INTRODUCTION:
The
word “research” may bring up thoughts
of experimental designs, statistical analysis, or
people peering through microscopes. However, in a
field like astrology where nothing has yet to be
consistently and definitively verified, it is often
a good idea to work gradually from gathering anecdotal
evidence step-by-step rather than jumping full-blown
into a more rigorous research study. Rigorous research
studies are important too and I have conducted them
myself, but most research is closer to gathering
anecdotal evidence and this is appropriate. However,
there are better and worse ways to gather anecdotal
evidence.
IMPORTANCE
OF MAKING NOTES:
I often
study a chart and make notes of what I expect a person
to be like and then upon meeting the person or getting
to know the person better, I compare my notes with
the reality. It is easy for astrologers to be defensive
and “always right”. Even when we are
wrong, we can have quick and ready reasons, such
as this Aquarian is not progressive because Aquarius
is also a fixed sign and ruled by Saturn and Saturn
in this chart is peregrine or conjunct Algol, etc.
This is all well and good as long as we are then
willing to commit ourselves to these rules, clearly
identify the rules, and try to refine the rules to
be more precise over time.
In
the 1970's it quickly become evident to me that a
simple interpretation of astrological infuences does
not work. People with Leo stelliums and Leo rising
are not necessarily dramatic, self-centered, etc.,
etc. If there is truth to many of these ideas, the
dynamics are more subtle and perhaps more psychological.
In short, we need to look clearly, honestly, humbly,
and non-defensively at the charts and strive to sort
out what is really happening. All of us in the field
sometimes fall into the trap of being defensive and
finding “excuses” so to speak. We need
to be aware of this tendency, and to slowly work
through the extraordinary complexity of ideas that
different astrologers believe in to ascertain what
is valid and what is not, or in what way an idea
may be valid.
CASE
STUDIES:
Recently
I have spent time looking at the charts of extreme
people. What astrological factors made Van Gogh a
mad genius. Why
did John Coltrane not play the saxophone like everyone
else? How did Joe DiMaggio play baseball with such
grace and hit with so much consistency?
An
extreme person is a kind of pure type, the person
who is beyond the 99th percentile. These people fascinate
and interest us. Extreme or pure types are excellent
candidates for research. I think it is a bit bland
to describe Van Gogh as having this in Aries or that
in Pisces; there must be something in the astrology
chart that identifies his unique qualities. When
I first studied astrology I thought these extreme
people would have more squares in their charts, but
I do not need to do a statistical analysis to see
that this is generally not true, and at best an enormous
sample size would be needed to confirm this. We can
avoid many wasted research ventures if we gather
information honestly and clearly every time we analyze
a chart, and particularly when we know a person very
well or the person has extreme traits.
A
case study is a detailed study of a few people rather
than a quantitative analysis of a group of people.
There are books that have been written on conducting
case studies. I am using the term to simply emphasize
that careful study of a few cases can be very valuable,
and this is exactly the kind of research that many
astrologers are already engaged in. I have made most
of my discoveries in astrology through identifying
things that do NOT work in the astrology chart. There
is no doubt that sometimes I am defensive and resistant
to seeing the truth as well, but by consciously striving
to be objective as well as intuitive and sensitive
to fine nuances, the inability of astrological theories
to work has been the key to finding ideas that appear
to work consistently and can even possibly be verified
in rigorous research in the future.
At
some point I hope to find time to write up my analysis
of key astrological infuences in the charts of Van
Gogh, Coltrane, diMaggio, and many others, but this
will have to wait until I have time to do this.
A
few hints:
* Look
at the 13th harmonic chart and direct midpoint
structures in Van Gogh’s chart.
*
In Coltrane’s chart, the magical 134.4 degree
aspect shows up precisely in a powerful direct
midpoint strucure. The angle of 134.4 degrees is
a sesquiquadarate and a trine in the 25th harmonic
chart.
*
DiMaggio’s 63rd harmonic chart is important.
The harmonics formed by multiplying 5, 7, and 9
together (25, 35, 45, 49, and 63, for example)
are very important. At some point I hope to give
the detailed analysis of these charts and many
others.
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