CHAPTER 1

THE CHART AS A WHOLE

The first step in interpreting a chart involves considering the chart as a wholeand assessing its overall patterns, as well as the balances or imbalances whichexist among the primary astrological variables.

A1. Predominant Element

(How many? Circle the number if more than 5 out of 14 possible points.)

The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius; the earth signs, Taurus, Virgoand Capricorn; the air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius; and the water signs.Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.

To determine the predominant element in any chart, add up the number of fire,earth, air and water signs which contain planets, as well as the signs of theascendant and the mid-heaven. Using a 14-point scale, count the Sun and Moonsigns as 2, the signs of the other planets as 1, and the signs of the ascendantand midheaven as 1. If a planet is between 29 degrees of one sign and 0 degreesof the next sign and direct, or between 0–1 degrees of a sign and retrograde, itis under the influence of both, and its count should be divided between the twosigns in question.

Consider the element count in a chart with the planet and angle positions asshown in table 1 on page 20.

A well-balanced chart would have 3 to 4 counts each of fire, earth, air andwater signs. Five counts of any element is an emphasis; six or more counts is anextreme emphasis. In the example given here, the predominant element air ismoderately strong.

The following keywords should help you to interpret the emphasized elements in achart. Insert "very" before each of these keywords when there are 5 counts of aparticular element; insert "extremely" if there are 6 or more counts.

People with 6 or more fire signs may also be dominating, fast-paced, andinclined to invest all of themselves into their activities. They may havedifficulty perceiving other people as separate individuals, with their own validneeds and desires.

People with 6 or more earth signs will be concerned with concrete details andtangible results. They will operate most frequently in the world of theirsenses, attuned to their immediate environment, to their physical bodies, and tosensory comforts and pleasures.

People with 6 or more air signs usually live in their minds, restlessly seekingknowledge and sharing their thoughts with other people. Somewhat impersonal,they nevertheless thrive on communication and social interaction.

People with 6 or more water signs frequently lose themselves in their feelingsor the feelings of other people, and have difficulty maintaining theirseparateness. Their extreme sensitivity often leads them to withdraw intothemselves. Often quite psychic, they respond with great compassion to the needsof other people.

A2. Weakest Element

(How many? Circle if 0 or 1 of 14.)

If a chart has 0 or 1 of an element, or if all the counts of one element arethose of outer planets, the individual in question may be markedly deficient inthe characteristics of that element. Two counts of an element indicates a minordeficiency. Sometimes, other variables in a chart can at least partiallycompensate for this deficiency.

Compensations for 0 or 1 fire counts include: Mars in a fire sign (particularlyAries); Mars in a focal position (conjunct an angle, at the end of a t-square orat the handle of a bucket); Mars in, or to some extent ruling a fire house(particularly the 1st house); Mars conjunct Sun, Jupiter or Moon; Jupiter inSagittarius; or a cardinal emphasis.

Compensations for 0 or 1 earth counts include: Saturn in an earth sign(particularly Capricorn); a focal Saturn (conjunct an angle, at the end of a t-squareor at the handle of a bucket); Saturn in, or to some extent ruling anearth house (particularly the 10th house); Saturn conjunct Sun, Mercury or Mars;Mercury in Virgo; Venus in Taurus; or an emphasis on fixed signs.

Compensations for 0 or 1 air include: Mercury in an air sign (particularlyGemini); a focal Mercury (conjunct an angle, at the end of a t-square or at thehandle of a bucket); Mercury in, or to some extent ruling an air house(particularly the 3rd house); Mercury in Virgo; Mercury conjunct Sun; Uranus orVenus; Venus in Libra; or a mutable emphasis.

Compensations for 0 or 1 water include: Moon in, or to some extent ruling awater house (particularly the 4th house); a focal Moon (conjunct an angle, atthe end of a t-square or at the handle of a bucket); Moon conjunct Sun, Neptuneor Pluto; or an emphasis on mutable signs.

These compensations should be taken into account when assessing the importanceof a particular deficiency in a chart. Such compensations may not substitute fora lack of an element; they may simply increase the desire to express thatelement, without giving the natural ability to function accordingly.

Nevertheless, because people who are weak in an element have not developed mostof that element's characteristics, they usually are aware of their lack andstrive to overcome it. Initially, their attempts to compensate for an inherentlack may lead them to appear as if the element in question is strong in theircharts. However, because they usually strive to attune to its energy andincorporate it into their lives, they may try too hard, and express the elementin an unnatural manner.

Although they struggle to become self-expressive and assertive, these peoplealternate between withholding themselves and expressing themselves in an overlydramatic manner. They may become mired in a hectic schedule of impersonalactivities or may, in contrast, become overly preoccupied with their personalexperience. Because they are not often aware of or enthusiastic about newpossibilities, they may look to others for inspiration and motivation. Theyoften feel passive and detached or uninvolved; they seek deeper personal andemotional involvement in life.

These people often develop skills which have no practical application, flit fromjob to job, or bounce checks and borrow money freely. Or, in contrast, theyoveremphasize the practical by becoming secretaries or accountants, or beingoverly particular about budgeting, everyday details, and order. Because they donot feel grounded, they frequently seek security by adhering to a highlystructured system of thought or by following an organized but rigid routine.They may hold onto a job or relationship too long because of the stability andsecurity it provides.

These people often hunger for social interaction. Although very concerned withcommunication, they frequently feel out of contact or misunderstood; they mayprefer to express themselves through non-verbal or written channels rather thanthe spoken word. Distrustful of the intellect, they learn primarily fromexperience. Nevertheless, they are endlessly conceptualizing and clarifyingtheir thinking. Because they lack objectivity, they may gain understanding ofthemselves only through receiving feedback from other people.

These people frequently turn to spiritual realms or universal truths in anattempt to find meaning in their lives, or to fill the emotional vacuum whichtheir personal relationships are unable to fill. Their difficulty remaining intouch with and expressing their feelings may lead them to form relationshipswith overly emotional people or to become addicted to excitement and intensity.Because they may feel disconnected emotionally, they struggle to respondempathically to other people's feelings, and may attempt to prove that they aresensitive by engaging in nurturing activities (such as cooking a meal) or byacting overly concerned or solicitous.

A3. Predominant Mode

(How many? Circle if more than 6.)

The modes or qualities, consisting of cardinal, fixed and mutable signs, are notas important as the elements, but do reveal significant personalitycharacteristics. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn; thefixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius; and the mutable signs, Gemini,Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

Using the 14-point scale, count the modes in a chart the same way you countedthe elements. The example in section A1 yields 3½ cardinal, 7 fixed and 3½mutable according to this system. Because 4-5 cardinal signs is average, 6strong and 7 or more very strong, this chart has a very strong fixed emphasis.

The following keywords should help you to interpret the emphasized modes in achart. Insert "very" before each of these keywords when there are 6 counts of aparticular mode; insert "overly" when there are 7 or more counts. You willnotice that in some ways cardinal signs are similar to fire signs, fixed toearth, and mutable to both air and water.

People with 7 or more cardinal signs would rather be overly active than bored.Although very concerned with their activities and projects, they also focustheir attention on the crucial areas of life—home and family, love andprofession, and are intent upon meeting challenges and resolving crises. Muchdepends upon whether Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn dominates the chart.

People with 7 or more fixed signs focus their attention on their values andgoals, and the satisfaction of their desires. Slow to start, they arenevertheless powerhouses once they determine their course of action. They resistchanging direction, and refuse to be pushed, pulled or pressured.

People with 7 or more mutable signs are concerned with personal relationships,and thrive on variety and change. More inclined to flow with the current thanswim against the tide, they adapt themselves readily to the people andcircumstances of their lives. Frequently, however, they do not know what theywant or where they want to go.

A4. Weakest Mode

(How many? Circle if 0, 1 or 2.)

Because the average number of counts for a mode on the 14-point scale is 4?,people rarely have 0 or even 1 of a cardinal, fixed or mutable sign. We wouldtherefore consider a count of 0, 1, or 2 as a marked deficiency. As withelements, people who are very weak in a particular mode are usually aware oftheir lack and strive to overcome it. Often, too, they have built-incompensations in their charts. These compensations, however, may have to be verystrong or very numerous to make up for an extreme deficiency.

Compensations for 0, 1, or 2 cardinal signs include: Mars in a cardinal sign(particularly Aries); a focal Mars (conjunct an angle, etc.); Mars in or (tosome extent) ruling a cardinal (angular) house; Mars conjunct Sun, Moon orSaturn; Sun or Moon in Aries; Saturn in Capricorn; a predominance of fire signs;or a bucket pattern.

Compensations for 0, 1, or 2 fixed signs include: Sun in a fixed sign; Sunconjunct Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, the ascendant or the midheaven; Sun in or, tosome extent, ruling a fixed (succedent) house; a predominance of earth signs; ora locomotive pattern.

Compensations for 0, 1, or 2 mutable signs include: Mercury in a mutable sign(particularly Gemini or Virgo); a focal Mercury (conjunct an angle, etc.);Mercury in or, to some extent, ruling a mutable (cadent) house; Mercury conjunctSun, Moon, Jupiter or Neptune; a predominance of air or water signs; or a splashpattern.

The following keywords can be used as a guide in interpreting the lack of a modein a chart:

LACK OF CARDINAL: These people can easily enjoy observing and simply "being"without necessarily "doing." But if they have 0 or only 1 cardinal sign, theymay feel driven to prove themselves through activity or may substitute anemotionally intense inner life for active involvement in external challenges.

LACK OF FIXED: These people may have difficulty completing what they have begunand developing structure and stability in their lifestyles. They may, as aresult, become obsessed with organizing or finishing, and may test theirwillpower by committing themselves to overlydemanding projects or goals.

LACK OF MUTABLE: These people usually know what they want. Frequently unwillingto compromise, they may insist that other people be adaptable and accommodatethem. Because they have difficulty bending with circumstances and makingpersonal changes, they often attempt to force change in their externalcircumstances, sometimes in dramatic ways.

A5. Planetary Pattern

(Circle if pattern is clearly defined.)

Not all charts have planetary patterns, and fewer still have clearly definedpatterns. If the pattern of a chart is not obvious, the pattern is not likely tobe as important in interpretation as the other predominant characteristics ofthe chart.

The following definitions and interpretations are sketchy ones. For moreinformation, the reader may want to consult Marc Edmund Jones' Guide toHoroscope Interpretation, Dane Rudhyar's First Steps in the Study of aBirthchart (published as a small book and also as a portion of Person-CenteredAstrology) and especially Robert Jansky's Planetary Patterns (see bibliography).

Splash Pattern

DEFINITION—Planets are scattered around the chart, usually with no more than twoplanets in any one house, with no more than three empty houses, and with noempty area larger than two houses or 60 degrees.

INTERPRETATION—The splash personality is quite Gemini-like, with a variety ofinterests and abilities and a tendency to scatter his/her energies rather thanfocus upon one or two particular areas of life.

Bowl or Hemisphere Pattern

DEFINITION—All planets fall within 180 degrees (or a maximum of 190 degrees) andon one side of an opposition, and no more than 60 degrees or two houses of theoccupied portion of the chart are empty.

INTERPRETATION—The bowl personality can function in a self-contained manner inthe houses occupied by planets, but usually focuses upon achieving in theunoccupied area (particularly in the sign and house which opposes the midpointof the bowl). The first planet of the bowl (the first to have crossed theascendant, moving clockwise) indicates the energies most frequently used tofulfill his/her needs.

Bucket or Funnel Pattern

DEFINITION—The bucket is a bowl pattern with a handle, the handle being a planetor two closely conjunct planets at least 30 degrees from the planets within thebowl (but preferably closer to 90 degrees away from them and opposing a planetnear the center of the bowl).

INTERPRETATION—The bucket personality channels his/ her energy through thehandle of the bucket. The sign and house position of this singleton or focalplanet usually indicates the kind of energy this person most frequentlyexpresses and the area of life through which he/she seeks satisfaction.

Locomotive or Open-angle Pattern

DEFINITION—All planets fall within 240 degrees (or a maximum of 250 degrees),with no more than two houses or 60 degrees empty within the occupied area, andwith a trine bridging the unoccupied area.

INTERPRETATION—The locomotive personality is an energetic, self-driving,determined individual who single-mindedly focuses upon achieving his/herpurpose, which is generally indicated by the midpoint of the empty trine. Thefirst planet (the first to have crossed the ascendant, moving clockwise) is theengine; its sign and house position indicates the energy which fuels his/herdrive to incorporate the midpoint of the empty trine into his life.

Seesaw or Hourglass Pattern

DEFINITION—Planets are divided into two groups, at least 60 degrees or two emptyhouses apart, with no more than one empty house within each group, and with atleast one opposition.

INTERPRETATION—The seesaw personality is quite Libra-like—concerned withrelationships, aware of alternatives, fluctuating between different parts ofhimself, and attempting to maintain balance through his/her ability tosynthesize and compromise.

Bundle, Cluster Or Wedge Pattern

DEFINITION—All planets are contained within a trine—120 degrees, or with orballowances, a maximum of 130 degrees.

INTERPRETATION—The bundle personality is a self-contained, focused personalitywho resourcefully concentrates his/her energy upon a limited area of life,indicated by the signs and houses occupied by planets. This individual haslittle perspective, but has the capacity to develop his/her resources to theutmost. The first planet often indicates energy which may be used to achieve inthe area of life indicated by the far midpoint of the bundle.