Shamanic Astrology

 
                            Dali's Hermes

In Jungian psychology, the psychopomp or "soul conductor" is a mediator between the unconscious and conscious realms. In modern terms, the Shaman is an intermediary for those who get lost and cease to grow because of experiences that separate them psychologically from societal consciousness. The Shaman was also once lost this way –but found a way back and re-integrated himself within the collective. The Shamanic experience is absolutely individual, so the Shaman cannot simply or directly tell you the way back. They can only use their own experience and other myths to point you to a doorway in consciousness –but it is up to you to walk through it –and to trust the experience to transform you. To read about my personal Shamanic Journey you may click here.

In more practical terms, what this amounts to is that I help you to re-write your Life Story. Bob Dylan once said :"He who is not busy being born is busy dying." What he meant by this is that someone who is not constantly re-inventing themselves will soon find themselves trapped in a story where there is no room for growth -and when we cease to grow we cease to truly live. We must answer what Joseph Campbell called the Hero's "Call to Adventure."

The beautiful thing about your chart is that it has room for thousands of stories! To make it easier, I outline 4 primary Heroic Archetypes and their analogues in the 4 Astrological Elements: Fire/Warrior, Air/Wanderer, Water/Martyr, Earth/Magician. We can use these Archetypes to facilitate changing life-scripts via the three-step process of transformation symbolized in Astrology by Goddesses Vesta, Pallas and Juno. Often clients come to me in pain or confusion because they are living a dead story. The heavy emotions clients initially present are symbolic of the compressive focusing energy of Vesta. When they are able to experience a new archetype/script, there is a creative release (Pallas). This leads to new connections (Juno) with new characters in a new story!  We can explore this process in the life of Bob Dylan –who managed to integrate all 4 heroic paths.

Bob Dylan started his career as the classic troubador. He was a folk singer whose boot heels needed to be wandering. This was the natural role for him as he was a classic Gemini and the Wanderer archetype is the correlate of Air. The Wanderer learns through autonomy and independence. However, Dylan soon realized that he was being pigeon-holed as a "protest singer." He instinctively bristled at this and soon re-invented himself with the ground-breaking electric sound of Like a Rolling Stone. Dylan received fierce condemnation and criticism for changing courses, but like a true Warrior he soldiered on. The Warrior fights, slays or conquers and learns through competition. Dylan was learning what it takes to remain competitive in a fickle marketplace. Eventually all the fighting took its toll, and Dylan sought solace in spirituality. He became a religious man and took up the path of the Martyr. The Martyr learns through sacrifice and service and Dylan wrote a few albums with strong religious and moralistic themes. Eventually, the myriad expereinces of stylistic and genre changes brought Dylan to the path of the Magician. Practicing a sort of Alchemy, the Magician seeks to affirm and incorporate all paths and learns through relationship. Accordingly, much of Dylans critical acclaim came later in his career and he has recently become the first rock musician to ever win the Pulitzer Prize.

It might not be as natural for each of us to change paths, but with some supportive counseling, I have found that embarking on a new path becomes very enlivening and rewarding for many of my clients. If you think you might be ready to Re-Vision your Future and Trans-Figure your Life Story, I have the intuitive skills, experience and practical know-how to act as your personal Soul Guide. I look forward to exploring with you!