Customer Reviews

Planets in Solar Returns: Yearly Cycles of Transformation & Growth

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
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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

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.

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!

I bought this book five years ago, and have referred to it so much my copy is tattered and scribbled in. I love this book. I love everything about this book, including the areas I feel Ms. Shea is weak in. Her psychology training shows clearly, as her psychological interpretations of the Solar Return planetary placements is spot-on. She has not been wrong about any one placement on that level.

On the other side of things, her interpretations of the events that accompany a particular placement are usually terrible, or way off the mark. This is fine for someone familiar with astrology enough to know to ignore those parts; I give her five stars for even trying. I wish the aspects would be described more fully, but am glad she included them, and with her usual psychological accuracy.

She goes into some depth about the cycles that pervade Solar Returns, which is lovely since one might not notice that right away (especially if the reader is young). She also describes the effect of hemisphere, quadrant, and element on the Solar Return. This book is highly complete, thoroughly written, and gives you a solid understanding of Solar Returns without cluttering your head with jargon (astrological or psychological).

It's a wonderful book!

This is a seminal book in 20th century astrology. It is strikingly accurate, and very accessible to a reader who may have never understood the concept of solar returns prior to reading it. The writing style belongs to a professional psychologist without being clinical. The book makes the novice want to check solar returns for the past decade on every chart that they follow, in order to understand how the author's extensive insight applies to real situations.

So what's wrong with the update? Many readers are probably curious how Chiron and the Nodes fit into a Solar Return (SR) picture, but the updated version attempts no new discussion.

A discussion of SR planets that fall very close to the SR Ascendent or Midheaven would have been most useful (the author highlights the possibilities inherent in a SR transit of the Ascendent without considering the unique interpretations associated with such a placement, regardless of transit). In the event that there is no difference, such an insight from an author with Shea's platform would have been instructive for the less experienced.

A little more synthesis of outer planet placements might have also helped. Read this book carefully, and even a novice can figure out that a SR with an 8th house Sun, 1st house Uranus, and 10th house Pluto will be an utter make-or-break year for a subject. To her credit, the author does cover less obvious combinations than this one, but she doesn't do it quite enough to satisfy.

And one other thing that I really hoped to see that wasn't there. Some discussion of folks who have travelled more than once to adjust their SR charts. She relates one example of a woman who overused this strategy until it was no longer effective for her. It would have been interesting to hear from those who began the events of an upcoming SR three months before it became exact, and then experienced a real shift in events subsequent to travel. Accounts from those who have used their "free will" sporadically without abusing this strategy would have satisfied a lot of us who are merely curious.

The book still gets five stars because it deserves it. But a truly updated version would have filled in a lot of the gaps that are still there.

I purchased Mary Shea's book when it first came out in the early 1990s. That copy is now falling apart and difficult to navigate with pages falling out. This new edition is updated with more information and new graphics, and the binding appears to be perfect for many more years of use. All I have to do is transfer my many margin notes and underlines to the new book--no simple task!!

Ms. Shea writes in a personable style, with anecdotes and real life examples illustrating her solar return interpretations. Her background in counseling psychology informs every page with insights every astrologer needs to hone her/his skills in interpretation. It is indeed a 'teaching' book in many ways to both the layperson and professional.

Through the years, I have found this book to be a roadmap for my year ahead. As my life has unfolded, natal transits, progressions, directions and solar return astrology have helped me maintain my sanity through insane times, both good and not so good. I know myself so much more deeply through the study of this art.

With her uncanny insights into this art of astrology, Ms. Shea reaffirms the mysteries that astrology makes real. By that I mean she is able to articulate what is happening, why it is happening, and often times when and how it will happen, ahead of time. THAT is bringing divination down to a single page with astrological glyphs in a circle, to be interpreted by a good astrologer.

The mystery of life (and god) is, as Joseph Campbell said, "...beyond all categories of thought." With the help of authors like Mary Shea and a few others, that mystery can be grokked...explored...experienced deeply, with a few more categories than usual. Not the whole mystery, but glimpses here and there.

Ms. Shea's book "Planets In Solar Returns" work is one I turn to most often during the year for guidance, especially during the 3 months leading up to my birthday. As I look to the closing phase of my year just ending, and my new birthday year approaching...like clockwork: "Here Comes the Sun" -- and once again I begin this wonderful journey called life.

Thank you Mary Shea. A masterful piece of insight for all who dare or care to ask.

The book is well-written; and gives a very detailed view of interpreting solar return charts. It is clear in describing the ways in which solar return charts differ from natal charts; as well as how they differ from other predictive charts. The reader can appreciate that the author has done years of her own extensive research on the use of solar return charts in prediction; and she includes very informative example chart interpretations to illustrate the principles of interpretation she outlines in the book. The author also directs the reader to additional interpretive resources she has posted on her website; which serve to reinforce the information presented in the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a good resource to aid in understanding of the use of the solar return chart. I'm glad to have given this birthday gift to myself!

What an excellent reference book this is! I ordered it through the author through Amazon as Amazon apparently doesn't (or didn't) sell it directly themselves. It arrived quickly, and I'm delighted to have it as part of my astrological reference library. It's a wonderful book. It's obvious that the author put her heart and soul into writing it.

The author is very detailed about solar return charts, including planets, houses, etc. that show up in the yearly return. Some of the information is very accurate, but like any astrology book, some is based on that particular astrologer's perceptions/experience. Overall, a useful book.

In general I like the style and writing of this book. Shea has indepth understanding of astrology and it is refreshing to read a more psychological approach and not just entertaining speech. So she concentrates on both positive and problematic sides of the placements of the solar plaents in the 12houses. My only regret is that she only focuses on the house positions (which is her method of solar interpretation). No angles, no nodes and so on. Therefore only 4 stars and little incomplete feeling.