Birth Chart Part 1: Foundation and Focus
Astrology has evolved over the past decade as younger generations love learning about their birth chart and applying it to their lives. They are open minded and enjoy exploring the symbolism of natal charts. I’ve had many young women bring their mothers to me for a birth chart reading. Typically, younger and older adults seek out an astrology reading when there is some change or crisis in their lives.
While there are astrology websites with free resources, most people don’t know how to integrate the boundless information in a birth chart. I decided to write a few blogs to give you a guide. Part I will focus on how I decide what areas of a chart to focus on in a birth chart session. I recommend either astro.com or astro-seek.com if you need to cast a birth chart. You will need your birth place, date and time for an accurate chart. The system most used by astrologers is Tropical Placidus.
Focusing on the Basics
The Big Three: Rising Sign, Sun, and Moon create the overall picture of your life path, drive, and emotions.
I look at the elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. Example: A chart with a Taurus rising, Sagittarius Sun, and Libra Moon would have the elements Earth+Fire+Air. This would be a Life Path of earned income and possessions and how they are used. The foundation is about learning what is important in life and what you value. At the same time there would be the drive of a Sagittarius that is philosophical and all about truth seeking. Add to the mix a moon sign that creates the need for partnerships, personal and work-related, that are balanced.
Next, I review the modalities of the Big Three. Taurus is fixed, Sagittarius is mutable, and Libra is cardinal so this individual has a balance of all 3 modalities. Their primary mode would be fixed so they can be stubborn in their viewpoints as Taurus doesn’t like change and isn’t very good at flexibility. Their Sag Sun would help them to tone down their fixed position, except that it’s in Sagittarius which can have a rigid view of the world in their quest for truth. Libra is about 1-to-1 relationships so they would most likely attract partners who challenge their fixed views. Shared resources could be an issue if values are not aligned.
Houses are where the experiences in life occur. There are 12 houses and they are varying sizes, depending on how close to the equator your birth place is located. Some charts have planetary objects in many houses while others are concentrated in a few houses.
Stelliums, where there are 3 or more objects in a sign or house, show an area of importance. Example: A birth chart with 4 planets in the 6th house of work, health, and daily routine shows someone who may be a workaholic and doesn’t stop until their health is an issue. Depending on the planets/objects in the 6th house, there could be a tendency to perfectionism. The positive energy is that this person is good at being in service to others and the organization. They understand there is a bigger picture than the daily routine because they observe patterns that others miss.
Astrology is a study of cycles. The sun is in the center of our solar system and has been studied since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Today, astrologers pay attention to your age at the time of your birth chart reading to determine relevant cycles in your life. Here are a few that are important:
Moon: Your birth moon sign comes around every month as the moon changes sign every 2.5 days. Pay attention to 2 times during the year: When the New and Full moons are in your sign which will happen once a year for each. The window of opportunity is brief but can be significant in setting your intention for the future.
Saturn: Saturn represents growth through discipline, hard work, and dealing with life’s problems. The first Saturn cycle occurs between the ages of approximately 28.5 and 31 while the second cycle occurs sometime between the ages of 57-59. Expect major life changes such as moving, getting married, having a child, getting promoted at work, or some shift in your perception around any of these areas.
North Node: The nodes of the moon are points in space that signify part of your life path. The North Node symbolizes your life’s direction and expression while the South Node represents past life patterns and issues needing attention and resolution. The North Node return cycle, that occurs from ages 37-39, typically gets you on your life path more solidly which may be a complete change in how you are living at that time.
Birth Chart Part II will focus on personal vs. collective planets, Chiron (woundedness), and Pluto (power).
