Inkanta
Group: Admins
Posts: 1453
Joined: Feb. 2000 |
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Posted: Oct. 23 2006, 19:50 |
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I should probably tiptoe quietly away from this topic, but I can't help responding. <-: Regardless of the merits of astrology itself (and for the record, even though I am an earth-based practitioner, I'm of the Carl Sagan school on that one, e.g., the obstetrician who delivered you had more gravitational effect than the moon or any other astronomical object (though I know it's not all about gravity); and, what about Ophiuchus, anyway (the 13th constellation in the zodiac)? My actual concern regards the concept of Native American astrology. In college, I focused on Native American studies in anthropology, read too much Vine Deloria, decided the Native world didn't need another white anthro roaming about unhelpful to anyone except herself & the academic publishing industry, so I went on to grad school for library science. I have, though, stayed linked to the Native world through various activities, associations, and friendships, not to mention astronomy and archaeoastronomy. I am not Native and even if I were, Native America is way too diverse in culture and language for anyone to speak for everyone, but in the spirit of what I've seen and learned over the years, I offer up the following.
It is nearly (nearly! ) safe to say that none of the Native societies has or had any practice similar to what we think of astrology. The sky is incredibly important, e.g., anthropologist William Sullivan makes an interesting case that the rise of Inka statehood was an attempt to halt the 26,000 cycle of the precession of the earth's axis; the Skidi Pawnee villages were arranged according to their major constellations; Native cosmologies are incredibly complex; and to this day, some Native people continue to look to the sky for signs (e.g., in the Andes, when to plant) that hold the rhythm of community life; some Quechuan farmers argue over the best sighting of the rising of the Pleiades. There may be a few commonalities in constellations among broader culture groups--I've never seen a nation-by-nation comparison, but it would be very interesting to do. Some of the Native constellations among wider groups certainly vary, i.e., Lakota constellations (Plains) are different from Navajo/Dine(Southwest) ones, which are different from those of the Iroquois (Northeast), even though the same constellations are visible from all those latitudes.
If any Native group had developed something similar to Greek/Roman astrology, it would have been for the benefit of community rather than for the individual. Even fasts and sweats were/are done as an aid to find the best way to help community (and improve oneself so that can be accomplished).
Native American astrology would be tied with overall spirituality, and over ten years ago, a group of Lakota elders became so fed up with the way that their spirituality was being appropriated that they issued the Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality. http://puffin.creighton.edu/lakota/war.html . Many folks, particularly New Agers, thought they were all being a bit grumpy. Those of us who support the efforts of the Lakotas' and others aren't always very popular (OK--not ever) with folks seeking to embark on a Native path of spirituality. The thing about Native spirituality, it is soooo intrinsically linked to the various communities that you can’t really extract it. But anyway, the USA was founded on land stolen from Native peoples and has an extensive legacy of genocide of Native peoples, the US government has misplaced billions of trust fund monies, schools like the University of Illinois continue to use Indian mascots--which every Native organization condemns and even though the U of I won't ever again be able to host a sports tournament, they persist. Hey...they have one Oneida of Wisconsin alumni who played for the fighting Illini who is supportive. But I digress.
Years ago I had to do a presentation at an astronomical conference on medicine wheels (the 67+ structures that flank the eastern slope of the Rockies in the US and Canada) and ended up with a bit of literature I hadn't planned on, such as Sun Bear and Wabun Wind's Medicine Wheel: Earth Astrology. Books like that suggest that the appropriation continues. It's no wonder that some Native elders are so exasperated. Not to mention there is so much distorted and misinformation contained therein, as I recall (I've pretty much blocked it out of my consciousness, though). If you go to amazon.com, you'll find a variety of opinions about that book from Native folks. Not all are particularly negative and at least one, IIR, suggests that any spiritual path is basically ok to be on.
There are many traditions that seem worldwide, such as meditation, animal spiritual helpers, vision quests, and purification sweats. Our group meditates for the benefit of our community and world, so sometimes there is a community focus. Occasionally I suspect that some Native people (like those who crafted the Declaration) think that we are appropriating their traditions when we’re not—it’s just that the practices look so similar. I find it hard to believe, though, that Native American astrology is one of them.
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"No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From: Moongarden's "Solaris."
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) Being an Aquarian I wouldn't say I was a typical example. I am a bit aloof & detatched I suppose but I'm not heavily involved with my local community and that kind of thing, I like my independance. I don't see myself as a reformer. But I found out that I have Scorpio as my ascendant sign. It was the sign that was on the easterly horizon at the time I was born. Apparently the ascendant sign is very influential on your character and it has explained a lot for me. I now understand why I have always had such deep emotions. Emotions are not always that easily understood by many people, and that sort of isolates you. A 'difference' if you like. I have a feeling all fans of Mike Oldfield also share this deep emotional side & find it expressed so perfectly in his music.
