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2 Thank you for your interest in the e-books published by the ONLINE College of Astrology! OCA publishes an ever-growing line of quality astrology books in e-book format. Most of our books are OCA exclusives, not available elsewhere. Our authors include Michael Munkasey, Carol Tebbs, Ena Stanley, Rusty Withers, Donna Henson, and more. This file contains a sample of one of our e-book publications. We hope you enjoy it. If you would like to purchase the complete book, please visit us at Most of our e-books are available both as downloads and on CD-ROM. Please feel free to pass this sample file along to others, or to make it available online or on disk, provided you do not charge any money for the file and you do not alter it in any way. This file contains copyrighted material. The author and OCA reserve all rights to this material. Resellers, teachers, lecturers: OCA offers quantity discounts on our e-books on CD-ROM. For details, please visit our web site or telephone ONLINE College of Astrology General information: info@astrocollege.com E-Publishing Division: ebooks@astrocollege.com

3 BEYOND BASICS: Moving the Chart in Time Textbook for Astro 201 By Carol A. Tebbs Portions Contributed by Ena Stanley Published by P.O. Box 85 Basye, VA Web: ISBN: First Electronic Edition: 2003 Copyright 2003 Carol A. Tebbs All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed in any form without the express written consent of the publisher, except for brief passages which may be quoted in reviews. The authors and the publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this book. However, they assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies contained herein. Cover by Vicky Perrone

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Astro 201 Syllabus iii Astro 201 Overview iv Chapter 1 Seeing Life Phases With Generic Planetary Cycles 1 Chapter 2 Timing Important Life Periods With Synodic Returns 17 Chapter 3 Timing Months and Years With Outer Transits 32 Chapter 4 Timing Days and Weeks With Inner Transits 65 Chapter 5 PART ONE Calculating the Adjusted Calculation Date and Progressed Angles 79 Chapter 5 PART TWO Calculating the Solar Arc to Find the Progressed Angles 88 Chapter 6 Assessing the Year With Secondary Progressions 103 Chapter 7 Timing the Month With the Progressed Moon 136 i

5 Chapter 8 Timing Weeks and Months With Tertiary & Minor Progressions 158 Chapter 9 Assessing the Year With Solar Arc Directions 189 Chapter 10 Preparing Client Files for Reference or a Consultation 213 Chapter 11 Applying the Principles: Practice in Forecasting 225 Appendix A 244 Appendix B 252 About the Author 254 ii

6 ASTRO 201 SYLLABUSYLLABUS STRO 201 S Week 1 Seeing Life Phases With Generic Planetary Cycles Week 2 Timing Important Life Periods With Synodic Returns Week 3 Timing Months and Years With Outer Transits Week 4 Timing Days and Weeks With Inner Transits Week 5 Calculating the Adjusted Calculation Date and Progressed Angles Week 6 Assessing the Year with Secondary Progressions Week 7 Timing the Month with the Progressed Moon Week 8 Timing Weeks and Months With Tertiary Progressions Week 9 Timing Days and Weeks With Minor Progressions Week 10 Assessing the Year With Solar Arc Directions Week 11 Putting It All Together Preparing Client Files for Reference Week 12 Preparing For the Client Class Discussion Only Week 13 Applying the Principles: Practice In Forecasting: Event One Week 14 Applying the Principles: Practice in Forecasting: Event Two iii

7 ASTRO 201 Overview: Moving the Chart In Time Astrology books often target the advanced professional to explore a specific area or technique, or reach too broadly to the beginning student in an attempt to be comprehensive, but few provide practical comparison of techniques and the best circumstance for their use for the intermediate student. ASTRO 201 is just such a survey course in the variety of ways astrologers move time to assess and forecast for a given year. The techniques are classified as directions, a totally symbolic measure; progressions, partially symbolic; and transits, actual planetary positions; but a better way to understand their function and importance to chart interpretation is to divide them according to the speed by which they mark time. Few astrologers use all of the time movement techniques that you will learn, but they all have a preferred selection using the others only for additional clarification if needed. In Europe and other parts of the world, many astrologers prefer the solar arc method of direction which moves all planetary bodies and angles at the rate of the Sun one day for each year after birth. This system maintains the birth relationship of all bodies in the natal chart, and it is moved as a whole at the rate of the solar arc. The aspect contacts within one-degree orb to bodies or points in the natal chart signify the issues in the forefront for the year. Directed chart movement at the approximate rate of one degree per year serves as the hour hand of our cosmic clock. For more precision timing, these astrologers first use the outer iv

8 transits, Jupiter through Pluto, which move from 30 degrees to 2 degrees during the same year (or one degree) of the solar arc direction. The outer transits serve as the minute hand of the cosmic clock. Inner transits, Moon through Mars plus the angles, serve as the second hand on the cosmic clock, moving from 365 degrees to 47 degrees during the same year (or one degree) of the solar arc direction. All transits are the actual planetary positions occurring in the sky on the date in question. The American astrologers generally prefer the system of secondary progressions to the direction method, though most still use the solar arc to determine the Midheaven for both methods. Like directions, progressions are a symbolic measure of one day for one year of life, but the similarity ends there. Directions are a fixed system of moving everything in the chart the same distance simultaneously, so movement of all bodies at the same speed could not actually occur in the sky. Directions are totally symbolic whereas progressions are one day per year straight from the ephemeris, and did occur at some point in the sky after birth. The Adjusted Calculation Date is a mathematical conversion of the birth time to create an artificial birthday in the day for a year system. This allows the astrologer who does not use a computer for calculation to take the positions directly from the ephemeris as exact for the desired year or age. In the secondary system, the slow moving planets such as Pluto progress little in a lifetime of say 90 years (90 days). Only the inner planets Moon through Mars, and sometimes Jupiter and Saturn, actually make much movement over a lifetime of secondary progressions. Similar to directions, the secondary progression compares to the hour hand of the cosmic clock. And like those who prefer v

9 directions, these astrologers use transits for more precision timing. First they use the outer transits, Jupiter through Pluto, which move from 30 degrees to 2 degrees during the same year (or one degree) of the secondary progression to serve as the minute hand of the cosmic clock. The inner transits, Moon through Mars plus the angles, serve as the second hand on the cosmic clock, moving from 365 degrees to 47 degrees during the same year (or one degree) of the secondary progression. And again, all transits are the actual planetary positions for the date in question. Other valuable but less used techniques are the faster moving progressions called Tertiaries, which move time at one day for one lunar month, and Minors which move time at one lunar month for a year of life. In tertiaries the Moon moves 180 degrees in a year; the Sun, Mercury, Venus about 13 degrees; and Mars about 7 degrees, so planets move into one degree orb to form aspects much more quickly. An even faster progression, the Minor Moon moves 360 degrees in a year; the Sun, Mercury, Venus about 27 degrees; and Mars about 13 degrees. These faster moving progressions can serve as another minute and second hand on the cosmic clock. It is also important to understand the larger transit cycles that mark common life transitions. The generic cycles of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, and to a lesser extent Neptune and Pluto, mark the normal stages of life: Age 6 is half a Jupiter cycle of 12 years, and age 7 is one-quarter of a Saturn cycle, or Saturn square Saturn, making this the period of life when one first faces the challenge of the world outside the home. Age 14 is one-half of a Saturn cycle, or Saturn opposition Saturn, signaling the urge to vi

10 become independent. Age 21 is three-quarters of a Saturn cycle and one-quarter of the Uranus cycle, so both Saturn and Uranus are transiting square to their natal positions signaling the struggle to break away and live totally independently. Midlife crisis and other natural life turning points can be anticipated according to the situation of Jupiter, Saturn or Uranus in the natal chart. Many close hard aspects from other planets to the natal positions of those developmental significators can signal a more difficult life phase transitions. Synodic returns are transits that involve two planets in conjunction that reoccur at regular intervals. Generally, synodic returns refer to the conjunction of two outer planets since the inner planets return to conjunct all other planets virtually every year. However, the ultimate inner planet synodic return is the solar eclipse, and then the lunar eclipse that adds emphasis to the planets contacted. The outer planet synodic return of Jupiter/Saturn occurs every 20 years, and when a personal planet or point is activated within a one to three-degree orb, the effect is that of a double outer transit. If the synodic return, or indeed any direction, progression or transit, activates a close natal configuration, the impact can be very prominent. Similarly, the synodic returns of Jupiter/Uranus, Jupiter/Neptune, Jupiter/Pluto and Saturn/Uranus, Saturn/Neptune, Saturn/Pluto and Uranus/Neptune, Uranus/Pluto and Neptune/Pluto mark even longer periods of up to 500 years and can activate the birth chart powerfully by major aspect contact. Generally, outer planet synodic returns figure most prominently in mundane astrology because their return cycles stretch well beyond the human lifespan to mark eras and even ages. vii

11 Working with the charts of those you know well, you will learn to apply each of these techniques for moving time to interpret not only what is happening in the chart, and in the individual s life, but when. No question, the ability to move the chart in time to provide accurate interpretation is the staple of every professional astrologer. The lessons that follow provide the details for you to successfully use them all. Frequently Asked Questions Carol Tebbs> Let me start by asking what astro-software you have. LP> WebothhaveMacsandhavetheIOprogram. TimeCycles Research is the name of the company Carol Tebbs> Well, for 201 it is not much of a problem because most of your work will be with hand-calculation. You can use your astro-software to double-check yourself to see if you are on the right track, but all of your homework needs to be submitted with your calculations. MCh> Will we need more advanced software in 202? Carol Tebbs> The Time Cycles software should be plenty good enough for when you get to 202 as well if you are able to run the bi-wheel format. We do use our computers more for the calculations in the more complex lessons of 202. viii

12 Carol Tebbs> 201 is only a lot of work because as we head into advanced techniques, you still have to do hand calculations -- which you will never do as a practicing astrologer, however, you must first pass your certification exams through one of the major astrological organizations such as NCGR or AFA. Carol Tebbs> However, I did convince the OCA Director, Ena Stanley, that the Tertiaries and Minors, lessons 8 and 9 of 201, have to be done with the computer -- no one in his right mind would attempt those techniques without one. Carol Tebbs> The rationale for hand-calculation is that you will be better able to spot input errors if you have a grounded sense of what the outcome should be. LP> What do you mean by input errors? Carol Tebbs> Input error is when you accidentally type AM when you mean PM, for instance, and the Sun appears in the upper half of the chart rather than in the lower half where a night birth would place it. Of course, all of the angles and cusps would be wrong too. So, having a good sense of what the result should be is quite a good safety net. Carol Tebbs> The major theme of this course is, "moving the chart in time", or tools for forecasting. Carol Tebbs> May I remind you how Ena wants the homework named -- Astro201-YourName-Lesson1, and then on the actual homework text, make your heading the same, only 3 lines, Name, course, and lesson #. LP> Glad to have that addressed! ix

13 Chapter 1 Seeing Life Phases With Generic Planetary Cycles In order to go beyond the birth chart and its snap-shot of life potential, there are several ways to move the birth planets to look forward or backward in time. The simplest, and most astronomically real, of these techniques is transits that are the ephemeris positions of the planets for any chosen date. Transit contacts activating the natal chart will be saved for the next lesson, but first it is important to understand the generic cycles of the outer planets. The generic cycles serve as guides to understand the larger picture of natural planetary motion and the connection to the natural stages of life. So, the generic cycles mark the amount of time each planet takes to complete 360-degrees. Further, we can then estimate the half and quarter cycles for each planet to determine about when to expect the impact of that planet as it relates to our natal chart patterns. For instance, the cycle of Saturn is years, so years would mark the half cycle and 7 8 years the quarter cycle. As the planet moves to each of the quarter points in its cycle, it is making hard aspect to its own natal position (plus any other natal planets in close aspect). 1

14 retirement at this time as well as the search for new ways to derive a sense of self-worth other than career. One important consideration in the Pluto cycle is the great variance of speed from 14 years in a sign to 21 years. Depending upon when one was born, the Pluto quarter cycles can vary widely. Since 1960 Pluto has been moving very fast in its orbit spending about 14 years in Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. As a result, those born in the late 20 th century will experience the first Pluto square much earlier that the average at around age 42 along with the other convergence of outer planet quarter cycles at that age. Generally, Pluto describes that which a generation has in common. The Pluto in Cancer generation fought through the Great Depression and WWII to preserve their families and our way of life, while the Pluto in Virgo generation has pioneered the great Information Age revolution. The cycle of Neptune is years, so the half-cycle occurs about age 83-84, and the quarter cycle around age Though none of us will reach the full Neptune cycle in life span, we are likely to reach the mid-life crisis applying square and the preparation for the end of life phase opposition. The Neptune opposition at age certainly is not an indicator of death, but it does mark a time when many finalize wills and estates to set their affairs in order. Uranus has an year cycle on the average, and most of us will only complete one cycle in a lifetime. Quarter cycles to the natal position of Uranus are not so important life markers as the 3

15 convergence with other outer planets forming quarter cycles simultaneously at age 21, 42 and 63. Because Chiron s orbit is highly elliptical like Pluto s, it moves quickly through some signs and slower through others. While the entire cycle takes 50 years to complete, the 1 st quarter square can occur anywhere between the ages of 5 and 23. Melanie Reinhart has found that when the 1 st quarter Chiron square is experienced before the 1 st Saturn square the experience is often more traumatic. The Chiron cycle represents the process of individualization & integration. It represents the phases we go through as we receive or become aware of our wounds and deal with our wounded-ness, as we seek to find our safe space to welcome home our lost and frozen fragments and seek balance between our lower instinctual nature and our higher intellectual nature. The four phases mark major turning points in life that often alters its course. These phases tend to be deeply marked in the psyche as times of wounding, be they the initial wound or where old wounds were opened up for healing and also bring to our attention unfinished business that needs to be dealt with and integrated. Also physical illness can mark these times as well. Rebalancing and realigning with one s center as well as an awakening of the quest for self-discovery and meaning is what this cycle is all about. The Saturn cycle is years, and is a very important marker of life turning points. Since most of us can expect to live three Saturn cycles, we have at least three tries to master the lessons we chose for this life. Whenever I see a client who is 4

16 experiencing Saturn issues, I always ask, What happened 29 years ago that is an echo of this same issue? Usually, a connection is made. Then I ask, How did you handle it then, and with what result? I continue the probing to allow the client to make connections to the past, and conclude with, Now you have another chance. How will you handle the situation better this time? The astrologer understands the so you don t have to keep repeating the same lesson as part of the message, but sometimes the stages of awareness are more subtle for the client who is embroiled in Saturn consequences. The Jupiter cycles is years, so its quarter phases are not so dramatic because we experience them so regularly. However, when a quarter-cycle of Jupiter coincides with that of another outer planet, the combination does clearly mark a memorable life phase. The quarter, half and three-quarter cycles of the outer planets set the back drop for both internal and then external change in our lives. Several of the outer planetary quarter and half cycles overlap to define periods of major life transition. Here, we are interested in the big picture, so Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus phases are the most important since most of us can expect to survive at least one complete 84-year cycle of Uranus, possibly even three Saturn 29 ½ year cycles and seven or eight Jupiter cycles of 12 years. To a lesser extent, the Neptune and Pluto cycles are noticeable because their cycles are so long in terms of the human life span: however, many will see the first quarter cycle of both, and the half cycle of Neptune, which converge with other important cycles. 5

17 In adult lives, Mercury, Venus and Mars move so rapidly that few astrologers pay much attention to them as defining a backdrop for a phase of development or awakening, though no doubt, they do have some influence in the smaller cycles of our daily lives. That said, the quarter, half and three-quarter cycles of Mercury, Venus and Mars are quite important to mark the stages of childhood development. For instance, the Mars cycle of twentytwo months is approximately when the child first talks. The halfcycle of Mars at eleven months coincides with the child s first steps alone, and the first quarter cycle of Mars at five to six months is when the child sits independently. One can associate the quarter cycles of Mercury and Venus in a similar manner to mark other various development phases of childhood. Use the following chart to review your understanding of the generic planetary cycles. 6

18 Planet First Quarter Or Square Half Cycle Or Opposition Last Quarter Or Square Return to Natal Position Cycles Jupiter 3 years 6 years 9 years 12 years 1 15 years 18 years 21 years 24 years 2 27 years 30 years 33 years 36 years 3 39 years 42 years 45 years 48 years 4 51 years 54 years 57 years 60 years 5 63 years 66 years 69 years 72 years 6 75 years 78 years 81 years 84 years 7 87 years 90 years 93 years 96 years 8 Saturn 7+ years years years 29 ½ years 1 37 years years years 59 years years years years years 3 Chiron years 25 years years 50 years years 75 years years 100 years 2 Uranus 21 years 42 years 63 years 84 years 1 Neptune 42 years 83 years 124 years 165 years 1 Pluto 62 years 124 years 186 years 248 years 1 As you can see, age 21 is the first major life cycle where several outer planet cycles converge. Jupiter is at 1¾ cycle when Saturn is at ¾ cycle and Uranus is at its first ¼ cycle. Remember, the nature of the square aspect that describes action, growth and even struggle to change, converges in the three major human life cycle planets at 21. 7

19 Other such convergences occur to mark the normal passages of life. Age 42 is an even larger convergence of outer planet cycles to their natal positions, and if those planets are in close natal aspect to other chart factors, one could experience a particularly important life change at that time. At about age 42, Jupiter has made 3½ cycles, Saturn 1½ cycles, Uranus ½ cycle and Neptune ¼ cycle. In the mid-life crisis period, the half-cycle or opposition phase is most active. Breaking free of the past, or at least commencing a life house-cleaning is a natural urge triggered by the convergence of planetary cycles. Similar convergences occur around ages 63 and 84 signaling preparation for retirement and enjoying the fruits of life s work. Finally, we respond to each of these cycles differently depending upon the outer planet house placement in the natal chart, and its aspects to other planets and chart points. Practice Use your ephemeris to find when the four quarter-points (4 th harmonic aspects: conjunction, square and opposition) occur for each outer planetary cycle, Saturn - Pluto, in relation to its natal position in each of your three study charts. You may use Neil Michelsen s, Tables of Planetary Phenomena for the dates, if you have that book. Otherwise, the table in the lesson will direct you to the correct year (age) to search the ephemeris for the beginning and ending dates of the outer planet quarter cycle. About two pages of notation and commentary for each chart is fine, but if you want to do a depth analysis of one chart with 8

20 four to six, then only develop one chart. You choose. Remember to consider the planetary return to itself in conjunction, waxing square, opposition and waning square. List the month and year that each planetary cycle reaches a 4 th harmonic point to itself, and if retrograde motion extends the period, make note of when it ends. It is not too important to list the exact days since outer transits linger across the sensitive 4 th harmonic degrees for the better part of a month in the case of Saturn, or even a year or more in the case of Neptune and Pluto. Provide commentary for the corresponding events, situations or feelings that occurred during the generic cycle phase, Saturn - Pluto. Keep in mind that if the quarter cycle of one or more outer planets makes major aspect to one or more natal planets or angles, the phase will be more notable. However for this practice, concentrate only on the generic cycle of the planet to its own natal position. We will address contacts to the natal chart in later lessons in the course. The phenomenon most noticeable is the time over-lapping that occurs when several outer planets complete a 4 th harmonic phase at nearly the same time. The table of generic planetary cycles in this lesson is a guide to the ages when overlapping tends to occur for everyone, hence the normal stages of life. Suggested Reading Bernadette Brady, Predictive Astrology: the Eagle and the Lark, Samuel Weiser, 1999, pps addresses Planetary 9

21 Cycles, and pps addresses Dynamic Aspects. Pps is devoted to in-depth Working With Transits with recommendation for a using transit grids to organize the various contacts for a given time period. Frequently Asked Questions Carol Tebbs> Remember, that we are dealing with "generic" planetary cycles which is a description of their average motion. When you do your practice work, you will be working in generic time to see the overall picture which includes and retrograde slowing, but also in real time; so you may find that a planet reached its quarter, half or return point a bit faster or a bit slower for you than the generic average. Frequently, when Pluto is slower in its cycle, its quarter, half and return points do not overlap the quarter cycles of the other outer planets, at least until age 84 or 85. Carol Tebbs> Practice with hand-calculation when first beginning is good discipline because you will be better able to spot input errors in computer-generated charts if you have a grounded sense of what the outcome should be. L.P.> What do you mean by input errors? Carol Tebbs> Input error is when you accidentally type AM when you mean PM, and the Sun appears in the upper half of the chart rather than in the lower half where a night birth would place it. Of course, all of the angles and cusps would be wrong as well. So, having a good sense of what the result should be is quite a good safety net. 10

22 L.P.> I have mostly been aware of only the Saturn cycle. Carol Tebbs> Planetary cycles are simply a planet's transit in relation to itself. Particularly revealing are the outer planet planetary cycles because they coincide with what we know as the phases or stages of life common to all. Look at the chart of generic outer planetary cycles in this chapter. It gives a comparison of the approximate ages when the outer planets make major hard aspects to their natal position. MCh> It is interesting how Pluto is spending so much less time in the signs recently. Now the first square is at about age 40, no? So, turning 40 is a lot more challenging now than when Pluto was in its slow phase, no? Carol Tebbs> Yes, and that makes the age cycle of "mid-life crisis" even more pronounced for those currently in their 40's because now Pluto in Sagittarius is in its first square for the Pluto in Virgo generation -- added to the effects of Neptune first square and Uranus half-cycle. As Pluto moves closer to Capricorn it is gradually slowing down since it has already reached its maximum fast phase of 19 years in the signs Libra through Sagittarius. It will take another generation to notice the effect of their Pluto quarter cycle not occurring in their early 40 s. Pluto will move beyond influence on the 42 year mid-life changes marked by the Neptune first quarter cycle, the Uranus half cycle, and capped by the second Saturn half cycle at age Carol Tebbs> If you are looking at the phases of development for children use the same principles of applying the 4 th harmonic to the cycles of the faster moving planets such as Mars and the inner planets. Mars is particularly useful for the phases of child development. 11

23 MCh> Can you give an example of this? Carol Tebbs> For instance Mars moves around the zodiac in approximately 22 months which marks a Mars return to its natal position. At 5 to 6 months, Mars is at its first quarter in its cycle which marks when a child first sits up. At 11 months, Mars is at its opposition phase when a child often begins to walk, and at 22 months or about 2 years, the child begins to talk. L.P.> I assume that we can apply the meanings of the lunar phases to all of the cycles of the planets...yes? Carol Tebbs> Yes, but remember to relate the phase to the nature of the planetary return. If you are interested in cycles, Celeste Teal s book called, "Identifying Planetary Triggers is the most definitive discussion of cycles I have ever found. She covers all planetary return cycles and has some discussion of their phases as well. It might be good book to add to your library, though it is not required for this course. MCh> Here is my question: Can it be that an event happens BEFORE a particular transit that throws you into a new phase of life and the new phase then would start with the transit? Carol Tebbs> Yes. Events often and do correspond, but other moving factors are the triggers -- rarely the generic cycle of a planet itself. MCh> I see, so the event would be triggered by other transits or even symbolic measures such as progressions. That is very helpful information. Carol Tebbs> Yes, MCh, the new phase coincides with one of the quarter-cycles, but important events and changes have other 12

24 moving factors that "stack up" at the same time if an actual event occurs. We'll get to those other moving factors in the course of our 201 studies. MCh> When you say "at the same time", is there any leeway like possibly a few months? Carol Tebbs> Yes, there is some leeway if the planet is slow moving and still within one degree orb of influence. LP> Would it depend on how tight the aspects in the natal chart are? Carol Tebbs> Remember, we are only focusing in on one factor -- the planetary cycle to itself. Tight aspects in the natal chart are of paramount importance. -- but, we are not talking about contacts to the natal chart planets yet -- just conjunctions, squares and oppositions that the outer planet makes to itself in the course of its natural cycle. MCh> Yes, and I have a question about that. I'm assuming that the changes that occurred, or the phases we go into with each cycle have to correspond with the nature of the planet, right? Carol Tebbs> Right. LP> To find the first quarter of my Jupiter which is 26 cap, I would look for 26 Aries in the ephemeris and see what date that is...is this correct? Carol Tebbs> Yes. Carol Tebbs> One other reminder don t forget to consider how long a retrograde period can extend the effect of any planet s cycle. 13

25 LP> All of my outer planets are Rx in my natal chart. Carol Tebbs> It makes no difference if they are retrograde in your natal chart. I mean when they retrograde during one of the 4 th harmonic phases of their cycle. That is why you must allow a wider range of a few months for a Jupiter or Saturn retrograde at that sensitive position, or 17 months for Uranus because it always retraces every degree of its path. The Uranus transits always make three hits since it is the nature of its cycle Uranus retrogrades completely retrace the forward motion of the planet with 8 degrees direct motion, then 4 degrees retrograde. Such a repeating pattern activates every degree in the zodiac 3 times as it completes its 84-year cycle. It is easy to see why any Uranus transit marks the transition of a major life phase. Pluto and Neptune direct/retrograde/direct can to a couple of years. LP> So, the timing will not be "exact" because of the Rx periods, and that will make the transitions from one phase to another less exact. Carol Tebbs> Correct. So, look for these quarter cycle periods to describe the larger picture of change during the period the backdrop for change if you will. Think of the catch phrase, "midlife crisis". It describes a period of a few years when one behaves differently than the usual pattern because several planets have a generic cycle phase at the same time. Since Jupiter is a faster moving planet, the changes will be evident in a narrower time period than say Pluto changes. When several converge at once the effect is noticeable, even profound. 14

26 MCh> I'm assuming that the nature of the change has to correspond with the nature of the planet involved, right? Carol Tebbs> Yes. Notice in the table on page two of the lesson that at 42 years, both Uranus and Neptune are at one of the change points. That describes the abrupt change of Uranus to become a new person as well as the Neptune identity confusion at the same time. And for the fast Pluto generation, Pluto in Libra, the first Pluto square is compounding the impact of the other cycles that converge at age 42. Pluto in the combination could suggest some rebellion against authority or, Pluto could also suggest that authority rebelled against you in some way such as a job layoff, or other circumstance beyond your control. The transformation is always in the individual, but often outside factors trigger that change. Sometimes we don't welcome change in our lives, so it is stressful at the time. And, if we initiate the changes, the reaction from others is often unwelcome. MCh> What if one planet's cycle starts in the middle or at the end of another? Carol Tebbs> It simply prolongs the period. MCh> When do we consider that the cycle is over -- when it moves away from the last exact aspect? Carol Tebbs> The cycle is over when the planet will no longer return to that degree in the current cycle. Consider only a close orb of 1 degree, or no orb at all. Remember that the whole span of time from when the planetary cycle made its first exact contact for its quarter cycle to when the planet last makes contact is the effective time span even if the planet moves away from the exact degree during that span of time. 15

27 MCh> So when it moves away by one degree after the last exact aspect is when it is over? Carol Tebbs> Yes, MCh. For example, if your Jupiter is natally at 15 Leo, then 15 Scorpio, 15 Aquarius, and 15 Taurus are your quarter-cycle turning points. If a retrograde period takes the planet away from that point and then it returns by direct motion, the period is extended to cover the entire time needed for it to return to its natal degree of major hard aspect. MCh> So, the orb of influence is 1, right? So, at the beginning of the cycle 4 degrees 15' Taurus would be the beginning if the exact aspect is 5 Taurus 15', and the cycle is over at 6 Taurus 15', one degree past? Carol Tebbs> Yes, MCh., but you can use no orb at all if you wish. I prefer the 1 degree orb. You are searching for the "backdrop" of natural life transitions, not necessarily specific life events. The generic planetary cycles describe natural life phases that occur at about the same age for us all. LP> So, they are going to have some play in them in terms of timing, I assume. Carol Tebbs> Exactly. Don't be literal to the day. MCh> Will we have to be more literal with other, more personal transits? Carol Tebbs> You have asked an important question. I would hope that you can be more specific in relating astrological factors to life events, but if you are uncomfortable discussing something you can give the general nature of what happened. It is for you to gain insight into how each of the techniques work. That you understand how to use them and when is what is important. 16