A chart is usually cast in the form of a wheel. It is a diagram representing the position of the planets, relative to a location on earth, at the time of birth. It can also be imagined to be the face of a clock--a 24-hour clock, with the sun, moon, and planets distributed around the dial. Viewed as a clock, it has noon on the top and midnight on the bottom. Sunrise, then, is around 6 a.m. and sunset, around 6 p.m. Traditionally a chart contains positions of sun, moon, the eight planets, and the nodes of the moon.

In this system, two clocks, i.e., charts, share the same axis. One is based on conception; the other, on birth. But before I go into how the clocks (charts) are related, below I anticipate several frequently asked questions about conception.

Why do I use conception charts? I first heard about conception charts from an astrologer, Charles Jayne. He used various conception charts--different from the ones used here-- based on his own hypotheses about conception. The second time I heard, or actually, read about conception was in G.I. Gurdjieff’s book, All and Everything, in which he wrote about “the moment of his [i.e., any individual’s] conception.” (The specific reference is to pages 288-289 of both the one-and three-volume editions: the book is cited below under "Bibliography.") Gurdjieff never used the words “conception” and “chart” together, and he never gave a formula for conception’s derivation. But, by then I said to myself, if conception has a distinct moment, then a chart can be cast for it.

Gurdjieff also wrote that ancient astrologers made frequent and valuable use of information of their knowledge of conception. That implied to me that astrologers then had a reliable way to find conception. Therefore, conception could not have been based on ”knowing” conception had taken place, an experience relatively few mothers have. It could not have been based on when the egg was fertilized because that can happen hours after sexual intercourse. No reliable chart could be based on that. It could not have been based on “quickening” because its actual occurrence as well as its relation to birth has remained controversial. The formula for conception had to have been based on something very reliable, something observable by an ordinary human being. The only really knowable piece of information between birth and conception is the moment of birth. Although not always later known, at the time it happens birth is very knowable. Therefore, conception had to be related to, and derivable from, birth.

How did I find conception? Also in the above-mentioned book, considerable space was devoted to exposition of the law of sevenfoldness, which, for reasons best understood by reading his book, was also called “the Law of Ninefoldness.” Seven and nine also occur frequently in religion, myth, song, fairy tale, and rhyme, from the most sophisticated to the most "primitive" cultures. That gave me two numbers--7 and 9. The third number, 40, also occurred universally in the cultural productions of mankind. Using those three numbers--7, 9, and 40--in a particular astrological application, I found the “formula” I use for conception. It turned out there was an even simpler way, with results the same as those produced by use of 7, 9, and 40, to find conception. But that simpler way was not how conception was found, nor would it have seemed probable had I started with it.

A number, it appears, is esoteric if its application to a subject reveals previously hidden relationships. In this instance, 7, 9, and 40 yielded the previously unsuspected connection between birth and conception.

After working with birth and conception charts for some time I better realized conception fit a familiar pattern. For example, just as parts of the human body and face are related proportionally, so birth and conception are proportionally related. They are functions of each other. If you have one, you can find the other.

Returning to the birth and conception charts, a harmonic is derived for each of their planets. Addition of harmonic planets to birth and conception planets produces a “harmonic chart”--the 3rd harmonic chart, the 4th harmonic chart, and so on for each house.

So, every individual has 12 harmonic charts which are magnifications of his traditional twelve houses. Each chart contains two intimately related dials comprised of birth and conception planets, their harmonics, and their dual set of houses--all around a shared axis. Altogether, there are forty planets--4 times the traditional 10: birth, conception, and their harmonics--per chart.

This dual house chart and its fourfold repetition of standard planets comprises the information system of this astrology.

Such information systems, based on a repeated use of a limited, standard set of symbols or patterns, are not unusual. They exist all over nature as well as in many human inventions.

The above is the gist of this system. The remainder of this paper is devoted to its specifics, starting with the more general and finishing with responses to other frequently raised questions.

Sidereal astrology is used. I understand tropical astrologers might be tempted to substitute tropical. Before doing that, they ought to read The Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs posted on this site. The two zodiacs are not interchangeable.

An Egyptian harmonic is derived from the sidereal position of each planet . The Egyptian harmonic is based on assuming the zodiac starts at zero Taurus rather than the traditional zero Aries.

My friend, John De Wilde gave me the formula for deriving Egyptian harmonics from regular harmonics. In addition, he helped me adapt astrology software to my needs. He pushed me toward developing charts other than the 7th, which I was loath to do until the 7th proved insufficient for explaining things. That did not happen until years after I had worked (without computer) with this approach when, finally, one day I could not find the astrology for a major event in my life. Then I started investigating some of the other 11 charts of this method. Now, after twenty-two years work with this approach, I have investigated some charts more than others--the 7th most, perhaps the 8th least. Here is his formula for the Egyptian harmonic:

30° x (13 - the number of the harmonic)

Or, if you are using astrology software, first change it to yield the sidereal position of the planets. Then, ask for your harmonic. These are "regular" harmonics. To get the Egyptian from them do the following in each chart:

Example: You want to cast a 3rd chart for its information on the individual's mind. You already have the "shell chart," the chart comprised of (non-harmonic) birth and conception planets and their houses. To these, you want to add the proper harmonic. The 3rd chart uses the 5th harmonic. Punching in a request for the 5th harmonic for both birth and conception, you will be subtracting a trine (120°) from each computer-generated harmonic to obtain the Egyptian harmonic.

Only conjunctions, applying and separating squares, and oppositions are used. Here I use the traditional terms for the 90°, 180° and 270° relationships between planets, but this method does not use those terms in the traditional way. That is, for instance, a (90°) "square" between venus and jupiter does not have the typical traditional astrological connotation of a "difficult" relationship between them. Difficulty is more a function of the planets involved, although an opposition retains its reputation that the two planets involved tend to work against, or in exclusivity to, each other.

Acceptable orbs for planets with lights is 5°. Five degrees is a very wide orb, rendering the set less potent. Orbs for conditions without lights is 2° for planet-to-Angle, and 2° for planet-to-planet. For progressions of Angles, orbs have been set at 1°, but have proven to be less--a lot depends on whether or not a light is also present.

Aspects--trines, quincunxes, sesquiquadrates, etc.--used by the traditional astrologer are represented here through harmonics. Indeed, harmonics end up including some aspects not used in traditional astrology.

Harmonics expose previously hidden relationships between birth planets. They also display unsuspected relationships between birth and conception planets.

In time, looking at aspects only in terms of conjunctions, squares, and oppositions becomes natural. It is actually easier. To find planets in a set just locate any one planet and look for other planets in the cross with it.

As a standardization, Placidian houses are used.

I have not found conception superior to birth, or vice versa. I have read things like, “conception is closer to our soul’s purpose and birth to the vehicle we have to work through.” In practice they are inseparable and work together. Perhaps some individuals could choose to develop the consciousness of one more than the other. Perhaps. Right now such choices are unwarranted and entirely hypothetical. First comes establishing the viability and reliability, itself, of this approach.

Rulership of the signs is traditional, except mars rules both Aries and Scorpio. Pluto does not rule a sign, although I can certainly see its relation to transformations and the 8th house. Perhaps, then, pluto and mars rule Scorpio.

Conception planets rule conception houses and birth planets rule birth houses. They cannot be interchanged.

Conception Angles and planets start progressing at conception; birth, at birth.

The major return for this chart occurs every 40° (exactly) from the birth sun, and there are nine of them per year.

For a traditional astrologer--I was one for 10 years--so many planets, so many charts are overwhelming. Their apparent chaos is easily reduced. Only what is on or ruling Angles is forefront in the chart. At any one time, “forefront” produces the reading.

The lights are important because they represent modes of consciousness. They also act to intensify--that is, bring into consciousness--the planets, which, in turn, modify the mode of the lights. But any of these has to be forefront--or become forefront through progressions--to have maximum effect.

Since birth and conception houses rarely coincide--a child can be conceived at 1 a.m. and born at 5 p.m.--their divergence produces what I call “house overlap.” House overlap has turned out to be more important than I first believed. Because of house overlap, each planet is simultaneously in two houses. For instance, birth 3rd house (thinking) can overlap conception 7th house (relationships). I addressed this condition in the paper on Hinckley. Planets in his 3rd/7th overlap showed a strong desire for relationship. The rest of his chart made actual relationship difficult. His 3rd/7th overlap plus his obstruction to relationship contributed to his obsession with Foster.

Another example: a 4th (end conditions) and 12th (hidden matters) house overlap has implications about unforeseen death. One example is the victim of homicide, but this overlap can and does have other “surprise ending” interpretations.

A third example: a double 3rd/9th house overlap which I addressed in the charts of David Koresh and John Nash.

Twenty-two years of research have established that harmonics of the planets are important. Indeed, they are the core of this method.

This method uses harmonics three through fourteen for the 1st through 12th houses respectively.

How did I know which harmonic to use to magnify each house? It was implied in Hindu astrology, which especially emphasizes the 9th harmonic (7th chart). With this system, which is different from Hindu astrology, the correlation of each harmonic with the house it magnifies has been empirically tested. It still is being tested, partly because I have worked much more on some harmonic charts than on others.

An odd geometry is suggested by these charts. Birth and conception planets can be seen to form two concentric circles. Adding a dimension, they look like two concentric tubes. Their harmonic planets form two vortexes or cones around them.

The following is more about how to read these papers and less about casting charts:

In writing about this system, I use the same number to identify the harmonic as is the house being magnified. I do that to make reading the paper simpler. Unfortunately, it then appears the harmonic used to derive each "house chart" is the same as the number of the house being magnified. Such is not the case. The harmonic being used is always two more than the number identifying it in these papers. When I write, for instance, "c3 pluto" (which translates as "conception pluto's harmonic for the 3rd chart"), it looks like I have used the third harmonic. The 5th was used.

Notations used are:

A number following them identifies the house being magnified. For instance, the 5th house magnified is called the 5th chart. “Pc5 venus” translates as "the harmonic for 5th chart for progressed conception venus. “Pb1 moon” identifies progressed birth moon turned into a harmonic moon for the 1st chart.

“Angles” is a common term for Midheavens and Ascendants as well as their opposition points. Their abbreviations are:

MC = Midheaven
Asc = Ascendant

Their opposition points, respectively, are abbreviated:

I.C. = 4th house cusp
Desc = 7th house cusp

I started out using the word "aspect" when referring to the cross described by planets in 0°, 90°. 180°, and 270° relationships with each other. I now use the term "set."

A set is two or more planets connected to each other by conjunction, square, or opposition, all within acceptable orbs. That makes it a set. It becomes a signature set if certain planets within it define a condition and are always present for individuals with that condition. House influence is also part of the signature. Signature sets describe many parts of our existence.

I hasten to add, my use of the term "set" has nothing to do with set theory of mathematics, about which I only know its name.

Now to my responses to other frequently raised questions and objections:

(1) I am aware of the rule of the Trutine of Hermes for finding conception. I never found conception charts derived from it useful. I also investigated other formulas for conception charts. By investigate, I mean casting and progressing them for a variety of conditions and events. This conception holds by sign, sets, progressions and transits--over 20 years research in a variety of areas.

(2) Some people are conceived in a different locality than they are born in. One example is Alan Turing. He was conceived in India and born in England. Until it can be properly investigated, I have worked from the principle that conception locality is the same as birth locality. So, both Turing's birth and conception charts are cast for London, England.

Some individuals' births are not full term. Some are less, some more than full term. Individuals born significantly less than full term (as it is defined physically) may have conception one, or even two, whole intervals fewer than normal. They may, however, be "full term" babies, in spite of their apparent early birth. The majority of individuals are full term. I have always used the general formula for conception for individuals whose birth was approximately minus a month of full term, i.e., for those fully functioning individuals who report that they were "premature."

Physical and astrological conception may--or may not--be different. I suspect they are different. With this method my approach is that astrological conception is not accidental. As a truly significant moment for each human being it has, and ought to have, a harmonic relationship to birth.

(4) My use of the Egyptian harmonic started by accident. I first encountered it in an article in American Astrology by Cyril Fagan. Fagan got it from a Hindu astrologer. I did not even know it was an Egyptian harmonic. The editor of Considerations, Ken Gillman, who published my first paper, first told me so. (See footnote 1, below.)

I spent several months testing regular versus the Egyptian harmonic. I found the Egyptian superior. Still, that was not a long time. My continued use of the Egyptian harmonic, however, is not arbitrary. The signs as well as degree positions of the Egyptian harmonic have proven dependable. Their dependability adds greatly to research results.

Finally, I have not placed the actual formula for conception anywhere in these papers. It has been published in two journals. As well, experienced astrologers reading this could easily get it. I have two reasons for not putting it in print on the Internet:

I would prefer the method itself not be "invalidated" because, in fact, the astrologer who invalidated it was imprecise, inexperienced, or even lazy, and

Most astrologers do their own charts as part of the way they investigate a different astrological approach. I am concerned about possible negative impact of this method on inexperienced and young individuals.

Having stated that, I am interested in and open to others' inquiries and observations.

Footnotes
(1) Considerations is edited by Ken Gillman. The address is Post Office Box 655, Mount Kisco, NY 10549.

Go to Considerations Web Page

Bibliography
All and Everything: Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson, by G. Gurdjieff. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1950.