For many years, Initiation into Astrology has been offered as a twelve-day, full-immersion residential retreat welcoming students at every stage of their astrological journey. This year marks a deliberate and exciting evolution of the programme. Astrology in Motion, an advanced immersion, is designed specifically for practicing astrologers, those preparing to work professionally, and advanced amateurs who are ready to move beyond foundational instruction. Rather than reviewing planets, signs, houses, and aspects, the retreat focuses on the practical application of astrology: synthesis, timing, consultation skills, and the realities of working with clients.

 

One central theme of this retreat is the exploration of what makes an ideal astrology consultation. Participants will examine how to prepare for a session, how to listen deeply, and how to frame astrological information in meaningful and ethical ways. Together we will learn how to navigate the balance between technique, intuition, and human connection. We will explore the development of consulting skills that support clarity, confidence, and trust while recognizing that astrology is practiced not only with charts but with people.

 

The curriculum also addresses the professional dimension of astrological practice, including how to grow and sustain an astrological business. We will develop individual business plans to start, maintain, or expand your practice. Additional topics include defining one’s niche, marketing, using social media, setting boundaries, structuring sessions, and aligning professional work with personal values. Our discussions will be grounded in lived experience and practical application rather than abstract theory.

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From a technical perspective, participants will work extensively with timing techniques, integrating transits, secondary progressions, and solar arc directions into coherent interpretive frameworks. Emphasis is placed on synthesis—learning how multiple timing systems speak to one another and how to translate that information into language that is both accurate and accessible.

 

Relationship astrology is another key area of focus. Participants will explore synastry and composite charts, examining how these techniques illuminate interpersonal dynamics, shared purpose, and relational patterns over time. Additional advanced techniques include working with midpoints and midpoint pictures, as well as harmonic charts and harmonic aspects, expanding participants’ technical vocabulary and interpretive range.

 

An important feature of this retreat is the opportunity to experience OPA’s Peer Group process in a supportive environment. This process will be worked into our time together and is modelled on the professional standards developed by OPA (Organization for Professional Astrology). Through Peer Group work, participants will learn how to handle complex and difficult client situations, elevate consultation skills, and enhance business development. Through structured feedback, participants gain insight into their strengths, refine their interpretive skills, and learn how to offer and receive constructive critique within a professional context.

 

The learning experience is further enriched through astrodrama and experiential astrology techniques, inviting participants to embody astrological symbols, explore charts through movement and dialogue, and engage astrology as a living, participatory language. These methods support deeper integration of both technical knowledge and personal insight.

 

While the retreat includes specific areas of study, the group process itself plays a central role. Learning unfolds not only through instruction, but through shared inquiry, discussion, and lived experience. The intention is to create an environment in which each participant gains new perspectives, integrates personal growth experiences, and leaves with practical tools that can be applied immediately in their lives and astrological work.

 

Astrology in Motion is a retreat designed for those ready to step more fully into the role of astrologer as you refine your craft, deepen your confidence, and engage astrology as a meaningful, ethical, and evolving practice.

 

 

COURSE OVERVIEW

 

Is This Retreat Right for You?

This advanced Astrology in Motion retreat is designed for astrologers who are ready to move beyond foundational learning and engage the craft at a professional level.

 

This programme is a good fit if you:

 

• are a practicing astrologer, or actively preparing to work professionally

• have a solid working knowledge of planets, signs, houses, and aspects

• want to deepen your skills in chart synthesis, timing, and consultation

• are interested in refining both technical expertise and consulting presence

• value learning through dialogue, feedback, and group process

 

This retreat might not be a good fit if you:

 

• are brand new to astrology

• are primarily seeking introductory or survey-style instruction

• prefer highly scripted teaching with minimal group interaction

 

Participants should come prepared to engage actively, share work, and explore astrology as both a technical discipline and a living practice. The retreat emphasizes professional growth, ethical awareness, and personal development as inseparable aspects of astrological mastery.

 

 

THE CURRICULUM: CORE AREAS OF EXPLORATION

Our curriculum is flexible enough to allow for the expressed needs and desires of the group, along with the richness of the group process itself. Accordingly, we may take a few scenic detours along the way, but the overall course material will be covered. Rick has a teaching style that delivers on the specifics while also allowing new ideas to be brought into the discussions. A day-by-day schedule will be made available to all participants.

 

While the retreat remains responsive to the group process, the curriculum includes focused exploration of the following areas:

 

The Art of Consultation

 

• What contribute to a successful astrology consultation

• Preparing for sessions and setting intention

• Listening skills, framing language, and ethical considerations

• Balancing technique, intuition, and human connection

 

Professional Practice

 

• Starting, growing, and sustaining an astrological business

• Clarifying professional identity and niche

• Structuring sessions, boundaries, and expectations

• Aligning work with values and long-term sustainability

 

Horoscope Consultations

 

• Natal horoscope interpretation and synthesis

• Developing language that empowers the client

• Integrating transits, secondary progressions, and directions

• Recognizing patterns across multiple timing systems

• Translating complex timing information into usable guidance

 

Relationship Astrology

 

• Working with synastry and composite charts

• Understanding relational dynamics, purpose, and cycles

• Applying relationship techniques in client consultations

 

Advanced Techniques

 

• Evaluating the usefulness of various techniques (traditional and modern)

• Working with midpoints and midpoint pictures

• Integrating harmonic charts and harmonic aspects

• Expanding interpretive range through advanced methods

 

Peer Group Process & Professional Feedback

 

• Experiencing structured peer review as developed by Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA)

• Learning to give and receive constructive feedback

• Refining clarity, confidence, and professional presentation

 

Experiential & Embodied Astrology

 

• Astrodrama techniques

• Experiential and participatory approaches to chart work

• Integrating symbolic understanding through lived experience

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