posted August 04, 2010 03:07 PM         

If you look at someone's chart and believe the tropical zodiac is a valid one, then if you look at the personal planets such as the sun, moon, mercury, venus, and mars and acs just knowing the signs and nothing else in the chart would provide about 70-80% accurate snapshot of their personality. It won't reveal the finer details in a chart, but it reveals enough info that I can describe strangers I've never met to people with what they would say is "overwhelmingly accurate" time and time again. If someone has the majority of their personal planets listed above will have their dominant element shine through their personality and you don't have to know they have saturn conjunct venus to get the "gist" of their personality even though it's still very important.

If you were to try to say that I am a pure bred Leo, Leo Venus, and Leo mars,(along with with my pure bred leo moon, as it is not near the cusp) would would be totally off. This is just not me, but several others. This "black and white" mentality or "one way or the other" is very close-minded in my opinion. Notice on astro.com it would give two interpretations for the following house if near the cusp, but not the signs. Several have stated here that BOTH house interpretations apply. People who have planets in the twelfth almost conjunct the asc frequently say that both interpretations apply to them. I have seen no one object and tell them that it has to be "one way or the other" That is just crazy in my opinion and both use degrees there. Of course, you could search for something in my chart that would show why I act so Virgo, but with that motive in mind you could probably find a reason why I act like any sign no planet currently occupies in my natal chart and be satisfied with the answer and write cusps off as nonsense.

Consider this, if the phone rang and they were asking for someone in the house. Let's pretend in one situation they are right in the middle of the living room watching tv. You would say "he/she is right here" cleanly stating a fact that is easily observable to anyone in the room. But if they were walking out the door with one foot still inside the house and one foot heading outside, would you just say that that person is right inside the house the same as if they were in the living room watching tv? No, you would not. You would probably say "Hold on a second! He/she is about to leave". There would be an urgency added the the situation and the feelings of both scenes change quite a bit. What you are basically saying is that these scenes that I've described above there absolutely no difference because the person is "still in the house" or boundaries of the home. Even though the person is about to leave and intends to leave, and the other person is lazily sitting there content watching tv. Sorry, but I just know in my gut that that isn't right. I am proof this isn't right and that cusps work especially since my stellium sits right between leo/virgo and have the majority of characteristics of the following sign. The description of the anaretic "planet suffers a crisis and does too much or too little" shows the struggle going on the 29th degree as the planet begins to evacuate one sign and enter the other, which two of of my planets it in leo sit upon.(sun and mars) That is not just just my opinion, the Anaretic is pretty much known an astrological fact. Why does the 29th degree have it's own name and characteristics of how it will modify(saying the energy of the planets are split) the planets if cusps do not apply especially since it is right smack dab between the two signs? Can you think of any other degree that has its own name besides the solstices and the equinoxes?(which are also cusp placements) I can't.

Normally I am not so "touchy" about other astrologer's beliefs/practices as it doesn't matter much to me, but this is the one thing in astrology I really wish astrologers paid attention to and they seem to just ignore it. It's like when someone tries to tells me that homosexuality is a choice completely dependent on environment or social factors. Just because a guy for example can go to prison and have sex with males, and when he is out of prison he only wants to be with females. Or a gay men can marry and have children naturally. I have never been attracted to a woman sexually, and it's not something I naturally chose. Or if I want to prison with other females I would not suddenly start having sex with them. It's just who I was and have always been because I just "knew". Same thing here with the cusps. It's something I just "know", even though that might not make sense to others. And I know, because I AM one in both situations. The "black and white" mentality "many have sex with both so it must be a choice" is very unfair to people like me. That kind of mentality leaves out a of diversity and individuality within the world. This is the same mistake being made with signs on the cusp.

Sidereal zodiac makes me a pure bred Leo sun, merc, venus, mars. The true solar zodiac places my sun once again as a pure bred Leo. Draconic zodiac gives me a Leo Sun, merc, venus, mars. To say my tropical placements should all be interpreted as 100% Leo energy too when I am practically an archetype in many ways for Virgo traits/energy in real life would show a failure in astrology if you believe the zodiacs are valid. And not me, but many others. It should be the exact opposite if you keep the "black and white" or "one way or the other" mentality of just because it's still in Leo, the planet that resides there is 100% Leo energy. However every time I read a Virgo sun, venus, or mars interpretation and take the cusps into account it is right on target. You could go on ahead and give me a totally Leo sun, moon, venus, and mars interpretation of my chart when doing a reading, but you would be wrong. And I'm not saying that to be rude, it's just a fact. And what in my chart could you possibly hope to find that would remedy the inaccuracies of why I have so many numerous traits of a Virgo without taking cusps into account if you believe the tropical zodiac to be valis. And with that much leo everywhere else combined from the other zodiacs with my tropical should make me the most Leo person you'd probably ever meet -- and I'm definitely not. But read just about Virgo anything and it's always about 90% right on the mark. Friends and family know enough about astrology, and as I have said before will testify to this as well. You have no idea how many Virgo suns take a romantic interest in me and tell me how much they tell me they "have so much in common with me". But I usually don't feel the same way, because it always seem to feel like I'd be dating a reflection of myself and that disturbs me.

posted August 04, 2010 03:28 PM         

it could be a combination of:

a strongly placed Mercury - Mercury is ruler of Virgo

Vesta could be strong in the chart - Vesta is one of the major asteroids named after the Goddess of the Hearth and has been associated with devotion,dedication,work ethic, and channeling sexual energy.

Ceres could be strong in the chart - it's one of the major asteroids and a dwarf planet. At over 900 km in diameter, it is the largest of the asteroids. That's why it's classed as a dwarf planet. It's named after the Roman Goddess of the Harvest. It is said to be associated with nurturing,mother,food,caring. The Greeks actually viewed the Virgo constellation as Demeter, the Greek counterpart of Ceres.

Saturn could be strong in the chart for being practical,grounded, and linear
a Mercury aspect to Saturn could factor into identifying with Virgo traits.

Hygiea could be strong in the chart - it's one of the biggest asteroids. It's named after the Greek Goddess of Health. hygiene is a word that comes from Hygiea.

there could be a strong Chiron influence - some believe that Chiron is the ruler of Virgo. Chiron is associated with healing,wounds,holistic matters,and matters dealing with inadequacy

the nodes of these objects can factor
they can be important
Moon is not the only object that has Nodes
which are just intersection of the planes of 2 objects.

Right Ascension and Declination are also relevant coordinates to use in Astrology. They are the equatorial longitude and latitude coordinates that astronomers use to locate heavenly bodies with their telescopes.

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 04:06 PM         

Yes, degrees are markers that TOTALLY refute cusps because they tell you CLEARLY whether you are one sign or the other. And NO...things like anarectic degrees are not there for cusp theorists to bolster themeselves. They are there to say you have passed with flying colors in the lessons of [insert sign here] and you are at the end of this leg of the karmic journey.

I was technically born on the cusp and I have leo-like traits when it comes to things like art outlets (Bollywood anyone?), but I also have Venus and Jupiter in the 5th house. Does that mean I overlook that placement in favor of some "Im Cancer/Leo" BS? No....

Still don't think I've put enough? Pull up your chart and progressions and then we'll see who's right.