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The Moment of Astrology - Geoffrey Cornelius
Wessex Astrologer
£17.99
www.wessexastrologer.co.uk
Reviewed by Garry Phillipson in Astrology Quarterly Winter 2003
 This
is a profound and deeply important work. It trades in mysterious and challenging
ideas about astrology, the astrologer, and the world; yet is as clear
in pulling its subject-matter down into comprehensible terms as it is
possible to imagine. Indeed, in view of the difficulties which have prevented
the book from leaving the press in recent months, the reader of omens
might judge that it contains just a little bit more insight into arcane
matters than the gods want us to have.
The Introduction states that: “…the primary theme (of this
book) is that the main body of astrology’s practice, and especially
the interpretation of horoscopes, is properly to be understood as a form
of divination. It is divination despite all appearances of objectivity
and natural law. It is divination despite the fact that aspects of symbolism
can be approached through scientific method, and despite the possibility
that a few factors in horoscopy can arguably be validated by the appeal
to science.” (xxii). This position - that astrology is best understood
as a form of divination – is, however, never presented in a dogmatic
way. It is only arrived at after a searching, painstaking, examination
of what astrologers actually do. Whatever you currently think of the divinatory
case, therefore, I’d recommend Moment to you. The author’s
thoroughness means that the book is a compendium of issues which will
need to be addressed by anyone seeking to understand what astrology is.
Though it must be noted that this is not a question which the majority
of astrologers seem too worried by.
In fact, I wonder if there is an element of instinctive self-defence in
the, ‘well, I know it works for me and that’s all that matters’
attitude of many astrologers. As the author remarks, “Reorienting
astrology as divination leads to a realm of uncertainty with few signposts
to guide us.” (p.277). So perhaps this book should come with a government
warning on the cover - ‘Reading The Moment of Astrology can seriously
damage your certainties’.
One of the fascinating sub-texts in the book is the way in which Cornelius,
who describes himself herein as strongly Saturnian, is so obviously keen
to find a structure for astrological practice, something finally real
and reliable. And yet, in the end, he has the honesty and insight to acknowledge
that what he has assembled here is not “a comprehensive and definitive
theory of astrology. Theoretical constructions have been used… but
these are better seen as stepping-stones rather than as resting places.”
(p.303). In other words, this is a book which may leave you feeling that
you know less about astrology than you did when you started reading it;
but in a good way.
Although it is primarily a philosophical work, it is not unduly abstract.
One after the other, themes are distilled from examinations of historical
events. There is much discussion of sceptical attacks against astrology
- from Pico della Mirandola to the Humanist’s petition-signers to
Geoffrey Dean. The author concedes that some (though not all) points are
valid, but argues that the sceptics are seeing another part of the Big
Picture, not the whole thing. Their criticisms, then, can serve to clarify
our understanding of astrology rather than undermining it altogether.
Once the main brunt of the sceptics’ critique has been assimilated
(in the first four chapters), the focus shifts to the model of ‘how
astrology works’ which is found in the writings of Ptolemy, and
to an examination of how this has been assimilated unquestioningly by
Western astrologers through to the present day. Reflections and arguments
arise naturally from carefully-presented case-studies of astrological
readings, chiefly from Lilly and from the author’s own practice.
And the conclusion? Perhaps the shortest summary is located in the phrase,
‘By you and by the science’. Cornelius writes that, “On
these few words turns the practice of astrology; how they are interpreted
determines the definition of astrology; what lies hidden in them is the
treasure of astrology.” (p.303). And if you find that too cryptic,
well, there’s nothing for it but to read the book. This is, emphatically,
not a book which a review can do proper justice to.
But it is a book which every astrologer should read. Western astrology
is currently in a grey limbo so far as its ideas about itself are concerned.
The adventure with science (or rather, what looked as if it was going
to be an adventure in the 70’s) has been a disappointment and has
exposed problems in the Ptolemaic model. Although many astrologers recognise
this, they still fall back on astrology-as-science views when under pressure,
and this can lead to ridiculous claims being made and astrology being
further discredited.
If astrology is going to improve its public image, it is surely vital
that astrologers should have as clear a concept as reasonably possible
of what it is that they do. And that makes this book important. Not ‘important’
in the usual book-review meaning of ‘fairly good’, but ‘important’
as in ‘get-it-now-it-will-change-the-way-you-think-forever’.
But don’t take my word for it: In his Foreword, Patrick Curry writes,
“This is an extraordinary book. I believe that within the astrological
tradition, it is the most important since the great flowering of European
astrology more than three hundred years ago.” Rob Hand calls it,
“One of the most important astrological books of our time.”
This is praise indeed, and so far as this reviewer is concerned, it is
fully merited.
This second edition (the book was originally printed in 1994) has had
a major overhaul, with several new sections and a huge number of minor
changes and updates. So for those of you who have the first edition and
are wondering whether it’s worth getting the new one, the answer
is simple: yes. This is a real labour of love from one of astrology’s
foremost thinkers.
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