The art of astrology is nothing if it does not lead the astrologer to actually work with people. Scholasticism is all fine and good but is totally worthless if it does not actually translate into something of value to others. Knowledge is only as valuable as its application to life. It is interesting that King Solomon did not ask for knowledge. He asked for understanding and wisdom. Knowledge simply knows something. Understanding comprehends, discerns & empathizes. Wisdom is the application of knowledge and understanding.
“Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life; neither have you asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies; but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment; … therefore, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart…”[1]
King Solomon said himself,
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”[2]
When someone comes to me for an astrological consultation, they come for different reasons. Some come when many opportunities are being presented and they simply want to hear my opinion in order to make a final decision as to what they are going to do. Some are looking to be shown what to do using my point of view and buying my ‘expertise’ as an astrologer.
My job as an astrologer, for whatever your reason, is to help you find answers. Through self-observation and discrimination we can know what we are. Along with this knowledge comes understanding of one’s function, purpose and operation. Astrology effectively tells us the fate of the carnal man, but only through God’s Wisdom and understanding that there is a Divine Plan can we gain freedom for the spiritual man. Loving God and others and understanding His plan for us is freedom from the laws of fate. We live out our lives as depicted in the timeless natal chart and it is the proof that there is a plan and a planner. This plan is our own personal “constellation” that is within us working its way out, unfolding our lives and through it we are linked with the heavens. It is the bounds of our existence and natal astrology describes those bounds. It cannot however free us from those bounds but can certainly answer questions that are relevant to our objective reality in the here and now.
Traditional Astrology is ‘fatalistic’ in the sense that it deals with our embodied existence. By careful observation of ‘accidents’, circumstances & events, in our lives we can see the plan unfold in our lives as shown conceptually in the natal chart. Two things are therefore needed to establish that there is a plan; unbiased and objective observation and the delineation and predictive techniques found in Traditional Astrology.
The conceptual language that is Traditional Astrology, gives us the capabilities to predict with a fair amount of accuracy, the events in human affairs. But to predict accurately requires accurate delineation first. Through prediction we gain understanding that there is a plan and there is a planner whereby we can plan for the future and help others on the road to their spiritual understanding.
[1] 1Kings 3:11-12 The Old Testament of the Bible
[2] Proverbs 4:7 The Old Testament of the Bible
Steven Birchfield Astrologer 