Astrology and the Flow of Life Part 2

By : N. C. Syminghton 1/09/2002

Previously in Astrology and the Flow of Life Part I, I raised the possibility that you can consciously influence the quality of your experiences by understanding the meanings of the planets, being aware of upcoming cycles or transits, and then choosing a feature or side of each planet that you wish to experience. Practice of this technique - and it does require practice - will yield greater self-awareness and command of your life, to name a couple of the benefits.

By observing ourselves, along with those around us, we recognize how differently each of us may handle the situations that we come across. The approach for some is more tentative than others, or more independent, more persistent, more suspicious, more open, etc. Although responses vary greatly with many gradations, the horoscope of each of us can clearly reveal our predispositions to life. In particular, the Ascendant, or rising sign, is a good indicator of the way we manage all that we encounter. It tends to show how we are "hardwired" to process the events that continually shape our lives.

In general, someone with a Capricorn Ascendant typically will view their life experiences as a series of trials (which they often are), while someone with a Sagittarius Ascendant is more likely to see similar situations as opportunities. Of course, all factors of a birth chart must be considered in evaluating each person, yet as a rule of thumb, the Ascendant gives an accurate read on how each of us will predictably respond, no matter what we encounter.

More broadly speaking, human beings tend to fear the future, or at least its uncertainty makes many of us apprehensive. It is as though we are reluctant risk takers who have had enough losses to recognize the possibility of a future outcome that is negative - thereby coloring our approach to what lies ahead.

I mention these predisposed tendencies because they serve to shape our responses to the past, present, and future. Specifically, they affect our ability to influence the outcome of upcoming transits, or cycles, using the technique I described earlier. Given that you are hardwired to a certain extent in your approach to life, what steps can you take to consciously and positively influence the quality of your experiences?

First, read about your Ascendant by accessing the About Me section on our Website. You will find it under "How you appear to others." For a more in depth look, you can go to Astro Reports where you can purchase one or several astrology reports (in the About Me area) that provide even more information on this all-important attribute of who you are. Reflecting on the descriptions of your Ascendant, recognize how it colors the way you view yourself and the world around you. Understand the different ways the Ascendant can appear and seek to manifest its positive features - or the ones you like.

Second, go to the Major Events section of our Website and become familiar with its features, especially its capacity for unlimited access to the dates of transits, or cycles, in your past as well as in your future. In exploring the past, look at those years that had a major impact upon you and read the text on the transits for those years. Reflect on how you responded to the important events of your existence.

At the time of its occurrence, did you always put a positive spin on each significant turning point in your life, did you sometimes, or did you never? What about now as you look back on those important periods? If you are honest in performing this retrospective, I believe it will show what you perceived as negative at the time actually has proven - in the long run - to be positive, or at least to have redeeming qualities.

This exercise of reading about and reliving your past should demonstrate the importance of perception and how it can change over time even though past events have not.

From this can come the realization that no matter what is on the horizon for you, it will have elements that are for the good. With that perception or intention, you face the future with a better chance of getting the most out of whatever is in store for you. Add to this some knowledge of what each planet means, and your choice to experience the best they have to offer can become a reality.

The last step is to revisit Major Events, and this time look ahead and read the text for future cycles. Do you get apprehensive when you read about a certain transit? It's natural if you do, because as stated earlier, we human beings tend to fear what we don't know. Yet, past events are something you do know, and from the astrological perspective, a finite number of planets make a finite number of transits to an equally finite number of natal planets.

Cycles repeat - not necessarily in the exact same way - but the basic pattern is the same. If you believe that Saturn is a recurring negative, then guess what? It will be that way for you. But if you have honestly assessed Saturn transits from your past, you become aware of the positive elements that Saturn can signify. Maybe you cannot see these in the midst of its transit, but over time, you can recognize the useful lessons it brings.

Such knowledge makes all the difference when preparing for the future, since you now understand that all events - and therefore all transits - have something worthwhile to offer. The planets are limited in number, and so patterns repeat themselves over and over. What can change, however, is how you perceive them. Strive to manifest the best in each planet as it influences, or symbolizes, the steps in your journey.

Does this sound like a lot of work? Well, yes it is, but it can be fun - and very rewarding - as you become familiar with the planetary energies. Your efforts will enhance the quality of your existence, and you will definitely get a lot more out of life, allowing you to move ahead more rapidly rather than to repeat the same lesson over and over again until you "get it."

Astrology offers a remarkable set of tools. Like any set of tools, however, knowing how to use them creates the benefits. Applying this one method I have outlined can help transform the quality of your experiences, especially if you are in the habit of being reactive rather than proactive. Astrology is not a panacea, but it does represent the framework of predictable patterns that shape life - your life. How you respond to these patterns is up to you. Being attuned to what they can mean and choosing the meaning you desire, you not only become a more conscious participant in the flow of life, you also can influence its direction.

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