Kharizma - Astrology and Life

Astrology and Life

I started my interest in astrology some thirty-five years ago when I was a young mum at home looking after my children. Obviously the first chart I studied was my own. When I first read my chart I was horrified to read all about my negative traits and thought, 'What rubbish. This isn't me. I'm not like that!' Every good point I read about myself I found I could identify with. The chart went into a drawer and remained there for months. One day I pulled it out and re-read it. However, this time the reverse happened. Every good trait I read I couldn't believe in and yet every 'negative' quality seemed only too true. Again the transcript was relegated to the drawer. About a year later I came across it again. I sat down and read it through, but this time I was able to be more objective. Some of the problem areas in my personality I realized had been true when I was younger, but that I had more or less overcome them. Some still remained as part of my make-up (perhaps needed working on at some later date). When it came to my strengths and potential - again I could clearly see those which were obvious and yet there were some which perhaps were still in the germination stage but latent at present.

I have found this process to be true with many people for whom I have done readings. According to the phase they are going through in their life, they tend to initially reject either the 'good' points they read about themselves or the 'bad' ones; although in the larger scheme of things, there is no such thing as good and bad. Even a challenging aspect between two planets is actually a 'positive' inasamuch as the challenge spurs you on towards achievement and improvement. At least the two planets involved have a relationship, rather than not linking up at all!

Over the years I have produced countless charts for people whilst continuing my search for 'the truth' and in many ways it has changed my stance on astrology. I now know that an astrological chart is not an essential requirement for self-understanding and neither will any predictions be able to be 100% (although they can be a strong indication of future events and trends in your life). In fact I have now come to believe that if you come to rely too heavily on astrology, it will weaken your own intuitive abilities: we are not mere puppets, performing at the whim of the planets, but masters of our own destiny if we can but realize it! Understanding and awareness are the key here, but I think the message is being sent out so loudly and constantly now that few will fail to realize it within the next ten years or so.

So what is astrology good for then if it doesn't tell us our destiny? My current perspective and understanding is that we are born with certain personality traits, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual colourings and tendencies. Some are recognized and worked with for expansion, development, refinement, creation etc., but some will remain latent - but they are still there if we choose to utilize them later in life. Virtually everyone I have ever met in my life (including myself of course), no matter how developed their 'higher' levels of awareness and aspirations, have certain blind spots, energy blocks, hidden layers of emotional energy that need to be integrated - in short, we can often be our own worst enemies when it comes to living the best life that we can.

The study of astrology as it relates to your own birthchart and those closest to you can shine a light into those hidden areas of your psyche that are blocking your progress; it can suggest directions and talents that maybe you hadn't been aware of previously; it can identify gifts and problems in relationships; it can point out opportunities that are waiting around the corner and obstacles that you may shortly encounter. How you handle all this information is up to you. To me it's merely a tool and a blueprint rather than a pronuncement of my destiny that's written in stone. I take the positive planetary influences that are coming up to make sure I make the most of any forthcoming opportunities and with those that aren't so good, I try to understand what lessons I need to learn. If all else fails I tell myself that forewarned is forearmed: the impact of problems and trauma in my life is reduced to what it actually is - a learning experience on one level or another.