Stir of Echoes

Stir of Echoes is one of my favourite films, and after recently reading Liz Greene’s “The Astrological Neptune, and the Quest for Redemption”, it helped me greatly with some of the astrology themes in the movie. The obvious connection involving Neptune is the link with the paranormal, “psychism” and spiritual side of the life. However, the process leading up to this opening of the mind to a profound psychic experience is related to hypnotism. Kevin Baker plays Tom Witzky a phone lineman who is sceptical of all things paranormal and unexplainable. Tom challenges his sister in law to hypnotize (Neptune) him and after putting him under she gives him a post hypnotic suggestion to be more “open minded”. However, this opens the flood gates of his latent psychic ability (Neptune). Tom begins to have visitations by a teenage girl who is trying to communicate with him. The story unravels to reveal that the girl who is visiting him, had a mental disability and regressive childlike personality (Neptune), and she was quite a naïve and innocent girl. I won’t spoil the whole plot-line for those who haven’t watched the move. I do sometimes tend to ruin the story-line for others; it could be my own Mercury-Neptune aspect which is to blame. However, if you haven’t watched it, definitely check it out.



My favourite chapter in The Astrological Neptune, and the Quest for Redemption is, The Discovery of the Unconscious, and I will type up some relevant points about the art of hypnotism, relating to this film:

The term Hypnosis (from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep) was coined by the Scottish physician James Braid during the 1840’s, coincident with the actual discovery of the planet Neptune. The discovery of this gateway into the unconscious, which had such profound ramifications for psychology, psychiatry, medicine, and spiritualism in the centuries which followed, is a fascinating one. It is useful to examine certain aspects of the phenomena of hypnosis. Sometimes it seems that the Neptune-dominated personality walks about in a state of perpetual semi-hypnosis, terrifyingly suggestible to just about anything passing by. Hypnotists generally agree that certain types of people are extremely difficult to hypnotise. The psychotic, the drunk, and the drug addict may pose insurmountable problems because hypnotic trance requires a relinquishing of ego control to the hypnotists, and in the three conditions mentioned above, there is no ego left to give away. In contrast the hyper rational temperament is equally difficult to hypnotise, although this is due largely to extreme defensiveness rather than lack of suggestibility. By Liz Greene, The Astrological Neptune, and the Quest for Redemption

Subjects in a state of hypnosis show an increased response to suggestions and the hypnotic state can also be used to heal morbid phobias, pain and other health Symptoms. It may even be used as a mild anaesthetic and the person under a trance can be poked with needles and not feel a thing. The hypnotist can even induce the senses into to believing that they feel, itching, burning, and other bodily discomforts. A bond between hypnosis and subject is apparent through the way the individual follows the instructiions of the hypnotist, even it means embarassing himself. According to Liz Greene, sometimes clairvoyant and telepathic phenomena occur. It is highly fascinating exploring how hypnosis works and its relationship to Neptune and the unconscious. It is also suggested that people who have Neptune powerful in the chart, aspecting one of the luminaries (Sun and Moon) or placed on a angle, are extremely open to psychic experiences.

The belief in spirits is widespread and it dates back to ancestor worship (12th house). It is linked to the afterlife. The spiritualist movement reached its peak by 1897, it was said to have more than 8 million followers, this occurred under the Neptune-Pluto conjunction in Gemini. I feel there has been a resurgence of popularity in the supernatural since Uranus’ entry into Pisces. I would say during its sojourn in Pisces we have had some strange imagery on our screens, it has also been in mutual relationship with Neptune in Aquarius. Series like Supernatural, Ghost Whisper and Medium are examples of this. Transits involving Neptune can also be present during psychic activity, and psychics are commonly known as “Sensitives” possessing the ability to perceive things hidden from the conscious and rational mind. Stir of Echoes is a great film that relates to some of the astrological themes relating to Neptune, and the ghost affects are fantastic. This Neptunian individual has it listed as one of her top movies. I watched Paranormal Activity for the first time a few weeks ago. I was putting it off because I hate all the jerky filming, maybe we can blame Uranus in Pisces/Neptune in Aquarius. I wasn’t a big fan of previous camcorder movies. However, after watching the film, it had its genuine scary moments. I should lay off the ghost movies; I won’t be able to sleep at night.