The Significance of Quadrants in Astrology (Hemispheres in Astrology)

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Are you destined for FAME? Let’s find out!

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Table of contents:
The Hemispheres in Astrology
The Northern Hemisphere in Astrology
The Southern Hemisphere of the natal chart
The Eastern Hemisphere in the birth chart
The Western Hemisphere in the horoscope
The Quadrants in Astrology
The Northeastern Quadrant of the natal chart
The Northwestern Quadrant of the birth chart
The Southwestern Quadrant in Astrology
The Southeastern Quadrant in the horoscope
Additional information

Hemispheres and quadrants is a topic which is rarely talked about in Astrology, and that’s a huge mistake, in my opinion!  In terms of the natal chart interpretation process, this may be the very first step we need to take to uncover the IMMENSE potential locked in the birth chart! Taking into account these essential data points we can get a very important bird’s eye view of the horoscope, and some of the most prominent traits of the individual. These will give us the main framework for the future more in-depth analysis of the chart, as well as some potential suitable career paths that would be congruent with the personality. To learn more about choosing a profession with Astrology, check out my FREE guide on vocation and achievements!

Let’s begin!

The Hemispheres in Astrology

First, let’s dive into the realm of the hemispheres! And before we get to their meaning and interpretation, we need to unpack what they actually are.

So, you may have already noticed that the natal chart has two main axes which divide the zodiac wheel into four parts. The first axis is the so called horizon (or the Equator) and it includes the line between the Ascendant and the Descendant (ASC/DSC). This axis is associated with consciousness. The second axis is the so called meridian, and it includes the line between the Imum Coeli and the Medium Coeli (IC/MC). This line is associated with our personal POWER and strength. Also, keep in mind that the cusp of the first house (the Ascendant) signifies sunrise (that is why we call it the “rising sign”), the cusp of the 7^th house (the Descendant) – sunset, the cusp of the 4^th house (Imum Coeli) is midnight, and the cusp of the 10^th house (Medium Coeli) is noon.

Down below you will learn what these signify and how to find them more easily. However for the time being, keep in mind that we have four distinct hemispheres in Astrology based on the imaginary divisions we can make with these axes – the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as well as the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

What you can do right now is count the number of planets you have below and above the horizon, as well as left and right from the meridian. Also, it may be beneficial to note down in which hemispheres the personal planets are located. These are the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

Now, let’s take a look at the four hemispheres individually!

The Northern Hemisphere in Astrology

It may seem a little counterintuitive but this is the hemisphere in the natal chart which is located below the horizon – below the Ascendant/Descendant axis. Namely, it is comprised of the houses from 1st to 6^th (counting counterclockwise – from sunrise to sunset). This is also called the nighttime part of the horoscope and all the planets located in this Northern Hemisphere can be called “night” planets. But what does that mean?

The Northern Hemisphere in Astrology deals with our private life and personal space. This is also the section of the natal chart which deals with our identity, subjectivity, and introversion. The emphasis will be greater if a large portion of the personal planets and luminaries are located in the night half of the natal chart – again, just to recap – these are the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

In general, if you have more planets in the Northern Hemisphere, you may be inclined to maintain a quiet and private life away from the spotlight. (Britney Spears is a great example – IMMENSELY talented and driven, but has a terrible time with the media and the paparazzi.) You may even choose a line of work which involves working behind the scenes and you may have a hard time when you are the focus of attention. Keep in mind that when it comes to the choice of profession, there are lots of details to be analyzed, so I would encourage you to grab my FREE ebook on vocation!

This also may signify being more focused on your own private goals and pursuits, as well as being quite introverted and subjective – judging anything and anyone based on your personal preferences and opinions.

The Hemispheres in Astrology can also give us some information on the possible physical traits of the individual. So, if you have more planets below the horizon, you have a tendency to have a shorter stature (while also taking into account the typical genetic traits of the given ethnicity).

The Southern Hemisphere of the natal chart

Logically, the Southern Hemisphere in Astrology will be located above the Ascendant/Descendant axis, and it will be comprised of the houses from 7th to 12^th (counting counterclockwise – from sunset to sunrise). This is the so called daytime part of the birth chart and the planets placed there will be called “day” or “daytime” planets.

The Southern Hemisphere deals with our public and social life, the potential for achieving fame and popularity, and the outer world in general. The characteristics of this hemisphere are associated with objectivity, sociability, extroversion, and even ambition. Again, if a great deal of the personal planets and luminaries are located in the daytime half of the horoscope – these tendencies will be further reinforced as part of your identity.

So, having more planets in the Southern Hemisphere means that you may have a strong tendency to be rather objective and to always try to see both sides of any given situation or a person. It also signifies being more extroverted, and having an active social life might be extremely important to you. Figuratively speaking, you may LOVE shining bright in front of the cameras, and you may even choose a career path that involves being the center of attention and under the spotlight. However, I would advise you to also check my FREE guide on choosing a suitable vocation, if this topic interests you!

Moreover, having many planets in the Southern Hemisphere may also point to having a lot of ambition to rise in the social hierarchy or at least to get to a better position than the one you were born into. Harrison Ford is a great example – from a carpenter to a world-renowned actor!

In terms of physical appearance, having multiple daytime planets may signify having a taller stature than usual. If, of course, this is backed by other elements in the chart related to looks.

The Eastern Hemisphere in Astrology

This half of the natal chart is located on the left side of the horoscope between the Imum Coeli and the Medium Coeli, and it is comprised of the houses from 10th to 4th (counting counterclockwise – from noon to midnight). This section is also often called the rising half of the horoscope and all the planets placed in these houses may also be called rising planets.

So, the Eastern Hemisphere is associated with qualities like willpower, intrinsic motivation, proactivity, being initiative, and assertive. Logically, if you have the majority of your planets and luminaries (especially the personal ones) in the rising portion of the horoscope, you may possess a great deal of these traits. You may be extremely active and action-oriented. You may also be rather goal-oriented and you are extremely motivated to achieve these aims by applying a lot of effort and hard work. You may strongly believe that you are the captain of your ship, and it is only up to you to decide your fate and the direction of your life.

It is no surprise that people with a lot of planets in the Eastern Hemisphere often choose jobs that involve being quite initiative and driven, like entrepreneurship and adventurism. Just take a peek at the birth chart of Sir Richard Branson! If you wish to learn more about this topic, you can grab my FREEBIE on profession and achievements.

The Western Hemisphere in Astrology

This half of the birth chart is located on the right-hand side of the horoscope between the IC/MC meridian, and it is comprised of the houses from 4^th to 10^th (counting counterclockwise – from midnight to noon). The Western Hemisphere of the natal chart is associated with fate, adaptability, and having deep connections and ties with other people.

So, people who have a lot of planets in the Western Hemisphere (especially the personal ones) may be more inclined to be a bit more passive in life. This does not necessarily mean that they lack willpower. More often than not, they may have the mindset that fate plays a huge role in their life, and the majority of their life path is predetermined. In Astrology this situation sometimes is called having “a harvesting incarnation” – reaping what they sowed in previous lifetimes. I see a lot of people with this Western Hemisphere dominance adopting the principles of the Chinese Wu Wei philosophy. 

If this is your case, “Que sera, sera” may be your favorite motto, and you may feel that even the career path that you follow was chosen for you, and it was in the hands of others or destiny. Actually, there are a lot of key public and political figures with a lot of planets in the Western Hemisphere, and we can say that their pivotal incarnations were part of a greater cosmic plan – for better or worse.

In terms of celebrities Sylvie Vartan is a wonderful example – born in Bulgaria, moved to a different country (France) – ninth house, and had an extremely popular husband (Johnny Holiday) – seventh house!

The Quadrants in Astrology

Now that we covered the hemispheres we can go a little deeper and make a more in-depth analysis based on the quadrants. If we take these two imaginary lines – the horizon (ASC/DSC) and the meridian (IC/MC) – we can divide the natal chart into four distinct portions, and these are the four quadrants. These are called the Southeastern, Southwestern, Northeastern, and Northwestern quadrants.

Again, you can repeat the exercise from the previous section on the hemispheres in Astrology. Count the number of planets you have in each quadrant, and pay extra attention to the personal planets and luminaries.

Now, let’s take a look at the four quadrants and what they mean!

The Northeastern Quadrant in the natal chart

For the sake of clarity, here’s what this quadrant in Astrology consists of. This is the bottom left quadrant of the birth chart and it starts with the Ascendant and it ends with the cusp of the fourth house. This means that the Northeastern quadrant is comprised of the first, the second, and the third houses.

Now, to fully understand this segment of the horoscope we need to know what these houses are all about. So, the first house (the Ascendant) is about our personality, the second house is related to our values and assets, while the third house is associated with our communication style.

Given all this information (including the understanding we have on the hemispheres), we can safely say that if you have the majority of your planets (especially the personal ones) in this Northeastern quadrant you are an extremely private, subjective, as well as a willful person. And that’s not all! We can also add qualities like independent, self-reliant, and self-motivated. For better or worse, this lifetime you may be mostly inclined to think about yourself – who you are, what matters to you, how you can express your thoughts and ideas. This may be a lifelong quest of discovering and shaping your identity, and constantly working on your values and a sense of personal security and stability. To put it in another way – you may be motivated to establish yourself.

On the negative side of this configuration, you may be extremely subjective and self-centered. If something does not concern you directly, you may not bother with it at all. Bonding with others may also be a challenge since they might perceive you as rather self-absorbed and even selfish. (Looking at the natal chart of Leonardo DiCaprio, well, this might be the reason why he is still a bachelor. :- ) ). All of these tendencies can be worked on and softened, if you put your POWERFUL willpower into it!

The Northwestern Quadrant in the birth chart

To orient yourself more easily this is the bottom right quadrant of the natal chart. It starts with the Imum Coeli and ends with the cusp of the seventh house (the Descendant). In other words, the Northwestern quadrant is comprised of the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth houses. If you are not familiar with these, here are some quick descriptions. The fourth house (Imum Coeli) is related to our parents (especially the mother) and our personal space, the fifth house is associated with children and romance, while the sixth house is about or jobs and habits.

Now, we are still in the realm of our personal space, but here in contrast with the previous quadrant, there is a tendency to take others into account. Solely based on the hemispheres from which this portion is comprised of, we can safely say that the individuals with the majority of their planets (especially the personal ones) in the Northwestern quadrant might be more inclined to be private, and subjective, but also rather sociable, oriented towards other people, motivated by the other people’s needs and wants, and a bit fatalistic. A lot of IMMENSELY creative people who love to work behind the scenes have this Northwestern dominance. Steven Spielberg is one of the most prominent celebrities in this group! If you wish to learn more about your career potential, make sure you grab my FREE ebook on profession and accomplishments!

These are the people who feel deeply connected to their close environment – their parents, children, and colleagues. These might be some of the most dedicated people who may not have good sense of their identity outside of their immediate social circle. If you have a lot of planets in this quadrant, you may feel like your fate is in the hands of others, especially your family members, romantic partners, and work environment. It is also possible that you may always place these people first and neglect your own needs and priorities.

On the bright side, you may be the bonding material of these social structures (your family, your job, etc.) because you are always there for people when they need you. However, on the negative side, there may be a tendency to be too obsessive, smothering, and clingy. You may not feel like you have a life of your own, and your existence is based on your closest folks.

The Southwestern Quadrant in Astrology

This is the top right quadrant of the birth chart and it starts with the Descendant and ends with the cusp of the tenth house (Medium Coeli). To make things even clearer, this is the portion of the chart which includes the seventh, the eighth, and the ninth houses. Here is a quick recap of the areas they govern.

The seventh house (aka the Descendant) deals with marriage and partnerships, the eighth house is about intimate relationships and other people’s assets, while the ninth house is related to long distances and academics.

As you can see we are slowly moving away from our immediate environment and opening up ourselves to the outer world, but we are still in the realm of relationships. So, what does the Southwestern quadrant signify?

Here we have the tendency to be extremely social and outgoing, but far beyond the family and work environment. A person who has the majority of their planets and luminaries (especially the personal ones – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars) can also be rather ambitious and aiming high in the goals they set. However, they may also have the deep rooted belief that SUCCESS happens through mutually beneficial relationships. So, this type of person might be very open-minded, and will seek all kinds of partnerships for a greater purpose. If this is the case with you, you may feel strongly drawn towards being under the spotlight and you might be a talented banker, teacher, surgeon, a diplomat, politician, and even a POWERFUL country leader. A lot of pivotal politicians and leaders have Southwestern quadrant dominance! Just take a look at the natal chart of the charismatic John Fitzgerald Kennedy! :- ) If this topic is interesting to you, you can grab my FREE guide on vocation and career. However, how well you do in society and how much success you can achieve may be up the people you connect with – your spouse, business partners, intimate relationships, important connections from other countries, etc.

The Southeastern Quadrant in the horoscope

This is the top left quadrant of the birth chart and it starts with the tenth house (Medium Coeli) and ends with the cusp of the first house (the Ascendant). In other words, the Southeastern Quadrant in Astrology is comprised of the tenth, the eleventh, and the twelfth houses. Here are their meanings in a very concise form!

The tenth house deals with our career and achievements, the eleventh house is related to our friends, organizations and goals, while the twelfth house is associated with our unconscious mind, closed spaces, suffering, and inner STRENGTH.

So, what would it mean to have the majority of your planets (again – there will be a greater emphasis if the personal planets are involved) are located in this portion of the chart?

First off, you may have a powerful inner drive directed towards achievements, career advancement, and reaching your goals. However, in comparison with the first quadrant, here we have the tendency to have a much bigger perspective and a larger scope. You may be deeply concerned about worldly events, and your intrinsic motivation and POWERFUL willpower may be geared towards making a mark in the world. Your mind may be solely focused on your career advancement and the reputation you gain over the years. And while people with a dominance of the Southwestern quadrant may achieve this through beneficial relationships, in this case here with the 4^th quadrant you may feel that accomplishments and social status are all up to you and the effort you apply. There are a lot of SUCCESSFUL entrepreneurs (just take a look at the natal chart of Donald Trump! :- ) ), adventurers, and philanthropists (like Keanu Reeves) with this placement! And if you wish to learn more about your potential for professional growth, you can grab my FREEBIE on vocation and achievements! A person with Southeastern quadrant dominance more than anyone else might have a deep feeling a mission in life, and they might sense a strong inner urge to make the world a better place through their work and efforts.

However, there is always a dark side. This configuration might impose some challenges in the arena of personal relationships. You may be too caught up in your dreams, visions, and goals that you may even forget that other people exist and they do have needs of their own. This situation might also be described as being extremely passionate about helping humanity while neglecting your closest folks.

Additional info on quadrants in Astrology

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The Only Way to Learn Astrology vol. 1

If you want to learn more about the hemispheres in Astrology, this is a good start. And while the topic of the quadrants in the natal chart is not covered that much, I still think this book is a must-have for any aspiring astrologer or a fan of this ancient system.

The more important part of this volume regarding the hemispheres and quadrants are the houses in the horoscope! You will get a better understanding of the significance, the meaning, and the life area each one of them is associated with. This way you can also get a sense of the main characteristics of the individual. I also recommend getting volume 2, because it deals with a very similar topic which is the chart patterns. No worries, we will discuss it in another blog post, but for the time being you can check what Marion March and Joan McEvers have to say about it!

OK, back to volume 1!

Why should you consider getting this book? I personally LOVE this foundational work, and I think that anyone who is interested in Astrology should have it in their personal library! This is the ABC of the natal chart analysis, and it will give you all the necessary details regarding the zodiac signs and their archetypal traits, the planets, the houses, as well as all the major aspects between them (conjunctions, sextiles, squares, trines, oppositions, and quincunxes). This will become the main framework of the potential personality of the individual whose natal chart we are interpreting!

Moreover, this will be your next BEST reference book on Astrology which will quickly give you the necessary essentials when going into the more in-depth analysis! Happy reading!

GET THE BOOK!

RELATED: Analyzing the hemispheres and quadrants in Astrology is one of the most important steps in the chart interpretation process, because it gives us some VITAL information on the very core traits and inclinations of the individual. So, to continue your journey into the area of identity and personality, I would recommend you check the rising signs! ↓↓↓

The signs on the cusp of the first house (aka the Ascendant)