posted January 27, 2004 12:48 PM              

Jazze

posted January 27, 2004 12:49 PM              

Secondary Progressions is the best starting point when undertaking to forecast using astrology. Since the natal patterns must be considered to properly assess the progressed chart, it is impossible to overlook the birth potential, an essential element in predicting. The relatively few exact aspects formed between the progressed and natal planets offer a background theme or the main plot to a story. Several similar configurations, by aspect and planetary natures, indicate the prominent theme for any time period. The contacts also show how an individual is maturing and making use of his or her birth potential. For these reasons, the progressed patterns also provide an excellent guideline for interpreting activity shown in the Solar and Lunar Returns falling within the same time frame, which will be the subject in Part Three of this article.
A few consequential rules must be applied when judging the progressions. The first of these is that the orb of aspect must be kept very tight. In progressions, the planets move very slowly from their birth position, and some of the outer planets will hardly move at all over an entire lifetime. The calculation for the progressed planets is that one year in the life of an individual is equal to one day of planetary movement. So, for someone aged 30, the progressed planets will be at the sign and degree they held on the 30th day following birth. The Ascendant and Midheaven will also progress about a degree per year in a counter-clockwise position. Use of a computer program is recommended to calculate the progressed chart.

The active orb of aspect is 1 degree for any planet or angle, and 1.5 degrees for the Sun and Moon, or the Lights. The Lights are given a bit more width because they are instrumental in so many personal areas of life. Since the Sun progresses at the rate of about a degree per year, this means that when it moves within range to aspect another planet, the aspect will be active for about three years. This is 1.5 years (or 1.5 degrees) approaching the exact aspect and 1.5 years moving away from exact. When a progressing planet approaches an aspect to the natal Sun, the aspect will be active for the duration of the time that the planet is within that 1.5 degree range. The length of time the aspect is active depends upon the speed of the specific planet.

The progressing Moon moves approximately one degree per month, depending upon its speed at birth, so the aspects it forms will be felt for about three months. For the remaining planets, the time period of an active orb depends on the varying rates of speed in which they are progressing. Some aspects involving the outer planets will remain active for months or years at a time, and must always be considered in light of other indicators for the time period in question. Although within the proper orb, some of these long-term aspects remain dormant unless stimulated by transits, or emphasized by similar progressions.

While noting the active aspects, they should be listed by priority. Angular contacts are given top billing, and these include several possible combinations. Aspects formed between the natal or progressed Ascendant with natal or progressed planets or Lights fall in this group, as well as the natal or progressed Midheaven with natal or progressed planets or Lights. These types of contacts signify important and eventful periods. These links will always be found when an important life event takes place. In fact, it is safe to assume that without such contacts, the time period is likely to remain rather routine. The more angles that become involved in aspects with the planets, the more significant the time period becomes for changes and for events to take place. The types of events represented by an active Midheaven do not differ greatly from those reflected by an active Ascendant, with the exnception that the Ascendant is slightly more influential in health issues.

Due to this similarity, it is best to judge the qualities of the planet and the aspect it makes to an angle. The Midheaven can be considered as slightly Solar in nature and the Ascendant as Lunar in nature, but events linked to either are quite personal, frequently regarded as rather major turning points by the individual. Of the aspects, the conjunction, opposition and square are the most potent.

Before exploring the various planetary potentials, the remainder of the contacts should be noted. Following the angular aspects in priority are those made by the Sun. Once again, the Sun will usually be involved in one or more active aspect at times of climactic life events, and this may be either the natal or the progressed Sun. When both the angles and the Sun are involved in aspects, it is predictive of major life events unfolding. The more activity, the more profound the events will be. The nature of the planet involved in a contact with the Sun or angle provides insight to the types of events coming due.

When the Sun, either progressing or natal, becomes involved in an aspect with an angle, a momentous time period is underway and the most significant events of life are shown in these contacts. For instance, marriage will often take place with these Sun/angle aspects, this being more frequent in a woman's chart. The hard aspects, such as the conjunction, square or opposition are usually more significant for eventful times than the softer sextile and trine. It is beneficial to also consider the minor aspects when they are near exact.

The ruler of the natal Ascendant should next be considered for active aspects, either natal or progressed. Take into consideration the natal prominence of each planet when prioritizing the remaining contacts. If a natal planet is positioned on an angle, most elevated, leader or part of a stellium, or in some way outstanding in the chart, the aspects it forms will be more dominant in the theme that begins to reveal itself. The aspects of the Moon are very important, especially those made by progressing planets to the natal Moon. The aspects made by the progressing Moon also mark off important personal events. However, since it moves so quickly, this Moon is quite temporal in nature, thus these contacts must be considered in light of the remaining active aspects. Nevertheless, it will usually be making an exact aspect to a planet that quite appropriately describes even a relatively minor event.

Once all of the active aspects have been noted, it is not difficult to arrive at a general theme suggested by the type of contacts and the planets involved in the aspects. For an important event to take place there must be a minimum of three similar aspects or configurations which suggest such an event. For very profound or life altering events, this number usually increases markedly and is often heavily stimulated by similar transiting configurations at the time such an event takes place.

In noting the active aspects, note also the house ruled by the planets involved in aspects. Events corresponding with the houses will take place when the ruler of a house becomes involved in activity.

This rule works in reverse as well. For instance, marriage will not take place unless the ruler of the marriage house is active in the progressions.

In judging the theme within the progressed chart, it is most helpful to keep in mind the traditional meanings of the planets and the aspects. Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto are more apt to tell of reversals when involved in harsh aspects than planets such as Venus or Jupiter. Generally, squares are more difficult than trines when judging the way events will materialize on an earthly level.

This is not a hard and fast rule, however, and the following must be considered:
When planets that were in aspect in the natal chart are once again linked together through progressed aspects, they foretell of potentially important events to take place. The type of aspect does not matter, only that the two are once more linked together. At times of very significant events there will frequently be several of these repeating links made in the progressions.

There will always be potential for the birth aspect to predominate, no matter what new aspect is formed between the two. This means that an easy aspect in the birth chart should not cause undue problems when it forms a stressful aspect. It also means that a harsh aspect in the birth chart should always be considered for the type of stress signified when preparing for an easier aspect among the same two planets in the progressions. The nature of the planet as well as the nature of the aspect must be considered, and each aspect must be considered alongside all of the other indicators in the progressed chart for the time in question. To reiterate, for any important event to transpire either for good or ill, there must be at least three similar aspects that describe the event.

By judging all of the progressed contacts, a theme will appear and then it is time to account for the transiting planets. The transits provide excellent testimony for events that correspond with the main theme in the progressions. They are also exceptional as timing devices. A transiting planet is more potent when stimulating progressed aspects than if only contacting a natal planet. Unless the transit stimulates activity showing in the progressions, a transit may go by with hardly any notice whatsoever. The easiest way to tabulate all of the activity occurring in the progressions and transits is to use a three wheel chart with the natal chart in the center, the progressed chart in the middle ring, and the transiting planets on the outside wheel.

The major transiting planets are the most important element in prediction, and these reflect every significant event an individual becomes involved in.

The Sun and Mars are used as timers, and it will be when they swing into a pattern with the outer transiting planets to stimulate the progressions that events will take place.

In judging the important transits, look for contacts among the transiting planets that repeat a theme or pattern showing in the progressed chart. The transiting planets involved in these duplicate configurations will also stimulate the progressed chart patterns at critical times. The more important events will be reflected in several of these transiting significators.

Although the allowable orb can be much wider for transiting contacts, at the precise time of important events, there will be one or more exact aspect between a transiting planet to the progressed configuration. The planet(s) making this exact contact will very accurately describe the current event.

When the progressed aspects tell a story, and then the transiting planets repeat that story, it is safe to predict a certain trend and certain types of events. Use the faster moving planets to time the event. The Sun and/or Mars will usually be found on an angle of the natal or progressed chart, or stimulating a prominent configuration within the progressions when the event takes place. At the time the event takes place, the transiting planets will also be making contacts among themselves that repeat links found earlier!

( Continued in Part Two of "Predictive Astrology". )

Part One http://home.istar.ca/~starman/predict.shtml#ASTROLOGY:

Part Two http://home.istar.ca/~starman/predict-2.shtml

Part Three http://home.istar.ca/~starman/predict-3.shtml