Astrologer and writer Barry Perlman joins host Jenn Zahrt from sunny Palm Springs, CA! Join the duo as they chat about deserted-island book picks and more, including: doing the “right” reading with the “wrong” chart; how to contribute to fate, not outsmart it; the nuances of opening squares versus closing squares; planetary aspects as storytellers, and more! Plus: beheaded palm trees, pondering when birth begins, and… is rectification necessary?

Barry Perlman joins Episode 75 of Within Orb!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

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Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded December 2024):

00:31 – Barry Perlman is an astrologer, writer, metaphysical entrepreneur, and magical human best known for his “astrobarry” horoscopes, published weekly from 2002 to 2018. As an astrologer, he taught, mentored, and consulted with clients worldwide, in addition to writing for media in the US and Australia. He co-created the first-ever Queer Astrology Conference (QAC), where he presented in 2013 and 2015. He also co-founded and owned The Raven’s Wing Magical Co., a thriving retail business, until it became a worker-owned co-op in 2022. He currently lives in southern California.

01:51 – After winning a friendly bookstore tussle, Barry’s first astrology text was The Only Way to Learn Astrology, Vol 1 by Marion March and Joan McEvers. (Volumes 2 and 3 quickly followed!)

05:09 – If Barry could bring only three books to a deserted island, his first pick would be The Moment of Astrology: Origins in Divination by Geoffrey Cornelius.

12:28 – Barry’s second choice would be The Lunation Cycle: A Key to the Understanding of Personality by Dane Rudhyar.

16:48 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Perfect for Capricorn season!)

17:34 – Barry offers an unofficial, leave-it-on-the-tarmac pick: Dynamics of Aspect Analysis: New Perceptions in Astrology by Bil Tierney.

21:58 – The third title Barry would bring is Planets in Transit: Life Cycles for Living by Robert Hand. (Barry also shouts out Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda and Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View by Richard Tarnas.)

31:50 – For beginners, Barry recommends any book by Derek and Julia Parker, especially Parkers' Astrology: The Definitive Guide to Using Astrology in Every Aspect of Your Life. This episode was recorded before the recent passing of Derek Parker. May he Rest in Peace.

33:41 – The best place to find Barry is on Instagram @astrobarry.

35:05 – 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.

Astrologer and psychologist Alejo López joins host Jenn Zahrt from Athens, Greece to chat about astrology books and more! Join the two as they dive into a heartfelt conversation about employing empathy and respect with natal chart work, as well as: the importance of midpoints; meteorological astrology for deserted-island weather predictions; using the mean motion to calculate Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions; mundane astrology, and more. Plus: distorted houses, beloved midpoints, and embracing Pluto transits!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, YouTube, and Bluesky.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded December 2024):

00:31 – Alejo López holds the Faculty of Astrological Studies Diploma where he teaches. He is a licensed psychologist with a second degree in Performing Arts and an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology from the Sophia Centre at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, where he received the 2023/2024 Alumni Association Dissertation Prize. He is training to become a certified Jungian analyst with the IAAP. Alejo works as a consultant astrologer and psychologist, aiming to foster self-awareness. He believes astrology’s symbolic language enables deep dialogue with hidden aspects of the self and the divine, guiding individuals toward authentic self-discovery.

01:07 – The book that got Alejo started was definitely something by Liz Greene! He suspects it was The Development of the Personality: Seminars in Psychological Astrology by Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas.

02:49 – If Alejo could bring only three books to a deserted island, his first pick would be Astrology of the World by Benjamin Dykes. (And Jenn references The Moment of Astrology: Origins in Divination by Geoffrey Cornelius!)

11:01 – Is this Within Orb: Survivor Edition? LOL! Changing his mind midstream (sorry, Sue Tompkins!), Alejo’s second choice would be Planets in Transit: Life Cycles for Living by Robert Hand.

12:14 – The third title Alejo would bring is The Combination of Stellar Influences by Reinhold Ebertin.

15:13 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Perfect for Capricorn season!)

16:00 – Alejo and Jenn noodle over how to help somebody going through a long transit. (We’re looking at you, Pluto!)

21:58 – For beginners, Alejo recommends: Star Power: A Simple Guide to Astrology for the Modern Mystic by Vanessa Montgomery; Astrology: Using the Wisdom of the Stars in Your Everyday Life by Carole Taylor; the previously mentioned The Development of the Personality by Greene and Sasportas; and (welcome back, Sue!) Aspects in Astrology: A Guide to Understanding Planetary Relationships in the Horoscope by Sue Tompkins.

30:46 – Find Alejo at his website: https://www.liminalcosmos.com/. On IG, his handle is @liminalcosmos.

31:31 – 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.

It’s the perfect throwback for winding down the year: Astrologer, author, and teacher Adam Elenbaas joined host Jenn Zahrt to chat books, astrology, ayahuasca, and more! In this episode: Sun signs as the astrology gateway; horary and conditions against judgment; serial reading to understand a text anew; astrology as a form of divination; and leaning into Hellenistic with a modern twist. Plus: wrong charts that work, Saturn in your ears, and the Lord of the Rings!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

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Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded September 2023):

00:01 – Jenn shares some super cool news about upcoming labs at CAELi, so check them out! (And here’s Adam’s Kickstarter page!)

02:01 – As an astrologer, author, and yoga instructor, Adam’s style of astrology stems from a deeply grounded, spiritual, and devotional approach to everyday life. He began practicing in 2010 and has completed more than 12,000 birth chart readings and led hundreds of students through his natal and horary astrology instruction programs. He also shares regular content on his popular YouTube and Instagram channels!

02:14 – The first astrology book Adam ever read was in 2006 or so: Your Sun Sign as a Spiritual Guide by Swami Kriyananda. He’d just been on an ayahuasca journey, and this archetypal exploration of the 12 Sun signs was deeply impactful. Tune in to hear about Adam’s intriguing path from ayahuasca to astrology, and how NYC astrologer Rebecca Gordon pushed him out of the nest!

11:56 – If Adam were stranded on a desert island, what three books would he take? First up: Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View. Author Richard Tarnas’s fascinating mapping of mundane transits through such a wide arc of history stems from deep roots in psychedelic, holotropic breathwork – literally “breathtaking in its scope” – mirroring part of Adam’s own journey into being a professional astrologer and public figure.

15:43 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

16:30 – Adam’s second selection is The Moment of Astrology: Origins in Divination by Geoffrey Cornelius. This philosophically meaningful work offers the worldview of astrology as a form of divination rather than simply empirical science.

21:56 – Finally, Adam would bring along William Lilly’s famous text on horary astrology, Christian Astrology. Every time he reads this one, he sees what Lilly is saying in new ways.

26:38 – Adam’s recommendations for beginners are many! Two massive texts for folks studying Hellenistic astrology are Demetra George’s Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques (Volumes I and II), and Chris Brennan’s Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune. To study archetypes, Adam offers Liz Greene’s works, and mentions the Center for Psychological Astrology. For modern astrology, no one can tell a story like Steven Forrest, so Adam suggests Forrest’s books – but especially The Book of the Moon: Discovering Astrology’s Lost Dimension. A good intro to traditional astrology is On the Heavenly Spheres by the late Helena Avelar and the still-living Luis Ribeiro. For those interested in horary, check out Derek Appleby’s Horary Astrology: An Introduction to the Astrology of Time and John Frawley’s The Horary Textbook – Revised Edition. Last but not least, for mundane astrology, the previously mentioned Cosmos and Psyche is a keeper.

29:32 – Learn more about Adam at https://nightlightastrology.com/. And if you like his work, here’s his Kickstarter!

30:09 – 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.

Astrologer, writer, and teacher Kira Ryberg joins host Jenn Zahrt this week from magnifique Paris, France! Kira and Jenn sit down for an energizing chat about astrology books and other bonus goodies, including: how the bounds add personal flavor; the daimon; digging into the decans; zodiacal releasing, and more. All that, plus: the lunar mansions, Jupiter in Leo equating with floods (say what?!), and reasons to be distanced from the essential dignity scoreboard!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, YouTube, and Bluesky.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded November 2024):

00:31 – Kira Ryberg is a professional astrologer who specializes in natal and electional astrology. She illuminates the threads of fate for her students and clients, fostering a deeper connection between them and the cosmos. Kira has been published in The Mountain Astrologer, featured on The Astrology Podcast, and authored several guidebooks on niche astrological topics. She also teaches her astrology students how to explore and work with the cosmic patterns that shape their lives.

03:57 – The book that got Kira started was Astrology for Yourself: How to Understand and Interpret Your Own Birth Chart by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.

05:13 – If Kira could bring only three books to a deserted island, her first pick would be The Daimon in Hellenistic Astrology: Origins and Influence by Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum.

08:58 – Kira’s second choice would be the out-of- and hopefully soon-to-be-back-in-print 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans by Austin Coppock. 

17:05 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (You know you want one!)

24:48 – The third title Kira would bring is The Anthology by Vettius Valens, with Mark Riley (translator) and Chris Brennan (editor)—and, a little-known fun fact, our own Jenn as book layout designer! Andrea Gehrz also gets a shout-out for her translation and publication of Valens through her Portland, OR–based Moira Press!

31:15 – For beginners, Kira recommends: the previously mentioned Astrology for Yourself by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch and You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas. Kira has also published a guidebook called The Baby Astro Guidebook: A Beginners Guide to Traditional Astrology – so check it out!

32:34 – Find Kira at her website: https://www.kiraryberg.com/. On IG and Threads, her handle is @kirastrologyy; on Bluesky it’s @kirastrology.

33:22 – 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.

Astrologer, artist, and writer Nate Speare joins host Jenn Zahrt from Brooklyn, NY in a fun episode covering Nate’s wide-ranging list of astrology (and non-astrology) books they’d bring to a deserted island! Pack your little green suitcase and join the duo in a discussion of: the value of mythology and storytelling; challenging anthropological and historical assumptions about humanity; astrological magic and remediation; the teleological reality of living into the soul’s code; tertiary progressions, and much more! Plus: insatiable longing and the 8th house, the fluidity of identity, and cosmic lobsters abound!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

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Follow CAELi on FB, IG, YouTube, and Bluesky.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded November 2024):

00:31 – Nate Speare (M.F.A.) is a multidisciplinary artist, astrologer and writer. Their work offers generative possibilities of revisioning life, within and through: therapeutic storytelling, shadow work, pleasure-centered bodywork, unblocking creativity through vocal magic, and astrological approaches to sex and desire (Astro-Erotics), and to the unfoldment of the soul’s code of their readers and clients. Their therapeutic storytelling work has been featured at the United Nations and in programs for public school students living with a disability and incarcerated men at Rikers Island. Their practice, Weird Astro Body, includes client work, performances, and writings. They are co-artistic director of Nekyia Theatre and live and work in Brooklyn, NY.

02:12 – At age eight, the book that got Nate started was The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider. But their first serious astrological books included Jungian Symbolism in Astrology and The Heavens Declare: Astrological Ages and the Evolution of Consciousness – both by Alice Howell – and Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil by Liz Greene. Finally, Nate includes a book titled Aspects: A New Approach to Understanding the Planetary Relationships in Your Chart (from the Special Topics in Astrology series) by Robin Antepara.

05:35 – If Nate could bring only three books to a deserted island, their first pick would be Myth Atlas: Maps and Monsters, Heroes and Gods from Twelve Mythological Worlds by Thiago de Moraes. (And a weird fiction and science fiction shout-out goes to authors Jeff VanderMeer and Ursula K. Le Guin!)

08:00 – Nate’s second choice would be The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow.

08:43 – The third title Nate would bring is Astrology and Your Vital Force: Healing with Cosmic Rays and DNA Resonance by Judith Hill.

09:44 – Sneaking in a fourth book, Nate offers Astrological Remediation: A Guide for the Modern Practitioner by Andrea Gehrz.

09:58 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

10:45 – Giving a nod to their gateway into astrology, Nate mentions authors James Hillman, Rafael López-Pedraza, and Joseph Campbell. Also, a hat tip goes to Ensoulment by Porphyry of Tyre, with Sara Beth Brooks (editor) and Andrea Gehrz (translator).

26:38 – For beginners, Nate recommends: Experiential Astrology: From the Map to the Territory by Antero Alli; The Shamanic Astrology Handbook by Daniel Giamario, with Cayelin Castell; and Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle by Rob Brezsny.

31:13 – Find Nate at their website: https://www.weirdastrobody.com/. On social, you can find Nate: @weird.astro.body (IG and TikTok); @NateSpeare (FB); and Wyrd Astro Body (Substack). And check out their Kickstarter page!

32:22 – 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.

Astrologer, teacher, and podcaster Christina Caudill joins host Jenn Zahrt from Virginia to talk about evolutionary astrology and the books she loves! Join the duo for a fun and lively discussion covering: the nuances of retrograde planets; midlife (and later life!) transits; living life on your own terms; essential dignity; tertiary progressions, and more! Plus: flipping the script, graveyard charts, and the value of relaxing and just letting transits happen.

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, YouTube, and Bluesky.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded July 2024):

00:31 – Christina Caudill has been an evolutionary astrologer, teacher, and transformation coach since 2013. She is certified in evolutionary astrology through the Pluto School and is pursuing the Advanced Training Certificate in Applied Archetypal Astrology at Pacifica. She is trained in Co-Active Coaching through CTI; ancestral medicine under Sobonfu Some and Dr. Daniel Foor; and received shamanic rites through the Four Winds Society. Christina has presented as NORWAC, the Astrological Association of the UK, and hosted the Astrology of Awakening Summits I & II. She is the host of The Radiant Astrology Podcast.

00:55 – The book that got Christina started was Sextrology: The Astrology of Sex and the Sexes by Quinn Cox and Stella Starsky. She also found value in Astrology for the Soul by Jan Spiller.

02:37 – If Christina could bring only three books to a deserted island, her first pick would be Retrograde Planets: Traversing the Inner Landscape by Erin Sullivan.

06:38 – Packing a second Sullivan book, Christina’s next choice would be The Astrology of Midlife and Aging!

09:43 – The third title Christina would bring is Healing the Soul: Pluto, Uranus and the Lunar Nodes by Mark Jones.

15:57 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

16:43 – For beginners, Christina recommends The Soul Speaks: The Therapeutic Potential of Astrology by Mark Jones and Planets in Play: How to Reimagine Your Life Through the Language of Astrology by Laurence Hillman.

31:06 – Find Christina at her website: https://www.radiantastrology.com/. On YouTube and social, she is @RadiantAstrology. And The Radiant Astrology Podcast is available on Apple and Spotify!

31:43 – 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.

It’s a week for gratitude, so it’s the perfect time for a throwback from the archives of appreciation! Astrologer, teacher, and historian Gary Lorentzen joined host Jenn Zahrt in this sweet reunion episode: Gary was Jenn’s first astrology teacher in high school! Join the warmth as Gary and Jenn chat about must-know books, archetypal shifts in history, the intersection of synchronicity and physics, the four humors, humanistic psychological approaches, the eight phases in progressions, the Barbault index, and more. Plus: humans as meaning-making creatures; measuring time vs. marking time; and… can you guess what the least lucrative form of astrology is?

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, and YouTube.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded June 2023):

00:01 – Jenn offers a little intro and shares some exciting news about upcoming content! And if you’d like to connect with producer Jen Braun about starting a podcast, visit her website.

01:50 – Gary has been studying astrology since 1972. He takes not only a psychological approach to interpretation, but also focuses on what he dubs “astro-history” (the mundane studies of history and geopolitics). He’s an educator who is trained as a historian, with a graduate degree in Medieval Germanic Linguistics. Gary was one of the original founders of Kepler College and helped to develop the curriculum for Kepler’s bachelor program. He also served as president of the Washington State and Oregon Astrological Associations.

02:10 – Gary remembers initially buying two astrology books back in the day. First up: Dane Rudhyar’s The Astrology of Personality, which gave Gary a practical way of looking at astrology and observing its applications. He also purchased Marc Edmund Jones’s Astrology: How and Why It Works; this one is a wonderful, and challenging, philosophical text. (And did Gary write the date and time he bought these texts on the inside covers? Yes, he did – a budding astrologer for sure!)

06:05 – What other books changed Gary’s astrology life? Three Books on Life by Marsilio Ficino, who basically did modern psychological astrology in the 15th century! In this text, Gary sees the intellectual threads that led to Rudhyar and humanistic psychology. Also, the tome Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View by Richard Tarnas makes the list.

15:36 – Gary explains how he became an astro-historian, which differs from mundane astrology.

16:46 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

17:32 – The books that helped Gary develop his practice with astro-history include: Planetary Cycles: Mundane Astrology by André Barbault; The Book of World Horoscopes by Nick Campion; and Cycles of Becoming by Alexander Ruperti. (Included is a lovely side trip to Cosmobiology: The Engine of Destiny by Marc Robertson, where Gary gives an elegant description of the eight phases of any two planets in the progressed chart.)

26:34 – For beginners, Gary would recommend something formulaic, like Joanne Wickenburg’s The Spiral of Life: Unlocking Your Potential With Astrology. This one offers a great foundation!

29:57 – Find Gary at his site: http://garylorentzen.com/. And check out the blog post he references, Planetary Pairs and the Aspects in the Eight Phases of their Synodic Cycles.

30:30 – 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.

Astrologer, musician, and teacher Fred Abong joins host Jenn Zahrt from Rhode Island to rock out on books and more! Join these pals, as they discuss: astrology in the ivory tower; ancient Hindu astrology; relationship charts; astro*carto*graphy; midpoints, and more! Plus: eyeballing the Saturn return, taking a peek at the Aries point, and… start simple and stay simple!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, and YouTube.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded July 2024):

00:31 – Fred Abong is a singer/songwriter and one time bass player for influential art-punk band Throwing Muses and indie-pop band Belly. Prior to that, Fred was active as a drummer and bass player in numerous bands centered on the Newport, RI hardcore punk scene. In addition to playing music, Fred earned his PhD in Humanities in 2016.

03:38 – The books that got Fred started include Heaven Knows What by Grant Lewi and Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western Astrologer by James Braha. Fred also gives a hat tip to Braha’s How to Be a Great Astrologer: The Planetary Aspects Explained. And Jenn mentions Astrology for Millions by Lewi as well!

09:16 – If Fred could bring only three books to a deserted island, his first pick would be Braha’s previously mentioned Ancient Hindu Astrology for the Modern Western Astrologer. Also, Fred mentions the bonus book Planets in Composite: Analyzing Human Relationships by Robert Hand.

12:16 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

13:03 – Fred’s second choice would be The Psychology of Astro*carto*graphy by Jim Lewis with contributions by Kenneth Irving.

15:08 – The third title Fred would bring is The Combination of Stellar Influences by Reinhold Ebertin.

22:18 – For beginners, Fred recommends getting a mentor! Fred studied with Vedic astrologer Gary Gomes, which was a wonderful way to learn.

26:23 – Find Fred at his website: https://www.fredabongastrology.com/.

27:12 – 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.

Astrologer, blacksmith, and writer Whitney Hill joins host Jenn Zahrt from North Carolina for a philosophical deep dive! Join the two as they chat about astrology and philosophy books (and more!), including: traditional astrology as a starting point; the translations that come down through history; the stoics; and understanding the idea of fate. Plus: a 12th-house-year pilgrimage, planetary hours, and… tigers versus coconuts!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

Love the show? Support our work with a financial contribution or book donation.

Follow CAELi on FB, IG, and YouTube.

Transcripts available upon request.

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

*****

Episode timestamps (conversation recorded August 2024):

00:31 – Whitney Hill is a creator, scholar, and pathfinder who forges magical experiences. As an astrologer, she uses convergence research to gain and share a deeper understanding of both astrological techniques and fate. As a blacksmith, she crafts nature-inspired tools for magical practices. Whitney also writes award-winning fiction and speaks on writing and indie publishing. Catch up with her latest research and insights on astrology, fate, and magic in The Ibis Nest at cobraandcrescent.com/join-ibis-nest.

02:57 – The books that got Whitney started include Astrology for Real Life by Theresa Reed, Astrology and the Authentic Self: Integrating Traditional and Modern Astrology to Uncover the Essence of the Birth Chart by Demetra George, and On the Heavenly Spheres by Helena Avelar and Luis Campos Ribeiro.

04:24 – If Whitney could bring only three books to a deserted island, they would be Abu Ma'shar Al-Balkhi’s Persian Nativities IV: On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities (translated by Benjamin Dykes), and Demetra George’s series Ancient Astrology in Theory & Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques. Whitney would also take a philosophy book, as she’s been studying the stoics and the philosophical thought underpinning astrology!

11:22 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

12:09 – Jenn and Whitney break down Whitney’s third choice, which would be The Philosophy of Chrysippus by Josiah B. Gould.

24:45 – For beginners, Whitney recommends Reed’s previously mentioned Astrology for Real Life, as well as Chris Brennan’s Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune.

26:16 – Find Whitney at her website: https://www.cobraandcrescent.com/. On Instagram and Threads, her handle is @cobraandcrescent.

26:46 – 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.

Astrologer and podcaster Elly Higgins joins host Jenn Zahrt from Western Massachusetts to chat astrology (and non-astrology) books and more! Join them as they cover lots of territory, including: an Orphic hymns relational moment; astrology and the Islamicate tradition; and queer time versus straight time. Plus: a soul massage, the Hellenistic revival, and looking for patterns!

Visit CAELi’s Within Orb pod page!

Learn more about the CAELi Institute.

Visit our bookshop.org page to support CAELi and purchase books mentioned on the show!

Become a CAELi member or renew your membership!

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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 August 2024):

00:31 – Elly Higgins is a consulting astrologer, massage therapist, and podcast host based in Western Massachusetts. He is the host of Star Gays: The Queer Astrology Archives Podcast, which examines the lives of important queer artists and activists through their astrology. His astrological lineage is primarily Hellenistic, but he is guided by queer liberation struggles and queer lineage building.

01:23 – Elly’s very first astrology book was You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas. Early on, he also read Astrology and the Authentic Self: Integrating Traditional and Modern Astrology to Uncover the Essence of the Birth Chart by Demetra George.

05:47 – If Elly could bring only three books to a deserted island, his first choice would be a collection of the Orphic Hymns.

10:34 – Elly’s second choice would be Abu Ma'shar Al-Balkhi’s Persian Nativities IV: On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities, translated by Benjamin Dykes.

18:05 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)

18:52 – The third title Elly would bring is Cruising Utopia by José Esteban Muñoz.

30:51 – For beginners, Elly recommends the previously mentioned books You Were Born for This by Chani Nicholas and Astrology and the Authentic Self by Demetra George. Additionally, he recommends Astrology for Yourself: How to Understand and Interpret Your Own Birth Chart by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch. In the non-text world, Elly also suggests Chris Brennan’s The Astrology Podcast.

33:03 – Find Elly at his website: https://ellyhiggins.com/. And check out his show, Star Gays: The Queer Astrology Archives Podcast!

34:34 – 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.