"How can both my solar chart and my natal chart work?" The cute answer is, "How does astrology work at all?" The serious answer is, "Both charts work at once because astrology is holographic."


By Eric Francis

THE 12 SPIRAL DOOR horoscopes in this section cover the astrology of 2007, but also take the story back to the beginning of the Pluto in Sagittarius era in 1994 and review that time frame, to the extent possible. We are now in the last full year of Pluto in Sagittarius, so it's a good time for review -- something astrology does not do enough of.

At the beginning of each article is a brief statement about what factors are used in the development of that sign, though not all are mentioned in the essay. These are for reference, intended to make it possible to do further research on your own, and they provided a guide for me to keep in mind the factors that I needed to consider. They are also the basic factors I will be working with in the horoscopes from month to month, and the Spiral Door quarterly horoscopes that are planned to run each equinox and solstice.

Note, these articles apply to your Sun and your ascendant. So, if you have Aries rising you can learn something from reading the Aries entry. If you relate closely to your Moon sign, give that a try.

These essays attempt unusual depth for Sun-sign writing, looking at more specific transits than even a "custom report" or "40-page printout" would be able to cover, and including many transits which no such report covers. In most of the articles, I have laid out my astrological thinking, though without presuming any prior knowledge of astrology on your part, only that it exists and relies on planets and signs. I have used both new discoveries and traditional planets. If you find yourself hearing about something for the first time, read on so that you can start to pick up the context, and make a note to look for more information on that topic. The chances are I've written about it before.

Meantime, some things mentioned in one sign are often developed carefully in another, so poke around and you might find what you're looking for. If you feel completely stumped, please drop me a note and I will do my best to clarify in a future article. We will also be publishing a series of almanac supplements, beginning with a [get ready to click soon] Minor Planet Supplement.

Most often, the question readers ask about Sun-sign writing is, "Yes, but I have also seen my natal chart and the houses are different. How does that affect me?" It's a good question, and if you attempt to answer it, you will learn something about how astrology works. There are two basic methods of counting the houses: one where you know the ascendant and one where you do not. Writing for a large audience, I don't know the ascendant. This is true of all newspaper-type horoscopes. So something called "solar houses" are used: the sign of the Sun is presumed to be the rising sign, and the houses are counted from there.

Then, instead of houses in the sense you are used to if you have seen your chart, something called "whole sign houses" are used. Each subsequent sign is counted as a new house. So, we start with your particular sign, and start counting round the wheel; the next one after your Sun sign is the the 2nd house, the following one the 3rd house, and so on. All the same symbols apply. Does this work? Very dependably. Whole sign houses are the oldest house system. They are the basis of the creation of all the subsequent house systems, as well as for the creation of aspects. In other words, we owe much of modern astrology to the whole sign house system. This is covered in a monograph by Rob Hand, published in 2000, that is one of my favorite astrology books, and which I would recommend to any astrologer who tries to argue that newspaper astrology is some strange creature, based on nothing. The basis of newspaper astrology -- its house system -- is the basis of much that all other astrologers now take for granted.

The next logical question is, "How can both my solar chart and my natal chart work?" The cute answer is, "How does astrology work at all?" The serious answer is, "Both charts work at once because astrology is holographic." It would be a little like having two gas gauges in your car, one of which is digital and one of which is analog. They work differently, but they both work and give you the same basic information. In the last 12 years of exploring both systems simultaneously, I can tell you they rarely contradict one another, and often reflect one another in a surprising light. Astrology works any way you do it, as long as you do it sincerely. Here is an article about what the houses represent, whether you think of them as whole sign or otherwise; solar or otherwise. As it turns out, a house is a house, and as Patric Walker once remarked, "It's all about the houses."

I've designed these horoscopes as a cross-referenced article series. All of the signs relate in some significant way to all the other signs, but mainly we need to pay attention to the other signs on our cross of the heavens: cardinal, mutable or fixed.

In other words, Aries (on the cardinal cross) relates to Cancer, Libra and Capricorn and vice versa in all directions; Taurus (on the fixed cross) relates to Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius; Gemini (on the mutable cross) relates to Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. What is occurring elsewhere on your cross of the heavens is telling much of the story of your life, and and you can follow the cross-references for more information. For example, if you are an Aries looking for additional information about your professional life, refer to Capricorn. These references are given at the end of each sign, along with a basic description of what the houses each represent.

This is not an original idea, as any astrologer knows, but it tends to lean a little on Uranian Astrology, which is something of a back-room brand of the craft; and also on Esoteric Astrology of Alice A. Bailey (that's a book), which loves to emphasize the themes of the three crosses of the heavens.

In any event, the method works nicely, and it is one of the more easy adaptations of Sun sign astrology, a handy technique when astrologers are working around not having the natal chart.

For those who wish to see the positions of the planets in charts, we have provided an extensive chart resource area. The charts are cast for the actual time of the aspect using a conventional house system (not whole sign houses), and are cast for The Hague, a city in The Netherlands where various World Courts are located, per Planet Waves tradition. I just had a look at this chart resource and it is just beautiful. We provide three versions of each chart, a basic version, an asteroid version, and a minor planet version that includes numerous Centaurs and a bunch of those cool new ones out buzzing in Pluto's neighborhood. Take a look and dive into astrology. We have made a space for you.

For those who want more details on the astrology as it progresses month-by-month and day-by day, we have prepared a magnificent almanac, that gives much additional information and will help get you started in your astrological journey. It's a nice product for professionals and advanced students as well. If you are even vaguely curious about how astrology works, I recommend you take a look. Here is a sample.

My apologies in advance if there are unclear points in these horoscopes, or ideas that are not developed adequately. They are journalism, not literature. I will keep my eye out for things that need clarification, and send it your way if I find something.

In the meantime, I trust you'll find one or two useful bits, or a scattered clue and in all sincerity I am very much looking forward to taking pictures again.

Aqueeriously yours,

Eric Francis
Brussels, Belgium, EU
Saturn's Day, Jan. 20, 2007