In my early days of looking at progressed charts, I would be thinking: hmmm, there's lots of squares and oppositions in the natal chart. There's now only trines and sextiles in the progressed chart. Has the person shook off his inner tensions and now things are more flowing and easy for him? Likewise, say a person is predominantly water and air. The progressed chart indicates a shift from water to earth. Does it mean that the person is now mostly earthly and less feeling, emotional, intuitive?
Based on self-reflection and discussions with others, I don't think that's case. The natal chart is like the ingredients that you have to prepare a dish and thrown into a pot. A progressed chart shows the extra, additional ingredients added to the pot. So, using the example above, a person starts off with a pot of mainly water and air mixed together with squares and oppositions. Over time, there's more earth, trines and sextiles added into the pot. The stuff in the pot gets built up. The original ingredients aren't removed, unless there's an outer planet transit, then the person usually has a choice on what to do next. Failing that, there could be someone or an event that upsets the pot... Not sure whether it's the best analogy. :)
There are different ways to read a secondary progressed chart. I usually first look at the natal chart and then compare it with the progressed chart to see the added themes. Then I will look at the aspects in the progressed chart to see whether there's any ones that have been tightened and any new ones.
Okay, let's look at the new aspects or natal aspects that have tightened in the progressed chart of Mr Avoca below. I use a 1° orb.
Tightening of natal aspects
- Moon trine Pluto (separating). Nearing end of 1° orb.
New aspects
- Uranus sesquiquadrate MC (applying)
- Jupiter conjuncts IC. On the waning of 1°. Jupiter squares ASC (waxing).
- Sun quincunx South Node and semisextile North Node on the waning end of the 1°. The Sun conjunct North Node natally.
- Mercury sesquiquadrate South Node and semisquare North Node.
- Moon semisextile Chiron. Natally, Moon squares Chiron.
- Saturn sesquiquadrate Chiron (applying).
Tightening of natal aspects
- Moon trine Pluto (separating). Nearing end of 1° orb. Transformation of what is familiar and brings emotional comfort and security. Transformative feelings. Transformation of feminine figures including mother.
- Uranus sesquiquadrate MC (applying) - there's definitely a restlessness within Mr Avoca, a desire for freedom and radical change within his profession. A desire to listen to the inner promptings of his individuality. Equally, it could be said that there's tension and frustration within him, perhaps rising from the element of unpredictability as to where his future will head towards.
- Jupiter conjuncts IC. On the waning of 1°. Jupiter squares ASC (waxing). A sense of expansion and growth at home and within his deepest inner self. The reality is that he has worked from home for the past 1 year or so, along with tons of education (as signified by Jupiter) done too. He did feel a sense of freedom at home and within himself.
- Sun quincunx South Node and semisextile North Node on the waning end of the 1°. The Sun conjunct North Node natally. He definitely felt that he's letting go of the past, aspects of his life that doesn't work for him. There's a sense of moving on from his parent (who passed away this year).
- Mercury sesquiquadrate South Node and semisquare North Node. This is the same theme as the Sun as Mercury is Mr Avoca's chart ruler.
- Moon semisextile Chiron. Natally, Moon squares Chiron. A "weak" aspect. Feeling vulnerable. Feminine figure including his mother is/was wounded.
- Saturn sesquiquadrate Chiron (applying). Being focused and disciplined in teaching, mentoring others.
Progressed chart for Mr Avoca[/caption]