What brought you to astrology?
Theodora Lau’s Book of Chinese Horoscopes. I was about eight or nine and asked for the book at the bookstore. My grandmother (with whom I was very close) read it together and talked about how well it fit various friends and family members. From then on, I was hooked. Though my grandmother passed away, I still have the copy of the book with her neat marginalia as a precious memento.
Why do you practice astrology? What makes it juicy for you?
At the deepest level, I practice astrology as a conversation with the cosmos. One of my long-time passions is astrologico-magical remediation of present and future issues, and I love helping clients develop a deeper, more personal, and ultimately, more spiritual relationship with the planets.
What is your specialty, or focus?
I’m primarily a traditional astrologer with a focus on astrological magic. As western astrologers, we get very good at diagnosing and predicting issues, but unlike our Vedic colleagues, we don’t have a good answer when the client asks “OK, but what do I do to fix it?” It turns out that right there in our western occult tradition, we have the tool of astrological magic to help us attune to astrological configurations and use their energies for specific purposes. I use astrological magic to give clients a practice to improve their relationship with specific planets, and by doing so, improve their lives.
Is there a planet, sign, or aspect you’ve been exploring lately that represents an archetype or energy that feels important to you right now?
Capricorn is a highly sensitized sign now, and has been since the beginning of the pandemic, so I’ve been watching it carefully. I expect that until Pluto is firmly in Aquarius in late 2024, we will be dealing with COVID and its aftermath as Capricorn is activated and re-activated.
What is your picture of astrology in the future?
Astrology has recently burst out of its “occult and weird” box, and permeated popular culture. It did so in the 1960s to an extent, but the last time the mainstream took it seriously in the West was about 400 years ago. I think that astrology will always be criticized, but it will come to play a much larger role in collective and high-level decision-making than we have seen in the last few centuries.
Are there any additional comments you would like to make about your lecture and workshop?
I consider it a personal mission to bring traditional astrological techniques to modern astrologers and introduce the eminently usable techniques and ideas that have been around for many centuries. Just because something is very old doesn’t necessarily mean it’s alien or hard to access; quite the contrary, my study of traditional astrology has only affirmed the precious spiritual connection we have to our astrological ancestors.
If you discovered a new planet, or asteroid, what would you name it and why?
I don’t believe that the 17th century astrologer William Lilly has an asteroid or planet named after him, and I think that he would have been tickled by it. He (and his many followers) did a great deal to bring astrology to a high level of practice and respect in the English-speaking world, so it only seems right to return the favor.
Nina Gryphon is a practicing astrologer and corporate lawyer living in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Robert. Her predictions have appeared in many major publications, and she has been interviewed on radio and TV. She received her JD, and MA/BA (from Stanford University, and completed John Frawley’s Horary Apprenticeship. Since then, she has obtained her Diploma in Horary from the School of Traditional Astrology (Deborah Houlding).