Something that’s been on a sickening increase in political rhetoric is how the American way is all about competition, and anything else is some form of socialism or communism. This concept is a form of red-baiting, at the same time it’s designed to justify greed and marginalize kindness. We are hearing this kind of reasoning a lot lately; it has become the definition of “the American way” and worse, of “freedom.” It’s rarely challenged in public, and I think it’s time.
I have another idea: whether you’re rich or poor, freedom is the freedom to fall off of a ladder, or to trip while you’re running across your house with a wine glass while talking on the telephone.
I was hanging out with my friend Karen last night, who is on the Marbletown First Aid Unit in Ulster County, NY. This is a fairly typical basic life support volunteer ambulance service, staffed by members of the community.
As we sat in the Northern Spy restaurant, she was basically waiting for something to go wrong for someone somewhere, and if it did, she and her colleagues would show up at the scene, for free, with their hundreds of hours of training and a good attitude. They don’t get paid, and they don’t bill for the ride to the hospital, which could otherwise cost up to $1,000. This is a big savings to taxpayers and insurance companies — or to private citizens who might get stuck with a bill they cannot pay.
Outside the cities, most of the country is serviced by volunteer rescue squads, made up of people who train for years and sit around waiting for a stroke of bad luck, or an unconscious moment. They come out in all kinds of weather, at any hour of the day or night, and fetch you to the hospital — just because they feel like doing it. There are lots of volunteer fire departments, whose members often work alongside paid, professional departments even in the same city. Once again, people helping others just because it’s the thing to do.
To me, this sounds a little more like the American way: a civilized society where neighbors take care of one another — just because. Volunteering for the rescue squad doesn’t preclude making a big pile, having a good job, a gorgeous house or being successful in any other way. It’s a form of participation and of giving back to your community. There are lots of ways to do this. And while we may not all pitch in, we all benefit from the people who do.
I mention this theme in connection with the forthcoming Aquarius Full Moon. Aquarius Moon is famous for one thing, at least: helping. My father, who is an ardent conservative and argues the tired points he hears on FAUX News, has an Aquarius Moon and would just about help anyone any way they need. This Moon has a need to be supportive of others, or at minimum, to organize with others in a way that’s useful. The United States itself has this Moon, in the July 4, 1776 chart — the Sibly Chart. On that day, the signers said, “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
This need can be distracted, subverted or perverted (Richard Nixon is an example) though the Aquarius Moon is in the DNA of the United States. And while everyone with this placement isn’t a saint, I’ve seen that at least there is a readily accessible capacity for decency — something that’s in the air as this Full Moon reaches its peak.
The Full Moon later in the week is trine Jupiter, blending the best of the focus of Saturn (one of the two rulers of Aquarius, the other, unofficial one being Uranus) and the expansive or generous energy of Jupiter. This is an opening or an opportunity to notice the ways we’re better off with one another than we are living as if we’re personally an island. Notice the ways you can help, and the ways that you don’t — and remember, you do have the option to help out.
As for America’s Aquarian Moon – I’ve lived in Spain for seven years. From my perspective as an American, one of the saddest social conditions – and greatest problems – I see here is the deeply ingrained culture of “every man for himself.” I can probably count on one hand the selfless acts I’ve witnessed, and I have been ridiculed or mistrusted for even small gestures of generosity. Interestingly, they know this about themselves. In conversations touching on this theme, *invariably* I am told how admirable Americans are for our generosity, volunteerism and strong sense of community.
Excellent full moon at all with the Moon in Aquarius to develop the solidarity meaning that can be found on the web and can keep his art of equally important freedom, thank you Eric for this beautiful sharing on Planet Waves 🙂 🙂
well, probably not precise to the degree…
Hahaha, Be, It’s great because I have that precise square in my own natal chart. I used to be a lot more worried about money, a kind of anxiety. Healing in general helped, but also getting out of the USA for a while!
Yep, the Cancerian Sol can be frugal, but the Saggitarian Rising points us toward our rather exuberant production&consuming habits. Aq Moon tempers those, I believe, pulling them together in collective giving.
The way it works in my chart is that Sagg\ /Aq are the legs of a rough quincunx, each side pushing faith-in-future\ /collective generosity
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into the Cancerian Sol.
Americans are volunteers — I think it’s a natural extension of their faith in themselves. Be’s right, the Cancerian signature makes us a bit tight and easily spooked, but ultimately we have that “can do” thing going for us and the Aquarian sensibility of devotion to larger community — to wit, even the conservative call for “my America back” is response to a perceived threat to their understanding of community, albeit tribal and stilted.
Volunteerism connects us to one another. In 2011, for instance, $173 billion was estimated as volunteered in unpaid labor. Now, with so many out of work, that number has grown. IMHO, that’s our saving Grace — giving of ourselves to someone or something doesn’t just make us “nice,” it expands our perception and teaches us compassion. Much of what’s gone wrong around the globe in these last years can be defined by a lack of compassion but we’re catching up quickly.
This country is “rich” in what counts, we just need to remember. To quote Illusions one more time: “How easy it is to be compassionate when it’s yourself you see in trouble.”
“I think real compassion and the urge to be a help to others is a sure sign that healing has taken place — that availability, that freed up energy, and that sensitivity that allows someone to look beyond her own immediate needs, with faith that one won’t lose, or, if one does give something up in helping, it can be done easily in response to the needs of the moment. ”
for sure — i’ve seen & felt this in action, in myself and in others.
and then, if you’re paying attention and notice that availability/sensitivity/compassion is not there/blocked/feeling tight, you can recognize it for what it is & do whatever you need to do (find your center, recognize where maybe you’ve given up too much of yourself in unhealthy situations, recharge, etc.). and then once realigned & your own well is refilled/re-healed, you can allow that compassionate flow again.
but yes, i think personal trauma is a factor — even if subtle, or very old, or not always recognized as trauma. and it takes practice to recognize the triggers that may put you back there and restrict the flow of compassion, practice to get the hang of “authentic” boundaries versus defensive reactions against perceived trauma.
Yeah, that’s probably the Cancer part of us Sam (esp. since our Cancer Sun squares our Libra Saturn). We can be penny pinchers./be
That is interesting Bkoehler.
I’d like to refine my earlier comment to say that it seems like people in the USA are very wiling to help out physically, like if they suddenly come upon a stranger who has had an accident or needs assistance, I’ve seen people offer first aid or call the ambulance etc. — I know of places in the world where this supposedly often doesn’t happen. But I believe there is a particular issue involving aversion to paying for more than one’s exact share of something, including small items, meals, etc., even between (especially between?) friends and relatives, which is unheard of in other societies. I hope this isn’t getting off track — I think it’s likely relevant.
I think you are right Eric about the U.S. Aquarian Moon being part of it’s DNA. While the Cancerian Sun might overwhelm some of us with what seems its over-nurturing government involvement, the Aquarian Moon doesn’t intrude beyond a certain respectful line of privacy. People offering help to other people; you see it all the time. We are friendly and helpful folk by and large.
Interesting is the actual degree relationship between the U.S. Moon and Sun; a sesquiquadrate, or 3/8ths of a circle or 135 degrees, with an allowance of up to 5 degrees if the Sun or Moon involved, per “The Minor Aspects”, F. Sakoian and L. Acker. They write that this particular aspect, (an approaching sesquiquadrate . .Moon past opposition to Sun and approaching a conjunction) “. .would suggest a need for clear and realistic handling of financial affairs; also, anything relating to collective resources”. Ain’t that a hoot?
be
I think real compassion and the urge to be a help to others is a sure sign that healing has taken place — that availability, that freed up energy, and that sensitivity that allows someone to look beyond her own immediate needs, with faith that one won’t lose, or, if one does give something up in helping, it can be done easily in response to the needs of the moment.
I have noticed an issue with generosity and even something more basic than that in the U.S. in the past. It often seems straight up neurotic to me, involving actions that damage interpersonal relationships in the name of fairness or boundaries — one time I witnessed an exchange between two people. Person A had borrowed a small sum of money (about 7 USD) from Person B. Rather than be content to wait for this money to be paid back in cash, Person B asked for Person A to write her a check for that sum. I think a lot of that comes out of personal trauma, the lack of generosity and compassion as well as the experience of things even more harmful in one’s personal and family life. But I wonder if there is something at work on a collective level as well. If the Sibley chart speaks of the urge to share and to help, I’d be curious if there is something evident in that chart about blockage of that urge. Or if something came later. My guess is that it’s something that happened in the 20th century…
Eric: Thank you. As ambivalent as the attitude toward the Moon may often be, it deserves respect. From the Moon each of us can derive unanticipated strength, profound creativity, and the means to fill a need to the benefit and service of others. The Aquarius Moon is indeed a prime example of how those of its persuasion often work from need to fulfill need in the form of public service. This piece you wrote today is a great teaching. Somehow, the Moon knows and appreciates this piece as much as i do.
Hmm… fortunately, my j.o.b. is 3/4 employment, 1/4 volunteer work. A significant percentage of my Medicare clients are living on the edge (or deeper) of poverty, so I’d have to be made of stone not to help out where I can. I assume that anyone with an Aq Moon is going to find similar situations around their employment scene.
Has anyone else found that formal volunteering is now requiring *registration* fees? The Humane Society (across the street from my home) is asking for $35. to come help groom and exercise the critters. While I can find time, money goes to the humans…or my favorite eco-terrorists, Greenpeace.
Lovey, Eric. X