Astrology

By Jade Emory
May 2007

Civilized Warfare

In 1958, when I was 12 and 13, I became actively involved in the American Civil Rights Movement. This was not because of having African heritage, as I am Caucasian with a "little" Chinese on both sides. It was because my social conscience would not allow me to ignore the centuries of suffering by my African-American brothers and sisters, as if their plight was only their own problem.

If one group of humanity is suffering, the whole of humanity is suffering, and the whole of humanity is responsible to correct all injustice. I am old enough to have witnessed first-hand the oppression imposed on this one segment of society in my country.

Reading the Bible and secular history, other peoples have also been unjustly enslaved, exploited and abused, such as the Hawaiians, the Jews and the Native Americans. How could anyone moral not become involved in creating needed liberation?

Whether we choose to act to eliminate injustice, or we choose to not act, selfishly focusing on personal interests instead, either choice has karmic consequences.

I chose to act, but in a passive, civilized manner, inspired by the noble example of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. The results of his dignified dedication to an honorable civil rights goal are evident today all over the United States.

Three thousand years ago in China, King Wen wrote in the "I Ching" (Hexagram 7 "The Army"): "War is always a dangerous thing and brings with it destruction and devastation. It should not be resorted to rashly, but should be a last recourse. The justifying cause of a war, and clear intelligible war aims ought to be explained, to which the people can consciously pledge themselves. This elicits unity and the strength of conviction that lead to victory. The leader must see to it that the passion of war and the delirium of victory do not give rise to unjust acts."

Today our great nation is involved in multiple wars. Clearly our nation's leaders are not students of King Wen. Ask any of our returning veterans coming home alive from Afghanistan or Iraq what injustices they saw in war. Their faces will tell even more than their words will.

These wars are the MACROCOSM of worldwide conflict.

I am personally involved now in a MICROCOSM of war, a civil rights legal battle right here in "Paradise," Hawaii. This battle is not only racial, but pertaining to the civil rights of the handicapped and disabled.

I am the Plaintiff (Pro Se), still trying to emulate the great example of Dr. King of being civilized in warfare. The state and federal Defendants are very powerful and very corrupt. Their lawyers, known in my forthcoming expose as "The Lyin' Kings," Mr. "Wrong" and Mr. "Hindrance," are beyond concepts of honor and decency. They just want to win, and because they do not have the truth, the proof or the law on their side, they are fighting very dirty. The judges are their pals, their professional colleagues.

As I have prayed about how to prevail in the face of my challenging role in this great struggle, once again the wisdom of King Wen is offered: "The best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good."

This is civilized warfare. Whether this war is fought with an outer enemy or the inner enemies of hatred, anger, greed, lust, fear, selfishness or egotism, we need to fight wisely.

Mars in one's birth chart shows our potential for work or for war. In earlier columns I have written about Mars in all the signs of the zodiac and in each of the 12 houses. In this column I will take our understanding of Mars further.

Mars is about overt power.

Each planet in the chart has geometric angles with other planets. Some are easy, others are challenging. Some elicit higher behaviors, others need conscious resolution before higher behaviors are automatic.

Mars in a harmonious angle with Venus, planet of love, makes it easier to replace negative warlike expressions with positive ones, such as "killing them with kindness."

Mars in a reinforcing angle with Neptune, however is the classic placement for a "Lyin' King." It tells lies to try to win its war. It eventually learns that anything acquired without honor will never be retained.

Sometimes the weakest link in its "ohana" (extended family) takes on the karma of the transgression of the warrior. I saw this happen in the case of another lawyer who is outside the current litigations about which I have just written. He represented criminals. He got guilty people "off," misusing his intelligence. His wife died a very difficult death, because she carried his karma.

Therefore, it is very important when one is obliged to fight for or against something, that one wage war for good cause, and in a very civilized manner.

I asked the Creator, "Why are you doing this to me?"

He said, "I am doing THROUGH you".

Jade Emory holds degrees in psychology and education, has taught in American and Canadian universities and has been a counselor since 1970. Jade passed beyond the earthly bonds of her body in 2020, and is studying astrology on the other side.