The Astrology Podcast

This episode of The Astrology Podcast features a recording of a live debate between Eric Meyers and Chris Brennan on the differences between modern and traditional astrology. The recent revival of the older, pre-20th century forms of astrology in the past few decades has led to some major differences in how “modern” and “traditional” astrologers practice and conceptualize the subject, and the purpose of the debate was to explore some of the specific points of divergence between the approaches. Eric represented the modern tradition, and Chris represented the traditional approach. The end result was a sweeping two-hour debate that covered several important topics related to the conceptualization, practice, and philosophy of astrology in the 21st century. Some of the main topics covered in the debate include: * The role of consciousness in astrological interpretation. * The validity of distinctions such as “benefic” and “malefic”. * The validity of zodiacal dignity and debility schemes. * The extent to which things are fated or predetermined, and the role of free-will. * The extent to which other celestial bodies beyond the classical seven should be incorporated into the system, and how. And many more topics. Debate Recording The debate was held in front of a live audience on Saturday, June 14, 2014 at the Mercury Cafe in downtown Denver, Colorado, as part of the monthly meeting of The Denver Astrology Group, which is organized by Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim. The debate opens with Chris and Eric each taking a few minutes in order to make some opening statements. The debate was then scheduled to take up the first hour and a half of the meeting, and then we left 30 minutes open for questions from the audience at the end as well. The recording is 2 hours and 19 minutes long, as it ended up taking a little bit longer than we had scheduled. The written version of Chris’ opening statements can be read on his astrology blog. You can download or listen to the audio file through the links below. Pictures from the Debate Here are a few pictures from the debate, kindly submitted by audience members, that way you can visualize the setup as you are listening. . . . Speaker Bios Eric Meyers holds an M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa University. He has written 5 astrology books, the most recent of which is titled The Astrology of Awakening: Eclipse of the Ego. He is a graduate of the Steven Forrest Apprenticeship Program; an evolutionary astrologer with an emphasis on spiritual awakening. Eric’s main emphasis is on clarifying a spiritual paradigm for astrology, one that literally orbits around spiritual realization instead of ego. He can be reached at: eric@soulvisionconsulting, www.SoulVisionConsulting.com. Chris Brennan is a practicing astrologer from Denver, Colorado. He was educated at Kepler College, where he focused on cross-cultural comparisons between the astrological traditions. He is the former President of the Association for Young Astrologers as well as the former Research Director of the National Council for G...

This episode is a solo show where I focus on a discussion about the differences between the ancient and modern rationales for determining what each of the 12 house signify in a chart. I’ve been wrestling with an issue recently where the conceptual notion underlying the houses is completely different in the traditional and modern approaches, and while there is some overlap, most of the time the significations are derived from different things. The question I have at this point is whether these two approaches can or should be reconciled. Some traditional astrologers think that the two approaches should not be mixed together, while others think that they should. During the course of the episode I try to outline and frame the debate for those who aren’t familiar with it, and explain some possible conclusions that one might come to. News & Announcements * First, sorry I haven’t recorded any new shows in a while. * My main focus over the past few months has been recording a new series of lectures for my Introduction to Hellenistic Astrology Course. * New lectures on the domicile lord of the ascendant, rulers of the houses, triplicity rulers of the sect light, etc. * Once I’m finished with that I will be raising the price, but you can still sign up now for the lower price. * I talk about this a little bit more in this blog post on my website. * Just got back from NORWAC, and it was a great conference. * ISAR is holding a conference in Phoenix in September, and I’m doing a post-conference workshop there on using ancient astrological techniques in modern practice. * I recorded a new lecture on how to rectify a birth chart that is available for purchase on my website. Show Notes * During the course of putting together the new lectures for my Hellenistic course I’ve been doing some research. * I built a database of a few hundred chart examples with AA times for my new lectures. * Used over 70 examples in the ruler of the Ascendant lecture. * I also did a literature review of all of the significations the Hellenistic astrologers used. * This led me to see much more clearly the differences between the ancient and modern approach to the significations of the houses. * In modern astrology the significations of the houses are largely derived from the 12 letter alphabet (a.k.a. “natural houses”). * In ancient astrology they were largely derived from 3 things: 1) angularity, 2) configuration to the rising sign, 3) the joys of the planets. * My previous paper on the planetary joys as the motivation for some house significations. * This is one of the major divides between the ancient and modern traditions. * One of the questions is whether these approaches should be reconciled. * In the domicile lord of the Ascendant lecture I started seeing evidence of Mercurial significations associated with the 3rd house. * This led me to wonder whether I should reconsider using the natural houses, since then Gemini would be associated with the 3rd. * First I tried to see if there were any decent explanations for this within the context of traditional astrology. * Mercurial significaitons started entering into the 3rd in the early Medieval tradition (messengers, legates, messages),

The 16th episode of the podcast features an interview with astrologer Christopher Warnock on the topic of astrology, magic, and the occult. Christopher is one of the leading practitioners of astrological magic in the world today, and he is well known for his work with talismans, publishing translations of magical texts such as the Picatrix, and promoting the practice of traditional astrology. You can find more information about his work at RenaissanceAstrology.com, as well as his discussion group Spiritus Mundi and Renaissance Astrology blog. Outline of the Podcast Here are some of the different topics that we covered during the course of the podcast: * The general topic is the relationship between astrology, magic, and the occult. * What is the definition of magic? * How is astrology defined within this context? * The worldview underlying the practice of astrology. * Why does astrology work? * Is this an astrology of signs or causes? * Or does the magical worldview present a third approach? * What are some of the different ways in which astrology can be applied to magic? * Talismans and amulets. * Other types of elections. * What are some of the main sources for the combined application of astrology and magic? * Discussion about the Picatrix, where it came from, what it contains, etc. * The differences between modern and traditional astrology. * The relationship (or lack of relationship) between the astrological and occult communities. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode of the podcast as an MP3 or you can play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode I talk with Patrick Watson about whether it is ethical to use electional astrology in order to choose a birth chart for a baby that is about to be born, as well as some of the issues connected with that topic. Patrick and his wife had a baby just last month, and as an astrologer he had to think about some of these questions, so I thought it would be good to take the opportunity to discuss it on the show. Outline of the Podcast Here is a general outline of the episode and some of the main points that we talked about: * Patrick had a baby last month, and we wrestled with the issue of electing a birth, and some of the things that arise as a result of it. * James Patrick Watson, born January 24, 2014 at 1:04 PM in Phoenix, Arizona. 29 Taurus rising. * Is it ethical to elect a birth chart? * Would it be ethical to not elect the birth chart if you had the option? * Is this similar to eugenics or gene selection, like the movie Gattaca? * Could it lead to negative things, like discrimination? * They needed to pick a date because a C-section was necessary due to complications. * In the end we picked the date, but didn’t have control over the time, so it was like 50/50. * 50% left up to chance, and 50% choice. * The birth time ended up being later in the day than even anticipated. * Patrick noticed a number of connections between the Ascendant and important moments in the parent’s relationship. * No known planetary placements or Lots at 29 Taurus/Scorpio in the natal chart of parents. Were these transits in anticipation of James’ Ascendant or did the transits “cause” James’ Ascendant to be 29 Taurus? * Wendy Stacey from the UK has done a study on the increased use of C-sections in modern times, showing that it is becoming more and more common. * It is safer. * Doctors prefer it and recommend it because then it conforms to their schedule. * The result though is that more people are born during the day. * Is the birth chart still valid if it was a C-section instead of a normal birth? * We put this question to rest right away and say yes. * It seems like people who say no have a fundamental misunderstanding of astrology. * However, Gauquelin did say that the Mars effect vanished for induced births. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode of the podcast as an MP3 or you can play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode I talk with astrologer Kenneth Miller about the general topic of birth data collection as it relates to astrology. Much of the show focuses on discussing the debate over whether it is better to use the birth charts of celebrities as examples or if it is better to use the charts of people you know, like friends and family. During the course of the show we discuss the pros and cons of both approaches, and ultimately try to come to some conclusion about how to best deal with this issue. General Outline of the Episode * We begin the show with a news segment. * I’ve been recording several new lectures on techniques for my Hellenistic course lately, and this led me to gather some new chart examples and explore different birth data collections. * The main debate is whether it is better to use celebrity charts as examples OR the charts of people you know, like friends and family. * We talk extensively about the different pros and cons of each approach. * The issue of rectification and how annoying it is when people use rectified charts as examples. * Some discussion about AstroDatabank and the Rodden Rating system. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode of the podcast as an MP3 or you can play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In the 13th episode of the podcast I interview Benjamin Dykes about his new translation of book 3 of the Apotelesmatics of Hephaistio of Thebes. Hephaistio was a 5th century astrologer who wrote in Greek, and his third book contains some of the earliest material on electional astrology, largely derived from the 1st century astrologer Dorotheus of Sidon. This is the first time that this text has ever been fully translated into any modern language. The translation was carried out by Eduardo Gramaglia, and Ben served as editor and publisher of the text through his company The Cazimi Press. This is an exciting publication because it allows us to finally answer some longstanding questions about the history and origins of horary astrology, and the extent to which it was practiced in the Hellenistic tradition. The book can be ordered through the link to the page below: Hephaistion of Thebes’ Apotelesmatics: Book III: On Inceptions Below you will find the show notes, which outline some of the different topics that we discussed during the course of the interview. Outline of the Episode: Interview with Benjamin Dykes * Who is Hephaistio of Thebes? * Is it “Hephaistio” or “Hephaistion”? * What is the significance of the book? * Largely on electional astrology. * Preserves material from Dorotheus, who is the earliest source on elections. * Better version of the Dorotheus material than what we had in the Arabic version. * Talking about the process of making the transition. * About Eduardo Gramaglia, the translator. * Ben’s role in editing the book. * One of the reasons the book is important is due to the horary issue. * Does the book contain horary astrology? * The controversy surrounding the origins of horary. * My realization that there is definitely one clear reference to horary in the text, which changes my understanding of the history and development of horary. * Manuscript variations and discussion of that argument. * Distinction between thought-interpretation, predicting outcomes, event charts, and horary questions. * Is it valid to distinguish between consultation charts and horary? * A number of appendices. * Appendix D includes all existing Greek excerpts from book 3 of Dorotheus. * This goes a long way towards allowing us to fully reconstruct Dorotheus. * Technical emphasis on the four angles in almost every election, rather than on individual houses. * Some of the material derived from an earlier strata of the tradition? * Future projects that Ben and Eduardo are planning. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode of the show as an MP3 or you can play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode of the podcast I interview world-renowned astrologer Robert Hand, and we talk about the issue of rebuilding the links between modern and traditional astrology. Rob is known for books such as Planets in Transit, Planets in Composite, and Horoscope Symbols, although he is also known for his work in recovering and reviving older forms of astrology. He is getting ready to present a two day online webinar on Whole Sign Houses later this week on December 14 & 15, 2013, and you can find out more information about it on his website at ARHATmedia.com. Topics Covered Here are some of topics that we talk about during the course of the show: * Some of Rob’s background in modern and ancient astrology. * Some ways in which different ancient philosophies could be compatible with or complimentary to modern astrology. * Different conceptualizations of fate. * Can modern astrology be reconciled with traditional astrology? * Philosophically? * Technically? * The relationship between one’s level of self understanding and the way that you experience fate. * Issues related to whole sign houses and using it in modern astrology. * The relationship between astrology and science. * Where astrology is headed in the future. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode I interview astrologer Nick Dagan Best about his new book titled URANU.S.A.: Astrology Looks at the First Planet and Nation of the New World. The book focuses on three different periods in American history when transiting Uranus was in Gemini, and shows how these were pivotal times that coincided with great changes in the country. For example, Uranus’ transit through Gemini coincided with the American Revolution, the Civil War, and World War II. The book also covers the biographies of a number of important figures who played significant roles during each of these periods, and shows different ways in which transiting Uranus figured prominently in their natal charts at the time of the events. The book is available for order either as an eBook or a printed book through Nick’s website: NickDaganBest.com Below you will find our show notes, and a link to download this episode of the podcast. Show Notes * Book title: URANU.S.A.: Astrology Looks at the First Planet and Nation of the New World * Book was recently released as an ebook and print book. * What is the book about? * Uranus in mundane astrology: chart of the US * Uranus in natal charts: as a transit, or as a natal signature * Collection of short stories. * A new approach to writing astrology books. * Not written like an astrology textbook, but a storybook that uses astrology * There are a number of things in the book that can be used to learn astrology. * Not a cookbook astrology book for the reader, but people can learn about astrology through it. * Payed a lot of attention to the art and illustrations. * Intended to be a graphic novel. * Draws on Nick’s work as a biographer and historian. * All of the astrology stuff is on the right side and all of the historical stuff is on the left side. * It is a good book for non-astrologers, in the sense that it presents a compelling case in terms of why there might be something to astrology. * A few examples of what he covers in the book. * Uranus in Gemini while Venus has just stationed direct coinciding with racial equality issues. * Book also focuses on other countries: Japan and Uranus in Gemini, Great Britain, France, etc. * Past Uranus transits in Gemini coinciding with major wars for the US. * What does this mean for the next Uranus in Gemini transit in just a decade? * Nick’s pans for the future? * Has a lot of other books like this lined up. * Next is first in a series on the Venus retrograde transit cycle. * Traveling around giving talks around the world. * Tomorrow night (September 17, 2013) giving a talk at Jewel Box Theater in Seattle. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In the tenth episode of the show I discuss the future of astrology with Austin Coppock, who is the President of the Association for Young Astrologers (AYA). AYA is organizing a pre-conference workshop at the NCGR conference in Philadelphia next week that will showcase a range of different talks by members of the organization. We thought that it would be good to discuss some of the different trends that we have seen happening recently in the astrological community, and how some of these themes might play out in the coming decades. Unsurprisingly this turned out to be a huge topic to cover, and the show is a bit longer than usual, clocking in at a sold 2 hours and 18 minutes. You can scan some of the main points that we discussed by reading the show notes below: Show Notes * We start with an astrology news segment. * Introducing AYA, and talking a little bit about the organization. * Where is astrology headed in the future?  What will be some of the main themes in coming generations? * Any evidence from the past that could inform us about the future? * Which traditions or types of astrology seem to be becoming more popular? * Recent resurgence of interest in traditional astrology. * Recent popularity of Evolutionary Astrology. * Indian astrology becoming popular in the west since the late 1980s. * Role of psychology and counseling? * Using astrology for psychological analysis vs. predicting concrete external events. * The synthesis of modern and traditional astrology, and the philosophical, technical and ethical issues that come up. * The law of attraction and issues related to it: what is in our control vs. what is not? * Brief digression about fate, free-will, and determinism as an issue that astrologers have to deal with. * Different ways in which astrology is being used. What does an astrologer do? * Value judgements and interpretive distinctions like benefic & malefic, strong vs weak, etc. * Dealing with the rulership issue: modern vs. traditional. * The recent Queer Astrology Conference in San Francisco, and some of the themes that came up there. * What does the astrology of the next few decades say about the future of astrology? * Not just counselors- research and para-academic roles for astrologers? * Myth as an interpretive principle in astrology. * New asteroids and planetary bodies. The solar system is still expanding. * Possibly new scientific discoveries?  Swiss researchers recently found evidence that the lunar cycle may affect sleep patterns. * Potential problems with skeptics? * Ability to hold multiple viewpoints, and the issue with adopting specific positions versus acknowledging multiple truths. * The increasing interest in western astrology in China. * The haphazard nature of the transmission of astrology. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode I talk with astrologer Kenneth Johnson about the relationship between Hellenistic and Indian astrology, and the transmission of astrological doctrines between the two traditions. Kenneth has an M.A. in Eastern Studies from St. John’s College, where he focused on Classical Sanskrit, and has an extensive background in both Indian and western astrology. He is the author of a book on the nakshatras titled Mansions of the Moon: The Lost Zodiac of the Goddess. You can find out more about Kenneth on his website, which is located at: KennethJohnsonAstrology.com. During the course of the show we talk about the history of Indian astrology, and we discuss the somewhat controversial issue of the influence of Hellenistic astrology on the formulation of horoscopic astrology in India. Here are the main topics that we discuss during the episode: * The large number of old astrological manuscripts in India that have yet to be cataloged, edited, or translated. * The similarities between Hellenistic and Indian astrology. * The indigenous system of lunar astrology in India known as the nakshatras. * What to call Indian astrology: Indian astrology?  Vedic astrology? Jyotish? * Does Indian astrology date back to Vedic times? * David Pingree’s argument about the transmission of Hellenistic astrology to India in the 2nd century, through a translation of a Greek text known as the Yavanajataka. * A recent paper which challenges parts of Pingree’s dating of the Yavanajataka. * The use of Greek astrological terms that have been transliterated into Sanskrit in Indian astrology. * Differences between Hellenistic astrology and the doctrines in the Yavanajataka. * The origins of horary astrology, and the question of whether it originated in India. * The value of studying Indian astrology for western astrologers, especially those who are interested in traditional astrology. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In this episode Chris and Kelly Surtees talk about the issue of house division in western astrology, and the range of different house systems that astrologers employ in practice. The discussion was motivated by some recent threads in the Professional Astrologers group on Facebook, including a poll which showed that a surprising number of astrologers have switched to whole sign houses in the past few years. During the course of the show we cover a variety of different topics related to the subject of house division, and the challenge of choosing which system of house division is right for you.  Here is a list of some of the topics discussed: * Brief overview of some of the different types of house division. * Some discussion about the history of the house division issue. * The recent rediscovery of whole sign houses. * Paying attention to planets in houses versus planets ruling houses. * Using one form of house division for horary and a different one for natal astrology? * Testing different systems of house division. There is also a brief astrology news segment at the beginning of the show where I mention the death of Michael Baigent, who passed away in June. Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In the seventh episode of the show I talk with Kelly Surtees about the astrology of Mercury retrograde. Mercury recently went retrograde in Cancer, and so we thought that it would be an appropriate time to talk about the phenomenon on the show. During the course of the episode we discuss some events and circumstances that Mercury retrograde periods seem to correlate with, as well as some ways in which the phenomenon has become a bit over-hyped in the astrological community. If you have any of your own observations or interesting stories to share about Mercury retrograde please let us know in the comments section below! Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

I just returned from the Northwest Astrology Conference (NORWAC) a few days ago, and in this episode I decided to do a recap of some of the high points of the conference with astrologer and fellow conference speaker Kelly Surtees. During the course of the show we talk about some of the people we met and discussions that were had, as well as some of the lectures that Kelly and I presented at the conference. Topics Covered During the Episode Here is a list of topics that we discussed during the course of the show, roughly in the chronological order in which we discussed them: * Introducing Kelly Surtees, and talking a bit about her background. * Talking about our experience of NORWAC. * Learning about different approaches or factions within the Evolutionary Astrology community. * Other types of astrology present at NORWAC. * Praising Jeff Jawer and Rick Levine for their ability to explain the symbolism of basic placements. * Kent Bye was doing interviews where he asked astrologers about their approach to transits, and Kelly and I discuss a bit about what makes our own approach to transits unique. * Kelly talks about using secondary progressions to contextualize transits, and Chris talks about using annual profections and whole sign aspects. * Discussing the topics that we lectured on at NORWAC. * Progressions * Identifying the most important chart placements * Aspect doctrine * Joys * The usefulness of the distinction between benefics and malefics, and the special properties of these planets to affirm or deny significations of other planets in a chart. * Bonifiction and maltreatment conditions. * This led to a broader discussion about valuing the subjective experience of events on the part of the native. * The downside of rejecting any distinction between benefic and malefic. * Potential problems with being too positive, or too empowering. * Determining what astrology can do, versus what is appropriate in a consulting setting. * Is it ethical to select an electional chart for a birth?  What are the pros and cons? * Brief discussion about my recent discovery about the the joys of the planets and how the elements came to be associated with the signs of the zodiac. * Why would anyone study older forms of astrology? What is the point? Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

(http://theastrologypodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/podcast-episode-5.jpg)In the fifth episode of the podcast Chris and Patrick discuss the 2012 presidential election in retrospect, and some of the things that astrologers learned from it in terms of which techniques worked, and which didn't. They also discuss some other notable events that occurred in the past few months since the last episode of the show was recorded in September. This includes topics such as the eclipse in Scorpio in November that coincided with the Petraeus sex scandal, and the end of the Mayan calendar in late December that coincided with... nothing. This leads to other discussions about the Age of Aquarius, the 8 year cycle of Venus, and more. Here are the show notes: News and Announcements Three big conferences this year: NORWAC, AFA, NCGR. Electional course launched (http://www.chrisbrennanastrologer.com/courses-and-tutoring/electional-astrology-course/). Got a big paper coming out with a new discovery about how the elements came to be assigned to the signs of the zodiac. More details soon. Ben Dykes has some new books out: Astrological Magic: Basic Rituals & Meditations Book on mundane astrology coming out soon. Main Topics Retrospective on the 2012 presidential election. Three key things we got right: Problems for Romney starting October 13. Obama's win on Election Day. Romney visiting the White House three weeks after the election. Things we learned from the election: The void of course Moon, and the lessons we learned from Obama accepting the nomination under one this year. Time to lay the VOC Moon thing to rest. Event charts for elections are pretty pointless in the age of early voting. Horary as well. Touching on the issue of this year's inauguration chart(s). See the article on the Political Astrology Blog on the astrology of the 2013 inauguration (http://politicalastrologyblog.com/2013/01/16/obamas-second-inauguration-charts/) for more on this. The Petraeus sex scandal under the Scorpio eclipse in mid-November and the sometimes literal nature of astrological symbolism. End of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. Did the Age of Aquarius begin that day? Issues with the Age of Aquarius, millenarianism, and the true starting point of the new age. Overlap between ages of Pisces and Aquarius. Piquarius? 8 year transit of Venus. Facebook John Kerry   Download or Stream the Podcast You can either download this episode as an MP3 or play it directly from the website by using the buttons below:

In the fourth episode of the podcast Patrick Watson of The Political Astrology Blog joins me to discuss the astrology of the 2012 presidential election in the United States. During the course of the show Patrick and I discuss topics such as the different astrological approaches to predicting the outcome of the election, the approach that we took in issuing our own prediction on The Political Astrology Blog, Obama and Romney’s birth charts, the inception charts for the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the Mercury retrograde on Election Day, and the inauguration chart on January 20, 2013.