It's not clear. For example, tropical astrologers mentions the Ophiuchus in relation to some mystical concepts such as "burned path" or "higher зодиак". This looks like an attempt to dramatize the horoscope, to throws mystical dust into your eyes, to introduce something ominous and fatal into astrological interpretations.

I don't agree with mystical interpretations and fixation on good and evil, I prefer to interpret the horoscope in relation to real life and avoid religious horror stories, because Ophiuchus persons are ordinary people, and there are quite a lot of them in our environment. In this article, I want to show you the material developed in the sidereal system, and how it is interpreted in 13 sign horoscopes.

I will quote Pavel Globa (a famous Russian astrologer), with whom I partially agree in terms of Ophiuchus. But I will leave my controversy outside the scope of the article, because he's one of the authoritative astrologers of our time, and, despite our disagreements, I respect his astrological heritage.

Pavel Globa:
Ophiuchus has been known for a long time. We have always known it. This constellation absorbs the entire circle, the entire wheel of Earth's karma, on which the rings of fate close and open. Therefore, Ophiuchus consists of two halves: a golden and a silver snake, or a white and a black snake. One of them (black-headed) is associated with the last 7 degrees of Scorpio, the other is the first 7 degrees of Sagittarius. This is the key meaning of the part of the zodiac, which is called the burned path.

According to this quote, tropical astrology, based on the solstices and 12 equal-sized signs and denying the binding of the Zodiac to the stars, still tries to squeeze Ophiuchus into its system and fill in some gaps in the interpretation. Whether this makes sense - tropical astrologers know better. I prefer to use the 13 sign sidereal Zodiac, where the boundaries of the constellations are clearly marked and astronomically calculated, and there are no far-fetched areas associated with transcendental interpretation.

The ring that needs to be overcome, conquered and unlocked in order to completely overcome the cosmic action, the entire impress of fate, the impress of destiny that you're wearing. This is extremely difficult, because by making such big bets in the game, you risk completely rolling back, turning your life into a desert. But it is simple if you are given the opportunity to die and be reborn constantly. The constellation of Ophiuchus is the mystery of the Phoenix bird: you are killed, but you are reborn again, get back on your feet; your life turns into a desert, and then it turns into an oasis filled with sublime meaning.

That's right, the Ophiuchus person is stress-resistant and can not only survive a crisis successfully, but also cause drastic changes in life, make an irrevocable choice in favor of something more promising. And what remains in the past loses its value against the background of its future prospects. Ophiuchus uses only what is useful for a breakthrough, abandoning the rest things without regret.

"Fate and impress of destiny" doesn't matter, if your Ophiuchus is not damaged, or your Proserpine (planet of transformation and the ruler of Ophiuchus) is not damaged at the moment in question. Everything has its end and its beginning; changes don't happen for no reason, even if it entails a big shock.

• A constructive person will adapt to drastic changes and sacrifice something. The notorious principle "The problem is the opportunity" works in this case. And there is no fatalism here, - the person just lives on, overcomes difficulties, loses something, but understands that the loss is justified.
• An unconstructive person doesn't see an opportunity in a crisis and begins to blame fate, the government, and the family. In the end, he still has to adapt - as a victim, not a winner.

There is a complete fall in his life, then an absolute rise. Ophiuchus doesn't recognize the third option, that is, there are two perfect extremes and an absolute contrast. His life and his temper consist of these two contrasting parts. The one is kind of dead, and the other is alive. Both are soldered together in Ophiuchus. Death and life together. It's a duality. On the one hand, there is an icy desert, lifelessness, as if one half is dead, cold and rational, like a burnt desert; but the other is alive, saturated, filled and loving. One or the other principle has the upper hand alternately. Sometimes he burns everything in his path, shows coldness, rationality, mechanicality, deadness, he destroys everything. This is the position of an observer who is indifferent to the world. A complete feeling of emptiness. And he turns everything into such a desert. He enjoys destroying what he has created. And when he burns down, and thus, he is reborn, then another program turns on in him at the same time: he gets back on his feet, begins to live, and needs manifest himself. In a short time, he transforms from an infantile being into an adult, showing a need for new things and brightness. On the one hand, he is simultaneously characterized by fun, exuberant joy of life and the ability to enjoy it; but on the other hand, by absolute lethality. On the one hand, he has a carefree and life-affirming worldview: he doesn't think twice, he just lives and rejoices. But on the other hand, he is characterized by a cold, rational, deadening and philosophical view of life: he believes that life is uninteresting and meaningless. Both are characteristic of Ophiuchus.

What I outlined above is well described here: a person realizes the futility of his developing in the same way and makes an attempt to change the situation in order to live rather than exist. "Don't beat a dead horse". In order to transform the environment and his own personality, Ophiuchus is not afraid to raze it to the ground. It's very pleasant to build a new one, especially since during the crisis, in conditions of general panic and confusion, opportunities become available that didn't exist before.

I agree with the fact that Ophiuchus is a dual sign. His duality is expressed in the ability to be in two different states:

• the need for change
• a new life

But these states are sequential, not parallel. If Pavel Globa speaks of a combination of life and death in a person's behavior, then it means the influence of another energy (a planet or a sign), less active (female) and more pessimistic (a hint of Scorpio). Ophiuchus is an optimist, - just give him a reason and he will give up everything; he always makes a choice in favor of the best and doesn't dwell on the current situation. Of course, his sacrifices can be significant - not only for himself, but also for people around him (it's especially painful for his loved ones if they don't match Ophiuchus). But still, he knows how to step over unnecessary things, to discard the useless, to take valuable experience from the past and go his own way. He doesn't focus on what is dying out, and therefore he acts quite sharply and decisively, burning bridges, and believing that the end justifies the means.

How can you feel the Ophiuchus energy in your horoscope?

In many cases, we don't touch Ophiuchus in the horoscope. When does it turn on? When it wedges into this gap between Scorpio and Sagittarius, when planets are located there. For example, the transit planets have aligned such that it have punched the gap. The planetary energy broke through the boundary of Scorpio and Sagittarius. And Ophiuchus, the 13th sign of the zodiac, appeared through it. If you are born during such transits, then the boundary has been broken for you. And planetary transits are very important for the Earth, it is the bookmark of the Earth's program, the place where the spiral opens. The magicians use it, they begin to include some of their programs during such a period.

I don't agree with his position and I propose my own.

Ophiuchus energy is manifested in any horoscope through 4 channels:

• a minor planet is located in Ophiuchus (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars);
• a planet is located within the 8 house;
• aspects of Proserpine (the planet is a ruler of Ophiuchus and the 8 house);
• the house where Proserpina is located;
• transits and directions of Proserpine

If your Venus is located in Ophiuchus, then your feelings will undergo fundamental changes. Otherwise, your behavior can remain completely calm and conservative.

• If the directional or transit Proserpine passes through your natal ASC, then drastic changes related to your personality and appearance are coming.
• If it passes through your house of service, then you will notice that your work methods are outdated, and you'll try to modernize it, or leave this job, choosing a more promising position or an office.
• If Proserpine passes through your natal IC, you will rebuild your home, or you can leave your homeland, realizing that you will be more successful abroad.
• Passing through your DSC, Proserpine takes your partner and gives you another one; or it encourages you to break up with a person whose thinking and lifestyle no longer meet your interests.
• Passing through your MC, Proserpine encourages you to completely change your goals.

The advantage of this is that the changes associated with Ophiuchus are always constructive (if there is no planetary damage): it not only destroys, but also creates; and it creates precisely through destruction. If there comes a situation in life when it's easier to start from scratch than to redo, then the energy of Ophiuchus has turned on.

If a planet is damaged or there is a set of obvious negative factors, then destruction will be a final point, either you won't recover, or you will get carried away with destruction for the sake of destruction.

This often happens in our lives, and we don't give these events a mystical connotation. It's an integral part of our development, even if it makes us choose a dramatically.

​There is a specificity through which house Ophiuchus appears in your horoscope, through which you will manifest this combustion and rebirth, this strangeness, vacuum, emptiness and again the rebirth of the Phoenix bird. What motivations, impulses or cataclysms will give you such a manifestation. If the Ophiuchus house is filled with planets, then its problems are always more dramatical than the problems of all other houses.

I completely agree with Pavel Globa on this issue.

If any person can have a stop, block, conservatism or turn back, then Ophiuchus doesn't have it, he only goes forward. He always grows. Ophiuchus is the only zodiac sign for which stopping, inaction, and conservatism are absolutely contraindicated. In fact, Ophiuchus can only live in such desperate circumstances. These circumstances are normal for him.

Yes, the main feature of Ophiuchus is the ability to survive and overcome, to achieve goals in a crisis.

Some famous people who have strong Ophiuchus in their horoscope:

• Mark Twain (writer)
• Athanasius Fet (poet)
• Max Born (physicist)
• Vasily Kandinsky (painter)
• Nina Ruslaniva (actress)
• Vera Brezhneva (singer)

The Ophiuchus's program should not be designed to stop. Any stop in development, even a psychological situation, is fraught with the complete destruction of what he had built before. Each subsequent step follows from the total sum of his previous actions. Therefore, stopping will immediately be an unstoppable shaft from behind and he will just be swept away, he will roll back. Other people can stop, but Ophiuchus can't. He should have a constant incentive for his further development, constant improvement, new searches, constant choice of situations and modeling of these situations. Ophiuchus's life is more difficult than other people's life. As soon as he starts to slow down and lock up, - this is the end.

It's overpainted again. This interpretation is more suitable for situations where the forecast is inharmonious and the person is not ready for change. Ophiuchus doesn't need to be pushed, he goes forward; having got into a crisis situation, he looks for a way out, doesn't whine and wait for support. He thinks: "How can I turn the problem to my advantage?" Risk is his other self. Someone can be stopped by danger and death, but it will not stop Ophiuchus, because he is sure that "Everything happens for the best".

Ophiuchus's life is not more difficult than other people's life. Everyone, without exception, has the 8th house in their horoscope and Proserpine, which rams the neglected houses with its energy. If the situation is favorable, then you will feel like Ophiuchus for a while and feel like a winner, and then you will live your normal life. But Ophiuchus person is charged with this energy almost all the time, he craves to overcome, he's not content with what he has, and he enjoy it, not suffer (if there is no damaged planets).

Ophiuchus's life is a series of battles. There is always some kind of situation in which no one helps him and everything depends only on him. If he lets the situation get out of control, escapes and doesn't reach the top of the position, is not a hero like Niccolo Paganini, who played solo even on one string, - it will be a rollback, complete combustion and destruction. Ophiuchus should be a hero.

He is the hero who motivates the weaker people. If this energy is strong and expressed well in your horoscope, then you're able to survive and to save others.

Aphetics

All the Guardians of Heaven should be related to Ophiuchus. The real planets have little to do with Ophiuchus. It is ruled by a planet that has not yet been manifested. Chiron rules it for the time being. Indeed, Ophiuchus persons are focused on Chiron, on key information. They need keys, and they know how to hold the keys in their hands. Ophiuchus is the exaltation of Chiron.

I have a different opinion on this matter: Ophiuchus is the domicile of Proserpine, the planet of transformation and transfiguration. Its development doesn't consist in an organic transition, but in a sharp leap from one state to another. It's similar to Uranus, who likes to defy and is confident that the world changes. But if Uranus is unpredictable and prone to outrage, then Proserpine opposes to the social foundations: "The environment is outdated, but I know how to change it. You have a chance to follow me. Be there or be square. If you don't agree with me, then stay, but I will go".

Uranus is less selfish, he thinks in terms of humanity, makes contact with people, and doesn't leave them with the fact. He experiments, acts contrary to the rules, and then shares his unusual discoveries that amaze people with his originality and inspire them to feats. He may inspire you with his utopian ideas and gather a community of like-minded persons. But Proserpine, who has nothing to lose, will make a real revolution (both theoretically and practically).

Since the point of detriment is opposite to the domicile, then Taurus is the detriment of Proserpine, a sign of calm, material values, regularity and love for an easy life. This is logical: Taurus persons hates change, but Ophiuchus cannot live in a swamp of everlasting pleasures, they are used to testing themselves and are born to make revolutions.

Each Ophiuchus is characterized by fatigue from life: "I don't need this, and why am I wasting my time on it? God's nightgown..." Every Ophiuchus feels a burned path. Every Ophiuchus is drawn to the burned path.

There is an obvious confusion here: the characteristics of a desperate Scorpio are attached to Ophiuchus. And all just to justify the "burned path"? Or is it a far-fetched interpretation? In my opinion, all of the above contradicts this quote.

By the way, I have another article about it: Scorpio and Ophiuchus: everlasting confusion

In the sidereal system, Ophiuchus is at ease. It occupies an impressive part of the Zodiac, has clear boundaries, and it's interesting to study it. If you want to join my research, write comments and read my other articles about Ophiuchus.