Astrology is a widely known word and you can see horoscopes, predictions and trends all over the internet and media. How can you separate what is good and what is bad? We asked that to Cassandra Joan Butler, an astrological consultant with more than three decades of experience, in this interview for MysticMag. Check out what she has to say and what are the signs that the stars are showing us now.
How did you discover your gift and your interest in the area?
I grew up in the sixties and, as a nine-year-old child, I was interested in Astrology, which was just beginning to make a comeback at that point. I had a wonderful childhood because my mother especially was extraordinarily supportive of everything and anything spiritual and psychic. We even explored tarot at the kitchen table!
I had an extraordinary education. At age 13 I was identified as “gifted” and so I attended Calasanctius School in Buffalo New York, which was run by Roman Catholic priests, refugees from the Communist takeover of the Hungarian revolution.
My teachers at Calsanctius encouraged us to develop our individual talents through personal inquiry and projects. My focus was on mythology, and spirituality. The priest teachers taught me comparative religion, and meditation. It was an enriched environment.
Another strong influence which ignited my psychic spiritual gifts was Lily Dale, which is the worldwide center of spiritualism located an hour’s drive from my home. I was taking psychic enhancement classes there as a teenager. I’ve been affiliated with the Lily Dale community as an adult: teaching and serving as a psychic medium. It’s been a blessed part of my background.
You have more than 30 years of experience. What do you believe is the main benefit for your clients taken from that long journey?
I think anyone who works as any type of consultant brings some of their life experiences into the conversation. Like everyone I have had to navigate all sorts of difficulties. But my spiritual background has served me well, and I do share that with others. I should also mention I went to Cornell University for Social Work, and I also went to Syracuse University for a master’s degree. So, I bring a lot of my educational skills into the room when I consult with people.
You mentioned that, in the Sixties, Astrology was coming back. Now, I believe it’s very popular again all over the world: there’s no shortage of predictions and influencers and maybe even not so good information out there. Do you think this popularity is positive for Astrology? Have we gone too far?
So, the explosion of Astrology on the internet is great, but it can be confusing to discern who is a reliable professional astrologer. I recommend that everyone do a little research before selecting an astrologer. Ask questions like, how long have they practicing, who have their teachers been, and are they affiliated with any of the international astrological organizations. That’s a start because anyone can call themselves an `astrologer.’
I am affiliated with all the top international astrological organizations in the world and have had the honor of teaching at the United Astrology Congress, SOTA, and the Kepler Conference, and others. I work at the Cosmic Intelligence Agency writing and doing social media videos and workshops and have been published in such journals as ‘Time Lords’ and the ‘Career Astrologer’ put out by the Organization for Professional Astrologers. Check to see if your potential astrologer is affiliated with any of these fine organizations: NCGR, ISAR, AFRAN, or OPA. We astrologers are mavericks; we self-monitor ourselves through these organizations to ensure the integrity of the practice.
I’m also a licensed medical practitioner. I do massage therapy. That’s another part of my service. I do healing, and I must maintain this medical license. This makes me a bit unusual because as I identify as an astrologer but also do body healing.
You offer a wide array of services. Can you present them?
My most popular service is the integrated reading which combines astrology, psychic mediumship, and tarot. A client receives three services in one. I also do Universal Healing Protocol which can be shared in person or by zoom. This embodies the astrology with shiatsu so that clients can practice self-healing on themselves.
So, I’m experimenting with a lot of different techniques to help my clients.
I have all sorts of clients. Some come once a year, others come once a week. I have clients the world over thanks to zoom. I offer classes and community events and workshops. I am client centered, meaning I’ve devoted my life to master many skills to assist others on whatever they may need, mind, body, and spirit.
Where are the signs that the stars are showing us now for the world in general?
I love what’s called mundane Astrology, which is looking at the cycles for all of us. A simple explanation for those who are learning Astrology is to always look where the eclipses fall. The eclipses are like a barometer for the collective.
The eclipse cycle, represented by the lunar nodes shifted on January 19th, 2022. People were asking me, “when is COVID over?”, and I said that COVID is over on January 19th, 2022.
Of course, it’s not over. It’s never going to be over. It’s a virus, but the conversation shifted to Ukraine’s potential invasion by Russia. The news stories on that day flipped from a focus on the pandemic to other difficult issues reflective the Taurus/Scorpio eclipse cycle.
The main issue of 2022, all of us are navigating is fear about global security. You see, the North node in Taurus points us to Taurus issues: food, shelter, money. A theme of the South Node in Scorpio is anything related to death and rebirth. No wonder the collective is concerned with the potential of world annihilation, relative to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Supply chain and economics are all Taurus. Scorpio also rules secrets, lies and manipulation: people across the world are a little bit more suspicious of what’s coming out of their government leaders’ mouth. We’re going through an awakening, of looking at what true power is.
For the average person, circle the dates of the eclipses in 2022. How did you change on April 30th, the solar eclipse? How did you change on May 16th? How will you change at the end of this year, on October 24th or the 8th of November? Those are the eclipse power points of the year, and it’s all about power manipulation, control, and fear about our basic survival.
Besides those eclipses’ dates, do you have any advice for our audience to prepare for those changes?
Yes, of course. The first thing is to work through personal grief. I do a lot of classes on helping them identify personal grief points and I can give you one right now.
There’s a point right here beneath the nostrils. Before going to bed, meditating, praying, pulse this point. Pulse the point on their hands, which is right here in the web between the index finger and thumb. Breathe in images reflective of Taurus. This sign is in all our charts somewhere. It is associated with beauty, love, abundance, and security. Ground yourself in Nature. Hug a tree, or at least connect with flowers!
Then, also reconnect with losses and disappointments and let go of grief of the past two years in your personal life. We can’t tell whoever is pulling strings out there in any individual country. But we have a lot of control over our own emotions.
There is an awakening happening in 2022 with people feeling that they don’t want to be told what to do. This reflects the theme of the past two years of COVID. The eclipses were in Gemini-Sagittarius which represents data versus truth, media, versus individual thoughts, freedom versus information. We are still trying to sort out `what happened’ over the past two years. We know that we’ve not always been given the entire truth by our authority figures. So, be your own authority.
Everything changed on January 12th, 2020. Me and a group of Astrologers knew the year of 2020 would be like a year like no other, that only happens every 600 years: it was a lineup of the grumpy old man energy, Saturn, with the power “mafioso” planet, or the underworld planet, Pluto, aligned together in the sky in the sign of Capricorn. Capricorn represents rules, social structures, and the elite. This doorway in 2020 represented an imperative for the world to change, transform. And rebuild.
On December 21st, 2020, we also started a cycle in Astrology when Jupiter and Saturn aligned in Aquarius. This cycle lasts for 20 years. People are recognizing that we’re all one part of one human family. The Internet is a huge tool to help us connect with anyone on the planet at any point in time. Technology, like anything in life has a shadow and light side. My prayer is that we humans use the technology and never become enslaved by it.
Astrology is a language which allows us the gift of wisdom through detachment. When you observe the natural made cycles—from Creator—unfold on this plane you will be empowered. You will be able to work within the cosmic context and feel free to develop your authentic self. Moreover, astrology teaches us compassion. We are all made of the same ‘star-dust’ but express our selves in individual ways. Differences melt away when you understand them. Astrological wisdom never ceases to amaze me!
