Monthly Archives: January 2025

The Astrology of Bond

I’m definitely not a James Bond fan, but I really enjoyed The Astrology of Bond.  Why?  It’s the astrology!  Hollywood astrologer Ra Rishikavi Raghudas has given us lots of charts, with well-drawn interpretations that only someone who’s spent a lifetime practicing astrology can do.  And I no longer see many in-depth horoscope portraits elsewhere, making this book valuable indeed.

The Astrology of Bond cover blurb says it’s “suitable even for those with little or no astrological knowledge,” and while there are clear explanations throughout and much of a non-astrological nature, I personally think readers should have the basics to best appreciate the book.

Ra has done a tremendous amount of research and I especially enjoyed reading about the history and back story of the Bond works.  We’re treated to the horoscopes of Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer Dr. John Dee, Rudolf Hess (yes, he’s connected), creator Ian Fleming, his mentors, his wife, the American ornithologist whose name was borrowed for the character, the producers, all of the actors who played the title role and more.  For film and electional astrology buffs, all of the horoscopes for the movie premieres are included too.

I also found the section on the alchemical myths that relate to the Bond story fascinating, as well as Fleming’s friends in occult circles (and their horoscopes).  It’s ironic how such a self-destructive man as Ian Fleming (who died at 56 from a heart attack due to chain smoking, drinking and a generally unhealthy lifestyle) created what became a seemingly indestructible man.

Ra is living in the 21st century, and while James Bond may have been an old-school, misogynistic alpha-male, the writer certainly is not, and also considers the shifting cultural climate and how the series adapted to succeed throughout the years.  He also notes the 1962 Solar Eclipse in Aquarius (with seven planets in that sign) and the Uranus-Pluto conjunction of the 1960s as initiating the new social norms that helped the Bond archetype take root.

Ra Rishikavi Raghudas is a seasoned astrologer who brings a depth of experience to his book.  He’s a wonderful writer with an easily accessible style, who presents sound, solid astrology while also touching on many tools to use and ways to look at a chart.  If you’re an astrologer who’s interested in film or its history, you’ll enjoy this fun and informative book.  But if, like me, you crave compelling horoscope interpretations of real people and events, you’ll find much more.

See The Astrology of Bond on Amazon.

About my reviews and links.

The In-Between

When my mother first moved to an assisted living facility, they placed her under hospice care.  Being the stubborn and contrary person that she was, she fought them every step of the way until they disenrolled her (she lived for five more years).  We weren’t sure why she was put on that plan, but I ended up feeling it was a very good program that was more holistic than most medical treatment today.

So my interest was piqued when I saw The In-Between:  Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments, a memoir written by a hospice nurse, about her experiences with twelve patients over the course of a few years.  Most interesting to me was the medical reality of patients receiving visits from their loved ones as they neared death.

The author, Hadley Vlohos, R.N., was a teenage unwed mother when she enrolled in nursing school and later landed in hospice care.  She felt at home with the more patient-centered, comfort-driven mandate of hospice.  Hadley shares what she learned from her patients, who were usually open and candid at the end of their lives.  We follow her on her journey as she acclimates herself to the challenges of her job, gets married, goes through the death of her mother-in-law from brain cancer and learns to confront medical authorities when necessary.  Her patients range from wealthy to homeless, elderly with dementia to a young parent, slow and expected weakening to quick passages, and all offered insights and wisdom.

But it’s the unusual relationships that develop, as well as the metaphysical experiences described that were the most compelling.  Patients invariably felt calm and peaceful near the end, and many looked forward to rejoining long departed family members who had recently visited them.  Hadley herself had struggled with her religious upbringing, and she found that beliefs didn’t affect her patients’ experiences in dying.  (Even a life-time atheist was also visited by family from the other side.)

While the topic may be off-putting to many, Hadley Vlahos tells her patients’ stories with great feeling and empathy, and the book becomes a celebration of life in all its many facets.  Hadley learned that she couldn’t control everything and often had to trust both her patients and the universe and let go.  (Saturn is often invoked in the subject of death, but may also be appropriate in its sense of timing and the idea of release, too.)  All of the patients’ stories resonated with me.  In an age of AI and continual promotions, it’s nice to find a work that honors uniquely human experiences.

See The In-Between on Amazon.com.

About my reviews and links.