The Career Astrologer 1 2016 | Page 11

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