I had lunch the other day with some ex colleagues from the old partition job. Actually, all of them had left the Mothership some years before I did, but we still catch up from time to time.

Naturally the conversation got onto what I’m doing these days given that I’m a corporate refugee.

You see, I’d hidden the astrology thing from most people while I was in Finance and IT- well, except from those who were broad minded enough to either not pass judgement on me, or who could expect that I could do my corporate job despite my rather non conventional belief systems.

I don’t have to hide it anymore.

The looks around the table from all bar my old Sagittarian boss said it all.

‘But you don’t believe in that shit do you?’

‘I always thought you were smarter than that.’

‘I never had you down as a wanker, Jo.’

‘Is that why you wear you hair out now?’

‘You’re even dressing like a hippy now.’

Ummm hardly- it’s not like I have to do the business uniform and heels any more!!!!!!

Usually I get quite defensive and even apologetic when confronted by this, but this time I took a sip of my wine, smiled and let them get it out of their system.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is not to try and convert anyone- I’ll leave that to the religions. It irritates me that I’m expected to justify something that I do, but would never consider asking them to do the same- I have no right to impinge on anyone else’s free will. So, you’re into…..? Seriously? I never had you down as one of those!

The other thing I’ve learned is that I don’t actually believe in astrology. I just do it. There, I said it. The reason I don’t believe is because I don’t see what we do as a belief system. I do, however, have faith that astrology works. I see it work over and over and over.

The reason I love what I do is because I love the potential. Hey, I’m a Neptunian, a Jupiterian. Opportunity and Potential are my raison d’etre.

I’m not in this game to pick a date for you when Mr Right (or Mr Right For Now) is going to step into the room. I’m not in this game to try and predict my future- or that of anyone else. On the whole, I choose not to- for no reason other than I also have faith in the future. I have to.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t glance from time to time at my chart and check out the themes that I’m being asked to work with- I certainly do that, but because my potential to grow is that much greater if I do.

I will use it to maximise the potential of success- that’s what electional astrology has been used for umpteen hundreds of years for.

Likewise, I’ll cast a horary to predict the outcome of a footy game or a job application, but more often than not it’s telling me what I already know in my heart.

What I don’t do is look at my chart with an impending sense of doom and try and forecast when the shit’s gonna fly. And if the brown stuff has already hit the whirly thing I don’t see a lot of point in looking for a planetary figure to blame- hindsight is great, but time consuming. I can’t afford to lose sight of the horizon. That’s just who I am.

What I love about astrology is how we can use it to make the most of the talents and challenges you are born with. I love how you can use the transits and the knowledge of the themes or learning opportunities coming up to confront fears head on.

That’s why I write about workplace astrology. I enjoy matching charts with careers, workplaces. The idea of using astrology to coach and to recruit and to be the absolute best version of ourselves that we can be is, to me, extremely exciting. It’s the reason I still do Your Career & the Cosmos.

It’s also why I’m now spending countless hours completing a manuscript that is, for all intents and purposes, using the stars to understand your mind-set around food and weight. Stars and Scales. I’ve identified certain aspects that no matter what sign your Sun, Moon or Ascendant is in, will make your relationship with food problematic.

I love that knowing this stuff I can choose to go easier on myself or to take action. I love knowing what days of the month will present alerts on the diet front and what days will bring the sort of workouts that have me jumping out of my skin with energy.

I love that it’s about free will and free choice. I love that the choices we choose to make will be influenced by the chart promise. I love that it all somehow works together. I love that it works. I love that I can practice astrology and still believe in the other things I believe in. I love that I never stop learning.

That’s the thing about astrology.

You can practice using traditional planets and fixed stars or you can throw in as many asteroids and aspect types that you choose.

You can be entirely traditional, entirely modern, or somewhere in between. I love that we don’t have to agree.

I don’t practice in the same way as others do. That’s ok. I no longer even mind if other astrologers take exception to the way I practice. That’s ok. It’s all part of the Uranian message to be true and authentic.

So, I’ll write about it, I’ll teach it, I’ll talk about it, but no more will I apologise for myself about it. Astrology, that is.