A great way to learn, practice, test and intensify your work with and knowledge of asteroids is to use them in your monthly Lunar Returns, both Tropical and Precession Corrected. Below you’ll find an example of how to set up a return. You use the return chart angles and then note the natal house in which those angles occur. The Return has brought those house matters to their angles. So, for instance, here, with the return chart Ascendant occurring in the natal 4th House, 4th House issues, people and reactions will be part of the Ascendant— the coping strategies and daily importance. With natal Erigone now ”Angular,” part of the coping challenges include the ongoing or enduring grief that Erigone involves. With the asteroid Demeter there, this means that Erigone is focused on the mother, mothering or a child. Yes, Erigone can indicate doing things that are, in some way, self-harmful and you would want to find a way to mention that were this chart that of a client.
When you draw a Return, include only the ”angular” points. That means just those that are withihn 8 to 10 degrees, before or after, of the Return Chart angles. (I limit those behind the angle to 8 degrees, but a Pluto or Uranus or Hades the full 10 degrees behind can persuade me to consider it!)
Then, you will add the angular transits to the statements of the angular natal points. For instance, at this Ascendant, you have transiting Hephaistos. So someone else may not be sharing the Erigone’s feelings of Loss. They may also be (Admetus) steadfast and somewhat cold in their response.
So you will go around to each angle in this same way; Mercury-Sphinx is asking questions (about the past—the 4th House— and others—7th Radix) as they try to understand (Nemesis) what or who caused problems. When you discuss the Descendant, you have the Psyche-Pluto and the fact that Astraea is indicating that there is slow or actually no recovery (and that’s related to the Erigone and the reaction of Psyche-Pluto.) See how this works?
Once you’ve worked with each of the angles, it’s time to remember that they’re all related. Ih many circumstances, they’re part of a kind of event paragraph that’s telling a story. Then you are using “Angular Orders.” An example would be: Sphinx\MC x Lilith - Astraea x Psyche x Pluto = Erigone x Demeter: I question what the future holds due to my favoritism as I am still so taken and emotionally destroyed by the loss of my child.
You can also use ”shorter paragraphs.” Ie., Sphinx\Kronos x Poseidon = Pluto x Astraea or “I question what the media has to say about government officials and the unending need for power.” So it’s good to remember that your Lunar Returns are showing your reactions to public events too. For instance: Mercury x Nemesis\Lilith x Kronos - Pluto x Psyche = Erigone: You may read about the cause being unfaithfulness of a celebrity and the emotional destruction that resulted in a suicide.
The learning occurs when you have both returns and go over them frequently. If need be, note watch words right on the chart so you know that Juno\Hidalgo may not be saying all that’s on their mind! Given the Hidalgo to Poseidon, the media (and/or school teachers or university professors) may not be fully revealing information. (<— no surprise there, huh?) Going about the learning process in this way really adds to your understanding…and it’s fun!
You will find more examples and ideas on Return Charts and Angiular Orders in my books. You can order charts with 80 asteroids: natal, solar arc, solar and lunar returns and events. Just email your request.
