Guidlines for the use of the 22.5 degree dial and orbs of influence.
 

This is probably a silly question. I got a set of dials from Penny and have been working with the 22.5° dial. My question is:

can you midpoint aspects on this dial as well as the 90° dial?

And

also if you are working on a particular axis, do planets at the "dots" figure in to this axis. 

First of all, it is important to point out here that it is really best to begin dial work with a 360 dial, then a 90 dial. Many Uranian and Cosmobiologists only use these two dials - and this includes the experts in Germany.

Yes, the 22.5 dial can be used to locate aspects, just like the 90 and 360 dials. The "dots" will indicate even divisions of 22deg30min: 11deg15min, 5deg37min30sec. Of course, you do not need the dots to see the SYMMETRY which is all so important with dial work.

When such small aspects are used, it is imperative to keep orbs very tight. As a general rule, first look for only exact combinations, of zero orb or only 1 or 2 minutes of orb. 

Then follow this guide: 

for the 22.5 degree aspect use 15 minutes orb

for 11.25 halve this to get a 7.5 degree orb
.

..and so on, halving the orb each time you halve the aspect.

Experienced users may double these orbs, that is, starting with 30 minutes 
orb, but I would not recommend that this be done unless you really know 
what you are doing. And keep in mind that the personal points can have 
larger orbs (eg. double the guide above); the more personal points, the 
larger you can go, within reason. 

For example, Su = MC / Mo would certainly allow for a larger orb than Ur = Ju / Pl.

The question that I will ask you is "Why use the 22.5 degree dial?" The 
point here is that so much can be seen with a 90 degree dail, that it begs 
the question "Why go further?", unless, of course, the user is experienced 
and has already done a thorough analysis on the 90 dial.

A better way to progress from the 90 dial is to use the 22.5 degree sort. SF4, Janus, and AstroLogic (and maybe Winstar?) can all produce a list of chart factors in a 22.5 degree modulus. (The word 'modulus' can be intimidating... just think of this as all aspects in the 22.5 degree series, eg. 45, 90, etc.) When you get this 'sort' or list, find all single point factors 
(eg. Sun; Asc, etc.) and look for other single points plus or minus 30 minutes orb. 

An easier way, imho, would be to get your computer to print out a 22.5 chart

Then-WITHOUT using a dial, only the chart itself - you can clearly see "clusters" of two or more planets and points together (by no more than 30 minutes distance apart). This is a powerful analysis, and is a standard Hamburg School technique. I know of an expert Hamburg School astrologer who has only used the 22.5 degree sort for a full natal analysis. The accuracy of doing this will depend on your knowledge of the planetary symbolism, including the TNPs and points, and how all of these combine. If you use COSI and Rules regularly, have a good memory, and do not use these books as verbatim gospel, then you will be on the right track here.

On my desk at this moment are notes for a client's natal analysis (that is due this afternoon). She has wonderful cluster, easily seen on a 22.5 chart: Su = Mo = Ha = Kr = Me = Po = Hy. That last one, Hy, is the asteroid Hygeia, the indicator of medical and health matters. I have also written that Su = Ha = Me are conjunct, and thus are more important. My client is a registered nurse, who has given up her job to run a new business, that of an alternative health and spiritual centre where she coordinates activities and is an aromatherapy masseur. To me, one glance of the above 22.5 cluster shows her path in life very clearly. If Posiedon was not present, she may have stayed nursing at the hospital. Of course, there are other clusters and planetary pictures to consider. 

{Note: not many charts will have such a large 
cluster as the one given above.}

For those of you who use Chiron, she also has Ch = A / M exact at zero minutes orb. As I viewed her birth certificate time myself, I consider this PP significant. This was found using midpoint trees on a 22.5 degree modulus. I do not usually take the time to actually use a real 22.5 dial for a standard natal analysis.

Steve Lee

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