Background
A client makes an appointment for a consultation. Their question: what’s in store for me next year?
We need to find a story that can be woven for the coming year out of the astrological symbols that populate the annual landscape. But first, we need to get a good grasp of the general background and personality of the person before we dive into a projection for the coming year. If we don’t already have this information from a previous consultation we will need to do a quick analysis of the natal horoscope with some research questions on social, cultural and professional background before moving forward.
This background info assessment is the first part of a multi-part narrative that I intend to present. In the succeeding parts, I will get into the process of an annual forecast.
The subject here is a woman who consulted with me in mid-2004. She was born in September 1960 (I am withholding birth time and place to preserve anonymity), and raised in a traditional but forward looking non-Western family, in a culture where men still hold much of the power socially and professionally.
At the time of the consultation, she was near 40 years old. She had had a solid education, and had spent some years working for a multi-national company. Her job required her to live in a western country where she enjoyed the modernity and relatively more power accorded to women. She stopped working a few years ago, and spent time raising her child. In that time, she discovered an interest in alternative healing which soon became a passionate hobby. She educated herself in this new field, and obtained professional certifications to practice and teach. She was now trying to build a career as a practitioner and teacher in this field.
Sun-Moon-Ascendant Trifecta
With this background, let’s take a look at her chart to get a deeper insight into who she is, and what are her most prominent needs. Here is her natal horoscope:
The heart of the personality is in the all-important Sun-Moon-Ascendant trifecta. Sun in Virgo, Moon in Taurus and ascendant in Gemini: she is a pragmatist who loves details (Virgo), is grounded in material security (Taurus), and sees the world as a colorful place (Gemini).
Bursting with ideas (Gemini), she wants to put them to practice:
Mercury rules Ascendant and is very strong in its own sign of Virgo (1). You can almost hear that mind clicking and whirring, and the spirit wanting to do something concrete with the ideas. You look for the outer planets and see Pluto in that Virgo (2) stellium (multiple planets in same sign), powering that Sun-Mercury conjunction (3) with a big turbo boost. You can feel that relentlessness charge, you know this woman cannot be put down.
Following the bouncing ball, in keeping with the storyline you see that Jupiter in Sagittarius squaring the Sun-Mercury conjunction (4), pulling Pluto in, and what emerges is a global, truth-seeking, inspiring, almost religious picture: note that Mercury is very tightly square to Jupiter, within minutes of aspect orb.
Then look at the Moon-Neptune opposition (5). This is a great healing dimension right there. The here-and-now sense of the Moon in Taurus—grounded, stable, calm, gentle—is an excellent container for the hugely emotional Neptune in Scorpio energy. Neptune also brings in the paranormal and the “other-worldly” dimension. Add the Virgo need to bring the metaphorical down to earth, rites and rituals may be an important part of life. William Blake’s “World in a Grain of Sand” couldn’t be more appropriate.
Notice also the Aquarius MC (6), an aspiration to be different, likely drawn to a path-breaking career. This, with the Moon-Neptune and Virgo mix, resonates loudly with her pursuit of alternative healing methods.
We have gotten to the heart of the matter pretty quickly. The temptation to keep looking for all kinds of other features in the chart is strong, but we have already gotten enough and more, and can always return later if we need to. But right now, we are ready to move ahead and look at the astrological winds that will be blowing in 2005. Onward to Part 2, coming up in the next post.