I am so THRILLED to be sharing the following interview with you! I want to provide the best materials and resources on this site, and I am a total newbie at astrology. Anne Westlund (that's her friendly picture on the left) wrote to me several weeks ago, and after visiting her website and blog, I was so impressed with her knowledge of astrology and her conversational writing style that I asked her to do an interview to be published on both of our sites. I hope you enjoy the following interview, and please check out her site, The Divine Life, and her blog - both are filled with great information about astrology and other divination topics. Enjoy!
What is astrology?
Astrology is based on the movements of the Planets, Sun and Moon against the background of fixed stars, known as the Zodiac, as seen from Earth. Those positions at the time of an individual's birth form the Natal Birth Chart. The Planets and the Sun and Moon are constantly in motion. The correspondence between planetary movements and conditions in human life and society has been an area of study for centuries. "As above, so below" is a maxim that applies to Astrological influences. Astrology can give us information on identity, relationships, future trends, and family influences. Astrology is a highly useful tool with practical applications. Feel free to explore the many books and websites devoted to Astrology on your path to learning!
How did you get started in astrology?
For my 18th birthday I received Linda Goodman’s Linda Goodman's Love Signs: A New Approach to the Human Heart .I was a Freshman in college at the time. Her expressive style of writing was especially good at explaining relationships (of all kinds) between the sun signs. This sparked a lifelong interest in Astrology and other types of Divination. I learned Astrology through reading books, observation, practice (casting birth charts by hand), and more recently, online classes.
There is so much to learn about astrology. Where does one start?
A good way to start is to learn about the Astrological signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces) and the Planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto). The signs and the Planets are the foundation of the study of Astrology. A classic book of basic Sun sign Astrology is Linda Goodman's Sun Signs . A newer approach can be found in Astrology for the Light Side of the Brain , by Kim Rogers-Gallagher. There are also many websites devoted to Astrology. A user-friendly one with a lot of basic information as well as current Astrological information is About.com’s Astrology site.
How can astrology be of use in daily life?
Even beginning students of Astrology can benefit from it in their daily lives. You can learn about your Sun sign and further develop the strengths of that sign while modifying the weaknesses of your Sun sign. You can apply Astrology to love, work and family relationships to better understand these and make them more harmonious. The study of Astrological transits can give you insight into favorable and unfavorable times of the year. Knowing what energies (Planets) are affecting your life at the moment can give you an understanding of the current mood, energy levels, events and relationships in your life. Even just following the Moon sign changes can be helpful in scheduling activities.
How has knowing astrology changed the way you view and approach the world?
I see people as complicated, but ultimately I see the hand of the Divine on them. Astrology is not about dividing humanity into 12 personalities. From our individual charts rise unique and diverse personalities and lives. We are allspecial. Astrology can point us in the direction of our gifts and skills, but it is still our responsibility to develop them. Knowing Astrology had made me a more patient person with other people as well. It has made me more comfortable with change and more understanding of others. Knowing Astrology has also made me more accepting of my faults and imperfections. I tend to look at the world through the lens of Astrology, and testing theory against reality is a common practice for me.
How can astrology be combined with other types of divination/psychic tools?
Astrology is just one source of information. Using Tarot, Numerology, the I Ching, Runes and other forms of Divination along with Astrology can only help to clarify the messages you are receiving. Of course, you can go overboard! Too many readings may result in confusion rather than clarity. The Horoscope Spread is one example of the combination of Tarot and Astrology. 12 Tarot cards are laid out in 2 rows of 6 cards. Each card stands for a house in an Astrological chart. So the 1st card stands for the 1st house and so on. Then the combination of Tarot cards and house meanings can be combined for greater insight. For me, the best combination of Divination/psychic tools and Astrology is to do your Divination/psychic work/journeying during potent Astrological events. Such events would be the New and Full Moons, Eclipses, the Summer and Winter Solstices and the Fall and Spring Equinoxes. This gives you 28 powerful times of the year to do Divination and Psychic work.
Do you have any other resources that you would recommend for those of us who are interested in learning more about astrology?
I recommend any book by Stephen Arroyo. Also there are some wonderful websites. You can get a free birth chart drawn up at: http://www.astro.com/ You can get interpreted Astrological reports at: http://astrocom.com/
There is a lot of general information on Astrology and other forms of Divination at: http://www.tarot.com/astrology/Once again, About.com’s Astrology page is a good place to start: http://astrology.about.com/
Thanks for your interest in Astrology. Happy learning!
Anne Westlund
Blog: http://annewestlund.blogspot.com/
The Divine Life (Divination community): http://thedivinelife.ning.com/
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