A Wonderful Year for Gabriele from Mantova!

Thank you, Gabriele, for sharing with us your experience of your last Solar Return of 2014. 

Gabriele is a follower of Active Astrology and testifies that his Aimed Solar Return of 2014, spent in Sapporo, Japan, describes exactly the events that followed after his birthday. However, he wants to debate the difference between the two SR charts: the Aimed SR in Sapporo and the Base SR in Mantova.

Gabriele was born on 27th of June 1982, at 9:11 am in Mantova, Italy. 

Here is his natal chart together with the Solar Return spent in Sapporo, Japan.

Below you can see the base 2014 SR chart for Mantova, Italy.

Here is the testimony of Gabriele:

Volevo condividere la mia esperienza della rivoluzione 2014.
Sono nato il 27 giugno del 1982 ore 9.11 (sto correggendo l'orario tra 9.10 e le 9.20) a Mantova.
La rivoluzione l'ho passata a Sapporo
Be confrontando i temi di rivoluzione calcolati per Sapporo e il luogo di nascita Mantova troviamo in modo decisamente lampante la veridicità del sistema di Ciro.

Se fossi rimasto a Mantova mi sarei beccato marte e saturno in sesta casa di rivoluzione ( saturno sarebbe stato sulla cuspide del discendente).
Volendo analizzare a fondo i due temi vediamo sicuramente delle similitudini nel senso che sia nell'una che nell'altra troviamo la decima e la seconda casa molto coinvolte. 
In sintesi è stato un anno all'insegna della riuscita e soddisfazione professionale con stabilità economica e con l'arrivo di soldi causa un "fortunato incidente" (un tamponamento che l'assicurazione ha risarcito sistemando l'auto e con danni morali e fisici (ps NON MI SONO FATTO NULLA)! Venere in nona casa congiunta al Mc.
Ho cominciato il nuovo lavoro a marzo del 2014 dopo aver passato mesi disastrosi.. (riv 2013 trascorsa a casa ed è stata pessima) 
Be a luglio mi sono trovato a ricoprire tre cariche in azienda e soprattutto sono diventato una figura importante per il capo! potrei definirmi il suo braccio destro..
Ho ricevuto strette di mano, continue lusinghe e soprattutto numeri buoni. Inoltre ho ricevuto chiamate da aziende concorrenti che mi volevano offrire un lavoro!! Pazzesco!
Ora..possiamo accettare tutto ma se prendo in esame tutte le rivoluzioni passate dove avevo anche solo marte in sesta, posso constatare che mi hanno portato almeno un evento negativo o di salute o di lavoro. NON HO AVUTO NEMMENO QUALCOSA CHE POTESSE ASSOMIGLIARE AD UN RAFFREDDORE!!! NEL LAVORO INVECE TUTTO CIò CHE TOCCAVO DIVENTAVA ORO!

Quindi: - emancipazione e lavoro (stellium in decima e venere congiunta al MC)
- soldi improvvisi e inaspettati dall assicurazione! (urano in ottava e venere in nona come fortunato incidente!
- tamponamento che mi ha privato della mia auto per un mese e due abbonamenti telefonici di 30 mesi (saturno in terza)
- molte uscite, veramente molte uscite per anticipo spese per assicurazione e bollettini di equitalia e affitto casa vacanze (marte in seconda e urano in ottava)
- ho aperto una pagina facebook di astrologia attiva per divulgare il messaggio di Ciro e ho effettuato i primi veri consulti! (giove in undicesima!!)
- affitto casa vacanze da maggio a settembre 2015, il tutto è avvenuto a gennaio 2015 quindi in piena rivoluzione portando per quest'anno grossi cambiamenti in termini di rapporto con la mia compagna e mia figlia! Li raggiungo tutti i week end passando la settimana da solo, iscrizione alla scuola materna di mia figlia. (plutone assolutamente in cuspide quarta e quinta casa e ancora saturno in terza per il pendolarismo settimanale)!
- ultimo ed unico evento dell'anno che mi lascia un attimo dubbioso è la posizione di Nettuno. In sesta direi che si è espresso molto bene, con paure e fobie di perdere il lavoro senza nessun motivo reale, alcuni pensieri sulla salute con piccoli attacchi di ansia e due mesi di fisioterapista e visite di dubbio valore, pilotate solo per un discorso di assicurazione( inganno nettuniano). 
Preciso che non è accaduto nulla di serio in realtà ma eventi cmq utili a stabilire che quel nettuno sicuramente era in sesta.
Il mio dubbio è legato al fatto che a dicembre la mia compagna è stata licenziata ed ha avviato una causa legale per tutelarsi. Ora la causa ha avuto inizio, ma poco dopo la cosa si fece davvero fumosa, poichè l'avvocato divenne sfuggente ed è da aprile che non si fa più sentire! 
Ti chiedo, possible allora che debba correggere l'orario fino alle 9.02 tanto da mettere Nettuno anche in settima?
Non posso scendere ulteriormente perchè se no plutone esce dalla quarta e perderei i significati legati ad eventi che riguardano gli immobili, considerando il fatto che a metà giugno (notizia non da poco) ho affittato una mia casa di proprietà a Mantova. Ora vivo a treviso da 4 anni quindi quella venere in nona (buone notizie da lontano) relative all'immobile di proprietà (plutone in quarta) ha funzionato come doveva.. 

Se infine prendiamo la rivoluzione calcolata per il luogo di nascita troviamo davvero alcune posizioni che spiegherebbero gli eventi:
- ascendente in decima per il lavoro
- venere in prima per la salute e protezione generale
- giove in quarta e plutone in nona per gli immobili lontani..
- sole in terza e marte in sesta per l 'incidente e i due mesi di finte cure
- saturno in settima per le difficoltà della mia compagna
- urano e nettuno per i consulti astrologici
Ora se l'orario da tenere è quello tra le 9.10 e le 9.20 in questa rivoluzione calcolata per il luogo di nascita mancano due aspetti importanti che sono i soldi improvvisi di un urano in ottava e soprattutto nessun valore di quinta! Impossibile! Se addirittura devo spostare l'ora di qualche minuto indietro ancora allora non ci sarebbe nemmeno nessun valore di soldi nella rivoluzione, cosa che invece è stato a parer mio l'aspetto dominante insieme al lavoro.

Aggiungo un pensiero. Probabilmente senza spostare l'orario possiamo spiegare molto bene il cambio di vita radicale della mia compagna.(quindi plutone in cuspide quarta/quinta casa). Da lavoratrice è diventa casalinga facendosi per la prima volta nella sua vita 5 mesi di mare con la bimba. Quindi quel nettuno è più giusto che funzioni per me invece che per lei, perchè se andiamo a vedere la sua rivoluzione troviamo marte in settima casa che porta problemi legali..e con gli avvocati..
Si potrebbe spiegare solo se avessi delle amanti o se stessi giocando su possibili tradimenti che rimangono tali solo nella mia mente..

Scusate per il lungo messaggio ma mi sembrava giusto condividere per avere dei vostri feed back.

Saluti 

To summarize, Gabriele had a wonderful year for his profession and activity at work. He was very appreciated professionally by everyone. (Venus on the MC and Stellium in the 10th house of the Solar Return).

Gabriele also had a fortunate year as regards Money. After a minor car accident, the insurance company paid him a good amount of money, as indemnification.(Uranus in the 8th house of the SR with Venus in the 9th house)

He also rented his house of vacation for the period May - September 2015 (Pluto between the 4th and 5th house).

The bad events of the year consisted in the fact that he couldn't use his car for 1 month, because of the accident, and he was also deprived from 2 telephone subscriptions of 30 months (Saturn in the 3rd house of the SR)

The other bad event of the year is the fact that his wife lost her job and initiated a law suit against the employer.

Dear Gabriele,

It could be that you were born a little bit earlier. So, it is possible that you were born at 9 am. In this case, Neptune that is still in the 6th house of the SR, would be less than 2 degrees close to the DSC. At the same time, even if, in this case, Uranus brought unexpected gain from the insurance, it can also mean trouble for the finances of your partner. As you know, the 8th house represents also the patrimony of the partner. 

We will have to consider also the transits: Neptune through your 7th natal house, Pluto through the 5th house (also the house of the spouse). And, even more important, the SR chart of your wife, which cannot be mended through your good SR chart.

As for the good outcome of the year, there is no doubt that Venus close to the MC brought professional elevation and the appreciation of everyone at your work place. We should not ignore either the stellium with the Sun, the Moon and Mercury in the 10th house which means also emancipation and professional advancement. With Mercury in the 10th house of the SR, your ideas receive appreciation.

The ASR is in the 2nd natal house, so the main event of the year is related to Money. Venus on the MC shows a positive outcome. The positive involvement of both 2nd and 10th house can bring money. Mars in the 2nd house shows a lot of expenditure or the deterioration of a good.

With Jupiter in the 11th house, your projects (renting of the house, astrology consultations, etc) have deployed. It also shows many good friends or a community that appreciates and helps you.

I don't think there is any use to analyse the base SR in Mantova. 

But let me highlight a few facts as an antithesis. Saturn in the 7th house doesn't mean only that your spouse has troubles, but also that your relation as a couple deteriorates. With Uranus in the 12th and Mars in the 6th, the car accident couldn't have been a "fortunate incident" as you say. It would have meant possible surgery, hospitalization and all sorts of troubles. 

Generally, the ASR in the 10th house brings elevation, but here, the rest of the SR chart shows troubles: Mars in the 6th (see the 34 rules of Ciro Discepolo), Uranus in the 12th, Saturn in the 7th. How do you think you could have been appreciated and praised by your colleagues and superiors at work with Saturn in the 7th? This position generally attracts the hostility of others.

Many best wishes,

Georgiana Costescu

thesolarreturn@gmail.com

When the Laughter Stops

'Comedy can be a cathartic way to deal with personal trauma' (Robin Williams)

It may be a cliché to point out that so many people become comedians to combat their own inner melancholy, but the fact is that there is a connection between sadness and the exaggeration of the opposite feeling. The exaggeration seems to bring some sort of balance, at least on the short term.

Robin Williams found in comedy a doorway out of the loneliness he felt almost his entire life. The sense of loneliness haunted him eversince childhood. As a little boy, he craved for his mother's attention and feared his rigid father. His both parents were always busy with work and little Robin would stay at home and play alone with his toys, in a world of imagination. He first took up on telling jokes, to gain the attention of his mother whose affection he needed the most. 

At school he had few friends and used to be bullied by different school mates, just because he was different. As a trick to escape bullying, he started telling jokes, in order to gain the sympathy of his oppressors.

Later on, when he was in high school, he enrolled in the drama department. Robin Williams declared that joining the drama program, made him feel more himself and, thus, he managed to come out of his shell of shyness. As an adult, he confessed to have suffered of an acute fear of abandonement and of a severe case of 'Love Me Syndrome'. 

We all know the prolific career of the comedian and actor that was Robin Williams. He enchanted us for decades with comedies like 'Good Morning, Vietnam', 'Mrs Doubtfire' or 'The Birdcage', but also with brilliant dramas like 'Dead Poets Society', 'Good Will Hunting' (interpretation for which he won the Oscar) and 'What Dreams May Come'. 

To the whole world, he was one of the most amazing comedians, a man full of energy and wit, a genius.

But few people knew that throughout his entire life he struggled with episodes of depression and anxiety. Alongside depression, he also battled drugs and alcohol addiction. A friend of his declared that, in the late years, Robin was on medication for anxiety and depression and had also started taking medicines to combat the early onset of Parkinson's. 'Many of the medicines he took, list suicidal thoughts as a possible side effect. A lot of Robin's friends are convinced that the cocktail of prescription pills he was on, somehow contributed to his mental state deteriorating as quickly as it did.'

On 11th of August 2014, Robin Williams committed suicide in his house in Paradise Cay, California. The news shocked the world who has always regarded him as a forever joyful person, always ready to make a joke, rather than take a dreadful action.

Let us now have a look at his natal chart and at his Solar Return for 2014. 

Robin Williams was born on 21st of July 1951, at 13:34, in Chicago, Illlinois, USA. 

In his natal chart we can see strong elements of water and a very dominant Mercury on his MC. The other dominant planet is Pluto, also at the MC. There is no doubt that he was a very emotional person, having the AS in Scorpio, the Moon in Pisces and the Sun in Cancer! The dominant Mercury-Pluto in Leo, shows that he had found a way to express or, better said, to communicate all that sensitivity. The expression was the comedy/drama scene. After reading Robin's biography, I came to the conclusion that he experienced almost all the facets that Mercury might induce. Since he was a child he used to read a lot and worked hard to create himself a solid culture base. Moreover, he had dyslexia and suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). The comedy ground was a field of communication and negotiation to him. His dominant Mercury gave him all qualities of a Gemini. He could imitate all kind of voices and accents. 

The fact that he was a Cancerian and that his Moon was in the 4th house shows his deep need to be in emotional connection with his mother. He first started playing the comic to impress his mother and gain her attention. The Moon-Venus opposition explains his 'Love Me Syndrome'. It is the need to be liked and appreciated by anyone they come in contact with. It translates emotional insecurity. 

Jupiter in the 5th house points out his immense talent he had for drama and his spectacular career in the show business. It also shows that, throughout this life, he had many love stories. Three of them ended with marriage.

Looking at the darker side of his chart, I see the terrible conjuction of Mars-Uranus in the 8th house. This conjunction activates intensely the house of torment and deep dark 'waters'. Indeed, Mars-Uranus perturbs the clear waters of Cancer. On the bright side, Mars-Uranus brings infinite energy, dynamism, will power, independence, originality, pioneering, but on the dark side, it adds a disruptive and rebelious attitude, impulsiveness and a lot of exaggeration. In my opinion, this aspect acts in a two-faced way: it spurs people to act in the most astonishing way, but it also puts dynamite in their pockets. 

The Ascendant falls in Scorpio, the sign of the torment and deep transformation. Many natives of Scorpio Ascendant fight episodes of depression in their lives. Mars-Uranus accentuates the house of Scorpio, which creates a sort of patio towards transformation which is felt (Cancer) like a tremendous explosion. This was felt in both inner and social life. He often complained that, having attained fame so fast, gave him a sense of instability and restlessness. He once said 'I feel proud now, but I just can't say it yet, because it's not over. It's a gamble. It's scary, really bizarre, because everytime you do something totally new, you suddenly think, "Oh, no. Now it's over. From now on I'll be selling the 'National Enquirer' door to door".'

Mars-Uranus in the 8th house always points to a violent death. The sign of Gemini is on the cuspid of the 8th house and Robin died from asphyxiation, after hanging himself with a belt.
But why would such a brilliant man take away his own life? 

We see that Mars-Uranus squares Neptune. Mars-Neptune square is a classic aspect found in the charts of drug and alcohol addicts. It also indicates an altered state of consciousness, a powerful vibration for an ideal or for an illusion. In the case of Robin W, the altered state of consciousness is induced by drugs. He has fought his drug addiction for many years. Generally, it shows that drugs and medicines play a harmful role in his life. The key word to describe the square formed between Mars-Uranus and Jupiter is 'exaggeration' in all its forms: food, drink, drugs, sex, spending money, overindulgence. All these lead to self distruction.

The opposition between Jupiter and Neptune indicates again addiction to drugs and alcohol. It also points to the intoxication of the liver or to poisoning. So far, it is clear that the drugs and medicines, taken in excess, deteriorated his consciousness and his state of health. 
Saturn in his 11th house explains his sense of solitude and social seclusion that he felt for most of his life.


Now let's see how the Solar Return chart of 2014 explains his radical decision to commit suicide. Robin Williams spent his last birthday in Paradise Cay, California.

The ASR is in the 2nd house of the natal chart and the Sun is in the 8th house. This shows that the main event of the year is connected to money, image and to the ending of a situation. Pluto is in the first house and indicates hyperbolic actions, exaggeration and a possible obsessive attitude. The Sun in the 8th house, together with Saturn in the 11th, shows a feeling of detention and, of course, mourning. Sun-Jupiter in the 8th house could also point to mental and physical exhaustion.

Neptune in the 3rd house shows phobias and mental blurriness. Uranus in the 4th house means insecurity and instability in ones home or an accident at home. Sometimes it can simply indicate the end of life. 
Mars in the 10th house talks about radical actions that have an impact at a social level or on one's career, life, development. 

Reading the SR chart on its own, we don't find it to be too bad. But if we look at the transits of the day of death, we might understand the desperation that made Robin Williams take such an action. Of course, we have to consider that depression is a disease that plague the body and mind and is difficult to cure even with good Solar Returns. In my opinion, one of the few SR configurations that could mend a depression is Jupiter on the Ascendant. But if the depression is severe, it will take a few years of good Solar Returns to cure it.


Here is how the transits of 11th of August 2014 look like. Both Mars and Saturn transit the first house. Mars falls exactly on the natal Ascendant and enters in a conjunction with transit Saturn (Mars-Saturn is the worst conjunction ever). Saturn forms a tight square with natal Pluto. Transit Uranus is in perfect opposition with natal Neptune and conjuncts natal Jupiter. Transit Neptune conjuncts the natal Moon. Transit Pluto is in perfect opposition with the natal Mars-Uranus conjunction and forms a square with natal Jupiter. Transit Sun is over  natal Pluto, and transit Mercury is exactly at the same degree with natal Mercury. Transit Mars forms a trine with the natal Moon, which, once again, shows that the trines between Mars and the luminaries are seldom good. 

In my opinion, all these transits are extremely dangerous and, in a case of chronic depression, I wouldn't have recommended the position of the Sun in the 8th house. But as we all know, death is a mistery difficult to decipher. Maybe when it's time, there's no longer time!

Book recommendations:

Robin Williams, When the Laughter Stops by Emily Herbert   on  Amazon.com

The New Guide to Astrology (vol 1) by Ciro Discepolo   on Amazon.com


Have a great week!

Georgiana Costescu
thesolarreturn@gmail.com

A Tribute to the Queen of Hearts

Today, Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, would have celebrated her 54th birthday. Her life ended tragically in a car crash in Paris on 31st of August 1997. The cause of the accident is a highly controversial subject. Some say that the Royal family might be behind the plot which led to her death. Almost one month before the accident, her relationship with Dodi Al Fayed burst in all papers around the world. It is said that this relationship was not well seen at the Buckingham Palace. 

Lady Diana was a beautiful soft hearted woman, loved and admired by millions of people. But despite that, she lived a tormented life, because of her need for love. The 15 years of marriage with Prince Charles were covered with depressions, betrayals, feelings of abandonment, anxieties, and all these caused her bullimia and anorexia problems. Although, to all her admirers, she was the perfect woman, she struggled for many years to achieve self confidence. All these issues find their reflection in her immense need for love and affection and her emotionally unstable childhood. Her parents separated when she was 7 years old and she was raised largely by nannies before being sent to the boarding school. 

In her natal chart, all this need for love is very well depicted by Venus in Taurus in the 5th house of Love. Venus is in a T-square with the Moon and Uranus. The square between Venus and the Moon shows the strong need for approval in a relationship, but it is also a clue to the eating disorder as a substitute for affection. The square of Venus with Uranus talks about short lived love stories that end abrutly. Let's remember the love story between Diana and the Pakistani heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan who ended their relationship shortly after Diana visited his family in Pakistan, without his agreement. The break-off was on 7th of July 1997, 6 days after her last birthday.

No doubt that Lady Di was a very emotional person that would get hurt easily. Her Moon receives an opposition from Mars and a sesquisquare from the Sun. The former represents the inability to sustain harmony in the household, while the latter explains the unstable situation in her family, while she was a child, that impacted her inner equilibrium.  

Related to her death, it is not possible not to observe the tremendous trio of planets in the 8th house: Mars, Uranus and Pluto. To me, the conjuction Mars-Pluto talks about a deadly maleficent plot that led to the accident.

Below, you can see Lady Diana's birth chart: 1st of July, 1961, 7:45 pm, Sandringham, Norfolk, UK

But let's have a look at the Solar Return charts of two of the most important years of her life: the grandiose marriage and the death.

The Marriage

Her marriage with Prince Charles was on 29th of July, 1981, London, UK. Diana spent her birthday in London, UK. The SR chart has the ASR in the 10th natal house, talking about a great event of that year: the grandiose wedding that was watched by more than 750 million people from all over the world (Venus in 9th house, together with the transit of Jupiter through her natal 9th house). Apart from the ASR in the 10th house, we notice, on the spot, the 4 planets in the 8th house. This is a very bad position. A stellium in the 8th house of the SR equals to a 12th house ASR, which is beyond damaging. A SR that has both ASR in 10th natal house, together with 4 planets in the 8th is a very dangerous configuration. Not to forget that at the time of the wedding, Neptune was transiting her natal ASC, transit Pluto was close to her MC, transit Saturn was preparing to form a square with her natal Sun and transit Uranus was squaring her natal Moon and opposing her natal Venus (Where is the love?). And we know that what is born under a bad sky, doesn't have a happy ending. 

The Death

The Princess of Wales spent her last birthday on 1st of July 1997, attenting the Tate Gallery's 100 anniversary celebration, so we know that she was in London. Two months later, on 31st of August, she dies in Paris in a car crash, together with her lover. Previously to arriving in Paris, she spent time with Dodi Al Fayed on a yacht around the Mediterranean sea.

The ASR of the Solar Return falls in her natal 9th house. We see Mars glued to the Ascendant of the Solar Return, which clearly announces an accident far away, in a foreign country (France). At the time of the accident, Mars was transiting her 10th house over natal Neptune and Saturn was transiting her 3rd natal house, being close to the IC. Transit Neptune was exactly over natal Saturn, Mars was trining the natal Sun (the trines with transit Mars can be bad).

In the SR chart we also notice 3 planets in the 10th house. Apart from the intense media coverage of her love story with Al Fayed and, of course, of her death, I reckon that the 3 planets in 10th house, talk about emancipation. And I would say the emancipation is related to love (see Jupiter in the 5th house). It seems that Diana had finally found someone to share love with... Rumors say that she was pregnant! And I believe that. Uranus is also on the cuspid of 5th house which can show an unexpected pregnancy, but also an unexpected love affair: Diana visited Al Fayed's father in Saint-Tropez and didn't expect to start a relationship with his son.

Saturn in the 7th house of the Solar Return talks about declared strong enemies, but also about social pressure. At the time of the accident, the Moon, the Sun and Mercury were transiting Diana's 8th house with Sun-Mercury over natal Pluto and the Moon over natal Uranus.

The read of the day: Diana, Her True Story by Andrew Morton (Amazon.com)


Have a wonderful 1st day of July!

Georgiana Costescu
thesolarreturn@gmail.com

Many Happy Returns of the Day!

We usually wish this when it is someone's Birthday or in response to Happy New Year. A British expression that encapsulates the real meaning of celebration for getting one-year older. We all hope and wish to have a new better year and accomplish what we desire. But do we really know where we are heading to in this new coming year? Will we succeed in what we plan? Will we truly grow or will we regress? And when I say New Year, I don't refer to the calendaristic year, but to the New Year that truly matters to us: the year that follows after the celebration of our Birthday.

Indeed, there is a returning, the returning of the Sun over the same degree, minute and second of the Sign where it was when we were born. That return generates a new AstroChart that depicts the new coming year. It is just as if we were born again, each and every year. Of course, the originar chart of birth stands still. But these new charts called Solar Returns (SR), that come in action every year around our anniversary, are the maps of the events that we will experience throughout the new year until the next anniversary.

The Solar Return chart is a picture of the sky of the moment when the Sun returns over its originar position that it held when we were born. After it takes place, it owns the new coming year. Whether we like it or not, that picture shows if that year will be good or bad. The Solar Return moment doesn't always take place on the precise day of our birthday. It can fall also on the previous day or on the next day.

Apart from the Solar Return, there is also the Lunar Return (LR). This time, it is about the return of the Moon over the same degree, minute and second where it was at the moment when we were born. The rules of the SR apply also to the Lunar return, except that now we are following the Moon cycle over the AstroChart. The Lunar Return lasts approximately one month and it subordinates itself to the current Solar Return. If the Solar Return is bad, then a good Lunar Return can't work wonders. If the SR is good and the LR is bad, then the damage will be minimal and will affect only that precise month. If the SR is good and the LR is also good, then you've been kissed by God! If the SR is bad and the LR is also bad, then beware and pray to God! 

Irrespective of the Solar Return, generally, when we appreciate an event, the notion of good or bad could be relative. Why? Because an event that seems good to us at a given moment, could prove to be damaging on the long run. As well, a torturing situation could eventually lay the path towards emancipation. But don't get me wrong. This doesn't mean that a bad Solar Return can prove to be positive latter on. A bad SR will always be bad and damaging, even if the year that we spent with that Solar Return chart seemed to be wonderful. For instance, there are people that after a bad Solar Return claim that nothing bad happened during that year. Later on, they find out that they developed a tumor in that year, without knowing it. So, really, nothing bad happened?

Equally, there can be years with good Solar Return charts when we sweat and work harder than ever. But that will eventually lead us to success. Of course, we all want to always drink cocktails on our sunbed in Bahamas, either literally or figuratively. But the most important thing, in my opinion, is to be able to grow progressively each and every year and be sure that the attained growth will sediment and never be lost. We've all seen people that become successful, grow until a certain point in life and then, after being hit by a traumatising event, they succumb to depression and regression. I don't want to get into detail here, but I've seen many cases, also people that are close to me.

So, what can we do about it? What can we do to protect ourselves from regression and traumatising events? The Solar Return has the answer. The transits and the planetary positions can't be changed, but we can change exactly what counts most: the orientation of the Solar Return and the positions of the planets in it. As I said, the Solar Return owns the year and also prevails over the transits of the planets. Even if the transits are very bad, we can still protect ourselves with a good and bright Solar Return.

The Solar Return depends on the place where we spend the anniversay of our birthday. Whether we move to the east or to the west, the SR changes its orientation and the planets positions change as well accross the chart. That's what matters in fact, the position of the planets in the houses of the AstroChart. So, a birthday spent in Tokyo, for instance, will trigger a year with certain events, completely different from the events that would take place if we spent the birthday in Rome. The Solar Return chart created in Tokyo will be different from the Solar Return chart created in Rome. OK, understood. But how do we interpret it? It should be read together with our originar birth chart, because a SR will always depend on the sky under which we were actually born. So, the Ascendant of the SR will be interpreted in the houses of our birth/natal chart and that is a very important element that depicts the main events we will face in that year. The planets in the houses of the SR will be interpreted as they are positioned, in those houses. And also, it is very important to consider the tendencies given by the natal/birth chart. A person who has an evil position in the natal house of luck (say Mars-Saturn conjunction in 5th house), can't be encouraged to gamble, even with the most amazing SR chart that independently shows great win at the lottery!

Discussing with people that want to know more about Solar Returns, I've come accross a few frequent questions:

1. What location should we consider when calculating the Solar Return chart?

The place where you actually spend the Solar Return moment. No other place matters.

2. Can we travel to improve the Solar Return chart?

Of course, this is precisely the idea!

3. How long do we have to stay in the place where we choose to travel, so that the Solar Return will take effect?

One second is enough :) But we have to be sure that our birth hour is correct, so that we can capture exactly that important second in the place we choose. The Solar Return moment is exactly like the click of a photo.

4. How long lasts the Solar Return effect?

Exactly one year, until the next birthday/Solar Return. I know some traditional astrologers claim that the presence of the next Solar Return can be "felt" 2-3 months before it takes place and that the current one fades by the end of the year, but I can say that this is nonsense. Don't get misled by the effect of the transits (in fact) that switch positions. They can be "felt" as well. And how can you feel the effect of a chart that is not yet created and that you will change as you wish? Moreover, it is a fact that the most important and intense events take place around one's birthday (plus/minus 30 days around the birthday) or around the birthdays of the closest people in the family (mother, father, sister/brother). And these events are strictly connected to the SR chart that is in progress.

5. Should we interpret the position of the natal planets over the Solar Return chart?

No. It is of no importance if, for instance, natal Venus is over the cuspid of the 2nd house of the Solar Return or if natal Mars falls over the MC of the SR. The main element that matters in relation to the natal chart is the position of the Ascendant of the Solar Return in the houses of the natal chart. After we decide on the position of the SR Ascendant, we can interpret the SR chart on its own, but taking in consideration the natal predispositions.

6. Do we interpret the Solar Return as a natal chart?

No. There are certain rules that must be followed when interpreting and we should also pay lot of attention to the transits that will follow in that year of the Solar Return.

7. Do inter planetary aspects matter in a Solar Return chart?

They have little importance in the economy of the Solar Return interpretation. Of course, if we talk about conjunctions, let's say the Mars-Saturn conjunction, we will be careful where we place it. But aspects like trines, squares, oppositions, etc. have a faint effect, compared to the effect of the planets in the houses of the Solar Return.

8. What do retrograde planets mean in a Solar Return chart?

In my opinion, nothing! I follow Active Astrology, a Modern School of Astrology which proves to work for me and for other thousands of people. Retrograde planets interpretation belongs to Esoteric Astrology. This is a different branch of Astrology, whose followers believe that in this life we are paying for our past lives deeds which, of course, no one remembers.

9. Can I use asteroids, Arabic Parts, Sabian Symbols or the Black Moon for the Solar Return chart interpretation?

Why would we want to complicate ourselves and blur the Solar Return chart with minor elements? The 10 traditional celestial elements of Astrology are enough to lead us to a clear interpretation! These are the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

10. The astronomers now claim that Pluto is no longer a planet. Shall we delete it from the chart?

Pluto certainly doesn't care about what astronomers think or say. He will continue to do his thing and impact people, either under the code name "planet" or "asteroid". So, don't delete Pluto!

I know there are many other questions to ask, so, from now on, you are all free to ask on this blog and we will discuss.

For those who didn't read it yet, I strongly recommend the book Transits and Solar Returns written by Ciro Discepolo, the father of Active Astrology. This book is the Bible of the Solar Return. Everything you need to know about Solar Returns is here.

You can purchase it on Amazon.com 


Wishing you all a great week ahead!

Georgiana Costescu
thesolarreturn@gmail.com

Let's Start!

Dear reader, 

Welcome on my blog dedicated to Active Astrology, this wonderful new way of interpreting the stars. The School of Active Astrology was initiated by the great Italian astrologer Ciro Discepolo who, after more than 40 years of intensive study on hundreds of thousands of charts and practical cases, developed a new technique of interpreting the Solar Return charts. Within his study, he elaborated 34 basic rules that must be followed in order to obtain a good Aimed Solar Return and, subsequently, a good year! Additionally, Ciro Discepolo elaborated the techniques of Exorcism of the Symbols that can help us surpass obstacles in our everyday life.
My blog is dedicated to all Astrology passionates who want to learn more about Active Astrology and about Solar Returns. It is a research blog that will incorporate case studies, practical exemples and articles on different topics related to Astrology. It will be a space for debate, shared opinions and active contribution.

My aim is to bring solid information and continue to develop the wonderful School of Active Astrology. 

Anyone is free to bring their contribution :)

Warm greetings to everyone,
Georgiana Costescu
email: thesolarreturn@gmail.com