Let me start this month’s update with a personal reflection about our current moment in time. In preparation for Saturn’s entrance into Aries on May 24th, I find myself contemplating what I need to work on in myself, the hard work it may take, to have the courage to lead the FCEA with the initiative and gumption of Aries. You see the sign Aries falls in my natal 1st house, intercepted, with Jupiter at 10°28’, providing me an opportunity for expressing the energy in the sign of the ram. 

But, as Steven always says, the full expression of a planet sitting in an intercepted sign takes a longer time to mature and develop. Jupiter, co-ruler of my Pisces ascendant, and Saturn, dispositor of my Capricorn Sun, always seem to be duking it out for me. My natal Saturn is in Aquarius and in the 12th house. Now Saturn by transit is traveling through my 1st house, the ringed planet will conjunct my Jupiter in about a year’s time. Is the universe asking me to accept the challenge and somehow integrate the energy of these vastly different planets? To step up to the plate and mature, Saturn style, into leadership? 

These are valid questions I imagine for myself. But when I also think of Aries, I ponder: What is worth fighting for and defending? And isn’t the 1st house the house Steven calls “enlightened selfishness”? With Neptune by transit there as well, I wonder, where is the spiritual path leading to deeper consciousness for me? How does one balance a call to action with meditation and the emptiness of ego? Moving Saturn will square my natal 10th house Capricorn Sun soon in 2026, Neptune in orb of a square as well.

Enough about me. How do individuals at the FCEA respond on a high road to both Saturn and Neptune in Aries? In past newsletter articles, I encouraged people to claim the path of the spiritual warrior. And, to me, this is still valid. But I would like to ride a little more with the concept of “enlightened selfishness”. What needs to radically develop in ourselves to be that warrior? I say a realistic and at times selfish approach to our basic rights to make our quest for consciousness front and center in our lives. 

Now don’t get me wrong; I am the Dean of our school and I certainly want to see us studying and applying ourselves through mental effort at every stage of our course work or on calls as FCEA members. How else can we learn the nuts and bolts of our sacred craft? But perhaps the universe is saying make the time, put the work in, and have the courage to dive into, as Steven would say, “cleaning our spiritual windows.” Doing so may involve some risk, some personal gumption in order to put your needs first. How else can we strive to be accomplished evolutionary astrologers if we don’t put our spiritual journey in the forefront of our lives?

I realize I am asking a lot of questions here. I just think reflecting upon transiting Saturn and Neptune for all of us involves giving definition to what works for us individually in growing our spiritual practice. It will follow that the mystical, psychic, and sensitive watery energies of Neptune will bless and make real our intuitive gifts. Then we can really put into place all the technical skills of study at the FCEA. With discipline and dedication, we grow in consciousness and then we become the kind of warriors the world needs. Set intentions for putting your Neptune work into action, giving your spiritual life a “right to take up space.” I have a feeling the rest of your astrological work will fall into place.

Happy equinox, FCEA community. Here in California, our clocks “spring forward” so now we have more hours of light and longer days. To me, Aries season always says it’s time to spring into action! We see lots of new growth and excitement at the FCEA. Everyone is doing a fine job finishing up their classwork before spring break. We are about to start up our second round of 2025 classes in late March and April. Steven and I want to give a special thank you to cohort 5 for their great contributions to 306-05, The Master Practicum. We were so impressed by the level of insight and skill this group demonstrated in class! Next up, this group will be taking our counseling course, Sacred Counsel. We listened to our students’ requests about this class. We expanded it to two-hour Zoom sessions a week. We are also excited to announce some changes in scheduling to better assist students in different time zones. Let me explain.

First, the big news: we are now opening up the Sacred Counsel class to any student currently enrolled in the 300-level curriculum. We changed the numbering of the class to reflect three different offerings at three different times a year. Times may vary one year to the next, so please consult the school catalog when published the year before. You can now take Sacred Counsel along with another 300-level class if you wish. FCEA Sacred Counsel is now FCEA-300SC. This year the class will be held according to the following dates:

• FCEA-300SC-25A — March 25 – April 15, 2025 (Tuesdays 12:00 – 2:00 pm PT) 
  First Priority to Cohorts 5 & 7

• FCEA-300SC-25B — June 25 – July 16, 2025 (Wednesdays 8:00 – 10:00 am PT) 
  First Priority to Cohort 7 & 9

• FCEA-300SC-25C — September 18 – October 9, 2025 (Thursdays 5:00 – 7:00 pm PT) 
  First Priority to Cohorts 9 & 11

Priority registration will be given to the cohort (class of students) who has finished FCEA 306: The Master Practicum or the cohort next in line to take it. 

Students in cohorts 5, 7, 9 and 11 can register starting on March 19th when they read this in the newsletter.

Once cohort 13 successfully finishes the 200-level curriculum in June, they, too, may register for FCEA 300SC-25C or wait for one of the 300SC offerings next year.

This new series of FCEA 300SC will allow students to choose a time and day of the week suitable for their unique schedule. We are hoping this will help students find a class that works for them. 

Meanwhile, we also made some changes to the graduation schedule in light of the new dates of completion of FCEA 300SC. We will hold two graduations a year: one in late July and one in late November. Because students will complete the FCEA curriculum at different times of the year, two graduation ceremonies will best accommodate all. We realize this biannual event may bring together students from different cohorts, but we hope we can support each other and share student achievements as a community with Steven. We will announce these graduation dates in the weeks ahead. Students would be listed in the directory on our website as soon as they successfully complete both 300SC and 306.

Finally, I look forward to seeing some of you soon in Athens, Greece, for Steven’s program, “Finding the Heart of the Birth Chart,” April 24 through 29th, followed by our Sacred Sites Journey, April 29th through May 7th. This is our first FCEA-sponsored live event with Steven! We are thrilled to share time together in person in class and to experience the wonders of the sacred landscape of Greece. I also recognize many would like to see other opportunities to meet in person as the FCEA community. Penelope Love and I will attend Steven’s class at OMEGA, in Rhinebeck, New York, this summer from August 17th through the 22nd.  The topic is an exciting one: synastry! Although this is not an official FCEA-sponsored event, we love to see students and staff at OMEGA. Please consider joining us!  As Neptune prepares to enter Aries, let’s dream big!

March 6 marks the 6th birthday of the FCEA (try saying that six times fast!). Congratulations dear school! Near the end of next month, in March, Neptune makes a big shift by moving into Aries and I am wondering, now that we are in Pisces season, what type of vision do we need for our school? As we all know, there is a certain letting go process with the archetypes of Pisces and Neptune. What behaviors need to go now so that we can all take the Neptunian initiative with fiery action in the spirit of Aries? Being a mystic and going to the mountaintop all has its place. But somehow I feel now we need to be ready to act.

I am hoping this short essay might inspire FCEA students and community members to step out and make your own voices heard! Let me explain.

I think of Steven’s description of a child learning to read under a “Mercury time,” and how that little one carries that ability to read into the future, well past that moment with Mercury. How do we build upon the mystical insights and spiritual work we have been doing this past fourteen years since the watery planet of consciousness, Neptune, entered Pisces? In the years ahead, we all will need those spiritual tools earned through Neptune’s journey through each and every one of our charts to handle the potential low road of delusion and aggression possible with a “me first” attitude of Aries. But let’s also remember there is a high road of Aries. Where do we as a school of evolutionary astrology step into the future with Aries gumption and a warrior spirit?

In the natal chart of the FCEA, we have Chiron, the “wounded healer,” at 0°54’ Aries in the 11th house. Mercury at 29°34’ Pisces, stationed at the time of the school’s “birth,” before turning retrograde, and it conjuncts Chiron. Wouldn’t you agree this is such an intriguing natal conjunction, given Neptune’s current position and the planet’s upcoming ingress into Aries? Clearly, our particular methods and approach in practicing evolutionary astrology depend upon a compassionate, intuitive Piscean voice. Ideally, we help to guide the 11th house collective into a growth of spiritual consciousness. But that’s a tall order for our FCEA community! It takes courage! That Chiron of ours suggests that we may have a wound to process when it comes to asserting our right to “take up space” or claim “enlightened selfishness,” as Steven says, in the larger community we hope to serve.

I recall Steven’s accurate description of the high road of Mars, ruler of Aries, as “spiritual warrior.” Out-of-bounds Mars by transit is about to station direct February 23 at 17°00’ Cancer on the FCEA’s 3rd house cusp and in opposition to our Saturn at 18°13’ Capricorn on our 9th house cusp. Meanwhile, the FCEA’s progressed Moon in Gemini is just about to cross our school’s ascendant. What feeds our healing voices while we attempt to bring our ideas, methods and wisdom to the collective table? I mean this next statement in a most humble Piscean way, but I think we need to step into our power, our abilities to be leaders among our peers in astrology, to put ourselves first as worthy healers of a choice-centered evolutionary approach. Our voices have a right to “take up space”!

It is time for our voices to be heard and be a force for change in our world. Have you thought about sharing your own astrological insights built upon a foundation of your studies at the FCEA? Or how about writing ideas in response to Steven’s Q and A calls or his many insightful publications? Consider giving a paper at one of the many astrology conferences or organizational meetups. Or introduce evolutionary astrology through a local gathering. As FCEA students and community members, we all have a multiplicity of Gemini perspectives that our school’s Progressed Moon wants to boldly put forward. It is time to claim that Aries Chiron wound in the 11th and use it to forge ahead with confidence and a strong, yet healing, voice. We’ve got this! And we all have something to say.

At the FCEA, in January, we open our doors after the holiday season and welcome back to class our students, tutors and teachers. I hope all return refreshed and eager to dive into their studies once again. We are moving full-steam ahead in 2025. It’s been a busy few weeks! Ten classes are now up and running. I am so grateful for our amazing staff who worked closely as a team to get everyone all set in terms of registration, enrollment in Moodle (our online learning platform) and timing of orientation calls. I want to give a special welcome to our new students joining us in FCEA 101B, our guided introductory course. I wish them the best in embarking upon learning our sacred craft. There is lots for us to look forward to in the months ahead!

Let me start the year by sharing some thoughts I have about the current dance between the planet Jupiter, in the sign Gemini, and Saturn in Pisces. I’m going to mention just briefly some of my own transits in recent months, then apply my thought processes to the FCEA community and what we hope to accomplish collectively. Most readers are probably familiar with the ongoing square between Jupiter, “King of the Gods,” and Saturn, “the old taskmaster.” Last year, the square was exact August 19th and December 24th, and we will see one final one this coming June 15th in Cancer and Aries respectively (Neptune also enters Aries this spring). Of course, taking into account orbs, the square has been in play off and on for months (orbs are such a tricky factor, as Steven would say, “when does a kitten become a cat?”) And then we see certain triggers enter the astrological picture. I write this article just a day after quick-moving Venus lined up by conjunction with Saturn in Pisces. 

Here’s my personal connection to this ongoing square: This past year, Saturn crossed my Pisces ascendant three times, while Jupiter formed an exact conjunction with my natal Gemini Moon only once last summer. The exact squares of 2024 fell within a tight orb of both my ascendant and Moon. Yet now, I have to admit, as Jupiter in Gemini slows down in preparation of turning direct February 4th at 11°16’, I feel the “full monty” of Jupiter’s gumption and overloading tendencies, all while the big gaseous giant stops in the sky so close, but not exact, my natal Moon at 11°11’. I’m over-extended, sure. Opportunities abound, sure. But, from an evolutionary perspective, the question to ask myself is what truly makes me happy?   

You see my Gemini Moon falls in my 3rd house, house of communication and perception, of learning and teaching, of the curious mind and data in and data out. I can tell you I have definitely encountered Jupiter “the teacher” with this month’s close conjunction. Where do I need to reassess my role as teacher, how can I rekindle the passion I have for sharing ideas and claiming my lunar “voice”? Saturn on my ascendant wants me to see the path of maturation to be the kind of Piscean “mystic” I hope to be. Where do I need limits and a reality check about boundaries in the last third of my life? There’s Jupiter “the trickster.” Saturn on my ascendant says define what kind of mask I will don.

Thanks for listening while I tried to sum up these impactful transits in my own evolutionary path. But how can we all learn from Jupiter’s upcoming stationary period? How can we make the most of it at the FCEA? Perhaps it might help to remember we have a monumental shift this spring when both Saturn and Neptune enter Aries. Maybe Jupiter sets the stage for us to claim our true voices, to use our curious minds, so we can be the type of spiritual and wise warrior humanity sorely needs. What kind of fresh perspectives or new avenues of learning do you need? In the weeks ahead as Jupiter stations and stops in the sky we can roll the dice on ourselves in Gemini fashion. Where does 11°Gemini fall in your natal chart? 

Returning to the FCEA classroom, each of us works hard to build a repertoire of words, questions and metaphors useful as an evolutionary astrologer while learning the nuts and bolts of astrology. We learn a skill set needed to speak a language that heals, offers compassion and makes real our Piscean intuitive and visionary imagination. Late January and the month of February provide an astrological moment in time rich in educational potential. You simply have to let synchronicity and your curiosity take center stage. Make your mind an open book, absorb, practice, and grab hold of Jupiter “the teacher.” All I can say is let’s hope more and more people learn to understand the language of evolutionary astrology, so we can become those spiritual warriors ready to fight. Make this time one of Jupiterian growth and hopeful dreams and aspirations. 

My heart goes out to those in our community affected by the recent devastating fires in Southern California. A fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire makes us all yearn more for peace and an end to this brutal war. Democracy seems to slip through our fingers. As evolutionary astrologers, we have much to do to help heal a wounded world. This spring, in class or as you study, work hard to think, learn, expand your mind as we prepare for Jupiter moving into Cancer. Become the astrologer the world needs you to be. With the north node of the Moon now in Pisces, strive to be that healing mystic.

Holiday greetings, FCEA community! We hope you are enjoying some relaxing time off from your studies during our school break. We wish you a beautiful solstice and New Year. In the spirit of the yuletide season, I want to share a brief example of the power of the “changing sky” in the evolutionary path of a very special writer, Charles Dickens. Now, bear with me, this will be a Christmas story and I know we have a diverse FCEA community. Try to see this case as simply a great example of planets in Capricorn at work, rather than a particular religious message. It is a timeless story that touches everyone’s heart!

A few years back, during the pandemic, I wrote about the astrology at play in the fall of 1843 when Dickens took the chance to work in solitude, very hard on a writing project, the now-famous novella, “A Christmas Carol”, AKA ‘Scrooge’. It sold out by Christmas Eve that year! Let’s look at the timing of his Capricorn “great work.” With the Sun now in the sign of Capricorn at the end of the year, maybe Dickens’ story can inspire us as we create our 2025 new year’s resolutions.

Here below is a biwheel chart showing Dickens’ natal chart (inner wheel) and the current sky at the time of publication of “A Christmas Carol” (outer wheel – set for noon). I’ve included asteroids for advanced students to consider. We always start with the natal Sun, Moon and Ascendant; Aquarius, Sagittarius and Virgo, respectively, for Mr. Dickens. The revolutionary innovator with the soul of the philosopher wearing the mask of the master craftsman. Mercury, ruler of Dickens’ chart, was in the spotlight in the fall of 1843, along with Saturn and Jupiter, rulers of Aquarius and Sagittarius.

Between October and December of 1843, when Dickens produced “A Christmas Carol,” he threw himself into an intensive writing period of several weeks. Saturn, the great “task master,” was very strong in the sign of Capricorn then. During the 6-week period, the planet formed an exact conjunction with Charles Dickens’ natal Mercury on his 5th House cusp, house of creative expression, Mercury the writer. Faster moving Mars, out of bounds, came through as well by conjunction, helping Dickens to focus his will and put into action creatively his ideas about moral and social reform, the higher octave of Capricorn, through an unconventional out-of-bounds voice. By the date of publication (shown in the biwheel chart), Mars had moved on into Pisces. When the book sold the days before Christmas that same year, Venus by transit joined Saturn in the sky, again meeting Dickens’ natal Mercury. His Capricorn Saturnine creative endeavor was well received!

During November, when Dickens was at work writing, Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius were exactly in conjunction with his natal Sun, also in his 5th House. The universe was asking Dickens to take a chance and be the visionary writer as teacher of social justice and change. For those not familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the primary message is about loving one’s neighbor and family first, rather than greed and selfishness, or hoarding one’s money and doing business at the expense of the heart. By the time of publication, shown in the posted biwheel chart, we see Jupiter has moved on into Dickens’ 6th house and was forming a conjunction with Dickens’ natal Chiron, the wounded healer. Dickens took his wound as the Aquarian outsider and put it to service as healer by identifying with the plight of the poor and struggling pariahs of Victorian England. Dickens, himself, was wounded in childhood as a social pariah, having to go to a work house due to his father’s debt when he was twelve.

In 1843, it wasn’t an easy time for Dickens (Saturn conjunct his natal Mercury, Pluto in Aries by transit in an exact square) and he didn’t make much money despite the book’s popularity – he actually got into a legal scuffle over it – but in the long run, what a gift it was for all of us. It transformed our notion of Christmas for generations to come. For everyone, whether we celebrate Christmas or not, December remains a season of charity and love and human connection.

What a potential in growth of Neptunian consciousness for Charles Dickens as he wrote in isolation and silence. Neptune seems to have this impact of moving the larger collective. And there the planet was sitting on his natal Sun, his solar self. He needed a vision for his creative life, as Steven would say.

When we consider the nodes of the Moon, we see a karmic pattern, like something needed to be said. The south node in the sky in the fall of 1843, fell in his 10th House, house of mission or career, and aligned by conjunction Dickens’ Jupiter in Gemini, co-ruler of his natal south node. Of course, Gemini, ruled by Mercury, is strongly associated with communication and writing. Neptune, fellow co-ruler of Dickens’ natal south node, stimulated his creative 5th house imagination with Aquarian themes, asking Dickens to cultivate his 12th house Virgo north node with a compassionate spiritual voice.

I often think about what a collective impact “A Christmas Carol” had and how its legacy is so enduring. Good ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with the three ghosts; I think just about everyone knows the story.

Knowing your natal chart and the potential of the “current sky” is such an extraordinary and sacred tool. Now is a good season to ask yourself, what great work is dormant in me? How in Capricorn season can I strive for my “great work” in 2025? I hope you enjoyed my story. Solstice blessings, everyone! I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the FCEA next year!

Welcome to Sagittarius season, beloved FCEA community! Like the centaur shooting his arrow up into the sky, we reach for the stars with our hopes and aspirations for the new year ahead. FCEA classes are winding down for the holidays. Everyone has been doing such a great job this past year. We are excited to be hosting a Holiday celebration on Zoom, Thursday (in the USA), November 21st at 8 am Pacific time. Please join us as we celebrate our second graduating class. Steven will follow the graduation ceremony with a special presentation about Chiron and the Wounded Healer’s bizarrely long passage through Aries and its conjunction with Eris. This is a public call, so please invite your friends and family to share in our community gathering. Happy Holidays to all!

We are thrilled to announce our gifted and talented new class of graduates:  Congratulations to Andre Arellano, Sarah Beck, Suzanne Edminster, Tracy Feng, Qian Jiang, Cynthia Lenhart, Penelope Love, Clifford Passen, Silvana Perelli, Faelan Rose Shiva, Sally Sweetland, Davika Thomas, and Chang You. These hardworking evolutionary astrologers have been studying at the FCEA since spring of 2021, starting just months after our school opened for enrollment. Over the past three and a half years, they demonstrated to us their solid commitment to becoming the best practitioners they can be, working with the methods and wisdom of Steven Forrest. Highly skilled, this class of grads is ready to serve as loving, compassionate counselors. Please consider supporting their work! In the weeks ahead, you will find their biographies and professional statements on our website under “About” and “Our graduates.” Finally, we are grateful, too, for their constant support and the generous feedback they provided us throughout the years. We simply wouldn’t be the school we are today without them. Once again, congratulations to you all!

In late November, we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States. It is a yearly time of reflection for us as we give thanks in our hearts for our many blessings. It’s a great time for reconnecting with family and remembering we have so much to be grateful for in our lives. I want to share with you how honored I am to work with such an outstanding group of people at the FCEA. Our school depends upon the caring dedication and skills of our team: Penelope, Paula and Carlos, along with our work study student, Andre. It is because of this talented crew that our FCEA ship stays afloat day in and day out. What would the FCEA world be without them? I can’t imagine where we would be. Thank you, team, for all you do! Our sixteen tutors and teachers are phenomenal inside the classroom and out. Always so helpful and loving, they amaze me every day. They navigate our ship with creativity, joy and well-grounded knowledge. Thank you, Allison, Ryan, Joey, Karen, Aubrey, Patty, Lisa, Barb, Harry, Fern, Linda, Lidia, Sophie, Jackie, Erin, and Shirley. I love you all! 

In America, it is our custom to share a meal together on Thanksgiving with family and friends. But in the spirit of Pluto re-entering Aquarius this month, we reach out through words and in our virtual world as best we can. We may not have turkey to share, stuffing on the side or a real slice of that pumpkin pie. Yet we are a family, a family that shares a passion for evolutionary astrology. So, as I write to you under a Cancer Moon, I ask myself, in the fashion of our master teacher, Steven Forrest, just “who” are my family, my clan? Let me cherish you, my FCEA family. We live in difficult times, but let’s claim some Sagittarian hope, love for each other and pray for grace and peace in 2025. I give thanks for all our FCEA students, our members, our staff and, of course, for our beloved master teacher, Steven. Blessings, everyone!

Greetings, FCEA community! We are approaching the holiday season already and 2025 seems just around the corner. We hope that you take a look at our next year’s class schedule, now available on the FCEA website. We tried our best to plan a robust offering to support our ten cohorts (a cohort is made up of students who share the same classes throughout the curriculum). Thinking about joining a cohort yourself? Please observe on our website how the classes flow one after another and read about the topics we cover in the catalog entries for each class. 

As we get ready to wind up the year, I’d like to share some thoughts I have about the course assignments and requirements. It has to do with the ongoing evolution of our school and the kind of education we hope to generate for each and every FCEA graduate. 

Let me start with an astrological reference to illustrate what I would like to share. Here in the United States, we are about to have a presidential election. Now, don’t worry. I have no intention of diving into astrological prediction nor will I say anything in terms of the charts of each candidate. I’ll leave that for you to explore. There is certainly a lot out there in the astrology world already being said! Rather, I want to mention that in the days following the election, Mercury will be “out of bounds” in Sagittarius. In fact, it is at extreme declination until the end of the month.

We all know the low road of Sagittarius can include fixating on one’s beliefs, rather than using an open mind to question what is “true” or expanding into new territory to broaden our point of view. In what kinds of approaches does the universe ask us to stretch our intellect and think of the broader picture in unconventional ways? Let’s add the fact that Mercury enters its “shadow” November 7th, going over degrees the planet will cover when its retrograde period starts later in the month. An interesting time indeed.

Will Americans be asked to question their “truth,” to reconsider their cherished beliefs? We shall see. But let’s look at the birthchart of the FCEA. We have Sagittarius as the sign on our school’s descendant, with Jupiter at 22°30’ in “Sadge” as well in the 7th house. When Mercury stations retrograde on November 25th, it is at 22°40’, still out of bounds and tightly conjunct our school’s Jupiter. 

That 7th house Jupiter, called by some the “great benefic,” is a blessing I feel, though I’d say a “mixed” blessing and here’s what I mean. Our school attracts top-notch astrologers and hardworking folks who act as “teachers” to one another all the time. I can’t help but think of one of the Indian names for Jupiter, “Guru.” Aren’t our FCEA students so great at sharing wisdom, expanding the minds and skillsets of their fellow classmates? I love it! But I also caution us and ask us to consider the low road. As Steve might say, who is Jupiter as “trickster”?

Over the last few years since we opened our doors at the FCEA, I have been in awe of the high caliber of students we receive. And we are just about to graduate our second cohort! We are so pleased with their successful journey. Congratulations to the new class of master-certified graduates! More on this great news next month. But returning to my subject at hand, I also notice occasionally we have students who encounter obstacles when completing their assignments and discussion posts. 

When doing the basics of identification, some students simply rush too much. Others are so eager to include their Sagittarian wisdom (wise though it is!) without proofreading their work. We can’t have this, FCEA community! Of course, grasping the larger picture and practicing integration with an evolutionary perspective is the heart of our work. But it is critical to properly delineate signs, planets, and houses – in essence, you must get the A, B, Cs correct! 

So, I ask you all to consider the following questions during this upcoming time of Mercury reflection and Sagittarius enthusiasm and curiosity: Where do I need to slow down? Be patient as I correct my work? Do I use care when identifying glyphs and chart details? An essential part of an FCEA education is doing chart analysis carefully, and always, always double-check your submissions. We will insist that in order to be that Jupiter “Guru,” the details must be right! And let me add one more closing thought: Please, in turn, be gurus and help us proofread and correct any mistakes you catch in the FCEA curriculum. I am always grateful for your help. We all want the best education we can get.

Happy equinox, FCEA community! Time to shift into another season as we wind up 2024. Where I live in California, September means “back to school,” and at the FCEA, we, too, return to class. By early October, we will have twelve new classes open. At the start of Libra season, we focus upon the dance we do with others and how good counselors help us find peace and balance in our lives. As evolutionary astrologers, we all benefit from honing our Libra gifts, and what better way than through the counseling room with our clients or in the classroom with our teachers and tutors. With this spirit in mind and heart, I am excited to write to you about our two new tutors at the FCEA, Erin Fish and Shirley Waram. Some of our students may already know Erin and Shirley from their experience this summer in our FCEA 103 class, when they both began tutoring at our school. Let me share a little more about them and welcome them to our growing FCEA team.

A Leo Sun, Libra Moon and Gemini ascendant, Erin Fish first received the gift of astrology from her mother, who had 70s era astrology books in the house. Always interested in astrology, Erin started studying formally twelve years ago with Anne Ortelee and then discovered Steven Forrest nine years ago when she went to Lilydale to see him with several astrology friends. He was the first astrologer to bring a tear to her eye, something difficult for her SN in Capricorn in the 8th house. Steven’s teachings really touched her soul. She studied with Steven through his AP program and attended workshops at Omega Institute and Lake Como, Italy. Erin is retired from a 28-year career (Saturn cycle) as a military officer, as well as a career in state government. She has always wanted to teach and pass on the gift of astrology.  Last year, she completed her certification as an ISAR-CAP astrologer. Erin lives in Upstate New York and, when she is not tutoring, she is busy spending time with her daughter and granddaughter, traveling, playing pickleball, swimming, knitting or watercolor painting. Welcome, Erin! 

We continue to celebrate the Sun’s entrance into Libra with tutor Shirley Waram, a Libra Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Taurus ascendant with five planets in the 6th house in Libra! We are thrilled to have Shirley share with us her gifts of service and mentorship. Like Erin, Shirley was first exposed to metaphysical topics by her mom. But it wasn’t until her Chiron Return, at age fifty, that Shirley began serious study as a professional astrologer. She discovered Steven’s work in 2009 and attended many workshops through his Apprenticeship Program (AP) in North Carolina, North and Southern California, Oregon and Lilydale, New York. Shirley writes about her studies with Steven, “It seemed like the learning curve with this particular field grew the more I got to know about it, and despite – or likely because of – the challenge, I realized this was something I would never tire of – especially knowing that I could help others with it”! Shirley lives in West Lorne, a small town in southwestern Ontario, Canada, located between Toronto and Detroit. She has worked many years in office management and marketing. Now she reads charts professionally with a specialty in rectification. Welcome, Shirley!

Finally, if you have not read Steven’s Master’s Musings, please do! Steven and I are thrilled to be traveling to Greece in April and early May, 2025, and sharing evolutionary astrology together at Steven’s workshop, Astrological Odyssey in Greece, April 24-29, in Athens, and then visiting sacred sites, April 29-May 7, on a Sacred Site Journey. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear Steven teach in person in Greece, while also going on pilgrimage as a group. Please take a look at our page on the FCEA website and consider joining us on this magical trip!

Greetings, FCEA community! August is the time we set the calendar for the following year. It’s an exciting process of looking ahead and planning each class every month. We welcome a new cohort of students this coming September and then again in January, 2025. “Cohort” refers to a mini FCEA community of students entering the program at the same time and taking the classes in sequence until graduation. We have TEN cohorts on board for 2025! The highlight of their educational journey is the master class, 306, taught by Steven Forrest with myself as an assistant. Every student has a chance to sit in the “hot seat,” sharing their own insights into one of several fictitious clients’ charts. It takes three years to reach this point in the curriculum. Everyone is always looking ahead to this fun — and challenging! — opportunity. 

But we require rigorous study and hard work during the years leading up to 306. For those new members and students, let me review our program structure. Students start by taking our 100-level classes, some through a self-guided version at the very beginning in our introductory courses, 101 and 102. Or the guided classes, led by our talented team of tutors and teachers, 101B and 102B, taken simultaneously with the main 101 and 102 courses. Then all students join 103, a hands-on practicum with tutor support. This class makes a useful guidepost to a student’s skill set achieved so far. Focused upon the essential details of birthchart analysis, FCEA 103 forms the foundation for the advanced work students eventually master. In 2025, we have three 103 classes scheduled with about fifty-five students in each. 

After graduating from the 100-level, students enter the Craftsperson 200-level courses. Again, we provide a self-guided basic transit, progression and solar arc class, 201, with an option for the guided version, 201B. FCEA 202, a practicum similar to 103 but addressing the “changing sky,” gives every student hands-on practice. My personal favorite, FCEA 203, covering the “biopsychic script,” those key astrological events that occur like clockwork for every individual, follows 202. And then we end the 200-level with two courses, 204 (synastry) and 205 (the composite chart).

It is a lot to digest over a two-year period! Our monthly Q and A Zoom meetings with Steven are priceless. They provide a chance for students to ask any questions they may have for Steven to answer and a mini chart reading as well. Check out our indexed library of previous Zoom calls with Steven, which is available to students and members. Members are welcome to join these calls, bringing the whole FCEA community together. Don’t miss these monthly opportunities scheduled throughout 2025! We also offer learning labs, “Z” classes, small group Zoom sessions with a tutor at both the 100-level and 200-level. These “Z” classes are a great way to review the material in a live Zoom setting. At any point, a student can take a break from their path of study to hone their skills or reflect upon the learning process on their own time in more depth. 

Happy Leo season, FCEA community! In the spirit of Leo the lion, let’s give a big shout out of appreciation to our advanced students finishing up FCEA 306: The Master Practicum. They all did outstanding work answering questions in the “hot seat” under the guidance of Steven Forrest. A hearty round of applause for a job well done! I have had the great honor of helping to run the 306 calls and learning from each one of our talented students. It has been such a gift for this busy Dean to share the classroom with them. Congratulations, 306 class!

For me, one of the most rewarding parts of attending the FCEA 306 class sessions is hearing each individual’s unique astrological voice and the love and passion they bring to their craft. This point alone makes writing this month’s Dean’s Update a bit easier. You see the topic of this article is our new policy addressing the use of Artificial Intelligence at the FCEA. Since Pluto’s arrival in Aquarius, extensive conversation has been taking place in astrology circles around the world. How do we best use this incredible new technology? And how do we hold onto the “human face” of our sacred craft and maintain the integrity of our work as a unique personal expression of our soul’s intentions and true talents? How do we use AI in supporting our education, while not derailing the important process of learning and developing our own voices as evolutionary astrologers?

Recently, our staff came together as a team with the assistance of Alan Egge, a recent FCEA graduate with a wealth of knowledge about AI and its various ins and outs. Thank you so much, Alan! As a team, we came up with a working policy, which I would like to share with everyone in this newsletter report.