Musings of a Yorkshire Astrologer

by David Fisher

What is it with these Aries people? Jeffrey Archer, Chris Evans...to name but two...how is it that they always seem to bring about their own downfall, even though they are usually capable of achieving great things? I have never forgotten a phrase an American astrologer ( I can't recall who) once coined about people with the Sun in Aries: "They are often the architects of their own demise." I have noticed this myself, mostly in my working life. The trouble with these people is that they want everything NOW - instant fame, instant promotion, instant this, instant that. They fail to see that they have to "put their years in" like everyone else.

I have mentioned before in these pages that Virgo types make ideal civil servants. Well, Aries people are the complete opposite. They don't see that the progress up the civil service ladder is a steady climb rather than one giant leap. I knew a typist once with both Sun and Moon in Aries and she spent so much time bemoaning her lowly status and the fact that she was capable of better things, with the inevitable result that she never got the work done and consequently received an adverse report from her line manager every year. See what I mean?

Although Aries people are renowned great pioneers and instigators of projects, I have met several who seem to manage to get other people to do the instigating. This ploy is known as "buying bullets for other people to fire". In other words, something needs doing very urgently but they always manage to get someone else to take the responsibility. I was a union representative at my last place of work for only a few years, but the biggest thorns in my side were two Aries women who were always asking me to complain to the management about something or other. However, if I had turned around and asked them if they wanted the union job, they would both have said no.

Aries people must save face at all costs. They must convince others that they may have failed but they haven't failed entirely. One Aries woman I worked with years ago went before several civil service boards but never got promotion. But she would constantly remind people, "OK, so I never got promotion, but I was told I was borderline." Anyone who has worked in the service will know what a silly statement that is. There no such thing as borderline; you either get promotion or you don't.

I have noticed that Aries men mainly fall into two categories. There's the big, burly type, such as Rolf Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Jeremy Clarkson and Jeremy Beadle ( many of them complete with beards and moustaches) and then there's the youthful, skinny athletic type like Jeffrey Archer, actor Robert Carlyle and soccer player Terry Sheringham. Aries women aren't quite as easy to spot, although Penelope Keith, Lesley Garrett and Doris Day are not without a certain ellubiance to their characters.

Imagine my surprise recently when I opened a copy of the Chambers Encyclopedia (2001 edition) at page 875 to find a chart wheel showing the twelve signs of the zodiac. However, starting from the left hand side or "ascendant" and working anti clockwise they are in the following order: Gemini, Aquarius, Libra, Virgo, Taurus, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Leo, Aries, Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer. Oh well, at least the signs have been grouped together by elements, so whoever drew the wheel must know something about astrology.

Finally, Elizabeth Abbot wrote in response to last issue's Musings concerning revealing your astrological interests in the workplace. She writes:-

"I was interested to read David Fisher's experience regarding the revelation at interviews etc. that he is an astrologer. In January 2000 I started to train as a mental health nurse. On the application form I put my interests included astrology. No mention of the subject was made during the placement interview and I was accepted on the course. In February 2002 I was being interviewed for a job on a detoxification unit for drug and alcohol addicts, (after qualifying as a RMN). The people interviewing me asked how I would "switch off" when leaving the unit and I told them that amongst other things I practiced astrology. This was accepted as though it was quite normal and I got the job. I also worked for a while for HomeStart, working with young families, and again I did not hide the fact that I was an astrologer. I also do mentoring at schools locally and I find astrology great to encourage teenagers to feel comfortable with me, as they are fascinated when I tell them what I do. The organisation that operates the mentoring scheme is also open-minded regarding my astrology. Whilst at University from 1995 -1998 I was delighted when during a seminar on Women's History the Professor opened by saying Christabel Pankhurst was "a Virgo." Whenever the subject, astrology, came up at Uni I never met ridicule, only interest and sensible questions from tutors and students. I usually find that if you mention that Southampton (where I did my nursing training) University is researching astrology and Bath University has a MA course anyone about to laugh at you visibly backs down and begins to listen. At work my colleagues are eager to discuss astrology and my clinical manager is fascinated when I relate something to do with the Full Moon and what has happened on the unit, she too has a genuine interest. I really feel that we must be open about our interest in astrology, look people straight in the eye and be confident, beware of the research that has been done in astrology just like sociologists and psychologists who use their research to justify social trends or psychological issues. Recently a young woman from the Czech Republic has come to work at the unit, when I told her my outside interest was astrology her face lit up. She too is an astrologer and is so happy to find she is working with another astrologer; she has been picking my brains as to where local groups and workshops can be found. I find astrology is an excellent way to open up communication with clients or mentees and the families I have worked with.

My personal experience is that astrology is more acceptable to the public in 2003 than it was in 1967 when I first became curious about astrology. I used to laugh at my grandmother in those days when she talked about the planets and I often said it was a load of rubbish but I met someone who told me about the deeper aspects of the art and my curiosity grew, I read about the subject, did an astrology course and have never looked back."

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