As art is the bridge between science and spirt, astrology is the bridge between astronomy and correspondences. The more we can understand the measurable quantity of the heavenly happenings, the more deeply we can express their immeasurable quality. Learn to see the chart in the living sky and bring more of the living sky mysteries into your astrology.
When we re-nature astrology by learning to see the chart in the living sky, we re-member the roots of the rules and the proofs of the astrological equations we use. This is not some dry science class, it is a journey designed to facilitate a deeper connection between the above and below. You will integrate the wisdom bits Gemini transmits through your small screen by engaging with a series of practices beneath the big screen of the living sky outside. All aboard for a magical mystery tour.
Prerequisites:
Students are expected to understand tenants of ground-level astrology like the zodiacal order, basic delineation of signs and houses, and the angles of the major aspects.
Required Texts:The only real books you will need are written in the stars in your sky and the nature of your experience when you get outside. Download the free version of Stellarium planetarium software (stellarium.org), which you will use if clouds keep you from seeing the stars. Smart phone users should also download one of the many planetarium apps like Stellarium, Star Walk, Star Map, etc. and an astrology app like Astro Gold or Time Passages.
Weekly Topics:
1. The Circle of Spirit
Get to know the flow and the why? of the course design and expectations then head out to space station Earth for a quick revolution about the Light. Meet the unequal constellations of the ecliptic plane, contemplate the history and mystery of equal signs, and learn to appreciate the difficulties of tracking sidereal time.
Course intro and logistic • Why learn the Sky? • Astronomy vs. Astrology • Your fieldwork journal • Weekly assessments • Stellarium and other tools • The Circle of Spirit • Earth's Annual Revolution • The Solar Year • The Ecliptic Plane • Zodiac Constellations • Stars are Celestial, Constellations are Terrestrial • The Sidereal Zodiac(s) • The Sidereal Year • Heliacal Risings and Settings of the Stars • Whispers of Precession
2. The Crescent of Soul
Just as Diana delivered Apollo's birth, the soul of the Moon delivers the spirit of the Sun into matter here on Earth. This week will greatly expand your lunar language. Learn to see aspects in the shape of Luna's smile. Learn about the many Moonths of silver time and how they synchronize to recalibrate calendars and generate shadow dragon families of eclipse series.
The Sidereal Month • Nakshatras / Lunar Mansions • Lunar Speed • The Synodic Month • Phases of the Moon • The Silver Year • The Metonic Cycle • "The Zodiac Band" • Celestial Longitude and Latitude • Lunar Nodes • The Draconic Month • The Draconic Year • Eclipse Limits • The 'Black Moon' • The Anomalistic Month • Lunar Speed Revisited • Saros Series of Eclipses
3. The Cross of Matter
How has the primary motion become so secondary to modern astrology? This week's spin is devoted to restoring order! You will learn to see the astronomy of astrological angles, quadrants, and houses in the sky with your naked eye and understand why the lines of the chart rudder from side to side.
Primary and Secondary Motions • Earth's Daily Rotation • The Celestial Equator • Right Ascension and Declination • The Declan’s of Ancient Egypt • Horizon and Meridian • Zenith and Nadir • Azimuth and Altitude • The Astrological Angles • The Astrological Quadrants • The OIAX / "Rudder" • Prime Vertical and Vertex • Nonagesimal and Equal House • Quadrant Houses • Space-based division • Porphyry Houses • Time-based division • Placidus Houses • Sidereal Day vs. Solar Day • Planetary Hours vs. Civil Hours • Ascensional Times
4. The Tropical Zodiac
The principle claim rationalists (and many sidereal astrologers) stake in their efforts to prove tropical astrology fake is that signs and constellations do not align as they did in ancient times. This week you will learn to see why the tropical zodiac is certainly the most astronomically precise of the three zodiac cosmologies (constellational, sidereal, and tropical). You will find that, like so many other sacred systems of ancient wisdom traditions, the tropical zodiac is directionally aligned.
The Reason for the Seasons • Earth's Tilt and Tropics • Equinox and Solstice • The Seasonal Zodiac • North vs. South Hemisphere • The Directional Zodiac • The Declination Zodiac • The Solar Serpent • Gemini Glyph and Antiscia • The Meridian Calendar • Cancer Glyph and Antiscia • The Horizon Calendar • Virgo Glyph and Analemma • Libra Glyph and the Ankh • Sagittarius Glyph and the Tilt • Capricorn Glyph and the Climb • The Apex of the Sun's Way • The Aries Glyph and Ram Horns • The Pisces Glyph and Rudder
5. The Turning of the Ages
Now that we have been directionally aligned, we can trace the precessional circling of Gaia's spine through the heavens above to track the 26,000-year Great Year here on Earth. Though you will learn why the dawning date of the Aquarian Age is a rather arbitrary thing, you will also learn to see that we are alive during an epic time of sacred astronomy that was described in many ancient prophecies. Prepare your heart and mind for a deep dive into the mysteries of space and time!
The Sun on the Cross • East-er and Pass Over • Why does Aries look like Pisces? • The time the Fish were tied • The Tertiary Motion • Axial Precession and Pole Stars • Precession of the Equinoxes • The Great Year • Dating the Thema Mundi • The Astrological Ages • The Age of Aquarius • Galactic Alignment • The Time is Now
- Teacher: Brett Joseph