Heliocentric Astrology Guide

Heliocentric Astrology Guide that I was now working in a different

coordinate system, one which offered a
By Michael Erlewine
different perspective or view of my
Michael@Erlewine.net favorite astrological subject, me. And my
Nothing has changed me more approach to heliocentrics was by
astrologically than the discovery of my definition traditional. After all, up to that
heliocentric chart and what it told me point all I had ever known was standard
about myself. Since there does not geocentric astrology, the same astrology
seem to be any other posters, I feel free that had been used by astrologers for
to start out with a description of what the centuries. I had nothing to compare my
helio system is all about. Please forgive astrology to and no idea that there was
me if this is too introductory. or could be another point of view.
Standard geocentric traditional astrology
From my point of view at that time I as I knew it up to that point was my only
discovered helio for mysef, heliocentric point of view.
planetary positions were just another
astrological coordinate system that had There Were No Helio Ephemerides
to be programmed. After, all, I learned Now all of this was still some years
early on that to get our standard before home computers. There were no
geocentric astrological chart planets, I accurate ephemerides of heliocentric
first had to calculate their heliocentric positions outside of the governments
positions and then convert those “American Ephemeris and Nautical
positions to the ones astrologers have Almanac,” which did list heliocentric
used for centuries. That is the way positions for the current year only. And
astronomers still do it today, for the there was one remarkable book by an
most part. astrologer (Hugh McCraig) called “The
It never occurred to me that this Sun- 200 Year Ephemeris,” and it had rough
centered perspective, these heliocentric heliocentric positions, but only for the
planet positions, had any other or any first of each month. But by that point, my
markedly different meaning than the curiosity was peaked and I definitely
geocentric planet positions I had been wanted to know more about this new
using for many years. They were all the coordinate system, the heliocentric.
same to me, or so I thought. I spent many months trying to find a
Heliocentric Astrology? solution to getting heliocentric planet
positions, armed only with my little
In fact, many astrologers wondered why calculator. In the end I found I had to
the heliocentric planet positions should create my own heliocentric ephemeris,
even interest astrologers. After all, we which became my first published book.
don‟t live on the Sun. We live here on It was called “The Sun is Shining,” and it
Earth. It was just another piece of was an accurate heliocentric ephemeris
programming work as far as I knew, but that covered a 400-year span of time,
I was curious to find out what my helio starting from 1750. This was 1975. For
chart looked like. me at that time, this was a remarkable
It took some time working with the helio effort on my part. Why would I go to all
system before it began to dawn on me this trouble?
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

The answer has to do with what I was the same, except one thing: I was now
finding out about those heliocentric looking at my birth from a different
positions and charts, so let‟s get on to perspective, a different view, and getting
that. an alternate picture of myself. It was like
suddenly getting a second opinion,
Helio Work
when up to then I never knew one even
As I slowly learned more about existed. Until then I thought I was my
heliocentric astrology, I brought all of my astrology chart, and so on. All of my
traditional astrological knowledge with astrological life there had been only that
me. After all, that was the only one chart of me, but suddenly I had
knowledge I had. And of course, I found another and very different view on the
that everything worked well in the helio same subject, and that subject was me.
system. I looked at signs, aspects, and
The Techniques
what not. It was all very familiar. Some
things, however, were different. For In the beginning, as mentioned, when I
example, there is no Moon and no compared my heliocentric chart to the
house system in helio astrology, for geocentric chart I was so used to, I
those have only to do with the earth and noticed that the planets were not always
standard geocentric astrology. At first, in the same places. Let me give you an
things did seem a little Spartan, with no example: Mars.
Moon and no houses. My geocentric Mars is in tropical Aries.
But then I began to have a very unusual Mars in Aries, just about as hot a place
experience, and with it many of my as you could name for Mars, and
traditional astrological techniques began astrologers had chided me about this for
to just sort of fall away. It was not that all virtually ever. And I did have a bit of a
of these traditional techniques I had temper. Everyone could see that.
been using for so long were not Now along comes the helio chart, where
meaningful; of course they were. my Mars is in Aquarius, not in Aries. So,
Instead, it was the fact that something outwardly (geo) my Mars is in Aries, but
brand new was emerging from all of this inwardly (helio) it actually is in Aquarius.
helio work, something I could not ignore, Actually, out there in the solar system,
and that was a brand new view of as it circled around the Sun, my Mars
myself, of me. It was so earth-shaking was in Aquarius and not in Aries. It only
that I kind of just left off at applying my appears to be in Aries because the
traditional astrological tools and turned earth is embedded in the solar system
to stare at and study what I was now and from its vantage point Mars appears
seeing. to be in Aries, when it actually is in
Another Dimension Aquarius. What was I to thinking? This
point requires a bit of a digression.
All this did not happen in a day. It took
time for what I was slowly realizing to The Helio Perspective
sink in, for me to “get it,” the fact that It might help to better understand just
this was a very different vision of me what the helio perspective is, which in
that I was seeing in this heliocentric turn should make clearer just what the
mirror. Here were the same planets, the geo perspective is, the one we
same exact birth time… everything was
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

astrologers have been using since folks We have the view of the solar system
first did astrology – way back when. It is from earth and we have the view of the
funny that we can walk around with our solar system as it actually is to itself,
idea of our self and never think to with each of the planets (including earth)
question it, in particular if that is all we orbiting the Sun in whatever zodiac
have ever known. Certainly that is what I position they happen to be. Again, the
had been doing, astrologically speaking. most important point here is to answer
Up until that point, I had nothing else to the question: what is the standard
compare my chart to. I am reminded of geocentric natal chart a snapshot or
the classic jazz tune by Les McCann, chart of?
called “Compared to What?” Good And the answer is: it is a snapshot of the
question! heliocentric solar system as seen from
Compared to What? earth. Therefore and here is the
In a word, our traditional geocentric “therefore” folks:
natal chart is nothing other than a Therefore:
snapshot of the heliocentric solar If the earth‟s perspective (natal chart) of
system as seen from the earth‟s the helio solar system is so important to
perspective at the moment of our birth. us, why is the view or chart of the helio
That‟s just what it is, a snapshot or solar system itself not important to us?
picture of the heliocentric solar system, That is a good question. In fact, the
the same one scientists used to get a helio chart is important, at least as
space capsule to Mars. important as the traditional snapshot we
In other words, our traditional geocentric have of it, the one we call our standard
natal chart is simply a snapshot of the natal chart. In my many years of
whole solar system, a picture taken as research in this topic, I have come to
the earth rides around the Sun in its understand that the helio view is more
yearly orbit. Keep in mind that the earth important for some crucial information
is forever embedded within the helio about ourselves, especially if we want to
solar system, you know, the „third stone get down to the very heart of our
from the Sun” sort of thing. We are personal astrology and speak of our Life
inside that solar system looking out and Path or Dharma. The helio chart is just
around, and whatever we see from in that.
there is a snapshot taken from within Yet, astrologers don‟t use the helio
that solar system. chart. We might ask why and how? All
Our Embedded Perspective of this came about from a very simple
mistake that happened a long time ago,
By that very fact, we should know that
when astrologers and astronomers first
we will not be seeing the planets and
discovered that it was the earth that
the solar system as they are in
orbited the Sun and not vice versa.
themselves (in relation to their center
the Sun), but only as the earth sees Way Back When
them from its embedded perspective, Way back then, the road diverged and
therefore: the two views, geo and helio. astronomers went one way and
astrologers went another.
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

Actually, it would be more correct to say What goes on out there and what
that the astronomers went both ways happens down here on Earth are not
and astrologers went one way, for merely linked; they are synchronous. It
astronomers have to be totally familiar is the same thing happening out there in
with both geocentric and heliocentric the heavens that is happening down
positions, and so they are. Astrologers here on earth and at the same time.
on the other hand never picked up on That is the modern astrological view.
heliocentric astrology and somehow just And yet, a discovery as revolutionary as
walked on, armed only with their the discovery of heliocentric astrology
traditional geocentric perspective. They was not picked up on and interpreted by
never looked back, until now. I am one astrologers at that time or (for the most
of a few modern astrologers who are part) since that time. Astrologers just
taking a second look at heliocentric
ignored it, and it is my belief that that
astrology, and it is about time. Why is ignorance has cost astrologers dearly.
this so important for astrologers?
It was then that the astronomy part of us
The Other Way Around and the astrologer in us parted
The discovery that Earth orbited the Sun company, the astronomers (who went
was not another insignificant piece of on to become pure scientists) stopped
science; it was earthshaking. It took a using astrology, and the astrologers
little time, but it turned the world of (who had not interpreted the Copernican
astronomy as it was then upside down. revolution) just ignored the heliocentric.
It was a revolutionary idea, no pun They never tried to find out what it could
intended. mean to astrology, this great revolution
in view. And so it is to this very day.
The heliocentric perspective, once
Now, back to my personal story.
grasped, explained every anomaly that
had been troubling astronomers for all Inside the Helio
those centuries, during which it was Like astronomers before me,
thought that the Sun orbited the Earth, heliocentric astrology also changed me
and not vice versa. A simple change of and in a big way. All I can remember of
center and all the discrepancies fell into that event is that I was using my
place, like magic. It changed how the geocentric astrological technique to
world saw itself, forever. evaluate heliocentric astrology and
Esoteric Meaning before I knew what was happening, my
personal astrological world had been
And now I want to ask each of you a
turned upside down (flipped) and I was
question. In the study of astrology,
seeing everything I knew (astrologically
which depends so very much on what
speaking) from a heliocentric
things mean, on signs and houses, and
perspective. And it never flipped back.
aspects and what not, we are used to
amplifying whatever signs or signals the And like my astronomer colleagues so
cosmos presents to us and interpreting many years before me, there was no
what those signs might mean to our life turning back. Once I saw things
here on earth. heliocentrically, I never again saw things
the way I had up to that point, anymore
than astronomers ever tried to continue
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

considering the heavens geocentrically In fact, where these two charts intersect
once they knew it was the Sun that was and overlap provide us with a
the center, not the earth. There was a triangulation, a stereo image of our life
flip, and a point of no return was and self.
reached. I saw things differently, and So the helio natal chart does two things
(for me) ever so much more clearly. It all for us at once. First it presents an
began to make so much more sense. alternate perspective (a second opinion)
Worlds within Worlds of us that we did not have before. I
cannot stress enough how important it is
Just as the heliocentric system (i.e. the
to have something to compare what we
solar system) contains the geocentric
now know about ourselves to.
system within it, so my new discovery of
myself, heliocentrically speaking, And second, it is a view that is a
contained within it everything I had superset of what we have been seeing
known about myself up to that point, and and studying up to that point. By
much more. It was like I had been “superset,” I mean that the helio chart is
looking at life, as the old saying goes, the mother view and the geocentric
“thru a glass darkly,” but now it was chart is the child or subordinate view.
suddenly clear. The helio embraces the geo, and not
vice versa. Simple astronomy tells us
In other words, the helio system is a
this.
superset of the geocentric system; the
helio contains the geo within itself. The For all our ability to interpret astrology,
geo system is Earth‟s view from within often seemingly making mountains out
the solar system, a view or vantage of mole hills, this geo/helio perspective
point from which Earth sees the helio (such a vast change in perspective)
solar system. The helio system is what ought to be grist for our interpretive
the standard geocentric natal chart is a minds.
snapshot of, plain and simple, that is: What Is the Sun?
what the Earth is looking at.
Over the years, my fellow astrologers
The Life Energy of the System have told me why they don‟t want to
Therefore, if we simply look at the helio consider the heliocentric chart. I have
system by itself, look at a helio chart for heard it all, things like: “We don‟t live on
our birth date and time; we have a the Sun, so why should heliocentric
complete (and clearer) view of what the have any meaning for us?,” etc. Many of
earth view (the geocentric chart) is but these kind of comments have the
an interpretation of, that is: the life materialistic pseudo-scientific stain of
energies of the solar system itself at the our times, words to the effect that the
moment of our birth. In other words, in a Sun is somehow just atoms and
very real sense, the helio chart is the molecules, bricks and mortar, scientific
essence of what the geocentric chart is stuff and substance.
a view of. Yet we are, ourselves, spiritual, spirits,
Of course, we have both charts (geo selves, something more than just atoms
and helio) and each view is unique and and dust. We assume this spiritual
valuable - two distinct views of our life. element to ourselves, but don‟t extend it
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

to the world we live in, and to the Sun the difference in zodiac signs between
that is the source of all warmth, light, the two positions for any planet. I
and life for each of us. checked out helio transits and found
them to be as useful as I found
A Kindred Spirit
geocentric transits to be. In brief,
It would seem, to listen to many an everything I tried worked as well in the
astrologer‟s view, that the Sun does not helio coordinate system as it had in the
share in our spirit, has no spiritual geocentric coordinate systems - no
essence of its own, and so on, and so better, and yet not worse. At that early
on. point, I found no essential difference
It would seem to me that whatever spirit between the two charts, as far as the
animates us also animates the Sun and astrological techniques I knew were
every other being to be known. concerned. But there were things I did
not yet know.
In traditional geocentric astrology, every
astrologer I have known (and myself The Sun Rises
too) reaches deep into their natal charts I guess I first began to see some
to find that spiritual essence and unity difference when I started examining
they feel is there within the chart, which aspects and then aspect patterns. In my
is within themselves. For centuries we astrological studies, I was aware of the
have been interpreting heliocentric work that Marc Edmund Jones had done
astrology through the prism of the geo with larger aspect patterns, had found
chart. We need that inner deep these patterns interesting, but had never
knowledge in a clear form, the used them to any real extent. Of course,
heliocentric natal chart. I was aware of major traditional chart
The helio chart is all about the spiritual patterns like the grand trine and the T-
insight we have been trying to squeeze square, but had not done much with
out of our traditional natal chart. It is far these either.
easier just to look at the helio chart itself I suppose I am typical of many
along with the standard geocentric natal astrologers (and not very scientific) in
chart . There you will find a clear picture that the way I judge any astrological
of your more spiritual self and that is technique is whether it works in my own
why I refer to the helio chart as the natal chart. No matter how hallowed a
“Dharma Chart,” a chart of whom it is we technique, if it does not work for me and
are after we run through all our personal in my chart, I seldom pursue it. Sure, I
changes in the geo chart. will program it and distribute it to others,
Helio but as for using such techniques myself,
not a chance. What would be the point?
In the very beginning of my heliocentric
studies, as mentioned, I applied all of The Heavenly Patterns
the many standard astrological But with the advent of my helio chart, all
techniques I had learned up to that of this changed. Without the Moon and
point, and to real success. For example, the twelve houses, there was not a
I interpreted the difference in position whole lot left for me to look at, other
between the helio and geo planet than the planetary aspects themselves,
positions for my natal chart, looking at and the kaleidoscopic patterns the
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

planets formed through time. Like the converted the grant trine into a
time-lapse photography of clouds, I configuration that is called the “Kite.” It
began to see how these large patterns was very prominent and easy to see at
formed in the sky, held together for a once. However, it took me quite a while
moment or a while, and then dissolved to begin to get any idea of what it might
to form still other patterns. There was mean or represent as far as
nothing new in that for me, either. I had interpretation.
studied the ever-changing planetary
patterns before in the standard
geocentric chart years before.
One Individual: Two Views
Yet there was something about these
large-scale patterns in the helio that was
more persuasive of my attention than I
could remember experiencing. They
were somehow more real, more
emphatic. They caught my attention and
then held it in a way that had not
happened in the past.
Sure, it started with my own chart. My
geocentric, standard natal chart was
interesting in many ways, and of course
I had counted those ways using every
astrological technique at my disposal. My Helio Chart
Yet, I was always felt like something AC-0832.jpg (72.72 KiB) Viewed
was missing that I needed to hear. I had 11 times
never fully identified with my traditional
chart, but sought to twist and turn it with
techniques to somehow extract from it My Helio Grand Trine
something deeper, something more
about how I saw myself. That traditional As I began to calculate charts for my
geo chart was not all of how I saw family and other people I knew or had
myself, not all of how I felt myself to be known in life, I could see other large-
inside, and I had worked hard to get scale whole-chart patterns in their
inside my chart. charts, things like the T-Square, the
Grand Cross, and of course other Grand
My Helio Chart Trines and Kites. Soon I had run
However, my helio chart caught my through all the common traditional
attention right off. For one, this chart patterns used in the history of astrology
had a very exact grand trine and was learning about patterns that at
configuration in it, a single pattern point had no name. Of course, I ended
shared by no less than six of the nine up naming them, just to make it easier
planets, and with Earth as the focus of to identify and refer to.
the configuration. Augmenting that was
an opposition of Earth to Pluto, which
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

Rather than saying that a pattern was these folks and I didn‟t like myself all
an opposition with a trine and Sextile, I that well back then. A better statement
ended up just calling this configuration a might rather be that I didn‟t know myself
“Wedge,” because it looked like one. that well back then, and we all tend to
And so it went. Pretty soon I had dozens fear the unknown.
of patterns that I regularly came across. Time and time again, as I looked
I would draw them out, using colored through this collection of not-so-friends
pencils and pens to help identify them, charts I found myself staring at the
and I published many dozens of these same StarType as in my own natal helio
patterns in color back in the mid 1970s chart. Now it all began to make sense. I
on the cover of the “Circle Books understood, and my attitude toward
Astrological Calendar,” but got little these not-so-friendly types changed
response.
from that very day. I had been looking at
Friends and Enemies myself in them and was not too happy
about what I was seeing.
Of course I did the helio charts of my
family and everyone I knew, but I still did Learning about StarTypes
not understand very well what the There was competition and all kinds of
various chart types meant or how to head bumping going on between me
best grow in my understanding by and others of my own chart type. From
studying them. Perhaps the first real that time forward I gave this type some
clue on the value of these whole-chart slack and soon found my focus on them
patterns came when I began to as unfriendly began to loosen and
assemble a collection of the charts of dissolve. It was not a real problem any
people I did not get along with or who longer.
did not get along with me, my so-called
not-so-friends. Now, here were astrological results with
a very practical effect for me. My
I had poured over the charts of these interest in resolving the meaning of
people for years, trying to get a handle these StarType patterns strengthened
on what made these persons tick and and I rededicated myself to
(more to the point) what made them not- understanding them. Keep in mind that
tick with me. However, I soon found that this was before any home computers
I had been going about it all wrong, were on the scene, and all the
looking for this planet in this house, this calculations had to be done with pencil
planet in this or that sign, and so forth. and paper, and later with a 4-function
There was no overriding message calculator. After I published my
coming out of that research from that heliocentric ephemeris in 1975, it was
approach. easier, of course, but before then it was
Seeing Myself! a real job, for sure.
But when I looked at this same group of And I drew each chart out by hand using
not-so-friends using these helio whole- colored pencils and pens, so that
chart types, there was no mistaking the whatever patterns were there would
message: almost all of them had chart stand out. And I did this for both
patterns just like my own! It was as clear geocentric and heliocentric charts each
as day that I had been seeing myself in time. Keep in mind that, although I am
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

presenting the helio chart and StarTypes Interpretation

perspective in this book, I never As I look back on my work of some 35
abandoned geo astrology. Of course I years ago, I can remember what it was
used them both and still do, although about helio astrology that was so
now I always look at the helio chart first, compelling, and that was the fact that
and then the geo. not only did everything work so well
In the many years of personal readings when viewed heliocentrically, but for the
that I have done since then, I always first time in my experience I was able to
calculate both charts (and sometimes see and understand a great deal about
others, as well), although it is the helio my self, who I was, and why I might be
chart that I most want to see, for that here on earth just now. This was the
chart contains the fundamental dharma kind of information I had been looking
of the client. The helio chart is the key to for all these years.
the Life Path of the client, as far as I I had tried valiantly for many years to
know. extract information about my spiritual life
The Learning Curve from the standard geocentric natal chart
and of course had some success, but it
I feel I have given you a pretty fair idea
was more like panning for the
of how I got into looking at these chart
occasional flake of gold.
patterns in the first place, that is: how
they first caught my attention. I don‟t Once I got a hold of the helio
remember my learning curve in perfect perspective, it was like I found the
detail, other than to point out that over mother lode of what I had always been
time and through looking at many tens looking for. It may sound trite or
of thousands of charts, I gradually repetitive to say this, but my experience
evolved an understanding of what the was probably very much like that of the
main StarType patterns were, astronomers many hundreds of years
something about what they meant, and before, when they switched the center of
how to interpret them. their attention from the earth to the Sun.
Things all became clear. I can‟t prove
And each step of the way, anything I
why this is so, but this has been my
learned or saw in these chart types was
personal experience.
put to a reality test through the
counseling process, by doing readings Perhaps it is because the Sun is the
for people. I not only did in-person sit- actual physical, gravitational center of
down readings, but I also did many the solar system, and that using the
hundreds of written readings for people earth as the center is not (physically
all over the world, people who were speaking) as central or meaningful. I
otherwise unable to see me in person. can‟t say. What I do know is that once I
In each reading, I always calculated and shifted my emphasis from the earth to
drew out both the geocentric and the Sun-centered chart, I found an
heliocentric charts. astrology as strong in spiritual content
as I had always dreamed it could (or
That being said, let‟s turn our attention
should) be. From that time onward, I
to some of the main StarType patterns
was completely satisfied with the
and what they might mean.
amount and quality of the astrological
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

information I was getting. My astrology that is what astrology at its best is

worked for me, and not just vice versa. supposed to do.
A New Center Pattern Leap
I suppose someone more traditionally Now let‟s turn to looking at some of the
religious might say that I stopped major StarType patterns and what they
thinking about my personal self might mean. I will leave off at this point
(geocentric) and started thinking about showing you how I stumbled upon the
something greater (heliocentric). I can‟t helio perspective (my personal story),
speak to that. What did happen is that and move toward just presenting the
the heliocentric perspective and results of these many years of working
dimension had the power to resolve and with heliocentrics. I believe I have given
put into relief much of what I had been you at least some idea as to how you
struggling to understand in my more too might approach this subject.
personal geocentric chart. That much I Geocentric and Heliocentric
know.
I hope by now that you have the idea
Keep in mind the huge change that I feel that it is the heliocentric
astronomers went through when they StarType patterns that best define the
switched their emphasis from the earth inner or essential nature of a person,
as the center of the solar system to the and not the geocentric patterns. Of
Sun as center. Everything suddenly fit in course StarType patterns also exist in
and the long history of anomalies and your natal geocentric chart, so why not
exceptions were explained. It was the just use that chart?
same in my own case, although here I
am referring to the spiritual or Of course, you can do that, and I have
interpretive nature of this change in too. The difference is that I find that the
focus or center. Everything came into helio StarType best defines the spiritual
focus, just like that, not because I had nature of the greater self or individual
fallen in love with heliocentrics, but one is. It is the helio pattern that best
because heliocentrics actually explained represents what the entire solar system
myself to me better than anything I had is doing (aspect wise) at any given
known previously, better than I could. moment, and the geocentric patterns
may or may not reflect these helio
As my teacher would say to me, I now patterns at any given time.
say to you: It is not true because I say it;
I say it because I find it to be the truth.” Geocentric and Heliocentric Charts
Astrologically speaking, I had never When the two charts concur, there is no
previously gone from a more limited problem. When they do not agree, then I
point of view (geocentric) to a more have found that the helio chart best
encompassing point of view represents what is going on in the
(heliocentric). Once I did, I have never particular natal chart.
turned back, not because I am Keep in mind that the geocentric
chauvinistic about helio astrology, but patterns are simply a snapshot of the
because helio astrology has helio patterns as seen from the
transformed not only my view of perspective of Earth in its yearly journey
astrology, but my view of myself, and
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

around the Sun. The earth is embedded

deep within the helio solar system,
much more toward the center of that
system, than to the outer edge. And
from that embedded perspective, the
earth sees what at times can be a
somewhat distorted picture of what
actually is taking place. What actually is
taking place are the patterns the entire
solar system, with the Sun as the
center, is going through –
heliocentrically. It is my thesis here that
these heliocentric patterns are worthy of
our attention and should be consulted,
just as we consult the traditional
geocentric natal chart.
The Geocentric Chart My Geo Chart
Over many years I have found it mostly AC-0835.jpg (62.51 KiB) Viewed
a waste of my time to try to interpret the 11 times
large-scale aspect patterns (StarTypes)
in the geocentric chart. They just do not
hold up as well. Instead, I found myself Geocentric
peeking at the helio chart to get my
bearings on a particular individual, to The standard geocentric natal chart that
see what really is going on in there. astrologers have used for centuries is
After using both charts side by side for generally agreed to be a chart of the
awhile, I found myself always looking at personality and circumstances in which
the helio chart first, and perhaps then each of us finds our self. The fact that
getting around to looking at the geo astrologers chose not to absorb the
patterns later on in a reading, if at all. In heliocentric perspective those many
the great majority of the personal centuries ago left us attempting to
readings I have done, my client had all derive all the information about our life
the information they needed about their from this single (geocentric) chart. That
inner spiritual nature or life path just is the historical fact.
from the helio chart, without ever having For centuries, astrologers have derived
to even look at the geocentric chart, both personal (circumstantial)
except for maybe some timing issues. information AND spiritual or deeper
Let‟s go over this. information from a single chart. Now we
have a second chart (helio) that appears
to be better at revealing our inner or
spiritual life (our dharma chart), which
does not mean that we are to stop using
the standard geocentric natal chart. Not
so. Both charts are invaluable. It is more
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

like we now have a witness, a second I hope I do not confuse the issue by
astrological opinion, so to speak. stating that it has been much easier for
me to understand my own personal
Geocentric Positions
issues (geo) once I understood the
The standard traditional geocentric chart overall dharma (helio) view of myself. In
continues to be where we look for the helio chart I found more about who I
anything personal, the circumstances in am and what I am capable of, and this
which each of us find ourselves information helps me to better
embedded, just like the earth is understand the personal circumstances
embedded within the heliocentric solar and shape (geo) I am in. Sometimes, a
system. glimpse of the big picture helps us to
But right now, in these years, it may be take responsibility for whatever details
necessary to emphasize the heliocentric we are currently caught up in.
chart, if only because we have avoided The bottom line here is that you can
giving it any attention all these many read from the helio to the geo with
centuries. We are just playing catch up, confidence, but not from the geo to helio
if nothing more. Let me give another with the same confidence. Reading from
example that I mentioned before. the geo to the helio is an acquired skill
Astronomers do not calculate that, in my opinion, is not worth
astronomical information using the earth acquiring. After all, that is what we have
as a starting point and then deriving been trying to do for centuries. Just as
heliocentric coordinates, although it can the astronomers go from helio to geo, so
be done. It is just very involved and astrologers would be well advised to
round about. No, what astronomers do consider doing the same thing,
is to start with the heliocentric interpretively – start from the helio view
coordinates and then derive the and then move into the geo or personal
geocentric positions. view.

From Helio to Geo The Helio Chart

The order is from helio to geo, and not Now let‟s talk about what I feel the helio
from geo to helio, which is not to say it chart is all about. The view that I present
cannot be done the other way round. It here is more or less shared by other
just is very, very difficult. astrologers who have studied
heliocentrics, so this is not just by
Using this simple analogy, astrologers personal opinion.
have been deriving the inner or spiritual
(helio) part of astrology from the First of all, the helio appears to be a
personal and circumstantial (geo) chart chart of our inner or essential nature,
for centuries. Of course we can do it; we our inner self as opposed to our outer
have been doing it all this time. The personality, a chart more about how we
point is that it is so much easier, so are inside when someone gets to know
much clearer to just use the helio chart us, and as we get to know ourselves. I
to look at spiritual or inner issues and to like to call it the chart of an individual‟s
use the geocentric chart to look at the dharma, and thus the Dharma of Life-
outer-world of personal issues. Path Chart.
 Heliocentric Astrology Guide

When each of us is done going through patterns are graphic and cosmic
all our basic personal life changes, descriptions of what we might call basic
when we have rounded off all the rough life archetypes, basic approaches to life.
corners of our lives, what we will end up As mentioned, I call them dharma paths
with is our helio chart. The helio chart is and thus “Dharma Charts,” a chart of
about as close to that part of our self your main approach or path through life.
that is eternal or unchanging as we are For those interested in this technique in
going to get. more detail, see my book "StarTypes:
Your Dharma Chart Life-Path Partners," available in
paperback on Amazon.com
To be clear, I am not saying that the
helio chart is somehow God or even the
God in us, but what I am saying is that
between the absolute awareness (call it
God or Buddha or what-have-you?) and
our personality and life circumstances
are several main archetypes or dharma
paths – ways of being.
In other words, there are all kinds of
personalities and life circumstances,
probably as varied in number as there
are people in the world. Between these
endless personalities and whatever
common unity all persons ultimately
share are a number of basic archetypes
into which all these personalities can be
grouped. This is what StarTypes is
about, the basic archetypes or schools
of thought to which each of us belong.
We are all unique persons and we all
share some common essence. That is
well documented by philosophers,
psychologists, and poets the world over.
However, between these two extremes
are several groups, types and basic
ways of being that persons can be typed
as. I call them archetypes. They could
equally be called lineages, schools of
thought, approaches to life, etc. I hope
you get the general idea here.
Carl Jung and others have written about
archetypes and the concept should not
be unknown to those of you reading this.
The point is that these helio StarTypes,
these large whole-chart astrological