Shamanic Astrology in Ireland and Scotland

Experience and realign with the ancient energies of the sacred feminine!
Renaissance of the Sacred Feminine Presents:
The Stars and Stones of Ireland and Scotland
with Daniel Giamario and Anyaa McAndrew
August 20 – September 3, 2016

JOIN US!  Announcing a special early bird offer for SAMS members

A personal invitation from Shamanic Astrology founder and trip co-host Daniel Giamario

The noun renaissance refers to rebirth and revival, literally the resurgence or reawakening of life, vigor, and interest.  At the core of the Shamanic Astrology paradigm is the understanding that our current, prevailing (and arguably oppressive and imbalanced) cultural attitude is the result of centuries of influence and judgment that have supported certain approaches to being human while invalidating others.  Within a framework of patriarchy, for example, the male principal is elevated beyond all others.

At this renaissance time of the Turning of the Ages, it is critical that we re-discover, validate, and embody the full spectrum of human potential, including all the different possibilities available to women and men, so that we can celebrate the full expression of both male and female principals and consciously participate in dreaming the dream onward.

Why Ireland and Scotland?

The primary inspirations for the emergence of the Shamanic Astrology paradigm and the formation of the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School* (SAMS) arose out of my direct, personal experiences of the numinous in landscapes that I would describe as sacred. My initial spiritual and shamanic initiations took place among the stone circles and landscapes of Scotland, most notably the intricate and beautiful Callanish complex on the isle of Lewis (read more on my Callanish experiences here) There is no place on earth quite like Callanish, which over the years has greatly informed SAMS’s understanding of and teachings about lunar standstill cycles and Neolithic astrology in general.

[newgrange SITE] My transformational experiences in Ireland came later, after 2000.  I followed a calling to explore the sacred landscapes here, particularly in Western Ireland (mainly in the Sligo area).  I was ecstatic to find round, green hills that resembled female breasts with nipples made of rock cairns, formations created over thousands of years by pilgrims in ceremony.  I also located many chambered cairns (tumuli; singular tumulus) and standing stones, dotting the landscape seemingly everywhere I looked.

With me always in these explorations is the palpable presence of the Tuatha de Danann, the ‘people of the Goddess’, who presided over a 2000-year time period of peace lasting up until 1500 BC.  In those times men and women lived as allies, or gylanic equals.  The ceremonial sites they created reflect an architectural intent to bring into balance sun and moon, land and sky, and the elements of male and female.  It was a time of reverence for the Mother Goddess, of human harmony in cooperation with nature, and an intentional culture living the essence of an “as above, so below” cosmology, literally bringing heaven to earth.

The Renaissance of the Sacred Feminine

Together with Shamanic Astrologer and ordained high priestess Anyaa McAndrew and in affiliation with SAMS, we have developed an organization called Renaissance of the Sacred Feminine. Anyaa is a seasoned (and certified) Shamanic astrologer, facilitator of priestess circles, and psychotherapist with more than 35 years of experience in the sacred work of emotional and spiritual healing (Find out more about Anyaa here)

[Kilronan-Castle] The purpose of this organization is to facilitate reconnection with ancient sacred sites around the world thus reanimating within ourselves the early, more authentic roots of who we once were – and can again be –  in our full expression as human beings.  In particular, to connect with those roots grounded in matrialineal, gylanic, and peaceful ways of existing wherein humans are not the dominators or overlords of creation, but conscious collaborators living in accord with the balance and wisdom of “as above, so below”.  During the much wider time frame of our true history (‘herstory’), men and women were collaborative and cooperative allies in mind, body, soul, and spirit.  It is only in the last 3000-4000 years, with the emergence of patrialineal family structure, hierarchical patriarchy, and the rise of monotheistic religions, that we have arrived at the world as we know it today.  (This does not exemplify evolution, by the way! In fact, we refer to it as a triple aberration.)

At Renaissance of the Sacred Feminine, we believe that in order to dream and create a new, healthier world we are best served to make contact with the energetic essence of those earlier, more egalitarian times. This is not so that we can ‘go back’ to recreate those times, but so that we can from these progressive roots move forward in new, more balanced ways. We are not antiquarians doing this out of nostalgia, nor are we attempting to empower an emergent matriarchy as simply a reverse of patriarchy. Our purpose is to inspire and activate a true renaissance, building on the best of the great mother cultures and infusing these with visions of gylany, bringing to an end the dominator ethos and warfare while at the same time committing to a sustainable planet for future generations and a “planetarization of consciousness” (to use the words of my mentor, Dane Rudhyar).

Given the intentions of Renaissance of the Sacred Feminine, Anyaa and I feel there is no better place that we know of to connect with the energies of the sacred feminine than in Ireland and Scotland. The trip in September, 2016 will be my 10th to the standing stones of Callanish.  I hope to continue going back until at least the next outer lunar standstill in 2025, when the moon will again magically walk on the land.  Anyaa currently conducts priestess circles in Ireland and Scotland and will be facilitating her next international priestess training in Inverness (Scotland) immediately following our time together at Callanish.

Enhancing your knowledge and experience of Shamanic Astrology

All of our journeys include an immersion in the overall context of Shamanic Astrology. No previous exposure to Shamanic Astrology is necessary in order to fully enjoy the guided depth and magic of this trip.

Many topics have been highlighted in our times together, such as: the inner sacred marriage process of Venus and Mars; the Lunar Standstill cycles; and last year’s popular topic, crop circles.  In addition to astrology, our classes include a wealth of material on the mythic roots of the unique places we will visit.  Our classes are held in sacred circle and, in this way of teaching and learning, music and dance are central.