Soul-Sick Nation: An Astrologer's view of America, by Jessica Murray

220 pp. pb. Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana


The first thing I have to say about Jessica Murray's new book is that she's absolutely correct! Well, at least we are of the same opinion as she expresses it in this very polemic astrological analysis of America through the Sibley chart - and depending on your own opinion that may be a blessing or a curse.

Blessing or curse, this book is challenging in that it is such a mix of political stance and geo-political astrology that it breaks very much from the mold in both categories. It's a bit of a hybrid without any real precedent. For all that, it is a rich example of how to read a national chart, and makes a peerless text in geo-political astrology.

It also shows the dangers of putting so much of one's opinions into analysis that any claims of objectivity would be laughable. Of course, that's more of a problem in America where the myth of "journalistic objectivity" - an expression of our Mercury-Pluto opposition - denies the color of opinions, no matter how self-evident they are. In European papers, the editorial slant is more overt and people expect to read between the lines, picking through the filters everyone admits to being there. In any event, if conversations at astrology conventions are a fair assessment, even most American astrologers will agree with Murray that our state is in many ways soul-sick and sinking deeply into a quasi-fascistic, plutocratic oligarchy where consumerism; manufactured, false "pop-culture;" and deliberate ignorance block solutions to our deteriorating environment, economy, and diplomatic standing.

The problems with the book are not in its substance, but they are many. Basically, this book is in strong need of good editing. It reads like a series of lectures and the style is not so much academic or conversational as it is preaching-to-the-choir polemic which makes for challenging prose. Also it sometimes reads as if it is addressed to neophyte astrologers, and sometimes to experts. This is good in a workshop where you are personally addressing people of different skill levels, but as a writing style it feels very uneven. There are any number of quibbles like her description of a planetary station as an "anomaly" and her misspelling of "Negroponte."

If Murray is trying to convince anyone of any political points she's making here, the real drawback is that many people (and I think most astrologers) will readily agree with her positions and some will just reject them out of hand. This book is so very clearly on one side of our "blue-red" divide that I doubt it could persuade anyone to think any differently in terms of politics. In a round about way that may be one of its strengths.

By being so out and obvious in her point of view she offers a marvelous example of how astrology can feed a good argument. We face profound political problems that require political solutions. Can political astrologers remain politically neutral? Should they even try? If any right-wing astrologers want to respond to Murray, let them try. However, I suspect that like actors, professors of literature, and others whose work is to study and interpret the human condition in the context of broader issues; and like social workers and nurses whose work is to help people compassionately through their challenges, astrologers are, like human hearts, almost always on the left. I knew Republican astrologers in the 1970's and 80's. Today at conventions and conferences I can't find a one. This is not because astrologers have drifted left, but because our nation has drifted so perilously to the right.

Jessica Murray has her website at http://mothersky.com/

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