Interview with Linda Furiate and Adam Gainsburg

Linda Furiate – What sparked your interest in becoming a professional astrologer doing client work, research, writing, lecturing and/or teaching?

Adam Gainsburg – It’s more accurate to say astrology chose me. I really have no idea why I practice astrology, other than perhaps because I’m wired for it. Early on of course, we’re filled with the juice of discovering “I can do this”, “I seem to have a knack for this”, “people are having positive benefits from their readings with me or from my writings.” But that wears off, as one grows up astrologically and becomes more intimate with the deeper challenges of one’s life and charts. Why I continue to practice I just don’t know. For the most part I’ve given up asking why; I continue because I’m compelled to. When the compulsion ends, so will my astrological practice.

LF – As a professional astrologer how important is it for you to adhere to a “Code of Ethics” when presenting material that may potentially alter the path of another individual? Why?

AG – Very important. The first thing I teach my students goes something like, When you receive the birth data of someone you’ll be reading for, stop for a few breaths, get quiet inside and remember and re-honor the commitment you’ve made to serve others, even when doing so requires keeping your mouth shut. Because in the wrong hands, that birth data can do a world of negative karma. I’ve been fortunate to attract students who have integrity, a desire to assist others and an amount of humility to have fun with being wrong when they are (and we ALL are wrong more often than we’d like to admit). For this reason, I don’t spell out a Code for them, but inevitably during their educational process, they come to me with questions about how to handle certain situations. And I take those openings to spell out this sort of a priori Code.

LF – What is the coolest thing that has happened to you or been presented to you because of your work in astrology?

AG – My heart is saying, Hasn’t happened yet. My head is remembering a reading for a lady who was living with twelve individual soul signatures within her consciousness. She was wanting to know why this was chosen, why this body, etc. There’s a HUGE cosmological background story behind this, but when I met her finally – after doing lots of prep work – and sat with her for the reading, I can say that my astrology literally improved as a result of that reading and the subsequent one we did. Of course, the more accurate way to say this is that it was our shared presence and unified intention that caused things to accelerate in me and caused her to get some excellent info from me.

LF – Tell us a bit about your BDTB3 Lecture? Who should attend and why?

AG – I’m speaking as a part of the pre-conference Astrology & the Sky track. It’s called “All Conjunctions are Not Created Equal.” I’ll be showing how knowledge of the sky dynamics we astrologers are largely unaware of can instantly reveal and fill in missing dimensions to our delineations, predictions and research. I’d say attend if after reading the description, a voice starts tickling inside your head saying, I wanna know that stuff! There’s some real magic waiting for the mass populace of astrolytes to re-discover the sky in a full and intimate way.

LF – When will you be presenting your BDTB3 lecture? And how can we learn more?

AG – The track runs on Thursday 13 November and I’m in a distinguished group (!) with Andrew Morton, Greg Clare, Julene Packer and Gary Caton. My bit is Thursday 13 November at 1p EST, 6p GMT and 5a on 14 November AEDT. This topic, in fact the theme of the entire track, is one I’m passionate about these days. I call it Sky Astrology and have a number of videos on my site at Soulsign.com. There’s also an upcoming conference focused exclusively on skywatching and educational classes! That’s at SkyAstrologyConference.com

Interview with Linda Furiate and Mari Garcia

Linda Furiate – What sparked your interest in becoming a professional astrologer doing client work, research, writing, lecturing and/or teaching?

Mari Garcia – I became interested in astrology in the 1980’s when I consulted an astrologer who gave me some prescient advice. I became fascinated and later I came to know Bernadette Brady. She suggested I study astrology and subsequently encouraged me to take the astrology further. I helped her for a while with some very basic research and developed my own interest in Mundane astrology as well as the application of traditional techniques in modern settings. I eventually left paid employment and became a full time astrologer in the late 1990’s. In 2002, together with a colleague, Joy Usher, we started Astro Mundi, an astrology school in Adelaide, South Australia.

LF – As a professional astrologer how important is it for you to adhere to a “Code of Ethics” when presenting material that may potentially alter the path of another individual? Why?

MG – I believe a personal Code of Ethics is very important as you set the standards and the boundaries which encompass your practice. It is essential because it keeps you grounded especially when clients put you on a pedestal. I try and remind clients that I can only show the options they have and their possible permutations; they have to make the decisions.

LF – What is the coolest thing that has happened to you or been presented to you because of your work in astrology?

MG – Being asked to speak at UAC twice and being asked to be on a panel discussing fate organized by the Anthropology department at the University of Adelaide.

LF – Tell us a bit about your BDTB3 Lecture? Who should attend and why?

MG – The lecture is about the Nodal Cycle and it is relevant to the student as well as the practitioner. The lecture will explore how the Nodal Cycle brings together both the Solar and Lunar cycles, forming a cycle of becoming and engaging as the Node is formed where the Moon’s orbit, representing the instinctual, cuts across the Sun’s path, the ecliptic representing consciousness. It is not enough to simply be in the world but to be a part of it: what and how this is done, is part of the Nodal process. The placement of the Nodes by sign and house will describe these experiences and their particular relevance to each person.

LF – When will you be presenting your BDTB3 lecture? And how can we learn more?

MG –

Adelaide          12:30 pm Saturday 15th November 2014.

Sydney            1:00 pm Saturday 15th November 2014.

Perth                10:00 am Saturday 15th November 2014.

London            2:00 am Saturday 15th November 2014.

New York        9:00 pm Friday 14th November 2014.

Denver             7:00 pm Friday 14th November 2014.

Los Angeles     6:00 pm Friday 14th November 2014.

Participants can learn more by accessing Astro Mundi Master Classes held between March and October every year. Each Master Class is on a stand-alone topic. Those interested can attend via Skype or they can purchase an audio recording, complete with handouts. 2015 topics are now on the website at http://astromundi.com/workshops.html

Astro Mundi also conducts Astrology courses for beginners and for professionals who wish to expand their knowledge base. All courses are available for on-line attendance or as Distance Education. For more information visit the website at http://astromundi.com/courses.html

 

Interview with Marcha Fox for BDTB3

Linda Furiate – What sparked your interest in becoming a professional astrologer doing client work, research, writing, lecturing and/or teaching?

Marcha Fox – As a physicist I started out debunking astrology but, like so many others, was converted in the process. I wanted to learn more but at the time I couldn’t find any books that started with the basics and all the others were way over my head. Then I got involved in raising a family and career but when things quieted down plus the availability of the internet I was lucky enough to find IAA. Initially I only wanted to learn more for my own benefit but as I did I wanted to share it with others and help them as astrology had helped me. As a scientist at heart research is another fascination while writing and teaching have been something I’ve done all my life so they fit in beautifully with astrology. When I’m enthusiastic about something I tend to share it by writing about it which resulted in my website, www.valkyrieastrology.com, as well as various e-books which can all be found on amazon.com by searching on my name.

LF – As a professional astrologer how important is it for you to adhere to a “Code of Ethics” when presenting material that may potentially alter the path of another individual? Why?

MF – There are numerous people who have had a bad experience with an astrologer, often because they were told something horrible was going to happen. Any trained astrologer should know that there are numerous ways that an aspect can play out and pinning it down in advance is beyond difficult. While I feel it is our responsibility to warn clients if it looks as if something unfortunate is on the way, freaking them out or alarming them is entirely inappropriate. I believe strongly in free will and self-fulfilling prophecy so don’t want to plant any bad seeds! Furthermore, we should be helping people, not making them more miserable with inaccurate readings or bad advice.

No one has a 100% accuracy track record for the readings and it always makes me feel horrible when I make a mistake. Sticking to a “Code of Ethics” can protect both the client and astrologer from jumping to conclusions that may not be accurate and result in unnecessary pain. I have found that when you see something ominous and touch on it in a non-sensational, archetypal way that the client usually recognizes it. You can give them some idea when the issue will culminate from their transits without telling them exactly how. That way you don’t alarm them needlessly and maintain a much better accuracy record.   I have found it’s better to be vague and accurate than detailed and way off! However, I do advise clients to “use the energy or it will use you” which gives them a sense of control over the situation, whatever it may be.

I do a lot of horary readings and one of the most common subjects is relationships, particularly when a client meets someone new. I can usually tell whether it will be good or not and give the client any appropriate warnings. I had one where I could tell it was going to cost my client a lot of money to pursue a relationship, which turned out to be the case. I love it when they come back and tell me my reading was right on!

LF – What is the coolest thing that has happened to you or been presented to you because of your work in astrology?

MF – I would say the coolest thing is meeting so many wonderful people, whether clients or fellow astrologers. I have clients literally from around the world and it’s always amazing to me how they find me online and choose me over the millions of astrologers out there. I always feel a connection with them and that they came to me for a reason because I was the one that could help them. Of course when I hear back that my readings were accurate or really helped bring someone comfort that also is a high point. I love knowing I made someone’s life a little easier.

LF – Tell us a bit about your BDTB3 Lecture? Who should attend and why?

MF – My lecture is about relationships and that there is a lot more to them than the usual synastry between Sun Signs and planets. What I refer to as the “Love Asteroids” help define who you are attracted to and why, whether you would do better remaining a friend instead of a lover, what “turns you on,” what each of you expect from a relationship and so forth. These asteroids include Cupido, Sappho, Eros, and Amor besides the usual Ceres, Juno, Vesta and Pallas Athene. This is valuable information, particularly defining a person’s expectations since in my experience that is one of the greatest causes of relationship failure.

Anyone who is looking for a partner or is in a relationship that is struggling could benefit from these new insights. Even if your relationship is working this could make it even better! Often people don’t break a relationship down into these various components even though they know that some parts work and others don’t. Understanding can help know how to improve it and of course knowing what your own needs and inclinations are can be helpful as well. If a person is persistently drawn to bad relationships this could indicate that he or she needs to be more consciously aware of who they are attracted to and perhaps intervene mentally before getting involved with someone who will not be able to meet their other needs.

LF – When will you be presenting your BDTB3 lecture? And how can we learn more?

MF – My lecture “Avoiding Relationship Pitfalls: Love Asteroids in Synastry” is on November 16, 2014 at 7:00 pm EST.

Interview with Bill Meridian for BDTB3

Linda Furiate: What sparked your interest in becoming a professional astrologer doing client work, research, writing, lecturing and/or teaching?

Bill Meridian: I had studied astronomy as a boy and was well aware of the planets. I saw that stock market cycles were about the same length as planetary cycles. I also had an interest in psychology and the astro fit in well with these interests.

LF: As a professional astrologer how important is it for you to adhere to a “Code of Ethics” when presenting material that may potentially alter the path of another individual? Why?

BM: I trained to be a bioenergetics therapist for 9 years, and we were all thoroughly coached or instructed in that area. So I do take it very seriously.

LF: What is the coolest thing that has happened to you or been presented to you because of your work in astrology?

BM: Never received any awards, if that is what you mean. The coolest thing was predicting the real estate collapse in 2007-2008. It was my work on market astrology that brought me to the attention of the Arabs, so that is how I wound up in the Middle East. This has now happened twice.

LF: Tell us a bit about your BDTB3 Lecture? Who should attend and why?

BM: This lecture is an extension of the basic lecture about first-trade horoscopes. It involves gathering charts from a group like the software group into one file and then finding the shared degree area within the group. Transits through that group will then move the entire group of stocks.

LF: When will you be presenting your BDTB3 lecture? And how can we learn more?

BM: You can learn more at my website at Bill Meridain My newest book, Planetary Stock Trading 4 is available there. My BDTB3 lecture is entitled: Planetary Stock Trading: Group Analysis. I will be presenting on Friday, 14 November 2014 at 4:00 pm EST.