最近買了一本書Ancient Whispers from Chaldea，
這本書還蠻有趣的，
講述古巴比倫的占星學，我們知道巴比倫為占星學的發源地，
從這發源地傳向地中海、中東、印度、也傳到唐朝的中國。

這本書有個有趣的觀點，就是重視Sunset Charts日落圖，
然後拿本命圖與日落圖加以比較，並透過本命星來到日落圖的位置上，
判斷出推運的年歲，嗯～～～很有趣的觀點，有興趣的買來看看，
呵呵，現代占星的書越來越喜歡搞心裡，還是古代占星比較有趣～

底下是The Astrology Center of America網路書店David Roell的介紹，
其實我簡略的翻了一下，跟David Roell一樣，
不知道作者從哪些文獻找出他認為的迦勒底占星學？
不過這本書看來可以知道這個作者Chadbourne對於占星的操作是很熟悉的，
對整個理論相當有架構。
但是不是全部都是迦勒底占星學呢？這個我看恐怕不是，
舉例來說，作者在第七章The Lunar Nodes談論到月亮南北交點的部分觀點來看，
似乎是用了宇宙生物學派的觀點，Reinhold Ebertin認為月交點是與人的溝通往來相關的點，
此書也採用了這個說法，這個說法我覺得有驗，比起傳統將月交點視為宿命來的好多了。
此書提到"The transiting Node is often experienced as meetings with individuals or
situations which inspire and/or create the sense of opportunity."
蠻符合我對流年月交點的經驗～

這本書還蠻厚的，寫的蠻豐富的，如果你不習慣看滿滿都是文字的書，
那這本並不容易吸收哦～


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ANCIENT WHISPERS FROM CHALDEA, Making Babylonian Astrology work for You - Arthyr W. Chadbourne, $19.95
Contents: Introduction;
Part 1: 1. Intelligenesis; 2. Initial basics; 3. The Sun; 4. The Moon; 5. The planets; 6. Exalted strength; 7. The lunar nodes; 8. Chaldean sunset system; 9. Chart interpretation; 10. The solar return; 11. The horary chart; 12. Harmonics
Part 2: History: Overview; 13. Chaldean astrology; 14. Egyptian cosmology;

Bibliography; Index.

Comment: First printed in 1999 (a long time ago), there were two things about this book that initially put me off: Only available from an obscure printer, and well-meaning but off-putting hype, such as, The most innovative astrology in 1,700 years!.... The astrological upgrade for the new millennium (both from the back cover).

This is, in fact, as serious & as scholarly a book as can be found outside academia. I do not know where Chadbourne gets his "stuff", but reading the opening pages closely, it's clear he has a good grasp of the relevant materials. From the Chaldeans we get time itself: The seven day week, the 24 hour day, the 60 minute hour, and, by extension, the daily & planetary rulers, and from that, not only astrology, but magic as well.

Chadbourne tells us the differences between Chaldean, Greek & Egyptian cultures, to wit, the Chaldeans were inventors & innovators, the Greeks eager students & proselytizers. The Egyptian civilization, by contrast, emphasized The Now (aka the Nile), which made astrology redundant. Of the three, Egyptians knew best how to run a library, which gives us Alexandria.

Chaldean astrological innovations include what eventually became known as Primary Directions, as well as the sunset chart, lunar mansions, exaltations, nodes & more. The uses Chadbourne makes of these, the ways in which he brings them into the modern world, will surprise you.

Intelligenesis Publications, 510 pages.