Financial Astrology Vs.

Business Astrology:
The Differences and Similarities - Stocks, Commodities and Real Estate
By Georgia Anna Stathis

Comparing Systems

There are different ways we use astrology to help us in business, stocks and financial trading, as well as commodities and it is important to differentiate them. Each can be explained within the context of many cycles. The study of astrological cycles is very ancient. And if we examine astrology from a cyclical perspective, then it becomes easier to understand when we apply it to either financial or business delineation, both of which require very different approaches using similar techniques. In the past, however, financial and business astrology have been placed under one general heading, when, in fact, they are really two separate studies, which require different rules of disposition. For example, Financial Astrology was often the heading under which vocational planning, corporate and real estate delineation were found. But Financial Astrology actually focuses on the trends of the different stock markets and the indexes such as the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. This is very different than working with an individual company, which has its own horoscope and its own particular transits affecting it and only it. The study of indexes, markets and commodities have a more comfortable home in Financial Astrology. Business Astrology is separate and falls under a different umbrella. Therefore, when we need to analyze a business question

using astrological cycles, we must first define what it is we are looking for when consulting an astrologer for help with either a business or financial question. Is the astrologer more astute in index or market cycles, or is his or her strength in the area that can best advise you on how to plan for future moves or trends in your company? Or does the question ask when to purchase or lease a piece of property in a real estate transaction. There is a marked difference.

A. FINANCIAL ASTROLOGY
In the world of financial astrology, we look at the bigger cycles and their overall effects on market trends. The bigger picture is associated with a more cosmic picture, a global psychology that wanes and waxes with the cycles of the Moon, which represents the general mood of the population. Its movements also reflect the interaction of the planets that are currently in related cycles with each other. When certain distances occur between the planets, if they are stressful, we see stressful index cycles. The geometric interactions between various planets along with the repetitive eclipse cycles (and whether or not they are also being stressed by transiting planets) have a strong influence. This influence is felt in even less complicated transactions, so for now, let us examine them further.

Stocks, Indexes, Mutual Funds and Commodities

In financial astrology, we work with different indexes and exchanges. For example, the New York Stock Exchange has an incorporation date just as does the Japanese Stock Market and other indexes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has its date, too. We can lay each chart out and watch how the different transits, eclipse cycles, progressions hit the natal positions. A financial astrologer has his or her own systems, cycles, and methods they use for their particular brand of delineation. Their specific system gives them insight into what might be happening in an index during an overall trend. Every

financial astrologer uses their own criteria. One may work more frequently with a First Trade chart to check price and trade volume - as compared to a business Astrologer who is looking for different types of things such as what is going on with the employees or If there Is an Impending merger. Mutual Funds each have an incorporation date, but may also consist of several companies who all have different incorporation charts. Again, the financial astrologer views the overall movement of trade volume and price cycles whereas the business astrologer usually tackles a smaller population of charts. Commodities are a bit different in that each covers only one particular commodity such as orange juice, soybeans, corn, pork bellies, or gold to name a few. This is different than a compilation of several charts that form the larger stock exchange or index, and the smaller compilation of charts that we see in a mutual fund. One commodity is examined at a time. More is discussed about commodities further on.

Commodities

One of the most important cycles for analyzing commodities and real estate are the eclipses associated with the Moon and its 18.6-year nodal cycle. The lunar nodes are comprised of the intersecting points where the Moons orbit intersects with the Earths orbit as it travels around the Sun. These nodal orbits travel with the eclipses and return to the same positions every 18.6 years to 19 years. They capture mass psychology. More times than not when the Lunar Nodes travel through the signs of Cancer and Capricorn, two of the signs of security in the natural zodiac, issues arise around economic downturns and changes. Two of these cycles most recently occurred between 1990 and 1992 as well as from

1999 to 2001. And, of course, the 'meltdown' of 2008 is a prime example of this downturn, which, at this writing is still recovering.

Real Estate

The nodal cycles also indicate trends in real estate and interest rate financing. Certain types of stocks or indexes are more in style at different times in history. There are better opportunities at various nodal returns with regard to real estate matters. In real estate, for example, there are many factors in terms of the range of valuesinterest rates, inventory of available housing, population, economic cycles and employment to name a few. This 18.6-year cycle is similar to the Brennan Cycle used in real estate (also termed the McWhirter Cycle and named after Louise McWhirter). For example, when the north node travels through the sign of Capricorn, we usually see a very low cycle of activity. This is a recurring cycle last occurring in 1990 to 1991 and happening again between 2009 and 2011. However, as it proceeds to its half cycle, which is 9.3 to 9.5 years and the North Node travels through the sign of Cancer, ruled by the Moon (homes, properties, restaurants, families), prices escalate and the demand increases thus hiking the prices and lowering the availability. This Is a very good example of the age-old supply and demand theory. Housing Is a commodity and depending on the economy, its value ebbs and flows like any other commodity. Typically, when the North Node travels through Capricorn, there is a downturn. The cause of that downturn may vary. In the early 1990s, many companies were downsizing and there were losses of jobs, similar to the late 1970s when unemployment was at a high peak. From 2007, the economy has also had a major downturn, but the circumstances this time were, among other things, the lack of regulation with the mortgage companies, and the subprime mortgage debacle that falsely escalated the value of housing, creating a desire for housing, which gave certain

banks the idea that if they granted loans to everyone, even those unqualified, that money was to be made for all. After all, interest rates had remained very low for too long a time. That along with 'stated' income' applications prompted a crisis of foreclosures on a massive scale - a cycle we have not seen as devastating as the Great Depression of the 1930s. As the south node travels through Cancer, the sign of housing, the south node 'releases' opportunity. Either people lose their homes, or, because of financial circumstances actually lose their homes. However, for those who have saved their monies, who have scrutinized their spending for financial opportunities, this is the time to buy the inventory, since there is so much of it, which lowers the present value. In August 2009 the cycle got further support for either losses or opportunities as not only the North Node entered Capricorn again, but is being accompanied by transiting Pluto In Capricorn (247 year cycle that just began In 2008) as well as the square between transiting Saturn In early Libra (cardinal sign) and Uranus in early Aries In late 2010. needs to be made here is that when the lunar node travels through the sign of Capricorn, interest rates, which are what mortgage payments are based upon, fall in order to precipitate activity. Values of property and the desire for housing consequently rises. The point being made here is that a good financial or business astrologer identifies the many different trends occurring at any point on the timeline, and puts all of those trends together in an organized fashion to suggest trend movements similar to the trend movements of real estate. In other words, prices are driven down by trends. Do we then panic and sell? Or, do we purchase more, because the financial astrologer also has some tools that identify potential long-term future trends? They make suggestions based on their opinion and experience. This knowledge is important: should one redistribute resources into other potential investment opportunities? Or buy straw hats in the winter as Bernard Baruch, the American financier, once exclaimed.

So, as we look at financial cycles that occur over long periods of time, it is important that we stay cognizant of the bigger astrological picture. It is important to remember this, particularly when one is investing in the market itself. If you seek out the assistance of a financial astrologer, it is important to reveal whether you are holding your stocks or indexes for a longer time, or if you are a trader, or work with options, and whether you are in and out of the market in the course of a day, a month, a quarter, or a year. A trader requires different astrological analysis than a longterm investor. For the financial astrologer to do a good job for you, he or she must know how you work. Are you a long-term investor or a day trader? The astrologer should also be able to examine your birth chart, because some people are more suited to long-term investment whereas others are not. An Asset Manager is a very different type of occupation than a Day Trader. These differences need to be identified by your astrologer and it is then important to see if, in fact, your financial astrologer can also analyze your individual chart to determine whether or not this method may be better for you in terms of investment or not. Some financial astrologers can do this and some cannot. One astrologer may be the best at determining long-term cycles, but not that strong in terms of individual chart assessment. Astrology, like other disciplines, has many specialists because there are so many different approaches to delineation. If your financial astrologer works with other associates as part of a business team, this may be your best option. There is currently a movement in the astrological world to work in teams on various projects. This groundbreaking practice may really change the way businesses and individuals view and work with professional astrologers. In contrast to the financial astrologer who works with long-term trends, there are also financial astrologers who work more with the trading end of the markets. This

includes Commodities. These cyclic examinations include the above larger trends as part of their analysis, but they also focus myopically on what planetary cycles are occurring on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The rules are a bit different here. The commodities astrologer looks at the faster moving planets such as the Moon, which changes signs every couple of days and moves from a New Moon to a Full Moon to a New Moon again. They look at the transits of Mercury, which rules trading. Is Mercury in a direct or retrograde motion? Is it fast or slow? This has a bearing on trades during certain months of the year. Are these or the other planets such as Mars, which rules action, at a stressful distance with Saturn, which is slow and brings delays? There are hundreds of spinning possibilities, requiring a very detailed, minute focus, and the processing and coordinating of large amounts of data. In a way, this branch of day trading requires certain type of data management personality as well as flexibility. Neither one is better than the other, but they are different. We are working with large amounts of data in either discipline, but the financial astrologer is more aware of the larger conjoining cycles. He or she also takes into consideration the smaller cycles, but they become part of the bigger picture. The day trader or options traders who are in and out of the markets in a shorter length of time, view the larger trend cycles, but must be abreast of all of the interrelated planetary shifts that may change in just the course of one or two days. Both are astrological cycles and related but different. One paints the background landscape and the other fills in the foreground details. When we look at commodities, we look at the law of supply and demand. Different planets hold rulership over specific commodities. For example, the planet Venus, the sweet goddess in myth and story, rules sugar. Though I am not a commodity specialist, it is logical that when the planet Venus is under stress by aspects from other planets, or in her fall, as it is in the sign of Virgo, or her movement is

retrograde (appears to be going backwards in the sky, but isnt really), there will be a re-adjustment, a possible downturn, or even a plateau when her movements are constrained based on planets transiting and debilitating her. In contrast to this, the planet Neptune, which rules oil and petroleum, is much slower moving. Neptune rules the sign of Pisces. Since Neptune does not travel through the sky very quickly as it orbits (it takes Neptune 165 years to complete a full cycle!), we have to look at how other related planets, such as Jupiter, are faring. If, for example, Jupiter is in at a positive distance (a trine, or 120 degrees) to Neptune, then there may be more oil, or more access to it. However, if transiting Jupiter is in an adverse sign to transiting Neptune, there may be an inflation of the price, or an over-supply, and prices adjust accordingly. With commodities, we can also incorporate the Lunar Nodal cycle mentioned earlier to demonstrate supply and demand theory. For example, from 1999 to 2000, the transiting Lunar North Node was traveling through the sign of Cancer. There is a difference between the Lunar NORTH Node and the Lunar SOUTH Node. Where the Lunar NORTH Node is traveling (i.e., what sign it is moving through), is where there might be more of a demand, and the prices go up. In the United States, housing prices rose markedly on this last pass of the North Node through the sign of Cancer, which is ruled by the Moon, which is a container that changes shape, and which rules containers of people, such as homes and restaurants and food. The public pulse is usually moving more towards food and security needs during these periods, and the commodity, in this case housing, goes up because of demand or lack of inventory! Conversely, when the Lunar SOUTH Node travels through a sign, we see a letting go of whatever that sign rules. Soon we will be seeing the South Node begin to travel through the sign of Sagittarius, the sign of education. This implies that we are ready for a revolution in education, having to let go of tried and true educational methods to incorporate different learning and teaching methods.

Using this example of a trend, Sagittarius rules the stone turquoise, and this might imply that we are either running out of turquoise, and, as a commodity in the gem trades, its value goes up. The other way this could work is that it is simply out of fashion for right now and there is no demand, which could suggest the price is lower. Of course, it is very important to take into consideration the other planetary cycles and how they are geometrically lighting up this Nodal Trend Axis. For example, if transiting Saturn, which represents hard work, responsibility, economy and non-wasteful methods, is stressing this axis at 0-degree; 90-degree, or 180-degree angles, then it suggests that this is a time for a downturn, or what appears to be a recession. It is a reality check of trends and the various economies flatten out and reorganize themselves. This is particularly important in that this exact occurrence is happening between 2001 and 2003. April 20, 2001, Saturn entered the sign of Gemini and the Nodal axis entered Gemini and Sagittarius in late 2001, starting this transition.

B. BUSINESS ASTROLOGY
Business astrology is the other parallel discipline of economic astrology. One of its uses is to analyze the timing in individual incorporation charts. Corporation charts are erected for the latest incorporations of large companies such as Microsoft or Walt Disney, and for sole proprietorships. Companies not incorporated can be analyzed if we know the moment they opened their doors or took in their first dollars. Business astrology can be used to help a company plan next years business, such as when to market products, change sales staff, train, relocate. The possibilities are endless, and, again, it is suggested that the individual employing the astrologer be very clear about what it is they wish to accomplish. I use a questionnaire in my practice that is placed in my recently published book, Business Astrology 101: Weaving the Web Between Business and Myth. This is the questionnaire that I give to clients who wish to

work with me. The questionnaire assists me in focusing on what this clients needs are. I also obtain a Request For Proposal (RFP) from the potential client to further define what I am doing for them. In real estate, the transaction chart is very important to determine the way in which the proposed contract will take us. The first house, for example, represents the seller and the seventh house, the opposite point, represents the buyer. We view the Moon to see its aspects, particularly the final aspect it forms, which gives us a clue as to how this transaction will end. In many contracts, there is a place for the date of the signature, and there used to be in real estate contracts a time, too. The very last counter offer that is signed designates the final contract time. If a contract is still in negotiations and has not been completed by a signature of the last offer, then we do not have the proper chart for analysis. This falls under the umbrella of a Business Astrologer whose strength may be in analyzing contracts and individual event charts or electional charts, which are charts that show the starting time of something like a business, a project, or a groundbreaking. You can make excellent use of a Business Astrologer to find the right time and date to officially open a business or incorporate, or to present a company to the public for a First Trade. First Trade charts are thoroughly covered in Bill Meridians book Planetary Stock Trading. It is important to distinguish between First Trade charts and Corporation charts. First trade charts are when the Chief Operating Officer or President first walks onto the stock market floor to purchase stock prior to the public purchasing it. They purchase the first shares, thus the name, First Trade. This chart indicates the stock activity of the company. In contrast to this is the incorporation chart, which is for when a company first has its papers stamped by the state or region in which they were incorporated. The incorporation chart shows us the internal structures of a company, such as how inter-office communications are handed, what benefits are provided for employees, and the

state of mind of the current head executives. This chart is used in analyzing the companys long-term growth as well as for planning. If we want to know about its inter-office communication, its employees, its products, its public face or stockholders, we look to the incorporation chart or the chart for when the company first opened its doors to business and took in the first dollar. Over time incorporation charts may change as mergers or acquisitions occur, and for this reason it is important to maintain the original incorporation of a company as it moves through its various metamorphoses. It is also important to have the charts of the leaders of the company, those making the decisions. Written permission is needed from anyone whose chart is being viewed for this analysis. The word permission brings up an important point. Correct incorporation data a matter of public record in the United States and can be retrieved by calling the state in which a company was incorporated. Incorporation charts can be used for company planning and repositioning employees, as well as re-training or re-structuring the employees to work in new ways. This can be achieved by viewing the incorporation chart, and refined if we have the employees birth data. This is where things may get tricky, another reason we ask for written permissions. If an employee is unwilling to give their birth data, which is not required by law in the United States, it is very difficult to do this larger analysis. If they are willing and give permissions, it makes things much easier. I had a client for many years that, once a year, would call me in on weekends to work with all of her employees and their charts in terms of a business plan for the next year. I would have the data, given by permission by the employees, prior to our meetings. I would first talk with each individual employee about what I saw. And, in fact, we did occasionally review some of the more personal aspects of their yearly forecast and this information remained privately with the employee. However, we also covered their position in the company and how each could best improve performance, thus improving

the efficiency overall, and that part of the information would be shared in a group meeting with all parties concerned. This was also shared with the owner, who was my client. This method is one of the best ways for a business astrologer to work. Working to strengthen a company from within, to prepare it for signposts along the future road of larger financial trends that financial astrologers are expert in - to include that information is particularly useful when specific issues are identified and we focus on those issues first. We derive this information from the Request for Proposal provided by the employer in the beginning of the process. There are certain times during the year when a company is more visible and other times of the year when it withdraws and regroups. The business astrologer can identify these times by reviewing the angles. The higher and more elevated houses of the company horoscope - the ninth, tenth, and eleventh houses - are very much in the world and recognized by the community at large. During the year when several planets travel through this portion of the chart and when New and Full Moons occur, there is much more outer world activity. It is easier to grab market share and public attention during these times. The converse of this is true, too. During times of the year when planets are traveling through the bottom of the companys chart, or even the owners chart, the company may not want to be in front of the public. This is a great time to re-evaluate business plans, design and re-design the work environment, or review and rewrite the schedules for the year. This is a very important and creative time for a company or an individual. This period could even manifest by the people in the company moving and throwing away files, or uploading them into an entirely new computer system for an efficient return when the business becomes more visible later in the year. There is an old saying that asks, Why fight the river? There are certain times during larger cycles as well as within the measurable year that things flow more easily, and other times in which they do not. Astrological consulting can indicate those periods and, again, this is one of its greatest uses. Most people know

what to do intuitively. It is a known fact that many successful business owners are highly intuitive and listen to their instincts. The horoscope validates the individuals or the companys subjective experience. If a company does not have incorporation, we can use the moment they opened their doors or took in their first dollar. That is an incorporation chart of sorts. We still analyze it in the same manner as an incorporation chart of a company of stock that is public. The only difference is that there may be only one owner and one or two employees. This is easier to analyze because not as many people are involved in it. The smaller the entity, the more one needs to review the owners charts, because the structure of the company takes on more of a pyramid structure, where there is one person at the helm and responsibilities filter down. This is an older but still a very commonly used model in business. There are many more publicly traded companies that still have their CEO (Chief Operating Officer) at the top, but who employ a more MBO style (management by organization) than in early years to the twentieth century. In fact during one of the larger cycles between the early 1980s and the mid 1990s corporate structures changed and transformed into entirely new organizational models. This included de-centralization as well as hiring employees as portfolio-people, a type of independent contractor. These new job models allowed the company to save money by not having to pay insurance benefits and vacation pay, to which full time employees are entitled. This was a large part of the massive downsizing that arose in the corporate world during the early 1980s. Another innovation during this time was the introduction of the personal computer and the Internet, which allowed people to telecommute and begin a new model of virtual offices, enabling people to conduct business from any place in the world. The period that created this magnificent shift was

accompanied by running conjunctions when planets line up with each other during their orbits. This created the chemical synergy of Uranus, the planet of awakening and new ideas, a la the Internet; of Neptune, which dissolves borders and boundaries, thus the great mergers at the beginning of that movement; and of Saturn, the planet that represents structures and cautious planning. The initial phase of this Saturn-Neptune-Uranus conjunction period were quite devastating, because these were all new models. The perception of how business should be conducted as well as the fear of change had to first disappear, before these new, seemingly unbelievable virtual structures appeared. The terms for physically real offices and warehouses is now Brick and Mortar to distinguish them from Internet driven formats, called virtual. The point is that a small company now has as much of a chance for growth and change as a larger corporate structure. The world's playing field has been leveled and this entirely new concept allows and affords creative solutions for all businesses. The business astrologer can help a company seize those moments in time when there are opportunities and a kind of corporate inspiration for a larger and greater vision. My sense is that as we move through time and the global marketplace becomes as easy to enter as it is to drive down to the neighborhood store, many different disciplines will be incorporated into the world of business analysis. The higher we soar, the greater the view, and this view stimulates a kind of global consciousness whereby we learn that we are all really quite the same and not that different. We can also be much closer to each other even though we may not be there in the physical form. We are able to exchange more information with a larger group of people without having to travel by car or plane. An astrologer can help a business owner recognize these windows of possibility when the owner is unable to see it because of being too close to the problem. How does one companys chart relate to another companys chart? This is where a Business astrologer can help, too. If a couple of

acquaintances are talking about building their businesses by increasing their strengths through partnership, they can do one of two things. They can consult with a business astrologer to tell them whether or not partnering is even a viable possibility. Are the values of each company compatible with the values of the other, and in sync with them? For example, their Venus placements can be compared, because Venus is one of the planets that rules values, spending, earning power, and skills, which enhance our businesses. We would have to look at the two companies Mars positions, the planet that represents motivation and strategic planning. How do they compare between the two charts? Are they compatible, or do they suggest difficulties? If they suggest difficulties, this does not necessarily mean they cannot blend their energies, but would need to understand their different styles and approaches to planning and strategy. When we compare companies or individuals in partnership, it is a good idea to have some differences, because if they are too similar, then the new company may experience inertia. Identifying and presenting various ways in which to incorporate their differences is the task of the astrologer, whose job it is to ask the right questions in order to facilitate a possible match. I am not of the school of knowing nothing about the client before they arrive at my office. It is imperative that we ask questions and an important step to have them complete the questionnaire and submit the Request for Proposal. To expand upon this, an Asset Manager requires a client fill out forms in order to best service their client. When everything is on paper, it is much easier to define the first step, the second and then the third. And since we are using the many astrological cycles, it is important that we have this defined so we can decide which ones are more important and which can be ignored, at least for this portion of the analysis. For either the financial or business astrologer, a lot of time involved and it is important for your clients to be aware of how time is billed and determine the budget. Every

calculation, every moment on the phone or on email involves time and it is important to identify this as billable. Saturn is the planet that rules time. We never have enough of it, always wish we had more. With the current transiting position of Saturn in Gemini, time (Saturn) and information and know-how (Gemini) constitute a powerful commodity. Astrological information can be considered a commodity as much as orange juice and pork bellies!

Short-Range Planning
The Daily Cycle:
There are four phases to the day that last approximately six hours per phase. Daily planning can be made much more efficient as well as effective if these cycles are followed. Each day in business we ask ourselves the question of when do we talk with our clients, when do we reach out to the community or fellowship organizations for referrals and support. We also have a part of the day in which our business either winds down or where we want to think in a more creative way. By taking time to throw around ideas for creative solutions, we can implement better systems and methods into what we do. There are also parts of the day where we simply need to wind down. What are these cycles?

Phase 1:

From sunrise to approximately noon, the Sun (life and energy) rises in the upper quadrant of that days natal chart. The upper left quadrant of the circle is the area where we connect with first, ourselves, and regroup or mediate for the day and, as we move to approximately 10 am - give or take 30 minutes depending upon the season of the year - we talk with those in the community either on the phone, via email or fax, or in person to exchange ideas. This moves us right through the midday, when many people take a break. In the business community, we go to lunch, which really is saying we go to connect with each other and form business alliances.

Phase 2:

This begins as the Sun moves from the upper left quadrant to the upper right quadrant of that days chart. This is the relationship quadrant. The time in this portion of the days wheel is from approximately noon until about six in the evening. Around this time, the sun is setting on the right side of the horizon line of the days horoscope. If your business is primarily about relationships with others, then the noon part of the day through approximately 6 pm is a good time to talk with people, to consult with others, or to act as consultant if that is your business.

Phase 3:

From sundown until about midnight, the Sun passes through the lower right quadrant of the days wheel, which is the area of the chart that includes processing ideas and clarifying these ideas into concrete systems and methods. This is also the part of the days wheel where we embark upon some sort of playful creativity. At this time of the day we may be more relaxed and ideas may flow more easily. Some of the best business ideas come from social functions in which strangers meet and form more alliances that reflect a mutual friendship based on similar value systems. A lot of our creative work is best pursued during this portion of the day.

Phase 4:

Usually from late evening through the night is when people rest, unless they have a job that requires them to work at night. This portion of the days wheel is when the Sun passes through the lower left quadrant of the chart. This is a very independent quarter of the chart. It is when we might be most alone and our independent selves. At sunrise, the day begins again as the Sun moves above the horizon and into the upper left quadrant of community relations.

Monthly Cycles:
The above is a simple daily guide to daily planning. However, in the course of a 28 1/2 day cycle, the Moon

makes a full cycle around the earth. It has eight phases in total. The four major parts of this eight-part cycle are separated by approximately a week. The first phase is the New Moon, when the Moon is dark and the Sun and the Moon are aligned, the second phase is the First Quarter Moon (which looks like a half moon with the light of the moon shining on the right), and a week later is the Full Moon, which is the phase of the Moon most popularized in the media and film, and, finally, the Last Quarter Phase (again, this looks like a half moon, with the light on the left hemisphere). A week later, the cycle begins again with the New Moon. If we plan our monthly business cycles using this basic plan, then it may be much easier to flow with the energy. For example, from the time of the New Moon to two weeks later when we have the Full Moon, the Moon is growing in size and energy. The Moon has to do with habits, memory, and the public. In business astrology, it represents products and employees. Since this first two weeks is the growing cycle of the month, it seems logical that this is a good time to instigate or introduce new product lines or let people know about what is available. My experience suggests that there is more of a buying cycle as the Moon increases in light. From the time of the Full Moon to the New Moon, which, again, begins the lunar cycle, we disperse information, release old papers, files, and even clients and old habits. Usually major decisions or pending decisions maximize or peak themselves out from the time of the Full Moon to the Last Quarter Moon. This is the best part of the cycle to discriminate between activities, to separate the wheat from the chafe. As business people we may ask such questions as, Should I discontinue this product line since there is little call for it? or Which employees are doing their jobs and which are not? or Which of these files should I keep, or follow up? This period of time is when we disseminate information to our clients. Prepare mailings during the Last Quarter cycle to mail around the New Moon, when the cycle begins again.

Where these cycles occur in your chart or, more importantly, in your corporation chart, indicates in which capacity these ideas can best be implemented. This requires the skills of an experienced cycles analyst, an astrologer who synchronizes the cycles and events for you. The amazing thing about this system is that if, in fact, the individual is listening to their intuition, they are usually following the cycles mentioned above. Intuition is the number one gift of successful business people. The second important gift or skill is listening to it, rather than challenging it. As we move into the yearly cycles, we can refer to the above monthly cycles in planning.

Basic Quarterly Cycles:

There are four quarters to the year that occur at the seasonal shifts. They are Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox, and Winter Solstice. These seasonal shifts represent the transition from one way of living with nature to the next. It is well known in food and nutrition circles that we best eat the fruits and vegetables of a particular season to best absorb the nutrients and vitamins of that season. In winter we have carrots and in the summer we have squash. This same seasonal reasoning can be applied to seasonal business planning using astrology. This concept has a two-pronged approach. The first is to follow the natural cycles of seasonal shifts. We review and reconsider our options at the Winter Solstice so that we can have new ideas that birth at the Spring Equinox. Cultivating our crops of ideas and projects are well suited to the summer months. As Fall Equinox approaches, those crops are harvested and the holiday season is considered, for example, to be the busiest part of the year for retail as people rush around buying presents to celebrate the years fruits. When we compute and analyze a corporate chart, or view an individuals chart for planning, we look to the parts of their charts that show the time of the year when major growth and expansion occur as well as the time of retreat and introspection in the other half of the year. Once this

timing is determined by calculating the time of birth of a corporation or first trade chart, we can measure good planning dates. For example, if the New Moon (New Beginnings) occurs in a companys second house, which is considered the house of earning power and liquid assets, as well as spending habits, we know that in the Monthly Lunar Cycle the focus for that particular month will probably be in this area of activity. However, this development is not restricted to just this particular month. Astrology is based on the measurement of distances between spaces and planets. This is geometry at its most basic form. It is important for us to understand and be aware of the 90 angle. To illustrate this point, think of the corners on streets and in houses. Without these corners, we have no structure. Therefore, those 90 angles are important in order to build and develop something. We also have these 90 angles in astrology. And those 90 angles translate into 90 days, or three months. Applied to a company viewing earning power and trying to figure out a new way in which to manifest greater earnings or more efficient spending, this is a concept that may develop over the course of an entire year. This concept includes the idea of the 90 angle, which translates to the idea of 90-day or three-month increments. For example, late February is approximately 90 days from late May. Late February is when the Sun enters Pisces. Late May is when the Sun enters Gemini. Pisces and Gemini are square to each other, 90 or approximately 90 days distance from each other. Thus, if the company begins its Earning Power study in February around the time of the New Moon Cycle, the new beginning cycle, it is likely that it will see some sort of concrete plan emerge in late May, or, the corresponding 90-day sequence. In this example, these sequences continue to occur around late August and again in late November and then in late February again. This formula allows us to plan macroscopically as well as microscopically. And, of course, this is a very simplified

version. In my newly published book, Business Astrology 101, I further explore this concept by including illustrations from some of the planning aids that I use when working with my business clients. For more information, go to my website to order my book or other teaching materials at http://www.starcycles.com or by calling the US at 00-1-925-689-7827. In keeping with the idea of a 90-day formula, this system is further enhanced when the cycles accompany the much slower moving, most distant planets from Saturn on out to Pluto. When these slower planets accompany these measured cycles, the results are even more profound and timely.

Long-range planning Larger Cycles in Business, Stocks & Commodities

There are many long-range cycles that make their marks on history and trigger economic changes that occur with concurrent philosophical changes. Some of these planet cycle returns are as follows:

247-Year Pluto Cycles 165-Year Neptune Cycles 60-Year Chiron Conjunct Pluto Cycles 50-Year Chiron Cycles 30-Year Saturn Cycles 12-Year Jupiter Cycles
As these various planets return to the same place in the sky, trends surface that are similar to the last time they traveled through this same space. Since technology and capability increases over time, we have to view these returning cycles with an objectivity which allows us to see

the potential in the next return of that cycle. For example, before the 1950s, people didnt have television. It was just being developed. In the early 21st century, we not only have televisions, but every type of viewing vehicle possible, which include computer-generated imagery. When we thought of having computer-generated imagery in the early 1950s, it was unimaginable because we did not have the knowledge or perceptions to see beyond our experience. Let's use one of the planetary return examples, Saturn, a planet that takes 29.5 years to make a full cycle around the Sun, and its return to the sign of Gemini, the sign of the trickster and the youngster. Gemini is also the sign of communications, agencies, as well as sales and writing efforts. The challenge of Saturn is about the application of structure and form. It asks us to distill our forms into very simple and skeletal types of structures. Saturn in Gemini suggests the need for maturity for all people on the face of the earth. It is the time, perhaps, of ending irresponsible acts and activities. During the last time that this occurred, in the United States, we were winding down the Vietnam War and Richard M. Nixon, in time, would be impeached for illegal actions to do with the Watergate break-in. During the time that Saturn was in Taurus, a cycle which ended in Spring, 2001, we saw reconstruction of our economic formats and in Europe, the euro became the new currency. In the United States, the Bull Market of many years took a downward turn as Saturn (reality) was exiting the sign of Taurus, the sign of money and investments, and a Bear Market took over. Where in one's horoscope, or in one's company horoscope these Saturn return cycles occur is where we experience a kind of coming of age cycle, which require a realistic view of what needs to be released and a concrete plan for what changes lay ahead. Saturn, in myth and story, was a builder, and so wherever it travels through the

corporate chart, is where there is a building and structuring. This building and structuring is not easy, requires dedication, and triggers ambition. It can make a company uncomfortable and that state of discomfort is often directly related to the level of motivation exhibited. It separates the important issues from the unimportant ones. And, within its entire context, asks us to be wise and ethical. During this next cycle when Saturn travels through Gemini, for all businesses the challenge will be that of ethical business habits. Gemini is the trickster child also known as Hermes in Greek myth. The trickster child from the moment of his birth leaps out of his cradle and, for his first act as a newborn, steals his brother Apollos cattle, or, in some versions of the story, his sheep. Saturn just as quickly returns to his crib feigning innocence after his theft. However, in the eyes of his father - Zeus or Jupiter - the truth is known, but Jupiter also appreciates the cleverness of his son. This allegory is an example of the challenges that lie ahead in business through 2003, the year when Saturn finally exits the sign of Gemini. This passage of Saturn through Gemini expects and requires us to remember the ethics of our actions and reactions. These actions and reactions can either build our individual and business characters, or destroy us. It suggests the time of putting childish things away, of growing up, of maturing, of returning to learn more skills to best serve our customers. In a recent Fortune Magazine, March 2001, there was an article about the now bankrupt thousands of dot comers particularly those in the United States, who are now opting for completing their educations. The seduction of money and success, though short lived, circumvented their educations. There may have even been a belief of why should I continue my education, when I can make a lot of money right now? The challenge of Saturn in Taurus, a sign ruled by the planet Venus, which rules values, was to clearly define our values and act on those values. And, since the planet Saturn was involved, the Karmic implication of what happens when we do not conscientiously act on those

values. In other words, a house can tumble down without a solid foundation. Saturn always forces us to ask why we do things, and we respond with some sort of forthright and responsible act in the area of the chart through which it travels. For the population in general, the next three years are about education, information and its proper transmission. It also challenges us to speak, think, and communicate ethically and honestly. Illegal government actions or in governing bodies are likely to present themselves within the structure of corporations and the governing bodies of these corporations in the course of the next three years. So, in conclusion, this article, an overview of the different types of economic astrology has explored some very basic principles and differences between the two branches. It has explored the basic cycles that we use for planning, particularly in the area of Business Astrology, which is my particular expertise. It has also attempted to define, in very simple terms, the smaller daily and monthly cycles and to show you how to incorporate them into a yearly planning cycle. The final portion of this article briefly explores the greater planetary cycles and how they affect entire blocks of time. In this particular case, we explored the cycle of Saturn, which is a 29.5-year cycle and its application to certain trends. As you can see, astrological delineation is a series of exploring cycles that operate under larger and larger umbrellas. The cycles integrate with each other beautifully in one grand plan. The purpose of a good astrologer is to validate your subjective experience and to extrapolate these various cycles and define them so that you, the client, individual or company, can best use the information given as a tool of confirmation and better business planning within in the contexts of your community, whether it be local or global.

Respectfully submitted by Georgia Stathis, M.B.A.

Starcycles Publishing 25A Crescent Drive, #105 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-5581 U.S.A. 1-925-689-7827 Fax: 1-925-686-3196 Email: georgia@starcycles.com Website: http:// www.starcycles.com