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Astrologer's Notes: |
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Controversial Topics in Astrology – Part 1
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by Basil Fearrington |
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There are certain discussions in astrology that always seem to provoke heated debates. If astrology was at the heart of mainstream astrology and David Letterman was to do a list of the “top 10 topics that promote debates among astrologers,” they might go something like this: (I am giving my take on these topics as I name them.)
Number 10 – Transits to Progressions
Every astrological software program has them but I’m sorry folks, transits to progressions cannot be. Transits actually exist as the movements of planets in real time. Progressions are only symbolic. One system is apples and the other system is oranges and they cannot be compared.
As an astrologer, it is very important to realize that you can get any technique imaginable to work occasionally, especially the first time. If I were to come up with something as outrageous as a progression to the midpoint of a House, there would be an astrologer who would be able to find amazing results a few times or maybe even 50% of the time. Always strive to work for an 85% consistency in predictive techniques. Because something obscure works relatively consistently in your personal horoscope doesn’t mean that it has the kind of reliable across-the-board consistency that we’ve seen in transits to natal planets.
In times past, centuries ago before the discoveries of the outer planets, astrologers tried to find meaning with a very limited set of tools. This forced them to create systems of prediction to make events work. This must be kept in mind in today’s astrology.
Number 9 – Secondary Progressions
Secondary Progressions, along with transits, are what every astrologer learns first as far as predictive systems are concerned. It is a system that has been with astrology for a very, very long time. However, it is an impractical system.
In the example horoscope shown here, I constructed a chart for a date 100 years ago and progressed it to 100 years later. Look at the natal positions of the outer planets and compare them to outer planet positions in the outer ring. Pluto has not moved at all! Neptune has moved less than a degree. Uranus has barely moved. Saturn has moved only 12 degrees and even Jupiter is practically the same as its natal position. What’s left is the Sun through Mars. Can a predictive system in which five planets make aspects throughout one’s life be helpful? It doesn’t seem plausible. Look at what’s omitted because, remember, in our lexicon of counting aspects, it is the outer planets that make the aspects. It is the outer planets that are emphatic. So, in Secondary Progressions, you would never experience a square or conjunction to an Angle unless the condition existed natally. As well, if one has natal Venus at 0 Libra and Pluto at 0 Scorpio, there will never be an SP contact made in the person’s life between Pluto and Venus. Though Venus would progress to make contact to Venus, it is not the same thing as Pluto making contact to Venus. It is the planet on the move that brings its nature to the planet being contacted so Venus does a Venus thing to Pluto when it progresses to Pluto. That is a huge difference from the symbolism of Pluto contacting Venus.
The system of progressions that is most helpful is Solar Arcs. In Solar Arcs progressions, every planet, Angle, and point progresses approximately 1 degree per year of life. This makes for many more progressed measurements and much more of a practical tool to use for projecting backwards and forwards in time.
While I am on the topic, the SP turning direct or retrogradation of planets in life is largely based on developments of yesteryear when all work was done using an ephemeris. Astrologers would see the “Rx,” “D,” or “S,” and feel as though they had to give it meaning. Now that horoscope construction is computer based, those ideas have all but disappeared.
Number 8 - The Use of Midpoints
There used to be a time when midpoints were seen as something esoteric in astrology. That is not the case (please check the archives for my multi-part essay on midpoints or email me for information on my Midpoint Manual) any longer. A midpoint picture is just another way to look at natal aspects that are not easily seen otherwise, quite often just like a T-square.
Some will say that that midpoints are an absolute necessity and some will say that they are useless. Can you have a consultation with someone without the use of midpoints? Absolutely! Can midpoints analysis add tremendous depth to the traditional consultation to a point of revealing important information that is not easily seen (if it is there at all)? Absolutely!
For example, a horoscope has Jupiter conjunct Venus in VII, both trined by the Moon. The ruler of VII is without tension and Venus neither receives or makes any other aspects. This is an indication of a pretty good relationship index. However, if upon analyzing the midpoints, you see Neptune at Sun/Moon (Neptune making hard aspect contact to the Sun/Moon midpoint), a completely different relational symbolism comes into play. Any planet making contact to Sun/Moon is like having that planet in VII. So, if you were to miss this in a consultation, you would miss something very key, which is a tendency to orient oneself in relationships along idealistic, deceptive or even dependent lines (both Bill and Hillary Clinton have Neptune=Sun/Moon).
One of my earliest essays on this site and a favorite speaking topic has to do with the symbols of success and prominence in the horoscope. Do yourself a favor. For every successful person (success is defined as those whose achievements have far exceeded others who do what they do and have been reflected financially) whose horoscope you have, create a 45 degree midpoint Sort and watch how often there is a planet, Angle, or point at the Jupiter/Pluto midpoint (tremendous success).
Number 7 – Solar Returns
This is a topic that is bombarded with confusion and variables to consider. In my early days of learning and studying astrology, I used to actually try and relocate myself advantageously when the Sun returned to its natal location. It never worked. I know others who have done the same thing, even to the point of relocating internationally. While there are a few astrologers who have authored well-written books and essays on this topic, let’s think about it for a moment.
Let’s say that transiting Jupiter happens to be trining your Sun on your birthday. You might want to have either the Sun or Jupiter placed on the Midheaven or on an Angle to maximize the year in terms of success and opportunity. But at the same time, the measurements in your natal horoscope for that year reveal the following: transiting Neptune on the Ascendant; SA Pluto square Saturn, ruler of XII; transiting Saturn conjunct Venus, ruler of VII; SA Uranus conjunct Sun, ruler of VII. This is a case example taken from the files of an astrologer who relocated to another country to maximize the potentials of the Jupiter-Sun transit. But during the year, his wife left him at the same time that a routine checkup revealed semi-advanced prostate cancer. In my opinion, the Solar Return is very secondary to the other measurements taking place in one’s horoscope during the year. Positions in the Solar Return chart will not override transit and arc measurements during the year.
Secondly, to produce an accurate SR chart, you need to know your birth time down to the second! If you do not, the chart could be off by as much as 24 minutes because it takes the Sun approximately 24 minutes of time to travel one minute of arc. How many people know their birth times accurately to the second?
Yet another factor of controversy is precession. Precession refers to the Sidereal Zodiac. There are some experts on this technique who say that the Sun’s return to its position in the Sidereal zodiac is what the SR chart should be based upon. Doing so yields results that are nearly the opposite of what happens when the Tropical zodiac is used.
All of these and many more reasons are what keep me away from the use of Solar Returns.
Number 6 – The Parent Symbolized by the 4th House
Some say that it is the mother. Some say that it is the father. Some say that it is the parent who made the most emotional impact on you. In today’s world, there is no way to tell beforehand which parent is symbolized by the 4th or 10th Houses. You are going to know that only by having a discussion with your client so that you can make deductions based on what the client says and fit it to what you see in the horoscope.
In the days of ancient astrology or even in the astrology of 100 years ago, society was different than it is now. The roles of men and women were defined and adhered to for the most part. Women stayed home and catered to the needs of the family and husband. Men were expected to go out into the world and make a living for the family so astrology assigned rulerships of the mother and father respectively to the 4th and 10th Houses. No explanation is required as to why this logic doesn’t work today.
Joseph Kennedy, head of the Kennedy family was a dominant figure in the family. It was his ambition that became John’s ambition to become President. Uranus is in the 4th House in his horoscope, clearly symbolizing his father. Robert Kennedy (November 20, 1925; 3:11 PM; Brookline, Ma.) has Cancer on the cusp of IV. The Moon is in Capricorn in X. Is that his father? The ruler of X, where the Moon and Jupiter are, is Saturn. Saturn is in Scorpio as part of a Grand Trine in Water. Ted Kennedy (February 22, 1932; 3:58 AM EST; Dorchester, Ma.) has Venus ruling his 4th cusp. Venus is conjoined by Uranus in III. Pluto, ruler of X is in Cancer in a wide opposition to Saturn. If you had to choose, you’d probably say that in the horoscopes of the latter two brothers, the traditional thinking applies based on how we see what we know about the Kennedy family. But there can be no doubt that in the father is symbolized by the 4th House in JFK’s horoscope.
Stay tuned to next month’s essay when I will present the top five list.
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Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
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Basil Fearrington is the author of "The New Way To Learn Astrology." He has been a professional astrologer for 22 years.
Basil's articles have appeared in the leading astrological publications around the world. He was the Inaugural Chairman for the MilleyDome project in Johannesburg, South Africa and taught astrology there for one year.
Basil has twice been a faculty member of UAC and spoke at Astro 2000. In addition to his work in astrology, Basil is a professional musician who has toured with and/or recorded for artists such as Stevie Wonder and George Benson.
He was on a team of composers who did the music for a network show called "New York Undercover." The same team won a Grammy award in 1980.
basilfearrington@
Yahoo.com
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