When is a good time to turn a chicken into a duck?

By Armand Diaz

Not long ago, a client called me for a session. They asked, “When is a good time to turn a chicken into a duck?”

I answered that it was impossible to turn a chicken into a duck.

The client was disappointed: “I guess I put too much faith in astrology.”

I countered that it had nothing to do with astrology, it’s simply impossible to turn a chicken into a duck.

But they persisted. “I really want a duck.”

I suggested that they could sell the chicken and use the proceeds to buy a duck, but that wasn’t acceptable. They explained that chickens are much less expensive than ducks, and the profits from selling a somewhat older chicken wouldn’t nearly approach what was needed to purchase a duck.

I asked why they had bought a chicken in the first place, if they really wanted a duck.

“I don’t know,” they answered, “I guess at the time I didn’t know what I wanted, and the chicken was available at a good price. But now I want a duck. What sign rules ducks?”

I thought about it, and considered that Virgo rules small animals, but birds tend to be under Gemini. I consulted the Book of Rulerships, and found that, according to al-Biruni, ducks are ruled by the Moon, so I supposed the sign of Cancer. Chickens were given to Aries, although again, al-Biruni said chicks were ruled by the Moon.

“So, should I do it when the Moon is in Aries or Cancer?” the client asked.

“No, no, no, you can’t change a chicken into a duck. It doesn’t matter what sign the Moon is in,” I replied.

“I guess I put too much faith in astrology,” the client repeated.

Okay, there wasn’t really a client asking about turning a chicken into a duck. But make a few substitutions and that conversation might sound more familiar and realistic. Clients ask me when their relationship partner is going to change into something more amenable to their wants and needs. They ask when the job they hate will get better. And so on.

It’s possible, of course, to point out times that might suggest a change in a person or situation. A heavy transit might indicate that things will get moving, but even then, it’s far from certain what the outcome will be.

Astrologers can describe the dynamics of a situation or a relationship. We can identify hinge points in time when things may change. We can be helpful by assisting clients with strategy.

But we can’t turn chickens into ducks.