The moon helped me lose weight
Astrology guides my every move
Christine Chalklin, 65, from Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Craning over my mother Ditiane’s shoulder, I looked, fascinated, at the complex chart she was drawing up. ‘What’s that?’ I asked. I was just a child and had no idea what she was doing.
‘It’s an astrology chart,’ my mother explained. ‘I’ll show you how to do it when you’re older.’
She wasn’t a professional astrologer but it was a serious hobby, and my grandmother Melita was also an enthusiastic follower of this ancient practice. Growing up, it was normal to hear my mum and grandmother discussing the SODQHWV DQG WKHLU LQÀXHQFH RYHU WHD
When I was 11 years old, my mother taught me the basics of astrology. She told me about the meanings of the sun signs, the 12 planets and the houses.
Different houses
I learnt that each astrological house in a birth chart represents a GL HUHQW DUHD RI \RXU OLIH )RU example, the 5th house represents love whilst the 10th house represents career and status.
But I didn’t take a proper course in astrology until the 1990s.
And since then, I’ve used astrology to help me make all of my big life decisions.
I’ve come to see the birth chart as a cosmic map, a way to navigate through life. The planets and their SODFLQJ FDQ R HU guidance for change and transformation.
Last year, I started to feel really sluggish, and I put on a few pounds. I knew I needed to make some changes – so naturally I consulted my birth chart.
Using astrology, I could see that I had both Jupiter and the moon in Sagittarius. The moon is all about emotions and connected to eating habits, whilst Jupiter is a big heavy planet, and anything it touches expands, including your waistline! I realised I was over-eating for emotional reasons. I cut down the amounts I was eating, and made my diet lighter and less carb-orientated.
Before, I was eating cereal with milk for breakfast; now I have fruit.
For lunch I was having pasta and cheese; that changed to soup and salad. For dinner I usually ate meat and potatoes; now I have a bean stew with feta cheese. I’ve cut down massively on sugar too – but you have to enjoy some treats so they’ve not gone completely.
Even so, thanks to these
Faith in the stars
I’m a Libra and my partner Alan an Aquarius
changes, I’ve lost a few pounds without trying and my clothes are looser and more comfortable.
Astrology can also reveal the best exercise for your star sign.
I’m a Libra, the sign of the scales. Yoga is all about balance and working with both sides of your body – so it’s ideal for me. Since I’ve taken it up, I feel so PXFK ¿WWHU DQG EHWWHU LQ P\VHOI
I also go swimming twice a week because Pisces is in the health area of my chart. Pisces is the sign of the ¿VK DQG ZDWHU VR ZDWHU FDQ ERRVW my health.
I feel much healthier, thanks to the insight from the planets.
Moving home
In December 2015, my partner Alan, 65, and I wanted to move house. We looked around and found our dream home – then discovered that the agent wanted to give us the NH\V WR RXU QHZ KRXVH RQ D VSHFL¿F Friday at 10am.
Alan – who’s an astrologer like me – shook his head. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea,’ he said. ‘The moon is square Saturn then. Let’s wait until later in the afternoon.’
The moon is all about the home so any planet squaring the moon FRXOG FDXVH GL FXOWLHV ,I ZH KDG
gone ahead and collected the keys at 10am there was a strong likelihood the keys would have been lost or another problem would have surfaced!
By waiting until later, when the moon had moved away from the square, we were reducing the chance of any mix-ups. Our house move went smoothly, so we GH¿QLWHO\ PDGH WKH ULJKW GHFLVLRQ moving the time!
Holiday plan
As well as moving house, I always consult the planets before booking a holiday. Two years ago, Alan and I wanted to treat ourselves to a trip abroad. We agreed on Tenerife and didn’t need astrology to tell us the best time to go was winter – to escape the cold at home.
However, I did use astrology to pick the place – hence choosing Tenerife. This kind of horoscope is called astrocartography, or location based astrology, where you imprint your birth chart on the possible location. The chart reveals the type of energy that will be present in that location for you.
We had a great holiday, because I already knew that we were ‘compatible’ with that area of Tenerife!
Talking of FRPSDWLELOLW\ ZKHQ , ¿UVW met Alan at an astrology conference in 2002, in one of the workshops, I was immediately drawn to him – but of course I needed to check that the stars approved ¿UVW!
Star chart
‘What star sign are you?’ I asked. ‘In fact, I’ll need your birth date to draw up your chart!’
As it turned out, he’s an Aquarius and I’m a Libra. This is a great match as we’re both air signs, meaning there’s lots of chatting and a real connection. Air signs are all about thinking and gaining knowledge, shallow relationships are not for us.
I knew we’d hit it
R ± DQG ZH GLG 7KHUH was one problem, though. I lived in
Surrey and Alan lived in Pontefract – a good
250 miles apart! But we made it work, and after seven years together – well-known in astrological terms for being part of the Saturn cycle – I decided to relocate north.
Again, we looked at the planets and it was a favourable move for us ERWK 1RZ , KDYH P\ RZQ R FH DW home where I draw up charts and do readings for my clients.
I’m also a life coach and I use astrology to delve deeper and help SHRSOH UHVROYH LVVXHV DQG ¿QG WKHLU true authentic role in life.
Alan also has his own home
R FH ZKHUH KH GRHV KLV DVWURORJ\ work although he mainly writes about astrology and football. He looks at all the player’s and manager’s birth charts to see how the energy of the planets are
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We both believe that you can ignore the planets if you wish, but WKHLU LQÀXHQFH ZLOO VWLOO EH SUHVHQW
It makes far more sense to swim with the cosmic tide and the planets rather than against them.
It works for me, anyway!
For astrology guidance from Christine, visit her website yourguidinglight.org