I love it when I'm right!

So a week or so ago I posted my first birth prediction. The due date was March 19th; however, I predicted that the mother would give birth on March 20th due to the fact that the Sun would be aspecting her Sun/Mars midpoint. Here is what I wrote to her on March 12th:

"I went back and looked at my chart on the days my two children were born. Specifically, I looked at midpoints. On my son's birth, I had transiting Mars conjuncting my / midpoint. Transiting Mars was also opposing my progressed Ascendant. For my daughter's birthday, I had transiting Sun conjunct my / midpoint. And, transiting Sun was opposing my Progressed Ascendant. Definately a pattern there.... but with my son it was transiting Mars that was the key and, with my daughter, it was transiting Sun. Aries is on my 5th house cusp and so Mars makes sense but, I'm not sure why the Sun was indicated for my daughter's birth? I tried to see if I could see these possibilities for you in the near future. On March 20th, you will have transiting Sun opposing your natal / midpoint. On the same day, transiting Moon will conjunct your progressed / midpoint."

Today, I received this message from her:

"Just an update: my beautiful precious little girl was born on Sunday 20 March at 9:33am - it was a very quick labour! Juliet, you were spot on! "

Case of Two Australian Parents

I have been studying astrology for over 20 years and, recently, I have learned how to recognize the astrological patterns that exist when children are conceived and born. Using techniques called Progressions and Solar Arcs, an astrologer can easily spot when the time is ripe for conceiving and having children. Looking at how the astrological "transits" relate to a mother's or father's chart can further pinpoint the exact due date of a child.

Every person on the planet has a unique and individualized astrological chart, which is often referred to by astrologers as the Natal Chart. Even persons born on the exact same day and even in the same year, will have slightly different Natal Charts. Even twins' charts will have slight variations. The Natal Chart shows where the planets were located in the heavens at the time of an individual's birth. To get an accurate Natal Chart, the exact birth time (often found on the birth certificate) and the birth place (city, state, country) are needed. The hour and minute and also the latitude and longitude of the specific location of the birth on the planet in relation to the astrological bodies will yeild an accurate birth chart, or Natal Chart.

However, even if one doesn't know their exact birth time, approximate birth times will also sometimes give sufficient information to make predictions. In the event that even an approximate birth time isn't known, astrologers will often draw Natal Charts with a Noon birthtime for the date of birth to use for chart analysis. But the more detailed and accurate the information is, the better tools the astrologer has to make predictions or analyze the chart.

Most people today are familiar with and know their Sun Sign. When people say, "I'm a Taurus" what they really mean is that the Sun was in the constellation of Taurus on the day of their birth. Taurus is their Sun Sign. However, most astrologers use at least nine other important astrological bodies, often referred to as "planets", to compose a Natal Chart. The Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are all considered "planets" by astrologers and each of these astrological bodies, along with the Sun and other lesser used bodies, are located in the various Zodiac Signs on the day of our birth. With ten astrological bodies, or variables, and twelve astrological signs (Aries through Pisces), we have 120 different possible combinations. However, it doesn't stop there! The Natal Chart is drawn on a circular wheel and, circles having 360 degrees, divided by each of the 12 Signs of the Zodiac, leaves 30 degrees for each Sign. So, for instance, I'm a Taurus. The Sun was in the Sign of Taurus on the day of my birth (May 12) and, specifically, the Sun was at 21 degrees of Taurus. Someone born a week before me, would have their Sun at approximately 14 degrees of Taurus.

So, each Natal Chart is composed of the the ten "planets" located at specific degrees in one of the 12 Signs of the Zodiac. The relationship of these individual "planets" to one another creates something astrologers call "aspects". Some aspects are stronger than others. When two or more planets are close together, it is a very strong aspect called a Conjunction. Other strong aspects include "Squares", which occur when two planets are located 90 degrees apart or, "Oppositions" when two planets are located 180 degrees apart.

Astrologers can look at the relationship of the planets in a person's Natal Chart to determine things about the personality of a person and the potential partner they will be attracted to and what kinds of careers are best suited to that person, etc. However, predictive astrology happens when astrologers look at the "transiting" planets (where the planets are TODAY) in relationship or aspect to the planets in the person's Natal Chart. Each of the planets is known to be associated with different types of characteristics and/or types of events. The Moon is often associated with Motherhood. The planets Mars and Jupiter are often seen in aspect to a person's Moon or Sun at the time of conception and birth.

Furthermore, some astrologers use techniques called Progressions and Solar Arcs to help predict things in people's lives. Progressions are a technique that "progresses" the person's planets in the Natal Chart by specific rates or degrees each year of life. For instance, I am 40 years old and, previously I mentioned that my Sun was located at 21 degrees of Taurus at the year of my birth. If I "progress" my Sun 40 degrees, it is now at 1 degrees of Cancer (there are 30 degrees in each Zodiac Sign). My Progressed Sun is 1 degree of Cancer.

In the case of these two Australian parents, we can see classic astrological conditions which indicate the birth of a child. The Mother's Progressed Mars is conjunct her Moon's Node and also her natal Uranus. Her Progressed Ascendant is conjunct her natal Moon and her Solar Arc Midheaven is conjunct her natal Mars.

Natal Charts have a "horizon" line the bisects the circular chart in half across the horizon. The time of birth and the place of birth determines which Zodiac Sign and degree is located on the horizon lines. The place on the chart at the left side of the horizon line is called the Rising Sign or the Ascendant. Another line bisects the Natal Chart from top to bottom. The point at the top of the chart is called the Midheaven. The four points on the chart that are created by these two bisecting lines are called the Angles, with the Ascendant and the Midheaven being two of the most sensitive points on the chart. Astrologers progress these "angles" like we do the planets and, when one of these angles conjuncts or aspects a personal planet in the Natal chart, it is usually a good indicator or predictor of a life event. The planets involved will tell what kind of life event. As mentioned previously, when the Moon, Mars and Jupiter are involved, births and children are indicated in the life event.

In the case of these two parents, the Father's chart is actually even more telling than the Mother's chart. He has several Progressions and Solar Arcs that are classic indicators of parenthood. His Progressed Moon is in Cancer conjuncting his Natal Venus and Mars. Also, his Moon's Node is opposing his Natal Mercury and Mars. Another kind of "angle" is called the Vertex. The Vertex is another sensitive point in the chart indicating major life events or meeting significant others when in aspect to planets in the Natal Chart. This Father has Progressed Vertex conjuncting his Natal Jupiter.