MysticMag’s Marko Velimirovic had the opportunity to speak with Kathryn Silverton – an Astrologer who sees herself as a counselor to her clients offering them guidance and helping them make the best decisions possible.
In the following interview, Kathryn describes how her career developed, what is her approach to Astrology, and how can Medical Astrology reveal the condition of the physical body.
What inspired you to start your Astrology career?
As I was completing high school and deciding on my college major, what I knew was that I wanted to do something along the lines of psychology because I felt I had an intuitive ability to understand people. Beyond that, I wasn’t entirely sure of my direction, but just had the sense that I’d figure it out along the way. My instincts were correct, in that over the course of my freshman year of undergraduate school, I learned about the Humanistic Psychology department at The University of West Georgia. I transferred there in my sophomore year of college and within a matter of months, a series of uncanny events led me to start studying astrology through their continuing education department.
I had never had a conscious desire to study astrology, but when I transferred to West Georgia, I stumbled into a former classmate from high school who invited me to take this class with him and some of his mutual friends. I agreed to tag along out of curiosity and a desire to share something in common with them. Lo and behold, I found myself immersed in this field very quickly. At the time, I said to myself that this study feels like an old book I read a long time ago, and I’m dusting off the cover and relearning it all. Everything came to me very easily, including the math of casting charts.
Coupled with that experience was an incident that happened to me when I was seven years old. I was walking home from school one day when, as crazy as this might sound, I heard a voice that told me that there’s a system outside ourselves which we can’t necessarily see but it can be measured, and this system helps us understand ourselves and what we’re doing here on earth. I understood that the message was telling me that I would pursue this system as a career. It wasn’t until several months into my initial studies of astrology that I recalled this “knowing” I had at the age of seven. It made perfect sense to me that astrology was the system that was being shown to me. The planets are definitely outside of us, we can see some but not all of the planets with the naked eye, and they can be measured. Indeed, Astrology is a system that helps us understand ourselves and appreciate the texture of the times ahead.
I continued to study astrology throughout both undergraduate and graduate school and was lucky enough to have the option of either doing a master’s thesis or participating in an internship. I chose the latter, as I was given the opportunity to accompany a psychiatrist in his daily work. My original astrology teacher in undergraduate school had done an internship with him and I was aware that he had tremendous respect for astrology and applied his understanding of the natal chart to his practice as a therapist. That experience opened my eyes to the therapeutic process and the value that astrology could bring to the table.
The more I studied astrology, the more I came to appreciate its complexity and marveled at the fact that ancient astrologers were also mathematicians, philosophers, and healers. I was amazed at how pervasive it has been in many cultures and the amount of study it takes to grasp all the intricacies. This understanding of the richness of the field inspired me further, in the realization of how much can be gleaned from an astrological chart.
What is your approach to astrology?
Like many astrologers, I see the astrological chart as a blueprint of who we are. There’s a saying in astrology that states “the planets impel, they do not compel.” In other words, the chart suggests our proclivities, the traits with which we are endowed. However, it doesn’t impel us one way or another. It may give us inclinations, but it’s up to us to use our inner resources as we choose, to work with the hand we are dealt.
I see the chart as also reflecting the challenges we’re likely to encounter, the lessons we need to learn, but again, it’s up to us as to how we face them. Additionally, the chart is an amazing tool for timing. As one studies the planetary alignments in relation to earthly events, it’s hard to deny that there is a correlation between what is happening in the heavens and what is happening here on earth. It’s not that we are puppets on a string by any stretch of the imagination. But we can gain wisdom from appreciating the texture of the tides. We say that “Forewarned is forearmed.”
I don’t see astrology as a tool for blaming the universe for our fates but rather as a tool for understanding what we’re here to learn, to accomplish, and to grow as individual souls.
I’m often asked by skeptics if I “believe in astrology.” My response to them is that I don’t “believe in astrology” any more than I “believe in gravity.” I see astrology, the study of the correlation between planetary motion and earthly events, as a given, as a reflection of the laws of the universe, just as I accept that gravity is a given here on earth.
I see my role as an astrological counselor as one who offers guidance to my clients to help them make the best decisions possible. This may be with respect to timing, to understanding themselves and those around them, and to assisting them in making the best use of their talents and their path.
Because astrologers can see proclivities, we can often foresee opportunities as well as roadblocks for our clients. It’s our job to inform our clients as to what we observe. It’s up to the client to hear us and to make an informed decision based on all input, be it from us as well as other people with whom they may consult.
The areas in which I focus as an astrological counselor range from guiding clients from a psychological standpoint, given the inclinations in the chart and guiding them regarding the best use of timing. Some times are best suited for specific purposes. “To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heavens.” I specialize in a few areas, one of which is medical astrology. In this capacity, I recommend the best time to undergo elective procedures and testing. I also specialize in the timing of real estate sales by recommending the best time to place the property on the market for the property to sell in a timely manner with an acceptable return on investment. I’m often able to pinpoint when the buyer will see the property and when the property will sell. In addition to these areas, I also work with ideal locations, compatibility, fertility timing, and wedding timing, to name a few.
We heard that you are practicing Medical Astrology. Could you please share some more information about it?
In my early days of studying astrology, I read a statement attributed to Hippocrates, The Father of Modern Medicine. The gist of it was that anyone who calls himself a doctor and has no knowledge of astrology has no right to call themselves a doctor. I was so taken aback by that statement that I promised myself that once I had a better grasp of the complexities of astrology, that I would study this further. Many years down the road I found myself fascinated by the medical aspects of astrology and pursued this niche.
It turns out that one of the things that can be viewed through the astrological chart is the condition of the physical body. The zodiacal placements of the planets in the chart reveal parts of the body that can be prone to difficulties. And planetary motion reveals when these vulnerabilities may be activated. I, therefore, advise my clients when I see an influence that can suggest physical issues so they can be on the lookout. This is not an unusual practice. Joan Quigley, a graduate of Vassar College, was Nancy Reagan’s astrologer. Ms. Quigley advised Mrs. Reagan that she could be prone to breast cancer and recommended when Mrs. Reagan should get a checkup that would detect the breast cancer. Ms. Quigley was correct, which enabled Mrs. Reagan to know when to be examined for this illness.
Another extensive facet of my practice in medical astrology is to recommend the best timing to undergo elective surgery. These recommendations can help put a client’s mind at ease, knowing that they are working with the astrological grain rather than against it.
What is the most important detail in maintaining a relationship of mutual trust with customers?
My most important priority in dealing with my clients, outside of striving to be of as much help as possible, is the issue of confidentiality. My clients need to know that our sessions are private and confidential so that they feel comfortable discussing whatever is most pressing. The only way that one client may know if someone is a client, is if one client tells another. Otherwise, my lips are sealed. If I want to use a client’s chart as an example in a lecture, I always ask the client for their permission to use their data and I always use their information anonymously.
In this field, it is often thought that word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are the most important when picking an astrologist – is this true?
I believe this is true, not only when picking an astrologer, but many other service providers. A satisfied client is aware of the benefits of consulting with an astrologer and appreciates how these services can benefit others. People who have never consulted with an astrologer may not realize the depth of our capacities to be of assistance, so a satisfied client is in the ideal position to point out to someone who is uninformed, how they, too, can benefit from a consultation.
I know that when I’m happy with the service I receive from a service provider, I’m likely to tell people how I’ve benefited. Both sides are happy: the client as well as the provider. So, yes, word of mouth is a more substantive reference than an arbitrary advertisement.
What is the best part of your job?
Without a doubt, the best part of my job is the sense of fulfillment that comes from knowing that my services make a meaningful impact on my clients. For example, a decades-long client recently made a point of letting me know how much I have helped her over the years when it has come to major decisions she has had to make and in helping her to prepare for the road ahead.
I was brought to tears and am, to this day, when I reflect on her words. Not only I do feel such a sense of fulfillment, but I also find myself endlessly fascinated by the richness of this field of study and lucky to work in a field I love.
