the career astrologer spring 2013

T H E C A R E E R A S T R O L O G E R S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 O P A � The Organizat ion for Profess ional Astro logy 1

THE CAREER ASTROLOGER The newsletter for Professional Astrology

Volume 22 � Number 1 � Spring 2013

imply being alive duringthese times is extraordinary!We really are transitioning into

a new age, complete with its unique mix offlavors and remedies. The reflecting celes-tial themes help us to review and rememberour collective common ground and goals.For us as astrologers we see this in the

language of Saturn in Scorpio, Uranus inAries and Pluto in Capricorn and theircommunal dance, to mention only a few ofthe key archetypes in action now. At theend of this month OPA will experience itsfirst Jupiter return, while transiting Jupitertrines OPA’s Sun at 12 Libra and the MC

I n T h I s I s s u ePresident’s Report ..............................1

Mercury & Jupiter 2012-2013 ..........1

An Interview with Jane Ridder-Patrick ............................4

Book Review: Planets in Therapy ..........................6

Poetry Corner ......................................7

excerpt from Between Astrologers and Clients:Boundaries ............................................8

Astrology in Greece ........................14

new Approach to Political Forecast ..........................16

T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ S R E P O R T

BY ALEXANDRA KARACOSTAS

[CONTINUED ON PAGE 2]

BY JACQUELINE JANES

A s humanity moved into thisperiod of change, transformationand crisis given the call for action

with the 2010 Cardinal Cross and now thePluto/Uranus squares oftension continuing to2015, I wondered if,indeed, we would “getit.” “Get it” meaninglearning how to livetogether on the PlanetEarth in a moreharmonious manner, sharing earthresources with each other, supporting liferather than killing life, growing andevolving with the idea that each person'svitality contributed to the well being of thewhole community. Thus, I looked to theastrological indicators of learning, Mercuryand Jupiter.Mercury, the wing footed messenger of

the Gods, represents getting the everydayknowledge that helps us be in communitywith others. Mercurial learning is what weget in elementary school and high school -language, both written and verbal, historyof humankind, skills at problem solving(math), and “facts” about how the earthworks (science). Knowledge of this sort,just like Mercury, is fluid, ever changing aswe think about what we know and expandthe possibilities of interpretation. This iswhere Jupiter becomes important.

S and Uranus at 17 Libra and 17 Aquariusrespectively. This is mirrored in the mannerin which we continue to make meaningfulchanges and grow so we can meet theneeds of our current membership. There area few other notable contacts happening aswell. If you are interested, check out OPA’schart! (OPA birth information - Oct 4,2000, 01:45pm, Tallahassee, FL)Jupiter has indeed influenced OPA. OPA

is going international! We presently havethree new OPA representatives; DvoraWeil in Israel, Dmitriy Paramonov in Rus-sia and Smaro Soritaki in Greece. Welcometo the OPA family! This is an importantdirection OPA is taking in order to con-tribute to professional astrology world-wide. We are proud to be a small, butinfluential, organization dedicated to theadvancement and excellence of astrology! This year’s retreat is OPA’s 10th and we

are happy that it is our largest to date. Ourorganization is now larger than ever before.We couldn’t be more pleased with theseachievements! In 2002 OPA started offer-ing small retreats for seriously minded pro-fessional and lay astrologers. Since then wehave modified our program to meet the in-terests and needs of our community. Weplan to hold our next retreat toward the end2014 and hope to see you all back again! Inthe meantime, we will keep you posted aswe begin to organize our next gathering.In 2011 we launched the OPA Certifica-

tion Program. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ]

is dedicated to promoting excellence for astrologers. Incorporated on

October 4, 2000 at 1:45 pm EDT inTallahassee, Florida, OPA provides members

with tools to establish or improve theirastrological practice. Membership is open toaspiring and current astrologers. Benefits

include subscription to the Career Astrologerand E-news, free monthly talks by top notchastrologers and members registration fees

at OPA retreats and conferences. Annual dues are $60.00.

OPA BOARD

PRESIDENTAlexandra Karacostas

[email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT/CONFERENCE COORDINATOR

Arlan Wise508-645-9292

[email protected]

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYChristine Ferraro267-918-5242

[email protected]

SECRETARY Sandra Leigh Serio

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TREASURERAlice Kashuba954-894-8685

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DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS & PROJECTS

June Morrow847-864-1063

[email protected]

COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTORMaurice Fernandez

[email protected]

E-NEWS EDITORDvora Weil818-448-9495

[email protected]

THE CAREER ASTROLOGER EDITORTwink McKenney203-267-4986

[email protected]

OPAastrology.com

[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1]


Jupiter is about higher learning, vision,wherein we take the everyday knowledgeand expand it by hypothesis, theory, and,most importantly, our own experience.Jupitarian learning is experiential andbroad, pushing the boundaries of what wethink we know. Upon the wing of Jupiter'seagle we take flight into new territorieswhere the everyday Mercurial learning mayhave been different from own everydaylearning. With Jupiter's bolts of lightningwe experience “ahas” of possibility thatmay split open for investigation what wethought we knew.I choose to focus on Mercury and

Jupiter between 2012 and 2013 because ontwo occasions these two planets were inmutual reception. Mutual reception meansthat Mercury and Jupiter were in eachother's signs of rulership. Not only werethey in each other's signs of rulership, butthey were also in aspect to each other. This

was especially noteworthy as it occurred inan opposition days before the 2012Winter Solstice. The chart is constructedfor December 17, 2012 at 2:15 pm forWashington, D.C. Mercury and Jupiterare 9 degrees, 20 minutes Sagittarius andPisces respectively. Jupiter is retrograde.Jupiter is particularly noticeable as the

focal point for a Finger of God. Jupiter isalso retrograde. When I first ponderedthis configuration I thought of a phrasethat came into being many years ago,“Think globally, Act locally”. Recently Ifound that phrase was also used by JessicaMurray in her book, “At the Crossroads” asa description of this particular period intime. We are being called upon to stretchour narrow concept of home andcommunity to a broader definition. One could say that Jupiter in Gemini is

asking us to expand our notions of howwe define our immediate community.What if we changed our idea ofcommunity, given the communicationresources we have at our disposal, toinclude close by countries, not just closeby towns and cities?

Such an expansion of awarenessdoes not have to be hard if werealize that Alberta, Canada andBillings, Montana are both onMountain Standard Time.Thinking outside the box, wecould say that our time zones arethe community focus. Therequirement would be to makeour circle of inclusiveness larger.Mercury in Sagittarius challenges

us to think [CONTINUED ON PAGE 3]


broadly, in big pictures, rather than in justeveryday facts that we learned in ourhometown schools. Often the culture ofour communities defines what we learn,but if we broadened the definition ofcommunity would we not also broadenwhat we could learn?There is a “pause” or an analysis to be

considered for this mutual reception.Kevin Burk in his book, Understanding the Birth Chart notes that both J. LeeLehman and Bob Hand say that when theplanets in mutual reception are in the signsof their detriment or fall there can be“mutual deception”. Perhaps just being in closer

communication and redefining thegeographical meaning of community is notenough. We need to have experiences thatwill bring us together. In this configurationJupiter is retrograde, perhaps suggestingwe are still pondering what an extendedcommunity actually means and beginningthe adjustment as indicated by the Fingerof God. The mutual reception of Saturnand Pluto in that figure adds possibleweight to a structural transformationthrough Jupiter's pondering.On March 9, 2013 Mercury in Pisces

squared Jupiter in Gemini at 8 degrees, 43minutes. This is a waning square, a crisisof consciousness.This time Mercury is retrograde and

Jupiter is moving forward. As defined byLehman and Hand, Mercury and Jupiterare still in “mutual deception”. But let ustry to rent the veil and understand what isbeing communicated. During this period the Pope stepped

down from his office indeed suggesting hisown “crisis of consciousness”. The news,Mercury, was about a spiritual figurehead,Pisces. I would suggest that this is just onemore indicator that our thinking aboutspiritual matters and religious institutionsneeds to change before the ideal of an

Earth Community evolves. We need to evolve on both thehead, our thinking, and theheart, our spiritual values.The following quote by Einstein succinctly speaks ofan avenue of heart thinkingto follow.

“The religion of the future will bea cosmic religion. It will have totranscend a personal God and avoiddogma and theology. Encompassing both thenatural and the spiritual, it will be based ona religious sense arising from the experience ofall things, natural and spiritual, considered asmeaningful unity.” - ALBERT EINSTEIN

The astrological community is alreadyahead in the process of thinking in termsof “meaningful unity” and crossinggeographical boundaries. It is noteworthythat AFAN, ISAR, and NCGR haveworldwide representation on their boardsand committees. UAC continues to be anexample of astrological organizationsworking together to broaden the thinkingof the international community ofastrologers. All of this happened waybefore the energetic crises and continuesto unfold.I want to think in a positive mode that

these two energies, Mercury and Jupiter,acting in mutual reception, have openedup possibilities for humanity to experience“meaningful unity.” However, with firstJupiter and then Mercury retrograde inthe configurations, I sense that we are stillin a pondering, reflective mode. Whateverneeds to happen that will cut through thebiases and narrow thinking has not yethappened. My hope is that bringing thepossible message of new awareness hintedat by these two planets will open doorsand windows of thinking. May it be so.


As a licensed professional counselor and aCertified Counseling Astrologer, NCGR IV,ISAR C.A.P., Jacqueline Janes, MA has an active caseload combining astrologicalconsultation and short and long termpsychotherapy. Additionally, she has lecturedand led workshops in astrology, psychologicaland mundane, and spiritual development.Her articles have appeared in OPA’s CareerAstrologer and the Astrological Society ofConnecticut’s newsletter.


When I was 14, Jung’s autobiography,Memories, Dreams, Reflections, fell/waspushed out of a library shelf onto my foot.I read it and realized that I had found myvocation: I wanted to understand people,their motivations and the meanings of ourlives. Following that revelation I focusedon getting into medical school with theintention of becoming a psychiatrist butfortunately after two years of studyingthere ‘life’ [transiting Saturn sq MC ruler,Pluto conj Mercury, Saturn sextile Jupiter,Neptune sq Saturn] intervened and got meout of what would have been for me ablind alley as it didn’t include astrology. Iam now doing the essence of what my 14-year old self recognized she wanted.

By 1982 I was a pharmacist but feltunsatisfied, so I started to train as amedical herbalist. During the training Imet someone who did a shortinterpretation of my chart. I was hookedand started to read up on astrologyvoraciously. I was living in Germany at thetime in a one-room apartment with ahusband and two young children so usedto get up in the middle of the night toread in the lavatory. Within six months Iwas practising all I could and people wereeven insisting on giving me money for it!

With my medical and herbal backgroundand my interest in health it was a naturalcombination to work with.

I’m not sure. Scotland is a much smallercountry than England.

I was asked by an agent friend to submit aproposal for a book on health for a serieswhich never got off the ground. Myproposal included a curriculum vitaewhere I mentioned my work in astrologyand in medicine and when the samepublisher decided to produce a series ofastrology books they invited me to write avolume of medical astrology. This latermorphed into the Penguin/Arkana seriesedited by Howard Sasportas and includedbooks by Liz Greene, Melanie Reinhart,Erin Sullivan etc.

Yes, indeed! I’ve got several ideas bubblingaway. Watch this space ... But as ahistorian I’d also like to do something onthe astrological cycles of history.

Astrologically, Liz Greene without adoubt, and Rob Hand. Otherwise, Jung.Assagioli, Joseph Campbell and thetranspersonal and process workpsychotherapy movements.

AN INTERVIEW WITH OPA MEMBER

BY BOBMULLIGAN


I earn my living doing a wide variety ofthings - mainly involving astrology. Clientsessions do provide a substantial part ofmy income, now that I’ve given upworking as a locum pharmacist. I alsowrite a column for a Sunday newspaper.My books bring in a small amount too -but every little helps! About 70% of myclient work until recently has beenpsychological astrology. I was only doing alimited amount of medical astrology whileI was working on my History PhD, asthere is a lot of extra preparatory workinvolved in medical charts but, now thatthe PhD is done, I’m able to take onmuch more of that kind of work, which ischallenging and deeply satisfying, and I’malso starting to teach classes again.

Not so many, but Scotland is a smallcountry - population about 5 million -and I’d say the practitioner numbersreflect that.

Meeting astrologers - mainly atconferences - who use astrology in a widevariety of ways has been exciting, as hasreading their books. Seeing basic chartfactors from a different angle is often sostimulating - for instance I remember awonderful lecture by Donna van Toen onthe MC-IC axis that just threw a whole


new light on those areas, and I could giveyou a whole list of aha! moments like thatI’ve had in lectures by great speakers. I’mnot sure I’ve radically altered my basicmethod of chart reading, but it’s certainlygone through a great many fine tuningsover the years thanks to the insights I’vegained from other astrologers, and alsofrom the feedback of clients.

The inspiration to do a PhD came fromdiscussions with Nick Campion. I agreedwith him about the importance of theastrological community having somemembers with unassailable scholarlycredentials, and therefore making it lesseasy for mainstream commentators todismiss them in discussions aboutastrology. I had long wanted to investigatethe history of astrology in Scotland,something that had never been donebefore, and I wanted too to engage inhard-core research on Latin manuscripts -and where better than at EdinburghUniversity, a world-class university righton my doorstep. Well, be careful of whatyou wish for! It was a steep learning curve,but a deeply satisfying experience. Iresearched the period between theReformation and early Enlightenment,and discovered how and why astrology lostits respectability during the seventeenthcentury, with repercussions that are stillvery much with us today.

I used to pre-PhD and I now feel a greatneed for networking. It’s easy to becomeisolated and rather dry without contactwith other professionals and I think OPAis doing a wonderful job of makingconnections and stimulating discussion.I’m certainly planning to take part in itsactivities much more in the years to come.

I think the best role is in individualcontributions. There are so many differentfields and levels that astrologers work inand I think we each have a niche area ofinfluence. By using astrology to becomebetter people ourselves and to help ourclients understand themselves and theirconnection with the cosmos, we aredeepening and intensifying that positiveinfluence. I think - at the moment - thatastrology is at its most useful on the edgesof the mainstream, free of official sanctionwith its vested interests and mechanisticworldview, with loose networks ofpractitioners committed to best practice.

I do, and teaching astrology is where I feelmost fully alive. The main group I havenow has been ongoing for almost twentyyears and it’s a bit like having our ownprivate alchemical laboratory where we canroad test new ideas, share experiences,flesh out the bones of charts andexperiment with lots of experientialtechniques that make astrology moreimmediate and deepen understanding.

I’m impressed by how much moretolerance there is now between differentschools of thought. To me this implies agreater maturity of vision. Also, with theinternet, emails and social networking,exchanging data and reflections can bealmost instantaneous and it allows manymore people to link up and take part. I’d say we’re in the era of the ‘globalastrological brain’.

Dr Jane Ridder-Patrick gained her PhDresearching astrology in early modernScotland at the University of Edinburgh. Sheis trained in pharmacy, naturopathy, herbalmedicine and Rogerian and Transpersonalpsychotherapies and lectures and givesworkshops in Scotland and internationally.Her specialities are medical, experiential andproactive astrology. Jane is author of AHANDBOOK OFMEDICAL ASTROLOGY aswell as the 12-volume ZODIAC CODE series.


his is a good book. This isactually a very good book. It is

one of those books that change how youthink and by the time you have finished ityou will look at a chart in a different andmore productive way. You’ll find that thisbook is useful for your own self-growth aswell as in working with clients. You willfeel educated, and relieved that this is notjust another astrology book, one thatmaybe you could have written. The bookis enjoyable to read and hard to put down. It is one you will keep on your desk forfuture reference.Those reading this who are

acquainted with Greg Bogartknow that he is a kind man,gentle but strong, quiet butforceful, soft and solid. Humorglints from his eyes and he saysso much to you with those eyes.His aura of spirituality encompasses himand you feel that this is a man you cantrust. His years of experience and hardwork have brought him to this point ofwriting this excellent book. Greg says in hisintroduction:

“I’ll consider this book a success if itactivates you, brings your path into clearerfocus, and helps you become committed toyour own potentials”Greg puts himself into the book. He

shares his life experiences as examples ofwhat he is writing giving an honest andhumble disclosure of his life. As we readthe details, we get to like him more andmore. His core of spirituality colors hiswords and his thinking. We see how helives a spiritual life and how he is anexample of one’s level of consciousness

influencing one’s workas an astrologer. In his words:

“The biggest lesson:that the power of astrologydoesn’t come fromtechniques, but from theclear consciousness, wisdom,and articulate words of theastrologer.”Greg shares his dreams

with us and in doing soreally walks his walks as atherapist.

Although the title has the word“predictive” in it, this is not a book aboutpredicting. Greg makes a clear distinctionbetween predicting what a transit may bringand being proactive on how to best use theenergy of that transit. He urges his reader tolook for meaning in a possible event and toanticipate trends, then to prepare instead ofacting and reacting. He teaches the activeapproach, not the passive view that thingshappen to us. He wants us to store water,buy extra food, and secure all outdoorfurniture instead of sitting by and letting thebig storm come and cause problems. Gregturns the lens so that we see prediction froma different perspective, one of process.

“Predictive methodsenable astrologers toanticipate trends andprepare in advance to meetlife’s challenges. But it’s notjust about predicting, butalso about acting, andresponding to theplanets.”

Greg gives techniquesfrom his book Astrologyand Meditation to helpthe reader walk throughthis process.And, he has a whole

chapter on Dane Rudhyar!Greg knew Rudhyar andcorresponded with him andhe shares Rudhyar's wordsand thoughts with us.Rudhyar is hard to read. Greg

translates Rudhyar's teaching so that onewho has never heard Rudhyar speak or whois not familiar with his writings canunderstand them. Dane Rudhyar’s work isvaluable and Greg has given us a gift inmaking an excellent summary of the themesand making the concepts easy to understand.There is so much more in this book.

Greg teaches us about astrology and mentalhealth, he gives us tips on astrology andpsychotherapy and the pros and cons ofusing therapeutic astrology. There arechapters on crisis counseling, couplescounseling, and how to use transits andprogressions with his personal descriptionsof the planets in action.

T77777

{ A B o o k R e v i e w b y A r l a n W i s e }



nePTune.neptune, neptune,why do you frown, neptune?In the past you graced the Pacificin your serpentine ways; mother toKrakatoa, California's Cassandra,America's wicked sister.neptune, you fall fast on yourtrident, and bleed our love.

uRAnus.I receive the astrology you spinAround me like a storm;I am more than the footprintof my birth; I think about what happens,predicting nothing.Back in the day, as they say,a lie waited to happen; warwaited in the trees, behindthe misty curtains. Your Venusentwines my saturn, and I am a tree ofmyself. I try to get to the bark of where I am, to the sap of who I am.It is June and I persist inmy grand plan; the sunand clouds and sons of cloudsrun together at breakfast; we throwour striped hats in the air aswe graduate from the insane decadeof our children, of our women andmen who need to be children again.

sATuRn.I am the black horse gallopingacross your evening; I am thebrazen comet shredding the sun.What happened to you hashappened to me - the dark years,the cleansing tears, the blank staresfrom the demigods. We are notGibraltars, but we navigatewell. When earth is dark,we shine a light, awaken atthe odd hour; the waves of ourmemories wash over the sand-castles, where we fought forour blessed orbits, in chariotsthat could run only forward,our Colosseum stripped ofits swagger.

Poetry steven stone

JuPITeR.Let whatever happensbe the essence of a beginningnot quite yet known,its night-scent in this dusk

MARs.Desire is worn on the cuff;a glint of metal is all thatis needed; save the siren’scall, encompassing theslender straits.

Venus.Our only evil, a half-closed eye thatsees a clouded glow; vichyssoise.

MeRCuRY.Faster than chemistry,Pockets of gold,silver, trinkets; in thesame scorching vatOur fortunes are made,Maintained, engraved.

MOOn.White jaundiceon the butterfly platepowdered. Lifethrough a snow-blindmirror.

sun.Glad we are demigodsWhat tricks we get away withhot blowing the rancidair into the void

PLuTO.Alone and alive, treadingthe cold sand, exiled. Thislonely outpost serves me well.Only when I steer towardneptune do I remember theslight, the deed forgotten,the lowering of my sights.I am some kind of vagabond.They tore the stripes off mycoat, sent me to half-pitymyself. I was the emperorof the lobster-towns; nowI go hungry in the night,night that once coweredin my shadow.

AsTROLOGY LessOn:saturn retrograde.

June 2012

He cites the books of other astrologers asreferences, generously mentioning theirtitles and telling the reader to read them tolearn more on a topic he is discussing.

As Rudhyar said:

“Astrology does not predict“events”, but only phases in aperson’s development ….Astrology can define the limits,but it can only suggest thefreedom.”Greg gives us much information to use

in finding the freedom in the chart.I give this book a five star recommen-

dation and do so with pride and honor. As an “elder” astrologer who has beenreading astrology books for many decades,it’s hard to find a book that blows me awayand makes me want to keep it by my side.I go back to it again and again since I wasso sorry when I finished it. I wanted tokeep reading Greg’s words. I have toldmany colleagues to read it. I urge you toread it, trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Arlan [email protected]


“ When the rays of the sun are made to passthrough a prism, they get dispersed and becomeseparate owing to refraction. If each of theserays had consciousness, it would consider itselfas being separate from the other rays, forgettingentirely that at source and on the other side ofthe prism it had no separate existence . . .” - Meher Baba Discourses Vol. I page 37

During my first year of practice as anastrologer while I was living inChicago, I had a most unusual expe-

rience. My phone rang at 3 am. A client atthe other end of the line had just awakenedsuddenly in the middle of a dream. She de-cided that since I was her astrologer, ofcourse I would want to know about herdream. Immediately. This wasn’t an emer-gency mind you. She just thought I wouldfind the information useful. Unbelievable.Because she felt my deep genuine concernfor her in our session, it never occurred toher calling me was crossing a boundary. Ilistened to her dream but asked her not tocall again in the middle of the night. Ineeded to find out about boundaries, andestablish some with my clients, so I couldprovide a working environment for them tosafely and effectively get what they needed,while at the same time maintaining someseparation between my professional andpersonal lives. As powerful as astrology is,

its benefits as a tool of human developmentare lost unless we can adhere to some basicdefining behaviors.

‘Boundaries’ is a term describing the dual-ity necessary for illusion to exist. If we denythe benefit of recognizing that life is charac-terized by facing boundaries and using themfor our advantage, then we are denying thebasic structure of creation. In its most sim-ple and basic sense, life’s primary boundaryis the self; the I, me, my, and mine of theego. Without this “I” we lack the ability todistinguish ourselves from others. Withoutthis there can be no sense of the individual-ity and uniqueness necessary for meaningfulcommunication. All relationships by defini-tion assume some primary sense of self. The greater our sense of self, the more wecan communicate and share with others.Paradoxically, self is necessary for communi-cation with others, which in turn, leads to agreater feeling of oneness with others. It isduring moments of union when the bound-aries of self are transcended.Astrologers usually think of this paradox

of unity and diversity of self as the interplayof Neptune (as the symbol of infinite one-ness of reality) and Saturn (as the symbol ofall finite and defining limitations). Becauseastrology can be a spiritual path for the as-trologer, it is necessary to understand the in-

verse ratio of fear (Saturn) and faith (Nep-tune). As the fear side of Saturn strength-ens, the faith side of Neptune weakens. Asfaith goes up, fear goes down. Boundariesare a pure Saturn principle. Boundaries arethe principle of differentness. Acknowledg-ing, then working within our differences al-lows the astrologer/client relationship tobecome a positive growth factor in eachother’s lives. When discipline and patience(Saturn) are used correctly, the astrologerclimbs a ladder of empathetic bonding(Neptune) with the client to achieve unionor direct knowledge of the real self.When we think of boundaries we usually

conjure up a picture of what we can’t do.Some form of limitation comes to mind.We think that a constructive use of bound-aries is to accept them, then to look and seewhat can be done within them in order tohave a fulfilling life. Physical mortality is alimit or boundary, what we would call a nat-ural boundary, like the land mass of a conti-nent. However, some boundaries are selfcreated, like deciding how long a sessionshould last. These limits are created out ofwhat we feel we should do.Boundaries that we as astrologers create

are limits and measurements our under-standing imposes on our behavior, therebystrengthening our role in our clients’ lives.(e.g. Limiting access [CONTINUED ON PAGE 9]

An Excerpt From Bob Mulligans Book

Part 1 of 2


to us helps our clients value our advice).Truly creative astrologers, in the long marchto self understanding, are constantly reeval-uating and interacting with their createdboundaries, rather than just reacting tothem. This creativity requires asking our-selves some important questions in order todeal authentically with basic fundamentalsituations in our professional lives. Askingthe right questions is more important thancoming up with “correct” answers.Just as Saturn rules fear and limitation it

also rules discipline and structure. Fear isresponsible for creating continuity throughthe urge to be safe. This allows a founda-tion for growth to develop. Limitation al-lows us to set priorities. It is not possible todo everything. The limits of time, money,ability, energy, understanding, allows us todetermine what is most important. Bound-aries are mental clarifiers. Thus, prioritizingand discipline are necessary for us to de-velop as people and to accomplish any task.As important as structure is for any realgrowth or development we often experiencestructure as inherently a limit, a fear, a big“No”. However, saying “no” to one thing, al-lows us to say “yes” to something else. Asastrologers, it is the establishing of our pri-orities that allows us to see clearly theboundaries unique to our field.

By recognizing and dealing with bound-aries creatively and correctly, we build anddefend the potency of the work with ourclients and help them inadvertently to valueand respect the astrological work and alsothemselves. The dynamics of the as-trologer/client relationship becomes a moreconscious tool of the astrologer. This allowsour relationship to our clients to have adeeper and more meaningful impact on ourlives and the lives of our clients. The riverneeds banks (boundaries) as well as water toflow toward the sea. When boundaries andsubstance are cor-

rectly balanced, significant force is createdin the work, propelling us toward sustainedpersonal growth. Too many banks (bound-aries) and the river is dammed up. Toomuch water (contact) and the river over-flows, the banks wash away, and the waterloses direction; the ocean is not reached bythe water. In the astrologer/client relation-ship, the boundaries set by you, the as-trologer, to restrict clients’ access to you,helps maintain focus and direction so thework has a deeper impact on their lives. Youset the banks of the river aiding the wateron its journey to the ocean. In the as-trologer/client relationship, astrologerscarry most responsibility for setting andmaintaining the boundaries - because theyhave greater power in establishing the con-text of the relationship.

We can easily split boundaries into twotypes; natural and created. Natural bound-aries are objectively measurable. Examples ofnatural boundaries are separations of timeand space i.e. two people living on differentcontinents or in differ-ent centuries. Createdboundaries are subjec-tive and not easily ex-ternally measured.These are “rules ofthumb” or conventionspeople use to facilitatesocial interaction. Ex-amples of createdboundaries would berights of propertyownership or rights to privacy. Laws, rules,and principles of behavior are created bound-aries. We can have as many of these types ofboundaries as we find useful. Time and Spaceare natural boundaries. Conventions andrules around their limitations are createdboundaries.We have the responsibility to be reason-

ably disciplined with time. This practice as-sists our work to flow smoothly as clientscan then rely on our punctuality with start-ing and concluding each session. How doyou deal with a late arriving client? Or,someone refusing to let you conclude a ses-sion in a timely manner? Experience itselfteaches us the practical procedures for han-dling problems of time. And through ourexperience, we come to understand whytime is such an important boundary. Ulti-mately, we as astrologers render our servicesby apparently selling our time. However,even though time is the mechanismthrough which we sell our services; we arenot selling our time, we are selling value.Through our work we add somethingmeaningful to our client’s life. But, our timeis a necessary vehicle for the delivery of thisvalue, and time is a limited commodity.How time is used becomes foundational toour effectiveness. Time wasted is not re-gained. Once time is invested, that time isgone. You have a responsibility to make surethat your time is used properly. When ei-ther the client or astrologer is late for an

appointment, or wasteseach other’s time, theythrow the other person’sday off schedule, which inturn, inconveniences manyother people.When clients waste your

time they are not onlystealing from you, they arestealing from themselves.The same is true for you asan astrologer. When you

waste a client’s time you are stealing fromthe two of you. This doesn’t mean that in asearch for greater economy of time you areto be impolite, brash, or unnecessarily hur-ried through each session. Just be awarethat time is limited and remains your mostvaluable commodity.At the begin- [CONTINUED ON PAGE 10][CONTINUED ON PAGE 10]



ning of my practice, I was undisciplinedwith time. At the end of a day of seeingclients, I would frequently be running asmuch as two hours late. When workingwith new astrologers today I see their inabil-ity to control and properly plan time incre-ments is so often the culprit ingredient,prohibiting the expansion of their practice.This is something to fix early in one’s careerlife, if at all possible. The genuine desire todo a good job, over involvement in the im-mediate situation in the life of the client(which makes you loose perspective), andfeelings of inadequacy encourages function-ally deficient time habits in the daily workof inexperienced astrologers. My work im-proved immensely when my clients came toknow that I would be available when I said Iwould, and only then.Using time correctly in session takes prac-

tice. This is a skill worth the learning. Whenentering a session, your subjective experienceof time can suddenly become quite different.When immersed in your client’s chart, it isas if you are transported into another dimen-sion where time becomes quite elongated.Keeping tight boundaries of time around thework generally helps it to be most powerfuland thus most helpful to your clients. There-fore, know what you want to achieve beforeentering a consultation. Have a picture ofwhat type of information you need to extractfrom the client in order to accomplish yourwork. Make a judgment as to how theprocess will generally go with this person.These preliminary considerations help con-tain usage of time to some plan. Accept thatyour clients act like their charts. Will theclient refuse to share; correct you or denyyour offerings; will they be resistant, hostel,in avoidance; will they be excessively verbal,telling you rather than letting you give theminformation? All of these things happen.When they do, your time is effected, therhythm of the session is thrown off. Yourtime together can be misused. To preventthis, your skills in counseling must be up to

the task. Keeping within the boundaries oftime is daunting, but rewarding.If your work is offered in different time

increments, make sure your client asks forthe right amount. It is very difficult toplease a client when they want two hours ofwork condensed into a thirty minute timeslot. Or, when they ask for two hours ofyour time and the real work is completed inthirty minutes.When in session with a client you have an

obligation to keep the space quiet and pri-vate in order to facilitate a relaxed atmos-phere. Your client needs to know that youare really with them and that their confi-dence is not being compromised.Another aspect of this boundary is the

correct use of physical space in the consult-ing room. Both the study of body languageand feng shui gives us information on theway that boundaries either help or hinderthe flow of communication with a client. Itis always appropriate to examine where yousit and where your client sits. Are there ob-jects like a table or desk between you? Is thedistance between you close enough to makeyou feel comfortable with each other - con-nected yet not smothered? Do you makephysical contact with your clients when theyarrive and when they leave? Finding thecorrect use of the physical space betweenyou is another language that can reinforce ordiminish the potency of your work. Cor-rectly used, boundaries of space allow yourclient to feel connected with you withoutfeeling invaded.In the beginning of my practice as an as-

trologer, I knew that it was important tohave a place for early arriving clients to wait.Occasionally, this hasn’t been possible whileseeing clients in another location other thanmy home office. But this is an importantboundary consideration. My work sufferedwhen I was not able to supply a comfortablewaiting area for clients. The exact layout,design, and general atmosphere of the placeyou see your clients (just like your mannerof dress, personal appearance, and hygiene)will have a subtle yet important impact on

the work. At home I have a waiting area forclients that gives them a feeling of relaxedsafe comfort. Although unless I’m runningappointments back to back, my clients sel-dom need to use it.As telephone consultations become a

more common mode for us to deliver ourservice, many of these issues of the correctuse of space seem to collapse. However,when talking with a client over the phone, itis important to make sure that they are in acomfortable place which is quiet and pri-vate. The ideal is that during session yourclient can safely be oblivious to their outercircumstances. It is good to ask your clientabout their physical surroundings if youhave any doubt. Further, it is important toinventory your own space. Do you have pri-vacy, comfort, and acoustical insulation.These factors are necessary in order to focusexclusively on your client. Keep in mind thateven when you can’t see them in action, spa-tial considerations for both astrologer andclient are still important. These boundariesneed to be maintained, when and wherethey apply.You as an astrologer have a responsibility

to tell your client how much you are charg-ing, and what they will receive for that fee.Further, you have a responsibility to deliverthe “what,” and that your client is clear onwhen and how they are to pay you.Money operates as a significant boundary

because as professional astrologers wecharge money for our work. Money (being alimited commodity) forces our client to pri-oritize. Resistance to spending money for anappointment allows a client (or a potentialclient) to evaluate whether their circum-stances at present really merit the expense ofseeing us. This barrier can prevent us fromhaving our time and energy wasted by aclient’s overreaction to trivial circumstances.In other words they have to invest money(as well as time) to have a consultation. Thisact alone, of investing money in an astrologysession, has the unconscious effect in theclient of conferring some value on the act.In order to invest




the time and money the client had to seethemselves and their problem, difficulty, orissue as being worth it. The sacrifice ofmoney encourages a higher level of commit-ment from the client. This higher motiva-tion can contribute to the work being moresuccessful.Astrologers sometimes create an artificial

boundary of money by overcharging or un-dercharging for their work. When an as-trologer overcharges for their work they areunavailable to the people that they could po-tentially help. When theyundercharge, they mayend up with a full sched-ule, burnt out, and notime to see the peoplewho matter most in theirlives. When your sched-ule is completely full itsometimes happens thatclients who really need tosee you can’t because youhave no time. Further-more, when undercharging (or overchargingfor that matter) you tell the world what youthink your work is worth.Money is often a boundary for astrologers

either by having too much or having to lit-tle, or fearing that they will have too little.With too much money, astrologers who donot have any financial pressure to develop apractice may hold themselves aloof and un-available to their clients. Too little moneycan slow down or even prohibit a personfrom entering the field of astrology, as ittakes some money to open a practice. Fearof too little money, or income too irregular,can prevent otherwise very talented as-trologers from entering the field altogether.In either case, their potential clients sufferby their absence.Early in my career, clients would some-

times ask for time payments, or an IOU, ora loan. Other than the inconvenience of themoney itself, there is a boundary issue.When you loan money to a client you form

a another, secondary relationship with thisperson. Dual relationships are always con-fusing and you are better to avoid doingthis. Don’t give time payments, or a reducedrate. A rate reduction also puts you in a spe-cial secondary relationship with the clientwhich will tend to reduce the potency of thework. If you feel the work is important todo, and the person can’t afford it, do it forfree. This stops you from stepping into an-other relationship with the client, by be-coming their loan officer or benefactor.Every professional does some work forwhich they aren’t paid. Lawyers do pro bona

work etc. This is a legiti-mate way of contributingto the society. Just be cer-tain that this is appropri-ate for both you and theclient before so doing.Relationship —these

fall into two distinct cate-gories. One, boundary is-sues that focus on thedynamics of the as-trologer/client relation-

ship while in session. Two, boundaries orlimits that govern this relationship outsideof session.In session, simple things like how you

dress and where you sit and how the furni-ture is placed are important considerations.Boundaries must be set and maintained bythe astrologer. Boundaries either facilitatethe work or oppose it. Naturally, you wantyour external boundaries set in a way thatpromotes comfort, openness, and safety foryour clients.While in session there are certain psychic

boundaries that need to be maintained. It isimportant that your clients know they haveyour complicity in sharing whatever theywant, freely with you. However, there aresome “common sense” boundaries sur-rounding how and what you share.During the course of dialogue you may

entertain impressions or judgments which,while seeming pertinent, are really purelypersonal. This occurs when your client trig-

gers some issue for you. Particular feelingsor thoughts pointing to your own internalprocess surface in your consciousness. Thesepsychic contents are best noted by you, butkept private. Maintaining this psychicboundary allows you to stay as fair witness, atrusted consultant for the client, while insu-lating them against your own emergingprocess. Naturally, you still want to shareany insights or strategies that occur to you.Many times my best ideas didn’t occurwhile studying the chart alone, but while indialogue with the client.The danger of inviting clients into your

inner life, by sharing your personal impres-sions, is that the work ends up becomingmore about you and less about them. Thepurpose of your professional relationship isfor the clients to deal with their own issues.You don’t want to be in collusion withthem, inadvertently giving permission toavoid their own issues, while focusing onyours. There are guidelines for sharing per-sonal information with clients. I take up thecomplexities of this type of boundary inother works. Here the point it to be awarethat you can’t be a healing tool for yourclient if the focus shifts away from their sit-uation to your own inner process.It is prudent to recognize that the very

nature of the astrologer/client relationshipplaces some obligation on astrologers, astherapists, to monitor (even avoid) contactwith clients outside of session. Generally, itis considered unethical in the helping pro-fessions to have any other relationship witha client. One type of relationship will im-pact another. This is why some service pro-fessions caution against accepting a personas a client where any prior relationship ex-ists, i.e. a family member, friend, businessassociate, someone from whom you receive aservice, etc. Further, it is often suggested tonot develop a relationship beyond therapywith a client.In some professions it is considered un-

ethical and a violation punishable by licensesuspension for certain types of boundarytransgressions.




These rules usually involve having either afinancial relationship or a sexual relation-ship with anyone who is a client.Clients have a right to expect that you

have their best interests at heart, that noneof your own personal needs will act as mo-tivators, while in session with them. This iswhy it can be meaningful (even if a bitrigid) to encourage astrologers to have sim-ple and singular relationships with clients.You can say, “Never socialize with clients.Never encourage a client in a directionwhich you might in some way financiallybenefit.” In this way your own happiness asa human being, and success in the marketplace, are kept separate from anything thatcan have a direct impact on the real workwith your client. In short, it is inadvisableand unethical to have a business relation-ship with a client or to have a romantic re-lationship with a client.When I first started practice as an as-

trologer I was in graduate school, single, andvery locked into a fairly scholarly and her-mit-type of existence. I avoided doing workfor my immediate family, partly because Ifelt it uncomfortable, and I tended to lackobjectivity. Not socializing with clients waseasy because I didn’t have a social life.Through the years it has been more com-

plicated, in the area of relationships, to de-termine what boundaries impact the workwith clients. I’m a follower of Meher Baba.I have not found it necessary to refrainfrom taking on other followers of MeherBaba as clients, even though I may run intothem in India, the Meher Center, or otherplaces associated with Meher Baba.I have had numerous discussions along

the lines of boundaries with other as-trologers. I have noticed that those as-trologers who do not see a boundaries issuein having dual relationships with clients: 1)Don’t see astrology as a therapy, 2) Seetheir clients at most once a year, and 3) As-sume astrological work impacts clients

without impacting the astrologer.Some people will not take on a client

who is related to an existing client or inclose relationship with an existing client.Other astrologers will only take on clientsthat are referred by an existing client. I as-sert that neither approach is better or moreethical and neither approach implies atransgression of boundaries. Nonetheless,here are a few simple guidelines that I havefound useful to keep good boundaries withclients:1. Don’t talk about anything having to do

with the details of professional work exceptin session or in your own therapy or supervi-sion. When in session, be in session. Whenyou are out of session, be out of session andput all the details of your work with theclient out of your mind.2. Don’t read one person’s chart for an-

other. If a clients wants you to tell themabout their spouse, look at the person’s sev-enth house, not their spouse’s chart. If peo-ple ask you about their parents, child,friend, boss etc. look at the houses andother indicators that symbolically representthe person in that relationship to the native.The information so presented is fair andsafe. However, avoid looking at this otherperson’s chart unless this individual is pres-ent and the purpose of your work is to aidin their relationship. The details of how towork this way systematically are beyond thescope of our discussion here, but it is im-portant to acknowledge the principle.There are two notable exceptions to the

rule of not looking an individuals chart fora third party, personnel work and children.When employed to do personnel work for acompany it is justifiable within guidelinesto look at the charts of employees or poten-tial employees. When parents of new bornor very young children come to have theirbaby’s chart done, there is a way that it canbe handled with respect for the infant.When the parents are interested in infor-mation in order to be better parents, I try tobring them around



We are very proud of this accomplish-ment. As of our last retreat in November2011, the certification program has beenoffered three more times, meeting withgreat success. Even if you are not commit-ted to obtaining OPA’s certification, theprocess alone is rich, educational anddeeply rewarding! We will be offering theprogram again at various locations nation-wide in the year ahead. The certificationgroups are very small, three to five people,and fill up quickly. Furthermore, if thereare astrologers in your area who wouldlike to participate in this unique program,we can bring OPA to you! Please let usknow how we can be of assistance.The OPA monthly phone lecture series

has been very successful and will continueto be available exclusively to members. Weare currently updating the 2013/14 lectureschedule which will soon be posted onOPA’s website. Also, check out the OPAon-line web forum and please contributeto the ongoing discussions. You will alsofind OPA’s audio lectures to download,and lots of other good information.Don’t forget about the OPA E-news

which presents thought provoking ques-tions and answers from our membershipabout astrology and its purpose in our life.Remember that OPA is our organization.We invite your participation and want thisorganization to be member supported asmuch as possible.Finally, we are always looking for good

material addressing the professional prac-tice of astrology (articles, poetry, comics,food fun, etc.) for publication in OPA’sCareer Astrologer newsletter. We welcomeyour participation and creativity. Pleasesend submissions to our editor, TwinkMcKenney, at [email protected] you a vibrant spring!Alexandra Karacostas, OPA President

T H E P R E S I D E N T ’ SR E P O R T[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1]


to working with me on their own lives,using their own charts.If you adhere to these two principles and

let your inner guidance speak to you, theboundaries of relationships for you as a pro-fessional astrologer become much easier.There is another aspect of this boundaries

issue. You may have the best brain surgeonin the world come to you for professionaladvice. Does this preclude you from everusing their professional services? Severaltimes through the years someone veryskilled has come to me for my professionalservices, where I definitely was interested inusing their skill as soon as I recognized it,actually as soon as I saw their chart. It wasonly during my own therapy, and work witha supervisor, that I was able to understandthe necessity and the manner to put thetherapy with my client first without ne-glecting my own personal and professionalneeds. Here, as in many places in our work,the correct answer depends on the exact cir-cumstances. Generally you are better off notdoing “turn around” work with a client oranything that leads to an exchange. Theguiding principle here is that you, as an as-trologer, have a responsibility to protect theprimary structure of the astrologer/client re-lationship. Allow your clients to do thework on themselves that they came to youto do. Avoid being in any situation or fur-ther relationship with them that will poten-tially get in the way of this work.A friend of mine is a psychiatrist and I

have known him to leave a party because apatient of his was present. I’m not certainthat this is a necessary boundary for mostastrologers, but your own inner guidancecan dictate whether you are on dangerousterritory with the boundaries between youand a client. Usually when a client sees youin a social setting, it will reduce the potencyof the work.Personally, I have had the experience of a

client seeing me at a party and expecting me

to remember the details of his chart and behappy to pick up the discussion with himright where we left off in session. Seeing mein a different context, weakened rather thanstrengthened our professional relationship.I think it is worthwhile noting, when in

session astrologers are required (like anytherapists) to be unconditionally open toevery offering of their clients. Even thoughthis is an artificial state of receptivity formost of us; it can, and is, learned by every-one doing profound work in the field.While in session, astrologers operate from ahigher level of consciousness. We require aloftier code of conduct in our professionalrole than we expect from ourselves in ourpersonal lives. When clients see us acting inour ordinary state of consciousness, theirfaith in us can diminish.It’s important to remember, only seeing

clients in session protects astrologers. See-ing clients out of session puts us in adilemma; we must either disappoint themby not being the all receiving astrologer atthe moment, or be forced into our workingrole. If this happens, we end up absorbingnegative as well as positive ingredients, fromour client, the way we are required to in ses-sion. Clients often become extremely dis-turbed (without knowing why) when theyare not the center of our universe, the waythey are while we’re working. In this sense,avoiding dual relationships is a deep self-protecting step taken by astrologers.

As an astrologer since 1974 Bob Mulligansees clients and operates THE MASTERY OFASTROLOGY™ correspondence school. Hischart interpretation program INDRA, hisbook, “BETWEEN ASTROLOGERS ANDCLIENTS” and his free monthly newsletterall receive praises. Bob is a life member of OPA,NCGR, ISAR, and AFAN. He has served onthe OPA board and is the current head of theOPA certification program. Bob is a followerAvatar Meher Baba since 1970. You can reachhim at [email protected] and www.theastrologycompany.com


O PA C E R T I F I E D !


W hen I decided to leave my job -and fat paycheck - working in amulti-national to take up astrol-

ogy, my mother cried her eyes out for a pe-riod of about three days. Naturally, herreaction did not suffice to keep me awayfrom what my inner voice was crying out:that I had finally found my destiny, thework I was born to do. Since day one as a professional astrologer,

I have expressly stated what my profession isand refused to be included in the ranks ofmediums or column writers where as-trologers are usually placed. However, I soonrealised that - from her own perspective andin her microcosm - my mother was rightabout one thing: every time I would proudlydeclare I am an astrologer, I would hear thefollowing question: “how could such a well-educated and cultured person, such as your-self, become an astrologer?” I decided toalways answer “it owes precisely to the fact Iam educated and cultured”...Ultimately, my professional journey was

graced with much success, and my mumforsook her initial stance once and for alland became again the reassuring mother shehad always been. But, as I was beginning torealise the low standard of those whoworked on astrology in Greece, disappoint-ment started growing within me. Unfortu-nately Astrology’s exploiters, people whohabitually use it to advertise their ‘spells’,‘jinxes’, ‘charms’ - and anything lowly that

lack of education and awareness can bringupon man - live and prosper and still consti-tute a strong majority. Another niche of astrologers are the ‘nice’

ones; those who do not sprinkle a pinch ofastrology on cards, tea leaves and hocus-pocus, but still lack a wider cultural under-standing, and continue teaching andstanding for an astrology complete withmalefic and benefic planets, good and badaspects, ominous horoscopes etc. In Greece, the educated and refined as-

trologers who exercise astrology in the man-ner it deserves - treating every natal chart asa unique, god-sent being - are still too few.We have recently come together, in October2011, and founded an association of as-trologers and enthusiasts of astrology, underthe name PAME ASTROLOGIA, whilein November 2011 we held the first majorconference of Greek astrologers. Today, this association numbers few

members and needs much work, patienceand effort to be purged in order to supportastrology’s true face. The goal is that astrol-ogy be elevated and assume the place it de-serves in the minds and consciousness of allGreeks. Let’s hope it shall be attained de-spite all resistance.... naturally, I still proudly declare that I

am an ASTROLOGER!Alexandra Karacostas is the one who has

told me about OPA and passed on her en-thusiasm for an organization that can high-light astrology as a worthwhile profession -a cause that aligns precisely with my owndreams and needs.

I love Astrology and astrologers but I dis-

dain those who exploit Astrology, and falseprophets in general. I cherish teaching as-trological symbolism and its application,and I dream of the day that Greece will bethe astrological navel of the Earth. Since Iwas a child, I was attracted to esoterism andthat is what led me to study Astrology. As-trology’s magical world impressed me as ithelped me realise there is a complete systemto know oneself and simultaneously inter-pret the Universal Law. Regardless ofschools and teachers that helped me in mycourse, I feel that the greatest part of myknowledge has come from my personal re-search, from studying and examining horo-scopes, and from recovering astrologicalknowledge from within. My career begun in 1990 and in that time I

have worked for numerous Greek TV shows,and for many Greek and Cypriot astrologicalmagazines. Moreover, I have edited in whole,and co-authored the first Greek astrologicalencyclopaedia that was published in Greecein 2012. Today, I write for the Cypriot maga-zine ‘O’ and the astrological website astrol-ogy.gr, as well as my personal blogsmarosotiraki.blogspot.gr, and I pen thevideo passages for the TV show ‘Stars System’where I also often appear. In my personal sessions I focus on the

psychological, esoteric and karmic aspect ofastrology and specialise in relationshipcounselling. However, I mostly enjoy teach-ing and helping my students trace the linksbetween archetypal images and astrologicalsymbolism. I have written two books 2012-Truths and

Lies, and The Astrological Archetypes of Lovethat were both published by IntroBooks.

SMARO SOTIRAKI


Meet fourteen ascending stars at the forefront of the current astrological

revival. Each member of this celestial coalition has contributed an essay

reflecting their area of expertise - from the traditional and mundane to

the spiritual, psychological and evolutionary. Astrology: The New Generation is an

anthology of techniques and insights that will enhance your astrological skills and

understanding. This first volume has essays from nick Dagan Best, Gary Caton,

Frank C. Clifford, Rebecca Crane, Benjamin

Dykes, Maurice Fernandez, John Green, Tony

howard, Mark Jones, Keiron Le Grice, eric

Meyers, Moses siregar III, Wendy stacey,

Branka stamenkovic. Essays include:

Planetary Cycles and Cinema Trends: Wendy Stacy

The Visual Journey of Venus: Gary Caton

Highlights and Echoes: Nick Dagan Best

Pluto in Libra and Scorpio: Tony Howard

The Devil in the Detail—Pluto in VirgoGeneration: Marc Jones

An Astrological and Spiritual Perspective onMental Health: Maurice Fernandez

The Planets of Awakening: Eric Meyers

A New Look at Astro-Cartography: Moses Siregar III

The Sun, Moon, and Midheaven inVocation: Frank Clifford

Charts are like Passports: Branka Stamenkovic

Time Lords in Traditional Astrology: Dr Benjamin Dykes

The Astrology of Self: John Green

Essential Skills for the Counseling Astrologer: Rebecca Crane

The Archetypal Dynamics of Individuation: Keiron Le Grice

“People love to proclaim that something is “New.” It's an advertising cliche. Every product is “New and Im-

proved,” with superficial features added in a weak attempt to validate the claim. Yet “Astrology: The New Gen-

eration” actually delivers on this promise. It's fresh, beautifully executed and possessed of inspiring range.

Composed of essays from 14 different astrologers, the book is a delightful gumbo of different perspec-

tives and topics. What I found remarkable was that within every category (mundane, natal, traditional,

etc), the essays were all extraordinarily competent. This is not a book of “young people finding their foot-

ing”- the essays here are all the product of years of blood, sweat, tears and insight.

Due to my practice and proclivities, I was immediately drawn to the essays on mundane and traditional as-

trology, which I found highly gratifying. Yet as I explored essays outside of my defined areas of interest, I was

pleasantly surprised to find myself learning from perspectives I do not usually consider.

As a full time astrologer myself, I often get the “I've heard this all before” feeling when I crack open a new as-

trology book. Not this time. Yet not only does the material feel fresh to a veteran such as myself, I also felt that

I could suggest many of these essays to a student of astrology without worrying that it would go over their

head. The book not only touches on a wide range of topics, it also speaks on a variety of levels. A rare and diffi-

cult feat, with kudos due to the editors, as well as the writers.

In summation, I am confident in heartily recommending “Astrology: The Next Generation” to both grizzled

astrology buffs and green students of the arte. Bravo!” — Austin Coppock

AVAILABLE ON

DVORAWEIL, PHDLicensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

Dvora specializes in relationshipcounseling and depth psychology.She is certified in Imago relation-

ship therapy and integrates astrology intoher clinical work. She has been involvedin astrology for 37 years and has workedas a psychotherapist for 20 years using as-trology with her counseling process. Sheis bi-lingual (English/Hebrew). Dr. Dvora wrote graduated from Paci-

fica Graduate Institute in Santa BarbaraCalifornia where she wrote her disserta-tion about “The lived experience of psy-chotherapists who integrate astrology intotheir practice.” She received her MA inClinical Psychology from PepperdineUniversity in Malibu, CA and has a BA inPolitics and History of The Middle Eastand Africa from Tel Aviv University. Dr.Dvora is a public speaker, writer andteacher. She is active with the astrologicalcommunity in the US.Dvora is: OPA certified astrologer,

OPA group leader, OPA board member,OPA E-News Editor, ISAR counselingskills certified, ANS – (Astrology NewsServices) board member in the Editorialgroup – international representative. Shewas born in Israel, has lived in the US for24 year and is now moving back to Israelwhere she will serve as OPA appointedrepresentative. She is passionate about as-trology and it’s application in counselingand psychotherapy. You can reach her [email protected] or visit her website:

www.DrDvora.com

Michelle Mivzari, Photographer


The coming US presidential election in 2012 and their wide discussionshave brought me here. Let me share the outcome of my research. Myresearch in contemporary political forecasting started in 2008 due to

presidential elections in USA. I paid attention to the fact that forecasts ofmy colleagues are based on the synastry of the presidential candidate with

the chart of the country, Zodiacal Releasing, Pauline profections, Duodenary method ofprogression, Dasha system of prognostics, and other techniques. It was the time when Inoticed some other patterns. Now I am ready to share my findings with all those interestedin the ancient celestial knowledge. The idea of publication is to test the approach and accu-mulate statistics for the benefit of the astrological community.The transit technique is one of the pillars of my approach. However, the key to a success-

ful forecast is the date of concerned transits. There are quite a few signifiers of the winnerin a political competition. In this article I am going to focus on two major steps critical forpolitical forecast.1. Consider current transits of two planets: Sun and Jupiter. They have a directassociation with power and fame and their celestial interaction forms the date culminatingany presidential campaign – inauguration – a kind of enthroning ceremony. The day whenSun and Jupiter make aspects of 0°, 60° and 120° presidents are inaugurated regardless ofthe country. For example: �

• Russia 2000: Vladimir Putin was inaugurated to presidency 07.05.2000 (SU 0° JU);

• Russia 2004: Vladimir Putin’s second term inauguration was held 07.05.2004 (SU 120° JU);

• Russia 2008: Dmitry Medvedev was inaugurated 07.05.2008 (SU 120° JU);

• USA 2009: Barack Obama was inaugurated 20.01.2009 (SU 0° JU);

• UKR 2010: Victor Yanukovich was inaugurated 25.02.2010 (SU 0° JU);

• Russia 2012: Vladimir Putin was inaugurated 07.05.2012 (SU 0° JU);

• France 2012: Francois Holland was inaugurated 15.05.2012 (SU 0° JU;

• US, 2012: Inauguration is scheduled for 20.01.2013 noon, the public event will be held21.01.2013.

2. Compare the aspects that Sun and Jupiter make with the charts of presidentialcandidates. Here I would like to underline that neither the place of birth, nor the accuratetime are critical, even the time of birth set at noon works with the suggested approach.For example: • RUS, 2000. V.Putin (07.10.1952) tr.SU &JU 0 JU radix;

• RUS, 2004. V.Putin (07.10.1952) tr.SU 0 JU radix, tr.JU 120JU radix;

• RUS, 2008. D.Medvedev (14.09.1965) tr.JU 120 SU radix, tr.SU 120 SU radix;

• RUS, 2012. V.Putin (07.10.1952) tr.SU &JU 0 JU radix;

• USA, 2009, Barack Obama (04.08.1961) transit SU and JU conjunct with his radix JU vs.D. McCain (29.08.1936) transit SU and JU made no aspects to his radix. McCain lostthe elections;

• UKR 2010 Victor Yanukovich (09.07.1950) transit SU and JU conjunct with his radix JU.His foe was Yulia Timoshenko (27.11.1960) and transit SU and JU 60° with her radix JU.This is a case worthy additional comments. Both presidential candidates had benefic as-

pects of transit Jupiter to their radixJupiter. V.Yanukovish had 0°, Y.Timo-shenko had 60° and we see an obviousproof of the power of conjunction oversextile;

• France, 2012: F.Holland (12.08.1954)and N.Sarcosy (28.01.1955) both hadsimilar indicators – transit SU and JU 60°with their radix JU. Forecasting for suchcases requires additional techniques todecide on the winner/looser and it can bea separate discussion; USA, 2013: transitSU and JU 120° with radix JU of BarackObama. Transit SU and JU 180°(!!) withradix JU of Mitt Romney.

In the US 2013 inauguration transitJupiter forms 120° to radix Jupiter ofBarack Obama. The same day the planetshave a negative aspect with radix Jupiterof Mitt Romney, or in a softer scenariowith reduced orbits, there will be no aspectsbetween them, i.e. Mitt Romney has nochances to win the coming election (as areconciliation he will have a rather posi-tive period of life in November 2013).

Conclusion: The recent inaugurationcases support the suggested approach. The examples show that the winner will bethe very presidential candidate whose radixJupiter has stronger positive aspects oftransit Jupiter and Sun. The stellar config-urations seem to happen for candidateswho most probably stay in office for twoterms and/or leave a lasting legacy.

astrologer Andrew [email protected]+7 909 997 2455

SUBMITTED ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

7


Dmitry Paramonov is an astrologer-consultant who lives and practicesin Russia. In 1995, he entered the

school of astrology, and in 1996 graduatedas an astrologer-researcher. Plunged into aworld of characters and subtle energies, hecontinued his esoteric education and en-rolled to study at “Higher College of Classi-cal Astrology” from which he graduated in1998 as a qualified astrologer-consultant.In 2000, Dmitry completed a special

course in “Esoteric Philosophy and Reli-gious Studies,” so his arsenal of esotericpractices includes astrology, the esoteric im-pact of sound on human’s life, the transcen-dental the influence of symbols, and theancient practices of divination, such asTarot, I Ching and Buttons. In 1998,Dmitry began the practice of integral yoga,with a focus on meditative techniques forknowledge and creativity.Dmitry started his professional astrologi-

cal practice in 1997 when he registered as aprivate entrepreneur and began to give pri-vate consultations. He continued as an as-trologer-consultant at the AstrologicalCounseling Center, Center for AlternativeMedicine “Aster +” and a number of televi-sion and internet projects related to astro-logical counseling. This has allowed him togain experience in written and oral counsel-ing, and learn the nuances of remote and ex-press consultation as he practices astrologyin four Russian cities: Moscow, Sochi,Omsk and Izhevsk.Since his student years and to this day,

Dmitry is actively involved in the astrologi-

cal community. He is engaged the organiza-tion of training, workshops, meetings andconferences. He is the author of reports onthe topic: “Mysticism of Sound”, “MagicalAlphabets” and “Astrology - the tool ofman’s evolution.” It is published in printand television media, acting as an expert inthe field of astrology.A special place in Dmitry’s professional

life takes participation in organizationalactivities “OPA Russia.” He is convincedthat astrology is a powerful tool ofevolution, so mankind needsknowledgeable specialists who aspiring to aideals of high level who can expand humanconsciousness. Dmitry believes thathumanity needs professional astrologers andthat the astrological community shouldconsciously shape the image of aprofessional astrologer, devoted to hisprofession; astrologers, who understandtheir individual role in the development ofastrology and who are making every effortto raise the level of professionalism inastrology.Dmitry teaches techniques of astrology,

which allow students to master the art ofreading a horoscope in a relatively shorttime. His method of teaching can bringstudents to some degree of mastery in just 3months. Astrologers who work on hissystem, to identify the key points in thehoroscope spend no more than 20 minutes.This effect is achieved by the fact that hefocuses on students’ understanding of thephilosophy of astrology and develops in hisstudents the ability to read the non-verbal

section of information from the horoscope.He believes that reading the astrologicalchart is a creative flight, in which astrologernot only reads characters, he begins to feelcharacters, he thinks by symbols, he lives bycharacters.Dmitry is a member of the Organization

of Professional Astrologers (OPA), head ofthe Russian branch of the Organization ofProfessional Astrologers (OPA Russia),representative of the Institute of PracticalAstrology (IPA), a member of theAstrological Association of Izhevsk (IAA),the head of the Creative CommunitiesAstraLife, a teacher of astrology in thecompany, “Staff & Service”.

the career astrologer spring 2013

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