Customer Reviews

The Development of the Personality: Seminars in Psychological Astrology ; V. 1

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A large number of psychological and astrological perspectives on real life are packed into this excellent volume by two giants of modern astrology, Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas. Many years after I first bought "The Development Of The Personality", I still dip into it now and again to re-discover a few truths and different takes on astrological and psychological interpretation. There is much food for deep thought here, with a large number of practical examples that keep the astrology and psychology alive.

The book is based around the transcripts of four seminars, two each by Greene and Saportas. "The Stages Of Childhood" explores the relationship between early childhood experiences and the placements in the birth chart which predispose each us to interpret these experiences in a particular way. "The Parental Marriage In The Horoscope" looks at how individuals might deal with their astrological and psychological parental patterns. "Subpersonalities And Psychological Conflicts" examines six subpersonality structures and related conflicts e.g. part of us may be "the mystic" while another may be "the pragmatist". In "Puer and Senex", Liz Greene looks at personal creativity, contrasting the exciting possibilities of "the eternal youth" (puer) with the more worldly and practical "old man" (senex).

Given the rather heavy nature of some of the material, many humorous comments and entertaining interchanges with the audience are a nice touch throughout this substantial volume.

Liz and Howard gave a talk about the relationship between personality and astrology. In my opinion, this book talks about psychology more than astrology. In fact, in the old time before the subject of psychology appeared, Astrology was the main subject to under human psyche. In this book, Liz and Howard showed us how our birth charts reveal the development of the personality, since we were in the womb, during the birth and during growing up.

Chapter 2 talks about the father & mother, as everyone already has an father image and mother image when he was born, as revealed in the chart. Very often, the unfinished tasks of our parents will be brought forwards to us. And what is not lived out by ourselves will be carried forwards to our children.

Chapter 3 talks about different phychological dilemmas. This chapter is very wonderful for the people who often face with dilemmas, with other people or within himself.

Chapter 4 talks about Puer & Senex, (the Eternal Youth vs Old Man). Puer represent new ideas and changes. Senex represents old form, structure and rules. Puer and Senex are pair. One cannot exists with the others. And they live within every people. I am a Sagittarian. Every description about the Puer match myself exactly! This chapter is very wonderful for the people with a lot of Fire/Earth conflict, like me.

This is the first of the four books in the Seminars In Psychological Astrology series. Any serious astrologers should read this book carefully. Beginners might read Liz's "Astrology for Lovers" first.

Here is a book that is chock full of information, taken from seminars that Liz and Howard conducted. It's this kind of presentation where you can pick up tidbits that you'll remember forever. It covers the parental marriage as indicated by the sun and the moon (and other factors that perhaps you didn't know to look at in those terms). It talks about early childhood and the unfolding personality expressed through progressions. There is a very interesting chapter about the archetypal images of the mythical creatures, Puer and Senex, which was entirely new to me. If you are interested in depth psychology as shown in the birth chart you must read and re-read this book. You will come away from it knowing yourself in a deeper way than before. I would recommend it to the intermediate or advanced astrology student. Excellent work!

All of Liz Greene's books are awesome, and this like others makes you think. If you like taking the psychological approach to astrology, this book complements her works on Neptune, the inner planets, Saturn and love astrology to give a layered understanding to the nuances of the planetary archetypes. As archetypes are eternal mysteries, that can neither be filled or taken away from as Jung put, we can only continually discuss them to try to grasp their infinite and varied expressions. Liz really helps you to discuss them, giving so many examples and insights that take the meaning of the archetypes found in the planets beyond a list a mere keywords or a simplistic application of them. I love her works for that reason, and this book as the others can be read again and again as tools for mediation on the meaning of the planets in your life and the lives of others.

Another great book by Liz Greene & Howard Sasportas. Absolutely vital information for any astrologer or those learning about astrology. It's not cook book astrology, more case history but highly insightful. Everyone should have this on their bed side tables.