Spookily accurate

Jonathan Cainer, the well-known, ‘spookily accurate’ astrologer, died earlier this week at the very young age of 58. They say he didn’t predict his own death: in fact, in the days prior, he talked about an unprecedented number of celebrity deaths so far this year, and how an ethical astrologer would not predict the date or cause of anyone’s demise, not least because of the risk of the self-fulfilling prophecy. His own Sagittarius forecast for the day began: ‘We aren’t here for long. We should make the most of every moment.’ I was saddened to hear of his death. He had a particular way with words that, even if you thought it was bunkum, had the ability to shed a different light on your day and to open the way to choose the higher road. I first came across Cainer when I had a contract in a publishing house many years ago. The editors started it, the designers joined in: someone would do the coffee run and while we waited, we’d check our horoscopes online, all gathered around one computer while everyone’s forecast was read aloud. This symbol for Sagittarius the Archer is from the Frutiger Symbols Negativ character set: I think it is apt that you don’t immediately make out the obvious.