Eugene astrologers reach out to community
■Tsunami Books will host
International Astrology Day
celebration March 18th
By Mason West
Oregon Daily Emerald
Laeh Maggie Garfield knows the
answers to Vice President Dick Ch
eney’s medical problems. But she is
not a doctor. In fact, she has never
even met the vice president.
Garfield is an astrologer.
The reading of Vice President
Cheney’s astrological chart is one of
the events that will take place this
Sunday on International Astrology
Day. Members of Eugene’s astrolog
ical community will gather at
Tsunami Books, 2585 Willamette
St., from 2-6 p.m. for the third an
nual benefit for the Association for
Astrological Networking (AFAN).
Tsunami Books has hosted the
event for the previous two years.
Manager Dave Rhodes said that
past attendance for the event has
been about 200 people.
Members of both the astrological
community and general public are in
vited to attend and hear lectures by
Eugene astrologers, get readings and
find out more about astrology. Local
astrologers are expected to attend, but
co-coordinator Claudia Rosemarin
said that the event is also geared to
ward reaching out to the community.
“We know that the peers are into
[astrology],” she said. “We’re trying
to draw young people — people
who are trying to live their lives
with a little more awareness.”
Public awareness is at the core of
AFAN. Member Dale O’Brien, who
will speak at the event, said the two
main functions for the organization
are to provide information to inter
ested parties and to help astrologers
if they are having difficulty with
their practice.
O’Brien said that there are still
places where astrologers face scorn
when trying to open practices. While
problems may be resolved with min
imal effort, AFAN has a legal staff to
aid members. Astrologers have not
encountered such problems here in
Eugene, but the community’s inter
est in the stars is fading.
“I think that part of what we
would like to do with this event is
remind Eugene about the astrology
that exists here,” O’Brien said.
Garfield, who will be returning
for a second year as the emcee, con
fessed another ulterior motive: “I’m
going to urge people to become as
trologers so we can have replace
ments for ourselves,” she said.
In addition to reading Cheney’s
chart, a panel of astrologers will also
read the charts of the Academy
Award nominees for best actor and
best actress to determine who will
win. She hopes that showing the
lighthearted side of astrology will
spark interest in astrology for the fu
ture. The new generation of as
trologers is already out there, but
they may need a little help to figure it
out. Reading the stars is something
that some people have a gift for, she
said, like having math skills.
However, the modern astrologer
does have a little help from tech
nology, such as computer programs
that will instantly generate astro
logical charts based on certain in
formation. The necessary factors to
make a chart are the date, time and
place of birth. These factors deter
mine where the planets were at the
moment of birth and how they will
affect a person’s life. Garfield
stressed the importance of the in
formation’s accuracy and warned
that a time of birth just minutes off
can result in a completely different
reading. Attendants are welcome to
bring charts if possible; otherwise,
they can be generated through the
ibove informa
tion.
There will be
local as
trologers pres
ent to give short
readings for a
small fee, in ad
dition to the $3
5 admission
price. Rose
marin suggest
ed that it’s best
to bring a spe
cific topic for
the reading or a
question to be
answered. Full
readings gener
ally take be
tween an hour
and an hour
and a half.
Four guests
will get more
complete read
ings during the “astrology jam.” The
four will be chosen by a raffle that
each guest is entered in upon admis
sion. During the “jam,” multiple as
trologers will give their interpreta
tions of the individuals’ charts.
This brings up the important fact
that astrology is not an exact sci
ence, and is subject to the person
conducting the reading. O’Brien
said that astrology is better seen as
a poetic interpretation.
“I see it as one portrait painted in
words,” he said. “It’s not to say
what definitely is, but what might
be a way to look at things.”
Can the stars predict the future? Can they provide insight into
personality or health? Decide for yourself at the
Astrology Fair.this Sunday at Tsunami Books.
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