Astrology and Attention

I could write much about the intersections of astrology and attention, and this is just one angle of view on that intersection.

Practicing astrology is about more than just technical knowledge and skills

One key part of being able to read the sky or practice astrology is learning the concepts and techniques. Another key part requires paying attention with as much honesty and humility as possible to the world around and within. And paying attention often and regularly enough to see connections and patterns between our experience and the astrology.

There's no right or wrong/good or bad. Some people's attention is elsewhere, for all kinds of important reasons. The time or peace that supports introspection aren’t luxuries everyone has at all times in their life. But if for whatever reason, one isn't able to or isn’t interested in paying attention to their life/themselves/their surroundings, along with the movements of the sky, and if one isn’t able to reflect on experiences and their meaning, then astrology is going to be difficult to practice or apply beyond understanding the technical concepts.

This is also why awareness practices pair well with astrology or any form of divination or omen reading. To read the sky, we have to read the earth. And to read the earth we have to notice whats going on in and around us.

Besides awareness and attention, reading the sky accurately is also bolstered by honesty and humility. We have to be clear and honest about what we are perceiving in order to pair it accurately with the symbols/omens. This requires noticing and unlearning personal biases persistently for the rest of our life.

As a practice of trying to know, astrology works well with any belief framework that encourages surrendering to the unknown, or to the inherent mystery in the unfurling of life. Mystery that in some amount will still be there, regardless of astrology’s ability to expand our knowing or understanding. And finally, humility helps us to operate with care, knowing the reasonable limitations of this practice.

Proficient technical skill is the foundation and bare minimum if applying these tools to our or another’s life, and these other elements (attention, clarity, honesty, humility) are what elevate the use of these tools beyond that foundation.