Piercing the Eggshell – the story of Bruno and Louise Huber

What did you do during the first big lockdown on 2019?

Unexpectedly, along with Barry Hopewell as co-author, I researched and helped compile a biography of Bruno and Louse Huber, pioneers of the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology. This non-predictive use of astrology combined together with psychology is now used worldwide as an astrological psychological tool to help people realise their own potential and, ultimately, contribute to making the world a bit better than it is right now.

The Huber’s story is a fascinating, real-life one, and tells of the obstacles they had to overcome, the sacrifices they had to make and the determination they had to hold on with in order to realise their vision of doing something for humanity.

It wasn’t easy, but these two were people were very special, driven and motivated beyond personal gain and in pursuit of more spiritual goals and the evolution of humankind. They were influenced and helped by Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli, who founded Psychosynthesis, and they founded the Astrological Psychology Institute in Zurich in the early 1960s.

Bruno and Louise presenting an English Huber School student with her Diploma in Astrological Psychology

Since then, their well-researched approach, teaching and books on what is now known as The Huber Method, is used in many countries around the world. It focusses on personal and spiritual growth and on moving us as participating humans, into living our lives as kinder, and more aware people.

 

So why is the title of the book "Piercing the Eggshell"? 

 

Bruno Huber often likened a personal spiritual awakening to that sudden "aha" moment as when a chick emerges from it's shell, pokes it's head up into the world around it and sees that it is a whole lot bigger than the world it has been used to inside the shell. In the same way, we can metaphorically pierce our own eggshell and expand our awareness and capacity for growth. This is described more fully on p.84 of the book, along with a description of Bruno's Amphora Model, shown on the front cover.

 

"The shell represents the mental arguments we have to protect us but the impetus to break out comes from within as our spirituality is awakened. When this happens we leave the realms of normal consciousness and reach for answers 'out there' beyond our normal range. It means taking risks, but it's a movement of mind and consciousness." (book extract, p. 85)

You don’t need to know any astrology to enjoy the book as it’s an intriguing stand-alone read, but if you do understand some astrology you’ll probably get a lot more from it – and if you don’t know any astrology it might inspire to find out more. The photos and the few charts it contains are all in full colour, and there are many personal accounts and memories of Bruno and Louise contributed by students who knew them and worked with them, myself included.

Piercing the Eggshell is available from all good booksellers and from Amazon, as well as being available as an e-book. Click on the link for full details.

But best of all, go read it and be impressed – not that we wrote it – but by what these two remarkable people did and what their gift to humanity is.

Bruno and Louise Huber - two remarkable people

Also see more info on this book, which has been translated into German and Spanish, here and here, and has been favourably reviewed by an non-astrologer:

Fascinating Biography 

"Piercing the Eggshell" reviewed by Will Parfitt, Psychosynthesis therapist and author.

If you are an astrologer I would think this book is a must, even if you don't follow the Huber style of astrology; the story of how the Hubers created this new, very workable approach is interesting even to a non-astrologer like myself. 

Better still, for astrologers and non-astrologers, this is a tale of two people's indomitable will to create a new psychological science using astrological connections to include and raise consciousness to a deeper spiritual connection. A fascinating and most unusual biography, very interestingly illustrated with relevant photos.

I was particularly interested in the influence of Roberto Assagioli and Psychosynthesis on their work and the development of Huber astrology, and how whilst he fully supported them in their explorations, even giving Bruno Huber access to all his client notes, they worked hard to collate, edit and where necessary translate his writings into what became the key work in the Psychosynthesis world. 

 

Piercing the Eggshell translated

 

It's less than a year since Piercing the Eggshell, the biography and life story of Bruno and Louise Huber and their Astrological Psychology, was published in paperback. It has also been published as an ebook.

I'm delighted to report that the book has now been translated into German and Spanish. The work of the Hubers, based in Zurich, was initially only available in German. The founding of first the English Huber School, followed by the Spanish Huber School - both teaching the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology to an increasingly interested audience in north and south America - ensured the dissemination of their work to what is now a worldwide audience.

Piercing the Eggshell isn't a stuffy biography; it's full of real life anecdotes as well as factual events, and it makes for an interesting read as it covers how astrological psychology was researched and developed. It also covers why astrological psychology, as a method of personal and spiritual growth, is not only significant, but is downright helpful and useful as well.

Piercing the Eggshell in English is available from all good booksellers, from Amazon and from the APA Book Shop. 

 

Fascinating Biography 

"Piercing the Eggshell" reviewed by Will Parfitt, Psychosynthesis therapist and author.

If you are an astrologer I would think this book is a must, even if you don't follow the Huber style of astrology; the story of how the Hubers created this new, very workable approach is interesting even to a non-astrologer like myself. 

Better still, for astrologers and non-astrologers, this is a tale of two people's indomitable will to create a new psychological science using astrological connections to include and raise consciousness to a deeper spiritual connection. A fascinating and most unusual biography, very interestingly illustrated with relevant photos.

I was particularly interested in the influence of Roberto Assagioli and Psychosynthesis on their work and the development of Huber astrology, and how whilst he fully supported them in their explorations, even giving Bruno Huber access to all his client notes, they worked hard to collate, edit and where necessary translate his writings into what became the key work in the Psychosynthesis world. 

 

You can read how the book came about here and another review of the book is here.

"Uranus is an instrument we use to pierce through the eggshell towards spirituality"

Bruno Huber

Piercing the Eggshell - now published as an ebook

I'm very pleased to announce that Piercing the Eggshell, the biography of Bruno and Louise Huber, is now available from Amazon UK and Amazon US as an ebook. 

It's there to be had right now, straight away. Click here for more details.

Readers who prefer the ebook format will not be losing out on anything as all the photos and charts are there in full colour.

Bruno and Louise Huber, founders of the Astrological Psychology Institute in Zurich, were the creators of the Huber Method, a psychological and spiritual approach to astrology which includes the use of Age Progression, their unique method of timing in the horoscope.

You can read about Bruno Huber here, and about Louise Huber here.

But you can read a lot more in Piercing the Eggshell about how they met, fell in love, married and worked tirelessly to bring the wonderful gift of astrological psychology to the world.

 

Bruno and Louise Huber

Bruno Huber - Pioneer of Astrological Psychology

Bruno Huber was born on 29.11.1930 at 12.55 local time in Zurich, Switzerland. I'm going to share something of his chart with readers together with an appreciation of the man and his work.

 
Bruno was a true pioneer in the field of both astrology and psychology, as he blended together the psychosynthesis of Roberto Assagioli, with whom he studied and worked alongside in Florence, with the very best of traditional and conventional astrology, drawing from its basic foundations and roots. With this combination of modern growth and spiritually oriented psychology (psychosynthesis is sometimes known as “the psychology with a soul”) and sound astrological understanding, Bruno created an astrological psychology fit for the 21st century and beyond.

I wrote about Bruno’s chart in my book The Cosmic Egg Timer, saying “Using the senses and intuition as we look at this chart, we may be struck by its strong, upward-reaching appearance. This may be the chart of someone who has high aspirations, who seeks to move upwards in their own individuation process. Blending this with the technical know-how we already may have about working with the chart image, we may see mountains in the overall chart structure, and a series of mountain peaks reaching across the top of the chart. These spring from a pyramid shape which gives a broad and solid base to the image in the central area of the chart. The shaping of the aspect structure as a whole suggests a combination of Fixed motivation (the four-sided “pyramid” figure) and Mutable motivation ( the large triangular shapes).

The triangular shapes dominate and stand out, suggesting more emphasis on a Mutable motivation than one which is Fixed. There is a feeling of quivering, actively sensitive movement in this chart, with the “mountain peaks” at the top hinting at different focal points of interest, ambition, achievement and heights to be scaled, yet always moving upwards from the solid base across in the lower half of the chart. 

 

As well as reflecting the essence of the man, the mountain peaks are reminiscent of his native Switzerland. In reality, Bruno was no stranger to the mountains as he skied and cycled in them. And his life’s work involved intense empirical research into human potential, problems of the human psyche and of the psychological-spiritual development of the individual, using the unique blend of astrology and psychosynthesis which is now known as the Huber Method.”

Mercury, the planet associated with communication, sits at the top of Bruno’s chart, right on the MC (midheaven) and on top of one of the mountain peaks mentioned. He was an excellent communicator and teacher - I always found his talks, lectures and seminars very stimulating. Not only that, he was able to relate directly to his audience - he was a very warm, human being. Mercury is one of the planets in the Dominant Learning triangle in the chart and links with the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction, highlighting Bruno’s transformative perception of astrology and psychology, which he ably communicated to the world via that mountain-peak Mercury. Uranus, the planet associated with research, is strongly placed on the 2nd house cusp, and connects via a blue aspect to the Sun atop another of the mountain peaks. On-going learning, empirical research and the constant exploration of new but well-founded ideas in the areas of astrology and psychology were a significant feature of Bruno’s life and work, and were lifeblood to him.

His untimely death in 1999 means that although he is still missed by those whose lives were touched by him (myself included) he would surely be full of joy to see that his work is being continued, not only  his native Switzerland through the smaller schools and teaching centres for astrological psychology which Bruno envisaged as part of his legacy, but throughout the world.

 

The work of Bruno and Louise Huber, and the story of how they founded this worldwide movement and study of astrological psychology is outlined in a new book, Piercing the Eggshell - The Hubers and their Astrological Psychology, published November 2020.

In the UK the Astrological Psychology Association continues to offer in-depth teaching material - together with the option of having a personal tutor - with the Diploma Study Course available in full colour.

 

The books written by Bruno and Louise Huber are  available in English from the APA Book Shop, so Bruno’s work and the work of the Huber’s continues to be there for students of astrological psychology worldwide.

 

Book Review - Piercing the Eggshell

This book review is a guest blog post, written by Caroline Adlestone, Editor of "Conjunction". I'm pleased to be sharing it since Caroline has spoken warmly about the book, clearly setting out why she liked it, along with outlining what readers might gain from it.

 A “New Science of Man”,

Review of Piercing the Eggshell, The Hubers and their Astrological Psychology, edited by Barry and Joyce Hopewell.

“We envisioned a nobler man in a nobler world, and realised that we both wanted to contribute actively to increasing the quality of human consciousness.” So said Bruno Huber as he looked back on the lives of himself and Louise in 1987, 19 years after the formation of API Switzerland.

 Much of this biography of the extraordinary life and work of the Hubers is recorded in their own words. This direct transmission enriches the book and gives us a personal voice of Bruno and Louise Huber. The many writings from which the material is sourced are deftly and seamlessly incorporated chronologically into a compelling narrative. We are taken on a journey of wonder, excitement and sometimes intense, story-telling. In 12 chapters the reader is taken through the lives of the Hubers, the development of astrological psychology, the creation and growth of API Switzerland and its influence throughout the world.

The title of the book Piercing the Eggshell is a reference to the possibility of a connection to the higher self or soul by breaking through the encapsulated ego. It refers to Roberto Assagioli’s Egg model and Bruno’s subsequent Amphora diagram which incorporates the astrological symbols of the planets.

Bruno and Louise Huber

The book is beautifully illustrated throughout and the many photographs add to the intimacy of the story being told. The use of charts adroitly gives depth and added resonance to the storyline for those who can understand and gives clear and tangible examples of how the method works to those unfamiliar with astrological psychology. And for non-Huber astrologers there is a very lucid description of the Huber method in chapter one. The clarity given to the technical side of astrological psychology means this book can be read by everyone.

The history of the many translated and truncated publications of the Hubers is expertly explained by the editors, Barry and Joyce, who have been publishers of the Huber's books in English since 2003.

The Hubers’ early life story is told from the world war period in which they grew up, emerging from the Third Reich into a world in which they both felt as though they wanted to understand and to help people. The story continues to their fated meeting – six months before she met him Louise had seen Bruno in a meditation – he fell in love and had to marry her, and only her. We follow them through their setting up of the Arcane School in Geneva and their formative and magical years in Florence in a stimulating spiritual environment with Roberto Assagioli. Their dedication and tenacity was always driven by their single-focussed goal.

In a literal sense, Bruno once remarkably journeyed 700km on his bicycle across the Alps over a 2500 metre high pass to be with Assagioli in Arezzo as there was no other way of getting there. Those early days were hugely interesting, fertile and creative but they were also fraught with insecurity of the unknown. Something that to Louise was not easy. Their own individual personal growth is shared by each of them with candour. The depth of their own understanding of themselves and the workings of their inner minds. seems natural when you consider how Bruno and Louise’s youthful lives were steeped in many kinds of exploratory depth psychologies and spiritual development. And also how in the Huber method we look deeply into ourselves through chart interpretation.

Something that the book especially exudes is the joyful experience of connections with the Hubers, whether learning, teaching, or socialising, life in all its dimensions and colour is present in these pages.

Bruno’s process of coming to the gestalt in the chart is unveiled as it develops. The book draws the reader to a recognition of the development of the unique and stunning mandalas and the clear visual impact of the charts that we now recognise as Huber charts. The charts came about as a result of Bruno’s many artistic interests and pursuits as well as his artistic nature. The study of colour and his visual sensitivity are aspects that led to the creation of the charts. 

Chart of Bruno Huber

Spanish astrologer Lola Ferrer sums it up beautifully when she speaks of the Beauty that came through Bruno, “that inborn ability to connect with what is harmonious and bring it to earth.”

She describes the chart as “a perfect piece of cosmos arrested in time.”

“Bruno’s clear and artistic design of the horoscope … the colour lines that could geometrically reveal the innermost soul of the moment captured in the chart.”

The artistic qualities blended beautifully with the scientific innovations. It was this combination of intuitive and technical aspects that brought about the uniqueness of astrological psychology.

There are many gems that come to light in the book, such as details of life in Switzerland. Joyce’s description of the physical API school, as she descriptively takes us through the garden and the house, is precious and provides wonderful memories and experiences related “before they are lost in the mists of time.” 

 

International group of students at the API Centre, Adliswil

We see the nature of Bruno and Louise’s polarised personalities and their relationship. Bruno the scientist, psychologist and thinker and Louise, the organiser with her deep esoteric roots, with evolution as the all-embracing goal to which she was committed in all she did, complemented each other. Any crises in the relationship were seen as opportunities for growth. And “the little game of partnership” (Louise) was subsumed in their higher objective of building AP.I.

The position of astrological psychology within the wider world of astrology is elucidated in the book. In some ways astrological psychology can be seen as a niche area within the astrological world and this subject is not shied away from in the book. The Hubers created a “new science”, which is a “closed system” and does not work with other astrological systems. That astrological psychology is not predictive and is for self-awareness is well-known. But it differs from other astrologies in that it does not rely on the traditional medieval view of astrology. Bruno had a mistrust of the “old patterned astrology” and it deeply mattered to him that the old methods didn’t fit psychologically.

Bruno teaching

Astrological psychology is a deeply researched form of psychology and Bruno encouraged questioning and constant research into the system.He was insistent that we take nothing at face value without experimenting with it in our own charts and those of others. This is the sort of research that was so important to him. Needless to say, this is exciting and inspiring and I am sure will lead many to want to discover for themselves what it’s all about.

It is notable that the success of the English-speaking Huber School is highlighted, not least that the English Course manuals were translated into German!, and then into Spanish, and were instrumental to API teaching, and shows the professionalism of the English Huber School from the very beginning.

The depth of sincerity of all of those whose lives were touched by the Hubers and their dedication to the Huber method is especially felt in the crescendo of outpouring of love and gratitude from those who knew them in the penultimate chapter of the book.

I didn’t want the book to end but fortunately we have several volumes of the Hubers’ work to enjoy for years to come. And we can keep on experimenting with the Huber method, the work is endless.

 

Piercing the Eggshell - new book about Bruno and Louise Huber

What did you do during the first big lockdown on 2019?

Unexpectedly, along with my other half Barry as co-author, I researched and helped compile a biography of Bruno and Louse Huber, pioneers of the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology. You can hear how we came to do it by clicking here to see this short video (on my astrological psychology blog). We launched the book on 10th November 2020.

This non-predictive use of astrology combined together with psychology is now used worldwide as an astrological psychological tool to help people realise their own potential and, ultimately, contribute to making the world a bit better than it is right now.

The Huber's story is a fascinating, real-life one, and tells of the obstacles they had to overcome, the sacrifices they had to make and the determination they had to hold on with in order to realise their vision of doing something for humanity.

It wasn't easy, but these two were people were very special, driven and motivated beyond personal gain and in pursuit of more spiritual goals and the evolution of humankind. They were influenced and helped by Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli, who founded Psychosynthesis, and they founded the Astrological Psychology Institute in Zurich in the early 1960s.

Bruno and Louise Huber

Since then, their well-researched approach, teaching and books on what is now known as The Huber Method, is used in many countries around the world. It focusses on personal and spiritual growth and on moving us as participating humans, into living our lives as kinder, and more aware people.

You don't need to know any astrology to enjoy it as it's an intriguing stand-alone read, but if you do understand some astrology you'll probably get a lot more from it - and if you don't know any astrology it might inspire to find out more. The photos and the few charts it contains are all in full colour.

Piercing the Eggshell is available from all good booksellers, from Amazon and from the APA Book Shop. 

 

Fascinating Biography - "Piercing the Eggshell" reviewed by Will Parfitt

If you are an astrologer I would think this book is a must, even if you don't follow the Huber style of astrology; the story of how the Hubers created this new, very workable approach is interesting even to a non-astrologer like myself. 

Better still, for astrologers and non-astrologers, this is a tale of two people's indomitable will to create a new psychological science using astrological connections to include and raise consciousness to a deeper spiritual connection. A fascinating and most unusual biography, very interestingly illustrated with relevant photos.

I was particularly interested in the influence of Roberto Assagioli and Psychosynthesis on their work and the development of Huber astrology, and how whilst he fully supported them in their explorations, even giving Bruno Huber access to all his client notes, they worked hard to collate, edit and where necessary translate his writings into what became the key work in the Psychosynthesis world.