I am both a shamanic practitioner and astrologer… an astrology session is a form of shamanic journeying, I see my role as a sacred storyteller. I do sessions on the phone and in person. I don’t type out the notes, but there is an outline… I merge with the client’s chart. Since I added the SoulCollage process to the New Moon Journal, the collages started sharing their stories and before I know it, bam I am in the person’s life and chart. Intuitive, seat of the pants stuff for me that I wasn’t always so comfortable with. I had to learn how to surf the waves with the client. Today I like the client contact and interaction (it’s part of healing my issues with being seen that I had to work through**smile**).

Before a session I do the chart research, write things down- dot my i’s and cross the t’s. Yet when I pick up the phone and merge with the energies (it’s a shamanic experience) I sense, feel, see into the person and the chart. I am comfortable with this now, the expansion, holding the energies, the joy, the pain, the soul loss…of course doing shamanic soul retrievals with for clients for 10 years, it’s part of my process.

Through our shared journey the story moves into a soul remembering. I follow my notes and I follow the flow. It’s a process that at the beginning felt really strange. Strange because it wasn’t like any of the readings my astrologers gave me.

I used to think “you’re doing it wrong” but there isn’t any right or wrong, it’s what works. We each share our gifts our own special way. That’s what I love about it all. Good for you in creating a dialog, knowing what is best and taking time off to regroup. You are following your life pulse.

Aside from responding to love, I related strongly to your concerns about giving readings. I’ve received many readings from Astrologers and at one time (almost 10 years ago now) used to give them myself.

What I received from readings was almost always good — looking back. There were a few readings– at the time — where I felt some disappointment because I left wanting more or feeling I didn’t “get enough”, or was still was unclear. But now, looking back, remembering, I realize I got more than plenty. I got just what I needed at the time — though perhaps not what I wanted to hear at the time.

And that leads me to the remembrance of giving readings. I almost always felt like I didn’t say enough, wasn’t clear enough, didn’t cover enough. Never enough! I burned myself out quickly (not unusual for an Aries however). I decided to pull away and stop (thank goodness) which was so wise because my psyche was really being overworked. So much of one’s soul goes into the process/language/exchange (etc) of astrology, I don’t see how a person can engage in it on a day to day basis – day after day — honestly — and not get soul-sick. I really don’t.

And I guess it’s because I regard astrology now (after twenty short years of studying it) as an art/craft/language that is a process in making. A life-long, life-giving, life-enhancing journey. Not any one reading, conversation, book, etc., can begin to cover, capture, or least of all — clarify what astrology can offer any one person on any given day. I think one really has to live and reflect upon the symbols on a daily basis to even begin to experience the mystery.

Having said all that, I think my point is this: whatever you can give about astrology (or receive for that matter) — any insight, humor, explanation, advise, etc. — in word, line, paragraph, email, or even in silent prayer — is enough for that day. For there will always be more to be said, more to be pondered, more to be experienced.

Perhaps that’s why I’ve never grown bored with this wonderful, beautiful language of astrology!

Enjoy your time embracing the language however your soul needs to experience it in the days ahead!!

Now I just keep track of a few charts, and that’s more than enough for me.

My experience receiving readings from other astrologers has been positive, and they have given me a lot: in time, energy, and expertise. Astrologers deserve way more money for their work!

As for giving readings, I have lots of friends in the reading biz of all kinds (not only astrology), and many of them have switched over to giving readings by email for the reasons you listed.

Just my thoughts – all is energy isn’t it, if we’re enjoying ourselves we’re on the right path! So great time to take a hiatus and get back to regrouping and re-energizing. Enjoy!

For me, a good reading makes me feel understood and validated. I suspect many people who get into astrology do so because they feel abnormal by societal norms, and astrology is a relief when it says, this is who you are and this is normal and right for you. This is how you can work with what’s going on. But astrologers do all have their own point of view. I had one astrologer who’s pretty well known in the field who gave me good readings for awhile (she liked to give as many positives as she could find, so what’s not to love?!). But she seemed to hit a roadblock with me, got frustrated with my inability to live out these positive scenarios she saw, particularly in my relationship life (eg, I had broken up with psychiatrist who had intimacy phobia and told me that relationships made him “too sad”; she said I wasn’t giving him a chance, after 8 months of dating), and she thought sensitivity is something you have to just get over… I don’t need to spend a couple hundred bucks to feel misunderstood.

What had been good about this astrologer’s readings were that she spent something like 3 hours in person, leaving plenty of time for discussion. I’ve had many others that were shorter and more to the point. The most helpful have been when I’ve had a specific question or set of questions in mind, rather than a general “where are things going” kind of reading. I’ve studied enough on my own to do a lot of the general stuff. The last reading I had was great – a psychotherapist who added astrology to her practice. She gave me back that relief of “yes, this is what I should be doing and there’s nothing wrong with me.”

Nancy, thanks for sharing your experience. Would you drop me a line by email at april (at) bigskyastrology.com and let me know the name of that astrologer, so I can add him/her to my list of referrals? Thanks!

Lynn, see what you started? It\’s a fine line, isn\’t it, between giving the client what she/he wants and giving them what you think is needed. That\’s why I started asking clients to fill out a questionnaire before the reading that helps us both narrow the focus of what should be covered; you probably do something similar. That way, in the reading I can make sure I address what Jeff might call their \”presenting problems,\” but I also leave time to cover other things that the chart tells me are important, even if it\’s not something they asked about. Anyway – thanks for initiating such a lively conversation!

Susie, bless you. I\’m flattered and touched (and I miss your blogging).

Maria, I wonder if it\’s peculiar to writers, this need to be able to edit what we say until it\’s just so. As for readers not addressing particular points in the chart… this comes up for me a lot re: Chiron, which I don\’t work with but which many people are very interested in. I try to be honest with people in advance about what I do and don\’t use, because I\’d rather help them find someone who uses the tools that speak to them than to try and make something up for them on the fly!

One particular client inspired this post but she reads my blog so I didn’t want to post the details about it. After she received her typed reading she sent me an email VERY angry about the content. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, she didn’t want to know as much about her natal chart as she did about her relationships. But of course I had to write what I was given, and a few days ago she sent me an email that was more conciliatory but realized that the content of the reading was what was needed even though maybe not wanted.

I had an 80 minute reading done, last fall. It was the best ever. They put it on a CD and mailed it to me. They sent some supporting paperwork, but did not write anything out. With them doing 80 minutes and me not being there, they were able to do the whole chart. Which I have never had before. Usually, I get stuck on one or two things and then the hour is gone. This reading was a huge awakening and so many elements gone over that I could get a better handle on the whole picture.

No wonder you suffer from burn out. That is a lot of work to do the reading and write it all out. And, to make it fun, educational and informative is tricky. I hope you figure out new ways to support yourself and your clients during your sabbatical.

I’d had “cookbook” readings where the astrologer seemed emtionally detached from the specifics, and would argue when I pushed back on anything that seemed too far off the mark. I’ve also had rambling readings where the reader seemed to just want an audience for her life philosophies.

Yours was a perfect blend of insight, humor and optimism, especially for someone with so much Scorp in her chart. (I’m really, really looking forward to my progressed sun going into Sag. Oy.)