Post by Allan on Aug 8, 2007 22:07:17 GMT -5
Western Astrology
Course Description
Western Astrology will introduce the student to the basics of the Western Zodiac, including
the planets, the houses, and the basic aspects. Upon completing the course, the student
should have a basic working knowledge of how to interpret the Natal Chart. This course will
require a lot of reading and staying current with the reading assignments will greatly
affect how well you are able to keep up. Astrology is a complicated study, and the most
discouraging thing to most students is getting lost in the material. If you cannot keep up
with the reading assignments from week to week due to extenuating circumstances, let me know
and I will try to work with you.
Basic Resources
You will need some basic textual materials to help guide you through this course. A lot is
available online, but you will want very quickly some dependable reference books at your
disposal. I've put together a list of books that I think are best suited for beginners to
give you a few ideas of the types of materials that will help you through this course and
beyond.
Where an * appears after a name, it indicates a superb author who has more than one book on
the market. If you find any of their books, buy it!
Creative Astrologer by Noel Tyl* (*this is a highly respected author in the field of
astrology!)-- check Llewellyn for his books.
Astrology for the Millions by Grant Lewi
The Instant Horoscope Reader by Julia Lupton Skalka
The Instant Horoscope Predictor by Julia L. Skalka
The Twelve Houses by Howard Sasportas*
Astrology: A Cosmic Science by Isabel M. Hickey*
Horoscope Symbols by Robert Hand*
The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need by Joanne Martine Woolfolk
Astrology for Beginners by William Hewitt
(check out www.isisbooks.com/wicca.asp for a really comprehensive listing of books on
Astrology.)
Class Participation and Attendance
There will be several roundtable discussion meetings in the Chat room during this course.
The difficulty of the subject requires some opportunities for 'real time' question and
answer sessions so that I can determine whether all the students are indeed grasping the
material. Campus policy regarding absences is strict and due to the fact that we will
probably only have three (3) such discussion sessions, one absence, excused or unexcused, is
the limit. These discussions are NOT only for student questions, and some new material may
be presented at this time so that the student who misses a chat will indeed "miss out" on
some of the course. You will be given the dates of the chat sessions well in advance so that
you can make arrangements to be in attendance.
Assignments and Practicum
You will be given regular assignments in this course that coincide with the reading
assignments. I will view incomplete worksheets as an absence. If there are extenuating
circumstances, let me know and I will work with you. Practicum refers to assignments that
are based in "meaningful reality", e.g., those involving your birth chart and personal
astrology journal, not simply tasks done as an exercise to facilitate memory of terms or
general understanding. The practicum 'homework' will often be included in the roundtable
discussions. Not having it done in a timely manner will obviously affect your participation
there as well.
One of the requirements in order to participate in this class fully is to have your birth
chart in hand. Here is how to go about getting it:
Send an email to me in which you include your complete birth data. ***Complete birth data
means: day, month, year, exact time of day, time zone (Central, Greenwich, etc.), daylight
or standard time, if applicable, and exact location of birth.
Here is an example:
JanusMoon born March 23, 1972 at 6:55am EST in Richmond, VA, USA
For most of you, this information is readily available on your official birth certificate.
It is a MUST to have it to me before the course begins. I will send you a copy of your birth
chart by email, in the style we will use in the course. All your personal information will
then be deleted from my computer, and none of it will be used in any other way, except to
generate your chart. I will keep a copy of your chart for reference while you are in my
class and after that, it also will be deleted. That is so that if you lose your chart, I
won't have to spend a lot of extra time trying to re-generate it. If you have any questions
about this process, contact me personally about it.
Grading Components
The course requirements which compose your overall grade will be broken down as follows:
30% Participation and Attendance
30% Assignments and Practicum
40% Tests -- Mid-term and Final (20% each)
Online Resources
There are an enormous number of websites on the topic of astrology and I've singled out
those that are the least confusing and most helpful to you as beginners. They also are the
best sources of information that we will cover in this course. If you find a link you like
during the course that you think should be included, please bring it to my attention so I
can add it here.
www.zodiacal.com All around great site!
www.astrology.com Fairly good beginner site; you can get a free chart done, but they try to
hook you into paying for a huge chart explanation. My advice is....learn astrology, do your
own interpretation, and save your money!
www.bobmarksastrologer.com He has lessons on his site, but not all that exhaustive. Some are
written tongue in cheek, making the material hard to apply all across the board. Still, a
wealth of info is here. Avoid his forums.....lots of seasoned astrologers speaking
astrologese!
alabe.com/TextFiles.htm Some good articles for when we get farther along in the
course.
www.astrologyworldonline.com/home.htm I hesitate to mention this site..... it has
free lessons on it. They are fine, but don't get too bogged down doing them as they won't
necessarily cover the same topics as we are. They are for beginners, though, and easy to
understand.
Tutorial Services
I will be available for tutorial help by appointment/ private email.
Disabilities
As long as you have online access and a means to store / save or print out the reading
material, you should have no difficulty participating in this course.
Syllabus
1. "Heavens Above!"
Description: A Brief History and Introduction to Western Astrology
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: You should check to see that you have received your birth chart from me before
this week is up. Acquire a notebook to serve as your personal journal of your Natal Chart.
2. "Oh, MY Stars!"
Description: A conceptual look at the 12 Signs of the Zodiac, their symbols, and how we
categorize them.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Identify your own Sun Sign and the locations of all the signs in your personal
birth chart. Note these in your journal.
3. "Blame it on the Moon...."
Description: An introduction to the celestial bodies, the planets, and how they affect the
Natal Chart.
Assignment: Attend this week's roundtable discussion (#1) and fill in the blank chart I
email to you as directed. There will also be a worksheet this week to help you get what's
important from the reading material.
Practicum: Identify your own personal chart ruler, the location of your planets and your
Ascendant on your birth chart. Note what each signifies in your journal.
4. "Make yourself at Home"
Description: Introducing Houses, Cusps, and a definition of the Decanates. Focus is on House
interpretation.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal the significance of the houses occupied by your Sun and
Moon.
5. "The Beginnings of Chart Interpretation"
Description: We will be integrating all we've learned so far and finding the "person" in the
chart.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me. Complete the practicum and attend Roundtable
discussion #2. (Date and Time: TBA)
Practicum: Bring your chart, journal, and questions to the discussion. Write up a
preliminary analysis of your Ascendant, Sun and Moon, using the factors we have studied thus
far.
6. Mid-term Test I will give you a "celebrity" chart to look at and some specifics to
identify from the material thus far. (Each test is only worth 20% of your overall grade, so
don't sweat this!)
7. "Once in a Blue Moon..."
Description: Introducing Nodes of the Moon, the Asteroids, and the Part of Fortune. Also,
Solar and Lunar Eclipses.
Assigment: Fill out worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Write in your journal the effects of your Lunar Nodes. Be specific -- this is for
your own understanding.
8. "Working the Angles"
Description: An explanation of the term "aspect" and an introduction to some major aspects
and their effects.
Assignment: Memorize the chart I send you and complete the practicum before attending
Roundtable Discussion #3 this week. I will give you some questions as guidelines for the
practicum. (Date and Time: TBA)
Practicum: Find and identify the major aspects on your chart, noting which are positive and
which are challenging in your journal.
9. "What goes around, comes around"
Description: Orbits, Outer Planets, and Retrograde Motion will be presented, along with the
concept of Transits.
Assignment: Read the extensive material provided in this lesson. Fill in worksheet and
return to me.
Practicum: Take note of the location of the outer planets in your chart and find any
retrograde planets. Make notes about any particular points of interest in your chart
concerning these chart factors.
10. "Many Happy Returns"
Description: How a person is affected by planetary returns, which returns are most
significant, and when they occur.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal when you are likely to experience your next Saturn return
and what it will mean.
11. "Thank your Lucky Stars!"
Description: An introduction to Chart Types and a synthesis of all we've learned to date.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Analyze your own chart type and find out which planet or planets is most
significant to you. Go back over your journal to see if there are any other items you'd like
to add. Prepare for Final Test.
12. Final Test -- covers material from lesson 7 to the end. "Congrats, you're a budding
astrologer!"
Course Description
Western Astrology will introduce the student to the basics of the Western Zodiac, including
the planets, the houses, and the basic aspects. Upon completing the course, the student
should have a basic working knowledge of how to interpret the Natal Chart. This course will
require a lot of reading and staying current with the reading assignments will greatly
affect how well you are able to keep up. Astrology is a complicated study, and the most
discouraging thing to most students is getting lost in the material. If you cannot keep up
with the reading assignments from week to week due to extenuating circumstances, let me know
and I will try to work with you.
Basic Resources
You will need some basic textual materials to help guide you through this course. A lot is
available online, but you will want very quickly some dependable reference books at your
disposal. I've put together a list of books that I think are best suited for beginners to
give you a few ideas of the types of materials that will help you through this course and
beyond.
Where an * appears after a name, it indicates a superb author who has more than one book on
the market. If you find any of their books, buy it!
Creative Astrologer by Noel Tyl* (*this is a highly respected author in the field of
astrology!)-- check Llewellyn for his books.
Astrology for the Millions by Grant Lewi
The Instant Horoscope Reader by Julia Lupton Skalka
The Instant Horoscope Predictor by Julia L. Skalka
The Twelve Houses by Howard Sasportas*
Astrology: A Cosmic Science by Isabel M. Hickey*
Horoscope Symbols by Robert Hand*
The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need by Joanne Martine Woolfolk
Astrology for Beginners by William Hewitt
(check out www.isisbooks.com/wicca.asp for a really comprehensive listing of books on
Astrology.)
Class Participation and Attendance
There will be several roundtable discussion meetings in the Chat room during this course.
The difficulty of the subject requires some opportunities for 'real time' question and
answer sessions so that I can determine whether all the students are indeed grasping the
material. Campus policy regarding absences is strict and due to the fact that we will
probably only have three (3) such discussion sessions, one absence, excused or unexcused, is
the limit. These discussions are NOT only for student questions, and some new material may
be presented at this time so that the student who misses a chat will indeed "miss out" on
some of the course. You will be given the dates of the chat sessions well in advance so that
you can make arrangements to be in attendance.
Assignments and Practicum
You will be given regular assignments in this course that coincide with the reading
assignments. I will view incomplete worksheets as an absence. If there are extenuating
circumstances, let me know and I will work with you. Practicum refers to assignments that
are based in "meaningful reality", e.g., those involving your birth chart and personal
astrology journal, not simply tasks done as an exercise to facilitate memory of terms or
general understanding. The practicum 'homework' will often be included in the roundtable
discussions. Not having it done in a timely manner will obviously affect your participation
there as well.
One of the requirements in order to participate in this class fully is to have your birth
chart in hand. Here is how to go about getting it:
Send an email to me in which you include your complete birth data. ***Complete birth data
means: day, month, year, exact time of day, time zone (Central, Greenwich, etc.), daylight
or standard time, if applicable, and exact location of birth.
Here is an example:
JanusMoon born March 23, 1972 at 6:55am EST in Richmond, VA, USA
For most of you, this information is readily available on your official birth certificate.
It is a MUST to have it to me before the course begins. I will send you a copy of your birth
chart by email, in the style we will use in the course. All your personal information will
then be deleted from my computer, and none of it will be used in any other way, except to
generate your chart. I will keep a copy of your chart for reference while you are in my
class and after that, it also will be deleted. That is so that if you lose your chart, I
won't have to spend a lot of extra time trying to re-generate it. If you have any questions
about this process, contact me personally about it.
Grading Components
The course requirements which compose your overall grade will be broken down as follows:
30% Participation and Attendance
30% Assignments and Practicum
40% Tests -- Mid-term and Final (20% each)
Online Resources
There are an enormous number of websites on the topic of astrology and I've singled out
those that are the least confusing and most helpful to you as beginners. They also are the
best sources of information that we will cover in this course. If you find a link you like
during the course that you think should be included, please bring it to my attention so I
can add it here.
www.zodiacal.com All around great site!
www.astrology.com Fairly good beginner site; you can get a free chart done, but they try to
hook you into paying for a huge chart explanation. My advice is....learn astrology, do your
own interpretation, and save your money!
www.bobmarksastrologer.com He has lessons on his site, but not all that exhaustive. Some are
written tongue in cheek, making the material hard to apply all across the board. Still, a
wealth of info is here. Avoid his forums.....lots of seasoned astrologers speaking
astrologese!
alabe.com/TextFiles.htm Some good articles for when we get farther along in the
course.
www.astrologyworldonline.com/home.htm I hesitate to mention this site..... it has
free lessons on it. They are fine, but don't get too bogged down doing them as they won't
necessarily cover the same topics as we are. They are for beginners, though, and easy to
understand.
Tutorial Services
I will be available for tutorial help by appointment/ private email.
Disabilities
As long as you have online access and a means to store / save or print out the reading
material, you should have no difficulty participating in this course.
Syllabus
1. "Heavens Above!"
Description: A Brief History and Introduction to Western Astrology
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: You should check to see that you have received your birth chart from me before
this week is up. Acquire a notebook to serve as your personal journal of your Natal Chart.
2. "Oh, MY Stars!"
Description: A conceptual look at the 12 Signs of the Zodiac, their symbols, and how we
categorize them.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Identify your own Sun Sign and the locations of all the signs in your personal
birth chart. Note these in your journal.
3. "Blame it on the Moon...."
Description: An introduction to the celestial bodies, the planets, and how they affect the
Natal Chart.
Assignment: Attend this week's roundtable discussion (#1) and fill in the blank chart I
email to you as directed. There will also be a worksheet this week to help you get what's
important from the reading material.
Practicum: Identify your own personal chart ruler, the location of your planets and your
Ascendant on your birth chart. Note what each signifies in your journal.
4. "Make yourself at Home"
Description: Introducing Houses, Cusps, and a definition of the Decanates. Focus is on House
interpretation.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal the significance of the houses occupied by your Sun and
Moon.
5. "The Beginnings of Chart Interpretation"
Description: We will be integrating all we've learned so far and finding the "person" in the
chart.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me. Complete the practicum and attend Roundtable
discussion #2. (Date and Time: TBA)
Practicum: Bring your chart, journal, and questions to the discussion. Write up a
preliminary analysis of your Ascendant, Sun and Moon, using the factors we have studied thus
far.
6. Mid-term Test I will give you a "celebrity" chart to look at and some specifics to
identify from the material thus far. (Each test is only worth 20% of your overall grade, so
don't sweat this!)
7. "Once in a Blue Moon..."
Description: Introducing Nodes of the Moon, the Asteroids, and the Part of Fortune. Also,
Solar and Lunar Eclipses.
Assigment: Fill out worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Write in your journal the effects of your Lunar Nodes. Be specific -- this is for
your own understanding.
8. "Working the Angles"
Description: An explanation of the term "aspect" and an introduction to some major aspects
and their effects.
Assignment: Memorize the chart I send you and complete the practicum before attending
Roundtable Discussion #3 this week. I will give you some questions as guidelines for the
practicum. (Date and Time: TBA)
Practicum: Find and identify the major aspects on your chart, noting which are positive and
which are challenging in your journal.
9. "What goes around, comes around"
Description: Orbits, Outer Planets, and Retrograde Motion will be presented, along with the
concept of Transits.
Assignment: Read the extensive material provided in this lesson. Fill in worksheet and
return to me.
Practicum: Take note of the location of the outer planets in your chart and find any
retrograde planets. Make notes about any particular points of interest in your chart
concerning these chart factors.
10. "Many Happy Returns"
Description: How a person is affected by planetary returns, which returns are most
significant, and when they occur.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal when you are likely to experience your next Saturn return
and what it will mean.
11. "Thank your Lucky Stars!"
Description: An introduction to Chart Types and a synthesis of all we've learned to date.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Analyze your own chart type and find out which planet or planets is most
significant to you. Go back over your journal to see if there are any other items you'd like
to add. Prepare for Final Test.
12. Final Test -- covers material from lesson 7 to the end. "Congrats, you're a budding
astrologer!"