USING THE VEDIC SAPTAMSA &

NAVAMSA CHARTS
IN WESTERN TROPICAL ASTROLOGY

By
Fei Cochrane
President
Cosmic Patterns Software, inc.
March 9, 2012
 Saptamsa & Navamsa Charts
In Vedic astrology the navamsa chart is regarded as being
essential for understanding some very important areas of a
person's life, such as selecting a marriage partner. The
saptamsa and navamsa charts are also keys to finding a
person's best spiritual path. Interestingly, these charts are used
by modern western astrologers and are called the 7th and 9th
harmonic charts.

Like Vedic astrologers, I have found these charts to be

marvelous for revealing key issues about clients. In this seminar I
will describe how I use the 7th and 9th harmonic charts and I will
give examples of how I used them to quickly and clearly
understand key issues for my clients.
 Working with clients
Before I see a client, like other astrologers, I do collect their
birth data ahead of time so I can prepare for the reading.
When I am at conventions however, I am often put on the
spot to give an instant reading without the time to prepare
for the reading. Using the 7th and 9th harmonic chart, I am
able to specifically identify issues right away and give them
proper advice.

I analyze 4 charts even when giving a quick reading. By

doing his I am able to identify the most important issues for
the person. The charts I analyze are the natal chart, and the
8th, 7th, and 9th harmonic charts.
 Natal, 8th, 7th, & 9th Harmonic Charts
• Natal Chart: I look at the rising sign • 7TH Harmonic Chart (Saptamsa): The
and any strong aspects. For a quick hidden and private side of the person.
reading I actually get more Inner qualities, the way the person focuses
information from the harmonic and is disciplined, what they do when
charts so I don’t study the natal alone and quiet. The person’s ability to be
chart in great detail. If I have very mature, focused, and think deeply
little time, I skip this step.
• 9th Harmonic Chart (Navamsa): Motivation
• 8 Harmonic Chart: Hard aspects
th to be a part of the community and to
(conjunction, opposition, square) bring healing and support to others. David
tell me the inner drives and needs Cochrane calls the 9th Harmonic the
of the person. Soft aspects (trine, “alienation buster”. It removes the feeling
sextile) tell me about interests and of being distant, foreign, or separate. The
talents available to the person but only negative side to the 9th harmonic is a
these are not as motivating as the tendency to compromise too much as
hard aspects. one tries to be a harmonious and helpful
part of the larger community.
Natal, 8th, 7th, & 9th Harmonic Charts
In Vedic astrology the 9th harmonic chart (navamsa
chart) is the key to the spiritual path of the person
and also a big key to happiness in marriage.

In a sense, this is true because becoming a part of

the larger community breaks down our selfishness
and our ego and the desire to be helpful and
healing to others furthers spiritual development. In
this harmonic chart, you will also see Example: Male
Chart. The identity of this person has been removed
from this document to preserve the privacy of my
client.
Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
When you are pressed to give a reading without
time to prepare, you have no time to spare and
no time to waste.

The procedure that I used and been very

successful doing so is to do the following
immediately:

• Analyze the 8th, 7th, and 9th harmonic charts.

 Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
Here is the procedure that I use:

• 1. Enter the birth data in Sirius and create the 8th, 7th and 9th
harmonic charts. Analyze the harmonic charts using the rules
described below.
• 2. In Sirius (and also Kepler) use aspect set “Harmonic, Med.
Major Only”. This aspect set has the correct orbs for harmonic
charts and also provides thicker aspect lines for aspects that
have smaller orbs. Wheel style HJJ has this aspect set by
default and it has a large inner area to see the aspects lines.
This is wheel style “K=Big, Large inner area.” This wheel has a
large area in the center of the wheel to see the aspect lines
as well as the correct aspect set by default.
Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
The orbs for harmonic charts are:

• Conjunctions:16 degrees
• Oppositions: 8 degrees
• Square: 4 degrees
• Trines: a little more than 5 degrees (5 deg 20 min)
• Sextiles: a little more than 2 ½ degrees (2 deg 40 min)

Although these orbs may sound strange, they are correct

for harmonic charts (I don’t have time to go into detail on
why they are correct).
 Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
• 3. Analyze hard aspects (conjunction, opposition, square)
with a small orb. These aspects will have thick red lines in the
chart wheel. These aspects are the most important ones.

You focus on just a simple and basic meaning of the planets.

Do not start describing a large number of possible meanings.
Just describe the most essential meaning of the aspect. Keep
it simple.

Especially important are 3 planets aspected to each other

with hard aspects, such as 3 planets conjunct, or 2 planets
conjunct and square to a third planet, or a t-square (two
planets opposition and these two planets squared to a 3rd
planet).
Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation

• 4. Analyze soft aspects (trine, sextile) with a small orb.

These aspects will have thick green lines in the chart wheel.

• Also important are 3 planets aspected to each other

with a green color, or two planets conjunct or
opposition and making trines and or sextiles to a third
planet.
 Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
• 5. Keep an open mind and observe the client.

If the client wishes to speak, allow him/her to do so. If the

client speaks, listen attentively and carefully.

Do not be so wrapped up in your analysis of the chart that

you fail to listen carefully and fully take in what the client says.

Never interrupt the client while he/she is in the middle of a

sentence.

Also, never compare your life experiences to those of the

client. Focus on the client issues instead of yourself and do not
relate the chart of the client to your own chart.
 Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
• 6. See if you can relate what the client says to the aspects in
the chart.

If you can, you may be able to show the client that you
understand him/her deeply, and you can give examples of
how the client can deal with situations, make good
decisions, and reach their dreams.

If you cannot see the relationship of what the client says to

the chart, give some indication that you understand and
find some way to transition from these ideas in a smooth way
to the influence of the strong aspects in the harmonic chart.
 Steps For Doing Quick Interpretation
7. Keep in mind the keywords for each harmonic chart

• 8th Harmonic = inner drive and needs

• 7th Harmonic = inner focus and discipline and the private

side of the person

• 9th Harmonic = need for participating in a community and

being able to give healing or support to the community
 Example Chart: A Client
How I met the client:

My primary work is as the manager of the Cosmic Patterns Software

company, and to provide customer support, develop the website, and
engage in other activities related to the software. We also have a few
customers who purchase printouts of reports or they order reports online
and they do not own the software. This client is a person who orders
printouts for his family about twice a year on average.

When this customer calls to place an order, he is almost always

impatient and in an irritable mood. Because “the customer is always
right”, I try to ignore this, obtain his order, and provide him the printouts.
Because he does not listen very well and does not respond in an
appropriate manner, getting his order can be a rather long and difficult
process.
 Example Chart: A Client
How I met the client:

Sometimes I did try to politely mention that he was very

impatient or difficult to communicate with. One time he
admitted that it was true, that he could use some help, and
would I do a reading for him. Well, what do I do?

This is an impatient person who cannot communicate well.

Trying to schedule an appointment would be difficult! I decide
to give a reading right then without having the time to analyze
his chart beforehand. Probably many of you have been in a
similar situation where an instant reading would be nice to give
as long as you feel comfortable doing it.
 Analysis of the Client’s Chart
In this seminar I will skip the analysis of the 8th harmonic chart
and I will focus on the analysis of his 7th (saptamsa) and 9th
(navamsa) harmonic charts.

The 8th harmonic chart is similar to a 90 degree dial and it

provides information that some modern western astrologers are
familiar with.

The 7th and 9th harmonic charts are not part of modern western
astrology, unless you also incorporate ideas from Vedic astrology
or the very modern system of harmonic astrology.
 Analysis of the Client’s Chart
• We will focus on aspects between planets. The
Moon’s Nodes are important in the natal chart but
have not been found to be as important as the
planets are in harmonic charts.

• Especially important are two or more planets

aspected to each other in hard (conjunction,
opposition, square, semisquare, sesquiquadrate),
or soft aspects (trines and sextiles, which are drawn
with green lines). The dashed red lines are 16th
harmonic aspects and are also hard aspects.
.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

In this 7th harmonic chart

Moon is conjunct
Neptune, and Neptune is
opposite Jupiter, so 3
planets are involved.

This tells us that this

person is a big dreamer.
Because Moon is
involved, it makes him
very sensitive and very
much attuned to the
world of fantasy and
imagination.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Moon is conjunct
Neptune, and Neptune is
opposite Jupiter:

He is also a “feeler” he
feels people’s emotions
immediately, even
before other people
speak. This aspect also
makes him very
sympathetic and
somewhat naïve
emotionally, and he must
guard against being
taken advantage of.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

Because these aspects

occur in the 7th harmonic
pattern, they are deep
feelings that may not be
obvious to other people.

When he is quiet or by
himself, his high sensitivity
and his yearning for a
bigger (Jupiter) and more
idealistic (Neptune) that
brings happiness and
good feelings (Moon)
become very strong.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Another three-planet pattern is
Mars square Pluto, and Pluto
opposite Mercury.

We think of Mars-Uranus aspects

as leading to accidents but I
have found that Mars-Pluto
aspects are also prone to
accidents.

Mars-Pluto aspects are

accident prone because once
the person makes up his mind
to do something, there is no
stopping him. He gets fixated on
what he wants to achieve and
can become oblivious to any
warning signs that there are
dangers.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

Mercury is opposition Pluto, which

inclines to become fixated on
one’s own point of view and
one’s own ideas and
consequently to enforce one’s
ideas without carefully
considering other points of view.
Once he has made a decision, he
can tend to feel sure of it, without
thinking about the consequences.
This can also lead to accidents.

Because these aspects occur in

the 7th harmonic chart, he thinks
deeply about his point of view
and can become very strongly
convinced that his own personal
point of view is correct.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

Because he was an
argumentative person
when I talked to him in
the past, I decided to
focus first on soft aspects
because these aspects
are usually easier for the
person to express and I
wanted to start off on a
positive note and
hopefully break through
his tendency to be
argumentative and rude.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Mars is trine Uranus. As noted
above, Mars is also square
Pluto.

Mars trine Uranus indicates the

ability to express himself with
power, agility, flexibility, and
with quickness and fast reflexes.

Because this aspect occurs in

the 7th harmonic chart he is able
to express the explosive energy
of Mars and Uranus in a
disciplined and controlled
manner. He also can express it
smoothly because it is a trine in
the 7th harmonic chart.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Mars square Pluto adds great
power. This combination of
aspects to Mars gives the
potential for athletic ability
because he has the power and
the ability to respond quickly
(Uranus) and effectively with
excellent focus (7th harmonic).

With Jupiter trine Pluto, he could

express himself on big stage. The
disciplined and focused release
of power on a large scale or big
stage brought baseball to mind.
The baseball is thrown very fast
and the batter and fielders must
have very fast reflexes. They must
also have great focus and
discipline.
The 7th Harmonic Chart

The baseball field is large, and the fast swing of the bat (Mars-
Uranus) and the ball flying at great heights and distances
(Jupiter-Pluto) when hit well seems like a naturally good fit for this
planetary pattern.

I told him that he is good in sports and perhaps he played

baseball.

• He was a professional baseball player!!!

He also was successful at one time and had a high paying job. I
could feel his happiness and smiles in his voice. It worked! The
interpretation was specific and accurate and most importantly, it
broke through his unhappiness and negativity and found
something he can be proud of.
 The 7th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

Now I addressed the

problem areas:

• I then told him that he

must be very careful
because he is accident
prone.

• I also advised him to

communicate clearly and
think twice before making
any decision. Quick and
fast decisions must be
avoided.
The 7th Harmonic Chart

He said, it is too late now. This is not an exact quote, but his words
were very similar to this:

“I had so many accidents when I was growing up. Baseball

was the best thing that happened to me because everything
moved fast and it involved fast and quick movement and
reflexes. My life dramatically changed, I had the last accident
at work. Due to extremely bad miscommunication, I got hit by
a forklift that left me physically disabled.”

He suffered injury to his kidney and is still waiting for a

kidney donor to replace his kidney. The company that he
was working for settled the accident for 1 million dollars.
This accident also resulted in his divorce from his wife.
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

I then looked at his 9th harmonic

chart so that I can give him an
advice to accept his new life
now and so that he does not feel
bitter, sad, and lonely all the
time.
• Remember, the 9th harmonic
chart will help us guide him to
become part of the
community and remove the
feeling of being distant,
foreign, or separate.
In the 9th harmonic chart, we will
find the aspect that will give him
healing, support, friendship, and
to feel part of the community
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.

Again, we will start by looking at

the hard aspects first to find out
how he relates to the
community.
• We see the Moon is conjunct
Neptune. Pluto is conjunct
Venus, and these two pairs of
conjunct planets are opposite
to each other.
These aspects indicate that he is
highly sensitive and his feelings
can be easily hurt (Moon-
Neptune), he is passionate
(Venus-Pluto), and he needs
personal warmth and kindness
(Moon-Venus).
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Because of the accident, his
disability, his divorce, his previous
great health and success, he
can easily feel that this kindness,
warmth, and love cannot be
regained either.

Who will love him now? His great

need for kindness makes him feel
like a helpless baby.

He is no longer the strong man

that he was, he feels that he
cannot be a leader and a
source of strength and support,
so how can he receive the
sweetness and kindness that he
craves.
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Perhaps the most tangible
example of his feeling neglected is
that he cannot find a kidney
donor.
His community does not support
him. He acts out like a child who is
hungry. He covers his emotional
needs by only expressing the pain
and frustration he feels. He is now
in a vicious circle where his nasty
behavior pushes away potential
help and he feels even more
miserable. He is in a downward
spiral largely because his need for
kindness and sweetness is so
strong. He asked for advice on
what to do. I looked at the soft
aspects on the 9th harmonic chart
to find an answer.
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Sun is trine Uranus, and Mars is
trine Pluto. The key is taking action
(Mars-Pluto) and being
spontaneous (Sun-Uranus). I
advised him to go out and have
fun. He is currently in a wheel
charir He must not let this stop him
from doing something that is fun!

Remember that his way of

communicating or relating to
others was also a problem.
• I looked at Moon conjunct
Neptune and the Moon semi-
sextile Mercury. I advised him
to express his emotions by
sharing his feelings so people
around him, especially his
family, will be able to relate
and understand him better.
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
• I told him to think of what he
was about to say first and not
be guided by his immediate
feelings and to avoid
emotional outbursts.

• I asked him to think of what

he was about to say first and
then re-phrase it if he thinks it
will hurt the other person.

• Taking a deep breath will

also help before he express
his feelings to calm him
down. Once he is calm, he
will be able to communicate
beautifully with anyone.
 The 9th Harmonic Chart Created with Sirius 1.3,
from Cosmic Patterns Software. Inc.
Jupiter is also trine Neptune. I
advised him to connect with his
children and start a better
communication with them in
order to develop a better
relationship with them.

Family members are a very big

part of our 9th harmonic
energies.

He is divorced from his wife and

he needs a positive, loving
family and to develop the lost
feelings of love that he had with
his children back to life would
help heal his hurt feelings.
 Reading Result
• He was very grateful for this reading and
he said that he now had more hope of
finding a kidney donor, and also more
hope for a better life in general.
• He felt the love and support from the
reading.
• He was a different man before our session
was over.
• He got off the phone happy and the belief
that his dreams could still come true.
 Thank you!
I hope you enjoyed my lecture and added some
new technique on your astrological practice!

At your service:
Fei Cochrane
Gainesville, FL, USA
[email protected]