Theme

Every constellation in the horoscope expresses a certain theme. A dominant theme emerges when a theme is reflected in two or more constellations - for example Venus in Capricorn (= Venus-Saturn) and Saturn in the second house (=Venus-Saturn) or when there is a particular emphasis on an individual sign or element in the chart: in other words, when at least three planets or two planets and the Ascendant or Medium Coeli are in the same sign.

The word "theme" here does not refer to general themes which are common to all horoscopes such as the theme of love (which is reflected by the planet Venus and the fifth, seventh and eighth houses) or that of profession (reflected above all in the Medium Coeli together with the second, sixth and tenth houses).

Every horoscope contains a wealth of information on individual themes. They are as complex as human nature and it is vital to understand the main underlying themes in a chart before being able to make any meaningful statements regarding an individual's personality. Being aware that a horoscope is a whole in which all the parts are related to each other enables an astrologer to penetrate to deeper levels of understanding than would be the case if the individual horoscope factors were simply added up. The American astrologer Stephen Arroyo expresses this thus: "When you have a deep understanding of one horoscope factor, it will lead you to the center from which everything emanates. In other words, just start by talking about something you understand and try an relate this to the personal experience and understanding of the person you are with and allow things to flow from there. As Albert Einstein once remarked, "if you penetrate to the core of any particular thing, you will come into contact with deepest reality and truth." In an astrological consultation it makes great sense to concentrate on the chart's central themes. A client will learn more during the one or two hours of a consultation if an astrologer looks at two or three themes in depth or even one in great detail - whether in the natal chart itself or in the current trends (Prediction) - than if the client is confronted with a long list of apparently unconnected facts.