On the Soul's Terms

Today I'm joined by Jason Holley, an Astrologer/Psychotherapist currently residing in the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Jason's approach is imaginative, soulful, deep, profound, sacred and sometimes profane. We discuss his project of breathing life back into the signs of the Zodiac by embracing their underlying mythological roots, re-pairing Astrology's philosophical basis with that of...

In old times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in her face. Close by the King's castle lay a great dark forest, and under an old lime tree in the forest was a well, and when the day was very warm, the King's child went out int...

Báyò Akómoláfé joins the show today to discuss the role of Tricksters and Monsters in connecting us into emergent thought and taking us beyond our regular programming of 'two-ness'. Báyò is a poet at heart and a deep thinker. He sees himself as a 'trans-public intellectual'; (a concept imagined together with and inspired by the shamanic priesthood of the Yoruba healer-trickster...

Brian Clark joins the podcast again, this time to talk all things Hermes/Mercury. In the sky at the moment Mercury is in its home of Gemini whilst the Sun has made its way into the early degrees of Cancer. As such, Hermes leads us into a discussion of  his links to the sign of Cancer and his connection to Hestia - the first born of Chronus and the Goddess of the Hearth. We ponder what the wheel of...

Today Mercury makes his way back into Gemini - his Astrological home. This episode is a tribute to the Prince of Thieves, God of the Crossroads, Guide of Souls (Psychopomp) and Friend at the Feast. In Greece he was known as Hermes. In Rome he was Mercury. But all through the myriad of cosmologies throughout the world he leaves his fingerprints, shapeshifting into countless forms, causing delight,...

Zoë Tryon is a renowned activist, speaker, and artist known for her work with indigenous communities globally. She is the Founder of One of the Tribe Journeys, a travel company that offers privately led, immersive experiences with indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon and Andes.  Through One of the Tribe, Zoë has led journalists, filmmakers and celebrities to witness places in the world...

Zoë Tryon is a renowned activist, speaker, and artist known for her work with indigenous communities globally. She is the Founder of One of the Tribe Journeys, a travel company that offers privately led, immersive experiences with indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon and Andes.  Through One of the Tribe, Zoë has led journalists, filmmakers and celebrities to witness places in the world...

Asclepius is the god of medicine in Ancient Greece. The gifted student of Chiron, he entered the dreams of his patients and healed from inside the Soul. One of the great 'Asclepiads' - the descendants of Asclepius (through master-student lineage) - was Hippocrates whom many consider the Father of Modern Medicine. This episode wanders through the entanglements of history and mythology to...

Today's episode follows on from the last (Episode 20) on the myth of Narcissus & Echo.  This week I'm joined by an old friend and mentor - Margie Templeton. Margie spent 35 years in New York as a practicing psychotherapist beginning her career in the 1960s. She received sessions and guidance from Arnold Mindell and Max Schuuback: two of the early pioneers of Process Work. We discuss...

Today's episode explores the ancient myth of Narcissus & Echo - paying close attention to Ovid's take on the myth from his book Metamorphoses . The word Narcissist is commonly used these days, but the myth itself remains in the background. Today it is brought into the middle of the discussion and looked to for ways to heal the condition of Narcissism as an individual ailment, as well...

Celebrating the Astrological New Year and the first new moon of the Year in Aries: The Story of the Zodiac. We go from the Oceanic realm, the dreamtime of Pisces into the Creative Fire of Aries which begins the cycle. Each sign as an element of compensation of the sign before it. And then, eventually, back into the ocean. Then, a take on what Astrology actually IS. The miracle of it surviving thro...

James Mattingley returns to the show with another powerful poem: The Return by Geneen Marie Haugen Some day, if you are lucky, you’ll return from a thunderous journey trailing snake scales, wing fragments and the musk of Earth and moon. Eyes will examine you for signs of damage, or change and you, too, will wonder if your skin shows traces of fur, or leaves, if thrushes have built a nest of your h...

Tara Judelle is a world renowned yoga facilitator moved by bringing humans into their innate sense of freedom and purpose. After 30 years experimenting in all forms of movement, Tara co-created the School of Embodied Flow ™ in 2014, making her one of the first yoga teachers to bring the work of Body Mind Centering and Tantra together.  From a background in literature, film writing, directing and d...

Stuart Gadenne joins the podcast to talk all things Norse Mythology. We delve into the attempts of the Gods to punish and silence the Trickster God Loki, and how that led to the inevitable end of times in Ragnarok. The parallels with Greek Mythology are also explored. And we look into the heart of the soul of Masculinity. What do these old tales have for us modern humans searching for a place in t...

Stuart Gadenne joins the podcast to talk all things Norse Mythology. We delve into the attempts of the Gods to punish and silence the Trickster God Loki, and how that led to the inevitable end of times in Ragnarok. The parallels with Greek Mythology are also explored. And we look into the heart of the soul of Masculinity. What do these old tales have for us modern humans searching for a place in t...

The Ancient Greek myth of the Labyrinth is one of the most rich, complex and compelling stories of the ages. It provides us a metaphor for moving through the winding tunnels of our own individual Psyche as well as a navigation tool for our modern days in the apparently post truth world. Pick up Ariadne's Thread and come along for a journey into: * The nature of ancient stories and why we need...

Dr David Russell joins me on the podcast this week. David recently wrote an essay centered around James Hillman’s 1979 book: The Dream & the Underworld . I’ve posted it with David’s permission on the Abaton Blog here . We discuss ideas about the nature of dreams as David argues for allowing dreams to be lifeforms unto themselves - perfect within their own context - and not to be simply mined f...

In Part Two of my discussion with Melanie Reinhart we start where we left off; the ability of humans to communicate with plant life. This is considered 'ancient' wisdom, but perhaps it shouldn't be placed in the context of time, making it seem like it's something in the past. It's now. It's then. It's always the truth. We then track the fascinating square between...

Melanie Reinhart has been a professional astrologer since 1975. She is a patron of the Faculty of Astrological Studies and in 2004 received the Charles Harvey Award from the Astrological Association of Great Britain for 'exceptional service to astrology.' This is Part One of a two part conversation. We begin, as is the custom on the show, with land acknowledgements. This takes us on a fa...

There was once on a time a King who had three sons, of whom two were clever and wise, but the third did not speak much, and was simple, and was called the Simpleton. When the King had become old and weak, and was thinking of his end, he did not know which of his sons should inherit the kingdom after him. Then he said to them: "Go forth, and he who brings me the most beautiful carpet shall be...

"Did we learn anything in these last 19 months? Did we learn to value life differently?" Brian Clark is a Classics Scholar with a rich and comprehensive knowledge of Greek Mythology and Astrology. He joins me on this Christmas Eve Edition of the show to discuss: Venus/Aphrodite and her historical roots that reach back into various ancient cultures and through the dreamtime of pre-history...

The word ‘Pandemic’ comes from two Greek words: Pan - all; and Demos - people. We use it to imply that it is affecting all the people. But the word ‘demos’ aslo has a close link to the word ‘demon’. Pandemic - all the demons. And it has felt as thought this time has aligned with the opening of Pandora’s Box. Pandora, of course, meaning ‘all the gifts’. Such is the way when it comes to words. They’...

James Mattingley joins the show to perform a poem by Tom Hirons called, Sometimes a Wild God . It's a powerful rendition, and leads us into a discussion of the wild one within and without. When have we felt the presence of the wild god in our lives? What happens to us when that one withdraws? How might we beckon him back into our living rooms so that he might make those rooms truly live again...

The total solar eclipse of December 4th is only visible in Antarctica. That said, the partial eclipse will be visible from the southern most points of the planet. Makes us wonder if our attention might be drawn towards southern parts of Africa :-). The Sagittarius New Moon gives us a chance to ponder the philosophical underpinnings of our reality. As such, this episode is dedicated to questioning...

This week Dr Carolina Herbert joins us from Epidaurus, Greece. Epidaurus was the first site of the Cult dedicated to the demigod, Asclepius (see episode 13) in Ancient Greece. Our chat weaves together Carolina's personal journey in the healing arts with the historical and mythological lineage of western medicine. It's an inspiring conversation that reminds us that 'medicine' is...