About Chris Brennan or why explore Hellenistic astrology

Chris Brennan is a Professional Astrologer with more than 16 years of experience in the field. In spite of his youthful age, Chris has had many achievements in Astrology, starting with his education at Kepler College and then his being President of the Association for Young Astrologers, and the Research Director of the National Council of Geocosmic Research and the associate editor of The Mountain Astrologer (TMA) magazine.

But this doesn’t present the full picture of Chris Brennan’s work in Astrology as of today. Let’s start with the beginning…

In 2003, after just finished high-school, Chris enrolled at Kepler College, the only institution in America which during 2009-2012 awarded Diplomas in Astrological Arts and Sciences¹. Kepler College was born in 2000 offering its students a wide variety of classes in both Psychological and Traditional Astrology, as well as other types of Astrology, which can help us interpret the never dying connection between nature and humans, between our minds and the Universe. Although very shy, since the beginning Chris has been distinguished as an ardent supporter of Psychological Astrology. Not only that, but he was so against Traditional Astrology that he even gathered a group from his colleagues to combat the curriculum which had also traditional classes of Astrology included.

It is funny to note this rebellion of his, as later in life, in 2017 Chris Brennan publishes his book entitled “Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune”, a “comprehensive study of original doctrines of Western horoscopic astrology, a stunning and remarkable achievement for his first work”² .

During 2003-2006 he focused on “cross-cultural comparisons between the astrological traditions, with a special interest in the history, philosophy, and practice of ancient astrology, and specialized in the Greco-Roman tradition of astrology known as Hellenistic Astrology”³ .

In 1992, during an important astrological conference, a group of three astrologers, Robert Schmidt, Robert Hand and Robert Zoller, set-up the plan for a translation project for ancient astrological texts: “Project Hindsight”. They started translating the ancient Greek and Roman astrological texts to bring back and to reform the roots of astrology. As Chris Brennan states in his book, “modern western astrology is largely the result of a handful of influential astrologers who inherited a few fragments of the astrological tradition and then created a new system around it which was then infused with their own religious, ethical, and theoretical speculations”⁴. Thus, the translation project aimed at rediscovering the concepts and philosophy behind the ancient astrology and in order to bring them closer to the public nowadays.

After several years, the project came apart due to divergences between the three astrologers, but continued under the guidance of Robert Schmidt.

In 2006, while still at Kepler’s, Chris Brennan started as a disciple of Robert Schmidt for this important project, Project Hindsight. He started working closely with Robert Schmidt and Ellen Black, Robert’s wife, at their home in Cumberland, Maryland, where he followed the doctrines of Hellenistic Astrology during the centuries and documented various versions of each old Hellenistic astrologers. This strenuous work paid up its reward by the publishing of his first book: “Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune”.

In 2010, when the news that Kepler College would lose the ability to give accredited diplomas broke out, he was among the last students to be awarded the degree which he accepted in 2012, at the last graduation, which occurred during the United Astrology Conference in New Orleans. Chris was selected to give the main commencement speech at the final graduation, which was a veritable success⁵ .

In 2009, Chris started another important project: “The Traditional Astrology Radio Podcast”⁶ which soon became The Astrology Podcast which is an admirable undertaking offering free astrological news and information, being the best popular choice for astrological podcast for anyone wondering to learn more about this field.

In October 2016, he has received the ISAR award of excellence in audio/video media work, for “The Astrology Podcast”.

After publishing his book, Chris Brennan introduced Hellenistic astrology to people all over the world through his courses at the “The Astrology School”⁷. Whether they are Hellenistic Astrology courses or Electional Astrology the classes are mainly about learning old Hellenistic techniques by using current approaches and notions which fit into this ever changing landscape of Astrology nowadays.

After his phenomenal success with both “The Astrology Podcast” and “The Astrology School”, we can only assume that Chris Brennan is expecting even more spectacular successes to demonstrate us how astrology can become a lifestyle. Who knows maybe his next book title will be: “The study of fame and eminence in Hellenistic astrology”.

Until then, for each and one of us interested in astrology it would be a wise choice to consider the next three books Chris mentioned as favorites in an interview for Kepler College:

1. Planets in Transit: Life Cycles for Living by Robert Hand – “Rob Hand set the standard for delineations. It’s a stunningly impressive book on transits and I’m looking forward to his updated version”;
2. A History of Horoscopic Astrology by James Holden – “This is a great overview of the tradition of four thousand years and a focus on the biographies of the astrologers whose work survived”;
3. Anthology of Vettius Valens – “A series of textbooks for his students in Alexandria. It’s a recently translated treasure trove of techniques and observations. You get a real sense of this astrologer from two thousand years ago including his personal digressions. There is one point where he talks about traveling in search of a better timing technique and even apologizes for not getting the work out sooner.”⁸

Also, on his youtube channel, “The Astrology School”, Chris Brennan indicates 6 best books for beginners, the best choices you could make in order to learn about planets, signs and houses in case you are new to the subject.⁹

It is admirable to see how one person with great effort and arduous endeavor succeeded in bringing us in the proximity of ancient scholars who had a different version of the philosophy of astrology than in our times. Chris Brennan is remarkably and exceptionally welcoming us into this new special world of ancient philosophers.

We look forward to Chris Brennan’s coming to Romania on 8th of June, at Craiova where he will hold a workshop, inspired by his own book, entitled “Special Planetary Conditions: Bonification and Maltreatment”. As the title indicates, it will be a very special workshop because Chris will show us the practical rules of ancient Hellenistic astrologers for determining the condition of a planet, and then interpreting how the planet works in the chart. So let’s wish Chris a very good welcome to Romania, where we hope he will feel the best.

Articolul este disponibil în revista Astrele și în limba română.