“The garden is growth and change and that means loss as well as constant new treasures to make up for a few disasters.” May Sarton, American poet.

The word fertility is immediately associated with conception, but to an astrologer the term provides broader connotations as well as applications. There are many areas where fertility is applicable and understanding the basic astrological premise on which fertility is based is essential to its application. Some planets are in essence more fertile than others such as the Moon in comparison to Saturn; the signs also depict levels of fertility with the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces being fertile while Leo, Virgo and Gemini are barren.

What is happening to the planets in question is also of importance such as a planet being at its station, just before it turns retrograde or direct, as being stationary is likened to being in no man’s land, stagnant with no movement or “quickening” to bring forth life. Fertility assessments can be applied to many areas of life to locate the potential for growth, and we will address some of them below.

Conception

With many couples choosing to delay parenthood today, the area of fertility becomes an important one for astrologers. Many couples who commence with conception plans at a later stage in life find that they do not conceive as quickly as they wished, and assessment of astrological charts can assist in determining the potential for fertility in the first instance, reasons why conception may be difficult, whether or not other methods need to be incorporated such as IVF and then timing of the actual event of conception itself.

The natal chart is assessed to determine the core potential of fertility with regards to conception, and in many nativities, difficulties in this area are clearly shown. If this assessment is done at a young age preventative measures can be implemented, if for example it is shown that poor nutrition will hinder conception, or other hindrances which are within the person’s realm of control. For specific questions about conception such as “will I ever conceive?” or “when will I conceive?” horary astrology has to be employed.

The natal chart cannot provide answers to specific questions such as these and a horary chart is a different methodology used by the astrologer. From the horary chart can be gleaned the potential outcome and again problem areas will be highlighted, if any exist, as well as the solutions. The assessment of fertility in this area is a complicated one as there is more than one person involved. The fertility levels of the person and their partner both have to be taken into account and it is not uncommon to find external factors such as financial stress, excessive lifestyle habits and even ill health afflicting one or the other when indications of conception are negative.

Once you are able to connect mother to baby, then timing of the event can be delineated. The horary chart is also able to provide the approximate number of children with which the person will be blessed, as well as the gender which is an outdated tool what with medical science being what it is today.

Investments

Frequent questions received by the astrologer are on the topic of investments. Human nature being what it is enjoys speculation in many areas, but still prefers to engage in this activity within more structured parameters, thus minimising the risks. Financial astrology is an intricate modality, but even by applying simple methodologies, the astrologer is able to assess whether or not the investment will bear fruit. The assessment is quite literal, if the planet signifying the investment is in a fruitful sign and unafflicted by external factors, then rewards will most certainly be reaped. For more long term forecasts a true understanding of the nature of planets and their rulerships is required to locate the investment in question.

For example Venus rules copper, the Sun gold, Saturn mines, Mercury currency, Mars iron, the Moon silver and platinum and Jupiter is the overall significator of wealth. However the movement of these significators along their zodiacal path and the potential for fertility gleaned from the signs they traverse will underline this assessment. Fertility is also applicable to the purchasing of land as an investment, if the purpose is to use it for agriculture; we would not want to see the significator of the land in a barren sign as that is contra indicative to farming and the birthing of crops.

Journeys

In days of old the astrologer would be asked to determine the profitability of a voyage by merchants or seamen. Although this is somewhat redundant, if applied in the literal sense, many journeys undertaken by the modern businessman or traveller have a desired outcome with regards to growth in a more abstract sense. Questions on the profitability of the voyage or journey can be most relevant if for example you are travelling in a diplomatic capacity to meet with a foreign envoy who can sway the powers that be in your favour.

This methodology can also be applied quite simply to “will we have a successful and fruitful holiday?” as well as to sports teams who wish to know the overall success of an international tour they are embarking on. If they were to ask about the results of specific games to be played a different methodology is required, but a general assessment of the actual travelling involved, the camaraderie within the team, their overall well being and their reception by the host countries can be attained from this simple delineation.

Vocation

Some vocations do require an aspect of fertility in the literal sense, such as horticulture and agriculture. It is important to note that signs do not do anything; they simply describe the planets that are posited in them. They are adjectives while the planets are nouns, and the aspects are verbs. These 12 adjectives (signs) each have a set of characteristics, but they do not have the fully fledged and inflated personalities allotted to them in modern astrology.

They will be masculine or feminine, barren or fertile, mute or voiced and humane or bestial, and some are even maimed. How we use the adjective depends on the context of our investigation. With regards to vocation, fertility would have no bearing on any vocation that did not require something to grow, and we would like to see the significator of the profession, if it were farming related, in a fertile sign as it would best describe the job in question and would bode well for a fruitful result.

Illness

When assessing certain illnesses, finding the significator of the illness in a fertile sign could be problematical. This is applicable to diseases whose nature it is to proliferate such as cancer, Candida and other fungus related pathologies. In this assessment it is best if the illness is posited in a sign that is barren or at least neutral, as the indication is that it will not spread or multiply. The opposite may be applicable when assessing health, vitality and well being in general. Should we find the person’s significator in a fertile sign and they are currently enjoying a period of exceptional good health, which we can determine from the chart and from them, the fertile sign may indicate that this state of well being will continue as it is, the person will continue to thrive for the indicated period in question.

Conclusion

Astrology’s greater value lies not in its ability to forecast the outcome of any situation, but in its ability to provide a clear and succinct analysis of that situation. This analysis, if applied to the life using common sense and wisdom, has the ability to enhance your quality of life and assist you in reaping rewards. Astrology is the study of time and it is far better to do the right thing at the right time; we are all experts at doing the right thing at the wrong time, and then wonder why the results are barren instead of fertile.

Astrology cannot make us do anything, nor can it make events occur on our behalf. It depicts the potential, but it is up to us to both use and maximise that potential, or not. A lot depends - as with so much in astrology - on whether the person acts or is prepared to sit back and be acted upon. The latter tends to produce results rather less pleasant than the former.