In the middle of an ayahuasca ceremony in the Peruvian jungle, during one of the most gut-wrenching and pivotal moments of my life, I received some advice: “If you want to keep up with this work in the States,” I was told, “see Alan.”
I had no idea who Alan was.
I mean, I did. But I didn’t really.
Detroit
Alan Scheurman is a multi-hyphenate artist, teacher, and purveyor of applied consciousness. He is also, apparently, a human omen, though I wouldn’t figure that out for another decade or so.
My first memory of him is this distinct, slowed-down movie moment: locking eyes as he came in through my backdoor during a house party in Detroit. At the time I had no idea what I was doing with my life. The only thing that gave me meaning was throwing these “art-ins” that, in hindsight, served as a portal to everything else: organizing more parties, opening a restaurant with friends, LA Astro Fest.
This would be a more interesting story if we were star-crossed lovers. We were not. Over the years we’ve known each other, we’ve had a handful of conversations at most. I doubt he even remembers that first meeting, but every time we do talk, that image flashes across my mind.
When you roll back the tape, he’s always around for the important parts. Painting a wall, sipping tea, whatever other banal activities human omens do.
The Amazon
So when his name surfaced in the jungle, I reached out. I considered joining a ceremony at the now defunct CAID. Nothing transpired.
In the meantime, I followed him on socials, bought his records, admired his work and travels, and, like most things in my life, otherwise forgot he existed.
Culver City
The next time he popped into my consciousness I was crashing at a friend’s place in Culver City, alone in a strange city, nursing my wounds from a business fallout, and scrolling Facebook, because that was still a thing people did.
Alan had posted a glowing review of an astrology reading. It wasn’t anything profound, but I was intrigued enough and desperate for a distraction, so I checked out the astrologer’s YouTube channel. Within a week I was signed up for a year-long Hellenistic astrology course. For context, I was so new to the practice I didn’t even know what a “transit” was.
Long story shorter: I wouldn’t be an astrologer without Alan.
He still had no idea.
Los Angeles
Shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2024, I finally had the opportunity to sit in ceremony with him, four times, actually. It was as potent and life-changing as my time in Peru, and fodder for an essay of its own.
As I write this, I’m realizing it’s the nodal return of our first meeting in Detroit. Eighteen plus years later, I’m starting to understand the omen: not a trail pointing toward a single question, but a series of them, one that led to our most robust conversation to date, and our first podcast recording together.
Alan’s the real deal. Sometimes his ideas fly past my head, but his existence alone is proof enough that life works in mysterious ways.
If you’re new to him and his work, it’s an honor to be your guide.
If you’re looking for a group of likeminded astro seekers, Club Astro is your place!
We meet weekly to explore the sky in real time and make sense of what is unfolding in our lives and in the collective. This is your chance to ask me questions about your chart, share stories, and connect with a cohort of fellow astrologers.
Club Astro members also get exclusive perks:
Discounted astrological readings & mentorship
Secret invites
Discounted tickets to the Los Angeles Astro Salon and the LA Astro Fest.
More TALKTALKTALK
Talking to Enrique Enriquez Listening to Birds
"The first thing is to try to mimic what they are doing, to reach the same cadence and the same rhythm as they are doing it, because mimicry was probably the first kind of magic ever."
This is wonderful for so many reasons. Thank-you.