How to get the most from your astrology consultation
I listened to a great episode on The Astrology Podcast last year covering this topic. In the episode (there is a link below), Leisa Schaim and Chris Brennan discuss what clients can do to get the most out of an astrology consultation. I thought it was a brilliant idea to cover the topic, as often if you have never had a consultation before you really don’t know what to expect. I had several different astrological consultations before I became a professional astrologer myself. Each consultation was a different experience, and I know that if I had these tips prior to those sessions, I definitely could have got even more from each one. Each astrologer has their own unique style and way in which they share their information, however there are general things that you, the client, can do to really enhance the experience. Here are the most important things to do:
Choose the best astrologer for you.
Astrology is like any profession, there are many different specialties within it and you need to find the one that will best help you. It is just the same as choosing the right medical specialist or lawyer for your particular need. There are many different approaches in Astrology, and if you have some experience with it you may know exactly what type of astrological consultation you are looking for, even down to house systems and/or certain techniques. It is also always best to choose the person you intuitively feel drawn to. You can get a sense of who they are through their Bio page, social media or other digital presence. This is especially relevant if you are new to astrology as you will not necessarily know the type of astrology you are looking for. I do believe in divine timing, and so whichever astrologer you choose, they will be exactly the right one for you at that time.
There are many different approaches in astrology e.g. Hellenistic, Medieval, Vedic, Modern, Psychological, Evolutionary; there are also different branches e.g. natal (your birth chart analysis), horary (casting a chart at the exact time for a specific question), electional (deciding the most appropriate time for an event based on the astrology) , or mundane (studying large groups/cities/nations). There are also different house systems, zodiacs and special techniques within the disciplines. If you have astrological knowledge and want a specific technique it is vital you discuss this with the astrologer prior to the consultation. Astrologers become experts in their specific areas. If you have knowledge of astrology and want to look into an area of your life or a particular topic then it is best to choose the astrologer with the specific skill set you are looking for.
Provide an accurate birth time.
An accurate birth time is the most critical element for a successful astrology consultation. The Hellenistic astrology techniques are extremely specific, and therefore even a couple of minutes can make a huge difference. You can find your birth time on your birth certificate, in a baby book or by contacting the hospital where you were born. You can also ask your parents or close relative. Sometimes birth times from memory are a little off and it is preferable to have access to the time recorded in print at the time of birth. If you cannot find your birth time you can consult an astrologer that specializes in rectification. The process of rectification involves taking a client’s life story and history and matching the details to placements in the chart to narrow down the time of birth. Some people have a really positive experience doing this.
Ask questions before the consultation.
One of the key things I wish I had known prior to having an astrological consultation, was the benefit of asking questions beforehand. Asking about the areas of your life that you need clarity on, will direct the astrologer to focus on the relevant, specific areas of your natal chart. A natal chart is literally full to the brim with information. It is a beautiful story written by the stars with many different chapters and it is literally impossible to cover everything in one consultation. I have had the experience of having a huge amount of interpretation thrown at me but at the end not having the most important questions in my heart answered. I ask all my clients to provide with me their questions or the topics that they would like to focus on prior to our session. I can then choose the techniques that will provide the most valuable information about those particular areas. This is the best way of squeezing the most value out of every minute of the consultation, and I believe the client is left with a lot more clarity.
Say not too much and not too little.
The ideal astrology consultation is one in which there is a conversation. The consultation is a creative space and you as the client should definitely speak up if something does not feel right or you would like to know more or less about certain areas of the chart. Having said that there is a balance. As a client you don’t want to talk too much during the consultation, otherwise the astrologer will not have time to cover all of the information they would like to communicate with you. However, you also do not want to remain silent as the astrologer will have no context to your life as a whole. Context provides a deeper more insightful natal chart consultation. Background information helps the astrologer to see how the specific significations and symbolic archetypal patterns in the chart are being expressed in your unique life experiences. Specific dates can also be very useful, especially for various techniques e.g. the Hellenistic timing technique Zodiacal Releasing. When you ask your questions prior to the consultation it is best if you write 1-3 short paragraphs about the areas of your life you want to focus on. You can include any important dates with this information.
Talk about your life rather than your chart.
If you have had a previous consultation with another astrologer or have learnt some astrology yourself it is tempting to ask about specific placements in your chart. If you focus on previous interpretations you may miss some of the unique insights from the current chart analysis. More will be gained from the consultation if you talk about your life direction and important topics/areas so that the astrologer can use their knowledge and unique skill set and provide you with their own interpretation. If you have never been introduced to astrology before, the technicalities and astrological language will be foreign to you. Don’t worry and definitely don’t get fixated on trying to understand the nuances of the chart during your consultation. I remember being so curious about all the meanings of the astrological terms in my first consultation that I probably missed some of the relevant interpretations. You do not need any understanding of astrology to have an incredible natal chart consultation experience and see your story in the stars.
Manage your expectations.
It is important to have a realistic view of what an astrological consultation is going to reveal to you. The natal chart contains an incredible amount of information regarding the specific alignment of the cosmos at the moment you were born and how that is reflected in your personal life story. As mentioned before it cannot all be covered in one session. Different astrological approaches will also be more powerful at gaining insights into certain parts of yourself and your life. For example, ancient Hellenistic astrology provides information on both your character but also external circumstances in your life with great accuracy, it is a holistic approach. In contrast modern western astrology focuses on the chart being representative of you from a psychological point of view. It is very beneficial to understand the difference between the approaches and that both are incredibly valuable- you need to choose the one right for you. It is also important to understand some things that can be seen in the chart may not have happened yet and so sometimes statements may not seem relevant at the time but are very relevant later. I encourage you to enter your astrology consultation with an open heart and mind and let the magic happen.
If you would like to listen to Chris and Leisa’s podcast on this subject click here.