In so far as it relates to genitures prognostic astrology can be divided into two main divisions (1) Natural and (2) Symbolical. The former assumes that the Sun, Moon and planets permanently impress their individual influences on that portion of the circle of the Zodiac that they each happened to occupy at the moment of birth and that the subsequent transits (crossings) of the planets over these natal positions modify these influences. As the dates of such transits can easily be determined from astronomical almanacs or ephemerides-computed many years in advance, or by the direct observation of the night skies, the astrologer has at hand a direct means of making and timing a prediction. Suppose by way of illustration, a person was born at 0h 39m a. m. G. M. T. on July 25, 1920. On this date and time, the planet Venus was in exact ecliptical conjunction with the fixed star Asellus Australis ("The Southern Ass".) Catalogued as Delta Canceri and situated in 13° 54' of the constellation Cancer. Tradition affirms and empiricism confirms that the amatory impulses are in some inexplicable way bound up with this planet. Tradition and empiricism also attest that Jupiter is the bringer of joy and Saturn of sorrow. Had an astrologer consulted the 'Nautical Almanac for 1943 he would have found that Jupiter in its course transitted "The Southern Ass." on August 7, 1943 (This transit could not be seen in the night skies, as Jupiter was then a day-star being close to the Sun) that is over the place in the ecliptic occupied by Venus at birth, and he would have been safe in predicting that the native would be successful in his love affairs at this time, and Cupid would have brought him great joy? On the other hand had he scanned the night skies immediately after sunset of July 1st 1947 he would have seen that Saturn was close to "The Southern Ass. " and he would know that the native was then meeting with disappointment and reverses in his love affairs and all was not too happy in his domestic circle.
The Varshapraves (Solar Return) and the Masapraves (Lunar Return) come within the field of prognostic astrology. The former is a chart of the heavens for the precise moment that the Sun transits the ecliptical position it occupied among a fixed stars at birth, which happens annually about the birthday anniversary; and the latter, the moment when the Moon transits its own natal place, which happens about every 27 days. The Varshapraves indicates the main events for the ensuing year, while the Masapraves denotes the particular happenings for the ensuing 27 days. Many occidental astrologers are convinced that the Masapraves is the most reliable predictive instrument extant.
The popular birthday predictions of news-paper astrology, based on the transits of the planets to the Sun's position at birth; and the monthly JanmaRasi method deservingly popular in India and based on the transits of the planets in relation to the Moon's position at birth also come within the scope of natural prognostic astrology. The glory of natural prognostic astrology is that it directly relates the birth horoscope to the natural phenomena taking place in the ambient, and it is not beset by the complications and variables met with in prognostic symbolical astrology.
But astrologers employ other methods of making predictions which come under the heading of symbolical Prognostication. These include Directions (Primary and Secondary), Arabic Progressions, the Indian Dasa Systems, and Symbolics proper. Primary directions are related to the Mundane sphere and not to the ecliptic circle. Claudius Ptolemy, the disputed author of the Tetrabiblos in which the theory is first expounded, believed that the planets at birth left a permanent impress of their influences on the positions they occupied in the mundane sphere (i.e. in the Bhavas or "Houses"). Suppose birth occurred at sunrise about the time of the Vernal Equinox (March 21st) when Mars was precisely on the upper meridian (Midheaven) the Sun being on the ascending degree. According to this theory the influence of Mars irrespective of its zodiacal position is indelibly impressed on the midheaven, as that of the Sun is impressed on the eastern horizon. Six hours after birth would be noon, when the Sun would have come to the upper meridian (culminated) and hence it would be mundanely in conjunction with Mars; and as Ptolemy believed one hour of equinoctial time to be astrologically equivalent to IS years of life, then the effects of this direction would operate in the native's 90th year. The secondary method is on all fours' with the primary except that directions "In Zodiaco" are made to the ecliptic degrees occupied by the natal planets. Assuming a life span of 120 years all possible directions would occur within some eight hours of birth, Ptolemy's method of effecting these directions by proportion of semi arcs is open to serious mathematical objections. R. C. Smith (the first "Raphael") very logically suggested that such directions should be made under the Poles of the significators but Sepharial's formulae for computing these Poles is trigonometrically inaccurate. Inci-dentally these systems were never popular since they called for at least a working knowledge of trigonometrical functions, apart from the fact that they were laborious, tedious and time-consuming. The system most popular in the West, and still in vogue, is the Arabic method of progressions which is based on the assumption that every day after birth is equivalent to one year of life. According to this theory if the Sun and Jupiter come into mutual conjunction 30 days after birth, then the wonderful effect of this configuration would be experienced in the native's 30th year. In India the Dasa system of predicting by planetary periods is in popular use. As the method is explained with much detail by our author in this book it is not necessary to enlarge on it here.
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