Natal Chart Progression

on March 22, 2018

A non-astrology oriented friend asked me the most apt of questions the other day, out of basic curiosity: “Does the chart change…I mean does it pick up on how we grow and change over time as a result of our experiences…?”

What an honour it was to be able to offer her food for thought and a potential stretch of her perspective. She had a tough time accepting this limited framework of the natal chart, as she perceived it, as defining human experience. She was pleased and intrigued upon discovering that YES we have choices within the framework of our potential and that other than this (vaster) framework, life was pretty much…our responsibility. YES. Of course it changes, grows and evolves. And use of a few different progression methods makes it possible to measure or, rather, explore.

This article will not cover interpretation of progressed or progressed-to-natal placements. Adequate delineation of these requires sound understanding of the basics so if you have not done so already, please skip to the study corner found HERE before proceeding. Further, I am a firm believer that cookie-cut interpretations are best left aside (or used only to spark you off ) and each natal chart be considered as a sovereign state. Now, this is an introduction to the method and philosophy or assumptions behind chart progression.

So what is the mechanism assumed behind progressions?

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”

(Well…that is about as far as my academic knowledge of physics stretches. Unless you also include the old: “The speed of the preceding vehicle decreases in proportion to your lateness”. Not sure if this latter one is legit, but holds experientially true in my case. Maybe academics among you can confirm? But I digress before I even started…)

Natal chart progressions are a method of tracking personal energy unfoldment. It is a trajectory that is put into action at birth (as seen in the natal imprint illustrated by the plain natal chart) as a result of energies already unfolding prenatally. This sum of energy influences and interactions produces effects or reactions (which you are the embodiment or seed of) and carves a certain natural path or trajectory you will cover during your lifetime. The trajectory is shown by the signs and houses your natal planets will move through over the course of your life. I see progressions as our propulsion trajectory. We were expelled into the environment and shoot through, until the force that got us there loses momentum (or is arrested/blocked but let’s not go dark here 🙂 ). It may help to visualize it as your propulsion through the wheel!

Cycles (Image by: Jake Hills)

The general astrological consensus is based on the theory that suggests that experiences starting from the moment of birth and in the days and weeks that follow provide ‘seed’ that will yield certain results in the future…following their natural gestation. On the most basic and easiest to perceive level, these ‘seeds’ are made up of your experience inside the womb (therefore prenatal parental contribution), experience at birth and early experiences post-natally.

Everything that happens to you adds another layer of complex chemical and neural reactions – organically, through physical and sensory experiences but also socio-emotional, psychological, intellectual or spiritual experiences or stimuli. Things like the nutrition received, the manner in which nutrition is provided, the way you are received or held, the way you were tended to when in discomfort, the amount of light, the sounds, the registered emotional atmosphere, the people who interacted with you, the amount of pain, warmth, physiological sensations…the list goes on…but you get the idea. ALL of that causes certain reactions and these reactions yield certain more or less predictable results (back to known laws of natural sciences and also psychology here). The body and especially the brain forms certain responses to deal with this information and sensations to negotiate the environment (insert scientific notions of cellular memory here just in case). I feel compelled to also mention that, over and above this perceivable reality: this known exchange with our environment and our physiological processes, one can also argue that there are vaster energy complexes that also morph and manifest through our unfoldment but I wanted to stick to what is closer to most people’s realities or comfort zones in this article.

The progressed chart – basic considerations

The postnatal period is mapped by following the Solar motion through the zodiac, counting each day of life (outside the womb) as a signpost for the unfoldment of each year of life. Therefore by 90 days old, seeds are sown for 90 years of life (whether you fall short of or exceed this mark is of no consequence to the topic at hand J). So your progressed chart shows the flavour and nature of the experiences and reactions you can expect to see sprout as you grow and unfold.

By progressing the chart we see our axis and natal planets move around a bit, reaching new vantage points, switching approaches via signs, adjusting, evolving. Aspects change, loosen, tighten, form and disperse. The progressed planets cover certain number of energy areas or signs by progression and do not go all the way around the wheel, except the Moon, but Moon suffices and is a separate topic altogether. So while we may only explore a few sign energies by the time the lights go out, these topics we cover are usually sufficient to get to a point of our personal full circle…because each life is in fact a full circle. Yes even the tragically short ones. It is all as it ‘must’ be and within that ‘must’ there are enough potentials to develop and avenues to explore to last you quite a few lifetimes. The sky IS the limit even if you are kind of ‘framed’.

Finally, as an apparent circle around that circle, transiting planets press our natal and progressed buttons.

“It is quite magnificent…the expression that is YOU” (Image by: Alex Kokkinos; Dance artist: Ivi H)

It is quite magnificent how it all interacts to come together in a single manifestation of the expression that is YOU.

This is the mystery of progressions. No mystery. It does not necessarily tell you WHAT exactly will happen but rather what the potentiality is: what you will tend to be drawn to as a result of your personal imprints, what kind of experiences you will draw to you, how you will tend to act or react and in what areas of life (houses) these things are likely to be taking place.

Food for thought isn’t it? In the meantime…Have you checked your progressions?

First stop when beginning to work with progressions? I would suggest basic secondary progressions. Here we follow the Sun’s daily motion (a day for year of life) but account for planetary speed so all planets ‘move’ at their ‘natural’ pace. Solar Arcs Directions move by the arc of the sun so all planets ‘move’ 1 degree for year of life. Take your pick. Read more on the subject. Some free but quality resources included below to get you started.

You can view your progressed charts as a standalone or against your natal placements. Your natal chart is your basic guiding imprint. Your base tendencies will always be as per your natal. Progressions add a dimension or overlay against that natal principle. All your potential arises from the natal and moves, develops and morphs as a result of your experiences and choices.