Spiritsaid
The Astrology of Happiness
“Lots tell you where to put your energy.” - Stephen P., Durango, CO
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“This is incredibly valuable information!” - Scott O., Steamboat Springs, CO
Lot of Fortune
Where to find satisfaction
Antidote for feeling not good enough
Do this if success feels elusive
Lot of Spirit
How to improve your mental health
Antidote for the blues
Do this when you struggle to be happy
Lot of Eros
What motivates and interests you
Antidote for boredom
Do this if you're not feeling inspired
"Why do you use astrology lots instead of just planets?"
Honestly, because they cracked the code on my own unhappiness.
Most astrologers focus on planets, and they are important.
But there's no planet that tells you how to be happy.
It took ancient astrologers combining observational skills, mathematical advances, and Spirit connection to develop a whole new type of astrological calculation to figure that out.
There's a lot for everything, even predicting the price of corn or figuring out when to sell your house.
But I focus on three: the Fortune, Spirit, and Eros.
Because I've found they provide a foundation for basic elements of happiness:
Lot of Fortune: satisfying activities that you're good at and can get paid for
Lot of Spirit (Lot of the Hidden): positive feelings, good mental health
Lot of Eros: What interests you and keeps your attention
Interpreting these in your chart gives us a wealth of insight into activities that create a life you love.
I tried everything! Eight therapists, 14 medications, and a lot of other astrological, alternative healing, and shamanistic techniques. Working with lots through locational astrology made the difference for me.
Just a few years of using these with my clients has created more "success stories" than decades of conventional coaching techniques.
"What are astrological lots?
Why are they called that?"
Have you ever heard the expression “It's just your lot in life”? It's like that.
Ancient astrologers used lots to understand a person's potential band of success -- physical and financial fortune. Not everyone could be king or fantastically wealthy, or an athletic champion. But everybody had the ability to achieve a certain level of wealth, health, and happiness.
Medieval Islamicate astrologers refined this concept to define a sort of "satisfaction and success zone."
I've incorporated modern understandings of mental health and nervous system regulation to understand what energies and activities help people function well in modern stressful environments or overcome chronic conditions.
Lots help us evaluate your potential and make recommendations to maximize that.
So they're called "lots" because they indicate your allotment of success and happiness in areas like health, love, and finance. (They are sometimes also called “parts,” so you may see a term like Part of Fortune instead of Lot of Fortune.)
"A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself."
Maya Angelou
The earliest written references occur in Greek language astrological texts from the 1st century CE. They were obviously well-established in Hellenistic astrology by then, so they probably date back even earlier, perhaps to Mesopotamian or Babylonian sources.
They've been used for the last 2,000 years. But some astrological traditions like Islamicate astrology and medieval Western astrology significantly expanded their use.​
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Why certain areas of your life seem to go really well while others are a perpetual struggle or slog – and what you can do about that
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Where to focus your energies to get the best return and what activities will help when life feels blah or you've lost your enthusiasm
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Where in the world you'll find your best success, why you gravitate to your favorite vacation spot
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Quirky life patterns, like why I succeed the most when I work from home.
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We're now using lots to understand mental and emotional health and provide prescriptive advice for depression, anxiety, and lack of enthusiasm for life.
Also, in today's mobile society, lots are extremely helpful to understand how relocating might affect a person’s health and success. If I'd known about lots, I wouldn't have been surprised that my business fell apart when I moved across the country.
"Where do lots come from?
What can lots tell you about yourself?"
"And Fortune signifies everything that concerns the body, and what one does through the course of life. It becomes indicative of possessions, reputation, and privilege."
Paulus Alexandrinus
Astrologer, 4th century CE
"How are lots calculated?
How do they relate to planetary astrology?"
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Find the distance between two placements in your natal chart – like your sun and your moon – and then move that many degrees forward from the ascendant (that is the tropical zodiac degree on the eastern horizon at the time the chart is cast, usually labelled AC or ASC.)
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There's a lot of overlap with planetary astrology. Lots also occur in signs and houses, and they receive aspects or angles from planets. They work together with and are ruled by your natal planets.
However, the lots can be more personal than the planets. Everyone born on the same day has many similar planetary placements. Lots are much more personalized to an individual's time of birth. This is part of why twins can have such different life paths even though their planets look very similar.
"Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered."
William Shakespeare
How Lot Analysis Works
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To figure out whether a lot is in good condition, we look at three areas:
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The house the lot falls into
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The sign the lot falls into
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The planet that rules that sign, and its house and sign
Conventional wisdom says you just have to accept that some areas of your life will suck, but, actually, this analysis helps you figure out what you can do to bolster those challenging areas.
The Airbnb Analogy
The lot is like the room you're renting, and the ruling planet is like the host.
A good accommodation in good condition in a good location without too many adverse factors like noisy neighbors or a busy street.
A good host is close enough to be available if there's a problem but not so close as to be constantly underfoot.
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(Once in London, we were mystified about why our host took eight hours to answer our messages and couldn't find anyone to fix the bathroom leak. It turned out he was vacationing in Canada!)
People who struggle to be happy or healthy often have a problem with a major lot or its ruling planet.
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The good news is once you figure that out, there's a lot you can do to help.
Working with the energies - once you understand the lot, it's easier to maximize its best energies. This doesn't always fix all problems, but it can significantly improve the lot's function in your life.
Remediation - if the problem stems from a ruling planet that's not in good condition, there are traditional remedies that can improve that planet’s function. These are typically not too expensive or burdensome.
Location - a difficult sign or a weak ruling planet can often be improved by a change in location, either an actual move or vacation or just adding elements from the place into your daily life.
Our natal chart lot analysis will include recommendations for any of these that apply to your situation.