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Topics - Ulla

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1
To: All music lovers and others

This is one of the most inspiring things I've seen lately, so I wanted to share this video with you:
 
Upon previewing the video at TED 2011 in March, Eric Whitacre (and the choir) received two standing ovations - testimony to the power of the internet to connect people of all backgrounds and abilities and create something beautiful across time and space.
 
Here are 2 links to the video - the visuals are as stunning as the harmonies that stir the soul...
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir:
http://www.wimp.com/choirvoices/
(Also at http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_whitacre_a_virtual_choir_2_000_voices...)

Enjoy!
Ulla

2
EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS: by Gina Lake
Excerpt from: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000)


AIR SIGNS:       Air signs play a role in each of the cycles, but they are not as common in the Baby and Young cycles as in the Mature and Old cycles. Air is needed to develop the intellect, sociability, and powers of reason. Air is most important in the Young cycle for its ability to strengthen family and community relationships and intellectual development. As the intellect develops, so do our opinions and ideas, which separate us from others. During the Baby and Young cycles, we hold our ideas as if they were law, with some difficulty in seeing other points of view. The polarization of ideas during this cycle stimulates our thought processes, and exercises our discrimination and logical analysis.


GEMINI

Teaches Us: intellectual development, curiosity, to sample life, communication, teaching, learning, transportation

Baby Cycle: rarely chosen

Young Cycle: favorite sign of the Young cycle, which is a time for exploring ideas, people, different ways of being in the world; Gemini provides curiosity and motivation to examine many facets of life, to sample life before settling down to one specific talent or set of life tasks; may display flightiness or superficiality

Mature Cycle: more common; Gemini chosen if the life task requires intellectual refinement, improved communication skills or extensive study of a particular subject; also chosen if the life task involves verbal communication, teaching, learning or transportation

Old Cycle: air signs are favored in the Old cycle for providing the intellectual development for highly complex tasks


LIBRA

Teaches Us: bonding, relationships, personal love, unconditional love

Baby Cycle: the beginnings of personal love begin in late Baby and Young cycle, following earlier dependency

Young Cycle: another favorite sign in the Young cycle; Libra teaches the lessons of personal love and relationship; chosen for its ability to strengthen love and bonding with partner

Mature Cycle: Libra is most emphasized in the Young and Mature cycles; usually chosen to develop artistic abilities or aesthetic appreciation, or to increase our ability to love

Old Cycle: those who have delayed the lessons of love because they have been developing a certain talent or quality will need to concentrate on these lessons in the Old cycle; sometime in the Old cycle, we develop the capacity for unconditional love; at this point, the lessons in personal love diminish and greater focus is placed on the life task; air signs are favored in the Old cycle for providing the intellectual development for highly complex tasks


AQUARIUS

Teaches Us: progressiveness, unconventionality, team and group activities, humanitarian efforts, politics, new technology, new ideas, discoveries, visionary

Baby Cycle: rarely chosen; Aquarius progressiveness and unconventionality are not advantageous in the Baby cycle, when conservatism and caution are needed to develop the means for survival and family relationships

Young Cycle: infrequently chosen by Young souls, usually for furthering our social conscience and group participation, which may be necessary if we are failing to develop naturally in these ways

Mature Cycle: likely to be chosen if life task pertains to to new discoveries, new ideas, advances in technology, humanitarian reform, politics, team or group endeavors; Mature cycle is a time of strengthening our intuition and creativity

Old Cycle: most favored sign in the Old cycle, as it supplies intuition, which begins to be consistently available to us; Aquarius also supplies the desire to serve humanity, and the vision for what is needed for the betterment of humanity

3
EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS: by Gina Lake
Excerpt from: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000)

FIRE SIGNS:   The element of fire serves a different purpose than earth or water. Fire is the inspirational element. It motivates, inspires, creates, and transforms. Fire brings into manifestation new insights, new approaches, new outlooks, and new ways of being in the world. With the addition of fire to the evolutionary process, we are able to grow and expand beyond what we have known or already created.

Fire has its place. Its place is not in the beginning stages of evolution, when stability and steadfastness are being learned. The qualities of fire - courage, extroversion, independence, initiative, and physical strength - can be dangerous unless we have gained some basic stability and emotional development. Because of this, fire is usually not chosen in the early cycles except to teach a particular lesson or balance dependency. Not until the Mature cycle are we apt to choose several lifetimes with the fire signs to expand our potentials.

When we first experience fire, we usually express it crudely and awkwardly. This is true of all the elements. However, fire has the potential of being more destructive than the other elements. It is expressive and active, and when expression and action are ill advised or poorly executed, the results can be devastating. Because of this, we may incur more karma in our first lifetimes with fire than with any other element.


ARIES

Teaches Us: courage, extroversion, independence, initiative, physical strength, self-reliance, self-sufficiency

Baby Cycle: fire signs are unusual in the Baby and Young cycles, but if fire is needed, Aries is chosen because of its physical strength, prowess and strong ego, which aid survival; Aries (like Capricorn) develops the self-reliance and self-sufficiency needed in the early cycles

Young Cycle: Aries is less helpful in late Baby and Young cycles, as a major task then is bonding with family and community; Aries may be useful in transforming the dependency of many Cancer or Piscean lifetimes into caring for others 

Mature Cycle: Aries serves several purposes in the Mature cycle, even when the life task doesn’t entail leadership or exploration; Aries energizes our goals, drives us to expand our inner potentials; it fuels the drive to explore inner frontiers in mature souls; it may be used to overcome dependency or fearfulness; also chosen by mature souls whose life task involves scientific investigation, exploration, athletic prowess, business ventures, promotion, sales, political leadership, or inventing new products or technology

Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs


LEO

Teaches Us: leading, teaching, self-exploration, self-development, creative talents

Baby Cycle: Leo is not particularly helpful in the Baby cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships

Young Cycle: Leo is not particularly helpful in the Young cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships

Mature Cycle: favorite sign in the Mature cycle, chosen for leading, teaching, self-exploration and self-development; many choose Leo to develop their creative talents; Leo does not reflect the inward, psychological, and spiritual bent of Mature lifetimes

Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs


SAGITTARIUS

Teaches Us: extroversion, independence, exploration, understanding, optimism

Baby Cycle: Sagittarius is not particularly helpful in the Baby cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships not helpful, as does not enhance survival or relationships

Young Cycle: Sagittarius is not particularly helpful in the Young cycle, because it does not enhance survival or relationships

Mature Cycle: chosen by Mature and Old souls more frequently than any other sign, except Pisces and Scorpio, because it meets both their need for self-development and understanding

Old Cycle: fire signs motivate us to develop our talents and other potentials; encourage leadership needed by many life tasks; Old souls might avoid leadership and authority without fire signs; chosen most often by Mature & Old souls, except Pisces/Scorpio

4
EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS: by Gina Lake
Excerpt from: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000)

WATER SIGNS:   Water evolves next. Water signs pertain to developing the emotions, particularly those involved in loving others. Each water sign serves a special purpose in the evolution of water’s qualities. Cancer develops our ability to nurture and care for others. Scorpio develops our ability to share and be intimate with a partners, and Pisces develops our compassion and love for the broader family of humankind.

Dependency begets love. This is no less true in an evolutionary sense. In our earliest incarnations, love is learned within our first dependent relationships. Through our experiences of being loved and cared for, our ability to love grows. This is the purpose of our earliest Cancer lifetimes. Our ability to love is developed further by Scorpio lifetimes, which explore intimacy and love between equals. Through Scorpio lifetimes, we learn to share equally and lovingly with a partner. The love learned in these lifetimes become a model for the nonpersonal love of our Piscean lifetimes, which come later. In this way, personal love and its lessons lay the foundation for unconditional love and altruistic service.


CANCER

Teaches Us: to develop emotions, dependency, love, nurture and loving care for others,  emotional side, intuition, compassion

Baby Cycle: several Cancer lifetimes are invariably chosen in the Baby cycle, but only after several Capricorn lifetimes (which are needed to develop ego strength before the dependency of a Cancer lifetime); otherwise, dependency may just foster more dependency (receiving support) rather than independence; Cancer lifetimes involve us in the emotional side of life, which earlier Capricorn lifetimes neglected, because of their focus on self-preservation and self-development

Young Cycle: Cancer lifetimes play an important role in the Baby and Young cycles in teaching us to love

Mature Cycle: we no longer choose Cancer to experience dependency, but to exercise caring for others; the compassion developed by being cared for is expressed through compassionate and loving care of others, mostly family members; emergence of the deeper, sensitive, intuitive side of Cancer by the Mature cycle

Old Cycle: deeper compassion, care of others may be extended to those outside of the family circle


SCORPIO

Teaches Us: to share, cooperate and be intimate with others, intuition, introspection, understanding human nature, power struggles, jealousy, self-awareness

Baby Cycle: rarely chosen during the Baby cycle for two reasons: Cancer lifetimes of dependency must precede Scorpio lifetimes, and Scorpio’s deep, introspective nature does not suit the Baby cycle

Young Cycle: most highlighted in Young cycle when learning to trust, share, cooperate, be intimate; experiences with intimacy develops our understanding of human nature; Young cycle power struggles and jealousies teach us to love

Mature Cycle: favorite sign of Mature souls because this cycle is a time of psychological exploration and self-awareness; capable of giving to others in intimate relationships in ways not possible before; can form satisfying love relationships; emergence of the deeper, sensitive, intuitive side of Scorpio

Old Cycle: chosen to expand the search for understanding, psychological exploration, self-awareness, and metaphysical questions; favored in the Old cycle for building on the love and understanding begun in the Mature cycle; because love and understanding are the goals of life, Scorpio furthers our spiritual development and completes the purpose for our incarnations


PISCES

Teaches Us: compassion, service, nonpersonal love, universal love, unconditional love for humankind, altruistic service, spiritual growth, inner growth, emotional growth, seek philosophy, metaphysical questions

Baby Cycle: less frequently chosen in our earliest lifetimes than the other water signs; baby souls need to be practical, and Pisces does not contribute to practicality

Young Cycle: chosen to develop compassion and love through dependency, as in Cancer lifetimes

Mature Cycle: highlighted in the Mature cycle because of this cycle’s concern with service and spiritual understanding; mature souls ask many questions about life and experience more anxiety, depression and neuroses than those in earlier cycles; by this time, their energy is freed from the demands of the basic lessons, including survival; growth is of an inner, emotional and spiritual nature; a philosophy is sought; through service to others, Pisceans gain in understanding and love

Old Cycle: favored in the Old cycle for building on the love and understanding begun in the Mature cycle; chosen for service; because love and understanding are the goals of life, Pisces furthers our spiritual development and completes the purpose for our incarnations

5
EVOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS: by Gina Lake
Excerpt from: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000)

“The elements play an important role in evolution. Earth and water preserve and maintain the status quo, fire strengthens our vision and capabilities, and air expands our mental abilities and social skills. Thus, earth and water are basic to human survival, and fire and air expand human potentials.

The lessons of some elements need to be learned before others. Earth is the element most crucial to survival, so its lessons must be learned first. Consequently, earth signs are prominent in the charts of those just beginning their evolutionary journey. Water is the element developed next. It provides the glue that binds social groups, which ensures their survival and advancement. Fire is next, providing the inspiration and energy to seek new ideas and avenues of expression that will expand the boundaries of society. Finally, Air develops intellect, allowing for refinement of social mores and improved technology, which frees people to seek goals beyond survival and maintenance.

The elements evolve in this general pattern, with each overlapping the next: earth continues to develop followed by water. Earth and water continue to develop followed by fire. Earth, water, and fire continue to develop followed by air. Please keep in mind that these are generalization and that you can’t determine how evolved someone is by the signs in his or her chart. Older souls choose earth signs, too, but for different reasons than younger souls do. The names used for the stages of evolution are the ones used in MFM (by C.Q. Yarbro), but for simplicity the Infant stage is included in the Baby stage, because there are very few infant souls on the planet today. Each stage - or cycle - of evolution has its own purpose and way of viewing the world, and its favorite signs or elements.

What follows is a description of how the elements evolve in each of the cycles and their role in evolution:

EARTH SIGNS:    The qualities developed over many lifetimes with the earth element ensure our survival. Earth signs teach us responsibility, reliability, practicality, realism, perseverance, patience and caution. Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, in particular, develops these qualities through its transits to the natal chart. Because these qualities are essential to our survival, the earth signs are the signs chosen most frequently in the Baby cycle, with Capricorn being the first earth sign to be developed.


CAPRICORN

Teaches Us: to develop survival skills, self-preservation, self-development, caution, responsibility, patience, basic survival, social conscience, importance of law, structure and self-discipline, enterprising leadership, active citizenship, political/financial contribution to community

Baby Cycle: Capricorn is the first earth sign to be developed; particularly helpful in Baby and Young cycles, because it arouses distrust, fearfulness, pessimism, which inspire caution, responsibility and patience, which help us avoid what we fear; baby souls are destined to find out about life the hard way - through trial and error

Young Cycle: helpful in Young cycles to learn to value caution, responsibility and patience; once mastered in early lifetimes, provides a foundation to grow in other ways; nurtures a budding social awareness; we begin to function as members of society; social conscience is often not developed until we have first broken the law and learned respect for the law and convention

Mature Cycle: caution, responsibility and patience are deeply ingrained by the Mature soul stage if we have spent many lifetimes as a Capricorn; Mature souls choose Capricorn for its ability to contribute to society through enterprising leadership; skills acquired earlier are applied for the good of society and less for selfish reasons; capture positions of prominence in social and business world; become active citizens who contribute politically and financially to the community

Old Cycle: deeply ingrained by the Old soul stage once mastered in earlier lifetimes (qualities are available even when Capricorn is not in our chart); once in the Old cycle, need for earth signs diminishes unless they help with our life task


TAURUS

Teaches Us: to develop practical skills, comfortable living, sensual pleasures, lessons regarding values, fierce loyalty, love and responsibility within the family unit, family bonds, work/productivity, perseverance, determination

Baby Cycle: enhance our practical skills through Taurus lifetimes; focuses our energy on work and productivity for the benefit of our family and ourselves; late Baby and young Taureans often live simple lives within small communities; family unit begins to hold real meaning for us, and we feel fiercely loyal to those family bonds

Young Cycle: unlike Capricorn lifetimes, Taurus lifetimes are not as concerned with status and wealth as with comforts; want comfortable living; begin lessons about values; fierce family unit loyalty in Young cycles

Mature Cycle: increase our ability to produce something useful for others, to raise the standard of living and degree of comfort for others; mature Taureans are excellent workers, capable of great accomplishments through perseverance and sheer determination

Old Cycle: once in the Old cycle, need for earth signs diminishes unless they help with our life task


VIRGO

Teaches Us: to develop intellect and manual skills, basic hygiene, health care, common sense, planning, organizing, economizing, desire to serve, path of service, healing  professions, reliability

Baby Cycle: Virgo lifetimes usually follow Taurus lifetimes in the late Baby cycle; Virgo chosen in late Baby and Young cycles to develop the mind, manual skills, and attention to basic hygiene and health care; to develop and refine practical skills, e.g. sewing, blacksmithing, shoemaking, basket weaving, pottery, other crafts as a means of survival; Virgo teaches us to plan, organize and to economize; function more efficiently; become more self-sufficient

Young Cycle: continue to develop mind, manual skills, attention to hygiene, health care; better able to apply common sense and knowledge to refine specific skills; Virgo lifetimes in the late Young cycle enhance our desire to serve, and mark the beginning of the path of service

Mature Cycle: chosen to enhance service and intellectual accomplishment; efficiency and dedication developed in earlier lifetimes is applied to service in its many forms, especially in the healing professions

Old Cycle: chosen for the same reasons as in the Mature cycle; once in the Old cycle, need for earth signs diminishes unless they help with our life task

6
Astrology / Astrology and the Sage
« on: June 08, 2011, 09:48:46 PM »
SAGE

Sages seek both wisdom and self-expression. Because they are after truth and wisdom, they involve themselves in study - not in the way Scholars do - but in the study of life itself, with themselves as the main subject. One way they do this is through acting. The stage is a place where they can try out the various characters, experiences, and emotions they come across in their explorations. It allows them to examine the nuances of the emotions and the human condition without living the emotions, which would not suit their style or their goals.
   Fire and air signs, especially Gemini and Sagittarius, are most suited to them because Sages require the freedom to explore their environment and themselves independent of the needs of others. Fire and air signs are useful because they help them to observe life freshly and objectively. Leo is a favorite sign, too. It encourages them to explore their creativity and expressive potential, which is another way they come to understand themselves and others. Aquarius is also favored because its independent, tolerant, and progressive outlook suits their goals. However, Aquarius’ group orientation does not appeal to them.
   Sages invest little time in exploring relationships and the emotional side of life because they need freedom to accomplish their goals. They leave this side of life to others, except as it relates to their goals. Nevertheless, they frequently choose Scorpio because it allows them to study others and themselves. However, the side of Scorpio that becomes entangled in relationships is not for them. Once they have learned the watery lessons, they usually stay away from water signs, though they may continue to choose Scorpio to hone their psychological understanding.
   Occasionally, Sages choose earth signs to foster stability and responsibility. They need to learn to handle everyday responsibilities. This is usually accomplished in early lifetimes so that later they can devote themselves to their explorations.
   The Sage’s North Node is most frequently in Sagittarius or Gemini, sometimes in Scorpio, and less frequently in Aquarius or Leo. Their life tasks are likely to involve teaching, speaking, writing, or drama.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Sages (air and fire):
Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, and Aquarius

Talents of Sage: wisdom, cultural erudition, acting, speaking, teaching

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of practical expertise; needs to develop practical skills and be involved in service and in the ordinary aspects of life"

7
Astrology / Astrology and the Artisan
« on: June 08, 2011, 09:47:57 PM »
ARTISAN

The Artisan’s goal is creativity and self-expression. Their creations take many forms: art, music, dance, poetry, pottery, crafts, decorating, design, fashion, jewelry, and anything else that incorporates a new, fresh approach or style. The Artisan’s urge to create comes from deep within and does not let them rest until it has been expressed. They see life through different eyes than most and catch subtleties that others without their keen sensitivities miss. Their fresh viewpoint, which they bring to others through their creations, renews us. Their work could be considered spiritual, for their creations reflect the transcendent and sublime aspect of life. Thus, they have an important mission, though it is not always recognized as such.
   Artisans usually have charts strong in water and fire, the creative elements. Water provides the sensitivity to capture creative inspirations from the unconscious realm and beyond, and fire provides the drive to express them. Earth is needed in their early lifetimes to develop the skills and discipline needed to materialize their creations. However, later on it is likely to add too much practicality and conventionality to be useful. Whether or not air is present depends on what form the creativity takes. It will be present if the creations call for it, as they do in creative writing or poetry; otherwise, it may not.
   Any placement of the Moon’s nodes is possible with Artisans. However, the North Node in Cancer (water), Pisces (water), Virgo (earth), Taurus (earth), Leo (fire), or Libra (air) is more likely than other placements. These are also their favorite signs. Taurus and Libra, because Venus rules them, are favored, as is Virgo for its craftsmanship and attention to detail, and Leo for its urge to create.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Artisans (water and fire):
Cancer, Pisces, Leo, Taurus, Libra, and Virgo

Talents of Artisan: creative inspiration and expression, artistic talent, craftsmanship, manual and physical dexterity

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of skill with relationships and dealing with the world; needs to learn social skills and conformity

8
Astrology / Astrology and the Scholar
« on: June 08, 2011, 09:47:04 PM »
SCHOLAR

Scholars contribute to society intellectually by analyzing and compiling existing information. They are key to the maintenance of civilization, but generally are not involved in the creation of new ideas. Their life tasks usually involve research, teaching, writing, lecturing, reporting, establishing and maintaining libraries, editing, publishing, and scholarly studies. Their contributions are likely to be in the form of ideas, plans, abstractions, analysis, observations, comparisons, and statistics.
   Air is likely to be the strongest element in their charts, with earth being the second. Air gives them the ability and desire to explore the realm of ideas objectively and analytically, while earth gives them the patience and persistence to pursue their intellectual endeavors. Scholars enjoy the exchange of ideas, whether or not they personally support those ideas. They rarely become involved in causes because that would detract from their goal of compiling and analyzing data. For the same reason, they choose water signs as infrequently as possible, relying on others to provide the emotional element in their lives. Although this can be frustrating for their partners, who may not get their emotional needs met, emotional people gain objectivity through their relationships with Scholars, which may be the purpose of such a relationship.
   Because fire is not particularly necessary or helpful to Scholars, it is not usually chosen except to balance their overly intellectual approach with physical activity. Fire would add restlessness and impatience to their personality, which might interfere with their need to persist during the dry, unexciting moments so common to intellectual pursuits.
   Virgo (earth) is a favorite sign, along with Gemini (air) and Aquarius (air). Virgo provides the mental discipline and attention to detail that their work requires. Capricorn (earth) and Taurus (earth) are helpful as well, supplying the drive to accomplish something for society and the ability to wade through endless piles of information. Because its sociability outweighs its intellectuality, Libra (air) chosen too frequently is likely to interfere with their work, which mostly takes place in isolation.
   Their North Node is often in Gemini or Aquarius, and less frequently in Libra. When it is in Gemini, it is likely to indicate a lifetime of study, teaching, writing, speaking, or accumulating data. In Aquarius, the North Node is likely to indicate a life task involving a team or scientific research or both. The North Node in Libra might mean that a partnership is significant to the life task. The Scholar’s North Node is not found in Virgo as often as you might think because this nodal axis is most common to life tasks involving healing or service.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Scholars (air and earth):
Gemini, Aquarius, and Virgo

Talents of Scholar: academic expertise, writing, speaking, logical analysis, teaching

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of common sense and practical know-how; needs to be involved in the ordinary aspects of life, especially in practical tasks and relationships

9
Astrology / Astrology and the Warrior
« on: June 08, 2011, 09:46:17 PM »
WARRIOR

Because Warriors and Kings are alike in their goals and styles, they choose similar charts. However, the Warrior’s purpose is not leadership but conquest and exploration. For them, leadership is merely a means to an end. Both Kings and Warriors are dynamic, assertive, confident, courageous, and unrelenting. Warriors apply these traits to exploration, adventure, and conquest for its own sake. Kings do these things only if they apply to the goal of rulership.
   The purpose of the Warrior’s many lifetimes is to build strength, courage, stamina, and physical prowess. Their life tasks may involve daring business ventures, athletic achievements, championing the weak, and courageous feats that inspire excellence in others. They stretch the limits of what humankind can accomplish, thus inspiring further achievements and expanding human capacities.
   Warriors’ charts emphasize fire and deemphasize water. Water does not help them attain their goals, nor do they particularly enjoy lifetimes with the water signs. Water requires involvement with family, friends, and emotional issues, which goes against their restless, independent, and conquering nature. To them, emotions are something to be overcome so that they do not interfere with their goals. Therefore, they spend as little time as possible developing this side of themselves. Instead, they devote themselves to strengthening the traits that will further their goals.    
   Air is helpful to them because it provides the objectivity and extroversion they need to disengage themselves from the emotional realm and from people whose fear may inhibit their courage. A strong Uranus, characteristic of Warriors, is often chosen to enhance their daring and adventuresome spirit.
   Earth is not often found in Warriors’ charts except in their early lifetimes, when it provides the common sense and stability needed for good judgment and the physical skills needed for their later life tasks. Once enough lifetimes have been spent with the earth signs, Warriors avoid them. Earth signs provide too much caution and practicality, which can interfere with their achieving their superhuman goals. Nevertheless, sometimes earth is just what they need to balance their overly zealous nature and sense of invincibility, and to keep them from overstepping the bounds of good judgment.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Warriors (fire and Uranus):
Aries, Sagittarius, Leo, and Capricorn

Talents of Warrior: military expertise, leadership, courage, strength, self-assertion, championing causes

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of compassion and sensitivity to others; needs to develop compassion, empathy, and cooperation

10
Astrology / Astrology and the Seven Roles: Introduction
« on: June 08, 2011, 09:45:24 PM »
Astrology and the Seven Roles

For the benefit of the Michael community at this forum, I would like to present some excerpts from the book, Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000), to highlight some of findings by its author, Gina Lake, who is a counseling psychologist and author of ten books. Gina has very generously given permission to use excerpts from her book for our group discussion. You can find her book at this link: Amazon.com: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (9781567184075): Gina Lake: Books
 
NOTE: The premise of this book is NOT that astrology charts would be "interchangeable" with MT. Gina's book is trying to show that each ROLE favors certain SIGNS at different SOUL AGES. For years now, I've been interested in studying different personality typing systems (including the enneagram/natal charts/numerology/human design profiles/archetypes and other systems). This book is the first to describe how the Michael roles (based on MFM and The Michael Handbook material) and soul ages fit into modern astrology, which is yet another tool for understanding the soul’s path and the personality.

As Michael says: "The Grand Cycle is to your Essence/Spark, what each Personality is to your Role. Essence does not evolve without the Role and the Role does not evolve without the Personality." (channelled by Troy Tolley)
 
"CHOOSING THE CHART
by Gina Lake
 
When we choose a chart (by choosing a moment and place of birth), we choose it to balance karma, learn lessons, develop talents, and fulfill a life task, but also because we have a desire to experience life through certain signs. We do not experience the signs in any set order and we are free to choose some signs more than others. Where does this desire come from? Why do we have certain preferences?
 
THE SEVEN ROLES
 
Why we each have our own preferences of signs is not such a mystery if we understand that we are sent from the godhead with general inclinations and goals. I am referring to what some call “Roles.” Before its set of physical incarnations, each soul takes on a Role that pertains to a goal for all its physical incarnations. The incarnations and the life tasks, in particular, relate to this Role.
 
Each Role favors certain signs because some signs suit the Role’s task and its way of being. There are seven Roles, thus, seven goals, each exhibiting its own style and each favoring certain signs. This helps explain why some signs in a chart may be more advanced than others: they have been chosen more often because the person’s Role favors them. Those who are advanced enough to have the freedom to choose their charts usually express their Roles in the charts they pick. Thus, the Role can often be surmised from the chart. However, sometimes a chart is chosen to balance the characteristics of a Role.

If our chart is very different from our Role, it won’t feel natural. A Warrior, for instance, would feel frustrated in a watery chart, but the chart would deliver some important lessons. The usual reason for this is to balance the negative tendencies of a certain sign, which may have become ingrained by choosing that sign over many lifetimes.
These energies are like a costume donned for one lifetime to experience the lessons and develop the talents of those energies. Still we are more than these energies; we are more than our charts. We are the sum total of all our previous lifetimes of experiences and their energy patterns (charts). In many ways, we are like actors on a stage: we know that we are more than the character we are playing, but for the time being we dress up in our costume and play our part. The difference is that the actor has no freedom to choose his lines and actions, and we do. We create the play as we go along. Our future, our story, is created by our choices and by the choices of those close to us.

The lessons of each of the twelve signs must be experienced and mastered before our evolution is complete. When a sign is first experienced, it will be awkwardly and more negatively expressed. Later, with more experience, its positive attributes are more easily expressed and its talents develop. Gradually, over many lifetimes, the expression of the signs evolves. We do not experience the signs in any set order and we are free to choose some signs more than others. This allows us to focus on certain talents, lessons, or tasks. Each of us is unique, and we evolve uniquely as well. The descriptions of the signs apply not only to people with that Sun sign, but also to those who have that sign prominent in their chart" [as Ascendant, angles, aspects, etc.].

11
Astrology / Astrology and the King
« on: June 08, 2011, 08:07:27 PM »
KING

Kings have life tasks that involve leadership and enterprise. Their goal is self-expression and the advancement of new projects or ideas. Their accomplishments are varied, but the experience of leadership underlies them all. Their charts are chosen to develop self-confidence, self-assertion, proper use of power, organizational ability, foresight, and understanding, all qualities necessary for good leadership. Over the course of their lifetimes, Kings learn that good leaders promote what is best for the majority, and they develop the foresight to know what that is.
   Kings are fiery and cardinal, and they choose charts that reflect these qualities. The cardinal signs most suited to them are Capricorn (earth) and Aries (fire). They also favor Leo (fire) and Sagittarius (fire).
   Unless they find themselves leading in intellectual spheres, air is not likely to be prominent in their charts. This is true even though intelligence, education, and diplomacy are important in most leadership tasks. When diplomacy is important, Libra (air) is chosen.
   Earth signs, however, are likely. Earth signs give the practical know-how, logic, and realistic approach that form the basis of sound judgment. The earth signs, especially Capricorn, give the determination and desire for power and prestige, which stimulate the development of traits needed for strong leadership. The King’s least favorite signs are Cancer, Libra, Pisces, and Virgo. Sometimes Kings have to choose these signs for a few lifetimes to learn to share power, to develop compassion, or to learn humility or other basic lessons. They may have difficulty with humility in particular. It is easy for them to assume that they are superior when they attract power so easily. The lesson of humility is their biggest challenge, one they may not entirely master, even in their later lifetimes.
   The King’s North Node is likely to be in Leo or Capricorn, occasionally in Aries, and less frequently in Taurus, though a Taurus placement is favorable for the King because of its ability to accumulate wealth, which gives Kings power in most societies. Taurus also supplies the persistence and determination needed to accomplish great deeds. When the North Node is in Aries, it usually symbolizes the need to develop ego strength before being ready to lead. This is more of a preparatory placement for Kings than one chosen in later lifetimes, when they are actually in positions of authority. In later lifetimes, the North Node is often in Leo or Capricorn. However, if their life task involves spiritual leadership, for instance, the North Node may be in Pisces. Obviously, the particular life task influences the nodal placement.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Kings (fire and cardinal):
Leo, Aries, Capricorn, Sagittarius, and Libra

Talents of King: leadership, political prowess, speaking, executive ability, a flair for drama

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of compassion and sensitivity to others; needs to develop compassion, empathy, and equality in relationships

12
Astrology / Astrology and the Server
« on: June 08, 2011, 08:06:20 PM »
SERVANT

Servants, also known as Slaves, have a goal of service, too. However, their service is not limited to serving the spiritual needs of others as it is with Priests. In early incarnations, their service is likely to entail menial duties and subservient roles, which teach them to love service for service’s sake. In later incarnations, after they have learned to serve humbly and happily, they serve by choice and may even become famous for their selfless acts. They never seek notoriety, however, unless it helps their life task by allowing them to reach more people.
   Virgo (earth), Pisces (water), Cancer (water), and Libra (air) are common in Servants’ charts. Their charts usually have both earth and water signs. The earth signs afford them the practical know-how and determination to dedicate themselves to helping others. If their service depends on mental activity, air signs will be highlighted as well. Because water signs develop the compassion, love, and kindness so necessary to service, they are the cornerstones of this Role.
   It is rare for Servants not to have water in their charts. If it becomes necessary for a Servant to balance an overly watery nature by eliminating water signs from the chart for a while, the qualities of water will still be apparent in the personality. When a balancing life is chosen, it is usually to gain more self-confidence and independence, for which the fire signs are useful. Otherwise, fire signs are not helpful to them.
   The Servant’s Moon’s nodes are most often in Pisces/Virgo, but Cancer/Capricorn is fairly common as well. The Pisces/Virgo axis represents service, and these are their two favorite signs. However, Cancer/Capricorn nodes also allow them to serve others, particularly family members. When the North Node is in Capricorn, which is rare, it is usually to balance overly dependent and self-sacrificing behavior. Giving too much of ourselves to others is not service, but dishonoring ourselves. This is one of their major lessons, which even advanced Servants may struggle with. Shifting the North Node from Cancer to Capricorn and adding fire signs to the chart are the methods most often used to overcome this tendency.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Servants (water and earth):
Pisces, Virgo, Cancer, and Libra

Talents of Servant: efficient and thorough service, dedication to a task, humility

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: lack of identity and self-esteem; needs to develop an identity, confidence, and assertiveness

13
Astrology / Astrology and the Priest
« on: June 08, 2011, 08:04:41 PM »
There are seven Roles: Priest, Servant (Slave), King, Warrior, Scholar, Artisan, and Sage. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro first presented this concept in her book Messages from Michael. The brief descriptions for each role will follow:

PRIEST

When allowed to, Priests choose incarnations that enable them to explore the unconscious and the emotions. They are interested in religions of all kinds, meditation, psychology, dreams, psychic phenomena, and other areas that take them beyond the five senses and the material world. Because of their drive to explore other realms, some find themselves in trouble with drugs and alcohol, but usually only in their early incarnations. They eventually share the insight and understanding that they gain in their explorations with others as spiritual leaders, healers, counselors, ministers and teachers. They are rarely found in subservient positions, since these do no provide the freedom to pursue the understanding and wisdom they crave.
   Pisces (water) is a favorite sign, but only in conjunction with the fire signs, which help Priests develop the leadership skills they need to act as spiritual guides or teachers. Sagittarius (fire) is their other favorite sign. Leo (fire) and Aries (fire) are frequently chosen as well, but only to aid their search for understanding and the acquisition of spiritual strength and leadership, not for gaining power in a material or mundane sense. Virgo (earth) is not a favorite sign, nor is it particularly needed. A lack of humility is not usually a problem with this Role, since the ego’s desires don’t hold as much sway for Priests as they do for the other Roles.
   As for the elements, Priests’ charts are most often composed of fire and water signs, some air, and little earth. Occasionally, these charts contain earth to help Priests acquire the following that they need. For the most part, Priests gain their following because of their spiritual power and not because of material success.
   Besides an abundance of fire and water, another clue to identifying this Role is in the Moon’s nodes. The nodes are most often in Gemini/Sagittarius, although Leo/Aquarius is common, too. Since the life task and Role are often related, analyzing the nodes is helpful in identifying the Role.
   The life tasks for this Role can take many forms and usually pertain to providing spiritual guidance and understanding.
   Depending on the culture, this may mean psychological guidance or even medical guidance, as with shamans. Although some people who perform these functions have little traditional training, all but the most undeveloped Priests involve themselves in stringent mental and spiritual disciplines to attain the caliber of understanding required of them. Consequently, air signs are important in acquiring the educational training and social skills they need to fulfill their tasks. Of the air signs, Libra and Gemini are most frequently chosen. Libra provides counseling skill, while Gemini supplies the curiosity and motivation to learn what is needed to be a spiritual teacher. Aquarius is chosen least because it doesn’t allow them the leadership and authority they enjoy. Priests give comfort and healing to those they serve, but they are not one of them.
   Scorpio is the water sign most favored by Priests, after Pisces. Cancer is chosen the least. The dependency, emotional involvement, and responsibilities entailed in family life do not foster leadership skills nor allow them enough freedom. Likewise, Scorpio is not as ideal as Pisces. Yet the lessons pertaining to dependency, intimacy, and relationship cannot be entirely avoided even by Priests.
   The earth sign most favored is Capricorn because it fosters leadership and initiative. Taurus and Virgo, on the other hand, are two of the least chosen signs. These signs rarely aid the Priest’s work, and their lessons are not particularly difficult for them to master.
   The other fire signs, Aries and Leo, are helpful and favored as well. Rarely do Priests lack strength in the element of fire, since the life task is likely to need fire. If little fire is present in the Priest’s chart, the individual may have developed the fiery gifts so completely in other lifetimes that fire needs to be represented only minimally. Because an element that is totally absent is a clue to characteristics that are not important to the life task, this information should be used in delineating the Role and the life task.

Signs Most Frequently Chosen by Priests (water and fire):
Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Leo and Aries

Talents of Priest: counseling, speaking, spiritual healing, religious leadership

Tendencies That May Need Balancing: too much introspection; needs to develop relationship skills

14
Astrology / Astrology and the Seven Roles: Introduction
« on: June 08, 2011, 07:59:01 PM »
For the benefit of the Michael community at this forum, I would like to present some excerpts from the book, Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (2000), to highlight some of findings by its author, Gina Lake, who is a counseling psychologist and author of ten books. Gina has very generously given permission to use excerpts from her book for our group discussion. You can find her book at this link: Amazon.com: Symbols of the Soul: Discovering Your Karma Through Astrology (9781567184075): Gina Lake: Books
 
NOTE: The premise of this book is NOT that astrology charts would be "interchangeable" with MT. Gina's book is trying to show that each ROLE favors certain SIGNS at different SOUL AGES. For years now, I've been interested in studying different personality typing systems (including the enneagram/natal charts/numerology/human design profiles/archetypes and other systems). This book is the first to describe how the Michael roles (based on MFM and The Michael Handbook material) and soul ages fit into modern astrology, which is yet another tool for understanding the soul’s path and the personality.

As Michael says: "The Grand Cycle is to your Essence/Spark, what each Personality is to your Role. Essence does not evolve without the Role and the Role does not evolve without the Personality." (channelled by Troy Tolley)
 
"CHOOSING THE CHART
by Gina Lake
 
When we choose a chart (by choosing a moment and place of birth), we choose it to balance karma, learn lessons, develop talents, and fulfill a life task, but also because we have a desire to experience life through certain signs. We do not experience the signs in any set order and we are free to choose some signs more than others. Where does this desire come from? Why do we have certain preferences?
 
THE SEVEN ROLES
 
Why we each have our own preferences of signs is not such a mystery if we understand that we are sent from the godhead with general inclinations and goals. I am referring to what some call “Roles.” Before its set of physical incarnations, each soul takes on a Role that pertains to a goal for all its physical incarnations. The incarnations and the life tasks, in particular, relate to this Role.
 
Each Role favors certain signs because some signs suit the Role’s task and its way of being. There are seven Roles, thus, seven goals, each exhibiting its own style and each favoring certain signs. This helps explain why some signs in a chart may be more advanced than others: they have been chosen more often because the person’s Role favors them. Those who are advanced enough to have the freedom to choose their charts usually express their Roles in the charts they pick. Thus, the Role can often be surmised from the chart. However, sometimes a chart is chosen to balance the characteristics of a Role.

If our chart is very different from our Role, it won’t feel natural. A Warrior, for instance, would feel frustrated in a watery chart, but the chart would deliver some important lessons. The usual reason for this is to balance the negative tendencies of a certain sign, which may have become ingrained by choosing that sign over many lifetimes.

These energies are like a costume donned for one lifetime to experience the lessons and develop the talents of those energies. Still we are more than these energies; we are more than our charts. We are the sum total of all our previous lifetimes of experiences and their energy patterns (charts). In many ways, we are like actors on a stage: we know that we are more than the character we are playing, but for the time being we dress up in our costume and play our part. The difference is that the actor has no freedom to choose his lines and actions, and we do. We create the play as we go along. Our future, our story, is created by our choices and by the choices of those close to us.

The lessons of each of the twelve signs must be experienced and mastered before our evolution is complete. When a sign is first experienced, it will be awkwardly and more negatively expressed. Later, with more experience, its positive attributes are more easily expressed and its talents develop. Gradually, over many lifetimes, the expression of the signs evolves. We do not experience the signs in any set order and we are free to choose some signs more than others. This allows us to focus on certain talents, lessons, or tasks. Each of us is unique, and we evolve uniquely as well. The descriptions of the signs apply not only to people with that Sun sign, but also to those who have that sign prominent in their chart" [as Ascendant, angles, aspects, etc.]."

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