Friday May 17th 2002 - edited by Bernard Fitzwalter This week in Astro News: ~ Caesarean section ~ ~ AstroDiary ~ ~ Astrology & Fertility - Can you help with some research? ~ WHEN astrologers get together they talk about all sorts of things, and most recently it has been about babies. Astrological researcher Wendy Stacey has been investigating the increasing number of births by Caesarean section (partly with the help of information from Daily Mirror readers). Most of these operations take place during the usual non-emergency opening hours of hospitals; that is, between 9am and 5.30pm, with an hour off for lunch. From the medical point of view this has no importance at all - but for an astrologer, it is very important indeed. The time of birth sets the tone for the whole chart, and the personality which goes with it. Experience tells us that people born at night often tend to be more original, more creative, and more willing to mingle with others; while people born during daylight hours tend to be more single-minded and more ambitious. They are also inclined to be more successful, and more likely to be famous, but we can't all be number one, can we? We do need the balance of both day and night people. Most worrying of all is that hour when the surgeon goes for lunch, meaning that fewer babies will be delivered when the sun is in the part of the sky which produces philosophers, poets, teachers, artists, and priests - the people who speak to our inner nature, and help us realise who we are. How will the next generation manage without them? So is this growing trend towards surgical births upsetting the balance of nature, and reducing the rich variety of types and talents we used to have? Or is there a grand plan, far above us, which allows for all this? In other words, if you arrive when the surgeon finds it convenient, is that still the moment fate intended for you? Next time you have some friends round for a few drinks, add this topic to the conversation and see where it goes. AstroDiary Saturday (May 18): London School of Astr. Astr & the Chakras, all-day seminar - Melanie Reinhart, Voluntary Resource Centre, Holloway Rd, London N7. �40. Booking: 0700 233 44 55. Monday (May 20): Astr Lodge of London, Theosophical Society, 50 Gloucester Pl, W1. Synastry - Andy Gray. 7pm. �5 (�3 members/conc.) Monday (May 20): Northern Lights Astr. Soc., Waterloo Hotel, Waterloo Rd, South Shore, Blackpool. Ascendant and Mid-Heaven - Barbara Giles. (info: 01253 402137) Tuesday (May 21): Suffolk Astr. Soc. Black Boy, Guildhall St, Bury St.Edmunds. Traditional Horary - Sue Ward. 7.45pm. (Info: Glenda Cole 01284 768756 [email protected]) Wednesday (May 22): Company of Astrologers. 4 Marty's Yard, 17 Hampstead High St, London. Aristotle's Question - Geoffrey Cornelius. 7.30pm. �5. (coa.hubcom.net) Please double-check with the organisation before attending any events listed here - we cannot accept any responsibility for events changed/cancelled. Are you holding an astrological event - especially one outside London!! - that you would like others to know about? Write to [email protected] with subject heading: Astro Events with website links. Please note - we cannot promise to include ALL submissions but will do our best. Research into Astrology and Infertility by Pat Harris, MSc., D.F.Astrol.S. I would like to thank everyone who has responded to my earlier notices on Jonathan's website and who volunteered to take part in the research that I am conducting as part of my PhD in astrology and health psychology at Southampton University, UK. I now have quite a number of people taking part which will help me in conducting my study into factors that may or may not correlate with fertility treatment outcome. I should have a progress report out soon. However, I am still looking for women who are currently pregnant - not necessarily as a result of fertility treatment - and who would like to contact me about details of my research to see if they would like to take part. My email address is: [email protected] New Service is Top for the Charts The Astrological Association of Great Britain is proud to announce that you can now speak LIVE to an expert astrologer. For an instant in-depth telephone consultation about your full horoscope call 0845 120 1416 or +44 207 436 9101 (a confidential 30-minute reading costs �29.50, payable by credit card. Or cheque/postal order from UK.) Lines are open 9am-9pm GMT, Monday to Friday. A few weeks ago, the Astrological Association of Great Britain launched this new, live fixed-fee, telephone chart reading service. It has since proved big hit with callers from all over the world. AA President Roy Gillett told Astro News: "I am delighted with the warm response that we have had. Once, if you wanted a reading of your full birth chart, you would have to struggle to find a genuine, reputable astrologer. Then, you would have had to make an appointment and travel miles. Now, at last, there's a quick and easy way to get your questions answered by a real expert - from the comfort of your own home." Mirror reader Julie Roberts from Rochester was equally enthusiastic. "I rang last Tuesday and spoke to an astrologer called Maria. Within moments, she was telling me details about my childhood that she could not possibly have known... then she said some fascinating things about my future. If you missed any of Friday's Astronews articles, click on the Archive Thought for the Day link in the left hand frame.