book reviews
In the early twentieth century, Freud’s theories on sexual repression provided the foundation for the growing field of psychoanalysis. Carl Jung and Roberto Assagioli were two prominent followers of Freud, until they independently reached the conclusion that the individual psyche was connected to a transcendent consciousness. Most astrologers are familiar with Jung’s archetypes and collective unconscious, which he developed after leaving Freud. And Assagioli similarly developed a more holistic view, which he termed Psychosynthesis.
In The Soul Speaks, astrologer and psychotherapist Mark Jones describes how Jung and Assagioli added the spiritual dimension to psychology. These two thinkers had a profound influence on shaping modern psychology, and as it turns out, both were deeply interested in astrology. Jones had the opportunity to visit Assagioli’s archives in Florence, Italy, where he discovered boxes of hand-drawn horoscopes and astrological notes on the nature of the psyche. Assagioli was much influenced by Dane Rudhyar and Alice Bailey, and from all this he derived his theories for the Psychosynthesis movement, which is still growing today.
The author’s intention in The Soul Speaks is to shape the practicing astrologer’s therapeutic approach to the astrological consultation. The transformational potential in the astrologer/client session increases when the astrologer goes beyond the superficial New Age spirituality to understand the multidimensional nature of the psyche. And when he writes about the psyche, he is not referring to Freud’s sexual repression theories or the pathological view of…
In the early twentieth century, Freud’s theories on sexual repression provided the foundation for the growing field of psychoanalysis. Carl Jung and Roberto Assagioli were two prominent followers of Freud, until they independently reached the conclusion that the individual psyche was connected to a transcendent consciousness. Most astrologers are familiar with Jung’s archetypes and collective unconscious, which he developed after leaving Freud. And Assagioli similarly developed a more holistic view, which he termed Psychosynthesis.
In The Soul Speaks, astrologer and psychotherapist Mark Jones describes how Jung and Assagioli added the spiritual dimension to psychology. These two thinkers had a profound influence on shaping modern psychology, and as it turns out, both were deeply interested in astrology. Jones had the opportunity to visit Assagioli’s archives in Florence, Italy, where he discovered boxes of hand-drawn horoscopes and astrological notes on the nature of the psyche. Assagioli was much influenced by Dane Rudhyar and Alice Bailey, and from all this he derived his theories for the Psychosynthesis movement, which is still growing today.
The author’s intention in The Soul Speaks is to shape the practicing astrologer’s therapeutic approach to the astrological consultation. The transformational potential in the astrologer/client session increases when the astrologer goes beyond the superficial New Age spirituality to understand the multidimensional nature of the psyche. And when he writes about the psyche, he is not referring to Freud’s sexual repression theories or the pathological view of…
Traditional organized religions have long opposed the practice of astrology, since it takes the path of spiritual development away from the priests’ control and places it squarely on the individual. Yet, collectively, astrologers have no unifying or defined spiritual path, and some people who call themselves astrologers can readily be described as charlatans or ignorant fools. Fortunately, the astrological community has a branch known as “evolutionary astrology,” a loose-knit group led largely by Steven Forrest and his students.
Kay Taylor is an “evolutionary astrologer,” and her first book, Soul Path Way, combines a few basic techniques of this system with some tangible tools to discover the soul’s purpose. Ms. Taylor is one of Steven Forrest’s students and represents the next generation of this school. The principle goal of this spiritual guide is to help readers discover their true nature in order to live a more authentic life. The astrology is mixed with a Four Pillar approach that integrates the body, mind, emotions, and spiritual awareness.
About one-third of Soul Path Way is related to astrology, and the rest is about as close as astrology gets to what might be called a religion. To be sure, the author does not intend to replace traditional religion. The counsel here is a collection of New Age metaphysics, self-help techniques, and psychological perspectives that advance you on your unique life map. As for religion, she writes, “the rigidity and hypocrisy of religious institutions throughout our history have left many individuals wary of…
Traditional organized religions have long opposed the practice of astrology, since it takes the path of spiritual development away from the priests’ control and places it squarely on the individual. Yet, collectively, astrologers have no unifying or defined spiritual path, and some people who call themselves astrologers can readily be described as charlatans or ignorant fools. Fortunately, the astrological community has a branch known as “evolutionary astrology,” a loose-knit group led largely by Steven Forrest and his students.
Kay Taylor is an “evolutionary astrologer,” and her first book, Soul Path Way, combines a few basic techniques of this system with some tangible tools to discover the soul’s purpose. Ms. Taylor is one of Steven Forrest’s students and represents the next generation of this school. The principle goal of this spiritual guide is to help readers discover their true nature in order to live a more authentic life. The astrology is mixed with a Four Pillar approach that integrates the body, mind, emotions, and spiritual awareness.
About one-third of Soul Path Way is related to astrology, and the rest is about as close as astrology gets to what might be called a religion. To be sure, the author does not intend to replace traditional religion. The counsel here is a collection of New Age metaphysics, self-help techniques, and psychological perspectives that advance you on your unique life map. As for religion, she writes, “the rigidity and hypocrisy of religious institutions throughout our history have left many individuals wary of…
Since the astronomical community reclassified Pluto in 2006, we have experienced a revolution in how we perceive the celestial bodies that occupy our Solar System. Numerous Pluto-like objects have been sighted beyond Pluto’s orbit, and many more are expected to be found. We have innumerable asteroids and comet-like objects called Centaurs, of which Chiron was only the first discovered. Nowadays, astronomers group these new objects into zones or belts. Many have names, while others are recognized by an assigned number.
This flurry of new discoveries presents several problems for the astrological community, which Patricia Garner takes up in her thoughtful treatise, A Cosmic Dialogue. First, and perhaps most obviously, which of these new bodies should astrologers add to their horoscopes? Traditional or horary astrologers may advise you to stick with the visible planets and forget the rest, but otherwise most astrologer have found value in Chiron, the first four asteroids, and even Eris, the trans-Neptunian planet responsible for Pluto’s demotion. Should we add other asteroids? How about Hygeia, which is actually larger than Juno? Or some of the other named objects beyond Pluto, such as Haumea, Sedna, or Orcus?
The second major problem for astrologers is how to assign meaning to these new objects? A modern principle is that the naming of a new planet or asteroid has a synchronistic correlation with the object’s symbolic significance in the horoscope. We don’t understand how this can be, other than the naming process somehow taps into an intangible…
Since the astronomical community reclassified Pluto in 2006, we have experienced a revolution in how we perceive the celestial bodies that occupy our Solar System. Numerous Pluto-like objects have been sighted beyond Pluto’s orbit, and many more are expected to be found. We have innumerable asteroids and comet-like objects called Centaurs, of which Chiron was only the first discovered. Nowadays, astronomers group these new objects into zones or belts. Many have names, while others are recognized by an assigned number.
This flurry of new discoveries presents several problems for the astrological community, which Patricia Garner takes up in her thoughtful treatise, A Cosmic Dialogue. First, and perhaps most obviously, which of these new bodies should astrologers add to their horoscopes? Traditional or horary astrologers may advise you to stick with the visible planets and forget the rest, but otherwise most astrologer have found value in Chiron, the first four asteroids, and even Eris, the trans-Neptunian planet responsible for Pluto’s demotion. Should we add other asteroids? How about Hygeia, which is actually larger than Juno? Or some of the other named objects beyond Pluto, such as Haumea, Sedna, or Orcus?
The second major problem for astrologers is how to assign meaning to these new objects? A modern principle is that the naming of a new planet or asteroid has a synchronistic correlation with the object’s symbolic significance in the horoscope. We don’t understand how this can be, other than the naming process somehow taps into an intangible…
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