• CHAPTER ONE •
Like all else in astrology, the predictive art is both simple and complex. Some charts are very straightforward, with the probable outcome plainly evident even to the novice. Others are incredibly complex, so much so that they can stump even the most seasoned astrologer.
Each chart is something of a puzzle that requires the astrologer to follow a trail of clues, unraveling them to find a solution. The clues are, in essence, a set of rules that, when observed, can help you pinpoint anything from a job offer to an inheritance to a romantic opportunity. Success is all in knowing the rules and applying them to the chart in question.
the roots of prediction
Astrology came into existence about 3,000 years ago when people first began to observe a correlation between the planetary positions and life on Earth. Then, and for hundreds of years following, the birth chart and the predictive chart were one and the same. There were no separate predictive tools.
The birth chart was used to predict the person’s overall life. As deterministic as this sounds today, people had few choices at that time. A person born into a family of serfs, for example, had little hope of becoming an educated clergyman. In other situations, the ancient astrologers would observe the planetary positions and predict the outcome of, for example, a war. All the charts were, in essence, horary charts. Horary astrology is the branch of astrology used to answer a specific question. Ancient chart reading was the equivalent of asking what a person’s life would be like: whether a child would become king, if a certain individual would become a thief, or if there would be drought and famine.
The first use of predictive astrology can be traced to Ptolemy, an astronomer and astrological writer who lived in the second century. Much of his work, including the well-known Tetrabiblos, is a compilation of the Greek astrological knowledge in existence at the time. His predictive method involved advancing every planet one degree for every year of the individual’s life.
It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that predictive methods took a step forward. By then, people were using trigonometry, and astrologer Valentine Naibod began using what today we call the solar arc method, where every planet is advanced 0°59'08" per year. This is the Sun’s annual motion, and the method is called Naibod’s Measure.
A technique called primary directions was used for centuries, but this involved complicated computations and so it eventually fell out of favor. Solar and lunar returns have also been used for centuries.
Seventeenth century astrologer Placidus de Titus created two techniques that are widely used today: the Placidus system of house division and secondary progressions.
predictive techniques
Astrologers use a variety of techniques when working on a predictive forecast. Each is valid, although not every astrologer uses every technique. The choice of technique depends upon a number of factors, including what astrologers learned as students, what their mentors used, and what they believe from experience work best. The most popular are outlined below and will be fully explained in succeeding chapters.
Progressions
Also called directions (mainly in older books), progressions use a day-for-a-year formula. For example, if your birthday is June 1, the planets in your progressed chart at age twenty-four would be their zodiacal location on June 24, or your twenty-fourth year of life. You will need an ephemeris, which lists the planetary positions by degree and sign for each day of the year to find the position of progressed planets. Count June 1 as first year of life, June 2 as second year, and so on. (Ephemeris books are compiled in volumes from one year to 151 years. A more complete explanation about how to use an ephemeris can be found in Chapter 2.) Progressions indicate major trends that are in effect as long as a year.
Solar Arcs
Solar arcs are similar to progressions and also indicate major trends. The difference is that they are calculated based on the motion of the Sun. In this system, every planet moves at the same rate of speed, making it easy to calculate solar arcs based on your age alone. For example, at age forty-four, every planet in your birth chart will have moved forward approximately forty-four degrees by solar arc, thus maintaining the same distance relationship to every other planet in your birth chart.
Transits
This is where the planets are on any given day. If you’re interested in knowing what events might transpire on November 5 of a given year, you would consult an ephemeris for the planetary positions on that date. The outer planet transits indicate major trends, and the inner planet transits function as triggers to initiate action indicated by progressions, solar arcs, and outer planet transits.
Lunations and Eclipses
There are two lunations each month: the New Moon and the Full Moon. Four or more of these each year are also solar (New Moon) or lunar (Full Moon) eclipses. In addition to indicating an area of emphasis for that month (or six months to a year in the case of an eclipse), lunations also can function as triggers for progressed planets, solar arcs, and outer planet transits.
Solar, Lunar, and Planetary Returns
Two of these predictive tools, the solar and lunar returns, indicate the trends for a year (solar) or a month (lunar). A solar return is a chart calculated for the exact moment the Sun returns to its place in your birth chart, and thus occurs on your birthday (or possibly the day before or after, depending upon your birth time). A lunar return uses the same principle, but on a monthly basis, when the Moon returns to where it was when you were born. Planetary return charts are also calculated for the time a natal planet, such as Mercury or Venus, returns to where it was at your birth. Mercury returns occur annually, and Venus returns occur annually or biannually, depending on the retrograde motion of transiting Venus. Usually, but not always, these returns are near your birth date. The timing of other planetary return charts varies according to the speed, measured in years, at which the planet transits the entire zodiac.
Diurnal
Diurnal charts are used for daily forecasting. Using the current transiting planets in combination with your birth time and place, the diurnal chart offers insight into the general tone of the day, what your focus will be, and whether it will be easygoing or hectic, for example.
Horary
Mastering this branch of astrology can take a lifetime of study, and is well beyond the scope of this book. However, some of these charts are relatively easy to read and can be an asset as an adjunct to other techniques, primarily when you need a yes or no answer. Beyond that, this “ask a question, get an answer” technique requires the use of extensive rules and an in-depth study of the chart, which is calculated for the moment the question is asked.
Mundane
This branch of astrology is used to forecast trends and events for cities, states, provinces, and countries, as well as the weather. Lunation, eclipse, and solar ingress charts are the most commonly used, and transits and progressions to the charts of cities, states, provinces, and countries can also be revealing. Reading these charts takes practice and it’s necessary to become familiar with the meaning of the houses, planets, and signs from a mundane perspective. Financial astrology, which is used for investing, also falls in this category.
predictive astrology: what it is, and isn’t
Is it really possible to predict when you’ll earn a promotion or meet the man or woman of your dreams? Yes and no.
Unlike the weather, people have free will. Think of all the choices you’ve made in your life. Did you choose option A or option B, or choose to do nothing at all? Unfortunately, the world is filled with people who made unwise choices at one point or another, choices that changed their lives. It’s also filled with people who made wise choices and changed their lives.
The point is this: never depend upon astrology to make decisions for you (or for others, no matter how much they plead). Instead, consider predictive astrology to be another tool in your life tool box. When used in combination with your own reasoning power and your knowledge of a given situation, predictive astrology can often give you the edge. As a wise person once said, “It’s all in the timing.”
Astrology can indicate when the timing is right, for example, to aim for a promotion, send out your resume, socialize with friends in hopes of meeting a romantic interest, save rather than spend, return to school, relocate, or purchase property. Without this knowledge, you could miss out on a fantastic career opportunity. Or you could buy a home or sign a lease when there are strong astrological indicators that a second relocation might be on the horizon. By being aware of periods when money might be tight, you can plan ahead to increase savings.
Even the best trends will produce absolutely nothing if you don’t act on them. The job offer won’t be forthcoming if you don’t submit your resume, the spectacular sale won’t save you money if you don’t shop, and you won’t earn a college degree until you first apply for admission. The goal is to find the right time to act.
Predictive astrology can also give you the edge in daily activities. Say you have an important meeting or presentation on a given day. By looking at the planetary positions for that day, you can determine whether people will be generally impatient, open-minded, emotional, hot-headed, or agreeable. With this knowledge, you’ll be better prepared to handle the day’s events.
sun-sign astrology
Friends, relatives, and acquaintances will be quick to ask you to tell them their future when they discover you’re learning predictive astrology. Their requests will be followed by: “My birthday is …”
This is, of course, the downside of Sun-sign astrology (the daily horoscopes found on the Internet and in newspapers and magazines that most people define as astrology because they have no other knowledge of the subject). Sun-sign forecasts are valid up to a point, but they’re based only on the sign the Sun was in at birth. That’s only one planet out of ten! Not to mention the all-important angles of the chart (Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant, and IC). Unfortunately, much of the general public isn’t aware of the difference, so be prepared to explain the reason why you can’t forecast someone’s future off the top of your head.
In order to fully understand (and to explain to others) the difference between a Sun-sign chart and a timed chart, it’s helpful to know how both are derived. A timed chart has a sign on the Ascendant, which is the cusp of the first house; a succeeding sign on the cusp of the second house; and so on around the chart. A Sun-sign chart, which is untimed, has no Ascendant. Instead, the Sun sign functions as the first house cusp. To illustrate this, your timed chart might have transiting Saturn in the tenth house, pointing to a strongly emphasized career period. But your Sun-sign chart might show transiting Saturn in the fifth house of recreation and children, completely missing the strong career trend in your life. Your individualized house emphasis, an important part of interpretation, is completely missing in your Sun-sign forecast.
However, in-depth Sun-sign forecasts that target particular birth dates can be very insightful. This is because these forecasts focus on the effects of outer planet transits to a particular birth date (month and day). These transits are nearly as powerful in both timed and untimed charts. After all, the Sun represents you, the person, in the birth chart, no matter in what house and sign your Sun is located. Just ask anyone who has lived through a year or two with transiting Uranus or Pluto contacting his or her Sun! Because of the many other factors taken into consideration in in-depth forecasts versus short daily forecasts, they can also (often with a good deal of accuracy) forecast other trends based only on the Sun sign. However, absolutely nothing can take the place of an accurately timed chart.
predicting with the
birth chart
It is not only impossible but unwise to try and derive an accurate forecast without first studying the birth chart. This point cannot be overemphasized. Doing so can be equated to driving to a new destination without first getting directions. Every turn and road traveled is based on those directions, the map that guides you.
The birth chart is often called a map, meaning a map of life. It is your starting point, the skills, talents, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses with which you are equipped at birth. No matter how hard you wish or how much effort you put into something, if the potential isn’t there at birth, it’s unlikely to happen. This is why some people are engineers, others are financial wizards, and still others are astrologers. So before attempting to predict your future, please read the companion book to this volume, Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Astrology.
As your birth chart—your map of life—unfolds in tune with the ever-moving planets, so too does your potential unfold through many experiences, much experimentation, learning, and increasing self-knowledge. How does this apply to predictive astrology?
Suppose a birth chart indicates fear of commitment and every predictive tool indicates that a once-in-a-lifetime period for the start of a lasting relationship is approaching. If the person has not yet dealt with that fear of commitment, the positive predictive indications are unlikely to overcome that trait. On the other hand, these positive predictive influences could motivate the individual to seek counseling to overcome the pattern.
Or suppose a birth chart indicates there is a tendency for an individual to be not only a risk-taker but also accident-prone. A day with a strong Mars transit would not be a good choice for sky diving or race car driving!
It’s thus vital to begin with the birth chart, from which you can gain a full understanding of the individual it represents. Only at that point can you forecast how someone might respond to current planetary influences.
Your chart is the best learning tool you have because you know yourself best. By looking for upcoming predictive influences and then noting what effect they have, you will begin to learn how your chart—and you—respond in various events and situations. Be prepared to be surprised. Charts do not always respond in predictable ways, just as people do not. Or so it will seem at first. The astrology is accurate if correctly interpreted, but it’s tough to maintain an objective perspective when looking at your own chart. In the process, and in addition to learning how your chart responds to various predictive factors, you will learn much more about yourself. That can definitely help you become the best you can be.