We can use the horoscope to begin integrating polarities. It’s so easy to get caught in the collective mindset of this or that, black or white, us or them, good or evil. We live in a world torn apart by dualities. We also live in a world where it seems harder and harder to care.

Sitting with the feelings of deep, sadness for all of the people who are suffering because of our current world insanity has become an almost daily affair for me. The bottom line is that a bloodbath is occurring on planet Earth. These are not easy times for anyone paying attention. Spilled blood has always fed the dark forces, and it seems more important than ever to keep our hearts strong these days.

In a recent newsletter, Eric Francis talks about Neptune currently in Aquarius as an archetypal metaphor for a feeling of the times we’re in partly as being “The feeling that nothing matters; the feeling of a world anesthetized to its own pain; the feeling that no one and nothing can make a difference. Even among the conscious, there is a terrible sense of paralysis.” Interestingly, Neptune moves completely out of Aquarius into Pisces in 2012!

Can we move out of this dual system into a much bigger place? I think it’s possible. A paradigm presented initially by Barbara Hand Clow in her book Liquid Light of Sex and also by Jeffrey Wolf Green in Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul is the principle of looking to the polarity of a thing in a horoscope to integrate, balance and widen the range of possibilities vs. dualistically defining everything. Green speaks of how the polarity or opposite of any point or planet in a chart horoscope gives the opportunity for new levels of awareness and expression. Clow points out that “when considering a dilemma, one side or the other is just a range of possibility. Since dimensionality is so subtle and rich, this great polarity system exists to connect and widen our feelings sufficiently. Then the higher dimensions open more…”(Alchemy of Nine Dimensions p 40 - 42). Balancing the polarities create strength of the heart and a groundedness that produces harmony. This is a tool, among others, that can be used consciously to expand our awareness.

Clow has presented what she calls The Wheel of Twelve, which is kin to the astrology wheel/horoscope and relates to some core meanings of the twelve houses. As shown below, these are: Self/Other, Grounding/Letting Go, Integrating in 3D/Integrating with Spirit, Feeling/Power, Creating/Giving and Be here now/Bliss.

For example, the first section (1st house) is self, and opposite that is other (7th house / section). In the dual perspective, things opposite each other may indeed have a magnetic attraction, but all too often end up in a tug of war or battle. It is us and them, my needs vs. your needs, I lack, and need what you have, I am right and you are wrong, and so on. The other perspective is to consider the polarity not as an opposition but a need for balance so that both ends can work together harmoniously. So, as Clow says, “When we balance self/other, we have a clear sense of self while we are in harmony with others. We cannot destroy the lives of others just because we want something for ourselves.” She doesn’t give much input on how exactly to achieve that balance, but it’s not too hard to figure out. If you learn to really listen to exactly what the other needs, you then attract others who give you what you need. Giving to another creates situations where one’s own needs are met and the balance of relationship between self/other occurs.

Or, when we balance feeling with power, we can feel how others feel about life and therefore cannot control or use power over others.

Astrologically speaking, there are many other variations on a theme for each house/section, but the concept works because each point has a polarity. You can play with the ideas in this chart or other interpretations and discover the balance and create empathy where there was none.