Mantis Weekend 2023 | Lecture 3: Astrological Birth Charts: Sacred Mandalas of the Self

Lecture 3: Saturday 7 October at 13h30 (In-person or Online Attendance)

Zoom participants, please ensure you join the Zoom link at least 10 minutes prior to the lecture start time. The lectures will start promptly at their allotted times.

Abstract – Astrological Birth Charts: Sacred Mandalas of the Self

A birth chart is a profound synchronicity between the moment of birth and the unique formation of the observable cosmos at that time, with every chart as different as fingerprints. Carl Jung observed that the astrological horoscope corresponds to “a definite moment in the colloquy of the gods”; a symbolic portrayal of universal principles, the archetypes, as they were also personified by the gods and goddesses of ancient myth. Much of Jung’s work grew out of studies of ancient texts, such as the Hermetica treatises, that explore astrology, medicine, pharmacology, alchemy, and magic. These date as far back as the second or third century BCE. 

The familiar phrase “As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul…” – attributed to Hermes Trismegistus (a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth) – comes from the second verse of the Hermetic Emerald Tablet. It alludes to the effects of celestial mechanics upon terrestrial events including not only the effects of the Sun upon the change of seasons, or those of the Moon upon the tides, but also structural similarities (or ‘correspondences’) between the macrocosm (from Greek makros kosmos, “the great world”; the universe as a whole, understood as a great living being) and the microcosm (from Greek mikrons kosmos, “the small world”; the human being, understood as a miniature universe). 

Thus, the heavens were viewed as a symbolic reflection of Divine guidance towards gaining insight into the human psyche in relationship to the deeper mysteries of the universe. The moment of birth, as represented in the Western astrological wheel, is a mandala encompassing the whole, the Self, and gives clues to the individual’s unique work towards integration and individuation. These concepts and correspondences are discussed during this presentation.

About the presenter 

Nici Partridge is a Clinical Psychologist and Jungian Analyst working in private practice since 2010. She has studied Fine Arts, the Hermetic arts of astrology and tarot, as well as the Eastern practices of chakra energy healing, meridian points and meditation, all with a view to developing psychological insight into the deep mysteries of the unconscious and the human psyche. She has a long-standing interest in the ancient healing arts and symbolic systems and practices. She is a member of the South African Association of Jungian Analysts and currently serves on the Media and Curriculum Committees.