Astrology Bytes with Theresa Reed

Episode 73. The 8th house is complicated. It rules joint finances, loans, inheritances, insurance, taxes, death, and sex. It’s all about merging whether you’re sharing resources or getting intimate. This house is associated with the sign Scorpio, which is the eighth sign of the zodiac. Mars and Scorpio would be the ruling planets. It would be considered fixed and would belong to the water element. It's also one of the "succedent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 8th, it may have something to say about how you share your resources as well as how you get intimate with others. If a planet transits this house, it could affect your joint finances - or your sex life.

Episode 72. The 7th house is the house of relationships. Not just marriage and romance but also business, friends, and other types of partnerships. Enemies also fall under this house! The 7th house also covers law and public relations. So yeah...lots of things about getting along with others. The 7th house is associated with the sign Libra, which is the seventh sign of the zodiac. Venus would be the ruling planet. It would be considered cardinal and would belong to the air element. It's also one of the "angular houses." When a planet sits in the natal 7th, it may have something to say about your relationships, including how you form them and interact with others. If a planet transits your 7th, it could impact a partnership.

Episode 71. The sixth house is the house of work, jobs, routines, health, and small pets. Yes, even pets get a room in the astrological chart! The 6th house is associated with the sign Virgo, which is the sixth sign of the zodiac. Mercury would be the ruling planet. It would be considered mutable and would belong to the earth element. It's also one of the "cadent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 6th, it may have something to say about your work or your well-being. If a planet transits your 6th, it could impact your job, routines, or health. (Psst...get a new cat or dog when the New Moon passes through.)

Episode 70. The 5th house is the house of children, creativity, romance, play, leisure, sports, fame, and gambling. It's where we create and have fun. The 5th house is associated with the sign Leo, which is the fifth sign of the zodiac. The Sun would be the ruling planet. It would be considered fixed and would belong to the fire element. It's also one of the "succedent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 5th, it may have something to say about your creative output, children, or how you like to play. If a planet transits your 5th, it may be a time when your kids, creativity, speculation, or fame are changing in some way.

Episode 69. The fourth house. The 4th house is the house of family, mother, roots, and our roots. It shows where you're coming from. The 4th house is associated with the sign Cancer, which is the fourth sign of the zodiac. The Moon would be the ruling planet. It would be considered cardinal and would belong to the water element. It's also one of the "angular houses." When a planet sits in the natal 4th, it can tell a lot about your family and home environment. If a planet transits your 4th, it may be a time when your household changes.

Episode 68. The Third House. The 3rd house is the house of mind, communication, learning, and short trips. It also represents your relationships with your siblings and neighbors. The 3rd house is associated with the sign Gemini, which is the third sign of the zodiac. Mercury would be the ruling planet. It would be considered mutable and would belong to the air element. It's also one of the "cadent houses." When a planet sits in the natal 3rd, it can reveal how you process information and share it. If a planet transits your 3rd, it may be a time when you learn new things or express your ideas to the world. It can also be a time of change in your relationships with your siblings.

Episode 67. The Second House. We're now moving through all the houses in the astrological chart, one by one. Coming up today: the second house! The second house is the house of money, values, and resources. This is your relationship to money: how you attract it, spend it, feel about it. The second house is associated with the sign Taurus, which is the second sign of the zodiac. Venus would be the ruling planet. This house would be considered fixed and would belong to the earth element. It's also one of the "succeedent houses." When a planet sits in the natal second house, it can reveal how you handle your cash - and bring it in. If a planet transits your second house, it may be a time when your cheddar changes or needs attention.

Episode 66. The First House. In the next twelve episodes, we'll cover each of the houses in the astrological chart one by one. Naturally, we're starting with the first house. The first house is the house of the self. This is your image, which means your physical body, the way you dress, and how you express your identity. It's the "you" that people see. The first house is associated with the sign Aries, which is the first sign of the zodiac. Mars would be the ruling planet. This house would be considered cardinal and would belong to the fire element. It's also one of the "angular houses." When a planet sits in the natal first house, it can have something to say about how you look and express your unique self to the world. If a planet transits your 1st house, it may be a time when your identity changes or gets attention in some way.

Episode 65: Transits. Transits may seem complicated but they are actually easy to understand. They are simply the movement of the planets in the sky on any given date. BAM! That's it!

Episode 64: The Vertex. The Vertex. It sounds like some sort of superhero, right? But it's not. It's another one of those weird astrological points that may not be used all the time but it's still interesting nonetheless. The vertex symbolizes some fated love type thing. It's pretty interesting - and well worth getting to know. Especially if you believe in love at first sight or that sort of stuff.

The Finger of Yod (also called the Finger of Fate in some circles) is formed by two planets in a sextile making quincunxes to a third. It indicates a mission - or a blockage. It's considered "rare" but I found that I was surrounded by 'em. Site mentioned in this episode: AstroTwins.

Episode 62: What's a Quincunx? In this episode, we're covering a minor aspect, the quincunx. The quincunx, also referred to as inconjunct, is an aspect that occurs when two planets are 150º apart.

Episode 61: The Grand Cross. The Grand Cross is an aspect that occurs when four planets, usually in the same quality, form a configuration that looks like a cross. It indicates tension in the astrological chart.

Episode 60: Grand Trines. In this lesson, we're looking at the Grand Trine, or what I call the "big easy." It's three planets, usually in the same element, forming a triangle. Grand Trines give ease and harmony to the individual so it's considered quite fortunate. But there is a downside - that ease can make folks complacent, letting life drift by.

Episode 59: T Squares. A T Square is formed by three planets joined by an opposition and two squares. It looks like giant T and can feel hard to manage. Learn how to spot them - and how to work with its tricky energy.

Episode 58: Your Birth Chart's Ruling Planet. We've covered planetary rulership in previous episodes. In this lesson, we're talking about the planet that rules your whole astrology chart! How to find it? Look to your Ascendant. What is your Rising Sign? The planet that rules your Ascendant is the planet that rules your chart. For example, if you're a Capricorn rising, Saturn is your ruling planet. So simple! I'm covering more in this short 'n sweet episode.

Episode 57: Juno. As we move on in our mini-lessons on the asteroids, we come to Juno. Juno is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Goddess Hera. She was Zeus's wife and didn't dig his infidelity so she killed his mistresses and sometimes their children! In the astrological chart, Juno symbolizes marriage, commitment, fidelity, and jealousy. Book mentioned in this episode: Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-Emerging Feminine by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.

Episode 56: Vesta. As we move on in our mini-lessons on the asteroids, we arrive at Vesta. Vesta was the 4th asteroid to be discovered and was named after Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth and home. In the astrological chart, Vesta symbolizes devotion, service, commitment, and sacrifice. Some say it's your higher purpose. Book mentioned in this episode: Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-Emerging Feminine by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.

Episode 55: Pallas. As we move on in our mini-lessons on the asteroids, we come to Pallas. Legend has it that Pallas Athena came into the world through her father Zeus' head - fully formed and dressed for battle. She was ready to kick some serious ass! In the astrological chart, Pallas symbolizes intelligence, independence, justice, courage, and strategy. This shows where you are smart and creative as well as whereto might want to make a difference in society. Pallas can also show your relations with your father - and patriarchy. Book mentioned in this episode: Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-Emerging Feminine by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.

Episode 54: Ceres. We'll begin exploring asteroids in the next leg of our astro-journey. In this episode, we're chatting about Ceres, the biggest asteroid of 'em all. She represents motherhood, agriculture, and more. Learn why this asteroid is also connected to abduction and custody issues. Book mentioned in this episode: Asteroid Goddesses: The Mythology, Psychology, and Astrology of the Re-Emerging Feminine by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.

Episode 53: Interception is not just some sci-fi DiCaprio movie (although that movie is cool). In astrology, an interception happens when you have a house larger than 30 degrees and an entire sign becomes part of that house. When viewing an astrology chart, you’ll notice that one sign seems to float in the middle of a house - that sign is intercepted. If a planet is in the intercepted sign in that house, it’s intercepted too. Interception always happens in pairs - if one sign is intercepted, the sign directly across from it will be intercepted too. In this episode, we'll cover what interception is and how you might interpret it. Sites mentioned in this episode include Llewellyn and Bob Marks Astrology. Book mentioned in this episode is How to Get More Love, Money, and Success by Traveling on Your Birthday by Bob Marks.

Episode 52: The Big Three. Want to read a chart but don't have a ton of time? No problem, pardner! All you gotta do is look at the big three: Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. These three chart points will give you a ton of information. In fact, some astrologers feel that you can glean most of the info you need just by examining these three biggies. The Sun is the core personality, the Moon is your emotions, and the Ascendant is your veneer or armor. Once you understand the big three, you have a decent comprehension of a person's astrological makeup. In this episode, we'll cover the big three and I'll give a down 'n dirty quick chart interpretation as an example.

Episode 51: Mutual Reception. Mutual reception occurs when two planets are in each other’s rulership. For example, if the Moon is in Sagittarius and Jupiter is in Cancer, that’s mutual reception. Here’s why: the Moon is ruled by Cancer and Jupiter is ruled by Sagittarius. It's like they are wearing each other's clothing. Got that? Two planets in mutual reception strength and assist one another. The planets may also take on a few each other’s characteristics as well.

Episode 50: Fall. In the last few episodes, we began exploring planetary rulerships. Rulerships is an old concept where each planet is said to “rule” one or more astrological signs. A planet is considered to be in its fall when it's placed in a sign opposite of the exalted planet. When a planet is in its fall, it's considered to be the weakest expression. In other words, this is the worst position for the planet!

Episode 49: Exaltation. In the last few episodes, we began exploring planetary rulerships. Rulerships is an old concept where each planet is said to “rule” one or more astrological signs. A planet is considered to be exalted when it’s in a sign that that brings out the best principles of that planet. In other words, this is the most powerful, intense expression of the energy.

Episode 48: Detriment. Detriment occurs when a planet is in the opposite sign of the one it rules. The energy becomes weakened. This is not the weakest position but it’s compromised nonetheless. An example: Mars rules Aries. In Aries, the energy is forceful, passionate, and assertive. Mars in Libra would be detriment. Mars in Libra would be more concerned with approval and cooperation - which can dilute the aggressive Mars energy. This isn't all bad but again, it's not functioning at full speed.

Episode 47: Planetary Rulerships. In this lesson, we'll look at planetary rulerships. Planetary rulerships help to determine a planet's strength or weakness. When the planet sits in the signs it “rules”, which means it’s at home. The planet functions well. For example, the Moon in Cancer is happy because Cancer is ruled by the Moon.

Episode 46: Oppositions. In this quick lesson, we're covering oppositions, the easiest-to-spot aspect (hint: planets in the opposite sign). Learn how to work with this challenging astro-energy!

Episode 45: Trines. The trine aspect is formed when two planets create a 120º angle. It's the most fortunate aspect. Learn more in this short lesson.

Episode 44: Squares. As we go through the major aspects one by one, we come to squares, astrology's tough aspect. Squares occur when two planets form a 90º angle. They can be an obstacle - or a catalyst. Learn more in this short episode!

Episode 43: Sextiles. Moving right along on our aspect lessons, we're diving into sextiles, astrology's friendly aspect. The sextile occurs when two planets are 60º apart.

Episode 42: Conjunctions. In a previous episode, I gave you an introduction to the major aspects. Now, we're taking them on one by one with examples! This week, I'm covering conjunctions, which occur when two planets are in the same sign. You'll learn about how this might impact a natal chart for good or ill. I also cover stelliums, a configuration that happens when three or more planets are lining up in the same sign. There's a lot packed into this little lesson but it should get you up and running - and looking for conjunctions and stelliums in your chart!

Episode 41: The Part of Fortune. In this little lesson, we'll look at the Part of Fortune, astrology's most popular Arabic Point! Wanna go deeper? This post from astrology legend Robert Hand is my favorite.

Episode 40: Introduction to Aspects. Aspects are the angles the planets make to each other. In this lesson, we'll take a peek at the main aspects: conjunctions, sextiles, squares, trines, and oppositions.

Episode 39: Lunar Nodes. The Lunar Nodes are not actual planets but they are important. In this episode, you'll learn what they are and what role they play in the astrological chart. The book mentioned in this episode is Astrology for the Soul by Jan Spiller.

Episode 38: Chiron. Chiron is an asteroid that gets a lot of attention in astrology. Wondering what it's all about? In this ultra-short episode, I'm giving you the lowdown on this special asteroid. Learn about the myth of Chiron the centaur and the role this celestial body plays in your astrological chart.

Episode 37: Retrogrades in the Natal Chart. You may have heard about the dreaded Mercury retrograde. But what about when Mercury or other planets are retrograde in your natal chart? We explore that in this short lesson.

Episode 36: Saturn Return - what you need to know with Aliza Einhorn. Wondering what that Saturn return is all about? Aliza Einhorn, the author of The Little Book of Saturn, fills us in on how to wrangle this challenging transit!

Episode 35: Empty Houses. When a planet occupies a house in the astrological chart, that house is affected. But what about an empty house? In this episode of Astrology Bytes, we'll examine what you need to know about an empty house.

Episode 34: Hemispheres. In this episode, we'll explore the four hemispheres of the astrological chart - and what it means when one is loaded with planets.

Episode 33: Cadent Houses. The Cadent houses can be found on the cusps of the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth houses on the zodiac wheel. They come after the succedent houses and before the angular houses. Learn more about this quadrant in this little episode.

Episode 32: Succedent Houses. In this short lesson, we'll peek into the Succedent Houses: the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th.

Episode 31: Angular Houses. In this short lesson, we'll cover the houses that make up the Angular houses, which are considered to be the most important houses in the astrological chart.

Episode 30: All About Pisces. In this little lesson, we'll look at the essential info for sensitive Pisces.

Episode 29: All About Aquarius. In this wee lesson, we'll look at the basics for Aquarius, the Water Bearer (note: it's NOT a water sign).

Episode 28: All About Capricorn. In this little lesson, we'll look at all the Capricorn basics.

Episode 27: All About Sagittarius. In this little lesson, we'll get the honest facts about the zodiac's truth-teller: Sagittarius!

Episode 26: All About Scorpio. In this episode of Astrology Bytes, we're covering the Scorpio basics. Scorpio is an extreme sign - anything but basic.

Episode 25: All About Libra. In the latest episode, we'll dive into the basics around Libra, the zodiac's people-pleasing diplomat.

Episode 24: All About Virgo. In the next installment of Astrology Bytes, we'll look at some of the details on the zodiac's most detail-oriented sign, Virgo.