Re: [BardonPraxis] Astrology Resources

[JohnWW <JohnWW@...>]

Here is my list of favorite astrology text and reference books:

A to Z Horoscope Maker & Delineator, by Llewellyn George (several 
editions since 1910). (This is the only textbook which deals
satisfactorily with progressions, gives anything like the correct orbs
for progressed aspects, and correctly recognizes that
transiting-to-natal aspects in transit horoscopes have the same orbs as
aspects among natal planets.).

Casting the Horoscope, by Alan Leo (8th ed. 1953 and others).

The Astrologers' Handbook, F. Sakoian & L.S. Acker (1973); Transits
Simplified, ditto, 1976 (gives particularly good interpretations of
transiting to natal planets' aspects); The Astrology of Human 
Relationships, ditto, 1976 (gives very good interpretations of
aspects between planets in different natal horoscopes in synastric
comparisons).

Planets in Aspect, by R. Pelletier (1974).

Planets in Composite, and Planets in Transit, by Robert Hand (1975).

The Twelve Houses, by H. Sasportas (1985).

Horoscope Symbols, by R. Hand (1981).

The Astrological Aspects (14th ed. 1977); The Principles of Astrology
(5th ed. 1963); and The Astrology of Accidents (1978), by C.E.O.
Carter.

The Principles & Practice of Astrology series, by N. Tyl, especially:
Integrated Transits (vol.7, 1974), Analysis & Prediction (vol.8, 1975),
Special Horoscope Dimensions (vol.9, 1975), and Astrology: Mundane,
Astral, Occult (vol.11, 1976). 

The Technique of Prediction, by R. C. Davison (1971)

Alan Oken's Complete Astrology, by Alan Oken (1988). (Contains several
errors, mainly typographical.).

A Spiritual Approach to Astrology, by Myrna Lofthus (1984) (Mainly on
the Cayce astrology readings).

Graphic Astrology, by Eileen McCaffery (1952).

Recent Advances in Natal Astrology, ed. by Geoffrey Dean & Arthur Mather
(1977). (Astrological research findings of the highest importance by
professional scientists, unsurpassed by any other reference. Published
from Perth, West Australia.).

Astrology: 30 Years' Research by D.C. Doane (1956) (Very important
research findings.).

Cosmic Influences on Human Behaviour (1976); The Cosmic Clocks (1973);
The Spheres of Destiny (1981); Astrology & Science (1972); and The
Scientific Basis of Astrology (1970); all by Michel Gauquelin (Very
important research findings.).

Harmonics in Astrology, by John M. Addey (1976). (Important research
findings.).

Harmonic Charts: A New Dimension in Astrology, by D. Hamblin (1983)

The Cycles of Heaven, by G.L. Playfair & S. Hill (1979).

The Lunar Effect, by A.L. Lieber (1979).

The Sun is Also a Star: The Galactic Dimension of Astrology, by Dane
Rudhyar (1975) (Important re Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Galactic
Center.).

Astrology: Science or Superstition, by H. J. Eysenck & D.K.B. Nias
(1982). (Important research findings.).

Astrology: the Evidence of Science, by P. Seymour (1988). (Important
research findings.).

The Case for Astrology, by J.A. West & J.G. Toonder (1973). (Important
research findings.).

The Future of Astrology, ed. by A.T. Mann (1987)(71) (Important research
findings.).

Astrology, Karma & Transformation, by S. Arroyo (1978).

Elements of Esoteric Astrology, by A.E. Thierens (1931).

Exploring Consciousness in the Horoscope, ed. by N. Tyl (1993).

Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul, by J. Green (1994).

The Witness of the Stars, by E.W. Bullinger (1967, originally 1893)
(Important re Biblical and historical stellar astrology.).

The Astrological Secrets of the Hebrew Sages, by Rabbi Joel C. Dobin
(1983) (Very important re Old Testament astrology).

The interpretations of astrological factors given in most of these
textbooks are generally accurate, especially the interpretations of
natal, synastric comparison, and transiting/ progressed aspects by F.
Sakoian and L.S. Acker. However, the tendency has been for some
published astrologers in recent decades to introduce many additional
astrological factors into the interpretation of horoscopes, e.g. Arabian
parts, asteroids, hypothetical trans-Plutonian planets, many fixed
stars, comets, mid-points and aspects to them, nodes of planets' orbits,
vertices, many minor aspects, etc., as fudges without any real
scientific reasons or objective research whatsoever. Reinhold Ebertin's
Hamburg, Germany, "School of Cosmobiology" has been a major offender in
this respect. Sometimes this sort of thing has been done, probably by
astrologers with badly afflicted Neptunes, under the guise of nebulously
"adding a spiritual dimension to astrology"!. If taken seriously, such
spurious or irrelevant additional factors would result in horoscope
interpretation becoming impossibly complicated and incorrect.
Unfortunately, the gross errors so introduced have become propagated
through plagiarism by successive uncritical authors. This sort of thing
has led to astrology acquiring a bad reputation amongst the scientific
establishment.

To prevent such errors, the principle of "Ockham's razor", also called
the law of economy or parsimony or least action, attributed to the
English philosopher William of Ockham or Occam (1285 -1349), that 
the fewest possible assumptions should be made in explaining
something, should be rigorously applied to astrology, particularly
research. Ockham's original theorem, in his Latin Scriptum in
Librum Primum Sententiarum, Opera Theologica, I, p.74, was "non sunt
multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem" = "[hypothetical] entities are
not to be multiplied beyond necessity", as applied originally to the
logical analysis of theological dogma. This principle is central to the
philosophy of science, and was used by the astronomer Galileo Galilei in
defending the simplest hypothesis of the heavens. More recently
(19th-20th centuries), the Austrian physicist- philosopher Ernst Mach
enunciated it as requiring sciences to explain nature in the simplest
and most economical conceptual formulations; and British mathematician
-philosopher Bertrand Russell found it to be a very fruitful principle
in logical analysis. It thus works hand-in-hand with scientific
objectivity, and reproducibility of reported research results.

However, this does not preclude a policy of "all things considered":
reasonable propositions in astrology (as in other sciences) supported by
evidence and/or logic, or at least not ruled out by evidence and/or
logic, should be objectively analyzed. See, for example, An Introduction
to Philosophical Analysis by John Hospers (1956), p.287, 363; and the
Encyclopaedia Britannica articles on Ockham /Occam and his principle.
Astrologers would do well to read up on the philosophy of science.

John W.


Allen Kray wrote:
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 
> Would someone be so kind and recommend to me some
> good astrology books or astrology links that might
> complement FB's books?
> 
> Such study some inevitable in Hermetic magic.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Allen Kray