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The Cosmic Symposium: An Astrological Journey through the Orchestra of the Planets
- GenresAstrology
224 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2024
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 2, 2024
A Wonderful Book! Not only is it an exquisite art piece but also is also full of wisdom and references to the shoulder of giants all modern astrology stands upon. The joy of each planet is expressed through the vital ingredient of music. The inclusion of select tracks for each celestial sphere adds a unique twist to the further exploration of musica universalis, 100% recommended and required reading for all those interested in astrology!
March 10, 2025
Book Review: 'The Cosmic Symposium – An Astrological Journey through the Orchestra of the Planets;* by Aubrey Houdeshell
Illustrator: Rose Ides
Publisher: Running Press Mystic
Release Date: 14th November, 2024
About the Author and Illustrator
Aubrey Houdeshell is a writer and astrologer based in Denver. With a background in writing and editing, Aubrey focuses on making the esoteric, mystical, and spiritual accessible to everyone. Her other works include the oracle deck, 'Oracle of Pluto'.
Rose Ides is a travelling artist. Her work is playful, whimsical and often mystical. She also collaborated with Aubrey on the 'Oracle of Pluto' deck.
About the Book
"Explore the role of the planets in the cosmic symphony of astrology.
'The Cosmic Symposium' is an astrological compendium that dives into the heavenly bodies that make up our birth charts, and therefore who we are, and honors the different archetypes, themes, and journey of each planet. Each of these astral bodies plays an equally important, yet distinct, role in our lives. The unique thread spun by every planet eaves together in a cosmic orchestra to make up the complex fabric of the human experience.
Each of the planetary bodies is explored in depth, from the classical planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) to the modern planetary bodies (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Lilith). You will also learn to place each planet within the context of your own natal chart, which shows how the themes and function of each planet in our lives enable us to understand the complex experience of being human."
My Thoughts
Through the analogy of a musical orchestra astrology is presented in an interesting and understandable way, achieving the goal of making it accessible to everyone. Not only does it cover the history, context and theory surrounding each planet, but also provides practical ways in which you can use astrology in your everyday life.
Information includes:
- astrological archetypes and the themes of each planet
- historical context and symbols
- associations of the planets: days of the week, colours, flora and fauna
- how to work with a planet
- creative exercises and questions
- pieces of music for each planet
What I really loved about 'The Cosmic Symposium', and what will ensure I keep coming back to it, are the practical ideas for working with astrology in a magical sense. By this I mean using the planets effectively during spells, rituals or other magical endeavours. This is something I have come across before throughout my witchcraft studies, however Aubrey offers a level of depth and detail that highlights the benefits of working with the different energies of the planets.
Similarly , I enjoyed the incorporation of tarot and oracle cards to help you further explore each planet’s energies. The questions provided by Aubrey work like a tarot or oracle spread, however they also help you explore how a planet’s energies, connections and themes are currently working in your life. This is another aspect of the book that I will come back to frequently.
I’ve always struggled when it comes to understanding and ‘reading’ my own birth chart. I’ve tried to analyse it, but I always find it daunting, and worry I’m not doing it correctly. Although 'The Cosmic Symposium' does have a chapter explaining how you can go about understanding the various aspects of your birth chart, and how they all work together, there were still terms and areas I didn’t fully understand (and I had to do some googling). If you are interested in learning more about your personal birth chart and the placements of the planets within it I would recommend a book that focuses on natal charts. There is not enough information provided here to start that process; the focus is on a general understanding of the planets, their energies and how to harness them effectively.
Obviously, one of the stand out things about this book is the beautiful illustrations that pair perfectly with Aubrey’s words. Rose’s artwork is bright and bold yet still soft, dreamy and ethereal. They capture the mystical, energy of each planet whilst retaining the air of mystery surrounding the cosmos.
For me, 'The Cosmic Symposium' provides a lot of new information about astrology, particularly how I could use planetary energies in my witchcraft practice. It is a great resource for anyone with an interest in astrology or those magically inclined. Although it does not offer a detailed insight into personal astrological charts, it serves as a good starting point for further exploration.
*Book was gifted by the publisher.
Illustrator: Rose Ides
Publisher: Running Press Mystic
Release Date: 14th November, 2024
About the Author and Illustrator
Aubrey Houdeshell is a writer and astrologer based in Denver. With a background in writing and editing, Aubrey focuses on making the esoteric, mystical, and spiritual accessible to everyone. Her other works include the oracle deck, 'Oracle of Pluto'.
Rose Ides is a travelling artist. Her work is playful, whimsical and often mystical. She also collaborated with Aubrey on the 'Oracle of Pluto' deck.
About the Book
"Explore the role of the planets in the cosmic symphony of astrology.
'The Cosmic Symposium' is an astrological compendium that dives into the heavenly bodies that make up our birth charts, and therefore who we are, and honors the different archetypes, themes, and journey of each planet. Each of these astral bodies plays an equally important, yet distinct, role in our lives. The unique thread spun by every planet eaves together in a cosmic orchestra to make up the complex fabric of the human experience.
Each of the planetary bodies is explored in depth, from the classical planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) to the modern planetary bodies (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Lilith). You will also learn to place each planet within the context of your own natal chart, which shows how the themes and function of each planet in our lives enable us to understand the complex experience of being human."
My Thoughts
Through the analogy of a musical orchestra astrology is presented in an interesting and understandable way, achieving the goal of making it accessible to everyone. Not only does it cover the history, context and theory surrounding each planet, but also provides practical ways in which you can use astrology in your everyday life.
Information includes:
- astrological archetypes and the themes of each planet
- historical context and symbols
- associations of the planets: days of the week, colours, flora and fauna
- how to work with a planet
- creative exercises and questions
- pieces of music for each planet
What I really loved about 'The Cosmic Symposium', and what will ensure I keep coming back to it, are the practical ideas for working with astrology in a magical sense. By this I mean using the planets effectively during spells, rituals or other magical endeavours. This is something I have come across before throughout my witchcraft studies, however Aubrey offers a level of depth and detail that highlights the benefits of working with the different energies of the planets.
Similarly , I enjoyed the incorporation of tarot and oracle cards to help you further explore each planet’s energies. The questions provided by Aubrey work like a tarot or oracle spread, however they also help you explore how a planet’s energies, connections and themes are currently working in your life. This is another aspect of the book that I will come back to frequently.
I’ve always struggled when it comes to understanding and ‘reading’ my own birth chart. I’ve tried to analyse it, but I always find it daunting, and worry I’m not doing it correctly. Although 'The Cosmic Symposium' does have a chapter explaining how you can go about understanding the various aspects of your birth chart, and how they all work together, there were still terms and areas I didn’t fully understand (and I had to do some googling). If you are interested in learning more about your personal birth chart and the placements of the planets within it I would recommend a book that focuses on natal charts. There is not enough information provided here to start that process; the focus is on a general understanding of the planets, their energies and how to harness them effectively.
Obviously, one of the stand out things about this book is the beautiful illustrations that pair perfectly with Aubrey’s words. Rose’s artwork is bright and bold yet still soft, dreamy and ethereal. They capture the mystical, energy of each planet whilst retaining the air of mystery surrounding the cosmos.
For me, 'The Cosmic Symposium' provides a lot of new information about astrology, particularly how I could use planetary energies in my witchcraft practice. It is a great resource for anyone with an interest in astrology or those magically inclined. Although it does not offer a detailed insight into personal astrological charts, it serves as a good starting point for further exploration.
*Book was gifted by the publisher.
June 7, 2025
Another brilliant work of art by Aubrey and Rose. This book was not only a visual work of wonder, but it also offered enlightening insights into the planets. As a person who is still figuring out my understanding of astrology, I really gained *a lot* from this book. Aubrey’s prose is beautiful, but not too flowery (which I *really* appreciate in a non-fiction book that’s educating me on a complex subject). I highly this book and, well, all of Rose + Aubrey’s work.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews