Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

I am from India and I moved to Australia by end of October 2018 for my work.

I am hard of hearing by birth and that has somewhat affected my career growth. As I work in information technology where higher positions need more and more oral communication skills, I am finding it increasingly difficult to grow in my career. The people in my organisation want to try and promote me but I know I wouldn’t be able to manage more oral communication if I keep growing in my career level.

I am thinking of quitting the job and becoming an independent contractor so I can be free of promotion related problems and choose to work on things that I can, that is, without people management and things that involve too much meetings, etc., though I am not sure how long I can survive in this industry.

I would also like to know if it is a good idea to stay here in Australia or move back to India.

It would be very much helpful for me if you could please share your thoughts on the above two points and general advice, if any. Thanks in advance.

Birth details as follows:
Dob 19 sep 1981
Place Chennai (Madras)
Time 2.45 am

Welcome, Nabourne.

Where in Australia do you live? (It's a big place.)

Thank you. It’s Melbourne. And the time zone for my birth data is IST time zone.

Nabourne, I want to jump-in here and say I see solid Natal symbolism only pertaining to my astrological work/research for your psychological sensitivity for your hearling loss in your work environment, but this does't really address your two questions. I will wait for Jim's answers before I jump back in with a couple of questiosn of my own pertaining to your work situation. Welcome to the forum.

Sorry for my delay in answering. I'm experiencing a temporary vision impairment this week (probably corrected by this weekend) that makes reading and typing strenuous. Nonetheless, I want to get at least an initial answer to you.

First of all, looking at your original affliction - even though you didn't ask this question - I'm curious about the astrological roots of your hearing impairment. (I'm not sure it will do you any good to know this since it doesn't give clues to reversing the condition, but it may be intellectually interesting.) The maion thing I see is a close Mercury-Pluto conjunction in a cadent house. This is the sort of aspect we normally expect to show serious health impact. I'm curious whether the loss was congenital or came from a later trauma. (The Pluto aspect, I think, would most often show a loss later fin life from a specific cause.)

Melbourne is a location of mixed fortune for you. First of all, your birth in Madras came under mixed influences - Mars closely rising, Venus closely on IC, two mostly opposed planetary natures which have in common great passion, great emotional force. In Melbourne, you have the very fortunate Jupiter 0°37' from Ascendant and the very challenging Saturn 0°13' from Eastpoint. I'm not sure how this works in balance, although the basic message is extreme opportunity and extreme demands, limitations, and challenges. In practice, this usually means great gain is possible from hard work and persistent effort. (Challenges exist. Meeting those challenges is rewarded.) You also have a strong Mercury,only 0°24' from Ascendant, meaning that (viewed mundanely, in terms of where the planets actually appear in space) you have a wonderful, very exact Mercury-Jupiter conjunction at that location. No wonder they keep trying to throw promotions and leadership opportunities at you! While the universe expects you to work hard and struggle at that location, it also singles you out for business skills, intelligence, and many other fine traits.

So, especially for business matters, I think Melbourne is a good location for you.


Regarding the hearing: How severe are the hearing limitations? From your choice of words it sounds like hearing is diminished but still present. Is this true? You are in an unusual position, it seems: You describe your employers wanting to promote you to increasing responsibility, and this is a problem for you. (Most people would love to have that kind of problem.) I wonder of MORE communication might be the solution: You seem to have their confidence. Have you explained to management that your specific difficulty is the hearing issue and in-person communication? Working in IT myself (but obviously not in your exact situation), I know that I often prefer telephone or in-person communication but can do 90% of what I do by email and messaging.

It seems to me that a candid discussion with your managers would have one of two results. Either they would understand better why you resist promotion (and stop pushing you toward it) or they would offer an accommodation to make the situation work for you and everyone. As a variation of this, they might offer you a different promotion that doesn't have this problem for you. I can't tell from your post whether you have tried this.

I don't see that quitting solves the problem unless you had an unusually good contractor position lined up. People likely will continue to recognize your excellence (plus, if quitting has risks, I'm unclear why you would take them).

I think you should secure a solid position now. Next year and the year after, transiting Neptune will oppose your Sun. This can cause confusion on identity and direction, taking about two years to sort out before you are unleashed to pursue new directions. During those two years (especially next year), getting a new job may be difficult for many reasons. It seems to me a safer route to get the strongest secure position you can now - especially one that you KNOW will be a little confusing, that will challenge your confidence - so that you have a constructive use of the confusing, less secure Neptune energies.

Saturn opposed your Mars last year, probably bringing some struggles. These are now past. Jupiter will be aspecting all of your many Virgo planets in the next six to 12 months, which will give pockes of advantage when this hits. Progressed Sun conjoining your Venus over the next 12 months is very positive - a happy time - and progressed Venus will aspect your Sun in the year or two after that. There are some particularly good years right ahead of you. (This may make a positive spin on the Neptune transits: It looks like important romantic developments are in store over the next couple of years.) Solar Arc Jupiter is about to conjoin your Uranus, a strong signal of success. (It could be fortune from changes you make, though

Things probably seem difficult right now because you are EXACTLY at your Solar Arc Moon to natal Neptune. It's important not to sell yourself short right now or foreclose strong, positive opportunities.

Your new Solar Return (it set up on your birthday) is complicated. It has some negatives, especially in how you feel about things - and especially from your own causing. Solar return Moon is closely angular and most closely aspecting your natal Saturn. However, the chart also has two strong Jupiters. Like your general living in that area, then, the c hart is mixed. The strongest aspect is a positive Mercury-Jupiter opposition.

In three months from your birthday - mid-December? - Solar Return Moon progressed to square natal Jupiter. You likely will feel much better about things by then and your positive space will have shifted practical conditions - you will BE luckier for a while.

Excuse me for jumping in but Melbourne is so big.
It is almost as big as the country I live in here.
Which suburb are you if I may ask Nabourne?

Thank you so much Jim. And wishing you a speedy recovery!

The hearing problem is hereditary. My father has it and I have it too. I am not completely deaf. Just hard of hearing and managing using hearing aids and mainly lip reading. Over time it has worsened actually, but I’m just managing. It drains my energy during meetings or oral conversations.

Yes, I am good at what I am doing mainly because I have a passion for doing it. And the employers recognise this and want to promote me into taking up leadership responsibilities. They say that I can manage those things - but personally it takes a great deal of effort and stress. I hate doing people management. Last time I tried it, it didn’t work well to my satisfaction and personal standards because the team was expecting me to communicate more and sell our work, which I am not used to. This, I think comes from childhood because I’ve been made fun of, for the hearing issues during my school and college. So I naturally tend to seek out opportunities which does not require me to communicate so much orally.

The employers say that I can do management, but apart from having no interest in people management, I just don’t feel it’s worth the stress. I have managed this all my life - school, college and work that now I am so tired and just want to survive to provide my family. And yes most people love this problem, but it’s just not worth it for me. I am also inclined spiritually rather than being 100 percent materialistic.

So that’s why I was looking for an independent contractor role - they are in demand in Australia and they get into long term contracts as well. Even if the companies find me valuable, I will have some control over my career and don’t have to do everything they say. In my present organisation, I did ask what you said and was told that there’s no pay rise if I don’t get promoted. While I like to stay in same position for long, there’s still pressure and questions every year about promotion. I am not expecting huge pay rise but I am effectively stuck with no pay rise and technically challenging work at present. I believe independent contractor role will offer the right pay and control over my career for the work I am doing.

Florencedez - Thanks for your message. Happy to answer your questions.

SteveS Happy to answer your questions.

Jim - pluto aspect - hearing loss from later life - even though my hearing loss was from birth - few years back - I don’t remember may be between 2011 to 2014 I had couplr of surgeries in my ear which made the problem even worse.

Hi Nabourne, I want you to know right-up front, I clearly see the astrological symbolism in your Sidereal Solar Return (SSR) in Melbourne for the promotion and the astrological reason WHY you are reacting to this promotion symbolism with reserve with the promotion inhibiting you. I can’t ever recall where I saw a benefic “outstanding incident” SSR but knew at the same time, somehow, this benefic aspect could inhibit the native with a reactionary depressive outcome. This is different and unique for me. Of course, I now know WHY this benefic promotion is inhibiting you-- it’s because of your hearing loss. I may be able to help you psychologically better manage this unique type of situation, but I need first to ask a couple of questions. I can’t guarantee I will be able to tell you the right thing to do in this type situation, but I will do my best. We will need Jim to jump in and offer his take with his esperience. Hopefully we will may be able to help you better manage this situation, and other members may be able to offer their sight and opinions for this unique situation.

1: Do the people in your organization who want to promote you clearly understand your hearing loss situation?
2: And, if you did take this promotion do you feel with high probability you would fail to be able to manage this promotion?

I ask these questions because many times in our life we run into depressive psychological situations, but just because it depresses us does not mean we will fail at the task (promotion) in front of us.

Thanks for your response.

1. Yes. People understand my hearing issues but the problem is people are not the same. They keep changing. The management keeps changing. The way it works - a manager is expected to lead the team, communicate with team members, clients and other stakeholders. At this point, rather than seeing it as challenge, I see it as manor energy drain because I have to do lip reading, listen, understand, think and respond which is may be 4 times the mental processing than other normal people do. That aside, I believe, partly why they want to promote me could be because it might raise various questions to the too management and HR - like are we discriminating? Or are we giving him a pass because of impairement, or why he is jot promoted, etc. I have been told that these questions are asked.

2. Yes I believe I’ll fail because of the primary reason that I am just not interested in people management and I want to do technical stuff. Even if someone in company assures me, I know they will quickly forget it or the people itself won’t be there. The way it works in current company, it is like a body shopping. They get a set of people requirements, they throw in a manager, few technical people, testers, business people and that’s it. In my early days of career, this was very challenging and I managed it but now after so many years, I am just mentally tired and have given up. Just looking for something that I love to do and that pays me the market rate. It’s not that I want to become manager and not able to because of hearing impairment. I am just tired if managing it all my life. I had difficult school, college and early work life because of this. Others say I can manage it but only I know it drains the mental energy out of it like anything.

Nabourne wrote:

Yes. People understand my hearing issues but the problem is people are not the same. They keep changing. The management keeps changing. The way it works - a manager is expected to lead the team, communicate with team members, clients and other stakeholders. At this point, rather than seeing it as challenge, I see it as manor energy drain because I have to do lip reading, listen, understand, think and respond which is may be 4 times the mental processing than other normal people do. That aside, I believe, partly why they want to promote me could be because it might raise various questions to the too management and HR - like are we discriminating? Or are we giving him a pass because of impairement, or why he is jot promoted, etc. I have been told that these questions are asked.

I understand Nabourne this is a difficult situation. Your new SSR says there is very high possibility in 3-4 months things will change which will allow you to feel better about your current situation. Do you think with this 3-4 months it would give you time to go to the authorities of the company or another company and try to get another promotion position more suited to what you desired for a working environment? Your natal chart has many excellent business aspects with good organization skills and leadership qualities. But I do see in your Natal the aspects you were born which places you in very sensitive situations where you feel uncomfortable in one’s circle, and now I realize it’s your hearing impairment.
Nabourne wrote:

Yes I believe I’ll fail because of the primary reason that I am just not interested in people management and I want to do technical stuff.

Then you should always try your best to seek the technical stuff you desire to do within the next 3-4 months. BTW, you have a most excellent aspect in your Natal which says you would do well with technical stuff.
Nabourne wrote:

In my early days of career, this was very challenging and I managed it but now after so many years, I am just mentally tired and have given up.

I surely understand Nabourne. Again, your new SSR has a beautiful benefic Mercury-Jupiter aspect symbolizing success. I feel like if you could communicate to the right company authorities laying your cards on the table about how your hearing impairment is wearing you down with your job responsibilities dealing with people, asking the authorities for a position that better suits you with your hearing loss, this excellent SSR Mercury-Jupiter aspect could manifest for you in a most benefic way.
Nabourne wrote:

Just looking for something that I love to do and that pays me the market rate.

I understand Nabourne, this is what all employees are seeking in life.
Nabourne wrote:

I am just tired if managing it all my life.

I know this has had to be a burden for your life, and understand how it is wearing you down coping with your hearing loss. Just continue to seek a better employment position that will help relieve the stresses of managing this burden in your employment life dealing with other people. Try to always seek positions of employment which does not require you to work with other people where your hearing loss burdens you.
Nabourne wrote:

Others say I can manage it…

This is because they see the management skills you have, just like I see the management skills you have in your Natal Chart, but no one but you knows the burdens/strains you have to deal with your hearing loss. All I know is there is high probability of a successful business opportunity coming your way in the next 3-4 months. Later I will go into details for this Mercury-Jupiter success aspect, hoping it may give you a new way of looking at new possibilities for your working environment.

Next three to four months is quite ideal because I intend to improve my technical skills and seek a different position early next year. For the next couple of months I am visiting India so not going to work i am going to spend time with family and relatives and also prepare for next role. That’s what I had in mind before I posted my question here. It is a big leap for me because I have been in this company for like about 17 years and I was interested to find out if it’s beneficial and what the planets say about it.

Nabourne, though I think you probably have a good understanding of your character and who you are as a person, I want to give you links to information on this site that explores your Sun-sign, Moon-sign, and Mars-sign in great detail.

Sun in Virgo: https://www.solunars.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35#p160
Moon in Taurus: https://www.solunars.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=34#p143
Mars in Cancer: https://www.solunars.com/viewtopic.php? ... p=118#p118

I also wanted to show you something I mentioned briefly above, how your chart relocates to Melbourne. We measure planet positions in two coordinate systems: One is the zodiac (ecliptical coordinates), the other is called the prime vertical or mundoscope. The latter better shows how close planets are to the angles. Here are your Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn in both coordinate systems for Melbourne, plus Ascendant and Midheaven. (Notice that your Mercury by the zodiac looks like it would be later than Ascendant, but it's actually earlier when measured in the second [correct] coordinate system.) Notice how close Mercury-Jupiter is in the second coordinate system (though they're all close).

16°01' Gemini
16°15' Virgo - Saturn - 28°06' PV
20°50' Virgo - Jupiter - 29°23' PV
27°07' Virgo - Mercury - 29°36' PV
24°02' Virgo - Ascendant - 30°00' PV

Nabourne wrote:

Next three to four months is quite ideal because I intend to improve my technical skills and seek a different position early next year. For the next couple of months I am visiting India so not going to work i am going to spend time with family and relatives and also prepare for next role. That’s what I had in mind before I posted my question here. It is a big leap for me because I have been in this company for like about 17 years and I was interested to find out if it’s beneficial and what the planets say about it.

Then I now clearly understand how that “outstanding incident” benefic Mercury-Jupiter SSR aspect will start working for you with your new solar year. Your expired 2021 SSR had a very potent angular Saturn-Pluto aspect which manifests as “burdens” on a psychological level. Now your new solar year shifts to a strong psychological mode of Mercury-Jupiter. The “Principle” of Mercury-Jupiter symbolism is:

Sound common sense, the intellect with “Probable Manifestations” of Successful activity as a business person.

Nabourne, I can’t predict what is going to happen for you with your new SSR/Solar Year, but I do know Mercury-Jupiter is one of the best business aspects known by me with my 38 years practicing astrology. I don’t need to wish you good luck with this Mercury-Jupiter aspect, because I already know—somehow, someway—something is going to happen to greatly improve your life’s outlook. Keep in touch and let us know how things go with this new SSR/solar year for you.

This is very encouraging. Thank you, Jim & Steve.

I have an update, Steve and Jim. I've been promoted. But I'm still going to look for a change of job so I can be an independent contractor instead of working under a manager for single company. Hope it goes well ! Does the horoscope indicate any specific time I can achieve that? It's making me very anxious.

Congratulations on your promotion! I wish you much happiness in the new year.

I've only been abler to do a very quick look - I may have missed some times or details - but here is a first impression based on your location in Melbourne.

The two weeks beginning January 17 are unusually lucky, especially in matters involving your mind, curiosities, communication, and skills, and something that feels life-changing.

You have another significant turn of luck (likely lucky, showing you off well) in the two weeks beginning April 9. This one is even luckier than the last and matches the positive symbolism of your solar return.

There are weeks and months of quite different patterns between these - we all have ups and downs - but these are high points of unusual opportunity.