If you know anything about astrology you may know that erecting a TRUE astrological chart relies on an accurate birth time and a place of birth from which sensitive points, such as the "ascendant" and "MC", are calculated. An astrologer uses these points to divide the chart circle into "houses".
It is always preferable to erect a birth chart using the correct time and place of birth. However, most people who ask for a reading do not have their birth certificate in hand, and may inadvertently give thewrong birth time, and then get a poor reading. It may be a case of not understanding how important the time is to an astrologer. Then again, Mother may have said you were born "around 4 PM" when the actual time was 4 AM ( ! ), or she may have said, "around dinner time", which could have been anytime between noon and 8 o'clock in the evening! It is not uncommon for mothers to mix up their children's birth times, or to have completely forgotten! (And some mothers are too proud to admit this!) Even with recorded birth times sometimes we have errors due to Daylight Savings Time discrepancies or inattentive nurses.
When the time of birth is unknown, or in doubt, one can "rectify" the chart (calculate birth time from life events and thus derive the rising sign and degree). This however can take enormous time and effort and certainly cannot be done in 35 minutes, or even an hour. When someone wants a reading and answers to pressing life questions they usually can't afford the time and financial outlay to have their birth chart rectified. Therefore, it is preferable to use a chart of the birth DAY, without ascendant or houses, unless you have a verifiable birth time.
If you aren't sure the birth time is accurate, please say so.
If the birth time is so important, how can anyone cast a chart without the time?
If the birth time is questionable, and the astrologer knows this, there are several options.
There are two good chart techniques to utilize if the birth time is not known. Popular horoscope magazines use the SOLAR CHART which places the Sun on the "ascendant" and creates houses counting from that point. This creates an artificial framework from which a chart may be judged. The entire reading will be focused on the Sun, the planet that represents our motivations, our children of the body or mind, our direction in life, and what is most important and closest to our hearts.
Many astrologers use the "solar chart" which is erected as though the Sun were rising at birth and you were born at sunrise. While this may be fine for Sun Sign magazines and weekly "horoscopes" that address people born on many different days, it can be a bit misleading if not used by an experienced astrologer. A "solar chart" provides "houses", just as a chart drawn from an accurate birth time does. "Houses" represent the departments of life in which the energy of the planets operate, but "houses" derived from this method will NOT be accurate along traditional guidelines, except in a very symbolic way.
An alternative method of erecting a chart without a birth time is a 0 ARIES CHART. The 0 Aries chart uses the "natural" houses as a framework within which to place the birth planets, so the astrologer is less tempted to interpret house positions which, without a time and place of birth, are inaccurate. This chart method forces the astrologer to look primarily at the "aspects", the geometric relationships between the planets. There are still houses, but they are the natural ones, so the interpretations are a bit closer to the truth because they are basic.
In some ways the signs of the natural house system, the planetary "ruler" of each sign, and the houses themselves, have much in common. The natural zodiacal house divisions maintain 0 degrees Aries as the first house beginning point, thus this chart type is known as a 0 ARIES chart. The first house symbolizes the department of life dealing with personal affairs, the physical body, and physical energy. Aries is the sign that belongs on the natural first house. Aries as a sign representing the "mode of activity" has keywords of energy, heat, and initiative. The ruler of Aries is Mars. Mars as a planet represents energy, heat, and the ability to push forward the personal affairs, either through work or struggle. Aries, the first house, and Mars all have a common thread denoting energy and the personal "I", "me", and the physical. The second natural house has the sign Taurus, ruled by Venus, and all three have something to do with possessions, values, and money. The third natural house is associated with the sign Gemini, ruled by Mercury, and sign, house, and planet all have to do with the thinking processes, siblings, and communications. We can move through the twelve signs, twelve houses, and their ten rulers, and find common ground between house meaning, sign modus operandi, and the sign ruler attributes.
Using the natural house system, beginning with 0 Aries as an artificial ascendant, we erect a chart for the day of birth which will show the planets in the signs placed in the natural houses. Among astrologers there is a term called "dignity" , which refers to the strength of a planet in a sign. With a 0 Aries chart one can easily judge the power of the planet by sign.
This type of chart reminds the astrologer that Saturn, for instance, ruler of the natural tenth house, is often indicative of career and matters of reputation. If Saturn is in the 10
th house of a 0 ARIES chart it will of course be in Capricorn, and therefore of more significance than in any other sign. Using this same theme, aspects to Saturn, no matter what sign Saturn resides in, may represent matters that affect the career and our standing in the world.We can look at the birth chart, and the natal aspects between planets, and compare them to the planetary arrangements today (transits), and get a good idea of which energies are operative. Birth Saturn in aspect by a transit of another planet may materialize as a career or reputation matter. Dependent on the other planet, and the type of aspect, this may represent ease, benefits, change, or difficulty in this area. With this type of chart we can look at the birth chart holistically and use the house system as a mandala of essential spiritual truth.
How accurate is the reading going to be?
What can't be done with a 0 ARIES chart or a SOLAR chart? The Moon travels fast and may move more than 10 degrees in one 24 hour day. The Moon is the symbol for the subconscious, emotional side of a person, and those things we absorb on an unconscious level. In some ways it has to do with the home and mother, also. The astrologers ability to read this part of the chart may be hampered because the Moon's location cannot be pinpointed accurately. (The other planets move much more slowly and will usually be within a degree of their true location.)
For health matters the ascendant degree is necessary for true accuracy, as this is the point of the physical body, although overall health trends can be seen from planets. Some career and reputation matters are dependent on condition and location of the MC. Matters to do with moving the home may be represented by an aspect to the IC, another pertinent point. Marriage or the partner may be affected by aspects to the Descendant, although also seen by other indicators. All of these points must be calculated from birth time and place.
The other problem facing the astrologer using a chart without a birth time is forecasting events. Astrological forecasting relies on moving the original birth chart forward to the present day in one of many techniques called "progression". Accuracy in timing is impossible without a birth time, as the one degree of inaccuracy in the birth chart can mean up to 2 years of difference in the progressed chart. HOWEVER, the progressed chart is always "triggered" by a transit, so here we use the alternative chart, whether a SOLAR chart or the 0 ARIES chart, to check for significant transits affecting the birth chart. The rule is : Not all transits result in events, but all events will be mirrored by a transit.
The good outweighs the bad.
The good points of using these alternative methods? The fact is that the astrologer is forced to look closely at the transits, and tie them to current events, which is a good thing because herein lies the answers to your questions.
These techniques are particularly good for comparing charts (synastry) between two people in a relationship. Maybe you only have the birth date of the other person, or don't want to ask for their birth time. (Just imagine yourself on the phone with a prospective love interest, saying, "I'd love to go to the shore with you this weekend. But first of all, I need to check with my astrologer, so tell me what time were you born and in what city?") We can see from these un-timed charts whether two people have enough harmony between them to sustain a relationship. We can ascertain in an existing partnership whether the current concern is temporary or permanent. Relationships that last, and endure, must have valid interaction between the birth chart planets. This is easily seen by either method, without a birth time.
No one ever calls or asks for a reading unless there is a problem. Not having the tool of a progressed chart to work with, the astrologer may not be able to judge if this is an important problem relevant to your internal clock, or one merely of the moment, and foisted upon you by external forces. Yet a good astrologer can surely ascertain which planets represent the present situation, concentrate on this, guide you to use the planetary attributes to your advantage, and use educated judgment as to forecast the outcome.
People who have immediate pressing problems to deal with or need to make a decision will have "transits" to planets in their birth chart. These will be obvious. The 0 Aries or Solar chart allows us to see current planetary energies in relation to natal planetary placements. From the "transits" (current positions of the planets) we can see when an influence will end, the final outcome of a matter, or advise you how best to make use of the current situation. Each yin has a yang, each front has a back. Likewise each planet as a symbol has a positive and a negative side. Wisdom is recognizing the difference.
Astrology has to do with time. If you pick and choose your time correctly, and go "with the flow", life will be much easier. It is always more difficult to swim against the current. The aim of an astrologer is to point out whether the time has come to use responsible action, discipline, and endure, or whether it is time to break away and begin anew. When there are long term difficulties it is helpful to know when these problems will dissipate; to see the "light at the end of the tunnel". When opportunities and a clear path are indicated, it is wise to note these times "to make hay while the sun shines".
The job of an astrologer is to help you recognize the forces at work and show you how to use them wisely.
Yes, you can have a good chart reading if you don't have your birth time. Yes, there are limitations to what can be done with an un-timed birth chart. Yet if we know the chart time is questionable we can make use of many tools to provide pertinent information and help you with insights and guidance.
It is better to admit you aren't sure of your time of birth than to make one up to please the astrologer!
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CopyRights Reserved 1998 Bette Denlinger This article may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission from the author. If you use this without permission, remember the author is a Scorpio, and swift retribution is an essential part of her nature.
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