If you only know one way of living, how do you make a change?

I had been swimming upstream for a lifetime, and I was blinded by the current. But subconsciously inside I had set a new course. It was time to do things differently.

June 2018. I had moved into my first owned apartment. Leaving rental payments and uncertainty behind, I was opening my eyes and resurfacing to reality.

To put closure on the past, I had treated myself to a weekend in a beautiful hotel.

Submerged in a warm salt bath, my body capitalized on the long-awaited chance for emotional excavation. I floated peacefully, letting go. Afterward, I showered in cold water, feeling cleansed and fresh.

At dinner that night, I ate alone. In stillness and contemplation, unexpected gratitude flowed inside. Enlightened from the lessons of the past, I silently gave thanks to the blessings of new beginnings.

A woman, also alone, entered the dining room. She took her place at the next table. A magnetic ambiance of light and joy danced in her presence, and when our eyes met, I knew it.

That familiar but rare inner whisper confirmed it: “You’ve met her before”.

Immersed in deep conversation and evening sunlight, we were communicating on every dimension. Back on the surface, we were talking books, synchronicities, spirituality, and life.

During conversation, it transpired that she was an astrologer. My interest sparked, and I was curious to hear more.

And as it is when we are in flow, the pieces fell into place, the stars already aligned for our encounter. In moments like this, there is no planning or force. We are guided. When you have once felt this simplicity, you understand everything.

You know that this is how it is supposed to be.

Flow and synchronicity aside, I am a typical Capricorn. True to my namesake, I kept my promise after an evening of inspiring conversation and booked a consultation with the astrologer.

Admittedly, I had dabbled in this before. My motivation behind previous astrology readings was hope, expectation, and quite frankly, desperation. What would the future bring? Would I finally be within grasp of what I had always dreamt of, but never received?

Yet things had never quite unfolded as predicted. Disheartened, I had locked up the planets in the back of my mind, and reverted to manipulating life in the direction I was convinced it should go. Force and self-distortion got me nowhere.

I was giving it everything and running on empty.

Yet I knew there had to be something in the stars. Face to face with the astrologer, I began to comprehend what it was all about.

On the table was an A4 sheet of paper. A birth chart dominated the page, a large circle crisscrossed with colored lines. In the bottom corner, a graph displayed the elements in my chart, depicted by bars of green and blue (earth and water), brimming full, and bars of red and yellow (fire and air), practically empty.

As the astrologer was explaining the chart, her words swept over me, my logical Capricorn brain awash with realization.

At that moment I sensed the immensity behind it all. This was me on a page. Sweeping lines contoured the skies, connected the planets, and created an imprint of the heavens.

A snapshot of time stood still.

The boundlessness of space is ubiquitous, reaching every last cell in our bodies. We carry the universe inside, connecting, in every way imaginable. When we unlock the doorway to our truth, a melodious peace fills the skies.

We choose our fate.

And within every one of us is unique potential, ready to be unlocked.

This astrologer was pressing the key to the future into my hand. But I was beginning to realize it had been there all along.

This was not about predicting the good and the bad for the upcoming months, nor divulging the impending fate orbiting unavoidably in my direction. The planets do not sweep us along a predestined path.

She was sharing step-by-step practical advice on how to shape my destiny, by benefitting from planetary positioning. This meant unearthing and reviving the real me.

An inevitable side-effect was that life would become easier. Self-work is hard, but it is not unnatural contortion.

Self-work is winning the jackpot.

Unveiling the multitude of potential the planets mapped out, she seemed to be communicating in double Dutch. Every situation was a chance.

I had been looking at my life through the wrong lens.

In this consultation, I learned:

• How the planetary positioning at the time of my birth sketched out my true self.
• How to compensate for uneven elements (earth, fire, water, air) in my character, resulting in balance and peace.
• How to live my true self.
• By living my true self, life will bloom.

What this boils down to, was decisively making friends again with the real me. Coaxing her back out of the corner, where she had been banished to in desperation. Getting out of defense mode and embracing life.

Living a life that fits.

The astrologer said: “Forget about conforming to society.”

This consultation prompted me in the direction of guidance. Loving guidance is always available. Connection to source is at our fingertips. Life lessons serve as opportunities to rebuild our connection to source, and each other.

I was ready to give her suggestions a try. Making small changes here and there, I gained certainty with each synchronicity. I knew I was on the right path.

Light shines deep within every one of us. It is always there, even in the depths of despair, we glitter with promise. When we face up to our shadows, we shine brighter. It is a choice to beam our unique light into the world. By making this choice, we unlock the door to our true home.