ASTRO-MATH

Why are the inane "tests" used by skeptics such as James Randi et al to discredit astrology always, always going to result in showing the ancient doctrine in a bad light? Because that's the way they are set up. Whether through ignorance or design, most tests are based on nothing but Sun signs - or, even on occasions when skeptical researchers purport to present a more sophisticated test, it could never possibly encompass all there is. There's too much for the human brain to compute and interpret. We now have technology to assist, but as yet, as far as I know, there is no program specifically designed to carry out what'd be needed. There are also variables, outside matters astrological, which will influence how astrological elements manifest in each individual.

While meticulous research would help to clarify, and possibly discount some areas of ancient doctrine which tend to muddy the waters, I doubt there could ever be a cut-and-dried method capable of 100% proof.

In a 1951 publication of the American Federation of Astrologers: The 360 Degrees of the Zodiac by Adriano Carelli there's a lengthy footnote. It enumerates and calculates the enormous variety of possible combinations from which a natal chart could be composed. I posted on this topic a couple of years ago but at that time scanned the relevant page, which didn't post very clearly. This time I've copy-typed the details:

"At any given moment the sun can be in any of the 12 signs, viz: the possible combinations of the Sun with the zodiacal signs are 12. But for each position of the Sun there are three possible positions of Mercury: in the same sign as the Sun, in the sign preceding it, and in the one following it. The possible combinations of the Sun and Mercury with the 12 signs are therefore 12 x 3 =36. For each of these, five possible stations of Venus are to be reckoned with viz: either in the same sign as Sun, in any of the two preceding signs, or any of the following two: 36 x 5 = 180. The Moon, Lilith (not sure why he includes this), Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto may have each of 12 different co-locations for any among the 180 combinations previously considered: 12 to the power of 8 x 180 = 77,396,705,280.

Let us now take in the positions of the six couples of houses (they cannot be taken singly, as each house is tied to the diametrically opposite one, and the respective cusps move symetrically) and consider their positions both in relation to the signs and the planets. (Note: For houses to be considered an accurate birth time is essential)

Spacially all points on Earth's surface with equal latitude have the same system of housing, but in time the position of the cusps varies every instant of the 24 hours of the sidereal day. How many are the possible combinations dureing those 24 hours?

In relation to the signs the six couples of houses move 12 times each during the 24 hours . 12 x 6 = 72 possible combinations between houses and zodiacal signs.

In relation to the planets, each of these moves from house to house 12 times a day. As we have mentioned 11 planets (he includes Lilith I suppose) FOR ANY SINGLE GEOGRAPHIC LOCALITY THERE ARE 12 X 11 X 132 POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS BETWEEN HOUSES AND PLANETS.

Now let us multiply 77,396,705,280 x 72 x 132: the total is 735,578,286,981,120."

The author then goes on to point out that if other bodies, and the fixed stars, and sensitive points (Moon's Nodes for instance) were added, as well as the 360 degrees of the zodiac, split into decans or individually, the figures would increase to an unimaginable (for me) total.

He ends by saying "above all I have narrowed the problem down to one single geographic spot, though the tightest crammed human hive hardly holds one twohundred-and- fiftieth of the whole mankind."....