Progressions

WHAT ARE PROGRESSIONS?

There are several kinds of progressions. The most commonly used kind of progression is the day-for-a-year progression, also known as a secondary progression. A secondary progression is calculated by adding one day to the person's birth date for each year of life. For example, suppose a person is born on June 15, 1982. On June 15, 1992 this person is 10 years old so you would add 10 days to the birth date to determine the influences 10 years later. Therefore, the secondary progressed chart is a chart calculated for June 25, 1982. When the person is 20 years old (June 15, 2002), the secondary chart is calculated for 20 days after the birth date, which is July 5, 1982. The secondary progressed chart moves gradually so that the progressed chart for December 15, 1992 when the person is 10 1/2 years old is calculated for 10 1/2 days after birth.

A few astrologers also use a day-for-a-month, also known as a tertiary progression. In this kind of progressed chart, one day is added to the date of birth for each month of life.

Similar in concept to the tertiary progression is the minor progression, a chart that has one month added to the birth date for each year of life.

Another kind of progression that is more widely used than the tertiary and minor progressions but not as popular as the secondary progression is the solar arc direction. A solar arc direction is actually derived from the secondary progressed chart. The formula for calculating solar arc directed planets is to subtract the natal Sun from the progressed Sun and add this angle to all of the planetary positions. For example, suppose the progressed Sun is at 10 degrees 40 minutes of Gemini and the natal Sun is at 9 degrees 10 minutes of Taurus. The progressed Sun is, therefore, 31 degrees 30 minutes ahead of the natal Sun. This angle is called the "solar arc". By adding 31 degrees 30 minutes to all of the natal planets you have the positions of the planets in the solar arc progressed chart. Note that the secondary progressed Sun and the solar arc directed Sun are identical, but all of the other planets have different positions. All planets in the solar arc directed chart move at the speed of the Sun, about 1 degree per year of life. Most astrologers prefer to use the word "direction" for solar arc directions rather than "progressions" because all planets are moved forward at a constant speed, but you may sometimes see the term solar arc progressions appear in astrological literature.

Most astrologers calculate a progressed chart for the place of birth, but some prefer to calculate it for the place of residence.

PROGRESSED-TO-PROGRESSED

Many astrologers look at both progressed planet to natal planet aspects and progressed planet to progressed planet aspects. Opinions about how progressed-to-natal versus progressed-to-progressed planet aspects differ or which is more important vary. The use of progressed to natal planet aspects is probably considerably more common than use of progressed to progressed planet aspects.