<<How do experienced astrologers handle the ethics of chart readings? How long did it take you to learn enough be comfortable with it? Do you have any advice for young astrologers on these issues?>>

My first advice to young astrologers is to ask yourself why you want to read the charts of others. Know your motivations. The next step can be more difficult but equally important. Know your bias. There's no such thing as 'objective truth'. Everyone perceives the world through their own filters of belief and personal history that forms a bias, a kind of slant you put on things. Knowing what that slant is helps minimize self-delusion and maximize your perception of the slants of others.

The ethics developed in my practice have been hard-earned through making mistakes, correcting myself and making tough choices that clarify and define what I stand for. The ethics in my work start with two actions: I tell the client what I see (the symbols on the chart) and then I tell them what that means to me in the most honest, compassionate and non-dogmatic ways I know how. I look at the chart as a map for tracking the tendencies and inclinations of forces and states in the person's life. I don't believe in absolutes. Absolute beliefs are the same as dogmas. Though some tendencies can be more strident than others and mimic absolutes, I still refer to them as tendencies. This helps to allevaite the suffering caused by unconscious dogmatism.

What I don't do is fortune-telling, ie., I won't tell them when they'll meet the tall, dark handsome stranger and where they'll take that romantic ocean cruise. I also won't read for the unborn or for anyone under the age of 21. I don't have the heart to assume answers for those who have not lived long enough, in my opinion, to come into their own defintions yet.

My teaching and interpretive approach is choice-centered. I don't make decisions for anyone or tell them what to do. Hopefully, I offer enough useful information to inform their own decision-making processes. I also discourage client dependency. After someone receives three readings from me, I no onger am available to interpret their chart.

These components make up my core ethics which serve me well as a part-time astrologer (I remain 'part-time' by choice since I have other nonastrological interests that demand my time and energy).

b,

You said:
"I stopped reading charts when one of my friends refused to listen to what I said about keeping perspective and that he was responsible for his own life. Instead he took what I found in his chart about "feeling that he didn't get as much attention as a child that he felt he deserved" and turned it into an excuse to demand attention in inappropriate ways. It was like saying it out loud to him freed him to indulge in those desires and hurt everyone around him. I felt like it was all my fault."

I think you may have taken the wrong lesson from this experience. Instead of stopping reading ALL astrology charts, I think you should have stopped reading charts for THIS PERSON! ;-D Clearly they are going to use any astrological information they get to excuse their behavior. There is nothing you (or any other astrologer) can do for this person. However, there are LOTS of OTHER people out there, who are wandering lost in their life and all they need is someone to point out their surroundings so they can "orient themselves" in their life and start living their life to the fullest. It is for these people that the astrologer is useful, and it is these people the astrologer can help.

A common mistake made by beginning astrologers is confusing astrological information with control over another person's life. The astrologer can say whatever they want during the astrological consultation...but it is the responsibility of the person who is getting the astrological reading to use this information in their lives as the best they can. The astrloger has no control over or responsibility for what the person decides to do with this information.

Astrologizing the real world,

Tim

Hi B,

<How long did it take you to learn enough be comfortable with it? Do you have any advice for young astrologers on these issues?>

I started with astrology some 28 years ago (when I was in my twenties) and almost immediately did (free) chart readings for the people around me. I was full of self confidence by then, and couldn't see any reason why I should wait. I would not say it was a mistake. I never had horrible experiences with chart readings the way you had. In fact, I only had "clients" who were very grateful and satisfied. It goes without saying I never predicted their future - if they asked, I explained why I could not (we all have a free will and create our own future) and sticked with that.
I must say during all those 28 years I had just one paying client - by then I had about 15 years of experience - all the rest were friends and others in my immediate environment. For me there is a big difference between being paid for it or not. If someone is paying for a chart reading, I feel a lot more stress. The chart reading will be the same in quality, but for me it will feel very different.

I am a psychotherapist as well and I notice a lot of silmilarities in reading a chart or doing counselling. In both situations, you have to carefully weight your words. I am always aware of the immense power I am given by my clients. Even if I refuse, they still place me in a position where I am superior in some way. I am constantly aware of the fact that people will take my words for facts and some will keep those words with them for the rest of their lives. I am especially careful with people who claim they don't really believe astrology. In my experience, those people are the ones who will remember every word I said and start living accordingly. So with them I am extra extra careful and usually give a very shallow reading. By shallow I mean: not giving too many details that would upset them. I just stick to the talents they have and highlight them. For most people this type of chart reading (strictly informing about the talents) is very healing.

I am always aware of the fact that ultimately I am the one who makes a selection of the information a chart is presenting me. I do not feel a need to be complete. By complete I mean: tell EVERYTHING I see. However, I do feel a need to leave my "client" with an uplifting experience. Also, I am very much aware of the fact that people and charts are an unfolding process. By the time people are 50 years old, usually they have gained depth and self knowledge so you can do a different chart reading compared to when they are 25 or so.

My advice which others may disagree with is to only be as serious as the other person is. If they want a serious reading give them one, if they want generals about what signs are best for Aries to fall in love with then keep it light, unless you have a chart (and arguably even then) all you are dealing with is guess work so keep it light!

It's interesting that you mention the bias of the reader ...

One thing I played around with is starting out with a synastry chart between myself and a person asking me to read their chart.

I would never take money at this stage of the game because I feel so new. I also worry about making some kind of ethical mistake. At this point I have hit the nail a few times and totally missed a few others ... so I think I have to practice before I would feel comfortable placing myself in a teaching or professional role in regards to astrology.

I avoid talking with my friends and family about it ... but when they catch a moment to get me on the topic they do seem interested - I'll admit it. I usually am sparse with information I give to people I know ... I keep it very highly open ended hehe.

What I would say so far is that I am especially worried about ever denying a person's actual experience and choice ... it can be so tempting to do that! But I fear doing it very much.

what ARE the ethics of chart readings? I think that's the first thing we should think about.