James Van Praagh: Astrological Article and Chart

Horoscope and chart of James Van Praagh

^* A planet less than 1° from the next House cusp is considered to be posited in the said House. 2° when the AS and the MC are involved

Astrological portrait of James Van Praagh (excerpt)

Disclaimer: these short excerpts of astrological charts are computer processed. They are, by no means, of a personal nature. This principle is valid for the celebrities included in our database. These texts provide the meanings of planets, or combination of planets, in signs and in houses, as well as the interpretations of planetary dominants in line with modern Western astrology rules. Moreover, since Astrotheme is not a polemic website, no negative aspect which may damage the good reputation of a celebrity is posted here, unlike in the comprehensive astrological portrait.

Introduction

Here are some character traits from James Van Praagh's birth chart. This description is far from being comprehensive but it can shed light on his/her personality, which is still interesting for professional astrologers or astrology lovers.

The dominant planets of James Van Praagh

When interpreting a natal chart, the best method is to start gradually from general features to specific ones. Thus, there is usually a plan to be followed, from the overall analysis of the chart and its structure, to the description of its different character traits.

In the first part, an overall analysis of the chart enables us to figure out the personality's main features and to emphasize several points that are confirmed or not in the detailed analysis: in any case, those general traits are taken into account. Human personality is an infinitely intricate entity and describing it is a complex task. Claiming to rapidly summarize it is illusory, although it does not mean that it is an impossible challenge. It is essential to read a natal chart several times in order to absorb all its different meanings and to grasp all this complexity. But the exercise is worthwhile.

In brief, a natal chart is composed of ten planets: two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, three fast-moving or individual planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars, two slow-moving planets, Jupiter and Saturn, and three very slow-moving planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Additional secondary elements are: the Lunar Nodes, the Dark Moon or Lilith, Chiron and other minor objects. They are all posited on the Zodiac wheel consisting of twelve signs, from Aries to Pisces, and divided into twelve astrological houses.

The first step is to evaluate the importance of each planet. This is what we call identifying the dominant planets. This process obeys rules that depend on the astrologer's sensitivity and experience but it also has precise and steady bases: thus, we can take into account the parameters of a planet's activity (the number of active aspects a planet forms, the importance of each aspect according to its nature and its exactness), angularity parameters; (proximity to the four angles, Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant and Imum Coeli or Nadir, all of them being evaluated numerically, according to the kind of angle and the planet-angle distance) and quality parameters (rulership, exaltation, exile and fall). Finally, other criteria such as the rulership of the Ascendant and the Midheaven etc. are important.

These different criteria allow a planet to be highlighted and lead to useful conclusions when interpreting the chart.

The overall chart analysis begins with the observation of three sorts of planetary distributions in the chart: Eastern or Western hemisphere, Northern or Southern hemisphere, and quadrants (North-eastern, North-western, South-eastern and South-western). These three distributions give a general tone in terms of introversion and extraversion, willpower, sociability, and behavioural predispositions.

Then, there are three additional distributions: elements (called triplicity since there are three groups of signs for each one) - Fire, Air, Earth and Water - corresponding to a character typology, modality (or quadruplicity with four groups of signs for each one) - Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable - and polarity (Yin and Yang).

There are three types of dominants: dominant planets, dominant signs and dominant houses. The novice thinks astrology means only "to be Aries" or sometimes, for example, "to be Aries Ascendant Virgo". It is actually far more complex. Although the Sun and the Ascendant alone may reveal a large part of the character - approximately a third or a half of your psychological signature, a person is neither "just the Sun" (called the sign) nor just "the first house" (the Ascendant). Thus, a particular planet's influence may be significantly increased; a particular sign or house may contain a group of planets that will bring nuances and sometimes weaken the role of the Ascendant, of the Sun sign etc.

Lastly, there are two other criteria: accentuations (angular, succedent and cadent) which are a classification of astrological houses and types of decanates that are occupied (each sign is divided into three decanates of ten degrees each). They provide some additional informations.

These general character traits must not be taken literally; they are, somehow, preparing for the chart reading. They allow to understand the second part of the analysis, which is more detailed and precise. It focuses on every area of the personality and provides a synthesis of all the above-mentioned parameters according to sound hierarchical rules.

Astrological Quadrants for James Van Praagh

Each quadrant is a combination of the four hemispheres of your birth chart and relates to a character typology. The Southern hemisphere – the top of your chart, around the Midheaven – is associated with extraversion, action, and public life, whereas the Northern hemisphere prompts to introversion, reflexion, and private life. The Eastern hemisphere – the left part, around the Ascendant – is linked to your ego and your willpower, whereas the Western hemisphere indicates how other people influence you, and how flexible you are when you make a decision.

James Van Praagh, the diurnal South-eastern quadrant, consisting of the 10th, 11th and 12th houses, prevails in your chart: assertion and goals achievement are at the centre of your concerns. You are very keen to implement your dreams and your plans. You achieve your ambitions as soon as possible, whether through an active social life, highly charged friendly relations, or an urge to take actions in order to reap - in the eyes of the world, of course - the rewards of your dynamism. It is likely that spirituality or humanitarian actions are part of your motivations, sometimes at the price of some degree of isolation.

Elements, Modes and House Accentuations for James Van Praagh

James Van Praagh, here are the graphs of your Elements and Modes, based on planets' position and angles in the twelve signs:

James Van Praagh, Fire is dominant in your natal chart and endows you with intuition, energy, courage, self-confidence, and enthusiasm! You are inclined to be passionate, you assert your willpower, you move forward, and come hell or high water, you achieve your dreams and your goals. The relative weakness of this element is the difficulty to step back or a kind of boldness that may prompt you to do foolish things.

Like the majority of Earth signs, James Van Praagh, you are efficient, concrete and not too emotional. What matters to you is what you see: you judge the tree by its fruits. Your ideas keep changing, words disappear, but actions and their consequences are visible and remain. Express your sensitivity, even if it means revealing your vulnerability. Emotions, energy and communication must not be neglected; concrete action is meaningless if it is not justified by your heart, your intellect or your enthusiasm.

Your natal chart shows a lack of the Water element, with only 6.77% instead of the average 25%. Whether you are aware of it or not, affective values bring about problems, for you or your close friends. In general, a lack of Water does not necessarily mean that you are unable to love as much as others do. However, you may find it difficult to express the deepness of your heart and of your feelings. In the best cases, you come to terms with it, you adjust, you manage to show more affection or, why not, you pretend to be really affected! In the worst cases, you get into the terrible habit of repressing these essential values and you tend to forget that they are the basis of the richest and strongest bonds between human beings.

The twelve zodiacal signs are split up into three groups or modes, called quadruplicities, a learned word meaning only that these three groups include four signs. The Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable modes are more or less represented in your natal chart, depending on planets' positions and importance, and on angles in the twelve signs.

The Mutable mode is the most emphasized one in your natal chart, James Van Praagh, which indicates a mobile character that is curious and thirsty for new experiences and evolution. You are lively and flexible, and you like to react quickly to solicitations, but don't confuse mobility with agitation, since this is the danger with this configuration - and with you, stagnation is out of the question. Security doesn't matter as long as you are not bored. You optimize, you change things, you change yourself... all this in a speedy way.

Houses are split up into three groups: angular, succedent and cadent.

The first ones are the most important ones, the most "noticeable" and energetic houses. They are the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses. Their cuspides correspond to four famous angles: Ascendant for the 1st house, Imum Coeli for the 4th house, Descendant, opposite the Ascendant, for the 7th house and Midheaven for the 10th house, opposite the Imum Coeli.

Planets are evaluated according to a whole set of criteria that includes comprehensive Western astrology rules. At their turn, planets emphasize specific types of houses, signs, repartitions etc., as previously explained.

The emphasis is on succedent houses in your chart, namely, the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th houses, James Van Praagh: this configuration usually endows a personality with affective and sensitive qualities. Obviously, to the detriment of self-confidence or self-assertion, but your heart qualities may be very important. These houses also favour realization. Time and patience are part of their characteristics. However, they are only indications and you must include them in the rest of your chart in order to see whether they are validated or not!

N.B.: this dominant is a minor one.

Dominants: Planets, Signs and Houses for James Van Praagh

The issue of dominant planets has existed since the mists of time in astrology: how nice it would be if a person could be described with a few words and one or several planets that would represent their character, without having to analyse such elements as rulerships, angularities, houses, etc!

The ten planets - the Sun throughout Pluto - are a bit like ten characters in a role-play, each one has its own personality, its own way of acting, its own strengths and weaknesses. They actually represent a classification into ten distinct personalities, and astrologers have always tried to associate one or several dominant planets to a natal chart as well as dominant signs and houses.

Indeed, it is quite the same situation with signs and houses. If planets symbolize characters, signs represent hues - the mental, emotional and physical structures of an individual. The sign in which a planet is posited is like a character whose features are modified according to the place where he lives. In a chart, there are usually one, two or three highlighted signs that allow to rapidly describe its owner.

Regarding astrological houses, the principle is even simpler: the twelve houses correspond to twelve fields of life, and planets tenanting any given house increase that house's importance and highlight all relevant life departments: it may be marriage, work, friendship etc.

In your natal chart, James Van Praagh, the ten main planets are distributed as follows:

The three most important planets in your chart are Jupiter, the Moon and Saturn.

Jupiter, the planet of expansion, organization, power and benevolence, is quite emphasized in your chart. Like any Jupiterian, you are warm, open, sociable, consensual, active and optimistic. You can use your self-confidence to erase differences of opinion, and you leave the task of analyzing and perfecting things to specialists. Your role, and you know it since you were young, is to gather, to demonstrate your synthesizing and conciliatory mind, and to naturally reap its fruits - power.

You appreciate legality, social order but also order in general. With you as a leader, every plan or human entity can be organized and structured. You excel at supervising. The Jupiterian type is indeed the politician par excellence, and a positive Jupiter in your chart is synonymous with good integration into society, whatever the chosen path.

Is this idyllic picture really perfect? Certainly not: each planet's typology has its own weaknesses. One of yours is pride, like the Solarian, but your will of expansion at all costs may generate a form of exaggeration in everything, endless pleasure, inappropriate self-confidence that could lead you to rough materialism and the thirst for absurd material comfort - in the worst cases, of course.

The Moon is one of the most important planets in your chart and endows you with a receptive, emotive, and imaginative nature. You have an innate ability to instinctively absorb atmospheres and impressions that nurture you, and as a result, you are often dreaming your life away rather than actually living it.

One of the consequences of your spontaneity may turn into popularity, or even fame: the crowd is a living and complex entity, and it always appreciates truth and sincerity rather than calculation and total self-control.

As a Lunar character, you find it difficult to control yourself, you have to deal with your moods, and you must be careful not to stay passive in front of events: nothing is handed on a plate, and although your sensitivity is rich, even richer than most people's, you must make a move and spare some of your energy for... action!

Saturn is part of your dominant planets: among the facets of your character, you have a grave and serious side, wise and somewhat severe, since your concentration can be powerful, to the detriment of carelessness and friendliness.

You often look austere, but it is only an appearance, a kind of modesty or reserve; however, it is true that the Saturnian, who is fond of time, effort, asceticism, rigour and sobriety, may have popularity issues. Nevertheless, honesty and straightforwardness, reliability, as well as slow, wise and deep mental process, although not very popular and visible qualities, eventually become noticed and appreciated. Saturnians' second part of life is usually easier and more fulfilling.

Like the Jupiterian, your Saturnian facet prompts you to seek the essential, security, and longevity. However, the difference with the former is that you will never give priority to wealth or "the bigger, the better" philosophy for the sake of power. Saturn, like Jupiter, symbolizes social integration, and it is usually considered positive to have a harmonic Jupiter and Saturn in one's chart because of their social adaptation capacities.

Your vulnerability lies in your too serious and austere side, which may lead to unwanted loneliness and affective frustration. This generally does not last because Saturnians often hide deep down a golden heart that ends up revealing itself...

In your natal chart, the three most important signs - according to criteria mentioned above - are in decreasing order of strength Sagittarius, Libra and Leo. In general, these signs are important because your Ascendant or your Sun is located there. But this is not always the case: there may be a cluster of planets, or a planet may be near an angle other than the Midheaven or Ascendant. It may also be because two or three planets are considered to be very active because they form numerous aspects from these signs.

Thus, you display some of the three signs' characteristics, a bit like a superposition of features on the rest of your chart, and it is all the more so if the sign is emphasized.

Sagittarius, an adventurous and conquering fire sign, is dominant in your chart: you are enthusiastic, enterprising, optimistic, very sociable, and mobile - you have itchy feet, both physically and mentally. Nobody gets bored with you because you are always planning things and suggesting excursions, at least... when you are around and not already gone on a trip! Obviously, so many movements for one man may scare people off, and some of them may even criticize your brutality or your tendency to loose your temper, but you are so warm and genuine, so expansive, isn't this a good thing? And all the more so, since your sense of humour is overwhelming...

With Libra as a dominant sign in your natal chart, you love to please, to charm, and to be likeable. Moreover, you are naturally inclined towards tolerance and moderation, as well as elegance and tact, as if you were meant to please! Of course, you always find malcontents who criticize your lack of authenticity or of courage and your half-heartedness, but your aim is to be liked, and in this field, you are an unrivalled champion!

With Leo as a dominant sign, you naturally shine brightly. Your dignity, your sense of honour, and your generosity can almost turn you into a solar mythological hero, a knight or a lord from the ancient times. People may blame you for your selfishness, your pride or your somewhat loud authority, but if you are self-confident, kind-hearted and strong-willed, it surely makes up for your little flaws, as long as they remain moderate...

The 8th, 12th and 10th houses are the most prominent ones in your birth chart. From the analysis of the most tenanted houses, the astrologer identifies your most significant fields or spheres of activity. They deal with what you are experiencing - or what you will be brought to experience one day - or they deal with your inner motivations.

Your 8th house is very highlighted: it is the most complex house of the Zodiac. It symbolizes above all passion and transformation, which often go hand in hand. Indeed, you have a tendency to experience everything to the bitter end, and you overstep propriety borders because you want to understand everything, even what is... forbidden. This house relates to complex spheres such as sexuality, possessions and dispossessions that don't depend on you (inheritances, donations, sudden financial losses), death too - not yours in particular, so, don't worry! - and understanding of hidden or occult things: here are the fields that affect you generally, because you are naturally interested in them or because life gets you involved in spite of yourself.

The 12th house is emphasized in your chart: like the 8th house, it has a rich and complex meaning. Although its bad reputation is likely to scare most readers in the first place - it is indeed the house of hidden or isolated places, of solitude, of ordeals or enemies - it can also mean that a part of your life is very deep and intense. If your achievements are not visible in the public eye, you may fulfil yourself in a different but equally important way: you may be involved in secret activities, humanitarian causes, and projects in favour of disadvantaged people. You are likely to work in quiet and remote places. In many cases, you will gain from these hidden activities as many treasures as people who have a more public destiny. It may be because you sublimate your work, or only because you successfully carry out your task within your environment. There is no such things as a good or a bad house, because each area of life is necessary in its own way, and we need all of them, if we are to improve spiritually.

With a prominent 10th house, your destiny's achievement may be very notable: the 10th house represents your career, your public life, and your ambitions. A good deal of your energy may thus be used to successfully implement what you have in mind. Instinctively, you are very keen to make your dreams come true. Sooner or later, you will deal with the public, and your personal achievement will go through trials and ordeals: other people and visible actions.

After this paragraph about dominant planets, of James Van Praagh, here are the character traits that you must read more carefully than the previous texts since they are very specific: the texts about dominant planets only give background information about the personality and remain quite general: they emphasize or, on the contrary, mitigate different particularities or facets of a personality. A human being is a complex whole and only bodies of texts can attempt to successfully figure out all the finer points.

The Moon in Sagittarius and in House 12: his sensitivity

D'une nature optimiste et émotive, vous êtes, James Van Praagh, pris entre deux envies quelque peu incompatibles : vous êtes friand d'exotisme et d'indépendance, de mouvement, mais en même temps vous vous sentez bien dans une forme d'embourgeoisement et de conformisme de votre comportement ; en général, cela se traduit par une succession d'états d'âme tantôt tranquilles et bien adaptés aux différentes situations que vous rencontrez, tantôt empreints d'une envie irrésistible de changement et de renouveau. Plutôt d'une nature bon enfant presque naïve, vous avez confiance en vous et votre grande émotivité vous pousse à vivre intensément et avec variété des expériences émotionnelles d'une façon un peu dispersée mais qui, de toute façon, vous amènent les stimulations dont vous avez besoin pour être équilibré. Grâce à cette  attitude plutôt sympathique et avenante, vous bénéficiez d'une certaine popularité et cela d'autant plus que malgré votre soif d'aventures qui pourrait en effaroucher d'aucuns, vous vous adaptez aisément aux règles et usages du milieu dans lequel vous évoluez.

James Van Praagh, vous avez du mal à montrer ce que vous ressentez, ou bien tout simplement vous considérez que cela vous appartient et que cela n'a pas à être exposé. Quoiqu'il en soit, même si vos émotions sont riches et profondes, elles sont ressenties intérieurement surtout et... (excerpt)

Mercury in Leo and in House 8: his intellect and social life

Vous avez James Van Praagh une énergie intellectuelle et nerveuse considérable, un bon pouvoir de concentration et une grande détermination. Ne manquant ni de qualités de planification et d'organisation ni d'enthousiasme, vous vous montrez d'une grande serviabilité pour aider à résoudre les problèmes d'autrui et êtes considéré comme une personne sur laquelle on peut compter, ce qui n'est pas pour vous déplaire. En effet, une grande confiance en vos capacités vous anime et vous avez parfois tendance à parler de façon quelque peu exagérée ou théâtrale afin d'attirer l'attention sur vous. Et gare à celui qui ne partagerait pas vos opinions ! Plus que déterminé, vous saurez alors vous montrer entêté et inflexible car vous n'admettrez pas facilement que l'on trouve à redire sur vos idées ou réalisations. Certains pourraient y voir une manière autoritaire de s'imposer avec même parfois une légère condescendance, mais cela, vous n'en serez pas conscient et continuerez donc de penser que vous avez raison.

Vous aimez comprendre, explorer l'inconnu, éclaircir les mystères et vous plonger dans les domaines cachés de l'inconscient ou de l'au-delà, à ce qui vous échappe finalement, James Van Praagh. Aller plus loin, ne pas vous contenter de l'évident va de soi, vous n'êtes pas sur terre pour stagner... (excerpt)

Venus in Leo and in House 8, and the Sun in Virgo: his affectivity and seductiveness

Dans votre thème, le Soleil est en Vierge, Vénus en Lion. Vos Signes solaire et vénusien s'accordent autant que le feu et l'eau ! A la réserve naturelle d'un Soleil Vierge répond le caractère exalté et brûlant d'une Vénus Lion. A la pudeur de l'un s'oppose la passion de l'autre. Ce désaccord fait sans doute votre richesse, mais ne facilite pas la cohérence de vos attachements : lorsque vous aimez, lorsque vous laissez libre cours à vos désirs et affections, vous êtes Lion... caractère entier, passionnel, exigeant et jusqu'au-boutiste. Conquérant également, voire dominateur. Pourtant, votre Soleil Vierge interdit de vous sentir continuellement bien sur ce registre. Viennent alors des phases de défense, de recul, durant lesquelles la fièvre d'amour se change en retraite raisonnée, dûment contrôlée. D'où certains comportements paradoxaux : sensible aux flatteries, vous feignez l'indifférence lorsqu'elles vous sont prodiguées. Enthousiaste quand le désir est là, vous donnez cependant de vous une image plus nuancée, distante, discrète. Votre partenaire devra alors sentir le volcan qui sommeille en vous, masqué souvent par une volonté de contrôle sans laquelle vos repères s'effondreraient. L'aventure vous tente diablement, mais sans doute avez-vous quelques difficultés à jouer cette carte, à vous laisser aller à un engouement frénétique, absolu, déstabilisant. Bien intégrée, cette configuration vous permet de maîtriser différents registres, de vivre une passion dévorante... sans vous laisser dévorer !

Vous si êtes si fier et généreux, James Van Praagh que votre puissance d'amour contient en elle votre vulnérabilité mais c'est cela aussi qui fait votre charme et votre originalité. Vous êtes loyal et droit et avez un besoin aussi important d'être admiré que d'être aimé. Les deux sentiments chez vous sont intimement liés et le risque est réel que l'amour ne se rompe pour des malentendus d'importance insignifiante simplement parce que votre susceptibilité a été atteinte. Quoiqu'il en soit, vous êtes démonstratif, brillant et même théâtral et votre générosité est légendaire. Avec vous, tout est et doit être démesuré : les preuves d'amour que vous donnez à votre partenaire, les cadeaux que vous faites, le confort et même le luxe qui teintent l'atmosphère de vos sorties ou de vos voyages. Physiquement vous êtes un lion, en tout cas vous avez son appétit sexuel ; vous êtes voluptueux, passionné et finalement la seule chose que vous pouvez ne pas posséder est la souplesse, que ce soit dans votre façon de montrer votre amour ou bien de réagir à des évènements qui pourraient vous contrarier, même de très loin.

Au moment où vous tombez amoureux, James Van Praagh, vos sentiments prennent tout de suite une intensité considérable et vous emportent vite sur le terrain de la passion. Vous n'êtes pas un tiède sur le plan amoureux : vous aimez très fort ou pas du tout, et la... (excerpt)

The Ascendant is in Capricorn and the ruler of the Ascendant is Saturn, in Sagittarius: his behaviour

The ruler of the Ascendant, also referred to as the chart ruler, brings a few interesting nuances to the meanings provided by the Sun and the Ascendant. The sign in which the ruler of the Ascendant is posited fine-tunes the style of personality described by the Sun and the Ascendant. It may strengthen it if the sign is identical to either of them.

The ruler of the Ascendant, James Van Praagh, is Saturn. It is posited in the sign of Sagittarius and gives you a strong inclination for the open sea and for freedom. Loyal and benevolent, you put things into perspective, and you understand the true value of things, perhaps precisely because you travel - whether actually or mentally - and that stepping back from your intimate environment enables you to better perceive what is important and worthy.

The Sun in Virgo and in House 8: his will and inner motivations

Une chose est certaine, James Van Praagh, vos motivations ne peuvent être facilement cernées tant cette configuration est un petit peu à part et plutôt compliquée. Tout ce qui est du domaine des émotions est amplifié pour vous, vous avez tendance à mettre de la passion dans presque... (excerpt)

Mars in Taurus and in House 4: his ability to take action

James Van Praagh, votre façon d'agir gagne en puissance et en précision ce qu'elle perd en rapidité et en spontanéité. Vous êtes un "lent", certes, mais lorsque vous vous mettez en besogne, vous y mettez toute votre ingéniosité et votre persévérance et vous avez l'amour du travail bien fait. A l'arrivée finalement, vous êtes souvent gagnant par cette façon de faire. Sexuellement, vous êtes ainsi généreux et instinctif et votre lenteur n'enlève rien, elle peut même sans doute vous apporter des satisfactions ainsi surtout qu'à votre partenaire ! Dans vos relations amoureuses ainsi d'ailleurs que dans tous vos échanges relationnels en général, vous êtes du genre à garder pour vous ce qui ne va pas car vous êtes extrêmement patient ; vous ne dites rien, encaissez jusqu'à ce que vous explosiez dans des colères aussi violentes qu'elles sont, dieu merci, très rares.

C'est dans la sphère privée que l'on peut apercevoir vos capacités d'action, James Van Praagh. Extérieurement, dans le travail ou ailleurs, vous n'aimez guère vous " lâcher ". Dès que vous retrouvez votre foyer en revanche, pas de doute, vous changez presque d'identité, vous êtes actif, énergique, voulez améliorer... (excerpt)

Conclusion

This text is only an excerpt from the portrait of of James Van Praagh, which we hope will inspire you to deepen your knowledge of astrology.

Regarding the sources of the birth data in our possession, kindly note that the pages we publish constitute a starting point for more detailed research, even though they seem useful to us. When the sources are contradictory, which occurs rarely, after having analysed them, we choose the most reliable one. Sometimes, we publish a birth date just because it is made available, but we do not claim that is it the best one, by no means.