When they return from vacation, some people feel like they need another vacation. What about the choice fatigue that afflicts travelers at the beginning of the planning process? After all, selecting a destination for a trip is exhausting in and of itself. To relax in San Miguel de Allende’s hot springs or go pig swimming in the Bahamas? either the northern or southern lights? (I know, champagne problems.)

I recently discovered an area of astrology that resonates with my own unsure, wanderlust-filled spirit: Astrologer Dara Dubinet defines astrocartography as “the astrology of place.”

How Does Astrocartography Work?

Simply said, astrologers contend that depending on where and when a person was born, various geographic locations on Earth correspond to various planetary energies. Astrocartography “uses the scientific parts of geography and astronomy showing you which places will have the most important influence by looking at how the angles in your chart are functioning in these new locations,” says astrologer and tarot reader Clarisse Monahan. In other words, intelligence can offer insight on the most and least energetically advantageous locations for you to travel and dwell.

This means that if you, for example, studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia, and had a surge of new confidence there, it may be because Melbourne is located on your sun line. (“Lines” are latitude lines that relate to the main heavenly bodies; they vary for each individual depending on their natal astrology chart.) The Big Apple might be on a Saturn line for you if, on the other hand, you recently relocated to New York City and have felt overworked and burdened ever since.

Astrocartography may seem utterly woo-woo, but according to Dubinet, it is a very useful tool for everyday life. It’s wise to be aware of the energy a location carries for us whenever we’re considering moving, traveling, hosting a retreat, or getting married, she says. It’s also a good idea to be conscious of the energy of the area in which you currently reside because it could be having a positive or bad impact on you.

Monahan continues, “Astrocartography is merely another tool we can use to help us on our life-long journey of self-discovery, as with all types of astrology.”

Astrocartography’s History

Given how popular astrology has become, it baffles me why astrogeography isn’t being discussed more, but there’s a reason it’s been overlooked for so long. According to Dubinet, “before 1978, it was a very difficult process that may need days of workers surveying and charting.” However, an astrologer by the name of Jim Lewis simplified a technique to more quickly and simply map out people’s own hot spots, allowing more people to access the information, and he copyrighted it as “Astrocartography.” (Dubinet came up with the word “astrogeography,” but the concept is the same.) And thanks to technology, we can now download our own Astrocartography maps with the touch of a touchpad, either by spending a lot of time with a professional astrologer or by getting the most basic information about your chart for free from astro.com.

However, if you decide to do it yourself, be advised that there is a lot to learn. Dubinet, along with Monahan, provide some 101-level pearls of knowledge on Astrogeography (or Astrocartography) below. To make the procedure simpler, she offers an online Intro to Astrogeography course that teaches you how to read your own map.

Your Astrocartography Chart: How To Decode

To help in this procedure, you need first create your own customized Astrocartography chart. Although there are several free Astrocartography tools available to get you started, your map must eventually be customized for your individual astrological self.

Using your birthdate, time, and location, you can run your own personal map and get a map of the entire planet with a tone of intersecting colorful lines on it. Each of these lines is associated with a specific celestial body, and it is believed that when you are near one of these lines, you will exhibit certain characteristics.

According to Dubinet, the simplest approach to make sense of it all is to first consider what you’re hoping to summon into your life, such as a summer romance, financial success, or artistic inspiration. Next, locate the planet that your wish is associated with on your Astrocartography map by finding its line. It is believed that areas along or close to that line hold the energy of the corresponding planet. According to Dubinet, below is a breakdown of each planet’s energy:

• Sun quote: “The sun is good for being seen—it boosts your ego.” Your renown and reputation [line] is what I call it.
• “The moon signifies the holy feminine,” says the moon line. It has to deal with raising both oneself and other people.
• “Mercury is the planet of communication,” says the Mercury line. You may write a book or pique your interest in something in places on your Mercury line.
• Venus is the planet of love, beauty, and relationships as well as fashion and design, according to the Venus line.
• Mars is driving, says the sentence. It is a passion. Go somewhere along a Mars line if you want to feel a lot of macho energy.
• Jupiter is the planet of happiness, growth, and abundance. It’s a solid choice.
• Saturn line: “Places on your Saturn lines can eventually age you and burden you with too many responsibilities. However, they are unquestionably beneficial if you wish to live a life of order and discipline, such as while selecting a college.
• “If Uranus is the young rebel, Saturn is like the old guy,” says Uranus. Surprises and change are how it manifests itself.
• Neptune line: Despite being so spiritual, you cannot clearly discern anything on a Neptune line. It’s unlikely that you would choose to reside there.
• Pluto line: “Go to a Pluto line if you need to shake things up; it will create destruction, but also rebirth and growth.”
• “[The asteroid] Chiron is the mystical healer,” says the Chiron line. It provides a small amount of insight into our mission in life by outlining how we are intended to assist others.
• The north and south nodes are said to stand for fate and karma. The locations along the node lines evoke a sense of familiarity, almost as if you had visited previously.

You might have noticed that some of your lines cross or overlap one another; for example, my Jupiter and Pluto lines are directly above one another. According to Dubinet, this merely indicates that their energies collide in those locations where they are intensified.

The Astrocartography Chart’s Four Cardinal Points

The four major spheres of life—self, relationship, career, and home—are likewise represented by cardinal points in your Astrocartography chart, according to Monahan. Astrocartography examines how specific planets in your chart interact with or oppose these cardinal points, according to Monahan. They accomplish this by applying these points to each planet individually and then plotting each result on a map. Then, we may access their energy using these maps.

For instance, according to Monahan, “locations along a Jupiter MC line will be connected with abundance and luck for work, whereas locations along a Jupiter IC line will be more focused on expansion in family and home life.”

You Can Feel a Place’s Astrological Energy Without Going There

There is only one issue, in my opinion: I’m not about to move there, even though Dubinet predicts I would enjoy “explosive abundance” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to my Astrocartography chart. And despite my desire, I don’t believe I will be able to add that stamp to my passport anytime soon. The good news is that Dubinet claims that it is irrelevant.

Of course, the ideal method to absorb a place’s energy would seem to be to be there. While that may be the case, Dubinet asserts that you can still experience its effects without leaving your home. “No matter where you are, you can invoke cosmic energy. Without feeling the need to move, there are wonderful ways to incorporate them into your current home.

Get Lost in the Ambience of Your Destination

For instance, let’s imagine that, based on your Astrocartography chart, France is a particularly lucky location for you. Dubinet advises embracing your inner French girl by doing things like watching French movies, listening to French music, wearing French clothing, taking a French cooking class, and so on if you can’t physically travel there to experience its good fortune. You can also look for chances to interact with locals because they could be able to provide crucial knowledge or experience. (BRB, I’m about to swipe for guys from Brazil on Hinge.)

And with the latter, you might not need to work too much. According to Monahan, many people frequently will automatically sync with those who are near their power lines. Venus lines, of course, signify love partnerships. According to her, these are the types of individuals you may easily attract and have peaceful relationships with. People of Jupiter ancestry frequently serve as instructors or mentors in life and are known for sharing their expertise and knowledge. Monahan offers this expert advice: To shake things up in your dating life if you’re feeling stagnant, try experimenting with adding new places to your profile on dating apps.

Concentrate on the Astrocartography Line’s Energy

Additionally, according to Monahan, you can tap into the energy of your Astrocartography lines to increase their power. She advises choosing one planet to work with and concentrating on the energy that the planet stands for in order to achieve this. For instance, if you wish to communicate with your Jupiter line, you should first get to know it well. According to Monahan, Jupiter is referred to as the Greater Benefic and is the sky’s most optimistic planet. It is linked to fortune, enlightenment, philosophy, altruism, coherence, and expansion.

The locations on your Jupiter line can then be used to apply the planet’s keywords, according to Monahan. Are there any particular ideologies from these fields that you would like to learn more about? she asks. “Are there any languages or cultures that you’d like to study further? Do you really wish to delve into any old texts to learn more about these places? Take an interest in the areas and approach them through a Jupiter lens.

Don’t worry-You Can Never Find a “Bad” Place for You

Imagine that you have your Astrocartography map and discover that you are located on a perilous line, such as Saturn or Neptune. Keep your cool, advises Dubinet. The most important thing, she argues, is to not be afraid of the harder lines since they all have benefits for us. If you pick a more difficult path to follow, it will only make you stronger and more advanced. It might be the jolt you require.

Astrocartography chart is unique and has a variety of various planets and energies. Things can be really favorable if you reside on an Astrocartography line of a benefic planet (also known as a planet with a positive effect), such as Venus or Jupiter, but only if those planets are healthy in your chart. Moving to this line will further exacerbate whatever tough aspects or obstacles that your natal Venus may be facing, according to Monahan.

And vice versa, while malefic planets like Mars and Saturn, which have harder energies, might be challenging to manage, they can be highly productive regions for people who have a deep understanding of the planets in their charts. Saturn is beneficial for finishing a body of work or starting a serious study, according to Monahan. If you are someone who thrives in a bustling, fast-paced environment, Mars may be the ideal place for you.

Again, there is no such thing as a negative location to be; rather, every area has a distinctive energy, and Astrocartography enables you to access those energies according to your needs at the time. In order to communicate what you want to do with your life going forward, Monahan advises that you “make sure you are moving to [or traveling to] an area that compliments your chart.” A fast-paced, sociable environment, for instance, might have been ideal for you when you were a young, single person, but as you prepare to have children, you might yearn for a slower, more nurturing atmosphere.

The key message is that astrocartography can help you better comprehend the energy influences of various areas and how they pertain to you and your life in particular. Then you make appropriate plans for your trips (or major relocation).