In her interview with MysticMag, Marjorie Orr shares how her journey into astrology began unexpectedly while producing a documentary on the paranormal, where a chance encounter with an astrologer opened her eyes to the power of a birth chart.
Intrigued not by predictions but by the profound insights into her personality and life background, she felt compelled to study astrology further. Through dedicated practice and formal training, including psychotherapy, she honed a unique approach that merges traditional astrological wisdom with modern psychological insights.
Her readings emphasize understanding life’s challenges within a broader context, encouraging clients to turn negative patterns into opportunities for growth and self-awareness.
What initially drew you to the world of astrology, and how has your journey evolved over time?
It came about quite ‘by chance’. I was a television producer making a documentary series about the paranormal, about which I knew little, and met an astrologer who offered to read my chart.
What intrigued me was not so much predictions about my future as the fact that he pinpointed my background and temperament from my date and time of birth. It offered a chance for me to understand other people in a way that had not been possible before. I set about learning astrology through books initially and then doing courses.
Practice, practice, practice, and testing out results by observing family, friends, and ultimately clients in the light of the astrological information from their birth chart was what expanded my knowledge base. Further down the line, I did a psychotherapy training which further deepened my knowledge of what makes people tick and is an indispensable adjunct to astrology.
How do you approach the balance between traditional astrology and modern interpretations?
Blending the best of the old with the best of the new has always been my motto. Test out the traditional interpretations which are most often profoundly insightful but can be limited by the culture of their times and the limits of astronomy of the day. Adding psychological wisdom which incorporates an element of free will to old-style ’fated’ interpretations has given astrology a new breadth and dimension.
What unique insights do you offer in your astrological readings compared to other services?
The astrology I practice in Zoom consultations and by email or audio offers an in-depth psychological understanding of family dynamics and relationships, a chance to explore what causes a client’s blocks and how to overcome them. Turning negative energy in the chart round to give it a positive outlet requires understanding and acceptance before the road ahead clears.
I am also keen to highlight the predictive knowledge that the birth chart offers since it explains why certain challenges and experiences are part of a pattern of the moment. Events may not be comfortable but astrology offers the certainty of a context for different phases of life. And even better it pinpoints when the difficulties are likely to disappear.
In addition to personal prediction, since we are all part of a humanitarian whole and all affected by similar celestial changes, my work with political and global astrology allows clients to know they are not alone in their reactions to the high anxiety or frustration of any given moment affecting everyone.
How can individuals use astrology for personal growth and decision-making in their daily lives?
Understanding yourself in depth for which the birth chart is the road map is the key to understanding why certain events and experiences keep recurring. They may seem to be ‘out there’ but they are inextricably linked to the nature of us as individuals. As Carl Jung says – that of which we are unconscious meets up on the outside as if it were fate.
Coming to terms with ourselves, the totality of us, not just the surface layer, is what makes the crucial difference – owning the parts we have cut off and which consistently trip us up.
Astrology offers a channel into self-knowledge that is available nowhere else. It also tells us that life is about potentials and possibilities and nothing is pre-ordained. We do have choices within the limitations of our innate nature. Carl Jung again – freewill is the ability to choose that of which we must do. You have to accept the hand of cards you were dealt at birth and see what is the best way of optimizing who you are.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their exploration of astrology?
Astrology is eternally fascinating and even after nearly five decades I still get a thrill when it explains the whys and wherefores of situations, relationships, and individuals. So it is worth slogging on through the initial stages. Learning it requires determination – someone once worked out a birth chart containing 2500 pieces of information some of which are contradictory.
Nailing down the meaning of 10 planets in 12 signs, in 12 different ‘houses’ of the chart, and in five major aspects to each other – and then prioritizing what is more important is step number one.
Once over the first hurdle, practice on family, friends, celebrities, and politicians in the news. Test out their birth chart with what you see and know. Do courses, read books, and use the internet where there are helpful, information-heavy astrology sites. If you want to go into practice, consider doing a counseling course whether related to astrology or not. Understanding people in depth and becoming sensitive to the risks of pushing too far too fast will all help.
Astrology can be a catalyst for change but it requires a thoughtful approach that is knowledgeable not just about astrology but also psychology.
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