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Hi Philip. Astronomy and Astology: Finding a Relationship to the Cosmos is a series of Rudolf Steiner's lectures, compiled and edited by Margaret Jonas (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2009), with section headings including "The Subtle Impact of the Stars," "The Human Being as Expression of the Constellations and the Planets," "The Human Being's Inner Cosmic System," "The Revelation of the Stars at Death," and many more (20 in all).

Steiner considered most astrologers insufficiently aware of the subtle forces underlying the visible phenomena of the universe; this situation, he aimed to address through lectures given at various times throughout his career. His work is specifically directed toward reorienting humanity toward a broader vision of its place in, and relationship to, the world of the stars. Steiner was not himself an astrologer, but a practitioner of spiritual science (as he called it), which field includes astrology.

Steiner was particularly interested in the journey of the soul through planes of consciousness identified with the seven classical planets before and after death, and his ideas were taken up by astrologers Willi Sucher (1902-1985) and Robert Powell (today's major exponent of astrosophy, a branch of Steiner's anthroposophy named and developed by Sucher).

Steiner assumed a sidereal approach to astrology and investigated the seven classical planets within a Hellenistic framework. I study Steiner because (among other reasons) his body of work gives me a deeper perspective on the spiritual aspects of astrology, without losing the rigor and philosophical undergirding of classical studies.

This has been a most interesting thread - many wonderful works represented here!

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Astraea wrote:Steiner was particularly interested in the journey of the soul through planes of consciousness identified with the seven classical planets before and after death
This "journey" also is Cayce's main message - an old, medieval (or even Neo-Platonic or Platonic?) concept.
For our astrological theorizing the readings aren't very interesting (telling not much, and no news). Except for Saturn: He is seen as the plane(t) of the soul's change and transformation!

Richard
http://astroinfo.astrologix.de/english.htm

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Richard Vetter wrote: This "journey" also is Cayce's main message - an old, medieval (or even Neo-Platonic or Platonic?) concept.
Hi Richard. Yes, I'm familiar with the Cayce material on planetary sojourns and it is indeed theoretically compatible with Steiner's Platonic or neoplatonic view of the spheres - though the Cayce material approaches the subject in a less hierarchical manner and includes the outer planets in its scope.

In addition to Gammon's book, there is an interesting volume by the late John Willner (who wrote the Incarn software program) entitled Astrological Revelations: Changing your Life and Recharting your Destiny, an Edgar Cayce Guide. In my view, Willner's book contains more useful information for consultation purposes than Gammon's, and is fascinating on a number of levels.

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Philip Graves wrote: 9. James Hillman 'The Soul's Code', selected by Dr. H: in common with Pliny, sounds like good background reading to me!
This book is not on my desktop or between the tons of files of my computer, but it's the only psychological book I did not give away, I found it very deep and true.
It's about how to fulfill the fate we have chosen. It's the Er myth with modern examples,
margherita
Traditional astrology at
http://heavenastrolabe.wordpress.com

Five Astrology Books

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Hello Philip and All,

The course by Ove Sehested is one I completed back in the 1990s, I believe it was. It was first created as a correspondence course, then he
published it as self-directed lessons. It was very, very good. He started at the beginning, with how to erect a chart, find planetary positions, etc. His course went up through predictive methods. It's the best full course I've been familiar with.
I corresponded with Ove a few times, and found him a very nice gentleman. I believe he was very closely affiliated with the AFA, and I think his course prepared you for their cert testing.
I think this was one of the things I lost last year.... Perhaps if you contact the AFA they can help you locate Ove or a copy of this course.

Good luck !!

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Hello Philip,

Great thread. : )
On my desk I have Persian Nativities III: On Solar Revolutions and Astrology in the Middle Ages by Theodore Otto Wedel.
From my chair hangs a bag, and there's Flirting with the Zodiac in it, that's what I read these days while riding the tram and the bus.
Then just behind my back Oscar Hofman's Classical Medical Astrology and Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum's Temperament.

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From an amateur modern astrologer:

1. Rex E. Bills, The Rulership Book: A Directory of Astrological Correspondences (Tempe: AFA, 1971)
A bit outdated but still in print. I use it with the method described in #5 and sometimes for other purposes.

2. Robert Hand, Planets in Youth
Good for people of all ages. Astrology 101. On occasion if I just cannot "get" a chart I will look up his delineations and usually find them helpful.

3. Robert Hand, Horoscope Symbols
(Astrology 102)

4. Micahel Harding and Charles Harvey, Working with Astrology: The Psychology of Harmonics, Midpoints and Astro*Carto*Graphy (New York: Arkana, 1990.)
Despite the title this is not a work in psychological astrology, and it does outline a method for working with harmonic charts.

5. Karen Hamaker-Zondag, The House Connection (York Beach, ME, Samuel Wiser, 1994)
On accidental house cusp rulers/ lords. Gosh! She actually cites Firmicus Maternus!

This list obviously varies depending upon what chart or burning issue I am working on at the moment. I actually don't read Hamaker-Zondag's book much anymore, but it made a big impact on how I read charts.

I am just now reading Geoffrey Cornelius, The Moment of Astrology.

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I too am at last reading the "Moment of Astrology" but grabbed a book about Al-Kindi to read on the train today. It is part of the OUP Great Medieval Thinkers series.

Matt

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Almost all the astrology books live on or under the table where the computer lives - I know this is sad (and kinda scary when I look at it!) The bookshelves are waaay out of space with the theology and history and the walls have run out of space for anymore bookshelves.

What's closest to hand:

Bonatti on Horary (Dykes translation)
Persian Nativities I (Dykes translation)
Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen
The Introduction to the Science of the Judgment of the Stars, Sahl ibn Bishr (Holden translation)
Rhetorius the Egyptian (Holden translation)

I was beyond delighted to find Star Names at the local used bookshop, and many thanks to Ben for going above and beyond in the customer service department by mailing his books to me three times (our postal service is appalling), so that I finally received them.