I started using equal houses from day one, based on the degree of the Ascendant, making every house cusp the same degree full 30. I do seem to check the popular placidus system too, but find both of these systems to work in parts, with different people or even in same chart but different areas while they don't work in other areas. I see a blending of different areas of life (houses), not just a fixed line.
The cusp of each house can't be trusted that much, since there is so many different ones that you could choose to use. The only sure way to know is if it's your own chart and look at all the different ways objectivity, figuring out which ones fit you the best. But again, i find one single system doesn't work for entire chart.
In the beginning of the ancient days of astrology, they didn't even use house systems. The signs determined the houses. Whatever sign was on the eastern horizon, would start the 1st house; simple as that. Astrology can get very complex, there is a never ending rabbit hole, tho sometimes, it's nice to simplify as well, which can give easy insight that we might have over-looked before when too focused in on the deep details.
If you are interested in following your transits through the different areas of your life, then you might try the "whole signs system" while not factoring in degree orbs or aspects besides the general signs in relation to each-other, like the chart I've created above. At least in addition to using other methods.
Using my own chart, i'll show you how this changes the perspective a bit. My natal chart seen through this perspective above, can give good insight when we add the transit placements around the chart. In most systems, my sun is in 10th house Libra, but in equal house and whole signs, Libra is my 11th house while Virgo becomes my 10th; and yet, Venus is the ruler of Libra, while Mercury in my Libra is the ruler of Virgo. This connects them together thru mutual reception. This alone would mean that my 9th, 10th and 11th houses are all involved in my 10th house areas of life - reputation, public image, vocation, etc. In addition, and just for fun, we can also make the connection by me being born on Oct 11 (10-11) also indicating house 10 and 11 are my most important areas of life.
Back to the astro. Both Libra and Virgo is my career, public image, etc and is where I'll find Venus(the good things about life ;) that also has a 9th house connection - far away from me, but connected to my public life and career, being at the top of my chart, she is very important to me. However, in this chart view above, we see that Neptune is in my Rising sign, at a 90 degree square angle to Venus in Virgo. Oh no. Although by aspect, this Neptune /Venus connection is only medium strength for me, and even less in my old age as i'm conscious to this influence now but in this version of chart analysis, that doesn't matter, it's just showing the influence. In most systems, Neptune is hidden in my 12th house side of Rising but using whole signs, we see the Neptune influence comes out in my Rising sign as a big factor in who i am and what i'm projecting and expressing myself as.Having Neptune in this spot, it shows the element of illusion about who i am. This is the placement of a shapeshifter, that can be anyone, or blend into any surroundings. Neptune Rising would be similar to Pisces Rising. This indicates that people don't have a good solid idea of who i am at first. Neptune makes them see me as they want to see me. It also means i have a strong spiritual element about my life and how i project myself, the type of energy i am here to learn and embrace about myself - Crow- Sag/Neptune - Idealistic, spiritual, faithful, big dreamy ideas, etc.
The connection to Venus has Neptune playing a big role in my love life as well. My Venus is in the sign of Virgo - the sign of perfection, and because she is so connected to all my Libra (also progressed to Libra), it's about this Venus placement being perceived as the most beautiful perfect woman on earth. Remember, Neptune in Sag takes everything to the highest potential, over looking small imperfections that every person has in some way. Common interpretations of this placement will say that I want my woman (Venus) to be perfect and that i will be disillusioned later when i find out that she isn't while becoming nit picky about her traits, pointing out the imperfections, etc. However, that doesn't fit me. A better interpretation of this would be that, despite her imperfections, i only see the best qualities of her. It doesn't mean i'm not conscious of the fact that she's just human like everyone else and shouldn't be placed in such a high regard, it just means that i naturally see past that, perceiving the best of her, only, and not focusing on the negative. She might not even be the most physically beautiful woman on earth, but in my eyes and heart, she will be. I've never been disillusioned about that later.
Venus in Virgo also has an element of the goddess energy, especially when connected to spiritual Neptune in Sag. Virgo has connections to the ancient virgins that held the sacred flame for the community, and were highly regarded for this devotion of service. So this theme is always going to be connected to how i perceive the women i am most attracted to, and love - the sacred Goddess, that i have mass respect and love for. Don't worry though, I have lots of grounded earth energy as well, and it doesn't mean i'm not conscious that this is all fluff and a fairy tale to some degree, tho, ic an't repress it either. But what's the alternative? Only seeing her worst traits, pointing them out all the time like so many people do to their partners? Venus and Neptune connection is extremely sweeeeet and romantic more compassionate and loving to the feminine than the average Joe. This aspect really hasn't brought be any disappointment over time, other than feeling sad when the ultimate highest potential of unconditional love doesn't last forever, broken by her changing feelings over time, not mine.
Another way this aspect plays out is by me having an illusion that i'm some kind of ladies man', or something, projecting that image into my public life sector. lol, i know funny huh. This was most strong in my early years but has recently come to an end after facing my first real Saturn transit to my Neptune/Venus and Rising sign while Neptune transit square my Neptune bringing disillusionment about myself. I was just a kid the last time Saturn was in transit through these aspects so this is a huge maturing and grounding phase for me as Saturn begins to rise in my chart this next couple years, reflecting evolution to the next level of maturity in my life.
Saturn has forced me to get more real with this image that i see myself as. Because i truly believed this about myself in the past, it gave me confidence and the ability to have relationships with women that i normally wouldn't be able to. In my eyes, no woman was outside of my league. Again, funny, i know. These days, reality has set in, and i realize the truth, that i'm far from a pretty boy that can have any woman in the world. Ha. However, this aspect makes the woman, not have a clear understanding of what i look like or who i really am even when first meeting me in person. That's not my fault. Neptune in my rising sign is no accident, i was meant to have this placement as part of my purpose, to perhaps soften reality about myself in order to accomplish what otherwise i couldn't. So i'm not going to beat myself up too bad about this. My moon placement at the apex of a T-Square shows the true reality of who i am.
But back to Neptune and Venus. I will always give more love, with unconditional acceptance to the woman i love, without demanding it in return, and i will always see her as the most beautiful woman on earth. Even if there is a few of them as the years go on, in the moment she is the one and only- the top goddess of them all. This doesn't mean i'm a total sap when in love. I still have a lot of Fire energy with my chart ruler in Aries trine my Ascendant (wink wink). I'm a very aggressive guy, more dominating than submissive, so i still like to have the upper hand in relations but there is definitely a sweet romantic side to me when it comes to sexual relationships. It should be noted however, that this is confined to my love life only and I don't perceive everyone in that light,with the highest potential-- it's only in regards to my Venus.
Having Neptune in the same sign as your Rising will make early life hard to fully see self in reality. However, having astrology is such an enlightening experience that I'm now fully aware of all my self illusions, but still don't have control over how others perceive me before they really know me, which i accept because it's part of my purpose to help get me where i need to go. This placement also allows me to romanticize mountains, and nature in general, same way as women - observing beautiful women in this world just as breathtaking as a divine sunset, or a mountain stream, and vice versa.
Another common problem with having hard aspects from Neptune is addiction issues. However, i'v never faced addictions, at least in the ways we commonly see them thru drugs and alcohol. My addictions is related to Venus - women, pleasure, love adventure, romance, etc. Also maybe sugar, which I've been reining in and controlling these days.
So the above is how all the so called negative with Neptune has been playing out for me, but compared to a lot of other people with strong Neptune energy, mine doesn't seem all that bad, and plus my Neptune is in positive alignment with all my Libra including my Mc, Mercury and Pluto which means my projections, perceptions, communications and opinions of the world and in career are very intuitive and instinctual, not deceptive, but rather has a element of deep spiritual truth and knowing that not everyone can see so clearly. So this is the positive side of Neptune for me. However, being able to take on the pain and suffering of the world also becomes strong which has been a long lesson of training to block and release those forces, while still being compassionate to those suffering.
Checking my chart using this whole signs system, really helps in seeing how this aspect plays out, that you couldn't see as clearly using other house systems. You might give it a try for yourself, and see how your life fits into that perspective. It does take objectivity though, which is easier for me having so much Libra. The one exception i have to using the whole signs system based on your Rising sign is if your Ascendant is in the last 7 degrees or so of the sign. Then, i would make the next sign the Rising and base all your 12 houses from that sign. Most people will have a resistance to that method though. I find it valid, as the next sign will be strong for you no matter what because over time, the next signs is what will begin to rise in your progressions at some point, having a strong influence to how you project yourself in later years.
Using this house system also makes following your transits easier. We can see Mars and Saturn are rising in my chart now and we just had a new moon with Uranus and Venus on my chart ruler Jupiter in the 5th house. In some other systems, Aries Jupiter is my 4th house. However, i find Pisces the most accurate when explaining my 4th house of home, family and roots. Yet, Jupiter in Aries plays a part in that too, so it's actually a combo that using any one house system wouldn't indicate. You need multiple perspectives to get the full picture. Jupiter in Aries in 5th house has fit my life very well, i'm a total risk seeker, loving adventures & thrills; a natural gambler (without addiction) and find romance one of the most enjoying factors of life. Danger has always been something that enlivens me, and Jupiter has given me lots of luck in those ways over the years, but i am far from only being a home-body that having chart ruler in 4th house would indicate.
I will say though my 5th house Aries and Jupiter have progressed more into the 4th house at this point in my life, which is why i have big dreams and plans to build off grid community in nature with gardens and small alternatively constructed cottages for people that need time to retreat and heal, while being taken care of and provided for. So again, it's a combo of houses, not just one or the other.
This keeps things simple yet accurate. Not looking at degree orbs, helps understand what area of your life is being influenced by a transit. For example: We can see that transit Pluto is in Capricorn, same sign as my moon and square to both Aries and Libra. It doesn't matter what degree, or if Pluto's influence is "exact" we still see the influence just being in the same sign and area of life. So if someone has their moon or sun at say, 23 Capricorn and Pluto is only at 17 deg right now, that doesn't matter, they are still feeling the influence of Pluto in their sign and house. I think this "whole signs" perspective is very valid and helpful, but it takes being willing to look at your chart in a different way.
I guess i'll leave it at that. I just felt like sharing. You probably only read this far down if you really like astrology. Either way, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave questions or comments.
Cheers.
Rik.
Thanks for this article, Rik! Especially for sharing your experience with your Venus and Neptune placements. Your observations were very enlightening for me.
ReplyDelete