Methodology

How Mystica
works.

How Mystica generates its readings, what birth data it uses, where the Sun sign dates are approximate, and what stays on your device.

Mystica editorial. Written by the Mystica editorial team as general explanation, for reflection and entertainment. Not professional advice. Methodology

Combined natal interpretations and chart emphasis

Each classical body has one original reflection joining its planetary theme, sign expression and whole-sign house topic, rather than two disconnected readings. Missing signs or houses are withheld. For signs, Western elements, modalities and houses, each of the seven classical bodies contributes one vote: these are descriptive frequencies, not a universal traditional weighting scheme or the five-element Ba Zi result. Planet prominence uses the separate Lilly-derived composite described below, only when all seven totals are available. Ties remain ties.

Disclosed planetary-strength subset

Our mixed-method composite adds the existing four major essential conditions (domicile +5, exaltation +4, detriment −5, fall −4), whole-sign house position, and partile benefic/malefic aspects from Lilly’s published table (Christian Astrology p. 115; skyscript.co.uk/dig5.html). House points are: 1/10 +5; 4/7/11 +4; 2/5 +3; 9 +2; 3 +1; 6/8 −2; 12 −5. Within 1° of exact, conjunction with Jupiter/Venus adds +5, trine +4, sextile +3; conjunction with Mars/Saturn subtracts 5, square or opposition subtracts 4. Each table condition counts once. These are whole-sign houses, unlike Lilly’s quadrant houses. Physical angle proximity is displayed separately, without invented extra points. This is not full Lilly strength or Lord of the Geniture: minor dignities, motion, solar proximity, nodes and fixed stars are excluded. Missing inputs withhold totals; any known subtotal is labelled as such. No daily score or percentage conversion is made.

Modern geometric chart patterns

Grand Trine requires three trines; T-Square requires an opposition and two squares to the apex; Grand Cross requires four squares and two oppositions; Yod requires a sextile and two 150° quincunxes to the apex. These are later geometric conventions, not ancient classical doctrine. Definitions follow Cafe Astrology’s Aspect Patterns article, with our existing inclusive 8° major-aspect orbs (4° sextile) and its published 2° quincunx convention from the Inconjunct Aspects article. Only the seven classical bodies are searched. Every required edge must exist; degrees, allowed orb and deviation are shown. Wider-orb or outer-planet patterns can therefore differ from other sites. Nested T-Squares inside a reported Grand Cross are not repeated. No match means no pattern is invented; missing degrees mean unavailable, not a negative finding.

Real supplementary cross-chart comparison

Pair retains its existing date-based creative category scores. Optional known birth times and selected cities enable a separate, locally calculated comparison of all 49 directional body pairs between the two charts, including same-named planets. This extends classical cross-chart comparison (Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos IV.5–7) to our seven-body, five-aspect set with the disclosed 8°/4° practical orbs; it is not a reproduction of every historical relationship judgement. Person A Sun to Person B Moon differs from A Moon to B Sun. Each row shows actual separation, deviation and a symbolic reflection. Unknown times, missing cities and ambiguous local times do not generate noon guesses. Optional pair time/location details remain in the current page’s memory and are not added to invite links, share cards or analytics. This adds depth, not relationship predictions, forecasting or new score weighting.

Natal wheel and major aspects

My Mystica displays a locally drawn wheel of the seven classical bodies. Known-time charts orient the Ascendant to the left and use whole-sign boundaries; the MC stays at its actual longitude. Crowded labels can move, but degree anchors do not. The five major aspects are conjunction (0°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°) and opposition (180°). We adopt practical inclusive orbs of 8°, except 4° for sextiles, not a universal traditional standard. Each planetary pair appears once, with its separation and deviation from exact. There is no applying/separating classification, and aspects do not change daily scores or dignity points. Unknown times withhold degree markers and aspects; timed polar charts show a zodiac-only wheel. Interpretations are symbolic reflections, not predictions.

Creative prompts, not predictions

Mystica’s daily notes are deterministic creative prompts. Your inputs, the date and a refresh counter feed a hash that selects wording and a few playful scores. The same inputs produce the same text. Nothing here is a scientific prediction, and there is no scientific evidence that astrology, numerology or dream symbols forecast events or describe people reliably.

Birth data and its limits

You enter a birth date, optionally a time, and a place. Mystica searches bundled GeoNames data for city coordinates and IANA timezones, without an external geocoding API. This covers towns rather than every village or exact address. Nearby-town choices make chart angles approximate. The classical natal panel supports 1900–2100 and resolves civil time locally using historical timezone rules. Ambiguous or skipped times are rejected; pre-1970 timezone records may need independent checking. Planetary positions remain available at polar latitudes, but unsupported horizon geometry withholds angles and houses.

Local natal positions and uncertainty

Astronomy Engine (MIT licence) calculates apparent geocentric tropical longitudes for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn entirely in your browser. With a known time and place, spherical horizon and meridian geometry supplies the Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant and IC. House 1 is the full rising sign, and subsequent whole-sign houses follow in zodiac order; the MC need not lie in house 10. Unknown-time profiles are checked throughout the local calendar date and only stable signs are shown. Degrees, angles, houses, house rulers and chart ruler are withheld rather than inferred.

Traditional dignity and rulership

The four major conditions use standard traditional tables: domicile, exaltation, detriment and fall. Traditional sign rulers also determine house rulers and the ruler of the Ascendant. These can differ from the modern co-rulers in the existing symbolic attributes. Partial Lilly points are +5 for domicile, +4 for exaltation, −5 for detriment and −4 for fall, added when conditions overlap. No major condition means zero for this subset, not no dignity overall. Triplicity, bounds, faces, reception and a full strength judgement are not included. These points do not alter the playful daily 0–6 score; a conversion would need a separately approved app-specific method.

Angularity and stellium conventions

Whole-sign houses 1, 4, 7 and 10 are labelled angular; 2, 5, 8 and 11 succedent; 3, 6, 9 and 12 cadent. Separately, a planet within five degrees of a physical chart angle is shown with its measured separation. Five degrees is our disclosed proximity convention, not a universal traditional orb. Our stellium convention is at least three classical bodies in one sign or whole-sign house, including Sun and Moon but excluding nodes, angles and outer planets. Other astrologers use four bodies or require tighter conjunctions. Sign and house findings are not duplicated. Interpretations paraphrase traditional element, modality and house themes and make no predictive claims.

Approximate Sun sign boundaries

Sign changes happen at an exact astronomical moment that shifts from year to year and by timezone. Mystica uses fixed calendar dates, for example Aries from March 21 to April 19. For birthdays on a boundary the true Sun sign can differ by a day. Check an ephemeris for your birth year and place if it matters.

Local-only storage

Your profile, history, journal notes and preferences are stored in your browser’s local storage on this device. There are no accounts and nothing is uploaded to Mystica servers. Clearing site data removes them. If your browser blocks storage, Mystica still works for the current visit but cannot remember anything.

Ba Zi is a birth-year approximation

The Ba Zi element shown is derived from your birth year only. A real Ba Zi chart uses year, month, day and hour pillars with the Chinese calendar. Treat Mystica’s element as a single symbolic layer, not a Four Pillars reading.

Numerology and dream associations

Life Path numbers reduce the digits of a birth date, keeping 11, 22 and 33. Numerology is a belief system with no demonstrated predictive power. Dream symbol meanings and angel number notes are Mystica editorial associations, written to prompt reflection. They are not drawn from clinical dream analysis.

Moon phase

The Moon phase is estimated from a reference new Moon and the average 29.53-day synodic month. It is accurate to roughly a day and not suitable for precise astronomical use.

Editorial attribution

All lessons and journal notes are written by the Mystica editorial team as general explanation. They are not authored by a credentialed astrologer or psychologist and carry no claim of professional expertise.

Sources and further reading

General references for the traditions and astronomy mentioned here. They describe the ideas; they do not endorse Mystica or validate astrology as predictive.