Olivia Barclay
Encyclopedia
Olivia Barclay was a British
astrologer
who played an important role in the revival of traditional forms of astrology
in the late twentieth century. Much of her focus in the latter part of her life was on the work of the 17th century astrologer William Lilly
.
, and later she arranged to have it re-printed as a facsimile edition in 1985. This dissemination of Christian Astrology helped to spur a revival of interest in traditional astrology in the late twentieth-century. Her work stimulated the unearthing of techniques that had been lost in various cultural transitions since the Enlightenment
and encouraged wider researches into the astrological traditions of the Babylonians, Greeks
, Egyptians
, Persians, Arabs, Western medieval and Renaissance
practitioners.
As part of her work as a professional astrologer, Barclay taught horary astrology, and she founded the Qualified Horary Practitioner ("QHP") correspondence course. This consisted of twelve lessons, the last of which required students to make a successful prediction using horary astrology. Several graduates of her course went on to make prominent careers for themselves in the field.
Barclay wrote Horary Astrology Rediscovered (published in 1990), which is a detailed description of the theory, practice and history of horary astrology. The book included material from her correspondence course and in 1991 received the Professional Astrologers Inc. Award for her 'outstanding contribution to astrology'. According to James Holden, in her book, she "advocates the use of Regiomontanus houses, apparently reasoning that if they were good enough for Lilly, they are good enough for 20th century horary astrologers."
Barclay's advocacy of Lilly also brought about an elevation of horary astrology
(which is the main focus of Christian Astrology) from obscure occultism to mainstream astrological practice.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
who played an important role in the revival of traditional forms of astrology
History of astrology
Astrology, the belief in a connection between the cosmos and terrestrial matters has played an important part in human history.Regional branches of astrology include Western astrology, Indian astrology, and Chinese or East Asian astrology.-Early origins:...
in the late twentieth century. Much of her focus in the latter part of her life was on the work of the 17th century astrologer William Lilly
William Lilly
William Lilly , was an English astrologer famed during his time. Lilly was particularly adept at interpreting the astrological charts drawn up for horary questions, as this was his speciality....
.
Biography
In 1980, Barclay obtained an original copy of Lilly's Christian AstrologyWilliam Lilly
William Lilly , was an English astrologer famed during his time. Lilly was particularly adept at interpreting the astrological charts drawn up for horary questions, as this was his speciality....
, and later she arranged to have it re-printed as a facsimile edition in 1985. This dissemination of Christian Astrology helped to spur a revival of interest in traditional astrology in the late twentieth-century. Her work stimulated the unearthing of techniques that had been lost in various cultural transitions since the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
and encouraged wider researches into the astrological traditions of the Babylonians, Greeks
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
, Egyptians
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, Persians, Arabs, Western medieval and Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
practitioners.
As part of her work as a professional astrologer, Barclay taught horary astrology, and she founded the Qualified Horary Practitioner ("QHP") correspondence course. This consisted of twelve lessons, the last of which required students to make a successful prediction using horary astrology. Several graduates of her course went on to make prominent careers for themselves in the field.
Barclay wrote Horary Astrology Rediscovered (published in 1990), which is a detailed description of the theory, practice and history of horary astrology. The book included material from her correspondence course and in 1991 received the Professional Astrologers Inc. Award for her 'outstanding contribution to astrology'. According to James Holden, in her book, she "advocates the use of Regiomontanus houses, apparently reasoning that if they were good enough for Lilly, they are good enough for 20th century horary astrologers."
Barclay's advocacy of Lilly also brought about an elevation of horary astrology
Horary astrology
Horary astrology is an ancient branch of horoscopic astrology by which an astrologer attempts to answer a question by constructing a horoscope for the exact time at which the question was received and understood by the astrologer...
(which is the main focus of Christian Astrology) from obscure occultism to mainstream astrological practice.
Publications
Olivia Barclay, Horary Astrology Rediscovered, Whitford Press, 1997. ISBN 0-914918-99-0Sources
- Nicholas Campion, "The Traditional Revival in Modern Astrology: A Preliminary History," Astrology Quarterly, Volume 74, No. 1, Winter 2003, pgs. 28-38.