Could the degrees in your birth chart be the key to your future?
The brilliant astrologer Evan Nathaniel Grim of Inner World Astrology explained that degree theory is a major unlock for the cosmically inclined.
“You need to know about degree theory because it is the secret sauce to predicting major life events just by looking at your birth chart,” said Grim.
To begin, use a birth chart calculator like this one to chart your stars, and ensure you set the chart to a whole sign house system.
The zodiac wheel contains 360 degrees, with each sign taking a 30-degree slice of the pie.
When your chart appears, you’ll notice a large number next to all the planets and points; these digits correlate to the specific degree each luminary is positioned at.
“If you believe in astrology, you believe in synchronicities, and if you believe in synchronicities, then surely there is some merit to exploring the symbolic nature of these degrees, including exploring the possibility that you could convert these degrees to years of age,” said Grim.
Grim explains that this conversion is the crux of degree theory, wherein a planet’s degree is translated to a person’s age and used to determine whether the planet’s themes played a pivotal role in their life at that age.
For instance, if you have Venus at 21 degrees, you could explore how Venusian themes such as income, attraction, and self-worth were central to your life at that age.
Conversely, Pluto at 9 degrees could correlate to early maturation/transformation through loss or financial hardship.
According to Grim and the tenets of this theory, these planetary themes emerge and express themselves cyclically.
“This system operates in 30-year cycles, so you have to keep adding 30 to each planetary degree to calculate the future ages when a particular planet will have a huge influence on you, so if you have Jupiter at 10 degrees, at the ages of 10, 40, 70 and 100 (etc) Jupiterian energies would manifest,” he said.
He notes that the specific characteristics of that manifestation depend on the sign and house placement of the planet, as well as aspects to that planet — meaning not everyone’s Jupiter year will play out in the same way.
Grim also shared his list of the major themes that present when a planetary body or chart point is activated.
“Whenever the moon is activated every 30 years by this degree theory, themes around home, family, and emotions dominate. When you reach your Mars year, themes around conflict may come up for you. When you reach your Pluto year, themes around transformation, investments, and facing shadows arise.”
Grim told his followers that he applies the degree theory in his reading with clients every day.
“Astrologers are in the business of finding patterns. Give this a try on all your planets. Does this degree theory apply to you?”
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.