CHAPTER 6: TIME CYCLES

The Meaning of Time, Potentials, Personality and History.

By Arnold Keyserling and R.C.L.

"A whole person can put on one of the twelve personalities like a mask as the occasion requires ... this allows the inner essence to shine through with color and style."

Since Einstein we know without a doubt that reality is a space-time continuum where matter and energy are interchangeable. Science and mathematics have learned a great deal about space, but very little about time. What we do know is strange. The passage of time is not objective, it relates to the velocity of matter. Thus as matter approaches the speed of light (the speed limit of matter), time slows to a near stop. A person traveling in a space ship moving at the speed of light thus would have no time and would not age. Time is flexible and personal. Moreover empirical studies show that most events in nature happen in some kind of time cycle. They repeat, increase and decrease, move in and out, in regular, albeit sometimes quite complex cyclic intervals. Beyond knowing that time is personal and cyclic, modern science has just begun to explore the nature and psychodynamics of time.

Although new to science, the subject of time was carefully studied for millennia by many ancient cultures and traditions. Some of their knowledge is still available. In fact, many of the ancients' insights into time have already been structured into the very fabric of modern society. They are now so deeply ingrained into our culture that we take them for granted. We assume, for instance, that there has always been a seven day week, a fifty two week year, twelve month year, or a twelve times two day. Actually, these basic parameters were invented by the early geniuses of time - the Babylonians. They have remained with us ever since to subliminally order our cultures and consciousness, our perception of time.

In 2360 B.C., the Chaldean's made the spatial Zodiac of the constellations fit the geometric circle of 360 degrees by inventing the twelfth sector. They did this by inventing and arranging the last missing constellation of Libra. (Before there were only eleven.) With this development there was a star group for each of the 360 degree sectors. Time then became accessible to full brained understanding.

By the year 2340 B.C., 20 years later, Astrology was the official religion of Babylonia, not as a science, but as a wisdom teaching to create a personal Way. This coincided with the Babylonian invention of the seven day week in accordance with the basic human energies. In their culture the King and Queen were joined on the Zikkurath - the Great Tower - at each of the four moon constellations. With the

seven day week the year was divided into 52 cycles. As will be seen in the last chapter, this is one of the prime numbers of spiritual development. The day itself was also made to follow the basic twelve-fold structure of the year: twelve hours of left brain day, twelve hours of right brain night.

This creation of the basic units of time - the seven day week -- changed the potentialities of the visible planets, and the moon and sun, into creative time. From that point in history to today, time and society has been ordered according to the twelve-fold Zodiac with the 12 months and hours, and the sevenfold time-cycle of the week comprised of the five visible planets, the sun and the moon. Unfortunately, most people today have no idea or understanding of the original meaning behind this structure. The seven days of the week and their cosmic origin are summarized in the following heptagon:

The time planets took their significance from their spatial Zodiacal "Homes". Each time planet corresponded to a space Zodiac sign where it was said to be at home. This is shown on Keyserling's Wheel. The order differed between the traditions. But Keyserling has been able to harmonize these differences and synthesize all of the traditions. Now that we have knowledge of all of the planets, not just the five visible planets known to early Man, we arrive at the following time cycles. This shows the twelve basis types of human potential associated with each time cycle. The chart also shows the relation to the grammatical parts of speech.

THE TWELVE BASIC HUMAN POTENTIALS

The planets symbolize the twelve archetypal human capacities or potentials which can be realized in time. They are divided into subsets of nine and three. The twelve potentials of time follow the basic pattern of the mind. The one or two word "Meanings" given above for these concepts should be understood very broadly. The words are "cluster words" which represent a wide spectrum of related capacities which come within that basic field of consciousness. They are like the twelve sides of a diamond which are unified by the crystal center of pure light - the Awareness behind the diverse manifestations of the Self.

The twelve basic capacities are potential powers until chosen in time. In life they can appear at three times in a person's development:

1 As Apprentice Learning

2 As Companion Acting

3 As Master Teaching

You must choose to use all twelve of the basic potentials, both in language and in life, when the opportunity is presented by life. Otherwise, they will remain latent. These potentials do not automatically grow. They require choice and intentional efforts.

First, your language must become holistic and coherent. To make sense of your life you have to make sense in your speech. The twelve basic concepts presented in the chart above are the keys to making sense. You have to learn to use these concepts in your speech, your language. Then, eventually, you will learn to master these conceptual cluster-words in a three step process: apprentice, companion, master. This mastery of language allows for mastery of the human faculties which they represent. This means mastery of the full human capacities in controlled actions, or as Don Juan said, "Controlled Folly". Both learning processes - language and life - must go hand in hand. One without the other will not allow for full development. Words alone are hollow. Life alone is incomprehensible. Only both - language and action - allow you to actualize these potential powers. With both you can integrate them into your being, and thereby make sense of life. You can walk your talk.

You fully master the twelve time potentials in a three step process. First, you learn them. Next, you learn them even better by acting them out. Finally, you master them after you have taught them to others. In the final Master teaching stage the Self can merge with the Sun. The Self then can become radiating, full of life giving light. But, until all nine of the potentials are integrated, and the whole potential of your Being is realized, you will be submitted to reincarnation. As Keyserling says, you will be stuck in the "cosmic game of bowling". Only when all of your pins, your potential, have been set up and mastered, can you survive the inevitable black ball of death.

The nine planets represent talents available to everyone at any time. The last three - Rahu, Ketu (19 year "moon nodes" or Metonic cycle points) and the newly discovered tenth planet, "Lucifer"⁽¹⁾ - are different. They can only be tapped by taking part in a larger social movement, or assuming a historical role.

The nine planets are ordered in the Wheel according to the geometric pattern called the "Enneagram" - shown below. The Sun is in the center of the Enneagram and represents the essence. All of the planets take their nourishment and light from the Sun. In the same way the nine personalties take their light from the inner essence. The nine sided Enneagram comes out of the Sufi tradition. It was first brought to the West in the esoteric teachings of George Gurdjieff, one of Arnold Keyserling's mentors and teachers.

The ninefold structure can also be used as a key to understanding personality types. When a person emphasizes a particular potential, they naturally have a personality type associated with that planet. This system of personality analysis works because most successful people are at any one time dominated by one or two of the nine basic impulses to the exclusion of most of the others. They are successful because they at least have some personality of their own, even if only one dimensional.

The majority of people today never develop any personality of their own at all. Instead, they have a false personality imposed on them from their parents, friends, job or society. The false personality has no connection with any of their innate capacities. For this reason it is usually weak, and the person has little energy or vitality.

Only personality which is in connection with a person's essence - their inner sun - can vitalize. The false, unconnected personalities only block energy. They act as a negative mask to hide true potential, instead of express it. Such lifeless personalities should be dropped and replaced by impulses and roles which you choose. They should be replaced by personalities that are more in accord with your essence and true potential. In the Gurdjieff tradition this process of liberation from false personalities is called "waking up". It is accomplished in part through a process called "self remembering" where you observe the false personalities in action.

If you are lucky enough to wake up and tap your inner essence and develop a true personality, you are on your way. But this is only the beginning, and many fall prey to the danger at this initial stage of development. They fall into the trap of domination by the first strong energy they develop. They may improve the quality of that type, and become more mature, but they do not fully grow or diversify. They do not become a real human. A real human awakens to all nine time forms. Instead, they become freakish, unidimensional beings. Strong perhaps, in their own little area, but narrow and imbalanced. They are only partially awake. They have knowledge and mastery of only one of the many forms of time. Their other potentials remain undeveloped, dormant or childlike.

You avoid this danger by using your beginning personality as a springboard to master all of the others. Aware of the trap, you take steps to avoid stagnation in one type of time. You seek out continual change and flowing. You look for new ways to be, new roles in accord with your essence. You strive for multi-dimensionality.

Normal "fully actualizing" people let the false personalities die. They awaken to all of the forms of time. They are able to grow and change personality types. They can diversify their character without identification to any one impulse. They learn and emphasize other potentials. They are not satisfied with the "one of nine" that is naturally the strongest for them. They go beyond, and add to the first real personality they happen to awaken.

The goal is to divest yourself of all false personalities. To instead become a "well rounded" personality. Such a being is connected with all of their essence. They are filled with many different kinds of energy. Such a whole person has learned and mastered all of the archetypal capacities possible in time. They can adopt or "put on" one of the personalities like a mask as the occasion requires. The particular mask worn at any one time allows the inner essence to shine through, with color and style. The Master is not attached to any of their twelve sides. They do not identify with the various personality masks used to express their essence. Instead, they identify with the Essence of Being, the white light Sun - Zero dimension Awareness - behind all personalities. They are centered.

They are like an actor with a role. They use the masks or personalities as a tool to interact with other beings. When the Ego and the Self are in this type of healthy relationship, the positive traits of a personality type naturally dominate over the negative. Time is filled with meaning and diversity. In these circumstances the perception of time can change dramatically. It intensifies and grows in duration. Ten minutes of peak time can seem like hours. Conversely, hours of intensity in a flow experience can pass in what seems like no time at all.

METHODS/EXPERIMENTS: Further reading and study in this area can be helpful. George Gurdjieff has himself written several books: All and Everything: Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson. (This is his magnum opus wherein the concepts of the Enneagram, personality and essence are presented subliminally in a science fiction setting. It is an immense tale of Earth and its inhabitants. It is told from the perspective of an advanced being condemned to live there for a few centuries. It is an excellent book, but very difficult to understand without great effort. It was originally designed to be read out loud in groups as a basis for the work of self remembering along with certain dance movements); Meetings With Remarkable Men (Autobiography which has been made into a movie); Herald Of Coming Good (first book introducing others); Views From The Real World (last book, kept secret for many years, on the dynamics of his work and stupidity of most of his students).
There are hundreds of books written on Gurdjieff and his work, "the Fourth Way", which are far easier for beginners to understand. Many of them are good. Among the best is the first one ever written by P.D. Ouspensky In Search Of The Miraculous which has many quotes and stories of Gurdjieff. Other Gurdjieff students who have written books on the Fourth Way include J.G. Bennett, A.R. Orage and Kenneth Walker. A recent book which is very good, and particularly helpful on understanding false personalities, is Waking Up by the transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart. The best biography of Gurdjieff is written by James Moore and called Gurdjieff: the Anatomy of a Myth.
Beyond reading, try the basic Gurdjieff exercise, to intently and totally remember yourself. It can be done alone, but is even better with a group. Self remembering is not as easy as it may sound, particularly to carry on for a sustained length of time. Simple, casual self observation or reflection is not what is meant by self remembering. It is far more than self consciousness. You should beware of fooling yourself into thinking you have prematurely attained a state of Self Remembering when you have not. It requires considerable will power and effort, involving a profound and deep awareness, bringing the totality of self into the zero dimension of pure awareness. Try it in sitting meditation, but also in activities, in movements and in situations of everyday life. It involves contact with the essence, with the Sun, and when attained it liberates and floods you with light and energy. For good descriptions of several more exercises refer to Tart's Waking Up and some of the other books mentioned.
Another worth while exercise to practice in connection with Remembering is to look for the false personalities which have been imposed upon you over the years. You can identify them by their hollowness, their lack of depth and connection with essence. Although they may be familiar to you from years of use, fundamentally they are foreign and do not feel true. Search them out, use strategies to weaken and isolate them, to diminish their time. Then when you are ready, and have another type of time to replace it, stop that particular false personality all together. Drop the mask for one which has your face on it.
The meaning of the basic times can be learned by study with someone who has attained mastery. Even without direct contact with a teacher, much can be learned by introspection of the drives and personalities within yourself as described in the last Methods/Experiments section. The observations need to be guided by a rational understanding of the basic structure behind the personality types. The following is a summary by Losey of the nine-fold system of personality types with both positive and negative traits, plus the three historical types. This should be used as a starting point for understanding, not the gospel.

1. HEAL/UNIFY: SPIRIT-FEELING. The basic meaning of conjunction - 1 - pertains to synthesis, to unification and healing. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Jupiter. It is the holistic capacity to fit everything together, to heal by reconciliation. It is the "both-and" counterpoint to "either-or" rational analysis. The complementary impulse is the fifth, to discern and judge. The personality type dominated by the conjunction category is known as the "Giver" or the "Helper", always trying to do good, to help or heal others. This personality type - with good and bad traits - is concerned, possessive, manipulative, demands affection and approval, and tries to become indispensable to others, but can also be genuinely caring, compassionate, empathetic, warm-hearted, generous, supportive, loving and even saintly.

2. CREATE/PRODUCE: BODY-SENSING. The noun - 2 - symbolizes the basic drive to creativity and production, to the physical realization of ideas. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Venus. The complementary impulse is the seventh, the impulse to destroy what has already been created and to start something new. When this one impulse controls, an "Epicure" or "Generalist" type of personality results. This type can be sophisticated, hedonistic, extroversive, accomplished, and excitable. They tend to be dilettantes, producing superficially in many areas, concerned primarily with appearances, things and wealth. But they can also be multi-talented, real, practical, productive, prolific, sensitive, joyous, with an eye for beauty, good living and grace.

3. KNOW/UNDERSTAND: SPIRIT-THINKING. The verb - 3 - pertains to understanding, to relation of abstract concepts. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Uranus. Uranus is the desire to know, to understand. The complementary impulse is the twelfth, to be inspired, mentally moved directly, without any thought or analysis. The personality type is "the Thinker" or the distanced "Observer". This type can be the ivory-towered intellectual, the "know it all" expert, the recluse, who maintains an emotional distance both from others and himself. They tend to be analytic, eccentric, insightful and paranoid. They can also be truly knowledgeable, open-minded, with great genius, intelligence and original, comprehensive ideas.

4. WISH/IMAGINE: SOUL-FEELING. The preposition - 4 - symbolizes imagination, the need to fantasize and dream. Its archetypal symbol or myth is the Moon. The complementary impulse is the tenth, hard-headed responsiveness and duty. This personality type is the "Tragic Romantic" or the far out "Artist". They are attracted to the unavailable ideals, the absent lover, the unattainable, rather than the here and now. They tend to be tragic, romantic, depressive, suicidal, individualistic, introverted, artistic and self-absorbed. They can be emotionally rich, sensitive, funny, intuitive, creative, in touch with their dreams, and of course, have a great imagination.

5. ANALYZE/DISTINGUISH: SPIRIT-SENSING. The adjective - 5 - pertains to analysis, to distinguishing one from another. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Mercury. Mercury involves qualitative discernment and the impulse to judge and rate. It is the "either-or" dissective counterpoint to "both-and" synthesis. The complementary impulse is the first, healing synthesis. The personality type is called the "Status Seeker" or "Performer" or "Motivator". They can be narcissistic, deceptive and pretentious, more concerned with the appearances and trappings of success in their work than with real accomplishments. They are frequently self- assured and energetic, but often too quick to accept the easy answer to a problem, and try to succeed in work through narrow specialization, frequently failing to see the forest for the trees. They tend to be the "Type A" personalities who are ambitious, overly-competitive or "work-aholics". They can also be genuinely-productive, authentic, good motivators and promoters, efficient, knowledgeable and accepting of their limitations, with many outstanding inner qualities and good judgment.

6. COMMUNICATE: SOUL-THINKING. The verb-person - 6 - stands for the drive to communicate, to explain, to relate to and with other people, and to improve yourself and others. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Neptune. It involves social intelligence, empathizing and dealing with people. Neptune also pertains to polarities: right-wrong, good-bad, rich-poor, innocent-guilty. The complementary impulse is the eleventh, the historical role of leading or following. When Neptune dominates, the personality type is the "Reformer" or the "Perfectionist". They tend to be overly-critical of themselves and others, idealistic, orderly, perfectionistic and intolerant. They think of themselves as superior and use the words "should" and "must" a lot, and can be self-righteous, opinionated, petty crusaders. They can also be conscientious, reasonable, principled, self-disciplined, with personal integrity and tolerance, astute insights, great communication skills, clarity, and a profound knowledge of self and others.

7. FIGHT/INITIATE: BODY-FEELING. The pronoun - 7 - basically pertains to initiative, to fight and start something new. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Mars. It is initiative, the visceral drive to get up and go, the entrepreneurial spirit. The complementary impulse is the second - Venus - to complete something by creativity, the finishing touches of creative embellishment. The Mars personality type is called the "Boss". He or she can be strong, combative, loving to take charge and fight, to protect self and friends, and quick to anger. They want to lead, to start things up, sometimes dictatorially, but sometimes with heroic self-restraint, magnanimity and courage. They can be powerful, expansive, self-confident, decisive, authoritative and commanding, but also selfish, ruthless, violent and destructive.

8. ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY/RESPOND: SOUL-SENSING. The adverb - 8 - pertains to organization, responsibility and duty; to assume responsibility for some social situation or group, a problem or opportunity, and to organize or direct it until conclusion. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Saturn. The drive arises out of circumstances created by others and constitutes a response to it. The complementary impulse is the fourth - Moon - imagination, the urge to dream, to visualize something new which has never been before, rather than to see something which already is and respond to it. The Saturn-dominated personality is called the "Loyalist" and can easily become either an establishment, traditionalist "organization man", or an anti-establishment, non-conformist "devils advocate", a rebel without a cause. They are likable, ingratiating, dependent, loyal to groups or a cause, and can be masochistic, doubtful, unsure, ambivalent, indecisive, authoritarian, bureaucratic, and overly-conformist. Trust and permanent solid relations with others are important. They can also be engaging, appealing, committed, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, cooperative, endearing, and of course, very responsive and responsible.

9. INVENT/ACTUALIZE: BODY-THINKING. The verbal forms - 9 - pertains to the impulse to orchestrate, to plan, to invent, to engineer and actualize based upon a sense of what is possible. Its archetypal symbol or myth is Pluto. The complementary impulse is the tenth, the historical drive to individuality. The personality type is the "Mediator" or "Peacemaker", who tends to be easy going, calm, peaceful and reassuring. They can be passive, disengaged, repressed, unoriginal, ambivalent, overly self-effacing and accommodating, seeing all points of view but their own. But they can also be excellent negotiators, profoundly receptive, aware, supportive of others, good-natured, genuinely nice, unpretentious, patient, original, inventive, with autonomous self-reliance, self-assurance and equanimity.

10. AFFIRM: BODY-WILLING. The statement - 10 - has a meaning which does not pertain to a personal impulse or personality. Like the 11th and 12th impulses it lies outside of the Enneagram. The archetypal symbol or myth of the tenth is Lucifer. Lucifer symbolizes the newly-liberated, collective historical drive for individual liberty, the affirmation of the rights of the individual. It concerns the mastery and affirmation of personal skills and of Ego. The complementary impulse is the ninth, Pluto, the drive to invent something new based upon the discoveries of others.

11. LEAD: SOUL-WILLING. The sentence which orders - 11 - also has a meaning outside of individual personality, pertaining to a historical compulsion to lead society or to follow a leader, to obey. Its archetypal symbol or myth is the King. The complementary impulse is the sixth, Neptune, to relate and communicate with people, to persuade or be persuaded by reason, rather than to lead or follow.

12. INSPIRE: SPIRIT-WILLING. The questioning sentence - 12 - symbolizes a state of inspiration, to inspire others or be inspired, in the context of an historical role. Its archetypal symbol or myth is the Queen. The complementary impulse is the third, Uranus, the drive to spiritual realization through understanding rather than inspiration.

13. AWARENESS: ESSENCE. Symbolized by the Sun, Awareness is not really an impulse or part of speech. The Sun symbolizes the awareness behind all of the other impulses, the essence behind and linking the different personalities. It stands for the Higher Self beyond the Ego, a state of higher consciousness, of light. The pure Awareness pulls together and integrates all of the diverse aspects of our Self into a cohesive whole. We first become aware of the Higher Self in peak experiences, and then eventually by mastery of all of the other impulses, we start to live in the light and a higher pattern emerges.

The knowledge of the Enneagram and personality types is summarized in the following chart.

METHODS/EXPERIMENTS: There are many recently published books which focus primarily on the personality aspects of the Enneagram including Don Riso's Personality Types and Understanding the Enneagram, Helen Palmer's The Enneagram and Richard Rohr and Andreas Ebert's Experiencing The Enneagram. If this interests you further reading can be helpful. But beware, do not get hung up on the different alignments of the types with the Enneagram numbers. More important than reading, try and see which type or types you emphasize or project. Do the same for your family members, friends and associates. See if others agree with your analysis. By recognizing a personality type in yourself and others, you can begin to get some perspective on it. This will eventually help you to free yourself from these ingrained behaviors. Learn to wear it like a mask.

FIELDS OF CIVILIZATION

The awakening and mastery of the twelve forms of time allows you to participate in the games of civilization. You thereby transform the animal-human body from physical to spiritual. You tune into your time cycles, develop your capabilities and use your personalities as tools to play the game. The cosmic pattern of civilization is the original Adam Kadmon, the Being in the Universe.

The primal image of twelve basic fields has meaning on three levels: body, soul and spirit. The body is understood physiognomically (externally) and physiologically (internally), as 12 independent systems. The soul is symbolized by ecliptic Houses. The 12 houses determine the inner attitude to life. The spirit is symbolized by the 12 zodiac Signs, the external pattern of civilization. This is all shown in the following charts.

STRUCTURE	BODY	SOUL	SPIRIT
Soul Wiling	Head/Brain	Personality	Politics
Body Sensing	Neck/Sense Organs	Possessions	Art
Spirit Thinking	Shoulders, Arms Hands, Lungs	Learning	Science
Soul Feeling	Chest/Stomach	Home	Psychology
Body Willing	Back/Heart	Children/Mastery	Education
Spirit Sensing	Abdomen/Intestines	Work	Economy
Soul Thinking	Hips/Kidneys	Community	Law
Body Feeling	Sex Organ/Buttocks Muscles, Eyes	Death Detachment	Business/Military
Spirit Willing	Thighs/Liver	Ideas	Religion/Tradition
Soul Sensing	Knees/Joints	Profession	Organizations Hierarchies
Body Thinking	Legs/Skeleton	Friendship	Technology
Spirit Feeling	Feet/Spleen	Regeneration Loneliness	Medicine

METHODS/EXPERIMENTS: Study these charts and try and see how the body, soul and spirit concepts relate to the structure of each. Remember that these are holistic cluster words, not definitions of limited and exact concepts. They suggest general fields or sets for which many other names could be used or subsets included. The limitations and differentiations of one field from another are derived from the basic structure. Try and think of as many other names as you can to include within each set. For instance, try and think of other major fields of civilization which are not named on the chart, and see where you think they would fit. For instance, in which of the twelve do you think sports belong?
Another interesting exercise is to focus on each of the twelve body systems mentioned in the first chart For instance, either by yourself or in a group, try walking around and put all of your attention on each of the twelve systems. Start from the top - the head - and work to the twelfth system at the bottom -- the feet. This is one way to start to know your body better, an essential path on the path of Wisdom-Knowledge. Another is to work on whole body visualization and learn to like your body, to accept is as a friend, or as the Indians say, as a temple in which you live. Enter a deeply relaxed state and then visualize yourself on an empty beach, naked, with your feet floating a few inches above the water. From outside of yourself look at all sides of your body, visualizing it completely. Which body part seems to call out to you, demanding the most attention? Which part can you most easily and clearly visualize? Is it difficult or impossible for you to visualize any parts of your body? Are there are parts you don't like? Which ones, and why? Ask yourself why, what does this mean? To which of the twelve systems do these parts belong? What does all of this tell you about yourself? In waking life which of the twelve body systems tends to receive the most attention, which does not function correctly? Tune into your body, it has all you need to know.

The twelve external fields of civilization manifest as complementary opposites. Our civilization is now dominated by Body-Thinking, the field of Technology; thinking incarnate with the machine and electronic computer in all of its many forms. The natural opposition is Education, Body-Willing, which means both the mastery of the skills necessary to run technology and the mastery of self. A true teacher must first have mastered a subject, made it a part of his being, before he can teach it to another.

The basic polarity which exists between these two fields of civilization - Technology and Education - is based upon the difference between Thinking and Willing on a physical level. Since Technology-Thinking is the dominant field of culture, there is a danger that its polar complement, Education-Willing may be weakened and atrophy. Indeed, we are already seeing the decline in Education in our culture, a lack of mastery of skills, and an overabundance of knowledge while Wisdom, "know-how", and true teachers are in very short supply. Unless balance is regained this will inevitably have an adverse effect both on our technological civilization and our overall evolution.

The opposite poles of thinking/willing need to help each other and work together to attain a healthy balance. More educational technologies need to be invented. High-technology should be brought into and made an essential part of the classroom. So too should apprentice traditions, and the traditional disciplines of self mastery. This can revitalize Education and also greatly enhance the transmission of practical know-how, of Wisdom. We are beginning to see this new merger with the advent of computer education programs, educational television, virtual reality simulators, mind machines and PrimaSounds.

The second complementary pair of culture fields which are critical to our new age are Health and the Economy. Healing and true Medicine are based on Spirit-Feeling, striving for the ideal. It is holistic, including the mental/spiritual as well as the physical and energetical/psychological. The striving for an ideal of health is in natural opposition to the practical economic values, money and work. Economy is Spirit-Sensing; thus the polarity is between Feeling and Sensing on a mental level.

Medicine is now out of balance with the Economy in many parts of the Western world. Illness and dying have become too expensive for society to bear. This is in part because our Medicine became over-infatuated with technology, and over-reacted to the religious dogmas of the past by adopting a myopic materialistic view of the human condition. So-called "modern medicine" came to see Humans as a mere physical machine, to be fixed when broken and kept running as long as possible. Its highest value was the mere prolongation of life at all costs. It treated disease, sickness and impending death and gave little attention to true health care, to wellness. Doctors became the ultimate specialists, little or no overall perspective. But this is already starting to change, thanks largely to the natural economic pressures. Medicine is becoming concerned once again as it should be with true health care. It is beginning to adopt a more balanced holistic approach that considers wellness of body, soul and spirit.

The Economy is now an extremely important field of civilization. Work is no longer looked down upon as the curse of the poor or uncultured. Meaningful work and a functioning world economy are critical to everyone's fulfillment, rich and poor. Trade, free exchange of goods and services, full employment and wealth are prerequisites to a healthy civilization.

The next polarity between Politics and Law, although still prominent in civilization, is now secondary to Economy and Health. Unlike the first half of the Twentieth century with World Wars One and Two, the struggle of civilized people against dictatorships in the second half of the Twentieth Century was won primarily through economic pressures. The politicians who enact the laws, and the judges and lawyers who carry them out, must all do so with an eye to the economic impact of the laws. One of the main concerns of the government and the law today is to promote a healthy and free economy wherein a minimum-level subsistence is guaranteed to all, with an equal opportunity for advancement and wealth.

Politics is based on Soul-Willing, Law on Soul-Thinking. The political bodies lead the government, enact the laws. Ideally the actions of the government and politicians are kept in check and balance by the thinking of the Judiciary and lawyers. Unreasonable laws can be and, in free countries with a strong legal culture such as the United States, frequently are overturned, and dictatorial leaders are investigated, indicted and impeached. In this way individuals are safeguarded from the excess of political willfulness. So too, politics balances law and can effect changes and reforms in the law when it becomes unjust or fossilized through faulty or stagnant thinking.

The next fields of culture are Art, Body-Sensing, and Business, Body-Feeling. Business refers both to the military-industrial complex, and entrepreneurial business, where executive action and courage prevail, rather than corporate bureaucracy and office politics. All over the world the military and business dominate over Art. This is particularly true in Middle-American culture where Business and the Military are the dominant forces of civilization, and as a consequence Art is repressed. If the role of the military and business should lessen in the future, Art may recapture a balanced position. As it stands today, however, Art is rarely an end in itself as in past civilizations. Instead the creation of Art has become business-like, and its acquisition has become an investment. Art is becoming secondary to luxury goods, wealth and property. The original meaning and purpose of Art as an embodiment of universal ideas, a vehicle for the spirit, has been lost to many. Business can rectify this imbalance by funding art for art's sake, as did the nobility for the great artists in past civilizations. Patronage of art can give returns to business in non-monetary forms, such as a more beautiful and inspiring work environment. The true Artists on their side need to shed their instinctual bias against business, and be more concerned with the creation of universal messages which are accessible to large segments of society, even business leaders, and not just small cliques.

The next polarity is between Science - Spirit-Thinking - and Religion/Traditions - Spirit-Willing. The conflict between these opposites, as shown for instance by the famous Scopes "monkey trial", still goes on all over the world today. For centuries in the middle ages Science was suppressed in favor of traditional religious dogmas. Now in most parts of the world Science is freed of religious constraints.

In Western cultures Science has taken the upper hand over traditions and religions for the past hundred years or so. The dominance has gone to the extreme where entire traditional cultures have been wiped out as "primitive" and of no value. Although Science, based as it is on Thinking, is likely to naturally dominate over Religion for some time to come, the extreme dominance and imbalance appears to be lessening. The value and significance of the traditional cultures, shamanism, inspired poetry and religious experience is starting to be recognized. Now that Science is secure from religious repression, and has matured, the opposition between the two fields can become a complementary polarity. The result is the positive synergy of traditional Wisdom with modern Science. New fields of Science are developing based on mystic experiences, such as transpersonal psychology. Conversely, new spiritual traditions are forming based on scientific knowledge, such as PrimaSounds, mind machines and the like.

The last polarity is between Psychology/Home - Soul-Feeling - and Bureaucracy/Administration - Soul-Sensing. This is the conflict between Feeling Home and individual Psychology on the one hand, and Sensing Career and the State on the other. It is exemplified by the cliche contrast between the psychologically-oriented, loving homemaker who has no public life, no life at all beyond herself, her spouse and children, and the cold, organization man, concerned only with getting ahead in the world, with no time for his family or himself. It is also the struggle between intrusive big government, and the privacy and freedom of the individual.

As the governments of the world, the multi-national corporations and other organizations and establishments grow larger and more powerful, there is a real danger of cultural imbalance whereby the organizational machinery stunts and kills individual Psychology and Family life. Big organizations and governments can easily be dominated by the unelected mid-level and low-end bureaucrats. The technocrats actually perform most of the ministerial functions, not the elected officials and corporate officers who are nominally in charge. Even enlightened leaders are frequently powerless to change the large institutions they supposedly head.

When bland, mediocre, heartless, faceless bureaucrats assume real power, uniformity and conformity become the prime value. Then the counter pole of home and privacy, individuality, and psychological diversity are endangered. The social consensus of left-brain Administration can overwhelm and stunt right-brained Psychology, individuality. The extreme of this was seen in the Soviet Union under communism where psychology became a tool of the State and political dissenters and non-conformists were treated as insane.

Fortunately the large organizations seem to collapse of their own weight; without the vitality and creativity of the individual, they fossilize, stagnate and cannot compete with smaller, more humanistic organizations. The fall of the Soviet Union is one example and a warning. When a large organization (Soul-Sensing) crumbles without another competing, more human institution ready to replace it, great instability and destruction can result, and the related field of the Economy (Spirit-Sensing) can collapse.

In a complex global civilization of several billion people, state and corporate administrations and organizations, and institutions of all kinds and sizes are necessary and inevitable. A healthy balance between the two fields is needed where each adds to and complements the other. Psychology and individual development can be brought into our institutions and made a part of the acceptable norm of the "corporate man". Power and work can also to be decentralized and taken home, and all people, men and women, given an equal opportunity to participate in the exercise of power. In this way the bureaucrats will have a heart and character, and the left-brain social organizations can come into balance with, and so cease to threaten the right-brain individualists.

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

In addition to the twelve time fields of culture, there are twelve stages of individual development. This is of the soul realm and was previously referred to as the twelve "Houses". The Houses show the inner time and stages of potential maturation over the course of a lifetime. By contrast, the zodiac signs show the outer time, the potential fields of development. Together with the planet times, the Ennegram potentialities, they make up the basic space-time continuum in which we live.

The twelve 7 year stages follow each other according to the 84 year rhythm of Uranus. The micro-cosmic fractal to this cycle is the complete change of cells in the human body every seven years. Like the planetary time capacities, the seven year growth cycle is a potential. Many will not realize all of the changes, and a few geniuses may fulfill their entire life potential within a shorter time. A normal striving person will, however, develop his full potential over the course of a 84 year lifetime, with twelve distinct seven year stages. People who live beyond 84 years of age either do so by involvement in a historical task or social role whereby they obtain extra energy to continue on. Alternatively, those who live on past 84 with no real meaning start the cycle all over again, and revert back to a second childhood and senility.

1 0 - 7 years. SOUL-WILLING. Creating the Ego. The child first develops a personal center, his own "I". The point of gravity is in the right brain, dream world, and "play" is the activity by which the child discovers the world.

2 7 - 14. BODY-SENSING. Relation to objects. The ego realizes that it has a body, culminating in puberty and the beginning of sex. Awareness of death becomes important, along with possessing things, collections. Learning in this stage is primarily imitative, without concern as to the significance of ideas. In tribal cultures this stage ended with initiation into the tribe as a man or a woman.

3 14 - 21. SPIRIT-THINKING. Learning, Relations. Now the nature of learning should change and take on new importance. The young adult begins to be concerned with the judgment and synthesis of factual data. They formulate their own ideas and begin to see themselves as part of a system of ideas. The judgment tends to be simplistic, seeing everything in black and white terms. Scientific intelligence can awaken, and either great supportive enthusiasm or negative skepticism tends to develop, depending on the teachers. The identification with and loyalty to a peer group is a common ideal for this stage of development. This identification with the peer group beyond this age is a danger. The young person must find their individuality at 21 years of age in order to continue to grow.

4 21 - 28. SOUL-FEELING. Founding a family. In most societies the twenty first year represents the passage into adulthood. In this stage education should continue from inner initiative with the teacher's role becoming secondary. The new adult starts their own home and family and gains independence from their parents.

5 28 - 35. BODY-WILLING. Mastery. Learning now changes to mastery of certain outer skills which have been previously learned, and to mastery of language and consciousness. With children the role of teacher must be carried out and education is important. Creative energy, based on sexuality, becomes the basis of efforts.

6 35 - 42. SPIRIT-SENSING. Selling oneself; making a living. The focus now shifts from channeling sexuality into creativity, to the clear conscious experience of reality. A person must sense what use he can be to the general movement and exchange of things, the fitting of his special creative gifts into the general economy. The person in this stage focuses on work, applying what they have mastered in the last stage.

7 42 - 49. SOUL-THINKING. Attaining competence and position in community. Now halfway though life, the center of gravity passes from private to public life. Focus shifts to establishing community position and to social responsibility. Social behavior is refined and polished.

8 49 - 56. BODY-FEELING. Opening oneself to opportunities and transforming possessions into energy. Social initiative now becomes the primary preoccupation, and other attachments and physical and economic dependencies are eliminated as dead weight.

9 56 - 63. SPIRIT-WILLING. Finding personal revelation or historical tradition. Now a person begins to live only for their real aim and purpose in life, the spiritual realization of their unique talent or gift. The spiritual/mental world becomes the prime concern, tieing into past tradition. Whereas the first 28 years emphasized the body, the next 28 the soul, the last years of life should emphasize the spirit.

10 63 - 70. SOUL-SENSING. Incarnating your ideas in a new profession or retirement which embodies the vocation you have found. Awareness of the full extent and meaning of the spiritual task now becomes apparent. The person takes a public stand to embody these ideas in society.

11 70 - 77. BODY-THINKING. Helping others as a friend to participate in civilization. After the public implementation of the ideas in the last house, the person must move on and clarify and communicate the ideas which will be of most value to others. The penultimate creative expressions are now achieved, as the person realizes that their gifts to humanity are just one of many, and are part of a larger civilization.

12 77 - 84. SPIRIT-FEELING. Becoming a bridge to the beyond, an ancestor. In the final stage a person is transformed into a vessel of light. All states of consciousness are integrated into awareness, the brain and CHI are fully activated and in balance, and the higher self is continuously realized. A person who attains this final stage of full wisdom can now helps others through living example, by their very presence and being. The divide between life and death is penetrated, preparation for the death of the body, and continued journey of the soul is complete, and the person serves as an inspiration and bridge to the next world.

During the twelve seven year stages one type of time capacity is emphasized over the others; all may exist and grow over a life span, but at a particular time a certain type of capacity can more easily flower. Knowing where you are chronologically can thus help you to decide on where to focus your efforts.

METHODS/EXPERIMENTS: Which of the seven year life cycles are you in now? Do you recognize the description of your stage of life? Have you made the transformation yet to leave a past cycle, and go into the present one? What should you do to implement this knowledge? How should you change your life to take advantage of the potential of your current age? Are there any past cycles that you did not fulfill, even though you are now in the right rhythm of time? What can you do now to go back, to fill that gap in your life and regain that energy? Look at others and their ages and evaluate their maturity? Can you observe any gaps in their maturity, or harder still, can you see any gaps in your own maturity?
Who do you know that is stuck in a past time cycle and stopped growing up at some stage in their life for some reason? Did that happen to you? If so, what can you do to get out of it, to make up for lost time? At some time or another almost everyone gets stuck and stagnates to a certain degree. The trick is to recognize it, to wake up and move on. Don't let false pride interfere with progress. Figure out where you are weak from past laziness and mistakes and try to overcome it.

The stages of human development follow the Uranian time cycle of 84. Each of the stages opens up a new vista. Externally in the Wheel there are twelve houses of maturing time as described above. Inside the Wheel there is another cycle of 84. There are seven cycles of twelve years each. This internal progress follows the seven energy centers, the chakras. The Jupiterian cycle of twelve years integrates with the Uranian cycle of 84 years in seven stages of inner energy growth: 84/12=7. This time cycle enables Man to integrate the seven energy centers into Being. The seven twelve year energy stages will be discussed in greater detail in the next chapter on energies

There are other time cycles influencing the development of Man. The Saturanian cycle of 29 years separates the generations. The Moon nodes (Rahu and Ketu) cycle of 19 years shows changing roles in history - 19, 38, 57, 76, 95. The Neptunian cycle of 165 years creates historical periods. The Plutonian cycle of 245 years shows the patterns of civilization. The Luciferian cycle of 445 years effectuates changes in holistic and religious paradigms.

METHODS/EXPERIMENTS: Think back in time to 19 years ago and observe the changes in history, the changes both in your society and your life. What year was it 165 years ago? What was your country like then? Your forefathers and mothers? Then think back 245 years ago; what year was it? What was civilization like then as compared to now? How did the people live and view the world? Then look back 445 years, what year was it? How did your ancestors think? How did they speak? Try and imagine what their mental gestalt and attitude must have been like; this may give you a better perspective on where you are now.

INDIVIDUALITY

Every time -- every planet - begins and ends its cycle at a particular place in the Wheel. That is called its "home" on the Wheel. The symbolic significance of a time cycle changes when it appears outside of its home, when its house/sign location changes. The meaning of the time cycles become more complex. It takes on the fractal complexities of life. They are the same in a different placement, yet different - self similar, but not identical. In the Wheel the planets are shown in two dimensions in their home position where their natural, simplest predilections are expressed. In the real world of the fourth dimension such simplicity is rare.

For the individual the natural alignments shown in the Wheel are usually displaced. They are also different for each person, except for the rare exception of two people born at the exact same time and place. More complicated and diverse combinations of cyclic time and significance appear when the alignments go away from the "home" positions. For example, when the time capacity symbolized by Jupiter acts in the first house cycle in alignment with Spirit Feeling, it is a time of "taking care". But when this time potential appears in a different context, say in the second house aligned with Soul Willing, then it signifies "personal consultation". In the third house with Body Sensing, its now represents a completely different archetypal situation, the time to learn the "materia medica".

THE WHEEL

The variable nature of the twelve basic time cycles is the foundation for the original Chaldean formulation of Astrology as a spiritual path. Here an individual finds and fulfills their unique meaning in life by reference to their special times. These times are known by the planets. The Chaldean's knew that the spatial alignment of the planets at the moment of a person's birth had a fractal correspondence, a meaning. They discovered that the unique positions of the planets at the moment of birth show the structure of the mind. Thus by determining the placement of the macrocosm at the moment of birth, the horoscope, the mesocosmic potential of the person's life could be known. Their potential capacities could be predicted. The Chaldean's used the planets as a cosmic clock to find the unique timing of each person, their gestalt. The horoscope was used as a device to help a person attune to their inner time cycles, their unique potential. As Keyserling has found, the horoscope with all twelve time cycles is still valid today if used for that purpose, but only for that purpose.⁽²⁾ A chart showing the unique planetary time piece of Keyserling's moment of birth is shown below.

KEYSERLING'S HOROSCOPE