Planets in Solar Returns: Yearly Cycles of Transformation & Growth [Paperback]

Mary Fortier Shea (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

Here is everything you want to know about Solar Returns. Through this book, Mary Fortier Shea concentrates on a complete description of possibilities. Her examples range from spiritual transitions, starting a new business, love affairs, marriage, issues involving children and parents, health, education, writing and publishing books, relocation, income changes, career transitions, and much more. She covers both positive and negative possibilities for different Solar Return placements and configurations she discusses. Information is based on the author's experience interpreting hundreds of Solar Return charts for clients.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The text is the result of 10 years research into solar return charts. The new, revised edition has 50 pages of new information added including numerous chart examples.

From the Back Cover

Here is everything you want to know about Solar Returns!

Information based on the author's experience interpreting hundreds of Solar Return charts for clients.

An explanation of the significance of interceptions, retrogrades, aspects, hemispheric or quadrant emphasis, and preponderance or lack of an element or quality in a Solar Return.

An interpretation of each planet in every house of a Solar Return - the most important factors in Mary Fortier Shea's experience.

A guide to "timing" in the Solar Return coordinated with transits, secondary progressions, and solar arcs.

A chapter on combining natal charts and Solar Returns in a double wheel technique.

Through this book, Mary Fortier Shea concentrates on a complete description of possibilities. Her examples range from spiritual transitions, starting a new business, love affairs, marriage, issues involving children and parents, health, education, writing and publishing books, relocation, income changes, career transitions, and much more. She covers both positive and negative possibilities for the different Solar Return placements and configurations she discusses.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: The Writers' Collective Associates; Revised edition (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962662682
• ISBN-13: 978-0962662683
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Fortier Shea, M.A. Counseling Psychology, is an internationally acclaimed author, lecturer, counselor, and professional astrologer in private practice since 1978. A lifelong student of mysticism and metaphysics, Mary integrates spiritual principles with psychological concepts to foster personal growth, give clarity to life purpose and vocation, and harmonize the body, heart and mind. For the past 30 years, Mary has developed and conducted creative education programs on astrology and pathways to Higher Consciousness. She presently lives in Connecticut and continues to write on these topics. You can view her most current writings and contact information on her website at www.maryshea.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mt. Astrologer Magazine Review, February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Planets in Solar Returns: Yearly Cycles of Transformation & Growth (Paperback)

This is a revised edition of a book originally published in 1992. Mary Shea, who has a M.A. in Counseling Psychology, has written a comprehensive book on the subject of solar returns. The author has found solar returns to be most useful for understanding self development and inner growth; her book specializes in the psychological issues represented in the solar return chart.

Ms. Shea's counseling talent is well represented as she describes the range of issues likely to manifest in any year, along with valuable advice on how to make best use of the time. The author has a mature understanding of the kinds of personal issues that can emerge in an astrological consultation; i.e. self esteem, creativity, intimacy issues, anger, making this an excellent reference for those astrologers working with clients. The ideas given here can be applied in client work; it is constructive throughout and contained within the scope of most astrologer's skills. Although she addresses a wide range of possibilities - from spiritual transitions to business concerns - she stays within the range of issues that most astrologers can safely address in a consultation; this work is not designed to trigger emotional minefields or process very difficult therapeutic issues.

In the beginning of her text, Ms. Shea demonstrates the cyclic patterns that the Sun and Moon make in successive solar return charts - a phenomena that occurs if one stays in the same location (and is not too far south or north in latitude). One of the strengths of her book is in placing the solar return in a cyclic context, showing how one can take advantage of opportunities for each year while preparing for the next year.

Retrograde planets, hemispheric emphasis, element and mode balance are covered before a discussion of planets paired by aspect. The main part of her text, however, is the planet's position by house, which she has found to be the most important influence. (This work emphasizes reading the solar return chart as a separate chart, without reference back to the natal.) Mary Shea writes for at least a page on each planet in each house, making this a very thorough text. She reports many events from her client files, with the view that the actual events have been motivated by the inner urges.

I have refereed to Mary Shea's work often in working with solar returns and have recommended it to those ready for a new focus in their studies. She is positive, growth oriented, experienced, and communicates in a very clear and well organized way. (For readers familiar with the earlier version, this edition has expanded sample charts and interpretations, as well as some new graphics.)

reviewed by Mary Plumb of "The Mountain Astrologer Magazine" in the jan/feb 2000 issue

26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for the amateur and the professional!, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Planets in Solar Returns: Yearly Cycles of Transformation & Growth (Paperback)

This new addition of the author's old work adds even more great information to a wonderful book! Shea's description of the planets in Solar Return Houses is practically infallible.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the "beach astrologer", July 17, 2006

By 

Darrel W. Gunter "Beach Astrologer" (Clearwater, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Planets in Solar Returns: Yearly Cycles of Transformation & Growth (Paperback)

Ms. Shea puts the annual "solar return" into the larger perspective by giving us the astronomical pattern the "solar returns" follow. This book and Mr. Merriman's revised and updated "solar return" book together will give you everything you need to make your annual "solar return" understandable in both the practical sense and in the larger picture. Then, hopefully, you can take the authors's sugestions on celebrating and using it, as well!