ate, QUA Silecrl Regs + Bichage , 1 Vile SE Bidwell MY 1FI0 ~ Sidesestest URANIAN ASTROLOGY rective | Buz Overbeck There 1s a reluctance among many astrologers to investigate methods or systems which, to them, appear illog- ical while at the same time chastis— ing those outside the astrological community for their reluctance to in- vestigate astrology, This is under- standable, There is also a tendency among many astrologers to label a system by its most illogical feature and then dismiss it due to the illog- icality of its label. This is inex- cusable. An example will illustrate this point. In 1973, my friends Iwas asked by one of ‘what I thought of the Ur- anian system of astrology. Now the only thing I knew about the system was that they used planets that had not _been discovered Astronomically, so I replied, - dedicated siderealist that I was, - that I thought the sys- tem absurd’ due to the fact that it was based on non-existent planets. That would have been that, but for an unusual chain of events which led me eventually to an indepth study of the system and the conclusion that I couldn't have been more incorrect Essentially, this study revealed that Uranian Astrology had more in common with Sidereal- Astrology that. -any other system in use. Further, the tools and techniques developed by Witte, the founder, were immediately applicable to siderealists while. many. of his theories were in line with Fagans, This article attempts to show the similarities between the two systems in the hope that those of you who have heretofore dismissed it, might take another look, Various tools and materials will be discussed with an eye to their adoption as labor-saving devises. Additionally, some of the literature on the Uranian system will be reviewed so that those interested in persuing the subject will know where to turn, The origin of the Uranian system begins with Alfred Witte, (1878-1941) and it is hard to believe that one man could develop so many innovations the least of which are the so-called TRANS NEPTUNIAN PLANETS, or TNPs, A discussion of these "planets", their @iscovery and relevance will come later, Witte's real accomplishment was to revive certain techniques, develop others, and mold everything 50A partial in into a homogeneous system. list of Witte's accomplishments elude: 1, Revival of mid-point: techniques 2. Development of "planetary pic- tures" Creator of the 360°, 90°, & 15° movable discs Revival of Anticia and Solstice Points 5. Use of six house systems 6, Disregard of Sextiles and Trines 7. Emphasis on intrinsic planetary natures Promoter natural 9. Promoter of the " zodiac of tight orbs Abra Rising" 10, Importance of angularity and personal point contact 11, Popularizer of solar arc direc- tions 12, Developer of the "Book of Rules” 13, Use of Cardinal Points in delin- eation 14, Use of midpoints in delineation 15. De-emphasis of sign rulerships 16. Use of TNPs There is more, but this will do for openers. Some of the above may be familiar to you, and they should Much of it was promoted by Fagan who came to his conclusions working on totally different lines. Others might have picked up some of this through COSMOBIOLOGY and this is as good a time as any to mention Ebertin and his group. Reinhold Ebertin was a student of Witte and adopted ‘most of his methods. In other words, Cosmobiolo- gy = Uranian ~ Houses & TNPs. All the dials, the solar arc, the midpoints, etcetera, are Witte's, not Ebertin's! Even Ebertin's classic, Combination of Stellar Influences 18 derived from Witte's Rules’ for Planetary Pictures. Ebertin's contribution, as I see it, Mes in the modernization, or stream- lining,of Witte's essential theories, taking a more "scientific" approach and producing material of extremely high quality, Ebertin has made much of the Uranian's use of the TNPs and has ommitted them from his system. He has also abandoned houses due to the lack of-evidence for their support Still, Cosmobiologists are now exper- imenting with a NP of their own; TRANS PLUTO, and include its position in their-ephemerides while at the same time interest is picking up with houses and the system invented by Dr. Walter Koch, known as the GOH or KOCH system so the differences are narrow= ing. ‘There 1s no intent here to be- little the work of Ebertin or his group as they have accomplished much and contributed greatly to the devel- opment of astrology, The point is that much credit 1s given Ebertin for innovations that are really not his. Those wishing a more complete treat- ment of this subject can find it in the introduction of Ebertin's Combin- ation of Stellar Influences Returning to Witte and his theo- ries, if there is one fundamental un- derlying theme to this system, it is the concept of SYMMETRY. The revival of midpoints and anticions, as well as the concept of planetary pictures are a direct result of the search for a symmetrical model of astrology. His mid-point theory states that, given two planets, A&B, there exists a point, X, where the influences of A & Bmeet, and this point is the arith- metical average of A.&k B. Expressed mathematically, X=(A+B)/2, | Should this point be occupied by a third point, C, then an astrological state~ ment can be made: C=A/B, The notation A/3 48 shorthand for(A+B)/2. C, then, takes on the nature of A & B. In oth- er words, a symmetrical configuration 1s formed, Although this concept is familiar to most of us now, it is worthwhile examining the theory be- hind it as this theory is fundamental to what follows, Consider the following diagram:52 Diagram I Here planets A & B, This can be thought we have an opposition as an electrical current wired to empty, but live, light socket, which is at the mid-point, A/B, or degrees from A, and 90 degress from B, This point, X, is called the"conjunc- ting" mid-point, There is another point, X',which is also 90 degrees a- way from A & B and this is called the "opposing" mid-point. A line drawn from X to X' 1s. the AXIS OF SYMMETRY between A&B, A planet; natal, tran- siting, progressed or directed, would act as a lightbulb, completing the circuit and lighting up the entire configuration, The important point here is not the opposition between A & B, the mid-point X or X', nor the planet C, It is the XqX' Axis! For Witte went further: Diagram II In Diagram II, have been added. points C,D,C,& F Notice that Points are unoccupied, yet the sym- axis, X-X' still exists! Di- is an-example-of a PLANETARY. PICTURE and shows that even though planets C&D andE& F are not in major aspect to A & B or each other, the following relationship exists: C+D=A+B=E+F, All of this through the symmetrical axis X-X', In fact, all points share a symmetrical relationship with each other, X and xt metrical agram IT According to Witte, an axis of symmetry exists between any two fact~ ors in the chart and comes to lif when filled in (mld-points) or share (planetary pictures) by other bodie or sensitive points, regardless the relationship between the two boc des, For-example, the SUN at 14° Ar des and the MOON at 5° Taurus shar the axis 24.5° Aries-Libra, (14° + 3¢ = 9°, 49/2 = 245° = aries 24.5 Any other two'bodies equidistant t this axis, or on this axis, are syr metrically related to the SUN ar MOON even though there exists no tre ditional aspect between the two lun inaries, This is one of Witte's mos important theories. Another point to note 1s the e> pression of planetary relationshiy through algebraic equations. Thi represents an attempt by Witte to re duce astrology to succinct, short but pertinent statements, logicall based on the intrinsic meanings the planets. ‘This further led to method of synthesizing the meaning of various combinations which Witt called "baby talk" In the Uraniz system, the SUN represents the physi cal body, and in transits and direc tions, the DAY. So transiting Sl with natal Venus means pleasant day in "baby talk", Similarly, the Mer idian represents the "I" and the No¢ represents connections. So the con bination Meridian/Node means "My re lationships", Examples of this abour in both Witte's and Ebertin's wor and the method 1s surprisingly effec tive. Regarding aspects, Witte abar doned trines, sextiles and semi-se> tiles as worthless and concentrate instead on the "elght-fold cross", < conjunctions, semi-squares, square and. sesquiquadrates, (0°, 45°, 90¢ 135°, 180°),using orbs of about 3 de grees for all bodies, Uranians als use the 22.5° aspect and find it vez effective, This, of course, if tt 16th Harmonic ‘and the edight-f cross is the 8th, Examining all ¢ the aspects, mid-point axes, ar planetary pictures would be an ex tremely tedious procedure but for or of Witte’s most useful innovations ‘THE DISC.