Astrology for the Whole Person FAQ

Q: Does astrology inhibit a belief in free will?

A: No, not at all! The horoscope reveals the personality—it doesn’t determine it. People naturally incarnate at the astrological time/space coordinate which best matches their basic personality and plans for this lifetime.

                                  

Q: Then what about the newspaper horoscopes?
A: Honestly, do those things ever work? Ha ha, well—actually, there is some truth in the astrological principle behind newspaper horoscopes—the “astrological transits.” A good transit chart is much more in-depth than a newspaper horoscope, but it won’t predict the future.Transits are like cosmic background music which is constantly playing in our astrological environment. For example, on a day when Mars is trine your natal Venus, the astrological background music for the day is highly romantic and you might have heightened fun if you go out on a date that evening. If the mood music for the day is Mars square Pluto, or Mars or Uranus square your ascendent, watch out. That’s like having the James Bond theme song or Mission Impossible music playing subliminally in your subconscious ears. It doesn’t mean you’ll act recklessly or get into any accidents, but it is an environmental influence (sort of like the weather) and it might mean that being a dare devil for a day could have a heightened appeal.

 

Q: You say your philosophy of interpretation is unique. How so?

A: I take a holistic approach, and I don’t consider any aspect “good” or “bad.” I believe in a benevolent

universe and I don’t see the chart as something to overcome; we are all gifted with all of the talents we need to fulfill our special purpose in life. I incorporate concepts from archetypal mythology, psychology, shamanism, and quantum science (as understood by me).

     I also view the north and south nodes differently than many astrologers—for instance, many astrologers seem to believe that we all have bad karma from past lives, so that the areas and abilities indicated by our south node (the past life indicater) should be abandoned at all costs. My wonderful mom was actually the first person to point out to me how ridiculously silly this is. Hence, I’ve developed my own method of interpreting the nodes. The south node represents the special talents and “weaknesses” we’ve taken into this life, and the north node indicates our special path to success in this lifetime. The talents indicated by the south node must be utilized in order to master the present goal of the north node.

 

Q: What do you do when you’re not practicing astrology?

A: Actually I’m a college student at UMKC, studying philosophy and comparative religion.

 

Q: Is astrology a science?

A: That depends on who you ask. Most modern astrophysicists (scientists who study space) would probably say it’s a pile of rubbish. But then again, Isaac Newton believed in it, Johannes Kepler (a founding father of modern astronomy) was a practicing astrologer, and Einstein is said to have dabbled with it. The philosopher Francis Bacon was an astrologer, as was Tycho Brahe (another famous astronomer) and Ptolemy (the first known astronomer). Copernicus even published a paper with an astrological discourse inserted in its pages.

Astrology seemed to break off from astronomy when modern science developed a distaste for anything with a spiritual flavor.

     At the present time, the principles of quantum physics, fractals, and the holographic universe theory are once again marrying physics and metaphysics, and spirituality is thrusting its way back into the modern scientific scene. Will astrology be considered a science again in the age of Aquarius? Well...I don’t do predictions, and it seems unlikely at least within this decade. But in the centuries to come—who knows?

 

Q: Is astrology a religion?

A: Ha ha ha! Nope, nobody’s ever really asked me this one, but I thought it would be a good question so I’d ask it myself. Well...no, it’s not a religion, but my brand of astrology does require a belief in a basically benevolent universe. I personally believe in God, and find meaning in just about every religon I’ve studied,

but I don’t care if you call God Jesus Christ, Allah, the Buddha-nature, “the Force,” or anything else.

     Astrology is about how we can fulfill ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. In that sense, it can be incorporated into any religion. By the way, even Christianity has some interesting astrological references.

(The Three Magi were palace astrologers, the Psalms mention that “the heavens declare the Glory of God,”

and in Genesis God says “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky...and let them serve as signs” 1:14)

 

Q: Is astrology an art?
A: Gang on you’re right it is! Astrological charts are aesthetically beautiful, and interpreting them “correctly” takes a lot of time and energy. 

 

Q: Is there such a thing as a “perfect” astrological chart?

A: At our centers, we are all basically whole. I view the astrological chart as a kind of blue print for wholeness—every horoscope is a whole. To be whole means to be complete, and to be good. There is no one astrological chart better than any other astrological chart; they are all precious models for personal fulfillment.

     To be whole, we need a whole span of different qualities. To keep ourselves whole, we must keep these qualities in balance. For example, we need to be vulnerable in order to show that we love someone, but we need to be aggressive in order to stand up for what we believe in. Neither aggression nor vulnerability are good or bad in and of themselves; it’s whether we use them in balance, as part of a whole view of reality, which will determine whether or not they have good or bad effects in our lives.

     Carl Jung said “I’d rather be whole than good”—and I think what he was getting at was that those areas of life we normally think of as “bad”—our fears, weaknesses, etc.—cannot be thrown away if we want to be whole people. To tap into our balanced whole, these areas must be developed and utilized. Without a little friction, let’s face it—we’d never get anywhere. Life would be boring!

     At home, I joke around that I am an “imperfectionist” because I see beauty in the flaws of life, but the truth is, there are no inherent “flaws”. Pain comes about when we refuse to adjust our abilities in the face of changing situations; it’s there to keep us growing. We have to keep growing; permanent stagnancy causes conflict. 

     If there is a kind of perfection in this universe, it’s found in trying our best to utilize our mistakes and weaknesses to work our way, all of the time. Wholeness isn’t something you can achieve one day off in the future. Wholeness is about how you can live your life right now, in the present. It’s about homeostasis--maintaining your inner “thermostat” for optimum health. It’s about learning and growing and adjusting your abilities for whatever dynamic situation you find yourself in.

     The journey is the destination!

 

Q: Vesper Holly is the name of a fictional heroine in Lloyd Alexander’s The Ilyrian Adventure (and other novels in this series). Are you related to Vesper or the author?

A: I love Vesper Holly and I took on her name as a practicing astrologer to avoid the scowling of certain fundamentalist Christian and/or skeptical relatives, etc. Nope, I’m not related to Vesper or Lloyd Alexander, and I don’t personally know Mr. Alexander. But I love his books and he is one of my favorite authors. You can search for Lloyd Alexander’s books here: http://www.amazon.com.

 

Q: What are some other really good books you recommend?

A: The Living Energy Universe by Gary Schwartz and Linda Russek is an excellent book if you want to look at the link between spirituality and science. Thich Nhat Hanh’s Living Buddha, Living Christ offers ageless wisdom, as does The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. My favorite book about self-discovery is Care of the Soul by Thomas Moore. Another great book for gals is Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pincola Estes.