In
the first few days following the publication of the Moon Valley Astrologer, I received so
much valuable feedback and am indebted to you all. Every single letter provided
a component of what must be said here. Two emails in particular made me realize the
necessity of the page.
After looking around the site, Maureen noticed that she
couldn’t find a place to order a reading. That’s true; I do a limited number
of personal
readings. I’d like to encourage and help you do your own readings. I believe
that astrology has come into its time. With new technology has come the
opportunity for everyone to be his/her own astrologer. Look at all the benefits....
First, is it my imagination, or is it getting harder and
harder to find a skillful astrologer? I ask this because of the requests I get
and by what people tell me they have been encountering in trying to find an
astrologer they can have confidence in. Chances are that with the rising
interest in astrology and higher demands on existing astrologers, we’ve run
into a shortage. If you have found a good one, the readings are probably
expensive. And, really, they just about have to be expensive as few astrologers
are in a position to do readings out of the kindness of their hearts even though
they might like to. A thorough and accurate reading takes quite a bit of time on the part of the
astrologer. And, while the computer-generated reports aren’t without some
value, they are still rather generic. Without an astrologer seeing the chart, a
planet nearing an angle will still be picked up as occupying the previous house.
Such an oversight results in missing important
information.
However, paying a lot of money is still no guarantee that
you’re going to get a valuable final product, unless you’re familiar and
satisfied with your astrologers’ success in the past. How do you know if
you’re being properly guided? A lot of times you don’t know until some time
has elapsed. You’re dependant on what the astrologer is telling you because
you don’t know what the observations are based on. There’s no choice but to
be left in a helpless fog unless you learn it for yourself.
Maureen told me that she’d gone in search of a progressed
chart reading as a sort of luxury. She understood basic astrology but wanted to
understand more about her progressed planets. She sent in for several readings.
In one, there was a list of dos and don’ts but nothing that told her what they
were based on. Oh, and of course she was going to win the lottery about ten
times in the next few months. One man went so far as to tell her that anything
that was about to change in her life would happen because of him, the great and
holy, all powerful world’s most famous Astrologer, who had personally
“intervened on her behalf”. She said she had visions of a dark sorcerer type
performing black magic rituals and interfering with her karma without her
knowledge or consent. (thankfully, that can’t happen!) She did write and
told him some heavy truths, including what she thought of his rubbish.
Then, there were the threatening spammed messages like,
“If you ignore my offer then only doom awaits” or the equally ridiculous
“opportunity” to buy the magic talisman that had been handed down through
the centuries from ancestors - for which she had now been “chosen” to
receive.
I guess I find it a little amazing that so many are willing
to put such an essential part of themselves under the scrutiny of an unknown
stranger. I
can’t even imagine giving this kind of power for a stranger to balance my
checkbook.
No, in the future, we’ll look back and find it hard to
imagine a time when everyone wasn’t astrologically knowledgeable. You see, the
nice thing about astrology is that it’s based on science and math and the
previous barriers surrounding the math have been eliminated through new
technology and excellent astrology programs. You can start learning now at Astrology
Novice.
There are several choices
of software listed in the library; from free to
professional. Matrix has now come out with an inexpensive and easy program
called WinStar Express that I recommend on the site. Go to The Astrology Matrix
to check it out and demo the software. WinStar Plus is a professional program
you won't outgrow. I have also provided links to free chart calculations
but if you need a
specific type of chart that you can't find, please feel free
to email me below with an inquiry.
While I don’t expect a lot of people to be here reading unless
there's already an interest in astrology, let me just say this to
those who might still view astrology as a prohibited study because of the
intention to predict events. Do you feel that it’s wrong to take an umbrella
out with you when you’re expecting rain? Of course not. In using astrology as
a forecasting tool, an astrologer is really focusing on the trend in the life and then pinpointing the likeliest time a
specific set of conditions will show fruition. In doing so, we can be better
prepared because we know what the current conditions are. Just as one doesn't plan a
picnic for a day that storms are in the forecast, we can also be prepared to take advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunities that
come our way.
The soul’s work we came here to do is
all laid out in the horoscope map and there's a lifetime of potential study in each
and every individual nativity. I consider astrology one of our most remarkable gifts from a truly special
source. I don't think we'd be given such a
marvelous tool to guide us in our lives if we weren’t supposed to utilize it.
Perhaps this is all best explained by a Yogi, below. All the best, Celeste Teal
Excerpt from the Autobiography of
a Yogi
"Mukunda, why don't you get an astrological
armlet?"
"Should I, Master? I don't believe in astrology."
"It is never a question of belief; the only scientific attitude one can
take on any subject is whether it is true. The law of gravitation worked as
efficiently before Newton as after him. The cosmos would be fairly chaotic if
its laws could not operate without the sanction of human belief.
"Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of
disrepute. Astrology is too vast, both mathematically and philosophically, to be
rightly grasped except by men of profound understanding. If ignoramuses misread
the heavens, and see there a scrawl instead of a script, that is to be expected
in this imperfect world. One should not dismiss the wisdom with the 'wise.'
"All parts of creation are linked together and interchange their
influences. The balanced rhythm of the universe is rooted in reciprocity,"
my guru continued. "Man, in his human aspect, has to combat two sets of
forces—first, the tumults within his being, caused by the admixture of earth,
water, fire, air, and ethereal elements; second, the outer disintegrating powers
of nature. So long as man struggles with his mortality, he is affected by the
myriad mutations of heaven and earth.
"Astrology is the study of man's response to planetary stimuli. The stars
have no conscious benevolence or animosity; they merely send forth positive and
negative radiations. Of themselves, these do not help or harm humanity, but
offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums
which each man has set into motion in the past.
"A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are
in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a
challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future
results. But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive
wisdom: these are few.
"The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is
not meant to emphasize fate—the result of past good and evil—but to arouse
man's will to escape from his universal thralldom. What he has done, he can
undo. None other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever
effects are now prevalent in his life. He can overcome any limitation, because
he created it by his own actions in the first place, and because he has
spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure.
"Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton, slavishly dependent
on mechanical guidance. The wise man defeats his planets—which is to say, his
past—by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the Creator. The more
he realizes his unity with Spirit, the less he can be dominated by matter. The
soul is ever-free; it is deathless because birthless. It cannot be regimented by
stars.
"Man is a soul, and has a body. When he properly places his sense of
identity, he leaves behind all compulsive patterns. So long as he remains
confused in his ordinary state of spiritual amnesia, he will know the subtle
fetters of environmental law.
"God is harmony; the devotee who attunes himself will never perform any
action amiss. His activities will be correctly and naturally timed to accord
with astrological law. After deep prayer and meditation he is in touch with his
divine consciousness; there is no greater power than that inward
protection."
"Then, dear Master, why do you want me to wear an astrological
bangle?" I ventured this question after a long silence, during which I had
tried to assimilate Sri Yukteswar's noble exposition.
"It is only when a traveler has reached his goal that he is justified in
discarding his maps. During the journey, he takes advantage of any convenient
short cut. The ancient rishis discovered many ways to curtail the period of
man's exile in delusion. There are certain mechanical features in the law of
karma which can be skillfully adjusted by the fingers of wisdom.
"All human ills arise from some transgression of universal law. The
scriptures point out that man must satisfy the laws of nature, while not
discrediting the divine omnipotence. He should say: 'Lord, I trust in Thee, and
know Thou canst help me, but I too will do my best to undo any wrong I have
done.' By a number of means—by prayer, by will power, by yoga meditation, by
consultation with saints, by use of astrological bangles—the adverse effects
of past wrongs can be minimized or nullified....
Autobiography of a Yogi: Outwitting the Stars is from Chapter 16 of the original 1946 First
Edition by Paramhansa Yogananda. Link to Crystal
Clarity for remaining chapters, photos and other information.
There are a few ways you can help support the Moon Valley
Astrologer.
Consider buying your books from Amazon
by linking to
Amazon
through any one of the links on this site. You'll still get the same discounted prices on your purchases and this site gets a small credit
for each. A win-win situation!
If you're in the market for some great astrology software
to calculate charts easily, the programs I recommend are from Matrix.
WinStar Plus is a professional program you won’t outgrow. Winstar
Express is great for those just getting started. If you link to demo or purchase the programs
from this site, the Moon Valley Astrologer gets credit.
If you'd like to make a direct $ donation to the web site,
you can do so through Pal Pal by clicking
the donation box below. Choose as much or as little as you like.
Your contributions are appreciated. Thanks and best wishes
on your astrological journey! Celeste Teal
©1999-2008, Celeste Teal
