March/April 2001 Conscious Media
Planets &
Possibilities:
An Interview with Astrologer Susan Miller
by Connie Hill
Susan
Miller has been an astrologer for 25 years and is the author of
the new book Planets & Possibilities. Her award winning
web site, Astrology Zone (www.astrologyzone.go.com)
is read by millions. She is also a monthly contributor to Self,
McCall and Ecompany Now. Susan has appeared regularly
on national TV, including The View.
Connie: How long have you been working with astrology?
Susan: I've studied astrology since I was 14, and I've
been writing since 1988. I started with the bridal magazines, first
Bridal Guide and then Modern Bride. In 1992 I began
writing for McCall's, which has just ended their astrology
column. Rosie just bought the magazine and she threw the column
out. She is going to be calling the magazine Rosie, starting next
month.
Connie: So is she anti astrology?
Susan: Yes and so is Oprah which is too bad. I feel that
in spirit Oprah is so close in philosophy to me and astrology offers
you a wonderfully structured way of examining your life. I think
Oprah assumes that we are puppets of the planets, but I can see
why she feels this way. I'm on the news a lot and I keep trying
to teach the producers that "astrology is not destiny."
I do like to predict though, such things as trends, opportunity
and areas of tightening and difficulty. I also love to use a chart
to find talents--this is one of my favorite parts of astrology!
I think we are born perfect little babies and that we just simply
need to be encouraged to follow our potential.
Connie: I agree. And I also believe that a lot of times
when we are having problems it is because we are going against aspects
in our chart.
Susan: Yes, that is the biggest thing I learned growing
up. Things happen that are not our fault or that we can't foresee.
But obstacles can be preparation. It's not what happens, but how
you deal with what happens. I also think that eclipses pull us by
the hair, kicking and screaming, out of one situation and many times
into a far better one. So, I always tell my readers, "Don't
be too quick to judge an eclipse. Wait and see what's really happening.
Connie: Sometimes when a planet is aspecting in to my chart
I hate it. Like having a Saturn or Pluto square to a planet.
Susan: You know, I find that Saturn and Pluto are the most
maligned planets. With a Pluto aspect, people get scared and think
someone is going to die. But Pluto gives you opportunities from
very big people. It can also mean money. And Saturn is the
planet that rules the things we are most proud of in our lives.
Connie: What was your favorite part of writing this book?
Susan: It was really fun writing the history of astrology
because it's not that easy to find and it was difficult because
there were so many advancing armies and changes of power in Mesopotamia
and Babylon.
In 2-3000 AD farmers used the sky as a big newspaper and calendar.
They would look at the sky and when, say Taurus was on the horizon
they would think about sowing the seeds. When they saw Virgo in
the sky it meant "I've got to get going. I can't leave things
until Libra; it will be too late." Only the kings could afford
astrologers. So the average person needed to be able to read the
skies for them selves. When the Greeks and later the Romans came
in, they changed some of the interpretations slightly but not radically.
It was also interesting to learn that we didn't start with 12 constellations--we
started with many, many more. Finally someone said that we need
to focus and bring it down, so all of the many constellations’
impacts were consolidated into the 12 we have now.
Also, it was fun to write down the information about each sign
and focus on what that sign ruled. I wanted to make it clear that
each sign had a special gift. I wanted it apparent that we all need
each other and everybody has a piece of the puzzle.
Connie: Thanks, Susan.
Susan Miller will give a workshop at New Renaissance Bookshop
on Saturday, March 10 from 1-3:30 pm. Call 503-224-4929 for information.
Connie Hill works at New Renaissance Bookshop and is a local astrologer.
She can be contacted at 503-291-8229, ext. 2 or gmnite@yahoo.com.