Kenneth D. Miller, MA
Hello and Welcome to the end of summer/beginning of Autumn at SDAS! This month I would like to give a real-life example of how geographical location impacts astrological signification. Quite some time ago I attended an astrological retreat in upstate New York. The teachers included two Western astrologers, one Indian/Vedic astrologer, and one Tibetan astrologer (San Diego’s own the now late Jhampa Kalsang). Every evening, interested attendees could put their birth data in a hat and a few would be randomly drawn for cold readings. The lucky individual would get to hear what each astrologer had to say about their life. These readings were totally cold, the astrologers had no idea who in the audience they had selected. A complete blank slate.
On the first evening, birth data was randomly drawn from the hat. One by one each astrologer would delineate the birth chart, analyzing character, career, and other life details. For this particular one, each astrologer in turn noted how for the career the chart it seemed to indicate Real Estate. Even the Tibetan astrologer using his methods noted how the chart indicated a successful career in real estate or property management. As the last of these four prominent astrologers finished with their analysis, they asked for the individual whose chart had been thoroughly discussed to stand up and evaluate their handiwork. An older gentleman identified himself as the owner of the chart in question. Since all the astrologers had concurred on the career path that was the first question they asked him: “Are you involved with real estate?” “No,” he replied, “But I am a successful farmer.” What went wrong? How did all four astrologers miss this? Is vocation too complicated to accurately predict with astrology? Well, that may be true, but in this case, it was likely because all four astrologers had their professional practice in metropolitan areas, whose clients were by and large city folk. Of course, the indications for “real estate” are the same that in another age, place, and time would indicate “farmer”! Our city-slicker astrologers (even the Tibetan) were used to city-dwelling clients. It didn’t occur to anyone that in Upstate New York, an area known for agriculture, the indications they had read as “real estate” would likely mean “farming and cultivation.” This is what Ptolemy meant, you have to take into consideration the Place and the natural opportunities that arise from the causality of location. Perhaps in the next issue, I’ll give an example of Ptolemy’s third set of causes: “Rearing and habit” and how our obsession over examining celebrity charts can warp our ability to be accurate with “everyday” clients. And speaking of location, remember to park underground when you arrive at the Joyce Beers Community Center for our meetings on Fridays September 8th and October 13th! Hope to see YOU then.