The Latest from Bill Herbst

Thankfully, reader Doug reminded me to catch up on astrologer Bill Herbst's latest newsletter, and it's fantastic. As I've said before, I don't have any particular interest in astrology and so I'm not promoting it or even pretending to understand it--although I will give credit that it seems like a good astrologer is money well spent. But Herbst's monthly newsletter is fascinating and stimulating whether you're interested to know whether "Mercury will trine Pluto in Sagittarius" at all. If nothing else he's providing us yet another angle from which to watch the slowly rolling storm out there on our horizon.

I mean just check out these teasers from his March letter:

"I have written before, in earlier essays and in different contexts, that the great triumph of 20th-century psychology occurred not in the therapeutic fields of mental health and individual well-being, but in the nitty-gritty industrial psychology of mass manipulation and group mind-control. For all its sophistication and theories, psychotherapy has been largely a failed experiment, whereas the more mundane and crude commercial inducements of marketing and advertising have been a phenomenal success—-not merely to sell products, but to sell ideas and shape opinion in the public mind. Psychology discovered that effectively manipulating individual human beings is difficult, but manipulating masses of human beings is easy, almost child’s play."

[...]

"...after Pluto enters Capricorn in 2008. As we reach critical mass in the coming breakdown of society’s major institutions, efforts to maintain control on the part of elites in power will take ever more desperate forms.

In balance, however, I do not currently believe that we will see the dark descent of Orwellian-style fascism, for the simple reason that events are likely to spiral out of control. All our complex systems—from the military through the political to the corporate—are already showing signs of stress and disintegration, much to the chagrin of those who wish to maintain the status quo. Few outright institutional collapses have yet occurred, but those will accelerate after 2008, reaching full-bore in 2012-2015."

And there's plenty more there that I'd love to quote, but go check it out for yourself.... You'll probably also want to read the February newsletter, which gives Part 1 of this analysis and features a great synopsis on the history of modern China.

In fact, I think I'll go ahead and post a permanent link to Herbst's site over on the right.

Comments

[Peter]

Steven,

I'll check it out. You should also check out that Peak Oil novel that came out. I am half way through it now and enjoying reading tow chapters a night.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze495hz/id57.html

It starts off slow but builds up with each subsequent chapter.

[p]

just wanted to thank you for the recent posting flurry, Steve, I always enjoy them!

[Lisa]

After hearing about Bill Herbst from your website I had a session with him. It was fantastic. He was very helpful and accurate with his reading. I've had other sessions with people (not astrologists but people with intuitive abilities) and found Bill Herbt's session to compliment those. My husband listened to my tape and was so impressed he had a session which was also awesome. I highly recommend him!
Lisa

[Loveandlight]

Lisa:

I'm all for consulting with astrologers and the like, but I'm suspicious of those who claim to have extraordinary paranormal type perceptual abilities. Skeptics do make a valid point when they say (and sometimes demonstrate) that psychic powers are something that can be faked with a manipulation technique known as "mentalism". A good case in point is that there was this Internet psychic that my older brother was absolutely convinced was the real thing, but after having two sessions with this person myself, I was quite convinced this "psychic" was nothing more than a common con-artist with no real extraordinary abilities at all.

[Lisa]

Loveandlight:
Perhaps the reason that your brother was convinced that this psychic was the real thing was because she/he was the real thing...to him. A relationship is a cocreational process. I believe that we are all one. So, whenever we have any contact or communication with another person it's as if we're looking into a mirror which reflects various aspects of ourselves. And a person entering a relationship with extreme skepticism and doubt will create that experience for themselves. I feel that rather than pass judgement on that psychic, your brother and your brother's experience, why not remain open to the possibility that your brother created an experience for himself that was beneficial? I had a great session with Bill Herbst and because I heard about him from the particular blog, I only wanted to share my personal experience. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way.
Lisa

[technofreak]

I have been relying on astrology as an alternative perspective for about 15 years. I have got to know it as a valid indicator of trends and events throughout this time.

I have recently come across Bill Herbst and am very impressed by the way he writes and his insight. A valid tool for understanding reality.

Its important to get to know how astrology works for it to make sense. Something I know not everyone has time to do, but, that dont mean it isnt valid or useful.

Cheers.

[Steve I]

I have to add something for Lisa and LoveandLight: I've always - and still am - very skeptical of "psychics" - yet at work I've met a woman who has this habit of talking about very specific things which then happen, or talking about very specific things that I'm thinking of. It would seem that - as some physicists vaguely suggest - time is not always what it seems, and perhaps an extreme intuitive person feels suggestions that arise from this nature. One interesting comment from this lady at work: when I asked her how she comes across this (idly talking of some unusual thing which then occurs), she said there's no psychic flash, no visions, just this memory in her of something that she later realizes hasn't yet happened.

[Loveandlight]

I didn't go into the sessions doubting and being skeptical. This person behaved like a common con-artist and that made me doubting and skeptical. And her being completely and totally wrong in her "prediction" didn't help either.

[Paula]

Loveandlight writes: "I'm suspicious of those who claim to have extraordinary paranormal type perceptual abilities. Skeptics do make a valid point when they say (and sometimes demonstrate) that psychic powers are something that can be faked with a manipulation technique known as "mentalism"."

Astrology has been my hobby for many years, I have a pretty good grasp of how it works, what it's good for, and what it's not. Most astrologers worth their salt employ some basic counseling and therapy techniques in their readings, and are up-front about it. There's a huge body of literature about it that is accessible to anyone.

There's nothing paranormal or extra-sensory-perceptual about astrology. It's a skill anyone can learn with enough practice and commitment. At its core, I would characterize astrology as learning a new language. Astrologers really are just interpreters.

I read several of Herbst's newsletters after Steven linked to his site. I thought they were extremely well done. If I had the cash and the need, I would certainly consider him for a reading.

[Loveandlight]

I agree, Paula, and I'm pretty sure I as much as said so in my original comment. What I'm suspicious of are the ones who claim to have some kind of ESP. My experience and the fact that such abilities can be faked have led me to the conclusion that most such claims are probably simple charlatanism.

[Sol]

Talking about psychics now, not astrology: I think that what Lisa was saying about the relational aspect is important, but I wouldnt want to base my belief in such phenomena entirely on relation and what I am bringing to it. If I do this then if my faith were to waver some day, I would find nothing to support it on the other side of the relationship. I would find that it was based on nothing and I would end up severely disappointed.

I began quite skeptical of psychic powers, but I have met some people who have known or predicted things with impressive accuracy. I have even had some telepathic experiences myself. There are a lot of charlatans in the field, but now I know that the real deal exists as well. This is hard to accept because our dominant worldview (mechanistic science) provides no place for this kind of occurance. I dont know how to deal with this disjunction except to say that things go on that we dont know about.

Im more skeptical of astrology, mostly because Ive never seen it work, but also conceptually, psychic powers make less sense to me than the idea that saturn's orbit would have any significant impact on earthly events. Even the moon, which clearly does have impact on earthly events (tides, menstrual cycles, energy cycles in the plants) doesnt structure things enough to give any clear guidance.

[limukala]

"My experience and the fact that such abilities can be faked have led me to the conclusion that most such claims are probably simple charlatanism."

Just because something can be and usually is faked doesn't mean it can't happen. I guess it all comes down to personal experience though. When you have someone tell of strange events in their dreams which then come to pass, and it happens on a regular basis, maybe you'll change your mind.