How Astrology and Shamanism Blend into Astroshamanism
Many people are drawn to astrology as a means to self-understanding. Astroshamanism combines a direct and personal experience with astrological insights.
Astroshamanism is a spiritual system which blends astrology and shamanism. Its emphasis is on the practical or experiential side of astrology, which is experienced through emotions, movements, feelings, dances, visualizations rather than through analytical and intellectual interpretation.
Astroshamanism is More than Astrology Readings
Franco Santoro, the developer of this system of spiritual healing, is an experienced shaman and astrologer. In his work at the Findhorn Foundation, he brings together the typical tools of the shamanic journey in order to help people explore their natal chart through direct experience.
The premise of Santoro’s work is that the zodiac, literally “circle of animals,” is a sacred circle to be explored with the shaman’s tools: journeying through visualizations and dances enables the explorer to experience the aspects of the planets in her/his natal chart and to draw directly astrological insights and knowledge that will have to be applied and integrated into daily life.
The Inner Shaman and the Horoscope
The explorer of inner dimensions familiar with shamanic journeying will know that in this sacred quest s/he will learn to meet her/his guide and animal helpers, who will give the necessary advice and information, as to how to realize the explorer’s Intent. Santoro explains that it is fundamental to clear one’s intent with regard to the type of information and results that the researcher would like to manifest.
Together with Intent, function is the other fundamental ingredient to bring about spiritual healing: aligning the function of forgiveness and release of anger with a clear and deep intent is the key to astroshamanic activity in the sacred circle of the Zodiac.
Each sector of the Zodiac is seen as having qualities that, depending on the individual’s natal chart, can be positive or negative. However, the Zodiac with its horoscope signs is there to be integrated and transcended. This means that people are born with certain characteristics, linked to a certain sector of the Zodiac and associated to a certain star sign, yet they are meant to assimilate all the sectors’ qualities and to go beyond them, in order to reach wholeness and unity with the flow of life.
Shamanic healing through practical astrology is characterized by bodily and imaginative work. The researcher can work either alone or in group: in both cases, s/he will be moving around and inside the circle, meeting guides and spirits, exploring landscapes, bringing back symbolic objects, dancing, chanting. The focus is on intuition and inner authority, on the retrieval of information relevant to one’s personal situation.
Astroshamanism is a spiritual practice which goes beyond any superficial and fatalistic understanding of the horoscope signs. It entails being open to inner exploration and willingness to work on oneself, by taking responsibility for one’s own progress.
Source:
- Franco Santoro, Astroshamanism Book 1: A Journey into the Inner Universe. Findhorn Press, April 2003.
Last updated on February 18, 2017 at 4:20 am. Word Count: 499
