If you’re new to astrology or are a seasoned astrologer, you may have or will start to hear more about something called astrocartography. But what is it? Why is it important to you? How can you use it in your life?
Most of us are familiar with having our natal chart, or birth chart, read to us by a professional astrologer or getting a free birth chart. You learn about your sun, moon, and ascendant signs. Astrology is an ancient language that can unfold in so many ways. One use of this ancient language tells you where different parts of the world will ignite certain aspects of your soul’s identity and experience.
Astrocartography (ACG) Explained
Astrocartography developed and the term coined by American astrologer Jim Lewis in the 1970s, is the ability to map where the planets of a person’s birth chart are conjunct (or next to) the significant angles in a person’s birth chart (astrowiki). Angles being the Ascendant (ASC), Descendant (DSC), the medium coeli(MC), and the imum coeli(IC). Because you were born at a specific time, place, and date, your astrocartography map is unique to you. Where your Venus IC astrocartography line is on an ACG map will be entirely different for someone born at a different time than you on the same day and location. Below is an example of an ACG map.
Like many languages, there are layers and nuances to understanding and mastering it. The same is true for ACG. You may have seen some astrologers only reference your ACG map and advise where may be good or more challenging places to be in the world. Not all Jupiter and Venus lines are created equal. Another factor that a well-trained ACG astrologer should consider is something called parans.
Paran Lines
Parans are the latitudinal coordinates when two planets’ ACG lines intersect on the map. Looking at this example of an individual’s paran lines through the United Kingdom, they have a Mercury/Jupiter paran line running through the north of Scotland and a Mercury/Sun paran a little further south closer to Edinburgh. If you were to follow that line, it would be at the same latitude all around the globe. Any other locations at that same latitude would feel the effects of that paran.
Local Space Lines
Not only can a trained ACG astrologer review these aspects of your ACG map, but they can also review something called local space lines. This allows us to pinpoint within a city the best neighborhoods for you to live in based on where those local lines lay. In the example below, if we were to follow this person’s local lines, we can see they spread out from the place of birth, showing where in the world this person will experience the energy of Jupiter compared to Neptune or Venus.
Why astrocartrography should be important to you
I believe astrocartography will become the next big thing on the astrology block because people are learning more about this modality and how it can uniquely benefit them. As we become a more connected world through technology, the ability to travel and experience other locations is wide open to us. How often have you had a friend suggest going somewhere on a vacation? The way they raved about it, you didn’t want to miss out. But when you got there, you were underwhelmed, or even worse, you were disappointed. You didn’t have the same experience. You didn’t get the same vibe or energy from that place.
That’s because of ACG! That person’s ACG map, parans, relocated chart, local lines, and aspects, along with the timing, could have been much more favorable for them in that location than your own ACG reading might say about the same location.
Even if an ACG astrologer finds you some fantastic locations with supportive parans, great relocated charts, and aspects on your ACG Map, the timing of when and how long you go to those places could make or break the experience. That is something we call cyclocartography, which I will talk about in another post.
Common Myths of Astrocartography:
What are the perfect places for me worldwide?
- What are the perfect places for me worldwide to have it all (success, money, family, partner, house, career, creativity, etc.)? I’m here to say there is no perfect place for anyone. We all carry the planetary bodies in our energetic design (the birth chart). No matter where you live, you can’t escape your Saturn or Mars. Instead, reframe to see that every place on the globe will offer some benefits and opportunities for growth and healing. It depends on what you want to prioritize in your life at any given moment. Each place on the planet has optimal places to support your priorities and goals in life. We need to read your map to unlock those answers.
There are no “bad” lines.
- There are no “bad” lines. Your Saturn and Mars lines may not be as scary as some might make you believe. This is where understanding your birth chart is vital. If you have a well-placed Mars with supportive aspects in your birth chart, your Mars line may not be as intense or challenging as other individuals’ birth charts. A solid understanding of your birth chart is critical when assessing your ACG map. Like I said earlier, you may have a well-placed Mars, but your Jupiter might not be as strong in your chart and may have some difficult aspects, meaning it won’t show up as strongly in how it can benefit you as it could if positively placed and well aspected. I know from experience I have Saturn conjunct Mars in my birth chart. No matter where I go in the world, I will always have the energy of Saturn and Mars together. It depends on what house (area of life) and what sign (the flavor those planets will take on) will express those energies differently for me in new places.
I can’t move to another country.
- I can’t move to another country; this won’t work for me. This, my friends, is where remote activation becomes so essential. Remote activation is the ability to activate the energy of a remote location through interaction with the people, food, music, research, art, etc., from that location. For example, you prioritize healthy habits and find that Porto, Portugal, is a location that would provide amazing support and activation for that area of your life. Still, you can’t afford to go there. The following would be some of the actions you could take to tap into that energy for yourself remotely: go to online forums and talk with people from Porto to learn about the culture and history, reading about the history and culture of Porto, looking up and making recipes unique to Porto, finding some pictures you love to look at and viewing them daily, or maybe listening to local folk music from Porto. These activities would activate the energy as if you were in Porto yourself.
How to use astrocartography in your life
The most fun part is the world truly is your oyster. The limits of ACG are only created by the limits of your imagination. The scope of how this can benefit you is really up to you. There are endless possibilities of how finding the most optimal location(s) can support your dreams and priorities. Here are a few examples of how ACG can be used:
- Career – finding companies to work for in your ideal locations, starting a business.
- Relationships: finding your romantic partner, building a community, finding the most supportive, fun, and loving friendships, finding the right business partner(s), and meeting new people.
- Creativity: writing a book, starting a blog, shooting a film, making a creative art project, dancing, singing, cooking, gardening, etc.
- Communication: podcasting, building out a social media presence, becoming a thought leader
- Healing: spiritual awakening, deep healing, or development
- Rest and leisure: travel for relaxation, ease, and comfort, and participate in a retreat
- Home: finding places that “feel like home” where you “want to plant roots.”
- Adventure: places that will bring out the adventurous side and make you feel like you are pushing your limits
- Focused project work: places that will support deep focus work if you are working on a big project
- Learning: places that provide the best support for learning and curiosity
I am grateful to my ACG teacher, Helena Woods. The world of astrocartography has opened up so many opportunities, and I want to share them with you and support you on your journey. I’d love to hear your thoughts down below. If you want to learn more about how I can support you with an ACG reading, please check out www.lisagoeke.com.
Sending you big hugs with Light and Love,
Lisa
Resources:
“Astrocartography”.Accessed on October 1,2024. Astrowiki. https://www.astro.com/astrowiki/en/Astrocartography
