Placidus is a Renaissance-era way of estimating homes based on the passage of time. It works by recording the house cusps in two-hour intervals from your birth time. The cusp of the 1st house is marked by the degree of the zodiac sign rising on the Eastern Horizon at the moment of your birth.
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How can you figure out the houses in your birth chart?
The Ascendant also displays the ruling planet of the chart. A person with a Sagittarius Ascendant, for example, is ruled by generous Jupiter, but someone with a Pisces Ascendant is ruled by compassionate Neptune.
The Ascendant is used not only to determine our personal geography, but also to design the chart’s unique architecture. The Ascendant’s horizontal line delineates the First House in birth charts read counterclockwise. We follow the sections, or Houses, and begin our ascent to the top of the chart on the right side of the horizon line at the Descendent. Finally, the Twelfth House, which borders the Ascendant to the north, brings the cycle to a close.
What astrology system is the most accurate?
Unlike Western astrology, which has a reputation for being more wrong than right, Vedic astrology has a proven track record of accuracy.
What’s the difference between Placidus and Porphyry?
To begin, I’d want to point you that the home system we utilize can cause our planets to move from one house to another. This is significant because it affects how we trisect our chart’s quadrants and whether a planet on a cusp is in one house or the other.
I wrote this post eight years ago in reaction to an email informing me that an entire comment stream at a well-known astrological chat room had been blasted due to highly hostile discourse. That astounded me, because it makes no sense to argue about which housing system to employ.
This is an excerpt from my original piece, which has been rewritten for readability:
The following is what I was emailed, with the site’s name removed:
Greetings to all members Debate is an important part of intellectual discovery and learning. (This website) promotes constructive debate. When a post or thread descends into a caustic and adversarial personal squabble, all focus and value is lost, and (this site) and its members are denigrated. That was the case with the “What House system do you use?” discussion. All good stuff, as well as the counterproductive, has been removed from the discussion. According to your viewpoint, verbal abuse of life’s demigods and demons is allowed. Abuse in the __ community is not tolerated.
Wow. I’ve seen folks get worked up over a variety of topics, but never about an astrologer’s house system. I’m not sure how it happened, and I’m not sure I want to get involved over there, but it appears that this uncivil discourse reflects the current state of events in our society.
As a result, I’ve decided to try to explain what some of the different housing systems are all about. Only the horizon (ascendant-descendant) and meridian (midheaven-nadir) are determined by the time and location of birth. Whether you compute on the basis of a space-based system, a time-based system, or a space-time based system determines how you generate the boundaries (cusps) between dwellings.
Placidus’ houses are space-time, Equal’s dwellings are space-based, and Porphyry’s houses are space-based. Others include Campanus, Koch, Regiomontanus, Morinus, Alcabitian, Albategnian, and even those who divide the sphere into eight rather than twelve sectors, as well as those who delete all of the houses. We won’t go into detail about the advantages and disadvantages of any of these because most of my readers would be bored.
Though there is no consensus on which system is the finest (and it appears that some supporters of other systems are ready to fight! ), I have always utilized many systems at the same time in my work and been satisfied with the results. When I first started studying astrology, I discovered that depending on whatever system is used, several of my planets shift houses.
For example, using the Placidus system, I have Saturn in the 3rd house, whereas using the Porphyry and Equal systems, it is in the 2nd. Which is it, then? As I read the passages, I recognized that both looked to be correct. How is that possible?
Because both manifestations were true at one point or another, I came to the conclusion that, since none of these house “boundaries” are set in stone, I should think of the wheel in terms of zones of overlapping house boundaries, such as the areas where the first and second houses interact, or the second and third, or the eighth and ninth houses overlap, and so on.
This has worked really well for everyone I’ve read for over the years, and it helps to resolve some difficulties in how different aspects of our charts and lives interact. With Saturn in the overlapping zone between the second and third houses in my chart, it appears that I’ll need to use my Saturn function to figure out how it influences my values (2nd) and perception (3rd) areas, as well as where they intersect within myself.
I have to cope with a natural Saturn in the 2nd influence at times, and Saturn in the 3rd at other times. At all times, as expressed through my Saturn perspective, how these zones intersect and interact with one another.
Regardless of whatever house system is in use, I learn about Saturn from both aspects of my life and find Saturn’s impact in both. This holds true in your own charts as well. When a planet connects two houses, it is critical for your evolution to relate those aspects of your life with the planet in question.
Perhaps it would be beneficial to astrology (and bring some peace back to the realm!) if we could get past the notion that one system is correct and the others are incorrect, as I believe this is delusional thinking based on linear, restrictive rationalizations. Religious wars, whatever name you give them, are built on “winner-take-all” arguments. I don’t want any of my readers to get into a fight or disrespect one other over something as silly as whether one home system is better than the others.
Perhaps this is the most significant benefit of the quadrant system, sometimes known as the “no house” approach. To hit a note precisely, we don’t need frets on a guitar neck. They’re basically reference points that assist you get from point A to point B. The lines that divide the dwellings are the same way. Nearer to the horizontal axis, the sphere of self-not-self expands. Anything along the vertical axis is more in the domain of subjective-objective experience, or private-public experience.
It doesn’t matter whether a planet is “more really” in one house or another when it’s on the cusp; what matters is its relative position to the meridians. And attacking someone simply because they disagree with a house system is ridiculous.
What does the 11th house symbolize?
The Eleventh House is where you make your social debut, as well as the greeting you receive. It’s the classic house of friends, but it also includes coworkers and social circles. Aquarius and Uranus/Saturn share this house.
What does it indicate in astrology to have empty houses?
Interpreting your horoscope is a difficult task. In addition to knowing your sun, moon, and rising signs, you must also know the 12 sectors that your chart is divided into, known as houses. Each of the planets moves through a different house in astrology, and each house influences a different aspect of your life. When I initially started learning astrology, it took me the longest to figure out the houses, and one of my major challenges was figuring out what empty houses meant in astrology.
Because there are 12 houses and only 10 planets, everyone will have at least one empty house, which isn’t a problem. Simply put, the empty house in question in your birth chart represents a part of your life that may or may not be as important to you as the houses containing planets. This house may take further steps to fully comprehend its significance in your horoscope (and, of course, in your life), but there is a quick and simple approach to do it.
When looking at a birth chart, many of the planets are generally found in the same house. Mercury and Venus can never be more than one sign apart from the sun, and Mercury and Venus can never be more than two signs apart from the sun. As a result, these two planets are more likely to be found in the same home as the sun, leaving more of the houses vacant. When a house in your birth chart is empty, you’ll just look to the ruler of that house to completely comprehend how its meanings manifest in your life.
What does the 9th house symbolize?
In Astrology, the 9th house is also known as the Dharma Bhava. The 9th house, or Dharma Bhava, represents religious inclinations, dutifulness, uprightness, good karma, morality (ethics), and higher & spiritual ideals. The power of the 9th house influences whether or not a person will be religious. It determines the differences between conservatism and modernism, orthodoxy and heterodoxy, and so forth. The 9th house also determines whether or not one will be generous. As a result, the 9th house determines the direction and flow of our ideas, as well as our attitude and approach to life.
What is the most effective method for learning astrology?
Astrologer Kelly Surtees joins the podcast in this episode to discuss some recommendations for learning astrology and eventually becoming an astrologer.
The conversation is based in part on a post I did on my blog several years ago titled 10 recommendations for understanding astrology. (Update 8/18/2018: watch also my video on five short beginner astrology recommendations.) I wanted to revisit the subject in order to dig a little deeper into some of the suggestions and add a few new ones.
Kelly and I take you from the very first steps you need to take in order to begin your studies in astrology, assuming you know nothing or very little about it, all the way to the intermediate and advanced phases of learning about the subject, during the course of the show.
The end result is a 3-5 year framework for how to become an astrologer, and by the end of the program, we’ll have gotten the listener to the stage where they should be able to transition into professional astrology practice.
I’ve included an outline of some of the subjects covered in the program below, but please visit the original blog post linked at the top of the page for a full article with all of the links.
Studying Astrology: Episode Outline
Kelly’s three key astrological learning suggestions are as follows:
- Readbooks/blogs/websites/journals.
- Make contact with other people who are interested in astrology. Meetups, local astrology groups, and online astrology groups are all options.
- Educate yourself and get official training. Choose a person you can meet in person or an online course that interests you.
Tips for learning astrology in particular:
- www.astro.com can provide you with a copy of your birth chart.
- If at all possible, double-check your birth time.
- Learn the symbols for the zodiac signs, planets, aspects, and more.
- Kelly provides a free handout with the icons for the planets and zodiac signs.
- She also has some more astrological handouts for beginners here.
- Make use of free online resources. Blogs, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Reddit, and other social media platforms
- Dictionary of Astrology
- Reddit’s Astrology section
- For astrology videos, go to Chris’ YouTube account.
- Get yourself a few astrology books. Here are some decent books for beginners:
- April Elliott Kent’s The Essential Guide to Practical Astrology
- Derek and Julia Parker’s Astrology is a book on astrology.
- Helena Avelar and Luis Ribeiro’s On the Heavenly Spheres
- Richard Tarnas’ Cosmos and Psyche
- Stephen Arroyo’s Chart Interpretation Handbook
- Principles of Practical Natal Astrology, by Kevin Burk, is his most recent book.
- The Mountain Astrologer magazine is available for subscription.
- On their website, they also feature a fantastic beginner’s series.
- Learn to read an ephemeris if you don’t already have one.
- The free online ephemeris from Astrodienst.
- Learn how to use an ephemeris in our guide.
- With Astro.com’s unique daily horoscope, you can start tracking your transits.
- Begin by charting the Moon’s path through your houses or making aspects to planets in your birth chart.
- Examine the horoscopes of your friends, family, and celebrities.
- AstroDatabank has birth information for a number of celebrities.
- Use online forums to connect with other astrologers.
- Skyscript, Astrodienst, Facebook, and other similar services are available.
- Meet up with astrologers in your area. Meetup.com, the NCGR, and a Google search are all good places to start.
- Start your own meetup if there isn’t one already.
- Take an astrological course, either online or in person.
- Kepler College, The International Academy of Astrology, The Faculty of Astrological Studies, The American College of Vedic Astrology, or classes taught by Chris or Kelly are all good places to start.
- Kelly delivers A Beginner’s Online Astrology Course: Practical Astrology.
- Chris teaches ancient astrology through his online course.
- Become a member of an astrological organization.
- AAGB, ACVA, AYA, FAA (in Australia), NCGR, ISAR, AFA, AFAN, OPA, AAGB, ACVA, AYA, FAA (in Australia), and so on.
- Attend a conference on astrology.
- Next week, NORWAC will be in Seattle.
- Obtain certification (?)
- Certification’s benefits and drawbacks.
Download or Stream This Episode of the Podcast
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What is the difference between Vedic and Western astrology?
What is the difference between Vedic and Western Astrology? The concepts of Vedic astrology are based on lunar and planetary motions, but Western astrology uses merely the date of birth to forecast numerous life events.
What factors go into determining house cusps?
Consider the chart wheel to be a large ribbon with all 12 signs of the zodiac lining the interior like wallpaper dots.
The twelve house cusps are affixed to the center of the circle like hands on a clock, each pointing to a specific dot, or degree, on the wallpaper. If you were born with 15 degrees of Sagittarius rising in your horoscope, the first house is ruled by Sagittarius “The hand was pointing to the middle of the Sagittarius constellation. If you were born near the equator, you were born in the second house “The third house would be in the center of Capricorn, the third house in the middle of Aquarius, and so on.
The catch: Depending on which home system you choose and how far north or south you were born on the equator, things can go a little weird. Some homes are rather huge, while others are quite little. If Sagittarius is on the cusps of both your first and second homes, Capricorn is skipped entirely, and Aquarius is on the cusp of your third house. This is referred to as an interception. Capricorn is still present; however, all 30 degrees of the sign are buried in the second house, with no clock hand pointing in their direction. The sign on the house cusp conducts the public relations, while the intercepted sign works behind the scenes.