Notebook, April 30, 2008

A research study led by Norihiro Sadato, a professor at the Japanese National Institute for Physiological Sciences, has discovered fascinating correlations between receiving a compliment and the prospect of receiving money! --The study shows that the part of the brain called the striatum, the brain’s reward-perception system, is activated when someone is paid a compliment.

Astrologers should recognize this as a “resource exchange” phenomenon already discovered in our work, the emphatically well-articulated signals related to the “Fixed” Cross of Houses, 2-5-8-11. [See Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology pages 225-268 and 729-732.] I presented this some 25 years ago.

As well, Dr. Wayne Dyer, new New-Age guru presents in his books and interviews [see particularly The Power of Intention], a similar tie between kindnesses and serotonin levels in the brain, the concomitants of feeling good: “The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proven in research studies.

“Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful. In fact, the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, helping to ease depression. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this! Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!”

Think of your own reactions to kindness. Even seeing kindness in a motion picture brings up the “Happy Ending” feeling; the smile, the tear. Even a Hallmark Card or Bell Telephone commercial during the holiday season! --We feel good when we see kindness; we feel good when we receive it; we feel good when we give it.

For some people, the private experience of the movie or commercial is about as far as it goes easily. Emotions are embarrassing to them; they are not believed. Many feel that giving kindness… giving a compliment, for example, somehow diminishes them. They criticize the process. –the sincere compliment, the act of kindness becomes water on a dry plant.

We can track this tendency through rulership conditions relating to the fixed Grand Cross of House [see references above].

We must know that the astrological consultation becomes a private meeting for honest dialogue and the exchange of kindness. The astrological consultation is a one-on-one support group!

The support group dynamic keeps a person from being alone. Developmental tensions are given objective evaluation and are placed in an interpersonal, social context. This improves manageability of values and growth.

How frequently do you show kindness to someone?

Does this correlate with how often you receive kindness?

How alone are you?

And if you know your stuff: What are friends for, anyway?

---Please, please read further about this feel-good phenomenon, this ever-so-helpful uplift so easily accomplished: See “Counseling Insights” Archives, following the present essay in that department: click on April 30, 2006; April 30, 2005; October 31, 2004; December 31, 2001.

Next Update: May 31, 2008

March 31, 2008: Managing the Existential
December 31, 2007: Managing the Spirit - moving from idealization to strength
November 30, 2007: The Energy of Needs
October 31, 2007: The Dignity of Sagittarius
September 30, 2007: The Simple and the Good
August 31, 2007: Astrological Theory, Astrological Truth
July 31, 2007: Corollary Thinking
June 30, 2007: Measurements that just go by!
May 31, 2007: Marriage-Divorce Bromides
April 30, 2007: Astrologer Self-Assurance supports Client Confidence
March 31, 2007: Astrology: Good Guys and Bad guys?
February 28, 2007: Some Humanistic Measurements for the thinking Astrologer
January 31, 2007: How do you tell a good Astrologer?
December 31, 2006: New Year's Wishes for the Forum
November 30, 2006: Pre-Consultation Image-Making
October 31, 2006: How we progressively do more than collect Data in Astrology
September 30, 2006: Connecting the Dots! (repeated for its importance)
August 31, 2006: Connecting the Dots!
July 31, 2006: Enforcing Efficiency with Horoscope Preparation
June 30, 2006: The Power of Simplification
May 30, 2006: 'Didn't Happen' doesn't mean 'It won't!'
April 30, 2006: Our Vulnerability to the Negative
March 31, 2006: Our Frame of Mind
February 28, 2006: Articulating Element Imbalance
January 30, 2006: Learn to count Projections in a Flash
December 30, 2005: How Are You Doing, in Astrology?
November 30, 2005: The Measure of Confidence
October 30, 2005: Get moving! Take Action!
June 30, 2005: The Anxiety of Separation, Disapproval, and Threat
May 31, 2005: Show your Grammar Grade
April 30, 2005: Melody and Message
March 31, 2005: ZZzzzp. There it is! Now What?
February 28, 2005: Whose Kingdom Comes?
January 31, 2005: Take Away the Measurements, and What's Left?
December 31, 2004: How're You Doing, in Astrology?
November 30, 2004: Believing is Seeing?
October 31, 2004: Rulership over Tenancy
September 30, 2004: Reading and Thinking
August 31, 2004: Learning Beyond Descriptions
July 31, 2004: Awareness of LEVEL and Fulfillment of Astrological Potentials
June 30, 2004: Finding the Statue Within
May 31, 2004: Working with Probabilities
April 28, 2004: How Organized is your Horoscope Preparation?
March 31, 2004: The Impediment of Jargon
February 27, 2004: Better Orientation for Interpretation
January 30, 2004: Inviting Inspiration into Analysis
January 2, 2004: You Are What You Do!
November 30, 2003: Using the Essay Resources Creatively
October 30, 2003: The Importance of Context
September 30, 2003: Therapy-Reading Study Recommendations
August 30, 2003: Keeping Time in Memory
July 29, 2003: Century Retrospective
June 30, 2003: Resistance to Change
May 31, 2003: The Value of Events
May 1, 2003: The Consultation Horoscope
April 1, 2003: Putting the Horoscope into your Body
February 26, 2003: Measurements for the Modern Astrologer
January 29, 2003: How's Your Aura?
December 30, 2002: Knowledge is Separate from Talent
November 29, 2002: Physical Appearance
October 29, 2002: Emotional Responses Out of the Way
August 29, 2002: Development Scenario over Eventology
July 30, 2002: Arcing the Quindecile --New Research!!
June 29, 2002: More on AstroChords - By popular demand!
May 29, 2002: Appreciating AstroChords
April 29, 2002: The Dispersion of Primary Freudian Concepts
March 30, 2002: Getting it All together
February 28, 2002: Alan Leo's Planet Profiles
February 1, 2002: Vocational Orientation-Reminders
December 31, 2001: Moon-Marriage Orientation
November 30, 2001: Neptune and Suppression
October 29, 2001: Mundane Overview: Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, U.S.
October 1, 2001: Mundane Considerations
August 31, 2001: The Values of Bombs Going Off
July 30, 2001: Therapeutic Metaphor
June 30, 2001: Random Insights
May 30, 2001: Subtext Use for Image Impact
April 30, 2001: Opening Up for Inspiration
March 30, 2001: Tracking the Sureness of Projections
February 20, 2001: Development Scenario
January 30, 2001: Thoughts on Depression
December 30, 2000: What to Expect from a Consultation
November 30, 2000: Therapeutic Images
October 30, 2000: Horoscopes with Minimal Developmental Tension
September 30, 2000: Astrology and Aging
April 31, 2000: Creativity and Aesthetics
March 31, 2000: Creativity and Aesthetics
February 29, 2000: Negation/Denial, Tension/Motivation
January 30, 2000: Brush Strokes for the Portrait!
December 30, 1999: Orientation Guidelines for Vocational Analysis
November 30, 1999: Considerations about Orb
The October 30, 1999 article is regrettably unavailable (webmaster's error)
September 25, 1999: Body Shifts
August 21, 1999: Remembrance of Things Past
August 1, 1999: Consultation Glimpses
July 15, 1999: Neptune Eye Flutter and Saturn Ring Finger