'Turning 57 today and reaching his third Metonic Solar Return, your correspondent is happy to be alive. Having been given a terminal prognosis in December 2009, with the oncologist stating that there were only ten months left to live, this retired astrologer has spent the past year spiritually preparing for death, while practicing gratitude for each day that he is still alive and able to appreciate life.'

*the blog of an astrology addict

"I would like to post about an timing innovation to astrology that I discovered in the early 70's. The technique must conform to specific rules and delivers very precise results when accurate data are used as starting points (location and time for radix and event charts). I accept results with an orb of up to 1 and 1/4 degree as exact as locations for radix and events are not at the exact coordinates given for cities and for every minute of difference in time of the radix chart the MC of the results will be off by 1/4 of a degree."

"Philosophers and poets have long discussed and still talk about the nature of time. Physicists take a more practical approach inasmuch as what they deal with are measurements; and they measure distance in time with clocks of one kind or another, just as they measure distances in space with an international standard of length — a platinum bar one meter long (a little over three feet) which is kept, or used to be kept, in the basement of an official building in Paris, France.

"The Moon moves around the earth in an orbital cycle and in doing so reflects the light of the sun in an ever-changing relationship. At the same time, the earth is orbiting the sun and our view from earth of this orbit is the apparent path of the sun across the Ecliptic. We have then, two interrelated cycles of moon's path and Sun's apparent path. These cycles synchronise from our perspective on earth. The changing relationships are known as lunar phases. From New Moon to New Moon, the Moon goes through eight phases in the 29.5 days it takes to complete this cycle.

"Secondary Progressions furnish the best starting point for finding the current trend in life through the close aspects that have formed between the natal and progressed planets. This technique employs the assumption that one day of planetary transits is equal to a year of life. Simply put, if you wanted to find the trend in the life for someone aged 20, you'd look up the planets positions for the 20th day after birth.

"There are many ways that astrologers "progress" a chart. One of the most popular techniques is called "Secondary Progressions". With this system, astrologers equate one day after birth to one year of life (the day-for-a-year method). Secondary progressions offer insight into the unfolding of our unique personalities over time.Another way to progress a chart is by using solar arc directions, which is an extremely valuable tool as well.

"The Moon is the fastest moving "planet", so it follows that the Progressed Moon is the fastest moving progressed planet. Because the Progressed Moon moves at an approximate rate of 12 degrees per year, it passes through a zodiac sign for approximately 2-1/2 years. 
These 2-1/2 year periods show us attitude shifts in our lives. The current sign of the Progressed Moon shows us the energies that we are drawn to at that point in time.

"According to the principle of this type of progressions today by the most commonly used — what occurs in the sky during the day following birth gives us symbolic information concerning what can be expected to happen during the first year of actual living. The positions of celestial bodies 48 hours after the birth-moment thus symbolize the biopsychic condition of the infant as he or she begins a third year of life.

"Lesson XX is a continuation of our sample chart delineation, but now we are approaching the more complicated area of progression and transits. When you understand our method for construction of progressions and transits you will be able to erect a chart for any time or place.