Book Review: Antiscia: Secrets In The Mirror

If you have ever watched “Stranger Things” (Duffer & Duffer, 2016-2025) or are intrigued by the idea of the Upside-Down and the change of perspective it provides, you may appreciate the book Antiscia: Secrets in the Mirror.  The 2020 book is published by Kozmic Kitchen Press, authored by Elizabeth Hazel.

Hazel is a tarot reader, awarded artist, musician, writer, lecturer, and astrologer. She has written for the Mountain Astrologer, and provides lectures on astrology, tarot, and other metaphysical topics around the U.S.A. and Britain. In 2008, Hazel joined the NCGR (National Council for Geocosmic Research) and is a long-time board member of SMARRT, the Ann Arbor chapter in Michigan. She resides in northwest Ohio.

The 117-page book explains that “planetary antiscia are a special astrological technique described by the earliest Greek writers” (Hazel, 2020). One of the earliest astrological writers, Firmicus Maternus, “implies that the role of antiscia is to fill in gaps in the radix or natal chart” (Hazel, 2020).  Hazel (2020) explains that antiscia are hidden within the chart and are points where one can find “concealed aspects of personality, life events and fate”.

The book is divided into 14 chapters and includes a section at the end of the book called ‘End Matter’, which contains a blank astrological wheel, an antiscia conversion chart, and space to record your natal planets and their antiscion points.

Chapter 1 provides the basics for Antiscia. Hazel (2020) explains that ancient/traditional astrologers used sect to look at the phases of light and darkness in a chart. “Sect, day versus night, is the daily subset of the annual season cycles created by the Sun’s apparent motion” and that the seasons of the zodiac are marked by the solstices and equinoxes. “The whole concept for antiscia is predicated on the hours of light the Sun provides on a given day. Days with equal sunlight mirror one another” (Hazel, 2020). This book focuses on the antiscia of the five planets, Sun, and Moon.  The outer planets are not included as it is believed that they are invisible and too far to reflect the Sun (Hazel, 2020).

Chapter 2 is titled ‘Making the Mirror’ and explains that if one folds the astrological chart on the Cancer-Capricorn solstice axis, it results in two halves with six signs that face or mirror one another. The pairs are Capricorn/Sagittarius, Aquarius/Scorpio, Pisces/Libra, Aries/Virgo, Taurus/Leo, and Gemini/Cancer.

These pairs are regarded as ‘beholding signs’, as the signs see each other across the axis (Hazel, 2020). “A planet’s antiscion is an equal number of degrees away from a solstice point on the opposite side of the Cancer-Capricorn divide” (Hazel, 2020). The author (2020) explains two different ways of calculating antiscia points.  The easiest way involves subtracting the degree of a planet in the chart, from 30 degrees.  The result is the location of the antiscion point, in the opposite sign across the solstice axis.

Folding the astrological chart along the equinox axis (Aries/Libra) provides a mirroring of different pairs of signs: Pisces/Aries, Aquarius/Taurus, Capricorn/Gemini, Sagittarius/Cancer, Scorpio/Leo, and Libra/Virgo and is regarded as contra-antiscia. Not a lot is mentioned regarding contra-antiscia in this book but note that it exists in opposition to antiscia.

Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 13, speak to items to consider prior to delineation.  One is the concept of zodiacal dominance.  The premise is that since each season has its own quantity and quality of light, which means the quadrants in the chart that are higher in sunlight hours are more powerful than quadrants with more hours of darkness (Hazel, 2020).  Hazel (2020) explains that this dominance is defined by dividing the solstice into Speaking and Listening signs and the equinox into Commanding and Obeying signs. Speaking and Commanding signs are the more dominant of the two.  In delineation, this is helpful to discern what the planet is speaking to the antiscion point (or planet if conjunct) and how it may be receiving the dominant one. What is this hidden relationship? Does it have a positive message to share or the opposite?

In traditional astrology, “Joy is a special kind of accidental dignity related to sect” and the author (2020) displays a zodiac wheel with the house locations, in the book. The planets are positioned in specific houses, where they experience the most joy. “A planet in the house opposite to its house of joy is in misery” (Hazel, 2020).  Whether or not an antiscia point is in its host’s joy, or not, will be another factor of delineation.

Probably the biggest influence on me had to do with Antiscia Dignities, in chapter 13.  Hazel (2020) has four different wheels: Antiscions of Sign Rulers, Antiscions of Detriments, Antiscions of Exaltations, and Antiscions of Falls.  This was where I found the portal to the Upside-Down. She used the example of the paired Speaking-Listening signs, Libra/Pisces.   A domicile Venus in Libra produces an antiscion in Pisces, where it is exalted. From here, one can check if the antiscion point is making a conjunction or other aspect to a natal planet. The potential for a hidden relationship can evolve quickly where a traditional aspect did not exist at all. This writer loves the Upside-Down and could get lost here.

Chapter 5 discusses further items to consider, based in traditional astrology, for judging the strength and/or effectiveness of antiscia.  Hazel (2020) recommends keeping it simple to start.  Determine the sect of the chart, determine the benefic and malefic planets (with the list she has provided in the book), determine the strength of the elements and houses (angles) based on sect, and any major Ptolemaic aspects. The author (2020) does state the smaller the orb the better, but she does work with a five-degree orb “for planets, while the Sun and Moon’s orbs extend to ten degrees”.  She goes on to list questions in the book for the reader to consider when judging antiscions in the chart.  There are too many to outline here.

Chapter 6 contains sample charts using antiscia, with great descriptions. Chapters 7 to 12 involve ‘Sneaky Tips’ and chart examples for various categories within astrology such as, tips for using antiscia in solar returns, progressions, horary, elections, synastry, and mundane charts.

For those with no background in traditional astrology, Hazel (2020) does take some time to explain a little regarding traditional techniques, such as sect and triplicity rulers, however, this is just enough to convey what needs to be discussed regarding the topic of antiscia. Antiscia is the goal and purpose of this book, not a course in traditional astrology. For one to truly appreciate her work, it would be beneficial to own and read a traditional astrology book that explains these concepts or have it on hand to source and refer to.  This would aid in understanding the concepts she utilizes for antiscia in her book, if one feels insecure about their traditional knowledge.

I purchased Hazel’s Antiscia: Secrets in the Mirror (2020) via Amazon. At the time of this writing, the book is priced at $36.00 CAD.  Hazel has written two tarot books: the Tarot Decoded (2004) and Whispering Tarot (2008) which includes both a book and tarot deck. She has also authored the Little Book of Fixed Stars: Expanded Second Edition (2020).

References

Hazel, E. (2020). Antiscia: Secrets in the mirror. Kozmic Kitchen Press.