RCG-I Seasonal Salon Winter Solstice 2004

Star Gazing with Bellezza

Bellezza Squillace is a professional Astrologer who teaches Feminist Astrology and offers consultation and forecasts for individuals, couples and groups. Her website is www.the12thhouse.com where you will find a list of her classes and in-depth interpretation opportunities for your empowerment and transformation.

I do have a question about how the charts are set up. I have a difficult time wrapping my mind around this concept and picturing it. I know that one's chart is a picture of the sky when you are born, but the books always say that the 1st house on the chart is Aries and the 2nd is Taurus and so forth. Yet in my chart the 1st house is Leo and my 2nd house is Virgo and so on. So can you explain why this is so? Are both true statements?

Both are true statements and it can be confusing for many of us to understand this. In teaching astrology, there is a system in place that gives the model and the archetypes for how the model works. This is what the books will tell you and what the ancients and modern astrologers use for the pattern of the model.

It is true that the 1st house in all of our charts has Aries/pioneering energy. This fiery cardinal energy is what gets us up and going. It is our lens on the world and how others see us. It is the first impression we make. When you say “1st house” what is meant is telling the world, “Hey, I am here!”

How we say “I am here” depends upon our personal charts. Your natal chart indicates that you have a Leo rising or 1st house.

Many of the Goddesses from ancient times illustrate this powerful Leo energy as the Mother of the Sun, flanked by lions and in a very regal, controlled power-position with the ability to direct this power constructively. The patriarchy would have us believe that to combine the self-centered, bold daring of Aries with such ferocity of Leo presents egotism and vanity. The patriarchy would read this as too much of everything or anything when they see a person such as you and would present you with many blocks to finding this personal power.

Now the statement you make to the world has a layer to it.

You would combine the nature of the house (Aries) with the zodiac sign you are born under (Leo) You say, “Hey world here I am! I have personal power and am going to use it.” Another person who has a different natal sign would have a different 1st house statement.

If we have any planets in a house, they will also add a flavor to the formula.

You have Uranus in your 1st house. Uranus is the planet of change as well as the planet of intellect. With this placement, you are a person who comes up with new ideas and is concerned with the answers to your questions on all levels.

So now, your 1st house statement is something like, “Hey world here I am! You might want to accept that I have personal power and am going to use it. Furthermore, I have some great questions, answers and a number of ideas for our next step.” All of a sudden, your very unique personality appears.

You said earlier that we can find our health issues by looking at our 6th house. Is this the whole story?

This is a good question to ask when you are having a chart cast for yourself. There are so many points of reference in our charts that a professional astrologer can see, and what is interesting is that each planetary placement has a corresponding aspect to our bodies. Those individual placements may indicate weaknesses or areas where you can be susceptible to injury.

Also, things change. Your natal chart (a chart for the moment of your birth) shows a 6th house that may be different from a progressed chart (a chart that is relative to your current age) or a relocated chart (one for a new place of residence).

Let’s say you moved across the country when you were 40. Your whole chart looks different now from when you were born. All the health considerations that were operative when you were a young adult will shift as you age and may also shift if you move far enough from your birth place.

The birth chart is still relevant, there is just much more to know.

The last Mercury Retrograde left me spinning. Does everyone go through the same thing during retrograde periods?

I worked up a number of charts for clients before the retrograde and gave them a “heads up” for the particular energy they would be dealing with over the 2004 winter holidays. Each person had the retro in a different house in their charts and reported back to me that that was indeed the energy present. They also said that things were easier when they knew the specifics to their charts.

Whether this knowledge makes a difference in the outcome is always about the free choice we make in our attitudes as well as intent. And another thing to consider is that other people around you are going through this retro energy period as well. They may not be as well informed and not be willing to flow with it as easily as you do.

Is Auspicious Dating really worth the fee to have it done?

Auspicious Dating is a term used to look at choice you might make in setting a date for an important event like a wedding, signing a contract, having surgery, or taking a trip. The reasons for casting a chart to determine Auspicious Dating are endless.

I think it is pretty important and actually teach it as a form of ritual planning, even for small rituals as well as for the Ordination Ritual for RCGI.

Using ritual planning as an example, you can cast a chart for the date even though it is already set by tradition (third weekend in May), and see how the energies will appear. You will see in the chart how the elements are distributed, what the modes of energy tend to be and what planets are challenging for the whole community. Based on this information, those planning the event as well as anyone attending it, will have a much better idea of what the natural energies are and how to use them wisely.

If you use Auspicious Dating to select the better time to sign a business contract, there are any number of reasons it works. You can see relationships, financial profits and losses, or the benefits and challenges that starting an event at that moment may bring. It simply lets you see the situation and people involved in a better light.

If you have an Astrology question you would like answered either privately or through this column, please contact Bellezza at housekeeper@the12thhouse.com.

Copyright by Bellezza Squillace ~ All rights reserved