

The Astrology Podcast
Chris Brennan
A weekly podcast on the history, philosophy, and techniques of astrology, hosted by professional astrologer Chris Brennan.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 27, 2021 • 2h 4min
August 2021 Astrology Forecast: Jupiter Returns to Aquarius
In episode 312 we look at the astrological forecast for August of 2021, with astrologers Austin Coppock, Chris Brennan, and special guest co-host Chani Nicholas.
August begins with Jupiter having just retrograded back into Aquarius, which it had left when it moved into Pisces on May 13, returning for some unfinished business from earlier in the year.
August also features Uranus stationing direct in Taurus, and the second of two Full Moon's in Aquarius, with the first having occurred in late July.
Chani is filling in this month for Kelly, and she is the author of the book You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance, as well as the creator of the CHANI astrology app for iPhone.
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Sphere + Sundry
Our sponsor this month is Sphere + Sundry, which makes talismanic magical materia:
SphereAndSundry.com
Their Jupiter in Pisces talisman series was just recently announced!
Fresh Voices in Astrology Summit
Our other sponsor is the Fresh Voices in Astrology Summit, which is an online astrology conference happening August 28-29, 2021:
FreshVoicesInAstrology.com
This event is free to attend live, so take advantage of it to see some great talks!
August Astrology Alignments and Ingresses
Sun conjunct Mercury on August 1
Mercury opposite Saturn on August 1
Sun opposite Saturn on August 2
Mercury square Uranus August 3
Sun square Uranus August 6
New Moon in Leo on August 8
Venus opposite Neptune August 9
Mercury opposite Jupiter August 10
Mercury enters Virgo August 11
Venus enters Libra August 16
Mercury conjunct Mars August 18
Uranus stations retrograde on August 19
Sun opposite Jupiter August 19
Full Moon in Aquarius on August 22
Sun enters Virgo August 22
Mercury opposite Neptune August 24
Mercury enters Libra August 29
Auspicious Astrological Date for August
The most auspicious astrological date we could find in August is:
August 26, 2021, at 12:35 AM, with Gemini rising
There are several other charts for August that are available in our subscription electional astrology podcast.
Timestamps
Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:44 Animation and overview of the month
00:02:30 Introducing Chani
00:06:47 Jupiter's return to Aquarius
00:15:42 Moving away from Mars Saturn Uranus configurations
00:17:53 Difficulty of Saturn in Aquarius without Jupiter
00:22:53 Two Aquarius Full Moons
00:26:42 Sun-Mercury Cazimi on August 1
00:27:30 Planets opposite the Sun and Sect
00:28:40 Aquarius rising election charts
00:29:56 More on Sun-Mercury Cazimi opposite Saturn
00:37:40 First week of August and Saturn-Uranus leftovers
00:39:52 August a godsend for fixed signs
00:40:08 New Moon in Leo Square Uranus
00:43:12 Venus Trine Uranus on August 2
00:45:35 Venus Opposite Neptune August 9
00:49:30 Michael Jordan documentary
00:50:17 Final Destination movie
00:51:36 Movies for astrologers
00:53:04 Uranus Stations Rx in Taurus August 20
00:57:38 Jupiter in Pisces vs. Jupiter in Aquarius
00:58:45 Billionaires in Space
01:00:20 Stellium debate: 3 or 4 planets?
01:03:05 Sphere + Sundry
01:12:00 Mercury enters Virgo August 11
01:13:44 Mercury Mars conjunction in Virgo
01:19:33 August electional chart
01:24:31 Women's Prison Book Project: donate astrology books
01:27:47 Venus in Virgo Trine Pluto in Capricorn August 12
01:30:38 Venus enters Libra August 16
01:33:25 Full Moon in Aquarius August 22
01:38:54 The Sun enters Virgo
01:40:10 Terminology for odd and even signs
01:42:05 Keyword for Virgo
01:42:39 Mercury enters Libra August 29
01:47:00 Fresh Voices in Astrology Summit August 28-29
01:49:51 Influx of astrologers into the community
01:54:00 Demetra George's influence
01:58:40 Chani's app and website
01:59:55 Austin's classes and Jupiter in Pisces series

Jul 21, 2021 • 2h 15min
Stelliums in Astrology: Interpreting Planetary Clusters
In episode 311 astrologers Chris Brennan and Patrick Watson discuss the concept of stelliums in astrology, and what it means to have 3 or 4 or more planets in the same sign or house in your birth chart.
In the first part of the show we try to address some debates and questions about stelliums, such as how many planets need to be involved in order for you to have a stellium, what planets or points should be considered when calculating a stellium, and what is the plural form of the word stellium?
After that we start looking at a bunch of example charts, in order to demonstrate what it looks like in real life when a person has a stellium of planets in a specific sign of the zodiac or in one of the twelve houses.
Later we also briefly touch on the concept of stelliums in mundane astrology, such as the Capricorn stellium that happened in 2020, or other stelliums that have coincided with specific events in the past.
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below, although it is probably best to watch the video version if you can, since we go through a lot of chart examples.
Timestamps
Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:55 Definition of stellium
00:03:49 Debate about 3 vs. 4 planet stelliums
00:06:26 Co-presence vs. degree-based
00:10:06 March 2020 Capricorn stellium
00:14:40 Transits, profections, and stelliums
00:17:14 Second house stellium story
00:19:10 Nodes and outer planets included in stellium?
00:24:11 Ascendant and midheaven included in stellium?
00:25:12 The plural form of stellium
00:28:24 Painting analogy for stelliums
00:31:17 Bill Clinton - 1st house stellium
00:33:50 Texts with delineations of planetary combinations
00:34:50 History of the word stellium
00:39:37 Judy Blume - 5th house stellium
00:41:43 How to weight the planets in a stellium
00:49:02 1962 Aquarius stellium
00:49:29 Garth Brooks' chart
00:50:18 Edde Izzard- 5th house stellium
00:54:12 Thomas Beatie - 5th house stellium
00:57:33 Chris' dad - 5th house stellium
01:02:29 The beauty of fate in astrology
01:03:23 Zack Snyder - 7th house stellium
01:07:07 Carl Sagan - 7th house stellium
01:09:31 Kurt Cobain - 7th house stellium
01:13:26 Beyonce - Libra stellium
01:19:03 Katy Perry - 1st house stellium
01:24:18 George Lucas - 1st house stellium
01:27:12 Richard Tarnas - 9th house stellium
01:28:29 Christopher Revve - 3rd house stellium
01:30:20 Meghan Markle - 4th house stellium
01:33:50 Mac Miller - 12th house stellium
01:38:39 T.S. Eliot - 1st house stellium
01:39:03 James Earl Jones - 1st house stellium
01:39:54 Lion King or Aladdin?
01:41:29 Michael Bloomberg - 8th house stellium
01:42:15 Paul McCartney - 10th house stellium
01:44:19 Harrison Ford - 10th house stellium
01:45:00 Bruce Lee - 12th house stellium
01:45:45 Joe Biden - 12th house stellium
01:48:20 Jimi Hendrix - 1st house stellium
01:50:25 Edward Snowden - 1st house stellium
01:50:55 Serena Williams - 6th house stellium
01:51:10 Danielle Collins - 6th house stellium
01:51:33 Van Jones - 6th house stelllium
01:54:25 Stellium summary
01:56:11 Stellium planets as house rulers
01:57:49 Mundane examples of stelliums
02:06:15 Patrick's 4th house stellium
02:11:01 Closing remarks
02:11:40 Chris and Patrick's future rectification course
02:12:00 Patrick's YouTube channel and website
Watch the Video Version of This Episode on Stelliums
Here is the video version of this episode on stelliums on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkKtfDBp-Iw
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 311 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Jul 6, 2021 • 2h 44min
Ancient Jewish Views on Astrology
Episode 310 features an interview with Dr. Justin Sledge about ancient Jewish views on astrology, and the complicated relationship between astrology and early Judaism.
Our starting point is the geographical location of the Jewish people being situated between Mesopotamia and Egypt, which were two cultures that had very old traditions of astrology dating back to 2000 BCE.
We then talk about the role that monotheism played in creating some tensions with early forms of astrology, which were often practiced in a polytheistic context.
Later we get into some positive views on astrology held by Jews during the time of the Roman Empire, including the Essenes at Qumran, and a text on Lots and zodiacal releasing attributed to Abraham that was drawn on by Vettius Valens and Firmicus Maternus.
We also discuss some of the early zodiac mosaics that feature prominently in synagogues in the first seven centuries CE.
Eventually we touch on some of the earliest Jewish astrologers who are known by name and who made major contributions to astrology, such as Masha'allah and Abraham ibn Ezra.
Justin is a professor of philosophy and religion who focuses on the western esoteric tradition, and the host of the Esoterica Youtube channel:
YouTube.com/ESOTERICAchannel/
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Timestamps
Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:20 Justin's background
00:01:48 Origins of the Jewish people
00:03:05 Where ancient Israelites enter history
00:05:10 Judaism's relationship to astrology
00:06:10 Development of monotheism
00:13:26 Time period for composition of Old Testament
00:14:14 The Babylonian Exile
00:17:17 Astrology in Babylon
00:19:40 Israelite anxiety about divination
00:21:05 Prohibitions are evidence of practice
00:22:14 Diversity of views in ancient Judaism
00:24:40 Move towards focus on monotheism
00:27:15 Stars mentioned in Hebrew Bible
00:28:31 Polytheistic gods demoted into angels
00:31:20 Jewish calendar based on astrological alignments
00:34:51 The Book of Enoch
00:38:07 Josephus claims Abraham invented astrology
00:39:36 Astrological text attributed to Abraham by Valens
00:43:40 Hellenistic Judaism
00:45:00 Alexandrian Judaism
00:46:56 Dead Sea Scroll astrological references
00:49:10 Qumran Caves astrological text discoveries
00:58:10 Gospel of Matthew and Star of Bethlehem
01:00:10 Background of the Messiah
01:04:20 Roman emperors and astrology
01:07:30 Astrology and Fate become entwined
01:08:17 Apocalyptic Judaism
01:10:58 Debates in Christianity about astrology and fate
01:12:00 The Talmud
01:15:53 Talmudic Astrology Source Sheet
01:20:50 Mazel Tov phrase astrological meaning
01:23:29 Debates in Talmud about Mazel
01:29:30 Changing your fate in Judaism
01:34:09 Ptolemy on fate
01:36:09 Christian defense of astrology in middle ages
01:37:09 Aristotelian view vs Neo-Platonic
01:40:24 Zodiac mosaics in synagogues in first seven centuries CE
01:51:09 Jewish astrologers in 8th century and beyond
01:53:10 Jewish astrologer Masha’allah
01:55:02 Is there such thing as a Jewish astrology?
01:56:30 More about Masha'allah
02:01:00 Chart of the founding of Baghdad
02:02:50 Sefer Yetzirah and Tree of Life
02:12:11 Planetary assignments in Tree of Life
02:14:05 Saturn as a feminine planet
02:21:14 Jewish astrologer Abraham ibn Ezra
02:31:30 Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions and messiah predictions
02:35:36 More about Abraham ibn Ezra
02:38:06 Jewish legal code and astrology
02:40:48 Justin's YouTube and website
02:42:40 Closing remarks
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Watch the video version of this episode on Jewish views on astrology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i4uI7gFEpw
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 310 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode

Jun 25, 2021 • 1h 51min
July 2021 Astrology Forecast: Mars ☍ Saturn, Jupiter → Aquarius
Episode 309 features our monthly astrological forecast for July 2021, with astrologers Austin Coppock, Chris Brennan, and special guest co-host Jo Gleason.
The month begins with some tense configurations, such as Mars opposing Saturn and squaring Uranus, thus triggering the Saturn-Uranus square that has been ongoing this year.
Later in the month things cool down a bit when Jupiter retrogrades back into Aquarius, and Mars departs from Leo and completes the sign-based aspects with Saturn and Uranus.
Our two lunations this month are a New Moon in Cancer and a Full Moon in Aquarius.
This episode is available on both audio and video versions below.
Astrology Calendar For July 2021
Here is our planetary alignments calendar with the astrology of July:
Auspicious Astrological Date for July
The most auspicious astrological date we could find in July is:
July 8, 2021, at 10:30 AM, with 13 Virgo rising
There are several other charts for July that are available in our subscription electional astrology podcast.
Timestamps
Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:52 Animation overview of July astrology
00:01:54 Welcoming Jo Gleason as guest co-host
00:03:41 Saturn-Uranus square activated by Mars
00:17:54 Venus in Leo
00:20:37 Mars-Uranus square exact near 4th of July
00:24:22 Bitcoin dive with Jupiter in Pisces
00:27:35 Second Saturn-Uranus square + Texas power issues
00:30:05 Saturn return in Aquarius reflections
00:32:22 Bo Burnham Saturn return special
00:33:50 Fixed signs as ongoing issues
00:35:15 Jupiter in Pisces and society opening up again
00:42:55 Jupiter retrograding back into Aquarius
00:49:45 Mercury square Neptune
00:52:01 Neptune stationing in Pisces and UFO report
00:53:15 Auspicious electional chart for July
00:56:19 Solar Fire and Astro Gold astrology software
00:58:20 Lunations, eclipses, and New Moon in Cancer
01:12:30 Moon-Venus-Mars conjunction in Leo
01:16:40 Full Moon in Aquarius
01:23:00 Jupiter returns to Aquarius
01:28:15 Mars opposes Jupiter
01:35:35 Glimpse at August
01:36:30 Jupiter in Aquarius for us personally
01:41:07 Chris maybe recording an audio book
01:43:02 Short overview of the forecast
01:43:35 What we have going on next month
01:46:12 President of France slapped: Mars on DSC
01:48:10 Wrapping up
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Here is the video version of this episode on the July astrology forecast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjT3pwOmEUc
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 309 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Jun 21, 2021 • 2h
Herbalism and Astrology: Connecting Plants and Planets
Episode 308 features an interview with Diana Rose Harper and Sarah Corbett about herbalism and astrology, and the connection between plants and planets.
Herbalism is the study and practice of the medicinal and therapeutic use of plants, and traditionally astrology was used in conjunction with it in order to enhance the effectiveness and personalization of certain treatments.
During the course of the episode we talk about how Sarah and Diana have integrated their knowledge of astrology with the practice of herbalism in order to develop a deeper understanding of both fields.
Diana and Sarah are launching an online course on herbalism and astrology next month, and you can find out more information about it on their website:
CaelesteNatura.com
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Watch the video version of this episode on astrology and herbalism on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g0YW1nuLtw
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 308 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

51 snips
Jun 16, 2021 • 2h 14min
Mercury in Astrology: Significations and Meanings
Astrologer Jo Gleason discusses Mercury's significance in astrology, from education to communication styles and artistic pursuits. The podcast delves into Mercury's retrograde cycles, unique traits, and its impact on communication and speech. Examples of Mercury placements in birth charts are highlighted, with a focus on Virgo traits and Gemini characteristics shaped by Mercury. The episode explores Mercury's multifaceted meanings, contrasting roles with Jupiter, and gratitude for listeners' support.

Jun 11, 2021 • 1h 34min
Practicing Astrology Professionally: Making the Transition
Episode 306 features a discussion with astrologer Claire Moon about the process of making the transition into practicing astrology professionally, and some considerations for becoming a full-time astrologer.
Over the past few years Claire has made the transition to practicing astrology full-time and making that her primary career, and so we sat down to discuss what that has been like, and talk about some things people should think about if they are considering making that transition.
Parts of the discussion also centered around what it is like to be a normal person who practices astrology, and how it can be kind of tricky sometimes interacting with people or institutions in your life who may view that as a weird thing.
For more information about Claire check out her website:
AligningLightAstrology.com
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Watch the video version of this episode on becoming a professional astrologer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJv_5z87_5U
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 306 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

May 27, 2021 • 2h 5min
June 2021 Astrology Forecast: Saturn Square Uranus Again
In episode 305 astrologers Diana Rose Harper, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan look at the astrological forecast for June 2021.
The astrology of June features Saturn square Uranus for the second time this year, plus a solar eclipse in Gemini, and Jupiter stationing retrograde in Pisces.
There is also a Mercury retrograde in Gemini that lasts most of the month, and Mars moves into Leo and begins forming a tense opposition with Saturn.
This episode is available in both video and audio versions below.
Archetypal Explorer
Our sponsor this month is Archetypal Explorer, which was used to make some of the graphics featured in this month's episode:
Archetypal Explorer is a subscription-based astrology program that runs in a browser and generates beautiful transit graphs for different planetary transits.
Sign up for a free 7-day trial at: ArchetypalExplorer.com
More From Diana, Austin, and Chris
Here are links to our websites mentioned at the end of the episode:
ddamascenaa.com
AustinCoppock.com
SphereAndSundry.com
HellenisticAstrology.com/book/
Astrological Alignments for June
Here is out planetary alignments calendar for June:
Auspicious Astrological Date for June
The most auspicious astrological date we could find in June is:
June 12, 2021 at 12:30 AM, with 2 Pisces rising
There are several other charts for June that are available in our private subscriber-only electional astrology podcast.
Timestamps
Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:37 June overview animation
00:02:00 Diane Rose Harper introduction
00:02:54 Saturn square Uranus
00:05:15 Late May 2021 astrology
00:07:30 Jupiter in Pisces stories
00:16:14 UFOs and Jupiter in Pisces
00:24:26 Jupiter stationing retrograde
00:25:20 Jupiter's absence from Aquarius
00:30:50 Eclipse season
00:31:28 Bitcoin and eclipses
00:35:25 Eclipse with Mercury retrograde
00:37:50 Meaning of the nodes
00:39:25 Solar eclipse in Gemini on June 10
00:44:05 Eclipse series in 2021
00:47:18 How to look at eclipses in your chart
00:52:03 Saturn square Uranus = flash mob
00:57:30 Saturn Square Uranus and Labor
01:06:12 Archetypal Explorer
01:09:30 Mars enters Leo June 11
01:12:49 Astrology in the Wild
01:16:43 Mars in Leo
01:20:13 June electional chart
01:24:30 More about Mars in Leo
01:32:07 Saturn in Aquarius
01:39:05 Tips for astrological consultations
01:44:52 Mercury Direct and Sun enters Cancer
01:45:50 Sun Trine Jupiter
01:47:33 Full Moon in Capricorn on June 24
01:49:18 Re-hydrating of social and spiritual life
01:53:03 Neptune stations retrograde on June 24
01:54:14 Diana's upcoming work
01:57:06 Austin's upcoming work
01:59:58 Chris' upcoming work
02:02:02 Closing remarks
Watch the Video Version of This Episode
Here is the video version of this episode on the June astrology forecast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYRl7cKbIU
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Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

May 20, 2021 • 2h 23min
How to Read an Ephemeris
In episode 304 astrologer Patrick Watson joins the show to talk about how to use an ephemeris to study the movements of the planets in astrology.
An ephemeris is a book of planetary positions that lists where the planets will be in the zodiac in the past, present, or future.
In the past it was used by astrologers in order to calculate birth charts by hand, but these days it is mainly useful for studying planetary transits and cycles.
During the course of the episode we give a detailed introduction to the ephemeris, talk about some of the things you can do with it, and how to use it to improve your technical skills as an astrologer.
For more information about Patrick check out his website:
PatrickWatsonAstrology.com
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Ephemeris Episode Outline and Show Notes
Here is an outline of some of the main points discussed in the episode:
Definition: what is an ephemeris?
Definition from Google/Oxford Languages:
“a table or data file giving the calculated positions of a celestial object at regular intervals throughout a period.”
“a book or set of such tables or files.”
An ephemeris is just a listing of planetary positions.
A handy way of tabulating the data.
Gives you the ability to look at large compilations of data at a glance.
Pronounced e·phem·er·is
Ephemeris is the singular, while the plural is ephemerides.
There are different types of ephemerides
Astrodienst ephemeris available online for free (Swiss Ephemeris)
Astro.com > All about astrology > 9000 years ephemeris
Astro-Seek ephemeris:
Astro-seek.com > Astro Tools > Ephemeris Tables
The American Ephemeris is the printed ephemeris we use and recommend
It is the most common one among US astrologers at this point.
So we will focus on that and the Astrodienst ephemeris
There are different varieties of the American ephemeris.
Primary difference is year ranges
How the main one to get at this point is the trans-century ephemeris for 1950-2050
Midnight versus noon ephemeris
Midnight version starts the day at midnight
Noon version starts the day at noon
Difference is negligible for most planets, so either will do.
I usually use the noon version so that you know where the planets are mid-day
Prerequisites for using an ephemeris
Memorizing the glyphs for planets and signs
Memorizing the aspects ranges between planets
Understanding planetary movements
Ephemeris displays longitudinal movements of the planets through signs of the zodiac
Along the ecliptic, which is the path of the Sun
Breaking down the info shown on a page of the American Ephemeris
Month, year, day
All the planets and their longitudes and whether direct or retro
Stations, ingresses, last aspect of Moon
Moon phases and eclipses
Miscellaneous astro data: asteroids, galactic center, mean node
Direct versus retrograde motion
American Ephemeris shades retrograde planets, which is a nice feature
Seeing how fast or slow different planets move.
It shows what degree and minute each planet is at at the start of the day
Unless you use the noon version
You have to infer based on planetary speed where it is during the day
For that reason the ephemeris is pretty approximate for planets like the Moon.
Astrologers used to have to calculate charts by hand based on the ephemeris
Also needed an atlas for time zone changes
Table of houses
These days all computer programs run on a digital ephemeris
Astrodienst licenses their Swiss Ephemeris for developers
Astrolabe licenses the ACS Atlas licenses their atlas for developers.
Book for calculating charts
Simply Math: A Comprehensive Guide to Easy & Accurate Chart Calculation, Lauran Fowks and Lynn Sellon
Used to surprise me that astro programs are not real time,

May 13, 2021 • 1h 45min
Astrology Consultations: Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Reading
In episode 303 astrologers Leisa Schaim and Chris Brennan talk about some tips for getting the most out of an astrological consultation as a client, as well as some possible pitfalls to avoid.
The topic for this episode was based on a question sent in by a listener named Kayley-Rae (@_kr_craft on Instagram):
"I think people would love to hear how to be a good client in a natal chart consultation. How to prepare? What questions to ask? How to assist the astrologer. I feel like you’ve discussed how to perform consultations but I’m not sure if receiving a consultation has been covered."
During the course of the episode we talk about how to chose an astrologer that is right for you, having appropriate expectations for the consultation, the importance of having a dialogue with the astrologer, and more.
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Show Notes
Here are the show notes that summarize some of the main points in the episode:
This is a good topic both for clients and for astrologers alike.
Things to think about as a client
Things to think about as an astrologer in terms of how you present yourself.
Choosing an astrologer:
Know what you’re looking for, and choose an appropriate astrologer for you.
Different astrologers specialize in different things
Difference topic specialties (career, relationships, etc.)
Different astrological approaches (modern, Hellenistic, medieval)
Different branches (natal, horary, electional, etc.)
Different house systems
Different zodiacs
If you’re not sure, it is fine to ask questions before scheduling.
Signing up/scheduling
Different offerings - one consult can’t cover everything
State clearly if there are any topics you’d like to focus on.
Don’t say too little or too much about what you’d like to discuss
Astrologer will prepare best if they know what you want to discuss
Have appropriate expectations
It’s one conversation vs. your whole life experience
Different angles on/insights into chart
Some placements can be more or less relevant at different stages of life
Same placements can have multiple manifestations, esp over time
Preparation:
You can ask individual astrologer if any prep would be helpful
Sometimes looking back at past dates
Especially if you’re asking about particular thing, dates can be helpful
Expect to have a dialogue
Don't talk too much
Don't talk too little
Don't try to test the astrologer.
Giving information is context for the chart
Will allow the astrologer to do their job better, not just cold reading.
Kind of like doctor’s appointment w/just labs and not explaining symptoms
Give feedback so they know if on right track or need to change gears
It’s not supposed to be a passive experience, unless pre-recorded
Keep an open mind, but be honest if something doesn’t fit
Let the astrologer use the approach they use
Don’t ask them to switch house systems, comment on things they don’t use, etc.
Sometimes you can learn more by being exposed to a new approach.
Can sometimes be better to lead with questions about life topics vs. placements
Sometimes preconceptions about supposed meanings get in the way
You just won’t get as much out of the consult otherwise
Expectations of what is and isn’t possible, how specific one can be
Don’t ask lots of follow-up questions via email afterwards
Different astrologers can have different policies about this
If it’s very soon after and just a clarification, might be ok
Otherwise it can be best to do another session, or sit with the current one for a bit
Remember that you will have the recording after.
Can always re-listen to it later.
Most astrologers offer this.
Astrologers: think about how you present yourself
How can you better describe your services to answer some of these questions.