Astrology FAQs
Astrology FAQs
Here I try to answer some of Astrology’s most frequently asked questions. Astrology is a complex subject and has many facets. Signs, houses, elements, modalities are just some of the things Astrologers look at in a chart. Here are some of the questions my clients and friends ask me most often.
I’m born ‘on the cusp’. Am I both signs?
Those born ‘on the cusp’ are often confused as to which sign they are. Even more confusing is that the dates that one sign changes to the next are not consistent. They can change by a day or so depending on where the stars and planets are in that particular year.
If you were born on the day that one sign moved to the next, knowing your time of birth will allow an astrologer (or astrologer using a computer!) to work out which Sun sign (star sign) you are. If you’re born at the PRECISE moment of change then you will have characteristics of both signs (but most in England at least do not know their birth time to this degree of accuracy).
How important is knowing your time of birth for a chart?
I can actually get quite a lot of information for someone’s report by having their year, date and town (and country!) of birth. I can delve deeper though if I’m given the time of birth. This allows me to find the true Ascendant or Rising Sign which has a ‘knock on’ effect to information across the rest of the chart.
‘Rectification’ is a process whereby the astrologer attempts to work out the time of birth based on life events of the client. It’s a speculative process and requires that the client has had some life experience. It’s been found though that astrologers who have independently rectified the same chart have come up with very similar results.
I offer this service to those buying a chart and/or report.
What is the Ascendant or Rising Sign?
These terms mean the same thing. It is calculated from the information of date, place and TIME of birth. When asked at first meeting to guess someone’s birth sign (Sun sign/star sign) it’s actually the Rising Sign that is often easier to pick out. This is because the Ascendant shows how we project ourselves into the world or how the world perceives us.
You may be Sun sign Pisces and be in essence or nature a gentle dreamer, but Rising Leo will put you out there as a sunny extrovert. Of course this is quite simplified as we are all complex individuals and this is reflected in our charts.
Why should I pay for a chart or report when it’s free elsewhere online?
Computers can generate birth charts with no problem, and indeed astrologers use them to cast charts even though we are able to cast a chart without.
The charts I offer here are indeed calculated on a computer, but I am able to design things like the size ratios, whether planets are placed near the centre or outside edge of the circle etc.
This is a great help when I combine my artwork with a chart design to produce a unique piece of art, personal to each client. My clients receive their ‘chart as art’ which will last a lifetime and looks stunning when displayed on a wall.
Reports can also be computer generated but tend to be short and miss out the nuances that astrologers pick up. Elements like a chart shape, a stellium or grand aspect and so on are left out. My reports contain these nuances and are more in depth than computer generated interpretations. (Your reports from me are also beautifully presented and you have input on its appearance – especially the frontispiece).