To finish off from yesterday, before looking at the natal chart, check out also:

• Much as you would a normal chart, are the planets scattered or concentrated in one hemisphere of the chart. Eg mine are concentrated under the horizon. It’s all about me.
• Much as you would a natal chart check out the position and condition of planets ruling your money house or relationship houses. Even though this is essentially a transit chart, it is still interesting to see. Jupiter rules the SR 2^nd for me and it is in Aries in the 5^th house trine the SR Midheaven, sextile Venus and square Pluto. I have a pretty good idea as to how that is likely to play out for me. With the Moon on the SR Descendant, I already know relationships will be a focus. The ruler of this part of the SR chart is Venus. She is in Aquarius close to the cusp of the 4^th and forms supportive links to Jupiter and Saturn.
• In the same vein, check out the ruler of the Midheaven. It’s the Sun, in Pisces. In the 5^th.
• Are any planets in “critical degrees”? These are planets which are sitting in the last or first degree of a sign eg at 29 or 0. A planets strength is said to be stronger as they enter and leave a sign. I have never been faffed to work out why, but there it is…and it certainly seems to be the case. Anyways, if you have planets in your SR chart at these points, they will play an important role in the year ahead. Me? Neptune and Uranus fall into these categories…particularly Uranus who is just minutes of arc away from a fiery ingress into Aries.

Now it’s time to break out your natal chart. Astrodienst will let you do a combined natal and SR chart, or if you run Solarfire it is super easy. Again, this is how I do it and the method which works for me- a combination of how I was taught and what I have picked up from various resources in books and on the web. I will pop all references at the end of the series.

What part of life is being brought to the Ascendant?

Which natal house is being brought to the Ascendant? In my case the SR Asc is at 26 Scorpio. In my natal chart 26 Scorpio is the 9^th house, so 9^th house concerns will be brought to my Ascendant and be an area of focus for the year. The 9^th house is traditionally associated with Sagittarius and Jupiter, so thinks like travel, higher learning, publishing and pushing beyond your boundaries and beyond your comfort zone.

Are any planets or points in the natal chart brought to angles in the SR Chart?

Neptune natally for me is at 24 Scorpio, so sits right on the SR Ascendant.  Neptune natally co-rules my chart and trines the Sun/Moon and Jupiter. These concerns will all be brought to the Ascendant this year.

Are any planets or points in the degree of the nodes?

And when I say the degree I mean the degree- without an orb. The nodes are karmic points, so any year in which they are activated will be a karmic year, so to speak. Natally my north node is at 7 Taurus. In the SR chart, Pluto is at 7 Capricorn. Pluto, to tie it all back together, is the modern ruler of Scorpio, so has joint rulership of this years Solar Return.

The themes for the year should tie in fairly closely with what your key transits are for the year. SR charts particularly tend to echo whatever it is that the Progressed Moon is doing. Just remember, it is essentially a transits chart for the 12 month period.

Looking for more information?

Cafe Astrology is probably the best online resource I found when I was studying for my Predictive Astrology exam.

Mary Fortier Shea’s site goes through the Sun in each sign and is a brilliant reference when you are trying to do your own interpretations.

Bernadette Brady also has a good chapter in The Eagle & the Lark

I got heaps of info listening to CD recordings from Astro Conferences. Lynn Bell’s Cycles of Light from the FAA NSW Conference 2008 in particular. If you are a memeber of an Astro Federation, see what is in their library you can borrow.