 Malvin Artley has been a practising astrologer for the past 10 years. He is an
accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers.
Malvin is the author of Bodies of Fire: An Exploration of the Lesser Chakra System. He has authored numerous articles and was a member of the faculty of the University of the Seven Rays, a non-profit organization dedicated to the teaching of the Trans-Himalayan tradition as expressed through the books of Alice Bailey, Helena Blavatsky and others.
His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His
special interests are the human subtle energy system and all
the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all
aspects of Chinese occultism. He has done extensive work with Chinese
astrology and the cycles they use and seeks to synthesize the great
Western and Oriental systems on such matters.
Malvin lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He also works in the engineering trades and sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
|
|
Mercury, the Divine Messenger
hidden cycles in momentous times [part 2]
 Malvin Artley, astrologer and leading occultist, concludes his discussion of the nature and cycles of Mercury, the Divine Messenger. He examines in this part of the article the relationship of Mercury to wisdom, kundalini and planetary evolution.
Esotericists know and occultists work with the fact that our Earth is going through the convulsions of a major planetary Initiation--a sort of planetary Crucifixion--which will ultimately seal away evil and liberate the planet and all its inhabitants into the true Golden Age about which we have all heard so much. This will not happen in fullness for millions of years yet, but we are due for a lesser manifestation of it in our present lifetime. One should keep in mind that when talking about planetary occurrences we are looking at geologic periods of time and not human years. But, we do get lesser reflections of these greater periods in social cycles and in any given lifetime. The point is, since the planet is going through this expansion of consciousness it means there are a great many inner processes being stimulated in the planet itself about which we know very little, but which affect us in no small manner just the same. One of the primary forces being stirred in the Earth now is this planetary serpent fire--the planetary kundalini.
Mysterious Force of Kundalini
Kundalini is a mysterious force, even as understood by many esotericists. Unless one has experienced its effects directly any description of its actions and effects is purely speculation. But, if one has experienced this electric, liquid, living light in their own life then a brief glimpse around the happenings on our planet will speak of the activation of this liberating fire. Kundalini does two main things when it becomes activated. Firstly, it clears away any obstruction to its progress and removes barriers to higher consciousness. This can be and often is a very painful experience (inwardly and physically) to the one undergoing the process because "the veil is rent in two and torn asunder"--literally and figuratively. The subtle and physical bodies are completely reorganized and, to make matters worse, the person has to go through all this reorganizing and tearing away while in a very heightened state of awareness--not my idea of a pleasant drive in the country. As all this is happening, any thought-forms (we like to call these things "issues") left in the inner energy fields of the individual are brought to the surface and pushed out in front of this fire, which then proceeds to destroy either them or the possessor.
What has been thus far described about the activation of kundalini can be a terrifying and destabilizing process to one who has no knowledge of such things. Even to one who does possess certain knowledge along these lines it is a very humbling, awe-inspiring and amazing ride and it changes one's life irrevocably and for all time. There are a great many people who undergo this sort of thing unconsciously who, because they do not understand what is happening, think they are losing their minds and end up in asylums or worse. And, in fact, they have lost their minds in a manner of speaking--all the worst parts of it which they are better off without, but with so much more expanded consciousness and a new type of mind thrown into the deal. There is always a refractory period in which the person must undergo periods of quiet introspection, personal reorganization and instruction from the inner planes as to how to handle all these new faculties. This is one of the primary reasons why it is said that spiritual initiations must be undergone alone. Noone on the outer planes can assist in the process save to help make the person comfortable and to lend support while the process is undergone. The actual rising of the fire is only very brief, but the refractory period can take years, depending upon a variety of factors.
Rapport with Higher Consciousness
The second main thing kundalini does is to put one into rapport with Consciousness orders of magnitude higher and more numerous than we could ever know in our limited brain awareness. It also puts one in rapport with other kingdoms of Nature, both of this world and outside it, with which we would ordinarily have no contact. Here we see the work of Mercury as the planet of relationships, working to establish them both within the person and between the person and their vastly extended new world through this liquid light of kundalini. The person is thus able to access Wisdom from the past, the present and many possible futures, all at once and without effort, in an instant of time, for when one attains such levels of consciousness there is no such thing as temporal time at those levels. Past, present and future all exist simultaneously in brilliant, kaleidoscopic panavision, to use an inadequate phrase. Now, that's a feature not to be missed! So, despite all the initial suffering that can come from the rising of the serpent, the end result is priceless and the memory of that suffering quickly fades into insignificance.
Confluence of Cycles
To reiterate, we have before us a confluence of cycles that is stimulating the planetary kundalini. We have the Mars cycle of 1998, the new Mercury cycle of 2003, the grand cycle of Mars which culminates and re-commences in August this year, a 1000 year millennial cycle which begins next year and a whole host of supporting cast and characters. Now, all this is not to say that everyone's kundalini is to be raised in this present world period. Far from it. But, at a planetary level we can see certain things working out.
Mercury, Mars and Latent Kundalini
Mars rules over the latent aspect of kundalini. Latent kundalini is that portion of the fire that goes toward the warming and general integrity of the system. In humans that is known as metabolism, basic energy levels and body heat and function. At a planetary level we see it as the internal heat of the planet--specifically magma flows, volcanic activity and plate tectonics. There has been a larger than normal number of seismic disturbances in recent days and we are told to expect much more and soon.
This sort of activity affects people who are more sensitive in a number of ways. It produces among its symptoms a general lassitude, strange aches, pains and electrical sensations, dragging pains deep in the bones, sciatica and soreness around the base of the spine, digestive difficulties, brain fag and a foggy head, confusion, poor sleep with bad dreams and a general sense of pressure or tension that nothing seems to shake. People can manifest any of a number of such symptoms when seismic activity increases. And, people's emotional quakes tend to go right off the Richter scale. At a planetary level there is also a general increase of heat in the planetary system, changes in weather patterns, heating of the oceans and extremes of weather. The El Nino weather system has come very much into the public eye since 1998.
Mercury, along with Mars, is bringing about many conflicts in people's minds. I have talked often of the polarization going on in the world due to Mars' influence. But Mercury is producing much the same sort of thing in people's minds. The questioning of values that began when Pluto started its transit through Sagittarius is being very much accelerated now that the new Mercury cycle has commenced and the Wesak period just passed has brought through the energies of Mercury so strongly. People feel a very strong need for new ways of relating--to eachother and to other kingdoms. We all feel this dynamic point of tension that pervades the world and drives us toward who-knows-what.
World of Meaning
The work of clearing individual obstructing behaviour patterns has become very much accelerated and seemingly more urgent and poignant at times Youth suicide has become a big topic of conversation as our youth questions its place in the world, what it all means and if their very lives have any real purpose. There is real rage and frustration in the masses toward the old status quo, the entrenched power structures and the general feeling that one's time is more and more infringed upon, that one's money does less and less for all the effort we put toward it and that our lives slip away while the things that really matter to us remain unfulfilled. Yet, if we could step back and see the larger view we would see the true purpose of it all: to focus upon the world of meaning and one's inner life instead of temporal, material concerns, or at least to put the material in its proper place.
We, as humanity, cannot continue in the old ways and hang onto our old emotional and mental "baggage" if we are to take the next needed step forward into greater consciousness and livingness. So, the old has to go. We have to be made to see with great rapidity the illusions which have enthralled us for so long. The children being born today bring a new expectancy and way of looking at things with them. They are bright heralds of things to come. They do things earlier and earlier, often with more grace, than we did a generation ago. Mercury rules youth, too, and this new cycle brings a new impulse of youth. As we go through this minor initiatory period and the planetary kundalini does its work the Light will break through with increasing rapidity and brilliance. Will we be ready or will insanity become more prevalent? Frankly, I feel a tremendous excitement (in a good way) about the times and what the possibilities are.
Herald of the Sun
As the herald of the Sun, Mercury is doing its part to usher in the New Age. Through media, through commerce, through communications, through the youth, through travel, through criticism and debate, through educators and all other things Mercurial the New Age is being ushered in with ever-increasing speed. The degree for the commencement of this cycle of Mercury (17° Taurus) reads as follows:
"A symbolical battle between swords and torches"
Keynote: The seeker turns warrior, fighting anew the eternal "Great War".
The "Great War" is within us all, within our own mind as it "slays" what is real and keeps us focused upon non-essentials and materiality. The greatest test for us all in these days is to let go of the illusion that we "have" things and that our security lies outside who we are in truth. Our attachments to the past and the mind's constant harping upon that binds us and dooms us to repeat the mistakes of that past, rather than extracting the essence of those experiences and moving on from and, indeed, building upon the best parts of them. Let us build anew on the ashes of what is being now burned away and cast our eye upward and inward to the vision of what is coming that we may build correctly at the appointed time and in truth. The ashes of the past form the soil of future efforts. May our fruits be sweet and nourish a hungry and needy--but very deserving-- world.
Much love and many blessings to you all,
Malvin.
Return to part 1 of Mercury, the Divine Messenger
 Malvin Artley is an accredited member of the American Federation of Astrologers. His primary focus over the past 25 years has been on the sciences as they express occultism and with bridging work between the two. His special interests in those fields are the human subtle energy system and all the chakras, or energy centres, physics and technology, astronomy and all
aspects of Chinese occultism. He sends out periodic emails about astrological happenings and developments. Click here to subscribe to Malvin's periodic letters.
Mercury Cycles: part 1 | part 2 | Mercury Retrograde | Eclipses | Your Year Ahead
|
 Aries, the Ram
 Taurus, the Bull
 Gemini, the Twins
 Cancer, the Crab
 Leo, the Lion
 Virgo, the Virgin
 Libra, the Scales
 Scorpio, the Scorpion
 Sagittarius, the Archer
 Capricorn, the Sea Goat
 Aquarius, the Water Bearer
 Pisces, the Fishes
|
