Embracing the Intellectual Side of Spiritual Practice

On astrology, the 4 paths of yoga, dark nights of the soul, and why I will keep analyzing mysticism

One of the things I most love about astrology is how it illuminates and helps us make sense of our own unique quirks and approaches to life. 

And what’s more — it helps us embrace these quirks as our superpowers. 

Our natal charts are living, cosmic blueprints for our lives. Rather than viewing our birth charts as predestined life sentences, I see them as alive and animated, filled with wisdom that we can actively partner with to move through life in a more aligned and empowered way.

Even those parts of our charts that appear especially challenging hold the secrets to unlocking our greatest gifts — something I’ve learned firsthand through my own. 

Here’s the background: I’m highly intellectual. For me, research and philosophy are pathways to the divine. And I’m not alone here — in yoga, there are four paths to enlightenment, and study is one of them!

Yet this intellectual approach to spiritual growth is constantly shat upon (yes, I did just say that) in many modern spiritual and therapeutic circles. 

I get it. Intellectual pursuits are seen as highly masculine, and we’re reclaiming the divine feminine, right? (I have a whole other article brewing on that polarity…) 

Yet, in our rush to balance a legacy of top-down approaches to mental health and spiritual wellness, let us not reject but integrate the gift of the mind.

The Four Paths of Yoga

Let’s begin by looking at the four paths of yoga. Traditionally, each of these pathways was seen as an equally valuable and effective approach to finding freedom from perpetual suffering and returning to your True Self. 

The first path is that of karma yoga. This is a path of service and action, of purifying the ego by selflessly giving and tending to others with no attachment to outcome or reward. This path is celebrated in society as a whole, and it’s easy to see this generosity as a spiritual practice. Those with outgoing natures, overflowing energy, and care for the collective often resonate with this path.

The second path is that of bhakti yoga. This is the path of devotion, and one that seamlessly weaves its way through divine feminine teachings. We see this prominently the reclamation of Mary Magdalene as a guiding spiritual light. Her devotion to Jesus, her embodiment of love, and her feminine power are models of bhakti yoga in the West. Those who resonate with deep emotions and delight in the beauty of life itself might be drawn to this path.

The third path is that of raja yoga. This is the path of meditation, and the one that people tend to most directly associate with spiritual enlightenment: Quiet the mind so there is space for the true nature of Self and oneness to be revealed. This path is often practice-based, attracting those who thrive with discipline and commitment to a higher vision.

The fourth path is that of jñana yoga. This is the path of will and intellect. It is based on the premise that we can eradicate our ignorance through intellectual pursuit of the truth. Those with great mental strength, philosophical interest, and a thirst for knowledge might find themselves on this path.  

And this is the path that is often most judged as overly mental, removed from spirit, and disembodied.

There's a good reason for this — our Western educational system is entirely based on intellect: Prove your thesis, argue your points, show your evidence. Only then can you uncover the Truth. As this mindset seeped into all areas of life, it necessitated the backlash we’re seeing today. Yet let’s remember that even though intellectualism has gotten a bit out of hand, it isn’t without value. 

All of us likely are drawn to elements of each of these yogic pathways. Being of service to those you love or a cause you care for is delightful. Embodying Love with a capital L just might be the highest vibrational state we can experience. Meditation and spiritual practice unlock the doorways to great spiritual wisdom. And investigating your discoveries, challenging them with your mind and intellect, can lead to even deeper integration.

Astrology and the Uniqueness of Purpose 

The beauty of this four-path system is that it allows space for all of us to find our unique way through the world. 

The beauty of astrology is that it can point us in the most soul-aligned direction.

Our natal charts unlock layers upon layers of our inner workings, hidden gifts, and natural tendencies. 

And as I mentioned, one of my soul gifts is taking complex spiritual wisdom and presenting it in a way that our minds can comprehend. 

For a long time, I judged myself around this. I worried that I was over-intellectualizing spiritual concepts. I feared that the women’s circles I was part of would reject this gift as being somehow “less than” emotional and somatic experiences, or at least less feminine. 

As a result, my personal spiritual practice is extremely embodied. I channel divine wisdom through my senses, and I love guiding others on somatic journeys. I’m comfortable sitting in the dark of the unknown, entering the void, and accepting that chaos — that which cannot be easily organized by the human mind — is a powerful force to partner with. 

I’m grateful for this. Yet, as I dove into my own natal chart, I was reminded not to reject my intellectual side nor to compartmentalize it. Instead, I could embrace both the body and mind for a holistic spiritual practice, perfect for me. 

Through astrology, I can see that my intellectual focus is one of my gifts by design. And one of my struggles. Also by design.

Some Astro Reflections…and Tips for You

Natal charts are complex and layered maps, with meaning and interpretation shifting based on myriad cosmic relationships. I’ve found that weaving even a few astrological insights into my coaching sessions almost “gives permission” for my clients to just be themselves and stop resisting the very shadows that can contain their greatest gifts.   

There are a few specific pieces of my chart that I feel point to my delight in mentally analyzing, systematizing, and communicating spiritual and mystical wisdom, which I’ll highlight here simply as a model for how our charts can point us in the direction of our purpose. 

So as not to be too self-indulgent in my reflections here, I invite you to follow along with your own birth chart with a few simple self practice sections. You can get a free chart here. To use whole house signs, which I prefer, click on “Charts & Calculations” → “Extended Chart Selection”. Enter your birth information, and then find “Zodiac and houses”. Choose “whole signs” under the House System drop down menu, and click “Go to chart”. Voila!

One of the first and easiest places to look at is the balance of elements in your charts. Here’s a quick overview:

Self Practice: Look at your own birth chart. Which elements do most of your planets fall in? Is one particular element home to most of your planets, or are you fairly even? 

• Air Element (look for planets in Libra, Gemini, and Aquarius) — intellect, communication, liberation, analysis and synthesis

• Fire Element (look for planets in Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) — action, courage, creativity, passion

• Water Element (look for planets in Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) — intuition, emotions, sensitivity, heart-centered

• Earth Element (look for planets in Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) — grounded, sensual and embodied, practical and hardworking

You can see above that the air signs are known for operating primarily in the mind. With four planets — including my sun, moon, and ascendant — all in Libra, I have a lot of air/mind energy (with a big focus on fairness and beauty, particular to Libra)

I also have three planets in Scorpio, one of the water signs, which points to my tendencies to explore the depths of emotion and spiritual experience (while heading straight into the dark side of human nature, a more Scorpio-specific quality). 

Already, I can see the potential patterning of someone with intellectual tendencies and emotional/spiritual interests here.

Self Practice: What might you glean about your own tendencies, simply by looking at the balance of elements in your chart?

Thank You for Another Dark Night: 12th House Gifts

The crux of my personal relationship with spiritual wisdom is much more unique to my chart than simply looking at the elements, however. It lies in the unfortunate appearance of both Jupiter and Venus and in my 12th house, ruled by Virgo. 

Let me share a bit more about why this seems so unfortunate at first. Jupiter and Venus are two of our most benevolent and beloved planets: Jupiter, bringing success and luck, and Venus, bringing beauty and love. 

Self Practice: Find Jupiter and Venus in your own birth chart, and apply the following inquiries to your personal placements.

For me, both Jupiter and Venus are in my 12th house — home to solitude and isolation, the hidden and our subconscious, and spirituality and mysticism, as well as karma and patterns of self-undoing. 

In Hellenistic Astrology, the 12th house is considered the house of bad spirit, basically meaning it’s home to a lot of what we don’t want to deal with: shadow work, endings, self-sabotage, and most importantly, the dark night of the soul. 

So my two most benevolent planets are both in this house of bad spirits. Good times. 

Yet this is also the house of the mystic, and those with a lot of 12th house energy are on a mystic’s path — it’s just a hard one. As Merlin, my astrology teacher writes:

The 12th house brings great difficulties, but it also brings tremendous spiritual rewards for those who go through the pain. My wife and I are fond of calling this the house of becoming a mystic the hard way…which also happens to be the only way. Reaching true enlightenment requires relinquishing all attachments.

Perhaps this is partly why my entire life has been a series of dark nights of the soul. Not depressive episodes, not anxiety, not general sadness. Existential crises that have left me not so much wanting to die, but not really seeing the point in living, either. 

These aren’t fun, and I certainly wouldn’t wish them on anyone. Yet every single one has required me to dig deep and pull myself out of the hole of sorrow again and again. Each time I do, I emerge with more skills and knowledge to meet the next one (because somehow, there’s always a next one). And I do not take being able to experience the beauty and joy of life for granted.

These dark nights have also prepared to hold space for others on the spiritual path. I know what it is to sit in the dark — and actually like being there. I know what it is to have no faith left, yet also have faith be the only thing that will bring any healing. The compassion I feel for those who get lost in the dark is limitless. (Though in all fairness, my patience is not. C’est la vie.)

As difficult as the 12th house may be, the placement of Jupiter and Venus in your birth chart points to where your true gifts lie. Embracing this is liberating. 

In a world of extroverts, I thrive in solitude. I regularly spend time alone in the wilderness, communing with the spirits of nature and my own inner voice. My spiritual practice is primarily a solo one. And I do my best creating and art-making in isolation. 

As an aside, I wonder if this combo is also found in other tortured artists. With Venus especially in the 12th house, it’s not surprising that this archetype has often appeared during my dark nights. When grief, heartbreak, frustration, and loneliness begin to become too much to bear, it’s always been my paintbrush that has soothed my soul. Hours upon hours alone, channeling spirit and emotion onto the canvas, has saved me more times than I can remember — and has birthed much beauty.

Self Practice: Do you have any planets in your 12th house? How might the 12th energy in your life change based on the planets located there?

Embracing An Intellectual Approach to Awakening

If Jupiter and Venus show us where our connection with beauty, abundance, and joy resides — it makes sense that, in typical 12th house fashion, my path to success lies in mysticism and plumbing the depths of spiritual wisdom. 

And let’s remember, my 12th house is in Virgo, an earth sign known in part for attention to detail, organizational abilities, self development, and desire to be of service.

Putting it all together, this particular combination — Jupiter and Venus in the 12th house Virgo — lends well to creating a beautiful, organized approach to sharing spirituality and mysticism. 

Whenever I’ve let myself fully indulge in these gifts, the rewards have come: 

My article organizing spiritual illness into five categories — an original system I did not read from any other teachers — is one of the top articles on the Sounds True blog (though if you want to read it, please head to my own website here, lol). I’ve gotten amazing feedback on the class on the same topic. My article on ecological trauma, which systematizes the specific types of ecological trauma we might experience, has led to wonderful speaking opportunities. And I’m putting these gifts to further use as I’m in the midst of creating a new class on shamanic practice right now :)

This approach won’t resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. But there are many people on the spiritual path who actually find their nervous systems soothed with organization and who have their “ah-ha’s” through mental understanding. 

Intellectual understanding met with a tended nervous system provides a strong foundation for spiritual experiences. 

The Cosmos Are Alive

There’s one more piece I want to share on partnering with our birth charts for guidance and soul-purpose illumination. 

As an animist, I view all of life as inspirited — and this includes the cosmos. 

This means that while Jupiter and Venus carry certain qualities in my 12th house Virgo, nothing is truly set in stone. Rather, I remain in active relationship with these planets. 

We can communicate with the spirits of the planets to learn more from their perspectives. We can perform rituals to receive their blessings and harmonize challenging tendencies. And we can do the same with the energy of the Zodiac signs and houses themselves.

Astrology is alive. The cosmos are alive. And we are alive. 

The planets have agency, and so do we. Together we dance through life.