Interview

an art student emailed me asking questions for their photography project

An art student emailed me asking questions for their photography project. Anything for the arts.

I'd love to know a bit more about yourself and your Astrology experience:

Firstly some facts about yourself would be great!

and then How did you get into Astrology?

Where does your knowledge come from?

How does Astrology change your day to day life?

Do you think that modern day Astrology has been polluted by society and "memes"?

How long have you been writing the Vice Articles? Is it enjoyable or more of a chore?

As an Astrologer, do people often judge the work you do, and how do you get past this?

1. My name is Randon. I started formally studying astrology after getting a degree in fine art and animation. I have always wanted to study astrology, and have read everything I've gotten my hands on since my early teens. I am 28 now. I became an astrologer, vocationally, after completing some coursework and working for my teacher Annabel Gat as an assistant. As an artist I focused on religious imagery, performance art, protest art, subjectivity, and animation. As an astrologer I help people to animate their own charts in a way, as well. I wrote a long paper on sound added to the moving image— asynchronous sound versus sync sound. The voice is the soul and the image is the body. In a film this is detached and superficial, by nature of the medium. I think consciousness animates the natal chart as well. It should be handled with love.

2. I read nonstop and am self taught in some ways, but I have done my fair share of astrology classes taught by accredited professional astrologers. That being said, a lot of my knowledge comes from empirical research of public figures' charts and self-aware reflections on my own experiences of astrology. I do think the longer astrologers have practiced, the more they know.

3. I am pessimistic and often say that I wish I did not have this cursed knowledge, but that comes from a place of arrogance and thinking that I actually know what will happen. God always humbles you. I like to add my own faith and hope to the reading of the omens, and understand that I don't know everything and can't know everything. It changes my day-to-day life in that it employs me. It strengthens my faith in a higher power.

4. Sometimes I see astrology memes that p*ss me off so badly I want to turn off my phone. Back in ancient times astrology was only practiced by initiates. Of course there were street astrologers, doing it for regular people, as well as court astrologers making major political decisions, but it was a knowledge that was taken seriously and respected. I think people use astrology for evil and often do a lot of harm with it. But at the end of the day I understand people are hurt and afraid, and astrology memes aren't that deep, and I forgive them for wanting to control everything. I don't think it's healthy or ethical though.

5. I've been writing horoscopes since February 2017. I love writing horoscopes and am extremely grateful for my job. Chores are always gratifying in a way, even if there's a lot of huffing and puffing and sometimes procrastination. Sometimes if I'm having a challenging moment I will go back and read what I wrote. Recently I've tried to pack more hope into my horoscopes, despite sometimes feeling helplessly bound to fate. We need all of the positive mental attitude we can get.

6. Growing up in the punk scene I have never been one to care what people think, if anything it excited me to be obscene. I've grown out of trying to get reactions from people, but I'm comfortable with being different. I do, however, feel a lot of pressure as a professional astrologer to treat the field with respect. I feel like I need to keep my image more controlled and respectable in order to bring honor to a field that is often ridiculed. Honestly, it's ridiculed for good reason, but I think the things that are being ridiculed are not representative of what professional astrologers truly stand for.