With the Saturn-Neptune square playing in the background, soon to be grabbing our attention in the foreground (this summer), we’re all swimming in ideologies. And isn’t it interesting that ideologies are playing such a huge role in the presidential bid in the US?
(This was originally published on my other blog Locovore. I wrote this article the summer of 2016).
While we may or may not agree with the political or religious ideologies of either Democrat-runner Bernie Sanders or Republication-runner Donald Trump, their ideologies fuel the fire of many Americans and internationals at this time and will gather even more steam in the upcoming months.
So where do these ideologies come from? Saturn, the planet of time, structure, government, discipline, responsibility and maturity transits in Sagittarius, a Fire Sign known for ideology. This planet squares Neptune, a planet known for getting lost in the “ideal” and dissolving physical structure or reality (in its own sign, Pisces), causing ideologies to explode upon the scene; playing a divisive role but also having us question our core beliefs. Spiritual teacher John Newton (Health Beyond Belief) once said in a group call that beliefs are the lies we choose to think (which lead to blocks in all areas of our lives).
So this morning I awoke from a dream where I was hanging out with the musician and socialist Billy Bragg (a Sagittarius Sun). In the dream (Neptune rules dreams), Bragg was hanging out backstage after giving a concert (and in real life when I was in my 20s, I hung out with Billy Bragg backstage after he joined a rally for grocery strikers). I woke up with one of Bragg’s most political songs playing in my thoughts, “Great Leap Forward” and political ideologies swam in my consciousness.
While I have flirted with socialism in my youth, the freedom-seeker part of me doesn’t bode well for a system that forces people to live as collective with restrictions and rules forced upon them. Deep down, I’m a Capitalist, even though that has become a dirty word thanks to the wealthy elite who have used Capitalism as a vicious warhorse on the working class (who I agree the elite have enslaved).
But let us consider that another form of Capitalism does exist that allows freedom and social consciousness, meaning we can make money in a truly free enterprise (which doesn’t currently exists thanks to the elite who control every industry and make laws to serve themselves), and this is “responsible” Capitalism which can only work if we wake up the collective consciousness and move away from a lack mentality or the competitive model and transform Capitalism to include sharing and cooperative behaviors. This is possible and has already been achieved on a smaller scale by women leading the efforts.
I’ll give Hay House authors as an example of how this can work. As we know, Hay House authors such as Doreen Virtue and Louise Hay have done quite well for themselves financially with the publication of books, workshops, and other products. But then they give back to the collective through scholarships (Hay House Foundation), and Doreen gives a percentage of her profits to charities and causes she supports. She also teaches metaphysical skills in her reasonably priced workshops (both on and off-line), as do many Hay House authors.
Other examples include author and teacher Marianne Williamson who founded charities to help those less fortunate in her community and another example is Oprah Winfrey who has used her talents and wisdom to lift others up, whether that’s a woman struggling with domestic abuse or an emerging talent who she gives a promotional boost and confidence to succeed on the bigger playing field. Both Williamson and Winfrey have also shared their spiritual teachings and values with millions of people thus bringing hope to the world. It’s not just monetary wealth that they share with others.
So what is responsible Capitalism and how does it differ from socialism? And why do we require these political systems at all? I think that the Saturn-Neptune square causes us to delve deeply into those questions. I agree with socialists in that every person (and I would include non-humans) deserves to live in a safe and healthy home, have adequate healthcare and be able to afford an education that allows them to work at the professions of their inner calling. But I don’t think you can round up humans and force them to give up significant amounts of the money they earn (not inherited from an elite parent) for the greater good. This giving comes from spiritual awakening and doing the right thing out of love, not fear enforced by government leaders, lawmakers, and a police state.
As more people wake up spiritually and move into their heart-center and heal their wounded egos, I have a feeling that people will automatically add their money to the collective pool of funds that pay for healthcare, education, as well as, money to steward the environment and the ecological systems we all participate. And there will be peer pressure to do so. So instead of living with a rewards and punishment system, we appeal to the conscious (and I know this doesn’t work with sociopaths who seem to be running the show at this time).
I feel that deep down, our consciousness carries more weight than any political system. As we awaken to love and heal our fears, the humanity in each of us forges connections with others. We are deeply caring when we’re not tossed into a competitive arena. Yes, I see the irony of that in talking about Capitalism which is based on competition, but I’m talking about a new type of Capitalism which gives each of us freedom to bring our goods and services into the world in a way that’s fair, ethical and responsible without infringing our efforts with rules and regulations that benefit the elite and crush the efforts of emerging entrepreneurs. What we currently refer to as Capitalism is really Fascism and what I’m proposing is Capitalism where people take responsibility for their actions and practice the Law of Attraction with love for community and humanity (as well as the other creatures inhabiting the earth).
But really what it comes down to is that we can either chuck out the current political systems and create something new for the Aquarius Age, or we can redefine Capitalism and Socialism knowing that the real monster we have dealt with is the wounded ego in the form of greed and corruption. Make no mistake, that corruption exists in all political systems. If Communism, for instance, was such a winner, then why did droves of people risk their lives defecting from it? You don’t see too many people risking their lives to defect from a Capitalist system, though you do see people crushed from corrupt practices happening within a Capitalist country.
The energies of Neptune in Pisces work at dissolving all ideologies and are challenged by the structure-builder Saturn in the ideologist sign Sagittarius. So isn’t it appropriate that I end this essay with the words of Sagittarius Billy Bragg, “A revolution is just a t-shirt away…” But really the revolution is an inner and not an outer one, because, in the end, Neptune has more collective power than old man Saturn, especially when Saturn falls in a sign that weakens the structure.
Metaphysics 4 Everyday Living 