ISBA Newsletter September
2002
Dear ISBA member!
This month's newsletter has the following headlines:
1) Member's corner
2) Book review - Planetary Economic Forecasting
3) Human Resources and Astrology
4) Christel Kozar. Business Astrology and Resolving Corporate Conflict
5) Article - Robert Gover
6) Requests for astrology classes
7) Tutoring takes off
8) Congratulations1) We welcomed three new members to ISBA in August, which is good for a "vacation"
month! The three are Christel Kozar - supporting - USA, Shankar G. Hegde - associate - India,
and Dimitri Kevindann - associate - Greece. A warm welcome to all three of you!
2) Book review - Planetary Economic Forecasting
Tim Bost has reviewed Bill Meridians newest book, Planetary Economic Forecasting. This review
will also be published on the ISBA web.
Planetary Economic Forecasting by Bill Meridian. Foreword by Robert Hand. New York: Cycles Research.
ISBN: 0-9646030-2-0. Softcover, 8.5 x 11, 168 pp. To order send $39.00 US funds for US domestic
orders or $49.00 for international orders to: Cycles Research, 666 Fifth Avenue, #402 Lower Arcade,
New York, NY 10103 USA.
For some reason I end up making the same tired old joke every time I'm prevailed upon to teach
a class in basic astrology. At one point or another in my lectures, I find it helpful to describe
the various branches of astrology, so that the students can expand their thinking beyond sun signs,
natal charts, and compatibility questions. "The study of mundane astrology," I tell
the class, "is not about doing horoscopes that are dull or boring. It is the analysis of
cycles and horoscopes that impact nations, or cultures, or even the whole world. Of course some
mundane astrologers themselves may seem like dull or boring people when you meet them personally,
but mundane astrology, when it is done well, is really the loftiest form of the astrological art."
My feeble attempt at humor typically goes over like a lead balloon. After all, the students in
basic classes have typically been drawn to an astrology class by the glamour of natal astrology's
vanities, and few of them are ready to leap toward loftier ideals. Even if they do have high aspirations,
they will find that truly refined opportunities in contemporary astrology are rare indeed. Competent
mundane astrologers are, alas, few and far between. Bill Meridian is a notable exception. He shares
his skillful insights into geopolitical matters in his monthly column in Dell Horoscope magazine;
his writing alone is worth the price of a subscription. In the realm of financial astrology, which
can rightly be considered a branch of mundane astrology, he has earned a much-deserved reputation
as one of the discipline's most rigorous and innovative thinkers. He has presented many of his
most important concepts in financial astrology in his book Planetary Stock Trading, now in its
third edition. And now, with the publication of Planetary Economic Forecasting, he has expanded
his scope, broken important new ground, and made a truly significant contribution to the field.
In order to appreciate fully just how momentous this book is, I think it's worth noting how scarce
really useful books in mundane astrology actually are. By this I mean the sort of books that go
beyond merely making predictions and interpreting events to providing tools, concepts, or approaches
that can be repeatedly used by others to yield worthwhile results. The ones that have been published
during the past half-century can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand-Frederic Van Norstrand's
Precepts in Mundane Astrology in 1962, Mundane Astrology by Michael Baigent, Nicholas Campion
and Charles Harvey in 1984, the works of Barry Lynes, and maybe a couple of others. Planetary
Economic Forecasting belongs in that league. Specifically what makes this book so noteworthy?
First of all, it's not a regurgitation of inane astrological platitudes. Nor does it claim to
be the product of transcendent inspiration or channeled revelation. It is, quite simply, the result
of exhaustive and disciplined empirical research, research that reveals what correlations really
exist between planetary cycles and economic trends. And therein lies the crux of the matter. The
mainstream presentation of economic information has become so distorted, so willfully bastardized,
so thoroughly imbued with doublespeak and statistical skullduggery, that any serious independent
attempt at meaningful economic forecasting (with or without astrology) constitutes a uniquely
quixotic act of bravado. And yet Bill Meridian has not only attempted it, he has pulled it off
successfully. To accomplish that feat, he uses a uniquely devised data set that originated with
an analysis done by a group of economists employed by a Midwestern bank. By using the economic
data available for and appropriate to various historical periods, they created a long-term index
of industrial production dating back to 1790, normalizing the data on a per capita basis to offset
the effect of population growth. When the bank was acquired in 1988 the research work came to
a halt, but Bill Meridian acquired the data and has independently updated it since that time.
The result is a tool that is wonderfully suited for studying the impact of outer planet cycles
on economic action. Planetary Economic Forecasting presents the results of that study in an orderly,
understandable fashion, detailing first the passage of the planets through the tropical zodiac
and then the synodic cycles of the planets. In each case, Meridian not only presents graphs that
depict the quantitative changes in the long-term index that correspond with the planetary cycles;
he also adds a truly innovative feature-a qualitative historical graph. By selecting roughly 70
key historical examples of economic perturbations that occurred during the past 400 years, and
by then graphing them in a way that corresponds to the particular planetary cycle in question,
he is able to show surprising correlations between specific astrological dynamics and seemingly
unconnected economic events. For example, the 1637 tulip mania, the 1763 Dutch commodity panic,
the War of 1812 recession, the 1837 land panic, the 1861 secession depression, the 1873 Jay Cooke
failure, the 1960 recession, and the 1973 OPEC recession all took place with a common astrological
factor in play. One of the many tables in the book reveals this correspondence at a glance. If
that were all this book had to offer, its impact would be monumental. But there's much more between
the covers. You'll find an excellent composite cycle analysis of the planetary factors at work
in economic trends, with a decade-by-decade recap of the past 200 years of economic activity.
There are future projections of economic activity that factor in global trading blocs, nanotechnology,
the role of Israel, and the probability of a global panic in 2015. There are clear definitions
and explanations of basic economic concepts that help turn the gibberish of pundits into something
approaching common sense. And there is one of the best introductions to the real workings of the
Federal Reserve that you'll find anywhere, with an added astrological perspective that is, of
course, completely unique to this book. If Planetary Economic Forecasting has a fault at all,
it's the chapter on eclipses. Bill Meridian makes one succinct point, in a chapter exactly one
page in length, about the impact of eclipses on economic cycles. The point is well made and provides
much to ponder, but reading the chapter is nevertheless a frustrating experience because the author
is undoubtedly the world's foremost living authority on the impact of eclipses and eclipse paths
in mundane astrology! As readers, we can only hope that by giving the subject such short shrift
in this book, he is saving up lots of goodies that will be included in a future volume wholly
dedicated to the topic. But after all, that's a terribly small nit to pick in what is otherwise
a completely magnificent accomplishment. Bill Meridian has demonstrated once and for all that
he not only understands and aspires to the lofty ideals of mundane astrology; he thoroughly personifies
them.--Reviewed by Tim Bost in Financial Cycles newsletter. $39/month via email from timbost@pipeline.com.3)
Human Resources and Astrology
Paula Falcao - Brazil has sent us the below article, in which she answers the most frequently
occurring questions about Human Resources. This article will be published on the ISBA web site
as we believe it has quite a broad appeal. Thank you, Paula!
Astrology in Human Resources FAQ
Paula Falcão (paula@astrobrasil.com.br)
Q - What makes Astrology such a good tool for Human Resources Management? A - The main goal of
Human Resources Areas in organizations is to align organizational and personal needs and objectives.
Organizations look for profit, productivity, quality, low costs, markets for their products and
a good relationship with clients. People inside the organizations look for salary, benefits, security,
stability, growth and satisfaction. Effective HR areas help the organization to attain it's goals
by helping people to align their own personal goals with the organization's ones. This is made
more easy when we can analyze the organization's and the employee's natal charts and astrological
cycles.
Q - What kind of organizations can make proper use of Astrology in HRM? A - Any management theory
states that companies must be responsible for organizing its productive elements: money, materials
and people in order to fulfill financial objectives. But when talking about organizing people,
there are two main theories: X and Y. Theory X states that people will always try to work less,
think less and are not interested in the needs of the organization. So managers must control people
and direct their motivation and efforts using pressure and punishment. Theory Y states that people
like to work and must have their own needs fulfilled before becoming productive in the organization.
So managers must create mechanisms to make people recognize and develop their own talents. It
is easier to make use of astrology in type Y companies.
Q - In which areas of Human Resources can we make use of astrology? A - All of them, but the main
areas are identification and development of skills and talents, career management, headhunting,
training and development planning and teambuilding.
Q - How can astrology be used to develop talent?
A - Talent is vocation totally applied through competencies. There is plenty of material about
Vocational Astrology but it is important to understand that competence is not vocation.
Q - What's the difference between vocation and competence?
A - Vocation is related to essence. To attain realization one must build short-term, mid-term
and long-term goals using the core values of the natal chart as a basis. Competence is related
to the way those goals are developed in day-by-day basis.
Q - How can we search for competence in an astrological chart? A - There are 4 components in competence:
knowledge, skill, attitude and systemic vision. All of them must be developed in order for competence
to be fully present. Knowledge can be looked for in all the astrological elements related to cognition
and thought: Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius, Mercury and Jupiter, 3rd and 9th houses. Attitude
is related to how the main personality functions are constructed (1st through 6th houses) and
mostly to the analysis of the Moon. There is no specific area where skills are located - one must
analyze the entire chart as it depends on what kind of skills and systemic vision one is looking
for combined with the persons way of relating to the world.
Q - How can we help people develop their talents through vocation and competencies analysis? A
- Once we - using the astrological chart and cycles - have verified where the person is in relation
to his vocation and competencies, we can make use of the graph below: please see the graph on
our website.
When people are in quadrant 1 (low competence and low vocation) they are usually frustrated and
seen as the next ones to be fired in the company. In all probability, they are lost and getting
another job may well be the best solution for everyone. These persons need to work hard with knowledge
and awarenes of themselves to be able to find their professional paths. When people are in quadrant
2 (high competence and low vocation) they are usually fighting for survival and need the job to
maintain the family, etc. If there is room in the organization, a Vocational Astrology Chart can
be done and the employee can assume another function, where he/she will perform better. In connection
with the job change, the employee must receive training, and the new manager must be aware that,
before going to quadrant 4 he will be some time in quadrant 3, until he learns the new function's
competencies. This can be done with some help of Progressed Moon conjunction, square or opposition,
Jupiter in transit conjunct Saturn, Saturn in transit conjunct, square or in opposition to Sun
or midheaven's ruler, or transpersonal planets in midheaven. When people are in quadrant 3, they
usually do not have much job experience. They must be trained and the astrologer can make a development
plan by looking for activation of the competence's components points that must be increased. When
people are in quadrant 4 everything is ok, so they only need to manage their career, maybe with
AstroCoaching®.
Q - How can Astrology be used in Career Management?
A - Talent development is a kind of career management, but astrological cycles can play a very
important role in that. The most important planets in career management are Jupiter (development
and expansion movements) and Saturn (basis and structure). It is important to analyze Jupiter-Saturn
cycles in the employees chart. Jupiter-Saturn have a 19,5 years cycle, and square points more
or less each 5 years. If we make a correlation between Jupiter-Saturn Cycles and Moon Cycles,
we have a kind of crisis in each conjunction-square-opposition. We can think of this cycle as
a professional project cycle as the table below. Of course the whole chart must be analyzed as
well.
Jup-Sat Angles Professional Status
0-45o A new phase or project is beginning. High motivation and self-confidence. 45-90o First obstacles
appear. No one knows anything about the project. Th employee must prepare himself to "sell"
the project. 90-135o Time has come to develop management competencies. People can be resistant
to the employee's ideas. He must create work structures. 135-180o More people share employee's
team and ideas. It is important to be aware of the core values that hold the project. 180o-225o
Time to show consistent results. Lots of stress and career in danger if results aren't good enough.
225-270o Status. If the opposition was well worked, the employee will be viewed as an expert.
270-315o Time of change has come. The employee must re-evaluate his career and learn new competencies.
315-360o End of cycle. It's time to detach from old structures and take some time to prepare for
the new arriving cycle.
Q - How can we use astrology for headhunting?
A - Helping in the elaboration of function profiles, elaborating professional profile findings
for candidates and as support for candidate interview.
Q - How can astrology help in elaborating function profiles?
A - Checking in the organization's chart if the competencies required to the function are really
needed, or if some competence is missing. Also by examining the managers chart to find the ideal
profiles for employees to work with this person.
Q - How does one elaborate a professional profile finding using astrology? A - Using Vocational
Astrology and Competencies Development. Always using positive reinforcement and no astrological
terms in it.
Q - How can astrology support an interview?
A - Organizational psychologists work assuming that past behavior determines future behavior.
This is not true in all cases. By analyzing the candidate's chart the astrologer can determine
past professional and personal crisis and elaborate questions that will come up.
Q - How can astrology be used to plan training?
A - Checking in all employee's charts if this is really what they need. Verifying the kind of
training more effective to them. Selecting date and place for the training.
Q - How can astrology be used in teambuilding?
A - By analyzing all employee's charts: Are their vocations, competencies and talents in harmony?
What is the distribution of elements in the team? Do some of the members have conflicts in this
element? What cycle is each team member currently going through? Are they in harmony? What inter-aspects
exist between the charts? How is the composite chart of the team? How is the analysis of each
employee's chart versus the team composite chart?
4) Christel Kozar. Business Astrology and Resolving Corporate Conflict Christel Kozar, President
of Astrologic Solutions, Inc., also works with business astrology. Karen has encouraged her to
send the following, which can also be read on the ISBA web site. Thank you Christel!
Business Astrology and Resolving Corporate Conflict
Having been a corporate employee for 13 years, I am familiar with the challenges that occur in
the American business world. These challenges are usually of a personal, interpersonal, or management
related nature, but almost always they are born from conflict. Conflict can occur anywhere, at
any time, and involve anyone. It can paralyze a team, sabotage a project, and dissolve relationships.
In a large company, you may be lucky enough to have a "Human Resources (HR) Department"
at your disposal, but since this may result in the inclusion of additional people in the issue
and permanently documenting the events, this option is not always desirable. Sometimes management
and staff members just need a little insight and guidance to help them find their way through
personal and professional discord.
AstroLogic Solutions, Inc. is a young company that has been established to meet these corporate
needs. We have assembled educated, experienced and professional Astrologers, Numerologists, Coaches
and Business Consultants to provide guidance, insight and conflict resolution for those employees
and employers who are in need of alternatives to what the American business world currently offers.
We cast charts and numerological analyses for individuals and teams highlighting the true dynamics
of the staff and where difficulties lie, and how they can be resolved to ensure better communication,
relationships, and team progress. Our Business Consultants and Coaches also assist in staff selection,
the timing of business ventures, career development, the restructuring of teams and providing
one-on-one support when necessary.
Our goal is to reach out to as many people as we can, and offer them support and direction while
they make positive personal, financial and professional changes. We are delighted to be a part
of the ISBA network of business astrologers and look forward to working with you throughout the
year. I invite you to visit our website at www.astrologicsolutions.com for additional information
about our company and our wonderfully experienced and talented staff.
5) Article - Robert Gover
Productive Robert Gover has contributed a new article for the ISBA Journal titled "A Traffic
Jam of Dilemmas". The article can be read in the members' area. Thanks, Robert!
6) Requests for astrology classes
ISBA has received two requests concerning training in financial astrology. We have chose to place
these reuqests directly in the newsletter instead of contacting individual members. This gives
all providers of financial astrology education with the opportunity of contacting these people.
----- Original Message -----
From: <WIZARDMARKETS@aol.com>
To: <info@businessastrologers.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 4:09 AM
Subject: Info pleasePlease send me information about any classes in your organisation. Wizardmarkets@aol.com-----
Original Message -----
From: roshanraj
To: info@businessastrologers.com
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 8:58 AM
Subject: currency astrologer
my name is rajan and i would like to obtain list of astrologers specialiest in currency market.
i also like to to know wether ISBA ofer courses in finacial market astrologer? pls foward this
request. thanking you in advance, rajan
7) Tutoring takes off
The tutoring program is now available. Any member with questions regarding business or financial
astrology are very welcome to send these to info@businessastrologers.com
>From there, the questions will be forwarded to the relevant tutors.
8) Congratulations
Two new births:
Our member in Switzerland, Harald Seeberger, now has 2 sons.
Our members in Denmark, Gert and Maria Fleron Nielsen, now have a daughter, born August 30th 09.29.
Heartfelt congratulations and the best of luck to both families.All the best,
Karen & Hannah
from members
Articles