Western Astrology

Instructor Information
Lady of the Harvest
ladyharvest@thepagancampus.net

Class is Via Classroom

Course Description
Western Astrology will introduce the student to the basics of the Western Zodiac, including the planets, the houses, and the basic aspects. Upon completing the course, the student should have a basic working knowledge of how to interpret the Natal Chart. This course will require a lot of reading and staying current with the reading assignments will greatly affect how well you are able to keep up. Astrology is a complicated study and the most discouraging thing to most students is getting lost in the material. If you cannot keep up with the reading assignments from week to week due to extenuating circumstances, let me know and I will try to work with you.

Basic Resources
You will need some basic textual materials to help guide you through this course. A lot is available online, but you will want very quickly some dependable reference books at your disposal. I've put together a list of books that I think are best suited for beginners to give you a few ideas of the types of materials that will help you through this course and beyond. Where an * appears after a name, it indicates a superb author who has more than one book on the market. If you find any of their books, buy it!

Astrology 1-2-3 by Noel Tyl
Astrology for the Millions by Grant Lewi
The Instant Horoscope Reader by Julia L. Skalka
The Instant Horoscope Predictor by Julia L. Skalka
The Twelve Houses by Howard Sasportas*
Astrology: A Cosmic Science by Isabel M. Hickey*
Horoscope Symbols by Robert Hand*
* (this is a highly respected author in the field of astrology!)

Class Participation and Attendance
There will be several roundtable discussion meetings in the Chat room during this course. The difficulty of the subject requires some opportunities for 'real time' question and answer sessions so that I can determine whether all the students are indeed grasping the material. Campus policy regarding absences is strict and due to the fact that we will probably only have three such discussion sessions, one absence, excused or unexcused, is the limit. These discussions are not only for student questions and some new material may be presented at this time so that the student who misses a chat will indeed "miss out" on some of the course. You will be given the dates of the chat sessions well in advance so that you can make arrangements to be in attendance.

Assignments and Practicum
You will be given regular assignments in this course that coincide with the reading assignments. I will view incomplete worksheets as an absence. If there are extenuating circumstances, let me know and I will work with you.

Practicum refers to assignments that are based in "meaningful reality", e.g., those involving your birth chart and personal astrology journal, not simply tasks done as an exercise to facilitate memory of terms or general understanding. The practicum will often be included in the roundtable discussions. Not having it done in a timely manner will obviously affect your participation there as well.

One of the requirements in order to participate in this class fully is to have your birth chart in hand. Here is how to go about getting it: Send an email to me in which you include your complete birth data. Complete birth data means: day, month, year, exact time of day, time zone (Central, Greenwich, etc.), daylight or standard time, if applicable, and exact location of birth. This information is readily available on your official birth certificate. It is a MUST to have it to me before the course begins. I will send you a copy of your birth chart by email, in the style we will use in the course. All your personal information will then be deleted from my computer, and none of it will be used in any other way, except to generate your chart. If you have any questions about this process, contact me personally about it.

Grading Components
The course requirements which compose your overall grade will be broken down as follows:
30% Participation and Attendance
30% Assignments and Practicum
40% Tests -- Mid-term and Final

Online Resources
There are an enormous number of websites on the topic of astrology and I've singled out those that are the least confusing and most helpful to you as beginners. They also are the best sources of information that we will cover in this course.
If you find a link you like during the course that you think should be included, please bring it to my attention so I can add it here.

http://www.zodiacal.com All around great site!
http://www.astrology.com Fairly good beginner site; you can get a free chart done, but they try to hook you into paying for a huge chart explanation. My advice is....learn astrology, do your own interpretation, and save your money!
http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com He has lessons on his site, but not all that exhaustive. Some are written tongue in cheek, making the material hard to apply all across the board. Still, a wealth of info is here. Avoid his forums.....lots of seasoned astrologers speaking astrologese!
http://alabe.com/TextFiles.htm Some good articles for when we get farther along in the course.
http://www.astrologyworldonline.com/home.htm I hesitate to mention this site..... it has free lessons on it. They are fine, but don't get too bogged down doing them as they won't necessarily cover the same topics as we are. They are for beginners, though, and easy to understand.

Tutorial Services
I will be available for tutorial help by appointment/ private email.

Disabilities
As long as you have online access, you should have no difficulty participating in this course.

1. "Heavens Above!"
Description: A Brief History and Introduction to Western Astrology
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: You should check to see that you have received your birth chart from me before this week is up. Acquire a notebook to serve as your personal journal of your Natal Chart.

2. "Oh, MY Stars!"
Description: A conceptual look at the 12 Signs of the Zodiac, their symbols, and how we categorize them.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Identify your own Sun Sign and the locations of all the signs in your personal birth chart. Note these in your journal.

3. "Blame it on the Moon...."
Description: An introduction to the celestial bodies, the planets, and how they affect the Natal Chart.
Assignment: Attend this week's roundtable discussion (#1) and fill in the blank chart I email to you as directed.
Practicum: Identify your own personal chart ruler, the location of your planets and your Ascendant on your birth chart. Note what each signifies in your journal.

4. "Make yourself at Home"
Description: Introducing Houses, Cusps, and the Decanates.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal the significance of the houses occupied by your Sun and Moon.

5. "The Beginnings of Chart Interpretation"
Description: We will be integrating all we've learned so far and finding the "person" in the chart.
Assignment: Complete the practicum and attend Roundtable discussion #2.
Practicum: Bring your chart, journal, and questions to the discussion. Write up a preliminary analysis of your Ascendant, Sun and Moon, using the factors we have studied thus far.

6. Mid-term Test
I will give you a "celebrity" chart to look at and some specifics to identify from the material thus far. (Each test is only worth 20% of your overall grade, so don't sweat this!)

7. "Once in a Blue Moon..."
Description: Introducing Nodes of the Moon, the Asteroids, and the Part of Fortune. Also, Solar and Lunar Eclipses.
Assigment: Fill out worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Write in your journal the effects of your Lunar Nodes. Be specific -- this is for your own understanding.

8. "Working the Angles"
Description: An explanation of the term "aspect" and an introduction to some major aspects and their effects.
Assignment: Memorize the chart I send you and complete the practicum before attending Roundtable Discussion #3 this week.
Practicum: Find and identify the major aspects on your chart, noting which are positive and which are challenging in your journal.

9. "What goes around, comes around"
Description: Orbits, Outer Planets, and Retrograde Motion will be presented, along with the concept of Transits.
Assignment: Read the extensive material provided in this lesson.
Practicum: Take note of the location of the outer planets in your chart and find any retrograde planets. Make notes about any particular points of interest in your chart concerning these chart factors.

10. "Many Happy Returns"
Description: How a person is affected by planetary returns, which returns are most significant, and when they occur.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Note in your journal when you are likely to experience your next Saturn return and what it will mean.

11. "Thank your Lucky Stars!"
Description: An introduction to Chart Types and a synthesis of all we've learned to date.
Assignment: Fill in worksheet and return to me.
Practicum: Analyze your own chart type and find out which planet or planets is most significant to you. Go back over your journal to see if there are any other items you'd like to add. Prepare for Final Test.

12. Final Test -- covers material from lesson 7 to the end. "Congrats, you're a budding astrologer!"