How I discovered Astrology - further reading...
I wasn’t expecting to discover astrology in 1988 when I was at a crossroads trying to find a career path. By chance I was introduced to a professional astrologer who suggested an interpretation of my natal horoscope might give me some interesting pointers that I wouldn’t find anywhere else. Why not? I thought to myself, and was duly presented a fascinating personalised ‘map’ of symbols which represented the planets in our solar system. This, I was told was the position of the planets at the moment of my birth. Each planet had a specific interpretation and through them I would find out my strengths and weaknesses and parts of my personality and characteristics that I had yet to understand: “Wow”, I said, “Please tell me more”.
The astrologer began to explain how astrology is a branch of ancient philosophy and metaphysics that brings self-realisation and self-awareness from interpreting the cycles of the planets and stars on human affairs. He said it gave incredibly accurate information and timing in all areas of life, particularly in understanding one’s fate and destiny to do with career, money, relationships and health. I was amazed: “How does it work?”
He smiled again and with a twinkle in his eye he asked me to ask myself when the last time I stood still for a moment, looked up and remembered I was standing on the surface of a planet floating in outer space. I acknowledged it had been a long time ago. He went onto say being in Earth’s biosphere I didn’t need a spacesuit but to think about this: Planet Earth is a part of the solar system and all life exists perfectly on earth. It follows therefore as human beings we are also a part of the solar system because we are completely reliable on the Earth for giving us life in the first place.
He told me that insight is the way the astrologer thinks: Essentially we are at one with the universe. Simply put life is a form of consciousness created by the universe in order that it might experience itself; this is why the planets can be interpreted in such a way that they resonate with our own life stories and experiences. I thought about it and laughed saying that insight is all too easily forgotten in a busy modern lifestyle with countless ways to distract and take attention away from the vastness of where we are.
He carried on: in the ancient world our ancestors didn’t have too many distractions but they did have the night sky to study in detail. They made careful observations for thousands of years noting how everything in the heavens continuously repeated on a cyclical basis. For example the relationship between the Sun and the Moon creating a new to full Moon like clockwork every month, clearly shown in the rising and falling tides. All of the other planets in our Solar system also have precise repeating cycles stretching over years, and all of these cycles can be correlated to events in our lives, because we are ‘at one’ with the solar system.
Out of this understanding came the art of astrology (‘astro’: the stars and ‘logos’: knowledge) which by the sixth century BCE in Hellenistic Greece had become a near perfected art form: this is where the first timed ‘Horoscope’ diagram has been unearthed. I’d been presented with an answer and set about starting to learn what I’d been introduced to, and gradually it became my career. I’ve weathered the continued sceptical criticism often levelled at it- my only answer to critics is not to judge it until they’ve got their own natal horoscope interpreted – which is a timed mathematical diagram and something far more accurate than newspaper horoscope columns.
I feel the times are changing and with the developments in science such as Quantum theory, science is finally coming around to the truth and validity of astrology, the original science that gave birth to all the other sciences. Astrology has helped me personally by giving me wisdom insights and a sense of knowing about my soul’s journey through life. It complements any other religion or faith; I use it in daily life. In recent years my passion for astrology developed into writing my first novel ‘The Astrologers Apprentice’ which is now available on Amazon as a paperback or as a Kindle. It’s a historical drama based on the true story of how the Great Fire of London could’ve been prevented and wasn’t. The famous London astrologer William Lilly predicted the Great fire 15 years before it happened. I’ve also adapted it into a screenplay called “The Prediction 1666”.
Studying for a Diploma in Astrology at Oxford University, 2007
AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ASTROLOGER -
JULIAN VENABLES (from June 2023)
Julian presents enlightenment for astrologers by demonstrating experiments that will
show you how to shift your perception from third person Heliocentric consciousness
to first person Geocentric consciousness.
This is all outlined in his book The Divine Order & Astrological Enlightenment which is an easy philosophical journey that will
show astrologers the difference between awareness and consciousness – an important
consideration in this time of The Great Awakening.
Julian’s theory helps to create the bridge to unify traditional and modern psychological astrology –
through an understanding of perception – of how to ‘see’ the world. This includes
the real secret of the Rising sign, and what a Transit really is – and also the opening
of your Third eye – the all-seeing eye.
We will journey with Dante through the Paradise and realise why Shakespeare called his theatre The Globe.
Julian has self-published his first groundbreaking astrology book, called The Divine Order- it
is a beautifully produced paperback (135 pages) and you can buy a signed copy from
him at this talk.
When did you first become interested in astrology, and how did it happen?
In September/October 1988, I met a couple of astrologers (husband and wife) in
Brighton who offered to do my chart. They slid an A4 hand drawn chart across the
kitchen table; I remember the first thing I said upon looking at the symbols, the
planetary names, and the mathematical calculations, was “Why isn’t everybody taught
this at school?”
How did you learn astrology?
The same astrologers lent me my first book which was Tad Mann’s “The Round Art.”
It was a hardback version and I carefully propped open the double page of the spiral
solar system/DNA picture and had it like that whilst I was reading it. I was shy of the
Math for about 10 years, and finally decided I wanted to go pro, and my first proper
tutor was Paul Wade of East Sussex, starting in about 1998. Having learn a lot
through him, I then enrolled with the Faculty in 2004, and discovered the Astrology
Lodge in early 2005.
Is there a branch of astrology that you are particularly drawn to and why?
My two favourite branches are Midpoints and Astro Cartography, although I love all
of it as well.
What is it in your birth chart that you particularly like?
Well, I think it is important to love all of oneself, but probably my first house Jupiter
in Leo and my Moon in Pisces.
What is it in your birth chart that you need to work on?
I’d like to bring calm my exact Mars/Jupiter square, and try to get over the constant
deep dives into an emotional chasm that the Moon opposite Pluto (and alienation with
Uranus there too) tends to plunge me into. My Saturn in Aries conjunct the MC makes
me wonder if I’ll ever get noticed – that is immensely frustrating; that I feel I
should’ve lived and worked anywhere else all over the world and not stayed in
England, but karmically I’m now 55 and STILL here. My Mars/Neptune conjunction
has been very weird and confusing, and sapped (by confusion) a lot of the energy I
should’ve had for forwarding my career. Much of the time I have felt literally
compromised by circumstances and unable to move forwards and achieve more.
How do you practise astrology i.e. teach, consult, write articles etc?
I am a client-based astrologer mostly. I’ve had bouts of teaching (and need to get
much more organised around that because people tell me I’m a personable chap and a
good teacher). I’ve started writing more articles, and at last I’m getting into writing
books. Being a 1960s Gen X, I’m a bit slow to the social media party – I’ve had a few
goes but my mutable moon and Venus tend to have me go off course, drift a bit too
much.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement in astrology?
Well, I don’t think I’ve reached my peak yet, so watch this space. Achievements so
far would include writing the Midpoints interpretations for Solar Fire Gold, and my
latest book The Divine Order, which reveals enlightenment for astrologers, and
provides a theory to unify Modern Psychological with Traditional astrology through a
shift of perception. Its clever stuff, I don’t mind saying so myself. Yet it is also
incredibly simple and pure, and very, very healing, especially in this time of the ‘great
Awakening’ that all the new agers are talking about. My book has a lot of potential to
cross over different healing modalities and genres, which could bring a lot more
people to wanting to know and learn more planetary astrology. Buy yourself a copy
and you’ll see, its mainstream, with profound depth too.
Apart from astrology, what gives meaning to your life?
I love travel, walking the dog in the sunshine on the beach, stone circles, and
megalithic sites, visiting leylines, live music, cooking good food, bringing up my
daughter, meeting new people, ‘being’ in the space of The Divine Order (its like
meditation)
What is your favourite place in the whole world and why?
That’s a difficult question… soaking in hot springs, in forests or jungles, most
definitely. My two favourite countries are the USA and Turkey, both of which have
geothermal springs. A particular favourite was Cougar Hot Springs in Oregon; and in
Turkey, Pamukkale. I really like lot of the USA, particularly Mountain and Pacific
time zones.
Can you define your religious beliefs?
I took refuge as a Buddhist in the 1990’s. I am interested in Sufism. I go to Christian
church services in the UK too. I think I am more universalist if there is such a thing.
What is your earliest memory?
Being in a baby bouncer that was suspended in a doorway in late 1968. It had a coiled
metal spring that when it stretched made a metallic shimmering stretchy sound, and
when I jumped up the coil gathered and made a different slinky sound. I worked out
that when I kicked my legs, and bounced around, the types of sound would change. It
was quite amazing and thrilled me.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Becoming the owner of a large, landscaped country estate with river frontage. But
that’s materialistic. So, alternately it would to be an excellent guitar player, good
enough to be in an American style rock jam band.
Is there any astrologer you particularly admire (alive/deceased?)
To be honest I admire a lot of astrologers in our community. I like being shown new
things that I hadn’t noticed before. I had just finished studying NLP master
practitioner when Adrian Duncan published ‘Astrology and Transformation’, his
NLP-blended-with-astrology book, and I was yes! Yes! William Lilly for his dry wit
and genius understanding. I had some great email communications with American
astrologers Diana Rosenberg and Pat Geisler before they died – they had a lot of good
wisdom to impart.
Whose creative work, other than astrology, do you admire and why?
I love rock music, my favourite band is The Grateful Dead, who were alchemists of
sound- very magical, weaving a spell with how they played jams and entranced the
deadheads. If you haven’t listened to them before, I’d like to suggest you give them a
go, and find a whole live concert on YouTube.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Becoming a father has been very wisdom enhancing. It teaches me a lot about myself.
I never thought I was going to be a father until it happened. It helped me understand
why my parents were like they were to me as I was growing up, because as they say,
apples don’t fall far from the tree.
How would you like to be remembered?
Thankfully its not over yet and I hope for a few more decades. Hopefully people will
say he was a good man. It’s a bit egoistical but maybe as the astrologer who helped
the astrology community to rediscover the perception shift from third person to first
person – who introduced the difference between awareness and consciousness, as the
difference between primary motion and secondary motion. Also, buying a plot of
land, rewilding it, and planting deciduous native trees in a circle, with quartzite rocks,
on leylines – to make some sort of sacred grove, for meeting, meditating, dancing,
camping. that would be a very satisfying project, and if I happened to eventually be
buried nearby it, that would have me remembered.