THE AGE POINT SYSTEM - Part 8        copyright,  Andrew J.Bevan, 2002

SOLAR AND LUNAR RETURNS

Solar Returns

The application of the basic theory behind Age Point theory to the Solar Return opens an entire new avenue of tools to astrological prostignation. Whilest in your shorthand notes the Age Point may be abbreviated to AP, the Year Point should be abbreviated to YAP. The technique is basically the same, but in the Solar Return the Solar Return Ascendant is directed Clockwise at the rate of roughly One Degree per day. This means that the Year Point is directed Clockwise approcimately 30 degrees every month.

Cute Calculation

Cast your Solar Return. Say ie. that the Solar Retun occurs on August the 6th and that the Ascendant this year is 11 degrees Scorpio. The computation is August 6. + 11 days (for the degrees of the Ascendant) = August the 17th, which means that the Year Point is directed to the sign of Libra on Aug.17th. Then for the sake of simplicity, assume the the Year Point enters Virgo on September 17th, Leo on October 17th, Cancer on November 17th and so on. Note this on the outer rim of your chart. Becuse February as a rule only has 28 days, I have the habit on making a two day addition here, which I average out in the following months, so my chart reads entry into Pisces on March 19th, Aquarius on Arpil 18th and then Capricorn on May 17th.

Radix positions

By adding radix positions to the Solar Return, I feel this adds depth to the chart, but the Solar Return will stand rightfully on it's own terms.

Interpreting the Solar Return

Notice which planets are essentially and accidentally dignified, when the Year Point is directed through the signs of these planets, then matters will turn out for the better. As the Year Point progresses through the sign or signs of elevated planet in the chart, these are those months where the native comes to power or is stronger and more favourably situated than his fellowmen in those matters on question. The ruler of the months (or 30 day period) in the 12th house shows a period of self-undoing, or the person travels abroad, or gets lost in bureaucratic systems, or the weather and wind appears to turn against the native (as if a tree got blown over ones car.... it would surely be an issue of secret or unnamed enemies). The clue with the 12th house is that it is larger than life, and it brings the native to those courners that lie byond the reach of the here and now, and general public. Now those planets located in the 11th house do surely indicate fortunate outcomings for those periods that they dispose. Often one receives unexpected invites or gestures on behalf of others, and most happily the experience of the "free meal" or certainly things working out to the better. The Fortunate houses are foremost the 11th, the 10th, the 1st and the 2nd. The Unfortunate houses are primarily the 8th, the 12th, then the other cadent houses - primarily the 6th, and then the 7th could just about turn either way. The 7th house because it is the house of open enemies. No doubt the native is more victimised by others under this house. But then the 7th is fortunate by angularity.

If the disposer of a month is located in the 8th house, albeit in not a too awefall zodiacal condition, I like to think of these periods of intervals useful for maintenance issues and personal therapy. There is really no point in sitting back and watching things just fall apartt, there is almost always the opporunity to make the right decisions and push through to a new level. The 8th house may provide the opportunity to settle matters and get rid of things for good. As also planets in the 4rth house are a good indication of bringing things to a certain end.

Chart Notes

I like to use a gree felt marker pen to indicate which month-long intervals are beneficial, and then a red marker pen for those months which are malicious.

Spin round the chart and use the green marker pen to indicate the ruler of the 10th, 11th and Ascendant -because these points primarily act in good. Use the red marker ut indicate the ruler of the 8th and 12th, becuse this could be where you slip up and things go wrong.

Retrograde, Combust, Void of Course or Intercepted

Those signs ruled by retrograde planets show where turmoil may be expected. Events turn in unforseen directions and sometimes you have the experience of the unexpected backing right into you. Events started under a retrograde planet have uncertain duration. But more certain is that when the ruler is Void of Course then matters will pass by, have no future and provide no lasting profit. If the disposer of the month is Void of Course, this may be an excellent months for a vacation, a travel abroad (to another world) or for some ad.lib. experimentation. If the planet ruling is combust, there may also be some travel abroad or into hiding. Or there may be some secret (love) affairs, or something similar where there is applied a high degree of discression and secrecy. By reason, those planets which are combust and are being re-captured by the Sun show those matters which more certainly come to an end, which are weekened and have no future, but where discression and confidentiality may be all so more the greater. Planets intercepted may indicate matters showing a higher degree of fatality, the native may have a higher experience of being trapped by circumstance, or matters are carried out in a secret location or hiding-place.

Planets, aspects and factor of repetition

As your familiarity with the technique developes, you will swiftly determine those approximate dates where the Year Point registers by conjunction. Experience will show that throughout the Solar Return, topics appear to re-occur by the square and opposition aspect of any planet or configuration. This means that the manifestion of events moves in cycles of 3 months, or a little in excess of 90 days (91,5 days). The repetition factor allows the native to get a hands on grip of what is going on through-out the year. For instance, if Saturn is in a poor zodiacal state - this would complicate matters of the native as the Year Point was directed through the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn. But getting to the metaphysics of Astrology - I believe that if the native attempts to force a more positive expression of the encounter of Saturn, by conjunction or aspect - then this will lift the quality and those experiences of the next contact or when the Year Point moves though the sign of Saturn, namely Aquarius and Capricorn. In hindsight, I also believe that if the native already has passed throguh the turnoil of the Saturn ruled signs, then coming to the body of this planet may be undertaken with caution. This contact is likely to give evidence to what was at the root of all the turmoil.

Lunar Returns

The Lunar Return may be used in a similar fashion as the Solar return. The Ascendant is directed clockwise but each quarter lasting for 7 days. While stricking validity make be found on occasion, my experience is that for ordinary purposes applying the Lunar Return just gets you too stuck up into astrological detail. The Month Point is directed clockwise by a little short of 13 degrees every day. It takes the Month Point 2,33 days to move though one sign. DO however, check the main issues of the chart and approximately where in the time field they are located. However, my experience suggests that the Solar return is much more worth spending time on.