PRESCRIBE, DON'T DESCRIBE

by Brian Habit

July 15, 2003

Don't Describe

Many people try to use astrology to tell fortunes, to describe what a person is like and which events will happen in a person's life. These predictions tend to sound specific and certain. For example:

"You're a Scorpio, so you are stubborn and passionate." This describes how a person is.

"April will be an awful month. You will let your anger get the best of you when talking to your boss, and you will lose your job. May will be a wonderful month. ..." This describes what will happen in a person's life.

Now, I do think that astrology can be used to predict events, such as losing a job. (Such predictions will sometimes be correct.) However, it's more accurate in predicting feelings that a person will experience, such as feeling sad about your job. (Such predictions will be correct more often.) It's even more accurate in prediciting developmental issues or themes that a person will experience, such as the theme of needing to improve the fit between your abilities and your responsibilities in your job. (Such predictions will be correct even more often).

I think these last types of predictions (those about developmental issues or themes) are the most helpful kind, because they focus on the level of meaning (rather than changes in external circumstances or even psychological changes). They allow more room for exploring choices that are available to someone.

Depending mainly on the choices that a person makes at the level of meaning, the likelihood is greater that he or she will, in turn, experience external circumstances or psychological changes.

For example, if you're experiencing a theme of needing to increase your independence at work, but you choose to avoid dealing with this, you might be more likely to have accidents or get into arguments (external circumstances) or to feel irritable (psychological change). We can talk about a destructive choice such as this, and we can also discuss a creative choice. (See below.)

Prescribe

What I mean by prescribing is that I believe astrologers should help a person be aware of he choices available to her or him and recommend what she or he should do, in order to have the happiest, most spiritually fulfilling life that's available based on the natal charts, transits to it, etc. In other words, astrology should be used to "write a prescription" for what a person needs to incorporate into or add to his or her life. This includes telling people about a range of choices available to them, including the creative and destructive consequences that they can expect based on various choices. For example:

"You're Scorpio, and your Sun is in the 6th house, so you need experiences that will help you develop your passion in your work life." This prescribes certain types of experiences.

"You may tend to act stubbornly, but if you do that during April, be careful that you don't step on toes. One possibility is that your boss fires you [one choice with destructive consequences, in terms of external circumstances] and you feel furious [psychological change]. On the other hand, if you talk to your boss courageously and considerately about improving the fit between your responsibilities and your abilities, then you might be able to have a more independent role in your current job [another choice with creative consequences, in terms of external circumstances] and feel liberated and more self-confident [psychological change]. You're in a process of needing to improve this fit. [This gets at the developmental issue or theme.]"

Which kind of astrology seems more helpful to you: descriptive astrology or prescriptive astrology? Which helps a person feel more empowered?

© Brian Habit - The Proud Phoenix, 2004
(All Rights Reserved)

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