20 March: Astrology, Divination and Symbol: the Connection between Revealed and Concealed Worlds

In his book The Moment of Astrology, Geoffrey Cornelius asserts that all astrology involving judgement of birth charts is a form of divination, a view also reflected in the work of other influential astrologers. This has profound implications for any kind of chart work, ones which I think astrologers often struggle to work with in practice.

This talk explores the concept of divination within our ordinary practice of astrology, with the aim of showing how we might acknowledge the potency of the divinatory mindset without losing our fundamental view of the chart as an objective map of character. We will look at how divinatory modes of thinking have influenced astrology over the centuries. We will also think about the nature of symbols as connection between revealed and concealed worlds, inviting encounter with the symbol’s archetypal presence, where the astrologer is themselves part of the symbol’s manifestation. Throughout the talk, I will ground the ideas in practical examples, drawn from my own client practice and personal experience.

Carole Taylor is a full-time astrological consultant and educator, informed by a deep love of mythology, symbolism and the power of astrology to speak to the felt depths of human experience. She is a former President and Director of Studies at the Faculty of Astrological Studies, founder of its online classes programme and an extensive contributor to its course material. She is co-director of Asteria Teaching and of the Centre for Astrology, Myth and Symbol. She holds an MA in Myth, Cosmology and the Sacred, and is a tutor on the Sophia MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David.

Carole is the author of Astrology: Using the Wisdom of the Stars in Your Everyday Life and co-author of Journey Through Astrology.