Four Moons Astrology- Donna Woodwell, Austin, Texas

This is the eighth in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, June 14, 2008.

This week Pluto retrogrades back into Sagittarius until November, so it’s time to wrap up our Green Astrology series.

Over the past few months, we’ve looked at the green movement through the lens of astrology. We’ve also looked at a few strategies for creating a greener lifestyle — the three R’s of ecology “Reduce-reuse-recycle,” lunar gardening, green travel, using new media technologies and building intentional communities.

But, it’s impossible to talk about living green without eventually getting around to a fundamental issue: Consumption.  Our modern society is unsustainable over the long term because we consume more than the natural environment can sustain.  Without addressing that issue, there can be no true Green Revolution.

It hasn’t always been that way.  Throughout most of human history, the production of goods – food, clothing, transportation and other items used in daily life – was the task of householders and artisans.  Economies were built on the trade of locally produced hand-crafted items made of natural materials.

Then, at the dawn of the 20th century, technological advances enabled industrial capitalists to invest heavily in new factories that could produce commodities on a mass scale.  But mass production can’t exist without its partner phenomenon: mass consumption.  So, by the 1920s the advertising industry was created to make sure we wanted to buy the products produced by those factories.

Almost a century later, the effort to turn us into consumers continues unabated. We are told hundreds of times a day that we are flawed beings, that there is something wrong with us.  Advertisements on television, newspapers, the internet, and billboards all say we’d be happier, sexier, smarter, trendier, more loved, if we just buy the latest gizmo on the market.  The messages are as pervasive as the chemicals in our food, water and air, and just as impossible to escape from completely.

Where, you ask, does astrology fit into all of this?

Like many of you, I’ve met clients who came to their first reading with trepidation.  Their fear?  That an astrologer will cast a birthchart and prove that there really is something cosmically wrong with them.

I play soothing music and feed my clients cookies and herbal tea, but it’s not until we start to look at their chart and they hear these words that they start to relax: “This is your birthchart. It’s just a reflection of who you are. You are a unique being, with unique talents and challenges. That’s normal. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

And this is what makes astrology truly radical.  To quote Master Yoda: “Luminous beings are we.”  We don’t need to buy stuff to fill the void, we only have to recognize who we truly are.

This awareness is a gift astrology may give the world, one that is desperately needed in our time of environmental crisis.  No “Green” strategies and survival techniques will be sufficient to meet the coming challenges if they are not accompanied by a change in our consumption habits and the way we relate to the material world.

An astrological vision is also an ecological vision.  We can all practice Green Astrology!

This is the seventh in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, May 31, 2008.

It’s Mercury Retrograde time again!

As Mercury dances backwards through the sign of Gemini, I find myself staring at piles of computer cords, memory sticks and software disks on my desk. My old laptop computer gave up the ghost six weeks ago. I’ve been reinstalling software and copying my backup files onto my new machine since it arrived.

The rapid pace of technological change can be daunting; every week it seems like there’s something new to learn. But technology understood and used well can make our lives so much easier, and greener!

Reduce Paper, Save Trees

Taking advantage of new technologies is also a great way to reduce paperwork and other clutter. Many banks, utilities and other businesses offer paperless solutions; contact companies individually to find out your options.

Recycle Ewaste

Finding ways to recycle old electronic equipment can be fun! My three-year-old daughter loves playing with her parents’ hand-me-down gadgets – she has a briefcase full of old cell phones and PDAs (she’s got Mercury in her first house). She’s also happily made mobiles out of old CDs, and sculptures out of cassette tapes.

If the equipment is still in usable condition, local charities like Goodwill accept donations of used computer equipment, which may be refurbished and resold.

For unusable items, in order to keep equipment out of local landfills, many cities have a municipal e-waste recycling program. Computer manufacturers such as Dell also have recycling programs, and many large retailers are beginning to accept things like used cell phones.  If you can’t find a local ewaste recycler, GreenDisk is a company in Washington state that accepts a range of recyclables.

Rejuvenate Communications

New media technologies are a wonderful asset for astrologers when communicating with friends and clients. Inspired by the technology workshop at the recent UAC conference, I began investigating what’s available.

I set up my own page on the social networking site MySpace, and moved this blog to Wordpress.  Voice-over-IP providers like Skype allow you to chat with or call others with the service for free.

Have fun exploring!

This is the sixth in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, May 3, 2008.

With UAC, the world’s largest astrology conference, just a few weeks away, I’m already thinking about packing (this week in Denver it’s 75°F/45°F, or 23°C/7°C) and finalizing other travel arrangements.  But just because we’re going to be away from home, doesn’t mean we still can’t be green!

Wherever we travel, our impact on the environment is often called our “carbon footprint.”  The current scientific consensus is that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are a major cause of global warming.   In our modern consumer society, almost all of the goods we buy and services we use produce some amount of greenhouse gases.  Our “carbon footprint” is a measure for the greenhouse emissions produced by these lifestyle choices, expressed in cubic metric tons of carbon dioxide.

As we struggle with our response to global warning, our economy is also seeking ways to adapt. Recent arrivals on the market include “carbon offsets,” which are programs designed to cancel out the harmful effects of our carbon footprint.  Examples include reforestation programs and green energy development projects.

To some, carbon offsets may sound like a tax on, well, living, right?  But as Pluto moves further into Capricorn, we expect to see a spotlight on the “hidden” costs of producing goods and services. Economists call these costs “externalities,” or something that imposes a cost on someone other than the manufacturer.  But cleaning up pollution is a cost that has to be paid by someone, so businesses, governments and economies are struggling to find ways to pay for it.  The voluntary purchase of carbon offsets is one way for the individual consumer to contribute.

Green skies

For most people, an airplane flight is the single biggest contributor to their annual carbon footprint.  A round-trip flight from New York City to Denver is responsible for approximately 1.22 metric tons of CO2.  But because planes emit a brew of toxic greenhouse gases high in the atmosphere, they are much more harmful to the environment than a comparable level of emissions at ground level.

There are numerous companies offering carbon offsets for airline travel; some are reputable and others are not, so do your homework when choosing an offset provider.  One of the largest for-profit carbon offset companies in the U.S. is Terra Pass, which has arrangements with several internet travel companies to provide offsets when booking travel.  There are also several non-for-profit organizations (which means the price of your offset may be tax deductible); two internationally reputable alternatives include the US-based Sustainable Travel International and European-based Atmosfair.

The price for offsetting our hypothetical round-trip flight from NYC to Denver ranges from $10-$40.  So, for the price of a few cups of coffee or a souvenir, you can help the Earth *not* remember your trip.

Other ways to travel green

There are many other ways to “green” your travel. Many common-sense approaches that work when you’re at home work equally well when you’re on the go. Here are a few ideas:

• Reduce paper waste while traveling. Use e-ticketing systems when flying or paperless checkout at hotels.
• Walk to your destination — it’s good exercise after sitting in lectures all day.  Or, if the altitude in the mile-high city is too much, share transportation with a friend.
• Pack traveling snacks in reusable containers, or carry a travel mug for drinks.
• Ask the hotel not to change the sheets and towels every night if not necessary. Hang towels up neatly and leave a note for the housekeeping staff not to change them. (The UAC hotel, the Sheraton Denver Hotel, has a green housekeeping program, just fill out the card left in your room).
• Pack your own toiletries instead of using those provided by the hotel.
• Practice the same energy saving guidelines you would at home. Take shorter showers and turn off electrical devices when not in your hotel room
• Bring along reusable cloth bags when shopping (or use your UAC tote!)

I look forward to seeing you in Denver!

This is the fifth in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, April 5, 2008.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting around a campfire stargazing with a group of astrologers at our first-annual Texas Astrologers Retreat. The conversation meandered into politics, but despite a colorful diversity of red-and-blue opinions, the group’s camaraderie and good-humor endured.

Since then, I’ve found myself pondering one of my favorite subjects: what does it take to transform a group of individuals into a community? What creates a bond between people that is more than the sum of its parts?

According to Wikipedia, the word “community” comes from the Latin root communis, a combination of the prefix con- (which means “together”) and the munis (which has to do with performing services). Social scientists have suggested the ingredients of community include: a sense of membership or inclusion, personal investments of time and energy in the group, the shared experience of events, fulfillment of group members’ needs, and emotional bonding. For astrologers, the sign most often associated with community is Aquarius.

Quixotic Aquarius has been linked to both “listening to the beat of one’s own drum,” as well as friends, social groups, networks and humanitarian causes. It is a sign that explores the tension between independent thinking and the need to identify with something larger than oneself.

It’s a paradox the American colonists struggled with the last time Pluto ventured through Capricorn from 1762 to 1777.  Spread in small semi-autonomous settlements across hundreds of miles before the age of mass transit and communication, colonists were naturally independent and self-reliant.  However, as the years went by and British rule rested more heavily on the minds (and wallets) of the colonists, many began yearning for a new kind of independence.

In 1754 Benjamin Franklin used the image of a snake cut into pieces to represent the colonies’ need to pull together for a common purpose: the overthrow of British power. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately,” Franklin is reported to have said at the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Franklin’s snake reappeared, united and powerful, on Revolutionary War banners, with the motto “Don’t Tread on Me.” As a symbol, the flag reflected not only the colonists’ independent nature, but also their realization that a people united in common purpose are far stronger than a people divided.

Here we are again, with Pluto at Capricorn’s doorstep. This time our crises are global – A UN report cites poverty, infectious disease, climate change, war, genocide and crime as just some of the challenges we face in the 21st century.  The sense of looming catastrophe breeds fear and uncertainty, and activates the human instinct for survival. How-to guides for surviving social and economic collapse are available on survivalist sites across the internet.

But, at the same time, counterpoint ideology is emerging, one that focuses on the need to form “intentional communities” for mutual aid and assistance. In an article “Why the Survivalists Have Got it Wrong,” transition culture advocate Rob Hopkins writes:

This is “our personal and collective call to power. This is the time when we truly find out what we can do when we collectively apply our genius and brilliance. … The irony is that these survivalists who have the insight into the urgency of [our circumstances] who decide, in response, to head for the hills, are, ironically, most needed in the places where the rest of the people are, sharing their skills and their insights.” Transition culture “is a process of reweaving the connections whose disintegration is partly responsible for the mess we are in now, of rediscovering our neighbors and our surroundings, rebuilding relationships between individuals and groups.”

In a time of global crisis, the challenges are too big for isolated individuals to solve. Hopkins’ words are the diachronous expression of Franklin: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Not surprisingly, the chart for Pluto’s 2008 ingress into Capricorn features a strong Aquarian signature, with the Sun, Mercury, Neptune and the North Node, Chiron and Vesta crowding this sign.  Sun, Mercury and the North Node suggest that our energy, thought process and destiny are following the path of the Waterbearer. Neptune suggests a loosening of ego-boundaries that enables tolerance and compassion toward others.  Chiron presents an opportunity for healing the tensions inherent between “me” and “society” to create a new vision of “me within society.” And Vesta is about finding self-actualization through sacrifice and service to the community.  Used wisely, this powerful stellium bodes well for our collective response to Pluto’s transit through Capricorn.

During the past decade, experimental ecovillages, intentional communities utilizing techniques from ecological sustainable design, renewal energy sources, permaculture and cohousing, are have begun popping up around the world. We can expect architects and urban planners to focus more on sustainability when designing human living spaces.

But we don’t have to move to an ecovillage to begin creating “intentional communities” in our own lives. We can go out and meet our neighbors, or establish networks with other like-minded people.

As astrologers, a logical place to begin making connections is with other astrologers. Create an astrological study group, get involved in your local NCGR chapter, or form a chapter in your area. If you are going to UAC, take the time to converse with astrologers with diverse points of view, remembering that the holistic, cosmic vision that unites us is more compelling than the things that divide us.

Life is filled with everyday opportunities to practice the community-building skills we’re all going to need to face the challenges of the next decades.  Light your own campfire, and invite others to share the warmth.

This is the fourth in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, March 22, 2008.

Here in Austin spring sprung several weeks ago. Trees burst with new leaves and wildflowers bloom under the cloudless blue Texas sky. Struck with spring fever myself, I’m taking a break from my garage cleaning project to work in the garden.

The Green movement, along with rising oil and food prices, and a desire for locally grown, organic food are combining to create a renaissance of interest in home gardening. Eco-victory gardens are popping up in communities, suburban backyards and apartment balconies across the country.  Websites that target a younger generation of gardeners are flourishing.

One gardening method sparking renewed interest is biointensive organic gardening. Brought to the U.S. in early 70s (late Pluto in Virgo), biointensive gardening combined the French intensive gardening techniques, with Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic gardening theories. Drawing on the techniques of the ancient Greeks and Chinese, the biointensive method aims to produce the maximum yield in the smallest amount of space, as well as to build large quantities of fertile soil for future food production. Grow Biointensive’s founder Alan Chadwick also promotes planning by the phases of the Moon as a way to produce healthier plants and higher quality seeds.

If you’ve never gardened before, this is a great time to learn! Building a home garden is a wonderful way to celebrate the Pluto-in-Capricorn ingress. Capricorn is traditionally associated with building garden structures such as raised beds and rainwater irrigation systems. Pluto in earth signs is a master at composting; there are many new, mess free composters available that make composting possible even for apartment dwellers.  It’s also a way to use your astrological knowledge in a very down-to-earth way.

So, exalt in the Arien Sun, play in the dirt, and grow green!

This is the third in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, February 23, 2008.

Oil reached $100 a barrel for the first time this week. Late last year, oil industry officials publicly stated that we could reach “peak oil” as early as by 2012.

What is peak oil? Like many natural processes, oil production is a bell curve. “Peak Oil” is the point at the top of the curve at which petroleum production is maximized, after which it begins to decline.

Oil isn’t just something we need to drive our cars — every sector of our modern society is utterly dependent on it. Rapidly industrializing countries like China and India are also drastically increasing the world’s thirst for oil. This is why the words “peak oil” can strike fear in scientists and politicians like nothing else: dramatically increasing demand for oil coupled with sharply decreasing supply is a sure recipe for global chaos.

Debate is already occurring all over the internet over life after “peak oil.” Strategies for what’s been dubbed “energy descent” range from predictions of warfare, famine, and survivalists running for the hills, to avocations for widespread adoption of sustainable lifestyles, permaculture and peaceful collective action.

Astrology has always been a tool for envisioning the future. Various articles have appeared in astrological magazines which discuss the stressful astrological aspects occurring over the next decades. But there are specific people who will be living through these challenging times. We can use the natal placement of Pluto to give us a glimpse of how each generation may cope with the paradigm shift.

In the discussion below, I’ve used statistics from the 2000 U.S. Census and the discussion focuses on the culture experiences of U.S. residents. However, astrologers in other countries could use a similar technique to examine the coming changes their own societies.

*****

Pluto in Cancer, born 1912-1937, Population: 38.8 million

Fiercely patriotic, those born during this period have been called the “Greatest Generation.” They survived the Great Depression, the Second World War, and laid the foundations for the economic expansion that became the hallmark of 20th century American life. In 2008, they are ages 71-95.

The Pluto in Cancer generation has had personal experience with collective sacrifice for the good of the whole. During the Second World War goods such as metals, petroleum and foodstuffs were needed for the war effort, and imports were difficult to acquire due to interruptions in shipping lanes. To distribute limited resources fairly, goods were rationed. The government encouraged planting of “victory gardens” in backyards, parks and playgrounds to supplement the food supply. Junk rallies were organized to collect scrap metals and other recyclable items.

In a way, the Pluto-in-Cancer generation had a sneak preview of the energy-descent lifestyle. Today, “eco-victory gardens” are reappearing and recycling is once again in vogue. Sharing their history with younger generations could be an invaluable source of inspiration.

Pluto in Leo: born 1938-1956, Population: 62.2 million

At ages 52-70 in 2008, the Pluto-in-Leo generation may be contemplating retirement, but they won’t just fade away – they will roar!

Many members of the Pluto-in-Leo generation came of age in the 60s. They espoused the ideas of peace, social justice, community living and concern for the environment. Those are the exact ideals that need to be incorporated back into our modern lifestyle.

Retiring Leos could become a tidal wave of volunteers for all kinds of social and community programs. Older volunteers have a vast array of skills and life experience that could be essential in the creation of a more sustainable society — from teaching impoverished children to read, building community gardens, creative arts programs, and so many other areas that empower others to care for themselves. Volunteering can also help keep an aging Pluto-in-Leo generation remain a vital, integral part of society.

Pluto in Virgo: born 1957-1971, Population: 69.6 million

As they say: the buck stops here. Pluto-in-Virgo will produce the first generation of leaders to start tackling the climate crisis on a mass scale.  When the movie An Inconvenient Truth was released in 2006, it was a wake up call to millions in this generation, who today are ages 36-51. In the last two years alone, interest in green living has dramatically increased.

Pluto in Virgo loves efficiency. Under the leadership of this generation, expect to see an explosion of programs to reduce consumption and waste.  Recycling programs will recapture increasing percentages of garbage. New technologies will bring greater energy efficiencies on scales large and small: from solar panels, to hybrid vehicles to compact fluorescent light bulbs.

We can also expect dramatic changes in other Virgo-ruled areas. Organically and locally grown foods have entered the mainstream. “Green” cleaning products are beginning to appear on the shelves of local grocery stores. The sign of the craftsman, Pluto-in-Virgos have been fueling the recent do-it-yourself boom; the DIY generation turning its attention to home and community gardens, rainwater collections systems, and other sustainable living strategies.

The Pluto in Virgo generation will also need to embrace its Piscean shadow: sacrifice and hope. Sacrifice because this is the first generation that will need to accept living at lower level of consumption en masse. Hope, because in the face of overwhelming challenges, sometimes it is the only thing left that keeps us moving forward.

Pluto in Libra: born 1972-1983, Population: 46.3 million

A recent report stated that Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which supply water and power to millions in the American Southwest, stand a 50 percent chance of running dry by 2021 unless dramatic changes take place in how the region uses water. Scientists say drastic reductions in consumption may postpone the world’s energy and resource crisis, but will not eliminate it.  When all of the efficiencies have been eked out of the system, there’s still the question of how remaining resources can be distributed equitably.

The Pluto-in-Libra generation, who was 17-28 years old on September 11, has already learned some hard lessons about war and peace. Whether the future holds wars over dwindling resources or increased efforts at cooperation and conflict resolution will be the daily concerns of the Pluto-in-Libra generation.

Pluto-in-Libra has a cosmic gift for communication and compromise. Now ages 24-35, through the internet members of this generation have become adept at communicating with a diversity of individuals from around the world. Some futurists, like Richard Heinberg in his book The Party’s Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrialized Societies, talk about the need for a collective “managed collapse” into a slower-paced but sustainable lifestyle. Saturn is exalted in Venus-ruled Libra; if a managed collapse is possible, this generation will find a way.

Pluto in Scorpio: born 1984-1994, Population: 45.1 million

In 2008, the Pluto in Scorpio generation is ages 13-23. In many ways, it’s too early to tell how their talents will be needed. The last water generation, Pluto in Cancer, turned out to be great builders (Capricorn energy). If the preceding generations – Pluto in Cancer, Pluto in Leo, Pluto in Virgo, and Pluto in Libra – take the high road and embrace the need for a sustainable paradigm shift, Pluto-in-Scorpio leaders may preside over the “re-greening” of the world (Taurus energy). If the preceding generations ignore climate and resource crisis, Pluto-in-Scorpio leaders may have to deal with death on a massive scale.

This generation comes of age in 2012, when they will be ages 17-27. With the stakes so high and their future at stake, this generation cannot wait for their elders to make changes. Pluto is very strong in its own sign. If this generation stands up and demands change, the entire world will hear them.

*****

Navigating the next paradigm shift will not be the work of a single generation. It will take the combined efforts of everyone on the planet. Each generation brings special talents and experiences to the table, and all of them will be needed. The gift of astrology is not that it enables us to predict the future, but that it helps us to see possible futures and choose between them. Let’s hope we choose wisely.

This is the second in a series of articles on Green Astrology, originally published in NCGR Enews, February 9, 2008.

A few weeks ago when Pluto entered Capricorn, I embarked on a garage cleaning odyssey. So, during this Mercury retrograde in Aquarius, I’ve found myself sorting boxes to donate to Goodwill, packing up stacks of cardboard, glass and plastic to take to the recycling center, and pondering the relationship between the archetypes of Pluto and Mercury.

Modern astrology links Pluto to the practice of Alchemy. Since the Middle Ages, the Latin dictum solve et coagula, to separate and join together, has guided seekers in their practice of the alchemical art. Alchemists saw in nature an ongoing dance of creation, destruction and (re)creation. Astrologers recognize though Pluto destroys, it also heals.

Before Pluto was discovered, Mercury was the planet most associated with alchemical transformations. The winged messenger who cycled between heaven and earth was a logical catalyst for the alchemist’s holy grail, the transmutation of lead into gold.

Turning lead into gold is an apt metaphor for today’s challenge of creating a sustainable society. We’re teetering on the brink of planetary ecocide because we’ve forgotten how to embrace the cycle of death and rebirth in our material endeavors. We’ve used things up and thrown them away without thought of the consequences.

As Pluto entered Capricorn, Mercury was slowing to begin its thrice-annual retrograde, suggesting it’s time for us to rethink our actions. We must become Green Alchemists.

As we’ve all heard said: Mercury retrogrades are for doing things that start with the prefix re-  It’s a perfect match for what’s been called the three R’s of the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  These re- words, guidelines for making greener consumer choices, are joined by a number of others:

Refuse – Can you do without it? If you must buy it, just say no to the extra packaging or plastic bag.

Repair - Can you fix it? Repairing items can often be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than tossing them.

Reuse – Can you buy it used rather than new? Or can you use it for something else?

Rebuy – If you must buy it, can it be made entirely or in part of post-consumer (recycled) products?

Recycle – If you must buy it, can it be recycled?

Just looking around my home office, I can think of many ways I can apply these green keywords to my astrological practice. A few ideas:

• Reduce travel by working from home
• Switch office lights to CFLs; set thermostat lower in winter, higher in summer
• Turn off computer when not in use
• Replace broken hard-drive and recycle old one
• Offer digital recordings of readings and send via email
• Provide notes and reports electronically, or print on paper with part recycled content
• Buy astrology books used; donate or sell used books and magazines; get a library card
• Cancel subscriptions for unread periodicals; request electronic editions
• Recycle office paper, toner cartridges, batteries and other e-waste

The three Mercury retrogrades each year provide a great opportunity to rethink how we live and work. When Mercury stations retrograde, take some time to look around and see if there are a few changes you could make to live a greener lifestyle. Then, after Mercury turns direct, spend the next few months turning those changes into green habits.  Next time Mercury reverses, add a few more changes.

The actions of a single individual may be small, but small changes made collectively do make a difference. If we make the practice of Green Alchemy a retrograde ritual, then change itself becomes a habit.

And maybe one day, even my garage will get cleaned out.

Originally published in NCGR Enews.

In the mornings before my toddler wakes up, I make myself a cup of tea, sit at my computer, and scan the headlines of the day. This week has certainly been turbulent: Stock markets ride roller coasters. Economists predict prolonged recession. Candidates throw stones at one another.

Here we go: Pluto’s finally entering Capricorn. For years astrologers have painted a grim picture –- Totalitarianism. Economic depression. Environmental crisis. I despair at the thought of 16 years of weeks like this one.

So, I did what Virgos do when the universe seems hopelessly out of control – I found something on which to impose order. I decided to clean my garage.

With four planets and my midheaven in Virgo, one of my mottos is no surprise: a place for everything and everything in its place. I find peace of mind when my files are color-coded, storage bins are labeled, spice rack categorized. But the birth of my daughter three years ago sent my world into chaos. Suddenly it was time to set up a nursery, convert the guest room into a playroom, and baby-proof the rest of house. To make room, we boxed up our stuff and carried it the garage. A junk monster had moved into our automotive lair.

As I surveyed the boxes, it was easy to see how the piles were a result of our family’s most recent life transition. The rules changed, and our old ways of doing things didn’t work anymore. Parts of the system broke down. But as we struggled to keep up with the immediate (and necessary!) needs of a growing child and other demands, the piles continued to grow until the garage was bursting. In short, the state of our garage is a physical manifestation of a microcosmic paradigm shift – from full-time career to motherhood.

Thomas Kuhn coined the term paradigm shift to describe the process that occurs when an accepted worldview is called into question by new understandings of reality. A crisis ensues while the old and new ways struggle, until finally a new worldview is created in harmony with the new understanding. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors experienced a paradigm shift when agriculture ended their nomadic lifestyle. Century after century of technological innovations led to the Industrial Revolution and then the Information Revolution. Each of these cultural and social paradigm shifts gave birth to a new worldview, creating new beliefs, habits and lifestyles.

At the dawn of the 21^st century, humanity is experiencing yet another awakening. We are recognizing that the byproducts of our technological lifestyle in the hands of an exploding population are changing the planet’s biosphere in life-threatening ways. Our ecological crisis demonstrates that we are already on the brink of the next paradigm shift – a Sustainable “Green” Revolution

As Kermit said: “It’s not easy being green.” An ecological vision is radically holistic. It requires the acceptance that the actions of part of a system (humanity) are connected to — and can affect — the whole (Earth) or other parts of the system (other life on the planet). If everything is interconnected, then every choice matters, for good or for ill.

A paradigm shift is a hard thing to live through, because it causes us to question the very nature of how we perceive the reality around us. It requires that we let go old beliefs and habits and create of new ones. As anyone who’s gone on a diet, or tried to quit smoking knows, some habits are very, very hard to break. And a Green Revolution is going to require changing a lot of habits – what we eat, what we wear, what we drive, how we live.

Feels a little like looking at the piles in my garage. The task is so overwhelming – where do we start?

Fortunately for us, as astrologers we have already begun. Astrology itself is a holistic worldview, a science of interconnections that illuminates the synchronicities between heaven and earth, within and without, to make meaning out of the cosmos. We already know that what occurs in part of the system can affect the whole. With that awareness, we are well on our way.

So, for most of us, the next step is to create new habits that reflect our beliefs. It is time to roll up our sleeves in Pluto-in-Capricorn fashion and make concrete changes in our world. Astrologer Joan Negus wrote that when Pluto tangles with Saturn:

“[Y]ou may be called upon to transform some part of your life structure, or to analyze it and possibly change certain responsibilities. … This combination, more than any other, can make things crystal clear. Pluto offers the opportunity to get back to the basics which Saturn represents.” (Astro-Alchemy, p. 84)

And so, this series of articles on “Green Astrology” will be about more than honing astrological techniques or insightful astrological analysis of current events. It will be about one astrologer’s struggle to ground a holistic worldview into the concrete choices and circumstances of daily life. I’ll explore aspects of green living – from making digital recordings and buying carbon offsets for your plane tickets to UAC, to building local grassroots community networks, and beyond – that affect our lives as astrologers.

Paradigm shifts take years, even generations, to occur. However, they are still made step by step, one choice at a time. Small choices multiplied change the world. We can choose wisely.

And maybe one day, even my garage will get cleaned out.