by Jeff Jawer

The Moment of Birth
If birth times are not reliable, how can you pin an interpretation on the precise position of a house cusp? I was present at the births of my two daughters and saw that birth was much more of a process than a single event (moment). There's the onset of labor, the head coming out, the body coming out, first breath and cutting the cord. First breath is the most common and logical measure. My daughters had first peeps -- small sounds less dramatic than the classical lusty cry we imagine to trumpet the moment of birth. Additionally, the cords were not cut for some time after that first breath, further muddying the waters with respect to the separation from mother and beginning of independent life.

Charles Jayne's extensive work with rectification led him to conclude that the effective moment of birth for chart calculation purposes didn't necessarily coincide with the first breath (or any specific physical event). The chart that worked, according to Jayne, might actually precede or follow the birth. Vladimir Bogdanov is another astrologer who argues that birth may not be a moment, but a series of events.

Intercepted Signs
Another issue to consider is that of intercepted signs. I've always been bothered by their use in chart interpretation. First, there are so many questions about houses that it seems pretty shaky to base an interpretation on a principle so poorly understood. Second, the notion that a planet's energy is inhibited by the tri-section of the semi-diurnal arc is quite a stretch. Third, they tend to be interpreted negatively and distance the client from the planet's energy.

Planets are real, the seasons (signs) are real, aspects are real, but houses are based on many different and often obscure formulae. Diminishing the power of a planet (a strong principle) by an intercepted sign (a weak principle) is neither logical nor constructive.
I understand that individuals claim to see the influences of interceptions, but anything important in the personality is likely to manifest itself several ways in the birth chart. Quite a few years ago when I spoke out against the importance of interceptions, someone responded by saying that her Aries Sun was intercepted and that she certainly wasn't a very aggressive Aries. I asked if Neptune was opposed her Aries Sun. It was! In other words a solid principle (aspects) explained the condition very well.

Cusps May Not Be Finite Points
Now, if cusps are not absolute points, but shifts in the energetic wave, how can we interpret them. I like to use orbs of about 5 degrees with house cusps. This is in recognition of the uncertainty due to the reasons mentioned above, as well as an appreciation for process. What is the meaning of the Second House becoming the Third? Rather than having a rigid boundary between self-worth and possessions (Second House) and observation and communication (Third) I prefer to consider how two becomes three. When are we sufficiently rooted in our sense of self-worth to begin taking notice of our surroundings? What is the relationship between what we have and how we see?

This seems to be a more sophisticated approach to looking at houses. The purpose is not to cloud the issues, but to see the many shades of gray between black and white. It is to remind us that cycles have no beginning or end and that life is about movement. This kind of approach also trains the astrologer to stay open-minded. It encourages movement of the mind, rather than rigid rules.

Our techniques affect our interpretations. The attitude that we bring to astrology will determine a great deal of what we get out of astrology. If we seek absolute answers within absolute systems we may be rewarded with occasional insights, but will also be punished with severely limited choices and perceptions. An appreciation for nuance—a desire to see process, rather than product—works like life, something alive and dynamic, even if it is a bit uncertain at times.

Return ...More than One Way to Slice a Chart

Were You Born on the Cusp?

About the Author
Jeff Jawer is the co-author of Barnes & Noble's Your Astrology Guide 2006. A professional astrologer since 1973, his articles have appeared in astrology journals and magazines and Web sites around the world. He holds a B.A. in The History and Science of Astrology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and teaches and lectures both in the United States and abroad.