Lesson Plan

The complete Basic Course at the Astropoetic School of Soul-Discovery includes 24 downloadable Lessons or about 6 lessons per year over a 4-year period.

Those with experience of astrology may be eligible to skip certain lessons and/or move on to a more advanced course.

See Logistics for more details about the Course structure.

The Course is under constant revision and all students currently enrolled can download the upgraded lessons free of charge.

The following outline is meant to give a general sense of the scope and depth of the course.  Particulars may change as new insights are gained through an ongoing application of astro-logical and astropoetic principles to new situations, and as student feedback warrants.

Much of what is taught in this course is unique to the astropoetic worldview, and will not be available through a course in traditional astrology.  Material that is especially astropoetic in nature or unique to this course is shown in this outline in bold italic.

Year One

Lesson One

• an overview of our astrological journey
• astro-logic
• the circle
• the birthchart as a mirror
• the horizon

southern emphasis

northern emphasis

• the singleton effect
• the meridian

eastern emphasis
western emphasis

• applications of principles in real life
• everything in constant motion

Homework

• distribution of planets in relation to the axes of your chart

Lesson Two

• hemispheres
• quadrants
• angles
• the astro-logic of the quadrants

NE quadrant
SE quadrant
SW quadrant
NW quadrant

• a corelation of angles with key points in the sun's daily motion through the sky
• a correlation of quadrants with the cycle of the seasons
• a correlation of quadrants with the cycle of life
• evoking personal imagery for the quadrants
• exploring patterns of distribution among the quadrants

Homework

• distribution of planets among the quadrants of your chart
• planets near the angles of your chart

Lesson Three

• houses
• angular houses

1st house
4th house
7th house
10th house

• succedent houses

2nd house
5th house
8th house
11th house

• cadent houses

3rd house
6th house
9th house
12th house

• planets in houses
• angular ambivalence
• the distribution of planets through angular, succedent, and cadent houses

an emphasis or lack of planets in angular houses
an emphasis or lack of planets in succedent houses
an emphasis or lack of planets in cadent houses

• preponderance and lack combined

Astro-logic homework

• distribution of planets within the trifold division of houses of a quadrant in your chart
• angular ambivalence in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• observation of life experience for astropoetic images that reflect the house position of your Sun

Lesson Four

• the elements
• the generic correlation between houses and elements
• the elemental sequence
• the sequence within each elemental grouping

fire houses: 1st, 5th and 9th
earth houses: 2nd, 6th and 10th
air houses: 3rd, 7th and 11th
water houses: 4th, 8th and 12th

• the distribution of planets through fire, earth, air, and water houses

an emphasis or lack of planets in fire houses
an emphasis or lack of planets in earth houses
an emphasis or lack of planets in air houses
an emphasis or lack of planets in water houses

Astro-logic homework

• distribution of planets among your houses divided by elemental association

Astropoetic homework

• observation of the ways in which elements manifest in your life experience

Lesson Five

• the relationship between the trifold division of the houses and their elemental correlations
• the astropoetic nature of soul space
• the sensory correlates of the elements
• the sensory correlates of the elements as experienced through the houses
• the emotional correlates of the elements
• the emotional correlates of the elements as experienced through the houses
• the psychological correlates of the elements
• the psychological correlates of the elements as experienced through the houses
• the metaphorical dimension of the elements
• house cusps
• using the ephemeris to find the house location of planets
• using the house location of the Sun to track astropoetic correlates

Astropoetic homework

• noting sensory, emotional, psychological, and metaphorical correlates for the astropoetic images of your Sun discovered in Lesson Three
  
• observing sensory, emotional and psychological correlates to the distribution of your planet by house, according to their elemental associations
• observing astropoetic images related to the transiting Sun, after using the emphemeris to find it in your houses

Lesson Six

• elemental alchemy
• the relationship between elements and hemispheres
• the reflexive nature of hemispheric alchemy

the challenge of the north: fire and earth
the challenge of the south: air and water
the challenge of the east: earth and air
the challenge of the west: water and fire

• secondary elements
• the construction of house cusps
• the juxtaposition of signs and houses in astrological space
• the juxtaposition of elements within the houses of a birthchart
• the elemental alchemy of house cusps marked by a sign whose element matches the nature of the house
• the elemental alchemy of house cusps marked by a sign whose gender matches the nature of the house

fire and air
earth and water

• the elemental alchemy of house cusps marked by a sign of an element disparate to the nature of the house
• the internal alchemy of the houses
• the relationship between elements and quadrants

Astro-logic homework

• the elemental alchemy of emphasized hemispheres and quadrants in your chart
• the internal elemental alchemy of your houses

Astropoetic homework

• images of secondary elements in houses of disparate internal alchemy

Year Two

Lesson Seven

• the relationship between signs and houses
• assessment of elemental strength of personality
• signs, the persona, and the archetypes of the collective unconscious
• a division of signs by element
• the indication of sign placement in a birthchart
• characteristics of personality and persona by preponderance and lack

fire
lack of fire
earth
lack of earth
air
lack of air
water
lack of water

Astro-logic homework

• distribution of planets in your chart by elemental association to sign placement
• your persona and the underlying psychological dyamic

Astropoetic homework

• metaphors for any elemental preponderances or lacks in your chart
• an animal to represent your persona
• a character in a movie that exemplifies your pattern of elemental distribution

Lesson Eight

• general rules of personality integration on the elemental level

elemental compatibility and excess
elemental disparity and compensation

• specific challenges of personality on the elemental level

fire

patterns of compatibility
patterns of disparity

air

patterns of compatibility
patterns of disparity

Astro-logic homework

• patterns of compatibility and/or disparity related to the elements of fire and air in your chart
• patterns of compatibility and/or disparity related to the elements of fire and air in the charts of people you know well

Astropoetic homework

• observation of life process for metaphors that embody any patterns of compatibility or disparity related to fire and air in your chart

Lesson Nine

• specific challenges of personality on the elemental level

earth

patterns of compatibility
patterns of disparity

water

patterns of compatibility
patterns of disparity

Astro-logic homework

• patterns of compatibility and/or disparity related to the elements of earth and water in your chart
• patterns of compatibility and/or disparity related to the elements of earth and water in the charts of people you know well

Astropoetic homework

• observation of life process for metaphors that embody any patterns of compatibility or disparity related to earth and water in your chart

Lesson Ten

• a division of signs by modality

cardinal signs
fixed signs
mutable signs

• the distribution of planets among the three modalities

cardinal preponderance and lack
fixed preponderance and lack
mutable preponderance and lack

• the relationship between the modalities and the trifold division of houses within a quadrant
• the juxtaposition of modalities within the houses of a birthchart
• intercepted and extended signs
• an assessment of the signs on the angles of a birthchart

by modality
by gender

Astro-logic homework

• distribution of planets by modality of sign placement in your chart
• the modalities on the cusps of your houses
• the sign-pattern on the angles of your chart

Astropoetic homework

• discovering personal images for each of the modalities

Lesson Eleven

• the cycle of the seasons
• the interplay of light and dark within the cycle of the seasons
• the signs of spring

Aries
Taurus
Gemini

• the signs of summer

Cancer
Leo
Virgo

• the signs of fall

Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius

• the signs of winter

Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces

• patterns of preponderance or lack by seasonal focus

Astro-logic homework

• patterns of distribution by seasonal focus in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for the seasons

Lesson Twelve

• the signs as archetypal stations in the collective evolution
• the signs as reflective of patterns of collective conditioning
• the mythological dimensions of the signs
• the stellium pattern
• identifying mythological themes of sign and house emphasis by stellium
• identifying mythological life patterns related to Sun and Moon placement

Astro-logical homework

• mythological themes related to sign emphasis in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• your mythological themes as portrayed in film, books and music
• your mythological themes as portrayed in dreams
• your mythological themes as portrayed by images from life experience

Year Three

Lesson Thirteen

• the primary importance of planets in the overall scheme of things
• categories of planetary function
• the Sun
• solar mythology
• the Sun in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• the Sun in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

Astro-logical homework

• the placement of your Sun

Astropoetic homework

• your solar images

Lesson Fourteen

• the Moon
• lunar mythology
• the Moon in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• the Moon in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

Astro-logical homework

• the placement of your Moon

Astropoetic homework

• your lunar images

Lesson Fifteen

• the importance of planetary relationships
• managing the unwieldly art of astrological synthesis
• the importance of the soli-lunar relationship
• assessing the placements of Sun and Moon together

by respective hemisphere and quadrant placement
by sign-category placement
by elemental alchemy
by respective modality

• the importance of the cycle
• the lunar cycle
• calculating lunar phase
• a distinction between waxing and waning Moons

the waxing hemi-cycle
the waning hemi-cycle

• phases

New Moon
Crescent
Waxing Quarter
Gibbous
Full Moon
Disseminating
Waning Quarter
Balsamic

Astro-logic homework

• assessing the placements of your Sun and Moon together
• your lunar phase

Astropoetic homework

• discovering images of your soli-lunar relationship
• discovering images of your lunar phase

Lesson Sixteen

• the personal planets
• Mercury
• Mercury mythology
• the symbolic implications of retrograde motion
• Mercury's retrograde motion
• Mercury in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Mercury in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Venus
• Venus mythology
• Vanus' retrograde motion
• Venus in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Venus in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Mars
• Mars mythology
• Mars' retrograde motion
• Mars in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Mars in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

Astro-logic homework

• your Mercury by placement
• your Venus by placement
• your Mars by placement

Astropoetic homework

• images for your Mercury
• images for your Venus
• images for your Mars

Lesson Seventeen

• the collective planets
• Jupiter
• Jupiter's mythology
• Jupiter's retrograde motion
• Jupiter in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Jupiter in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Saturn
• Saturn's mythology
• Saturn's retrograde motion
• Saturn in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Saturn in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• planetary cycles and the primary importance of observation
• breaking down the complexity of multiple interpenetrating planetary cycles into more mangeable proportions
• the aspect cycle
• initial and return conjunctions: from potential to self-actualization

waxing and waning sextiles: the outworking of potentials
waxing and waning squares: points of crisis in the outworking of potential
waxing and waning trines: points of relaxation and gathering momentum

the opposition: the point of reckoning, time-out and grace

• the cyclical history
• determining the timing for a cyclical history

Astro-logic homework

• your Jupiter by placement
• your current Jupiter cycle
• your Saturn by placement
• your current Saturn cycle

Astropoetic homework

• exploring planetary cycles for recurrent themes and patterns
• exploring planetary cycles for metaphorical messages
• exploring planetary cycles for astropoetic images

Lesson Eighteen

• the transpersonal planets
• Uranus
• Uranus' mythology
• Uranus' retrograde motion
• Uranus in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Uranus in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Neptune
• Neptune's mythology
• Neptune's retrograde motion
• Neptune in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Neptune in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Pluto
• Pluto's revised status in current astronomy
• Pluto's mythology
• Pluto's retrograde motion
• Pluto in soul space

by hemisphere
by quadrant
by trifold category
by elemental association to house
by house placement

• Pluto in personality

by element
by modality
by seasonal association
by sign placement

• Ceres recent promotion to dwarf planet status
• Chiron and the asteroids
• Trans-Neptunans, Kuiper Belt Objects, the rapidly changing nature of the solar system and its implications for astrology
• avoiding overwhelm in consideration of the planetary picture

Astro-logic homework

• your Uranus by placement
• your current Uranus cycle
• your Neptune by placement
• your current Neptune cycle
• your Pluto by placement
• your current Pluto cycle
• identifying other bodies important to your chart

Astropoetic homework

• exploring planetary cycles for recurrent themes and patterns
• exploring planetary cycles for metaphorical messages
• exploring planetary cycles for astropoetic images
• 
  

Year Four

Lesson Nineteen

• the nature of planetary dynamics
• between luminaries

generic New and Full Moons
personal New and Full Moons
eclipses
secondary progressions

the three ways of measuring the progressed lunar cycle
using the ephemeris to calculate the progressed-Moon-to-natal-Moon return
using the ephemeris to calculate the other two progressed lunar cycles

• between luminaries and personal planets

Sun-Mercury
Sun-Venus
Sun-Mars
Moon-Mercury
Moon-Venus
Moon-Mars

• between personal planets

Mercury-Venus
Mercury-Mars
Venus-Mars

Astro-logic homework

• observation of your personal New and Full Moons
• your progressed lunar cycles
• emphasized luminary-personal planet or personal-personal planet dynamics in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for your emphasized luminary-personal planet or personal-personal planet dynamics

Lesson Twenty

• collective planet dynamics
• between luminaries and collective planets

Sun-Jupiter
Sun-Saturn
Moon-Jupiter
Moon-Saturn

• between personal planets and collective planets

Mercury-Jupiter
Mercury-Saturn
Venus-Jupiter
Venus-Saturn
Mars-Jupiter
Mars-Saturn

Astro-logic homework

• emphasized luminary-collective planet or personal-collective planet dynamics in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for your emphasized luminary-collective planet or personal-collective planet dynamics

Lesson Twenty-One

• transpersonal planet dynamics
• dynamics between luminaries and transpersonal planets

Sun-Uranus
Sun-Neptune
Sun-Pluto
Moon-Uranus
Moon-Neptune
Moon-Pluto

• between personal planets and transpersonal planets

Mercury-Uranus
Mercury-Neptune
Mercury-Pluto
Venus-Uranus
Venus-Neptune
Venus-Pluto
Mars-Uranus
Mars-Neptune
Mars-Pluto

• the inherent difficulty of taking cyclical histories for outer planet aspects

Astro-logic homework

• emphasized luminary-transpersonal planet or personal-transpersonal planet dynamics in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for your emphasized luminary-transpersonal planet or personal-transpersonal planet dynamics

Lesson Twenty-Two

• dynamics between collective planets and transpersonal planets

Jupiter-Uranus
Jupiter-Neptune
Jupiter-Pluto
Saturn-Uranus
Saturn-Neptune
Saturn-Pluto

• dwarf planets, Kuiper Belt Objects and asteroids

Chiron
Ceres
Vesta
Juno
Pallas
Sedna
Eris
other emerging bodies of possible significance

• dynamics involving dwarf planets, Kuiper Belt Objects, asteroids and other emerging bodies of possible significance

Astro-logic homework

• emphasized collective-transpersonal planet or other body dynamics in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for your emphasized collective-transpersonal planet or other body dynamics

Lesson Twenty-Three

• the Moon's nodes

distinguishing between north and south nodes
placement of the nodes in the birthchart by house and sign
planetary aspects to the nodal axis

• the birthchart as a neural network
• planetary rulership
• dispositorship, and patterns of disposition
• midpoints
• harmonics
• eclipses and planetary stations as triggers to the neural network

Astro-logic homework

• exploration of your nodal axis
• identification of important midpoint patterns in your chart
• observation of neural network triggering in your chart

Astropoetic homework

• images for your Moon's nodes

Lesson Twenty-Four

• toward an understanding of whole patterns

using patterns of planetary distribution to get a sense for the whole pattern of the birthchart
the importance of distinguishing between sign and house analysis
consideration of soli-lunar relationship as an indication of evolutionary intent
using the global perspective to provide a context for understanding core issues

• planetary patterns

whole patterns formed through a division of the whole circle by the 1st harmonic
whole patterns formed through a division of the whole circle by the 2nd harmonic
whole patterns formed through a division of the whole circle by the 3rd harmonic
whole patterns formed through a division of the whole circle by the 4th harmonic
whole patterns formed through a division of the whole circle by the 6th harmonic

• the value of the cyclical history in exploring the meaning and purpose of planetary patterns

Astro-logic homework

• identifying planetary patterns

Astropoetic homework

• tracking of planetary patterns
• extracting relevant metaphors from the cyclical history
• identifying astropoetic moments within a cyclical history

Go to Logistics for more details about the Course structure.