Front Matter

​

About the Author

​

Acknowledgements

​

Introduction

​

Part One: Through the Gates of Religion

​

Chapter One: Toward a Working Definition of Soul

​

Redefining the Soul as an Embodiment of Spirit

Distinguishing the Embodied Soul From the Postmortem Soul

Reconsidering Past Life Experiences From the Perspective of the Embodied Soul

Distinguishing the Embodied Soul From Disembodied Spirits

Distinguishing Between the Embodied Soul and the Subtle Body

The Roots of the Embodied Soul in Spiritual Tradition

The Association of the Embodied Soul With Breath

Embracing the Earth as the Larger Body of the Soul

Returning Soul to its Rightful Place Within the Web of Life

The Spiritual Challenge Posed by Mortality

The Spiritual Ramifications of a Life Shaped by Death

The Systematic Denial of Death By Contemporary Culture

​

Chapter Two: Through Inanna’s First Gate Into the Embodied Life

​

The Fear of Death in Early Cultures

The Fear of the Soul’s Journey After Death

Toward a Cyclical Conception of Death as a Part of Life

The Cyclical Worldview and Its Association with a Desire for Release From Suffering

The Myth of Immortality

Extracting the Myth of Immortality From Its Cyclical Roots

​

The Embrace of Personal Immortality in the East

The Quest for Immortality in Early Chinese Shamanism

The Platonic Influence on Religious Concepts of Immortality

Augustine’s Influence as a Bridge Between Christianity and Platonic Thought

Passing Through the Gate of Immortality on the Way to the Underworld

​

Chapter Three: Shedding the Religious Concept of Sin

​

Exposing the Faustian Bargain of the Religious Approach to Soul

The Evolution of the Concept of Judgment in Western Culture

The Gradual Evolution of a Moral Conception of the Soul’s Journey

The Reinterpretation of Scripture in Moralistic Terms

The Evolution of a Moral Code in Islam

The Shift Toward a Moral Interpretation of the Soul’s Journey in the East

The Trend Toward Moralistic Judgment in Buddhist Thought

Other Influences on the Tendency Toward Moral Judgment in Eastern Religious Thought

The Transition From Natural Law to Moral Code in Chinese Religious Thought

The Role of Confucius as a Moralistic Interpreter of the Tao

Passing Through Inanna’s Second Gate into Realignment with the Tao

​

Chapter Four: Through Inanna’s Second Gate Into the Dance of Polarities

​​

The Sexual Dilemma Faced By Moralistic Religions

Reclaiming the Sexual Nature of the Soul

​

Reclaiming Darkness as a Spiritual Force

Reclaiming the Feminine

The Psychological Price to Be Paid for the Knowledge of Good and Evil

The Soul’s Journey as a Quest for the Embrace of Opposites

​

The Institutionalized Negation of Polarity Through Monotheism

Astrology’s Potential Contribution to the Learning Process

Passing Through the Gate of Religious Morality on the Way to the Underworld

​

Part Two: Through the Gates of Science

​

Chapter Five: Shedding the Rational Literalism of Science

​

Questions About Soul at the Heart of the Early Scientific Debate

The Birth of Scientific Literalism

The Mythopoetry of the Moment in Which Science Was Born

The Intermingling of Worlds

The Triumph of Reason Over the Mythopoetic Imagination

The Further Deification of the Rational Mind in the 20th Century

Kant’s Refutation of Reason as A Tool with Which to Understand the Soul

The Soul’s Quest for an Understanding of the Whole

Reason’s Inability to Comprehend Wholeness

Astrology’s Potential As a Language of Wholeness and Interconnectedness

Using the Breath as a Point of Entry into an Awareness of the Whole

​

Chapter Six: Through Inanna’s Third Gate Into a Personal Learning Process

​

The Rationalist Ambivalence Toward Sensory Information

Sensory Information as a Conduit to an Awareness of Soul

The Power of Sensory Awakening

The Soul’s Natural Inclination to Pursue Pleasure and Avoid Pain

Pursuit of Pleasure and Avoidance of Pain as a Catalyst to Soul Growth

Emotion as a Catalyst to Soul Growth

The Craving of the Soul for a Polytheistic Language of Emotional Complexity

The Importance of Images, Symbols and Metaphors

The Unfortunate Embrace of Rationalism Within the Astrological Community

Approaching Astrological Images Through the Senses and Emotions

​

Chapter Seven: Shedding the Scientific Insistence on Objectivity

​

The Sophist’s Contribution to a Language of Subjectivity

Distinguishing Subjective Truth From Relative Truth

Socrates’ Affirmation of Personal Objectivity

Augustine’s Quest For Internal Objectivity

Aristotle’s Potential Contribution to a Truly Subjective Language of Soul

Aristotle’s Confirmation of the Objective World View

Dancing on the Edge of the Subjective Abyss With Descartes

The Systematic Denial of Purpose by Hobbes and Bacon

​

Chapter Eight: Through Inanna’s Fourth Gate Into a Sense of Purpose

​

Understanding The Soul’s Purpose as the Movement of Spirit Into Matter

Understanding Purpose as the Movement of Matter Toward Spirit

The Potential Value of a Subjective Quest for Knowledge

The Subjective Nature of the Soul’s Experience

Aristotle’s Contribution to a Language of Quality

The Systematic Denial of Quality by Science

The Empirical Dismissal of Quality

The Necessity for Evolving a Language of Soul Capable of Qualitative Nuance

The Qualitative Nature of Images That Feed the Soul

Contemporary Astrology’s Contamination by Objective Empiricism

​

Chapter Nine: Shedding the Scientific Concept of Causality

​

Aristotle's Distinction of Types of Cause

​

The Implications of a World Devoid of Final Cause

The Limitations of Efficient Cause As An Explanation For Subjective Behavior

The World as a Mirror for the Interplay of Light and Dark

Hume’s Critique of Causality

The Birth of Modern Empiricism

Toward an Acausal Principle of Soul

​

Chapter Ten: Toward an Acausal Understanding of Soul Process

​

Using Sheldrake’s Ideas as the Template for a Theory of Soul Resonance

Extending the Morphogenetic Field of the Soul to Encompass the World

The Power of the Hundredth Monkey

The Arrogance of Science in Assuming Causality to be the Only Possible Explanation

The Difficulty of Stepping Outside the Causal Paradigm

The Importance of Resonant Context in Extracting Subjective Truth

Applying the Concept of Resonance to the Astrological Model of Soul

Toward a Sensory Exploration of Planetary Resonance

Astrology’s Contribution to a Mathematics of Soul

​

Chapter Eleven: Through Inanna’s Fifth Gate Into Resonant Soul Space

​

The Great Debate About Space Among the Rational Cosmologists

Democritus’ Contribution to a Scientific Understanding of Space

Aristotle’s Concept of Place and Its Causal Reworking in the Scientific Revolution

The Symbolic Importance of the Geocentric Perspective

The Positivist Denial of Space’s Spiritual Dimensions

From Empty Space to Field Theory

The Quantum Revolution’s Deconstruction of Cartesian-Newtonian Space

Reconceptualizing Space as a Resonant Soul Field

Defining Soul Space From an Astrological Perspective

​

Chapter Twelve: Through Inanna’s Sixth Gate Into Cyclical Soul Time

​

A Brief History of the Evolution of the Scientific Concept of Time

The Religious Notion of Time as a Destructive Force

Heidegger’s Contribution to a Philosophy of Soul Time

The Qualitative Nature of Soul Time

Following the Soul Through Soul Time

Synchronicity and the Opportunity for Soul Growth

Astrology as a Language of Soul Time

Applying Astrological Analysis to Soul Time

​

Part Three: Through the Last Gate With Psychology

​

Chapter Thirteen: Liberating Psychology From Its Scientific Trappings

​

The Philosophical Underpinnings of Psychology

The Emergence of Psychology as a Scientific Discipline

The Psychological Exploration of the Senses

Sensory Experience as a Mechanism for Embodying Spirit

The Psychological Exploration of the Emotions

The Behavioral Approach to Emotion

The Metaphysical Irony at the Heart of Behavioral Psychology

The James-Lange Theory of Emotions

Freud’s Contribution to the Study of Emotions

Social Psychology and Other Post-Freudian Influences on the Understanding of Emotion

The Contribution of Cognitive Psychology to An Understanding of Emotion

​

Chapter Fourteen: Toward a Subjective Approach to the Image Making Process

​

The Scientific Approach to Imagination

The Contribution of Early Psychologists to an Imagery of Soul

Freud’s Contribution to an Understanding of Image

The Unconscious Roots of the Image

The Myth of Oedipus as a Template for the Image-Making Process

The Symbolist Contribution to a Cultural Embrace of the Image

Jung’s Contribution to a Psychological Understanding of the Image

The Further Cultivation of the Image in Jung’s Wake

The Potential For Astrology’s Contribution to an Understanding of the Image

​

Chapter Fifteen: The Pathology of Soul and Psychology’s Response To It

​

Psychopathology and the Soul

The Institutionalized Fear of Psychopathology

The Shadow as the Gateway to Soul Process

The Anima/Animus as Guide to Soul Space

The Wise Elder and the Individuation Process

The Individuated Self and the Soul

Psychology’s Obsession with Personality

The Merging of Schools in the Scientific Vein

Astrology’s Contribution to the Cult of Personality

​

Chapter Sixteen: Through Inanna’s Seventh Gate Into Embodiment of Spirit

​

The Influence of Existentialism on Humanistic Thought

Humanistic Psychology and the Study of Consciousness

The Two-Shark Theory of Consciousness

The Value of Humanistic Eclecticism

The Limitations of Humanistic Psychology’s Worldview

The Immense Promise of the Transpersonal Psychology Movement

Bringing Spirit Into the Darkness of Our Most Intractable Core Issues

​

Part Four: From Astrology to Astropoetics

​

Chapter Seventeen: Taking Astrology Into the Realm of Soul

​

Celebrating the Fertility of the Astrological Field

Passing Through Inanna’s Seven Gates on Our Way to a Genuine Language of Soul

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s First Gate

Toward an Astrological Definition of Fate Capable of Empowering the Soul

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Second Gate

Revisioning the Birthchart as the Optimum Game Plan for a Personal Embodiment of Spirit

​

Chapter Eighteen: Creating an Astrological Epistemology Independent of Science

​

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Third Gate

Toward an Astro-Logic of the Soul

Approaching Astrology as a Language of Imagery

Going Beyond Strictly Astro-logical Imagery in Order to Explore a Pattern

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Fourth Gate

Putting the Soul Back at the Center of Astrological Process

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Fifth Gate

Astrology’s Failure to Measure Up Within a Causal Paradigm

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Sixth Gate

Shifting Our Astrological Focus From Events to Processes

​

Chapter Nineteen: Using Astrological Imagery to Make a Connection to Spirit

​

Walking Astrology Through Inanna’s Seventh Gate

Using Astrology as a Path to Metaphoric Vision

The Application of Astropoetic Technique to a Deeper Understanding of the Image

Sorting Through the Relevant Cyclical History for Resonant Memories

Looking for Reenactments of the Original Metaphorical Scene

Moving Beyond Pattern Recognition to Explore the Unconscious Dimensions of Soul Space

Exploring the Interface Between Personal Soul Space and the Collective Unconscious

Following the Confluence of Astropoetic Images to a More Intimate Identification With Spirit

Making a Distinction Between Traditional Astrology and Astropoetics

​

Back Matter

​

Epilogue

​

Works Cited

​

Index

​

Sound interesting?  Read the entire Introduction here.

​

Or better yet, buy your own copy here.