The field of astrology has grown tremendously over the years, slowly reclaiming the respect it had with the ancients. Practiced and followed authentically, areas of specializations in this field especially Evolutionary Astrology, can be used as helpful tools to understand differences between ourselves and others, chart financial trends, alert us to health issues so we can be pro-active and offer us paths forward in our evolution, just to name a few examples. When I say, ‘used and practiced authentically’ I mean that astrology should not be viewed as a tool of fate or ‘divination’; authentically means ALWAYS having the ‘power of choice’, the power of ‘freewill’.
As I’ve written in previous posts, Evolutionary Astrology is a specialized lens wherein our Soul growth is at the heart of the matter, grounded in the concept of karma and reincarnation. Where it differs from what we might think of as ‘traditional western astrology’ (i.e., I’m a Leo and love to wear jewelry!), the core of this lens rests in the concept that the Soul is eternal with an agenda of evolution toward our highest good. This development is worked toward and achieved through lifetimes of experiences in the physical body. In my practice, when I analyze a natal chart I’m actually ‘seeing’ two charts. There’s the chart cast for the time of birth of course, but these symbols also tell me(and other Evolutionary Astrologers) about the ‘growth’ agenda the Soul has in mind for this life time.
Through the symbols we’re able to see ‘something’ that went wrong in the past, a piece of ‘karma that has ripened’. The individual has now come to a stage in emotional development where they’re strong enough to face what that ‘something’ was. There’s now opportunity to go forward, to change the channel this time around. This said, it needs to be reinforced that we’re working with emotional energy ‘imagined’ through metaphorical story, as obviously it’s impossible to know the specific details of ‘what happened’. In this story the person was ‘vexed’ by something or someone that had power over them, offering no choice but to succumb. Or, perhaps they were the ‘vicious rat in the woodpile’, behaving badly…very badly. This time around they’re now much stronger emotionally, but somehow carry a sense of familiarity with the past. Such nigglings could be wrapped around situations or people that ‘did us in’ or visa versa; same script, different actors.
Recently there’s been a lot of ‘traffic’ in the heavens affecting all of us. I know several people who are dealing with major effects of the slow-moving planets across their natal chart. For some, Pluto, the planet of transformation, is conjuncting, opposing or squaring their Sun, Moon or Ascendant-sometimes simultaneously; Neptune, the planet that can bring confusion, disillusion and fantasy or Saturn, the task master of the material, are hitting these power points for others. ALL of these possibilities are extremely challenging, but also bring opportunities because in some way, they trigger major life-changes and choice. What to do? Herein lays a key element separating this field of astrology from other lenses.
Evolutionary is partially descriptive, but not entirely; it’s also ‘prescriptive’. In other words, when an Evolutionary Astrologer ‘metaphorically’ looks at what went wrong in the ‘chart behind the chart’ they can offer remedial options so that the client can get off the mouse wheel and not repeat patterns of the past that got them in trouble in the first place. There could be one particular life reflected or a chronic pattern of behavior from the core of our being reflected by the symbols and the patterns between them in the present chart.
Every astrologer has their own style; some prefer to have background information beyond the date, time and place of birth from a client before they analyze a chart. I do not; it’s just personal preference, but I want to be surprised, and surprised I usually am. I have yet to see a chart wherein the past has not bled through to the present…this is FASCINATING. And, even more fascinating is when the client looks at me and says, “I’m so relieved; I thought I was making this all up, that I was crazy…you have just confirmed what I’ve been feeling for years.”
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KAREN PFIEFER
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