New Article on Meaning-Making and Spiritual Guidance with Astrology published at The Evolving Astrologer

I'm happy to share that my article on meaning-making and spiritual guidance with astrologer has been published in the recent issue of THe Evolving Astrologer, the OPA publication. The whole issue is focused on healing and astrology of health. Happy Spring Equinox everyone! Here is the full text of the article: From Meaning-Making to Spiritual Guidance: Astrological Theories and Applications

To R. Zoller for his pioneering work on spiritual guidance and Arabic parts

Introduction

People have been drawn to astrology for meaning and guidance since ancient times. While questions regarding practical and mundane matters are arguably more common in astrologers' practice and addressed in abundant detail in astrological texts from antiquity to the present day, the underlying search for meaning remains an important psychological and spiritual pursuit. This search is one of the significant reasons people feel fascinated by astrology1. Psychologically, the process of meaning-making helps us cope with the stresses of life, bringing more acceptance, clarity, and certainty.

Multiple studies have shown that the study of astrology has other psychological benefits, such as verification of self-concept, reduced feelings of uncertainty, or better acceptance and peace in the face of calamity. But its value goes much further.1,12 Astrology is uniquely positioned to offer a bridge to the Divinity within. It can guide seekers towards self-discovery, realization of one's purpose, and a deeper connection with the Self 2. The experience of the Self (the Divine/the unchanging part of every being) is often propelled by spiritual counseling – something astrology is uniquely positioned to provide. In this article, the connection between meaning-making as a process and finding spiritual guidance with astrology is examined, along with astrological techniques that may be used for that purpose. Meaning-making and providing spiritual counseling can be healing for both the guide and the guided and bring expansions of consciousness and a deeper appreciation of life.

What is meaning-making and why is it important?

According to Webster’s unabridged dictionary, the term meaning has several denotations: the first indicates “the thing one intends to convey especially by language;” the second indicates an intention or an aim; the third, a significant quality; and the fourth, “the logical connotation of a word or phrase”.3 Astrologers usually focus on intentionality or significance of meaning when they interpret charts and make their recommendations. In other words, for the client unfamiliar with astrology, Saturn's transit to their 7th house has no meaning until a discussion with the astrologer illuminates its significance. Thus the role of the astrologer is to collaborate in making meaning from the client's experiences through the use of astrology and its techniques.

Many psychologists and philosophers define the quest for meaning as fundamental to human nature and paramount for psychological well-being. Frankl, in his famous book Man’s Search for Meaning, posited that finding meaning is an essential psychological drive. He termed this a will-to-meaning and traced some forms of neurosis to the failure of the sufferer to find meaning and a sense of responsibility in his existence. The astrologer can help clients find meaning in their experiences and take responsibility for their lives – a process that could lead to mental and spiritual healing.

In Frankl's experience as a Nazi concentration camp survivor, he noted that people who felt their life had meaning sustained hardship with more resiliency. For Frankl, the ultimate meaning of life extends beyond the logical understanding of one's experience or suffering. In his words, “Man is required not to endure the meaninglessness of life, but rather to bear his incapacity to grasp its unconditional meaningfulness in rational terms. Logos is deeper than logic.” Logos is a Greek word that denotes “meaning.” 4

Other theorists share this view of the meaningfulness of life transcending logical and intellectual understanding. In Networks of Meaning, Hardy considered the creation of meaning one of the most primordial characteristics of consciousness. “The generation of meaning is, in itself, an organizing process shaping reality, while the mind is, in turn, shaped by a reality endowed with meaning. Attributing meaning is a mental act that pervades and organizes all experiences.”5

Psychological research shows that meaning-making is healing. It helps people adjust and overcome stressful situations with better adaptability. For example, studies investigating the relationship between religiosity/spirituality and psychological adjustment to stress concluded that the ability to find meaning and peace contributed to a better quality of life and the ability to sustain challenges.6

In the author's dissertation research, she discovered that the study of astrology provides a unique and adaptable system of meaning-making. People who turn to astrology find that it helps them cope with challenging and chaotic experiences and provides a larger philosophical and spiritual context for their experiences. In addition, astrology offers a fluid metaphoric language that allows for evolving meanings of the same experience. It helps us continuously reorganize our understanding and accommodate increasing insight and inner growth. “New meanings are found in relation to a broader philosophical or spiritual context provided by astrology. The new meanings emerge in the process of comparison between subjective understanding of one’s experience and symbolic meaning associated with astrological symbolism such as planetary transits concurrent with the experience, or natal chart interpretations applied to concrete situations. When accurate correlations are found, the participants’ subjective experience becomes illuminated, which produces a shift in understanding from ego-centric and subjective to a broader, Universe-centric perspective.”1

This uniquely positions astrology as a discipline capable of expanding one's perception, meaning-making, and spiritual growth – all processes that lead to healing and greater satisfaction in life. Many people come to astrology looking for answers they could not find in other spiritual traditions and for the practical methods unique to astrology.

The Divine Nature of Astrology

Astrologers are endowed with the ability to transcend the seeming meaninglessness of life, as astrology is based on the philosophy of a meaningful and conscious Universe. Traditionally, planets were understood as messengers or conduits between the Higher realms and the material world. In Plato's cosmology, planets and signs convey messages and influences from the realm of Spirit and pure form to the material world, which includes people, animals, and nature. This communication can be two-sided. We can call upon planetary energies from the material plane (when practicing astrological magic, for example) or apprehend the meaning of higher realms by analyzing planets and signs in nativities or horary charts.7

From its foundation and for a large part of its history, astrology was considered a Divine science. For example, in Ancient Astrology, Firmicus Maternus stated: “It is clear that all we experience comes from the planets that goad us with fiery stings. Even what we struggle against comes from the divine Soul. But as for human laws which punish the sins of mankind, the wise men of old ordained them rightly. They bring aid to the suffering spirit to help the force of the divine Mind clean the destructive vices of the body.”8

Due to various political and ideological challenges in the past thousand years, and especially as a result of the separation between science and theology, astrology lost its connection to its metaphysical foundations. It has been largely discredited as pseudo-science. We have witnessed a revival of traditional Western astrology in the past 30-40 years. However, the esoteric roots of astrology remain largely unknown to practitioners, who more commonly approach the subject as a natural science devoid of its Divine meaning. Zoller, in Arabic Parts, points out that the lost esoteric aspect of astrology makes people lose the meaning embedded in it. “The emphasis on a mechanistic, materialistic universe has harmed astrology certainly as much as it has the other arts and sciences. In the insistent quest for a material cause behind every phenomenon, all astrological doctrines – including the parts—that are not immediately understandable in terms of physical astronomy come under question.”2 He posits that astrology is a spiritual discipline that studies the Nature of Creation from a metaphysical standpoint and cannot be approached purely from the mechanistic paradigm.

In modern times, many researchers tried unsuccessfully to fit astrology into the natural science paradigm. They attempted to prove it with statistical methods, which produced inconclusive or negative results.1,9 New schools of astrology create new methods and techniques going further and further away from the esoteric and philosophical origins of our discipline. While astrology needs to stay in tune with modern challenges and needs, knowing its esoteric roots is essential to fully understand all that it can offer. Another problem is that astrology does not fit in with the methods of natural science, despite having observable natural expressions, such as weather, political affairs, or human behavior. It does not fit into an object-subject dualism or observer-observed research model based on a materialistic approach to science, void of a metaphysical understanding of Creation.

As stated earlier, as we make meaning with astrology (be it the mundane analysis, personality traits, or horary delineations), the observer's mind shapes reality and is shaped, in turn, by the meanings it finds. It is a paradox that each astrologer must grapple with. While we attempt to make the most informed and accurate interpretations, we cannot be entirely objective, and our minds or engagement with the process is an integral part of the astrological interpretation. This is true for natural sciences as well: the mind of the researcher is an integral part of the conclusions drawn from studies.

What is the phenomenological approach to astrology and science?

In the 20th century, new approaches to research in psychology and social sciences were developed based on the works of Heidegger and other philosophers of phenomenology. Heidegger formulated and answered questions about the meaning of Being from a different perspective. He asserted that the nature of a phenomenon may be understood through its apparent manifestations. This is not the phenomenon itself, but the phenomenon “making itself known through something that shows itself.” For example, the appearance of symptoms of illness that show themselves and indicate something (the illness; the disturbance in the body) that does not show itself. The essence of what is not showing itself can be understood through appearances.10From the point of view of phenomenology, no dichotomy exists between an object and a subject, and “the reality of an object is only perceived within the meaning of the experience of an individual”. In the phenomenological approach, there is no “objective” truth outside of the observer; truth reveals itself through the experiences and consciousness of the observer. The author argues that the study of astrology is a phenomenological experience where accurate interpretations can only be known through the meaning that astrologers make in their minds. This view does not deny the ability for truthful analysis or forecasting – it asserts that the mind of an astrologer is an integral part of interpretation. This phenomenological approach may explain why astrologers from different schools of thought could be accurate in their interpretations. For example, interpretations of the same nativity cast in the sidereal versus tropical zodiac could change dramatically. Yet, experience shows that a skilled astrologer in either Western or Vedic tradition can provide accurate delineations that can be similar in their meaning but are derived from the analysis of different theoretical principles. An astrologer is more than an oracle—a mind connecting with the Cosmos and interpreting its messages. Astrologers have the opportunity to be healers and guides, leading their clients into fuller contact with the Self. Spiritual counseling can aid this.

What is spiritual guidance, and how can astrologers provide it?

Zoller states, “The aim of spiritual counseling is the discovery of the Self. The Self, the underlying, unchanging reality of every being, is the birthright of all mankind, yet it is all but unknown to the majority of us. The function of the spiritual counselor is to lead those who seek the Self to uncover it.”2 According to Wikipedia, spiritual guidance “is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the Divine, or to learn and grow in their spirituality.”3

Spiritual guidance is more than an interpretation of astrological symbolism; it is a practice that aids another person on the path to a deeper connection with the Self, and the Divinity within. Such practice requires a still mind and the capacity to be an observer of one's own emotional and mental processes. It is helped by the spiritual practices of meditation, mindfulness, prayer, or other methods of spiritual growth and expansion. If the astrologer achieves the right state of mind, what astrological techniques can be used to provide spiritual guidance to the clients?

Zoller advocated for the use of five astrological symbols for spiritual guidance. He identifies these as the most important points in a natal chart: the Sun, the Moon, the Ascendant, Lot of Fortune, and Lot of Spirit. His view is rooted in traditional astrology, where luminaries were considered the most representative of the Spirit (the Sun) incarnating in the body (the Moon). The Ascendant is a place of interaction between the inner and outer world, a funnel through which experiences are processed, and planets can express themselves. Firmicus Maternus mentions in his writings that when Divinity is “incarnating” through the body, we lose contact with it while in the physical body. Planets represent the compelling laws of nature, but our Divine Soul fights against imperfections.8 In this approach, meditation on these planets can guide our realization of the Divine purpose for incarnation.

The Sun represents our spiritual essence, heart, and Divine spark. The Moon represents the Soul, how past lives experiences are relevant to the present life tasks, and our profound desire for security. The Ascendant is a point of interaction between the heart's desires, passions, and needs and our circumstances in the world at large. The Lot of Fortune (LOF) and Lot of Spirit (LOS) represent significant mathematical relationships between the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. They provide astrologers with additional insight about a native's inner longing, luck, and physical/material comfort (LOF), and what Divine principles one worships and desires to express in response to our fortunes (LOS).

Abu Ma'shar described the Lot of Spirit, “its proper quality is to signify the soul and body and its being. And it signifies faith and prophecy, and secrets and thoughts and intentions and hidden and concealed matters, and everything of matters which absent.”11 LOS contains a lot of sublimated information, which can direct seekers towards one's secret intentions and spiritual destiny. To analyze the lots, we need to reflect on their house placement, zodiacal position, and respective rulers as helping or hindering realization. Challenging aspects to the lots indicate obstacles and interference, while harmonious aspects show support and luck in their expression.

There are other modern methods of providing spiritual guidance, such as working with the Lunar nodes to represent past karma (South Node) and future directions of growth (North node), Pluto placements in the houses (past) and their opposition (future), working with challenging aspects in the nativity for growth, or analyzing retrograde planets as indicators of past life lessons that have to be repeated. Due to the limited scope of this article, we will focus on the five points proposed by Zoller due to their significance in traditional astrology and continuing relevance. These principles can be used in other forms of astrology, from predictive to mundane.

Natal Example

Using Zoller’s five points, let’s consider an example. A female client in her 40s had been successful in her corporate career but felt a growing sense of dissatisfaction, and lack of meaning in her work. She sought guidance for the best professional direction for her, which would better align with her sense of purpose and heart. In the nativity, the Sun is placed in the 2nd House in Aries in conjunction with Mercury. Emphasis on the second house showed that financial success through her efforts would be important. Despite the client’s good earning ability, she felt something was missing. The client sometimes felt like an impostor, having been in the right place at the right time but not finding a sense of purpose or meaning in what she offered to the world. The Sun represents an essential quality of her spiritual nature, which she wants to express. Placed in Aries (fire, masculine, cardinal sign), it was paramount for her to be a leader and pioneer and live her life in a more spiritually active and meaningful way. Mercury's conjunction with the Sun shows a bright mind, quickly moved by ideas that ignite her sense of aliveness. Mercury is instrumental in the Sun’s expression and actions.The Moon in Libra in the 9th house suggests a different part of her experience and personality. The need of the Moon in Libra is to be liked and accepted and to build harmonious relationships with others. The client also needs to study, travel, or pursue philosophy and knowledge that helps her expand (9th house), possibly in ways that lead to harmony and balance in the relationships (Libra). The client may have felt restless and needed frequent change, as the Moon is placed in a cardinal sign. The Moon is conjunct with Pluto and in opposition with Mars, indicating challenges and an inner conflict between pursuing her own decisions and desires (Mars in Aries in the 3rd house) and accommodating the desires or expectations of others (Moon in Libra in the 9th). In other words, the client was learning to balance being true to herself without being selfish and finding peace, harmony, and acceptance, especially regarding her beliefs, or philosophy. The native's Lot of Spirit (LOS) is in Cancer in the 7th house, squared the Moon-Pluto conjunction, and in a square with Mars. Her divinity can be found and realized in partnerships, personal or professional (7th house), by engaging with others emotionally (Cancer) in caring and nourishing ways. The Moon, lord of her LOS, reaffirmed again the importance of finding her philosophy/knowledge, which could bring better harmony, balance, and peace (Libra). The Square of Mars to LOS suggests challenges coming from personal desires, which may be at odds with her spiritual direction or require energy that cannot be spent elsewhere. Moon-Pluto is square the LOS adding additional intensity to the need for peace and acceptance. Certain disagreements with her family's views dissuaded her from studying what she was genuinely interested in when she was younger.The native's Lot of Fortune (LOF) is in Gemini in the 6th house. This suggests that her comfort, luck, and well-being may be connected to being of service to others (6th house) in a teaching or intellectual capacity (Gemini). With Mercury, Lord of LOF, in Aries in the 2nd house, she can be a pioneer, showing others the way to psychological and financial independence through her example and expertise.Presently, the client is studying to become a relationship-oriented coach and conflict resolution mediator – both professions in tune with what was discussed above, and promising better alignment with her spiritual purpose.

Conclusion

In conclusion, astrology provides invaluable tools for meaning-making and spiritual guidance, especially as a practice where our experiences and connection with the Divine Self play an integral part. By reflecting on the nature of our natal planets, we can be guided to realize our divine nature, leading to experiences of fulfillment, purposefulness, and better resilience in the face of trials. And we can guide our clients on the same journey. In the words of Firmicus Maternus, “Let the human race regard the power of the stars with the constant veneration of a suppliant. Let us call upon the gods in supplication and piously fulfill our vows to them so that we may be reassured of the divine nature of our minds and may resist in some ports the hostile decrees of the stars.”8

References

1. Kozlova, E. (2011). A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Process and Effects of Finding Meaning with Astrological Symbolism. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, California.

2. Zoller, R. (1980). Arabic Parts Astrology: lost key to prediction. p. 211

3. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged. (1993). Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam. 

4. Frankl, V. E. (1988). The Will to Meaning. New York: Penguin Group. p. 188

5. Hardy, C. (1998). Networks of meaning: A bridge between mind and matter. Westport, CT: Praeger.

6. Yanez, B., D. Edmondson, A. Stanton, C. L. Park, L. Kwan, P.A. Ganz, et al. (2009). “Facets of spirituality as predictors of adjustment to cancer: relative contributions of having faith and finding meaning.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 730–741.

7. B. Dykes and J. B. Gibson (2012). Astrological Magic. Basic Rituals and Meditations.

8. Fimicus Maternus (2005). Matheseos Libri VIII. Ancient Astrology Theory ad Practice. trans by JR

9. Dean, G., & Kelly, I. W. (2003). Is astrology relevant to consciousness and psi? Journal of Consciousness Studies, 10(6-7), 175-198.

10. Krell, D. F. (Ed.). (1993). Heidegger: Basic writings: From being and time (1927) to the task of thinking (1964). San Francisco: HarperCollins.

11. Abu Ma'shar (2019). On The Revolutions of the years of Nativities. Trans by B. Dykes.

12. Lillqvist, O. and M. Lindeman (1998). “Belief in astrology as a strategy for self-verification and coping with negative life-events.” European Psychologist, 3(3), 202–208.