2020 FAA Conference Lectures

The theme of our 23rd International Conference celebrates the new decade and acknowledges the start of three major planetary pair cycles that mark out the year. Each planetary conjunction is thematic of new and renewed social structures and ways of life, hence our theme Crossroads and Conjunctions.

Our intention this conference is to create a learning environment that enriches our understanding of these times and offers ways of developing skills that can help us to navigate these crossroads. To this end, we have invited our speakers to reflect upon and share their insights of 2020 and beyond, and asked them to lecture on subjects about which they feel most passionate.

And how well our presenters have responded with fascinating and inspiring topics! We have endeavoured to bring together these presentations under five categories:

The Astrology of 2020

The 2020 Jupiter – Saturn Conjunction: What it Means for Humanity with Charles Jameson
Jupiter – Saturn conjunction cycles have fascinated astrologers for hundreds of years. Their conjunction in 1643 was meaningful enough for William Lilly to write a whole book about it. These conjunctions follow a curious pattern: the Jupiter – Saturn conjunctions every 20 years will repeat in signs of the same element for long periods. For instance, from 1802 until 2000 nearly all Jupiter – Saturn conjunctions occurred in Earth signs. These years in the same element denote a particular era or ‘age’. This presentation looks at how history relates to these astrological eras, and why. And what the December 2020 Jupiter – Saturn conjunction can tell us about humanity’s immediate future.

A Return to the Earth – Reclaiming Our Wild Souls with Babula Clement
Babula will explore the impact of the current gathering of planets in Capricorn, along with the North Node in Cancer, Uranus in Taurus and Neptune and the Black Moon in Pisces. Being essentially feminine-orientated, these Earth and Water signs resonate with the ancient wisdom of feminine realms: the body, the heart, our inner soul world, the earth, nature, food production and more. The premise of this talk is that we must return to our connection with the earth and reclaim our wild souls if humanity is to survive, flourish and evolve.

Jupiter – Saturn/ Conjunctions in Air: A Look Forward with Wade Caves
Every twenty years, the two superior planets Saturn and Jupiter reunite in the sky. They do so in the same triplicity for several consecutive conjunctions, such that we experience this pair coming together in the same element for 200+ years. In 2020, Saturn and Jupiter leave the Earth triplicity for Air. Taking a brief survey of how the transitions have been experienced over the centuries, what might we learn about Jupiter – Saturn conjunctions in Air signs to better prepare ourselves and coming generations for the promises and battles of this age? This talk is suitable for all levels, from novice to professional.

Saturn Pluto and British History with Cindy Naunton
The British Royal family and British Commonwealth are influenced by the Saturn Pluto cycle. As these two planetary powerhouses are currently colliding, we can be sure we are on the threshold of significant change. This alignment has been prominent in the charts of the royal family for over 200 years, and Saturn/Pluto is currently active in the chart of Queen Elizabeth II. History shows us that these alignments have been a major catalyst in the past, and their combined influences may be affecting our personal and family histories. This lecture traces this theme from Queen Victoria to the present day.

2020 Vision – The Shift of the Ages with Peter Burns
2020 promises to be an important historical turning point with the conjunctions of the outer planets heralding a time of major shift. The year begins with Saturn conjunct Pluto in Capricorn, followed by Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions, with Mars squaring the Jupiter/Saturn/Pluto line-up in the second half of the year. At year’s end is the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction; its cycle has described major transitions in human civilisation since antiquity. Its importance is elevated by the fact that it takes place at the first degree of Aquarius. In this lecture Peter will utilize these cycles, together with relevant national and natal charts, to explore their potential impact in shaping the political and cultural landscape for the coming decades.

Cycles, Passages and Returns

Planetary Pair Cycles: The Symmetry of the Spheres with Conference Co-Convenor Brian Clark
From an ancient perspective the longest dual planetary cycle was one score: the twenty-year cycle of the Great Chronocrators, Jupiter and Saturn. With the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, more synodic cycles are created, which produce awesome symmetry and symbolism. In this lecture the cycles of these ten planetary pairs, their remarkable repetitive patterns, and their collective and personal impact are introduced. We will linger a bit longer on the three new cycles that commence in 2020: Saturn/Pluto; Jupiter/Pluto and Jupiter/Saturn.

Forecasting in Action (an extended lecture) with Frank Clifford
Part 1: Tools and Techniques
What’s your preferred forecasting method? Progressions? Directions? Solar returns or profections? Or maybe you’re someone who works just with transits. There are many methods used these days, and these can lead to confusion in the astrologer or a sense of overwhelm for the client. In this session, Frank will look at a selection of forecasting methods, help you choose the best method for the right occasion, and offer tools to simplify and aid interpretation.

Part 2: An Interactive Session
When it comes to forecasting, we do our best, most helpful work as consulting astrologers when we articulate the processes that can take place under various transits, progressions or directions in an ethical, effective manner. In doing so, we can help clients recognize the ‘season’ they’re in and to become aware of (and attuned to) different cycles taking place in their lives. Engaging in a dialogue with a client helps them to actively participate in co-creating their future. In this interactive session, Frank will explore the charts of as many (willing!) audience members as possible. Bring along your chart (or birth data).

The Solar Principle and Interpretations of Planetary Phase with Wade Caves
Astrologers often ruminate on the nature of lunar phases, but all planets undergo the process of increase and decline in their synodic cycle with the Sun. A planet’s relationship to the Sun reflects the natural lifecycle we experience in the world around us, enriched with symbolic images of conception, birth, growth and maturation, death and ultimately, rebirth. Through phase’s influence on a planet’s speed, brilliance and motion, the working astrologer is able to glean physical, practical and psychological descriptions for use in consultation. Together, let’s uncover the key principles of phase and see them applied in a variety of contexts.

Cycles of the Black Moon Lilith with the Outer Planets with Babula Clement
Lilith is a much maligned archetype, regarded as dark, scary, destructive and demonic – one that must be feared and controlled. However, we also know her as the powerful ‘Lion Heart of the Feminine’, a great divine being, the ‘Ancient Veiled One’ and the ‘Cosmic Womb/Mother Serpent’ who guides us back to healing, wholeness and integration. Her natal placement and her transits highlight themes of death and new beginnings, of the great mystery of cycles, of powerful healing of our old deep wounds of repression and disempowerment and a joyful release into new, authentic life. This lecture addresses these themes and focuses on the Black Moon conjunctions with the outer planets in recent and coming times.

Inanna and the Synodic Cycle of Venus (extended lecture) with Christine Rothwell
The synodic cycle of Venus – the time from one inferior conjunction to the next – was the inspiration for one of the most poignant feminine stories in myth: The Descent of Inanna, which was shaped in the oral tradition around 3,000 BCE. In ancient Sumer, Inanna ruled both Heaven and Earth. Every eight years a special ritual was held to honour Inanna’s descent into the Underworld. This lecture will look at the Venus cycle through the imagery of Inanna’s descent as an esoteric journey of initiation and as a psychological process of descent and return. We will explore natal and transiting symbolism of the key moments in the cycle as well as the monthly conjunctions with the Moon. The cycle that begins on June 4, 2020 will be used as an illustration.

The second half of this extended lecture will be devoted to contemplative processes and reflection on the deeper significance of Venus’s cycle. Bring your personal horoscope if you plan to attend the second session. Note: It is possible to attend just the first half of this extended lecture.

Suddenly I’m Old: How did I Get here? with Chris Turner
Becoming a ‘senior citizen’ – especially for the Pluto in Leo generation – has always been somewhere vaguely in the far-off future, until the day a Senior’s card arrives in the post. The mind and heart are the same as they were 30 years ago – and, true, the body is starting to ache, but surely you are not old! Astrological studies of children, teenagers, the mid-life crises etc. abound, but what about the period post-2nd Saturn Return? This lecture explores the astrology of the third Saturn cycle. (On a professional and personal note this will be my final formal astrological lecture.)

The Nodal Cycle – Following the Cycles and Transits of the Nodal Axis through the Lifespan with Charyn McLean
The North and South Nodes form a powerful axis within the horoscope revealing the life purpose and innate strengths we have developed through lifetimes, which assist us on the path to self-actualisation. But how did we get to where we are now? Why have our lives often followed a very different path to what we may have envisaged in our youth? Often it is the transits of the nodes which tell the story of our karmic journey. During their 18-19 year cycle, they return to activate the potential of the natal chart at different stages of soul growth.

Progressions and Rebirth with Kelly Surtees
Tracking your progressed planets describes permanent changes and temporary dramas. The aspects made by your progressed planets describe critical times for growth and personal evolution, as well as give you clues as to how you are ready to unfold at any given time. In this talk we’ll explore how progressed planets through their sign change show the end of an era and discuss how to fully interpret the topics associated with your progressed Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Discover how progressions describe cycles of rebirth and personal evolution.

The Progressed Moon: Finding our Way Home (extended lecture) with Darby Costello
The progressed Moon offers access to one of the most powerful dimensions of our human existence, and yet it has often been considered as simply one of several factors in predicting and timing events. For those who live interior as well as exterior lives, the progressed Moon is a powerful guide illuminating places of self-reflection and inner nourishment. It brings our attention to the cycles of our emotional and spiritual development. Here, in this two-part talk, we shall explore this indicator of our soul’s journey.

Pluto in Capricorn, Neptune in Pisces: Reflections on Other Times and Other Places with Darby Costello
Pluto will be in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces until 2024–6. These two planets have been sextile in these signs six times in the last 3000 years. Pluto in Capricorn reflects the collapse of outworn structures – collective and personal – while Neptune in Pisces describes new worlds emerging out of the mists of confusion and disillusion. In this talk we shall look back at those earlier times to see patterns that might give us insight into ways of navigating the present with intelligence and wisdom. We shall look especially at the periods in which Uranus was also in Taurus.

Saturn–Pluto: Birthing the Shadow (extended lecture) with Lynn Bell
As Saturn and Pluto come together, what has been suppressed, reviled or undervalued begins to rise up. Something unknown and perhaps unwanted is being birthed. It is a necessary birth – one that reveals aspects of the self that we may not wish to see, as well as sometimes overwhelming aspects of the collective. Saturn–Pluto comes with dread, paroxysm and a deep creative impulse – a call to inner light. What will blaze up in response to this conjunction? The first part of this lecture will look at the footprint of the cycle – its 36-year rhythm and unfolding – and in the second part we will explore questions arising from our own charts.

Tradition and Innovation

Behind the Steering Wheel: Your Chart Ruler with Frank Clifford
Your Ascendant is a vehicle that showcases a general attitude or outlook – one that you adopt to negotiate and interact with the world around you. It’s your open agenda and personality (i.e. your personal reality). But each Ascendant has a ruler with twelve possible sign placements (and aspects to that ruler). The Chart Ruler reveals the motivation or hidden directive behind the Ascendant – it is you as the driver of the vehicle and the route you wish to take. Join Frank to explore examples of the Chart Ruler from his files and from the group.

Measure of Success: The Technique of Doryphory with Mari Garcia
We often hear that success and fame are guarantees to a good life; that if you are successful, then you are supposedly insulated from the vicissitudes of life. ‘Doryphory’ is an ancient term used to determine an individual’s potential to achieve status in life. However, it is more than just status or success. It describes whether a person has the support of others or has access to support when it is needed; how well protected they are and their ability to withstand external attacks. The lecture will explore the technique and its application to natal charts.

Out of Bounds with Mari Garcia
When we describe a person, an act or a place as being ‘out of bounds’ we often mean they are not bound by social, professional or cultural conventions that govern society. In astrology ‘out of bounds’ refers to a planet’s declination – its position along the plane of the ecliptic. What happens when planets stray from the established path of the ecliptic? How do they manifest in the individual’s life or as a ‘sign of the times’ in mundane astrology? Do they push the boundaries of acceptability? If so how do they do this? The lecture explores how these planets operate in a chart.

Of Wildness and Chastity: Scorpio Psychodynamics with Jason Holley
The Greek story of Scorpius occurs in the context of the tumultuous relationship of Artemis and Orion. This ancient tale, told in many ways and from many vantage points, brings a kind of moonlight into the darkness of Scorpio territory, helping us to understand the psychodynamics of Scorpio placements and transits. Familiar Scorpio themes of passion, intensity, envy, and betrayal take on greater dimensions and complexity. We will consider how Scorpio placements reveal ever-shifting self-states of hunter and hunted, pursuer and evader – and especially how these self-states cycle both within a person and between people in relationship.

Cycles of Crisis and Cure (extended lecture) with Kira Sutherland
When illness or a lack of vitality impacts our lives what is it we are we being asked to experience or change? The natal chart describes the tools we can call upon to assist us in dealing with these ‘crisis’ situations, and it gives us clues as to how we can accomplish these changes with lasting results. In the first of two self-contained lectures, Kira will take us on a journey to look at the common issues, health triggers and stumbling blocks of each natal planet at times of illness.

And what can we do once a ‘healing crisis’ has begun? In the second of two self-contained lectures, Kira will reveal how transits present us with opportunities to become aware of – and make adjustments to – our health, habits and wellbeing. Using her background in natural medicine, she will use chart examples and principles of traditional healing to show how, at various transits, she supports and encourages the body to bring about relief and recovery.

The Origins of Horary Astrology with Dorian Greenbaum
Much ink has been spilt over the years in discussion of the historical origins of horary astrology. Different theories have been proposed that range from its development from the Indian consultation chart to an origin in divinatory practices prevalent in the ancient Greco-Roman-Egyptian-Mesopotamian world. This talk will examine these and other theories, and bring in the branch of astrology known as katarche to elucidate how asking the astrologer a question relates to other astrological practices like elections, decumbiture and interpreting events.

Saturn Pluto and Indigenous Australia with Cindy Naunton
From wars and revolutions to epidemics, the hard energies of Saturn/Pluto have historically coincided with major changes and challenges. By examining the past we can apply our understanding to be ready and prepared for what the future brings. Saturn/Pluto were active when white settlement occurred in Australia in 1788. Today, the current conjunction coincides with a growing restlessness with indigenous Australians. The traditional landowners had focused their attention on land rights, culture and constitution, but now indigenous history since white settlement, is under intense scrutiny. Astrology shows us that it is timely that this situation is addressed. This lecture shows how we can gain insight and awareness from the oldest culture on earth.

It’s Your Fault: Idealization and Projection with Lynn Bell
It can be all too easy to see what we don’t like in other people. How does that dislike or dissatisfaction show up in the birth chart? Oppositions are one way energy is projected outside the self. This is also true of the 7th and 10th houses, which signal enemies and those whose authority weighs on us, but what about the projections too good to be true, like idealistic projections in the 9th and fascinations in the 8th. Disowned or unrecognized qualities in the self can be projected. Understanding how some of these negative or overly positive feelings have to do with us is an important part of work on the self and any work with clients.

Personal Passions

The Birth Chart as a Beginning with Kelly Surtees
What dreams do you carry in your soul? What mission or purpose are you here to explore? By considering the special signatures of the planets in the natal chart, you can determine some of the most important undertakings for you in this lifetime. How are special signatures assessed? What features of the planets contribute to a positive or challenging chart signature? Discover how to assess your planets for strength, vitality and function and learn which themes are dominant in your natal chart.

Astrology and the Re-membering of Psyche with Jason Holley
Urania, Muse of astrology, was the daughter of Mnemosyne, goddess of memory. When client and astrologer-therapist gaze into the night sky via the natal chart, we participate in the Orphic mysteries, wherein the Soul was said to gaze into and drink from the pool of Mnemosyne to remember rather than forget its many experiences and identities. When we enter the sacred space of inner stargazing together, what has been dismembered and split off can be re-membered and embodied. In this talk we will explore how experiential art-based psychotherapy can facilitate a therapeutic journey of re-membering inspired by the muse of the birth chart.

Past life Planets: Working with Planets connected to the Lunar Nodes with Marc Laurenson
Often we find particular planets in our natal charts are like ‘sticking points’; that is having repetitive issues that we can’t seem to resolve. Like a record that is stuck we play out the fear, disappointment or drama, time and time again: chances are these planets are involved with the Moon’s Nodes. In this lecture we take a deeper look at these planets and how they are intrinsically entwined with the Nodal storyline by aspect, rulership, dispositor and house placement discovering how they can be transformed and find their higher potential.

Mars: The Barbarian and the Aristocrat with Darby Costello
We are in a time of great turmoil and transition and we carry our ancestry in our bodies. All of the times of chaos and disruption are there, in our deep memories, as are the weapons that our ancestors used to keep the line alive. Without those weapons we would not be here today. In this lecture we shall look at our Mars inheritance to develop awareness of when it is acting the thug and when it is acting with shining skill and aiming towards excellence on behalf of ourselves and those we cherish and protect.

Temperament, History and Practice (extended lecture) with Dorian Greenbaum
Interest in temperament in astrology has never waned – from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, to William Lilly, Nicholas Culpeper and John Gadbury – and in the 20th century, Rudolf Steiner and Carl Jung popularised their versions. In the first part of the lecture we will examine the history and practice of temperament in astrology. We’ll look at the development of temperament from Greek element theory and medical practice to its use in astrology and medicine.

In Part 2 we explore different ways of calculating temperament in the chart, and I’ll explain the system I use. Do you know your temperament? Are you choleric, melancholic, sanguine or phlegmatic? This lecture will tell you! We’ll also look at charts of famous people as well as those of class participants to see how to use temperament to enrich your own astrological practice.

Dwarf Planet Astrology with Alan Clay
Seven new planets, plus one upgraded, one downgraded, and one candidate compliment the nine that we are already using. This lecture looks at our busy new solar system and how the new dwarf planets extend traditional astrology into a richer and more spiritual perspective. We’ll look first at Sedna (spiritual destiny) as the new outer limit of our solar system and then at the other dwarf planets in this context, studying Ceres (nurturing), Pluto (transformation), Ixion (lawlessness), Orcus (speaking out), Haumea (rebirth), Makemake (devotion), Quaoar (new perspectives), Varuna (notability) and Eris (consciousness through discord).

The Web’s Journey: from Creation to Ubiquity with Veronica Chlap
The first Web browser was created in 1991 when Uranus was approaching a conjunction to Neptune in Capricorn. How did this conjunction influence the Web’s future growth and development during the 90s? The great Saturn–Pluto opposition of 2001–02 triggered the commercialisation of the Web, tech giants and later the rise of social media. The set of Uranus–Pluto squares saw the emergence of controversial trends, with cyber crime and bullying at a peak. With the Saturn–Pluto conjunction in Capricorn my lecture examines the Web’s journey – how it became ubiquitous and how we overlooked our privacy along the way – and offers a brief look into its future.

Beyond the 4th towards Sacred Earth with Kerry Galea
This presentation inspires a journey into the personal connection to Mother Nature and Sacred Earth via our 4th house. With Uranus in Taurus, it is timely to awaken our connection to the Earth, to respect her and to find personal connections to the wood-wide-web which connects everything that grows. This connection to Earth is already well known in environmental and earth sciences and our 4th house reveals the way we personally connect to this Earth network. During the presentation I will look at well-known charts for signatures of this Earth connection as well as your own horoscope signatures of belonging.

An Astrological Exploration of Adoption: Finding Mother in the Birth Chart with Fay Reynolds
As an adopted child, I have constantly reflected on the image and influence of ‘mother’ in the birth chart. This led me to ask the obvious question, ‘does our horoscope reveal how the birth mother and the adopted mother respond to us and how do we perceive them both?’ Fay’s investigation and subsequent findings have inspired this lecture. As part of her Diploma thesis, Fay explored the image of mother in the birth chart and whether it mirrored the relationship with both mothers. Fay also interviewed a cross section of adopted people and incorporated their personal stories, the Moon in their charts and other significant planetary findings.

Creative Astrology

Critical Crossroads: Proactivity in Times of Transition with Conference Co-Convenor Glennys Lawton
At the crossroads, Alice saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. “Which road do I take?” she asked. He responded, “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t know”, Alice answered; “then” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter”. Like Alice we may be unprepared when we reach a fork in the road. This is especially significant in critical passages where choices shape the way forward. In this presentation we will explore how being proactive in times of change might better prepare us for the path ahead.

What in the World Are We Doing When We Practise Astrology? with Dorian Greenbaum
The genesis of this lecture arose when I confronted my failure to predict correctly the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. So what, you say. Lots of us got it wrong! True, but I wanted to try to understand why I made the prediction I did. Based on the groundbreaking work of Geoffrey Cornelius, my own research into the nature of astrology and its links to divination, I will present my thoughts and hope to hear yours.

Astrological Inspirations with Frank Clifford
Courageous people inspire us. Uplifting stories of overcoming obstacles or winning against the odds help us understand that almost anything is possible. Astrologically, these people are often making the most of some very challenging aspects and placements in their horoscopes. Frank will reveal these placements to show how their stories, strengths and talents offer us all an incentive to pursue the potential written in our own charts. Come along and be woken up and spurred on by some truly memorable people, their stories and their horoscopes.

Healing with Horary Astrology with Wade Caves
Horary, the branch which best reflects astrology’s divinatory nature, requires three things: a sincere dilemma or situation that needs resolving; the sincere and meaningful intent of a questioner; and an astrologer who consents to acting as the intermediary between heaven and earth. Fluent horary interpretations demand a fair deal of creative freedom, but how can this be with a technique bearing a reputation for being rules-based? Is horary truly about rules or is something deeper, more profound at work? Come explore what it really means to be a horary astrologer: knowledge, certainly, but also a healthy dose of creativity.

Astrology and Flower Essence Therapy (using Australian Wildflower Essences) with Charyn McLean
In the 1930s, Dr Edward Bach became the pioneer of modern Flower Essence Therapy when he developed remedies to assist his patients in healing the emotional origins of their physical illnesses. He correlated 12 flower essences with the 12 zodiac signs. Combining Flower Essence Therapy with the horoscope as a diagnostic model, we can select remedies to assist in transforming negative core beliefs, which are seen by challenging planetary aspects. Progressions and transits reflect the cycles an individual is experiencing, and taking appropriate essences can help the individual attain a shift in consciousness and unfold the inherent potential revealed in their chart.

The Descent of Dark Beauty: The 8th House and Eros with Jason Holley
The 8th is the house where the Sun leaves his traditional rejoicing place, and ‘idles’ falling into Night. In modern astrology 8th House planets carry this notion of a fall into darkness narrated by terms such as shame, blame, invalidation, perpetration, death. These experiences terrify Day consciousness, but we will draw from ancient myth and modern psychotherapeutic journeys to discover how the descent through layers of shame and vulnerability may open into a Night consciousness of eros, mystery and unfathomable depth.

Breaking the Spell: Unbinding Difficult Patterns with Lynn Bell
Spells can be thought of as words that echo over and over in our minds, giving rise to ideas and feelings that have the power to turn our fate a certain way. At what moment do lifelong difficult patterns find release? Are there times we can wake up from a ‘spell’ that has kept us stuck somewhere we would rather not be? We will see how the transits of slow moving planets to natal Saturn play a key role in moments of liberation, as well as factors in the progressed horoscope. While some behaviours can be changed or adapted at many junctures, others offer themselves up to unbinding at precise moments in an individual’s life.

Tarot Time: Cycles in the Cards with Anne Shotter
Embedded in the Tarot are symbols and seasons of time. This is especially evident in the Major Arcana cards, which call forth the archetypal nature of forces present at the time of the reading. Over the many years of working with clients, I have witnessed Card 20, Judgment, to signal a phase of endings and renewals, often the conclusion of a 20-year cycle. Following Judgment is the World, the final card of the Majors, also echoing the themes of completion. Judgement is frequently equated with Pluto; the World with Saturn. At the dawn of the new Saturn-Pluto cycle it feels timely to consider both these cards in the light of cycles and passages.