Opening Up for Inspiration
Making creative connections among an individual’s events/reactions/values throughout life development is the essence of meaningful astrological portrayal, counsel, and therapy. What has the client experienced in his or her reality? How does the horoscope reflect that and thereby fit that client-reality? What has the client brought forward in development from those circumstances and times?
In the analytical preparation of the horoscope, the developmental keys to analysis (see Archives, “Analytical Techniques,” Synthesis & Counseling, and The Creative Astrologer) reveal the superstructure of development. With each point in tension that we find, we must ask WHY did such-and-such probably happen, e.g.,what was the mother’s problem with her husband that conditioned their attitude toward their child (your client), WHY might the education have been interrupted, WHY are relationships so difficult for the client? Then: what can be done to buttress a routinely sagging self-worth profile, improve awareness of lovableness, free up development from anchors to the past, etc.?
All this takes great concentration on the dialogue development in the consultation -by the astrologer AND by the client. Both must be extremely alert. The consultation tone is anything but casual.
}}}}}The client will emulate your style: if you’re sloppy, beat-around-the-bush, imprecise with language, your client will be too. If you hide behind jargon, your client will quickly tune you out and degrade your performance. — If you’re organized, lean with your communication, to-the-point, and empathic, your client will be able to remember life development more clearly, will open up to careful discussion, and will share feelings. -This is the tone and air that allow inspiration to happen; inspiration is the result of intense alertness.
Female client, New Moon (and Sun) in Sagittarius (nervous preoccupation with intellectualism, high opinionation, potentially over-controlling, needing credentialization (education) to be credible and respected); Mercury-Node and Mars quindecile Node (mother ate away at her mind intensely); Mercury ruling 2nd squared by Neptune (self-worth demoralized and suppressed) etc. Most important, Saturn ruled her 9th (education) and was peregrine, dissociated somehow.
At 19 (going-to-college age), tr Neptune was conjunct her 7th, opposing her Ascendant as tr Saturn squared her Midheaven. Of course, her education was interrupted; the worst thing that could happen to this woman of exquisite intelligence and intellect.
WHY was the education interrupted?: a whole foregoing era of development, of neglect and coercion by the parents erupted in their disowning the daughter, because of a relationship they disapproved of. The daughter was then forced to leave college.
Now at 51, my client has done well for herself, but the weighty stone of disowning and abandonment is constantly about her neck; through four marriages etc. She has, in spite of it all, become a teacher in the arts, but she struggles constantly to feel authoritative through her mind, respected by others for what she has to say.
Our conversation together was deep, clear, and extremely alert to nuance.-Something, someone had to make up for so many years of her being and feeling slighted.
“Karen, listen to me very carefully. This is extremely important -an important moment, right now in your life Ö Ö With greatest pride and honor, today Ö right now Ö in recognition of all you have done ÖI award you your Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Arts. Take this Award, shake my hand; Ö Congratulations, doctor!’ [This grand statement was delivered solemnly, slowly, strongly, and with greatest dignity.]
It was an extremely telling moment. The shock of it all was extraordinary. There was laughter, there were tears.
“Where will you put this beautiful diploma?” I continued in all seriousness, reinforcing the creative dramatics.
She had an answer. She was living the settled freedom.
Fifty-five year-old woman of intelligence, handsome appearance, married a father figure (Saturn-Mars conjunction retrograde quindecile Venus, ruler of the 7th). She sacrificed her higher education to do so (thwarting her reigning need, the Moon in Sagittarius). The explosive potential of her development had had a blanket thrown over it by the early home difficulties, especially with the father (Saturn retrograde, Sun opposed by Pluto, Moon quindecile Node). Sexuality was expressed in pretense for over a quarter of a century!! (Who can respond to a father figure easily, sexually?).
A rock-locked-unalterable routine had set in throughout life development. The husband finally died. A long-term affair with a man followed the same pattern.
Of course, there was no way to “get rid of the problem”, so, with my client, we acknowledged that the problem was here to stay BUT the ROUTINE of acting it out Ö THAT’s what could be changed!!! [This seems so simple unless you are living the problem.]
“Doris: I want to give you a Mantra today, based upon all we have discussed, all we understand. This Mantra can easily become your constant thought about a new life. [Note the word choice.] I want you to promise to say it aloud 5 times every morning, every lunch time, every dinner time, every night as you go to sleep. Put this Mantra into your being as a way of refreshing your life.
“Doris, the Mantra is simply but powerfully: ‘In addition to my problem, I’m going to start to do things DIFFFERENTLY.'”
Doris was startled by this simple device -the juxtapositioning of problem acceptance and remedial effort-and her whole body showed it: broad long-lasting smiles, shifts of position in her chair, even greater attentiveness, repeating the words with me several times. -A new view had been born out of the consultation.
I knew this injunction would be effective: it played into Doris’ creativity, Sun and Venus (idealistic conjunction) quintile the Ascendant!
–These are two examples of inspiration patterned from the horoscope development into a client’s needs in a new reality. Such inspiration comes through when the intensity of thought during the consultation is highly keen and alert: it is the ultimate manifestation of our intent as astrologers helping others. -Be prepared, hear what’s happening in dialogue, welcome the insight that can come.