Astrology in theory and practice is not the same. Theory must serve and help us and its practice depends on the way astrology is verbalized. Let’s start with the basics. You are not just your Sun sign and ascendant sign, but a unique combination of all 12 zodiac signs. Two people are also genetically different. They have a different family tree, too. It does not manifest in the same way for someone else who was born on the same date, at the same time and in the same place as you.

You live your natal chart all the time even when you know nothing about it. How you live it can be completely different from what books and astrological theory suggest. Descriptions of the planets, signs, and aspects in the book and descriptions in practice are not the same thing. Natal chart is observed in time by being activated by transits that emphasize certain topics.

However, you will live only a fraction of your natal chart during your life. It is not written what will happen. Natal chart will show the way we create our life experience with our behavior, emotions and reactions. Interpretation of your natal chart also varies according to your age because people are interested in various things at different ages. How astrology is used in practice varies according to the natal chart. Here is a simple example.

Natal chart analysis-astrology in practice

Natal chart analysis for those born during day and those born during night differs significantly. Daytime birth when Sun is in houses above horizon can show a dominant person who expresses their will. Large amount of daily activities, carpe diem lifestyle and rational decision management define them. This person has a yang type of energy with an attitude to actively take life into their own hands.

Sun aspects give a more comprehensive picture of the individual. Sun transits indicate time for important life decisions. Certain planets are stronger in daily natal charts which additionally affects interpretations. Nocturnal birth means that Sun is below the horizon. We can be very receptive and like taking care of others. Unconscious reactions and intuition guide us through life. Feelings determine our Soul path because we are emphatical and emotional.

Yin type of energy tends to receive influence from others which leads to overwhelm and exhaustion. Moon aspects give a more complete picture. Moon transits with transcendental planets show a topic that is important for big changes in our emotional life. This division shows us two primary types of practical application of astrology depending just on the time of your birth…

Fixed stars

Astrology in practice is completely different from everything you have known so far. For example, you can read about fixed stars and how they are interpreted in other charts. However, these interpretations do not have to offer anything meaningful for you. Your natal chart contains all the fixed stars and all the constellations. Only according to the conjunction with natal planets are some more prominent.

Some fixed stars are awakened and activated during long-term transits, which are usually highly emphasized during consultations. It is important to emphasize that I will always analyze everything, but I will not discuss everything with you during our first consultation. That would not be constructive.

Natal chart provides an inexhaustible source of topics. It is important to focus on what is most vital at the given moment. Fixed stars and asteroids mean little if we still don’t understand our ascendant sign and how we express it. People with a calmer temperament may experience fixed stars in conjunction with personal planets less violently than people who express their nature forcefully.

Transits in practice

Transits are mathematically predetermined for all the years of your life, but what they bring is changeable. There are a large number of possibilities. Subconscious, unconscious, dominant type of energy, life attitudes, how you express your emotions, various socio-psychological factors and your environment affect how your natal chart will develop over time. Many transits are generally not visible from the outside at all and many are repeated several times throughout your life.

In theory, transits can be explained in one way, but in practice we will experience it in a number of ways. There are transits that last a very long time. Some are more like a background song that you hear coloring everything else that happens to you on a daily basis. Often transits can bring up past pain or trauma. They do not always bring something new, but old. However, it is important to understand that you have chosen all the events. They always result from your decisions and thoughts.

Free will and karma

Free will creates unpredictable events and karma. Not transits. Therefore, our reactions determine what comes in our experience and how we deal with it. Some consultations are focused on just one transit, but always including everything that is happening at that moment. People who intuitively feel that it is time for a change often go through Uranus transits when they book a consultation with me. Uranus then usually enters a new house or has aspects with their natal planets.

Often something unexpected happens teaching us how to be more flexible. People who are prone to risky behavior can experience more destructive effects of transits, too. In some cases, changes occur as a result of personal growth concerning Saturn and Pluto transits. Something that is a consequence of our behavior leads to stressful actions. It is usually “announced” in some way by external circumstances that serve to warn us.

Progressed Moon

Usually long-term transits bring fear or worry about whether we will achieve what we want. They certainly teach us to connect with ourselves and our energy. Many transits will be visible through psychosomatic symptoms if our energy is blocked.  For each change or event, there must be at least three indicators that will support the same topic.

In advanced astrology, change in progressed Moon sign will show us a theme for a period of about 2.5 years. If it forms an aspect with natal planets this will be even more important. Progressed Sun will also be prominent, especially if it is emphasized by an eclipse.

For that reason, during consultations, I always pay attention to secondary progressions and solar arc directions. If a consultation is focused on synastry analysis, great emphasis is always on you and your natal chart. You have attracted every person into your life as a display of your energy. Other people come into our lives to help us integrate our natal chart.

Issues with others are our inner issues.

When analyzing a marriage or any love relationship, we must certainly check natal Venus. For example, Venus and Sun conjunction is not the same if Venus is on the 15th degree and Sun on the 18th compared to the same aspect when Sun is on the 15th degree and Venus on the 18th.

Same aspect will be analyzed differently according to other aspects in the chart. It is the same with Mercury and Sun aspects. Other people challenge us to make ourselves aware of our shadow. Deeper we become aware of ourselves, the more fulfilling relationships we form. There are no destined relationships, except those with children and parents, so all love and emotional breakdowns are what we choose for some reason.

Case study

I will offer an example of what application of astrology looks like in practice, but I will omit details to protect client’s privacy. One girl approached me because of a specific emotional problem she blamed herself for and lack of self-confidence. She wrote an email before our consultation stating that she had read several astrological books about her natal positions. She wasn’t sure what was true and what she should believe in. She was completely confused.

At the beginning of our meeting, she said that she wants to change, but she didn[t know how. She was very afraid of future and what it could bring her. Paying attention to her ascendant sign in Aquarius, it didn’t seem to me that she had a problem with self-confidence. She needed to fit in. I analyzed her first and second houses, their rulers and paid attention to the house/planets in Leo.

Deeper issues often are expressed throughout every aspect. Long-term transit brings that up throughout outer challenges. She felt helpless and needed to find strength and security in herself to make a change in her life.

Astrological literature

In astrological literature, you can find that lack of self-confidence can be related to Neptune, in aspects or transits, Saturn in the first house and combust Venus for women. Aspects with ascendant and Sun are also important. Moon aspects, especially with Pluto and Saturn, will show problems due to which we can lose self-confidence. That is a consequence of unresolved conflict from childhood. Progressed Moon could bring these memories and revive them as well as reiki sessions, Bach drops or homeopathy.

That was exactly what evoked memories for her. Transits of Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in the 12th house near her natal Moon in Capricorn were a challenge that led her to deeper understanding of herself. When transiting Jupiter crossed her natal Moon, she began to wonder how she could improve her life quality.

She decided to explore her chart deeper with me. She felt that she did not have the strength for the complete change she demanded as well as the emotional breakup she had to go through. That decision scared her (Saturn as her Moon ruler).

All this was seen through the 12th house where Jupiter transit was located activating this area once in 12 years. However, this transit often sounds better in theory than in practice. Not everyone manages to take advantage of favorable opportunities. This girl, trying various energy techniques, has already started to connect with these wounded parts of herself.

Transiting Jupiter

Transiting Jupiter also formed aspects with natal Mercury. Spiritual growth could come from communications, new information, nervous system renewal through meditation and EFT, different vocabulary through NLP, empowering mental ability and the way it is expressed. As much as she was ready to make these changes that would increase her self-confidence helping her see this situation from a different angle, she was ready for a new beginning.

Goal of consultating with me was for her to gain faith in herself and realize what she wants. She already knew and felt all of that, but was afraid to hear her inner voice. She was not sure whether to trust it or not and my feedback gave her a push. Capricorn Moon in 12^th house is not an easy position. However, when we take responsibility for our feelings, it becomes easier over time.

Third house

Third house shows how we think. Sign of Gemini at the cusp indicated that it is important for her to verbally express her personality. It will restore her faith in herself. I suggested that she goes through some kind of education that would boost her self-confidence, which she gladly accepted. Emotional intelligence is related to Moon, which was activated here. Path to it led through seminars (Mercury) as well as a conversation with me and astrological analysis.

This is just one of the examples that does not emphasize natal Sun as a traditional indicator of self-confidence and personality. Emphasis was shifted to Moon because of all the factors indicating that and because she felt emotionally unstable and deprived. Great unconscious focus on the 12th house is facilitated through proposal to focus on the opposite. In this case the VI house and introduction of habits that would support her on emotional level.

She also received certain energy exercises that she needed to repeat before going to sleep. After three months, she called and booked a follow up consultation again, when Jupiter and Saturn crossed her ascendant. After that she was ready for that breakup and life changes. At that time, there was a completely different person in front of me, who found strength to fight with life’s challenges. I will never forget her laughter and her gleaming eyes!

Another example

Question of self-confidence would be analyzed completely differently if a person is currently going through Neptune transits in aspect to Sun / Moon and if there is a lot of water in chart. If Neptune had just begun transiting through the eighth house, if Mars has difficult dignity it could form a toxic energy manifestation. This person could be oversensitive and “bury” their feeling and thus lose faith in oneself.

It seems that no matter how hard we try in this case we cannot fulfill our potential easily. Our sensitive nature is holding us back. We need to see if a person constructively knows how to overcome challenges related to natal aspects, whether there are planets in fixed signs or not.

Neptune transits become challenging if we do not use our natal energy in a positive way. But no transit results in a loss of self-confidence. It is our inability to live our nature despite external pressures and circumstances and if we did not learn to integrate our natal planets.

Setting boundaries and Neptune

As long as this person does not learn to set clear boundaries and if other people’s energy continues to suffocate her, until she realizes what she believes in, she may have many problems. If this person does not learn to channel her fragile vulnerability, she opens a window to various dark things and must be aware of that.

Many musicians, painters, who themselves represent Neptune, are an example of “false self-confidence” where they did not have enough inner strength. Transits and challenges easily turned them off their desired road. Hypersensitive nature seeks refuge and salvation, but we must not choose to be a victim, because that immediately shows weak solar plexus and no true self-confidence.

If a person has Mars of lower dignity squared with transiting Neptune at the same time, changes must be made through adequate physical activity and healthy habits. If a person has a problem with substance addiction, help should first be sought from a medical expert, not from an astrologer.

However, an astrologer could help afterwards in enabling you to find stability and rediscover new faith, so that you understand which wound triggered you to turn to addiction and unhealthy behavior. That wound must be healed because otherwise every next transit activates this point.

To sum up:

There is always some connection between the astrologer and the client. What we feel now affects what will happen in the future because that is how we create our reality. Each symbol can be viewed from the angle of shadow and from the angle of light. In every natal chart there are predispositions that we will go a certain way, but that does not mean that we will decide to do so.

Natal charts can’t do anything if you don’t do something. With the help of an astrologer, you learns how to become aware of this, not to suppress your unique nature which leads to solving problems and changing your life. How much we will gain from astrological consultations always depends on ourselves and how much we are ready to recognize ourselves in projections onto others. These are the parts that we have not yet accepted and healed, but we must.

Astrology in practice must always offer an opportunity and awaken in us a sense of personal value and connection with the Universe. Also, it is necessary to understand that reading an astrological book or researching aspects on the Internet could be a form of therapy and offer valuable insights. For me, reading and learning astrology is a spiritual practice and nothing can replace what I gain in such way.

Astrology in practice aims to awaken, heal and tickle the imagination by reminding us of countless possibilities of a wonderful new world that really exists in us. My role as an astrologer is to help you find blockages, release them and live your life and your natal chart at the highest level.