Lexie wrote on Astrology / Psychology Hot Shot:

“I just realized that you remind me of a character in a book series named Anita Blake.”

Lexie, thanks! I had to look her up: Anita Blake
From wiki:

“A strong protagonist in the series, Blake is very direct, flippant, and highly competent in the professions she is involved in. She is trained in judo, kenpo and knows how to use several weapons, but is most efficient with guns (as the series begins, the Browning Hi-Power is her carry gun of choice, though later in the series she switches to the Browning BDM). She is also a devout Christian which often creates moral dilemmas for the character.”
Continue reading Elsa P aka Underdog of The Astrology World

Lis write on, Elsa P, You Don’t Need Astrology

“I would much rather have someone look at my chart, like you do with other people’s, and get straight to the heart of the problem, instead of wasting hours and hours pussyfooting around it. (That’s been my experience with “traditional” counseling.)”

Lis – thanks and while I had a full course of traditional therapy and consider it money very well spent, it is one of the reasons I know I would hate that job. I much more suited to the hot shot, meaning one of the fire fighters who comes in when there is a need, they get right down to business and then off to the next crisis. Not only would I not like being a therapist, I would probably suck at it.
Continue reading Astrology vs Psychology: Elsa P… A Born Hot Shot

For The Working Astrologer

pan·der (pndr)
intr.v. pan·dered, pan·der·ing, pan·ders
1. To act as a go-between or liaison in sexual intrigues; function as a procurer.
2. To cater to the lower tastes and desires of others or exploit their weaknesses:

I have worked with thousands of clients over the years. Last week I was forced to end a consultation right in the middle of it, offering the client a refund which is something I have never done before in my career. I have refunded a person’s money because they weren’t satisfied with my work once or twice but never, even encountered anything like this before. I just couldn’t get through the consult because the client and I were at cross purposes.
Continue reading Astrology And Pandering: “My Opinion Is Not For Sale”

Uranus rules astrology and with Saturn opposing, career comes to mind. I really think astrology is going mainstream and seems to me to be ready to come up like some kind of rogue wave. However I am an astrologer and in reality I am finding it harder and harder.

The difficulty is not in finding clients. I have more clients then I have ever had in my career, it is in what I have to tell them that is so daunting and difficult.
Continue reading Saturn Oppose Uranus: It’s Becoming Harder And Harder To Be An Astrologer

wyrdling writes on Idea!

“though maybe you’ll have to get into your work clothes more often…”

It’s true and don’t think I didn’t think about that because I did! This would definitely be demanding. I would be making someone a private movie however I have to do something because I really can’t write all day and the monologue has real application.
Continue reading A Desire To Be Effective… And A Peek Behind The Scenes Of Astrology Consulting

As I am sure you’ve noticed, things are changing around here. I am placing more of an emphasis on consultations for one thing and I think I just had a brainstorm.

A lot of people prefer to consult by email rather than on the phone. Sometimes this is because they are out of the country and there is some impediment to calling but for others the idea of making a phone call is overwhelming for some reason so this is a good option.
Continue reading Idea!!

ansesa writes on Astrological Consulting:

How do you “brush off” (in lack of better words) the negative impression that the person who came to the reading leaves on you?

anesa – that’s a good question. 15 years ago I suffered mightily when a session went poorly but almost never have this problem anymore.

I cope by always, always doing my very best work. Every time I pick up the phone, I do the absolute best I can and after that if someone is unhappy, I am still able to let it go. But I have been at this a long time and my style and my work are out here so consequently people have a good idea what to expect when they consult with me. At this point I think I have about 95% satisfaction which is better than I would expect of myself considering I routinely work with people in difficult or painful situations and it’s rare I get to tell them their problem is clearing out in a month.

Anyone else have input?

The other day I was talking to Claire-France Perez and she told me she has had to tell clients who are unhappy with her forecast. “I can tell you what the planets say and it costs this much. Now if you want me to tell you what you want to hear, I can do that too but I am going to charge you a lot more!”

I snorted and I was thinking about this today. I once had a guy hire me, he was an astrologer and he told me specifically that he wanted to know what I thought of certain things. Astrology things this is. I told him that would be fine and he told me he looked forward to talking to me.
Continue reading Astrology Consulting… “If You Can’t Deal With My Mercury, You Sure As Hell Can’t Deal With My Mars”

Michele with another provocative question on the wrong birth data piece:

“You didn’t go to school to learn to read charts, did you? what are the traits that make a person good at it?”

Michele – I started studying with my sister when I was 8 years old (she was 10). I went to a few classes, seminars or workshops, 20 years later when I finally got to town but other than that I have essentially no formal training at all.

As to what makes a good astrologer, I have no idea.  I think I am an excellent consulting astrologer due my ability to communicate and my extensive experience. I can definitely tune you up but I can’t read a horary chart to save my life.  I can’t elect a date for a wedding, predict the weather, the stock market or the price of gold so depending on what you’re in the market for I may be good as they come or absolutely worthless.

What makes a good astrologer?

Submit your own open question

The graphic is from today’s Post Secret blog. It caught my eye as it is brilliant illustration of what I mean to be talking about around here and I’ll explain.

First we have, Kate, an intellectual woman who cannot get a man. Kate blames everyone under the Sun for her plight. Kate can’t get a date because men are stupid and oh yeah… so are women, especially if they are Mexican.

Now contrast that to the gal who sent this card. Who do you think it most likely to solve their dilemma.  The gal waving the weapon or the gal who admits to her fears and insecurities?  I’d say the second gal is halfway home and here is the astrology:

The intellect is associated with the air element and while you can certainly nurture a person’s mind it does not speak to these deeper (primal) drives and needs that all people have.  I think that Pluto in Capricorn is going to make people far more aware of this and it explains why the highly educated man or woman gravitates towards someone like me as a consulting astrologer.

The plea is this: “Get me out of my head before it’s too late.”

So who thinks what, hmm?