by Daniel Giamario
In this time of rapid growth for the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School we are asking: How can the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School serve you better?
Your answers are important and valued as we create a better way to serve the greater community. If you would like to share your ideas and answers to the above question OR if you are interested in participating in one or more of the committees described below please email our managing director at managingdirector@shamanicastrology.com
The Shamanic Astrology Mystery School (SAMS) is experiencing unprecedented growth, including expansion of the governing council. The school was launched through a powerful ceremonial intent in December of 2007, becoming a 501 (c) 3 educational organization soon after with a dedicated Council to further the reach of the School. Four areas of outreach have been identified using the astrological mandala/medicine wheel as inspiration. This vision includes 4 categories expressed through the 4 elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air, each representing specific audiences that either have or could benefit from the knowledge, experience and offerings of the School.
The 4 Quadrants of Outreach are based in the 4 cross-quarter points as suggested by Daniel.
Earth Quadrant 15 degrees Taurus – Core Shamanism and Ceremonialists
Fire Quadrant 15 degrees Leo – Spirituality and the 12 paths of Self-Realization
Water Quadrant 15 degrees Scorpio – Helping and Healing Professions including Energy Workers, Coaches and Counselors
Air Quadrant 15 degrees Aquarius – Outreach to the Astrological and Divination Community
These areas of Outreach are summarized below:
Core Shamanism and Ceremonialists – Earth
Examples of this quadrant includes the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, Central and South American Shamanic and Medicine Traditions, Celtic Shamanism, Ceremonial Magic, Priestess and Priest Circles, and Vision Quest Traditions.
Outreach in this quadrant includes indigenous and earth-based traditions around the world. Invariably, most of these groups still emphasize ceremony and a living organic relationship with the As Above, So Below realities but they may no longer have direct knowledge or relationship with the night sky.
The SAMS ceremonial approach, including knowledge and experience of the night sky, synodic planetary cycles, and the Galactic Alignment are offerings that can support these groups. This includes working with stone circles, petroglyph sites, and taking journeys to sacred sites, cosmograms and heirophanies in the US and around the world.
Spirituality and the Many Paths of Self-Realization – Fire
Examples of this quadrant are schools and organizations including: the Ridhwan School, Jean Houston’s Mystery School, the wide varieties of tantric organizations, the wide diversity of yoga and meditation practitioners, church/religious groups that are open-minded (i.e. Unity Church, Church of Religious Science, Unitarians, and some other liberal Protestant and Catholic groups).
Outreach in this quadrant is directed toward organizations and individuals where the emphasis is on self-realization, enlightenment, or spiritual fulfillment. SAMS honors and recognizes the diversity of authentic paths that each astrological mystery school is expressing.
SAMS is more than astrology, and can strengthen and complement a chosen spiritual path. The basis for this understanding is that astrology is merely the highest of the lower mysteries, and SAMS recognizes this when supporting fulfillment of the Higher Mysteries.
Healers, Helpers and Counselors – Water
Outreach for this quadrant is to the variety of helping and healing professions, including: psychologists, counselors, coaches, naturopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists etc.
SAMS has much to offer in accelerating the capacity of a helper, healer, or coach, to more effectively assist another. Knowledge of the archetypes and the life cycles for a client is immensely helpful.
Knowledge of archetypal psychology and the Shamanic Timeline, are extremely helpful navigational tools that can greatly assist organizations, schools, and individuals with an already established practice. In addition to individual and team support, SAMS will offer effective presentations to the various organizations and schools of healing, counseling and coaching that already exist.
Astrology and Divination – Air
This quadrant focuses on the greater astrological community, including astrological organizations throughout the United States and around the world. Individual astrologers also benefit from knowing about SAMS and what the school has to offer.
The Air Quadrant is involved in the community in the following ways:
- By increasing the visibility of SAMS within the major astrological organizations
- By placing SAMS educational books and products in the bookstores of these organizations
- Through regular contributions from SAMS astrologers to astrological journals, both printed and online (i.e. The Mountain Astrologer and the ISAR Online Newsletter), as well as numerous web-based astrology forums
- By having a regular SAMS presence at astrology conferences, as well as Whole-life Expos, Renaissance Fairs, etc. where there are astrologers and other forms of divination available.
The main emphasis for all these areas is on the uniqueness of the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm and the primary differences between Shamanic Astrology and other forms of astrology including the night sky cosmology of these times and other experiential aspects. This has great value to the greater astrological community offering perspectives that have been lost in current understanding and are now returning to our awareness.
The Four Quadrant Outreach approach continues to evolve with pages now dedicated to each area of outreach.
We Would Love Your Help
We are now reaching out to you, our members and subscribers, inviting you to join us in these endeavors. Four committees exist representing these quadrants. The function of each committee is to:
- Develop outreach strategies appropriate to the quadrant’s target audiences
- Develop language from the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm and from previous outreach experiences to clearly describe the value and benefits that Shamanic Astrology and the school can offer.
- Develop talks, workshops and trainings specifically geared to the Quadrant. These classes, talks, trainings etc. are separate from, and are in addition to, the intensives and webinars currently offered by the school in its core curriculum.
We would love to have your support and participation if you are interested in volunteering for one or more of these committees. The time commitment is a minimum of 2 hours a month up to 5 or 6 hours a month depending on your level of participation.
If you are not interested in being part of a committee but have ideas, suggestions or expertise to share in any of these areas we would love to hear from you.
Again, we would love to receive your answers about how the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School serve you better?
Your answers are important and valued as we create a better way to serve the greater community. If you would like to share your ideas and answers to the above question OR if you are interested in participating in one or more of the committees please email our managing director at managingdirector@shamanicastrology.com
Or Contact the committee chair if you are interested in joining.
Fire Quadrant – Mary Kern mary.j.kern@gmail.com
Air Quadrant – Erik M Roth inspiralnexus@gmail.com
Water Quadrant – Viola Goodwin virtualvi@att.net
Earth Quadrant – Tami Brunk tamibrunk@gmail.com