Monday, September 15, 2008

Presidential Players

I suspect that more words have been written about the characters in this year's US presidential election than almost any other characters in recent history. This has to be attributed mainly to the widespread use of the internet, mushrooming of blogs, and opening up of news sites to readers' comments.

Almost everything that could be written about the astrology of the leading characters in this tragi-comedy of an election has already been written. As I cast around for a new approach I spied on my bookshelf Robert Camp's "Love Cards". The title sounds trite, and if it hadn't been recommended to me by someone on an astrology message board, years ago, I'd never have given it a second glance, and I'd have missed a lot - it's an intriguing book.

Robert Camp uses a system which originated in another book: "Sacred Symbols of the Ancients". It's based around an deck of playing cards, astrology, and some other mysterious ingredient. I don't know what that ingredient is, but the system can be eeerily accurate in assessments of character and when exploring compatibility potential.

Playing cards are fascinating enough in themselves.Wikipedia explains their symbolism, as well as their origins. The deck widely adopted in Europe many centuries ago, and still in use, is described thus:
"Popular legend holds that the composition of a deck of cards has religious, metaphysical, or astronomical significance: typical numerological elements of the explanation are that the four suits represent the four seasons, the 13 cards per suit are the 13 phases of the lunar cycle, black and red are for day and night, the 52 cards of the deck (joker excluded) symbolizes the number of weeks in a year, and finally, if the value of each card is added up — and 1 is added, which is generally explained away as being for a single joker — the result is 365, the number of days in a year. If the other joker is also added, that makes 366 days, the amount of days in a leap year."

Is it coincidental that the cards relate so closely to our calendar? If so, then it's a rather amazing coincidence. Anyway... back to "Love Cards":

The Birth Card (just the first of many categories explored in the book) is comparable to the Sun sign in astrology. "It is the card that ruled our planet on the day we were born. People born under a certain card's rulership will all share some distinguising traits..... The Birth Card is the strongest and most important symbol of who we are in this lifetime."

All that is needed to consult this system is a person's day and month of birth. Let's see what the cards have to say abut the US presidential and vice-presidential candidates. What follows is an absolute minimum, just to give a flavour, it barely scratches the surface of what can be gleaned from "Love Cards".

Sarah Palin has stolen the headlines recently so I'll start with her. Her Birth Card (11 February) is Ace of Spades. Other birthdays covered by this card are June 13, March 9, April 7, May 5, June 3, July 1. The card is called "Card of Ambition and Secrets", and in some circles is known as "The Magi Card." "Most ambitious and material-oriented card in the deck, but also the most spiritual." The book tells us that these people have a lifelong conflict between material and worldly issues and a deep pastlife spiritual heritage. A card of extremes.
Britain's Princess Diana (born 1 July) had this Birth Card, by the way.

Hillary Clinton's (26 October) Birth Card: 9 of Hearts, and Barack Obama (4 August) Birth Card: 9 Diamonds. Nines in all four suits have something in common (as do all groups of numerical or royal cards). Concerning Nines, the book tells us ,among other things, that these people are "never truly fulfilled unless they find ways to give of themselves to others. Many of them take this to the highest level and become saviours of humanity. Many great spiritual leaders and teachers have Nines as their Birth Cards. In many ways Nine is the opposite of the Ace" (see Sarah Palin, above). "Whereas the Ace needs to be selfish and self-centered, the Nine cannot. Each time the Nine tries to do things for themselves they reap untold misery and pain. It goes against the grain of their soul's essence. Nines can develop strong victim-saviour completes and all of them exhibit this to some degree.....". Sound familiar? Hillary Clinton has been said by some writers to consider herself a victim; Barack Obama is often referred to as a Messiah or saviour figure. I notice too, though, that George W. Bush's Birth Card (6 July) is 9 Diamonds, same as Obama's. Oops! "The underlying message for the 9 Diamonds person is that they arrive on the planet with a host of value-related beliefs, ideas, concepts, needs and personal attachments that must be let go of".

To complete the cast, a word or two about John McCain (29August) Birth Card: 10 of Hearts, and Joe Biden (20 November) Birth Card: King of Hearts.

Re John McCain's 10 of Hearts- "To truly understand the Tens, we must also be familiar with the Aces" (see Sarah Palin above). "The Aces and 10s are very much alike." 10 of Hearts is the "Success With Groups" card: "A leader, not a follower, has much ambition and could stray off the path of truth as a result"

Joe Biden's King of Hearts - "The Loving Father Card" (Jaqueline Kennedy was also of this group). The Kings all have power, naturally! King of Hearts has power with people and personal relationships - charming and very intelligent. "It is not wise to argue with them, their keen minds can always find a response". The VP debate with Sarah Palin should prove interesting!

9 comments:

anthonynorth said...

I'm still having difficulty getting my head round Palin. Words such as 'wild card' and 'joker in the pack' come to mind.
The election seems to me to be wide open - but how many are wondering what it would be like if McCain/Palin took office?
A winning streategy does not always equate with sensible governance.

Wisewebwoman said...

My foreboding, T, as you know, is that McC & P will take office. i beg to be completely wrong. Though if The One is anointed we'll all be stuck with hopey changey - the concept, but it will be biz as usual in the Iraqi trenches and for those without healthcare.
XO
WWW

Twilight said...

Hi AN ~~~ McCain/Palin is scary enough, but Palin as Prez, should anything happen to McCain when in office, is a prospect which gives me the heeby-jeebies! She's a wild card indeed - and one I think McCain was irresponsible to put into play.

Twilight said...

I'm growing a bit more confident in Obama now, WWW. He's dropping a lot of the messiah-like stuff and coming down to earth, having fired up a new generation of voters. If he wins the election I'll forgive him all the sexism he allowed to go unchecked in his name. ;-)

By the way, your Birth Card is 10 of Clubs -"Mental Accomplishment" card.

One of the most creative cards in the deck.....detest monotony and boredom....have a thirst for knowledge that often leads them to a love for books" :-)

Anonymous said...

I'm getting way too cynical in old age, but I fail to note any similarity, or connection, between Palin and Princess Diana. Maybe my innate logic is missing something? ;-)

Twilight said...

RJ ~~~ As I mentioned, what I typed from the book barely scratches the surface of what's aaid there. On the surface there's little similarity between Palin and Princess Di - other than the public attention both attracted. Don't forget that Princess Di was in the spotlight for years, Palin only for days. Time might unfold a story. We might see some similarity in the way her life develops if she stays around.

Princess Di did have a conflict between spiritual and worldy urges.
Even after her divorce she still went for high value men - Dodi for instance. She didn't go off with a hippie-type pauper, if she had
done so she might be with us to this day.

Palin's conflict isn't too apparent right now, other than her ambition, and her religious fervour, which might cause conflict should she reach the White House.

As with tarot cards, I like to watch this system, as an experiment. I've found it works on the relationship level pretty well - eerily well in my own case.

Wisewebwoman said...

Thanks for the birth card info, T. Funny thing about boredom, I can honestly say I never have been, I carry a rich interior toolkit, I think.
As to BO, he needs to come out fighting and fighting NOW.
XO
WWW

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Twilight, for an off-the-beaten-path examination of the (maybe over-examined) candidates--very intriguing.

I think the pt w/Palin and Diana having the same card rings true--just with Palin having fallen for the material/ power side of things, and Diana, in the end, moving more and more toward the spiritual.

Love your 'Superwomen' entry, too--hope it becomes a regular feature!

Julie

Twilight said...

Hello Julie -

Yes, I can sense the Princess Di/Sarah Palin likeness. The fact that they are from different cultures has to be taken into consideration, so the similarity isn't blindingly obvious, but underneath the trappings of their individual life styles and backgrounds, it's there.

Yes I intend to do a few more posts on Superwomen, one coming up next in fact. Glad these are of interest - thanks! :-)