Disaster
Predictions
February 4, 2005
http://cainer.com/ericfrancis/feb4.html
Eric:
It has come to my attention that according to my husband's guides, there will
be another earthquake with a resulting tsunami -- but when? THEY do not know.
Is there a way of looking at the east Australian coast's chart to see whether
there is a likelihood of another disaster from the cosmos?
Thanks
M. Klein
Dear MK,
Thank you for writing. I share your concern that the world is not in such a
stable state right now, and that humanity has done some serious damage to the
planet. I think that the first thing we need to do is be aware -- so that we
can begin changing our minds. If we don't do that, nothing will happen.
In response to your question, there will
always be another earthquake and tsunami, because they are natural events on
Earth (even if they may have some unnatural help from humans right now). We
have to live with that fact. We also have to live with -- and deal with -- the
fact of climate change. For example, I read this article in the Independent
today.
It really is time we started living like
we live in one world, and not pretend that any one part of
Much as I love astrology, I don't think
that it's a particularly good place to go for information about these things.
Unfortunately, neither is science, which often cannot predict such events. But
shortly after the Dec. 26 disaster, I read an article about a distinguished
scientist who had made a prediction about an Indonesian quake and tsunami, and
nobody believed him. So he took it upon himself to go to the region late last
year and hand out leaflets informing people of what to do in the event that
certain conditions occurred.
So if we can't even have a real dialog
with science, I don't think that it makes much sense to use astrology to
predict disasters. However, what makes it worse is that astrology itself has a
fetish for attempting catastrophe predictions. All kinds of curiosity seekers,
amateurs and even top professionals want to get their dibs in, with the
potential reward being fame or notoriety.
I think that if you're concerned about
natural or terrorist disasters, the most important thing you can do is to
listen to your intuition. The second thing you can do is be prepared. Emergency
preparedness should be on the agenda of every well-established household,
including having good smoke alarms and an exit plan; and also having the basic
equipment for dealing with unexpected developments.
It may seem incredibly corny to have fire
drills with your family, but really, it's quite practical and sensible. And
while keeping an emergency preparedness kit may seem 'paranoid', it's just
simply intelligent. I am not talking about duct tape and plastic sheeting. I'm
talking about the basic things we need to keep a household going during an
ordinary storm or other event.
You can probably get good lists for what
to include from the Red Cross, but stuff like working flashlights, a couple of
radios, a CB radio, candles, canned food and so on are very helpful if the
power goes out or something else odd happens. I personally keep a flashlight,
Swiss Army knife, and other basic survival equipment in my bag all the time,
and I always wear solid shoes or sneakers of some kind -- including in the
summer, when I sturdy wear sandals that attach to my feet (as a member of the
Pisces club, I take care of my feet!).
It's a good idea to keep 10 or 20 gallons
of drinking water in the house; if the water goes out, or if heavy rains mess
up the water supply for a few days, you'll be glad you have it. Water
purification tablets are also a good idea.
In the modern world, one's household
survival bag should include regularly replaced backups of important computer
files. I believe it's a good idea to keep backups off-premises as well.
One's car should also have basic
equipment: tools, some drinking water, working flashlights, a blanket, and so
on. In cold climates, it's a really good idea to keep extra gloves, boots and
hat in the car. But any Boy Scout could tell you this.
And if you're really serious about being
prepared for an emergency, every local community has some kind of committee
that deals with the issue. There are always a few people who take it upon
themselves to be leaders in an aspect of life that most people pretend doesn't
exist, or react to with fear rather than logic. I think it's a fine idea to know
your local fireguys, cops and local civic leaders, to the point where you're
familiar with their faces or even on a first-name basis.
But as for astrology, I don't think we
need to be attempting to predict when and where a certain disaster will strike,
hoping for accuracy. Be prepared, pay attention, enjoy your life. What else can
we really do?