For Barleywine --- Solar Returns
A previous post noted your interest in Solar Returns and the several books you have read regarding Solar Returns. I'll offer a few random comments on Solar Returns.
** When one casts a Solar Return chart, the actual day of the Return and the actual time of the day will appear to be random. By this I mean that the Sun/Sun position may be in any house. This will cause the S/R Ascendant to be different, except in a few cases, from the natal Ascendant. In other words, your natal chart is reoriented relative to the Solar Return's angles and house structure.
** If one casts two or more Solar Returns for themselves, all for the same location, they will note that each successive S/R MC will shift forward some 90 degrees per year. This moves the Sun some 3 houses, also. Since this is a regular, repeating phenomena, this is the indication that Solar Returns are cyclic.
** Precession correction is a "small thing." 1/72nd of a degree, approximately, per year. At 36 years of age this amounts to a 1/2 degree. Calculating a S/R with precession correction will shift the angles and house structure of the chart by some 180 degrees. Being, now, 77 years of age, my precession corrected S/R chart will occur more than one day later than a conventional "Tropical" S/R chart.
** It is easy to compare a standard tropical Solar Return chart (TSR) with a precession corrected Solar Return (pcSR). They will have differing MC and Asc. positions. It is also easy to compare a pcSR and a Sidereal Solar Return (SSR) as they will have totally different sign and degree angles --- BUT the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets compared to the angles and houses will be identical in the pcSR and SSR charts. Only the reference circle of signs and degrees is different. This is much like measuring your foot size in inches or centimeters. Different measuring systems but the same foot.
Capable astrologers easily switch back and forth among the various astrological systems.
** Because S/R charts are cyclic in nature, those of us who use pcSR or SSR methods read and treat the SR as a cyclic chart. By that I mean that the SR is both a year-theme chart and a single day chart. Because it is cyclic, the S/R can be "progressed" or moved forward a day at a time for any date in the following S/R annual period. These cyclic charts are read as a series of camera "snap shots", showing a developing series of events, attitudes, actions and situations. These are interpreted within the context of the subject's lifestyle.
** In cyclic charts the natal charts are seen as "how we as adults have chosen to express each of the astrological bodies." The transiting bodies are most often treated as representing seemingly-external influences, changes and/or intrusions. I would note that these transiting planets will often be expressed along the nature of the natal version of that planet. Natal and transiting planet expressions relate to the angles they are near and the S/R houses they are in.
** To summarize part of the above statements: A Solar Return is more than a transit-to-a-natal chart. The SR adds an altered house structure to the mix, whereas a transit chart just shows transiting planets relative to natal planets and houses. The altered SR house structure symbolizes this years "new experience and influence" as represented by the Solar Return.
** Finally, you noted several Solar Return books. I have just about every book on SRs written. Plus one more --- the one I have just written which is intended to be an updated version of Cyril Fagans Solar Return Primer. "Personal Prediction" is a fundamental introduction to precession corrected Solar Returns and Progressed Daily Angles charts. It offers new interpretive methods, gives numerous examples, and shows the astrologer how to use the methods to assess how one has actualized their potential. This last is an often discussed subject by lecture-astrologers but nobody has brought forward a simple method for doing so --- except for Personal Prediction. Not only that, the author (me) has worked with the developer of RIYAL software (free to download and use software) to include the tools to carry out these methods. There is no other software capable of doing this. Personal Prediction, ISBN 978-0-615-63033-5 Dave