Sunspot Maxima – Can You Take the Heat?
July 2013 Newsletter
As I write these words, temperatures are nearing record highs all across the US. So it seems fitting that Steven’s newsletter this month takes the sun as its subject. Have you ever heard of Solar Maximum? If not, you’re not alone. It just so happens that right now we’re in the middle of the peak of the solar cycle – called solar maximum. Below, Steven shares some thoughts on this. And to bring you up to speed, we’re also including his chapter on sunspot cycles from The Night Speaks. We’ll be re-releasing this beloved little book in ebook format soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the teaser.
The Night Speaks: How Astrology Works
I love astrology passionately. Every day I see it helping people. But on the street, astrology is still mostly viewed as silliness. Anyone who ‘believes in it’ is taken for a fool. This inspired me to ask: Could I write the book an open-minded critic might read and be inspired to give astrology an hour to prove itself? Could I write one that my clients could confidently hand their skeptical friends? In other words, could I break through the monumental wall of prejudice and ignorance that has kept astrology trapped in its ghetto? This book is my response, and explains why astrology is both intellectually and spiritually plausible.
If you’re signed up to receive new product releases, last month you received notice of two new programs we’re proud of: Saturn in Scorpio Through the 12 Houses, and the official Introduction to Evolutionary Astrology series. You’ll find more detailed information about these new teachings below.
Both programs were recorded especially for the website, and feature high-quality audio and HD video. They are available in 3 formats: audio-only, HD video download, or DVD. With the video download packages, you have the option to watch the video on your computer through your web browser, or download the file and upload to your device (ipad, iphone, android phone, or tablet).
Best wishes,
Tony
Sunspot Maxima – Can You Take the Heat?
by Steven Forrest
Sunspot maxima is upon us. Many aspects of the solar cycle fascinate me, but one of them has always left me baffled. That is, why don’t astrologers pay sunspots more attention? Read through my article on the solar cycles and I can pretty much guarantee that you will be impressed by the obvious, dramatic relevance of sunspots to human affairs. And isn’t that quintessential astrology? Something happening in the heavens correlates vividly with something happening down here in the human world. In fact, I can hardly think of a better way to get your skeptical friends or family members to open up to the idea that "just maybe there is something to astrology" than to have them spend ten minutes looking into this territory.
The sunspot cycle – the period between the sun having very few spots and it having many of them, and then back down to few – runs about eleven years. “About” is a critical word here. Unlike most astrological cycles, this one is not entirely predictable. Also the intensity of its peaks and troughs varies a lot. This is different from everything else in our field, and might possibly explain why astrologers don’t use it more. Also, while it emphatically affects us as individuals, its main impacts are broad, more in the domain of mundane astrology.
You can see all this variability graphically in the included table. According to the NASA website, “The current prediction for Sunspot Cycle 24 gives a smoothed sunspot number maximum of about 67 in the Summer of 2013. The smoothed sunspot number has already reached 67 (in February 2012) due to the strong peak in late 2011 so the official maximum will be at least this high. The smoothed sunspot number has been rising again over the last four months. We are currently over four years into Cycle 24. The current predicted and observed size makes this the smallest sunspot cycle since Cycle 14 which had a maximum of 64.2 in February of 1906.”
Bottom line, this current peak is weirdly mild and weirdly double-humped, with a high point in February 2013 and another one happening right now. So what does it mean?
I wrote about this topic extensively about twenty years ago in what is probably my most widely-unread book, The Night Speaks. The sunspot chapter that I’m sharing with you here is still one of my favorites. Many of the references seem kind of historical now, although they were current at the time. I think they will give you the idea. After the article, I include some current thoughts in the Afterword. As I believe you will see, the theory still holds strong.
-Steven Forrest
NEW TEACHINGS NOW AVAILABLE
Saturn in Scorpio Through the Twelve Houses
No matter how you slice it, mixing up these two intense archetypes is serious business. Saturn the planet of structure and obstacles, and Scorpio the sign of intensity and deep truth – doesn’t sound like much of a party, does it? In this program recorded just for the Forrest Astrology website, Steven will help you demystify this “scary” transit, as he follows Saturn in Scorpio through each of the 12 houses. You’ll learn about high and low expressions in each placement, and how you can best harness the energy to your advantage.
This talk is structured in a way that it will be useful to both astrologers and non-astrologers. Steven explains what Saturn’s transit may hold in store as it moves through each of the house. So if you have your chart in hand, you can follow along as he reads your house placement. And if you’re an astrologer, or an astrology student, you’ll get a glimpse into Steven’s approach to the transit of this dymamic planet-sign combo through each house placement.
If you (or your clients) have natal planets in Scorpio, Taurus, Leo or Aquarius, this will be an especially potent teaching.
Introduction to Evolutionary Astrology
For Steven, this release has been a long-time coming. The first incarnation of this material, recorded a few years ago in California, was never released. After hours of video footage was prepared it was discovered that sound quality issues made the footage unuseable. So another shoot was planned, this time with a little more control over the recording environment. And this time everything turned out great, and we are happy to share these teachings with the public in this format for the first time.
This workshop represents Steven’s "official" introduction to his teachings and his life’s work. Although you’ll get even more out of the program if you have a basic understanding of signs, planets, and houses, this workshop is designed so that you can start here with no knowledge of astrology whatsoever. In his classic, easy-to-understand teaching style, Steven outlines each of the major components of an evolutionary astrology reading.
Starting with an introduction to each of the signs, planets, and houses, Steven then guides students through an understanding of the aspects, beginning chart synthesis, the moon’s nodes, and finally, a complete reading. After describing each of these 42 main "puzzle pieces" of the chart, he teaches you how to start connecting them.
In this video (or audio program – your choice) you’ll learn not only what the astrological symbols mean, but how to put them together. Under Steven’s expert practical guidance, you’ll take the first steps towards the artful blending of the complex archetypal patterns found in the birthchart into a cohesive story that both you and your clients (or friends) can understand.
What does it mean when the Ascendant is in Sagittarius? And what if Neptune is opposing that same Ascendant? Learn how to dance with the astrological language, which becomes more poetry than science once you’ve understood the foundational building blocks. Follow along as Steven guides you through the first steps in chart interpretation with easy-to-understand examples.
Finally, Steven presents the actual birth chart of a mystery man, putting the pieces together the pieces of the chart one-by-one, culminating in the complex symphony that is a life understood through the wonderful lens of the evolutionary astrological system.
Here you’ll learn to focus on the potentials described by the chart – both high and low. You learn what it looks like when the symbols are being actualized to their highest potential, and what it looks like when things have taken a turn in the other direction. Ultimately this system seeks to empower the user, whether that’s you, your clients, or your friends. And this workshop will give you the tools to take the first steps in that direction.
Recorded live for this production in Northern California. 10 hours 42 min.