The Cross of Matter: We use symbols for all the planets in astrology. But you don’t see the symbol for Earth because the planetary positions are calculated from the position of the Earth. Earth is the rock upon which we live and take a stand. The symbol for the Earth is a circle with a cross in center, like the 4 directions on a compass or medicine wheel. The horoscope upon which we place the position of the planets is also a circle with a cross in the center and represents the arenas of our life on Earth.

The 4 points of the cross are the Angles and are very important points in the horoscope. The Ascendent (1st house) is all about ME!, which is your physical self that is visible to the world including your personality, physical characteristics, and place of personal expression and growth. Nadir (4th house, also called the I.C.) is the root of the chart and represents your physical roots, like home, family, and your emotional roots, including the Soul, safety, and nurturing (which can point toward your nurturing parent). Descendent (7th house) which is opposite the Me quality of the Ascendent and represents the We part of your life, including relationships, marriage, and close partnerships. Midheaven (10th house, also called the M.C.) is the top pinnacle of your chart and is opposite the rootedness of the Nadir. Midheaven is where you show up taking a stand in the world, is your public reputation, and can be career.

These four arenas of life — Myself, Others, Home, and Public — are the cornerstones of our life. Other experiences like money, play, heath, education, etc, all occur within the bounds of these 4 Angles. You can get information about each of these Angles by looking at the Sign on that angle.

Taken together, the four Angles of a chart make up what is called the “Cross of Matter.” This is what loosely looks like a cross formed in a chart by the intersection of the AC/DC and the MC/IC. The actual look of the “cross” may be quite a departure from the 90° angles of a traditional cross, depending on the House System utilized.

The astrological Signs on these four points enables one to understand how an individual is likely to deal with their physical world.

While the Sign and degree of each angle are important, the Angles also divide the circle of the horoscope into hemispheres and quadrants, which can reveal a lot about an individual. Each of the four quadrants contains three of the astrological houses, completing the frame of the horoscope.