“All my planets are on the right side in my natal chart… is that bad?” Let’s bust that myth

Recently, I spoke with someone who told me an astrologer had said it was bad to have all their planets on the right (western) side of their birth chart. I was shocked. Not because of her chart but because astrology isn’t about “good” or “bad.”  

The belief that certain chart patterns are inherently “bad”? I find it so limiting and astrologically untrue! Astrology is about discovery, not judgment. In truth, your natal chart is a mirror of your potential. Chart divisions like hemispheres, quadrants, modes, or elements aren't moral verdicts, they’re tools to deepen our self-understanding. Every placement, every cluster of planets, every imbalance reveals something about who you are and how you interact with the world.

So let’s explore what these chart halves and sections actually mean, and why they’re far from "good or bad." 

Hemisphere perspectives

Eastern vs. Western Hemisphere 

These terms describe where a planet sits relative to the horizon in your chart.

• Eastern Hemisphere (left side, Houses 10 - 3): If most planets are there, the emphasis is on self-motivation and independence. For such people life often feels like it starts from within - they carve their own path.

• Western Hemisphere (right side, Houses 4-9 ): People with many planets here tend to thrive through collaboration and connection. The emphasis is on relationships of all kinds and the external world. Life lessons and opportunities often come through others. Neither is better; it’s simply about where your focus lies.

  
  

So having planets in the western hemisphere? It doesn’t signal weakness. It means you’re deeply attuned to the energies and needs around you.  And moreover, a complete chart reading considers all parts of the birth chart, not just planet positions in the right or left side.

Northern vs. Southern Hemisphere 

This division aligns with how visible planets are in the sky.

• Northern Hemisphere (lower half of chart, Houses 1- 6 - the personal houses): The person’s focus is on their private life, introspection and daily needs. Strong emphasis on the inner world, family, roots, and personal development.

• Southern Hemisphere (upper half, Houses 7-12 - the collective houses): The person’s focus will be on public life, relationships, reputation, and spiritual or shared experience. They tend toward public style of life, visibility, and broader societal contributions.

No hemisphere is “better” - the beauty lies in how we use these energies in balance. And if your planets are evenly distributed, it indicates the balance between the affairs of each hemisphere. 

Chart Divisions

Quadrants (Four Sectors)

Astrologers also divide the chart into four quadrants, each reflecting a different orientation of life energy.

• Houses 1–3 (Self-Development): Emphasis on identity, personal growth, on self, values, learning, and immediate environment

• Houses 4–6 (Inner Foundations): Focus on home, family, emotional security, roots, daily habits, and service.

• Houses 7–9 (Relating & Expanding): Orientation toward partnerships, shared values, beliefs, and exploration of new horizons.

• Houses 10–12 (Public Self & Transcendence): Concern with career, legacy, contribution to society, and spiritual connection.

  
  

When one quadrant is more heavily populated, it can show where your life energy tends to concentrate - whether in personal development, relationships, the private sphere, or the public world. 

An empty quadrant doesn’t mean you lack those life experiences. It simply means that area isn’t the main arena where your energy or lessons concentrate. You’ll still encounter those themes through transits and your interactions with others.

For example, if your 7th–9th houses (Relating & Expanding) are empty, relationships and growth through shared beliefs will still matter, but they may not feel like the core focus of your life. Instead, your growth may be more strongly anchored in other quadrants where planets are placed. And your task may be to find the true value of a relationship.

Tri-Sectors

• Personal Houses (1-4): Focus on the individual's sense of self, their foundations, and inner world 

• Social Houses (5-8): Focus on self expression through creative inspirations, relationships and interactions with others  

• Universal Houses (9-12): Focus on broader concepts, exploring the wider world, and the interactions with wider society

  
  

 Elements, polarities & modes

Not technically a “division” in the same sense as hemispheres or quadrants, but still an important lens astrologers use. We look at the distribution of planets across the four elements (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), the two polarities (Yin/yang or receptive/active), and the three modes (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable). Together, these show how you initiate, stabilize, and adapt in life. An emphasis or lack of one element, polarity, or mode can reveal a lot about your natural style and tendencies.

Why these divisions aren’t good or bad

These configurations help us understand how our energies lean, but they’re not moral judgments! The Faculty of Astrological Studies, where I study, trains astrologers to interpret chart dynamics with nuance, ethics, and depth, not fear or shame.

If your chart leans heavily to one side, or one half, or in one sector, that’s not a curse - it’s a theme. You may have strong lessons in one area of life, while other areas unfold more slowly. But the beauty of astrology is that it always shows a pathway toward growth. The goal is self-discovery. Each pattern just offers a lens into how you process, express, and experience life.

So if someone tells you your chart pattern is “bad”- just remember: that’s not astrology talking. It’s judgment, not insight. Understand your chart from a place of curiosity, kindness, and empowerment.

And if someone asked you: All my planets are on the right side in my natal chart… is that bad? - you will know what to say.

Every pattern is neutral and it’s how you work with it that shapes your journey.

Have you ever been told something strange or “bad” about your natal chart? I’d love to hear your stories - drop them in the comments and let’s demystify astrology together.