So a few years ago, I was contacted by Leah, a writer at Cosmo, with questions about what it was like to study astrology. I was mentioned in a piece on skeptical men and astrology - you can read it here. The questions below were sent by Leah Thomas, writer for Cosmopolitan.
I am publishing the Q&A here with her permission. So what's it like to study astrology and magick IRL? 🔮
Where did you receive your astrology education?
I studied with several teachers but the one that shaped my approach to astrology was Demian Allan's class at The College of Psychic Studies, back in 2015. His intro to Psychic Astrology and Magick turned my understanding of the stars upside-down. Most notable was a session where Demian had us walk on energetically charged Zodiac signs to see how we responded to Aries’ fire, Capricorn’s steadiness or Scorpio’s depth. I began to view the planets and Zodiac signs as dynamic energies that we could interact with on a daily basis.
What was school like — what were your classes? How did you schedule them? Did you get to choose them? Did you (/can you) specialize?
That particular school has been around since the 1880’s and it offers a huge range of classes – not just astrology. Students can specialize in a subject matter; I chose Angel Intuition and came across Astrology towards the end. Psychic Astrology classes run on Thursday nights, with optional workshops on weekends. If a student were enrolled in several subjects, say astrology and tarot or angels, the tutors would highlight overlapping themes. For example, that Archangel Raziel can help us make sense of natal charts, or the astrological themes of the different tarot cards.
What kind of assignments did you have? Homework, group work, quizzes, tests?
Initially we spent lots of time studying our natal charts to understand how it works. Homework involved using shortcuts such as birthdays or Aura scans to get a sense of dominant planets in the charts of friends and family. In one of the learning exercises, the tutor had us shake his hand and identify his Sun sign. I think I named his strongest planet instead.
Beyond that, the goal was to get a sense of how planetary transits affect our daily lives. We were tasked with keeping track of how we felt when the Moon traveled through the Zodiac. The program was free flowing – a building blocks approach that brought the natal chart to life around us. Later on, I signed up for an online predictive astrology class with The Dark Pixie Astrology. The class was fantastic in terms of the level of detail and homework assigned. We covered the technical side of predictions and kept a journal showing how the astrological timing matched up with real-life events. This aspect of astrology can be mathematical and logical – making assumptions and checking the results.
My experience as an astrology student has been eclectic and self-driven. I moved to a new country and had to look for online classes to complement what I learned in London.
How many students were there/how big were your classes? Were they like lectures or open discussions?
The classes were small – no more than eight in Psychic Astrology and up to 20 in the larger workshops. The basic theory was presented in lecture format with time for questions and answers. Once we had covered the planets, signs, and houses, each week was focused on a specific element of the natal chart and we had time to explore all of my classmate’s charts.
Did you have a favorite professor? Least favorite professor? Favorite class? Least favorite class? Tell me about it/them -- anything you think is most interesting.
The technical classes are essential for professional use, but they were my least favorite. A few years ago I took a planets and numerology class where we learned to activate our inner Jupiter, Mars or Mercury with specific mantras, yoga poses and sound meditations. Our teacher, Dalia Siman, blended kundalini yoga, planetary energies and practical Kabbalah with dance music (Naam Yoga). I am not much of a yogui myself - attending sporadic yoga classes, but this singing yoga class was always a favorite.
But the class that blew my mind was Astrology & Magick, again with Demian Allan. We learned to connect with the planets intuitively, downloading their energy so we could take it with us. I have almost no Water in my chart and cried for two days after bringing down the Moon in class. Since then I have been using similar meditations to incorporate other planets.
How long does it take to get a degree — how many specializations are there?
I went down the self-study route with astrology readings (so no degree), though I have taken several classes. Both of the schools where I studied offer certificates on energy healing and intuition. You'll find a recap of my studies on the Hermione Tab.
Finding a school that certifies professional astrologers is fantastic, as that will give you a clear understanding of when you are ready to see clients. It wasn't always easy to find one, but that changed with online classes. In my case, I began including astrology in angel, tarot and energy healing sessions long before I felt comfortable offering full astrology readings. After a few years, these morphed into astrological healing sessions.
Can you describe how various astrology schools are different from each other?
The class sizes vary and some schools are more technical than others. Astrology can be fun so choose a school that you enjoy, especially if the idea is to enhance self-awareness. On a personal note, I've learned as much from books – Jan Spiller’s Astrology for the Soul and Sue Tompkin’s Aspects In Astrology are my favorites. How the chart comes together didn’t register until I signed up for Psychic Astrology and the tutor broke it down for us. As much as self-study works, taking a class made a difference.
How did you decide on yours?
To be honest – I had no idea what to expect when I signed up for Psychic Astrology. As an angel medium and energy healer, I was interested in using the stars as a roadmap for energy healing sessions. The outer layers of the Aura are imbued with the energy of our natal charts, and there are specific Chakras that we can heal and activate to connect with the planets. We can also choose flower essences, crystals and essential oils to soften our Zodiac sign’s triggers. Planetary Magick gives us a chance to download character traits that may be lacking.
What’s one common misconception people have about astrology/astrology schools?
That the Sun Sign or Horoscope defines everything – there are many layers!
Any interesting/surprising/crazy/fun fact that might stand out?
Choose your words kindly, as you will touch on sensitive info in class. And if you are met with nervous laughter during an astrology reading, you have hit the nail on the head!
Thought I’d post this as I am ready to share more magick! Looking at how to do this online, or through zoom, at some point.
Join me on Youtube for guided meditations and check out the Menu Bar for more an intro to astrology. Read my books to heal yourself; here are all my astrology posts.
Reiki hugs,
Regina
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Image: canva.com
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