(52) Hemisphere Emphasis

It is always important, when interpreting a chart, to see if all the planets fall in the upper half of it, (from houses 7 through 12), in the lower half (houses 1 through 6), all in the eastern half (houses 10- through 3), or the western half (houses 4 through 9). When either of these four possibilities is the case, the chart is sharply pointed toward one area of experience.

Another important possibility that relates to these four is when 9 of the planets fall in one of these quadrants, with the 10th planet in the opposite quadrant – for instance when 9 of the planets are in the upper half of the chart with the 10th planet in the lower half. When this is the case, THE SINGLE PLANET (CALLED THE “SINGLETON IN HEMISPHERE) WILL SIGNIFY BY ITS PLACEMENT THE HEMISPHERE OF EMPHASIS. Many astrology students have a difficult time comprehending this, for they often tend to think that the hemisphere emphasis should be indicated by the one that has the most number of planets, i.e., where the 9 planets are. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Through dominating the hemisphere it is in, the SINGLETON IN HEMISPHERE gains great power, for both itself and the hemisphere in which it is found.

To be able to uses this indication as an interpretative tool, it is important to understand the meaning of the hemispheres.

The upper hemisphere (houses 7 through 12) signifies the world at large, outer experience, people as a whole, and outer life. The lower hemisphere (houses 1 through 6) signifies ones inner and private world – away from society at large. You might think of the upper hemisphere as being like the big city, and the lower hemisphere as living in the country.

The eastern hemisphere (houses 10 through 3) signifies purely personal concerns, apart from any consideration of how they relate to the outside world. The western hemisphere (houses 4 through 9) signifies everything outside the self – the “not-self.” This is the realm of negotiation and all the outer things that we have to come to terms with.

When all 10 planets are in the upper hemisphere (houses 7 through 12) the person tend to be very publicly and socially oriented. What is most important to them is how they relate to the world at large. Usually there career is very important to them, as well as the affairs of the world at large rather than just the affairs of their own country. They are very concerned with what other people as a whole – as a culture and a race – are doing. This is their most natural frame of reference, and where they tend to be at their best.

When all l0 planets are n the lower hemisphere (houses 1 through 6) the person tends to be private – primarily concerned with their own little world, meaning the close friends they have made, and their family, or near neighbors. There life has an intimate quality. I think that unfortunately many people tend to place a negative value judgement on this, thinking that somehow its better to be a social activist and involved with the world at large. The fact is, a person with all their planet below the horizon can do many good and wonderful deeds for humanity, but they will tend to do it at A GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. The person with all the planets in the lower half of their chart tends to greatly value their privacy, and if everything is going well in their personal and private world, they are happy.

When all 10 planets are in the eastern half of the chart (between houses 10 and 3) the person is primarily concerned with their own personal self, rather than with the lives, needs and demands of others. This sounds selfish, but isn’t necessarily so. Let’s say we have an architect who has this setup in their chart. They may need to deeply search their being to decide what types of houses they want to build. They may be acutely aware of their own needs, and if these needs are fulfilled, it can satisfy them to the extent that they might bring into the world marvelous buildings in which people are happy to be for many years, or even centuries. Is that selfish? Being self-oriented in the right way is not selfish, for what is truly good for you spiritually HAS TO BE GOOD FOR OTHER PEOPLE. Yes, a person with all their planets in the eastern half of the chart can be selfish in a negative way, but if this is so it is neurotic behavior – a kind of selfishness that never truly centers the self. A person self-centered in spirit radiates love. We may approach the spiritual through self, or through others.

Another important quality of the person who has all their planets in the eastern half of the chart is an uncompromising nature. Now if what they are being compromising about is something positive, then they often have the power to compel others to change, to compromise, to come to them, to go along with them, and this can be wonderful if they change they are effecting on other people through this is of a positive, life supporting sort.

If all the planets in a chart are in the western half of the chart (between houses 4 and 9), the person is oriented toward the needs of others. They are at their best when they are aware of how to most fully and completely relate to other people. They can be very aware of others’ needs, and can often achieve success through finding positive ways of fulfilling these needs. This setup in a chart says, “I can’t be happy unless you’re happy.” At worst it could be self-effacing and neglectful of the self.

Whenever there is a singleton in hemisphere, the nature of that planet will show the type of approach the person has to that hemisphere, and the house placement of that planet will show the type of circumstances through which this person approaches the whole of that hemisphere. To give an example of this, I have Jupiter as singleton in the western hemisphere. This means that all of my relating to the outside world is dominated by an enthusiasm – the desire to encourage, to relate whole-heartedly, to be generous. If this is to manifest negatively it can come out as going to far, trying too hard, doing too much in terms of trying to relate. And the fact that my Jupiter is in the 4th house means that my whole means of relating to this outside world is through an intimacy (4th house), through getting close, and through trying to help others to feel more secure. I enter easily into the private world of others – I love to do so. 4th house signifies ones private world.

Let’s give another example: say a person has Moon in 8th house as singleton in the upper hemisphere. This individual is socially oriented, and approaches this from a feeling standpoint, wanting probably to be nurturing to the world. There is an emotional need (Moon) to bring change into the world (8th house). In my mind I can hear a student asking, “but wouldn’t this always be true of moon in 8th house?” The answer is yes, but when the Moon in this position becomes a singleton in hemisphere IT IS MANIFESTING WITH FAR MORE INTENSITY, AND IS NOT CONFINING ITS INFLUENCE TO JUST THE 8TH HOUSE, BUT TO THE WHOLE UPPER HALF OF THE CHART, THE 7TH, 8TH, 9TH, 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH HOUSES!! Its going to affect how they relate (7th house), their philosophy of life (9th house), their career (10th house), their choice of friends and the groups to which they belong (11th house) and their intuition (12th house).

I just heard another student say to me, “but if the 11th house is the house of friends, how come it falls in the public, upper half of the chart, and not in the private, or lower half.” The answer to this is that there are two types of friendships. Friendship as defined by the 11th house is more open-ended, that is, where the relationship is not exclusive, but is part of a network – you and your friends have other friends, many of them possibly mutual. Maybe the bunch of you are organized into a group or a club. The fourth house rules family BUT NOT JUST BLOOD RELATIONS. THE FOURTH HOUSE RULES ANYONE THAT COMES TO FEEL LIKE FAMILY TO YOU PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. So, for instance, I have a lot of friends in the 11th house sense, but only some of them are what I would consider family – in the 4th house sense.

This preponderance by hemisphere and singleton in hemisphere is highly important. Try to always keep it in mind when you find it in a chart, and adjust your interpretations accordingly.

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