Enhancing
Your
Astrology
Practice
Column by
Anne Ortelee
I
n the Enhancing Your
Practice column over the
next year, I will discuss
the profession of astrology as
practiced by you! We’ll explore
ideas and suggestions about
ways to increase your client work, the
quality of your services, and how to grow
your practice. Please take time after you
read the column to do the suggested
Exercise(s). Don’t just read them! Do
them! You will find they are invaluable
for connecting you to your dream prac-
tice. Put the Exercises in a safe place
where you can reference and use them
during the year we spend together. The
Exercises will help you build a practice
you adore and attract clients you love!
Remember when you first discovered
astrology and were SO EXCITED to learn
about this magnificent tool we call astrol-
ogy? Since then you read books, studied
how to analyze charts, practiced on your
friends and family members, and finally
started taking money for readings from
strangers who were referred to you.
You’ve decided to move your astrolo-
gy into a business instead of a hobby.
Whether part time, full time or retire-
ment time, once you shift your astrology
into a business model, there are certain
considerations (con ~with sider ~ stars)
the heavens ask of us. So let’s work with
the stars in your chart!
FIRST, do no harm. Our job as
astrologers is a sacred profession. We
are blessed to be asked to join our cli-
ents in the sanctified act of analyzing
their chart and looking at their life, their
soul, and their cosmic map as it
describes their earthly path. Be aware of
the impact and force of your words.
The
Career
Astrologer
People remember what astrologers tell
them. Sometimes a casual comment
reverberates through time and space,
returning later. You want your com-
ments to help rather than haunt.
These days when anyone can hang
a shingle, print a chart via a computer
and call themself an astrologer, you may
find yourself dealing with another astrol-
oger’s disturbing comments to one of
your clients. They
are seeing you for
a second or even
tenth opinion. If you
don’t agree with the
other astrologer’s
observation, say so~
even IF the astrolo-
ger who said it was
‘famous’ or more
‘experienced’ than
you are. I learned
this lesson the hard way when a client
asked 5 separate astrologers about a
surgery date. She then carried the differ-
ing opinions back and forth, seeking con-
sensus. I ultimately folded, “bowing” to
an astrologer who had much more expe-
rience than I did. She was blinded by the
surgery. I vowed to never fold again!
NEXT, if you don’t know the
answer to a client’s question, say so!
If, looking at the chart after the question
was asked, you STILL didn’t see the
answer, advise the client you will
research their question and get back to
them. Then research their question and
get back to them. In one case, the
grandmother heard the unborn grand-
child had clubfeet from the ultrasound. I
researched the configuration for clubfeet
and got back to her. My research had the
added benefit of predicting the baby’s
birth too! (Moon afflicted by Mars in
Gemini ~ both feet were clubbed).
Astrology covers everything under the
sun so there is NO way you can know
everything. You do have your astrology
library to look things up in! Make sure to
get back to your client as they will often
worry that you saw something “bad” and
didn’t want to tell them.
FINALLY, if it is a kind of astrolo-
gy you are not comfortable practicing
or don’t enjoy, don’t do it. This is
YOUR astrology business so you get to
do the kind of astrology you want to do.
OPA’s Quarterly Magazine
One of my favorite students, an Aries
with a Scorpio Moon, was age 22 with
the face of a 10 year old when she start-
ed reading charts professionally. Older
adults would dismiss her advice saying
“What could you possibly know ~ you are
too young!?” Plus, she found she didn’t
like listening to people complain and
then not take action to fix the