GLOBAL GATHERINGS VIII – November 22-24 2010— SLOVENIA
My connection with this country began in a very strange way. I had just started to come to Europe after MauerFall, ending the Berlin Wall. One of my astrology students posed this interesting astrological request: She said that Jupiter was transiting her 9th House and she longed to travel, however, she had no money to travel. What could she do to appease Jupiter in the 9th?
The answer came very quickly! Living in Washington DC, there are many churches that are affiliated with different countries and there are embassies for every country. All she had to do was think of a country that she would like to visit, contact the church and the Embassy, and then begin attending their religious services and cultural events. This sounded so good— and, when I was home, I was always longing to be back in Europe — that I started looking for a country and their religious and cultural events that would interest me, like being back in what is now called Central Europe until I could return every November.
Some of the church services were deadly dull. The Czech church services at Georgetown University were extremely long, laborious and completely in the Czech language. Another friend told me about Slovenian services being held in a small crypt area at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at Catholic University. These services are held on the first Sunday of each month, they are 35 minutes long and the Polish priest, who speaks Slovene, gives powerful 5 minutes sermons. On the 1st Sunday in January, Father Raymond talks about the 3 astrologers (yes, he used this word) who followed their intuition and the stars in the heavens to find the Christ Child. Beautiful Slovenian songs would be sung by all and many of these people had professional-sounding voices. I was in love — but where was Slovenia??
By the summer of 1991, Slovenia achieved its independence from Yugoslavia and they held a Slovenian Heritage Day near American University. It was then that I realized where Slovenia was and the struggle this country was having to in order to be free. At this event, I connected with Nika Kovacic who was born in Slovenia, coming to America in the 1950s in order to marry a Slovenian man who was working at the Library of Congress.
Nika is always promoting Slovenia and the Slovenian Women’s Union in America, an organization that promotes Slovenian culture in America. She invited me to join and this began a course of intense participation in Slovenian activities. But, I thought, if I am going to promote Slovenian culture in America, I need to visit this country. So, that November, I put Slovenia on my travel itinerary.
I found the train station to be very user friendly. Since everything was just opening up to westerners, there was a tourist information desk inside the station (this no longer exists). I was given a map listing all of the hotels and the prices. I found one within walking distance that only cost, at that time, about $33 per night. A kind man was staying at this hotel, Stefan, and he offered to show me around Ljubljana. He was a world authority on teas and, through this hobby, he was able to travel around the world.
I traveled to Slovenia regularly after my first trip. For a small sum, one could take a bus ride through the most beautiful scenery in the world. The mountains, the Adriatic Sea and ancient caves are never more than a 2-hour bus ride from Ljubljana. I became good friends with the Slovenian Ambassador (a Pisces) who is now the Foreign Minister. I feel that one day he will be president and he will change the face of Slovenia in the world arena. I also serve as Vice President of the Maryland Slovenian Women’s Union. They say that I am more Slovenian than the Slovenians and I am very proud of this fact.
In 2001, I joined a “family” of astrologers on the Conjunction Yahoo Group. When I said that I loved Slovenia, a woman named Ema Kurent offered her home for my next visit. This began a long friendship with a woman who is probably the most famous astrologer in Slovenia. I have seen her Astrological Annuals being sold at the post office, especially post offices in small villages such as Trezic.
Ema and I met again in 2003 at the 3rd Astrological Congress in Belgrade Serbia. We both lectured there. Ema spoke in English and she gave one of the best lectures on the Progressed Moon that I had ever heard. The Progressed Moon is an area of my own interest and our thoughts were so much alike. I have met with Ema over the years during my visits to Slovenia. This year she showed me her new Astrological Report Writer, a report that gives an interpretation of all of the influences in your chart— progressions, transits and even the daily transits of the Moon. A one-month interpretation is about 25 pages long!
The report that she printed for me said that the weekend of November 20 would be excellent for communications and meeting people— all of which came true. I lectured for IAA on the 21st and so many people registered that I was put into a Webinar. Later, as I will discuss, I had a fantastic meeting with Neva Hee and Bern Jurecic, which came as a sudden, last-minute surprise.
Ema’s report also warned about November 24 and that events on this day would not run smoothly. Lo and behold, after checking into my hotel in Mittenwald, I found that there would be no water in the hotel for November 24 due to water pipe repairs. I later missed the train to Innsbruck. So, I decided to just stay in town and write this GG Report. Of course, the aspects were still bad for the 24th and I could not connect to the internet from my room. I became very depressed!
Ema’s Report Writer will be available after December and I will happily promote this personal publication.
On November 22, I left Kamnik where I had been very spoiled by the hotel Malograjski Dvor. I had a desk for writing and lecturing and a wide screen television directly in front with English programs, plus the internet connection was excellent. I felt it would be more convenient if I stayed in Ljubljana so that I could easily board the train to Mittenwald in Bavaria. I no longer enjoy being alone and I asked my Spirit Guides to help me not feel so alone in Ljubljana. I used to enjoy being by myself but I no longer do.
The city of Ljubljana has changed so much and I enjoyed just walking through the town. I came back to my room around 3pm to get my notebook for journaling. The telephone rang and it was Neva, asking if we could meet in an hour. I was thrilled. The story of how we met is most interesting.
In the Spring of 2009, a woman wrote a personal question on my website. I do answer personal questions, only as they pertain to my articles. Thanks to my web designer, Molly Cliborne, I now receive about 1500 hits each day. She has set up the browser codes so that the most vague reference to astrology will bring you to my website. Neva was simply looking for information on Retrogrades. I told her that I cannot answer personal questions on my website but, since she is living in Slovenia, I could visit her that November and give her a personal reading. She was more than shocked— that some astrologer in America would know where Slovenia is, that I would know where her home in Kranj is located and then the offer of a personal visit. Neva picked up a total stranger at the train station and there began a wonderful friendship.
My visit with Neva was just like my visits with Ema— we would have a wine in one location, then a lunch in another, then coffee in another and then a dessert in a final location (and with other stops in between). This is what I love about Slovenia and my Slovenian friends. We talked and talked about astrology but it was never a draining experience for me. I always felt that she was learning, not taking. My Virgo nature finds this very stimulation and even energizing. So, to see her again this November was indeed a treat. Because this was a working trip for me and Neva was tied up with company, we did not have much time together.
We had “treats” at the hotel restaurant rather than look for another location and another parking place (parking is very difficult in Europe). Then, a handsome man walked up to our table and asked if I was Lynn Koiner! Another delightful shock and surprise!! I knew immediately that this was Bern Jurecic, who is now trying to organize an astrological society in Slovenia. Ema has always been too busy with her writing, teaching, translating and with her family to try to organize a group but she told me that this is Bern’s expertise— he is an effective organizer and social networker.
We only had a short time to talk but Bern told me that the Astrological tradition in Slovenia is only about 25 years old. In the late 1980s, there were the first Sun Sign books but the early 1990s brought more serious texts, many translated by Ema Kurent. Astrology is not strong here because of the Catholic Church or it is seems very Plutonian— “more Popish than the Pope himself.”
Slovenia is the same size as Massachusetts with 2 million citizens and the country can be divided into quadrants with archetypes. While he associated these with regions, I was not able to type all of this information:
- Archetypal Virgo— shy, modest, hard working but its citizens never fought for independence until it was pushed into their hands in 1991. Leadership in the 21st Century is something that they are learning as they go.
- The archetype of Cancer is strong for Slovenia. It is their independence sign. The Slovenian Euro features the constellation of Cancer, very astrological.
- Pluto is 3rd archetype of extremes.
The current Recession has brought a new interest in astrology. Bern has observed, as I have, that people are more willing to listen to lessons with the horoscopes because astrology depersonalizes the information. It is not their problems or issues — it is some aspect in the chart.
Bern is not a predictive astrologer but he uses his own delineation Solar Return technique, a new approach to Solar Returns that he has been developing over the years. He feels that the Serbian market is better than Slovenian market for the astrological practitioner. He sees the Solar Return as a story that unfolds over the 12-month period. He works on specific timing for the solar return as the client’s story unfolds. He has observed that Pluto in the Return 12th often causes one’s world to fall apart. He is very interested in the subconscious patterns with his clients.
He commented that he has observed that planets before the 29th degree are weak— approximately 24-28 degrees. I have noticed that my Mars at 24 Gemini is indeed very weak. By the time a transiting planet has aspected all of my other Mutable planets, nothing happens when it hits Mars at 24 degrees Gemini. I do feel that late degree and early degree plants present a personality profile but this does not determine how weak or strong the planet is. Bern feels that planets in the early degrees are the most powerful. I think this may be because they take up so much energy to work with them when they are triggered by a transit.
# Using Global Gatherings, I would like to visit astrologers around the world. I will gladly come and publicize the work of astrologers in other countries. If you are interested in a visit from me, please let me know. It is not always possible to visit every country but I will try. I am always in Europe in November. www.lynnkoiner.com or koiner@starpower.net
- Ema has prepared a Transit Report in English. www.astrojoy.com
There is an offer for a free 1-month report. Frankly, I was amazed at its accuracy.