Experiencing a degree-image

Degrees as Symbol-images: Natal and Transits: 

Anthony's interpretation of the degree symbols from a philosophic standpoint is more comprehensive than the interpretations given by Jones in his lecture lessons. Each degree is, or incorporates, a whole spectrum: of meaning, frequencies, intelligence. The 360 degrees represent the meanings that are being manifested in an individual's life.

• "Whatever meanings you find in your life are indicated by these degrees, these ideas...and when you understand mentalism you can see it immediately working in the chart." “You're living these ideas, you are these ideas--why not try to consciously understand what is going on?” Looking Into Mind.

The symbolic images or "degree symbols" helps us to imaginatively enter into the space of the reason-principle, feel its presence, and eventually help our mind get lit up with the intelligence quality.  

         *[See Corbin excerpts on “Creative Imagination” in appendix.]*

Anthony on experiencing a Degree Image: outline of points

Anthony speaks about his method:   [

NOTE: the red highlights are also included in red in the longer Ohio transcript excerpt—CLICK AT END.]

• When you read the symbol, do not bring in your concepts. ...An image has a totality and absolute presence. You cannot dissect it when you look at it. You must Feel it; it won't tolerate conceptualization. .. there will be times when there are some notes [DEGREES] you'll understand. Your heart will immediately respond to them. You have a feeling you know what it means, but now you've got to make it articulate. [transcript of a class of 3/29/82:

• "go backwards through the chart to get to the principal idea. You can't analyze piece by piece.The only way you'll get to that is through the feeling.   It's best to keep the mind [open] <blank> and just listen to the image." [Transcript of 3/29/82]

• “In order to understand a symbol that your planet is on, what is required is that you look at the symbol very intently but don't think about it, don't bring up any associations that the symbol may have. So if we took an example... my Uranus is on 13 Pisces. ‘An ancient sword in a glass case in a museum.’ I can read the psychological definition in Jones, but that doesn't satisfy me. He's explaining the psychological behavior which is the manifestation of the idea. So I'm not to the idea yet.

• “So I contemplate the degree, I keep thinking about it, but I think by not thinking. No association. No thought. . . . listen deeply to the idea, passage, or degree image. Don't think: this not thinking is real thinking. Just be quiet and let the idea impact you, permeate you. Don't bring in associations. Ohio transcript.   p. 156-167

• At first I memorize it, visualize it, retain it in my mind. The words stand for some kind of meaning, and once I memorize the words than I'm preoccupied with the meaning and I forget the words.   I try to gaze at that meaning without bringing in any associations, because any associations I bring in will be from my past and that's dead. I'll get no fresh knowledge that way.

• “It is a kind of unfocused attention, diffused attention. With an unfocused attention there is no determination, no judgment. What's there is there. If an intuition comes, I'll be there. Whereas focused attention is a predetermination as to how you're going to see something. If the attention is focused and an intuition comes, I might block it, even deny it. When I read a chart I try to keep that kind of attitude.

• When the mind does get quiet, then a meaning, so to speak, comes to the surface. But very often the meaning is not articulate to begin with."

• Thinking, real thinking, is contemplation. What most people call thinking is not thinking, its a regurgitation of everything that you already experienced. Thinking for me is always fresh.

• If you DO cancel out expectation, anticipation, the past and the future, then you become a receptacle, or there will spontaneously come to you thoughts which aren't yours, which are bright, happy intuitions, and they actually do tell you something NEW. [1984 0104]

In LIM, AD talks about the "listening attitude" . You listen or try to hear through the image.   Listen for the life current, or the heart current, the presence of the Overself, and then stay with it. Being quiet may be quite an active attitude, an intense listening. One does not want to let the memorized meanings interpret the passage or degree. But you have to get into a listening attitude.

• “A symbol . . . is a whole cluster of meanings. And one of these may strike you immediately... come to you like a kind of intuition. You try to bring it into the reflective consciousness.

The meaning of a degree symbol is inseparable from the chart of the individual. "There's a presence of the person (unit soul) in each chart and symbol." [3/29/82] The meaning comes through a contemplation of the whole chart, or the relations in the chart, and an intuition of the individual soul

• if I do another chart that very same symbol will alter. Because like I said, the symbol has a cluster or variety of meanings. It's a matrix of possible tendencies and which tendency is going to become available to you, depends upon the configuration of the whole chart. Ohio March 1984
• [In the case of the Uranus at 13 Pisces] Ultimately what the sword really means is discrimination. . . . One of the ideas that's included in the way I function is that I must always discriminate between two things and try to get to the essence by understanding the difference between two things. Now that leads me to an idea--discrimination in this sense is a kind of idea. I do that with each symbol until I begin to get to the idea that each symbol is trying to portray. If I do another chart that very same symbol will alter. The symbol is a matrix of possible tendencies, and which tendency is going to become available to you depends upon the configuration of the whole chart.” Ohio, pp. 161-164

MORE READING:

Anthony on reading a degree: From Looking Into Mind

Anthony on reading a degree: Ohio March 24 1984