“They say this universe is bound to blow
But I say we crank up the calypso control
Apocalyp...apocalyp...apocalypso
Now I'm no dancer as dancer's go
But this is one step that you need to know
Apocalyp...apocalyp...apocalypso
We'll be dancin' when we go
Planets come and planets go
Apocalypso
Undisturbed the answers flow
Apocalypso”
Apocalypso
By: matt betton
It’s important to keep your perspective when dealing with other people’s concepts of the Apocalypse. Try the following suggestions. One: Download Jimmy Buffett’s version of Matt Betton’s fabulous song, “Apocalypso.” If that doesn’t put things in perspective, nothing will. Two: measure the life cycle of popular apocalyptic movements against the life cycle of any other durable goods or products that promise investment potential. Here’s a handy reference guide.
Stage 1 - Innovators (those who developed and first used the product) In this case, the Mayans and John of Patmos (the guy who wrote the Book of Revelations)
Stage 2 - Early Adopters (trend setters who echoed the rallying cry of the Innovators and were the first on their block to have one) Examples: The Oracle at Delphi and Nostradamus.
Stage 3 - Early Majority - (everyone jumping on the bandwagon to have one of their very own) - Jim Jones, David Koresh and that bug-eyed gremlin guy from Heaven’s Gate.
Stage 4 - Late Minority - (the ‘me too, me too!’ folks who managed to save up enough to buy a cheap knockoff) Insert any of the modern mainstream fundamentalist movements here.
Stage 5 - Laggards - (the people who run far behind popular thought and are still waiting for Betamax to make a comeback) - Congress.
We are inundated with documentaries, TV specials and books about the Mayan calendar and the end of the world. Here’s the deal. Since the day the world began, it began to end. What truly matters is, how well you dance.
There’s been a lot of buzz about December’s star patterns and certified astrologers are assuring us of the same thing. At midnight on December 21st, we will see the beginning of December 22nd. To understand what some of the astrological hubbub is about however, you need to understand one of the most singular definitions - the meaning of the term, yod.
In language, yod signifies the tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In Jewish mystic tradition, the yod (pronounced like Yoda without the a) symbolizes the beginning point of divine energy, or the omnipresent mind of God. You will see the symbol for yod used freely in RWCS tarot cards such as # 18, The Moon. Moonbeams fall from the solemn face of Moon as he looks across the darkened landscape of the human subconscious. The beams themselves fall in the shape of yod, representing the constant presence of the Divine mind. Divinity watches man’s struggles with the anxiety he’s produced from the shadowy illusions of his own mind. The Invisible Divine - always present, always part of us.
In astrology, a yod refers to a rare aspect between three planets. Two of the planets hold a sextile (60 degrees) aspect to each other, while both of them are in a quincunx (150 degrees) aspect to a third, focal planet of the yod configuration. The focal planet tugs against the two sextile planets. Together, they all form a giant ‘Y’ in the sky. Most astrologers refer to this formation as the ‘Finger of God.’ Serious stuff, astrologically speaking. A yod operates in one of two ways. It either releases or restrains vast amounts of cosmic energy that relates to the planets within its configuration.
On December 21st we have a yod pattern focal to Jupiter. This particular pattern has only been seen one other time during the past few hundred years - May of 1989. Yup, you guessed it. Side ponytails and “Flock of Seagulls” are both making comebacks. The planets involved in the yod hi-jinx on the 21st are Saturn and Pluto at sextile and Jupiter at quincunx.
Saturn regulates the rigid structure of governments and other bureaucratic systems that turn the wheels of a great society. Although these characteristics appear to be more in keeping with tarot’s The Emperor, it’s actually # 21, The World, that’s rules Saturn. #21 is the culmination card for the soul’s journey in tarot. It establishes a new threshold of spiritual evolution and awakening. Pluto deals in more covert operations. Think espionage, secret societies and radical fringe groups crossed with both corporate and political agendas. Pluto is ruled by #20, Judgement, which in tarot, signifies rebirth. That leaves us Jupiter to consider. Jupiter rules moral conduct, philosophy and theology. Again, areas more in keeping with #5, the Hierophant than #10, The Wheel of Fortune, which is the actual major arcana card for Jupiter. Fortunes turn on a dime and those who are trapped beneath the wheel one day, rise to the top on another.
What happened in May of 1989 under a similar yod? The end of the Cold War and the beginning of a little incident we now call Tienanmen Square. Globally, people stood up and were counted. They were present in the moment, refused to be silenced and made miracles happen. What began with China’s government declaring martial law, culminated weeks later with a single man standing defiantly in front of an oncoming tank saying, “no more.” This single episode in human history says more about us as a species than any apocalyptic theory to date.
Planets come and planets go, but the history of ours is still being written. Frequently, it’s not pretty, but sometimes there are defining moments and sometimes we pass the test. Whether or not you believe that December 21st will show us cataclysm, salvation,or a combination of the two; one thing is for certain. We are all responsible for what happens on our planet. Each day we are given an opportunity, both individually and collectively, to determine the course of our species in matters great, as well as small. It’s important to remember in this season of light and hope to take advantage of our capacity for kindness and generosity. It’s also important to learn how to dance.
With Light and Love,
LADY ORACLE
