Astrology, BaZi, numerology & tarot glossary
Definitions for terms across four independent personality systems: Western astrology (Swiss Ephemeris), Chinese BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny), Pythagorean numerology, and tarot birth cards. Plus convergence terminology used on Sagelon.
43 terms across 5 systems.
Western Astrology
- Natal chart (birth chart)
- A map of the sky at the exact moment and location of your birth, showing which zodiac sign each planet occupied and which house it fell in. Try it free →
- Swiss Ephemeris
- The astronomical calculation engine used to compute planetary positions. Accurate to arc-seconds. Used by Sagelon and professional astrology software.
- Sun sign
- The zodiac sign the Sun occupied at your birth. Represents your core identity and ego. Changes roughly once per month. Try it free →
- Moon sign
- The zodiac sign the Moon occupied at your birth. Represents your emotional nature, instinctive reactions, and inner self. Changes every 2-3 days. Try it free →
- Rising sign (Ascendant)
- The zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at your birth. Represents how others perceive you and the lens through which you approach the world. Requires birth time. Try it free →
- Big Three
- Sun, Moon, and Rising signs together. The three most influential placements in a natal chart, forming the foundation of your astrological personality. Try it free →
- Placidus house system
- The most widely used house system in Western astrology. Divides the ecliptic based on the time it takes for each degree to rise from the IC to the Ascendant. Used by Sagelon.
- Houses (1-12)
- Twelve divisions of the natal chart representing different life areas: self (1st), finances (2nd), communication (3rd), home (4th), creativity (5th), health (6th), partnerships (7th), transformation (8th), philosophy (9th), career (10th), community (11th), and the unconscious (12th).
- Aspects
- Angular relationships between planets in a chart. Major aspects: conjunction (0 degrees), sextile (60), square (90), trine (120), opposition (180). Each describes a different type of interaction between planetary energies.
- Retrograde
- When a planet appears to move backward from Earth's perspective. In astrological interpretation, retrograde planets express their energy in a more internalized or unconventional way. Not inherently negative.
- Zodiac signs
- The 12 signs of the Western zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Each occupies 30 degrees of the ecliptic.
- Elements (Western)
- Four elements in Western astrology: Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces).
- Profection year
- A Hellenistic astrology timing technique. Each year of life activates a different house in your chart, cycling through all 12 houses. Your current profection year highlights the themes and ruler of that house. Try it free →
- Saturn return
- When Saturn returns to the same zodiac position it occupied at your birth, occurring roughly every 29.5 years. Associated with major life transitions, maturation, and restructuring. Try it free →
- Zodiac compatibility
- Assessment of how well two zodiac signs interact based on their elemental and modal qualities. Sagelon extends this to cross-system compatibility using BaZi, numerology, and tarot alongside astrology. Try it free →
Chinese BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny)
- BaZi (八字)
- Literally "Eight Characters." A Chinese metaphysical system using your birth date and time to construct four pillars (year, month, day, hour), each with a Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch. Over 1,000 years old. Try it free →
- Four Pillars
- The four columns in a BaZi chart: Year Pillar, Month Pillar, Day Pillar, and Hour Pillar. Each pillar has a Heavenly Stem (top) and Earthly Branch (bottom). Try it free →
- Day Master
- The Heavenly Stem of the Day Pillar. Represents your core self in BaZi, similar to the Sun sign in Western astrology. There are 10 Day Masters: Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water, Yin Water. Try it free →
- Heavenly Stems (天干)
- Ten cyclic characters representing the five elements in Yin and Yang forms: Jia (Yang Wood), Yi (Yin Wood), Bing (Yang Fire), Ding (Yin Fire), Wu (Yang Earth), Ji (Yin Earth), Geng (Yang Metal), Xin (Yin Metal), Ren (Yang Water), Gui (Yin Water).
- Earthly Branches (地支)
- Twelve cyclic characters corresponding to the Chinese zodiac animals: Zi (Rat), Chou (Ox), Yin (Tiger), Mao (Rabbit), Chen (Dragon), Si (Snake), Wu (Horse), Wei (Goat), Shen (Monkey), You (Rooster), Xu (Dog), Hai (Pig).
- Elements (BaZi)
- Five elements in Chinese metaphysics: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. Each appears in Yin and Yang forms. The productive cycle: Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears Metal, Metal collects Water, Water nourishes Wood.
- Sexagenary Cycle
- The 60-unit repeating cycle formed by pairing Heavenly Stems (10) with Earthly Branches (12). Each unit in a BaZi chart is one of these 60 combinations.
- Ten Gods (十神)
- The relationships between your Day Master and other Heavenly Stems: Direct Wealth, Indirect Wealth, Direct Officer, Seven Killings, Direct Resource, Indirect Resource, Friend, Rob Wealth, Eating God, Hurting Officer.
- Lichun
- The solar term marking the start of the BaZi year, falling approximately on February 4. BaZi uses the solar calendar, not the lunar calendar. A person born January 30 belongs to the previous year in BaZi.
- Chinese zodiac animal
- The animal associated with your birth year's Earthly Branch (Rat, Ox, Tiger, etc.). This is only the year pillar. BaZi considers all four pillars for a complete personality analysis. Try it free →
Pythagorean Numerology
- Life Path number
- The most important number in Pythagorean numerology. Calculated by reducing your full birth date (month + day + year) to a single digit through repeated addition. Master numbers (11, 22, 33) are not reduced. Try it free →
- Expression number (Destiny number)
- Calculated from the full birth name by converting each letter to its numerical value (A=1, B=2, ... Z=8 in the Pythagorean system) and reducing the total. Represents your natural abilities and goals. Try it free →
- Soul Urge number (Heart's Desire)
- Calculated from only the vowels in your birth name. Represents your inner motivations, deepest desires, and what truly drives you beneath the surface. Try it free →
- Master numbers
- 11, 22, and 33. These numbers are not reduced to a single digit in Pythagorean numerology because they carry heightened energy. Life Path 11 is the intuitive visionary, 22 the master builder, 33 the master teacher. Try it free →
- Numerological reduction
- The process of repeatedly adding digits until a single digit (or master number) remains. For example: 1990 becomes 1+9+9+0 = 19, then 1+9 = 10, then 1+0 = 1.
- Pythagorean system
- The most widely used numerological system in the Western world. Assigns numbers 1-9 to letters sequentially (A=1, B=2, C=3, ... I=9, J=1, K=2, etc.). Distinct from Chaldean numerology, which uses a different mapping.
Tarot Birth Cards
- Tarot birth cards
- A pair of Major Arcana cards derived from your birth date through numerological reduction. Unlike tarot readings (which change each time), birth cards are fixed for life and represent core archetypal energies. Try it free →
- Personality Card
- The first card in your tarot birth card pair, derived from reducing your birth date sum to a number between 1 and 22. Represents your outward archetypal expression. Try it free →
- Soul Card
- The second card in your tarot birth card pair, derived by further reducing the Personality Card number. Represents your deeper, inner archetypal energy. Try it free →
- Major Arcana
- The 22 trump cards of a tarot deck, numbered 0 (The Fool) through 21 (The World). Each represents a fundamental human archetype. Tarot birth cards use only the Major Arcana.
- Major Arcana reduction
- The method for calculating tarot birth cards. Add all digits of your birth date and reduce until the sum falls within the Major Arcana range (1-22). The result gives your Personality Card; further reduction gives your Soul Card.
- Birth card pair
- The two Major Arcana cards that form your tarot birth card result. There are 12 possible pairs. Each pair represents a productive tension between complementary or contrasting archetypal energies. Try it free →
Convergence (Sagelon)
- Convergence
- When two or more independent personality systems agree about the same trait without sharing any mathematical basis. Sagelon cross-references Western astrology, BaZi, numerology, and tarot to find these agreement points. Try it free →
- Convergence point
- A specific personality trait or pattern identified by two or more independent systems. Each convergence point lists which systems agree and what they agree about.
- Convergence map
- A visualization of cross-system personality agreement on Sagelon. Shows where multiple frameworks overlap on the same traits. Not astrocartography (which maps planetary lines to geographic locations). Try it free →
- Convergence Snapshot
- Sagelon's free reading that runs all four systems on your birth data and shows the convergence theme names and which systems agree. Takes about 30 seconds. No email required. Try it free →
- Agreement zone
- An area where multiple personality systems overlap on the same trait or theme. For example, Scorpio Sun + Water Day Master + Life Path 7 creates an agreement zone around analytical depth.
- Cross-system analysis
- Running multiple independent personality systems on the same birth data and comparing their outputs for structural agreement. Distinct from a combined reading, which lists results side by side without analyzing overlap.
See these systems work together
Enter your birth details once. Get your Western chart, BaZi pillars, numerology numbers, and tarot birth cards. See where they converge.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What systems does this glossary cover?
This glossary covers four independent personality systems: Western astrology (Swiss Ephemeris, Placidus houses), Chinese BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny), Pythagorean numerology (Life Path, Expression, Soul Urge), and tarot birth cards (Major Arcana reduction). It also covers convergence terminology used on Sagelon.
What is the difference between astrology and BaZi?
Western astrology uses planetary positions calculated via the Swiss Ephemeris with 12 zodiac signs and 4 elements (Fire, Earth, Air, Water). BaZi uses the Chinese solar calendar with 10 Heavenly Stems, 12 Earthly Branches, and 5 elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). They were developed independently on different continents.
What does convergence mean on Sagelon?
Convergence on Sagelon means two or more independent personality systems agree about the same trait without sharing any mathematical basis. For example, a Scorpio Sun (investigation) and a Water Day Master (emotional depth) and a Life Path 7 (introspection) all pointing to analytical processing. Convergence is not astrocartography.
Is this glossary free?
Yes. All glossary definitions are free with no email or account required. Each entry includes a short definition and links to the relevant free calculator on Sagelon.