Common Questions & Answers

How did you get involved with astrology?

People always ask this question. I usually say that astrology found me. I have an inquisitive Gemini Moon andhave always been an avid reader. I would spend hours in the library and select books at random to discover new interests. One summer afternoon in my early teens, I picked up a big purple astrology book. I read the book, constructed charts for myself and each of my family members, and could not believe the accuracy. Astrology helped me understand my parents and friends…but more importantly, myself! Can you imagine how this gift of understanding changed my entire adolescent experience? I had been struggling with the usual teenage angst, belonging needs, and questions about my future. Astrology gave me a framework within which I could learn to accept myself. I could see the astrological influences that shape my life.

 

What is astrology?

Astrology is technically the study of the correlation between astronomical happenings and events on earth, in a corporation, the government, a country, or in your own personal life. I'm sure at some point in your life, you have read your horoscope in a magazine or newspaper, right? Those are primarily written for your sun sign, your "sign." Your chart contains so much, because let's face it, you're complex and complicated! An astrological chart, or natal chart, can show all of those complexities. Transits and progressions are types of charts that point to trends and events in your life over time. They point to your process of evolution. It is not a technically a science, though there are scientific aspects and case studies that have proven its efficacy over time.

 

Does astrology predict the future?

There are varying ideas about this. I believe that YOU determine your future, and that astrology can give you insight and map out certain possibilities. Ultimately, your choices, thoughts, and decisions empower you to create the life you want. There are certain lessons you are here to learn and "sacred contracts" you are here to fulfill. However, you really do get to determine your future. Lucky you!!

So, in that respect, I, as an astrologer, do not predict your future. I can offer guidance about timing of events and help synthesize for you the elements in place in your chart. I can also help determine the best days for a wedding, start of a business or even a music tour, to mark that event with the best possible influences.

I look at my work as more of a counseling or coaching practicing. Yes, I'm very intuitive, but I would never ask you to hand over your power to me to tell you what to do! I work with you to come up with good strategies to help you live your best life. Sometimes, that involves looking at relationships that aren't working for you. Sometimes, that involves talking about the best times to leave your job or start down a new career path.

Before each session, I clear myself completely and approach the session with as much objectivity as possible. I have an active prayer life and meditation practice that assist in helping to keep myself clear. I open to being an instrument of peace and a messenger of truth. I work closely with spirit guides and try to speak to your higher self. I am a Catholic, although I work with individuals from all different faith backgrounds.

 

How does astrology work?

OK. I'm going to get technical now. Every thing, idea, thought, number, shape, and musical note carries a vibrational frequency or energy. Vibrational alignments create harmony or dissonance. This system of vibration through mathematical relationships points to our connection to the cosmos, the earth, and other people, through a very sophisticated network that reverberates in our cells and connective tissues. This connection is mysterious and Divine.

When an astrologer looks at the macrocosm of the cosmos, as represented in the horoscope or chart, he or she can see symbolic representation of where harmony and discord lie in the individual, or microcosm. The birth chart is basically a map of the macrocosm at the moment of one's birth. It focuses on the individual (or business or country) as the center with the planets, Sun, Moon, and even some asteroids, in different houses and signs at the time of birth. That birth chart is extremely unique and rare. That chart represents the static condition of someone's life. As the chart progresses, certain relationships with the planets in the Heavens today, show trends, events, and cycles.

 

What does it mean to be professionally certified? Is it important?

What does it mean to be professionally certified? There are a couple of organizations that provide professional certification for astrologers, and I highly recommend seeing professionally accredited astrologers. The process is very thorough. It consists of very disciplined study and passing an exam (through theAmerican Federation of Astrologers, or AFA, which is where I received my certification). Other organizations, like ISAR and NCGR, offer comparable testing and certification processes. The exams cover counseling techniques, the math and science of chart construction, a thorough knowledge of the astrological symbols, ethical standards in a professional practice, and much more. A governing body of professionals grades the exam, and determines whether or not an individual passes.Certification lends credibility to the field of astrology and lets you know you are working with someone who is highly trained and skilled in the science and art of chart reading.

 

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a form of hands-on healing that is entirely safe. Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui developed this modality in 1922 after receiving the concept in a vision through prayer, fasting, chanting, and prayer. Reiki incorporates symbols and hand placements that work with the chakras, or energy centers in the body.

During a treatment, you lie down on a comfortable bed and relax. I then place my hands in very specific positions for healing. Spiritual energy, or ki, is transferred from the hands to your body, healing the spiritual, emotional, or physical ailments you might experience. After a session, you will feel revived and relaxed, and most of the time, you experience significant relief from physical symptoms.

The process of becoming a Reiki Master involves a series of attunements with instructors. The attunement process was tremendous for me, and brought about real spiritual insights and changes.

 

What is Pranic Healing?

Pranic Healing is a type of energy healing that works on clearing the aura and the body's energy centers. Prana means life-force, and Pranic Healing uses this powerful force through breathing techniques. This technique does not use the laying-on of hands. Rather, the hands always remain just above the body. The energy in Pranic Healing feels powerful and restorative.

Unless a client requests one particular type of healing, I use both techniques, along with crystals and other gemstones. As a clairvoyant and an empath, I can often see the stuck energy and perceive its foundation, either from an emotional wound or a place of fear or stuckness. Not all physical ailments stem from emotional or psychological pain. I have found, though, that since our bodies, minds, and spirits are so connected, often there are definite correlations between physical pain and emotional or spiritual suffering.