Identifying Planetary Triggers: Astrological Techniques for Prediction [Paperback]

Ms. Teal has already written a comprehensive overview of what her book does. What I love about this work is the information about Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter Returns, because there is so little else written on them. She covers a lot of information including progressions, transits, and other Returns as well. There are numerous examples to illustrate in a well-organized, very readable work that is easy to reference. Lots of valuable information not readily available elsewhere!

In her second book Celeste Teal reveals something more about techniques for prediction. Though she refers a lot to techniques already mentioned in her first book the most valuable parts in this book are about the return charts and the transit descriptions by dr. Smith. This book is a must read for all astrologers.

Golden nuggets of information buried in a muddled, overly detailed presentation. Not for beginners. If you are a professional astrologer or have a few years of study behind you, you'll be able to pull out a couple of very useful techniques you may not have seen elsewhere--the use of anilunar returns, for example, which is the return of the moon to its own place in the solar return chart. I found it to be an extremely accurate predictive device, and very simple. There is also the wonderful technique of progressing the Saturn return chart, which is a blessing when dealing with older clients still struggling with Saturn's lessons. And she does a very thorough job of taking us step by step through the process of using return charts as predictive devices--not only solar and lunar returns, but the important(and under-used)returns of Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Her advice on how to prioritize progressions is a useful reminder for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals, and she makes an important point many astrologers forget--that the return charts reflect what is happening in the progressed chart in the same way that the progressed chart can only be an unveiling of the potential in the natal chart. My problem with the book is that it's very difficult to use as a reference work. If you had difficulty interpreting a return, you'd be hard pressed to find an answer here--no index to help you find what you need. And there are much better books on interpreting progressions and transits. I wish that the publisher had coaxed a smaller, more useful book out of this author. Is it worth buying? Yes, if you're serious about your astrology; particularly if you've been swimming in the more esoteric astrological waters lately, and need to get your feet on the ground of practical predictive techniques.