Yesterday I “attended” a webinar offered by the Canaveral Research Center (home of the Kepler Conference) coordinated by Courtney Roberts and moderated by Glenn “Mitch” Mitchell. The workshop featured Dr. Will Morris who, as “guest lecturer,” has an extensive background in academic research methods, as well as a comprehensive acquaintance with the full spectrum of major astrological systems.

Dr. Morris gave us a presentation on the principal research methods: case study, grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, historical research, narrative research, and action research. For a neophyte like me, this was an eye-opener regarding the range of different methodologies available. It was also thought-provoking in terms of tentative research topics and, more importantly, how to best approach them.

There was an equally good discussion on mixed methods in research, using both quantitative and qualitative data, and the “triangulation” process of using different data, investigators, theories, methods, and environments to achieve the most robust analysis of a subject.

Aside from taking notes on the lecture material itself, throughout the webinar I was busy jotting down fresh ideas for research that some of these discussions inevitably sparked in my imagination.

Four astrologer-researchers offered “works in progress” on which Dr. Morris provided constructive criticism. David Perkins presented an analysis of musical trends over a century’s worth of Saturn cycles. Kyle Pierce discussed his concept of kindred births via recurring shared planetary patterns. Faith McInerney correlated Chiron and Pluto aspects to booms and busts in financial cycles. Russell Ohlhausen analysed astro-physiognomy via common elements in the charts of celebrities vs their “ordinary” doppelgangers.

The presentations, feedback and discussions lasted almost three hours, providing great value for the price of admission, and much food for thought. Based on this experience, I’d encourage all budding astro-researchers to get on the CRC mailing list, and keep an eye out for future offerings.

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Alan Annand (BA, BSc, DFAS, ACVA-II) is a graduate of the American College of Vedic Astrology and former tutor for the British Faculty of Astrological Studies. His recent research paper “Mercury Retrograde in Disasters” was published in the American Federation of Astrologers’ Research Journal Vol.18 this past summer. You can read his article here.

Future speaking engagements:

  • Saturday, October 20th, 2018, State Of The Art (SOTA) conference in Buffalo, New York, on the subject of “The 27 Nakshatras” (asterisms) used in Vedic astrology, the so-called mansions of the Moon. No previous sense of humor required.
  • Saturday, January 26, 2019, The Kepler Conference in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the subject of “Prime Malefics in the Charts of Killers.” Attendees must be 18 or over, and have no previous record of violent offenses. See a preview of findings in this brief article.

Alan has written several books: Mutual Reception delineates 66 combinations of house lord exchange in western astrology; Parivartana Yoga is a companion volume for Vedic astrologers; Stellar Astrology, Volumes 1 & 2, offer useful techniques via biographical profiles, mundane event analyses, and technical essays; his New Age Noir mystery trilogy features an astrologer. You can find his books on Amazon and elsewhere.