Astrological Alchemy and the Influences of the Elements

I am thinking, this morning, about how circumstances shape us. Specifically, the types of internal and external pressures, temperatures, textures and forces we are exposed to which have an undeniable sculpting effect. No matter how strong the individual willpower may be, the constant and repeated influence of environment on the human psyche is a force much stronger. That is not to say that the occasional enlightened individual cannot become somewhat immune to the pressures of their environment over time, but for the majority of people what we surround ourselves with becomes the hands that sculpt us.

I mean this not only environmentally—a subject I have discussed at length in the past, and plan to continue in the future—but also the independent textures and pressures of circumstance. Many people who have had rough lives, for example, can be quite soft. They have allowed the sharpness of grief to tenderize them. Sometimes the loss is too much, the roughness too coarse—eliciting too much resistance—and the individual becomes tough and hard to combat the unrelenting pressures of life.

Sometimes when a person has encountered too much softness and comfort without much challenge they are not activated. The internal fire is not inspired to spark, and so they remain somewhat unformed—unable to harness the internal structure and discipline necessary to fully become who they are.

Some people come from very dark places and manage to become bright as a result of forming themselves in contrast. Others will not be able to slough off that heavy cloak and remain darkened until death. From an astrological perspective this is largely a result of the quality and quantity of karma an individual is carrying into this life. It cannot objectively and ultimately be said that it is a tragedy to remain in darkness. That type of statement is still coming from a place of attachment (to light) and aversion (to dark). To carry a heavy burden into life and battle it without ‘victory’ can still be considered the “working-out” of karma. The struggle itself is a process of digestion. Something was achieved in that loss.

It is a gigantic leap, to step down from the sharp ledges of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ that are so unconsciously ingrained in the anatomy of the human psyche and push the attention toward the nuanced qualities of experience. Living in a world made only in the black and white of light and dark is actually blinding. Anyone who has ever come out of a shaded place into bright light knows this through direct experience. The vision can become much more nuanced and interesting in the middle ground of grey tones. This is a place from which we can leave off the questions of success and failure and instead consider the unique creature we’ve become as a result of the qualities of experience we’ve been shaped by.

Astrologically, there are rough patches. A Rahu dasha, for example, can be a rough ride. It will apply a specific pressure to someone’s life. And there are softer periods of life where we are allowed to melt a little bit and maybe even reform into another shape. There are fast periods of life where we may feel like we’re being pulled into a pace we can’t quite keep up with, and this has a specific effect, too. How you are in these circumstances is determined largely by your elemental predisposition (based on the birth chart). It’s all an alchemy between your constitution and its container(s).

This whole alchemy of experience is the container we’re constantly immersed in, not always seeing the phases of our evolution clearly or understanding why things feel the way we do and/or why we’re changing in ways we may or may not like. Seeing oneself as a creature in the midst of a grand and delicate transmutation can be helpful in beginning to develop a relationship with the forces that are working on us. Then a conversation can be had, and a choice can be made.

Astrology can be helpful in this regard, allowing us to be very specific regarding qualities of influences and how to engage them. If you’re interested in guidance here, check out my consultations.