Alt-Epistemology? Or: Mars rules, damn it!

April 21, 2026

Note: Alt-Epistemology ebook here:

https://tendrepress.com/alt-epistemology/

 

A number of conversations, both in groups, and one to one, have annoyed me recently. Or maybe I should say have secretly infuriated me?

That I actually notice my internal reaction is heartening. But that this reaction is, at age 83! when I should by this time know better! — still prevalent in my communications with others is not.

I’ve still got the above image on my desktop, planning to turn it into a T-shirt. Or should I? Would I actually wear this T-shirt in public? Or would it stir up even more vitriol, as those with whom I come in contact react, rather than respond.

As humanity ignites a brand new era, with long-cycled planets Neptune and Saturn both in fiery, volatile Aries, Pluto having just re-entered airy, collectivist and or individualistic Aquarius, and Uranus only days away from erupting from steady, earthy Taurus into fast-track, communicative, so-called “fact-based” Gemini for 7 years, plus everything propelled by exponential growth of AI, I hope I’m ready for the shift. But I’m not. Decidedly not.

Oh wow . . . no wonder! I don’t keep constant track of planetary motions any more, though I do look once in a while. And wow! Here’s today!

Volatile headstrong Mars is also in Aries, sign that it rules, has been working its way from sensitive, imaginative Neptune through strict, directive Saturn since April 9th; plus, just now, today, Mars exactly conjuncts communicative Mercury.

 

And given my own chart, which features 4°Aries (with bad girl Eris, BTW) on the IC directly opposite ultra-sensitive Neptune/MC and closely square Venus/Mercury in controlling, directive Capricorn, no wonder. I mean, no fuckin’ wonder!

Duh! Ann, pay more attention to transits. It may save you some grief.

Grief, which I do not express into the world, but which eats away at my insides, unless and until I process it.

For example:

Just this morning, in the bank, the woman in front of me, whom I’ve known for many many years, expecting commiseration, tells me she’s about to go get her yearly mammogram. Well, I suddenly lost it. Suddenly, in line for a teller, smack in the middle of the civilized bank, I just lost it. In a voice way too loud, I yelled “REALLY? DO YOU KNOW THAT MAMMOGRAMS RADIATE YOUR BREASTS?” On and on . . .

Of course she was offended, and immediately on the defensive; and there we were, arguing, each citing “evidence” and “sources” etc. etc., in an attempt to prove to the other that what we say is true.

At first I tried to pull back, just say that I shouldn’t talk about this subject with her (since we both know it’s likely to lead to argument: she was one of those who, I noticed, eagerly obeyed all societal “mandates” during the covid con).

It was during that five-year broohaha that I began to intone, and to have to repeat, endlessly — to both myself and others — “Let’s just stay with what we have in common.” Especially around here, in my own homestead, Green Acres Village. (This woman used to live here.)

Yes. Let’s just continue “growing community from the ground up” — our motto.

But I don’t learn. Or: I’m just as human as everyone else. Of course I would fall for the argument trap, over and over again. I was raised in the western tradition, where (hopefully civilized, rule-bound) debate can replace yelling and screaming and ultimately, violence.

But:

“Since the world is made up of individuals, there will always be competing ideas. Ideas which, down through the ages, have usually resulted in one thing: WAR.” — Ann K., 9th grade. (I wrote this suddenly, in a flash, to introduce my review of a book about Korean prisoners of war. Those weren’t my words, not the words of the young, shy, obedient, good girl. Where did they come from? It scared me, not to know.)

 

Yes. Debate doesn’t work. Over and over again, we fall into the trap of trying to win over another, not because we have not tried to follow civilized rules, but because we identify with our “position.” Our egos get involved. Whatever we “believe” or at least pretend to believe for the sake of argument, determines our actual value, our importance, relative to the others. We want to win! Damn it! We don’t want to just “discuss.” We are predatory, we can’t help it. Mars rules.

I will introduce another example tomorrow, one much more profound, which academics, who are conditioned to find value in their relative capacity for extensive footnoting, are particularly prone to.

Again, it will be an example drawn from my own recent lived experience. One which I am still processing, coming to terms with. Why did I get so internally furious? On and on.

BTW: I realize that once a Catholic, always a Catholic. No matter how I try to get away from early conditioning, it lingers, yielding confessional blog posts like this one. “Bless me father, for I have sinned.”

Mea culpa!

Hopefully I will be forgiven. Or more pertinent: my higher self will both notice each trap my ego self falls into, and pulls me out of it through processing.

Personal Processing

And it’s true. For the most part, these days, my overall underlying attitude is, yes, Gratitude. Which means: when I haven’t fallen into the left brain trap of argument, I do radiate, right brain/heart connection intact.

Now to get my corpus callosum to actually integrate the two brains!

 

MY CONTRARIAN (non-allopathic) ATTITUDE REGARDING HEALTH: includes probiotic, dental

April 20, 2026

WOW: I see that I forgot to post this draft on April 9th!

So I will post it now, and update afterwards.

 

Forgot to mention one crucial addition to yesterday’s post: I make sure I include a probiotic with every meal. My favorites? Kombucha, kimchi, yogurt.

Meanwhile, rather than going through my recently instituted twice-daily dental routine (three months now), a five-step process, I refer you to videos by Dr. Ellie Phillips, a dentist herself with decades of experience.  Amazing, and at first, seems counterintuitive, since she argues against flossing and her protocol includes products with fluoride.

I’m trying out her protocol, and will see my dentist later this month. Not to get my teeth cleaned (I’m done with that, thanks to Dr. Ellie), but to assess my situation from the dentist’s point of view compared to my last appointment, four months ago.

The point is, as an 83-year-old, of course, my gums have receded. And I’ve had more and more dental work done in the last few years: three teeth pulled, one cavity filled, one root canal. Want to arrest this process of likely losing my teeth. Hopefully, I have found the solution. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, I don’t think I mentioned recently that I do not engage with the allopathic medical system. Have not done so for many years. The last time was when I broke my wrist stumbling over a hidden root on a forest trail. That was what, ten years ago? So I do engage with orthopedics if needed, and would, if necessary, rely on emergency medicine. Basically, I left allopathic medicine behind when I was about 30. And BTW: my father was an old-fashioned doctor who made house calls and my mother a nurse: I have a feeling they would agree with my contrarian attitude.

It bugs the hell out of me that I still need medical insurance and dental insurance, because, who knows?

But meanwhile, I think I’ve already said that what got me going first on taking care of my own health was the fact that, as a young woman, I couldn’t afford health insurance, given my chosen life-style, which has always included living below-money as far as possible.

I view money as a human-engineered scrim upon the living, breathing skin of the natural world. Unnatural. Unnecessary.

I know that’s a contrarian view. But it has served me well, so far. Meanwhile, at 83, the situation becomes more and more critical; the overton window (of personally allowed health practices) reduces to a narrowing tunnel.

The inevitable question, rearing up more and more urgently as I grow older: how to die well, and consciously?

I view a conscious dying process as the crowning achievement of a life well lived.

Hope I can live up to it!

 

Monday April 20, Addendum:

On Saturday morning, I discovered I would be hosting, not two people, but four people over the weekend, a couple in their 70s, with two others in their 20s tagging along. (Three of them I had never met before; one I’ve known for decades). They drove in around 3 PM, so I took them on my 1 to1.5 mile evening walk, and noticed I had to slow way down. Which is very hard for me . . .

Told them on Sunday that I would do my regular 3.5-4.00 mile morning walk at my regular pace. Three of the four joined me and did well, though the older one was obviously exhausted at the end.

Then, when they left, at about 2 PM, I was so energized I walked another 1.5 miles.

Then, when my neighbor told me she could resume evening walks with me (after knee surgery, many weeks later, she is now able to bend her knee), we walked yet another 1.5 miles.

When I got home from that walk yesterday evening I noticed that I still had energy. Could have walked further, much further!

Weird. How my energy, at 83, seems to be actually increasing, as long as I maintain my daily protocols.

P.S. Haven’t seen the dentist yet.