The Changing of the Gods is a new ten part series focusing on Uranus Pluto alignments through history, based on Rick Tarnas’ 2006 book Cosmos and Psyche. It brought into the mainstream the notion that major events of history correlate with planetary positions, which may seem pass remarkable to astrologers, but was then a revelation to the public. Tarnas’ stellar reputation was built on his first book The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View, which became a bestseller and remains in use in universities.
He was born 21 February 1950 in Geneva to American parents, grew up in Detroit, graduated from Harvard cum laude, did a post-grad in psychedelic therapy (hallucinogenics), and then spent ten years at Esalen studying and teaching with Stanislov Grof, Joseph Campbell, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross and James Hillman. He is a founding director of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS.
He has a Pisces Sun in his career 10th conjunct his Midheaven, felicitously fostering his cosmic fascination, which is trine a maverick, trailblazing Uranus just below his Ascendant enhancing his astrological image. He has a broad-minded and enthusiastic Jupiter as well as Mercury in Aquarius in his philosophical 9th house of publishing and teaching, with Jupiter in a confident opposition to an intense 3rd house Pluto. His Aries Moon opposes Neptune. He’s well designed to communicate with passion on a broad scale on Neptunian and Uranian themes.
His 7th Harmonic is strong, pointing to a spiritual bent – ‘a seeking soul.’ As is his Master Number 11H and leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H.
Esalen, Big Sur, California, where he developed his ideas with some of the alternative greats, on his astrocartography has his Moon exactly on the IC with Neptune conjunct his Midheaven from the 9th and exploring-beyond- reality and influencing-the-zeitgeist Pluto in the 8th. His spiritual home.
See: changingofthegods.com
LOL about astrology for Muggles. Still, I am enjoying all the archival footage and interviews with Tarnas and although episodes are released one by one for 24 hours only and we will get the 4th one tonight, it’s not too late to sign up for free at https://www.j8d2trk.com/7QDDDL/55M6S/. On the final weekend all the episodes will be available to catch up on any that were missed before the bonus 10th episode is released. My only complaint is bad timing because it’s been difficult to keep up with coverage of the invasion of Ukraine and watch the episodes within 24 hours!
I had no idea this was in the works. Read Cosmos and Psyche when it first came out and was just so SATISFIED!! 🙂
I have so many friends and acquaintances who have birthdays around February 21st… all different years. All are intriguing people…. straddling the energies of Pisces and Aquarius. More apparent than with other close sign combinations… to me, anyways.
Very Yin and Yang!!
Thanks for the interesting peek at Richard Tarnas, Marjorie. I’m watching the documentary too and will likely purchase it for my personal library. Sure, while the Saturn/Pluto “education” may be old hat for those of us who’ve been studying astrology for a while, I’m really enjoying the interviews with the astrologers. I have a Jupiter-Chiron conjunction on the MC (9th house side), opposed by Uranus/3rd/Virgo, pretty tight on the orbs. So I live for this kind of stuff anyway.
As someone with a foggy Pisces MC myself (@ 9 degrees) and Jupiter-Chiron conjunct there, I’m fascinated by the direction Tarnas’s career took. I worked as an administrator in the engineering world for years–it paid the bills but wasn’t very fulfilling. I’m currently in college, re-training for an allied health career. I guess I was destined to find my way to a healing profession eventually. Interestingly, Tarnas’s South Node and Mars are closely flanking my Libra Sun; his Part of Fortune is exact on my Neptune in Scorpio; his Neptune is exact on my Libra Mercury; his Venus and Mercury are closely flanking my Saturn/South Node conjunction in Aquarius; his sun is right next to my Jupiter in Pisces; and his Chiron opposes my AC within 1 degree. I do feel very connected and “eureka, I understand!” to his archetypal approach to astrology and his writings.
I watched the first episode of The Changing of the Gods, but stopped halfway through the second because I was deeply bored. An introduction to astrology for Muggles.
Haven’t watched yet, but am told the series really picks up again for astro-enthusiasts around episodes 4 and 5.
Exactly the same for me. I’ll skip this vacuous production and just read Tarnas’ books.