June 2023: Spin the Block
Abstract: Mea culpa, thoughts about Venus, and a few resources.
I Missed You 😊
Life is very big and very full right now. I work full-time, and my job requires me to travel frequently. I’m also in my first year of grad school, which requires in-person attendance at least once a month. There’s a lot going on. Life has gotten hectic, and sadly that has resulted in my darling newsletter being deprioritized. But I’m back and I missed y’all!
I’m now experimenting with a new layout (that is very heavily informed by school) and a quarterly publication frequency for this newsletter to lend myself more structure and keep my scope tight. I relish my autodidactic astrological studies, but most people don’t have time for all that, so I’m hoping that engaging with a consistent structure over time will support your learning.
Grad school is wildly fun by the way. Don’t get me wrong: it’s kicking my ass but in a way that makes me want to rise to the occasion instead of give up. People are usually very curious about what I’m learning when I tell them I’m in a mythological studies program, so you can download my course syllabi if you want to know.
Let me know what you think of this new layout and whether the information was helpful for you. I welcome your feedback! Now, for the task at hand. . .
Required Reading: Topic of the Month 👩🏽🏫
Required Reading is the primary media that we’ll be engaging with this session. Sometimes the “reading” will be a text, sometimes a video lecture or a podcast. Allow me to be self-indulgent this time around, though…
My primary research interest in grad school is the connection between myth and social justice. The myths are alive, so I’m exploring how we can use the imaginal realm to foster transformative change.
Astrology offers one method to apply mythological principles to our worldview. While I’m not researching astrology explicitly, two opportunities to explore significations of Venus have presented themselves in my coursework. So in honor of Venus in Leo (and my own Venus return), I’m sharing a term paper about Joseph Campbell. You can read the full text of the paper or check out the summary below.
TLDR;
In the five-volume Historical Atlas of World Mythology, Joseph Campbell demonstrates that ancient feminine art is linked to myths of the archetypal Great Goddess.
Using Classical myth, I argue that the Great Goddess manifest as Venus shows what a society values and contains archetypal representations of its beauty ideals. I focus on Classical myth because those traditions are at the sociocultural foundation of Western society.
I use the story of Saartjie or Sarah Baartman (Hottentot Venus) to refute Campbell’s assertion that the sociological function of myth is irrelevant by discussing dehumanizing beauty standards.
Secondary Sources: Hippie Miscellany 🌐
Secondary Sources is the section devoted to various esoterica (primarily astrology) I found interesting and thought to share.
Postcolonial Astrology: Reading the Planets Through Capital, Power, and Labor by Alice Sparkly Kat
I referred to Alice Sparkly Kat’a/Ace’s Venus significations to construct my own argument about Venus (see previous section). I think this is the second most challenging astrology book I’ve ever read (looking at you, Cosmos and Psyche) but I found that challenge thrilling and ultimately useful. Ace has done multiple book talks and podcasts about the book if you’re curious to learn more. Google is your friend.
The Sun Conjoins Pluto: What if There Is No Higher Purpose? by Adam Elenbaas
Adam is one of my favorite mundane astrologers. Earlier this summer he did a series on the Sun-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, and I found his questions about duality and human purpose surprisingly liberating.
Whoopi Goldberg Affirms Herself
A friend shared this clip of Whoopi Goldberg reminding Joan Rivers (and the world) that she is very fine, actually. I received it as I was copy editing this newsletter - an apt Venus synchronicity!
Extra Credit: Archive Updates ✨
Cliffsnotes doesn’t seem to exist for astrology, so I started a digital astro archive of my lecture notes and book summaries for other students; Extra Credit is devoted to sharing those updates. Currently I’m working through all the Fresh Voices 2020 lectures and Cosmos and Psyche.
There is no Extra Credit for the month. See my opening note about being stretched far too thin. Check out the existing astro archive if you haven’t done so, yet!