Chart Hemisphere and the Chart Shape

Untenanted House - Part II of II

Chart Hemisphere

In the previous article, we have mentioned untenanted houses, from this led us to the chart shape of the birth chart.

Let’s dive in.

Imagine a cake that has been cut into four quarters. A chart is divided by the Eastern and Western Horizon with the MC/IC Axis. And Upper and Lower Horizon with the Ascendant and Descendant as Axis.

We can see the shape of a chart by looking at houses that are untenanted.

The Eastern and Western Hemisphere

The Eastern Hemisphere

Tends to think in terms of direct action first.

If individual has majority of the planets on the Eastern Hemisphere, House 10-3, their approaches to life will be primarily a subjective one, with a focus on their personal responses to their experiences. Energies situated in this half have to do with the world’s perception of the self, and they are considered to be more active and under personal control. According to many astrologers, the chart’s eastern hemisphere is associated with being self-determining, the source of the initiative in one’s life. An individual that have many planets in this half would be the one who takes action, Robert Hand calls such a person an actor, they would tend to act first and observe later. In order for our actions to be effective, an individual must not only take action but also observe others. as opposed to an experiencer who has many planets on the half of the hemisphere.

With planets mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere, the meaning of the less tenanted or untenanted Western hemisphere with its concern with relationship will not come naturally to the individual and it could bring repeated challenges. In another words, relationships with others will tend to dominate the person life.

The Western Hemisphere

Tends to thinks in term of getting maximum understanding first  

With most of the planets on the Western Hemisphere, House 9-4, this could suggest the emphasis is about relationship of all kinds. The individual will tend to measure themselves by the nature of their interactions with others, who will bring experiences to them. It represents the part of the self that is acted upon, that is passive and not under one’s personal control. Robert Hand the Astrologer, suggests that as opposed to actor, with majority of the planets on the other half the Eastern hemisphere, the person tends to be experiencer rather than actor. They observe before acting, all they need to do gain control over their lives is to take control of their reactions to any given situation. By controlling their response and making appropriate to the situation, experiencers can become as powerful an influence over the cause of events as actors are. There are types that are just overcautious where they only observe and never act! The meaning of the untenanted or less tenanted Eastern Hemisphere with its focus on a sense of personal identity and subjective self-definition will bring great challenges, as this is not an area of natural understanding.

The Northern (Lower) and Southern (Upper) Hemisphere

The Lower Hemisphere

If the majority of the planets distributed on the lower hemisphere House 1-6 (personal houses) , this emphasis the individual’s personal inner life; it is less social. The overall focus will be on the private self, and it will tend towards introversion. The less conscious mind, the basis of one’s conception of self. The untenanted, or less tenanted, collective hemisphere will be of secondary concern to the individual, and yet will be the area of experience that brings the greatest challenges as there is little or no natural connection to the outer or public world, or to social issues.

The Upper Hemisphere

If the majority of the planets fall in Southern hemisphere, house 7-12 (collective houses), one natural focus will be on their relationship with the external world, and to society as a whole. It is less personal and more social. The circumstances of the outer life will be of greater concern and one will tend towards a more public style of life. The more conscious mind, one’s role in the social world and the future. The less tenanted or untenanted personal hemisphere is not an area of particular focus, and it is here that they will find their greatest challenges, for exploring the inner world of feeling and introspection is not how they will comfortably function.

We can also examine planets distributed in the 4 quadrants of the chart.

The Quadrant 1 (House 1-3) - Self-development

Focus on Self, how we think and feel

The Quadrant II (Houses 4-6) - Self-expression

Home, Family, Creativity and work tends to the individual concerns and focus.

The Quadrant III (Houses 7-9) - Self-expansion

External world and interpersonal relationships, with majority of planets, one will tend to expands awareness through relationship with other people.

The Quadrant IV (Houses 10-12) - Self-transcendance

The universal houses, the personal pursuits and public achievements. With majority planets in this quadrant, the main concern is the expanding or transcending of the boundaries of the self to include not just one other but many others.

With the untenanted house, will form the shape of the chart.  Marc Edmund Jones classified sevens types of chart shapes

Chart Shapes

Seesaw - Planets are equally distributed on each side top and bottom. Individual with this chart shape will tend to be pulled into different direction

Bowl – Planets spread on one side left or right, planets are filling up to half of the circle (180º) – feel like something is missing

Bucket – A cluster of planets with a lone planet opposite that look like the handle of the chart – lone planet is an emphasised life theme that is out there on its own.

Splash – With planets scattered around the chart. Individual might be scattered and have difficulty to focus

Bundle – All planets are contained within a third of the wheel (120º). Planets are in 3-5 houses next to other. There is extreme focus on one part of life. This could indicate obsession, focus and the chart of a specialist of some kind.

Locomotive – A group of 1-3 hoses have no planets. An unexpressed area

Splay – 3 areas of key focus. A Splay Chart Shape could indicate several areas of strength.

On Chart Shapes, pay attention only the planets not the four angles. Many charts don’t always fit into one clear type, and some fall into two categories. With chart shapes, if it’s not obvious, it’s not important!

Learning to spot groups of planets or empty spaces in our chart, it could reveal the emphases or lacks. To become familiarise with ourselves, we become conscious of our actions, we can consciously act and to discover more about ourselves.

How are your planets distributed in your birth chart? Is your chart has majority of planets above the horizon or below? On the Eastern or Western Hemisphere? Can you recognise your chart shape? Does this resonate with you?