Given that I practise Ancient Astrology, I have been asked whether actually teaching chart rectification to modern astrological students and practitioners is indeed possible.
Before I answer this question, it is vital, as far as this article is concerned, that I define what I mean by “Modern Astrology”.
Modern Astrology vs Psychological Astrology
By this term I mean a type of Astrology, which though it may use some psychology, it actually deals with objective reality. In other words, one of its central principles of delineation and rectification is that the client’s chart does not only describe him or her but shows other people in his or her life. For example, the 3rd house does not show how the native feels or thinks of his or her siblings or relatives, but what their siblings’ life is about. In short, by Modern Astrology, I mean a type of 20th (or even late 19th) century Astrology that deals with making specific statements and descriptions of the native’s life.
Contrary to this is the so called “Psychological Astrology”, with its various subdivisions. One of its central principles is that the native’s horoscope does not describe their objective life but only his or her internal world and psychological predispositions. As such, the whole horoscope is about the native. The problem with “Psychological Astrology” is that since it does not deal with objective reality, (because it cannot and nor does it want to) it is incapable of doing birth time rectification. Of course, not being able to do horoscope rectification, it automatically follows that “Psychological Astrology” cannot predict with a good degree of accuracy. After all, if one can’t match recorded past events, how would he or she be able to predict future events?
What readers need to know is that “Psychological Astrology” has so dominated the Western astrological community over the past decades that it has come to be synonymous with Modern Astrology, which is not entirely correct.
Teaching chart rectification to Modern Astrology practitioners
Thus the answer is “Yes”. I can teach ancient birth time rectification methods, but only to Modern Astrology students and practitioners. I cannot teach birth time rectification to Psychological Astrology practitioners. This is not because the latter are inherently incapable of learning it, but because they would have to be willing to unlearn/”to empty their cup”. In my experience, they would not be willing to do it due to their non-astrological beliefs getting in the way.
How do I know, and not merely believe, that I can teach horoscope rectification, with or without a time of birth, to modern astrological students and practitioners?
The answer is because at least one of the students of my Astrology Rectification Course is studying at a prestigious Western astrological college.
After doing sufficient research on the topic of courses on Western Astrology rectification, and sifting through the search engine optimization tricks of various astrologers that do not offer complete rectification courses but merely write about rectification, or offer partial rectification services, this student of mine told me they chose to invest in my work.
Chart rectification does not use all the factors for chart delineation
An issue which I want to address is the prevailing opinion that Ancient Astrology is far more difficult and demanding than Modern Astrology. As such, those that have no knowledge of the various traditions would find it too challenging to attempt birth time rectification, even more so with unknown time of birth, though they may greatly desire to learn how to do it.
When it comes to fully delineating the birth chart/horoscope, there is no question whatsoever that the above statement is true. However, it is vital to realize that when I am teaching chart rectification, I am not using the full arsenal of considerations that go into horoscope delineation.
For example, the following indispensable factors in delineation are almost entirely ignored:
- Position relative to the Sun
- Essential dignity
- Reception
- Planetary aspects
- Heliacal phases
- Fixed stars
- Rejoicing conditions
As I have written before, knowing what to use and what not to use is powerful knowledge This is because it protects you from not only getting sidetracked from the essentials but from introducing more and more variables. The latter will exponentially increase the odds of you accumulating errors during the rectification process.
As the mother of Modern Astrology, Ancient Astrology uses the same building blocks
It is always useful to know the roots of what one is practising. Ancient Astrology is the mother of Modern Astrology. Disregarding the modern innovations over the past few hundred years, we are using the pretty much same building blocks: planets, houses, rulerships, etc.
For example, when it comes to delineation and prediction, a modern astrological practitioner, who I have actually benefited and learned from (though at the beginning of my astrological studies), is American author Sophia Mason. What she and others are teaching is worth studying and practising.
It is also important to keep in mind that when they were teaching, the astrological community did not have access to the ancient translations which we have been blessed to have over the past 25 years. As such, these modern astrologers did the best with what limited knowledge of the full scope of Astrology they had. The fact that Sophia Mason made many predictions which came true, the fact that her students or clients won money from the lottery, shows beyond a doubt that Modern Astrology has merit.
Birth time rectification is much easier and structured with the ancient methods
Thus I want to stress that learning to do birth time rectification with ancient methods does not mean a modern astrological practitioner has to abandon what they know.
To make it clear: I am not teaching chart rectification methods that have nothing to do with Modern Astrology. What my rectification course teaches are ancient, forgotten methods. While they may seem are very different, they are actually approaches and techniques of showing the full picture of the chart by making the most of the fundamentals in a complete manner.
Therefore, rectifying the horoscope, with or without an approximate time of birth, is actually way easier and structured with Ancient Astrology than with any type of Astrology that I am familiar with. I mean Modern, Indian/Jyotish or Chinese.
One of my students’ experience of learning chart rectification from an Indian Astrology professional
In fact, a different student of mine studied birth chart rectification under an Indian Astrology professional. The teacher is even Indian and he uses both Parashara and Jaimini. What my student told me was that his teacher’s approach creates too many variables. As such, this is one of the major reasons this student chose my course. He wants to make sure he stands on solid ground, by learning the fundamental principles first and then securely narrowing down the variables and progressing further in the chart rectification process, instead of increasing them.
