Volume 19
Number 3
Fall 2010

THE CAREER ASTROLOGER The Newsletter for Professional Astrology

P R E S I D E N T ’ S R E P O R T “IT’s” Won’t Get You Hits

By Alexandra Karacostas By Ron Akanowicz, OPA Webmaster

W
e are fast approaching Autumn Equinox, the

I
September Full Moon in Aries, and OPA’s worked in a law library while I was
seventh annual Retreat at Asilomar, October in graduate school and found it to
19-23, 2010. This event is a tremendous be a very rewarding experience in
opportunity for hands on training with some of the best teachers many ways. Ann, the librarian, was
in the United States! Many of us have been working diligently over the last year to extremely intelligent, well-spoken and
make this retreat the best experience possible for all. had a knack for
It comes as no surprise that along with the global state of affairs, and all of the finding, assembling
unexpected changes in our environment that OPA also has made some significant and presenting in-
adjustments as well. OPA’s horoscope has a Capricorn Ascendant, with the Moon formation to pa-
also in Capricorn, at almost 1 and 4 degrees, respectively. After an extensive trons that always
stretch of close contacts from Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, all in ample doses, we are seemed to satisfy
making changes so we can better fulfill the needs of our membership. OPA’s their queries.
Progressed Ascendant at 10 Capricorn is beginning to make contact to our natal A search engine is
Sun at 11 Libra and Mars in Virgo, a time when the inner rumblings and fine- a lot like a librarian. It has to find what
tuning of our internal workings as an organization are at last becoming visible you’re looking for from billions of web-
externally. We have amazingly dedicated Directors on our Board who sites and present the results to you in
continuously work to make OPA the unique and visionary association it is serving such a way that helps you to under-
our astrological community. Whether you are a professional astrologer or not, we stand which ones [CONTINUED ON PAGE 2]
are here to help you grow!
Recently we have also made a few changes to our Board of Directors. I am
genuinely honored and filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve as In This Issue
president of OPA. In the next issue I will outline some of the goals and ideas I President’s Report..............................1
imagine for OPA during the course of my term. Having said that, I want to stress
that this is a “we” job and that this is your organization! Its success is determined “ITs” Won’t Get You Hits ......................1
through our democratic and communal efforts. It involves all of us working
Inescapable Archetypal
together as a team. We welcome our member’s input
There is still time Ambiguity............................................3
and encourage your involvement in any capacity you to join us at Asilomar.
feel comfortable offering! Please share with us your Group Leaders Gather on
thoughts and concerns. Martha’s Vineyard ..............................8
For now though, our sights and energy are focused
on this year’s retreat at Asilomar, on the beautiful Neptune, the 12th House
Monterey Peninsula in California. We feel confident and Pisces: Indicators of
that it will be the best retreat yet and hope you will be Career Orientation
able to join us! There is still time to sign up, but hurry. Space at Asilomar is in the Birth Chart ............................10
limited, so register now. Don’t miss this opportunity to take part in a professional,
personal, and spiritual experience that will enhance your life. We look forward to OPA Retreat 2010 Details ..............18
seeing each of you and welcoming all of our new members!

O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 1 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010

is dedicated to promoting excellence
for astrologers. Incorporated on
October 4, 2000 at 1:45 pm EDT in
Tallahassee, Florida, OPA provides members
with tools to establish or improve their
astrological practice.
Membership is open to aspiring and current
astrologers. Benefits include subscription to
the Career Astrologer and E-news, and
members registration fees at OPA retreats
and conferences.
Annual dues are $60.00.
OPA BOARD
PrEsIDEnT
Alexandra Karacostas
alexandrakaracostas@
yahoo.com
VICE PrEsIDEnT/
COnFErEnCE COOrDInATOr
Arlan Wise
508-645-9292
arlanw@vineyard.net
MEMBErsHIP sECrETAry
June Morrow
847-864-1063
june_morrow@yahoo.com
sECrETAry
Sheila McGinty
216-407-5698
smcginty05@aol.com
TrEAsurEr
Alice Kashuba
954-894-8685
alice@kashuba.com
DIrECTOr OF
PuBLICATIOns & PrOjECTs &
E-nEWs DIrECTOr
Bob Mulligan
239-261-2840
BOBMuLLIGA@aol.com
COMMunITy OuTrEACH DIrECTOr
Katrina Peters
239-369-7833
katsiddha@hotmail.com
WEBMAsTEr
Ron Akanowicz
ron@miamiastrology.com
THE CArEEr AsTrOLOGEr EDITOr
Twink McKenney
203-267-4986
mrmckenney@att.net
professional-astrology.org
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
“IT’s” Won’t Get You Hits [CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1]
might be the most relevant to what you’re looking for.
Computers are notoriously stupid. We have to create very simple rules for them
to follow in order for them to do just about everything. So when we attempt to
have a computer judge how relevant something is, it can be tricky. Relevance can
be measured quantitatively- that’s what search engines do based on formulas and
numbers. But there is also a subjective, or qualitative side to relevance, which is
why search engines don’t always get the results right (do you always find exactly
what you’re looking for at the top of the search results list? Neither do I).
For a search engine to “measure” your website’s relevance for a given topic one of
the things it will do is analyze your content. If the word “chocolate” appears 200
times within 2000 words, then we can infer the content has to do with chocolate.
If your website mentions chocolate 200 times and my website mentions chocolate
8 times, who do you think Google will judge as being more “relevant” to the topic
of chocolate?
When I work with clients on their websites the first thing I have them do is
audit the content on the site. We need to ask ourselves if the content is helping to
increase the relevance of your topic or not. Are you using the keywords your
clients are searching for? If you know your target market then you should have an
idea about the kinds of words they’re using when searching for your services.
The biggest offender for most website copy is its lack of specificity. General con-
tent about “it”, and things and stuff. You know.
Take a look at the two paragraphs below. Which one is more relevant to its given
topic? (Remember to think like a computer.)
What is Horary?
First developed for people who didn’t know their birthday or birth time, which
was the case for most people in ancient days, it became the astrology of choice for
answering urgent, personal questions for everyone. William Lilly, in 17th Century
England, was and still is considered the Master, and luckily for us, he left a book
teaching us how he did it. It is now being re-discovered by modern practitioners,
enriching and improving how this ancient art is being practiced today.
Horary mentioned once. Astrology mentioned once.
You can see this content has a bad case of the “its” - a non specific word that,
while we understand what it’s supposed to represent, is no good in helping the
search engines understand how relevant our website is to a given topic.
Now look at what a little editing can do:
What is Horary Astrology?
Horary Astrology was first developed to help people who didn’t know their
birthday or birth time but still needed the guidance provided by astrology.
Horary astrology soon became the astrology of choice for answering urgent,
personal, or practical questions for everyone. William Lilly, in 17th Century
England, was and still is considered the Master of Horary Astrology, and luckily for
us, he wrote a book that outlines his techniques and interpretations. Horary
astrology is now being re-discovered by modern astrologers, enriching and
improving how astrology is being practiced today, and providing clear and
simple answers to our everyday questions.
2 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
“IT’s” Won’t Get You Hits [CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2]
Inescapable
Horary mentioned 5 times. Astrology mentioned 9 times.
You may be thinking “Why don’t I just write ‘astrology’ 200 times on my page if
I want more hits?” There are two sides to that answer.
Archetypal
The first are your site visitors. If I search for chocolate and find a web page with
the word chocolate written on it 500 times do you think that’s what I was really
Ambiguity
looking for? Probably not. If your site visitor doesn’t find your content valuable, By Glenn Perry
then regardless of how a search engine algorithmically calculates its relevance, it
won’t matter.
Secondly, search engines are able to detect if a website is just padding the content
and can block sites that use improper hacks and tricks (aka “black hat seo”).
And third, it takes more than just the words on the page to affect your relevance
in the search engines. Things like properly formatted html, title and alt tags, and
link-backs all play a part in your overall search engine ranking. But you can start
O ccasion-
ally stu-
dents
express confusion
with regard to
simply just by looking at your content with a librarian’s eye- can information be how a planet,
found? Is it relevant? How is it presented? sign, and house
Give thought to your content. And give some thought about what your potential can correspond to the same phenomena,
clients are searching for. Remember, too many “its” won’t get you hits, but well- or how different configurations can lead
written, key-word rich, and relevant copy will. to identical outcomes, or how a single
Do you want more tech advice? I’m launching a new website called configuration can manifest in dissimilar
techastrologer.com. It’s not quite finished, but you’re welcome to visit and send ways. I explain that astrology is an ar-
me any suggestions that you might have for articles or resources that will help you chetypal language in which a given ar-
better understand technology and use it to grow your practice. chetype can take many different forms
much like a single word can mutate into
several parts of speech.
The word ‘assert’, for example, can be
a verb, “I assert that Democrats are ide-
alistic.” Or it can be a noun, “An asser-
tion is something declared without
proof.” Or an adjective, “He has an as-
sertive manner,” and an adverb, “He
spoke assertively.” Likewise, a single as-
trological archetype can take four
forms—sign, planet, house, and as-
pect—each of which can manifest in a
multiplicity of ways that are mutually
consistent. For example, Mars, Aries, the
1st house, and the conjunction are all re-
lated forms of the same archetypal prin-
ciple, and each of these corresponds to
associated phenomena including asser-
tion, the instinct for survival, new begin-
nings, spontaneity, sharp objects,
novelty, competition, pioneers, warriors,
stadiums, weaponry, and so on. Note
that in addition to its internal, psycho-
logical meaning, an archetype can mani-
Contact Ron at techastrologer.com fest outwardly as a person, place, thing,
or event. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 4]

O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 3 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
Inescapable Archetypal Ambiguity [C ONTINUED FROM PAGE 3] Thus, Mercury in the house of Venus
(7th) or Venus in the house of Mercury
When citing astrological archetypes, I also corresponds to the 2nd house; thus, (3rd) constitute different archetypal
generally use the sign designation be- a person with Mars in the 2nd might processes that could conceivably result in
cause it neatly groups the archetypes into likewise collect guns. In the first instance, the same outcome.
twelve fundamental categories. For ex- the sign Aries functions as a complement When we combine planet, sign, and
ample, I might say that the archetype of to Venus by answering the question, house (three variables), things become
Aries corresponds to ‘weapons’. In saying “What does this person collect?” In the even more interesting. Venus in Aries in
this, however, I recognize that Mars, the second instance, Mars in the 2nd house the 3rd might suggest being attracted to
conjunction, and the 1st house also cor- functions in a similar way by answering a war correspondent, whereas Mercury in
respond to weapons. Any phenomenon the question “What does this person Pisces in the 7th could be a husband who
that corresponds to a sign also corre- value and wish to possess?” The point works as a film critic. Both planets sig-
sponds to the planet, house, and aspect here is that different configurations can nify partners who provide news, but their
associated with that sign/angle. sign positions further qualify
The meaning of an astrologi- the type of news. Venus in
cal archetype depends largely on Given the complexity Aries in the 3rd says “I am at-
the context in which it appears. tracted to warriors that pro-
Consider the conjunction, for of an astrological chart in which vide news,” and Mercury in
example. Someone with Pluto Pisces in the 7th says “I am
conjunct Mercury in Capricorn every variable is interacting with attracted to discerning intel-
might aggressively investigate lectuals who are interested in
government cover-ups, such that and influencing every other variable, film.”
the written word becomes a Of course, there are innu-
weapon to destroy the careers of the very notion that astrology merable other outcomes that
corrupt politicians. A weapon, in could correspond to these
other words, can be an actual should be concretely predictive planetary positions, and each
thing or a metaphor that sym- configuration may manifest in
bolizes an analogous phenome- borders on the absurd. ways that are radically differ-
non. In this case, the ent from the other. Venus in
conjunction corresponds to a Aries in the 3rd could be a
metaphorical weapon and an
underlying aggression; Mercury- ij husband who teaches art in a
manner that encourages stu-
Pluto signifies investigating a dents to trust their instincts
cover-up; whereas Capricorn represents lead to the same outcome. and try new art forms. Mercury in Pisces
the domain of politics. Taken as a whole, The same principle applies to planetary in the 7th could be a business partner
we have a relatively complex archetypal house positions. If a woman marries a that engages in pharmaceutical research
compound involving four interrelated news reporter, what is the astrological and drug testing. Each outcome is en-
principles—one angle (conjunction), two corollary to such an outcome? Given that tirely consistent with its corollary config-
planets, and one sign. the 7th house corresponds to partners, uration; yet, the two outcomes appear to
Even when we combine just two ar- and Mercury is the messenger archetype, have nothing in common despite the ar-
chetypal principles—e.g., a planetary someone with Mercury in the 7th could chetypal parallelism of Mercury in
sign position or house position—it be- certainly marry a news reporter. How- Venus’ house and Venus in Mercury’s
comes possible to describe the same out- ever, consider that news reporting is also house.
come in more than one way. Astrology is an activity of the 3rd house. The planet The bottom line is that astrology is a
a very flexible language. Consider, for ex- Venus signifies what we are attracted to; flexible, archetypal language that by defi-
ample, a gun collector. Since guns corre- thus, its house position suggests where nition is polyvalent—capable of combin-
spond to Aries and the action of we seek love, intimacy, and partnership. ing in ways that produce more than one
collecting corresponds to Venus, some- Venus in the 3rd could signify that one is outcome. If we conflate outcome with
one with Venus in Aries might, in fact, attracted to individuals who are sources the meaning of a configuration, then it
collect guns. The kind of stuff one values of information, such as news reporters. must be admitted [CONTINUED ON PAGE 5]

O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 4 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
 Inescapable
Archetypal Ambiguity
[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4]
that a single configuration can have
multiple meanings. This is precisely
why prediction of singular outcomes
from chart configurations is ill-advised,
like trying to guess which pocket a ball
will fall into on a roulette wheel. One
can know that within the parameters of
the wheel the ball will fall into a red or
black pocket with an even or odd num-
ber, but it is precisely the indeterminate
nature of the outcome that constitutes
the gamble.
Given the complexity of an astrologi-
cal chart in which every variable is in-
teracting with and influencing every
other variable, the very notion that as-
trology should be concretely predictive
borders on the absurd. The best we can
do is hypothesize possible outcomes
and then observe the client to deter-
mine the actual reality. Almost invari-
ably, the way the client expresses the
configuration is a more perfect reflec-
tion of the relevant archetypes than we
could possibly have imagined.
Glenn Perry, Ph.D., is an astrologer
and licensed psychotherapist in Haddam
Neck, CT. In addition to private practice,
Glenn lectures internationally on the
application of astrology to the fields of
counseling and psychotherapy. He has
written seven books, and serves as a Board
member and qualitative research advisor
for ISAR. Dr. Perry is program
coordinator for the Masters Degree
Program in Archetypal Cosmology &
Conscious Evolution at the Graduate
Institute of Connecticut. Contact: Home
860-467-6919; Cell: 415-479-5812 or
www.aaperry.com
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
This is a condensed version of part one of a one day workshop given in Naples,
Florida on July 18th 2010. The workshop was split into morning and afternoon.
The morning session was composed of three sections; Ways to Attract and Keep
Clients, Managing Your Practice, and Using Technology to Improve Efficiency.
The afternoon was devoted to our peer supervision work.
Ways to Attract
u Keep Clients
By Bob Mulligan
I n order to have a successful astrology practice you
need to able to attract clients and keep them. In any
business it is easier and cheaper to have a repeat cus-
tomer than to attract a new one. So, the first part of
building a successful practice is to know how to develop a
base of clients. To accomplish this you need to really un-
derstand what it is that you do for your clients; this is all
part of genuinely understand yourself. Here are a few points to keep in mind:
1. Make sure you are doing good astrology. To be proficient in as-
trology is not a linear operation; it is not just learning then applying a series of
techniques called astrology. To be a good astrologer you are required to contin-
ually improve your skills…it is a continuous path. Before doing anything else,
check to see if you have the temperament for this requirement of field; the life
of a perennial student is a necessary aspect of successful astrologers who attract
and maintain a healthy clientele.
2. Be enthusiastic; your attitude is critical. When you are “fired up”
and dedicated to your work it spreads to others. Believe in yourself and what
you have to offer to your clients. Successful astrologers are enthusiastic. This is
essential for developing and keeping a base of clients.
3. Define your service; have something in print that you can
give to potential clients that is simple and clear. This description of
your service should be part of a policy statement posted on your web site. De-
scribe what you do, how you work, what people can expect; also tell how, when,
and how much you are to be paid. Write this information down and have
printed copies for people who can’t read it on your website; continue to write
about your work at regular intervals so it stays fresh in your mind.
4. Have a mission statement; make decisions in your practice
that support your declaration of intention. A derivative of your mission
statement is to have a picture of your ideal client. Have a vision of this person.
What is their personality like? Why are they coming to see you? Why are you
able to help them? Who can’t you help? [CONTINUED ON PAGE 6]
5 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
 Ways to Attract
[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5]
5. Focus and clarity are important
to be able to utilize your energy cor-
rectly. Practice writing about the
benefits of using astrology in general,
and advantages your work specifi-
cally. This helps to get your mind fo-
cused on why people should see an
astrologer in the first place; also, you
need to develop a picture of why it is
good for a person to see you instead
of a different astrologer. This allows
you to attract the clients that you can
genuinely help, as well and eliminate
the people who would be difficult.
6. Continually improve your con-
sulting style. Know why your clients
are coming! Do they want to talk or
listen? We normally think of clients
coming to us in order to get some in-
formation which will be useful for
their decision making. It is important
to keep in mind that sometimes your
clients solve their own problems just
by speaking about them; when we
vocalize our thoughts we can change
our perspective. When the astrologer
is attentively listening to the client’s
problems sometimes a healing spon-
taneously emerges. We assume that
our client wants information, brilliant
ideas, and solutions. This is often the
case but not always. To know proper
dialoguing techniques is very impor-
tant. Regardless of your manner of
working with clients, having good
consulting skills is important to
building any practice. Do you have
the skill to listen? Without out it you
will develop only a monologue style
of dealing with clients; this is a de-
cidedly harder manner in which to
build your practice.
If you have a sympathetic ear for
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
u Keep Clients
your client’s story, this in itself can be
amazingly helpful. Sometimes your
attention alone allows others the op-
portunity to hear the ideas in their
own mind. As an astrologer you will
often know your client’s needs better
than they do themselves. It is an art
to understand and apply rhythm and
pacing into a dialogue with a client,
this improves with time.
7. Find your niche and define your
natural audience. Know exactly what
you deliver to your clients….If you
have a specialty, declare it and keep
perfecting it. When someone wants a
type of work that you are not particu-
larly good at, refer them to a different
astrologer, or different professional.
Polish your listening skills; know
when to refer your clients (or poten-
tial clients) to someone else. Net-
work; become knowledgeable of what
other astrologers do. Others as-
trologers will have different special-
ties, i.e., locational astrology, horary,
rectification, couples work, children’s
charts, etc. Know when the person
needs something besides an as-
trologer, and have a referral.
8. Check your attitude towards
money. Be realistic when setting fees.
Make your work inexpensive enough
that people are willing to try it. Often
astrologers fail to attract clients be-
cause they make their work too ex-
pensive. Sometimes astrologers
charge too little for their work; the
problem of undercharging for your
work is easier to remedy than over-
charging. The problem of charging
too little is that no matter how many
people you see, you can’t earn a liv-
6 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
ing; but, the good news is when you
are seeing a lot of clients, even if you
aren’t earning a living, people are be-
coming familiar with your work. You
can always raise your rates. When
you are over changing for your work
and no one is seeing you, then no one
is becoming familiar with you work;
you get no referrals. Money is just
energy; get the appropriate attitude
toward this energy in order to have
your practice grow.
9. Look to Jupiter as manifesting
the law of attraction and abundance.
House, sign, and aspects of Jupiter
tell how you compensate for difficul-
ties; this also shows how you natu-
rally expand. If you have Jupiter in
the second house, you might expand
your business through giving work
away; if you have Jupiter in the fifth
house you might expand your busi-
ness through having more entertain-
ment in your life. In your third house
it might be through your neighbor-
hood, siblings, or writing. In the
twelfth house business might expand
by concentrating on your spiritual
path. This connection will not always
be obvious, but it will work.
10. Make friends with the media.
Local newspapers and TV stations
are always looking for things going
on in the community. Remember the
law of abundance and give. Know
how to send out press releases; let the
local media know when important
events are occurring. Know how to
use events and public interests to
generate interest in astrology in gen-
eral and your work in particular.
11. Marketing and advertizing.
For astrologers, the best form of ad-
vertising is free. News stories, Inter-
view, press releases, personal referral
FALL 2010
 Ways to Attract
[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6]
are all free. Doing pro-bono work or
even bartering can help you at certain
times. You will be asked to donate
work to charitable organizations for
auctions; this is a good thing. Doing
something for free like speaking at a li-
brary or single’s group can bring you
exposure which will bring you money
and help you locate your permanent
clients. Networking with bookstores,
health food stores, and alternative ther-
apy clinics can help build your practice.
Networking with therapists, body
workers, social workers, psychologists,
and others in alternative lines can help.
Marketing Categories
to Remember:
Have information to educate
people about you and your service. A
web site and business cards are
essential, but other printed material
such as a brochure may be useful.
Word of mouth is always the best
advertising. Make sure everyone you
know personally or professionally
knows about your work. Referrals can
come from former and existing
clients, other professional astrologers,
professionals in other fields, and the
general New Age community.
Advertisements in new age
publications can help, but you must
be prepared to run an ad for years; be
sure you choose correctly. A
telephone listing in the yellow pages
can be a help.
Internet advertising beyond your
web site can help. Look into web
optimization, a presence on facebook,
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
u Keep Clients
twitter, and email marketing.
Teaching Astrology, Writing, and
Public Speaking are all ways of
advertising your services.
Affinity groups that describe your
interests, i.e. a church or spiritual
group that you belong to, clubs or
organizations around and interest or
cause. The PTO, friends of the
library, the humane society, the better
business bureau, any organization that
you belong to and have a
commitment to can be helpful.
Bartering is sometimes useful if it
is done in the new age community. I
seldom do this because it tends to
breed a poverty consciousness, and
there can be many misunderstanding.
However, at times it can really make
sense.
12. Keep your clients through
competence, continuity, and
contact. Competence is a life long
path in astrology. This requires
making sure your skills stay sharp,
that you meet your client’s
expectations, and that the work has
had the desired affect in their lives.
You will want some verification of the
effectiveness of your work. This can
be achieved by Sending follow up
letters, phone calls, or emails. You
may consider sending out a survey for
your clients to fill out some time after
their initial session. Make sure you
are meeting your client’s needs and
expectations. For your client your
“bedside manner” or way of delivering
your service will become intermingled
with their perception of your
7 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
technical competence. You will want
to be sure that you are proficient in
your astrological knowledge as well as
your delivery.
Be sure that your clients know that
they can have follow up consultations
and have some idea of what you will
do in each subsequent session…Be
available at reasonable times for
appointments but also for follow up
questions.
Continuity is important; keep the
same phone number, email, mailing
address, and office location as much
as possible. Be available at the same
times each week, and as much as
possible, have the same office hours.
You may expand your services but do
your best to keep offering the same
kind of service that your clients have
come to expect.
Stay in contact with clients. Have a
newsletter. Be involved and relevant
to your clients; know how they work
and make decisions. Follow-up calls,
and emails, are part of providing
competent service to you clients, but
it is also part of staying in continual
contact with them. Your goal here is
one of perception; you want your
clients to feel that you are part of
their lives. When appropriate, they
will come back to see you, and when
a difficulty comes up in a friend’s live,
they will think of referring this
person to you. Getting clients to refer
your service to others are all part of
the contact work. Referrals are the
best advertising. It is easier to satisfy
an exciting client than to locate a new
one. If you are not satisfying your
existing clients, find out why. It is
easier to do business with an existing
client than to get a new client. Repeat
customers are essential to the success
of any business. For astrologers it is
the difference of survival or being out
of a job.

FALL 2010
 F i n a l P r e p a r a t i o n s f o r O P A’s U p c o m i n g R e t r e a t

Group Leaders Gather

on Martha ’s Vineyard
yard
Arriving on the Vine
via ferry.

Alexandra Karakostas
and Robert Corre.

By Arlan Wise
the inner workings of the retreat and were 10 of us: Bob Mulligan, Monica

F
or the past seven years, my house
in Chilmark on Martha’s
Vineyard has been the meeting
place for the OPA Astrologers
Retreat’s group leaders to come and
plan the next retreat. Some of the
leaders have come once or twice and
some have returned every year. These
gatherings give us a chance to create
to experience the interactive quality of
the retreat through our work. We
divide up into small groups and do the
three day process. We bond and bring
that feeling of mutual unconditional
love for each other into the retreat so
we can share these good feelings with
the participants.
This year we met in June. There
Dimino, Chris McRae, Jacqueline
Janes, Alexandra Karakostas, Richard
Smoot, Robert Corre, Maurice
Fernandez, Sandra Leigh Serio, and
me. We had planning meetings in the
morning and worked in small groups
in the afternoons and ate and played
in the evenings. It was a wonderful
combination of work and fun.

Entrance to the
beautiful Lucy
Vincent beach.

O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 8 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
 Bob Mulligan and Alexandra in front of
the Gay Head lighthouse. Richard Smoot,
Monica Dimino, and
Sandra Leigh Serio
laughing at Bob’s wit.

Jacqueline Janes and Maurice Fernandez

enjoy conversation around the dinner table.
Richard, Monica, and
Sandra-Leigh on kitchen duty.

Food prep is a group

effort and OPA has
some talented cooks as
members. Robert Corre
gets ready to enjoy his
dinner!
Alexandra looking lovely! parted friend.
Arlan and Munya, our dear de

www.professional-astrology.org
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 9 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010

INDICATORS OF CAREER ORIENTATION
t he idea described in the
following article provides a
different approach to the
identification of career
orientation potential in the birth chart
from what is commonly known. It may
raise a few eyebrows; nonetheless, the
research I personally conducted over
the past years on the subject firmly
supports these notions. I invite you to
venture with an open mind as I guide
you through the realm of the most
misunderstood archetype in astrology:
the Pisces archetype, which is
comprised of the sign of Pisces, its
ruler Neptune and the 12th House.
The proposed ideas are the fruit of
personal inspiration that have led to
extensive research since the year 2000.
These concepts have been tested and
confirmed through countless natal
charts over the past years.
Before delving into the specifics of
this study, it is important to clarify that
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
Neptune,
the 12th House
and Pisces
IN THE BIRTH CHART
I approach astrological analysis from
an archetypal point of view. I see the
twelve signs as twelve primary forces
(archetypes) that reflect the overall
experience of life on earth. These
twelve forces/archetypes each
manifests through three main forms,
namely the Sign, the House and the
Planet. When referring to the Pisces
archetype, we have the Sign of Pisces,
the 12th House and the Planet
Neptune. It is not the purpose of this
article to describe the particular
nuances and different ways each of
these three forms carries the Pisces
themes, I will consequently generalize
and associate anything I attribute to
the Pisces influence equally to the Sign
of Pisces, the 12th House, and
Neptune. As you will note when I
employ examples in the course of this
article, the same is done with the other
zodiacal archetypes.
Most astrologers agree that the
Pisces influence in the chart represents
10 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
By Maurice Fernandez
spiritual
development
and the
transcendence
of egocentric
attachment to
matter. It points to the concept of
“oneness” which reflects the idea that
beyond our seeming differences, we are
basically made of the same substances
and share similar fundamental goals,
such as survival, love and happiness.
The Pisces influence reflects what is
beyond the ‘time and space’ factor and
reveals our primal identity as children
of the universe (or life). Consider the
imagery of the Pisces archetype as the
womb of the universe, where we all
originates from before we are birthed
into the Aries reality when
individuation commences. In that
universal womb we can remain passive
because all is taken care of: life is
provided with all natural conditions to
support its continuation. Food, water,
FALL 2010
and light, among other resources, are
readily available in the rich garden of
nature. It is indeed not uncommon for
people with a strong Piscean signature
(including 12th house and Neptune
emphasis), to long for a time where
things were simpler and primal, and
innocence was an option under the
sheltering sky; a memory of paradise
harkening perhaps to that universal
womb!
If we take this concept to another
level, the “oneness” attributed to the
Pisces archetype can manifest in an
everyday life context in our collective
sense of identity and our relationship
to the general public; it can refer to
the mass effect that dissolves
individual differences. Anything that
cannot be privately owned and is
shared indiscriminately and
impersonally by the collective is part
of that influence. This includes
something as simple as sidewalks; the
sidewalk is public domain and
regardless of how educated one is or
what one’s background may be, one
will freely walk on it. In this same
vein, Air, Water, Earth, and Sun are
also available beyond discrimination;
no one owns oxygen or sunlight (at
least not yet!). Thus, through the 12th
House, Neptune’s position and the
placement of Pisces in the chart, we
can detect how an individual
personally copes with and addresses
the impersonal public domain. This
dynamic includes for example, how
one deals with taking public
transportation. There can be a sense of
closeness between total strangers
under these circumstances, as if being
“in the same boat” so to speak. For
example, one may have a conversation
with a stranger on the train, spend
some good time and never see that
person ever again. It is an impersonal
interaction where an impersonal
intimacy is created. The capacity to
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
have this intimate moment with a observations, it seems that this axis
total stranger relies on that (usually describes professional orientation,
unconscious) sense of “oneness” more so than the 10th House/MC
symbolized by Pisces. Alternatively, does. To further clarify, the 6th
one can feel overwhelmed in a public House/Virgo/Mercury complex refers
space because boundaries between the to the skills and the maintenance
self and the masses dissipate and it can work, whereas the 12th
generate a feeling of invasion. In one House/Pisces/Neptune describes the
way or another, through the Pisces channel through which one will tap
archetype’s influences a person is into public needs and provide a service
exposed to collective dynamics and without discrimination; in other
currents and it becomes part of his/her words, it will describe one’s
existential experience. professional function!
Following this train of When referring to
thought further, the “service” it is not
Pisces archetype also necessarily about
In order to have a
reflects how a person can voluntarism as one might
tap into public/collective more complete think, but an actual
consciousness and its remunerating profession.
needs! The 12th House picture of one’s For example, if
content, together with professional someone owns a store,
Neptune and Pisces the Virgo part of it would
planets, can represent potential and be choosing, pricing and
our ability to address the displaying the
orientation, the
public and also affect it. merchandise or any other
From this perspective, whole axis of technical aspect of the
we can also conclude work, including sharing
that Pisces’ influence Virgo/Pisces, functions with co-
represents our ability to 6th House/ workers and interacting
provide services to the with them. The Pisces
public and answer its 12th House, and part of it would be the
demands professionally! actual contact with the
Mercury/Neptune’s
This archetype basically public. As it occurs, the
describes the way an placement must be store owner has to
individual will deliver passively wait for clients
the fruit of his personal analyzed. to respond to what is
skills and efforts to the offered on the shelves
impersonal public. In and assess if it raises
this equation, the interest or not. Once the
archetype in polarity to Pisces, namely technical work is done, there is a
Virgo (the 6th House, Virgo Sign, and surrendering to the public response
Mercury) reflects the person’s skills which will determine if one will be
and practical capacities. In order to successful or not in that particular
have a more complete picture of one’s endeavour and orientation.
professional potential and orientation, In order to understand how to apply
the whole axis of Virgo/Pisces, 6th these principles in a birth chart, here is
House/12th House, and a list of examples of professional
Mercury/Neptune’s placement must associations with the Pisces archetype,
be analyzed. From personal through the [CONTINUED ON PAGE 12]
11 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010
respective Signs, Houses and Planets.
The associations are made through the
synthesis of archetypes (specific
application examples will follow).
Pisces with Aries archetype
professions: any artistically oriented
profession, activism, defence, army,
crime, weapon industry, fire-fighters,
sport, sales, sex symbols (models and
show business), sex industry.
Pisces with Taurus archetype
professions: finances, banking, loans,
music, design (interior, hair, graphic),
landscape architects, construction
industry, massage, sex industry, food
industry.
Pisces with Gemini archetype
professions: transportation, travel,
communication, language and
translation, cross-cultural related
professions, anthropology, lecturing
and writing (published), media and
journalism, teaching and special
education, trend related professions.
Pisces with Cancer archetype
professions: hospitality industry, food
industry, real estate, social work, foster
care, homeland security, the ability to
address/affect public emotions:
politics, show business.
Pisces with Leo archetype
professions: creativity/art,
performance, show business,
leadership (politicians, icons, spiritual
teachers, film directors), children
related professions (paediatrics,
toy/game industry, school teacher,
adoption), pet industry, saving lives:
medical field.
Pisces with Virgo archetype
professions: medical field
(conventional and alternative
modalities), mechanics, maintenance,
secretarial, engineering, infrastructure,
hygiene, domestication of wild (animal
training, agriculture) body use and
refinement related professions (sport,
yoga, diet, fitness industries) beauty,
aesthetics related professions
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
(modelling, plastic surgery, fashion
industry, design).
Pisces and Libra archetype
professions: any aspect of counselling
(psychology, consultants), mediation,
law, wedding industry, professions that
relate to the exploration of the lives of
others (biographers, journalism/
interviewers) sociology, human
resources.
Pisces and Scorpio archetype
professions: therapy: (psychology and
related alternative modalities), defence
industry (crime, weapon, security), sex
industry, banking, mortgages, death
industry (hospice, funeral, coroner.)
Pisces and Sagittarius archetype
professions: publishing, sales,
entrepreneur, (higher) education,
mysticism, theology, anthropology,
travel.
Pisces and Capricorn archetype
professions: politics, law and law
enforcement, morality related
professions, mentors, educators,
trainers, architecture.
Pisces and Aquarius archetype
professions: all sciences, engineering,
computer industry, internet businesses,
visionaries and inventors, astrology
and esoteric disciplines, professions
that relate to community/
organisations, human resources/
social rights, mental health and
psychiatry, media and
broadcasting, script writing (fiction
and science-fiction), photography,
trend related professions, chic
related professions.
Pisces and Pisces archetype
professions: natural resources (oil,
gas, gems), oceanography, climate
related professions, wildlife and
nature, religion and spirituality
related professions, vacation
industry (resorts, travel agents),
public institutions (police, health-
care, fire-fighters, army, welfare),
movie industry.
12 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
Let us explore an example for
potential vocational orientation as an
astrologer. While astrology surely
applies to counselling and therapy
related professions as well (listed
above: Libra and Scorpio with Pisces),
it is more specifically associated with
combinations of the Pisces and
Aquarius archetypes. These
combinations predominantly include:
Neptune or Pisces in the 11th House,
Uranus or Aquarius in the 12th
House, Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus
in Pisces, or Neptune/Uranus major
aspects. Neptune/Pisces/12th house
refers to providing a service to the
masses/public, while Aquarius/
Uranus/11th house refers to the field
of astrology. Whatever energy is
associated with the Pisces archetype,
by house, sign or planet, can become a
channel through which one will
address public needs through a career.
Referring back to the above example,
when Aquarian themes are associated
with the Pisces archetype, in one way
or another, one may have an
Aquarian-type profession, which
includes among other options:
astrology.
George Bush
July 6, 1946 • 7:26 am • New Haven, CT
FALL 2010
 The more intricate details of this
paradigm are described in my book on
the subject: Neptune, the 12th House
and Pisces, but in order to provide an
immediate and yet tangible reference
to the validity of these affirmations let conjunction! Abdullah II, King and
us use real life examples. For this
purpose, I will explore the astrological
signatures for the profession of
politics. Following the above
principles, a career in politics is
represented by combinations of
Pisces (accessing the public through
a career) and Capricorn (politics) or
combinations of Pisces (accessing
the public through a career) and
Leo (leadership, role model, iconic
image). Thus, the following
combinations are astrological
signatures referring to a potential
for a career in politics:
Neptune or Pisces in the 10th
House, Saturn or Capricorn in the
12th House, Neptune/Saturn major
aspects, Saturn in Pisces, or
Neptune in Capricorn.
Or Neptune or Pisces in the 5th
House, Sun or Leo in the 12th House,
Neptune/Sun major aspects, Sun in
Pisces or Neptune in Leo.
It is no coincidence that a vast
majority of politicians share those
signatures. The most immediate
example is George. W. Bush ( July 6th
1946, 7:26 New Haven CT. rating: A)
who has both Sun and Saturn in the
12th House (and Sun/Neptune
square), and yet, no planets in the 10th
House! If we would go according to
traditional concepts, at the look of that Neptune. Bill Clinton (August 19,
12th House, he would have been
assumed to operate behind the scenes,
or lead the life of a monk. Instead he
is a prominent public figure, widely
exposed to the masses, whose personal
life completely revolves around the
public arena through the vehicle of
politics (12th House Saturn) and
leadership (12th House Sun).
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
He is not the only one, since Tony
Blair (May 6, 1953, 6:10am.
Edinburgh, UK. Rating: A) fits the
equation as well with a 12th House
Sun and a Saturn/Neptune
head of state of Jordan ( January 30,
1962, 5:23am Amman, Jordan.
Indira Ghandi
Nov. 19 1917 • 11:10 pm • Allahabad, India
Rating: A) has Neptune in the 10th
House, squaring his Sun/Saturn
conjunction.
Indira Gandhi (November 19, 1917,
11:10pm Allahabad, India. Rating: A)
had Saturn conjunct Neptune in the
12th House in Leo, Jacques Chirac
(November 29, 1932, 12:00pm Paris,
France. Rating: A) has Saturn in the
12th, Sylvio Berlusconi (September
29, 1936, 5:40am, Milan Italy. Rating:
A) has a Pisces Saturn opposing
1946, 8:51am, Hope AK. Rating A) is
a little less obvious example: The ruler
of his 12th House: Mercury, conjuncts
Saturn. He has Neptune on his
Ascendant squaring his MC and sextile
Saturn; the fact that Neptune so
tightly locks on the angles his chart
(including the 10th House of politics)
makes him suited for such a public role.
13 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
These concepts do not end with
politicians and leaders; they apply to
any profession, be it the shoemaker,
the baker, or the street cleaner. We all
have a Neptune, a 12th House, and
Pisces somewhere in our chart,
reflecting the prime inclinations for
our vocation. Generally speaking,
individuals with an emphasized
signature in Pisces or with 12th House
stelliums are likely to be more involved
in collective matters, often to the point
of overshadowing their intimate reality
and needs. There is much more to the
12th House than the limited and
gloomy “behind the scenes”
associations or the connection to
confining institutions. Consider the
chart of Mick Jagger ( July 26, 1943,
2:30am. Dartford, UK. Rating: A) and
observe his Mars and Moon in Taurus
in the 12th House. Taurus is obviously
associated with music, while Mars to
artistic and instinctual expression.
Being in the 12th House, he can tap
into public needs through the channel
of rock music. Additionally, Neptune
in his 5th House takes his creativity
(5th House) to the mass level
(Neptune) and makes a collective
(Neptune) icon (5th House) out of his
personality (5th House). Had we gone
according to the classical MC, his
Aquarius cusp and ruler Uranus in
Gemini would have indicated a career
in more intellectual fields such as
sciences or media for example.
Another music industry example:
Rod Stewart ( January 10, 1945,
1:17am, Highgate, UK. Rating: A).
Venus in Pisces in his 5th House
clearly demonstrates a career (Pisces)
in music (Venus) through creativity
(5th House), turning him into an icon
(Pisces in the 5th House). As
mentioned, a general signature for an
artistic career is often seen in Aries’
influence combined with the Pisces’
influence [CONTINUED ON PAGE 14]
FALL 2010

Mick Jagger
July 26, 1943 • 2:30 am • Dartford, UK
(such as Mars in the 12th House,
Mars/Neptune major aspects, Mars
in Pisces, Neptune in the 1st
House). Rod Stewart has Mars
square 12th house Neptune, and
Mick Jagger has Mars in the 12th
House. Another example is Johnny
Cash (February 26, 1932, 7:30am.
Kingsland, AR. Rating: A). Could
it be more repetitive in his case?
Mars in Pisces, in the 12th House,
opposing Neptune! The ruler of
his 12th House: Uranus, is
conjunct Venus which is the planet
representing music more
specifically.
The conclusion is that any sign,
house or planet in the chart
associated with the 12th House,
Neptune and Pisces directly or
indirectly so, can be expressed on a
public/collective level through a
profession. It is important to
understand however, that this does
NOT mean that the Pisces archetype
refers to a more glamorous or soulful
career, while the “boring job” would
be the 10th House. While fame and
glamour can surely be part of the
Pisces archetype dynamic, we can also
find the most trivial professions such
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
as a cleaner (Virgo influence with
Pisces), a taxi driver (Gemini
influence with Pisces) or an
electrician (Aquarius influence
with Pisces). Tapping into a
collective need through one’s
profession can be done quite
mundanely; in fact it is more
commonly so than glamorous.
Moreover, as one analyzes the
chart through this lens, it become
obvious that multiple options are
identified when adding up all the
chart factors involved with the
Pisces archetype. In a simplified
manner, a person may for example
have Virgo on the 12th House
cusp, Neptune in the 2nd House,
and Jupiter in Pisces in his/her natal
Johnny Cash
Feb 26 1932 • 7:30 am • Kingsland, AR
chart! Will this person have a
profession in the medical field (Virgo
in the 12th), in music or finances
(Neptune in the 2nd), or become a
publisher ( Jupiter in Pisces). The
answer is that all these options are
possible! We must take into
consideration that people do change
careers in the course of their lives,
and while all the options will likely
14 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
not be accessed, they remain options.
An analysis of the overall chart
dynamics can help narrowing
tendencies in this regard.
While we can recognize mundane
professional options through the
Pisces archetype, public recognition,
fame and notoriety are also part of
the 12th house, Pisces and Neptune’s
influence! Through these channels,
we can witness a single individual
rising to public eminence and
affecting cultural trends, sometimes
to even change the course of history;
the possibility of being remembered
beyond the confines of one’s own
time is particular to these influences.
Consider Adolph Hitler (April 20,
1889. 6:30pm. Braunau, Austria.
Rating: AA) engraved in our
collective consciousness for mass
destruction and genocide with
Neptune conjunct Pluto in the 8th
House! Neptune being in Gemini, he
was able to brainwash the masses and
manipulate information for that
purpose.
The other question that remains is if
the 10th House does not represent a
choice of career according to this
perspective, then what is it about? The
way I personally see it, the 10th House
demonstrates “how” we approach the
public arena and how we are going to
promote and manage our career, rather
than the actual choice of career. Using
again the example of George W.
Bush: while his career orientation was
prominently politics: Sun and Saturn
in the 12th house in Cancer, the way
he managed it is through the sign of
Aries in the 10th House, that is a very
entrepreneur-like way, defensively, and
quite graphically through launching a
war.
Another example is film director
David Lynch ( January 20, 1946, 3am,
Missoula MT. Rating: AA). Natal
Neptune in the 11th House describes
FALL 2010

We must take into consideration that people do
change careers in the course of their lives, and while
all the options will likely not be accessed,
they remain options.
his professional orientation as a fiction
and science fiction script-writer, clearly
venturing within the complexity of
mental health and esoteric spheres.
Additionally; having Pisces on the 5th
House cusp reflects more specifically
the position of a film director, also
recognized as an icon in his field. He
has Virgo on his MC cusp (conjunct
the Moon); his profession is obviously
unrelated to any Virgo field, however,
those familiar with his work will agree
his approach (the “how”) to his
profession is clearly Virgo oriented: he
is a master of details and clearly a
perfectionist. He has chosen to
produce and distribute his last film
Inland Empire himself in order to
avoid any compromise on the content
of the film; this is the extent of his
purism in his approach.
I invite you to explore these ideas and
reconsider the way you have
approached the 12th house, Neptune
and Pisces in chart analysis. Surely, with
Neptune approaching the sign of Pisces
itself, we need to shed more light into
this foggy corner of the zodiac! As our
consciousness evolves in the course of
time, so does our approach and
understanding of astrology.
* Note that the Koch House System is the
reference for all charts in this article. George W.
O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology
Bush: July 6th 1946, 7:26 New Haven CT.
Rating: A. Lois Rodden reports data from
hospital records.
Indira Ghandi: November 19, 1917,
11:10pm Allahabad, India. Rating: A. Lois
Rodden reports data from her private secretary.
Mick Jagger: July 26, 1943, 2:30am.
Dartford, UK. Rating: A. Lois Rodden reports
data from the doctor who delivered him.
Johnny Cash: February 26, 1932, 7:30am.
Kingsland, AR. Rating: A. Lois Rodden reports
data from B.C
Chart source: AstroDataBank Program
Maurice Fernandez, author of the books
Neptune, the 12th House and Pisces and
Astrology and the Evolution of
Consciousness—Volume One, is one of
the leading Evolutionary Astrologers. He
is also the organizer of The River of
Stars Astrology conference in Hawaii.
Currently based in Boulder, Colorado, his
educational programs and reading
practice have forged a worldwide
reputation of depth and excellence.
Maurice has been practicing Kundalini
Yoga for more than 15 years and now
teaches it with astrology, offering
workshops that provide a complete body,
mind, and spirit experience. Visit the free
learning forum on his website:
www.mauricefernandez.com You can
find Maurice on Facebook.
15 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER
What is OPA?
The Organization for
Professional Astrology (OPA) is
home for professional astrologers.
We exist to create a better life for
professional astrologers, to
develop a career path for people
wishing to become professional
astrologers, and to improve the
ways in which astrology is viewed
and used by our common culture.
From our small beginning at uAC
july 14th 1989, we have grown;
we have members in 28 states
and 8 foreign countries. We have a
monthly e-news, and a magazine
The Career Astrologer, websites
www.professional-astrology.org
and www.opaastrology.com.
Once a year we have a general
meeting as well as a learning
experience called a retreat; this
event is designed as an interactive
learning for astrologer at many
different stages of development.
OPA members come from every
background of astrology and we
belong to many different schools
of thought. Do something good
for yourself, your career, and your
community; join OPA.
Call June Morrow
847-864-1063 - or email at
June_Morrow@yahoo.com
FALL 2010
 O P A ’ s 7 t h A n n u A l A s t r O l O g y r e t r e A t

Take Your Astrology Practice

to the Next Level!
Enhance your professional skills
with the wisdom of our internationally renowned faculty!

.
Make new friendships with kindred spirits trological immersion
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You’ll emerge with a wealth of new strategies, techniques and ideas
that will enrich your practice for the rest of your professional life.

Our faculty includes: Ani Bettati, Arlan Wise, Monica Dimino,

Maurice Fernadez, Chris McRae, Bob Mulligan, Glenn Perry, Robert Corre,
Sandra Leigh Serio, Gisele Terry, Richard Smoot … and more!

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A tranquil retreat cradled by forests
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www.professional-astrology.org
Questions? Call OPA Conference Coordinator,
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O P A  The Organization for Professional Astrology 16 THE CAREER ASTROLOGER FALL 2010