Robert Schmidt Astrology

Image and Original is the 3rd of Robert Schmidt’s intensives on Hellenistic astrology. It began in March 2009. It picks up on the theme of hidden information in the Hellenistic chart. This concept was first introduced in the Hermetic lots intensive.

Schmidt and company planned the intensive to be an interpretation of the Hellenistic concept of the twelfth-parts (in modern parlance - 12th and 13th harmonics) with some treatment of antiscia. Shortly before the event, it turned into an explanation of Hellenistic astrology from the perspective of Platonic metaphysics. 

The attendees regarded this as a landmark event in Schmidt’s ongoing restoration of Hellenistic astrology. So much was discussed during the March intensive. It took several more meetings with attendees over five months to solidify the unfolding ideas for this class. 

The centerpiece of this intensive is still the meaning of the twelfth-parts and antiscia. Schmidt does a thorough interpretation of the three different algorithms for calculating twelfth-parts. He also presents a new way of conceptualizing antiscia. Auditors of this class will see how the Hellenistic astrologers regarded this hidden information in the natal chart as the manifestation of deity in the human soul and the world around us. 

By using the Platonic notion of the image and original, Schmidt extends the scope to include other Hellenistic concepts such as: 

• the mask/persona of a planet 
• and retrogradation in planetary configuration (an unaddressed subject from the Planetary Configuration intensive).

In addition, Schmidt addresses: 

• the employment of ideal numerical values such as the 15-portion (“degree”) interval of heliacal rising and setting the minor periods of the planets as the “numbers of time” 
• the relationship between the tropical and sidereal zodiacs 
• the Platonic understanding of memory and recollection as astrological motivation for using transits and secondary progressions 
• the uniqueness of the 7 traditional planets - consistent with their recorded significations via the Platonic approach, even if not explicitly stated in Hellenistic sources 
• an attack on how planets with many significations may be used in topical inquiries without resorting to local determination 
• the first systematic approach to the problem of “Fate” vs “Free Will” in Hellenistic astrology 

Those purchasing this intensive should not expect concrete delineations of all these concepts. Schmidt is laying the foundations where secure delineation principles can be built upon. As he has said before, we cannot delineate a chart factor until we know exactly what we are looking at in the chart. Delineation is the theme that he took up in his April intensive, which still requires editing and finishing touches. 

If you have liked Schmidt’s approach in the past or the first volume from the TARES series, you will love this intensive. 

This is the most important intensive Schmidt has done to date.