Post by Ghislaine Adams
It was with sadness and also a sense of anticipation that I approached December 2019 that marked the approaching closure of the APA School. Sadness as it signalled the end of an era during which we, tutors, introduced the principles of Astrological Psychology to new students and guided them through their studies with love and encouragement. Sadness also at saying goodbye to long-term relationships with my own students with whom I developed a deep connection through their charts and the sharing of their life experiences. Anticipation on the other hand at new opportunities, new discoveries and a new blank canvas to draw on.
Change is inherent in life and this is something that Astrological Psychology teaches us through the journey of the Age point round our birth chart. It is a dynamic journey that requires openness and acceptance from each house cusp through each Low Point and change of element. My life as a tutor started when my AP transited the LP of the 9th house and my nodal AP was conjunct Saturn – a call to do something practical with the knowledge I had acquired. Saturn is my ultimate reminder that I cannot stay in the realm of words but must apply myself in a practical way – something that I am good at resisting. However the Saturnian voice is so strong and consistent that I eventually give in and when I do, I have learnt that the movement forward is always joyful and exciting. With Saturn on the ascendant of my chart and my strongest planet, my biggest fear has been to stand out in any way and it took me much effort to develop sufficient trust and confidence to come forward and feel able to use my skills to disseminate the benefits of Astrological Psychology in my own area through day workshops and short foundation courses before joining the APA teaching team.
In the last 20 years, I have worked alongside many students – all gifted, some more dedicated than others, all with their own life struggles. I lost a few on the way and each time it was a cause of deep sadness and wondering whether I could have been of more help. As time went on, I realised that for some students, the open-ended approach to the course with no deadlines and no face-to-face interaction was too much of a challenge. The more motivated students were often the I-sided students that set their own goals and timetable and weren’t so dependent on external involvement. The other successful group of students consisted of those who had previous experience of distance-learning.
There is little doubt that the discontinuation of the summer face-to-face residential gatherings, due to decrease in student numbers and access to suitable venues, had an adverse effect on retention and the invaluable friendship bonds that were created. However, it is with interest that I look back at the time when I used to run monthly meetings for APA students at my house. These meetings were very precious as it allowed us to come together and share our understanding and experience of specific astrological themes pertinent to what the majority was studying at the time. Yet these get-togethers weren’t as conducive to written work and completion of assignments as one would have expected. It seemed to me that the friendly support and joint interest were sufficient to enthuse and motivate but did not translate into progress. On the other hand, because of my time restrictions these last two years I provided each of my students with a specific timetable to adhere to if they wished to gain their diploma by the end of 2019 and I have been amazed by the positive response. Students who had taken years to move forward suddenly applied themselves and submitted work of very high quality in spite of the limited time they had. In a way the carrot and the stick worked together – they knew they had to meet the time requirements and they kept their eyes focused on their goal of completion. I am happy to report that they all finished on time and with very high scores. I sincerely hope that they will make use of their astrological knowledge constructively, both for themselves and for others.
I particularly remember with fondness and gratitude those students who questioned both the core principles of the course and at times my feedback on their assignments. In doing so they often cast a new light on points that I had so far taken for granted and in the process they helped me question, review and deepen my understanding. New perspectives would emerge that we could share. The role of tutor is not a static one but it is a dynamic two-way process of learning and it is the fresh insights from students that made it so worthwhile!
My AP is now crossing my Ascendant and close to conjunction with Saturn whilst the nodal AP is passing over my North Node. A time of change and reflection before action! I am enjoying the moment. I know that very soon Saturn will make itself heard loud and clear and this time I would like to be ready to respond positively. I am keen to offer my time to help young people navigate through the stormy waters that are engulfing our world at present and directly impacting our day-to-day lives. Many of these youngsters are on the autistic spectrum and I feel it is one of the challenges that the Age of Aquarius is bringing us – to conceive of new ways of being in our social and interpersonal interactions and to open up to a greater understanding of different relationships respectful of the other. This is a field of research open to Astrological Psychologists that would benefit many of these children/young adults.
Most importantly we must never forget the power and value of an astrological consultation. These days we have the benefit of Skype so we can reach people all over the world that are seeking our help. I have had consultations with women in Canada, the US, South Africa, Europe and of course the UK and they have all expressed huge gratitude. My last client’s parting words were ‘this is so incredible. It may not be so for you as you’re used to it but for someone like me who knows nothing about astrology and has never had an astrological consultation before, it is most awesome’.
The work of the Hubers will carry on through us and it was Michael Huber’s expressed wish that we should continue to research and thus further their ideas. They made great headway in attuning astrology to the more recent discoveries in Science and Psychology and it is important that we carry the flame for them and keep abreast of what’s going on in every field that has a direct impact on humanity.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Ghislaine. There is no doubt that the essence of Huber Astrological Psychology with its capacity to synthesize our inner and outer journeys will continue to guide us.
Thank you for your interesting reflections and thoughts, Ghislaine. Particularly what you have written about the Aquarian Age and autism, has inspired me to rekindle my interest in autism from some years ago. The most famous person on this spectrum at present is Greta Thunberg, who has described it as her ‘power’, not an illness to be cured. It seems to be characterized by an ability to focus intensely on one issue to the exclusion of all else, which some might classify as obsessional (she was ‘diagnosed’ with OCD as well). And there is also the difficulty with empathizing or being able to read other’s emotions. Autism (high functioning) seems to resonate with that archetypal Uranian/Aquarian/11th.House energy, which is more mental and less concerned with one-to-one personal emotions. Perhaps autism is a characteristic of the Aquarian Age, and these people need to find a positive, creative outlet (and understanding) for their energies. Apparently it was only when Greta was finally able to express her ‘calling’, that she turned around from being extremely ill, with eating disorders etc. (She has a very green chart – Jan.3rd, 2003; Stockholm; birth time unknown – including a Dominant Learning Triangle with Uranus in Aquarius at the beginning red/blue angle – her challenge in this life).
Perhaps such people are being born with gifts to help carry humanity through this Age with creative solutions to our continued existence on earth. This may indeed be a rich seam for research.
Thank you, Ghislaine, for reflections in which you voice many of my own sentiments. I was first a student, then a tutor, then APA Principal – a role I was honoured to have. I took on the running of APA on my 8th House Low Point, and remember Bruno telling me it was the best time for me to be taking over this role from Richard. I thought at the time, “If Bruno thinks it OK I’d better get on with it then!” At that time I’d not connected the significance of the LP and it’s inner thread to the centre of the chart; with hindsight I can see it clearly. I loved what I did – for the school, for students, at workshops, and teaching the Huber Method by being a speaker at conferences. It was hard work but I didn’t want to be doing anything else. The blossoming and unfolding of the students who worked through the diploma course has always been very rewarding to see, especially when their self-confidence shone through.
Bruno’s vision was to see lots of “little APIs” and this has come to fruition. We may no longer have a big physical organisation, but there are quite a lot of small focal points in various locations around the world where astrological psychology is known, perhaps taught, or shared through common interest groups on the web, or in consultation. The books are part of this legacy, as are those students who graduated and share their understanding and experience of astrological psychology as consultants, helping and supporting others.
Trish’s and Ghislaine’s reference to autism and those young people who are different, yet are making their voices heard, reminds me not just of Greta Thunberg, but of 15 year old Dara MacAnulty in Northern Ireland, who I follow on Twitter. He is 100% passionate about wild life and nature, he has been speaking up loudly for the environment for some years, does the school strike for climate on his own, writes an eloquent blog, has written a book, to be published soon, and recently appeared on Country File on TV. He is autistic too, as is Chris Packham. There could be some interesting research made into their charts – thanks for that suggestion Trish; it sounds worth taking further.
Writing this I realise that, like being a teacher (as I was and still am!) or working with astrological psychology, none of this stops at retirement. It continues, but in different ways, different forms. The work goes on.