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"On the Other Hand"
Emmett's Blog and Essays
Feb 26, 2007
Pope Benedict's New Symbols
For a contextual look at Benedict XVI, Emmett plays astrologer to The Pope


Astrologers interested in the grand cycle of "precession" through the twelve zodiacal signs over a 24,000 year period know that these star constellations move backwards at earth's equinoxes by one sign every 2000 or so years. Foremost astrologer/philosopher Dane Rudhyar also advanced the notion that at the middle of each 2000-year "Age", the influence changes over to the opposite sign (similar opposites as in ancient dialectical thought, opposite forces clashing on the same "wavelength").

Whereas Jesus' birth heralded the age of Pisces, its opposite sign Virgo would thus become felt in world religions around the year 1000. Female, earth-sign Virgo's symbol is of course a virgin holding a harvested shock of grain.

Following along this grand scenario, we now enter the "Age of Aquarius". Merciful Mary waves goodbye. Jesus returns in his new role as stern judge of mankind - very characteristic of Saturn, ruler of the masculine air-sign Aquarius. No more "mister nice-guy", which was the benign characteristic of Jupiter, ruler of the feminine water-sign Pisces.

Air symbols must now replace the water symbols, a reverse baptism if you will, as noted in my message to daughter Diana just after Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict in April 2005.

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4/25/05
To: Diana
From: Emmett
Subject: Symbols

Hi Diana: Interesting inauguration homily by Pope Benedict in his special Mass yesterday. He seems obviously intent on manipulating the old symbols to make them new. No doubt he sees this as an important Papal role and source of power.

What I heard him say (in Italian translated into English) made my ears prick up. You know I'm always searching for new religious symbols.

He told the story of Jesus on the boat teaching his disciples where to cast their net and to do it on his word. (Jesus must have been confident about fish in general and where they would turn up.) He said that Jesus then told his disciples they would become "fishers of men". (I remember it well from Sunday School.)

The Pope then commented that it is "fatal" for a fish to be pulled from the water and onto dry land, but that fishing is a necessity for the nourishment of man. He finished this metaphor with a twist, that salt water is fatal for man, who is saved when pulled out of the water and onto dry land (reverse of the fish metaphor).

At this point he went on to speak of the "desert" of the heart in today's cultural world, which doesn't quite connect with the symbolism of water to dry land.

A chronology from my Epoch Eclipse article in the fall '99 issue of Aspects magazine:

Starting 4000 BC: Taurus symbolism with Venus rulership includes the horned deities of major civilizations — Baal the golden calf, the luxurious Garden of Eden, the God of Love.

Starting 2000 BC: Aries begins with Abraham's first lamb sacrifice in place of killing his own first born son Isaac on God's command. Taurus is fatally stabbed by Mithras, the male god holding a knife in the star constellation just above Taurus (origin of the bullfight and the word "myth"). My elaboration — the horned deities of the Indus Valley, China, Mesopotamia and Egypt had to be discredited after their demise, their symbolism replaced. Thus the bull god became the Devil, with horns and tail of course. The Venusian virtue of love was reduced to temptation and lust as martial Aries symbols became dominant. "My God is more powerful than your god."

Starting 0000 AD: The Aries lamb symbol has to be destroyed in one last sacrifice, the Lamb of God on the Cross, in order to bring in Piscean water symbols - baptism, Peter the fisherman as head of the church, holy water, walking on water, the living water, spiritual "thirst". Martial virtues were replaced with feminine Jupiter's meekness, forgiveness, selflessness, humility, charity.

2005 AD: Pope Benedict XVI reverses the baptism. We're to be pulled out of the lethal waters and onto the safety of dry land where we can breathe fresh air.

OK, so the Pope's homily doesn't seem a very imaginative introduction into symbolism for the air sign Aquarius, but perhaps an ambitious try?

Hmmmm! Dad.


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