Astrological Research, page 5

Contents:

Preface
Preface to the 2nd edition

1. The stubborn witness
2. Hidden strands of meaning
3. The weaving pattern
4. Learning the language
5. Consciousness is the currency
6. Is there a cosmic will?
7. Your cosmic self
8. Become what you are!
9. Living with the stars
10. The far edge

Index.

Comment: The classic analysis for the thinking person. Elwell presents astrology as the greatest truth in the world, but also the most neglected. He continues, "That must be the verdict, after 40 years spent trawling the murky waters of astrology.... But if astrology can still hold up its head in a largely uncomprehending & scornful world, it is because it is not what the public thinks it is, it is not what scientists think it is, nor yet is it what most astrologers think it is! Its chief claim to consideration lies in the outright challenge it presents to conventional opinion, because if its testimony is valid it means we have mistaken the nature of our reality (emphasis in the original). The following pages set out to do what it was impossible to do until only recently. For the first time in the history of thought the right conceptual counters are available to build up a picture of what astrology really is." (pg. xi) Read this amazing book.

Wessex Astrologer, 288 pages, paper.

Conference Papers in order of proceedings:

• From Allegory to Anagoge: The question of symbolic perception in a literal world, by Angela Voss.
• Astral Magic: The acceptable face of paganism, by Ronald Hutton
• 'Aspects' of Deity, by Prudence Jones
• Astrology and Science: Two worldviews searching for a synthesis, by Jesus Navarro
• Astrology at work in social science research, by Pat Harris
• The Academy as an archetypical group dynamic, by Liz Greene
• Verity & the question of primary & secondary scholarship in astrology, by Geoffrey Cornelius
• Psychological aspects of astrology's return to the academy, by Jean Hinson Lall
• The lure of Egypt, or how to sound like a reliable source, by Joanna Komorowska
• Marco Polo & the Chinese zodiac, by Derek Walters
• Astrology & the Brazilian culture: A personal perspective, by Ruth Cintra
• Astrology as a language course, by Mike Harding
• The importance of comets for the cause of astrology: The case of Pierre Bayle in the years 1680-1705, by Jacques Halbronn

Comment: Ah, for the life of academic pilgrimages. The papers presented are all thoroughly sound & in a respectably stilted, academic style. I have just finished reading David Lodge's 1984 academic romance, Small World, about the amusing & convoluted relationships of those academics who frequent such conferences. What is to be the fate of degreed & tenured astrological academics as they make their way in conference world? Get Lodge's book & find out!

Cinnibar Books, 204 pages.

Contents:
Acknowledgements; Introduction

Part One: Midpoints: 1. The origin & development of midpoints & the concept of planetary symmetries (Harvey); 2. Calculating midpoints (Harding); 3. The cardinal/fixed/mutable sort (Harding & Harvey); 4. The inner marriage: The sun/moon midpoint (Harvey); 5. Analysing three factors (Harding & Harvey); 6. Interpreting midpoint trees (Harding & Harvey); 7. Transits (Harding & Harvey); 8. Midpoints in mundane astrology (Harding); 9. Midpoints in other harmonics (Harding); 10. Starting to use midpoints (Harding)

Part Two: Harmonics: 11. Introducing harmonics (Harding); 12. Consciousness: The numbers 5 & the 5th harmonic (Harvey); 13. The 7th harmonic - Whatever turns you on (Harding); 14. The 9th harmonic (Harvey); 15. The harmonics of manifestation (Harvey); 16. Starting to use harmonics (Harding)

Part Three: Astro*Carto*Graphy: 17. Astrocartography (Harding & Harvey)

Part Four: Case Histories: 18. James Joyce (Harding); 19. Zelda Fitzgerald (Harding); 20. Practice makes perfect: A case study (Harvey); 21. Looking ahead (Harding & Harvey)

Solution to the midpoint case; Appendix 1: Computer program; Appendix 2: Table of equivalents; Appendix 3: Chart data; General index; Name index; Midpoints index.

Contents: In one excellent volume, the 3 great techniques of the 20th century, each fully explained, ideal for beginners to the subject. The lucid explanations in this book have helped many to comprehend & use midpoint trees, 90 degree dials, astromaps & the ever-mysterious harmonics (5th, 7th & 9th in detail). Case studies tie all these together. Profusely illustrated. The only book of its kind, imported directly from England. A classic.

Consider Publications, paper, 472 pages.

• An explanation of declination
• Accounting for maximum declination
• Celestial body relationships
• The primary concept
• Out of bounds significance
• Zodiacal sign relevance
• Maverick planets
• Moon out of bounds
• Planets out of bounds
• Jupiter out of bounds
• Uranus out of bounds
• Pluto, the known rogue
• Maurading Mars
• Abberant Aphrodite
• A declination premise
• Finding the active point
• Off the ecliptic by celestial latitude
• Final thoughts

Tables: 1. Eccentricity & inclination of planetary orbits; 2. Jupiter's out of bounds cycles related to stations (1900's); 3. Jupiter's out of bounds cycles, 1600-2100; 4. Uranian out of bounds cycles, 1600-2100; Plutonian out of bounds cycles, 1200-2400; 6. Martian out of bounds cycles in non-bordering solstice signs, 1600-2100; 7. Venusian out of bounds cycles in non-bordering solstice signs, 1600-2100; 8. Moon's major & minor standstills from 1900-2030; 9. Moon's out of bounds cycle in non-bordering solstice signs, 1900-2030; 10. Out of bounds celestial bodies, frequency by data source; 11. Moon, Venus, Mars out of bounds in fixed signs, frequency by data source.

Comment: The definitive book on declinations. Far more impressive than anything else I have seen. Chapter by chapter:

Introduction: Intent of the book, goals. The itself earth as a body of energy that eternally renews the life upon it.

Notes Concerning Data: Comparing printed sources to computerized ephemeris generators produced general agreement in maximum Solstice declination from 1800-2100, but not for earlier periods, or perhaps, later periods. The 130 year problem. Solutions used.

Explanation of Declination: Declination & the seasons. Solstices as hinge points. Antisica, the tropical zodiac, the cardinal points.

Accounting for Maximum Declination: Because the earth's maximum declination changes, from a minimum of 22 degrees 36 minutes, to a maximum of 24 degrees, 12 minutes over a very slow moving 40,000 year cycle, the points at which planets go beyond it by declination (ie, "out of bounds") also changes. Presently maximum declination is decreasing & presently stands at 23 degrees 26' 30".

Celestial Body Relationships: Definitions of parallel & contraparallel, with diagram.

The Primary Concept: Out of bounds, as a variable, defined.

Out of Bounds Significance: When planets are further from the equator than what the sun itself travels in a year (eg, beyond the borders of the Tropics of Cancer or Capricorn), they are known as out of bounds and are understood to be beyond normal conditions or expectations (coined by KT Boehrer). How this relates to the earth's magnetic poles.

Zodiacal Sign Relevance: The normal out of bounds signs are Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius & Capricorn. Watch out for planets out of bounds in other signs.

Maverick Planets: Pluto, Mars & Venus, all out of bounds where they shouldn't & what that means.

Moon out of Bounds: Major (out of bounds) and minor (in bounds) standstills, which is when the moon reaches its maximum declination (N or S) and changes direction.

Planets out of Bounds: Saturn & Neptune, in modern times, never go out of bounds. Mercury goes out of bounds one to three times a year. When that coincides with its being retrograde, the retrograde is particuarly severe (now you know).

Jupiter out of Bounds. Erratic.

Uranus out of Bounds. Dependable. (surprise!)

Pluto, the Known Rogue: Shorter & shorter out of bounds periods through the centuries.

Maurading Mars: Out of bounds once every year, along with other observed Martian patterns.

Abberrant Aphrodite: Out of bounds in Taurus or Scorpio, ie, in its rulership or fall.

A Premise of Declination: How to make practical use of the foregoing astronomical analysis. Declination & midpoints. Declination & longitude conbined.

Finding the Active Point: Nelda Tanner's grid football. Off the ecliptic, or not aligned with the the earth's nucleus: Planetary positions plotted inside or outside of the football, and how to find the active point.

Off the Ecliptic by Celestial Latitude: Off the ecliptic around the time of the solstices.

Final Thoughts: The Vesuvian cycle. Out of bounds Venus & mundane astrology. Pluto's short out of bounds cycle & the orbit of Uranus.

In Appendix 3, Crystallization, some 31 short delineations, with charts.

This book fleshes out KT Boehrer's pioneering work, and easily pulverizes everyone else in the field. This book is short on cookbook delineations, but is rich in analysis & positively awash in fascinating ideas & startling insights.

Gheminee, 114 pages, oversize, comb-bound.

Introduction
Declination: the basics
The solar festivals
Beyond the steps: Planets out of bounds (OOB)
The two hemispheres
Antiscia
Stars in declination
Declination in action: The Davison composite chart
The path of Ra

Appendices:
1. Ecliptic & equator: the fundamental astrology of it all
2. Named stars & their declinations
3. Investigating yods
4. Why a contra-parellel is not an 'opposition'.

Index.

Comment: The first chapter is a good introduction to declination generally. This is done by means of the Sun's annual declination cycle, which is, by the way, how seasons are defined. The moment the Sun crosses the equator, going north: The first day of spring. The moment it peaks in its northward travel, before turning south: The first day of summer. The moment it crosses the equator, heading south: The first day of autumn. The moment it peaks in its southward journey, before heading north: The first day of winter. The maximum declination of the Sun is 23 degrees, 26 minutes, north & south. Planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Uranus & Pluto) whose declinations exceed these limits are said to be Out of Bounds (OOB) for the period during which they exceed them. As all planets have a complete declination cycle, south to north & back again, in the same period as their orbits, the Saturn declination cycle is, therefore, 29-ish years (during which time its rings will go from "down" to horizontal to "up", as viewed in a telescope). From this, we also get Antiscia, which is as many degrees from the equator going up, as degrees from the equator, going down. In solar terms, these can also be defined as pairs of days in the year.

The second chapter expands on solar festivals, ie, the seasons of the year. These have mundane significance, but Newman instead tells us of Juliet, as in Romeo & Juliet.

Chapter 3, on Out of Bounds, details people & events where one or more planets were out of bounds. He sometimes ties these to more transient aspect patterns, but since planets can be out of bounds for days or weeks at a time, it would have been helpful to have also tied these to house occupancy or rulership, for greater definition.

Chapter 4 tells us what happens when planets cross the equator, moving from the Northern to the Southern hemispheres, or vice versa. It includes Neptune crossing the equator, which it did from November 1942 to June 1946, and Pluto crossing the equator, which it did around 1862. These are significant mundane events (see CC Zain's excellent book, which covers precisely this point), but Newman fills his chapter with TV & movie premieres, authors & their works, and, for Pluto, the Elephant Man.

Chapter 5 is on the Antiscia. Antiscia is derived from the 0 Cancer / 0 Capricorn axis, which, in solar terms, are the Summer/Winter Solstices. Zodiacal points of equal distance from this axis are pairs. For example, the Antiscia of 5 Cancer is 25 Gemini. Every point in every chart has its proper Antiscia, which are sensitive points. This is not declination per se, except that, in the case of the Sun (which forms the framework of Newman's book), the Sun at 5 Cancer is parallel to the Sun at 25 Gemini. Newman interprets this as a form of reflection, not conjunction per se. The example chart is that of Robert Louis Stevenson.

Chapter 6, Stars in Declination, explains that some notable fixed stars have declination north of the equator, while the Sun, when it is in the same vicinity, has south declination, and vice-versa. Examples: Sirius, Rigel, Arcturus, etc. The example is the opening of King Tut's tomb in 1923 & makes use of the solar eclipse of March 17, 1923.

Chapter 7 is on the Davison composite chart. The usual composite technique is to average the zodiacal position of pairs of identical planets, into a new chart. Average the zodiacal positions of the two Suns into a composite Sun, the two Moons into a composite Moon, etc. As Newman points out, this largely neutralizes useful declination data. Davison's technique was to average the two dates, and then average the two locations, into a new date & new location. For example, the average of a chart of January 1, 1960, in New York, with one of 1 January, 1970, in Los Angeles, would be (approximately) 1 January 1965 in St. Louis. (Computer programs work this out with great precision.) And although this technique is not much used, it is a very good technique, and, as Newman points out, has useful declination data. He suggests combining one's own natal chart with the annual ingress chart, or the chart of one's country. He then goes on to sunrise over Stonehenge, repeating the mistaken notion that the structure is a "solar temple" (Stonehenge, like Avebury & the many other standing stones & menhirs in England, is actually an earth battery, the most powerful of them all, but I digress). He then notes the date of the annual contraparallel to the natal sun as a good day to start over, and concludes the chapter with mush on the extreme tides seen around the solstices.

Chapter 9, The Path of Ra, describes an attempt to create "Sabian Symbols" for each degree of declination, with mixed results.

Appendix 3, on Yods, develops the idea that yods do not express parallels & contra-parallels of declination very well.

In sum, a good introduction to the subject.

Wessex Astrologer, 198 pages.

Comment: There are some useful hints on declinations in the first three pages of the book (pages in the book are formatted in two columns & set in small type, so these three are more like 10 pages in a standard book). One hint: Progressed lunar declinations may bring changes in earnings, as noted by Karen Christino. DeMello makes numerous references to Kt Boehrer's work, which is both seminal and, sadly, out of print. DeMello's own conclusions are hackneyed. Early astronauts had moon out-of-bounds with surprising frequency, also the first three homosexual males deMello encountered. Later astronauts, as well as other gays, did not. DeMello concludes, After all, since early astronauts, our best & brightest, had out of bounds moons & are thoroughly investigated, it is hardly likely that any of them was homosexual. (pg. 2) Elsewhere he writes, While there are many homosexuals of both sexes in mainstream Hollywood, there is no crossover between those who act in porn and those who do not. (pg. 94) DeMello notes he has little talent for writing, which did not stop him, or, indeed, many others, from doing exactly that. Those with the best talent rarely find the use of that talent compelling. I don't know - or care - if deMello is a homophobe. But he is not the brightest bulb.

The 167 charts are in 2 sets: The first with Saturn at or around 0 degrees (+/- up to 2 degrees), the second with Jupiter at 0 degrees (+/-, etc.). Since Saturn moves slowly, what this means in practice are clusters of charts in the years 1908-09, 1921-22, 1937-38, and, 1950-52. Despite plentiful evidence to the contrary, deMello wants to make all those with Saturn at 0 to be homosexuals, or at least, bisexual (conclusions, pg. 257). Given that homosexuals are, in fact, born on every day of every year, deMello's 16 year cycle (during which, presumably, everyone is gay) is questionable at best. I should know: There's a "deMello cluster" that's 1-2 years older than me, people impossible for me to ignore. Despite the fact this is a book about declination, few of deMello's chart critiques make any mention of declinations at all. Worse, though he prints the wheel & (mostly) provides aspect grids, none of the charts show declinations, a curious omission. He sources only some of the birth data, which is always provided. With that caveat, get this book for the charts. There are some interesting charts here, including numerous "male porn stars", Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson, Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein & Rush Limbaugh.

AFA, 258 pages, oversize.

Comment: The author finds the sun & its planets, in various groups, as well as humans & their activity, to all be involved in interrelated cycles, in many fascinating ways. In particular, there is the relationship of the inner planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth with the sun, and that of the outer planets: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Between the two is Jupiter, member of both groups, its position pivotal, its influence large. In addition to presenting his own research, Landscheidt surveys & builds upon significant European scientific work that is generally unknown in the US. All of this tends to support astrology as astrologers themselves view it. In other words, Landscheidt does not rely on statistical analysis to make his points, a refreshing break from most other studies of astronomical/astrological phenomena. A great deal of further research could be done based on this book, it is seminal.

Urania Trust, 112 pages.

Contents:

Astrology with an attidude
Of Mormons and zodiacs
Sun sins
Which planet are you from?
Seven keys to the soul - Venusian, Jupiterian, Martian, Saturnine, Neptunian, Uranian, Pluto, Mercury, The sun
Angles - what they really mean
Revelation
What not to use in astrology
Edgar Cayce, American psychic
Rediscovering astrology

References
Index

Comments:

Examines the scientific research of Michel Gauquelin and compares his conclusions with the wisdom of two of two psychics, Edgar Cayce and Ruth Montgomery. The author offers a formula for determining the planets you sojourned prior to physical birth and how they influence your personality in the present life.

AFA, paper, 172 pages.