Saturday, July 20, 2013

Psychological Astrology And You: Life On A Soul Level


Greetings, Gifted Reader.

Margaret Gray
If you haven’t looked up recently, you’re missing a lot! There’s so much going on in the sky right now, and Astrologers worldwide are pointing to the Grand Trine as a time for good fortune. Because trines (when planets are 120 degrees apart) are harmonious, it is believed that you’ll have luck in those Houses in your Natal chart where the Grand Trine transits. With Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces, all water signs, the Grand Trine can trigger an emotional outpouring. So, your good fortune might be a release from something that hurt you in the past.

Speaking of good fortune, this month we’re featuring Margaret Gray, a well-known Psychological Astrologer currently based in Honolulu:

Q: Margaret, tell us a little about your roots:

A: I was born in Dublin Ireland. My mother was Italian and my father Irish, and I grew up spending summers in Italy where my mom worked with her dad. It seems to be my path in life to live between two countries as I continue to do so now with my home in Dublin, yet also spending time here in Hawai’i.

Margaret in water
Graduating from TCD with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, I realized that I wanted to be able to apply the theory I had learned in a practical way, to create some useful change in the world. So, I applied to MSW programs in Social Work in the USA, as many Irish students did in those days. One of my core criteria was being by a warm ocean and, by synchronicity, the dean for the faculty of Social Work at Florida State University happened to be in Ireland at that time. We met and, nine months later, I was on my way to Florida with a bursary to help with my studies. 

Two years later, I returned to Ireland and started a career in social work that spanned 15 years--many of them in the UK as the economy in Ireland had crashed. I finally left social work in the year 2000. By then, I had had two major wakeup calls with my health, alerting me that I needed to change my work. I finally heeded this second one, resigned from my social work post and bought a school of holistic therapies with a friend in the UK. My venture into self-employment had started, and I loved it. By then, I was also working as a consulting Astrologer having graduated from the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London where I studied with Liz Greene and Melanie Reinhart. 

Q: How did you get interested in Astrology?

A: I feel like I have always been interested in Astrology although going for readings inspired my interest even more. I spent several years (pre-computer days!) trying to draw up charts by hand with the help of manuals. This was so frustrating as math is not my favorite or best subject by any stretch of the imagination. So, many of the charts were inaccurate! One of the best gifts I have ever received was an old Amstrad computer that a kind friend passed to me when she bought a new one together with a copy of ‘electric ephemeris’ that enabled me to print out accurate charts. It was a real gift from the gods, and I am very grateful to her to this day. In 1993, amidst a lot of personal turmoil and health issues, I went to an evening class in Psychological Astrology at a local college. I remember sitting in the cold classroom (the UK was not too fond of heating in those days!) with a bunch of strangers and knowing in my soul that I had finally come home to a part of me. A light of passion that I had never experienced before was ignited within and has never gone out. I studied with Cate Reidy for the next six years on a weekly basis, and then attended the three-year part-time course at the CPA in London.

About 15 years ago, I discovered that my now 90-year old aunt in Italy has also been an Astrologer for many years. She is also very psychic as was my mom. My aunt and I have had many interesting Astrological discussions over the years. 

Q: What is Psychological Astrology?

A: Psychological Astrology is one of many approaches to Astrology. It was mainly developed from the work of Dane Rudyar and Carl Jung by pioneers such as Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas. It is fundamentally concerned with the development of the personality rather than the prediction of events. Over the years, many branches and variations of Psychological Astrology have developed including Transpersonal Astrology, some branches of Evolutionary Astrology, etc. Most Astrologers learn the basics and then develop their own approach to working with the stars and planets.

Margaret on water, Diamond Head in background
Over the years, my core passion has been to explore, teach and work with the tool of Psychological Astrology to facilitate the study of psyche meaning spirit/soul as well as the more modern understanding of personality. Hence, I view a birth chart as offering useful information on themes we came on a soul level to experience in this incarnation. The chart also offers information on ways we may choose to experience these themes or not. One of our great gifts as humans is free will and hence we can choose to live out our chart at its most expansive or most limited and/or not at all--it is merely a map--we will get to the same destination whether we follow the map or not! My belief is that we choose an exact time, date and place to come into this world and, hence, we choose the exact birth chart that can help us achieve what we chose to come here to do on a soul level. Sometimes we get into conflict with ourselves as there is a discrepancy between what our human self wants and what our soul self would like for our fulfillment. Understanding our birth chart can often help us more easily align our human self with our soul self.  

Q. What is the relevance of Astrology right now?

A: During this time of evolutionary change, Astrology can offer us a map of what the energies are encouraging us to move towards and how we might best engage with them. As humans we all seek meaning--why am I here? And, what is this life about? Astrology offers both a macro overview of the larger picture as well as how it interacts with us on a personal level. For example--if you are born with your Sun in the early to mid-degrees of the sign of Capricorn, the planet Pluto will visit your Sun sign between now and 2017 if it has not done so already. As Uranus is squaring Pluto in the sky at the moment, he will also connect with your Sun sign at the same time. The invite for you at this time is to transform and empower the ‘self’. It is a time to release whatever is inauthentic and to embark on a new period in life that is aligned with your ‘self’. Being aware of what is going on can bring comfort and a greater ability to engage fully with the changes rather than stagnating or allowing fear of the unknown to block movement.

significance of water with Grand Trine in Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Q: Please describe your practice

A: My practice has three main sections: the first and fundamental part is individual and couple birth chart consultations. I also work with children’s charts. I particularly enjoy working with relationship, vocation and relocation issues. Most clients come once or twice a year for follow-up consultations to explore the current transits. I work in person when in a location and on Skype and phone the rest of the time. I am also a Reiki Master and I open myself to the Reiki energy when working with clients. When working with couples, I ideally like to meet both individuals, but I will also work with one only if the other is unable to come. I also offer ongoing Astrological counseling sessions that allow for more in-depth work with the birth chart and the current transits over a period of time.

The second part of my practice is teaching. For example, I have just put together a two-year online certified course in Psychological Astrology with IAA starting in October 2013. It is a unique course that includes some of the best and most soulful Psychological Astrologers in the world including: Melanie Reinhart, Lynn Bell, Brian Clarke, Claudia Bader and Graham Ibell. The well-known Astrologer Donna Woodwell is also one of the lecturers. I am the coordinator as well as teaching a portion of the course that I am really excited about.

I also regularly teach classes in Ireland, both independently and with my dear colleague and friend Christeen Skinner--author of ‘The Financial Universe’. My connection with my first Psychological Astrology teacher Cate Reidy also continues as she now teaches in Dublin as well as in the UK.

I will also be teaching an online course on Life Transitions for Kepler College starting in September 2013. Whilst on location, I regularly offer seminars and classes from Introductory to Intermediate level. I am also always delighted to offer free talks on Psychological Astrology at centers such as Oscailt in Dublin and Yoga Hawai’i in Honolulu. In Honolulu, I have set up free monthly Meet-up groups to explore the current transits. One of the meetings is for experienced Astrologers and the other one is for everyone with no Astrological knowledge required.

I also offer individual intensive tuition.

The third part of my practice is offering mentoring/support to newer Astrologers, mostly on a monthly basis. I found this very helpful in the early years of my practice as it enabled me to get feedback on my work and to increase my learning. Hence, I love offering it to other Astrologers. It is a fun and expansive way to learn through practice. 

Q: How can Gypsy Stars’ readers reach you?

A: The best way is through email in case I am on my travels.








Feel free to also go to my Facebook work page which is:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Psychological-Astrology/188561817828453?ref=hl

Thank you, Margaret. Dear Gifted Readers, keep looking up--to the sky! Also, you can friend Gypsy Stars on Facebook, like our Urban Goddess fan page where we promote all Metaphysicians, and check out our T_Zing line of t-shirts.

Soon, we shall meet again. Meanwhile…

Good luck, light and love,

Gypsy Stars