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Your ascendant has the same meaning as your first house. It shows how you are on the outside, while your Sun contacts a deeper level and your Moon is you right inside. You may not recognise your ascendant, because it’s something that other people see. Other signs and planets in your first house have an impact while aspects alter the picture too. |
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Your descendant has the same symbolism as your seventh house, so it signifies all your closest relationships, of a professional nature, and of a personal and intimate kind. It shows how you are in these situations, the ways you behave and come across, the type of responses you need to get back and the sort of partner who is the perfect match for you. |
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The midheaven defines your ambitions, often of a career or vocational nature, what you are trying to achieve and how you see yourself ideally. It has a similar meaning to your tenth house, although cannot always be judged purely in terms of aspiration in the world of work, since there are many who feel other things are more important to aim towards. |
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The imum coeli is the low point of your horoscope, opposite your MC. It has the same significance as the fourth house and symbolises your deepest emotional needs, plus your family and home life as their manifestation. The MC is where you’re heading and the IC where you are coming from, in terms of background and your situation now. |
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The north node of the Moon is the point where the orbit of the Moon around the Earth crosses the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. The lunar orbit is angled by a little over five degrees, so if you can imagine two hoops with one slightly tilted, the nodes are where these both intersect, first heading north (ascending) and then returning south (descending). |
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The Moon’s south node is directly opposite the north node in your birthchart and so is often not marked. The nodal axis illustrates your spiritual journey, with the south node representing activities and behaviours that come most naturally. By contrast the north node pinpoints traits and areas of life you can try developing, to feel the best fulfilled. |
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The Part of Fortune belongs to the so-called Arabic parts, with origins pre-dating the scholars of the Middle East. Most are no longer used, but this one remains popular and is calculated from your own Sun, Moon and ascendant combination. It shows the things that bring you joy, and how and where you’ll find the greatest happiness for yourself. |
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Planets are retrograde when they seem to move backwards. This is caused by our perspective, because we too are orbiting the Sun. Retrograde means a planet’s energy is internalised, which has both good and less helpful consequences. It’s more important when Mercury, Venus or Mars are in this state, naturally the Sun and the Moon will never be. |
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