house system: default or Koch?

I am sure somebody already published a post on that topic (don't know if it shoud belong to 'predictive astrology'), but cannot find it now. When choosing the difefrent chart possibilities offered in astro.com there are several house systems. A astrologer that I very much appreciate uses always koch system, but don't know if the default is better.

What do you think? Which are the main differences and which is best for running solar return charts?

Thanks!

Scarlett.

This is a complex and highly controversial issue. The default is the Placidus system. I'd say that IF you appreciate results with the Koch format, and are perfectly happy with it, then keep using it.
My advocacy is for Whole Sign houses; if you are interested in checking out whole sign, enter "whole sign houses" in the AW "search" function, and check "search posts"; there is also a current thread of mine which is taking a Poll on AW members' house system formats (see the Natal astrology section: Houses and Cusps forum)
Also, if at all intrigued by whole sign, read Robert Hand's booklet, "Whole Sign Houses", for an interesting history.
But, as I said, if you are happy with Koch, by all means stick to it!!

Thanks for your reply... For me the important thing is that houses change a lot depending on one system or the other. Placidus/koch and whole signs give me complete different houses for interpretating my next solar return!
too difficult to try to understand astrology if there are so many different placement!!
Don't know what to think... I feel a little bit discouraged right now...

As both Olivia and I posted, if Koch (or any other house system) works well for you, stick with it and forget about all the others.
But relative to your current feeling of discouragement: I had used Placidus for over 30 years, before learning about whole sign in the late 1990's. I tried whole sign and found it seemed to work more clearly (for me) than Placidus; but then I had the thought (similar to yours) "well, Placidus has worked well for me for years, but this whole sign stuff seems to be clearer-what should I do?" So I asked myself, what did the originators of Western astrology (and, indeed Vedic astrology as well) use? And the answer was whole sign. And I asked myself about what thoughts the ancient's had about the nature of the sky, and I asked myself, what system mirrors those thoughts most perfectly? And again the answer was whole sign. And then I asked what was the most simple and direct house format? And the answer, again, was whole sign. So-perhaps because I have a too simplistic mind-my answers perfectly satisfied ME, as to whole sign and as to which house format I would use, and I have never regretted my conversion to the ancient whole sign house format ...

I have started whole house systems and I have found them to be easier to understand.

Plus while using this method you can also apply some of the vedic system rules and check the results (without doing declinations calculations).

Check out the results, you will be surprised.

But I can also look at any chart (placidus, koch) and I can also easily make predictions. Better to know both.
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scarlett said:

I am sure somebody already published a post on that topic (don't know if it shoud belong to 'predictive astrology'), but cannot find it now. When choosing the difefrent chart possibilities offered in astro.com there are several house systems. A astrologer that I very much appreciate uses always koch system, but don't know if the default is better.

What do you think? Which are the main differences and which is best for running solar return charts?

Thanks!

Scarlett.

Click to expand...

Throughout the forums but mainly in natal astrology there are two main branches Placidus (unequal size houses) v Equal House (whereby each house is same size) but lots more……. For more information on these go here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_(astrology)#Description
http://www.astrolozy.com/article19.asp
http://www.skyviewzone.com/birthinfoforms2/housesexplained.htm

It's only with study and research will you be able to assess where your planets are deposited and in which houses... thus see which 'glove fits'

Depends on the point of which you experience life. How do you live? If your soul or inner child is alive and you still believe in your dreams one way or another keep on using koch. It allows one to rule his life and experience his true passion.

But if you have lost this and just notice what is most profitable and go for it directly better start something like equal houses.

http://www.solsticepoint.com/astrologersmemorial/hone.html
http://www.skyviewzone.com/birthinfoforms2/housesexplained.htm
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Z0nnE2IP7A4C&pg=PA167&dq=astrology+equal+house&as_brr=3&ei=i0iJS-PlGo3mygS89Nn8DQ&cd=2#v=onepage&q=astrology%20equal%20house&f=false

EQUAL HOUSES
“Another of the three most popular house systems is Equal houses which is just what its name implies. All the houses have the same degree on each cusp, and there are no interceptions. Equal house systems are especially useful for people born in the northernmost and southernmost latitudes, and this system is the most popular one in use outside of the United States.”
http://www.esotericapublications.com/art-eso-011.htm

“Equal house system is the only system that is erected in the plane of the Earths orbit. The zodiac is erected in the plane of the Earths orbit around the Sun which comprises of a 360 degree circle that surrounds the Earth. The mid-heaven is often more, or less than ninety degrees (three signs) from the ascendant, therefore it is not often placed on the tenth house cusp, but marked where it appears in the mid-heaven according to the latitude and longitude of birth. The mid-heaven is taken as an important point; it is the point of self-mastery.”
http://marianneohagan.com/house.htm


“The simplest approaches, the equal-house and whole-sign methods, merely require knowledge of the ascendant or ascending sign, and an equal division throughout the rest of the zodiac eliminates the need for any complicated calculations
Yet recent research into classical astrology has created a renewed interest in these simple techniques from a more scholarly perspective. The point of strength is that, regardless of the originating theory behind house division, in practice at least, classical astrologers tended to tie the houses to the signs, apparently concurring with Pelletier, who wrote in defence of the equal house method”
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/houprob4.html

scarlett said:

I am sure somebody already published a post on that topic (don't know if it shoud belong to 'predictive astrology'), but cannot find it now. When choosing the difefrent chart possibilities offered in astro.com there are several house systems. A astrologer that I very much appreciate uses always koch system, but don't know if the default is better.

What do you think? Which are the main differences and which is best for running solar return charts?

Thanks!

Scarlett.

Click to expand...

I find that Koch works magnificently. The biggest glitch with all systems come with people born around north and south pole I know 1 person who has 3 signs in 1 house!