On the Soul's Terms

Step through the door marked “Descendant” and into the seventh house, where the self meets the other and the mirror talks back. We dive into the psychology of partnership, the craft of vows, and the often-misunderstood terrain where love and conflict live side by side. I unpack why the descendant tends to fall into the unconscious, how projection turns lovers into open enemies, and what it takes to retrieve the disowned parts of ourselves without losing our center. Along the way, we lean on process-oriented therapy—primary identity, edge figures, and the art of crossing the edge in small, safe doses—to rebuild agency in how we relate.Myth deepens the map. With Venus and Saturn shaping Libra’s field, the seventh house blends connection with commitment and reminds the ego (the Sun in fall here) that true partnership requires tempering. Hera, guardian of marriage, stands for vows, structure, and integrity, while her painful bond with Zeus shows what happens when promise meets perpetual transgression. To balance that image, we look to Hades and Persephone as an unexpected model of secure attachment: a commitment spacious enough to allow difference, cycles, and sovereignty. That tension—freedom within form—becomes a practical guide for healthier boundaries, clearer requests, and more resilient repair.You’ll leave with tools for “projection hygiene,” fresh ways to read your chart from the descendant, and a simple practice for recruiting your Midheaven as a meta-communicator that can hold both “I am” and “I am not.” If you’ve ever wondered why certain partners, rivals, or patterns keep appearing, this exploration offers a compassionate, grounded path to see them—and yourself—more clearly. Listen now, share this episode with a friend who loves astrology and myth, and if the journey resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what does your descendant want you to reclaim?*this episode blurb was created by Buzzsprout's AIReferences mentioned in this episode:Fritz Perls – Gestalt PrayerHoward Sasportas – The Twelve HousesRabbi HillelCarl Jung – Mysterium ConiunctionisArnold (Arnie) Mindell – Process-Oriented Psychotherapy / Process WorkBrian ClarkJason HolleyRumpelstiltskinSnow WhiteHeraZeusCronus (Saturn)RheaAmaltheaMetisPersephoneHadesAriadneDionysusPanEchoHermesPodcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

What happens when we venture beyond the horizon of self and encounter the world? In this profound continuation of our houses journey, Brian Clark and I explore the second half of the astrological wheel - where we meet the other, confront our shadows, and discover our place in the cosmic order.Recorded during a solar eclipse at the equinox (coinciding with Brian's 76th birthday), our conversation takes on a synchronistic quality that exemplifies how astrology works through us rather than merely being studied by us. Following the thread of Ariadne from Greek mythology, we explore how she reveals family secrets, follows the heroic impulse, and ultimately finds her way to the center after being abandoned - mirroring our own soul journey.The seventh house brings us to the horizon where we encounter "the other" - that quality in relationships that reveals parts of ourselves we've yet to recognize. As Brian notes, "We marry our own shadow." Moving into the eighth, we face "loving in the face of loss" and discover how betrayal becomes a pathway to consciousness. The ninth house offers rebirth into spirit and wonder, while the tenth shapes our character through vocation and contribution. We then explore the communal eleventh house before concluding with the twelfth - a sanctuary for our exiled parts that need integration.Throughout our dialogue, we return to Ariadne staring at the sea as Theseus abandons her, then turning toward the center of Naxos where Dionysus awaits. This powerful image captures how our greatest disappointments often lead us to our truest path - when we give back to the sea what was never truly ours and find ourselves essential parts of something greater.How might your relationship struggles be mirrors revealing aspects of yourself? What ancestral patterns are you carrying in your intimate connections? Where do you find genuine rebirth after painful losses? Join us for this expansive exploration of how we become ourselves through our encounter with the world.* The blurb above was generated by Buzzprout's AITo find out more about Brian's work go to astrosynthesis.com.au.Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

What can a centuries-old fairy tale teach us about our astrological journey? In this illuminating conversation, jazz musician and professor Ryan Nielsen explores the Grimm Brothers' tale "Allerleira" (Thousand Furs) as a profound map of psychological development through the first six astrological houses.Ryan shares his personal path from a rigid religious upbringing to discovering the healing language of depth psychology and astrology. Drawing on Marian Woodman's work, we unpack how fairy tales can guide us through healing what Woodman calls "patriarchal consciousness" – defined not as gender but as any culture devoted to power and perfection at the expense of authenticity.The story follows a princess who flees her father's kingdom disguised in animal furs, finding refuge in a castle kitchen where she works with ashes and soup-making – beautifully illustrating the sixth house themes of humble service, repetition, and alchemical transformation. Through three magical dresses (golden as the sun, silver as the moon, bright as stars), we witness the integration of solar and lunar consciousness necessary for wholeness.This episode illuminates why regression isn't failure but often necessary healing, how cycles matter more than linear progress, and why the "woodshed" work (as jazz musicians call practice) prepares us for authentic relating. As Jung reminds us, "Real consciousness has to be based upon life experienced. Just talking about things is not enough."Whether you're curious about astrology, psychological development, or simply love fairy tales, this conversation offers rich insights into the soul's journey toward authenticity and belonging – and how sometimes, we must don a mantle of a thousand furs before we can reveal our true cosmic nature.* Writeup generated by Buzzsprout AICover Art: Illustration from p. 281 of The Green Fairy Book (1902) by Andrew LangRyan's New Website is yourveryownlife.comReferencesAuthors / ThinkersBessel van der Kolk – The Body Keeps the ScoreGabor Maté – When the Body Says No / The Myth of NormalPeter Levine – Waking the Tiger: Healing TraumaDonald Kalsched – The Inner World of TraumaMarion Dunlea – BodyDreaming in the Treatment of Developmental TraumaMarion Woodman – Leaving My Father’s House / The Pregnant Virgin Liz Greene – archetypal/psychological astrology James Hillman – archetypal psychologyBrian Clark – astrologer, mythologist, soulful astrology AstrosynthesisMelanie Reinhart – Chiron and the Healing Journey Anne Baring – The Myth of the Goddess / writings on lunar consciousnessMyths / Fairy TalesAllerleirauh (Aller Lira) – Grimm Brothers tale (“Thousandfurs” or “All-Kinds-of-Fur”)Handless Maiden – Grimm BrothersCinderella (Aschenputtel) – Grimm BrothersThe Frog King – Grimm BrothersThe Three Feathers – Grimm BrothersAriadne’s Thread (Greek myth, labyrinth and Minotaur)Dionysus & Folis (Centaur’s jar of wine) – myth of Hercules and the centaurs Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

Dive deep into the astrological sixth house with medical astrologer Kira Sutherland as she unpacks the fascinating connection between health, routine, and mythology. This episode reveals how this often-overlooked house serves as the critical integration point between our personal journey and our relationships with others.The conversation weaves through mythology, with Artemis emerging as the powerful sixth house archetype – self-contained, knowledgeable, and deeply connected to healing wisdom. Kira explains why Mars finds its joy here, illuminating how our health requires the same disciplined effort as Hercules' twelve labors. You'll discover the profound relationship between the sixth house (acute illness and preventative health) and its opposition, the twelfth house (chronic conditions and necessary rest).Perhaps most fascinating is the sixth house's rulership of the small intestine – the organ that literally decides what becomes part of us and what doesn't. This perfect metaphor extends through modern discoveries about the gut-brain axis, confirming ancient astrological wisdom about body-mind connection. The discussion also explores how pets fall under sixth house domain, creating routine and requiring service while teaching us about care cycles.Whether you're an astrology enthusiast, health-conscious seeker, or mythology lover, this episode offers rich insights into the daily rhythms that sustain well-being. Kira's expertise in both natural medicine and astrology creates a holistic perspective that will transform how you understand your own health practices. Listen now to discover how the sixth house might be influencing your life, and learn practical wisdom for working with these energies more consciously.* The above episode description was generated by Buzzsprout AIDiscover more about Kira Sutherland at astrologyofhealth.com.Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

What happens when we fly too close to the sun? The sixth house of the zodiac teaches us this crucial lesson as we transition from the boundless creativity of the fifth house into a realm where we must learn our limits.Through the cautionary tales of Icarus and Phaethon—young men who attempted great feats without proper training—we discover why developing skills and respecting boundaries matters. These mythological figures crashed spectacularly because they lacked sixth house wisdom: the discipline to transform raw talent into practical mastery.Artemis, goddess of the hunt, emerges as our guide through this terrain. Unlike her reckless counterpart Orion who sought to destroy all wilderness, Artemis embodies perfect sixth house energy—skilled with her bow, attuned to natural rhythms, and knowing exactly how much to take from nature without disturbing its balance. Her hunting dogs represent those animal helpers that appear throughout fairy tales, offering instinctual wisdom when we surrender our heroic striving.Historically, Hellenistic astrologers called this the house of "bad fortune," seeing it as a blind spot to our personality. But modern understanding reveals its gifts: Mars finds its joy here not to bring suffering but to provide the necessary discipline for developing skills through persistent effort. The sixth house isn't glamorous—it's about chopping wood and carrying water—yet these humble routines can become sacred rituals when approached with devotion.Health also falls under sixth house dominion, with Hygieia (goddess of preventative medicine) and Chiron (whose name means "hands") teaching us that well-being comes through daily maintenance and practical knowledge. When sixth house energy becomes imbalanced through perfectionism or joyless drudgery, we might need to revisit fifth house qualities of play and spontaneity.As we complete our journey through the sixth house, we prepare for the Descendant—the threshold to the seventh house where we meet others. Having established our individual boundaries and skills, we're ready to engage in relationship with integrity rather than losing ourselves in others.What limits have you learned to respect in your own life? How might transforming daily routines into devotional practice change your relationship with the mundane? Join us next week when Kira Sutherland returns to discuss the sixth house approach to health and wellness.*The above write up was generated by Buzzsprout's AIResources & MentionsSisyphus & Camus – The Myth of Sisyphus:Astro.com – add asteroid Hygieia: astro.comClarissa Pinkola Estés – Mother Night Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

What if Persephone's abduction wasn't just a tragedy, but the beginning of her empowerment? Storyteller and dream witch Libby Rose Waite weaves a spellbinding retelling of the Persephone myth that challenges everything we thought we knew about this ancient tale. Rather than focusing solely on Demeter's grief, we witness Persephone's transformation from a silenced princess to the powerful Queen of the Underworld.The story begins with Persephone trapped between her mother's suffocating love and Olympian expectations, unable to express her creative gifts. When Apollo plays his lyre, she's told not to share her music. When the Muses recite poetry, she's instructed to keep her verses hidden. This painful fifth house experience—being told your creativity isn't worthy—resonates deeply with our modern struggles.As we descend with Persephone into Hades' realm, something unexpected unfolds. Rather than remaining a victim, she begins to transform the underworld itself—decorating with flowers from Asphodel's fields, arranging stones from Sisyphus's boulder, creating beauty in darkness. In this hidden place, unseen by the judging eyes of Olympus, Persephone discovers her authentic voice and power.This revelatory episode explores the astrological tension between the fifth house (creative expression) and eleventh house (societal expectations), illuminating how our most profound self-discovery often happens in the places we least expect. Libby and Chris share personal stories of ritual, grief, and honoring the underworld journey, reminding us that sometimes we must descend to truly find ourselves.As we witness Persephone finally taking her throne beside Hades, we understand that her annual cycle of descent and return isn't just about seasons—it's about embracing all aspects of ourselves, blanketing even our darkest journeys with love, and finding sovereignty in unlikely realms.*this write up was generated by Buzzsprout's AITo find out more about Libby's work go here. Artwork is from John William Waterhouse - Persephone.Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

What happens in our bodies and nervous systems when we engage in spontaneous creativity? How might reclaiming our relationship with pleasure transform our capacity to navigate life's challenges? These questions form the heart of my conversation with Vive Oldham, somatic educator and facilitator of the "Pleasure as a Revolutionary Act" summit.Vive shares the transformative moment when, burned out from city life, she sat drawing with her young children and discovered something remarkable – after just an hour of creative play, she felt both deeply rested and enlivened. This sparked a nightly art practice that consistently shifted her state regardless of how exhausted she felt beforehand. "My whole physiology would change," she recalls, "and I was like, what is going on?"This led her to explore the fascinating distinction between exhaustion and lethargy – sometimes what we interpret as needing rest is actually a disconnection that requires engagement through a different channel. Creative expression often provides exactly the pathway needed to move from lethargy back into aliveness and presence.We dive deep into how modern culture has commodified pleasure, relegating it to "non-necessary" indulgence rather than recognising it as fundamental to human thriving. "Pleasure is always there in the field," Vive notes, but we've been conditioned to disconnect from it and then seek it externally through consumption.Perhaps most profound was our exploration of pleasure beyond positive emotions. True pleasure, in its deepest sense, is about connection and fully experiencing the range of human feeling – there can be a profound pleasure even in grief when it opens our hearts. This expanded understanding challenges our cultural tendency to avoid discomfort and suggests that developing greater capacity to feel allows us to be more fully present with life's complexities.Join us for this rich conversation about the Fifth House of astrology, the dance between structure and spontaneity, and how theatrical expression allows us to embody different archetypal energies. Learn how simple creative practices might help you rediscover what brings you to life.Want to explore more about pleasure as a revolutionary act? Register for Vive's upcoming global summit at viveandco.com where diverse voices will explore the many textures of pleasure beyond indulgence.*The episode write up above was generated by Buzzsprout's AI.Cover Art is from Vive: Summer.People/works mentioned in this epsiode:Michael MeadeMarion WoodmanMarion Dunlea (Bodydreaming)Kimberly Ann Johnson (Call of the Wild)Bill Plotkin (Wild Mind)Brian & Glenys Clark  (Astro Synthesis)Chameli Gad Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

Emerging from the ancestral depths of the Fourth House, we enter the vibrant, sun-drenched Fifth—a radiant palace where creativity, pleasure, and passion dance freely. This episode invites you into a profound exploration of the Fifth House not merely as astrological territory, but as the sacred space where your most essential self yearns to play.We uncover the distinction between bios (the linear story of life) and zoe (the indestructible life force) that Carl Kerényi elaborates in his work on Dionysus. This eternal flame resonates at the core of the Fifth House—where your capacity for joy and creation remains undimmed despite life's challenges. Like the sun that rises reliably each morning, this inner light represents the persistent heart of your being.Venus finds her joy here, reveling in pleasure without purpose. The Fifth House invites you to create not for acclaim or outcome, but for the pure delight of creation itself. Through exploring myths like Tristan and Isolde's intoxicating romance and Dionysus's wild revelry, we discover how this house beckons us back to the mystery of our sensuous, animal bodies and the timelessness that flows when we're lost in play.What blocks your access to Fifth House treasures? Perhaps family scripts taught that pleasure is selfish, or heartbreak hardened protective layers around your capacity for joy. Through understanding myths like Narcissus, we glimpse how true self-knowledge becomes the path toward authentic expression.Join us for this illuminating journey into your creative core—where your inner child awaits rediscovery, where romance first sparked your heart, and where the process of becoming truly, uniquely yourself begins. Your Fifth House holds the key to reconnecting with that inextinguishable divine spark within—ready to warm not just yourself, but everyone around you.Artwork: La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Frank Dicksee, 1901Dionysos: Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life, Carl KerenyiPodcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

The mysterious threshold between the fourth and fifth houses marks one of life's most profound transitions—the journey from our family roots to authentic self-expression. As we cross from Cancer's lunar realm into Leo's solar domain, we face the challenge of leaving familiar patterns behind to discover our unique creative voice.Through the Algonquin fairy tale of "The Rough-Faced Girl," we discover a powerful metaphor for this astrological passage. Unlike her more familiar Grimm Brothers counterpart, this indigenous Cinderella figure encounters Strong Wind—a warrior with the power of invisibility who can only be perceived by those who speak truth. His invisible nature symbolises the fourth house's hidden ancestral patterns that shape us from below conscious awareness.Scarred and disfigured by jealous sisters, the Rough-Faced Girl embodies the wounding that can occur in our family systems. Her patient endurance represents the unglamorous but essential inner work of the fourth house—tending the hearth, sweeping ashes, and maintaining dignity despite having her beauty and worth denied. Yet unlike others who attempt to win Strong Wind through deception, she alone speaks honestly, admitting she cannot see him until suddenly—she does.This moment of truthfulness becomes her liberation. Her perception that Strong Wind pulls his sled with the rainbow and uses the Milky Way as his bowstring connects her to cosmic forces beyond ordinary sight. This symbolizes the fifth house awakening—when we align with our authentic nature and discover the life force that flows through creative self-expression.The story illuminates how all the houses build upon each other: her disfigured face (first house persona), her tattered rags (second house resources), her sibling relationships (third house), her family wounds (fourth house), and finally her transformation through truth-speaking (fifth house). Through her journey, we glimpse how healing becomes possible when we honor both our roots and our unique creative spirit.What ancestral patterns are keeping you invisible to yourself? What truth must you speak to cross your own threshold into authentic self-expression? Join me next time as we explore the playful, pleasure-filled realm of the fifth house.I found this fairytale in a compilation of Cinderella stories from around the world: Cinderella: the Ultimate CollectionThe story of the Rough-Faced Girl was explored in the 90s by Rafe Martin and David Shannon. Their book is here. Podcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.

Venture beneath the surface as we explore astrology's most mysterious territory - the fourth house. This is where we cross the threshold of the Imum Coeli (IC), descending to "the bottom of the sky" to discover our deepest foundations.The fourth house holds the key to understanding your emotional inheritance - not just your physical home or family structure, but the psychic atmosphere you absorbed during your formative years. Like Odysseus longing to return home after years of wandering, we all carry this yearning for belonging deep within our souls.What masks did you wear in your family of origin? How do you automatically revert to childhood patterns when returning home? The fourth house reveals these personas and adaptation strategies, along with the ancestral legacies that shape your sense of identity and security.Drawing on rich mythological symbolism, we explore the Minotaur's labyrinth as a metaphor for family secrets and unspoken dynamics. Just as Theseus needed Ariadne's thread to navigate those twisted passages, we need consciousness to face what's been hidden in our family systems. By confronting these shadows with reverence rather than shame, we liberate tremendous energy previously used for repression.This house represents your roots, without which your tenth house achievements (your reach) cannot be sustained. By establishing a strong foundation through soul-making work in the fourth house, you prepare for the creative self-expression and individuation of the fifth house.Whether you're a seasoned astrologer or just beginning to explore your chart, this episode offers profound insights into your inner landscape and belonging. Subscribe now to continue our journey through the astrological houses, and consider supporting the show with a five-star review or by becoming a patron at patreon.com/onthesoulsterms.Artwork is by John Williams Waterhouse "Psyche Opening the Golden Box"Books Mentioned:The Twelve Houses by Howard SasportasThe Inner Planets and The Luminaries by Liz Greene and Howard SasportasPodcast Musician: Marlia CoeurPlease consider becoming a Patron to support the show!Go to OnTheSoulsTerms.com for more.