Experiential Astrology:Bringing It Alive!

Run, do not walk, to your local bookstore to pick up the October/November 2009 of The Mountain Astrologer. And if it's not there--it has disappeared from the shelves of my home town--order it! These folks will get it to you immediately. For those of us who art, this month's article Experiential Astrology: Bringing It Alive! alone is worth the price.

Written by Barbara Schermer and first published in TMA in June 1994, the article begins with this wonderful quote:

When I can't find words to express what I mean, I get up and dance to it.

-- Zorba the Greek (Nikos Kazantzakis)

Barbara then provides detailed instructions for multiple ways to explore our charts, and thereby, ourselves. She describes the supplies needed and how to go about using them. The techniques she suggests include:

(1) Using an imageboard to display pictures and symbols which express the energies of each of the ten planets in our charts.

(2) Creating a personal mandala by capturing the images which arise as you meditate on your chart.

(3) Making a planetary mask by using plaster gauze from a medical supply store.

(4) Creating a healing image of aspects in the birth chart or current transits which may be presenting difficulty.

(5) Moving physically in ways which express the energies of the planets in your chart, exploring music and your personal dance.

Years ago, art therapist Beth Kean introduced me to the use of the mandala much as Barbara Schermer describes it here, and I use it regularly as an intuitive tool to keep balance in my life. I'll write more about that soon. What enchanted me about this article was its innovative connection to astrology, the inclusion of music and dance, and the clarity offered to those who may be new to these tools for self-understanding and healing. Enjoy!