What brought you to astrology?
I encountered my first astrology book beyond sun signs the summer after I graduated from college, while living at a Buddhist meditation center; I remember excitedly reading my housemates’ Venus and Mercury signs to them out loud but then putting it aside.
Several years later I was very ill for a while and wondering to myself why it felt like I was going through hell, and late one night on the computer I happened upon a site where you could cast full birth charts. I discovered that transiting Pluto had been going back and forth over my natal Sun, which was an impressive enough answer to want to keep learning more.
Why do you practice astrology? What makes it juicy for you?
I love that astrology correlates with people’s lives so impeccably, because it gives a sense that the universe is not random even when it can sometimes feel like it. I also love the sense of discovery it provides, where even if you’ve been learning for years you can still occasionally come across a technique or angle that is new to you that opens up new realizations. Mostly astrology feels to me like having stumbled upon the secret code to the universe, or at least one of them.
What is your specialty, or focus?
I have focused a lot on timing, since certain things in a chart may or may not unfold more vividly depending on the specific timing during one’s lifetime. My general practice is currently a blend of Hellenistic and modern principles and techniques, and a couple of specific topics I’ve done a lot of work with are zodiacal releasing and electional astrology.
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?
I’ve been kind of marveling again lately about how much more impactful a transiting two-planet aspect in the sky is for people who have those same two planets in a prominent aspect in their own birth charts.
What is your picture of astrology in the future?
I’m not sure of the exact form it will take, but I imagine there will be a lot of continuity – there will always be practitioners who are learning from those who came before them, some who are innovating new approaches or techniques, and everyone doing their best to offer perspective and a bigger picture to their clients and the larger world.
Are there any additional comments you would like to make about your lecture and workshop?
I’d just like to say that I felt like a historical gossip columnist when initially researching some past public figures’ romantic timelines for the lecture – stacks of books newly bought just to confirm exactly when people started specific affairs, for instance – which is a funny thing to be doing for professional purposes.
More seriously, zodiacal releasing can be an amazing technique, and I hope you’ll come check out the lecture and workshop if you’ve never used it with the Lot of Eros before, or want to see it in action in more real-life examples.
If you discovered a new planet, or asteroid, what would you name it and why?
I’d probably name it something like Hope or Peace, since there are already plenty named for more unwelcome energies; it seems like whatever the name is, at least with the asteroids, it often manifests somewhat literally. I think the world could use some more positive energies being invoked.
Leisa Schaim is a consulting astrologer, speaker, and researcher based in Denver, Colorado. She co-hosts the Auspicious Elections Podcast, has had her astrological writing featured in WellBeing Magazine and the Mountain Astrologer, and has spoken at previous ISAR, NCGR, NORWAC, and UAC astrology conferences. Leisa enjoys exploring people’s life stories using a blend of Hellenistic and modern astrological techniques. She is a past Presiding Officer of AFAN, was one of the organization coordinators for UAC 2018, and received the 2018 Jim Lewis award for community service.
Leisa’s website: https://leisaschaim.com/