Reading A Solar Return

I have done natal & predictive astrology for years professionally... and yet I have never really examined solar return charts.

What is the best way to read them?

I have heard each house is a month in the upcoming year. I have heard one superimposes the solar reurn on top of the natal...

Any generic comments?

Solar return is the casting of a chart when the sun returns to your exactly degree of your sun sign.
I only have one book in my library about solar returns - its planets in solar returns by Mary Shea - basic cook book style - but seems like a good place to start
You astrology program (if you have one) will cast the chart for you
Otherwise have a look at the ephemeris and you get an idea - there are probably proggies on the web too
Its worth looking at solar return just prior to the birthday I feel - maybe 1 months prior to your birthday - gives an image of the year

Oh I know what a solar return chart IS. I've been a professional astrologer for 20 years. I've just never really paid much attention to them personally. I was looking for interpretation tips & tricks...

Hello Aspicco, I also have been a long time astrologer so I might give you some idea. What you wrote above:

have heard each house is a month in the upcoming year

Click to expand...

is not true.
The Solar Return should indeed be read as a natal chart BUT in relation to the real natal chart. Yes, you can put the Solar planets into the natal chart, see where they fall. You then look at your natal planet, see what it signifies, and then you can figure out what it will do in this particular year. Lets say Venus is natally in your 2nd but Solar Venus is in the 6th house of your Solar chart and in the 10th house of your natal chart. You can then mix those influences which clearly point towards work, health and career. If natally your Venus has square aspects but in the Solar return it is a trine, difficulties indicated with Venus will not entirely dissapear but will be accentuated and a bit more easily solved because of the trine. If it is the other way around, Venus square in the solar return,but natally in trine aspect, then there will be less easiness about the Venus activity this year. Things like that.
The Solar Return Ascendant is very important. Look where it falls in your natal chart. That house will be highlighted this particular year. If Solar Asc. and natal Asc. are in the same sign, major personal integration or crisis can be expected. If natal Descendant becomes the solar Ascendant a difficult year can be predicted. Also, Solar returns do not always show things that really will happen that year. They can just as well show what goes on in the mind of the client, what he or she would love to happen.
Hope this gives you a bit of an idea. Cheers, Star.

Solar Return, to aspicco

aspicco,

I read the Solar Return by itself to get a sense of the overview of issues for the person's birthday year. The Solar Return is for the time from a person's birthday until the person's next birthday. It is only a general overview of issues...for the details take a look at the transits to the birth chart.

Turning and returning,

Tim