Q. I was told I have a ‘basket’ chart. What does that mean?

A. A basket (sometimes called a bucket) is a chart shape, along with many other shapes that are formed by the placement of planets in a chart. Some other chart shapes include the bowl, bundle, fan, see-saw, locomotive and a few others. The chart shape gives an overall impression by the emphasis of planets placed in a particular area of the chart.

The Basket shape is when all the planets lie in one half of the chart, creating what looks like a bowl. This can be anywhere in the chart itself. The basket shape is formed when only one planet lies isolated outside the bowl in the other semi-circle making the baskets handle.

The handle planet is called a singleton or focaliser as it sits apart from the rest. Not only is this planet emphasised because of its separated placement but it also looks as though it is holding the basket together. All the other planets seem to rely on that planet to help them work.

A prime example is Albert Einstein’s basket chart with Uranus in Virgo in the 3rd house. Scientific Uranus in meticulous Virgo in the house of data, rationale, understanding and communication. You can see how important that planet was in his life.

 

Q. What is a Relocation Chart?

A. There are many ways with looking at Location in Astrology but the Relocation chart seems to be the most popular. It is simply a chart with your birth date pulled up for another location.

This of course will not be your actual birth time as far as the new location is concerned because of the time zone factor. If you were born at 9pm in Sydney, then London being 10 hrs behind (without daylight saving) would make it 11am there when you were born so your relocation time if you were moving to London would be at 11am. Astrology software does all this automatically.

Your Birth chart still remains your fundamental blueprint and your soul purpose is still intact within the chart you were born with. What the Relocated chart does is it gives you an idea of what this new place may attract for you and what areas of life may be highlighted by being there.
Your planets in signs and aspects will not change at all, what will change will be the houses they reside in as this gives them new terrains in your life to play out in.

For instance, if you have Venus in the 2nd house in your natal chart then your security needs, connection, comfort and value will be played out in the areas of the material through money, resources, the sensual or by using a particular talent or ability. In the relocated chart Venus might shift to the 7th house. In this case this new location will attract certain relationships into your life. This could even be a lover.
Astrologer Steven Forrest says they are like permanent transits which I think is a great way to put it.

 

Q. I am having a Mars return. How often does this occur and what does it mean?

A. Mars takes roughly 2 years to circle the chart and return to its birth position so every 2 years we have a Mars Return. Every planet has a return, the timing of course depends on the speed of the planet in question. One of the more popular ones is the Saturn Return approximately every 29 years.

Returns are always the beginning of the next tier of experience with that planet. A Mars return can be very potent as Mars intrinsically is a high energy planet, ready to exert, assert and make things happen.

The Return is much like the New Moon Phase where seeds are ready to be planted for the next cycle. Here is the ignition point. With Mars, this is the time where we need to activate our desires, face challenges and assert our will. Anything that you want to happen in your life now is ready for you to get this moving.