George, Demetra (1946-)

Demetra George, a popular contemporary astrologer, has become well known for promoting consideration of the role of asteroids in the interpretation of the horoscope, and for her integration of goddess mythology to illuminate the life of her clients. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 25, 1946. She attended Randolph-Macon Women's College but completed her B.A. degree in philosophy at the State University of New York's campus at New Platz. Through the 1960s she studied astrology with a variety of teachers, including Zipporah Dobyns. She became a professional astrologer in the early 1970s and an active member of the Association for Astrological Networking and the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR).

George started her career in astrology just as interest in asteroids, especially the four largest—Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta—was on the rise, and one of her teachers, Dobyns, was in the forefront of promoting that interest. George found the inclusion of the asteroids a meaningful addition to her perspective on horoscope charts. She eventually became president of the Asteroid Special Interest Group of the NCGR, and in 1986 she and Douglas Bloch completed their groundbreaking study, Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Reemerging Feminine. To provide additional content, George did not merely supply characteristics of the several asteroids as had been assigned to the standard planets, but proposed an additional principle. She asserted that when a planet or asteroid holds a particularly prominent place in one's birth chart, the mythological story of the god or goddess for whom the planet or asteroid is named is especially relevant to the individual. While most of the planets (except for Venus) are named for ancient Pagan deities, the prominent asteroids are named for female deities.

George currently resides in Oregon. She lectures before astrological groups internationally and regularly addresses national and regional astrological conventions.

Sources:

George, Demetra. Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess. San Francisco: Harper, 1992.

——, and Douglas Bloch. Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Reemerging Feminine. 1986. 2nd ed., San Diego: Astro Computing Services, 1990.

——. Astrology for Yourself: A Workbook for Personal Transformation. Berkeley: Wingbow Press, 1987.