#6 – ASTROLOGY

The adventure: Astrological Analysis

I was going to title this adventure ‘LEOS ROCK’ but then I thought it would be more appropriate if it was titled ‘LEOS SERIOUSLY Rock.”

Then I wasn’t sure if it was really enough…maybe something more meaningful like “LEOS Seriously Seriously Seriously Rock.”

Of course, I am beginning to suspect that only other Leos would understand this amazing factoid and/or universal truth….after all, a very good Capricorn frenemy felt it necessary to ‘indelicately’ inform me that she and the other 11 astrological signs might not exactly be interested in reading about the absolute awesomeness of the Leo.

Jealousy, I suspect.

She also mumbled something under her breath about Leos being delusional something or something of the like. But, of course, being the cool cat that I am, I pointed out to the geeky-goat-girl that WE LEOs could really give a scat.

HORROR-SCOPES

I’ve never really given much thought to astrology before. Sitting with a cup of tea, I would open up the newspaper to read the cartoons, and of course, situated directly beside the funnies would be the horror-scopes. If anything, the predictions were as amusing as the funnies. Without a doubt, they would be in my mind one second – and out the other – just like the cartoons.

WHAT IS IT, ANYHOW?

Astrology, which means “the science of the stars” is the study of celestial bodies and how they affect life on earth, in particular, us. It is suggested that although the planets affect you at all times, you do have free will and the power of choice to make your own decision – that things are not necessarily written in stone – or in this case, the stars.

GET THEE TO AN ASTROLOGER…

One day, I was pleasantly informed by a dear friend that I was about to go see her astrologer, Marielle Croft, and as far as she was concerned, my ‘in-the-box’ way of thinking didn’t count for anything in the decision-making process. So, coming to terms with my preconceived notions on the absolute lameness of astrology, I made an appointment.

But really, how could my birthdate have anything to do with my past, present or future? The only thing I knew for sure was that it apparently had something to do with the stars out yonder in the sky.

My poor little brain did get a workout when I discovered it would take over 4 weeks to get an appointment with said astrologer. I thought this bode rather well. After all, this could only mean one of two things: either the demand to see an astrologer was high or the astrologer was really that good.

I rather hoped it was the latter of the two.

After what seemed like weeks of endless curiosity and wanting something IMMEDIATELY because ‘I-can’t-have-it-right-away’ festering inside of me…I showed up to my appointment with time to spare.

I don’t know what I was expecting…but truth be told, anticipation aside, I was quite unprepared for what transpired.

Yes, there was a lot of confusing talk about Houses and Cusps and Planets…not to mention Transits, Solar Returns and natal something or another. I didn’t understand any of this.

But then Marielle dropped a bombshell on me that I did understand.

“In the middle of July in 2005, something bad happened to you. This was followed by 2 years of incredibly dark times. Lots of endings.”

I felt like I had been bitch-slapped. It was true…down to the very date.

Like the first domino piece falling, it set off a chain of events that left me unable to deal with any one particular problem. Before I could get over one, the next domino would fall, and then another.

Injuries, family heath issues, deaths….even the end of my relationship. I was tired and confused, living a life filled with tragedy and grief. And it seemed like something always kicked me down before I could pick myself up off the ground. These years were the darkest, bleakest hours of my life…so to be told by a complete stranger the precise date that my world exploded into a million different pieces was nothing short of astonishing.

Marielle followed up by saying this was something I needed to experience as I was on the wrong path, going in an entirely different direction, living a life not meant for me.

Well…okay. But did it have to hurt so bad?

Reflecting back in hindsight, had these events not taken place, it’s likely that my Monthly Adventure website would not exist today. I would not have been inspired to do any monthly adventures. I probably would never have considered a life outside the corporate world. I would have been some other form of Patricia.

Still me, but someone living a different life.

So to say Marielle Croft captured my attention was an understatement. In the blink of an eye, I started to take her work A HELL OF A LOT more seriously.

Perhaps astrology wasn’t so lame after all…

A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY?

There are those who will argue that astrology is nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy.

For instance, if the astrologer tells you something about your future and it happens…it is highly likely that it came true because you altered your actions to make it become true…not the because it’s written in the stars.

That may be…but it sure doesn’t explain how they are able to come up with things from your past.

And what about lucky guesses? I think not.

Perhaps it may also be argued that I’ve been ‘conditioned’ by my family from an early age to behave a certain way because of statements made like: “Look at that little LEO running around…” or “YOU are such a LEO.”

But really, what does this seriously awesome kick-ass Leo know?

COULD THERE BE SOMETHING TO IT?

Some of the world’s greatest minds seemed to think so.

Who, you wonder?

Remember that thing called the Hippocratic Oath that medical doctors swear an oath to? Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, stated that “A physician without the knowledge of astrology has no right to call himself a physician.” Strong words coming from such an important man that thousands of medical doctors honour.

And how about Albert Einstein? This genius was one of the world’s most brilliant minds. Called the Father of ‘Modern’ Physics, he stated that “Astrology is a science in itself and contains an illuminating body of knowledge. It taught me many things and I am greatly indebted to it.”

Other famous names include: Plato (the Father of Philosophy), Pythagoras (the Father of Mathematics), Sir Isaac Newton (the Father of Physics), and Louis Pasteur (the Father of Microbiology).

I recently discovered from a religious friend how the Christian Bible is laced with astrological references. For instance, “There shall be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars” (Luke 21:25) is just one of many statements of astrological significance. I suspect that this might have something to do with the fact that astrology had been around for well over a thousand years during ‘biblical times’ and was accepted as truth. If anything, it was probably as normal as watching television.

And it was common for Popes to use astrology, particularly during the Middle Ages and Renaissance Period. In recent centuries, Popes ‘publicly’ condemn it. But I do think it’s interesting how the entire astrological zodiac is tiled on the floor in one of the rooms at the Vatican. And really, who’s to say what happens behind closed doors?

And how about that Queen Elizabeth I? She swore by her astrologer and was considered to be one of the most successful English monarchs in history.

Is it not conceivable that there is in all actuality ‘something’ to astrology?

AFTER THE FACT…

Because this story was written almost 3 years after the adventure took place, I can share more about my experience with respect to future predictions. For starters, here’s a great one:

In mid-June of 2010, Marielle warned me that I needed to be very cautious as the potential for me to get PHYSICALLY HURT was EXTREMELY HIGH…specifically in the next month or two. Two weeks later, I broke my arm and had all my epidermis removed off my bendy areas (knees and elbows) during what turned out to be an ‘unexpected’ monthly adventure (more about that in Adventure # 30).

AFTERTHOUGHTS BY THE CURIOUS CAT…

I don’t understand Astrology.

I think it’s fascinating and I think there’s something to it…NOT that I have any idea what that may be.

Even though I live in a world filled with science and logic, after my experiences with the astrologer, I find myself in the unique position of opening up that closed box I have for a brain. I hope to investigate astrology further when the opportunity presents itself at the right time.

After all, why not?