What can the world’s first written civilization teach us about astrology, medicine, and our connection to the cosmos? In this fascinating episode, I sit down with Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid, honorary fellow at the University of Oxford’s Wolfson College and leading expert on the languages and history of ancient Mesopotamia.
“Ancient Mesopotamians didn’t separate the sky from the body, the ritual from the remedy. Everything was interconnected—cosmic events, human health, divine will, and the rhythms of life.” — Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid
We dive deep into the origins of astrology, astro-medical wisdom, and the human impulse to make meaning from the stars—long before telescopes or modern science existed. Dr. Al-Rashid brings to life a world where lunar eclipses determined royal fates, temples doubled as centers of knowledge and healing, and the earliest connections between the zodiac, the body, and medicine were recorded in clay.
You’ll learn:
✅ Why Mesopotamia is called the "cradle of civilization" and why its legacy matters today
✅ The cosmic worldview of the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians
✅ How astrology evolved from a divinatory tool into the modern zodiac system
✅ The role of temples as energetic, communal, and administrative hubs
✅ The powerful presence of goddesses like Ishtar—and why the world’s first named author was a woman
✅ What astro-medical texts reveal about ancient healing practices (and what we can learn from them today)
✅ How this wisdom offers us a holistic approach in an age dominated by technology
This episode is a reflection on how ancient ways of knowing can help us find balance in a fragmented world. As Dr. Al-Rashid shares, “Life is collective. Our well-being is tied to the well-being of those around us.”
Connect with Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid:Book: Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of HistoryInstagram & BlueSky: @moudhy
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