Odds are you know your astrological sun sign. You probably also know your moon and rising sign. If you’re a true celestial connoisseur, you may even have the subtle nuances of your chart figured out—how best to communicate according to your Mercury placement and how to call in your most abundant life according to the placement of Jupiter. But there’s another secret the world’s top astrologers know. It’s called astrocartography, and it’s all about how to move through the world—specifically, where to travel, where to live, and even where to find love.
If we think of astrology as looking from Earth to the sky at the time of your birth, then astrocartography is the opposite: looking from the sky down to Earth. Astrocartography, which is also known as locational astrology, shows the lines formed by the planets and celestial points on the Earth at the time of your birth. These lines create a unique “map” that aligns with the places that may best resonate with certain situations in your life on Earth. They can show you what cities, states, and regions may help you develop your creative talents according to your sun sign; where you are likely to encounter opportunities to heal according to your Chiron placement; and where you might find love according to Venus, just to name a few.
According to astrologer KJ Atlas, locational astrology can drastically improve your life. “Some places are better for you than others and are going to bring out the natural strengths, talents, and gifts within you when you go to the right place,” says Atlas. “Studying your astrocartography chart can also help you process why a place didn’t work out for you. It can also validate your experiences and help you understand what part of you, your psyche, and your soul has a shadow or challenge that you are trying to overcome by being in that specific place.”
I can vouch for this. On a Zoom reading with KJ in May, I told her my plans to leave for Bali in the next week, where I’d stay for two months. She helped me discover that my sun line runs directly through the island and that I’d likely experience significant inspiration while there, as well as chances to develop my creative talents. Having just returned from my trip to Bali, I can share that it was true. I spent a month learning healing modalities in a tantra training course; I learned from healers at a wellness retreat that combined everything from sound therapy to acupuncture. I even completed a seven-day water fast and felt more mental clarity than I have in years. It was also hard for me to leave Bali, as KJ had predicted. What resulted after traveling along my sun line is this: I arrived back to my home in Mexico City feeling more alive than ever, more sure about my creative path, and more enthused about making big professional moves— and all this with a head of hair that literally still feels like a thick and luscious lion’s mane. I must say, I love the effect of traveling along my sun line.
If you’re ready to give astrocartography a whirl, you can start by booking a reading with an expert like KJ. To prepare for your reading, you may be interested in looking up your astrocartography chart and matching your lines to the list of planetary themes listed below. This will give you a preliminary understanding of how astrocartography can guide your travels and life choices—and help you prepare questions to ask someone like KJ during a reading. “With global travel being more accessible than ever before,” says KJ, “using astrocartography to make your travels intentional is a must in the modern digital era.”
Below, a look at how to use your astrocartography chart as a roadmap.
Sun
If you want to shine bright, travel on your sun line to be seen in your truest authenticity. This is a place where your ego can develop in a way that’s both healthy and beneficial for your personal development. On this line, your creative talents and expertise will become more visible, and you will likely be recognized for all you offer in the world in a significant way.
Moon
Where your moon line lands on your chart feels a little more significant than other lines, as it may feel like a big breath out—a sigh of relief. It’s a place where you feel deeply comfortable and where you will likely want to call your home. When traveling or living on your moon line, you may feel the call to go deeper into yourself and your inner world. You may want to either be with your family or build one of your own and nourish yourself with rituals and self-care practices.
Mercury
You can think of Mercury as busy bee energy. When you travel along this line, don’t plan to sleep or rest very much. That’s because you will have quite the social agenda, with many places to go and people to see. This line also holds significance for those who desire to develop their consciousness and learn new skills. KJ recommends traveling on your Mercury line when you want to write a book.
Venus
Alas, we’ve arrived at my favorite line: Venus, the line of love. Travel to this line when you are feeling the call of your heart to either love or be loved—or better yet, both! When you go to a destination on your Venus line, your life will likely feel laced with a bit of indulgence, a sense of divine pleasure, and romance purveying all that you do. It’s creation in the loving sense and a place where you could even meet a potential lover or partner.
Mars
If you’re looking to get some serious work done and realize the long-held dreams you’ve had listed on your phone’s Notes app for what feels like years now, then a trip along your Mars line is in order. A visit to a city on this line may give you the extra push you need to get motivated and finally take the step you need to realize your vision. Go here to take action, dream big, and do all the big things you’ve always dreamed of doing!
Jupiter
Consider a trip along your Jupiter line as finally finding what awaits you at the end of the rainbow. Spoiler: it’s a big pot of gold! Jupiter is all about expansion, luck, and good fortune, so plan a trip here if any of those sounds like an ideal outcome for you. You may also experience new beginnings when you travel or live along this line. So book that trip—potentially, an entirely new life awaits you.
Saturn
Some people would avoid their Saturn line altogether, as it’s usually indicative of tough lessons ahead. Traveling or living along your Saturn line could mean you may experience limitations and restrictions in how you work, live, and move in this location. But, through these lessons, you learn more about life and your place in the world. You’ll come out stronger on the other side. yourself and life. If this scares you, don’t worry. I live in Mexico City, which is below my Saturn line, and I’ve had a pretty fantastic seven years here.
Uranus
Have you ever read a mystery novel or watched a suspenseful movie, and you’re constantly surprised by the twists and turns? That’s kind of how traveling to your Uranus line can feel, as it’s an unconventional place where alternative experiences and people await. You can expect disruptions, surprises, and perhaps being knocked off of your center. But it also sounds kind of exciting, right?
Neptune
For the spiritually inclined, traveling along your Neptune line has the potential to unlock some of life’s mysteries. It can elicit dreamy, blissful experiences, something akin to paranormal activity, or being visited by a ghost. There’s also a chance to feel quite confused when traveling or living along this line, as the tendency to drift into escapism is high.
Pluto
Arriving at a destination along your Pluto line is a juicy one. It may call for you to dive deep into your healing. KJ refers to this as psychological plumbing and a destination where you can explore the circle of life and perhaps contemplate why you’re here and what you came to do in this lifetime.
Chiron
It can be hard to differentiate Pluto and Chiron, but one distinct aspect of traveling along your Chiron line is the opportunity to heal your inner child—Chiron is the wounded healer after all. This could include meeting people or experiencing places that help you revisit wounds from the past, but in a good way, one that’s cathartic and healing. You may have the chance to turn any past pain or heartbreak into your next great artistic pursuit.
North & South Nodes
Traveling along your nodes can tell you where you’ve been before and where you’re going in the future. A trip along your South Node may provide insight into your past lives. You may experience déjà vu when you touch down at a destination along this line, like you’ve lived an entire lifetime there before. On the other hand, going somewhere along your North Node line can feel expansive, as if you are yearning to grow something profound there. Fated experiences, either looking backward or forward, are likely to happen along both of these lines.
Lilith
We simply do not talk about Lilith enough. She’s not a star, planet, or asteroid, merely a point in the sky that marks the Moon’s farthest point from Earth or the dark side of the moon— she’s also called Black Moon Lilith. It’s one of my favorite spots in our entire galaxy, mostly for how sexy things can get when you’re riding high in a destination that sits along this line. When you travel according to your Lilith, you can expect huge doses of female empowerment, as well as some taboos, to come to the surface—dark, sultry, and totally erotic. Go here if you’re feeling like you’d like to explore the more mysterious aspects of your psyche.