JACK ELLIS - THE BLACK BOOK OF COLD READING

Midheaven is always the cusp of the tenth house, but eachsystem results in a different sign (or the same sign at adifferent degree) on the Midheaven. Placidus and Koch are"unequal" house systems which can result in interceptions.An interception occurs when two opposite signs are each onthe cusp of two houses, while another two opposite signs arenot on any house cusps at all and are instead inside of houses with neighboring signs on their cusps. But in anygiven chart, the signs intercepted by Koch are notnecessarily the same ones that would be intercepted usingPlacidus.The Equal house system is just what its name implies. Allthe houses have the same degree on each cusp, and thereare no interceptions. Equal house systems are especiallyuseful for people born in the northernmost andsouthernmost latitudes, and this system is the most popularone in use outside of the United States.No given house system is better than another, onlydifferent. Astrologers select the systems which they feelwork best for them and for their clients. They also selectsystems which best suit the kinds of astrology they practice,giving them the desired interpretive results. For example,those who practice astropsychology are often inclined to usePlacidus, and those who practice Uranian astrology are morelikely to select Koch. If you are unsure which system is bestfor you, try both, or try one of the other house systems, andsee which produces the most reliable results. That's the besthouse system -- for you.About OrbWhen planets form relationships such as trines, squares,oppositions, etc., those relationships are called aspects. Theterm "orb" refers to the range of degrees between any twoplanets when they are in aspect to each other. A wide(large) orb of 10 degrees is felt by only a few peopleAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com24
because you would have to be very sensitive to the earliestand slightest influences of the aspect. However, a tight(small) orb of 3Eor less means the aspect is more intenseand significant in nature, and it is felt by nearly everyone,especially the closer it is to being exact (0E). The reportsadvertised on this website make use of small orbs of 3Eorless when possible.About RelocationEveryone wants to know where the best place is for them tolive. That ideal place where your life will work perfectly. But,what constitutes a "best" place is not the same for everyone.Astrology can help you find places that are good for you, butthat doesn’t mean you will like them. For example, twoplaces that are great for me astrologically include EasterIsland and a place near the Arctic Circle named CambridgeBay. I don’t like islands or snow, so I’m not going to eitherlocation.Some astrologers believe that the farther away from yourbirthplace you go, the less likely you are to follow the pathon which your spirit was set when first it came to this planeof existence. In some ways this makes sense, becausewherever you move, you will have to make some form of compromise. No place is 100% perfect for anyone.I lived for many years in Venice, California, a place that Iloathe with every fiber of my being. I could not wait to getout of that place. Finally, I moved up the coast to myhometown of Monterey, a place I truly love and that is fairlyclose to my birthplace of San Francisco. But, is it perfect inMonterey? Close, but not quite.Astrologically, Monterey is good for me because I don’t getone of the very negative aspects I had in Venice. But,geographically speaking, I moved to a place that has a veryhigh cost of living with pitifully low wages. All thingsconsidered, however, it is the perfect place for me.When I first set out to decide where to live, it was during aAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com25
time when I spent a good deal of each year lecturingthroughout the United States and other English-speakingcountries. On various lecture circuits, I managed to visit allbut four states, some of which I visited on several differentoccasions.I must have relocated my chart at least 100 times, trying tofind my ideal place. I ended up with a list of fifteen citiesthat were promising astrologically. Out of those, I actuallyliked about nine.When it came time to narrow down my selections, astrologydidn’t help. I had to actually think about what my life wouldbe like in those cities. Boy did that ever narrow thechoicesdown fast! Now I was left with only three cities, one of whichwas Monterey. When it came to making the final decision, Ipicked the city where I actually knew people and had livedbefore. Monterey had changed a lot, but it still felt likehome.When you decide to relocate, you need to look at more than just your relocated chart. You need to visit different places,check out the jobs, the weather, the housing, the schools,etc. And, if you have a spouse and family, you and yourspouse will need to agree on a community that is good forthe two of you and your family.Use astrology as a tool to help you narrow your choices.Then, take some time to really research the cities and makeseveral visits to each prospective "best place." When it’stime to move, you will make your decision based on factsand first-hand evaluation. And that’s how to find your bestplace to live.Many Happy Returns with your Solar ReturnSolar returns are also called birthday charts. In fact, it’sfrom the solar return that we get the expression "manyAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com26
happy returns" which we say when wishing someone ahappy birthday.Your solar return is calculated for the exact date and timewhen the Sun returns to the place it was in when you wereborn. This means that your true birthday may fall on thesame date you were born, or it may fall the day before orafter, depending on when the Sun reaches the correctdegree. For example, if you were born on September 28,1950, when the Sun was at 05ELIB 00', your solar returnwould fall on September 27th in the years 2004, 2005, and2006.Many reputable astrologers believe you can affect theoutcome of your solar return by being in a place other thanyour birthplace or your place of residence at the time of thereturn. Some people will go to extraordinary lengths to visitanother town or country for their solar return. This isbecause calculating a solar return for a different location cancause certain desirable planetary aspects to appear, andcertain undesirable planetary aspects to disappear, or aplanet or planets can change houses if the chart is erectedfor a different place.However, while the ancients believed in erecting a solarreturn for the location in which a person is at the time of thereturn, people back then did not travel much, and they couldnot have anticipated our highly mobile lifestyles.The solar return takes the single day of the return and usesthe 24 hours that follow the return to predict the futureevents for that year. But, we can argue that, likeprogressions, we need to recalculate the solar return for theplace where the person lives once they return home. Why isthe solar return any different than a progression in thatrespect? After all, if I went to New York in June, I wouldn’terect my progressions there and then return to the WestCoast and rely on those New York calculations. When IAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com27
progress the planets in my solar returns to predict events, ithas always been the solar return chart erected for myresidence that has been reliable.The 12 Zodiac SignsMarch 21 - April 19Aries...The Ram...Fire Sign...Cardinal Sign...Newbeginnings, adventurer, courage, part of body is the 'head'April 20 - May 20Taurus...The Bull...Earth sign...Fixed sign...Possessive, calm,relaxed, materialistic, loves creature comforts, part of bodyis the 'neck and throat'May 21 - June 21Gemini...The Twins...Air Sign...Mutable...Communications,impulsive, changeable, inquiring, intelligent, exploring, partof the body is the 'lungs,arms, and hands'June 22 - July 22Cancer...The Crab...Water Sign...Cardinal...The home, shyemotional, intuitive, protective, domestic, part of body is'stomach and breasts'July 23 - August 22Leo...The Lion...Fire sign...Fixed...Ownership, pride, ego,power, children, passionate, works well alone, part of body is the 'heart and spineAugust 23 - September 22Virgo...The Virgin...Earth sign...Mutable, Attention to details,worrying, practical, analytical, discriminating, clean, aperfectionist, part of body is the 'colon'All contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com28
September 23 - October 23Libra...The Scale...Air sign...Cardinal...Marriage and union,partnerships, diplomatic, compassionate,balanced, part of body is the 'kidneys'October 24 - November 21Scorpio...The Scorpion or Eagle...Watersign...Fixed...Intense, death, rebirth, responsibility,genuine, purification, the mafia of the zodiac, the part of the body is the 'sexual organs'November 22 - December 21Sagittarius...The Archer...Fire sign...Mutable...Truth,religion, philosophy, generous, frank, enthusiastic, reasonrather than emotion, adventurer, part of the body is 'lowerback and thighs'December 22 - January 19Capricorn...The Goat...Earth sign...Cardinal...Practicalvision, unemotional, sober, orderly, control, manipulating,power, dependable, part of body is the 'knees'January 20 - February 18Aquarius...The Water Bearer...Air sign...Fixed...Detached,team work, friends, unconventional, humane, independent,warm, part of the body is the 'legs and hips'February 19 - March 20Pisces...The Fishes...Water sign...Mutable...Intuitive,accepting, understanding, impressionable, part of the bodyis the 'feet and ankles'ASPECTSAspects are an important part of modern astrology. As theplanets move in their elongated orbits around the Sun, theyAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com29
form various angular relationships with one another, usingthe Sun (or Earth) as the center. These are called Aspects.The most popular aspects result from dividing the circle bynumbers like 1,2,3,4, resulting in aspects such as theconjunction (0 degrees), opposition (180 degrees), trine(120 degrees), square (90 degrees), and so forth. When twoplanets form an aspect with one another, their energies andnatures are said to combine and work in harmony or discord.For example, when two planets are exactly on opposite sidesof the Sun (earth), they are in opposition.The most popular aspects can be divided into three maincategories:1...Emphatic aspects...The emphatic aspects are those thatemphasize or align two planetary energies with one another.Conjunction (0 degrees) ...two planets at the same point inthe zodiac are said to be in conjunctions. Their natures arefused or blended into one.....Opposition (180 degrees) ..twoplanets at opposite sides of the zodiac. The energies are inalignment with each other. They can pull together or apart,depending upon the nature of the planets involved.2...Hard aspects...square (90 degrees) and semi-square (45degrees). These represent challenge, obstacles, andsubstance. They provide meat and potatoes in our life. Toomany can block or obstruct the life flow, yet too few cancause life to be weak or thin.3...Soft aspects...trine (120 degrees) and sextile (60degrees).The soft aspects bring ease, clarity, and vision to our lives.We can see, grasp, and understand what is happening. Tofew of the soft aspects means we don't know what we aredoing or what is happening in our lives, while too many softaspects make for a life that runs cool, is overly mental, andlacking in substance.All contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com30
Exact aspects and aspect's 'orbs'. Aspects between planetsgradually form, become exact and separate.When an aspect is exact, it has its greatest impact. Yet, theeffect of most aspects can be felt for some time before andafter the moment when it is exact. The range within whichan aspect is in operation is called its 'orb of influence', orsimply its orb. An orb of one or two degrees of arc on eitherside of the exact aspect is considered a close or tight orb,while an orb of 10 degrees is loose.Also worthy of consideration when looking at aspects arethe planets involved. Aspects to the Sun and Moon are mostimportant, followed by the planetary aspects involvingMercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune,and Pluto. If your natal chart has an accurate birth time,then aspects to the chart angles (ascendant and midheaven)are also important. The particular combination can make adifference. Aspects between planets such as Saturn andMars are obviously more potentially explosive then the sameaspect between Venus and Jupiter.ASPECT SYMBOLS1...CONJUNCTION...0 DEGREE2 ...SEMI-SEXTILE...30 DEGREES3 ...SEXTILE...60 DEGREES4 ...SQUARE...90 DEGREES5 ...TRINE...120 DEGREES6 ...SESQUIQUADRATE...135 DEGREES7 ...OPPOSITION...180 DEGREES8 ...QUINCUNX...150 DEGREESAll contents © 2005 – ColdReadingBook.com31
HousesWe assume that the Earth is a fixed point, and that all othercosmic bodies revolve around it once a day.The main circle of the chart is divided into 12 equalsegments. One segment, or House equals twohours out of the total 24 hours. Houses relate toeveryday activities; the first to personality, thesecond to possessions, and so on. A planet orplanets placed in a particular House affectsthe area of life represented by that House in a mannertypical of the planet. The House must beconsidered according to the sign in which thecusp, or starting point, of the particular Housefalls. The area of life represented by the 12 Houses are asfollows:1 Personality, health, disposition. It represents how oneappears to the Elements. The 12 signs are separated in 4elements, Fire, Earth, Air and Water. By examining thedifferent planets in these signs together with the planets inthe qualities of signs, astrologers can draw a profile analysisof a subject.FIRE...Aries, Leo, Sagittarius...People of fire signsare explosive,volatile, energetic. They are leaders,inventors and adventurers. Their weaknesses are thetendency of doing their work to their extremes and burnthemselves out. The Fire attributes are best to becounterbalanced by Earth signs.EARTH...Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn...People of Earth signs arepractical, cautious and reliable. If they are lacking (fewEarth signs) they lack outsiders