The Astrology Podcast

Episode 242 features an interview with astrologer Demetra George about her pioneering work on the asteroids in astrology, and why she feels they are interesting and important for astrologers to use. Demetra published the book Asteroid Goddesses in 1986, which was one of the first works that established an approach for incorporating the asteroids into modern astrology, and this helped to popularize their use over the past three decades. In her 2008 book Astrology and the Authentic Self she outlined a synthesis of modern and ancient astrology that showed how the asteroids could be incorporated into the framework of traditional astrology. Previously we recorded a biographical episode about Demetra's life, but our goal with this discussion was to provide a solid introduction to her work on the asteroids and why she thinks they are useful and important. You can find out more information about Demetra on her website: Demetra-George.com She has a number of audio recordings of lectures on the asteroids that she has given over the years, and also offers an asteroid personal report. Below you will find the show notes, followed by links to the recordings. This episode is available in both audio and video versions. Asteroids Episode Show Notes Eleanor Bach published The Asteroid Ephemeris in 1973. Story about how she gave the book to Demetra at a conference. Demetra spent 10 years writing Asteroid Goddesses, published in 1986. Goal was to demonstrate the usefulness and validity of the approach. Other practitioners that contributed to popularization of asteroids Lee Lehman, Al Morrison, Mark Pottenger, Martha Lang Wescott, Melanie Reinhart, Zane Stein, Barbara Hand Clow, Alex Miller, Nona Gwynn Press, Zip Dobyns, Roderick Kidston, Dave Campbell The theoretical premise of the meaning of the asteroids as derived from the name. The name having symbolic significance. Not accidental. Synchronistic correspondence. Astronomers initially used the names of gods and goddesses. Later names of ordinary and famous people Places, trees, flowers, concepts. Myth as an important tool in delineations / consultations. When an asteroid or body is prominent in the chart, the myth becomes prominent in that person’s life in some way. Mythological deities are symbolic expressions of inner structures of the psyche. The re-emerging feminine. Initial asteroids named after feminine goddesses. Balancing out predominantly male assignments of planetary names/gods. Only the Moon and Venus were feminine. Partial premise is that discovery of outer planets signaled new epochs in history and shifts, why not asteroids? Discovery coincides with an awakening of an aspect of consciousness. The big 4 asteroids: Ceres, Pallas Athena, Vesta, Juno. Discovered 1801-07 100 asteroids discovered by 1868, 1,000 by 1921, 700,000 by 2015 The glyphs for the first four asteroids. Issues regarding coming up with other glyphs. Meanings of the first four big asteroids. Ceres / Demeter Pallas / Athena Vesta / Hestia Juno / Hera Chiron - discovered in 1977. Lillith There are three different Lilliths Talks about it more in later book Finding Our Way Through the Dark (1995) Incorporating the asteroids into a more traditional framework. Astrology and the Authentic Self as a great synthesis of modern and traditional. Later daimon conceptualization of the asteroids. Personal name asteroids Locations or place asteroids Grouping asteroids that have similar themes. There are so many asteroids now, how do you sort and prioritize which ones are more or less important to a person? From Astrology and the Authentic Self: Different levels of importance: high, moderate, low, nil. High: conjunct of opposite luminaries, conjunct ruler of ASC or four angles. Moderate: Square luminaries or conjunct/opposite inner planet. Low: asteroid completes an aspect pattern, or trine/sextile luminary or ASC ruler. Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:41 Demetra's history with the asteroids 00:02:06 Meeting Eleanor Bach and the first asteroid ephemeris 00:04:31 The significance of the first ephemeris 00:05:45 The story behind the name Demetra 00:07:13 Early work using mythology in consultations 00:09:37 Writing the book "Asteroid Goddesses" 00:11:49 The community's initial resistance to asteroids 00:12:46 The women's spirituality movement's interest in asteroids 00:14:28 Asteroids and the re-emergence of the feminine 00:17:53 The first four asteroids named after goddesses 00:18:21 The gender imbalance in the planetary pantheon 00:20:45 Are asteroids a serious form of astrology? 00:21:26 The reclassification of Pluto and Ceres 00:23:07 The premise that an asteroid's name is synchronistically meaningful 00:24:45 Example: Prince Charles's chart 00:28:11 Mythology as the starting point for interpretation 00:31:32 Why mythology dropped out of the astrological tradition 00:35:09 Other astrologers who popularized the asteroids 00:37:08 The launch of "Asteroid Goddesses" at UAC 1986 00:40:34 Why Chiron gets more attention than the asteroids 00:43:09 The overwhelming number of asteroids 00:44:51 Origin of the glyphs for the first four asteroids 00:49:20 Core meaning of Ceres 00:56:36 Core meaning of Pallas Athena 01:02:02 Core meaning of Juno 01:04:57 Core meaning of Vesta 01:07:17 Vesta and sacred sexuality 01:09:31 Vesta and the Me Too movement 01:12:28 How to incorporate asteroids into a traditional framework 01:14:51 How to prioritize asteroids: The seven power points 01:16:22 Orbs and aspects for asteroids 01:18:53 The asteroids as daimons (intermediate spirits) 01:21:03 Example: Jackie Kennedy's chart and personal name asteroids 01:25:46 Lilith: The asteroid and the Black Moon 01:30:05 Where to find Demetra's work 01:31:23 Closing remarks Watch the Video Version of This Episode Here is the video version of our discussion about the asteroids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ly8yBEJW_c - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 242 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Episode 241 of the podcast features an interview with Kenneth Miller about an ancient Sanskrit text from India known as the Yavanajataka, and the debate about whether it is a translation of a Greek work on Hellenistic astrology. A critical edition and commentary on this text was published by David Pingree in 1978, and since that time it has become generally accepted in academic circles that there was some sort of transmission of Greek astrology to India between the 1st and 7th centuries CE, which was then merged with the indigenous forms of astrology that already existed there. In recent years some scholars such as Bill M. Mak have pushed back on Pingree's dating of the Yavanajataka and some of the conclusions that he drew from the text, while still accepting the general premise that the text demonstrates that some sort of transmission did occur. These conclusions on the part of academics are sometimes rejected by some practitioners of Indian astrology, who believe that their tradition dates back thousands of years, and was integrated into the ancient Vedic religion. At the United Astrology Conference in 2018 Kenneth Miller presented a talk titled There's Curry in my Feta! The Development of Horoscopic Astrology in India and Egypt, where he pushed back on the notion that the Yavanajataka presents a purely Greek form of astrology. In this podcast episode we decided to sit down and talk about both sides of the debate, and then actually read through several passages from Pingree's translation of the Yavanajataka, in order to highlight both some similarities as well as some differences when compared to the doctrines of Hellenistic astrology. Kenneth practices Indian astrology, and is also the President of Kepler College, and you can find out more information about his work at: CelestialIntelligencer.net This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Watch the Video Version of This Episode on the Yavanajataka Here is the video version of our discussion about the Yavanajataka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4A0rpK0Dpg - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 241 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Episode 240 features astrologers Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan discussing the astrological forecast for the month of February of 2020. The astrology of February features Mars moving into Capricorn mid-month, where it joins Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto, and then Mercury stationing retrograde in Pisces conjunct Neptune around the same time. We spend the first hour of the show talking about the astrology of February, and then transition into talking about some miscellaneous topics in the news, including: Recent death of the astrologer Noel Tyl Charts of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Queen Elizabeth Whether quadrant house systems are inherently more psychological or personal Chris' reflections on reading the Picatrix for the first time (in preparation for the interview with Warnock, which was recorded the following day)   This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. News, Announcements, Links Kelly is teaching in New York on February 1, and starting up her group mentoring program. More information at: KellysAstrology.com Austin is releasing his 2020 teaching schedule on February 1, and opening up his schedule for readings. More info at: AustinCoppock.com Sphere and Sundry will be releasing the Mars in Scorpio series this February. More info at: Sphereandsundry.com Chris is still shipping the 2020 Astrology Calendar Poster Bundle, although we may run out soon, so order today! Chris and Leisa's 2020 year-ahead electional astrology report is now available, with elections for the rest of the year.   Shout-out to Toad / Jess Aldeghi for the new painting on Chris' wall! Website: ToadArt.co Instagram: @art.by.toad Major Planetary Alignments in 2020 Here are some of the major planetary alignments in 2020 discussed in this episode: Mercury moves into Pisces on February 3 Venus moves into Aries on February 7 Full Moon in Leo February 9 Mars moves into Capricorn February 16 Mercury stations retrograde in Pisces February 16 Sun moves into Pisces February 18 Jupiter sextile Neptune February 20 New Moon in Pisces February 23 Sun conjunct Mercury February 25 Auspicious Electional Chart for February The auspicious election for February that was chosen by Leisa Schaim is set for: 🪐 February 1, 2020 starting around 2:50 PM, with Cancer rising There are a three more electional charts that we found for February, which are available in our private subscriber-only podcast on auspicious elections that was just released a few days ago. We recently released a preview of the Auspicious Elections Podcast, which was the episode that subscribers had access to at the beginning of September, in order to give you an idea of what the private electional podcast is like when you sign up for it through our page on Patreon. Watch the Video Version of Our February Astrology Forecast Here is the video version of our February astrology forecast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK6V4PxD36I - Listen to the Audio Version of Our February Forecast You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Episode 239 of the podcast features an interview with Christopher Warnock about a book known as the Picatrix, which is a 10th century text on astrological magic. This is a sweeping two and a half hour discussion where we talk about the history and origins of the text, as well as its contents. We also get into a lot of specific details surrounding the practice of astrological magic. Christopher was involved in publishing one of the first modern translations of the text in 2009 with John Michael Greer: The Complete Picatrix I thought it would be fitting to have him on the show to talk about the Picatrix, especially given the recent surge in the popularity of astrological magic in recent years, which was discussed a recent episode with Austin Coppock on the relationship between astrology and magic. You can find out more information about Christopher Warnock's work on his website: RenaissanceAstrology.com This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Picatrix Show Notes Here are some of the show notes compiled by Brennan before the interview: Text known as the Picatrix Origina Arabicl title: Ghayat al-hakim: The Goal of the Wise / The Aim of the Sage 10th century text on magic and astrology Became very influential in the later Medieval and Renaissance magical traditions Focuses a lot on electional astrology and rules for making talismans. History behind the text. Probably written in the 10th century Latest authors cited or used in it lived in 9th century. E.g. Abu Ma’shar Author is currently thought to be Maslama al-Qurtubi (d. 964 CE) "It has become widely accepted that it was penned by Maslama al-Qurtubi as identified by Maribel Fierro and confirmed by Godefroid de Callatay." Liana Saif, The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy, p. 250. "a man of charms and talismans" Al-Andalus. Iberian Peninsula The text is a compilation of a bunch of earlier lore that he found in different texts. Author claims to have consulted 224 books Wrote it over 6 years. Text was originally written in Arabic Translated into Spanish at the court of Alphonso X of Castile 1256-1258 Spanish version then translated into Latin Latin translation omits some stuff, inserts other passages. The famous talking head thing is missing from the Arabic version. Latin Version influenced later European tradition Interestingly was never put into a printed edition. Just manuscripts. Influenced later authors like Agrippa, Ficino, and Lilly. History of modern editions and translations. A few scholars around the Warburg Institute worked on it in the first half of the 20th century. Produced a critical edition of the Arabic Later Pingree published a critical edition of the Latin in the 80s. The first English translation was the Ouroboros Press version Translated from the Arabic, but criticized for accuracy. Warnock and Greer translation from the Latin in 2009 New academic translation of the Latin published recently by Dan Attrell and David Porreca: Picatrix: A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic. Upcoming Arabic translation by Liana Saif Tweeted her progress @MaslamaQ Contents of the Text Some astrological magic Some magic potions and spells Different philosophical passages: Hermetic, Neoplatonic, and Aristotelianism Electional astrology for magical purposes Different electional principles focused on or used in the Picatrix Concept of talismans, amulets, and images Using images to capture or represent something in magical workings. Interesting conceptual stuff surrounding some of the electional rules. The origins of much of the electional material among the Sabians of Harran Thabit ibn Qurra (836-901 CE) as a source for the Picatrix: Astral High Magic: De Imaginibus of Thabit Ibn Qurra Attempting to define magic. Actualizing the will through hidden or occult forces as a major theme. “Whatever you desire shall come about.” 1, 5: 1 (Attrell and Porreca translation) “Whatever he seeks from the lords with whom he interacts, he will obtain.” 1, 5: 7. “what you seek will happen.” 1, 5: 29. “They requested their desires and fulfilled them.” 1, 5: 48. Text demonstrates both positive and negative, constructive and destructive uses. The early ones it introduces are relatively benign, like making two people fall in love with each other, but relatively early in book 1, 5: 14 it gives an image for destroying an enemy. Christopher has an interesting admonition at one point in Thabit Discourages people from using magic for bad things. At the same time thinks it is important not to censor the tradition. Important to understand the principles of constructive and destructive elections Using images to capture or represent something in magical workings. Desire to root the electional chart in a natal or horary chart. There is this whole theme that it keeps coming back to about the agent needing to believe or have faith in the operation, because only then will their will be brought to fruition. At the beginning of book 2 he outlines a philosophy where astrology is the root of all magic. “Thus, they believed that the root of magic is the motion of the planets.” 2, 1: 1. Repeatedly swears the reader to secrecy. Not the best introduction to elections. Kind of need to know astrology and electional already. Occasional digressions to introduce concepts. Using knowledge of someone’s natal chart in a ritual. Watch the Video Version of This Episode Here is the video version of our discussion about the Picatrix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkTjOonTMpM - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 239 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Episode 238 features part 2 of our series on year ahead horoscopes for all twelve signs of the zodiac, with this installment featuring the second half of the signs, Libra through Pisces. These are hour-long horoscope forecasts that are meant to be read relative to your rising sign primarily, although you can also look at them from the perspective of your Sun sign if you were born during the day, or your Moon sign if you were born at night. For part 1 featuring the first six signs of the zodiac see this previous post. You will find timestamps and links to the video and audio versions below. Timestamps for the Audio Version Here are the timestamps for when each sign begins in part 2: 0:02:00 Libra 1:23:55 Scorpio 2:53:04 Sagittarius 4:08:25 Capricorn 5:17:08 Aquarius 6:23:54 Pisces Watch the Video Versions of This Episode If you want to watch the video versions of the horoscopes, you can find them in this playlist on YouTube. Here are the links to all of the individual signs: Libra 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUhaa3sKGQg Scorpio 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTn32pb7HyQ Sagittarius 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_groFF-J_Fk Capricorn 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_iLo5PjSaI Aquarius 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE-7Re_7L-k Pisces 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz0G0Sv80Ak     – Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

Episode 237 features a series of extended horoscope forecasts for each of the signs of the zodiac which provide an astrological forecast for the entire year of 2020. These horoscopes are primarily meant to be viewed from the perspective of your rising sign, although you can also look at them from the perspective of your Sun sign especially if you were born during the day, or your Moon sign especially if you were born at night. These forecasts were originally livestreamed on The Astrology Podcast YouTube channel in early January, although I wanted to release audio versions of them here for our audio only listeners. Each forecast is at least an hour long, so we had to break the audio file into two parts, and part 1 will feature zodiac signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, and part 2 will feature the rest of the zodiac signs. Below you will find timestamps for when each sign begins in the audio version, links to the YouTube videos, and then the audio files at the bottom of the page. Timestamps for the Audio Version Here are the timestamps for when each sign begins in the audio version: 0:02:00 Aries 1:00:24 Taurus 2:37:02 Gemini 3:39:41 Cancer 4:49:47 Leo 5:56:53 Virgo Watch the Video Versions of This Episode If you want to watch the video versions of the horoscopes, you can find them in this playlist on YouTube. Here are the links to all of the individual signs: Aries 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlWVb-7ZLTI Taurus 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9Fqab34KsQ Gemini 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d34IgKMqHJs Cancer 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktTt9cg6amk Leo 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgD90juKO1I Virgo 2020 Year Ahead Horoscope Forecast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsfwObq99PE   – Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

In episode 236 astrologers Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan got together in-person to answer some questions about astrology that were sent in by listeners of the show. This was the last of the in-studio recordings that we did in Denver towards the end of Austin and Kelly's trip here in late November. The astrology questions we answered were sent in through Twitter, as well as our private Facebook group, which is available to patrons of The Astrology Podcast. Thanks everyone who sent in questions! This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. News, Announcements, Links 🪐Chris and Leisa just released their 2020 Electional Astrology Report! We picked out one auspicious electional chart for each of the next 12 months, including one for the very rare Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius. 🪐The Astrology Podcast 2020 Poster Bundle is now available! It includes the Planetary Alignments Calendar, which is part of the artwork we display in the forecast episodes, allowing you to track ingresses, lunations, and retrogrades for the entire year at a glance. 🪐 KellysAstrology.com 🪐 AustinCoppock.com Astrology Questions Discussed in This Episode Here are some of the questions we answered in this episode: From Rob @oldschoolastro via Twitter What was the role of transits in ancient astrology? And how do each of you employ transits in your current practise, in contrast to other predictive techniques? From Cat @occultproblems via Twitter What do you think your role is as a group of astrologers who are now a tier older than the youngest generation of professional astrologers? Like, what is the role of mentorship and role modeling in the community, and what are your favorite ways to enact that? What would you like to see more of? From @theblogwitch via Twitter What are y’all’s hopes/fears for the coming year(s) re: astrology? are there certain discussions or conversations you can see needing to happen within the community as a whole? are there any upcoming configurations that bode positively/negatively for the rise of astrology? From Martina Segovia on the Astrology Podcast Patreon Facebook group I’m looking to start a local IRL astrology group; any tips to help it be successful? From @adinahertzel via Twitter How do you maintain and honor your boundaries/the privacy of others when friends (or acquaintances/coworkers/whomever) ask you about their charts or about themselves when they learn you're an astrologer? From @mercuryprashant via Twitter Do you charge your regular fees from relatives also? Is your approach different from as compared to unknown clients?? From @joey_puopolo via Twitter I'm curious how astrologers handle doing readings for their spouses/significant others, and where everyone stands on the ethics of that, etc. I'm sure astrologers don't want a counseling relationship, but at the same time, still want their spouse to be aware of certain placements. From @fortunatefire via Twitter Kelly talked about the importance of astrologers “cross-pollinating” in her keynote at norwac. What do you cross-pollinate your astrology with? Or, are there other folks cross-pollinating their astrology in ways that you’d like to see more of? From @alyssapashya via Twitter This is a whole pandora’s box you may want to leave closed, but i want to hear more about how Austin has incorporated his jyotish studies into his western approach and the utility of looking at someone’s chart in both zodiacs and what can be gained from that /how to reconcile From @napatean via Twitter Do you have other astrologers read your charts for you? How often do you look at your own chart? What are some good questions to ask when having your first reading? From @grace_rolek via Twitter If you have the malefic contrary to sect in the sign of its rulership or exaltation, would you interpret that as having more power to cause trouble or would you say that it’s less troublesome because of its dignity? From @bryonyclimb via Twitter Is it more subjectively positive for a native to have strongly positioned malefics or weakly positioned malefics? Ex. Would angular Saturn in Cap in a night chart be better or worse for the native than an angular Saturn in Aries in a night chart? From @Rene_Marcellus on Twitter I have a nodal return coming up. I’m having a hard time finding info about it. I’d love to know what one should expect during a nodal return. From Erin Bee on the Patreon Facebook group How do you communicate really extremely nasty aspects to a client? From @BernalOrbit via Twitter If you could trade placements with each other from your charts, which ones would you take on, and why? Timestamps Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:11 The role of transits in ancient astrology 00:02:22 How they use transits in practice 00:14:48 Their role as older astrologers 00:16:06 Being a role model in the community 00:22:16 Mentorship 00:22:51 What they want to see more of in the community 00:23:36 Their take on the future of astrology 00:27:40 The next generation of astrologers 00:28:50 Decline in local astrology groups 00:33:36 Tips for starting a local astrology group 00:36:17 How to maintain boundaries when friends ask about their charts 00:46:24 Do they have a family and friends rate? 00:54:34 Readings for spouses/partners. 01:00:52 "Cross-pollinating" in astrology 01:09:20 How Austin uses Vedic in his practice 01:21:20 How often they look at their charts. 01:29:11 Questions to ask before your first astrology reading 01:34:17 Malefic contrary to sect in the sign of its rulership or exaltation 01:41:00 What to expect during nodal returns 01:44:40 How to communicate difficult aspects to a client 02:03:43 Placements they would steal from each other's charts Watch the Video Version of This Episode Here is the video version of our question and answer episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96c2E-IflQI - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 236 transcript Answering Astrology Questions with Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris BrennanListen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

In episode 235 astrologers Austin Coppock and Chris Brennan discuss the relationship between astrology and magic, and some of the areas where they converge and diverge. The premise behind this discussion is that there has been a dramatic rise in the practice of astrological magic over the past couple of years, especially among the younger generations of astrologers. This has left some astrologers like myself in a bit of an awkward position though, since I don't practice magic, and having not investigated it much myself I don't really have strong feelings either for or against it. I do feel like I have indirectly promoted it on The Astrology Podcast though by having discussions about it with different practitioners that are into it, as part of my general program to recognize and talk about the many different approaches to and perspectives on astrology. Some past instances include my early interview with Christopher Warnock in episode 16 about Astrology, Magic, and The Occult, or the discussion that I had with Austin about his new compilation of papers on astrological magic when it came out in 2018. I don't necessarily think that one needs to believe in or practice magic in order to practice astrology though, since the two are kind of separate things, and yet I wondered if that distinction has become blurred a bit over the past few years. In light of that, I'd been meaning to do an episode where I could talk through some of my own reservations, while balancing them out by talking to a proponent of astrological magic. I couldn't think of anyone better to have that discussion with than Austin, since he has become one of the principal proponents of astrological magic in modern times. This episode was recorded in my studio in Denver in late November, towards the end of Austin and Kelly's trip here that month to record a series of podcast episodes. When I pitched the idea to Austin early during his visit he was enthusiastic about doing the episode, and felt like it might be good to be able to talk about some of his own reservations regarding the sudden recent popularization of astrological magic as well. So, we decided to sit down and record it on our day off on the Sunday that week when Kelly was off in Boulder giving a workshop. The end result was a pretty compelling and I think productive discussion, where we covered a lot of ground. Some of the topics we covered include: What is the definition of astrology? How do we define magic? Is astrology magic? In what ways are astrology and magic different? How has magic been incorporated into astrology in the past? Are there any possible downsides to astrological magic today? What are the possible benefits? What is the interplay between fate and free-will?   Part of the purpose of the episode for me was to be able to explain where I'm at currently and air any reservations I have while talking through it with someone I respect, and then having done so I can feel better about going ahead and still doing other explorations of that topic on the podcast in the future, such as an episode on the Picatrix that I'm planning on doing with Christopher Warnock next month. I feel like I was able to do that with this episode, and I hope that it generates some other productive discussions in the future. For more information about Austin and his work with astrological magic visit AustinCoppock.com and SphereAndSundry.com. This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Timestamps Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:50 The increased interest in astrological magic 00:09:17 Decrease in skepticism of astrology 00:12:54 Aleister Crowley writings 00:14:50 Theosophist literature 00:15:59 Scientific astrology 00:17:57 Psychological astrology 00:18:10 Richard Tarnas 00:24:22 Revival of traditional astrology 00:25:40 Overlap of magic and astrological communities 00:26:50 Lee Lehman essay about overlap of astrology and magic 00:28:40 Chris' definition of astrology 00:31:01 Austin's definition of magic 00:34:16 Chris' definition of magic 00:38:13 How to define magic in an astrological context 00:52:50 Is everything in the chart fated? 00:55:47 Internal states and fate 00:58:40 Electional astrology overlap with magic 00:59:23 Definition of fate 00:59:46 Are you changing your fate with electional astrology? 01:02:22 Free will, Choice, Predeterminism 01:17:22 Astrological Magic, The Picatrix, and Fate 01:37:11 Historical patterns of convergence and separation of magic and astrology 01:44:03 Practicing astrology independent of magic 01:50:40 Chris' 3 objections to magic 02:09:10 Is all magic efficacious? 02:13:08 Medical astrology 02:14:10 Firdaria and Quarters of the Moon 02:14:45 Drawbacks to using magic 02:37:02 Ethical hazards in magic 03:03:41 The positives of fate 03:06:38 Takeaways 03:08:31 Christopher Warnock Picatrix episode 03:09:09 Closing remarks Watch the Video Version of This Episode Here is the video version of our discussion about astrology and magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyVPMDD1I5E - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 235 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

In episode 234 astrologers Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan provide an overview of the astrology of 2020, and discuss the major planetary alignments that will happen over the next year. There is a lot of major planetary activity next year, including a Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, Venus and Mars both retrograde for several months, and an epoch-defining Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius. We got together to record this episode in person in our studio in Denver in late November, right in the middle of a week of recording several other episodes. This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Support the Podcast Through Patreon This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of patrons through our monthly webinar format, which is one of the perks of signing up to support the production of the podcast through our page on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/astrologypodcast Other patron benefits include early access to new episodes, behind the scenes news, and access to exclusive bonus episodes. If you enjoy the podcast and want to show your support, become a patron! Honeycomb Collective Personal Astrological Almanacs Our sponsor for the 2020 forecast is the Honeycomb Collective Personal Astrological Almanac, which features customized natal transit planners for professional and student astrologers. Honeycomb.co Thanks to Honeycomb for sponsoring the podcast this year, and helping us bring Austin and Kelly out to Denver! 2020 Astrology Poster Set Some of the artwork featured in this episode is from our 2020 astrology poster bundle, which is now available for purchase: http://theastrologypodcast.com/2020posters/ The posters help you to track the movements of the planets throughout the course of the year, and come with a bonus poster that lists the significations of the houses. More Info About Kelly, Austin, and Chris For more info about our consultations, classes, and other events see our websites: 🪐 KellysAstrology.com 🪐 AustinCoppock.com and SphereAndSundry.com 🪐 ChrisBrennanAstrologer.com   Auspicious Electional Chart for January The auspicious election for January that was chosen by Leisa Schaim is set for: 🪐 January 5, 2020, starting around 12:50 PM, with Taurus rising There are a four more electional charts that we found for January, which are available in our private subscriber-only podcast on auspicious elections that is released towards the end of each month. We recently released a preview of the Auspicious Elections Podcast, which was the episode that subscribers had access to at the beginning of September, in order to give you an idea of what the private electional podcast is like when you sign up for it through our page on Patreon. Major Planetary Alignments in 2020 Here are some of the major planetary alignments in 2020 discussed in this episode: Saturn-Pluto conjunct exact on January 12 Lunar eclipse in Cancer on January 10 Saturn moves into Aquarius temporarily March 21 Jupiter-Pluto conjunction April 4 Venus stations retrograde in Gemini May 13 Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius June 5 Lunar eclipse in Cancer June 21 Solar Eclipse in Capricorn July 5 Mars stations retrograde in Aries September 9 Lunar eclipse in Gemini November 30 Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius December 14 Jupiter moves into Aquarius December 19 Saturn moves into Aquarius December 17 Jupiter-Saturn conjunction December 21   Watch the Video Version of Our 2020 Astrology Forecast Here is the video version of our 2020 astrology forecast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDLJcA9tQjA – Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 234 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of Our 2020 Forecast You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below:

In episode 233 astrologers Kelly Surtees, Austin Coppock, and Chris Brennan get back together in the studio for the second of our two part series on the significations of the houses, this time focusing on the meanings of houses 7 through 12. In part 1 of our series on the significations of the twelve houses in astrology we spent a lot of time in the beginning talking about different conceptual structures underlying the meanings of the houses, whereas in this episode we just jump right in to talking about the 7th house. At the beginning we talk a little bit about the more public nature of the houses in the upper hemisphere, as well as how the interrelationship between opposing houses starts becoming more clear from the 7th house forward. Some of the core significations we talk about for each of the houses: 7th house: relationships, partnership, marriage, the "other" (as opposed to "self") 8th house: death, inheritance, assets of others, partner's finances 9th house: travel, foreign things, education, religion 10th house: career, actions, reputation, public life 11th house: friends, groups, alliances, hopes 12th house: enemies, sickness, loss, seclusion   This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Significations of the Houses Posters The artwork for this episode is from our new full size wall poster on the significations of the houses, which will be released later this month as part of our annual 2020 astrology poster set. If you would like to receive a notification as soon as the posters are available for sale, then sign up for The Astrology Podcast newsletter. Full Courses on the Meanings of the Houses All three of us teach online courses on the astrology of the houses, and if you would like to learn more after watching this episode then you may want to check them out: Kelly’s Practical Astrology for Beginners Course Austin’s Astrology Foundations Class Chris’ Course on Ancient Astrology Timestamps Here are some timestamps for topics covered at different points in the episode: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:20 7th house 00:37:20 8th house 01:05:48 9th house 01:37:55 10th house 02:08:35 11th house 02:30:34 12th house Watch the Video Version of This Episode Here is the video version of our episode on the meanings of the houses in astrology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbdVCaKMBR4 – Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 233 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode You can either play the audio version of this episode of the podcast directly from the website or download it as an MP3 to your device by using the buttons below: