Stellium in the 3rd

by with No Comment Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

Interesting to think about the amount of spare time that we all suddenly have at our disposal, and the job that we are all probably having to redesign our routines at the same time.

Everything seems to be a little disorientating at the moment.

The multiple conjunction between Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn seems to be reflecting very well our current situation. The polemics created by some of our leaders trying to prioritise the economy over ‘a small number of deaths’, the collective response to the situation, if any. The general panic shopping around the world, and someone observed, I think maybe Lynn Bell, the interesting connection between the conjunction of Pluto with the planets mentioned and people stockpiling toilet roll…

Pluto is connected with purging and detoxing, release, defecation… Richard Swatton used to call Pluto the ‘cosmic toilet’.  There you go. Astrology in manifestation once more.

All of these big transits happening in the 3rd house of my horoscope and the MA Im currently doing seems to be connected because it sure is bringing me a lot of food for thought.

These days I’ve been, for the first time in a long time (maybe ever to be honest), questioning my desire to continue defining my career path as an astrologer. Quite shocking at first, as I always had that certainty. But to be honest, my certainty remains in the fact that astrology is my passion. What I am not so sure anymore is perhaps astrology as a profession.

Im working on an essay about the decline of astrology in the seventeenth century and it is bringing me a lot of questions regarding my profession.

According to Patrick Curry there are 3 types of astrology, high astrology, middling astrology and low astrology. Sounds quite simplistic putting in this way, but I feel that this being my blog, differently from my essays, I don’t necessarily need to go much deeper into it.

High astrology is the astrology of the scholars and theologians, the big philosophical questions about the universe and how the planets affect terrestrial affairs; the middling astrology is judicial astrology, reading charts to clients for example. The last one, low astrology, is connected with the popular horoscopes written in the newspapers, etc.

According to Curry what happened in the seventeenth century was a decline of both the high and middling, and the rise of its popular version, low astrology, which was highly criticised by some astrologers, scientists and the church as well.

With that in mind, we start to have an idea about the complexity of astrology’s history and process of development.

In addition to this picture, we also have a myriad of techniques, and types of astrology practiced around the world. Perhaps even because of that astrology has failed in producing a professional organ with cohesion, at least in the seventeenth century.

During this quarantine I’ve been questioning myself and my choices regarding profession. At least I’ve been realising the frustration in having to decide on so many intricacies within my profession because I need to explain to people what is that I do.

And what is that I really do?!

(Do I believe in fate? Do I believe the stars are causing something or are reflecting something? Can I foretell the future? Is there any positivity in telling someone about the future? Do I psychologise astrology too much so it fits within the capitalist/secular paradigm? …)

 

Not just another Saturn-Pluto post…

by with No Comment Astrological InsightsAstrology and meProfessional Astrologer

The building up of the conjunction between Saturn and Pluto is happening and Im feeling more and more excited about ideas and compelled to write more as well. (The stellium in Capricorn is transiting my third house at the moment!)

The other day I had orgasmic sensations, not joking, when I had the thought that I would like to write my dissertation on mystical experiences, astrology and deep ecology. Im in the process of communicating with my tutors and enquiring about the feasibility of my ideas, at the moment it looks like is too much of a big theme for a master thesis. On another hand, I still have time to reformulate and polish it up so it hopefully becomes more achievable. I love the idea of including deep ecology into my dissertation for this is such an important theme right now.

I think that the conjunction between Pluto and Saturn also reflects the importance of thinking and contributing with research that can enlighten and enhance our relationship with nature and mental health as well… I have very strong feelings towards this. And Im thinking about researching on what might be the role of astrology in this process, if any.

After I wrote my last essay on ‘peak experience’ and astrology I realised that one of the main ideas that connects both is a sort of dependency on a feeling of interconnection between everything. In a similar way, I think that deep ecology’s backbone also relies on the premise that everything is part of a greater system, regardless the illusory sense of separation that we have most of the time. Based on this premise, investing our energy in a system that prioritise competition above cooperation is a fallacy and a threat to, not only our physical and mental health, but also to the myriad of existing ecosystems.

What can we do about it? I think that this question is one of the most pertinent ones during this great conjunction between Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn… and I also feel that whatever this conjunction is activating in your chart is reflecting where you can contribute the most for the changes that we are collectively in need of making. The changes that you successfully facilitate in yourself now will have an impact on the collective change.

This is our responsibility (Saturn) in the regeneration (Pluto) of our social structures and values (Capricorn).

How are you doing after yesterday’s eclipse? Im feeling wonderfully excited. Hope you are all doing well.

 

Embodying the planets

by with 11 Comments Astrological InsightsAstrology and meProfessional Astrologer

Im currently writing a research project for the MA about the outsider’s perspective of astrology with a target group that came to ASHA for a training course on Holistic Education.

My search for literature review on Holistic Education turned out to be quite inspiring. Im finding many of its themes really interesting, particularly the idea that knowledge could and should be experienced through different channels, not only through the mind.

In traditional/formal sets, education is mainly connected with thinking and developing logic, but we also have our emotional bodies, our spiritual bodies as well as our physical bodies!

This quote from one of the papers I’ve read for my project summarises really well:

‘Education is longing for a deeper more connected, more inclusive, and more aware way of knowing. One that connects heart and hand and head and does not split knowledge into dualities of thought and being, mind and body, emotion and intellect, but resonates with a wholeness and fulness that engages every part of one’s being.’

With that in mind, yesterday, with the help of a lovely actress that has been coming to ASHA for a while now, I gave a session on embodied astrology to the group of EVS volunteers. I have been teaching them astrology for a while but it was the first time that I dared coming out of my comfort zone of brainy virgoan lectures into the fluidity of performance and feeling the knowledge.

The result was really positive!

I’ve been interested in experiential astrology for a long time but did not have the courage to experiment with it.

We worked with both the Sun and the Moon yesterday and after incorporating each we had a little chat and discussion about how that would personally manifest for each one of us by bringing the qualities of the star signs in, but also, a discussion about how it felt to embody each luminary.

It was very powerful and enlightening as another layer of understanding was added to our previous discussions. Even to me, who has been studying and reading charts for a number of years, it was quite mind blowing to play the planets like that.

At the end of our session I was really excited and thinking about eventually experimenting with a constellation exercise involving someone’s astrology chart, with each participant playing one of the planets of that particular chart.

I have heard of that before, I wonder if any of you have heard or experimented with it before?! Any experiences, tips or insights to share?  🙂

Saturnian sobriety.

by with 9 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

I am currently reading Liz Greene’s seminar entitled “The Astrologer, the Counsellor and the Priest” and, as Saturn stations to go direct in the early degrees of Capricorn, I feel very introspective and naturally reviewing my connection with astrology.

In this seminar, Liz Greene is presenting a few different archetypes and mythic themes that might be unconsciously played out by the astrologer (as well as the client), for example the solar deity Apollo and the idea of expanding consciousness and promoting individuality, or Chiron, the wounded healer, that needs to share his wounds with others so he doesn’t feel so alone.

I am simplifying things here for obvious reasons and I couldn’t recommend this book enough for the ones that consider themselves, or aspire to become, professional astrologers.

As much as I would like to support as many different views and ideas as possible, or at least respect every person’s ideas and views, I struggle a bit when it comes to astrology.

When I read the myriad of astrological updates online I usually get the impression that most people that write them down don’t seem to consider their own lens and how much it impacts the interpretation of the symbols. ( I tend to think that a lot of those are but a reflection of their inner life?)

I have a funny feeling when I read things like an astrological configuration of some kind has helped something to happen. Or that the moon moving into a new constellations should make you feel in a certain way. Or a planet moving forward again might cause specific symptoms in your life.

For some reason this kind of immediate interpretation unsettles me.

I somehow feel like I have left a phase of infatuation with astrology behind. I don’t necessarily want to talk about it all the time with just anyone like I used to in the beginning of my studies.

I am still an enthusiastic of the complex intricacies of what astrology reflects, but for some reason I now find tiring to preach about it to the general public.

Interestingly, this seems to be synchronistically reflected by Saturn moving forward again and harmoniously activating my Mercury.  I feel that my view of astrology is somehow becoming a bit more sober. I don’t think that astrology can change the world, and I don’t desperately ask people’s star signs or time of birth anymore. Neither I try defining Astrology as a science when a skeptical crosses my path.

I am somehow accepting the mysteries more willingly, and looking within before rushing into revealing the secrets of another’s soul in what perhaps could potentially be an unconscious attempt to validate myself and choice of interest.

Have you ever thought about what made you choose to pursue your career path? Have you also gone through a process of change in how you relate with the subject that you dedicate yourself to? Im sure the answer is yes.

Any astrologers out there that would like to share their perspective on it?

 

Beginnings

by with 4 Comments Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

It’s been couple of weeks since I made my decision to focus all of my energy into my astrology work.

I see the progress that I did not manage making before, when I had another job to distract me. There is also definitely the question of the rigth timing involved here.

We just can’t force things to happen.

With my new sense of commitment and seriousness about my profession, symbolically reflected by my progressed moon in Capricorn (which I’m truly enjoying at the moment), I’ve accomplished a few little things. There are some readings lined up for me to do, there are some that I already did, also finally got myself an insurance and a membership that will allow me to see my clients at the wellbeing centre in Hamilton House, and finally got 2 little talks on astrology lined up as well.

A lot of exciting things unfolding since my conscious decision followed by action taking.

And I’m loving the feeling of freedom to focus entirely on my passion..

I have even filled much of my spare time with reading my astrology books again as I want to perfect my practice and, by doing that, provide a much better service.

I’m loving it.

I recently went back to finish reading Geoffrey Cornelius “The moment of astrology” and the insights it is providing me are truly valuable right now. I’m finding his discussion on astrology as divination and the way he speaks about the nature of symbols fascinating and refreshing at the same time.

I feel that the path I was already naturally taking with my interpretation of the symbols, a much more fluid and intuitive one since Neptune opposed my natal Sun and Mercury, is strongly connected with Cornelius’s ideas discussed in his book.

His ideas are also almost like giving me “permission” to be creative and to flow with what I feel when seeing an horoscope. It is helping with my confidence and belief in what I do, something that I’ve been struggling with for a long time. (I have also been taking Larch for over 2 months now, the Bach flower remedy to help with confidence)

Geoffrey Cornelius speaks a lot about the intrinsic relationship between symbols and the act of interpreting it, and how important for us astrologers to be conscious of the “creative and participatory dimension of interpretation” (…)

Here is a few more words on that that I resonated strongly with:

“We should not imagine when we take up a line of interpretation that it is the bottom line, or the final and best interpretation. Rather, it is the interpretation that we have taken up in the light of a particular question that we are concerned with, in a particular context and at that moment in the client’s life. The best and truest interpretation is what the client needs to hear now.” (pp. 222)

Great stuff.

I’m also receiving my new laptop this week and I will then be more present around here with my writings.

Progressed Moon moves to Capricorn ..

by with 14 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

I have made my decision.

I am dedicating all of my energy, not to find or apply to another job that I don’t want to be doing, but to become a full time astrologer.

And do you know what? It feels great. It feels right.

I think the time is ripe for me to start putting myself out there. I feel much more solid in myself and confident on my knowledge and experience.

My progressed moon has also recently just moved to Capricorn and I can totally feel the internal change of mood. My change of focus. Getting organised and investing my time and energy in my career feels great now.

I will be writing more from now on, and I will also work more on posts about astrology itself. (Laptop will be with me at the end of the month!)

 

Tying knots in the 2nd house..

by with 3 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

The intensity of these month with the culmination of the last exact square from transiting Pluto to my natal Moon has been quite different from the previous ones.

The impression that I have is that things have been challenged to transform from within,  beginning with the deepest unconscious layers (still when Pluto was 2 degrees orbit away from the first exact square), and now perhaps hitting mostly the more gross parts that still need to be fined tuned.

In the last two months I haven’t had many internal breakdowns or many difficult emotions to deal with. During the first square in March 2015 I was overwhelmed by fear and sadness and emotions in general.

Now I feel a lot more stable and secure within myself.

What seems to be happening in this last stage is more connected with work and financial life and my values really (a lot of the matters connected with the 2nd house of the horoscope).

It was only in the last week that I consciously noticed how much I’m already feeling deflated and bored at work. I think I sort of came to the realisation that this is “just another job” again.

We aren’t really doing much to get involved in the local community, mainly the boss is focused on making money and a bit desperate because we are still not very busy. He is saving money on certain things that I disagree on like rubbish collection (we are not recycling yet!! I still can’t really believe that he doesn’t seem to care too much about that).

Then I also have noticed him at times behaving like a capitalist desperate boss, feeling agitated when he sees you sitting down for a bit (on a shift of 9 hours and and half standing on your feet) on a day that is extremely quiet and there isn’t much to do anyway.

(I’m not holding a grudge or anything, don’t get me wrong. I can see that he is trying his best and that he doesn’t have much experience.)

But my problem is that there seems to be more preoccupation with looking cool and forward thinking and ecological than actually truly caring about the environment for instance.

I understand that this is just the first month and chaos is all around. But he did get some extra money from the bank so there shouldn’t be an excuse for recycling and composting food  and coffee waste.

I feel like I’m still going against my values, a bit like I was when living in London.

I don’t want to put my energy into egotistical purposes. I want to work for something that will improve the collective situation somehow.

Power to the people.

So this week I’m only working for 3 days and the idea that I could save up money to do a yoga teacher training in 3 months is gone.

Now I’m not sure anymore. All I know is that I have to invest more time and energy into my work as an astrologer and perhaps still live on a low budget for some time.

But I refuse to give my energy full time to something that I don’t believe in..

Food for thought

by with 6 Comments Astrology and meInner lifeProfessional Astrologer

I have the whole house for myself since Saturday night until Wednesday evening.

I had forgotten how it feels.. even the occasional loneliness feels lovely.

My energy is becoming more concentrated in the bedroom and I’m slowly allowing myself to settle in this place.

There is a cemetery around the corner of my house where I went for couple of walks. The energy there is peaceful and soothing.

I had yet another strange experience whilst giving an astrological reading. This time though it wasn’t as awkward, it was just confusing. The client didn’t seem to care much about anything.

It wasn’t difficult for me to do the reading. She was lovely and I’m sure that we could be good friends and have a laugh together.

But once more it wasn’t the kind of reading that I intend to be doing or the kind of astrology that I believe in.

There was no big insight conducive for transformation.

The lady seemed to be the epitome of Neptune. (Of the confusing side at least..)

She just didn’t know anything and didn’t truly care about what direction things were taking. She couldn’t remember what happened at certain times of her life, and with a lot of confusion in the air, even I started feeling clouded during that reading.

These last couple of readings have made me question a few things about my work as an astrologer.

Perhaps I should trust more and flow with it.

Today I was rereading Carl Jung “Man and his Symbols” and at some point, speaking of dream interpretation and the relationship between the analyst and the analysand, he says:

“The individual is the only reality. The further we move away from the individual toward abstract ideas about Homo Sapiens, the more likely we are to fall into error.”

Maybe that’s it, the more we try to fit or shove the symbols down the client’s throat the more likely we are to fall into error..

Professional quest..

by with 2 Comments Astrology and meProfessional Astrologer

I feel strange now.

Just had a confusing experience with a client.

I’ve been quite busy this week with astrological work and everything is going pretty well with that.

As I come out of my personal crisis, my practice as an astrologer is becoming clearer. I feel that I work as a “transformer”.

The work is shamanic.

I’m also realising that most of the time parental introjection and family karma is an important part of my readings.

Is about becoming who you are by also realising who you’re not.

Or in other words, all about what Carl Jung called the “process of individuation”, the process of becoming your own individual.

But I’m not sure how to deal with a situation where the client doesn’t resonate much with his/her astrological blue print.

It’s weird and uncomfortable for both of us.

They usually seem to be out of touch with their innermost self, without any interest in psychology, and what they are looking for is a ready made answer or prediction of what’s going to happen.

I guess I should have stayed with the basic sets of characteristics of each planet in each sign?! Maybe I could have helped more that way?!

Fellow astrologers out there, what do you do in this kind of situation?!

Feel free to also share your experiences!