Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation

Keeping Ahead in Your Career Without Sacrificing Your Health

Mid-career professionals in fast-moving industries often live with a quiet pressure to stay visible, skilled, and ready for the next job opportunity. The tension is real: job opportunity preparedness can start to feel like a second job, and the line between ambition and exhaustion blurs. When career readiness challenges pile onto an already full workload, the career burnout risks rise and professional well-being balance becomes harder to protect. Sustainable readiness comes from treating work-life integration as part of the plan, not a reward for later.

Understanding Sustainable Career Readiness

Sustainable career readiness means preparing for opportunities in a way you can keep doing for years, not weeks. It’s a simple framework that pairs smart, focused career habits with real recovery, so your energy stays reliable. Think of it as sustainable career development applied to your weekly routine, not just your long-term plan.

It matters because constant “always on” effort usually backfires, even when your intentions are good. When your baseline is steadier, you make better decisions, show up more consistently, and protect your health during uncertainty. Guidance on staying healthy and resilient reinforces that self-care is part of performance, not separate from it.

Picture a professional who spends one hour a week updating a portfolio and reconnecting with two contacts, then blocks real downtime. They stay credible and current, without turning every evening into a catch-up sprint. Credible employment-landscape research helps you aim that effort where it counts.

Use Workforce Research to Track Trends and Spot Hidden Barriers

Sustainable career readiness gets easier when your plan is grounded in what’s actually changing in the workforce. Staying informed about job and career trends doesn’t mean constant scrolling, it means using credible employment-landscape research to spot shifts that could affect your options. Recent studies suggest that as burnout and dissatisfaction rise, many employers are leaning more on external hiring rather than developing current employees, which can widen skills gaps and limit growth for both workers and organizations. Keeping an eye on patterns like these can help you anticipate friction points early and adjust your expectations without personalizing the market’s constraints. For ongoing research into career barriers, look for insights that clarify what’s driving those barriers and where opportunities are emerging.

Build a Low-Pressure Readiness Rhythm: 15 Minutes a Week

Staying “career-ready” doesn’t have to mean constant hustle. A small, repeatable weekly rhythm keeps you aware of opportunities, connected to people, and steadily growing, without sacrificing your energy.

Do a 5-minute “signal check” (not a deep dive): Pick one workforce research signal to glance at each week, job postings in your target role, a labor-market summary, or skill demand notes you’ve already saved. Write down one sentence: “Demand is rising/falling for ___,” and one question it raises for you. This works because small, consistent exposure helps you spot trends and hidden barriers early (like credential inflation) without getting pulled into endless scrolling.
Run a 3-minute career check-in using a fixed template: Open a note and answer three prompts: What did I do this week that shows impact? What skill did I practice or want to practice? What’s one friction point (time, confidence, gatekeeping) I noticed? Keeping the questions the same lowers decision fatigue and builds a useful record for interviews and performance reviews. Over time, this becomes a low-pressure way to track continuous professional growth while staying grounded in what’s actually happening at work.
Make one authentic networking touchpoint, small and specific: Send one message a week to a colleague, former manager, or peer: a genuine congrats, a quick “saw this and thought of you,” or a request for a 10-minute perspective on a trend you noticed in your signal check. Aim for connection over extraction; you’re nurturing relationships before you need them. Example: “I noticed more roles asking for stakeholder management, does that match what you’re seeing on your team?”
Do “skill snacks” tied to what the market is asking for: Choose one micro-skill you can practice in 10–15 minutes, draft a clearer project update, outline a case study bullet, rehearse a two-sentence executive summary, or review a common interview question for your role. Anchor the choice to your research signals so you’re not learning randomly. Regular skill development works best when it’s small, relevant, and repeated.
Add one proof point to your “wins folder”: Once a week, save a concrete artifact: a metric, a customer quote, a before/after screenshot, or a short reflection on how you solved a problem. Include context (the situation, what you did, the result) in 2–3 lines so it’s interview-ready later. This reduces stress because you’re building evidence gradually instead of scrambling when an opportunity appears.
Use burnout guardrails that protect the routine: Put a hard cap on readiness time (15 minutes) and a stop rule (e.g., “If I feel activated or compare-y, I stop and switch to one grounding action”). Keep one “rest week” per month where you only do the 3-minute check-in, consistency beats intensity. These burnout prevention methods keep your readiness plan sustainable, especially when work or life gets heavier.

Career-Ready Without Burnout: Common Questions

Q: How do I stay ready for opportunities without thinking about my career 24/7?
A: Create a tiny “maintenance mode” you can finish in 10 to 15 minutes. Limit yourself to one small action like saving one win, practicing one micro-skill, or sending one kind check-in. The goal is continuity, not intensity.

Q: What should I do if I’m exhausted and even small tasks feel like too much?
A: Switch to the lightest option: jot one line about what you completed and one thing that felt hard. Consider a recovery week where you do only that, then return when your energy stabilizes. This matters because Americans experience stress at work at very high rates.

Q: How can I manage the stress of job searching while still doing my current job well?
A: Pick fixed windows, like two short sessions per week, and stop on time. Track progress by inputs you control such as applications sent or conversations started, not outcomes. If your stress spikes, downshift to planning and rest.

Q: When is it worth saying yes to a new opportunity, and when should I pause?
A: Say yes when the role matches your priorities and you can pursue it without sacrificing sleep or health. Pause when you feel dread, constant rumination, or your basics slip. With 38 percent of workers globally reporting high daily stress, protecting your capacity is a smart career move.

Q: Can networking be low-pressure if I hate “selling myself”?
A: Yes. Make it about curiosity and gratitude: ask one specific question, share one helpful resource, or congratulate someone sincerely. Keep it short, and build trust over time.

Staying Prepared for Opportunities Without Sacrificing Your Well-Being

It’s hard to stay open to new roles while also protecting your energy, especially when readiness starts to feel like a second job. The steadier path is balanced career growth: treat sustainable job preparedness as a set of small, repeatable habits guided by clear priorities and honest recovery time. When that becomes the default, career motivation rises, stress drops, and confidence in career planning feels earned rather than forced. Stay ready by staying sustainable.

Online Esoteric Astrology Course

Hello Friends,

I am leading an in-person Esoteric Astrology course in Charlottesville, and it is going so well. It is entitled “Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation.” I am learning a lot from my students as I share insightful and subtly potent information about the Western Astrological zodiac as a path of initiation and alchemy. I love being able to lift up all the “rocks” of the astrology signs to see what is under the surface!

I want to teach an online class covering similar topics. At present, I have 2 or 3 people interested in such a class. If you are interested, let me know! Use www.traumainformatedastrology.com/contact to reach out. Also let me know if you have questions.

I need 6 – 8 people to commit to this class and then I will launch it. If you had to miss a class, I would send you the recording. I hope you will join us!

This class is basically a high-frequency beginner astrology course. The prerequisite is that you have done some honest personal growth work on yourself. We will discuss some shadow material about most of the signs and you need to be able be with that without over-reacting. If you are brand new to astrology, you are welcome to take this class if you are willing to do some homework to learn the basic astrological keywords.

The online version of this class will be broken into 2 parts – Part One covering the elements, briefly covering the chakras and then going through Aries to Virgo. We will do a somatic exercise in each one and a half hour class which ties in with the sign being covered.

Then Part Two will cover Libra – Pisces, going deeper into the fall and winter signs and into the esoteric nature of astrology and alchemy.

Part One (9 hours) will cost $300 – $450 USD (sliding scale).

Part Two (9 hours) will cost the same amount – total of $600 – $900 USD. Both classes taught on Zoom. Day and time to be determined – let me know if you are serious about attending and require a certain day & time.

I hope to hear from you!

Kirby Moore

Teaching Astrology Classes to Your Group

Hello Readers,

If you happen to lead any kind of astrology group / spiritual seeking / high frequency support group / self-help group with interest in alternative modalities, let me know if you want to chat about my teaching a workshop for your group.

I have been teaching more astrology classes this summer and they have gone very well. Dynamic groups, rich insightful discussions and I appreciate learning as much as I share.

I can teach classes on Esoteric Astrology, Astrology and the Nervous System Foundations, Shadow Material in the Birth Horoscope, Pre- and Perinatal Astrology, and Developmental Themes in the Astrology Chart.

I can lead a one hour introductory topic, a 3-hour middling dive, or a 12- or 18-hour comprehensive exploration of one of those topics above. Just let me know if you are interested in discussing options!

www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

Thank you for visiting my blog! Scroll back through the years to find interesting posts about all things Astrology, Buddha-Dharma and holistic self-care ideas and techniques.

Kirby Moore

How to Manage Chronic Pain and Live a Fulfilling Life Every Day

Hello Readers,

This is an article from Camille Johnson. Thank you for sharing these Camille!

As an aside, (this paragraph is by Kirby Moore) occasionally chronic pain has to do with nervous system changes or activation (especially around accidents, injuries or abuse). If that is the case, then Somatic Experiencing (a trauma resolution technique) has proven to be efficacious in working with chronic pain. Chronic pain is a complicated topic. Speak with your doctor or licensed medical practitioner first, and then try alternative modalities if conventional techniques aren’t working for you.

By Camille Johnson:

Chronic pain sufferers balancing jobs, caregiving, and basic daily tasks often face the same exhausting tension: living with persistent pain while still being expected to function like nothing is wrong. Pain management challenges can take over decisions from morning plans to bedtime routines, and the constant recalculation can make maintaining quality of life feel out of reach. Still, coping with chronic illness does not have to mean shrinking life down to survival mode. With practical, compassionate support and a clearer framework for what helps, a fulfilling day can become realistic again.

Evidence-Informed Moves to Steady Pain and Energy

When pain is persistent, the goal isn’t a perfect day, it’s a steadier one. Use this mix-and-match toolkit to protect your energy, lower flare-ups, and keep making room for what matters to you.

Downshift your stress response (2 minutes at a time): Set a “reset cue” you’ll actually use, after the bathroom, before meals, or when you sit in the car. Try 6 slow breaths with a longer exhale, then relax your jaw and drop your shoulders; this calms the fight-or-flight loop that can amplify pain. A simple starting point is mindfulness meditation, which trains you to notice sensations without adding extra tension or catastrophic thoughts.
Build an anti-inflammatory plate you can repeat: Aim for a consistent pattern rather than perfection: half your plate colorful vegetables, a palm of protein, and a thumb of healthy fat. Add anti-inflammatory “anchors” you’ll keep stocked, frozen berries, leafy greens, olive oil, beans, salmon or sardines, turmeric/ginger, and reduce the foods that often worsen inflammation for many people, like ultra-processed snacks and sugar-heavy drinks. If symptoms change after certain foods, run a 2-week “swap test” and track pain, sleep, and digestion.
Protect sleep like it’s part of treatment: Pick one bedtime and wake time you can keep within 60 minutes, even on weekends, to stabilize your body clock. Create a 20–30 minute wind-down routine, dim lights, warm shower, gentle stretching, paper book, then keep the bedroom cool and dark. Many adults don’t get enough sleep, and even small improvements can noticeably change pain sensitivity and daytime stamina.
Choose low-impact movement that doesn’t “borrow” tomorrow’s energy: Use a pacing rule: stop while you still feel like you could do a little more. Start with 5–10 minutes of walking, water exercise, cycling, tai chi, or a short mobility routine, then increase by 10–20% per week if your flare-ups stay stable. On higher-pain days, switch to range-of-motion and breathing so you keep the habit without paying for it later.
Use coping skills that reduce the fear-pain loop: Write a quick “flare plan” you can follow when your brain is tired: heat/ice, a brief walk or stretch, one calming technique, a nourishing snack, and a realistic task list of 1–3 priorities. Practice reframing from “I can’t do anything” to “What’s the smallest helpful step?”, because keeping agency is part of living well when pain doesn’t quit.
Add emotional support on purpose (not only in crisis): Pick one place to be understood, peer-led emotional support groups, a counselor, a chronic illness community, or a trusted friend you check in with weekly. Go in with a clear ask: “Can you listen for 10 minutes?” or “Can you help me plan one low-key outing?” Feeling less alone reduces stress load, which often frees up energy for self-care.
Manage pain medication with a simple, safety-first system: Keep one updated medication list (dose, timing, reason, side effects) and bring it to every appointment, including dentists and urgent care. Pair medication with non-drug relief so you’re not relying on a single tool; clinicians note that people with multiple ways to relieve pain are less likely to take more medication than they should. If pain suddenly changes after an injury, especially neck, back, or joint pain, document symptoms and function daily so your care team can match treatment to what your body is doing.

Know When Chiropractic Care Fits—Especially After an Accident

When pain is tied to how your joints, muscles, and spine are moving, a hands-on, noninvasive option may help support your overall plan. Chiropractic care is often used for musculoskeletal pain relief and can be part of a broader toolkit of noninvasive pain therapies. Spinal adjustments may help improve mobility and reduce discomfort for some people, but they aren’t a cure-all and may not address every source of chronic pain, especially when symptoms come from non-mechanical causes.

If you’ve been in a car crash, consider finding a provider with injury-specific experience (such as a car accident chiropractor) who is skilled in addressing whiplash, herniated disks, and spinal cord and soft tissue injuries for early evaluation. Treatment length can vary widely, from just a few sessions to extended care, depending on injury severity and how your body responds.

Daily Habits That Make Pain More Manageable

Chronic pain management works best when helpful actions become automatic. These habits reduce decision fatigue, support your body’s baseline, and make it easier to keep living your life even on harder days.

Two-Minute Body Scan

What it is: Do a short mindfulness meditation to notice tension without judging it.
How often: Daily, especially during pain flare-ups.
Why it helps: It can lower stress reactivity and make symptoms feel more workable.

Gentle Movement Appointment

What it is: Schedule a walk, stretch, or low-impact routine you can finish comfortably.
How often: Daily or every other day.
Why it helps: Consistent motion supports circulation, strength, and confidence in your body.

Same-Wake Sleep Anchor

What it is: Wake up at the same time, then get daylight and water.
How often: Daily.
Why it helps: A steadier rhythm can improve energy and reduce pain sensitivity.

Plate-Check Nutrition Habit

What it is: Add one nutritional advice upgrade like protein at breakfast or more produce.
How often: Daily.
Why it helps: Better fueling can support mood, recovery, and inflammation balance.

Weekly Flare-Up Notes

What it is: Write three lines on triggers, wins, and what helped.
How often: Weekly.
Why it helps: Patterns become clearer, so your plan gets smarter over time.

Chronic Pain Q&A: Myths, Meds, and Mind-Body Care

Q: What if my pain is “all in my head” because tests look normal?
A: Pain is real even when imaging does not show a clear cause. Many chronic pain conditions involve changes in how the nervous system processes signals, not just visible tissue damage. Ask your clinician to explain likely pain mechanisms and to outline functional goals you can track.

Q: How worried should I be about medication side effects or dependence?
A: Side effects are possible with any medication, but many can be reduced with the right dose, timing, and monitoring. Bring a short list of what you notice, then ask about non-opioid options, interaction checks, and a review schedule. Never stop a prescription suddenly without medical guidance.

Q: Can stress, anxiety, or depression really make pain feel worse?
A: Yes, because mood and stress can increase muscle tension, disrupt sleep, and raise sensitivity to pain signals. Chronic pain is common, with nearly 25% of Americans affected, so you are not alone in this mind-body loop. Consider a pain-informed therapist, relaxation training, or structured support alongside medical care.

Q: Should I avoid exercise until I feel better?
A: Full rest often backfires by reducing strength and confidence in movement. Start with a “minimum dose” you can repeat, such as 3 to 5 minutes of gentle range-of-motion, then slowly build. If pain spikes sharply or you feel new numbness or weakness, pause and get medical advice.

Q: When do alternative therapies belong in a pain plan?
A: They can complement standard treatment when they are safe, evidence-informed, and coordinated with your clinician. Options like physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, or mindfulness-based approaches may help you function better, especially when paired with pacing and sleep support. Look for licensed providers and set a time-limited trial with specific goals.

Q: How can I cope on days when nothing seems to help?
A: One skill is coping flexibility, meaning you can stop what is not working and switch to another tool. Keep two backup choices ready, such as heat plus slow breathing, or a short walk plus a supportive call. If hopelessness grows or you think about self-harm, seek urgent help right away.

Keep Chronic Pain Manageable With One Sustainable Daily Choice

Chronic pain can make everyday life feel like a constant negotiation between what matters and what the body allows. The steadier path is holistic pain management built on patient empowerment, where medical care and mind-body care work together and sustainable lifestyle changes support real-world limits. Over time, this approach can reduce flare-driven fear, strengthen confidence, and make room for more of the life that feels meaningful. Progress with chronic pain is built on consistency, not perfection.

Learning so much from my Esoteric Astrology Course

Hello Readers,

If you are unaware.. I am teaching a course entitled: Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation. In this class, I am going into Esoteric Western Astrology material from Alice Bailey, Isabel Hickey, Alan Oken and others. And of course, I am running it through my experience with contemplative practice, somatic skills, and embodiment tools. I am the founder of Trauma Informed Astrology dot com. This Esoteric Astrology course is like a high frequency Beginner’s class taught in a trauma-informed manner.

I am offering an online version of this class, starting in a few weeks – September 24th to be exact. I am offering this course on Zoom on Thursdays, starting 9/24 at 7 pm Eastern running through 8:30 pm Eastern. Let me know if you are interested or if you have questions (see below for more info). www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

So far, in the first class, where I covered the Elements, the (Western version, from Polarity Therapy) chakras and briefly went through the seasons and the 12 signs, I had a lot of epiphanies and insights. I am so excited about this class going deeper – we are about to go deep into each of the 12 signs and that includes the Esoteric Astrology material (ruler) for each sign.

Some of my insights – we need to balance all 5 elements to maintain health. Of course, there will be some days where we are more active (fire), more contemplative (air or water), more emotional (water), more communicative (air), more structured (earth) and more spacious (ether element). However, we can’t just work on one element at a time – they come online around the same time. As we strengthen our foundation (earth) and our capacity to be with big difficult emotions (water), then fire and air will improve as well. If we do a lot to improve our ether / space element (in the body, in the nervous system), then the other four elements will also improve.

I am covering specific body holds to strengthen and improve each of the four elements. The participants are loving it. More to follow!

I am looking forward to going into the esoteric waters of the subtle wisdom of each sign!

Thanks for reading,

Kirby Moore

Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation (Part One)

Online Course: Thursday evenings Sept 24th – Oct 29th, from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern time

Cost: I am asking $450 for this part one course (9 hours of course material, lots of excellent resources and handouts also given); however, if you need a sliding scale rate, we can discuss this.

Who is this class for: This class is open to beginners as long as you have done some honest personal growth work. We are going to be looking at some shadow material for each of the 12 signs. I want people to be able to stay present with uncomfortable topics and to be able to hold activation with getting overly defended or shutting down.

To register or with questions: https://www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

I hope to hear from you!

Kirby

About an Upcoming Esoteric Astrology Course

Hello Readers!

I’m excited to be offering a new course this fall: Through the Gate — An Astrology of Initiation. There is an initiatory path woven into Western astrology — a way of reading the zodiac not just as a map of the sky, but as a map of the soul’s journey. Several spiritual and esoteric astrologers, particularly Alice Bailey and Isabel Hickey, pioneered this path, tracing each sign through three layers: the familiar personality-level story, the soul-level work it carries across a lifetime, and the deeper awakening it points toward. I’m taking that lineage a step further, weaving in somatic tools and other wisdom traditions so the material doesn’t just stay in the mind — each session opens with a guided somatic practice, grounding the astrology in the body and nervous system before we ever open a chart.

Part One runs six sessions live over Zoom, moving from Aries through Virgo, and is open to complete beginners as well as seasoned chart-readers — the only real prerequisite is some prior inner work of your own (therapy, somatic practice, contemplative practice, or the like), since this material touches real dissolution and loosening of identity. Space is limited to 18 participants, and it’s offered on a sliding scale of $300–$450 so it stays accessible. Part Two (Libra through Pisces) will follow later this fall for those who want to complete the full arc. If this speaks to you, reply or email me at kirby@mkirbymoore.com to reserve your spot.

I have already taught this class twice. It has gone so well. One online class and the in-person class is going quite well. This is very rich material, we have excellent insightful discussions and I am learning so much along the way.

Let me know if you have questions about this course. I hope to see you in an upcoming class!

Best wishes,

Kirby

My Process in Offering an Esoteric Astrology Course

Hello Readers,

I am offering an online Esoteric Astrology course entitled: Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation starting September 24th (Thursday evenings) – going for six weeks through October 29th. Let me know if this might interest you – and pass the word to anyone you think might be interested!

Cost: $450 (sliding scale options available to those who need it)

Thursday evenings from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern Time (Washington DC time zone)

This class is Part One – we will go from Aries through Virgo, along with covering the elements and even going through the chakras briefly. Part Two will begin in November where we will cover Libra – Pisces.

Now on to my process in offering this course:

My first astrology teacher had been a student of Isabel Hickey. In 2003, I met an eccentric, independently wealthy woman when I was working as an apprentice at an Herb Shoppe. She had been attending astrology teachers and conferences for 40 years. She recommended that one of my first astrology books be Isabel Hickey’s Astrology: A Cosmic Science. I went out and got it quickly. It is a dense book – Hickey was a spiritual and karmic astrologer, well known for her wisdom and insights and for influencing thousands of astrologers and student.

If you haven’t read Hickey’s book, it is dense. Even the font is dense – it is like they were trying to pack as many words as they could onto each page. It gets into deep astrological technique and even deeper spiritual facets for each sign, each planet, each Ascendant, house and aspect. It is a great resource.

With that said, there were some sections that I couldn’t understand very well. Hickey would talk about Esoteric rulers of signs and I was like, “I have no idea what that means or even where to look it up.” Then life happened and I forgot about the esoteric rulers for a few years.

Around the time of the Covid pandemic, I got my hands on Alice Bailey’s Esoteric Astrology book. If you think Hickey’s book is hard to read, you should just skip Bailey’s book. It is full of rich, insightful and esoteric teachings – like you need a good teacher to help you unpack it. It is similar to (not exact analogy) Tibetan Buddhist tantric teachings where you must have an appropriate teacher (a Lama) interpret and unpack what each line means. Otherwise, you won’t understand the metaphors or what is happening in the body. This is similar to Bailey’s material. It is very full, very dense and very disorganized.

I spent some time sifting through the whole book. I tried to take notes. Which is pretty much a necessity because she has information about each sign and each planet scattered throughout the book. It really isn’t that bad – but she has different topics and chapters and includes info on the signs and planets under each chapter. So, I had to bounce around the book. Bailey was writing that book in the 1930’s and 40’s. A while back. And yet, some of her thoughts and wisdom still hold up today.

I thought about teaching something along the lines of an Esoteric Astrology class sooner, but I had big gaps in my understanding. Baily talks about the 7 Rays – spiritual energies that are coming through to our world. She talks about the three wheels – the Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable wheels. And two of these wheels are moving forward, and one is moving backward. Say what? This is all on top of the esoteric info about each sign and planet.

I needed some help unpacking Bailey’s material. Enter Alan Oken’s book: Soul-centered Astrology. When I found this, it helped. He simplifies Bailey’s material, and he doesn’t include much at all about the Hierarchical Level of Signs – just the Soul-level or Esoteric level. Which is enough! This book helped to fill in some of the gaps I had as I was attempting to sift through Bailey’s book on my own. I still had a few gaps remaining.

Enter Claude. Yes, the AI platform. I hesitate to mention this, but I figure, take advantage of resources if we have them, right? My wife got Claude to help with her business and gave me the password to her account. It turns out Claude is pretty good with esoteric astrology as well – not perfect, not able to produce much independently yet, but it is a great resource.

I ran some questions by Claude about a spiritual astrology course, mentioning Isabel Hickey and even mentioning Alice Bailey a bit. I was surprised by what it came back with. It knew a lot about Bailey’s esoteric rulers. It did pretty well with the 7 Rays. And it did pretty well with the three wheels and their movements. AI is not able to hold many layers of astrology just yet. It makes a lot of mistakes. I had to double check several things in the books each time I talked to Claude. But when I came back with the right answer it would correct itself saying, “Oh. Right. Thanks for correcting me on that.”

It has been several months since I first started these conversations with Claude about esoteric astrology topics. I appreciate how it helped to fill in a few of the gaps I had. And I was able to give Claude my opinions about Bailey’s controversial rulership assignments. With my own experience of esoteric teachings, retreats, somatic practices and heart teachers, I bring quite a lot to this process. Claude agreed with me on most of my redone rulers when I explained the reasoning for them.

I have already begun to teach this course in-person. It is a great small group. I am learning a lot as I teach it and I am loving the process. It will help to deepen and enrich the online class (starting in September – see above).

Let me know if you want to schedule a 10-min Zoom call to see if the class might be a good fit for you.

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Kirby Moore

What is esoteric?

Dear Readers,

I am teaching a class called Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation. It starts in person in two weeks, and then in September, I’m teaching an online version. If you’re interested in joining either, you can reach me here: https://www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

I’m excited to go through this material with students. I’m making it accessible to complete beginners to astrology, provided they’re willing to do a little homework to catch up on basic astrological vocabulary. Participants should have time to go through the study guides and sit with the material — I want us to have rich discussions and unpack it in new ways. The main prerequisite, for both the in-person and online versions, is that participants have done some real, honest personal growth work on themselves.

We’ll look at three layers of each sign: the shadow material (reacting from wounding, defended, guarded); the traditional personality traits; and what the soul yearns for — the higher-frequency, soul-level, esoteric material.

Several people have asked me: what does esoteric mean, in the context of this class? What is esoteric astrology?

I’ve sat with that question for weeks now. Here’s where I’ve landed:

Esoteric teachings aren’t hidden because they’re risky, or because they’re too complex for most minds to hold. They’re hidden in plain sight because they require something rarer than intelligence: a nervous system settled enough to rest in not-knowing. A willingness to stay a perpetual beginner. The deepest wisdom is usually the simplest — it’s not veiled by complexity, but by our own noise. The natural state is already here, always has been. What obscures it isn’t its subtlety, but our own entanglement — in past, in future, in the endless emotional projections we mistake for the present moment.

I’m a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner — you might say a bit of a yogi. I fumble and bumble in my practice, but I’ve been meditating since 2002, and I’ve learned a few things along the way. I’ve watched Tibetan Lamas embody joy, lightness, and spaciousness with real ease. What do they know that I don’t?

Mostly, they’ve made peace with impermanence. They’re not gripping onto good health or another ten or twenty years. Whatever conditions they meet, they bring onto the path — including illness, loss, and difficulty. They hold a quiet gratitude simply for having the chance to practice at all, knowing how rare that combination of causes and conditions is. And they understand cause and effect: that to arrive somewhere, you first have to put the causes in place. There’s no shortcut to the result — only the steps that lead to it.

Many of these teachers have likely walked this path for many lifetimes, by their own account. If we haven’t reached their depth of realization, that’s simply where we are — newer to the path, or slower to take the openings we’ve had. No need for guilt or shame in that. We start where we are, with what is, and take the next step from here.

What these teachers embody isn’t reserved for the advanced. It’s that most of us are too busy, wound too tight, too stretched thin by the demands of life to rest in the subtlety of what already is. We project our worries and stories onto the past and the future, making things more complicated than they need to be — and in that state, we’re rarely ready to receive what esoteric teachings actually offer. We want more, bigger, peak experiences. True wisdom asks something smaller: can I take three mindful breaths, and be as fully present as possible for them? That might be enough, for now.

If this kind of subtlety is what you’re looking for, let me know. This Esoteric Astrology course is for participants who want to grow, who are hungry to learn and who are curious to see how Western Astrology as a path of initiation actually looks.

Reach out with questions or to see if this is a good fit! https://www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

Thanks for visiting,

Kirby Moore

Online Esoteric Astrology Class

Hello Friends,

I am really looking forward to teaching this class online starting in September. Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation gets into juicy, succulent material.

It is named for esoteric Gemini – esoterically, Gemini is seen as the Gateway to the Temple of Wisdom. However, how does Gemini open that Gate? How does Gemini start to settle and ground themselves to get on an efficacious spiritual path to go through that Gate, entering the sacred ground of the Temple of Wisdom?

We will get into these facets and more in this course!

Part One: Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation covers Aries – Virgo. We only have 6 sessions and they are 90-minutes each. We will go deep into the first half of the zodiac and still have time for rich, insightful discussions and sharing. You will get a lot out of this class!

Benefits of Attending this Class:

A three-tier reading of each sign — the shadow/wounded expression, the familiar personality-level traits, and the soul/esoteric expression, so they can locate all three in their own chart rather than just the “middling” trait-list version of astrology. A somatic map for the material — the five elements and chakra system used as body-based entry points into each sign, plus grounding/settling practices they can use before working with activating content. The zodiac as an initiatory cycle, not a static personality quiz — reading the wheel and seasons as a path of growth and testing (the “outer shell of an inner journey” framing), rather than sign-as-fixed-trait. Lineage and transmission — direct access to the Hickey / Bailey-D.K. esoteric lineage, clearly sourced, alongside your own synthesis and where you diverge from it. Practical self-application — by the end, the ability to actually locate their own natal placements through this shadow / personality / soul lens, not just absorb the framework abstractly.

Starting September 24th – Thursday evenings 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern Time on Zoom, going through October 29th.

Cost: $450 – let me know if you need to discuss a sliding scale option – there are several spots available.

Get In Touch: To register or ask questions use this link: https://www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

Zoom link sent out after you register. There are more than 25 pages of study guides for this class – excellent material to go along with the lectures and discussion.

I hope to hear from you!

Kirby Moore

Upcoming Esoteric Astrology Course

Hello Friends,

I am excited to be leading a class entitled, “Through the Gate: An Astrology of Initiation.” There is an in-person class starting August 28th in Charlottesville, Va. Reach out here if you are interested: https://www.traumainformedastrology.com/contact

I will also start this course online in late September – also reach out if you are interested in that format. It will start Thursday evening, Sept 24th and go from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern time.

We’ll go deep into the signs and the planets, with a brief exploration of the five elements — Ether/Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth — and how they map onto the chakras. Together we’ll move through shadow material and the layers of personality into the soul-level work that esoteric astrology makes possible.

Because of this depth, the course does have a prerequisite: participants should already have done real personal growth work. If something we discuss touches a nerve, I need you to be able to stay present with it — without reactively contracting or getting defensive.

The class is named for Gemini – seen esoterically as the Gateway to the Temple of Wisdom. We will discuss how to unlock that Gate, and how to enter the Temple of Wisdom itself (hint: it involves deeper embodiment and grounding in our innate wisdom of the body). There are surprises with every sign and the esoteric planetary rulers open up another layer of astrology rarely discussed!

In-person class: starts August 28th (Friday), from 2 – 5 pm at my office on Berkmar Drive in Charlottesville (commuters are welcome!). 6 Three-hour sessions going through October 2nd.

Cost of In-person class: $900 however, there are two sliding scale spots available at $600 and one 50% scholarship spot at $450. Reach out now to grab one of these spots!

Online Class: Part One starts September 24th (Thursday) evening from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern time. 6 90-minute sessions going through October 29th. 9 hours of material.

There will be a part two for the online class as Part One goes through Aries to Virgo. Libra to Pisces will be later this fall.

Cost of Online Course: $450. There are two $300 sliding scale spots available. Let me know if you are interested! Reach out at the link above.

I hope to hear from you.

Kirby Moore