about me
One of the teachers who has taught me the most: yarrow, Achillea millefolium
My name is Shuly Rose. I am a stargazer, a plant lady, a diviner, and a magician.
I have devoted the better part of a decade to the study of esoteric spirituality and the occult arts, finding my place at the intersection of astrology, and magic. My journey began with a tarot deck and a fascination with folk magic, but it has taken a winding path through gardening, lapidary, linguistics, medicine (both traditional and allopathic), traumatology, spirit-led witchcraft, and, of course, astrology.
Along the way, a sense of awe for the wonder of the universe has been my constant companion. At the root of my work is my belief that a better world is possible; this is part of my contribution to it.
I am grounded in the tradition of astrology that began in Hellenistic Egypt and rose to prominence in the medieval Islamic Golden Age.
Rather than focusing on strict reconstruction of a historical practice, I prefer to think of myself as a revivalist, part of the movement of astrologers and occultists breathing new life into these old bones, not starting over or reinventing, but reinvigorating. Through studying the work of those who’ve come before us and speaking the names of our ancestors in this art, we are awakening their spirits to guide us as we continue to renew and innovate this living tradition.
I specialize in the astrology of the Moon and the nocturnal sect. For this reason the Moon, fixed stars, and lunar mansions form the backbone of my practice, as part of a longterm project to elevate the status of the Moon, the feminine, the marginal, and physical embodiment in our tradition. Although I love to discuss birth charts, my specific field of interest is katarchic astrology, an umbrella term for the astrology of events and the branch most associated with magic and divination. These techniques are used to determine auspicious dates, analyze the nature of past and future moments, and resolve the questions that arise at a given occasion.
I primarily use the tropical zodiac but I do not define myself or my astrological work by my preferred method of measuring the ecliptic. The Moon and stars defy the border of the ecliptic and I honor their defiance by prioritizing that which can be seen visibly in the night sky, not abstract calculation.
Key VIII: Strength, from the 1909 tarot deck of Pamela Colman Smith, may her memory be a blessing
I see the universe as a divine organism, a system which we have the obligation to engage with responsibly and care.
It is impossible to isolate one variable, one element of a life, one region, one organism from the complex web of interactions that form reality. Living a magical path means living in right relationship with all of the corporeal and incorporeal beings in our ecosystem.
Magic can be a powerful tool for safety and protection, but for the magician the journey doesn’t stop there. Beyond “manifestation”, magic is about meeting the spark of divinity housed in your own soul in order to become an active part of the co-creation of your life. In my opinion, the true magic is finding your place in the living universe, carving out a container for your own personal power, then bend the arc of history towards liberation for all peoples.