Sun Sign Astrology: Part 2

I am not a Sun sign columnist, but if you know some astrology you can pretty much read between the lines and see what it is they are ‘basing’ their predictions on, but there are many techniques and secrets, and i can only see what i see.

The first and most obvious one to start with is, some Sun sign Astrologers equate the Sun sign with being the first house of a/the circle of events.

So, say you were born on July 15th and your Sun sign is Cancer, they make their predictions based on the monthly Sun sign changes, so come around July 23rd when the Sun moves into Leo, ‘they now calculate’ that the Cancer native is now one sign on, or in his 2nd sign, [although what they are really using/saying] is a standard ‘2nd house’ meaning, and as each month ‘roles-on’ the Cancer native gets told 3rd and 4th house meanings. And so it is the same ‘pattern’ with ‘all’ the signs, so in any ‘one’ month, [say the] Cancer ‘month’ June/July, the Gemini column is given 2nd house meanings, the Cancer column will be given a 1st house interpretation, Leo a twelfth house one, and a Virgo an 11th house one, and that’s the basic way it is done, moving-on one house each solar month. It is so standard, with no variation, month after month, year after year. I hope that is clear.

This will always be part, [and ‘the’ major part], in certain types of Sun-sign columns.

The ‘rights and wrongs’ of this method are such to ‘spin your head’ around, but in general it is probably the ‘closest’ to getting near to ‘something’ that works, [at least in the Sun sign field].

Now let’s concentrate on what else is ‘used’.

Every month we have some ‘major aspects’ between the planets, and the Sun sign columnist will incorporate these into their ‘predictions’. But arguments can be made that the way they are used are ‘too wide’ in their scope. But the basic application is this…

… [giving an example], Jupiter trine Pluto, it happens in the signs Taurus to Capricorn. Rightly, [in a way] they write/put it in the Sun signs columns for Taurus and Capricorn, and give a standard interpretation of this aspect. [on or around] these days, because [in which other signs could they place them]? next, they will often extend this to give an interpretation to other ‘signs’ in major aspects to Taurus or Capricorn; you will see [that] on that ‘day’ Scorpio also gets a prediction based on the ‘aspect’, but ‘all’ it will say is ‘based’ on Scorpio being the opposite ‘sign’ to Taurus, so a ‘mixture’ of the main ‘aspect’s’ thrust, plus you get ‘relationships’ ‘deepen’ and ‘renewed’, because of the 1st to 7th sign connection of Taurus and Scorpio. But why bring in ‘Scorpio’ at all?, as the aspect doesn’t happen in that ‘sign’. Then you’ll get a ‘similar’ interpretation in Cancer’s column, all because it’s the opposite sign to Capricorn.

But is this ‘really’ [that] bad a way to do it?

Next, we have all the changes that ‘occur’ when a planet changes sign. Sadly, you can get the following, especially with the ‘inner planets’, So say you are a Sun sign Gemini, and Mercury enters Aries, on the day [of entry] you’ll find the prediction is based-on Aries being the 11th sign behind in the zodiac to Gemini, so it is all about Friends, and hopes etc.

The factor which isn’t used in the column, [as far as i can see], is that being any specific words for Gemini and Virgo, because Mercury their ruling planet, is not considered in any sign change for Mercury, but then again to be fair how could it be incorporated into Sun sign work/column.

But on [this entry day] all is rendered rather meaningless, as ‘the days’ words [that are used], are ‘as if’ this [entry day] will bring ‘everything’ they say the ‘entry’ into that sign will bring. Let me explain. Because if what they ‘say’ may happen, [at all], ‘then it would be spread over the whole ‘period’ of Mercury in Aries’, but the layman/reader reads it as happening on that specific day.

But you have to have some sympathy for the writers, as when ‘other’ than that day of entry, is an/the appropriate ‘time’ to write about its influence. Ideally it would be better to give a note saying today’s forecast lasts the whole period of Mercury in Aries, but perhaps the readers are more ‘savvy’ then i realise, and there is [no problem]. Still, i find it rather misleading.

And perhaps they have the right ‘idea’, as to incorporate Mercury’s entry to Aries into Gemini’s and Virgo’s forecast, [for the month], might/or might not be easy enough, but spare a thought for Capricorn and Aquarius as their ruler Saturn changes signs less frequently, so there’d be less to write about. But this is probably partly why they don’t use it, [at least in] the main column, [but you often get to see it ‘elsewhere’ in a separate column along with the other planets, to be fair.

So moving on, let’s not forget that they have many days to fill each month, and with all 12 signs there’s a lot of work, so here’s some more on how it’s done.

They will use the New and Full Moon’s giving a slightly different forecast for each sign, and again, if its in [say] Aries, then it gets the 1st house interpretation and Taurus will get the/a 12th house and so on, with each one a mixture of the Aries position and the ‘said’ house.

And then its no real ‘mystery’ of what fuels the written ‘copy’ on the other days, [usually when something i’ve already mentioned isn’t there], its mainly all-down-to where the ‘Moon’ is placed [by sign], and what [major aspects] the Moon is having on any one day.

Now let’s just say the Moon and its ‘ major’ aspects ‘take-up’ such a large part of the ‘whole’ system in many of the ‘monthly’ forecasts, that i’d need another 500 words to explain, and ‘perhaps’ just knowing this is saying enough. I may add that if you get say Moon trine Saturn in the morning, then the Moon changes sign midday, and then the Moon square Jupiter in the evening, you’ll get something forecasted ‘like’ [dealings with old people and things goes well, and things slow down or change, then in the evening social events are sluggish and difficult]. Something like this anyway, [although it is usually better written]. But it most of the interpretations will all depend on what ‘sign’ the Moon is in, and for which sign you are writing for.

Now, [as i said] this is not a ‘bad’ way of doing justice to Sun sign Astrology, [in fact] it’s rather good, considering. But it will never really ever really tell the story ‘of a’ personally timed birth chart, because ‘it is on’ reading Sun sign columns that you get an ‘idea’ of what is possible without accurate data.

But the ‘real stuff’ is quite different, [that which is always happening in your life right now], and is ‘ever’ true, and overrides anything Sun signs can say about you, and remains so, whether you are in touch with it or not. This is because, and it has to be said, that Sun sign Astrology is like a Donkey Derby, compared to the Grand National of ‘timed’ Astrological work.

Because whilst the Sun and other planets go through your ‘natal’ signs and houses, Sun signs can only give you a rather small ‘and somewhat inaccurate’ picture, whereas ‘real timed astrology’ has to place your Sun in ‘one’ of the twelve houses of your birth chart. And it is here where it really comes into major ‘conflict’, because [say] you are a Cancerian Sun native and its now early December, Sun signs columns will now base your forecast on ‘sixth house’ matters [and that is fine, as far as it goes], as for ‘you’, in this system the Sun is 6 signs ahead, but in ‘reality’ your Sun’s ‘true’ position, [in your natal chart] ‘come early December’ may be transiting your natal 12th house, and that is ‘why’ Sun signs will always make a mockery of what is really happening, as [whether you know your natal chart or not], it is still ‘happening’, and that Sun in the 12th is the ‘real’ placement, and ‘never’ this imagined 6 signs on. But ‘why’?, because, the Sun sign column is ‘simply’ progressing the ‘whole’ sign of , [using my example] Cancer, and this discrepancy is always there, and there is no other way of seeing it.

Now, that’s [a big chunk] of ‘why’ sun signs just can’t be that ‘precise’, and that’s why many Astrologers denigrate it, to the only position it can hold, [that of being rather inaccurate] in many area’s.

If you do ‘have your natal chart’ you can go ‘further’ by seeing which house in the birth chart the Sun rules, that ‘being’ the one with Leo on the cusp [or within a house], because it is there that the Sun’s movement and aspects really shows its affects, and for more ‘real’ workings, [and outcomes] look to ‘when’ the Sun reaches the house cusps, especially the Angles, to help yourself do a personal forecast.

But not everyone knows their timed natal chart, and has these advantages, [even then most would still need an Astrologer]. So that is ‘why’ Sun sign Astrology can be a semi-help substitute. But, [in my opinion, some of it is still ‘misleading’]. But what else could it be? based on general and not personal movements.

But don’t be too hard on Sun Signs, and those who write them, because when you know what ‘challenges’ they face, and what cannot be ‘attained’, [to do] ‘much better’ would be a near impossibility under that ‘framework’, and remember that they only have a small space ‘assigned’ to what they can write in newspapers and magazines.

A final note: there’s probably a little bit more to it than i know, and the writer’s of these columns certainly have ‘much’ work to do, so whatever they produce, ‘within its limitations’ should be appreciated, as its not that far ‘off the mark’ usually.

But i haven’t said ‘all’, as i simply ‘don’t know’ it. I know not all ‘columns’ are the same: Adrian Ross Duncan gave an example in the September 1998 Issue of Astrolore magazine, [which is worth finding if you can], as it shows a simple way of forecasting for each sign for each month, which isn’t that widely known.