Yves Montand
Born Friday 10/14/1921, 00h00 at Montsummano/Pistoia - Italie.

The Ascendant

The ascendant is the sign that was rising over the horizon at the time of birth. More than any other chart factor, the sign of the ascendant to be accurate is dependant on both time (it changes by 5 degrees every hour) and place of birth (someone born at the same time on the opposite side of the world will have the opposite sign on the ascendant or 'rising'). As such, it is the sign that brings us into physical incarnation, and the planet that rules that sign is said to be the ruler of the chart, or our planetary ruler for this lifetime. Hence the sign and house position of the ascendant's ruler are of particular importance. The ascending sign shows the way in which we approach life and the world in general. It can be related to what some psychologists call the persona, the mask we place between our inner selves and the world. As such it shows the way in which we are perceived by others, at least their first impressions of us. The ascendant represents the manner in which we must express ourselves in order to feel secure, and also the filter through which we perceive life and its challenges. It is the cusp of the first house, the house associated with our personal identity and self expression and represents the kind of energy and types of activities that we need to enliven us physically.


Cancer Ascendant

The Cardinal Water sign of Cancer was rising at the time of your birth, indicating that you are sensitive and reserved in your approach to others, although you may have learned at an early age to protect your sensitivity behind the hard outer shell of the crab. You have a naturally caring and sympathetic nature, and you like to take care of those who are close to you, you have an instinctive understanding of their emotional needs. This same emotional sensitivity makes you vulnerable, however, since not everybody has the same consideration for your feelings as you have for theirs. You will tend to hide any hurt or emotional pain behind a hard exterior, and to approach situations indirectly rather than risk a direct confrontation. You may have a tendency to cling to any hurt or slight, whether real or imagined, and you will need to learn to accept your sensitive emotional nature and channel it in some positive direction.

Cancer is ruled by the Moon, as the ruler of your ascendant this planet is of particular importance in your chart.


Ascendant Sextile Saturn

The conservative planet Saturn in a sextile aspect to your ascendant indicates that you are practical and conserved in your general approach to others, and to life itself. You are able to restrain your impulses, and to think before you act. You realise that you are responsible for your own actions, and are capable of self discipline, if you think the results will be worth the effort. You give the appearance of being a shrewd and pragmatic person, able to take responsibility and plan methodically before you do anything. Once you have formed an opinion, or decided on a particular course of action, you are not easily dissuaded.

The Sun

In the solar system the Sun is the centre around which all the other planets revolve, bound by its gravitational force. Similarly, in the birth chart the Sun represents the "centre" of our personality, or the core of our being, around which all the other psychological drives and needs, symbolised by the planets, revolve.
Just as, in the solar system, the Sun is the source of light and life generating energy, so the Sun represents the source of consciousness and life within us all. It is our will to be and our sense of individuality. The birth chart, however, represents the solar system as seen from the earth, not the Sun. Most of us are not centred in our Sun, but in our earthbound, or sense-bound ego. For most of us then, the Sun represents our "Higher Self" or Spirit. It is the immortal spark of the universal spirit which is uniquely ourselves, as opposed to our transient and mortal ego centred personality. The Sun is therefore what we are striving to become.


The sign position of and aspects to the Sun, as seen from the earth, show how this radiant inner self works through the medium of our ego centred personality. It is the fundamental tone of our being, and as such is the most important placement in the chart.

Sun in Libra

With the Sun in the cardinal air sign of Libra, you are basically attuned to the social and intellectual level of experience. You are friendly and sociable and have a need to extend your experience through a variety of different kinds of relationships, and can hold your own in any social circle. You are capable of seeing both sides of any issue, and with your innate sense of fair play you dislike injustice in any form. Although you can be impartial and objective when dealing with the affairs of others, when you are directly involved the scales can become overbalanced and you can show a surprising degree of selfishness and lack of objectivity. You will have a deep concern with broad social issues, and the need for balanced and harmonious human relationships, both interpersonal and international.


Sun in 4th House

With the Sun in the 4th house of your chart, there's a great need to delve deep within to find yourself. There may be a struggle to define your individuality on the home and family front. You need to distinguish your own individual identity and avoid the danger of deriving too much of your identity from your family background or heredity. On the other hand, there is a danger of rejecting your family background completely in order to free yourself from its influence.

Neither your own individuality nor your family background should be rejected. The task is to balance the two, acknowledging your heredity and developing your own uniqueness.

Moon

In the birth chart, the Moon is second in importance only to the Sun. Unlike the other planets the Moon orbits the earth, and seen from the earth is the same size as the Sun (hence the possibility of total eclipses). The Moon gives off no light of its own, however, but reflects and polarises the light of the Sun.

The Moon represents memories, feelings and instinctive responses that lie just below the level of consciousness. As the Moon orbits the earth, it generates the movements of the tides and governs other natural cycles, such as the menstrual cycle in women. The Moon therefore symbolises the ebb and flow of feeling and emotion (symbolised by water in Astrology), and the feminine principle in nature and in the individual.

The sign position of and aspects to the Moon show how we react instinctively, and what we need to feel comfortable and secure. As children the Moon is the Mother, or at least how we experienced our mother. As we grow older this extends to our relationships with women in general (particularly for men), and our instinctive or conditioned responses to the world in general; based on the often unconscious memories of this early nurturing experience (or lack of it).


Moon in Pisces

Pisces is a mutable water sign. With the Moon in this sign, you are very sensitive to the emotional undercurrents in your environment, this can make you either sympathetic and understanding, or gullible and vulnerable. The mutable nature of this sign means that you will probably swing from one to the other at different times. Your imagination and intuition are strong, but you must avoid the tendency to be discouraged too easily. You may find it difficult to make decisions, and are prone to self indulgence as a way of dealing with emotional difficulties. Your innate idealism and openness can make it difficult for you to deal with the harsh realities of life.


Moon in 9th House

The 9th House is the area of your chart that is connected with philosophy, religion, travel and higher education. With the Moon in this House you may find emotional security from some belief system. This may be inherited from your family background, but you have the ability to adapt your philosophy to changing influences and conditions.

Travel may be linked with your emotional life, and you may live abroad for a time. There's also an attraction to women of a foreign culture, or who can expand or broaden your horizons in some way.


Moon Trine Mercury

With the Moon and Mercury in a trine aspect, you have an excellent memory that allows you to draw from the experiences of the past to deal with the present. Mind and emotions are well balanced...as you understand your own emotions and are able to analyse any problems or inner conflicts, and come to terms with them.

You're able to express your feelings verbally, uninhibited by fear of an adverse reaction. Your insight and understanding of other people's emotions could also make you a good counsellor, either professionally or simply with friends who need your understanding and advice. You know instinctively how to use your knowledge and experience and you also know how to make people feel comfortable in your company.


Moon Opposition Venus

The opposition between the Moon and Venus indicates some difficulty in personal relationships. You may occasionally tend to depend too much on your partner to provide you with emotional security. You need to get in touch with your own feelings, to find your sense of security within yourself, and then you'll find that instead of looking to others to provide for your needs.... emotional satisfaction and security can be found within yourself.


Moon Opposition Mars

The opposition between the Moon and Mars indicates that occasionally you may be overly assertive in expressing your emotions... and can react with impatience or anger if your needs aren't met. Although particularly touchy and over sensitive about your own feelings...you can be somewhat headstrong and insensitive when dealing with other people's feelings. You therefore need to resist the urge to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation, to learn patience and acceptance of other people's faults. Your impulsiveness may be the cause of emotional conflicts.

You need to find a way to channel this relentless energy in a positive way...rather than treating relationships as a kind of battlefield in which you must meet all the challenges, real or imagined, and win.


Moon Conjunct Uranus

The conjunction between the Moon and Uranus is a potentially difficult aspect, since the Moon seeks security and stability... whilst Uranus seeks freedom and independence. There's a strong urge to break free from conventional values.

Many people may not be able to understand your reluctance to settle down...and you'll be prepared to put up with anything rather than accept a situation that limits your freedom of action.

There's a conflict, however, since the Moon craves security, so you may at some point in your life suppress your need for freedom and accept a more conventional situation for the apparent emotional security that it provides. But, energy that is suppressed only leaks out in another form and you may find that in this case your bottled up desire for freedom may inevitably cause conflict and disruption.

The memories of past emotional difficulties and pain may also occasionally make you extremely reluctant to make any kind of binding commitment in relationships and you may therefore resist attempts to do so for a long time. You may find that time after time, when you finally overcome your reluctance and make a commitment, even if it is only in your own mind, that's when things really start going wrong.

It's easy enough to blame the other person in these situations, but it's really your own need for freedom and independence leaking out again. The best way to handle this aspect is to find a partner with the same needs and the same problems with whom you can discuss how you feel openly without either of you taking offence.


Moon Trine Pluto

The Moon in a trine aspect to Pluto strengthens and deepens your emotional nature. You'll generally be able to weather any storm with the knowledge that a crisis is often necessary to shake you out of a rut...and that you'll emerge from it with a greater inner strength and understanding.

Mercury


Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Along with Venus it is one of the inferior planets, that is, its orbit lies within the earth's orbit.

In mythology, Mercury is the messenger of the gods. In the birth chart, Mercury represents the urge to communicate with and exchange information with others. In the mind, it represents our rational thought processes, or the ability to analyse and reach logical conclusions. In the body, it is the nervous system, which co-ordinates and unifies all the different bodily functions into an organised whole. Mercury can be said to represent electricity in the form of information. Mercury therefore rules all forms of communication and exchange of information, and the ability to organise facts into a consistent view of the world.

The sign position of and aspects to Mercury in the chart show how one thinks and communicates, that is, the way in which our thoughts are expressed, and the way in which we receive such information from the world around us.


Mercury in Scorpio

With Mercury in the fixed water sign of Scorpio, your mind has an intense and penetrating quality that allows you to see beneath surface appearances. This is a good positions for some form of investigative or research work, since you will not be satisfied with superficial and surface appearances. You have strong powers of concentration and a determination to get to the bottom of things, although strong negative emotions can influence your thinking and make you suspicious and distrustful of what anyone else tries to tell you. For this reason you will usually be very reserved about discussing or openly expressing your emotions and feelings, unless you are sure that the person you are talking to can be trusted. Once you have made up your mind on an emotional issue you will not easily be shifted from your position.


Mercury in 4th House

Mercury in the 4th House sometimes indicates an intellectual or academic home background in childhood. The emphasis may have been put on being rational and sensible, perhaps at the expense of deeper feelings and closeness.

Throughout your life, there's the possibility of educational activities being carried out in your home, and you would benefit from some kind of study even into the second half of life.


Mercury Sextile Mars

The sextile aspect between Mercury and Mars strengthens your intellectual abilities. You like to have all the facts before you speak on anything, so that when you do you can present your case with full confidence that you know what you are talking about.

You'd make a good debater, as quite often the strength of your argument can convince even those who disagree with you, and you are able to see the flaws and weak points in an opponent's argument. However, you are also able to accept the flaws and weak points in your own argument when they are pointed out to you.

With your incisive intellect you're also able to cut through the rubbish and present an issue or subject in its essence. This can bring you success in any field that involves the communication of ideas, such as teaching, journalism and politics.


Mercury Square Neptune

The square between Mercury and Neptune indicates that your imagination can at times overshadow your logical thinking. Occasionally you may find it difficult to deal with the harsher realities of life, preferring to retreat to a world of fantasy and daydreams where problems don't exist.

This tendency is probably the result of early experiences where you found that this was the only way you could deal with life.

However, if you can control the negative side of this aspect, and be more realistic in your dealings with the real world, you'd do well in occupations such as art or writing, or any activity where you could give your powerful imagination its full sway.


Mercury Trine Pluto

With the positive trine aspect between Mercury and Pluto you have an analytical mind that is able to penetrate beyond surface appearances. You're therefore suited to any form of research or investigation since you're always wanting to get to the truth of any matter.

You need to find some kind of meaning to life and your experiences and then to communicate the understanding and knowledge gained from your experiences to others. But do beware being too opinionated as at times you'll identify too strongly with what you believe in, and will defend your viewpoint without compromise.

Venus


Venus, like Mercury, lies within the orbit of the earth. If Mercury can be likened to electricity in the form of information, then Venus can be likened to the magnetic field generated by the electric current. One of the meanings of Venus is therefore "personal magnetism".

In mythology Venus is the goddess of love. In the birth chart, Venus represents the social and love urge, and the need for harmony and exchange of feelings and affection with others. Venus is our need to form relationships and our power to attract such relationships. It is also our sense of values, based on what attracts or repels us.

The sign position of any aspect to Venus shows how we express these needs to others and the kind of response we need in order to feel in harmony. If Venus is adversely aspected theses responses may not always be what we consciously desire but are often necessary in order to force us to recognise some unexpressed part of ourselves.



Venus in Virgo

Venus, the planet of relationship and affection, is in the mutable earth sign of Virgo in your chart. You will have a tendency to over analyse your feelings in your relationships, rather than simply experience the person and your feelings for them, you will need to understand the 'why and wherefore', and the conscious and unconscious motivations behind the relationship. You could become very critical of the other person when your analysis reveals that they are not the perfect, pure being that you want them to be. Publicly, you will express a rather cool, perhaps even puritanical, approach to others, but when you feel safe, and in private, you can be as passionate as the next person. You express your affection easiest by taking care of someone's physical needs, making sure they are comfortable, well fed, and relaxed, and you will tend to seek these same qualities in a partner.


Venus in 3rd House

With the planet Venus in the 3rd House of your chart, you can usually communicate quite well with others. In fact, at times, you may go too much out of your way to please other people...saying what you think will please others rather than speaking your own mind. You enjoy meeting new people, and can usually fit easily into different situations and circumstances.


Venus Conjunct Mars

The conjunction between Venus and Mars indicates that you value your own personal freedom and can be easily angered if you feel emotionally hemmed in. Your temper can be explosive, but at the same time this anger passes quickly, and rarely leads to any long term rift.

You have a need for adventure and new experiences, and you're able to enjoy yourself in social situations, not afraid of being the centre of attention. However, there will be times when others are put off by your rather over-forceful approach, especially in matters of romance.


Venus Conjunct Saturn

With the conjunction between Venus and Saturn you relate to others in a serious and responsible way. At times you may find yourself sacrificing your own needs and happiness for others. You may also find that you're usually the one who has to make adjustments to the other person's needs in any relationship, whilst suppressing your own.

You may do this in order to feel loved and needed, a feeling that stems from your childhood experiences. One or both of your parents, but most likely your father, was probably a harsh disciplinarian, expecting obedience and unquestioning loyalty, possibly forcing you to assume responsibilities too soon. On the other hand, he may have been indifferent, or not around at all, leaving you with a deep-seated feeling that maybe it was your fault. As a consequence, you may now still live with the fear of being rejected or deserted if you don't live up to another's demands, or you may avoid close relationships altogether.

With Saturn, age and experience usually bring the solutions to its more difficult aspects. You'll gradually come to learn that the only person you have a real duty to is yourself, and Saturn will provide you with the self-respect and inner stability to pursue your own path despite the opposition of others. Then you'll attract people who will respect and accept you for what you are, not what they want you to be.

Mars


Mars is the first planet in the series out from the Sun that is outside the orbit of the earth. As the first superior planet, Mars represents energy directed outward from the self into the world. It is the energy to initiate action and the ability to meet challenges and overcome obstacles. In mythology, Mars is the god of war. In the birth chart, Mars is the self assertive and aggressive urge, the sex drive and the need to achieve our desires. Positively, Mars is expressed as courage, initiative, and the will-power to pursue our goals. Negatively expressed, Mars is impatience, violence and the use of force or threats.

The sign position of and aspects to Mars in the chart show how we assert ourselves and express our desires. Mars is traditionally a masculine planet, and therefore represents the expression of the male ego. In a women's chart, the energy of Mars is often repressed by social and family conditioning, and indicates how she will experience the male ego through the men around her, whether positively or negatively expressed. It is, however, becoming increasingly possible for women to break away from traditional passive roles, and express their own Martian drives, but this is often not completely successful until after the age of about 30.

Mars in Virgo

With Mars in the mutable earth sign of Virgo you will put a great deal of energy into organising your practical and material affairs. No matter how tight money is, you will somehow always manage to pay your bills and provide the basic necessities of life. You may be over critical both of yourself and others, with a tendency to constantly analyse motives, and the need to understand the whys and wherefores of everything you do, particularly in the area of your sex life. If this is not taken to inhibiting extremes you can gain great insight into the hidden or unconscious motives and needs, both your own and those of others. You should avoid a tendency to worry or feel guilty when the actions of others drive you into expressing your anger or aggression.


Mars in 3rd House

With Mars in the 3rd House of your chart, you'll probably have an active and eager mind, coupled with a strong verbal and intellectual ability. At times, however, this can be used as a weapon to mount an attack on others.

You'll often not pull your punches, and say what you really mean, even if this means risking the possibility of upsetting or offending others. Although what you say may arouse others to action, avoid the tendency to ram your opinions down others' throats. In a sense, your mind is like a sharp instrument or tool which if handled correctly, can cut through just about anything, but if not, can be very destructive, both to yourself and others.


Mars Opposition Uranus

The opposition between Mars and Uranus is a high energy and potentially difficult aspect to handle. You demand a great deal of freedom and independence for yourself, and you need to be able to do what you want, when you want, .having little tolerance for anyone who tries to stop you.

Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as you'll not allow others to use you or walk all over you, but occasionally you may be too ready to fly off the handle before you have all the facts, or before the other person has had the chance to explain.

You need to find some way to express your powerful physical and emotional drives in a manner that allows you the independence you need, without causing unbearable strain on your relationships.

The planets up to and including Mars have been concerned with the establishment of ourselves as individuals, and with the satisfaction of our own needs and desires. The planets beyond Mars connect us with a larger order.

Jupiter


As the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter represents expansion and growth. It is the urge to grow beyond our individual limitations and the need to feel part of a larger order, whether this be a particular religion, philosophy or social system. Jupiter, the king of the gods, is traditionally the bestower of faith, optimism and the ability to expand and prosper. It is the planet that promotes personal growth, gives us confidence in ourselves and trust in a higher power or greater plan. Negatively, Jupiter can manifest as overconfidence, irresponsibility and the tendency to over-extend ourselves or promise too much.

The sign position of and aspects to Jupiter in the chart show what kinds of experiences and types of activity create an inner faith and optimism, and the sense of being connected to the larger scheme of things.


Jupiter in Libra

With Jupiter in the cardinal air sign of Libra, opportunities will come to you as a result of your need for a wide variety of social contacts and acquaintances. Your judgement is fair and impartial, you are aware of the injustices and prejudices of society and have a strong desire to help those who are oppressed or unfairly treated, or to do something to help make the world a better place. This desire may remain just that, however, since your diplomatic nature and your natural ability to see all sides of any issue may paralyse the urge to action. The same qualities, if you can overcome your indecisiveness, can bring you great success in any field that involves working with or negotiating on behalf of the general public. In relationships, you will seek those that in some way broaden your perspective and experience.


Jupiter in 3rd House

With Jupiter in the 3rd House you'll have the need to expand your horizons through intellectual study and discussion. You seek an understanding of life that will enable you to fit apparently disconnected pieces together and see it as a whole.

You will enjoy talking and discussing the broader meaning of life with others, but you may occasionally have to control a tendency to waffle on endlessly.

Short journeys for the purpose of expanding your mind will be beneficial. On the other hand, these journeys can take place solely within your mind.

You will never be satisfied with what you have learned, recognising that no matter how far you have gone, there is so much more to learn and understand. This can lead you to become a perpetual student, which is fine as long as you realise that at some point you have got to start applying what you have learned.


Jupiter Conjunct Saturn

The effect of Jupiter and Saturn in Conjunction can be summed up as tremendous possibilities, achieved through hard work. These two planets are, in a sense, opposite influences, Jupiter represents optimism, expansion and good luck, and Saturn is more pessimistic and restricting work.

However, with this combination each balances the excesses of the other. Therefore you're generally able to balance optimism with realism, enthusiasm with caution and extravagance with discipline. You aim to make an impact on the world, but you're also able to plan the next step before you take it.

Saturn


Saturn is the last planet in the solar system that can be seen with the naked eye from the earth. As such, together with the fact that it is bounded by a series of rings, Saturn represents the boundaries of the individual.


After the limitless expansion of Jupiter, Saturn in the birth chart represents boundaries and limitations. It is the principle of structure and form. In the body, it is the skeleton, which gives the body its structure, and the skin, which is the boundary to the outside world. In the mind, it is the structure of our ego and our sense of self which we seek to preserve from the impact of changes from within and from the outside world. Saturn gives us the ability to endure setbacks and work with discipline and patience toward well defined aims. It is the need for social approval through some kind of tangible achievement. Whereas Jupiter brings rewards and opportunities through what we might call good luck, Saturn brings rewards and opportunities through hard work, limitation and self discipline.

The sign position of and aspects to Saturn show how we seek to establish ourselves as individuals and find our place in the social system of which we are a part. Any form or structure, however, when placed in the light of the Sun tends to cast a shadow. The position of Saturn in the chart therefore, shows where we find our "shadow". It is here that we meet with our greatest sense of inadequacy, lack of faith and inhibitions. Saturn shows where we are most fearful, and hence most rigid; but if these fears can be met and overcome it is the source of our greatest strength and a solid foundation from which to meet the world.


Saturn in Libra

Saturn is in the cardinal air sign of Libra in your chart. The principle of form, structure and responsibility operates in the field of intellectual and social interaction. You have a capacity for concentrated and serious intellectual activity, Saturn in an air sign denotes what could be termed the scientific mind. At the same time, you may have a sense of mental and intellectual isolation. Libra represents the principle of balance, harmony and relationship. With Saturn here, a deep feeling of insecurity in relationships may cause you to avoid issues or conflicts that you feel will upset conditions of harmony. Ultimately you will have to learn how to handle responsibility in relationships, without giving up too much of your own individuality and sense of purpose.


Saturn in 3rd House

With Saturn in the 3rd House you may occasionally have some difficulty communicating your thoughts or ideas to others. You might at times even feel intellectually inferior, so you stay silent when it would be more appropriate to speak your mind. On the other hand, you may over-compensate by chattering on endlessly about anything except those things that really matter to you. Either way, there could be times when you feel that no one really understands you.

In fact, with Saturn in this House, you have a capacity for deep and concentrated study, and the ability to turn dreams into reality, especially in professions connected to communication.

The Outer Planets


The planets beyond Saturn:- Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, move through the signs so slowly that the sign positions of these planets refer more to the generation of which we are a part, rather than individual characteristics. It is the House position that shows where we will meet with the principles expressed by these planets in our lives. The aspects of these planets to the personal planets indicate our degree of attunement to the principles they represent.

The trans-Saturnian planets cannot be seen without the aid of a telescope. Therefore they represent powerful forces that are beyond conscious control. These planets connect us with forces and levels of reality beyond our experience as individual human beings. They do this by breaking down the boundaries of the ego (symbolised by Saturn), to allow the inflow of higher ideals and goals into our ego-centred minds. This can often mean the total disruption or destruction of our existing lives, goals, or outer and inner structures in order to make this possible.

Uranus


Uranus is the first of the trans-Saturnian planets. It cannot be seen with the naked eye and was discovered in 1781 during the period of the American and French revolutions. It's discovery was made possible by the invention of the telescope, a development that has led to radical changes in our knowledge of the universe and our place in it.

In the birth chart then, Uranus represents the force for revolutionary change, the breaking from tradition, and inventiveness and experimentation. As one of the three planets that cannot be seen with the unaided eye, Uranus represents a force over which we have little or no conscious control. On an individual level, Uranus indicates our degree of independence and demand for personal freedom. If well aspected it gives us originality and an attunement to truth that goes beyond the logic of Mercury. If we refuse to express the energy of Uranus within us, preferring to cling to the traditions and limitations of Saturn, then Uranus may manifest as disruptions and sudden changes in our immediate environment, sometimes disrupting our lives completely and forcing us to make needed changes. If the energy of Uranus is expressed negatively, it can lead to wilfulness, impatience and needless rebellion, the rebel without a cause.

The position of Uranus in the chart shows where we most feel the need for freedom and independence and the need to experiment with new ideas and ways of living. Conversely, it is the area where we can cause the most disruption and needless change.


Uranus in 8th House

Uranus, the planet representing the urge for revolutionary change and self willed independence is in the 8th House of your chart. This is the House concerned with emotionally or financially based partnerships and the experience of death and regeneration on all levels and emotional union with others.

With Uranus in this House you may have an overwhelming urge to break free from restrictions and attachments imposed by the basic instinctive nature. There is a need for experimentation and an unconventional approach to these areas of experience. If the energy of Uranus is not given conscious expression, you may constantly attract circumstances that force you to rise above difficult feelings as jealousy, possessiveness and envy. You may alternate between extreme passion and extreme coldness, with a tendency to disregard the feelings of others if you believe fervently enough in a cause. Sudden changes of fortune are likely to occur in all 8th House matters, and some phases of your life may end suddenly and irreversibly. The meaning of life and death may fascinate you, but any understanding of these matters will not be sought along conventional lines.


Uranus Trine Pluto

The trine between Uranus and Pluto occurred during the twenties, and therefore you belong to a generation that sought to break from inhibiting traditions and social structures. You realise the importance of individual creativity and freedom encourages and nurtures these qualities rather than opposing and stifling them. You have sought a broader philosophy of life than the materialism of previous generations.

Neptune


After Uranus comes Neptune, the god of the sea. Whereas Uranus is the urge for individual freedom and independence, Neptune is the urge to escape from our normal sense-bound state of consciousness, and experience our unity with a different level of reality.

In the birth chart, Neptune represents our higher ideals and our attunement to realities that lie beyond that perceived by the senses. It is the realm of dreams and imagination and our sense of being part of a whole which is greater than ourselves, the awareness of a spiritual dimension to existence. Neptune represents the urge to transcend our normal state of consciousness through meditation and mystical experience, music, dreams and flights of the imagination, or through drugs (including alcohol) which afford us a temporary escape from the mundane grind of living. Neptune can be expressed as high ideals, altruism and spiritual values, or as self destructive escapism and evasion of responsibilities. For most of us it is a mixture of both.

The position of Neptune in the chart shows where and how we seek to express these needs, and in what areas of our lives we tend to seek an often impossible ideal.


Neptune in 1st House

With Neptune in the 1st House of your chart, you exhibit Neptunian qualities in your approach to life and self expression. Neptune dissolves boundaries and opens us up to the infinite in whatever House it is in. You may have difficulty in establishing a sense of self identity, and in your approach to others, may tend to reflect what you think they want to see, rather than expressing your own individuality. You may appear mysterious and enigmatic to others and can easily slip into the role of a martyr, feeling resentful if anyone takes advantage of you. There is a danger of turning to hard drugs and alcohol to alleviate the harsh realities of life. At its most positive, Neptune in this House gives you the ability to give personal expression to collective visions and images. Your vision can be inspiring to those who are not so open to higher realities. This is a good placement if you are in one of the caring or helping professions, the diffuse boundaries of Neptune allowing you to empathise with the other person.

Pluto


Pluto is the outermost planet in the solar system and therefore the slowest moving. At certain times however, due to the high eccentricity of its orbit, it comes closer to the earth than Neptune. This is the case at the present time and will be so until the end of the century. At the same time it is passing through Scorpio, the sign that it rules. This is a very critical period in world history, since Pluto represents powerful forces of death and destruction or change and transformation, which are now at their strongest. This can lead to destruction through nuclear war or our pollution and exploitation of our planet. On the other hand it can lead to the death of the present political and economical systems and the birth of new political and economic systems and a transformation in international relations and our relationship to our planet. By the time Pluto leaves Scorpio in 1999 the issue will probably be decided one way or the other.

In the individual birth chart, Pluto represents the urge for power and control either over ourselves or others. It is the need to penetrate beneath the surface of experience, to reveal hidden motivations and repressed desires. The position of Pluto in the chart indicates our capacity for self-regeneration or rebirth and our attitude towards beginnings and endings and birth and death, either actual or symbolic. Pluto can be expressed as the acceptance of our need for complete transformation in some area of our life, and the courage to face our deepest compulsions and hang-ups. Or, it can be expressed as the wilful manipulation of others, ruthlessness and an infatuation with power.


Pluto in 12th House

The 12th House of the chart represents the experience of feelings and emotions that lie in the unconscious, feelings that challenge the separateness and isolation of the ego. With Pluto in this House you may experience deep drives and compulsions that you do not want to admit to yourself and therefore suppress out of fear. Some of these deeper emotions may indeed be negative, old fears and phobias that may have been inherited or resulted from past experiences, which you need to control. Others, however may be positive urges for some kind of deep seated changes that will bring about personal growth and greater fulfilment. With Pluto here, you will also tend to suppress these positive compulsions out of self doubt and fear of losing the self identity that you have come to consider to be you.

You may have to suffer many painful experiences as a result of suppressing your deeper emotions, but you will find that you can often make something positive out of a crises and that each experience makes you stronger and more aware, and accepting, of the powerful collective and unconscious forces that shape our lives.

What Is Astrology?

The basic philosophy behind Astrology is the idea that we live in a holistic universe, that there is a deep interrelationship between the whole and its parts, and that anything, be it an event, a group, or an individual that is born at a particular point in time and space in a sense embodies the whole universe focused at that point. Obviously it is impossible to determine the state of the whole universe from a particular point in time and space, so in Astrology we take the Solar system as the greater whole and regard the patterns formed by the Sun, Moon and planets as seen from a particular time and place on earth as a reflection of the forces acting at that time and place. In natal astrology, astrology applied to individual human beings, the Sun, Moon and planets symbolise basic human needs, desires or urges which we all possess. It is the ever changing interrelationship between these basic functions or archetypes, and their relationship to the horizon at the time of birth, that are used to symbolise the personality structure of a human being. The birth chart is a symbolic map of the solar system as seen from the earth at the time and place of birth. The chart is comprised of three basic factors.

(1) The aspects (angles) formed between the Sun, Moon and planets, as seen from the earth. These are indicated by the lines on a birth chart.

(2) Each planet is located in a particular sign of the zodiac. The symbols for each sign are placed around the edge of the chart, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

(3) Each planet is also located in a particular house in the chart. These are indicated by the twelve sections of a birth chart.

It will be seen that although many people may have, for instance the planet Mars in the sign Scorpio in the first house, or the planet Venus in the sign Capricorn in the tenth house, and hence have certain traits in common, the number of ways in which the three factors of planets, signs and houses can be combined is infinite.

Your birth chart is therefore a unique blueprint of your personality, everyone is different. When you are born, the birth chart represents a set of potentials, it describes the "form" of your personality and the contents must be added through the experiences of life.


The Planets
The Sun, Moon and the planets: - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, represent specific functions, drives, or urges within the total personality. Just as in the body the various organs; heart, kidneys, liver etc. perform their own specific functions yet operate as part of a total system; so the planets can be regarded as symbolising the 'organs' of your total personality. The aspects (angles) between the planets show how these functions interact with each other.

The Outer Planets
The planets beyond Saturn: - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, move through the signs so slowly that the sign positions of these planets refer more to the generation of which we are a part, rather than individual characteristics. It is the house position that shows where we will meet with the principles expressed by these planets in our lives. The aspects of these planets to the personal planets show how we get on with the principles they represent.

These trans-Saturnian planets cannot be seen without the aid of a telescope. Therefore they represent powerful forces that are beyond conscious control. These planets connect us with forces and levels of reality beyond our experience as individual human beings. They do this by breaking down the boundaries of the ego (symbolised by Saturn), to allow the inflow of higher ideals and goals into our ego-centred minds. This can often mean the total disruption or destruction of the outer and inner structures of our lives in order to make this possible.

Aspects
A conjunction is where two planets are at the same place, and their energies are merged together. Trines (120 degrees), and sextiles (60 degrees), between two planets indicate an easy flow of energy between the functions involved, they therefore show aspects of your personality that work harmoniously together indicating inherent abilities or talents. Squares (90 degrees) and oppositions (180 degrees), show that there is some stress or tension between the two functions involved. Squares and oppositions between planets therefore indicate inner conflicts and tensions (conscious or unconscious) that throughout your life you will be forced to recognise and express in a positive way. If you are not conscious of these inner conflicts, they will be confronted through seemingly 'fated' external events or in relationships with others, particularly when the planets involved are activated by transits. A tolerance or "orb" of about 8 degrees is allowed either side of the exact aspect, but the wider the orb, the weaker the influence. There are also a number of minor aspects, these are not shown on this chart. They have a smaller orb of influence, and their effects are not always so noticeable.

This is not to say that trines and sextiles are "good" and squares and oppositions are "bad". A chart dominated by flowing aspects may indicate someone for whom everything comes too easily, they will therefore lack any real motivation and may not achieve much during their life. A chart with many stressful aspects, on the other hand, may indicate someone who driven by his or her own inner conflicts, can achieve something of real worth in their lives. The stressful aspects are just as necessary to us as the flowing aspects, and most of us are a fairly even balance of both. The activity of each planet is further modified by the sign in which it is placed, the effects of these modifications in your particular case will be described in the chart analysis.

The Signs
During the course of a year the Sun, as seen from the earth, appears to move in a circle against the background of the stars, this circle is known as the ecliptic. The axis of the earth's rotation is inclined at an angle to the plane of the ecliptic, so, if the earth's equator is imagined to be extended into space, it cuts the plane of the ecliptic at two points known as the equinoxes. One of these points, the vernal or spring equinox, is taken to be the beginning of the circle and is known, both in Astronomy and Astrology, as the first point of Aries. Astrologers then divide the ecliptic into twelve sections of 30 degrees each thus generating the twelve signs. The autumn equinox is directly opposite the first point of Aries and is the beginning of the sign of Libra. When the Sun is at these points, days and nights are of equal length. During the summer months the Sun appears to rise higher and higher in the sky, reaching its highest point at midsummer or the summer solstice, the beginning of the sign of Cancer. This is the time of the longest day and shortest night. Similarly, it reaches its lowest point in the sky in midwinter or the winter solstice, the beginning of the sign of Capricorn. This is the time of the shortest day and longest night.

The signs of zodiac therefore, has nothing to do with actual star constellations, but is based on the relationship between Sun and Earth.

The Houses
You will see that the chart is divided into twelve sections. These represent the division of the space surrounding you at birth. The sign on the first house "cusp" (the line that marks the beginning of the house) is the sign that was rising over the horizon at the time and place of your birth this is your rising sign, (or Ascendant). The sign on the seventh house cusp is the sign that was setting at the time of your birth, the line between the first and 7th house cusps therefore represents the horizon. Planets in the upper hemisphere were therefore above the horizon at the time of birth, and planets in the lower hemisphere were below the horizon; planets in the left hemisphere (left of the line joining the 10th and 4th house cusps) were rising in the east and planets in the right hemisphere were setting in the west. Each house represents a specific area of life experience. The positions of the planets in these houses therefore show in what areas of experience the effects of these planets will be most noticeable. The Ascendant is an important point and has its own particular meaning.

1st House
The 1st house is naturally associated with Aries and its ruling planet Mars. The ascendant is the cusp of the 1st house. This house represents the area of life concerned with our sense of self identity. Signs and planets in this house reflect both who we are and how we meet life. It represents our personal identity, and the need to be a separate and distinct person. The physical body is the material expression of our self identity, and its strengths and weaknesses are indicated by this house. Another way of viewing the 1st house is as the lens through which we perceive life, and which colours our view of existence.

2nd House
The 2nd house is naturally associated with the sign of Taurus and its ruling planet Venus. After establishing our self-identity in the 1st house, we turn, in the 2nd, to our possessions and what we own. This house represents the area of life concerned with the accumulation of wealth and resources as a secure basis from which to act in the world. This can mean the accumulation of money and material possessions, but on a higher level, it represents innate or acquired skills and gifts which give us a sense of value, worth and personal security. The 2nd house stabilises the self-identity acquired in the 1st.

3rd House
The 3rd house is naturally associated with the sign Gemini and its ruling planet Mercury. After stabilising our self identity, and acquiring a sense of security in the 2nd, we need, in the 3rd house, to establish our relationship to our immediate environment. This house represents the area of experience concerned with communication and the exchange of information with our immediate social environment. It represents the activity of learning and the type and direction of intellectual and educational skills. On a more mundane level, the 3rd house is related to short journeys immediate relatives ( brothers and sisters if any ), and their roles in our lives.

4th House
The 4th house is naturally associated with the sign of Cancer and its ruling planet, the Moon. In the 3rd house we are concerned with communicating with our immediate environment, this leads, in the 4th, to the need to establish a private domain to which we can retreat from the world. The 4th house represents our roots, both psychological and material. In the psychological sense it is our early family and cultural conditioning, which gives us a sense of belonging, and produces deep inner feelings and habit patterns. The 4th house together with the opposite house, the 10th, is connected with our experience of our parents. In the material sense it is our own home, from which we go out to meet the world and to which we can retreat to rest and recuperate. As well as representing our early home environment, this house is also connected with the conditions surrounding us during the second half of life.

5th House
The 5th house is naturally associated with the sign Leo and its ruler the Sun. In the 4th house we establish our material and psychological roots, in the 5th we seek to express our own creativity. Creativity can be expressed through children as extensions of our physical bodies, or through various art forms as extensions of our inner selves. This house is also associated with leisure activities, sports, gambling, love affairs etc. in fact all forms of recreation where we seek to express ourselves freely and without inhibition.
6th House
The 6th house is naturally associated with the sign of Virgo and its ruler Mercury. Having expressed our creativity in the 5th, the 6th house is where we are confronted with the need to adjust to, and learn from, the demands of the material world. This is the house associated with work and service. The 6th house indicates the nature of, and our attitude toward, our working environment and our relations with co-workers, employees or bosses. It is also connected with health and the interaction of mind and body to maintain the efficient (or inefficient) working of our physical bodies.


The houses up to the 7th are all below the horizon and, are concerned with areas of life in which we seek to establish our own sense of individuality. The houses from the 7th to the 12th are above the horizon, and represent the experiences involved in seeking to function as part of a wider social environment.

7th House
The 7th house is naturally associated with the sign of Libra and its ruler Venus. This house represents the field of relationships. If the 1st house is the house of self, then the 7th is the house of others. This house indicates how we express ourselves in our relationships and what qualities we seek in others. In particular it represents the marriage partner, at least the first major relationship with that kind of commitment. In general it represents the area of social contact and the need for relationships of various kinds, and can be extended to our dealings with the general public.

8th House
The 8th house is naturally associated with the sign of Scorpio and its ruler Pluto. If the 7th house represents relationships in general, the 8th represents relationships or partnerships in which something is exchanged or held in common. In sexual relationships there is an emotional exchange, in business partnerships there is an exchange and sharing of finances and resources. This house represents the area of life in which we relate to others on a deeper, more emotional level. It is in this house, therefore, that we often experience emotional pain, crises and death (symbolically that is). Hence this house has various but related meanings. It is the house of sex, beginnings and endings, joint resources and money held in common, and inheritances.

9th House
The 9th house is naturally associated with the sign of Sagittarius and its ruler Jupiter. After the often painful experiences in the 8th, in the 9th house we seek to understand the meaning of our experiences and our connections to the greater whole. This house represents our search for meaning through philosophy and religion. In this area of life we also seek to expand our knowledge and awareness through travel and higher education. Hence this house is also connected with all forms of higher education, travel to foreign lands, the law, religion and the use of the higher or more intuitive mental faculties.

10th House
The 10th house is naturally connected with the sign of Capricorn and its ruler Saturn. The beginning, or cusp, of the 10th house is called the Midheaven. This is the degree of the ecliptic that was at the highest point in the sky at the time and place of birth. The Midheaven and the 10th house therefore represents our ambitions, what we aim for and hope to achieve in the world. In this house we attempt to bring the ideals and aspirations of the 9th to practical realisation. This results in a career or a particular position in the social order. The 10th is also connected with our relations with authority figures in general, and with the way we experienced our parents in particular.

11th House
The 11th house is naturally associated with the sign of Aquarius and its ruler Uranus. Having established a career, public position or our social standing in the 10th, in the 11th house we look to the future and the part we can play as members of various groups or societies. The 11th house therefore represents our hopes and wishes, friends and groups. It is in this area of experience that we seek to act as part of a group that is expressing some greater social need or goal. This house in the chart can indicate how we act in group situations and the kinds of groups to which we are attracted.

12th House
The 12th house is naturally associated with the sign of Pisces and its ruler Neptune. After becoming part of a larger group structure in the 11th, in the 12th house we experience the dissolution of our separate individual ego. This house represents the area of experience where we feel that we are influenced by forces and powers that are beyond our control. In this house we surrender our individual wills to the service of a higher power or ideal, or direct our energies toward greater self realisation and spiritual goals.

On a more mundane level, this house is associated with large institutions such as hospitals and prisons, where many people end up if the self-surrender described above is overdone, or made to the wrong ideals. Hence this house is also known as the house of self-undoing.



Future Forecast
The planetary patterns symbolised in your chart remain fixed throughout your life, but the planets still continue to move around the zodiac after birth. Each planet has its own characteristic cycle. For example, Jupiter takes twelve years to complete one full cycle, Saturn takes 28 to 30 years. In doing so they pass through the Houses of your chart, and make aspects to your natal planets, bringing about experiences that are related to the nature of the transiting planet, the House it is passing through and the planet being aspected. The technique of transits therefore allows the timing of specific experiences, from times of opportunity to major life crises. This brings an understanding of why you have experienced certain things in the past, the reasons for your present experiences, and what you may experience in the future. Transits cannot predict precise events but only the type of experience you will have at a certain time. At all times you have free will as to how you react to these experiences, and whether the planetary energies involved are used positively or negatively.

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