Get your rocks on: Astrology and asteroids at Blackwell Regional Library (see update and clarification below!)
The Lucien Blackwell Regional Library, as part of the Free Library’s “Summer Reading” program, is hosting an event about Astrology and allied disciplines on Wed. August 8th at 4pm featuring guest speaker Jacob Schwartz, PhD.
Jacob Schwartz, PhD (that’s him at left) has some fascinating ideas to share. According to the brief biography at the link above, Schwartz got his PhD in Communications at the University of Illinois along with a Masters at the University of Chicago, but he soon gave up survey and opinion research in order “to devote himself full time to astrological counseling.” He’s even written a computer program called Asteroid Signatures” which, by allowing a user to select from a series of drop-down menus, will identify the locations in the cosmos of some 12,000 asteroids at any historical time of your choosing! I know, I know. You’re wondering what the locations of asteroids have to do with anything. So was I until I learned these astounding facts, ripped right from the headlines:
At the very moment skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by Shane Stant in her dressing room in Detroit, 6 January 1994, 2:20 p.m., asteroid Tanya was conjunct lord of the underworld Pluto on the descendent, asteroid Harding was on the eastern horizon, and asteroid Shane formed a perfect triangle on the nadir of the chart.
Again, I know what you’re wondering. Where was asteroid Gillooly? As it turns out, not all famous people have asteroids.
While there’s no asteroid named O J, there is a like sounding asteroid Oja (#5080), and asteroids for each of the characters in the murder trial where O J Simpson (#4788) was prosecuted for murdering Nicole (#1343) Brown (#1643) and Ron (Ronan, #4024) Goldman. When Brown was born, asteroids Nicole and Oja were conjunct at 0 and 6 degrees of Leo opposite the asteroid Oja in O J’s chart at 2 degrees of Aquarius, and conjunct Oja at the time of the murder at 8 degrees Aquarius, opposite the Moon at 7 degrees Leo!
Wait just a minute, “each of the characters?” Where was asteroid Kato? 6 degrees Kevin Bacon? Anyway, if the whole thing sounds a little far fetched, it may be that you simply haven’t yet had your “evolutionary breakthrough.” Heed the words of Jacob Schwartz, PhD:
Asteroids point to an evolutionary breakthrough for humanity. If we accept the premise that the naming of new planetary bodies correlates with new centers of consciousness within us, then suddenly there are thousands of new centers of consciousness lighting up in the cosmos and in our minds. If we are on the precipice of a quantum leap of consciousness where a greater proportion of the brain will be utilized, then the awareness of asteroid relevance can stimulate those newly utilized brain cells. Is asteroid symbolism the next step in our evolution? Are the thousands of asteroid names in our language assisting us to communicate the new response we all must develop to cope with the vast changes in technology, communication, and the information age now upon us?
“If we accept the premise that the naming of planetary bodies correlates with new centers of consciousness within us…” Really now, who doesn’t accept such a premise? With so many questions, what better excuse do you need to come on out for an afternoon at your regional library? Jacob Schwartz, PhD will be there, and one way or another he’ll be “lighting up …our minds.”
Update: See local biology blog thinkevolution.net for another take on asteroid-based divination, and while you’re there take a look at the celebrities who profess not to believe in evolution!
Clarification: By way of the comment thread on a post at thinkevolution.net we have this clarification from Christina Maltz who, presumably, is involved with the Free Library:
To clarify your comments, this program at the Blackwell Regional Library is about Astrology. The program is a fun program aimed at teens who are interested in astrological signs. It does not purport to be scientifically-based. No products will be endorsed by the presenter or offered for sale. You are more than welcome to attend on Wednesday, August 8 at 4 p.m. Thank you for posting this clarification.
RBanks said,
July 30, 2007 @ 3:52 am
Tarot readers are promoting stereotypes which have been harmful to the interests of game players. Many card game websites are being targeted by “psychic reading” Google ads which are inappropriate to their content. Card game websites such as Webtarot.fr, Letarot.net, and Tarotux.org have also been wrongly categorized as “occult” or “paranormal” by internet filtering software programs such as SonicWall. An online forum for the popular Hoyle Card Games CD-ROM software even displayed a complaint from a misinformed Christian user because of the software’s inclusion of the modern French tarot card game. These are just three examples of the damage these stereotypes have been causing.
Tarot is the trick taking card game that brought forth the notion of a trump suit in card games. Tarot, like contract bridge and skat, has been called the “chess of card games” for good reason. Tarot has clearly made a valuable contribution to our game playing culture. This contribution is sadly being obscured by those who continue to sell tarot exclusively as a fortune telling or divination tool. Websites such as Tarot.com, Belief.net, Tickle.com and others have been misleading the general public into believing that tarot is nothing but an occult instrument. The notion that tarot cards are only used for fortune telling or the occult is completely false.
Paul O’Brien, CEO of Tarot.com, has made some assertions about tarot for which there is no evidence at all. “It was masquerading as a card game for a long time because people could be burned at the stake for using it” and “It was more related to alchemy than religion.” are some prime examples as quoted by Belief.net of O’Brien’s Da Vinci Code style campaign of disinformation. There is no provable historical link between tarot cards and astrology, Kabbalah, alchemy or any other esoteric phenomena. There is also no evidence to indicate that tarot cards were intended for any other purpose than for the play of card games. The business arrangement between Tarot.com and large corporations such as AOL (America Online) and Glam Media assures us that O’Brien’s pseudo-history is widely accepted as fact.
Another popular website guilty of distorting tarot is the social networking site Tickle.com, which is owned by Monster.com. On Tickle.com’s tarot reading page we find this false assertion “The practice of reading Tarot cards dates back to the Egyptians.” Contemporary research disputes Tickle.com’s false statement. Tarot cards began to appear in early to mid 15th century Italy. The practice of reading tarot cards dates no earlier than the 18th century.
The general public has been duped by the “new age” publishing industry and by the uncritical mainstream media regarding tarot’s true heritage. The connection of tarot cards with the occult is based on false histories concerning the decks origins. The occult activities should in no way be seen as genuine tarot. Genuine tarot is a type of card game. The tarot game is very popular right now in France, Canada, and practically any place the French language is spoken. There is also a similar game played in Austria and surrounding areas known as “tarock.” Many players of tarot card games, nowadays, use a more modern deck with double-ended court cards and conventional playing card suits of hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds and the trump cards sport arbitrary scenes of 19th century Europe. Not only is tarot currently played as a card game in continental Europe, there are efforts to import these games to other parts of the world. Unfortunately, the widespread promotion of fortune telling stereotypes in connection with tarot cards has had an inhibiting effect on cultural exchange and innovation.
thinkevolution.net » Blog Archive » Free library talk in Philadelphia on… asteroid symbolism? said,
July 30, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
[...] blog malcolmxpark.org describes a dubious upcoming event in the Philadelphia Free Library’s Summer Reading program. [...]
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