March 2018 Q&A

Q. What is the difference between a Transit and a Progression?

A. Transits are the actual Zodiacal positions of planets as they travel around the Solar System.

These positions are then put up against the birth chart to view how these planetary vibrations impinge upon the natal story by aspect.

The effect of a transit is often felt more ‘outwardly’ like a situation, circumstance or person that you may have to deal with. This of course will always be about using these experiences as backdrops to fulfil your higher potential.

The outer planets make much more of an impact with transits as they are slower moving and their vibrations work at a much deeper level. Inner planets transit very quickly, not leaving a lasting imprint so when doing transit work we concentrate more on the planets from Jupiter out to Pluto.

Progressions (secondary progressions) act in a very different way. They are more an elongated process dealing with our inner evolutionary development.
Progressions are calculated by taking the degree that a planet moves in one day and extending this over a year. An example being the Sun by transit moves approximately 1 degree in a day so by progression the Sun will move 1 degree per year.

The outer planets hardly move at all by progression as their daily transit is miniscule, so we look mostly toward the luminaries and inner planets in progressed work.
Attention particularly goes toward the progressed Moon which circles the chart every 27 years, spending roughly 2 and a half years per sign. The Progressed Moon emotionally highlights certain areas, moving at approximately 1 degree per month.

Progressions create internal changes, where particular parts of who you ripen at certain times during life. Much like a flower knowing when to bud or a child reaching puberty. They are strong markers with growth along our evolutionary journey.

Q. Then what is a Solar Arc Planet?

A. Solar Arcs, often called Primary Directions or Solar Directions are another forecasting tool used alongside Transits and Secondary Progressions.

They are actually a lot older than Secondary Progressions and many Astrologers put them up as number 1 with accuracy when forecasting.

Solar Arc Planets are derived from the amount of degrees travelled by the progressed Sun, (which is around 1 degree per year) and then this degree is added to every planet in the chart.

To make it easier every planet advances by degree roughly the total amount of your age, give or take a year.

Solar Arcs act like a mixture of a transit and a progression. It has the evolutionary unfoldment of a progressed planet yet can often manifest quite visibly like a transit.

Solar Arc planets carry the creative force of the Sun, needing to bring things to life. They can act as noticeable milestones and can often be the creators of major events or change.

Q. Finally, what is a Solar Return Chart?

A. A Solar Return chart is the chart that is pulled up each year for when the Sun arrives back to exactly the same degree to the second (fraction of a degree minute) as your birth Sun.

Here you will get a completely new chart that will highlight particular issues and areas for you to travel and learn from over the next 12 -15 months.

Because a Solar Year is not exactly 365 days if can sometimes be dated the day before your birthday.

Your Sun of course will always be in the same sign but mostly in a different house. You Moon sign and house will change as well as you Ascendant and Midheaven. Very occasionally they may return to their natal spots.

Different aspects and aspect patterns will occur giving you a new understanding with vibration of the coming year and how to work with it.

Some Astrologers use these charts alone to glean information for the year ahead. I tend to use them more as ‘headlines’ that add flavour or emphasis with what has already been uncovered through transits, progressions and Solar Arcs.

Wonderful Astrologer Lynn Bell has written a terrific book on Solar Returns called ‘Cycles of Light’ which is a good read for those interested in learning more about them.