Hello everyone! I'd like to introduce you to astrologer Heather Figeroa. She'll be posting on the blog from time to time and this is her first review on my site. I'm so grateful to her for sharing her thoughts on Charles Obert's Using Dignities in Astrology with us! Take it away, Heather!
To clarify things, Enter Charlie Obert and his book on dignities. One of the big advantages of this book is that Obert designed it for use in a class that he teaches on the subject for Kepler College, so the layout and structure were well organized. Also, by providing cumulative information, he took this book from helpful guidebook to indispensable resource.
Even seasoned astrologers might sometimes wonder what is the real difference between a planet in exaltation or rulership. Obert handles this brilliantly and gives the reader solid explanations on what it means for each planet to be in each specific dignity. He builds slowly and includes a handy reference sheet as well as checklists to consult when you want to parse the chart using the dignities.
Moving even further into the book, Obert speaks about mutual reception and even shares his techniques on how to apply mixed reception, which was something that really made me excited and opened up a new avenue of how to blend the planets.
This is neither a thick or pedantic read, nor was it created in a way that seeks to be overly verbose in his explanations. If you'll excuse the pun, you won’t find any wild and far out astrology here, for Obert prefers to deal with things very traditionally. He provides many chart examples and elaborates in his creative and perceptive style, bringing his audience along for his examination of rulership, exaltation, detriment, and fall.
One of the nicest things about this book was when Obert really opened up the field with his revelations about all the ways a planet could be accidentally dignified as well, and included some handy checklists to apply to each chart to discover all the hidden accidental dignities as well.
Moving even further into the book, Obert speaks about mutual reception and even shares his techniques on how to apply mixed reception, which was something that really made me excited and opened up a new avenue of how to blend the planets.
This is neither a thick or pedantic read, nor was it created in a way that seeks to be overly verbose in his explanations. If you'll excuse the pun, you won’t find any wild and far out astrology here, for Obert prefers to deal with things very traditionally. He provides many chart examples and elaborates in his creative and perceptive style, bringing his audience along for his examination of rulership, exaltation, detriment, and fall.
One of the nicest things about this book was when Obert really opened up the field with his revelations about all the ways a planet could be accidentally dignified as well, and included some handy checklists to apply to each chart to discover all the hidden accidental dignities as well.
Another aspect that Obert tackles is the conversation of sect--a classical astrology term that deals with day and night charts--and how all of these aspects interplay together to form a cohesive whole. It’s not a stretch to say that with the use of this book and its rules and checklists, it would be entirely possible to delineate the chart based on Charlie’s techniques here alone to create a totally new kind of reading. I have done this, so I know it is possible, and the results? Eye-opening and satisfying.
It is often hard to find one reference book that doesn’t also seem to veer off the topic to include things that may not be within the scope of the study. There is none of that here; Obert has included only the very best nuggets of wisdom into this practical and instructive manual.
An author at the top of his craft, Obert is the consummate teacher and his fluid skills in handling all the contours of subject of dignities make this a book that you need to read. Obert has a down-to earth, personable and conversational style, so grab a comfy seat and give this one some attention. You will be glad you did!
It is often hard to find one reference book that doesn’t also seem to veer off the topic to include things that may not be within the scope of the study. There is none of that here; Obert has included only the very best nuggets of wisdom into this practical and instructive manual.
An author at the top of his craft, Obert is the consummate teacher and his fluid skills in handling all the contours of subject of dignities make this a book that you need to read. Obert has a down-to earth, personable and conversational style, so grab a comfy seat and give this one some attention. You will be glad you did!
