjunct the eclipsed Moon, who was hiding something.
Never mind that stationing retrograde Arachne and Industria are right now exactly trine the Great Attractor (GA), the cosmos’ own overwhelming siren song, still, there is the old astrological adage that something has to be told 3 different ways to be taken seriously. Perhaps the People (Moon) are being seduced (Arachne, eclipsed Moon, Great Attractor) unwittingly into accepting something through hidden methods. Nah, probably just today’s transiting Mercury square Neptune that makes me think such devious thoughts.
Although. . . transiting Jupiter (too much) at 22 Leo trines transiting Pholus (a release, similar to Pandora’s) at 22 Sagittarius who trines transiting Eris (discord) at 22 Aries who is quincunx U.S. natal Neptune (deceptive) at 22 Virgo (as Pholus squares him). I heard that Daren Wilson might even get severance pay (an Eris’ tactic) but that rumor was shot down. Guess those thousands of donation $$ will help him through his present crisis, huh? Ferguson’s natal Neptune at 14+ Gemini was sextile the eclipsed Moon and Uranus 7 1/2 weeks ago and opposed Mars who was 2 degrees from the GA at 14+ Sagittarius. That just shows the power of the GA and Neptune when they are teamed up. But what would be the point you might wonder.
Transiting Chiron is moving forward now and will square the GA opposite Ferguson’s Neptune in early January about the time Mercury crosses Ferguson’s ascendant at 11+ Aquarius. Later that month, trans. Mars will also square Ferguson’s Neptune and then conjunct trans. Chiron on January 31. Perhaps we will more fully understand by then why this awakening happened and why it happened in Ferguson. Transiting Mercury will cross Ferguson’s ascendant degree 3 times before the end of February due to his retrograde motion. It’s the same degree where Venus was in Uranus’ entry into Aries, Mercury was in Neptune’s entry into Pisces, and the north node and Nessus was in Pluto’s entry into Capricorn. If we, en masse, can wrap our minds around “why Ferguson?”, we will be on our way to understanding the purpose of all this incredible astrology we have experienced, before, during and probably for a while after the 7 squares of Uranus to Pluto have ended.
be
My error; Arachne stationed direct, not retrograde, and she did it on Thanksgiving day, not yesterday. However, she DID do it at 14+ Aries, she’s still at 14+ Aries, she’s still conjunct Industria (who is retrograde) and she is still sextile Ferguson’s Neptune at 14+ Gemini (who is conjunct Ferguson’s Pluto at 11+ Gemini which trines Ferguson’s ascendant at 11+ Aquarius.) She is still trine the Great Attractor and as well, Ceres, both at 14+ Sagittarius.
be