first quarter, last quarter clarification

[ari moshe]

Hi everyone,

I want to check that I got this right. I recall JWG teaching that the last quarter phase square is associated with Aquarius (throwing off dynamics of the past) and the First quarter square associated with Gemini (working through multiple choices to further integrate purpose). I think he spoke about that only for the squares, but NOT for the entire phase.

Is that accurate, or did he speak about those entire phases as characterized in general by those two zodiac archetypes?

[Rav]

Hi Ari,

I was checking what you wrote about Gemini and I just checked the material from the coursework and JWG did say the following about the Last Quarter phase:

"One of the beautiful things in the Last Quarter...is that this phase can produce what are called social geniuses. The people that come up with new ways, that then are re-ignited by society, the social geniuses. The welder that invents a new way of welding, the banker that creates a new way of banking, the artist that creates a new way of painting, etc. Or in Einstein's case, a new way of understanding physics. It can be an incredibly powerful phase."

So I can see how you have related the Last Quarter phase to Aquarius.

Namaste,

Rav

[Helena]

Hi Ari and Rav,

Ari, I wonder if what you are referencing is here

https://forum.schoolofevolutionaryastrology.com/index.php/topic,648.msg10470.html#msg10470

In it JWG mentions this about the disseminating to last quarter square:

"Van Gogh felt alienated from the very system that he was trying to integrate his paintings within"

"I tend to describe this as the mutation between Scorpio and Sagittarius and/or Capricorn to Aquarius."

Best to All,
Helena

[ari moshe]

Hi Rav and Helena,
Thank you both for those resources.

[ari moshe]

Rad,
Perhaps you know - I know somewhere that JWG associated the first quarter phase (or perhaps just the first quarter square) with Gemini. And likewise Last quarter with Aquarius. Do you knw where can I find him speaking about that?

[Rad]

Hi Ari

To my knowledge he never said that the entire last quarter phase correlates with the sign Aquarius, or that the entire First Quarter phase correlated with Gemini. Each phase, all phases, have their own archetypes in total that operate independent of specific signs.

Within the totality of the Last Quarter phase specific manifestation of it can correlate with what the Aquarius archetype is, and so to with the 1st Quarter Phase having specific manifestations that and correlate with, seem like, Gemini. That's why the quotes that Helena and Rav found speaks to this.

It may be useful for all to now post what JWG taught about these phases that come from the big book on EA: Evolutionary Astrology by JWG.

                                                 The First Quarter Phase

Dane Rudhyar called this phase a crisis in action.・This is quite true because this key evolutionary gate correlates to the need to establish and make real the new evolutionary patterns reflected in the original impulse in the New phase. The fear of failure and of sliding back into old patterns is now very intense. These fears create a crisis in which the Soul will attempt to try on many hats, so to speak, in an effort to discover just what hat most perfectly reflects the new patterns. These different hats reflect different directions and different ways of being that are highly individualistic. Which hat is it becomes the essence of the crisis.

Within the First Quarter phase, there are four aspects that correlate to specific phases of development, as follows:

90ｰ First Quarter Square: The individual meaning of the new evolutionary purpose now must be given a new form to operate through in order to be fully actualized or established within the individual. The specific nature of the form is relative to the specific nature of the planets that are aspected in this way. For example, if Mercury is square Pluto the new form would involve a new system of intellectual organization and the resulting opinions. The new form would evolve by analysis of the intrinsic weaknesses or deficiencies in prevailing intellectual systems or bodies of knowledge. This analysis would produce the new intellectual insights.

If  the planet was Venus, then new forms of relationship or new ways of being in relationship would have to occur. Creative tension is produced through the process of moving forward with this new form versus the compulsive temptation to slide back into old patterns of behavior. This creative tension also manifests itself because the Soul may not yet know how to actualize or establish the new form. The resulting tension or confrontation is usually seen as the individual against him or herself, against society, or against all that constitutes the past. From an evolutionary standpoint, this new form or mode must be actualized or established before the individual can move on.

102ｰ Biseptile: Following the square the new form required at that evolutionary junction in once again identified as a special destiny of a highly individualized nature. This aspect produces a remembrance of whatever was identified at the septile aspect. Now the desire is to exteriorize this evolutionary cycle or intention, to create a personal reality that reflects this new purpose. As a result, the element of fate occurs in such a way that the Soul will create the necessary circumstances that will manifest at key points in the individuals life that point the way to that special destiny and personal reality.

120ｰ Trine: The individual is now full of him or herself, so to speak. The desire and intent of the new evolutionary purpose demands creative actualization. This aspect also produces the potential for conscious awareness of the entire process: the whole scope of past conditions that have led to this moment. The individual can now create a personal reality that clearly reflects the new evolutionary purpose that began at the New phase conjunction. The individual can easily understand what must be done in order to create this reality, and can easily integrate this within him or herself as well as establishing it as a personal lifestyle within the existing social reality.

135ｰ Sesquiquadrate: This is a very powerful aspect that reflects an evolutionary transition between the First Quarter phase and the Gibbous phase. The intention in this aspect is one wherein the egocentric structure within the personality that the Soul has created must experience a humiliation. This occurs as a reaction to the willful assertion of the ego that has been living for only itself as it has sought to discover and actualize the new evolutionary intention, patterns, forms, and structures. 

Now the evolutionary process is one in which the ego must progressively align itself with the needs of the overall social environment. This occurs through experiencing resistance and blockage from the social environment. The ego is forced to analyze and reflect on why this resistance is occurring. Via this new understanding, the ego now learns to adjust its strong sense of individualized purpose and the forms, patterns, and structures that reflect that purpose to the common needs of the social environment.

                                                   The Last Quarter Phase

Dane Rudhyar called this phase a crisis in consciousness. It is a major crisis involving the individuals belief systems of knowing what to believe. Belief systems reflect the human need to create philosophies, including religious philosophies, that explain the nature of our phenomenal existence.

Any group of people will have a consensus belief or philosophical system that explains the nature of phenomenal existence. In this phase, the Soul must rebel against such consensus belief systems in order to expand its consciousness and embrace the universal truths: those not limited by any belief system. Thus, this phase correlates to a shedding of skins in which the Soul progressively begins to decondition itself from the impact of consensus opinion.  In a larger sense, this phase correlates to the beginning of the process in which the Soul desires to bring to culmination and completion anything that is not finished or resolved from the cycle of development that has preceded this phase.

Within the Last Quarter phase there are five aspects that correlate to specific phases of development, as follows:

270ｰ Square: The Soul, having learned all there was to learn about society and culture, and having become a socialized being in that context, now experiences a process of repolarization of the consciousness. This crisis in consciousness revolves around the tension between the Souls evolutionary accomplishments of the past and the Souls evolutionary drive toward the future. The intent is to begin a preliminary building of new foundations of awareness and knowledge that embrace the universal, the timeless, and the absolute. The old patterns, beliefs, cultural truths, and societal values will no longer serve as the map through which the individual creates social and personal meaning. What to believe, what to think, and how to relate become pressing issues as the individual begins the journey of deconditioning him or herself.

288ｰ Quintile: The evolutionary intent here is to transform consciousness in relation to individual and social identity. The individual must learn to relate inwardly in an entirely different way, because he or she is more than an egocentric or socialized person. This reorientation process is leading the individual into visions and awareness of his or her universal or timeless Self, and the relationship to the Ultimate Other. The individual must now learn to see him or herself in relation to the cosmos. There is increasing knowledge or realization of the individuals cosmic role in relation to the functions or duties performed in this life.

300ｰ Sextile: The new creative identity of the individual in relation to the cosmic whole is now given a productive purpose and understanding. In light of this, the individual can fulfill their universal and social role in this life. The transition between the past and the future can either be easily made or easily resisted at this evolutionary juncture.

308ｰ Septile: Individual action is taken with respect to the perceived universal and social purpose, and by relating this purpose or role to some special destiny. The potential for misapplication or misidentification of this role and purpose still exists, though: specifically, the potential for delusion. However, at key times this aspect will produce circumstances or situations to set the individual straight if he or she is in error or confusion. If there is uncertainty about the role or purpose, circumstances or situations will arise to teach or remind the person of that purpose.

315ｰ Semi-square: When this aspect occurs within the Last Quarter phase, it correlates to the evolutionary preparation for the Balsamic phase. Accordingly, there is a high degree of internalized stress that revolves around the need to withdraw from all social interaction in order for the new seeds in awareness to occur that reflect an understanding of the universal and the timeless. Also highlighted is the need for the individual to fulfill existing obligations and duties.

God Bless, Rad

[ari moshe]

Thank you for further clarifying this Rad.

I do have another question. Why is it that, as far as I'm aware at least, JWG never associated Cancer with the first quarter square? In my experience it's so resonant because of the immense insecurity that can manifest there, literally crisis in identity and uncertainty about how to move about in the world/ deal with the new stresses for integration.

[Rad]

Hi Ari,

Because all the phases correlate to their own archetypes independent of signs. And that is what he taught.

God Bless, Rad

[ari moshe]

Ok I understand, thank you Rad.