Astrological key terms | CHANI

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Altar

An altar is a desk or floor dedicated to the presentation of formality gadgets or choices. Should you create an altar at dwelling, you may consider it as an area to honor the seasons, the planets, or your internal world — or as a sacred place devoted to your psychological, religious, and emotional therapeutic. An altar might be so simple as a candle on a bookshelf, or it may be crowded with your entire favourite trinkets. Widespread altar gadgets embody cloths, candles, incense, flowers, crystals, and collectible figurines, however use no matter objects really feel most resonant to you.

Angle

The angles are the 4 cornerstones of a start chart. Decided by the precise time and placement of your start, they’re a part of what makes your natal chart so particular — and distinctive to you.

• The ascendant (or rising signal) is the signal that was rising on the japanese horizon for the time being of your start. The ascendant is the place the Solar rises day by day, so it represents life and vitality. The precise diploma of the signal on the horizon for the time being of your start is the purpose that the majority intimately represents you.

• The descendant (or DC) is the signal precisely reverse the ascendant. It all the time types the seventh Home of the chart, and it represents your vital others: your beloveds, greatest associates, enterprise companions, creative collaborators, and anybody in a detailed 1:1 dynamic with you, akin to shoppers or therapists.

• The midheaven (or MC) is the symbolic end result level in your chart. This space represents your most public, “outdoors” selves — the roles you tackle in your profession or vocation and your repute amongst different individuals.

• The imum coeli (or IC) sits precisely reverse the midheaven. That is the symbolic midnight of your chart: the bottom level within the Solar’s journey under the horizon from our perspective. It represents dwelling, household, roots, ancestors, and foundations.

Facets

Facets are the relationships that planets kind with one another. They’re decided by the geometric angles held between planets, both by present transit or inside a start chart. When two planets are in a facet, they can affect one another and change power.

There are 5 main features:

• Conjunctions happen when any planet is in the identical signal as one other planet. The nearer the planets are to one another, the extra their energies will fuse, like two important oils mixing collectively to kind a novel perfume.

• Sextiles are harmonious features that bestow cooperation and assist upon the 2 planets concerned. Planets sextile one another when they’re two indicators (or round 60°) aside. For instance, the indicators Leo and Gemini sextile one another, as do Taurus and Most cancers.

• Squares are among the many two tougher features. They’re factors of friction that encourage us to take motion — and the method will not be all the time comfy. Planets which are three indicators (or round 90°) away from one another kind a sq..

• Trines are thought of essentially the most harmonious features — much more so than sextiles. These items happen when planets are 4 indicators (or round 120°) aside and subsequently in the identical ingredient (e.g., Most cancers and Scorpio). Trines provide synchronicities, alternatives, and ease to the planets concerned.

• Oppositions are the opposite tougher features. They act like tugs-of-war that ask us to stability contrasts inside ourselves, or between ourselves and the outer world. Planets which are six indicators (or round 180°) aside are in opposition to one another — take Gemini and Sagittarius, for instance.

Delivery chart

Your birth chart is a freeze-frame of the sky on the exact second and placement of your start. It affords a highway map of the teachings, items, and challenges that can unfold all through your lifetime.

Your start chart has three main parts:

• Planets / points — aka the “who.” The planets and factors act as completely different characters inside the play of our lives, supporting our storylines or foiling sure plots. Every one is critical, creating particular situations for our our bodies, lives, and relationships.

• Signs — aka the “how.” Every signal has its personal signature type, and each planet features in a different way by means of its filter. For instance, Mars (the planet of braveness and drive) is action-oriented in its fiery area of Aries. Intimately-oriented Virgo, nonetheless, it’s aggressively thorough.

• Houses — aka the “the place.” Every home correlates with a particular space of life — your each day routines, your vocation or profession, your communities, and many others. If the planets are the actors and the indicators are their costumes, then the homes are the units the place their tales are lived out.

Cazimi

Derived from the Arabic phrase which means “within the coronary heart of the Solar,” cazimi refers to a conjunction (or merger) inside 1° between the Solar and any planet. The ancients thought of these auspicious moments as instances when the planets concerned are purified and their truths are revealed. Cazimis can provide us divine downloads and insights, if we concentrate. 

It’s additionally vital to notice that there are two varieties of cazimis: (1) “inferior conjunctions,” when Mercury or Venus is between the Solar and the Earth throughout its retrograde, and (2) “superior conjunctions,” when Mercury, Venus, or one other planet is on the other aspect of the Solar from our vantage level on Earth and is transferring ahead. Whereas inferior conjunctions with the Solar can convey extra private revelations, superior conjunctions assist us zoom out to look at the larger story.

Decan

Whereas the zodiac is split into 12 equal indicators of 30° every, decans divide every signal even additional — into three distinct segments of 10°.

• The first decan refers back to the first 10° of the signal.
• The second decan refers back to the center 10° of the signal.
• The third decan refers back to the closing 10° of the signal.

Levels

Don’t let these numbers scare you! In astrology, as in geometry, a diploma is just a measure of area — one tiny fraction of a circle, which consists of 360°. The chart wheel is a circle, so there are 360° within the zodiac, which astrologers divide into 12 equal chunks of 30° (aka the indicators of the zodiac).

Questioning what the numbers after the diploma symbols are? They’re referred to as arc minutes. Each diploma within the chart wheel consists of 60 arc minutes. For instance, in case your Solar is at 8°36 of an indication, you’d learn this as eight levels and 36 minutes — that’s slightly greater than eight and a half. It’s much like telling time… however to explain area. If that’s nonetheless complicated, thank these wizzes who invented geometry.

Component

The 12 indicators are divided into 4 components: hearth, earth, air, and water. Every ingredient has its personal temperament, which tells you whether or not the signal operates by means of inspiration (hearth), practicality (earth), communication (air), or emotion (water).

Important dignity

Important dignities describe the relative strengths, weaknesses, and items of the planets, based mostly on the signal they’re positioned in. For instance, the Solar is alleged to be at dwelling within the signal of Leo, the place it might most powerfully fulfill its duties of shining, creating, and revitalizing.

There are 4 primary important dignities:

• Domicile — aka an indication {that a} planet guidelines and the place it feels at dwelling. When in domicile, the planet has entry to all its sources and feels as comfy as might be. Examples of domiciles embody the Moon in Most cancers and Mercury in Gemini. Word that Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn rule two indicators every, whereas the luminaries (the Solar and the Moon) rule one signal every.

• Detriment — aka the signal reverse a planet’s domicile. When in detriment, the planet is so opposite to its placement that it has little curiosity in doing its assigned job. For instance, Venus in Scorpio or Aries isn’t targeted on “taking part in good” in the identical manner that it’s in different indicators. Planets in detriment require us to work further laborious to compensate for these disparities, pushing us to develop in methods we wouldn’t in any other case. Different examples of detriments embody Saturn in Most cancers and Mars in Taurus.

• Exaltation — aka the signal the place a planet positive aspects recognition. When exalted, the planet is refined by the signal, which suggests it yields essentially the most optimistic outcomes. For instance, whereas Mars is of course reckless and hot-headed, it learns persistence in its exaltation signal of Capricorn and spreads its drive over the lengthy haul. Different examples of exaltations embody Venus in Pisces and Jupiter in Most cancers.

• Fall — aka the signal reverse a planet’s exaltation. When in fall, the planet feels much less acknowledged and revered. In contrast to a planet in detriment, a planet in fall could need to do its job, nevertheless it’s beginning at a drawback. This battle will unlock hidden strengths in us, if we’re persistent. Examples of falls embody the Moon in Scorpio and Saturn in Aries.

Exaltation levels

Every of the seven conventional planets is exalted in one of many 12 zodiac indicators. Inside every signal of exaltation, there’s one particular diploma the place the corresponding planet is taken into account particularly potent and auspicious.

The exaltation levels are as follows:

• The Moon: third diploma of Taurus (i.e., 2°00′ – 2°59′ Taurus)
• The Solar: nineteenth diploma of Aries (i.e., 18°00′ – 18°59′ Aries)
• Mercury: fifteenth diploma of Virgo (i.e., 14°00′ – 14°59′ Virgo)
• Venus: twenty seventh diploma of Pisces (i.e., 26°00′ – 26°59′ Pisces)
• Mars: twenty eighth diploma of Capricorn (i.e., 27°00′ – 27°59′ Capricorn)
• Jupiter: fifteenth diploma of Most cancers (i.e., 14°00′ – 14°59′ Most cancers)
• Saturn: twenty first diploma of Libra (i.e. 20°00′ – 20°59′ Libra)

Home methods

Home methods are completely different modes of presenting the homes in an astrology chart, which supply other ways of perceiving your relationship to the cosmos. Every system emphasizes or de-emphasizes sure particulars, however none of them modifications the place the celebrities or planets had been situated within the sky while you had been born; they simply provide distinct views. Most astrologers have a tendency to decide on one or two home methods to work with.

Listed here are two examples:

• The complete signal home system is without doubt one of the oldest, originating from the Hellenistic interval. Put merely, the boundaries of the indicators decide the boundaries of the homes. Every home divides the wheel of an astrology chart into 12 equal chunks. As a result of the indicators are additionally divided into 12 equal chunks, regardless of which home system you utilize, every home strains up with one of many indicators. For instance, if you happen to’re born with the ascendant at 22º Pisces, all of Pisces will kind your 1st Home. Your 2nd Home will start at 0º Aries, your third Home at 0º Taurus, and so forth. That is the house system we use within the CHANI app.

• Quadrant home methods divide the chart into 4 quarters, utilizing the axes from the ascendant to the descendant and from the midheaven to the imum coeli. They then divide every quadrant into three homes every, which might be related in dimension or wildly completely different, relying on the latitude of an individual’s start. In quadrant home methods like Placidus, a number of homes can fall inside one signal, and one home can embody a number of indicators.

No home system is kind of correct than some other. They’re merely other ways of mapping the sky out of your vantage level on Earth.

Ingress

Ingress is simply the flamboyant astrological phrase for a planet’s entrance into a brand new signal. For instance, if the Solar enters the signal of Virgo, you may say it has “ingressed” into Virgo.

Lunar nodes

Astronomically talking, the nodes of the Moon are the 2 factors in area the place the Moon’s orbit round Earth intersects with the ecliptic (i.e., the trail that the Solar traces within the sky from the angle of us Earthlings). The North and South Nodes are all the time precisely reverse one another (learn: separated by 180°).

• Astrologically, the North Node is the purpose of enhance, achieve, alternative, and starvation. Traditionally, it has been depicted as the pinnacle of a ravenous dragon.

• The South Node is the purpose of give up, loss, and reduce. It’s the place we surrender, launch, and purify. Traditionally, it has been depicted because the tail of that mythic dragon.

Lunation

A lunation is a “lunar month,” or the time that passes between two New Moons (round 29.5 days). Throughout this time, the Moon’s form modifications because it waxes to full after which wanes once more.

The primary lunar phases we concentrate on are New Moons and Full Moons, which embody lunar and photo voltaic eclipses.

• New Moons happen when the Solar and Moon be part of collectively, which suggests you may’t see the Moon within the evening sky. This second has the power of a freshly planted seed. It brings a top quality of emergence and youthful curiosity.

• Full Moons happen when the Moon opposes the Solar, receiving the total extent of its mild. Full Moons are instances of peak expertise and end result, after we get to benefit from the fruits of our labor.

• Lunar eclipses are Full Moons that happen close to one of many lunar nodes. On this place, the Moon strikes into the shadow of the Earth, which darkens its reflection of the Solar’s mild. Astrologically, lunar eclipses convey fateful change and transformation.

• Photo voltaic eclipses are New Moons that happen close to one of many lunar nodes. On this place, the Moon is aligned between the Solar and the Earth, and it blocks out the Solar’s mild. Like lunar eclipses, photo voltaic eclipses could sign an unraveling of one thing in our life whereas additionally awakening new passions and needs.

Modality

The 12 indicators are divided into three modalities: cardinal, fastened, and mutable. The modality of an indication tells us what its job is. Cardinal indicators provoke new seasons, fastened indicators maintain them, and mutable indicators transition us into the following. Due to this, no two indicators in a given ingredient work precisely alike.

• The cardinal indicators are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Because the indicators that provoke the seasons, they’ve an action-oriented vibe. Capricorn, for instance, excels at launching long-range plans, whereas Libra initiates relationships.

• The fastened indicators are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Mounted indicators stabilize the present season and symbolize what’s sturdy and enduring. For instance, Leo sustains the powers of creativity, whereas Aquarius applies its mental stamina towards designing and innovating methods.

• The mutable indicators are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. These are the indicators that conclude the seasons and let go of 1 factor in preparation for an additional. For instance, Gemini distributes and absorbs data, whereas Sagittarius disperses and seeks enthusiasm and knowledge.

Moon section

The Moon section refers to how the Moon seems — or doesn’t seem — in our sky, based mostly on its place because the Earth orbits across the Solar.

At CHANI, we work with eight Moon phases:

• New Moon 🌑 A New Moon happens when the Moon conjoins the Solar and disappears from the evening sky. It is a time for brand new beginnings. Plant seeds on your future development and pay attention to what’s rising inside.

• Crescent Moon 🌒 A Crescent Moon happens when the Moon turns into seen once more after its conjunction with Sol. Maintain tending to your initiatives and plans. They’re gathering momentum.

• First-Quarter Moon 🌓 A First-Quarter Moon happens when the Moon is 90° forward of the Solar within the zodiac, forming a semicircle within the sky. It is a time within the month to take motion. No matter desires and schemes you’re concocting, dedicate your unwavering consideration. Study all you may from the hurdles. They’re right here to show you one thing.

• Gibbous Moon 🌔 A Gibbous Moon happens when the Moon continues to fill with mild, days earlier than the Full Moon. Now could be the time to pause, fine-tune plans the place wanted, and rejoice your progress.

• Full Moon 🌕 A Full Moon happens when the Moon is strictly reverse the Solar, receiving and reflecting its full highlight. This time of the month corresponds to peaks, culminations, and heightened exercise (and emotions). Carry your initiatives to the end line, however keep in mind to relaxation and nurture your system amid the excitement of the second.

• Disseminating Moon 🌖 Because the Full Moon begins to wane, it enters its Disseminating section. Flow into your knowledge. Distribute your findings. Share the fruits of your labors and the teachings you’ve discovered.

• Final-Quarter Moon 🌗 The Final-Quarter Moon happens when Luna is 90° behind the Solar within the zodiac, forming one other semicircle within the sky. It’s time to refine. Rewrite your mission assertion, honor your limits, and see what you need to launch.

• Balsamic Moon 🌘 Within the days earlier than the following New Moon, Luna seems narrower and darker. Throughout this Balsamic section, compost outdated buildings and outgrown patterns. No matter you launch now will nourish the soil for the following stage of your development.

Orb

An orb refers back to the variety of levels that separate one planet from making an actual facet with one other; it’s a bit like a planet’s “sphere of affect.” The nearer two planets are to creating a facet, the tighter the orb will likely be.

It’s as much as every astrologer to determine how broad of an orb to make use of when evaluating a natal chart. Some astrologers will solely take into account features with a comparatively tight orb, akin to 4° or narrower (e.g., Venus at 7° Capricorn is sextiling Mars at 11° Scorpio with a 4° orb). Different astrologers use completely different orbs for various planets, relying on their planetary speeds. Conventional astrologers generally used a 13° orb for the Moon as a result of that’s how a lot Luna sometimes strikes in a given day.

At CHANI, we use complete signal features fairly than degree-based connections for natal placements, so we don’t work with particular orb parameters for decoding your start chart. That stated, the tighter the facet between two planets, the extra highly effective the results are usually.

Overcoming

When two planets are engaged in a facet, the planet that’s behind the opposite as they cycle by means of the twelve indicators in a chart is taken into account to be in a stronger place. In these situations, it’s stated that the planet within the stronger place overcomes the opposite planet concerned within the facet, as if it had been a race automotive catching up with the front-runner in a lap across the zodiac. For instance, in a chart the place Venus is in Aries and Mars is in Most cancers, Venus overcomes Mars and subsequently has extra affect over how this facet will pan out. This time period might be utilized to any planets configured in a sq., trine, or sextile. So in the identical instance, Venus in Aries would additionally overcome Saturn in Leo.

Level calculations

In astrology, there are completely different chart calculations that an astrologer has to think about, particularly for the astronomical factors that are likely to “wobble” due to the Moon’s elliptical orbit.

• The lunar nodes usually progress backward by means of the indicators in a chart, however their actual actions have a tendency to change between retrograde and direct movement.

• • The imply calculation of the lunar nodes smooths out these minor wobbles by producing a mathematical common of the general motion.

• • The true calculation displays the exact location of the nodes at a given second fairly than the mathematical common. The discrepancy between the true and imply calculations might be as much as 1°45, so the calculation you utilize can generally change the signal and home placements of the nodes.

• Black Moon Lilith (BML) is one other level that oscillates between retrograde and direct movement. It stations retrograde about as soon as a month, main it to tread forwards and backwards over the identical territory for a number of months at a time.

• • The imply calculation produces a location based mostly on the typical of those retrograde and direct stations. Should you observe the imply location of BML over time, you’ll discover that it all the time strikes in direct movement.

• • The true calculation captures BML’s precise place at a given second because it sweeps forwards and backwards. This may be many levels other than the imply calculation, typically in one other signal and home altogether.

At CHANI, we use true calculations for each the lunar nodes and Black Moon Lilith.

Polarity

Identical to components and modalities, polarity is without doubt one of the conceptual constructing blocks that distinguishes the indicators. It displays an implicit binary, akin to that between even and odd numbers — or within the case of the zodiac, between alternating indicators. Whereas some astrologers describe hearth and air indicators as “masculine,” “optimistic,” or “yang” and water and earth indicators as “female,” “damaging,” or “yin,” we want the extra impartial and sky-rooted language of “diurnal” and “nocturnal.”

Retrograde

A retrograde is a interval when a planet seems to maneuver backward within the sky from our vantage level on Earth. It’s an optical phantasm attributable to a distinction in planetary speeds — and that visible impact of backward movement tends to reflect our experiences throughout these instances.

In astrology, retrogrades are stated to create confusions, delays, and slowdowns associated to the mission of the planet concerned. That stated, these hiccups within the narrative give us time to pause, replicate, and combine that planet’s classes.

• Throughout a Mercury retrograde, communications, travels, and on a regular basis duties get disoriented and stalled. Mercury retrogrades are additionally wonderful instances for overview, revision, and parsing plans. Because the fastest-moving planet, Mercury stations retrograde three to 4 instances a 12 months.

• Throughout a Venus retrograde, {our relationships} with magnificence, pleasure, and different individuals come underneath overview. Venus retrogrades might be prime alternatives to go inside ourselves for love and reaffirm our important wants in partnership. Venus stations retrograde each 18 months.

• Throughout a Mars retrograde, our will, drive, and needs can really feel thwarted or obstructed. The present of a Mars retrograde is the area it provides us to discover how we relate to anger, ardour, and motivation. Mars stations retrograde each two years.

• Throughout a Jupiter retrograde, our desires, development alternatives, and knowledge pursuits get recalibrated. These might be durations of religious doubt and realignment, after we’re requested to think about life’s deeper questions. As one of many farther planets from the Solar, Jupiter spends half of yearly retrograde.

• Throughout a Saturn retrograde, we dig into problems with authority, self-discipline, parental archetypes, and limits. Our obligations, commitments, and long-term plans may go underneath overview. As one of many farther planets from the Solar, Saturn spends half of yearly retrograde.

• Throughout a Uranus retrograde, our rebellious urges and our relationship to alter get re-examined. It is a second to stability innovation with time-honored approaches. A time to ask: “Is that this insurgent’s trigger actually aligned?” As one of many farther planets from the Solar, Uranus spends half of yearly retrograde.

• Throughout a Neptune retrograde, we frequently wrestle with deep religious questions or spells of disillusionment. Should you’ve seen that you just’ve felt disenchanted, this time may enable you to replenish your capability to dream and belief in the next energy. As one of many farther planets from the Solar, Neptune spends half of yearly retrograde.

• Throughout a Pluto retrograde, our transformation processes and private evolutions come up for overview. This era may immediate your relationship with your individual energy to shift for the higher. As one of many farther planets from the Solar, Pluto spends half of yearly retrograde.

Retrograde shadow

A retrograde shadow is the territory {that a} retrograding planet will ultimately cowl throughout its backward trek.

• Pre-retrograde shadow durations start earlier than a planet’s retrograde, when stated planet reaches the diploma the place it’ll ultimately station direct weeks or months later. At this level, the planet is getting ready to decelerate, and we could discover some early methods and turbulence.

• Publish-retrograde shadow durations finish after a planet’s retrograde, when stated planet reaches the diploma it initially stationed retrograde on weeks or months earlier. After this level, we’re out of the proverbial woods, and the snafus ought to begin to easy out.

Ritual

A ritual is a ceremonial follow by which each motion, gesture, and affirmation has nice intention behind it. Rituals can maintain area for communing with the planets, our ancestors, or our personal magic. You may consider the rituals on this Yearbook as religious choices, therapeutic practices, or alternatives to deepen your relationship with your self.

Sect

Sect is an idea in conventional astrology that distinguishes day charts from evening charts.

The simplest technique to perceive the sect of your chart is to search out out whether or not the Solar is above or under the horizon (i.e., the road between the ascendant and the descendant). If the Solar is above the horizon, you’ve a day chart, and the Solar is your mild chief. If the Solar is under the horizon, you’ve an evening chart, and the Moon is your mild chief.

The normal planets additionally belong to particular sects. Along with the Solar, the daytime planets are Jupiter and Saturn. They have an inclination to perform extra powerfully in day charts and/or after they’re in the identical hemisphere because the Solar. The nighttime planets, along with the Moon, are Mars and Venus. They achieve extra power in evening charts and/or after they’re within the reverse hemisphere from the Solar. Mercury, true to its shapeshifting methods, can belong to both group.

Transit

Transits confer with the planets within the present, ever-changing sky. The phrase “transit” merely means “to maneuver from one place to a different.” In astrology, transits confer with how the planets transferring by means of the sky interact with one another and along with your start chart.

Searching for extra intel? Learn your each day horoscope:

Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra 

Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces

Then obtain the CHANI app on iOS or Android for added horoscopes, meditations, affirmations, readings for the present Moon section and signal, and extra.