In DIY Astrology Part 1, we covered the Natal chart. In DIY Astrology Part 2, we covered Transits. In DIY Astrology Part 3, we covered Relationship Charts. In this entry, we’ll cover Travel and Location.
AstroCartography
This Astrological practice gives us a literal map to explore based on the planetary positions in our Natal Chart. To know how to read this map, we’ll need a solid grasp of the Ascendant. Unlike the planets in our Natal charts, the Ascendant does not represent a physical body. Therefore, it’s not always clear what exactly is rising. In every 24 hour cycle, each sign spends about two hours rising in the east. If the Sun is in Aries, we know that Aries is rising with the sun. And later, when the sun sets in the west, Libra will be rising in the east. When the sun is at the zenith, Aries is transiting the Midheaven (MC) as Libra transits the Imum Coeli (IC). Every sign spends about 2 hours on each angle every day.
If we were born during a sunrise, we have Natal Sun conjunct Ascendant (☉ ☌ Asc) in our chart. The sun may not be rising at the time and place of our birth, but it’s always rising somewhere. In our Astrocartography chart, an orange line represents the places where the sun was rising when we were born (☉AC.) A trip to any of the locations near this line will bring experiences similar to having ☉ ☌ Asc in our Natal chart. However, there is a significant difference between having the Sun in the first house and the twelfth house. Because the first house is favored, it’s best to stay on the west side of the ☉ ☌ Asc line. The same is true for the ☉ ☌ DC, MC, and IC, to a lesser extent.
AstroDienst
If you haven’t already entered your birth information into the AstroDienst website, you can follow the instructions here.
Calculating an AstroCartography Chart
From the AstroDienst Homepage, click on “Horoscopes“
Under “Location Astrology,” Click on “AstroClick Travel“
Under “Birth Data “> “Horoscope for:” in the drop-down menu, select yourself.
Leave the drop-down box “Scalable Map” blank for now and click the blue “Go!” button
On this page, we see a world map with a small red circle and cross representing our birthplace. Read the brief description in the right-hand sidebar, and we’re ready to get started!
As we look at the map, we notice that it shows each planet’s AC, DC, MC, and IC lines. Though we rarely glimpse the planets as they rise in the east, they all follow the same pattern set by the Sun. While some lines are beneficial for all endeavors, and some are generally to be avoided, they all offer different possibilities. We might like to visit a location just west of our Venus or Jupiter AC lines and avoid the Pluto IC line altogether. Look at the places you’ve been and find the nearest lines; click on each one and read them as you would the cookbook interpretations in a Natal chart.
Adding Aspects
When we compare our experiences in each location, we find that they all bring out something different in us. You may find that the same line runs through many places you’ve been, or there are no lines near your location. To add the aspect lines from our Natal charts, click on the boxes at the top left corner of the map “w. harmonious aspects” and “w. disharmonious aspects.” The previous lines remain in bold, with the aspect lines filling in much of the blank space on the map. This world map is loaded with information, but it’s messy and difficult to read. So let’s focus on a specific region for a cleaner map.
Under “Scalable Map” in the drop-down box, select a region.
Click the Blue “Go!” button to reveal a new map
Click on the region drop-down box again and select your region “.w all major aspects“
Click the Blue “Go!” button to reveal a new map w/all aspects
Now we have a map that should be easier to read or click on the very narrow lines. Each line we click on pops up a new window in the right-hand sidebar with interpretations of the corresponding aspects. The interpretations will give you some clues as to what you might expect from a stay in one of these areas. We may have trouble finding a job in one location; and we may work multiple jobs in another. We may be sad and lonely in one region and surrounded by friends and lovers in another. When you’ve explored the places you’ve been, start exploring the places you’d like to go to someday.
When we visit a faraway place, everything is so different, and we wonder what it would be like if we lived there. Moving from one side of town to another can change our lives completely, so it’s no wonder that every place promises completely different circumstances. By using Astrocartography, we can get a feel for what we might encounter in a new location. Though it’s better to look before we leap, it’s not advisable to take a leap based on Astrocartography alone. It would be foolish to move based on one of these charts; it’s true. But it’s also foolish to spend our whole lives in the same location, never knowing how different life can be.
We Deliver!
The best way to use this map is to think of your Natal chart as a meal delivered to your door. When we look at our Natal chart, we see some things we like and some we don’t care for. It may be missing some of our favorite dishes, and there might not be any dessert at all. But we’re not limited to restaurants that deliver; we can go out to eat or just order for pick up. We’re not even limited to restaurants in our area; we can go anywhere and order anything we want. If you wish you had Venus in the seventh house, just go slightly to the west of your Venus DC line, and perhaps you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Don’t expect to find love or a career in the place you were born. Be prepared to go out and get it, wherever it is. Astrocartography is a powerful tool, but it’s only one tool in our belt. When used in conjunction with Transits, we can make sure that we’re in the right place at the right time. We can’t always avoid the wrong places, but we can avoid crossing these lines at dangerous moments. The signs on the road tell us where the falling rocks are, but not when they’re falling. With astrology, we can see where and when the rocks will fall before we even leave the house.
As with every service, I recommend you make the most of AstroDienst. But I also recommend that you get a reading from a professional astrologer to help put it all into perspective. Click Here to schedule a session.