Your Guide To Astrocartography

Once you start digging beneath the surface of sun and moon signs, you’ll learn that there’s much more to astrology than meets the eye. Not only are there rising signs, nodes, houses, and elements to consider, but there’s also something called astrocartography that dives even deeper into your birth chart.

Astrocartography — also known as locational astrology or astrogeography — is a tool that takes the placement of the planets at the moment you were born and projects them onto the map of the world, says Nechama Muchnik, an astrologer and co-founder of the astrology app Planet. It ends up looking like a bunch of colorful lines stretched and swirled across the continents and oceans — and it all holds special meaning.

Each line corresponds with a different planet and each one reveals your optimal — or most challenging — places to be, depending on your goal. “These lines can pertain to your love life, career, family, fame potential, spirituality, and more,” Muchnik tells Bustle. “Every person’s map is unique to their individual natal chart and acts as a snapshot of the energy they have in different parts of the world.”

Astrocartography is taking off on TikTok, where the topic has over 1.1. billion views, but it isn’t easy to decipher at first glance. If you’re equal parts intrigued and confused, keep reading below where astrologers explain what astrocartography is used for, how to read your chart, and more.

What Does Astrocartography Tell You?

If you’ve always wondered where to move, where to work, or where to meet friends, astrocartography’s got your back. “You can use your map to make decisions about where to take a job, buy a house, get married, build a business, etc.,” Muchnik tells Bustle.

According to Siobhan Lumsden, the head astrologer at Planet, you can also use astrocartography to help you find the pockets of the world where you’d thrive — even if that just means where to take your next vacation. If life is feeling stagnant, a visit to these spots could give you a rush of positive energy, she says.

If you want to tap into a certain sector of your life — like love or career — astrocartography can help with that, too. “For example, if you are looking for romance or abundant energy around relationships in general, you would consider your Venus lines,” Lumsden tells Bustle. “Or if you’re looking for motivation for a work project, you would locate your Mars or Saturn lines on the map, which would help you find discipline in working towards your goals. Every line and angle has a different meaning, so it’s a very intricate system.”

You can also refer to your astrocartography chart to learn which places you should avoid. “For example, Nechama Muchnik is currently planning where to travel for her birthday not only based on her most optimal lines, but also based on what is going on forecast-wise in the stars at that time,” says Lumsden.

How Do You Get Your Map?

To get your map, you can book a sesh with a professional astrologer or type your birthday and birth location into a website like Astro.com or another free resource for a quick overview. Lines will pop up across the globe that relate to the alignment of where the planets would land or track on Earth the moment you were born, says astrologer and coach Danielle Mercurio.

How To Read An Astrocartography Chart

When you look at your map, you’ll first see circles that indicate the Zenith point, aka the most “saturated energy of a planet” on the map, Mercurio explains. “From that Zenith point, lines will begin north and south and make their way around the earth. These lines are like a tracking system and transfer the energy of the planet wherever they touch.”

When a line stays vertical it represents a feeling of familiarity, foundation, and like you’ve been there before, she says. When a line curves, it means it holds newer energy and something for you to learn from and evolve into.

To fully understand astrocartography, it helps to know what each planet represents. For example, Saturn represents wisdom, Mars is energy and action, and Venus symbolizes love. Each planet will be represented by a glyph or symbol on the map, and each one will have four different angles.

Something important to note: According to Mercurio, you can feel the energy hundreds of miles east and west of where each line is – so there’s no need to travel to the exact location to experience it.

What Each Line On An Astrocartography Chart Means

☉ Sun (Orange)

The orange sun lines represent masculine energy and vitality. It’s how you show up in everyday life, how you respond to routine, your energy levels, community, and how you invest your time, says Mercurio. This is the line that’ll inject sun energy and confidence into your life, which is why Lumsden says it’s a great place to network or start a new business.

☽ Moon (Blue)

The blue moon lines stand for feminine energy and emotions. These places feel like a second home and would be a great place to retire or raise a family, Mercurio says. Think of these locations as spots you’d find peace and serenity.

☿ Mercury (Neon Green)

In astrology, the planet Mercury represents communication with an emphasis on learning and education. Go to these places to meet like-minded peers, learn new things, and feel a sense of belonging and focus. Once you get there, Mecurio recommends being on the lookout for over-stimulation with technology, so remember to set time limits.

♀Venus (Dark Green)

The dark green Venus line is all about love, creation, and partnership. These spots are beneficial for your love life and artistic endeavors, notes Mercurio. “There is a magnetism in the air and the desire to connect with others here,” she says.

♂Mars (Red)

Mars is the planet of energy and movement, so you’ll find yourself highly motivated and with a sense of inertia here, according to Mercurio. There’s an emphasis on career and goals but also a tendency for burnout, so if you end up here, be sure to practice a work/life balance.

♃ Jupiter (Bright Purple)

The bright purple Jupiter lines show where you’ll feel lucky, prosperous, and expansive. It’s where you’ll amplify your purpose, take risks, and open up to new possibilities. While it’s typically a fun, thrill-seeking line, Mercurio says there’s also a tendency to go too far.

♄ Saturn (Dark Red)

The dark red lines are where you’ll exhibit leadership and reach your highest potential. These areas set you up for success, Mercurio says, but they also highlight where you might have inefficiencies. “You may eventually feel like you need to move on as you release old patterns.”

♅ Uranus (Light Blue)

This planet is all about perspective and change, which is why the light blue lines demonstrate where you might need to shift or make changes to feel less on edge. “Find people and spaces to help you ground here,” Mercurio says.

♆ Neptune (Light Purple)

The light purple Neptune lines represent all things spiritual and intuitive. They’re retreat-like, healing, and restorative. You’ll be able to relax in these areas and open up to higher meanings in life. Mercurio recommends looking for mentors or teachers along these lines — just be careful not to lose touch with reality.

♇ Pluto (Black P)

Pluto represents transformation. It tests you, so it may be where you jump into the next chapter in life or step outside your comfort zone. This line also represents major changes and upheaval, notes Mercurio.

⚷ Chiron (Black K)

Your Chiron placement represents your deepest wounds. These are areas that’ll address and heal old traumas. If you go here, focus on being present and find ways to work with your hands — think planting a garden — as a way to give back and heal others, says Mercurio.

☊ Node (Black upside-down U)

The node is your destiny or what you are fated to do in life, Mercurio says. “Crossing this line would help you better understand your purpose and make connections to amplify it, as well as seeing the shadow effects of what may be holding you back.”

What If You Can’t Travel To Your Lines?

As mentioned above, you don’t have to move to these lines or even travel to them to reap the benefits — so no worries if you don’t feel like going on a trip or packing up your life. To tap into these locations without going to them, Mercurio recommends learning about the culture and traditions of places that sync with your lines, purchasing creative pieces and artwork online from the areas, eating and drinking their signature foods, and also meeting people from them in your professional and personal life.

By using this system, she says you’ll learn more about your planetary make-up as it relates to the geography of this earth, and it’ll deepen your connection to it all.

Sources:

Nechama Muchnik, astrologer, co-founder of the app Planet

Danielle Mercurio, astrologer and coach

Siobhan Lumsden, head astrologer at Planet