Hardly surprisingly, Von Strunckel's path to becoming the world's best-known and most-widely syndicated horoscope queen owes a great deal to the planets, Saturn in particular, and her upbringing.
AAA childhood in Los Angeles is by its nature mystical,'' she says. The west coast of the US was a haven for an inquisitive teenager interested in Eastern and Western philosophies, yoga and meditation. Von Strunckel studied widely. But lest a mental image of a Mystic Meg draped in love beads, flowing robes and crystals springs to mind, think again. For all her metaphysical leanings, Von Strunckel was always, at heart, a material girl.
AAI was a commercial kind of girl too,'' she admits. AABut eventually the appeal of flogging frocks wore off. It's very repetitious.''
She's in Hong Kong this week to give a talk and check on production of a line of watches that will bear her name.
Although always interested in astrology, she never thought of doing it for a living until it occurred to her that maybe she could. An astrological phenomenon took place which, though hardly a Damascene conversion, changed the course of her life.
Apparently something happens to us all in our 29th year, when the planet Saturn returns to the place it was when we were born.
The impact on our lives was noted by, of all people, feminist Gertrude Stein. The 29th year is the one when someone goes from AAgreat dim possibilities to facing small hard realities'', she observed.
This is a watershed for many, a time when they change careers, take courses and review their lives.
Von Strunckel's astrological career took off and within two years she was off on lecture tours in India. But she was determined not to disappear in a mist of New Age unworldliness. AAMy merchandising background had taught me there is a bottom line that must always be paid attention.''
She brought her commercial savvy to her new career. Astrology, which she summarises as interpreting the planets and then giving advice based on the reading, can prove handy in the business world.
Her first insight into its business application was through an attorney she met at a party. He asked her if his client would win an upcoming case. Von Strunckel checked his chart. It revealed not only that the client would lose, but that he was suppressing evidence.
Stunned, the lawyer asked her to phone the man and tell him what she thought. Her call was greeted with a long silence. AAHow did you know that? No one knows that,'' the client said.
Sadly, Von Strunckel her real name, of Austrian origin can't name her clients unless they mention her. If she could, it would sound like a celebrity who's who.
She burst on to a worldwide stage after pop music guru Pete Waterman, whose stable of stars included Kylie Minogue, thanked her on the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs. When he first approached her in the early 1980s, he was still a humble disc jockey. AAI gave him some tough business advice and he took it.''
The basic theory of astrology is simple, she explains. It is the study of the cycles of nature. AAThese cycles are reflected in the planet's movements and it is these movements which are interpreted by an astrologer.'' Your astrological chart is a mirror of your nature, revealing strengths and weaknesses.
But it's based on science, not magic and she freely admits she can't guess a person's star sign from meeting them. She is a Cancer, along with many multi-millionaires such as Nelson Rockefeller and Sir Richard Branson.
Though astrology still had an AAend of the pier'' image, her marketing background told her there was huge potential for her services. Positive publicity would upgrade its image, she decided, so with characteristic resourcefulness she engineered meetings with as many magazine editors as possible.
She studied the style of Patric Walker, whose predictions appeared in this newspaper and many others before his death in 1995.
Taking the initiative she wrote to the editor of US magazine Mirabella, saying she was a keen disciple of Walker and offering her services. It was June 1990, she was accepted and her syndication career was launched. Immediately, a call came from global media giant News Corp asking her to write a daily column. Unknown to her, Walker had been scouting for a successor and, ironically, had already spotted the similarities between his and her writing styles.
She met her mentor who, through syndicated columns at that time, had three billion readers.
AAIt was like meeting an old and val ued friend. I'd figured out his chart from his writing,'' she explains.
She was hired as heir apparent and, overnight, went from one magazine column to worldwide exposure. AAI wanted to get into the press boy did I get into the press.''
There was more to come. The next call was from the prestigious Sunday Times in London, asking her to pen a quality column for its pages. It was 1992 and her appointment made headlines around Europe.
AAIt was actually news that the Sunday Times had hired an astrologer. Now it's the norm then it was outrageous.'' The paper's circulation shot up 11 per cent that year.
When Walker died she inherited his mantle and all his syndicated columns.
Von Strunckel is about as down to earth as you get, warm, funny and witty. She has homes in central London and New York but spends most of her time in Britain where her barrister husband, Nigel Gerald, works.
Along with her ouput of thousands of words a week, she also finds time to sit on the board of American Friends of English National Opera and does charity work for the Red Cross? The business aspect is undeniable her charges are US$250 (HK$1,947) for a 45-minute private consultation and she earns heaven knows how much for her syndicated work.
She is religious, Church of England in fact. AAWho put the planets there in the beginning? There's definitely a grand design,'' she says.
She believes in reincarnation, and that this life is for learning the knowledge that was missed in the last one.
AAWishing won't alter anything but knowing when the cycles in your life will change certainly will.'' What astrology does, she says, is give people information about where they are in their life cycles, whether they are cresting a wave or emerging from a slump. Armed with this information, people can go on to make informed decisions.
Can she predict death? She flinches and wriggles in her seat. It's not an area she relishes so, no, she doesn't do that. But a chart reading can help explain why certain events have happened. For example, she can see why extrovert Australian Gemini Nicole Kidman became frustrated living with serious-minded Cancerian Tom Cruise, leading to their marriage breakup. She does celebrity charts, which can be read on the Web site handbag.com.
Knowing one's chart can lead to acceptance and joy in the differences between people. AAInstead of fuming about your partner's tardiness or untidiness, you might learn that, as a Sagittarius, he is eternally battling with time.''
Many of the problems faced by people today come down to a lack of respect for the cycles of nature, she believes. AAWe expect strawberries in winter and to be cool in summer, so we lose touch with the Earth's rhythms.''
To everything there is a season, periods of growth and periods of contraction. AAUnderstanding this in a proper context enables us to put even total collapse in a useful context.''
Forewarned is forearmed, and this way, people can capitalise on the upswings in their lives and see the downturns for what they are.
Shelley Von Strunckel will give a talk at Blush, 54-58 Hollywood Road, 7-9pm on Monday night. Tickets HK$250 from the New Age Shop, 2810 8694
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