IntuitioninAstrology

Astrology is not just an intellectual enterprise (although it does depend onconcepts); rather, it is a training ground for intuition, or what onemight call directknowing. This iswhyabeginningastrologerwithpsychicability will generallygivemore correct information to a client than a nonpsychic astrologer who has beenstudyingthesubjectforalifetime. Althoughthestudyofastrologydoesrequiremuchleftbrainactivity(learningwhatdifferentsymbolsandcombinationsofsymbolsmean),true comprehensionandapplicationofastrologyismoreamatterofopeningupourintuitivechannels, of lettinggoof our egodefenses, intellectual belief systems, anddoubts,andoflearningtorespectandrespondtoourgutfeelings.

Thiswaseasiertodoforastrologersincenturiespastthanitisnow,becausethetrendinourmodernsocietyhasbeentowardrationalisticandmaterialisticsolutionstoproblems. Wearetaughttorelyuponsocalledobjectivethinking,andtodistrustourown feelings, which cannot becorroborated and therefore leaveus standingalone.Indeed,themoderntrendinastrologyhasbeentomoveawayfromintuition.

Onetrendinthisdirectionisrepresentedbyhumanisticastrology,whicheschewspredictionandoptsinsteadforaGestaltapproach,relyinguponpsychologicalmumbojumboinsteadoftellingpeoplewhatsreallyhappening,andprobablygoingtohappen,intheirlives.Humanisticastrologyhassomethingofasourgrapesflavortoit;beyondthat,itcandoadisservicetoclientswhoarenot(usually)asinterestedinaholisticanalysisoftheirhumanpotentialastheyareinsolidinformationabouttheirlovelives,finances,health,etc.

Another trendhasbeen towardsrationalistic astrology, whichseeks to recastastrologyintermswhichwouldbeacceptabletomainstreamscience. Astrologersofthisschooltrytofindstatisticalprooffortheveritiesofastrology,whichasMichelGauquelinafteralifetimeofefforthasshownisimpossibleexceptforthetiniestlittlebitshereandthere.Theseastrologersattempttoremovefromastrologyanythingthatsmacksofsuperstitionormysticism. Thusmostastrologersoftherationalisticschoolrejecttheuseofunscientificsignsandhouses,eventhoughthereisnomorestatisticalproofofthevalidityofmidpointsthanthereisforsignsandhouses.Intheirtoadyingtothe scientific establishment (which rejects them anyway, as it rejected Gauquelin)rationalisticastrologersriskbeingledintointellectualdishonesty.

Such trends notwithstanding, astrology is still one of the last strongholds ofspiritualtruthinoursociety.Mostofwhatwedonowadaysisdoneonthebasisoflogic,conditioning,immutableschedules,whatotherpeopleexpectfromusorwouldapprove

of,ratherthanonthebasisofwhatfeelsright.Inotherwords,wedowhatwethinkweoughttodoinsteadofdoingwhatourheartstellustodo. Andwhilethisisaviablestrategyforsuccessinrationalistmaterialistsociety,youcantdoastrologythisway.

Tobeanintuitiveastrologer,ithelpstohavethesignAquariusemphasizedinyournatalhoroscope. Butevenifyourenotanatural,itisstillpossibletoemulatethoseAquarianqualitieswhichfacilitaterelatingtootherpeopleonanintuitivelevel:democracy,seeingotherpeopleasyourequals,beingwillingtorelatetopeoplefromallwalksoflifeandstationsofsocietywithoutshame,superiority,orfalsehumility.Ifyouare not capable of seeing others as your equals, then you are defending yourselfagainstthem;andwhateveryouaredoingtodefendyourselfagainstthemwillpreventyoufrompsychicallyattuningyourselftothem.

Togetyourintuitionflowingyoumustbewillingtoflywithyourhunches. Ifitsimportant to you that youalwaysbe right, thenyoull never make it asan intuitiveastrologer.Thechannelthroughwhichinsightflowsisblockedbythedoorofworryingabout whetheryoureright or wrong. Only thecourage tobewrongcanopenyouenoughtofeelwhatsgoingon,whattherealneedsoftheclientare,andwhathisorherchartistryingtotellyou.Onceyourenolongerafraidoflookingfoolish,youjustsaythefirstthingthatpopsintoyourmind.

Everyonewhovisitsanastrologerdoessobecausesomequestionisweighingonthem.Evenwhentheyclaimtobeconsultingyououtofmerecuriosity,intruththereissomeproblembuggingthem,orelsetheywouldnthavecometoyou.Itsyourjobasanastrologertoelicitandaddresstheirproblem.Thisisnotdonebyquestioningthem,butbyexaminingtheirhoroscopesandbystayingopentotheirfeelings;andthiscanbedoneevenwhentheclientsarenotphysicallypresent.

Ineverydaylifewetendtoblockthefeelingswhichotherpeoplesendourway.Wereusuallymoreconcernedwithmaintainingourownselfimage,with impressingpeople, with winning their sympathy, than we are with listening to them andunderstandingwheretheyarecomingfrom.Wheninterpretingchartsitisnecessarytoputasideyourownattitudesandprejudicesandseetheclientsandtheirproblemsfromtheirownpointofview,withoutand judgmentsorcriticism. Youhavetogointoaninterpretationwithoutapointofviewofyourown.

Onegoodwayofdoingthisistobegineveryhoroscopeinterpretationwithaninvocation. Youdothissilently: takeamomenttoaskfordivineguidanceinhelpingyourclientstofindtheanswerstheyareseeking. IfyouareaChristianyoucancalluponJesusforthishelp;ifnot,youcancalluponthespiritguardiansofastrologicalwisdomtoguideyouto thecorrect judgments. Thepoint isthatbybeginningyour

interpretationsessionwithaprayeryouwipetheegoslatecleanbythesymbolicactofsurrenderingyourownwill(desiretolookgood)andlettingthepowersoftheuniversetakeover.

Thebesttraininggroundforintuitiveastrologersishoraryastrology. Inhoraryyouuselittlepiecesofthechart(theplanetsandhouseswhichgoverntheparticularquestionbeingasked)andignoreeverythingelse,whichhelpstofocusyourattention.One thing that tends to overwhelm neophyte astrologers is the sheer mountain ofinformationinabirthchart,sincetheyhavenotyetlearnedwhattofocusonandwhattoignore.Beyondthat,ahoraryhoroscopeiscompletelycenteredinthenowmoment,islessencumberedbypersonalhistory(yoursortheclients),andisusuallypromptedbyastrongdesireforananswer;whichmakesiteasiertotuneintothananatalchart,wherethereareallsortsofthemesandcrosscurrentsofemotiongoingonwhichhavetobesortedout.

Thefluxoftheuniverseisconstantandmovementisextremelyfast.Whatwasa correct prediction a moment agomaynot be valid now. A horary chart erectedtomorrowmaygiveacompletely different messagethanoneerected toanswer thesamequestiontoday.Thisiswhyitsbest,whenyouareusinghoraryastrologyforyourownguidance,nottogototheoracleonyourown,butrathertowaituntilsomeoutsideevent happens (whichbears on thequestion) and to erect thehorarychart for themomentofthatevent.Suchchartsarealwaysreadable,eveniftheycontainstricturessuchasavoidofcoursemoonwhichnormallydefeatinterpretation(insuchcasestheanswerisusuallynoornotyet.)

Anotherreasonwhyhoraryastrologyisabettertraininggroundforintuitionthannatalastrologyisbecauseitsmoresymbolic,lessrational. Atypicalhorarytextbookconsistsofaquicksetofrulesdesignedtosuggestanswers,andthenlonglistsofsymbolsforeachhoroscopefactor.Forexample,alist(Simmonites)ofplacesruledbySaturnmightread:deserts,woods,obscurevalleys,dens,churchyards,ruinousbuildings,sinks,wells,muddy,dirty,stinkingplaces.Whenyouvememorizedorbetter yet, gotten a feel for what each symbol means (in this case, Saturntypeplaces),youfindthatinthemomentofinterpretationoneparticularitempopsintoyourmind.Youdonthavetorackyourbrainstofigureoutthecorrectinterpretationfromthesmorgasbordofpossibilities;ifyouknowwhatthesymbolmeans(howit feels),thenyoullalwaysbeledtothecorrectinterpretationofthatsymbolinthisinstance.

Thus,horaryastrologyismoreofasymbolbankthannatalastrology: thereslessofanintellectualsystemtoit,andwhatsystemthereis,ismoreabstract(suchastheringaroundtherosytechniquefor locatingquestionsinhouses;e.g.,thefathers

brothersincomebeingshownbythesecondfromthethirdfromthefourth=theseventhhouse).

Horaryastrologyismorelikedreaming,wherenatalastrologyismorelikebeingawake.Thingsaremoresymbolicalinhorary,henceclosertotruefeeling(whatsreallygoingon). Justaswecanlearnmoreaboutourtruestateoffeelingwhatsreallymaking us happyor unhappy by studying our dreams, rather than by constantlyexamining and reexamining our waking lives, so too can we get sharper, cleareranswers from horary astrology than from natal. Indeed, natal astrology becomesincreasinglyeffectiveasweareabletointegratehorarytechniquesintoit.

TheotherdayIwasinterpretingthechartofayoungmanwhois leavingtheservice, and trying to decide what he should do next. He had Mercury in Piscesopposing(andmutualreception)JupiterinVirgoacrossthe9th3rdhouseaxis.Igotastrong impression that he should study and go for a professional degree in somehumanisticfield.HeaskedifheshouldstudyinhisnativePuertoRicoorgoabroad,totheStates;IgottheimpressionthatheshouldgoabroadfurtherabroadthantheU.S.ThewordFrance popped intomymind,whichmadehimchucklewhen I toldhimbecausehedoesntspeakFrench,doesnthavemoneytotravel,andthewholeideaseemedoffthewalltohim. NonethelessIsuggestedthathelookintoit,toseewhatopportunitiestostudyinFranceareavailable.

Andthatsthat.Thatwasmyjobasanastrologer.ItdoesntmatterifhenevergoestoFrance;itdoesntevenmatterifhescrossingthestreettomorrowandgetsrunoverbyatruck.WhethermypredictionisrightornothasnothingtodowithhowwellIdidmyjobasanastrologer.ThereisaZenstoryaboutthemostcelebratedarcherinallofJapan,whohasneveroncesucceededinhittingthebullseye.Inastrology,asinZenarchery, the concern has to be for the process, not for the result. Because of amysteriouslawofnature,thatstheonlywaytogetgoodresults.

NowthepredictionaboutgoingtoFranceobviouslyhasnothingtodowiththehoroscopefeaturewhichpromptedthatprediction. NeitherMercury,norPisces,norJupiter,norVirgo,northeircombination,specificallycarrythemeaningFrance.HowFrancecameoutofthat,Idontknow.Insomeoneelseschartthatidenticalplanetaryconfigurationmighthaveanaltogetherdifferentmeaning. Andatanotherpointinmyclientslife,whensomeotherproblemisbotheringhim,thatsameconfigurationmighthave a different interpretation also. Horoscope factors only mean something withrespecttoaparticularclientataparticularmomentintime.Althoughwelearnastrologyinductivelywelearnwhat,forexample,MarssquareSaturnmeansbystudyingthe

livesandcharactersofthenativesweknowwhohaveMarssquareSaturnwecannotinterpretchartsinductively.

Thisiswhymoststatisticalstudiesofastrologyaredoomedtofailure.Astrologyisawavelengthwecantuneinto,notadeadspecimenwecandissectandexpecttolearnanythingfrom.WecanlearntofeelwhatMarssquareSaturnmeansbystudyingitseffectsinahundredcases;butwecannotarriveatacorrectinterpretationinthehundredandfirstcasebyextrapolatingfromapreconceivedlistofconceptsor likelypossibilities.Therearejusttoomanypossibilities.

Norcanwegainanythingbyaddingmoreandmorepointstothehoroscope(hypotheticalplanets,midpoints,asteroids,etc.);allthatdoesismuddythewaters.AsDr.MarcEdmundJonespointedout, astrologyshouldnotbemorecomplexthanlifeitself.Rather,astrologyshouldbeameansofsimplifying,ofcuttingacrosscomplexitiesandarrivingatclearcutanswers.Andthiscanonlybedonebybypassingthelevelofconscious,thinkingmind.

WeneedtostudywhatMarssquareSaturnhasmeantinordertotuneintoacertainfeelingthefeelingofMarssquareSaturn. ThenwhenwerunintoachartcontainingMarssquareSaturn,wepickupthisfeelingandletitleadustothecorrectinterpretation. Wedoneedagroundinginthebasicsanintuitivefeelforwhatthedifferent horoscope factors symbolize and this implies study. There are intuitiveastrologerswhocancomeupwiththecorrect interpretationjustbytouchingachart(withoutevenlookingatit);butmostofusarenotblessedwithsuchextraordinaryESP.Nonetheless, we can each develop our intuition by studying what all the differenthoroscopeelementsmean(howtheyeachfeel).Thestudyofastrologyitselfservestoopenourintuitivechannels.

Tobeanintuitiveastrologerrequireshumility. Thisdoesntmeanfalsehumility:nottakingcompleteresponsibilityforwhatyouredoing. It meansnotgoingintoaninterpretationwithpreconceivedideas,pointstodefend,aknowitallattitude.Beinganastrologer,evenabeginningone,meansthatpeoplearegoingtobelievewhatyousay.Thisisabigresponsibility.Thereisanaturaltendencytocopoutofthisresponsibilitybybeingeitheroverlyserious(playingthemountebank)ornotseriousenough(playingthedilettante). Tobehumblemeanstorespecttheclient, torespectyourselfasanastrologer,andtorespectthecraftofastrology.Youhavetogointoeachinterpretationasifitwerethefirstoneyouhaveeverdone,andyetwiththeconfidencethatyouwillbeguidedtothecorrectinterpretation.Thenitalljusthappensbyitself.

TheSunshineHouseSystem

Most of usastrologers haveat one timeor another wonderedwhyastrologydoesntworkaswellasitssupposedto. Althoughadamant indefenseofastrologywhenconfrontedbyskeptics, wenonethelessagonize in our innermost souls as towhethertheancientastrologerswerelying,orwhetherastrologyjustdoesntfunctionaswell inthisdecadentage;orwhetherhorrorofhorrors!wemayjustbe fooling ourselves.

No,no,itcantbethat. Afterall,thatpredictionwemadeaboutcousinTilliesboyfriend was right on the button! So why then, if astrology does work so wellsometimes,dowefinditsohardtomakeitworkconsistently?Wheredoesthefaultlie,dearBrutuswithastrology,orwithourselves?

Actually, the problem is not with astrology per se, but with howwemodern,westernastrologershavebeenpracticingit(orbettersaid: conceptualizingit)forthepastseveralcenturies.Eversinceastrologyandastronomypartedcompany300yearsago,bothbranchesoftheUraniansciencehavegoneastray.Theyvelostcontactwiththeir true roots the astrology spirits who, from time immemorial, have guidedastrologersandhelpedthemtomakeaccuratejudgments.

TheHinduastrologersneverlostcontactwiththeastrologyspirits, andhencetheyhaventgonethroughthecrisisofconfidenceexperiencedinthewest.TheHinduastrologersrespecttheastrologyspirits(heedtheircounsel); theyrespecttheircraft;theyrespectthemselves;andthereforetheyarerespectedinturnbytheircommunity.Weoccidentalastrologersinourendeavortoturnastrologyintoareasonableandrational(hencerespectable)science(whichitisnt)haveturnedourbacksontheastrologyspirits,haveprostitutedourcraftandourselves,andthusjustlydeservetheopprobriumwhichmainstreamsocietyheapsuponus.Ifweweredeliveringupaccuratepredictions,youcanbesuretheydbesingingadifferenttune.

Totheastrologyspirits,allstatisticalresearchishooey.Itmaybeinterestingandevenilluminating,butevenifit did scorelittlepointsbeforetheRationalistMaterialistInquisition(whichitdoesnt),ithasnothingwhatsoevertodowithastrology.Astrologyisnotamatterofmindnoroflogic.

Theaphorismsoftheancientastrologerswerenotmeanttobetakenasrulesinthemodernsense,butratherasexamplesofhowtointerpretchartsbythespirit(byintuition). Wewesternastrologershaveourrulese.g.thatmooninthe2nd housemeanssuchandsuch,orthatMarssquareSaturnmeansthusandso,etc.andthenwetrytodeducemeaningsbyusinglogicaldeduction(reasoning).

Rather, the thing should be done by feeling, not by thinking. The ancientastrologersandtheHindusdiditthatway.Wedontneedastrologyspiritstointerprethoroscopes;wecandothatwithourownfeelingsoncewevelearnedhowtogetourintuitionflowing. Whatthespiritswanttodoatthistimeistoteach(orreteach)uswesternastrologersHOW:giveusconcretetoolstoworkwith.

Ofcourse,therearesomeastrologersoutthererightnowwhoarealreadydoingthisasamatterofcourse;andpracticallyeveryastrologerhasdoneitnowandagain:madeanastoundinglyaccuratepredictionwithoutknowingquitehowheorshedidit.Whatthespiritswanttodoistoshowushowtodoitallthetimeconsistentlygiveourclientsspecific,exactinformationratherthanvaguegeneralitiessuchasthosewhicharecrankedoutbycomputers.

Tostartwith,theastrologyspiritsrecommendchangingthemannerinwhichwecalculatehoroscopes.Thisisnotbecausetheresanythingwrongwithtraditionalhousesystemsperse;afterall,theancientastrologersgotgoodresultsfromthem.Rather,bymisusingthesehoroscopesbytreatingastrologyanditsguardianswithdisrespectwe western astrologers have put bad vibes over these horoscopes, and so haverenderedtheminoperative.

Thespiritsrecommendabandoningallcurrenthousesystemsandusinginsteadasystemof24halfhouseswhicharepreciselyanalogoustotheplanetaryhours.Theexact details of how interpretationworks in this systemhaveyet to beworkedout,althoughanalgorithmforcomputinghalfhouseplacementsofnatalplanetsisavailable;i.e.thesenewhoroscopescanbecomputed,butnotyetinterpreted.

Inthemeantimethespiritsrecommendusingasystemof12housesinwhichthehouseshavetheusualmeanings(1st =personality,2nd =money,etc.),butwhicharecalculatedasfollows:

Toobtainthehousesabovethehorizon(712)thesunsdiurnalarc(thelengthoftimefromsunrisetosunset)isdividedintosixparts;toobtainthehousesbeneaththehorizon(16)thesunsnocturnalarc(thelengthoftimefromsunsettosunrise)isdividedintosixparts.Thenthese12divisionpointsareprojectedontotheeclipticwithhousecircles(housecirclesaregreatcirclesonthecelestialspherewhichpassthroughthe north and south points on the horizon. The Campanus and Regiomontanus

systemsalsoprojectwithhousecircles,buttheformerdividestheprimeverticalinto12parts,andthelatterdividesthecelestialequatorinto12parts).

Becausethisnewhousesystemresultsfromadivisionofthesunsdiurnalcircle,wecallittheSunshineHouseSystem.Althoughwearetryingtogetawayfromlogic,amomentsreflectionwill showthat thesunsdiurnal circle is indeedthemost logicalcircle to divide to produce mundane houses. If the houses are to be consideredanalogoustothesigns;andifthesignsresultfromadivisionofthesunsyearlypath(theecliptic);thenitfollowsthatthehousesshouldresultfromadivisionofthesunsdailypathitsdiurnalordeclinationcircle;i.e.,thesmallcircleparalleltothecelestialequatorwhichpassesthroughthenatalsun.

Sincetheanalogyrequiresthattheanglesbehousecusps(orinanyevent,thespiritsrequireit),projectionofthese12divisionpointsmustneedsbewithhousecircles,sinceonlyaprojectionwithhousecirclesretainsboththeAscendantandMidheavenashousecusps.

TheSunshineHouseSystemhastwounusualfeatures:1) Threeparameters(SiderealTime,Latitude,andDeclinationofnatalsun)are

requiredtocomputehousecusps,ratherthanonlytwo(STandLatitude)required by all other house systems. This feature precludes a table ofhousesfortheSunshineHouseSystem,butinthisageofcomputersthisisnotreallyaproblem.

2) Oppositehousecusps(exceptforthefourangles:Asc,IC,Desc,andMC)donotlieoppositeinthezodiac. Infact,itiscommontofindinterceptedpairsofsignswhichdonotlieoppositeinthezodiac.Thisisanoddfeature,butcertainlynotanobjectionableone.

WhenIbeganrecalculatingthehoroscopesinmyfilesusingtheSunshineHouseSystem,thefirstexperimentItriedwassecondaryprogressionstointermediatehousecusps.Ihadalwaysregardedsecondaryprogressionstointermediatehousecuspstobetheacidtestofproofforahousesystem(transits,becauseofretrogradation,aretoouncertain touseasatest for timing). I hadneverseensecondaryprogressionstointermediatehousecuspsworkinanyofthehalfdozenotherhousesystemsinwhichIdtriedthem.

Needless to say, they didnt work in the Sunshine House System either.Disappointed,IwasabouttofilethewholeideaawayforthedurationwhenIhappenedtotakeavacationandfoundmyselfinthe(forme)unusualpositionofdoingalotoffacetoface natal consultations for complete strangers. I calculated all these newchartswiththeSunshineHouseSystem,andIdiscoveredthefollowing:

UsingtheSunshineHouseSystemandthetraditionalhousesymbolism(e.g.7th

=marriage, 8th =death, 9th = journeys / religion, etc.) I found that I obtainedmuchclearerpsychic impressionsthanIdeverexperienced in the20yearsIdthenbeenstudyingastrology.Myastrologymysteriouslyreachedanaltogethernewlevel. Idbelookingatsomefeatureinachart,andthensuddenlyIdjustknow,beyondashadowofadoubt,preciselywhathappenedtothatguyatage6;orwhathellbedoingin20years;orwhatsbotheringhimrightnow.

WhenIusetheSunshineHouseSystem,itsometimeshappensthatanactualpicturepopsupbeforemymindseye; butmoreoftenitsjustafeelingofsomethingknownlikereachingoutforamemoryofsomethingwhichyouknow,butcantquiteputyourfingeronwhichhoroscopesymbolshelpyoupindownorexpressinwords.

The impressions definitely come from the native, not the horoscope.Nonetheless the horoscope is intrinsic to the process. All feelings take off fromsymbols in the horoscope; and also the horoscope serves as a focus or way ofconceptualizingfeelingswhichareintheair.Itcantbedonewithoutthehoroscope(atleastIcantdoitwithoutthehoroscope).

Althoughyoucanuse intuition with everyone, theclearest impressionscomefrom natives who are themselves psychic, or who are at least openhearted andstraightforwardpeople. TheguywhositstherewithhisarmscrossedandwithanIdareyou!lookonhisfacecaneffectivelyblockanyattemptstopsychicallyprobehim.You have to break down such a natives screen of thought forms (penetrate hisdefenses)beforeyoucangivehimhismoneysworth.Icanusuallygetanantagonisticordubiousclienttoloosenupbystarting(inafriendlyandeasymanner)withhisorhercurrentprogressionsandtransits.Igetclientsusedtothesoundofmyvoice;IletthemknowthatImnotthreateningnorjudgingthem;andthen,whentheyrerelaxed,Icanstartpullingimpressionsoutofthem.Thepointisthatifyouregoingtobeanintuitiveastrologer,youhavetobeopentothenative(ratherthandefendingsomesortofegotripofyourown). Thismeansrespectingthenative,andalsorespectingyourself; itmeansgivingthepersonemotionalspace,andatthesametime,notpermittinghimorhertoencroachuponyours.

Thereisreallynootherwayofbeingabletogivespecificinformationtoaclientexcept through intuition. Thats the only way to cut through all the innumerablepossibilitiesofwhatthesymbolscouldmeanlogically,toarriveatwhattheydomeanina particular case. The rationalist astrologers whobelieve that astrology should bebaseduponreasonratherthanintuitionareonlypromulgatinganastrologyofdistrust:distrustinthespirit,distrustintheirownabundantinnerknowledge,anddistrustinthe

craftofastrology. Wearenotadvocatingblindfaithinastrologyhere;weretalkingaboutconcreteresultsthatwecaneachvalidateforourselvesinourownpractice.

TheSunshineHouseSystemisalink,giventousbytheastrologyspirits,tohelpusactivateandutilizeourlatentintuition. Ifyouuseahousebasedastrologyinyourpractice,IhighlyrecommendyourgivingtheSunshineHouseSystemawhirl. Ithinkyouwillbesurprisedandgratifiedtofindhowsuchasimpleadjustmentaschangingthehousesystemyouusecanproducesuchanamazingdifferenceinthespecificityandaccuracyofyourpredictions.

The Sunshine House System