Online Study Group Forming 1 by Tom Is anyone interested in studying solar returns on a Yahoo Forum? I started a group with a fairly narrow focus, but I want it to be a study group, almost a course in the delineation of solar returns with heavy emphasis on the methods of Jean Baptiste Morin as outlined in Book 23 of Astrologia Gallica. The idea was an is not an ?I teach; you learn? approach largely because it is a learning process for me as well, even though I have a decent, but by no means extensive or deep, understanding of how Morin practiced astrology. I don?t mind taking the lead, though, but I prefer guidance to out and out instruction. There are a handful of us that started this a few months back, but catching up would be easy once an interested person obtained the text. Book 23 Revolutions covers solar and lunar returns with quite a few examples discussed by Morin. It costs $20.00 US and is available from Astroamerica.com or from the AFA, the book?s publisher. It would be helpful to also have Book 21 on hand as Morin takes it for granted that anyone readying book 23 has also read books 1 ? 22. It is not necessary to have all that down pat, but he does approach astrology differently in places, than his contemporaries and antecedents. Book 21 is a solid description of his techniques and it might not be a bad idea to have a copy. There are two, three if you count the one atrocious edition by Swickert and Weiss, of volume 21. The Baldwin translation published by AFA is paper bound and available from the above two sources for $11.00 US. Baldwin?s work is taken from the Latin original. There is another translation by Lucy Little. This is a fine hardbound book with some additional information in the back. Little translated from a French translation and it does not seem to precisely follow Baldwin?s work. It is expensive, too. I?ve been told it sells for as much as $75.00 but that seems high. I prefer the Baldwin work, but if someone already has the Little translation there is no point in getting Baldwin?s work, too unless you have other plans for it. On the other hand it is only $11.00. The group is private, i.e. it is not listed on Yahoo. The reason is I did not want it open to people who have no interest in this subject and want to sound off on Morin and why he?s wrong or curiosity seekers who wish to make the case for Stephen Forrest or whoever the current favorite modern astrologer is. I have nothing against Stephen Forrest, but this is not the place for a discussion of his work. It is a place to discuss solar returns and particularly how Morin did solar returns. I also wanted a quick and easy way to avoid spam. It is not necessary or even desirable to limit ourselves to the charts in the book. I hope to use some contemporary charts to illustrate and maybe make a prediction or two using the techniques. The idea would be to take what Morin is teaching and apply it to some charts. I wish to avoid using members? charts because I do not want this to become a place for a free solar return reading. It is one thing to give examples from one?s own returns. It is another to beg for a freebie. Unfortunately, this is not a great place for beginners or even those new to traditional astrology. At the least someone with an interest in the group should know what a solar and lunar return is, the basic meanings of the signs, houses, planets and major aspects, and be able to give a basic delineation of the natal chart. Secondly, and this may be more important, one must come to the table with an open mind. I do not want a debating society. Disagreements are inevitable, but this is not to be an ?us vs. them? sideshow whomever us and them happen to be. In the beginning we are accepting Morin at his word and working with the charts the way he would, whether we see things his way or not. The idea is to learn what it is that he is doing, not inform the world that someone else does it better. Once we have his methods down pat, then we can look at it more critically. So, in the beginning it is close to blind acceptance in order to learn the methods; critiques come later. This ?blind acceptance? also applies to his natal work for purposes of this forum since the two are tied together. Committed ?Lillyites? will find differences. That?s OK, but criticizing something without understanding it is an exercise in prejudice, not learning. If you think this involves work, you?re right. We need to read and understand the text(s). We need to cast the charts and work with them, and then do some original application of what we?ve learned on charts outside those in the text. I?ve posted some files which are nothing more than copies of things I?ve posted on Morin and revolutions in the message section. I?ve also posted the charts and will continue to add them as we get to them in the book. It shouldn?t be too difficult to catch up just by reading my posts, but it is better to read the book. I tried making pdf files of certain pages to help people who were waiting delivery of their books, but Yahoo does not permit files that large. Lurkers? Yes there are some lurkers in the membership. I prefer participation, but I understand if someone joins to see what it is like. If you are going to lurk, fine, but if you intend to participate, buy the book or books. Personally, I?ve found Book 23 to be one of the most instructive astrology books I?ve ever read. It teaches a methodical approach to prediction not unlike Lilly?s in CA, but in far more detail. It?s a Yahoo group so the only expense involved is for the book(s). What you?ll get out of it will depend entirely on what you put into it. Interested? Questions? If so, write me privately not on Skyscript but at tcal@optonline.net . If you want to join I?ll send you an ?invitation? from the Yahoo group itself. Follow the instructions and have a look around. I?ve had a few problems with these invitations. I don?t know if the recipients couldn?t figure it out or if there were genuine problems beyond our control. If that happens and you can?t figure out what is going wrong, write me again and I?ll forward the url to you. If you end up doing it this way, you?ll have to give a reason for joining the group. That is done by Yahoo, not me. They are trying to keep machines from joining the groups and ruining them. But you have to write something. Write in I love astrology or I love Tom. Either way you?re in. Tom PS I live in Edison, New Jersey, Middlesex County (there are 2 Edisons in NJ). If anyone on this list lives reasonably close to Edison and is interested in forming an informal live and in person study group on this topic or maybe another, let me know via e-mail. tcal@optonline.net Quote Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:06 am