WORK WITH ASTROLOGY

This is a brief introduction to a highly complex and comprehensive system, which bears little relationship to the familiar sun-sign ‘horoscopes’ found in the newspapers. These deal in an abridged and generalised way with just one aspect of our birth-chart – the sign the Sun was in when we were born. The word horoscope means ‘map of the hour’. Our horoscope, or birth chart, shows the exact position of each planet at the moment of our birth, and is as unique as our finger-print. The science of Astrology has been painstakingly researched and refined over thousands of years. It charts the movements of ten planets, through twelve signs and twelve houses. It looks at the relationships of the planets to each other and to the system. It looks at the positions of planets now, in relation to their positions at the time we were born.

Each planet is associated with the characteristics of the deity after which it is named. For example, Neptune is seen as dreamy, creative and sometimes confused. Each Zodiac sign is also associated with one of the four elements (Earth, Fire, Air, Water) and demonstrates the qualities of that element. Each sign also has its own distinctive qualities. These factors ‘colour’ the attributes of planets found in the sign, for example, warlike Mars in fiery Aries might behave aggressively, whereas Mars in dreamy Pisces might have trouble making its presence felt. Poetic Neptune might feel ‘like a fish out of water’ in practical Capricorn.

The planets could be seen as actors on a stage and the signs as costumes, some of which fit well, and some quite the opposite. Planetary energies are also affected by their position in relation to each other and to areas of Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable energy. Then there are twelve Houses, representing the various stages of our journey through life and the way we interact with our environment. To borrow a phrase from psychology, the signs could be said to represent ‘nature’ and the houses ‘nurture’. The appearance of planets in particular houses may either help or hinder our passage at that point.

Whatever our opinions regarding the validity of astrology, there is no doubt that it is a marvellous tool for writers. Once the basic principles are understood, we have only to choose a time, date and location for our character’s birth – and endless possibilities for their development are revealed to us. Nowadays we do not even have to face the laborious task of drawing up a chart, as there are numerous software packages which will do it for us (see Useful addresses).

There are also specialised branches of astrology geared to specific purposes. Of particular interest to writers are:

• 1.Age-point astrology used by the Huber school (see Useful addresses) to chart significant periods in an individual’s life.
• 2.Horary astrology which answers questions by drawing up a chart for the moment when the question was posed (great for crime writers).
• 3.Synastry which compares the chart of two individuals to discover the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship.
• 4.Decumbiture which was used hundreds of years ago by physicians and herbalists as a guide to prescribing remedies (useful for historical novelists).
• 5.Astrocartography advises on a choice of location, and the experiences we might have there at certain times.

Checklist

Astrology is an excellent tool for writers. Among other things it helps us to:

• know our characters thoroughly
• plot the course of a character’s life
• answer questions on any aspect which puzzles us
• see how two characters might relate
• decide the best location for our story.

All ‘inner wisdom’ techniques, including Astrology, work in conjunction with our own energies. Your birth-chart, your dreams, your reactions to words, images, people, places, situations are just that – yours. A good astrologer, like a good dream worker or good Tarot consultant, will not ‘tell you what it means’.

He or she will explore the territory with you and facilitate your discovery of what it means to you. A similar journey of discovery is involved when using these techniques to enhance your writing. Some of my students have been concerned that the use of such methods is somehow ‘cheating’. Not so – the wisdom is yours, the journey is yours, the work is yours. In this chapter you have been considering some of the ways in which you can access and make use of your own creative power.

Using these methods, we are reminded that our ‘inner workings’ are reflected in the outside world when we find ourselves drawing the same cards, numbers and symbols again and again during certain periods of our lives, or while engaged with a certain character. Some we might never draw, while a friend seems to draw them constantly. Deep inside we know the answers. These systems act as powerful tools, enabling us to contact that place of knowing for ourselves, for our characters and ultimately – if that is our intention – for our readers.