The Cosmic Symposium

A stunningly illustrated, expansive look at the role each planet plays in astrology and how they form the cosmic symphony of the self, for fans of Taschen's Library of Esoterica series.

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Explore the role of the heavenly bodies-Sun, Moon, and planets-in the cosmic symphony of astrology, including their archetypes, history, associations, and roles in natal charts.

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. Rather than focusing simply on the zodiac signs or constellations, this book turns the lens on the planetary bodies that exert an overriding influence on us individually and as a collective. The unique thread spun by every planet weaves together in a cosmic orchestra to make up the complex fabric of the human experience.

This comprehensive, deeply individual exploration of astrology, from author Aubrey Houdeshell and illustrated by artist Rose Ides, is also an ode to the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who believed that, since objects in motion produce sound, the planetary bodies in orbit must also produce their own sound or music. In his understanding of the distance between the planets, he believed that the sound of each planet operating together as a whole produced a harmony: a music of the spheres.

The Cosmic Symposium allows readers to revere each planet and its unique wonders, while also illustrating the role they play in the cosmic opus. Each of the planetary bodies is explored in depth, from the classical planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) to the modern planetary bodies (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Lilith). Using the concept of the planets as a cosmic orchestra, each individual chapter dives into the astrological archetypes of each planet, its historical context, symbolic associates with each planet, astrological magic/working with the planets, creative exercises, and pieces of related music (for the reader to create their own cosmic symphony). The final chapters place each planet within the context of the reader's own natal chart, showing how the themes and function of each planet in our lives enable us to understand the complex experience of being human.