Paula Belluomini

PaulaBelluomini_2

Hello Paula,

Let us be the first to congratulate you for being chosen as our GD of the season! This is our new project in which ISAR will express its gratefulness to Global Directors who performed exceptionally in the previous season.

Thank you Zorana and let me take the opportunity to say that I didn’t expect that and I am thrilled. I thank you, all the board and all other GDs who also do an exceptional job keeping up with the demands. And obviously a big thanks to ISAR as an institution which is providing an amazing service to the global community of Astrologers.

I am very honored and grateful for this award and recognition!

 

According to our review, you are the first who should be presented on our website as a GD of this season.

To get started we want to know more about you. If you have any pictures of your service to ISAR and in Brazil, we want to see them and a description about the picture.

How did you get into astrology?

I started studying with my mom and sister in Brazil and by the time I was 12, I was already pretty much aware of the ephemeris, glyphs, aspects and what my chart looked like. I kept on reading books, having conversations and meetings with people who had knowledge, first as self-taught and later taking more structured classes.

 

What kind and types of astrology do you practice?

I mainly do natal with predictive techniques, which are the most known types of Astrology as well. When clients come they are interested to know what are the tendencies for the future so that’s what I focus on. I also do horary and electional consultations, which are a lot of fun. Also relationship analysis and relocational, which I find super interesting. Having lived in different places, I know how effective and important relocational astrology can be.

 

What do you do, meet clients more or teach more? Please explain.

I mostly do consultations. And each consultation is a class on its own. I explain to my clients what is going on astrologically, as many of them have basic to intermediary knowledge of astrology. Teaching comes in group settings, like study groups, and it’s exciting to see people growing and researching astrological techniques together.

 

What are the primary interests and specifics of astrology in Brazil?

Brazil is the home of a great number of excellent astrologers, as our culture is naturally drawn to esoteric and mystic subjects. Astrology in Brazil can be traced back since it’s discovery, as aboard one of the ships that landed here for the first time in 1500 was the knowledgeable nick-named Mestre João, astronomer and astrologer, the personal physician of D. Manoel, King of Portugal. And the history of Astrology in Brazil isn’t very different from what we hear throughout the world. Almanacs had a leading role in the continuity and transmission of Astrology as a meteorological phenomenon in the beginning of the 19th Century and later many books got translated from English to Portuguese, or from French to Portuguese, so we have a very rich base to develop our knowledge sources.

 

Tell us about your education and where you graduated?

I started with Editorial Production but for some turn of fate I ended up in Advertising. I have a bachelor degree in Marketing and Advertising by the University of São Paulo.

 

How long have you been practicing astrology? – How did it start?

I started very early when I was a child with my Mom and kept on studying on my own and taking courses. During the 90’s I moved to Southern California where I met many teachers, one of them being Robert Blaschke, who became my main teacher. Later in the early 2000s I felt the pressing urge to fulfill a long life dream of mine which were to design Astrological calendars and that was my ultimate ticket to enter head over feet into the field and community. Today I still produce calendars in Brazil and if you watch Chris Brennan’s The Astrology Podcast, you may have seen our wall calendars on the monthly and annual forecast.

Besides Robert Blaschke there were other teachers connected with that area, like Laura desJardin, Jim Shawvan and Arthyr Chadbourne. But I started seriously more professionally only in 2008. By 2009 I started taking horary classes with Arthyr Chadbourne in Laguna Niguel, and that was a new chapter of my studies, as I barely knew horary astrology. In October of 2011, I attended the first Traditional Astrology Conference in Arizona AFA with Demetra George, Benjamin Dykes and Chris Brennan when James Holden was still alive. From that moment on I started going deeper into the tradition and another major milestone came with the completion of the Hellenistic Astrology course with Chris Brennan. By that time, I was living in Brazil again.

 

Who are your Astrology hero’s/heroin’s?

There are many, and they keep taking turns through the years. Robert Blaschke was obviously one of them. Chris Brennan is an all times hero, as well as Benjamin Dykes. Today I’ve been following the work and path of Nina Gryphon, who is an admirable astrologer and I absolutely love her work.

 

What do you consider your three favorite Astrology books?

That is a hard question because there are more than 3, but if I were to pick, Hellenistic Astrology – The Study of Fate and Fortune by Chris Brennan is my number one favorite; Astrology – A Language of Life by Robert Blaschke is also a good one; and Cosmo & Psyche by Richard Tarnas is such an eye opener, hard not to mention.

 

In moving on, we are interested in any perceptions or insights you may have in being a Global Director.

What interested you about ISAR?

When I started producing astrological calendars I also attended my first astrological conference as a vendor in Anaheim, CA (ISAR 2003) – close to where I used to live. That’s when I first became an associate and never missed a thing. ISAR kept me informed of what was going on in the Astrological world and through them I met so many special people who became like a family. Then later in 2008 I’ve heard about the ISAR Certification Program and I didn’t hesitate to apply. I was already planning to go to the ISAR Conference in Chicago (ISAR 2009) and once there, I took all the 3 steps required to become a CAP (Certified Astrological Professional), although I ended up failing the test. I re-took the exam in New Orleans (UAC 2012), and I finally completed the Ethics Program in 2015. This whole process was very important for me to become a better professional in the field.

 

Could you please list the many talents and training of yours that you bring to ISAR?

I am graduated in Advertising and an experienced Graphic Designer. It’s almost inevitable to unite my 2 professions and offer graphic design services to the astrological community. I’ve been serving as a designer for the professional astrologers for a number of years now and I do graphics for the conferences.

As an ISAR Global Director, there are many responsibilities ISAR requires of its Global Directors. These include:

  • Write a report once a year about their projects for their respective country. Ideally this would be delivered by December 20 of each year.
  • Post articles on the ISAR website – four in his or her country’s language, four in English, and four translated articles from English into his or her native language. Dubbed “4-4-4.” This is a total of, at least, 12 pieces during the year.
  • Support and be aware of any portion of ISAR’s certification program in their country, regardless whether the Global Director is directly involved in organizing or sponsoring the training or not.
  • Maintain and be main moderator for their country’s ISAR FB group Instagram or YouTube.
  • Actively engage members of the group.
  • Supply weekly content, either in your country’s official language or translated articles or materials from English.
  • Promote ISAR’s weekly Star Club Webinars.
  • Share a post on #WednesdayWisdom in the group.
  • Organize and host ISAR Star Club in local language (optional).
  • Have regular monthly talks with the ISAR Coordinator of Global.
  • Participate in ISAR GDs monthly group meetings.

ISAR is interested in how you meet these responsibilities. Can you tell us your motivation in being such a successful GD?

I am very enthusiastic to be ISAR’s Global Director for Brazil. When I accepted the position, I had the clear objective to make the institution better known in Brazil. Keeping constant communication through social media in regards to ISAR’s activities, advantages and purposes was the way to go. That is an ongoing strategy and it is working as conversion has increased. Also, I’ve been contacting astrologers from around here to discuss several different topics in regards to orientation in education, code of ethics, membership and camaraderie, school affiliation and certification by an independent organization. The plan in uniting Brazilian astrologers has already started with the exchange among institutions. This work will intensify in the near future, which is all very exciting.

I think ISAR is an awesome organization which gives so many advantages to their associates that I can’t really think of a reason to not be a member. My objective is to pass this message along so that many more can benefit from it.

 

As ISAR’s Global Director for Brazil, tell us about that and what you enjoy?

Well, it’s absolutely an honor to be at service for such an interesting field and group of people. The amount of information you can exchange with your colleagues about not only astrology, tendencies and techniques, but also about educational standards, ethics and how to elevate the profession within society is very enriching.

 

What is difficult in this role and is there anything you would like to seen changed or modified?

The difficulty comes from the lack of recognition within society at large. Astrology has actually a bad overall image, so in order to explain exactly what you do end up being met with resistance. And among colleagues there’s a lot of competition, and this is one of the points I would like to see change.

 

What do you consider a real strength of yours?

I think being flexible and thinking before I speak are strengths of mine. My rising Sun and Mercury cazimi bring me this strength and good reasoning for that and also to decipher the language of the gods. An angular Jupiter in Leo in the 4th house is a point of stability, with the added trine from Venus bringing good feelings. They count when I need to resort to vision, creativity and to explore the best of my abilities in order to achieve my goals.

 

Tell us about your role with Conferences in Brazil, with ISAR, and with other organizations or groups.

The most important annual conference in Brazil is sponsored by SINARJ, Association for Astrologers in Rio de Janeiro, which throws this wonderful event every year, usually around November. In 2020, the symposium was cancelled due to the pandemic. Another organization, Central Nacional de Astrologia (CNA) convenes smaller gatherings throughout Brazil. Gaia, Regulus, Saturnália, Presságios (schools of Astrology) promote annual and more intimate conferences in their headquarters or online. And last but not least CINASTRO sponsors an online annual astrological conference that’s been gaining popularity. I have been invited to speak in many of them.

 

What do you feel you have accomplished in Brazil?

In regards to my work as an ISAR Global Director I’ve been trying to unite Brazilian astrologers through the exchange among institutions. I contribute as much as I can to other institutions, specially Sinarj, where I am part of the board. Also participating in study groups, giving lectures at the conferences, writing articles and keeping in touch with other astrologers is very important since I always promote ISAR and that brings attention to union through an institution, besides showing accord and comradery.

 

This may be related, what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment to date in your astrology career?

There are many and most of them are a real surprise. But truly what is best for me is to have developed a network of highly intelligent and creative colleagues. These folks are amazing original thinkers with high spiritual standards. Besides that, having a practice and being able to help clients explore their own charts and guide them with forecasts through their future is for me the best accomplishment I could have.

 

You were involved in the United Astrology Conference (UAC) in 2018. What was your roll there?

That was a blast. The conference coordinator got caught last minute not having someone to design the Program Book and through a recommendation she contacted me to design it, from beginning to end. Later they thank me because I had to accomplish that in record time.

 

We see that you are a CAP and have taken all the trainings and exams.

  1. Tell us about the certification process. Is it a good measure of your abilities?

Taking the test and going through the whole process was really important for me to become a better professional, to be challenged and get access to what my strengths and weakness were. I got to study more, make new friends and question what our role is when helping clients navigate their lives.

 

  1. Do you feel that certification by an organization is important? If so, why?

Yes, I feel it is very important because by having your skills tested you access where there’s a lacking of skills or knowledge. The Consulting Skills training is especially important because even with solid knowledge in astrology, sometimes there isn’t enough training into how to deliver the message or how to best understand where the client is, and the program provides good guidelines on how to assess a client.

 

What other organizations do you belong to?

ISAR is the first organization I belonged to, and I have been a member since 2003. Besides ISAR, I’ve been connected, on and off, with AFA, AYA and OPA in the US; and CNA and Sinarj in Brazil.

 

What is something else that your colleagues and clients don’t know about you, but might find interesting to know?

Well, this may be a good opportunity to talk about the color of my eyes. I have heterochromia, a rare condition caused by genetic factors in which the person is born with one eye of each color. Otherwise, I am normal. It’s very rare in humans and some people don’t know this is possible, so I want to explain it here, so when they meet me in person they don’t get too scared. It occurs more often in wild or domestic animals, like cats and dogs.

 

Finally, is there a special message that you would like to convey to the members of ISAR?

I truly think this is a fantastic organization that can add a ton to your life. There are many benefits to being an ISAR member, from learning opportunities to networking; enriching debates and making friends!

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