Youstrology part 5: Are you born on the cusp?

Being "on the cusp" is a fascinating astrological concept that can reveal unique layers of your personality. It can even explain why certain cosmic events, like eclipses, might affect your life in areas that you might not have expected.

Put simply, being on the cusp is when a particular planet in your chart is close to the border of two zodiac signs. It is either about to move into the next sign on the zodiac wheel, or has just recently arrived from the one before it.

As planets move from one zodiac sign to the next, the energy doesn’t just abruptly change - it blends and overlaps.

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The easiest way to identify if you have any major cusp placements (Sun, Moon or Rising), you will need to look at your birth chart. The key is in the degrees.

In the birth chart basics post, I outlined how each zodiac sign occupies 30-degrees of the zodiac circle. A planet or important point is considered on the cusp if it’s at the very beginning or very end of its sign:

• 0 to 4 degrees: This is the early cusp. You're at the start of a sign, still infused with the energy of the previous one.

• 26 to 29 degrees: This is the late cusp. You're at the end of a sign, already beginning to vibrate with the energy of the next.

While you can have many placements on cusps, the most impactful are your Top Three: your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs.

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A worked example

In my own chart, my Sun is at 28.5 degrees of Leo. The late degrees mean I am on the cusp of the next sign, Virgo.

This means that while I embody the bold, creative heart of a Leo, I also have the analytical, detail-oriented mind of a Virgo.

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Pull up your own birth chart

Check your own chart to see which placements are on the cusp. It’s simple once you can see the order of the zodiac signs.

1. If your placement is at 0-4 degrees: Look at the sign before the one listed in your chart. (e.g., A planet at 1° of Taurus is on the cusp of Aries and Taurus).

   
   

2. If your placement is at 26-29 degrees: Look at the sign after the one listed. (e.g., My Sun at 28° Leo is on the cusp of Leo and Virgo).

Remember, you can only be on the cusp of two signs that are next to each other. You can’t be on a Taurus-Cancer cusp, for instance, because Gemini sits between them!

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If you are born on the cusp

If one of your Top Three signs is on a cusp, it adds a rich dimension to your astrological profile. Impacts can include:

1. Your personality: You are a beautiful blend of both signs! Read the descriptions for both your sign and its neighbour. Chances are, you’ll see yourself clearly in parts of each. Googling terms like "Leo-Virgo cusp traits" can offer specialised insight into how these two energies merge within you.

2. Eclipse seasons:  During eclipses, you should pay attention to forecasts for both signs as they will likely affect different areas of your life or different 'houses'.

3. Reading horoscopes: For a more accurate forecast, try reading the horoscope for your cusp sign as well as your primary one to see if it resonates better. Remember, you should always read the horoscopes of your Sun, Moon and Rising signs as a general rule anyway.