Chapter 1 Introduction two basic points (the author claims that) solar returns only work when the sidereal zodiac is use d. Tropical solar returns are apparently unreliable some general blather about transits vs progressions. JE (the author) considers the idea that transits result in external events and p rogressions result in 'psychological changes' too simple, and states that events and psychological states are intertwined all the time, but then goes on to stat e that the *source* of the life change is 'internal' or based on the 'natural e volution of the natal condition' for progressions and comes out of' interaction with the natural environment' for transits ( I'm not sure that clears up anyth ing). He also implies that the wider orbs catch subconscious changes etc but tight orb s catch obviously manifest oncoming transits/progressions. Chapter 2. Speaking the same language 1. JE claims that different techniques are needed for different charts. He says that when aspects of (natal?) planets to fixed stars are considered, only conjun ctions, oppositions and squares are noted, and not trines, sextiles etc (WTF? ) but they are significant for natal chart interpretation 2. JE recommends a 'two pass' approach to reading Solar Return charts. First app arently it is read as a 'new birth chart' for the year which overlays the origin al natal chart. Secondly it is read in a 'return chart style' . Both approaches are detailed in coming chapters. Chapter 2 The author begins delineating the terminology of Sidereal astrology. Angularity: JE sticks with the notion of angularity but detaches it from details of the house system. He states that angularity (nearness to the angles) determi nes not so much the 'power' of a planet, but how easily it expresses itself ( ex ample? specific difference between 'power' and 'ease'?) He defines foreground as 'half a house either side' of the four angles. (he uses the Campanus system for this). The middle ground is half a house on either side of succedent cusps. Similiarly background = half a house either side of cadent cusps. He uses Campanus houses. I'll continue to use Placidus.
Principle: Planets in the foreground of a chart - natal, solar return, ingress, whatever, are the most important and prominent. Background planets acquire importance also because they are least able to expre ss themselves and represent qualities that are held in abeyance (== ??) Midground planets are neither particularly strong nor particulary weak (note: J E is using strong/weak vs expressive/inexpressive) but reflect a measure of easy moderation. Garth Allen studied the birth charts of 42 murderers and found that Pluto, Mars and Neptune are the most in the foreground! (note: I have Mars in the foreground !) To understand the rest of the system, I need to really understand all the 'circl es' used to divide into houses etc.
Step 1 Imagine an observer standing at the centre of a circle. The circumference of the circle is the visible horizon. The E, W, N, S points on the horizon circle are the East Point, West Point etc The point directly above the observer is the Zenith. te to this, so below the observer is the nadir.
The point directly opposi
A circle that starts at the East Point, goes to Zenith, West Point and Nadir is called the Prime Vertical. The circle starting at North Point, goes to Zenith, South Point and Nadir is cal led the Meridian. Step 2 The Earths poles form an axis. The Earth's equator is perpendicular to this axis. The equator projected onto the celestial sphere is the "Celestial Equator". The Earth's path around the Sun forms a plane called the Ecliptic. Since astrology is geocentric, we extend this plane to the celestial sphere obta ining a circle called the 'ecliptic' along which the Sun appears to travel. The ecliptic is at an angle of about 23.5 degrees to the Celestial Equator. Step 3 Since the observer from step 1 above is (unless he is at the direct North/South polar points) standing on a spherical /elliptical Earth,his horizon circle also makes an angle to the equator (depending on his lattitude). In practical terms, the celestial equator would appear as a tilted circle. (So if obsever is standing on the Equator, the Prime Meridian would equal the ce lestal Equator?) The celestial horizon is a disc parallel to the local horizon, but with its cen tre at the centre of the Earth, and its edges projected to the Celestial Sphere. If the observer is at the poles, the Celestial Horizon and Celestial Equator w ould be the same. So in essence, the observer stands in a 'co - ordinate system' circles. 1. Horizon 2. Prime Vertical 3. Meridian 4. Celestial Equator 5. Ecliptic.
formed by these
. Added later in the night: (I want to start the next section tomorrow) what the writer considers 'extra sensitive points' (other than the angles) 1. (longitude of ) Zenith 2. (longitude of ) Nadir 3. East Point (has a 1st House quality) 4. West Point (has a 7nth House quality) 5. Vertex. If any planets conjunct, their manifestations have an unconscious qua lity. 6. Anti Vertex 7. South Point (4th house quality)
8. North Point (10th house quality) Aspects used classicals 'dynamic' and 'static' preferred to 'hard' and 'soft' JE thinks dynamic aspects portend movement and activity and static aspects still ness and quietitude, even a dampening effect. But if a static aspect connects to a dynamic aspect, (e.g a trine aspects one e nd of an opposition and sextiles another), in which case the hard aspect is enha nced JE thinks that when examining Solar Returns one's attention must focus only on t he hard aspects (I reject this) Parans: JE says the potential paran becomes an active paran when a Solar return chart ha s the same sidereal time (??) as the objects forming the potential paran. (how t o find sidereal time of a chart?!!! and each object in a paran relationship?!!!) I *think* what he is trying to say is that when any of the *angles* of the Solar Return chart coincide with the *angles* of a potential paran, then it becomes a ctive. So for e.g from my natal chart CHI MC 008 00 so 8 Aries PLU IC 008 30, = 8 Aries 30 MAR MC 009 21 = 9 Aries 21 When the (paran?) of the Solar Return chart angles hit these angles, the chart b ecomes active. Not sure what the Sidereal time of the chart etc means. Chapter 2 (cont'd) Angles mostly about the meanings of 1-4-7-10 angles. Houses JE claims 4th-10th axis has to do with identity. MC connected to public identity - the authority one acknowledges in an outerwor ld 'superior' - parent, employer etc. MC signifies the unfolding of a personal s ense of direction, the outcome of which is to be more truly and fully become one self. In natal astrology, the key to identity as measured by outerworld standards In SR characteristically pinpoints one's experience of "highness" (prestige, pro minence, culmination) . Reputation and status are often involved, because one's career is a frequent, but not only area of manifestation. For a public figure, i t can reveal the overall tone of ones' interaction with the public. IC - the most personal, private focus of awareness in a horoscope. Privacy is t he keyword of the angle. Due to angularity planets on the IC are highly expressi ve keynotes of the year in question. But the realm of manifestation is withing e motional (if not physical) close quarters to home. Specific outer manifestations will center around domestic concerns, family property etc. Psychological orient ation towards roots, sense of inner self, psychic foundations of life - reevalua tion of priorities, ongoing decisions at subconscious level emerge into consciou sness etc - prompting a major cycle shift 'the end of the matter' especially if Sun, Pluto, or Uranus is placed there. Ascendant - one's experience of oneself in the process of interrelating with ano ther - projected self image - how we extend ourselves to others. JE considers s
elfhood as a matter for the entire horoscope with the ascendant implicitly signi fies the presence of relationship. ascendant can be considered "I Do" in SR char ts, denoting self involvement. Descendant - other consciousness, an awareness of other people, cooperation on c ometition as keynotes designating DC attributes. focus of attention away from s elf. death , but not solely, just stepping out of purely individual concerns. Signs mostly irrelevant in SR analysis, except the sign occupied by the SR moon. Location Essentially SSR charts are cast for the location native occupies, vs is born in. Posted by Ravi at 11:08 PM No comments: Labels: SSR Friday, May 13, 2016 Day 14 . [Saturday, May 14, 2016] Chapter 2 (cont'd) Houses: do have a certain measure of importance in Solunar interpretations. But not prim ary. (which are angularity and aspects) When SR are interpreted 'as native charts' in pass 1, houses are important. JE t hinks house dispositorships are misleading, but a planets position in a house is revealing. The important factors wrt houses are luminary placements and stellia. A planet can be simultaneously foreground and angular *or* cadent. (likewise mid dleground + angular/succedent, background + succedent/cadent). The houses related to the foreground planets in an SSR should be focused on. SSR houses and angles mean the same thing as natal houses and angles, except tha t they specifically apply to unfolding patterns and events within a certain time frame. Meanings of SR planets in SRc houses resemble meanings of *transiting* planets i n natal houses. Natal planets on SR angles ( I interpret this as saying that whe n the SR angles share the same zodiacal degree as a natal planet) they manifest Chapter 3 - The Interpretation of Planetary Angularity The last two chapters have emphasized the 'foreground' nature of both natal and solar return planets. This chapter is about interpreting such placements. I am skipping the details of each planet in the foreground/background etc but there seem to be two principle s for such interpretation principle 1 = Foreground planets both solar and natal (A) set the tone of the e ntire period covered by a solunar return. Background planets (in the solar chart , whether solar or natal) represent the least manifest themes. E.g: background M ercury is bad when trying to write a book. (1) This seems to lar return chart* y 2015 SSR has an hart. ). Likewise
refer to the natal planets coming in the foreground *of the so i.e with reference to the angles *of the solar chart*. (e.g M ascendant of 07 Cancer. The TSN is in the foreground of this c for background planets.
[There is a list of transiting planet foreground and background effects, then na tal planets foreground and background effects. Skipped for now. Will read later after getting Ebertin's book] Principle 2: Most foreground natal planets don't have an influence that varies w ith which angle they are 'bound' to via foreground. Angularity just emphasises t hem. BUT if the planets are conjunct the angles (within 5 to 7 degrees, vs just being in the foreground via that angle,) then the angle has a specific effect on how exactly the planet is emphasized. [long list of planet P on angle A delineations skipped for now] Chapter 4 Interpreting Lunar Aspects Focusing on foreground solar and natal planets give us the main theme of the SSR . Then we focus on the solar moon and its aspects Planetary angularity (and 'foregroundness') are is important to clear understand ing of Solunar returns. But angles are static and only 'set the stage'. Angles + Luminaries = Personal points. Sun + Moon + Ascendant + MC draw attention to the most significant parts of the chart. in the SSR, the solar Sun and natal Sun occupy the same point. This makes the mo on the most crucial part of a SSR chart, after the angles. Lunar aspects to sola r and natal planets are important. If lunar aspects are nearly exact while foreg round planets are not exceptionally close to the angles, then the solar Moon can be considered the prime theme setter for the year ahead. In the section, "The Meaning of the Solar Moon" JE ties the status of the Solar Moon to various things 'emotional' - emotions of people in the querent's life, t he emotions he exhibits etc. I am skipping all this psychological woo and focusi ng on event prediction. In the section "The Solar Moon and Health" JE says that important illnesses mani fest as afflictions to the Solar Moon. Technically the angularity of lights is supposed to show wellness but JE says Moon in foreground or midground shows affl ictions if badly aspected. The Sidereal 'constellation' (== sign in sidereal cha rts) shows which part of the body is affected. Lunary importance in terms of angularity Contradictory pieces of advice 1. Luminaries are important in any chart 2. Planets not in the foreground can be ignored. So what if luminary is in background? JE's solution 1.Solar Return Moon a. if in foreground or middleground give aspects full priority b. if in background give aspects full priority only if other parts of chart p oint in the same direction. (e.g: all aspects of less than 1 degree are of impor tance irrespective of cadency) 2. Solar Return Sun a. if foreground, give full priority to aspects
b. if middleground give priority to aspects only if other chart factors are co ngruent c. if background, ignore completely (except partile aspects which are always p otent) Reinforcement and activation sometimes the SRMoon acts as a trigger for an existing aspect (in the SSR), in w hich the lunar nature is hard to discern and the planetary nature is prominent. e.g # 1: King Edward's 1900 SR had a wide Saturn Venus square. Other aspects T. Jupiter conjunct TPluto and conjunct NJupiter, opposed by NPluto and conjunct We st Point -were important. The SSR Moon was weakly placed (just below? 6th cusp) but opposed Saturn and squared Venus (thus activating this aspect) -> death of Queen Victoria etc. e.g #2: JE's solar return had a middle ground Venus Saturn opposition. But the M oon was squaring these planets and so activated this aspect. When SSRMoon progre ssed to exact square Saturn, his grandfather died. generalization - Moon activated a Venus Saturn aspect causing an emotional outco me. emotional/psychological delineations of Solar Moon to Solar planets and Solar Mo on to natal planets skipped. Skimming through the Patricia Hearst solar return series. I think this is too influenced by the 'retrospective fitting' effect. And also t oo much psychology analysis vs hard event focus. Extracted principles For each chart GE looks at foreground planets, close to exact aspects etc. The a nalysis I consider dubious due to the 'retrospective' and 'psychological' factor . 1. Look for the unusual in a chart - GE suggests angularity, (sign and house of) stellium, tight aspects (which GE says are the best starting points of a deline ation). 2. Planets are the active agents and (therefore) angularity and aspects provide the most information. Signs and houses indicate how and where such aspects manif est. Stelliums indicate an emphasis in signs/houses. 3. Strength is given by partility (closeness of orb of aspect). Angularity indic ates ease of expression. here some examples are given where aspects are expressed in terms of psychologic al needs etc. Skipped. 4. PH chart 1. a. Mundoscope + paran analysis support Pluto Moon Jupiter Uranus aspects . b. Interesting is that a background Mars squaring Pluto is interpreted as 'this bg Mars can find expression only via its square to Pluto" which is an example of an interesting principle. 5. PH chart 2 a. A Pluto conjunct the ascendant of this SR, along with the Uranus in H1 is int erpreted as 'the type of personality which will manifest this year" (?? this loo ks dubious and a matter of 'retrofitting') b. aspects among planets which are both foreground (here Venus Uranus square) is considered very relevant for this year. c. close aspects from all over the chart are considered relevant and interpreted
d. fifth house stellium is also folded into the interpretation. Interesting is t hat the 'fifth house' is an SR house, not a natal house 6. PH chart 3 a. GE claims this chart has a 'new tone' b. Again, aspects between planets in the foreground are important. 7. Repeating features across successive SR charts are indicative of 'stages in n atural development (of a multi year phase?). Aspects are repeated across success ive SR charts, and GE also notes grand trine etc (which is one of aspect pattern s?) Summary: While in chapters of the book, GE emphasises foreground/midground/backg round distinctions, in practice, aspects are also very important when it comes t o delineation. Chapter 6, Second Time Through - Wheels within Wheels Solar Return delineation has good accuracy and also simple methods. In this chap ter, an easy way of getting information from an SSR quickly and efficiently. No need for complex approaches or psychic abilities. Though GE generally discourag es 'rules', in SSR interpretation he strongly reccomends a routinized delineativ e approach. Two distinct steps 1. First SR chart by itself - (SA: as previously foreground, midground, backgrou nd etc planets. Then parans, zodiacal and mundane aspects all sorted by partilit y) 2. Add "inner wheel" of natal chart, approach becomes more tightly focused, disc iplined and acute, knowing precisely where to look Algorithm for interpreting SSR - 2nd run 1. Observe angularity and aspects. Set aside signs and houses. 2. Foreground planets are important. Middle ground planets are important only wh en involved in exact aspects. Background planets are significant for lack of act ivity. 3. Only hard aspects are to be considered. Trines and sextiles of solar planets to luminaries are important. 4. The inside/outside notion should be carefully applied. In detail 1. Note which planets are foreground and background, both natal and solar. Frame the core of your delineation around these factors alone, trying to come to som e kind of integrated assessment of general tone. a . If the same planet is foreground in both natal and solar charts, it takes on special significance as a theme (setter) planet b. The planets closest to the angles have the most to say. This guideline w ill help prioritize and weight planetary involvement. c. Solar planets are interpreted as circumstances the world brings to the ind ividual. Natal planets are interpreted as either the actions that evoke these ci rcumstances or the individual's reactions to them. 2. Note aspects between/among foreground planets a. aspects to foreground natal planets help refine judgement on what to expects from the outside world. b. Interpret natal foreground planets by what they represent in the nativity (s hown by natal aspects, and to some degree by their sign placements) c. Note aspects between foreground solar and natal planets.
3. Interpret aspects of the Solar Moon to both solar and natal planets. Stop at this point and make sure the delineation is consistent and makes sense. 4. Observe which solar planets are in the background and how they color the pict ure so far obtained. 5. Interpret aspects of the Sun to solar planets. 6. Consider any remaining aspects within about 1 degree. These represent supplem entary background considerations. Chapter 7. Timing SSR as predictor of events and timing these. SSR pinpoint events (SA: in reality the planetary natures of events) within a y ear. What an SSR describes will come true within that year. We need other method s to designate narrower time periods. 1. A Demi Solar Return is the chart for the moment when the transiting Sun is ex actly opposite the natal Sun. Considered a supplementary chart describing the la tter half of the year. 2. A Quarti Solar Chart - a chart of the moment whet TSun is exactly square nat al Sun is somewhat representative of the quarter of the year. JE doesn't conside r them as strong/reliable as the SSR + DemiSolar. if the subsidiary charts reflect/continue the same event-causing-planetary-signi fcances from the SSR, then the events will happen in that half/quarter. Else, it will happen in the first half/quarter. Timing (cont'd) The Anlunar return is when the moon returns to the position she had *in the SSR chart* . There are 12-13 of these charts. Interpret the anlunar charts by the same rules as in "Procedure for SSR analysis " in chapter 6 but giving more importance to the transiting Sun GE suggests putting SSR in the inner ring and the Anlunar chart on the outer rin g. GE says the Anlunar charts aren't reliable as independent charts, but *are* r eliable in pinpointing the month in which portents of the SR are most likely to be actualized, especially when used in conjunction with the Demi and Quarti Sola rs. Progressing the SSR chart. the SSR can be progressed just like the natal chart. There are two methods to pr ogress this chart 1. The Solar Quotidian (SQ) (2) The Progressed Sidereal Solar Return (PSSR) Quotidian means 'daily' and both these charts are daily charts. There is some unclear theory here (wrt SQ) but I think the essence is that this chart is essentially the progressions *of the SSR* for the year, with the vario us aspects in the SSR manifesting most strongly on the day when the progressed a spect becomes precise. Also the progressed Moon and angles form partile aspects on specific days and th ose become very important. Essentially (pg 108) SQ and PSSR give daily angles. And on the days any planet -
natal, solar, transiting, or progressed solar - come within 1 degree (rarely 2 degrees) of these angles, those planets dominate the day. (ok so far, but I need to actually do some work with a real chart and also wor k out the precise procedures with Solar Fire etc to really get it) Transits to SSR chart JE claims that SSR planets and angles are susceptible to transits, perhaps more than natal charts (!) The main distinction between Solar planets and natal planets is that solar plane ts represent forces coming at you from the external world which are relevant for a year (and natal planets the reverse? this seems to be more of the psychology based inner/outer stuff). So transiting Mars conjunct natal Venus indicates a good time for a sexual enc ounter but transiting Mars conjunct Solar Venus can indicate stress in a relatio nship. A special situation wrt outer planets is that if planets are retrograde in SSR c hart when the reverse direction, they eventually progress to themselves. This ex poses the individual to the purest essence of the planetary influence e.g transiting Pluto precisely conjunct Solar Pluto will mark the most intensely Plutonian week of the year. It is as though a personal window has been opened, giving the individual direct access to the planet's untainted central nature. End of year mop up . GE says that any unresolved (in the year) features of the S SR will manifest in the last 8-10 weeks of the year. (my comment - this seems a bit dubious) example 1: ignoring details, extracting process SSR shows SMoon 7 and 1/2 degrees to exact trine to Solar Venus. By SQ rate, this shows progressed Moon Venus trine as occurring 7 1/2 months aft er his birthday (May). PSSR shows 6 months after birthday(March) Examining an ephemeris, GE isolated a Jupiter square Solar Venus aspect in March (apparently Venus-Jupiter aspects are common to weddings) . Since no correspond ing transit in May, March is selected. The square becomes exact on March 13. PSSR Moon trined the Solar Venus on March 14. On March 16, transiting Venus squared solar Midhaven. Example 2: SSR shows a Saturn Mars opposition (even if middleground). Apparently Mars Satur n aspects are the most stressful. also Solar Moon was applying to a conjunction with Solar Neptune. Quarti solar indicated the same configs. Key principle = aspects with small orbs landing excruciatingly close to Solar/An lunar etc Return angles = extreme results Chapter 9 Enneads The originally Egyptian (?) now Hindu Navamsa divisions of the ecliptic also hol d *as viable returns* . i.e there are 9 basic solar returns every year, one for each 40 degree from the position of the natal Sun. Navamsa is identical to John Addey's "Ninth Harmonic Chart". Every point of the Zodiac is considered to be in pseudo conjunction with points 40, 80, 120 and 160 degrees from it in both directions. Trines and conjunctions
are the only 30 degree aspects which are also multiples of 40. Garth Allen called his discovery the Ennead . It forms a ruling triumvirate alon g with the ordinary Solar and Lunar Return -forming the backbone and flesh of ef fective astrological forecasting Creating the Ennead Essentially add multiples of 40 degrees to the Natal Sun. (Cast charts for tho se moments seems to be implied). You can sudbivide the ennead into 4 period of 1 0 degrees/10 days each. Interpreting: Enneads are interpreted with the same rules as SSR, but only once, with the "sec ond reading" approach. Example of Kennedy assassination ennead elided. (vertex conjunct natal Saturn!!) GE thinks Enneads are more potent individual charts than Anlunars, but don't act as 'triggering' mechansims. Enneads describe the *situation* or more precisely the individual undergoing the experience indicated in the solar/anlunar etc cha rts.
