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by Julie Gillentine
"Let your soul
stand cool and composed before a million universes."
— Walt Whitman
The Sun is big news
these days as solar astronomers work to solve mysteries and answer
puzzling questions about the Sun's behavior. David Hathaway, NASA
scientist, and contributor to NASA's www.spaceweather.com, confirmed
that the ratio of solar flares to number of sunspots is "larger
than expected." (See explanation later in this article).
Mitch Battros of
www.earthchangestv.com,
reported at the end of May that NASA had launched a fleet of spacecraft
to observe Earth's atmosphere in response to recent solar storms.
Battros reported that "NASA's shifting focus is to provide important
new information on the final link in the Sun-Earth connection of
physical process that connect the Sun and Earth. In other words,
the connection between solar activity and our weather." Since 1999
Battros has put forward his theory of the relationship between earth
events and solar weather in the form of an equation: Sunspots =
solar flares = magnetic shift = shifting ocean and jet stream currents
= extreme weather and human disruption.
For thousands of
years Astrology has endeavored to translate knowledge of the skies
into meaning for human existence. In the face of global terrorism,
political corruption and anomalous weather patterns, is it possible
to see things from a larger perspective and make sense of the sweeping
change and environmental disruption which threatens to engulf us?
The report of the wise in all ancient traditions focuses on the
role of humanity and our choices.
In the image
and likeness of God
In his book The
Cosmos in Man, H. Saraydarian states, " Consciousness is the
result of action of the Solar Angel on the mental plane, the purpose
of which is to align all the atoms of the vehicles, thus building
a path of light for the returning pilgrim as he endeavors to work
out the divine plan. This energy is called Solar Fire."
Paraphrasing from
Esoteric Astrology, by Alice Bailey, it can be said that
Solar Fire is embodied in the Path of Discipleship. The goal is
identification with the soul and not the personality. The process
through which this occurs is increasing responsiveness to the twelve
zodiacal constellations.
The Sun in
myth
The mythical journey
of the Sun King shows a yearly microcosm of the path of the soul
on the journey of return to the source. In his book Sun Lore
of the Ages, William Tyler Alcott remarks, "In the early history
and mythology of all people we find the Sun and Moon regarded as
conscious beings closely connected with the daily life of mankind,
and influencing in some mysterious way man's existence, and controlling
his destiny. We find the luminaries alluded to as ancestors, heroes,
and benefactors, who after a life of usefulness on this earth, were
transported to the heavens, where they continue to look down on,
and in a measure rule over earthly affairs."
In ancient Egypt
the sun god Ra claimed center stage as he directed his powerful
eye to influence daily life. But how do Sun myths or the metaphysics
of Solar Fire relate to the day star which gives light and life
to our planet? I believe a better understanding of astronomy and
physics not only deepens interpretation and astrological significance
but may also show the way for each of us to make a difference.
Solar Astronomy
& Anatomy of the Sun
The diameter of
the Sun is more than one hundred times that of the earth. Our Star
rotates on its axis every twenty-five earth days rather than twenty-four
hours like Earth. Most of the Sun's mass is a huge covering of gas
surrounding the core. The Sun's thick surface, called the photosphere,
appears to be solid, but is actually a swirling mass of yellow-white
gas. At the Sun's surface the gas is transparent enough to allow
light to escape into space. Glowing jets of gas, called prominences,
spike outward into space above the photosphere.
More of the Sun
is invisible than visible. Extending beyond the visible surface
is the chromosphere, a layer immediately above the photosphere.
During solar eclipses, when the photosphere is hidden by the Moon,
the chromosphere appears red. The spectral (light signature) lines
of the Sun are produced in the chromosphere. The corona is the Sun's
outer atmosphere. Special telescopes called coronagraphs permit
vision of the inner corona. The outer portion of the corona, stretching
far out into the solar system, can only be seen during total solar
eclipses.
Stellar Furnace
The Sun's energy
emerges from the thermonuclear furnace, burning at the Sun's heart,
which converts about five million tons of matter into energy each
second. Stars may differ in terms of brightness, color and length
of their lives, but all stars shine for the same reason. Starlight
is generated by burning hydrogen which converts to helium and releases
energy from thermonuclear fusion.
Missing neutrinos
Neutrinos are ghostly
subatomic particles which are released by nuclear reactions in the
Sun's core. They pass directly through the Sun and out into space.
Although detecting neutrinos is difficult, results from several
independent experiments confirm that only a third of the expected
numbers are counted here on Earth. Solar astronomers have altered
their models of the Sun and its evolution over the past four and
a half billion years to create a model which produces fewer neutrinos;
but answers still elude them. As a result, scientists have questioned
their understanding of neutrinos themselves and, according to one
NASA scientist, the solution to this mystery may shake some of the
foundations of physics itself.
Sunspots
Strong magnetic
fields running through the Sun cause sunspots which appear to us
as darkened, irregular areas on the photosphere (Sun's visible surface).
Sunspots are about two thousand degrees cooler than surrounding
regions and therefore look black by comparison.
Over a roughly eleven-year
period the number of sunspots seen on the Sun's surface ranges from
nearly zero to over one hundred and then decreases until the next
cycle begins. The nature and cause of the sunspot cycle is one of
the great mysteries of solar astronomy. While astronomers know many
details about the cycle itself, and some of the dynamic processes
that seem to play a role in creating it, they are unable to produce
a model which predicts the number of sunspots within the cycle.
Sunspots have been
linked to everything from tree rings, to stock market fluctuations
and weather anomalies. Between the years of 1640 and 1710 almost
no sunspots were seen. Historically this coincided with a period
of extremely cold weather on Earth called the "Little Ice Age."
Solar Flares
Solar Flares occur
in the vicinity of sunspots which seem to be extremely active portions
of the Sun. These sudden and violent eruptions of matter and energy
send visible and invisible light hurtling into space. Solar flares
can last seconds or minutes, and eject streams of charged particles
which often reach Earth's atmosphere, causing disruptions in communications
and short-circuits in electrical power grids. Solar flares charge
our atmosphere with high-energy atomic particles from the Sun and
cause atoms to glow. These charged particles tend to be deflected
toward Earth's magnetic poles and become visible as breathtaking
auroras.
Even though we
are moving away from sunspot maximum, the number and intensity of
solar flares has intensified over the last year, puzzling and concerning
NASA scientists. If highly-charged atomic particles can create auroras
and fry energy grids what is the potential effect on the subtle
energy systems of a human body? Could this be a factor in the spontaneous
new DNA linkages reported by Russian scientists?
Ancient Wisdom
teachings
Ancient Wisdom teaches
that the Universe, containing billions of galaxies and billions
upon billions of stars, is the expression of a Conscious Life called
by many names in various traditions: God, Brahma, Ahura Mazda, Allah,
or the LOGOS. We are told that this One Life is a conscious unity
and as this consciousness energizes a cycle of manifestation It
does so as a Trinity.
Associated with
the Cosmic Logos and Trinity are seven embodiments of Its nature
called Seven Cosmic Planetary Logoi. It is said that all the stars
in the Universe which are centers of great evolutionary systems
belong to one of the great seven. In all the vastness of our Universe
the Ancient Wisdom says that the fiery orb which is our Sun is the
Lord of a Solar System, a conscious, vastly-evolved being, fulfilling
the role of a Solar Logos.
Associated with
the work of the Solar Logos, manifesting within the principle of
"As above, so below," are seven planetary logoi. In Hinduism they
are called seven Prajapatis, in Zoroastrianism the seven Amesha
Spentas (Immortal Holy Ones), in Hebrew and Christian tradition,
the Elohim, or seven spirits before the throne of God. The Solar
System is the physical body of the Solar Logos, and the planets
can be likened to His chakras.
In a horoscope for
an individual the Sun represents the will of the true Self and denotes
the sense of identity, power, individuality, magnanimity and the
major focus of life lessons. Anatomically the Sun is the heart which
pumps blood through the entire system, vitalizing the body's community
of cells. Symbolically our heart is at our center just as the Sun
is the center of the solar system.
Firewalk on
the Pilgrim's Path
Through the power
of myth the awareness of the Solar Lord's role in our life has always
been deeply understood despite modern rationalism's attempt to undermine
the mystical. What might increased Solar Fire mean to us at this
juncture on Earth? Humanity is said to have been created "in the
image and after the likeness of God." If the heart center of our
solar system is emitting increased energies in the form of solar
flares, how will this affect us in the microcosm?
Although the topic
was selected earlier, as I wrote this article I was surrounded by
the element of fire as forests in Colorado were consumed or in imminent
danger. Hundreds of people were evacuated and told to pack one bag
or box, taking only the most essential items. That was a fierce
and potent exercise in penetrating to the heart of the matter and
choosing what mattered most. Many people, the author included, were
faced with contemplating the contents of their homes, representing
a lifetime of meaning and memories, and selecting a few treasures
to carry with them into the future.
Quoting again from
Saraydarian, "Beginning in 1975 the Great Ones will release the
energy of the Will Center over humanity. Will energy is fiery, highly
dynamic and penetrative. The effect of this energy will be conditioned
by humanity itself. Humanity, through its activities, emotional
reactions and mental responses, will decide the effect of this energy."
In short, our choices will bring about our transformation or our
painful purification
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