Astrocaster

Margaret Cherry has stars in her eyes. A former computer programmer and education administrator, Cherry now spends much of her time drawing and reading astrological charts, which she says can help people learn a lot about themselves and their relationships with others. Cherry has been studying astrology for 30 years and is also a minister in the Unity Church, reads Zen Buddhist Tarot cards and has taught classes in “manifestation” at Lotus Flower Imports in downtown Chico.

How does one become an astrologer?

First of all, I was raised that [astrology] is nonsense and anyone who even talks about it is not right. But back in around 1971 the song “Age of Aquarius” came out. I was at that time working for the state department of education [and] over the partitions I’d hear [coworkers saying] “I live by it,” and then another one would say, “It’s garbage.” I’d sit there thinking to myself, “You guys don’t have the foggiest idea, you don’t know any more about it than I do.”

So, I’m a Scorpio and a friend of mine who worked for me is a Scorpio and she bought a book and she said, “You’ve got to look at this.”

Can you see the future?

We use the same planetary positions that the astronauts use, so I can look at next year, where [the planets are] going to be and see if you might be impacted by them. I can tell you, say if it’s, for example, the planet Uranus crossing your sun, you’re probably going to quit your job. If it’s the planet Mars or Saturn going through your third house, you may have an automobile accident because you’re going to be uptight. But there’s no way that I can tell you you will quit your job because you have free will.

Putting skepticism aside, why does it work?

Nobody knows. The only thing I can tell you is that our bodies are made of, what 98 percent water? And our brains are electrical and that water conducts electricity. It may be electromagnetic energy that is influencing us.

Do you believe in God?

Oh absolutely. I believe in a higher power. If you like, call it God, I do. But you can call it the Universe, or whatever you want. Everything in astrology is, in my opinion, a lot like gravity. You know you’re not going to step off a three-story building because of gravity—it’s going to whump you. Well, if you know astrology then you know that when you get a transit of Saturn, you’re going to be tired, you’re going to be depressed—things can go wrong. It’s the same thing.