SPIRAL ASTROLOGY

INTRODUCTION

My path through my spiritual and intellectual life has been essentially very individual. Being a long time resident of one of the isolated edges of our planet - the east coast of New Zealand - I apply the fabled kiwi ingenuity, to the mysteries of the Universe. As in many other fields of life, kiwi ingenuity in Astrology, has lead to a simple yet somewhat unique, approach being developed. With few outside influences, often long undiscovered yet obvious ways of viewing things can arise. This, I believe, has been so in my case. By being left with the essence of Astrology, an enquiring mind, a rampant disregard for established beliefs or authority figures, and the inspiring work of Rudolf Steiner, I have stumbled across an organised and rational way of viewing creation, as a harmonious ordered whole. In doing so both Astrology and Rudolf Steiners work are understood and enhanced in their application.

I say stumbled as it seems a long time since 1976 when I first had an inkling of the universal truths revealed by combining Astrology and Rudolf Steiner (RS). Over the intervening years small pieces of the puzzle began to fall together. Looking back, I see how an overview could have been seen in a weekend, if I would have been bolder and prepared to have faith and follow the 'rules of the game', I outlined in 1989 in "Biodynamics Decoded". Instead it has taken twenty years to first reinterpret the basis of Astrology back to its fundamental spiralling Platonic formula and secondly to organise and extend RS Biodynamic agricultural and medical indications. The most recent phase has been to apply these 'ideas' into the hard nosed reality of commercial organic growing. Along the way there have been many trials involving the soil, plants, animals and very trusting human friends. Studies into fields as diverse as human psychology and health, pest and disease control, plant growth manipulation, soil development and the prediction of future events have all been undertaken.

This experience has proven to me the validity of the basic Platonistic world view which I have come to see has recreated through this work. It is from this experience that I offer this book with ideas and insights for using Astrology as a tool for personal awareness. "Biodynamics Decoded" should be referred to for many aspects of the basic Astrological formula this work is developed from, while "Biodynamics Essays" contains several articles which also broadens out these initial indications.

Astrology is the study of everything between the surface of the Earth and the edge of the Galaxy. As such it has fascinated humanity for eaons. Its study has been the basis of all philosophy and religion for most of the history of most cultures. It is only in comparatively recent times (150 years ) modern rational science replaced it as the fundamental basis for perceiving life, and with disastrous consequences. As I write in 1999, we are faced with impending extinction within my life time, due to the chaos wrought by science, essentially in the last fifty years. Science in itself indeed grew out of Astrology through Alchemy. Yet has since denounced the basis from whence it came and is based now on, only what it can perceive from rational external perception. Often according to extremely narrow perimeters and expectations of outcome. Now that science has become the whore of big business, we are faced with an official society based upon biased manipulated information of no inherent scientific value.

While Astrology has been the basis of many cultures it was Plato, during the Hellenistic Greek period, who formulated for us the picture of Cosmic and Earthly harmony. He showed how life on Earth is a microcosmic image of the macrocosmic Galaxy. It was he who preserved and presented the Astrological Theorem as the 'rational' basis for exploring life's creations. His view has come and gone with time, reaching a renewal through the Renaissance before fading again at the hands of science. I have not studied Plato as such. It is more I have explored and dare I say rediscovered, the Astrological Theorem myself and later found Plato used the same basic ideas. I am in no doubt creation is all one interconnected pulsating organism. The 'blood' of this being may be electro magnetism, yet its flesh are very real stars and planets, with all other solid manifest forms living and breathing interconnected and inter- dependant lives.

Astrology is the study of the interrelationships of this organism. I know of no system of understanding that is based on as much fact as Astrology. A superficial study of Astronomy acts as the basis for the truth of Astrology. The stars create and emit the electro-magnetic- nuclear fields and forces which form the basis of all life systems. The movements of the planets alter the nature of these forces, which alters the electro magnetic nature of the Earth, which in turn effects all beings who have an electro magnetic nature, such as Humans, animals, plants and minerals. As the planets move, so the reality on Earth shifts. It is that simple.

The stimulus to write these thoughts has come from a few places. While I am eager to tell everyone about this exciting world view, I am also pushed by the ongoing ridicule set upon Astrology by many different commentators. While most of the 'official' ridicule comes from sources scared of the personally empowering effect of Astrology, there are others who work to decry it out of ignorance and superstition. Interestingly and sadly I have found much opposition to my study from many of Rudolf Seiners (RS) followers. This book in part is for the people they have influenced. The questions ‘they’ present are very common ones, and so in meeting them other people can also find use for this work.

The main area of concern about Astrology I have heard expressed by Anthroposophists has been associated with the perception of the lost of free will due to fatalistic interpretations of planetary influences. Also, that Astrology is based on philosophic antiquity, and of course the gem, that by using the signs of the zodiac and not the 'real' constellations Astrology somehow looses its validity.

RS appears to have made a comment at the beginning of the century which suggested the Astrology of the day was rather decadent and needed to be developed. It is my understanding that he then set about redeveloping it, providing us with some sound foundations from which to perceive the cosmic origin of manifest life. Classical Astrologers all over the planet see his work as astrological yet his follower/students seem to have missed this simple fact.

Often magazine Astrology is seen as the example of its modern decadence. While it is the most obvious manifestation of Astrology, it is by no means, the present state of the art. Having produced such columns for many years I could be biased or experienced enough, to say they have some relevance and within their criteria they have value, as I will point out later. To write Astrology off because of this perceived shallowness is like saying Anthroposophy is the BD Planting Calendar. To the man in the street 'Planting by the Moon' is at best dubious and the NZ BD calendar in particular , are essentially unapproachable to anyone but an Astrologer, suggesting Anthroposophy must also be too complicated and indecipherable, not to mention unsubstantiated by any scientific basis, so just reject the lot.

People who know, know that behind the BD Calendar lies many years of research. As well this is just a small small part of a larger world view of Bio-Dynamics, which in turn is just one of the manifestations of a much larger body of work initiated by RS.

Just as the BD calendar is the pimple on the hide of an elephant. So is magazine Astrology a pimple on the hide of one of the oldest philosophic structures known to Humans.

Steiners comments at the time where correct. The Astrology existing in Europe at the turn of the century was a ghost of what he knew it could be. Not only has Astrology developed and matured since that time but Rudolf Steiners contribution has also renewed it considerably. Anthroposophy is a major contribution to its renewal.

Having been a active student of Astrology since 1972 and a student of Rudolf Steiner since 1976 any criticism and misunderstanding has acted as a great stimulation for me to investigate the answers to many of the questions presented.

My background in Astrology has included working as a professional consultant since 1980 in which period I have conservatively seen over 5000 Astrological birth charts, produced annual predictions since 1981 till the present time, written weekly horoscopes for a national magazine since 1988, traded the sharemarket, predicted weather and directly & minutely observed the the influence of the planets movements on myself and a close circle of friends. I am in no doubt this study has immense value and practical applications which can help us live more consciously on planet Earth. As a long time experiential Astrologer I feel well qualified to comment on these questions.

As a student of Rudolf Steiner I fear I fall someway short of being a complete adept of all aspects of his intricate philosophy. However I have delved deeply enough into Bio-Dynamic Agriculture and his medical lectures to gain an overview of his concepts, relating to how life comes into being within the cosmic whole. This study has in turn enabled me to innovate on his original BD indications to the point of establishing a successful consulting business providing homeopathic BD preps to commercial orchards and dairy farms throughout the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Along the way, effective specific pest removal, plant 'manipulation' essences, and human remedies have been developed.

In my studies I have explored the works of Elizabeth Vreede, Willie Sucher, Bernard Lievegeod, E Kolisko, R Hauschka, Poppelbaum, Grohmann, E Marti, R Powell and others.

For more Anthroposophical depth on this subject the material for this essay has been produced in collaboration with Peter Bacchus, Menzo de Boam and Margaret Mary Farr.

Like any path of spiritual awareness there is a 'yoga' associated with its use. Astrology is a powerful tool of insight, especially when used for personality awareness and as a predictive tool. It does need to be used wisely to avoid the pitfalls that dot any path of self awareness. These pitfalls however should not stop one using this valuable tool. Just as electricity is a danger in our environment, the question is more one of how we use it rather than should we use it.

This book is concerned with answering this question and presenting the results of my 30 years of Astrological research. It is not an Astrological textbook and so some of the techniques and concepts of both Astrology and Anthroposophy will only be alluded to in passing. Reference to the titles of the Bibliography will help in more exact studies.

While working alone has given me the advantage of being able to walk my own road leading to some innovative approaches. It has it drawbacks. It is difficult to research some of the finer details of many things. Hence while I feel the basic thesis of the work is valuable and ready for presentation, I ask for your patience and understanding, if you find some details to be not quite exact. Please inform me of them and I will add them to further editions. Mostly though find and focus on what is of value.

22 October 1999