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The Value of Case Studies: Documenting “Astrology in Action”

“Fate is the promise that life is not a random string of tragedy and comedy without meaning. Fate proclaims that our lives are in fact so meaningful, so necessary, that our stories are written by the gods and goddesses, by the heavens themselves. We may only glimpse our fate, hinted by the stars or the creases of our hands; but even this glimpse is evidence of our contract with the universe, that we are players in the great wheel of life and death and rebirth.” – Sy Montgomery, Spell of the Tiger 1. Many astrology books on the market today, indeed those that seem to garner the most attention in terms of sales, are dedicated to the exploration of techniques of horoscopic delineation, either re-interpretations of pre-existing approaches, or the introduction of new methods. Very often, although valuable in their presentation of skills that may be readily absorbed by students or implemented by working astrologers in their consultations, these books contain little documentation of astrology as it plays out in the lives of actual human beings, other than isolated examples of certain placements, aspect patterns, etc., which have been marshalled to validate the merit of the content.

If we ascribe to the notion that the Western horoscope presents to the skilled interpreter a blueprint for the individual soul’s journey, and, through its symbolic unfolding through time, the working out of their particular fate, then it might be argued that in-depth analysis of a given person’s life reflected through an astrological lens could be of equal value as an educational tool. This is particularly true, in our estimation, in the lives of those who rise to great prominence through their accomplishments (although not exclusively to those stars in the cultural firmament). Time and again, I have observed that the nativities of such luminaries demonstrate an extraordinary charisma and potential that cannot be gainsaid by the circumstances of their home environment or societal milieu – they have been touched by the hand of Destiny, for good or ill, and that they will leave their indelible mark upon history. Thus, motivated by a lively curiosity, in-depth exploration of high-profile horoscopes, not just their natal architectonics, but also their ongoing interaction with the transiting planetary background on occasions of great success/failure, illness and, naturally, death, can be regarded as providing the student of our art with a body of case studies illustrating “astrology in action”. Although such an approach might appear to be both selective and subjective, a case study of this nature, in a kind of astrological biography, provides the neophyte with the type of context dependent knowledge that research on learning has documented to be essential for aspirant practitioners of all types to develop from “rule-based” beginners to virtuoso experts. These highest levels in the learning process, that is, virtuosity and true expertise, are reached only via a person’s own experiences as practitioner of the relevant skills, nevertheless exposure to such case studies can provide a vicarious immersion in the practice of the discipline that will further facilitate such a transition.

1 http://www.notable-quotes.com/f/fate_quotes.html; accessed 4/18/20.

The presenter will introduce the participants to some noteworthy astrological case study books, and share some examples from his six volumes of essays, all available on Amazon.

MichelAngelo, M. F.A., Astrologer, Sound Healer, Author Advisor (former), Astrological Medicine, Acutonics® Institute of Integral Medicine. An opera singer, classical composer, pianist, astrologer, healer, diviner and writer, MichelAngelo has begun to make his mark on the international astrological community through his original essays. He has recently launched his own Substack channel, and is also a regular guest upon fellow astrologer and musician, David Bolton’s podcast, “The Path of Socrates,” discussing current events and topics of astrological interest. He recently appeared as a presenter on “East meets West”, synergies of Chinese medicine symbolism with Western medical astrology, for the CEU Guru Subtle Energy Summit. He will also offer a short presentation on his system of Planetary Vibrational for Moira Press in June 2024.In spring 2019, he published his first compilation, entitled Random Ramblings of an Astrological Autodidact, in both paperback and e-book format; it was very favorably reviewed by Mary Plumb in the Mar/Apr 2020 issue of The Mountain Astrologer, and has received several 5-star reviews on Amazon. A second volume, Miscellaneous Maunderings about the Starry Sky, was published in October 2019, also to 5-star reviews. A third collection, A Congeries of Cosmic Considerations, was published in November 2020. A fourth book, A Plethora of Planetary Proclamations, appeared in November of 2021, and a fifth, A Surfeit of Stellar Speculations, arrived in December 2022. Volume 6, An Agglomeration of Astral Assertions, has just been published, and will be available shortly. He also co-authored the ground-breaking book, Vibrational Acupuncture: Integrating Tuning Forks with Needles, with Mary Elizabeth Wakefield, L. Ac., M. S., M. M., internationally acclaimed expert in facial acupuncture, published in March 2020.MichelAngelo’s article, “The King is Dead”, a medical astrological analysis of Elvis Presley’s birth chart from both a Western and Chinese medical perspective, appeared in Oriental Medicine Journal; it was his third medical astrological article to be published by OMJ. He has published two articles in the former Dell Horoscope, the first a case study of tenor astro-twins, and the second an astrological dream analysis. He has had articles published in eight consecutive issues of Infinity Astrological Magazine; subjects of these essays include, among others, prog rock icon Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull, Paul McCartney (and the “Paul is Dead” conspiracy theory) and Herman Melville. He was a regular guest on the Jupiter Rising astrological podcast, with host Eileen Grimes, as an expert on classical music and composers. MichelAngelo is a co-author, as Advisor (former), Astrological Medicine, Acutonics® Institute of Integral Medicine, with sound healing pioneer Donna Carey, co-creator of the Acutonics® sound healing system, of the ground-breaking advanced level treatise, From Galaxies to Cells: Planetary Science, Harmony and Medicine. He has created a 3-part certification series, Planetary Vibrational Medicine, in which he synergizes Western medical astrology with Oriental medicine theory and practice, introducing a variety of planetary vibrational methods of remediation (gem elixirs, tuning forks) to address constitutional balance and imbalance as it is reflected in the Western natal chart and identified through other astrological diagnostic strategies. MichelAngelo is the Co-Director (with Mary Elizabeth Wakefield) of Chi-Akra Center for Ageless Aging, and, with Ms. Wakefield, has co-created some 20 different seminars on facial acupuncture and related modalities, including the 2-year International GOLD STANDARD FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE Certification Program. He and Ms. Wakefield have co-taught their acclaimed seminars on 4 different continents, to practitioners from 5different continents, as well as a myriad of North American and international acupuncture and sound healing symposiums. MichelAngelo sees clients for private astrological consultations and healing sessions with planetary vibrational bodywork in New York, and also remotely via Zoom.

https://www.michelangelo-medicalastrology.us


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