TRACY MARKS' GUIDE TO CHART SYNTHESIS

(From her book, "The Art of Chart Interpretation")

**NOTE: An "inconjunct" is another term for quincunx, and you WILL need the book
in order to use the guidelines below.
When calculating and interpreting a chart using the following methodology, the a
uthor recommends that you:
1. Use the Campanus house system rather than Placidus or Koch. Porphyry is als
o acceptable.
2. Consider planets in the last 3 degrees of a house to be influencing the nex
t house.
3. Allow an 8-degree orb for conjunctions, squares, oppositions and trines, an
d a 4-degree orb for sextiles and inconjuncts, adding 2 degrees to the orb if th
e Sun or Moon is involved and 4 degrees for Sun/Moon aspects. These orbs may be
increased slightly if the aspect is part of an aspect configuration, if planets
are also in parallel or in mutual reception, or if they are both approaching eac
h other (e.g., Jupiter 16 Leo retrograde square Mercury at 7 Taurus direct).
4. Consider the conjunction to be the strongest aspect, followed by the opposi
tion, square, trine, sextile, inconjunct and semi-square.
5. Determine aspects to the ascendant and midheaven, allowing a 4-degree orb (
6 for conjunctions).
6. Use a 14-point scale for counting elements and modes. See sections A 1-4. A
n acceptable alternative is a 12-point scale which gives 1/2 count to Uranus, Ne
ptune, Pluto, and the M.C.
7. Consider Saturn the ruler of Capricorn, Pluto of Scorpio, Mars of Aries, an
d Jupiter of Sagittarius.
8. Draw colored lines across the chart to indicate aspects; these will help yo
u to perceive the patterns operating in the chart. You might, for example, circl
e conjunctions in purple, and draw green lines for sextiles, blue for trines, re
d for squares, and black for oppositions.
9. Set up your charts on an open wheel (see charts in practice section) rather
than one bound by a closed circle. This will help you to remember that the horo
scope is not a fixed diagram of the psyche, but is open to the influences of tra
nsits, progressions, the planets of the significant people in your life, and you
r own free will.
----------------------------------OUTLINE OF CHART INTERPRETATION
A. THE CHART AS A WHOLE (p. 23)
1. PREDOMINANT ELEMENT (p. 23)
How many? Circle if more than 5/14.
2. WEAKEST ELEMENT (p. 25)
How many? Circle if 0 or 1/14.
3. PREDOMINANT MODE (p. 28)
How many? Circle if more than 6/14.
4. WEAKEST MODE (p. 30)
How many? Circle if 0, 1/14 or 2/14.
5. PLANETARY PATTERN (p. 31)
Circle if pattern is clearly defined.
6. ASPECT CONFIGURATIONS (p. 36)
Circle answer.
7. SUN/MOON SIGNS & RELATIONSHIP (p. 47)
Note aspect or phase. Circle if in major aspect.
8. ASCENDANT/MIDHEAVEN SIGNS (p. 53)
Circle ascendant.
9. NUMBER OF RETROGRADE PLANETS (p. 54)
Circle if 0 or more than 3.

B. DETERMINING PLANETARY STRENGTH (p. 58)

1. SUN SIGN & HOUSE (p. 58)
Circle answer.
2. MOON SIGN & HOUSE (p. 59)
Circle answer.
3. SUN RULER: ITS SIGN & HOUSE (p. 60)
4. ASCENDANT RULER: ITS SIGN & HOUSE (p. 60)
5. PLANET IN OWN SIGN (p. 60)
Circle answer.
6. PLANET IN OWN HOUSE (p. 61)
Circle answer.
7. PLANET RISING (p. 61)
Circle if less than 2 degrees above or 6 degrees below ascendant.
8. PLANET ON MIDHEAVEN (p. 62)
Circle if less than 2 degrees before or 6 degrees after midheaven.
9. PLANET ON NADIR (p. 62)
Circle if less than 1 degree before or 2 degrees after nadir.
10. PLANET DESCENDING (p. 63)
Circle if less than 1 degree before or 2 degrees after descendant.
11. STATIONARY PLANET (p. 63)
Circle answer.
12. SOLE DISPOSITOR (p. 64)
13. MOST ASPECTED PLANET (p. 65)
How many aspects?
14. UNASPECTED PLANETS (p. 66)
Circle answer.
15. OTHER FOCAL PLANETS (p. 67)
Circle answer.
C. ASPECTS & OTHER CHART VARIABLES
1. PREDOMINANT TYPE OF ASPECT (p. 68)
How many?
2. ABSENCE OF A TYPE OF ASPECT (P. 70)
3. CONJUNCTIONS WITHIN 3 DEGREES (p. 71)
Indicate orb. Circle if less than 14 degrees.
4. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS WITHIN 14 DEGREES (p. 71)
Indicate orb. Circle if less than 1 degree.
5. IMPORTANT MINOR ASPECTS (p. 72)
Note those which are exact.
6. PARALLELS REINFORCING ASPECTS (p. 74)
7. MUTUAL RECEPTIONS (p. 75)
Circle answer.
8. LUNAR NODES (p. 76)
Indicate sign & house. Circle answer.
List major aspects within 2 degrees.
D. PRELIMINARY SYNTHESIS (p. 78)
1. STRONGEST PLANETS
How many counts?
Circle if more than 4.
2. STRONGEST SIGNS How many counts?
Circle if more than 4.
3. STRONGEST HOUSES How many counts?
Circle if more than 4.
4. STRONGEST ASPECT
Circle if less than 30 minutes.
E. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS (p. 80)
1.
2.
3.
F. THE PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS CHART
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
***----------------------------------------------------------------***
--------------------------------*****--------------------------------***----------------------------------------------------------------***
STEPHEN ARROYO'S GUIDE TO CHART SYNTHESIS
(From his book, "The Chart Interpretation Handbook")
No special rules or guidelines were listed regarding the technical details of th
e chart interpretation, aside any actual the content of following outline.
----------------------------------OUTLINE OF CHART INTERPRETATION
I. The Chart as a Whole
A. Preponderance & Deficiencies Shown by Planets' Positions
1. By Sign Placement
a) Element (Fire, Earth, Air & Water Signs)
b) Quadruplicity (Cardinal, Fixed & Mutable Signs)
2. By House Placement
a) Angular, Succedent & Cadent
b) Fire, Earth, Air & Water Houses
B. Note the overall pattern of the chart; use your intuition to see the ch
art as a diagram of energy patterns. Note immediately any clusters of planets (a
"stellium"), which strongly emphasize particular signs and houses.
II. The Main Components of the Chart Structure
A. Using the Astrological Alphabet, note any major themes that emerge. Exp
lore any tone that seems particularly dominant.
B. Dominant Aspect Patterns & Major Configurations (Grand Trine, T-Square,
any Stellium, multiple aspects between a number of planets between two signs, e
tc.)
III. The "Lights"
A. Compatibility of Sun & Moon by element
B. The Sun
1. Sign
2. House
3. Closest Aspect(s)
C. The Moon
1. Sign
2. House
3. Closest Aspect(s)
IV. The Angles (Birth time must be accurate to use these factors.)
A. Note especially any conjunctions to the ASC or Midheaven; these planets
are invariably powerful and magnified in intensity.
B. The Ascendant
1. Sign and compatibility with Sun Sign by element
2. Closest Aspect(s)
3. Position by Sign & House of the Ruling Planet of the ASC, as well a
s its close aspects
C. The Midheaven

1. Sign
2. Closest Aspect(s)
3. Position by Sign & House of the Ruling Planet of the MC
V. Traditional Techniques for Evaluation of Planets
A. Planets weak or strong by sign placement (Planets in "Dignity," "Fall,"
"Exaltation," or "Detriment").
B. Planets weak or strong by house placement (e.g., a planet in its own ho
use, with the same letter of the astrological alphabet, is always especially str
ong).
C. Note the Ruling Planet of the Sun Sign, its House, Sign & Aspects.
VI. Pivotal Components of Chart Structure
A. Look to the closest square or opposition involving a personal planet, i
ndicative of a primary challenge in life where the person has to strive and pote
ntially can achieve a new awareness.
B. Look to all conjunctions with personal planets, as well as other close
aspects with the personal planets and their Signs and Houses.
C. Any planet in the 1st House is very powerful: the closer to the ASC, th
e more powerful (including near the ASC on the 12th House side.)
D. The House Position of Saturn is always important.