By Frank Piechoski
Copyright © 1996 by Frank Piechoski
Solar arc directions are an extremely useful tool for the practicing
astrologer. They are a viable alternative to other methods of symbolic movement
of the natal chart, such as secondary progressions. Ease and effectiveness of
use are two key reasons that I use Solar Arc Directions as my main means of
forecasting, along with triggers from transiting planets.
To put it simply, a Solar Arc is the angular distance between the natal Sun and
the secondary progressed Sun. The secondary progressed Sun is simply taking the
position of the sun at birth and symbolically counting forward one day in the
ephemeris for each year of life, then taking the new position of the Sun for
the desired year as the progressed sun.
In Solar Arc Directions, the Sun is first progressed as in a secondary
progression, then the position of the natal Sun is subtracted from it. This
number or Arc is then added to all of the bodies and sensitive points of the
natal chart, then the Arced placements are compared to the natal placements and
exact aspects are noted.
With Solar Arc Directions, the movement of all the planets and points are
approximately 1 degree per year, with slight variations depending on the season
of the year in which the subject is born. This is what makes them so easy to use.
If you want to see where a particular point is arcing to in your natal chart,
you can just take your age, and add that number of degrees to the natal
placement and that is where, approximately, the point has arced to. For
example, if you have Mars at 0 degrees Aries in your natal chart, at age 25,
Mars would be, by Solar Arc Direction, at 25 degrees Aries.
Using this method, you can also look at a chart quickly and see what years were
important in a client’s life. To do this, simply look for planets in the 12th,
3rd, 6th and 9th houses and count how many degrees those planets are from the
next angle, and that is an important age.
As a personal example, I have Jupiter in the 12th house in 27 degrees of
Sagittarius... and my ascendant is at 13 Capricorn. Subtract the difference
between the two and you come up with 16. With Jupiter arcing to the ascendant
at that age, would expect a change for the better in personal appearance, a
measure of success, and since it is a Capricorn Ascendant with Saturn conjunct it,
an increase in public visibility with Jupiter making the saturnian ascendant
more sociable.
At age 16, I began my career as an actor, began seriously studying astrology,
grew 8 inches in height, and greatly expanded my social circle. At the end of
that year, as Jupiter hit my Saturn, my mother passed away and I became much
more independent. If you don't use Solar Arc Directions already, take a look
you own charts or those of your friends, family or clients to find the same
kind of correlations. You should then be convinced of the efficacy of Solar Arc
Directions.
Again, the easy way to check for important Solar Arc Directions is to look for
any planets in the 12th, 3rd, 6th or 9th house, subtract the number of degrees
they are away from the angle and take that number as your age, giving six
months orb on either side. Take the nature of that planet and the angle it will
contact at that age and see if the description fits. If you have no planets in
those houses, check planets in the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th and arc the previous
angle to them. If you still have nothing to direct (highly unlikely) do it with
two planets that have 15-30 degrees of separation between them and use them to
find a good arc example.
After you have looked at the simple method for determining important Solar Arc
Directions, it's time to delve a bit deeper. Although the degree-for-a-year
method I showed you above can be very easy to do right from the natal chart,
for older subjects it becomes impractical. This is not only because as the
subject gets older it is harder to see the arcs, but because the Sun does not
move exactly 1 degree per day, but varies in speed due to season. By the age of
45 or so, the variance can be as much as 3 degrees/years, so we do need to be
more accurate with older subjects. You can do the calculations by hand, which
is tedious, or you can do as I do and have a computer calculate the directions
for you.
I use Matrix Blue Star to calculate the Solar Arc Directions and assemble them
on a printed "hit list", which gives me the directed and receiving
point, as well as the aspect formed and the date/time. Most other high-quality
astrology calculation programs will be capable of this also. The date is
important, but the time can be disregarded because we will take the date and
use a six-month orb or either side of the given date on the hit list.
In most charts, there will be not more than a few Solar Arc Directions between
planets and other major points in the chart for each year. So, how do we form a
full picture using only 2 or 3 aspects? Well, there are a few ways.
Though the Solar Arc Directions to the planets and angles are very important
and should be looked at first, one can also add in transits of the slower
moving planets. Another method that I use in addition to the transits, and that
is Solar Arc Directions to midpoints of significant chart factors. The
discussion of midpoints is outside the scope of this article. If you would like
more information on midpoints I suggest "Working with Astrology" by
Charles Harvey and Michael Harding or "The Combination of Stellar
Influences" by Reinhold Ebertin.
The aspects that I use when looking at Solar Arc Directions are the Hard
aspects, that is those that are multiples of 45 degrees. These aspects are the
conjunction (0deg), Semi-square (45deg), Square (90deg),Sesquiquadrate (135deg)
and the Opposition (180deg). I use these aspects because I feel that they deal
mostly with manifestation, while the other aspects are more inward directed.
You may use whatever aspects you choose, but I suggest you try using only the
hard aspects as an experiment. You might be impressed by how they show actual
manifestation rather than more internal processes. I try to make my astrology
very practical, so when doing forecasts, I use those methods that will give the
best results to my clients, and the hard aspects seem to be more
"concrete" for me.
Now let's move on to a few practical examples. The conventions here will be
that the Arcing planet or point will be prefixed by "d" for solar arc
direction and the receiving planet will have no prefix. The arcing planet or
point will be first in order, followed by the planet or point receiving the
aspect. The "=" sign will signify that some hard aspect is formed by
the arcing point to the receiving point. I will not specify which most times,
but will occasionally point up when it is a conjunction (CNJ) for emphasis.
The other abbreviations I will use follow: SU=Sun, MO=Moon, ME=Mercury,
VE=Venus, MA=Mars, JU=Jupiter, SA=Saturn, UR=Uranus, NE=Neptune, PL=Pluto,
NN=North Node of the Moon, A=Ascendant, M=Midheaven, PF=Part of Fortune. Now,
now the first chart I'd like to look at in our examples is that of O.J.
Simpson. In the Summer of 1994, O.J. reached his "Solar arc Mid-life
crisis." That is when the Solar Arc equals 45 degrees, making all his
planets in hard aspect to their natal position. This happens to everyone around
ages 45-48 or so. In addition to all his natal planets = their own position,
O.J. also had dUR=SA in 1994/95. UR=SA is the breakdown of old structures,
suddenly and with great surprise. Conflicts with authority and power structures
are also indicated. In late 1995, O.J. has dJU=M, dVE=JU and in early 1996,
O.J. has dNE=A, dNN=SU, dSA=MO and dMO=PL.
We can see from these directions that O.J. went through, and is still going
through a powerful time in his life. The abundance of fortunate aspects at the
time of his acquittal are telling, but now that the trial is over, O.J. still
has powerful issues to resolve with himself and the public. NE, NN, SA and PL
aspecting his personal points will prove to be a huge test for O.J. in this
post-trial year.
Another "Solar Arc mid-life crisis" to look at is Prince Charles, who
had his in 1993. Accompanying this was both dUR=JU and dJU=UR, representing his
freedom from a loveless marriage perhaps. His Arcs for 1996 are dM=VE and
dVE=SA. Perhaps he will get that divorce. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, also has some interesting arcs to
look at. In 1995, She had dJU=VE, dSU=NE, dVE=MA, dNE=VE, dNN=MO. With Neptune
involved in the Arcs, we can see a degree of illness, disillusionment and
confusion, and the Venus/Mars component shows her meddling in Charles and
Diana's marriage. I see her staying strong and resolute through early 1996 with
dJU=SU (CNJ), but beginning to weaken toward the end of the year and in 1997
with dVE=NE, dMA=VE, NE=SU and NE=SU. 1997 may see the passing of the throne to
other hands.
Staying "across the pond" we can look at Margret Thatcher, who was
unexpectedly driven form the office of Prime Minister of Great Britain in
November of 1990. At that time dME=SA, dSA=M, and dSA=SU were all active,
showing a quick fall from power.
Yet another "Solar Arc midlife crisis" is the state of Israel, which
had its 45 degree arc in 1995. This was accompanied by dME=M, dJU=PL, dPL=JU
and dM=ME. Here we can see the peace talks process and the fundamental changes
in the state of Israel, as well as the assassination of it' leader. A key year
to watch in Israel's future is 2005, when dMA=A(CNJ). This configuration shows
physical danger to the body and can signify a war.
The last examples That I would like to give on Solar Arc Directions is a short
look at some of the major players of the Gulf War of 1990/1991. At the time of
the invasion from Iraq, Kuwait was undergoing it's Saturn Return. The main
solar arcs at were: dMO=SU, dMO=A, dSA=MO and dJU=PL. These show a restriction
of the population by force.
Iraq's Arcs include dA=MA, dSA=M, dMA=NN, and SU=JU. After successful war and
occupation of Kuwait (dA=MA) Iraq was driven out of Kuwait by superior forces
(dSA=M, dMA=NN). But for all the talk about the coalition's great victory,
Saddam Hussein was able to retain his power and quash two rebellions against
his rule immediately after the war (dSU=JU) (Hussein himself had dNE=SU early
in the war and dMA=PL and dMA=JU after the cease fire, allowing him to stop the
rebellions and retain power)
Saudi Arabia was at that time going though its 90 arc, that is everything in
the Natal chart was being squared by its own arcing position. Other arcs
include dMA=NN, dUR=M, dPL=ME, dME=PL and dMO=MA clearly showing their
involvement in the war.
The USA at the time had both dSU=A and dSU=NE, showing the great victory in
Kuwait and the confusion and frustration in not being able to topple Saddam
Hussein. George Bush was riding high in approval ratings, as high as 98%,
during and shortly after the Gulf War (dPL=JU, dMO=SU, dVE=SU). But eventually
dropped drastically in the polls and lost his re-election bid. (dJU=NE, dUR=MA,
dUR=PL, dNE=A.) Neptune = the Ascendant was the factor that showed not only the
disillusionment of the American people with Bush, but his own disillusionment
wit the way that his campaign was run and the performance of his closest aides.
I hope you can begin to make some sense of Solar Arc Directions now and that
you will find them as easy to use and as accurate as I have in my practice.
Remember to start using Solar Arc Directions, just start counting the number of
degrees from one chart factor to another.
If you have a chart printed out, you don't even have to have an ephemeris to
get started.
Enjoy experimenting with Solar Arc Directions!