ASTEROIDS REPORTS:  An astrological asteroid collision.

Why you want this report:  This is another report that will provide fresh information compared to what you receive from a natal interpretation because it will include an entirely new set of influences, i.e., that of various asteroids.  You may discover a remarkable number of coincidences such as an asteroid with the name of a past or present lover conjunct your natal Venus.  There will probably be several you can’t relate to at all, but there will be a few that resonate strongly and give you additional insights into your personality.  In my experience I have found that asteroids provide considerable detail you cannot obtain from the planets alone.  These are what define you as a unique person and can describe how you use the energy of related planets in your own unique way.

Chart Used:  The usual natal chart with date, accurate time and place of birth.

Information Provided:  When you’re getting an asteroids report it’s important to know if it relates to a certain group or a multitude considered individually.  There are literally thousands of asteroids out there with names and meaning.  Some have even been promoted to “minor planet” status around the same time that Pluto was demoted to that category.  Those most commonly used by astrologers or at least those most familiar are Chiron, the “wounded healer,” which relates to the types of hurts and disappointments you encounter in life and how you handle them, and the four asteroid “goddesses,” Ceres, Pallas Athena, Vesta and Juno which for women relate strongly to how she expresses her role as a woman or for men the type of woman he’s attracted to. (More information on Chiron is available in the recording of a talk I gave at a conference which can be purchased and downloaded on my website and more on all five asteroids can be found in my ebook, Asteroid Archetypes: A Primer.)  There are also asteroids related to love relationships such as Amor, Cupido, Sappho, Lust, and Eros.  Each has unique meaning even though certain groups of asteroids carry a common theme.  The report description should tell you which ones will be analyzed.  In many cases hundreds are considered.

Some asteroids reports will give you a listing of several asteroids that are within a certain orb of your Sun, Moon and planets.  They offer an explanation of the basic myth involved as well as an interpretation of how it is likely to manifest. 

Not Provided:  Most reports only consider conjunctions with natal planets yet other aspects may have relevance as well.  Conjunctions are the strongest and most notable but major aspects such as the sextile, square, trine, opposition and quincunx often carry meaning as well, which an astrologer will usually consider.  Aspects between asteroids will probably not be included, either, even for those considered as a group, which also can include revelatory information.  House placement is usually ignored as well, which as previously stated yields clues related to what part of your life the influence affects the most.

Computerized reports of this variety are extremely unlikely to report on whether or not the asteroid is retrograde, which is no surprise since they so seldom mention it for planets, either.  In the case of the main asteroids this can bring important implications as well and probably for the lesser ones as well, though I haven’t had as much of a chance to observe the effect.  However, I have noticed that Chiron retrograde has a strong effect, usually making it more difficult for a person to process hurtful experiences and move on.  The asteroid “goddesses” in a retrograde state will also usually have an effect on their expression and it seems logical that the “love” asteroids retrograde could bring a few issues as well.

Most astrologers have a few favorite asteroids that they include in their natal readings.  Through experience they have found that they have an important influence which they convey to their clients which will not be included in computerized reports.  Having an asteroid conjunct your ascendant or Sun can have a tremendous influence on your personality.  I remember what a revelation it was to me when I discovered that I have the asteroid, Kalliope, muse of writing, conjunct my ascendant.

You may benefit from a reading of a specific asteroid thematic group which may not be available in a computerized report.  For example the love asteroids mentioned above provide important insights into your love nature and can explain what you’re drawn to or looking for and perhaps why your relationships tend to fail if there are conflicts between the different factors involved.  In other words, you may be attracted to a certain type of person yet unable to sustain the feeling for a long-term relationship.  How these asteroids interact with their placement in the other person’s chart will provide a lot of information as well. 

No matter what you’re trying to explain about yourself, you can find it somewhere astrologically. Now you know quite a bit about yourself you’re probably curious about how that relates to the people closest to you.  You may have already figured out why you get along with some people better than others, but why not find out the real reason behind it?