ASTRO*CARTO*GRAPHY

Until the mid-1900’s, very few people traveled far from their place of birth. In fact, the majority of people rarely left their county or providence. Now vast numbers of people are traveling the globe for pleasure, business or with intentions to re-locate. Given this incredible capability of people to choose where in the world to live, there has developed a way of determining which locations are most suitable, not just for an individual but for a whole family. This system putting this information at your finger tips is called Astro*Carto*Graphy, and it addresses itself to answering all crucial questions related to where we live - the quality of our lives, the kind of people we meet and the joy of recognition in our careers. An Astro*Carto*Graphy Map shows us how we uniquely interact with different geographical areas on planet earth.

Many of you are familiar with some of the usual ways astrology can be used in self-discovery, understanding relationships and understanding the changes that happen throughout life (transits and progressions). Like an astrological birth chart, an Astro*Carto*Graphy chart is determined by your date, time and place of birth. Unlike the usual mandala-like astrological birth chart – a circle with signs and symbols inscribed around it – the Astro*Carto*Graphy Map is a map of the world showing the actual path each planet was traveling along as it crossed over the Earth at your moment of birth.

GLOBAL FENG SHUI

You might say Astro*Carto*Graphy is an astrological technique that takes feng shui to a global dimension. Where traditionally feng shui concerned itself with creating harmony in the immediate home environment by removing obstacles, arranging furniture and the use of color and symbols, Astro*Carto*Graphy concerns itself to which location on planet Earth is most harmonious for an individual to live. 

Through my study of Astro*Carto*Graphy, I have found that different locations have different influence making it easier or more difficult to manifest goals and even to resolve personality and health issues. 

WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE FOR ME?

Whenever any of my clients are considering moving to a new location, I do an Astro*Carto*Graphy chart for their date, time and place of birth to determine the best location for them to move to. More frequently, I use this chart when an individual seems unhappy where they have been living and there is no other apparent astrological reason to explain why life has been so tough for so long. Some difficult planetary transits can last a month or two. If more than one natal planet is involved, a whole year or two of life can be rather rough. But if problems continue to persist, it is time to look at the individual’s chemistry with the location. In this situation it usually turns out the individual is living on an unfavorable planetary line. 

PLANETARY LINES

As a generalization (see side bar for a more detail description), the planetary lines that are most favorable are Sun, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury while the lines that are seem most difficult are Saturn, Pluto and Mars. While the Moon, Uranus and Neptune seem to be difficult for many individuals, others do quite well, especially when combined with the more favorable ones mentioned above. 

Even the kinds of people you will meet where you are living or to where you might travel will be flavored by the planetary lines found in those specific locations. On Saturn lines you meet and struggle with many serious saturnine people, finding them irksome and unyielding. On Mars lines, though having a lot of energy, you will find yourself working equally as hard with a tendency to argue contentiously. On your Venus line, you will attract pleasure, find business goes smoothly and even your dentist will be a pleasure to look at as s/he drills your teeth. 

Each planet and each combination clearly defines the filters through which you see the world, and the world sees you. Are you seeing the world through bright colored glasses and wearing a smile, or dark, gloomy glasses and wearing one of those frowny faces? Or are you one of those optimist always turning lemons into lemonade? Or are you one of the fortunate few enjoying a wide variety of fun flavors?

PLANETARY INFLUENCE ON SOME U.S. PRESIDENTS

In addition to using an Astro*Carto*Graphy Map to choose the best location to live in, it can also be used to choose the best locations to do business in. I have quite a few case histories demonstrating that the energy of other locations can be activated without necessarily going to that location. This is called ‘remote activation’. For example if you are doing business with a company situated on an unfavorable line, business will be difficult due to arguments and obstacles. While engaging in business on favorable lines, will go smoothly, be successful and be enjoyable. 

Examples of this principle of remote activation can be seen in the Astro*Carto*Graphy Maps of JFK and LBJ both having Mars in southeast Asia involving them and the United States in the Vietnam War. Carter had Mars over Iran, Bush over Iraq, and Reagan over Granada. While Dick Nixon had Neptune over both Washington D.C. and Vietnam putting him into a fog of uncertainty in both places, his presidency ending in confusion, his succumbing to alcoholism and increasing paranoia, and in his eventual wash out at Watergate. 

In contrast, President Bill Clinton is blessed with a Jupiter-line in Washington D.C. protecting him from his own excesses, and allowing him to maintain presidential dignity through it all. However, Clinton’s Mars-line crosses his birthplace of Arkansas where his father abused him during his youth and then prosecuted by fellow Arkansawan, Ken Starr, and where various legal matters and indiscretions kept him beleaguered. 

It is interesting to note that our current president, Barack Obama, has a combination of Sun, Moon and Uranus lines in the nation’s capital. This combination, while describing both his leadership, his feeling at home and his progressive rhetoric, also shows the conflict between these roles in his many attempts to woo his opposition only to be rejected, depending on which end of the political spectrum you stand, as too far out or not far out enough. In short, is he the husband (Sun), the wife (Moon), or the progressive revolutionary (Uranus)?  Perhaps in his second term he will show us more of his Uranus. Or, given his Aquarius Rising, at least we can hope.

WHY AM I WHERE I AM?

So why would anyone choose anything less than the best planetary lines to live on? Karma of course - lessons in life that need to be worked through. Where we live fits our patterns, as expressed by our soul’s needs and revealed in the energy blueprint we call an astrological birth chart. However, for an individual who has been struggling for years living on a difficult planetary line, looking at an Astro*Carto*Graphy chart usually means they are ready to make a conscious choice to live a more harmonious and less strife filled life. 

Of course it should be understood that moving somewhere else on planet Earth in and of itself will not change your core issues. Just as it won’t make you shorter or taller, you will take your core issues with you. But at least by changing locations, you could remove additional frustrations in resolving these core issues, and, we can only hope, sooner rather than later. For example: an alcoholic in recovery may find more of an inclination to back slide in certain locations, while finding more support to grow and change in another. 

In other words, living on your Venus-line doesn’t imply you will immediately meet, fall in love with, and marry your Soul Mate. In fact, you may end up with a divorce or two. But at least the relationship will be loving, probably fun while it lasted, and when coming to an end, ultimately ending, after a grumble or two, harmoniously. How much saner is it to bring a relationship to completion as friends with fond memories of the times that were good. 

Plus, on a favorable planetary line you are likely to learn from your mistakes in a way that gives you the willingness and self-confidence to try again. While struggling in a relationship living on a Saturn-line with a Saturn-like individual with yourself expressing Saturn-like traits of rigidity and critical uptightness may end with bitterness and being turned off to future relationship in fear of being hurt again.  

HOW TO INTERPRET AN ASTRO*CARTO*GRAPHY CHART

An official Astro*Carto*Graphy Map is 7 1/2” x 15 1/2”. (Though good for general trends, do not expect an Astro Map printed on a home computer on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper to be adequate for a professional evaluation.) Though one can purchases a Map Kit with an instruction Manual with explanations of each of the planetary lines as seen in the illustration, unfortunately the Manual does not give very specific instructions how to determine how close a line needs to be in order to be included in the evaluation. 

It should also be pointed out that very few astrologers have received proper training in Astro*Carto*Graphy Map interpretation skills. If your neighborhood astrologer says they can help, ask if they took an Astro*Carto*Graphy Certification Course or studied with someone who has? If they had not, though possibly an excellent astrologer in other astrologically related skills, in all likelihood, they will miss many subtleties, and may unintentionally guide you to a location that is not as good as it can be. This is especially the case when the closest line is very favorable and just a few hundred miles away is a planetary line that is very unfavorable. 

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

In fact, it is due to the lack of clear instructions and trained professionals that motivated me to write my own book on the subject, Evaluating Astro*Carto*Graphy Maps: Finding the Best Places to Live & Travel – Your Step by Step Guide. Though my initial intent was an Astro*Carto*Graphy workshop in book format, I also included a separate set of instruction easy enough for even the non-astrologer to use.  The book is  illustrated in color, has many case histories and Sample Interpretations to learn from, and a one hour DVD demonstrating the actual step-by-step process. If interested, you can obtain a copy of my book with DVD by going to my website: www.ElliotTanzer.com.

Then, for those who want some help in the first step of prepping the Map, yet feel confident to read the planetary line interpretations themselves, I have created an in between option, whereby I do the more complicated task of personalizing the Map to bring it graphically alive by shading in those locations that are the very best and those that are not favorable at all, and then provide an eBook with instructions how to interpret the results, including instructions how to transfer the results onto a World Atlas so you can see all the cities and typographies that are encompassed in those areas that are best for you. 

Of course for the really ‘map challenged’, those who are really befuddled by maps and instructions, I am always happy to be called upon to do everything from beginning to end. Whether the evaluation is done by phone, in person, or via Skype anywhere in the world you may happen to be, all consultations are recorded. Then, any time in the future when you are ready to travel, do business far from where you live, or for whatever reason need to relocate again, you will know what to look for and what to expect. 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR YOU

But without a doubt, if you are unhappy, suffering in one or more areas of your life, and finding your career success to be elusive, I strongly recommend you get your Astro*Carto*Graphy Map calculated to determine a more harmonious planetary line to move to. A personalized Astro*Carto*Graphy Map  will enable you to make a conscious choice to where you’ll have fun, be productive, feel appreciated, and where you can resolve your core issues gracefully. Location, location, location. Remember, you can choose to live your life more harmoniously and joyfully.

Acknowledgement: The Astro*Carto*Graphy Map and Manual was created and developed by astrologer Jim Lewis to whose innovative and inventive Spirit we are greatly indebted.

The Astro*Carto*Graphy name and logo are registered trademarks and used with the kind permission of the Jim Lewis Slayden Foundation. 

Astro*Carto*Graphy Maps are provided by Astro Numeric Service, U.S.A. 

About the Author:

Elliot Jay Tanzer has offered professional astrology services since 1973 and Feng Shui consultations since 1995. He has presented at many Whole Life Expos, international astrology and feng shui conferences and many metaphysical societies. He is the author of Exercises for the Spiritual Body (soon to be re released as an eBook), Choose the Best House for You: The Feng Shui Checklist, and Evaluating Astro*Carto*Graphy Maps: Finding the Best Places to Live & Travel – Your Step by Step Guide. For information about Astrology, Astro*Carto*Graphy, Feng Shui consultations and upcoming classes, seminars and webinars, call: (310) 281-6798.

Additional Info:

The Planetary Lines:

Ten Filters Through Which To See the World 

and Through Which the World Sees You

The Sun line encourages creative self-expression and leadership. However, this would not be favorable for an individual who is extremely introverted or for someone who is self-centered and arrogant.

The Moon line can be caring, encouraging family life and careers dealing with women, children and real estate. However, as the Moon reflects the Sun, individuals with a poor sense of self-hood will feel they have no life of their own as they constantly get caught in everyone else’s soap operas and melodramas.

Mercury lines favor cleverness in communication, social interaction and expression of ideas, but can be detrimental to those inclined to be pathological liars and bold face thieves – eventually everyone gets caught.

Venus lines are usually conducive to the expression of love, art and the attraction of luxury, but can be a place of undoing for those who are over indulgent and lazy.

Mars lines are difficult for relationships due to Mars’ inclination to be contentious, reckless and machismo, while being favorable for construction workers, competitive athletes, those in the military and litigation lawyers. 

Jupiter lines are quite beneficial in all areas of life as it brings abundance, positive thinking and social adroitness. However, Jupiter lines can  be disastrous for gamblers, alcoholics, and other forms of excessive behavior.

Saturn lines may be beneficial for helping some people to bring structure into their life, but once they have their ‘act together,’ the best advice is, “leave.” Living on a Saturn-line is ultimately much too depressive, burdensome, alienating, lonely and contractive. If you have a history of problems with your bones, joints, teeth, and feeling alone, you are probably living on Saturn. Take my advice, “Leave!”

Uranus lines can be exciting, even electrifying, favoring media, technology and entrepreneurial innovativeness, but for many individuals Uranus is nerve wracking, unpredictable, and challenging for establishing long term commitments. 

Neptune lines, which can be very mystical and creatively inspiring, usually ends up scattered, anxious and feeling life has past by without recognition of accomplishment. Both Uranus and Neptune may be more creative, spiritual or romantic when combined with more favorable planetary lines, and really tumultuous when combined with Moon or Mars. 

Pluto lines can be the worst. Living on a Pluto lines may begin with a wonderful high, even an ecstatic high, but in a short time the crest of the wave gives out, and there is a heavy fall. While it is true that living on a Pluto-line may give you a valuable karmic lesson in power issues, it is rarely a place to enjoy peace and harmony. If you are suffering from a whacked immune system, involved in traumatic situations, and surrounded by tragic people, again the best advice would be, “leave as soon as you can.”