Ingrid's Quest, Part III

Cancer Research

To continue the saga of the first steps into medical astrology, I will jump forward a bit to the story of how I became so involved with cancer. Dr. Tucker asked me to choose a surgery date for a patient who was scheduled for a double mastectomy. There are two main concerns for a medical astrologer who is asked to select the best date and time of those available. The horoscope for the operation itself must assure the best possible outcome, i.e., no mishaps in the operating room, minimal complications as a result of the surgery, and as rapid recovery as is possible. We could add to this list a few nuances such as reducing the risks of recurrence or the need for second or third operations. For all intents and purposes, the outcome of an operation is the same as with any other astrological work. I.e., we look to the fourth house to see how the matter will end, but there are countless details to consider. My experience in all the years I have been doing this is that astrologers have relatively little choice of dates unless the surgery is purely elective. So as not to confuse terminology, in this instance, "elective" might refer to cosmetic surgery rather than a condition that is potentially life-threatening. I mention this so as to be extra clear since "election" charts have a specific meaning in astrology and the surgery chart is indeed one kind of election chart, but in this instance, "elective" refers to surgery that is optional or that can be postponed without risk.

The second issue that concerns medical astrologers is the compatibility between the doctors and the patient/client. In the particular case in question, there were to be two teams, each headed by a chief surgeon. The teams would be operating simultaneously, and the compatibility with the one surgeon was excellent but not with the other. I had only a small number of choices for the date and time and none for the doctors.

Being concerned for the state of mind of the patient going in for such serious surgery, I did not quite know what to do with the information I had in front of me. To clear my head, I went out for a bit. In the meantime, Dr. Tucker phoned. I was living in rural Kona in the days when phone service was not as miraculous as it is now. My phone line was shared with my mother who lived next door. She offered to walk over to my house to see if she could make any sense of the notes on my desk. When I returned, my mother announced that she had taken care of the delicate matter by relaying the information on my desk. I was half insane and shrieked, "What, you advised against the operation on the basis of my notes knowing that her anxiety level would be over the top?" My mother believed that people need "the facts" because only then can they make good decisions.

From that moment on, I have kept everything confidential under lock and key.

Months passed and one day the patient asked if she could meet me in person. She was exceptionally well-groomed, actually totally beautiful, and yet very anxious. We talked for a while about her husband and her son, and then she said, "You don't understand." She ripped open her blouse and what I saw has never left my mind. One side of her chest was absolutely immaculate and the other looked like raw hamburger. I was in total shock, but very quietly asked which doctor had operated on which side. This was obviously very important because her horoscope as well the date and time of the surgery were obviously identical. If you want to take this even further, you could say that her mental and emotional states, her diet, her issues with family members, and even her struggle with life and death issues were all identical. The only difference was the compatibility with the doctors.

This was an absolutely immense realization for me, and it took a quantum leap once Morrnah Simeona came into my life. For those of you have not been following my posts for years and years, she was an amazing kahuna and mentor who left an indelible impression on me. Keep in mind, I was young, only in my thirties, and worlds and worlds were unfolding with each new experience.

Morrnah had several very important teachings. One was that in order for healing to take place, the obstacle to cure had to be removed. As simple as this sounds, it must be obvious that very few have put this common sense advice into practice. The reality is that most major tasks are undertaken at the convenience of the person performing the tasks. Another crucial lesson that impacted me profoundly was that the aura of the practitioner must be absolutely clear.

To make this come alive for others, Morrnah said that one should be able to walk through an aura without feeling anything at all. When we had a retreat on the Big Island in the late 70s, a few people told me that Morrnah did not have an aura. I suggested they were inside it without realizing it. If someone is clairvoyant and used to seeing auras, a point like this might be denied so I proposed they climb a mountain and then look for her. Her aura was so immense that one could only see it from a great distance. You can then imagine what it is like to be inside her aura. It is perhaps an experience only to be compared with being in the arms of a Great Mother.

This teaching was reinforced when I listened to Drs. Smita and Pankaj Naram explaining what their guru taught them. He told them not to go to work if they were not in harmony with each other. If they had any personal issues to sort out, they needed to do this before seeing patients or cancel the appointments for the day. I have to confess that I have sometimes rescheduled people because I did not feel I could offer my best, but a teaching like this makes clear why those who guide others should keep their own lives in order. Therefore, the art of becoming a good astrologer involves some very important personal practices, some of which are difficult for beginning students.

Perhaps all doctors and healers have to wrestle with some components of the diagnostic process. This is a potentially toxic undertaking because we are asking what is wrong, not what should be. Therefore, the mental training has to be efficient enough that the problems can be assessed and understood in as short a time as possible. The moment one has completed this process, the emphasis needs to shift to the means and methods for correcting the problems. Finally, it is the duty of all serious astrologers to maintain a blueprint of the ideal so that the subtle components of the psyches can meet in the unconscious realms. In those states, the astrologer's matrix has to hold the ideal, the image of perfection, if you will, so that the client or patient can retune whenever there is a feeling of going off balance. This is an immense responsibility and demands that the astrologer can manage his or her own life without dragging "stuff" into the relationship with the client. Of course, it also means that the astrologer can function as a soul, not simply as someone with access to information that is mysterious to the uninitiated.

This piece of the whole also makes it clear why "mini" readings are just ridiculous. One should commit enough to the process that the bigger picture comes into focus. Otherwise, things go out of focus this way and that.

Additionally, we see why the technical tools must be sharp because inadequately trained astrologers cannot get through the challenges of finding the cure. They get stuck in the questions and problems and with what is wrong rather than what is right. Nothing is more of a disservice to anyone else than to be told that his or her karma brought forth the need to have certain experiences. True as this may be, the information is not useful to anyone.

Over the years, I have seen lots of quick fix programs, but the reality is that everyone who counsels someone else must first clean up his or her own act, and this, of course, is no easy undertaking. For me, it does not matter which methods have been used to awaken to one's own spirituality. What matters is that one is faithful to one's own path and willing to use one's knowledge in the service of others. One should also keep in mind that regardless of what the fee is for counseling, there is no payment at all for what happens on the unconscious level. Both the astrologer-healer and patient could be sound asleep, but the commitment does not stop simply because the work takes place off the clock. This is the part of the work that is pure service, nothing more.

I just realized that I got so involved with the story that I have not actually explained how my involvement with cancer unfolded. There was a researcher named Emylu Lander Hughes who had been collecting data on cancer. She had published two articles in the AFA Bulletin and I contacted her for advice. She said she had a recurrence of cancer and wanted to turn her work over to someone else. She sent me mountains of data and thus began a more than 40-year rendezvous with cancer, story to be continued.

Meanwhile, the books I had sold out immediately. I ordered more and created new pages. There are now four pages of books.

http://www.astrologyofhealing.com/aoh_shop/astrology_history.php

Some people have asked me about astrological software. I have not done side-by-side comparisons for several years, but here is a nifty free astrology clock with a demo video that explains how to use it:

http://www.alphee.com/air_programs/astroclock.htm

For those who ask what I use, the question might be more or less irrelevant, but the answer is Janus. I am however having compatibility problems since leaving Windows XP.

Part IV, The Odyssey