How to Read Your Astrocartography Maps

Any planet within a few degrees on either side of one of these Angles, will express its basic nature strongly (or occassionally be strongly repressed) in accordance with its "astrological signature". This means its aspects with other planets, and with other angles, its house placement, its motion - direct (moving forward) or retrograde (appearing to move backward) - will be emphasized at locations where such a planet is close to an Angle in a Natal or Relocated Astrological Chart.

The natal relationships between planets remains the same no matter where we move, but by relocating, the emphasis changes. We may also add aspects to the angles, trines and sextiles being "auspicious" while squares, sesquisquares, semisquares and oppositions are "challenging". Moving to where a particular planet is "angular" may be good for one person and not good for another, so one must first understand the dynamics of the birth chart to use Astrocartography correctly.

For example: In a well-balanced chart where Venus forms positive aspects (trines and sextiles) with other planets, a Venus Line could indicate a place where the individual might well find popularity, possibly luxury, a certain ease, grace, beauty, Musical appreciation or ability, and maybe Love - all depending on the angle, the level of individual integration of the Venus energies, and the chart factors affecting Venus and the 7th and second house, which it rules. A person with mostly oppositions and squares to their Venus, however, might find co-dependent partnerships, or disappointing, even abusive relationships where Venus is on an Angle, especially on the Descendant.

Although one's basic nature rarely changes by moving to a new location, a shift in emphasis can sometimes work wonders! If you were born at 3pm in New York, it was noon in California. A natal chart constructed on the East coast at three would look different than one constructed on the West Coast at noon. On closer examination, you would see that the planets are in the exact same relationship to each other in both charts, but the Angles have shifted, highlighting different planets which may be in different houses as well in the relocated chart. The greater the distance moved east or west, the more substantial the changes.

An example: Perhaps you live where Saturn in Capricorn is rising and Jupiter in Sagittarius is in the 12th house. You are a hard worker but may get depressed and you can barely make ends meet. Life seems hard and you blame yourself. You can't seem to shake that negative attitude. A friend who lives about 1000 miles to the west convinces you to come for a visit. In her town, you now have Sagittarius rising with Jupiter strengthened on the Ascendant and Saturn diminished as it is placed further from the Ascendant. On your visit you have a great time, meet new people who are a lot of fun, are offered a more prestigious job at your friend's firm, and decide to move there. Once back where Saturn is angular, you start doubting yourself, but your friend is now expecting you so you go through with the move. Once established, you feel like you have a new lease on life, find it easy to make new friends, and bring home a good salary. You're happy to have found a place where you can belong and feel more zest for life!

Of course, this is the ideal! Most planets in our natal charts form a mix of aspects, some challenging and others gratifying. Some charts can be adjusted to a more positive "turn of the wheel" more readily than others. Sometimes what we project as our "best" place is in the middle of the ocean or in the frozen tundra. Other times we may think we want things easy when our greatest growth comes through facing life's challenges. All Astrocartography can do is offer information about possible potentials - it can not make promises. But if you are unhappy where you are, it's worth taking a look at your natal chart and then at Astrocartography maps. It may give you ideas that you may want to pursue, or validate hunches you've secretly felt all along. But remember, if your expectations are unrealistic, disappointment will surely follow. Astrocartography expands your options, but only you are responsible for the choices you make in life.

The lines that spread out from your birth place are called Planetary Directions or Local Space lines and they represent fields of energy corresponding to the planets in your natal chart as they are aligned with the four directions (the Ascendant rises in the east, Mid-heaven is high noon or south, Descendant is dusk or west and I.C. is midnight or north). These planetary energies radiate outward from your place of birth, carrying their influence across the globe, reuniting at the spot on the other side of the earth that is opposite your birth place. They are thinner than the ACG lines and have nothing to do with the Angles of a chart but do indicate secondary planetary influences. These lines are often removed from the World map to eliminate confusion. They are marked with a circle enclosing the symbol of the planet on the line.

The Astrocartography (ACG) lines are fatter than the Directions Lines and have a box with an angle specified (As, Mc, Ds, or Ic) along with the planet symbol in the margin of the map. There is also a circle with the planetary glyph on the Mid-heaven line between 25 degrees north and 25 degrees south. This marks the zenith declination point for that planetary energy and signifies the place where that planet is at its strongest, ie "at its zenith." That entire latitude all across the globe is significant and can signify places where you may have increased possibility to become known for work done of the nature of that planet. (Mercury zenith latitude might be important for a writer, Venus zenith for a beauty queen or beautician, fashion designer, or PR person. Jupiter zenith is good for a politician, Pluto for an archeologist, Saturn for a researcher, Uranus for a political activist, Sun for creative self expression, etc.)

Parans are a tertiary planetary influence and signify the Latitude where 2 ACG lines cross. As the world turns, their influence is felt at all locations along the same Latitude, just as Zenith points are. The range of influence for a Paran is 2 degrees of latitude north or south. If you want to avoid or pull in the energy of a Paran, you can move north or south from 30 to 100 miles. The tighter the orb, the stronger its influence at a given locale.

Timing is also an important factor. Astrology 2000 can print Progressed Astrocartography Maps and Transiting Astrocartography Maps as well as Natal. (Each additional Map costs $5.) These are especially helpful in determining the best time to make a move, go on vacation, visit relatives, etc. If a place you want to move to or visit is under a strong Saturn or Pluto influence this year, or Mars & Uranus together, you may want to postpone that trip until a more favorable time. Perhaps you crave the intensity of a Pluto experience, or the excitement of Uranus (but with Mars, watch out for accidents) and want to go anyway. These are personal decisions and no astrologer should make them for you. But an an Astrocartographer can sketch a picture for you of the kind of experience you might experience. Sometimes this is very helpful. When coupled with an awareness of Transiting (Timing) influences, you can make an informed decision.

Location Reports are available (also for $5 per city) that will sum up these, the 3 most important factors influencing a location: (be sure to note the degree of influence for each planet: "Strong" will be felt, "Moderate" is less obvious, and "Weak" may not contribute significantly to your experience.)