Many companies produce astrology programs that prepare delineations, but Cosmic Patterns offers at least three times as many report programs as anyone else. That's because it is so easy to use their Kepler software to create one's own text files, and thereby a new interpretation program. Astrologers who want to market their creations can send them to Cosmic Patterns, who will add them to their catalog if the quality is high enough. As a result, the company has assembled a truly amazing range of fine interpretive software, ranging from medical analyses to forecast reports, from relocation information to past life patterns. Every year, a whole new set of programs are made available, and in this article I review the best of the latest crop. Cosmic Patterns has also recently translated many of their report writers into German, Spanish, French, and Portugese. If you would like to examine all of Cosmic Patterns' reports, call them at 800-779-2559 for a free demo disk that both displays and prints sample copies of every interpretive report that they offer.

Note: In order to run any of the Cosmic Patterns report programs, you must first purchase the Kepler chart service program (at $200 for the DOS version, $300 for the new Windows version). Kepler is a very easy to use and quite powerful calculation program, complete with natal, progressed, return, relationship, and harmonic charts; transit and progressed hit listings, midpoint and harmonic analyses, house cusp tables, and an excellent weighting system of the most important themes in a natal chart. You can design your own chart forms, display or print single, bi-, and tri-wheels, and extensively customize the programs fonts, page formats, etc. Kepler does an excellent job of displaying its output onscreen, and can both print to a file or to a monochrome or color printer. It also comes with its own internal excellent quality time change atlas, which automatically enters the correct longitude, latitude, and time zone information for you. (By the time you read this, Cosmic Patterns will have released their new Kepler for Windows which has a huge, ultra- accurate time change atlas, more formatting options for each report (such as the use of any TrueType font), and greater ease of use.)

The Flower Essence & Gem Report ($150) by Gina Ronco produces a 14 page report that evaluates in fine detail the patterns of imbalance in the birth chart, and recommends specific flower essences and gems to repair and repattern each condition. The delineations address each of the ptolemaic planets by sign, plus all of the aspects, including those to outer planets. The appendix at the end of the report teaches you how to select, make, and use essences; what to expect; how to use color therapy; and where to obtain essences and gems. Clearly a lot of loving care went into this program. The approach is wise, lucid, and compassionate, and the reports are both instructive and a joy to read. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in vibrational healing and its relationship to one's birth chart. Here's part of the text for Moon quincunx Uranus:

"You may also need to resolve some tension between closeness, attachment, and intimacy versus emotional yearnings for freedom, excitement, and openness to change. To facilitate resolving those issues, these essences can help: Sticky Monkey Flower (for fear of intimacy and pain over early separations) and Basil (for integrating spirituality with sexuality)."

For years, I've looked for a program that interpreted secondary progressions that I could recommend. Finally, Cosmic Patterns has released their Secondary Progressed Report ($200) by Riley Goodwin, which not only interprets progressed events, but also gives their durations. It delineates the progressed house cusps, each of the progressed planets (and the Ascendant) by sign compared with its natal position, the progressed house placements, and both the progressed-to-progressed and the progressed-to-natal aspects. It also looks at the progressed Sun and progressed Moon in combination. I respect the program's use of tight orbs in determining the progressed aspects, as well as the carefully and skillfully written text. Those looking for a progressed report will be well satisfied with this program. Here's a sample:

"When Mars moves into Scorpio in the Progressed Chart, the emotions and desires are powerful. Intense emotional intensity can give you relentless courage and thoroughness. The energy takes on an intensity of depth and determination. You will utilize your power in all areas of your life during this time, especially in "getting ahead", where you will let nothing or nobody get in your way. It could be healthy for you to channel some of this energy through sports activities, and you also need to learn to be sensitive and considerate to the feelings of others."

The Vocational Guidance Report ($???), written by Horacio Valsecia, looks at the factors in your chart that affect your choice of and success in career. The report not only suggests what jobs are best, but also addresses the chart factors that might interfere with and/or influence one's career patterns.

The program first focuses on the Sun, Ascendant, Moon, and Mercury by sign. Next, it explores the house position and aspects of the Sun and Moon, and the sign on the 12th house cusp. This is followed by delineations of Jupiter and Saturn by sign, house, and aspect; and then an examination of each of the earth houses (2, 6, 10) and the 5th house, by the sign on the cusp and its ruler, and the planets therein by sign. The report concludes with a summary of the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, and M.C. meanings.

Writing a report that effectively evaluates one's vocational themes via astrology is a challenging enterprise, and Mr. Valsecia has actually done a good job. As he himself advises, it is up to the reader of the report to reflect on the information provided, and to use their intuition to lead them to the best choice of career. Here is a sample of part of the text for Virgo on the 2nd house cusp:

"Throughout your life you work with great dedication to earn your money. You will be successful in places where you can underline your intelligence, ability to work precisely, with details or lending different kinds of services. The more specialized and particular your work will be, the greater your profit. You will have to perfect yourself by studying or taking courses that help you to become the best in your field."

Since I'm a professional psychic, and have done a great deal of work with my own past lives, and have never found any of the astrological writings on past lives to be accurate, I was very interested in evaluating the new the Karmic Insight Report ($150) by Gina Ronco. Much to my surprise and delight, this report is superb! Ms. Ronco has deeply explored the relationship between astrology and past lives, and the program prepares an excellent report delineating the karmic patterns indicated by the Moon and Sun by sign and aspects, the Ascendant, Saturn and the North Node by sign and house, and then the significant (tight orb) hard and soft aspects in the chart. I have a great deal of respect for this program and its author, and recommend it very highly. Here's an example of part of the text for Saturn in Virgo:

"You have a deep fear of chaos and of the unknown, and will thus structure your life around creating order and predictability in your personal world, or at least in some specific arena in your life. This may be reflected in a compulsive need to organize, a rigid adherence to certain rituals and routines (deviating from which causes inordinate discomfort or anxiety), or a willingness to sacrifice much in the way of creative expression or even personal ambition for the sake of security."

The AstroQuest Oracle Horary Astrology Program ($150) by Dr. Randall C. Roffe answers questions using the principles of horary astrology. The program directs you to print out a report for the first moment a question is asked, and then describes the general situation, the questioner, the quesited object or person (including an examination of each of the houses), what each house ruler signifies, recently occurring or about to occur events, translations of light, and events that are likely to occur within various time periods in the future. Although I have no expertise in horary astrology, I was impressed by the attention to detail and obvious forethought that went into this program, and would certainly encourage those interested in horary astrology to explore AstroQuest. Here is a section on Questions about marriage, partnerships, etc. with Saturn ruling the 7th house and Saturn in Virgo:

"The object or person is organized, detail-oriented, and conscientious. They are patient and flexible and probably concerned with their duties and obligations. Events are likely to occur rapidly and go through quickly alternating cycles. Restless, busy hands, low-contrast features. A slow but steady object that records information. Roots, dry objects from the earth."

I would finally like to mention Cosmic Pattern's Data Collection ($25). This is an exceptionally useful collection of birth data for 3,400 famous people, business data for 1,250 events, and additional data for 355 places and events. All of the data has been carefully researched for accuracy, and provides astrologers with a very economical and valuable resource.

Cosmic Patterns, and it's many authors, continue to diversify and improve the quality of astrological interpretive reports, and we can be very grateful to all of them for their fine efforts. The programs reviewed here have added new dimensions to what computer reports can do, and have done a superb job of it.