Counseling Insights, July 31, 2008

While vocational profiling is perhaps the single most essential service an astrologer can perform for a client, it is also the outlook that can be quite difficult to communicate.

We take into consideration the dramatic, stark reality that most people --MOST—are in the wrong profession, in a job/profession not drawing from them their best, not fulfilling their talents. How many people can say to you, “I love my work!” --Few.

So very often, when we carefully present the vocational profile of the horoscope, we hear corroborations like “THAT’s what I studied in college –and I loved it-- but then I got off the track because of my father’s brother who …” or “You’re absolutely right; I would love to do that kind of work, but the way things developed I missed the track …” or “Yes, you’re so right; I’m hoping to get to that, perhaps when I retire?”

Understandably, “things” get in the way all too easily as we traffic in life. We have to make family or circumstantial decisions that may not put our individual best feet forward.

In these situations, the good news of the horoscope’s vocational profile is dimmed by the bad news that the person may have “missed the boat” or “is stuck.” --AND the older the person is, the more impractical –futile-- it is to consider making any kind of change.

How should the astrologer talk about this?

1. The Mixture If the horoscope speaks about “teaching, mentoring” [Moon oriental, accentuated 5th House, 9th House involvement, etc.], this doesn’t necessarily mean “teaching in a school.” It can mean that on the job, whatever it is, mentoring responsibilities and activity will help enormously to fulfill the individual.

For example, a woman works for an airline. She spends most of her time in the rigorous position behind the ticketing counter in a big airport --but her horoscope’s vocational profile shows “teaching” as a key outlet. And, in fact, the lady started out to be a teacher before dropping out of college to marry after her second year. –The key question would be, “How can you maneuver yourself into a teaching role within the work you do now for the airline? Could you be part of the team that trains new personnel?”

Internal corporate adjustments can do wonders for vocational profile expression. –A man with considerable writing skills could shift his work performance in part into the Public Relations department of his Law Firm, of his Insurance company. –A shift to social services fund raiser by the banker is not too far out of the question, as a service offered by the bank! --The not-so-successful artist could consider spending part time building up an interior design service connected with a real estate firm. –The software guru, gifted with social services instincts, could consider easing into teaching the elderly about computers to keep them in touch with the world. **Note how the sense of enterprise is awakened!

2. Adjunct Education Perhaps all it takes is two years of night-school study to gain certification for this or that, which would qualify the client for a higher or diversified level of work in his or her present job, or, indeed, a total shift out of it. –The real estate agent could be taking courses in divinity school and apprentice at a local church, two days a week, then, three, then four, then six, then….

Indeed, the sense of being an apprentice is a marvelous beginning to incorporate into life development the values and strengths nascent in the horoscope but not yet visible in the workplace. Almost every business wants to have an apprentice program in high gear: high in enthusiasm, low in costs. This is on-the-job training during one’s “off-hours” that can really pay off, in morale, in visions for the future, in professional amplification … let alone professional shift!

And even fulfillment by association? Someone who wanted to be an opera singer or symphony orchestra player and just didn’t make it, could very well gain much life enrichment by donating accounting skills to the local civic orchestra, or being an usher at the theatre or working weekends in the costume department of the local theatrical society! --The point is that our clients become “richer people” the closer they get to the potentials suggested in the horoscope.

--We must remember that there are all sorts of anchors accumulating in the job/profession choice: experience build-up, insurance programs, pension plans, the children’s schooling programs, family growth plans, income development, etc. Our society teaches that these considerations must be nailed down as securely as possible. –But again: the longer these programs go on, the less practical or even possible it is to change them.

3. Friends to the Rescue It is remarkable how often clients will know well people in the profession where they would ideally be! These acquaintances and friends can be marvelous transition helpers, illuminating all sorts of “first steps”, contacts for professional guidance, educational requirements. –“Whom do you know in this profession you could aspire to? Maybe there’s a half-way start we could pursue!”

Timing The most fertile time for change –out and out change—will be in the year and a half preceding the first transiting Saturn return; and about 8 months before the opening square of Saturn to its natal position, in its second orbit. Ideally sighting up a Jupiter transit or Arc period promising reward really, really helps: fascinatingly, the client can “feel these things coming.” --And there is a powerful time 42-46, with the accumulated Solar Arc semisquare, tr Uranus opposition, tr Saturn opposition, tr Jupiter involved…

The least fertile time for change will certainly be after age 50. In these later years, “adjustment” should become the rule; the client will respect the astrologer for this circumspection.

Vocational profiling takes study and practice –but, oh my! What rewards!!!

Next Update: August 31, 2008