An interview with astrologer Rylen Alistair Moore
By Alexis Zygan, Staff Writer
Many folks have turned to astrology to provide predictions for when they should brace for the worst. The pandemic has heightened some people’s anxiety and despair. I spoke to student astrologer and founder of podcast It’s Just a Phase, Rylen Alistair Raye Moore, about what drew him to astrology. After our conversation, Rylen decoded my natal birth chart and shared insights into what I needed to face to live in alignment with my higher self. Astrology for mental health necessitates introspection.
Rylen is no stranger to feelings of depression; “I attempted suicide in 2018 and after that, I was searching for meaning outside of my religious upbringing. I found astrology and unlocked a whole world that I hadn’t known existed which really helped me get out of that dark place,” he explains. To this day, he cultivates hope and understanding through the study of transits and retrogrades. A transit is an ongoing movement of planets. Every planet makes a transit throughout the year. Planet transits vary in length and can last as long as two years for Mars. (For a reading of current transits, you can find out on cafeastrology.com.) For folks reading, get ready for Jupiter entering Pisces. This transit provides an opportunity to forgive those who hurt us. Pay close attention to our dreams as they may signify our future endeavours.
As more people step away from organized religion and embrace alternative forms of connecting with the universe, astrology flourishes as a tool for self-reflection. Horoscope Today podcast by Parcast delivers personalized messages for the 12 zodiac signs to anchor listeners for the day ahead. Despite the popularity of astrology, skeptics doubt its validity. Astrology skeptics can learn a lot from receiving a chart reading. Rylen gifted his dad a full-natal-chart reading. The information helped his dad see the value of astrology. “There is the good, the bad, and the ugly—and if you’re not willing to look at [those aspects] astrology might not be for you,” explains Rylen.
A natal birth chart encompasses seven personal and social planets. Generally, people only know their star, also called the sun sign, determined by what sign the sun is in when they are born. The sun stays in a sign for approximately 30 days. There are 12 signs in the Zodiac (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces), along with 12 houses and six planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn). Each sign correlates to a planet and one of the 12 houses—and each house has a different meaning. To learn more about what each house means, check out a resource on Cafe Astrology. Horoscopes in the paper are fun to read. However, their simplification of predictions based on the star sign leads to generalizations. The absence of personalization breeds skepticism. Despite all of this, Rylen still enjoys reading newspaper horoscopes.
After the interview, I sent Rylen my date and time of birth.
It was my first time accessing services from an astrologer. When I received my
personal planet reading, I opened the email to reveal a 10-page document
breaking down my natal chart. Rylen explains, “natal charts are a timestamp of
where the planets were in the sky at the exact time and date you were born. The
combinations are almost endless.” This is why even though my roommate and I
have the same signs in sun, moon, and mercury, we are quite different. The
reading broke down each aspect of my chart with specifics that resonated with
my personal life. Especially the component about my inability to think ill of
others despite the harm they cause me and feeling unsatisfied with working a 9
to 5. I asked Rylen to explain, based on my natal chart, where I should focus
my energy. My Mars and Venus are conjunct in the 12th House, which creates a
blockage. The 12th
house is associated with karma, endings, healing, closure, afterlife, and
everything we cannot see. Ryan describes, “that feeling of screaming out but nobody
being able to hear. It is an endlessly frustrating position for Mars to be in,
and certainly plays out in your life in a myriad of ways that I am not privy to
yet.” Reading his words, I felt seen in my struggle with asserting
boundaries and speaking my truth. Once I came to understand this aspect of
myself, I have acquired the ability to set rigid boundaries; I’m no longer the
pushover I was as a teenager.
For readers interested in receiving a personal planet reading, contact Rylen on his Facebook Page for It’s Just a Phase and schedule an appointment. Studying astrology can foster spiritual growth and healing, or even dictate what career path to pursue post-college. For folks interested in further reading, Rylen suggests The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. The text goes into detail about all twelve astrological signs in the zodiac and their compatibility. The updated version of the book endorses getting in touch with authentic emotional needs.
