For over 20 years, I’ve immersed myself in astrology, conversing with friends, clients, and students about their journeys to discovering this field. Common among their stories is a profound crisis that prompted them to seek answers beyond conventional religion or psychology. As both a student and teacher of Sher Astrology, I feel compelled to share my own story, which veers towards the spiritual aspects of astrology.
I never fit into any social group growing up—not with the athletes, the academics, nor the theater kids. I was a loner, unsure of where I belonged. While I briefly joined the chorus because I enjoyed singing, I couldn’t read music, and even this interest faded. I did have some friends, but not a close-knit group to regularly hang out with. The fear that no one would show up if I hosted a party was very real for me, though I only realized at my 20-year high school reunion that people actually knew I existed. Despite feeling like an outsider, when I considered whether I truly wanted to belong to any of those groups, the answer was a resolute no.
I spent much of my youth observing and contemplating human nature and existence. The pervasive pain, sadness, and anger I saw around me led me to question the point of our being here, especially given how horrifically we often treat each other. This sense of alienation was compounded by an intense spiritual experience—a flood of transcendent love that seemed utterly incongruent with the world I observed. My family wasn’t religious, but even my brief stints at Sunday school left me disillusioned by the hypocrisy I witnessed: people behaved one way within the church walls and reverted to their usual ways afterward.
For much of my life, I grappled with existential questions, often feeling out of place. The church didn’t provide the answers I sought, and I intuited that therapy might not be able to help either. When I was about 20, an older neighbor who dabbled in astrology asked for my birth details. For my birthday, she gave me a cassette tape of an astrology reading. I was astounded by how much the reading resonated with me, considering she had little information and we had never met. For the first time, I felt seen on a cosmic level.
It would be over two decades before I revisited astrology. This time, I delved deep into its study, seeking answers to my longstanding questions and a better understanding of the spiritual insight I had received as a child. Astrology provided a framework through which I began to see the cosmic significance of my experiences. A quote by Rumi resonates deeply with me: “You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. What you seek is seeking you.” This quote, particularly the last line, encapsulates the essence of my journey—what you seek is indeed seeking you, and this convergence happens when both are ready.
Transpersonal Astrology has taught me about the cosmic needs we each fulfill, which are often bigger than we can initially comprehend. It’s more than the roles we play the world and yet it also includes them as well. As I’ve followed the breadcrumbs laid out by transpersonal astrology, I’ve discovered not only my own calling but also how each of us is intricately connected to a larger cosmic purpose. If you are seeking to understand your place in the cosmos and your deeper calling, transpersonal astrology might just be the path that reveals it to you, as it did for me. Contact me below for more information.
Carol Pilkington, CSA
Spiritual and Astrological Counselor
