…all I ask is that you respect me as a human being.
— Jackie Robinson
Mars will have its tropical Leo position closely conjoined by the comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) today. Through both the nature of its constituency and its timing, this conjunction brings the late Jackie Robinson to mind. Furthermore, it is a reasonable occasion to consider what Jackie Robinson had in common with you, and did for you, and how that is no trivial thing for you now.
Jackie Robinson was more than an athlete. He was first and foremost a human being. It was as an athlete, however, that he acted to defeat the racial segregation of Major League Baseball.
Regardless of how you feel about organized sports, acting to defeat racial segregation is no trivial thing. It is an energetic assertion of respect for you, and every being, because anybody is potentially subject to discrimination.
Astrology interprets the nature of Mars to include an association with assertive energy in general, and athletes in particular. Beyond that, and specific to the memory of Mr. Robinson, it’s the nature of comet C/2012 S1 that brings a particular quality of being to mind.
From its trajectory, it appears that ISON may have never come this way before. Given the close encounter it will have with the Sun in late November, it may never come this way again.
For all we know, it is the same way for you, and every being. Hence, every moment here is anything but trivial. That’s how every being may legitimately be considered worthy of respect. That is also how the astrology of ISON, in all of its ephemeral uncertainty, may be interpreted as having a nature corresponding to you, perhaps passing through this world but once, with that quality of being in common with everybody else.
The timing of ISON’s probable first and maybe only close encounter with Mars narrows its interpretation further. That’s because Sunday was the last day of a very special regular season for Major League Baseball. It was a special regular season because, beginning yesterday, and into perpetuity, no Major League Baseball player will wear a uniform with number 42 ever again.
Jackie Robinson wore a uniform with the number 42 when he acted to defeat racial segregation in his sport during what may have been his only passage through this world. In return for that action, the sport of baseball is according him the respect of retiring that number for all major league players, on all major league teams, forever.
The unprecedented retirement of a player’s number from an entire sport was not planned to correspond with a comet’s passage to closely conjoin Mars. Nevertheless, there it is, in the synchronized symbolism that astrology continually demonstrates, and it works. It works through a time-honored interpretation of Mars. It also works through a reasonable interpretation of what is probably a new comet. Finally, it works with regard to the timing of Mars in conjunction with that comet.
Most importantly, the timing that makes the conjunction of Mars and ISON bring Jackie Robinson to mind has to do with more than just baseball. It has to do with you and the timing of your life. It has to do with how receiving, and giving, the respect conferred by your being is a central issue for the whole world. It is a reason for you to consider how you may be here, at least in part, to take your turn addressing that issue now, which would not be a trivial thing should you not pass this way again.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Chief Niwots Son, “cahoots” is a nice word for it. I finally realized I could trust Her. That goes a long way toward Changing. Everything.
Best wishes with the work projects taking you east & do say Hello to that big beautiful ocean for me. 🙂
Strawberrylaughter: Thank you sharing the tatanka photos, beautiful imagery and evocative of when this land was more pristine. If I may say, you seem more in cahoots with your divine feminine this week.
Blessings from Brooklyn!
Chief Niwots Son, I heartily agree with Len. Crowfoot’s words stir something deep in me. You have my heartfelt thanks for sharing them.
In return, “the breath of a buffalo in the winter time” as captured by a dear friend: http://www.mervcoleman.com/75811/bison/
Len, since in poker a wild card is what you want it to be, or what you need it to be based on the other cards in your hand, your answer to my questions is perfect.
Chief Niwots Son: Thank you, first of all, for that great, last observation from Crowfoot. Perhaps we shall be found worthy to thank him directly in the spirit world for such words as would have inspired any wordsmith to follow him there. Thank you as well for citing Branch Rickey.
be: Thank you so very much for your brilliant work correlating a key asteroid, and some very validating Sabian symbols to fill out the picture of Mars and the comet and show us how the connection resonates into some of the most vital astrology of this month to come. There can be no doubt that sharing your deep erudition, astute perceptions and be-autiful innovations have earned the respect (and gratitude) of everyone in the Planet Waves community.
Hazel1: You are most welcome, and very welcome back.
Finally back on line after a week of satellite problems, Strawberry and Diva Carla, thank you for the beautiful words. And thank you Len, for starting this conversation.
Be, you inspire me! Couldn’t resist looking up Number 42 — which incorporates firsts, awards and rarity:
— Number 42 belongs to Isis, a “large main-belt asteroid”. discovered on May 23 1858 by N.R. Pogson – it was his first asteroid discovery.
He was also award winning – the Lalande Prize for scientific advances in astronomy.
His daughter, Elilzabeth Isis Pogson (28 September 1852 – 14 May 1945) for whom the asteroid is named, was also a first – she was the first woman to attempt to join the Royal Astronomical Society (she was successfully nominated in 1920 five years after they opened their doors to women.)
The spectrum of 42 Isis reveals the strong presence of the mineral Olivina which is relatively rare in the asteroid belt.
(All info from WIdipedia.org)
Be, thank you for your elucidation of those Sabian symbols. That Mars/ISON degree is where my ascendant/Mercury sit. That’s kind of a lot to take in. May explain some of the intensity of these recent transits to my AC.
Oops. . got ahead of myself didn’t I? The full (eclipse) moon at 25 Aries isn’t until October 18th, two weeks after Friday’s new moon in Libra.
be
Len, you probably already know this but – in case not – there is an asteroid called Jackierobinson #4319, and today it was at 25+ Libra, where the Sun will be at the time of the full moon in Aries this Friday.
The Sabian symbol for where Mars was closely conjoined with ISON is “A CARRIER PIGEON FULFILLING ITS MISSION” Keynote: Spirituality, in terms of training for service to mankind. Dane Rudhyar says” This is the ideal of the WORLD SERVER.”
The Sabian symbol for where Jackierobinson #4319 was today is “AN EAGLE AND A LARGE WHITE DOVE CHANGE INTO EACH OTHER” Keynote: The interaction of the spiritual Will and of the Love principle when critical needs arise. Rudhyar says “Implied here is a kind of Yang-Yin interplay. When the circle encompassing both principles rotates fast, they appear to change into each other.”
Because birds always symbolize the spiritual nature in some way, your story about Jackie Robinson, like these two symbols, resonates with the ongoing pursuit of our highest self. Is it also meaningful that #4319 Jackierobinson was conjunct Karma (26+ Libra) today? Your message regarding respect is echoed by Hermes (messenger) in Capricorn (earned respect) at 25+ degrees in a square (challenge) to asteroid Jackierobinson in Libra, acknowledging that one must earn, as the #42 did in Major League Baseball, respect from one’s peers.
Perhaps by Friday’s full moon in Aries we could get another example of earned respect, and although I think it’s too late for this (U.S) Congress to achieve such a level, maybe there’s a hero among them. Hope endures.
be
I’d like to offer a shout out to Branch Rickey, the GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who had the vision to look past the color of a man’s skin to see the content of his character, his ability to play baseball, and his ability to hold steady in the face of ugly racism. My mom used to see the Dodgers play in Ebbets Field, and saw Jackie Robinson play during his historic career. A special man in a special time.
Len- a beautiful tribute to the unique trajectory we each travel in this life.
“What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the Sunset.
– Crowfoot (Blackfoot Confederacy Orator) His final words before entering the Spirit World.
nilou: And thanks to you in turn for weighing in brilliantly once again while i was writing my previous acknowledgements. You certainly have my respect, as well as my gratitude.
Strawberry: Thank you for the appropriate and moving citation.
DivaCarla: Thank you for your kind and vivid words. In answer to your question, it would depend on how “wild card” is defined. Under some definitions, the term would work very well for a comet (especially one that’s apparently new to the inner solar system) because, unlike the sign-ruling planets (and many minor planets) it has not been (to use a term of Eric’s) “proven” by long experience of observation and correlation. For that reason, i followed Eric’s dictum of knowing the difference between what one knows and what one does not know, and based my interpretation upon what we know rather than engage in speculation. Please, is that a satisfactory answer to your question?
aword: You are very welcome. Thank you in turn for sharing how yet another transit (and a powerful synasty) to your nativity lights up the sky for all of us.
‘Hence, every moment here is anything but trivial. That’s how every being may legitimately be considered worthy of respect.’
Thank you, Len. I’m glad to be reminded that a life is moments strung together one after another, and we live them better when they are strung with trust, gratitude, appreciation and respect. ‘Could build a sturdy stool with those legs!
On receiving and giving (it takes both to hit the ball); I have only now thought to look at my father’s chart (never a positive relationship) and in a flash everything came to light.
I knew that transiting Pluto was on my own natal Mars, but lightening struck when I saw that his Saturn is conj my natal Mars and he is in full-force with a Uranus return (aka my father’s natal Saturn is exact square Uranus and therefore in the thick of the current astrology.)
This would explain a lot (of underworld surprises testing the strength of his religious dogma esp. in relationship to his parental restriction of all that energizes me)
There is always room for home runs – or at least gaining a base – when the you can see the ball. (Jackie Robinson clearly saw that the ball in play was more than just a game.)
This moment will indeed be here only once.
Thank you, Len.
Strawberrylaughter, thank you. Light Full.
Sun sq Pluto is filling me with Love. The center balance point of Libra fills me with gratitude. This post makes my soul soar!
There are two rare things I love, among all the lovable, awesome wonders of the world. One is comets, and I am so thrilled by the mere mention of ISON here. The other is the sparkly beings that live in the ocean, and glow in the black waters when the moon is dark. I swam with them last night, brighter and more numerous than I’ve ever seen them. Stars swimming in the ocean. Today, the flower in my garden named Cosmos is glowing iridescent pink and white against a sky of purist blue, the blue associated with Mother Mary.
I am so grateful for this honor to Jackie Robinson, a king who rose above it all, and still lights the way. Pure antidote to the poison.
All small things. If there is one thing Brother Yeshua taught with his life is that the least is the greatest.
Here is an astro question for you: A shamanic astrologer friend says comets are wildcards in a chart, and in transit. How does that resonate with you? What would you say about the chart of a person born under a comet’s apparition?
Having just seen Les Mis, I can’t not think of Jean Valjean’s transformation in your words, Len. How, if last week’s work was to consider the difference a small kindness can make, today’s application of that mindset may have the power to set another person (or ourselves) on a path previously unimaginable.
Yet why did I allow this man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate this world
This world that always hated me
Take an eye for an eye!
Turn your heart into stone!
This is all I have lived for!
This is all I have known!
One word from him and I’d be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack
Instead he offers me my freedom,
I feel my shame inside me like a knife
He told me that I have a soul,
How does he know?
What spirit came to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
Victor Hugo believed there was another way. He’s not alone.