- by Roy Kirkland
In traditional Indian families, naming a child is a religious duty. The first syllable of the name is chosen according to the position of the Moon at the moment of birth. Astrologers, just by knowing the name and birthdate, could cast a reasonably accurate horoscope. Final corrections can be made by studying the palm and important events in the life, therefore, anyone who is lucky enough to have access to a reputable Jyotishi (astrologer) also has access to reliable predictions, but, unfortunately, reputation may be judged by personal popularity, rather than predictive skill these days.
In the west, we are not so lucky. I was so overwhelmed at the moment of my son’s birth I almost forgot to look at my atomically calibrated watch. About five minutes later, a nurse filling out the birth certificate asked if anyone knew what time it "IS".
All astrologers worth their weight in sand consider almost any given time, even from a birth certificate, suspicious. Sometimes births are recorded only to the nearest quarter of an hour in modern, technologically advanced nations like France.
I have worked with clients whose birth records are unavailable, and have rectified many horoscopes with inaccurate birth-times. Rectification, the art of finding the correct birthtime, is a challenging task. It requires careful instruction and lots of practice, with the emphasis on practice.
Some practitioners are content to “guess” the ascendant on the basis of physical features, primarily the face, but most professionals are not content with this concept. Too many examples appear in each of the zodiac signs that show such variety in bone structure, complexion, hair and eye color and other features. One can only assume that all planets affecting the ascendant degree and the planet it belongs to, as well as the Decans (called at one time the “faces”) and the Bounds within the sign are important. In order to see a very good example of this, click here.
The question of accuracy has plagued astrologers for a long time, but there is a solution for this problem – thinking outside the box. Instead of focusing so much on the static symbols of the houses, we see what the dynamics of the symbols we call planets and signs have to say. And by dynamics, I mean just that – consider the velocity and direction of the planets to be equal in importance with their position.
Symbolic reasoning, the ability that separates us from the rest of Earth's animals, is the basis of astrology, math, literature, and science. Physicists, economists and other people who need to model and analyze situations have been describing what happens in their world by using symbols for some time. In fact, language itself, both written and spoken, is a symbolic representation of objects and their movement in space, and we abstract these symbols metaphorically to describe things of similar nature that cannot be seen or ascribed coordinates. These metaphors are the very basis of thought and emotion, the body of the human soul.
Virtual astrology not only helps beginners learn faster, but it also helps to build a firm foundation in rectification techniques necessary for intermediate and advanced students.
Let’s explore the essentials of virtual astrology:
1. Use the local noon position of the Sun, Moon and planets in constructing a virtual chart. The Moon moves approximately a degree every two hours, so in 12 hours, it moves about 6 degrees. If the noon position of the Moon is more than 7 degrees or less than 23 degrees of any sign, it is certainly in that sign for the entire day.
2. Whole sign houses work best. In Indian and Hellenistic astrology, mathematically divided houses were used to calculate the 'strength' of the planets and to define landmarks in primary directions: whole sign houses were used for interpretation.
3. If you have some certainty about the Moon’s sign, use it as the virtual rising sign. In India, transits are judged this way. They count the planets’ changes of sign and direction as well as their velocity, as being more important than the angular distance between them.
4. Eclipses and planetary stations are the most important transits, especially when they connect with natal planets.
5. Square and opposition aspects are more “expressive” – not necessarily bad; while the trines and sextiles are supportive – not necessarily good. The planets involved determine the quality of the aspect’s energy. Mars (competition, irritation, conflict, aggression) or Saturn (delays, obstacles, congestion, pressure) can bring their qualities into any aspect. Jupiter and Venus, can signal prosperity, harmony and friendship, yet they also show indulgence, laziness and excesses. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto can, when connected with natal planets, provide both opportunities and impediments.
6. Always watch the motion of the transiting planets, paying careful attention to their speed. Planets approaching aspects or conjunctions tell us about the future, while separations speak of the past. If a transiting planet looks like it will aspect a natal position in the future and retrogrades before the transit occurs, it represents a promise that is unfulfilled.
7. Don’t sweat the small stuff – I have never seen a major prediction work out when its sole indicator is a bi-septile aspect from a transiting asteroid to the prenatal lunation.
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