Graphic Ephemeris
Overview
Symbolic Substitution
Other Astrological Predictive Techniques

Overview
The transits of the planets throughout the year can be shown visually on what is called a graphic ephemeris. The vertical scale indicates the degrees from 0 to 30. The horizontal scale shows the months of the year. If a planet is at 10 degrees of a sign in July, and travels to 20 degrees of that sign by December, its passage is shown as a diagonal line across the graph. The outer planets, which move very slowly, are easy to spot on the graph because their lines change gradually. The inner planets are shown by lines that are often just short of being vertical. Mercury, for example, can travel the full 30 degrees of a sign in less than a month.

You can track the transits against your own chart by drawing horizontal lines across the graph at the degrees of the planets and points in your natal chart. For example, if you have the Sun at 15 degrees of Aries, you would draw a line through the 15 degree mark. By locating where the lines of the transiting planets cross the lines of your natal chart, you can determine when a transit will occur. Because the graph is only 30 degrees (the 12 signs are collapsed into one), you will have to determine just what aspect is being made. The following aspects are possible using this graph: conjunction, semisextile, sextile, square, trine, quincunx and opposition. A crossing of a planet line could be a conjunction, or a sextile or opposition; only the name of the signs involved will tell you which one.

There is another popular graphic ephemeris (not shown here) that is based on a 45-degree modulus. In this graph, the vertical column goes from 0 degrees to 45 degrees. In terms of the zodiac it goes from 0 degrees of the Cardinal signs to 15 degrees of the Fixed signs, and/or from 15 degrees of the Fixed signs to 0 degrees of the Cardinal signs. Using this graph, you can locate transits to the natal chart in any one of the following aspects: conjunction, semisquare, square, sesqui-quadrate and opposition. Again, you will have to look at the signs involved in order to determine exactly which aspect is being formed.

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Symbolic Substitution
Anyone who follows the transits to their natal chart for a few months will come to the conclusion that they work. It will also become obvious that no two transits involving the same planets will result in the same effect, yet whatever transpires is always within the limits of the symbolism involved. Mars transiting the natal Moon, for example, may at one time coincide with a conflict with a woman. At another time there might be a home repair with associated hammer-banging. At another time, there may be a stomach upset caused by too many red hot peppers. The Mars/Moon symbolism is consistent in all three events -- Mars is anger, force, and irritation, while the Moon is female, home, and stomach. But how do we know which form a transit will take?

Most probably, transits activate forces deep within us that manifest in whatever symbolically-appropriate forms are immediately available. In the case of Mars transiting the Moon, some sense of urgency (Mars) is felt in the subconscious security system (Moon). When these forces rise to the surface of consciousness, they manifest with the appropriate symbols. Isn't it possible, then, to use free will to choose what form the symbols might take? The astrological theory of Symbolic Substitution suggests exactly that. Because we can anticipate exactly when a transit will occur, we can steer ourselves toward more productive manifestations of the planetary energies.

Since we know that Mars will be transiting the Moon, it is possible to deliberately create a Mars-Moon event. For instance, plan to do something active or constructive with a woman, or perhaps paint the house red, or maybe set up a situation where one can vent anger in an appropriate manner. This is electional astrology at its finest -- being creative with free will, but staying within the context of the symbolism.

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Other Astrological Predictive Techniques
Transits are only one of a number of methodologies that astrologers use to evaluate trends and make forecasts. One of the oldest predictive techniques is called Directions, in which angles of the birth chart are "directed" to the planets in the birth chart at a specific rate. In essence, this technique takes the birth chart and moves it ahead, correlating one degree of motion at the Midheaven to one year of life. It is the rotation of the Earth after the birth moment that is measured when using directions. If a chart has the Midheaven at 10 degrees of Libra, and Saturn is located at 15 degrees of Libra, then the Midheaven would be directed to Saturn at age 5 - and a corresponding trend would occur.

Secondary Progressions
Another technique is Secondary Progressions. This popular predictive system uses the correlation of a day-for-a-year to determine how a person might experience any given year. If the person is 45 years old, the planetary positions on the 45th day after birth are examined. By working with proportions, very exact forecasts can be made.

Solar Arcs
Using Solar Arcs is a technique which involves finding the distance between the progressed Sun and the natal Sun at the rate of one day-for-a-year, and then applying it to the other planets. This technique, popularized by the Hamburg School of Astrology (Uranian Astrology) is a form of secondary progressions.

Solar Returns
Another technique, Solar Returns, is the construction of charts cast for the exact moment in any year that the Sun returns to its exact birth position. These charts offer information about the year ahead. The same technique is used with the Moon to calculate Lunar Returns, charts that are read for the month ahead. Astrologers vary in their methodologies. Some favor solar and lunar returns, other don't use them at all. There is no single way to do astrological forecasting.

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