New OPA
Satellite
spotlights
I ntroducing our new OPA Satellites.
Make sure you contact the represen-
tative(s) or your country to solidify
community dynamics and enhance
your OPA experience. For full list of
Satellites, visit our website: www.
opaastrology.com
Canada Satellite
Donna Marie Young
Calgary
[email protected]
403-926-4843
donnayoungastrologer.com
‘m a born and bred
I
Albertan – I grew
up on a farm, which isn’t
anywhere near as romantic
as it sounds. As much as I still need to be
connected to nature, I craved for something
more than that life could offer. So, after very
little soul searching, I ended up in advertising
sales at a daily newspaper. It was a perfect
job for me, but one I was happy to depart
from after 30 years.
In the middle of this lengthy career, my
Uranus opposition blew up my appendix. I
love telling the astrology around this story,
but I’ll keep it brief. I went under the anaes-
thetic with no other knowledge of astrology
than that I was a Pisces. And I wish I could tell
you that I was one of those people who had
a near death experience and came back with
knowledge. Alas. I didn’t go close enough
towards the light for that. I did, however,
wake up completely changed. I no longer
had the desire to smoke or drink, for exam-
ple, although it took me a full six months to
quit telling people I was a smoker. It wasn’t
all good though. Up until that point I’d been
quite athletic – played sports and worked
out every day. That stopped too. I was some-
one else, but with all the memories of being
me. It was a very confusing time. The gift I
received in exchange was an obsession with
astrology.
My first book was Astrology for Dummies.
Not a bad book, truth be told. I tried to draw
The
Career
Astrologer
my chart following the instructions but
couldn’t quite figure it out. I’d always thought
of myself as somewhat clever, so it was kind
of embarrassing to admit that I needed
something more primary than a book writ-
ten for dummies. So I sought help, and sure
enough, an introductory class was starting
nearby two days after I made my first query. I
never looked back.
I was very fortunate that I was exposed
to some wonderful teachers like Maurice
Fernandez, Ulrich Bold, Gary Zyla and Steven
Forrest early on. They inspired me to learn
more, and within four years I was working
on my degree at Kepler College and was
privileged to learn from some of my greatest
living astrological heroes.
I came to learn that my interest in astrolo-
gy began the same year that an active group
in Calgary fell apart. So, with a couple of
other more serious students, we set to work
on building a new one. We’re a rather infor-
mal lot who gather in living rooms over tea
and snacks, but we grow in numbers every
year and manage to host a few speakers for
workshops and lectures. Paul Hewitt has also
moved to Calgary, so we’re fortunate that he
also works hard at continuing to educate the
next generation of astrologers. We’re also
connected with the Edmonton Astrological
Society that began with Chris McRae, and
toget her have re-established a small Alberta
conference featuring our home grown talent.
I am a consulting astrologer, but my favou-
rite thing is passing on my passion to oth-
ers. I team teach the W101 Introduction to
Astrology online with Kepler, and I have small
group classes locally.
I’ve slowly been able to acquaint
myself with some of my fellow Canadian
Astrologers, but finding and connecting
with everyone has been a bit of a challenge.
Along with Peggy Lynch and fellow Kepler
College graduate Tamira McGillivray, the
idea was hatched to launch a website to
bring Canadian Astrologers together - to
pool resources, and have a common home
for anyone searching to learn more. The first
topic we’ve decided to tackle is the timing
of the Canadian chart. We’d love some feed-
back, so please subscribe on the website
www.canadianastrology.com to support and
contribute.
I’m delighted to be representing the
Canadian Satellite of OPA along with Kate
OPA’s Quarterly Magazine
Rusko. It feels like a very symbiotic relation-
ship to be working with my smaller commu-
nity, the Canadian Astrology website, Kepler,
and OPA, all at the same time. The more we
work together, in both the big and small
ways, the better it is for the collective astro-
logical community.
Kate Rusko
Montreal
[email protected]
514-206-0277
ello, OPA! My
H
involvement with
astrology is rather new (at least in this incar-
nation), however I have found myself com-
pletely drawn out of my previous life and
reborn an astro-addict. In true Gemini Moon
fashion, my background is diverse: aside
from working in the fashion industry, I have
two degrees, one in economics and the other
in the visual arts in painting.
I am thrilled to be involved with OPA. My
participation with the astrological communi-
ty so far has revealed to me a depth of wis-
dom, compassion, and care like I have never
experienced before. I feel blessed! I am excit-
ed to create a Great White North network
with Donna.
Looking forward, I would like part of my
practice to focus on introducing the wonders
of astrology (and OPA) to the Neptune in
Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces generation,
to which I have contributed two feisty Sun
in Aries daughters. I think it is important to
make the bridge to these children: they will
both “get it” and need it. My Virgo Sun would
also like to incorporate aspects of health.
South African
Satellite
Heiltje le Roux
Johannesburg
[email protected]
+27829287532
ancer Sun, Libra
C
Moon, I come from a
creative curious family. I became fascinated
with Astrology in my late teens, which start-
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