USING SOLAR AND LUNAR RETURNS FOR CAREER SUCCESS BY: GAYLE GEFFNER - SECRETARY NCGR-LA
If you want to advance in your profession, and utilize your career potential to the fullest, a surefire technique that I use (and wrote about in my book Pathways to Success which was reprinted and titled Astrology For Career Success) are solar and lunar returns in conjunction with each other. Solar and lunar returns can apply to any area of life, but are especially helpful when used to examine outside influences that suggest opportune times to advance yourself. Progressions can also be factored into the equation. However, I use secondary progressions as more of an internal suggestion of personal growth rather than external forces of opportunity.
A solar return chart is drawn for the exact moment each year when the Sun returns to its natal position. A lunar return chart is drawn for the time the Moon returns to its natal position.
When the Sun transits the houses of the solar return chart, it is a time to work on each house at the time of the transit. Thus, there will be at least one month each year that will be strong for you to work in a specific area of your life, whether it is the fifth house – working toward something creative or looking for a lover or perhaps the tenth house – working to improve career matters. Additionally, if the transiting Sun positively aspects a planet in your solar return, it is a time to work on that planetary placement.
Moreover, you have 13 lunar returns during each solar year, which presents 13 opportunities to work in areas of your choice. As the Moon transits the houses in your lunar return chart each lunar chart month, it is a time to begin making changes for the better in the house that the Moon transits. Also, if the transiting Moon makes a positive aspect to a planet in your lunar return, it is a time to work on that planetary placement.
Then, you may use the synastry of your lunar return chart placed around the solar return chart for further help. For example, if this month’s lunar return Jupiter is conjunct your solar return Venus in the tenth house, you can bet it is a great time to begin furthering your career. Aspects between the two return charts are also ways to find potential. Thus, you have at least 14 charts (1 solar and 13 lunar) within which to make positive changes throughout the year, as well as the synastry between the solar and lunar return charts. This is especially helpful when trying to advise clients on opportune times to act. If you really dig deep into astrological potential, you will reap a lot of benefit.
Finally, you use both solar and lunar returns along with your natal chart. The synastry between the solar return and your natal chart, as well as all 13 lunar return charts and your natal chart is invaluable. You now have even more charts within which to work.
My theory is you dig as deep as possible for any opportunity and give your clients positive suggestions from this. Of course, it may not be the best month or year for a person to try to change his/her career but he/she may not have a choice and absolutely has to look for a job or new career path, so you do the best you can to suggest the positive while acknowledging he/she may also be challenged. I try very hard to give hope rather than negativity. You can always express reservations in a cautionary manner while using the solar return, lunar return and natal charts to find the best times to act.
As an aside, I also may look at the 90 degree dial for help. Sometimes seeing the angles with this dial gives you an advantage. I won’t go into this in a short article but it is something to keep in mind. The 90 degree dial is described in Astrology for Career Success using, as an example, a police officer’s chart at the time he was involved in an internal investigation of wrongdoing on the part of other officers.
I will use my own lunar and solar return charts to exemplify how they work for career success. I wrote my first book and submitted it to ACS Publications. I know rejection letters come pretty quickly and I never got a rejection letter. I waited a long time to call ACS and the company had changed owners. My book had been put into a room with the desk and other items of someone who had left ACS at the time of the change of ownership. After finally calling ACS, my book was reviewed and published by the new owners.
The call I made to ACS to find out about my book was in August, 2000. My lunar return chart had the Moon in the ninth house of publishing in Virgo. Here was the change. Lunar return Uranus and Neptune were in Aquarius and in synastry to my natal chart, would be in my ninth house of publishing. The lunar return Moon in Virgo is ruled by Mercury suggesting writing and communication. The lunar return Mercury is in the eighth house which, using derivative houses, is the second house of money to the seventh house of partnerships and contracts - here is the funding and I did not self publish. The solar return Moon sits in my natal ninth house of publishing as well. The Sun in my solar return is in the first house which suggests I will shine personally. This is just a small sample of return charts’ impact on their own and on a natal chart. There are quite a few other placements in my three charts that come into play as well.
As you can see, you will have a lot to work with when using all three charts; especially using the solar and lunar returns individually, in synastry with each other and I synastry with the natal chart. Thus, if you are advising a client, you have a lot to give them that is positive with constructive advice on any difficulties. Hopefully, after reviewing the charts, your client will go into a job interview (be it in person or online) with head held high, shoulders back and with confidence; and, this is the person who is more likely to get the job.
You can contract Gayle Geffner at ggeffner@aol.com
(Article originally published by NCGR Member Letter and revised from original)