Artistic Alchemy: Gauguin's "Where Do We Come From?" and the Cosmic Quest in VTS and Evolutionary Astrology
When I introduce myself as an Evolutionary Astrologer, people often respond by saying something like, “I’ve heard of astrology. But what is Evolutionary Astrology?”
The other day, an artwork that I used to teach with when I worked at the MFA, Boston sprang to mind as offering the perfect analogy: Paul Gauguin’s masterpiece, “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” (1897- 98). The very title of this artwork lays out the fundamental questions that Evolutionary Astrology seeks to answer.
As a Museum Educator...
I used the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) technique to engage visitors with a work of art. Rather than standing there and spewing art historical information at them (which would have gone in one ear and out the other), I invited them to silently look for a full minute or two, and then offered an open-ended question: “What’s going on in this picture?” I would invite the group to begin collaboratively creating a narrative as they looked closely and shared their thoughts about what was happening. The arc of the discussion would often start with an inventory-like naming of the various identifiable elements, such as:
The discussion would gradually deepen as I would paraphrase and occasionally ask a second question, “What do you see that makes you say that?” People might start responding to others’ observations; eventually, one or more hypotheses about “what’s going on” were conversationally constructed.
Just as a work of art or astrological chart never truly ends, our understanding deepens with each inquiry. What a joy it is to facilitate such interactions with people in this work!
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- “I see a group of people over here with a baby and they seem to be talking to each other.”
- “That looks like snow, over there on the left!”
- “There’s a guy in the middle picking an apple off a tree. Is this the Garden of Eden?”
- “Well, I see a blue statue in the background that looks like a God of some kind. Maybe this is a sacred place; it looks tropical…”
- And so on…
The discussion would gradually deepen as I would paraphrase and occasionally ask a second question, “What do you see that makes you say that?” People might start responding to others’ observations; eventually, one or more hypotheses about “what’s going on” were conversationally constructed.
I always made sure to accept all comments—there’s no right vs. wrong here—and with simple prompting, people naturally began making sense of what they were looking at. They were able to make meaning by deciphering the various symbols the artist used, and eventually make their way toward some version of understanding that felt satisfying to them.
In this case, for example, that if we read the painting from right to left (which is what the artist intended), the three major figure groups illustrate the questions posed in the title:
The point was not to reach a “conclusion,” decoding what the artist “was trying to say” as the “correct” or definitive interpretation of the artwork. Gauguin himself wrote about this piece, “Explanations and obvious symbols would give the canvas a sad reality. And the questions asked [by the title] would no longer be a poem.”
It was the process of exploring the different possibilities, brainstorming and entertaining a whole range of stories that was most fun about the VTS process of looking at and talking about art. Ultimately, it’s mind-expanding. After all, experiencing great art is ultimately about sharing in the human experience—sharing that takes place between artist and viewer and groups of viewers viewing.
- The group of three women with a child symbolize the beginning of life;
- The central group represents the daily existence of young adulthood;
- And the group at far left, old age. (According to the artist, “an old woman approaching death appears reconciled and resigned to her thoughts.”)
The point was not to reach a “conclusion,” decoding what the artist “was trying to say” as the “correct” or definitive interpretation of the artwork. Gauguin himself wrote about this piece, “Explanations and obvious symbols would give the canvas a sad reality. And the questions asked [by the title] would no longer be a poem.”
It was the process of exploring the different possibilities, brainstorming and entertaining a whole range of stories that was most fun about the VTS process of looking at and talking about art. Ultimately, it’s mind-expanding. After all, experiencing great art is ultimately about sharing in the human experience—sharing that takes place between artist and viewer and groups of viewers viewing.
As an Evolutionary Astrologer...
When I examine an individual’s astrological Birth Chart, I am employing very similar techniques of asking open-ended questions and positing possible interpretations. Potential scenarios about where that person came from (in previous lifetimes—we do believe in reincarnation in EA); what type of personality they may be expressing in this lifetime; and where their higher self wants them to go (themes and archetypes to explore), so as to grow and evolve.
Just as I would do in the Museum setting with visitors looking at a work of art, with clients in an astrology session, I decode symbols and archetypal imagery that represent different aspects of the human condition. I ask them to respond according to how certain descriptions resonate with their life experience to date. The point is to pause, look inward, reflect, and come out a little wiser. To become more empowered in the utilization of their free will as they go on in life.
Because just as a work of art doesn’t “end” with a conclusion after a 15-minute discussion, the Birth Chart doesn’t represent “fate” or “destiny” that’s set in stone. As is evidenced in the name of the practice itself, Evolutionary Astrology presumes that we evolve—both within our single lifetime that we’re consciously aware of right now, and over repeated incarnations as our soul returns to this planet each time around.
Just as I would do in the Museum setting with visitors looking at a work of art, with clients in an astrology session, I decode symbols and archetypal imagery that represent different aspects of the human condition. I ask them to respond according to how certain descriptions resonate with their life experience to date. The point is to pause, look inward, reflect, and come out a little wiser. To become more empowered in the utilization of their free will as they go on in life.
Because just as a work of art doesn’t “end” with a conclusion after a 15-minute discussion, the Birth Chart doesn’t represent “fate” or “destiny” that’s set in stone. As is evidenced in the name of the practice itself, Evolutionary Astrology presumes that we evolve—both within our single lifetime that we’re consciously aware of right now, and over repeated incarnations as our soul returns to this planet each time around.
Within this lifetime, the more informed we are about the range of potentials for responding to and proactively manifesting situations and circumstances, the more we can use our free will choice to make informed decisions and consciously strive towards evolution with ease and grace.
Both Evolutionary Astrology and great masterpieces of art explore existential and metaphysical questions about human existence and our place in the universe. In these two worlds of astrology and art, we find uncharted territories of human experience, where questions outweigh answers, and exploration is the essence of the journey. Whether standing before an artistic creation or diving deep into a soul’s map (the astrological Birth Chart), we are on a quest to understand life’s enigmas. Each brushstroke and planetary alignment reveals a glimpse of our shared human narrative, an invitation to reflect, learn, and evolve.
Just as a work of art or astrological chart never truly ends, our understanding deepens with each inquiry. What a joy it is to facilitate such interactions with people in this work!
Back to Soul Map Songs
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