The 44th Annual Conference of the Astrological Association
Surviving 2012
Conference Programme
FRIDAY MASTERCLASSES
Sue Tompkins
Aspects in Medical Astrology
Thankfully, most aspects in our natal charts and by transit/direction do not manifest in physical terms. But sometimes they do. In this masterclass, Sue will share her observations on the significators behind many disorders, focusing particularly, but not exclusively, on the astrological aspects. Included in the class will be a general ‘crash course’ in medical astrology.
Dietrech Pessin
Timing is Revealed with Lunar Phases and Their Moon Families
The Lunar Gestation Cycle is a powerful predictive tool that links four sequential, nine-month Moon phases to form a ‘Moon Family’. In this masterclass, Dietrech will show how to evaluate each of a Moon Family’s four phases, which are revealed over a 2¼ year period, and predict the time of a pivotal, related story or event.
CARTER MEMORIAL LECTURE
Kim Farnell
Sticky Back Plastic and Bits of String: Knitting Your Own Astrologer
If astrology is A Bad Thing, it stands to reason that astrologers are as well. For centuries, we’ve been seen as con artists – and yet, we survive. What would make the perfect astrologer post-2012? Knitting will be included in this talk.
OPENING PLENARY
Frank Clifford
Speaking Your Chart: The Essence of a Planetary Placement
When clients, friends and public figures ‘speak their charts’, we astrologers collect gems that inform our practice and help us expand and fine-tune our astrological vocabulary. In this opening plenary, Frank will present a series of real-life observations and entertaining quotations that get to the very heart of astrological concepts.
SATURDAY PROGRAMME
08.45 – 09.45 Choose between…
Geoffrey Cornelius
The Four Levels in Astrology
The Four Levels hermeneutic is a forgotten treasure of the Western mystery tradition – a core perception for early Christian philosophy and for Dante’s poetics. Applied to the symbol-work of astrology, it enhances but also transcends the insight of depth psychology, disclosing the spiritual power of our everyday practice.
Adrian Ross Duncan
2012 – A Man’s Personal Apocalypse
I had a client with a secret. He felt fully prepared for the end of the world in 2012. But was he? The apocalypse has been imminent since the beginning of the world. Astrology itself contributes to the collective anxiety. So how was my client fixed for 21 December 2012?
Laura Boomer-Trent
Celestial Secrets to Empower 2012’s Spiritual Evolution
The phases of Sun, Moon and planets are measured rhythms that relate to the subtle energy linking mind, body and spirit. In this talk, Laura illustrates the mechanism of the influential psycho-anatomical-spiritual pathway, drawing from Buddhist philosophy, esoteric astrology and advanced chakra work, to reveal necessary cosmic tools for the 2012 paradigm shift.
Sue Lewis
The Projection Figure, also Known as the ‘Yod’ or ‘Finger of God’
Sue will interpret this triangular figure – comprising two quincunxes and a sextile – on a physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual level in the charts of individuals. This configuration – comprising Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto – will mark the winter solstice of 2012. How might we prepare ourselves for it?
10.00 – 11.00 Choose between…
Sue Tompkins
Astrology and the Twelve Tissue Salts
Developed in the 1880s by physician–homeopath Wilhelm Schuessler, the salts have long been linked with the zodiac signs. In this talk, Sue will show that using these salts is easy and often surprisingly effective. Participants will learn how to ward off colds and treat many other minor ailments.
Adam Smith
Jupiter: Greater Benefic or Great Pretender?
Jupiter transits carry high hopes for many people, but others are left underwhelmed by his ‘lucky’ influence. At this time of political turmoil, we need all our Jupiterian faith and financial savvy. We’ll be looking at gurus, greed and how to make your own good luck.
Ben Dykes
An Introduction to Traditional Astrology
This talk will present several basic concepts and techniques in traditional astrology. Designed especially for curious modern astrologers, it will cover positions on determinism, counselling strategies, dignities, house interpretation, issues of life purpose, and predictive methods. Attendees will learn about the richness of traditional concepts and how these can offer immediate help when reading charts.
Margaret Gray
Loving Relationships - The Key to Survival in 2012 and Beyond
What is the potential impact of the entrance of Neptune into Pisces on our relationships? How might this contrast with the requests of Uranus in Aries? How can we stay true to our soul journey whilst sharing our life with others? Why are relationships one of our keys to survival in 2012?
11.15 – 12.15 Choose between…
Dietrech Pessin
A Lunar Map for Your Lifetime
A Prenatal Solar Eclipse remains a powerful hotspot throughout your life – one that is activated by related Solar and Lunar Eclipses and their Moon Families. You may find these personal dates link to a chain of events that weave the tapestry of your life story.
Maggie Hyde
Another Blast of the Financial Winter
The collapse of Bear Stearns in March 2008 marked the start of our devastating economic crisis. On that very same day, Maggie Hyde and Jack Kenny began their first seminar, ‘Facing the Financial Winter’, which correlated economic and astrological factors. Maggie outlines and updates this work, focusing on the individual’s orientation in the economic climate.
John Green
Neptune: Heaven Through the Bottom of a Bottle
Using the myths of Dionysus, we will discover if he is mad, bad and dangerous to know… or whether we have we simply lost a way of truly honouring him. How can we escape the illusion often associated with Neptune and find a path to a better future?
Janet Dare
Esoteric Astrology – The Way Forward?
This talk will be a brief look at the Uranus–Pluto square from an esoteric viewpoint. Interpreting Uranus and Pluto as the esoteric planetary rulers of Cancer and Pisces respectively sheds a different light on where we are all going. What might this mean in terms of the expression of their Ray qualities?
13.15 – 14.00 Plenary with Bernard Eccles
You Think That This is Bad?
The financial crisis of 2007 took a lot of people by surprise, but astrologers should have known better. We are still guilty of short-term thinking: looking for improvement in the months ahead rather than thinking about the context of the larger cycles of the heavens. The 2030s will reap the harvest of the conjunctions of the 1980s, and the 2040s of the 1990s. Should we be worried?
14.00 – 14.45 Plenary with Lynn Bell
Should We be Afraid of Saturn in Scorpio?
If Saturn in Libra is ‘fair and balanced’, what can we expect when Saturn enters a sign of extremes? In Scorpio, Saturn brings us towards deep inner work and asks us to come face to face with power, especially with transiting Pluto now in Saturn’s sign. Whether that power is outside us in the world of money or politics, or in our own psycho-sexual landscape, it signifies energies that are essential to release yet resistant to mastery.
15.00 – 16.00 Choose between…
Frank Clifford
A Guide to Horoscope Synthesis: the K.I.S.S. Principle
No chart is difficult to interpret if we develop a method of breaking it down into simple, manageable pieces – and then work to synthesize these key factors. In this talk, Frank will show how to zoom into a horoscope, make lightning-fast connections and identify its major scripts, themes and dynamics.
Nick Campion
The Modern Astrologer in Search of a Soul
Astrologers talk a great deal about ‘soul’. But what exactly do they mean? This lecture will consider the varieties of soul in astrological literature. We will examine theories on the nature of soul and ask whether or not the soul is in the chart, and whether we have a soul, or just have soul!
Madalyn Hillis-Dineen
Where in the World Will I Find…?
This lecture takes a down to earth look at the art of astro-locality and includes fascinating examples from the charts of the famous and infamous. We will examine the concepts of planet angularity, including the meanings of planets on angle, parans (simultaneous angularity), and local space lines.
Sonal Sachdeva
Loving Dragons: A Psychological and Mythical Perspective on Navigating Relationships
Ancient cultures associate the nodal axis with the sorts of events and meetings that lead to significant turning points in our lives and set us on our evolutionary path. This axis connects our deeply buried past to the present, and focuses on our inner psyche and its patterns for the future.
16.30 – 17.30 Choose between…
Carole Taylor
The Moon
Often functioning beyond conscious awareness, the Moon represents our basic instincts and the rituals of daily life; it also connects us to family, tribe and culture. Potentially both nurturing and destructive, it requires us to honour these things as much as we honour our development on a solar level. This talk explores the Moon through astrology, myth and image.
Lindsay Radermacher
Astrology – A Conversation with the Other
This talk considers how, from the perspective of an astrologer, the experience of meeting events in the world can be disturbing. A significant event chart may not only describe that moment but also – by apparently implicating the presence of the astrologer – give a sense of being addressed by an ‘other’.
Chrissy Philp
Apocalypse
When on the Island of Patmos in the 1st century CE, Saint John recorded a vision which introduced a New Age. Modern theologians do not advertise the fact that Patmos was where Roman authorities banished astrologers. Apocalypse translates as ‘unveiling’. Using astrological symbolism, Saint John unveils our interrelationship with an evolving Cosmos.
Janette Russell
Vibrational Change: How Will it Affect our Relationships?
A look at the effects of the Black Moon on our close relationships. Does it show our emotional shadow and what we try to hide or ignore? How might this manifest with the anticipated vibrational change of 2012?
17.45 – 18.45 Choose between…
Komilla Sutton
Aprakash Graha – Shadows of the Sun
Just like the nodes of the Moon, the Sun also has its shadows, known as the Aprakash Graha or ‘planets without light’. Mystical and secretive, and often not used, they are essential in highlighting the hidden agenda of the soul and what can darken or enlighten its journey.
Robert Currey
Scientific Origins of Astrology
Has astrology always been a rational solution to an irrational situation? This talk offers a scientific look into the origins of astrology for keeping track of time, managing ancient civilizations, for understanding and celebrating the cosmos, and for reading divine guidance.
Faye Cossar
‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’ – Is Ceres Angry?
‘That’s great, it starts with an earthquake.’ Maybe REM’s song is right. And then there are tsunamis and floods as well. But while men are fighting it out in the heavens and on earth, is there a woman shaking us so we can finally take notice? What might that mean for women here on earth?
Jodey Collorick
Steering by the Stars
Every now and then, the astrologer–client relationship drifts into potentially treacherous waters – sometimes by our own doing, at other times by the client’s. By taking the concept of self-referencing as a guiding light, we can begin to alter the course, steer around possible dangers and find a route to safe passage.
SUNDAY PROGRAMME
09.00 – 10.00 Choose between…
Madalyn Hillis-Dineen
Forecasting: The Power of Symmetrical Astrology
Whether you want to determine the general trends for a year or focus on daily transits, the tools of Symmetrical Astrology will add a powerful component to your astrological work. These include solar arcs, solstice charts, graphic ephemerides, and the Progressed Meridian of the Year and Day.
Maggie Hyde
The Trans-Saturnians and the American Dream
From the era of America’s formation with the Uranian Declaration of Independence to the boundless and imperialist vision of Neptune, and to the 1930s devastation wrought by Pluto, we will look at how the American Dream unfolded with the outer planets. How far can it be sustained during the current Uranus–Pluto square?
Linea Van Horn
The Galactic Embrace: 2012 and You
Clarify popular misconceptions about 2012 by learning the visible astronomical event that defines our era. The precession cycle provides the clue to the significant alignment now peaking; an event foreseen by Mayans who calibrated their calendar to it. Included in this inspiring, image-rich presentation are suggestions to help you thrive.
Tienka Atema
Resolving the Mystery of Lost Objects
Before asking a question about a lost object, we should, of course, search for it. We only get clear charts when there is a really deep need to know. These charts often resonate with the birth chart of the querent, and the moment of the recovery can show an amazing connection to the horary chart or birth chart. In this lecture we will look at some traditional techniques used by Lilly and explore charts of missing articles: where is it, how was it lost, and… will we get it back?
10.15 – 11.15 Choose between…
Bernard Eccles
Have We Got it All Backwards?
If you watch the planets in the night skies over a few months, they appear to move in the opposite direction to the one you might expect. Yet, far from giving us confusing messages, these ‘new’ planetary cycles seem to make much more sense – and you’ll never think of retrogression or opposition in quite the same way again.
Adrian Ross Duncan
The Future of America
Will Obama get re-elected and will the USA be governable? The answers are yes and no. America is at a turning point militarily, socially and politically. This talk explores how to survive the next presidential period. Fortunately the agenda is not just being set by Uranus square Pluto…
Komilla Sutton
Twin Transits of Venus
Venus transits in front of the Sun twice in succession eight years apart and then it does not make the same transit again for a hundred years. They show a pattern of recurrence at intervals of 8, 121.5, 8 and 105.5 years. June 2005 and June 2012 are when these transits took place in this century. Komilla will give a Vedic view of their significance for 2012.
Melanie Reinhart
Apocalypse Now?
The two main ‘signatures’ of these times – the Uranus–Pluto square and the Chiron–Neptune conjunction – offer a powerful polarity, clearly portrayed on the ‘world stage’. But what about you and me? Where are we located, as individuals, in the unfolding drama? Melanie explores the interface between the personal and collective.
11.30 – 12.30 Choose between…
Lynn Bell
Planets in Exile and Fall and the Soul’s Journey
Planets in exile and fall are moving against their own nature, which means they often describe unusual lifepaths, e.g. Saturn in Leo struggles with the light, while Mars in Cancer moves away from its strengths. How do planets in traditionally ‘difficult’ signs describe a particular twist in the soul’s journey?
Geoffrey Cornelius
Left Brain, Right Brain and How Astrology Works
Which part of your brain do YOU use when you look at horoscopes? Do astrologers differ, and what difference does it make? Studies of brain hemisphere function are a leading edge of neuroscience. They also give us a metaphor of mind that illuminates the process of astrological interpretation.
Chrissy Olgivie
From Prague Spring to Arab Spring 2012–15 – the 60s Manifest
The Uranus–Pluto square will be exact seven times between 2012 and 2015. It will be bringing into manifestation trends that began in the 1960s. After a review of the meaning of cycles, a selection of key themes of the 60s, illustrated by music from the era, will be explored in current news headlines.
Catriona Mundle
Heads and Tails: The Bipolar Temperament
Manic depression and cyclothymia present a complex picture. As astrologers rather than psychiatrists, we can understand bipolarity as temperament rather than psychosis, and be alerted to the potential of what this entails. Configurations involving the lunar nodes are often strongly indicative. The connection between bipolarity and creativity is explored in this talk.
13.30 – 14.30 Choose between…
Nick Campion
Astrology and Global Culture
Nick will look at some of his conclusions about the nature of astrology and what astrologers think, based on his recent research. Are different astrologies distinguished by their differences or their similarities? And what do modern astrologers think anyway? Do they regard astrology as a set of rules or a series of guidelines? And is this significant?
Adam Smith
Healing with Astrology
The tradition of using gemstones, mantras and talismans has faded from use in modern Western astrology. Yet without effective remedial measures, can our astrology handle the implications of what it predicts? In this talk, we’ll be looking at whether esoteric methods of healing remain relevant today.
John Green
Neptune in Pisces – Waving not Drowning?
As Neptune enters Pisces, what glamours, deceptions and fantasies can we expect? We will explore what may happen on both a mundane and a personal level as Neptune transits this sign, and see how we can avoid the pitfalls and achieve a more healthy expression of our true inner selves.
Lindsay Radermacher
The Chart as a Third Member of the Astrological Encounter
The encounter between astrologer–client and astrologer–cosmos is not just a one-to-one experience, since the chart itself plays a vital role. We shall look at how the chart can become a third, ‘living’ member of the encounter, and how its symbolism provides a space for meeting between all three participants.
14.45 – 15.45 Choose between…
Faye Cossar
2012? You Might as Well be Yourself
Time to put ‘the real you’ out there before it’s too late. What’s your vocation and mission in life? What services should you offer? What colour website fits you? Faye addresses these in her book on vocational profiling, and in this lecture she will use case examples to illustrate her ideas.
Ben Dykes
Models of Freedom and Determinism in Traditional Astrology
In this talk, we will venture beyond the general ‘freedom, fate, or both?’ discussions of determinism in astrology, and also review some traditional discussions by philosophers and theologians who developed theories of determinism and free will. Attendees will learn to discuss the interplay between ethics, determinism, freedom and astrology in a more sophisticated way.
Laura Boomer-Trent
The Identity, Heart and Spirit of 2012
According to esoteric astrology, the Sun has three distinct functions: physical, heart, and spiritual. Its aim is to integrate all three into wholeness and consciousness and radiate the light of intelligence. In this talk we determine at which level the 2012 Sun is operating, within individual and event horoscopes, and discover the point of synthesis.
Robert Currey
Public Image of Astrology
‘Astrology has been demoted from high culture to low/pop culture and modern astrological sources are works of fiction ,’ a quote from an arbitrator on Wikipedia. Why has astrology got such a negative image in the media and in scientific groupthink? Should it concern us? What can we do about it?
16.00 – 16.45 Plenary with Carole Taylor
The Astrology of Comedy
Humour is a powerful tool for coping with even the most challenging circumstances. Best of all in the current times, humour is energising, uplifting and completely free! This talk will explore the astrological signatures for humour, using the charts of famous comedians and entertainers. Surviving 2012? No worries.
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