Quadrants and Hemispheres of the Birth Chart

The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about the birth chart are the signs, then the Rising sign and usually the Moon. What we usually forget is that, in addition to these fundamental elements for an assertive reading of the map, there are other components that are just as important, such as the hemispheres, quadrants and the planetary concentration in each of them.

To understand their importance, it is first necessary to understand the structure of a chart. As we know, the birth chart is formed by twelve astrological houses and the different planets are distributed by them.

Note, however, that the astrological houses are divided into four hemispheres: North, South, East and West. Each quadrant can bring additional information to a natal chart study.

Therefore, many traits, aptitudes and personal experiences will be motivated through the concentration of planets in a certain sector. When planets form a Stellium (the presence of three or more planets in the same sign or house), for example, the house and the sign where they are located will be even more prominent, increasing their authority and influence, which can bring harmonious characteristics or tense depending on the stars involved in the Stellium and how it relates to other locations in the astrological chart.

Likewise, if there is any hemisphere on the map with total planetary absence, the heaviest influence will be on the hemispheres and quadrants occupied by stars. The more planets in a specific sector of the map, the more attention we must pay to the characteristics of these stars and houses that will depart from there.

To locate the hemispheres in the birth chart, we must see north, south, east and west in reverse: the Northern Hemisphere is in the lower half, the Southern Hemisphere in the upper half. The Western (Western) Hemisphere is on the right half, while the Eastern (Eastern) Hemisphere is on the left half.

The Hemisphere not viewable or below the horizon (northern)

The hemisphere above the horizon is divided into two quadrants: quadrant 1 is responsible for grouping the 1st, 2nd and 3rd houses and quadrant 2 is responsible for the 4th, 5th and 6th houses. who were born at night, when the Sun was below the plane of the astronomical horizon.

People who have a greater planetary concentration on the map in the hemisphere below the horizon tend to be more introspective, taking advantage of looking at themselves.

The houses below the astronomical horizon refer to experiences closer to the origin of existence: the first studies (house 3) or the family (house 4), games (house 5) among others, refer to the most infantile periods. In this sense, they refer more to the origin and its importance.

Having many stars below the horizon means focusing on the most basic sectors of existence, starting from them and wanting to take them to the more adult stages.

They need to be more careful that their introspection (in the sense of hearing the emotional voices, the original memories intensely) does not disturb their social life, as they can become too closed in their opinions. The more you practice this contact with others, the more natural your socialization process will be.

Privacy does not mean isolation, so they can continue to maintain a quiet personal life, without much exposure, but they also need to learn to get closer to others, keeping the door open to becoming more collective.

Another point to note is that part of the hemisphere below the horizon also deals with issues of the past, with our roots and security. The person's family and upbringing are of fundamental importance in the development of his personality. In this sense, the people who raise us, the bonds we form in the family and relationships, as well as the environment where we are inserted, are part of this cauldron of influences that transform us into what we are.

---

The Hemisphere viewable, above the horizon (south)

At the other end, occupying the upper half of the birth chart, is the hemisphere above the horizon - or viewable. Having the sun positioned in some quadrant of this hemisphere indicates people who were born in the daytime period.

There are two quadrants that are part of this hemisphere: the 3rd and 4th. The first quadrant covers the 7th, 8th and 9th houses and the second the 10th, 11th and 12th houses.

Having a greater planetary concentration in the visible hemisphere of a birth chart can bring to the natives a greater need to be present in the social world. They are usually people who need to be seen, recognized or who tend to feel more comfortable in activities where they have to deal with different people or groups.

When you have a large number of stars in these sectors, we end up distancing ourselves from the origin and taking more risks. Sex (8th house), exposure professionally (10th house), traveling far away (9th house), imply greater exposure to the outside world than our first childhood experiences.

They are usually carried out through actions that somehow give you prominence or projection, either to your friends or to the world. This characteristic will also be relevant in personal relationships, it may be common to see these people surrounded by people and always involved in matters of public interest.

These houses imply making partnerships or marrying strangers (7th house), or getting involved with friends outside the domestic or childhood environment (11th house). In general, they show exposure, effort to leave the past and projection and social engagement.

Your ability to establish connections can also be used for a greater purpose, which is to understand the human being in its essence and society as a whole, if the luminaries and personal stars indicate this in summary. But fusion and overexposure can also take their toll. Because they are always on the move and in constant contact with the world, they may have some difficulty in having a moment with themselves, with their roots or with their individual comfort zone.

The greater the planetary concentration in the hemisphere above the horizon, the greater the need to balance this social power and seek more private moments where they can reflect and connect with their inner world.

---

The Western - or Western Hemisphere

To the right of the chart is the western (also called western) hemisphere, which comprises houses 4 through 9. People born in this quadrant are also more open to contact with others, and as a result, their lives generally will be more guided by human relationships.

The houses in this sector concern, for example, marriage and partnerships (7th house), children and friends for fun and relaxation (5th house).

Because they are a little more focused on what other people demand, they end up channeling more energy to interact with others.

There may be an important look at these sectors and for this reason, we build relationships that imply the participation of other people in our decisions, which in some cases can be invasive. We can, for example, dedicate ourselves to marriage (7th house) where acceptance of the other is more important than our convictions. The same can be true for children (5th house) or our political or religious ideologies (9th house). Social responsibility towards employees can also be disproportionate or exaggerated (6th house).

First, to also think about yourself and your needs; second, to not allow profiteers to take advantage of your goodwill. If this energy is poorly worked, the individual may also have a lot of difficulty putting himself in the world on his own, constantly depending on the opinion of others to make decisions.

Another important factor is also the question of luck in this case. It may be that, due to their experiences in the world, they have a certain perception that "things happen in a natural and spontaneous way" where they often manage to get everything they want without making so much personal effort.

It's the famous "it looks like it fell from the sky". Eventually there is a way for your luck to surface (especially if Jupiter is involved in this sector) and make your ideas, plans or dreams come true. It may be that this good luck is the result of union with other people who make the fulfillment of desires possible. As this sector comprises the house of speculation, games (house 5) and the house of gains coming from third parties (house 8) or even by partners, spouses or partners (house 7), these emphases may surface.

But, if the person thinks that "the universe will always conspire in their favor", they can become complacent and overly dependent on others. If by chance luck fails, she will not be prepared to roll up her sleeves to achieve her goals, or to deal with frustrations.

Therefore, in order for her to achieve balance and feel safer to seek what she wants, it is necessary to take a more attentive look inside herself, being more aware of her needs and practicing self-welcoming more often. So it is fundamental to play our part in the drama of existence.

---

The Eastern - or Eastern - Hemisphere

On the left side of the birth chart is the eastern (or eastern) hemisphere, which covers houses 10 to 3 (10, 11, 12, 1, 2, and 3).

Whoever has the highest number of stars in this position tends to be more independent and will live, most of the time, on their own. As you tend to think that nothing falls from the sky, the quest to conquer your space can be incessant, as you have the notion that things do not come with a kiss, but are conquered.

As these houses refer to the Self (house 1) to our projects and supporters (house 11) our professional achievement on our own merit (house 10) they end up emphasizing these positions.

They are usually people with a more autonomous personality, who feel motivated to walk their own path and pursue their goals very firmly. They should only be careful not to become too aggressive when they have to live in a group or seek their goals and desires.

The external dynamics of the issues involving these houses incline us towards these internal searches and developments.

---

The Quadrants

A birth chart can also be divided into four angles (or quadrants). These angles are separated by the horizontal axis AC/DC (Ascending and Descending) and the vertical or plane axis of the meridian - or simply "meridian", MC/IC (Midheaven and Midheaven).

It is the Cusps (lines where they begin) of the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses that delimit their beginnings.

Such angles are complementary indicators in astrological delineation, showing how we are (or how we would like to be), how we relate and interact with people and how we are seen by them. Therefore, these 4 angles are fundamental for us to understand part of our personality, mirrored or projected in the external world or even, how it was structured and how it can perform when socially involved.

Through them, we better understand our past, the present and have indications of our future.

Ascendant (rising) (AC), Descendant (DC), Midheaven (MC) and Bottom of Heaven (IC)

AC is the Rising Sign, the cusp of our 1st house. It describes how we perceive ourselves and what immediate impression we make on the world. It's our basic make and temperament, how we express ourselves and our individuality, the tendencies that make us act a certain way, the lens through which we see the world. It is he who dictates the beginning of the first quadrant.

It represents, in the great existential arguments, the "Who am I?".

The IC is called "Immum Coeli" - or Bottom of Heaven. It describes our particular persona and our home environment. It has to do with home, whether it's where we were born, or what we're still going to form. Our roots are here, both the past and the psychological ones and our notion of protection. We can see better if we were more influenced by the father or mother figure and we notice these influences in our personality and formed character. The second quadrant begins on the Bottom of Heaven cusp, which is the beginning of the 4th house.

It represents, in the great existential arguments, the "where did I come from?".

The DC is the Descendant, it describes how we perceive others. It is the cusp of our 7th house, diametrically opposite to the 1st house and has to do with what we project onto other people. Maybe we're missing something and we end up looking for it in the other. Therefore, DC deals with our serious partnerships: relationships, partnerships, marriages and friendships with exchanges and dependencies or concubinage, for example, or even music bands or theater groups.

It also indicates enmities, those who oppose us, point the finger in our nose and our weaknesses, or even those people who share things with us and therefore know us very well. Or how is our relationship with each person, if we get along better or worse, etc. This angle is the beginning of the third quadrant in a birth chart.

It represents, in the great existential arguments, the "who are the others?".

Already the MC is called "Medium Coeli" - or Midheaven. It is our 10th house cusp. It describes our public persona, our image, career and reputation. Things like status and any kind of recognition come through here. Any person or entity that is above us (boss, government, police) are also shown here.

Perhaps the main indication to be found in Meio do Céu is that of the goal we want to achieve, which we will be circumstantially referred to next or where we want to reach professionally, public recognition, for example. The 10th house cusp is the beginning of the fourth - and last - quadrant of a birth chart.

It represents, in the great existential arguments, the "where am I going?"

AC, DC, MC and IC are directly related to certain areas of our lives. Knowing what each sector can teach us and thoroughly analyzing such information is one of the keys to self-knowledge and mastering the proposals of an astral map.

For this reason, these sectors are related to the great existential questions and are the most sought after subjects to be understood: how I am and how I work, my family, the emotional issues that can lead to marriage and professional achievement and excellence.

How the angles relate

In the Birth Chart, the vertical axis (MC / IC) separates the areas of greater autonomy (independent) and less autonomy (dependent). The AC (the I, the Self) is therefore the center of the independent part and the DC (the others) is the center of the dependent part. Checking the birth chart, we can see which of the four quadrants has more stars, so we can know if we are more public or private and if we are more independent or dependent.

When interpreting a birth chart, it is important to remember that each house belongs to a certain quadrant. A chart has many different cycles where human development goes through different stages. Astrology also has a psychological assessment tool that sees the projection of our characterologies when projected into the existential sectors we call "houses", as stages in the journey from birth to death and how we might be dealing with such developments in each of these stages.

Having a large number of stars in a certain quadrant can be an indicator or a sign that these issues are calling our attention all the time, or in a way we are busy with them. In this case, we have to study the themes of that sector and always ask ourselves if we are living that purpose. If not, we must explore the quadrant and understand how we can align our direction and energy to that sector, as it has a greater chance of moving our characteristics, making them more natural and adaptable and making us use our aptitudes in a more organic and flowing way. .

See below a summary of how the basic operating mode of the quadrants in an astral chart is. 

---

First quadrant: Independent and Private
Personal definition, self-understanding, development and self-awareness.

The first quadrant includes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd houses. These are the houses between the Rising sign and the Bottom of Heaven. If the first quadrant has a high number of planets, the person tends to be more independent and private, always doing things for himself. The person feels that they can do more if they don't have people interacting (or bothering them), so they tend to ignore the opinion of others or control them for their own benefit. They will also have more self-sufficiency, objectivity. resourcefulness, confidence and insight.

How I use my time with myself, my things and learning...

Recurring themes for Quadrant I expression are self-development, independence, and self-focus. It is the place to know and understand who you are.

"Who am I?", "What do I value?", "How do I learn and transmit information in my surroundings?"

In essence, these three houses refer to statements and self-statements very close to the origin, such as saying: "I (house 1), eating (house 2) and starting to move or talk (house 3). of basic functionalities. So the basis of psychology, nutrition, psychomotricity and cognition are presented here.

---

Second quadrant: Dependent and Privacy
Personal expression, the integration of the Self into the immediate environment.

The second quadrant includes the 4th, 5th and 6th houses. These are the houses between the Bottom of Heaven and the Descendant. Those with a large number or most planets in their second quadrant tend to be more dependent on others and focused on private life. Your main focus in life is usually the people closest to you, whom you love to care for and serve, or finding that special someone who completes you. The person likes to feel comfortable with others, creating more intimacy.

They refer to protection models that develop in the second stage of development, when we begin to deal with family hierarchies, parents, grandparents, godmothers and godparents, as well as childhood friends (house 5) with whom we play and have fun. , and the first concepts of: "go clean your room, brush those teeth or clean yourself!" (house 6).
In these three houses, we are starting the first notions of socialization, but as we said, still close to the original values ​​(below the horizon).

It can show a slightly more insecure personality, sometimes needing the opinion of others to make their own decisions. In addition, a more pronounced mark can be shyness, especially in relationships far from the family's domains and proximity. The natives most of the time focus their thoughts on an introspection that allows a sharper perception of things. With stars in the 5th house, such characteristics may be more evident.

How I spend my time with family, children, creativity, work and routine...

Recurring themes for the expression of the second quadrant are the development of consciousness beyond the limits of the Self, with family, children, novels, creations, co-workers, etc.

"What do I feel?", "What do I create and do?", "How should I organize myself and maintain myself and things?"

---

Third quadrant: Dependent and Public
The social definition, the awareness that there are The Others.

The third quadrant includes the 7th, 8th and 9th houses. These are the houses between the Descendant and the Midheaven. With most of the stars in the chart in this quadrant, the person tends to be dependent and public if they interact with matters related to this sector.

The person can be constantly faced with opportunities that imply sharing, partnerships, sharing that may involve an idealized view of life.

If the luminaries and personal stars confirm, they lean towards people who are more dependent on attention and who, for this reason, tend to seek support from others. In addition, they need to have their attitudes approved by other people. In a way, they are linked and thus, their autonomy decreases due to the synergy involved in the process, due to the nature of these houses.

How I use my time with others and partners, my limits and my expansion...

Recurring themes for third quadrant expression are the development of awareness about society, relationships, partnerships, intimacy, etc.

"How do I balance Self and Others?", "How do I transform and be reborn, how do I unite, how do I share values?", "What do I see beyond?"

---

Fourth quadrant: Independent and Public, Legacy and Future
Social expression, the integration of the Self in the world and society and its legacies.

The fourth quadrant includes the 10th, 11th and 12th houses. These are the houses between the Midheaven and the Ascendant. With a large number or majority of stars in this quadrant, relating to others is important. The person tends to have a broader world view and prefer to operate in more impersonal environments, such as large institutions where they interact with the collective in an organized way.

These sectors relate to our long-term projects and for the second half of life. We have our career and success, our brand history in the social process (10th house), the big projects that involve sponsors, our foundations and social projects (11th house), in short, our message for posterity, and finally the care of our health , our subsistence when old and fragile, plan what we will do, how we will continue to produce in the last years of life (12th house).

The native gains a greater focus on integrating his talents into society, which benefits a larger group of people.

They also tend to want to interact with other individuals and groups who share their values ​​and interests, in addition to taking pride in showing their success to others, thus finding their place in society more easily.

It has to do with the career, groups that we have affinity with and have a sense of community, and an integrative and intuitive vision. Everything that has to do with public image, social function, government and reputation comes into focus here, where we operate with the conviction of knowing what is right and ideal for everyone, of wanting to leave a mark and personal image in the world in an organized way. .

Motivation can extrapolate the idea of ​​beyond obtaining wealth, but power and broad connection, a more macro aspect and view of things.

The characteristics that manifest here will pulsate stronger in the 10th House. People will always seek to be connected with what happens in the universe, without detaching themselves from reality. His goals are more obvious, not wanting to be just "one more" in the crowd, but to leave his mark, or even his name in the history of mankind.

How I use my time with my public and social life on a larger scale...

Recurring themes for fourth quadrant expression are the development of my awareness of the world, humanity, my goals, and public service.

"What do I use and manage?", "What do I know and collaborate with?", "What will I leave as a message to the world?", "What do I believe in and how do I donate?", "How do I plan the last phase of my life due to the weaknesses and limits that this imposes?".