2020 FAA Conference Speaker Dorian Greenbaum
Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum has practised and taught astrology since 1992. In 2009, she received her Ph.D. from the Warburg Institute, London.
Her book, based on her PhD, The Daimon in Hellenistic Astrology: Origins and Influence, was published in 2016. She is also known for her book Temperament: Astrology’s Forgotten Key (2005).
Dorian lectures and teaches internationally (FAA, UAC, the British AA, University of Wales Trinity St David on the MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology). Her interests include astrological lots and how the daimon works in astrology while her current passion is to rename the Part of Spirit to its correct name, the Lot of Daimon.
Lectures
The Origins of Horary Astrology
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.
What in the World are We Doing When We Practise Astrology?
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.
Double Lecture: Temperament, History and Practice
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.
Post-Conference Workshop
The Daimon and our Lots: Ancient Traditions in Astrology
This workshop will combine two of my favourite topics: the daimon, and lots.
First, I’ll answer the question ‘What is a daimon, and what does it have to do with astrology?’ We’ll discover that there is not one single definition of daimon, and that it is ubiquitous in the ancient Mediterranean world. We’ll find out what the daimon has to do with fate and what we are allotted in our lives on earth.
Second, I’ll give you a brief history of lots, both in Mediterranean culture and in astrology, and we’ll see how they connect with practices in ancient divination. Then we’ll talk about how lots and the daimon connect in astrology, and how ancient astrologers used them in practice. Finally, we’ll put all this together in exploring how to find and use the daimon in your own chart.