issue 32// vol 47

How astrology can benefit
your mental health

life & style // no. 19

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» An interview with astrologer Rylen Alistair Moore

Alexis Zygan
Staff Writer

 

M any folks have turned to astrology
to provide predictions for when
they should brace for the worst. The
pandemic has heightened some people’s
anxiety and despair. I spoke to student
astrologer and founder of podcast It’s
Just a Phase, Rylen Alistair Raye Moore,
about what drew him to astrology.
After our conversation, Rylen decoded
my natal birth chart and shared
insights into what I needed to face to
live in alignment with my higher self.
Astrology for mental health necessitates
introspection.

Rylen is no stranger to feelings
of depression; “I attempted suicide in
2018 and after that, I was searching
for meaning outside of my religious
upbringing. I found astrology and
unlocked a whole world that I hadn't
known existed which really helped me
get out of that dark place,” he explains.
To this day, he cultivates hope and
understanding through the study of
transits and retrogrades. A transit is an
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planet makes a transit throughout the
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can last as long as two years for Mars.
(For a reading of current transits, you
can find out on cafeastrology.com.)
For folks reading, get ready for Jupiter
entering Pisces. This transit provides an
opportunity to forgive those who hurt
us. Pay close attention to our dreams as
they may signify our future endeavours.

As more people step away from
organized religion and embrace
alternative forms of connecting with the
universe, astrology flourishes as a tool for
self-reflection. Horoscope Today podcast

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by Parcast delivers personalized messages
for the 12 zodiac signs to anchor listeners
for the day ahead. Despite the popularity
of astrology, skeptics doubt its validity.
Astrology skeptics can learn a lot from
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his dad a full-natal-chart reading. The
information helped his dad see the value
of astrology. “There is the good, the bad,
and the ugly—and if you're not willing to
look at [those aspects] astrology might
not be for you,’ explains Rylen.

A natal birth chart encompasses
seven personal and social planets.
Generally, people only know their star, also
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sign the sun is in when they are born.

The sun stays in a sign for approximately
30 days. There are 12 signs in the Zodiac
(Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo,
Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces), along
with 12 houses and six planets (Sun,
Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and
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and one of the 12 houses—and each house
has a different meaning. To learn more
about what each house means, check out
a resource on Cafe Astrology. Horoscopes
in the paper are fun to read. However,
their simplification of predictions based
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The absence of personalization breeds
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enjoys reading newspaper horoscopes.

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date and time of birth. It was my first time
accessing services from an astrologer.

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reading, I opened the email to reveal a
10-page document breaking down my
natal chart. Rylen explains, “natal charts
are a timestamp of where the planets
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you were born. The combinations are
almost endless.” This is why even though
my roommate and I have the same signs
in sun, moon, and mercury, we are quite
different. The reading broke down each
aspect of my chart with specifics that
resonated with my personal life. Especially
the component about my inability to
think ill of others despite the harm they
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working ag to 5. asked Rylen to explain,
based on my natal chart, where I should
focus my energy. My Mars and Venus are
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a blockage. The 12th house is associated
with karma, endings, healing, closure,
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Ryan describes, “that feeling of screaming
out but nobody being able to hear. It is an
endlessly frustrating position for Mars to
be in, and certainly plays out in your life
in a myriad of ways that I am not privy
toyet.” Reading his words, I felt seen in
my struggle with asserting boundaries
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to understand this aspect of myself,
I have acquired the ability to set rigid
boundaries; I'm no longer the pushover I
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For readers interested in receiving
a personal planet reading, contact Rylen
on his Facebook Page for It’s Just a Phase
and schedule an appointment. Studying
astrology can foster spiritual growth
and healing, or even dictate what career
path to pursue post-college. For folks
roLKacia—e STO BLU aN CoWBKoctel Teta son
suggests The Only Astrology Book You'll
Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk.
The text goes into detail about all twelve
astrological signs in the zodiac and their
compatibility. The updated version of
the book endorses getting in touch with
authentic emotional needs.

Illustration by Udeshi Seneviratne