HEARTNSOUL ASTROLOGY

Original artwork by Toowoomba artist Narelle Pitkin
I had my first astrological reading in 1992 with a local Astrologer in the Maleny, Queensland area. I was curious about myself and something had drawn me towards it! What was shared in that first session so amazed me, (and was also totally irrefutably spot-on) my ‘inner magnet and radar’ lit up! Astrology grabbed me by the horns…and I was fascinated! How was it possible that ‘dots and funny symbols on a page’ could so accurately describe so much about me? Before that, I only had a vague idea of what Astrology was and little idea about what it offered – or could help with. However, from that first reading, I wanted more. I sensed there was a whole other World behind the symbols and that each was far richer than just a few descriptive words!
But where to start? At first, I only wanted more understanding of each of the symbols. Then I felt to apply that cursory understanding to the symbols in my own chart (now that I had one!) as I would be the best ‘barometer’ to determine what each felt like. This was sometimes difficult to tease out as often, lots of things go on at the same time! To get to this point, I found and read introductory books outlining the archetypes for the Planets and signs but, at first, it was like I had too much going round in my head to get anywhere further with it!
I remember well my first real breakthrough in understanding!
I printed a blank wheel with equal houses and then proceeded to place each of the signs in their relevant houses (starting with Aries in the 1st house and finishing with Pisces in the 12th) with their rulers. I then added their elements alongside them acknowledging the each of the elements had 3 qualities of expression. (**At the end of this, I have outlined how I did this and offer a blank wheel for your use if you are interested.) For me, once I’d done this, I carried this chart around with me so that each time I came across a new birth chart or dynamic, I would cross-reference it to a house, a planet, a ruler or an element until I came to know them by heart. This I felt as a totally exciting breakthrough! The next thing was to apply it all to understanding myself through the astrological symbols, the aspects and their relationships to each other. To help with this, I read all I could find and tried to evaluate its merit in my own life. Slowly, my understanding deepened, but I still hadn’t managed to connect its value to any ‘Conscious Journey of my Soul’. This was to take more time. After a while, from feeling how Astrology can “speak” at many levels, I came to see its value as a tool for self-understanding as I realized it went as deep as my understanding of it at any given time! So, I needed to establish an understanding that might lead to greater confidence and eventually a familiarity with the symbols that might allow me to work in more intuitive territory. This took me to a study of many different focusses and applications in Astrology over 20 odd years. I went in search of the way it worked for me first as I could then– through my own experience – gauge its validity and evaluate the archetypes as I was feeling them so as to have more direct experience with them and deeper understanding of them. Slowly, I came to identify better how different things felt to me and this was wonderfully helpful, for although I understood it was only my perspective, at least that was a good start. It was also definitely instrumental in helping offer me a deeper understanding of myself. Then, I needed to test the waters to see how Astrology worked for others and I started reading for others and working this way from about the middle of the 1990s. Slowly confidence built and I settled down. I also became more experienced through realizing its amazing potential as a guide for us all! My interest, focus and desired intent for the use of Astrology in the way that I choose to practice it became clearer however, there was still separation between the way I desired to practice Astrology and my personal spirituality. This started to change from 2007 when I attended an Astrological programme with the US Astrologer, Steven Forrest that had just started up in Australia. This programme (attended with my partner for 1 week per year for 5 years from 2007 – 2011) acted like a ‘bridge’ to allow me to ‘marry the two’ and find my way into the territory where I felt I wanted to be. The foundation of Steve’s teaching put a lot of focus on the South Node of the Moon in the present birth chart as representing “where we were coming from and what we were bringing into this present life” – for healing and evolution. This was the ‘link’ for me and (from unpacking it using Steve’s system) it enabled a much deeper appreciation of the importance of the Nodes in a birth chart. Paying attention to the South Node of the Moon has been part of my work since that time, although I do not unpack it in the same way. From this time, the astrological symbols started to speak to me and their archetypal resonance to infuse my understanding of a deeper level of Astrology that could incorporate “Soul-work”.
A CHALLENGE TO YOU… Astrology is one powerful tool to help guide us! There is a reason for all of us to be here in these times of great change. And, all we need to do is unlock our reason to then become able to live it! Fascinatingly, any of us who have signed up for life as a ‘Conscious Journey’ usually feel – deep inside – something that we can either ‘sit on’ or ‘attempt to become’! ‘Being - while still becoming’ is a wonderful affirmation and it’s perhaps one we all need to embrace sweetly for it does away with any self- criticism, judgment and impatience and simply affirms that all things unfold in right time! What is this ‘right time’? I think we all want good things to manifest yesterday! But, how long does it take fruit to grow from seed; to a seedling; to a tree; to a flower; to a fruit and then; eventually to ‘ripeness’? What would that fruit taste like if we ate it long before it was sweet, luscious and ready? Like fruit, we too need to ‘ripen’ and this process takes lifetimes! I have come to observe many people who have tried to ‘catch the elevator all the way to the top’ all the while by-passing the many experiences, processes and understandings we actually need to evolve through and learn about to get there! This even has a term now! It’s ‘spiritual by-pass’! To try to ‘fast-track in order to arrive’ however, could well mean we cut the fullness of this ‘ripening Journey’ short and this of course must mean, we are only half-ready as it is only with the fullness of time that we truly ‘ripen’! “That which we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate” C. G. JungI glibly say that I have been attending the ‘University of Consciousness’ for over 30 years with Astrology becoming the tool and understanding that’s connected my inner world to the outer one! For me, that journey into the Astrological world has been the richest, the most comprehensive study I have ever undertaken! I have come to ‘see, accept and understand’ myself through all the movements of the Planets that have been part of my charter in this lifetime and getting to ‘watch and observe’ has been the greatest gift. For it is as we ‘become our own watcher” that we actually get to see ourselves! We get to observe how we repeat certain patterns in order to ‘get and grow through’ them and we replay similar scenarios – over and over again - til we do! In recent years, interest in Astrology has skyrocketed and it’s now practiced in many forms by many people. I’ve come to accept that the different modes and methods on offer are perhaps best described as being like ‘horses for courses’ where we each find our way to what draws and attracts us in a hope that it can help us understand ourselves better in the long run. Life is one long Journey that is ‘bookended’ by 2 great mysteries. I have come to see that the path we carve out is about our attitude; each (and every) choice we make and; each (and every) step we take along the way, as life is about the JOURNEY not the arrival! Many of us embark on life as a journey, but sadly, most of us stall, stop or run away a little down the track! Facing the first ‘shadows’ is the most challenging, but doing the shadow work is how we ‘mine for our own personal diamonds’ – which are the gifts contained within. Like all diamonds, our “shadows” are buried deep and require a process of ‘mining’ to unearth them. This is a powerful metaphor – for if we can come to a place of acceptance that we all have ‘inner diamonds’, surely this makes the challenge of unearthing them – to bring them to the light of day to be polished until they not just gleam, but also have the possibility to reflect pure light – then we have the chance to “live radiantly in our Bliss”. Where ‘shadow work’ can last our lifetime, we do get better at doing it! I feel facing our shadows, at first, can appear daunting, but if we can find the necessary courage to start, we can also come to realize that they are in fact less daunting than we’d made them out to be at the outset! It’s like not dealing with them creates a block much greater than starting to unpack them gently! Shadows do not disappear until they are faced and then processed- contrary to the belief of many people! It’s the “process” part that changes them from “shadow” to understanding. And this does not happen overnight! Then, from understanding, we gradually become wiser as life’s mysteries become less mysterious! Most of us however, are so good at burying our pain – deep in our subconscious emotional memory banks – that our ‘view on life’ is distorted. The Conscious Journey into soul-work requires great courage! We might need a little help to start in the beginning. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but once embraced and with each increase in understanding and awareness, the rewards can help us all glimpse ‘our true inner nature’. Do you already have some clues about what your ‘true inner nature looks like? Might it have to do with becoming your authentic individual self - the one where the ‘mould’ was broken at your birth? Your birth chart is a most wonderful tool to help you unravel this within you! By committing to life as a “Conscious Spiritual Journey”, we sign up to the challenge to find – then become – the ‘strongest rays of individual sunshine’ we can be in our World as part of an unfolding process, over time, by embracing both our darkness and light to guide us there! For we absolutely do need both just as there is night and day! Without the night…there would be no day!How can we even identify our ‘shadows’? Our feelings are our best guides here, as it’s pretty much always that they alert us to ‘something going on’ inside. Something (like a ‘gut-feeling) feels uncomfortable and, rather than argue it away, it’s important to acknowledge it so it can then emerge to reveal itself. I believe this is all we need to do for it to become a ‘message’ and then, if we take (and make) time to allow ourselves to ‘keep it close’ and ‘sit with it’, we will start the process of feeling our way into what it is that’s trying to unfold! It’s like learning to listen to ‘that wee-small-voice-inside’ that is – at first – only represented by what we are feeling. I do not believe that uncomfortable inner process starts until we are ready to deal with whatever will become revealed and I also feel we always have the strength – and the skills – to know what to do.Sometimes we just need reminding… Many years ago, when I was first learning to quiet my (then) over-active Mercurial mind through meditation, I attended a weekly meditation class taught by a Buddhist meditation master in Caloundra. His name was David Hurst and one of his favourite lines was: “I am not telling you anything you don’t already know.” This supports the line “there is nothing new under the Sun!” If this is so…we need to go mining! Over time, we will become not just better at listening for our ‘feeling prompts’, but also hearing them and acting on them. We get better at ‘worrying the bone’ to ‘get to the point’! Then, over a little more time, we also will start to identify certain patterns in our own lives in which we are seeking change. It’s each and every step along the way that forges and carves out the path of the actual “Journey” we take and it’s the attitudes we adopt along the way that are so important! For this is what ‘fills the chapters’ of our lives. Where we end up is of little consequence as it will always only be determined by every choice made along the way at important junctures and crossroads. Finding my way into the type of Astrology I wanted to practice has taken many years – all of them whilst attending the ‘University of Consciousness’! It’s like as I grew into greater holism and soulfulness within myself, so too did the Astrology I practiced become deeper and more embracing of holism and soul.
FROM THE BIRTH SIGNATURE To help manifest our potentiality, I have found no more powerful tool than the birth chart as a guide (that ‘individual snapshot in time’ of the heavens taken at the time of our birth) for it can, like little else perhaps, outline the original intent, the strengths, the challenges, the gifts and the ‘way through’. Did you know that it is highly unlikely that there will ever be another person on this Planet that has the exact same birth signature as you? Surely this means you totally unique right? Your birth signature (your birth chart) is the most magnificent ‘key’ to unlocking your own individual ‘charter for life’, so to unravel its mysteries is perhaps one of the most precious gifts we might ever be offered! Even a small amount of understanding can open the portals to the ‘magic and the mystery’ that invites all of us in this lifetime to deeper understanding of many of life’s mysteries. I believe Astrology used at this level, has the capability of helping us become more conscious, more mindful and more soul-ful about the way we live our lives through the choices we make each moment of every day. For we confront many choices regularly!
TO…THE SHIFTING SKIES From our birth chart (which is like a ‘snapshot in time of the heavens’) everything moves on. Nothing remains the same as the Sun, the Moon, the Planets, the Angles and other sensitive points all move on. With this, each can continue to offer us ‘challenges’ to grow. This is the territory of Transits and Progressions and they can read like a magnificent, unfolding unique story of your individual life. Can you see that through developing even a cursory interest and understanding of ‘the questions being asked’ by these movements in the “starry skies” and “heaven above”, we can shift our focus in life. We can learn to ‘work with’ what’s being offered through the transits and progressions of the planets so that they become evolutionary ‘tools and guides’ into our own self-discovery and understanding. Then, astrological symbolism can ‘aid and assist’ us to become more empowered as ourselves rather than ‘halt or limit’ us through lack of awareness or understanding that keeps us ‘blindly looping’ over and over again back into old, outworn reactions and behaviours that keep repeating! Might it actually be that these patterns need to keep repeating in our lives because we are attempting to ‘get the lesson’ in them? Once we have that, might it also be that we then are able to move forward? This can then help us shift focus from being a ‘victim of life’ to becoming a ‘creator of life’. And sometimes, all that takes is to become aware of the fact that there is a choice! This choice is simply about a ‘shift of our focus’ from ‘victim to Creator’! With this shift, we ‘sign up’ to take responsibility for our own lives being ours to create! From experience – whenever something is going on in your life, there is always some astrological trigger, so understanding what the questions are from the Planets, can definitely help us find the answers that support us!
ASTROLOGY I’ve come to accept that when things happen in life…there is always ‘some planet touching, or triggering, something’! Astrology has become the singular, most magnificent tool for understanding ‘life on Earth’ that I have ever used – or found! Where I am predominantly self-taught, that Astrological programme I attended (for a week each year from 2007–2011) was pivotal. Since then, I have essentially just ‘followed my nose’ into areas that have piqued my interest, trusting that when things have felt right and I have followed that impulse, it would lead me to a deeper level of understanding than I had. It always worked and slowly over many years, my understanding of life on Earth, Astrology and Consciousness itself morphed…to be my very own perception of life and beyond! What all this meant though, is that I am definitely an unconventional Astrologer! I like to feel my way into a chart using the astrological symbols as portals to some deeper aspect of a client and where my astrological work has deepened immeasurably, my focus has always been on the REcognition, REconnection, nurture and encouragement towards the development of a greater soul-fulness in others’ lives. Where I use it every day in my own life, I have come to recognize it is but one tool. Yes, Astrology the way I like to practice it - with soul-ful-ness, is not only a guide, but also one huge, potentially powerful and definitely helpful tool, but one of many just the same! And in a personal sense, it has been Astrology and my widening application and understanding of it in my own life, that has allowed me to grow more into a deeper, more soulful understanding and expression of myself. I have been a practicing Astrologer for many years now and as mentioned above, I did have another web presence for a number of years (around 2009 – 2015) that covered only the astrological work I was doing, but I morphed from that….to this!
CLEAR LINE IN THE SAND In these last years I have been watching as covid ‘happened’ and one thing is for sure! Covid has drawn a clear line in the sand! There was a before and there will be an after! On the back of this, along came Pluto in 2023 by transit, to ‘dip a toe into Aquarian waters’ for a month or two! Pluto, as my chart ruler, has also triggered a major personal shift! As my natal Ascendant is in Scorpio, this makes any transit or passage of Pluto (plus Mars- as the joint ruler of Scorpio) important – and potentially ‘life altering’! Transiting Pluto began triggering a natal t-square (involving Mercury, Uranus and Neptune) plus entering the sign of Aquarius and my natal 4th house. This was also re-enforced and magnified by secondary progressed Mars (who finally entered the sign of Aquarius and entered my 4th house too about the same time) SP Mars had been ‘doing his stuff’ for years leading up to this trigger but transiting Pluto was the ‘biggy’, the catalyst asking me “Will you do it - for it is time?” Might it be that Pluto is the ‘linchpin I have been looking for – and need’?’ What is it that I need to do? I have some of the ‘clues’ but, as with all mysteries, many of them (and much of it) still remain hidden! I search for them and empower them to reveal themselves every day and ever so slowly, they are! The ‘clear line in the sand’ mentioned above reiterates a ‘shift’ and this is my attempt to ‘step up’, to ‘speak out and be heard’ to ‘offer the fruits of whatever digested wisdom I have managed to acquire to date’ to a larger World than I have been working with until now. Throughout this ‘covid time’, increasingly I have responded to a ‘call’ to work with younger people so have come to accept that somehow, they have clues ‘for the next steps.’ I have chosen to not only work with them, but also empower their feelings, new ideas and thoughts. For we need change and we need fresh ideas and new ways of ‘doing life’! For it doesn’t take much objectivity to recognize that many of the “old ways” are not only outmoded, but are redundant and not working! The young people have (and are) the ‘seeds of our future’ and many of them seem to have wonderful ‘clues’ about how that might unfold. They need encouragement, reassurance and nurture from those of us who have come before. My intent – to the best of my ability as an Elder in the tribe of our magnificent Planet – is to help them. For if we all get this right, we will be able to plant these seeds in fertile ground, to then forge and create a new future for humanity on Earth. This we need! Where I accept, I may need to be ‘looking down from up above’ to view this new future, attempting to help, while here, can still help ‘turn the tide’ so that we might just be able to ‘land on a sweeter and softer beach’! Does the “mystery” simply reveal that it is time now and; all I need to do is to ‘drop Pluto into place; be totally open and receptive; hold what I have come to and do know and; have willingness to rise to what I don’t?’If so - I continue to ‘be while still becoming’! All that’s come before in my life has brought me to this place. I feel ready and I feel “ripened”!
ASTROLOGICAL CONSULTS Now, I like to use Astrology for “soul-work” and this means the symbols have become like “portals” to a deeper view and understanding of any individual. I have found over the years that the types of clients drawn to the way I now love to work are - more often than not – ‘seekers’ on a path to deeper more soul-ful connection and understanding of themselves; a wider perspective of life and; finding the place they can take up on the Planet. For - if only we realized it - we can all find our ‘true mission’ as we are not here by chance! Each Astrological consultation is individual, organic and determined by specific questions you may ask for deeper clarity around certain things going on in your life. These questions will be viewed through the Astrological symbolism in your birth chart. As each reading is about YOU, I take the lead from you. I am happy to do one-off consults, ongoing mentoring (using your astrological set up as the backdrop) or simply mentoring/life coaching directed by you and tailored to your needs. This can help reflect the Astrological symbolism for your understanding so that you can then make more conscious, informed and empowered choices in your life. If you feel to get in touch with me, please do so through the CONTACT tab in this website. I will need the following: 1. YOUR NAME 2. DATE OF BIRTH 3. TIME OF BIRTH 4. PLACE OF BIRTH 5. ANY QUESTIONS you have THAT ARE important at the time of the consultation. These details can be filled into on CONTACT page. *As the birth chart is calculated from the date, time and place of birth, accuracy is important as it dictates the Ascendant and placement of all the houses from the Ascendant and all the Planets in each. As the Houses of a birth chart are designated areas of life, knowing an accurate birth time is paramount, but if you do not know your birth time, some value can definitely still be gleaned from the symbolism. • Astrological sessions are from 1 ½ hrs – 2 hrs and you • Receive a copy of your Birth chart plus • A recording of the session. • Price depends on your needs so please CONTACT me.• If $ are an issue – and you are a sincere and genuine “seeker” - there are many ways to pay so please CONTACT me anyway.
AN EXERCISE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED ******IF you feel inclined to do this, you can simply draw a circle, then divide it into 12 equal segments. Next, starting from the horizontal line on the left-hand side – and moving anti-clockwise – you can fill in the houses (from 1st – 12th) starting with Aries/1st house; Taurus/2nd house; Gemini/3rd house; Cancer/4th house; Leo/5th house; Virgo/6th house; Libra 7th house; Scorpio/8th house, Sagittarius/9th house; Capricorn/10th house; Aquarius/11th house and finally Pisces/12th house. To this you can then add the rulers of each of these signs: Aries – Mars; Taurus – Venus; Gemini – Mercury; Cancer – Moon; Leo – Sun; Virgo – Mercury (again); Libra – Venus (again); Scorpio – Mars and Pluto; Sagittarius – Jupiter; Capricorn – Saturn; Aquarius – Saturn and Uranus (modern ruler) and; Pisces – Neptune and Jupiter. The 3 FIRE signs are: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius The 3 EARTH signs are: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn The 3 AIR signs are: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius The 3 WATER signs are: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. This can then become like a mandala and if you have had your chart done, you can start to see where your balance of Planets and focus lies and this can help understand some of the first important factors in your birth chart. Also, if you feel to do this exercise, something ignites inside that starts to trigger a process that can ‘ensoul’ the dynamic of your birth chart.
I have always felt that some people consider Astrology too challenging to learn about and all I would encourage here is that if you feel ‘grabbed by the horns’ there are a number of wonderful courses now that are totally capable of giving you all the fundamental foundational information you will need.
After that, it’s simply about gaining experience and this can lead to greater confidence in working with the symbols. You can practice on friends and family!
IF you are interested in learning more about Astrology, please CONTACT me.