Astrocartography: Where Should You Live?

Have you ever heard or said the phrase, “My life changed since I moved to this city?” Astrocartography is a fascinating technique that suggests this is not mere coincidence, as geography also has an astrological influence. In this article, we discuss what astrocartography is and how to find out which part of the world might be “lucky” for you.

What is Astrocartography?

Astrocartography (Astro*Carto*Graphy) is a technique developed by astrologer Jim Lewis in the 1970s: the angular positions of the 10 planets in your birth chart (Ascendant, Midheaven/MC, Descendant, Imum Coeli/IC) are projected onto a world map. The resulting chart consists of colorful lines that indicate where the energy of each planet is felt most strongly in the world.

The basic principle is this: the signs of the planets in your birth chart and their angles to each other (your core character) never change — what changes is only the houses/angles in which those planets fall. This forms the basis of the “relocation chart” concept: when a chart is recalculated for a different city with the same birth date and time, the planets remain in the same signs but fall into completely different houses.

What Do Astrocartography Lines Indicate?

Each line on the chart shows where a planet aligns with the Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant, or Imum Coeli on Earth. The direction of the lines is also meaningful: an upward arrow indicates a spiritual/conscious focus, a downward arrow indicates a physical/practical effect, the east arrow symbolizes individual goals, while the west arrow represents relationships. For someone with all lines facing west, the main theme in that area will be local relationships and connections made from there.

The strongest effect is felt when a planet is exactly on the Ascendant or Midheaven (MC); planets on the Descendant or Imum Coeli (IC) also have nearly the same strength but affect more inwardly.

Which House Should Be Empowered for Which Purpose?

• For Money/Incomes: Areas where the 2nd house is strong (e.g., Jupiter on the Ascendant in that area).
• For Home/Settlement: Areas where the 4th house has good aspects.
• For Career/Success: Areas where the 10th house (Midheaven) is strongest.

With this logic, practical suggestions can be developed such as, “Move to where Jupiter is on the Ascendant for earning money; to the place where the 4th house has the best aspects for setting up a home; and to where the 10th house is strongest for success in your career.”

City-Sign Relationships: A Historical Tradition

For centuries, certain cities have been associated with specific signs — for example, Venice is traditionally considered a Libra city. Astrocartography personalizes this idea: if your Venus in your birth chart aligns with the Midheaven at a certain city’s longitude, the themes of Venus (aesthetics, relationships, art) may be highlighted in your career or life there.

Intersections (Parans)

In some places, multiple planet lines intersect — this is called a “paran” and is especially noteworthy. A famous example: when Jimmy Carter’s birth chart is recalculated for Tehran, Jupiter lands exactly on the Midheaven and Mars exactly on the Ascendant — a striking parallel is established with the tense period of the Iran Hostage Crisis. Such intersections are associated with strong, sometimes challenging events and should be studied carefully.

How to Use Astrocartography?

Manual calculation is extremely complex (which is why software/automation is used in practice). The technique can be applied not only to your birth chart but also according to new moons, full moons, eclipses, or the moment of relocation — a geographic scan can be performed for targeted relocation or “purposeful solar return” planning.

To learn the basic meaning of your Ascendant and Midheaven in your chart, you can check our Ascendant article.