Which predictive method works best?

Cleopatra1

Active member
Hi everyone.

Which predictive method works best for you?
Do you check transits and solar return, or do you also check the eclipses?

I have dedicated my life in reading astrology. However, the more I study predictive methods, the more I get lost in the multitude of tools.
Transits, Solar return, Secondary progressions, Eclipses, Midpoints, Tertiary progressions. Of course this is all for western astrology, as indian astrology is another story altogether.

Thanks,
C.
 

Bunraku

Well-known member
None. You need four to predict events. Ivy Goldstein Jacobson, one of the more famous predictive astrologers of the 20th century was pretty clear about it.

See it in one measure, maybe; See it in 2, possibly; see it in 3, probably; see it in four; certainty. Choose from: Transits, returns, solar arc directions, primary progressions, secondary progressions, tertiary progressions, minor progressions.

Too much work. Much more fun to guesstimate and make hazy/nebulous predictions about emotional states.
 

Cleopatra1

Active member
The base method should always be transits, everything else is just about getting a more in-depth view of what's happening

I agree with you about the transits, based on decade long observations. The transits are crystal clear about the timeline, the impact, the forces at play. The more tools we examine create muddy waters - like a cooking recipe with too many ingredients - where in the end you don't know what you tasted.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
Hi everyone.

Which predictive method works best for you?
Do you check transits and solar return, or do you also check the eclipses?

I have dedicated my life in reading astrology. However, the more I study predictive methods, the more I get lost in the multitude of tools.
Transits, Solar return, Secondary progressions, Eclipses, Midpoints, Tertiary progressions. Of course this is all for western astrology, as indian astrology is another story altogether.

Thanks,
C.
entirely dependent on personal preference :smile:

For traditional beginners - Firdaria Periods an introduction :smile:
Medieval Astrology Technique (part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RKUeTGexn
I started off using firdaria and it seems to divide life as chapters in a book, with the major theme set by the firdaria major ruler for the particular period.

Delineate the planet-in-sign in the house to get clear picture of how it is going to play out. For the firdaria subperiod watch out for relationships between the sub-period ruler with the major period ruler.

For example if you are in Mercury major period and Mercury is in 6th house in Scorpio, and ruler Mars is in the 10th house in Pisces, then you should see clear effects of Mars sub-period playing out through the 10th-house 6th-house combination.

I am still experimenting with zodiacal release from Spirit. Chris Brennan's book and his podcast have good information on the technique. I think ZRS (Zodiacal releasing from spirit) is more geared towards identifying "peak" periods.

Both firdaria and ZRS can be incorporated to predict effectively!
 

FraterAC

Well-known member
IMO for the big picture Secondary /Major progressions (1 day=1 year) are the place to start. I experienced several years of Secondary/Major progressions involving Saturn (and the Moon's South Node) which left me with no doubt about whether or not Secondary/Major progressions work.
To grind down to specifics (events/days) use Minor progressions (1 lunar month=1 year) and Transits. Also compare progressions and transits to Antiscia.
Everyone agrees Transits are important but not everyone agrees how important, compared to what. At least there is no disagreement in terms of calculation (since 1 day = 1 day)! Very easy to calculate what influences are in play (go outside and look up)!
I know many people swear by Solar/Lunar returns, but for me, the jury is still out. I'm still struggling with them. Using them with Transits, occasional brilliant success and a lot of noise (for me). Also some base them on Tropical positions and some on Sidereal. To me, both can't be true (at least not in the same sense).
Primary directions are beyond my math skills. The ones I've calculated in software have (so far) seemed inconclusive.
If you take the whole Uranian/Ebertin-Witte system of working, Solar Arcs yield very good results. Many people combine them with Transits, too.
Bottom line is, predicting specific INFLUENCES for specific manifestations/events is not easy. But why should we expect it would be?
The main thing to remember (to me) is that, like the weather, while we may not be able to control or choose WHAT we're dealing with at any specific time, we can choose HOW we deal with it.
And everything is temporary.
 

FraterAC

Well-known member
eclipses And transits. More or less in that order. Since early 80s. Have never found any need for anything else.
How do you use eclipses? Do you use the entire chart, with all the planetary positions, or just the degree of the eclipse itself? If you use the whole chart, do you do anything with its angles (MC, Asc)? Do you do anything with the Moon's Nodes in combination with the eclipse? Do you progress (major, minor, solar arc, other) or otherwise advance (symbolic measures, profections, other time lords) the eclipse?
How do you compare the eclipse to the nativity? Longitude, declination, mundane position, prime vertical?
I'm interested in what information you get and how you get it.
Anyone else using eclipses, please jump in.
 
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FraterAC

Well-known member
My issue is, someone might say they only use transits, but what they mean is, they use transits, Solar and lunar returns, eclipses, lunations, ingresses, charts for major planetary conjunctions, cycles of the outer planets, etc, etc. OK, those are all technically transits, because they deal with planets in observable time, but they're not just what's on today's page of the ephemeris.
One astrologer might only use the degree of an eclipse, period, and another might use a whole range of techniques to glean more information out of that event.
So that's why I'm asking.
 

Lonerose99

Well-known member
Yes, start with transits, that's where the planets currently are in reality. Say transiting Venus is approaching 11°Sag. In a particular natal chart it's in the 10th. In the native's progressed chart, Venus is also 11°Sag, in the 7th of the progressed. And the progressed Moon happens to also be 11Sag, conjunct prog Venus. Here comes Venus in real time to 11Sag. It can set off the prog conjunction between the Moon and Venus, which will also resonate to where those planets are in the natal. And of course when the Moon reaches 11Sag every month in real time, that resonates too. So look at the transits to the natal, then progressed. Then lunar and solar returns. If either happen to have the same aspect at the same time, the aspect is even more pronounced.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
eclipses And transits. More or less in that order.
Since early 80s. Have never found any need for anything else.
for those unterested :)
an informative podcast workshop
on interpreting

transiting solar and lunar eclipses
based on where they fall in a nativity

- especially which houses
- with examples from the audience
- and audience members share stories how past eclipses have worked out in their lives :)
which helps to clarify how eclipses work in a very practical way. :)
- in particular on how eclipses come in pairs
and highlight a specific axis of houses for about two years.

For example, the 1st house/7th house axis
or the 2nd house/8th house axis, and so on

- with astrologers Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim


.
 

waybread

Well-known member
One technique I've not learned are primary directions. They require an accurate birth time, but are supposed to be much more accurate than other methods if you have one. I rely on transits like everyone else, but sometimes they don't seem to tell the story.

Solar arcs are one method I've not seen mentioned here yet. Sometimes they can accurately describe events, but not always. They are a type of progression that rotates all of the planets the same degree as the secondary progressed sun. (Secondary progressions rotate planets consistent with their position in the ephemeris, with a year-for-a-day calculation.)

I think transits, showing where planets are in the sky at a moment in time, indicate external events most times, whereas progressions of various sorts say more about how the person is growing internally-- and perhaps internalizing those external events.

I'm not entirely a fan of solar returns. They are a type of transit chart. Sometimes they miss major transits that occur later in the birth year. In using solar returns, it's a good idea to also read the ephemeris for the year ahead.
 

Outlook

Well-known member
JupiterAsc sounds like what I was taught in 80s. Has never failed me. Like clockwork. The only difference might be orbs. I use wider than others because thats just what works.
 

Outlook

Well-known member
Waybread like you I have tried all techniques i but its a case of more is not better. Sometimes progressions show something but it’s faint and overlayed below eclipses and transits. Eclipses wipe out transits, so have learnt to follow those primarily.
 

Outlook

Well-known member
My issue is, someone might say they only use transits, but what they mean is, they use transits, Solar and lunar returns, eclipses, lunations, ingresses, charts for major planetary conjunctions, cycles of the outer planets, etc, etc. OK, those are all technically transits, because they deal with planets in observable time, but they're not just what's on today's page of the ephemeris.
One astrologer might only use the degree of an eclipse, period, and another might use a whole range of techniques to glean more information out of that event.
So that's why I'm asking.

I use the ten standard major transits, two degree approaching orb. But always check eclipse first because almost always something was triggered. Eclipses last from ecliose to eclipse and supported for longer because they generally trigger from opposing angles…but an approaching one is always a strong trigger. The event it triggers doesnt subside easily so no matter what, its a main driver. A person who has been destabilised and is flapping about looking to regain balance causes major knock on events. So end of day just that reality wipes out all the positive transits. I believe in KIS principle. We are simple people.
 

JUPITERASC

Well-known member
JupiterAsc sounds like what I was taught in 80s.
Has never failed me. Like clockwork. The only difference might be orbs. I use wider than others because thats just what works.
  • In nativities, eclipses are important within 1° of a conjunction or opposition to the Sun, Moon or angles
but wider orbs are acceptable - opinions differ :)

  • Nations can also be affected if the eclipse falls on the natal Asc, MC or luminaries of its ruler.

..
 
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