Knowledgebase.
Techniques. Before looking at actual techniques, the following rules should be noted.
1] An orb of 1 degree is used for transiting and progressed planets aspecting the natal chart. Although it is fashionable to allow this orb either side of exactness I find that the effect of transits or progressions drops off sharply after exactness has been reached. For this reason I would suggest ignoring separating aspects.
2] The effect of a transit or progression depends entirely on the Natal chart. In other words, if the configuration exists in the natal chart the effect will be strong and have permanent effect. If it does not occur natally, you will find that although the effect may be strong while in force, once it has passed it may seem to the subject as though it had never happened or had become insignificant in their life.
Many students make the mistake of trying to use one of these techniques in isolation. This is quite wrong. For a safe overview of future trends it is necessary to bring together the main techniques and then synthesise the whole. A safe basis would be Transits, Secondary Progressions, One Degree Method, and the Solar Return Chart. The favourite 'real time' method for deducing future trends. The actual movement of the planets in the heavens is compared to the natal chart and any aspects noted. Both major and minor aspects should be used. Also, significant is a change of Sign or House in the natal chart.
Matters can easily be overemphasised by bringing in relatively insignificant planets thus confusing the overall picture. By far the best method is to use the transits of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto only. Jupiter and Saturn may be brought into the picture if they spend a great deal of time aspecting a particular planet or they change Sign or House. As for the remainder - Sun through to Mars- better to ignore them for normal work. Your deductions will be all the better for it.
New Moons. Another favourite technique which compares any aspects from the New Moon - usually major aspects only, orb 2 degrees - with the natal planets and Angles. In my estimation, the effects are so slight they can be ignored. A case could be made for eclipses of the Sun or Moon but I haven't found anything significant. Again, you could be overloading the analysis by using these.
Progressions are a method of advancing the chart through real time and are quite different to Directions which are discussed below, although the two are often grouped under one heading.
There are several progression techniques each using different parameters to achieve their goal. The main one is known as Secondary Progressions and uses the idea that one day of real time is equal to one year of life. For example: if the subject was in his 26th year the actual planetary positions occurring on the 26th day after birth would be used to draw up a new chart. This chart is of limited use by itself, the relationship with the natal chart is what really matters. If a planet (or one of the Angles) changes Sign or House in the natal chart this usually indicates a distinct change in attitude towards life and may trigger background events according to the nature of the new positioning. Thus, if the Sun had moved from the second House (finances) to the third House (communication) one would expect the subject to become less interested in money matters and more inclined to express himself through speech or writing. Interests in education and study could also occur.
The main use of the progressed chart lies in any aspects from the progressed planets to the original birth chart using a small orb of 1 degree. Generally, only the major aspects are used, but there may be a case for including the minor aspects especially if the aspect is natally configured. The slower moving planets - Jupiter to Pluto - rarely move much using this method and are discounted, but the faster moving planets - from Moon to Mercury - are significant. Venus and Mars may also occasionally form aspects. The interpretation depends on two things, the strength of the progressed planet and the type of aspect in force. The Sun is very powerful with Mercury, Venus and mars a close second. Although much is made of the progressed Moon, I find the only effect of any significance is when the progressed Moon makes a conjunction or changes Sign or House.
Other progression techniques. Tertiary progressions. Minor progressions.
Although often grouped together under progressions, these are quite different in the way in which they are calculated because they are based on the addition of a specific measure to the natal positions rather than using the passage of actual time. As with progressions, aspects to the natal chart are noted together with any change of Sign or House by planets or Angles.
One Degree Method (O-D's) This is a very accurate method and can be relied on. Furthermore, it does not require any great skill to calculate. Here, 1 degree is added to the natal positions of planets and angles for each year of life.
Solar Arc. The actual movement of the Sun over the designated period - usually a set number of years - is added to the natal positions. Although quite an attractive idea and considered to be a 'must' in some circles, I find it inconclusive and hard to isolate from any O-D's which generally tend to run concurrently. Probably overemphasised in actual use, and it may be better to ignore it altogether until it can be evaluated properly.
Others. In actual fact, one can add any measure to the natal positions to produce directions, but one has to ask the question will it produce meaningful results?
Brought to the attention of astrologers by John Addey. The traditional 360 degree circle is divided into segments by a whole number, these segments are placed on top of each other and then stretched out to form a new circle.
What is remarkable about this technique is that it enables us to look at distinct layers rather than just the natal chart. For instance, we can examine a person's Harmonic Chart 4 (how the individual would cope with challenges) quite separately from the natal chart. Of critical importance is the understanding of the Harmonic number used to generate the chart because the chart needs to be examined from this point of view only.
There is a great deal of work still to be done with this fascinating aspect of astrology but, for the moment, it is perhaps too cumbersome and time-consuming to be of use in normal work.
A midpoint is simply the point lying midway between two planets, using the shortest distance. It does not appear to matter if the planets are in aspect or not. Midpoints can also exist between Angles or planets and Angles.
The theory is that this point acts rather like an aspect in that it takes on the attributes of both planets. E.g. The Sun - Mars midpoint is highly motivated and energetic. It is also regarded as a sensitive point which can be activated by transits and progressions. Thus, a Saturn transit would limit and restrict this part of the character during the transit period.
One of the great difficulties with this idea is that it is very difficult to isolate one of these points to test out the theory. More often than not, there are many other factors at work - transits, progressions, returns, etc, - which make it difficult to be certain that a midpoint is solely responsible for what is happening. I would say that the jury is out on this one.
A valuable technique in which two charts are compared to see how they interact mainly by judging the aspects formed between the planets in one chart to the planets in the other. Very useful for establishing the nature of a relationship, but can be used in other ways, such as comparing a Solar Return to the Natal chart. Normally, only major aspects are used with an orb of 3 degrees, but a case could be made for the use of minor aspects.
Use is made of a BiWheel chart to give a visual overview of the relationship.
One of the most valuable techniques ever devised for predicting future trends, especially when rotational techniques are used.
A chart is drawn up for the exact time that the Sun returns to its Natal position and is in effect until the next return. This is the 'true' birthday and has given rise to the phrase 'many happy returns'. The resulting chart can be read just like any other chart except this time the interpretation is slanted towards what is likely to happen during the year ahead. In addition, any aspects between the return and the natal chart are noted and interpreted thus bringing in valuable additional information.
The technique is so useful that a whole book could be written about it - some already have been. It goes without saying that any attempt to judge future trends without using the Solar Return is likely to fail - it is an essential technique.
Of lesser importance is the Lunar Return, which is drawn up for the time that the Moon returns to its Natal position. One of the great difficulties with this chart is that it is highly dependant on an accurate time of birth because the Moon moves so quickly. Also, this chart is really only concerned with mundane, everyday matters rather than major trends. Its use is therefore limited.
Other return chart can be drawn up for the remaining planets but suffer greatly from two problems. Firstly, as all planets except the Sun and Moon are subject to retrogrades - the appearance of seeming to go backwards in the heavens from time to time - these planets will cross the birth position at least three times. The question is - which return do we use? No satisfactory answer has been established to date. Secondly, the accuracy with which we can calculate the positions of Jupiter and the other outer planets is not sufficiently good to enable us to draw up accurate charts. I recently compared the results of two 'accurate' computer programs to produce a Saturn Return chart. The difference amounted to hours rather than minutes thus making the erection of a useful chart impossible. My advice would be to forget all return charts other than the Sun, or the Moon in special circumstances.
Chart rectification is a technique used to correct charts having times which are known to be inaccurate. Various methods have been used, some of them quite ingenious [Jigsaw], but tests using known birth times which have then been altered show that failure to establish even a reasonably accurate time occurred in the majority of cases. At best, one can come up with a chart that is perhaps more useable than before, but it must be stressed that it would be quite wrong to assume that a rectified chart is an accurate one.
Astrology needn't be a mystery, and learning the subject needn't be a chore. Check out the available courses for rapid learning methods. You could soon be reading charts.
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