Many students are interested in a variety of timing techniques, both ancient and modern.
One ancient astrology timing technique is that of Zodiacal Releasing.
Zodiacal Releasing – often shortened to ZR – was written about by Vettius Valens; he described this technique as ‘The Distribution of the Chronocratorships Starting with the Lot of Fortune and with Daimon.’ While it wasn’t a widely used technique, it was also mentioned briefly by Rhetorius
Valens’ name for this technique is a bit of a mouthful, but it does describe what happens in this technique – time periods are distributed at various lengths beginning from either the Lot of Fortune or the Lot of Spirit (also known as Daimon).
A Timelord Timing System
In Zodiacal Releasing, which is a timelord system, different timelords or guiding planets are identified for different chapters or chunks of time in your life.
In addition, different houses and their associated influences become significant during various chapters in your life.
Today, I’ll use the chart of Julia Child as an example, and we’ll look at releasing from Fortune.
To begin, note the sign and house placement of the Lot of Fortune in your chart.
Your first releasing period will be tied to the unique length of time associated with the sign that you have Fortune in.
After that amount of time passes, you move to the next sign around in Zodiacal order.
The technique continues like this, moving from sign to sign at pre-determined points. (I’ll share more on these in a moment!)
Understanding your Releasing Periods
Your experiences in each releasing period will be influenced by the nature of the sign, the quality of the house, including its topics, angularity and any planets placed here, as well as the condition and placement of the sign ruler, wherever it may be in the chart.
Influences from the luminaries, the Sun and Moon, plus those from the malefics, Mars and Saturn, as well as the benefics, Venus and Jupiter, are considered.
You’ll also factor in the placement of the Lot of Spirit, and whether a releasing sign/place has a connection to natal Fortune.
While it can get very layered, especially when making meaning from this technique, the essence and basic mechanics of Zodiacal Releasing is simple. This technique moves around the chart, sign by sign, from a specific starting place.
How long is each Zodiacal releasing period?
There are four levels of releasing periods. The longest releasing period covers years, anywhere from 8 – 30 years. These are known as Level 1 or L1 periods. This is what I’ll show you in Julia Child’s chart today.
Level 1 Zodiacal Releasing periods mark out longer chapters and periods in life.
Next, there are Level 2 or L2 periods, which cover months, anywhere from 8 – 30 months. These are useful in regular practice to highlight medium length timelines.
Finally, there are Level 3 and Level 4 periods, L3 and L4, which cover shorter periods, like weeks and days, which can be used for more detail or to refine timing.
The Minor Years of the Planets and Zodiacal Releasing
Staying with the Level 1 periods, each sign or releasing period length is tied to the minor years of the planet that rules the sign you are releasing through.
| Moon | Mercury | Venus | Sun | Mars | Jupiter | Saturn | |
| Minor | 25 | 20 | 8 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 30 Aqu/ 27 Cap |
If you are in a Gemini L1 releasing period, look to the ruler Mercury and its minor years for how long that period will last. Mercury’s minor years are 20, so any Gemini Level 1 period will last for 20 years.
Software programs like Solar Fire and Astro-Seek.com will be able to calculate your ZR periods for you too.
Let’s look at an example with Julia Child.
I love using Julia Child’s chart for this technique as it’s a great tool to show how and why her success, especially with cooking and food, what she is most well-known for, came later in life.
Julia Child has Fortune in Aries in her natal 11th house.
Aries is ruled by Mars. The minor years for Mars are 15. Child’s first Level 1 from Fortune period is 15 years, which will be the first 15 years of her life.
This period will be influenced by her 11th house, where Fortune is placed, and by Mars, the ruler of this period.
Around age 15 she moves into the next sign and the next Level 1 period, which is Taurus and thus guided by Venus.
Venus’ minor years are 8, so from approx. age 15 – 23, she is in her Taurus L1 from Fortune period. This lands in her natal twelfth house.
Venus’ condition, in Virgo in the fourth house, with Mercury and Mars, would help describe her experiences during this time.
You’d then continue into the Gemini place, where the releasing will run for 20 years, then Cancer, where the Moon’s minor years of 25 give a longer period, then into Leo, with the Sun’s minor years of 19 setting the timeline and then finally into Virgo, where Mercury’s minor years set the timeline again.
- First L1: 15 years Aries (Mars). 15 Aug 1912 – 29 May 1927
- Next L1 period: 8 years Taurus Venus. 29 May 1927 – 17 April 1935
- 20 years, Gemini Mercury. 17 April 1935 – 2 Jan 1955
- 25 years, Cancer Moon. 2 Jan 1955 – 24 Aug 1979
- 19 years Leo Sun. 24 Aug 1979 – 16 May 1998
- 20 years Virgo Mercury. 16 May 1998 – (dec. Aug 2004)
As a tool to identify different longer chunks or chapters in life, Zodiacal Releasing can be insightful and eye opening.
Child’s became popular and successful for her Mastering the Art of French Cooking books, as well as her TV series during 1955 – 1979, while she was in her Cancer Level1 from Fortune period.
To understand why this period might be so pivotal, there are two important pieces of info you need. (post continues after the pic – keep scrolling)
Signs Angular to Fortune
Signs/houses that are angular to Fortune can be especially notable. This is a sign/house that forms either a square or opposition by sign to natal Fortune. The sign/house in which Fortune is placed is also notable.
Signs/houses that are angular to Fortune are more active and potentially opportunistic than they might initially appear, especially if these are succedent or cadent houses relative to the Ascendant.
A house might be juicier than you think if it has this angularity to Fortune.
For Child, who has Fortune in Aries, any releasing that comes to another cardinal sign – Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, or too Aries itself – will activate this angular to Fortune potential.
Cancer is fourth from her Fortune in Aries, and the Cancer second house holds this angularity activation.
(You might also note that the ruler of the Cancer period, the Moon, is in Libra, which is itself angular to Fortune adding further potential and energy to this time.)
Releasing to the Place of the Lot of Spirit
Another important interpretive piece you need is related to the Lot of Spirit or Daimon. This Lot speaks to your purpose, the kind of work or undertaking you are deeply connected too.
Child has the Lot of Spirit in Cancer in the second house.
When Child’s releasing from Fortune arrives in the Cancer second house, two things happen.
The releasing from Fortune intersects with the potential of the Lot of Spirit, which can be fortuitous AND she has arrived at a sign that is angular to Fortune.
Two potent boosts get activated during the Cancer releasing period, which highlight the timeline from age 43 – 67. This becomes a period in which Child truly makes her mark, connecting with the work she had always wanted to do.
During this period, Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol 1 and 2 are published and her 1rench Chef Summer TV Special airs, which turns into a regular series running for a total of seven years.
Final Thoughts and Summary
Of course, Child had a life and a career both before and after this timeline, so it’s not to say she did nothing when these influences weren’t active, but rather its notable that her efforts lead to more striking and impactful outcomes during this period.
Zodiacal Releasing can be a helpful guide to highlight more active and productive seasons in your life. It can of course highlight more challenging periods too.
Here’s your bullet point guide to identifying your Releasing from Fortune Periods:
- Start at your Lot of Fortune
- Note the minor years of the planet that rules the sign Fortune is in. That’s how long your first Level 1 period will last
- Look at the next Zodiac sign around from the place of Fortune. How long are the minor years for the ruling planet of that sign? That’s how long your second Level 1 period will last.
- Repeat until you come to the Level 1 sign for your current age.
- Note when your Level 1 period is in a sign angular to Fortune.
- Note if/when your Level 1 period comes the sign of the Lot of Spirit.
Have you worked with Zodiacal Releasing? What L1 from Fortune period are you in now?
If you’re curious to learn more about Zodiacal Releasing, my four-part training will help. You can find out more or start learning today.
The post How to Work with Zodiacal Releasing: Releasing from Fortune with Julia Child appeared first on Kelly Surtees Astrology.
