SOLAR RETURN

Happy Birthday from the Cosmos

The natal astrological chart is the most important astrological chart associated with a person, but it is not the only chart. Several other kinds of astrological charts can be derived from the natal chart for specific, limited uses.

One of these derivative charts is known as the Solar Return chart. The name, Solar Return chart, only sounds mysterious. It's actually one of the easiest derivative charts to understand.

An example explains it best. Suppose we have a person born in Los Angeles on June 10th, 1959, and in her natal chart the Sun is located at 19°32'15" Gemini. Now every year of this person's life at approximately the time of her birthday (June 9th, 10th, or 11th), the Sun will be back at exactly 19°32'15". When the Sun is at that exact position, it has "returned" to its natal position. Hence the name, Solar Return.

We can calculate an astrological chart for that exact moment each year. We call that the Solar Return chart, and that chart will show the energies at work for a person in the year to come.

The Solar Return chart rarely, if ever, bears any resemblance to the natal chart except for the position of the Sun. All the other planets and mathematical points are in a different location. And each year it's different from the previous year.

It is because of these differences that Solar Return charts are fascinating to read. They add a layer of meaning to a person's life and are quite useful to show Big Picture trends for an upcoming year.

In my experience, Solar Return charts are read much more literally than natal charts which have a wider range of interpretation. Solar return charts often point to areas of an individual's life where events may (or may not) take place which would be catalysts for inner personal growth.

The Solar Return chart is only good for one year, but that's okay, because we calculate a new one for the next year. Good computer software (and some is better than others) can do this with the click of a mouse. Please note that accurate birth data for the natal chart, including time of birth, is an absolute must in order to do Solar Return charts. An inaccuracy in time of birth of half and hour renders Solar Return charts pretty much useless for a person's entire life.

The reason the annual solar return does not always fall on the exact birthday has to do with the inherent inaccuracies built into our current calendar system. The problem isn't the Sun, the problem is the relatively crude calendar we use in the Western world. Ever wonder why we have leap years? It's an attempt to correct the crudeness of the calculation of the Sun's position every four years.

Another twist to the Solar Return Chart is that it is calculated for the location a person is at the time of the Solar Return itself, not for the location of birth. In our example above the lady born on June 10th in Los Angeles may be living in Paris, France, at the time of her 35th birthday. So we do the Solar Return for Paris, France, not Los Angeles, when she turns 35.

Does the person's location on his/her birthday make a difference? Sometimes, yes. The Ascendent and house structure could be very different. That can change as much as half the meaning of the chart.

I actually had a very career-oriented client call me a month before her birthday one year to check to see what her Solar Return chart would look like for Toronto or for a particular Caribbean island. She wanted to be in the best location on her birthday for the energy in her upcoming year.

The calculations showed there was a significant difference in the placement of her midheaven, the 10th house cusp, the career house, between the two locations. The Caribbean island chart gave her a much stronger 10th house. After the reading she thanked me most profusely. It was the middle of a bitterly cold January and her birthday was in mid-February. She assured me she planned to pick the astrologically propitious location. I'm sure there was a very happy travel agent somewhere in Toronto.

The general rule of thumb I've noticed is that it takes a journey of several hundred miles/kilometres before any notable difference might occur in a Solar Return chart. In other words, unless you're looking for a good excuse to bail out of a nasty cold winter, you might just as well stay at home and celebrate your birthday as you always do. Besides, your friends are more likely to be around your home for the party than some far-away isle.

If this hasn't already confused you thoroughly, realize that a Solar Return Chart and a Solar Natal Chart are two very different things. The Solar Natal Chart is an arbitrary estimated natal chart used when time of birth is unknown. The Solar Return chart is an exact calculation done on a person's birthday each year after the person is born, and it requires an exact time of birth.

(It's because of confusing stuff like this that it takes people a few years to learn astrology properly.)

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