The Ascendant & Other Angles

The ascendant is the part of the sky rising in the east at any given moment. It is the most powerful part of the sky. Opposite, setting in the west, is the descendant. Overhead, the highest part of the sky the sun reaches is the Midheaven, directly below that, the lowest part, in the earth itself, is the IC, short for Imum Coeli. In addition there are derivative angles, the Vertex, Antivertex, Eastpoint (EQ) and others.

Indicates a book on our Top Ten list. If you would like to find more books like it, click on the star.

	ASPECTS TO HOROSCOPE ANGLES - Vivia Jayne, $11.00 Contents: Preface; Aspects to the horoscope angles in radical charts; The three local planes: Midheaven, Ascendant & Vertex; Delineation of lights & planets to angles; Aspects of planets & lights to the midheaven & their meanings; Aspects of planets & lights to the ascendant & their meanings; Examples; Appendix. Comment: A brief overview of aspects to the mid-heaven & ascendant. Also emphasised is the use of angles in rectification of birth time. Some 15 sample charts, including Henry Kissinger & astrologer L. Edward Johndro, all rectified by Vivia and/or Charles Jayne. Newly reset & reprinted by the AFA. AFA, 47 pages, small paper.

	DERIVATIVE ANGLES - Martha Lang-Wescott, $12.50 Contents: Foreword: Basis for multiple angles; The traditional ascendant; Example chart - Adolph Hitler; The eastpoint as ascendant; The antivertex as ascendant; Eastpoint - theory and practice overview; House placement of the adjutant ascendants; Intercepted adjutant angles; Your new ascendants (preliminary practice; The derivative midheavens; The EMC as a derivative midheaven; The MVX as a derivative midheaven; Assessment of the cumulative effect; Derivative midheavens - theory and practice overview; Dial techniques with adjutant and derivative angles; 90 degree dial example chart - Jeffrey Dahmer; Composite charts, transits, eclipses and progressions; Step by step natal delineation of adjutant and derivative angles; Asteroid and Transneptunian key words; Determination and calculation of adjutant and derivative angles. Comment: From the foreword: The intersection of the ecliptic with the Prime Vertical is the point we term the antivertex and, with the Eastpoint, these are both recognized - and highly neglected - points of delineation. I think this neglect occurs partially because of the connotations in terminology and the interpretative slot they've been assigned. It will make all the difference in the world to recognize that these points are ALSO ASCENDANTS, and deserve the same attention that you give to the traditional Ascendant in a chart. They give you the same kind of information; they show you the complex human being that you are; they reveal your echo, your shadow and YOU! A lot packed into a few pages. Treehouse Mountain, 24 pages, oversize, comb-bound.

	VERTEX: THE THIRD ANGLE - Donna Henson, $18.00 Contents: Preface 1. To Whet Your Appetite 2. What is the Vertex? What is the vertex astronomically? Calculating the Vertex; How does the progressed vertex move? What is the vertex astrologically? What we need to bring forth by sign; What we need to bring forth by planet or angle; What we need to bring forth by house; Two examples 3. The Signs of the Vertex: Vertex in Aries; Vertex in Taurus; Vertex in Gemini; Vertex in Cancer; Vertex in Leo; Vertex in Virgo; Vertex in Libra; Vertex in Scorpio; Vertex in Sagittarius; Vertex in Capricorn; Vertex in Aquarius; Vertex in Pisces 4. Aspects of the Vertex: Conjunctions; Sextiles; Squares; Trines; Quincunxes; Oppositions 5. Rectification with the Vertex Clues about the birthtime; Determining the ascendant sign; Factors that vary the appearance; Planets close to the ascendant or MC; Narrowing the ascendant further; Matching the ascendant, midheaven & vertex progressions to events; An example 6. The Vertex in Event Charts: Attack on the United States; Federal building bombing; Founding of the Third Reich; Bombing of Pearl Harbor; Assassination of President Kennedy; Crash of the Concorde; Crash of Flight 800; The Chernobyl accident; Sinking of the Titanic; Death of JFK Jr.; Princess Diana's fatal accident 7. Conjunctions to the Vertex, antivertex, equatorial ascendant & the equatorial descendant; In the natal chart; In synastry; Malefics conjunct one's own vertex 8. The Vertex & the Solar Return 9. Other uses of the Vertex: Transits of outer planets to the vertex; Eclipses to the vertex; The vertex in financial astrology Index. Comment: Here, at last, is the book on the Vertex we have all been waiting for, and so far as I can tell, it is the definitive one. The book was based on research carried out by the author while part of the short-lived NCGR chapter in Fort Worth, TX, with inspiration from Doris Greaves & the late Zip Dobyns. AFA, 148 pages.

	POWER OF THE MIDHEAVEN: The Astrology of Self-Realization - Stephanie Jean Clement, $14.95 Contents: Acknowledgements; Introduction: What is the midheaven; 1. The midheaven of twins' charts; 2. Ego-consciousness & the midheaven; 3. Aries midheaven; 4. Taurus midheaven; 5. Gemini midheaven; 6. Cancer midheaven; 7. Leo midheaven; 8. Virgo midheaven; 9. Libra midheaven; 10. Scorpio midheaven; 11. Sagittarius midheaven; 12. Capricorn midheaven; 13. Aquarius midheaven; 14. Pisces midheaven; 15. Natal aspects & transits to the midheaven; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index. Comment: This is a book about the ascendant that was somehow mislabeled as being about the midheaven. As a book about the ascendant, it's okay. What's the difference between these two angles? The ascendant is how people perceive you, how you project yourself into the world. The midheaven is how you behave when you're the center of attention. For example, the Aquarius ascendant is what this book describes as an Aquarius midheaven. An Aquarius midheaven, when he's the center of attention, looks around and says, "who, me?" and promptly excuses himself or drags up a dozen of his buddies. Llewellyn , 210 pages, oversize.

	RISING SIGN PROBLEM - John Willner, $19.00 Contents: Overview; 1. Aries; 2. Taurus; 3. Gemini; 4. Cancer; 5. Leo; 6. Virgo; 7. Libra; 8. Scorpio; 9. Sagittarius; 10. Capricorn; 11. Aquarius; 12. Pisces; 13. Planets on the Ascendant; 14.A mini-research report; Index. Comment: An excellent, detailed, overview of the ascendant in the natal chart. Each of the twelve zodiacal sign chapters includes Physical Attributes, Mental Attributes, and Sample Charts (three nativities per rising sign). An emphasis is placed on the physical appearance of natives with each ascendant. Willner himself gives no pictures of what each ascendant is supposed to look like, but books that do can be found at Astrological Body Types. Examples chosen (Einstein, Lucille Ball, Julia Child, etc.) for the most part do not have agreed-upon birthtimes nor ascendant signs. Willner chose them precisely to demonstrate how an astrologer can determine the right ascendant & support his choice with hard evidence, including progressions. For his rectifications, Willner uses an obscure (and unpublished) algorithm called INCARN, which uses the positions of Sun, Moon & Uranus to calculate the correct ascendant. Willner says almost all charts, even those with precisely timed births, are incorrect, and while the statement is daring, his standards are rigorous & grounded in traditional astrological analysis. Of particular interest are his observation on underlying career motivation & intercepted houses. Intercepted houses determine career, Willner says. To support this he conducts a brief, but most interesting analysis of Placidus vs: Koch houses (Placidus wins). Since Willner believes that only one house system can be correct, it would be interesting to see the same analysis used on other house systems. All-in-all, a book of merit that repays close study. AFA, 165 pages, oversize.

	YOU & YOUR ASCENDANT - Sophia Mason, $21.00 Contents: Introduction; Natal chart; Aries ascendant; Taurus ascendant; Gemini ascendant; Cancer ascendant; Leo ascendant; Virgo ascendant; Libra ascendant; Scorpio ascendant; Sagittarius ascendant; Capricorn ascendant; Aquarius ascendant; Pisces ascendant. Comment: From the back cover: Inside you'll find not only and in-depth look at how each of the twelve signs functions on the ascendant, but how the ruler of each functions through its own house placement....Included are extensive sections on character traits, physical appearance, mentality, romantic inclinations, and health for each sign....You'll learn about planetary sign positions, decanates and dwads, the intercepted first house, the art of synthesis, constitution and elements, and stelliums. AFA, 173 pages.

	THE ASCENDANT - Jodie Forrest, $15.95 Contents: Acknowledgments Introduction 1. What is the ascendant? 2. The ascendant & C.G. Jung's concept of the persona 3. Acting & the ascendant 4. The ascendant & "style" 5. The ascendant with the Sun & Moon 6. The ruler of the ascendant 7. Transits, progressions, arcs & the ascendant 8. "Adjusting" your ascendant 9. The ascendant and "national character" 10. The ascendant, speculations on physical appearance & rectification tips 11. The ascendant & evolutionary astrology 12. The ascendant "cookbook": Aries through Pisces, planets in the first, nodes in the first Comment: Here is Jodie Forrest, on Jodie Forrest, from the inside back cover: A full-time astrologer, writer & teacher since 1983, JODIE FORREST is the author of the Rhymer trilogy, a Nordic-Celtic historical fantasy beginning with The Rhymer & the Ravens. She is the co-author (with Steven Forrest) of Skymates: Love, Sex & Evolutionary Astrology; Skymates II: The Composite Chart, and of two computerized reports about the astrology of relationships. She edited both volumes of Measuring the Night: Evolutionary Astrology and the Keys to the Soul, by Steven Forrest & Jeffry Wolf Green, and Under One Sky by Rafael Nasser. Jodie travels widely to teach on astrological topics, and her articles have appeared in all the major astrological journals. She holds an M.A. in French language and literature and has taught both French and fiction writing. Jodie lives with her husband, astrologer Steven Forrest, an uppity cast of her fictional characters and painted bone creatures, several electric basses and two extravagantly spoiled cats. Visit her on the web at www.jodieforrest.com. Just about everything you need to know about this book is in Ms Forrest's self-description. But I will persevere. In the Acknowledgments she thanks Steven for not peeking until the book was finished. In the Introduction, she tells us, in detail, what kept her from writing this book 20 years ago (when it would have been refused by Neil Michelsen, by the way). In the first chapter this MA in French manages to mangle that language as well: Je suis bien dans ma peau is not translated as "I am well in my skin," as Forrest has it, but, I feel good in my skin. (Idiom is everything. I've been there.) Scanning the book, I find the section on Evolutionary Astrology & the principles thereof, as formulated by Steven Forrest & Jeffery Green. From page 110, there are seven. The first six start with, An acceptance of the fact.... Principle no. 1, we incarnate. No. 2, the birth chart reflects the soul's evolution. No. 3, the birth chart shows the soul's intentions. No. 4, there is no such thing as chance. No. 5. Irrespective of No. 4, humans are unpredictable. No. 6. Humans are responsible for reality. No. 7, people seeking astrological help must therefore be helped. Jodie then asks us why we have ascendants. No, really. The cookbook section. For each of the twelve signs, Jodie starts with Symbols (the "mask" that we wear), then Style, a sort of overview, followed by The Persona & the Other, where she pits the ascendant against the 7th house, though I don't know why. Then we have The Vehicle & the Terrain, which considers the environment appropriate to each ascendant. This is followed by Staying Comfortable in the Body, ie, how to stay healthy, except Jodie never quite gets down to details. Then there are Images for a Costume (what to wear), Images for the [a] vehicle (what kind of car to drive) and Images for the Terrain (where to live). For Gemini, the last includes A litter of kittens in a bathtub full of ping-pong balls. (pg. 141) Each sign ends with delineations of the ruling planet in each of the houses. The delineations are fair, but overlook the obvious sign affiliations. Gemini rising with Mercury in the third house is most likely going to be a proud Mercury debilitated in Leo. A delineation for that will go far beyond anything in this book. From time to time I hear that new authors are in fear of my remarks. Astrology books are properly the province of those who are intellectually driven, like myself. Those authors who have studied hard & written (and, most likely, rewritten) with care, need never fear my opinion. I will most likely rave. For others who feel compelled to write, I might fairly ask, why? And if, like Ms Forrest, you do anyway, please, please, take full advantage of every aid at your disposal. Pass the manuscript around, and not just to your friends. Carefully consider the criticisms. Your book will be better for it. Seven Paws Press, 237 pages.

The Astrology Center of America

207 Victory Lane, Bel Air, MD 21014
Tel: 410-638-7761; Fax:410-638-5154; Toll-free (orders only): 800-475-2272

Home

Author Index

Title Index

Subject Index

Vedic Books

Tarot

E-Mail: Dave

Established 1993, The Astrology Center of America is owned & operated by David Roell.
This entire site (AstroAmerica.com) is copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 by William R. Roell. All rights reserved.