The Rooster is a creature of Autumn and in a year when its energy is dominated by the terrible hostile star of 3, I note that recent months has seen the world shaken by two very major scandals that have left many reeling in horror, disgust and anger – but perhaps also a strange satisfaction that there is accountability at last, and retribution as we see the major reversal of fortunes of two incredibly powerful men who had for many years sexually harassed some young women and abused their positions of power.
First there is the terrible scandal of the powerful Buddhist lama SOGYAL RINPOCHE – the Spiritual head of an enormous Buddhist Organization, close friend of HH the Dalai Lama and author of the famous bestseller – the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying – that has caused earthquake like vibrations of shock to ripple across so many followers of the Tibetan Buddhist Traditions.
Following upon the sordid accusations of his “disciples” and allegations of sexual abuse and violence that allegedly took place in the Rinpoche’s RIGPA monastery/palace in France, this once powerful and highly respected spiritual leader that had a worldwide reach of 130 centers and 41 countries, has been shamed and forced to retire into “retreat”.
The scandal has become so widespread that even the Dalai Lama has had to come out with a strong statement advising followers of the Tibetan Buddhist faith who follow lamas to seek spiritual growth and development to think before blindly following and/or obeying spiritual leaders who may be using their positions to take advantage of their devotion.
Still the scandal has ignited a big debate on the concept of samaya – devotion to one’s spiritual guru. It has prompted us to commission a story on SAMAYAS from Charok Lama Rinpoche, a young tulku himself, someone still pure, to write us a piece of advice on this aspect of Buddhist teaching.
Second, an even bigger scandal, this one coming out of Hollywood that has created tsunami-like waves of horrific stories of sexual propositions and harassment that are still emerging even as I write this, involving the powerful figure of HARVEY WEINSTEIN – the most famous and influential Movie Producer in the world of English language movies, someone associated with big Oscar wins and very famous actresses that include Jennifer Lawrence, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
So far, as many as thirty actresses have come out to recount their tales of woe, many of whom were then vulnerable Hollywood hopefuls looking for a part or a movie break. Many of the stories sound like variations of a scene filmed again and again.
There is a common thread of highly disturbing allegations of him in a bathrobe, asking for a massage followed by unashamed propositions. The story of Harvey Weinstein’s fall from grace first appeared in the influential New York Times, a story so big it simply would not die and it continues in the world’s press unabated – blowing like a hurricane.
And of course, we are witnessing a reversal of fortune of epic proportions!
He has been sacked from his studio, ousted from his company and thrown out of his various positions, mainly from the Academy of Motion Pictures. It is now so bad that anyone even remotely connected to him, his movies, his name or appearing to defend him has been strongly criticized.
It is likely that Harvey Weinstein could eventually get charged and even thrown into jail. For now, he has simply gone into rehab, but surely he cannot be allowed to get away with ruining the lives and careers of so many people?
This season of Fall is thus witnessing the mighty fall from grace of two god-like men – they both have the EMPEROR STAR in their Birth Charts – and so they led lives like they were Emperors in their worlds, with thousands of people subservient to them.
This season of Fall is thus witnessing the mighty fall from grace of two god-like men – they both have the EMPEROR STAR in their Birth Charts – and so they led lives like they were Emperors in their worlds, with thousands of people subservient to them.
Paht Chee enthusiasts maintain the Emperor Star is found in the charts of Presidents, and someone recognized as king or queen of their own professions. The star brings power, authority, rank and influence, and indeed, the presence of any one of the Noblemen Stars with one direct unit of power in your chart indicates that you are sure to attain high status in life.
Hour of The Dragon on 19th March 1952
Harvey Weinstein has entered age 65 when the YANG WATER EARTH DRAGON in his YEAR PILLAR runs smack into the CLASH with the METAL DOG pillar. This is a very strong EMPEROR STAR that saved him until the year when he turns 65 entering into a new luck pillar of the EARTH DOG. As if this is not bad enough, next year 2018 we enter into the year also of the EARTH DOG, which means there is a double clash for him – with the Year Pillar and the Luck Pillar!
In the previous luck pillar of the Metal Rooster we see his chart indicating a clash with the Yin Rabbit in his month pillar but that time, his Emperor Star saved him. As soon as he turned 65, Harvey Weinstein encounters a deadly clash, and it is unlikely that anyone can save him. It seems that the coming Year of the Dog will see him suffer terribly. We need to see if the Dog’s secret friend the Rabbit in his Month Pillar can save him. But I think it is somehow not strong enough. This is the clearest example of a chart that shows how someone so high up can come crashing down.
Hour of The Dragon on Oct1947
Sogyal Rinpoche’s chart is not known to us, but we do know that he was born in October of 1947, which means he has the Emperor Star in his month pillar brought by the EARTH DOG and this clashes directly with the EARTH DRAGON in his luck pillar of 63 years to 73 years. But it is only in this Year of the Rooster, which is the secret friend of the Dragon which strengthens the Dragon, so this is the year when the rumours that had swirled around Sogyal Rinpoche found voice in the letter his disciples wrote to condemn his actions, which has gone on for too long.
But as it turns out, their god-like status has come crashing down as their decades of scandalous sexual abuse and harassment against women has surfaced amidst widespread condemnation!
The terrible “failing” of both the men could be due to inner soul conflicts within them. That these failings got exposed is surely due to the occurrence of some kind of negative clash of heavenly stems and/or earthly branches in their Paht Chee charts.
I plan to delve deeper into their charts to understand how they could so carelessly abuse their high positions of trust, if only to further my own research into the readings of birth charts! And I wonder if we placed many secret friends of the Dog, we could have saved Harvey Weinstein.
Our life is of course ruled not just by heaven luck. There is also earth luck – the influences exerted by the time changes of energy in the Flying Star charts of this year and these months. And there is also mankind luck – the luck of their own actions.
Surely both men must have expected to be caught.
These men are not Emperors. They are simply men who betrayed the trust of those who looked up to them, believed in them and respected them! They must surely realize now that they are NOT Emperors, and indeed, in this modern day when we are seeing the amazing liberation and empowerment of women, those feudal days are now history! We are no longer living in the past!
We are living in the 21st Century. We have long ago passed the feudal ages. In today’s world, the empowerment of women has become a reality, and the old style system when some Master is seen as a god-like figure has long gone.
Increasingly in today’s world, the social conventions of many societies are beginning to see the light of day, and the capacity and capability of women, once hidden behind a conspiracy of silence, is beginning to emerge. Many women are now coming out.
HH the Dalai Lama has had an impressive record in favour of non-violence and human rights. He has warned repeatedly about being seduced by exotic promises of tantric aura or sacred sexual practices, and although he has never shamed any specific lama, he has sadly been forced to admit that some “tulkus have indeed behaved badly.”
Thus he has repeatedly warned against too easily falling for a lama. Take your time. he tells people; take as long as you need before starting a guru-disciple relationship with someone.
“It is a big responsibility and neither party should take it lightly.”
If you are attracted to Tibetan Buddhism, have read some books and learned some meditation techniques and now want to delve in deeper, remember, there is no where in Buddhism that excuses unethical behaviour.
No man, however holy or powerful he seems, and who claims his strange behaviour is proof of “skillful means”, should be given a wide berth. Otherwise you might get caught in something sordid, something you have no intention for yourself.
