Great Reading, Wrong Chart
Edgar Degas. Woman with Binoculars
I had a charming client today: a warm, chatty, red-head sporting a pair of riding boots. The reading was going swimmingly — accurate, useful, insightful. And then I found I had the wrong birth time. I don’t know an astrologer this hasn’t happened to, but it’s unsettling all the same.
“But no,” said my client. “This is the most accurate reading I’ve had. Everyone keeps on telling me I have Capricorn Rising, but I know I don’t.”
I looked at her – she really glowed with positive Sagittarian energy, so what was wrong?
I had erected her chart for Oxford by accident. In fact she had moved here at the age of four from another continent, and stayed ever since. What was going on, though, was the astro-relocation (now there’s a mouthful) was more accurate (using transits) than the birth location. We’d found this by serendipity. In future, I think I’ll take into account early and utter relocation.
So when I read the charts side by side, I got a huge insight into the profound effects of the move to Britain on my client. It was like a looking at the sky through binoculars instead of a single lens. Just fascinating.
Does relocation later in life, or even frequently, have the same effect? I’ve bounced from East Coast to West Coast US twice over past 25 years, now trying to choose between the two once and for all, and eventually retire there. Born East Coast, Cap rising, changes to Sag rising on West Coast. On East Coast, Pluto is transiting my ASC, Neptune my 2nd — ugh! Returning to West Coast would bring Pluto to transit 2nd instead — how can I know which is better for me?
Yes I think it does but not as strongly. This lady had really become completely Sag Rising, but then she’d just moved once and then stayed in the same locale for decades.
Interestingly — and obvs — we were talking about that very same transit. You need to look at what Pluto does natally. If he’s making good aspects then you’re probably OK. FWIW, I’d rather have Pluto in my second: it’s a good place to keep your lord of the hoard.
… and then there’s the progressed charts to consider!
Relocated charts are somehow like crutches, aren’t they? Every important aspect of life, including moving far away from the birth place in the young age is already implemented in the natal chart, but not always easy to interpret for us.. I guess relocated chart can help a lot. But my natal chart works much better with transits. Actually I used to mix up progressions and relocated house placements, so I eventually gave up the relocated chart and use only the natal + progressions. Then again, solar return charts are far more accurate if relocated – IMO. Ther are so many ways of interpreting a chart… BTW, Pluto in 2nd is my worst placement, and I feel it even when relocated and in 1st.
Well, relocation worked as a trigger for my progressed planets as well. Now, I think that relocated ascendent will only serve the purpose of the natal asc. You only adapt to the new circumctences. Perhaps working as editor was the best way for you to live your leo ascendant, during that special period. It’s only naturally. You move around, gaining new experience. You see things from different perspective.
(Having the hair touched, sounds familiar to me, some people tend to forget that I’m not a pet).
I agree you can overuse relocation charts, but when it’s an important move — and a long distance — you really ought to take it into consideration. It’s a straightforwardly useful bit of astrology.
I moved continents at 19, but I don’t use my relocation chart regularly because it changes my rising sign from Leo to Virgo, which is quite a shift. However, I did spend the first part of my life sticking out like a freak, including constantly having my hair touched (how Leo is that), and when I moved I just adored the anonymity of London (much more Virgo) and I worked as an editor for a long time, but by then the ascendant would have moved into Virgo by progression anyway. Now I stick out like a wizard in a supermarket but no one would dare touch my hair.
Wow, this is fascinating. I was born in London but relocated to the NYC area when I was 5. I still live in the US, though I have lived in Europe and long to move back.
I have Virgo rising in London and Gemini in New York. I might need to pay more heed to this.
Holy Cats! My birth chart says 5 Cap rising, but in the town where I’ve lived for the past 18 years my Asc is 28 Sag 52 (longest I’ve ever lived in one house — ironic, considering how Sag likes to keep moving!) … hmmm, maybe this explains all the people I’ve attracted with late Leo rising …
I am sure that would do it (see my comment to Eleonora).
Well,yet another reason to keep an eye on angular planets! I was nodding as I read this; when my husband and I undertook a cross-country, work-related move, my natal Aries Moon (conjunct desendant) was “relocated” to the sixth house. In the six years we lived there, I developed ulcers and other digestive dilemmas…which resolved rapidly when another relocation took us closer to my birthplace.
Good point. Darn useful for chronic health problems.