Planetary Threads: Patterns of Relating Among Family and Friends

Lynn Bell

Part One: Planetary Threads. Lynn's innovative exploration of the patterns of thinking, feeling and
behaviour which run back through generations is enhanced by her unique adaptation of the genogram
(a map utilised in family therapy) to highlighting particular planetary placements and aspects that recur
in families. Her often dramatic case material, presented in fascinating detail, is rich and revealing, and
we are gradually offered a profound vision of the intricately woven tapestry of the family matrix from
which we spring, and the ways in which we repeat - or transform - the astrological and psychological
inheritance which each of us carries.

Part Two: Siblings and Friends. The 3rd and 11th as relationship houses are often ignored or trivialised
in astrological texts, but this seminar reveals the depth and importance of these two houses. An
exploration of the enormous power of sibling relationships is enhanced by historical and contemporary
case material as well as audience contributions, and the ancient but innovative idea of the 11th house as
the bonus daimon, and of friends as the carriers of or catalysts for individual destiny, is presented with
revealing insight.

Together, these two seminars present a new perspective on relationships within the family and amongst
friends - those "nonromantic" bonds which are so often either overlooked or overloaded with too much
emphasis on pathology. This volume offers refreshing and exciting new perspectives and new practical
tools for the astrological student and practitioner.

Review by Brian Clark - FAA Journal June 2000

Planetary Threads is the 13th volume in the Centre for Psychological Astrology series, which I like to
refer to as the Astrological Collected Works. Each volume is beautifully presented and is a written
transcript of the seminars led by the totur at the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London. Liz
Greene, who has authored five of these volumes, is a co-director of the Centre with Charles Harvey.

Planetary Threads is aptly named. It includes two seminar presentations, which cover aspects of the
family; the first part concentrating on family dynamics, specifically family 'threads' or patterns, while
the second part is a seminar on siblings and friends. The subject is universal and of wide appeal. From
the onset of the book Lynn engages her audience, now the reader, with revealing case examples of the
mysterious timing and repetitive family patterns which reoccur throughout individual's lives. Each
individual member lives out their own drama on a much larger stage dominated by the myths and
unconscious aspects of the family heritage. This mystery, this fate supplies the context of the first part
of the book. Lynn's first example is Reeve Lindbergh, the sister of Charles Lindbergh Jr., whose
kidnapping was a famous case in the 1930's. Her mother never saw her son again after he had been
kidnapped at eighteen months old. Reeve lost her own son at the exact same age her mother lost her
brother. However the trauma seemed to recycle a profound familial loss which also activated healing in
the family. The awe of this family timing or anniversary is shown in other cases such as the Fonads and
her own examples. While case studies can often be dry and technical, these are alive and lucid, with the
astrological symbols giving insight into the narrative. Throughout the text all the planets are described
in the context of this larger familial story and examples support and demonstrate this. The geneogram is
introduced and its power is illustrated in an astrological context with planetary threads weaving their

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way through the generations. Around the spindle gathers the narrative lived by family members.
Throughout Lynn continuously demonstrates the astrological patterns that resonate with the stories
making it a live demonstration of both the profound impact of the family story and the power of the
astrological symbol to delineate it.