Speaker 1: Welcome back to another episode of Astrology with Alice. I'm
your host, Alice Bell, and today we're talking all about
solar return charts. Solar returns not to be confused with
saturn return. Solar return is completely different than a saturn return.
This is a predictive technique in astrology. It's personally my
favorite predictive technique. It's what I got into first, Like,
it's just easier to understand than transits and progressions, and
it's eerily accurate in my opinion. But basically, it's a
chart that refreshes at your birthday each year, and in astrology,
you can think of your birthday as your personal new year,
Like your birthday is always the time of year when
new themes start to surface, and whatever the vibe is
in the weeks that immediately surround your birthday is usually
indicative of like, Okay, these are themes that will be
working through for the next several months, and that is
very obviously seen in the solar return. It shows like
why you feel a certain way year to year. So yeah,
every single year, on your birthday you get a new
solar return chart. It can be read as a standalone
chart that just lasts for that twelve month period from
birthday to birthday, and it shows what areas of your
life will be most emphasized that year and what themes
you can expect to be a bigger deal. And like
I said, it's easy to comprehend because if you know
how to read a birth chart, then it's like you
can apply those same skills to the solar return and
just know that that's a standalone chart.
Speaker 2: It just lasts a year.
Speaker 1: There's not a lot of moving parts that go on
with a solar return. And what I also like about
this technique is that when it comes to prediction, I
always put transits first, Like that's my primary thing that
I always look at, Like if it's not showing up
in a transit chart at the very least, then it's
not something that's likely going to happen at that period
of time. But like the same rising sign, for instance,
will get the same transits moving through the same houses
in their chart at the same time, like all Leo risings,
we all have Jupiter moving through our twelfth house right now,
whereas like all Virgo risings currently have Saturn leaving their
seventh and moving into their eighth. But what I really
like about the solar return is it shows how those
transits are actually playing out for you and why one
Virgo rising, for instance, might feel completely differently with Saturn
in the seventh than another Virgo rising. It just shows like, Okay,
how are we actually feeling on an individual level about
those transits and how they're affecting my chart, Like let's
go a bit deeper here. And I'm actually recording this
episode on my birthday Sunday, January twenty fifth, so it
feels very fitting since I am entering into a new
solar return chart today and I'm always thinking more about
this at this time of year because it's like it's
hard to deny there's new energy coming in right at
your birthday. So in this episode, I want to break
solar returns down into an easy way for you to
go and interpret your own solar return charts. So I'm
going to give five key steps you should take just
right off the bat, what you should be prioritizing when
you look at a solar return. And as I go
through this, it could be very helpful to pull up
your past solar returns. These charts are available on all
free chart generator websites like astroseik astro dot com. They
all have options to pull up a solar return, but
go back and look at like, what was a super
difficult year in your life, and how was that represented
in the solar return with what houses were activated, what
planets were in those houses, and then compare and contrast
that to a really great year in your life. Or
maybe there's certain years that have felt very significant where
a ton of changes took place, or you were more
visible in your career, or there were these just major
life developments like getting married or having a baby, for instance,
versus what are years that felt more like not a
lot was happening, like it was a more internal behind
the scenes here. And that's really how you can start
getting an idea of how these are actually playing out.
Like always start with your past and how certain elements
are resonating with you. And if you like this episode
and you want to go deeper with learning about solar returns,
I have two written guides on this prediction technique on
substack Astrology with Alice or Alicepell dot substack dot com
that I've put out over the last couple of years.
So you can search in the search bar on my
substack channel. I believe the first one is just called
tips for Interpreting a solar return chart, and then the
second one is called Solar Returns Part two, And in
those I go through a more detailed explanation of like
pulling up the chart, more details on these steps I'm
about to go through, and then part two, that guide
takes it a step further, looking at different patterns and
how you can combine perfections and solar returns and different
techniques you can incorporate there. And also because these solar
return guides have been some of my most read articles
on substack, I'm going to be hosting a live workshop
on solar returns in mid February for paid substack subscribers
to join, and that'll be fun to share past solar
return charts, learn from each other, and just really cement
the knowledge of this prediction technique because it's so accurate,
and it's just like once you understand solar returns, it's
like hard to not keep looking at them. Like I
will go through my own life and look at every
solar return up until like my eighties, my nineties, just
to get a picture of like these patterns and these
segments of life where there's very visible themes that pop
up in the solar returns. So yeah, if you're subscribed
on substack, stay tuned for more details coming on date
and time and where to join that workshop that will
be coming in the middle of February. And one last
thing in Substack news. Earlier this week, I put out
a guide on the steps I take when making predictions
in general. So this goes over what hierarchy of prediction
techniques that I use, how I blend them together, so
looking at transits, lunar returns, solar returns, perfections, and how
I keep track of all of these things and incorporate
them together without it feeling very jumbled and confusing. So
if you want more information on using astrology in a
predictive way and to understand the timing of your life,
that might be helpful to check out too. Okay, so
let's get into the five steps you should be taking
when interpreting a solar return chart. So, like I just mentioned,
you can pull up a solar return on most free
chart generator websites. I love using astro seek dot com.
Astro dot com is also a really good resource too.
The one thing that I do that might be different
from other astrologers. Is I always set the reference place,
like there'll be a place to at the bottom of
these charts where it's like set the reference place for
the solar return. I always, always, always use the birth city.
There's just something about the city in which you were
born that is super significant when it comes to all
of this timing in your life. So I never change
the solar return to reflect the city I'm currently living
in or where I might be traveling on my birthday.
I just don't find the chart to be as accurate
when I do that. It's always way more accurate when
you use the birth city. And that became very of because,
like my sister was living in Australia and she was
born on the East coast of the United States, and
I while she was in Australia, I would set the
chart to like her birth city in the US, and
the solar return set to the birth city was just
so much more reflective of her experiences she was going through,
even living on the other side of the world that
I couldn't deny its importance. And I also find like,
if you were to travel on the day of your birthday,
the city or country in what you're traveling to, Like
if you set the solar return to that, it's just
not accurate. Like always use the birth city is my
main point here. So the first step once you have
the chart pulled up is where is the sun in
the solar return chart? Because this is a solar return,
So the sun is like what is getting the return here?
And the sign of this sun will never change because
at your birthday, the sun is always returning to the
sign and which you were born, your zodiac sign. So
what I really prioritize with the sun in this chart
is its house placement, and depending on what house the
sun is falling in, the solar return really shows like
where you're growing into this greater sense of self over
the course of that year, and where maybe you're developing
these new sides to your identity or learning how to
shine more.
Speaker 2: And be more fully yourself.
Speaker 1: It may also be that that's where a lot of
your attention is directed that year, Like that's where you're
coming up with the most goals, that's what you're the
most focused on for that twelve month period. So just
to give a couple of examples, like last year I
had the sun on the mid heaven in the ninth
house of my solar return, and it actually wasn't like
a huge year for career visibility, but I noticed more
so that it was a year of putting a lot
of thought into where I wanted to be in my
career in the long term. And I feel like that's
such a mid heaven even like tens in the tenth
house of a solar return theme, just like how do
I want to show up publicly? How do I want
to be perceived by people? And having that likely tied
back in with what you do for a living, whereas
I've had other years like with the son in the
second house, finances are a huge deal with a second
house son solar return. And maybe it's that you're making
more money, but it could also be that you're spending
a lot more and you're growing the most by like
learning how to get a better handle on your finances
and keeping track of all of these expenses, or just
recognizing the value you bring to your job and that
you need to be paid a certain amount for your work. Meanwhile,
I see a lot of the time a fifth house
solar return son when someone is very involved with either
being pregnant or having a child, and children are taking
up a lot of the energy that year, or they're
growing the most through learning how to be a new parent.
Another way I might interpret a fifth house son if
children are pregnancy is not in your places at all,
would be really refinding your creativity and getting involved in
projects that aren't necessarily linked to work, but are just
simply for your own enjoyment. Dating could also be another
big topic that comes up with a fifth house sun
solar return. But yeah, I hope you get the gist
from just looking at the sun in these various houses
of a solar return, and how just automatically you can
know that house right off the bat is automatically going
to be a bigger focus for you that year. So
moving on to step two. This step two is always
look to what is the rising sign of the solar return,
but even more importantly, what house in your natal chart,
like your birth chart does this rising sign rule that
honestly is more important than just like what is the
rising sign of the solar return. So let's say you
are a Scorpio rising chart and Capricorn rules your house
in your birth chart, and one year you get a
solar return that has a Capricorn rising, that would mean
I mean yes, the themes of Capricorn would be prevalent
that year, like probably having to take on greater responsibilities,
putting in more work, maybe feeling more stressed out. But
also the third house themes, because that's your natal that's
what Capricorn rules in your natal chart. The third house
themes are brought to such prominence and become almost a
lens through which you approach the rest of your life
throughout that year long period. So it might be a
year where there's a lot more socializing or quick like
short form travel or wanting to learn a specific skill,
or maybe writing and communication based projects are what you're
heavily involved with that year. To contrast, as a Leo rising,
Capricorn rules my six house. So whenever I get a
Capricorn rising in the solar return, I can automn six
house themes, like my health particularly that's going to be
a huge theme for the year, like where there's probably
a health issue that I have to deal with, or
I just have to follow more of a rigid routine
and like really take care of my body and get
things like structured so that I feel the best in
my mind and body. To give some other examples, like,
let's say the sign that rules your ic angle in
your birth chart that is brought to the solar return
ascendant for the year. Maybe that's a big year where
you're moving, or you're really involved with home related projects,
or big things are happening in the family, or like
if the sign of your mid heaven happens to be
your rising sign for a solar return year, that's probably
going to be a pivotal year with career, either where
you're figuring out what do you want to do next
with work, or you're receiving more attention or even like
a leadership role in your career. It really depends on
where other things are in the solar return chart. But
just by looking at what natal house is brought to
the ascendant can give you so much insight into other
key themes you're likely to experience during that year. For
step three, it does take the interpretation of the rising
sign a bit further. So step three is where's the
chart ruler? What house is that falling in the solar return?
So if you have a Gemini rising chart in your
solar return, where's mercury? If you have an Aquarius rising,
where a Saturn? If you have an Ares rising, where's Mars?
So it really depends on what planet rules the rising sign.
And for this I use traditional rulers, So I use
Mars for a Scorpio rising, Saturn for an Aquarius rising,
in Jupiter for a Pisces rising. But the house placement
of the chart ruler for that year will act similarly
to like where's the house placement of the Sun. It'll
just be this other area of intense focus for that year,
like where you're really coming into this greater sense of self.
So a lot of what I just said about the
Sun's placement in a solar return can be applied to
the chart ruler. And it's it's kind of like how
I was saying how the natal house brought to the
focus for that year, like the Capricorn rising ruling my
sixth house, then noting like, okay, where is sadder and
the ruler of this Capricorn rising placed in the chart?
Where am I noticing the most growth or the more
of steps taken that have to do with my health?
And also these Capricorn themes in general. And I find
that years when the chart ruler of the solar return
is placed in houses like the twelfth or the eighth
or the fourth, it does tend to be a more
introspective year where there's more like transformation going on internally
and there could be like grappling with more difficult emotions
or maybe stuff going on with relationships or family dynamics,
whereas like a more visible, like action oriented year, the
chart ruler might be in the eleventh house. That would
mean like maybe you feel very supported by people and
you have like a greater sense of community that year,
or if the chart ruler happens to be in the
seventh house, maybe there's this major new step being brought
up in a relationship, or that could very well be
a year where you do get into a relationship and
that's a huge focus.
Speaker 2: For that year.
Speaker 1: I remember one year I had an Aquarius rising chart,
and even though the sun was in the first house,
because I'm an Aquarius, so it would automatically be in
the first house if I have an Aquarius rising solar return,
the ruling planet of that rising Saturn was in the
twelfth that year, so it very much was a twelfth
house year where I felt kind of burned out, didn't
really know, felt directionless, confused and just had a lot
of time alone reflecting on what comes next. And then
the next year, I had the chart ruler in the
ninth house and it was such a more outgoing year
where I really I wanted to teach and like share
knowledge more. And I actually started my first podcast during
a chart ruler in the ninth House of a solar
return year. So I just love that. Like with a
solar return it it only lasts one year, so if
you do have a difficult time, you can know, Okay,
in several months from now, we're going to get a
totally different vibe here and we can go from having
a super depressing year to suddenly at my next birthday
having this other area be a huge focus and I
finally have direction again and I feel supported by people.
So that's just like why I like solar returns in general.
They give a very firm start and end date to things. Okay,
moving on to step number four. Where is the moon
in the solar return chart? And unlike the sun, so
I mentioned how the sun sign never changes, the moon
sign does, and it becomes very important looking at what
sign element it is and the solar return and also
what house is it falling in for that year two.
So similar to the exerss we just did with the
solar return rising sign, I like to do the same
with the solar return moon, looking at based on what
sign it's falling in for the year, what house in
your birth chart does that moon activate as well as
what house is it falling in in the solar return
and in your birth chart there will be a trio
of houses that are ruled by the same element. So
like the first, fifth, and ninth houses, they all have
to do with a creativity, learning, self expression. They're all
going to be ruled by one sign element like a
fire sign and air sign, a water sign or an
earth sign. Same with the relationship oriented houses in your chart,
the third, seventh, and eleventh, the career oriented houses second, sixth,
and tenth again, those are all going to be ruled
by this same sign element. And then the mental health
more introverted houses twelfth, fourth, and eighth will be two.
So depending on what signs rule, like what sign element
rules that trio of houses in your chart. When a
solar return moon falls in that element of signs, it
brings that energy of okay, this is going to be
maybe a more introverted year or more social year. So
as a fire sign rising, all of my relationship oriented
houses in my chart, the third, seventh, and eleventh, they're
all ruled by air sign risings. And I notice that
when I get a solar return moon that falls in
an air sign, that tends to be a way more
social year where there's just a lot of outings, a
lot of meeting people versus solar return moon and a
water sign. I really don't like, to be honest, because
it's a more mental health focused year where emotions feel stronger.
So looking at the element in which the solar return
moon falls is very key, but then also looking at
the house in which it falls in the solar return
is very important. And the moon shows where you're going
through a lot of fluctuation throughout that year. So the
topics of the house in which the moon is placed
may not feel the most steady, and maybe there's a
lot of emotions that are coming up related to that
area of your life, or there's like ups and downs
where things may not feel. Kind of like I just said,
study or committed are not words I would associate with
the solar return moon. It's more like okay. When you're up,
you're up okay, and then we're gonna come back down
and then up again. It's just a lot of fluctuations
throughout the year. There so often when I see the
solar return moon in the seventh house of that person's
solar return chart, that can be a year where like
maybe they're going through a breakup or like a friendship breakup,
even where they're kind of emotional about where they stand
with a friend and like emotions are very up and
down regarding that relationship, or maybe they are in a
relationship but it's I don't know, like things are long
distance and you're kind of emotional about not seeing that
person all the time, or there's you're going through as
a partnership that requires more emotional energy for me, and
it may not feel just totally stable for that year,
because the moon also represents the home and family and
very much like your personal innermost self when it falls
in the prominent parts of the chart, like the ascendant
and the mid heaven specifically, like if you have the
moon on one of those angles, or even just in
the first or tenth house for the year, it can
show that home and family or emotional topics are very
much at the forefront of your attention that year.
Speaker 2: And I've said this before.
Speaker 1: I think maybe in a workshop that I did on
soil it returns back in twenty twenty three. But when
the moon falls, like in the first house, that's often
a year when someone is having kids or moving homes,
just or topics involving the family are very important that year.
And the same could be said for the moon on
the mid heaven, whereas maybe you have the moon in
the third or the ninth house for the year, and
this topic of learning and travel and education, like that's
so much more important and that's where all of your
emotional energy is being directed. But it could also be
like that stuff may not feel totally easy, and it's
kind of like what type of content do I want
to put out there? And constantly going back and forth
in your emotions of what subjects resonate the most with me,
what should I write about? What should I share about,
and having that just be an ongoing theme, And then
that brings us to step five, which is what houses
are emphasized in the solar return chart in general, and
also what's the vibe of the planets that are placed
in these houses, So in transits there'll be certain planetary
configurations that go on for a while. So, for instance,
the two planets Saturn and Neptune have been very close together,
first in Pisces, and now as we move into people
getting twenty twenty six solar returns charts, you're gonna see
Saturn and Neptune both in aries in the aries world
house of your solar return chart. So those are very tough,
like stressful, confusing planets put together. So looking at the
solar return you can kind of know, Okay, that's a
stressful energy. What house is that activating in the solar
return chart? How is that maybe a harder area of
my life this year? Or how are we really having
to get things together? May maybe it feels like I'm
putting a lot of work into this area of my life,
but I still feel frustrated with where this is eventually
leading me, like there's not a clear long term picture
there yet. For instance, some of my hardest, most stressful
career years have been when Saturn or Neptune are both together,
are in career oriented houses of the solar return, like
the tenth house, the second house. It just leaves things
feeling very confusing with work. And then we can contrast
that with, okay, where are more positive planets placed, and
it might be that you do get a positive planet.
Like last year, I had Venus thrown in with Saturn
and Neptune in one house of the chart, and it
was like, Okay, there were good things happening there, but
ultimately I felt like Saturn and Neptune outweighed the presence
of Venus and there was more stress than positivity. But
let's say you have like Jupiter or Venus in a
separate house, then maybe like that house would be a
good area of life for you to lean into that
year because there's more happening there, there's more opportunities for growth,
or things are flowing much more easily, Like I just
went over tougher career years were when Saturn and Neptune
or like even just those separately were in work focused houses.
But like a really good year for my astrology business
was when I had Venus and Jupiter both in the
second house of the solar return, and that really kickstarted
my business and I started making way more money than
I was used to making, So that became an area
like second house topics were a focus in that that
was where a lot of positive opportunity and growth was
coming through that year. So I guess part one of
this step five is like what are the planets in
the houses? What's the energy of those planets like Saturn
and Neptune and Pluto would be more challenging, Mars would
also be more challenging placed in a house, whereas Sun
Venus Jupiter would likely be more positive, Mercury more neutral.
I'm missing a planet, You're honest, would bring change to
a certain house. So it really depends on what planets
are placed there and what's the vibe they're bringing to
that solar return house. And then also just stepping back
and looking at the solar return chart as a whole, like,
not every single house and the solar return is going
to be filled with planets, So it's looking at what
houses are filled with planets and how are those houses
and the topics associated with those houses setting the tone
for that year. There might be some years where it's
a very eighth house heavy year and maybe finances take
up a lot of your energy, or dealing with relationship
conflict or your own mental health. Same could go for
a twelfth house year. I have a friend and she
was having like such a horrible year, and I go
show me your solar return and it was like every
single planet was in the twelfth or the eighth house,
and I was like, no, wonder, Like next year's going
to feel so much better. This is such a like
internal like things not happening type of year for you,
Whereas if it was a third, seventh, eleventh House, even
fifth House oriented type of year, being around people having
fun experiences, feeling supported by community or in a relationship
or dealing with relationship stuff would be a bigger theme.
But again it's important to check what planets are there.
Like I've had really depressing years dating or with relationship
stuff where it was Neptune and Chirn or in the
seventh House. Same with Neptune and Chirn when they were
together in Piscey in the fifth house. Like those years
were so much different than having Jupiter in the seventh.
Speaker 2: House one year, for instance.
Speaker 1: So to reiterate focus on what houses are highlighted and
then get into what's the vibe of the planets that
are there and are they bringing challenging energy, are they
bringing more positive energy? But yeah, those are my five
initial steps to get you started on interpreting solar return charts.
If you want a more in depth to look at
this predictive technique, my guides Part one and Part two
are available on substack. Part two especially has a lot
more information than I gave here, and stay tuned for
more details on the upcoming workshop that I'm going to
be hosting on solar returns. And if you can't catch
it live when I send out the date for it,
I always send out the replay to watch permanently on substack.
Thank you for listening and I'll see you back here
next time