SF instructions for SMA

[Jim Eshelman]

Jupe made a strong pitch that - with the goal of potentially empowering and convening a larger army of participating mundane astrologers, I write a pamphlet showing how to use Solar Fire, step by step, to do the SMA calculations, and then how to use these charts to examine historic events and predict future events, and providing a uniform way of calculating, displaying, and assessing so that we can collectively refine our science. (Of course, if someone decides not to be wear the team uniform, we will still have another Sidereal mundane astrologer running around.)

I was, and remain, very grumbly about having to do this level of hand-holding. I would think others would take this up and do it instead. But one doesn't get anywhere by expecting someone else to do something, so I agreed to do it with the provisos that (1) I make no commitment on when I would start or finish it, and (2) there would be no pictures - people would draw their visuals from having Solar Fire actually open in front of them, following along as they read.

I had a gap yesterday, so I outlined the book and wrote about half of it. I will post updates here as it shapes up. I thought it would be useful to post it here for at least two reasons:

1. People using Solar Fire might immediately find some tips that make it easier for them.
2. You can give me feedback.

Here is the current set of completed chapters:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ansnmu2xbktakZQoqex7N_aTehiK4Q

[Jim Eshelman]

Excellent Jim. IMO, one of the biggest disadvantages for a serious learning Sidereal Astrologer is learning how to use an astrological computer program, functioning in detail how to calculate and view Sidereal Astrology charts. Actually, a separate instruction manual for program operation is needed; otherwise, no one can truly learn the value of Sidereal Astrology and SMA. I was very lucky with my learning curve, because Matthew spent days with me through e-mails instructing me how he had Solarfire functioned for seeing/calculating what needed to be seen/learned for learning sight into Sidereal Astrology. After Matthew taught me the basics, it literally took me months of repeating practice to properly use Solarfire. You are doing a good service for the learning Sidereal Astrologer with this topic. Thanks.

[Jim Eshelman]

Thanks, Steve.

I just finished a very difficult chapter, perhaps the hardest of the entire book - for both the writer and the reader - on searching for transits and progressions in solar ingresses and building the Bridge zone tables. This also showed me that I had to change a couple of things in the setup chapter. Here is the new version.

[expired link]

Remaining are chapters on interpreting an ingress, analyzing a historic event, and predicting future events, plus two chapters at the front - a brief introduction explaining why the pamphlet, and a minimalist introduction to SMA so that somebody has a clue what I'm talking about without having to go read the big book first.

It occurs to me that if the Solar Fire people appreciate the help and endorsement, they might post this free pamphlet on their Facebook page, which in turn would encourage people to explore SMA. (Or not.)

[Jim Eshelman]

If I could figure out how (without the thing crashing... it crashes all the time; it's not just me, other people complain about it crashing too.) to edit a SMA interpretations file for Solar Fire, I'm pretty sure the Solar Fire people would be willing to offer that and likely on more than just their facebook page.

[Jim Eshelman]

Outstanding resource. Been working my way through it. Just outstanding.

Thanks. I would appreciate your feedback to make it better. This is a work in progress with a few more chapters to write and probably a lot of work to make it more accessible.

But I thought that, in addition to setting someone up for SF in mundane astrology, this way of hands-on walking through might get someone used to moving around in Solar Fire and customizing it for all sorts of things.

[Jim Eshelman]

There is no doubt astrological programs have allowed the non-mathematician to calculate the stack of charts that Sidereal Astrology demands, I am living testimony to this fact. Learning Sidereal Astrology is no easy task, particularly with most printed teachings for Sidereal Astrology, now out of print. The only way the truths of Sidereal Astrology can be brought to the non-mathematician crowds interested in Sidereal Astrology, is with the modern astrological programs to the computers everyone now owns, and with written manuals by a Sidereal Astrologer on how to function (customize) the program. Still this leaves the fact that most of the the teaching written material on Sidereal Astrology is now disappearing from today's history--there is no demand.