This self-study module gives final instructions in the art of erecting a simple horoscope of birth. From such a simple figure one who is proficient may read the very soul of a human being, its hopes, fears, and aspirations, the faults and frailties of its mind and body. Moses was commanded to remove his shoes in front of the burning bush in recognition of the fact that he stood on holy ground illuminated by a Spirit Presence. If all the calcium lights in the world were focused upon an actor, their blinding light would be reflected from his body, but his secrets would still remain within. But when an actor enters upon the stage of life and the starry spotlights are focused upon him through the horoscope, they penetrate to the very soul of his being and lay bare the lines of his life with such clearness that he who can read the stellar script may count the pulse beats of such a one as if they were those of his own soul. Therefore Moses stood on no holier ground than the astrologer who holds in his hand a horoscope; and I feel that I cannot too often reiterate that there is a very grave responsibility connected with this wonderful privilege of the astrologer, and that it behooves him to live a holy life so that he may be worthy to stand in the sublime presence of the Human Spirit as it is revealed in the natal figure. Nor should the student deceive himself; spiritual secrets and the privilege of rendering spiritual help by spiritual interpretation of the message of the stars are not given to one who prostitutes this most sublime science for filthy lucre or uses it for low purposes. God is not mocked; we reap what we sow. If we betray our trust and abuse this great privilege, the day of retribution will dawn sometime and we shall eat the bread of sorrow for our sacrilege. To whom much is given, of him much is required. We pray God that you may live up to the highest possibilities of soul growth by helping others and that the knowledge of astrology which you are now acquiring may prove your most important aid, as it has been and is the greatest blessing in our lives.
Astrology
Independent Study
Module No. 9
Chart Construction
Part IX
In the first five self-study modules you learned how to find the Sidereal Time of a birth and to place the proper sign and degree of the zodiac upon each of the twelve houses. The last three Astrology Independent Study Modules have been devoted to calculation of the planets' places in the zodiac, and now the time has come to enter them in the horoscope. When they have been entered in their proper houses, the horoscope is complete. This will, therefore, be the subject of our present Astrology Independent Study Module.
Two points should be particularly borne in mind when the student is entering planets in the horoscope. Planets near the third, fourth, fifth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh cusps should be written up and down, as Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon, in the illustration contained in this self-study module, for by that method the place of every planet is readable without the necessity of turning and twisting the horoscope when reading. Be sure, also, to write as neatly and legibly as possible, and where there are several planets in a sign, cluster them closely together with their zodiacal sign on the cusp, so that there may be no mistake on that score. It is twice as difficult to read a horoscope which is made out in a slovenly manner — where one has to turn and twist to read the planetary degrees and watch the cusps to see under what sign planets placed in the middle of a house belong — as one made out neatly and correctly. Such maneuvers distract attention from the reading as much as if a book were printed so that it must be turned upside down to read every other line. No one would put up with such work from a printer. We demand a book legibly printed and readable from one position, and the book of life, the horoscope, ought to be as carefully written, at least, as the common story, which we require the printer to make legible and clear. Be sure to form the habit of neatness from the very beginning. Use a simple blank without unnecessary frills to distract attention, and you have conquered half the difficulties of reading.
Before entering planets in the horoscope, it is wise to make a list of their places, beginning with those in the first degree of Aries, if any; then those in the succeeding degrees of the same sign; then the planets in the first degrees of Taurus; then those in the following degrees and so on through all the signs, following the circle of the Zodiac. This method, applied to the planets of our example horoscope gives the following list:
Sign
Planet
Deg. Min.
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Saturn
1.34
Cancer
Neptune
23.47
Leo
The Sun
00.10
Leo
Venus
05.00
Leo
Mercury
27.09
Virgo
Mars
03.56
Libra
Scorpio
The Moon
26.33
Sagittarius
Jupiter
05.42 R
Capricorn
Aquarius
Uranus
01.32 R
Pisces
The advantage of making a list of the planets and grouping them in order of sign and degree, before entering them in the horoscope, lies in the fact that if the planets are clustered in any part of the horoscope, the list shows it, and we may economize space intelligently when writing them so that the neatness and clearness are retained, even when several planets have to be crowded into a small space. In the foregoing list, for instance, three planets are in Leo, and the 13th degree of Leo is on the Ascendant, consequently, the Sun and Venus, which are in 0 and 5 degrees, respectively, are written above the Ascendant, and Mercury below; for the signs and degrees rotate in the same direction as the houses. When Leo is on the first house, the next sign, Virgo, is usually on the next house (the second); Libra, the third sign from Leo, on the third house, and so on.
As it is our policy to group the planets close to the zodiacal sign which contains them at the time of birth, we write Mercury directly below the Ascendant. Comparing the longitude of the Sun (0 degrees) and Venus (5 degrees) with the longitude of the Ascendant (13 degrees), it is evident that Venus is nearest the Ascendant. We therefore write Venus directly above the Ascendant, and the Sun close to Venus, as it is done in our illustration. Thus written, they are properly grouped in the order of their degrees : 0, 5, 13, 27; Sun, Venus, Ascendant, Mercury. It is very important to always have them placed right, for if we had placed Mercury above the Ascendant, the Sun and Venus below, we should also read the horoscope wrong. Mercury would then be in the 12th house and mean something very different from what he signifies in the first house. In the latter Mercury gives facility of expression and brightens the intellect, but in the 12th he is in bondage, and cannot give out knowledge. There is a strain of melancholy in the mind when Mercury is in the 12th, whereas placed in the first house, he imparts cheerfulness to the disposition.
Thus it is evident that if we try to read the character of a person from a horoscope where the planets are not properly inserted, we shall make a miserable failure. The student is, therefore, again warned to spare no pains to place the planets correctly on the right side of their respective cusps.
Birth Chart —
July 23, 1912 — 6 AM —
New York
Midheaven: Taurus 3
Sun: Leo 0:10
Saturn: Gemini 1:34
11th House: Gemini 9
Moon: Scorpio 26:33
Uranus: Aquarius 1:32R
12th House: Cancer 14
Mercury: Leo 27:09
Neptune: Cancer 23:47
Ascendant: Leo 13:31
Venus: Leo 5:00
2nd House: Pisces 5
Mars: Virgo 3:57
3rd House: Libra 1
Jupiter: Sagitt. 5:42R
A good method is to start from Aries in the horoscope, insert the planets listed under Aries, if any, then take Taurus, and so on. We shall follow that method in our illustration.
Aries 1 is on the 9th cusp, but there are no planets in Aries according to our list; so the 9th house is empty.
Taurus 3 is on the 10th cusp, but no planets appear under Taurus on our list.
Gemini 9 is on the 11th cusp; that means that the first 9 degrees of that sign are in the 10th house, and the remaining degrees from 9 to 30 are in the 11th house. Planets in the degrees from 1 to 9 must therefore be placed in the 10th house, and planets in the higher degrees, in the 11th house. In our list Saturn is in Gemini, 1 degree 34 min., so we write him in the 10th house, close to the 11th cusp, to show that he belongs under Gemini. Please note again how he is written in our illustration; up and down, so that we may read without turning the horoscope.
Cancer 14 is on the 12th cusp, thus the first 14 degrees are in the 11th house and the degrees from 14 to 30 are in the 12th house. In our list we see that Neptune is in Cancer 23 degrees, and accordingly we write it in the 12th house, close to the 12th cusp to show that it is in Cancer.
The planets in Leo we have already dealt with, so we note next that the fifth degree of Virgo is on the cusp of the second house; thus 5 degrees are in the first house, and Mars, which is 3 degrees of Virgo, must be written above the cusp as shown in our diagram.
The first degree of Libra is on the cusp of the third house, and if a planet were in 0 degrees, 59 min. of Libra, it should be written in the second house, but all degrees from 1 to 30 are in the third house, and planets in those degrees would be placed in the third house. None appears in our list, however, so we proceed to the next.
The third degree of Scorpio is on the fourth cusp, and all planets in a higher degree are therefore placed in the 4th house. Our list shows that the Moon is in 26 degrees of Scorpio, so we take care to write it up and down close to the 4th cusp as illustrated in our diagram.
The ninth degree of Sagittarius is on the cusp of the 5th house, and planets in one of the first nine degrees must therefore be written in the 4th house. Jupiter appears listed in 5 degrees, and we consequently write him in the 4th house, but close to the 5th cusp, to show that he belongs under Sagittarius. We also take care to write him up and down, and above all, the capital R, denoting that he is retrograde, must also be written as shown in the illustration.
The 14th degree of Capricorn is on the cusp of the 6th house, so planets in the first 14 degrees would be in the 5th house, and planets in the last 16 degrees would be in the 6th house; but as our list shows no planets in Capricorn, we pass on.
The 13th degree of Aquarius is on the cusp of the 7th house; planets in lower degrees must therefore be written in the 6th house, and as Uranus is in one degree, we place him there just below the 7th cusp, to show that he belongs under Aquarius. A capital R is written there also.
There being no planets in Pisces, our horoscope is now complete, and if you have grasped what has been taught up to the present time, you should be able to erect the horoscopical figure for any birth.
Practice will make you proficient, and after a while you will be able to erect such a simple figure in 10 or 15 minutes, without all the circumstances necessary when learning; but in order to be sure that you understand thoroughly, we will erect another horoscope by easy stages while proceeding to learn the aspects.
Questions:
(You are welcome to e-mail your answers and/or comments
to us. Please be sure
to include the course name and Independent Study Module number in your e-mail to us. You will find
the answers to the questions below in the next Astrology Independent Study Module.)
1. Please find the Sidereal Time at birth for a child born on August 10th, 1912, at 4 P.M., Standard Time in New York. Make your calculation on the horoscope blank, and write the proper signs and degrees on the cusps of the houses, but do not start to calculate the planets. [Please submit your answers in a tabular format.] (optional)
Birth Hour
according to Standard Time:
(if Daylight Saving Time
in effect, subtract
one hour):
Degrees birthplace is East
or West of Standard Time
Meridian in use at birth :
Multiply this number of
degrees by 4 minutes,
equals:
(Add if birthplace is
East of this Meridian.
Subtract if birthplace
is West of this Meridian)
Gives True Local Time
(T.L.T.) of Birth:
Sidereal Time:
Sidereal Time (S.T.) at
Greenwich for noon
previous to T.L.T.
of birth:
Correction of 10 seconds
for each 15 degrees of
Longitude (10/15 or
2/3 x Long.):
(Add if West Longitude.
Deduct if East Longitude)
Interval between previous
noon and true local time
of birth:
Add correction of 10
seconds per hour of
interval:
Gives Sidereal Time (S.T.)
at birthplace at
birth hour:
Nearest S. T. in Tables
of Houses:
Greenwich Mean Time:
True Local Time of Birth:
Degrees East or West of
Greenwich:
Multiply this number of
degrees by 4 minutes
equals:
(Add, if West Longitude.
Deduct if East Longitude)
Gives Greenwich Mean Time
(G.M.T.):
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