Diane Booth Gilliam is an extraordinary human, one whom I am grateful to have met and someone I will continue to seek out for guidance and creative inspiration. She is the creator of Yogastrology ®, a practice that marries the lessons of ancient yogic and ayurverdic practices with knowledge rooted in Vedic and Western astrology.
As a student and teacher of yoga, I was looking for something deep that went far beyond learning about the physical shapes the body takes in yoga. What I found was a supportive, intuitive, listening voice with whom to engage on the most gorgeous topics through which yogic practices allow us to explore and expand. Diane's curriculum is utterly unique, and allowed me to find a Home within while learning about interactions between the cosmos, the natural world, and an enhanced path to being.
Here is our interview in 3 core questions:
1. How did your travels to India impact your vision/transform your life?
This is a juicy question, thanks for asking me! One of many completely transformative ‘major impacts’ on me was how little people have, in some parts of the world such as India, yet how rich their lives can be. Dance. Music. Food. Ceremony. Community. I was in a temple attending a prayer ceremony around 4AM, in a little village in India. Surrounded by glowing mothers and bindi-clad babies all around, seated on the floor, dropping into the melodious chants and deep meditation (at least I was dropping in, hook line and sinker) as my physical heart pranced inside my chest in perfect sync with the enormous drum beating extra-loud in the corner of the temple, when the softest silkiness brushed against my bare foot. One eye opened slightly to gaze upon an utterly gorgeous, peaceful Indian baby crawling around the temple floor, touching me. I couldn't take my eyes off that babe but to glance briefly at the mother(s)' gentle smiles. It was heaven. On earth.
Sagittarius constellation
@Star Name Registry
2. What was the genesis for your creation of Yogastrology(R)?
The word Yogastrology® came to me in the year 2000 or so, it just came to me. I had no idea what it meant! Some people say I’m lucky to know what my work is supposed to be in this lifetime, and I AM blessed, but it was work. Years and years of hard labor unpacking the connection between sister sciences yoga and astrology. Blessed work. The word Yogastrology® had come to me when I felt compelled to move into the next phase of my own personal education/practice, when I moved into the residential GuruKula (traditional school for yoga) and unbeknownst to me, it all unfolded from there. New Moon and Full Moon fire ceremonies. Vedic rituals. And so, so much more. I feel the purest love for Yogastrology®, and for whomever chooses to engage respectfully with this path. It was, and it is, my greatest honor.
3. I see a direct connection between Yogastrology (R) and Ecological awareness. Do you agree? (and in what way/s?)
Absolutely I agree. Yoga means union, and we can’t mess up our own bodies without contaminating the larger celestial body we live on (and vice versa) just one big organism separated by thin veils of skin and dirt. The original yogi shamans were trailblazers of personal growth, charting the course of human potential. They saw the full system, the real yoga: Connection with the Cosmos. I love tuning in to their wisdom and their grace whenever it so happens that I am asked or ushered in. You can’t force it. It has a life of its own, a higher intelligence. You show up, let it teach you. I hope this answers some of your questions (and I hope it brings up a whole bunch more). Follow the path, it will lead you hOMe.
Diane is such an amazing human, Woman and astrologer. From the moment I met her, I felt her magic and competence as a teacher and guide.
ReplyDeleteHer readings point out and make clear what I am seeing and what I am not. Her gentle way tells me generally what to expect so I can plan accordingly and show up for opportunities that I may have otherwise missed or worse, pushed away.
I have been working with her for almost a decade and watched as every detail of what she said unfolded (with a great deal of work on my part).
As an entrepreneur and CEO of two thriving DEIA training businesses, I could not have imagined all that was possible, nor what to expect.
During my last reading, she said [paraphrasing] "some things are coming; big things and all at once. You will need tools that you have not developed but you must."
Literally, one week later, a VP of a fortune 500 company attended one of my seminars. She loved it and is bringing more of her team to a different class Wednesday to vet me more.
I am prepared and calm and embracing the unfolding of what will be.
The woman who will be in seminar again in a few days literally holds the hammer that can break the glass ceiling I have been pushing against for two decades.
I love Diane and every second spent in her presence is a profound gift.
Thank you for this article. I learned some things about Diane that I did not know and it affirms who I know her to be; an exceptional human being.
May blessings abound.
P.S. Her cat is pretty awesome too.
Good day, Jamie, thank you so much for your beautiful comment~ now I also feel as if I know Diane better. So you have met Onyx! Lucky you...Returning abundant blessings from Florida! --maggie
Delete