CATALYST ASTROLOGY: Can Astrology Transform a Client’s Self-Limiting Beliefs?

The general public and media perception of astrology is that it describes our personality or acts as a divination tool using twelve celestial archetypes (zodiac signs), Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, techniques that provide an in depth understanding of our authentic self. To do this an astrologer calculates the clients’ astrological birth chart, using the full birth date, time and place of birth. The birth chart is like a photograph of the heavens capturing the celestial positions of the Sun, Moon and planets. These celestial bodies are located within the twelve archetypes – the zodiac signs and twelve segments, called the houses, which represent different types of life experience. Therefore the archetypes (zodiac signs), Sun, Moon, planets and houses are the three principle ingredients in which the astrologer uses to interpret the birth chart.

So how do the signs, planets and houses work together? Well imagine that the planets are our psychological drive and motivation. The Sun means purpose, Moon moods, Mercury, communicates, Venus loves, Mars asserts, Jupiter expands, Saturn Limits, Uranus reforms, Neptune, dissolves, and Pluto transforms. The signs represent expression or attitudes to life while the twelve houses represent the fields of experience. The 1st house displays our approach life, new beginnings, 2nd money, possessions, values, 3rd education, siblings, local travel, logical mind (left brain) 4th home, family, mother, 5th Hobbies, children, creativity, 6th Service, health co-workers, 7th legal partnerships, marriage partner(s), 8th loans, banks, inheritance, sex, death 9th abstract mind (right brain), foreign countries/travel, higher education, 10th father, career, reputation , recognition, 11th Friends, associations, belief systems, corporations and 12th unconscious, de-structuring, dissolution of boundaries and seclusion. However, these descriptions are only a brief snap shot of their true meaning and the interpretation process is far more complex with every astrologer offering a different perspective of the birth chart. This is because astrologers have many different astrological techniques to choose from and tend to use the technique(s) that produces the best results based on their experience. So when an astrologer is assessing a client’s future astrological pattern they may consider planetary transits, secondary progressions and converse directions, solar and lunar returns, solar arc (progressed and converse), to name a few.

However, since the introduction of a psychological approach to astrology in the 1980s you would have expected predictive astrology to have declined. This new type of approach to astrology was created on a solid foundation of psychology with pioneers such as Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas leading the way. Although, approaches to astrology have evolved and changed many astrologers still lean towards a predictive framework a technique that could be perceived as limiting the client’s self-expression. Personally I think it is a natural humanistic trait to wonder about what is in the future, because the future is relatively uncertain and uncertainty does not feel comfortable with the majority of people. Although I have indulged myself in the world of predictive astrology for many years I started to feel frustrated using this technique alone because it controlled my perception of someone’s true potential. Recently I have been exposed to other astrological techniques which focus on past lives and how the astrological chart reveals our purpose for this life time. Although these are well established popular astrological techniques I still find they limit client’s potential because the interpretation is limited to what the clients’ purpose in this life time through a narrow lens. Astrologers using this technique use the Moon’s north node as the life purpose and tend to interpret the astrological chart around the North and South node axis (past life experience – what we need to become in this life). However, based on my own astrological experience this is quite a limiting perspective because the chart interpretation is based on the premise that we have had a past life and relatively ignore the importance of other key factors such as the Sun, the Ascendant ruling planet, the key angles of the chart, such as the ascendant and Midheaven. This is not to say that reincarnation does not exist but it is a big leap of faith to provide an astrological interpretation based on two points of the birth chart combined with the premise of a past life experience that we have little understanding. Although it might appear I am being critical of specific approaches to astrology, I only do so when they are used in such a way when they create or reinforce client’s self-limiting beliefs. Being a professional astrologer and life coach, I have focused on developing a novel approach to astrology which I call Catalyst-Astrology. This technique invites clients to develop their true potential so they feel, empowered to achieve their goals.

I developed Catalyst Astrology because using astrology purely as a prediction tool actually encourages clients to feel a victim of circumstances, creating or reinforcing self-limiting beliefs, which is disempowering. The astrological chart is like a DNA pattern of our personality, beliefs and perception of the world. Therefore, the astrological chart can immediately provide a greater understanding of our belief system through different planetary patterns. I then combine astrological chart analysis with coaching and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) so clients are able to break free from self-limiting beliefs and create empowering solutions to achieve their goals. Catalyst astrology is a holistic approach, transforming the traditional astrological reading into an enlightening experience which helps clients gain greater self-awareness to become their authentic-self.

Guest Blogger:  Keith Bound 

Keith Bound has been a professional astrologer for over 30 years. Since the 1980’s Keith has appeared many times on local radio stations in the UK and made his first TV appearance on Central Television in 1983. He has also taught astrology and was awarded a medal for the Astrological Society in 1983. Since then Keith has focused on developing innovative techniques to support clients, which include, designing his own pack of astrological cards and developing Catalyst Astrology, which combines astrology with life coaching and NLP techniques. To Keith it’s important that astrology empowers clients to gain greater self-awareness and achieve their goals. Keith lives in Nottingham UK