Live Events
Annual Study Retreat
Evening Star over the Sea
(Evelyn de Morgan)
Dreams and the Horoscope
Friday 9 - Friday 16 October 2026
Canterbury, UK
with
Brian Clark & Carole Taylor
Join us for an imaginal and inspirational journey into the soul-making world of astrology, dreams and symbols in the dreamlike setting of Canterbury
Throughout the retreat we will explore the symbolic marriage of the inner and outer heavens, working with both the dream and the horoscope. Our teachers for the retreat will be our own personal storytellers - our dreams and horoscopes.
Each day begins with a dream group - a deep exploration of one of your dreams. As a group we will amplify and reflect on the dream, deeply engaged in its narrative. Then we will participate with both the horoscope of the dream and the dreamer, allowing the dream and the horoscope to tell a story, one of meaning and revelation.
An astrological chart could be likened to the dream of the life, while we might imagine the dream as a personal thread woven into the tapestry of the horoscope. Working with the dream and the horoscope unites the personal, subjective life with larger dimensions of being. The interchanges between dream and horoscopic images constellate a coherence between our external world and psyche. The eyes of the soul look inward to the Self and outward to find its movement through the world.
As we gather together each afternoon, we will continue to engage with metaphors, archetypal images, myths and personal experiences that are evoked as we reflect on horoscopic signatures and symbols in the moment.
Depending on the needs of the group, we may occasionally meet in the evenings for an optional reflection session.
Throughout our week we will move between these worlds to honour the psychic depths of dreams, astrological images, symbols, stories and archetypes that invite us to see through the literal world into the imaginative realms of being.
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Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales are deeply embedded with astrological characters, motifs and references. The pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral share their stories and their journey – we invite you to join us and soulfully share your story and reconnect to your inner journey.
Daily Schedule
Mystical Conversation
(Odilon Redon)
Gathering & Orientation
We will meet at 5pm for a welcome, introductions and orientation, followed by drinks and then a group dinner at 7:30pm at the venue.
4:00pm
Tea & coffee will be available in the County Room from 4:00pm onwards – join us if you would like to!
5.00 pm
Welcome Gathering & Orientation
7.30 pm
Group Dinner
Twilight Fantasies
(Edward Robert Hughes)
Bringing the Dream into Awareness
As we embark on our dream voyage, we begin by calling on some of the guides from our own astrological tradition who have written about the dream world. We will also think about the moment of the dream, whereby its images and themes can be reflected in the familiar form of an astrological chart.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00 – 3.15
Astrology & Dream Symbols through Time – Brian & Carole
3.45 – 5.15
The Moment of the Dream – Brian & Carole
Icarus
(Odilon Redon)
Dreaming the Self
In the words of James Hillman, ‘the dream is the psyche speaking to itself in its own language.’ Thus, we attend to our own birth charts as the root of our dreaming and through which we bring a sense of meaning to our dreams. We might look to the Sun, for instance, as a centre point for the stories which permeate our dreams, or to the Chart Ruler as our navigator, alive to us at times of change, rebirth or self-discovery. We bear witness to what is happening to us in the present too, revealed in the currents of the planetary cycles.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00 – 3.15
The Soul as Dream-weaver – Brian & Carole
3.45 – 5.15
Working in pairs on dreams, followed by sharing in the group
The Shepherd's Dream
(John Henry Fuseli)
The Gifts of Psyche
The Moon, Neptune and Pluto all offer images of other worlds and dream worlds –experiences in our lives, or aspects of our own nature, which can powerfully connect us to psychic life. Since ancient times, the Moon has been the primary planet of the imagination; Neptune and Pluto likewise connect us to the hidden dimensions of soul life.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00 – 3.15
Nightlight: The Moon – Carole
3.45 – 5.15
Other Worlds: Neptune & Pluto – Brian
The Angel
(William Blake)
A Medieval Pilgrimage
Midway through our retreat, we will gather as usual for dreamwork in the morning. In the afternoon, we will time travel into Canterbury’s medieval past and the world of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, with its hidden astrological references. This will be followed by a visit to Canterbury Cathedral, founded in 597 and rebuilt in the 11th century as a place of pilgrimage and the heart of the nation’s spiritual life.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00
The Canterbury Tales – Carole
Canterbury Cathedral Group Visit
Alchemical Hermes
(from Symbolicarum Quaestionum)
The Healing Wisdom of the Dream
From ancient times, and in many cultures, dreams have been looked to as a source of healing, through sacred rituals of dream incubation. We will explore this imagery of healing in the traditions of ancient Greece, along with Hermes as psychopomp and bringer of dreams.
9.00 – 10.15 Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15 Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00 – 3.15 Healing Dreams: Asclepius and Chiron – Brian
3.45 – 5.15 Mercury, Shepherd of Dreams – Brian
The Muse of Pegasus
(Odilon Redon)
Amplifying the Image
One of astrology’s most precious gifts is the mystery of symbols. Each symbol overflows with possible meaning, inviting us into an encounter with something in our own nature, perhaps as yet unknown. Astrological symbols resist simple definition but open themselves to us through the rich imagery of the dream. There is always more to discover, which we can amplify through myths, stories and our felt sense of relationship to the living presence behind each symbol. Alive to the moment, we will explore this through the cycle of Venus, retrograde in Scorpio throughout our retreat as it heads towards inferior conjunction with the Sun; and through the symbolism of the Nodal Axis which weaves together our past, present and future lives and whose symbolism often emerges vividly in our dreams.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
2.00 – 3.15
Venus – Carole
3.45 – 5.15
Nodal Tales – Carole
Two Young Girls Among Flowers
(Odilon Redon)
Final day and farewells
As Pluto stations to go direct, and the Moon enters Capricorn, we gather for a final time, bringing closure to our dream work over the week as we prepare to say our farewells.
9.00 – 10.15
Dream Group
10.45 – 12.15
Dreamwork & Horoscope
12.15 – 1.00
Farewells and Closing
As part of the CAMS programme, participants will receive 20 credits towards the CAMS certification.
Taurus
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis
The course fee is £1,250
This includes all tuition, drinks reception on Friday 9 October, dinner at our venue (Abode Hotel) on Friday 9 October, tea & coffee in scheduled breaktimes, lunches on Saturday-Thursday inclusive, and entrance to Canterbury Cathedral for our visit on Tuesday afternoon.
Also included in the fee: course handouts and supporting course materials, including a PDF of all slide presentations.
Not included: accommodation, breakfast, dinner on any night except Friday 9 October, flights and travel costs.
The Terms & Conditions, including cancellation policy, below, which you can download as a PDF here.
Please note: you will be asked to confirm you have read and agree to these during the enrolment process.
The County Room,
Abode Hotel,
30-33 High Street,
Canterbury,
CT1 2RX
Our venue is in the very heart of Canterbury, beside the River Stour and the Franciscan Gardens, and very close to the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral. See the following link for directions and a map showing the hotel's location:
Fairy Tale Castle
(Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis)
There are many hotels, guest houses and B&B establishments in Canterbury to suit all budgets. Click here to download a list of accommodation suggestions. The list provided here is by no means exhaustive and we are happy to help with any travel or accommodation queries.
Mercury
(Evelyn de Morgan)
Canterbury is easily accessible by rail to its two train stations, as well as by road. There are high speed rail links from London, a coach service from London, and easy access from Gatwick and Heathrow airports.
Train
There is a high-speed service from London St Pancras station which takes about 55 minutes. This is ideal for anyone travelling to the UK via Eurostar, which terminates at London St Pancras.
Alternatively, trains also run from London Bridge, Charing Cross and London Victoria stations, with an average journey time of one and a half hours.
Canterbury West is the closest station to our venue (about 5 minutes walk), with Canterbury East station slightly further but still within a 10-15 minute walk. It often saves money to book advance tickets online.
From Heathrow Airport, take the underground to one of the mainline stations listed above. From Gatwick Airport it is possible to travel across country to Canterbury by train or via London Bridge, London St Pancras or London Victoria stations.
Check times and book advance tickets at the UK’s general rail website: National Rail
Or at the Southeastern railway website:
Coach from London
National Express runs a coach service from London Victoria Coach Station to Canterbury Bus Station up to 14 times daily (first journey 7.30am, last journey 23.00pm). The service is very cost effective and takes approximately two hours.
Road
If you are driving, Canterbury is served by the M2 motorway direct from London. It takes about 70 minutes from Gatwick Airport or 90 minutes from Heathrow.
On booking, there is a £350 non-refundable deposit. The balance of £900 must be paid by 17 July 2026 and can be paid in two instalments of £450 any time up to that date.
For any bookings made after 17 July 2026, the full fee of £1250 is payable on booking.
Please refer to the cancellation policy below.
Please note that our cancellation policy applies to everyone out of fairness to all participants.
On booking, there is a £350 non-refundable deposit.
For all cancellations up to and including 17 July 2026, the fee is 50% of the full workshop fee.
For all cancellations between 18 July 2026 up to and including 11 September 2026, the fee is 75% of the full workshop fee.
For all cancellations from 12 September 2026 onwards, the fee is 100% of the full workshop fee and no refund will be made.
If the workshop itself is cancelled by the organisers, 100% of the fee you have paid will be refunded.
If you are travelling from outside the UK, you must ensure that your passport is valid before you travel. For attendance at one of our live events, a tourist visa should suffice, but this will depend on any other activities you intend to carry out in the UK during your stay. It is the responsibility of each individual to check the passport and visa requirements in respect of their travel plans.
The UK Government website lists the visa requirements for entry into the UK: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration but you must ensure you check the rules pertaining to your nationality, country from which you are travelling, and the passport you hold.
No refund is available if you book for one of our live events and then find that you are prohibited from travelling due to an expired passport or lack of appropriate visa.
We require all our attendees to obtain travel insurance in case, for any unforeseen reason, you are unable to attend. Our cancellation policy is below and will be adhered to. Travel insurance will assure you that your airfare will be reimbursed, in case for any reason you need to cancel, and there may well be policies that cover additional expenses.
In the event of the organisers themselves cancelling, they will not be held responsible for reimbursing any expenses aside from the workshop deposit or fee you have paid.
You can download a PDF of the Terms & Conditions, including our cancellation policy, here.
Please note: you will be asked to confirm you have read and agree to these during the enrolment process.