SAVol7Dec09WesternCo.. - Saptarishis Astrology

When ephemeris time does become relevant is when our questions are on generalindications over long periods of time, or when we wish to look beyond the immediate limitsimposed by the question to see what may happen over a longer period. This is often toreassure the querent that all is not lost.Examples:Suppose the question is "Can you give some general indications for my business over thenext few months?" and we find that the querent's business is signified by Jupiter, which willenter its own sign in three months' time. We might judge that things will start looking uparound then. Experience is that the querent will usually respond, "Oh yes - that'simmediately after the big trade show", or some such, and that such indications will proveaccurate.Or, suppose the question were "Is this really the man of my dreams?" and the chart gave anobvious judgment of "Are you insane?" We might look further, noting that in a couple ofmonths the querent's significator moved out of its detriment and into some interestingmutual receptions, and so add "But by the Autumn you'll be feeling much better in yourself,and so be able to enter a relationship that nurtures you, rather than scraping the barrel ofhumanity out of sheer desperation, as you are doing now". Or words to that effect.When considering the longer term, a planet's passage through an entire sign shows one ofthe natural time-units, usually a month or a year. So if, for instance, the querent's businesswere signified by Venus, placed now at 28 Leo, in a question about long-term prospects, wemight judge (other testimonies concurring), "You may feel you have the world at your feetjust now (Venus on Regulus), but you are entering a sticky period (into Virgo). The nextyear (passage through Virgo) looks set to be a story of considerable potentials (Venus intriplicity) never quite unfolding (Venus in fall). Overall, the downside during this period isgoing to be significantly more than the up; but after that (Venus into Libra) all falls happilyinto place. So grit your teeth and hang on in till then." It is foolishness to look beyond thenext sign or two, as if we do we find everything happening to everybody. And this lookingahead does need to be done sparingly: students show an enthusiasm for racing planetsaround the chart as if it were a Snakes and Ladders board; such enthusiasm is better curbed.For the most part, we are concerned only with a planet's next aspect and nothing beyondthat.Lilly gives several examples where a 'real time' transit is significant. So if Mercury applies toJupiter he is judging not "It's four degrees till perfection; it will happen in four weeks", but"My ephemeris shows this aspect happening next Tuesday at 3.56; it will happen then". Ouradvice to the student must be, "Don't try this at home!" Please.We suggest that, if you really must dabble in this kind of thing, it is best kept to side issues.Example: we have decided that boy, our querent, will marry girl in six months' time, judgingby the six degrees needed to perfect the aspect between them. We note that both planets arein major dignities of the ruler of her fourth house, showing that her father has a major say inthis matter. We note also that at 11.52 on Friday 28th, boy's planet transits the twelfth cusp,there being a mutual reception between the ruler of the twelfth and the significator of the129