What is Astro*Carto*Graphy?

Exploring the planetary lines that influence your life

Astro*Carto*Graphy is a technique developed by Jim Lewis in the late 20th century. 

In astrology, the birth chart is limited to space and time. This means that if you are born in a certain place, your chart reflects that exact moment and location, and it will not change even if you move to a different country or city.

Astro*Carto*Graphy, however, shows how your chart's energy shifts depending on where you live. It means you can find better places around the world to live based on what you are seeking. There are locations where your career may thrive, places where you are more likely to meet your soulmate, and areas where it becomes easier to express and be yourself and feel at home. Some places may carry heavier energy, while others may feel supportive and uplifting. 

How you experience these energies depends on a few factors, such as how you integrate the planets in your birth chart and which planetary line you are living or traveling along.

For an Astro*Carto*Graphy reading, the exact time, date and place of your birth are essential. 

Figure 1 - Astro*Carto*Graphy chart

Essential elements of ACG

For modern astrology and Astro*Carto*Graphy, we consider 10 planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Each of these planets influences your personality and life events. 

Here are a few characterises of each planet:

• Sun – represents the ego, identity, purpose; your recognition; shows where you shine
• Moon – represents the emotions and the feelings and how you express them; how you nourish yourself
• Mercury – represents the mind; how you think, learn, speak and communicate; networking
• Venus – represents the relationships, the pleasures; your values; beauty; abundance
• Mars – represents how you act and respond to life; it’s the assertiveness, willpower; your energy to action; your energy in general
• Jupiter – is your luck; shows where you expand; how to grow; what you believe
• Saturn – represents the restriction, the discipline, the structure and the responsibilities
• Uranus – represents the innovation, the desire to do different, the sudden changes, the unexpected
• Neptune – represents the spirituality, the dreams, intuition and fantasy
• Pluto – represents the transformation, the power, the death and rebirth, the shadows, the intensity

Another important aspect to consider when reading an ACG chart is the planetary line. In Astro*Carto*Graphy, there are four key houses to be analysed: Ascendant (AC), Midheaven (MC), Descendant (DC) and Imum Coeli (IC).

Here are a few characterises of each house line:

• Ascendant – is the expression of the self. Every planet you have in this house will be visible to others.
• Imum Coeli – is the foundation, the family, the roots, your past.
• Descendant – is what you look for in a relationship and partnerships.
• Midheaven – is what you look for in your future and career. It is also your public image.

How to Read Your Own Map

Reading an ACG is not complicated at all. It is like playing a matching game. When you open your chart for the first time, it may be overwhelming, but you can actually break it down into a few parts. 

The first step is to understand what type of experience you are looking for. Then, you can look at the planet that will offer you that exact experience.

For example, if your main focus right now is to find the love of your life, you should look at Venus lines. But if your focus is to find more structure in your life or in your business, then Saturn lines will be more helpful.

It is important to mention that your relationship with each planet will define your personal experience. For example, if you do not like to live life at a fast pace, avoid choosing a Mars line. If you do not like structure, avoid travelling/living at your Saturn lines. If you find it difficult to deal with intensity, deep transformation, or your fears being triggered, then it is best to stay away from Pluto lines. If you feel uncomfortable with sudden changes or surprises, avoid Uranus lines.

This is what is called ‘Shadow Planet’. It can be identified by looking at certain aspects in your birth chart and how you naturally relate to these planetary energies in your daily life.

The second part is to analyse which house you should travel to. For example, if you want to find the love of your life, you should go to a city where your 7th house (Descendant) is activated. But if you want to feel like home or start building a family, your 4th house (Imum Coeli) has to be activated. If your focus is to find yourself and reconnect to your essence, your 1st house (Ascendant) needs to be activated. And if you are looking to grow career, build a business or expand your public image, a city where your 10th house (Midheaven) is activated is your destination. This is when you are able to choose which area of your life you want to make that experience happen.

It is important to mention that the number of lines does not mean anything. Take a look at the examples below. The first chart shows a lot of lines, while the second one shows less lines. The difference is that the first chart indicates much more intense energy for you, while the second chart suggests less intense experience. It does not mean there is no energy or that nothing will happen in places with fewer lines. It is simply a different energy and, therefore, a different experience. 

Believe me, sometimes it is actually better to not have planetary lines…

Figure 2 & 3 - Astro*Carto*Graphy planetary lines

You can get your Astro*Carto*Graphy map from astro.com. This website is one of my favourites and it is completely free! It is very simple to use and navigate! You can zoom in and zoom out, explore specific countries or get a full overview to begin your analysis.

I also highly recommend you the book ‘The Psychology of Astro*Carto*Graphy‘ written by Jim Lewis with Kenneth Irving. It contains a wealth of information, including many of the theory-based topics mentioned in this article.

How to Use Astro*Carto*Graphy

Astro*Carto*Graphy is a wonderful tool to support your decision making, especially if you are thinking about moving somewhere new, travelling with an intention or making changes in your life.

You can activate your planetary lines in many different ways. And this is where things get really exciting. You do not have to travel to activate your lines!! 

You can activate them by reading a book or watching a video from someone who is from that country. You can connect with the culture through food, movies, books, etc. or even having a chat with someone from that country also counts! You can also activate these energies through meditation, visualization, and even by working with specific times of the day and days of the week.

I know people who married someone from the country where they have a Venus line, and they had never travelled there before meeting their partner. You can travel to different destinations and bring something back with you that holds that energy and every time you touch it you reconnect with the vibration of that place. Even using a phone wallpaper from that location can help you to connect! 

Be creative! The energy is available for you 24/7.

Next Steps & Conclusion

I can’t express enough how important it is to find the right professional to do your reading! Astro*Carto*Graphy is a complex technique and while it can reveal a lot of amazing insights, it can also create confusion if not interpreted properly.

When I started learning about Astro*Carto*Graphy I made the mistake of reading a general description from a website and I felt so upset. I only understood what it truly meant months later, after diving deeper into my studies.

I highly recommend finding a professional who will give you a full assessment of your chart. This includes analysing your birth chart, your relocated chart, how you integrate each planet, and whether you have additional elements to be analysed (like parans).

At the same time, remember that your time on this planet is short. Your soul already knows where you are meant to be be right now, so do not be afraid to follow that inner calling. Astro*Carto*Graphy is simply a tool to help you understand the kind of experience that location may bring on, or more precisely, which energies are available for you in that destination. 

And if the astrologer points out something that feels challenging, take it as useful awareness, but never say no to an experience just because you think it will be too hard. Your soul already knows if you are ready for it. 

If somewhere has been calling you, trust it! Use this tool in your favour, align your mindset and go explore this beautiful world.