Astrocartography:
Traveling
by the Stars
by John
Benson
The world's best known story begins with the arrival in
Jerusalem of wise men asking, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews,
for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him." I know
little about astrology but also recognize that I know little at all. And as a
practical Yankee, I tend to respect anything that works. So a few years ago,
while groping with the intuition that it was time to move west from Virginia, I
came to a crossroads in my life where I, too, entrusted my future to the stars.
The turning point came during my research on what evolved
into an international New Age vacation guide. I was scanning a magazine when my
eye landed on a colorful ad proclaiming "Your Location Changes Your
Life." The small print promised that astrological principles could be used
to reveal "your unique power zones on a map of the world." To obtain
a world map showing lifelong planetary power zones plus an interpretive
booklet, all I needed to do was send a modest sum plus my birth time and place
to the service vendor.
Astrocartography
My respect for astrology had come from a natal reading by a
friend — a gifted practitioner of the divinatory arts. Her knowledge of me had
been so accurate that I had at first rebelled — feeling trapped by fate. But she
had also taught me that life's fixed circumstances can be used as guideposts
for wise action. So I called my friend for advice. Yes, I was told, she knew of
this particular astro-carto-graphic service and held it in high regard.
When I received my world map and interpretive booklet, I was
impressed with how accurately this material summarized the general nature of my
experience in the regions where I had lived up until that time. If astro-cartography
was accurate with respect to the past, I reasoned, it could also be accurate
with respect to the future. And I was ready for a change. A few months later, I
quit my job to begin the process of writing and publishing a book — an
international travel guide to spiritual and holistic vacations and retreats.
Being self-employed would give me the freedom to make a major geographical
move. However, as I was abandoning a steady and significant income, the move
would have to be in harmony with good prospects for my new endeavor.
After carefully studying my astro-carto-graphic map, I
boarded a plane bound from Washington, D.C to the Pacific Northwest. I stayed a
week. The early spring weather was mostly rain, but the people were friendly,
the region appealed to me, and I felt at home. So six weeks later after a week
long transcontinental drive, I unpacked my U-Haul truck in the west hills of
Portland, Oregon.
Things Start Happening
On my map, Portland is close to the Sun in the Midheaven
line. According to the interpretive booklet proximity to this line is "good
for promotional work", particularly in the "artistic or creative
world". In addition my map shows
Portland to be close to a Jupiter/Mercury latitudinal crossing. The booklet indicates
that for me, this region is auspicious for enterprises such as mail order,
publishing, travel and writing.
Within a month of arriving in Portland I joined the Portland-based
Northwest Association of Book Publishers. Nine months later, my book came off
the press. It has since been accepted for distribution by several major
wholesalers, reviewed in regional and national "New Age"
publications, and picked up by two national chains. By late summer, I had even
been interviewed on a TV morning talk show.
As suggested by my chart, my new home was also proving to be
a pleasant place to live. I loved the mountains, the giant Douglas firs, and
the temperate climate. I also loved Portland's slow paced city of quiet parks,
tree shaded downtown streets, an abundance of bookstores and sidewalk cafes,
and a citizenry known for its independent and creative spirit.
In summary, I recommend astro-cartography (also known as
"astro-locality") to anyone considering a major geographical move, an
extended sojourn, or even vacation travel.
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