Tag Archives: progressed chart

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Don’t I Feel Like Moon in Pisces?

This week’s question comes from Jean in Nicaragua:

I do not feel like a lunar Piscean, more like an Aquarian. I’m also not sure when my Sagittarius Ascendant will progress to Capricorn. For the first question, is it because Uranus is close to my Ascendant?

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

Jean, I am going to field your question on the progressed Ascendant and let Pat, our resident expert on Moon in Pisces, address your Moon issues.

The “year for a day” method of progressing a chart is easy to use for the planets, because all you need is an ephemeris and good eyes. Just count off the days starting from your birth date equal to your age and read the position of the planets on that day. For progressing the chart wheel, it helps considerably to use astrology software, especially for those of us who are not math whizzes.

Your Ascendant progressed into Capricorn in December 2002, joining your progressed Sun and Venus. By the middle of 2004, Mercury moved into Capricorn also. Since your natal chart is heavy to optimistic Sagittarius, this gradual shift to a preponderance in Capricorn does suggest you found yourself taking a far more pragmatic approach to decision-making than before. My own experience with progressions has led me to believe the influence is fairly subtle (unless your newly progressed planet is hit with a major transit, like being conjoined by Uranus for instance).

By the way, the Moon changes signs about every two and a half years by progression, and yours moved into Capricorn in August 2007. By December 2007, it had crossed the Ascendant. Did you notice any changes in the way you presented yourself around that time? For instance, choosing different colors to wear?

Jean, this is a great opportunity for you to learn about the effect of progressed planets, because this is a first house event for you. I would love to hear more about the changes you have seen, if any. When my Sun and Ascendant progressed into Capricorn, I noticed I gradually started choosing more browns and neutrals to wear after all the brighter colors of my Sagittarius years. Good topic, thanks for bringing it up!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

I guess Neith considers me the “resident expert on Moon in Pisces” because that’s where my Moon is. I also happen to have Aquarius Sun and Rising, so I can indeed help you with this confusion, Jean.

First of all, I have to ask what you think Moon in Pisces should feel like. No two people experience their planets in exactly the same way. A lot depends on house placement, but you are right to consider other planets in the chart as well. Perhaps having Uranus on the Ascendant gives you some traits of an Aquarius, although for my money, I’d place my bets on Jupiter. As a Rising Sagittarius, you have Jupiter as your chart ruler, and he’s in Aquarius.

I also see that your Moon is square your Sagittarius Ascendant and also Uranus, and this may be inhibiting your tender Pisces Moon. Pisces is very adaptable, and your Moon may be “giving way,” as the Fishes often do, to more assertive factors in your chart. That said, never underestimate the strength of Pisces!

I have to tell you that I wasn’t aware of my Pisces Moon until well into my 40s. I had an intellectual job that fit very well with my Aquarian Sun. Still, I seemed to have a “nose” for certain things, and that is something that Moon in Pisces people often experience. Sometimes we “just know things,” even though we don’t know how we know. If this sounds like you, it’s a good sign that your Pisces Moon is hard at work, even if you don’t feel it consciously.

I hope that answers your question, and thanks for writing, Jean!

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Ask Real Astrologers: Is a New Start Coming?

This week’s question comes from Bruce in Philadelphia:

I am recently divorced, and have dealt with a variety of 12th house transits (Aquarius). The progressed Moon is coming to my Ascendant and Saturn is in the seventh house. I am wondering if new start is coming.

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

By mid-September, Bruce, you should be feeling like moving forward because by that time, the progressed Moon will have crossed your Ascendant and Saturn will have moved past your progressed Sun in Virgo.

As someone whose Sun is conjunct Uranus and Venus and sextile Jupiter, you probably see change as a positive means to an end – especially with Uranus-ruled Aquarius Rising. Your natal Moon is in Aquarius recently was conjoined by the progressed Moon, pushing emotional independence as a theme in your life. The transit of the progressed Moon over your Ascendant in the first half of August will incline you to announce your internal changes to the world at large.

Saturn transiting your seventh house is a time of learning to take partnerships seriously and also gaining understanding about what you will and will not put up with in your relationships in general. Around August 19, Saturn will conjoin your progressed Sun. Don’t be surprised to find yourself feeling blocked around that time. However the transit will past by the end of the month, and your outlook is bound to improve!

Saturn’s lessons may be tough, but when we gain understanding about ourselves as a result, they are worth it. Best wishes on finding your new direction to a better and happier life.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Bruce, as you may know from reading our blog, I always start with transits to the natal chart before moving to the progressed chart. As Neith noted, Saturn’s entry into the seventh house can be a heavy time for close relationships. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve seen who got divorced when Saturn was in their seventh house or the seventh house of their partner.

But Saturn’s crossing the Descendant also is a time of new beginnings. In the 29-year Saturn cycle, the years between Saturn’s transit of the Descendant and the Midheaven are the highest-growth period of your life. This is good news.

As for your progressed Moon on the Ascendant, this confirms that your “new beginning” indeed has to do with relationships, but mostly because you are growing and maturing and, as a result, are experiencing intimacy in a different way than you used to. Your Aquarius Moon doesn’t like a lot of emotional complications (one well-known astrologer once quipped that Aquarius doesn’t tolerate any more baggage than will fit in the overhead compartment), but true intimacy and commitment are messy, there’s no getting around it.

Wishing you much courage. Stay in touch and let us know how you’re doing.

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Ask Real Astrologers: Why Does This Capricorn Feel Like a Sagittarius?

This week’s question comes from Leah in Hilo, Hawaii, who asks about the differences between tropical and sidereal astrology.

“I was born a Capricorn, tropically. Now I am informed I am a Sagittarius, since I am now 53 (I think the Sag started when I was 45). Should I be reading only the Sag sign info or both the Sag and Cap? I definitely feel the difference from Cap to Sag. So I am thinking there is something to this type of astrology. Any thoughts?”

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s answer:

This is a great question, but unfortunately not easy to answer, since it is very complicated.

Astrology as most of us in the West know it was developed by the ancient Babylonians. At the time, Aries was on the eastern horizon at sunrise on the spring equinox. However, due to the way the Earth spins on its axis, this has changed over the millennia, so that we now have about 5 degrees Pisces on the eastern horizon on the equinox. This phenomenon is called precession.

The Greeks dealt with precession by dividing the sky into 12 equal parts and assigning one sign of the Zodiac to each sector, starting with 0 degrees Aries on the spring equinox. The exact dates change from one year to the next, but the equinox generally is around March 20. This is the Western tropical system of astrology that you’re referring to. When you say you’re a Capricorn, what you mean is that the Sun was moving through the tenth sector from 0 degrees Aries on the day you were born.

Vedic astrology, which is the system developed in India and other Eastern countries, doesn’t correct for precession. This is the basis for sidereal astrology, which is used by a small number of astrologers in the West. So while your Sun is at 19 degrees Capricorn in Western astrology, it’s at 25 degrees Sagittarius according to the sidereal system. Proponents of sidereal astrology argue that this system more accurately reflects the positions of the planets against the backdrop of the constellations.

According to the sidereal system, you were born a Sagittarius, and that has not changed. In other words, you didn’t go from a Cap to a Sag around age 45. It appears that you may be confusing sidereal astrology with the Western technique of chart progression. I will turn you over to Neith to explain more about this, since she works with chart progressions more than I do.

There is another explanation, however, for why you feel more “like a Sagittarius.” In your birth chart (Western tropical), you have 17 degrees Scorpio on the Ascendant, with the first half of Sagittarius in your first house. Pluto, the planet of transformation, was in Sagittarius throughout your 40s, so you no doubt went through a change!

I always advise my clients to read for Rising sign first, then Sun sign. In your case, either Scorpio or Sag might work. Eventually, Neith and I will do Rising sign horoscopes, which I believe most of you will find to be a much more accurate reflection of what’s happening in your daily lives.

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s answer:

Leah, after spending some time looking at your progressed chart using the year for a day method (count one day for each year of your life), I may be able to shed some light on why you relate to Sagittarius more. Your Scorpio Ascendant progressed into Sagittarius many years ago but there were a couple of serious transits to it enhancing the Sagittarius energy.

At about 30, you experienced a conjunction of Uranus and Venus on your progressed Ascendant in Sagittarius. A couple of years earlier, Uranus transited your natal Venus in Sagittarius, just as you were having your Saturn return. It’s very possible that with Saturn conjunct your Ascendant natally (and ruling your Capricorn Sun), you may not have acted on the more extreme notions Uranus inspired at that time.

In January 2000, Pluto and Venus met at the same degree of Sagittarius that Uranus and Venus occupied when you were 30. Both of these events occurred in your first house and resonated with your natal Venus – more Sagittarius.

Lastly, in January of 2007, Pluto and Mars conjoined on your progressed Ascendant at 28 degrees Sagittarius. This conjunction was also trine to your natal Pluto in Leo, adding up to a lot of powerful fire energy affecting you. No wonder you felt far more like a Sagittarius than a Capricorn and far horizons were calling you!

Ironically, Leah, your Ascendant is now progressed into Capricorn and is within a couple of degrees of the progressed North Node, so you may find your Capricorn side beginning to reassert itself once more.

Hopefully we have helped clarify matters for you! My advice would be to choose one system of astrology and stay with it because they each are a whole system unto themselves, and you only get confused if you try to go back and forth between the two.

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