Horoscope Archives, Mother's celestial inspirations

Intercepted signs

by Cal Garrison

This week’s horoscopes are coming out under the light of an almost full Taurus Moon. Every week I think about how I want to spin this introduction way in advance. It’s usually the case that I draw inspiration from things that I learn in my conversations with my clients. This last week my decision went between the impact of intercepted signs and the real meaning and significance of the Trans-Neptunian Point, Hades. I settled on intercepted signs, only because all of the people I spoke to this last week had big interception stories.

Intercepted signs refer to the fact that in horoscopes that are erected for the northern or southern latitudes the12 houses are not all evenly spaced at 30 degrees apart. The result is that two out of the 12 signs get swallowed up inside two opposing houses and thus do not govern a house of their own. In the end this bumps two other signs into the position of governing two houses instead of one. This won’t mean much to you if you are not a working astrologer, so let’s talk about what interceptions do in real time to anyone whose chart displays this particular set of circumstances.

Over the years I have researched and read a lot about interceptions and most of what I have read never covered the subject thoroughly. Some writers led me to believe that intercepted signs had to do with past lives. Unfortunately, the people who made those statements never said too much about where they got that information or how it worked. In other books people wrote that intercepted signs had to do with qualities that were suppressed or recessed in an individual, and therefore, difficult, if not impossible for the person to express in a positive way. This explanation made more sense than the past life theory, but I wanted more. Only in the last few years have I come across an explanation for interceptions that allows me to say something useful to the people who come to me for readings – stick with me; I’m going to try to put this in a nutshell – here goes:

The nature of the signs that are intercepted indicate that in the early life of the client, there was a problem within the family and as a child, they wound up playing second fiddle to whatever that problem happened to be. It’s as if to say they grew up in an atmosphere where the parents were basically saying, “Can’t you see how hard it is for us to cope with this? Do us a favor and don’t add to the problem by needing more from us than we’re able to give.” As a result, the child grows up feeling uncomfortable about themselves in any situation where the original problem gets stirred up and becomes an issue. In essence, they don’t know what to do about it and/or they overcompensate.

Let me give you an example: I have Gemini and Sagittarius intercepted in the 12th and 6th houses in my natal chart. The Gemini-Sagittarius axis is about a lot of things. It’s about truth and lies. It’s about walking your talk. It’s about brothers and sisters and distant relatives. It’s about the lower mind, the higher mind, and a host of other things.

I grew up in a household where on the surface everything looked perfectly normal. Underneath it all there was an ocean of dysfunction, about which no one was telling the truth. In addition to this there were life and death issues with my siblings and a raft of problems with my aunts, uncles, and grandparents that was swept under the rug.

From early childhood I noticed all of this, but was extremely confused because it seemed like no one could see it but me. As a result, my inner and outer realities diverged and I grew up split between thinking I was nuts, and trying to go along with the program and pretend everything was hunky dory. What came out of it over time is that in situations where the problem became obvious, I would be unable to keep my mouth shut and be the one to blurt out, “Mommy, why is Grampa falling down drunk?” or, “How come no one is talking about the fact that Cousin Jackie is in jail?” I grew up always being the one who noticed the elephant in the living room, the one who was constantly admonished for talking about what everyone else was thinking but too polite or too uptight to say out loud.

What’s interesting about this is that as an adult, I am fascinated with conspiracies and what people refer to as conspiracy theories. I love digging up dirt and bones and uncovering secrets. This penchant has actually turned into a gift. I am in love with and passionate about the truth! It blesses me and my clients in my work arena because you can’t do in depth astrology if you don’t have a burning desire to root out the truth.

And so, what about the signs that get bumped into the position of ruling two houses each? In my case, Cancer governs my first and second house and Capricorn governs my seventh and eighth house. The moon rules Cancer. It is the inner world. Saturn rules Capricorn. It is the outer world. The moon is the mother. Saturn is the father. Relative to my birth chart this says that I have major mother and father issues, and a split between who I am emotionally or inwardly and who I am out in the world. It also means that Mommy and Daddy were lying about something, and whatever that was, made it difficult for Cal to figure out how to a) Be herself, and b) How to function in her relationships with people and in her relationship with the world.

I study charts with intercepted signs all the time. Last week I did four of them. The more I learn about how this condition operates from person to person, the more my mind gets blown, and the more I am able to help my clients beam in on what actually happened to them. Just today I did a chart for a woman whose interceptions caused her to spend her childhood taking a back seat to the problems that her parents had giving and receiving love. As a result, she grew up walking the line between feeling forced to conform to very strict standards, and having the freedom not just to be who she really is, but to be loved for who she really is.

It’s interesting isn’t it? So many people think that astrology is just fortune telling. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a good astrologer can dig up in two hours what it would take a shrink 10 years to unearth. I share these things with you to get you thinking, and also to put what time and experience have taught me about astrology into words. I hope that it is of interest to you. Let me leave you with that and invite you to take what you can from this week’s ‘scopes.

12 comments on “Intercepted signs

  1. This is an interesting article indeed. Would be great to get some feedback on the comments from the author – see if we’re on the right track to understanding the article.

    My interception (disappeared) signs are Virgo/Pisces.
    My south node is in Virgo, my north node is in Pisces.
    My overcompensating (cover 2 houses) signs are Gemini/Sagittarius.
    The houses involved are 2nd & 8th.

    I’m wondering if this all has to do with boundaries, criticism, truth and lies, (self) worth & value, letting go and regeneration – but quite how, I’m not crystal clear.

  2. That makes a lot of sense to me! I have a Cancer rising / Capricorn descendant, and the Leo-Aquarius axis intercepted inside this other one. So it means I have Leo intercepted inside my 1st house, plus a Leo Chrion what makes this wound even more clear on my natal chart.

    Also a conjunction of the moon, Saturn and Lilith aligned with my intercepted Aquarius, all this inside my 7th house which is in Capricorn.

  3. Thank you so much for the information. I have Scorpio in the 12th and 1st houses. I have Taurus in the 5th and 6th houses. I do not have any Cancer or Capricorn in my chart. I find it ironic that Cancer is my South node and Capricorn is my North node. Or is it this way for everyone? I’m bad with money and have had a rough relationship with my mother and paternal grandmother that raised me loves me dearly but can’t seem to get along with me for anything. Ironically, they are both Cancers with Leo moons. Is there anything you could help me to understand from the info I gave you? I would gladly pay for you to read my chart if you do that. Thank you.

  4. Hello,

    Just curious what Taurus and Scorpio intercepted would mean?

    My houses placements are arranged like this…
    Aries 1st
    Gemini 2nd and 3rd
    Cancer 4th and so on until…
    Libra in 7th
    Sagittarius in 8th and 9th
    Capricorn in 10th and so on.

  5. Thank you so much for this Cal. I am learning to build charts by hand, and only just truly resonated with my intercepted signs whilst doing this.I have found huge value in working this way, seeing the houses and planets come onto the stage as I draw the chart rather than me entering the ‘playhouse’ of the computer generated chart. I was really struck by my intercepted Leo/Aquarius on the 8th/2nd House axis, even though I have been familiar with my chart for some time. I found your article and it has given me a new understanding around my lifelong issues with my own worth versus the worth of others. Many thanks. This is much appreciated

  6. Thanks so much for putting it into words, in a way in which I can understand. I also have an intercepted 12H and 6H and cancer in 1H and 2H. I could relate to a lot of what you have said about your childhood and I also love delving into conspiracy theories and searching for hidden truths, I’m like a dog with a bone!
    I look forward to reading more of your articles 🙂

  7. What i find interesting is, that charts, natal charts, came before the issues within childhood leaning so much further towards the understanding that we choose the life we are incarnated to live. I too have Sag Gemini interception in 12th and 6th, though opposite to yours.
    Both these signs have massive strengths towards information, understanding, mental intelligence, and thought. As i have progressed through life, i have found these to be massive energies within my life, and if i had better access to them in this life, i dont think i would have been able to handle it at all. The same with the neptune intercepted in Sag in the 12th house.
    My NN sits in the 9th house. My security zone, SN is in the 3rd.
    I had to start from scratch. To experience that dynamic within this incarnation to be able to understand these things from the vantage point of others, to be born with that energy and understanding, without the experience of its functionsilty, means you lack the ability to understand it in detail, and certainly understand the struggles of others.

  8. Thank you Cal for this insightful article, very helpful. I was born in Reykjavik, Iceland and have Sagittarius and Capricorn intercepted in my 1st house, and Cancer and Leo intercepted in my 7th house. I also grew up in a dysfunctional home where lies where part of our family dynamic. I felt like I was never allowed to be myself and was the lost child and scapegoat of the family. Now that I’m aware of these energies I’ve been trying to figure out a way to reach them.. I’ve read before you can do that by looking at the sign next to them as rooms you need to go through first. F. ex for me to get to Sagittarius and Capricorn I need to go through Scorpio. I consider myself a philosophical person but would never be that if it wasn’t for my interest in occultism and pshycology.

    1. How can Sagittarius and Capricorn be intercepted with Cancer and Leo opposing? Leo doesn’t oppose anything here? Also, Sag. and Cap. is 60 degrees. Kind of wide isn’t it?
      Also, If one has, say 10th house at 20 degrees Pisces and 11th house at, say 23 degrees Aries, with a planet at 10 degrees Aries, would that planet be intercepted, although Aries has a house cusp at 23 degrees?

      1. Have you seen charts from that far towards the poles?
        Create one. They have some massive houses and some very very small ones.
        They said they were from Iceland, this would fit with icelandic chart patterns i have seen.

  9. Wow, very interesting and insightful! I could really use your help if you’re willing to offer it. In studying my son’s chart in the Placidus system, he has an interception in Capricorn and Cancer (3rd and 9th houses respectively), with Pluto intercepted in the 3rd house in Capricorn. I have read a lot of material about this interception, and while some rings true – I certainly don’t feel as though he “received absolutely no parenting,” as is a common description of this interception. His father is a drug addict, which has forced me into being the centerpiece of our household, working full-time along with caring for the home and for our son. Nonetheless, I specialize in child development and parenting and he receives a lot of guidance from me. However, in the Porphyry house system (which I really like for my personal chart), this interception moves into the signs of Sagittarius and Gemini (in the 2nd and 8th houses respectively), with Saturn being intercepted in Sagittarius. I am clearly interested in astrology and esoteric practices, following spirituality in a more unconventional way that I have found to be very hard to explain to a 4-year-old. His father, on the other hand, is not spiritual at all and displays actions that go against everything my belief system stands for (lies, steals, abuses drugs, etc.). So it is easy to see how his belief system could have gotten confused. I also think that Saturn intercepted would better pinpoint the issues with his father. In a way, I suppose, they both hold some amount of truth. I just want to make sure I can figure it out so I can try my best to alleviate what is missing while he is still very young. Is there a particular house system that you use that seems to hit the nail on the head a little more than others? How do you account for the interceptions changing from system to system? Are they all true?

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