THE NEW NCGR-PAA LEVEL-I EXAM
Teacher-Student Information
Level-I Exam Online is currently available in English
LEVEL-I: Comprehensive Topic List
Level-I Exam (both online and ‘on paper’) has been revised, to include the material that is already covered in the existing Study Guide, with expansion on a number of topics. Make sure that the following list of topics is covered in your course.
The Topics are listed here as they appear in the test Sections.
SECTION A: FUNDAMENTALS
The 12 signs: Glyphs. Traditional keywords/interpretation
Sign Classification: Elements & Modalities. Traditional keywords/interpretation
The Houses - Classification: Angular, Succedent, Cadent.
The names of the Angular Houses
Traditional indications of the 12 Houses
Houses & Signs
Intercepted signs
Hemispheres & Quadrants
Derived Houses
The Planets & the Lunar Nodes: Glyphs, Traditional Meaning
Classification: Benefic-Malefic-Neutral
Expression/manifestation in different signs
Rulership over sign/house
Planets as Rulers of Houses – role as significators of the affairs of the House
Planets in Houses – effect on the House
Retrograde Motion manifestation
Aspects: Understanding of Aspects as formed between the Signs (ex: Gemini is square Virgo)
The Traditional Ptolomaic Aspects
All aspects by name, glyph and angular distance in degrees
Aspect categories: Harmonious-Disharmonious, Soft-Hard
Aspects - Orb considerations
Out-of-Sign aspects – how to find it
Aspect formations: Grand-Cross, Grand-Trine, T-square, Stellium
Planetary distribution in the Chart: Mark Edmund Jones chart formations
SECTION B: CLASSICAL ASTROLOGY
Planetary Zodiacal Condition: Classical Rulership & Exaltation, Detriment & Fall.
The Sect Doctrine: Diurnal-Nocturnal attributes, for both Planets and Signs.
Reception and Mutual Reception between planets.
SECTION C: ASTRONOMY
The Solar Planetary system: Geocentric vs. Heliocentric
What/where is the Ecliptic, the Celestial Equator and the Zodiac
Zodiac system: Tropical vs. Sidereal
Precession of the Vernal Point. The rate of the Precession
Solstice and Equinox points: the seasons longest-shortest day of the year per the hemispheres
Solstice and Equinox points and the Tropical Zodiac.
Annual Seasons comparison: Northern vs. Southern Hemisphere
Maximum Declination of the Sun – where in the zodiac and when in the calendar.
The rationale of the Geocentric Model of the Solar System: Why the Sun and the planets appear to be moving around the Earth. (1) Explain by the Diurnal Motion of the Earth, (2) by the planetary movements in solar system.
Direct & Retrograde Motion: compare Inner vs. Outer planets
Celestial bodies that do not have retrograde motion
Maximum distance of Mercury & Venus from the Sun
Which aspects can Mercury and Venus make between themselves and with the Sun - in the Geocentric and in the Heliocentric models. How it differs from the Outer Planets.
Planetary revolution around the Sun – the periods: in Heliocentric and in Geocentric model
The Lunar Nodes: Definition, cycle, zodiacal direction.
Solar & Lunar Eclipses: Definition. Connection with the Lunar Nodes. The Saros Cycles. The Zodiacal direction.
Coordinates & Measurements – The Prime Meridian – where/what it is. East-West, North-South: geographical and celestial
The Midheaven and the Ascendant – how they are formed.
The Diurnal Motion – what it is and how it affects the Rising Sign and signs on the house cusps.
GMT & Time zones around the world – how they are arranged, how they vary east & west.
Given a time of day, be able to approximate which house the Sun falls in.
SECTION D: CHART INTERPRETAION
Integration of the Asc, Sun, Moon signs
Planets and the Lunar Nodes: essential/universal attributes
Hemisphere in the chart: definition and indications
Houses: indications/function
Planets in specific Houses: How they might manifest
Zodiacal Condition of planets (Dignity-Debility): how it affect the planet’s functionality
Identify all aspects in a given chart, using orb consideration.
Various aspect formations manifestation, in context of the Modality, the Element, and House placement
SECTION E: PRELIMINARY CALCULATIONS
GMT & Time Zones:
- GMT, and Local Time at different locations.
- Converting East-West local time to GMT
Approximate the House placement of the Sun in a given chart, for the time of day, regardless of location
Numeric systems: The Sexagesimal vs. the Decimal.
Converting from one to the other
Circles and Time are both measured in the sexagesimal system
Working with degree, minutes, seconds.
SECTION F: CALCULATIONS
LST - Local Sidereal Time:
Calculation
Daily Acceleration of the MC (approx. 4 minutes): What/why it is and how it is used in the calculation.
The Table of Houses:
How its structure reflects the LST
Which Houses change by Geographical Latitude, and which don’t.
The Ephemeris – What’s in it:
Planetary information – Based on GMT
Daily positions per 0h (or12h, noon) GMT
Rate of daily motion per each planet
Tracking Planetary Stations – Direct & Retrograde
How long planets stay in one sign
Planets ingress/entry into a sign
Eclipses and Lunar Phases
Calculations - the process of Interpolation:
Computing a position found between two numbers in the Table-of-Houses & in the Ephemeris.
Using: the Sexagesimal Calculator, a Table of House (Placidus) Ephemeris (20th and 21st century)
Birth data (is provided, including Time Zone, Longitude and latitude)
Calculate natal charts: MC, ASC, Planets and Nodes.
In the charts that you calculated, as well as in other charts – be able to identify:
Retrograde planets, intercepted signs, traditional/Ptolomaic planetary aspects,
Aspect dynamics - applying and separating,
Identify a correct chart based on local time of day.
