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Heliocentric Astrology

Heliocentric Astrology say. Much of my job will be to disappoint


your expectations.
by Michael Erlewine
Heliocentrics Lineage Andrew
Astrology: To Know Oneself
McIver
It is important for you to understand that
I was introduced to heliocentrics back in
it is my view that the primary purpose of
the 60s, but not in the way you might
astrology is to learn about yourself -- to
imagine. In the mid-60s, I met an 80-
know yourself. In other words, a
year old man, while I was walking on the
successful astrologer comes to know
campus of the University of Michigan.
him or her self through practicing
This was not your average meeting. In
astrology. What are Techniques?
the midst of the many people
Each generation of astrologers passes surrounding us on that busy campus,
on a body of technique and it is up to like slow motion, we each became
each student of astrology to realize aware of the other. It was as if we were
those techniques or to develop new in a great cathedral and we moved
ones. Without the realization, there is no toward one another as if we were the
astrology being done. And the path of only ones there. Great stalks of light
realization is like a flash fire that leaves seemed to shoot out of his eyes. It was
behind it a residue -- the particular an important event in my life.
technique that remains after the insight
It turned out that this man, whose name
has passed. W. B. Yeats had a poem, a
was Andrew McIver, was a traveling
line of which went something like "The
initiator for a Rosicrucian order. He had
grass cannot but keep the form, where
been born in Scotland and then
the mountain hair has lain." These
resettled in North America. For a
techniques or sacred remains are
number of years, I worked with Andrew
potent. They are the essence of our
McGiver in a close teacher/student
most inner experience and they are
relationship. Although (as you can see) I
what are passed on to the next
like to talk, I seldom spoke in this
generation. When you learn or receive a
relationship. I listened as this very wise
new technique, it is important to revivify
man spoke to me. I would sometimes
or realize it. Otherwise, it remains one
spend 10 or twelve hours with him
more stone around your neck -- a
without ever saying anything myself. He
mindless imitation.
did not require me to respond. I would
Techniques as Empowerment return to my apartment at the end of the
In this short period of time, I will do my day, exhausted from the taking in of
best to present to you a technique that I material.
have accumulated over the last 30 And he would speak to me like I had
years. I would like to make it available to never been spoken too before. He knew
you. And to steal a little from the great what he was doing and he said that he
poet Gertrude Stein, "before this was tuning me like one would tune an
technique will be presented, this instrument. Someday he said, years
technique will be presented," something from now, I would respond to his tuning.
like that. Or, in other words, there is a And one thing that he said over and
difference between your expectations of over again (and this is why I tell this
what I have to say and what I have to story) was "Michael, imagine yourself
Heliocentric Astrology

standing at the center of the Sun." Then something. For example, my geo Mars
he would growl in a way that I could is in Aries, but my helio Mars is in
never imitate and say "that's hot stuff." Aquarius. I found that interesting. My
personal or geo Mars was hot and full of
I, of course, took this in as much by
fire, but my inner or helio Mars was
osmosis as anything else, without much
group oriented -- other things were
understanding what it all meant. He died
accomplished. These kinds of things
in 1969 and I, his only student with him
were what I was thinking.
at the time, saw to his burial and even
designed a gravestone -- a glyph of the Helio is Different
Sun. Although I had been studying In other words, I was extending the
astrology for some years already, it was techniques and the way I used these
not long after his death that I found techniques from the astrology I knew to
myself discovering heliocentric
another area of astrology that I did not
astrology. Without even remembering know -- in this case, heliocentrics. I am
what he had said, I was imagining sure we all do this. It did not, at first,
myself standing at the center of the Sun. occur to me that this area might be
And that is the beginning of my study of different and that, aside from differences
heliocentric astrology. I had the in technique, there were differences in
supreme good fortune to meet this level -- great differences.
teacher and to be able to receive some
small portion of his teachings. The first glimmer of what helio was all
about came when I began to study
Exploring Techniques aspects and aspect patterns from the
Since I was working with programmable heliocentric perspective. I began to
calculators in the early 70s and personal examine what the planets were doing,
computers in the mid-70s, I had been not in relation to Earth (our particular
exploring all of the various techniques perspective), but in relation to each
that the history of astrology had other and to their great shining center,
presented to us. From my point of view the Sun.
at the time, these were all to be treated "We don't Live on the Sun"
in an equal manner. That is, every
technique had its own merit, and all Since I have spoken about helio for
were equivalent ways to look at oneself many years now, I have heard all of the
through astrology. comments from those who have not
studied it. "We don't live on the Sun",
Helio Astrology "We don't live on the Sun, so how could
And that is the way I approached helio helio be important ."This sort of thing.
astrology, just like I had approached Identity is Circulation
secondary progressions or harmonics --
as another technique in a long list of At the time, I was understanding that we
interesting techniques. share in the life of our entire solar
system. We not only live off the light and
I looked at my helio transits and they warmth of the Sun, but we are children
were useful to me. They worked. I of the solar system and its great center,
looked at the difference between the Sun. In other words, that inner life
planetary placements in my geo and we all value is not just an Earth thing,
helio and charts, and learned
Heliocentric Astrology

but a solar system thing and a galactic All this was appropriately mystical. And I
thing. Our identity is linked to the extended my understanding from the
centers we revolve around -- plain and solar system to the local system of stars
simple. We are that. Or, that is our of which our Sun is one member, to our
identity. The great insight for me at that galaxy, to our local supergalaxy, and
time was that identity is circulation. beyond. I examined everything that was
known about the universe at the time
In other words, the process of identifying
and came to understand that it was
for each of us involves the flow of
about the life and death of stars, not
consciousness and the thrill of
unlike our own lives and deaths. I made
identification is the experiencing or
friends with that dark cold "out there" in
connecting of ourselves to a hierarchy,
which I was raised and came to know it
something more than we had imagined -
as the here and the now.
- connectivity. a conduit. Our essence is
not so much an "inner core," but rather a Astrologers I knew were unaware and
relationship and our identity is simple not interested in this material. The
circulation or the dawning of awareness exceptions were my friends Charles
of what is. Jayne and Theodor Landscheidt. Jayne
and I would get together whenever
Space as Dark and Cold/[b]
possible and speculate on such things
So identification is circulation, but a as the structure and the location of the
circulation of what. I had been raised in center of our local system of stars. I
the 1950s and Eisenhower era to ended up spending a couple of years in
appreciate myself (and Man in general) astronomy/physics libraries collating the
as a speck of dust in the cold black void latest deep-space results into a book,
of space. It was sheer chance that we Astrophysical Directions. I located the
were there at all. As I began to identify center of the local system for Jayne
with the energy of the Sun and the solar (somewhere in the middle of Virgo) and
system as a whole, I experienced myself I was the first astrologer to locate and
as a part of that system and my write about our local supergalaxy. I am
consciousness as representative of our connected, by lineage, in all of this to
system. I was a child of the system and Landscheidt. So much for the macro
my intelligence was the intelligence of view.
the system itself looking out. Where
Local Space
before my personal consciousness was
like one tiny candle cupped to keep the On the other end I began working with
cold, dark winds of the surrounding the horizon system. local space.
universe from blowing it out, now, I was What am I saying? My geocentrical
all the consciousness there was looking traditional astrological training and
around at my own creation. I myself was experience gave me nothing to compare
the spaceman that I had waited to arrive with it. Compared to what? My
on earth. I was the intelligent life that I experience with heliocentric and deep
wondered when it would come. I was space on the macro level and with local
looking at myself. This is what I mean by space on the micro level gave me a
"identity is circulation." flexibility and a perspective that I had
We are the Spaceman never known existed. Geocentric
astrology became a subset of helio
Heliocentric Astrology

astrology. Retrograde: Psychologically large planetary patterns that can be


Still Earth Centered seen in helio charts.
Since time is short, I will give you one Our solar system seems to have a life of
solid example of the power of the helio its own -- a life of our own. The ever-
perspective. For centuries, man studied changing aspect patterns are one way
the forward and backward motion of the to get a feel for what the helio
planets in the sky that we have come to coordinate dimension has to offer.
know as direct and retrograde motion -- Coordinate Dimensions -- Alternate
the retrograde phenomenon. Who could Dimensions
explain it? The moment the heliocentric
concept was presented, all of these It is important to understand that the
various meandering motions fell into various astrological coordinate
place and disappeared in the smooth dimensions (geocentric zodiac,
circular motions as seen from the Sun mundane space, helio, local space, and
center. so on) provide alternative views of the
same natal chart or event. We have the
My thesis is that although science has same planets, the same moment in time
known for centuries that the planets and space, but viewed from radically
circle the Sun, the psychological different perspectives. No matter how
correlate of that shift has yet to take valuable a single type of chart (such as
place. In other words, psychologically the standard geocentric) is to your
we are still earth centered and have not practice, the moment you have
identified with the Sun center. As something to compare it to, you enter a
scientists we are heliocentric; as new world.
psychological beings, we have yet to
make that transition of understanding. It Although astrologers have a wealth of
has yet to register. This concept rolls off astrological techniques available to
the tongue with no problem. them, almost all of these are based on
Understanding what this means is what the geocentric framework. Most
this presentation is all about. astrologers have never had the
opportunity to see their natal chart from
Interface: Planetary Nodes any perspective other than the standard
I have worked with many different geocentric viewpoint. We have centuries
heliocentric techniques. I published of tradition based on this perspective.
Interface: Planetary Nodes back in the The moment we introduce an alternate
mid 70s. It dealt with the nodes of all way of looking at the same chart,
planetary orbits to each other, just as we something special happens.
have been concerned with the nodes of We are no longer simply locked into one
the planetary orbits to the eclipic --
conception of things. We have
Earth's orbit. Another technique, Burn something to compare our current
Rate, represented a new way to knowledge to -- another point of view.
consider retrogrades based on the Without a doubt, modern astrology is
relationship between the helio and geo bound to the standard geocentric
positions for planets. But perhaps the astrological viewpoint. There is nothing
easiest way to get a sense of what the wrong with that view, but it is hard to
helio has to offer has to do with the
Heliocentric Astrology

know what you have until you have capable of enhancing our current sense
something else to compare with it. of geocentric astrology or placing it in
relief. I don't want to spend much time
Speaking from personal experience,
here on the astronomical difference
when I began to study and explore my
between the geo and helio perspectives.
helio chart, it changed my astrological
Perhaps a single example will sum up
life. The helio not only offered another
the distinction between the two.
way of considering myself, but it also
placed my previous geocentric Most astrologers have seen the
experience into perspective. In other diagrams showing how geocentric
words, the geo/helio comparison helped retrograde motion works, usually a Z-
me understand what I had been doing shaped curve showing forward and
all these years in the geocentric mode. backward motion of a planet against the
When I had an alternate perspective, I stellar backdrop. The same motion seen
could see what I had all along. Although from a heliocentric perspective offers
each astrological technique provides only straight-ahead endless circular
some means of comparison, the helio planetary motion. In fact, it is almost
system is especially able to place our impossible to figure out what the geo
geocentric experience in stark relief by motion is all about without reverting to
representing a more general and the heliocentric diagram, which makes it
inclusive dimension. all obvious. Of course, the history of
astronomy supports this observation.
We get a quite different perspective on
When the idea of a Sun-centered solar
any life and event. Aside from the value
system occurred, retrograde motion was
of any comparison, helio charts do not
properly understood.
refer to the same level of life mapped by
traditional geocentric techniques. The physical difference between the two
Different centers (Earth center, Sun systems described above has a
center) or different orientations (Local psychological correlate that is every bit
Space, mundane space) provide us with as clear and meaningful, yet most helio
quite different perspectives on any life or students have yet to discover this. Just
event. This idea of centers and as the helio diagram clears up any
orientation is crucial. geocentric confusion we might have
about planetary motion, so the
Like many of you, I got into heliocentrics
heliocentric psychological experience
as a simple extension of geocentric
has the potential of clarifying any
astrology, which was all I knew at the
geocentric obscuration we might be
time. In the beginning I made the
entertaining.
mistake of assuming that helio and geo
referred, for the most part, to identical Helio Perspective -- First Look
levels of life. The single most striking I was amazed when I first became
realization I have had in my astrological aware of the extraordinary perspective
career came with the growing provided by the helio chart. I had been
awareness that the helio chart referred used to intuiting deeper areas of
to my life in a very different way. astrology from the standard geocentric
Because the helio chart and positions natal chart. Suddenly here was a chart
provide a perspective that includes our that brought these deep psychological
more traditional astrology within it, it is archetypes to the foreground. The level
Heliocentric Astrology

of life and experience expressed by the dharma-path may be more meaningful


world's spiritual leaders is conveniently to readers.
mapped for us in the standard natal There are distinct approaches to life --
helio chart. dharmas. Each of us seems to feel
For me this was somewhat of a alone until we identify the particular
revelation. Among other things, it meant dharma or approach to life that fits us --
the end of trying to extract from my geo the one we represent. These great
charts deeper insights and meaning archetypes persist through the centuries
than they, in fact, were meant to convey. and represent great lines or lineages of
Helio motions and meaning can be practitioners. Recognizing our lineage
extracted from the geo chart, but it is as and accepting our particular approach or
"through a glass darkly." I refer you to life path can be of crucial importance to
the simple astronomy example given an individual. Knowing that others share
earlier. It is possible to understand, our general approach to life is very
through examining a geo chart, that the affirming.
retrograde motion of a planet in fact Self-Discovery: Helio as
moves always forward at the inner solar Confirmation/Clarification
system level. Yet it is much more
convenient to refer to the helio chart Not knowing who we are or where we fit
itself for a picture of these true or inner into the fabric of life can be
motions. discouraging. Waiting for someone to
find or recognize us living here in this
By definition, there can be no world is frustrating. Here we are, alive
astrological map of the deepest self, the and living in time and space at the end
very ground of consciousness or of the 20th century. Although we have a
awareness. It is inexpressible. And the sense of who we are, for the most part,
helio chart is not an attempt to map that we pass unknown and unrecognized
inexpressible essence. Neither is it a through life. I can only guess how many
map of the more personal or individuals are waiting in their lives to be
psychological self as shown in the discovered or found. The number must
standard geo natal chart with its houses, be large indeed!
ascendent, Moon, and what-not. The
helio perspective is impersonal in this In my experience, the value of the helio
regard. There are no houses, no Moon, perspective is that it enables individuals
and no ascendent or midheaven to use to recognize themselves, rather than
for timing marks. If the helio chart does persist in seemingly endless waiting for
not map our personal circumstances, someone to discover them. Self-
what does it show? discovery has always been the path
recommended by all those with spiritual
The helio can show the major life path insight, yet self-discovery seems about
or dharma for an individual. Somewhere the last thing we ever get around to. The
between the personal differences that helio chart is a major aid in recognizing
separate us and the one common archetypes -- the lineage or general life-
essence we all share are a series of path to which we belong by birth.
general types or approaches to life. I call
them archetypes, but perhaps words like Self-discovery through the helio chart
life-path, general-approach-to-life, or may not be as elegant as actually
Heliocentric Astrology

finding a real-life teacher who list. Write to Michael Erlewine, 315


recognizes you and introduces you to Marion Avenue, Big Rapids, MI 49307.
your life-path and to those who travel Now, on to another topic.
with you. However, I have found that "As above, so below, but after another
doing a bit of self-discovery on your own manner"
is a lot better than endlessly waiting to
be discovered. The helio chart allowed This familiar occult maxim might be the
me to discover myself in ways that perfect description of what is involved in
traditional astrology had not made understanding the difference in the
available to me. This is why most various astrological coordinate systems.
researchers feel the helio chart is an It is easy to grasp the first part of this
inner or deep picture of our lives and maxim, "as above, so below." Here is
selves. These kinds of life "quest-I-ons" the long accepted idea of "wheels within
are natural to heliocentrics. wheels," of larger systems containing
within them smaller systems. Of course
Through the examination of helio the helio sphere contains within it the
archetypes, you can compare the charts geocentric sphere, the geo sphere
of everyone you know or care about. contains the local space sphere, and so
You can classify individuals into several on.
distinct archetypes. Understanding that
there are different paths and examining Something becomes clear when we
individuals in terms of their dharma path examine the actual structure of the
(archetype) can help eliminate fear and various cosmic systems: not only do
attachment in relation to those you larger systems embrace smaller
encounter -- the power of other persons systems within them, but each larger
over you. system may also have a different
orientation (inclination) or perspective to
Therefore, aside from all of the the preceding one. In other words, aside
interesting geocentric techniques that from the tedious mathematics involved
also work heliocentrically — transits, in coordinate transformations, there is
progressions, and so on — I encourage an accompanying philosophical and
you to make an attempt to empower psychological adjustment to be made, a
yourself in the helio experience. If shift in viewpoint, a change in approach
getting empowered in this sphere were or attitude to the subject.
as simple as saying a few words, they
would have been said a long time ago. Thus there is not only an expansion in
The most I can do here is tell you about perspective when we move to a larger
the existence of this experience and coordinate system, but there can also
encourage those interested to become be a reordering of our sense of direction
aware of the special possibilities of the and perspective. Here is where the
helio dimension. second part of that maxim comes in: "...
but after another manner." This is what
There is not room here to go into all of tends to make it so difficult for an
the material on the heliocentric individual to see beyond his present
archetypes. If I can be of help, we have dimension and get a feel for what is
reprints available of articles I have done perhaps his or her inevitable future.
over the years on the subject. Please Event horizons exist, beyond which (it
feel free to write to me and request a seems) we cannot understand just how
Heliocentric Astrology

our life will go on. Examples of some of center than before, or around the same
the classic event horizons we all may center in a different manner. We have a
cross are puberty, marriage, childbirth, new angle on life.
and, or course, death. We all have some awareness of life's
It is difficult to see beyond our present event horizons. The difference in
sphere into what our future might be like meaning of the various coordinate
in these other dimensions, because we dimensions by astrologers is less well
cannot help but conceive of all future recognized. And yet, most of these
events and landscapes in terms of our differences are graphically revealed
present line (linear stream) of thought. through the study and exercise of the
To pass through these event horizons various astrological coordinate systems.
involves total change on our part. We For instance, what appears in one
cannot watch ourselves change, for we system as isolated and singular entities
are, in fact, what is in transition or (apparently unconnected) can define the
change. We are changing. All of the basic shape of the system itself when
material on rites of passage and viewed from the perspective of another
initiation comes into play here. system. What appears "through a glass
darkly" in one system (for example,
The crossing of life's event horizons
retrograde motion) may be clear as a
involves something more than a simple
bell in another.
expansion of our consciousness. It most
often requires a reorientation and Identification is Circulation
reordering of our experience -- a change A few words about centers. The word
of approach or attitude. The new "center" is the same and yet different for
dimension or sphere we enter turns out each of us. What is central to us, the
(after some adjustment) to reveal our very center around which our life
previous or past life in a new light. This currently appears to revolve, is sacred in
is the idea of the last or latest judgment. its ability to reveal and communicate to
We see our old behavior and opinions us something about our identity.
differently after we have gone through a
transformation -- a new approach to life. Our center always refers inward toward
A married person sees single life what we might call our essence, yet the
differently than before, and the parent means one person uses in referring to
has undergone an initiation that is hard what is central may not even register for
to express to those without children. another. The center or lifeline of one
individual may be a new car at one point
It is very difficult to communicate these in his life, a new wife or husband at
differences to one who has not yet had another, and a child at an even later
that experience. It is not that we have time.
somehow just gotten to be a "bigger"
person -- able to tolerate more. What At any point in life, the center itself is
has changed perhaps most is our inviolate, although the outward form of
inclination or perspective. We do not how we access the center may be
want the same things we did want, or constantly changing. The different kinds
we want them after a different manner. of center and orientation may be
We no longer feel the way we used to. conveniently expressed in the various
Our life now revolves around a different coordinate systems of astrology: geo,
Heliocentric Astrology

helio, local space, mundane space, and What is essential as a singular kernel of
so on. The origin or center chosen for a truth to one person may appear to
particular kind of astrological work another as but one example among
should most correspond to the center of many of a larger ordering or structure.
gravity, the "kind" of question or inquiry When we refer to the center around
or level under consideration. which we revolve, we share in the idea
of centers; yet different ones among us
Thus, for a study of the incidents,
revolve around or consider differently
accidents, circumstances, and specific
what is central or essential.
terms of our lives, astrologers have
always used the horizon coordinate The astrological maps of these different
system to the zodiac with its familiar regions, each with their particular center
MC, ascendant, houses etc. An even and orientation, are glimpses or
more exact form of this perspective snapshots of the larger picture that is
appears in the horizon system -- local our continuous lifetime -- a continuing
space astrology. experience or identification. In other
words, all of these larger systems (such
Studies of the general terms of mankind,
as the horizon, geo system and helio
psychological (the zodiac) or
solar system) include us within their
political/mundane astrology (right
reach like a mother holds a child within
ascension and declination), involve
her womb. We are the children and
consideration from the center of the
particular representatives of the Earth,
Earth (geocentric astrology). The Earth
but also of the solar system, the Galaxy,
is the center here.
and beyond. Their natures, identities,
For a study of the motion and relation of and selves are identical with our own. In
the bodies of our solar system fact, we have come from this so-called
considered as a functioning whole, the outer space through all time to be here
heliocentric zodiac system with the now: ourselves. We have always been
origin at the Sun center is appropriate. in outer space.
In the helio coordinate system, we
Our consciousness continually
examine the archetypes of life and
circulates from more particular
consciousness and, in general,
awareness to more cosmic awareness
questions traditionally referred to
and back around again. Seldom do we
spirituality or religion, perhaps now more
put it all together in conscious
recently also considered by some as
identification or awareness. The
depth psychology.
exercise of the various astrological
In fact, our life has many different levels, coordinate systems, like exercising our
and our consciousness circulates from muscles, can serve to remind us that all
more particular to more general reference to centers, all referral
dimensions and back around again. indicates an attempt to achieve simple
Aside from our mundane focus, there circulation (circle) or identity -- to
are moments and even days for each of remember or remind ourselves of who
us when our awareness may glimpse we already are and have always been.
cosmic dimensions. There are different We re-member or connect all the pieces
levels of truth or reality. of our life together. Our consciousness
connects and runs through them all and
we achieve identification -- identity.
Heliocentric Astrology

In other words, all discovery or


identification is self-discovery, and
identification is simple circulation. The
goal of our study and our inquiry into
astrology is to re-present and reveal the
nature of ourselves and our intimate
circulation, connections, and identities in
the heart of the Earth, heart of the Sun,
heart of the Galaxy, heart of the
Supergalaxy.
All identification is simple circulation, a
continuing or circle, and all inquiry,
questioning, and search can but end in
the discovery of the self, whether writ
small in the corners of our personal
struggle or writ large across the very
heavens. Again, all discovery, all
identification, is but re-discovery and
simple circulation. The fact that the
heliocentric and other alternate
perspective charts are now coming into
regular use represents a great step
forward. Instead of having but a single
snapshot of ourselves, we have multiple
shots of the stream of our lives to
compare to one another. Out of all these
views emerges a better image and
sense of who we are at all levels.
Michael@Erlewine.net

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