We are thrilled to announce our newest publication, The Spirit of the Stars: Navigating your Fate with Pole Star Astrology, written by Plum’s resident astrologer, Narrye Caldwell, and published by Plum.

There is much to say about Chinese Astrology, in general, and Pole Star, in particular—discover more about it in the longer description of the book and, obviously, in the book and its accompanying DVD themselves. But it’s worth a minute to see how the cousin arts of Chinese astrology and Chinese martial arts enjoin.

Chinese astrology and Chinese martial arts share qualities, such as pattern identification, alignment with Qi or nature, and the progression of energy. One thing that distinguishes Chinese astrology from Western astrology is that it is not psychological—it does not try to ‘fix’ you, but rather identify your true nature so you can more closely align with it and your environment. It will not prevent a safe from falling out a 10th story window, but it might help you to step aside.

These are the same aspects of martial training that are rarely discussed but foundational to its practice: knowing yourself, knowing your opponent, and really getting the space you share. The taoist concept of “the way of the water’s going” helps us understand martial movement, whether in solo or partner practice. And it applies equally to how we live our lives, both inside and outside the guan.

Of course, most people are just interested in astrology, unrelated to martial practice. For those who have used other systems, or for those who are just curious, Narrye’s step by step instruction will take you from novice to chart-maker, while providing real insight, not only into Chinese astrology, but also the larger concepts of Fate, Qi, and a life well-aligned.