Let’s say Uranus is transiting natal Sun. Different people experience it differently. Why is that so?
It is because we are all different.
Let’s say transiting Uranus is squaring natal Sun. Scott has Uranus trine Sun natally. He is likely to be comfortable being different and feel no real need to forcefully express the different side to him. So, he has experience with Sun – Uranus energies, just that it’s a easy going and flowing energy. When transiting Uranus is square his natal Sun, it’s a similar energy but expressed differently and therefore it will feel different to Scott. Perhaps, he may feel tension or a drive within him to outwardly express that Uranian energy now. Previously or all his life, he’s comfortable with taking the backseat, knowing that he’s different from the rest, not mainstream, and doesn’t really make use of that individuality within him. However, when the transit “hits” him, he can no longer take it easy regarding his unconventionality. He may feel an urge to do something with it. Or he can choose not to which may mean that what’s within him is projected to external circumstances.
Conversely, we have Ryan whose personal planets do not make any major or tight aspect to Uranus. He’s relatively less experience with the Uranian energy as compared to Scott. So, when transiting Uranus makes an aspect to Ryan’s Sun, he might feel that the sky has fallen. What on earth was that? Whammm! It’s some energy that’s alien to him. It’s his first exposure to Uranus. How does he cope? Maybe he’s coping not as well as Scott who at least has some inkling of Uranus. But not Ryan. That’s not all. Let’s say Ryan’s natal chart is high in fixed modality. He likes things to remain the same, day in day out. Uranus represents the sudden and unexpected and hits Ryan. Ryan therefore feels that his foundations in life or himself is split by lightning. His life would never be the same again after that experience.
Let’s say Margaret has Uranus square Venus natally. She has experience and a sense of the Uranian energy in her life. So, when transiting Uranus squares her Sun, she’s acquainted with the energy but not to her Sun though. Natally, she may feel an urge for freedom and independence in her relationships, with her money, in her values. But when transiting Uranus squares her Sun, it’s freedom and independence to her entire self, life direction, aspirations, vitality and creativity. She has limited experience in honouring her life path though. What’s she going to do with the transiting Uranian energies?
The above examples illustrate the importance of understanding the natal chart when forecasting. You want to understand each person’s reality as they experience it to be able to have a glimpse of what they are going through.
Here’s another example: Scott is experiencing a Neptune transit to his Mercury. It’s the first time that such a transit took place in his life. Neptunian energies are hazy, uncertain, dissolving, spiritual, yearning, etc. Which part of Scott is being reviewed by the Universe? It’s his Mercury – his thoughts and communication. On a basic level, his thoughts and communications are getting spiritualised, refined, or breaks down due to insidious forces. Indeed, he experiences all of the above. But let’s look deeper. How does that transit feel to him? Let’s look at this natal chart to see how he thinks and communicates. His Mercury squares Saturn. There may be an inhibition towards expressing himself. Or he’s authoritative in his communications. Saturn is in his 4th house – he’s likely to feel all of the above within him, his private world of feelings. It’s likely that nobody except his family knows what’s he going through during the transit. Neptune rules his 10th house and MC (using the equal house system). The haziness and uncertainty in his communication thoughts is likely to involve his profession, his social position. What effect does the transit have on him in addition to the above? Mercury rules his 1st and 4th house. So, when Neptune hits his Mercury, himself and his home, private life, family are likely to be affected or involved in the picture.
The point is: yes, we can come up with a basic interpretation of transits. This is where cookbooks like Robert Hand’s book on transits are helpful in providing us with some ideas on a transit can mean on a basic level. But to understand how a person experiences the transit, we need to understand the person. And that is by way of understanding his/her natal chart.