Real Imaginal

03/13/2024

It was so fun to connect with Jenn Zahrt on the Within Orb podcast of the .institute, which homes the largest (and coolest) collection of astrology publications in the US Pacific NW—highly recommended!

In this conversation Jenn and I took a romp through the wild gardens of archetypal astrology, the intimacy between philosophy and astrology, the power of direct observation, particularly as described by the exquisite parable of two suitors and all that Goethe’s delicate empiricism requires of us—and immeasurably gifts in return.

Join us in a sweet embrace of the cosmos, see link in bio

08/01/2023

A look at the archetypal dynamics of the Aquarius Full Moon of Aug. 1, 2023.

ALSO! Check out a class I am offering on October 22, 2023 called The Lady of the Lake: Moon-Pluto and the Scorpio Moon: Power, Healing and Redemption. Coming to terms with the power (Pluto) of feelings and the body (Moon) is a necessity for those with this combination, or for those who are undergoing the life-changing transit of Pluto to the natal Moon. Such a combination calls upon us to work to develop the emotional intelligence and understanding that is so often missing in our families, societies and nations, and it can help to cultivate a prayerful attitude towards the influence of Pluto—it is not easy but there is a path! Suitable for astrology enthusiasts, the psychologically inclined and more advanced students of astrology.

This Full Moon may also correspond to some important events related to the Venus retrograde period of mid-June to early October 2023, so take note of any sudden beginnings or endings in intimate, friendship, financial and work relationship spheres. They may prove significant for those whose lives will be deeply touched by this Venus retrograde, this Full Moon may elicit important events related to Venus’ entire retrograde period of mid-June to early October.

While many of us feel like Saturn just wants to make things hard, we might better understand him as a threshold guardian. He wants to test our resolve, our preparedness and our resilience, all in service of drawing forth the integrity and the deeper values which can create enduring structures that benefit more than our single selves. When the conceptual mind of Mercury moves into the judicious sign of Virgo on Aug. 1 (until Oct. 4), Mercury immediately opposes the threshold guardian of Saturn (exact Aug. 1).

Mercury will enter retrograde motion on Aug. 23, forming a loose dynamic opposition to the vast Dream of Neptune and back up to where they opposed Saturn at the start of the retrograde period. In this way, Mercury will stimulate the conversation forming between the reality principle of Saturn and the vast dream of Neptune as they float through the visionary sign of Pisces together. This period of retrograde Mercury can thus motivate us to find the gaps between our dreams (Neptune) and our present realities (Saturn), so that we can be functional, useful and creative in this material world, rather than getting caught up in fantasies of what could be.

Finally, slow-moving Neptune is forming a harmonious sextile with the breakthrough energy of Uranus, which will pour forth greater influence starting this month and all the way until 2030. Idealistic, utopian and transcendent in its expressions, this will be another current of energy enabling us to expand our connection to the unseen realms of spirit, and grow our participation in Earth Community.

Professional astrologer Erica Jones offers a look at the archetypal dynamics of the Aquarius Full Moon of Aug. 1, 2023.Check out a class Erica is offering on...

04/21/2023

I am excited to invite you to join my new class "Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon," which is open for enrollment now.

I made a video to describe a bit about the Heart of the Moon class (linked on this post).

Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon
Five classes meeting on Sundays from 9:30am - 1pm US/Pacific
May 7, May 21, June 4, June 25, July 9
Attend live or watch the recording

The 5-class series “Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon” will build a doorway into experiencing the livingness of the anima mundi, or the Soul of the World, by guiding you to cultivate a conscious connection with the heart’s perception and opening your intuitive capacities. While astrology can offer a valuable intellectual recognition of the meaning within the world, and of our lives in this world, a fully embodied knowledge of astrology draws us towards other ways of knowing, perceiving and interacting with the world of meaning.

In this five-class series we will:

1. Learn about the planetary archetype of the Moon and how it manifests on a personal level and on a larger, social level.

2. Initiate contact with the heart as an organ of perception, and practice gathering knowledge of the Moon through its lens, as well as receive tools for anchoring this resource.

3. Apply this method of heart perception to our exploration and understanding of the planetary archetype of the Moon. We will move from “studying about” the Moon to an engagement with its intelligence using a specific heart perception practice.

4. Learn to use some simple consciousness-shifting practices which open our intuitive, imaginal and internal awareness, and deepen our sensorial connection to the world.

While intellectual knowledge about the Moon is an important takeaway from this course, our primary aim is to develop an engagement with the livingness of the Moon, as we explore and use our heart as the primary organ of perceiving this livingness and gather knowledge of the Moon from the Moon, using our hearts, through a method of “heart perception,” which is something I first started practicing in 2006.

There are many benefits of developing heart perception, for in practicing an expanded, more holistic awareness, we begin to uncover new facets of ourselves, and develop greater sensitivity to our own expression as a part of the Earth and the anima mundi. The more deeply we can attune to the Sacred Other outside of us, the more deeply we can attune to the Sacred Other within us, the sacred being who we are. It is as if the touch of the World Soul upon our hearts awakens us to ourselves. Heart of the Moon will present a unique way of developing greater intimacy with not only The Moon, but the Moon within your own birth chart.

Another wonderful side effect of learning to use the heart’s perceptual capacities is the development of “heart coherence,” which the HeartMath Institute describes as “a synchronized and empowering state, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, allowing us to become our best selves.” Research has shown that heart coherence leads to less mental and emotional stress, and more inner stability and well-being, which in turn leads to creative responses to challenge and opportunity, and greater clarity of mind. Importantly, heart coherence also prepares the ground for expanding our connection to the world through heart perception.

Please contact me if I can answer any questions, or find out more and register on my website, using this link to Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon: https://www.realimaginal.com/classes

I look forward to entering the Heart of the Moon with you this May!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrMbL1tGdbg

The 5-class series “Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon” will build a doorway into experiencing the livingness of the anima mundi, or the World Soul, by guiding...

04/04/2023

I am offering a 5-class online astrology series, “Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon” starting May 7. We will build a doorway into experiencing the livingness of the anima mundi, or the World Soul, by cultivating a conscious connection with the heart’s perception and intuitive capacities.
🌙 ⚙︎✿❥ Register via https://www.realimaginal.com/classes ❥✿⚙︎ 🌙
Developing our imaginative, intuitive, somatic and cognitive abilities, we will learn to feel with the world and specifically the Moon, and to experience the Moon in an entirely new way.
Join Inhabiting the Heart of the Moon to:
🌙 Learn about the planetary archetype of the Moon and how it manifests on a personal level and on a larger, social level. We will also move from “studying about” the Moon to an engagement with its intelligence using specific practices.
🌙 Initiate contact with the heart as an organ of perception, and practice gathering knowledge of the world through its lens, as well as receive tools for anchoring this resource.
🌙 Apply this method of heart perception to our exploration and understanding of the planetary archetype of the Moon.
🌙 Engage some simple consciousness-shifting practices which open our intuitive, imaginal and internal awareness, and deepen our sensorial connection to the environment.
Learn more and register to attend via my website: https://www.realimaginal.com/classes

02/09/2023

Hi everyone,

The YouTube video linked here is a little preview of a much longer presentation---register here for Feb. 12 webinar "Great Expectations: Pluto in Aquarius (2023 - 2044)":
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYrd-2hqTkvG91nJIOQfLiNgYccYzjSRKyd

"Great Expectations" is a 90-min. live presentation followed by 30 min. for Q&A on Pluto's ingress into Aquarius and what we might expect on a collective or world event level, as well as from a more personal perspective. If you can't attend live, you can receive a copy of the recording by registering in advance. The recording will also be available after the broadcast date.

Pluto will enter the tropical sign of Aquarius on March 23, 2023, the first time Pluto has been in this part of the tropical zodiac in 245 years. In this presentation we'll look at previous periods of time which have similar planetary alignments, with a view to identifying trends and developments within larger cycles of development (for example, the Saturn-Pluto, Uranus-Pluto and Neptune-Pluto archetypal complexes). We'll also examine previous periods of time when Pluto has been in Aquarius, in order to understand how we might orient to a significant shift in how the cosmos expresses the inevitability of breakdown and decay which is an intimate part of the regeneration of life.

Pluto also slows down due to its extreme elliptical orbit, spending 20 years in Aquarius as compared to 15 years in the previous sign of Capricorn. This means that transits from Pluto to our natal charts will get longer, and that Pluto will be wrapping up the 100-year-long sextile to Neptune that always follows the conjunction of Neptune and Pluto, which last happened in the 1890s. This carries significance for the evolution (Pluto) of human consciousness (Neptune).

We will reflect on all these developments and more in the context of current trends and developments, as well as in anticipation of future outer planetary alignments, and consider how we might prepare.

I hope to meet you there!
https://youtu.be/NXIVYuxwpfc

This video is a litlle preview of a much longer presentation---register here for Feb. 12 webinar "Great Expectations: Pluto in Aquarius (2023 - 2044)": http...

02/24/2021

I am excited to invite you to a free, live event on March 6 from 4:30pm - 6pm Pacific to learn more about a new year-long course—The Prism Community (http://theprismcommunity.com) —and participate in two learning exercises.

Please DM me to register for this event!

I, Erica Jones, and my co-teacher, Angela Billings, will provide a preview of how we’ll be exploring belonging, relationship and community throughout this year-long course. Along the way you will gain insight into how the Saturn square Uranus influence (2020-2024) will affect your life, and learn about your Survival Archetypes.

We will share information about symbolic sight—which helps us to find a slice of hindsight in the present moment—our approach to astrology and dreamwork, and how The Prism Community (http://theprismcommunity.com) can support your journey towards wholeness. We place self-care at the center of this journey, as it forms the foundation of our health as well as the contributions we make to our communities.

I will guide us in a process to learn about what we are each receiving from the Saturn square Uranus influence in our lives. The process we'll use is based on systemic (family) constellations, which accesses our whole knowing--intuition, kinesthetic sense, memories, feeling and emotional information. In short, it is a method that reveals the hidden architecture of our relationships with ourselves and with others.

(See first comment on this post for a description of Saturn-Uranus)

You will find out:
* What gifts do I carry into this time, which prepare me for Saturn square Uranus?
* What do I need to release, in order to receive its benefits?
* What pair of opposites within me is ready to emerge and to enter into dialogue?

An Exploration of Survival Archetypes
We are also featuring Angela leading an exploration of our Survival Archetypes. These Survival Archetypes are life-long companions in navigating our empowerment and our survival:

Inner Child – Innocence, play, and inspiring wonder
Victim / Victimizer – Boundaries and respect for ourselves and other
Saboteur – An inner mirror to help us unravel the obstacles and challenges we encounter
Negotiator – Honoring our own worth and knowing what of ourselves is never for sale

These archetypes are our primary support system in our very survival, and are our Guardians of hope, boundaries, and choice. As our understanding of their presence and influence in our interactions grow, we can work more consciously with these archetypes in our choices.

Please join us for a rich and illuminating evening! You may DM me to register for this event.

Thank you,
Erica