Join MysticMag and explore the cosmic journey of Alex Trenoweth, a renowned astrologer whose unique insights have captivated audiences worldwide. From a skeptical pre-teen to a professional who combines astrology with education and family dynamics, Alex shares her transformative experiences and the profound impact astrology has had on her life and work.
How did you get into astrology and what sparked your interest in it?
When I was a pre-teen, my mom was reading through a Sunday special in our local newspaper about astrology. She read that she was a Sagittarius, which meant she was “lively and adventurous.” Even as a young person, I couldn’t see how this description came close to describing her. Then she read my sign, Cancer (I was born on July 20), which meant I was “home-loving and shy.” I concluded that astrology was a load of rubbish, and from that point on, whenever anyone asked me for my sign, I’d say I was born on the cusp of Leo. Several years later, a college friend asked me if I was a Leo, and just to be contrary, I said I was a Cancer. She then said something that changed my entire perception of astrology: “You must have the Moon in Leo.”
I had never heard of such a thing and watched in awe as she drew up a rudimentary chart for me. It turned out that, not only did I have the Moon in Leo, but also my ruling planet, Mercury, was in Leo. From that point on, I wore out the only book I had on astrology and wanted to know more but had no idea how to pursue it. When I moved to England, I happened to be watching morning TV when Russell Grant came on talking about transits and aspects, and I just knew there were other people who spoke the language of astrology, and I had to find them. From there, I enrolled with the Faculty of Astrological Studies and eventually completed an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology. Now I travel all over the world attending astrology conferences and have seen my work translated into several European languages as well Farsi, Mandarin, and Hindi. It’s been quite an adventure.
How does astrology for families work, and how much is it different from working with individuals?
From my early experiences with astrology (concluding that astrology was a load of rubbish), I knew that I did not want to write pop astrology for newspapers and magazines. After looking at my chart in more detail, I saw that I had Jupiter in Cancer on its exalted degree (in the 2nd house), so I knew that if I focused on children and families, I could carve out my own niche in the astrology world. By this time, I was a professional schoolteacher and, while I was banned from telling parents or students that I was an astrologer (I worked at a Christian academy), I found ways of using astrology that didn’t threaten my teaching career. I began focusing on the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn and, with my background in psychology, built a framework based not only on astrological theory but also on psychological principles.
My astrology work primarily focuses on the family dynamic, where I consider the charts of the whole family and how they support—and hurt—each other, finding solutions for healing the ancestral wound that exists in every family. It’s important to remember that no one—not even me—has the qualifications to see children on a one-to-one basis, which goes against child protection and safeguarding guidelines, and could land an astrologer in very hot water if things go wrong. After many years of practice and honing my approach, I’ve found an area I enjoy, and dare I say, am very good at, with the experience to back it up.
What can you tell me about the education aspect of your work?
Teaching is a very difficult career and I faced so many struggles in the early years that I wanted to give up. However, on one particularly bad day, I realised that, as we teach children by year group, the children in my class would be one of two possible Jupiter signs, and the school’s entire cohort would have one or two Saturn signs. It was a realisation that quite literally saved my teaching career. I went from a nervous and frustrated newbie to a confident, organised, and prepared professional.
After observing how children learn over a full Jupiter cycle, I felt I had gathered enough research to write my first book, “Growing Pains: Astrology in Adolescence.” The book was well-received and even won a major award at an astrology conference in India. Teaching kept me extremely busy, but eventually, I decided to focus more on my astrological practice. This led me to leave full-time work in favor of a less secure but also less confining role as a freelance teacher.
As an author, what books have you written and what are they about?
I’ve written two books, each born from years of research and passion. My first book, “Growing Pains: Astrology in Adolescence,” is based on my research into the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn and their impact on children’s learning and development. My second book, “Mirror Mirror: The Astrology of Famous People and the Actors Who Portrayed Them,” was inspired by my interest in biographical movies. Since 2009, I had watched over 200 biopics and kept astrological notes on the relationship between the real-life person and the actor who played them in the movie. During the pandemic, with more free time than I ever thought possible, I selected the best 100 films to analyze and extended my notes into more cohesive text. With the help of my publisher, The Wessex Astrologer, we published the book. Both of my books are rooted in actual research rather than just pumping out general, superficial content.
You also provide Tarot services. Can you share a few details about that? How are the readings structured and what benefits and insights do Tarot readings offer?
I’ve often said that a good astrological consultation can help save a client years of therapeutic work given there are no complications requiring other, professional intervention (such as bereavement, suicide risk, or medical problems). Astrologers do need to be careful about what problems they take on measured against their training and experience. Tarot services can get to the core of a problem even quicker which can bring up its own challenges. Very often clients just need a confidante or a sounding board to sign post warnings or to give a green light to new initiatives.
With Tarot, cards are chosen by the client and placed into a spread. I exclusively use the Celtic Cross and occasionally add a few cards if there are any outstanding questions. It’s a rare occasion that the cards don’t reveal the undercurrent of the querent’s situation. In live consultations, I also use Palmistry to help me understand a person’s general personality. I also have a theory that people crave the human touch but of course, since the Pandemic, caution must be exercised. Astrology, however, is my first love, and Tarot and Palmistry came about as an extension of my interests in the esoteric. For all three branches of learning, I offer workshops and group/party, as well as private consultations.
To learn more about Alex’s work, you can visit alextrenoweth.co.uk
