The Astrologer’s Shadow

Glenn Perry

Lecture Objectives

Define what “shadow” means

Locate the shadow in the chart

Explore the astrologer’s shadow

Give a case example

Suggest how to work with shadow

Why Be An Astrologer?

Is this a wise career choice?• Astrology is discredited in our culture

• Only a few make a living at it

• We are regularly attacked

What motivates our career choice?• Psychological issues and wounds

• Reflections in the birth chart

Awareness of shadow issues may be…• The key to career success

What is the Shadow?

Intensely negative feelings• What is reprehensible, primitive, or inferior

• Constitutes a motivation to eliminate or suppress

Collective dimension• Actions, out groups, belief systems

• Astrology is persona non grata

Personal dimension• Potentialities we deny and/or renounce

• Compensate by emphasizing “light side”

Shadow as Moral Problem

Projection of “badness” and “evil”• Demonize in others what we cannot face

• “projections change the world…”

An impulse to attack and reform• Hatred as lack of empathy and compassion

• Masquerades as righteous indignation

Impulse to seek “power over”• Manipulation, intimidation, coercion

• Oppression, tyranny, murder

Enantiodromia

Tendency for things to revert to opposite• Psyche has innate tendency toward wholeness • Lack of balance causes reversal• “Falling into one’s shadow”

Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde• The pure and noble physician• The corrupt and ignoble Mr. Hyde

Shadow erupts during times of crisis• Stress and weakened ego opens the door• “Slips” remind us that shadow is always there

Facing the Dark Side

Looking backwards into the shadow• Traits we have tried to eliminate

• Atavistic tendencies we have left “behind”

Everyone has a shadow• Rejection flattens the personality

• Loss of depth, passion, and erotic intensity

Awareness reduces fear/power of shadow• Tolerance and forgiveness is key

• Gain power, integrity, depth, humor

Finding The Shadow In The Chart

Pluto is a major shadow indicator• Symbolizes the dark side and power issues

• Integration requires death & rebirth

Pluto always associated with something• Our wound and our capacity to heal

• The wounded healer archetype

Wounds are first projected, then…• Fearful avoidance or hostile confrontation

• Flight or fight response to “crisis”

Pluto & Extremism

Crises produce a tendency toward extremes• Either of the two things situated at opposite ends of a

range constitutes the extreme.

• Extremes imply polarity

Every planet contains a polarity• Archetypal roles, inner and outer

• Psychological polarities

Hard aspects to Pluto produce fear & loathing• Can create pathological extremes

• Ruptured archetype = light side/dark side

Shadow Possession

Growing hair of the dog that bit you • Rationalization of one’s behavior

• Compensatory contrariness

Erotic attraction and preoccupation• Falling into your shadow

• fear, negativity, and coercion are the result

Ruptured (injured) planetary archetype• Rubber band stretched to the breaking point

• Light side is flattened out, counterfeit version

Wounded-Healer Polarity

Woundedness as an existential given

• Natural counter-pole to health

• True healer recognizes own woundedness

Helper-healer associated with power

• Power of life & death; relief of suffering

• Clients become childish and regressive

Any planet can be split into halves

• Extreme good healer-side

• Extreme bad wounded-side

The Astrologer’s Shadow

Saturn-Pluto: Choosing a forbidden career• Career & authority associated with taboo

• Splitting superior/inferior, adequate/inadequate

Jupiter-Pluto: Believing in a taboo doctrine• Astrologers may be acting out a Jupiter shadow

• Wounded faith and forbidden beliefs

Pluto as unifying theme; the dark glue• Issues with authority and wisdom

• Applied to profession as helper-healer

Saturn’s Shadow

Splitting Saturn’s natural polarities

• Superior/subordinate; success/failure

• Difficulties with or as authority

• Fear of inferiors (sabotage) or fear of superiors (oppression)

Fear of success/failure

• Expectation of humiliation; avoidance of success

• Fear of one’s own authority/dominance

• Extremism – the despot, autocrat, or tyrant

The Saturn Deflation Factor

Reduction of status; devaluation and negative self-perception

Avoidance of success due to shame

Status of astrology has been downsized

Lack of academic credentials & licensing establishes our status as a non-profession

Perception of being fraudulent

The Imposter Syndrome

Subjective sense of being a fraud• Feelings of self-doubt despite outer success

• Success attributed to luck, contacts, personality…

Mistakes taken as proof of imposter status• Cover-up & externalization of responsibility

• Success brings new “tests” of competence

Procrastination and perfectionism• Never feel “ready” to be “a professional”

• Reluctance to promote oneself in any way

Two Imposter Projections

Negative projection of imposter syndrome

• Animosity toward astrologers who are perceived as incompetent, poorly trained, or untrustworthy

• Bickering and internecine battles within the field

Positive projection of ideal astrologer-self

• Attribution of positive Jupiter-Saturn traits

• Extraordinary authority and wisdom

• Extreme faith and projection of power

Inflation & The God Complex

Abundance of super-positive RSV traits…

• Perfect healing wisdom; the all-powerful, supremely wise consultant

Saturninan pretense of superiority

• Workaholic, control freak, overachiever is compensatory to a fear of failure and inferiority

SR hard aspects may create

• Fear of scant wisdom; lack of faith or education

• Compensatory need for indubitable truths

Inflation & The God Complex

Rw contacts = splitting of Jupiter polarity

• True/false, wise/foolish, and faith/doubt

• Wounded faith and shadowy doctrines

• Fear that truth may be destructive and dangerous

Jupiter inflation compensates one’s fears

• Always right, never wrong; try to convert others

• Closed system, dogmatic, paranoid ideology

• Fear of client’s uncertainty and unknowingness

• Need to subjugate clients with total knowledge

The False Prophet

Jupiter’s dark side is the lying hypocrite

• Use of astrology to gain influence and power

• Presenting oneself as wiser than one really is

• Illusion of perfect, undeviating faith

Identifying with our client’s projections

• Client’s want the astrologer to be omniscient

• How we mask a discomforting uncertainty

• Folie a deux is an unconscious collusion

The Charlatan & Hypochondriac

Charlatan is the true imposter• Elaborate, fraudulent claims to skill or knowledge

• Unconscious motive is power and prestige

Splitting the Pluto archetype into opposites• Healer/wounded, power/powerlessness

• Healing requires recognition of one’s own wounds

Projecting SR wounds onto our clients• Becoming powerful through psychological failure

• Seeking power over the client via pseudo-solutions

Wrestling With My Shadow

A bit of personal history• Alcoholic mother/family system

• Deceit and denial of my reality = NU shadow

8th house shadow M= wound to dependency• Distrust of feelings and emotional vulnerability

• Associated with I issues of truth, morality, faith

Mars opposition 8th house Moon• Splitting of courage and dependency

• Fierce defense of emotional reality

My Jupiter Shadow

Jupiter in 10th comes from the 8th

• Wounded Moon catalyst for career aspirations

• Promotion of a forbidden truth – astrology

• Zealotry is symptom of an inflamed, inflated Jupiter

Balancing faith with doubt = RJiSF

• Admit uncertainty about my knowledge claims?

• Overcompensation, perfectionism & procrastination

• Abhorrence of astrological false prophets

Healing The Shadow

Awareness of shadow’s existence

• Notice extremes of thinking and feeling

• Righteous indignation, power struggles, hatred

• Indicate a fear of becoming the hated thing

“There, but for the grace of God, go I”

• We have potential to do what we would not do

• Compassion for others starts with self-forgiveness

• Recognizing limits of one’s power and wisdom

Would You Like To Know More?

For information about Glenn’s Mentorship Program, Tapes, and Books, contact:

Glenn Perry, Ph.D.

360 Quietwood Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903

415-479-5812

glenn@aaperry.com

www.aaperry.com