Continuous professional development is vital to a practicing astrologer. The purpose of these original articles is to provide modern insight into the ancient craft based on extensive research, and to demystify ancient techniques. Purchasing these technical articles eliminates the need for individual research and offers the astrologer thought-provoking material which can be applied in practice. These articles are not available elsewhere.

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Although traditional astrology dates back to the Old Testament, it is as current today as it was then. Traditional astrology does not rely on a time period: those practicing the craft today (and their academic contributions) are as relevant as the astrologers of yesteryear. John Frawley imparts his vast knowledge with authority and clarity and his sense of humour is woven through the intensity of the subject of astrology like a breath of fresh air. The Real Astrology, The Real Astrology Applied, The Horary Textbook, Sports Astrology and the Astrologers Apprentice CD are essential references when studying the craft and form part of the compulsory textbooks for my 5 levels of tuition.

The first South African Traditional Astrology Conference was hosted in 2010; it was a resounding success. Delegates benefited from a wealth of knowledge provided by Oscar Hofman (Netherlands), Jacqueline Brook (South Africa) and Louis van Aswegen (South Africa), with some of the information making its public appearance for the first time. The strong medical theme flowed throughout the 4 days. The DVD box set showcases the complete 4 day conference: enjoy the conference in the comfort of your own home!

“The sins of the father.....” An in depth look at the role of Saturn, god of doors, over 3 generations - is there a familial trend in the paternal lineage, or not? Saturn is the planet that forces us to grow up, to leave behind the parts of ourselves that are no longer desirable and to face the reality of our individual potential in all its magnitude, but also to acknowledge our limitations.Saturn not only displays our ability to set boundaries and to manifest his other properties, but also our ability to suffer. The placement of Saturn in the nativity should depict what the nature of the (bulk of the) pain and suffering will be - that which we will need to endure, as well as the areas of life from which this will arise. If this is assessed together with Fortuna (as the Part of Hunger), a clear path should emerge as to how the native is required to return to the Divine. Word Count: 2629; Price: ZAR75.

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The horary astrologer is the practitioner to consult when life's events make no sense: you are unable to see the wood for the trees or you have reached a crossroads; far better to know the pitfalls and propensities that lie ahead in order to choose the appropriate course of action.

The Solar Return chart, together with other directed charts used by the astrologer, provides a personalised annual forecast. It is completely unnecessary to launch yourself into either a new 'birth' year, or a chronological New Year, devoid of the vital tools required to make prudent decisions.

The role of the Moon in astrology of the Tradition and her Mansions - their origin, their symbolism and interpretation, how they were applied in yesteryear and their relevance today. The material on the Lunar Mansions is hopelessly corrupt; the Mansions differ according to which source is accessed, tropical or constellation. The starting point varies with different sources: some start from 0 Aries, others don’t, thereby providing either 27 or 28 Lunar Mansions respectively. While researching the material on the Lunar Mansions, it became apparent that why the versions we have are corrupt to the point of uselessness, is that the connection with the fixed stars has been long forgotten. The Lunar Mansions have become fixed onto the zodiac, and the list of their meanings has been copied over at least a couple of thousand years without anyone bothering to update them. The article includes a table of updated Mansions for 2010. Word Count: 5695; Price: ZAR75.

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This material is a combination of practical experience and extensive research into both ancient and current texts. Advanced methodologies and insight are applied to technically difficult areas of the craft and to complex events. The more open an astrologer is to acquiring additional knowledge from colleagues, the better able he is to assist his clients.

Horary astrologers worldwide will be focused on the matches along with the soccer fans, pitting their astrological skill against the sport. As the tournament unfolds I will delineate charts for my favourite teams and articles will be added to this page; the reader is encouraged to read them in sequence from the bottom upwards.

The realm of the fixed stars and its corresponding mythology provides the perfect platform from which to delve into the world of symbolism. Astrology is a language of symbols: the student of astrology is required, by this stage of their studies, to possess a thorough understanding of both symbolism and the sphere of the fixed stars.

“To honor the self is to be in love with our own life, in love with our possibilities for growth and for experiencing joy, in love with the process of discovering and exploring our distinctively human potentialities.”- Nathaniel Branden, Honoring the Self

Introduction

In the hand of cards we are dealt, we all have a winning combination and a losing one, and how we play the game of life depends on our free will. In every hand there is one exceptionally good card, and in the natal chart that planet is called the Lord of the Geniture. This simply means the ruler (Lord) of the chart and is the planet that has the most essential dignity. Every planet enjoys varying degrees of dignity or debility in each of the twelve signs through which it traverses, and the one with the most essential dignity gets to wear the badge of Lord of the Geniture (LoG). There are the few exceptions where the native does not have a LoG as none of the seven planets in the nativity have any essential dignity. Even though this may appear pretty dismal at the outset, the skilled astrologer can still find a positive and helpful way forward for the person, but this is done without the assistance of the biggest ally in the chart, the LoG.

I recently presented this chart delineation (in far less technical terms) to a group of sports people. I have a deep seated interest in sport and a respectful curiosity about sports people, having spent over a decade in that arena as a sports coach and personal trainer. I am grateful to Bruce Fordyce for allowing me to share his nativity in relation to the topic in question. Bruce Fordyce is considered the world's greatest ultra marathon runner. He was born in the Far East and schooled in the UK , but is South African through and through. He entered his first Comrade's Marathon while a student at Wits University in Johannesburg, and won this gruelling ultra marathon eight times in succession and nine times overall. He competed internationally as well, winning the London to Brighton Marathon three times in succession, setting a world 50-mile record in the process.

In the chart we find 3 unfortunate houses, the 6th, 8th and 12th. Of these the 12th is possibly the most misunderstood due to the facets of human behaviour that it rules. We are also prone, as a species, to averting our eyes from our own folly and avoiding the word “sin” as it causes distress and challenges our belief systems. The modern age in which we live tends to focus on the “mind over matter” principle where Grace is not required, and on reincarnation.

The word “sin” has therefore become redundant to those who subscribe to this philosophy - we receive numerous chances to improve ourselves over the course of many lives, there is no eternal damnation, and we are the masters of our own destiny. What is often overlooked is that the cultures from which the belief in reincarnation springs, not the modern western version of it, all subscribe to the word karma which in Biblical terms is interpreted as “what ye shall sow, so ye shall reap.” There is no room in this model for behaviour which has carte blanche over misdeeds, which means that even in those cultures, the word sin exists, albeit labelled, interpreted and applied in different ways.

“Round, Like a circle in a spiral Like a wheel within a wheel Never ending or beginning On an ever-spinning reel...And the world is like an apple Whirling silently in space Like the circles that you find In the windmills of your mind.”

The Windmills of My Mind, written for the original Thomas Crown Affair film, performed by Noel Harrison.

Synopsis for 2010

South Africa should enjoy a relatively stable year with no major upheavals. Obviously this does not negate the normal trials and tribulations which afflict the country - problems do not simply disappear. The economy will be much improved for the duration of this year, but specifically in the second half, and this includes moveable assets such as the currency and export items.

I recently joked with my students that if I had bothered to glance at what was afflicting my own nativity, I would never have attended a certain conference in Cape Town and would have remained in bed with the duvet pulled firmly over my head. Fortunately my birth chart is rarely given my attention, and as a result of what ensued in Cape Town, together with negative post conference activities, AORTA was conceived. In my heart I knew that a group for astrologers of The Tradition in South Africa was long overdue, but I needed a proverbial kick up the backside to withdraw misplaced loyalties and get on with it. I received a rather harsh prod from all sorts of astrological quarters, some that I had never encountered before or knew existed, and as I am not particularly dense, the message was unmistakably clear – multi “Church” organisations cannot function coherently, and to believe they can is naive and rather idealistic. Please refer to my article “The culture of your craft” for more insight into this topic.

It is possible, with the tool of hindsight, to assess this grey area of adoption and to heed pre birth indicators, keeping it simple, and applying astrological skill and common sense. Surrendering a baby for adoption is not a frivolous decision. It is normally one which is taken soon into the gestation period and after much pre meditated thought; with this in mind I believe that the propensity for the native to be adopted at birth has to be located somewhere in the charts.

The story of Lance Armstrong is so well known I will not repeat it here. When he retired from professional road cycling in 2005, after securing 7 consecutive Tour de France wins, many felt that he would never return to the sport. I thought it wise that he was exiting the sport while still riding the crest of the wave, and not hanging onto the glory only to watch it slip from his grasp over time. Many people who occupy the higher echelons of a sport or a profession, find it hard to let go when the time comes to make way for those whose time is waxing, while theirs is waning. This person then acquires an air of tragedy tinged with comedy when their position is usurped by the younger and more able-bodied competitors in their field. Far better, in my opinion, to exit gracefully and to be remembered as a king instead of a "has been".

This is the branch of astrology that enables us to choose the best moment to act or to give birth to a venture. The underlying factor in electional astrology is that we can only apply this to all things that are possible – it then goes without saying that we cannot assess the best moment to act for that which is impossible. True electional methods are assessed using the natal (birth) charts of the individuals concerned – if it is not scripted in the natal chart that you will win the lotto there is no point in electing the best time to purchase a ticket. If you are about to launch your new web site or start a new business however, it is wise to consult an astrologer in order to elect the best time for the birth of that entity – this affords it the best possible chance of success. The premise upon which electional astrology is based is that everything that has a beginning (or birth) can have a natal chart – this applies to people, animals, business ventures, a marriage and to most major events that occur within the lifetime.

Introduction

I am presenting a very simple horary question to highlight the dilemma of rulerships between astrologers of the tradition and modern astrologers. When I presented this chart to my students, two out of twenty four were able to find the aspect required – the problem being that they did not know the ruler of electricity. That was my reason for presenting them with the chart – to highlight the importance of knowing your rulerships. An electrical circuit blew at my complex and after being without power for 24 hours, I needed to see when power would be restored so that I could plan my schedule.

I am currently receiving many questions pertaining to the status of businesses and properties – this is indicative of the current economic climate. The delineation below is interesting due to the fact that to find the significator of the businesses, I had to think out of the box – this is the root of the Tradition – to know the rules and to know when to break them – at all times using common sense, and all things being equal.

“Am I going to be successful with these current businesses that I opened at this new shopping complex?” and “Where is my relationship heading as I am unhappy?”