I got started with astrology when I was eight years old. My grandfather, Henry, gave my sister a couple of astrology books. I was there and I said, “They’re mine too, right?” My sister was ten and the idea she might know a secret thing about which I had no clue was not going to happen.
In reality, I don’t think I’d have fared very well without her. So I was tagalong little sister and I nearly broke my brain trying to keep up.
I caught onto the depth and vastness of this subject right away. It was like standing at the edge of a moon-sized crater, intending to map it? Glorious.
I wasn’t at all sure I could do it. My sister was figuring it out and I was doing a lot of nodding. I would nod to indicate, “I knew that”, when I did not even remotely know anything! I feel it was particularly hard for me to learn astrology. When I totally committed to it, years later, I felt like I had to pound the information in, through an extra thick skull.
“Research” has become a big thing over these last years. I don’t research. I catalog information in my head. I spot patterns. I also travel around and I am talking about time travel, essentially. Mars Mercury in the 9th house. This allows me to crack complex systems where lots of the pieces are obscured. I’ll offer an example.
I recently came up with my thesis on what the hell is going on this world. I did not get my thesis from another individual(s) and change some words. It’s my own work and as crazy as my ideas may sound, I’m more careful than you may imagine. One of the main keys to this puzzle was provided by a man I dated in my early 20’s.
As you know from reading my stories, I can recall dialogue. Sometimes you meet people and they tell you things you don’t understand at the time. All these decades later, I can better understand the information this man shared with me. From there, things started to gel.
When I factored in some quasi-cryptic emails that stray people have sent me via this blog, over the years, the pieces came together and the veil began to lift.
If you really get into astrology, you will learn to think, forwards and backwards. What transits were going on last year and which are coming up? How do these things relate to where the person is at this moment?
Also, what is the best way to talk to this person so they get what they need from this call? Which angle(s) should I present and in what order? Is there a story unfolding here?
This ability is the kind of skills that’s being lost today and I think I know why. If you are constantly consuming, staring at a screen, it locks you in an “opposition”. The other person, in whatever form, is doing most the work as you stare at them. Then the next video comes on and then the next and then the next. Maybe you can see what I mean. It’s limiting.
If you can be a creative person on the internet; this is very different than being a consumer of the internet. Or a voyeur!
I urge people to challenge themselves to pitch in, in some way. Tell us of one of your ideas, or about how you learn, or where you are in astrology, or where you want to be?
This seems to be an important point. I say, “Live Your Sun, Satisfy Your Moon“. Your sun is your creative self. Are you a creative life force in this medium, or merely a consumer?
It’s about to get a lot worse as people are farming out their thinking and composing to ChatGDP and it’s clones. I guess that’s the point; to merge with the machine, but I’ll never do it. My mind is very important to me and I don’t want to see it atrophy.
The other thing is, it cuts out God or the ethereal… whatever you want to call it. Grand design? I dated that guy for a reason, so I could pick up these bits that allow me to understand something complicated, decades later. It wasn’t random!
My overall point is you have to live your life and if it mostly takes place on the internet, you may want to make an effort to live it in an authentically engaged, because this is also a skill and skills degrade if they’re not utilized.
Are you creative on the internet or more of a consumer? Will anyone cop to being a voyeur?
The internet bring much of the world to me and I’m definitely a consumer. You are right and I will get more creative and feed something in for a change! We all have something valuable to offer if we think hard on that idea.
I can definitely cop to being a voyeur! My husband told me that I’m like a Peeping Tom on social media, and he’s not wrong. I have slowly stopped contributing but I haven’t stopped consuming. It’d be nice to consume less, but I learn a lot from watching people online, so I’m addicted to that side of it. I’ve got Gemini and I can’t stand to be oblivious to what’s going on in cyberspace. I am creative in real life, but I don’t see any benefit in posting my work for others to consume at this point. I’ve been trending that way for a long time. I’m pretty sure I could be an ace influencer, but I made a conscious decision that I don’t want the attention.
Oh I am an Internet tragic! LOL! As someone who devoured *all* the books, all the genres, the thrill of learning, and then… THEN! the interwebs comes along! Well then! The balance? yeah NAH. I’ve had to drag myself kicking and sceaming to that, well, a semblance of! It is a frikken awesome tool! Upsides I can now scry following links upon links, if one lets the mind go. And answers come. All the info is there. HOW we access, dissemate and distill is the secret. Own your power!
also! not only taught you to think, but to *think* about your thinking. I recently learned [another!] term- “Metacognition is an awareness of one’s thought processes and an understanding of the patterns behind them” and to tie in with the internet stuff I also found this jumped out for me:
..Reflective thinking is at the heart of metacognition. In today’s world of constant chatter, technology and reflective thinking can be at odds. In fact, mobile devices can prevent young people from seeing what is right before their eyes.
John Dewey, a renowned psychologist and education reformer, claimed that experiences alone were not enough. What is critical is an ability to perceive and then weave meaning from the threads of our experiences.
The function of metacognition and self-reflection is to make meaning. The creation of meaning is at the heart of what it means to be human.”
from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-moment-youth/202010/what-is-metacognition-how-does-it-help-us-think
I’m all three! I consume a ton from the Internet… I used to be an avid book-reader and over the years I read much more on-screen than on-paper. I’m not clear on how this puts me in ‘opposition’ to other people doing all the work, so maybe I’m misunderstanding your definition of a ‘consumer’. I’m also a creative (I’ve been a web designer since the mid ’90’s) and have my work published all over the internet. I’ve also been known to be pretty opinionated, so I contribute my thoughts and ideas via comments and posts on a regular basis and on multiple topics (I also ‘contribute’ my opinions/thoughts/ideas in RL as well). And finally, I’ll cop to being a voyeur… or what we used to call ‘lurker’ and if I am being perfectly honest- this is also true of me in RL (where we call that ‘people-watching).
What I mostly consume from the internet is ideas, though that’s not totally separate from voyeurism, where you see people doing things you hadn’t thought of doing…But if I see a really interesting idea, then I will spend time figuring out whether it works or not…
Love the title of this post. “Astrology Taught Me To Think…”
I have been into astrology since I was in my mid teens. I think more people are into astrology than will admit. I feel astrological skills should be taught in grade school. I mean what is more helpful than having more understanding of your view of the world, of yourself, of your successful path? To me, fixes are clearly displayed through astrology and if you cannot fix it, it can show ways to duck! The fact, that astrology is not formally taught in school to me is suspect.
I am a creative. No doubt. I am not too much into social media. However, I am into internet research re the hows and whys of all my interests – astrology, astronomy, mathematical physics, app development, and the paranormal. I was not too good at the calculus. I feel cheated that no explanation of quadratic equations, for instance, was given, only how to solve them. I wanted to be taught why a particular equation was constructed, what each variable represented, and why is the equation in that particular format. And when approached for answers my teachers would basically say you do not have to know that, you just have to know how to solve it. WTF. I could just use a modern calculator to solve the equation, dammit. How do I create using that information. Astrology has meaningful equations re the aspects of an astrological chart, its construction, etc. That’s what I mean by application. Staring at the geometry and trigonometry of the image of an astrological chart jump starts my interest in still trying to understand math in a usable way. I go back to math,not too seriously, just playfully. Math is like a game.
And I want it known. I do not believe anything I read on the Internet. The posts I read and respect usually have footnotes or some other information that backs up what is being read. Even then, I have doubts. For instance, physics is in a state of disarray. Many things formerly proved, turn out not to be true later. Plus what physics turns up is only a working model not the Holy Grail. I believe there are other working models.
Am I a consumer? If by consumer is meant consumption of information, I guess I am. I use to spend most of my free time in bookstores. However, retail is becoming a thing of the past. Next best thing is the Internet. For instance, I am always appreciative when a scientist posts a layman’s explanation re one of her/his theories re any of my above interests.
I usually do not read comments to anything I post. I post with intention. And that intention is NOT to find out what reader thinks of my post, etc. If it is interesting to you, read it. If not, don’t.
Astrology is a spiritual endeavor to me. It is no longer just a pursuit. I am firmly immersed. I find God there. I only do solar charts for family and friends, and natal charts of their children when asked occasionally. I do not accept money. Which works out well in the sense that the family thinks twice about asking me to chart too often since it is free. I have a real big family. Although prodded to make money from astrology, I am not interested in that as astrological analysis zaps me out. And although I have no trouble seeing, I find it difficult to put what is basically shown to me as images from my unconscious I find it difficult to put those images into words that client/family member could use rather than use the exact words used by the computer program. I always get there. But after, I need a nap.
Am I a voyeur? Hmm. Interesting question. I mean I must admit whenever my computer program compiles or when I read some science that aligns with a view of mine, or a family member tells me the astrological chart I created for them was very helpful, At those times I do experience something akin to an orgasmic feeling. Although I do not hump my computer, I do hug my printouts.
I am a jack of some trades, not a master of any. I am happily retired. At least up to now. My interests are just playtime. They and housework fill my day. I am not social not even a little bit. I am not anti-social I am just non-social. I had a very social, lets-go-out-and-have-a-good-time mother and family. I had soul enhancing boyfriends. It was fun. But now I am at the frame of mind that I have been there, I have done that. Next!
I read and actually ignored that my astrological chart reads that my life purpose should be a humanitarian one. Previously ignored as I could not figure out how would I be an humanitarian without jeopardizing my reclusiveness. However, following Pluto’s call for transformation. I have found a way. When I was a teenager I had a dream wherein a white light came down on a beautiful day and told me and two of my best girlfriends why we were here. My girlfriend, Shirlena, was told she was here to have children. I could not hear what the bright light said to my other friend. The bright light said to me, “You are here to accumulate knowledge.” Say what? That made no sense to me at the time and I did not think much of it, after all it was just a dream.
However, thanks to Pluto’s transformation demand I have found ways. My creative pursuits are always created with helping others in mind. However, I create because my muse insists. I have not formatted most creations to be released to the public, many of my creations were just a way of proving to myself that I can do it. Now times demand I make more money.
Astrology is helping me. It clearly depicts the when and how of doing such without jeopardizing my beloved reclusiveness. I want to distribute the knowledge I have gained through the Internet. I create works that remind a certain part of my community how valuable they are and hope they will use their gifts to have a good life. I do not expound directly as my community usually doesn’t accept advice that way. The advice is always dressed up in a hopefully engaging way, even if it is a computer app. I will share the “information” I have accumulated in a fable-like way. And I will make money.
I can honestly say that I go online 95% of the time to study, to learn. The other 5% of the time is spent doing activities that require being online, such as for work or to fill an online application. I’m 51 years old, so I attribute some of my aversion to big consuming platforms to my age & upbringing. I’m still a primarily analog type person. I like to write with pen & paper. I don’t own or watch TV or any shows. I’m too busy learning. I’m fascinated by it, I have endless questions! I attribute much of my yen for learning to my astrology. I’m a Leo with a 0 degree Gemini ascendant & an Aquarius moon. I have no earth or water signs in my inner planets, in fact I only have 1 planet total in an earth sign & no water in my chart except for 3 mathematical points. I spend the majority of my time learning & studying. I do use my knowledge in my everyday life & career, however, I acquire it as a passion, and a hobby too I suppose. Sadly, the internet is now so full of false information, fakery, and opinion, that I have to research where I am going to research. This is what bothers me about the future of the internet & the people. I notice more & more, that people’s knowledge base is coming from online opinions or just false information.
I’ve had 3 passions in this life: Astrology, Writing and Folk Medicine. Although I’m 80,every day I go to the internet. It’s hypnotic and hooks me and sometimes I tear myself away four hours later. Mostly earthclinic.com where people worldwide share info about the alternatives to Big Pharma that work for them. I study, make notes and also contribute. My neighbours in this seniors village are starting to come to my door and ask for the simple, safe remedies I provide most of which come out of my kitchen cupboard. Jupiter in Cancer in the 6th among other goodies. If Pluto in Aquarius takes down the internet it won’t be the first addiction I’ve had to surrender. I’ll read those hundreds of books that are waiting for me. I think in Astrologese but living where I do at present, have nobody to talk to on that level. However; thankyou Elsa,for keeping up this lively, interesting platform for me to climb aboard. I’m sure we’ve all been Astrologers in the past. Uranus is cruising through my 4th house and will be over my 28 degree Taurus Venus eventually. My Jewish ex-hubby is psychic and recently said that in 2025 I’ll marry a Malaysian and have a well-nurtured old age living in Kuala Lumpur with caring servants. Crikey! My ancestral roots(4th) do come from the Sufi tradition. Go figure. After squaring my Aries Sun and hovering over my 29 Capricorn Ascendant for so long, Pluto has pummelled me to putty in God’s hands. I surrender.
Because I was a consumer I became a creative.