Planets in Natal Charts: The Importance of Hemispheres, Quadrants and Aspect Pictures

by Ferhan Çeçen

Introduction

When looking at a natal chart for the first time my attention is always drawn to the distribution of planets. In my opinion this factor is nearly as important as the signs of Sun, Moon,  Ascendant and their rulers. 

The main aim of this article is to show that much information can be gained about the basic inclination of a person by examination of hemispheres, quadrants and aspect pictures.

1. Hemispheres

The area under the AC/DC axis (Figure 1), the northern and lower hemisphere,  is below the horizon and is therefore in the dark. In accordance with this analogy, it is associated with the unconsciousness in a person. The planets here are usually expressed unconsciously. Persons having most of the planets lying below this axis are regarded as more introverted. They may derive their energy not from outside, but rather from their inner world and own values. On the other hand, planets lying above the AC/DC axis, namely in the southern and higher hemisphere, are visible since they are in the light. By analogy they are in the conscious realm of a person, therefore the person has a good command of them. Those having most of the planets above the horizon axis are regarded as more extroverted. Their activities may be more observable by the public etc.

Similarly, the MC/IC axis divides a chart into an eastern and western hemispheres. The eastern hemisphere is considered to be the “I” side. Persons having most of the planets there value their own standards, they rely on their own power, they want to act independently and expect others to follow them. On the other hand, the western hemisphere belongs to “You”. If most of the planets are located in this region, contact with others becomes crucial in the life of a person. However, he may rely too much on others and expect much from them. He may be forced to follow others or be influenced by them.

2. Quadrants

Since AC/DC and MC/IC are points derived from astronomy,  they may be considered as one of the most objective indicators in a chart. Since quadrants are formed as a result of their intersection they can also be considered as objective. Whatever house system is used, the quadrants and their meaning remains the same. Therefore, it is advisable to look first at the distribution of planets in quadrants rather than houses.

Quadrant 1: If most of the planets lie in the 1st quadrant this may indicate a person who has a strong will to build himself. Bruno Huber called it the “Drive” quadrant. The main drive of the person is to sustain himself. In the extreme case the person may be unaware of their surroundings, or be too self-inclined resulting in egoism.  Since one of the fears here is to surrender and to lose himself, the person wants to protect and defend himself.

Quadrant 2: If most of the planets lie in the 2nd quadrant, the person explores the environment by relying on instincts. B. Huber named this as the “Instinct” quadrant. The person is usually conditioned in early years by the norms of his family and the environment. This conditioning then shapes his attitude toward others. The person behaves involuntarily out of instinct and reacts to an action. The main attitude of the person is offensive and emotional. 

Quadrant 3: The 3rd quadrant was called the “Thinking” quadrant by B. Huber. If most of the planets are found in this quadrant lying in the conscious hemisphere, the person wants to explore the environment by conscious interaction with others. In general, he aligns with the surrounding by using his mind. He relies rather on his intellect, and not on his instincts. He is not shaped by the environment as in the 2nd quadrant. He is rather interested in what he can do by himself and how he can contribute to others.

Quadrant 4: This quadrant is about “Being”, the existence. If this quadrant is emphasized, the person wants to realize himself and reach individuation, but this time consciously since this quadrant lies above the horizon. The person is not anymore led by drive (1st quadrant) or instinct (2nd quadrant). Although this quadrant lies in the “I” part of the chart,  unlike the 1st quadrant, the person is not self-centered, but is much more willing to share his resources. Thus, individuality and universal consciousness merge in the same person.

3. Relationship between Chart Shapes and Hemispheres/Quadrants

Formation of certain aspects is enabled in some chart shapes only. Thus, chart shapes and aspects depend on each other.  For example, in a chart having the bundle shape, only aspect patterns without opposition would be of interest. This may indicate a strong focus on an area, but also a reduced objectivity if other factors support this. Thus, both the presence and absence of an aspect would carry a meaning.

However, formation of shapes (locomotive, bowl, bundle, splay etc.) does not depend on quadrants. For example, a bundle may be located in any quadrant, it may even spread across two. Chart shapes are also independent of hemispheres. For example, some part of a bowl may be located below horizon, the other part above it. Depending on the occupied quadrant and hemisphere its meaning would change.

4. Aspects and Aspect Pictures

4.1 Aspects and the meaning of colors

Aspects between planets are very important in the evaluation of a person.  In the aspect analysis developed by using the Koch houses, the Huber school considers only 10 planets and the North without using aspects to the angles. To get to the very essence of a person, very strict orbs are used (1), resulting in much fewer aspects compared to a standard analysis.  The red, blue and green aspects are interpreted as shown in Table 1. The ideal ratio of green, red and blue aspects is regarded to be as 2:4:6.

Table 1. Aspect colors and aspect pictures corresponding to them (adapted from 1 and 2).

4.2 Aspect pictures

According to the Huber method, first a holistic look at a natal chart is necessary before studying the single red, blue and green aspects.  As shown in Figure 2, a chart consists of five layers. The overall graphical impression that is visible at first sight (Aspektbild) can be translated as the “Aspect picture”. Aspect pictures lying close to the core of a person are thought to delineate the main character, consciousness and basic motivation.

Correspondence between colors and aspect pictures: 
As shown in Table 1, each aspect picture corresponds to a color.  If a chart consists rather of independent lines, we have a linear aspect picture corresponding to the cardinal energy shown by red (Table 1).  Triangular aspect pictures are recognized by triangles,  they are similar to the mutable energy shown by green.  If the chart shows a picture consisting of four or more corners, we are dealing with a quadrangular aspect picture. It resembles the fixed energy shown by blue.

Aspect pictures and aspect patterns are different. The latter term is usually used for single aspect structures like the trine.  As a result of year long experiences many linear, triangular and quadrangular aspect patterns have been defined by B.Huber and his followers (1,2). For example,  there are a high number of learning triangles and many quadrangular patterns like irritation and righteousness rectangles consisting of different colors.

4.3. Orientation of aspects and aspect patterns towards axes

Inclination of aspects/aspect patterns to the four angles is also important. If aspects are rather aligned in vertical direction (IC/MC axis), the person seeks individuation and self-demonstration (1,2). This is because the region around the IC (place of Cancer) corresponds to the collective.  The term is used in the sense that the person is initially influenced by family and roots and is not an individual yet. The region around MC (place of Capricorn) belongs to individuation which can only be achieved consciously above horizon. The AC/DC axis represents the encounter with another person. Therefore,  if most of the aspects are aligned along this axis or horizontally, the person seeks relationship and adaptation rather than individuation.

4.4. Coherency

Coherency means that there are connections between the individual aspect patterns in a chart.  For example, planets in a t-square may lie below the horizon, but they may not be connected to the upper part, resulting in an incoherent chart.  Absence of coherency may have different meanings. For example, the person may show contradictory attitudes under different circumstances.

5. Examples

Using the following examples I would like to demonstrate the application of some of those criteria. To study a person, we may begin with aspect pictures before dealing with single aspects or aspect patterns. After an analysis of aspects,  we can add the meaning of planets, signs, and houses to arrive at a synthesis. Any contradictions between aspects and the rest have to be taken into consideration. 

This chart belonging to a young male has a grand trine in water and consists of blue color. This indicates a person who primarily seeks harmony and peace. The whole look of the chart is triangular, showing the mutable and adaptable character. Although no green color is present, strongly triangular forms serve the function of green (Table 1). Although not shown here, the single red aspect would be a square from Mercury to Pluto. According to Huber orbs this is a one-way aspect. Such a square may show a person with a penetrative mind who learns through intense experiences. But due to the lack of strong red aspects, he may not have particularly ambitious goals and be content with the existing situation. Further, the dominance of the western hemisphere, Virgo-AC, Pisces-DC, Pisces-North node and Pisces-Sun in the 6th house all suggest that he is inclined to serve and sacrifice for others.

In this chart belonging to a young male most of the personal planets lie in the southern hemisphere, pointing to a rather extroverted nature. At the same time, most of them are located in the east,  suggesting that he will direct his life with consciousness and self-confidence. For this person, his own standards and ideas are more important. The placement of the Sun and other planets in the 4th quadrant indicate his belief in universal values and concern about societal systems. The verticality of aspects points to individuation. On the other hand, the aim of individuation is not self-profit, but contribution to society. The green aspects forming the Yod may point to some inner uncertainties which can be overcome by directing the attention to the outside world (apex Venus in 10th house in conjunction with Sun). He is likely to be occupied with an intellectual field leading to concrete achievements (Gemini-Sun, Virgo-AC,  ruler Mercury in 10th house).  It is very likely that from his early years he had a great interest in learning and languages (Gemini, South node-Mercury conjunction, learning triangles). The dominance of blue and the presence of many triangles point to a sensible, adaptable and harmony-seeking person.

The chart belongs to the Nobel prize winner physicist Marconi who invented the wireless telegraph and radio signal transmission, and discovered the radio magnetic detector. The verticality of aspects and location of most planets in the eastern hemisphere suggests a clear consciousness and an interest in self-development. An extremely linear aspect picture is recognized, pointing to a cardinal nature (Table 1). The emphasis of the 4th quadrant suggests a strong will to serve the community in an individualistic and pioneering way.  The presence of red and blue colors and absence of green may indicate ambivalence between energy and rest or some kind of black and white thinking.

In the chart belonging to the poet Rainer Maria Rilke the emphasis of the northern-lower hemisphere points to a rather introverted nature. Further, the emphasis of the 2nd quadrant (conditioning through family) and the conjunction of Moon and Saturn there may symbolize the problematic attitude of his mother who raised him as a girl. Then at the age of seven she sent him to military school which caused a trauma in him (Moon-Uranus opposition). A grand cross is seen in the chart. It is a very strong quadrangular pattern corresponding to blue color (Table 1). The person seems to have experienced both the intensiveness and rigidity of this structure which consists of three strong planets, Pluto, Uranus and Saturn. The presence of a separate triangular pattern composed of Neptune, Venus and Mars adds some softness. This may explain his great intuition and his very creative poetry.  But, the presence of too many red aspects indicates extreme stress. He suffered frequently from depression in his late years.

In the chart belonging to the designer Kaffe Fassett the blue color is emphasized due to the formation of a kite pattern. All but the generational planets lie below the horizon. Together with “much blue” and a conjunction of Jupiter with the IC, this suggests a rather sensitive character who drives his energy from his inner nature. The Sun and Venus in the second house may point to a person who is interested in forming himself (1st quadrant) and using his talents in an enthusiastic way (Sagittarius). Others may see him as a harmony-seeking person (blue aspects at the outside). In fact, the red line lying inside and the presence of Pluto at the apex and in the 10th house may indicate a strong will.

Conclusions

The above discussion shows that before studying other factors in a chart we need to have a holistic view and combine the meaning of hemispheres, quadrants and aspect pictures.  Such an approach can reveal much information about a person. 

Following this, a deeper insight will be provided into chart shapes, aspect pictures and aspect patterns by combining them with the information gained from midpoints and harmonics.

References:
1. Bruno and Louise Huber, Michael Alexander Huber (2005) Aspect Pattern Astrology: A New Holistic Horoscope Interpretation Method (translated by Heather Ross), Hopewell,  Knutsford, United Kingdom.
2. Karl Georg Breit (2014) Die Spirituell-Astrologische Psychologie: Grundlagen der Horoskopdeutung und das revolutionäre Aspektbild, Hans-Nietsch-Verlag, Freiburg.
3. www.astrologische-akademie.org.

Image sources:
All diagrams and charts provided by the author

Published in: The Career Astrologer, September 2019.

Author:
Ferhan Çeçen is a chemical/environmental engineer and an academician at university. She has completed all programs of the astrology school led by Mr. Hakan Kirkoglu in Istanbul. She has ISAR approved certificates. e-mail: cecenf@boun.edu.tr

© 2019 - Ferhan Çeçen - The Career Astrologer

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