PHOLUS ORBIT SYMBOLISMThis gives them characteristics that they will share in terms of how they act. Then we can go on comparing orbit groupings, exactly as it is done by astronomers with asteroid "families" of orbits. We could learn a great deal about asteroids in general if we pay more attention to their groupings and classifications, instead of dealing with them simply as if they were "planets". They are not. Their role is different. Centaurs with very high eccentricity (Nessus, Pholus, 8405, and SN55) are to me "neptunian projectiles", making the Neptune process more poignant and conclusive, unlike Neptune. This is what Pluto does, but Pluto seems to be too "final", whereas these centaurs, these "comets", come to visit us and seem to incarnate the transcendental "true and holy" of Neptune and Pluto, making it human and daily, defining what it is being human, fragile and trembling, always striving for more integration as persons without ever achieving it completely. The Neptune/Pluto integration is in essence group/collective or non-human, or super-human (or subhuman). These cometary centaurs seem to be bringing all those dimensions to our daily lives, such as, for example, inter-species communication and animal therapy. When an object is closest to the Sun, it is also moving faster, and when farthest it is at its slowest speed. In the case of the Centaurs, the differences between one and the other are very dramatic. They are among the largest differences that can be found in any astrological object. The following illustrates the difference between aphelion and perihelion speed: Pluto = 2.1
This extremes are part of what gives them astrological meaning. They are very large comets, and therefore behave differently from the other, more regular planets, with the exception of Pluto. They are like Pluto, but more eccentric, closer to us and faster. There are many other "cruisers" closer to the earth, but Centaurs are probably more dramatic because of their slow motion, plutonian qualities. Following this, then Nessus, Pholus and 1995GO stand apart from the others by the amount of range they cross (Nessus 25.6 AU, Pholus 23.2 AU, 1995GO 22.3 AU) and by the extreme changes in speed between perihelion and aphelion (1995GO 8.8, Pholus 6.9, Nessus 5.6). Maybe these extremes, related to the orbits' eccentricity, is not exactly "violence" --since all of them seem to be violent in some way-- but to a critical "crossing" symbolism, making them more "savage", more "abyssal" than the others. Thus, I feel Pholus is related to light and dizziness, Nessus to death and darkness, 1995GO(=8405) to sacrifice and "descent to the deep", etc. As more centaurs are found, this particular "type" of centaur stands aside from the others, no matter their size or brightness. The others are rounder when compared with them, not only because they are less eccentric, but because all the others connect only 2 orbits, "rounding up" the 2 planets involved. These 3, don't seem to round anything and leave everything open, like a charging army or a blow of lightning. Orbital dynamics definitely conveys more information in the case of Centaurs. They are part of a category, the orbit crossers, which makes them different, and this difference, this dynamical momemtum, this pronounced acceleration and des-acceleration, approaching and going away, barrier-crosser and chaotic type of motion should be visualized in contrast with the more tightly bound motion of the large planets. It is a question of qualitative, dynamic differences that
allow us to understand them better without having to depend too much on
mythology. Instead of using mythology, one can use astro-dynamics to establish
a mental mold, a form of action, a vase to which little by little the observations
begin to give significant experiential contents.
PHOLUS AND E-MAIL The image of Pholus (and most centaurs as well) crossing barriers, i.e., the orbits of the outer planets, accelerating as it approaches perihelion --when it visits the earth-- moving up to seven times faster than at aphelion, evokes many things, like crossing geographical and political frontiers, shortening of distances, also exodus and loosening of national and cultural identity, usurpation, etc. Among the things that it evokes, is electronic mail through the Internet. Personal communication through Internet is a centaurean maverick, but it also puts in evidence the fragility and unstable nature of Pholus and the centaurs. A relationship is established without psysical contact while at the same time becoming very intense through the swiftness and sometimes nakedness of the communication. This type of contact is Pholusian: like the touching and the communion between two different worlds, two different cultures that are seeding each other. And this is why it is also very dangerous and vulnerable. This touching or communion is a creative aspect of Pholus and centaur activity, like Dian Fossey touching hands with "Peanuts" in "Gorillas in the Mist". This is a good image of the vulnerability and danger involved. But the danger is for both parties. Seeing it in the negative, it can become an invasion, an usurpation of space, an intrusion of privacy, like the aliens coming at night without knocking at the door, or like computer hacking, or like sexual abuse... E-mail and the World-Wide Web have set in motion a cultural revolution in our noses that many of us don't see. When we examine the www historical hallmarks, we see them corresponding to the dicovery of the new centaurs and their reaching perihelion. Here is some data I found: Number of WWW sites: 06/93
130
1995: Operation Home Front connects, for the first time,
soldiers in the field with their families back home via the Internet.
In the conference of world-leaders mentioned above, January 17, 1996, one finds: Sun = 26 Cap
The images these things bring to my mind fit very well
to what I perceive is the collective meaning of the Centaurs: reaching
out, coming in. Like radio broadcasting, and later "live" tv, e-mail and
the Web being the next step. It also has to do with external agents getting
into one's own home, and the invasion of privacy so obvious with tv: being
bombarded, "radiated" with information and subliminal propaganda from inside
your home, tv becoming a dictator and a substitution of reality. This is
the Web: the ultimate "virtual" living, substituting "real" life.
NOTES ON RADIO AND TELEPHONE The interactivity possible in the Web is also what differentiated radio and television from the beginning. This interactive communication medium is the centaur elongated orbit, pushing and pulling, approaching and receding, coming and going, like short-wave radio, and belongs to the same archetype as the touching of hands of "Gorillas in the Mist". It has to do with the covering of big distances, the breaking of barriers, the "encounter" between different worlds, etc. From the history of Radio: June, 1896: Marconi filed his first patent in England
and "during that and the following year gave a series of succesful demonstrations..."
(Britannica) which attracted considerable publicity (Chiron in Perihelion)
Guglielmo Marconi was born April 25, 1874, at 8:30 GMT (Louis Rodden ABC). His Moon is in 25,58 Leo, conjunct QM107 in 25,48 Leo. This is the same centaur that we saw focal in the interactive Web conference mentioned by historians of the Internet. Also illuminating in his chart is that Chiron and Mercury rise exactly at the same time, with a difference of only 0.4 minutes. He was born with Chiron in Aries, at Aphelion. When Chiron reached Perihelion, he was filing his patent. We are all used now to the telephone. Bu it is an amazing thing. The credited inventor is Alexander Graham Bell, who was granted the patent March 7, 1876, when he was 29. That day (at 18h GMT), Mercury was in 20,13 Aquarius, applying to the conjunction with Pholus in 21,23 Aquarius. His own birthchart is also interesting: Sun = 12,07 Pisces
Moon = 24,47 Virgo
The Sun is applying in close sextile to the two centaurs in exact conjunction. The symbolism usually associated with the sextile fits very well to what the telephone is: the two parties or planets in mutual cooperation, "assisting" each other in friendship. Much more eloquent, however, are the Moon and Mercury exact aspects with CU26, forming and axis with DW2 in the focus of a T-cross. They speak for themselves... Another interesting piece of evidence comes from the birth chart of the founder of modern science-fiction: Jules Verne. He was born February 8, 1828, at 12:06 GMT. His biographers note the importance it had for him the first time he used a telephone. This happened in 1894, when his progressed Sun was in conjunction with natal Pholus. The telephone is "pholusian", completely interactive from the start, and very intimate. It is going to the distance, travelling through space, penetrating the other's intimacy, breaking the barriers, etc. And it is one of the most spiritual communication media: the body is all dissolved, there is nothing physical, but the "voice", like mouth to mouth, ear to ear, without the obstacle of the body or of the physical. Maybe the whole concept of "a kiss", mouth to mouth I mean,
is pholusian. Kissing is the ultimate touching and communion of two worlds
or universes. It is also impregnative, and like Pholus, it is very fleeting
but may take you out of time.
Juan Antonio Revilla
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