ANd my question is, once again -- how are subjective experiences any less "real" than empirically reproducible/verifiable ones? WHy do you think the wonders of human life and consciousness must conform to the rigours of Western scientific investigation to be "real"?

My observations and personal experience with transiting Venus this weekend are absolutely real. To me, to my students and their parents (a couple of whom were still beaming this morning in fact - and so was I! :-) and to anyone who reads my posts here on the 25th as well.

YOu can hypothesize about the "accuracy" of that experience being due to my (limited) knowledge of astrology - but I didn't even know about that particular transit till yesterday.

And that's why I usually check the transits/personal daily horoscope only when the day is over (if I feel like checking it at all, that is) -- to avoid the "self-fulfilling prophecy" thing and in so doing, to directly observe and discover more about how the position and movements of the different celestial bodies correlate (please -- not predict or influence or cause or effect, but correlate!) with my own moods, attitudes, and personal daily life experiences. And my ongoing studies, observations and discoveries never fail to amaze and delight me - that's why I love astrology.