I discovered astrology at the age of 22, during my military service at the airport of Latina in 1970. I dipped into it immediately and with a great passion. I understood that the only way to learn astrology is not by studying dozens of books (which I actually did for many hours a day, yet). 
On the contrary, you have to practise it on the field; you have to meet hundreds of people and cast their natal charts; thus making mistakes and learning by mistakes. I don't think that there is any better way to learn astrology. Before meeting somebody I studied his/her chart for hours, dropping notes and wondering how he/she would look like; what would his/her character and cultural interests be, and so on. I eventually met the consulting person, whom in the great majority of cases I didn't know before, and my real study began after he/she had gone away. Then I reconsidered the whole trying to understand what I had mistaken, and why. Such training course was giving me good results and I noticed that, even if the path I was stepping into was boundless, every day I was advancing a little further.
Astrology had become my great passion; it had an even stronger charm on me than informatics – the other nourishment of my soul. But there was one thing that I wasn't able to accept and I couldn't stand at all: often I met people who were to face very hard transits and evidently dramatic situations – and I could do nothing for them! To hide them the truth? This was against my principles: I didn't want to deceive them. To tell them the truth – well I had to, but how? How could I face then their disappointment, their fears? That was the most impelling knotty problem I had to solve if I wanted to keep being an astrologer. During those years I also undertook my first Jungian psychoanalysis and I used to read loads of books on psychology. Very soon I got fascinated by the concept of "constellating a symbol" or, as I named it later on: "exorcization of a symbol".
In psychology to constellate means to activate, i.e. to bring something to life. Once I happened to read with an extraordinary interest the preface that Gianfranco Tedeschi, a Jungian psychoanalyst and a school founder in Italy, wrote to the Italian paperback edition of Jung's study on schizophrenia (Psicologia della schizofrenia, Newton Compton Italiana).

You'll read more about it a little further in this book; then you'll understand how this example can be considered the origin of a good portion of my practice of astrology, which consequently goes under the name of "exorcization of the symbol".

While I was greedily absorbing those readings I also studied the Solar Returns. From the very beginning I discovered that it was possible to change them, even in full, by simply being somewhere else on the day of your birthday. These two coincident discoveries lit a sparkle in me – the desire to follow a way, to try to make light, to check up on some possibilities. I had found a semi-hidden path and I was trying to light it up with a weak torch. That would be my future way. I would never leave it. I'm still trying to improve it every single day since then.

The Exorcization of Symbols and the Aimed Solar Returns are the foundation of my Active Astrology.

I'm sure that the more watchful readers and followers of astrology cannot ignore this current situation. We, the authors, are aligned essentially on three almost incompatible positions that eventually determine one's personal way of understanding and making astrology. The first, yet not the most important school claims that astrology is an instrument of knowledge of the human psyche and it doesn't allow the least prediction. Those who think so argue that Saturn and Uranus have nothing to do with John Smith even if John Smith is being robbed of all his goods the very same moment when these two planets cross the threshold of his natal 2nd House. It's the same as implying that transits, Solar Returns and primary directions are good for nothing.

The second sort or "school" of astrology fully admits the power of transits, to such an extent that it is considered useless to "apply yourself" because everything is already written in your natal chart; and no one can do anything against fate.

Finally, here comes the third school: those who think like me: i.e. that transits, Solar and Lunar Returns, and primary directions work faultlessly, but you have got the chance to antagonize these forces: i.e. to fight against them. Of course, all I wrote in my previous books – and above all in this one – has been borrowed partly from Tradition, partly from my master André Barbault's teachings. It also derives partly from the results of astrological research, partly from my personal experience of almost thirty years of activity; and partly from the personal way I have arranged those pieces of information together, amalgamating them with some aspects of Jungian knowledge, which has been conducting me since the beginning of my studies. I am sure that we can and we must try to weaken the negative transits and to strengthen the positive ones with all the means at our disposal. We can do it mainly with our own knowledge; with the enlightenment, which is the highest form of emancipation at our disposal. Secondarily, we can use the techniques that I have already described elsewhere and that I am about to complete here, in this synthetic work.

The main operation that I am going to describe is what I call the exorcization of the symbol, or if you prefer, the ritualization of the symbol.

"A miracle," was the cry of a great part of my students after reading the Italian translation of Schicksal als chance [Destiny as Choice] by Thorwald Dethlefsen, published in Italy by Ed. Mediterranee. Still, much of what my German colleague wrote had been published previously in my books over the last two decades, with the exception of the part about reincarnation – something I don't believe in at all.

Let's start from the beginning, by recalling the example that I have already reported in one of my writings, first described by the analytical psychologist Gianfranco Tedeschi in his preface to the Italian edition of Jung's study on schizophrenia (Psicologia della schizofrenia, Ed. Newton Compton Italiana). In his preface, Dr. Tedeschi talks about a Jewish student of medicine in Rome, who had started to manifest symptoms of mental dissociation years before: he had begun to behave like a priest of ancient Jerusalem. Dr. Tedeschi told him that he himself was a Jew too, thus they could celebrate the holy rites together on condition that they strictly followed the rules: fasting first of all; purifying themselves; wearing the right dresses; spreading incense; reading the original scriptures, etc. They did so for many months until the young man abruptly said, "All this is interesting, but – what do the Jews do today?" From then on, having regained interest for actuality, the young man was dismissed from hospital to begin his psychoanalysis with Dr. Tedeschi – who tells the reader that the young man recovered completely and eventually graduated in medicine. The doctor had constellated the symbolism that was pressing from inside the patient: this way the problem had been "exorcized".

Let us consider two further examples whose central characters are two female clients and good friends of mine. The first one is a university professor with a vast general culture and a good knowledge of psycho astrology. During a transit of Saturn over her natal Venus she was left by the man she loved. She felt such a devastating pain that in order to cope with it, in order to detain it somehow, she went into mourning and dressed in black for one whole year. To those who asked her the reason of such a choice she used to say, "I've lost my love." She went on for one year, exactly the same time required for Saturn to pass beyond her natal Venus; then she went out of mourning – back to normal life.

The second case is another lady professor as cultured and intelligent as the former. As the transit of Saturn on her natal Venus approached, she asked me what she could do to avoid losing her love. Her partner lived in a distant town; they met on a regular basis, say once every fortnight. I advised her to meet as rarely as possible, even further: not to meet at all during the entire coming year. They did so. Thus Saturn "was given" what it required: sentimental mortification, subtraction of loving enthusiasm, temporarily death of sentiment and sex. Then Saturn passed over and everything turned back the way it used to be.

In both cases we can say that the given procedure was to make the "ghost" act; i.e. what in psychoanalysis we could well define the "technique of restraining the field". In the case described by Dr. Tedeschi the principle of identification was employed too – a Jew was the student, and a Jew was the doctor. This procedure has been invented neither by me nor by Dr. Tedeschi or by Jung: it belongs to the rites of any religion; it can be applied very often with excellent results; and it can be compared to the principle of homeopathic medicine similia similibus curantur (the similar cures the similar).

Can we state that all the cases must be treated the same way? No. The above mentioned Thorwald Dethlefsen suggests to wear in black, to visit cemeteries, to meet grave people and so on, in order to cope with a transit of Saturn, say, on your natal Sun. But my personal experience and even the teachings of psychoanalysis don't agree on it. In fact, in many cases one must employ a prosthetic technique: i.e. a technique of compensation. Let me explain. Let's say that the one who copes with the mentioned transit of Saturn is a native Pisces whose Sun or Moon is afflicted by an aspect of Neptune. In this case we are before a psycho labile individual; an extremely fragile person; an emotional sponge who fully absorbs the atmosphere around him/her. It is not wise to advise such a person to read Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and/or to associate with sad people. On the contrary: we'll ask him/her to meet healthy happy people and very equilibrated persons; to watch amusing films such as the American comedies; to read Wodehouse's works all the time.For we must never think that everything has to be read, interpreted and developed in one direction only. Some people react better to allopathic medicine than to homeopathic; similarly we should use the exorcization of the symbol with the strongest individuals and the compensatory technique with the weakest ones. Sometimes the two principles can be melted. In the case of the fragile and vulnerable lady born under the Sign of Pisces, we'd advise her to find help in certain medicines used in psychiatry while spending a few months in a deeper solitude.

The basic principle of the exorcization of the symbol is the notion of sacrifice: exactly the same concept that thousands of years ago made the Greek pastors select and sacrifice the best lamb of their herd in order to contain Zeus' wrath. The bottom line is that you have to pay your due in the same analogical direction of the symbol, and in an expectedly adequate extent in order to discharge the transit. So if you are a female and Uranus transits on your natal Mars in the 5th House, it wouldn't be sufficient to have a dentist fill your cavity – but it would be expectedly enough to undertake an operation and have your some-year-old uterine fibroma removed.

The main piece of advice that I feel like giving to anyone is to "anticipate" the transits; to "offer the sacrifice" when the transit is about to arrive.

Another extraordinary instrument of self-defence in the critical periods – or at least a good way to strengthen the well-promising periods – is to use the Solar Returns in an "aimed" way. That is, to choose the most suitable astral situation to spend your birthday with: i.e. the best annual sky which the horoscope of your following year derives from. For many years I have been advising my clients to use this technique and I have tried it out myself several times – always obtaining excellent results.

I suggest considering the consulting client's general situation about one month before his/her birthday, i.e. when the previous year is coming to an end and the astrologer is adequately updated about the facts that characterized the astral map of his/her prior Return. On the other hand, one month before the birthday one has got time enough to organize even a very exotic journey.

My personal technique is to cast a dozen of Solar Returns maps ranging from Los Angeles to Tokyo scanning all over Europe. If none of them is suitable I explore some "extreme" territories such as Siberia, New Guinea or Easter Island. Farther in this book you'll find suggestions on the right way to proceed, based upon practical cases.

This is a topic my heart gets inflamed with, because of my significant and satisfactory experience in this field. Since 1970, i.e. my first year of studying astrology, I feel I am on the same spiritual wavelength with this technique. Such a "tuning" would not develop in a fideistic way, but on the base of my practical experience. Nowadays I wouldn't be able to analyse anybody's astral situation without considering at least three maps: the natal chart, the current Solar Return, and the SR map for the next year. Without the three maps the client's situation would appear "blind" to me. In my opinion, understanding the meaning and functioning of a Solar Return allows you to penetrate the secrets of one year of somebody's life; it makes you read the most important and sure events one is about to face during that 12-month period. My first master on Solar Returns was Alexander Volguine, whose fundamental work I asked and obtained to be translated into Italian by my publisher Armenia. Later on I abandoned Volguine's method for the reasons I explained in my Trattato pratico di Rivoluzioni solari, Blue Diamond Publisher. I believe that only few and clearly defined elements of the Solar Return chart need be considered, avoiding to burden its analysis with winding correspondences and analogical mutual links. I do believe that the elements to be considered primarily are the following ones:

- Where the cusp of the Ascendant of the Return map is within the Houses of the natal chart.

- Where the Sun of the Return map is within the Houses of the Return map.

- Where a stellium of the Return map is within the Houses of the Return map.

Then, but only after the above listed elements, one should also consider the planets in the Houses of the Return map, and a little – but very little – of everything else. I believe that not following these rules may lead you to serious oversights. The Solar Return is based on the principle of cycles. In nature we find, as an example, Circadian Rythms of about one day in which cockroaches sleep or are in activity; not to mention the almost monthly cycles of menstruation in women. Every year the Sun goes back exactly to the same natal position of a person's map and a new year begins for the native, carrying its own special features – the features marked by the native's Solar chart, which the astrologer casts for that moment and that place. According to some colleagues of mine, the Solar Return map should be cast for the native's birthplace, not for the one the native actually is in when the Return takes place. This is nonsense both from the theoretical and from the demonstrative point of view. 
You can read about that in my a.m. Trattato. In this chapter I would like to describe one only example that demonstrates the absurdity of my colleagues' view. Let us consider Mata Hari's astral situation. The well known Dutch spy was sentenced to death by the French Government during the WWI. I already exposed this case years ago asking my colleagues to comment on it: having received no remark at all I'm proposing it once again. The stunning spy-dancer-prostitute was born in Leeuwarden on the 7th of August 1876 at 1 p.m. We'll consider one episode of her life for its crystalline cleanness, whatever be the reconstruction that any of you can make of it. The astrologers claiming that Solar Returns are to be cast for the birthplace (instead of the actual place of station of that moment) shall commit themselves and cry aloud to persuade those who disagree. Let's see then. Before becoming a spion and a prostitute, Mata Hari, who was already an amazing dancer, had been married to an official, major MacLeod, who took her with him to Indonesia, precisely to Medan.

There in Medan destiny stroke her tremendously on the 27th of June 1899. A native servant poisoned her two sons. One of them, Norman, died after appalling sufferings. Hence we have got all the ideal conditions to make an accurate comparison. Mata Hari's date of birth is sure – all her horoscope confirms it; we know the precise date of the event we are talking about; and geographically speaking, Leeuwarden and Medan are very distant places.

So what do we observe in Mata Hari's Solar Return map of 1898-1899 drawn for her birthplace, Leeuwarden? Nothing, virtually nothing that may foretell her tragedy – starting from the SR Ascendant in her natal 4th House, which is miles away from the peak events we are examining. Then we see an empty, insignificant 5th House.

Let us consider what her SR map of 1898-99 tells us if we draw it for Medan, i.e. the place where the family actually was at the moment of the murder. In what natal House do you think the Ascendant of SR is? Precisely: in her natal 8th House. Weren't it enough, we also find Uranus in the 5th House while Mars and Pluto, the two dispositors of the 5th House, are conjunct in the 12th House. If they tell you that they still doubt, they simply lie. 

I shaped this expression myself to indicate the possibility for whoever to go away on the day of his/her own anniversary in order to take advantage of a birthday astral situation better than the one they would experience if they remained on their own place of birth. In the January 1999 issue of the Italian magazine Sirio my colleague Grazia Bordoni published an anthology of declarations about the Aimed solar returns. At the end of the article my friend Grazia was sad to inform me that I had been the only one who expressed the confidence that Solar Return maps are to be cast for the place where you spend your birthday – not for your birthplace. 
Actually, this lent me a hand. In fact, when I began claiming it with conviction thirty-one years ago, I had to face the opposite, often fierce opinion of the overwhelming majority of my colleagues. They even derided me for this, harshly and openly criticizing my custom of suggesting Aimed Solar Returns to my clients. Later on, as my works were published in magazines and books, growing legions of readers embraced these studies, swelling the ranks of the persuaded followers of this technique; in order to do that, some of them even disobeyed precise orders of censorship of their own masters – my colleagues. Today an opinion poll would show that the "base", even those belonging to schools other than mine, believes – in the great majority of cases – in Solar Returns and in Aimed Solar Returns. 
On the other hand a growing number of Pharisees, who have repeatedly affirmed their own scepticism on this topic until the other day, has suddenly begun to assert that they have always been persuaded of the validity of ASR's; and that this matter is so evident that it is not even worth mentioning. This is the reason why I am particularly glad for the testimonials published on the a.m. issue of Sirio.

Why have I been the first one to embark on this kind of study with such a great fervour – at least compared to my colleagues? There are exactly two reasons. To study an Aimed Solar Return with all the pertinent charts and the calculation required to cast each of them, you must have adequate technical means at your disposal. In the early 1970s I already used tiny Hewlett-Packard pocket computers – the real programmable ancestors of Personal Computer. With the help of professionals on informatics, on such machines I elaborated programs that took full care of the long and laborious calculations necessary to SR's. 
Today's program Molriv of ASTRAL is one of those little jewels: it scans the entire terrestrial surface in a few minutes. The other reason that favoured me very much in the study of Aimed Solar Returns is that, differing from the times of Alexander Volguine, nowadays whoever wants to spend a birthday in New York City – now as well as twenty years ago – must not sell his/her own house away any longer, for you can afford it for less than 1,000,000 Italian Liras.

I have been "sending" hundreds of people (more than 25,000 individuals as on January 2013) to spend their birthdays abroad every year for 43 years. The balance I have drawn up is astonishingly positive, as you can read in my book Trattato pratico di Rivoluzioni solari, Blue Diamond Publisher. 

- Ciro Discepolo, Astrologia applicata [Applied astrology], Armenia, Milan, 1988, 294 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Traité complet d’intérpretation des transits et des révolutions solaires en astrologie, Éditions Traditionnelles, 2001, 502 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, A Few Facts on Aimed Birthdays, Ricerca ’90, 2001, 104 pages.
- Luigi Galli and Ciro Discepolo, Geographical Atlas for the Solar Returns, Ricerca ’90 Publisher, 2001, 136 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Treatise on Solar Returns (In Hungarian Language), DFT - Hungaria 2006, 190 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Treatise on Medical Astrology (In Slovenian Language), Publisher: Hermes (Zalozba Astroloskega Instituta), 2007, 262 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Transits and Solar Returns; a New System of Analysis for Two Ancient Methods, Ricerca ’90 Publisher; Reprint edition, 2007, 556 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Transits et Révolutions Solaires: Un nouveau système pour deux méthodes anciennes, Ricerca ’90, 2008, 468 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Die Transite und das Solarhoroskop: Ein neues System für zwei klassische Methoden, Ricerca ’90, 2008, 648 pages. 
- Ciro Discepolo, Transitos y Retornos Solares: Un nuevo sistema de analisis para dos metodos antiguos, Ricerca ’90 Publisher, 2009, 668 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Treatise on Solar Returns (in Russian Language), Publisher: Astrolog.ru, 2009, 208 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns; what you can do when you cannot leave, Ricerca ’90, 2009, 222 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Lunar Returns and Earth Returns; two supporting methodologies for Active Astrology, Ricerca ’90, 2009, 304 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Aimed Lunar Returns and Solar Returns; a Short Album, Volume 1, Ricerca ’90 Publisher, 2009, 108 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Aimed Lunar Returns and Solar Returns; a Short Album, Volume 2, Ricerca ’90 Publisher, 2010.
- Ciro Discepolo, Lunar Returns; the many things you should know about this fantastic tool of forecasting, Ricerca ’90, 2010, 240 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The Protocol for Correction of Birth Time; a Practical Method to Correct Your Birth Time, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 156 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Solar and Lunar Returns; many exercises, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 154 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Astrologie Active: Voilà ce que vous devez faire si vous ne pouvez pas effectuer votre anniversaire ciblé, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 192 pages. 
- Ciro Discepolo and Andrea Rossetti, Astro&Geography; choose the best place on Earth to live with success or love or money or health...,  Ricerca ’90, 2011, 138 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The New Guide to Astrology; casting, analysing and reading the birth chart, Vol. 1, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 426 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The New Guide to Astrology; casting, analysing and reading the birth chart, Vol. 2, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 502 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo and Luciano Drusetta, Relocating Solar Returns; the Importance of Being There, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 136 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, Solar Returns; Interpreting Solar Returns: Predictions, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 228 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The Fundaments of Medical Astrology; the grounds for understanding the pathological tendencies of an individual by reading the stars, Ricerca ’90, 2011, 238 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo and Danila Madau Perra, Evaluate Your Synastry; how to enhance the prospect of a stable and fulfilling relationship, Ricerca ’90, 2012, 160 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The Reading of the Natal Chart; the secrets of interpreting the Natal Chart illustrated with simplicity and clarity, Ricerca ’90, 2012, 402 pages.
- Ciro Discepolo, The Great Treatise of Astrology; A Massive Volume on the “Academic” topics of the Art of Urania, Ricerca ’90, 2012, Volume 1 and Volume 2, paperback 10x7 Inches, over 1200 pages.

For an almost complete bibliography of Ciro Discepolo:
http://www.amazon.com/CiroDiscepolo/e/B003DC8JOQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Review of Georgiana Costescu

By Georgiana Costescu on www.Amazon.com:

5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bible of Solar Return Astrology, 
June 21, 2011

By Georgiana Costescu

This review is from: Transits And Solar Returns; A New System of Analysis for Two Ancient Methods (Paperback)

This is definitely the Bible of Solar Return Astrology, pure essence of this field. One could read this book only and manage to understand what the Solar Return is and how it works. The information is very concentrated and stresses on the most important elements that should be regarded in a Solar Return chart. 

The genius of Ciro Discepolo consists first of all in his ability to extract the 33 essential rules of the Solar Return. No other astrologer before has ever had either the courage or the ability to even name a few DON'Ts that should be considered in making a Solar Return. 

All the previous work on this subject talks only about how the individual grows and evolves with every Solar Return that passes over, no matter if bad or good. Traditional Astrology doesn't care about the individual's agony through the carousel named "life". It is just fine with them to talk about "the great developmental cycle". We are tired of all this beating about the bush and pampering of the bad celestials or of the astrological aspects. 

Ciro Discepolo gives straight answers and directions. No doubt "Transits and Solar Returns" is a revolutionary book that highlights what should be truly considered in any Solar Return. From now on, we have the Guide that shows exactly which path to follow when we forecast and what is really important. There is no point in stressing on how a Mars in a fire sign could make our actions or activities more direct or energetic, since this Mars lies menacingly in the 12th house of the SR. Thus, we could expect to be robbed, attacked, injured in accidents, suffer complicated surgeries, etc. This is the great error of the Traditional Astrology: it concentrates too much on the details and looses the essential. Why should we fill pages on how a Solar Return Ascendant in Taurus makes us more practical, predictable, drawn to arts or willing to start a business, since it lies gloriously in the 12th house? It is like buying an ice-cream just for its color and not for its taste. 

The 33 rules presented in the book definitely are the pillar of Active Astrology. I noticed on blogs and in some reviews, that many argued about the most important rule of the Solar Return: 1st, 6th and 12th houses together with Mars are extremely damaging when highlighted. I have to confess that, after reading the book, I made all the Solar Return charts that me and my family had by now, just to see if it applies. I was amazed. The rule is very true. 

Ciro Discepolo clarifies that "Anytime we face a disgrace in our life, at least one of the 3 malefic houses (1st, 6th, 12th) is involved in the SR!" and not the other way round as it has been speculated (Anytime the 3 houses are involved, we face a disgrace). Well, to me, bad things happened every time I had Mars or the 3 houses highlighted. I even noticed that the disgrace and damage is even higher when at least 2 of the 3 malefic houses are empowered. 

I would like to give a few examples. In 1994, when I was 8 years old my parents gave me a cute little kitten as a pet. I loved her so much and played all day with her. One day of this horrific year, while I was playing, I mistakenly stepped over the little kitten's head and she died in my hands. All my tears and cries were not enough to help her. I was in shock for a few months after seeing the blood and dead body of my beloved friend. It was a terrible accident that marked me for life. Looking at the Solar Return chart, I see the Sun, Venus, Mercury and Saturn in the 6th house and the AS in the dreadful 12th house. Venus didn't have any benefic power and was not able to protect the 6th house of the pets, while facing the 2 bad sectors, 6th and 12th. 

Another example would be the death of my grandpa, my mother's father. My mother had a very serious argument with her father a few weeks before he died. She didn't speak to him anymore and couldn't forgive him for the things he had said. At the same time, he had suffered an ulcer surgery that weakened him a lot. He eventually ended up in hospital. She decided and went to see him, but with a casual attitude. The last image of her father alive was him staying at the window of the hospital and waving his hand to say goodbye. After grandpa died, she suffered a great shock and fell into depression. She didn't have the time to say "I forgive you, father". The image of her father waving his hand at the window of the hospital still appears now in her dreams and hunts her. She knew that his waving meant "I'm sorry", but she couldn't wave back at him. The AS of the year (2004) lied in her 12th house. Jupiter in the 1st house simply couldn't have the power to create a positive year. With all that, Traditional Astrology still argues that anytime Jupiter is in the 1st house, the year is benefic. To turn the page to another disputed rule, guess how my SR looked for 2004? The Sun was in my 1st house (burdensome year) and AS in the 4th (family). To complete, the AS of my sister was in the 11th house (mourning). 

I will give another example that proves the 1st house is a malefic sector in the SR. I was 14 when I was accused unjustly by some envious school mates, of placing chewing gum on the chair of a teacher. Even some colleagues that I considered friends of mine, lied and showed their hate towards me. A great pressure was unfairly put on me and had to bear a lot of malicious attitudes. It was a very treacherous year that marked my personality and development in a damaging way. I had a stellium in the 1st house of the SR, together with the Sun. 

I will end the list of examples with the story of a friend of mine. My friend had a very bad year in 2010. He confesses to have had in fact the worst year of his life: he was fired from work, his girlfriend left him, the owner of the apartment where he stayed with rent ended the contract and his beloved grandma which he loved and trusted even more than his parents, died. His grandma had raised him. His AS for that year was in the 10th natal house and the Sun formed a stellium with Mercury and Saturn in the 1st house of the SR. 

I have so many examples that prove the authenticity of the 33 rules. My examples only, would fill hundreds of pages. What I need to say, is that these awful years, somehow, expand their damaging influence over many years ahead and, sometimes, even manage to spoil the great things we achieve with many efforts during years. The evil events usually mark us so bad that we never recover. So, where is the evolution or the spiritual development that the Traditional Astrology is talking about? 

"Transits and Solar Returns" of Ciro Discepolo is a very precious book that needs to be read carefully. There is no need to judge the rules and try anxiously to repel them when it is obvious that they work perfectly. They are, after all, the scientific result of a lifetime research in practice, not just in theory. Time will prove that the Active Astrology practice is the only one able to offer straight answers and predictions for our future. This is just the beginning of this New Era of Astrology.

Review of Georgiana Costescu on www.Amazon.com:

5.0 out of 5 stars
Why should we go for an Aimed Solar Return?
June 14, 2011

By Georgiana Costescu
This review is from: Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns: What you can do when you cannot leave (Volume 1) (Paperback)

I went to different astrologers to receive answers on my life and get cure for the problems that I faced. They all indicated with precision the problems that I had and offered only psychological counseling, like "try to be more flexible", "think positive", "concentrate" or "wait ten more years and maybe you will get what you are looking for". Others even comforted me with the karma: "I'm sorry for you, but now you are paying for the wrong things you did in a past life" or even menaced "Stop all these things that you are doing now or you will pay double in a future life". Tired of all these "pieces of advice", I decided to find somehow a different approach in Astrology. 

Luckily I discovered Ciro Discepolo's books on Solar Returns. This truly changed my outlook in life. His work on Solar Returns indicates exactly how to attain positive situations in life using Astrology. His book Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns shows in the purest way how to use the transits together with the Solar Returns in order to protect ourselves from the bad celestial influence and even achieve our goals in life. 

I discovered that it is in our power to change bad situations into positive ones. We only need to understand the meaning of the aspects and transits and act accordingly to their nature. Ciro Discepolo explains all these aspects in his book and offers many examples. It is easy and important to identify problems on a chart, but it is more important and vital to find real solutions to these problems, otherwise Astrology would be useless. Mending trough personal actions challenging celestial influence defines Active Astrology. The individual no longer waits for bad events to arrive, not even confronts them, but manages to avoid or even eliminate them. This is simply wonderful! 

This book, together with "Transits and Solar Returns", is a masterpiece of Astrology and the work of a genius. No one, until this point, has ever interpreted the Solar Returns and Transits this way before. This astrologer not only tells people how to get rid of forthcoming problems and disasters ("Transits and Solar Returns"), but also indicates, in this book, how to confront bad aspects and transits and manage to make it through. 

Ciro Discepolo writes in a very direct manner, the journalistic style, and this makes the information very accessible to the reader. Anyone can understand how transits and Solar Returns truly work by simply reading Ciro Discepolo's books. He brought Astrology close to people that want to make a difference in life by manipulating good or bad astrological aspects. 

Anyone should read this book, whether they are professional astrologers or regular people. "Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns" could be interpreted as a very strong and useful conclusion of a lifetime passionate research in the wonderful field of Astrology. Her author dedicated more than 40 years of his life studying hundreds of thousands of charts and doing researches on Solar Returns and transits, so this is 100% an authentic Astrology document. 

Ciro Discepolo started a new era of science in Astrology seen eyes wide opened. There is no longer place in the field of sciences for philosophical or metaphysical Astrology. Traditional philosophical Astrology can only be read as a very good piece of literature that enriches ones vocabulary, but is not able to empower people to forecast and ease their future. We need straight answers to our concerns and substantial solutions to our endeavors for a better life. Encouraging and nice words like "the Sun in the 12th house of the Solar Return will make you grow spiritually" won't stop the unpleasant events to take place. A Saturn will always bring difficult situations or will completely block ones actions, even with good aspects. So, it is useless to promise spiritual growth, maturity and stability just for the sake of optimism. 

5.0 out of 5 stars 
A professional's view, 
August 16, 2011
By Roy Kirkland "Roy"




(REAL NAME) Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns (Kindle Edition)

I have been practicing astrology for a very long time, and generally avoid astrology books. When I discovered the work of Ciro Discepolo, and this book in particular, I was pleasantly shocked. Ciro's approach to working with clients is almost identical to my own. What I try to do with clients is to give them suggestions as to how to "ground out" or "discharge" the "difficult" planetary combinations. I have thought of hundreds of ways to help them do so, but Ciro probably has a hundred to every one I've thought of. Plus, he is the founder and foremost practitioner of "Aimed" return chart methodology in the world today. The clarity with which fundamental astrological principles shine through his writing is impressive, despite the translation. About that - if anyone has a hard time reading through the translation - study Hindu Astrology with the vow not to read a book written or co-written by a westerner on the subject. 

Anyway, I've studied, used and taught many techniques of astrology (Sidereal, Hellenistic, Tajika, and others) in the past. I find Ciro's methods of "Aimed Birthdays" and "Symbol Exorcism" to be simple, succinct, direct and useful. Some of the suggestions may appear to be difficult, but the inconvenience is far less painful than accepting the worst possibilities of a difficult Solar or Lunar Return. This is my indisputable observation. My experience proves that these methods work, and I have several decades of it. Some may think this is an old-fashioned view of astrology. I don't really care, because I'm into what works. I look at the indications of the horoscope as being multifaceted; there are good and bad possibilities in everything. Generally, the undesirable possibilities have a tendency to manifest themselves more easily in our lives; that's how life is. Most professional analysts and therapists will tell you the same thing using different language. With Active Astrology, we use the chart in such a way that we give the unwanted possibilities something else to do, so that we don't have to suffer their imposition in our affairs. 

I have written elsewhere that we have the fatalists and determinists of the past two or three thousand years to thank for coming up with reliable guidelines for quickly finding difficult astrological combinations. Mr. Discepolo's approach to "Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns" enables us to change our personal relationship to these combinations in order to moderate or antidote their worst possibilities. As opposed to the expensive and culturally dissonant "propitiatory" methods of Hindu Astrology (not to mention the almost indecipherable methods of "Lal Kitab"), the techniques of Active Astrology are almost universally applicable and produce startling results, without requiring a change in your belief system. And, more often than not, they are fun. 

I must admit that I am rather excited about this method. I am in the process of developing a website to give people easier access to this technique. This project has Mr. Discepolo's "benediction", and we do correspond with one another. I am also somewhat of a minimalist as far as my artistic taste goes, and Active Astrology appeals to me in this way too, because it uses a minimum of simple astrological technology, and puts the emphasis on the experience. You can't control the wind, but you can control the sails, and the Solar and Lunar return charts, as described in his books, are one heck of a well-seasoned crew that can help you get your ship of life where you want it to go. 

5.0 out of 5 stars 
Not for amateurs or the faint of heart
August 21, 2011
By Roy Kirkland "Roy" (REAL NAME) 

This review is from: Transits And Solar Returns; A New System of Analysis for Two Ancient Methods (Paperback)

This is an excellent compilation of Ciro Discepolo's research. In it, he clearly describes the principles of his "Active Astrology" method. In that I have been an astrological practitioner for many years, it's easy for me to see that his descriptions are based on sound astrological principles. For some the translation into English might be a little difficult, but untangling some of the idiomatic expressions and metaphors he uses can be a lot of fun, in fact, I find his writing as enjoyable as his overall concept.

What makes this particular book unique is the clear explanation of the basics of the system he works with. Starting with certain fundamental axioms about the structure of the Solar Return chart, he makes it clear that you can actively change this structure and therefore change the indications for the entire year. This is what could be called (in a mixture of modern and Elizabethan metaphors) "tweaking the accidental dignities." Although he uses many examples to show that this is a verifiable principle, he doesn't go deeply into methods other than "aimed" Solar Returns, or traveling to the location of the best possible chart, for moderating the effects of transits. He has written other books that cover the subject in greater depth; please see my review of Aimed Solar and Lunar Returns for more about this. He does remind the student over and over again that the effects of a given transit are subject to the quality of the Solar Return in which they fall, and that's really important to the way this method works.

The reason I titled this review "not for amateurs" is simple. Someone who has not worked with astrological charts and predictive methods could be frightened by some of what he says, and when emotions get involved, the basic principles go out the window. Adding more on timing transits would be helpful for beginners as well. These additions would make it easier for more excitable beginners to relax and enjoy the writing as much as I do.

One more thing - these charts are calculated in the tropical zodiac without precession. I learned a number of years ago that this type of chart (which I refused to use for a number of years because my involvement with sidereal techniques and methods) can actually be very accurate if you base your interpretation on the planets in the houses.

The Aimed Solar Return gives an entirely new perspective as to what to do with this type of chart. Again, others may find plenty to criticize about the book, but I found it very enjoyable reading. I'm actually on my 3rd copy now, and still having fun with it. Aiming the Solar Return and "Exorcism of the Symbol" work. Period. This is a great book if you're interested in learning to use astrology in a proactive and preemptive way.

Dear Friends,

Another year is over and it is good to try constantly to renew for the best.

I do believe we have to think about a new formulation on the base of what the experts of the Active Astrology in Italy and the world have indicated. This is also a necessity derived from the many things that have changed in the last years, which our colleagues, pupils, and even unknown people who wrote us for the first time made us know.

The spirit with which this page was born, with owners who might have substitute me for consultations (which I don’t make any more since several years, except for a few persons afflicted by particularly serious troubles), has been misunderstood by different colleagues from the school of Active Astrology, not so much for the fact that these people thought they had received a honorary office for life, such as the Senator of the Italian Republic, and so they did not take part in none of our last 40-50 meetings - two conferences a year, many seminars and workshops, book presentations and so on. Instead, the spirit of the page has been misunderstood for the fact that some of these colleagues have become famous as representatives of my school in their area, underlining that their work followed the precise rules of the Active Astrology, with no corrective patches. Differently, many owners have practiced, for many years, their own astrology that, although referring slightly to the astrology I teach in my books (126, if I remember well, published until December 2016), has come to very different conclusions. This is absolutely legitimate, what is not legitimate is to practice one’s own astrology under the banner of the Active Astrology, which is the only one. The other ones can be defined as the Active Astrology of Mario Rossi or Amalia Russo, but not simply Active Astrology.

I was talking about the many letters of complaint I received from people I even didn’t know, and who made me notice some serious violations of the 34 rules, which in some case were even among the causes of some people’s death (if the Active Astrology works positively, it also works negatively when the astrologist makes mistakes).

For instance, renewing my great esteem to my colleagues which I always mention and with whom I have good relations, I shall reset the charges of the owners, waiting to discuss with them and all the students who will take part in the next conference of Active Astrology (third weekend of June 2017, at the Grand Hotel Due Golfi, in Sant’Agata, near Sorento) all the proposals about the guarantee and protection of all those who want to approach our wonderful discipline and fear of running into those who brag a lot but very little guarantee.

This is all for the moment, and I conclude by wishing you all a magnificent 2017!

Ciro Discepolo

Milan, 1st January 2017

Care Amiche e Cari Amici,

è appena trascorso un altro anno ed è buona regola generale cercare di rinnovarsi sempre, al meglio.

Io credo che dobbiamo studiare una nuova impostazione in relazione alla segnalazione degli esperti di Astrologia Attiva in Italia e nel mondo. Ciò anche in conseguenza di tante realtà che sono cambiate in questi ultimi anni e alle segnalazioni che di ciò ci hanno resi partecipi colleghi, allievi e perfino sconosciuti che ci scrivevano per la prima volta.

Lo spirito con cui era nata questa pagina con la segnalazione di owners che potessero sostituirmi nei consulti (che non faccio più da molti anni, a eccezione di pochissimi a persone afflitte da problemi particolarmente seri) è stato travisato da diversi colleghi/e della scuola di Astrologia Attiva, non tanto per il fatto che costoro hanno ritenuto di ricevere una carica onorifica a vita, tipo quella di senatore della Repubblica Italiana, e di conseguenza non hanno partecipato neanche più ad uno dei nostri 40-50 ultimi incontri: due convegni all’anno, tantissime conferenze e seminari gratuiti, presentazione di nuovi libri e via dicendo. No, piuttosto per il fatto che taluni di questi colleghi/e si sono fatti conoscere al mondo come rappresentanti della mia scuola nel loro territorio, sottolineando che il loro operato era secondo le precise regole dell’Astrologia Attiva e senza patch correttive. Diversamente una buona parte degli owners ha praticato, da diversi anni a questa parte, una propria astrologia che pur riferendosi lontanamente a quella da me insegnata nei molti libri pubblicati (123, se non erro, a fine dicembre 2016), è giunta a conclusioni lontanissime dalle mie. Ciò è assolutamente legittimo, ma non è assolutamente legittimo praticare una propria astrologia sotto la bandiera dell’Astrologia Attiva che è una e una sola. Le altre potranno essere chiamate Astrologia Attiva di Mario Rossi o di Amalia Russo, ma non semplicemente Astrologia Attiva.

Dicevo di molte lettere di protesta ricevute da persone che neanche conosco e che mi segnalavano violazioni gravissime delle 34 regole, violazioni che in alcuni casi estremi sono state addirittura una delle concause della morte di soggetti (se l’Astrologia Attiva funziona in positivo, funziona anche in negativo quando l’astrologo sbaglia).

Pertanto, rinnovando la mia grande stima a colleghe e colleghi che nomino continuamente e con cui sono in ottimi rapporti personali, oltre che di scuola, per adesso procedo con l’azzeramento delle cariche degli owners, in attesa di discutere con gli stessi e con tutti gli allievi che parteciperanno al prossimo convegno di Astrologia Attiva (terzo weekend di giugno 2017, presso il Grand Hotel Due Golfi a Sant’Agata, a pochi chilometri da Sorrento) le proposte di tutti che siano a garanzia e a tutela delle persone che si vogliono avvicinare alla nostra meravigliosa disciplina, ma temono anche di imbattersi in esperti che millantano molto e garantiscono poco.

È tutto per adesso e concludo augurando a tutti un magnifico 2017.

Ciro Discepolo

Milano, 1° Gennaio 2017