My first encounter with astrology happened during an extended trip to Asia in 1988 when, at the age of 23, I travelled to India, among other places. At that time, I knew absolutely nothing about astrology, but the Vedic horoscope readings I received in India made such a profound and thought-provoking impression that I can see today that this was where my journey with astrology began.
Over the next 15 years, I studied astrology, Jung, Grof, and transpersonal psychology on my own, alongside my university education and my regular working life. It was only much later that I sought out astrology schools. Astrology has many branches, but I threw myself into Western humanistic psychologically oriented astrology and gradually started to gain clients. Later, I delved into esoteric and transpersonal astrology and psychology and also completed an extended education in psychosynthesis.
Initially, I was driven both by the provocation from India and by curiosity and fascination. It made deep sense, and the more I delved into the essence of astrology, the more fascinated and astonished I became by how unique astrology is in providing us with an understanding of human existence. This encompasses individual, psychological, and emotional aspects, our inner lives, our relationships, traumas, childhoods, as well as transpersonal and spiritual dimensions.
I am deeply grateful that my journey with astrology began spontaneously, intuitively, and autodidactically. It has taken me to many different corners and recesses but has also forced me to take a stance and develop my own unique approach to astrology and its connection to transpersonal psychology.
Professionally, I draw inspiration from astrologers from the UK, the USA, and Scandinavia. My approach to astrology is broad; it includes humanistic, psychological, transpersonal, practical, esoteric, exoteric, and mundane astrology (political). For me, astrology contributes a perspective on many levels of life.
Astrology also offers a highly interesting perspective on shifts in the development of consciousness, both on an individual crisis level and a collective level, but also on social and economic crises, changes in historical epochs and paradigms, and the development of countries.
For me, the astrological perspective on personal, psychological, spiritual, and transpersonal development, combined with the principles of Psychosynthesis, Jung, transpersonal psychology, and Stanislav Grof's research, and not least the writings of Alice Bailey, have been crucial not only for my professional approach but also in navigating through a series of life-changing crises that began in my early twenties with the death of both my parents.
Astrology, transpersonal psychology, and my nightly dreams have been indispensable signposts in my own life for more than 30 years. Over time, my personal experiences have become deeply integrated into the core and foundation of my professional astrology and coaching practice.
My fundamental approach to coaching is a combination of Psychosynthesis (the transpersonal psychology of Roberto Assagioli) and systemic constellations. My education as a Psychosynthesis coach consisted of a two-year therapeutic foundation course combined with an advanced coaching course. A fantastic education and three unique years with intensive therapy, client training, and supervision.
30 years of practice, self-study, education, and training—my formal CV:
- Cand. Techn. Soc., Roskilde University, 1988-1995
- Certified astrologer (4-year education) Astrologisk Akademi, 2003-2007
- Certified Psychosynthesis coach (3-year education) at the Institute for Psychosynthesis, Gothenburg, 2007-2010
- 3-year course in esoteric astrology with Niklas Nihlen, 2007-2010
- 3-year course in esoteric astrology with Claus Houlberg, 2011-2013
- 1-year training as a facilitator in organisational constellations and systemic coaching (with teachers such as Albrecht Mahr, Cecelio Regojo, Jan Jacob Stam, Erik Svarer, Liv Dhanyo Thommesen, Christine Essen, organised by Liv Dhanyo Thommesen at Human Vision, 2014-2015)
- Numerous courses and lectures with Danish, English, American, and Swedish astrologers including Alan Oken, Michael Robbins, Melanie Reinhart, Mark Jones, Steven Forrest, Niklas Nihlen, Adrian Duncan, Christian Borup, Louise Kirsebom, Kenneth Sørensen, among others.
- Certified facilitator in conflict mediation at the Centre for Conflict Resolution (2017)
- Certified facilitator in conflict mediation for groups and organisations at the Centre for Conflict Resolution (2018)
- Individual mentoring program with the late American astrologer Alan Oken, who was my personal teacher and mentor in soul-centered astrology (esoteric astrology) for nearly 3 years from 2016 to 2018.
In my previous work, I primarily focused on individual coaching, group and team coaching, conflict mediation, and facilitating group processes for over 20 years. In May 2024, after 23 years in the labour movement, I became self-employed, focusing partly on Astromind, which has been a side venture for more than 25 years, and also working as a conflict mediator and business coach. See www.duegaard.dk for more details.
You can view my full CV at www.linkedin.com.
