The Introduction to Hellenistic Astrology Course is designed to provide a detailed overview of the history, philosophy and techniques of Hellenistic astrology.
The course is presented online through a private course site that each student gains access to upon registering.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the ancient Hellenistic tradition of astrology, which is a tradition of Greco-Roman astrology that was practiced from approximately the 1st century BCE until the 7th century CE.
The course covers the history and origins of the early tradition of horoscopic astrology, as well as the philosophical, theoretical and technical underpinnings of the system.
Students will finish the course with a strong foundation in the techniques and practice of Hellenistic astrology, having gained greater confidence in how to interpret birth charts in a systematic and accurate manner.
The course includes the following:
- A detailed course manual in downloadable PDF format which contains over 150 pages of reading material that was written exclusively for the course.
- Over 20 hours of audio lectures with accompanying slideshow presentations on different facets of Hellenistic astrology. Click here for an example of a slide from one of the lectures.
- Dozens of downloadable diagrams which help to explicate technical concepts. Click here for an example diagram of the concepts of planetary enclosure and intervention.
- Guided readings of translations of ancient astrological texts, with primers on basic vocabulary and concepts in order to allow students to read more advanced material on their own.
- Access to online discussion forums in which students discuss concepts and techniques related to Hellenistic astrology.
Synopsis of Each Part of the Course
Part One – History and Philosophy
The first part of the course provides a broad overview of the history and philosophy of ancient astrology. In this section we deal with some of the historical undercurrents which fostered the development of Hellenistic astrology. Topics such as the origins of Hellenistic astrology, its legendary founders, mystery schools present in the early tradition, and the different philosophical approaches underlying the system are discussed.
Part Two – Basic Technical Overview
The second part of the course focuses on basic techniques in Hellenistic astrology, with an overview of the core concepts of the system. This primarily involves an analysis of the ancient approach to dealing with the planets, signs, houses and aspects.
This part of the course sets a foundation for a more precise approach to predictive astrology by introducing a number of basic interpretive concepts and distinctions that are missing from modern astrology.
Part Three – Advanced Techniques and Timing
The third part of the course covers more advanced techniques that allow the astrologer to make statements about the direction of a person’s life as a whole, including some specific timing techniques that are used to determine the activation of certain placements in the birth chart. This section also provides an introduction to a collection of Hellenistic timing techniques known as “time-lord” systems.
The premise of the Hellenistic time-lord techniques is that not all placements in a given natal chart are operating at their fullest potential at any given moment in time, but rather, there are specific periods in a native’s life when certain planets or points in the chart become awakened or activated, thus drawing out the full potential of those natal placements.
The time-lord technique known as Annual Profections is dealt with extensively during this part of the course. This technique is used in order to determine exactly when certain planets will be activated in a native’s life in a given year, thus allowing the astrologer to pinpoint the most important transits that will actually coincide with an event. Annual Profections are also used to provide the context for interpreting transits, in order to determine which area of the native’s life a specific transit will be relevant towards (i.e. finances, children, career, relationships, etc.).
In the course we explore one of the more advanced approaches to Annual Profections that did not survive into the Medieval and Modern traditions of astrology, so as to provide each student with a more systematic and accurate method for predicting precise events about the future.
Part Four – Advanced Timing Techniques
The fourth section of the course covers an advanced time-lord technique known as Zodiacal Releasing, which is one of the most powerful and accurate time-lord systems that has been recovered from the Hellenistic tradition to date.
Zodiacal Releasing is used in order to divide a native’s life into broad spans of time or chapters, with each chapter being ruled by a specific sign of the zodiac and a specific planet. In this part of the course students will learn how the technique can be used in order to study peak periods in a native’s life with respect to certain topics such as one’s career or relationships.
When used in coordination with Annual Profections and transits, Zodiacal Releasing provides astrologers with a powerful system for determining information about the course of a native’s life, and in this way astrology once again becomes a reliable tool for predicting the future.
Separate Modules: Annual Profections and Zodiacal Releasing are included in the full introduction to Hellenistic astrology course, although they are also offered as modules that can be purchased separately from the complete course if you only want to study one of those techniques. For more information please see the Annual Profections Module page or the Zodiacal Releasing Module page.
Flexible Participation Requirements
Once registered for the course each student will gain unlimited access to the course site, thus allowing them to work with the material at their own pace. Since the course is presented online each person is able to adapt it to their own schedule. There are no specific times that students need to be available for the course, and the completion of assignments is optional.
Each week students may choose to participate in the class and get feedback by responding to study board question in the student forums, or by completing short optional written assignment on the topics covered during a particular part of the course.
For many people the main purpose of the course is simply to gain access to the study material, and for that reason the completion of assignments is not required.
Accessing the Course
The entire course is presented online through a private course site that each student gains access to upon registration. New students can register and gain access to the course site at any time. Since the course is presented online there are no specific times that students need to be available for the course, and each person is able to study at their own pace. When a new student registers for the course they will receive a user name and a password shortly thereafter by email, and at that point they will be able to log in to the course site and begin studying at their leisure.
Important Note: A broadband internet connection is required for the course in order to download audio files that would take a while on slower connections.
Registering for the Course
The price for the introduction to Hellenistic astrology course is currently $125 USD, and you can register for it simply by using one of the Paypal “buy now” buttons located on this page. After completing your payment you will be redirected to a page which contains a new student form. (If you are not redirected then please send an email to Chris Brennan at [email protected] and request a new student form.) Once you have completed the new student form you will receive an email with your user name and password for the course site, and instructions for getting started.
If you have any questions about the course then please contact Chris Brennan through the email address listed on the contact page.
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