Astrological Forecasting, page 5

Contents:

Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction

1. Predictive techniques
2. Progressions and solar arcs
3. Progressed and solar arc planets in house, sign and aspect
4. Outer planet transits
5. Transiting outer planets in houses and aspects
6. New moons, full moons, and eclipses
7. Solar, lunar and planetary returns
8. Inner planets and timing triggers
9. Daily forecasting
10. Putting it all together
11. Quick and easy horary
12. Predictive tips
13. Mundane astrology

Astrological organizations and websites
Suggested reading
Glossary

Comment:

In this book, Kris Brandt Riske does a very good job of explaining how things work. She does not simply demand, "do this, do that, do it my way". Instead, she explains. This goes here, that goes there, look at the result. Do you see how that worked? Do you understand why? In this she is aided by very clear charts as well as diagrams and tables. As with her previous book on natal astrology, Riske explains how and why things work the way they do. This is wonderful.

The examples are clear-cut. Pamela Anderson was discovered one day, a face in the crowd at a football game. An opportunistic cameraman flashed her face on the big screen and from that moment, magic happened. Kris delineates this exact moment, using solar arcs. Riske never rushes the details, nor does she talk down to the reader. She expects you to pay attention, but she will let you take your time. This is tricky to bring off in a book such as this. (I myself, for example, tend to compress too much and to rush the reader.)

On the other hand, I did not think Riske's cookbook delineations were that good. With progressions/solar arc planets changing signs/houses, I had the impression she was writing about specific events, when the best that can be done is to outline large phases. For example, my Aquarian Sun progressed/solar arc-ed into Aries some 20 years ago (for the Sun, both its progressed and solar arc positions are exactly the same). Kris says, "fresh starts and new endeavors appeal to you, but don't jump head first" (pg. 36). For me, twenty years ago was the end of a 7 year relationship, which was an ending, not a beginning. The new beginning - this store, as it turns out - took another two years to emerge, and a third to get underway. I may not be typical, but my experience of Sun changing signs was that it was a slow process, rather than wake-up-one-day-and-find-the-world-new-and-wonderful. I woke up over a period of a couple of months to find myself without a companion, and then groped for a full five years, in other words, nearly as long as the relationship that had ended. Note that I lost a relationship but gained a store, which is to say that things changed in strange ways. That period in my life only looks neat and tidy in retrospect, which is one reason why I've been slow to come around to forecasting in general and solar arcs/progressions specifically. Riske is fascinated by forecasting, which is why she wrote a book on it. I am not, and so have not.

Cookbook sections that don't quite work is not a crippling thing. There are lots of good cookbooks out there, for progressions/solar arcs, Sophia Mason's is among the best. Rob Hand has the best for transits. You should have both of those books on your shelf, but you know that already. It's not that hard to figure out what the planets will do. Mars will always be Mars, Saturn will always be Saturn. The hard part, the part where Riske is very good, is explaining how to use the various techniques. How to put the pieces together, in other words.

Llewellyn, 278 pages.

Contents:

Introduction

The sun through the houses
Aspects to the sun
Interpreting the solar return ascendant & midheaven
The moon in the solar return
Other considerations in interpreting solar returns
How to calculate solar & lunar returns
Lunar returns
Mercury, Venus & Mars returns
Detailed case study
Case study on Stefi Graf
Case study on Eric Clapton

Bibliography.

Comment: Their classic book from 1990 is now back in print. Particular emphasis on rising & midheaven signs & house placements. The chapter on lunar returns is a good orientation to this neglected method. The chapter on Mercury, Venus & Mars returns is written from a theoretical standpoint, rather than much observation, but is useful.

Uses the Tropical zodiac and does not precess. Capall Bann Publishing, 258 pages.

Contents:

Take charge of your future
How to find, live with & love your transits
Stop! Read! Understand the Format!
Your longest-lasting transits: Uranus, Neptune & Pluto
Promise & Productivity: Jupiter, Saturn & You
Lunations & Eclipses: Strong focus in your life
Day-to-day transits: Little things - or triggers
Forecasting the astrological weather

Comment:

This is essentially similar to Rob Hand's Planets in Transit, eg, definitions of what's likely to happen when transiting planets aspect planets & angles in your natal chart, and what will happen as transiting planets move from house to house in your natal chart. Of interest is the chapter on transiting lunations & eclipses in the natal chart. Delineations are given for eclipses & lunations by house, and in aspect to planets & angles. Aspect delineations are given as "challenging" (generally meaning conjunct, square & opposed) & "cooperating" (generally meaning trine & sextile). Steven Forrest says on the back cover, "written for people who are intelligent, but absolute astrological beginners," which is not quite true. The book lacks tables & so requires a separate ephemeris (or astrological program).

ACS, 287 pages.

Contents:

Introduction

The progression of the point of self
The rate of motion of the point of self
The mathematical process of finding events
The horary method of interpretation of the point of self
Data for the erection of charts

Comments:

In this system of forecasting, the ascendant is the Point of Self. Starting at the ascendant at birth, it moves clockwise around the chart (i.e., through the 12th, 11th, 10th houses, etc.) There are three cycles, each of 28 years, each cycle being one complete trip through the chart. Dividing 360 degrees by 28, the Point of Self moves 12.86 degrees per year, or a little more than one degree per month. It would appear to be based on the progressed Moon, and I suspect one could find the Point of Self by projecting the current progressed Moon from the ascendant. The book says that regardless of degrees, the first seven years are from ascendant to MC, 7 to 14 are from MC to descendant, 14 to 21 from the descendant to IC, and from 21 to 28 from the IC to the ascendant. I like my progressed Moon idea better. Easier to calculate, more precise.

From what I read of early Greek texts, using the Moon as an alternative ascendant (which is what the Point of Self appears to be) & progressing it through the houses is a valid, ancient technique, except I think the Hellenists ran it counter-clockwise, rather than clockwise. Have I got Riley's translation of Valens in print yet? If so, go look and see what's in it.

The book gives delineations for each house in each of the three cycles. The first cycle, to age 28, develops the body, the second, to age 56, develops the soul, the third & final cycle develops the spirit. I used to think if you lived through the third you would be immortal, by definition, but so far, dang it all, all the nonagenarians I know have ended up dead. Even the ones who survived past 100 still died on me.

Eighteen examples are given. Chart data is in tabular format, such as was used in 1001 Notable Nativities, in other words, for each chart, six house cusps, and positions of the ten planets. No dates or locations, so you must set the charts up by hand. Still within living memory, we used to do that.

Clara M. Darr, publisher, 72 pages.

Foreword

1. The structure & significance of the transit system
2. Evaluation of transits & prenatal transits in the half-sum system of Reinhold Ebertin
3. Solar returns
4. Sidereal solar returns
5. Directions derived from the sidereal solar return
6. Interpretation of progressed/regressed moon conjunctions & oppositions
7. Lunar returns: use & interpretation
8. The sidereal lunar return
9. The natal quotidian lunar
10. Lunations & eclipses
11. General rules for cycles & transits
12. The radix horoscope
13. Sidereal radix system
14. Dominant & most essential factors in radix interpretation
15. Interpretation of combined planetary symbolism
16. Astrological forecasting
17. An introduction to political astrology
18. Interpretation of planets in political astrology

Appendices:
Time systems
Topocentric house system
Correcting moon

Tables:
1. Prenatal transits
2. Correcting moon
3. Reductions of E.T. to U.T.

Midpoints for J.F. Kennedy

Comment:

The Forword will define this book. Here is most of it:

This book is based on practical research carried out over a twenty year period on the usefulness of progressed and converse cyclic charts.

The discoveries of the eminent astrologer Cyril Fagan split the astrological world into three main camps: Tropical, Sidereal, and what the late Brigadier Firebrace termed "Little Bastard Zodiac", where precession is expunged from charts whilst maintaining the tropical zodiac. Arguments from the proponents of each school based solely on personality delineation are virtually endless and of little value. The ultimate test for the validity of astrology will always be rooted in it accuracy (or inaccuracy!) of prediction. Computers will undoubtedly play a crucial role here.

As far as predictive techniques are concerned, it is too early (or perhaps impossible?) to conclusively favor one zodiac over the other. I hope to persuade Siderealists that transits to the radix should be applied in the tropical manner, that is, disregarding precession. However, in regard to return charts, both Tropical and Sidereal Solar Returns are valid; while Tropical Lunars in my experience are no match for Sidereal Lunar Returns so far as efficacy is concerned. . . .

Some material presented in this book is taken from my previous articles in SPICA, the Sidereal journal of my friend & patron Brigadier R.C. Firebrace who left this planet in November of 1974 when the final pages of this book were being completed. His editorship of SPICA was characterized not only by his open mind and critical intellect, but also by his great tolerance toward those who presented extreme views. (pg. vii)

The book is dated 1981, it was presumably several years before the AFA published it, as Rupert Gleadow, a British Siderealist, died in October, 1974; Cyril Fagan died in 1970, Garth Allen (aka Donald Bradley) died in April, 1974. Which was virtually the entire Sidereal group, all at once. For the most part, their sidereal system died with them.

To give you an idea of the scope of the book, it is dedicated to Cyril Fagan, the leading Siderealist, and A.P. Nelson Page, an Argentine who, along with Wendel Povich, used primary directions to construct the Topocentric house system, which is a near carbon-copy of Placidus, which was itself based entirely upon theory.

Dave Y phoned me (May 2011) with the observation that sidereal returns work quite amazingly well. Which was Fagan/Firebrace's main point. Alexander Marr is advocating a synthetic system. Tropical for some things, Sidereal for others. I would say, Tropical for natal delineations, Sidereal for returns. I believe this book advocates such a blended system. It is worthy of study.

AFA, 140 pages.

Contents:

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Introduction: Beyond Aquarius; The concept of Ascendant Groups (AG)

First house
Second house
Third house
Fourth house
Fifth house
Sixth house
Seventh house
Eighth house
Ninth house
Tenth house
Eleventh house
Twelfth house

The example horoscope:
The Ascendant Group (AG)
The planets
Aspects in the progressed chart
Aspects between progressed & natal horoscope
Things to comme - 1977

Cycles:
Sun-Moon
Sun-Mercury
Sun-Venus
Sun-Mars
Sun-Jupiter
Sun-Saturn
Sun-Uranus
Sun-Neptune
Sun-Pluto

Epilogue

Comment:

In this book, the concept of the Ascendant Group. Which is:

The ascendant sign itself
Planets in the first house
Distribution of planets in quadruplicities & triplicities, the dominant grouping.

Thus:

if one had a Sagittarian Ascendant, Mars in the First House, and a distribution of planets in the mutable and air signs, his AG would consist of the signs Sagittarius, Mars (for Aries) and Gemini (for mutable air distribution). (pg. 31)

Curiously he has left out the ascendant ruler, Jupiter, along with both luminaries.

He concludes that Mars, Sagittarius and Gemini to be a reasonably harmonious mix and then moves on to the second house. Which, as it's Capricorn, will produce stress, in part because of the precipitate nature of Aries. This is also curious, since he has defined Mars as being in Sagittarus, not Aries, and seems ignorant of the fact that Mars has rights in Capricorn. Continuing, he says that Mars in Capricorn has a great deal in common with Saturn in Aries, which is rather blunt. Although this is a mutual reception, Mars has dignity in Capricorn, whereas Saturn in Aries is weak, and aside from a mutual admiration for Capricorn, the two planets hate each other.

After the introduction, McCormick & Rushton go house by house. Here is part of the first house:

We are all afraid. We fear each other and we fear ourselves. We are insecure because we live in an artificial world filled with artificial customs & we must somehow manage to endure the constant pressure of maintaining our poses while simultaneously obtaining some satisfaction for our unspoken desires.

In our modern world a man cannot choose to abstain from participation in the social charade. He must play the game - and that means that he must participate according to the rules laid down by social expedience. This in turn means that he must earn money. The average man can no longer go out & shoot a deer to feed his family, nor can he trade a pair of partridges for medical needs. Money is our only medium of exchange. Those without money must perish and so, when we find a man and his family alive, we may assume they he has found a source of income (welfare perhaps) through employment maybe, or by holding up liquor stores - it is all the same search for funds. (pg. 33)

As part of an essay on social angst, this has possibilities. As a passage in an astrology book, what is his point? Much of this book is like this. Which is why I had to get 31 pages into it to find the Ascendant Group, as astrology was pretty scarce up to that point, and not a frequent guest thereafter. Even with the Example chart, it's hard to find any astrology in this book at all. Which surprises me.

AFA, 113 pages.

Introduction

1. The solar return
2. Family and friends
3. Famous people

Postscript
Bibliography

Comment:

From the back cover: "In this book, Marc delves into what makes solar returns one of the most significant and useful tools of an astrologer's portfolio. His explanation of the usage of the non-precessed method versus the precessed system is clear and to the point. To illustrate these differences, Marc shows examples, written in easy reading style for you to follow....A major part of the value of this work is in the example section here you'll see how solar returns affected the lives of many famous people...."

Unique to this book, Penfield advocates precessing solar returns. People in my circle used to do this as a regular thing back in the late 1980's, but except for Penfield, precession seems to have faded over the years. Precession accounts for the wobble in the earth's axis, which makes the Sun & stars appear to advance about 1 degree every 72 years or so. That sounds like a very slight thing, but as it takes the Sun 24 hours to move one degree, by the time you've reached 36 years of age, your precessed solar return will be 12 hours later than your regular non-precessed return. As solar return ascendants are always to be calculated to the nearest minute of a degree of arc, an error of six hours by age 18 is a major factor in the choice of precessed or not-precessed.

Precession is the same thing as a solar return in the Sidereal zodiac, in other words, a precessed tropical return will be set for the same exact day/hour/minute/second as a Fagan-Bradley sidereal return, presuming Fagan-Bradley is your default ayanamsha in your computer's settings. The sidereal zodiac is self-precessing, which is why the ayamsha (difference between tropical & sidereal zodiacs) increases slightly from year to year.

But precessed Tropical returns are not the same as straightforward sidereal returns, as sidereal signs are altogether different. I have heard some reports that the signs in sidereal returns have significant value. This surprised me, as signs in sidereal natal charts usually have little value, and this regardless of the ayanamsha used (Fagan-Bradley, Lahiri, Krishnamurti, etc.). I would like to see more work on this point.

AFA, 285 pages.

Contents:

Preface

1. Introduction
2. The directional chart
3. Major directions
4. Minor directions
5. An example reading
6. Cuspal directions
7. The minor directional chart
8. Parallels & mid-points
9. Converse directions
10. Some final hints
11. The effects of directions

Table of major & minor arcs

Comment:

The radix system, first suggested by Sepharial in 1918, uses angles & house cusps directed by solar arcs, with secondary & minor progressions for the lights & planets. This book was not intended to be a revolutionary advance in astrological forecasting. Rather, Robson & Sepharial were attempting to supply a simpler forecasting method to primaries, which had become too complicated for novices to calculate. Nowadays even the methods taught in this book are too complicated for our poor brains. Since Robson thinks his new system is inferior to Primaries, the still more inferior transit based system we use now just might be why forecasting fell out of favor in the west.

As with all of Robson's books, this is quite excellent and will repay study.

Darr Publications, 110 pages.

Index

Comment: In the introduction, Carter says,

Ideally a directional system should fulfill four criteria:

1. No important event should be without a direction.
2. No direction should pass without an event.
3. Events and directions should correspond narrowly in time.
4. Events and directions should correspond in character.

Systems that work sometimes are unsatisfactory, nor is a system of much use if it produces directions that disobey the third and fourth of the above canons. We must be able to tell from our directional scheme both when events will happen, and what their natures will be... (pg. 10)

...[T]he ideas embodied in the present work are not put forward as discoveries, but rather as recoveries. Astrology, I believe, is part of the Arcane Tradition of inestimable antiquity and value. This tradition has suffered some corruption and has in part been overlaid with mistaken additions. But the cure for this is not a wholesale attack upon all Astrology, but a search for first principles of the science, and a reconstruction of our theory and practice upon these foundations....(pg. 7)

The One Degree (often used in Solar Arc directions).

The Naronic, a ratio of 4/7, which Sepharial described as useful in defining the periods of depression & expansion in any life... (pg. 25)

The Duodenary of 2.5 degrees (division of a sign by 12) known in India as the Dwadashamsa, which Carter says gives excellent results.

The Sub-Duodenary, which is 1/12th of 1/12th of as sign, which is 12' 30", which Carter says is useful for rectification.

The Novenary, of 3 degrees 20 minutes, formed by dividing a sign by 9, which is known in India as the navamsa.

The Septemary, of four degrees & 2/7ths, formed by dividing a sign by 7.

Disregarding the One Degree system as common, and combining the Duodenary & sub-duodenary, Carter counts these as four systems. Of them, he says,

...[Y]et the Four Measures constitute a net through which few events will pass without proper directional authorization! On the other hand, they do not furnish such a crowd of directions as to make it a foregone conclusion that there must be one or more for every possible occurrence - a criticism that has been made (I think unjustly) against some systems.

Those who find the four measures too many to apply to all elements of the map are advised to use only the traditional significators, the Sun, Moon and Angles. These will amply suffice for all important events, but if the exact time of precipitation is required, then lunations, transits, and lunar secondaries should be used. (pg. 33)

Astrology Classics, 91 pages.

Contents:

The solar revolution
To read the solar map
The noon date method of finding an unknown birth time
Rules for rectification of birth time
The aspects
The horoscopical houses
Intercepted signs
The Part of Fate
Table of Right Ascensions

Comment:

The full title, as given on the title page, is:

Your Sun's Return, The technique of computing a solar revolution chart with 13 chart illustrations
Together with
The noon date method of finding an unknown birth time
and
An accurate method of rectification by arcs of events

The book is a series of lessons taken from The American Astrology Magazine from December 1946 to April 1949.

The first chapter gives instructions for setting up a solar return. Before computers, this was essential. The author uses the Tropical zodiac and does not precess his charts.

The second chapter is an analysis of Madame Curie and her husband, Pierre. It focuses on 1906, the year Pierre was killed by a team of horses in a street accident in Paris. In the discussion there is this interesting aside:

Through her ingenious, penetrative and reflective mind, coupled with faith & persistence in hard tedious toil under difficult & adverse conditions, Marie Curie has given the world a wonderful healing agent & the means of destroying malignant growths, thereby largely removing from the minds of men the fear & dread of CANCER.

The chapter continues with analysis of Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt (the assassination attempt in 1933, in great detail).

The third & fourth chapters are rectification of a noon chart based on arcs of events by means of Right Ascension. Tables of Right Ascension are given in the back.

The fifth chapter is on aspects. There is an initial list of 15 aspects, plus the conjunction:

18, 24, 30, 36, 40, 45, 60, 72, 90, 108, 120, 135, 144, 150, 180.

The discussion centers mostly around the usual Ptolemaic suspects, though with nods to 40, 72, 144.

It is followed by a brief chapter on houses, where houses are paired with signs.

Followed by a brief chapter on intercepted signs. The author notes the propensity for interceptions have to do with latitude & season of the year, and then offers this,

The result of this may be instability or conflict in that particular department of life, shown by the houses occupied by the intercepted signs, with apparent difficulty for the native to handle in a positive manner the problems of those houses. (pg. 43)

The final chapter is on the Part of Fate. The formula is Sun to Saturn, projected from the ascendant. Which is to say, the Part of Fate is as far from the Ascendant as Saturn is from the Sun. In FDR's chart, Fate was in his 3rd house, which indicated both crippling polio as well (in Fate's sextile to Fortune), that he would bear it well.

There are few books from this era still in print. It makes for interesting reading. Too many of us have forgotten the usefulness of Right Ascension.

Macoy Publishing, 47 pages.