This week, we’re tossing it back to a comprehensive and fun episode! Astrologer Alberto Forero joined host Jenn Zahrt from San Francisco, California to offer a myriad of astrology texts, bolstered by his Gemini sense of curiosity! In this chat, Alberto and Jenn covered some wonderful territory, including: fixed stars and constellations; bringing astronomy into astrology; the Uranus/North Node conjunction in Taurus; symbolism and metaphors; when astrology went underground; balancing temperament; physiognomy and cultural biases; astro charts with thumbprint patterns; Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta; sensitive degrees; extending ephemerides; a hypothetical map of astro migration and data visualization; fantasteroids; creating degree symbols; and geomancy. Plus: rethinking book cover designs, reporting from humanity’s living room, and… a degree system based on David Bowie albums!

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Transcripts available upon request.

Song “Wake Up” used with permission by The E-Block Band.

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Episode timestamps (conversation recorded June 2024):

00:01 – Jenn introduces the show and offers some great new classes: Join her for the CAELi Lab on Comparative House Systems starting February 12 and her Kepler College Advanced Progressions class with Camm Cassidy starting February 16!

02:38 – Alberto Forero has studied and practiced astrology since 2017, practicing both traditional and modern techniques in bringing ancient wisdom to clients. His interest in astrology emerged from several threads: fascination with symbolism, psychology, and alchemy. Alberto serves as President of the San Francisco Astrological Society and is the co-host of the YouTube astrology game show “Astrology Deathmatch.”

03:05– Alberto found astrology when a work colleague did a reading for him, and he got the astro-bug! His very first book was Parker's Astrology (New Edition): The Definitive Guide to Using Astrology in Every Aspect of Your Life Paperback by Julia and Derek Parker.

06:24 – If Alberto could pack only three books on a long trip, what would he bring? The first one would be the voluminous Secrets of the Ancient Skies, Vol. 1 and 2 by Diana K. Rosenberg. This text offers a massive amount of knowledge, and the historical info is vast. It also offers good info on fixed stars and constellations.

09:41 – Alberto’s second choice is The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols by Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, and translated by John Buchanan-Brown. This one is like popcorn for your mind, and it helps Alberto with the symbolic understanding of reality!

15:34 – The third title that Alberto would bring is the wonderful Temperament: Astrology's Forgotten Key by Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum, because it helps get a good baseline sense of a person.

18:45 – Interlude: Join the CAELi Support Drive and for only $35, you can enjoy your morning beverage out of a gorgeous CAELi mug!

19:32 – Alberto also shared some Gemini bonus books! A hat tip goes to: Your Destiny in Thumb: Indian System of Thumb Reading by R. G. Ra; Ephemerides of the Asteroids: Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta, 1900-2000 by Eleanor Bach; the controversial Rules for Planetary Pictures (Uranian System): Adapted from the Teachings of Alfred Witte by Hans Niggemann; Astrology and the Modern Psyche by Dane Rudhyar; and Astrolabium Planum by Johann Engel. And Jenn gave a shout-out to A Graphic Ephemeris of Sensitive Degrees also by Eleanor Bach!

28:39 – Wondering what fantasteroids are? Learn about them here!

32:31 – For beginners, Alberto recommends The Geomancer's Handbook: Divination and Magic by John Michael Greer, and Astrology: Using the Wisdom of the Stars in Your Everyday Life by Carole Taylor.

38:02 – Find Alberto at his website: https://www.translationoflight.org/. And he’s also the curator of @MuseumAstro on Twitter/X (the visual history of astrology).

38:33 – Thanks for listening to Within Orb! If you love the show, please help support it at no cost to you: Follow or subscribe wherever you listen, rate it five stars, or write a happy review! And if you’d like to become a CAELi member or support our work with a contribution of any amount, we’d be delighted – thanks!

Show notes by Jen Braun, JJ Boots Productions LLC.