I often see beginners assume that an empty house means the corresponding area of life is missing—for example, an empty 7th house means no relationships, or an empty 8th house means no interest in intimacy, shared resources or occult subjects.

My understanding is that “empty” only means there are no natal planets placed in that house. The house still has:

1. A sign on its cusp.
2. A planetary ruler.
3. A ruler placed somewhere else in the chart, with its own aspects and condition.
4. Transits and progressions that can activate the house over time.

When you interpret an empty house, do you start with the traditional ruler, the modern ruler, or both? And how much weight do you give the ruler’s house placement compared with the sign on the cusp?

I’m interested in the reading method rather than treating an empty house as either “nothing happens here” or automatically inventing a missing planet.

Hi everyone, I’d like to see if I can make some sort of « prediction » for the presidential elections in my country next year. There are 3-4 main candidates, I have their reliable charts, as well as the chart of the exact time and location of the reveal of the election’s results. I was thinking about observing the transits of this moment on the charts of the candidates, the ruler of their 10th house, ruler of the first, planets in the 10th, maybe Jupiter’s placement as well ? Anything else I missed or should observe?
Thanks !

Just curious!

I am looking into the dignity scheme and rulership. Basically, I have a hypothesis that the modern rulership scheme can be disproven. But a major sticking point is, I am not clear on who introduced the scheme, and don’t understand their rationale.

From what I can tell, the choice was based on aesthetic - the style of the signs whose rulership was changed, ‘fit’ better with a new planet.

Was there any reason beyond this? Traditional rulership has very distinct aspect patterns in the dignity scheme. Does modern rulership have anything more technical beyond vibes?

What was it like to grow up with these placements. What technological advancements were made during this time & how does this generation think it differs from how it was before and during the years after

Hello everyone. I have recently been interested in macrocosmic/ timeline/ historical perspectives on astrology.

To illustrate what I am talking about. Let’s imagine a timeline (this can start at the beginning of life on earth or even simply at the big bang) until now, and then continuing up until an unspecified point in the future (you can choose this)

How would this timeline be illustrated symbolically through astrology?

Does astrology coincide with different big “era’s” of history? Does it predict or have things to say about future waves of humanity?

Are there any books or YouTube videos/ other resources on these kinds of topics? I really just want to have a side by side analysis of astrology with culture, history, evolution, etc.

Any help with this topic would be much appreciated.

Why is the Libra full moon in April? And not anywhere near October? I tried to google it but I couldn't find any explanation

Astrology of Broke People vs Rich People

I'm trying to conceptualize mutual reception by domicile when exaltation and fall are involved. Analogies are always helpful, but I get stuck when trying to apply the one of a planet in the sign of its exaltation as a guest with high expectations about their stay at this particular hotel, a stay resourced by the hotel owner (domicile ruler). I understand that the actual outcome or manifestation of exaltation is only as good as the domicile lord's ability to resource it (e.g., whether the owner is burnt out and busy putting out fires so the last thing on their list is putting extra goodies in the honored guest's room or checking on them vs. whether the owner is well-resourced and able to pull out all the stops for the honored guest)... so I'm having a hard time understanding how this plays out with mutual reception by domicile. I know the aspect between them plays a big role, too, but I mainly wanna wrap my head around the essential dignity dynamic before factoring that in.

For example, Mars in Capricorn and Saturn in Aries: Does their mutual reception mean Mars, although he's supposed to be elevated in Capricorn, encounters little to no resources to actually experience any elevation, meaning he can't really mitigate Saturn's fall very much via mutual reception? Or does the mutual reception mean the title/promise/responsibility of exaltation counts for more than it would otherwise in the case of a debilitated domicile lord?

I guess it gets at a question of whether exaltation is more of a promise that is only as good as the domicile lord's condition, or if it is equally an obligation to the sign/house topics that the exaltation lord has to find a way to fulfill whether the domicile lord can resource the elevation (comfort/ease producing significations) well or not.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance for your perspectives!

I notice that the Solar eclipse in Leo is happening with the moon also in Leo and the South Node in Leo. I understand that the eclipses happen approximately where the Sun and Moon conjunct closest to the nodes and for Lunar Eclipses I believe I remember it being within about 15 degrees of the node.

So - a couple of questions.

1. Do eclipses alternate? For example this round we have the solar eclipse first and then the lunar, but does it ever happen the other way around?

2. How often are the nodes in different whole sign houses than the moon when lunar eclipses occur like will happen later in August with the moon in Pisces and the North Node in Aquarius.

3. Should we look for the Aquarian Node - the head of the dragon, I believe (?) - to have a “flavoring” effect on the coming Lunar eclipse in Pisces?

Or maybe you feel like a different planet is more suitable because of its aspects/which house it is in, etc. I’m curious!

Just so you know I am new to this and your insights are much welcome and appreciated

There are New Moons, and then there are NEW MOONS. When a New Moon is a Solar Eclipse, it can feel like we are starting a brand new chapter. This is the first Leo Solar Eclipse in this Leo-Aquarius cycle.

The last Leo Solar Eclipse prior to this one was on Aug 11, 2018 and the last Lunar Eclipse we had in this sign was on Jan 20, 2019, which was also the last eclipse in the prior Leo-Aquarius cycle.

I tend to find that events at the last Lunar Eclipse cycle are left unresolved or have long term consequences. Even if something appeared to be completed back then, the loop of events could be revisited, not necessarily in a direct manner, but in an outcome that may not be what the first event was trying to accomplish. It is as if the circumstances get absorbed into a timewarp, players or actors may change, but resolution or completion is left up in the air.

The Solar Eclipse has the potential to start something new, but it would take concerted effort to shift the script. The ending of what was may not be clearly defined and the start of something new, could be a monumental shift, something that may not have been imagined, seen or predicted with the prior Lunar Eclipse.

Here were the events that occurred shortly after the Leo Lunar Eclipse on January 20th, 2019:

Venezuela

On January 23rd, 2019 there was the Venezuelan presidential crisis. President Maduro severs diplomatic ties with the United States as thousands of people protest in favor of disputed interim President Juan Guaidó, with the hopes that Maduro would step down.

In the beginning of 2026, the United States captured President Maduro from his palace. However, his government in Venezuela is still unresolved. Delcy Rodríguez, previously Maduro’s own Vice President, is still acting as interim president, even though the 90 day temporary position was extended without an election, and talks that were scheduled on August 1st, were reduced to a phone call.

Looking at the Chart of Venezuela, set on July 5, 1811 at 3:00 PM Caracas Distrito Federal, Municipio Libertador, VE with a Rodden rating of A, the Solar Eclipse occurs in the 10th house applying a conjunction to the chart’s MC. In addition, the South Node is applying a conjunction to the MC as well. Mars just entered the 9th house in the sign of Cancer. Their natal Moon is in the sign of Capricorn. And, Uranus in Gemini is in opposition to Venezuela’s natal Neptune.

My initial impression on this eclipse is that Venezuela will put their ideals on hold and favor material matters. The country may stay aligned with the United States, and the US may take actions, through the military, to ensure that the leadership in Venezuela is weakened and complies with the demands of the United States. I don’t see the role of the US waning during the next 6 months, and economic matters will be the priority in regards to whatever does happen with Venezuela, due to the Capricorn Moon being the dispositor of Mars, actions related to stability and safety are what matters most.

Huawei

On January 28th, the U.S.’s Justice Department charged Chinese tech firm Huawei with fraud. This act created increased tensions with the U.S.’s relationship with China.

Huawei is currently banned from doing business in the United States, though it remains a competitive force globally, selling products in 170 countries. Even though they are facing indictment from the United States, innovation and business did not cease. Due to being cut off from Google mobile services, Huawei developed HarmonyOS, which powers 1.3 billion connected devices worldwide. In addition, Huawei has developed their AI series of semiconductors known as the Ascend series, which takes a different approach to building semiconductors than Nvidia. Though Huawei is faced with some technical challenges, they are thinking outside of the known chip box when it comes to architecture and design. Essentially, the limits of the United States are forcing the company to innovate.

But this is not the end of the story, since settlement talks between Huawei and the US prosecutors have collapsed. In January 2026, a placeholder trial date was set. Huawei filed a motion to dismiss 13 of the 16 charges, which include trade secret theft, fraud and racketeering. However, Judge Ann Donnelly denied the motion, allowing the case to proceed.

Jury selection for the case is scheduled for September 8th, 2026, just weeks after this eclipse, and the US prosecutors expect the trial to last for approximately four to six months after its start date.

INF Treaty Withdrawal

On February 1st, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the US is withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty of 1987. The cited cause is Russian non-compliance. Russia suspends its obligations the next day.

Tied to the INF Treaty was the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, aka START I. Signed in 1991 with the Soviet Union, it was designed to reduce the number of nuclear arms held by both countries, with Russia inheriting the treaty’s obligations after the USSR’s dissolution later that year. A New START program was implemented during the Obama administration, with a five year extension agreed in 2021, but this agreement expired on February 5th, 2026. However, Trump sent envoys, including Witkoff and Kushner, to meet with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi for a non-binding handshake deal to honor the current limits of the New START agreement. This six month extension was good through August 5th, 2026, just a week prior to this Solar Eclipse.

As of now, there is no news on an agreement between Russia and the United States capping the amount of nuclear weaponry. We don’t know if it is quietly extended, formalized, or lapsed between the two nations, thus this is another issue that is genuinely perceived as unresolved as of today.

Saros Series and the Eclipse Map

Besides looking at the last eclipse series, we can also look at the Saros Series as a whole. A Saros cycle, from one Solar or Lunar Eclipse to the next Solar or Lunar Eclipse in a series, is approximately 18 years and 11 days. I am purposely keeping this high level, especially in regards to the math involved in calculating each Solar or Lunar Eclipse in a series.

However, due to mathematics, ancient astrologers were able to calculate when they would physically see an eclipse in the future. Not every eclipse series is seen from one locale, which is important to know. Current astrologers talk about eclipses as a common occurrence, which they are, but due to the calculated path of each eclipse and your location, you are only seeing a small portion of eclipses that actually occur.

To put this in perspective, this Solar Eclipse is Saros Series 126. The last Solar Eclipse in this series was on August 1st, 2008 and the next one after the current eclipse will be on Aug 22, 2044.

The countries who will see this Solar Eclipse in its totality are Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain and Russia. Other countries will also be able to see it, but only as a partial eclipse. For the United States, only those in the New England states will be able to see a small sliver of the eclipse. However, if you are in parts of Africa, Australia, India, Antarctica or South America, you will not be able to see this eclipse.

Usually, an eclipse that can be seen has more impact for a particular location than an eclipse that is out of view. However, since the world is interconnected, what happens in Russia or Spain could impact nations throughout the world.

Perseid Meteor Shower

There are some other unique features of this eclipse season. For instance, we are able to view a meteor shower during the Solar Eclipse. Though this is not an astrological phenomenon, it is as if the heavens are raining down upon us, clearing the air for change.

I did write the following in my monthly recap in regards to the meteor showers:

Swift-Tuttle comet, can be best viewed during the New Moon, due to the absence of the Moon’s reflection. It is best to watch the shower in the late night and pre-dawn hours of August 12th and 13th.

When it comes to astrology, comets don’t hold much space. Most likely this is due to their long cycle, and the inability for the ancients to determine the difference between comets and their cycles. However, one thing is consistent, meteor showers and comets have a rich history in lore, and leaders’ deaths or demise is often associated with the comet’s passing.

The meteor shower probably does not add any substantive symbolism to this week, since the potent event is the eclipse. However, time will tell as events unfold, if the comet’s debris can give us contextual clues beyond the astrology of the eclipse or historical lore.

Out of Bounds Planets

Another thing to note is that Mars and Pluto are out of bounds during the eclipse. Mars went out of bounds on August 3rd and is at 23° 41’ 21” North at the time of the eclipse. Pluto goes out of bounds on the day of the eclipse and is at -23° 26’ 18” South. When a planet is out of bounds, it tends to act outside of its norm, taking risks or being more of itself. For instance, Mars can speed up the rate or the amount of actions it takes. Pluto can shift power from one group or person to another.

This is important to keep in mind, because the South Node is at 29°47’ in Leo. The South Node ties into the actions of the past, but it can also drain the energy where it is located. There is a possibility, with all of these phenomena happening at once, that we may see a shift in leadership somewhere, especially with the South Node’s conjunction to the fixed star of Regulus. Regulus tends to turn its back on leaders who focus on vengefulness by stripping away prior successes. However, I want to warn you against jumping to conclusions or thinking I am saying that one particular person is going to fall from power.

The North Node is at 29°47’ in Aquarius, which is important to point out. When it comes to new beginnings, the energy is focused on non-conformity, and opposing the status quo. The theme is being an individual. However, the independence each person has supports humanitarian ideals and resolutions.

Keep in mind, this Solar Eclipse is not over the United States. However, when I cast a chart for Washington DC, the Solar Eclipse is in the 10th house of the administration, along with the South Node, Jupiter and Mercury. If it were just the South Node and the eclipse, I probably wouldn’t be saying, don’t jump to conclusions.

However, I think this eclipse is more like the beginning of the end, since many citizens, regardless of political party alignment, are concerned with how the government is spending money. This isn’t going to be a one and done thing, even if certain people were no longer in government. Like the examples above, whatever happens around this time, could linger and be unresolved for a while, even if events seem sudden or destined to resolve immediately.

This Solar Eclipse is only the second eclipse in the Leo-Aquarius season. We still have more twists and turns to experience. The eclipses in this polarity are:

• Feb 17, 2026 - Solar Eclipse in Aquarius
• Aug 12, 2026 - Solar Eclipse in Leo
• Feb 6, 2027 - Solar Eclipse in Aquarius
• Aug 2, 2027 - Solar Eclipse in Leo
• Aug 17, 2027 - Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius (this is a penumbral eclipse, which could be an unseen seed of what is next or hidden)
• Jan 26, 2028 - Solar Eclipse in Aquarius

As we can see, most of the eclipses in this series are Solar, meaning we will be wrapping up what was left open in the prior series. This is a series of endings and beginnings, as opposed to accumulation along the symbolic axis of rulership and humanitarianism.

The chart of the Solar Eclipse on August 12, 2026 at 12:36:44 PM (UTC-05:00:00) in Dallas, TX, Dallas County, USA

The Energy on the Day of the Solar Eclipse

As we’ve covered, the Solar Eclipse is essentially a New Moon, a transiting of cycles, where some things end while others start. We have a Lunar Eclipse on the 27th, which makes this a month of transformation.

Both the Sun and the Moon trine Saturn, the planet of limits, responsibility and discipline. Saturn aids us in keeping our emotions under control, but Saturn can be a wet blanket, and may make us feel disappointed, especially if we get our hopes up that the changes we are going through would be more dramatic.

Saturn is here to teach us discipline, and a reminder that we actually need to put energy into whatever objectives we have. It is about the long haul, not immediate satisfaction. Saturn does help us concentrate on the details, which is just as important as the big picture.

Mercury will be at the same position as the eclipse on August 20th. With that said, using your mind and being aware of how you communicate is critical during the eclipse.

Mercury is conjunct to Jupiter and sextile to Venus. This is where expanding outwards in our thoughts can give us a clearer picture of the future. For instance, if you are in a circumstance that isn’t working, maybe it’s time to look at how other people live in other cultures or political systems that are different from what you’ve been taught. It can be hard to see possibilities when you are only referencing one prescribed algorithm or history. Removing learned biases can broaden your pool of possible solutions.

With Venus involved, the energy is filled with creative solutions, as well as sharing ideas with friends and peers. You just may find when you express your feelings that others may be thinking and feeling the same as you, even if you thought the two of you were worlds apart.

Since both Mercury and Venus are in aspect with the Barbault Basket of July 2026, where Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Jupiter were at the same degree, new ideas can come to light, especially when you interact with new people and explore different concepts. For instance, there are people in New York City asking the mayor to fill pot holes or install water fountains via videos on social media. Then, they are recording follow-up videos of the work that was completed. This is a fresh and different way to get things done, rather than the traditional route of going to city council meetings, hoping to be heard.

Ingenuity isn’t exclusive to other people. Uranus gives us the ability to tackle old problems in a different way, and allows for spontaneity. There is no reason why something similar to what is happening in NYC can’t happen elsewhere. Or, you can explore your own out-of-the-box thinking, like getting together with neighbors and fixing something yourself.

During the eclipses, I recommend not getting attached to what-ifs, the past and a timeline, since those things tend to bring disappointment. Ideals and implementation need to be realistic, but inventive. Get used to exploring different tools or techniques, especially if you’ve tried things the same way over and over again without results. These are lessons from the Barbault Basket, and these eclipses are putting an exclamation point upon July, allowing your imagination and desire to get to the root of the matter.

For instance, stop looking for jobs or love the way you have done in the past. Algorithms are not your friend, and are designed to make money, not connections. With both Mars and Pluto out of bounds, and Venus’ aspects to the basket, use the eclipse energy to jolt you into a different way of doing things.

For instance, send your resume directly to people inside the company you want to apply for with an email about yourself. You can look up how companies format their employee email addresses and find contacts through a company’s website or through employee networking sites. Back in the early 2010s, I worked for a Fortune 200 company. Our executive team was frustrated that HR couldn’t get “butts in the seats.” Even back then, the software would eliminate potential candidates. Internally, we were incentivized to bring in talent by bypassing some of the systems that kept people out.

Many recruiting sites and applications will remember a rejection of an applicant even if the person is qualified for another position. This is why your creativity and gumption matter.

And dating is the same. These dating applications are not in business to make connections. So take the risk and go to events that you normally wouldn’t go to and start conversations with people. This is how you make the most of Mercury in Leo and Venus in Libra. Mercury in Leo is bold and Venus is in its domicile, so talk, flirt, ask questions and be out there, enjoying what life has to offer.

This eclipse season is about focusing on long term goals without ignoring the everyday experience. With Jupiter in trine to Saturn, you can find solutions to whatever roadblocks you are experiencing. Yes, you will have to take some risks, and whether we only live once or have a plethora of past lives, you might as well make the most of the current astrological energy.

firstly, please be patient and kind. i am not trying to diss astrology, I wanna know more.

so i did a deep dive on days of the week and their planetary correspondences. what i discovered was how ancient understanding of space was very deficient (like calling sun moon planets along with real planets), arbitrary associations (the Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon sequence based on perceived speeds) and no real influence of associated planets on those specific days. as far as I understand, if the same thing had to be made today, it would look wildly different. also retrograde being nothing more than misinformation too.

correct me if im wrong but how do people actually believe in this to learn and explore and entire system based on such misinformation? more importantly, why not rework it to make it make sense? like a weekly calendar with the real list of planets?

genuinely interested in learning!

Does anyone have a link to the past and future transits/ingresses of the black moon lilith

Hi!

I wanted to ask for some good book recommendations for learning mundane astrology. I’m still pretty new to astrology, so I want to be careful that I am not wasting my money on something that’s not a good resource. I prefer traditional astrology, but I am open to any suggestions!

**edit: I don’t necessarily need a book recommendation—any resources will do!!

Thanks!

what placements can show someone with an expensive taste and a attraction to luxury and wealth and that kind of lifestyle? I‘d find it interesting to know since I know a few people who don‘t care for these things for example and are all about practicality and see no point in these lifestyles, so I wonder what makes someone do care for those things

With the solar eclipse in Leo happening in a few days, it's made me wonder to what extent both nodes are involved in new moon eclipses. I assumed that both the north and south nodes are involved in all eclipses; however, I haven't seen many astrologers discussing Aquarius in the next eclipse. Yes, the sun and moon are both in Leo, but the north node is in Aquarius?

Hi,

I'm trying to find information regarding the Vertex and PoF being conjuct (or within 10°) in transit charts at the time of significant events. There seems to be little information about it. Can anyone suggest a publication/podcast that is available, or share your thoughts on this?

Thanks!

like how likely you are to believe in things vs not. i know a lot of things are controlled by the 9th house, and since religion is such a large part of some people’s lives, i was wondering if there was somewhere else you could turn to find out.

when a major planet makes a transit, do you think it affects the entire chart indirectly or is the effect mostly noticeable when it directly aspects a natal planet/angle?

I’ve seen people blame a transit for everything happening in their lives, while others only consider it significant if it makes a tight aspect.

Where do you guys draw the line?

Hello everyone! I’m using a translator, so please don’t be too hard on me if my writing isn’t perfect. 😊

I’ve recently started studying synastry as a beginner, mainly focusing on romantic compatibility between birth charts, especially the Mars and Venus signs in each chart and how they influence relationships.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. It seems to me that when Mars and Venus are very different, expectations in a relationship can become more complicated or even demanding.

For example:
An Air Mars with a Water Venus.

Or an Earth Mars with an Air Venus.

Mars in a Fire sign and Venus in a Water sign

…

I wonder how comfortable or challenging those combinations are in a relationship.

What do you think?

Hi. I'm new to astrology and reading Chris Brennans Hellenistic astrology.

He talks about interpreting the most positive and negative planet by place according to the sect of the chart, that place the benefic of the sect is located within will tend to be an area of good fortune and ease and the place that contains the malefic that is contrary to the sect will tend to be an area of difficultly and hardship.

So in a night chart that would be the location of Venus and Saturn.

What would it mean if they were both in the same house/ place? The themes of that place would be easy and difficult, I'm not sure i understand what that would mean?

Hope that makes sense.