TarotCraft

A Star Chart is a snapshot in time.

It’s a shorthand drawing, a two-dimensional representation of a four-dimensional subject. It has to take into account the location of the person on Earth, the location around the Ecliptic of each of the planets and the signs of the Zodiac, the “arc” or height above or below the horizon of each of the planets, and the time all of this occurred. It can be a very complex drawing.

The Chart has several different elements. First, the spoked circles, looking like a bicycle wheel, represent the Zodiac and the Houses.

The Zodiac are the constellations in the sky at the time the person was born. The Chart is an attempt to locate the position of the Zodiac in the sky. This is the backdrop against which the rest of the chart is mapped.

The Houses are a separate, concentric circle, like a wheel within a wheel. The Houses are based on the Zodiac, but separate. Think of the circle of houses as a second backdrop.

Next, each of the planets, the Sun, and the Moon, are all charted and their positions marked. This, finally, is our foreground.

The first “planet” to be charted isn’t a planet at all, it’s the Sun. The reason it comes first is because the location of the Sun determines the Sun Sign, or the overall sign of the Zodiac for this person.

Each planet (including Sun and Moon) will fall within a House. That planet is then said to rule that house. Each of the twelve Houses controls a different aspect of a person’s life. If a planet falls within a house, it’s a sure bet that that planet is going to have a major influence over that aspect—above and beyond whatever the general tendencies of the person born under that sign might be.

The Sun doesn’t rise in exactly the same place every day. From our viewpoint here on Earth, it drifts over the course of a year. It’s path through the sky is called the Ecliptic.
In ancient Babylon, the Ecliptic was divided into twelve equal pieces. Each piece was named after a major constellation, and the mythology of the Babylonians, and later the Greeks, defined the traits of those born under that constellation. This is the Zodiac, and is the center of astrology.

Carefully tracing the position of the sun will show that it moves through each of the twelve Zodiac signs over the course of the year. This is where the concept of astrological signs, or “Sun Signs,” has it’s start. A person’s Sun Sign is tied to the constellation the Sun was traveling through at the moment of his birth.

The Sun is traditionally associated with will and individuality, so the Sun Sign covers the overall tendencies and direction a person has in their life. It covers such things as focus, determination, integrity, and ego. It describes general tendencies in an individual, like “Capricorns are gloomy” or Virgo is very orderly,” as well as general predictions, like “Sagittarius should learn tact” and “Pisces should avoid alcohol and drug abuse”. This is also the element that shows how other people will treat this person, almost like a prediction of their “first impression.”

This is only the starting point of Western Astrology, of course. The Sun Sign is only a very general description, and an astrological reading–a horoscope, or natal chart–takes the planets and Moon into account as well. For example, traditionally, Capricorns are very gloomy and depressed. This is a general trait ascribed to Capricorn, based on the position of the Sun. However, the positions of the other planets can counter–or sometimes enhance–this tendency. Complete horoscopes have to account for all of these elements, using the position of the sun as a starting point.

Aries is the first symbol of the Zodiac, the Ram. This sign covers the Equinox, March 21st, and the beginning of Spring. And Spring–with it’s energy of rebirth, as winter ends and flowers bloom–is the perfect example of energetic and freedom-loving Aries.
Aries people are just like Aries the Ram, and on fire like their planet, Mars. They go after what they want. With their confidence and spirit, they make natural pioneers, and unstoppable enemies in a fight against tyranny.
People born under Aries are confident, intelligent, and enthusiastic. They are driven to excel and achieve, and like nothing better than to gather and inspire a team to follow them on their quest. They look forward, and don’t dwell on the past. They are also one of the most extroverted of all the signs.
On the negative side, Aries must be careful of their weaknesses–selfishness, impatience, impulsiveness. Aries will fight for what he believes in, but he will also fight to be “the alpha male,” the leader of the pack. They also tend to get caught up in starting projects without finishing them. Never expect patience, tact, or diplomacy from an Aries, and be careful of their quick temper. They can get so caught up in the quest that they don’t realize the foolhardy mistakes they’re about to make.
Aries make excellent entrepreneurs; it’s a natural talent for someone with such a strong focus on initiative and leadership. They thrive on challenges and love to excel and win. They don’t react well when forced to wait, and can have trouble accepting advice.
Aries is the first sign, the one that leads the Zodiac, and like their sign, those born Aries like to lead as well. They would never be content leaving their adventurous quest for a quiet and dull desk job.

Aquarius, the water-bearer, is ruled by both Saturn and Uranus, and the two planets give Aquarians a unique disposition. Thanks to Saturn, those born under this sign have a knack for being cool and level-headed. Uranus, on the other hand, directs them to be unconventional and unique.

Aquarius is a humanitarian, there’s no doubt about that. The Aquarian likes to make a difference, or even just spend lots of time discussing it, since they are also idealists and dreamers. They also have a flair for logical thinking, which greatly helps to support their arguments.

Aquarius hates hierarchies, and refuses to be placed on a pedestal. Their logical, analytical minds are perfect for logic and computer work. The areas they won’t do well in are “fuzzy” areas, like brokering deals or making sales. They much prefer the hard and solid world of the computer, or the much more satisfying world of social work. Nothing annoys them more than the idea of choosing a career solely for the money it offers.

Sagittarius and Aquarius have one thing in common: a disregard for social manners. While Sagittarius feels manners are pesky little details he has little patience for, Aquarians think manners are elitist, or perhaps even hypocritical, and deserve to be ignored. They speak what’s on their mind.

Aquarius has a reputation for being emotionally unstable. They tend towards sensitivity, with a thin skin and touchy attitude, especially when criticized. Also, they have a deep-seated fear of rejection. Many Aquarians find it easier to write their feelings rather than talk about them, and on paper, the sensitive and passionate nature of Aquarius can shine past the cool and calm fa?ade.

Aquarians are the most attractive sign of the Zodiac. They also like bizarre colors, weird accents, or provocative style. This is Uranus’ influence, driving them to be unique.

There are many variants of the mythology of Scorpio, but nearly all of them also include the constellation of Orion, the Hunter. In some versions, Scorpio was an assassin sent by Artemis to kill Orion. The reasons vary. Sometimes, it’s out of rage at her defeat at his hands. In another, it’s to protect the bull of Taurus, and in another, it’s for his bragging of his skills and glory in hunting (Artemis believed in hunting only for food). And in yet another version, the scorpion was a punishment for Orion’s pursuit of the goddesses of the Pleiades.

Regardless of the version you like to believe, the assassination of Orion plays out again and again every night in the stars. Orion is opposite Scorpius in the sky, so as the scorpion arrives on the scene, Orion “dies” by dropping below the horizon.

Leo and Cancer both owe their existence–and their deaths, unfortunately–to the great Olympian hero, Hercules. Hercules was charged with killing the vicious and giant Nemean Lion. None of his weapons could cut through the lion’s skin, so he was finally forced to wrestle it to the ground and strangle it with his bare hands.

Hercules kept the lion’s skin, and it came in very handy. His next task was the Lernean Hydra, a dragon with seven heads. And, as if multiple heads weren’t enough of a problem, when any head was cut off, two more would grow in it’s place! The Lion’s skin helped protect Hercules from the heads while he set about to find a way to kill it.

Hera, Zeus’s wife, wanted Hercules dead. She sent a crab to distract Hercules from his fight with the Hydra. Unfortunately, Hercules was only distracted long enough to crush the crab under his foot. Hera placed the crab in the sky to remember it’s sacrifice.

Astrology may or may not be “science,” depending on who you ask.  But, one similarity it does bear to science is a large collection of terms.  Natal charts and horoscopes can be as simple as “your sun sign is Gemini.”  Or, they can be extremely complex, taking into account exactly where and when the individual was born, where each of the planets, sun, and moon were positioned at that moment, and then measuring how each of those bodies related to each other.
The starting point of any astrology work is the Sun Sign.  This is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and is the constellation the Sun was passing through when the person was born.
A Horoscope, as far as the public is concerned, is that little nugget of advice printed with their sign in the newspaper.  But the full Horoscope as designed by the astrologer is more than that.  It’s a complete map of the planets with regards to the constellations and each other.
Once the planets have been mapped, then their Aspects can be measured.  The Aspect is the measure of the angle formed by drawing lines between the planets.  The two most important Aspects are the Conjunction (which is a very small measure, less than ten degrees), and the Opposition (a very large measure, nearly 180 degrees).
The Houses are equivalent to the signs of the Zodiac, but they’re also dedicated to certain aspects of the person’s life.  One House is devoted to finances, another to health, for example.
Each planet orbits the sun at a different speed.  Mercury, right next to the sun, races around it in a matter of weeks, while Pluto plods along in an orbit that takes centuries.  Occasionally, the Earth will pass a planet, and it will seem to be “moving backwards.”  Think of riding a fast train while passing a slow moving one–the slower train will appear to be backing up, even though it’s moving forward.  This optical illusion is called Retrograde, and these periods of backwards motion show up in horoscopes and action.

This looks like a really interesting talk coming up at the Adyar Bookshop in Sydney next year.  Put it in your diary!

Cancer is symbolized by the Crab, because the Crab was believed to carry his house on his back.  And, like their namesake, the home is very important to Cancer.

Those born under this sign are heavily focused on home life.  Cancers are the domestic experts of the Zodiac, and would be the first to know how to fix an appliance or which drapes match the sofa.  Unfortunately, they also have a reputation as packrats, because they attach emotions to their belongings.  Every old photo becomes a cherished heirloom because of the memories that go with it.

Cancers are sensitive and caring.  Only Pisces comes close to the sensitivity of Cancer.  Crabs are the truest and closest companions, always coming to the aid of their friends, ready to bail them out at a moment’s notice.

The crab’s defense is to curl up behind his shell.  Cancers have a reputation for being tough and unfeeling because they keep their emotions hidden—for their own protection, of course.  They can be frustrated that people can’t see through that shell to the deeply caring person hidden behind it.  They tend to dress down, not attracting attention to themselves.

Cancers have a tendency to be worried, moody, or even depressed, but this can be lightened with water-based activities like fishing or sailing.  Because of their affinity for the home, many cancers enjoy fixer-upper hobbies, like adding an extension to the house.

Because they care about people, Cancers are most at home in a career where they can help people in some way.  Pushing papers or operating machinery will make for a very crabby Crab.  Cancers, with their innate skills at knowing what people need and feel, tend to make very good managers.  However, they tend to build on existing ideas, rather than creating their own, so they don’t make good entrepreneurs.

Taurus, the second sign of the Zodiac, is the Bull. Focused on security and stability, the Taurus is the most faithful of all the signs.
Strong, silent, the most introverted of all the signs, Taurus is likely to be cautious and controlled. Thos born under Taurus are very practical and determined, well grounded and in touch with nature. They take things as they come, without worrying or stressing. They have strong values, and tend to think long and hard about their decisions. Once they’ve made those decisions, it’s easier to move mountains than to change the mind of a Taurus.
Nothing personifies Taurus more than the Greek myth of the Minotaur, or bull-headed man, when it comes to stubbornness. Once those hooves are dug in, Taurus is just not going to move.  But the Taurus will probably deny that they’re being stubborn; they prefer to call it “sensible.”  Or “patient.”
Normally calm and reliable, Taurus is content to be left alone, with a very long fuse….but if that fuse ever burns, watch out.  Taurus has a temper.  Push him to his limits, and the phrase “bull in a china shop” takes on a whole new meaning.  Taurus very seldom gets mad, but when they do, they don’t just get a little annoyed, they get furious.  It may take weeks for the dust to clear after a Taurus tantrum.
Taurus likes to build his fortune, slowly and steadily; he loves money and material possessions, though he isn’t stingy.  He can be very generous, especially to friends and family.
Strong, dependable, and peaceful, Taurus is like a rock in the Zodiac, with his patience and calm.  He can be the most stable and  trustworthy of all the signs…just don’t try to rush him into anything.  Or ask him to change his mind.

The last sign, Pisces, the two dancing fish, is the most deep and sensitive sign of them all.  Ruled by both Jupiter and Neptune, Pisceans are creative and adaptable, but not very organized.  Traditionally, Pisces is considered to be at the highest spiritual plane.

Pisces is the ultimate artist of the Zodiac.  There are more Piscean poets than any other sign, and their empathy for others is legendary.  No other sign is better able to understand another’s pain like Pisces.  At the same time, Pisces is the most free-spirited of all the Signs, too.

The empathy of a Pisces makes them not only artists, but also perfectly suits them for nursing and medical careers.

All of the Water signs—Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces—are sensitive.  But the other two have one thing that Pisceans lack, and that’s the hard outer shell.  Pisces do not have the natural defenses around their sensitivity, and when insulted or hurt, will often “swim away” and hide.  Pisces is very good at withdrawing from the world or turning invisible.

There is a bright side to that invisibility talent, though.  It manifests as an almost chameleon-like ability to fit in.  Pisces will happily join into their mate’s hobby—not because they’re interested in the hobby itself, but because learning it allows them to understand their mate better.

Many Pisceans are fascinated with movies and photography.  There’s a natural affinity there, because film—like Pisces—is very sensitive and picks up everything it sees.

The Piscean’s sense of style is practically none at all.  Pisces is far more concerned with spiritual enlightenment than on the annoying little detail of whether or not their socks match.  Personal style is trivial and meaningless in a monastery.  Far more important than style is the emotion attached to things; the furniture may not match, but the battered rocking chair that Aunt Edna told her stories from, that’s important, it stays put.