A Pep Talk About Not Knowing Enough
Among other things, I ask all my clients at the beginning of a session, “What’s your relationship with astrology up to this point?” Not always but often enough, I hear, “I know the planets and the houses, but I don't get aspects or transits yet.” They often say it sheepishly. If this sounds like you, read on.
I’m not going to try to teach aspects and transits here. What I want to address is the sheepishness.
First, you don't have to learn every part of astrology to love it. You aren't doing anything wrong by not knowing everything (which is also impossible). Don't mistake technique for devotion.
If you say hello to the Moon, if you notice that the constellations shift with the seasons, if you see how the light changes throughout the year, and how that is somehow mirrored in you, your life, the people around you, you're doing astrology.
Second, if you do want to learn about aspects and transits, that's great. Know that a lot of people feel a roadblock there. You're not alone. The good news is if you learn aspects, transits will come fairly easily because transits are aspects to your natal chart.
There are a lot of astrology resources out there, to the point that even that is overwhelming, I’ll point you to one I recommend. My primary astrology teacher Kelly Surtees has a great webinar on aspects that you can find here. I come back to Kelly's workshops all the time, years later, to remind myself how potent the fundamentals are. Kelly's techniques go well beyond the basics but she always has the client in mind, the fact we've only got 60-90 min with them and how to prioritize what is most potent.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed no matter how many years you've been studying. Part of why I love astrology is it feels like stepping into the largest library I've ever been in with more side rooms I can't even see yet. It's not just the techniques. It's the interdisciplinary nature of astrology. There's so much. We benefit from learning about religions, mythology, philosophy, astronomy, history — and not some history but basically all of it? Which is thrilling and also oh my god.
Get cozy with not-knowing. Choose your next few steps and keep walking. Connect with people who make you feel like learning is possible, wondrous, and exciting rather than perpetually out of reach.
If you hear a lot of internet chatter about this technique or that technique, try not to let it rattle you into a lie about your not-enough-ness or like you're behind. Astrology always tells us we're right on time.
When I'm overwhelmed, I go back to fundamentals and remind myself how juicy they are. I go back to what I once thought was not-enough. And it is more than enough. But it's even better when I just go outside and crane my neck back in wonder.
