Within Orb

072 | Nate Speare: Bigger on the Inside than the Outside!

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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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.

071 | Christina Caudill: Evolutionary Trajectories

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.

Reboot 020 | Gary Lorentzen: Astro-History, Language, & Measuring Time

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.

070 | Fred Abong: A Profusion of Prescience

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.

069 | Whitney Hill: Philosophy & Fate Management

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.

068 | Elly Higgins: Queer Time & Fractals of Cycles

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!
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 – 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.

Reboot 016 | Stormie Grace: Living Alive & Dying Alive

Scorpio season is upon us, and this throwback from the archives is the perfect treat: In Episode 16 astrologer and digital nomad Stormie Grace  joined host Jenn Zahrt from Sevilla, Spain for a deep and heartfelt chat! This wise-yet-practical episode offers meaningful books, soul stories that touch on inner life, and food for thought on embracing the grief and gratitude that arrive in the season of shedding and rebirth. Plus: Go through it, don’t get through it; How to embrace our secondary progressed lunation cycle; and… What do Indiana Jones and puppy feet have in common?
 
 
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 2023):
 
00:01 – Learn about producer Jen Braun at her site: https://www.jenbraun.com/.
 
01:31 – Dr. Stormie Grace is an evolutionary and humanistic astrologer – coming from the Steven Forrest and Noel Tyl lines – who specializes in helping people make sense of the complexities of their lives. Through astrology, Stormie provides insight into your personality, life path, and soul’s purpose. Her mission is to help you gain clarity and understanding about the energies around you, so you can make decisions that are empowered, informed, and strategically aligned with your highest potential. Stormie’s Doctorate in Management also helps her consult for business organizations in ways which match the traditional business environment while providing energetic and spiritual pairing components. Her business school, LEGATIA ACADEMY, helps creative entrepreneurs build and grow profitable businesses, so they have the freedom to truly enjoy their work. From her popular YouTube channel, to personalized consultations, courses, and workshops, Stormie is here to help.
 
02:22 – We start with an awakening: One of Stormie’s first connections to astrology happened while she read the horoscopes in the back of Teen magazine back in the day! And during her first Saturn square, the astrology available at a metaphysical fair felt like… a remembering.
 
05:50 – The first astrology book that Stormie read was by Jan Spiller and was a homecoming of sorts. All of Jan’s books speak to her, but tune in for this fascinating conversation about Jan’s Astrology for the Soul, which explains the driving forces of the Lunar Nodes. Great example using the Cancer North Node (and Capricorn South Node, natch) included!!
 
15:30 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)
 
16:16 – There was only one astrology book that made it into Stormie’s carry-on while moving to Spain, and it’s her first pick: Finding Our Way Through the Dark by Demetra George. This one speaks to Stormie about how the shape of light that you reflect shows up in the world. It also prods us to be comfortable in talking about death; we are of nature, after all. (And tune in for a profoundly thoughtful convo about the secondary progressed New Moon! #ImNotCryingYoureCrying)
 
27:06 – Kindles count! Stormie’s next selection is The Book of the Moon: Discovering Astrology’s Lost Dimension by Steven Forrest, because it helps us tune in to the motivations and safety features that folks need. Love the concrete Lunar-Land examples, quiche and all!
 
32:27 – Finally, one more choice from astro-wizard Steven Forrest: The Inner Sky: How to Make Wiser Choices for a More Fulfilling Life. Stormie finds meaning in Evolutionary Astrology, and she loves the way Steven breaks down how to do the work.
 
33:22 – Where would Stormie point a new astrology student? First, start where it’s free! There are lots of helpful podcasts and YouTube videos available, so do some exploration. But in terms of books, Stormie recommends The Inner Sky or Astrology for Dummies – both of which would increase the astrological literacy of the public.
 
36:29 – 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.

067 | Ronnie Dreyer: The “Compleat” Episode!

Astrologer and author Ronnie Dreyer joins host Jenn Zahrt from New York to chat about books, Jyotish and Western astrology, and more! Tune in to hear about: different editions of the same book; “shining the light on results”; Sanskrit’s deeper meaning; the focus of transits in the Indian tradition; the Tajika system; karma brought into this lifetime; everything in right relation; the work of translating texts; how to approach charts and people; astrology as a discipline; eclipses and the Saros cycles; and the work of impactful, brilliant local astrologers. Plus: childhood planetarium visits, meeting influential authors, and writing on palm leaves!
 
 
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 – Ronnie Gale Dreyer is an internationally known consultant, author, lecturer, and teacher specializing in Western and Indian astrology. Based in New York City, she has clients and students throughout the world, lectures for astrology groups and conferences, and conducts ongoing courses and webinars. Ronnie has written numerous books (including Vedic Astrology: A Guide to the Fundamentals of Jyotish), articles, and columns and is currently revising and reissuing her classic book on Venus. She proudly co-authored a chapter on “Indian Astrology” with Nick Campion, which appeared in Religious Transformation in Modern Asia. Ronnie is also certified in Astro*Carto*Graphy and holds an MA in South Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University.
 
01:16 – Ronnie’s very first astrology book was The Compleat Astrologer by Derek and Julia Parker. In grade school, Ronnie loved learning about the stars and planets. Her dad worked in the book industry, and knew she was interested in astronomy; later, when she was in college, he brought this text home for her! (And to hear Rod Suskin’s chat with Jenn about censorship in South Africa in the 1970s, lend your ears to Episode 26, Rod Suskin: On the Textual Nexus of Commanding Space & Time.)
 
07:51 – If Ronnie could bring only three books to a deserted island, what would they be? Her first choice is Phaladeepika by Mantreswara, translated by Dr. G.S. Kapoor. This is the text that her guru in India chanted to her! It’s the first book in which she learned classical Jyotish astrology.
 
19:17 – Interlude: Join CAELi and snag yourself a Saturn stress-relief ball. (Yes, you read that right!)
 
20:03 – Ronnie’s second choice would be Person Centered Astrology by Dane Rudhyar. The articles are wonderful, and this text also helpfully addresses how to approach charts and people. (Also mentioned here: A Handbook for the Humanistic Astrologer by Michael R. Meyer, with a preface by Dane Rudhyar.)
 
26:16 – The third title Ronnie would bring is Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark by Bernadette Brady. Ronnie loves the way Brady teaches, and views eclipse cycles differently because of this book.
 
30:00 – For beginners, Ronnie recommends Alan Oken’s Complete Astrology: The Classic Guide to Modern Astrology by Alan Oken, The Plain Vanilla Astrologer by Pat Geisler (along with Geisler’s companion book Chocolate Sauce: The Plain Vanilla Astrologer's Guide to the Art of Practicing Astrology), and The Art of Predictive Astrology: Forecasting Your Life Events by Carol Rushman. Lastly, Ronnie also gives a nod to the series The Only Way to Learn Astrology by Joan McEvers and Marion March.
 
37:20 – Find Ronnie at her website: https://ronniedreyer.com/.
 
37:55 – 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.