Title: A Tiny Universe: Astrology and the Thema Mundi Chart
Author: Joy Usher
Publisher: Xlibris AU
ISBN: 978-1543403770
Pages: 376
Genre: Politics & Social Sciences/Reference
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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I believe it was Dane Rudhyar that once said, “Astrology is a Language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you.” If this is to be believed and astrology really is a language of sorts, then author Joy Usher speaks it fluently in the incredible textbook A Tiny Universe: Astrology and the Thema Mundi Chart. The book is a textbook all about the ancient practice of Thema Mundi, a symbolic chart that shows the position of the planets in our solar system at the beginning of humankind’s very own existence.

In essence this book dives into the seven original planets that mankind discovered throughout history and their meanings both individually and to astrology as a whole. From early civilization’s belief in the nine-month gestation period of an unborn child and how the planets impacted that child, to the study of the human soul and ancient astrologers’ belief that the soul ascended through the planets upon their death, only to return once more until it had achieved enlightenment.

The author proved to be incredibly knowledgeable and masterful of the study of astrology and Thema Mundi specifically. Joy Usher uses a crisp and articulate way of approaching the topic in the writing of this book, as shown in this passage. “The Chaldean Order was the model used to describe the nine months before birth (Omar’s Disposition of the Months), and it provided the skeleton for preordained time periods within a person’s life.” The directness and historical context in which the author writes provides a clear look into the history behind astrology. Interestingly it delves into the way the Chaldean Order was used in studying pregnancy and their belief in how a superior being such as “God” brought the spirit into the fetus and how the planet’s energies influenced the fetus each month.

I have to say, getting to study the history behind astrology in this fashion and how it’s impacted our lives was a fascinating experience. This book is definitely geared more towards those either interested in the study of astrology or those interested in how astrology came to be. This book showcases that astrology is so much more than the daily horoscope readings you get on your smartphones nowadays. It is a complex, historical and almost mythological sized study of the universe and how the planets affect the human body and soul.

The clear, precise tone of the author’s writing made this both easy to understand and entertaining to read, which is something I believe is important when tackling an educational topic such as this. If you enjoy learning new topics, delving into the building blocks of modern day astrology and find the mysteries of the universe something worthy of discussion, then you need to read Joy Usher’s A Tiny Universe: Astrology and the Thema Mundi Chart today!