8th June 2014

Simon Vorster
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Have you felt that your astrological sun sign description doesnt quite fit you? Or read your horoscope and
found it to be far from your reality? What is it about astrology that so many people do or don't "believe in?
The way I see it, there's nothing to believe. We are a part of nature, the earth, the solar system the universe.
So it would be arrogant to think we arent affected by their energies, right? The problem isn't whether or
not to believe in astrology but instead to find a pure, undistorted expression of it.
Astrology is a symbolical language that serves the purpose to express a body of information to the
HEART where it can be felt and understood. It then returns to conscious awareness in the form of
insight and self-awareness. In other words it is a language of intuition.
Our society was built on that intuitive aspect of ourselves not being respected or responded to. So as we
shift more into a reality in which we need to value our intuitive selves just as much as the logical processes,
the more will we find astrology to be an insightful and powerful tool, to heal and to guide.
Cleaning the Lens
The topic of this article (the first chapter in this series) is called cleaning the lens. Here I am going to
illustrate to you the dirt that covers the lens through which we often see astrology. I promise you its a lot
simpler than you think! So sit back, get yourself comfortable and for the next couple of minutes tune into
the journey we about to embark on. Also during this dialog, dont be afraid of the language I use. If it
seems unusual, just be open to exploring this information without prejudice. Allow your heart not your
head to discern.

I want to start off this conversation by exploring key factors that the human race has been subjected to;
patriarchal laws that have severed our connection to ourselves and unnaturally distorted our societies. Each
and every one of us has been conditioned in this reality. The very framework of our society removes our
own natural internal judgment system and replaces it with a system of external authority. Although
our man-made rules are very far from the natural laws of the universe, we pass down behavior and belief
systems that condition people to live a certain way - systems that have led to many to reject their non-
physical reality and to disbelieve anything that cannot be seen or heard.

The problem with this is that much of our experience is outside the realm of the physical - like our
emotions for example. By rejecting the metaphysical, we are rejecting a huge part of ourselves. This leads to
further disconnection from the truth of how source (Life) energy works. It manifests in many forms.

At the moment, and in the past, there is little in our society to promote spiritual growth. Our purpose has
become distorted. But right now, we are cutting through the noise of what is true and what is
distortion. We are awakening to the idea that God is inside of ourselves, not an almighty being that governs
us with a rigid judgment system (a topic for another article).

Many mainstream astrology books are a product of this same distortion. Consciously trying to understand
the deeper truths that lie within the zodiac can be difficult, when the very structure of our reality is
designed to keep us away from self-knowledge and true spiritual healing. Despite this, astrology, as a study
of our relationship to the universe around us, is well worth exploring. The more we are able to learn about
ourselves and our true nature, the closer we are able to connect to source. This in turn strengthens our
inner authority and our inner, natural judgment system.
Now that we have discussed how conditioning and definitions may affect the way we see our world, and by
extension, astrology, I would like to start cleaning the lens through which you see this ancient art, and
reveal the deeper truths that exists.
Breaking the Shackles
As we grow, we become more aware of the world we have created and how we have defined it. So, in the
spirit of breaking the shackles of our inherited beliefs, I invite you to let go of all the outdated and
outmoded definitions that we have attached to our reality - including astrology - and remain open to what I
am about to share with you.
When we discuss astrology, we need to include the dimensions of the soul, our spirit, the human
connection, our human story and our emotional reality.
For example Cancer/Capricorn reflect our inner and outer security. We see this in nature with a crab. The
crab has a strong outer shell (Capricorn) which protects the inner soft squishy center (Cancer). Look at how
humans express this. The outer shell of your home is the Capricorn and the inner contains are the family -
Cancer. This is one reflection. Look at how bones are structured. The bone is the outer structure and the
bone marrow (Cancer) is protected by the outer shell. Pretty neat isnt it?
We balance the idea of connectedness with the knowledge that the zodiac DOES NOT enact or
control life. It merely reflects to us expressions of nature and how it works.
As an example; the beginning of a cycle in our lives and in nature has certain traits to it. It shows us
newness, excitement, feelings of anxiety and a desire to explore. Think about how you felt the first time you
started a new job or changed direction in your life. Where you met with those feelings I just mentioned? In
the zodiac the sign I am talking about here is Aries the archetype of beginnings.
We remove this idea of prediction.
The correct application of this idea needs to be understood like this. It cannot happen, we cannot predict a
certain expression of an energy to 100%. Any astrologer that predicts actions and outcomes is leading you
down an untruthful road. What can be done or should be done is offer insight into an area of your life (or
our lives) that will have more focus on it - be it a challenge, an opportunity or both.
For example, if you have Pluto transiting your ascendant you can be sure that who you are and how you see
yourself will be transformed, but we cannot know how this will look, or exactly what will change. When a
planet's current position touches a planet that is in our astrology chart, we are invited to become aware of
the nature of the energy pattern of our lives. We can evolve through that energy by tapping into that area
of our lives, acknowledge it, and make changes if necessary. This is how astrology can aid us -- by pointing
us in the right direction.
When using astrology one needs to observe the behavior of reality, then correlate it back to the astrological
symbols and the energies their represent. This is the reverse of how it has been done in the past. But there
is no one size fits all and there never will be. We are individual beings with free choice, so astrology must be
applied individually, in the context of each being's current reality.

Metaphysical Astrology
Unfortunately, the mainstream's fascination with the instant gratification of predictive sun-sign astrology
has created a demand for an entirely unreliable expression of astrology. Predictive astrology feeds our
perceived need for security and comfort. When we come across our horoscope and read it, we are
(consciously or unconsciously) seeking the security of knowing how the future will turn out; how our
relationship will be or when we will become rich. But, as I said, there is no one size fits all.
I would like to show you some simple examples that show how astrology works when we consider the
deeper, Metaphysical aspects of our reality. Ultimately that is what I am trying to accomplish with this
conversation.... To connect heaven and earth. To show that in our universe, physical / physics and non-
physical / metaphysics coexist and work together. One functions in harmony with the other. They are
constantly interacting.
Lets take the sign Taurus, the sign of the bull. When reading a generalized description of the sign, we will
see things like money, possessions, capital, investment and in a deeper way, our values. These are all correct
interpretations of the sign... But WHY? What is it about Taurus that makes us reflect that expression of
energy?
The Taurus archetype reflects the need for survival, our perception of survival, and how we go about
accomplishing it. This sign is also linked with the need for security and your own beliefs attached to that
concept. That is the bottom line of the Taurus archetype.
Notice how I use the word 'reflects'? Taurus does not enact survival, it only reflects an aspect of our nature
which is connected to the overall structure of life on Earth.

Here is a slightly more complex description of how the sign works in our lives.

Taurus is survival. We define our needs based on what we think we need to survive. These needs then
create our value system - including how we value ourselves. How we value ourselves is directly linked with
what we believe about ourselves and our personal truth. This is then linked with our Ego.
So what we value (Taurus) and what our truth is (Sagittarius) become our sense of identity (Cancer). This
connection of signs in the zodiac reflects how a community, country or political party will define itself too.
"We have a belief that we value and its our identity."
Just from this one basic description of how the zodiac works, you can see how complex and personal our
relationship to the signs - to our celestial environment - can be.
Ill give you another example here, my personal favorite...
The sign Aquarius. People that come into this life with the sun sign in Aquarius come in with the energy
signature of deep memories of oppression imposed in their lives. Outmoded astrology definitions will see
the Aquarius archetype as highly individualistic, erratic and rebellious; the weirdo; the odd one out. And
again, this is correct. But WHY? For what reason?
Seeded in the Aquarius archetype is the need to break free from conformity and to allow for a fresh,
detached perspective to be had. When this expression interacts with something outdated or constrained,
the status quo is challenged by something it does not yet understand and the contrast creates feelings of
judgment, separation and isolation.
Imagine someone from the future coming to you right now. The contrast between your reality and theirs
would confuse you, and traumatize them. This example can illustrate the Aquarius energy. As the Aquarius
archetype reflects non conformity, those people often have a difficult time living in the world of conformity.
In fact, where ever you have the planet Uranus in your birth it chart will show you where you will meet
resistance from outmoded structures. Naturally aligned with the Aquarian energy, Uranus is in the sign
Aries at the moment -- and can you see all around you that the world is freeing (Aquarius) themselves
(Aries).
The last aspect of this I would like to share with you is this. I am going to take it another level deeper and if
you are feeling lost or not quite understanding me, that is okay. All I am wanting convey here is how much
there actually is here, and how deep we can actually go into our karma using astrology as a tool. It gives us
a powerful way of unraveling our multi layered self; to become more de-conditioned.
The Understanding of Karma
Karma is a subconscious core belief that is conditioned or imprinted in you. This belief is then expressed
into your reality. When you see it in your reality, you are then confirming to yourself (and your
subconscious) that it exists. As above, so below. Your inner world is linked with your outer reality. Cancer
and Capricorn. Mother and Father. Where do you get most of your imprinting? Early home life. So when
you look at these signs in your birth chart, we can see exactly how to de-condition karmic patterns. Again,
pretty neat huh?
To illustrate this point: a person is born into a family dynamic where one or both parents are emotionally
unavailable. He himself is an emotional person. As the young person grows up, an aspect of his reality will
reflect the emotional understanding that was not nurtured. Unconsciously this young person draws people
into his life who are emotionally unavailable too, because he is reflecting this outwardly, creating a pattern
in which he repeatedly proves to himself that no one gets him, or that he does not know anyone that is
able to emotionally connect. A cycle of non-emotional growth can be a product of this.
Astrology comes in and looks at aspects of the birth chart, is able to pinpoint the place that trauma has
occurred, allowing this to be brought to the conscious mind and then healed through a deeper
understanding. It is not always that simple in terms of healing, but becoming aware of a certain dynamic
that plays out into your life can be incredibly healing in itself - and is a necessary starting point to healing.
The themes of our lives reflect karmic dynamics to us. I am sure many of you have experienced what I call
the Saturn cycles. These four very important points in our lives shape important imprinting on our journey.
At the age of 7 we experience our first Saturn cycle point - we become awake to our own mortality and our
physical limitations. This is our first maturing step. At the age of 14 we have the start of our need for social
interaction. We leave behind the dolls and little kids games and we start becoming little adults, and also
exploring our bodies. At 21, the next part of our Saturn cycle is about throwing off the last 21 years of
household parental rules. We move from home and we begin our journey towards independence. And then
the 28 to 30 year mark is when the planet Saturn returns to the original point it was at when you were born
- a time known as the "Saturn Return".
The Saturn Return is a tough time because all of the karmic lessons you went through during the ages of 7,
14, and 21 now get stacked on top of each other and you are asked to grow and mature - to take
responsibility. You become aware of your age, and that you are now getting older. So its time to act.
Dramatic change is often the result; it is classic during this period of time to get married, buy a house, have
a child and to let go relationships that are no longer working for you.
The Final Word
Just take a moment to reflect on all this in your own life.
As we end this first step in our journey of exploring this ancient art, I hope you can start to see astrology
through a cleaner lens; see the powerful and unparalleled support to deepen self-knowledge and become
more awake to the human journey. It can shed light on how we create karmic patterns and why, and reveal
aspects of our deepest selves, giving us opportunities to shift our level of consciousness. It can shed light
on the importance of understanding our conditioning, our emotional behaviors and memories. When used
correctly, it truly is a wonderful healing tool.
Love and light,
Simon