Astrology Tips and Tricks of the Trade

Astrology October 2009 horoscopes: Predictions for all 12 zodiac signs

2009-10-02T21:55:00.003-04:00

October 2009: Monthly predictions for those who appreciate this ancient science.

General

We are almost there…inches away from reaching some form of dry land. The phantasmagoric haze surrounding us will lift somewhat by the end of the month.

Like Max in Where the Wild Things Are, we will return to find we were safely sleeping in our beds the entire time. A hot and heavy Aries Full Moon will be shining through our bedroom windows urging us to new adventures and we notice… our food is still hot. Did we tame the “wild things” in our lives without blinking once like Max?

Hopefully, these past months have brought some order to our lives.

Since this is a Harvest Moon, we will reap the fruits of the long Virgo audit and hop on the Jupiter train with whatever goodies the auditor left us. Jupiter will finally chug forward after a 4 month park at the Cosmic Station. In mundane terms this means our projects and dreams will finally get a move on. Now, like Antoine de Saint Exupery’s Little Prince, with sword in hand, we are ready to leave our little lonely asteroid B612, to search out new worlds, lessons and experiences. A lady, Venus, and an older man, Saturn, take seats next to us on our journey. As we look out the window, the beautiful land of Libra approaches from mid-month on.

We finally leave the harsh reality, the miserly, miserable, obsessive-compulsive land of Virgo and enter the soothing and graceful land of Libra, full of people who want to interact with us. The type of bliss only felt by the caress of another person touches us, fills our hearts like the Siren’s song and will urge us to leave our secure isolation and enter into the maze of Human relationship.

For the rest of the article and predictions for all the 12 astrological signs: Click here

Photo credit: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Astrology Organizations 101: What are the major astrological organizations?

2009-09-09T05:34:00.007-04:00

Besides taking classes, reading books and joining groups, there are national organizations that provide education and degrees in astrology, initiate research projects and provide grants. Some protect astrologer’s legal rights and have succeeded in changing laws restricting astrological studies and practice.

All these organizations have newsletters, journals, libraries, conferences. They also are great for networking with other students and professionals and usually have chapters and representatives all over the world.

Astrology Organizations 101: What are the major astrological organizations?

Astrology Education 101: Where can I get lessons and a degree in astrology?

2009-09-06T01:07:00.005-04:00

For those of you interested in lessons, classes, intensive study with courses leading to a degree in astrological studies from an accredited astrology college or school, the following are the top educational institutions.

It isn’t necessary to obtain a degree in order to benefit from personal astrological studies, but those of you considering a professional career will profit from the structure and gain the assurance there aren't any gaps in your knowledge. The help, support and feedback from professionals in the field goes without saying . What might take years of private study is greatly accelerated by the discipline of the exam structures.

Astrology Education 101: Where can I get lessons and a degree in astrology?

Photo credit and trivia: Llewellyn Astrology School Diploma"A 1927 Diploma from the Llewellyn College of Astrology awarded to Dr. Ekstrom. Llewellyn George was a pioneering teacher, developing a ‘mail order’ course in astrology to supplement the “A to Z Horoscope Maker & Interpreter” by means of practical guidance and testing of the student’s understanding of the science and ability to apply its essential technology to human needs. It remains one of my dreams to develop new on-line courses in astrology and other subjects under the aegis of “the Llewellyn on-line University.”

Astrology Freeware 101: What are the top 5 astrology freeware programs?

2009-09-06T01:04:00.002-04:00

Even before the advent of the WWW, there were quite a few programs that calculated planetary positions, generated astrology charts, transits and progressions and had an ephemeris.
I probably could blame my interest in Astrology on one of these programs that came with my first computer in the 1980’s.

Many of these pioneers have graciously made these programs available for free on the internet. This freeware was always exceptional in quality and still is.

All of the programs mentioned in this Top 5 freeware list have the same specifications as the professional mainstream software programs without a lot of the branding and graphics.

The Top 5 Freeware Astrology Programs

Astrology Freeware 101: What are the top 5 astrology freeware programs?

Photo: WOW Astrology

Astrology Software 101: What are the top 5 astrology software programs?

2009-09-06T01:03:00.002-04:00

If you are planning on going the whole nine yards into professional astrology, the following programs are some of the best on the market.

These companies offer licenses to print out their reports and sell them separately on your website or to your clients through e-mail or snail mail. A few offer promotional materials to set up shop and note taking, report writing, wheel design and database indexing for thousands of charts.

The Top 5 Astrology Software Programs:

Astrology Software 101: What are the top 5 astrology software programs?

Photo: Matrix Software

Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 karmic and spiritual astrology books?

2009-09-04T14:05:00.003-04:00

For the more advanced astrologer or for those of you who approach the study of astrology from a soul-centered, evolutionary or spiritual viewpoint, these are the top 10 karmic and spiritual Astrology books:

Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 karmic and spiritual astrology books?

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons France, Astronomy, tapestry, 16th century, Göteborg, Röhsska Museet för Konsthantverk och Design [Röhss Museum of Applied Arts and Design.

Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 relationship astrology books?

2009-09-02T15:48:00.004-04:00

Though one of the most common question asked of astrologers are about relationships, their future and compatibility, astrology really doesn’t judge a relationship’s value in the same way society might view its viability.

An astrologer will look at your chart and see how your unique design functions, what your specific needs are and what will activate your chart and fulfill its purpose. A relationship’s compatibility or not isn’t the only factor taken into consideration, but rather looking closely at how any particular relationship might activate either permanently or temporarily the seeds of experience waiting to unfold in your specific design.

The following are the top 10 astrology books for interpreting relationships:

Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 relationship astrology books?

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Universum - C. Flammarion, Holzschnitt, Paris 1888, Kolorit : Heikenwaelder Hugo, Wien 1998

Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 beginner astrology books?

2009-09-01T02:17:00.004-04:00

Rather than leave the interpretation of your astrology chart in the hands of someone else (professional or amateur), wouldn't it be better if you could understand and interpret your own cosmic design?

Though reading computerized reports and astrology cookbooks are helpful, they are only one person's personal interpretation of the cosmic energies. Getting some basic knowledge of the planets, houses and aspects for yourself will not only help you understand the cookbooks and reports, but will also equip you with a basic ability to discern if your Astrologer's interpretations are on target or not.

Just like a little knowledge of classical music, jazz or wine can help you weed out the good from the bad. A little knowledge about astrology will make you a connoisseur of planetary info in no time.

Read the rest of the article and Top 10 book suggestions here: Astrology Books 101: What are the top 10 beginner astrology books?

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Book illustration in the book Basilius Valentinus, Azoth, Paris 1659.

Astrology September 2009 Horoscopes: Predictions for All 12 Zodiac Signs

2009-08-29T07:54:00.005-04:00

It’s a month of repeats and corrections (Mercury is retrograde most of the month) and a last clean sweep of the stage before the scene changes completely.

There a few big rats back stage that still need to be trapped, caged and let free into the wild. A stage manager is still calling out cues still telling you to keep your nose to the grindstone. And, (as if we all haven’t had enough of this sterile performance of Saturn in Virgo), the final scene features ghosts from the past. It will be a humbling experience.

Trailers of new scenes from future episodes of "Saturn in Libra" appear as the new actors prepare to enter. Except for a few crazy backtracks, reruns and players that we thought were let off the show years ago, the new season is about to begin.

The Universe’s choreographer (really Mercury in disguise) calls for a few more rehearsals, (some of you were pretty spaced out during the first run), so pay attention to the tiny details this month, otherwise you will enter the new stage, out of sync and fumbling the routine.

No hiding in the crowd this time, everyone is looking right at you and how you relate to everyone else, they are even looking at your shoes and fingernails. I know it’s a pain to make yourself up every morning and put on a face and watch the tone of your voice on that business call, but you got to learn the lines, learn to use your voice box as a fine instrument and your body and appearance as an actor his costume and prop. There are some very rare actors, that have such a genuine sense of self; their appearance is the last thing you see. If you can manage to be so real, then just wing it and improvise. If you can’t muster up a real self, then get a shave or haircut, buy some new shoes, read a few books on diplomacy and take a few voice lessons, you’ll be surprised how far the costume change will take you these next few years.

Finally, don’t forget to please let go of those few people in your life that have been sucking you dry, keeping you on a long leash, promising you future perks you never see and are just plain dead weight. As charming as some of these vampires can be; it’s now or never, otherwise you’ll only have yourself to blame for your empty gas tank and stalled life experience. Enjoy!

Click here to read the horoscopes for all 12 Zodiac signs

Photo: Pleaides NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Stauffer

How Dare Astrologers Believe the Stars Influence Us

2009-08-24T03:54:00.005-04:00

Let’s say the movie; The Matrix had some truth to it. Maybe there is the possibility that we live in a virtual world. Quantum physicists flirt with ideas of “particles roaming in fields”. They may be onto something Astrologers have known for thousands of years.

Astrologers observe the heavens. As they observe the heavens, they notice that when certain planets and stars pass through specific areas of the sky; events transpire on Earth and its inhabitants. Plants, animals and humans behave in distinctly predictable ways. Thousands of years of observation led them to the same conclusions.

They witnessed:

· When the Sun passed through the portion of the sky where the constellation of Aries was, that people born on those days were brave warriors or had strong muscular bodies.

· The Sun’s passage through the constellation of Taurus brought forth souls with melodic voices and refined senses.

· As the Sun made its passage through the constellation Gemini, they found people of wit and verbal finesse.

· If a planet or star transited the stars where Cancer resided, they watched creatures build their homes and make families and nurture one another.

. The Sun’s blazing trail through Leo brought vitality and creativity.

· Virgo made men and women inclined to serve, prepare well and appreciate the present beauty in everyday life.

· Libra enticed those born under its rule to find partnership with grace and fairness.

· Scorpio would incite the merging of worldly goods and penetrating truthful insight.

· The Sun’s journey through Sagittarius would bear the inspired and just pioneers.

· As heavenly bodies transited the fields of Capricorn, the leaders were born.

· Aquarius, the inventors and revolutionaries.

· Finally, the Sun’s wandering through the Pisces sky would bear the Shaman’s and Seers, the gifted messengers of spirit.

These influences were documented by Astrologers as observations but they were never considered absolute rules. These “fields of influence” just existed and when “particles” or heavenly bodies passed through them, they acted in specific ways and that behavior was somehow reflected on the inhabitants on Earth.

The classical question astrologers are asked is: How does the field out there in faraway space affect the human down here on earth?

First, the field is not “out there” and enter Hermes Trismegistus and the principle of "as above, so below; as within, so without." Astrologer’s noted that the moment someone was born, the position of the planets somehow imprinted the human energy “field” and set up a type resonance, a receiver-transmitter station; the equivalent of how we tune our car radio to certain stations we prefer.

When the planets or stars are at or in resonance with those same frequencies we were coded with from birth, we “pick up” the stations and move or act out the influence.

For simplicities sake, we can assume that the zodiac signs are just names we give to fields that spur response or activity. We act differently when we pass through a crowd of people at a rock concert and much differently when we walk through “the field” of a church. As human “particles” the field of a lush forest of trees will alter our actions and the “field” of the embrace of a loved one will alter our response. So too, a heavenly body or planet passing through the “field” of Aries or Virgo or Pisces will color and influence its “basic identity” and finally will modify ours as we pick up or resonate with the transmission.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons D. Stolcius von Stolcenbeerg: Viridarium chymicum, 1624

See also: The Reason Why There Are Twelve Zodiac Signs

The Astrological Planetary Cure Trick

2009-08-17T20:08:00.005-04:00

This is a simple trick to discern the type of healing modality your querent will respond to best.

We all respond differently to therapies and treatments. This info will help you determine the healing method tailored to the specific planet responsible for the ailment.

Though most of these remedies are obvious, they are overlooked all too often.

The Moon: Water is the natural remedy for the Moon. Drinking more water, changing one’s water source, taking a bath or soak, a steam, swimming or even sitting close to a water source or viewing a body of water are the cures for Moon affliction.

The Sun: Light is the cure for the Sun; sunlight, sunlamps, trips to sunny places.

Mercury: If Mercury causes the disorder, mental healing is required; psychotherapy, talking out one’s problems and mentally uplifting literature.

Venus: If Venus is the culprit, either rest, if there has been overindulgence under her influence or recreation if she has been denied.

Mars: Anything that can lower the temperature (psychic or physical) is a good Mars remedy as well as any physical activity from sports and walking to sex.

Jupiter: Jupiter’s association with the liver generally responds well to diet changes.

Saturn: Saturn depletes your life force or rather He teaches by depleting your life force so you use it only for what is necessary. In any case, going out into Nature and soaking in the Chi or even taking your shoes off on a grass patch in the middle of the city, anything to get the vital force of Earth running up the meridians of the body.

Uranus: Afflictions caused by Uranus effect the electricity of the body, so electromagnetic treatments and hypnotism cures these ailments.

Neptune: Neptune ailments respond to faith healing and restoring one’s belief in the Divine.

Pluto: Pluto ailments respond well to Western medicine as well as any methods that facilitate purging toxins, people, places or things from our life.

A basic staples of cures tailor-made for each planetary affliction.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons: John Kuhn

The Astrological 3rd Decanate Jupiter Saturn Trick

2009-08-17T00:56:00.003-04:00

If the planets, Ascendant and Midheaven are mostly in the 3rd Decanates, you can tweak your interpretation of a clients design, and lean towards a more “spiritual” analysis.

A person born with a 3rd Decanate emphasis is “set-up” to receive the spiritual elements of the field, so try to filter your interpretation by emphasizing they are here to discover how the spiritual is going to be carried out in this reality and what tests are going to play out.

The planet Jupiter is responsible for the 3rd Decanate. Jupiter steps down the cosmic law into bite sized pieces of belief systems necessary for the functioning of our physical reality. It’s not the pure spiritual gnosis of Neptune but the more generic forms necessary for our physical laws.

If you examine the glyph of Jupiter, it is a cross + (which symbolizes physical materiality) with a half crescent (which symbolizes soul). It is soul expressing and expanding into physical reality. Soul is Spirit’s representative/middleman in Human form.

Since Jupiter will be an important indicator of this person’s purpose and inclination, it would be wise to also look at Jupiter’s placement in the Natal chart and its relationship to the particular 3rd Decanate planets by sign and house to get an even more detailed understanding of the dynamics. The House placement will give you even more nitty-gritty details about “where” in a person’s life these influences tend to create events in the person’s life. The last of the Decanate tricks.

Also, consider Saturn and his aspects to the 3rd Decanate planets and placement in the Natal chart. Jupiter and Saturn are a pair; Jupiter the positive pole and Saturn the negative, conducting the electricity of the Universe through this physical reality. Saturn by sign and house will show where Jupiter’s expansive concepts will be flow toward the negative pole of Saturn to be molded and tempered in a crystallized form.

August 2009 horoscopes: Predictions for all 12 zodiac signs

2009-07-31T04:52:00.003-04:00

This is a distillation of August’s astrological events for your Sun sign without references to the Planetary Beings responsible for the relay of information from the Cosmos. It’s much easier to digest the message without a lot of astrological qualifications. As Astrologers we always tend to want to qualify our interpretations of events. A professional will know what I’m referring to, the rest of you enjoy the messages.

Read the horoscopes for all 12 Zodiac signs here: August 2009 Predictions for all 12 Zodiac signs

Photo: NASA.gov

Total Solar Eclipse 2009

2009-07-21T02:44:00.006-04:00

General Forecast

For the next three years, this eclipse will make you more aware of the bass notes of your life. The subwoofer of reality will sound a strong note of echoing belief systems programmed into you from your heritage, family of birth, and consensus reality brain washing.

There will be a deleting process in the beginning, then a defragmenting, and eventually a cleaned up hard-drive (only the programs that work will run) to face the new vistas, new worlds to explore, and a new start on life. Don’t resist what falls away and clatters out of your life at this time. What falls apart now, was broken to begin with and what issues are in your face these days are those injured in the past, painful points in our psyches we guard and protect from harm, that have drained all our energy.

This is one last painful press on those “buttons” to release them forever.

The energy released will be phenomenal and you will be surprised how much creative genius is let loose. Long-standing problems will find solutions, your mind will function clearly and no longer will you be so willing to follow consensus reality like a sheep to slaughter, but create a renaissance of creativity and invention.

Read the predictions for all 12 Zodiac Signs at Examiner.com:

Total Solar Eclipse July 22, 2009: Predictions for all 12 zodiac signs

Photo: www.nasa.gov

The Astrological 2nd Decanate Mercury Uranus Trick

2009-06-27T23:55:00.012-04:00

If the planets, Ascendant and Midheaven are mostly in the 2nd Decanates, you can tweak your interpretation of a clients design, and lean towards a more “mental” analysis.

A person born with a 2nd Decanate emphasis is “set-up” to receive the mental elements of the field, so try to filter your interpretation by emphasizing they are here to perceive, observe and communicate through concepts and share their mental perceptions more than anything else.

They are usually gifted with agile and probing minds, logic, extra-sensory abilities and flashes of insight.The planet Mercury is the Planetary Being generally responsible for the reception and transmission of mental influences in our Solar System.

If you examine the glyph of Mercury ( ), it is a cross + (which symbolizes physical materiality) with a circle (o) (which symbolizes Spirit) and a crescent above the circle which symbolizes the soul. It is almost like spirit opens its soul antennas to bring down information into physical reality.

Since Mercury will be an important indicator of this person’s purpose and inclination, it would be wise to also look at Mercury’s placement in the Natal chart and Mercury’s relationship to the particular 2nd Decanate planets by sign and house to get an even more detailed understanding of the dynamics. The house placement will give you even more nitty-gritty details about “where” in a person’s life these influences tend to create events in the person’s life. So, this is a cool trick.

Of course, let’s not forget Uranus, (Mercury’s Higher Octave), and his aspects to the 2nd Decanate planets and placement in the Natal chart. Uranus reaches into the Higher Mental Realms and transmits through flashes of insight, downloads upgrades from the cosmic computer for the full utilization of our Minds.

See also: The Astrological 1st Decanate Mars Pluto Trick
and The Astrological Decanate's Trick

Michael Jackson Death and Astrology

2009-06-25T19:37:00.014-04:00

A Royal Farewell

I just heard about MJ's passing beyond the veil. Death always has a way of making Time stand still and in that moment grace one with an instant realization of the Mystery of this existence.

Most astrologers when faced with Life's Mystery are automatically geared to search for "meaning" of these mysterious events by running to their computers to run an astrology chart. I found myself guilty of this same tendency and was unfortunately pulled out the moment of Grace and ran up MJ's chart on hearing of his sudden passing. (See Chart Below)

It didn't take more than a few seconds of glancing at the chart to realize most astrologers will have a field day with how exact the astrological symbolism is surrounding his death. The configurations are almost textbook:

Michael's ruler of his Gemini Ascendant is Mercury and there standing in almost exact opposition are the 2009 famous trio of Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron. Uranus pitches in with an almost exact inconjunct to Mercury as well. Not to mention the cliche of Chiron (The Gatekeeper's) Return that usually happens around 50 years of age also right there opposite Mercury in the 4th House of Endings.

For you beginners, the ruler of the Ascendant is like the CEO or Manager of your Design. He's the guy that distributes the orders to the small physically embodied Self. He also manages the functions of the physical body.

So standing directly across from this Manager Mercury are the following Members of the Cosmic Council:

Jupiter:

On the upside: The Guardian Angel who clears a straight path to the Higher Worlds and takes a soul peacefully so they do not suffer.
On the downside: Creates grandeur and excess, pushes one beyond one's limits, over-confidence etc. with the intent of impressing society and influencing one's social status.

One might think MJ might have been pushing himself beyond his limits or delusional (Neptune) doctors (Jupiter).

Interesting to note how many times Jupiter is present during a Soul's transition. I assume he stands there to open a road through the veil. Like adding rocket fuel for the eventual take-off.

Neptune:
On the upside: The Uplifter who actually opens the veil between worlds, raises the soul in transcendence and inspires one to a Greater Reality. Gives inspiration from Higher dimensions and worlds. Straddles the veil between this dimension and others.
On the downside: Disappointment from too high expectations and ideals, lethargy, refuge into substances that mimic transcendence (like drugs) that force the physical body to temporary states of God-like qualities and help download information and inspiration from higher worlds to the detriment of the physical body. Physically, Neptune (Poseidon) rules the ocean. So waters and fluids that can surround the lungs (Mercury) and heart (Leo) that cause it to suddenly stop beating (MJ's cardiac arrest).

Neptune aspected deaths usually have drug related associations, drowning and suffocation.

One might assume under this aspect that MJ was "supplementing his diet" with drugs to enhance his physical performance and give him inspiration and super powers.

Uranus:
On the upside: The Awakener who electrically jump-starts Humanity (Aquarius). The Outsider or eccentric who expresses one's unique of (always remember the opposite sign Leo) within the mass consciousness of Aquarius.
On the downside: Sudden decisions, 180 degree switches, sudden deaths, electrical short circuits.

Uranus does create an unusual heart rhythm. Most people affected by Uranus appear to "dance to the tune of a different drummer." Not that Uranus in itself could be implicated in MJ's door to the other world, but it's unusual heart rhythm could have been exacerbated by drugs (Neptune) and excess (Jupiter).

Chiron:
On the upside: The Wounded Healer who through his suffering and own healing learns to heal others of the same affliction through wisdom.
On the downside: Never getting the wisdom part of the equation and suffering from endless afflictions and venturing in the hypochondriac type behaviours utilizing endless cures.

MJ had a Chiron return in the beginning of 2009 which means Chiron made a full cycle and passed through every possible event written into one's Design needed for one's unique form of healing. After the return and hopefully the wisdom gained through the entire cycle, one can move on to be a Healer of Humanity instead of concentrating on healing only one's own affliction.

With his Natal Chiron in Aquarius and Uranus the ruler of Aquarius in Leo as well as Mercury in Leo one can deduce that the message of healing was to be able to maintain one's creative specialness without losing oneself in the mass consciousness of humanity or vice versa, not identifying oneself with mass consciousness and using dramatic (Leo) tactics to emphasize and draw attention like a child (another Leo aspect) to one specialness.

The healing would be something akin to maintaining one's child-like innocence, passion for life, creativity and unique qualities (Leo) to share with all of Humanity and bring people to the realization that we all share a common Consciousness and origin (Aquarius).

At the time of his death at 7:26 pm EST, the Moon just passed over the Gate of Uranus onto his Venus which rules the 12th house (the area of our chart where we pierce the veil). So sweet Venus in Leo opened the veil while Mars and Venus stood guard at his Gatekeeper Mars in the 12th House. Saturn in a supportive trine to Mars and last but not least Pluto in a trine to Pluto in the 4th house of endings

MJ was escorted out of this dimension in Leo Royal style. At his moment of death, every single Planetary Being stood present and saluted in major aspect, honoring the transition of the Soul who transformed and uplifted our lives with his beautiful voice and dance.

Thank you MJ for bringing such Beauty into our lives and filling our souls with music and love.

Michael Jackson's Astrology Chart with Transits

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jackson 1984

The Astrological 1st Decanate Mars Pluto Trick

2009-05-20T04:42:00.012-04:00

Technorati Profile

If the planets, Ascendant and Midheaven are mostly in the 1st Decanates, you can tweak your interpretation of a clients design, and lean towards a more “physical” analysis.

A person born with such a design is “set-up” to receive the physical elements of the field, so try to gear the interpretation and emphasize, how their design endows them with physical skills, physical strength, physical creativity, athletic ability and coordination.

Essentially, a soul with a lot of 1st Decanate activity in any sign has come to represent the physical aspect of the Twelve Laws. They may also have mental and spiritual talents, but the focus this lifetime is on perfecting the expression of the Absolute in it's most physical manifestation.

The planet Mars, is the Planetary Being generally responsible for the reception of physical information in our Solar System.

If you examine the glyph of Mars, it is a cross + or ↗ (which symbolizes physical materiality) above the circle (o) (which symbolizes Spirit); so, it would be wise to also look to Mars’ relationship to the particular 1st Decanate planets by sign and house, to get a even more detailed understanding of the dynamics.

Of course, never forget Pluto, (Mars’ Higher Octave and the reason why Mars rules Scorpio as well), and his aspects to the 1st Decanate planet. Pluto transforms the physical power into a Spiritual power capable of influencing the physical realm.

The Astrological Decanate’s Trick

2009-04-12T05:02:00.002-04:00

As you continue to understand the Zodiac signs or these “fields” you will come across information about the specifics of each degree of these “areas of cosmic activity” or each of these Twelve Laws. Like sub-laws, or sub-fields.

In essence, the 30 degree field of a sign is the projection of the force. The first sub-field we will talk about, the decanates, receive the projected force in particular ways; like 10 degree receiver stations.

Decanates are 10 degree sectors of the 30 degree field of each sign. The 1st decanate (0-10 degrees) receives the physical influence, the 2nd decanate (10-20 degrees) receives the mental influence of the projected Law or field and the 3rd decanate (20-30 degrees) receives the spiritual influence.

The trick is when reading a chart to see where the majority of planets are placed and adjust your interpretation of the planet or angles placement in the sign to either physical, mental or spiritual expressions of the sign’s influence.

more to follow...

The Reason Why There Are Twelve Zodiac Signs

2009-04-10T03:03:00.008-04:00

The 12 Zodiac signs are streams of force (Cosmic Waves, The Twelve Laws) emanating from the Absolute or center of our Galaxy picked up and transformed by our Star, the Sun and spread in a brilliant array of force, like spokes on a wheel into twelve 30 degree “fields” around our Sun.

Those fields were called Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces because at one time there were constellations of those names in those 30 degree sectors of the sky.

Many mistake that the constellations give those 30 degree segments or fields their qualities, but the Twelve Cosmic Laws are passed onto Earth through the Sun and then emanate into the field around the Sun, which is what we refer to as the Zodiac Belt.

So, for us on Earth, for which our Astrology charts are cast; the Zodiac is a field of force stepped down by our Sun and not given to us directly by the constellations. This makes the worry of which system to use, Vedic or otherwise, easier to decide upon.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Nicklang

Prescriptions Not Predictions

2009-02-06T03:16:00.010-05:00

Consider the possibility that our physical apparatus appearing in this reality; not only has a self-healing mechanism (we all have heard the brain is one of Nature’s most powerful chemical plants), but is also capable of downloading any information it would ever need from the Matrix Motherboard (Self, Being, Godhead).

And though, some forerunners have pierced the veil enough (and come back to tell) to make us aware of these possibilities, and some of us at times have managed to hook into the Motherboard and download miraculous events and healing and happenings; for the most part, we are walking through this reality like the blind leading the blind, constantly pulled out of our cable connection by fears and stresses and the persistence of what appears to us as rock hard realities “ups and downs.”

Astrology, healers, doctors, soothsayers ,a priest, shamans and your best friend, a good book, a religion or even a favorite TV show; are what most of us rely on for rebooting our connections, well, even a good cup of coffee can do it at times.

Within one’s Natal design are formulas that, if properly understood, can reboot your system, more or less like a Vista installation disk, reloads the basic drivers.

An astrologer friend of mine, Rick Levine, recently mentioned in an interview, about the possibility of an astrologer giving the equivalent of Homeopathic doses; whose vibrational medicine, if given in the right way, can help realign someone with their design.

I completely agree with him. I believe, if we are going to give anything of value to our clients, it would be a well-formed “prescription” rather than “predictions.”

It’s not up to us to pre-form someone’s reality for them, but getting them in back in touch with their original intent is more of what this science is all about.

Itinerary Changes

2009-02-06T02:33:00.009-05:00

Of all the esoteric sciences, Astrology always intrigues me because that precious natal chart gives you such a cool glimpse of what you came in with. It reminds me of an itinerary you make before setting out on a trip. But, most of us who have traveled enough know; “itineraries” are never kept to faithfully (the Weather God’s for one, love to play tricks on itinerary obsessed individuals).

I had an itinerary when I went to Europe 25 years ago, and I met someone on a road in the middle of the street, whose “design” (chart) merged with mine for a brief conversation, and that permanently changed the focus of my future path.

My Neptune (a ruling planet in my chart), was influenced so forcefully by that other person’s Pluto, that from the moment I met him…his Pluto completely changed the nature of my originally weak Neptune channel. After that experience, Neptune, in my particular design, was permanently booted up like someone added five amplifiers and a satellite disk with 300 channels. That wasn’t in the original plan…if there is a plan at all!

As astrologers, we need to take into consideration that as nifty our natal designs may be, each person we come into contact with, or even a book, event, or whatever; if it hits our natal in some way, may permanently change its nature. If you want to be a good astrologer, you will have to remember even the planets themselves are morphing when they come into contact with each other, all the time!

Though the planets, like us, maintain their essential natures, they are changed in slight ways; just like we change slightly every time we are influenced by a person. If we take the Neptune of the ‘60’s, as an example, we notice it’s a pretty different Neptune, than the Neptune of the mid 90’s after Uranus zapped it. It permanently morphed after that; it no longer resembled the same Neptune written about in those textbooks of the Middle Ages, though those textbooks will point out Neptune’s essential characteristics (if you can read between the lines).

As you read the books of the past, and the books written in the present, keep in mind that even the Planetary Beings have evolved and changed. Also, keep in mind that no one faithfully holds to the itinerary set down in that static original chart you possess. Each of those designs have been morphed and changed by every single individual that has impacted that persons chart in some way.

Now, you’re probably thinking: Great! How will I be able to know those zillion impacts?

Well, you won’t.

You could possibly look at a clients transits and progressions and deduce that they would attract certain impacts at certain times and those planets would be changed permanently after. You can assume it isn’t really important who or what was the experience, that the experience or person would just be a representative of what was “seeded” into the original design. Hmmm.

Of course, this could all be a lot of conjecture.

Why? Because it isn’t based of that living being in front of you; who would tell you exactly how their design works, if you ask the right questions.

To ask the right questions, you have to know the basics very well.

So there is a shortcut: Ask really pertinent questions based on what you know about each planet, when you have that person in front of you. Most of the time, you will get all the info you need about how that planet functions for them. What we are in this moment is a pretty much a composite of all we were and will become anyway.

Understanding Natal Charts

2009-01-21T03:26:00.001-05:00

I didn’t mention this in the first lesson, because no one ever pays attention to this part of the lesson, and snores if this is taught in the first class; so I gave a somewhat juicier tidbit for the first couple blog posts.

It’s easier to learn what this circle is, if we start with a chart for normal 24 hour day and NOT your personal chart just yet.

In the center of this precious circle is the Earth (see image), and you are standing on it. From where you are standing, it will appear as if the Sun moves around the Earth.

Well, as we said in the previous blog post, “That circle is a snapshot of our consensus reality as viewed from EARTH, and not just the entire Earth, but it is a snapshot of how everything appeared (in our 3D consensus reality) from the exact point on Earth the moment you were born.” For our example here, we are waking up at Sunrise.

The horizontal line in this circle actually represents… (look at the word for a clue)… the horizon, from where you are standing on the Earth!

If we are standing in the middle of the circle (looking south), the Sun rises in the east (left), and sets in the west (right).

The upper part (yellow) of the Chart represents where the Sun shines during the day, from around 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (time’s vary) and the lower half (black) represents the hours from around 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, when it is dark outside; because the Earth isn’t facing the Sun or rather the Sun fell off the edge of the Earth (just joking).

The east (Sunrise) point is called the Ascendant and the west (Sunset) point is called the Descendant. This is actually an axis. They are connected. They can’t live or exist without one another! (This axis in a later post will cut through the sky into the Zodiac belt and tell us what Sign of the zodiac rises when you were born.)

The south point is called the Midheaven ( Medium Coeli or MC), where the Sun is at its highest point at 12:00 noon. The north point is called the Nadir (Imum Coeli or IC), where the Sun is at its darkest at 12:00 midnight.

The reason why the upper half of your chart represents that stuff shown to the outer world, is because that is the area the Sun lights up. When the Sun is out during the day, is when we are actively engaged with the goings on of what we perceive to be the outer world. It’s easier to see each other, too!

And the reason the bottom half of the chart represents our private, personal, self-developmental stuff, is because it is the time of day (around 6:00 pm to 6:00am) when it is dark. It is the time we retire to contemplate our day, our earnings, care for our bodies and families and most importantly sleep (to explore the deepest recesses of our subconscious selves). It is also easier to close your eyes when it’s dark outside, and look within.

That wasn’t so bad, was it?

About the Zoom Feature in an Astrology Chart

2009-01-20T23:45:00.000-05:00

There really is no starting place for teaching astrology. Most of my students came into their first class, clutching their astrology charts to their chests.

They already knew about their Saturn returns and had read a dozen computerized reports. They knew the lingo and had done the Synastry charts for their newest loves and the loves; they lost.

Most of them didn’t have any idea what that circle on that white piece of paper represented. Most skipped over the cosmology in the text books and got to the juicy parts where the cookbook secrets of a dash of Moon mixed with a dash of Venus and a pinch of Mars, meant they were hot stuff!

I would suggest though, that the beginner keep in mind that, (like in Google Earth), you can zoom in and out of that circle. That circle is a snapshot of our consensus reality as viewed from EARTH, and not just the entire Earth, but it is a snapshot of how everything appeared (in our 3D consensus reality) from the exact point on Earth the moment you were born.

It is a relative point…but it is very relative to YOU, because you got imprinted energetically at that moment in Time and Space with special “dials” tuned into specific Planetary and Celestial Being’s frequencies, and that is the snapshot of Time and Space you decided to represent (and play out in endless variations of outtakes), with your Earthly Presence.

There are as many types of Astrology, as there are Humans. The only reason we are going to go about interpreting that circle in the way we will here, is only a temporary measure.

When we wake up in the morning, most of us find ourselves on this Earth at some latitude and longitude, in a particular place from which, if you looked up at that sky you would see the Sun rise and set. You wake up with your Consciousness glued to that view, whether you like it or not!

For us Earthlings stuck here, where the Sun appears to us to move across the sky (and not vice versa), that symbolic circle you clutch to your chest, is your map to your present Reality (until your consciousness shifts).

But, in your own time, see on the side of the map, (just like in Google Earth, there is a zoom out feature); you can explore seeing your chart from the Sun (Heliocentric view) or from farther reaches of the Galaxy and Imagination.

How Mercury Made Astrology Famous

2009-01-19T22:07:00.000-05:00

Well, actually the title should be, “How Mercury Retrograde Made Astrology Famous!” I guess if any planet were to make astrology, mainstream again, it would be Mercury. He is the most versatile and tricky of all Planetary Beings and the one we take most notice of in our information age (since He rules over everything connected to it).

Though snippets of Mercury’s retrograding mischievous fame (funny how fame always comes in the wake of wicked deeds), was already swirling through waves of the www and a few books on his retrograde antics had already been published for the astro-professional crowd; it was one particular day, in the late ‘90’s, while I was waiting in line at a bank (in a somewhat backward foreign country), that I was sure He (Mercury) had become a worldwide Superstar.

In this specific country, waiting in lines out the bank door was a normal occurrence; this though, was the first time I ever heard a bank teller, yell out, “Our computers are offline, it must be because Mercury is retrograde!” Now, maybe in California or Arizona or Denver (where New age terminology floats in the airwaves from the ‘60’s), this might not seem like such an exceptional experience; but where I was living, this just made my jaw drop.

I smirked and said to myself, “Ah, Mercury, you did it!” You brought Astrology back on the lips of mainstream conversation. I was proud in a way. Years of having to defend Astrology’s honor as a viable “language of the cosmos” (not the prediction whore it turned into in the Middle Ages or the pickup lines of the bar scenes), had come to an end. More and more article’s started popping up in mainstream magazines about the therapeutic psychological insights Astrology can provide, the archetypal dynamics they portray, and more and more people started approaching Astrology with less apprehension and superstitious fear.

I know some may think that the mainstream just hooked on to one more excuse to blame their computer glitches and lost mail on; one more excuse to be victims of imaginary, projected, outer-manifested tyrants. The truth though is, you first have to be in the mainstream mind, in order to change the mainstream mind, and Mercury found a niche. He knew how much we just love to blame things on other people, and He rode the waves of our victimization… right into Mind’s motherboard through our computer crashes, lost paychecks and e-mail.

Bravo! Mercury! The Cleverest of Clever Planetary Beings! Spokesperson for the Celestial Zodiac! Head Salesman of Universal Consciousness! Now, we can actually “talk” about Astrology (without being deified or shunned), now we can look into it (with Astrology’s new modern, “know your design, heal your life and yourself, look-at-your-belly-button”... stance), people can finally look into themselves (instead of prostrating themselves before Idols), and maybe just maybe, get a glimpse of this Mind Matrix we exist in, with a few cool Astrological tools in their bag of tricks.

Thought it was fitting to have an image of Mercury & Jupiter together, since the two have been "hanging out" since December 31, 2008, met up on January 18th again and will have their final "meeting" on February 23rd.

Dosso Dossi (Wikimedia Commons)
Jupiter, Mercury and Virtue
3rd decade of the 16th century

Threshold Guardian One: The Seductive Power of Knowledge

2009-01-14T04:35:00.000-05:00

When I was a student of Astrology, my companions and I would take secret pleasure in our abilities to unravel people’s character. The rush of power given to us by our studies, by being privy to the secret maps of people’s destinies or designs, puffed up our Egos up like overinflated balloons.

Some of my companions never recovered from this. Astrology is so very seductive (and we worked so incredible hard to unravel Her secrets). Finally, being able to read the blueprints, like a contractor, an architect’s designs; it was only natural we would revel in our discoveries, like finding the “Treasures of the Lost Ark.”

But, as Time passed, the ability to decipher designs (read blueprints), and the shallow Beauty, the bogus Power it endowed, became more like watching reruns on television, or identifying through the accomplishments of your favorite athlete. The entire experience became two-dimensional and an almost self-fulfilling static, homogenous stamp; instead of a multidimensional, free-willed palette of possibility.

The way you begin something is so very significant. We even have an entire branch dedicated to it (Electional Astrology). So, in the Spirit of all beginnings, it may be wise to know of the first Threshold Guardian on this Journey: the seductive power of being privy to Knowledge (not to be confused with Wisdom), and the shallow pleasures of astounding people (and yourself) with your prowess and diagnostic skills.

Rather, fill the seed of your beginning with the Code:

“I will learn to decipher this Blueprint in order enable Self-knowledge and Understanding and Awareness..."if asked!" I will not be swayed by Seductive Ego trips and will talk to my clients (and myself) about the Healing, the Insights, the Potentials and the Journey, and leave the need to "impress" those curious cats!

Remember: Cats can see in the Dark!

Wikimedia Commons: Cat amulet, 1069 - 664 BC bronze and gold
Photographer: Rama