| Are you held hostage by your astrology? Does your | | | | the dirt on him. Even if he is picky - well, he's interested |
| world stop when Mercury retrogrades? Do you blame | | | | in me, right? That has to be a good sign. A peek at his |
| bad habits on your birth chart? | | | | Sun Pluto conjunction also revealed "magnetic charm, |
| Anyone who's taken a good look at their astrology | | | | strong physical desires, with an interest in correcting |
| (and no, I don't mean the daily horoscopes) has likely | | | | social injustices." Okay, sign me up! |
| discovered truths about themselves in the stars. Fire | | | | If I insist on giving attention to astrology, the least I can |
| signs are bold and assertive; hard angles predict | | | | do is allow it to support me in achieving what I want. |
| challenges, Saturn returns foretell impending crises. The | | | | By knowing I have the power to craft this art-science |
| list goes on and on. | | | | in ways that bring me success, I'm no longer at the |
| While it's undeniably entertaining, often revealing, and | | | | mercy of particular star pattern interpretations. When I |
| can provide comfort as it lends self-understanding, | | | | know I'm the ultimate trump, I use astrology to my |
| there's a hidden danger that our belief in astrology | | | | benefit by powerfully embracing thoughts supporting |
| overpowers our ability to create what we want in life. | | | | what I want. It's as simple as that. |
| What's At Play | | | | The Art of Selective Believing |
| The school of thought based on the Law of Attraction | | | | As a Law of Attraction Coach with an irrefutable |
| tells us that "as we think, so shall it be." The concept | | | | belief in astrology, I know I can manage it to my benefit |
| that we create our life experiences is reflected in | | | | by sifting through the information gleaned from the |
| commonly-used phrases such as "you reap what you | | | | planets, giving attention to the aspects and |
| sow" and "like attracts like." The philosophy dates as | | | | interpretations that support what I prefer to |
| far back as Hermes Trismegistus' Emerald Tablet | | | | experience. |
| (rediscovered in roughly 1350 BC). | | | | For example, rather than focusing on the limits of my |
| Well known figures subscribing to the Law of | | | | Capricorn ascendant (cold, calculating, having rotten |
| Attraction include Plato, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, | | | | childhoods and inferiority complexes), I dwell on the |
| Thomas Edison, and Carl Jung, to name just a few. | | | | positive traits that rising Caps are durable, steadfast |
| Close examination of this universal law reveals | | | | and grow younger with time. |
| essentially that thoughts become things. We create our | | | | Instead of believing my date's 12th house natal Venus |
| world with our vibrations of thoughts and emotions. | | | | means he's predisposed to clandestine affairs, I expect |
| Which is why it's crucial we become very conscious | | | | it manifests as valuing the mystical, spiritual aspects of |
| of what we place our faith in. Including our astrology. | | | | life. Instead of anticipating a 6th house transit of Mars |
| When you believe in something more powerful than | | | | as potential conflict at work, I choose it means I'll have |
| you, you give your power away. This can actually | | | | extra energy and drive to succeed while serving |
| serve you if you haven't fully embraced your creative | | | | others. |
| abilities and assigning your power outside yourself | | | | Because if I'm thinking about possible problems with |
| enhances expectations of success. (Like going to the | | | | co-workers, I create that outcome by entertaining |
| doctor for a prescription, or hiring an investment | | | | those thoughts. As I think about extra energy for |
| manager for your portfolio.) The pitfalls are when you | | | | success, I attract extra energy for success. I'm the |
| assign your power to something that doesn't serve | | | | powerhouse here, not Mars. But my belief in Mars' 6th |
| you. | | | | house transit allows me to expect (and thus create) |
| Astrology's Role | | | | conditions and situations that enhance my life. |
| How does astrology fit in? For those who believe | | | | Leveraging Your Astrology |
| there is valuable information in the arrangement and | | | | There are many ways to use your belief in astrology |
| movement of the planets, we face both opportunities | | | | to enhance the life you're creating, rather than just |
| and potential sabotage. | | | | respond as powerless victim to the stars. |
| Interpreting a particular aspect as fortunate or a | | | | 1. First know you are the ultimate authority of your life. |
| predictor of good news gives us "reason" to believe | | | | There is nothing "out there" more powerful than you. |
| good things will happen. Since our thoughts create our | | | | Whether it's an astrology report, a session with a |
| reality, this would serve us. Anything giving reason to | | | | psychic or a medical diagnosis, you are your own best |
| believe good awaits us is helpful, even if we're | | | | expert. You're in charge of you, and anything you hear, |
| assigning our power outside ourselves. | | | | read or think is true only if you accept it. |
| On the other hand, becoming aware of astrological | | | | This isn't just sugar-coating, or refusing to |
| configurations and occurrences that cause us to | | | | acknowledge the "truth." You create your truth, and |
| expect bad news gives us "reason" to believe bad | | | | you do so according to the thoughts you entertain. |
| things are in store. That thought pattern handicaps our | | | | Since a belief is nothing more than an often-repeated |
| success. | | | | thought, you decide what's true simply through your |
| The beauty of astrology is that there are so many | | | | choice of thought. Deliberately selecting supportive |
| ways to interpret it. Evolutionary astrology, as defined | | | | thoughts allows you to live the reality you prefer, rather |
| by Steven Forrest and Jeffrey Wolf Green, specifically | | | | than being stuck living out someone else's idea of the |
| embraces the core perception that "we interact | | | | truth. |
| creatively and unpredictably with our birth charts, that | | | | 2. Get in the habit of creatively analyzing your |
| all astrological symbols are multidimensional and are | | | | astrology in ways that support what you're up to. |
| modulated into material and psychic expression by the | | | | Know that each sign, planet and aspect has |
| consciousness of the individual." ( | | | | challenging and transformative qualities. Consider |
| According to Salt Lake City astrologer, Laura Ellingson, | | | | perceiving difficult aspects as opportunities to learn. As |
| that means the power lies in the interpretation and can | | | | you embrace interpretations that feel good, you'll |
| be expressed in many different ways depending on | | | | manifest success. |
| the individual's state of mind. | | | | One astrologer advised a friend whose chart revealed |
| Another branch of astrology asserts that planets don't | | | | an impending Pluto Jupiter conjunction to "lay low" until |
| cause our reality, but rather reflect the reality we | | | | it passed, as it meant bad news. Another astrologer |
| create through our internal workings. That is, planets | | | | told him it was a wonderful opportunity to achieve |
| correlate to the reality we make up. Is that true? Don't | | | | great success, and that he should exploit it by taking |
| ask me! We each choose our own truth, since our | | | | strong action. Which interpretation would you give |
| attention to it creates it. | | | | power to? |
| Avoiding the Pitfalls | | | | A Saturn return doesn't have to mean life crisis or |
| While writing this article I encountered the challenge of | | | | hardship, astrologer Laura Ellingson reminds us. Let it be |
| allowing my astrology beliefs to overpower my | | | | a new chance to sort yourself out, embrace new |
| creative abilities. After a new love interest made the | | | | responsibilities and prune that which no longer serves |
| unwitting error of providing his birth date, I scrutinized | | | | you. Even a challenging-placed Saturn can have a |
| his chart for over an hour. | | | | positive spin! |
| His Sun Moon conjunction in Virgo was particularly | | | | 3. Last, if you find more limits than opportunities in your |
| troubling, since I wasn't interested in someone | | | | astrology, consider giving up the habit. If you can't |
| described as "highly discriminating, critical, finicky and | | | | make it work for you, or if it doesn't feel good, don't |
| conventional." Grant Lewi himself called a person with | | | | dwell on it. This is good advice in all areas of life: if it |
| this aspect a "moralist!" Probably not a good match for | | | | doesn't feel good, don't do it. (Yes, that includes |
| me. As I predicted the demise of our relationship | | | | relationships, jobs, diets and exercise.) You can't get to |
| before our first date, I realized I'd just fallen victim to | | | | where you want by doing something you don't enjoy! |
| my astrology. | | | | Not just in astrology, but in all things, choose thoughts |
| So I gave it another shot. I reviewed other traits of a | | | | that support what you want and leave the rest behind. |
| double Virgo: loyal, affectionate, sentimental, and | | | | Embrace your power as the creator of your life, and |
| domestic. I must have skipped over those as I dug out | | | | don't let astrology do anything but boost your success. |