How to get the most out of your astrology reading
/Ok, so you've done the thing — you found an astrologer you liked, you dug out a copy of your birth announcement or birth certificate to find your exact birth time, and you've booked your reading. Congratulations!!! You are making a big investment in your self-knowledge, self-trust, and self-development.
But it can also be kind of intimidating, especially if you've never received a reading before. That's why I'm doing a whole series of blog posts about astrology and answering some basic questions, like how to prepare for a reading, what to expect during a session, and other tips and tricks to help you get the best possible experience.
But in this post, I talk about what happens during the session and how to get the most out of your astrology reading, once we're sitting down together.
Share what is on your heart
I have a whole blog post dedicated to how to prepare for your astrology reading, which goes into detail on what you can do before the reading. And an essential part of the preparation process is to reflect on what questions you have for the astrologer and the topics you want to discuss.
You don't need to have a list of 10 detailed questions — just a couple of topics or points of interest is fine. All that matters is that you're open and honest with me about what you want to discuss — because otherwise, how am I going to make sure you've got what you need out of the session? Astrologers aren't psychics and we aren't mind-readers. Sometimes people can be tempted to "test" their astrologer by not sharing all the details of what's going on. I highly recommend you don't do that. You don't go to the doctor and only tell them half your symptoms, right? I can't give you the best possible interpretation if you aren't being completely honest.
Be present and focused
Let the reading wash over you. Astrology readings have a ton of information. You ARE going to feel fully saturated with information by the end of it. It will feel overwhelming and like you can't possibly wrap your mind around it. That feeling is perfect. That feeling is how you want to feel after a reading! Trust me, I still feel that way after I get readings or study astrology. That feeling means you are learning!
Here is the trick to an astrology reading. The real work comes after the session when you watch the recording and sit down to write notes. During the session, your job is to simply be as present as possible, ask lots of questions, and share examples from your life experience. There's no way you can remember everything we discuss in a 90-minute session — so don't even bother! That's what the recording is for.
If you suspend your need to control the session or to absorb every piece of info, you will ultimately end up learning and integrating much more information. The trick is to save the "learning" portion for watching the recording and to simply be present, in the moment, during the astrology reading itself.
Be an active participant and ask soooo many questions
Astrology readings are dialogues, conversations, and exchanges. As the reader, my job is to situate the two of us within your chart — I will do a lot of explaining of basic concepts, and walk you along with me as I describe the major placements in your chart. You then have the opportunity to reflect on how that resonates with you, where you see those themes in your life, etc.
In all my years of doing this, I have found that the clients who have the best experiences are curious about what I'm talking about, ask a lot of questions, and share examples from their life. The more you engage with the reading, the more you will learn and the deeper the information will be integrated.
Readings are really special because so often we have sudden downloads, flashes of understanding, or ideas that seem to come out of nowhere. During the session, if you feel motivated to share something, or if an idea comes to you, just blurt it out!!! Interrupt me, don't wait for a pause. Don't try to remember the idea to write down later. Say it out loud!!! Because that way, when you watch the recording, you'll have that thought captured and ready to be reflected on.
Some people like to journal and take notes during the session, but other people find it hard to concentrate on note-taking and the conversation. I suggest having a pen and paper on hand, nearby, if it helps you to focus, but for the most part, I recommend doing detailed notes after the reading — see the final section on note-taking for more info!
Immediately after the reading...
The real work of the astrology reading comes after the reading finishes. After we say goodbye and log off Zoom, the first thing you should do is tend to your body. You've just sat for 90 minutes and had your brain exploded by the magic of astrology. Take care of yourself!
Drink some water, eat a banana, do some gentle stretching. Maybe go for a walk with your partner or roommate and tell them about your reading. Let the reading float around your brain, let your mind tumble over it.
Within 24 hours of the reading, jot down some of your initial impressions — how did the reading make you FEEL? What did you learn about yourself that feels new and fresh? What surprised you? Did anything upset you? Was anything disappointing or challenging? Let yourself free-write or process in whatever way feels best. If you're not into journaling, a voice memo/recording would work great — just do something to help you integrate and process.
Watch the recording and take detailed notes
If you book a session with me, you'll receive the video recording of the reading (video file) within 48 hours. Once you receive the reading, download it onto your desktop and save it in a safe place where you won't delete it.
And then let it simmer for a little while. A week or two is ideal — but more 72 hours after the reading. You want to let the reading float around in your brain for a little while before you start to process it fully.
Once you feel ready, carve out a couple of hours to watch the recording and take notes. I know, I know, I know — you probably HATE the sound of your voice or watching yourself on screen. The thought of watching the recording makes you want to cringe. I GET IT! I feel the same way.
But I promise all of those awkward moments and embarrassing flubs aren't a big deal at all, and it won't be as bad as you think. And the thing is, this is the most important part of getting a reading. This is how you get the most out of your reading. This is where the integration work happens. When you take notes, you are processing the information and filtering it through your lens and understanding.
Get out your favorite notebook, pens, markers, highlighters, pencil crayons, stickers, washi tapes... whatever will help make the process more fun and engaging for you. If you have an artistic or creative practice, this is a wonderful way to integrate those two pieces of yourself.
Take notes from the reading. Focus on the descriptions of your major placements, and whatever themes came up in the session. If we talked about specific dates or transits, be sure to write those down and highlight them for future reference.
This is truly a creative process and there's no "right" way to do it. The important part is that you are ACTIVELY reflecting on what we discussed and creating a written record you can refer to in the future. You are MUCH more likely to re-read the notes you took, rather than sit down and watch a 90-minute video again.
Leave space in your notes for future reflection
I recommend leaving a blank page or several blank sections in your notes so that you can return to those pages in the future and add more notes and reflections. Maybe there was a placement I described that didn't make sense at the time, but then six months later, it clicks into place. Maybe we talk about a transit that in the process of happening, and after it's over, you want to go back and record what happened.
Doing this will make the impact of your astrology reading last years instead of just a couple of hours. It will help ensure the experience provides value to you for decades, rather than just being a one-off experience.
By working with our astrology readings this way, we become more fluent in the language of astrology, we understand our charts on a much deeper level, and we can get so much more out of a reading.
If you have any questions about your upcoming astrology reading, send me an email!
If you haven't signed up for one, what are you waiting for? Book a reading today.