Repeated Themes in Your Horoscope (Natal Analysis)
Maritha Pottenger
continued from previous issue
This material is used in a report called the Compact Profile (available for $7.95 from ACS; 5521 Ruffin Rd.; San Diego, CA 92123; 619/492-9919 or 800/888-9983). To produce the report, the computer does a twelve-letter alphabet analysis of the chart by scoring everything in the chart: planets in aspects, planets in houses, planets in signs, rulership relationships, midpoints, etc. using a weighting system which gives more significance to planets, then houses, then signs.
Introduction (part of Profile printout omitted earlier)
There are many different ways in which one can look for themes astrologically. Although systems vary, most astrologers agree that repetition is a key element for spotting what is most important in a horoscope. The approach used in this report is that of the astrological alphabet. That is, the planet ruling a sign (as Mars rules Aries) plus the house associated in the natural zodiac (the 1st house is associated with Aries) are grouped as sharing certain themes and issues. Using a weighting system which gives more significance to planets, then houses, then signs, the computer tallies everything in a chart: planets in aspects; planets in houses; planets in signs; rulership relationships, midpoints, etc.
Once everything has been included, the computer looks for those themes (involving one or two “letters” of the astrological alphabet—signified by numbers) which are the strongest. Whatever has the most weight and repetitions in the chart will be interpreted.
The number(s) which precede each interpretation refer to the astrological alphabet. For a complete listing of everything which was included, you would have to purchase the astrological annotation in addition to this report. The number(s) listed at the beginning of each interpretation will let you know which alphabet pairs were strongly emphasized. (For example, if you had a 9/12 pairing, that could indicate strong aspects between Jupiter and Neptune; rulers of the 9th and 12th houses; planets in the 9th and 12 houses; planets in Sagittarius and Pisces, or other intermixtures of these factors.)
Following you will find interpretations for the themes which have the strongest emphasis and repetition in your horoscope.
8: VOLCANIC
These motifs revolve around intensity, hidden matters, joint resources and pleasures, self-mastery, control, and psychological complexes.
Your nature is likely to be quite intense—with “all or nothing” tendencies. You may go to extremes in life. Power issues are probable, particularly when it comes to sharing sensuality, sexuality, money, possessions, and pleasures with other people. Your challenge is to be able to give, receive, and share with a mate—without intimidating or being intimidated; without controlling or seeking to control the other. Nonconstructive variations include manipulation, game-playing, power plays, emotional blackmail, withdrawal, threats, and revenge (whether directed from you toward others or from others toward you). Swings are possible between indulgence and control; being together and being alone (the hermit) until you achieve balance. Looking within matters much. You may be drawn toward psychology (investigating obsessions, compulsions, addictions, the unconscious), the occult, history, or secrets of any kind. You are seeking self-understanding and self-mastery—to turn your negatives into positives. Learning to forgive and forget can be an important victory. You are likely to be tenacious, organized, thorough, and strong willed. Resourcefulness, loyalty, and an indomitable will are probable strengths.
8-9: RESEARCHER
This combination ties together deep emotions/ self-control/ intimacy/ perseverance and search for ultimate knowledge/ expansion/ freedom/ urge to reach further.
You have an urge for both depth and breadth. This could express as an intense quest for knowledge and understanding of your inner psyche and of the universe. Your beliefs and values are likely to arouse intense (all-or-nothing) reactions and you might be a bit fanatical in terms of moral principles or what you believe is true. You are likely to place a high value on self-control (perhaps too much so on occasion) and self-mastery is a probable goal. You could feel torn between your urge to be spontaneous, open, honest and optimistic versus urges toward secrecy, hiding, withdrawing and doing inward processing. You are likely to have high expectations for intimacy and may expect more than is reasonable from yourself, your mate, or sharing encounters. Extreme idealism can lead to disappointment and disillusionment, or relationships where one person tries to do or be everything for the other. Another option is to keep standards so high that commitment is not possible, or to overvalue money or sensuality. If you repress your needs for freedom, travel, seeking and searching, you might attract partners who overdo the role of “free soul.” Shared quests, goals and ideals work best for you in relationships. You can be deeply moved by anything which adds to your sense of meaning, faith, and understanding of truth.
8-10: POWER DRIVE
This combination joins intensity/ concentration/ perseverance/ passion with discipline/ authority/ effort/ pragmatism.
Here we have a doubling up on willpower, focus, concentration and follow-through. You can be relentless once you sink your teeth into a project (or relationship). Be willing to forgive, forget and let go when appropriate. A drive for power is highlighted, with the potential of natural business skills and good ability to handle resources and finances. Management abilities and organizational skills are likely. You could do well in a career involving investment, resources, intensity, power, fascination or hidden matters. Self-discipline and self-control could be considerable, but—if overdone—lead to inhibition, self-blocking and self-denial. You may resist being vulnerable to others, not trusting them to come through for you. Fear, anxiety, inhibition, or a need to maintain control can limit intimate connections. Know when to relax! You are likely to seek stability, safety and control in your relationships with mates. Don’t set up a mate to be dominated or to play parent (“Daddy”) to you. Do share the power, the strength and the ability to cope effectively. Make sure responsibility and authority are divided between both of you—and you each have your own arena (preferably in an outside career) to be in charge. Survival skills are accented; you can endure almost anything! When you do commit, you are intensely loyal and will do whatever is necessary to make the relationship work.
8-11: INTIMATE CHANGES
This combination suggests a need to integrate passion/ intimacy/ depth/ self-control with detachment/ freedom/ broad perspectives/ open-endedness.
Here we see the potential for an inner struggle between emotional intensity, commitment, hanging on and going within versus intellectual detachment, independence, variety and exploring the wider world. If these two themes are not integrated in your nature, other people may carry one side or the other to excess. Friends might overdo the intense, all-or-nothing, compulsive themes and mates might carry freedom needs too far. People you want might be unavailable, or those attracted to you do not appeal to you. Hot/cold (“come closer; go away”) interactions can occur. Power drives will have to be balanced with equalitarian instincts as well, and security needs must be integrated with the desire for excitement and change. Your best bet is to establish an unusual, innovative, unpredictable bond with a mate which allows room for a lot of freedom on both sides. Direct power instincts toward competitive sports, games, business, or fighting for worthy causes. Inventive, you can plumb your depths to discover unique forms of insight. Able to blend the rational and the intuitive, the past and the future, you can originate ideas and projects that are an excellent synthesis.
8-12: SECRETS
This combination unites passion/ intimacy/ depth/ penetration with compassion/ sensitivity/ Union with the Whole/ imagination.
With a double-water blend, you are likely to be intuitive, with potential guidance from your own inner wisdom. You have a natural affinity for what lies beneath the surface and are sensitive to “the vibes” in life. Emotions are probably strong, and dealing with them may sometimes seem more important than the outside world. You could keep many of your feelings secret, not revealing except to a very select few—both to protect yourself and from sensitivity to the feelings of others. You seek infinite compassion, union and intuitive understanding in relationships and might fall into playing the cosmic savior or looking for someone to make everything beautiful and ideal for you. This can include withdrawing when situations are less than perfect (no relationship or even a fantasy relationship) or putting a partner on a pedestal and viewing him/her as better than reality warrants. You probably prefer to focus on what is attractive and appealing in those you love so may avoid facing problems at times. You have the capacity to care very deeply, and sharing ideals, the creation of beauty or the urge to make a more perfect world with your intimates will work best for all. You may be very powerfully affected by beauty, mystical experiences, nature, and the transcendent side of life.
9: ETERNAL OPTIMIST
An idealistic, happy-go-lucky, expansive, adventurous, truth-seeking, restless theme is emphasized.
The quest for more is apt to be highlighted in your life. You want to expand your boundaries in some way, do more than you have done before, reach further, explore and adventure. This could be manifested on the physical level with lots of travel, particularly to faraway places. You could do it mentally through school, reading, writing, publishing, studying, science or other forms of mental exploration and expanding your base of knowledge. You could do so spiritually through seeking ultimate answers—why are we here; what does it mean—through religion, philosophy, or various spiritual paths. You could indulge in gambling, speculation, risk-taking, promotional ventures, or wheeling and dealing in an effort to expand your physical base, to get a bigger return. Emotionally, you are likely to seek freedom, a sense of unlimited vistas. This can lead to restlessness, and a resistance to commitments. You may be afraid to settle down (vocationally, in relationships, etc.) for fear something “better” or “more perfect” is just “over the hill.” You need a dream to pursue, a vision to seek. Likely skills include idealism, intellectual openness, optimism, an interest in the wider world, and an eagerness for opportunities.
9-10: CONFIDENCE AND CAUTION
This combination ties together optimism/ values/ idealism/ expansion and pessimism/ pragmatics/ effort/ limits.
You are reaching for the stars with the ability to make your dreams come true. When visions and confidence are harnessed to practicality and hard work, much can be accomplished! The issues of ideals and values may be faced through relations with authorities (including Dad) who provide positive or negative role models for this theme. Issues revolving around ethics or moral principles versus pragmatics and “necessities” may also arise in your career. If the idealistic and realistic are not blended, you could be often frustrated, wanting more than you have achieved, or afraid to risk for fear of falling short, or constantly pushing beyond your capabilities. Dashed dreams and limited faith are a negative potential. Practical inspiration is a positive potential. Your common sense can ground your aspirations and make them attainable, if used in tandem. You can help to build a better world. You can balance faith and fear; expansion and contraction; risks and caution. Your career might involve education, travel, inspiration, spiritual issues or anything which broadens people’s horizons or helps them to see the possibility of something better. You are likely to place a high value on duty, responsibility, doing a good job, and achievement.
9-11: ON YOUR OWN
This combination joins exploration/ adventuring/ quest for truth/ goals and values with individualism/ independence/ humanitarian instincts/ the future.
With two of the three freedom letters represented, independence is an important theme. You may relate easily to large, abstract, transpersonal concepts and ideals. You are likely to be committed to social justice and might idealize democracy, equality, the new, progress, groups, friends or individualism. You probably place a high value on individuality, uniqueness, and tolerance. Your friendships, organizations, and groups you join might be oriented toward a religious or spiritual ideal, good times, philosophical explorations, education, travel, or anything that broadens horizons. You are likely to be attracted to anything new, different, pioneering and forward-going. Sometimes, you may get carried away with your enthusiasm, and leap into things prematurely. You probably have a quick sense of humor and fun loving spirit. A sense of openness in your life is imperative. Keep an escape hatch; the idea of being limited, restricted, hemmed in, tied down, or trapped is anathema to you. Keep your options as open as possible. Drawn toward variety, you need constant mental challenges in life and deal well with surprises. Intellectual stimulation is the breath of life, so you tend to constantly learn, take classes, read, study, discuss or otherwise bring new ideas into your life.
9-12: FAITH
This combination suggests a need to integrate quest for truth/ bluntness/ religious or spiritual beliefs/ freedom to seek more with quest for infinite love and beauty/ sensitivity/ merging with the Whole and imagination.
Here we bring together our two letters of ideals, with the likelihood of high expectations, goals and hopes, the tendency to seek and search for the best in life. (Depending on what else is mixed in, this might pervade your whole life or be particularly relevant in terms of self-image, relationships, work, etc.). You might sometimes be dissatisfied or talk yourself into seeing a more ideal picture than is really there. You might consistently seek perfection—and need to look in areas that are infinite (art, beauty, God, nature) rather than limited (human relationships, job, etc.). Wanting more than is possible can lead to chronic disillusionment and unhappiness. Having something to aim for, something to inspire you, is vital, but be sure you can enjoy the process and don’t expect to “arrive” at perfection. Your “head” goals might vie with “heart” goals (such as “the absolute truth” versus compassion), or conscious faith and beliefs could be at odds with unconscious “knowing” and understanding, until integrated. Maintaining goals is essential, but don’t demand that your reach them immediately. Clarifying priorities can be helpful. You need a constructive outlet (art, aesthetic, healing, teaching, etc.) for your idealism.
10: RELIABLY RESPONSIBLE
The themes in focus include authority, control, responsibility, limits, structures, restriction, caution, career, and common sense.
You are likely to be extra aware of the “rules of the game” (of life) and the roles one is expected to play for success in the material world. This could result in being quite ambitious, dedicated, responsible, hardworking, conscientious—a high achiever who functions well within the establishment. Another option is constantly butting heads with authority figures (from father through to boss, police, etc.), and clashing with reality demands—feeling life is full of limits, frustrations, blocks, and inhibitions. Another option is being afraid to try anything, doubting your abilities, convinced you will just fail and fall short in any of your efforts. A strong influence (pro or con) from your authority parent (usually father or father figure) is likely. Your challenge is to be pragmatic, sensible, and identify the rules and limits within which you must work. Then you can accomplish quite a bit, make a serious contribution to society, and gain success and the status you deserve in your profession. Maintain balance in regard to responsibility: neither too much nor too little. Avoid excessive guilt. Probable skills include perseverance, practicality, organizational skills, an instinct for power, and a talent for creating and maintaining structures.
10-11: FOLLOWING RULES OR BREAKING THEM?
This combination ties together rules/ structure/ responsibility/ authority with rebellion/ open-endedness/ community/ democracy.
You may decide to change certain structures in life, or to build a new order entirely. There is a need to blend the conventional and the unconventional, to learn when to play by the rules and when to break them. Your goal is getting the best from traditions as well as progress. Don’t swing from extreme rigidity to extreme chaos, or from too much formality to excessive independence. Do maintain a balance between the known and the unknown, the old and the new. Your father (or father figure) probably was a role model (positive or negative) for your handling of freedom, individuality and change. You could be quite stilled at leveling hierarchies and democratizing structures. Sometimes, you may prefer to go outside “the system” and begin building an entirely new structure from scratch. Logical and rational, you can be an excellent problem-solver. You are able to be sensible and objective, and are probably blessed with a long-range view and sense of perspective. You may be drawn to envision large-scale improvements of society and social functioning. You are likely to create order in your friendships and may be an authority in groups or organizations. You probably will seek independence, originality, variety and intellectual challenges in your career.
10-12: SOLID IMAGINATION
This combination joins reality principles/ responsibility/ power structure/ rules with idealistic images/ submission/ Oneness with the Whole/ infinite love and beauty.
You are likely to be quite aware of how the world could be improved and might be working to change it for the better, or seeking an escape from facing an unpleasant reality. The goal is to reconcile the starry-eyed idealist and hard-nosed pragmatist within you. Father (or authority parent) was probably a role model (positive or negative) for idealism, the quest for infinite love and beauty, the search for faith and “happily ever after.” He might have been artistic, visionary, compassionate, a victim, a healer, imaginative, absent, religious or otherwise involved in seeking cosmic connections. You may be drawn personally toward roles of professional artist (bringing beauty into the world), professional helper or healer (making a better world) or “professional victim” (running away from it all). You might idealize work (and seek that “perfect” job that doesn’t exist), the work ethic (and be overworked and probably underpaid), or give up if you think the tasks are too vast and you won’t succeed. Alternately, you might unconsciously trust only in the physical, the “real” and the measurable, fearful to trust and have faith in a Higher Power. Faith might battle fear until integrated. But if you blend your practical efforts with your visionary images, the results can be of great value to you and the world. You can create the best in your imagination and take practical, real-world steps to bring your dreams into being.
11: UTTERLY UNIQUE
Motifs revolve around change, innovation, revolution, friends, groups, new-age principles, the unusual, the different, the nonstandard.
Uniqueness and individuality matter to you. If you are comfortable with this side of yourself, you may be a rule-breaker. In some way (personal appearance, behavior, vocation, etc.), you are marching to a different drummer, taking the path less traveled. You know how to resist outside authority and strive to do your own thing in the world. Freedom is vital for you. Friends, causes, humanitarian interests, or the groups you join could provide reinforcement for your desire to do things differently. (Be sure you have enough space and room to feel free within your relationships. Avoid situations where you could feel trapped, hemmed in, or tied down. You need openness and movement.) If your chaotic tendencies are carried too far, you could be irresponsible or just downright weird. If you suppress your need to stand out from the crowd, you may get involved with people who are unpredictable, crazy, and excessively rebellious. Anything new, unusual, involved with technology, or on the cutting edge of change could appeal to you. Thinking about the future may be a draw. Friends, groups, associations, or anything involving the wider reach of humanity could be a focus in your life. Inventiveness, skill at brainstorming, tolerance, and an openness to anything are among your skills.
11-12: NEW DREAMS
This combination ties together humanitarian principles/ community/ democracy/ new age knowledge and philanthropy/ compassion/ Oneness/ inspiration.
You may have a natural bent for humanitarian ideals and utopian inclinations. You could be quite a theorist and visionary. Transpersonal concerns and large-scale issues (political, economic, religious, etc.) attract your interest. You tend to contemplate the future, principles, ideals, abstractions and potentials and might overvalue friends, democratic principles, group process or the new and technological. You might slip into doing too much for friends, perhaps to the point of savior/victim or co-dependent interactions. Shared dreams work the best in your relationships. Your spiritual approach is likely to be unique and individualistic. with an accent on freedom and tolerance. You might create beauty in a very original fashion. Gifted with a marvelous creative imagination, you can blend the conscious and the unconscious, the intuitive and the rational for optimum results. Fantasy and guided visualization may be useful tools for you, but you can sometimes get lost in your own inner thoughts and feelings and forget to make contact or communicate clearly with those about you. Find people who wish to help you pursue your visions, and keep a pinch of practicality at hand. Your intuition is a useful skill. You may be quite adept at spotting upcoming trends and issues, knowing humanity’s next major fad or focus.
12: ULTIMATE ANSWERS
Themes of cosmic consciousness, infinite love and beauty, compassion, rose-colored glasses, escapism, and imagination are highlighted.
Your quest for a dream is vital in your life. This could lead you to appreciate and create beauty in almost any form (including—but not limited to) films, painting, dance, music, etc. You might become a helper or healer (doctor, therapist, astrologer, counselor, etc.). You could direct much compassion into philanthropy or a sympathetic ear when anyone around you needs it. In extremes, this can lead to savior/victim relationships (with drug addicts, alcoholics, or other “needy” people) who activate your desire to rescue. Keep such associations professional—with office hours! Don’t let your sensitive caring go to the extreme where you are drained and neglect yourself, doing too much for others. Alternately, if the world seems too ugly, and you feel unable to change it for the better, you may be tempted to escape—through alcohol, daydreaming, TV, romantic fiction, etc. This is a problem if overdone. Sensitive, intuitive, imaginative, you can tune into a reality Higher and more beautiful than the one in which we live. You may bring magic into people’s lives. Your idealism can help to make the world better (and/or) more beautiful. Keep a serene, protected spot in your home and life to clean out feelings regularly, to contact your Higher Self. Refresh yourself with beauty, nature, or faith in the Goodness of Life.
Conclusion
We hope that this analysis has been helpful for you, pointing out some strengths, indicating potential challenges, and reminding you of positive options. May your talents and abilities help you to create a full, rewarding life.