Creative Connections & Client Communications
Strategic Knowledge and Common Sense

So often I profess, “Planets do nothing; people do things.” This is so important. The astrologer can not sit with her/his client and expect to find answers to life development in terms of planetary bromides.

What the planets show for the future are guidelines in time, guidelines to further development from the past.

As soon as the astrologer learns this verity thoroughly, the astrologer sees how much room is created to be filled necessarily with knowledge about life, with common sense discussion, guided in time-development by planetary movement.

An actress, extremely ‘well-married’, is 52 years old; the major career is basically over for her; she concluded her career with stints as a director, but now, she was alone, not doing much, living extremely well -with a Sagittarian Sun and an Aries Moon.

How was she to exercise her opinionation, use her talents, continue to grow, occupy herself to call attention to the shining light of her ego?

No huge angular measurements presented themselves. More subtle measurements did: Asc=Pluto/Node [the need and press to be influential] supported by earnest transit activity. This would be in December 2001. -then in January 2002, there would be tr Jupiter square Moon and then in February Sun=Pluto/Node [imposing one’s will on others], and then May 2002: Moon (ruler of her 10th)=Mars/Pluto [daring, self-belief, publicity].

That arc of energies suggests a new start in the exertion of opinion energy developing strongly into the public eye over the ensuing 5 months.

Is this woman going to hang around her houses in the greatest places you can imagine and do nothing? Is that reasonable or even tenable by strong Sagittarian/Aries energy.

What are you going to say? –What you are going to say comes knowing about life…as you surely must be thinking in response to my development of this true-life sketch.

“Have you thought of digging into your Rolle-Dex and getting it known that you would like to return to directing plays again?”

“You know, you don’t even have to be paid for your work any more! This opens up all sorts of philanthropic work potentials that would benefit younger actors, raise monies for culture institutions?”

“I hear enthusiasm in your voice now; what could be done here? Setting up international playwriting scholarships; producing the winner’s play off-Broadway. Think of all the publicity you could attract!”

–This is how the counseling astrologer must talk. These sentences follow the timeline of the planetary measurements, yes, but they are communicated to the client conceptually and motivationally within the context of the client’s reality potentials.

In this case, the client immediately got involved with the potentials. Her answers to my questions and discussion points were all in terms of the dormant Moon in Aries: “I’m good at that; I can make those kinds of things happen.” Etc. We were on the right track.

Common sense, hierarchical arrangement of priorities, reordering of potentials, processes of elimination are the creative tools that articulate the opening up of the future.

If the astrologer doesn’t know much about life and a big list of activities in life development, there is no way to be an astrologer. The measurements are one thing to see and calibrate and quite another to bring literally and figuratively to life.

How many specialized books have you read recently? What if you set up a program of reading two or three a month: parent-child relationships, the challenges of retirement, developing a powerful resume for job mobility, would be three very, very good subjects with which to start.

Then, maybe the next month: living with child abuse memories, how to promote your own business, adult education opportunities in your community.

Then, how about promoting your own business, understanding the fundamentals of investment, expediting closure with your parents.

Then, how about dealing with matters of death and the process of dying, saving the marriage, getting past sexual problems.

Astrologers should please not think it a waste of time to learn about life.

**So very often over the years I have been asked, “How do know [find, evaluate, locate] a good astrologer?” My reply has never changed: “Look into their eyes … and listen to them speak.”