Sample horoscope of Carl Gustav Jung, Swiss Psychologist

Know Thyself - Your Horscope & the Creation of Consciousness 

All cultures of the world, including our own modern day scientific culture, offer an explanation as to how the world began. These explanations are known as creation myths and they each appear to follow a common theme.

Typically the story runs as follows. In the beginning there was nothing, all was dark and the world was yet to be. Within this darkness there lived a god. One day this god grew lonely and in response to his solitude he decided to create the world.

From out of the dirt beneath his fingernail, or simply by saying the word, the world as we know it was created. According to science the world began with a 'big bang'  - first there was nothing, there was light.

Whilst we may never know the validity of such myths, the common theme of moving from a state of darkness to light may be witnessed on an everyday basis. According to depth psychology there are two aspects to our mind. There is the conscious and the unconscious. The unconscious mind represents all that is beyond our awareness. And for this reason it may appear not to exist. The conscious mind is everything we do know, everything which we are aware of.

As we grow and develop we move from a state of unconsciousness to a state of greater consciousness. We wake up, we grow in our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Why? Why do we grow and develop? This is difficult to say and remains one of life's great mysteries. What we do know is that this process of development does occur. We do grow from a state of unknowing to knowing. We can see this by looking back over history or simply by reviewing our own personal development. At the core of life there exists a quest toward consciousness - the darkness seeks the light.

Carl Jung, the great Swiss psychologist, termed this quest for consciousness the force of individuation. According to Jung, individuation is the process by which we become whole, by which we realise and make real our inherent potential. The process of individuation plays out over the entirety of our lives as well as over history and through the generations. Individuation is a natural process - it happens anyway. What Jung aimed to do was to assist this process of individuation, that is, to work with this fundamental force of nature.

The process of individuation is simply the movement from unconsciousness to consciousness. In it's most basic form it is like groping in the dark - gradually we work out way forward . In its more evolved form it may be described as a spiritual path. You only need to look back on your life to see how slow or quick a process this can be.

So the main question regarding one's own individuation process is how to avoid groping in the dark. Whilst working in the dark is always difficult, there are a few keys to working with the unconscious. The most important of these is an ability to reflect upon oneself. Self-reflection may come through meditation, through listening to one's dreams or through reviewing one's life. Another key is to remain open to the wisdom of others. This may range from studying the teachings of some wise sage to simply listening to what others have to say. The idea is simple - learn from others experience.

Here is where astrology comes into play. The science of astrology has been evolving for thousands of years and represents an incredibly rich body of knowledge. Many of our greatest minds have contributed too the science of astrology and it continues to be developed to this day. The wisdom of astrology may be applied in a way that is unique to the individual. Through studying your own horoscope, you may draw upon the teachings of astrology which are particularly relevant to you.

Your astrology chart or horoscope may be understood as a 'blue print' of your psychological makeup. This inherent potential seeks to be realised and strives toward conscious expression. As such we all travel a destined road. We can travel this road toward wholeness either with or without guidance. Obviously some knowledge of the path ahead or a map would greatly assist in making the journey. Your horoscope is this map.

Psychodynamic Astrology traces the process of coming to consciousness as it is laid before each individual (in accordance with his or her horoscope). Through studying your horoscope you can learn not only about the fate which is likely to befall you, but also why you are required to meet such a fate. The events of our life are really teachers in disguise. They are the obstacles which challenge our growth. When we understand of our fate, our life circumstance is imbued with meaning. No longer are our lives one long string of random events, instead they are seen as part of an elaborate tapestry which is our journey toward wholeness.

Astrology serves to illuminate the path before us. Armed with an understanding of your own horoscope your may move forward along your destined road with a greater awareness as to why you are here and what lies ahead. You are in a better position to determine which way to turn and which way represents a progression. Remember that the darkness seeks the light. When we understand and become conscious, we have achieved that light are ready to move on to the next challenge.  And so life goes on.