I'm taking a little detour from the astrology school as I felt drawn to write this post. It's something that has come up from time to time, the concern that some-one has a "bad chart" and what that might mean for their life. I always like to reassure people there is no such thing as a bad chart, or a good chart for that matter. There are just charts, and in each chart there are planetary arrangements that work well, and others that present more of a challenge.
The example that comes to mind to make my point is admittedly extreme. Early in my atsrological journey I wondered what Hitler's chart would look like. His date and place of birth are a matter of historical record and with a reputed time of 6.30pm I was able to have a look. Anticipting how the planets might look at their absolute worst, it was something of a surprise to see a very benign looking chart that could have belonged to anyone. Nothing in it screamed mass murderer, yet that is what we know he became. Skeptics would also, correctly, point out that many other people were born on the same day so would have had similar plantery arrangements and did not turn out as Hitler did. So, what I am saying here is, terrible things are not predestined in astrological charts. They come because of the choices we, and others that affect us, make.
To quote a contemporary of Hitler's, and survivor of his genocide programme, Viktor Frankl, man's last freedom is the freedom to choose how he responds to his circumstances.
So how can we use the information in a chart to choose wisely?
Factors in a chart that can be seen as challenging include squares, intercepted signs and planets in signs that don't work well with their particular energy.
Squares often show up as challenges, particularly in earlier life. Holding my own chart as an example, I have Sun in Capricorn in the 12th house square to my Moon and Uranus in Libra in the eighth house. A 12th house Sun in Capricorn is introspsective and, when working well, wise. But with my 8th house Moon in Libra conjunct Uranus, wisdom was often drowned out by unwise emotional decisions. But as we work through those challenges they can become sources of wisdom and strength. We can learn from our tribulations and grow strong. In a recent reading I was told that I lost nothing through the things I went through, in fact I gained. And it has helped me understand when others are struggling, and to be kind and not judge.
When there is a square it is good to look into that square, and see how it can be turned into a strength, and what is the way out. For me I also had a trine between the Moon and Uranus and Venus in Aquarius in the first house. So the way out was to learn to love myself and emotionally detach and learn to be independent in my relationships.
Intercepted signs can also be challenging. These are signs completely engulfed in a house so with no rulership in the chart. The planets that rule that sign, unless they also rule another sign, have no clear expression in the chart. How that often plays out is that the person's environment does not support that aspect of them. Aquarius is intercepted in my chart, so my environment did not support me being independent and emotionally detached. This was something I had to work to learn myself. But the beauty of having to find something on your own terms is that once you have found it, no-one can take it away. It does not depend on any external circumstances or people.
Lastly there are the planets in signs where they just don't work so well. As we know planets have signs that they rule, and as you can imagine if they are also in the sign they rule they are cooking on gas. Not so much if they have landed in the opposite sign when the person was born. In my own chart I have Mercury in Sagittarius. Given that it rules the opposite sign, Gemini, Sagittarius is not it's happy place. Mercury likes data and detail, Sagittarius is too big and not concerned with detail. So many of my report cards as school said I was a scatterbrain. Yup, Mercury in Sagittarius will do that. Too many ideas wirring around, but no organisation. I still miss details when looking at things. I get the big picture, but not the detail. But understanding that something doesn't work so well for you can enable you to develop strategies. And often this involves invoking qualities of the sign where the planet would be happier. I write things down..alot! A bit Gemini and Virgo there. That helps me remember and keeps me on track.
Well I hope this can give some hope to anyone who is worried about what is in a chart. The planets are where they are, but we can always choose to make something a catalyst for growth and often that is where the diamonds are.
Namaste 💜
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