\\You can experiment with AstralVisions
by using the 
button to Retrieve sample charts provided
with this software.
AstralVisions is a chart-DISPLAY tool, not a chart-CALCULATION
tool. Calculations for your own charts must be done via the excellent Freeware
tool AstroWin: see http://Astrowin.org/astrowin.htm.,
or Download
AstroWin.
With AstroWin
installed, you can use 
and 
to create AstralVisions chartwheels.
If a chartwheel is already onscreen then the use of 
will draw the NOW as the INNER wheel for the
existing chart.
You can 
your created single and dual chartwheels for
future reference and analysis and to compare with a current NOW.
This Help file contains complete instructions for using AstralVsions, and contains an overview of the foundations of the HemiSphere charts. Updates and more information can be found at AstralVisions Software.
Using The AstralVisions Software
Version
3.6 June 18, 2007
For updates and more
information, visit http://www.Astralvisions.net/AstralVisions.htm
How Astrology Maps to the
Left-Right Hemispheres of the Brain
Summarizing the Concept of the
two REALMS
Install the AstralVisions
software
Using the AstralVisions software
Setting the "Defaults"
for AstralVisions Software
Sample Standard and Hemisphere
Charts
Standard
Chartwheel, with "Now" Inner
Wheel and aspect matrix, is below:
Hemisphere
Chart with "Now" Inner wheel (below):
A Note From the Author
AstralVisions
introduces the new concept in astrology, the HemiSphere charts. The concept of the mapping of the
astrological energies to the hemispheres of the brain was first introduced in
1988 in our book "Know Thyself --- The Music of the
Hemispheres", which was provided
to clients in the 1980s while I was the resident astrologer for the Thunderbird
Bookstore in Carmel, Ca. Our short
article "The Music of the Hemispheres" was published in Mountain
Astrologer magazine in March 1992, but at that time I had not developed the
software to produce the Hemi charts.
The Purposes of
AstralVisions
(1) Introduce the
"Hemisphere" charts, which
show the mapping of astrological energies to the left/right hemispheres of the
brain, and the concept of the two
Realms (Spiritual and Material, or Space and Time).
(2) Provide a new framework for understanding and appreciation
of Self and Others (friends, enemies, family, co-workers) , and living in
harmony with natural processes; a framework that corresponds with other
knowledge systems such as psychology, physics, religion, and philosophy.
(3) Show what we believe to
be the proper color-associations of the Sign-energies, as an aid to grasping
the "look & feel" of
them.
(4) Provide a
"cleaner" form of the "normal" chartwheels, which allow
concentration on "energies" rather than the "numbers".
Our first charting software
was written in the 1980s, in DOS, using HP Laserjet printers and an 8-pen color
plotter to produce (with pens writing over other pens) the first true 12-color
charts, which we premiered at UAC '89 in New Orleans. The software
rewrite for Windows has been completed. This small User Guide is a basic introduction,
but those wishing a complete description of the AstralVisions approach
to astrology can purchase our book "People Are Different --- The Music of
the Hemispheres". This is a thouroughly revised and updated full-color
version of our original book, and is available through our website, AstralVisions.net.
Comments and suggestions are
welcome and appreciated, and can be directed to ron@AstralVisions.net.
Ron Pierce
Carmel Valley, Ca.
June 18, 2007
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
How Astrology Maps to the Left-Right Hemispheres of the Brain
In the late 1970s, Dr. Robert Ornstein visited the IBM Research Lab in San Jose, where I was working, and presented the essential findings of his book "The Nature of Human Consciousness", which discussed research in left-right brain processes.
Dr. Ornstein's work helped to
clarify a simple picture, which can be likened to TIME and SPACE , and to
Matter and Spirit:
It had also been determined that, interestingly, the left hemisphere controlled the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere the left side of the body. This "crossover" is not only a physical fact, but is supported by various studies, including psychologists' observation that people tended to "look up to the left" when thinking and "look up to the right" when visualizing, but "look down to the left" when sad. And, of course, most "doing" is right-handed.
Have you ever noticed that some people tend to have
either one side of the mouth more "open", and the other side more
"closed" when talking? People
who are left-brain "logical" people tend to "clamp down" on
the left side of the mouth, which indicates that they are "shutting
out" feelings from the right side of the brain. This is particularly noticeable amongpolitical ultra- conservatives. Watch public people on
TV. The expression "right
wing" (right side of body) indicates dominance of the left hemisphere. "Left wing" (the crossover from
the right hemisphere) is more "liberal", less attuned to logic.
Interesting examples of left-brain mouths: Dick Cheney, Ronald Reagan.
Psychologists such as Jung had studied human nature and
come up with two classifications of personality, which are: Thinking/Doing and
Seeing/Feeling
Applying the
"crossover" (left-hemisphere to Right side of the body, and vice
versa), we can draw this diagram:
This helps to make it clear
why the "Thinker/Feeler" has conflicts --- Thinking/logic and
Feeling/emotiions come from completely dissimilar processes.
The diagram represents the
currently accepted scientific framework for the physical and psychological
components of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. We have also put
some appropriate colors for the four words, as a visual way to impart the
"feeling" of each of the four natures.
Next, let's simply put in the
four "elements" (we prefer to
call them "Forces") of astrology --- Air, Earth, Fire, and Water:
Coincidentally, artists use a
12-color "Color Wheel" (the Grumbacher Color Wheel, available at any
art supplies store)
The artist color-wheel has 3
blue elements, 3 red ones, 3 earthtone ones, and three green ones. With appropriate "gaps"
introduced, it looks exactly like this:
In fact, these are clearly
the basic colors that psychologists associate with the four realms. "Earthtones" are the browns and
golds, fiery passions are associated
with reds, blues are the mental colors,
and greens the "healing"(feeling) colors.
There are 3 AIR signs in
astrology, 3 FIRE signs, 3 WATER signs, and 3 EARTH signs. Twelve "signs": in all.
The next step, mapping the
signs, is done below. We have also
indicated that Thinking/Seeing are "Outward/Expanding"- energies, and
Feeling/Doing are "Inward/Centering"-energies. This will be extremely important in understanding the "planetary
energies" later.
The color-sign associations
shown here are the result of deriving
information from many sources. Some of that information is given below.
The color spectrum has
Violet and Red at opposite ends, and
Aquarius (perfect logic) and Leo (perfect vision) are indeed far apart and trying
to expand and grow even more. In the center of the color spectrum are Cancer
and Capricorn, the two energies most seeking to find the "center"
where everything is in Control (Capricorn) or In Harmony (Cancer).
There are also some
"symmetries" here:
Fold-over
Opposites: if you "fold" the left side over to the right, then
"opposite" signs will touch each other.
"Planet-sharing"
signs are 180 degrees opposite in the wheel: in ancient astrology,
Aquarius/Capricorn shared Saturn;
Aries/Scorpio shared Mars; Sagittarius/Pisces shared Jupiter.
Gemini/Virgo share Mercury. Taurus/Libra share Venus.
The Moon (Cancer) reflects (is opposite)
the Sun (Leo). More on this
"sharing" (and its amazing nature) later.
Some
of the logic behind the color choices
Hospitals know that green
colors promote healing and a feeling of well-being. Red colors in Mexican restaurants engender passion and
excitement.
Capricorn is the sign is
Control and Authority. Psychologists
know that yellow colors in retail stores give people the sense that
"someone is watching" (authority), and help to reduce shoplifting.
Taurus is "formed
earth", possessions, and wealth --- i.e. gold.
Virgo folks love to wear
earthtones.
Cancerians (Sun sign and/or
rising sign and/or Moon sign) tend to love to wear the lime-green color. Also, other Water signs will wear this color
when the transiting moon is in Cancer. (Check it out --- you'll be amazed)
Cancerians (Sun sign and/or
rising sign and/or Moon sign) tend to love to wear the lime-green color. Other signs often wear this color when the
transiting moon is in Cancer (but not at other times).
The crown chakra is Violet,
the enlightened mind of the Aquarian.
Passion (and war) is red (Aries).
Royal purple is the color of
the king (Leo).
Pisces is sea-green, and
Pisceans (Sun sign or Moon sign) usually love this color. Interestingly, it
also turns out to be the true color of the planet Neptune, which is the ruler
of Pisces. It is also the color of the uniforms for most hospital staff, as it
is a healing color.
Summarizing the Concept of the two REALMS
We have
added something new to astrology.‑ something PRIOR to the four
traditional FORCES of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. two REALMS, which may be
called the Realm of Space and the Realm of Time, or the Spiritual and
Material Realms.
This is consistent with the basic principles of
creation and symetry as now known by science, long taught by metaphysics and
religion (the book of Genesis is but one example), and widely used by
psychology.
In people, these two Realms are manifested in the
right and left hemispheres of the brain.
Here is what science and psychology have established
as the natures of the two hemispheres:
1. The LOGICAL (linear temporal) mode; associated
with analysis, speeking, cognition. The LEFT hemisphere of the brain (and Right
side of the body); TIME and EVENTprocesses, having to do with THINKING/TALKING
and PLANNING/DOING.
2. The SPA TIAL (non‑linear) mode; associated
with vision, sensation (feelings, emotions). The RIGHT hemisphere of the brain
(and Left side of the body); CREATIVE processes, having to do with
SEEING/SENSING and ImagINATION/VIBRATION.
In each hemisphere, for proper symetry, there are two
DIRECTIONS of energy; one direction is active-OUTward/dispersing/transmitting,
and the other is active-INward/consolidating/receiving.
In Astrology, AIR and EARTH energies in a person's nativity activate the LOGICAL
hemisphere, outwardly (thinking,talking) and inwardly (doing); FIRE and WATER
elements activate the SPATIAL hemisphere, outwardly (seeing,inspiring) and
inwardly (feeling, intuition).
These four FORCES ‑‑ Fire, Water, Air,
and Earth ‑‑ are recognized by astrology as the fundamental stuff
of which all things are composed; we now see that each has a "natural
home" in humankind, and that science and psychology have aided astrologers
in understanding the fundamentally different natures of these four 'building
blocks'.
To put it more concisely for our use in astrology:
The left‑hemisphere is the thinking/doing realm
of invention/incorporation, and is LOGICAL/MATERIAL; the two FORCES in this realm are the inward/outward
yin‑yang pair of Earth and Air.
The right‑hemisphere is the seeing/sensing
Realm of inspiration/intuition, and is SPATIAL/SPRITUAL; the two FORCES
in this Realm are the inward/outward yin‑yang pair of Water and Fire.
We have found this concept of Realms to be extremely useful, and believe
it to be a part of the puzzle that will assist in the unification of astrology with
philosophy, religion, science, and psychology.
Next Step --- Install the AstroWin and AstralVisions software (you
must install BOTH --- AstroWin is used for calculations, AstralVisions for
chart display and for Saving/Retrieving charts.
Install the AstroWin Software
AstralVisions uses the AstroWin
software, developed by Allen Edwall (free; see http://Astrowin.org/astrowin.htm., or Download AstroWin ) for chart
"computation" (the raw numbers) although the entry of natal
information (name, date & time, latitude, longitude) is done via AstralVisions. AstralVisions
software then "retrieves" the calculations from AstroWin.
So, in order to
actualy Create new charts, you must install AstroWin.
Download the AstroWin software (an installation
EXE), double-click it, and follow instructions. It will ask if you want a desktop icon. We recommend you say Yes,
because although AstralVisions automatically will start AstroWin and
"run" it, you might want to explore the many interesting features of
AstroWin independently of AstralVisions software.
this is what the AstroWin
desktop icon looks like:
Install the AstralVisions software
1. Using Windows Explorer, create a directory called
"AstralVisions" on one of
your PC drives.
2. Download (Save) the AstralVisions.zip
file into that directory. (Available at
http://astralvisions.net/AstralVisionsSoftware.htm.
3. Unzip the AstralVisions.zip file into that directory (double-click the zip file, and "Extract"
( with 
checked---important!! ) to the AstralVisions directory; you should
then see, there, this directory
structure and files (note the "Charts" and
"AstralVisionsUserGuide_files" directories):
(Note: the Microsoft
WORD form 
of this user guide is included; you may wish to make your own notes in it
and save as htm to replace the html version used by the software.)
4. Now,
doubleclick the AstralVisions.exe":
This will:
a. start AstralVisions, register it with Windows,
and, for future startups, it will put an AstralVisions
icon on your desktop:
b. load te AstralVisions Help (User Guide) ---
this file --- is into a separate IE window.
c. start AstroWin
(if installed) and auto-create a NOW computation, drawing the chart in AstralVisions.
If AstroWin is not
installed, the startup screen appears, with some instructions, and you can
experiment with the sample charts that are supplied with AstralVisions,
prior to installing AstroWin.
Pre-supplied sample charts
(both Single and Dual) are accessible via the
button.
Using the AstralVisions software
When AstralVisions is
started, via your desktop-icon 
, AstroWin is automatically started
also (if not running), and "driven" to produce a NOW chart onscreen.
AstralVisions comes with a few pre-saved sample charts for public
figures, and a NOW chart for the
AstralVisions initial release-date. You can experiment with these by retrieving
them via the 
button.
You can, at any time, get an
up-to-the-moment NOW from AstroWin via the 
button.
If you already have a chart on-screen,
the NOW will become the INNER-wheel for the chart.
The initial NOW chart will
be a standard geocentric chart will be displayed as shown below.
(an aspect-grid will also be
shown, below this wheel)
We recommend that you
"play" with the various buttons and checkboxes, using 
to retrieve the pre-supplied charts, before
using the 
button.
Creating New Charts
When you first click 
, this screen is displayed, with a NOTE
indicating that you must establish your "Defaults" (ie the House
Sytem you want to use --- more on that below --- and your Location, Latitude,
Longitude, and Time Zone.
IMPORTANT: you will be using the same method of
latitude/longitude and Time Zone determination for ANY chart you wish to
create.
Setting the "Defaults" for AstralVisions Software
House System
The choice of House System
remains a subject of much debate. The
choice of House System can make the "Area of Life" of an energy shift
--- from, say, "Person" to "Possessions", and
vice-versa.
House systems are either Time-based
or Space-based in their design; it may well be that a Time-based system
is more appropriate for mundane astrology,
whereas a Space-based system may be more appropriate for, say,
personality and relationships. An
excellent reference book, if you can obtain it, is "The Elements of House
Division" by Ralph William Holden.
The commonly-used Placidus system probably only gained a foothold
because Placidus was the first to publish the logarithmic tables necessary to
make a (i.e. his) house system east to use (saving MANY hours of tedious
calculations).
All house systems other than
the Equal system distort either house-spans or sign-spans the farther
from the equator the place of birth.
Our own preference is to do
both an Equal system chart and a Koch system chart, and to
recognize that planets "close" to a house-boundary may have effect in
both houses.
The house systems latitude
limitations: only the Equal house-system will work
in far northern or southern latitudes (beyond 65 degrees) --- AstralVisions will let you know if the
house system you select is inappropriate for the latitude you specify.
Location
Well, this is where you live,
as the Default. This will then show on
the NOW charts. For creating charts, it
is the Birth Location.
Latitude, Longitude and Time Zone
The online atlas maintained
by AstroDienst is used to determine all of these. When you click the 
button, you are taken to www.astro.com/atlas, which displays this page:
Simply follow the
instructions, and when you click Search a list of cities appears, giving the
Latitude and Longitude of each. Nice!!!
When you click the one that is correct for you, you get the Time Zone
display below. We have added a note and arrow to the picture:
Whatever needs to be "added" to (or subtracted
from) the "BirthTime", to get THIS time, is the "Time
Zone" for the birthdate and time indicated (change the date and time
to match the chart you are doing).
Make sure the
"date" shown below the clock is the same, or make the appropriate
adjustment in the "time difference".
Note that the
"clock" shows 6:11 pm UT, same date, and the current date/time is
11:11 ; in other words. +7 hours is the Time Zone. You can put put your own name/date/time in here, and thus use the
clock-difference to get the Time Zone). If the birth location is the the RIGHT
of England in the map, then the TZ would be a "negative" number. (If
the UT date is different, then do the difference-calculation carefully, and
think about it).
Verifying Your Chart is Correct
If you are unsure that you
have created a correct chart, you can get a "second opinion" free
from http://www.astro.com/atlas
, the same method used to obtain the lat/long and Time Zone.
Just change the birthday
date (Astrodienst always shows the NOW)
and time (agains, the NOW is always shown) and
then click the 
button (to
create a new TimeZone map for the date and time you entered), and then
click the 
button again. This take you to another page, where you can click this free
option:
This will present a chart to
you; the positions of the planets and Ascendent should match very closely with
what AstroWin calculated; both AStroWin and AstroDienst (astro.com) use the
same ephemerides. The Placidus house system, which we do not prefer) is used as the default by the above link,
but there is also an "Extended Chart Selection" option that has more
flexibility:
You will find that the AstroDienst
charts are very nice, indeed. Well worth printing as an addition to your AstralVisions
charts, although they are intended for use by professional astrologers who
prefer the inner "aspect-lines".
Notes on Chartwheel Options
The
option
causes the MC to be at the TOP of the chart (that is, 10th house cusp), although not all house systems place the MC
at the 10th house cusp.
AstralVisions
either makes the Signs each 30 degrees, or with the MC At Top
, makes the Houses each 30
degrees.
Other buttons:
Draws the chart
for the day as seen from the Sun; by convention, Aries will be the
Rising sign. For non-Hemi charts,
colorizes the outer Sign bands.
Turns Aspect grid On or Off.
Heliocentric charts show how the energies align if the center of
the Sun is used, rather than the Earth (Geocentric). Many people find these useful for spiritual astrology.
These buttons can be useful
also; some prefer the MC rather than the North Node in the aspect grid, so
there's a toggle for that. Also, the aspect grid may be hard to read on-screen,
so a larger version can be displayed in a separate window. Realm names can be
removed from the Hemi charts. For
training purposes, Signs and Energies can also be removed.
The Aspect Grid will ALSO be shown in a separate window,
much larger and more readable (see below) Moves all Signs and energiy-symbols OUTSIDE of the chart area, so they can
be "dragged" into position. VERY useful for education and training. But if he
"Remove" optios are used,
the symbols will be invisible. Removes the planetary & other energy symbols. Useful
for training, education, and documentation and tests. Removes the sign symbols. This can be useful for training and documentation and
creating tests. Removes the Ream-names text from the Hemi Charts. Use this if you prefer the MC, not the North Node, as the last (12th) aspect shown in the Aspect Grid.
You can also, for training
purposes or lectures, "drag"
signs and planets around ---
buth these will not affect the "aspect" grid, and when you "Print" you will be
warned of this, and can opt to redraw the chart.
The Aspect Grid
Note that you can either go
down or across, for a single-wheel chart --- we feel this is more convenient
than the usual "triangle".
Also note the comment under
the aspect grid. Note how house numbers and Retrograde are
indicated: 
Rather than put the degrees/minutes
in the chart wheel, we have put them in
the aspect grid. This leaves the wheel
uncluttered.
In this example, the
cursor indicates the Uranus/Mars aspect
--- note that the "sign-aspect" is a "trine" (Sag/Aries),
although the "angular" aspect is a "square" within a
9-degree orb We have found that the
effect of the angular-aspect is much less when the sign-aspect differs, and we
feel this is useful to indicate in the aspect grid.
The Large Aspect Grid
The 
option displays, in a separate dialog, a more easily readable version of the aspect
grid that is shown below the
chart-wheel. No squinting required to
see that Roger's Moon is in the 10th
house, at 11 degrees and 21 minutes in Leo, and that Neptune is in the 2nd
house, Retrograde (the "R" to the right of the symbol for Neptune),
in the grid below. This example shows
the aspects for the Dual-wheel chart that is included as part of the
AstralVisions software.
The Hemi Chart
Next, try this button: 
.
For HEMI charts, the
"Realm Names" (Seeing,
Thinking, Feeling, Doing) will be shown; you can remove them if you wish, using
the 
option. Although we prefer to use the full-color
version on the left, a "color
band" version, on the right, will e drawn if you check the 
option.The concept and use of the Hemi charts
is a very powerful aid to self-understanding and relations (with Others and the
NOW) as indicated in the section "How Astrology
Maps to the Left/Right Hemispheres".
You can always go back to the
"Standard" wheel: 
You can 
the
chart (print is done to your "default" printer, which should be
turned on; if the printer is a color printer, you will get the colors. Otherwise, colored charts will probably look
awful.
The 
button will remove nearly all buttons and menu items, and turn itself into a 
button.
Saving and Retrieving Charts
The 
button presents the AstralVisions
Save/Retrieve dialog. You can also
change chart names here prior to the Save.
You will note that AstralVisions comes with some pre-supplied charts,
for well-known people (for some, birth time may not be accurately known) and
for some Full Moon dates. The dialog
has instructions in it and is very simple to use:
The Inner Wheel
Once you have a basic chart,
you can 
, enter some new chart information, and 
to get the new chart created as the Inner wheel. Or, you can 
to have the NOW automatically become the
Inner wheel.
Dual charts are VERY useful
for relationships between people and for relationship to the NOW.
You can also 
wheels.
The aspect-grid will show
the inter-relationships.
IMPORTANT: AstralVisions software maintains the
"Outer" and "Inner" data independently , and does not
change either of them until you do
another 
or 
.
Thus, you can keep the INNER wheel to the NOW (for example) while you change the outer wheel data via 
or 
;
the Save/Retrieve also lets you retrieve a chart as an Inner wheel.
Sample Standard and Hemisphere Charts
If you Install the AstroWin
software, and Install the AstrlaVisions
software (they work together) then you can draws the Hemi charts and also
standard wheels. Both the standard
chart forms and the corresponding Hemisphere charts are shown.
Standard Chartwheel
(uncluttered; the earth symbol indicates geocentric; heliocentric
is also available)
HemiSphere Chartwheel
Standard Chartwheel, with "Now" Inner Wheel and aspect matrix, is below:
Hemisphere Chart with "Now" Inner wheel (below):
In our book "People are
Different --- The Music of the Hemispheres", we expand on how the "energies" interact, which is the basis for using the Hemi
charts as a tool for self-understanding, the understanding of others (and
relationships), and how the energies of the NOW interact with birth energies.