People who know me well will be aware that, among other things, I am an astrologer. It’s not something I’ve shouted about very publicly before. Nonetheless accompanying my ‘official’ activities, for as long as I can remember, has been a largely hidden, and highly personal, astrological practice.
The deep, mythological, mirror which astrology holds up to our apparently mundane lives, fascinates me. It adds an ancient framework of wisdom to the way I experience my own story and it can be applied in a fertile way for others too. It is a wonderful gift from our ancestors, handed down through the ages, connecting us with our forefathers and mothers, and it affords us an experience of applied ancient wisdom, which I think we could sometimes use a good dose of today. Nonetheless, I have always been cautious about using astrology as part of my offering and practice. This is because of its propensity for high-level, pat, pronouncements and predictions, which are best avoided if we wish to be proactive in our own lives, which is what I suggest astrology needs to be used in the service of.
Even so, last month, out of the blue, I was invited to do an astrological reading for someone I had never met. As a largely self-taught astrologer who has hitherto practiced almost entirely for my own interest, it was a departure. And I loved it! I was challenged to go deep and really get to know someone through their chart, and to develop my own style of astrological communication. It certainly stretched me!
It's interesting that this request dropped into a period of quiet - a temporary stepping back. In terms of the astrological weather patterns of my own life, I should not really be stepping back at all right now. On the contrary, some big indicators were (and are) urging me not to. Still, I’ve been around long enough to experience first-hand that astrological weather (or transits) can be complex in the way they show up, activating different energies for different people. The trick, I find, is to pay attention to what is showing up and then decide how to respond. After all, the universe (aka the unconscious) may be trying to expand us in ways we might not have considered. If we are too busy with our small, pre-conceived agenda, we might miss the point.
I may not be a 'professional' astrologer, nor really a 'professional' artist (anymore), yet these activities keep me busy doing what I love and bring me work. My recent art work for ASP stretched and instructed me every bit as much as the astrological reading – it gave me every bit as much pleasure and satisfaction – and the work needed delivering in the same sort of time frame.
These are just a couple of the things dropping into my empty space.
The question of how to respond has been quite easy, despite the challenges these projects have presented - the risk of saying yes. Along with writing, which is another subject which challenges and delights me in equal measure, art and astrology are two subjects I love to both work and play at. For once I am owning this more openly in terms of astrology which has traditionally been more hidden for me. I’ve embraced it for as long as I can remember. It’s power to heal and help people grow is massive, offering a living symbolism through which to view life’s trials and successes. It doesn’t promise outcomes – that is up to each of us, but it does help us tell the story of our life in a deeply meaningful way.