Western astrology is definitely a lot more than Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs and Moon Signs. Author Judy Balan, who has been practicing western astrology, swears by it. She cannot stop talking about her new-found passion, and is open to consultations.
CHENNAI: For the last two-and-a-half years, author Judy Balan who took to western astrology says she still hasn’t emerged out of this ‘supremely delightful’ rabbit hole. The author of Two Fates: The Story of My Divorce and Sophie Says: Memoirs of A Break up Coach has been studying psychological astrology and began by reading her own natal chart. She also read charts of “kind, voluntary guinea pigs”, as practice.
City Express chats with author-turned-astrologer about her tryst with signs and stars.
From a writer to astrologer — how did that happen?
I’m still a writer and I don’t think that’s going to change. I started astrology when a friend introduced me to Susan Miller’s monthly forecasts. She called them “freakishly accurate at times”. It turned out, she was. Not all the time (that’s not possible unless you’re actually looking into one’s natal chart) but often enough for me to sit up and go ‘how could she possibly know that’.
But unlike other readers who were happy knowing how their month was going to turn out, I was compelled to dig deeper: What are conjunctions, oppositions, trines and sextiles? What does Pluto square Uranus actually mean? Why do eclipses have such a profound impact on the personal narrative of our lives? What are houses in an astrological chart? What is a rising sign, a moon sign, a Star of David etc. And finally, if astrology is the study of archetypes and how they play out in the deepest recesses of our psyche to the point of shedding light on unconscious complexes and projections, then what might a closer look at my own natal chart show?
What is western astrology?
Western astrology comprises many different methods and house systems. To be honest, I don’t know much about the differences between Western and Vedic except that they are two completely different languages that tell the same story. I had a Vedic astrologer look at my chart and he was just as accurate as western astrologers. It’s just that western astrology — more specifically, psychological astrology — speaks a language I understand and relate to.
Are Chennaiites aware of this kind of astrology?
Anyone who has brushed against zodiac signs is familiar with western astrology though it’s a most unfortunate introduction. There are nine other planets — astrologically speaking, that is — to take into account, not to mention signs, houses and aspects. So going by someone’s Sun sign alone is like saying there are just 12 different types of people.
Who is the astrologer you follow and who guides you with
your queries?
Well, I don’t know of any professional astrologer in India who practices western astrology. I did most of my learning from reading everything there was to read on astrology. One of them is Carl Jung. I learnt only recently that Jung not only knew his astrology, he has even said in a letter to BV Raman: ‘In cases of difficult psychological diagnosis, I usually get a horoscope in order to have a further point of view from an entirely different angle.
I must say that I have very often found that the astrological data elucidated certain points which I otherwise would have been unable to understand’. I spend late nights creepily lurking on astrology forums discussing things like transits and progressions, stalking astrologers on Twitter and worshipping at the altar of Liz Greene (legendary astrologer, psychologist and author). My favourite teachers are Liz Greene, Noel Tyl and
Robert Blaschke.
What are the outcomes of this kind of reading?
The natal chart is an evolving blueprint of potential. How this potential (both positive and negative) manifests, depends on the individual and how he or she chooses to interact with said unconscious psychic material. What predictive astrology does (from a psychological-astrology point of view) is point out when a natal complex is ripe to enter consciousness, so that the person can become aware of it, have the opportunity to deal with it and integrate aspects of himself that he denied earlier and possibly projected on others. It shows us the timing when these deep inner changes coincide with significant outer events or the beginning and ending of significant relationships. We don’t know how this happens, it just does.
What factors are important in western astrology?
Date, place of birth and accurate time of birth. It can’t even be off by five minutes. There are ways to rectify a horoscope for time of birth in cases where people don’t know their time of birth, but I’m not quite there yet.
What are the three most common queries/questions/problems that people approach you with?
There’s usually a trigger — an emotional crisis, a career funk, money issues, etc. Someone wanted me to do a relationship chart for her and Justin Bieber (true story). I usually nod and go back to doing what I love — getting to the psychological root of the situation. And I think it’s going well because once I go there, they’re usually riveted and forget all about Bieber.
few pointers
Letting someone look at your chart is the highest expression of trust. You’re basically handing out your
psychological profile to this person so if you find them even vaguely dodgy, don’t do it.
Perhaps it’s a good idea not to tell them about how much you’re judging yourself for doing this and expect reassurance.
(For consultation, mail balan.judy@gmail.com or reach her on FB)
