MUNAKARA Planets in Contention by Joy Usher 747 pages/ 17 April 2025 / b&w paperback: 9781947544536 Munakara (pronounced “moon kai”) is a traditional technique mentioned briefly in al-Biruni’s text The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology. Joy Usher has taken this technique to the mat, and reintroduces it to us for use with our modern methods of delineating a chart. The English translation of munakara is ‘contention’ and this aptly describes a planet’s dilemma when it is in the state of munakara. This book reveals the simple process of sequencing to arrive at the conclusion of whether one or more of the original seven planets – Saturn to Moon – are in a contentious state. Part One covers each planet in turn, what happens when a chart has multiple munakara planets, and how munakara interfaces with the timing technique of firdaria. Part Two provides robust examples of munakara planets to anchor the theoretical with practical delineations of charts belonging to famous individuals to explain how a munakara planet works in their lives and to aid the reader is putting munakara to use in their own astrological toolkit. This title will be released on May 17, 2025.
