The Astrology of an Empath
As much as my life has been devoted to and immersed in the study and counseling of people and their psychological/emotional states, I am still nonetheless taken by surprise at the depth by which Robin Williams has shown us of the condition of depression.
He, of course, is just one example of many, however, his influence was such that the impact has been widely felt and has certainly left an impression on many of us. I have a feeling his death was on some level a powerful catalyst for humanity to wake up to the actual emotional reality of our Human Race.
Depression is a condition that many suffer from, far more than we know because it is largely unacceptable to feel such deep and dark feelings on a regular basis. Most people are hiding their reality of this pervading dark cloud following them. Even though the levels of tragedy and human suffering on the planet is at an extreme level, we are expected to “turn a cheek”, and to basically numb out. However, there are some who can become numb to feelings and others who cannot. We are each containers holding emotions that are impossible not to have a cause and effect.
For so many, in this overstimulated chaotic world, the suppression and thus depression of emotions, have been seething beneath the surface like a deep sea monster that will have to eventually be faced. What we need to stop ignoring is the fact that we are naturally sensitive, feeling beings with extrasensory abilities to connect inwardly and with one another. We are naturally always within a process of traversing great rites of passage and thus facing our own personal Hero’s Journey.
I feel that all this depression that people are suffering from has not only to do with the actual trauma of their own individual lives but also much to do with the massively repressed sea of emotions of the entire collective consciousness. This is not an individual problem but an issue of humanity. What else can explain how so many people spend decades consciously healing and becoming self-aware and have a deep resource of joy and love within, and still show up in their lives (like Robin Williams) with what is known as Post Traumatic Stress symptoms? The well is deep.
We are affected, as we are all connected, by all the things going on in this world. As we become more aware of energy and the fact that it is everything, it becomes more and more futile to protest against this reality of connectivity.
The reality of being an empath has become more and more acknowledged and supported. The fact is that we all have the capacity for empathy, but not all are in the openness of accepting that capacity, which is the innate experience of the empath.
Many dealing with depression spend countless hours believing that if their life would improve in ways like more money, a loving relationship or family, a successful career, home stability, and material possessions, then their depression could be resolved (or at least soothe the wounds) as if the absence of those things are a source of their suffering. However, we can see clearly through Robin Williams that that was not the case. The pit of pain runs far deeper. The source can be tapped down to the very heart of humanity. We are living in a world of a great depth of unresolved pain, where suppressing and repressing our Spirit has been widely taught and perpetuated as a “normal” state of being.
Where does all that has been buried and pushed away into the closets and under the rug go? It goes nowhere! That is the great illusion of the 3D World. It is all right here amongst us and within us growing in strength as the Sea Monster.
Many by now are aware that negative, unresolved, and suppressed emotions eventually manifest into form, i.e., disease. Depression is also now commonly acknowledged as a disease, one which incapacitates a person to the degree by which they are able to tap into deep and painful emotions; like sadness, powerlessness, fear, despair, grief, sorrow, rage, and anger; which essentially overwhelms the Spirit of the person.
We are all one. These feelings do not belong to any one of us as solely our own. This is a collective-based reality. A butterfly flapping its wings in South America can affect the weather in Central Park – the Butterfly Effect, it is science.
This is certainly a great time of reckoning where we can see that our awareness and sensitivities are heightening, and where responsibility needs to be taken and wounds addressed. It’s nearly impossible to ignore what’s going on anymore without dire consequences.
We are the ones who must clean up this mess of the Human Spirit and embrace the abundant nature of Love that is also our inheritance.
For those who have seen the Maleficent movie, we can see this tragedy depicted so clearly with the very object representing her Spirit (her wings) stolen from her, leaving her to bear the burden of the great wound that was left. All for the sake of greed and personal power gained at the expense of another. We see in her misery that she is devastated and weakened by the betrayal so much so that she is eventually influenced and corrupted by the pain. This eventually leads her to choose actions from out of that pain-body, cursing an innocent child. In the end, we see that greed and personal power gained at the expense of others are succeeded by the spirit of love regained back into herself.
This story majestically epitomizes the patriarchal mentality of not honoring the reality of the emotional consequences brought on by heartless actions and believing one is superior to our inherent supreme power to feel all that is. No one can escape, and in the end, will be defeated or else liberated by what is harbored within the kingdom of one’s own Self.
We can see in Robin Williams’s Astrology Chart through the Asteroid Zeus (which has a strong association with patriarchal mentality) that he was within his consciousness heavily burdened and dealing firsthand with the emotional trauma deeply seeded in the conditioning of the patriarchy.
This alongside his strong signature as an empath certainly shows a strong susceptibility towards depression and the capacity to feel strong emotion. With Mars, the Warrior archetype, right there partnered up with Uranus and Zeus, we can see the clear symbolism of this as a powerful battle he was fighting.
However, in the end, although the outcome may appear as him being defeated by the “monster of depression” I caution not to fall into any victim identifications because also found within these symbols are high potentials which he harnessed beautifully.
It is very clear that Robin Williams tapped into profound inspiration. He was a leader using the tools of love and laughter, and a healer creating unity through the wisdom of humor around the absurdities of humanity. He attempted to make light of the victimization that humanity does face.
He liberated himself and humanity by being a spokesperson for the illness of depression. I do believe his death will serve many to gain a sense of their own self-empowerment through understanding that they are not solely “to blame” for their condition, that they are not “worthless” or “less than” because they have the capacity to feel more, and that they really are not alone.
Depression is a bi-product of a culture and a race that has been breeding the very conditions that create a sense of powerlessness so deep that even the finest of life conditions, the greatest of personal talent and creative expression, and great love and laughter, all stand challenged to shine before this great shadow.
The cultivation of compassion and self-love are essential to our well-being and really to our survival… We are all one and connected. This is our Universe and we are all that it is.
(Note: This post was originally written in 2014)