Predictive astrology can be used to look at what’s coming for you astrologically, and one of the more straightforward methods is the use of annual profections. Annual profections as a technique is thousands of years old and a part of Hellenistic Astrology.
With the annual profections, you move from one astrological house to the next each year on your birthday. In astrology, there are 12 houses, and each connects to and rules different parts of your life and different energies.
It’s time to reveal one of astrology’s best-kept secrets–what seems complicated at first will be broken down step by step. So, let’s get to it!
What are Annual Profections in Astrology?
With annual profections, you move through the 12 houses throughout your life every 12 years, spending one year per house. You can use them along with your birth/natal chart.
Your natal chart is a snapshot of the location in the zodiac— the planets, houses, and other bodies are at the moment you’re born, and from the location, you’re born at. To create one, you need to know your date, time, and place of birth.
Remember that there are 12 houses in astrology, so as soon as you’re born, you’re in a 1st House Profection Year. On your first birthday, you move to the next house and are in a 2nd House Profection Year. On your second birthday, you move to the next house and are in a 3rd House Profection Year. And on and on.
The ages for each profection year are as follows:
- 1st House Profection Year: Age 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108
- 2nd House Profection Year: Age 1, 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73, 85, 97, 109
- 3rd House Profection Year: Age 2, 14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74, 86, 98, 110
- 4th House Profection Year: Age 3, 15, 27, 39, 51, 63, 75, 87, 99, 111
- 5th House Profection Year: Age 4, 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, 76, 88, 100, 112
- 6th House Profection Year: Age 5, 17, 29, 41, 53, 65, 77, 89, 101, 113
- 7th House Profection Year: Age 6, 18, 30, 42, 54, 66, 78, 90, 102, 114
- 8th House Profection Year: Age 7, 19, 31, 43, 55, 67, 79, 91, 103, 115
- 9th House Profection Year: Age 8, 20, 32, 44, 56, 68, 80, 92, 104, 116
- 10th House Profection Year: Age 9, 21, 33, 45, 57, 69, 81, 93, 105, 117
- 11th House Profection Year: Age 10, 22, 34, 46, 58, 70, 82, 94, 106, 118
- 12th House Profection Year: Age 11, 23, 35, 47, 59, 71, 83, 95, 107, 119
Compared to more modern predictive astrology techniques, finding your annual protection year is pretty simple!
Look up whatever age you are, and that’s your annual profection year. Look up the age you’re going to turn on your next birthday, and that’s your next annual profection year.
You can also use an online annual profections calculator if needed.
How to Interpret Annual Profections
The house that is your profection year has strong energy for the next year of your life—whatever that house rules is your main theme.
However, you can also look further than that using your birth chart.
Don’t know your birth chart? Use the free birth chart calculator to create it now!
Once you’ve generated your chart, you’ll want to find your Rising sign, and that is assigned the 1st House Profection Year, and each zodiac sign follows in order for each house.
The zodiac signs in order are:
(and starts over again at Aries)
Let’s say you’re a Cancer Rising and you’re 29 years old. 29 is a 6th House Profection Year. The 6th house would be in Sagittarius (Cancer = 1, Leo = 2, Virgo = 3, Libra = 4, Scorpio = 5, Sagittarius = 6).
This would mean Sagittarius plays a part in your 6th House Profection Year. This would bring more Sagittarius energy to the mix, more opportunities, more optimism, and more expansion (ruled by Sagittarius).
You might be wondering what kind of energy you can expect with each zodiac sign—some keywords for the zodiac signs are:
- Aries: more energy and drive, enthusiasm, excitement, impatience
- Taurus: stable and secure, grounded, confident, worth, stubborn
- Gemini: ideas and plans, busy, variety, adaptable, scattered
- Cancer: emotions and comfort, support, nurturing, subjective
- Leo: creative and fun, romantic, friendly, attention, needy
- Virgo: work and chores, small projects, detailed, productive, anxious
- Libra: others and relationships, balance, peace, compromise, indecision
- Scorpio: transform and research, solutions, passion, intensity
- Sagittarius: expansion and exploration, travel, learn, optimism, arrogance
- Capricorn: goals and direction, practical, disciplined, responsibilities, traditional
- Aquarius: unconventional and different, change, charitable, aloof
- Pisces: intuitive and imaginative, compassionate, empathetic, sensitive
Don’t Forget the Time Lord
You will also look at what is called the Time Lord. The Time Lord is the natural ruling planet of the zodiac sign of your profection year. For this, we use the traditional rulers (so modern planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto aren’t considered).
The traditional rulers are:
- Mars: Aries, Scorpio
- Venus: Taurus, Libra
- Mercury: Gemini, Virgo
- Moon: Cancer
- Sun: Leo
- Jupiter: Sagittarius, Pisces
- Saturn: Capricorn, Aquarius
In the example of the 6th House Profection Year in Sagittarius, the traditional ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter (also the modern ruler in this case). So, you’ll look at Jupiter in your natal chart, its sign and house location, as well as the aspects it makes, and this will also factor into the next year of your life.
If you know how to, you can also track the transit of the Time Lord as well as the transit aspects to your natal Time Lord since you’re usually more sensitive to its aspects.
In this case, it would be tracking transit Jupiter and paying close attention to the aspects it makes to your natal chart and tracking the transit planets and the aspects to your natal Jupiter since they may have a greater impact on you.
Check this out: The Major Planetary Transits for January 2022
Annual Profections by Astrological House
1st House
The 1st house rules the self, so the 1st House Profection Year is a time to focus on you. You might make changes with your physical self or that have a direct impact on your life as a whole. You may alter your identity or perception in some way.
This is the house of new beginnings, so it may be seen as a whole new cycle is starting, and you can embark on a big new venture.
2nd House
The 2nd house rules money and values, so the 2nd House Profection Year can focus on your finances, and you may change how you make money, spend money, or save money.
What you think is worth your time and energy can change, and you may want to do more to bring stability and security to your life.
3rd House
The 3rd house rules communication, so the 3rd House Profection Year can focus on how you communicate and express yourself. You may find you’re a lot busier and fill up your schedule.
You may be more involved in your community, and how you connect with your immediate environment may change.
4th House
The 4th house rules the home and family, so the 4th House Profection Year can focus on what home and family means to you. This may shift or completely change.
You can make changes at home by moving or renovating, or you can experience changes with your family by seeing more come or go.
The 4th house is at the bottom of the chart, so you might strengthen yourself at your core, build a stronger foundation for something, or start something from the ground up.
5th House
The 5th house rules love, so the 5th House Profection Year can focus on who and what you love. You may bring more love into your life, and what you love may change.
You may focus on being more heart-centric and want to enjoy yourself more. This can be a time for vacations, dating, and romance, as well as creative pursuits.
6th House
The 6th house rules work and health, so the 6th House Profection Year can focus on the work you do on a daily basis (whether you get paid for it or not). You may change jobs or get new job offers, or the way you approach your job, tasks, and chores can change.
You can also prioritize your health and well-being and make improvements to your routine and regimen.
Check out: All About the 12 Houses of Astrology
7th House
The 7th house rules relationships, so the 7th House Profection Year can focus on your relationships, partnerships, and connections. You may enter into new relationships and further commitment to existing ones or walk away from ones that aren’t fulfilling.
You can give more attention to the people in your life and make them a greater priority.
8th House
The 8th house rules transformation and other people’s money, so the 8th House Profection Year can focus on transforming for the better. You may need to dig deep and shine a light in dark places, and this can assist the transformation.
You may share more with others and make use of the resources others have to offer you.
9th House
The 9th house rules expansion, so the 9th House Profection Year can focus on expanding your life in any and all ways. You can take up learning something new, travel to new places, share wisdom with others, write, speak, or teach.
You can learn through experience and see the world through a brighter lens.
10th House
The 10th house rules your goals and direction, so the 10th House Profection Year can be goal-oriented, and you can strive to achieve and succeed. You can make great progress and achieve new heights with what you’ve done right. Or you may focus on something entirely new if you haven’t had your heart in what you’ve been doing.
You can analyze the direction you’re going in and make adjustments if needed.
11th House
The 11th house rules your friends and dreams, so the 11th House Profection Year can bring new friends to your life and more time with existing friends or groups you belong to. You can become more invested in your causes and more willing to embrace the unconventional.
This may be a time of change. You can work toward your dreams and make use of opportunities to get closer to them.
12th House
The 12th house rules the hidden and endings, so the 12th House Profection Year can be a time where you’re alone more often, turning inward, reflecting, and trying to understand.
You can let go of baggage and past issues. Plus, you can quietly work to recharge and replenish your energies, so you’re ready for the high energy of the 1st House Profection Year.
Use Annual Profections Now!
Since you don’t need to spend a lot of time learning this technique, you can put annual profections to good use quickly. Just look up your age, what the house rules, find the zodiac sign it’s in, and find the Time Lord.
Have a great year, whatever house it’s in!
Related article: 10 Things You Need to Know About the Year of the Tiger