---In [email protected], <s3raphita@...> wrote :
Another area in which I think astrology could be useful is this . . . It's a commonplace amongst psychotherapists that the Unconscious is more powerful (Freudians) and wiser (Jungians) than the surface ego. Is that true? I have no idea, but let's assume it is true. The question then becomes how do we communicate with our unconscious. The tricky issue is that words/language are how the surface self communicates with both itself in inner dialogue and with others; the deeper self uses imagery. So how do we interpret the images arising from the unconscious. We could go to an "expert" - an analyst say. But it's always struck me that these occult types who immerse themselves in kabbalistic correspondences; and Tarot attributions, and astrology are really training themselves to say to their deeper selves: "in dreams [or whatever technique they utilise] please get into the habit of using this imagery that I can relate to and make sense of." Once again, the truth or falsity of astrology is irrelevant; astrology just helps provide an "arbitrary vocabulary" (any more arbitrary than French or German?) for the unconscious to use. If that is an aid to self-understanding doesn't that justify the use of astrology? In this admittedly limited application there's nothing irrational or illogical about it. I guess it might work - assuming the unconscious is as useful as claimed, I don't think anybody really supports the idea of the unconscious in those basically Freudian terms - but the trouble with the model would be that we don't listen to the unconscious mind of the subject when doing astrology we listen to an unrelated picture that is either accurately interpreted by luck or, most likely, leading you astray or being so vague we can all project our own lives onto it post hoc. So it isn't much of a guide. But I've always said that astrology is people thinking about people, Feste had a stroke of luck in meeting someone sensitive who could read him well enough to make him think it was something to do with an existential agency like planetary movements. Maybe this is the best example we'll have of your idea? I'm as convinced as I can be that it wouldn't have worked if he wasn't present with the "seer". Maybe via an email exchange but not as good, we see things in each other and if astrology is the medium by which it works then fine - as long as the practitioner listens to their intuition rather than measuring where Jupiter is compared to Venus!
