Above, a poor father of  4 just starting off as an astrologer after moving to California in my 2nd astrological move,  where I had unwisely given myself a heavily afflicted 4th house by prioritizing the chart  of one of my children over my own. (It worked.) Sometimes it's the mistakes that teach us the most. My discovery about the reality of the full relocated natal chart plus the primacy of house rulers was then sealed. Meanwhile there was nothing to do but beseech The Chartless, necessitating the search for a knowledge of higher value than astrological knowledge, which can only encompass and describe dualistic karma.
 
To my Clients:

I am posting this bit of writing on the  internet here  at my site for the eyes of my clients. I used to speak a bit about locational astrology (in public) and wrote  a little. I have long been woodshedding a book, "Locational and Your Life" which I intended to be my Astrology Opus. But I have a hard time getting moving on serious writing  on astrology. I would like  to get  any feedback anybody wants to  give on this material (center) as I am developing it. One thing that seems  true about me is that  I get writing and communicating  most when  I get mad.  Sure, I've dealt with scoffers, attackers, and skeptics here and there (such as online) when I've happened to speak about astrology. Nothing new. But lately I ran into a group who's uneducated attacks annoyed me a bit more than usual. Not because of the  content of their objections, but because it was a group that I had a bit more respect for.  So I began writing some material to deconstruct some of the obstacles to understanding that the average skeptic lays in front of himself on his path. Many of these points are things I've said for years, or  things I've  pondered for  years. Some of them are  more recent insights. In any case, any comments on  the article by my clients are invited, including typos and misspellings, or even tone and style. (I think my peppery ways are not always the best.) I also wanted to put it here simply to entertain as well as educate my clients. It lets you know some background of how I think about astrology generally.

You can email me about this article at:

julian@julianlee.com

Julian
 
 
Observations On Astrology Skeptics --  How To Seriously Study Astrology
Julian Lee
February 17, 2013

Preface
 
Most  don't realize that astrological phenomena play out in the following 6 realms:

1) What you think
2) Sensations in the body 
3) What you hear, see, or notice
4) Actions you feel like taking but don't take
5) Actions you do take
6) Occurrences (Events that Happen)

Notice that the list moves from subtle to grosser forms of manifestation. Astrological skeptics tend to focus on the realm of occurrences and events exclusively -- and the supposed desire to predict them -- when criticizing astrology. They believe that the goal of astrology is to predict exactly what will happen at Level 6.

But a given astrological transit, such as Mars-Quincunx-Saturn for example, will be found to be playing out in realms 1-5 long before any grosser manifestation in Level 6.  Long before anybody "knocks on  the door" (a Level 6 event occurs) the transit associated with that knock has been playing out in the mind, in bodily sensations, and the things seen out the window or on a walk around the block.

Meanwhile, what the individual does or doesn't do in the first 5 levels, what he notices or doesn't notice, what he allows or doesn't allow, actions he takes or doesn't take -- greatly modify what can manifest at Level 6.
 
Astrology is far more subtle, layered -- and magical -- than astrology skeptics are capable of anticipating. This is to be expected because the materialist type has already been denying the larger magic of the material world, itself.

 General phenomena and conditions can definitely be predicted, but conditioned by how one responds at the other levels of astrological manifestation. Because many of these are subtle realms, and because we have the power of going to sleep as well as slowing the breath and mind, and the power to notice or not notice a thing, to act or refrain from acting, and because no moment ever contains a repeat of planetary configurations, and  because every planetary configuration is capable of showing with a wide range of possibilities -- it is impossible to predict exactly what will happen.
 
Who would want to, when there is so much choice, and when predicting the future would destroy the pleasure of life?

Skeptics approach the idea of astrology (note they always approach "the idea of astrology" -- not astrology itself)  with false premises about what it is; or with unnecessary or absurd theories of "how it's supposed to work" such  as the idea of "planetary influences," "cosmic rays," etc. Or that it is supposed to "predict exactly what will happen in the future."

In this paper I point out that astrology is the one field where the materialist  insists on having a credible theory of explanation before he is willing to study it by watching his transits, or collecting many natal charts. With all other scientific studies, the phenomenon itself is studied as a phenomenon even though no theory yet exists to explain it. Then the theory explaining the phenomenon  typically evolves and changes. Only with astrology do the materialists require a final theory for "how it could be true" before looking at whether it is true. Because of this I suspect that they are reacting emotionally and irrationally to astrology. 

This is, I can only guess, because they view astrology as threatening to their assumptions about what the world is, or maybe  for other neurotic or emotional  reasons. I suppose it makes them afraid. Maybe it threatens to topple some of the paradigms by which they understand the world. Maybe they have met some simpleton astrology types who gave them a negative impression of what astrology is. Perhaps they instinctively know that it challenges basic assumptions about life and what the material creation really is: The extension of themselves and  their own mind. Astrology does lead you to that conclusion.

The scientist doesn't realize that he is only studying himself, his own mental projections; his own  karma. Astrological observation leads you to  that conclusion  faster than the scientists' studies. The scientist is led endlessly into the swirling eddies of his own mind that he calls The Universe, always viewing it as "other."

This paper is written to address the premises and childish refusal of astrology skeptics to actually study astrological correlation without having a satisfactory theory in hand. I also show how their starting premises are often irrelevant, optional, or useless. I then give practical advice for the study of astrology in which -- as with most other studies and investigations -- no theory-of-cause or explanation for astrological correlation need be in hand. You simply watch life and watch your transits (or study natal charts) and see what you see.
 
I hope that perhaps only 1 in a thousand skeptics reads this and becomes a natural  astrologer. As I mention below, I would not like to l live in a world in which astrology was any more popular than it already is. In astrology you meet your own self-projected law. Most  people are already burdened enough. As Jesus said, "Take no thought for tomorrow...sufficient to the day is the evil thereof." In other words, each day already has enough sorrows and limitations. Don't make it worse. Astrological knowledge is a burden. A wise man, after encountering astrological laws -- as subtle and mystifying as they are -- soon sets about trying to dissolve them in God's Seven Seas or burn them in a Divine Fire. Yet in my own life,  understanding astrological charts was the  saving grace that made me capable of bearing sorrows and staving off madness. All of this is just passing karma.  Astrology shows you that.

-- Julian Lee
 
Let me say at the outset that I'm thoroughly happy if the majority of people don't know about astrology, view it as nonsense, or fear it as is often the case.
 
Happy as punch. I would not like living in a world in which the majority of people had astrological knowledge. I am not going to explain why I feel that way, but let me say it at the outset.

Another way of putting it is that I have no desire to convince cocksure attackers, who pose as science types but are really approaching the enigma of astrology emotionally and who, unlike the scientist, demand a plausible theory of "how" before even looking at the phenomenon itself. Neither do I desire to convince the fearful and unadventurous about the universal cohesion seen in astrology. I have no wish to disturb anybody's world. I'm happy to leave them alone. My phone continually rings with the voices of those who have experienced the deep validity of astrological observation. From a purely selfish standpoint it is better that few know, for example, about my particular brand of locational analysis and how I find better locations for people where definite changes can easily be predicted. Thus I tend not to even gush to avid astrologers about astrology.

That's what it is, you  know.  Astrology is essentially the observation of the microcosm (humans) with reference to the macrocosm.  You don't need to believe anything or even understand how. Just watch. A good astrologer is a Watcher.

But it's more fun that most don't know about astrology in any convincing way. For one thing, people who are into their charts and transits are the most tedious and boring people in the world, to me. I'd prefer to talk to non-astrologers and I don't want a world full of white-knuckled  chart watchers. They lose the magic and they take away the magic for me.  But every now and then I can get drawn into explanations.

The essential claim of astrology is that there is a correlation between life phenomena and the planetary positions and movements.

Not that that correlation is not perfectly comprehensible, or that it correlates perfectly. We can say that traffic incidents like speeding tickets or parking tickets usually correlate with the transiting moon making a hard aspect to Saturn. But we can't find a set of transits sure to predict a parking ticket. On the other hand the hard moon transits to Saturn are almost sure to predict some kind of stress, mess, screwup, or unpleasantness. You find out about this easily by logging the planetary positions whenever you have unpleasant experiences.

The claim of astrology is not that one can predict exactly what will happen. Who would want such a life? And how could it be done when every moment is new, with no set of planetary configurations ever repeating exactly?
 
Astrology doesn't claim to be a science. That would be a downgrade. I'm insulted if somebody tries to praise astrology by calling it a science. Isn't it science and the scientific attitude that has most f---d up the world? And the thing that never delivers on its promise (to get rid of duality/problems)?

The best use of astrology, moreover, does not concern "happenings" much. It's best use is to give understanding and the comfort understanding brings.

It's very highest use is to enable the canny watcher to discern the difference between mere good karma and grace; the difference between transits  and the Transcendental. It becomes,  for the wise, the biofeedback system leading into states of grace.

Astrology is not a matter of temperatures, boiling points, weights and exact measures. No, it is not a mere unsatisfactory material science. It's loaded with layers, filters, modifiers, and mysteries. Just like the rest of your self-projected world-dream. In general astrology is far more complex and layered than the average skeptic (or uneducated critic) wants it to be.
 
Now let me repeat the essential claim of astrology: that there is a correlation between life phenomena and the planetary positions and movements.

Now to show that most skeptics are ill-equipped to even discuss astrology, let's ask: What is meant by "life phenomena" that ends up correlating with planetary positions? Where do these phenomena take place? This is where the skeptics are immediately out of their depth.

The realms of life phenomena that correlate with planetary positions encompass at least 6 areas:

1) What you think; what comes into the mind,

2) Sensations in the body (noticed and unnoticed),

3) What you hear, see, or notice,

4) Actions you feel like taking, or think of doing, but don't do,

5) What actions you do take

6) Occurrences. Events, 'Things that happen' or arise on their own, whether in the course of taking action or not.

Yes, astrological transits manifest as mere thoughts. And yes, they come out  as feelings in the body. And the most interesting thing is how you can walk around the block or through your neighborhood and immediately witness your changing astrological transits playing out -- just  in what you notice or observe. That phrase "notice or observe" is very key, and makes a big difference.

Notice that most of the phenomena of life play out in these 6 areas.

Likewise, astrological correlation can be studied in these same six realms.

Neurotic attackers of astrology (who have usually never studied even their moon transits much less their Mars-square-Moon) tend to focus exclusively on number 6 -- events that happen. They think an astrologer is preoccupied with predicting events.

The fascinating fact is that what is done/not done in the prior five areas will modify outcomes in #6, or events.

That is, whether you "notice" a thing in #3 or walk past it modifies what emerges in levels 4, 5, and 6.


They want a good theory before investigation

Normally when men wish to investigate a thing they look at the phenomenon itself. Only afterward they might try to come up with theories or explanations for the phenomenon.

For example, a early traveler might say "I went to Madagascar and there is a lizard that can change its color." Or "There is a bird that can eat poison." The fellow back home with a true scientific attitude will say, "I can't imagine how that could be, but I want to come there and study it." Then only after studying the phenomenon does he try to come up with theories of how/why. This is the correct approach to astrology, also. But a more emotional type will say: "I can't conceive of HOW a lizard could change colors. So I am not interested in coming to study your absurd claim." That is, he says: "I can't conceive of how planets could control/influence us, so I am not going to study it."

Notice that he has presumed astrology is about planets "controlling" or "influencing." I am an astrologer and I do't believe planets control or  influence! So he is, as usual, approaching it with false assumptions.
 
But more importantly, notice his emotional stance that he must have a satisfactory explanation FIRST, before he will deign study the phenomenon.
 
This is not normally how people proceed in investigations. They want to see the phenomenon first, then theorize about it later. But the astrological skeptic makes an exception with astrology: He must have a plausible theory before he studies the phenomenon itself. I would tell him: "Simply make journal whenever transiting Mars opposes, squares, or conjuncts your natal moon. Write down what happens." Pretty soon he'll be a 'believer' in astrology or at least realize there is something uncanny to it. But he won't have a theory of how it works, and he didn't need one. He just needed to study it.

But for some reason most ostensibly "science" minded men always reverse the normal processes of investigation with astrology. They say: "I can't conceive of how/why it should work, so therefore it must be nonsense and I won't study it." It's like the hometown fellow circa 1800 saying "I can't conceive of how a lizard can change color, so I'm not going to look at it. Only after you give me a believable theory for it will I look at your lizard." They also, typically, are carrying lots of baggage in the form of theories (such as "planets cause things" or "planets emit rays" etc.) They must have a believable and logical theory in hand first before they will study the subject. Only with astrology do they reverse things this way and require a believable explanation first.

The skeptics typically approach astrology with a catalog of pre-registered premises about the "how" of astrology: that planets "cause" or "control," or that "cosmic rays" are emitted from planets, or that there is "a scorpion in the sky," etc. (It never occurs to them there there was never a scorpion in the sky, and one can connect star-dots in limitless ways to imagine fanciful pictures. For the "precession" fanatics, they don't realize that the 0 Aries point is still the spring equinox and that these creatures never existed in the sky.)

Another of their false premises is that astrology is supposed to predict "exactly what's going to happen." They have this expectation even though at each moment a completely unique set of planetary movements is occurring -- one that has never occurred before in history. (Even if the main purpose of astrology was to predict "what will happen," if every moment in time involves an unprecedented, never-occurred set of planetary configurations, how can anybody predict exactly what will happen?)

Theories about the Northern Lights continually change, yet we always studied the Northern Lights. Why do astrology skeptics require a fixed-and-final satisfactory theory for astrology they will actually study it?

Even in the realm of material science the theories that explain a phenomenon are found to change. At first they think the sky is blue for one reason, then another. At first they think fire makes blisters for one reason, then another. At first they think cancer is caused by one thing, then another. This is one more reason the theory-before-study astrology scoffers are ridiculous.

When entertaining their unnecessary theories on approach to almost-study astrology, they include crap

Notice too that the scoffer approached it burdened by assumptions about theory or cause that are not necessarily true: That planets "control" or "influence." I have never believed they control or influence, and yet I am an astrologer. Rather, they correlate, in a synchronous universe in which all things are related because all perceivables are the property of a perceiver. Or we could say everything is connected because everything arises spontaneously from one divine source.

A farmer may have noticed that the deer come down into a certain meadow of his about a week before a frost. He notices that the deer are down in the meadow, so he figures a frost will be coming soon. Is it because he believes the deer "cause" the frost? No. He just knows everything is connected. There is no need to approach the study of astrology with a theory of "how it could work" any more than the scientist needed to have final explanation-in-hand before studying the lizard.

The same farmer may watch the barn swallows swoop low on a summer evening and reckon it will rain by sunrise, based on past experience. Is it because he believes the Barn Swallows cause it to rain? No, again, he just knows things are connected. Astrology works because everything is connected. Your dreams at night have everything to do with you, because you are the dreamer. Likewise in the waking dream of a material cosmos you also find yourself (your life shown in astrological charts, etc.) -- because these projections -- skies, earth, and "charts" -- are likewise just yourself.
 The real claim of astrology is that there is correlation between microcosm and macrocosm. Not that planets are causative. If a fellow actually wanted to study astrology as a phenomenon he would see if it's true.

How to truly study astrology

To best study astrology, one watches life while also watching the astrological positions, without preconceptions. As with all other studies, there is also no need to have a logical theory about "how" or "why" it could be true. It is only needful to study the phenomenon in itself.

I would recommend these steps:

 -- Meet 50 people who have their natal Saturns in square, opposition, or conjunction to your natal moon and observe what your interactions are like.

-- Watch the transit of Mars squaring your natal moon at least 4 times (over years) and journal about what goes on then.

-- Observe the hours when transiting Moon "hits" your natal Saturn. Do this for a few years. Do this and observe what takes place in 6 realms: 1) What you think, 2) Sensations in the body, 3) What you hear, see, or notice, 4) What you feel like doing but don't do, 5) What actions you do take, and 6) What happens. (Note: Nitwits always focus exclusively on this last of 6 fields of astrological phenomena, exclusively.)
 
-- Take all the times you were stopped by a traffic cop (given a ticket, etc.) and note what the planets are doing both in the sky and in your natal chart. (Similar examples are endless: The times you see a pretty woman, the times you cut yourself or have a physical accident, the times you see people in wheelchairs, etc.)

I know that astrology is a true phenomenon because I have watched it daily for 30 years. But it's more subtle, and more deep, than the typical scoffer wants to allow for. One of my working theories for how it works is that all arises spontaneously from one divine source, thus all is connected. Planets correlate, in a synchronous universe. You cause the planets; looking at them is looking into a mirror. These theories of how/why are very different than the theories with which skeptics typically encumber themselves as they scoff without actual study.

Astrology is a lot like this:

Two jungle dwellers come out of the jungle and sees his first pool of still water. The first jungle dweller gazes into it and sees a being there. Just then the being moves its arm. At the very same time, the jungle dweller notices that he, himself, moved his arm. He says, "That being in the water made me move my arm."

The 2nd jungle dweller, gazing at an image in the water, and seeing its movements corresponding with his, says: "Maybe that is just me." Astrology's the same way. The planets are just a mirror. They don't cause you; you cause them.
 
And yet it is more subtle than that, because look at the 6 areas I listed above. What one does in the earlier stages (thought, body feelings) has influence in what happens in the later fields (things done/things happening). For example, just being a good observer -- which most people are not -- of small things (item 3) "satisfies" a great deal of astrological movement, and can modify the outcomes in 4, 5, and 6. (Noticing the beggar on the street vs. not noticing them.)
 
 Astrology is profounder than what average minds are prepared for, and most critics approach it 1) with no actual study, and 2) false premises about it.


The Six Levels on a Trip to Los Angeles

I mentioned that worldly life happens in at least 6 levels, and that astrology also plays out in the same 6 levels. Let's review them:

1) What you think; what comes into the mind,
2) Sensations in the body (noticed and unnoticed),
3) What you hear, see, or notice,
4) Actions you feel like taking, or think of doing, but don't do,
5) What actions you do take
6) Events. Things that happen or arise on their own, whether in the course of taking action or not.

Let's have a demonstration:

A woman is driving to Los Angeles from Ventura, California for a little business meeting. At this time transiting Mercury is in an opposition to her natal Saturn. She has studied your life, watched her transits, and made many notes of past events and astrological positions. She knows that breakdowns, accidents, or cop events are often associated with transits to her Natal Saturn. She has figured this out by observation. Maybe she has noticed that the moon is usually in some aspect to Saturn, also. And this is one of those times.

Let's say that what she wants in the 6th realm, of happenings, is simply to arrive in LA without incident. She don't want any 6th realm outcomes except safe arrival.

Already the planetary phenomena are playing out in the 6 areas. Already there is a Number 5 -- she is taking at action. She has an obligation to go to this business meeting with a potential client. (Obligations often arise during hard transits to the natal Saturn.)

At this time she may feel a discomfort in your body as she drives. Maybe an itch. Maybe the skin of her back is crimped against the seat behind her for a moment. This was the transit at number 2. If she is unaware of itch and ignores it, the transit has to keep evolving and manifesting in the other levels. Instead she is aware of it, but decides to end it. I would do the shamanic trick of letting the itch remain -- if I knew I was driving under difficult transits. But she shifts in her car and she scratches her itch. No more pain. Now the Mercury-Saturn opposition is 'looking' for something else to do, some other way to hit her.

Cosmic Karma-Busting Tip of the Millennium:

Allowing transits to  "work out" on one's body is  the best way to mitigate them, flatten them out, deflate them, or even kill them.

At this time for some reason one of her old jobs comes into her mind. She was fired from that job. She thinks of the people involved, the boss who fired her, and relives it a little. She processes on it and gets new understanding of that event. This is the transit manifesting at Level One, the level of thought. This was very good for her trip and a good thing to think about at this time. But it is unpleasant, so she turns on the radio to forget those memories and change her mood. The song that's on is one she doesn't like. It reminds her of a bad period. She goes searching for one she likes. It is difficult! She turns off the radio.

She should have left it on. Radios, TV, music, and media are great ways to let transits express. The bad song was just her transit. So was the thought about the old job and the firing. Had she left the radio on she would have heard more songs she disliked, and likely some nasty news, or a talk radio conversation that was negative and unpleasant. This would have been good, but she wanted to avoid and stop up the transit at Level 3. (Things seen and heard.)

Now there are some people broken down by the side of the road. A woman is standing there and a fellow is down on his knees in a busy place trying to jack up their car. This is her transit manifesting at level 3.

She only barely notices them. She doesn't give them much mind. In fact she could do major "noticing" -- even ponder each situation for a while. But she don't even pay attention to them. This was the Mercury-opposition-Saturn manifesting at Level 3, Things Noticed and Seen, but she didn't make use of it.

As she passes the exit to Coldwater Canyon she think it would be fun to pull off and get a fruit smoothie at that favorite smoothie place she likes, next to Whole Foods. This is the transit at Level 5 -- actions you feel like taking. (Under the transits to Saturn people feel negativity and pain, even subconsciously, and instinctively want to go toward some kind of pleasure.) Had she gone there, associated with the transit she would have likely had some disappointment, such as the store being closed, a server being rude, or her smoothie not smooth. That is, with some luck. It's as if there are lawful times to have fun, and times when Saturn "doesn't want" you to have fun. (To use language creatively.) But instead, she decide to be austere and pass up that temptation. This was good. Had she had fun with the smoothie stop Saturn would have had to, as it were, slap her harder somehow on this trip.

At this point by foregoing that desire she was feeling, she is beginning to give "satisfaction" to the transit. She are suffering because she did not take that action. In other cases a transit becomes satisfied because you do take an action, maybe one you don't enjoy or one you do enjoy.

Now she gets to her location in Santa Monica and it's hard to find a parking space. This would be typical for the transit. (Assignment: Log all the times it's hard to get a parking space; look at the moon transit etc.) Somebody parks sloppy just before she gets there. The woman even takes up two spaces. She has to spend extra time looking for a parking spot and park at a greater distance away. Rolling up the windows, the handle breaks off in her hand. Getting out of the car, our driver catches a screw on her runner and it makes a tear in one of her favorite skirts. As she heads down the sidewalk an unpleasant looking street person approaches her. He, also, is her transit. He says lewd things. She ends up 20 minutes late to the business meeting and embarrassed.

These items are Level 6 items now. The parking trouble, the tear, the street person, and the late arrival are all part of "things happening" at level 6.

Predicting these are things that the astrological skeptic tends to focus on as being the goal of astrology. However, they are modified (even controlled) by what's done or not done in the other levels.

All that is required is that the transit (Mercury-opposing- Saturn) be "satisfied." Had the driver looked at some of the people broken down along the road, on her trip, outcomes at level 6 would have been different. Had she noticed her itch or bodily discomfort, and especially allowed it to remain without trying to get comfort, it would have modified the level 6 outcome all the more. Had she indulged in pleasure during this transit (Level 4) and found a great Smoothie Shop, it is likely that the outcome at level 6, because the foregoing pleasure was contrary to the transit, would have been grosser. For example, she may have a Level 6 outcome such as a traffic cop pullover, or a little bump in the parking lot, or a malfunction of the car. Her austerity in not going to the Smoothie Shop along the way protected her.

What the individual does at Level 2 and 3 are powerful modifiers of what can happen at levels 4, 5 and 6. An itch left unscratched, or a pebble left in the shoe, are powerful satisfiers of certain kinds of adverse transits, for example. Along the way, this woman could have made even greater use of Level 3 -- the noticing of things seen and heard. She didn't pay attention, but there were 3 broken down cars along the way she could have "taken in." Had she pulled over at a convenient spot to offer assistance to a safe looking person, it would have given further satisfaction to the transit. There was a cop over on the left oncoming freeway who had pulled over a speeder. He was her transit. She didn't notice this. She could have also turned on the radio and been treated to some Talk Radio that was very unpleasant, upsetting or crude. That would have been her transit expressing, also. But she unwisely left her radio off. There were also some unpleasant persons she could have noticed in cars, some with monster hair, some hitting their kids, a woman with a tattoo on her face, plus a guy with his radio cranked up really loud with a song that she dislikes. However, she didn't do the wise things and notice any these things. (Received the transit at Level 3.) Had she done so, it is likely (and this based on my experience) that she would not had the parking difficulty, or torn one of her favorite skirts, broken the window handle, or been late.

One can receive and satisfy all astrological transits at the level of mind, at the level of sensations in the body, and at the level of things seen and heard. What manifests at Level 6 (Events that happen) depends on what is done and not done, noticed and not noticed, at the other levels.

When you go to sleep, all transit phenomena associated with the world immediately dissolves. You master everything, taking down the entire circus tent. Likewise, when you sit in one spot and meditate you reduce the grossness of 'astrological manifestation' (life manifestation) greatly. Action itself expands astrological manifestation. Non-action mitigates it and flattens it out. Let's say you liked to walk through a grove of willow trees on your way home from school. One day you started down the grove and there was pollen on all the hanging fronds. If you will stop there, you will get no pollen on you. It's only as you move forward (act) into the willow grove that you get the pollen all over you. Likewise, it's when you take action during various transits that you "get the transit all over you." Action makes the transit potential expand, just like her trip to LA. Had she spent the day knitting and watching TV, she would not have torn her dress, encountered an unpleasant beggar, or insulted her client by being late. Other things would have happened, but with less action likely would have been less dramatic. Astrological potential expands with action.

For these reasons, and because astrological positions at any given moment are ones that have never occurred before in history, nobody can predict exactly what will happen and that is not astrology's purpose. But you can get to know the typical phenomena that take place during, for example, the transit of Moon-quincunx-Natal Saturn. And to do so is interesting, makes life more fun as well as more in your control, and gives a lot of protection, understanding, and peace.