Astrology and Depth Psychology: Finding Meaning in the Heavens

aphillipsarts
Nov 10
3 min read

Green book cover titled "The Soul Speaks" by Mark Jones. Silhouettes on a hill with glowing sky. Text mentions astrology's therapeutic potential. — Click / tap the image to visit Mark's website.

The Soul Speaks - The Therapeutic Potential of Astrology, by Mark Jones

I can highly recommend this book as a very readable and engaging introduction to the important links between astrology and depth psychology. Chapters include; Therapeutic Astrology, Counseling Skills for Astrologers, Saturn: Guardian of Our True Potential, and Astrology and Soul Psychology.

Discover Astrology as a Language of Meaning

Although I'm not an astrologer, it has been a language and way of making meaning that I have become increasingly familiar with over the years, weaving as it does throughout various strands of spiritual and psychological understanding.

You can read more about how I approach Depth Psychology in my practice.

A Friendship and Shared Enquiry

The author of this book is a friend, and I have had the pleasure of helping out at several of the masterclasses he has held at his home in south Wales over the past few years, most recently at the beginning of this September.

Mark is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced psychotherapist as well as an astrologer, and this combined with a dedication to spiritual life is his particular synthesis.

Mark Jones leads a discussion in a cozy room with bookshelves. A screen displays "Sacred Marriage Masterclass 2025." Attendees take notes. — Mark Jones presenting at his 2025 Masterclass, Sacred Marriage. One of my artworks can be seen on the wall at the left of this photo.

Astrology and Depth Psychology combined as a Relational Practice

Despite me knowing so little of astrology, there is rarely a moment during his extremely lucid presentations where I feel lost, because his work is so imbued with depth psychological understanding and wisdom from spiritual traditions, which are my familiar ground.

He regards the astrological consultation as a relational space, a 'counselling dynamic', where the astrologer is not there to give the client an abstract stream of secret knowledge or predictions about their life, but to engage with them in a process of exploration which can be aided by the astrological insights that their chart might offer.

This way of working has much in common with my approach to Art Psychotherapy, where the image, symbol, and relational process guide exploration.

Astrology, Science, and the Sense of Connection

One of the key themes of the recent class was how a precise awareness about the positions of planets and stars in relation to places on earth, has been a way in which humans have participated in a deeply engaged way with their world for millennia.

Yes, there is much about some versions and applications of astrology that can be considered ridiculous. Much like many other disciplines not all forms are equal. But too often the whole enterprise has been condemned and dismissed by the intensely rationalist and materialist bias of today's version of science.

Further Learning and Reflection

Whether you're new to astrology, a therapist wondering what possible clinical application it could have, or an experienced astrologer, I would recommend looking at Mark's website where there is a variety of teaching material, and links to videos and podcasts.

For those drawn to explore similar ideas in conversation, my Soul-Centred Creative Mentoring sessions offer space to engage with these questions in a personal and imaginative way, distinct from a therapy session.

This brief reflection offers a glimpse into how astrology and depth psychology can meet within a shared field of symbolic understanding. Both invite a way of seeing that values relationship, imagination, and the living conversation between psyche and cosmos.

Andrew Phillips is a Visual Artist, Psychotherapist, and Soul-oriented Creative Mentor in south Wales.

Thank you for reading this article. You are welcome to contact me with your questions, enquiries, or just to get in touch. Please use the form or email address found at the foot of each page on my website.

Psychotherapy sessions by video. As an HCPC registered Art Psychotherapist I can work with you online, wherever you are located in the UK.

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