The Reluctant Astrologer

The Reluctant Astrologer

"The prediction was coming true—of course, astrologers don’t like to call it a prediction, but it was a prediction nevertheless. And it was worse in this case because Kendra herself was the astrologer; the predictor. She certainly wasn’t a fortune teller, and she certainly believed that free will could overcome any karmic challenge that might arise, but it was shocking to see how her life seemed to be dissolving in front of her.

She had to admit that it was a liability of her profession to sometimes see too much. Signs and synchronicities had a way of seeping into her psyche like water slowly rising in the basement. She didn’t use the words like good or bad, but instead she believed in “fierce grace.” Anything could be turned around, and often what felt like a terrible fate could turn into grace. Sometimes the change occurred because of what we did, sometimes it was because of what we didn’t do; our patience. At this point, all she knew was that she desperately needed some of that “fierce grace.”

Kendra had been an astrological counselor for over twenty years, and it felt good to be on the helping side of things, to be on the “knowing” side, of this profession. How easy it had been to encourage her clients in “foul weather or fair” or suggest ideas as to how to handle the moment of crisis or opportunity. But no matter how many ways she looked at her chart now, she saw only the slipping away of certainty and the call of an unknown summons –a prediction that she could not evade or barely understand.

Kendra liked to muse on possibility and probability. But her rambling thoughts now were a liability rather than an asset. Her hands clenched and gripped the steering wheel in an effort to keep the car from careening out of control. The windshield wipers fought fast against the icy rain, as her eyes tried to adjust to the kaleidoscopic white swirls of snow coming at her. She kept her frozen foot on the accelerator at a steady 50 MPH. She was going to make it to the city before dark; she was going to make it to Boston before she lost her courage.

Courage. People would call Kendra when they needed to summon their courage. She loved that word, because in French it meant to “take heart” and she was good at helping others do this. She believed in the power of a generous heart and a beginners mind. But before this, she had always been on the giving end of the encouragement and the receiving end of the numbers—the birth dates, times, and credit card numbers. It had been an honor to be invited into the private lives of others, and to get paid for it.

Kendra needed to concentrate on the road, but the wipers were mesmerizing as they thrashed across the windshield. Kendra turned off the old “Enya” CD and turned on the car radio station. Country music, static, hard rock and roll, or the oldies station playing the Eagles version of “Desperado”. She switched it all off. Maybe she should think about this plan to defuse the energies of Saturn, Pluto and Uranus. It was an old story for sure, of death, reinvention and rebirth. But if astrology was about anything, it was about trusting what she had always called “Divine Right Timing.”

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This is the beginning of a new book I'm working on right now--a novel about 2 women--one in her first Saturn Return at age 29, and one in her second Saturn Return at age 59. It's a novel about reinventing one's life, and is interwoven with astrological lore/wisdom.

I imagine that YOU might be a reader-- although I must admit I don't know how it would get published. If any of you readers have ideas about birthing a book like this, or if you'd like me to post the book while writing, I'd be willing...maybe I need to hear from YOU....are you there?

The Holy Spirit; Hagia Sophia~Sacred Wisdom

"This is a powerful time; scary, uncertain, sacred, and necessary. Stay centered in the present, knowing that what you're experiencing is a process of deep alchemy. It takes courage to be able to exist in a place of unknowing, for “even a coward can endure tragedy but only the brave can endure suspense.” Release old behaviors where you're stale or playing small; trust that which you love and which loves you."

This is a message I received today, and it's timing was perfect as I'm living with a situation that is "suspense-full" in that there is no clear answer. Not yet. When we live in a state of waiting, of having to be patient, or having to endure without knowing answers or even the best thing to do, we have to trust our inner knowing. Not easy. When one is seriously endangered, such as when one is in the hospital, what happens? We wait. We try to be patient. We are a patient. A very hard place to be in psychologically.

A client of mine requested a reading for today which I cannot do. I needed to carve out some space for now to care for some pressing needs in my family and hopefully to find the time to do some of the inner work of writing. I've not been too successful in that yet! Always priorities.....

However, to those people who follow astrology, and to this client of mine, I want to remind her to trust her "inner shaman", her intuitive wisdom, her inner Beloved...her inner astrologer. We have to follow our own way, our own Tao, and I do believe the deepest answers are found in our own hearts. When we cannot connect with others, we can instead create a private ritual of going inside ourselves and asking our questions and listening to the answers that will arise. We can pull a Rune or check our transits or open at random our favorite inspiring book and "listen" for the words we need to hear.

I truly believe that the Holy Spirit (Hagia Sophia; wisdom herself) will arise in some words or form of synchronicity. We will find some answer or wisdom or balm for our Souls if we can make ourselves receptive.

www.elizabethspring.com

Saturn in Libra, with Neptune and Jupiter in Aquarius!

Priorities!

If I were to imagine one word to sum up the work of Saturn in Libra I might say: "Priorities." And perhaps it's prioritizing the relative importance and feelings in all " one on one relationships" in our life that Saturn in Libra speaks to... and so I try....


I try to prioritize and make an effort. For the last 2 months it's been a high priority for me to get to NYC to see Jung's Red Book and to reconnect with old friends there, and twice(!) I've been laid low by sickness that has kept me away.


I sadly gave up on that priority until a few days ago. And then the synchronistic happening occurred that could be seen as part of the "signature" of Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius--because I let go of my efforting and the need to have something occur the way I wanted it to occur, the Universe arranged--serendipitously (?) through friends (Aquarius) that I should still get my hearts delight to see the Jung exhibit, and so I will be going there, all plans arranged, with little effort on my part.


The point? It's simply to remember the grace of what we used to call "leaving room for the Holy Spirit" which to me is often seen dressed in Uranian fashion with a touch of Jupiter and Neptune. So, we do the intention, we make the effort, we prioritize...all Saturn. And then Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius say...."leave a little room for us, leave a moment for us to do our magic...it won't come as you expect." And that's a very sweet thing indeed.

Elizabeth Spring www.elizabethspring.com

Venus square Pluto, Venus opposite Pluto, Venus Conjunct Pluto in the Underworld

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What is Venus’ revenge for the suppression of beauty and joyful eroticism? What happens when sexuality gets twisted into pornography? This is when Venus goes down into the underworld with Pluto and erupts with a vengeance for our blatant disregard of pleasure and true relationship. She feels abused and she rebels, with perversion and pornography resulting—with all its emphasis on “power over another,” control issues, and disempowerment. Both men and women get caught in the illusions of control and pseudo-glamour, and unhappiness is often the outcome.

In astrology, we usually see this usually as the negative manifestation of Pluto, Scorpio and Neptune, often with 8^th house undertones. It can also be a lower expression of Mars and Neptune in square or opposition as well. When Venus and Pluto in the birth chart are conjunct, in square, or opposition it doesn’t have to play out as “unrequited love” or unhappiness in relationship, or frustrated sexuality, or a tendency for triangular love affairs with impossible people—but it often plays out that way. Venus Pluto in conjunction, square and opposition challenges a person to explore the deepest dimensions of love, intimacy, and even beauty. Naivete is not welcome here, and relationships cannot be all about the honeymoon stage anymore. Venus/Pluto is truly capable of making true relationships work, when they are willing to do the hard work of relationship--when they have their eyes open.

The intimacy of a high expression of Venus/Pluto is based on love, and a delicate balance of two people as equal supporters of each other. There is often such hope and idealism in this combination mixed with a history of tragedy. It doesn’t have to be this way. Both men and women have Venus in their charts, and Venus doesn't have to be "tormented."

Often a person with the difficult aspects of these planets in their birth chart has had some history of emotional abuse, either early in this life or in their past life. And because they know the territory, they can be the ones who can heal it for themselves as well as others. However, when relationship dynamics remain unconscious, the territory is often played out in the underworld or as an addiction.

So the downside of Venus and Pluto’s expression can be seen as a product of our consumer society, and a symptom of a “loss of soul.” Whether it be an individual or the culture, there’s a loss here—or a fear—of the positive Venus—the Venus that thrives on relationship, equality, and beauty. This is what happens when one cannot "feel" anymore. And of course, like an alcoholic or an addict, one drink or one drug is never enough. Venus/Pluto is not bad; but it has a special mission—it’s a call to take passion and make it real…and good. It can be done! (c) elizabeth spring www.elizabethspring.com

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