'During the June – July 2011 period , Jupiter will play an important role in the sky. First of all it will be the only planet on a Fixed sign on the 21st of June and 2nd of July. With Mars moving to Gemini, there will no other planet – except Moon – that will be placed on Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius signs.

'There are always new beginnings all around us.  A seasoned Astrologer or a serious student will make sure that there is a reliable time piece around to be able to document times as they just pop up.   But even the best of the best sometimes do not realize the importance of a chance meeting.  I am going to assume that the majority of readers are  here on a romantic quest for more information… and that will be covered.  First Meeting charts can be cast for numerous firsts.  One horrific extreme is when a predator meets his/her victim ….

Second part of the F1 vs Chess player analysis : Venus and Mars position in signs.

This article is about realizing Chiron's influence in traumatic transits (with personal experience and transits relayed from the author).  The article also highlights the Lunar Eclipse trine to Chiron/Neptune on Dec. 21, 2010 and how the Sag/Gemini axis of that lunation cycle highlights the need to recognize and communicate our wounds.

Planets, of course, orbit the sun just like we learned in elementary school. Every planet has a regular orbital period depending on how far away it is from the sun. Astrologers aren’t arguing otherwise. However, since we’re here on earth, and astrology is about how planets and stars relate to earthly events, astrologers also use astronomical data from a geocentric (earth-centered) perspective. As we stand on the surface of the earth and look outward, the planets appear, from our view, to sometimes come to a stop, and then move backward.

Right now we’re in the balsamic phase of the moon- the last couple days before the moon goes totally dark. This is the final phase of the moon cycle. If you’ve studied astronomy, you may already know of this phase as the waning crescent. As the light of the moon grows darker and finally fades out entirely, we become acclimated to darkness. There is a sense of mystery, of seclusion, even karmic connection right now. Mysteries become more compelling when it is dark. We become more concerned with unfinished business.

"I don't know the time of my birth." Any working astrologer hears that line a few times a month. In rectification—the craft of discovering the true Ascendent of a birthchart—the first rule is never accept an "I don't know" statement on face value! Always, without fail, make a strenuous attempt to discover the recorded birth time...which is often actually available, many times quite easily. Don't let a client's hesitation to search compromise your work!

'Astronomy is said to be the oldest and noblest of the physical sciences. Yet, the earliest astronomers were astrologers who studied the movement of the heavenly bodies to determine their influences on the lives of men and nations. Because of the clear atmosphere prevailing over the plains and plateaus of Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, Arabia, China, India and Greece, ancient astrologers were able to read the position of the heavenly bodies with the naked eye.

The development of horoscopic, mathematical astrology is of a relatively late historical date. Up until the end of pre-Christian era mathematics and astronomy were relatively undeveloped so the methods of calculating mundane houses were equally imprecise and not always accurate. The more precise calculations occur, roughly speaking, in Ptolemy’s time. It is believed that the astrology of mundane houses, the mundane division of zodiac and ecliptic, was developed in the early Hellenistic period.

'Some modern astrological works describe a peregrine planet as one which lacks any kind of essential dignity or debility, and so imply that peregrine status acts as a kind of neutral state, being the default value between the benefits of dignity and the afflictions of debility. This incorrectly defines a term which is traditionally intended to express rootlessness and weakness through a lack of essential dignity.