The featured speaker for April at ASSA's monthly talk, James gives us some insight into the start of his journey into esoteric astrology in an open discussion with Harry Waldauer. Everyone's journey is different and the reasons for these are astounding and thought provoking.

HW: James, you say that you have been practicing astrology for 22 years. What initially got you into astrology and how did you develop it from there?

JK: My life with astrology really began with astronomy. From an early age, in fact when I was still at school, I already started building telescopes - two in fact. I still occasionally use these telescopes.

However, the actual astrology side of it, I only became aware of that really later. It was actually at a time when I was in my early twenties when I felt that I had no sense of life. One night I walked out in the veld gazing at the stars when all of a sudden something changed inside of me. I surrendered something in that moment. I felt this kind of peace come about inside of me. All that time, it was also a kind of a soul connection whereby I felt that I could know things intuitively.

Shortly after that I became aware of Yoga, astrology and Theosophy at about the same time. I started reading books on astrology and have since been mainly self-taught. I learnt initially to draw charts from the tables by hand for many years, doing normal exoteric astrology. Having said that, my particular interest has always been the esoteric side of astrology, with my first esoteric book that I read written by Alan Leo.

Not long after that, through Theosophy, I came to the Alice Bailey books and read all 24 of the books, twice in two years, and tried to bring in as much of the esoteric side of astrology as was possible.

HW: It must be quite challenging to study esoteric astrology?

JK: Yes, a lot of the teachings go far beyond anything that most of us think about, especially books like Cosmic Fire and of course esoteric astrology itself explaining the secret doctrines of Blavatsky, so it's an extension of some of the theosophy really.

Alice Bailey is of course the inspiration as far as esoteric astrology is concerned.

HW: How long have you been a professional astrologer?

JK: I was a student of astrology for at least ten to fifteen years before I started practicing astrology. Professionally I have done it for twenty-two years now.

HW: Has it been astrology all the time?

JK: No, it wasn't all the time. I was initially a political organizer for seven years, working then for the Progressive party, which is of course very mundane work. You are essentially looking to the future, telling people how things ought to be rather than getting guidance from the stars.

HW: Did your involvement with both politics and astrology kick-start your interest in mundane astrology?

JK: On the political side, yes.

At the time I was also involved at the Institute of Futures Research in Stellenbosch where they were looking at possible scenarios of what might happen politically when apartheid ends. People had various ideas of what may happen, including revolution. All of this involved the idea of trying to discover where the story was going, of what was likely to happen politically on a larger scale.

HW: Neptune is used spiritually with ordinary exoteric astrology. How do you associate Neptune with esoteric astrology?

JK: I find that the difference between ordinary astrology and esoteric astrology is really just a question of depth and a more holistic view of the planets, as well as the inclusion of the seven rays which add a theme of color and sound to the astrological chart.

It also brings in the chakras within that seven-fold pattern. It is interesting that you choose Neptune, which is a very spiritual and esoteric planet, and with ordinary astrology it does have a connection with subtle energies. As I understand it from an esoteric point of view, Neptune on the higher level is the second aspect to the trinity of the solar system - the good, beautiful and the true - being the beautiful. It is also consciousness, as such, or the soul. Neptune also works through the emotional right side brain and has a connection with the solar plexus chakra. Interestingly, with Neptune being the higher octave of Mars, both symbolize the solar plexus chakra with esoteric astrology.

HW: Whilst on the subject of chakras, how do you think could one incorporate esoteric astrology into the medical side of astrology?

JK: A lot of work has already been done in this field, for example, Neptune and its association with drugs and alcohol. The advantage with esoteric astrology is the connection to the chakras and the medical side. For example, Pluto symbolizes the base of the spine, shock, trauma and the adrenalin glands. Neptune and Mars indicate disturbances with the digestive system around the solar plexus chakra, the heart chakra is associated with Jupiter and Saturn rules the throat chakra, thyroid and ears. Chakra connection with planets is very useful.

HW: Many clients don't have the correct time of birth, how do you view rectification?

JK: Yes, I do find it a big drawback not having the time, because it is so useful, especially in getting the ascendant sign. The rising sign is regarded as extremely important in esoteric astrology, being regarded as the sign of the soul, not just the outer appearance but indeed the inner depth. The emphasis with esoteric astrology is more on the sign of the soul giving you a sense of a person's life directions, which is important. I do a bit of rectification, but I find it very tedious. There is of course also the intuitive approach as well.

HW: Do you think that we will ever see astrology at a level that the Americans have taken it to (e.g. Kepler College has a three-year course with a degree offered in astrological studies) and do you think that the consciousness of astrology is increasing?

JK: Well, in terms of the organized presentation out there, I don't know much about that. I imagine that the Internet has had a profound impact with astrology, as compared to say thirty years ago. I find that many clients who come to me have browsed the internet and I find that some of the sites are fraudulent, because some of the things they say are not true in terms of planetary movements and have no real true substance applying to that person. So one of the problems is this fraudulent way.

I think that there is always a low level of awareness in the populous as a whole. Many people know their sun sign and seldom take it beyond the newspaper level.

HW: There is a lot of talk about the end of the Mayan calendar and the year 2012. Have you looked into this and how would you interpret that astrologically?

JK: Yes, the whole story behind the Mayan calendar is based on the cycle of Venus, as I understand it. Their determination of the 5000-odd year period appears to be derived from the cycles of Venus.

The other basis which does seem to have some relevance is the understanding of the magnetic cycles of the sun. In one of the books that I've read it shows how the magnetic field changes, which has relevance to the small short-term cycles as well as the long-term ones. This possibly provides a good foundation for what they talk about.

However, the one thing that seems to be relevant and does apply at this time is the alignment with the galaxy, a field which I have studied a bit myself. I have discovered very interesting relationships with what we could call the 'Galactic zodiac'. There is this Galactic alignment which is currently taking place and this forms the basis for the change of the ages.

HW: Who is your favourite astrologer?

JK: Alice Bailey, although she died about fifty to sixty years ago.

HW: How do you see South Africa in twenty years' time?

JK: I haven't looked at that recently or in the long-term view, but when I recall looking at the chart of the ANC in South Africa, it did seem to me, as far as political changes that occurred are concerned, that the big factor showed importance with our foreign connections, be it the United Nations or our immediate foreign neighbors. Indeed, foreign diplomacy has come to the fore and has been a bigger part of South Africa's image abroad. Yet with Zimbabwe, the ANC seem to have their own shadow there to deal with when the term 'comrade' goes off the rails. It probably relates to the labour movement in Zimbabwe, a route we seem to be following as well. Many countries that have radical regimes very often had solar eclipses in their charts. Mugabe himself was born very close to a solar eclipse.

HW: Which chart do you consider the true South Africa chart?

JK: I think that the most relevant chart would be the Union chart of 1910 which is the birth of South Africa. Subsequent to that the chart with the least relevance, in my opinion, is the one for 1961.

The most relevant chart for the future is the signing of the constitution on the 10th December 1996, the reason being that Nelson Mandela signed it. The constitution is an important document, and interestingly enough, at the time of signing that document, a bolt of lightning struck the bridge at 11th Avenue in Houghton, the very road where Nelson Mandela is said to reside. The ascendant at the time of the signing of the constitution was placed at 11 degrees of Aries and passed straight through the Andromeda galaxy, our twin galaxy. The synchronicity around that is quite awesome, because Alice Bailey, sixty-odd years ago, has associated South Africa with sun Sagittarius and Aries rising. This brings out relevance in a chart.

HW: Do you mind giving us your sun, moon and ascendant signs?

JK: My sun is in Leo, moon in Capricorn and I have Aquarius rising.

HW: On behalf of ASSA and Aspects magazine, thank you so much for granting us this interview.