Mapping Your Life Story with Astrology

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend an all day astrology seminar right here in Oxford with Bernadette Brady – I’ve heard her speak before and she is brilliant. The topic of today – was Mapping Your Life Story.

She  gave us three fantastic techniques for mapping our life story:

(1) Progressed Sun – By progressing one’s natal chart one day – we map our the arc of our entire life ‘experience’ – for example, I was born when the Sun was at 5 degrees Libra. Hence my first experiences in life was finding balance and maintaining diplomacy (i.e. “I will do whatever you want me to do if only you will like me”). Next, at age 25 years, my progressed Sun moves in Scorpio where “passion” (deep-seated jealousies, dark desires, dangerous fantasies) take over the soul. Needless to say, I married a Scorpio (born on the full moon) and in many respects, I consider myself lucky to still be alive). At last, the prize – at about age 55 years my progressed Sun moves into Sagittarius and I can finally see ‘the light of day’. But to date, that hasn’t exactly been a bowl of cherries either – for I am beginning to realise the fruits of my labours aren’t as worthwhile as I had planned.

(2) Progressed Moon/Sun cycle – each month – every 28 days – the moon goes through her 8 phases – vis a vis her position with the sun. But let us not forget that by progression each individual’s progressed natal sun and progressed natal moon goes through the same 8 phases every 28 years (3 ½ years for each phase):

NEW MOON – beginnings – the seed germinates

1^st QUARTER – rapid growth – the seed becomes a seedling

GIBBOUS – manifestation – the seedling starts to bear fruit

FULL MOON – harvest time!

DISSEMINATING – time to turn the harvest into something tangible

3^rd QUARTER – take that something tangible to ‘market’

BALSAMIC –prune and go fallow – making room for new growth

NEW MOON – beginnings (again)!

1. My current cycle started in with the New Moon in 1993-1997 when I moved from Boston to Amsterdam to take up a whole new life – where I fell in love with my husband and astrology.
2. From 1997 – 2000, during the 1^st Quarter, I moved to London and studied with Liz Greene at the Centre for Psychological Astrology.
3. During the Gibbous phase (2004-2007), I left my job as an international tax lawyer and studied religion, spirituality, and astrology at the graduate level at the University of Kent at Canterbury.
4. During the Full Moon (2007-2010), I stared writing fiction in earnest using ideas and new philosophies developed from 1997 to 2010.
5. During the Disseminating phase (2010-2014), I’ve continued writing fiction and honing my writing skills to a higher level at the University of Oxford through studying creative writing and English literature
6. During the 3^rd quarter (2014 – 2019), I’m bringing my first really good novel (which combines astrology, Eastern spirituality, and the world of international finance (which I’ve experienced first hand for years in my ‘day job) to market. And according to my Firdaria (see next technique) June 2019 will be a very good time for me in this regard.
7. During the Balsamic phase (2019-2023), I will be letting things go in preparation for the next new moon.
8. During the New Moon phase, starting in 2023 when I’ll be 70 years old, I’ll start out a brand new course of action!

(3) FIRDARIA – this technique is based on ancient Islamic astrology which came to the West in the 13^th century. It relies on dividing one’s life into irregular ‘planetary periods’ in ruled by particular planets and sub-planets. In this regard, a diurnal chart (Sun above the horizon) is treated differently than a nocturnal chart (Sun below the horizon).

My chart is nocturnal and so the planetary periods of my nodes (north and south) fell in 1992-1995.

According to Bernadette, this time represented periods of significant upheaval (some might even say karmic) – well, needless to say this is the period I nearly died (literally) as I struggled to survive the backlash from that Scorpio first husband. Trust me, this caught my eye. There’s something to this stuff, I assure you.

Currently I’m in my Venus/Mars Firdaria and because my Venus in Virgo is in detriment, it wants alternative expression – well why else did I write a novels using astrology as my structuring device during this time?  Hmmm.  Not only that, but because my natal Venus is conjunct Mars in the 3^rd house (writing – oh hello), the Venus/Mars Firdaria may prove a time of consolidation for my writing – publisher here I come?

Well… maybe…but according to Bernadette, my biggest success in publishing will come in 2019 with my Mercury/Saturn Firdaria (Mercury is my signature planet – with Cancer rising and the Moon in Gemini as well as my natal Mercury in a tight conjunction in Libra (air – Mercury loves air signs) with Saturn/Neptune) and of course that cheerful Venus/Mars conjunction in the 3^rd house in Virgo (Mercury both rules and is exalted in Virgo and is the natural ruler of the 3^rd house).

And don’t forget that Saturn (which is required for physical manifestation) is exalted (very happy) in Libra (as it should be).