The most difficult thing about being an astrologer is that most people think you are a flake… at best. My business has thrived for two decades. I’m still pretty much a freak, anywhere I go, though people are generally nice about it. But it *is* my vocation.
If you choose to be an astrologer, you are going to be persecuted. You’re also likely to give up a lot right and/or privileges and you may not realize this at first.
For example, if you find yourself in court, you’re likely to be seen as a nut-job. Your testimony will be easily impeached.
God help you, if you’re young single and wish to be married. I don’t know a single soul who would be happy to have their child bring their astrologer-fiance home for dinner. I know this is true. I’ve lived it!
There are circumstances where you might be valued as some kind of entertainment as a party but I’ll tell you this for sure: you will always be a person living on the fringe of society.
Having significant Capricorn, I wouldn’t choose astrology as a vocation, but look around. Look at this blog and my forum and the tens of thousands of posts; never mind the thousands of clients and the millions of readers, over the years… decades.
I don’t think there is a choice for me. I was created to be an astrologer. If is causes me suffering, that’s just too bad!
From another angle, this is a dream job. I get to work with people from all over the world. I work with teenagers all the way up to people in their 80’s. People in their 90’s may read here as well. I’d not be surprised.
I get to write. I get to work one-on-one and help people on a daily basis. It is never, ever boring. The job keeps my mind active and on the ball.
There’s another element here, if you take up this vocation, it will affect your children. They meet their future in-laws and say, what? My mom is an astrologer? It’s laughable and exquisitely painful. It breaks my heart, really, even though I know I am a high quality person all the way to the bone.
Anyone else want to weigh in?
Hm very good question to ask. I’m learning that people laugh at the concept of astrology. That is Until they are at rock bottom and need something to pull them through. Then you blow their mind and perspective changes. Funny how that works. Your impact on me through astrology has been immeasurable through this blog alone. So kudos to you for staying consistent all these years.
Ha! Let them think what they want. As for me, I’d LOVE to have an astrologer in-law.
You are brave, I don’t want to be an astrologer for all those reasons. Someone’s gotta do it though, so I commend you. The only way I would think about being one is if I were the only person left in my family… even then, I would probably worry about it. It’s bad enough to have it as a hobby. But I don’t know what I would do without it, especially during hard times.
You’re right. It takes courage. I am right here, in public, Such an easy target.
But what I’ve actually accomplished, using astrology, is far beyond what anyone would ever imagine, because it’s just the way it is.
I read your work
It is a form of affirmation of my feelings
I believe you to be scientist reporter
Mathematician, counsel,good woman
I find you spiritual honest and brave
Your words are your gold
To those who reach listen and add to their thinking, they share in the wealth of the mysteries above before and ahead
The others well , to me their ego restricts their own capacity to use
I am trying to avoid lazy of thought
I for one most appreciative
Kudos to the next 20
Fascinating. The stigma definitely prevented me from discussing astrology or pursuing it professionally, though the depth of study required was also a barrier. I already have a vocation and astrology takes years of dedicated study. Doing art professionally has been an outsider experience too, but is much less maligned than astrology – more just flaky and selfish (until you see some external success or become a teacher etc.). I wonder when astrology’s scholarship and role as a spiritual and psychological guide will be acknowledged as it has in the past. I know many people who secretly rely on its wisdom to cope and evolve. The astrologer’s courage is a gift to us all.
I must say I’m a bit surprised at the comments from people that live in the US on this subject. I thought all this was behind you,
I come from a European country and when I became interested in astrology – in the 1970’s there was nothing to be found. There was one person who published a couple of books on astrology (I’m not joking – ONE), and they were not in the book stores – they were sold out.
I find it funny how the communists were ‘afraid’ of these things.
In English there was only the basic stuff – sun signs and such.
Then, only a few years later, there were ”astrologers” all over the place. They weren’t very good for the most part, and I lost interest.
One thing I have noticed is that one can be an astrologer here, and be very well respected for that, but only if it’s a sort of hobby: in order to be taken seriously this person has to make it known that he or she has a degree in some conventional subject, and then has taken up astrology after that: ‘It’s something I do in my spare time’ sort of thing. That makes it OK.
So, although we started 30 or even 50 years later, it’s basically the same situation.
So so true. The people I work with see me on my computer and they say “oh u do that astrology stuff”. When I do get the occasional question such as, the full moon is coming up.. what can we expect? I explain a little, and they say… so interesting but I advise u not to lead with that on a first date. HUH lol yes still very much taboo here in the states but I like to tell them that they believe the sun effects them they see sunburn for example and we all can admit the moon makes people act loony and it effects the weather….so why would they not believe we are getting energy from anything else out there?
On a lighter note I remember a time someone at school asked my 5 year old son what religion he was and he smiled real big and said OH I’m a Virgo lol ?
I always made the mistake of sharing that I was interested in astrology at my jobs,Too much sadge to keep it to myself I guess.
Respect for me would go right down the toilet. Oh well.
Personally I can’t say what it feels like to be a professional astrologer, and I’m sorry there is so much negativity surrounding a profession that is akin to therapy.
I went through several therapists/life coaches/psychologists in my early 20’s to help me work through what it was I was struggling with. It was always somewhat of the same thing they would sit there and passively listen to me talk for an hour. I didn’t see much progress. I started getting in to learning astrology in depth and met my first mentor at 24 she is still to this day a fantastic mentor and we still keep in touch, she was able to help me learn things about myself that I wasn’t aware of. I found Elsa’s site when I was 25 and was very drawn to her way of writing and her beliefs on marriage and commitment which were very similar to mine so I decided to reach out one day and slowly started to work with her consistently which has benefited more in my life than all of those therapists/life coaches/psychologists combined that I had gone to in the past. Elsa is a professional astrologer, she’s not here to tell you what your future is or some kind of mystical fortune teller, she is a progressional who is able to listen to you, look at your chart and see the problem and how to work through it, she doesn’t BS, she’s someone who will be very blunt with you, but it’s for your benefit, she is a better version of what a therapist should be, she is a therapist in my opinion her technique is astrology based which personally helps me relate a little bit, similar to a life coach that incorporates yoga in to their practice, professional astrologers like Elsa, are just like therapists, Elsa is just not passive and that’s what’s most helpful, when you have someone who’s interacting with you like Elsa does you’re going to definitely get more out of your consultation. I hope proffisional astrologers will be taken more seriously because if I hadn’t had the kind of therapy I’ve had with Elsa I’d be up shit creek without a paddle going in to my Saturn return. So thank you Elsa, I appreciate your work! And I highly recommend anyone who hasn’t given her consultations a try to try it because it’s just so beneficial.
Thank you, S!
First I would like to say ditto on what S has said. I reach out to Elsa when there is much uncertainty and I can ‘t read the guide posts, which is what Elsa can do for you. She will read them, point them out, and let you know where you are off course. If I could afford to retain her services on a daily bases, I would!
At least I can follow her on her guidelines here!
I have been studying astrology for decades and still need to refer to books. I did do a reading for a very skeptical co worker who was floored! I also work in IT, and with three guys. They all scoff when I say “Mercury in Retrograde” due to when it actually is and is causing in numerable issues in our department- some we thought had been solved. I know it’s true value so don’t feel embarrassed- I feel bad for them they are so cut off from the Universe and it’s intelligence. I know Astrology’s true value but I can see how Society still scoffs and puts it down. I say it’s due to fear of the unknown.
Thank you for your post. I always make the critic look like they are the one living on the fringe:judgmental, ignorant and hopelessly missing out on the road-map of their lives.
S. has written a wonderful, funny and truthful article! Astrology has helped so many, yet mainstream society kicks this valuable knowledge to the gutter. Attitudes towards astrology do vary by geographic region, too. In my previous residence, my charts for coworkers and friends generated repeat business with referrals. Where I live now, the local astrologers group is barely breathing and the New Age expo doesn’t feature astrologers. Astrology has been more helpful to people than all the world’s major religions and the psych fields combined. I wish the BLS posted ” Career Outlook–Astrologers” in their literature!
The BLS is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the US Department of Labor.
I, also, agree with S, but the title of the post was: ‘What’s It Like To Be A Professional Astrologer?’