Greetings:

  As a teacher of astrology I would like to begin presenting a series of posts on some of the details that astrologers use to find meaning. When an astrologer talks about astrology they are talking about far more than the sign the Sun was in on the day you were born. There are a whole range of factors astrologers use. They do this by constructing a sort of map of the heavens for the given point in time and the given place on the earth a person is born. This is called a Natal chart. A natal chart is much like an onion because it contains layer upon layer of meaning. Among the most important features of a chart are the Houses. Where most teachers of astrology will begin with the Signs, I prefer to start with the Houses.

  While the Signs represent positions of the heavens, the Houses represent those positions relative to a given place on Earth. If, say, the Sun is in the 10th House, we know that the Sun has almost reached it’s noonday climb. If the Moon is in the 2nd House, it is several hours from rising in the east. The Houses show us where any given planets is in relationship to the sky.

  Just as a planets position in the Signs has meaning, so to does it’s position in the Houses. Personally I find the House position is often more important than a planets position in the Signs. The farther a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves thru the Signs. Mars takes around 2 months to pass through a Sign. Jupiter takes about a year, while Saturn takes around 2 ½ years. The outer planets take progressively longer still. Yet each planet passes thru each of the Houses once a day. Thus the Houses provide a more individual layer of meaning.

  I have talked before about how astrology is like an onion, with layer upon layer of meaning. The Houses represent one of these layers. An example of how layers work can be illustrated like this.
The Sun in Leo is said to bestow a measure of vanity on an individual. Now vanity can be used to describe a great deal of human behavior. The Houses can give you much more detail into how that vanity is likely to be expressed. A Leo Sun in the 1st House can indicate someone who’s vanity reveals itself in personal appearance. They may feel the need to “Look Good�. A Leo Sun in the 2nd house might express itself in a need for wealth and possessions. Someone with a Leo Sun in the 4th House might feel the need for the biggest house of the block, or the best looking lawn. At the least they are likely to feel the need for their home to be a showplace. A person with a 7th House Leo Sun, might feel the need for a beautiful wife or handsome husband. Inwardly the may view their partner as a trophy of status symbol. With a 10th house Leo Sun, vanity might indicate the need for an important or prestigious job.

  The Houses begin to real more about a subject than just the generalities of the Sun Sign as well as enhancing the meanings of each planet in their respective sign. Because of the vast number of combinations, there is no single source to find the meaning of links of between planets, Signs and houses. This then requires the individual to begin learning to integrate these factors. This is the “Artâ€� of astrology.

I will post more on the Houses later.


Ben

hello,
gets interesting by the day.
wud u like a separate forum on Planetary Houses?
or will this one on planets do?
swetha

Greeting Swetha:

Rather than having to run from board to board, I would prefer to see a single general board for astrology. It would make it easier to follow.

Ben

ok.. u can continue here:)
swetha

That was the perfect introduction Ben
I agree to a lot of your views Ben. While studying I chart I myself give utmost importance to the houses as compared to the signs. I mostly use the signs to see the planteray strength and the despositor, which I find really interesting.

"The farther a planet is from the Sun, the slower it moves thru the Signs"
This is very interesting as i have noticed that when the planets are 5 houses away from Sun they become retrograde(except for Mer). for e.g. the Saturn is in Cancer(maybe in Leo for some), and its gonna be there for a while. So, as the Sun changes signs and enters Scorpio that is 5 houses away from Sun in November, Sat will become retrograde.
Retrogression is a very scientific phenomeon which can be easily explained on the basis of relative velocities, but in case u see some chart and u find some planet(Mars, Jup, Sat) to be 5 houses away from Sun, you don't have to refer to other pages to confirm that it is retrograde.

you said it correct Ben, the trick lies in learning the science and converting it into an art.
Cheers to the "Art of Astrology"
Sahil