Why astrology fascinates me
23. August 2019
Die Sprache des Körpers – Gar nicht so schwer
6. December 2021
What is psychological astrology anyway?
Psychological astrology works with what psychology and astrology have in common: Both help us to better understand our potentials and challenges in order to overcome obstacles through self-knowledge and practical practice, and in this way live a more joyful and fulfilling life. Psychological astrology basically states that every person arrives on this planet with very specific tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing and understanding these things can help us figure out what our "school of life" consists of in this lifetime: in what areas it is our job to grow and explore, and in what areas we are naturally most capable, what comes easiest to us, where our comfort zone lies. Understanding our birth chart better helps us both to live our unique self, as who we really are, as well as to better understand and appreciate the characteristics and potentials of other people. The birth chart can give us insights about our very personal nature, our abilities, potentials but also possible weaknesses or pitfalls. And it can also show us how our "upbringing" has caused us to develop certain present-day behavior patterns, fears, and defense mechanisms, and how we can address these adaptive patterns or compensatory mechanisms to live healthier, more fulfilling, and happier lives. In addition, the birth chart can also give important clues certain important phases of life and the appropriate timing. It is important to understand, that psychological astrology is NOT about prediction of certain events or predestined destiny. Rather, it is about recognizing and also using all of our existing abilities in all of their facets to learn and grow and make the most of our innate assets as well as our personal challenges. 1. it helps you to understand yourself.
Already the Know the meaning of just three simple, important positions in your chart - in which sign your Sun, Moon and Ascendant are located - can give you be of great use in everyday life: For example, I myself have my Sun in Leo, my Moon in Aquarius, and my Ascendant in Taurus. This shows that my identity (Sun) revolves a lot around cheerfulness, optimism and generosity - a "live and let live" attitude. It also lets me know that my needs include (moon) independence, lots of personal space, as well as great intellectual curiosity. And finally, it shows me that my way of showing myself to the outside world (Ascendant) is usually quite calm, down-to-earth and reliable. But every sign, of course, always has a challenging, often less pleasant side: if a person with the Sun in Leo has too little self-confidence or is under stress, he may become arrogant, overbearing or haughty, or may have problems dealing with criticism. A person with the Moon in Aquarius can seem very aloof, uncaring or unapproachable; he can be quarrelsome or even unpredictable. And a person with the Ascendant in Taurus may well appear stubborn, possessive or lazy.
(All this, of course, never applies to me....... 😉 ) Even this simple, basic knowledge that psychological astrology allows me to have about myself can give me help me to take better care of myself and my needs and, if necessary, to correct my course if I find that in one way or another I am living the least beneficial qualities of my being. A birth chart - as well as a human being - consists of much more than these three first pieces of information - that's why serious astrology is a field of knowledge that requires years of training and lifelong education. 2. it helps you to understand others better.
Let's say that on his good days, my husband is active, energetic, determined, resilient, and adventurous. On worse days, however, he may be quick-tempered, impulsive, argumentative, or reckless. If I know that these traits are all Aries-like and that he has the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Aries - then I can understand and empathize with him much better. I can then save myself getting upset that he may not be able to handle a situation the way I would. Instead, I can acknowledge that we are just wonderfully different, maybe even encourage him to get rid of his probably pent-up Aries energy in other ways, such as sports or intense physical work. Because I know that these are things that can be good for an Aries. 3. it can help you take better care of yourself.
For example, if you have your Sun in Scorpio, you may have a tendency to be very withdrawn or overly violent on some days, or to sabotage yourself or others. Your "scorpion sting" might, as a first reaction to trouble, start lashing out violently. Knowing the many qualities of Scorpio (both beneficial and difficult) can help you recognize when you tend to live these qualities in a way that could be harmful or hurtful to yourself or others. Once you realize this, you can choose to pause, take better care of yourself and your own needs, and thereby make a positive change. You can skip this constant self-questioning ("Why do I only do this over and over again when I'm stressed or overwhelmed?") and in this way can move directly and without detours to more self-care and more appropriate behavior. 4. it can help you make decisions.
Imagine a young person can't decide which career path to take. Should he study medicine? Or would you prefer philosophy or perhaps languages? Because all these things interest him, but which direction should he choose? His natal chart may show a very communicative, articulate and adaptable nature (Gemini Sun), a love of science and unusual subjects (Aquarius Moon), and a desire to stand for justice, tolerance and education (Sagittarius Ascendant). Once he realizes these things about himself, he might consider that science journalism or even teaching science might be a fulfilling job for him. Knowing ourselves well and what we really need is an important part of making decisions. So if we know where the planets are in our natal chart and what that means, we know ourselves better and are therefore better able to make decisions that are important to us in a meaningful way. 5. it broadens your horizons and can help you see that there is something "out there" that is bigger than ourselves
I think for most people it is a very impressive event to realize that astrology is much more than the "What do the stars say?" section of any newspaper. The above three information (sign of the Sun, Moon and Ascendant) everyone can easily find out for themselves ( e.g. get a free natal chart on astro.com), the meanings of the corresponding characters can be easily found on the Internet. Even this basic information that anyone can find out for themselves is very impressive in its accuracy and you start to wonder "how can this be?". But when you have your complete birth chart interpreted for the first time by an astrologer or astrologically working therapist, you are even more deeply impressed by the sheer amount of information that can be derived from these strange signs and symbols of a birth chart that psychological astrology "translates" for us . Not only about the personality, about strengths and weaknesses a lot of complex information is contained, but also things about the childhood, about the own parents, about important events and incisions of the life, even about things from former lives and the most important life task for this life are well recognizable for the astrologically well trained adviser. Quite apart from the benefit described above that all this information has for psychological and psychotherapeutic work - for me this is above all also an incredibly impressive indication that there is more out there than "our school wisdom can dream of". That we are all part of something bigger, that there is a deeper meaning behind all the "everyday madness" - I find that to be an exceedingly comforting and hopeful realization.
By the way: For a correct birth chart, you need your date of birth, as well as the (as accurate as possible) time and place of birth. If you do not have this data or it is based only on vague memories, you can also ask for this information at the relevant registry office. In most cases, the easiest way to do this here in Germany is online via standesamt.com.
Psychological astrology works with what psychology and astrology have in common: Both help us to better understand our potentials and challenges in order to overcome obstacles through self-knowledge and practical practice, and in this way live a more joyful and fulfilling life. Psychological astrology basically states that every person arrives on this planet with very specific tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing and understanding these things can help us figure out what our "school of life" consists of in this lifetime: in what areas it is our job to grow and explore, and in what areas we are naturally most capable, what comes easiest to us, where our comfort zone lies. Understanding our birth chart better helps us both to live our unique self, as who we really are, as well as to better understand and appreciate the characteristics and potentials of other people. The birth chart can give us insights about our very personal nature, our abilities, potentials but also possible weaknesses or pitfalls. And it can also show us how our "upbringing" has caused us to develop certain present-day behavior patterns, fears, and defense mechanisms, and how we can address these adaptive patterns or compensatory mechanisms to live healthier, more fulfilling, and happier lives. In addition, the birth chart can also give important clues certain important phases of life and the appropriate timing. It is important to understand, that psychological astrology is NOT about prediction of certain events or predestined destiny. Rather, it is about recognizing and also using all of our existing abilities in all of their facets to learn and grow and make the most of our innate assets as well as our personal challenges. 1. it helps you to understand yourself.
Already the Know the meaning of just three simple, important positions in your chart - in which sign your Sun, Moon and Ascendant are located - can give you be of great use in everyday life: For example, I myself have my Sun in Leo, my Moon in Aquarius, and my Ascendant in Taurus. This shows that my identity (Sun) revolves a lot around cheerfulness, optimism and generosity - a "live and let live" attitude. It also lets me know that my needs include (moon) independence, lots of personal space, as well as great intellectual curiosity. And finally, it shows me that my way of showing myself to the outside world (Ascendant) is usually quite calm, down-to-earth and reliable. But every sign, of course, always has a challenging, often less pleasant side: if a person with the Sun in Leo has too little self-confidence or is under stress, he may become arrogant, overbearing or haughty, or may have problems dealing with criticism. A person with the Moon in Aquarius can seem very aloof, uncaring or unapproachable; he can be quarrelsome or even unpredictable. And a person with the Ascendant in Taurus may well appear stubborn, possessive or lazy.
(All this, of course, never applies to me....... 😉 ) Even this simple, basic knowledge that psychological astrology allows me to have about myself can give me help me to take better care of myself and my needs and, if necessary, to correct my course if I find that in one way or another I am living the least beneficial qualities of my being. A birth chart - as well as a human being - consists of much more than these three first pieces of information - that's why serious astrology is a field of knowledge that requires years of training and lifelong education. 2. it helps you to understand others better.
Let's say that on his good days, my husband is active, energetic, determined, resilient, and adventurous. On worse days, however, he may be quick-tempered, impulsive, argumentative, or reckless. If I know that these traits are all Aries-like and that he has the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Aries - then I can understand and empathize with him much better. I can then save myself getting upset that he may not be able to handle a situation the way I would. Instead, I can acknowledge that we are just wonderfully different, maybe even encourage him to get rid of his probably pent-up Aries energy in other ways, such as sports or intense physical work. Because I know that these are things that can be good for an Aries. 3. it can help you take better care of yourself.
For example, if you have your Sun in Scorpio, you may have a tendency to be very withdrawn or overly violent on some days, or to sabotage yourself or others. Your "scorpion sting" might, as a first reaction to trouble, start lashing out violently. Knowing the many qualities of Scorpio (both beneficial and difficult) can help you recognize when you tend to live these qualities in a way that could be harmful or hurtful to yourself or others. Once you realize this, you can choose to pause, take better care of yourself and your own needs, and thereby make a positive change. You can skip this constant self-questioning ("Why do I only do this over and over again when I'm stressed or overwhelmed?") and in this way can move directly and without detours to more self-care and more appropriate behavior. 4. it can help you make decisions.
Imagine a young person can't decide which career path to take. Should he study medicine? Or would you prefer philosophy or perhaps languages? Because all these things interest him, but which direction should he choose? His natal chart may show a very communicative, articulate and adaptable nature (Gemini Sun), a love of science and unusual subjects (Aquarius Moon), and a desire to stand for justice, tolerance and education (Sagittarius Ascendant). Once he realizes these things about himself, he might consider that science journalism or even teaching science might be a fulfilling job for him. Knowing ourselves well and what we really need is an important part of making decisions. So if we know where the planets are in our natal chart and what that means, we know ourselves better and are therefore better able to make decisions that are important to us in a meaningful way. 5. it broadens your horizons and can help you see that there is something "out there" that is bigger than ourselves
I think for most people it is a very impressive event to realize that astrology is much more than the "What do the stars say?" section of any newspaper. The above three information (sign of the Sun, Moon and Ascendant) everyone can easily find out for themselves ( e.g. get a free natal chart on astro.com), the meanings of the corresponding characters can be easily found on the Internet. Even this basic information that anyone can find out for themselves is very impressive in its accuracy and you start to wonder "how can this be?". But when you have your complete birth chart interpreted for the first time by an astrologer or astrologically working therapist, you are even more deeply impressed by the sheer amount of information that can be derived from these strange signs and symbols of a birth chart that psychological astrology "translates" for us . Not only about the personality, about strengths and weaknesses a lot of complex information is contained, but also things about the childhood, about the own parents, about important events and incisions of the life, even about things from former lives and the most important life task for this life are well recognizable for the astrologically well trained adviser. Quite apart from the benefit described above that all this information has for psychological and psychotherapeutic work - for me this is above all also an incredibly impressive indication that there is more out there than "our school wisdom can dream of". That we are all part of something bigger, that there is a deeper meaning behind all the "everyday madness" - I find that to be an exceedingly comforting and hopeful realization.
By the way: For a correct birth chart, you need your date of birth, as well as the (as accurate as possible) time and place of birth. If you do not have this data or it is based only on vague memories, you can also ask for this information at the relevant registry office. In most cases, the easiest way to do this here in Germany is online via standesamt.com.
