The Big Apple Astrology Meetup Group

Join us for a live presentation with J.M. Hamade about the Evil Eye in Astrology

This is a pay-what-can in-person event at the New York Theosophical Society. You may also join the Zoom livestream that night for a small $5 required ticket fee. This fee is necessary to prevent Zoom bombers.

Livestream Tickets:
https://buytickets.at/bigappleastrologymeetup/2011593

Event Description:
There is perhaps no magical belief as persistent and widespread as the notion of an "evil eye," or the power of envy and destruction witnessed through the act of gazing.

In their glimmering watchfulness, planets and stars resemble eyes in the sky--sometimes offering their benevolent glance, and other times a malignant stare.

This talk will cover the planets, stars, and astrological configurations most heavily associated with baleful rays, as well as the mythological and magical elements that undergird them.

In the Q&A following the talk, we will discuss specific transits, placements, and potentials for remedy, and where in our own lives and in our charts the starry eye may gleam.

$$ In Person Event:
A suggested donation is $5 -$30 is very VERY much appreciated, but please know whatever you can afford is acceptable. Donations collected pay our rent, Meetup.com fees, and the honorarium for J.M. Hamade. You may bring cash to donate on the evening of the event, or you can donate online by purchasing a livestream ticket.

$$ Livestream:
You may also join the zoom livestream that night with a small $5.85 required ticket fee. You are encouraged to donate more to J.M. Hamade. This fee is a precaution against trolls and zoom bombers, which occurred frequently when we shared a free zoom link on meetup.com. You may purchase and livestream ticket after the event starts and join late. E-mail Danny Larkin at DanielBLarkin@gmail.com with any questions.

Livestream Tickets:
https://buytickets.at/bigappleastrologymeetup/2011593

Recording:
If you can’t attend live, you are welcome to buy a livestream ticket to get access to the recording. The recording will be shared with all livestream ticket buyers as well as individuals who RSVP yes for the event on meetup.com. The deadline to buy the recording through the link above is 9:00pm on 1/29. Email Danny Larkin at DanielBlarkin@gmail.com with any questions.

Directions:
The meetup takes place at the New York Theosophical Society, which is next door to the Quest Bookshop. You may enter through the bookshop before 7 pm (when it closes) or to the left of the bookshop after 7 pm.

Timing:
7:00pm - 7:30pm - General Q & A
7:30pm - 9:00PM – Dis-Aster: The Evil Eye in Astrology

Join us for a live presentation with Nate Speare about Venus rising as an evening star this month, and remaining an evening star for the rest of 2026.

This is a pay-what-can in-person event at the New York Theosophical Society. You may also join the Zoom livestream that night for a small $5 required ticket fee. This fee is necessary to prevent Zoom bombers.

Livestream Tickets:
https://buytickets.at/bigappleastrologymeetup/2038147

On the eve of Venus’ ascent as an evening star, Nate Speare will guide us into the mysteries of Venus—the planetary portal to love, relating and, as we’ll discover in this talk, so much more.

The ancients were wise skywatchers who understood that Venus doesn’t simply move through signs; Venus does a dynamic dance traceable to the naked eye in the sky. The rhythm of Venus’ dance holds keys to some of the most profound mysteries of the astrological tradition.

In essence, Venus has three distinct phases in the sky. Venus is either visible as a morning star, rising in the morning before the sun but then disappearing from view at sunrise. Or she is visible as an evening star, appearing in the evening after sunset. Or she is not visible at all - known as the invisible or lying hidden phase.

This cycle is a consequence of the solar system’s geometry. Venus orbits closer to the Sun than earth, meaning we can see Venus appear on either side of the Sun—in the eastern sky before sunrise (as morning star) or in the western sky after sunset (evening star). The cycles of Venus are so consistent, bright and discernible that many cultures have used the awareness of Venus cycles for guidance and wisdom. Venus has therefore been linked to many deities across cultures— Aphrodite, yes, but also ancient Sumerian goddess Inanna and surprising connections, like Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. Her morning star appearance was named “Phosphoros” (bringer of light); her evening star appearance “Hesperos” (evening).

In this talk, right on cue for her ascent as an evening star, we’ll explore the cycles of Venus in the morning and evening sky, as well as her periods of invisibility—and explore all of these as initiatory periods. We’ll especially explore the evening star phase, given the moment of the talk. Nate Speare will draw on inspiration from Daniel Giamario’s cutting-edge research into the synodic cycles (founder of the Shamanic Astrology paradigm and the Turning of the Ages Mystery School), as well as other night sky adepts such as Gemini Brett and Gary Caton.

From the standpoint of night sky observation, both Venus and Mars have been invisible for a few months. Evidence exists to suggest that the ancients viewed the invisibility of these planets as an underworld initiation; when the forces of love, war, vitality, masculinity and femininity undergo surrender and grief. We will explore why this particular moment is significant from the perspective of Venus and Mars cycles, and how to work with these cycles in our personal lives. We’ll explore interpretations and ways Venus cycles are connected to the Chakras, grasping an energetic map for 2026 from a Venusian perspective.

Through this talk, Nate Speare aims to contribute to the renaissance of interest in astrology as a living, breathing connection with nature through awareness of the night sky. Modern astrology—a period where astrology became dreamed anew within the context of the modern rational mind— became separated from the origins of the craft, the deep awareness of the sky. Pioneers like Dane Rudhyar gave clues as to the importance of a relationship with the living sky, as our ancestors had, to develop our symbolic languages for planetary cycles through direct experience. In an age of information overload, astrologers are increasingly realizing the importance of an experience of the sky in order to grasp the relational field of astrology more deeply.

And yes—even we city dwellers can experience this! Venus is a perfect partner for this endeavor, as her cycles are directly observable, and her meaning so viscerally felt. This talk will bring you a deeper awareness of your natal Venus placement, but also of the bigger picture story unfolding in the sky. Realizing that Venus doesn’t simply move from sign to sign, but that there’s a deeper pattern to it all, is a game-changer for understanding the planets as kinship, not only as information.

$$ In Person Event:
A suggested donation is $5 -$30 is very VERY much appreciated, but please know whatever you can afford is acceptable. Donations collected pay our rent, meetup fees, and the honorarium for Nate Speare. You may bring cash to donate on the evening of the event, or you can donate online by purchasing a livestream ticket.

$$ Livestream:
You may also join the zoom livestream that night with a small $5.85 required ticket fee. You are encouraged to donate more to Nate Speare. This fee is a precaution against trolls and zoom bombers, which occurred frequently when we shared a free zoom link on meetup.com. You may purchase and livestream ticket after the event starts and join late. E-mail Danny Larkin at DanielBLarkin@gmail.com with any questions.

Livestream Tickets:
https://buytickets.at/bigappleastrologymeetup/2038147

Recording:
If you can’t attend live, you are welcome to buy a livestream ticket to get access to the recording. The recording will be shared with all livestream ticket buyers as well as individuals who RSVP yes for the event on meetup.com. The deadline to buy the recording through the link above is 9:00pm on 2/17. Email Danny Larkin at DanielBlarkin@gmail.com with any questions.

Directions:
The meetup takes place at the New York Theosophical Society, which is next door to the Quest Bookshop. You may enter through the bookshop before 7 pm (when it closes) or to the left of the bookshop after 7 pm.

Timing:
7:00pm - 7:30pm - General Q & A
7:30pm - 9:00PM – Venus Rises as an Evening Star