AN INTERVIEW WITH ARLAN WISE BY MARGARITA VYSOTSKAYA.
- The first question is not original, but the subject is always interesting and relevant: how a man discovers for himself astrology. So, Arlan when you started take an interest in astrology?
I became interested in astrology when I was a child. I had a diary, a book where I would to write a few sentences about what happened during each day. In the front of the book there was a description of each zodiac sign and the dates for each sign. When my mother gave me the diary a few years ago, I saw that I had written about my friends and which sign they were. When my children were born I went to an astrologer to have their charts done. I knew then that I had to learn astrology. My astrologer told me to read mythology and look at charts.
- What influenced the development of your astrological career?
I started slowly, doing a few charts a year for money. I did many free charts for friends. These gave me experience and trained me how to give a reading. It was a case of learning by doing. In 1994 I went to an OPA( then called ProSig) conference and met the astrologers who would become my friends and mentors. It was the first conference that taught how to be an astrologer instead of teaching astrology. I joined the board of directors in 1995 and have remained on the OPA board of directors since that time. OPA has been a major influence in my astrological career. I saw that every time I returned from an OPA conference my practice grew. Maybe it was from the confidence I got from being among my peers and mostly from the good discussions and ideas I received at the conferences.
- Arlan, you are engaged in counseling since the end 70 ' s. What has changed over time: how have changed society ' s attitude to astrology and astrologers, did they change themselves astrologers? Did customers change and the questions they ask an astrologer?
I see that younger people know more about esoteric things. Many of the things that we older astrologers had to discover, like yoga, the beliefs of eastern religions, and depth psychology, are now mainstream knowledge. People still come to an astrologer for relationship advice, business advice, and the more usual things, but also are now interested in their spiritual growth. There are more books on astrology available and the Internet opens up ways to search for answers to questions about astrology and how useful it is. I used to write an astrology column for the local newspaper and I was amazed by the people who told me they read it and liked it. People are more open to accepting astrology now.
- Arlan, we know that you are very welcoming and happy to open his home on the island for confreres-astrologers. How did the idea to organize a " Martha ' s Vineyard ", and what do astrologers at these meetings?
OPA has been giving retreats for astrologers for ten years. In these retreats, we have teachers who work with the same small group of students for three days. This gives in depth learning, and a chance for intimacy to develop and gives the comfort to share personal concerns. The group leaders meet at my house on Martha’ s Vineyard a couple of months before the retreat. Martha’ s Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts in the northeast part of the United States. I have lived here for thirty years. During the weekend we discuss what we will do in the part of the retreat when we all meet. We also work in small groups to share our problems with clients, we read each other’ s charts, and we talk about our astrology business and our goals. We all help each other. By gathering together and living and eating in the same house we form bonds and become close. The good feeling we create then extends to the attendees when we have the retreat.
- In your opinion, what are the main problems that hinder the astrologer to write?
I think that the main problem is avoiding sitting down and writing. A writer needs to sit down every day and write. A writer needs to make friends with Saturn. Without Saturn, the inspiration of Neptune dissolves away. Saturn gives discipline to a writer and I tell my writing students that they have to make friends with their Saturn. Many astrologers still have a lack of confidence, that is not good and will hinder the writer. One must be sure of what one wants to say. I don’ t know how astrologers are perceived in Russia, but there are still people here in the USA who see astrology as entertainment or a hobby rather than a serious vocation. A writer must be proud to be an astrologer in able to write good astrology.
- What would you advise young astrologers who want to stand up on the writer ' s path?
Write. Write for local newspapers, write for journals, and write blogs on the Internet. Write letters to astrology magazines. Write emails to your fellow astrology students and colleagues about astrology. If anyone reading this can translate their writing into English, write for our OPA journal, the Career Astrologer. And, read as much as you can. Read astrology books but also read good literature. The more you read, the more you learn how words work together. Read what you write out loud. Don’ t ever be discouraged, start again and write every day. We have a saying- Practice makes perfect. ■
КАРЬЕРА АСТРОЛОГА | 3 2013 23