Annual Overview for 2012

2012 begins with Mars on an extended tour of Virgo. The transit began mid November and will complete by July 3. Mars is usually a quick transit, averaging 6 – 8 weeks through a sign. Due to its retrograde cycle, Jan 23 to April 4, Mars will spend almost 8 months on its current target practice. While lack of jobs remains critical to each nation’s economic wellbeing, Mars will keep each one of us hard at work on our own fix-it programs. With great precision, Mars in Virgo will target the weak, vulnerable, or damaged. The transit serves to uncover what’s lacking, what’s flawed, what isn’t working. In so doing, we’ll get to the core of what needs to be corrected, fixed and healed.

When Mars tours Virgo, the common complaint from the receiving end is often one of “too little, too late”. This or other growing dissatisfactions will set the groundwork for the Mars retrograde, pull-back-and-shift-target cycle. From the end of January through the beginning of April, circumstances shift, we shift. Mars retrograde serves to redirect attention and to refortify ambition. Rather than focus on the external objectives or goal posts, we transfer attention back to self and to personal reconciliation. By creating an added degree of separation or disengagement, Mars retrograde sharpens objectivity and perspective. Mars in retrograde is an internal “heating” influence; a specific momentum builds more steam. Although it may not be in your range of vision, know it is firing up all the same. Certainly this is so for Kim John-Un and the North Korean military machine, Iran’s nuclear program, etc.

Through the middle of January, Mars is well aligned (in trine) with the sun. Pay close attention to events and impressions. What you undertake or become conscious of during this time can be useful and productive. It paves a pathway to improvement and healing.

February 3, Neptune advances into Pisces, its home sign. This is a rare occurrence, in fact, it only happens once every 165 years. From April through August 2011, Neptune dipped a toe into Pisces. During this entire cycle, Kaddafi was invisible. On the other hand, hiding Osama bin Laden, living in seclusion in the middle of an urban center, was found. In gridlock the whole time, just two days prior to Neptune backing out of Pisces, Obama and Congress past legislation that would allow the debt ceiling to be raised. On the day Neptune actually backed out of Pisces the USA lost its triple A credit rating.

Neptune in Pisces will encompass the entirety of Pluto’s transit through Capricorn. It is an iconic time to be alive and an iconic chapter in our planet’s evolution. Through 2026, Neptune in Pisces will continue to raise the collective consciousness and to co-navigate the search for collective redemption.

The Piscean archetype has already been activated by the 2003 to 2011 transit of Uranus in Pisces. Neptune is a much subtler influence that zap planet Uranus, but its influence is equally profound and life-altering. Pisces unlocks the latent potentials, stirs the primordial waters of creation, dissolves separateness consciousness, and awakens us to our ultimate purpose. In the coming years, iconic figures will pen momentous chapters of history. Many of us will find our true calling, many of us can find our ultimate other, whether they show up as a lover or that cherished special one (a dear friend, child, parent, healer, etc.). It also serves to expand our relationship to the divine other.

Neptune in Pisces is a transcendent influence. It dissolves boundaries and prompts us to reach beyond time and space constraints. The Pisces archetype also correlates to our ultimate ideals and inspirations, our imaginings and envisioning.

On the flipside, the Pisces archetype correlates to illusion, disillusionment, disintegration, and loss. It is this mass consciousness that is growing all too common now. The recent concentration in shockwave Aquarius has been awakening. The switch to Pisces increases unification, but it isn’t always a beautiful tale. Over the coming years, we will learn that we are all in it together, that there is no escape from the collective reality we have brought upon ourselves. Intensifying the Piscean experience, Chiron, the wounded healer/teacher, also travels through the sign of the fish (through 2019). Chiron in Pisces suggests the greatest collective teaching may occur through the massive loss of our most precious resource – that of the waters of life – in other words, that which sustains us figuratively (i.e. hope, trust, faith) – and literally. We can no longer afford to compromise our water, food, air, and shelter.

Shortly after Mars completes retrograde, Venus in Gemini does the same. Venus in retrograde, May 15 to June 27 advances relationships and financial matters to a critical and/or fated peak. Consider Mars retrograde as a fore-runner or set-up phase for Venus retrograde. Together, they accelerate our personal, relationship, and social evolution.

Changing signs every year, Jupiter joins Venus in Gemini on 11. Jupiter, planet of expansion, increase, and inflation, is sure to put even more on the move and into circulation. This concentration in Gemini puts the spotlight on growing social, cultural, political and economic trends, on the dualities, the stories, on newsmakers, neighbours, agents, friends, and siblings.

Last year we had 6 eclipses, this year we will have 4. The dates for the solar eclipses are: May 20, Nov 13; the lunar eclipses occur on June 4, and Nov 28. The lunar eclipse on June 4 is a super moon, an astrological high tide. It is even more potent and noteworthy due to the fact that Venus will form a very rare alignment with the sun and earth on June 5 or 6, depending on your time zone. An occultation is a transit similar to an eclipse, but Venus is too small to block the sun entirely. An eclipse is usually a few minutes in duration, the Venus occultation will occur over a six hour period. The start and end of June mark the first of two critical peak periods of the year. That which comes into being around this time sets the cornerstone for our new reality for the long term. Venus in Gemini suggests we’ll see important communication links, agreements, and party lines forged. Important papers and policies can be inked around this time. Certainly it speaks to the standardizing of regulations for the auto and food industries, and the sharing of border information between Canada and the USA.

Watch for important news, announcements, or trends, and for key people, projects, or products to get on the move. It is possible that the contentious oil pipeline issue will make some news around this time. The media, TV, or broadcasting world can make headlines themselves. Gemini also correlates to transportation, commerce, currencies, trading, neighbours, siblings, education, research, etc. Medical advances to do with stem cell research, artificial organs and so on, are also among the range of possibilities. The Venus occultation occurs in the sign of Gemini; watch for double, twin, duplicate, multiple, compounding, parallel, or repetition to occur. When Venus is retrograde, it creates a stronger magnetic draw. If it is karmically destined for you, it will come into being.

The most formidable and history shaping of all planetary alignments, 2012 delivers the first of the hard angle alignments between Uranus and Pluto. There will be seven alignments between 2012 and 2015. The two dates for 2012 are June 24 and Sept 19. Note that and Saturn completes retrograde on June 25 and Venus completes retrograde on June 27. This combination constitutes a major energy surge. A lot can happen at the end of June.

The shake, rattle, and roll Uranus/Pluto influence has been building throughout 2011. We have seen this in the spontaneous combustion of rebellion and uprisings on the planet, through the extreme weather, mass displacements of people, shattering of common lives, and the world economic volatility too. Uranus in dynamic aspect to Pluto serves to accelerate radical change. Their eventfulness can be sudden and instant. Their aftermath will extend well beyond 2016. Uranus square Pluto can spark major shockwaves, sudden upheaval, chaos, rebellion, and destruction, but they also force into being great ingenuity, risk taking, pioneering, and amazing acts of courage. Complacency is shattered, but in its wake comes liberation and amazing new opportunity.

As of the end of August, the karmic (nodal) axis switches from Gemini/Sagittarius (the moving target; everything all at once) to the Taurus/Scorpio survival axis. As of this point, we should start to gain a better fix on things. Noting that one of Scorpio’s correlations is oil, we are sure to see major developments for this industry, not only for the Canada/USA pipeline deal, but also in other areas of the world. Africa is a new frontier in this regard. This Taurus/Scorpio axis keeps economic survival and political agendas on the front burner.

Oct 5, Saturn leaves Libra, to begin a two year trek through Scorpio. When Saturn tenants Scorpio, the squeeze gets a lot more serious. Necessity dictates that we get a lot more ambitious. When push comes to shove, Saturn in Scorpio can accomplish great feats. This planetary placement is one of hidden power plays, corrupt motives, self-serving agendas, manipulation of the system, and control at all costs. It is also one of exposing and putting an end to corruption and the subversive element where-ever it exists. While those in positions of power and influence can manipulate and cheat, they can’t do it for long. Still, it’s always darkest in the middle of the tunnel, and that’s exactly where the Saturn in Scorpio years will position our collective reality. On the positive, Saturn in Scorpio offers the opportunity to harness great power, to resource from the past in an empowering way, to regenerate and rebuild, and to crystallize substantial transformation. This is exactly what we need in order to create the new day’s dawn, our new reality base.

Mercury retrograde begins Nov 6, the day of the US presidential election. Obama was inaugurated during Mercury retrograde too. His karmic public service is not yet fulfilled. Expect his re-election.

The solar eclipse on Nov 13 is a super moon in Scorpio, sign of rebirth, transformation, agendas, and power-plays. The lunar eclipse on Nov 28 re-energizes Venus from the end of June. Accompanying the lunar eclipse, Mars conjoining Pluto in Capricorn set us onto a new evolutionary program. These eclipses constitute the second major peak of the year.

ARIES (March 21- April 19)

Mars in Virgo calls you to task and keeps you striving harder through the first half of the year. This is a productive placement for Virgo, so long as you align with the program rather than fight it. Aim to refine your skills, methods and coping skills. Concentrate on improving your diet and health regimes too. If you have loose ends to attend to, don’t procrastinate. By the time Venus (April 3) and Jupiter enter Gemini (June 11) you’ll be primed for something new to open up.

A sibling, friend, neighbour, agent, colleague, or rival can be a key catalyst in the year ahead. Venus retrograde, mid May through the end of June, takes you to a critical karmic threshold. You are offered an opportunity to tie up loose ends, to step forward your unfinished business, and/or to harvest that which you have accumulated over many lifetimes. As you grow, you will discover more resources than you knew existed inside of you. Person, place, or thing, more than one new avenue can open for you. When destiny strikes you’ll feel a strong sense of déjà vu.

You’ll feel Uranus square Pluto the strongest if you are born March 25 to 30, but of course we’ll all feel the effects.

Saturn in Libra has been maturing you in a multitude of ways. It has brought you to this present stage of relationship ripening. The face you show to the world has been chiselled into the map it now is. As of October, you will move into the next phase of your evolution. You will learn to forge a more intimate relationship with your conscious self, your closest relationships, your intimate needs and experiences. In fact, you present self will forge a more intimate relationship with your own soul. Saturn in Scorpio also puts the spotlight on financial matters (inheritances, debt, taxes, joint resources, consolidation, down sizing, etc.)

TAURUS (April 20 -May 20)

2012 continues your accelerated growth curve, thanks largely to the transits of Jupiter in Taurus to June 11, and Mars in Virgo, to July 3. Your energy and enthusiasm is your winning ticket. Put it to work and watch how far it gets you.  This first half of the year directs your attention to improving yourself physical and material status.

You’ll feel the strong hand of fate pulling the strings as Venus tours retrograde, mid May through end of June. Venus in aspect to the sun at the beginning of June brings you to a significant opportunity, harvest and fruition threshold. Venus and sun ignite a rich and fertile manifesting cycle. It is a highlight time of self-discovery, creativity, self mastery, and of coming into your own. What you resource or tap from within can prove to be your golden ticket. You could discover a special talent or knack, become a protégé or chosen one. If a new love or a pregnancy occurs, the bond/the karma/the one is special. If you reach this point and as good as it gets isn’t good enough, well, that’s an answer too.

Saturn’s advance into Scorpio in October brings circumstances and relationships to a maturation point. You’ll either feel you have successfully achieved what you have aimed for, and can work to further solidify and grow, or necessity will dictate that you start over again.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

Restless for something new? Mars in Virgo suggests you can feel you are outgrowing your life circumstances. Home, family, health, and security needs can keep you juggling. A new business, training program, or self-employment can take it out of you too, but you know upfront effort is necessary. You seem quite ready for it. In this first half of the year, Mars and Jupiter are seeding and stage setting. Either you are building to a launch point when you can take what’s been developing to the next level, or you are building to a release point when its time to let go and move in an altogether new direction. You should readily know the difference. Mars in retrograde, Jan 23 through April 13 is heating up influence. You should feel reinvigorated and ready to launch as early as April 3, when Venus moves into Gemini. You’ll spread your wings even further by the start of June, thanks to the lunar eclipse (June 4), Venus eclipsing (occulting) the sun and Jupiter entrance into Gemini (June 11). The first ten days of June delivers an actual or karmic contract peak. This time will be significantly shaping for the long haul. Expect to take a major step forward.

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

Whether you study in the school of life or sign up for formal training, Mars in Virgo aims to sharp your deductive reasoning through the beginning of July.  Mars in Virgo can necessitate a change of plans, or upgrades to transportation, marketing, communications, or schedules. Too, problematic relationships will need to be addressed. If you aren’t getting enough help or you aren’t satisfied with the advice or offerings, explore alternate options. A new agent, advisor, counsellor, or career focus could be the ticket. Those born June 25 to 30 will feel the catapulting effects of Uranus square Pluto the strongest, but of course we’ll all feel it at some level. Career wise, personally, relationship wise, Uranus/Pluto require that you rise to the challenge of completely restructuring your life. Let the past go and allow the evolving new course to set its own watermark. In other words, take dictation from moment. Don’t try to control what is naturally developing, align with it instead.

Neptune’s advance into Pisces in February and Saturn’s advance into Scorpio in October help to create a smoother sail. Along with the Venus retrograde cycle earlier in the year (May to July), they can help you to unlock vocational, creative, or romantic potentials that have so far eluded you. Saturn can bring some of you to a pinnacle of achievement and professional recognition, perhaps even significant notoriety. Marriage or a new family can be in the works for some. Neptune and Saturn are also of great support to those pursuing a spiritual calling.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

It seems you have a lot of working it out to do. Mars in Virgo will concentrate your attention on your climbing-up-and-out mandate through the beginning of July. It will be especially so during the Mars retrograde cycle (Jan 23 to April 13). Financial improvement is one of the chief areas of concern. Belt tightening is a good place to start. You can help yourself along by cutting back on wasteful spending. A little here and there, it adds up to more than you realize. Pay closer attention and you’ll see how much you fritter away without notice. Body, mind, and/or soul, health is another major area to upgrade. Turn off the mindless TV watching, sign up at the gym, and do yourself the good you know you deserve. By the middle of March, you should have a good handle on what works and what is most worthy of your time, heart, and money. This is a productive and solidifying time, when career, work, finances, and health matters can come together in some substantial way.

Both Mars retrograde and Venus retrograde can be separation, single out or pull back influences.  Mid May through the end of June can redirect your involvements or change your lifestyle in some significant way. You can feel the need to withdrawal from specific people, groups or communities, or you’ll feel the strong arm of fate pull you in. It can be a time to franchise, to transfer to a satellite office, to change your marketing strategy or product offerings, to switch gears altogether. A legal matter (personal or professional) can peak at this time too. Jupiter’s one year tour of Gemini, starting June 11 increases your social life and your social awareness. New interests grow more significant. You’ll move from the staging or biding time phase into the take-flight chapter.

Launching Oct 5, Saturn’s 2 ½ year tour of Scorpio can restructure your career, your ambitions, and your life’s priorities in some significant, even profound way.  You could step into a more influential role, become a mentor, authority figure, parent (or parent to a parent), or accredited professional, or you could put an official end to a career, personal, professional, or relationship status.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
January keeps you motoring through one thing after another at a steady clip. Mars in Virgo keeps your physical energy high and your libido too. Don’t take chances on your health. Do everything you can to keep body, mind and soul in good running order. Don’t mess with drugs, alcohol, or toxic substances, people included! Things can come back to bite you, and you will not like the sting.
On the other hand, apply yourself and watch how far you can get. Your courage, creativity and initiative can meet with great reward, especially while Jupiter tenants Taurus (through the start of June). Mars in Virgo can signal your “break out” time. Mars retrograde (Jan 23 to April 13) puts you through a refining and staging cycle. You could pull back a little during this time, but once the retrograde is over, you are like a race horse out the gate. Of course, the cycle itself can be very productive. Even though Mercury is retrograde, the middle of March can be quite lucrative; things could fall into place quite beautifully, perhaps surprisingly so. It is a key staging time for what comes next.

April through July will redirect the course of your life in some significant way. Venus retrograde can see you through a career or relationship status change. Consider returning to school, diversifying your portfolio, your client base, or your product offerings, move into a different line of work, job share, or relocate for better opportunity. Write your memoires or rewrite your life. Team up, sign up. Adopt a child, an extended family, a community, or a new approach to money, life, and love.

Neptune in Pisces, beginning in February, and Saturn in Scorpio, starting in October, will help you to resource relationships and to express yourself in a more open and empowered way.

LIBRA (Sept 22-Oct 22)
You have more going on, and more going for you than readily meets the eye. Mars in Virgo keeps plenty on brew through the beginning of July. For some, this Mars influence can produce free floating anxiety that can be hard to pin down. For others, it can be a hermit or healing cycle. For all Libra, it is one of study, personal reflection, and of building up one’s stamina and self confidence. If you can’t find it naturally, you’ll have to manufacture it. How you say? Through the active practice of trial and error; experience is always the best teacher. Trust more and you will get there. In fact, by the middle of March you are likely to make a significant breakthrough for yourself.

It can be a whole other ball game once Venus (starting April 3) and Jupiter (starting June 11) move into Gemini. Both these planetary influences can set you free and/or open up your consciousness or your life in ways you may not have imagined previously. April through August is the active highpoint of your year. Relocate, publish, broadcast, perform, study, teach, increase your public profile, connect with the world, jump on a bandwagon, try your luck, say I do or bust loose.

Uranus square Pluto is radically transforming for those of you born Sept 28 to Oct 3, but of course major lifestyle and career changes are afoot for all of us. June 24 and Sept 19 can signify major pressure and sudden release threshold points, but the influence of this dynamic hook-up is activated all year.

By the time Saturn exits Libra and enters Scorpio on Oct 5, you will have completed a critical qualifying step in your ongoing evolution. Saturn in transforming Scorpio takes you into much deeper waters. You’ll naturally become more committed to your material, emotional, and spiritual aspirations. Saturn in Scorpio can secure an intimate relationship, or it can end one. When push comes to shove, you will find you become much more resourceful, even shrewd. Saturn in Scorpio takes you through a definitive mapping it out cycle. When it comes to your personal empowerment, and a life worth living, it is got to be all of you and all the way.

SCORPIO (Oct 23~Nov 22)
Didn’t expect to be here now, or to see things turn out the way they have? Has your life taken an unexpected turn or detour? Sidelined, broadsided or simply striving, you have plenty of adjusting to do yet. Through July, Mars in Virgo will continue to busy you with a major life style change. And if it hasn’t happened yet, it will soon enough.

Mars in retrograde, Jan 23 to April 13, can reconnect you in some significant way. It can also signal a cut-out or cut-off time.
Uranus in Aries square Pluto can introduce you to plenty of new avenues, resources, ideas, potentials, etc. It can radically transform the nature of your work and/or your everyday activities and habits. This influence will be operative for a few years to come, so you’ll have plenty of time to try something new on for size. Uranus in Aries is an appropriate influence for self employment, for getting off the grid or other independence initiatives. Too, Uranus can bring new and unexpected challenges. If it nags you, don’t put it off. Prioritize health, safety, and safeguards.
The sign advances of Venus into Gemini, starting April 3, and Jupiter into Gemini, starting June 11, put the added spotlight on finances, legal matters, paperwork, on teaming up, pooling or dividing resources or liabilities. There’s important negotiating, revisiting or sorting out to do while Venus tours retrograde, mid May through the end of June. By mid to late August, you’ll start to feel you can take back the reigns, that you feel more sure footed or in control. By October 3, Saturn in Scorpio will walk you over a major threshold and into a new life chapter.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22~Dec21)
Mars in Virgo finds you doing target practice on the ceilings or barriers that have prevented you from getting to where you want to and need to be. You know you can create more security and self consistency. You know you can improve upon your material and emotional baselines. You know you have a lot more to accomplish.

Mars in Virgo also makes you aware of the difficulties out there in the world that are diminishing your better options. It makes you aware of how much you are aging, how little time is left, and how much of it has been wasted so far. When you add all this together, it can seem as though ambition is climbing in through the back door, but that is of no matter. What is important, even critical, is that you continue to stay fired up to get a move on, to plug those holes, to fill those gaps, and to get somewhere better than you are.

Mars in retrograde, Jan 23 to April 13, requires that you redirect the attention to inner rather than outer productivity. It’s a good time for reassessment and study, for re-organization, creative undertakings, and for renegotiating contracts or responsibilities. Career wise and in personal life dealings too, it is time to stand apart from the crowd, and to create more distinction for yourself. Along with Venus retrograde, May 15 to June 27, it is time to address a specific issue or relationship. It can be time to back off with hands on parenting and to allow another to find their own way, skinned knees and all. Both retrograde cycles revisit critical karmic crossroads.

The lunar eclipse and Venus occultation mark the beginning of June as a leap moment for relationships, finances and legal matters. Your social life or public profile can move, perhaps even explode, into a new direction too. The eclipse and occultation are particularly igniting for those born Dec 5 to 7. Those born near the end of November may experience a delayed reaction time; watch the eclipse catalyst on November 28 to reference back to this June timeframe. Whether it shows up as a compelling call to action or an inner yearning, all Sagittarians will feel a sense of being summoned by the stronger winds of fate.

Ready or not, Uranus square Pluto spurs you to your personal liberation. When the iron strikes hot, you could surprise even yourself. There’s no road map for this one. The new pathway is uniquely yours to create. Progressively, you will express and create with great dynamism. Can you hear that Star-trek line playing in the back of your head? “To boldly go..” While Uranus tenants Aries (to 2019), it’s a good motto to adopt.
Saturn’s advance into Scorpio beginning in October signals a refortifying-from-within chapter. Whether you are conscious of the bigger picture or not, you’ll eventually come to deepen your commitment to the evolutionary program your soul has already chosen for you.

CAPRICORN (DEC 22~JAN 19)
Through the beginning of July, discriminating Mars in Virgo will help you to get clearer about the direction forward and what works best for you. This influence gives you better access into your own psychology. It helps you to address your fears and insecurities, and it helps you to put intention into action too.

Mars in retrograde, Jan 23 to April 13, is a time to retrace steps, revisit places, plans, projects or agreements. Signalizing a preparatory, editing, or finalization phase, it is also a time to get into specifics and to clear away the loose ends.

Venus retrograde, May 15 to June 27, can see you revisit a work, health, communication, equipment, or transportation issue. You can run into added complexity with paperwork or permits too. Noting Venus retrograde occurs soon after taxes are due, make sure to do your proper due diligence when compiling data. The first week or so of June is a time to stay especially alert, especially when travelling, planning, or connecting. The lunar eclipse and Venus occultation can ignite something completely unexpected.

Uranus square Pluto is especially revolutionizing for those of you born Dec 26 to 30. This influence speeds you along your personal and private life reinvention. It sets circumstances into play and loans you the courage you need to break free of the old you and the old life.
Saturn’s advance into Scorpio, beginning Oct 3, empowers you to take the next important step in your ongoing evolution.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20~Feb 18)
Neptune has travelled through Aquarius since 1998. On Feb 3, Neptune will advance into Pisces, to remain until 2026. In the coming years, you will unlock even more of the treasure trove that you brought with you when you entered this life and you’ll make more use of the resources, talents, and capacities you have already discovered. This Neptune placement can help you to find your true calling and perhaps even your true love too. It is a subtle influence and it grows over time.

Through July, Mars in Virgo calls you to task to correct relationship or financial shortfalls. This Mars placement can also suggest a need for surgery or specialized medical treatment. It’s always good to take care of things sooner rather than later, but try to avoid Mercury retrograde if you need to schedule a procedure, unless of course it’s a repeat or something minor, in which case, feel free to schedule what works for you best. Interest rates will continue low, so you need to borrow (for new wheels perhaps?), go right ahead.

Venus in Gemini (April 3 to Aug 7) and Jupiter in Gemini (June 11 through June 2012) bring opportunity and increase where you’ll appreciate it the most. Venus retrograde, May 15 to June 27, is a very potent, karmically destined time for creative expression, career, social involvement, love and children (having them, raising them, letting them go.) Thanks to the lunar eclipse and Venus occultation, you can see catapulting circumstances and/or feel a sense of a new portal opening as of the beginning June.

The beginning and middle of June, and the end of July can be a time to sign a contract, to say I do, to relocate, or to commit to a new plan for yourself and your life. This can be a significant time of career or scholastic accomplishment; of taking a stand, spreading your wings, or making your presence known in some official way. It’s also a good time for market exploration, publishing, performing, exhibiting, consulting, mentoring, apprenticeship, agenting, media involvement, etc.

Uranus in Aries helps you to see the world around you in a new way. It introduces you to new ideas, people and helps you to make important new inroads. Uranus sharpens your intuition, your reaction time and makes you quicker on the ball. Uranus square Pluto places you on the cutting edge of trends; in fact, it can catapult you to the forefront.
Saturn in Scorpio, beginning Oct 3 can radically transform the structure of your life. If you have thought of making a career change, start training for it now.

PISCES (Feb 19~March 20)
Through July, Mars in Virgo will keep the focus on others, their needs, weakness, health, etc. Too, it will put an added spotlight on the dissatisfactions and shortfalls of relationships. This Mars placement can put you on a continuous search for more viable prospects, clients, or reward; for better advice, better support, and for more money too. Mars in retrograde, Jan 23 to April 13 can temporarily redirect your attention onto a specific project or an alternate concern. It may give you the chance to pull back a little more.

Venus and Jupiter in Gemini (April 3, June 11) turn home into a hub of activity, with more than the usual comings and goings. Jupiter could put you on the hunt for a new residence, or see you welcome a new household member. Anything you do to enhance property value, to add comfort, or to beautify surroundings is money well spent. Rental income or investment in a home based business is a good idea too. Venus and Jupiter can see family grow and thrive; they take you through a positive personal growth cycle too.

The lunar eclipse and Venus occultation mark the beginning of June as a critical turning point in the war against yourself, and the polarizations between your inner and outer needs. Things could snowball in some unexpected way. This eclipse/occult catalyst could suddenly unleash you or set you free. It could provide a moment of truth, a significant release point, or an opportunity you can’t afford to miss out on. Too, you could see a family member or partner could take a big career or personal step forward.

Neptune’s advance into Pisces, beginning Feb 3, launches your “time has come” chapter. You will feel the benefits of this influence and that of Saturn in Scorpio (starting Oct 3), the strongest if you are born Feb 18 to 22. By the end of August, and more so, October through December, you’ll find your best water mark. The stellar backdrop bodes well for financial ambitions, career and creative endeavour, and for affairs of the heart.

Lee is author of The Ultimate Asteroid Book (1988), Essential Dignities (1989), The Book of Rulerships (1992), Classical Astrology for Modern Living (1996), The Martial Art of Horary Astrology (2002), and a translation from the French of Papus’ Astrology for Initiates . Her latest book on mundane will be published in 2011. Her correspondence courses, Classical Studies (horary, natal, electional, medical, gaming, mundane and advanced horary), bring classical astrology to the forefront as an astrological system. Read more about Lee  Lee will be our guest lecturer in March 2012, read are the topics, dates and times and register for this  event.

Thursday March 8, 2012 Talk 7:30-9:30 PM

The Part of Fortune: Its History and Use: This lecture examines the ideas that have been advanced behind the meaning and use of the Part of Fortune, including the question of which way to calculate it for persons born at night. We will also examine how to use Fortuna as the starting point for an alternate house system.

Friday Night March 9, 2012 lecture 7:00-9:30PM

The Logic of Electional: To many astrologers, the rules of electional astrology seem clear enough, but the process of actually sitting down and applying them seems opaque. This lecture focuses on how to approach the ephemeris to find what you want for a particular electional. It also shows some tricks for finding the Ascendant that you want.

Saturday March 10, 2012 Workshop 10AM-5PM

Essential and Accidental Dignities: This workshop considers the material from the rulership and “Sky” lectures above in considerable depth. It is basically a study of the relationship between planetary placement by sign, degree and house and the intrinsic functioning of that planet. This system shows the difference between the concepts of strength and affinity, and thereby re-examines the recent idea of the twelve letter alphabet. The different kinds of essential dignities – Rulership, Exaltation, Triplicity, Term and Face – are discussed, as well as the detriments and peregrine planets. Both the traditional accidental dignities, such as angularity and retrogradation, and the Hellenistic concepts, like diurnal and nocturnal, are presented and explained.

Sunday March 11, 2012 Workshop: 10AM -5PM

Medical Astrology: We begin by studying wellness: what is the best way for each individual to stay healthy through diet, exercise, and life style. We then consider how transits, profections, progressions, or other dynamic chart movement can impact the body, and whether particular patterns are likely to lead to disease. We then consider what makes a successful surgery chart, and examine some examples of charts for when people have manifested illnesses in order to learn how to diagnose the severity of the problem, ideas for treatment, prognosis, and whether their health care provider is doing a good job.

Continuing this as a four or five session series of online workshops is a distinct option, please contact Anne about signing up for this option.

More about Lee:

Lee has a Ph.D. in Botany from Rutgers University. Lee was the recipient of the 1995 Marc Edmund Jones Award , and the recipient of the 2008 Regulus Award for Education. Along with Esoteric Technologies, Lee has created two software report writer programs written specifically for the classical astrologer: Solar Writer/Medicus , for medical questions and decumbitures; and Solar Writer/Classical , for natal delineation in the matter-of-fact style of the Renaissance astrologer. She has developed the innovative add-on to Cosmic Pattern’s Sirius: Who Wins, which captures the rules of Bonatti for warfare for use in researching the outcome of sporting events. Her Learning with Lee cd series on learning classical astrology methods provides timeless techniques in the latest technical format.

Dr. Lehman is a Professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kepler College, where she has been on the faculty since it opened in 2000. She served the astrological community as Research Director for NCGR from 1987-1999, as UAC Board Treasurer from 1990 -1999, and as UAC Program Chair for UACs 1995 and 1998. She is a Life Member of the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR), the International Society for Astrological Reasearch (ISAR), and the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA).

Lee’s website: www.leelehman.com

To pre-register and/or express interest please email sukhwinder@astrologyguild.com

Thursday Lecture $10 non-member 
Friday Talk $30 Non-Member  $20 Member 
Saturday Workshop $130 Non-Member  $100 Member  $80 Senior Member 
Sunday Workshop $130 Non-Member  $100 Member  $80 Senior Member 

Early Bird for Members, payment by January 15, 2011:
Saturday Workshop $80 Member  $60 Senior Member 
Sunday Workshop $80 Member  $60 Senior Member 

Submit payment to the treasurer at our monthly meeting or mail a cheque to
The Fraser Valley Astrological Guild
c/o 6640 Fraser Street
Vancouver, BC V5V 1B1
or pay online using your credit card, we can send you a PayPal invoice to simplify things, send an email to sukhwinder@astrologyguild.com

Are we at the end of time? The Mayan Calendar may end on Dec 21, 2012 —or on one of the other dates tossed around out there —but we stars gazers certainly know it won’t be the end of the Uranus/Pluto transit! Neptune and Chiron are just getting started in Pisces, Saturn will advance into Scorpio, and the nodes of the moon will also make a sign change. Additionally, in the first half of the year, Mars and Venus will both do retrograde tours. The big evolutionary agenda continues! Rose will share her thoughts on how to best navigate the 2012 celestial tides.

Rose Marcus, Evolutionary Astrologer/Teacher, editor & contributing author: Insights into Evolutionary Astrology”, (Llewellyn World Wide Publications, released in 2010). Rose has written for numerous publications and projects over the years, most notably, SELF, Vogue, NY; and The Mountain Astrologer (she was the daily forecast columnist in 2006/07). In addition to her popular in-depth monthly forecasts (read them on Rose’s website, or sign up to receive them emailed to you), Rose currently writes a weekly astrology column for The Georgia Straight, Vancouver. The column is published on Thursdays: www.straight.com/lifestyles.  Every last Wednesday of the month, Rose discusses the upcoming transits on Guiding Stars Radio with Kirstin Fontana, on www.HealthyLife.net. Archived podcasts are posted on Rose’s website. For more information on Rose’s private consultations, classes, and public appearances: rosemarcus.com or email rose: rose_marcus@shaw.ca

Some of our members bring along Tarot cards, others are willing to do quick chart readings and we even have a palmist in our mix. Rebecca, the Guild’s newly-elected secretary and long-standing member, reads palms…yes, she is bringing her magnifying glass. She had a line up last year…

We always have loads of fun and it is an opportunity to get to know members better.

So bring along a plate to share, your cards and other fun things… See you there…

Take a moment to post a comment about Rob; contemplate if you would like to write a mini-blog on our site…see you at the AGM next month.

This is an image of a bronze statue of Mars, found it on Wikipedia. No armour, and quite the pose, appears almost genderless or actually more effiminate…

Thursday October 13, 2011 at 7:30PM

Interrogatory Method of Natal Chart Analysis

In modern astrology it is often stated that one must look at the chart as a whole. This is appropriate for obtaining a general overview of a chart.  However, when examining the chart for specific areas of life, most systems become unstructured and imprecise.  Ptolemy’s method offers a highly structured approach in helping us make specific statements about a natal chart. Not only do these procedures tell the astrologer what to look at; more importantly, they also tell the astrologer what NOT to look at. This lecture will include a general introduction to this method, strategies on which to focus and guidance on how to gather vital information to assist in the final intuitive synthesis.  The overall result is a more reliable assessment of the natal chart. Attendance free for members, non-members $10 drop-in fee.  We meet for dinner prior to the event at about 5PM at Stephanos, next door to our meeting place. Read about the Friday lecture and Saturday workshop, and use PayPal to pay for talk(s) and workshop, by clicking on the link

Friday October 14, 2011 at 7:00PM

Astrology and Western Magic

Through most of the 20th century most astrologers tended to stress the separation of Astrology and Magic. Yet this has not always been the case. In the medieval and early modern period there was a kind of Astrology that was strongly linked to Magic and there was also an Astrology that was in terms of its day considered “scientific.” This lecture will discuss the two kinds of astrology from an historical point of view, their differences and similarities, and what portions of each may be applicable to 21st century uses. Members pay $20, non-members $30.

Saturday October 15, 2011 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

Ancient Philosophy and Spirituality and their Impact on Astrology

This workshop will deal with the interaction of astrological ideas and ancient philosophy and show how it affected them, drew upon them, and became in fact completely integrated with them in a grand synthesis, much of which extended into the Middle Ages. But as a result of the later stages of this synthesis Astrology became a “science” in the medieval sense of the world and in doing so lost something of its mystical and spiritual foundation; it split in two, into “scientific” and “magical” branches. In the latter was preserved the original spiritual nature of astrology which can be used to build a new philosophy of astrology so that once again astrology can be, as ancient astrology was, thoroughly involved with, and rooted in, the philosophy and religion of its day.

Members pay $120, non-members $150–registration at door begins at 9:30AM, we only accept cash from non-members. We recommend that you register prior to the event to ensure a seat.

Pay for lectures

Thursday and Friday

Member-Fri $20.00 Non-member both lectures $40.00 Non-member Thurs $10.00 Non-member Fri $30.00

Talks and Workshop options for members and non-members

Workshop and talks

Members workshop $120.00 Non-member workshop $150.00 Members Fri+Sat $150.00 Non-member Fri+Sat $180.00 Non-member Th+Fri+Sat $190.00

Interview conducted by Anne Massey

“Astrology is a discipline which is rooted in a pre-modern, in fact pre-medieval concept of the world. It very strongly implies, that we consider the universe an aspect of a living, conscious, and sentient being. “—Rob Hand

It is interesting to think of a historian, computer software writer, author, lecturer, professor, philosopher, translator and a scholar with the Sagittarian bent for the truth—realize how complex that sounds—and then identify the person as Robert Hand. At a recent conference Rob was introduced as the Stephen Spielberg of astrology, and I asked him how he felt about that. “I don’t like being regarded as the Spielberg of astrology, I am just a human being who has a deep interest and understanding of astrology”, was Rob’s comment during. In fact he might prefer be likened to Johann Sebastian Bach, ‘whose work was revered for its intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty’ (comment about Bach sourced from Wikipedia—AM). On second thought just a human being, who happens to be a well-versed and learned.

The origins of words and the history of astrology and how it applies to our lives hold Rob’s interest in astrology after six decades of enquiry. The topics fly by, and I lose track of time as Rob talks equally passionately about the dignities in astrology, his belief system, his recent weight loss (30 pounds is a lot) and paints vivid imagery about the tree of life, Neo-Platonic philosophy and definitions of words…even my usually reliable digital recorder failed to keep track chopping the actual interview portion into 99 separate files each about 2-16 seconds, only one was measured in minutes.

It is easy to see that talking with Rob, who has 51 years of astrological study under his belt, made for a deep, illuminating and educational conversation. You recently relocated to Las Vegas; is it a permanent move and what prompted you to leave Virginia?

Climate was the biggest factor, no humidity, which equates to less arthritic pain. Property values factored in—and a bonus “I now live across the road from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, which provides some great resources”. While Rob and his wife intend this to be a permanent move, he isn’t willing to say that anything is permanent but their intention is to stay in the desert.

How did astrology find you?

His father’s interest in financial astrology launched his passionate interest in astrology at age 17 back in 1960. They studied together; he recalls his father’s approach unconventional, but profitable in terms of his personal investments. His father was recovering from a heart attack and had plenty of time on his hands. Rob’s approach to astrology from early on was more classical and structured. In university Rob spent an equal amount of time on his studies and on learning astrology. Not much time for sleep by the sounds of it.

An astrology conference in New York in September 1972 proved a milestone in his life—he decided that astrology was what he wanted to do and quit his government job. Naturally some financially lean years followed this choice. Initially he worked with the Astrology Centre in New York but soon ventured out on his own and moved to the Cape Cod area where he had grown up.

In the late 1970’s he began working on astrology software with what was to become Astrolabe. In fact his classic book on Transits was intended as a computerized report. Asked if he would still publish the book today, he said absolutely, he still refers to it. However, if he had the time he would take each text and write three versions based on essential dignities. In fact Essential Dignities is the book floating in his mind; he wrote the bulk of it some years ago but would love to find the time to rework it to reflect his more profound understanding of the premise, the sources and usages from Hellenistic through medieval sources. The works of Guido Bonatti is what he primarily reads these days—in Latin but of course.

Rob’s substantial contribution to astrology earned him a lifetime achievement award at the May 2008 United Astrology Conference. His published works have become standard reference books. The astrological community considers him an icon. His own view is naturally different, while he concedes that with the exception of Chinese astrology he has investigated and studied all of the other branches and kinds of astrology, he remains an enthusiastic student with a fascination of the history and origins of concepts, and as a translator the original meanings of words.

 You have written some of the ‘bibles’ in astrology—what if these were to be the surviving works for astrologers some 500 years from now, what would the state of astrology be?

“At this point this is an impossible question to answer because astrology is in a state of transition. If you had only my work as it is at the moment, it would not allow anybody to reconstruct the art. I haven’t written a general introduction. My published work is currently too fragmented to constitute a corpus of astrology. People have written works like that in the past, but I haven’t. Guido Bonatti’s text from the 13^th century is one from which you could almost reconstruct astrology, and no modern writer has done that—either through several works or one work. Let me give you some idea, Bonatti begins with a general introduction to astrology, symbolism, the planets, signs and houses, he then proceeds with the theory of applications, separations and aspects—that’s an entire book. He then gets into general principles pertaining to questions, then he gets into horary, then Electional, mundane. His work is fairly complete with a huge natal component and he even ends with a brief treatise of weather forecasting.” Any contemporary astrologers whose work could be used to reconstruct astrology? “No, it requires several people’s work.”

Significant contribution

Rob holds a M.A. in History from the Catholic University of America and is in Washington, D.C. and is working on his dissertation for The Catholic University’s Doctor of Philosophy in Medieval and Byzantine Studies. Robert Hand’s original research, manuscript translation, and dissertation concerning astrology in medieval military matters will be the first original work of this kind.

You are working on your dissertation? What is your motivation and what was it when you signed on to do it? What do you see as its value?

“The initial impetus was Kepler College, because they required advanced degrees to teach. All that would have required is a Masters. But I went onto the doctorate because I wanted be an international member of the academic community studying the history of astrology, and I had already become that but I wanted a doctorate to stay there. You may not know this but a fairly large number of doctorates have happened in the astrological community in the last three years. For example Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum has a doctorate in Philosophy from the Warburg Institute at the University of London; and her field was symbolism in Greek Astrology. Nick Campion has a PhD from the University of Bristol. And he is now the head of a department at the University of Wales—the Sophia Center, which is a Masters program on Astronomy and Astrology in art, history and so forth. In our own backyard, Bruce Scofield just got his doctorate… I forget the exact title of the field but it has to do with the ecological impact of sunspots, weather cycles, and again from the consideration of cosmic cycles. His research is bit removed from actual astrology as we know it, but definitely connected to astrology as it could become. And he got his from the University of Massachusetts. Jeffrey Cornelius just got his doctorate from the University of Kent, and that department was Studies in Mysticism. So the doctorates are all in fields that relate to astrology. Mine is actually appears to be a bit more removed because it will be on Medieval History, but in fact the work I am doing will be in history of astrology.”

“Well, academics have been coming to the field of astrology for some time now; and it turns out that fair number of them have actually been very interested in astrology—they just decided to do it in their academic work. The value is twofold, first that for astrology to truly become a profession it needs to become completely grounded in the intellectual culture of the west, the way it hasn’t been since the renaissance. Secondly we have discovered through this process that academia as a whole isn’t hostile toward astrology. They are interested in anything that actually happened, especially the historians. Consequently they are favourably inclined toward the study of it, and astrology’s influence on history and culture has always been grossly underestimated. That is ceasing to be the case. For example I have a number of passages from medieval chroniclers written by people who had nothing to do with astrologers, yet with significant quantities of astrology in them. Your average, well educated Florentine, in the 13^th century, was conversant in astrology. That’s a tremendous influence; it is comparable to the influence of Freud on the intelligentsia of the 1920s. Astrology’s influence in the Middle Ages was more widespread and longer lasting. These days to qualify as an intellectual you don’t need to know a whole ‘helluva’ lot about Freud— 80 years ago that wasn’t true. The period during which people were conversant in astrology was several hundred years—beginning about the mid-1200s all the way up into the 1500s. During that time astrology was the closest to mainstream it ever came—it was controversial but it was mainstream.”

So you think that in order for astrology to become grounded it needs to go through academia?

“Not for the sake of becoming respectable. That is not the purpose. That might be an accidental side effect. But there is something to be learned there. For example this is also true of people getting advanced degrees in psychology and other related counselling fields. This tends to give astrologers a better idea about what professionalism means. And to be perfectly honest, we fall short on that score from time to time. The way I like to put it is: no discipline has ever become accepted because the existing disciplines have accepted it. It has always become accepted when it got its internal act together. When it has its own professional structure together, its own professional codes, its own professional journals, and its own modes of communication, when people see that a group is operating with standard canons of professionalism, people begin to treat it is as a profession, even if they have problems with what the group believes in. I offer as an example, Chiropractic, it is still controversial, however Chiropractors are no longer regarded as charlatans and frauds, intent on stealing their bucks. While some people may still think that, most do not.

Classical Tools that have lost none of their lustre

We had a long conversation about dignities that began with our discussion at the NORWAC conference in May 2011. Rob was talking about how fire was hot, earth dry, air cold and water wet with no secondary qualifier, and how this original idea helped him fully grasp the concept of why summer for example was hot and dry. The beauty of observation, the accuracy of calculations used by the ancient and medieval astrologers continues to hold him in awe. So, can we look forward to a book on Classical Astrology?

Rob thinks that he has some three books floating in his head, and if he is here on the earth-plane long enough, he would like to write them. The one we discussed most was the proper use of dignities, which he continues to find intriguing and extremely valuable in client work. Both of us have Saturn in the 12^th when using whole-sign houses, thus we had a conversation about the 12^th house being the Joy of Saturn, and whether it was better to have a dignified, debilitated or peregrine Saturn in residence. Rob’s view is that Saturn in Aquarius in the 12^th is capable of doing his worst in the house of his Joy. His Saturn in Gemini is peregrine, thus while life hasn’t been a cakewalk, it has quietly worked in his favour with those hidden enemies that we consider to live in our 12^th house. Saturn placed here ensures that our enemies are taken care of without our personal intervention. The Joy of the greater Malefic in the most Malefic of houses seems appropriate—giving him additional strength is not a grand idea…

Your Mercury is in detriment and combust—yet you have been a prolific writer, speaker etc.? How would you explain this to students who avoid using the dignities and debilities and would consider that this might imply mental incompetency, poor written and verbal expression etc? After all it is easier to talk about the philosophical nature, the ability to market another’s ideas, etc.

“First of all a debilitated planet is not incompetent, it simply operates strangely. So, Mercury in Sagittarius has trouble with details. It tends to take a giant overview, which is not Mercury’s forte. The reason why I have evolved the ability to do both—and believe me I didn’t have it spontaneously, I tended to be a generalist speaking in vast universal statements without having  much practical application—is because the ruler of Mercury,  Jupiter, is exalted in Cancer and in the first house. And a little bit more obscurely, Cancer and Sagittarius have relationship known as contra-antiscion being equidistant from 0°Libra; and in fact the two planets are close to being in the specific degrees. So when a debilitated planet has a familiarity (a more correct term) with its dignified ruler, the debility is cancelled. And I have discovered it is only cancelled when the individual is cognisant about what he is doing; when he is not, it reverts to debility—because it requires mental awareness.  The ruler gives mental awareness to the process. The philosophical reasons are a bit long-winded and obscure, but there are philosophical reasons for this based on Aristotle. So when the ruler is dignified it gives a capacity to the debilitated planet to do what it is not capable of natively doing. So what I do is I go to the generalities first, and then make my way down to the particulars. I wouldn’t be able to do that if there weren’t that relationship, or it would be much harder. Nothing is ever impossible; it is just very hard—difficult”.

“If you understand essential dignities and debilities without understanding reception, which is the process I have just described, you are not going to get an accurate answer. By the way familiarity means something that connects the two. Aspects are a familiarity; conjunctions are a familiarity, as are antiscia and contra-antiscia have the same Ascensional time…  ”

Your Moon is in its fall in Scorpio, albeit not at the potentially most challenging third degree? This tends to scare contemporary astrological thought which minimizes any categorization into good or bad…your thoughts? It also rules your Ascendant, giving the Moon heightened significance…

“While there are specific degrees of exaltation and debility, it is generally accepted that the entire sign is considered in that condition. The reason why my Moon is not terribly dysfunctional is because it is applying to a conjunction to Mars, which is the ruler of the sign and Mars is in its own sign and highly dignified. But I won’t say my Moon does not have any qualities of the Moon its fall. It does.”

From contemporary perspective: Ascendant in Cancer, Moon rules from its fall can’t be good…

“Well that Moon is applying to a conjunction with its dignified ruler which in turn is trine Jupiter in the first which of course is exalted. That trine actually turns a lot of stuff around in the chart. See that’s the problem with modern astrology, it’s too simple. It leaves things out that actually have a powerful impact.”

“The other problem with modern astrology is the idea that you have to look at everything to get the answer to anything, and that is simply not true. The trick is to know what you need to look at what not, that is the strength of traditional astrology and it does it better than modern astrology.”

Tools for client work

Rob spends the bulk of his time talking to his diverse group of clients assisting them toward self-realization with a conference or lecture thrown in most months. When asked how his client base has changed over the decades, he found it difficult to categorize them into groups and kinds, rather that most were geared toward becoming more aware, many with a keen interest in astrology and that many have some basic knowledge of astrology. However, contrary to my expectation, few are practising astrologers.

Rob uses whole sign houses only—Koch was his preference once upon a time. He also thinks that the whole sign houses are gaining wide acceptance thanks to the many sun sign astrologers out there, who have used these as a matter of routine. Rob commented that, for example, Michael Lutin who is also an excellent Sun sign astrologer, teaches his students to work with whole sign houses, which Rob applauds. The system is simple, eloquent and after the centuries still the original and in Rob’s opinion the best. (I personally concur and it is great that Rob validates those of us who are also horoscope writers…not an easy task, by the way)

Do you continue to use any of the more contemporary tools and techniques?

Rob uses secondary progressions perhaps more than profections, because he finds these illustrate the times the client is in. He also uses the 90-degree dial to decide that the chart he is going to analyze for a client is accurate enough. He has found that when he has the wrong time, he cannot give a good reading for his clients. He still spends about an hour and a bit preparing for a consultation, how else would he have an understanding about who he will be talking to and what the big topics will be. Beyond the two techniques that are considered more modern or contemporary, Rob relies on classical rules and techniques dating to the Arabic and Early European astrologers, uses the seven classical planets plus Uranus, Neptune and Pluto within whole-sign houses.

What about the asteroids, Chiron, Black Moon Lilith…

For example, Black Moon Lilith isn’t featured in his chart work—it is one of the centers of an ellipse and he doesn’t like the math of it plus unless it makes sense or is something he can grasp intuitively, he will leave it be.  He doesn’t use the asteroids or hypothetical points, finding that after the many decades he is able to derive all of the important information using the classical, primary considerations. (FYI, the mean Black Moon Lilith is on his Ascendant—he already has a Scorpio Moon; and Chiron is with his North Node which is conjunct Regulus when he was born.)

While Rob did state that he doesn’t use hypothetical points or the asteroids in his work, he also stated that if he cannot grasp a concept on an intuitive level, he isn’t likely to use it; nor if it doesn’t make sense or isn’t defensible. He finds that the traditional planets and classical techniques—from the early European and Arabic Era—describe the chart and the person it belongs to eloquently.

I wouldn’t say that Chiron is useless, I wouldn’t dare to presume. But I don’t really have a feel for it and I don’t find it necessary.

In your paper “Matter and Form” you discuss the part of Spirit, and how it was used by ancient astrologers—what the soul is here to accomplish.

That was ancient Greek astrologers; the medieval astrologers didn’t know what to do with it. You see this was a taboo subject matter in both Christian and Islamic worlds for astrology. 

Do you use Part of Fortune and Part of Spirit charts to illustrate to clients what they came here to do?

“Only experimentally, because I haven’t fully grasped how that is supposed to work. I use certain aspects of the Fortuna chart where the Part of fortune establishes the first house quite commonly in financial matters. But the Spirit chart is harder to grasp for the very simple reason that most people haven’t got that part working. It is a potentiality that most people haven’t attained.”

Based on your paper these two charts and your comment that you advise your clients about the right and wrong way, these two charts would potentially be ideal—at least conceptually—for addressing the issue of why we are here.

“They should be, there is actually the trinity of charts. There is the Fortuna chart, which is a chart at its most primitive and material.  There is the Ascendant chart, which is a general, all-purpose chart—and that’s how we use it.  The Spirit chart would describe how the soul would achieve its highest potential. More accurately, the person would achieve that potential. The reason I correct myself, is to emphasize that you are your soul; you don’t have one. This idea of having a soul is dumb. If you are alive you are a soul. And if you are conscious, you are an intellectual soul. Intellective, actually, is the better word [thinking, reasoning or other mental activity]. But most people don’t live their lives in the spirit in a fashion that is consonant with this spirit chart sufficiently well to prove it is working. You actually have to use it for saints and enlightened beings and people with a great deal of wisdom— that is where you would see it. And, we have no worked out examples from the ancients of this process; we just have some comments that the part of Spirit describes things you do intentionally, when you are being conscious—and that is my language, not theirs, but that is what their language boils down to.”

“I’ll give you an example. If a person is in a career because of family history, it is likely to be shown in the Fortuna chart. On the other hand, if people are evolved to the point that they have chosen a calling, which is truly relevant to them, that will show up in the Spirit chart.” So the vocation is there? “Yes. It is about finding your fulfilment. ”

“One of the theoretical positions I suggest, if I am right about the spirit chart, it that there are no malefics and benefics in the spirit chart. There is only truth. Now here is some further information that leads to that. The Greek name for the part is Kleros Daimon. And the Daimon is an entity that associates with you at birth and tries to show you your proper path. There is are actually two parts to this, the Agathos Daimon and Kakos Daimon. The Agathos Daimon is associated with the good spirit and the 11^th house. The Kakos Daimon is associated with the sixth house as you know. ”

So have you looked at your own of Spirit to see what you came here to do?

“Yeah, at the moment, however, it isn’t clear. There are indications that are beginning to point at what that might be… however; I am going to leave it at that.”

About reincarnation and Rob’s belief system

The notion of one’s reincarnation as a particular entity and one’s being here to pay for past wrong doings does not sit well with Rob’s understanding and life-long study and contemplation. He thinks that the conventional model of reincarnation is wrong. He talks about the tree of life as a literal concept. When a leaf—a person—falls off the tree it feeds the soil as it disintegrates and merges with the earth. How can it then emerge with its prior incarnation in the memory banks? He states that his belief system mostly reflects Neo-Platonic thinking—it is about the cycle of being. Nous—the perfect image of the One— simultaneously about the idea and the ideal world. He believes the soul chooses the moment that is the best representation of the ideas and ideals the soul holds true. Nous is the highest sphere accessible to the human mind. When something doesn’t make sense or feel intuitively correct, Rob tends to state “I don’t disbelieve…but then I don’t have all the facts yet”. There is a cycle of life, a reason for existence but I don’t like to think that it is about karma we have to endure without choice—we choose our moment.

I was reading Rob’s essay about Matter and Form on his website, and to illustrate the way he tackles concepts, I pulled out an extract from it. “The second definition of soul that we get from Aristotle is that the soul of any living thing is that which makes it that living thing and not some other living thing. Putting this in terms that one can more readily understand, we do not have souls; we are souls. One cannot lose one’s soul while alive because that would be death; one also cannot lose one’s soul and remain alive in either sense of the word soul used here. By this definition the medieval Christian idea of someone selling his soul to the devil makes no sense. What one might be able to do is to become a devotee of the devil, but one is still a soul. This could be what the medieval astrologers and philosophers meant. And the question of one’s having an immortal soul reduces to the following question: “Is what I am, what is uniquely and peculiarly myself, immortal?” I do not know the answer to this. My personal view is that in the way I have just defined it, “not exactly” would be the answer. But also it is not completely untrue.”

Because my recorder didn’t catch our conversation on June 28, I missed your commentary on Karma, reincarnation and your belief system. You talked about the tree of life as literal, and how the leaf that fell of the ‘perfect’ tree was now going to disintegrate and become part of the earth in order to feed the tree. You continued to talk about the nature of the soul in light of this concept… how would you respond and complete the thought.

“I wouldn’t call the tree literal; after all we are not hanging off a large entity made of lignum. Lignum, is of course is what wood, is. A tree is a living entity, which channels life energy up toward a multitude of transitory organs called leaves. Leaves fall off of all trees, but not necessarily in a growing cycle. The so called evergreens are always green, but leaves are falling off. And that all life is related by being on the same tree. But every year a leaf will form at roughly the same spot, not exactly the same but roughly the same. And that the two leaves are connected by coming off the same branch of the tree. They are however not connected in space because they exist in two different spots of time. I am suggesting that this might be a better metaphor for understanding reincarnation than the conventional one, that is, that it is the same entity coming back all the time.

Does this contradict the fact that we are a soul?

“… and we do exist in eternity.  But what exists in eternity is the same soul, not an incarnate one. In other words we are always here—always have been, always will be—but not on Earth. And I don’t mean on other planets. Eternity is the sum total of all possible time. That’s actually what it means, it isn’t my invention. Plato described it very simply: “time is the moving image of eternity.” What people experience as previous incarnations are actually their connections to the leaves on the same branch—through different points in time. That’s the metaphor.”

If you were 17 now, and wanted to study astrology; whose works would you choose and why? Would you choose a teacher, a school or simply study from books?

“At this point, I think it would be difficult to do it from books, because so much of what needs to be known is still transmitted orally. I would probably…this is difficult, I have an aversion to schools personally but that would be the best way.  Picking the right school… You could certainly learn modern astrology from books, but you couldn’t go beyond it. When I say modern I mean 20^th century astrology. Basically I learned astrology from books and by talking with other astrologers. Conferences are very valuable—not so much for the lectures— but what takes place between them.

I am going to put you on the spot. You said you would choose a school, so which one?

“At the risk of sounding as if I am a shill for Kepler I am going to say Kepler, because it puts astrology in larger social context.”

What about book recommendations…

“Marion March and Joan McEvers series of books is decent on contemporary astrology. The books on the traditional really haven’t been written yet. There you have study with people or with schools. I would also suggest that one read the works of Ebertin, because there is a clarity of thought in that work that is lacking elsewhere. If people find his work interesting, they might want to study Uranian astrology, however, in my opinion Uranian astrology suffers from being too much into details without concentrating sufficiently on the broad principles. Nevertheless those two schools have certain clarity, which is worth studying. Modern astrology…hmmm… difficult, I feel I have completely digested my personal version of modern astrology.  I think my book, Horoscope Symbols is good for getting a larger than normal view of what symbolism is about—although I would probably expand it quite a bit if I were to write it now. But ultimately, the best answer I can give is that students all have different styles, aesthetic tastes, and so forth. I think most will pick teachers who speak to them, and that is as good a criterion as any. I would also recommend the Faculty of Astrological Studies, which has some sound traditional components. By leaving others out, I am not implying they are incompetent; merely I have some personal experience of Kepler and the Faculty in the U.K.”

Teaching dignities…we at the CAAE felt it was an important inclusion to our curriculum…

“I can understand why modern astrologers don’t use dignities. The modern version is so damaged, it is wrong. It is better not to teach it, than to teach a broken version of it. Also if you were to study the medieval texts without some grounding in contemporary, you’d practise astrology as it was practised centuries ago, and that is not appropriate—this is not the Middle Ages. “

What keeps you enthused, excited about astrology after the many decades?

“I keep reaching new understanding of it; it is an endless learning process. That is it simply. For a Sagittarian there is no end.”

I concur.  How would you like to be remembered?

“As a good person, who tried to attain wisdom.  Astrology is incidental to that. Astrology has proven that there is wisdom to be attained. And it is not what materialists teach.”

What would you still like to accomplish

Time permitting, Rob would still love to take a walking tour of Britain—the country side, find to write a book about the use of dignities for the contemporary astrologer, complete his dissertation by the end of 2012…

Copyright Anne Massey, 2011