Chapter 3: Aspects in Hellenistic and Medieval Astrology

Besides some usual notes about aspects you can find here interesting theory  about the inconjunct aspects (semisextile and quincunx), antiscia, signs of equal rising time, "looking ahead" and "hurling rays" positions, parallels and contra-parallels, collection of light,  joining and separating, reception and a table with Al-Biruni orbs for the planets. Also look if the lord of house sees the house (not having an aspect with the house is a bad omen!) and what is the first aspect that the Moon will have. I observed this is true: the Moon first aspect is very important and gives a lot of information.

Other possible aspects like "transfer of light", "frustration", "refrain", "abscission", "prohibition" are also presented here!

Chapter 4. Planets as Significators in Ancient Astrology

For every planet is allotted only a half of page but it seems like for Joseph Crane is enough to point out the most important characteristics and to present how the planet manifest when is good or bad placed. For example:

"When poorly placed, Venus gives testimony for dullness, voluptuousness, sordidness, and quaking shyness."

Mercury is the planet that rules astrologers, if you didn't know, and has the ability to blend anywhere (makes favorable configurations better and unfavorable ones worse!). Other interesting idea is that the Moon has to do with the sensitive and irrational mind. I am thinking that the Moon also symbolize what C. G. Jung named “the collective unconscious”…

Then, you will see what traditional astrology tells about the planets which signify love and marriage (Venus, Moon), character (lord of the Moon and Mercury), action or career (Mercury, Venus, Mars).

Chapter 5. Planetary Sect

What is written here can be found in a detailed manner in this this book: "Night and Day – Planetary Sect in Astrology". So, read this review if you want to find more!

Chapter 6. The Phases of the Planets

Here we can learn when a planet is heliacally rising or setting and how this influences her strength. Let see a suggestive quotation:

"A planet rising from the Sun (in either the east or the west)  is like a warrior coming out of a battle victorious (Bonatti), or a planet recovering from a sickness and being restored to health (Al-Biruni)."  

Then, Joseph Crane teach us how to determine one's temperament. This can be done if we see the orientality or occidentality of the planets and determine their qualities: hot, moist, cold and dry. Because these give temperamental types: sanguine (hot and moist), choleric (hot and dry), melancholic (cold and dry) or phlegmatic (cold and moist). This is a very useful exercise and you can compare the results with those obtained by other psychological methods.

MY EVALUATION: 8,7

Conclusion. After you read  this book you will say: "What a wonderful book, I learned so many things!". And, how the title says, everything is very easy to apply, it really is a practical book. Excellent, very easy to understand, presenting a lot of lost techniques that can prove to be useful. 8,7!