What Is the Part of Fortune in Astrology?
The Part of Fortune is one of many Arabic parts but this is the most widely known and commonly used one by those who know about these parts.
It also happens to be my absolute favorite part of any birth chart because it reflects to us and confirms what brings us the greatest fulfilment and joy in life. I love writing about it and when I gave chart readings, it would be at the top of my list of placements to discuss.
I’ve written detailed articles on each Part of Fortune placement by sign and house and those can be found in my Chart Points category under the parent category, Natal Astrology. It’s in the dropdown menu.
In Arabic astrology, this delightful point indicates the following:
- What makes us happy and content
- What makes us feel fulfilled
- What could be a fulfilling career path (many people look to this part of their chart when deciding on a new career)
- Where we may find most luck in life
- What could bring us material success
I should make it clear that it’s not a physical body like an asteroid or planet. It’s a calculated point in the birth chart and it’s discovered using the following formula:
Part of Fortune = Ascendant + Moon – Sun
It’s also a point of growth in the birth chart. This means that unless we’re really lucky, we don’t normally start out in life with all of the areas of life and personality traits covered by it in full bloom.
It’s shown as a circle with a cross situated through the middle as shown below:
Considering that three of the most important parts of the birth chart are involved in its calculation, it’s viewed as a very important part of the one’s identity. But having said that, I haven’t personally come across many astrologers who use it in their readings. I only know one astrologer in Los Angeles who uses it in every one of her chart readings.
Some qualified astrologers don’t even know what it was exactly but this isn’t too surprising. Because it’s an Arabic part, it’s infrequently examined by Western astrologers. To my knowledge, it isn’t part of the syllabus of the most well known Western astrology courses. Personally, I think this is a great shame because it’s one of the most joyous parts of the birth chart!
How It Fits in With the Rest of the Birth Chart
Ideally, the entire birth chart should be examined when assessing what may bring the most joy, fulfilment and financial success in life. But to keep things simple, at least combine it with the astrological houses which information on similar areas of life; the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 11th houses:
- The 2nd governs personal wealth, hobbies, skills and talents
- The 5th house governs fun, self-expression, creativity and children
- The 7th house governs marriage and partnerships of all kinds
- The 11th house governs friendships, groups of people including institutions (such as colleges), humanitarianism, and the future
The Sign and House Placements
The sign and house offer us different types of information about this important, joyous mathematical point. The sign it’s in on your birth chart indicates the personality traits and qualities which could help bring you joy, fulfilment and success. The house that it’s in on your chart indicates the areas of life which could prove to be exceptionally joyous, fulfilling, lucky and prosperous. You can combine the two to create a picture of an ideal lifestyle so you can live your best life.
Combining Sign and House
To give you a personal example, I have Part of Fortune in the sign of Capricorn and in the 7th house (ruled by Libra and Venus). This combination suggests that I could find especially significant success through marriage or by working with others (indicated by the 7th house of marriage and romantic and platonic relationships with others) and I can use patience, perseverance, and other Capricornian traits to achieve my dreams.
So far, this has been true for me! I was in a relationship with someone for about a decade who really helped me find myself and gave me the confidence to start my own business. It took a while and much focus and perseverance but I became self employed as a result of his support and encouragement. Since then, I’ve received a ton of help from other people in setting up a home and new business (Stars & Paths) of my own, although, Capricornian perseverance and determination was needed to do so.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’ve written articles on each of the individual sign and house placements and these can be found in my Chart points category, under Natal Astrology. All you have to do is read each one individually and then combine the two in a way that make sense, like I’ve just demonstrated above.
Aspects to The Part of Fortune
How this point is aspected may affect how it’s experienced. For most people, this point will have a mix of positive and negative aspects. Some will have more positive aspects than others. Those who have more positive aspects may experience their good fortune faster and an easier journey leading to it than those who have more negative aspects.
However, it should be noted that the Part of Fortune only represents what brings us joy and success in life, so negative aspects can only delay our good fortune; they cannot stop it from manifesting! Nothing can stop us thanks to the free-will we all have on Earth. It’s our birthright here. Perhaps there are inhabitants on other planets out there which don’t have the same degree of free-will choice but here, we’re all capable of pursuing or passions and reaching our dreams, no matter what we may think is preventing us from doing so.
Through the Zodiac Signs
Remember that the sign indicates the sort of traits you might wish to take on to help you achieve your highest dreams.
Aries
Their highest joy in life is essentially doing what they want it, when they want. This includes having a genuinely enjoyable career. They value their freedom and autonomy a tremendous amount. They love to have fun and play, and to express themselves passionately and unreservedly. They’re independent and full of energy and unique ideas, some of which could prove to be lucrative. They use their confidence, passion and assertiveness to make their dreams come true. They may also use their appearance and passionate personality to create businesses, or climb the career ladder.
Taurus
Stability and material security mean everything to these people. From an early age, they set about achieving a long list of goals that will help them to experience the safe and comfortable lifestyle they know they deserve. They love to love, to be tactile, and have plenty of good natured people around them. They also love to indulge their senses with beautiful surroundings, and delicious food and drink.
Gemini
These people relish their discussions and debates with others. They just love to talk, exchange ideas, and learn. Virtually any new information interests them. Fuelling their minds with new and exciting information is so much fun for them. They tend to stay alert and curious about the world around them, much like children, well into their senior years.
Cancer
Their greatest joy in life comes from being financially secure and having a beautiful home to live in and enjoy. Their home is filled with whatever makes their heart sing, for example, children, animals, a lovely partner, or just themselves enjoying their own company! They can also help others find security and happiness in their lives and can be hugely supportive and nurturing towards those they love. Seeing other people do well is such a joyful experience for them.
Leo
Being free to pursue any creative endeavor they fancy fills them with joy. They love to play and have fun, much like children, and indeed there is a childlike quality to them. They’re full of life, happiness, and positivity. They want to sample all the good things that life on this fine planet has to offer. Receiving praise for their appearance, personality, or artwork, makes them feel even happier.
Virgo
Those with this placement love learning about nature and personal well-being. Novel ideas for improving their energy levels, or beautify themselves, or their surroundings really interests them. They adore spending time in nature, as well as the company of animals. Helping other people and animals helps them to feel useful and valued. It also brings them much joy and fulfilment.
Libra
As far as these natives are concerned, the most important thing one can achieve in this life is balance. Their relationships are a balance of give and take, as is their work, and everything else. They love to be in positive, lively, upbeat company as often as possible because they find it fun and mentally stimulating. Discussing all sorts of issues makes them feel alive.
Scorpio
Unearthing the root cause of any matter that interests them makes them feel especially happy. These people have brilliant powers of detection and can often see through people and situations with ease. They want to live their lives to the fullest by experiencing as much as they can, and sometimes, that includes throwing caution to the wind! They love to uplift people and are happy to see them succeed with their encouragement. They have the tenacity and patience needed to see their plans through.
Sagittarius
These people are vivacious, full of ideas, and optimism. They aren’t afraid to pursue the things they truly enjoy. While most people worry about failing, these people just jump straight in without a second thought because they follow their heart.
They love expanding their horizons in almost any way they can —be it through higher education, travel, and getting to know new people from all walks of life. Their thirst for life is virtually unquenchable. They may enjoy living and working abroad, or dealing with people from abroad. Languages and learning about other cultures, including their spiritual beliefs, also interests them.
Capricorn
These people feel a particularly strong sense of fulfilment upon completing each of their goals. They have lots of them and they enjoy racing through them as quickly as possible so they can make good progress in life. Their ultimate goal is to have a glowing career, and enough money to buy themselves and their loved ones all their heart’s desire. They tend to be very serious about getting ahead in life. Many of these people excel in business.
Aquarius
These people find joy by being their authentic selves. This can take some doing as many of the places we frequent, such as academic institutions and places of work, don’t allow us to fully express ourselves. So this is something they might strive for in life. Success could also be found by being original, for instance, by being picked for an acting or modelling role for their quirky appearance or their interesting character. They tend to do things their own way, be sociable, laid-back, and have lots of friends.
Pisces
These people find a great deal of comfort and joy in their spiritual beliefs. They also enjoy sharing their beliefs with others if they feel they could help them. While they may not follow a religion or New Age spirituality, they may have their own set of beliefs which feel right for them and bring them peace. They enjoy contributing to humanity in numerous ways just to make the world a better place. They normally use their top notch intuition to navigate their way through life. Being consistently kind and tolerant towards others brings them a sense of inner peace and satisfaction.
Through the Astrological Houses
The house placement denotes which areas of life you could find your greatest success in or via. And just to remind you, I’ve written full-length articles on Part of Fortune in house (and sign!), but here are my condensed interpretations:
1st House
Prosperity and happiness may be found through self-employment. Being original in their way of thinking could mean that they invent a unique product or service which could make them very successful. They feel especially content when they feel free from any responsibilities and obligations. Their greatest joy in life is their freedom and autonomy and their ability to express themselves without worrying about what others might think.
2nd House
These people find security and stability by surrounding themselves with predictable people and situations. They desire money for the security as well as the wonderful experiences it can bring. Indulging their senses comes naturally to them and it makes them feel like they’re really living. They’re magnets for opportunities and prosperity, especially when working in a field they truly enjoy.
3rd House
These people may do especially well in careers which require excellent communication skills. Being exceptionally curious, they enjoy learning about nearly anything and everything. This means that normally, these people know a little about a lot and they enjoy teaching others what they know. They’re cerebral people and enjoy pursuits which are mentally stimulating and challenging.
4th House
Home is where the heart is as far as these people are concerned. They could do particularly well working from home, where they feel secure and happy. Some of them will undoubtedly run successful businesses from home. Their intuition is spot on and they enjoy combining it with their entrepreneurial skills to make shrewd decisions. Their caring and nurturing nature benefits others and in turn, they are loved and admired by others.
5th House
These natives hate having their freedom restricted in any way. They’re attracted to the things in life that are the most fun. They can be cheeky and humorous, and they really enjoy the company of fun-loving people. Acting is one of their greatest passions although they love all the arts. Being free to be as creative as they want makes them feel content. Give them a canvas and some paint, or a musical instrument, and they’ll produce something beautiful. Just be sure to compliment their work!
6th House
Feeling as if they are positively contributing to the lives of others, and the world at large makes these people feel happy. They have a knack for pointing out how other people might improve themselves but they’re additionally happy to help them along the way. Self improvement is a primary focus, and they excel at it owing to their powerful sense of self-awareness and sharp observational skills.
7th House
These people can be very lucky in love. They may marry or have a longterm relationship with someone who is exceptionally clever, resourceful, and even wealthy, too. They may receive a lot of help from other people, including a romantic partner, in setting up a business of their own, or excelling in their chosen career. They might find that they attract positive, smart, and productive business partnerships, as well as staff members.
8th House
These people are talented at spotting things that pass others by. Like those with Part of Fortune in the 6th, they have powerful observational skills. These skills can be used in professions such as policing and law. They may become especially wealthy through inheritance, or by managing other people’s money. They are also fascinated by fields like astrology and numerology, where they may find fortune, fame, or both.
9th House
The freer these people are, the happier and more secure they feel. As far as they’re concerned, life is to be lived to the fullest extent possible, and it’s just one long learning journey. Although money isn’t a primary concern, the freedom to live life exclusively on their own terms is. They want to learn as much as they can while on this fine planet, and that includes having numerous different experiences. They may do especially well in higher education, teaching, and might like to work abroad, or work with people from abroad.
10th House
Being recognised for their achievements is very important to these people. They need to feel as if they’re actively contributing to society as well as looking out for their own family. Their life is a series of goals (some of which are rather ambitious), and they rejoice every time they conquer one. Their resilience, patience, and strong work ethic is a source of inspiration to others. They’re often successful in whatever their set their heart on because they are so completely determined to succeed.
11th House
When they’re serving others and or the environment effectively, they feel deeply fulfilled. Their creativity and originality is refreshing. Those around them, such as family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues tend to be exceptionally helpful and supportive. They also seem to build good connections with people through the internet which could eventually prove to be lucrative. For example, they may invest in an idea of theirs. Having freedom is very important to them as they hate being told what to do. They’re drawn to esoteric fields like astrology, crystal healing, herbalism, and numerology and may carve a career out in one such field.
12th House
It’s vital that these people have plenty of time alone to rest, and think. Some of their best work is created in solitude, or a peaceful and quiet space at least. They enjoy following a spiritual path in life, and find much comfort in their otherworldly beliefs. They love the arts and are highly creative themselves, often producing excellent original work. They could do very well working as a professional creative. They’re naturally empathetic and could also do well in fields that help people, such as nursing or social work.
