Interesting concept

From this month's Mountain Astrologer magazine, there's an article in it called "Symbolic Substitution and the Way of  Participatory Astrology."

"Symbolic substitution is about choosing to act in line with the Flow of Time by using astrological symbolism as a road map. The trick is to consciously substitute one possible future for another."

What does this mean, exactly?

"You are standing at a crossroads regarding your dead-end job, and your spouse is pressuring you to make a change in order to make more money. Is this really an astrologically appropriate time to make a change? Your past and your culture's "normal" expectations tell you to make the responsible choice and stay within the bounds of whatever society and your spouse deem logical and appropriate.

The Now is pushing on you. Your rational ego says you should give yourself a month to find a decent job, and you should immediately start looking in the newspapers. But external reality is not cooperating. Saturn is conjunct the ruler of your 6th house and squares your Mercury and your Midheaven. You get desperate and begin to practice New Age ritual magic in the form of creative visualizations and affirmations; still, nothing changes. Contrary to your most superficial wants and needs, this is not a time of opportunity for you on that level. Perhaps you need some time to develop new goals. Externally, you are at a red light, and you will only become stressed over the difficulties you would have to face in achieving unclear goals just now.

You see that the progressed Moon will change signs in six months and will enter Capricorn, the real sign of career. A month after this passage, the ruler of the 10th house will make a favorable aspect to Mars, the ruler of the 6th, and Saturn will be well past its square to the Midheaven. All of this suggests that the Now is now the time to make a change that involves public and work-related life. Your ego is trying to define the Now as your past history wants it to be. But the astrological code says this is a time for reaction, not conquest- a time for consolidating your position, getting organized, and being patient with the Now. But there must be some action. Knowing that Saturn is square your Mercury and the progressed Moon is still in Sagittarius but void of course, you choose to seek temporary work organizing legal matters. Or you look for a temporary job that represents a closure of some kind, maybe a sporting goods store that is taking inventory or even closing down. You seek a temporary job that is like one you've done before. In other words, you don't look for the next step in your career. And if you look for things that are actually described in the astrological Now, you will find opportunities that are appropriate and true for you."

In other reading, I also recommend the article on how horary helped find the author a condo.

I normally don't follow Vedic worth a damn, but this bit from this month's Vedic section applies to me as well (gee, who knew Princess Di and I had so much in common), and I was amused. Yeah, I can't wait to see a literal prince end up on MY doorstep...

"If the 7th-house lord is stronger than the 1st-house lord, such people are likely to marry "above themselves." In Princess Diana's chart, her 7th-house lord (Venus in Taurus) is significantly stronger than her 1st-house lord (Mars in Leo)."