Happy 111th Birthday to the Remarkable Grant Lewi

by Robert Wilkinson

Today we celebrate one of the greatest Stars in Astrology, the amazing Grant Lewi. He pioneered a revolutionary approach to analyzing birth charts, signs, planets, and transits. A Dartmouth Professor, he left academia to embrace an extraordinary career as author, publisher, and one of the most brilliant lights of all time. He died a legend, having predicted his exact time of death from a cerebral hemorrhage months before it happened. Today we give a major happy to an amazing man.

His works inspired me to begin my Astrological journey over 40 years ago. Today we celebrate the life and work of this remarkable man, and to that end I'll offer you some things that will hopefully serve as an adequate paean to a unique talent of the ages.

Rather than try to top what I've already written in the past, here are a few things I've written over the years that connect to past articles on his life, his accomplishments, and book reviews on his masterworks, "Heaven Knows What" and "Astrology for the Millions." Written in 1935 and 1940, they are still the benchmarks for anyone wanting to learn about astrology, transits, planets in signs, and planets in aspect.

Though much has changed since Grant walked this Earth, he is the giant in whose footsteps we all follow, since he gave us an entirely different way of looking at the natal chart and transits. As I wrote in an earlier article,

Perhaps Grant Lewi’s greatest contribution to modern astrology was his pioneering explanation of transits in general, and specifically the Saturn return. He was the first astrologer to take it out of the realm of superstition into a view where we could use this time, as well as any difficult transit period, more productively.

Before Grant Lewi, the Saturn Return was seen to be a time of fated doom, gloom, and difficulties. Grant pointed out that during the Saturn return it is imperative for us to use our free will and self-discipline to reject obsolete duties and limitations while embracing a new way to live on our own terms.

He may well have been the first “psychological astrologer,” since he believed in free will to the utmost, and offered radically different ways to understand the birth chart than the mechanistic, deterministic models in vogue up to that point in time. His pioneering work, “Astrology for the Millions,” first published in 1940, was the first time in print we were told that during the Saturn Return we are revising deeply what we can live with and what we cannot, and learn to clear our inner nature of the deadwood of obsolete complexes and sentimentalities.

He emphasized that the Saturn return is one of those times in life when free will works to liberate us of a lot of subconscious refuse, and that nothing that happens to us is as important as our response to it. He admonished us not to “lay the blame at the door of circumstances.” Sounds like free will in dynamic action to me.

For more on this remarkable man, please go to A Happy Birthday to Grant Lewi - One of the Greatest Astrologers of All Time. There's even more in an earlier article, The Gemini Pioneer of Free Will Astrology, Grant Lewi. You really should check them out, since Grant was truly one for the Ages!

Happy birthday, Grant. I loved hanging with our friend and Brother Carl Payne Tobey while he was here, and I'm sure the two of you are having a blast with the other Astrological greats in whatever frequency of Heaven you're celebrating. Thanks for everything you've given me, since you've changed the lives of thousands of clients and friends over the years. Aum and blessings to you, my Brother and teacher.

Heaven Knows What by Grant Lewi - A Book Review

Astrology For The Millions - A book review

© Copyright 2013 Robert Wilkinson

ps - Happy Birthday to my old friend Crawford, who holds the light in Alabama! May your next year be a great adventure in health, wealth, love, and perfect self-expression!

Comments

[Parmis Mire]

I would like to take another opportunity to thank you for honouring the great minds of our time and being a genuine educator for all aspirants.
Thank you, Robert
x Parmis Mire (Ursamare)

[Mary Streets]

This gentleman was my first contact with astrology, I was twelve and it was my favorite book. That was 1968. Love Grant Lewi!

[Valerie]

happy birthday to one of my early masters, in fact my first teacher (Heaven Knows What). i wish i had the chance to meet you in person. i'm truly grateful especially for your insights about Saturn. :)

[Jim Nichols]

I remember your speaking of Grant Lewi many "moons" ago in the beginning astrology lessons you taught in Austin. 62,63 & 66 ( yourself, Crawford and I ). All is well for this grand fire trine person

[Michelle]

Thanks for this one, Robert. His words from both books taught me the difference between the real stuff, and the not so real. They represent the first time I dipped my big toe into the vast ocean we've come to know as astrology. He absolutely is a legend!

[Sola Storm]

Grant Lewi's books are so accessible too, virtually fun to read. I especially love the 144 Sun/Moon combinations. I use them frequently just to orient and there are always elements of convergence, between the description and the living entity.

Robert I have a Deep appreciation for you and all you do. You too have left an indelible mark in the field of Astrology, a holistic/syncretic approach. Many thanks.