You also may run across a few other predictive techniques: Secondary Progressions and Solar Progressions. These are a wee-bit advanced and require a certain level of skill, but I wanted to include them anyhow because my goal is for you to have a basic understanding of as many astrology things as possible. At the very least, this info may help you know what astrologers are talking about. But my secret hope? It's the catalyst to get your curiosity aroused enough to keep studying. Perpetual student? Yes!
Progressions are another way to examine what's happening in the future. A progressed chart shows where you're heading, or your “progress.” In other words, it shows the possibility of who you're becoming.
Secondary Progressions, also merely called Progressions, are the most widely used by modern astrologers. They show how you're evolving. Because, yeah, no one remains the same over time, right?
Secondary Progressions use a method called a “day for a year.” Here's how they work: each day of your life after your birth represents a year of your life. Let's say you were born on January 3, 1986, and you wanted to see the trajectory of your life at age twenty. Look ahead in the ephemeris to January 23, 1986. In other words, you'll treat the planetary positions of the days that follow your birthdate as if they were actually years instead of days.
The progressed planets will travel around the chart much like transits, but things are not happening quickly. For example, the Sun, which takes about thirty days to go through a sign, will take about thirty years to make its entry into a different sign. On the other hand, the slower-moving planets may not move much, if at all. Progressed planets can also go retrograde or direct, just like in the natal chart.
You can use your ephemeris to calculate by hand, or you can use astrology software, which should have a setting for Secondary Progressions.
The progressed planets that I find to be the most significant are the Sun and Moon. Your progressed Sun will show the new you that is developing, whereas the progressed Moon will indicate how you're evolving emotionally. By the way, your Ascendant and Midheaven will also progress! Check them out, and you'll see how your identity and standing in the world are shifting.
Let's look at a sample chart!
In our sample, we are looking at a woman who is thirty-four years old and a writer. As you can see, the slower-moving planets have not budged much, but other planets have changed houses and signs, which gives a glimpse as to how she's evolving. Let's cover a few points so you get the gist of how this works.
Her progressed Sun is in Scorpio, which means that the energy of that sign may be more prominent in her personality at this time. Instead of balanced Libra, perhaps she's more intense in the way she's expressing herself. It's also conjunct her natal Venus, which might indicate a lot of attention to her love life. Note that it's in the ninth house; this could indicate something major happening with travel, education, or publishing. Because she's a writer, I would assume that a lot of good things may be happening at this time with her writing career. Perhaps this year may be the one when she signs on with a publisher or travels to promote her book.
The Moon is also progressed into Scorpio, which amplifies that mysterious yet passionate side of her persona. Because it's in her eighth house, I would say that she's probably entering a time in her life when her intuition will be working for her. It's also possible that sex will be playing a major role in her life. Also, that Moon is conjunct her natal Saturn; emotions are serious business at this time. Money negotiations too.
Progressed Mercury sits high in her natal tenth house—the mark of the writer!
Lastly, her progressed Venus is sitting in her tenth house of career and conjunct her natal Mars. This feels like an important time in her career. She's coming into a time when she may be getting a lot of accolades or opportunities. That Venus Mars combo also serves to add passion to her love life. I would say that this shows that intuition, sex, and creativity are the major players in her life at this time. And her career as a writer? She's developing that beautifully.
This is just a tiny example of how this works. When interpreting a progressed chart, follow the rules by looking at what sign the planet is in, which house it occupies, and what aspects it's making to your natal planets. That will give you a good idea of where you're heading.
Another standard method of progressions is Solar Arc Progressions, which use the progressed Sun's arc, or the number of degrees and minutes it's moved forth since birth and added to each natal planet. Here's how that works: if you're ten years old, just add 10 degrees to each natal planet. Ta-da! Solar Arc Progressions indicate how you're handling things that are happening around you. In other words, how are events shaping you?
As you work with the Solar Arc Progressions, note when the planets change signs, change houses, or make conjunctions to an angle of the chart. Also, if they make major aspects to your natal planets, that could be significant.
Basically, you want to look at what's changing and how that compares to the natal chart. Using the same sample chart, let's see how the Solar Arc Progression looks.
You'll notice that the Solar Arc progressed planets are in different places than the Secondary Progressions. You'll also see that the planets are in the same formation as in the natal chart but all moved ahead by 34 degrees, one degree for every day.
What's interesting to me is Saturn in the tenth house. It just crossed over her Mid-heaven, which shows that she's entered a serious time in her career, a period when she can gain credibility. Also, the progressed Moon is in her seventh house of relationships, a sign of an important emotional connection.
An opposition with progressed Jupiter to her natal Moon could indicate challenges to the emotional health. Perhaps with her star rising, her stress levels increase, creating a need for more privacy.
Keep in mind that the aspects in the Solar Arc Progression remain the same as in the natal chart, whereas the aspects in the Secondary Progressed chart will change. Hence, I prefer to stick with the Secondary Progression mainly because I think it's more crucial for prediction. When I want a complete, detailed assessment of what's up, however, I look at the current transits, Secondary Progression, followed by the Solar Arc Progression. It's a lot to consider, but hey, I've got three planets in Virgo. I want all the details!
Secondary Progressions (calculated as a year for a day) show who you're becoming, and Solar Arc Progressions (calculated as a degree for a day) show how you respond to the Secondary Progressions or transits. In other words, use the Secondary Progressions to determine your evolution as a human and the Solar Arc Progression to see how you're handling the things the cosmos is throwing at you.
Your turn! Using your astrology software, find the settings for Secondary Progressions and Solar Arc Progressions. Cast your charts! Then go through each chart as slowly as you need. Where is the progressed Sun? What about the Moon? Are any planets changing signs or houses? Do any planets sit directly on the main angles (Ascendant, Nadir, Descendant, Midheaven)? Are the progressed Sun and Moon making exact aspects to planets in your natal chart? What house or portion of the chart is emphasized?
Using the info you uncover in your Progressed charts, ask yourself this: who am I becoming? How is my world evolving? How can I make the most out of this? What information will I use to uplevel my life?
Secondary Progressions: Time to Remember by Nancy Hastings.
Progressions by Robert P. Blaschke.