One of the most astonishing and incredible advantages that astrology gives us — namely predictive astrology, the overview of the future, for example, of a year — is the possibility to influence this very future, to change it, to prepare for it, to take measures.
Destiny and Free Will
Because, you see, astrology, predictive astrology, describes destiny. And a person’s relationship with destiny is rather complex and uncertain. One cannot say that destiny completely subordinates a person, that everything is already written in the akashic records and in some celestial books, and the person simply floats through life like an obedient marionette.
No, a person has free will, he can act. Even in Buddhism it is said that a person is born with 50% of karma, and the other 50% he creates with his actions. At the same time, one cannot completely deny destiny and claim that everything is pure chance, that nothing is predetermined in human life. This is not so.
If everything were chance, we would not be able to make any predictions at all — not even the simplest and most ordinary ones. For example, if we mix vodka with beer, we will feel bad. This conclusion, this prediction, is based on certain laws, on certain experience, on certain rules. In the same way, a certain predetermination exists in human life — and it is precisely this that we call destiny.
Therefore, the relationship between a person and destiny is very complicated and unclear. In some areas, there is indeed predetermination on which a person can hardly have any influence. This is what spiritual traditions call “karma ripened,” and what we call an accident, a sudden illness, or perhaps sudden luck. These are things independent of the person, things he cannot influence, yet they happen to him.
In astrology we can see such things. Usually these are periods in life with high intensity, with a large number of different planets and aspects, repeating in various predictive methods. When in different systems we see the same theme strongly expressed, most likely this is a fated event that cannot be avoided. But in other situations the room for free will is quite large.
Example: A Difficult Saturn Transit
Let us suppose, for example, that a person has a difficult Saturn transit to a planet of the Sixth House, or to the ruler of the Sixth House, to his Moon or to his Sun, which is also the ruler of the First House — the house of Personality. Already from this transit alone we can conclude that during a certain period the person will experience a very intense time.
It will be a difficult time, a time of crystallization, of limitations. In his actions, in his realization, in his plans, in his potential. There will be a heavy load on his psyche and subconscious, and as a consequence on his physical body — for the subconscious rules the body. And since Saturn, and traditionally the negative aspects of Saturn, have always been associated with illness, lowered energy, melancholy, depression, and illness in general, and since the Sixth House relates to health, it is quite obvious that because of health the person will be limited in his actions, in realizing his potential and his plans, and will feel great pressure on his personality and his subconscious, including his body.
The symbolism shows this very clearly.
What Can Be Done in Advance?
Now, what can be done if we have this information in advance? If we know that this period will come in half a year, and that certain months, say June, will be especially intense, then what can we do? At the very least, we can prepare for this transit, for this period. We can go to doctors and undergo an examination, a complete check-up in advance, to find out the state of our health, to see if there is anything hidden.
We can take measures and deal with chronic illnesses, or illnesses we have long postponed, cure them or at least weaken their influence. We can take care of our health, our nutrition, our lifestyle, because the Sixth House is not only health, but also lifestyle and routine. We can build this routine in advance. We can shift to proper nutrition, a more balanced diet. We can refuse the harmful, the unnecessary, both in food and in lifestyle. Because Saturn is refusal, limitation. There will be a forced refusal — when the transit comes, we will be forced to give up something. But knowing this, we can refuse voluntarily, and in this way show our freedom of choice. We can decide in advance what we will let go of — bad food, harmful habits, whatever drains our resources.
How the Transit Might Then Manifest
And if we do this, what happens then? After all, the transit itself will not go anywhere. Saturn will still act upon our Sun and Moon, it seems. But now it will act differently. Because we have already taken care of those areas of our natal chart, of those spheres of life symbolized by the planets participating in the transit.
In the case of refusal, it will be voluntary, not forced. How then can this transit manifest? Well, the Sixth House, besides health and routine, is also work and service. So it may manifest in the sphere of work. Perhaps we will have a heavier workload, and both body and personality will be pressured, requiring refusal of certain pleasures, requiring increased responsibility. This will then relate not to health, but to work. For example, our workload increases, and we are forced to limit our actions and desires in order to cope with the new responsibilities.
And this can happen in a more constructive way. Because, thanks to our timely preventive measures with lifestyle and health, we will have the resource that allows us to handle this new responsibility. And in the end, this transit will make us — if not stronger — then at least wiser, more responsible, more mature, and more careful.
The Broader Principle
By the same logic, any other transit works in the same way. Knowing about them, we can prepare and thus change our destiny. Of course, there are moments that we cannot correct. These are the so-called multiple transits, when many planets, especially slow ones, affect a certain point of the horoscope. Here the chances are not very high, here free will is much less. This is precisely when the predetermination of destiny manifests in full force.
But even then we can prepare, at least morally. Simply knowing that serious upheavals, serious fateful changes await us, we can prepare for them. Even if we cannot correct, avoid, or raise a shield against them, at least we can be ready.
