Personal and Connective
25/Jun/12 11:09
No typo.
I often write about how astrology works on two levels, the personal and the collective. Basically, the personal level is about our individual lives, feelings, and adventures, while the collective level is about our shared cultural experiences, social issues, and political changes.
Yet there is another side to astrology that needs to be emphasized, and that is the connective dimension. The connective dimension to astrology is not another level somewhere between the personal and collective. Rather, it’s about the way we see and use astrological information. It is rooted in the ability to see that our personal lives are embedded within our relationships, our families, our communities, our social groups, and our entire culture. Who we are personally is to a great extent a matter of who we are in our connections to others.
Exploring the connective dimension of astrology - and our lives - means recognizing that all astrological energies are expressed in our relationships (of all kinds). We often say things like “I have Venus in Leo” or “I have Mercury in Virgo,” as though those energies are contained within us. But it is just as valid - perhaps more valid - to say, “I relate through Venus in Leo” or “I communicate on the Mercury in Virgo dimension.” After all, we can’t really express our Venus, Mercury, or any other planet in isolation. They only become real when we connect with others.
Astrology is a great tool for learning about yourself. But it shouldn’t be just about exploring your personal toolbox to see what’s in there. We only really know how the tools work when we take them out of the box to use them - and that’s almost always done with others. Our potentials become realities when we connect our energies with those of the people in our lives.
You can feel how astrological energies work through introspection, but you can see how they work through your relationships. Appreciating both perspectives is part of an integral approach to astrology.