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When Modern Scientists Get Hold of Astrology

I just read a short article on how your zodiac sign may have changed because scientists at a planetarium in Minnesota have “recalculate[d] the dates that correspond to each sign to accommodate millennia of subtle shifts in the Earth’s axis.” What they are referring to here is the Precession of the Equinoxes. Let me explain. Where does the Zodiac Begin?Since the beginning of horoscopic astrology in the Middle East, the beginning of the zodiac was considered 0 degrees Aries. There are two definitions of “0 degrees Aries.” One is that it pinpoints the Alpha star (first brightest) in the constellation Read more…

By chris, ago

Mercury Retrograde – Again

So here we are again at the end of a Mercury retrograde cycle, and this one seems to have been particularly fierce for some. There are at least a  few reasons for this: Mercury is retrograde Mercury is in Sagittarius for most of this retrograde, where he is debilitated Mercury was combust (as it always is during part of the retrograde) Mercury squared Jupiter during this retrograde Mercury retrograde is a debility, but traditionally, it is not nearly as bad as combustion, where a planet is within 7-8 degrees from the Sun. The idea here is that the Sun burns Read more…

By chris, ago

Full Moon Solstice

So for the record, the height of the Full Moon is on Tuesday at 3:13 am ET. This is a Full Moon eclipse at the end of Gemini. Immediately upon reaching this point, the Moon goes “void of course.” This is an ancient term which simply means that from that moment until the Moon enters the next sign, it will make no classical aspects to any planet. That is, it will not conjunct, oppose, square, trine, or sextile any other planet. When the Moon is void, the traditional interpretation is that whatever is begun during that time will come to Read more…

By chris, ago

Solstice Eclipse of December 2010 – Part 2

Continuing from the previous post, let’s look at the Solstice. As most people know, the Solstice marks the beginning of a new season, either the summer or the winter, depending on whether it’s June or December, and whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. Tropical astrology, the kind of astrology practiced in much of the world other than in India, is linked to the relationship between the Sun and the Earth, and therefore to the seasons. So the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is also by definition the moment that the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn. Read more…

By chris, ago

Solstice Eclipse of December 2010 – Part 1

A number of friends have written to ask me my thoughts on the upcoming total Lunar eclipse which falls right before the Winter Solstice in a few days. I have also seen a number of comments about it by other astrologers come across my Facebook page in the last week or so. Let’s talk about the two phenomena involved and then see if and how they might connect. There are at least two Lunar eclipses every year, either partial or full. The degree to which an eclipse is full or not depends on how close the Moon comes to being Read more…

By chris, ago

Progress v Evolution: and the winner is…

When I explain to people that I practice an older form of astrology, one that is more predictive and less psychological, I often get the question: “But don’t you think that people have evolved since the Middle Ages?” The simple answer is No, I do not. Modern folk are all gung-ho on this idea of “evolution.” In the 20th century, W.D. Hamilton proposed the idea of Social Evolution as a sub-category of Darwin’s theory of the evolution of the species. The basic idea in Social Evolution is that certain choices lead to newly emerging social forms. Others  have posited (even Read more…

By chris, ago

Thirteenth Sign?

I received an email with some questions about the so-called “thirteenth sign” of the zodiac that often confounds moderns. There is a constellation that touches the ecliptic – the apparent path of the Sun around the earth – from the north side. It is called Ophiuchus, or Serpentarius, the Serpent-Handler.  The 12 zodiacal constellations straddle the ecliptic. Here are parts of the email (most of it) and my responses to it. I have been trying to ascertain from Astrologers all over the US their opinions as to why so many who follow the classical model do not recognize Ophiuchus … Read more…

By chris, ago

An Aquarius by any other name…

One of my problems with modern astrology texts, and by extension, most modern astrologers, is the lack of critical thinking involved in the practice. Most people today read the modern texts off the shelf of Barnes and Noble, or order them from Amazon, and assume that what’s in them is correct. In my first six months of studying astrology, years ago, this was the process that was available to me too. And the few classes that I took were taught by astrologers who were working from these same texts. We often assume today that if it’s in print, then it Read more…

By chris, ago

“I’m an Aries.” “I’m a Capricorn.” – Well I’m a human.

I was recently at a meeting of about thirty-five people, where a few of the folks on the team didn’t know each other very well. One of the leaders of the group suggested that while going around and introducing ourselves and which piece of the project we were working on this year, we all say what our Sun-sign was. So as we went around, everyone started with something like “I’m Charlie, and I’m an Aquarius…” I was the last person to introduce myself, and I said (trying to sound the least snobby I could) “I’m Chris, and I am not Read more…

By chris, ago

The Predictive Power of Profections and Planetary Periods (Firdaria) Part III – Betty White’s Career

Continuing from the previous post: CareerBetty White’s career has spanned more than 70 years, making a thorough treatment of it an impossibility in blog format. However, her recent resurgence in popularity (she may, in fact, be more popular than ever before) made me curious about what’s going on for her astrologically. Again, I’ll limit myself to the two techniques I’ve been using in this series: Profections and Firdaria, and I’ll necessarily limit myself to a few highlights from her long career. Note: all data which follows is from the Wikipedia page on Betty White. White began her show biz career right Read more…

By chris, ago