June 2020 Newsletter

New Writing Goodies!

I had a dreadful nightmare the other night but astrology has helped me understand what was really bothering me. Full story on my website.

I've been working on my fiction too. Lots of stuff on my website.

I just got my Mac out of repairs (after 6 months) so my website is positively burgeoning with new material.

I have A LOT of great new stuff coming out so I'll keep you informed here but why not join my newsletter via my website? You can get great deals on astrology consultations and a whole lot more such as classes on tarot, astrology and palmistry from me and other guest tutors. This month I'll be releasing two big articles: one on the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction which featured on Astrodienst and a very important article on reading astrology charts for children. Join my website so you can be one of the first to read!

In Other News!

With The Virus disrupting a lot of 'real world' meetings, most events are going online but there are still a few hopeful people out there who think we'll go back to being 'normal' soon. So please be patient with the uncertainties. We'll get there together.

Lots of stuff happening this month of June 2020:

• an interview with The True Divination Podcast (coming out in July)
• an interview with ISAR Turkey
• a podcast with Radiant Astrology
• a webinar with Evolutionary Astrology on 18th June ("When a Flower Speaks") This group hosts FREE astrology events
• a webinar with Kepler College on Astrology and children's charts on 20 June 2020, 1-2:30pm PDT

And Just Check Out ISAR!!!

Great stuff happening for International Society of Astrological Research (ISAR) members this month. On top of a vast library of resources, free study groups and a fabulous magazine, these webinars, available in 9 languages, are FREE for ISAR members. Joining ISAR is a fabulous way to see what is happening in the world of astrology. Join ISAR here: https://isarastrology.org/en-gb/membership/ It's only $59 (£47 GBP) for a year with similar events happening online all year round.

June 7 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EDT Nadiya Shah Astrological Magic

June 8 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm EEST Gaye Alkan Bir Araya Getirmek İçin Bir Formül: Placidus ve Whole Sign Sistemleri in Turkish

June 10 @ 9:00 pm - 10:30 pm EEST Θανάσης Ματσώτας - Μαίανδρος, το Νέο Σύμβολο του Υδροχόου in Greek

June 11 @ 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm CEST Bernard Duchatelle - Les nœuds lunaires et le sens de la vie in French 🇫🇷

June 12 @ 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm MSK Юлия Сафронова - Управление проектами и бизнес-астрология in Russian

June14 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT Pablo Flores Laymuns- La Luna: Sanado el Mundo Emocional y las Relaciones in Spanish

June 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EDT Lynn Koiner Beginning and Ending Planets

June 20 @ 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm EDT Tina Garofani -Karmička sinastrija-studije slučaja koji nisu slučajni in Serbian

June 21 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EDT Lea Imsiragic Summer and Winter Solstice Gates 2020 and their Global and Personal Impact
June 24@19:00 (Paris) with Alex Trenoweth and panel on Astrology and Education (in French, English and Serbian)

June 27 @ 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT Celisa Beranger - O Mapa do Espaço Local ou do Horizonte, e suas Direções in Portuguese

June 28 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EDT Maurice Fernandez Solar Beings, Solar Consciousness

Events in July

• a Zoom lecture with Astrology Ireland on 3rd July (details to be announced soon)
• And later on 20 July. . .My birthday!!! An online event with friends from all over

Later in Autumn 2020

I'll be speaking at these upcoming astrology conferences:

ISAR 10-13 September 2020 in Boulder Colorado (This event may be postponed owing to the virus threats)
Kepler College: Full Course on working with charts of adolescents, starting 26/27 September

Northern Stars Astrology Conference 2-4 October 2020 in Halifax Nova Scotia (This event may take place online)

Breaking Down the Borders 6-8 November 2020 (this is the original online Astrology Conference)

Coming Soon!

I need volunteers to try out my new report for adolescents. If you are interested in receiving a FREE natal (birth) astrology report, please send me your name, date, time and place of birth along with your return address. In return, please give me some feedback on the report, bearing in mind that it is aimed at young people so the language is aimed at them. 

Send your info to alex.trenoweth@gmail.com

I'll remove this notice once I have enough volunteers. First come, first served!! Please note, at the moment, this is for over 18s only.

The Astrology of the New Royal Rebel (2)

copyright: Alex Trenoweth

And we have a baby boy!

Congratulations to the Royal family!

The new baby was born 23 April 2018 (St George's Day!!) at 11:01am, just out of orb for Venus conjunct Algol like his father and Princess Diana. But what a planetary connection for the new baby! His ascendant is on big brother's Sun and his Venus is on big brother's descendant (which is conjunct Algol!). And with the Sun conjunct Uranus in the 10th, I really don't have to change the title of this post--Royal Rebel indeed!

With Moon in Leo at 9 degrees, he's bound to be a hit with his great grandmother the Queen who has the Moon in Leo at 12 degrees. They also have a Sun conjunction!

It was VERY quickly noted by other astrologers that the new baby also has Chiron conjunct the MC and already there is speculation that there's going to be another healer in the family.

As a teacher, I'm eyeing up retrograde Jupiter in Scorpio and Saturn in Capricorn which can affect the important transits during adolescence. The baby will have 3 Jupiter passes for his first Jupiter return in 2030 and  a single Saturn opposition in 2033.

With Jupiter in Scorpio, growth through learning is pursued with passion and intensity. My experience in teaching these learners is that it takes a little time to get them fired up, but once they are hooked on a topic, it can be hard to get them onto something else (more on Jupiter in Scorpio learners here). They tend to be good researchers and aren't afraid to explore where other explorers fear to tread. The Queens' MC and Saturn are conjunct the baby's Jupiter in the 4th--it would seem her work ethic will have quite an effect on his emotional life. Maybe he'll take his official duties a little too seriously.

Saturn is in rulership in Capricorn. This is discipline with a capital D. But this new baby has his Pluto and Mars conjunct Queen Elizabeth's ascendant (in Capricorn) so I'm thinking his Saturn opposition in 2033 (in Cancer) may have a little to do with shake ups in the family at this time (the Queen of course will probably not be in any shape to be on the throne and Prince Charles might not be in such great shape either--but the new baby does have his Sun conjunct Charles' North Node). The opposition also falls in the 6-12th house axis so there may be changes in duties during this time. During this time, T Saturn will be square to dad's Mars in Libra.

If the Royal family (or anyone else is interested in more information on the astrology of education, my book is available here!

Here's an earlier post about Princess Charlotte and the Algol connections when she was born a few years ago:

Astrological characteristics between generations always have a tale to tell because certain features in astrology charts can often be traced in the family bloodline. For example, like her grandmother Princess Diana, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge has a Moon-Uranus opposition--so the House of Windsor had better batten down the hatches!! Also, the new baby's Mars is almost in conjunction with Algol (William and Diana have Venus conjunct Algol) so it's a very interesting, if a little intense, chart indeed! Baby brother George's descendant is conjunct Algol and little sister's Mars so don't bet on these two cherubs getting on very well.

The baby's ascendant is conjunct her father's Moon and Grandma Di's Mercury. How adorable is that? We may not have Diana here with us physically but it's so wonderful this new baby has inherited the old Spencer charm. How lovely to have named her Charlotte Elizabeth Diana!

The ruling planet of the new baby's chart is conjunct William's Pluto and Diana's MC. William is going to be one protective father and god help the paparazzi when the kid hits puberty. You think 'those shots' of a topless Kate made him mad? Just you wait until around August 2026 at her first Jupiter return. With Jupiter in Leo, that girl is going to love the spotlight and hate it when daddy tries to shield her from it. However, her down to earth Sun in Taurus in the 11th might calm this tendency.

Another interesting feature of this new baby's chart is Mercury in Gemini opposite to Saturn in Sagittarius. Mercury is extra strong in Gemini but with an opposition from Saturn, she may be a little reluctant to hit the books. Of course oppositions mean extremes so we could have a major academic on our hands (Mercury also rules the 3rd house). William's Uranus is conjunct her Saturn so while she may steady him, he may very well encourage that rebellious streak. One possible scenario is that William will encourage her to marry someone who shakes up the royal blood a little (Pluto in Capricorn descendant ruled by Saturn in 5th and Pluto ruling the 5th house).

No doubt there will be more and more astrological commentary on this baby. Personally, I don't like to say too much about babies but as this is a royal one and as I, a British tax payer, am contributing  to her upkeep, I reckon I can put my two pence in!

copyright: Alex Trenoweth. Not to be published without permission of author.
Media enquiries on alex.trenoweth@gmail.com

Alex Trenoweth is an astrologer, writer, lecturer and musician currently living in London England.  She is an MA graduate of the Cultural Astronomy and Astrology course at Bath Spa University (2007), has studied extensively with the Faculty of Astrological Studies whilst simultaneously gaining recognition as an outstanding teacher for her tireless and innovative education of adolescents. Her unique expertise in both astrology and teaching, coupled with ground-breaking research, has led to her writing “Growing Pains,” a book aimed at helping parents and teachers support and guide young people into maturity. The majority of Alex’s astrological work is aimed at facilitating clients to forgive, heal and learn the inner adolescent.

Alex is also an international lecturer and has spoken at several major US conferences such as UAC, ISAR, NORWAC, Kepler and SOTA, Astrology Restored in South Africa, Belgrade's Kepler Conference, Portugal as well as supporting local groups in the UK. She was voted “Best International Astrologer, 2015” by the Krishnamurti Institute of Astrology who also awarded her an honorary PhD as well as an award for "Outstanding Service to Astrology" in 2018.

In addition to being a committed teacher and astrologer, Alex is also a professional musician and has performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and other major venues as a jazz trumpeter. In her spare time, she writes fiction as well as more popular types of astrology. 

Embracing the Chaos

I still think we need a few more early nights!

Well. . .if one is going to invoke chaos (as only someone with Saturn in Pisces can!), one had better learn to love it.

And I don't know, I must have been walking around with a chaos magnet these past couple of weeks.

But it's all good. Honestly.

Gopal Bhattacharjee, his lovely wife Churni and I finally got to celebrate our successful conference together last night. Now we know not everything was perfect, we understand a few things could have gone better but we're pretty sure about one thing: we met our objectives in helping East and West understand each other a little more. We're building a bridge, we expected a little (snork!)  argy-bargy and we're enormously grateful for all the support we've received and continue to receive as already we're planning our 2020 conference!

I decided I needed a little time away from Kolkata immediately after the conference. I did

First time as a bridesmaid with my beautiful Ana in Cape Town

question my sanity as I packed for a week long tour because all I wanted to do after the conference was shut myself in a quiet room with the lights off for a few days. I hadn't really even recovered from the jet lag I had accrued during my very brief visit to Cape Town just before the conference. But once the shock of being on yet another plane wore off, and with the support of my fabulous travelling companions, I really had a wonderful adventure. Hanuman ki jai! I'll write more about this in a future blog.

Planning and organising the conference was so intense that I really did put my life on hold. I don't say this to gain sympathy

With Dorothy and Ra: Number 1 travel companions!

(although I wouldn't mind a little) but just to point out that WHOOSH I suddenly have a lot of things to put back together. So as Gopal and Churni and I clinked our glasses to our successes last night, a few things started to dawn on me.

I just remembered I have a blog that I'm supposed to be maintaining. I'm so far behind. I suddenly remembered this as I frantically was trying to plan a few articles (including one for Dell Horoscope about the IVC/KIA conference!) I'm supposed be writing whilst I was simultaneously preparing for an interview with the good astrologers of Athens.

At 3:00 am this morning. I mean I thought I was doing well keeping my Western astrology class going this week.

And then I discovered I didn't actually post my Christmas blog when I got to my office this morning. And I came across a note to myself that read : "Don't forget to book flights to Serbia". And then I remembered I have lectures to prepare for the Johannes Kepler Institute of Astrological Research and Education in Belgrade next month.

My website still has 2017 yearly horoscopes up. I'm not even going to put the link in until I fix that. Yikes.

I have three books that need to be finished. And several requests for interviews that I need to chase up and a few webinars (one for the Organisation for Professional Astrology) that I need to pull together. All of which needs to be done before the United Astrology Conference in May.

Of course there's also the conference in Italy in June

Oh and my teaching agency back in London is on my case.

So all of this is to say, it's been a little crazy. 

I like some craziness. I love the chaos of craziness because I work well without too much structure. Actually, I dislike structure altogether but I know other people need it so I just try to roll with it most of the time.

But I honestly think today is just one of those days that I look at the mess and think: "OMG, I need to spend a little time fixing up."

So I went for a good run at the gym. I'm getting better and I like it a lot better too. I organised my desktop (I can always tell when things are getting the better of me when my desktop is LOADED). And made a plan for catching up that included looking at my diary and making a commitment to clearing some of that massive to-do list.

It's just one of those days I need to take a bit of time to put the pieces back together.

But in the midst of the chaos, I found out another one of my articles will appear in Dell Horoscope!

So you see, it's all good!

I'll sign off with a photo of yours truly dancing at our Astrology Mega Party in Kolkata. Why am I posting a photo of my klutzy self dancing? Because I have NEVER been to an astrology conference where everyone danced with such abandonment and merriment. No matter what we disagree about or who we disagree with, today I am going to remember that astrologers laughed and danced together like never before in India. For a few hours, the astrology community boogied together and enjoyed each other's company whether they used the sidereal or the tropical zodiac.

I hope we will remember that it is totally possible to put our differences aside and just boogie with the chaos. I hope we can do it again in 2020.

A true riot of colours and sounds and there was even a drone hovering around to take more photos

How they set up a party in India!

Lynn Bell and Maurice Fernandez letting loose!

Everyone was dancing!

I think it's fair to say they had no idea what they were getting themselves  into

I may not be much of a dancer but yes, even I got up to dance

Now THIS is a proper DJ!!

Christmas in Kolkata

When I got on the plane (during Mercury retrograde AND a super full Moon) to come to India in early December, I had pretty much accepted there would be no "Hark the Herald Angles Sing" for me. The Christmas season in the UK had just about started in earnest and to be honest, I really wasn't all that fussed about not seeing any reindeer. To me it just seemed like a small price to pay for the adventure of a lifetime! I could sing along with the Christmas carols on youtube.

Churi and I rocking around a Christmas Tree in Kolkata

But as Christmas loomed closer, I started to get little pangs of missing the ho ho hos, the excitement of the children and that two week break. It didn't last too long--we've been working very hard here and I just got into the swing of things to the point I kept forgetting the Western world was starting to shut down for the holiday. And then one evening, I noticed there WERE Christmas lights starting to appear. And Christmas trees!
On reflection, my surprise is pretty silly. We celebrate Diwali, Chinese New Year, Eid and Hanukkah in London so why would I think Christmas wouldn't be celebrated or at the very least acknowledged in India? I mean globalisation, right?
In my own defence, it is abundantly clear that East and West view the world in completely different ways. The biggest difference? The West looks at the East as its poorest relation I think. Westerners look at every day life here in India and feel a sense of pity because of the poverty.
Just hold that thought for a moment.
A sense of pity because of the poverty.

Churni, Gopal and I with a reindeer or two

My experiences in India have taught me that there are two kinds of poverty: a material one and a poverty of the spirit. It's like the West is trained to look at the outside and the East is trained to look past outward appearances. I see the Western perception of "poverty" here but I also see tremendous joy and gratitude. I love the way nothing is really broken and thrown away: anything can be fixed here. I like it that life is seen as inter-connected: astrology, palmistry, gemology and yoga are just branches of the same discipline. Life is "modern" here and I can't think of a single thing that I miss (other than people which something different altogether).

Of course with the conference coming up, it's all very hectic and as a first time organiser of such a major international event, it's a very steep learning curve. My laptop sure is getting a workout. I hope it lasts! So from me to you, the Merriest Solstice how ever you celebrate it!

More Christmas lights than Oxford Circus: Park Street, Kolkata

UPDATE: 21 February 2018
Oh great goddess, you mean I forgot to publish this! Busy times. . .Trying to catch up with my blog this week.

Saturn in Capricorn: The Hard Reign

A beautiful school in Kolkata

Saturn will soon be in Capricorn and everyone's talking out it. OK, the astrologers are talking about it.

It's big shift all right and usually some sort of symbolism makes its way to the front pages of the international newspapers when Saturn changes signs.  Remember "Je suis Charlie?" just as Saturn lurched back and forth over the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius at the end of 2014? Saturn in Sagittarius began with our need to speak our Truth and it will end with a lot of us wondering what the point of all that truth seeking was about. The planet is a mess, politics are mess, the internet is a mess. . .now what do we do with all this "truth"?

Articles about Saturn ingresses are plentiful and I sure do have my hands full here in India with our astrology conference coming up. So I hope no one minds that I don't rake over the usual stuff. Instead I want to write about something far more important: the educational system.

Most people come to me for astrological advice because they want something to change. No one comes to me to tell me how wonderful life is. For example:

1) My child won't behave. How can I get them to behave?
2) My classes are a nightmare. How do I get my pupils to behave?
3) My husband/wife is doing x. How do I get them to stop?

My answer, in short, is to turn those questions on their ear. Instead of looking to the other person, look to oneself. At the very least what a client comes up with are a few options, some of which will be far more reasonable than others. An astrologer will no doubt hear the client's Saturn speaking (always an amazing thing to behold). The client will soon realise that they are not as disempowered as they had assumed. There's work to be done!

And this really is what Saturn is all about: stepping up to the plate, eyeballing the pitch and then deciding how to play it. It's taking on the responsibility for one's own actions. Saturn isn't about making life cozy. It's looking at problems and deciding what to do about them.

This is rather going to be the theme as we approach Saturn in Capricorn season.

However, as I see it, the Saturn in Capricorn ingress will bring with it huge changes in the educational system.

And it's about goddamn time.

Look around at social media. There goes a teacher complaining about workload (sorry), there goes a parent complaining that their child's learning needs aren't being met, there goes a politician complaining that they're not getting enough bang for their buck from teachers so it's time to change the curriculum (again), there goes a child complaining about bullying (in whatever form), boredom and homework whose voice falls on the deaf ears of parents, teachers and politicians who are too wrapped up in their own concerns to do something about it.

Let that last point be the one that bends your disbelieving knee to the call of Saturn.

Saturn is the co-ruler of Aquarius. I know our Aquarian friends like to boast about their Uranian qualities but for thousands of years before Uranus was discovered, they too were ruled by Saturn. Under their zaniness lies a deep fear (Saturn) that their contributions are not as useful as they would like them to be.

Here too is another key to understanding Saturn: the need for practicality.

As we approach 2020, the year of the next Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius (ruled by BOTH Saturn and Uranus), I really do think there will be huge reforms in education. This structure we have upheld for hundreds of years cannot continue to stand as it is. And the changes will be profound. . .

1) Currently pupils suffer under the factory model school system originally meant for workers of the industrial revolution. We teach them that "being good" is about sitting down and shutting up. That we must all work at the same pace and reach the same objectives.
2) Currently parents are kept in the dark about their child's real progress. "Being involved" usually means coming to the school's Christmas concert or showing up at Parents' evening rather than understanding how the curriculum works and where their child's aptitude does or does not fit into it.
3) Currently teachers are expected to put up with outrageous working conditions. . .because it's the only system they know too!! The "standard" school teacher (under 30, female and for whatever reason deemed not suitable for management) manages 30 children at one time, dances to the tune Ousted* plays (oh don't get me started on Ofsted!) and has been conditioned to keep quiet about injustices.

Whispers of outrage have already begun and please dear Goddess let me have the strength to lead the astrological charge!! Hear my Saturn in Pisces speak??!! And I wasn't even trying. . .(haha).

To get more good teachers, we need to treat them better!! We need to ask why only 45% of them stay in the profession 5 years after qualifying. More teachers=smaller classrooms. More home-based (online) education= parents understanding their own child's learning needs. More lessons that truly cater to a child's learning needs= adults who become independent thinkers rather than drones who are punished for opening up about what they want!

Saturn in Capricorn urges you to get to grips with your own Saturn, to face up to your fears and know that they are not insurmountable. Saturn in Capricorn urges you to accept your limitations and to do something about them. Saturn in Capricorn looks at the current structures that we have always relied on and realises the foundations are showing signs of collapse.

It's time to come in like a wrecking ball!!

You have two choices: Get up and fight or roll over and die!

There will be no comfort as we fight the good fight. As the old (slightly modified) saying goes: you'll have al the comfort you want in the grave!

A hard reign's gonna fall but personally I can't wait for the flowers.

Alex Trenoweth
Copyright 2017

Got some questions? Want to step up to the plate? Drop by my new and improved website https://alextrenoweth.co.uk. . .or leave me a comment and tell me about how you would like to see the educational system improve!

* "Ousted" is a typo for "Ofsted" or the managing body of teaching inspectors. I was going to correct it then thought it was extremely fitting! Or maybe even wishful thinking!

Alex Trenoweth, Agent 144 of the Cosmic Intelligence Agency, is currently hard at work in India preparing for the IVC/KIA astrology conference. In addition to her astrological practice, she is also a fully qualified secondary school teacher campaigning for better working conditions for teachers thus bringing about a better learning environment for children. Alex is also the author the newly re-published "Growing Pains" about the astrology of education and the soon-to-be-released "The Wolf You Feed" about Saturn cycles (both titles by The Wessex Astrologer). When she isn't tearing around the globe speaking at astrology conferences, she enjoys the company of her cat Mr Bubbles, playing the trumpet and writing fiction.

Jai Ho!

I'm finally in India!

It's been a hectic but exhilarating week. I feel like I really belong and I'm doing something I've always wanted to do. No doubt this is because my Sun is conjunct my MC here in Kolkata: for the first time in my life, I have my own office, executive desk and a driver (!).  It's all been pretty intense with the conference just under two months away.

But that doesn't mean there isn't time for fun!

After 24 hours of travelling was I ever glad to see these guys!

I was greeted at the airport by my new office mates and taken to my new home. I'm happy to report that even though I travelled during Mercury Retrograde and a Super Full Moon, I had no problems whatsoever. So there!

Gopal Bhattacharjee and his lovely wife Churni (who I haven't seen in nearly two years) and I had a fabulous dinner and got caught up with all our news. It's amazing how Gopal and I have very similar views about bringing the two zodiacs together. Both of us passionately believe that the only way to address "the big question" in astrology is by talking about it. And the best way to talk about it is at an astrology conference!

As we were musing about this (at 3am!), we drove over a bridge and I suddenly got a bright idea.

"Stop!" I shouted. One of the many things Gopal and I agree about is that we are building bridges, not walls. We needed a photo of us on that bridge.

East meets West on a bridge at 3am!

We stopped and piled out and Gopal and I posed for this photo. So there you have it: East meeting West on a bridge (at 3am)!

One of my tasks here is to design a Western Astrology course for Jyotish students and boy, did Gopal ever do well with getting a professional teacher to do this task. I developed a curriculum, designed the prospectus, did the lesson plans, assembled the resources and delivered my very first class all in the first week. Super exciting times.

Being introduced to a new astrological perspective can be something that can be a little frightening. I clearly recall the moment I had my tropical chart converted to a sidereal one. I was at an Indian restaurant with a group of Jyotish astrologers and I walked through the door and into the meeting with a plate of food, declaring that I just couldn't possibly be a Taurus rising! These days I'm far more happy with my sidereal ascendant because it is in the Nakshatra of Rohini. In Indian lore, Rohini was the favourite wife of Soma (a Moon deity) whose other 26 wives got a little jealous. They conspired to have a curse put on Soma but changed their minds. The curse was pulled back but Soma did not escape completely so he now waxes and wanes. The star of Rohini Nakshatra is Aldebaran which is said to bring riches and honours. And one of its symbols is a Banyan tree! In the UK, it's kind of fashionable to name classes after trees and I have taught a few "Banyan Tree" classes! It just seems so synchronous!

The pupils of one of my classes

The ascendant of a horoscope is the starting point and to convert a tropical chart to a sidereal one means subtracting about 23 degrees off of the absolute longitude of every planet. So a lot of planets are likely to change signs and therefore rulers. My final exam question will ask my pupils to explain and justify which zodiac they think suits them. I can hardly wait to see what they have to say!

The best part of teaching is that I'm also learning alongside of my students. Oh and we don't wear shoes indoors! I couldn't resist taking a photo of our shoes:

I'm barefoot most of the time! These are the shoes of my pupils.

I usually get a little nervous teaching adults because they are so quiet, but these guys really are the creme de la creme. They are all preparing to compete for a place to speak at the conference--a tradition of Krishnamurti Institute of Astrology since it began nearly a Saturn cycle ago. I LOVE this idea of creating opportunities for new astrologers. There are also writing competitions for their magazine that is distributed to 20,000 people. Yes! 20,000 people!! It's a huge honour for them and it's no wonder so many prizes are given out each year.

Gopal, Churni and I also checked out the conference venue. I've been to this particular hotel before but I didn't realise it had so many lecture rooms. And by "lecture rooms" I mean HUGE lecture rooms! Check this out:

One of the "smaller" lecture rooms

This is one of the "smaller" rooms!! I keep telling Western astrologers to be prepared to speak to a huge crowd here in India. Even at the bigger conferences in the US, there is just no comparison to what it's like in India! And the luxury! It's just so mind blowing! And the food? I'm not much a sweets person but not even I can resist the Kolkata specialty Rasgulla! Like a lot of things, the outside appearance can be very deceiving: buildings that look like factories are so elegant and beautiful inside and desserts that look bland and uninteresting can explode with flavour.

Rasgulla. Have it! And register for the conference here

This seems a little trivial given all the other stuff that's happening but  have a new website. Check it out. It really is the BOMB!! And all the lovely testimonials from astrologers around the world about my re-published book (The Wessex Astrologer darling) are there too. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter so you can keep up with all these developments happening in India!
And there's LOTS to keep up with in India!

I'll sign off with the ad that's going to go in an awful lot of newspapers. We're so excited to be leading the call for astrologers to focus on what we have in common (a love of the sky) rather than how we a re different. There's so much to learn from each other! And thank the gods that be for a decent photo of yours truly!

By the way I'm learning to speak Bengali! In London, I have many, many pupils who speak Bengali and I'm looking forward to seeing their faces when I speak their language!

PS "Jai ho" is a Hindi phrase meaning "Let Victory prevail"

Fighting the Fight

I've been struggling astrologically. I don't mean I'm having hard transits or anything like that (although I do have a transiting waning Saturn square to its natal position coming up). I mean I've been wondering what the hell was the point of being a "practicing astrologer" when I seemed to be stuck on saying the same things over and over. Surely, I've said all I can possibly say on the topic of astrology and education?

And if I can't get the non astrologers to listen to me by now, maybe the time has come for me to shut up about the topic.

I was thinking perhaps it was time to take another course in astrology or to branch out into another field. Maybe I just needed to take time off and, oh I don't know, do some painting or something. Maybe I needed to take a pottery class.  I hate to admit it but I was feeling eclipsed by the eclipse. With the need to get the back-to-school message out, I was competing with what felt like every other astrologer in the world trying to get their two pence worth in about the damn eclipse. I even kind of tried to join in the fun. But I was defo feeling the frustration of it all.

And then, um, I got totally eclipsed by a boy (uh oh). Well that certainly took my mind off of astrology.

Except it totally didn't.

Do I tell the boy that I'm an astrologer or do I let him work it out for himself when I eventually wear my starry earrings? What if he hates astrology and comes to think I had tried to conceal the fact that I'm an astrologer from him?

I had found it so totally amusing to be mooning about (as it were) after some man I had met at the gym that I jokingly put my musings on Facebook. And like the Moon in Leo/Sun in Cancer I am, got a whole lot of attention I wasn't sure I wanted.

So much for being eclipsed by the eclipse. I never thought there would be so much interest in my love life!

But aside from hearing some very conflicting advice from astrology friends about what I should do about my predicament in love, I also had the opportunity to step away from the persona of Alex the Astrologer and just be Alex.

I mean, who am I if not an astrologer? I've spent that past 18 years focusing on becoming a professional astrologer and maybe I had forgotten who Alex the normal person was.

Yeah I'll just wait until you stop laughing about me being normal.

In fact, let me reveal that Mr Man (as I call him) thinks I am pretty together. He's even marginally impressed with my organisationals skills, fortitude and focus, believe it or not. For a few days this felt like such a cool manifestation of my natal Sun trine Saturn that it felt totally natural and not a little unlike I had been denying the Saturn in me all the time I was trying to embrace the Ura-- Oh forget it.

So fast forward (or at least it feels like a lot of time has passed since my hot date last weekend) to hopping on the plane to Edinburgh to speak to the Scottish Astrological Association on the topic of astrology in education. Of course, I love to travel. And I love this particular lecture (and its variations) but I was thinking I really needed to find something else to lecture about. I mean what is the point? I was thinking no non astrologer is ever going to get it. Nothing will ever change.

No one is ever going to listen to an astrologer.

I've said and written all I can say and write.

Me and a few of the Edinburgh crew

But as I was lecturing, I found myself consumed by the passion to make a difference. And over the cups of tea afterwards as I continued to answer questions about my research, I knew the fight wasn't over just yet. And when someone like Mark Cullen tells you that he respects your genuine and original research, you know the job isn't done. Maybe, I thought to myself, I'll come to the end of my research and someone else can carry the can for awhile.

This afternoon, as I tried to make a plan for my next steps, I came across this article. It's about children who have committed crimes when they are in their early teens and who will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives. I passionately believe that with a little astrology, a difference can be made to the lives of so-called lost children. I don't think I've tried hard enough to make the required changes, to call attention to the research or, for that matter, to finish what I've started.

In the middle of a busy cafe in the middle of Edinburgh, I felt white hot tears of frustrated anger spill over. And I just knew my job in astrology and education is far, far from being over. Somehow I have to keep pulling the rabbit out of the hat. I have to find someone who is in a position to listen to me.

So if you're tired of me rabbiting on about astrology and education, well just bugger off and go do some painting or something. Join a pottery class.

I got work to do.