Summer School 2013, held between 16th and 23rd August in the stunning venue of Exeter College, Oxford (part of the University of Oxford) was a great sucess.
The School began with two weekend courses, ‘Cosmology and the Horoscope’, with Bernadette Brady and ‘Contemporary Medical Astrology’ with Sue Tompkins. The rising Moon in Sagittarius of our opening Friday night chart was wonderfully embodied with the enthusiastic and inspirational teaching of both Sue and Bernadette.
Our five-day programme began on Sunday 18th; after the welcome talk we gathered for drinks in the tranquil setting of the Rector’s Garden before meeting for dinner in the magical setting of the college dining hall.
The Astrology in Action programme featured ‘The Alchemy of the Attuned Life’, ‘Developing Astrological Skills’, ‘The Astrology of Money’ and ‘Changing Times’. Tutors included Melanie Reinhart, Darby Costello, Maggie Hyde, Geoffrey Cornelius, Nick Campion, Bernadette Brady, Carole Taylor, Kim Farley and Cat Cox. Melanie also ran a very popular and fascinating workshop on the Wednesday afternoon on dowsing to rectify astrological charts.
In addition to the ‘Astrology in Action’ programme, two Faculty modules were available – modules 3 and 6, which cover interpretation skills at foundation and intermediate level. These groups were powerful experiences, allowing a small group of students to work closely with two highly experienced tutors.
Our Gala dinner on Thursday evening, in the candlelit dining hall, gave us the opportunity to celebrate our last evening together in great style. We were also delighted to present a special gift to John Etherington of Midheaven books, who was celebrating his 25th Summer School bookshop. We also awarded two Honorary Diplomas to Darby Costello and Nick Campion – you can read more about these awards on the News page. Dr Campion then gave an after-dinner talk, after which we continued to celebrate the rest of the evening, even breaking open a few bottles of champagne.
Saying goodbye after such a wonderful week was difficult. We look forward to seeing you all, and many new faces, at Summer School 2014!
Faculty Student Louise Vergette-Lynn had this to say about the 2013 School “My first experience of Summer School was magical. I treasured the warmth, intelligence and thoughtfulness of my fellow students, and our interaction while studying was extremely valuable. The stunningly beautiful, historic surroundings of Exeter College, Oxford were the icing on the cake. I’ve immediately started saving for next year. Our module group have stayed in contact, and that means a lot to me – we formed a close bond. Our tutors’ way of working at Summer School was empathetic and client-centred, and I feel very in tune with the Faculty’s approach to chart consultation as a result.”