Chart Reading: Step #1, Martha Stewart.

isthmus nekoi

p.s. just a note, I have read that singletons can be strong b/c the elemental energy is not dispersed, but boiled down into one planet.
 

Moongold

Have we reached any consensus about how to determine the elements give that most software programs use a fairly standard formula? I wasn't aware it was feasible to do an individualistic calculation on variable factors until today.

We might as well follow every path here whilst there is an opportunity. :)
 

Minderwiz

Just a quick comment - I think the element/quality balance is useful for a first impression and a beginning, it should not be seen as the final verdict though. As Dave says there may be balancing factors that are discovered when the chart is examined in detail.

First impressions may therefore be misleading but at least they form a start.

One compensating factor might well be the house balance as well as the element balance. There are similar ways of looking at the houses - Angular, Succeedent, Cadent which might compensate for lack of Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable respectively and there is Life, Wealth, Relationships and Endings which may compensate for the elements. Thus Planets in the 'Endings' houses may well help to compensate for a lack of Water.

These are not the only way of looking for 'compensation' or balance but they are one approach - others may come from aspect relationships or aspect patterns.
 

gloria

Thanks for that Minderwiz, put in a way that's easier to understand.
I too was going round in circles with Moon, Jupiter and Mercury, which made even me think that Mercury may have a bit of clout.
My first look in since yesterday and lots of great information from you guys to take in. Thanks.
Gloria.
 

Moongold

Hi.......Yes........ I just read Dave and Minderwiz' comments about the various balancing factors in the chart.

So, where are we now (Yawn........have just woken up).

It is amazing the amount of flexibility one has in working with charts.
 

gloria

Moongold you seem to be awake almost 24 hours of the day.

I particularly liked Isthmus's take on the Fire/Earth balance = a steady smouldering hearth. G.
 

Minderwiz

Moongold said:


So, where are we now (Yawn........have just woken up).

.


Well, I think we need Dave to post his first impressions of the chart, because I'm not quite sure how he goes about this stage.

I agree with his comments about using the element/quality dimension when examining each planet because it does perhaps underlie some approaches to planetary strength. For example Venus rules Libra and Taurus, so we might presume that Venus functions very well in either Cardinal Air or Fixed Earth environments but does Venus function well in say, Cardinal Fire or Fixed Water?

One other point on the development of the preliminary analysis - point scoring systems are useful for firsts impressions (I use them myself) but as we go on the elemental balance will become more particularised, not the overall point score (however that is achieved) but a consideration of how the balance is made up - If Venus is the only planet in Water signs there will be a greater personal effect than if it is Uranus or Pluto in Water.

Stephen Arroyo tends to give more weight to Sun, Moon, Ascendant and Mars in terms of element balance with Venus, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn following in order and little weight being given to the outer three in terms of the conscious attunement of the individual. The Arroyo approach stresses 'quality' rather than simple point counts. We should therefore begin to amend the balance from the first impression as we move to final integration.
 

dadsnook2000

A question for each of us !

Now that we have reviewed the balance or lack of balance in the subject chart it is appropriate to test ourselves in terms of our understanding before moving on to the next phase.

Do you have a significant over-balance or under-balance in your chart of Fire, Earth, Air or Water elements? Do you feel that you reflect that over-balance or do you compensate for the shortage of an element in your chart?

The same question is asked relative to Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable qualities in your chart.

What "shape" is your chart? Bucket, Bowl, See-Saw, Splay, Scatter, etc.? Do you see how the types of major aspects in your chart fit with that pattern?

Let's deal with these questions before we move on to the next step in chart reading. Dave.
 

Minderwiz

Dave

Yes, it's a good idea to consider ourselves in these terms.

Perhaps you'd like to kick this one off - I'm still not too sure about how you approach the reading of MS's chart - you've put in a comment about the bucket shape - which I agree with - but not really gone beyond that.

Do you simply take the shape alone for a first impression and ignore the elements, qualities till the more detailed planet by planet stage or do you do a rough and ready element balance to start with or do you begin with a scan for Angular planets or some other means of gathering an initial impression?
 

dadsnook2000

Applying Step #1 assessments to the chart.

Using Martha Stewart's chart, I will utilize the initial assessment steps discussed so far.

CHART SHAPE: Bucket. The arc from Mars/Aries/fifth house to Neptune/Virgo/eleventh house contains all of the "planets" except for the Moon. That grouping covers the personal outreach (DSC angle) and life's accomplishments (MC angle) portion of the chart. The Moon is the handle or focus for the Bucket shaping. The classical Bucket pattern has an oppositional quality associated with it -- but that is lacking in this case as the Moon has already passed its opposition aspect to Jupiter and is now some nine degrees wide.

We'll have to be sensitive to how the Moon's symbology (public response goals, needs to be fulfilled, emotions, personal habits and values) can be augmented or circumvented. In either case (assuming that we knew nothing about Martha) the Moon will be strengthened or weakened by other factors since it does not have a strong oppositional dynamic of its own. So, we now have one key task for us to solve -- a starting focus for us when we get into the chart's details. If the Moon can't reflect another planet, what will it do, how will it do it? How will a Sag/2nd house show up in Martha's life?

ELEMENT BALANCE: Counting each "planet" and the ASC and MC as one point, and spliting points for "sign cusp planets" we arrive at the following tabulation:
FIRE: 5
EARTH: 3.5
AIR: 1.5
WATER: 2
This indicates that the fire quality will be very strong. Imagination, impulse to action, personal pride will want to be strongly experienced in one's life time. Sun and Mars will tend to be energy resources to achieve these qualitities as they most easily convey and support that directive. Earth also has some strength, suggesting practicality, pleasure, service. Venus and Saturn may play a supportive role.

QUALITY BALANCE: Again, counting the "planets", ASC and MC we can find the following tabulation:
CARDINAL: 2
FIXED: 5.5
MUTABLE: 4.5
Here I am noticing not the Fixed/Mutable emphasis but the Cardinal softness. The aggressiveness is not so apparent, while the fixed/mutable (achieve, persevere, adapt) qualities are stronger. So how is Martha's drive seemingly subdued while her goals are pursued?

This is what is evident to me when taking a one-minute scan of Martha Stewart's chart. The Moon or it's substitute agent will be a key factor in releasing her Sag/2nd house values, she will want to "reach out and touch others." She will also exemplify the "velet glove" approach, having a softness (no cardinal) to mask her core strengths (Moon focus of the Bucket pattern, Sun near the MC).

As practice I would suggest two things to the participating list: First, consider what I have said and determine if you are comfortable with it. Ask questions, take a different stance. It is not important that you follow a specific method but that you just understand the process of "overview" so that you can apply it to your own chart and to the charts of others. Second, do look at your own chart and come back to the list with comments or questions. We will be more comfortable with the following phases of chart interpretation if we all know how we reached these initial conclusions and can focus on them in the following steps. Dave.