A Brief Observation of the Birthchart of Joni Mitchell as Compared Between Three House Systems: Placidus, Koch, and Whole Sign
The following is a selection of planetary placements that “jump” houses between charts:
Sun conjunct Mercury in Scorpio – 4th House vs. 5th House
Both Placidus and Whole Sign place her Scorpio Sun conjunct Mercury in the 5th House. Koch places these planets in her 4th House. The 5th House of creativity, sex, pleasure, and adventure is much more appropriately represented in the native, there are not significant references to “home” or “family” throughout her vast catalogue of song lyrics. Also, the native left her childhood home at a very young age to set off to pursue her music career, and she did not maintain regular contact with her parents. Furthermore, the she did write songs about the child that she gave up for adoption when the native was just a teen. All evidence points to the clear categories of “children” and especially “creativity” belonging to the 5th House, giving Placidus and Whole Sign the nod.
Moon conjunct Midheaven in Pisces – 10th House vs. 9th House Both Placidus and Koch use the Midheaven/IC axis as the 10th House cusp. Whole Sign however, puts the native’s Moon-Midheaven conjunction in the 9th House. I believe this aspect in the 9th House placement is a more accurately expressed one for the native. The vast, ideological dream-like undercurrents in the subject matter of her work, her life-long career which included international touring, and her reverence for the religion of art and philosophy – as thoroughly noted in her personal life – further substantiate this belief. My nod goes to Whole Sign in this instance. Venus conjunct Neptune in Virgo – 3rd House vs. 4th House In each of the systems Neptune remains in the 4th House, which I find quite fitting. In Placidus and Koch Venus resides in the 4th House. However, because of the native’s psycho-spiritual as well as physical distance from her family, and having had only brief and sporadic periods of her own family, I believe the Whole Sign 3rd House of expression and writing is the more sensible location for Venus. Venus in her Fall here is suggestive of feminism, romantic hardship, and the native’s her daughter, all of which were themes in her writing. Hence, it is clear to me that of the compared three charts, the Whole Sign House System most accurately represents the qualities of the native in those House areas. © Melissa Greener & Waxing AstroLogic; October 5, 2020 Originally submitted for Kepler College Professional Certification in Natal Astrology