Barriers and Boundaries: Exploring Psychological Defenses in Astrology

In this episode, Béa and Jenny consider the definition of “psychological astrology” and revisit a classic by Dr. Liz Greene, “Barriers and Boundaries: The Horoscope and the Defenses of the Personality.” What does each sign or planet fear most, and what are its defenses against these primal fears? How are such defenses adaptive, even creative, and when do they cross the line into pathology or self destruction?

We contrast 20th century psychological astrology with current trends in traditional astrology. Have efforts to recover Hellenistic, Islamicate, and Babylonian astrology in recent decades emphasized technique while often downplaying the voluminous psychological material implicit in traditional delineations? How do fate and remediation show up in each approach?

We look at the vibrant archetypal astrology movement inspired by Stan Grof which often employs holotropic/psychedelic depth work to “enter” and work directly with the deepest fears in the chart. Lastly, we consider the current Zeitgeist and how fears and defenses can play out on the national and global level.