and used by banks, financial institutions, investors, and traders throughout the world
since 1982.
Merriman’s contributions and awards in astrology are numerous and include:
president of the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR; 1995–2001);
recipient of the 1995 UAC Regulus Award for “Enhancing Astrology’s Image as a Pro-
fession”; recipient of Aquarius Workshops Award for “Service to Astrology” (1994);
recipient of Professional Astrologers Inc. (PAI) Award for “Outstanding Activities on
Behalf of Furthering Goals of Astrology—Lectures.” He has served on the steering
committees of UAC in 1989 and 1992, and was a board member of UAC from 1995
to 1998. Merriman is an international lecturer on both financial market cycles and
various aspects of astrology as it applies to cycles in human activity. He is the author of
several books, including:
The Solar Return Book of Prediction(1977)
The Gold Book: Geocosmic Correlations to Gold Price Cycles(1982)
Evolutionary Astrology: The Journey of the Soul through States of Con-
sciousness(1992)
The Sun, the Moon, and the Silver Market: Secrets of a Silver Trader(1992)
Merriman on Market Cycles: The Basics(1994)
Basic Principle of Geocosmic Studies for Financial Market Timing(1995)
The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Vol. 1: Cycles and Patterns in
the Indexes(1997)
The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Vol. 2: Geocosmic Correla-
tions to Investment Cycles(1999)
The Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, Vol. 3: Geocosmic Correla-
tions to Trading Cycles(2001)
In conjunction with PAS, Inc. Merriman has also developed a financial astro-
logical software system: The FAR (Financial Astrological Research) for the Galactic
Trader program, which enable traders to identify potential turning points in various
stocks and/or financial futures markets. He is also the text writer for the “Solar Return
Report Writer” by Matrix, Inc, and has written the Annual Forecasts Bookfor MMA
since 1976.MESOAMERICANASTROLOGY
As in the ancient Near East, astrology and the birth of civilization were coincident in
Mesoamerica, today’s Mexico, and northern Central America. During the pre-Classic
period, around 600 B.C.E., stone carvings made by Olmec artists are evidence that the
key signs utilized in Mesoamerican astrology were already in use. During the Classic
period, from about 300 to 900 C.E., the time of the rise and fall of Mayan civilization
and the flourishing of Teotihucan in highland Mexico, astrology was a guide to reli-
gion, war, and daily life. During this period, ancient Mayan astrologers had consider-
able power and status, and they devised many sophisticated methods by which toMesoamerican Astrology
[448] THEASTROLOGYBOOK