Intercepted Signs and Planets, and Linked Houses

Intercepted Signs

An intercepted sign in an astrological chart is a zodiac sign that does not rule any house due to the method of house division used. This phenomenon generally occurs in unequal house systems, such as the Placidus system, for example.

In other words, interception occurs when there is no cusp (which is the beginning of a house) within a sign.

It can also be said that if a house spans more than 30 degrees and contains more than one entire sign, then the latter is intercepted since it does not have a cusp within it.

Interpretation

In psychological astrology, it is believed that an intercepted sign manifests in a more indirect or weakened manner.

Each intercepted sign may indicate an area of life where an individual might encounter challenges, delays, or blockages. For example, an intercepted Aries might signify difficulties in initiating actions or asserting independence.

When there is no house cusp in a sign, it depends on the cusp of the preceding house.

For an intercepted Cancer sign in the tenth house, for instance, this configuration could indicate obstacles in balancing family needs with professional aspirations.

The common view is that the energy of an intercepted sign is somewhat locked up or "trapped" – as suggested by the graphical representation of the horoscope – making its development challenging.

However, intercepted signs are neither inactive nor always weakened. They will be all the more influential if they contain planets, which are then called intercepted planets. Intercepted signs generally correspond to lacks, blockages, or refusals.

These intercepted signs represent values and qualities to be developed and mastered, a field of challenging experiences to be realized. If the Sun, the Moon, or the ruler of the Ascendant is intercepted, there may be setbacks or adversity in finding one's path in life.

Generally, to learn even more about an interception, it is possible to study the ruling planets of the intercepted signs as well as the signs that rule the intercepted planets, and also the preceding and following cusps and their placements.

Linked or Duplicated Houses

Linked or duplicated houses occur when there are intercepted signs in a birth chart.

They exist when two houses are found in one sign. Hence the designation of linked or duplicated houses, as they are found together, in a duo, in the sign in question.

Interpretation

These houses can indicate life areas where the energy of the sign is amplified.

For example, linked houses in Leo may emphasize themes of intense creativity and personal expression.

Intercepted Planets

A planet is said to be intercepted when it is located in an intercepted sign.

Interpretation

This position may indicate that the qualities of the planet are less directly accessible or more difficult to express.

It tends to "eclipse" its planetary function, producing random manifestations, such as intermittent restraints, but promoting introspection, somewhat in the manner of a retrogradation.

In a way, intercepted planets need to shine more than others - for example through dignity, angularity, or by sending many aspects - to compensate for their limitation due to interception.

For instance, an intercepted Venus in Scorpio might indicate an intensity of emotional expression in love that is complex to express or manage.

Reliability and Controversies

The concept of interception is controversial, and it is important to be aware of this. Some astrologers consider it quite important, while others find it minor, less useful or significant, or even so negligible that they prefer not to include it in their chart analyses.

There are different schools of thought. Many professional practitioners do not take interception into account as they work with other house systems that explicitly exclude this possibility (like the equal house system, for example).

For those who adhere to this concept, intercepted signs, houses, and planets offer an additional layer of nuance in astrological interpretation.

The question is whether this nuance is important or not. Nothing is settled today, especially since the existence of interception depends on the choice of house system by the astrologer.

In conclusion, it is advisable to remain cautious on this subject and not to accept interpretations associated with it without reservation.