Ever since I had my first consult with Elsa, I've paid attention to the angles of a chart (the cusps of the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th in Equal houses).  I'm normally a Placidus kinda gal but I've seen it play out over time and absolutely agree that they're vital and sensitive points.

I do find it hard to reconcile, though.  I mean, the angles are pretty easy to spot in a Placidus chart once you know what you're looking for -- but I really like having the actual MC as the cusp of the 10th house!

Are these two approaches as dissimilar as they seem?  Meaning, is it really possible to use them together as I have been doing or is this a no-no in standard astrology?  Has anyone else noticed sensitivity around chart angles (whether you use Equal or Placidus)?

Hmmm.... my chart (using both these house systems) aren't that different.

But I would venture a guess..... people with extreme charts ((aka: born further away from the Equator , say 40-Degrees or more)) this would have a wildly different effect.

Yeah, I've seen some charts like that, Glenn.  VAST difference!

In my chart, everything beyond Saturn on the wheel moves a house backwards.  I've never quite been able to understand if I jive more with Placidus because of the aspects I have or because it honestly "fits" better; I'm not quite advanced enough of a student to make the distinction.

When I've looked at friend's Placidus charts and explained what I saw, it tends to be pretty spot-on, though.  :)

Well, I'll admit that I did try to use EH charts more often after coming to the boards a while ago. But I've found that I prefer, and feel more comfortable looking at my chart thru the Placidus model. I was also born at 45.5 degrees N of the equator line, so my chart is very different under the two house systems. Planets, and house cusps move around a lot between the two charts.

It just...adds up to my little shiny chicken mind to look at my chart using Placidus. I can relate much stronger to a 5th house Leo (rawr) than a 5th house Virgo. Ahem, jokes aside....I have an easier time coming to terms with a packed 6th house, than a 5th house Virgo if that makes sense.

I also have the signs of my North/South nodes in duplicated houses, and I think that shows something significant I need to work on in this life. The darker side, is having an intercepted Venus which I've read means that the environment does not provide me with what my Venus needs. If we let Venus in Aries opposite Pluto out for a second to voice her blunter sentiments, it would come out something like, "No sh*t Sherlock," on a sad and tired growl. See why we don't let her out very often? ;)

My Placidus chart is a harder chart to look directly at, as it's more, er, glum than the EH chart but....it's me, and with Jupiter in Scorp, and an 8th house Sag I never really give up hope, I just evolve it into something else as needed. It's complicated--and quite extreme.

I feel like Placidus fits me better.

There's not a huge difference for me (I have one planet on 4th/5th house cusp that moves) but I like my IC in the 3rd. It suits, I think. Leo IC, in the house of my chart ruler? OK!

What I don't quite feel though is that 4th house/10th house cusp. Leo/Aqua I get. Virgo/Pisces not so much. (Pisces 10th house is a bitch for me, I tell ya!)

Hmmm...Placidus system...kp astrology is very accurate in predicting events. Dont have much experience in using equal house.

@Shannon: I have a Pisces MC naturally but an Aries 10th in Equal.  Neptoon sez whaaaaa??  :P

Haha right? I mean - I have Saturn! Plenty of it! WTF with the fuzzy 10th house, maaaan? I just wanna do my job and earn my paycheck, yo.

And I can totally understand the Pisces/Aries confusion as well.

"WTF with the fuzzy 10th house, maaaan? I just wanna do my job and earn my paycheck, yo."

Oh, roffle!  *snort*

I just want to get paid for sleeping angrily.  :P

It's true, I do. I work hard at that, witnessed by the fact that I've managed to squidge by in Corporate America for the better part of 20 years. But it always come to a point where I'm just too weird to be abided any more. And I hate just squidging by. I am on a weird fence of not having the discipline/wherewithal to be self employed but not being able to tamp down my Aquarian energy (MC trine ascendant AND natal Uranus) to blend for an actual career. Meh. I dunno, I probably think too hard about this stuff. But my self esteem is somewhat tied into it, ya dig? (that old 1H sun-Saturn thing)

And I couldn't do the sleeping angrily thing. Sleep and I are already on delicate enough terms that I'd prefer not to fight with her any more than I already do!

I never used equal till after a consult with Elsa. I do now but I noticed that the placements with equal are rather similar to my progressed chart in placid:)

Oh damn neptune it may have been the other way around but I'm to tired to go look:)

*lol @LTG*  :P

@Equilibrium, I just now noticed the "kp" in front of "astrology" in your comment.  Care to elaborate?  (AKA: I'm lost.  *grins*)