Perceptions of Higher Consciousness - Looking Through Astrology's Viewfinder

It could well be due to a "feet-on-the-ground" Earthy Grand Trine in my natal chart, but concepts such as transcendence, spirituality and higher consciousness bug me more than a little. An article at Common Dreams the other day "No, Higher Consciousness Won’t Save Us", by Norman Solomon caught my eye, but an ever growing stream of comments by some erudite guys and gals proved to be even more interesting than the article itself.



It wasn't too surprising to see two clear camps emerging. The "feet-on-the-ground" types to whom I related most easily, and those who support the idea that higher consciousness (and there were differences in perception of its definition) could be a component in what might "save us", politically and/or physically.

In current debates the meaning of words, often a matter of individual perception, can cause huge frustration and misunderstanding. "Socialism" and "socialist", for instance. Higher consciousness is an expression similarly open to a variety of definitions or perceptions, meaning different things to different people. While no perception of it is quite as bad a misunderstanding as arises in relation to "socialism" in the USA, the differences can still cause problems, as was apparent in the thread of comments to which I've referred.

Many who study astrology have aspirations towards what they see as higher consciousness. Articles relating to the end of the Mayan long-count calendar, in 2012, often refer to the likelihood of "a change in consciousness" supposedly due to happen around that time. One hopes it'll be an upward change rather than a downward one! People who lean towards eastern versions of religion and astrology almost always aim to "raise their consciousness" as part of the discipline.

Higher consciousness can simply mean being more aware of what is going on around you, putting less focus on self and more on the common good. That's my simple definition which, come to think of it, might be better expressed as "wider consciousness". Other definitions of higher consciousness can begin to sound uncomfortably elitist. As one commenter at the article mentiond in the first paragraph described it: an attitude that "my consciousness is higher than your consciousness" - this can happen when the expression isn't clearly defined by those using it.

To be perfectly honest I have no wish to send my mind elsewhere, higher or lower. There are more than enough problems to solve in the here and now plane of existence. Aiming for a more esoteric plane described in eastern philosophy might be satisfying on a personal level, but what exactly does it do for the world at large?

There's no getting away from the fact that there'll always be differences of opinion, perception, and consequently of desire, on this subject. None is more correct than others. There is space and a place for all.

With astrology in mind, I'd like to relate differences in perception of what "higher consciousness" means to each individual to the elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire in their natal chart. Those of us "regulated" (I use the term very loosely) by Water are, I suspect, the ones most likely to seek the eastern type of higher consciousness; those whose understanding is led by Earth perceive it more as I have described it for myself, in a previous paragraph. Air and Fire people could swing either way, but on the whole Air is more likely to be interested in the eastern version than the generally "get-it-done" Fire mentality.

Zodiac signs showing elements: red=Fire, pale blue=Air; dark blue-Water; brown=Earth.



Calculating one's likely "regulator" isn't easy. It's not just a question of natal Sun in a sign whose ruler is Earth, Air or whatever, or any other commonly accepted labelling tool. Even counting the number of planets in each element doesn't necessarily come up with the right answer, because position of the angles, and aspects to and from each, could well make a significant difference.

Astro.com has a section under the Extended Chart Selection called "Pullen Astrolog" where, after inputting your birth data you can go to the section called "Simple chart delineation", scroll through lots of information about your natal chart and eventually come to some statistics where the value of the 4 elements, painstakingly calculated, is expressed as a percentage. Even this doesn't give the expected result for me. According to this my highest percentage is Water, then Fire; Earth is 3rd, Air 4th. Alternatively then, depending on one's natal chart, the relevant relationship in this question of perception of "higher consciousness" may be more specifically connected to where/how Mercury (planet of understanding) is placed. In my case it's in Earthy Capricorn and at a strong position near the descendant angle, hooked into a Grand Trine in Earth. That'll have to be my excuse....er ...I mean my story, if my consciousness, though attempting to be wide, remains stubbornly dragging its heels in the dust of Mother Earth.