“All people . . . have deep desires to know their place in the cosmos, to know the meaning and purpose of their lives.”
José Stevens summarising Victor Frankl
Photo: Rawpixel Public Domain
After a long pause, I’m delighted that Full Moon Features are back and especially delighted to introduce you to Alan Clay and his latest work – New Stars for a New Era.
Firstly, may I backtrack a little?
Those of you who read my updates will know of the growing interest and enthusiasm I have in Astrology.
Looking back, I can see how beginning an astrological journey was an obvious next step for me. It didn’t appear that way at the time though!
As you’re reading this, perhaps it’s an appealing next step for you too?
Author and psychotherapist José Stevens offers words that are helping me to describe the trajectory of my spiritual journey. Having summarised Victor Frankl’s suggestion (from Man’s Search for Meaning,) that we all have deep desires to know our place in the cosmos and to know the meaning and purpose of our lives, José Stevens continues to describe how our attempts to satisfy a nagging, unnamed hunger take us through a series of identifiable (although unlikely linear) stages.
In our earlier developmental stages (that may have nothing to do with our chronological age!), conversion to a religion with a moral code that provides structure may be the perfect way to explore a budding spiritual life. I can relate to this in my own life. My spiritual conversion into Christianity happened at the point of becoming an unemployed single parent with 3 young children. I needed to be held!
Had I been in a society with an active astrological community, perhaps my path would have taken me in that direction.
I’ve seen conversions into Christianity and Islam in people with whom I worked as they emerged from severe drug use. Their chosen religion lovingly held and contained them as they stepped into the scary world where they were required to face their deepest fears, feel their feelings, and make reparations for harm caused through their drug use.
And as we mature, our spiritual blossoming may open us to an expanded philosophy of life, the study of metaphysics or a revelation about our true purpose.
The ultimate source of our happiness”, says Stevens, “is your recognition and experience of true relationship with your deepest self, with others, and with all of nature.”
To experience this, he continues, “you must have no conditions or judgements, just unconditional acceptance.”
At the time of my first astrological reading, allowing myself to be exposed to astrology felt risky.
Stepping into something new, naturally requires stepping away from something old, and that process always meets some resistance.
For me, the process has not been entirely without consequence. However, thus far, the benefits greatly outweigh the losses.
Coming from a culture where astrology was at best discounted as deterministic or no more than superstition and at worst, demonic I needed to take a certain leap of faith, to trust that this was the direction in which I was being led.
I was encouraged by knowing that before “The Enlightenment” (a complete misnomer in my view!) The Pope had an astrologer and within some of the Romanesque churches along the Camino de Santiago, a few frescos depicting horoscopes remain. Also, Carl Jung used astrology extensively in his work, and I have the greatest respect for his contribution to psychology.
Fortunately, as many of you also know, I’ve had much practice in following my heart and in taking great leaps of faith!
This time, my head agreed with my heart – Astrology offers a whole new, wonderful way to observe and explore how people, the world, and the cosmos works.
For an Enneagram 5, what could be better!
And after a couple of years listening and learning, I have found astrology to be an intriguing, dynamic, expansive comingling of natural rhythms, sacred geometry, myths, archetypes and the spiritual journey of transformation.
It is a divinatory practice, a geometric language, a symbolic language, a sacred language. . ..
It’s offering me a wonderfully non-judgemental way of reflecting upon my life – bringing new understanding to some of the struggles and joys and, I believe supporting me in ever-becoming my authentic self.
On a much larger scale, it’s offering an expansive way to look at culture, society, human behaviour, earth changes and a perspective on our current times that just makes sense to me!
It’s steering me in the direction of having “no conditions or judgements, just unconditional acceptance.”
Does this sound appealing? If yes, I’d love for you to dip your toe in join me as together, we allow the mystery to unfold in a new way.
Alan Clay, my guest for this month’s Full Moon Feature says –
“Astrology is a social science, recording the psychology and behaviour of people over the eons as referenced to the dynamic system in which we live.”
And Alan is keen to share astrology with those who have not yet discovered what a wonderful tool it is on the journey of spiritual formation.
This is where my new enthusiasm meets Alan’s wish to make astrology accessible to all!
You’re invited to watch the conversation Alan and I recorded earlier this week.
Alan explains the basics of astrology and speaks a little about the way he works with astrological energies.
And, most importantly, he introduces us to some of the 10 new dwarf planets through their myths and symbolic personalities. Alan explains why these planets are so important for our time and offers suggestions as to how they support us on our journey towards mature spirituality or evolved consciousness.
Sit back, enjoy!
New Stars for a New Era – a Consciousness Workbook for our 10 New Planets is available as a paperback from Barnes and Noble or as eBook and paperback from Amazon.
The planet images from the book, shared in the video are by Karen La Puma