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 Art of Synthesis
An Online College of Astrology Textbook
ASTRO 106

By Evan Bortnick

Published by the ONLINE College of Astrology

P.O. Box 85 Basye, VA 22810
Web: http://www.astrocollege.com
E-mail: info@astrocollege.com

First Electronic Edition: 2004

Copyright ©2004 Evan Bortnick. All rights reserved.
ISBN: 0-9727238-8-9

No part of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed in

any form without the express written consent of the publisher,
except for brief passages which may be quoted in reviews.

The authors and the publisher have made every effort to ensure
the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in
this book. However, they assume no responsibility for errors,
omissions, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies contained herein.
Cover Art and E-book Production by Vicky Perrone

i
 Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Lesson One
Chart Themes 2

Lesson Two
Fixed Stars 5

Lesson Three
Fixed Stars II 23

Lesson Four
Chiron: The Wounded Healer 27

Lesson Five
Asteroids: Goddess Archetypes 32

Lesson Six
Asteroids: Goddess Archetypes II 44

Lesson Seven
Introduction to “Mystery” Charts 56
ii
Lesson Eight
Chart Synthesis 58

Lesson Nine
Mystery Chart I 62

Lesson Ten
Mystery Chart II 64

Lesson Eleven
Mystery Chart III 66

Lesson Twelve
Mystery Chart IV 68

iii
 Art of Synthesis
Introduction:
The overall intention of this 106 course is the examination and drilling of chart
synthesis. As a painter does a rough sketch first in pencil, as a musician jots
themes and motifs in development, so do we, as astrologers, allow our perception
to collate and synthesize our observations in an order specific to whom we are.
The first few chapters/weeks of the course consist of an overview of additional
important astrological factors. We begin by reviewing the Archetypes themselves
and move into a study of the Fixed Stars, Chiron and the Goddesses in symbolic
Asteroid form. Yet you will notice, at this point of our studies, that we are actually
synthesizing already. The observations on the Fixed Stars, Chiron, Vesta, Pallas,
Ceres and Juno contain numerous references to that which we’ve already studied.

I’d like to first take this opportunity to give affectionate thanks to OCA’s president
and my astrological Mentor, Ena Stanley, whose brilliance one can easily take for
granted, considering it’s such a consistent part of her presence. There is no single
place in this, or any of my work, where her loving and guiding hand cannot be felt.

1
 Chart Themes
Lesson One

The first lessons of this book consist of an overview of the Archetypes and how they
symbolically manifest through the horoscope. It is highly recommended, if you haven’t
done so already, that you purchase and review Ena Stanley’s highly acclaimed text, The
Archetypes: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Planets, Signs and Houses, available also as
an e-book on the OCA site. We will incorporate the important material from this book;
we will examine methods of integration and Synthesis and evoke your own personal
communication and analysis style.

When you first look at a chart, what is your initial focus? Is it the elements? Is it the
hemisphere emphasis? Is it a Sun-Moon feeling blend? Why is your particular approach
the one you have chosen? Does your approach lead you into the chart, curious about what
may correspond to your initial impression and what may not? Or, is your approach a
bastion against too much information, always a menace when trying to keep things
simple?

The Signature as Symbolic of Element and Modality

There has been much written and much spoken about which factors take precedence in a
horoscope and which serve to support and enhance. No one will deny, for example, that
the Sun as personal symbol has great depictive power and, therefore, has a great deal of
weight in our analysis. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are often referred to as collective or
trans-social energies. The asteroids and Chiron are coming more into regular use. Should
these be considered as well? If so, how? When evaluating the Signature, or Elemental
Balance, for example, what ‘weight’ should we give what planets? It often seems that
there are almost as many ‘systems’ of weighting as there are astrologers. What are our
criteria for taking these in? Examining how we can develop our own system, or systems,
for handling these important questions of measurement and weighting is another part of
this lesson’s focus.

2
Developing An Eye for Repeated Messages
In working with personal horoscopes, astrologers have, over the years, noticed how the
symbols often conglomerate around central themes. There are always core symbolic
messages in the horoscope, which invariably thrust themselves at the astrologer. Moon
square Pluto, Saturn quincunx the ruler of the Fourth, Chiron conjunct the Lunar North
Node, a Void in Water, Southern hemisphere emphasis, and so on—all bear a message
about how the subject is wired to take in nourishment, emotionally, physically,
psychologically, universally; and the message, as in this example, repeats itself in varying
and subtle forms. Some call this “The Law of Three.” I like to call it “Stanley’s Law,”
named after the mentor who so emphasized it for me in my studies at OCA. It’s uncanny
sometimes how similar archetypal messages come in systems of three.

You will find this kind of repeated message in every single chart you examine, once you
develop an eye for it. This is the kind of thing that makes an astrologer’s work nice and
easy. You immediately know what a consultation is going to revolve around. Once you’ve
located one (or more) of these messages, additional symbolic measurements will either
enhance and support it, or contrast it in some way. This is what makes the ‘being’ of
human-being so fascinating and complex. We will practice seeking these messages out,
yet remaining open for enhancing symbolic messages.

Boiling Down, Cutting to the Crux, Purifying, Simplifying—And Leaving

Enough Space for Movement and Consciousness

Imagine two different astrologers. The first is the basic Sun-Sign astrologer, of newspaper
column fame, corresponding to the mass stereotype of what an astrologer does. The
second has an astrological ‘work-up’ which takes well over three hours. He/she includes
all the Arabic parts, all the asteroids, Sidereal, Tropical and Draconic positions, the Trans-
Neptunians, harmonics, midpoints, every aspect ever worked with, and wide orbs, so as
not to miss anything. Now imagine what this second astrologer’s printout, or chart work-
up, looks like. These two extremes form a polarity from very simple to very complicated.
In other words, we could sum up a chart, purely and simply in one short sentence, or we
could talk for three days, non-stop, and accompany that with a 200-page written tome on
factor analysis, and still only have delineated a fraction of what’s potentially there.

Somewhere between these two extremes is where we find ourselves. It is of great value to
state something purely and simply. It is of great value to bring to expression the
complexity of any given dynamic. During this course of study, we will be practicing
delineating archetypal qualities succinctly, yet leaving enough room for fantasy, growth
and consciousness to enter.

3
Basic Challenges, Expressed Symbolically, Experienced as
Conflict;Basic Flow, Expressed Symbolically, Experienced as Ease
It’s not always simple to grasp what dynamics in a chart are experienced as ‘gifts’ and
which are experienced as ‘curses.’ A square, on the one hand, implies obvious
developmental tension in its symbology. Yet it is exactly that tension that often represents
hard-won talents and productive capacities. A square can also be crushing of talents,
capacities, and being.

In contrast, a Trine implies an easy flowing of archetypal energies. Yet it is just this
symbolic ease that can result in a do-nothing, wait-and-see attitude and a lackadaisicalness
that moves nothing, not even consciousness. A Trine can also be nice and easy-going,
pleasant and lucky. Is there a way to anticipate which way it is going to go? If we can’t get
a ‘bead’ on it, how do we proceed? Different strategies to do just this will be discussed.

Summing Up the Themes

Obviously this first chapter is more a collection of questions than of how-tos. It addresses
the themes of the first week of ASTRO106 and our basic, open-ended approach, using the
methods we’ve learned so far. What we’re after most of all in this course is an expansion
up and out of the use of jargon. Astrologese is always only the first step. Always
remember that your clients usually will not speak it. A clear and pure use of language to
describe the human condition is our ultimate goal. Using an excess of unexplained jargon
in communication would be literally like simply handing out sheet music to an audience
who has come to hear a concert. They’ve come to hear the music and you’re giving it to
them in a form meant as a starting point for the musician!

Practice — Self-Study
Please find someone you know reasonably well, someone whose chart you haven’t yet
analyzed in depth. Locate, verify and re-verify the correct birth information and do a
basic work-up. Keep in mind the questions asked above and take careful note of exactly
where your eye goes and in what order. It is recommended that you keep a journal for
your work here and use it as a measure of your own growth and sophistication.

4
 Fixed Stars
Lesson Two

Introduction
For years astrologers have looked to individual stars and seen correlations with earthly
events and human lives. We’ve all heard or read about rising Sirius’ association with the
rising of the Nile and its consequent foundation of the Egyptian calendar. Bright stars
close to the ecliptic itself, such as Antares, Heart of the Scorpion, or Regulus, Heart of the
Lion, have spun their historically and symbolically rich stories throughout countless ages
and cultures. Anything which can be written on 20 pages, on 200, even on 2000 pages
will simply be scratching the surface of this deep and fascinating subject. Its traditions
and symbolism date back to the dawn of our time, here and beyond. Sailors and travelers
have long used star positions to navigate. Birds migrate thousands of miles each year by
the lights and configurations of these stars. These next two lessons can only hope to
encourage you to dig ever deeper into these evocative points of light in the night sky.

Ancient Traditions, Modern Usage

For me, the fixed stars carried a dangerous and frightening load. I think this was because their
descriptions were so often rife with specific negative symbolic effects. One can find this same
kind of negativity in older descriptions of the ‘hard’ aspects, to use one example, or in references
to Saturn and Mars – the greater and lesser malefics – to use another. We’ve learned by now that
this is not necessarily so. Hard aspects may symbolize tension, in its neutral sense, yet not
automatically bad results or a damning fate. Saturn and Mars may represent personal dynamics
which are often difficult to integrate; but again, they don’t guarantee that areas in which they are
found will always go badly. Just so for fixed stars. They suggest powerful forces, to be sure; but
we must be sure, in our understanding of them, that human beings modulate these forces in
different ways along a gamut of development.

In our study of fixed stars it’s useful to always keep in mind the precession phenomenon. The
meanings of these stars hang together within the constellations in which they are placed. These
constellations, in turn, hang together with strong associations of our ecliptic signs. One good
example is Aldebaran, a bright royal star, in the eye of the Bull, in the constellation of Taurus.
Much of what this star symbolizes is strongly derived from the meaning of “The Bull” itself…
courage, power, strength, violence. Yet the star is now in the sign of Gemini and has been since
around 1300. What does this tell us? We can be sure that it is definitely not without deep
meaning. Be curious about it. Is there an atavistic connection for us, today, with this specific 9 –

5
10 Gemini degree area with the symbolism of Taurus? Let’s have a look at the Sabian Symbol
for 10 Gemini:

”An airplane dives towards the Earth as though

falling, but rights and recovers itself with smooth
gracefulness.”

We can see the connection here between Air and Earth – the fatal threat of falling back into an
earlier way of being, out of which we have evolved at this symbolic degree point and in this, our
present age. The significance of this changes slowly over time. What if the Sun is at this degree
area in a natal chart, which is otherwise void of the Earthy element? Or in a chart with an
emphasis on Earth? Is this not something which can be symbolically formative? Especially in
such a bright star, so close to the ecliptic? This is not something we want to remain ignorant of
as astrologers.

The Brightest Stars and Their Traditions

These descriptions are taken from my own work with fixed stars in consultation over the years
and are highly influenced by my mentor, Ena Stanley. Of course, I’ve also been influenced by the
many wonderful books and study texts I’ve read, as well as the texts in such astro-software as
Solar Fire and Starlight. It would be too cumbersome, in the context of this e-book, to go back
and find each and every reference in these texts. My purpose here is to give you a frame of
reference and to stimulate your curiosity and inquiry. The depth which you will surely find in
your work with them will come from reading, thinking, discussion and hands-on research.

I begin each of the stars I’ve chosen with their position over the years, so you can make a quick
reference to Celestial Longitude degree-equivalent areas. Debate rages over the exact and proper
way to use stars, and how the ancients used them. I definitely do not want to address any of these
debates in this course of study. In the coming weeks we will only examine the basic required
Fixed Stars and come to an understanding of how they can be used.

6
 Algol

1920 1950 1980 2000

25Tau02 25Tau28 25Tau53 26Tau10

This star is traditionally associated with violence, misfortune, decapitation, hanging, suffocation,
fire, electrocution, and yet also artistry and music. It’s been referred to as the most evil star in the
heavens. It’s even said that the word “Alcohol” has its derivation in this name. Hebrew
mythology referenced this star with the biblical figure of Lilith. Algol is the head of Medusa, the
Gorgon, slain by Perseus. Originally, this Gorgon was a beautiful woman named Medusa.
Minerva, offended by Medusa’s sexual activity with Neptune in a Minervian temple (in some
mythological accounts it was a rape), turned her into a hideous creature with snakes for hair. Her
symbolism as outraged femininity and intense passion can be seen in this myth. The Lilith
mythology (for which there are numerous symbols) is apt in its depiction of sexual repression
turned ugly, as well. Feminine energy, outraged and violated, is a theme running through this
myth and this star’s symbolism. As an interesting note, because of its rotating, dual nature, the
brightness of this star alternates regularly.

7
 Alcyone

1920 1950 1980 2000

28Tau52 29Tau18 29Tau43 00Gem00

The largest of the seven-star configuration of Pleiades. This star has traditionally been associated
with sorrow, ruthlessness, exile, wantonness, banishment, smallpox, facial accidents, eye
problems; yet also with optimism, success in agriculture, love and passion. It’s referred to
sometimes as the ‘clucking hen,’ and ‘Plejades’ in Greek means 'The Pigeons.' Some link
Alcyone and the Pleiades to the Fates and with the deads’ judgment. There are some references to
mystical inner vision.

8
 Aldebaran

1920 1950 1980 2000

8Gem50 9Gem05 9Gem31 9Gem47

Royal Star: “Watcher in the East.” It has been traditionally associated with vitality, power,
honor, eloquence, steadfastness, ferocity and courage. It has also been called violent, yet
with a tendency toward sedition. Tradition also holds that this great star brings honor and
leadership, yet only if the utmost standards of integrity are maintained. There are also
references to temptation toward compromise with heavy losses for inappropriate moral
response.