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RUDHYAR AND THE MEANING OF HIS ASTROLOGY

Any inspiring visionary, like any inspiring piece of art, will mean a thousand different things to an audience. Sometimes the creator of a work of art receives feedback and finds out that a meaning has been given to his work which he never intended. This also corresponds of course with the feedback astrologers get when reading charts.

What we, as recipients of the Rudhyar legacy, receive from his work is largely if not wholly subjective, even if subjectivity equals objectivity on a deep inner level. With Rudhyar it is evident that he knew, that what he meant to convey to his readers was hardly ever seen for what it was meant to be.

In his "AN ASTROLOGICAL TRIPTYCH" he writes in the Preamble that he received many letters of appreciation and enthusiastic comments, mostly from many young people. "Nevertheless," he continues, "I very often had cause to wonder how much my so appreciative and obviously very moved readers understood of what I had tried to state. I wondered if they merely reacted to the inspirational style of presentation, yet largely failed to really grasp and thus respond to the intensely practical and potentially transformative contents of this book in terms of their everyday lives and the quality of their individual experiences and interpersonal relationships.

This, of course, is the danger inherent in a symbolic and poetic presentation of ideas and images which are pregnant with the potentiality for self-transformation. Such a presentation can arouse a great warmth of feelings which somehow seems to open psychic windows and let in a breath of spiritual air. It 'feels good' to breathe it."

The interesting thing for the readers of these appreciations of Rudhyar's work on the occasion of his centennial, is the fact that this particular appreciation is being written by someone who was well trained in European astrology: British, Dutch and German without any trace of Rudhyar's influence and because of that very reason has noticed the enormous difference in approach of the entire field of astrology between my American inspirers and colleagues and the Northern European influence. There is a world of difference, or at least there has been, and ever since I started to become acquainted with the frame of thought of Rudhyar's cyclic approach to astrology, I have seen how much his work has influenced the entire whole of American astrology today and how little we are versed in that approach here.

But one of the marked differences between the more classical and structured (mechanical) approach of Europe (rapidly shifting since 1988) and the more wholistic cyclic and sometimes, when holism is devalued into just a word, the then unstructured approach in America, is the difference in reaction to Rudhyar's work. In Holland you would find it hard to get appreciative reactions like Rudhyar painted, that are largely inspired by a spontaneous warmth of feeling. It may be the wonderful American characteristic to be open and encouraging from the feeling level. In Holland most people just don't understand Rudhyar's work at all and find it too difficult to read and I'm afraid that we are as a nation too crudely honest and just say so if we think that way.

The net result however of both sets of reactions is very similar. The appreciative reaction stemming from an open attitude towards inspiration on the feeling level on the one hand and the non-appreciative one, stemming from a closed attitude towards any sentimental (as such perceived) inspiration on the other, are both reactions which show a lack of appreciation of the true value of Rudhyar's work. However, I am not too sure that this article will appreciate Rudhyar's work any better, because my own path to Rudhyar is a little off-track and probably too subjective for words, but at any rate, here it is:

In the early hours of August 6, 1988, I was in a particular frame of mind, influenced by the very humid and heavy summer that had it's effect on all of us and I opened a book by Rudhyar, which had just been sent to me by a friend: "ASTROLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE". I opened the book at random somewhere in the middle, read one sentence out of it and understood, by the grace of God, all of a sudden the entire contents of Rudhyar's work. In one single second I understood all of his books, which I had however never read and would not read for some years to come.

'Understanding' in this particular frame of mind is in reality something entirely different from rationally analyzing sentence by sentence, applying it in the practice of one's own life and reaching a conclusion. Understanding Rudhyar's work as it happened to me - as it literally came over me, to be more exact - was a spiritual experience by itself. This understanding, however, led at the same time to a deep insight into the nature of astrology itself, an insight that I lacked completely before this time. I have heard people refer to Rudhyar as one of the very rare people who really understood Astrology. Today, at this point of my own development, I regret to say that I now agree with this. It became evident to me, that Rudhyar's goal was not only the reformulation of astrology as it was known at that time, but that it possibly served an even higher purpose. The importance of his work lies mainly there where nobody expects it to be, namely to serve those astrologers who without help and without a "guru" go through a process of illumination or transformation, such as occurs already for thousands of years in the East under the clear guidance and instructions of a guru. Gurus are something specific of the East and are for us in these Aquarian times not that applicable. Yet, we could do with some help when we find ourselves in a true process of transformation, which nobody around us understands and whereby we no longer relate to our surroundings in the way we used to.

If, when going through such a process, you happen to be an astrologer and are trained in using astrology's symbols, then astrology has been your path to illumination and then the time has come to read Rudhyar. I believe that the written work of Rudhyar is in fact meant to be an impersonal (or transpersonal) instruction for those who 'walk the Path' along the road of astrology's symbolism - a path where illumination and insanity are difficult to distinguish as they meet at the highest point and in providing this sublime help that very few are able to give and apparently very few need (but more and more will since Uranus/Neptune), lies the hidden meaning of Rudhyar's work, as I perceive it anyway. I don't think that a life can be more valuable than this description of the Bodhisattva ideal.

For this very reason Rudhyar will never be entirely understood by astrologers before the point of no-return has been reached and help is suddenly needed where they never expected it. The fact that only few individuals at the time of the crowning of their evolution on Earth can truly profit by the insights of Rudhyar, would mean that perhaps it is not really necessary to publish his works extensively.

To make sure that those individuals who need it, have access to his work, the cosmos provided the means and saw to it that his work was published worldwide and because of this need, an 'incidental' result was that the entire world of astrology was transformed at the same time (I'll admit that I do have an upside down view of reality at times...). So not only the individual, but also the majority can profit from the Light that originated from one single Source and that descends into ever wider circles of activity and consciousness, until at the very last it merely faintly reflects in the largest circle of mundane existence.

The Path of astrology is a sacred path. This realization has for the main part been lost in a world where statistics and physical perception dictate our cultures. The Uranus/Neptune conjunction of 1993 will again try to change this material dictatorship in its exact opposite, because the cycle of material dictatorship has reached a peak and for that reason alone will turn around by itself. Astrology will slowly but surely reclaim its rightful heritage and this heritage is a spiritual one.

This particular avenue of astrology has very little to do with astrological commercial counselling practices or self-help books for psychological insights into what merely are our conditioning patterns. The astrological heritage is meant to walk a path beyond exactly these conditionings and rediscover and realize the Self and cosmic reality and Rudhyar actually was the one who saw this near the end of the last cycle. He thereby gave the world his insight in cycles and a new frame of reference to astrology, in the full consciousness that the years of 1988 - 1993 would be the turningpoint from where a new astrology would rise.

Each resurrection originates from a seed, an extraction from a previous cycle and as far as astrology is concerned, Rudhyar was the individual who understood the cosmic intent of astrology and who sowed that seed of understanding richly into the soil of the western world with the inclusion of much eastern wisdom.

The Uranus/Neptune conjunction of 1993 is a symbol for a transphysical union: a union between higher understanding and higher intuition and such a union between the upper two halves of our brains may create great illumination. If this sounds familiar to any reader, then know that Rudhyar has written his astrological work from exactly such a fusion of two brainhalves, where Neptune and Uranus are in a continuous state of connection, with Saturn functioning at the same time on a level that could transmutate this fusion into something comprehensible.

The seeds of Rudhyar's work have been sown and are sprouting already. As trustees of the planet Earth, it is our job in astrology to tend to these young plants as proper gardeners, so after the Aries-phase of initiating the renewed cycle in astrology, the Taurus-phase of gardening is now called for, till the moment that Gemini will take over for yet another phase. It may well be that these phases coincide with Pluto's passage through the opposite signs, since the result of Rudhyar's work was Plutonic:

a transformation of the very root-concepts

into a new meaning for astrology,

as perhaps never before existed

in the written history of our planet.

Joyce Hoen

Email: chta@astrologie.ws URL www.astrologie.ws

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RUDHYAR

In 1973 I began studying astrology from traditional texts. I was fascinated by astrology, but sensed that there was much more to it than I had read. The interpretations given were narrow and quite often negative. Astrology did not correspond with my ideas about life and human potential.

Soon however, I came across "THE ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY" by Dane Rudhyar and my highest hopes were met. In fact, Rudhyar went far beyond what I had hoped for and presented astrology in a profoundly meaningful way. No longer was astrology bound by determinism - it was free to lead the way to the highest expression of human potential. Rudhyar was for me, as for so many other astrologers, the key to the future rather than a weight from the past.

True to his Aries nature, Rudhyar's eyes were always on the future, breaking ground for astrologers, esotericists and thinkers of all kinds. His astrology joined the humanistic tides of this century by placing man at the center of his world and making personal choice the essence of astrological practice.

Everything in the birthchart could be seen as potential, not dictated to us by the forces on high. We were no longer pressed to the earth, bound by our charts to the limits of Saturn, the violence of Mars or the confusion of Neptune. Each of us became free to be creators of the 21st century, not captives of the 19th.

Rudhyar transformed astrology's landscape and inspired us to go to the highest in ourselves rather than remain trapped in our ancient worldview. Squares and oppositions ceased to be sentences of imprisonment in conflict and became gateways to discovery. All of this was made possible by Rudhyar's creativity and love for humanity. That was his essential gift to us. But, he also left us with the challenge to transform ourselves and to aim for a new vision of astrology and human potential.

In his long career Rudhyar has touched just about every element of astrological practice from houses to planets, signs, aspects and everything else in between.

Fundamental to his approach has been a search for meaning, for logical patterns and understanding of the astronomical principles underlying our work.

A good example of this is his work with cycles, particularly the lunation cycle.

Rudhyar's work in this area has reminded us to pay attention to the dynamic movement of the planets, to see them as moving rather than static points. In "THE LUNATION CYCLE" Rudhyar pioneered an eight phase measurement of the Sun and Moon's monthly cycle. No longer were Full Moons described as conflicts between the conscious and unconscious selves. The Full Moon and the other seven phases were described as parts of a process, a dynamic relationship between these two essential bodies. Every phase is seen as coming from somewhere and going somewhere. Astrologers were given guidance in understanding that even if the birthchart is fixed in time and space, we and the planets are not. Working with the lunar phases opened the door to a view of astrology which challenged astrologers to see patterns in new ways.

Rudhyar's work with the lunation cycle has importance far beyond the relationship between the Sun and the Moon. It reminds us to examine all planetary patterns in light of the larger cycles in which they exist. In a sense this has "feminized" astrology which has primarily been dominated by male consciousness for over 2000 years. The masculine approach to life and to astrology has focussed on points, on fixed elements for interpretation and control. Males lack a visible monthly cycle which leaves them separated from the dynamics of nature and the cosmos. This has allowed them to act as if they are not part of nature, but outside it and untouched by it. The ecological devastation in which we currently live is one result of this.

But the lunation cycle reminds us that relationships are about connections, about waves, cycles and spirals, not about separate points. As we become more and more conscious of the nature of cycles, we can not help but see ourselves as part of a larger process. Rudhyar, even if intellectual in many ways, has helped us reconnect to the wholeness of existence which can help us heal ourselves and our planet. In this way his work marks a return to an ancient worldview in which all living things are connected.

At the same time Rudhyar's work has helped to lead us towards an evolutionary perspective, one in which humanity is in the making and the future is ours to create. His extensive writings on the outer planets, for example, is one of the ways in which he has led us towards a new vision of ourselves. A key in his understanding of the outer planets is their role in transforming the ego-bound self (limited by Saturn) to one of cosmic consciousness.

The process though, is one that paradoxically emphasizes both the individual and the collective. That is, that we each are unique individuals with choices to make about ourselves and our actions. Each of us can and must act to fulfill the potentials as shown in the birthchart. Regardless of cultural or social conditioning, there is an essential human and personal will, which allows us freedom to use our resources in individual ways. But the context for individual expression has collective impact. Thus Rudhyar saw the outer planets as means to evolve beyond the strictly personal and to move to the transpersonal. In this way each of us contributes to collective consciousness and collective growth.

It is important to point out though, that Rudhyar wrote about the importance of culture in relationship to astrology. He said that each culture develops its own astrology. This seemingly simple and logical idea is not found in other astrological literature of this century. In this way Rudhyar reminds us to pay attention to the world we live in. Not to remain enclosed in its parochial perspective, but to understand the inherent limitations it imposes on us. By knowing the prejudices of one's time and place, one can choose to go beyond them.

Rudhyar, trained in music, drew on many sources for his inspiration. He studied theosophy, was conversant with Eastern religious traditions and drew from a variety of philosophical sources. It was because of this breadth of learning and experience that he was able to move from the technical to the spiritual aspects of astrology with such ease. He combined all of his education to bring astrology to a higher level of value for all of us.

Rudhyar's work also challenges us. It does not allow us to retreat into fear and denial. His writings showed a compassion rooted in intelligence, not sentiment, which permitted him to maintain a high level in all of his work. He has asked us to participate in the creation of a new phase of human experience, to come closer to the gods, the highest parts of ourselves. In this way, Rudhyar has brought astrology new value in the 20th century. It is a challenge to be fully human, divinely human.

Some of Rudhyar's ideas are rooted in astronomy, that is to say the physical elements of the planets. His work on the Sun-Mercury relationship, for example, simply divides their cycle astronomically to shed light on their possible relationships. This is not esoteric work, but close to the pure observational astrology of our ancient ancestors. In this way we are reminded of a certain logic and simplicity that allows us to make our own observations and discover additional insights into astrology and ourselves.

We cannot call Rudhyar an "esoteric" astrologer because his work has always been rooted in the concrete and the practical. Neither can we call him a traditional (materialist) astrologer, because he clearly understood that events are the manifestation of meaning. Thus his work covered the range of astrology as has the work of no other astrologer of this century. While his language is sometimes difficult for contemporary astrologers, his meaning is never obscure. He came to show us both the roots of our craft and its potentials as no one else has ever done.

The influence of Rudhyar is so embedded in modern American astrology that people forgot that he was the source of so many ideas and, most importantly, an attitude about human potential. The writings of Stephen Arroyo, to give one example, are full of Rudhyar's understanding of the relationship between soul and psychology. In fact the whole of modern psychological astrology owes a debt to Rudhyar. He has not only written extensively on psychological astrology, but he has built a bridge to spirituality to combine the two.

The direct influence of Rudhyar has become obscured in the U.S. as his ideas were absorbed by others. In Europe, however, the work of his friend and disciple: Alexander Ruperti, continues Rudhyar's work in a more direct way.

Ruperti has organized over a dozen groups in France, Spain and Switzerland which study the works of Rudhyar and attempt to apply his principles to everyday life.

Alex deserves a special thanks from all astrologers for his devotion and dedication as well as his original contributions to Rudhyar's work! Astrologers and students in this Network for Humanistic Astrology (R.A.H.) strive to transform themselves through astrology. They are inspired by Rudhyar's works to explore themselves in ways which encourage the individual as a means of helping humanity's evolution.

Rudhyar has been called: "Seed Man" which perfectly describes this Aries pioneer who has inspired and educated so many of us. He has presented us with a model of where astrology can go, where humanity can go and, I might add, where we must go if we are to survive and prosper.

Happy 100th, Dane Rudhyar,

and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Jeff Jawer, 4555 Vandever Ave 18A, San Diego, CA 92120 , U.S.A.

Email: jjawer@stariq.com

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DANE RUDHYAR AND HIS CONTACT WITH THE NETHERLANDS

 

The highly gifted Dane Rudhyar can be described from many angles. I once wrote him in relation to a lecture he held on August 29, 1962, for "Het Open Veld" in Zeist, The Netherlands, that people there thought of him as a 'phenonenon'. He answered in one of the fifty personal letters I received from him: "it amused me that you used the word 'phenomenon', for when I was eighteen a man at the seashore in France (in the hotel where we all stayed) used to call me 'phenomene' instead of my name. In French it had a different meaning of course, a little like 'wonder boy' in the USA today" (letter of Nov. 6, 1962).

I would like to highlight a small period in the phenomenal life of Rudhyar: his contact with The Netherlands in which I was instrumental myself. This resulted in his contact with Carolus Verhulst, who met him here in 1962 and was then the publisher of Servire who eventually published nine books for Rudhyar in English.

In those days I was a beginning astro-psychologist of barely thirty. Thanks to our meetings in Los Angeles in 1958, Rudhyar decided to visit me in The Netherlands during his European trip in 1960.

Going through my notes about Rudhyar, I remember a very hot afternoon in Hollywood in 1958. Walking along rows of palmtrees, I enter the apartmentbuilding where I will meet the man who is known as one of the most important American astrosophers. I have his book: "THE ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY" in my library at home in Holland.

Rudhyar is standing at the top of the staircase, a slightly bowed man with finely cut features and a dark beard. The conversation slowly gets under way. He often passes his hand across his eyes: has some kind of chronic flu, he says, due to the smog in Los Angeles, you can't live here anymore. "Should I come back later?" I ask. No, it is good that he meets someone from Europe again. And then suddenly he gets going. His hands join the speech, his eyes light up, the weary features turn into small wrinkles that betray a mild humor and slowly a strong sociable human being opens up who is highly sensitive to the contact and appreciation that he lacks again and again or breaks off himself by impulse.

He expresses his disappointment about the Hollywood mentality, about the lack of interest for his views. He talks about music and Strawinsky, shows drawings, plays compositions on tape, forgets his eye-problems and radiates suddenly an activity and enthusiasm that changes this old and tired man like magic into a fascinating young mind. He gestures with his hands, pulls on his beard, philosophizes about Europe, then becomes sharp and exasperated about all those women who have nothing but marital problems, but puts it quickly back into perspective, apologizing to his unknown visitor. Then he wonders again who he is, a man between two worlds, no American, no European. Who cares about cosmology? Only money and sex count. Is he ahead of his time? Or really escaping from reality? Should he have stayed in Europe?

"But, Mr Rudhyar, where do you come from? In Holland people think you are oriental." A brusque gesture: "Oh, the past, that's long ago" then he is silent and appears close to drowning again in his contact-fatigue. No, that's wrong. "Where were you born, who are you? Please tell me about your life." The room contains a tape-recorder, a recordplayer, a few books in a small bookcase, some abstract drawings are pinned to the wall. Everything speaks of a temporary stay.

"Yes", he says, as if reading my mind, "I have all my possessions, my paintings and everything in Santa Fe. There in New Mexico I have lived for years with my wife. Interesting land, there are still Pueblo Indians. You should go there." He shows me a large diamondshaped silver ring with green malachite on his finger.

"This is Indian". He looks around. "Oh, I am only temporarily here, my second wife divorced me in 1954, she preferred a man with a regular existence. Where I go from here? Maybe to the flowering desert, or to Europe...." He briefly grins. "after fifty years! Where I was born? No, not in Asia, but in Paris. Old Europe and from a poor almost extinct lineage as well." There is that gentle smile again sparkling through the exquisite aristocratic features.

Suddenly he arouses compassion. This man does not fit in here in Hollywood, he is too delicate. A castle along the river Loire, something with an ancient past, a glorious aristocratic roof over his head, where he can escape from the world and philosophize over a new one. No, this man does not belong in this Los Angeles of millions of cars, dust and noise. But where does he belong. "Rudhyar is my pseudonym since I was 16 years old, when I left my French past behind" and then he tells me about his adventurous life:

The man who calls himself Dane Rudhyar was born on March 23, 1895 in Paris. He was a last precocious offspring in an almost extinct lineage. At age 16 he already received his baccalaureat in philosophy, studies law and writes his first book about Claude Debussy. This, together with his during that same time composed pianoworks, is published by Durand in 1913. Next he studies at the Paris Conservatory, writes revolutionary articles about music and dance, moves around in the Paris world of arts and is regarded there as one of the vanguard youth. In the beginning of the 1st worldwar he becomes secretary to the sculptor Rodin.

Then suddenly in the middle of the war he cuts this career short. His passion for adventury awakens, he embarks for the new world. He divorces himself from all ties with the past, France is dead, and adopts a new oriental-sounding name.

As Dane Rudhyar he arrives in New York where he is accorded an immediate enormous success since 1916. Pierre Monteux conducts his compositions in the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Rudhyar himself travels through America, Canada, with his then ultra modern lectures about polytonal music. He writes books, articles, about "THE REBIRTH OF HINDU MUSIC", the 12-tone system, works for the Musical Quarterly, composes, wins the $1000 prize for his symphonic poem "SOUL FIRE", plays at concerts himself, works for movies in Hollywood. In the years after the war 1918-1922 the brilliant ideas of this young mysterious Oriental of barely 25 find eager acceptance in the new world. After age 30 his many-sided genius becomes obvious, that will however also lead him to scattering later. He starts to write more and more and gives courses about "LIBERATION THROUGH SOUND" (1931), about philosophy, psychology with cosmic overtones - in the 30s still totally unheard of.

Then suddenly, he makes the same move as 15 years earlier. He cuts off all ties with the music world and retires with his first wife to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he writes poems in these years and his wellknown books about astrology and symbolism. Now he publishes his own magazine "Hamsa" for spiritual awakening, translates books like by Bo Yin Ra, writes regularly for the in those years very modern and outstanding "American Astrology" under the capable direction of Paul Clancy. Some symbolic poems and novels are published, like "WHITE THUNDER".

Then, in 1938, a new facet of his possibilities suddenly reveals itself. He gets the impulse to paint and becomes part of the Transcendental Painting Group, writes a book about it. In this period he becomes involved in ideological trends from which he tears himself away again in his well-known passionate and drastic manner. The struggle of those years and the then developing ideas are particularly reflected in his book: "MODERN MAN'S CONFLICTS: THE CREATIVE CHALLENGE OF A GLOBAL SOCIETY", published in 1949 by the Philosophical Library, New York.

In 1945 he marries for the second time, with the daughter of a well-known Russian painter, and again he overturns his activities completely. Together with the psychiatrist Moreno, he organizes with his wife departments for psychodrama in Iowa and California. He gives astro-psychological advice, returns to composing as well, writes quintets. In 1954 his wife divorces him. Since then till 1962 he only published articles in astrological magazines and a series monthly "SEED"-booklets, philosophical letter contemplations for his dwindling circle of interested people in America.

We say good-bye with an "au revoir" in Europe. And he really returns in 1959, after 50 years, for a short visit to Paris and Switzerland. It looks then like Europe fires off new arrows of energy at him. The continent of his youth that he considered dying when he left it behind, turns out to be very much alive spiritually. Back in the States he can't stand it there any longer, returns in '62 for a visit to France, England, briefly gives a lecture in The Netherlands where some of his books are being published that are no longer printed in America: Servire published in 1962 and 1963 resp. "THE PULSE OF LIFE" and "ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY" in English. And now, in April 1963, he comes again from New York to the old world, where he will make new contacts and will philosophize about his new worldvision.

It is impossible to summarize his ideas in this short article. You will have to read his books yourself. Rudhyar's thoughts circle like atoms around the nucleus, which he formulates as the creative powers of the universe that summon a new type of human beings in a new interpersonal relationship which will change all social processes. He wants to evoke "a seed for greater living".

The possibility exists, he says, that to-day's human being awakens to the potentiality (that comes as an impulse from the cosmos, he says as Sun in Aries!) of the new moment, the new day, that arises as a mysterious plus-element in each relationship. Each contact, every relationship, arouses a new release of possible power that will transform us. The particular lies in the meeting, the interpersonal relationship. This brings him remarkably close to the modern French existentialist-philosophers (very interesting collective subconscious, he who broke off all ties as Dane Rudhyar with the land of his birth till 1959).

Often the woman and her position are involved in his thoughts. The woman as potential antipole in the relationship. Especially in women, he sees the spiritual seed for a new world that will arise from the catharsis, purification and part destruction of the old world at the end of the cycle. Rudhyar often speaks of cycli and a new order.

Astrologically our relationship was clear: Rudhyar's Sun in de 3rd degree of Aries in the 3rd house is exactly conjunct my Jupiter conjunct Uranus, both in the same 3rd degree of Aries in my 3rd house (born August 20, 1927, Flushing, The Netherlands - 27 degrees Sagittarius rising). It was of course meant to be that his brilliant mind would find new encouragement through me as instrument to get out of his publishing stalemate. Via Holland and my contacts there would suddenly appear a new opening and a new impulse for his publications in the 60s.

During his first visit to The Netherlands and me in The Hague on January 9-11, 1960, I organized a meeting at home where Rudhyar met Wim Koppejan for the first time, who was then our only exponent of the degree symbols of the French Janduz and the Sabian symbols of the American Marc E. Jones and Dane Rudhyar himself.

Young Niek Scheps was there as well, like other well-known people. Rudhyar wrote later: "I do like The Hague's feeling very much" and later back in America: "I do miss Europe, particularly Paris and the little I met around you - and you!

But you are of course very European. I am nowhere and nothing it seems and it is a very lonely business" (Sept. 16, 1960).

In 1961 he comes by boat from America back to Paris, where he spends the summer.

The next summer of '62 he sails again from New York, gives a lecture in Zeist, The Netherlands, meets Carolus Verhulst and visits us again in The Hague. He then asks me to keep in touch with Servire and to organize a weekend for him next spring. I manage to get the "Internationale School voor Wijsbegeerte" in Amersfoort interested. Rudhyar travels by boat and train back to California again in the meantime. He is close to 68 now and complains in his letters about noise, cold, constant overfatigue, having problems with light and his ophthalmologist since he has serious eye-problems.

In April 1963 he sails with the s.s. "Maasdam" back to Europe again and lands in Rotterdam. He rests for a day in The Hague and then we travel together to the Amersfoort school, where a couple of admirers are already waiting for him. It is an intensive weekend. His subject is: "The emergence of a global society" and his three lectures are: "The Historical Situation", "The Psychological Transformation" and "The Planet as a 'Field' of interdependent structured activities and Man's function in it". (He later wrote me how happy he was to receive fl. 300,- for this entire weekend!) Now, thirty years later, these are well-known words and concepts, but at that time in 1963, most of it was new for this Dutch audience. Rudhyar has always been ahead of his time and often was not understood. This would be his last trip to Holland and as far as I know also his last trip to Europe.

In the summer of 1963 he married his third wife Tana. This started, with her help, his one but last long period of writing and publication for the U.S.A. His last creative period started when he married Leyla Rael at age 79 in 1976, who has assisted him till the end with his publications.

After my husband Willem Koppejan died in 1979, Rudhyar kept stimulating me to publish our work on the degree-images in English. Unfortunately he did not live to see the publication of "Zodiac Image Handbook" (Element Books, UK 1990) or "Beeldgids" (Kluwer, 1990).

Does Rudhyar have anything to tell us in Europe with all this, as a human being who has lived between two continents which possibly splintered him? Are we more profound than he is, or does he even now remain the man of the revolutionary new impulse? Whatever the case may be, as pioneer and genius with a glorious past, he is still worth it today as human personality to be met through the cassettes of his lectures and his books. He may bring us a seed of vision for a new human being as well. Like the author Claude Bragdon says about him:

"Rudhyar is a man of profound and penetrating vision,

whose writings cast an illumination upon life."

Helene W. Koppejan-van Woelderen, Glastonbury, England