Astrology - A Magnetic Attraction

by Christopher Harwood

The way that astrology works has been the subject of endless debate for millennia with astrologers and sceptics often being at loggerheads. The scientific community in general dismisses astrology as superstitious rubbish while at the same time millions of people around the world connect to their ‘stars’ on a daily basis via the media. The problem is that many astrologers themselves seem to be at a loss when it comes to the fundamental question of how planetary influence works. They know that it does and they can show that it does but there are no adequate explanations of how it does.

In recent times attempts have been made to raise the subject of astrology to academic status and it has come under even closer scrutiny with a greater need to have an answer for the sceptics. This has given rise to a debate within astrology regarding presentation. Many astrologers, particularly those at academic level badly need to maintain their tenuous acceptance by the academy and often have to disguise astrological studies under a variety euphemisms. Many now openly refute the idea that there is any connection either direct or indirect between what goes on in the heavens and astrological effects perceived on Earth. In other words, their view now seems to be that astrology is just a concept, symbolically reflecting a memory of ancient sky gods and star patterns viewed as Jungian archetypes. Many more are content just to use the phenomenon of astrology as a means of investigating the psyche and as a method of divination. The fact that it is no longer deemed to have any scientific basis is not seen as a problem.

Indeed when considering current astrological thinking it somewhat resembles a tree with branches and leaves, but with no base or roots. The branches bend, the leaves tip and twist in the wind. Meaningful considerations are drawn from their patterns and their relationships to one another but that which gives them any true meaning is entirely absent. Ironically, part of the blame for this divorce between the science and the art of astrology can be found in the use of computers to produce charts. A generation of students has come into astrology via computers to whom using an ephemeris and table of houses is merely an historical anecdote. The fact that an ephemeris gives exact astronomical information of real bodies in the sky is no longer seen as having any particular significance. It is just a means to identify their  positions within the zodiac and their aspects. However, since the positions of heavenly bodies and the angles they make to one another are physical facts, then a chart however calculated must surely reflect those facts and not just feed a discourse on symbolism.

Many hypotheses concerning planetary influence have been considered but because of the immense distances involved, the idea that individual planets can influence the Earth directly is dismissed. However, space physics has moved on a great deal and much more is known about solar wind for example and how it drags out the Sun’s magnetic field to encompass our whole system and beyond. This combination of solar wind and the magnetosphere of the Sun is known as the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) and extends far into interstellar space, engulfing the whole solar system. Many planets have large magnetic fields of their own, as does our Earth but Venus has none while the Moon and Mars are patchy, both being considered to be largely non-magnetic.

However, even non-magnetic planets as they move in their orbits are affected by and react to the ionised plasma of the solar wind, which produces large electric fields around them that are conductive and cause disturbances in the IMF. This can be viewed in the same manner as a ship leaving a wake behind it as it ploughs through the water. Indeed, the similarities are striking. As a planet moves in its orbit through the cosmic ocean of the IMF, just like a ship it creates a bow wave called the ‘Bow Shock’ and similar to the wake of a ship leaves a long trail of resonant disturbance in the field behind it called the ‘Magneto Tail’.

I believe it is possible that planetary influence comes to us by resonance being generated in the Sun’s field, a resonance that could explain why ultimately all planetary movements reflect back to the sun itself thus giving validity to Sun sign astrology in that the sun’s field contains all planetary information within its sphere. Vibrations in magnetic fields can cause harmonic vibrations in adjacent fields, but what is resonance? Resonance is the capacity to convert a very small input into a very large output. If a snowball is rolled down a mountain it grows in size and rolls faster and faster until in the end it can cause an avalanche. Likewise if the rim of a wine glass is rubbed round with the finger, first it starts to ring and in the end, the vibration can become so intense that the glass shatters. This is resonance and in technical terms the same effect occurs in an amplifier when a small signal input is received and then converted by the resonant circuits within to achieve a much larger output. Adjacent magnetic fields vibrating harmonically can cause resonance in each other and transfer information between them. A simple example is the old cassette recorder. When pre-magnetized tape is passed over the recording heads the tape’s field is impregnated by information from the amplifier field, which can be stored or played back. The amplifier field resonates and causes a corresponding effect in the tape’s field via the process of magnetic induction.

I believe that the same process is occurring between the IMF and the Earth’s own field. Resonant information from distant planets, perhaps of their mass, orbital velocity, constitution and maybe more already contained within the IMF, is then transferred to the Earth’s field by the same process of magnetic induction. This information  of course can only be in the form of  weak signals from space but the Earth’s field itself is both electrically charged and resonant, with a base line frequency of 7.8 Hz. so it  does have the ability to act as an amplifier. 

The Sun of course affects the Earth in direct ways. From the Sun comes heat, light, cosmic radiation and indeed magnetism not to mention the Sun’s gravity which in combination with the Moon pulls the tides and all living things. This is because living things, we included are made up mostly of water and therefore subject to the same tidal influences that affect the oceans. Equally, the Sun directly affects the Earth’s magnetic field and there are frequent magnetic storms especially during sunspot activity. Charged solar wind particles that do penetrate our magnetosphere are trapped in the Earth’s field and concentrated near the magnetic poles. There they manifest as visible light in the night sky at high latitudes. The aurora effect.

What I would like to consider now is an idea that at all times, the earth’s field is constantly being impregnated with planetary information from space via the IMF which is then absorbed and amplified by the Earth itself. These amplified magnetic imprints, which correspond to the planets’ positions in the sky, are always present, constantly in motion and although the influence of Sun and Moon are direct due to their gravity, their magnetic imprint works in the same way. Indeed in the case of the Moon, the latest research indicates that the passage of the moon in its orbit disturbs the Earth’s own field in a major way, similar to that of the IMF. 

I would like to introduce here the idea of hyper- magnetism that is to say a level of magnetism always linked to the core and obeying the same laws of physics but containing subtle components currently beyond the range of instruments but possibly within the range of detection of the brain or indeed the psyche. For example, certain birds and animals exhibit strong directional capabilities. They are thought to be able to sense the Earth’s field in such a way that they can navigate accurately over huge distances even at night.

If Kirlian photography and such methods have any validity, we all have our own hyper-magnetic field called the aura resulting from electrical activity in the brain and nervous system; components of which seem capable of absorbing exterior influences. It would normally act as a protective shield as does the Earth’s field to harmful radiation but anything on a similar harmonic frequency could possibly penetrate. Some humans, especially children and many animals are often aware of the proximity of others and or danger even though they cannot see or hear it. One thinks of the flight of animals before an earthquake. In the case of the infant, until the moment of birth, it is merely contained within the aura of its mother and its own aura is closed. However, with the first breath and for the first time as its own aura becomes active it is uniquely open. It is like a piece of blank magnetic tape and it is at this moment I believe that the ambient planetary pattern, amplified and already contained in the earth’s field is immediately transferred into the child’s aura by the same process of magnetic induction, possibly along with all the subtler influences contained in the hyper-magnetic component.

This planetary pattern, now a fixed resonant image in the child’s aura is received by the brain and transferred to the subconscious as a subtle but living imprint for life. This sudden influx of energy I believe causes a shockwave in the infant’s aura so that rather like the recoil of a rifle, the planetary impression just recorded from the Earth’s magnetic field is played back as an event strong enough to leave an indelible imprint, this time in the Earth’s static field which emanates at ground level in all locations.  In effect, an event chart is simultaneously created and impregnated into the static field at the place of birth. Once again, just like the tape, a magnetic memory of the positions of the planets as they were at that moment are retained in both the child’s internal horoscope and also in the earth’s field so that what happens thereafter is that as the child moves away and grows, then throughout its life it is literally moving around inside its own horoscope as imprinted at that time and place.

This leads us to a possible explanation of how local space astrology works and also how  large and potent events could leave a long-lasting impression in that same surface field creating the many earth zodiacs that have been detected around the world, some so ancient that the sign of Libra does not exist and Scorpio is represented by the Phoenix. It is also worth noting that with the current interest in ghost hunting and psychic research programmes on television that the researchers use a device known as an emf. meter to detect changing fields in the vicinity of phenomena and often get significant results. This would seem to indicate that there might be some electrical or magnetic component associated with apparent psychic events.

If someone moves from their place of birth, the planetary pattern now contained within their psyche does not change but as they move around, they could come under the influence of one or other of their own planetary lines as recorded on the surface of the earth. These planetary lines are rather like ley lines but just as one has to tune a radio station in, only the individual concerned is on that frequency which is unique to them.  It is known for example that if someone moves on or near to his or her own Mars line. Then, depending on how Mars is placed and aspected in their birth chart, they will experience Mars type conditions. These could include energetic, challenging life situations or perhaps associations with or proximity to military bases, personnel etc. If their Saturn line then maybe hard times, onerous life conditions, dealings with the elderly and so on. These effects are not related to the planets in the sky at the moment of birth but to the resonant image of their positions and paths now retained in the earth’s field at that place. 

Another phenomenon is the re-located birth chart in which the planets remain in their birth positions by degree and sign but a move brings about a change of geographic position and local time. When we physically move across the face of the globe and change our geographic position the whole sky appears to roll over and it rolls over in a way commensurate with our direction of motion. At the deepest level  our internal horoscope is hard wired into our psyche and  does not change but there is a level at which our internal sky, of which the horoscope is but a two dimensional representation also rolls over though the degrees and signs of the planets at the time of birth and their aspects remain intact. When such a move brings a planet into a sensitive position, such as conjunct one of the angles of the shifted internal  chart then it is known that the individual will sense the effects of that planet in a much more intense way. Here the technique of Astro-carto-graphy as developed by the late Jim Lewis is illustrated, as on a global map it shows by a system of graphic lines, places in the world where for that individual, planets are now conjunct the angles. The MC and IC lines are straight lines from pole to pole and ASC and DEC lines curved.

It is as if we are moving inside a gigantic mono wheel, our own circular treadmill, though it is in fact a three dimensional sphere. As we move away from our place of birth, then according to the direction of motion, the outer wheel of the sky turns in real time and our inner zodiac wheel fixed for the time and place of our birth turns in harmony with it but it is a complex wheel because the house cusps of our inner wheel  change their degree according to both latitude and longitude. The outer rim containing the planets’ positions moves with us like a shifting dial so that when one of the inner spokes of the wheel, the house cusps are contacted by one of the planets in our shifted zodiac, we feel its influence in a new way, and a more powerful way if it contacts one of the angles.

Universal time does not change so the planets remain in the same zodiacal positions with the same aspects to one another but as longitude changes so does local time at a rate of one hour for every fifteen degrees of longitudinal shift, additive easterly and subtractive westerly and this governs the apparent motion of zodiac wheel both external and internal. A further complication is caused by the curvature of the earth such that while the MC/IC axis only changes according to longitude and local time, the ASC /DEC axis and the other house cusps also will vary in degree according to a change in latitude with more of the sky visible closer to the poles and less closer to the equator, hence the curved lines for both ascendant and descendant in astro-carto-graphy.

To make matters more interesting we are still moving around independently inside our own local space horoscope, which is identical to our birth chart but imprinted into the earth’s static field. It was originally thought that local space was limited to an area around the birthplace but not global. However, influence has been detected at quite large distances away, more than 1000 miles and it is also a matter of note that the lines follow great circle paths, surely not possible for concepts of purely psychological origin. So now it appears that we are under the influence of three different horoscopes, all ours. The nativity, the local space of the nativity and the relocated nativity. However from experience it is known that if the relocated angles are contacted by one of the individual’s planets as per astro-carto-graphy, then it will have a transforming effect and will be felt intensely. One thinks here of John F Kennedy who had moved close to one of his Pluto lines that fateful day at Dallas in 1963. The same applies to local space planetary lines. If one moves to or lives on or close to one of these lines then the full effect of that planet will start to dominate the life both by sign and aspects to it. Sometimes even just a visit can be noticeable.

All of these are known effects that can be shown experientially and much has been written about them. However, there is one conclusion that has been consistently avoided in modern astrology and it is this. The mere fact that these techniques are known to work and can be shown to work can only mean that there is a detectable influence coming from  heavenly bodies, in all probability of magnetic origin. The  techniques involved in producing these shifts either local or global are so precise and the results so pronounced that we surely cannot  be dealing with anything else nor could the mathematical procedures involved have any relevance in a realm governed purely by psychology or symbolism. In other words the idea that astrology is merely part of one’s internal psychology or just a system of divination in the same vein as Tarot or the Runes simply cannot be correct. Academic astrology at this time is engaged in a struggle to maintain a fragile acceptability under the constant scrutiny of  sceptics. We all want it to succeed but it no longer appears to have a solid foundation. Rejecting the idea of direct or indirect influence from the heavens to concentrate on psychology and divination might be a more comfortable position to take but I believe it chooses to ignore a fundamental truth, a scientific truth which until recent times was more or less generally accepted as the basis of astrology.

Before the advent of GPS, the science of celestial navigation corresponded with astrology in many ways. Both undertakings use the same astronomical data, and both use the apparent motions of heavenly bodies precisely calculated to obtain results on earth.

When I first wrote this paper I confess I had no idea about the work of Dr Percy Seymour on more or less the same subject and came to these conclusions purely on my own observations both from inside astrology and from my own navigational background. In both these respects I understand, Dr Seymour and I have something in common. So in conclusion I would say that if independent observers arrive at similar hypotheses, then perhaps there is something in them that is worthy of further research and investigation.

First published by: The Astrological Journal, 2009.

Author:
Chris Harwood has been involved with astrology for over 30 years.
He is a Master Mariner and as a marine navigator his life on board ships was filled with the daily task of observing sun, moon, stars and planets to find the ship's  position and plot its course, and before the advent  of GPS, a sextant, compass and nautical tables were his only tools. Noting the monthly fluctuations of ocean tides being caused by the changing aspects between Sun and Moon he began to wonder that if the tides could move such enormous bodies of water, what could they not do to us who are supposedly more than  half  water and could our behaviour be influenced in some way. The seeking of answers to these questions eventually led him to astrology.
harwood.chart@btinternet.com

Image sources:
Drawings provided by the author
Northern Lights: CC0 Public Domain, by skeeze, via pixabay.com
Bow wave: CC0 Public Domain, by hpgruesen, via pixabay.com
Magnet: CC0 Public Domain, by 3dman_eu, via pixabay.com

© Christopher Harwood - published by The Astrological Journal / 2009

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