What exactly is a Solar Arc predictive technique?

The Solar Arc chart brings your chart forward in time. Solar Arc is a method of advancing a chart by using a day for a year, advancing the Sun along with all planets in the natal horoscope at an equal rate of 1 degree for each year. Solar Arc direction of a chart ignores the natural motion of the natal planets after birth and maintains their relationship by directing them forward at an equal rate. Thus, the relationships of planets and cusps always keep same distance from each other as they do in the natal chart. In reality, the Sun does not actually move at an exact rate of 1 degree each and every day through summer and winter.

Because the Sun moves at an approximate rate of change, you can find what is called a true solar arc; using an ephemeris. Moving forward the number of days which represent the corresponding number of years, take the Sun's position according to your ephemeris. Now subtract the position of the natal Sun from that position. This will give you the exact number of degrees which you would then use to direct the position of each planet and cusp in the natal chart in order to create your Solar Arc chart.

Once you have your Solar Arc Chart, you take the Natal Chart and compare the new aspects formed between the planets of the two charts giving no more than one degree orb in each direction. Generally, the easiest practice for comparison is to place the Solar Arc chart in an outer ring around the Natal chart. You can use positive aspects from your natal chart to use new aspects created between it and your Solar Arc chart positively, and in turn use flowing aspects created by Solar Arc chart to handle challenging aspects in your Natal chart.

How the Solar Arc Chart differs from a Solar Return chart. Your Solar Return chart is are cast to reflect a picture of the hour and minute when the Sun returns to the exact position it held in your Natal chart. Solar Returns are usually based upon your place of current residence. The Solar Arc moves planets together in a direction through time. Unlike the Solar Arc chart, in a Solar Return chart, the distance between the rest of your planets change from where they were in your Natal chart and a new sequence of planets and aspects can be formed.

Solar Return charts can be read side by side with your Natal chart or can read as a separate stand alone chart for the year. The Solar Arc chart is always read with your Natal chart because attention is placed solely upon new aspects formed between the planets in your Natal and Solar Arc charts.