CHAPTER EIGHT:

THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH

EDWARD TARABILDA: Let us begin this dialogue with the ancient, archetypal understanding of mental health.

Just as a we have a physical body related to physical health, we have an energy body related to mental health.

PSYCHOLOGIST: So this field of living could just as well be called "the field of energetics" or something similar?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Yes.

PSYCHOLOGIST: What are the practical implications?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Our energy body dictates the quantity and quality of our outward energy. Others not only observe how we look physically, but how we appear energetically. In fact, they consciously or subconsciously respond more to our energy quality. For example, if you are sizing up an enemy, you are not only concerned about his physical strength, you are equally concerned about his passion for the task as hand. A passionately motivated enemy is far more dangerous than an indifferent one!

THEOSOPHIST: An example might help.

EDWARD TARABILDA: We haven't heard much from you in these dialogues. How do you feel about them?

THEOSOPHIST: I feel that my teachers, Madame Blavatsky and Annie Besant, talked a lot about all of these issues, but maybe not in the way you are addressing them, so I'm keenly interested, although a little wary at the same time.

EDWARD TARABILDA: Why are you wary?

THEOSOPHIST: I suppose it is partly because you attack my understanding of the Veda, and that is uncomfortable for me. I don't know whether to believe you or not.

EDWARD TARABILDA: This comes up in my consultations all the time. Just the other day I counseled a man who, when told he was a karma yogi, responded with, "On the one hand what you say sounds totally correct and conforms to my growing experience. On the other hand, your suggestion that I replace TM with Karma Yoga scares me to death. I ask myself, 'How can I trust this stranger, Ed Tarabilda?'"

Anyone serious about deep spiritual knowledge must be ready to let go of his existing belief system and consider new options fearlessly and with an open heart and mind. Through this true science of the stars any person can come into direct contact with the inner guru and receive invaluable guidance in all eight fields of living.

Why do many gurus of dubious merit have large followings, while relatively few people recognize my gift? My well-meaning friends tell me I need better marketing, but the very thought of commercializing this knowledge is repugnant to me. I think it's also because spiritual discrimination is so weak at this time in history that people are attracted to warm and fuzzy promises of enlightenment, and blind to deeper truths that make you face your strengths and weaknesses, be they physical, mental, or spiritual.

Actually, everyone has the potential to read the cosmic mind in some way. My inner gift happens to relate to a very strong Mercury, which governs the science of the stars, but others' connection to their inner guide might be very different.

Now let us return to the field of mental health.

William F. Buckley is an example of the differences between one's energy body and one's relating style. His relating style is governed by a strong Jupiter, which helps him relate in a fair and magnanimous way. In contrast, his mental health, or energy body, is governed by a strong Mars. You can sense Buckley's underlying combativeness, even though his words and gestures are always thoughtful, impartial and balanced. The combination of Jupiter and Mars make him a civilized combatant who never oversteps the bounds of propriety, even in the most heated debates.

PSYCHOLOGIST: That is a wonderful example! Could you give us just one more example?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Mahatma Gandhi, who helped overthrow British rule of India, had a strong, courageous and compassionate Moon governing his relating style. His mental health was governed by a strong Sun, making him influential and charismatic. The combination gave him enormous confidence, charisma, and energy. Gandhi could win people's hearts with his relating style and focus their wills with his energy and dynamism.

PSYCHOLOGIST: That is another wonderful example. You seem to be suggesting that how we project our energy is crucial to our success and influence in the world, especially how others view us.

EDWARD TARABILDA: Well expressed! Abraham Lincoln had an extremely strong energy body. Consequently, he not only had enormous prowess in anything he sought to accomplish, but he never gave up. He persevered with tremendous confidence and energy through the worst setbacks.

When the energy body is weak, then the person finds it hard to project himself into his environment. He is shy and lacking in confidence, or very attached to action and its fruits -- so much so that he may act like a headless chicken. One client who has this weakness is always busy doing something, but often in a chaotic or ineffective way. Another client with the same weakness gets so caught up in wanting to be successful and influential that he can't stay focused or balanced.

People with weak energy bodies are also unable to order their immediate environment. Their home or office will be sloppy, no matter how hard they try to keep it orderly.

And the order in their own body will be weak. They often feel uncomfortable because the "chi" or "prana" does not flow harmoniously. They may even take drugs or alcohol to relieve the constant tension.

PHYSICIAN: Couldn't this be tied to a physical health problem?

EDWARD TARABILDA: It could, but then the tension would clear with the healing of the physical problem, whereas, a mental health problem will continue until the vital body is treated.

PHYSICIAN: How does one treat the vital body?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Through techniques of stress-management. Transcendental Meditation is a particularly good one. A sage will often give you just what you ask for, and when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi first came to the West to give people enlightenment, they asked for help in sleeping better, so that is what he gave them.

TM PRACTITIONER: He gave them techniques for enlightenment as well.

EDWARD TARABILDA: Not specific techniques for each of the different yogas. That he definitely did not do! The Raja Yoga technique he gave out is helpful for anyone trying to manage stress, but it is maximally effective spiritually for only one of eight people.

In fact, according to the Astrology of the Eight Fields of Living, even stress-management can be divided into eight very different approaches, each suitable for differing types of personalities.

PSYCHOLOGIST: So for a lunar energy body playing with small children or devotional activities helps relieve stress, and for a Mercurial energy body reading pure knowledge will be effective?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Yes.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Then why would TM be particularly effective?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Raja Yoga, which is what TM is, is the yoga which relates most specifically to the vital body. So the best generic stress-management technique will relate to Raja Yoga. But anything generic is never as valuable as something specifically geared to each individual.

It is hard to give examples from the lives of great people, since we often don't know about their stress-coping mechanisms, but let me try, anyway. Recently I saw a documentary on the life of Winston Churchill. In his later years he was most comfortable and relaxed when he was treated as a regal guest on someone's yacht, with his every need attended to promptly and courteously. Churchill had the Sun governing the field of mental health. See the connection?

The external discipline which relates to Venus, and therefore which governs the vital body, is Sthapatya Veda or Feng Shui, the first being the East Indian form of geomancy, and the second the Chinese version. Geomancy is the art of ordering one's environment so that the energy (called "chi" by the Chinese and "prana" by the Indians) can flow harmoniously and without obstruction.

I mentioned in an earlier dialogue that each planet governs a principle of aesthetics:

Moon organic unity of theme

Mars dominant theme

Mercury variety

Jupiter balance among elements

Venus evolutionary quality, progressing in time

Saturn proper physical medium, e.g., oil versus water color for painting

Sun an integrated use of all the above

Whichever planet governs mental health dictates the style of home or office decoration best suited to keeping that person calm, collected and free of stress. A person with Mars governing this field of living likes dominant, striking themes of artistic development. A person with Venus likes soft, muted shapes and colors, as in paintings by Matisse.

This is a big subject. I can only give hints on how to apply this knowledge.

FENG SHUI PRACTITIONER: That makes sense. Please give one more detailed example of how this paradigm might be applied to my field, the energetics of architecture and interior decoration.

EDWARD TARABILDA: If the Sun governs this field of living, then the person should have an environment in which he feels like a king or master. A rented apartment with an oppressive landlord will never do! There should be a lot of sunlight in the structure, as well as a sense of expansiveness and openness. Many of the design features will be slightly avant-garde, on the cutting edge of design principles. Integration of the various principles will be a key feature. The overall effect will be grand and dignified. To put it simply, the house will appear solar!

FENG SHUI PRACTITIONER: Thank you.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Are you suggesting that the control of the energy field which surrounds us is vital in stress-management?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Indeed I am, as are all other Venusian things, although I'm back to the generic approach again in saying that.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Such as?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Raja Yoga, hypnosis, positive thinking, sitting by the ocean listening to the waves, watching a dolphin playing in the sea, courting a beautiful woman -- anything Venusian.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Why have we become so stressed?

EDWARD TARABILDA: The planet governing mental health in the world horoscope, Venus, is weak because it loses a planetary war with Saturn. This results in a world energy body which is fragmented and disjointed. Rather than living in harmonious environments, people crowd together in cities in buildings which are unsightly and sterile.

Even though scientific studies indicate that animals become neurotic when crowded together into spaces which are too tight, we humans fail to learn from this. We do the same thing!

PSYCHOLOGIST: But what is too tight? Aren't there differences of opinion on that subject?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Of course. A weak planet governing mental health means that people lack the insight to see the problem clearly or deal with it effectively.

Just look at most the homes being built today -- they are just functional but unattractive boxes. We can blame it on the high cost of building, but people get what they demand. They fail to see the value of living in artistic environments, even though this is the best stress-management strategy available to society.

As people become more stressed they become more frustrated trying to cope with daily life. It affects their ability to be successful and influential in the world. This creates a vicious cycle where stress causes lack of success, which causes further stress.

PSYCHOLOGIST: You are suggesting that geomancy is the best tool for dealing with societal and individual stress?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Indeed I am.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Rather than mental institutions?

EDWARD TARABILDA: It is never wise to pack a lot of mentally troubled people into one small place. They should be kept dispersed in supportive environments.

PSYCHOLOGIST: But is that economically feasible?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Feasibility studies are needed. The same principle holds true for prisons. They should be small and dispersed to avoid too concentrated an influence of criminality in the collective consciousness..

But my suggestions are not likely to have any impact, due to the weakness of Venus mentioned earlier.

PSYCHOLOGIST: That sounds like fatalism!

EDWARD TARABILDA: No, we do have the opportunity to use the knowledge of the Astrology of the Eight Fields of Living to prevent or at least ameliorate some mental health problems. I am just suggesting that the probabilities of doing so are low due to the mental health weakness in the world horoscope. People are too busy to stop and ponder fundamentally different approaches.

This is Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's contribution to stress-management. He saw some of our major societal flaws very clearly. Unfortunately, he brought too much elitism and authoritarianism into his movement, and that has been its Achilles heel. And in fairness to Maharishi, the task may be too great for any single group to handle.

Another point -- since Saturn wins the planetary war over Venus, and Saturn governs physical health in the world horoscope, it means that we seek to relieve stress mostly through physical means like jogging, aerobics, and diet. This is neither good nor bad, just another cosmological fact. But it does imply some gullibility in thinking that physical regimens are the cure-all for stress problems.

PSYCHOLOGIST: I haven't heard you talk much about emotions as an aspect of mental health.

EDWARD TARABILDA: Emotions are affected by both the physical body and the vital body. It's a complex subject. There are ways of reading one's emotional nature, but they are beyond the scope of this book.

PSYCHOLOGIST: I see. What do you consider to be a useful strategy in dealing therapeutically with the emotions?

EDWARD TARABILDA: Each planet gives a different strategy. In ancient times spiritual practice was the primary means for dealing with mental health issues, whether energetic or emotional. The same holds true today. Use your yogic or tantric nature as a means to bring spiritual unfoldment, while at the same time enhancing mental health.

Nevertheless, on their own level, emotional imbalances can be treated with Bach Flower Remedies. Through a true science of the stars one can know which remedies to recommend. In consultations on physical and mental health I usually suggest one to three Bach flower remedies if the ruling planets of those fields are weak. Other fields could also affect mental health -- relationships, dharma, etc. -- so sometimes I prescribe remedies to heal the emotions indirectly through related fields.

I often recommend a basic life strategy for dealing with a particular emotional issue or weakness. An example of such a strategy would be to turn one's attention to the problems of others rather than staying focused on one's own issues. These strategies always relate to one of the eight spiritual paths.

PSYCHOLOGIST: Thank you, that was very helpful.

EDWARD TARABILDA: This is the kind of issue politicians should be debating on television. There are many effective stress-management programs which can relieve societal stress. As a society we are wasting untold billions of dollars on ineffective government programs for reducing crime, substance abuse, and illness.

As long as we let community development issues be governed primarily by economic forces, we will continue to spawn social problems. We must begin to turn our attention to geomancy and other forms of stress management. It holds great promise, but only if we give it a chance.