Services

The practice of astrology is unavoidably holistic; no planetary influence or house placement can be adequately understood when viewed as an isolated phenomenon. The forces which give rise to individual life are dynamic, and in order to see the answer to life’s questions clearly we often must start by examining the big picture. The natal chart is possibly the best tool available for doing this.  The physical, psychological, and spiritual blueprints for your life  are all available to see in your birth chart and by examining these often compartmentalized spheres of one’s life together it is possible to gain a clear understanding of your true potential. Were psychologists to integrate an examination of their patients’ star-patterns into their practices they would be stunned at the insights they would gain and the pace of the progress they would see.

The flow of time and cycles of creation and destruction may also be understood when examined through the eye of the astrologer. Where many Westerners might regard universal forces as being primarily chaotic, those who practice astrology understand that everything from the macrocosm to the microcosm follows repeating patterns: life creates life, it adapts and grows, that which is no longer useful falls away. Through this process of physical and spiritual evolution living systems are moving towards ever-greater states of perfection. The same can be said of the soul of every human being; we have come into the physical world to experience this process of growth and to discover that which is greater within ourselves. The physical, including our bodies, the planets, and stars act as the mediators of this process of transformation. Early philosophers took the observations made by astronomers of the planets’ predictable movements through the sky and looked for concurrent cycles in the lives of human beings and nations. Thus astrology was born.

By looking at the transits of the planets through the aspects and houses of your birth chart it is possible to predict major and minor changes in your life and how you might react to these changes. Understanding this, it is possible to form a strategy to get the most out of life’s many experiences, coming away with greater knowledge and self mastery. This is the gift that astrologers seek to bring through their work.

The integrative nature of astrology means that no two readings will be conducted according to the same formula. Clients needs can be as varied as their charts and the questions equally diverse. Because of this it is always a challenge for an astrologer to define their services in terms of “packages.” In my practice I find it best to customize each reading according the client’s desire and means, with the amount of time given to the consultation as the only limiting factor. Most clients will choose to examine both their natal chart and transiting planets in order to answer questions around specific areas of their lives. During the preliminary interview I will work with you to determine which reading will be of greatest benefit and whether it will be best to explore one question in-depth or to touch on many points in order to produce a composite  picture of where life is taking you. Listed below are the basic rates and services which can be combined or modified to give you the best reading possible.

Short Reading (30 minutes) $45

This reading allows enough time for in-depth exploration of one question about present or future circumstances or for an analysis of the major points of your natal chart.

Standard Reading (60 minutes) $75

This reading includes a look at the major and minor aspects of your natal chart as well as a  look at the immediate and long-range planetary transits effecting your life.

In-depth Reading (90 minutes) $100

A more comprehensive look at your natal chart and planetary transits. In this reading it is possible to examine multiple questions about present and future events.

Lovers’ Comparison (30 minutes – $50, 60 minutes $100)

A side-by-side comparison of your chart and another person of your choosing (despite the title this can be any type of relationship; platonic, business, or parent and child). This may be combined with a predictive forecast if desired.

Comprehensive Reading (up to 2 hours) $199

An examination of your complete natal profile, including a physical or electronic transcript of up to twenty pages. Usually the transcript will be around fifteen pages.

Predictive forecast (price and time vary)

An examination of planetary transits at determined intervals. The price depends on how many dates you would like examined. This can be in increments of months, years, or specific planetary cycles. This reading may focus on questions concerning one or multiple areas of your life.

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Christopher Daly is a St. Paul-based Astrologer who has been practicing the Sidereal method since 2010. Since then he has worked with clients to provide insights into their personal, financial, and romantic lives while deepening his studies of Astrology’s relation to physiology, psychology, and spirituality. He uses an integrated approach to explore the questions unique to each client and uncover the unconscious patterns which impede personal and interpersonal growth.

A student of world philosophy with an interest in occult science and metaphysics, Christopher is committed to serving others through his work, understanding that our purpose on this plane of existence is to gather experiences, grow in self-knowledge, and consciously evolve as soul-beings. His Astrological practice facilitates this growth through examination of past and present lives and through the freedom that comes from greater understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness.

The Sidereal method:

What is the difference between the Tropical and Sidereal systems of Western astrology?

Back in 2010 there was a rather sensational headline featured on The Huffington Post that read “New Zodiac Sign Dates: Ophiucus the 13th Sign?” The article, written by their editor in charge of trends and social media, was read fairly widely and inspired many conversation between followers of pop astrology as well as skeptics.

As It turned out that the article was more about the Precession of the Equinoxes than it was about the discovery of a constellation, but it garnered enough attention (and consternation) to warrant multiple bottom-of-the-page amendments, including a follow-up by the featured Astronomer that this information was not “new” at all. So what was this all about?

What the article actually highlighted was the major difference between the Western Tropical system of astrology and the Sidereal system. The Tropical system is the one which is most familiar to readers of newspaper horoscopes in the US, and uses the same signs and constellations as the Western Sidereal system but different dates.  The reason for the different dates is simple: Tropical astrologers render their calculations on the location of the sun at the solstices and equinoxes, dividing the sky evenly among the 12 signs between those dates. This does not, however, reflect the positions of the constellations to which those signs belong as seen we see them in the sky. The same is true for the background against which the heavenly bodies within our solar system appear to move from here on Earth: Tropical astrologers place the planets on the solstice/equinox dependent map rather than looking at their positions in the sky relative to the background of stars. The Sidereal system, on the other hand, bases its calculations on the strict, astronomical location of the planets and luminaries. The dates used in the Sidereal system are the same as those used in Vedic (Indian) astrology, and it has always been this way. But how did this schism occur?

As the link above explains, due to the subtle magnetism of the sun and moon the earth wobbles on its axis and creates the illusion that the constellations are slowly marching across the sky from year-to-year rather than remaining fixed in place. This is to say that one might reasonably assume that the Earth-relative position of Antares, the heart of the constellation Scorpio, will be the in the same spot in our sky  on November 27th of one year as it is on November 27th of the next year, with the same being true of all other stars. While this may appear to be the case throughout an average lifetime, it is known that if one were to wait 72 years the position of Antares will have changed by exactly one degree relative to that Earth position. This means that not only do the planets move through the constellations, but that the constellations themselves move (though on a much longer timeline). This timeline lasts exactly 25,772 years.

So when was the last time that the Sun rose at 0 degrees Sidereal Aries on March 21st (the same as Tropical Aries)? Some time around 400 A.D. and the fall of the Roman empire. Since then the stars have precessed 25 degrees and the beginning of Sidereal Aries has shifted to April 18th. In effect, there is very little overlap today (roughly 5 degrees) between the Tropical signs and the constellations they take their namesakes from, with some missing the mark completely. What does this mean for someone born as a Taurus in tropical system? Unless you were born in that sweet spot  (between May 13th and 20th) the sun was actually in Aries…for those Tropical Geminis born May 21st-June20th, well, the sun was actually in Taurus!

From the above you may take one more important feature of the Sidereal zodiac: it does not arbitrarily divide the sky into symmetrical units. Siderealists observe the location of the planets and stars as astronomers do, taking astrological practice out of the realm of abstraction and placing it firmly within the material world.