UAC: Day 1

as I wrote yesterday, I am “working” the Mythology and Archetypal Astrology track at UAC. actually, there was a bit more work involved today as all of the presentations were hugely popular and a lot of chairs had to be added, moved around, etc. to accommodate everyone. by the end of the day, I was a limp rag from trying to process all this amazing information/insight. what follows is my choice for, not the high point of the day, (all of them qualify as “the best”!) but rather what was most resonant for me.

today it was a panel discussion on mythology and astrology that stretched across individual areas of study/research/interest of the presenters to general discussions of the subjectivity of archetypes, the boundaries between fate and free will, and the intersection of myth and individual lives. Ken Johnson reminded us that astrologers are artists and magicians as well as technicians, and encourages us to not over-interpret our archetypes, but to feel them. Melanie Reinhart currently is working with myths as descriptions of human biological processes, literally, and thus suggests that sources of healing can be found within them. Darby Costello is fascinated with how being “captured” by your own personal myth, or by having an archetype thrust on you (which happens to political leaders or other prominent public figures) can greatly limit the life choices available; thus free will becomes limited by “fate”. Brian Clark advises us as counselors that many myths have multiple outcomes or endings, giving astrologers some options when it comes to giving advice. If there is a choice between giving your client a bleak, hopeless ending and one that, while troublesome, can be accepted, tell them about the latter.

myths are alive. they change over time, they morph genders and hierarchy; what was old becomes new, what was once dominant is subsumed. (Ceres was once considered a planet, then demoted for 100 years; Pluto was also once considered a planet. They are both now dwarves !)

at then end, the panelists honored Joseph Campbell who brought consciousness of myths and archetypes to the public in the 20^th Century. If you are not familiar with this man and his writing, he’s a very good place to start you own study of myth and archetype.