Talking To The Stars: Building A Career in Astrology
by Jennifer Estenson, MA

Conversing with the heavens through the lens of astrology never fails to entice the questing mind of the curious soul. Examining the stars, planets, and points in space is an alluring pastime that grants the keen-minded observer a stunning glimpse into the unique symbolic content of the psyche and the soul. It is hard to resist the deeply mysterious beauty of the heavens, and more difficult still not to seek meaning in the swish and twinkle of the stars.

It is this magic of the night sky that has called many of you to seek out a career in astrology. As aspiring astrologers you will have an array of information at the ready. Your bookshelves are lined with reference materials and your computer loaded with the best available programs. Logarithmic charts, tables of houses, and ephemeredes are never less than an arm's length away. All you need now is an enthusiastic client with whom to share your knowledge and skill, the confidence to do so, and a dash of business savvy to make it happen.

Building a successful career in astrology presents distinctive challenges. Despite a wealth of first-rate materials and classes available on a variety of stellar topics, taking the leap that will transform you from amateur stargazer or fledgling practitioner to a professional career astrologer can prove daunting. Years of study have taught you how to erect, progress, and interpret an astrological chart, but knowing where and how to position your business in the marketplace can be as elusive as reliable communication during Mercury retrograde.

Branding and marketing strategies need to be considered as well as technological requirements, organizational needs, and record keeping and office space. There are also professional boundaries to establish and practical astrological tactics to take into account. It can be difficult to known exactly where to begin. How do you make the leap?

This October the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR) and its Twin Cities chapter, Society for Teaching, Astrological Research and Study (STARS) are offering a conference to help take some of the mystery out of this career transition. NCGR and STARS are committed to the cycles and phenomena of celestial events and to providing information that supports knowledgeable astrological practice. Application of that knowledge as evidenced in practical application and professional success is an integral part of their joint mission.

The seminar, entitled "Building Your Career in Astrology: Developing Your Professional Astrological Practice," will take place October 7-9, 2005, at the beautiful Sheraton Four Points Hotel in St. Paul. A variety of skilled professional astrologers as well as select business professionals are scheduled to participate in the event. Prepared to share their expertise, they will answer your questions about how to grow and transform your practice by helping you to identify and effectively put your unique abilities into the marketplace.

The astrological portion of the conference will feature well-known astrologer, Moonrabbit (www.astrologybymoonrabbit.com) speaking on the topic "Take the Leap: Transitioning from Student to Professional Astrologer." Accompanied by a panel of professional astrologers, Moonrabbit will share business and practice tips from her 26 years of successful practice. Years of consulting and teaching have shown her the deep transformative insights astrology can offer another's life and how such revelations can contribute to constructive life change.

One challenge an astrological practice often faces is that of accomplishing efficient and informative preparation for a reading. When preparing for a reading, it can be easy to become caught in a Jovian-inspired flurry of information gathering that ultimately proves both inefficient and unnecessary. Moonrabbit will demonstrate techniques for preparing for and executing a cold reading that successfully communicates the chart to the client. Practical small group discussion sessions will help you apply what you have learned about efficient and effective chart analysis.

Successfully positioning your business in the marketplace is the specialty of modern-day muse Lori Palm (www.passionoffice.com). What makes the way you talk to the stars unique? Lori will help you learn to identify, brand, and market those qualities that are distinctively your own so that you can begin to develop your own passion-driven marketing plan.

Technology strategist Lori Lorenz (www.todayscamelot.com) will teach you how to begin to leverage technology effectively. Her session on trends related to seven major landscapes will teach you how to use foresight and forecasting to make smart choices for applying technology in your business.

Alchemist Wes Hamilton (www.weshamilton.com) will be teaching you how to create a synergistic workspace that is supportive to you and your successful practice. Whether you plan to work from home or rent office space, Wes will teach you about what it takes to create a successful office environment.

Saturday evening The Passion Office will be presenting the optional three-hour evening event "Marketing Your Uniqueness: The Four Keys to a Passion-Driven Business." This exciting addition will present more powerful business strategies for business development and will help you identify your mission and your ideal client as well as teach you to express your uniqueness. During this optional session Lori Palm, Lori Lorenz, and Wes Hamilton will offer more in-depth information on business development strategies.

"Building Your Career In Astrology: Developing Your Astrological Practice" promises to provide an innovative learning opportunity for both novice and professional astrologers to take their career to the next level. Space is limited, so register early to take the leap and create the astrological practice of your dreams!

Anyone inclined to look up and wonder at the messages written in the night sky will find STARS a wonderful local organization. STARS hosts monthly meetings featuring lectures on a variety of astrological related topics and looks forward to welcoming you. If you are interested in formal instruction, STARS also presents training leading to NCGR certification. Meetings are the fourth Sunday of each month from 3:00 to 5:30 at the Twin Cities Friends Meeting Place, 1725 Grand Avenue, in St. Paul. For information, please visit the website at www.mnstars.com or call 651-454-0073.