One way to decalcify dogma: learn and cry with peers in another astrological modality. I spent 6 months exposed to modern astrological techniques and those learning it as part of their healing praxis. I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to witness and take part. https://twitter.com/maxhiigli/status/1273350846168944653

Some of you know that I research techniques from the Hellenistic revival, traditional and Indian astrologies with depth for depth. What I learned from evolutionary astrology is this cosmology seemed to be ready to hold the potential for trauma-informed therapeutic application.

I keep seeing astrologers enraptured with the dogma of ancient and traditional technique to garner exotic and specialised domains of knowledge to conquer. This is fine. Go to terra incognita. Tell us what you find in these new lands and new sea.

When you feel your pectoral muscle undulate in pain when a querent's heart is broken and you offer a simple "modern" delineation informed by an evolutionary astrological cosmology (that they themselves draw meaning from): the act of witnessing and reflecting creates breakthroughs

I sat in physical pain, endured it, and decided no: I will not use this time to perform as a guru displaying a gymnastic array of arcane technique. It was through transference, feeling, intuiting and sensing - not thinking - all ancient and traditional technique evaporated.

What stepped forward was techniques learnt from modern and evolutionary astrology. Mark Jones talks about how the supposed simplicity in technique betrays the profundity which can unfold when meaning is co-created by querent and client. It is and was something to behold.

I implore you to build bridges across, between, within astrological disciplines. Form relationships and connections. Be intradisciplinary, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary. Why? For then you'll realise the fallacy of the universalist meaning astrologies reproduce.

I believe most people practice astrology with a particular colonial violence. I will have the privilege to speak and write more about this in due course. But one way to release oneself from dogma is to misuse astrology in ways it was not intended for those it was not intended.

To do this, I take it as a responsibility to unlearn astrology and relearn it: allowing it to loosen, fray, unfold, unfurl. The kingdoms of knowledge you heroically conquer is the same imperial and colonial violence inflicted upon our the lands of our peoples.

Review the epistemological violence of your astrological practice and think about how you enact that within your consultation practices and inflict upon yourself, your friends, your lovers, whomever.