In the old days you had to either calculate a chart by hand. In the early 90’s, I lived in the city. I could go to the local metaphysical chart and get a chart done by a computer for about four dollars. They’d hand me a sheet of old time computer paper, with the chart done in an array of ink dots. It looked sort of like PONG.
I got a home computer in 1992. The first thing I did was purchase an astrology program. It was DOS at the time.
This allowed me to look at any chart I wanted at any time. One of the first habits I acquired was to keep an eye on my lunar returns. I’d committed to being an astrologer at this point and I was studying.
I’ve kept up this habit since. I’ve printed a year’s worth of lunar return charts at a time for close to 25 years now. I’ve learned a lot and written about it some (Lunar Return – Your Monthlong Mood).
I’ve studied Solar Returns as well, but for some reason I never look at them more than a couple years ahead. I guess that looking at them can be overwhelming. I wrote a newsletter once about how people (myself included) tended to be scared to death of their Solar Return. For some reason, people tend to look at them and see the worst. Realizing this, I’ve adjusted my perception. However, I still have never looked too far ahead…until yesterday.
Yesterday I pulled up my Solar Return chart for the next five years. This may have been because I don’t plan on moving…ever! Prior to now, I’ve lived as if I didn’t necessarily know where I would be in five years. But for whatever reason, looking ahead five years really woke me up.
For four of the five years, my Solar Return chart is striking. But rather than concern myself with that, I took the charts as a whole and what they told me is, I ain’t seen nothing yet. There is more STORY ahead. I am not done. This is not the end. There will be more pain, more chaos, more joy, more challenge, more triumph, more loss and more gain in the years to come.
I thought this was worth sharing. You can get in depth reports of your solar and/or lunar returns here. If you keep your head about you, they’ll do more than scare you!
How much attention to you pay to your lunar and solar return?
Years ago I used to get a solar return chart a year ahead. I’ve gotten lunar return charts, too. But not on a consistent basis. Earlier in the week I did a review of returns to track the path of Saturn … so I’m talking decades. In the Hawaiian Culture we believe you look back to go forward (or your future is in the past). With Saturn currently at the tail end of Scorpio (my Sun position) and Capricorn in Pluto my deeply held secrets and responsibilities/legacy are laid out IN REVERSE as I did my reverse Saturn tracking.
I’m saying that looking at a life journey over time is a very big picture “movie” and easy to get at Solar and Lunar Charts today can help just as much as looking back to see where you have been. The patterns and complexity of being human on a spiritual path with decisions made with or without foresight becomes very clear. Then the choice becomes: “What are you waiting for?” Or, “Do you see the choices you have?”
My solar chart this year was AWFUL. I knew already that saturn bopping around on my natal saturn and then in play with my grand cross was pretty awful, but the return… Ugh. So this is the first time I peeked ahead, to try and cheer myself up. The next year is ‘better’. And then the year after even ‘better’! But to look too far ahead… still not strong enough, I’m afraid.
Oh yes, I look at Solar Return Charts all the time! And yes, I look at the story they tell.I was doing that this morning (in Europe), too, as my birthday is in 6 weeks.
I’ve had a 12th house Sun in Solar Return chart year, and it hasn’t been easy. Libra Sun with Libra Rising on SR, it’s been all about everybody else, but me. So much so, that I’ve developed a chronical condition, and was told by this professional mentor that I have to start thinking about myself.
The Solar Return to come will have Sun 10th house, equal house system. There is Sadgittarius rising, and heavy 8th/9th/10th house emphasis overall, which I like for what I intend to do. I read somewhere 10th house Sun isn’t a lucky year, but it will reward hard work. I really wish this is the case!
And then, 2016/2017 will be a big year. I’ll have a New Moon conjunct Jupiter on that chart. 0’Cancer rising, so everything will fall to my 4th house. 5th house Venus, and Mars on Descendant. :-O I don’t expect it to be all pleasant, but I wouldn’t even consider looking for a new, permanent home before Summer 2016, because I think faith will intervene here. After this, I have a couple of solid charts, and one that quite honestly, I don’t like at all. But 2019/20 seems to be great, and 2020/21 will play well with what will be going on in my Daughter’s life, starting school.
This is as far as I will go too, for now.
I review my solar return every year and will often look ahead to coming years it is easier on me now the I have grown in my understanding of astrology and can interpret much of it on my own. So much of whats available about solar return interpretations is so so negative and forecasting of hardship its no wonder people are leary. Elsa tends toward the positve or at least looking at things from different perspectives, I like that, its been through your blog here that help me learn to see things in varying perspectives and not be so quick to lable something as just good or bad.
Last year I had the most unusual surprise for my solar return chart.
My birthday is in August and that month I took my son to the Dallas /FW airport where he boarded a flight to London, and onto France where he was to attend college and live for several months. I urged him not to leave the London airport for sightseeing. On the flight, he met a young lady on her way back to Sweden and she took him sightseeing in London! Luckily he made his flight to France in the nick of time. He had a blast!
Anyway, my solar return had Sun in the 9th house trine Moon in the 2nd, Moon trine MC and Uranus! I thought it was all so fitting, despite it was not me doing the traveling. I thought the Sun and Moon trine sort of represented my son and I, as I am a Leo and he is a Cancer.
I love the subject of Solar Returns.
Last year Saturn was in Solar Return 1st and Pluto in 2nd. I moved to a rental for a year in order to prepare my credit for my first home purchase afterwards. SR Saturn was conjunct natal Neptune in fourth house.
I ended up buying my first home, which just happens to be lake front property and lovely beyond my wildest dreams. I moved in this month after finding the house in June and waiting impatiently for hiccups before eventually being able to close a week before my birthday this month.
I like them too. This SR has been a year of tremendous upheaval. It will be good to switch into a new mode! 🙂
My solar return chart this year (back from July) was crazy…Jupiter conjunct natal South Node on the Ascendant (putting my North Node on the DC of course). Midheaven conjunct natal Ascendant (just noticed that one!). Moon at 0 Libra, Venus at 0 Virgo. Saturn trine natal Sun, Neptune sextile natal Saturn. These aspects all exact to the degree.
I feel like I have a general idea of what it means but…damn, I’m just gonna go ahead and purchase a report, it’s not expensive.
I remember doing charts by hand in 1989. It was like a labour of love for friends, like opening a window on their soul.
Sr with Sun, Venus, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter all in 9th house & Sag ascendant. I wonder what I’ll be doing this year. It’s my last year of college.