Hi, Eric.
I supervise the mental health clinic at an east coast university’s college of health sciences, and I’ve been noticing an interesting but distressing phenomenon: a marked increase in what would classically be described as psychotic thought process in patients who have been previously fairly well contained.
The more interesting thing is that the content of their “psychotic” associations is all very similar: being very bothered by “radio waves” and unable to tune out the “chatter” of the Universe and their own inner dialogues – one called it “an increase in my ‘John the Baptist’ thing” and a dramatic increase in his Reiki healing powers.
So my question is what’s up in the Universe that could be driving this — I worry about these vulnerable folks.
Thanks for your insight.
— Jeanette
Dear Jeanette,
What comes to mind initially is Saturn opposite Uranus. This aspect has been active since late 2008 and is now in its fourth out of five peaks before it starts to wane away in mid-summer. Several phrases you use describe this: such as that which was previously stable starting to unravel; the references to electrical energy and radio signals; the sense of suddenness, which is always an element of Uranus transits.
This is classic astrology for a spiritual emergency, so I’m happy you have the word “psychotic” in quotes. What else comes to mind is Chiron changing signs from Aquarius to Pisces. This is a good image of edgy. Astrology tends to have influence to the extent that an event is rare or at least unusual, and this event qualifies. The Aquarius-Pisces line is highly sensitive. It’s where a key dimension of mental awareness morphs into a dimension of intuitive awareness.
Aquarius is a stable and structured energy, and that early shade of Pisces is easily a place where that feeling of stasis could unravel. The lack of grounding is visible in the late-degree, and the intensity and boundary-crossing quality (such as an incursion on the rational mind) is a function of Chiron.
The 2012 configuration part one, which peaks in 2011, is a high-stress setup, with Uranus and Pluto both acting on Saturn, and Chirion in a long sign-change process. So we do indeed need to keep an eye on the vulnerable, as well as on those who, in theory, have it easier. Humans, as adaptable as we are, are not all that good at change.
I am curious to see what other comments our readers have. Thank you for writing.
— efc
@Liz/Huffy:
Thanks for your kind words. A good number of them have already attached themselves to me: one boy in particular often needs hugs. He may not have much attention span or interest in learning, but those hugs mean so much for him. A sweet kid who needs so much help.
As do they all.
Good luck with it Brendan! Sounds really tough – but even, if the students give you hell at times, ultimately they pick up on the fact that you really care about them, and they respect you for it (but they’ll never let on that they do!).
Liz x
I read an article in Seattle Times yesterday that seems related to these changes. It is an interview with Neuroscientist Gary Small, who studies the neurological effects of current technologies on the brain. As someone aptly points out in the comments, his findings closely echo Marshall McLuhan’s exploration of television on brain function.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011608655_ibrain15m.html
I guess I’ve been grounding this stuff into my practices. Saturn~Uranus are square my lunar nodes and the nodes are about to return to my natal node position for the first time since I graduated from high school only now I’m about to graduate from college. I was introduced to Taosim, Witchcraft, and Western Magick then, now I’m moving into participating with a non-profit community of body workers, movement therapists and energy healers. My contribution as it looks from here is teaching with my friend Adam internal Chinese martial arts, and the western practices of life drawing and astrology.
I’m feeling the tension of the opposition and also my mind has been able to escape the simplistic notion that Saturn represents the Man and Uranus represents La Resistance. To me this opposition signals a need to recognize the need to flow with the changes and also pay heed to the limitations of life in a biosphere. Playing one side or the other of the opposition only leads to unnecessary suffering and could lead to another civil war in USA if too many people play the half-brain projection game.
I’m glad for Saturn’s influence personally. With my galactic north node so vividly stimulated it’s good to have level headed reminders that I’m not in my 20’s anymore and there’s limits to what my body can withstand. It seems to me that taiji chuan and bagua zhang both involve the essence of SaturnVirgo~UranusPisces in that the practices cultivate awareness of “stand like a nail, move like the wind,” stability in motion, and learning to sense the internal motion of blood and Qi with emotional mind in stillness. If I had no practices I suppose I would be more likely to identify with the Luciferian artist vibe of Uranus while shivering in fear of the Man, the authoritarian Jehovadaddy. As it is I’m learning how to engage the Man’s structures to help build a new world within the shell of the crumbling empire. Uranus in Pisces all on his own is great if all you want to do is watch TV.
Hi all,
It is so amazing to hear ‘my’ problems are not mine alone. I am long term substitute teaching a classroom of 4th grade students, 22 of them, and it has become nearly insane at times. Their original teacher left just weeks ago, ditching the class eleven weeks before the end of the school year. It’s a long story behind her departure and from my viewpoint a very unfortunate one for the kids. She had basically stopped teaching months before, and the results are a mix of “Lord of the Flies” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Many of them had rough lives before this happened, and they’ve become unglued in so many ways since. Aquarius Sun with Leo Rising here, so I have to be the glue they need. None of them have ever had a male teacher before, so it is a new experience all around. Throw in the mandatory state testing this week and next, and it is all unraveling fast.
Like others have said already, I’m utterly exhausted at the end of the day. It isn’t easy being a father to so many children. Someone has to be there for them.
Peace to all, and a special thank you to Len and Eric and everyone for helping to understand myself and them better.
..here’s some insight, Use it well.,.. Grateful Dead insight.. enter at your own risk.
“Comes a time, when the blind man takes your hand and says don’t you see. Gotta make it somehow. All the dreams, you still believe, don’t give it up. You’ve got an empty cup, only Love can fill…”
Love
J
..The white noise is big these days. There’s too much clutter in the mental-sphere. This is almost a good thing, in the fact that it’s pushing brains to the limit. It’s also, “pushing brains to the limit”. Ouch. Whatever’s going down is heavy. Way heavy.
The neurotic screwballs in the audience feel it finely. (as in yeah, it’s palpable.)
With the correct vent, all things pass. Even psychosis. (Psychosis to me, is a disproportionate lack of control..?)
..I know it well enough..
Love
Jere
Jeanette,
it’s so reassuring to know that there are people like you out there, supervising mental health clinics, and good for you for writing to Eric.
As a teacher of large classes of young adults, I’ve noticed an edgy wrestlessness/sleepiness in many of my students these days – and sometimes they’re virtually unteachable.
Thanks Eric , as ever.
Liz x
mystes —
thanks for classifying the fixed-sign meltdown as a breakthrough! makes me feel a smidge better… or at least hopeful that it won’t all have been idle teeth-gnashing and circle-running when all is said and done.
um, when exactly will it all be said and done?
🙂
and jeanette — thanks for letting eric post your letter. it’s very insightful to hear what you’re experiencing and then get an astrological interpretation.
— amanda
Influenced yes, though I suggest not describing the planets as externals, as best you can avoid it, but rather as markers of cycles; of moments of change and transition to which they are especially sensitive due to being open. They are part of something with awareness and it’s part of them (as are all of us), so you would be working with a unifying principle.
Thanks, Eric, for your rapid and spot-on insight here. Yes, it feels like exactly that which you are describing with these individuals — they have an intuitive awareness that what they are experiencing is extremely compelling, and not really of their volition, in the way that perhaps previous, more “ordinary” “crazy” stuff was.
They are much more uncomfortable with it, which you never really see in a florid biochemically driven psychosis. I will do my best to reassure them that they are being influenced in some compelling ways by planetary alignments, and I hope I can offer them some reassurance that these effects will be passing — will I be telling them the truth?
I am happy to post this on the blog if you think it’s helpful. Thank you a whole heck of a lot, my friend! You would love my practice now – it’s quite astropsychological!
My best,
Jeanette
“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you different.” – Kurt Vonnegut
Wasn’t his Chiron in Pisces?
Hey Mysti i’m a fixed sign (Aquarius Sun, Scorpio Moon) but then again i’ve been appalling for so long it’s hard for me to tell the difference.
Dear Len, you wrote:
“Jeanette – Thank you for your timely, important and very pertinent question.
Eric – yes, what you said ia spot on.”
Hear-hear!
And you too, Len. The bit about Neptune/Chiron is really resounding.
What I see going on among the fixed signs in my family/friends right now is … well, I don’t think the word ‘appalling’ is inappropriate. Most ‘breakthroughs’ are being experienced as meltdowns. It seems those of us who have strong mutable placements are riding it out, throwing out the lifelines as we can.
But man, I *am* exhausted.
(Off to teach Tantra 101 tonight. Wish me one more wave of energy.
Kissies,
M
It would be helpful to know the time frame when Jeanette’s patients started having trouble tuning out the background chatter. Did this phenomenon emerge yesterday? A week ago? A month ago? In the past six months? A clearer time frame might help us discern the specific astrological influences at work. In general though, I agree that Uranus is a likely culprit.
Jeanette – Thank you for your timely, important and very pertinent question.
Eric – yes, what you said ia spot on.
Please allow me to offer two additional observations:
(1) It would seem that the brain’s primary function is inhibitory. It filters out a vast amount of data and what we are conscious of is only a small part of the data coming in. Survival, of course is an imperative, so a properly functioning brain will keep us aware of anything that is potentially life-threatening. After that, it’s what we choose or have been conditioned or trained to focus on.
(2) Neptune deserves to have mention. It is in the same neighborhood as Chiron and has been for some time. Indeed, the Neptune-Chiron conjunction will remain functional even during Chiron’s short stay in Pisces. Examine the contents of your dreams lately and see how that compares to the spiritual emergency experiences described.