Book Review – The Moving Universe: A Spiritual and Mundane Perspective on the Transits by Joseph Polansky
Book Review
The Moving Universe
A Spiritual and Mundane Perspective on the Transits
by Joseph Polansky
Joseph Polansky has written annual horoscope books for each zodiac sign for a number of years. You know the ones I mean – they are the 365 day version of your daily newspaper horoscope. These are “mundane” forecasts that we scan each morning; they tell us of impending success, romance, or to be careful out there!
A Moving Universe: A Spiritual and Mundane Perspective on the Transits is a different breed of astrology book from the year in prediction books. Mr. Polansky addresses the impact of planetary energies as they move through, or “transit,” an individual’s birth chart or solar return chart – where the current planets are on your birthday. The chart of the planets’ positions at the moment of your birth is a permanent picture memorialized in your birth chart. But, the planets keep moving! And depending on the timing of their movement around the Sun, they will form angles to their position in your birth chart as they move and to the position of the other celestial bodies in the chart as well. You may be familiar with a “Saturn return,” for example. When you are approximately 28 years old, Saturn has moved through the entire wheel of the horoscope and returns to its place at the moment you were born. That position presages a coming of age and a maturation process, possibly a series of challenges that initiate a person into adulthood. As Saturn moves through the entire wheel of the natal horoscope chart over the course of 28 years, it forms angles to every other planet’s natal position, including its own! And every other planet does the same thing, moving at its own speed, from fast Mercury to SLOOOOW Pluto, who takes 245 years to orbit the sun. You will not have a Pluto return!
As they pass over or across from the other planets in the natal chart, transiting planets impart a tone or influence to the affairs of life and energies of the planets contacted. The specific degree of separation of one planet from another, or angle of contact, carries a particular energy. Trines (120°) and sextiles (60°) are considered “easier” than squares (90°) for example. As we can have multiple transits happening at the same time, it is like peeling an onion to get through the layers to interpret what’s happening!
Mr. Polansky has provided a great resource for the student of astrology in this volume. He explores what he calls the major angular aspects: conjunctions (planets at the same place); oppositions (planets 180° apart, opposite each other); squares, trines and sextiles. I would have liked to read his assessments of quincunxes and septiles as well; in my astrological training, I learned that these aspects can point us in the direction of the karmas and patterns we most need to address. Nonetheless, Mr. Polansky has explored each of the angles listed for every planetary combination – over 300 pages of reference materials that is pure gold for both the neophyte and the experienced astrologer.
What makes this book so valuable as a resource are Mr. Polansky’s discussions of both the mundane and the spiritual meanings of each transit. He examines what is likely to be happening in the outer life of the person undergoing the transit, and then he addresses what that transit may be bringing on the level of interior lessons and challenges. He is quick to remind us that we must factor in the many elements present in a birth chart to truly understand the impact of a transiting planet!
This book is a great addition to your bookshelf if you are interested in exploring the multi-dimensional meanings of transits in depth. I have added it to my reference library and will be using it many times!
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About the Author:
Susan Rossi is a Practitioner and Teacher of Shamanism. She is a long-time explorer of The Mysteries – the connections between mind, body, spirit and how to live in right relationship to all of the energies streaming through the cosmos. She works with clients as an astrologer, coach, ceremonialist and guide to the wisdom that each of us has the capacity to access. Her focus is on guiding clients to unblock and rediscover their inner wisdom. , exploration of the birth chart, ceremony, legacy writing, hypnotherapy, energetic healing practice and creation of sacred tools are integral pieces of her practice.
Susan trained in Soul Level Astrology with master astrologer Mark Borax. She delights in exploring with individuals the planetary pattern under which their soul choose to incarnate.
Flying to the Heart www.flyingtotheheart.com
Open Channel Astrology: openchannelastrology.com