LESSON NO. I

   Astrology is a science - not an orthodox, material one - but a science that is based on centuries of observation and thought. In order to learn astrology, you will have to study, think, ponder and study some more.

   Astrology is like many other sciences. It is not difficult, but it takes time and patience to learn the accumulated knowledge of thousands of years. Do not despair, the rewards will be great. You will find, as you progress through the course, a rising sense of personal worth and accomplishment, a feeling that - perhaps for the first time - the world has meaning and value. You will discover that there is much more to the sun than just having a place in it. And you will know why.

   Proper study should be planned. The stars may have planned your destiny, but they're not going to tell you when and how to study. Pick a specific time of day and adhere to it. Tell yourself you are going to devote so many hours - at least one - each day to this course, come what may. Be realistic, too. Don't, for example, tell yourself that you're going to get up an hour early each day and study if you know that you just can't do it. And don't plan on studying on Friday and Saturday nights if you know you will want to go out. Make a plan you know you can follow. If you do, you won't "cut class" and get discouraged.

Materials: Fortunately, astrology doesn't require a lot of expensive tools or gadgets. Your brain is the main tool and you will have to use it a lot. There are certain charts which you will need in future lessons. You will need pencils, pens, a ruler, protractor, and compass - the kind that you can draw circles with.

   A stock market analyst is contemplating advising a client on the purchase of a well known stock. The analyst takes the firm's financial information down from the shelf and studies the tables. He then makes careful notes of the time and place the company was incorporated and he figures out the firm's astrological chart. He will also do the same with the charts of the principal's in the firm. Last, he looks over a quarterly news letter that gives an overall picture of the Dow Jones stocks for the next few months. Then he makes his decision.

   A psychiatrist expectantly awaits a patient who has been threatening suicide. The analyst must be especially cautious this session because he is certain that if the patient is seriously contemplating suicide he will attempt the act within the next week. This crucial period of the person's life is discerned not from what the patient says but strictly from what an Astrologer has read in the patient's horoscope. The psychiatrist has carefully consulted the Astrologer and is basing his professional opinion on what the patient's horoscope holds.

   A young couple have decided that they are serious enough to entertain the plans for matrimony. They realize that the time and date will be the most important time of their lives. They consult a well known reliable Astrologer and after erecting and comparing their charts he advises them on the most favorable time to commence their marriage.

   The potential uses for Astrology are endless. Once you have mastered the intricacies of Astrology you will be equipped to offer people assistance with every single move they make. The beauty of the astrological method is swiftly gaining influence.

Where to Study: You don't need any special place to study but it is important to select a place where you can have peace and quiet. You will have to do some solid thinking, and interruptions and noise will certainly not be conducive to that. You should have a desk or a table, at least where you can lay out your work and charts that demonstrate the meanderings of the planets.

   Got everything? Then let's get started!

   The word "astrology" comes ultimately from two Greek words - "astron" meaning "star" and "logos" meaning "discourse." Merriam-Webster defines it as "1. Practical astronomy. 2. The pseudo science which treats of the influences of the stars upon human affairs, and of foretelling terrestrial events by their positions and aspects."

   Now, Merriam-Webster makes good dictionaries and the definition is a good one except for one word "pseudo." That word is defined in the same dictionary as "sham; feigned; spurious."

   Let's tackle this problem right away because you're going to hear the same thing from some of your relatives and friends.

   From the time of the Industrial Revolution, with its technological focus on man, it has been regarded as smart and fashionable to think of anything that was not materialistic in outlook as "sham; feigned; spurious." Science would answer all man's questions and cure all his problems. Well, it hasn't happened and it never will.

   It is true that astrology is not as much of a slave of the "scientific method" as physics and chemistry are. It is also true that astrology has more than its fair share of quacks and charlatans and that there were many dark years when astrology was in disrepute. It was during those years that Merriam Webster and others casually referred to astrology as being "pseudo," as if there wasn't even another side to the story.

   All that has changed, however, and it is certain that dictionaries will delete the prejudicial "pseudo" from the definition in forthcoming editions. Let's look at the facts.

1. Natural Astrology: The study of the motion of the heavenly bodies and their effects upon earth such as earthquakes) weather, etc.
2. Judicial Astrology: Nations and governments as they are affected by celestial bodies.
3. Genethliacal Astrology: Pertaining to birth or "genesis."
4. Horary Astrology: Applying astrology to some specific question of the moment - of the "hour" ("hora" is Latin for "hour")

   Natural Astrology became Astronomy while Judicial and Horary Astrology have become specialities of certain astrologers. Genethliacal has blossomed into the more popular and easier-to-pronounce "Natal Astrology". This course covers all branches but concentrates on Natal.

   Astronomy isn't the only science connected with astrology. Hippocrates, the founder of medical science and author of the famous physicians' oath, was an astrologer. Copernicus learned his basic science at an astrology school founded by the King of Poland. Ptolemy and Sir Isaac Newton were astrologers. Mark Twain estimated the period in which his own death might occur by astrology, and it did.

   In our day there has been a tremendous rebirth of interest in - and corresponding respect for - astrology. Our space program verified many of the cosmobiological claims of astrology. The discovery of electro-magnetic forces within the human body and the same forces in the atmosphere have revived "respectable" scientific theories that there may be a connection between the forces in our bodies and the influences of the heavenly bodies. After all, our bodies are 80% water. If the moon can influence the water in the ocean, why not in our bodies? Sunspots cause changes in the weather, why not in us? The sun warms vast bodies of water and, as we all know, the human body is mostly water.

   It has recently been determined that an electric charge sent into a human cell will be emitted in a distinct wave pattern. Each human cell is 80% water. They are all being continuously exposed to electric waves from outer space as well as the moon and the sun. Current research shows that a cancerous cell emits a different wave pattern than a healthy cell!

   A two year study by the: police, hospitals and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, observed human reactions to the phases of the moon. Part of the report states: "Crime against the person seem to increase as the night of the Full Moon draws near. People whose anti-social behavior has psychotic roots (firebugs, kleptomaniacs and homicidal alcoholics) seem to go on a rampage as the Moon turns full, and remember the moon is only refracting sunlight to the earth when we are on the dark side of the sun. They calm down when the Moon begins to crescent."

   A Northwestern University professor performed an extremely interesting and now well known experiment showing the moon's influence on oysters. Dr. Frank Brown, a biologist, transferred a shipment of oysters from New Haven, Conn. to Evanston, III., where he immersed them in a tank of sea water. For two weeks they opened and closed their shells in rhythm with the tides at New Haven. Then a strange thing happened, in spite of the fact that the nearest ocean was 500 miles away, the oysters began to open and close in time to the tides that would have existed if there were an ocean in Illinois. Since there were no actual tides in Illinois, it was clear that the moon, itself caused the oysters to react in this manner. It is not in the province of astrology to explain why this happened. The astrologer says that the moon had an effect upon the oysters and that is all. The moon is just one of the celestial bodies, and oysters are living organisms.

   Astrology is gaining worldwide acceptance and from all indications this new found interest in the Astrological method will continue to increase. Surprisingly, much of this new found interest is among Europeans who once would have mocked the notion that celestial bodies influence human affairs.

   The study of the stars as a guide to behavior, personality and a way of life is receiving its most serious appraisal since it was swept off the shelf of respectable divisions of learning, during the first few hundred years A.D. Not long ago, Astrology was strictly a study for the untutored and anyone with a lot of spare time on their hands. Now, however, it has attracted many educated people and it is even a subject of university debate.

   Most striking is that thousands of well educated Frenchmen, Germans and other Europeans regularly consult Astrologers or cast their own horoscopes without displaying the least bit of sheepishness about admitting it. France's president, Georges Pompidou readily confessed at a recent press conference that he follows the prophecies of his country's most renouned Astrologer, Madame Solei, with deep interest. At least one prominent French politician is reliably said to consult his Astrologer before making important public speeches.

   That the various parts of the universe as well as earth itself influence human behavior is among mankind's oldest beliefs. Until nearly the middle of the 17th Century, it easily commanded as much prestige as the natural sciences. From the time of Sir Isaac Newton, however, the rapid development of natural science coupled with its pretensions of possessing the exclusive key to "truth" condemned Astrology to 500 years of intellectual stagnancy. Yet, we feel that Astrology has answers which the physical sciences do not. This is a direct cause of the now obvious limitations of these physical sciences. They evidently do not answer all the questions which perplex man. Astrology, more than any other science, explains the basic nature of the Universe and man's part in it. The questions Why? and What For? can effectively be answered only through Astrology. No other science seeks to explain the nature of human life in such a realistic way. Astrology is easily the most powerful tool for measuring any man's character and emotional constitution.

   It is high time that man should realize what a tremendous help Astrology can be to create a better understanding among men whether at the individual level, the industrial level or most importantly at the international political level where we find the horrible seeds of genocide. It is our intention in this course to help to spread the true value of Astrology. We can train and unite competent Astrologers throughout the world and together we can reduce the elements causing riots, ware, revolutions, and other major and minor unfortunate misunderstandings among men. We can do this because Astrology teaches us not only to analyze ourselves but also to understand the behavior of our fellow man in its entirety. Let us now look at the basic principles behind Astrology. We are establishing Astro centers, birth information centers which will not only guide man and woman in this profound phase of love and life but also educate them to avoid abnormal births; to understand their offspring and one another as parts of an ever changing universe. (If you are interested in this program let us know with a short note and we will consider you for this special area). Our students are located all over the World and we intend to have centers at all locations sponsored financed and guided by our school and its alumni. The centers will also guide its clients in marriage and all other major life decisions and relations of humans to humans.

   It is most difficult to summarize astrology in a few paragraphs; basic principles can be stated as follows:

1. All bodies in the Universe - the stars, the planets, the moon and the sun have effects upon earth and everything in and on it. The result of these effects is precisely what the study of Astrology is all about. Perhaps it is magnetic fields, sunspots, heat, light, or other unknown forces. We are not sure, but the effects are undeniable and they are vital life indicators.
2. Man's living organism (just as the New England oysters organism after removal to the mid-west) is affected by the stars and the other heavenly bodies. The stars (meaning all bodies of the universe, for the sake of brevity) have a continuing influence upon the life of each individual, but one of the biggest factors in his life is the position of the heavenly bodies at the time of his birth. The closer the astrologer can come to the exact minute of birth, the more accurately he can "write the horoscope."
3. An astrologer writes a horoscope by determining the position of the sun, the moon, the planets and the "houses" of the zodiac, (we will deal with the zodiac shortly.) Since no man knows the position of the heavens at the time of his own birth, the astrologer determines this from his knowledge of astronomy, and his ephemeris (Ephemeris is a book of statistics showing every position of all bodies of the universe at any given moment and place on earth) and charts. (More about ephemerides later.)
4. Once the position of the heavens at the time of birth is known with precision, the astrologer is able to determine the character, life-style, destiny and other influencing factors in a person's life. Since two people in only extreme rare situations have the same horoscope, these influences are constantly shifting. Thus, the horoscope becomes as individual as the personality. It is your own celestial "fingerprint."
5. Since a horoscope is such an individual matter, the serious student of astrology can know only the most general influences from the so-called "daily horoscopes." The continuing influence of the heavens can be determined only after the natal horoscope is erected.

   There is a vast amount of specialized knowledge for each of the signs, this, too, will be covered in future lessons. Remember that, even though you were born under a certain "sign", that this refers only to your Sun sign, and that everyone has a head and a foot, etc. All twelve signs are in everybody's horoscope, so try to understand and appreciate the ramifications of all the signs. Despise none, for each has its say in your destiny.

   A Horoscope is a map of the heavens erected for the specific purpose of determining the general life patterns of a person born at a specific time and place on the earth. Often the horoscope is confused with the solar horoscope. A solar horoscope, although somewhat useful, is not a map of the heavens at all, but simply a reading depicting solely the influence of the Sun. Since there can be only twelve solar horoscopes, it stands to reason that these cannot possibly account for the millions of different people around the world. In our course, we refer to the horoscope as a "Nativity", and the person whose data is used is termed the native. Specifically, a Nativity is a horoscope which is based on the exact birth date. It will also be referred to as a Natal Chart. The Nativity which you will be taught includes the exact positions of all the Signs and Planets. A completely erected Nativity will contain in the neighborhood of 1,700 separate influences. Of course, there is an order of importance of the influences and you shall learn the exact order of these influences.

   By our definition of a Nativity, it is imperative for us to know the exact latitude and longitude of the birth place along with the exact time and date of birth before we can erect an accurate horoscope. This exact data or chart of the heavens related to time and place, is essential before we can proceed toward any definite interpretation and judgement.

   The Nativity, when intelligently read, can reveal not only the beneficial aspects of a native's life, but also the bad areas. It will indicate which departments of life the native can hope to find the most success and in many other things.

   The mathematics of chart erection is a comparatively easy task for any person who can add, subtract, and multiply. The reading (we will refer to this reading as a delineation) of the chart, however, calls for the faculty of judgement, that is, the ability to deduce what is likely to happen when two or more forces are put into action. You must always be aware that nothing in this world is definite, yet there are some probabilities that are greater than others. When we judge a Nativity this is precisely what we do, we depict and define the matters with the highest degree of probability. To determine such matters requires a tremendous amount of reflection, time and consideration. Therefore you can only acquire skill in this field by a carefully constructed course of study which leads you step by step to the knowledge necessary to be a practicing astrologer. This is what we will do for you if you apply yourself and study.

   There are many concrete reasons to believe that the Moon actually affects human beings. A careful consideration will demonstrate one of the more obvious reasons. The ancients and unsophisticated people throughout the centuries ascribed to the Moon's influence. Scientists, however, lacked techniques and concepts to consider any lunar weather influence until fairly recently. Svante Arrhenius, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, introduced the new scientific look concerning the Moon's influence on weather around the turn of the century when he discovered a lunar effect on the aurora borealis. He also found that thunderstorms are directly connected to the Moon. More intense storms seem to occur during the waking of the Moon than during the waning. It is quite apparent that ordinary rainfall is also Moon related. A sixty two year study of meteorological records in the United States, beginning with 1900, uncovered excellent evidence that precipitation in North America peaks three days after the new full Moon. There is generally a good deal less rain or snow during the second and fourth weeks of the lunar month.

   Various other modem inquiries have demonstrated that the angles of the Moon and its tidal attraction of earth's atmosphere variously affect our weather. It is universely known and accepted that weather has a distinct affect on human ills. Amateur weather predictors who note their rheumatic aches are legendary and usually right. Medical climatology has uncovered that many other health problems - hemorrhages, colic, migraines, angina - can be correlated to weather. Intensive European investigations have shown that thunderstorms can change your sense of taste and cause pain in an amputee's "phantom limb". New weather fronts can also be related to a rise of infection and a rise in the death rate. These fronts can tend to slow down reaction time; one German investigation was even able to link a surge in Hamburg traffic accidents with a change of weather.

   Aside from the obvious Moon effects on the weather, the Moon influences the electrically charged atoms in our atmosphere. Positive ions in atmosphere have a noxious effect mentally and physically. The stuffy, headachy, faint feeling that comes in a overcrowded, smoky room is caused by an excess of positive ions. Negative ions, however, are an upbeat for most people, and negative ionization is already used medically, particularly in the Soviet Union, to speed up the healing of wounds and to relieve mental and physical fatigue. One American investigation concluded that negative ions slowed down the alpha brain rhythm and brought a feeling of release in people. The full Moon brings more positive and the waning Moon more negative ions.

   A team of psychiatrists researchers have recently discovered that outbreaks of murder may be triggered by the Moon tugging at "biological tides" inside the human body.

   Dr. Arnold L. Lieber, a senior resident in psychiatry at the University of Miami's medical school, said that a two year study has established a scientifically sound relationship between phases of the Moon and the murder rate in Dade County. Lieber said a chart of Miami area homicides over a 15 year period plotted according to the moon phases looked remarkably like a chart of ocean tides. Using computer programs, Lieber and Dr. Carolyn B. Sherin of the University of Miami analyzed nearly 1900 murders that occured between 1956 and 1970. The data revealed that the county's murder rate began to rise about 24 hours before the full moon, reached a peak at full moon, then dropped back before climbing again to a secondary peak at the new Moon.

   The two researchers also examined more than 2,000 homicides over a 13 year period in Cleveland. Here again there were similar peaks near the new and full Moon.

   Lieber says that the gravitational pull of the Moon is enough to touch off emotional instability. He says that this instability is reflected in the murder rate, which he terms a reliable measure of its influence on the general population.

   Lieber has said that the physical make up of the body itself has helped him to turn to the concept of "biological tides" to explain the phenomenon. The body is a microism compromising essentially the same elements and in similar proportions as the earth's surface, 70% - 80% water and 20% - 30% minerals. It is pure folly to suggest that the Moon influences the tides of the earth and not the tides of our bodies.

   Astrology is a vast and intricate field of study, and this first lesson has tried to give you a few basic and general ideas about this science. Future lessons will delve into the implications of each sign, each house, each planet - and the combinations in minute detail. For the moment, you will have learned enough if you have mastered the overall theory of astrology, the twelve signs and their relationship to the human body.

   In our method of teaching we proceed from the known to the unknown. We must very carefully build fact upon fact with each one providing the base for the next. There is nothing mysterious or magical about Astrology, in fact it is so logical and understandable that you will be amazed. We must proceed cautiously, because each part of your development as an Astrologer is integral and it must be understood.

   The longer and deeper you delve into the study of Astrology the more interesting and enlightening it will become. Aside from the Nativities and predictions, Astrology has a tremendous significance in your own life. You will be able to consider the events of your life in a more intelligent matter because you will be able to understand and explain the forces which bring about the events. As your development continues, your mind will mature astrologically and you will constantly search for the reason why things happen. You will eventually understand the principles behind the cause and effect relationship and for this reason you will become less impatient with life. When you can understand the forces that are operating, you can cope better with the problems of life. You will be able to seize opportunity at the right moment. You will discover that when one line of action is not propitious, another line of action may be feasible.

   You should approach Astrology as a philosophy, that explains life and its hardships and happiness, and not merely as a predictive science. Astrology will be the searchlight and reveal your true complete self to you. You will discover the wealth of your being. Here, you will find many qualities that you have never used. Astrology will help you, not only to set your qualities in motion, but also to control them so that your life will be more complete, purposeful and more useful. You will learn why your fellow man acts as he does. More important you will be able to help him which will give you profound feeling of satisfaction. One of my students so aptly put it when she said "Again we return to the basics in Astrology. First, looking at what we can prove, we find that the magnetic forces of the Moon cause our tides. It has also been scientifically proven that Sun Spots affect our weather. Further data has been gathered to show that the movements of the planets cause the Sun Spots. Scientists are now cognizant of the fact that the human body contains electricity and magnetism. The logical explanation of our galaxy and its orbit is based on magnetism and electricity.

   By the positions of the planets at the time of our birth we find electro-magnetic forces which create permanent impulses in our bodies. Although some scholars believe this should be considered at the time of conception, we hold that a child in a mother's body is living on his mother's impulses until that point of independent life. The electro-magnetic forces at that time create the pattern of impulses that mostly affect him throughout his life, tempered by variations in these impulses as the universe around him changes."