Episode 287 features a lecture by Chris Brennan on the concept of reception in traditional astrology, and how it can be used as a powerful mitigating factor in birth chart interpretation.
Broadly speaking, reception occurs when one planet is placed in a sign ruled by another planet, and the ruler of the sign aspects the guest planet.
Since the signs of the zodiac were originally conceptualized as the homes or dwelling places of the planets, reception was conceptualized as what happens when a host planet welcomes and supports guests staying in its home.
Medieval astrologers often treated reception as a powerful mitigating factor, which could make aspects from benefics even more positive, or alternatively make difficult aspects from malefics more constructive.
In the first part of the lecture I talk about the history and philosophy behind this concept, while in the second half I present a bunch of contemporary chart examples to demonstrate how the technique works in practice.
This episode is available in both video and audio versions below.
Timestamps
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:00:50 The problem: Why hard aspects are sometimes constructive
- 00:01:35 Modern vs. ancient approaches to mitigating factors
- 00:02:45 Reception defined as a mitigating condition
- 00:03:29 Prerequisite: Signs of the zodiac as homes of the planets
- 00:04:14 The guest-host metaphor for planets
- 00:06:51 The traditional rulership scheme
- 00:07:51 Firmicus Maternus on the guest-host relationship
- 00:10:20 Basic definition of reception
- 00:12:19 Aversion: When signs do not aspect each other
- 00:14:28 Reception as the next best thing to a planet being in its own sign
- 00:16:07 Early textual references to reception
- 00:18:00 Formalization of reception in the early Medieval tradition
- 00:20:49 Mutual reception: Exchanging signs
- 00:21:26 Three types of mutual reception
- 00:30:44 Reception as familiarity or a “family tie”
- 00:35:30 Reception as hospitality (xenia)
- 00:36:40 Medieval astrologers on reception as a mitigating factor
- 00:40:48 Abu Ma’shar on reception and illness
- 00:44:53 Prerequisite concepts for chart examples
- 00:52:07 The concept of overcoming
- 00:58:08 Worst-case scenario: Maltreatment without reception
- 00:58:34 Chart example 1: Sibling’s death
- 01:02:18 Chart example 2: Che Guevara
- 01:05:01 Chart example 3: Loss of a friend
- 01:08:57 Chart example 4: Ted Kennedy
- 01:12:41 Chart example 5: Maurizio Gucci
- 01:16:36 Chart example 6: Carrie Fisher
- 01:22:50 Chart example 7: Robin Williams
- 01:29:13 Chart example 8: Aretha Franklin
- 01:36:22 Chart example 9: Dr. Dre
- 01:51:36 Chart example 10: Kurt Cobain
- 02:05:25 Concluding remarks
- 02:06:04 Reception is not the only mitigating factor
- 02:07:52 Recommended book and course
- 02:09:47 Closing remarks and credits
Watch The Video Version of this Episode on Reception
Here is this video version of this episode on the concept of reception in astrology:
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 287 transcript
Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode
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