On Sunday, May 21, we met outdoors at a park pavilion in Kirkwood for a picnic and a presentation by Sharon Miller on "PLATO AND ASTROLOGY: LANGUAGE OF LIGHT." The twelve signs of the zodiac apparently have to do with segments of light in wave-form and the harmonic ways in which these interrelate to one another. Sharon believes Plato’s philosophy has the capacity to explain creation in a rational way and is a major contribution to science and philosophy. Thank you for sharing your research and insights, Sharon!
On Sunday, April 30, we met outdoors at a park pavilion in West St. Louis County for a picnic and roundtable discussion. We discussed the year ahead for AAStL, looking for program topics, meeting locations, and a good blend of Zoom and in-person meetings in order to best serve our members. Thanks to everyone who braved the cold wind gusts to help plan AAStL's future!
On Sunday, March 26, Anna Felixidocious presented via Zoom "WHAT ABOUT DAY AND NIGHT?" - The concept of day and night in the astrological natal chart is a fundamental technique to help add nuance and ease of interpretation to the astrological toolbox. In this presentation Anna explored the fundamental principles of sect, day and night charts, and how this technique explores different types of consciousness. Sect has many layers and facets of interpretation; this presentation gave a framework to play with and inspire deeper study into this foundational ancient technique. Thank you, Anna, for your research and excellent presentation on this interesting and practical astrological tool!
On Sunday, February 12, Ellen Bartin presented via Zoom, "PLUTO: A WHOLE NEW WORLD AWAITS US --- The Journey from Capricorn to Aquarius." We took a look at Pluto in the U.S. national chart, and its significant historical cycles that have profoundly changed the nation, and how they relate to current events. We looked at our nation's confrontation with its storied and conflicted relationship to world power and authority, inequality, and corruption highlighted during its recent Pluto Return in late Capricorn, and what Pluto in Aquarius might hold. Capricorn symbolizes the rule of law, authority, and the world at large, while Aquarius symbolizes freedom, whole system reform, and rebellion. Thank you, Ellen, for sharing your extensive historical research and astrological correlations and insights relating to our current extraordinary time in U.S. and world history!
A summary of Ellen's introductory program on the U.S. Pluto Return can be found by scrolling down to the December 12, 2021 program listing.
On Sunday, January 15, Audria Gebhardt and Nikki Davenport presented our Zoom program, "WELCOME TO 2023," highlighting astrological events for the coming year—aspects, eclipses, planetary sign changes, and more. Thank you for your research and insights, Audria and Nikki!
On Sunday, December 11, we met via Zoom for a roundtable discussion looking back at the year 2022. Several attendees brought their 2022 astrological observations and insights for sharing at the meeting.
On Sunday, November 13 via Zoom, Ellen Bartin presented "ELEMENTS: Four Functions of Consciousness." - Whenever I get stuck interpreting a chart—I go back to the fundamentals and ask, “What does this planet want?” To get back on track, look to the planet’s element. The mechanics of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water in our chart express how holistically we function: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. - We explored some tactics to compensate and balance for missing or singleton elements so we can feel more whole. Thank you, Ellen!
On Sunday, October 9, we gathered outdoors for a Noon Picnic and Circle Discussion Group. Thanks to all who participated!
On Sunday, September 25, Rashanda Jefferson presented "THE MAGIC OF BIRTHDAYS." - The day we are brought into this world is the start of our incredible journey called Life. Birthdays are our personal New Year and the most potent time to use our personal magic to set intentions for the year. - Thank you, Rashanda!
On Sunday, August 28, Phoenix Novak presented "THE MYSTERY OF THE CADENT HOUSES." Phoenix shared her wisdom and experiences of the Cadent Houses and welcomed an open discussion of our natal and progressed planets and asteroids in our cadent houses as well as transiting ones. "In astrology, the cadent houses are the last house of each quadrant of the zodiac. Phoenix has discovered through her journey that these four houses have what she would call a two-way-door or mystical gate. They can open both an inner world to the mystery, along with the mundane outer world reality access. The Greeks called the cadent houses Apoklima which literally means "falling" and carries a denotation of degeneration and decline. These houses have influences over us that are both karmic and challenging personal growth aspects." Thank you, Phoenix!
On July 24, Nikki Davenport presented "PLANETS BEYOND PLUTO - A View through Universal Windows." Exploring the Ice Dwarf Planets, we looked into the windows of Ceres in the asteroid belt, Pluto, and Eris, Quaoar, Sedna, Haumea, Orcus, Makemake, and Gonggong beyond the orbit of Pluto. Also included were Trans-Neptunion Objects (TNO) Varuna and Ixion. Thank you, Nikki!
On June 26 Jeannie Mullen presented "VESTA, GODDESS OF DEVOTION, HOME AND HEARTH: Finding through sacred service and dedication, the soul's path and journey to Joy." Included were examples of daily devotion in practice, examples of Vesta in charts, including Mother Teresa and Barack Obama, finding Vesta in our birth charts, a look back at Vesta's major planetary aspects during 2020-2022, and a look forward at her movement through Aquarius and Pisces. The presentation was followed by questions and a group discussion of Vesta in our charts, transiting Vesta, and transits to our natal Vesta. Thank you, Jeannie!
Note from Website Manager: On Tuesday, June 28, transiting Vesta was tightly trine the Sun-Moon conjunction, square Venus, and semi-sextile Jupiter, with Sun-Moon at Midheaven at 1pm in Washington, D.C. Thank you, Vesta!
On May 22 , Audria Gebhardt presented a program on Zoom entitled "THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR." Charts presented were natal, as well as mundane eclipse charts and Ingress charts for Russia and Ukraine. Thank you for your research and insights, Audria!
On April 24. we had an open discussion which included the situation in Eastern Europe, birth data for Presidents Zelensky and Putin, and a look at where the April 30 Solar Eclipse and May 15 Lunar Eclipse occurred in our individual birth charts.
On Saturday, April 2, Nikki Davenport of Celestial Loom Astrology hosted a free Playshop on Zoom entitled, "THE GODS AND GODDESSES OF PISCES: Helpers for the JUPITER-NEPTUNE Conjunction 4/12/2022." - An Astrological Chart Study on How to Connect with "The Helpers" - We explored how the Pisces Gods and Goddesses "helpers" in our personal charts can help us to understand the Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction. Thank you, Nikki!
Poseidon-Neptune, God of the Seas and Waters
Amphitrite, Nereid Queen of the Sea
Varuna, Hindu God of the Oceans
White Tara (Kwan Yin), Goddess of Compassion
Sedna, Inuit Goddess Mother of the Sea
Galatea, Goddess of the Calm Seas
Chariklo, Sea Nymph of Healing Waters
Sophia, Heart of the Earth
On March 13, Phoenix Novak facilitated a Zoom group discussion of the "JUPITER-NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION IN PISCES 2022: Cycles of the Mystery Unfolding." - The Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction occurs April 12, 2022, at 23°58′ Pisces, staying within a 1° orb from April 7th to 17th, and it sits at the midpoint of the Sun sextiling Saturn. We enter this mini Vision Quest every 12 years and with Pisces dominating the energy this time, we enter a Spiritual Quest of the old and new rulers of Pisces. This is a very mystical, expanding, lucid and positive healing materialization of the quest of Jupiter's Curiosity and the Perception of Neptune. We move forward one inch, in the great shift of confusion actualized into the spiritual reality. - Thank you, Phoenix, for a very interesting discussion!
On February 13, Nikki Davenport presented via Zoom "THE VENUS SYNODIC CYCLE IN CAPRICORN 2022-2023." - We open to a new Venus Synodic Cycle in Capricorn January 2022 to August 2023. Venus makes her 19-month journey as Morning Star and Evening Star to the Underworld and back, in 13 lesser-known phases, sharing with us how to unfold our collective consciousness. - Thank you, Nikki, for sharing your in-depth studies of Venus' movements!
On January 16, 2022, Nikki Davenport and Audria Gebhardt presented via Zoom "WELCOME TO 2022," highlighting astrological events and insights for this year—aspects, eclipses, Ingresses, and more. Thank you, Audria and Nikki!
On December 12, 2021, Ellen Bartin presented via Zoom "THE U.S. PLUTO RETURN: THE FULL CATASTROPHE." In 2022, beginning in February, the United States will experience the first Pluto Return in its young 246-year history. -- Looking back at historical events of the times, Ellen began with the Sibley U.S. chart of July 4, 1776, then the opening square that Pluto made to its natal location in the mid-1800s, then its opposition in the 1930s, and its closing square in the 1980s. -- "Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, in the national chart is at 27 degrees of Capricorn in the 2nd house. So at its Return, crisis and transformation are likely in the area of resources in the 'land of plenty,' as well as probes into our professed values. It will be a deep confrontation with our national Shadow. Pluto in Capricorn implies the uses and abuses of power and authority, and what lies hidden within the national psyche. Through this passage we have an opportunity for healing and a profound revitalization of our life force as a great nation."
On November 14, 2021, Rachel McCabe presented via Zoom "GODDESS ASTEROIDS: ORIGINS OF MYTHOLOGY." Following the program, David Surette elaborated on the Sun-Earth distance measurement technique that he introduced to us on October 10.
On Sunday, October 10, AAStL met for an outdoor picnic and program presented by the Amazing David Surette. David introduced to us his novel and possibly fundamental insights into how astrology really works, derived from his study of the natal charts of very, very compatible people, and utilizing barycentric planetary distances.
On September 19, Rachel McCabe presented via Zoom, "VESTA IN THE BIRTH CHART." Vesta is the brightest planetoid in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. She is the ultimate self-contained devotion goddess, and in the birth chart she shows us our divine work. Rachel discussed Vesta in the signs, houses, and aspects.
On August 8, Ellen Bartin presented "THE ART OF CHART INTERPRETATION" via Zoom. The story told by the birth chart has many dimensions and complex themes because we are complex beings on an evolutionary journey. This can make interpretation a little overwhelming. Ellen presented a step-by-step guide for analyzing the birth chart, taking some of the mystery out of the process, using tools that help unwind the chart with clarity and precision.
On July 18, Nikki Davenport presented via Zoom "MOON-CERES-SEDNA: An Octave Journey of Soul to Spirit." Moon is our personal connection to our Soul and our spiritual life. Ceres is our Earth Mother connection to our place on planet Earth and our spiritual service. Sedna is our universal connection to our role in the great whole of Spirit. We looked at our personal charts through a harmonic Octave Journey.
On June 27, we met via Zoom and held our election of officers and directors followed by a presentation on "THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY" by Shelley Painter. We explored the Queen's natal chart, her progressions and solar arcs at key points, as well as her relationships with family members.
On May 16, Catherine Rankovic presented via Zoom "COMPATIBILITY CHARTS 101: How to compare natal charts for relationship compatibility (synastry) using the Biwheel tool...or not." Catherine showed us how to read basic compatibility charts for ordinary people and celebrities (Barack and Michelle Obama) using the chart tool called a Biwheel.
On April 25, Audria Gebhardt presented via Zoom "SOLAR RETURN WORKSHOP CHART BASICS 101."
On March 28, AAStL members and their guests met via Zoom for an open forum to discuss what has been happening astrologically personally and in the world.
On February 21, Ellen Bartin presented via Zoom "SIX CONSECUTIVE NEW MOONS AT 23º: Seeding of a New Era." For six months—October, 2020 through March 2021, each consecutive New Moon occurs at 23º—starting in Libra through Pisces. This represents a time of transition into a new era. The last time that a sequence of six or more New Moons occurred at 23º was during the Middle Ages, that is, until we leap forward five centuries to 1944, 1963, and 2020. In the modern era, for the United States, each of these years was a distinctive turning point in cultural and societal change, and a change in our global power dynamics. Where will we find ourselves by the Pisces New Moon on March 13, 2021? Ellen's November 2020 article on this subject can be found here.
On January 24, 2021, Nikki Davenport and Audria Gebhardt presented via Zoom "WELCOME TO 2021" which highlighted astrological events and insights for this year—aspects, eclipses, Ingresses, and more.
On December 13, 2020, Audria Gebhardt facilitated a roundtable open forum astrological discussion via Zoom. Thanks to everyone who participated!
On November 1, Nikki Davenport presented her research into the charts of the U.S. Presidential candidates and more, in a preview of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Related to this topic are an article written by Christine Arens entitled, "Donald Trump's Birth Time Mystery": https://library.keplercollege.org/donald-trump-birthtime/ and Cassandra Joan Butler's post-election analysis: https://cassandrajoanbutler.com/post-election-expect-the-unexpected/
On October 25, Sharon Miller, M.A., presented "ASTROLOGY, SCIENCE, & SPIRITUALITY," an outdoor lecture and discussion of the findings from her many years of research into the relationship between hermetic cosmology, electromagnetism, and astrology. See her website description and link on the Resources page for more information about her research. Thank you, Sharon, for the lessons in Hermes' cosmology just as Mercury and the Sun aligned their waves in our direction, reaching us through the 9th house!
On September 20, Linda Sherwin presented a program via Zoom entitled, "UNDER ONE SKY: How Do We Work Together?" which focused on patterns in the United States Sibley chart. All of us live under the same sky. As above, so below. Can astrology help us heal our divisions and find common ground?
On Sunday, February 9th, we celebrated Black History Month with Rashanda Jefferson's presentation of "BIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN BANNEKER" at Brentwood Community Center. Benjamin Banneker was an early American mathematician, astronomer, and almanac author/ astrologer, and an unsung architect of modern astrology. As practicing astrologers, one of the tools that we use regularly in our work is the Ephemeris. Have you ever wondered how such a wonderful tool came about? Well, we owe this amazing man a huge thank you for that, as well as for many other things.