Sedna in the time of AI and the Technology of the Heart

Sedna is a dwarf planet in the outermost reaches of the solar system, orbiting the sun beyond the orbit of Neptune

By Karin Elisabeth Grohp

Around the same time as Pluto enters Aquarius, said to herald leaps of technological development, another planetary body is making its way into Gemini. Sedna may not be very familiar in common astrology yet, but she is now emerging to make herself known as the planetary archetype of artificial intelligence. The trine between Sedna and Pluto is what gives momentum to the recent acceleration of development within the field of AI. Pluto tends to have that effect, as an initiatory force. There are many different views on what exactly is being initiated and what measures should be taken to ensure that it remains under control, which is another Plutonic theme relevant to the situation. Astrologically the planetary archetype of Sedna may assist in bringing a fuller picture of what is taking place.

Sedna is a trans-Neptunian object with an orbit that reaches all the way to the hypothetical region of our Solar system called the inner Oort cloud. Sedna lies beyond the realm of Pluto, where conscious shifts to unconscious, representing a transition where the disembodied realm of spirit takes over. Sedna represents the remote reach of Spirit into our Earthly realm. With reference to the animal kingdom, Sednas reach could be likened to the soft bodied tentacles of an octopus. The octopus, having developed intelligence separate from the vertebrates, gives one a notion of an alien intelligence. Often mentioned as a sign of its intelligence is the octopus’ use of tools. Sedna likewise represents the image of the tool as an extension of the mind, and therefore this dwarf planet seems to carry the essential meaning of artificial intelligence.

Within the microcosm that is the human body Sedna corresponds to the hands. The association to the tool becomes apparent as the hands are the original tool and an extension of the Heart-Mind. The left and right hand express the dualization that we also find in Sedna. Tools are sometimes said to be neutral. Sedna, belonging to the spiritual realm of both light and darkness, gives the tool the potential for both extremes, depending on how it is used and depending on the programming of the specific tool. The image of the alien and uncanny that sometimes emerge from AI is but one side of Sedna.

With Sedna we are confronted with the choice between becoming more or less human. How do we prevent the use of technology from taking us further away from human ’being’ is a relevant question of our time. Technology comes in many forms. The externalized technology that we now see emerging does have its natural organic counterpart in the Heart connected technology of the microcosmic body. One representation of the technology of the Heart can be found in the chakra system of eastern traditions. Which set of technologies will we choose to develop? Could the development of Heart Intelligence be the natural soulful response to the development of Artificial Intelligence? These are some of the questions and doubts that now enter our awareness as we become familiar with the planetary archetype of Sedna. While Pluto, as the guardian of the gates to the underworld, would only let light enter the Earthly realm, Sedna holds the potential for planting seeds of both light and darkness. It is a question of our humanity and our ability to see the potential of our humanity, what is chosen.

It could be said that we are in a time of remembering, which is a theme found within the myth of Sedna. Her dual expression makes her an archetype of both remembering as well as fracturing or dismembering. In the myth the Inuit goddess Sedna is dismembered, her fingers cut off by her own father as she clings to the railing of their boat. As she falls into the sea, her fingers become the sea-life that the Inuit depend on. Sedna becomes the goddess of the Inuit underworld.

While her myth may seem tragic and cruel, as a planetary archetype she represents the fracturing and loss of Soul as much as she represents a healing and a reconnection to Soul. The theme is pertinent to the current storyline of artificial intelligence. Sednas extreme orbit seems to have taken us far away from the natural expression of Soul. Nature ’is’ the expression of Soul. We are Soul. Our relationship to nature and our lack of care for nature could be said to reflect the state of our connection to Soul. Sedna impels us to look at the wholeness of our being.

As a planetary archetype Sedna gives perspective to the current movement within the field of AI, revealing the many facets and the deeper meaning to that which is expressed externally as artificial intelligence. Sedna may exist in a distant periphery but still she continues to remind us to pay attention to what lies at the center of consciousness. With Heart and Soul at the center, the Human endeavor shifts towards its natural focus and its higher expression. Anything other than that is not on the path of Human becoming.

The incorporation of Sedna into astrology will help us look at the time we are in from a more holistic perspective. Her dual expression assists in formulating a deeper understanding of many of the stories that are emerging on the surface of worldly affairs. While some may think of Pluto as the planet of war, Sedna carries the very image of polarization that war brings, the division of light and dark that characterizes the realm of spirit. A division that fails tragically within the Earthly Human realm. While Pluto is the warrior that discriminates between light and dark, and only lets light enter, it has become clear that we are living in a time where war and darkness has seeped into the Earthly realm.

Pluto entering Aquarius then becomes a question of which technology we allow entry into our lives, the natural Heart connected technology or other disconnected forms of technology. The questioning of technology that we see at the moment is the healthy response of Pluto’s guardian function at the gates to the underworld of Sedna. Pluto is our spiritual immune system, and there is no reason to downplay the importance of Pluto in the cosmic order. While Pluto is now a widely accepted part of the astrological scheme, Sedna is yet to integrate.

While Sedna at this moment may not be widely familiar within the astrological community, there is good reason to bring her into the astrological discourse. To disregard the meaning of the planetary archetype of Sedna, would not serve us well in the time that we are in. Awareness might just be the difference that would make it a time of remembering, instead of further fracturing. Sedna was always there, accessible within the field of the unconscious, hidden within our microcosmic physical Human form as well as within the macrocosm. Bringing Sedna into our conscious awareness, making her part of astrological practice, may be the reflection of a movement within the collective psyche, a movement towards remembering.