Wednesday, January 5, 2011

About "redemptive purposes"

Hi everyone! I received an email from a reader this morning, and thought others might also have the same question, so am posting both her question and my response here:

I was reading your wonderful Journal this week and came across a statement that I would really like some clarification on. The quote is: "The squares to Neptune and Chiron may correspond with opportunities to heal disillusionment and idealism in our relationships, and to understand the redemptive purpose of perceived abandonment or rejection."

I don't understand how perceived abandonment or rejection have a "redemptive purpose." I would really love to understand this concept but I find I have no idea what you mean...

Thanks for your question!

What we find in working with astrology is that certain themes can be found in a person's birthchart, or in a specific time frame by transit -- and abandonment/rejection is one of those themes. We often see it manifesting first in the childhood experience of the parents, and then repeating in later relationships, too.

The reasons for choosing such experiences are probably as varied as there are souls experiencing them. But what I find especially useful about astrology is that it can show the "redemptive purpose" of even very difficult circumstances.

In the case of childhood abandonment -- which shows up astrologically most often in the 4th house or in aspects to the Moon -- it is likely that the soul came into this life with a strong desire to learn independence and detachment. As a part of that learning, the soul may choose to be born into a family where one or both of the parents either leaves or is in some way unavailable -- both of which will feel like abandonment/rejection to the child. This, of course, also creates a deep wound, that can take many years to heal.

In this example, we have at least two primary reasons for the soul's choice of experiencing the loss of a parent in childhood. First, to learn how to be self-sufficient and independent, to know one's own capabilities and to become stronger as a result. And second, to learn how to love and nurture the self, the inner child who carries the wound. Then, a third purpose could be the the need to learn forgiveness and higher perspective.

I think this is one of the reasons I appreciate astrology so much -- the offering of higher purposes and an increased understanding of our soul's choices on this journey.

Blessings, Pam

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for bringing light to the subject. I relate to that by childhood feelings of abandonment from my father not only abandoning me but leaving my mother with a very low sense of value. And feeling partially rejected by my mother as well. Leaving me in isolation and numb of feeling, but also with surviving skills. I've finally healed the hurt with my mother, by accepting her unconditional love first to my son and now for myself as well. With the father is more challenging. Specially when someone pushes same buttons and affects not only the personal life. I'm working on just positively Loving ++ something I couldn't do without triggers, because I couldn't feel. Strong feeling at times make me feel like I'm loosing.

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  2. Pam, I just want to thank you! Your insights are inspiring and your journal is brilliant. I enjoy astrology because it offers a lens through which I can see that my individual experiences mirror the actions of the heavenly bodies, and that makes me feel connected to the universe and not alone. Astrology also helps me to make sense of strong energies and events that catch me off guard.

    As an example, the previous spring brought attention to my relationship with my father, the unintended author of my abandonment issues. Your insights about the effects of planetary movements and the recent eclipses give my mind a place to rest - helping me to stop banging the figurative head on the wall - rather than continuously ask WHY we are having relationship troubles again "all of a sudden", when we've been "close" for 12 years now. The energies of the heavenly bodies have helped me see through the complacent and surface concept I've carried of our "closeness". I trust that they will help me move through to forgiveness and a higher understanding, such that this particular drama can actually be beind me.

    Happy new year to you.

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  3. Jan. 12,2011 Pam,
    Thank you for your very astute comments on what most astrologers think are abandoment issues. You went deeper. I fit into all threee catagories and have known this all my life.Because I was able to see the positive and not focus on the negative I have grown immensly and treasure my life and my "teachers".

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