Just as one may choose a personal trainer to assist in getting started on the right approach to fitness, having your very own Personal Astrologer can be the first step in establishing an ongoing and very fruitful relationship with yourself and the people in your life, if you are prepared to work at it.
When you choose your Personal Astrologer, there are a number of key things one needs to keep in mind. This is someone who is going to become important in your life, as a friendly mentor or confidant, except the only difference is that the astrologer is that friend who will tell you both the good and bad about your current situation and behaviours, and how you can start to change them for the better, keeping in mind what is likely to happen in the near future.
In your screening process (whether you decide to call up a bunch of astrologers, or email them, or meet them in person), evaluate:
Did this person truly listen to you? Did they understand your point of view and situation without judgement?
- What was their response like? Was it too pessimistic or too optimistic, or a realistic blend of the two that makes sense to you?
- Did they sound as if they were just telling you what you wanted to hear, or did they have confidence enough to “say it like it is”, tactfully?
- Did they seem to have any religious or other agenda, or were they simply stating things as they are, allowing you the freedom to apply it in a way you understand?
- Did they talk plainly, confidently, and without astrological jargon?
- Did they know the current planetary configurations that were of importance?
Do they use astrology in their personal life? Someone who doesn’t walk the talk is probably not going to offer you a realistic and professional service. Are they passionate about what they do as an astrologer?
- Are they technically capable? Are they qualified astrologically for the types of queries you have? You will only really know this for sure when you are in consultation with them. But if they have a mini-reading, or rectification session, or some other similar quick reading, you can use it as an opportunity to test the waters. Can they describe you and events in your life sufficiently well? If they can do this and be about 80% correct or better, then they are technically good enough to start with. As the astrologer gets to understand your life patterns better, their understanding of you as a person will improve.
- Many practicing astrologers have websites, and you can read about their background and training. There are a number of professional astrology associations, schools and certificate programs that set basic standards and ethics for the practice of astrology. When you’re doing your research, look for some constellation of these things in an astrologer’s biography. Some highly reputable organizations include: The Astrological Association of Great Britain, The American Federation of Astrologers, the Organization of Professional Astrologers, and the National Council for Geo-cosmic Research.
- What is their level of experience? To judge this, you should have an idea of how much of their time on a daily basis they spend doing astrology, how many clients do they have, and if they give talks or courses or have published articles, etc. The more an astrologer has interacted with real live people, the more practical experience they have had to hone their skills, and the more likely you will get a practical professional service from them.
- Be wary of astrologers who make extravagant claims, as they are less likely to be ethical in their practice.
- Ask if it is possible for you to record your consultation session with them. Do they offer a recording service included in their session? If an astrologer doesn’t want you to record the session with them, they are probably not good enough.
- It can also be useful to either check on any testimonials they may have, or if you personally know of someone who has had a consultation with the astrologer, ask them what their experience was like, and what the quality of the session was for them.
Send out an email to the astrologer with the following information, and assess their response.
- Describe your main question or concern, and ask if and what experience the astrologer has in that particular area.
- Describe your outlook on life to give the astrologer some idea about how to translate the symbolism of your astrology in a way that makes sense to you. For an example, if you are an atheist, it won’t do much good if the astrologer speaks about reincarnation – the astrologer needs to understand what your language of living is, in order for them to be a good translator.
- If you are looking for a specific outcome or result, you need to communicate it as clearly as possible to the astrologer
Set up a phone interview, or if possible, arrange a coffee meet up so you can assess how well suited the astrologer is to you on a person level. This is perhaps the most important consideration.
The best astrology sessions are those in which you are in a dialog with your astrologer to find the optimal solutions for you. While an astrologer can help interpret what is happening in the sky, ultimately, it is you who must make a decision about what to do with the information.
It is important to remember that you don’t necessarily need to LIKE the astrologer, because the astrologer is not meant to be your buddy. It is their job to give you the facts as they are, and to supply you with relevant information to make more informed decisions for your life. The astrologer you choose should be a happy blend between realism and spirituality, cheerfulness and depth.
Seek out an astrologer with whom you would feel comfortable talking. Each person is unique, including astrologers, and we have our own points of view too. Finding someone you resonate with will make the experience more productive for you.