I’m glad I was invited for the segment on the Rage of Aquarius Outsider Podcast. It went very well and it gave me a lot to think about. You really do benefit by going outside your comfort zone and talking to new people. It expands your perspective, without a doubt.
It surprised me to hear the reaction around how I learned astrology. It’s another case of the veil dropping for me. My sister and I got going with astrology as kids. Bam! Yeah! I’ve said it a million times. But when I spoke about this during the podcast; well the other astrologers are quick and very clear-minded. They heard more than I knew that I said.
This is me:
My sister and I got into astrology when we were eight and ten years old.
I moved to Colorado in my late twenties and went to some astrology groups and lectures and such, why? Because I could! It was the first time I had access to other people with this interest. No internet! This was about the time, chart calculation software came about. We can thank, Michael Erlewine, for this.
It was quite an event to go to the metaphysical store and pay, three dollars, for a chart printed with a dox matrix printer or whatever it was called. Two charts for five dollars. I still have a notebook of charts I paid for, but eventually, I bought a DOS astrology program, which I still use, though it’s been updated many times.
So this was my reality, when I went on the show. Post the show, I better understood what learning astrology in a vacuum meant.
It meant that my sister and I learned astrology by simply observing real life. As an example, my sister wanted to learn about the moon so she wrote the moon signs on her paper calendar and paid mind to how she felt during each period. Today, I advise, Cancers, to do this and I love Lunar Returns.
Meantime, I went to bars (not a drinker, but I grew up in a bar), with an ephemeris, to see if I could learn to guess sun signs. I wrote about this in 2005:
The Rage of Aquarius crew caught on to this. Here is part of what the wrote on Youtube:
“Elsa truly exemplifies the role of the “outsider astrologer”, which is high praise here on ROA. She has a free-spirit, free-mind and a very warm-heart. Despite the fact that she’s one of the OG creators of the online astrology culture we all take for granted now, Elsa avoids petty elitism and conformity…”
I didn’t know this about myself, but they’re right. This was not a conscious decision on my part. It’s the same as everything else in my life, I am too far out, to ever be in! I mean, I am not snobbing, snobs. I just showed up from the desert, as I’ve done my whole life. Few know what to do with me.
This brings me to predators. Most know my childhood. Well my sister had the same childhood, so if we’re studying, what do you think me might want to know? How to ID a perp? Well, hell yeah! So we figured this out.
I’m often told my writing seems or feels, real and this is why! I use astrology to learn and better understand and enhance REAL life. It also explains why I’m so upset when it’s used to harm or denigrate or control someone.
Can you please click over and “like” that podcast. This is a wonderful group, trying to do something righteous. They need help with the algorithm. Outsiders supporting outsiders. Thanks.
The picture up top shows my sister and I on swings. Henry is on the left and my double Sagittarius sister is in the background. I told you she was a mean giant. (joke).
She has, Mars in Scorpio. Think I didn’t study this? Satori and my son have Mars in Scorpio. I never forget this, lol. With Mars in Libra, I will lose.
That’s another thing we did. We learned things, no one else has ever heard of. Like when I tried to explain how everything is resolved in the 12th house, or the patterns of jealousy between the signs… or who is going to prevail, based on the rising sign.
I like to know things. If I learn more outside the group, than in, there is no question where I’ll position myself. My grandfather told me I had aptitude. My husband tells me a person should never squander their talents. That’s it! Case closed!
Thinking about this, further, I realize that reading for people in a bar, in my twenties, with just an ephemeris, would prepare me to get on the phone, with anyone, anywhere, and read for them, immediately.
But then I realized, this came about, because I’d seen someone else do it, when I was a kid… thirteen or so. This is when my father remarried. One of my stepbrother’s wives was proficient in chart reading. She used to bring her ephemeris over and sit at the kitchen table and tell us stuff.
It’s very weird, because, this was years after, Henry introduced us to it. It’s just meant to be, is all. I was in awe of her at this time. I think she follows me on twitter, lol!
I mean, a gal with her name, follows me. It’s not freakishly unique, but it’s not common either. When I saw her follow me, I sent a message, but she never responded.
How come, Patty? That you?
Hi Elsa,
What do you mean by “ everything is resolved in the 12th house”? Do you have posts on this topic. I have Mars Scorpio in the 12th and ‘am intrigued.
Yes, there is a series of videos where I try to explain but I am apparently incomprehensible.
Thanks. I’ve had a look at the videos and I feel it all makes sense. My only point of confusion is how/if your natal 12th house sign (and any planets there) influences this or is it more of a general framework, using the 12th house as Pisces.
If you have planets in the 12th, the concept of transcendence is probably not foreign to you. I would consider it an advantage. Some would say, transcendence, what?
I have Mars in Scorpio and in the beginning of the 12th house. Being in Scorpio with Pisces influence of transcendence, is definitely something I am very familiar with. But I wonder if to my own detriment as its conjunction with Neptune! I am learning to transcend those tendencies though!
I love the way you learned astrology @Elsa! And the folks at ROA are absolutely right!
I relate to what you wrote, very much so. Because I had to learn the same thing about myself, having rejected academics and career (what my family wanted me to do and were furious when I didn’t) to ‘run away with a long haired guy and have kids’. I have learned EVERYTHING since then by doing it – working the first MS-DOS computer, the first Photoshop software on an Apple (a BIG machine) printing out films to be used in an analog printing business, the first accounting software for our business, doing all my tax and stuff, reading books on Psychology and History, Astrology etc – and never ever having a badge or printed and stamped paper for anything.
For a long time I felt ‘lacking’ when talking to PHD’s and CEO’s until I realised that they are just humans like me :-). Now, in retirement age of 67, I have plenty younger people who appreciate my ‘free mind’ that ignores standard answers and asks questions they never thought of. I do not lack anything and am grateful I dont have to ‘unlearn’ so much.
Well said! Same here Su but I never ran my own business. That is such an amazing accomplishment and one that many have to go get a degree to feel validated in doing so. Not all but most? And learning software outside a class room of sorts can’t have been that easy!